Chapter 47
“What?” Shen Luo was confused, following their gaze to see what they were looking at.
“Gao Lulu. If I’m not mistaken, she’s also an undergraduate in a minor language at Peking University, and one of the students I previously funded.”
“No way.” Shen Luo followed her gaze and looked over. When did Jiangcheng get so small? Isn’t that the same intern he just called clumsy and useless?
“Mm.” Shi Yu responded indifferently. “She came to Jiang University on exchange before.”
“So, these are the interns your brother brought in?” Jiang Shangwan said.
It seemed that Gao Lulu had sensed the gaze from outside the window. She slightly raised her head and looked over. Her brows twitched, and upon seeing Shi Yu and Jiang Shangwan standing together, she quickly lowered her head like a frightened deer.
Jiang Shangwan suddenly thought of the post Shi Yu had shared earlier on social media: “Do you have her on WeChat?”
“Yes.”
An awkward silence spread through the air, the kind where one feels embarrassed to be recognized by one of the students they had funded, especially when the student sees them with another.
She grabbed Shi Yu’s sleeve and urged, “Let’s go, quickly.”
Shen Luo looked on in confusion. “…Do you want me to call her out to talk to you guys?”
Shi Yu stumbled as she pulled him, shaking his head at Shen Luo and keeping up with Jiang Shangwan’s pace.
By the time they left Shen Luo’s company, it was already evening. The night sky had begun to fall, and the lights of the tall buildings lit up, sparkling. Countless people were eagerly awaiting the countdown to the New Year.
Some restaurants were already charging twenty thousand per table for their New Year’s Eve dinner, but they were still in high demand. This was when the benefits of having reserved a private room in advance became evident.
When Shen Luo and the others arrived at the restaurant, they just happened to run into Jiang Yingting: “What a coincidence! I just arrived, and you guys got here too.”
Jiang Yingting was dressed in a princess dress with a light pink fur coat, holding a small handbag, happily waving her little hand at them.
She looked at the hands that Shi Yu and Jiang Shangwan were holding, and with a sigh, said, “Ah, seeing you two like this makes me want to fall in love too. That feeling of being moved.”
Shen Luo curled his index and middle fingers, lowering his head to give her an expression: “Then you better have better taste than your sister. I’ll be watching you, forever!”
Jiang Shangwan tilted her head and whispered, “He’s always like this, no filter. He’s been suppressed by his brother for so long that he likes to take his frustrations out on others. Don’t mind it.”
“It’s fine.” Shi Yu hooked his pinky with her palm. “Your friend, I won’t mind.”
The waiter respectfully stood behind the private room, waiting to refill water and remove plates. Various dishes were served in white jade porcelain plates, and the group chatted and laughed as they walked into the corner windowed room to sit. Below them was a vast and open view of the river.
Jiang Shangwan picked up a piece of steamed bamboo fish and placed it onto Shi Yu’s plate: “Try it, it’s really fresh.”
The texture was delicate and smooth. After being steamed, there was no fishy smell at all, and it tasted even better than the usual bass. The fish meat was tender and quickly dissolved in the mouth, leaving a refreshing fragrance and smoothness.
“It’s really good.”
Shen Luo scooped up a spoonful of sea urchin tofu stew. The tofu in the soup was bubbling and steaming, with an aroma that filled the air: “This is delicious, try it.”
“Yingting, you’re graduating soon. What are your plans?” Jiang Shangwan asked, clearly knowing she probably wouldn’t join the Jiang family business.
“I’ve applied for postgraduate studies at this school, so I’ll stay at Jiang University for another three years.” She sighed. “My advisor recommended I go to Tsinghua or Peking University, but I thought about it and decided against it. Staying in Jiangcheng is more comfortable.”
Shen Luo agreed: “That’s true. Jiangcheng is much more comfortable than Beicheng. Yingting is smart.”
Beicheng is simple and rich in cultural heritage, with a prime geographic location, but the weather is colder. Jiangcheng is more prosperous, with a glamorous nightlife and warmer climate. For Jiang Yingting, who grew up in Jiangcheng, staying here was definitely more suitable for her lifestyle than staying in Beicheng.
