Huayu 2021: Isn’t he in the technology field?

Chapter 288 The United Front: An Indispensable Bond

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, a faint, grayish-blue light barely pierced through the gaps in the heavy blackout curtains, casting a hazy glow.

The air still carried the lingering scent of last night's intimacy. Scattered on the ground were a wrinkled long skirt, a rumpled lingerie, and shorts with faint water stains...

Meng Ziyi was the first to struggle out of her deep sleep, her consciousness as if viewed through frosted glass, blurry and indistinct.

She blinked her dry eyes, her gaze gradually focusing, and the first thing she saw was Jiang Qing's face, which was very close to hers.

He lay on his side, breathing evenly and deeply. A few strands of hair fell across his forehead, partially obscuring his handsome brow bone. His usually gentle and composed face appeared exceptionally relaxed and harmless at this moment.

But this sense of harmlessness lasted only a moment.

The next second, Meng Ziyi was horrified to discover that one of her legs was casually pressing down on his waist!

Even more terrifying, her back was pressed tightly against a soft, warm body—it was Li Yitong!
She could even feel the subtle airflow of Tongtong's even breathing brushing against the back of her neck, and hear her soft smacking of her lips!

The chaotic, insane, and utterly shameful scenes from last night, like a surging tide, unexpectedly breached the dam of consciousness she had just built.

The heat of their skin touching, the suppressed breaths, the uncontrollable entanglement... every detail was so clear that it sent chills down her spine!
With a "boom," Meng Ziyi's cheeks instantly burned hot, and even the tips of her ears turned bright red.

The overwhelming shame made her wish she could disappear on the spot!
This is utterly absurd!
She held her breath, like a frightened little animal, and very slowly moved her troublesome leg off Jiang Qing's waist.

With every centimeter I moved, my heart pounded as if it would burst out of my chest.

As she moved, she nervously observed the movements of the two people beside her, afraid of waking them.

After finally managing to move her legs, she began to try to gradually detach herself from Li Yitong's soft embrace.

This is more difficult than moving your leg, requiring extremely precise control of force.

She used almost all her life's focus, her body stiff as a piece of wood, as she shuffled backward little by little.

Just as she was about to successfully escape, with half her body dangling over the edge of the bed, preparing to slip off in one go—

A warm, large hand suddenly and precisely covered her bare thigh, and a lazy, hoarse voice, as if just waking up, sounded above her head.

"Mengmeng...where are you going so early in the morning?"

"what!"

Meng Ziyi was so frightened that she let out a short scream and her body jerked so hard that she almost rolled off the bed.

She frantically grabbed the blanket, still shaken, and looked toward the source of the sound.

Jiang Qing had woken up at some point and was lying on her side, propping her head up with one hand, watching her with a leisurely air.

There was no trace of sleepiness in those deep eyes; instead, there was a playful smile and a knowing understanding of all her little thoughts.

"me……"

When Meng Ziyi met his teasing gaze, the memory of being forcefully pulled in and pinned down by him last night instantly flooded back. She was filled with shame and indignation, her tongue seemed to be tied in knots, and her face turned so red it looked like it was about to bleed.

"I...I need to go to the restroom! No, that won't do!"

She growled angrily, her voice trembling, and slapped away the hand that was still on her lap.

"Get your paws off me! Don't touch me!"

Her shout, combined with the commotion earlier, finally woke up Li Yitong on the other side as well.

"Ugh... What's all the noise... I'm so sleepy..."

Li Yitong grumbled in dissatisfaction, frowned as she opened her eyes, her temper flaring.

The crescent-shaped eyes blinked in confusion for a moment, then took in the situation before them.

Jiang Qing lay on his side, propping his head up with his hand, looking at Meng Ziyi, who was filled with shame and indignation, with a mischievous grin. Meng Ziyi was half-hanging off the bed, wrapped in a blanket, her face as red as a boiled shrimp.

Li Yitong's memories returned instantly. The audacity of that bastard last night and the pitiful look of Mengmeng being forcibly abducted were still vivid in her mind.

Looking at Jiang Qing's current smug and irritating appearance, still flirting with innocent girls after eating and drinking his fill, a nameless rage suddenly surged up!
"Jiang Qing!"

Li Yitong's voice suddenly rose, filled with rage as she sat up abruptly, grabbed a fluffy pillow from beside her, and hurled it hard at Jiang Qing.

"Shut up! You're bullying Mengmeng first thing in the morning! Get out!"

The pillow landed squarely on Jiang Qing's face.

Seeing that Li Yitong had also woken up and was standing on her side, Meng Ziyi immediately felt confident and forgot her earlier embarrassment, and followed suit, waving her flag and shouting.

"Yes! Get out! You scoundrel! You pervert! You lecher!"

