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

Chapter 294 Mai Mai's Desperate Gamble
At 11 p.m., the hustle and bustle of the day faded away in Shenzhen, but the air was still filled with the warm and humid air characteristic of the South.

In a back alley far from the city center, a barbecue stall called "Old Place" is doing brisk business.

Plastic tables and chairs were placed in the aisle, and the domineering aroma of cumin and chili powder mixed with oil and charcoal grilling filled the air, mixed with the crisp sound of beer bottles clinking and the laughter of diners.

In the corner, Jiang Qing, Zhao Jinmai, and Yang Wei sat around a small folding table.

The table was piled with freshly grilled lamb skewers, chicken wings, chives, eggplant, and several cans of chilled cola.

At another small table not far away, Chen Duo, Zhou Zhengkai, and Jingjing were sitting together. Chen Duo was talking to Jingjing with great enthusiasm, making the little girl cover her mouth and laugh non-stop, her shoulders swaying.

Zhou Zhengkai, like a silent guardian, quietly ate the roasted potato slices on his plate, his sharp eyes occasionally sweeping around.

Zhao Jinmai had already changed out of the gorgeous dress she wore at the celebration banquet and was now wearing a simple white, lightweight tracksuit. Her long hair was tied into a neat ponytail at the back of her head, revealing the beautiful lines of her neck.

With her makeup removed, under the dim light of the barbecue stall's bulbs, her skin shone with a youthful, delicate glow, like a high school student who had just finished evening self-study.

After a tense night, her nerves finally relaxed, and she didn't need to put on much pretense or disguise in front of Jiang Qing.

Anyway, during the time we were filming together, we saw each other in all sorts of disheveled states.

"Oh my god! Lao Jiang, Mai Mai, you didn't see that!"

Yang Wei took a big bite of a lamb skewer, not bothering to wipe the grease from the corners of his mouth, and gestured wildly with his hands.

"Ten out of the top twenty trending topics on Weibo exploded! The server crashed three times! The top comments say that the Weibo programmers' group is in despair, and even overtime pay can't soothe their wounded hearts! And Zhihu, Bilibili, Hupu... they're all in an uproar! Everyone's discussing your... information singularity coupling theory! Lao Jiang, your crossover is earth-shattering!"

He took a big gulp of iced cola, burped contentedly, and glanced ambiguously between Jiang Qing and Zhao Jinmai. He lowered his voice, which carried a hint of self-satisfaction.

"At the celebration party today, several people from the platform came up to me and asked if it was possible to organize another event for you and MaiMai to team up again! They said that with this level of popularity and chemistry, it would be a waste not to continue! The script would be tailor-made for you, definitely an S+ blockbuster!"

He mimicked the earnest tone, then chuckled and looked at Jiang Qing.

"So, Lao Jiang? Tempted?"

Jiang Qing was slowly peeling garlic off the roasted eggplant, and didn't even lift her eyelids when she heard this.

"Copy successful? Trying to find a way to replicate something from a past life?"

He placed a piece of roasted eggplant, tender and flavorful, onto the plate in front of Zhao Jinmai with a natural and fluid motion.

"The Beginning was a perfect storm of favorable timing, location, and people, plus the script itself was strong enough. A second collaboration? If it's a second collaboration for the sake of a second collaboration, and the script is rushed out, the result will most likely be a poor sequel. Audiences aren't stupid."

He picked up the Coke can and gently touched the one next to Zhao Jinmai's hand.

"Try this, the eggplant is grilled quite well."

Zhao Jinmai listened quietly, taking small bites of the eggplant Jiang Qing handed her, her heart also stirred by Yang Wei's words.

The opportunity to work with Jiang Qing again, whether as an actress or in any other way, is something she is very excited about.

But when he heard Jiang Qing refuse without hesitation, with clear and rational reasons, his initial interest was instantly suppressed.

She looked up and met Jiang Qing's gaze. His eyes held the usual gentleness, as if he saw through her little thoughts, but he didn't express anything, only a calm and reassuring presence.

