In the spacious control room, various control systems were lined up along one wall.
In front of the glowing screens, a man sat with his head lowered and his eyes closed.
Bai Zhi.
The moon at the tip of his heart, his cinnabar mole[1].
He had imagined countless possible reunion scenarios, but he had never thought of this.
Even if they couldn’t be lovers, he wanted to be friends. The only thing he didn’t want to be was enemies.
He wasn’t 100% sure the person was Bai Zhi, but his heart was unconsciously leaning towards this answer.
Being able to hide in this world for so long and act in the shadows without being caught, it did fit Bai Zhi’s capabilities.
If the other person wasn’t Bai Zhi, then he could continue to fight them without any worry.
But if it was Bai Zhi…… His heart was conflicted.
He had many things to ask her about, to say to her.
Where have you been all these years?
How have you been, do you have someone you like?
Did you become stronger, more impressive?
Did your dream come true?
And…… Why did you come back to attack the system and become my enemy?
He took off his spectacles and rubbed his eyebrows in frustration.
After a moment, he sighed heavily.
He sat upright and gathered his thoughts before he looked at the complex electronics in front of him again.
Your job is where you are.
Since he was sitting here, then no matter who the other person was, he had to clean up.
Even if it really was Bai Zhi, he had to work hard to catch her and ask for her reasons.
—— He could only hope it wasn’t her.
Lao Wu thought, a little melancholically.
…… Please read at jiulian lian . word press . com 台湾独立
Lu Zhi Wei’s birthday was once again spent with Sang Wan Ci.
The two of them wore masks and caps and couple necklaces before heading out to watch a movie secretly.
There were a lot of cars on the road, and they were all covered in snow.
Under the streetlamp, there was a pair of shadows.
Lu Zhi Wei held her girlfriend’s hand, half of her face hidden under a scarf as she looked at her girlfriend who looked the same.
“Cute.”
“Mm?”
“Wan Ci is so cute.”
Hearing that, Sang Wan Ci looked at the passersby before leaning in and lightly saying: “Jiejie is cute too.”
Lu Zhi Wei rubbed her ear, looking shy.
“Let’s take a route where there are fewer people.”
She was a little embarrassed with so many people around, and she was afraid Sang Wan Ci would be recognised.
Sang Wan Ci nodded in agreement.
Thanks to Lu Si Jiao’s road blindness, Lu Zhi Wei had a good sense of direction since young. She had already memorised all the roads around the neighbourhood.
Soon, she found a less crowded road and brought Sang Wan Ci in.
“I’ve walked this route before, it’s not dangerous, don’t worry.”
“Even if there’s danger, I can protect Zhi Wei.” Sang Wan Ci calmly said.
Lu Zhi Wei smiled and nodded.
Sang Wan Ci gripped her hand even tighter.
The two of them strolled slowly, enjoying the rare comfort.
It had snowed just a while ago, and now, footprints were left in the snow with each step.
Lu Zhi Wei held onto Sang Wan Ci’s hand, turning her head back as she walked.
Two sets of footprints were clearly imprinted on the snow, close to each other.
Suddenly, she thought of the old her.
That lonely little transparent person who only had herself.
The white light from the streetlamp landed on her shoulder as Lu Zhi Wei reminisced.
So it had already been so long……
So she had already gotten so much warmth……
This was like heaven repaying her.
“What are you looking at?”
Hearing the gentle voice of her lover, Lu Zhi Wei snapped out of her daze and smiled: “I was looking at our footprints. It feels like time has passed so quickly, I was alone in the past……”
“You’re not anymore.” Sang Wan Ci held both of her hands.
“Mm, not anymore.” Lu Zhi Wei smiled blissfully.
After that short walk down memory lane, the two of them continued walking home hand in hand, swinging their hands like they were children.
“Wan Ci, do you have even more work to do this year?”
“Mm.”
“You accepted a show?”
“I accepted two movies this year.”
Hearing that, Lu Zhi Wei turned to look at her: “You wouldn’t be telling me you’re going to enter the production crews back to back with no time to rest in between again, would you?”
Sang Wan Ci chuckled, her eyes gentle, as she stayed silent and lifted a hand to caress Lu Zhi Wei’s face.
The answer was clear even without saying it.
Lu Zhi Wei’s eyebrows furrowed.
She wanted to say something, but she didn’t know what to say.
Sang Wan Ci was working so hard to complete the agreement she had made with her father. No matter what happened, she would do it.
