Dinner was French cuisine.

The dining location was chosen in an old Western-style house in a quiet spot in the city center. Not many people, very spacious seating. By the window, outside were large expanses of French plane trees. Inside, the lighting was dim but not dark. The area around the seating had gauze curtains as partitions, creating a private space with a tranquil atmosphere.

The pre-meal cinnamon toast had already been eaten—one piece with butter. The appetizer of charcoal-grilled beef tongue was especially tender. The main course of M8 Australian beef was ordered for her by Jin Yiken’s father. Lian Shaozi helped her order a low-temperature salmon and a citrus milk pudding. The rest—salad, side dishes, and so on—were all ordered according to Long Qi’s preferences.

When she ate the first bite of food, her stomach that had been nervous to the point of nearly cramping bloomed its first firework. Lian Shaozi and Jin’s father sat at the two ends of the table respectively. The low light overhead shone on her forearm moving knife and fork. By the time she delivered the third bite of beef tongue into her mouth, the two still hadn’t said a word. Violin music flowed slowly between plates and cutlery.

Long Qi also didn’t speak.

Maintaining this silence for ten minutes, Lian Shaozi prepared to sprinkle salt grains on her steak, but the salt shaker was already empty. She turned her head, about to call the server. Long Qi prepared to pass over her own salt shaker, but from the other end of the table came a “click” sound. Jin’s father pulled out his chair. The server walked into the gauze curtain but was stopped by a palm he held suspended in the air. He stood by Lian Shaozi’s chair holding the salt shaker, one hand in his pocket. His index finger tapped the bottle body twice. White fine salt grains silently fell onto the steak. The amount, the force—all seemed like a married couple’s tacit understanding. Long Qi watched this scene. Even the force of chewing beef slowed. Lian Shaozi held her forehead, watching. The fork handle rubbed between the index and middle fingers of her other hand.

When done, Jin’s father placed the salt shaker by the plate, took away the empty one, turned and handed it to the server, raised his forehead once. The server nodded and withdrew to replace it.

Long Qi swallowed beef, cut a second piece, delivered it to her mouth.

“Long Qi is a sophomore this year?”

The first question came unexpectedly at this moment. The knife tip scraped across the beef, making a “tss” sound on the plate surface. She put down knife and fork: “Mm. Jin Yiken and I are in the same year.”

“She and Yiken even attended the same kindergarten as children.”

Lian Shaozi chimed in.

Lian Shaozi had actually figured it out.

That piece of beef was still in Long Qi’s mouth. She chewed very slowly, very slightly. Jin’s father had already taken his seat, looking over. On his usually unsmiling face was a trace of interested expression: “Such fate?”

“Qiqi this year is twenty…”

Lian Shaozi said while looking over. Long Qi picked up: “Twenty exactly.”

“Yiken is twenty-one,” Jin’s father said.

“I entered school one year earlier than my peers. My mom was quite busy then, had no time to take care of me.”

Jin’s father lowered his head to cut beef. After delivering it to his mouth, he said: “Then Yiken is still one year short of legal age.”

Then he looked up. Lian Shaozi was also just looking at him. The married couple smiled like this, as if teasing their son, not at all like people getting divorced. Long Qi’s milk pudding arrived. Lian Shaozi said: “Try it. Girls all like this flavor.”

“Not many desserts have been approved by her.”

Jin’s father took a sip of red wine.

Long Qi tasted it, nodding: “Especially delicious.”

“So, the current plan is to be an artist?”

One sentence brought it back to the main line. She replied: “I’ve put down work aspects this year. Want to study well. I’m studying performance—want to be an actress.”

“Focusing on studies is very good. Many things succeed on a solid foundation, accumulating steadily.”

“Talent and luck are also very important. Qiqi can make a living in this field.”

“Still need certain propelling force and protective shield,” Jin’s father continued, looking at Long Qi. “How has your body recovered? Three months ago when Yiken called, your situation sounded very serious.”

…

The fork paused in midair for a moment. She replied: “I’m fine, Uncle. I’ve completely recovered. I’ve never had a chance to thank Uncle. I’m especially grateful for Uncle’s timely help to me.”

“For him it was just one sentence. From childhood to now, our son has opened his mouth only a few times. It’s rare to have a favor to help with, especially at a life-or-death moment.”

Lian Shaozi said this slowly, looking over: “So Qiqi, don’t take it to heart.”

Just about to respond, Lian Shaozi’s gaze folded past her, seeming to see someone outside the gauze curtain. Her forehead tilted slightly, snapping her fingers: “Galina?”

The high heel sounds flowing outside the gauze curtain came to an abrupt halt. A capable short-haired woman carrying a designer handbag poked her head in following the sound. What followed was a sentence of great surprise bursting from red lips: “Elaine! How are you also dining here? What a coincidence.”

Long Qi put down knife and fork, standing up together with Lian Shaozi. Lian Shaozi was very relaxed, clasping arms and exchanging greetings with the other party. They looked like good friends and business partners who’d dealt with each other for a long time. Long Qi estimated she should call this person auntie, but the other party dressed so fashionably—clearly a workplace veteran with major connections. While pondering this, Galina also saw her and recognized her. That hand raised toward her direction: “Ah…”

Then she also saw Jin’s father at the other end of the table.

“Oh,” the hand lowered again. “This… I’m disturbing your meal. Look at me getting so excited seeing you. I thought I wouldn’t see you until tomorrow.”

“Alone?” Lian Shaozi asked.

“No, meeting a client. Appointment at eight.”

“Sit down with us for a bit. It’s only seven-thirty. We can chat.”

