Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Huo Shaoheng got out of the car and walked past the kissing couple as if he didn’t see them.
Zhao Liangze and Bai Yueran were so intoxicated by their kiss that they didn’t even notice that the person walking past them was Huo Shaoheng.
When he arrived at the entrance of Gu Nianzhi’s private room, Huo Shaoheng knocked on the door before going inside.
A large dining table was in the middle of the private room. It had already been tidied up neatly, so they’d probably eaten already.
A mahjong table sat by the wall, but no one was playing.
Yin Shixiong and Ma Qiqi sat in front of the karaoke table, both holding a microphone as they looked down to choose songs.
Gu Nianzhi and He Zhichu were sitting on the couch by the window. They were playing cards with Bai Shuang.
Bai Shuang kept looking at the door as she played cards.
She was the first to notice that Huo Shaoheng had come in.
“Huo Shao is here.” Bai Shuang waved at him, then asked Gu Nianzhi, “Can we serve the food for Huo Shao now?”
They had saved food for him, but it hadn’t been served yet.
Gu Nianzhi looked up to see that Huo Shaoheng had arrived. She nodded at him and said, “Okay, I’ll get them to serve the food.”
Huo Shaoheng didn’t pretend to be polite either. He sat down by the dining table and greeted He Zhichu. Then he asked Gu Nianzhi, “Is your graduation thesis defense over? Did it go smoothly?”
“It went very smoothly. The professors were all very nice, they didn’t make things difficult for me.” Gu Nianzhi smiled brightly, then got up to ask someone to serve food to Huo Shaoheng.
Bai Shuang set down the cards in her hands and said, “I’ll go help Nianzhi take a look.”
She followed her outside as He Zhichu also threw down the cards in his hands. He picked up the red wine from the coffee table to take a sip.
Walking out of the private room, Bai Shuang didn’t follow Gu Nianzhi to order food but walked out of the restaurant towards the parking lot.
She was a bit worried since Bai Yueran and Zhao Liangze hadn’t returned after being gone for so long.
For some reason, her left eye kept twitching. Her mind was very anxious.
At the parking lot entrance, Bai Shuang witnessed the scene she least wanted to see.
Amidst the dancing snowflakes, Zhao Liangze and Bai Yueran were embracing each other and kissing.
Her heart hurt like it had been cut by a knife. She couldn’t even manage to say a single word.
She knew that Zhao Liangze had feelings for Bai Yueran, but Bai Yueran had never accepted Zhao Liangze’s pursuit. Bai Yueran had also told her that she didn’t have feelings of love towards Zhao Liangze…
If she didn’t have feelings of love, then why were they hugging and kissing?
Bai Shuang stared blankly at this scene, forcing herself to look, painful as it was.
She must remember this scene clearly in her heart so that, whenever she thought of Zhao Liangze again, she would recall this scene and warn herself to let go. Zhao Liangze didn’t like her at all.
Closing her eyes, Bai Shuang’s tears streamed down her face.
Turning around, she quickly wiped her face with the back of her hand and strode back to the private room.
She didn’t want to stay here any longer, not for a single second.
…
Bai Yueran and Zhao Liangze kissed for a long time before slowly releasing each other.
Bai Yueran’s lips were always very pillowy and lush. They were a bit more pillowy now that they were swollen from kissing Zhao Liangze. They appeared even more alluring.
“…I really want to put you in my pocket and take you out whenever I want to kiss you.” Zhao Liangze chuckled and flirted with her.
Bai Yueran was also 28 or 29 years old, so this wasn’t her first time dating. However, her face still flushed from Zhao Liangze’s teasing words.
“You’re such a macho man.” Bai Yueran hugged Zhao Liangze’s neck and laughed. “Why can’t I be the one putting you in my pocket, so I can take you out whenever I want to give you a kiss?”
“I couldn’t ask for more. Put me in, but you don’t need to. Take me with you and I’ll work overtime for you.” Zhao Liangze’s bitter, one-sided love of over a year was finally being reciprocated, so he was very excited. He only wanted her to stay a bit longer. He didn’t want to return to the private room anymore.
Bai Yueran laughed quietly, then tapped a finger to Zhao Liangze’s forehead. “There are times when you are sly too, my deputy chief. That’s not good, is it?”
“Why would I need principles and manners when I’m with the person I like?” Zhao Liangze had plenty of flirty lines to use as soon as he started. He lowered his head to nudge Bai Yueran’s forehead. “Do you want me to go with you?”
Bai Yueran was very tempted, so she nearly blurted out, “Yes!”
But her reason still managed to win as she stood on her tiptoes to kiss Zhao Liangze’s lips again. She finally said, “No thanks, what would Nianzhi think of you just leaving like that?”
“Nianzhi wouldn’t mind. She’d be even happier that I have a girlfriend.” Zhao Liangze knew Gu Nianzhi very well. He and Yin Shixiong were like Gu Nianzhi’s older brothers and Gu Nianzhi was like a little sister to them. They didn’t have any stray thoughts.
