My girlfriend is from the future!

A question that sparks endless imagination and an answer that only touches on the surface.

Whether it's falling in love on set or rekindling a past relationship, ambiguity and restraint are always a recurring theme in the entertainment industry, which is scrutinized by outsiders. The ending of these stories often achieves a delicate balance between truth and lies, allowing for both advancement and retreat.

Stories like this have played out countless times in front of flashing lights and cameras.

Those who knew the truth silently turned away...

Behind me, the crowd continued to clamor.

They walked side by side, silently, into the deeper, more opulent world of fame and fortune for adults, into the banquet hall.

The venue for this Bulgari dinner, ROJO Art Space, was formerly the Shanghai No. 10 Steel Plant. Upon entering, one can see the raw industrial structure exposed inside, with rough concrete pillars and mottled red brick walls standing silently under deliberately dimmed lights.

However, what has been grafted onto the skeleton of time is the most cutting-edge fashion and art of the present.

Several enormous, lava-like, slowly flowing red ribbons of light cascaded down from the high ceiling, casting ever-changing geometric patterns of light on the ground, subtly echoing the meaning of "ROJO" in Spanish as "red" and "flame."

The crisp aroma of champagne and haute couture filled the air, replacing the frenzy outside. The guests' conversations were hushed, like a buzzing background noise echoing in the open space.

High-end banquets are different from fashion galas or award nights. After walking the red carpet, the most exciting part is over in the eyes of outsiders. There are no awards, no seating arrangements or games based on the status of the celebrities, and very few media can enter the venue. The content of the photos is strictly limited to ensure the social needs of the celebrities and clients present.

Wenliang's hand was still entwined in He Tianran's arm, as if the ripples stirred up on the red carpet had been completely shut out through that heavy door.

"The interview just now..."

Wen Liang gazed at He Tianran's somewhat pale face, and hesitated, her voice barely audible to the two of them...

"What you just said reminded 'him' of some past events, and 'he' needs time to process them."

He Tianran interrupted her, his tone calm and unwavering.

Wen Liang was taken aback, realizing that the "lead singer" who had been so devoted to protecting her was now gone, and the man in front of her was a more calm and decisive "writer".

"Just now... I..."

"No explanation needed..."

He Tianran casually took two glasses of champagne from the waiter's tray, handed one to her, and their fingertips did not touch at all.

Wenliang took it, and whether it was the cool touch of the crystal glass or the warmth in the other person's tone, her fingertips twitched slightly.

"Actually, given 'his' inexplicable fondness for you, your wording just now wasn't wrong, and might even have been..."

"Maybe what? What have you remembered?"

He Tianran pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed:

“The lead singer finally remembered what happened between me and the ‘boy’. Do you still remember when you were in the office, talking about our class reunion and that freshman welcome party back then?”

"That's not it, it's what you did on variety shows..."

“It’s all true, at least in my memory of the ‘boy’…and now the ‘lead singer’ seems to have remembered it too.”

In an instant, a thousand thoughts flashed through Wen Liang's mind. She remembered a past event, a story told to her by a passerby on a train heading to the snow-capped mountains, under the night sky witnessed by Kawagebo.

"Of course I love her... because she's the first girl in my life to be kind to me, even if at first, all that kindness was just a prank on her..."

Wen Liang could still clearly hear that night, as the boy gazed intently at the zither, a tear slid from the corner of his eye and fell onto the string, producing a faint, resonant sound.

The girl looked at the man before her, who was exactly the same as the boy in her memory. Even though it wasn't the first time she had called him that, she still wanted to tentatively call out:
"...Xiao Jia?"

He Tianran was taken aback, a strange feeling rising in his heart at this form of address, but it vanished in an instant.

"What...did you call me?"

"I... wanted to say..."

A thousand thoughts raced through Wen Liang's mind. She thought that He Tianran's mental illness probably didn't just appear recently; perhaps there were signs several years ago. If she wasn't mistaken, there should be another personality, "Xiao Jia," within the man...

Or perhaps that "lead singer" is actually "Xiao Jia," since the "writer" personality develops from a "teenager"...

But there wasn't much time for Wen Liang to speculate. She had been wanting to ask the "lead singer" personality about that trip, since many of his choices and actions on the variety show coincided with that situation. However, the two had never been able to meet, and even when they finally did, they couldn't speak because of the disagreement that happened between them in the park. And now...

"Naturally, Miss Wen! You were absolutely radiant on the red carpet just now!"

He Tianran instantly switched to an impeccable business smile and began exchanging pleasantries with the newcomer. Wen Liang also smiled and nodded beside him, responding appropriately.

Unbeknownst to them, the two followed the crowd to the main table area, where Bai Wenyu was already seated, talking quietly with Bulgari's CEO. He glanced at them and nodded slightly. Yu Naoqiu sat a little further away, holding a glass of champagne. He looked at He Tianran and raised his glass in a gesture of invitation.