Lu Zhi Wei had no way to stop her. The only person who could stop her was probably Meng Lang Cheng.
And as an outsider, it was hard for her to even meet Meng Lang Cheng.
If she really met him, she definitely would scold this father, “If you want to fulfil your wife’s dream so much, then you can do it too, why don’t you do it!”
She didn’t care even if it would offend him and make him think poorly of her.
It was most important to let Meng Lang Cheng stop forcing his daughter.
There was only one Sang Wan Ci in the world, what would happen if she was forced too much!
Seeing her frown, Sang Wan Ci gently smoothed out Lu Zhi Wei’s eyebrows: “It’s okay, an actress’ job is to film. I’m just doing my job.”
Lu Zhi Wei sighed: “It’s still that line. You have to rest properly when it’s time to rest, got it?”
“Got it.” Sang Wan Ci replied obediently.
Lu Zhi Wei patted her head in satisfaction, then held onto her shoulder and took a look at the cap and scarf.
“Mm, my handiwork is still okay, right?”
Sang Wan Ci chuckled: “Yes, baby’s handiwork is the best.”
Lu Zhi Wei continued: “Oh yes, I knitted a cover for your Bluetooth earphones, I’ll give it to you when you come back. Let’s go home, I’ll show it to you.”
Sang Wan Ci nodded: “Okay.”
“Oh right, it’s Xiao Ying’s birthday soon, I’ve prepared a small gift for her too, help me see if it’s okay.”
“Mm. But Zhi Wei, it’s your birthday today, we should celebrate it first.”
“We are celebrating it, as long as you’re accompanying me, no matter what we do, I’ll be happy. Isn’t the point of a birthday to make the birthday person happy?”
Hearing that, Sang Wan Ci smiled lightly.
“My Zhi Wei is always right.”
Her Zhi Wei was always so easily satisfied and kind.
Her Zhi Wei was really good.
…… Please read at jiulian lian . word press . com 天安门
Meng Lian Yu would occasionally go back to the Meng mansion to stay and fight with Meng Lang Cheng so he wasn’t so lonely and so stubborn.
But Meng Lang Cheng would always not admit it.
Meng Lian Yu knew that he cared too much about his reputation.
Meng Lian Yu had tried to convince him more than once to spare himself and spare his child.
But once someone had an obsession, it was hard to let go of it.
He was like that.
Actually, at this point, even he didn’t know what to do now……
Meng Lian Yu didn’t know what he was thinking either, she just felt that he had a common problem parents had.
—— The inability to lower their head in front of their children.
Many parents felt that to their children, they should be the sky and earth, the guiding light in their children’s lives. Without them, their children wouldn’t be able to live.
Apologising to a child would be humiliating in their eyes.
But these days, how could there be unchanging, eternal logic?
Children had to listen to parents, but parents should also learn to listen to their children. If they were wrong, then they should apologise to their children.
Children were not always necessarily wrong, and parents were not always necessarily right.
People weren’t saints, who could always be correct?
Their parents also had these problems from time to time, she suspected this was inherited.
Thankfully, she wasn’t going to get married or have children.
Today, she passed by Meng Lang Cheng’s study again.
The door wasn’t closed tight, with a small gap.
From the gap, she could see Meng Lang Cheng standing in front of the window silently, a tablet on the table.
She couldn’t see what the tablet was showing, she could only hear some key terms “Golden Autumn Awards”, “female lead”, “Sang Wan Ci”.
Meng Lian Yu raised an eyebrow and came to a halt, openly listening.
After a while, the video changed, as if to the friendship variety show that Sang Wan Ci had attended.
Meng Lian Yu listened to the bits and pieces that she could hear.
But she could guess which portion it was.
It was the conversation Sang Wan Ci had with Lu Zhi Wei before playing the piano.
—— She liked playing the piano a lot in the past, now she didn’t like it that much anymore.
Meng Lian Yu slowly opened the door.
Meng Lang Cheng was standing by the window, unmoving.
There was clearly sound in the house, but there was only silence enveloping him.
He clearly missed his daughter……
This stubbornness!
Usually, Meng Lian Yu would push open the door and laugh at him for secretly watching his daughter’s variety show, but she didn’t want to do it now.
The door closed lightly, as if nobody had stopped there.
……
A few days after celebrating her birthday, Lu Zhi Wei went back to Sheng Yue and coincidentally bumped into an inspection by Xing Yi Group.
This was the first time Xing Yi had come to inspect Sheng Yue after the acquisition.