She smiled, picked up her Coke can and tapped it against his, making a crisp "ding" sound.

"Yes, our teacher Jiang is right, a good script is the most important thing."

Her tone was as obedient and compliant as ever.

Yang Wei glanced at Jiang Qing, then at Zhao Jinmai, smacked his lips, and wisely stopped talking about the topic.

He knew Jiang Qing too well; once she made up her mind, nothing could sway her.

His eyes darted around, and the topic immediately took a turn.

"Alright, you're all sober people, so let's get down to business. It's almost Chinese New Year! Any plans? I'm a local from Shenzhen, and I'm planning to take my whole family to Bali to soak up the sun this year! What about you, MaiMai? I heard you got an invitation to the Spring Festival Gala?"

Zhao Jinmai nodded, a hint of excitement on her face.

"Yes, I received the invitation and am preparing for the performance. We'll be starting intensive rehearsals soon."

"Wow, that's amazing! The whole country is watching!"

Yang Wei gave a thumbs up and then turned to Jiang Qing.

"Old Jiang, what about you? Any plans for the New Year?"

Jiang Qing picked up a skewer of grilled chicken wings, took a bite, and savored the smoky, slightly spicy flavor spreading across her tongue, her tone relaxed and casual.

"The lighter is almost finished. It should wrap up in another two or three days. I have to go back for the company's annual party, show my face, hand out some red envelopes, and then..."

He paused, his gaze seemingly drifting into the distance for a moment.

"Going back to my hometown to spend time with my parents, sleeping in for a few days, and completely relaxing—this year has been quite eventful."

"It's time to take a break!"

Yang Wei expressed his strong agreement.

"You've really crossed over into a new field, shaking the livelihoods of so many people to their core! I think you're the undisputed Person of the Year in both the tech and entertainment industries this year!"

"I think so too."

Zhao Jinmai smiled and agreed.

Jiang Qing shook her head and smiled, without saying anything more.

Actually, he had something very important to do during the Lunar New Year period, but it involved the thirteenth day of the lunar calendar, so he couldn't tell anyone.

The three chatted casually about some interesting anecdotes in the industry, and time slipped away unnoticed in the relaxed atmosphere.

The skewers were all gone, and the Coke can was empty too.

As the night deepened, the customers at the barbecue stalls changed, and the smell of cooking oil in the air seemed to be diluted by the cool night air.

At this moment, Chen Duo, who was sitting at the next table, glanced at Jiang Qing, then quickly glanced at Zhao Jinmai, and then gave Yang Wei a very obvious wink and mouthed "retreat".

The meaning couldn't be clearer: Mr. Yang, we should leave now and give them some private space!

Yang Wei was a quick-witted person, so he immediately stood up and stretched in an exaggerated manner.

"Oh dear, I can't take it anymore, this midnight snack is too much! It's on me tonight!"

He deftly pulled out his phone to scan the QR code, his voice loud and clear.

"Boss, check out!"

After paying the bill, Yang Wei patted Jiang Qing on the shoulder and winked at Zhao Jinmai.

"Old Jiang, MaiMai, I'm heading out first! You guys... take your time strolling around, the night view of Shenzhen is still pretty good!"

Without waiting for a response, he hummed a little tune and swayed to the car parked by the roadside, started the engine, and drove away.

Chen Duo and the others immediately stood up as well.

Chen Duo looked at Zhao Jinmai with a grin.

"Teacher Mai Mai, Jingjing and I are riding in Brother Zhou's car. We'll wait for you at the intersection ahead."

Jingjing smiled, her eyes full of knowing mischief.

Zhao Jinmai's cheeks flushed slightly under the streetlights, but she didn't hesitate. She simply nodded and gave a soft "hmm."

Jiang Qing stood up and waved to Chen Duo.

"Okay, you guys go ahead."

The three of them left quickly, got into the car driven by Zhou Zhengkai, and slowly drove to a stop on the roadside not far ahead.

The noise completely faded away, leaving only the occasional sound of passing cars.

