Chapter 41: The Marketplace

He Shujing first met Li Qingji when she was a freshman in college. At that time, she had been accepted to the same university as her older brother, and when she entered school, he took her out for a meal. Two of his roommates joined them, one of whom was Li Qingji. Although they were technically roommates, Li Qingji almost never stayed in the dorms. He lived at home, had a driver take him to and from classes, and sometimes drove himself. 

He Shujing’s family was well-off; she never lacked money growing up, and her parents provided her with a generous allowance in college. With her family’s wealth and good looks, she had never felt insecure—until her brother brought her into Li Qingji’s social circle.

Only then did she realize that there are always people wealthier and more influential. Compared to Li Qingji’s family, hers might not even qualify as middle class. On the surface, she remained cheerful and outgoing. Even when facing socialites like Jiang Yao, she never seemed intimidated.

But deep down, she felt a hidden insecurity, especially when it came to anything involving Li Qingji.

Thanks to her brother, she was indeed closer to him than other girls were. Most people are drawn to those of higher status; she was no exception. But she never entertained the idea that she could be with him.

From the beginning, she knew that the fantasy scenarios of romance dramas had no effect on someone like Li Qingji. He was very clear about what he wanted—and didn’t want. He examined everything with a detached, analytical eye.

People and things of no use to him simply wouldn’t get close to him. Liking someone like that would only lead to heartache. And while she never saw him get close to any girl, to him, feelings seemed dispensable. So when she later heard he’d actually registered a marriage with someone, she felt little shock.

She only thought that the girl he married was both lucky and pitiable.

But tonight…

He Shujing stared at the man and woman in the distance, frozen in place. He leaned down slightly, unreservedly and unapologetically kissing the woman seated on a high stool. She couldn’t hear what they were saying from this distance, but she could see the smile on his face, and the hint of tenderness in his eyes as he lifted her down.

That was a side of Li Qingji she had never seen before. It was as if he had shed his icy exterior, becoming flesh and blood, capable of emotion. Abruptly, He Shujing turned her gaze away and walked toward the exit.

“Hey, Shujing, where are you going?” Lu Feng happened to stroll over, moving leisurely.

He Shujing smiled: “Nothing. I’m heading back.”

Lu Feng asked, “Aren’t you staying to hang out a bit longer?”

“No.”

Lu Feng: “Alright then… By the way, have you seen Li Qingji? He just disappeared.”

He Shujing: “He’s over by the bar.”

“Oh, then we’ll head over to find him.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Lu Feng, Chen Jiming, and the others walked inside. After a short while, they spotted Li Qingji and Jiang Nai.

Lu Feng: “We were just looking for you two.”

Li Qingji: “We’re heading out.”

“Huh? You’re leaving so soon?”

Li Qingji nodded, then took Jiang Nai by the hand and led her outside. Jiang Nai turned back hastily and said, “Lu Feng, Lin Hui’s by the stage. Go in and look for her.”

Lu Feng: “Got it, no problem.”

—

Li Qingji led Jiang Nai to the car, tossing the keys to the waiting driver. Once in the car, Jiang Nai suddenly realized she hadn’t had any alcohol that night.

“I could drive.”

Li Qingji: “No worries, just sit back. You don’t have to drive.”

“Oh…”

The driver merged onto the road, and they sat in the back seat, silent. But her right hand stayed in his. His hand was large, wrapping around hers entirely. His slender fingers moved slowly over the back and palm of her hand, sometimes brushing her fingertips, sending little tingles through her.

Jiang Nai couldn’t help but glance at him. His hand was doing such intimate things, yet his expression remained calm and indifferent. It was impossible to guess what they were in a rush to get home for…

The contradiction only made her heart race faster, her face warmer. She pulled her hand back slightly and took a soft breath. Half an hour later, the car pulled into the garage. After the driver collected his fare and politely left, they walked to the elevator and went upstairs, calm and composed the entire time.

But Jiang Nai knew this was merely the calm before the storm.

Sure enough, the moment they entered, he pulled her close, capturing her lips, picking up where they’d left off in the bar.

“My clothes…”

Her spring jacket fell to the floor, revealing a thin blouse underneath. The buttons were tricky, and his hands were impatient; she heard the sound of a button popping off. Without hesitation, Li Qingji lifted her by the waist, not even bothering to make it to the bedroom. He sat down on the couch and placed her on his lap.

“If it breaks, it breaks.” His eyes darkened as he looked at her lipstick-smeared lips.

Jiang Nai gripped his shoulders. Sitting like this, with her dress on, she could feel the warmth and firmness of his thigh muscles beneath her. Her grip on his shirt tightened, her throat dry.

