Jiang Yubai turned on the speakerphone.
Lin Zhixia heard Duan Qiyan’s voice and immediately said, “We’re planning to head back too. What would you like for dinner? I can bring something for you.”
“I’ve already had dinner—oyster omelet and fish porridge,” Duan Qiyan answered in detail.
Duan Qiyan lay on the large hotel bed, his mind filled with jumbled thoughts. After chatting casually with Jiang Yubai for a few minutes, he hung up the phone.
He folded his arms behind his head, closed his eyes, and dozed off, his mind and body drifting into a dream state.
The light in the room became blurry and hazy. Looking out the window, he saw the red building, weeping willows, ancient pines, lake views, and pagoda shadows of the Peking University campus. The bamboo at Linhu Pavilion was covered with winter snow, yet the white wax trees in front of the gymnasium were dusted with autumn frost. The forsythia flowers on the east side of the Electronic Education Building swayed in the bright spring breeze, while the path to the south gate was filled with dense summer shade. He couldn’t distinguish between spring, summer, autumn, and winter, dawn, dusk, day, and night, nor did he know where he was or where he was heading.
He heard someone calling him: “Did you eat enough for dinner?”
Duan Qiyan awoke with a start.
Tang Tingting reached out a hand to him. She felt his forehead and pressed her cheek against his. “You didn’t bring an umbrella and got caught in the rain. You’re not coming down with a fever, are you?”
Duan Qiyan asked in return, “You just got back?”
Tang Tingting hooked her arm around his shoulder. “I came back with Lin Zhixia and the others. They’ve ordered dinner at the hotel, and Jiang Yubai is treating. Come on, let’s go get you something to eat.”
Duan Qiyan put on his coat and followed Tang Tingting out the door.
The two walked in silence, neither speaking a word.
The hotel corridor was covered with a deep red carpet. Tang Tingting wore high heels, her steps quiet and slow. She turned to glance at Duan Qiyan, who suddenly stopped, bracing one hand against the wall and trapping her in the corner.
Tang Tingting looked slightly surprised. “You’re something else, learning how to do the kabedon now.”
On this night of pouring rain, with mist permeating the bustling streets and wind rattling the window frames, Duan Qiyan fell into an unusual emotional state. He spoke to himself: “During my first month back in the provincial capital, the best job I could find was as a high school teacher… Teaching is quite busy—classes during the day, grading papers at night, answering students’ questions during breaks. Next semester, the school has arranged for me to be a homeroom teacher…”
His words were disorganized, randomly revealing bits of information.
Tang Tingting straightened his collar. “I was just about to tell you, tonight we split up, each thinking you were with the other group. While browsing street vendors, I was thinking of buying something for you.”
She looked into his eyes. “Your job is good, and you’re a good person too.”
Duan Qiyan was still in a sulky mood. “Come on, stop trying to appease me with these platitudes.”
Tang Tingting burst out laughing. She took Duan Qiyan’s arm. “You’re so great—smart, hardworking, responsible, with a good appetite and sound sleep. So easy to take care of.”
These words of praise reached deep into Duan Qiyan’s heart. He wiped his hands on his pants pockets and found himself comparing with Lin Zhixia again. “Does Lin Zhixia also have a good appetite and sleep well?”
“Not really,” Tang Tingting stated honestly. “She has a small appetite.”
Tang Tingting and Duan Qiyan chatted as they walked, stopping together in front of the restaurant’s main entrance. Tang Tingting gripped Duan Qiyan’s sleeve and suddenly said, “Be confident, Xiao Duan. I’ve always considered you the ‘Number One Battle God.'”
Duan Qiyan feigned modesty. “‘Number One Battle God’ was so many years ago. A true hero doesn’t dwell on past glories.”
Lin Zhixia’s voice came from behind him: “You were the Number One Battle God at Normal University Elementary School when you were little, and now you’re an outstanding teacher at Provincial No. 1 High School, Teacher Duan.”
Lin Zhixia happened to be standing under a chandelier, the light converging on her, making her shine brightly. Landscape paintings hung on the wall along the corridor. Mountain views, water scenes, and dawn clouds all became mere backdrops to her presence.
She stood about a meter away, with Jiang Yubai and Luo Ying standing behind her—tonight, Luo Ying was dressed up. She wore a pure black long dress, with exquisite makeup and a crescent moon-shaped hairpin at the side of her ear. Her aura was cold, mysterious, and otherworldly, emanating a sharp beauty like an unsheathed blade.
*
The atmosphere in the restaurant was extraordinary.
