Chapter 4

It snowed all night, but by morning the sky had cleared.

Sunlight fell across her face, and Jiang Min raised a hand to block the glare.

When she lowered it, she found herself looking straight at Lin Xuqing. She’d meant to walk past as if she hadn’t seen her, but Lin Xuqing greeted her first. “Morning.”

Jiang Min paused mid-step and returned it. “Morning.”

Lin Xuqing seemed in a decent mood, her tone lighter than usual. “Did you sleep well last night, President Jiang?”

“Not at all.” Jiang Min thought of last night and couldn’t be bothered with her, walking on.

But this person, apparently blind to her mood, followed anyway. “For post-production, I’ll be working with Sister Sisi. We should finish today.”

At the mention of work, Jiang Min set her personal feelings aside. “Understood. I’ll review the first cut in a bit. Get your raw footage organized.”

“Right — most of the team comes back today. They’ve wrapped the other project. Drop your bag and come over in a bit.”

“All right. Got it.”

They were still talking when Jiang Xuezi called out from behind. “You two didn’t go home to sleep yesterday, and you’re here this early in the morning?”

Jiang Min looked at her with disdain. “Not everyone hibernates like you.”

Jiang Xuezi clicked her tongue. “You’re the one keeping old-timer hours, up at six every day.”

Jiang Min swatted at her. “Get lost. You’re half a year older than me, remember.”

Listening to their banter, Lin Xuqing couldn’t help smiling.

Jiang Xuezi suddenly turned her head and studied her, quite openly. “I was going to say — Little Lin, it’s been a few years, and you’ve changed quite a bit.”

Lin Xuqing tilted her head at her. “Hm? Changed how?”

“Let me think how to put it.” Jiang Xuezi narrowed her eyes. “You seem more mature than before.”

Jiang Min laughed. “You mean more weathered, don’t you?”

Jiang Xuezi shook her head, grinning. “No, no, no — more cunning. Craftier. A regular old fox.”

She’d met this girl many years ago — reserved and quiet, but young back then; a couple of teasing probes and whatever she was thinking would surface. Now, it seemed, extracting anything would take real effort.

“Although,” she pivoted, “in some ways you haven’t changed at all. Same as ever — we’ll all be chatting away, and you just won’t say a word, only smile.”

Lin Xuqing’s smile deepened.

Jiang Min couldn’t help a small smile of her own.

Jiang Xuezi put on no airs and loved to banter — it was genuinely rare to find someone who didn’t like her. These past two years, Jiang Min had felt safe handing all internal affairs over to her management, and everyone called her “Sister Xuezi” and “Sister Zi” without pause.

Lin Xuqing probably liked her too.

Jiang Min remembered when Lin Xuqing had first come to Mingchuan for university, and she had gone to visit Classmate Little Lin — Jiang Xuezi had come along.

September’s heat still lingered. The cafeteria had no air conditioning; old ceiling fans clattered overhead. Worried they were too warm, Lin Xuqing went and fetched two more bowls of mung-bean slush, and produced — from who knew where — a pair of fans, fanning them in slow, uneven strokes.

This person didn’t talk, just listened to them chat. Didn’t talk, just smiled.

She couldn’t remember what they’d talked about that day.

Only that the window hadn’t shut properly, and waves of heat rolled in again and again, and in her ears were the whistles and cheers from the sports field. The girl with the fan said nothing, beads of sweat sliding down to dampen the wisps at her forehead — but her black, bright eyes curved, brimming with smiles.

The door was right in front of them; Jiang Min reined in her thoughts.

Lin Xuqing held the door for them, and they went in.

Workstations that had stood empty were now full, and seeing Lin Xuqing arrive, a few people came over curiously to say hello.

Jiang Min watched Lin Xuqing standing there, faintly ill at ease, and arched a brow lightly.

Two days of playing the seasoned professional, and it turned out she was still the same as ever — no good at dealing with people.

Jiang Xuezi asked quietly, “Straight into the meeting after this, or…?”

Jiang Min shook her head. “Once Lin Xuqing finishes over there, call the team leaders in for the meeting.”

