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Chapter 3

The first blind date for Lady Huang was uneventful—there really isn’t much to say about it. At precisely noon, she arrived at the restaurant Chief Hua had chosen, clutching a current issue of a magazine in a rather old-fashioned way. The venue was selected by her date, and to her surprise, it was one of the most renowned high-end business restaurants in Lanling City—a place she had never entered herself. The Water Department truly operated on a different scale.

Seated by the window was a man in his thirties, wearing glasses and a shirt, holding a magazine identical to hers. She walked over and asked, “Hello, I’m Huang Qi. May I ask if you are...?”

He promptly replied, “Yes, I’m Zhang Tao. Nice to meet you.” He stood up to shake her hand, adopting a manner reminiscent of an official meeting.

Zhang Tao was three years her senior, a doctoral graduate from the Civil Engineering Department. Truth be told, he didn’t fit her stereotype of an engineering man; his manner was polished, worldly, with a hint of bureaucratic air, and his appearance seemed older than his actual age. But to have become a department head in his early thirties, such sophistication was inevitable. Huang Qi mused that he was surely suited for a career in officialdom.

After a few exchanges, it was clear their rapport was lacking. Huang Qi thought there would be no follow-up to this blind date—though, to be fair, she hadn’t come with any real intention of matchmaking. Yet her counterpart seemed genuinely earnest about finding a partner, which made her feel a little guilty for wasting his time. She decided she would try to pay for the meal, treating it as a gesture of respect to her senior alumnus.

Fortunately, being from the same university, they easily found topics to discuss: the best canteens, the parts of campus being torn down and rebuilt, and so on. The meal passed harmoniously and pleasantly.

When her senior brother called for the bill, she put down her chopsticks with relief, thinking the ordeal was safely behind her. She hadn’t accidentally bumped into any acquaintances, thus sparing herself embarrassment, and most importantly, hadn’t run into Xiao Ying—well, perhaps she was overthinking things...

Before she could finish her thought, she looked up and saw, descending the staircase from the second floor, the least likely person she could have imagined. Their eyes met directly.

Huang Qi thought she was hallucinating from overanalyzing, and rubbed her eyes in disbelief, but the figure remained. Not only was he real, but he seemed to have noticed her, his gaze fixed and unwavering.

It was truly Xiao Ying—in the flesh, not a figment of her imagination, and his appearance was unfamiliar, certainly not the product of her mind. Today he wore a suit, impeccably tailored, making him appear tall and elegant; his hairstyle was much as before, neither too short nor too long, effortlessly tidy; his glasses had been replaced by frameless ones, accentuating his fair and refined features.

—Good heavens, after all these years, how had he become so handsome, projecting the aura of a promising young man? Was this the ugly duckling transforming into a swan, ready to soar? Where was the honest, plainspoken foreman she remembered?

He was accompanied downstairs by four or five others, all businesslike and slightly older. One middle-aged man recognized Zhang Tao, greeting him as he approached, “Director Zhang, what a coincidence to see you here for lunch!”

Zhang Tao was equally cordial, shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries. From their conversation, it was clear these were real estate and construction company representatives, regular contacts with the Land Resources Bureau; even Sha Zhouyin seemed to know Zhang Tao.

Without waiting for others to ask, Zhang Tao introduced Huang Qi, saying, “This is Engineer Huang from the Environmental Protection Bureau, my junior from the same university, also a native of Lanling, newly assigned here after earning her doctorate. Please take care of her in the future.”

“Environmental Protection Bureau? Then it’s Engineer Huang who should be looking after us. All you top graduates returning to serve your hometown—it’s Lanling’s pride!” The middle-aged acquaintance raised his eyebrows, his expression suggestive. “Director Zhang, I didn’t expect your university to have such a beautiful lady doctor; you must look after her well!”

Huang Qi was rarely complimented on her looks, let alone as “so beautiful,” but somehow the remark didn’t sound like praise—was it because T University’s female doctorates were expected to look plain and unremarkable, to fit the public’s stereotype?

She discreetly glanced at Xiao Ying, who, after exchanging words with Zhang Tao, kept watching her, his gaze behind the lenses somewhat complicated... She recalled that she was at a blind date, caught in the act, and instantly felt inferior before him, lowering her head, too embarrassed to meet his eyes.

Lady Huang was both nervous and excited, her composure in disarray, so much so that when the waiter brought the bill, she forgot to fight for it, ending up with a free meal courtesy of her senior.

After some polite conversation, they stepped outside and discovered a heavy afternoon thunderstorm had begun. The business people had brought their cars and hurried to the underground parking lot. Huang Qi had arrived by bus and wasn’t in the habit of carrying an umbrella, so she waited at the entrance, hoping the rain would stop soon.

Zhang Tao asked, “How will you get home?”

“I’ll call a cab, or wait until the rain lets up and take the bus. What about you?”

Zhang Tao replied, “My home’s nearby, about a ten-minute walk. I came on foot, and didn’t bring an umbrella. I’ll wait with you.”

Huang Qi noticed Sha Zhouyin hadn’t left with the others, but was standing a few meters away under the restaurant’s eaves, apparently waiting for something. Distracted, she replied, “If I get a cab, I’ll give you a ride.”