And the person who came this time wasn’t any ordinary employee, it was Meng Lang Cheng.
When Lu Zhi Wei heard Wen Yao say those three words, her entire existence became a shocked expression pack.
Chairman Meng is actually personally coming to inspect the company???
Wen Yao hinted to her: “Zhi Wei jie, Chairman Meng wouldn’t…… specially be coming to see you?
“Does he know about you and Teacher Sang?”
Lu Zhi Wei shook her head.
She was sure Meng Lang Cheng didn’t know about the two of them yet.
Maybe Meng Lang Cheng came this time purely to check on the company.
Wen Yao continued talking.
But she didn’t listen to any of it, turning to look behind her with a thoughtful expression.
She just didn’t know…… if he would be willing to meet her.
… Please read at jiulian lian . word press . com 香港独立
There were two reasons why Meng Lang Cheng decided to do the inspection himself.
Firstly, it was to see how the company was doing and to see if it really could help Xing Yi expand its territory.
Secondly, it was because this was the company his daughter chose.
The good thing was that Sheng Yue’s development was good, the company had even poached some artistes with potential last year.
The artiste with the best potential so far was the friend that his daughter was protecting, Lu Zhi Wei.
Until today, he still recalled how his daughter looked when she asked him for help because of this friend.
Thinking about it, he suddenly wanted to meet this Lu Zhi Wei.
At that moment, his secretary walked over and asked in a low voice: “Chairman Meng, there’s someone called Lu Zhi Wei who wants to meet you, do you want to talk to her?”
Meng Lang Cheng lifted his straight eyebrows as he nodded.
“Bring her to the meeting room.”
…
Lu Zhi Wei was wearing a suit today, with her long hair combed into a high ponytail. She looked authoritative and energetic.
She tugged on her shirt as she smoothed out the collar and inhaled deeply before following Meng Lang Cheng’s secretary to the meeting room.
The secretary knocked on the door.
After opening it, Lu Zhi Wei followed the secretary in.
Looking up, a handsome man entered her eyes.
This was the first time Lu Zhi Wei was seeing Meng Lang Cheng in the flesh.
Although he was middle-aged, he was still very handsome with an elegant bearing.
His hair was dense and he was still in good shape. He completely wouldn’t lose to a younger man.
Lu Zhi Wei couldn’t help but exclaim in her heart, this whole family is the pride of the looks group……
The secretary left the room.
There were only the two of them left in the big, airy meeting room.
The two people closest to Sang Wan Ci.
Meng Lang Cheng didn’t speak, looking at Lu Zhi Wei with appraising eyes.
Sang Wan Ci was close to this friend.
This friend would cook and make dumplings for Sang Wan Ci, letting her eat proper meals.
And this friend…… played the violin terribly.
Lu Zhi Wei had to admit, sitting in the same room as an industry giant like Meng Lang Cheng was unnerving.
Even if they didn’t speak, people could feel a sort of pressure.
But she had no choice. For Sang Wan Ci, she had to meet Meng Lang Cheng.
Regardless of whether Meng Lang Cheng would listen to what she had to say, she had to say it.
Trying and failing was better than not trying at all.
“Hello, Chairman Meng, I’m Lu Zhi Wei.”
She gathered her courage to introduce herself first, formulating her response to what Meng Lang Cheng would say next.
The busy Chairman Meng should probably say he didn’t know her, then she could say she was this company’s artiste and Sang Wan Ci’s friend.
—— Mm, that’s what she would say.
But Meng Lang Cheng said: “I know of you.”
Lu Zhi Wei: “?”
Meng Lang Cheng: “You’re Sheng Yue’s artiste, and my daughter’s friend.”
Lu Zhi Wei: “???”
WTF, how does he know my lines?
Please turn off the surveillance in my brain immediately!
“Please sit, Miss Lu.”
“Oh, yes…… Please sit, Chairman Meng.”
Lu Zhi Wei sat down in the chair beside her.
Meng Lang Cheng naturally sat in the chair closest to him.
There was a vast expanse between the two.
As Lu Zhi Wei sat, she said in her heart: He doesn’t seem that fierce……
She thought Meng Lang Cheng would make her stand until he was done talking.
After sitting down, Meng Lang Cheng calmly said: “Miss Lu, I’m very grateful that you can let my Wan Ci eat her meals properly and on time.”
“?”
Lu Zhi Wei waved her hands quickly, not anticipating this: “Chairman Meng is too polite, it’s what I should do!”
