Chapter 9

Lin Xuqing froze.

Jiang Xuezi caught on first and said, laughing, “You — sitting by the door in this cold. Come sit further in, quick.”

Lin Xuqing: “…What?”

Jiang Xuezi gave her a push. “Go on, move over.”

“Mm. Okay.”

Jiang Xuezi didn’t just urge her — she rearranged Lin Xuqing’s place setting herself.

The wide gap that had stretched between Lin Xuqing and Jiang Min — room enough for another person — was now closed to a proper distance.

Jiang Min gave a short laugh. “She wanted to sit outside. Why force her?”

Only then did Lin Xuqing speak. “No. It’s cold out there.”

Jiang Min could see perfectly well that the cold had gotten to her.

Clothes that thin, sitting in the draft by the door — the tips of her ears had gone red.

Jiang Min shot her an exasperated look and poured her a cup of hot tea. “Oh, so you do know what cold is.”

Lin Xuqing took the tea at once, shivering slightly. “I do.”

She lowered her head to drink — and when she looked up, their eyes met, and she saw her own reflection in Jiang Min’s gaze. For a moment she simply froze.

How long had it been since she’d been this close to her?

The woman wore a gray turtleneck, her neck and shoulders long and elegant, loosely curled hair tucked carelessly behind one ear, pearl studs just visible. Her features were striking, yet her bearing was coolly, cleanly beautiful.

Perhaps because this wasn’t a work setting, she lacked her usual frost — instead there was some inexplicable warmth and softness about her.

Jiang Min: “What are you looking at?”

Lin Xuqing looked away. “Nothing.”

“Move over, everyone — the lamb pot’s here! One more coming!”

The proprietress arrived with the food, and everyone hurried to make room. They’d ordered two pots; only one had come. The lamb pot bubbled away over the little flame, fragrance flooding the table.

Mi Wei was dying of hunger. “Can we eat yet?”

Jiang Xuezi stood. “Allow me.”

She served Jiang Min first, ladling out a big bowl of lamb, then, under Mi Wei’s pleading eyes, served everyone else in turn. But one pot was never going to stretch, and it was running dry fast.

Jiang Min’s tone was light. “Mi Wei, hungry?”

Mi Wei batted her eyes. “Mm-hm-hm.”

Mi Wei was the youngest, with a bit of the child still in her, and everyone loved teasing her.

You Hui went “ah” — “Then Sister Min’s bowl hasn’t been touched yet, perfect…”

Mi Wei, utterly without shame, groveled at once. “Senior Sister, Senior Sister! From now on I’ll never be late buying milk tea again, I swear…”

Jiang Min was amused. “And?”

Mi Wei screwed up her courage. “You say one and I wouldn’t dare say two. You tell me east, I wouldn’t dare go west. And… you tell me to eat shaobing, I wouldn’t dare eat KFC!”

The table erupted in laughter.

Jiang Min pushed her own bowl over to Mi Wei, her eyes crinkling with the smile.

Lin Xuqing was still drinking her hot tea, the bowl before her still empty.

She watched Jiang Min turn her head to speak to Mi Wei, then lowered her eyes.

Jiang Xuezi teased her, “Aiya, Little Lin hasn’t eaten either. Don’t tell me you’re jealous?”

“Cough, cough—” Lin Xuqing nearly choked. “No, no, not at all.”

Jiang Min shot Jiang Xuezi a look.

What nonsense was she spouting now.

“All right, all right, enough teasing!”

Jiang Xuezi poured juice for everyone in turn and raised her glass with a smile. “Everyone drove today, so juice stands in for wine — let’s have a toast.”

“Winter. A snowy night. A steaming lamb pot!”

“Friends gathered around one table — bottoms up! Wishing everyone joy!”

Outside the window, snow fell in silence.

Inside, steam rose and warmth overflowed — enough, for a little while, to make one forget life’s worries and pressures.

Jiang Min raised her glass too. “Cheers!”

Amid the bright clink of glass, warm regard blossomed. Time flowed quietly past, leaving only anticipation and good wishes behind.

Jiang Min sat smiling, listening to everyone talk.

Ordinarily she was brisk and decisive to a fault, blunt and unsparing in speech. Tonight she said little, answering only when someone addressed her, her voice mild, her expression calm and still.