Wen Liang was also surrounded by several fashion magazine editors and brand PR people, discussing her look and jewelry for the evening. Their words were full of flattery and probing. She handled it with ease, occasionally letting out a light laugh, but her eyes would occasionally drift towards the back of the man who was slowly walking towards Yu Naoqiu, as if being pulled by an invisible thread.

The sensual pleasures inside were like a gorgeous and soft net, gently and meticulously covering all true emotions, all past events, and unresolved mysteries.

"You were in the limelight just now, weren't you... Natural Bro~"

"See?"

"There's a live stream of the red carpet inside, and you two really do look like a perfect match."

He Tianran reached out his hand, and the two champagne glasses collided in mid-air, making a crisp sound.

He leaned against the high table next to the woman, listening to her question:

"What a wonderful opportunity that was! But in the end, I only saw the woman's interest, not the man's."

"Are you teasing me? Or... Heh, I really don't want to say things like 'Are you jealous?' which have nothing to do with our relationship, but I still have to remind you, don't forget what we agreed on in the beginning..."

He Tianran retorted, but Yu Naoqiu, maintaining her composure, took another sip of wine without saying a word.

"Now that you've met my mother, if you can't even handle her, don't blame me for dragging things out. I hope our 'cooperation' goes smoothly and doesn't end up being just wishful thinking on my part."

Yu Naoqiu gently swirled his wine glass, the ice cubes inside making a soft clinking sound.

She is not a woman who passively accepts whatever comes her way.

"What? Young Master He, would you really give me up for an actress who can't give you anything?"

She has indeed been a bit lax in her actions with He Tianran lately. After all, the project in the harbor area is about to start, and there are some things she has to do personally. This is not only to keep He Yuanchong in check, but also for the benefit of the Yu family...

However, this approach of trying to please both brothers in the He family by eating and sleeping in different places made her increasingly powerless, especially regarding He Tianran's situation. Not to mention that Bai Wenyu was not a kind person, even that Wen Liang... Just take his performance just now as an example. If He Tianran had not been firm enough, their "cooperation" might have really come to an end.

"Tch..." He Tianran couldn't help but chuckle. "What, it seems my artist has indeed given Miss Yu a bit of a sense of crisis. Let's be frank. Miss Yu, my initial decision to collaborate with you was because our two companies could form a powerful alliance. We both wanted to take our businesses to the next level and realize our ambitious expansion plans. And coincidentally, I'm a bit of a libertine, and you're willing to indulge me. We each got what we wanted..."

Admittedly, a woman like Wen Liang can satisfy my desire to conquer, but she can't fulfill my ambition. You are the best choice among the women I've met so far, but look..."

He Tianran casually pointed to a corner, where Sui Chulang and several other young male celebrities who had come to the banquet were chatting and laughing with a group of elegantly dressed and sophisticated young women of similar age.

"That's Miss Sun from Wanji Group, and the woman next to her is the daughter of Hongkang Electronics."

The man's voice was calm yet resonated with a deep knowledge of the subject:

“Their father talked to my dad about new energy cooperation at your golf course last week, and also mentioned that he hoped I could bring their daughters to see the entertainment industry.”

His gaze shifted from that corner, then seemingly casually swept across the entire room, finally settling on Yu Naoqiu's slightly frozen face, a scrutinizing smile playing on his lips:

"And then there's that person, sitting in the third seat to my mom's right, quietly reading the jewelry catalog the whole time. She's an AI upstart who came back from Silicon Valley. Her company is looking for Series B funding, and Shanhai Capital happens to be one of the main lead investors this time."

Every name and every girl he mentioned was top-notch in terms of family background, ability, and resources, and all of them had some connection, overt or covert, to He Tianran's business empire.

“Nao Nao…” He Tianran’s voice lowered: “You asked me if I would give you up for an ‘actress’? That question is ridiculous. For me, it’s never about who I should ‘give up’, but who I should ‘choose’…”

He leaned slightly closer, closing the distance between them, and lowered his voice to make sure only she could hear him:

“You are the best choice I have ever seen, and I never deny that, which is why we have this ‘collaboration’.”

But being the best doesn't mean being the only one, much less irreplaceable. I hope you understand that the competition you face now is far more than just Wen Liang. If you can't even establish a sufficient advantage and irreplaceability with my mother, then…”

He straightened up, leaving Yu Naoqiu with a meaningful pause:

“Then I don’t mind…you getting closer to my brother.”

Yu Naoqiu's heart tightened. She stared into He Tianran's nonchalant eyes, both of them scrutinizing each other.

Is it a test?
Or did he actually discover something?
Yu Naoqiu pondered this in her heart, her fingertips tracing the rim of the cup.

"Brother Tianran, I understand all the suggestions you made earlier, but I don't quite understand this last sentence..."