Jiang Qing and Zhao Jinmai walked side by side along the sidewalk, slowly moving towards the direction where Chen Duo and the others had parked.

The road was somewhat remote, and the streetlights were not very dense, casting intermittent light on the two of them.

At first, no one spoke; only the sound of footsteps was particularly clear in the quiet night.

Zhao Jinmai lowered her head slightly, looking at the toes of her white sneakers, and stepped onto the cement bricks one step at a time.

My heart was beating a little fast, like I was carrying a restless little rabbit.

She had a lot to say, but didn't know where to begin.

A cool evening breeze swept by, ruffling a few stray strands of hair that fell across her forehead.

She subconsciously raised her hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, but her fingertips trembled slightly.

Finally, she broke the unsettling yet sweet silence.

Her voice was soft, carrying a hint of barely perceptible nervousness, yet it reached Jiang Qing's ears clearly in the quiet night.

"Jiang Qing..."

She stopped and looked up at him. The light from the streetlamp fell into her clear eyes, reflecting a stubborn glint.

"When we wrapped up filming in Xiamen last time... at the beach, what you said... still stands?"

Jiang Qing also stopped and turned around to face her.

His shadow was elongated by the streetlights, casting a shadow on the ground that almost enveloped her.

He gazed at the girl in front of him, his eyes deep, as if he could see through the night to the deepest part of her heart.

Jiang Qing certainly remembered.

On that noisy sea night, the girl stubbornly looked up and told him, "I'm nineteen," told him, "This isn't a play," and told him about those subtle yet incredibly real feelings of excitement that he had deliberately ignored.

He told her to wait, to wait until the show finished airing, and to wait until the audience forgot about Li Shiqing and Xiao Heyun.

"remember."

Jiang Qing's voice was steady, revealing little emotion.

"I said, after the show finishes airing, if you can look me in the eyes and still say what you said that night..."

"I can!"

Zhao Jinmai interrupted him hastily, taking a small step forward, instantly shortening the distance between them.

She tilted her head back, her eyes filled with an unprecedented firmness and seriousness, as if she wanted to use all her strength to prove it.

“Jiang Qing, for the past few months, I’ve wanted to tell you every single day that I can! Not only have I not forgotten how I felt that night, but…”

She took a deep breath, her cheeks flushed even more, but her eyes did not waver in the slightest.

"On the contrary, I'm becoming more and more certain! I can tell the difference: in the play, Li Shiqing likes Xiao Heyun, but in real life, Zhao Jinmai likes Jiang Qing! I love watching your focused profile when you're coding, I love how serious you are when you're explaining the script to me, I love how you take care of me quietly on set, and I love... I love how you look standing in front of me right now."

She finished speaking in one breath, her chest rising and falling slightly, her bright eyes fixed on Jiang Qing, waiting for his response.

With a desperate, all-or-nothing courage.

Jiang Qing looked at her silently. The pure and ardent emotion in the girl's eyes burned like a flame, almost scalding him.

Having witnessed too much worldly wisdom and shrewdness, he felt a slight sense of bewilderment at this almost reckless sincerity.
Or perhaps it's a feeling of inferiority?

He sighed softly and raised his hand to gently brush her slightly cool cheek with his calloused fingertips.

“Mai Mai”.

His voice carried a hint of helplessness.

"Have you thought this through? I... am not a good person."

He looked directly into her eyes without any attempt to hide his gaze.

“You know, the boundaries between me and them aren’t clear. Being with someone like me will be tough for you, and you might… get hurt.”

He tried to burst her bubble of fantasy with the most straightforward words.

He hoped she would see reality clearly and realize that he was not a good match for her.

However, Zhao Jinmai's gaze did not waver in the slightest.

Her eyes even became more stubborn and brighter because of his words.

The girl shook her head, her tone resolute.

"I know! I know everything! I know there are other people around you, I know you... might be a bit of a jerk."

She said the word with a hint of childish dissatisfaction.

"But I know even better what kind of person Jiang Qing is! And I also saw... the way you looked at me!"