“This is nothing compared to Shi Yu,” Jiang Yingting stuck out her tongue. “I heard that our dean tried to persuade him multiple times to continue his studies, even for a master’s or doctorate, but he rejected all of it without mercy. But his entrepreneurship has been really successful. Even my roommate is playing that ‘Deep Blue Love,’ constantly creating little characters. I bet he’s probably going to be the representative of this year’s outstanding graduates.”
Shi Yu, the focus of the conversation, was quietly eating Longjing tea(Longjing tea (龍井茶 / 龙井茶, Lóngjǐng chá), also known as Dragon Well tea, is one of the most famous and highly prized green teas in China. It originates from the Longjing village near Hangzhou, in Zhejiang Province.)-flavored custard, rarely speaking, and occasionally serving Jiang Shangwan some food. When he lowered his gaze, he sat there almost without any presence, making it hard to believe that he was the campus icon Jiang Yingting had just described.
He raised his head casually and replied, “Just luck.”
“Tch.” Shen Luo had always had a preconceived bias against this guy, feeling uncomfortable every time he saw him, but he couldn’t deny that he was indeed strong and quite good-looking.
“Do you really like the desserts here?” Jiang Shangwan covered her lips with a light laugh. “Let’s order another serving of Longjing tea pudding.”
Shen Luo’s phone kept ringing, one call after another. He impatiently picked up, “What? Going back for the New Year? No, I’m already having the New Year’s Eve dinner outside. If anyone wants to celebrate, go ahead.”
“With who? Do I need to report that to you?”
…
Shi Yu got up to go to the restroom, and Jiang Shangwan, seeing that he wasn’t speaking much and was leaving his seat, thought he wasn’t used to being around her friends, so she followed him out.
“What’s wrong?” Jiang Shangwan asked. “If you’re not comfortable, we can finish eating quickly and head back.”
“I ate too many desserts, my stomach feels uncomfortable, so I’m going to the restroom,” Shi Yu said as he picked up her coat, looking helpless.
Jiang Shangwan: “………”
She was about to go back when a bright and clear voice interrupted from afar: “Hey, bro, what are you doing here? Are you celebrating the New Year here too? What a coincidence!”
Lin Chuan’s face lit up, and he almost jogged over to pat Shi Yu on the shoulder. “Is your wife here too?”
“Yeah,” Jiang Shangwan nodded and, seeing Wen Yu and Lin Zeqi, the married couple, slowly walking towards them, she greeted them as well, “Happy New Year.”
“Happy New Year,” Wen Yu, dressed in a long dark black coat, which accentuated her rounded brows and eyes with a touch of elegance, said as she hooked her arm around Lin Zeqi’s. Her gaze swept across the closely attached figures of the two in front of her, and she spoke gently, “So it’s President Jiang. Shi Yu, this child really has good luck.”
Shi Yu curved his lips into a smile, his large hand taking hers to assert his claim. “I haven’t had the chance to thank you in person yet. My wish coming true is thanks to your help with the publicity, and everything has gone smoothly afterward.”
His wish had indeed been smoothly fulfilled.
“No need to be polite,” Wen Yu nodded slightly. “Xiao Chuan has already told us. The results were mainly due to your own efforts. Hard work is the key.” She gave a slight nod. “If you have a chance, keep in touch. If you need any help, feel free to reach out. Uncle and Aunt are willing to lend a hand. And we wish you both a happy New Year.”
“Happy New Year, bro!” Lin Chuan said.
Shi Yu’s expression was restrained as he held Jiang Shangwan’s hand and brought it to his chest, bowing deeply with sincerity.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the Lin family went to the adjacent private room. Jiang Shangwan thought for a moment and decided to wait for him near the restroom.
She thought she might look for a smoking area, maybe grab a cigarette to refresh herself, but before she could think further, the broad body of an adult man suddenly came from behind, covering her, bringing with it a fragrance of perfume and deep sandalwood. One of his wrists firmly gripped her hand.
