The Cinnabar Mole of a Beijing Circle Tycoon

Upon landing in Dali, the wind carrying the moisture from Erhai Lake swept over, dispelling some of the sorrow that had been weighing on Fang Shuning's heart for so long.

The small courtyard she rented was next to a babbling brook, and the bougainvillea in the corner of the yard was blooming profusely, its vibrant red and purple colors spreading along the bamboo fence.

She lived a leisurely life, rising early to go to the market in the morning dew, picking out the freshest mushrooms and vegetables with the scent of earth. In the afternoon, she would move a wicker chair to the courtyard, where sunlight filtered through the branches of the big banyan tree, falling on the pages of her book, warming her and making her drowsy. As the sun set, she would stroll slowly along the shore of Erhai Lake, the wind carrying the dampness of water plants and the sweet fragrance of wildflowers, softening her heart.

She took pictures of these snippets of daily life and sent them to Shen Qingyao: plump succulents covered in dewdrops crowding in flowerpots, daisies that market vendors insisted on stuffing into glass jars, and the pinkish-purple sky at dusk tinged with gold.

The words are filled with the small joys of life that cannot be hidden: "I ate super sweet bayberries today."

Shen Qingyao, on the other hand, was overwhelmed by the torrent of final exams.

A thick stack of textbooks and review materials was piled on the desk, with highlighters marking the pages with dense notes, and sheets of draft paper piled up one after another.

She buried herself in practice questions and memorizing texts every day, occasionally stealing a moment to reply to Fang Shuning's messages, her words filled with unconcealed exhaustion: "Help, I just finished doing practice questions, my brain is completely mush."

The days slipped by quietly amidst a mix of comfort and busyness, and before we knew it, it was the end of June.

After finishing her last professional course exam, Shen Qingyao let out a long sigh of relief as she walked out of the examination room.

A hot breeze brushed against my cheeks; this semester was coming to an end.

She wore a pale yellow dress, the hem of which was slightly lifted by the wind as she walked out, stepping on the dappled shadows cast by the trees.

The moment I looked up, my gaze met that of a familiar figure.

Meng Jiangyu leaned against the black car, standing under the sycamore tree, holding a bouquet of pink roses in his hands. The petals seemed to still be covered with tiny water droplets, which softened his usually cold and aloof features.

Shen Qingyao's eyes lit up, and she ran towards him with light steps.

"Finished the exam?" Meng Jiangyu greeted her, handing her the flowers. His fingertips brushed against the back of her hand, leaving a slightly cool sensation.

Shen Qingyao accepted the bouquet, the sweet fragrance of the flowers instantly filling her nostrils. She looked up at him, her voice full of surprise: "Why are you here? Didn't you have a very important meeting today? I thought Uncle Zhang was here to pick me up."

"No matter how important the meeting is, it's not as important as picking you up." Meng Jiangyu opened the passenger door for her, his eyes full of smiles. "Today is your last day of school this semester, so we have to have a sense of ceremony."

"Oh my, so President Meng also understands the importance of ceremony!" Shen Qingyao leaned against the car door, inhaling the fragrance of the flowers, a sweet smile curving her lips. "It smells so good, it's the scent I like."

"I can learn to do anything you like." Meng Jiangyu reached out and gently pulled her into his arms, his warm breath brushing against the top of her hair.

Shen Qingyao remembered that she had handed in her paper half an hour early. There weren't many people near the teaching building just now, but now students were pouring out to hand in their papers. Meng Jiangyu and his car were too eye-catching, attracting a lot of attention.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly pushed him away and got into the car: "Quick, take me back to my dorm to get some things!"

"Okay." Meng Jiangyu chuckled and closed the car door for her.

The car came to a smooth stop in front of the dormitory building. Shen Qingyao unbuckled her seatbelt: "I'll be down in about ten minutes!"

"No rush, take your time packing." Meng Jiangyu waved to her.