Jiang Yubai and Luo Ying sat on Lin Zhixia’s left and right sides, while Lin Zeqiu’s seat was surprisingly close to Jiang Yubai. Jiang Yubai and Lin Zeqiu chatted briefly, no longer at odds with each other, able to get along harmoniously.
Lin Zhixia was very pleased.
The table was set with delicious dishes, aromatic and steaming. Lin Zhixia extended her chopsticks and gently picked up a smooth fish ball, but it slipped from her grasp, falling into the soup bowl and splashing a bit of broth.
Luo Ying picked up a spoon, scooped up two fish balls, and placed them in Lin Zhixia’s bowl.
Lin Zhixia politely said, “Thank you.”
“Don’t be so formal with me,” Luo Ying replied. “I’m sitting right next to you, it’s no trouble.”
Lin Zhixia casually asked her, “Do you like fish balls?”
Luo Ying raised her wine glass and took a sip of red wine. “I prefer vegetarian food.” She lowered her glass to toast with Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia turned to ask the server, “Excuse me, could I have a strawberry-flavored drink?”
Jiang Yubai interjected, “I ordered fresh strawberry juice. The kitchen is preparing it now, it hasn’t been served yet.”
Luo Ying, however, said, “Strawberry wine has a low alcohol content, and rose wine is nice too. I recommend you try some.”
Jiang Yubai declined on her behalf: “She doesn’t drink often, she’s not very familiar with alcohol.”
Luo Ying put down her chopsticks.
Jiang Yubai picked up a shrimp dumpling and placed it in Lin Zhixia’s bowl, right on top of the fish balls. He asked casually, “Is the shrimp dumpling to your taste?”
Lin Zhixia took a small bite, savored it, and said, “Delicious.”
Earlier that evening, Lin Zhixia had already tried Hong Kong street food in the night market. She wasn’t feeling hungry now, perhaps about half-full, so she ate slowly. Meanwhile, Luo Ying added a piece of sea cucumber to her bowl, placing it steadily on top of the shrimp dumpling.
Jiang Yubai took a glass of juice from the server and handed it to Lin Zhixia. “Your fresh strawberry juice.”
“I probably can’t finish it,” Lin Zhixia said honestly. “I’m a bit full.”
Luo Ying’s tone was natural: “Let’s share it. You can pour what you can’t finish into my glass.”
She held a wine goblet with two fingers, poured red wine to about one-third full, and Lin Zhixia added some strawberry juice to it. She swirled the glass gently, her nails seeming to glow with a moist luster, as if stained with the color of roses and red wine.
She sipped her wine silently, not touching her chopsticks again.
The others were busy eating, especially Lin Zeqiu, who had a hearty appetite. He ladled a scoop of braised beef with radish onto his rice, took two mouthfuls, and caught a glimpse of Jiang Yubai’s elegant dining manners. Unconsciously, he sat up straight and began to chew more slowly.
The atmosphere in the restaurant was remarkably quiet. Lin Zeqiu casually brought up a topic: “The chef’s skills are quite good.”
“Yes,” Lin Zhixia agreed.
At this point, Luo Ying pushed over a glass of red wine mixed with strawberry juice. Lin Zhixia drained it in one go. The mellow wine perfectly blended with the sweet strawberry, leaving her savoring the taste. She couldn’t help but drink another half glass, and Lin Zeqiu directly warned, “Drink less, your alcohol tolerance is so low.”
“It’s fine,” Lin Zhixia boasted, “I’ve never been drunk before.”
Jiang Yubai questioned her, “Really?”
Lin Zhixia raised her hand and lightly patted Jiang Yubai’s shoulder, like his business partner. Then, she stood up from her seat. Everyone looked up at her, but she said, “Everyone, enjoy your food and drinks, and listen to me as you eat. I’d like to summarize our work results…”
The sound of clinking tableware around them grew softer.
Lin Zhixia stepped back, hands behind her back, and spoke with some seriousness: “Today is the first day of our business trip, and we’ve reached a cooperation intention with a local university in Hong Kong, which I hadn’t anticipated. Things are progressing more smoothly than I imagined. I plan to establish a branch company in Hong Kong, complete the IPO plan by 2019, and solve the chip problem before 2021.”
Lin Zhixia was quite drunk.
But her expression was calm and composed, her tone firm and decisive, her steps steady and dignified. Everyone present thought Lin Zhixia was making an impassioned speech, expressing her heartfelt words.
Duan Qiyan raised his hand to ask a question: “Your team was only established a few years ago, and now you want to open a new company and even list in Hong Kong. Can you manage all that?”