Lian Shaozi instructed the server to add a seat. Galina first hesitated, looking toward Jin’s father’s direction. Lian Shaozi unhurriedly persuaded with a few more sentences. She finally sat down.

When Lian Shaozi returned to her seat, she raised a hand toward Long Qi: “Long Qi, my son’s girlfriend.”

Then pointing toward the woman: “Galina, a good friend who used to work with me. Now she’s the Vice Director of Brand Operations for Valango Greater China.”

Her ears catching the name Valango, thoughts racing like lightning to that phone call Lao Ping had given her yesterday. She finally knew what kind of connections this person had. Even when she’d endorsed Fire&Gun before, she couldn’t meet upper management just because she wanted to. For a top luxury brand like Valango that Xi Jing had been accumulating blood, sweat, and tears for two or three years without making connections—she unobtrusively said a greeting. Galina smiled and nodded. Her relationship with Lian Shaozi was really close, eyes quite gossipy: “This is… a family dinner? Ah, your son didn’t come back?”

“He has classes at school.”

Galina nodded, quickly greeting Jin’s father: “Old Jin, long time no see. Thanks so much for your generous help at that charity auction last time. Look, I’ve never properly thanked you for this matter. Feel so guilty.”

“A meaningful cause. Should help.”

Jin’s father brushed it off in passing. Lian Shaozi handed her the menu: “Especially busy these days?”

“Tomorrow night’s show. Crazy busy. A pile of matters.”

“Still finalizing the guest list?”

“List is set. Still arranging seating. Seating is troublesome.” Galina raised her forehead toward the server. “One vegetable salad.”

Closing the menu: “Don’t talk about me. Talk about you. Have you been so busy with family reunion these weeks that you forgot business? How are you considering our headquarters’ offer letter?”

Long Qi was delivering the fourth forkful of beef to her mouth. She looked up. At the same time she felt Jin’s father also looked up. Lian Shaozi didn’t respond. Her index finger lightly tapped once on the table surface. Galina observed once: “You still haven’t told Old Jin?”

“What offer letter?”

“The offer letter for Valango Asia-Pacific Regional Market Director position,” Galina turned her head. “Old Jin, I really admire you. Daring to let Shaozi go out and work independently. When our CEO heard she submitted her resignation as Huage General Manager, immediately sent an offer letter with a ten-million annual salary. Shaozi has left them hanging for half a month. How could you let this kind of strong woman go? Simply releasing a tiger back to the mountains.”

“Old Jin and I are negotiating divorce,” Lian Shaozi picked up the conversation, lightly, gently as usual. “Part of the company stock rights are jointly owned marital property. After submitting resignation, it needs some time to process. Haven’t had time to spare for planning the future yet.”

Galina’s face full of smiles froze.

“But rest assured, the employment requirements I raised to Valango—Valango gave positive feedback on everything. So I’m already seriously considering this matter. Will have results soon.”

Long Qi silently, slowly chewed beef.

Lian Shaozi looked toward Jin’s father again: “The charity auction you just discussed—when was that? You’ve always done good deeds without anonymity. Why don’t I know about this one?”

“I bid on an extremely rare design manuscript. You like collecting these things. I originally planned to give it to you as a surprise for your birthday.”

Lian Shaozi smiled: “That’s truly rare. You used to send me valuable things, rarely sent this type of collectible. Old Jin, thank you. I truly liked design manuscripts when I was young. It’s just that time walks on, age increases. What I liked when young no longer counts. Now, I can draw design drafts myself.”

These words truly had layers and layers of various meanings. That piece of Long Qi’s beef was too tough, couldn’t chew through. Her cheek was nearly sore. She silently felt in her heart that Jin Yiken’s learning environment from childhood exposure was too excellent. Just Lian Shaozi’s set of words was enough for her to study for three years. Immediately after, Lian Shaozi looked toward Galina again: “For next week’s show, do I still have a plus-one slot?”

“Yes. You still have one show-viewing seat beside you. I thought you’d be with Old Jin together…”

“Old Jin isn’t interested in fashion shows. I’ll bring Qiqi.”

The beef she’d finally almost swallowed returned dry and rough back into her mouth under this stimulation. She nearly dry-heaved. Looking toward Galina, Galina also looked at her, clearly knowing her current terrible reputation online, not concealing it at all: “Elaine, I feel Long Qi’s current image… of course let me say this upfront—I’ll definitely help you arrange this matter. It’s just this time the news on her is too close to the show time. I’m afraid by then it still won’t have cooled down…”

“That design manuscript—what was the final transaction price?”

Galina froze.

After a while, replied: “Five million.”

“In addition, from Huage’s capital flow, I know Old Jin injects a large sum into Valango marketing projects every year. Several of Valango’s activity funds are extracted from this large sum. For example, some high-price endorsement fees.”

Jin’s father sat silently, watching.

“This year Huage will still produce this money. Using these to exchange for one invitation for Long Qi—Galina, is it enough?”

Then, when Galina’s face showed temptation, she smiled at Jin’s father: “You’ll contribute it, right?”

The atmosphere fell silent for three seconds. The fork handle gripped in Jin’s father’s hand, thumb pad rubbing.

“Consider it a meeting gift for Long Qi.”

He replied.

…

And only at this moment did Long Qi finally understand what Jin Yiken had said to her on the phone.

The so-called being in luck, the so-called meeting gift—all predicted. Belatedly realizing she was in the midst of such high-end rhetorical maneuvering, her blood practically flowed backward. That unchewable piece of beef finally went down. Galina responded: “Small matter, Shaozi. I’ll arrange it for you.”