Her voice rose slightly, carrying an undeniable conviction.

"Jiang Qing, I believe in my heart! I also believe I can change you! I'm not afraid of hardship, nor am I afraid of getting hurt! I just... I just like you! I like you so much!"

Her declaration was bold and direct, carrying the reckless courage unique to a nineteen-year-old girl.

Bathed in the interplay of moonlight and streetlights, she tilted her head back, like a slender poplar tree standing tall against the wind, delicate yet brimming with vibrant life, stubbornly declaring her affection.

Seeing the unwavering determination and almost religious light in her eyes, the dam of reason that Jiang Qing had built in her heart collapsed in the blink of an eye.

He suddenly wanted to laugh, to laugh at her naivety and fearlessness, to laugh at her overestimation of her abilities.

Change him?
It's easier said than done.

Those facts that have long since sunk, those places that have already been filled, cannot be easily erased by a few fervent declarations.
He almost blurted out, "You're so naive."

However, when his gaze fell upon the girl's clear, unwavering eyes, brimming with complete trust and courage, all the words stuck in his throat.

Her eyes were so bright, so pure.

Like the brightest star in the night sky, she stubbornly pierced through the fog he had long laid out for her.

She didn't need his lectures or reminders; she had already seen the thorns ahead, yet she still chose to run barefoot towards him without hesitation.

Is it naive?
perhaps.

But this naiveté possesses the power to shake a rock.

Saying anything more would be superfluous, or even a desecration of this pure emotion.

The complex emotions in Jiang Qing's eyes gradually subsided, eventually transforming into a warm feeling that was both helpless and incredibly gentle.

He said nothing more, but simply gazed at her intently.

Zhao Jinmai sensed the change in his eyes.

It is no longer scrutiny and hesitation, but a softness with tacit consent.

Her heart felt as if it were being gently grasped by a warm, large hand; the tension was instantly replaced by sweetness, and her heart pounded like a drum in her chest.

She saw him lower his head with utmost solemnity and approach her.

With a lingering smell of barbecue smoke, his scent gently enveloped her.

The world seemed to fall silent instantly, with only the sound of their breathing gradually merging together remaining.

Zhao Jinmai's long eyelashes trembled violently a few times like the wings of a startled butterfly, and then, following the deepest desire surging within her heart, she slowly but firmly closed her eyes.

A cool night breeze brushed against her burning cheeks, bringing a touch of coolness, but it could not quell the turbulent tsunami in her heart.

The moonlight poured down like mercury, gently outlining the silhouettes of the two people close together.

Jiang Qing's lips, carrying the cool scent of night dew, gently pressed against Zhao Jinmai's soft, warm lips.

It was an extremely gentle kiss, like a feather brushing against a petal, carrying a sense of tentative exploration, a sense of preciousness, and a reverent acceptance of the moment.

There was no fierce demand, only the most delicate and tender caressing and touching between their lips, conveying a silent confirmation between them, a complex emotion that could not be expressed in a thousand words.

Time seemed to stretch out infinitely and freeze at this moment.

Everything around me—the distant rumble of the city, the occasional passing car, the rustling of leaves in the wind—faded into a blurry background noise.

The whole world seemed to consist only of the delicate and tender touch between the two of them, and the atmosphere of their intertwining, which was both tense and infinitely sweet.

A car parked in the shadows at a distant intersection.

"They kissed! They really kissed!"

Chen Duo was so excited he almost jumped out of the passenger seat. He leaned half his body out of the window, his eyes wide open, staring intently at the two figures that were almost blended into one under the streetlight. His voice was very low but full of excitement.

"Tsk tsk tsk... I knew this would happen today!"

Jingjing, sitting in the back seat, also covered her mouth, her eyes shining brightly, and her face beaming with an uncontrollable auntie smile as she excitedly patted the back of Zhou Zhengkai's chair in front of her.

"Brother Kai! Brother Kai, look! It's done! It's really done! Our Mai Mai has finally achieved her wish!"