The lamplight poured down over her hair, laying a warm, soft halo around her.

Lin Xuqing watched her.

It seemed that no matter when — as long as she was beside her, it was always warm.

After dinner everyone headed home, carpooling where the routes allowed.

Jiang Xuezi stopped Lin Xuqing. “Ride with me, Little Lin.”

Lin Xuqing nodded. “Sure.”

Jiang Min caught the exchange and arched a brow.

So this Lin woman wouldn’t dream of refusing a ride from Xuezi.

Jiang Min lived farthest out — awkward for dropping passengers — and it was getting late. She left first, telling Jiang Xuezi on the way out, “Drive carefully.”

Jiang Xuezi laughed. “Got it.”

In the car, Jiang Xuezi opened with, “Whatever you want to ask — ask.”

Lin Xuqing arched a brow. “Hm?”

Jiang Xuezi turned her head to look at her. “Don’t think I can’t see it. You’ve been dying to ask about our internal situation in detail for days.”

“That’s right.”

“Then let me think where to begin.”

“Start from when A-Min entered Lingyin, years ago… no, wait — it wasn’t called Lingyin yet then. It was Duzhou.”

“Duzhou only got started with funding from Jian Corporation. Plenty of big conglomerates do this — put politely, it’s so-called corporate social responsibility; put bluntly, it’s about building a good image before the government and the public. With a good image, it’s easier to win contracts and sell product.”

Lin Xuqing asked, “Jian Corporation… the Jian of Jian Ming?”

“Sharp.” Jiang Xuezi started the car. “This partner enterprise is very cozy with Jian Ming — that’s why we got the cold shoulder.”

“But externally, Jian Ming isn’t nearly that powerful — he just happens to carry the surname Jian. The real problems are internal. He represents the interests of a whole faction. I won’t get into the details today — you’ll feel it out yourself soon enough.”

Snow occasionally slid from the street trees overhead; the wheels rolled over the iced road, steady and onward.

Lin Xuqing asked nothing more.

She’d been on the job barely a week or two, and she had already felt the undercurrents everywhere.

She looked out the window, thinking of that lamp.

Beneath its light, that person bent over her desk, focused and earnest.

These past few years… she must have had a hard time of it too.

“Oh, and by the way — yesterday you nearly gave A-Min an aneurysm,” Jiang Xuezi suddenly remembered. “Risking your own neck like that — how could she possibly agree?”

Lin Xuqing: “I…”

Jiang Xuezi’s reminder was gentle. “A-Min is hard-mouthed and soft-hearted. It’s been too many years — have you forgotten what kind of person she is? Why go at her head-on?”

Lin Xuqing went still.

Thinking of what she’d said yesterday — that she could sign a pledge, even notarize it… Did she think that was drawing the line too cleanly?

But it was she who had said it, back then — that she would never look after her again.

Jiang Min stood at the roadside and checked the time.

She’d grabbed a quick bowl of noodles earlier; it was just past six now.

Having failed to reach Manager Su yesterday, she’d asked his secretary about his schedule — in meetings all afternoon, apparently — and come straight over.

Jiang Xuezi had other work arrangements today. You Hui had only just set out after finishing her own tasks, stuck in traffic, not yet arrived.

The girl at the front desk hadn’t changed — same one as yesterday. Seeing her, she probably recognized her, and gave a polite smile with a distinct air of sympathetic but powerless.

Jiang Min returned the smile and sat down in the lobby.

Before long, her phone rang again.

She answered. “I’m in the lobby, hold on—”

Only then did the voice on the line come through: “Which lobby?”

Jiang Min finally glanced at the caller ID.

Not You Hui. Lin Xuqing, of all people.

“What is it?”

“Are you at—”

“Where I am is none of your concern to know,” Jiang Min snapped. “Hanging up.”

Not long after she hung up, the phone rang again.

This time it really was You Hui: “Sister Min, I’m still stuck in traffic. Sorry — might be a bit late.”

“No matter. Early or late, it’s all the same — we can’t get up there anyway.”

“Right, look at you, calm as ever. And here I was worried you’d be fuming. See you in a bit.”

Jiang Min hung up, exited the screen, and glanced at the call log.

