Chapter 85

 

Originally, the trajectory of fate diverged in the dead of winter in 1999, but unexpectedly, it reconnected in such a dramatic way.

Ming Xi held her phone for a long time before putting it down. She then lifted her head, her face calm, and silently took a third sip of water—

soothing the throat that had been choked moments earlier.

Often, in moments of extreme shock, Ming Xi’s reaction was instead the calmest, even though she was still in shock, her heart filled with mixed feelings, completely unsure of what to think.

Therefore, she forced herself to calm down and made herself think, rather than letting the theatrics of fate push her along.

She was certain that the woman in the photo walking hand in hand with He Yuan on the golf course was Ming Yue.

Although Ming Xi no longer remembered Ming Yue’s exact appearance clearly, her memory of Ming Decheng was vivid. Ming Yue resembled Ming Decheng closely. As half-sisters sharing the same father, Ming Yue and Ming Xi probably only had some similarity in facial structure.

Compared to Ming Xi, Ming Yue took after Ming Decheng more. That wasn’t to say Ming Yue looked masculine—quite the opposite. She had thick brows and large eyes and was very beautiful. With Yang Yumei’s careful upbringing, Ming Yue had always lived with a dazzling vitality in Ming Xi’s memory, almost to the point of arrogance.

Originally, with Ming Decheng’s bankruptcy, Ming Yue’s life should have been affected. Yet that year, Ming Xi still saw her at Yicheng’s best hotel, Bomei, and it was obvious that Ming Yue had not suffered from the fallout at all—

Ming Decheng and Yang Yumei would rather borrow money and flee than let their precious eldest daughter endure hardship.

That Christmas, when paying the debt, Liu Xinjun told her that Yang Yumei and Ming Decheng had smuggled themselves to United State. After thinking it over again and again, Ming Xi believed that with their level of courage, the boldest thing they could manage still wouldn’t include something like illegal immigration. The only possibility was that they had been incited and persuaded by Ming Yue.

So, what kind of person was Ming Yue?

Cai Ni’s mother once said to her, “Ming Xi, if your heart were as hard as your sister’s, you would never have to repay Liu Xinjun’s 200,000 yuan.” ”

Ming Yue was an extremely hard-hearted person. Faced with any benefit or difficulty, she always shrewdly considers her own interests first.

Between Ming Decheng’s two daughters—if Ming Xi was merely a cunning little fox, then Ming Yue was a ruthless wolf.

The first time Ming Xi met Ming Yue was right after Ming Decheng had brought her back from the countryside. She was so skinny she looked like a bean sprout. Ming Yue, dressed in a princess gown, lifted her cold eyes and looked her up and down before shoving her straight to the ground, kicking her twice, and tossing out a word: “Bastard!”

That was their very first encounter. Naturally, their relationship never improved after that. Ming Xi had been tempered by hardship since childhood and wasn’t particularly timid. Once she understood people’s boundaries, she wasn’t afraid of Ming Decheng or Yang Yumei in that household. Those two barely bothered with her anyway—so long as she didn’t cause trouble, they preferred her out of sight. But Ming Yue was different. Ming Yue could never ignore her. She always regarded Ming Xi as both a disruptor and a competitor within that family.

In other words, if she was obedient enough, Ming Decheng and Yang Yumei wouldn’t hit her, but Ming Yue would. She’d been scolded so much as a child that insults never scared her. What truly frightened her was being beaten. Ming Yue was five years older than her, and Ming Xi had taken no small number of beatings from her growing up. Dezi had an older brother too; according to Dezi, he’d also been beaten plenty as a kid.

But the situations weren’t the same. When Dezi’s brother beat Dezi, Dezi’s parents would protect Dezi; but if Ming Yue hit her, Ming Decheng and Yang Yumei would just tell her to get out.

Later, Ming Yue went abroad with her boyfriend, spending a great deal of Ming Decheng and Yang Yumei’s money. Those years were also the most comfortable period of Ming Xi’s life.

Then later still, Ming Decheng went bankrupt—and Ming Xi graduated.

In the bitter of winter in 1999, she was petty and had been eagerly anticipating Ming Yue’s return to a life of hardship, but those three people had actually run away!

