Are you planning to go back?
Ji Shuhe didn't know how to respond. Her gaze flickered between Shen Xing and Wen Shaoyu, who was pushing the door open to get out of the car, and she inexplicably felt a subtle tension in the air.
"Ji Shuhe."
By then, Wen Shaoyu had already stepped out of the car. His long fingers gripped the door, and he pushed it shut with a muted thud. He strode quickly to Ji Shuhe's side, stopping half a step closer than Shen Xing. His tall figure naturally yet unobtrusively created a slight distance between Ji Shuhe and Shen Xing.
Shen Xing watched calmly, even meeting Wen Shaoyu's gaze with a polite and composed smile.
Wen Shaoyu remained impassive, merely nodding at him before his eyes quickly returned to Ji Shuhe's face. His voice was low but clear: "This isn't the first time we've met. Aren't you going to formally introduce us?"
Ji Shuhe snapped back to reality. "Oh, right. I forgot to introduce you. This is Shen Xing, my direct supervisor and a well-known producer in the industry. We graduated from the same school, and he's always taken good care of me."
She then turned to Shen Xing, her voice unconsciously softening: "And this is Wen Shaoyu, president of Tuowei Technology, our project partner, and also a..."
She paused.
Both pairs of eyes fixed on Ji Shuhe's face.
After a long silence, as if deliberating, she finally uttered softly: "...old friend."
Wen Shaoyu's eyes flickered, but he said nothing, his gaze fixed on Ji Shuhe.
"An old friend, huh." Shen Xing's tone was gentle, yet seemed laden with meaning. "So it seems the failed cooperation between us and Tuowei before might have been influenced by some misunderstanding?"
He didn't finish the sentence, just smiled, leaving an eloquent blank.
"The preliminary assessment before cooperation is a normal procedure for our company," Wen Shaoyu said steadily, unhurried. "At that time, I didn't know the person handling the contact was Ji Shuhe. Besides, regardless of who the other party is, our evaluation standards remain unchanged."
Though a few years younger than Shen Xing, Wen Shaoyu had been tempered by business. His beautiful peach blossom eyes met Shen Xing's without flinching: "Tuowei never explicitly rejected cooperation before, did we?"
"Indeed, we didn't." Shen Xing showed no irritation at being rebutted. Instead, he turned the conversation back to Ji Shuhe: "So whether it goes smoothly from here still seems to depend on Xiaoshu."
Wen Shaoyu frowned almost imperceptibly, taking half a step forward to block Shen Xing's gaze from Ji Shuhe: "The foundation of cooperation is mutual sincerity and strength. I heard our company is already negotiating contract signing with President Shen's team. Perhaps President Shen is too busy with important matters to be aware."
He paused, his voice deepening: "Although Ji Shuhe is your subordinate, as her... old friend, I know she's always been timid. Please don't put such a heavy burden on her, President Shen."
"Sincerity and strength are indeed prerequisites," Shen Xing replied without rising to the bait, raising an eyebrow at Wen Shaoyu with an unchanged smile. "But I've always believed that human effort can achieve anything. I also trust Xiaoshu's ability as a producer. President Wen, please don't misunderstand."
Outmaneuvered.
Wen Shaoyu narrowed his eyes. Their gazes clashed—one deep with undisguised sharpness, the other steady and worldly, now deliberately provocative. Sparks flew silently.
But Shen Xing glanced at the sky and timely ended the conversation: "Well, it's getting late. I won't hold you up from dinner with your family. President Wen, we'll catch up another time."
"You're always welcome at Tuowei, President Shen." Wen Shaoyu replied curtly, clearly not wanting to prolong the exchange. He gently nudged Ji Shuhe, who was still frowning at the periphery. "Let's go. Your brother has been urging us."
Ji Shuhe finally snapped out of that inexplicable tension and hurriedly said goodbye to Shen Xing. As she turned, Wen Shaoyu had already opened the passenger door and was waiting silently.
She stepped into the car.
"Oh, Xiaoshu."
Shen Xing suddenly called out to her.
Ji Shuhe looked back. Shen Xing's gaze seemed to brush past Wen Shaoyu before settling on her face.
"Aunt Xia asked me to bring you something. If you're not back too late tonight, you can drop by and pick it up."
...Aunt Xia?
Xia Chun?
Shen Xing knew Xia Chun?
Ji Shuhe unconsciously frowned. "Ah... okay. Thank you, Senior."
Wen Shaoyu's hand on the car door tightened silently, his knuckles turning from red to white, veining with a pallid blue. He closed the door and moved sideways to block the passenger window, completely shielding Ji Shuhe from view.
"Is there something else, President Wen?" Shen Xing inclined his head slightly, his gaze dark and seemingly pointed.
Having played word games with this fox of a man all evening, and now that Ji Shuhe couldn't hear, Wen Shaoyu dropped all pretense: "You did that on purpose."
"How could you say that?" Shen Xing's smile faded. "Aunt Xia is Xiaoshu's mother after all. Blood ties aren't so easily erased."
"Until next time, President Wen."
Shen Xing turned and walked inside. Wen Shaoyu watched the man's retreating figure, unable to fathom the intent behind his last words. Was it purely emotional provocation? Or a display of sovereignty, emphasizing his unusual relationship with Ji Shuhe's family?
Neither seemed quite right.
But the name Xia Chun was extremely sensitive to Wen Shaoyu. She was the "culprit" behind the eight-year separation between him and Ji Shuhe, and also Ji Shuhe's biological mother.
Blood ties... blood ties were truly a strange thing.
Once such a relationship was confirmed, it was as if it implied that blood relatives had the right to make all decisions on one's behalf. Just as Ji Shuhe had followed Xia Chun away back then, and later, Wen Shaoyu had been brought in to sign for Wen Cheng.
So Wen Shaoyu understood clearly: the separation eight years ago was a deadlock. Even if the same situation repeated ten thousand times, Ji Shuhe could only leave with her mother Xia Chun—even her father Ji Xiangjiang couldn't stop it.
And eight years later...
Wen Shaoyu's gaze silently swept to the side. Ji Shuhe was quietly looking out the window. When he didn't speak, she remained silent too. Perhaps they had reconciled, but reconciliation didn't mean their interactions could return to the beginning.
So everything eight years later, every step forward or back between them, depended entirely on Ji Shuhe's will.
"What did you say to my senior before getting in the car?" Ji Shuhe suddenly spoke as Wen Shaoyu was lost in thought.
"Just exchanged pleasantries." Wen Shaoyu hadn't expected Ji Shuhe's first words to be about Shen Xing, and he couldn't help but snort. "Don't worry, I didn't bully him."