Guide to Rising to Power as a Wife in Beijing's Elite Circle

The banquet ended at 9:30.

Fang Jingxiu stood at the hotel entrance to see off the guests, shaking hands with each of them to say goodbye.

An Qi was the last to leave.

She stood in front of him and extended her hand: "Director Fang, until we meet again."

"Until we meet again." Fang Jingxiu shook her hand.

After letting go, she suddenly took out a business card from her handbag and handed it to him: "Private number, feel free to contact me if needed."

Fang Jingxiu took it and glanced at it.

It wasn't an official business card from the cultural tourism group; it was just a plain white card with only a name and a phone number on it.

This was a signal of their growing friendship, and also a test. Five years had passed; she wanted to see if he still held a place in her heart.

"Thank you." He put the business card into his pocket, the movement was natural, and his emotions were unreadable.

An Qi looked at him, something churning in her eyes, but in the end it just turned into a faint smile: "Take care."

Then she turned and left. The white suit skirt drew a clean arc in the night, and the sound of her high heels was crisp and resolute, just like when she left with her suitcase back then.

Fang Jingxiu stood still, without moving.

Secretary Qin walked over: "Boss, the car is ready."

"Wait a minute," Fang Jingxiu said, taking out a cigarette case from his pocket and tapping out a cigarette.

The lighter clicked, the flame leaping in the night. He took a deep breath, exhaled smoke, and watched An Qi's car headlights disappear around the corner of the parking lot.

It's all in the past now.

He said to himself.

But somewhere inside my body, a dull, throbbing pain still throbbed.

It's not the pain of her leaving that hurts, it's the pain of those years spent giving my all.

Those nights they discussed policies together, the profile of her waiting for him to fall asleep while he worked overtime, the way she jumped for joy when the first project was launched...

At that time, he genuinely thought about having a future.

But then what?

Later, as she watched him sit in his position as section chief year after year, the expectation in her eyes slowly turned into anxiety and resentment.

She said, "Fang Jingxiu, I can't wait any longer. A woman's youth only lasts a few years."

What did he say at the time?

It sounded like, "Give me a little more time."

She shook her head: "A woman's youth lasts only a few years."

Then she left.

She then married a leader and rose through the ranks from then on.

Women in officialdom either have a powerful background, are shrewd, or... have a man.

An Qi chose the third path.

Everyone has their own ambitions.

He looked at the pinky ring on her finger, thinking it represented her commitment to that relationship.

She was wrong.

The pinky ring symbolizes a commitment to remaining single, and it also serves as a reminder to oneself: don't fall in love easily, and if you do, you must have the ability to protect it.

Halfway through the cigarette, my personal cell phone vibrated in my pocket.

A very slight vibration came through the suit fabric, like being gently poked by something.

Fang Jingxiu paused for a moment, then took out his phone.

It's Chen Nuo's message.

It's not text, it's a built-in "poke" emoji in WeChat.

A small white hand gently tapped the screen.

Below this line of text: "Brother Xiu, are you done with your social engagements? [Peeking in]"

Fang Jingxiu looked at the poking expression and suddenly laughed.

A very soft laugh, almost inaudible in the night breeze, but it eased the tension that had been building all night.

In this way, she was gently popping the emotional bubble that he was immersed in the past.

I didn't ask why you weren't replying to my messages, nor did I complain that I had been waiting for so long. I just playfully poked you and added a peeking emoji.

clever.

Fang Jingxiu thought.

She always manages to reach the deepest point in the easiest way.

He typed: "Just finished."

The reply came almost instantly: "Are you tired?"

Fang Jingxiu leaned against a pillar at the hotel entrance, took another drag of his cigarette, and then replied, "A little."

This was the first time he admitted to her that he was tired.

I didn't used to.

He used to be Director Fang, Brother Xiu, the one who was always in control and had everything under his thumb.

The feeling of being tired is too personal, so personal that it shouldn't be shown to someone you're not yet in a committed relationship with.

But tonight, perhaps the effects of the alcohol hadn't completely worn off, perhaps An Qi's appearance stirred up his deeply buried emotions, or perhaps... Chen Nuo's little poke broke through his last line of defense.

He is tired.

