Zhao Ping Jin finished work at nearly eight o’clock. Fang Lang Jie had asked someone to bring him several boxes of fine tea from Fujian, so he went to visit his home for a while.

Fang Lang Jie wasn’t the eldest son; he had an older brother who followed in their father’s footsteps working in the Shenyang Military Region. After graduating from Tsinghua University, Fang Lang Jie had entered Xinhua News Agency, and later became an independent photographer. The Fang family largely doted on this younger son, and he had always lived quite freely. After marriage, the couple had moved out from the family home and lived in a two-story duplex in Swan Bay.

The housekeeper led Zhao Ping Jin inside.

Fang Lang Jie was in his studio and came out when he heard them: “You’re here, perfect, stay for dinner before you leave.”

Zhao Ping Jin looked down as he changed his shoes: “No need, I came from Chaoyangmen, and I have to go back to the company for a meeting soon.”

Fang Lang Jie called upstairs: “Qing Qing, Zhou Zi is here!”

Qing Qing responded from upstairs: “Coming!”

The sound of footsteps echoed as Qing Qing ran down from upstairs.

Fang Lang Jie anxiously said from the first-floor living room: “Slow down! Slow down!”

Zhao Ping Jin glanced sideways at Fang Lang Jie: “Is she pregnant?”

Fang Lang Jie rubbed his head: “Not yet, we’ve been trying this month, but we don’t know the results yet. What if my son is forming right now?”

Zhao Ping Jin was too tired to talk, only hopelessly raising his head toward the ceiling to express his feelings.

Qing Qing moved a throw pillow on the sofa: “You two sit for a while. Zhou Zhou, I’ll ask Auntie to prepare another dish.”

Zhao Ping Jin sank into the sofa, leaning back and pinching the bridge of his nose: “No need, I’m leaving now.”

Qing Qing sat beside him and asked: “Has Pin Dong jie given birth yet?”

Zhao Pin Dong was Zhao Ping Jin’s cousin, the only daughter of his elder uncle. After university graduation, she had gone to America, married a Chinese American, and had immigrated a couple of years ago.

Zhao Ping Jin remained lethargic, answering indifferently: “Not yet, soon, probably by the end of the month.”

Qing Qing smiled and said: “I met her once during the last Spring Festival, and in the blink of an eye, it’s almost been a year.”

Zhao Ping Jin’s voice was a bit hoarse: “What’s so quick about it? I’ve been busy all year round without seeing the sun or moon. Qing Qing, did you see her today?”

Qing Qing smiled at him: “Xi Tang? Yes.”

Fang Lang Jie handed him a cup of tea: “Qing Qing says she’s filming at Houhai, aren’t you going to see her?”

Zhao Ping Jin took the tea, his expression pausing for a second, and said: “I’m quite busy, forget it.”

Qing Qing took the cup and made tea for Fang Lang Jie: “The matter you asked me to inquire about, I asked.”

Zhao Ping Jin gestured with his eyes for her to continue.

Qing Qing shrugged and said: “She said her mother is sick, and she needs to go back to take care of her.”

Zhao Ping Jin’s expression remained flat, and he didn’t speak.

Fang Lang Jie sighed with relief: “That sounds reasonable. Didn’t you investigate that last time?”

Zhao Ping Jin’s expression became somewhat gloomy: “Yes, after she was discharged from the hospital, she recuperated in Beijing for a while, even attended your wedding, and then went back to her hometown.”

Qing Qing couldn’t help asking: “So what Xi Tang told me is true?”

Zhao Ping Jin responded calmly: “Her mother did get sick, and she did stay in her hometown for several years.”

Zhao Ping Jin had indeed had someone investigate, starting from when Huang Xi Tang left Beijing. But after she broke up with him, she cut off all contact with his people. When she left Beijing, it was in complete silence, without any informants. Ni Kai Lun handled all her film contract matters at the time, and there were no financial issues with the breach of contract compensation. He had also investigated her mother’s illness, checking the household registration names at her home address in all major hospitals in Xianju and even Hangzhou, but found no medical records under either her name or her mother’s name. It seemed the only person who might know was the little landlord. The investigator had a girl pose as Huang Xi Tang’s classmate to stay at his hotel. His wife knew nothing, and that little mute was extremely tight-lipped, only inviting people to eat noodles at her home.

Qing Qing winked at Zhao Ping Jin: “I also asked something you didn’t instruct me to. Do you want to hear it?”

Zhao Ping Jin’s hand holding the teacup paused: “What?”

