“Called... Meng Shang, right?”
At Victoria Harbour Peninsula, the thin sun was setting in the west.
It was early winter, and the warm sunset light spread across the sea, rising and falling with the wind and waves, turning the originally quiet sea into a sparkling scene of Hong Kong Island.
Occasionally, tourists taking photos were noisy, but the sound of the waves quickly drowned them out.
But inside the Peninsula Hotel by the sea, a completely different lively scene was unfolding.
Men and women in elegant attire chatted warmly, as if as long as the words were pretty enough, even the essentially hypocritical atmosphere could be rendered sincere and passionate.
Jiang Ruoqi leaned idly in a corner, trying to extract key information from the surrounding conversations in her mind, but she found that apart from meaningless nonsense, the more finely dressed people were, the less sincerity they had in their words.
She forced herself to stay a little longer, her gaze wandering, but she couldn't find the person she was looking for. Eventually, bothered by the smell of alcohol and perfume, she exchanged her empty glass for a full one and walked straight to the terrace.
Outside the banquet hall was a terrace, the best spot to view the sea. The evening sea breeze blew, and she breathed in a faint, damp, salty scent.
Jiang Ruoqi was dressed thinly, but she didn't feel cold standing in the sunset. She turned around, leaning against the glass railing, and brushed away her wind-tangled long hair. Then she tilted her head back and downed the champagne.
Boring. She kind of wanted to leave.
She had dressed up today to attend a colleague's wedding.
Giving up her precious weekend as a working person, watching a bunch of people she knew and didn't know exchange pleasantries—it was a waste of life.
So, honestly, Jiang Ruoqi didn't want to come.
Besides having to spend money on the gift and present, she had to tidy herself up in advance for the occasion. Jiang Ruoqi was strict with herself; to look good in the fitted dress, she had deliberately starved herself for two days starting the day before yesterday.
As for the wedding itself, it was just the usual routine. After giving blessings, toasting, both sides saying auspicious words. How many of the guests were sincere? Anyway, she hated dealing with such occasions the most.
But out of friendship and collegiality, Jiang Ruoqi had to be there.
In the workplace, you can't do as you please. Even if you're in different departments, you see each other all the time. Handling interpersonal relationships among colleagues is even more important than personal professional ability.
Not to mention today's bride, Ada, who could be considered one of her... few friends in Gangcheng.
"Ada's been looking for you for ages. Why are you hiding here alone?"
Just as Jiang Ruoqi was lost in thought, she heard a non-standard Mandarin from afar and knew it was someone familiar. She looked towards the sound, a smile already on her face, and raised her empty glass to the person approaching.
"Migraine. Came out for some air."
"If you have a headache, drink less." Sophia grabbed the railing and stood beside Jiang Ruoqi, not giving her any leeway.
Jiang Ruoqi just smiled, looking down at the stem of the glass pinched between her thumb and middle finger, her index finger with almond-shaped nude pink nails tapping absently against the thin glass, producing a "clink."
"Just a few glasses of champagne, no big deal. We'll find a nice bar some other day and have a few proper drinks."
What terrible Hong Kong-style Mandarin.
Sophia was helpless, shaking her head. With this comparison, she now deeply understood how others felt when listening to her speak Mandarin.
She looked up at Jiang Ruoqi, and without words, they both burst out laughing.
Jiang Ruoqi wasn't from Gangcheng, nor from the Guangdong-Guangxi region. She had come to Gangcheng after high school at 17, spent 6 years on her bachelor's and master's, and worked for another 5 years. Yet her Cantonese was still terrible.
Sophia had once suspected that Jiang Ruoqi didn't really want to stay; otherwise, after living in Gangcheng for almost half her life, she still spoke Mandarin and English. Among outsiders trying to make a living, she was definitely an oddball.
"Did you hear what happened at the group meeting last week?"
Mentioning work made Jiang Ruoqi even less interested: "Why would I ask about that? Whether the group develops well or badly has nothing to do with me, a mere employee. Anyway, my salary is like a boat going against the current—it doesn't rise, it falls."
"What if it concerns... or your department?"
Sophia looked at Jiang Ruoqi with disappointment, as if frustrated that she didn't live up to expectations: "The group's main direction for next year is to target the mainland's young consumer market and vigorously develop sub-brands. I don't need to tell you this; you should know it."
Jiang Ruoqi nodded, her beautiful fox-like eyes lifting, signaling her to continue.
"Unfortunately, despite the upcoming Christmas and New Year sales peak season, the sales data from the subsidiary is very pessimistic." Sophia paused and looked at Jiang Ruoqi again, indicating that the next part was the key. "At the meeting, the boss asked a couple more questions. Do you know what the subsidiary's CEO said?"
"He said the main reason for poor sales was that the marketing director resigned last month, and they haven't found a suitable replacement, so marketing and promotion have lagged."
Jiang Ruoqi roughly understood.
Sophia's Chinese name was Liang Yongxi. She held the top position in their group's secretarial office, second only to the executive assistant. Information she brought was generally reliable. And if she was so earnestly hinting at her, there must be further news.
Hinting at what? Jiang Ruoqi was thoughtful.
Before she graduated, she had ended up at her current company due to various reasons. It was an old group with intertwined relationships, but to put it simply, it was a long-established jewelry brand.
She had been in the marketing department for five years and earned the title of Manager. Although she wasn't as perceptive as Sophia, she could still figure out the higher-ups' intentions.
But Jiang Ruoqi was completely indifferent: "If the group wants to send someone to Xinhai, let them."
Sophia frowned, staring at Jiang Ruoqi in confusion. Seeing her calm expression, not forced, she became even more puzzled.
"Don't you want to stay in Gangcheng?"
Sophia was a native of Gangcheng. Perhaps not intentionally, but subconsciously she always felt that Gangcheng was more beneficial for people like them to develop.
Moreover, after studying and living in a city for over a decade, could one really leave without any reluctance?
"It's not that I don't want to stay; it's just that occasionally, I think it would be nice to have a chance to go back." Jiang Ruoqi's eyes curved, and she patted Sophia's arm soothingly. "That's where I was born and grew up. Besides, my mom is still in the mainland."
"That reason doesn't hold. Aunty doesn't live in Xinhai." Sophia pulled her hand away, turned her head, and snorted unpleasantly.
Jiang Ruoqi was taken aback. She put down the champagne glass and hugged Sophia's slender waist like a child throwing a tantrum: "BB, don't be mad. The group's transfer order hasn't come down yet; it might not be me who gets sent back. Even if it is... Xinhai to Gangcheng is only a three-hour flight. If you need me, I can come anytime."