Had she just been too harsh with Lin Xuqing?

Well — said was said. She couldn’t be bothered to explain herself.

After nearly half an hour of waiting, You Hui arrived.

Jiang Min picked up her coat, draping it over her arm. “You Hui, over here.”

“Sorry, sorry for the wait.”

“It’s fine. Five more minutes, then we’ll call again.”

They were still talking when someone else pushed into the lobby.

The woman carried a tote bag, the picture of someone who’d rushed over.

Jiang Min looked over and called out, “Lin Xuqing? What are you doing here?”

Lin Xuqing stood frozen a few seconds before jogging over, her usual cool, pale face faintly sweating, answering completely beside the point: “Sister Xuezi told me.”

Jiang Min couldn’t be bothered to press. Lin Xuqing was pulling hot milk, coffee, and rice balls out of her tote.

She handed the coffee to You Hui first, who accepted it without ceremony.

“About the day before yesterday — I’m sorry,” Lin Xuqing said, twisting open the milk’s cap and handing it to Jiang Min. “I shouldn’t have argued with you.”

Jiang Min accepted the milk, her tone frosty. “Oh, of course — you know judo, you’ve toured on your bicycle, you’ve been to Africa. You can do anything.”

You Hui burst out laughing. “Everyone calls me sharp-tongued — Sister Min, how are you just as sharp-tongued as I am? And so passive-aggressive with it!”

Jiang Min had just drunk the milk — scalded by it, probably; her face felt a little hot. “Nonsense.”

Lin Xuqing smiled too.

Seeing her like that, one could tell she’d let the anger go as well.

Jiang Min had eaten dinner; the other two hadn’t, making do with a rice ball each. By the time the milk was finished, the hour hand had passed seven.

Jiang Min drained the milk. “All right. Let’s call again.”

You Hui said, “Let me,” and started dialing Manager Su’s assistant. This time the call was cut off outright.

You Hui’s face darkened.

The cold shoulder again.

Jiang Min knitted her brow, then smoothed it, patting her shoulder. “It’s fine. I’ll think of something. Go home.”

You Hui shook her head with a cold laugh. “I’m not going. I’ll wait it out here with you. I refuse to believe that President Su can avoid showing his face all day. He hung up on me? Fine — I’ll call every five minutes. He has to pick up eventually.”

Since she refused to leave, everyone simply waited together.

They didn’t wait long before the elevator opened.

A party in tailored suits streamed out, exchanging pleasantries, clustered around the middle-aged man at the front as someone introduced the paintings hanging in the lobby.

Manager Su brought up the outermost edge of the group — evidently handling the hosting duties.

You Hui and Jiang Min traded a look. “I’ll go intercept him.”

It was a brash move, but the other side surely didn’t want an open rupture. Walking straight up beat swallowing the cold shoulder yet again.

Jiang Min gave a small nod.

You Hui went straight over. “Manager Su.”

Manager Su’s gaze slid past her, found Jiang Min behind, and flickered — before recovering. “What a coincidence, Miss You. I have matters to attend to. Later, perhaps.”

Jiang Min’s brow creased. Seeing him prepare to deflect yet again, she told Lin Xuqing, “Wait here for me.”

Lin Xuqing nodded. “Understood. I won’t get in your way.”

Jiang Min walked over. Manager Su knew there was no escaping today. “Well, well — President Jiang has come too. Do come by my office tomorrow and sit for a bit.”

Jiang Min smiled back. “Why put off to tomorrow what we can do today? How about now?”

Manager Su looked pained. “I have hosting duties. President Tang can’t manage without me. Please head home.”

Jiang Min: “No matter. I’ll wait for you.”

Manager Su was losing patience. “Why are you so stubborn? You—”

Just as the standoff tightened—

On the other side, the man viewing the hanging paintings turned to leave, and his eye lit as if on an old acquaintance, delight plain on his face. “Engineer Lin?”

Lin Xuqing froze too; it took her two seconds to place the face — and before she could speak, the man was already striding over.

And of all the rotten luck, Manager Su was standing squarely in his path — President Tang shoved him aside with one hand, nearly sending him into the glass door.

Manager Su: “…”

Jiang Min’s lips curved. “Manager Su, it seems President Tang gets along just fine without you after all.”