Lin Zhixia nodded in approval: “That’s a very good question.”
Duan Qiyan raised his glass to her.
Lin Zhixia walked slowly around the round table, very much in the style of a CEO. She said, “Quantum computing is becoming increasingly popular, and competition is intensifying. In this field, I hope we can lead the entire industry and even become number one globally. IB is building quantum computers in Germany, and Google plans to develop the world’s most complex quantum processor before 2023. The United States has a total of twelve AI and quantum research institutes, and Europe has implemented the Quantum Flagship program. Our company has already formed a brand effect, completed the initial accumulation, and at this current stage…”
All listeners, including Jiang Yubai, stopped eating. Their gazes converged on Lin Zhixia as she transformed the hotel gathering into a company meeting. She leaned forward slightly, hands braced on the edge of the table, still talking enthusiastically: “Everyone, you are all core members of our team…”
Duan Qiyan turned his face away, and Lin Zhixia added, “And the family members of core members.”
Duan Qiyan then turned his face back.
Lin Zhixia said with full enthusiasm: “The number of clients is constantly increasing. What we need is a global influence to quickly occupy the market and achieve technological upgrades. No matter how busy or tired I am, I won’t delay the company’s development progress.”
She recalled the product promotion programs she had watched on television as a child. Imitating the host’s tone, she said meaningfully, “Building a bigger and stronger brand allows us to attract talent and sustain long-term growth. One person’s success is a solo effort, but our team’s success is the power of thousands. From a macro perspective of the company, every step must be solid, but this doesn’t mean we must follow conservatism. Expanding partnerships and recruiting more talent are the focus of this year’s work.”
“Great!” Tang Tingting was the first to applaud. “Madam Lin speaks well! I support you with both hands and feet!”
Tang Tingting glanced at Duan Qiyan.
Duan Qiyan silently thought, “follow the rooster if you marry a rooster, follow the dog if you marry a dog,” and also began to applaud. Lin Zeqiu’s gaze was somewhat complex, Luo Ying’s lips wore a faint smile, and only Jiang Yubai knew that Lin Zhixia was drunk.
Jiang Yubai helped smooth things over for Lin Zhixia.
He briefly analyzed the company’s strengths and weaknesses—the quantum programming system and quantum cloud computing platform created by Lin Zhixia represented the advanced level of current world technology. However, any materials publicly published by Lin Zhixia and her team members could potentially enlighten competitors, leading Lin Zhixia to face fierce industry competition in the near future.
“Really?” Lin Zhixia half believed it.
Jiang Yubai maintained a businesslike attitude: “I discussed related issues in my meeting today. You can look at the meeting minutes.”
“Then I’ll go back to the room with you now,” Lin Zhixia walked behind Jiang Yubai.
This was exactly the result Jiang Yubai wanted. After considerable verbal effort, he finally guided the situation’s development. He took Lin Zhixia’s wrist, said goodbye to their friends, and discreetly led her away.
Luo Ying lowered her gaze, head half bowed. She looked at Lin Zhixia’s bowl, seeing that she had left half a fish ball and a small piece of sea cucumber.
A faint strawberry sweetness lingered in the surrounding air. That fragrance penetrated to the bone, making one’s heart uneasy. Luo Ying had never experienced similar feelings before; this novel experience was both soothing and tormenting. She felt as if she had been split in two—one half filled with chaotic emotions, the other half containing the echo of rationality. Rationality told Luo Ying that love should be reciprocal, and her feelings for Lin Zhixia weren’t deep. She merely liked her for being pretty, cute, optimistic, and positive, and admired her for reaching the peak of her industry at such a young age.
Luo Ying tried to convince herself with this reasoning. But she accidentally bit her tongue, the tip bleeding, the taste of blood filling her mouth, a sour feeling constricting her throat.
She was still thinking about Lin Zhixia.
She had never suffered losses since childhood, but this time, what did she have to compete with? And what right did she have to compete?
She only felt as if someone had installed a clock in her heart, the second hand ticking away, recording countless sleepless days and nights, the rotating needle tip cutting out a circular hole… Time flies like an arrow, and she was the bullseye.
*
The night rain pattered gently, the streetlights in the mist glowed weakly, dispersing into blurry spots of light. The apricot tree in front of the hotel suffered from the wind and rain. Lin Zhixia leaned against a floor-to-ceiling window and sighed, “Fine rain wets clothes unseen, idle flowers fall to the ground unheard[1].”
Jiang Yubai stood beside her, holding a cup of clear tea. She bent down to drink from his cup, and he called her softly, “Madam Lin.”