“…Of course you’d say that since it’s not yours.”

He seemed to chuckle. “Fine, I’ll replace it for you, alright?”

In reality, most of Jiang Nai’s clothes were prepared by Chen Min, who of course got them on Li Qingji’s behalf. She was well aware of that fact…

But perhaps it was the atmosphere at that moment that made her body and heart cling to him, compelling her to playfully oppose him.

“How are you going to replace it? I want an exact match.”

“I’ll buy you an exact match.”

Jiang Nai gave a mocking little laugh. “You’ll buy it yourself?”

Li Qingji’s warm breath lingered at her neck, his tone unexpectedly patient as he replied, “Alright, just tell me where to get it.”

Her blouse, with its torn buttons, clung to her loosely, slipping off her like silk. His breath, hot and intense, left her feeling trapped, her resolve gradually breaking down. She struggled to hold onto her rationality, even as she found herself increasingly absorbed in the moment. She finally had to admit that being with Li Qingji in such moments was something she couldn’t fully resist—alongside the pain, there was a pleasure that was difficult to ignore.

This pleasure made her uneasy; there was a thrill that might turn into a craving, and she didn’t want to be so attached to Li Qingji. After all, human nature is fickle, and passion between a man and a woman inevitably fades over time.

Perhaps when his passion faded, it would simply disappear.

But she couldn’t allow herself to fall too deeply. She knew herself—if she truly became immersed, she’d become too emotionally attached and find it hard to let go…

—

Jiang Nai thought that the things men said in bed could be swept away by a passing breeze, forgotten in a heartbeat. But to her surprise, the next day, Li Qingji actually insisted on taking her to the mall. She had only said it offhandedly the night before and never thought he’d actually go shopping with her.

“I don’t need that shirt anymore; maybe we don’t have to go?” She hesitated at the door, mainly feeling awkward—she’d never gone shopping with a man, especially not Li Qingji.

Li Qingji gave her a look. “I said I’d replace it, so I will.”

“It was technically bought with your money anyway.”

“Yes, but I’m the one who tore it.”

“…”

Lu Feng had mentioned that women loved shopping, strolling through stores, and found joy in it. Li Qingji felt that he’d found enough joy himself and wanted to give Jiang Nai more. So he insisted on taking her this time.

The mall was obviously more crowded on a Saturday, with long lines outside the luxury stores. Jiang Nai knew the brand of her shirt, so she headed straight there. Upon reaching the entrance, a store associate bypassed the line and led them inside. The store was relatively quiet, offering one-on-one service. Jiang Nai and Li Qingji were taken to a private room.

“Ms. Jiang, here are the latest collections for this season. See if there’s anything you like,” the associate said, bringing over a rack of clothes.

“Actually, I’m just looking for this specific shirt,” Jiang Nai said, showing a photo on her phone.

“Oh, we have that one, but it’s from last autumn’s collection, so I didn’t bring it out.”

“No problem. Just bring that one for me, please. It’s all I need.”

Miss Sa smiled warmly and asked, “Would you like to look at these again?”

“No…”

“Since you’re already here, you could buy something if you find something suitable.”

Jiang Nai replied, “No need; I’m too lazy to try them on.”

Li Qingji added, “Just looking is fine; no need to try them on.”

Sa’s smile grew even warmer. “No problem; we have Miss Jiang’s size information here. Miss Jiang, I’ll bring a few items that suit your style.”

Jiang Nai stayed silent but clearly wasn’t very interested in shopping. Soon enough, she stopped browsing altogether. Sa, meanwhile, bustled around, cheerfully packing up a pile of clothes after Li Qingji gave a nod of approval.

As they left the store, Li Qingji originally planned to visit another shop, but Jiang Nai obviously didn’t want to continue shopping, so they headed back instead, thinking to himself that he shouldn’t always trust what Lu Feng says.

The two of them walked to the parking garage and headed toward their parked car. Staff from the store followed behind, carrying their purchases to help load them into the car.

Meng Xiaoyue hadn’t expected to run into her boss here. She was out shopping with a friend, and as they were about to leave, she saw a luxury car parked across from them. Joking with her friend, she remarked, “When will I ever be able to afford a car like that?”

Her friend laughed, saying, “If you weren’t born with one, then probably never.”

As they laughed and joked, a man appeared in their line of sight, followed by two staff members carrying shopping bags.

Then… a woman came into view.

“Wow, the car owner is so handsome! And his girlfriend is gorgeous too,” her friend commented.