It was… damn ridiculous.

Recalling this, Ming Xi felt a fleeting moment of anger, wanting to laugh, yet also wanting to curse.

A trace of cold mockery rose in her throat, only to be swallowed back down.

The past should have ended there. Yet now Ming Yue had become He Yuan’s second wife—while the reason Ming Xi had resigned back then was He Yuan’s advances—

Could it be that He Yuan’s romantic fate was somehow tied to the Ming family’s ancestral graves?

Ming Xi tugged lightly at the corner of her mouth in self-mockery and calmly analyzed the situation. If she let herself get entangled in something this absurd, the more she cared, the more ridiculous she would appear.

So… she would act as if she knew nothing.

If possible, she wouldn’t even mind changing her surname someday.

She had no idea how those two ended up together. All she could think was: sometimes, truly, evil people end up grinding against each other. Offering Boss He her sincerest blessings was the height of civility she could muster.

In a sense, the two were quite a good match.

Ming Xi suddenly looked up and found Sister CC observing her closely. Sorry—she didn’t intend to give any explanation to her employee.

Seeing Ming Xi react like this, Sister CC could more or less guess that there must be some connection between Ming Yue and Ming Xi. But Sister CC was a seasoned veteran of the workplace—she knew exactly what to ask and what not to ask, keeping her boundaries impeccably.

Sister CC withdrew most of her curious gaze, smiled charmingly, leaned forward with her elbow on the desk, half propping her chin, and leisurely appraised her boss again. “Miss Ming, you’re looking especially dazzling today.”

Ming Xi lightly pressed her lips together, lifted a hand to brush her hair aside, and gently touched the large Australian white pearl earring at her ear. A faint smile came naturally: “A gift from Mr. Liang. Not bad, right?”

More than ‘not bad’! These two pearls, though seemingly simple, were exceptional in both luster and size. Their sheen was as fine as silk satin.

Such large pearls at the ear were impossible to hide, even behind thick black curls.

Furthermore, their satin-white sheen perfectly complemented Ming Xi’s fair skin.

Most women were powerless against jewelry. Sister CC gazed at them with open envy, lamenting her lack of wealthy friends, and said sourly, “Boss Liang of Xinghai is so generous to our Boss Ming.”

Ming Xi leaned back in her chair, a pen in her hand, her expression serene.

This was the gift she’d received on Saturday night—personally put on her by Liang Jiancheng. She loved them. Coincidentally, she had dinner scheduled that evening with the last female supplier of the year and planned to give her a New Year’s gift, so she wore the earrings out.

Back then, He Yuan had given her Tahitian black pearl earrings, complete with a detailed explanation that had broadened her “knowledge.”

She’d learned that among Tahitian pearls, green was the most expensive, followed by purple, and only then black. But compared to Tahitian pearls, Australian white pearls were the true royalty among pearls.

She liked Liang Jiancheng’s straightforward generosity; if he could give her the best, he would never choose anything less.

Over the years, Liang Jiancheng had given her many gifts, mostly jewelry. The only thing he had never given her was a ring. When he opened the pink box on Saturday, she’d nearly thought he was proposing—and couldn’t help revealing a flicker of panic in her eyes.

That reaction had nearly ruined the mood of the entire evening.

But she truly did not want a proposal. That was her honest feeling. Liang Jiancheng sensed it immediately and cracked a dry joke: “Don’t worry, Miss Ming, Same pearl earrings, but no proposal—this is the biggest difference between me and Mr. He.”

Naturally delighted, she indulged Boss Liang with a passionate kiss. In the throes of their passionate embrace, Boss Liang, reluctantly withdrawing, began calculating her menstrual cycle.

After Sister CC left, Ming Xi shook her head slightly and took another sip of water. Who would have thought that Liang Jiancheng—always so composed—could say such blatantly suggestive things?

She had asked him: how was it that he’d managed to hold back for the first three years, yet lost control so easily over just three days?

Liang Jiancheng had given her an analogy: “For the first three years, I often saw you, Boss Ming, as a Mulan in armor, charging across the battlefield. My respect for you outweighed my desire, so it was naturally easier to restrain myself. These past three days, you’ve removed your armor and become a beautiful, alluring woman. If I, this shameless man, still failed to seize the moment, I’d truly be betraying your goodwill.”

