Chapter 35: Two Private Rooms, Two Worlds
Tuesday evening, seven o’clock, Jingyue.
This private kitchen restaurant was hidden in a tranquil alley shaded by sycamore trees in the city center. The environment was secluded and the style elegant, seeming to be the polar opposite of the clamor of “Zero Six”. Chi Jiong arrived slightly earlier than the agreed time.
A waiter led him into the reserved private room, arriving almost simultaneously with Zhao Ningchun.
She looked even more elegant and refined in person than in her profile photos, wearing a plain beige dress, with light makeup and her long hair loosely pinned up. Her eyes were clear, and her demeanor was graceful and poised.
“Miss Zhao, very nice to meet you. I am Chi Jiong.” Chi Jiong stood up, pulled out a chair for her, and smiled gently.
“Mr. Chi, I’ve heard a lot about you. Just call me Ningchun.” Zhao Ningchun smiled in response.
The initial pleasantries revolved around Jingyue’s environment and dishes, the atmosphere polite and slightly aloof.
The waiter poured the specially blended osmanthus oolong tea, its elegant fragrance permeating the air.
Chi Jiong knew they couldn’t stay on superficial pleasantries anymore. He put down his teacup, his expression turning serious, deciding to cut straight to the chase.
“Miss Zhao, I think both of us are clear in our hearts about the reason we are sitting here today. I won’t beat around the bush.”
Zhao Ningchun lifted her eyes to look at him, seemingly somewhat surprised by his directness.
“First, I want to clearly express my stance.” Chi Jiong looked at her, “I currently have absolutely no intention of starting a romantic relationship, much less accept an emotional connection built on the foundation of commercial interests. I believe this is a disrespect to both parties, especially to you.”
Zhao Ningchun listened quietly, nodding slightly to signal him to continue.
“My energy is almost entirely invested in ‘Zero Six’. It’s not just my career, it’s more like my… alternate self, the result of proving my capabilities to my family, and also to myself.”
“I understand familial responsibilities and expectations, but I hope that at least in the matter of choosing someone to spend my life with, I can follow my own wishes.”
He saw a glimmer of light flash in Zhao Ningchun’s eyes, which made him even more certain of his judgment.
“I’ve learned that you are studying art curation and enjoy classical music and quiet art exhibitions.”
“To be honest, a place like ‘Zero Six’ might be a far cry from the atmosphere you like. I think we are probably people from two different worlds, and forcing an intersection would be unfair to both of us. I hope we can reach a consensus to explain the situation to our families.”
After he finished speaking, he gave Zhao Ningchun time to digest these words.
The private room was quiet for a moment, with only the faint rustling of wind blowing through leaves coming from outside the window.
Zhao Ningchun gently put down her teacup, her lips curling into an understanding arc.
“Mr. Chi, thank you for being so frank. To tell you the truth, I was also very apprehensive before coming.”
“I appreciate your directness and respect. In fact, my thoughts are similar to yours. At this stage, I want to focus more on my professional field, and the work I just took over is also full of challenges for me. Regarding the meeting arranged by my family, I also felt somewhat… troubled.”
The two exchanged a look. The heavy stones pressing on their respective hearts seemed to have been moved away, and the atmosphere instantly relaxed considerably.
“Then,” Chi Jiong raised his teacup, revealing his first truly relaxed smile tonight, “To the consensus we’ve reached, and to… each other’s future freedom?”
Zhao Ningchun also smiled brightly, raising her cup to clink it gently against his: “Cheers.”
The subsequent dining atmosphere became exceptionally harmonious.
They no longer discussed the awkward “main topic,” but instead, like friends who met by chance, chatted about art and shared anecdotes from domestic and international art museums. Zhao Ningchun even shared a difficulty she encountered while preparing for a small contemporary art exhibition, and Chi Jiong provided some novel suggestions from the perspective of operations and audience.
In another private room named “Listening to the Rain” in Jingyue, the atmosphere was much more subtle.
A table for four, facing each other in pairs.
Jiang Qing looked at the two people opposite him, picked up his honey milk, and took a sip.
