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

Chapter 454 The Body's Instinct: What Are We?

The soft sound of the door closing was exceptionally clear in the room, as if it completely shut out the outside world.

Chen Duling leaned against the cold door, her heart still pounding uncontrollably.

Jiang Qing's arms were tightly wrapped around her waist, and the warmth seeped through the thin fabric of her nightgown, making her feel flustered and confused.

His tall frame completely enveloped her in the narrow shadow of the entryway, carrying the fresh scent of a recent bath mixed with a faint smell of alcohol, forcefully invading all her senses.

"Jiang Qing, what...what do you want to do?"

Chen Duling looked up and met Jiang Qing's gaze, which was almost touching hers.

The overhead light outlined his sharply defined jawline, and the wicked smile on his lips sent shivers down one's spine.

She heard her own voice trembling uncontrollably as she tried to push against his chest to stop him from getting closer, but her hands felt weak and powerless.

Jiang Qing didn't speak, but just chuckled softly.

Instead of backing away, he leaned down even lower, his nose almost touching hers.

The hot breath brushed against Chen Duling's cheek, bringing a slight tickling sensation.

She could see the light dancing in his eyes, a playful glint of a hunter locking onto his prey.

Extremely aggressive!
They were so close that she could count his individual eyelashes.

Chen Duling's heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. She instinctively closed her eyes tightly, her eyelashes trembling nervously, as if that would shut out the suffocatingly ambiguous atmosphere.

However, the aggressive kiss she had anticipated did not fall. She only felt his warm breath spraying against her lips and neck, like feathers gently scratching, challenging her fragile nerves.

She opened her eyes, confused and embarrassed, only to meet Jiang Qing's smiling gaze.

He maintained a very close distance, a wicked smile playing on his lips, leisurely enjoying the panic on her face.

"Jiang Qing!"

Chen Duling was somewhat exasperated, but her voice, filled with embarrassment, lacked any intimidation and sounded more like she was whining.

"What do you want to do?"

She couldn't help but question him.

"May I?"

Jiang Qing finally spoke, his voice slightly hoarse as if he had just woken up, full of magnetism, yet he avoided her question, only staring at her with a pair of eyes that seemed to see right through her.

"what?"

Chen Duling froze, her mind not processing what was happening for a moment.

"What...is something okay?"

She asked hesitantly.

Jiang Qing didn't repeat it, but leaned in a little closer, almost brushing her lips, and asked again in a whisper.

"May I?"

Her voice carried a seductive undertone.

These three words are like a key, instantly unlocking the floodgates of memory.

Uncontrollably, fragments of the past surfaced in Chen Duling's mind: those private moments when it was just the two of them, the smoky atmosphere in the kitchen, the snuggling on the sofa in the study, and... those even more intimate and unrestrained moments of entanglement.

My cheeks suddenly felt incredibly hot, even my ears felt burning, and it seemed like all the blood in my body rushed to my head.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Reason was screaming for rejection, but her body reacted first.

She closed her eyes again, her eyelashes fluttering.

This time, it wasn't a panicked escape, but a silent and trembling acquiescence.

Jiang Qing looked at her submissive appearance, which was both reluctant and welcoming, and chuckled knowingly. Without further hesitation, he lowered his head and precisely captured her trembling lips.

"Well……"

A faint whimper was swallowed back down.

It started as a gentle, tentative kiss, meant to soothe, but soon it became deep and urgent, filled with a long-suppressed desire and an unyielding force.

Chen Duling felt weak all over, and the hand that was originally against his chest had somehow climbed up to his neck, awkwardly responding to everything.

The air in the entryway seemed to ignite, the temperature suddenly rising, and the only sound in the quiet room was their rapid breathing.

In her daze, she felt his warm hand slip under her nightgown, caressing the skin of her waist, sending an uncontrollable shiver down her spine...

The memories of the latter half of the night became blurry and fragmented, leaving only some sensory fragments.

Heavy breathing in the darkness, the warmth of intertwined bodies, and the occasional car headlights casting fleeting shadows on the ceiling.

Breaths mingled, bodies collided.

A spring breeze overnight turned into a gentle rain.

……

The next morning, Chen Duling was awakened by a soreness in her body.

She stirred groggily and immediately felt herself enveloped in a warm, familiar sensation.

As consciousness slowly returned, many embarrassing images from last night rushed into my mind.

Jiang Qing's sudden intrusion, the teasing and provocative gesture in the entryway, and everything that happened afterward... all of which are even more unspeakable.

She suddenly became fully awake, opened her eyes abruptly, and saw Jiang Qing's face so close to hers.

He lay on his side, one arm still naturally draped over her waist, his breathing steady and long, as if he were fast asleep.