Boss Liang always spoke in layers—English when he was blunt, Chinese when he was reserved. To her ears, both versions sounded thick-skinned.

And yet… this thick-skinned Liang Jiancheng was exactly the kind she liked.

On the chat app, “A Smile Worth a Thousand Gold” sent a message to “Smiling Without Talking.”

[Your gift was praised. They even said Boss Liang is a generous man.]

When Ming Xi messaged Liang Jiancheng, both of them had excellent emotional equilibrium. Once a message was sent, neither of them fixated on when the other would reply—because she was certain that as long as Liang Jiancheng saw it, and time allowed, he would respond immediately.

Sure enough, as Ming Xi was heading out to meet a supplier, Liang Jiancheng replied.

[A modest gift being worthy of Boss Ming’s approval already makes Boss Liang very happy. And the fact that Boss Ming openly tells others it was from me—this money was well spent. Thank you for your favor.]

In terms of politeness, she certainly couldn’t compare to Boss Liang.

[Boss Liang is too modest. Among the people around me, is there anyone more generous than you?] [For now, no. Boss Liang is about to inspect the production line—must work hard to earn more money, can’t be overtaken by other admirers. See you tonight.]

In their conversation, the last sentence was the real point. Everything before it was prelude. The key lay in those last three words: see you tonight.

Ming Xi had dinner with a supplier, a female boss from Jiangcheng who had long settled in Haigang and built her fortune here. Her surname was Zhang, given name Xia (俠 – chivalrous). True to her name, she was chivalrous and gallant.

Zhang Xia was not only chivalrous but also very forthright, immediately stating she wanted something with strong flavors.

So, instead of the originally planned upscale restaurant, Ming Xi personally drove Zhang Xia to a night market stall in Xujiang for Sichuan cuisine. Ming Xi hadn’t grown up eating much spicy food, but she could handle it. She ate the oily spicy blood curd without batting an eye. Usually, when dining with Liang Jiancheng, she accommodated his tastes—he couldn’t handle even a hint of spice. Fortunately, she enjoyed mild dishes just as much.

But now, with Zhang Xia—another spice-lover—devouring fiery dishes while talking market business, the atmosphere was genuinely relaxed.

The popular street song “Mice Love Rice,” which had dominated all year, started playing at the stall.

Zhang Xia suddenly offered an insight: “Miss Ming, listen to these popular songs these days. The more upbeat and cheerful they are, the more it shows the economy’s on the rise.”

Ming Xi had heard a lot of economic theories from Liang Jiancheng, but this was the first time she’d heard this perspective, though it did make some sense.

“Miss Ming… have you considered buying land and building your own factory?” Zhang Xia abruptly changed the subject.

Ming Xi paused for a moment, then quickly shook her head.

She knew many foreign-trade bosses, after making money, started dabbling in land—some built factories, others pivoted into commercial real estate. But that was a game for the big players. Where would a small boss like her get that kind of capital? She had indeed made a lot of money in the past three years, but she had bought a car and a house, and currently had to support about ten employees. Even with stable orders, risks still existed.

“Why not interested?”

“Miss Zhang, you’re overestimating me.” Ming Xi replied honestly, pushing aside red chilies with her chopsticks. Her lips were glossy and slightly upturned as she explained “My current cash flow is only enough to sustain the company. I’m cautious by nature—I don’t like high-risk investments.”

Zhang Xia also shook her head, directly addressing her by her name, and bluntly stated, “Ming Xi, after all these years as a boss, haven’t you figured out the tricks of the trade? Nowadays, which business doesn’t follow a three-step process—first, use capital leverage to acquire land, then use the land deeds as initial collateral, second, use the attached structures on the land as second mortgage to build a factory, and finally, package the assets and flip them—that’s how you break into political and commercial circles. There must always be cash flow on the books, the facade must be glamorous, and the substance must be solid too.”

Ming Xi smiled slightly and humbly replied, “Miss Zhang, I really don’t have that kind of courage. I can’t even take the first step you mentioned.”