She grabbed her own pillow and threw it forcefully at Jiang Qing.

Jiang Qing was hit by two pillows in succession, but she smiled and raised her hand to block them, not annoyed at all.

He slowly sat up, his strong and smooth back outline clearly visible in the dim morning light.

"Okay, okay, I'll get out, I'll get out."

He replied with a smile, his tone relaxed, clearly in a very good mood.

She threw off the covers and got out of bed with remarkable agility.

Just as he stepped barefoot onto the carpet, preparing to walk around the foot of the bed toward the door, he passed by Li Yitong, who was still sulking and wrapped in the blanket. Suddenly, he bent down with a mischievous smile and lightly patted her pert, round buttocks!
"Ah! Asshole!"

Li Yitong exclaimed in surprise, feeling both ashamed and angry, and grabbed another pillow to throw at him.

Jiang Qing nimbly dodged a step and walked to Meng Ziyi's side by the bed.

Meng Ziyi stared at him warily with wide eyes. When she saw him coming over, she instinctively tried to shrink back into the blanket.

But Jiang Qing was faster, raising his hand to pat her round buttocks as well!
"Jiang Qing! You bastard!"

Meng Ziyi immediately screamed, her face turning bright red, and grabbed the clothes she could reach and threw them at him.

Jiang Qing laughed and easily dodged away. Amidst the two women's embarrassed and angry scolding, he opened the bedroom door and walked out in a cheerful mood, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.

The slamming of the door shut out the commotion inside the bedroom, but the faint sounds of two girls' angry and embarrassed complaints could still be heard.

Jiang Qing smiled and walked straight to the spacious and bright guest bathroom. The cool marble countertop made him completely sober.

He quickly washed up, the cold water splashing on his face, taking away the last trace of laziness.

The person in the mirror looked refreshed, with a clear and satisfied look in their eyes.

After washing up, he changed into comfortable sportswear and running shoes, and left the room quietly without disturbing the two people in the master bedroom.

Before six o'clock in the morning, the temperature in Luyang was very low, and the breath you exhaled instantly condensed into white mist.

A thin layer of ice had formed on the surface of the artificial lake, and the surroundings were quiet and deserted.

Jiang Qing started his morning run along the lakeside trail. His steps were steady and powerful, and the rhythmic sound of his footsteps and the crisp air made his mind even clearer.

Last night's enchanting madness felt like a vividly colored dream, and now the rhythm of his body gave him a sense of solid control.

They all fascinated him.

About forty minutes later, he returned home, slightly sweaty and warm.

The living room remained quiet, and the master bedroom door was tightly closed.

He went straight to the open kitchen.

With plenty of food in the refrigerator, Jiang Qing began to work skillfully.

The eggs sizzled enticingly in the frying pan, and a golden-brown, crispy slice of bread popped out of the toaster with a "ding."

He cut up some fresh fruit, poured in some milk, and brewed three cups of hot coffee.

Soon, three beautifully presented and nutritionally balanced breakfasts were placed on the spacious island counter.

Golden fried eggs, vibrant green broccoli, tempting bacon, crispy bread, colorful fruit salad, warm milk, and fragrant coffee.

He quickly finished his portion, then cleaned up the dishes. It was just past 6:30.

When I reached the master bedroom door, it was still quiet inside.

He knocked softly on the door, lowering his voice.

"I've made breakfast and put it on the island counter. If you're hungry, just get up and eat. You can heat it up in the microwave. I'm going to the film set now."

Immediately, Li Yitong's dissatisfied voice came from inside.

"Okay! Let's go! You're so annoying!"

Immediately following was Meng Ziyi's soft, sweet voice, but equally irritated.

"You big bad guy! Get out of here! I hate seeing you!"

Jiang Qing chuckled softly, able to imagine the two people inside, wrapped in blankets, looking sleepy and sulky, even through the door.

He didn't linger any longer, and in a good mood, he picked up his coat and went out to head to the set of "Lighter".

The door lock clicked softly, and the entire room fell completely silent.

Inside the master bedroom, heavy curtains blocked out most of the natural light, leaving it still dim.

After being woken up by Jiang Qing and then chased away, drowsiness swept over the two exhausted people again.

Li Yitong turned over and buried her face in the pillow that still carried Jiang Qing's scent, and soon fell into a deep sleep again.

Meng Ziyi also huddled into the warm quilt, her earlier shame and indignation replaced by a deep weariness, and her eyelids closed heavily.

Time flows quietly in the stillness.

Around 10 a.m., the warm winter sun finally peeked through the gaps in the curtains, casting bright spots of light on the dark wooden floor.

Li Yitong woke up again, this time naturally.