The morning light filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting soft shadows on his face and outlining his straight nose.

A wave of overwhelming embarrassment washed over Chen Duling, and she felt like she wanted to disappear into the ground.

She cursed herself inwardly for being bewitched last night, for how could she... how could she have given in to him half-heartedly?

He was determined to stay away from this guy who was surrounded by countless women, but as soon as he made the slightest move, he crumbled completely.

Annoyance, shame, and a complex mix of other emotions left her feeling distraught.

Her first instinct was to wake the man next to her and tell him to leave immediately.

But the raised hand froze in mid-air.

My gaze involuntarily fell on Jiang Qing's sleeping face.

Having shed his usual composure and calmness, he now appeared completely unguarded, exuding a rare youthful spirit.

She remembered that he looked just like this when they first met a long time ago.

The Jiang Qing in her memory and the Jiang Qing of today, who skillfully navigates relationships with various women and is difficult for her to understand, gradually overlap and then subtly separate.

Her fingertips unconsciously lifted slightly, and very carefully brushed across his thick eyebrows and high nose, finally stopping above his always smiling lips.

Love quietly filled Chen Duling's eyes, yet it was also mixed with a lot of confusion and struggle.

Reason told her that this was wrong.

There were too many people and things between them: Zhou Ye, Meng Ziyi, Liu Haocun, and those rumored romantic interests... She shouldn't be, and never wanted to be, one of someone else's many options.

Emotionally, her body seemed to have its own memory, craving the comfort he brought, and uncontrollably succumbing to his presence when he was near.

Just as Chen Duling was lost in thought, Jiang Qing slowly opened her eyes.

At first, he was a little dazed, but when he met her gaze that she hadn't had time to look away from, he instantly regained his senses, smiled, and winked at her.

As if burned, Chen Duling abruptly withdrew her hand, quickly turned her back to him, pulled the blanket up high, and wrapped herself up tightly, leaving only the back of her hairy head exposed.

"You...you're awake, so get out of here right now!"

The muffled sound came from under the covers, carrying obvious embarrassment and annoyance.

Jiang Qing couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at her ostrich-like expression.

"Wouldn't you call this... discarding someone after they've served their purpose, Teacher Chen?"

"What nonsense are you talking about!"

Chen Duling suddenly turned around and glared at him, her cheeks as red as ripe tomatoes, even her fair neck was tinged with pink.

"I...I have a promotional event for the drama today, you'd better get up!"

Seeing that she was really embarrassed and annoyed, her ears were completely red, Jiang Qing knew when to stop teasing her.

He sat up nimbly, the thin blanket slipped off, revealing his strong upper body, got out of bed, bent down to pick up the clothes scattered on the floor, and put them on slowly.

During the brief pause, his gaze swept across the room.

The pillows scattered haphazardly on the carpet, the slippers lying askew by the bed, and the lingering, ambiguous atmosphere in the air all silently testified to the intense battle that had taken place the previous night.

Perhaps because they hadn't been intimate for a long time, one of the rabbits was unusually sensitive last night, as if a flood had broken out.

His gaze fell back on the woman on the bed, who had wrapped herself up in the blanket like a silkworm, with only her large, annoyed eyes peeking at him. Comparing this to the messy scene before him, a meaningful smile crept onto his lips.

At some point last night, she wasn't in this state of utter shame and indignation...

After putting on a shirt and trousers, Jiang Qing walked to the bedside and looked at Chen Duling, who was still huddled under the covers and refused to come out. Her tone returned to its usual gentleness.

"I made plans to go fishing with Teacher Ma today, and I'm taking an early flight to Beijing tomorrow morning. I have some things to take care of. If you need anything later, or... if you miss me, just send me a message."

Chen Duling buried her face in the blanket, remaining silent and pretending not to hear.

Jiang Qing didn't mind, knowing that she was shy and needed time to process it.

He smiled, turned and walked towards the door.

Just as I placed my hand on the doorknob, ready to turn it, I heard a very soft sound behind me.

"……Um."

The sound was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, yet it clearly penetrated Jiang Qing's ears.

Jiang Qing paused slightly, the corners of her mouth widening a little. Without turning back, she nimbly opened the door and walked out.

"Click" sound.

The door closed gently, and the room returned to complete silence, leaving only Chen Duling alone.

She slowly peeked out from under the covers, and only after confirming that Jiang Qingzhen had really left did she let out a long sigh of relief. But what followed was not relaxation, but a deeper sense of confusion.

She sat up, still wrapped in the blanket, and looked around the room filled with Jiang Qing's presence. Everything from last night was as clear as if it had just happened.