“Shang Di Yuan Chong should have been completely removed from the company, instead of just giving up his position but retaining his board membership in Surfline as he is now.”

He Tianran hit the nail on the head, and Yu Naoqiu was taken aback for a moment before smiling:
"I don't understand. You clearly let him off the hook that time because of Aunt Tao. How come you're taking your anger out on me now? I remember I was on your side when you were negotiating the price."

What kind of person do you think Yuan Chong is?

He Tianran didn't answer but asked a question instead.

Alarm bells rang in Yu Naoqiu's heart, but she remained outwardly calm. She took a sip of champagne, using the action to quickly think things through. Before He Tianran had fully expressed his opinion, she couldn't belittle He Yuanchong, as that would make her seem like she had ulterior motives; nor could she praise him too much, as that would undoubtedly add fuel to the fire...

"Is there a problem with your younger brother, the second young master of the Shanhai Group, who currently has business dealings with my family?"

She chose a relatively objective fact.

"Exchange of interests?" He Tianran scoffed, then continued, "Nao Nao, we're both sensible people, so let's not use these polite words to brush each other off. My brother isn't stupid; he's ambitious and unwilling to lag behind others, I know all that. What I'm curious about is, how could someone who's never stumbled and cares so much about his reputation call Aunt Tao over in a situation where we could clearly resolve the issue privately? That's not like him."

Yu Naoqiu raised an eyebrow:
"You said yourself that he's not stupid. In that situation, if you wanted him to die, would he really go and die? He called Aunt Tao over, abandoning some of his dignity in front of you, to fight for a chance to live. What's wrong with that?"

“If it were after that day, and he had Aunt Tao, or even my dad, step in, there wouldn’t be any problem… But, you don’t seem to know much about our family situation…”

He Tianran meticulously recounted the events of that day to Yu Naoqiu, explaining them in detail:
"His harassment of Bailingye could be a big deal or a small deal. If Yuanchong and I are on good terms, I, as his older brother, would be happy to clean up his mess. If we're not on good terms, I can just scold him a bit and make him pay some money. But if we're even worse off..."

"Nao Nao, you can't predict when an opportunity will come, just like we humans don't know when we'll die. So in that kind of situation, my brother wouldn't let his mother get involved."

"why?"

He Tianran looked directly into the other person's eyes and revealed a clue that only members of the He family could notice:

"Why? Because he won't let his mother, in your words, a 'performer,' grovel before him, abandoning her pride and dignity, to beg for forgiveness on behalf of her son..."

This was a tremendous humiliation for him, and an embarrassing situation he would try his best to avoid in front of me, his older brother.

Yu Naoqiu's heart sank. She really hadn't expected He Tianran to notice something amiss from such a subtle detail...

But since things had come to this, Yu Naoqiu still had to pretend to be indifferent and calmly analyze the situation:
"Perhaps he didn't know that Bai Lingye would also be there that day?"

"What a joke! The number I used to notify him to come over that day was Bailingye's phone."

"So... what are you trying to say, Brother Tianran?"

He Tianran slowly took a sip of champagne, smacking his lips as he said:
"I just want to say that the fact that my dear brother would allow this situation to happen makes me wonder if someone was... giving him some unusual advice."

He Tianran's bluntness made Yu Naoqiu realize that he wasn't completely unaware of her relationship with He Yuanchong; perhaps he had already guessed some of it, or even knew more thoroughly than she had imagined...

"So... Brother Tianran, you suspect me of notifying Aunt Tao to come and rescue He Yuanchong that day?"

The man's gaze swept over Yu Naoqiu almost imperceptibly, the meaning in his eyes self-evident.

“Brother Tianran, what you’re saying is... too hurtful. I even vouched for your IPO the other day.”

The woman's face revealed a perfectly measured hint of grievance and helplessness, as if she were troubled by this unfounded suspicion:
“I admit that Yuan Chong and I have become closer because of the project, but that doesn’t mean I will interfere in your He family’s affairs. Do you have solid evidence? If not, let’s take a step back and say that Yuan Chong isn’t as stubborn as you say, and that he leaked the news so that Aunt Tao could come over as soon as she heard it.”

We both know that a mother will do anything for her child.

"Yeah……?"

The two locked eyes, but at this tense moment—

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience."

(Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience.)
A warm and fluent English female voice came through the venue's sound system, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

The main stage lights focused on Bai Wenyu, who stood in front of a makeshift auction stage, holding a microphone and wearing an elegant black dress.

“The charity auction initiated by BVLGARI is about to begin. Tonight, we have some truly exquisite pieces…”

(A charity auction hosted by Bulgari is about to begin. Tonight, we have some truly exquisite items...)
Bai Wenyu's gaze seemed to casually sweep over the direction where He Tianran and Yu Naoqiu were. Although the light was dim and her exact expression was unclear, that brief pause was enough to make the two people facing off wear the same expression on their faces—

A forced, insincere smile. (End of Chapter)