After Shen Qingyao went upstairs, Meng Jiangyu felt a bit bored in the car, so he rolled down the window.

The black Porsche was already eye-catching, and the handsome man sitting by the window made passing girls turn their heads frequently.

A bold girl hesitated for a few seconds before stepping forward and blushing as she asked him for his WeChat.

Meng Jiangyu's expression instantly turned cold, his tone distant yet firm: "I'm sorry, I have a girlfriend, and I love her very much."

No sooner had he said this than he bumped into Shen Qingyao, who was coming downstairs.

She stood not far away, watching this scene, and couldn't help but smile slightly.

The girl tactfully left, and Shen Qingyao got into the car, turning her head to look at him with a smile in her eyes: "You like me that much?"

"You heard everything?" Meng Jiangyu raised an eyebrow at her.

"Mmm," Shen Qingyao nodded emphatically, her eyes crinkling with a smile, "I like it very much."

She reached up to fasten her seatbelt, her voice light and cheerful: "Let's go, boyfriend!"

Meng Jiangyu started the car with a slight smile, his tone full of indulgence: "Yes, sir, girlfriend."

The car smoothly entered the traffic. Shen Qingyao gently stroked the pink rose in her arms with her fingertips. The soft petals brushed against her fingertips, and an indescribable warmth quietly spread through her heart.

"Lu Linchuan has hosted a gathering at Wangjinglou tonight," Meng Jiangyu suddenly said, "saying he wants to introduce his fiancée to us."

"Fiancée?" Shen Qingyao nearly dropped the roses in her hand, exclaiming in surprise, "Lu Linchuan and Sister Fang broke up only two months ago, that's too fast!"

Meng Jiangyu looked ahead: "Grandma Lu is in poor health and longs for her great-grandchild. She's been urging us to have one more grandchild every day."

His fingertips unconsciously traced the steering wheel. He paused, then said, "In the end, it was just a business marriage, each getting what they wanted. But once there's a child, that relationship can never be severed."

"Judging from this, they're probably serious."

Shen Qingyao sighed softly, a trace of melancholy in her eyes: "Sister Fang and Lu Linchuan were ultimately destined to be apart."

The private room at Wangjinglou was warm and inviting, with warm yellow light streaming over the mahogany tables and chairs. Lu Linchuan had arrived early, and a girl in a beige dress was sitting next to him.

Her eyebrows and eyes were gentle, her long hair was loosely tied into a bun, and she looked at Lu Linchuan with a smile, the curve of her lips just right.

Zhou Yanqiu and Xu Mingxuan had already arrived and were chatting with Lu Linchuan.

Upon seeing Shen Qingyao and Meng Jiangyu enter, Lu Linchuan immediately stood up and naturally put his arm around the girl's shoulder: "Let me introduce you all, this is my fiancée, Su Wan."

Upon hearing this, Su Wan smiled gently, nodded slightly in greeting, and said in a soft, cotton-like voice, "Hello everyone."

Shen Qingyao and Meng Jiangyu quickly responded, both wearing polite smiles and displaying impeccable manners.

Shen Qingyao sat down, and her gaze inadvertently swept over Su Wan's seat, causing her heart to sink suddenly.

In a daze, she felt that the person sitting there should be Fang Shuning.

The private room quickly became lively. Meng Jiangyu, Lu Linchuan, and a few others gathered together to discuss the project. The clinking of glasses mixed with their laughter made the air feel even hotter.

Shen Qingyao wasn't interested in joining in; she just lowered her eyes and secretly sized up Su Wan.

She sat quietly to the side, her back ramrod straight, her posture serene and elegant.

While everyone else was chatting and laughing, she would only occasionally chime in, her voice soft and quiet, never saying much, and she didn't seem like a difficult person to get along with.

In the future, he might be able to remain a nodding acquaintance with Su Wan, but he wouldn't be able to joke and play around with her as freely as he did with Fang Shuning.