“Okay then. But even if Nianzhi doesn’t mind, what about Bai Shuang?” Bai Yueran gently pushed Zhao Liangze away. “You should go back. Don’t tell anyone else about this for now, okay?”
Zhao Liangze thought that he had finally waited long enough for his wish to be fulfilled. He was in the midst of wanting nothing more than to share his happiness with the world, but Bai Yueran was requesting him to not go public.
“What do you mean? Are you ashamed to be with me?” Zhao Liangze frowned and was almost unhappy about it. “I’m single and you’re single too. Why can’t we say that we’re together?”
“It’s not that we can’t say that we’re together.” Bai Yueran sighed. In her eyes, Zhao Liangze was definitely childish at times. She touched his cheek to comfort him. “It’s just that we can’t say it right now.”
“Then when can we say it?” Zhao Liangze held her hand and said solemnly, “Actually, I do understand your little sister Bai Shuang’s feelings. I’ve also expressed very clearly that she’s not the one I like. I think that it’s not fair to Bai Shuang if we hide our relationship. I don’t think she would want this kindness spared to her like charity.”
Bai Yueran was stunned speechless by Zhao Liangze, but she still managed to squeeze Zhao Liangze’s hand back and whisper, “I know, but it’s almost Lunar New Year. Do you want Bai Shuang to have a miserable and gloomy Lunar New Year?”
Zhao Liangze paused.
Fine then, it was true that he wasn’t being considerate enough.
“Fine then, can we go public after Lunar New Year?” Zhao Liangze was very doting and warm towards Bai Yueran. He felt that he loved her more by the minute.
“Fine, after we go back to work again on the 15th day of the lunar calendar, I’ll treat colleagues from both our department to dinner.” Bai Yueran let go of his hand. “I really need to go now, or else I’ll have to work overtime tonight too.”
Zhao Liangze finally watched her leave and didn’t urge her to stay back.
After he watched Bai Yueran’s car leave the parking lot, he finally turned back to the private room.
But he had only walked a few steps when he saw Bai Shuang coming out, carrying her bag. Her head was down and she was very rushed.
“Bai Shuang, where are you going?” Zhao Liangze instinctively called after her. “There’s still dinner tonight, let’s eat together.”
Bai Shuang heard Zhao Liangze’s voice and shook head without looking up. “No, I have something else to do. I need to leave.”
She kept her head down, so Zhao Liangze was a bit perplexed. He bent down slightly and wanted to look at her expression. He half-joked, “What is it? Bai Shuang? Did Nianzhi bully you? Don’t be afraid, I’ll help you teach her a lesson!”
Bai Shuang’s heart felt like it was being cut by a knife when she heard Zhao Liangze say this. She fiercely looked up. “Zhao Liangze! Stop saying these kinds of things to me if my sister is the one that you like! I’d thank you for that!” As she spoke, she pushed him away.
Zhao Liangze’s heart dropped. He sensed something was wrong and quickly said, “Bai Shuang, what’s with you? You…”
He still had something to say, but Bai Shuang had already turned around to look up at him. “You don’t need to say anything, I already saw everything earlier.”
Bai Shuang’s eyes turned slightly red and swollen.
Zhao Liangze was silent.
“I wish you both happiness.” Bai Shuang felt even sadder when she saw Zhao Liangze remaining silent. “I’m leaving now. Bye.”
She mustered her entire body’s strength to say the word “Bye.” She felt that, although the world was such a huge place, there was no place in it for her.
Her father had died on a tiny island in the Caribbean Sea. It was because of him that she couldn’t continue her job at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Her days were aimless.
She had liked Zhao Liangze, the only bright light in her dreary life.
But now this light would be illuminating someone else’s life and would no longer shine on her.
Bai Shuang rushed into her car and quickly drove away.
Zhao Liangze sighed. He watched blankly as Bai Shuang’s car left the parking lot, the image of her red and crying eyes filling his mind.
…
Inside the private room, Huo Shaoheng sat at the dining table alone. Gu Nianzhi was already sitting with Yin Shixiong and Ma Qiqi, watching them sing love songs.
As Zhao Liangze pushed the door to come in, his spirits were low. He’d originally been overcome with happiness, but half of it had been diluted by Bai Shuang.
Picking up the remote, he turned on the flat-screen TV out of boredom and began to watch it.
Several TV stations were still broadcasting the car accident from that morning.
“…According to results from the police’s DNA test, the victims in the two vehicles from this morning’s car accident were the Chairman of the Ishihara Corporation, Ishihara Waskashi, and his driver, secretary, and bodyguard, as well as Ishihara Wakashi’s grandson, Ishihara Taro, and his driver.”
“They were the sole remaining descendants of the Ishihara family. Their deaths have caused a great impact on the Ishihara Corporation. Many companies with stocks controlled by the Ishihara Corporation are currently facing exponential drops in their prices…”