Next to the restaurant was the city’s commercial district, and every taxi was intercepted by shoppers; several had already been taken. After waiting a while, Huang Qi glimpsed Xiao Ying approaching them, and immediately straightened herself, focusing her gaze.

Sha Zhouyin addressed Zhang Tao, not looking at Huang Qi, “Director Zhang, you didn’t drive?”

Zhang Tao replied, “No, my place is close. I walked. Didn’t expect the rain.”

“Looks like this rain won’t stop soon. I have a car; let me give you both a lift.”

Zhang Tao smiled, “Then I’ll take you up on it. What about Engineer Huang? Where are you headed?”

“Uh—me?” Huang Qi stammered, “My home is a bit far, in the...”

“No problem,” Sha Zhouyin said. “I happen to be going south as well. It’s on my way. I’ll fetch the car from the garage; wait here for me.”

He turned and headed underground, leaving Huang Qi staring blankly at his departing figure. Her family had only moved to their new home last year; she hadn’t mentioned it was in the south...

Zhang Tao, noticing her gaze follow Sha Zhouyin, joked, probing, “Sha is the youngest real estate developer I’ve worked with—talented and good-looking, wouldn’t you say?”

Huang Qi turned back and saw the inquisitive, scrutinizing look in his eyes. She understood: he probably thought she was the type to judge by appearances, smitten with a young, wealthy man, and felt offended, given this was their blind date.

She replied vaguely, “He’s alright...”

“The son-in-law of Jingxiu Group, Jin Biao’s right-hand man, an exemplary match—certainly outstanding,” Zhang Tao gestured toward Sha Zhouyin’s direction, his tone ambiguous, perhaps faintly dismissive, maybe even cautionary. “Not someone in our circle.”

Son-in-law!

Exemplary match!

Those seven words stunned Huang Qi, and she hardly cared about Zhang Tao’s tone; her mind was abuzz with just those words, flashing like golden stars.

Xiao Ying—had Xiao Ying really fallen for someone else? Was he no longer waiting for her?

Across the rain, atop the building opposite hung an advertisement for Jingxiu Group’s new apartment launch, rumored to have again broken Lanling’s real estate price record. Jin Biao’s name was widely known; during the New Year, she’d seen “Jingxiu Group Chairman Jin Biao and all staff send holiday greetings to the city” on local TV. On the screen, Jin Biao appeared as a prosperous middle-aged man, far removed from the foreman who once burst into the vocational school administrative office.

Ten years had passed; Jin Biao had transformed from a construction foreman into a billionaire developer. His daughter, Jin Jing, must have grown into a graceful young woman by now.

Thinking of Jin Jing, Huang Qi could only recall her at age nine, stubbornly throwing tantrums for her mother—how comical. She never imagined that little girl would one day take Xiao Ying from her.

Was it because she delayed three years, and with younger, better-qualified women appearing, Xiao Ying had grown impatient and turned to someone else?

No, she couldn’t believe Xiao Ying would change so easily. Besides, if Xiao Ying had truly married the daughter of a tycoon, the whole town would be gossiping; it couldn’t have gone unnoticed.

Perhaps it was just a misunderstanding, just as people had mistakenly assumed she and Zhang Tao were a couple today. Unless she heard it from Xiao Ying himself, she wouldn’t believe it.

A dark red four-door sports car glided out of the underground garage. Zhang Tao remarked, seemingly intentionally, “Good thing I didn’t drive today. He drives a Porsche; I drive a Volkswagen. The contrast would be glaring.”

Huang Qi knew little about car prices, but from the brand and appearance, it was clear it was far beyond her means. The topic made her uncomfortable, so she stood in silence.

The sports car stopped before them. Zhang Tao said, “Ladies in the back seat,” and took the passenger seat.

Huang Qi quietly slipped into the back, from which she could only see Xiao Ying’s right shoulder and the back of his head.

As Zhang Tao fastened his seatbelt, he glanced around, “Panamera 4—this model was just released last year, right? I heard it takes half a year after ordering to get one. Sha is always ahead of the trends. There aren’t many of these in Lanling; it certainly turns heads.”

Sha Zhouyin replied coolly, “It’s Uncle Biao’s car. He doesn’t drive himself; I only drive it for him.”

Zhang Tao said, “Uncle Biao’s not young—why would he like a car like this? Surely he bought it for his daughter and son-in-law.”

Lady Huang choked, and thought she saw Sha Zhouyin glance at her in the rearview mirror. She stared back, but he had already refocused on the road.

Zhang Tao continued chatting about cars, self-deprecatingly, “I’m a country bumpkin, never seen such luxury cars—hope Sha doesn’t mind my chatter.”

Sha Zhouyin’s tone remained calm, “Director Zhang, at the Land Resources Bureau, if you wanted, you could get any car. But you have lofty ambitions and clean conduct, uninterested in such worldly things.”

Zhang Tao laughed, “True, our department deals with too many interests—one must stay upright and guard against shadows. Our bureau chief’s private car is just a Passat; I’m a notch below, so a beat-up Volkswagen suits me fine.”

Huang Qi listened from the back, unable to interject, thinking these officials and entrepreneurs sure speak in circles. How was she supposed to strike up a conversation with Xiao Ying?

Author’s Note: The stockpile is finished, today’s update is later... But at last, Lady and her beloved are reunited!