Jiang Shangwan furrowed her brows, instinctively sensing that the scent wasn’t from Shi Yu. She turned around to meet a flushed face, clearly drunk: “Why are you here, Wanwan?”
Fang Liangchen was so drunk he could barely stand, and he firmly held Jiang Shangwan from behind, his breath heavy and hot on her ear as he murmured, “Were you waiting for me?”
“Let go of me!” Jiang Shangwan’s wrist was pinned tightly to the wall as she angrily shouted, “You’re drunk, how would I know you were here having dinner? Let go of me!”
“No,” Fang Liangchen buried his face in her hair, inhaling her enticing fragrance, tightening his hold on her as if afraid she would escape. “I was wrong, Wanwan. Forgive me, please? I shouldn’t have said those things in front of you last time. I’ve been waiting for you all these years. I miss you. Let’s start over, okay?”
His hot breath, filled with the stench of alcohol, brushed against Jiang Shangwan’s face, making her feel physically disgusted. She took a deep breath. “Wake up, Fang Liangchen. We’ve been broken up for a long time now, and I have a new boyfriend. We are not possible anymore.”
“A new boyfriend?” Those four words struck a sensitive nerve in him. The alcohol tearing away his usual façade, the polite, well-mannered gentleman persona he had maintained seemed to peel away, revealing his raw emotions. Enraged, he shouted, “What’s so good about that guy? Don’t you know how terrible his family is?”
“Why won’t you turn around and look at me, Wanwan?” Fang Liangchen’s voice softened again. “We’ve been together for so many years, but we never married. We’re the perfect match. We’ve known each other for so long. I’ve always been waiting for you. Give me one more chance, please?”
Jiang Shangwan was almost nauseated by his delusional thoughts. If by “waiting” he meant—waiting until after he had tried countless women and found them unsuitable before coming back to her—then she truly couldn’t bear it.
She struggled to break free. “I’ll say it again, Fang Liangchen, let go of me. This is a public place. Don’t force me to embarrass you.”
He turned his head and suddenly pressed his lips close to her face. “Wan…”
Before he could finish his sentence, a fist slammed into his face with such speed that it was accompanied by a gust of air. Fang Liangchen staggered back, his brain buzzing, and in disbelief, he covered his face.
His vision blurred suddenly, accompanied by the sharp sting of skin being cut—his glasses shattered, and glass shards embedded into his face.
Shi Yu’s face darkened, and he grabbed Jiang Shangwan, pulling her into his arms. He lowered his gaze and asked softly, “Are you okay?”
Jiang Shangwan’s heart raced, adrenaline surging. She had not yet adjusted to the sudden change and shook her head.
Fang Liangchen touched his wet cheek, now stained with blood. He was stunned for a moment before sneering, “You…”
Shi Yu didn’t even give him a chance to speak again. His right hand clenched into a fist and continued to strike Fang Liangchen’s face. Punch after punch landed, the blows solid and forceful, as he repeatedly hammered his scholarly face. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Shi Yu attacked him with a fierceness that was almost ruthless. He was tall, his legs long, and he exercised often. Fang Liangchen had no strength to fight back. Soon, his face was a blur, and seeing that Shi Yu had no intention of stopping, Jiang Shangwan felt an inexplicable surge of fear. She stepped forward to block him. “Enough, Shi Yu! Stop! I’m really fine, he didn’t do anything. Don’t hit him anymore, there are cameras here…”
The fist that had been raised suddenly stopped, and his chest rose and fell violently. His jaw was tightly clenched, the line of it sharp like that of an eagle, and his eyes were filled with darkness.
This side of Shi Yu was unfamiliar. He was showing a bloodthirsty side of himself that he never revealed when he was usually gentle. His right hand was covered in slick, fresh blood. Unlike when he had fought that perverted man before, this time he was fiercer, colder—like a wolf protecting its food, savagely tearing into its prey.
Jiang Shangwan grabbed his arm. “Please, Shi Yu, don’t hit him anymore. Calm down, please.”
“He touched you, and now he wants to kiss you,” Shi Yu said coldly, his voice hoarse. “He deserves to die.”