The Cinnabar Mole of a Beijing Circle Tycoon

The overhead light cast a warm golden glow on the natural wood coffee table. Shen Qingyao held a warm glass between her fingers as she listened to Fang Shuning recount her road trip in Northwest China.

"The night in the Gobi Desert is so quiet that you can hear the wind whistling through the sand. I parked the car in the no-man's-land, opened the sunroof, and lay down to look at the stars. They were so dense, like someone had overturned the Milky Way, and they were so bright that they could illuminate the stones on the ground."

Fang Shuning smiled faintly, but her eyes were filled with an unyielding clarity. "And there's the sunrise in Dunhuang, where the sand dunes are dyed orange-red, and the camel caravans in the distance move slowly like lines drawn in ink. Even time seems to slow down."

Shen Qingyao's eyes lit up: "Wow, that's so cool! Did you go with Mr. Lu?"

The smile faded slightly as soon as she finished speaking. "No, I went alone!"

She lowered her eyes and took a sip of the floral tea beside her. Her long eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyelids, and her originally bright eyes were suddenly covered with a thin mist, like the surface of a lake rippled by the wind, carrying an imperceptible loneliness.

That expression was fleeting, yet Shen Qingyao captured it precisely. It wasn't just a simple recollection; it seemed more like hiding some unspoken thoughts.

Shen Qingyao immediately stopped talking, inwardly regretting her slip of the tongue.

Sensing that Fang Shuning was unwilling to reveal her vulnerability, she changed the subject, her tone becoming lighter: "Let's not talk about that. I've been scrolling through Xiaohongshu lately and I'm totally obsessed with Mason Margiela's perfume!"

Fang Shuning looked up at her: "Which one is it? Their fragrances are all quite unique."

"Let's call it 'Lazy Weekend'!" Shen Qingyao's eyes curved into crescents, her tone filled with excitement. "The reviews say it's like white sheets that have just been sun-dried, mixed with a faint scent of soapberry, and a sweet but not cloying lily of the valley fragrance. Just thinking about it makes me feel comfortable."

Fang Shuning's smile returned to her eyes, and she lightly tapped the table with her fingertips. "I tried their 'Wallside Firelight' before. It's very warm in winter, but too heavy in summer. The 'Lazy Weekend' fragrance, with its crisp floral notes, is more suitable for you."

"Yes, yes!" Shen Qingyao nodded quickly. "I also saw someone say that its dry-down has a milky scent, like the feeling of being wrapped in a blanket after just waking up. No wonder it's called Lazy Weekend..."

After the waiter knocked on the door, he pushed it open and entered. A row of waiters then served the dishes in turn.

The chilled sashimi platter was topped with crushed ice; the salmon belly shimmered with a lustrous orange-pink hue, while the Arctic surf clam unfurled its bright red edges.

On the white porcelain plate next to it, the baked lobster with cheese was bubbling with golden steam, the aroma of milk mixed with the sweetness of the seafood.

The bubbling miso soup, with the rich umami of kelp coating the soft and tender tofu.

"Wow, I'm so hungry!" Shen Qingyao's eyes lit up at the aroma, and as she sat down with Meng Jiangyu, she couldn't help but glance toward the sashimi platter.

Meng Jiangyu pulled out a dining chair for her, gently pressed his palm against her lower back, and whispered, "Drink some porridge first to warm your stomach, and eat less sashimi, it will irritate your stomach."

Shen Qingyao nodded obediently, and when her gaze swept across the dining table, she noticed the empty seat next to Zhou Yanqiu.

She took a sip of the seafood porridge Meng Jiangyu had just served, then looked up curiously: "Yanqiu, why hasn't your girlfriend come to any gatherings lately?"

Xu Mingxuan's movements slowed slightly as he picked up the sashimi. He chuckled and asked, "Sister-in-law, which girlfriend of his are you talking about?"

Lu Linchuan calmly served Fang Shuning a bowl of seafood porridge. "Yanqiu changes girlfriends very quickly!"

Zhou Yanqiu's chopsticks paused in mid-air, his usual nonchalant expression and slightly casual tone revealing his disdain: "Hey, I haven't met anyone I like lately. I can't just grab anyone to make up the numbers, can I?"

Zhou Yanqiu was a playboy and generous spender, and he was always surrounded by beautiful women.