She was a little surprised.
Meng Lang Cheng didn’t seem like a person who didn’t care for his daughter.
Why was it that he became so stubborn when he was in front of her……
Ah, forget it, as long as he has his daughter in his heart, then it was easier to speak!
Meng Lang Cheng said: “As thanks, I will get the company to arrange for good resources for you.”
Lu Zhi Wei was shocked by this sudden benevolence.
She blinked and immediately said: “Compared to this, I would wish for Chairman Meng to promise me one thing instead, is that okay?”
Meng Lang Cheng’s face didn’t change: “You can let me hear it.”
Lu Zhi Wei held her hands together nervously, encouraging herself as she thought of Sang Wan Ci.
Two seconds later, she looked at Meng Lang Cheng with a determined gaze.
“Chairman Meng, I would like to ask you to cancel the agreement with Wan Ci.”
Meng Lang Cheng’s calm facade finally showed a hint of shock.
He didn’t expect Lu Zhi Wei to know about it.
But thinking about it, it wasn’t odd either.
Since Sang Wan Ci would be willing to return home to ask her father for help because of her, then the two of them would definitely have a very good relationship.
Lu Zhi Wei watched as Meng Lang Cheng changed his position, crossing his leg and interlocking his fingers.
He didn’t have a hint of anger on his face, but his voice had become colder: “Miss Lu, this is a family matter.”
“Chairman Meng, I know this is your family’s matter,” Lu Zhi Wei said. “But as Wan Ci’s friend and as an actress, I can’t just not do anything when she’s agreeing to such unfair terms.”
“Not do anything?”
Meng Lang Cheng’s lips rose in a slight smile, but his voice was still icy.
“Is that so, then what are you going to do?”
Lu Zhi Wei couldn’t speak, nervously swallowing.
Meng Lang Cheng was too scary.
It was as if if she dared to continue speaking, he would make her regret being born on this earth.
Honestly, anybody would want to retreat at this moment.
But she couldn’t. Once she thought of Sang Wan Ci having to force herself to become better, forcing herself to work so hard, she immediately hardened her heart.
—— No, you can’t retreat, Lu Zhi Wei. No matter who retreats, you can’t!!!
“Like this,” Lu Zhi Wei slowly raised her head, ” Sitting here and asking you to cancel the agreement.
“Chairman Meng, I believe you have your daughter in your heart, and you have a heart that hopes your child will become better and better. Or else, you won’t thank me just because I cooked a few meals for her.
“So I hope that you can listen to Wan Ci’s requests, listen to Wan Ci’s choices, ask her what she really wants and stop imposing your own ideas on her.
“She’s your daughter, not your accessory!”
Meng Lang Cheng’s face was sullen: “Lu Zhi Wei, I hope you haven’t forgotten that Sheng Yue is now Xing Yi’s.”
Calling someone by their full name was certainly suitable to use as a threat in every situation.
But even so, Lu Zhi Wei didn’t falter, her gaze burning: “It’s fine even if you call my full name, or if you scold me, or even if you stop me from working. Compared to making Wan Ci suffer, all these don’t matter, I have to say it all today!”
After saying that, it was like she had suddenly tapped into an ocean of courage, no longer afraid of Meng Lang Cheng’s cold expression.
She would say it, no matter what!
Even if he didn’t listen, she would say it!
“Chairman Meng, your career achievements are incredible, all your strategies are unmatched and nobody is your opponent, but that doesn’t mean you’re definitely able to be a good father!
“You love Madam Meng and you want to fulfil her musical dreams, so you forced this dream onto Wan Ci.
“Based on what? Could it be that in your heart, your daughter’s and your wife’s dream holds different levels of importance? Wan Ci’s dream isn’t worth talking about, but Madam Meng’s dream is incomparably noble?”
“Slap!” Please read at jiulian lian . word press . com 人权
Meng Lang Cheng slapped the table and stood up.
He had never thought that, and he would not allow others to slander him!
Lu Zhi Wei stood up agitatedly as well: “Wan Ci is your daughter, she’s the flesh on the back of your hand and a living, breathing person!
“You can’t put someone else’s dream on your child just like that.
“Do you know that because of you, she used to be in agony, and she used to feel inferior because her parents were so excellent!”
Hearing this, Meng Lang Cheng’s expression faltered as doubt flashed in his eyes.
How could that be……
His daughter was the most excellent person in the world, how could she feel inferior……
After calming herself down slightly, Lu Zhi Wei continued: “Chairman Meng, in Wan Ci’s heart, you and Madam Meng are the most excellent people in the world. She feels that you two could do anything.
