Ji Shulang interrupted, "By the way, when is your business trip? What about Lizi? Want me to take care of him?"
"Not yet." Wen Shaoyu's expression settled. He returned the toy to Lizi and patted his head, signaling him to go play.
"I'll probably wait until the current project is done. Remember the project we won for the digital smart architecture IP with the planning bureau? The team's progress is average; the digital twin model has poor precision. I heard the bureau plans to collaborate with a documentary crew to shoot a special on urban architectural memory. Some scenes will likely be shot at the company. Other teams have confidential projects advancing—I can't leave without overseeing things."
"Buddy, I recognize every word you said, but put together, I don't understand a single sentence." Ji Shulang sighed. "Good thing I didn't choose the same major as you."
Wen Shaoyu walked to the coffee table and poured himself a glass of water. "Simply put, it's still early, no rush, and you don't need to worry for now."
"Okay!" Ji Shulang lay back down. For the sake of the affection Wen Shaoyu almost became his brother-in-law, he could forgive any coldness.
But after lying for a while, he thought of something puzzling: "Wait, isn't a film crew shooting a good thing? Free promotion without spending money—why aren't you excited?"
"What's there to be excited about? This kind of high-precision 3D reconstruction isn't the company's main business; promotion won't help." Wen Shaoyu downed half a glass of cold water, turning the glass in his hand. "Besides, by the time a documentary is made, three to five years from now, we'd be long out of business."
Ji Shulang chewed that over—seemed true...
"Their project just started. The production team contacted me a couple of days ago, wanting to have dinner with the design institute and the planning bureau's project team to get acquainted."
Wen Shaoyu glanced at his watch calendar. "It seems like it's today."
"You turned them down?" Ji Shulang pressed.
"No. I sent Xiao Li." Wen Shaoyu frowned, a bit impatient. "The unavoidable business dinners are already annoying enough. For something like this, a pure waste of time, I'd rather go home and walk the dog."
Ji Shulang couldn't resist a jab: "Oh, so this isn't a normal work exchange? No interest, so you just sent a subordinate?"
Wen Shaoyu didn't answer. He bent down to set down his glass, and when he looked up, his gaze swept coldly over Ji Shulang. After being a boss for a few years, the pressure was overwhelming. Ji Shulang immediately shut up. "Right, when are we going to walk the dog? Look, Lizi is getting impatient!"
"After you get out of here."
Ji Shulang: "..."
Damn it!
This guy was already sharp-tongued, and after his sister was taken away, he went up another level. Lucky for him, the rich kid drove; if he took the subway, security would confiscate his mouth as a controlled weapon.
Alas, without Xiao Shu, no one would stand up for him.
Ji Shulang's heart shattered into pieces, and he stared miserably at the ceiling.
He desperately wanted to know which corner his former 'aunt' had whisked his sister off to. He would trade Wen Shaoyu's future marriage for the 'hostage,' even just a meeting!
...
"How do you feel? Dizzy?"
Ji Shuhe shook her head, pulled her collar together, but her eyes were wide open. "Not dizzy—thanks to you, I didn't drink much."
The dinner ended, the moon high in the sky.
It wasn't actually that late, but autumn and winter in Xinhai always made the night feel long. After seeing off the partners, even the street neon seemed dimmer.
"You didn't drink much, but you usually don't drink at all. Right now you look like you're tipsy."
Shen Xing chuckled, grabbed Ji Shuhe's windbreaker sleeve, and pulled her away from a speed bump. "Walk this way—careful not to trip."
Ji Shuhe didn't feel drunk, just weak and limp.
Maybe it was the alcohol, but more likely it was because the design institute representative among the partners had mentioned that the demolition and restoration of Yong'anli was their project, directly giving her the address of the resettlement housing.
Not everyone chose resettlement housing, and the property had long passed the three-year resale restriction; it had changed hands and occupants countless times. She might still be looking for a needle in a haystack...
But at least she had a direction.
"Senior!" Ji Shuhe couldn't contain her excitement. She looked up at Shen Xing; under the dim yellow streetlight, her eyes sparkled. "I have news of them! I can go find them!"