Chen Nuo replied quickly: "Then you should go back to the hotel and rest! A hot bath will make you feel much better [hug]"

This time it's a hugging emoji, with two little figures embracing each other.

Fang Jingxiu looked at that expression, his fingertips pausing on the screen.

In the past, he would have thought it was pretentious or overstepping boundaries. But now he actually felt...it was quite heartwarming.

Perhaps it's not a matter of facial expressions, but a matter of the heart.

He replied, "Okay."

After thinking for a moment, she added, "Are you done working?"

"Just finished work! We were filming night scenes today, it was freezing! [shivering]" Chen Nuo added a shivering emoji, "But I captured an incredibly beautiful starry sky, and I wanted to show it to you!"

Then a photo was sent.

It is the night sky over Museli.

Against the deep blue sky, the Milky Way stretched across the horizon like a river paved with shattered diamonds. In the distance, the outlines of mountains were blurred, while nearby, the film crew's lighting equipment glowed with a warm yellow light in the night.

There's a small watermark in the bottom right corner of the photo: CN 2023.1.15

CN is an abbreviation of her name.

January 15, 2023 is the date.

This photo was taken by her, and it carries her perspective and warmth.

Fang Jingxiu zoomed in on the photo, examining the starry sky closely. Then he noticed a small, warm-colored halo in the lower left corner of the photo, like… a campfire?

He asked, "Is that a campfire?"

"Yeah! Director Liu said it was too cold, so he told everyone to warm up by the fire before wrapping up," Chen Nuo replied. "I was squatting by the fire filming, and my hands were frozen stiff."

Fang Jingxiu could almost picture that scene.

She squatted by the campfire, holding up her phone to take pictures of the starry sky. Her nose was red from the cold, but her eyes were bright and sparkling.

Fresh and alive.

This word has popped up again.

Unlike An Qi's delicate yet aloof beauty, Chen Nuo's beauty is vibrant, it's the kind of beauty that makes you shiver by the campfire yet still want to take pictures of the starry sky, it's the kind of beauty that makes you want to poke at her, it's... real.

"Wear more clothes," he typed. "Don't catch a cold."

"Okay, Xiu-ge, you should go back and take a shower and go to bed, or I'll have to keep an eye on you too [fierce]"

Here we go again, the oversight.

Last night I supervised him to drink honey water, and tonight I supervise him to sleep.

Fang Jingxiu's lips curled up again: "Okay, I'll be right back."

Goodnight! Sweet dreams [moon]

The same closing remarks as last night, the same moon emoji.

Looking at the moon, Fang Jingxiu suddenly felt that the moonlight in Xining tonight seemed a little gentler.

He put away his phone and stubbed out his cigarette.

"Let's go," he said to Secretary Qin.

In the car, he leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes to rest.

An Qi's image was no longer in his mind; only the starry sky photo Chen Nuo had sent and the poking emoji remained.

She was gradually squeezing into his life in her own way. Not a forceful intrusion, but a gentle permeation.

She shares her world through photos, expresses concern through emojis, and builds a close connection through oversight.

What's frightening is that he doesn't seem to mind at all.

I'm even... kind of looking forward to it.

I'm looking forward to seeing what she'll post tomorrow, and I'm also wondering if they'll bump into each other in Jingjing after she finishes filming on the 23rd of the twelfth lunar month.

The car drove into the night.

Fang Jingxiu touched the business card in his pocket.

An Qi gave me this private number.

He took out his business card and glanced at it in the dimly lit carriage. The plain white cardstock and exquisite printing were like her—perfect yet cold.

Then, he folded the business card in half, then in half again, tore it into four pieces, and threw it into the trash can in the car.

What's being torn up isn't just a business card, it's a memory, a possibility.

Secretary Qin caught a glimpse of this action in the rearview mirror, his eyes flickered, but he said nothing.

Fang Jingxiu closed his eyes again.

My phone vibrated again.

He immediately opened his eyes and took out his phone.

It wasn't Chen Nuo; it was a message from the work group. He glanced at it, saw nothing important, and turned off the screen.

He was waiting for her message.

This realization surprised even himself.

Then he laughed, shook his head, and put his phone back in his pocket.

Not urgent.

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, at Wenyuan Pavilion.

Six days left.