Zhang Xia nodded, understanding. She flicked a cigarette from the pack, lit it, and exhaled slowly.

Through the rising smoke, Zhang Xia studied Ming Xi with a seasoned gaze—this stunning young woman. With a helpless chuckle, she dropped her hand and casually tapped the ash away.

She had arrived at Haigang earlier than Ming Xi, risen from nothing and now owned several factories.

The two had worked together for two years, and cooperation had always been smooth. Zhang Xia prioritized Mingzhou’s orders every time… Zhang Xia genuinely liked Ming Xi, this darling, and was particularly happy to make time to see this beautiful woman.

Ming Xi was capable, too. Mingzhou never delayed payments—better than many large trading companies. Zhang Xia had once worked with He Yuan of Haiou; payments there dragged endlessly. In this regard, Mingzhou was impeccably trustworthy.

But Zhang Xia’s affection for Ming Xi went beyond this. Some things were better left unsaid, lest they frighten her.

Leaning in, she spoke candidly, analyzing both Ming Xi’s situation and the market:

Ming Xi came from a sales background. She had the classic strengths—and weaknesses—of a sales-type boss. Her strengths lay in her reliable work ethic and ability to maintain client relationships; her weakness was a lack of broader perspective vision and long-term planning.

Relying solely on overseas orders and the small amount of tax rebates meant her business would inevitably encounter a bottleneck.

Foreign trade in Haigang was growing ever more competitive. Factories were integrating trade themselves. Profit margins were shrinking. When that happened, small trading companies like Mingzhou would be the first to be eliminated. Waiting until the bottleneck arrived would be too late.

Boldness and ambition were always at odds with caution and stability.

“Do you understand?” Zhang Xia asked, stubbing out her cigarette.

Ming Xi nodded…more or less.

After they’d eaten their fill, Zhang Xia grabbed a tissue from the round plastic table, wiped her mouth, and sighed, “Who the hell hates money these days? If you’ve got business in hand, the more the better. You think those big bosses are doing charity? When things stall—bam! Having three to five solid factories means you’re smiling in your sleep.”

Zhang Xia always spoke with humor and swagger. Ming Xi usually took her insights with a grain of salt—but listened.

However, she had to admit, Zhang Xia possessed a raw, untamed energy that transcended gender.

“Over the years, I’ve not only bought factories, but also a lot of houses. Let me tell you, don’t just focus on buying in Haigang, they’re too expensive! One day I’ll take you around—lots of cities have great properties.” Zhang Xia brought up another matter with great enthusiasm.

Ming Xi smiled politely, cautious inside. She wasn’t entirely comfortable with Zhang Xia’s constant talk of “getting rich together,” but Zhang Xia was her biggest supplier—and a female boss at that. That alone lowered Ming Xi’s guard. Had it been a male boss, she wouldn’t have met him at this hour.

Soon, the owner came to settle the bill. Ming Xi was about to pay when Zhang Xia put down her chopsticks, pulled a beer cap from her pocket, slammed it on the table, and unexpectedly said, “Boss, see this? It says ‘another bottle free.’ I won’t cheat you—just round off the change.”

The owner: “…..”

Ming Xi almost burst out laughing at the owner’s exasperated expression, tilting her head and chuckling.

Just then, Liang Jiancheng sent her a text message.

“Miss Ming, when will you come see your former client?” Boss Liang asked in the text message.

Ming Xi’s lips curled into a faint smile as she lowered her head to reply to Liang Jiancheng’s message.

Zhang Xia not only had a sharp eye for business but also very observant. Seeing Ming Xi’s expression as she looked down at the text message, she immediately caught on and asked directly, “Are you dating?”

Uh, were she and Liang Jiancheng officially dating now? Ming Xi raised her fair and beautiful face, remaining silent for a moment, but her expression said it all.

Zhang Xia’s face suddenly hardened. She stared straight at her and said bluntly, “Men are useless. Falling in love at your age is cutting off your own path to wealth.”

Ming Xi: “…”

After a long pause, she let out an “Oh,” without arguing.