Meng Xiaoyue froze, watching as the staff loaded up the car and her boss got into the driver’s seat, with the woman sitting in the front passenger seat. The car sped away, and Meng Xiaoyue immediately got out of her car.

“Hey… where are you going?”

Meng Xiaoyue didn’t know where she was going; she was just too shocked.

She stood by her car, dazed. “That… that was my boss.”

“Huh? That guy?”

Meng Xiaoyue nodded, still in disbelief. “But why was she in the boss’s car…”

Her friend said, “She? You mean that girl? Isn’t it obvious? She’s probably his girlfriend; he even bought her all those luxury items.”

“No way,” Meng Xiaoyue replied. “She’s married.”

“His wife, then?”

Meng Xiaoyue hesitated for a moment, then looked like she had realized something, her expression turning a bit disdainful. “Even less likely. I’ve never heard of the boss being married. Besides, she’s just a regular employee at our company.”

—

On a workday, the marketing department was bustling with activity again.

The people from Team 1 and Team 3 held a meeting in the morning, preparing to attend an international smart home exhibition that afternoon. Their new series was launched last week and would also be featured at the exhibition.

The expo brought together well-known smart product brands from home and abroad, with numerous high-quality buyers in attendance, so Liu Nian attached particular importance to it. After the meeting, Jiang Nai, Yao Qi, Xu Xiao from Team 1, and three members from Team 3 headed to the venue together. The exhibition was already set up, and as soon as they arrived, they got to work, engaging with other companies and buyers in the industry.

They worked tirelessly all day, and finally, when the exhibition closed at 6 p.m., they were able to catch their breath and started packing up.

“Jiang Nai, let me handle the heavy stuff,” Xu Xiao said, noticing her carrying some heavy items.

Jiang Nai replied, “It’s fine. There’s a lot to carry, so let’s all do it together.”

“It’s too heavy; you won’t be able to lift it.”

“I can,” Jiang Nai said, carrying the items forward. Xu Xiao watched her for a moment, feeling uneasy, and finally walked over to take the load directly from her hands.

“Hey…” Jiang Nai protested softly.

Xu Xiao responded, “You just go pack up.”

After a brief pause, Jiang Nai went back as directed. Xu Xiao glanced at her retreating figure, smiled, and quickened his pace to finish moving the items.

Meng Xiaoyue had just returned after carrying a large bag herself, and from a distance, she saw Xu Xiao and Jiang Nai. She noticed the moment when Xu Xiao considerately took the items from Jiang Nai’s hands, as well as the overly bright smile he wore after she left. Meng Xiaoyue had liked Xu Xiao for a long time and had hinted at her feelings, both subtly and directly, numerous times.

But… Xu Xiao remained unmoved.

Yet, she still liked him.

Maybe it was because she often secretly observed him, so she could easily see Xu Xiao’s unique attentiveness toward Jiang Nai. He only ever smiled so brightly when he was with Jiang Nai.

He only seemed to notice Jiang Nai’s movements… Like just now, everyone was carrying heavy items, herself included, but he only went to help Jiang Nai.

“Xu Xiao, Jiang Nai is married,” Meng Xiaoyue blurted out, barely able to control herself as she saw him walking toward her.

Sure enough, the smile disappeared from Xu Xiao’s face instantly. “What?”

Meng Xiaoyue gritted her teeth and repeated, “I said, she’s married.”

Xu Xiao’s face darkened. “Everyone knows that; I know that. Why are you telling me this?”

Meng Xiaoyue looked at him. “I just wanted to remind you that there’s no chance for you and her.”

Xu Xiao’s hands, gripping the large box, turned white from the pressure, and he replied almost with contempt, “I don’t need you to tell me that! Who do you think you are?!”

Although Xu Xiao had turned her down before, he was always calm and polite when they discussed work. This was the first time she had seen him show any hostility toward her.

Meng Xiaoyue felt a sting of humiliation. “I may be no one to you, but I’m just telling you—she’s not a good person and isn’t worth your feelings!”

With other staff passing by nearby, Xu Xiao’s temples pulsed as he suppressed his voice, enunciating each word: “I don’t have any feelings for her.”

“Really?” Meng Xiaoyue laughed slightly, with a hint of sarcasm. “Do you even realize how many times you snuck glances at her today?”

“……”

Seeing that he couldn’t argue back, Meng Xiaoyue felt a mix of pain and resentment. “Xu Xiao, just let it go. Girls like Jiang Nai, who are so beautiful and prideful, wouldn’t stray—even if she did, it wouldn’t be with someone like you.”

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