“Classmate Little Lin is busy with introductions right now.”

“Go fish her out. She doesn’t like this kind of scene. Just have her do one round of introductions in front of everyone later.”

Jiang Xuezi clicked her tongue.

Still all bark. Wants to shield the girl, and all she does is send her off to do the work.

“Little Lin, come here a moment — I need to talk to you.” Watching Jiang Min turn and leave, Jiang Xuezi raised her voice.

Lin Xuqing looked visibly relieved and came over at once. “Sister Xuezi.”

Jiang Xuezi led her forward, teasing as she walked. “I said the other day you’d changed — and sure enough, you still hate being stuck in a crowd. Did you see yourself just now?”

Lin Xuqing sighed. “I genuinely don’t know what to say to everyone.”

“Come say a few words to me first.” Jiang Xuezi knocked and entered. “So you’re not surrounded by total strangers later.”

Lin Xuqing nodded. “Mm. I’ve already read through the materials.”

Mi Wei had walked her through the basics of the project team, the filming unit, and post-production. The filming unit had a team leader and a deputy; the deputy, she’d heard, had family matters and had been taking frequent leave ahead of the New Year.

Jiang Min thought for a moment. “The project team’s leader is You Hui — straightforward, a bit quick-tempered, but not hard to get along with. The filming unit’s leader — your direct supervisor — is Jian Ming; I’ll introduce you in a bit. The deputy, Wen Heng, is on leave at the moment. We’ll deal with that later.”

Hearing her single out this team leader in particular, Lin Xuqing nodded thoughtfully. “Understood.”

They had barely finished when the others filed in for the meeting.

You Hui entered first. “How does Little Chu up and run off right at year-end? This new one’s in for a rough ride.”

Lin Xuqing: “Team Leader You, I’m Lin Xuqing.”

You Hui waved a hand. “No need for ‘Team Leader.’ There’s hardly anyone here.”

As they spoke, a middle-aged man in black rectangular glasses walked in.

Jiang Min’s lips curved, and she said to Lin Xuqing, “Little Lin, this is your team leader — Team Leader Jian Ming.”

Lin Xuqing shook his hand. “Team Leader Jian, hello. I’m Lin Xuqing.”

Jian Ming looked about forty, hair slicked straight back, in a black jacket, with a hooked nose and a lifted chin. He gave her hand a grudging shake. “You’re here, so hurry up and learn the job. Work hard.”

He rather liked throwing his weight around. Lin Xuqing said nothing of it, just nodded. “Understood.”

By the time the introductions were done, everyone had arrived.

Jiang Min opened. “Everyone, get acquainted — this is our new photographer, Lin Xuqing.”

Lin Xuqing stood. “Hello, everyone.”

“Little Lin already said hello just now, so I won’t belabor it.”

“Let’s talk about this year’s work. The project everyone shot in the southwest is wrapped. Before the New Year we have one final project to film. Finish wrapping up what’s on your plates first, then get familiar with the new project materials. Also — year-end summaries go to Xuezi on time.”

Considering they’d only just finished an all-nighter two days ago, and You Hui and Jian Ming had only just returned from their business trip, Jiang Min didn’t push new work immediately — just laid out the arrangements ahead.

The weather was fine today, and in the afternoon Jiang Min had Mi Wei order afternoon tea for everyone.

Lin Xuqing was doing video post-production with Yu Sisi, the picture of concentration. Jiang Min called out, “Little Lin. Over here.”

Lin Xuqing looked up, paused a beat, then said, “Okay. Right away.”

The very picture of someone sunk in work who would rather not move.

Yu Sisi, on the other hand, sprang up at once. “Go, go, go — the work can wait!”

Most of the team were women. Behind the conference table on the first floor was a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows, just big enough to seat everyone. Mi Wei delivered the male colleagues’ desserts to their individual desks — the message being, don’t bother coming over.

Winter sunlight poured in, warm and golden.

Jiang Min pulled out a chair and gestured for Lin Xuqing to sit.

Lin Xuqing didn’t look at her. She dragged the chair a little to the side and sat, leaving a gap between the two of them.