Lin Zhixia almost choked on the tea. She coughed once, stood up straight again, and adjusted her collar before saying, “Is this a role-playing game of CEO and secretary? I’m the CEO, and you’re the secretary.”
“Sure,” Jiang Yubai readily agreed.
“Secretary Jiang,” Lin Zhixia played along, “follow me.”
They walked into the bedroom together.
The white gauze curtains were drawn to either side of the window. Lin Zhixia lowered the curtains just as her phone screen lit up—she had received a WeChat message from Luo Ying.
That evening, Lin Zhixia had chosen a pair of strawberry pendant earrings at a street accessories shop. She and Luo Ying had paid together, and the earrings were in Luo Ying’s purse. Luo Ying sent her a WeChat message mentioning those earrings. Lin Zhixia said, “I’ll come find you, and I’ll pay you back at the same time.”
Luo Ying instantly replied, “I’ll wait for you.”
Lin Zhixia sent a heart emoji.
When chatting with all her female friends, Lin Zhixia’s most commonly used emoji was a heart. This habit formed during her university days. At that time, her roommate Deng Shasha was struggling academically and urgently needed tutoring. Lin Zhixia volunteered to become Deng Shasha’s tutor.
Deng Shasha often expressed her affection for Lin Zhixia. On WeChat, she was passionate and enthusiastic: “Teacher Xiao Lin, I love you so much! Life can’t go on without you, light of my life. You must go through the exam papers with me before the test! I’m taking care of your meal card!” These words were often accompanied by a bright red, pulsating heart.
However, this friendship approach didn’t work with Senior Luo Ying.
When the senior saw the heart, she stopped talking.
“She’s acting strangely today,” Lin Zhixia pondered. “I’ll go check on her.”
The indoor lighting was dim, and shadows intertwined. Jiang Yubai stood at the intersection between the bedroom and the living room, blocking Lin Zhixia’s path. “It’s nine-thirty at night, time for bed. You can go tomorrow.”
Lin Zhixia explained, “It’s fine, I’ll be quick. Senior said she’s waiting for me.”
Jiang Yubai was silent for a moment, then said, “Waiting for you?”
“What’s wrong?” Lin Zhixia asked him. “You’re different from usual today, too. Are you hiding something from me?”
Jiang Yubai untied his tie, took off his watch, and placed it on the cabinet. He sat down at a desk and opened his laptop. He signed important documents with an electronic pen while saying to Lin Zhixia, “Nothing. You go ahead. I’ll wait for you to come back before sleeping.”
Jiang Yubai had previously discussed “how to manage a family” with Duan Qiyan. Duan Qiyan pointed out that the most important things between spouses are trust, freedom of space, and emotional maintenance—these words indeed had some truth.
Jiang Yubai was a man of action. He implemented the three principles of “how to manage a family,” namely “trust your partner, give freedom, and maintain emotions.”
But Lin Zhixia grabbed his arm and probed further: “When I come back, I want to hear what’s in your heart.” She whispered in his ear, “Let’s talk in bed.”
Jiang Yubai’s pen paused.
Lin Zhixia hugged his neck, kissed his face several times, and then ran out of the study.
*
The rain outside the corridor had stopped, the dark clouds dispersed, and the moon dimmed, with a few lonely stars hanging in the night sky.
Lin Zhixia knocked on Luo Ying’s door.
Luo Ying wore a women’s suit. She hadn’t changed into pajamas, nor had she removed her makeup. She was fully dressed, with a calm expression, and asked in a gentle tone: “Would you like something to drink?”
“No, thank you,” Lin Zhixia said honestly. “I’ve eaten too much today.”
Luo Ying nodded slightly.
The floor-to-ceiling window in the living room was open a crack, and the cool post-rain breeze blew in, carrying a faint fragrance mixed with the scent of roses—it came from a scented candle by the window.
The candle was surrounded by a layer of glass, open at the top, its flame flickering in the wind, swaying restlessly.
Lin Zhixia was partially distracted by the candle, while Luo Ying had already found the pair of earrings. She handed them to Lin Zhixia and said, “They weren’t expensive, you don’t need to pay me back. Consider them a gift from me.”
Lin Zhixia, however, rounded up the amount and directly transferred money via WeChat: “Converted to RMB, it’s still several hundred yuan.”
Luo Ying smiled and asked, “You never accept gifts from others?”
“I don’t know why,” Lin Zhixia put her phone behind her back, “I…”
Luo Ying picked up a long glass rod and stirred the candle wick. The firelight illuminated her face, reflecting on the rain-streaked glass window. She didn’t look at Lin Zhixia at all, but Lin Zhixia candidly said, “I feel uncomfortable accepting your gifts. Perhaps it’s because, back when I sold software, you wouldn’t take a penny. Since then, I’ve always felt that I owe you a favor.”