Jiang Linmu looked at the two people opposite him, picked up his lemon water, and took a sip.
Lin Siwu looked at the two people opposite him, picked up his honey black tea, and took a sip.
Lin Siyu looked at the two people opposite him, picked up his black tea, and took a sip.
The four of them sat face-to-face sipping tea, managing to turn the act of drinking four cups of beverages into the posture of a United Nations negotiation.
The air stagnated, with only the faint sounds of cups and saucers clinking.
Jiang Linmu was the first to be unable to stand this bizarre quietness. He abruptly put down his cup, the lemon water sloshing against the glass walls: “Umm…”
Almost simultaneously, Lin Siwu also couldn’t hold it in and blurted out: “You guys…”
Both of them stopped talking at the same time and looked at each other.
“You speak first.” Jiang Linmu gestured.
Lin Siwu’s eyes lit up, instantly forgetting the awkwardness just now. He leaned forward, but his gaze involuntarily swept quickly over Jiang Qing first, before landing on Jiang Linmu’s phone: “Is your phone case the one from the newly released XX game…”
“Holy shit!!!!!! It is, it is, ahhhhhhh!!!!!” Jiang Linmu was so excited he almost jumped out of his chair, whipping out his phone, “You play too?! What server are you on? What’s your ID?!”
“Cough.” Jiang Qing coughed lightly.
Lin Siyu spoke up at the same time: “Siwu.”
The two people who were so excited they were about to hug each other instantly fell silent, their expressions quickly turning serious as they sat up straight obediently.
The private room once again fell into a bizarre silence, leaving only the curling steam rising from the four beverages on the table.
Lin Siwu secretly kicked Jiang Linmu under the table, winking and grimacing to say:
…Add me… as a friend later…
Jiang Linmu understood, making an “OK” gesture under the table, while his face maintained the illusion of “I am very serious, I am earnestly participating in a commercial negotiation.”
“You two…” Jiang Qing sighed helplessly.
“The one you just kicked was my leg.”
“Pfft—cough cough cough!” Lin Siwu, who was pretending to drink honey black tea, violently choked. His entire face instantly flushed red—half from choking, and the other half also from choking.
He, he he he… he kicked the wrong person?!
“Pfft—” Jiang Linmu couldn’t hold back a laugh, then slammed on the brakes under his brother’s faint glance, almost biting his tongue.
Lin Siyu rubbed his brow, “Apologies, my younger brother lost his manners.”
“Likewise.” Jiang Qing picked up the other untouched cup of honey black tea and extremely naturally handed it to the still-coughing Lin Siwu, his tone calm, “It seems they truly hit it off well.”
Lin Siwu blankly took the warm cup of tea. He whispered his thanks, holding the cup. The sweet, smooth liquid slid down his throat, alleviating the discomfort of choking, but making the slight unease in his heart even more apparent. He couldn’t help but lift his eyes, shooting a quick glance at Jiang Qing, only to see the other party had already looked away.
The “transnational communication” under the table had been caught red-handed. The two culprits were now sitting upright, yet their eyes were still frantically exchanging messages in the air:
[It’s all your fault!] Lin Siwu accused with his eyes.[You kicked the wrong person, okay!] Jiang Linmu glared back.
“Since they hit it off so well,” the corner of Lin Siyu’s lips hooked into a meaningful arc, “Why don’t you two switch seats? It just so happens that Second Young Master Jiang and I have other things to discuss as well.”
Jiang Qing raised an eyebrow, tacitly agreeing to the proposal.
Three minutes later, the seating was rearranged. The two people got what they wanted and sat together, immediately putting their heads together to study game guides, thoroughly turning this dinner into a gaming exchange meeting.
However, Lin Siwu’s attention wasn’t entirely focused. He verbally agreed with Jiang Linmu’s complaints about the new dungeon, but the corner of his eye involuntarily drifted to the opposite side.
And on the other side, Lin Siyu was also looking at Jiang Qing.
————Author’s Note————
I can’t anymore, I really can’t handle it.
Why are they so cute…….
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