The physical sensations, his hot breath, his deep panting, and finally, his laughing "Is it okay?"...

But then what?

what is this?
One-night stand?

Rekindling old flames?

Thinking of Zhou Ye's clear and straightforward eyes, thinking of that night in Luyang, thinking of all the beautiful women surrounding Jiang Qing—Meng Ziyi, Tian Xiwei, Liu Haocun… and perhaps many more people she didn't know about.

How am I any different from them now?
Even though I see everything clearly, I still get caught up in it time and time again, unable to control myself.

Reason and emotion were tearing her apart.

On the one hand, they cherished the warmth that belonged only to them, but on the other hand, they could not accept this chaotic relationship.

She hugged her knees, burying her burning cheeks in them, feeling her mind a jumbled mess, like a ball of yarn that couldn't be untangled.

The resolute determination she showed when leaving Luyang seemed so fragile after Jiang Qing reappeared.

But if this ambiguous entanglement continues, how can she possibly cope?
The sunlight outside the window grew brighter and brighter, seeping in through the gaps in the curtains and casting patches of light on the messy carpet.

A new day has begun, but she seems trapped in the whirlpool of passion from last night, unable to find a way out.

the other side.

After Jiang Qing returned to his room and finished washing up, he went downstairs to meet up with Chen Duo and Zhou Zhengkai, who were waiting for him at the hotel entrance. They planned to go directly to Teacher Ma's place for some morning tea.

During the journey, Chen Duo glanced at Jiang Qing through the rearview mirror, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

"Say whatever you want."

Jiang Qing didn't look up, his mind racing, trying to figure out what Teacher Ma might want to talk about.

"Boss, you look great today."

Chen Duo glanced at him quickly and said tactfully.

Jiang Qing raised an eyebrow.

"That's not what you wanted to ask, is it?"

Chen Duo chuckled twice.

"Don't be so gossipy."

Jiang glanced at him and looked out the window at the fleeting street scene.

"Alright, Boss!"

Chen Duo shrank his neck, feeling a chill, and promptly shut up. They remained silent the rest of the way.

The car quickly entered the Ali Park, and Jiang Qing was led to the cafeteria by a special person.

From afar, he could see Teacher Ma sitting by the window with a group of people, waving at him.

"President Jiang! Over here!"

Jack Ma stood up with a broad smile to greet him.

Jiang Qing quickened her pace toward him, and the two shook hands tacitly, separating immediately after the touch.

"How's Running Man? Is it fun?"

Jack Ma asked curiously.

Jiang Qing tilted her head and smiled.

"It's quite interesting, but it's physically demanding."

"Haha, Mr. Jiang is young and strong, what are you afraid of?"

Jack Ma patted him on the shoulder.

"Come on, let's have breakfast first, then I'll take you to a good place to go fishing."

"Sure, I'll look forward to it."

Jiang Qing readily agreed and sat down.

At the breakfast table, Teacher Ma enthusiastically introduced the fishing spot they were going to visit that day, and Jiang Qing listened attentively, showing great interest.

Other high-ranking members of Ahri's organization joined the conversation, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Some of Ali's employees gathered around, looking excited, occasionally taking photos with their phones, as excited as star-struck fans.

Jiang Qing and the other person were completely unaware, having long been accustomed to it.

"correct."

Jack Ma seemed to suddenly remember something.

"Wanxiang has been upgraded again recently? Our technical department says the results are amazing."

Jiang Qing nodded with a smile.

"We just completed a major iteration last week, which resulted in a breakthrough in multimodal understanding."

"Amazing!"

Jack Ma exclaimed in admiration.

"You're so young, yet you've created something so amazing. When I was your age, I was still teaching at school."

"Mr. Ma, you flatter me."

Jiang Qing gently shook her head.

"Times change, and so do opportunities."

"No, no, no, this is real skill."

Jack Ma waved his hand, then lowered his voice and leaned closer.

"Honestly, have you ever considered taking Wuwen public? With its current valuation, it would be incredible if it went public."

Jiang Qing smiled but did not answer directly.

"Wuwen is currently focused on technology research and development and product optimization."

Jack Ma immediately understood, stopped asking questions, and changed the subject.

After breakfast, the group strolled around Ali before driving to a fishing spot in the suburbs.

On the way, Jiang Qing received a message from Chen Duling, which contained only three simple words: "I'm leaving."

He typed back: "Have a safe trip, let me know when you get there."

There was no further reply.

Jiang Qing looked at her phone, lost in thought.

"What's wrong? Is something wrong?"

Jack Ma noticed that he was distracted.

"fine."

Jiang Qing smiled slightly and put away her phone.