She was so excited that she was incoherent.

Only Zhou Zhengkai, in the driver's seat, remained as calm and composed as a mountain.

His sharp gaze swept in that direction, and after confirming that the surrounding environment was safe, he looked away without changing his expression, as if he had only seen the most ordinary scene.

He picked up the thermos from the cup holder, unscrewed the lid, slowly took a sip of warm water, and then gave a soft "hmm" in response to Jingjing's excitement.

For him, protecting his boss's safety was the top priority; as for his boss's love life... that was his own business.

However, looking at the two young people embracing in the rearview mirror, the corners of his resolute lips twitched up almost imperceptibly before returning to his usual cold and hard expression.

The kiss under the moonlight did not last long.

It was like a gentle overture, casting huge ripples on the lake of our hearts before slowly coming to an end.

Jiang Qing stepped back slightly, but her forehead was still lightly pressed against Zhao Jinmai's forehead.

His warm breath brushed against her nose and eyelashes, carrying a heart-fluttering intimacy.

The girl's eyes were still closed, with only her long eyelashes fluttering gently.

Jiang Qing's gaze was deep, like the tranquil night sky, clearly reflecting her hazy and shy appearance at this moment.

Zhao Jinmai slowly opened her eyes, her long eyelashes still seemingly damp with moisture.

Her cheeks were as red as ripe peaches, her eyes were moist, filled with the shyness and helplessness after the kiss, yet sparkling with an incomparably bright and satisfied light.

She was breathing slightly, her lips even more moist and full from the kiss, like rose petals covered in morning dew.

She looked at Jiang Qing, who was so close to her, and at his eyes that seemed to absorb all light. Her heart was still pounding wildly, but an unprecedented sense of security, like warm spring water, instantly filled her entire body, dispelling all her unease and anxiety.

The girl couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth into a shy yet incredibly sweet smile, with tiny dimples appearing and disappearing on her cheeks.

Jiang Qing looked at her like this, and a gentle smile spread across his eyes.

He raised his hand and gently brushed her slightly flushed cheeks with his fingertips, wiping away the non-existent watermarks, which were probably just an illusion.

"Silly girl."

His voice was filled with boundless affection.

Zhao Jinmai wrinkled her small nose, with a hint of coquettish protest.

"I'm not stupid."

She reached out and tentatively hooked her hand around Jiang Qing's fingers, which were hanging at her sides.

His fingers were long and strong, with a warm touch.

Jiang Qing did not refuse; instead, he immediately wrapped her slightly cool little hand in his broad, warm palm.

Their fingers are intertwined, closely connected.

The touch of skin against skin conveyed a silent promise more clearly than the kiss before.

"Come on, I'll take you back to the hotel."

Jiang Qing tightened his grip on her hand, his voice returning to its usual gentle tone, but with an added touch of intimacy.

"I'll take you back first. If you don't get back soon, Jingjing might come over. We should stop now, or Auntie might call us soon."

"No way, I'm all grown up now, my mom wouldn't be so strict with me!"

The girl protested quietly, then added a sentence.

"Besides, it's you."

"That's true."

Jiang Qing raised her eyebrows and nodded as she pulled her forward.

Zhao Jinmai was led by him and obediently followed his steps, walking forward along the sidewalk again.

This time, my steps were much lighter.

The evening breeze brought a slight chill, but it couldn't dispel the sweet atmosphere that flowed silently between the two.

She looked down at their clasped hands; his large hand completely enveloped hers, and an unprecedented sense of happiness enveloped her.

The girl suddenly began to hum a tuneless little tune, her voice soft and gentle.

Jiang Qing glanced at her sideways. The girl's eyebrows were curved, and the smile on her lips was so bright that she seemed to be glowing.

He smiled silently, not asking what she was humming, but simply holding her hand tighter.

A moment later, the headlights of cars at the intersection ahead came on, and Chen Duo and his group slowly started their car and merged into the traffic.

The night is gentle, and the road ahead is long.

(End of this chapter)