“And because you kept forcing her to become a pianist, always saying that she didn’t do enough, so she started doubting herself. Even when filming, she was forcing herself to try to get better as quickly as possible at the expense of her own health —— Just so she could get your approval!
“Isn’t that your fault?!”
The more she spoke, the more agitated Lu Zhi Wei got, the fire rising again.
Why did parents have to force their children like this?
If not, they would just ignore their children. What exactly did they take their children for!
Getting more and more angry, she ended up not caring about anything else as she shouted: “Meng Lang Cheng, if you’re so capable, why don’t you go be an internationally renowned pianist yourself, what’s the point of forcing your daughter!!!”
“You ——!”
Meng Lang Cheng was speechless with anger.
The two of them had been so angered by the other that their faces were red.
But Lu Zhi Wei didn’t forget her ending, she bowed deeply to Meng Lang Cheng: “You already know my request clearly, I’ve also said everything I wanted to say. Please consider it, Chairman Meng, I’ll take my leave.”
She turned and left quickly.
Meng Lang Cheng’s secretary watched as she pushed open the door angrily and walked away.
He looked at her back: “……”
Should I remind her that she’s walking with an opposite-to-normal swing……
Forget it, Chairman Meng is more important.
【You’re walking with the same arm and leg.】
Lao Wu reminded her bluntly.
It was only then that Lu Zhi Wei quickly changed it and ducked into the empty stairwell, squatting down and putting her hand over her frantic heart.
Thinking of how Meng Lang Cheng was, she was still frightened.
“Too scary……
“I’m really done for this time……”
Lao Wu couldn’t help but laugh: 【You were scolding him so fiercely just now, I thought you weren’t scared.】
Lu Zhi Wei’s face was pained: “I was scared to death! If this was in ancient times, it would be a death sentence for me and my clan!”
Lao Wu said: 【Then you’re viewing Sang Wan Ci’s dad as a tyrant ruler.】
Hearing that, Lu Zhi Wei’s face calmed down as she sat on the stairs: “Actually…… Maybe.”
She could feel Meng Lang Cheng’s love for Sang Wan Ci as her father.
But she was an outsider and didn’t understand Meng Lang Cheng, she didn’t know if this love was deeper or if his stubbornness to fulfil his wife’s dream was deeper.
“Humans are such complex creatures, you can never understand them……”
Lao Wu agreed with that, sighing: 【You’re right……】
Clearly, there was a story.
Lu Zhi Wei asked: “What is it?”
Lao Wu said: 【I’ll tell you something, don’t get scared.】
Lu Zhi Wei: “…… I’ve prepared myself, say it.”
Lao Wu: 【Do you remember Bai Zhi?】
Lu Zhi Wei: “I remember, your crush, a very formidable person.”
Lao Wu sucked in a few deep breaths and laughed bitterly: 【I’m suspecting the invader is her.】
Lu Zhi Wei: “???”
【I didn’t dare to believe it either, but too many traces are too similar to her old methods……】
Bai Zhi was his best friend inside the system.
He liked her, admired her and understood her, naturally understanding the way she worked as well.
If it was someone else, they probably wouldn’t have guessed it was her even if they had spent a few hundred years.
Lu Zhi Wei: “……”
“Me” killing “me” was bad enough, why was it now someone he liked?
Looks like her male mommy was just as tragic as she was.
“It’s okay,” Lu Zhi Wei consoled him, “look on the bright side, maybe it’s not? Maybe someone’s copying her methods, and trying to confuse you? Right?
“Anyway, before you meet her, don’t jump to conclusions.”
Hearing that, Lao Wu pulled himself together: 【You’re right.】
Seeing that she had comforted him, Lu Zhi Wei patted her clothes as she stood up: “Alright, I should go back and get my things too.”
Lao Wu: 【What are you getting your things for?】
Lu Zhi Wei smiled slightly, as if she was going to her death.
“To wait for his majesty to send me home to be a farmer.”
T/N: Thanks Mochi and EmpathicWan for the Ko-fi donations!!
[1] So we might be more familiar with white moonlight, which is someone you’ve never had and always pined for. A cinnabar mole is someone that you had before but lost and you’re still pining for them. While it’s not 100% accurate because I don’t think Lao Wu and Bai Zhi dated, I guess it’s kinda accurate in the sense that they were friends before he “lost” her when she left.
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