Chapter 97

Another day passed, and Grace, who rarely gossiped, said to her, "There's some gossip."

"What's up, Grace?"

"Be careful what you say around Yilia and Luke from now on. A colleague happened to see them having dinner together last night." After saying this, Grace sent a photo. It was likely out of goodwill, reminding Shang Zhitao to be cautious and avoid suspicion.

It was in a Western restaurant. Luan Nian and Song Ying were sitting across from each other. The restaurant had a very romantic atmosphere, and Song Ying was wearing a beautiful evening gown-style dress. They were talking about something—Luan Nian was looking at her intently, and she was smiling.

The workplace is such a strange place. It could very well just be a casual meal between colleagues, but news spreads so quickly, rumors rapidly emerge, and just like that, a "boss's wife" is born.

After experiencing these past few years, Shang Zhitao had gradually learned to see through the truths and falsehoods of the workplace. She believed in Luan Nian. He simply enjoyed working with Song Ying.

Shang Zhitao threw herself into her career and also enjoyed life in the Northwest. On ordinary days, she would work and study with utmost seriousness. On rare occasions, Sun Yuanzhu would steal a moment from his busy schedule to take her out to explore.

There were many interesting places around the county town.

Sun Yuanzhu drove her to see the vast landscapes of the Northwest, circling the county town with a round trip of two hundred kilometers in a single day—all part of the country's magnificent scenery.

Shang Zhitao didn't regret coming to the Northwest at all. Life here was tough, but she knew how to find joy in hardship. She felt that her career needed to go through this stage—to escape the storm and truly experience the charm of work.

Passing by Lingmei's project, Shang Zhitao pointed it out to Sun Yuanzhu: "See that? That's our project. We're going to develop a brand-new cultural tourism industry belt here, combining the Northwest's cultural landscapes with online technology applications. If this project succeeds, it could even be replicated." She then patted her chest proudly: "I, Ms. Shang Zhitao, am the project manager for this project."

Sun Yuanzhu was amused by her: "That impressive, huh?"

"Yes!"

"Then I wish your project a complete success."

"And I wish your autonomous vehicles hit the road soon."

The Northwest was vast. Sun Yuanzhu rolled down the car window, and they felt as if they were in an uninhabited wilderness. The wind lifted Shang Zhitao's long hair, and everything made her feel free.

"Are you going back to Beijing anytime soon?" Shang Zhitao asked him.

"The second phase of the project will end early next year. I should be able to return around April."

"That's great."

"You mentioned wanting to change jobs last time?" Sun Yuanzhu remembered Shang Zhitao talking about changing jobs last year, but there had been no movement since, and now she had come to the Northwest.

"My former boss wanted to poach me to his new company. I wanted to go too, but... he... got arrested." Shang Zhitao thought that working in marketing actually carried significant risks. She had known this before, and despite being cautious, she had still been subjected to an internal investigation once.

"Why?"

"They say it involved massive bribery. I don't know the exact amount, but he's already been detained. I went to visit him once—after all, he was my former boss and gave me opportunities." Shang Zhitao felt a mix of emotions when talking about Alex, recalling the first time she saw him in the office as if it were yesterday.

"I see..." Sun Yuanzhu nodded. "Not changing jobs might not be a bad thing either."

"Right."

Both of them fell silent, with only the sound of the wind remaining. Sun Yuanzhu drove with intense focus. Shang Zhitao looked at his profile, weathered by wind, sand, and scorching sun, and thought to herself how he could endure such solitude, staying in a place like this for several years. The harsh elements had changed him—his once delicate features now bore the rugged, resolute contours of the northwest.

"Is your mother feeling better?" Shang Zhitao recalled overhearing a phone call Sun Yuanzhu had made, though he rarely spoke of his family. She hadn’t known how his mother’s condition had progressed since then.

"My mom... passed away," Sun Yuanzhu told her, his tone flat, as if discussing something mundane.

"When?"

"During the New Year."

Shang Zhitao remained silent for a long while before softly asking, "Why didn’t you tell us?"

"That was the time of year when you all reunite with your families. I didn’t want to make you sad."

Shang Zhitao didn’t respond. She remembered sending him a message during the New Year, and he had replied. Suddenly, she felt a pang of sorrow. When would Sun Yuanzhu ever open up and pour out his emotions like others did?