“I asked her about you two—” Qing Qing paused, looking at the still expressionless Zhao Ping Jin, then at Fang Lang Jie beside her who was signaling her to be tactful. Qing Qing turned back and put down her cup, relaying the exact words: “She said, between you and him, the choice was never hers.”

Zhao Ping Jin’s eyes trembled slightly, clearly understanding. He frowned, his face turning somewhat pale.

Fang Lang Jie glanced at him and quickly smoothed things over, laughing as he interjected: “I think Xi Tang is quite good now, her personality is much quieter than before.”

Qing Qing pulled her husband’s arm: “What do you know? That’s just when she’s with us. How can she not be quiet? Haven’t you noticed, that she doesn’t interact with us, doesn’t talk, and avoids us whenever possible?”

Fang Lang Jie puzzled: “I didn’t notice that. Why?”

Qing Qing was a bit sad: “Xi Tang says we are from different worlds.”

Fang Lang Jie looked at Zhao Ping Jin leaning on the sofa: “Hey, what a conclusion. Did your mother put people on tiger benches and use chili water back then?”

Zhao Ping Jin gave Fang Lang Jie a faint glance but didn’t respond to his joke, remaining silent with an obscure expression.

Qing Qing couldn’t help asking: “Zhou Zhou, what do you want to do with her?”

Zhao Ping Jin’s complexion was still poor, and he lazily said: “What can I do to her?”

Qing Qing wouldn’t let him off: “After you get married, what about her?”

Zhao Ping Jin replied: “She’ll go do whatever she does.”

Qing Qing stood up, glaring at him unhappily: “Men are heartless and ruthless when they turn their backs.”

Zhao Ping Jin sat with a wooden face, not responding to her words.

Qing Qing turned and went upstairs.

The two men remained in the living room.

Fang Lang Jie quickly refilled his tea: “Ah, don’t blame her. Qing Qing has always liked Xi Tang.”

Zhao Ping Jin held the blue and white teacup, slowly turning it, and said idly: “Qing Qing has a good heart, who wouldn’t like her?”

Fang Lang Jie disagreed: “No, doesn’t she understand who’s good and who’s not? Over the years, of all your girlfriends, has she ever genuinely liked any of them like this?”

Zhao Ping Jin froze for a second, then said carelessly: “I should have known earlier. She’s just too likable, keeping her around is just trouble.”

Fang Lang Jie felt a chill in his heart and didn’t dare to respond.

The living room fell silent again.

Zhao Ping Jin took out a cigarette pack: “Can I smoke one?”

Fang Lang Jie saw the undisguised fatigue on his face: “Go ahead, when Qing Qing comes down, I’ll be the one getting scolded.”

With a ding of the lighter, the pale blue smoke of the cigarette spread out.

Fang Lang Jie changed the subject: “Your elder uncle hasn’t been discharged yet?”

Zhao Ping Jin placed the ashtray within reach, still leaning listlessly on the sofa: “Not yet, he still needs a comprehensive examination. He’s happy to put down his responsibilities, saying he wants a few days of peace. My sister is about to give birth, and we didn’t dare tell her.”

Fang Lang Jie slowly drank his tea: “What about that project at your company?”

Zhao Ping Jin took a deep drag on his cigarette, suppressing his vexed emotions: “Still working on it.”

Fang Lang Jie quickly informed him: “Last time we had dinner, Old Gao also asked about this matter. He said the pressure from above on the military industry sector is quite intense. You still need to be careful.”

Zhao Ping Jin nodded: “I know. Once we’ve started, there’s no reason to abandon it halfway.”

Fang Lang Jie smiled and said: “It’s good that Xi Tang is in Beijing, so you don’t need to go to Shanghai.”

Zhao Ping Jin flicked his cigarette ash: “A lot is going on in Beijing recently. Shanghai is all settled with Old Qian. I go back once a month for a meeting with the family fund people.”

Fang Lang Jie said: “Managing three fronts, you’re something.”

Zhao Ping Jin’s eyes were surrounded by swirling smoke, irritating them and causing some pain.

After smoking half a cigarette, he stubbed it out.

Fang Lang Jie said: “Last weekend when I went home for dinner, I heard my brother mention that your father is making some big moves lately.”

Zhao Ping Jin was noncommittal: “I can’t control his affairs.”

Fang Lang Jie tentatively said: “The situation is volatile, taking sides might not be very wise.”

Zhao Ping Jin wasn’t reluctant to discuss this: “He was promoted by that person, so there’s no way to avoid suspicion, but it’s not exactly taking sides yet.”