"Let's continue. What Mr. Ma just mentioned about chips..."

-

Meanwhile, Chen Duling sat in the car on her way to the airport, looking at Jiang Qing's reply with mixed feelings.

Bai Lu leaned over to look at her phone, but she quickly turned off the screen.

"Hey, who are you messaging so mysteriously?"

The egret grinned mischievously, knowing full well what was going on in its joke.

"Is that General Manager Jiang?"

Chen Duling glared at her.

"Don't make blind guesses."

"I'm just guessing?"

The egret raised an eyebrow.

"Someone personally admitted that they came to record the show because of you. Tell me, what's really going on between you two?"

Chen Duling turned to look out the window.

"It's nothing."

"Are you kidding me?"

The egret grumbled in dissatisfaction.

"You've already...done that with him, and you still say nothing's wrong?"

Chen Duling suddenly turned her head to look at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't worry, it's just a guess."

The egret looked smug, its smile mocking.

"When you came out of your room this morning, your walking posture was a bit off, and you also had..."

She pointed meaningfully to her neck.

Chen Duling instinctively covered her neck, her face turning bright red.

"Oh, we're all adults, what's there to be embarrassed about?"

Bai Lu put his arm around her shoulder.

"Honestly, someone like Mr. Jiang, even I wouldn't be able to resist. He's young and promising, handsome, has a great physique, and most importantly, he's so devoted to you..."

"Yes...that sounds like it."

Chen Duling murmured softly and turned to look out the window.

The egret paused for a moment, then understood.

"Are you concerned about... Zhou Ye? Tian Xiwei? Meng Ziyi? Or... Zhang Jingyi?"

Chen Duling turned around to look at her in surprise.

"How do you know so much?"

"Come on, there's no smoke without fire in this industry. There's no such thing as a scandal out of thin air."

The egret shrugged, looking completely matter-of-fact.

"But to be honest, their relationship with President Jiang may not be as the outside world says. At least from what I've seen, President Jiang treats you specially."

Chen Duling gave a wry smile.

"Well... of course I know."

Bai Lu sighed, feeling that as someone who had been through it all, she could share her experience.

"Dudu, I think that when it comes to feelings, only the person experiencing them knows whether they're feeling good or bad. If you really can't let him go, why not give each other a chance? If you really can't accept it, then cut ties completely. Don't keep things hanging on like this; in the end, you'll only hurt yourself."

Chen Duling remained silent.

Bai Lu's words struck a chord with the deepest conflict within her.

Upon arriving at the airport and completing the check-in process, Chen Duling watched the planes taking off and landing outside the window in the waiting room, and finally sent Jiang Qing another message.

"What exactly are we to each other?"

This time, Jiang Qing replied quickly.

"Whatever you say counts, counts."

Looking at this ambiguous reply, she felt even more confused.

Just then, the boarding announcement came on.

She turned off her phone and followed the crowd toward the boarding gate.

After the plane took off, Chen Duling looked at the city outside the window, which was getting smaller and smaller. Suddenly, she felt that her relationship with Jiang Qing was like a castle in the air, seemingly beautiful but without a solid foundation.

The future... is uncertain.

Meanwhile, Jiang Qing was fishing with Ma Yun by the lake.

He stared at his phone for a long time after receiving Chen Duling's message.

"What's wrong? Is your girlfriend checking up on you?"

Jack Ma joked with a smile.

Jiang Qing put away his fishing rod and re-baited it.

"That's it."

"Young man!"

Jack Ma's face was filled with emotion.

"Relationships are the most agonizing. But with your background, it shouldn't be too difficult for you to handle."

Jiang Qing smiled and shook her head.

"If you only look at conditions when it comes to relationships, things would be too simple."

"That's true."

Jack Ma nodded in deep agreement.

"I also had relationship troubles when I was young. But I figured it out later. The important thing is to know what you want and what you can handle."

Jiang Qing's eyes flashed, and her heart stirred.

The float bobbed, and he quickly lifted the rod, and a plump crucian carp leaped out of the water.

“Good fish!”

Jack Ma exclaimed in admiration, his eyes filled with envy.

"Looks like we're in luck today. We'll be counting on President Jiang for dinner."

He hasn't reaped any rewards yet.

Jiang Qing smiled, her gaze falling on the fish struggling on the hook. Suddenly, she remembered Chen Duling's eyes, which always held a hint of confusion and struggle.

He untied the fish and released it back into the lake.

"Why did you put it there?"

Jack Ma looked puzzled.

"It came at just the right time."

Jiang Qing shrugged.

Jack Ma stared at him for a while, then nodded knowingly.

It's really fun.

(End of this chapter)