Last time, Meng Jiangyu specifically talked to him. His tone wasn't exactly gentle. He only said, "Qingyao is naive. Don't let those shady people corrupt her." The protectiveness in his words couldn't be clearer.

Although Zhou Yanqiu loved to have fun, he could also distinguish between what was important and what was not, so he naturally wouldn't spoil Meng Jiangyu's fun on such an occasion.

Shen Qingyao didn't catch the hidden meaning and only said "Oh," before being attracted by the freshly served grilled scallops: "These scallops smell so good!"

"Eat more, you didn't eat dinner!" Meng Jiangyu put a piece of steamed cod on Shen Qingyao's plate: "This has few bones."

"Great!" Shen Qingyao was drawn to the table full of delicious food. "It's so delicious!"

Each dish is lightly seasoned, so you can enjoy the original flavor.

Meng Jiangyu and the others were talking about business operations that Shen Qingyao and Fang Shuning were neither interested in nor could they understand.

The two ate quickly, thankfully it was all seafood with low calories, otherwise they would have regretted it the next day.

-

The streets in the early morning have shed the hustle and bustle of the day, the neon lights have gradually gone out, leaving only the streetlights casting long, warm yellow strips of light on the asphalt road.

Meng Jiangyu leaned back in the passenger seat, his fingertips loosely gripping the seatbelt. The faint scent of alcohol in the car was masked by the cedar fragrance, but his eyes were clear.

I had just drunk quite a bit of red wine and had already called a driver, but then I remembered that Shen Qingyao had gotten her driver's license six months ago, so I changed my mind.

"Baby!" He turned his head, a smile in his eyes, "There are fewer cars on the road at this hour, shall I accompany you to practice driving? It'll be a good opportunity to get used to the feel of the car."

Shen Qingyao's eyes lit up, then she asked hesitantly, "But... what if I bump into something?"

She had only recently obtained her driver's license and had only practiced in the training car, so she was inevitably a little unsure of herself.

"What are you afraid of? This car isn't worth much!" Meng Jiangyu reached out and ruffled her hair, his tone full of indulgence.

"But I'm worried about your safety!" Shen Qingyao said sincerely.

"Yaoyao!" It would be a lie to say she wasn't touched. "With me here watching over you, nothing will happen."

With his repeated encouragement, Shen Qingyao finally mustered the courage to sit in the driver's seat.

The four-million-dollar Cayenne steering wheel rested in the girl's palm. She straightened her back, a fine sheen of sweat beading on her forehead, her gaze fixed on the road ahead, even her breathing was soft.

Her driving was a bit clumsy; she pressed the accelerator very carefully, and the car crawled along the empty road, even slower than the electric bikes parked on the side of the road.

"Great job, you hold the steering wheel very firmly." Meng Jiangyu's voice was deep and gentle, completely unlike his usual strictness towards his subordinates.

At the company, he would criticize subordinates for half a day with a cold face if their data was off by a fraction of a cent when they reported their work. But now, facing Shen Qingyao's slightly clumsy driving skills, he took the word "patience" to the extreme.

"You turned left at the intersection just now, and the timing of your turn signal was perfect. You were great, baby."

He turned his head to look at her serious profile, her eyelashes casting a light shadow under her eyelids, her eyes filled with an unyielding tenderness.

Shen Qingyao pursed her lips, a slight smile involuntarily creeping onto her face, but she dared not be distracted, replying softly, "Could you help me see how far I am from the roadside?"

"It's still a long way. Keep your eyes on the road ahead and align your headlights with the white line, then you won't scrape it."

"good!"

"Look, when you were dodging that water truck, your prediction was very accurate, and you braked smoothly. You were calmer than many experienced drivers."

As the car drove over the empty overpass, Shen Qingyao gradually relaxed a bit, but the speed remained slow.

Meng Jiangyu gently comforted her, "It's okay, all beginners are like this. You've done very well, don't panic."

Throughout the journey, his praise never stopped, from "your driving skills are getting smoother and smoother" to "you are very timely in observing the rearview mirror," and even her occasional nervous grip on the steering wheel was described by him as "cautious and meticulous."

"Honey, you drove so well for the first time on the road, that's amazing."

"What you said isn't objective! But I like it!"