"Yeah, great news." Shen Xing's heart softened. "But are you that happy?"
"Mm!" Ji Shuhe nodded vigorously. "I left in such a hurry back then. If I can find them, I..."
She trailed off abruptly.
That year she left in a rush; Xia Chun didn't let her take anything except the clothes on her back. Disappearing without a word, just as she had arrived suddenly.
Not having said a proper goodbye had become a thorn in her heart all these years. That's why she always wanted to contact them—to know if they were doing well, or at least tell them she was fine.
Or...
Accept the changes time brings, and formally bid farewell to the people she cared about and the years she was obsessed with.
Ji Shuhe always thought too much. Especially abroad, she would think three times before acting, then waver and give up.
Now was the same.
When she found them, then what?
Just as she hesitated, Shen Xing spoke: "Xiao Shu, you seem to have a lot of worries."
Whether entrusted by someone or out of his own kindness, Shen Xing had been paying attention to Ji Shuhe. She was considerate—perhaps too considerate—always wanting to please everyone while neglecting herself.
He raised his hand, signaling her to look up at the sky. The lonely night sky was layered with clouds; a night breeze pushed them aside, revealing a half moon in the distance.
"The weather is nice tonight—there's even a moon. Since you've been longing for this, why not go and take a look now?"
Ji Shuhe hesitated: "Go where?"
Shen Xing answered matter-of-factly: "Near the resettlement neighborhood. Get familiar with the area."
"Now?"
"Of course." Seeing her clearly hopeful yet conflicted about troubling others, he added, "But tomorrow you have to treat me to breakfast—authentic Xinhai-style breakfast."
Ji Shuhe needed someone to give her a definitive answer and push her forward. Shen Xing's suggestion hit the mark. Her previous dejection vanished; her eyes shone brighter than the stars above.
"No problem! I'll take you to eat shengjian bao and savory soy milk—the most authentic, the most genuine!"
Shen Xing chuckled: "Let's go, then. I'll call a cab."
The weather that night was indeed good: a bright moon, sparse stars, a gentle breeze—a rare standard deep autumn in Xinhai.
Plane trees lined the streets; the leaves on the branches were silent, but the fallen ones on the ground, not yet swept, made a crunching sound underfoot.
Wen Shaoyu walked Lizi along the concrete sidewalk covered in plane leaves. It wasn't on his way, but out of years of camaraderie, he followed Ji Shulang back to his current residential compound.
Most relocated residents from Yong'anli who chose resettlement housing lived in this compound—including Wen Shaoyu, who also had a unit here and had even lived there until his sophomore year.
The Ji family had gotten two units. Two years ago, Grandpa Ji passed away; Ji Shulang's parents moved in with Grandma Ji, and Ji Shulang's unit was kept as his future marital home.
Along the way, Ji Shulang was as noisy as ever. If not for Lizi's slow pace, Wen Shaoyu wouldn't have had the patience to drag along.
After finally seeing off the chatterbox, Lizi lingered by the flowerbed at the building's entrance, sniffing around. Wen Shaoyu took the chance to check his phone.
The project manager he had sent to the dinner gave a brief report: the dinner was led by two producers, who expressed strong interest in their digital twin architecture project and wanted to schedule a visit to the company.
Wen Shaoyu skimmed through, pausing briefly on the surname of the executive producer, then exited the chat, uninterested.
"Lizi, let's go." He tugged the leash, signaling Lizi to turn back.
Most residents here were elderly; the public areas were nice, but after dark, everyone stayed indoors. After a few rounds, besides the man and his dog, there was no one else.
Lizi was a bit reluctant, but at Wen Shaoyu's call, he obediently followed.
His phone buzzed—Ji Shulang, now home, sending him useless industry news.
Wen Shaoyu was bored enough to click the link and speed-read, then tersely criticized the article as a bunch of correct nonsense.
His fingers hovered over the keyboard; the screen's glow blocked his view.
Naturally, he didn't know that in the opposite direction, a car slowly pulled over and a man and a woman got out.
That might be the someone he had been searching for but had already missed.
Author's note: [Shy] Soon, very soon, they'll meet.