“You don’t owe me anything,” Luo Ying said softly. “You taught me programming, introduced me to the field.”
Lin Zhixia looked at the moon on the horizon and continued, “After you got your doctorate, you could have found a better job, but you chose to join our startup. You come to work at eight every day, leave the latest at night, and have the best performance evaluation results. The ‘Special Outstanding Employee Award’ for this year must be yours, Senior.”
Luo Ying found an excuse: “The company founded by you and Jiang Yubai has a 100% chance of going public. I work overtime to get more stock. I came here to make money… It’s not as pure as you think.”
Lin Zhixia was somewhat surprised. She turned her head and gazed quietly at Luo Ying.
“Senior,” Lin Zhixia said softly, “I always felt…”
Luo Ying met her gaze, and she finally commented, “Your personality is outwardly gentle but inwardly strong. Once you make a decision, it’s difficult for others to change your mind.” After a pause, she continued, “I completed my undergraduate degree in three years. In my final year, we often attended classes together, formed teams, and did homework. That experience for me…”
Luo Ying closed her eyes for two seconds, then opened them. Her emotional fluctuations were intense, but her facial expressions were subtle. Lin Zhixia always called her “Senior, Senior,” and she was constantly trying to play the role of a caring older sister, almost forming a habit without even realizing it.
Lin Zhixia observed her expression, her palms growing warm. She keenly detected that indefinable change in Luo Ying, and the atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense. Lin Zhixia spoke faster: “For me, it’s a memory worth treasuring.”
“Is Jiang Yubai good to you?” Luo Ying changed the subject. “I always feel men are unreliable.”
She removed the hair tie from her wrist, pulled her long hair back, revealing a snow-white, swan-like, elegant neck.
Lin Zhixia also tucked her hair behind her ear and earnestly replied, “Jiang Yubai is very good to me. He’s an interesting person. However, no one is forever reliable. In some ways, I’m not reliable either.”
She seemed to be conveying a subtle hint.
Luo Ying touched the cold windowsill. She remained silent, thinking to herself: That’s right, Lin Zhixia is brilliantly intelligent with an extremely high IQ. She’s a genius among geniuses, an undisputed chosen one. Guessing my thoughts isn’t a difficult task.
Luo Ying’s hands had nowhere to rest, and her thoughts were still a tangled mess. Having been subtly exposed by Lin Zhixia, she could only repeatedly weigh her words. Lin Zhixia claimed to be “unreliable,” and the deeper meaning couldn’t be clearer—Lin Zhixia probably wanted to pull Luo Ying back before she sank too deeply into the mire. The timing was perfect, as the feelings had just begun to sprout in Luo Ying’s heart, like an ancient well silent for many years suddenly filled with a spring of living water, with a small fish at the bottom, the ripples unclear and chaotic, turned upside down by the fish’s tail.
Previously, Luo Ying had rejected many exceptional young men. One of them asked her directly: “Are you a lesbian?”
The question provoked her to blurt out: “I’m not a lesbian. I’m heterosexual.”
However, the series of chemical reactions triggered by Lin Zhixia confirmed the young man’s judgment. Luo Ying felt distressed and helpless. She wrapped the silk strap of the curtain around her wrist and lowered her voice: “What you just said is correct. There are no perfect people, nor perfect lives… Many people yearn for things they can never reach in this lifetime.”
Lin Zhixia stepped back, and their reflections overlapped on the glass window.
Luo Ying spoke incoherently: “I am, actually I…”
Lin Zhixia reassured her: “Life is divided into several stages, and what we want at each stage is different. A locally optimal solution doesn’t equal a globally optimal solution… Not getting what you want isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
Luo Ying sighed lightly.
Lin Zhixia gave an example: “When I was little, I wanted a basketful of strawberry candy. If that dream had come true that year, I’d have a mouthful of cavities now.”
Luo Ying laughed at her joke and responded: “It’s almost ten o’clock. You should go back to your room. We have a meeting early tomorrow.”
“Alright, I’ll go now,” Lin Zhixia said goodbye. “Get some rest early. See you tomorrow morning.”
Luo Ying remained motionless.
A soft sound of a closing door came from the living room, and Lin Zhixia’s footsteps gradually faded away.
Luo Ying slowly lowered the curtain. The candle by the window glowed weakly, its flame yellow and dim, forming flower patterns with dripping wax.