Chapter Nineteen: Love Is About to Descend

Wen Jianan calmly opened the cup. The pattern was... a heart shape. The barista said this meant love was about to arrive. But she hadn't asked for anything; she had just been going through the motions. At the table, the others looked at Wen Jianan with playful, teasing gazes; some even began to jeer and joke. Liang Yuxiu’s brow furrowed tightly, his expression darkening repeatedly. Feeling embarrassed, Wen Jianan glossed over it with a few brief, vague words.

After it ended and they headed back to the apartment, Wen Jianan didn’t ask Lin Li and the others to drop her off, feeling too self-conscious. They took two taxis back. That night, Wen Jianan suffered from insomnia, unsure if it was because of that cup of coffee or because of Liang Yuxiu. What did he mean by what he said? Why did he feel that Cheng He wasn't right for her? Wen Jianan always felt there was some hidden story she didn't know. Cheng He was returning tomorrow; it seemed time to have a proper talk with him.

At two in the morning, still wide awake, Wen Jianan received a WeChat message from Cheng He saying he was heading to the airport. She didn't reply. When she woke up the next morning, she pretended she had just seen it and sent a response. It was already past nine. Wen Jianan had shared a room with Xiao Jiang the night before; Xiao Jiang wasn't awake yet, so she got up to wash up and saw Chen Ling already preparing breakfast. For a moment, Wen Jianan didn’t feel like they were on a business trip, but rather like a small group of friends on vacation. However, this was likely just a temporary illusion; Wen Jianan could easily imagine how busy things would get soon.

"You're up? Go wash up, breakfast is ready."
"Got it!" Wen Jianan chirped with a smile.

When she returned, breakfast was laid out on the table: hot coffee, sandwiches, and fruit—a feast for the eyes and the palate. "Sister Ling’s cooking is as good as ever," Wen Jianan praised. She had enjoyed Chen Ling’s breakfasts before, and they were always excellent. "It’s something I practiced during those years at home," Chen Ling replied. The two sat down together; the others were still asleep, so they chatted about the project while they ate.

Holding her sandwich, Wen Jianan opened her social media feed and scrolled down, seeing a post from Lin Li. They really had gone to the gym with Liang Yuxiu early that morning. However, the photo only showed Liang Yuxiu’s back—wearing a grey athletic set, his hair short and sharp, captured mid-motion on a treadmill. His figure was tall and graceful, a fleeting reminder of their college days.

Wen Jianan quickly cut off that train of thought, forcing herself to sober up. Just as she was about to scroll past, Chen Ling leaned over: "What are you thinking about?" Wen Jianan pursed her lips and shook her head. It was nothing, really; she just suddenly felt that Lin Li’s post was a bit subtle and veiled, not at all like her style from the night before. It felt as if she were wary of something. It might just be her overthinking, so she didn't say anything to Chen Ling.

By eleven o'clock, everyone was up. After washing and eating, Wen Jianan called them into the living room. They had pushed two large tables together to serve as a makeshift office. After going over some tasks and details, Wen Jianan gave them free time, as some things were stalled on Quantum's side, and they couldn't work overtime even if they wanted to. Still, she figured they would only have this week of leisure; after that, it would likely be daily overtime. That was the life of an advertiser: idle as a dog when there were no projects, and busy as a dog when there were. Wen Jianan shook her head and sighed, ready to persevere.

At two in the afternoon, Wen Jianan headed out. She was going to the airport because Cheng He had hoped she would pick him up. She had agreed, and it was perfect, as they could have dinner later and talk about some things. At three o'clock, Cheng He landed. After picking up his luggage at the designated area, he walked out and saw Wen Jianan. It had been nearly a month since they last met, and seeing her again, Cheng He felt a long-lost sense of comfort. He had been on countless blind dates over the years, but no woman had ever given him this feeling. He began to think that Wen Jianan might be the one he had been looking for. She radiated a gentle, comforting presence, as vast as the sea, and Cheng He desperately needed a woman who could embrace everything.

"Director Cheng," Wen Jianan greeted him with a smile.
Cheng He corrected her: "You can call me by my name. If you’d like, you can call me A-He; that’s what my family and friends call me."
Wen Jianan smiled faintly and accepted it openly: "Alright, Cheng He."
This clearly wasn't what Cheng He had hoped for, but he told himself not to rush. "Then I’ll call you by your name too, Jianan."
Wen Jianan smiled without replying.

They left the airport, and Cheng He had his assistant take his luggage home while he followed Wen Jianan into the city for dinner. Once in the car, Wen Jianan asked, "Are you hungry?" Cheng He felt a sense of being cared for. He looked at her with a gentle smile: "It’s alright, I ate a bit on the plane." Checking the time, he saw it was already four, and asked, "Is there anything you’d like to eat?"
"I'm fine with anything." In some aspects, and with certain people, Wen Jianan was always easygoing.
"Then let’s go for Western food. Not the place from our blind date; I’ll take you somewhere else."

Wen Jianan didn't refuse, but to her surprise, they ran into Liang Yuxiu there again. It was a Michelin-starred restaurant. When Wen Jianan and Cheng He arrived, it was past five; although it was dinnertime, it wasn't very crowded. Walking through the door, she spotted that familiar face at a glance. Liang Yuxiu noticed them too. He was dining with someone else, and that person, noticing his gaze, turned around to look. Coincidentally, it was someone Wen Jianan also knew.

"Let’s go over and say hello," Cheng He suggested.
Wen Jianan’s expression shifted, but there was no helping it; since they had bumped into each other, she couldn't pretend not to see him. She had to steel herself and follow. Both of them greeted Liang Yuxiu, but as for the other person, Wen Jianan acted as if she didn't know him. It was Ma Xiaorong, Liang Yuxiu’s cousin and one of the few who knew that she and Liang Yuxiu had been married. A "second-generation rich" and "second-generation official," people in that circle often looked down on Wen Jianan. She used to care, but later she realized not everyone could be considered a normal person, so she stopped letting them bother her.

"Brother Cheng He, who is this?" Ma Xiaorong initiated the conversation with a hint of malice.
Cheng He didn't pick up on it; he looked at Wen Jianan with a smile and introduced her: "A friend."
Ma Xiaorong didn't know about their blind date. Although they had agreed to pretend to get to know each other, Cheng He respected Wen Jianan and hadn't told anyone she was his girlfriend. Ma Xiaorong sneered, which made Cheng He feel quite bewildered. Just as he was about to ask, Liang Yuxiu stepped in to smooth things over. Wen Jianan immediately pulled Cheng He away.

Liang Yuxiu stared at the hand she used to pull Cheng He, his eyes dark and heavy. Ma Xiaorong seemed to have noticed something, but a warning glare from Liang Yuxiu silenced him. Wen Jianan intentionally stayed far away from them, dragging Cheng He to a window seat. Despite her best efforts to mask it, she couldn't deceive Cheng He’s sharp eyes.
"Jianan, what’s wrong?"
Cheng He sensed that Wen Jianan and Liang Yuxiu’s cousin seemed to know each other. He had noticed the undisguised mockery in Ma Xiaorong’s eyes when he looked at Wen Jianan.
"Nothing, I might just be hungry. I had breakfast at ten and haven't eaten since," Wen Jianan said, feigning ease, though her smile was a bit pale.
Cheng He seemed to believe her. He tapped himself in frustration: "That was my oversight. Go ahead and order whatever you’d like—don't try to save me any money."