Yu Sisi kneaded her shoulder. “Staring at a screen too long does in your neck. Good thing dessert is here to console me.”

“You’ve worked hard, Sisi. Here.” Yun Shu handed Lin Xuqing a slice of cake too, saying to the others, “Thank goodness Little Lin came when she did — she saved us. Straight off an all-nighter and right back into the grind. Hang in there!”

The colleagues back from their trip didn’t know the details. You Hui asked first, “First shoot, in the dead of a winter night — froze, didn’t you?”

Xu Yang, who’d been on site, picked up the thread. Fresh out of university, hair in a bun, she said, “Sister You, don’t even ask — that night was brutal. I was bundled in a down jacket, and Sister Little Lin was in just a coat, looking so thin I got cold just looking at her.”

Xu Chun, post-production’s team leader, said at once, “Young people — don’t trade warmth for style. By the time you’ve frozen yourself sick, it’ll be too late.”

Yu Sisi munched an egg tart, still talking. “Aiya, Sister Chun, beauty always comes at a price. Though Little Lin really was dressed far too thin.”

Lin Xuqing hadn’t expected to remain the center of the conversation — from work history to age to hometown. Xu Chun warmly offered to drive her home for the New Year, since it was on the way.

Jiang Min could see she wasn’t comfortable. She met her pleading glance, then looked down at the gap between the two of them, and arched a brow lightly.

By the time the afternoon tea wound down, Lin Xuqing had added every woman present on WeChat — introductions more or less complete.

Jiang Min stood. “Back to work, everyone.”

Basking in the sun, everyone was drowsy and slow to disperse; it took a few minutes.

Mi Wei stayed to clear the table, and only then noticed she had eaten almost nothing. She blinked. “Sister Min doesn’t eat, and still has me order afternoon tea…”

At the door, Jiang Min turned back. “Little Lin. Come here a moment.”

Lin Xuqing hurried over. “President Jiang. Is something wrong?”

“You’ve met everyone now. The new project materials are with You Hui — remember to ask her for them later.”

“All right. Got it.”

Jiang Min sat down on the sofa and poured Lin Xuqing a cup of tea. “Sit.”

Lin Xuqing took the seat across from her, the coffee table between them. “…Thank you.”

“How’s the team atmosphere?” Jiang Min asked abruptly.

Lin Xuqing thought about it. “Good, overall.”

“And?”

“Execution might be lacking.”

Whether it was Yun Shu, who’d claimed family matters that night; or Wen Heng, absent on leave; or Xu Chun, so warmly chatty today — these colleagues were all decent people, but none of them seemed particularly invested in the work.

Jiang Min smiled. “Oh? Sharp eye.”

Lin Xuqing pressed her lips together. “I’ve worked a good many years. It’s normal.”

So… Jiang Min’s little gathering this afternoon was both an icebreaker for her and a way to see how much she’d grown over the years.

“Then what about you?” Jiang Min asked suddenly. “You must have had better options. Why come here?”

Lin Xuqing was silent a moment, then asked, “And did you have no better options?”

“Me?”

“Mm…” Lin Xuqing added, “Sister Ning Rou said so.”

Jiang Min laughed despite herself. “I asked you a question. Don’t throw it back at me — and don’t hide behind Ning Rou’s name.”

Lin Xuqing lowered her head. “…No.”

Jiang Min asked again. “Then why come?”

Lin Xuqing looked at her. “I didn’t like my old environment, so I wanted to try a new one. Work or life, both need some change. Also — I didn’t want to stay in corporate anymore. I was given help once, so I thought I’d try… helping others.”

She said quite a lot — unlike her usual taciturn self. It even sounded a bit like explaining for the sake of explaining, deliberately saying much.

Jiang Min gave Lin Xuqing a cool sidelong glance.

So this was what years in the corporate world had taught her — to talk like this.

Jiang Min kept her patience. “Finished?”

Lin Xuqing kept her head down, not looking at her. “Mm. Finished.”

“Finished, hm.” Jiang Min rose to her feet and looked down at her, her tone severe. “Lin Xuqing. Look at me.”

“Didn’t I teach you? When you lie, you look the other person in the eye.”