"Sun Yuanzhu."

"Hmm?"

"How’s your sister?"

"She’s doing well in her studies."

"And your father?"

"He’s doing fine too."

"What about you?" What Shang Zhitao really wanted to ask was whether Sun Yuanzhu was okay.

"I’m fine too."

No one could define what "fine" meant to Sun Yuanzhu. They spent the day wandering outside, had dinner together, and then Sun Yuanzhu drove Shang Zhitao back. As they parted ways downstairs at her place, he suddenly called out to her, "Tao Tao."

That name again—"Tao Tao." The day he was burning with fever, delirious, he had called her the same way: Tao Tao.

Shang Zhitao turned to look at him and saw rare grief in his clear eyes beneath his glasses. "Actually, I’m not fine. I’m really sad."

Shang Zhitao didn’t dare speak. She didn’t know how to comfort him. He had lost his mother, and he was deeply hurting.

She stood motionless in front of him. Tears streamed down Sun Yuanzhu’s face. He took off his glasses to wipe them away—a helpless man weeping bitterly, like someone stranded on a lonely island, unable to escape, with no one able to reach him.

He bent down and rested his head on her shoulder, his tears soaking into her clothes. Even in such unbearable pain, he didn’t reach out to embrace her, because he remembered his upbringing and the pure, untainted friendship they shared.

Shang Zhitao’s heart ached terribly.

She stood there, letting him cry, and gently patted his back. "Sun Yuanzhu, it’s okay."

But how could it be okay? She didn’t know how to comfort him, hating herself for being clumsy with words and for understanding so little. She didn’t realize that simply being there for him was already a comfort in itself.

For Sun Yuanzhu, this was a rare glimmer of light. Both Shang Zhitao and Sun Yu were his light.

Sun Yuanzhu feared the night. The nights were long, and he lay awake with his eyes open. He had tried everything—medication, dietary remedies—but nothing worked. His mind kept spinning: the universe, quantum physics, architecture, poetry, civilization. Every book he had read, every place he had visited, every meal he had eaten rearranged itself in his mind with strange logic, as if trying to break him apart and rebuild him into a new system. When he finally endured the night and day arrived, it was time to eat again. He was weary of food. At first, he forced himself to eat, but he would vomit afterward. He had lost his creativity. Once, technology had been art in his eyes; he had wanted to change the world. But now, technology seemed lifeless to him.

These immense pains gnawed at him, devouring him completely.

"Tao Tao."

"Sun Yuanzhu." Shang Zhitao finally couldn't hold back her tears. This was her friend, the one who had accompanied her through long stretches of time. This friend needed her help. But she felt so ignorant, unsure of how to help him. All she could do was let him weep bitterly in front of her.

Shang Zhitao was heartbroken. They didn't notice the car parked not far away, where someone sat inside, smoking one cigarette after another, waiting for the two crying, disheveled figures before him to recover.

Luan Nian found the scene somewhat absurd. He had taken an afternoon flight to see her, rented a car upon landing, and driven for an hour and a half to reach her building, only to find her roommate weeping on her shoulder. Of course, he knew Shang Zhitao wouldn't cheat, but he could see her spirit wavering. Why she had insisted on coming to the northwest suddenly seemed to have a clear answer. The wait was long and tedious. Luan Nian couldn't understand where men and women in this world found so much emotion.

He had once thought Shang Zhitao was unwilling to cry, that she was incredibly strong. He couldn't even recall a time she had cried in front of him. This was the first time he had seen her cry like this, yet it wasn't for him.

After what felt like an eternity, as if the night wind in the northwest had finally stilled, they finally calmed down. Luan Nian watched as the gaunt Sun Yuanzhu stepped away from Shang Zhitao. They stood facing each other for a moment before he left.

That night changed many people.

Luan Nian said to Shang Zhitao, "Let's start an adventure," and they truly did. As he drove toward the airport, the dim lights of the highway stretched ahead, with only his car speeding through the darkness.

Shang Zhitao returned home and called Sun Yu. Over the phone, she said, "Sun Yuanzhu's mother passed away. He's devastated."

Sun Yu was silent for a long time before replying, "I'll be there tomorrow."

"I'll send you the address."