Seeing he didn’t mind, Fang Lang Jie spoke more openly: “In the future, when it comes to your generation, if you’re not going into politics, it’s better to keep a low profile.”

Zhao Ping Jin frowned slightly: “It’s not that easy. Look, when I didn’t join the military, my old man didn’t say anything, but there was ultimately disappointment in his heart. After all, having fought with guns to seize the country, some attachment is inevitable.”

Fang Lang Jie nodded: “That’s true.”

Zhao Ping Jin took out another cigarette from the pack but thought better of it and held back, frowning as he said to Fang Lang Jie: “The various factions within Zhongyuan are deeply entrenched. The entire board office doesn’t focus on real work; all their energy is spent on internal strife.”

Fang Lang Jie was a bit surprised: “The Yu family isn’t helping you?”

Zhao Ping Jin’s face darkened: “Help what? Until the day the marriage certificate is signed, the Yu family patriarch will remain a spectator watching tigers fight across the mountain. I was always in the engineering department before and hadn’t experienced it, but today in the decision-making meeting, it was a chaotic argument. The old man didn’t say a word from start to finish, and finally patted me on the shoulder and said, ‘Young man, learn step by step.'”

Fang Lang Jie laughed: “Those words are quite profound.”

Zhao Ping Jin complained: “Even the people under my elder uncle’s team are difficult to manage. Those old fellows won’t budge without seeing benefits. Right now, I’m just working myself to death.”

Fang Lang Jie could only console him: “That’s inevitable with these old state-owned enterprises. When your elder uncle gets out of the hospital, take it slowly.”

Zhao Ping Jin knew in his heart that he was just venting his frustrations to his sworn brother, and once he left, he would act as if nothing had happened. He nodded and said: “I know.”

Fang Lang Jie said: “Just recently we were saying you looked more refreshed, but now you look like a frost-wilted eggplant again.”

Zhao Ping Jin raised his hand and deeply pinched the bridge of his nose.

Fang Lang Jie comforted him: “Get married, perhaps after marriage things will get better.”

Zhao Ping Jin’s expression was joyless: “My marriage won’t necessarily make things any easier than they are now.”

Fang Lang Jie said: “The Yu family’s daughter is not bad, right? A well-bred lady.”

Zhao Ping Jin didn’t respond.

Fang Lang Jie said: “Don’t blame me for asking, but over all these years, I’ve seen all the girlfriends you’ve had, and not one who wasn’t terrified of you. Only Huang Xi Tang by your side, from before until now, though her temperament has changed a lot, has always been considerate, somewhat like a warm little jacket.”

Zhao Ping Jin unconsciously smiled lightly. When he was tired, the fine lines at the corners of his eyes showed. The smile disappeared in an instant, but his voice became even more subdued: “You haven’t seen her now; her temper is even harder than mine. I can’t do anything with her either.”

Fang Lang Jie sighed: “Ah, looking at you two now, sometimes I occasionally recall scenes of you together before, and I think it’s a shame.”

Zhao Ping Jin was silent for a long time, then let out a long sigh: “After Xi Tang, there are no more beauties in Jing Luo.”

“So pessimistic?”

“You don’t understand.” Zhao Ping Jin closed his eyes briefly and leaned back on the sofa: “Sometimes I envy you and Qing Qing.”

Fang Lang Jie pondered for a while, carefully asking: “Is there no way at all?”

“You know me, I can never get past her relationship with Xiao Jiang.”

“Sigh.”

“If you like her, keeping her by your side even after marriage wouldn’t hurt.”

Zhao Ping Jin shook his head: “Huang Xi Tang is not that kind of person.”

Fang Lang Jie suggested: “This way isn’t fair to the Yu family either. The Yu family patriarch isn’t a kind man; you should be careful.”

Zhao Ping Jin’s face was gloomy: “After marriage, Xi Tang and I will separate.”

Although Fang Lang Jie wasn’t surprised, he still felt a mysterious shock in his heart: “So, the wedding date is set?”

Zhao Ping Jin stuffed the lighter and cigarette pack into his coat pocket: “Probably soon. Shen Min reported to me that Teacher Zhou had already gone to question him. Xi Tang has been with me in Beijing for so long; they were bound to find out eventually.”

His face grew increasingly pale, the gloom between his brows heavier.

Fang Lang Jie noticed that the housekeeper had been lingering outside the hall for some time.

Zhao Ping Jin stood up and put on his coat: “You two have dinner. I’m going back to the company.”