She stretched comfortably, the soreness in her body a reminder of the madness of the previous night.

She subconsciously turned her head to look at her side, and met Meng Ziyi's eyes, which had just opened and were filled with the confusion of someone just waking up.

Eyes facing each other.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Last night's chaotic and intertwined images flooded back into my mind uncontrollably: the heat of our skin touching, the sound of our panting breaths, and the absurd scene of the three of us rolling around in a heap at the end... as clear as if it had just happened.

A sense of embarrassment welled up in both of their hearts at the same time, and an indescribable shyness quickly spread between them.

Li Yitong blinked her crescent-shaped eyes, looked away first, cleared her throat, and sat up, pretending to be calm.

"Uh, what time is it? I think I overslept."

She threw back the covers and got out of bed, her bare feet stepping onto the soft carpet. With her back to Meng Ziyi, she walked towards the wardrobe. A blush crept onto Meng Ziyi's cheeks; she quickly lowered her head and responded softly.

"Hmm...it is quite late."

She also got up, her eyes darting around, not daring to look at Li Yitong anymore, and hurriedly began to look for her clothes scattered everywhere.

The two of them silently washed up and changed their clothes, their movements carrying a deliberate avoidance and a subtle sense of distance. Only the sound of running water and the rustling of clothes could be heard in the room, and the atmosphere was somewhat stagnant.

After they had both finished getting ready, they walked out of the bedroom one after the other and came to the living room.

Bright light streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the living room.

Then, they both noticed the two neatly arranged breakfasts on the island in the open kitchen. Although they had long since cooled down, the care put into them was still evident.

The fried eggs and bacon lay quietly on the white bone china plate, the toasted bread slices were still golden brown, the fruit salad was brightly colored, and there was a cup of warm milk and two cups of cold coffee next to it.

Li Yitong stopped in her tracks, looking at the breakfast that was meant for her.

Meng Ziyi stopped beside her, her eyes fixed on the food on the table.

A strange warmth welled up in my heart silently, instantly dispelling the lingering awkwardness.

That bastard... after messing with people, he even got up early this morning to do all this.

Li Yitong was the first to walk over and pick up the plate.

"I'm starving, let's heat it up and eat it."

Her voice regained its usual crispness, only her tone was much gentler.

Meng Ziyi nodded quickly.

"Mmm, I'm so hungry too!"

She also picked up her plate and followed Li Yitong to the microwave.

The two breakfasts hummed softly in the microwave, and the aroma of the food gradually filled the air again.

The two sat on high stools next to the island counter, the aroma of the heated breakfast wafting through the air across the counter.

After eating in silence for a while, Li Yitong picked up the warm milk and took a sip. She then looked up at Meng Ziyi across from her, who was taking small bites of bread and seemed a little reserved.

She put down her cup, her crescent-shaped eyes curving into crescents, and took the initiative to break the silence.

"Hey, Mengmeng."

"Ok?"

Meng Ziyi raised her head, still with bread in her mouth, her big eyes looking at her.

"last night……"

Li Yitong paused, looked at Meng Ziyi's tense expression, and smiled.

"Forget about the bastard's bastard deeds, I just want to ask you something."

Her gaze became serious and direct.

Do you...regret it now? Or do you feel particularly...awful?

Meng Ziyi was taken aback by Li Yitong's blunt question, and then blushed.

She put down the bread in her hand, her fingers unconsciously twisting together, her long eyelashes drooping, as if she were thinking seriously.

Several seconds later, she raised her head. Although her eyes were still somewhat darting, her tone was honest, with her unique naive charm.

"It feels a little awkward... after all... it's just too... too much."

Her voice grew softer and softer, but she still tried her best to express herself.

"But I don't really regret it, Tongtong. Don't you think he's a really jerk?"

She suddenly threw the question back at her, with a hint of seeking validation.

"Scum?"

Li Yitong raised an eyebrow, chuckled, and picked up her fork to poke at the fried egg on her plate.

"He's definitely a scumbag! Utterly scumbag! He's always wanting more than he has, a snake trying to swallow an elephant! He should have been kicked out of bed last night!"

Her tone was laced with gritted teeth, but there was no real anger in her eyes; instead, there was a kind of helpless indulgence.

She changed the subject and looked at Meng Ziyi.

"But Mengmeng, put your hand on your heart and tell me, apart from being greedy, how has this bastard treated us...?"

Upon hearing this, Meng Ziyi nodded almost without hesitation.

"He...is very good to me."

Her big eyes shone with genuine warmth as she recalled many scenes.

She paused, then lowered her voice, which carried a hint of sweetness.

"It's...it's about those two top celebrities a few days ago, he just..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but Li Yitong completely understood what she was referring to.