"No need," Sun Yu told her. "I've been there many times. In this lifetime, I've only ever done this for him—through wind and rain, across thousands of miles, time and time again."

Neither Sun Yuanzhu nor Sun Yu had ever mentioned this to Shang Zhitao. There was a strange distance between them. Sun Yu could never truly reach Sun Yuanzhu's side, yet they were each other's closest person. Despite this closeness, every time Sun Yu visited, Sun Yuanzhu booked a hotel room for her. They would never be in a romantic relationship. Only once, Sun Yu tugged at his sleeve and asked him to stay and talk with her for a while.

That night, they lay on the bed fully clothed. Sun Yu held his hand and spoke of her childhood, her failed relationships, her investors. Sun Yuanzhu listened as she talked, and when she cried, he wiped away her tears.

She had asked him, "Can we have a bright future? Can I wait for the kind of future where I love you, you love me, and we walk through many years together?"

Sun Yuanzhu said to her, "I'm sorry."

They would never have a future.

"Then hurry over," Shang Zhitao said to Sun Yu through tears. For some reason, that day she felt particularly sad—not just for Sun Yuanzhu, but also for something unknown, something hidden deep within her heart, all of it bubbling up at once, leaving her with nowhere to vent.

"Okay."

In truth, neither of them knew where fate was pushing them at that time—east or west, always without warning.

When Sun Yu arrived the next day, Shang Zhitao asked her, "How many times have you been here?"

"This is the twentieth time."

A woman, for the one she loved, traveled thousands of miles to this place, asking for nothing in return, just to share a meal with him, chat for a while, and leave on the early flight the next day. This woman's career was taking off, with large sums of money pouring into her company, user numbers growing, and annual dividends increasing. In just a few years, fate had pushed one person to the peak.

It was this woman, about to reach the peak, who came time and again to this desolate county town to see the one she loved.

Shang Zhitao suddenly understood Sun Yu even more.

Sun Yu didn’t seek any kind of return from Sun Yuanzhu; she simply loved him purely. Because of the countless kindnesses he had shown her over the long years. Sun Yu had fallen in love with an angel.

"Go find him," Shang Zhitao pushed her.

"Aren’t you coming?"

"No. I think you two should spend some time alone. I’ll come find you tomorrow after I finish at the venue."

Sun Yu giggled, her laughter still the same—the hearty laugh of a Guizhou girl: "Shang Zhitao, you really are a silly girl. I’m off. Tomorrow, let’s go eat roasted lamb leg."

"Okay."

Shang Zhitao watched Sun Yu leave, feeling empty inside. She called Luan Nian, but his phone was turned off. So she texted him, "Are you on a business trip?"

It took over two hours for Luan Nian to reply, "Yeah. Back now."

"Where did you go?"

"Changsha," Luan Nian randomly typed a place name, then set his phone down. He didn’t mention a word about going to see Shang Zhitao. He felt there was nothing to say; between adults, it was still about keeping things dignified.

Despite his toughness, Luan Nian knew that everyone had scars they didn’t want to reveal to anyone, even if that person might be their lover.

"I’m watching Luke. Luke seems to have gained weight."

"Yeah, watch him."

When he entered, Shang Zhitao was talking to Luke, scolding him remotely: "Sit!"

Luke tilted his head as if he didn’t understand.

"You’re back?" Shang Zhitao asked him.

He didn’t speak, heading straight upstairs to shower. When he didn’t want to talk, he was like this—no matter what you said, it was as if he didn’t hear. Shang Zhitao could tell he was unhappy, so she didn’t disturb him. It wasn’t until bedtime that she wished him goodnight.

This was one of Shang Zhitao’s best qualities: no matter what their relationship was, she never had a desire to control, nor did she cling to him or pester him to talk. She entertained herself, taking good care of herself.

"Goodnight," Luan Nian replied.

"Can I give you a bedtime call?" Shang Zhitao sent another message.

Luan Nian called back and heard the sound of paper rustling on Shang Zhitao's end. "I wanted to ask you about a few questions the government officials need us to address at next week's project kickoff meeting."

"What questions?"

"The issue of the cultural tourism project's IP. The government officials pointed out that the IP we've developed isn't distinctive enough."

"When was this brought up?"