Over the past two years, she’d seen all kinds of people and lives. Though she hadn’t reached a state of complete detachment from wealth and status, she could now listen to almost anything with a calm, unshaken demeanor.

To some extent, Ming Xi genuinely admired Zhang Xia. Compared to her, Zhang Xia was a true grassroots businesswoman who had built her success from scratch.

However, Ming Xi also knew very well that her admiration for Zhang Xia was not out of envy. It wasn’t that she looked down on Zhang Xia for living “like a man”, but rather that she knew she could never become someone like Zhang Xia.

Everyone simply had their own way of living.

Today, Zhang Xia suggested she buy land and build a factory. Despite her seemingly logical explanation, Ming Xi remained steadfast and unmoved.

How did Ming Decheng go bankrupt? It was because he couldn’t stand seeing others make fortune, and thought that as long as he was bold enough, he could do anything. When luck was high, people truly believed they could fly.

But what was the result? What was the outcome?

Mingzhou’s success stemmed from its ability to share profits with others and maintain a relatively ample cash flow. If they had taken too big a step like other business owners, they would likely have faced two outcomes: either soaring to great heights or a dramatic fall.

The business world was turbulent; beneath the glamour always lurked blades and shadows.

Even on the same path, some succeed while others slammed into walls.

Liang Jiancheng succeeded because he was Liang Jiancheng. Ming Xi dared not try rashly, precisely because she was Ming Xi.

After finishing her meal with Zhang Xia, Ming Xi ended her last work-related social engagement of the year and drove back to Tianxi No. 2.

As she parked, she glanced at her watch; it was 7:30.

Still early.

Ming Xi parked, went upstairs to shower, changed into comfortable sportswear, and then headed towards Tianxi No. 1, circling the lakeside park.

On the way, she passed a convenience store. She took a deep breath, then entered with determination.

Standing seriously before a shelf filled with various brands and models, she studied them—thinking, hesitating, calculating.

Without further delay, she called Liang Jiancheng. Nervous yet bold, she asked: “Mr. Liang… what brand of protection did you use before? I’m at the convenience store under your building. I’ll come up later.”

“…”

Liang Jiancheng was at home when he received Ming Xi’s call, and sitting opposite him was his mother, Gu Shuangyang, who was paying her first visit of the year.

Earlier that day, the two of them had inspected the production line together. In this field, Gu Shuangyang was undeniably an expert. He naturally wanted to make full use of this free professional resource. After the inspection, he had planned to send her home, but to his surprise, Gu Shuangyang suggested stopping by his place instead.

As a mother, Gu Shuangyang had indeed been somewhat absent during Liang Jiancheng’s upbringing, but that didn’t mean she felt no concern for her son at all. At one point, she had wanted to urge him to settle down and start a family, but that chapter had since been closed. She had taken Old Liang’s advice and stopped interfering in Liang Jiancheng’s love life.

But now, she was starting to wonder if that Miss Ming was just a smokescreen.

The apartment Liang Jiancheng lived in felt empty. A few years ago, he’d had a female dog named Xiaoxiao to keep him company. Later, when his business trips became more frequent, he entrusted Xiaoxiao to one of his younger colleagues. Even Gu Shuangyang, as his mother, couldn’t help feeling a pang of sympathy—the place now looked cold and desolate.

“Liang Jiancheng… are you normal?”

Before Ming Xi’s call came in, Liang Jiancheng had just been subjected to this baffling question from his own mother.

And then, sitting on the sofa, he answered Ming Xi’s call.

Ming Xi’s usual cool, unhurried tone sounded oddly earnest and a little naïve over the phone. When she spoke her first sentence, Liang Jiancheng didn’t immediately understand what she meant.

What protection item? Something related to production safety?

It wasn’t until Ming Xi mentioned coming to see him shortly—

The corners of Liang Jiancheng’s mouth lifted despite himself. Right there in front of Gu Shuangyang, he raised a hand to touch his forehead, feeling his body temperature spike by a good two degrees.

Noticing his son’s sudden abnormality, Gu Shuangyang, sitting on the single sofa, sharply scanned him.

Liang Jiancheng raised his hand, slowly stood up, nodded apologetically to the intensely focused Gu Shuangyang, and then walked from the living room to the balcony.