Many people in the industry thought that it was those two top celebrities who had angered Jiang Qing by indulging their fans, but she had already guessed that the two people had just happened to attract Jiang Qing's attention, so they were used to vent her anger on the girl in front of her.

Otherwise, Jiang Qing wouldn't be able to see them.

That feeling of being cherished and protected is something no woman can resist.

Li Yitong nodded, and also thought of her own affairs.

"Yeah, I told him before that I liked the macarons at that restaurant in the China World Trade Center, and guess what happened?"

The smile in her crescent-shaped eyes was tinged with emotion.

"He quietly bought the shop and gave it to me; I was completely stunned..."

She took a sip of milk, her tone complicated.

"You might call him a jerk, but every single thing he did showed that he genuinely cared about you. He remembered your preferences, protected you from being wronged, and even helped you fulfill your wishes... This kindness wasn't faked."

They both fell silent, eating their breakfasts, but their hearts were filled with similar feelings.

Jiang Qing has many dazzling accolades, such as being an AI genius and the founder of Wuwen Technology. While these are certainly attractive, what truly makes them reluctant to part with him is the warmth and sense of security they feel from the thoughtful care they receive in their daily lives.

He remembers the things they say unintentionally, pays attention to their little emotions, and always provides strong and reliable support when they need it.

"That kind of people……"

Li Yitong sighed softly, as if helpless or resigned, and looked at the bright sunshine outside the window.

"Even though I know he's greedy, and I know there might be more people around him than just us... how can I leave behind his kindness, this feeling of him caring about me?"

Meng Ziyi nodded vigorously, her eyes welling up with tears, a hint of aggrieved agreement in her voice.

"Yeah... we can't get rid of them no matter what... so annoying!"

She said she was annoyed, but her tone was soft and full of dependence.

The two looked at each other and saw the same helplessness, sweetness, and unspoken bond in each other's eyes.

The atmosphere completely relaxed, and the previous awkwardness disappeared without a trace, replaced by a sense of closeness from sharing the same "secret".

They naturally started chatting about other topics, complaining about some of Jiang Qing's little habits and sharing their recent interesting work experiences.

The sunlight shone warmly on the central island platform, illuminating them.

Time slipped by quietly in this peaceful yet complex and sweet daily routine.

In the blink of an eye, it was May 25th.

The internet was in an uproar early in the morning.

Countless topics with the hashtags "beginning and ending" sprang up like mushrooms after rain, quickly occupying the top spots on the trending search list.

"The beginning will be followed by the finale tonight" - a bombshell!
"The cycle is about to end" explodes
"Reluctant to part with Xiao Heyun and Li Shiqing"
"Who was the murderer at the beginning?"
"Live Stream of the Opening Celebration Banquet"
Fans of the show were both excited and deeply reluctant to part with it.

Posts speculating about the final culprit, analyzing foreshadowing, and reviewing classic plot points flooded the internet.

The number of people who have made reservations to watch on Tencent Video has already exceeded a terrifying number, and everyone is holding their breath waiting for the final verdict at 8 p.m.

Meanwhile, on the set of "Lighter".

Jiang Qing had just finished an important scene with her co-star and returned to the dressing room.

He took off his jacket from the play, revealing that he was only wearing a simple black T-shirt underneath.

He picked up his phone and casually scrolled through it. The screen full of "beginnings" made his eyes flicker slightly.

"Mr. Jiang."

Chen Duo pushed the door open and came in.

"Our flight to Shenzhen is at 11:30 a.m., and the celebration banquet starts at 7 p.m. Zhou has already parked the car on the side of the road, so we can get ready to head to the airport."

"Oh, I see."

Jiang Qing nodded and put down her phone.

He walked to the window and looked at the slightly bleak winter scenery outside the film set. The warm and humid sea breeze of Shenzhen seemed to be blowing in his face.

Thinking of the celebration banquet, the image of a girl with a clean smile and a touch of stubbornness naturally comes to mind.

The scene of her looking up at herself under the moonlight on the day filming wrapped, her eyes sparkling, saying to herself, "Not fifteen, not sixteen... I am nineteen-year-old Zhao Jinmai," is as clear as if it were yesterday.

That simple sentence contained the girl's secret thoughts and declared her determination to grow up.

It's been a few months since I last saw her. I wonder what Li Shiqing, who delivered a stunning performance in "The Beginning" and was loved by countless viewers, looks like now?

Jiang Qing felt a surge of vibrant anticipation for the celebration banquet, which was filled with many familiar faces, and for the moment when she would see that lively young girl later.

He turned around and picked up his coat, which was draped over the back of the chair.

"Let's go to the airport."

His voice was steady, but his steps carried an almost imperceptible lightness.

See you later, MaiMai.

(End of this chapter)