"Tonight."

The implication was that the government officials had changed their requirements.

"Schedule a tripartite meeting for the day after tomorrow. I'll arrive tomorrow at noon."

"Okay."

After hanging up, Luan Nian tagged Yilia in the work group chat: "Come with me to the northwest tomorrow. The client changed their requirements. You'll attend the tripartite meeting in Grace's place."

"Received."

Shang Zhitao was also in the group. As the project manager, she felt she had to speak up now: "Thank you for your hard work, Luke and Yilia. The sales colleagues will join us from Xi'an tomorrow. The meeting is scheduled for the morning of the day after tomorrow. Once we arrive tomorrow, we'll have an internal discussion first."

"Okay, thank you, Flora," Yilia replied.

Shang Zhitao put down her phone and prepared to sleep. She wouldn't question Luan Nian's judgment. He appreciated Yilia and wanted to give her more opportunities—there was nothing wrong with that. Shang Zhitao wasn't jealous of Yilia; she always admired capable people.

But Lumi said to her, "You know what? Yilia might be the future boss's wife."

"Why do you say that?"

"I just found out today—Yilia is the daughter of the chairman of our biggest client, Zhongyou. That's why Luke asked her to help solve this major issue. Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, even richer than me."

After a moment, Lumi added, "Not only richer than me, but also more hardworking. I really am useless."

"And just as beautiful as you," Shang Zhitao reminded her of Yilia's beauty.

"Damn," Lumi cursed. "I noticed Will looking at her differently too, but I haven't even slept with him yet, and he's already eyeing someone else. That won't do."

"Don't worry, she's the future boss's wife. Will won't get to sleep with her," Shang Zhitao teased, then put down her phone.

She had distanced herself from the company's drama, seeking a peaceful place in the northwest, and didn't want to be disturbed by the turmoil.

The next morning, she drove with her northwest colleague Shelly to the airport to pick up Luan Nian and Yilia.

Luan Nian looked a bit tired. He got into Shang Zhitao's car, fastened his seatbelt, and leaned his head against the headrest. Song Ying got into Shelly's car. As Shelly drove past, she honked at Shang Zhitao and left.

"Haven't been resting well lately?" Shang Zhitao handed Luan Nian a bottle of water. He took it and placed it on his lap, gazing out the window. This didn't feel like a reunion between lovers.

"Mhm."

"The drive on the highway will take a while. You can sleep if you want. I'll drive slowly."

"Okay."

Luan Nian closed his eyes, and Shang Zhitao started the engine. True to her word, she drove slowly. Shelly called her: "Flora, we'll go to the restaurant first and order."

"Okay, thank you."

After hanging up, she felt Luan Nian's hand on her leg, then his cool fingertips slipping under her skirt, gently caressing her smooth skin. Shang Zhitao's foot slipped on the accelerator, causing the car to swerve slightly on the highway.

"Luan Nian," Shang Zhitao blushed, scolding him. "It's dangerous."

"Shang Zhitao."

"Hmm?"

"Car sex?" Luan Nian asked her, as if teasing.

"...Luan Nian, take your hand away first, it's really dangerous."

"Then why don't you find a place to park?"

Shang Zhitao turned the steering wheel and drove the car into the service area. Luan Nian's hand was still stirring up trouble there. She parked the car and grabbed his hand: "Don't. I'm uncomfortable." Luan Nian leaned over, biting her earlobe with his mouth, his warm breath seeping into her ear. Shang Zhitao turned her head to avoid him but was caught by his lips.

An indescribable sense of grievance welled up in Shang Zhitao's heart. She cupped his face with both hands and kissed him back passionately.

"Luan Nian, I missed you so much." Her eyes were moist, as if she were about to cry. "I dreamed of you last night, and the night before too."

Luan Nian didn't speak, just kissed her, his hand moving from her skirt hem toward deeper places, hearing Shang Zhitao gasp urgently.

She never knew she could be so eager. In the empty service area, their car parked in a secluded spot, Luan Nian's lips continuously kissed her neck and earlobe, his tongue entwined with hers. Shang Zhitao couldn't shift her attention away from his hand. Slightly opening her eyes, she saw Luan Nian's eyes, which held no particular emotion, as he said to her:

"But I didn't miss you at all."