“Ming Xi, that kind of… protection product you mentioned—I’ve never used it before either.” His voice carried the chill of the year-end wind, yet beneath it was a distinctly male heat, rolling up from his throat.

“Oh… really?” Ming Xi’s voice came through the phone, unmistakably pleased. “Sorry—I thought Mr. Liang would be very experienced!”

Liang Jiancheng stood straight, his jaw relaxed, his posture fluid and unreasonably attractive. One hand held the phone; the other rested on the glass railing of the balcony. His voice flowed out like clear mountain spring water, untainted and relaxed: “Please rest assured, Miss Ming, I will gain experience in the future.”

Satisfied, Ming Xi immediately picked up the two most expensive items from the shelf and went to the counter to pay.

When something was going to happen, taking the initiative was always better than waiting passively. Otherwise, how could she test out certain key information?

…Indeed, a clever Miss Ming would never ask an irrelevant question. Liang Jiancheng hung up the phone and returned indoors, his expression as gentle as a spring breeze—restrained, yet unmistakably pleased.

Someone might lack experience, but Gu Shuangyang was a veteran. Sitting on the sofa, legs lightly crossed, she picked up a magazine from the coffee table and flipped through it casually. The corner of her mouth twitched as she asked, “Oh? Looks like Mr. Liang is expecting a visitor tonight.”

Liang Jiancheng, holding his phone, made things clear, “How about Director Gu heading back first?”

Gu Shuangyang wanted to laugh, but looked up, “Can’t I meet her?”

Liang Jiancheng pursed his lips, replying very politely, “I’m afraid it’s not convenient. Please understand, Director Gu.”

“Ha!” Gu Shuangyang stood up decisively, picked up a briefcase, and walked to the entrance. Suddenly remembering something, she turned back and said, “By the way, you’d better show up for the New Year’s Eve dinner this year. This year… Xiaoge’s parents will also be coming from Yicheng. If I remember correctly, that Miss Ming is also from Yicheng. The day after tomorrow, bring her home with you for the New Year.”

Sometimes it wasn’t so much that Gu Shuangyang failed to understand Liang Jiancheng—rather, Liang Jiancheng didn’t quite understand his mother either.

Compared to Old Liang’s thoughtful and deliberate approach to everything, Gu Shuangyang had spent many years as a decision-maker. It wasn’t that she was rash, but she was used to having the final say and rarely considered others’ feelings.

Liang Jiancheng was extremely helpless and didn’t really want to continue the conversation.

Seeing his reaction, Gu Shuangyang liked it even less—it reminded her too much of Old Liang’s indecisiveness.

“You can just tell me directly, is it that you can’t bring her, or that it’s inconvenient for Miss Ming to meet me?” Gu Shuangyang said forcefully, though with a faintly mocking smile, “Liang Jiancheng, it’s impossible for me, as a mother, not to be curious about the woman you’ve liked for so long. I respect you, but you need to show some attitude. I don’t want to have to send someone to invite Miss Ming to see me.”

Liang Jiancheng: “…”

He took a deep breath, then raised his head, his gaze frank: “Ming Xi and I… aren’t in a boyfriend–girlfriend relationship yet.”

Gu Shuangyang found it even more ridiculous, raised her hand, gently patted Liang Jiancheng’s shoulder, and said: “Very good. Now I want even more to meet the Miss Ming who’s made you drag things out for so long.”

Liang Jiancheng blinked, looking completely resigned. He had no way to argue with Gu Shuangyang now—he was afraid that if he said even one more word, Ming Xi might walk in through the door at any moment.

He raised his hand again, and began to shoo her away without any mercy.

Gu Shuangyang wasn’t that bored. Since she wasn’t going to meet anyone tonight, she left directly—calling her driver as she stepped into the elevator.

When the elevator doors opened on the first floor, a sharp, eye-catching young figure caught her attention.

For a split second, the sharp, probing gaze inside the elevator collided head-on with the bright yet slightly hesitant gaze outside.

Ming Xi: …

“Good evening, Miss Ming,” Gu Shuangyang greeted her first.

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Translator’s note:

Happy Lunar New Year 🎉🎉🎉