My heart is tied to that sky

On a winter night in Hezhou, the wind carries a biting chill.

Wang Lin sat alone on a bench by the river, gazing at the pitch-black water. Her fingertips were red from the cold, but she was unwilling to leave.

From this vantage point, you can see the scattered lights on the opposite bank.

It also reminded her of this time last year, when there was another person sitting next to her.

The resistance from her family was like an insurmountable wall; she tried to fight back, but in the end, she could only accept her fate.

Some relationships, no matter how beautiful they start, can't withstand the messy realities of life.

She remembered that the wind was particularly strong the day Tang Muyang left.

"Linlin, I have to go. I can't refuse the appointment from headquarters."

His voice was low and somewhat scattered by the wind.

But each word felt like a small hammer, striking her heart.

"It's not that I don't want to take you with me, it's just that we haven't had enough time together yet."

"Your parents won't agree to you marrying someone from far away."

"I can't bear to see you suffer with me."

"We're both still young, don't let me ruin your life."

After he finished speaking, he released her hand, turned around, and walked into the wind.

He never looked back.

Now she is the only one sitting here.

The evening breeze was still the same evening breeze, and the river flowed at its usual leisurely pace.

But there's always been a void in my heart.

At the same time, thousands of miles away, the headquarters of Hengxin Group was brightly lit all night.

The atmosphere in the boardroom was so heavy it could be squeezed out of you.

A meeting concerning the group's strategic direction for the next five years is reaching its most critical moment.

At the same time, the selection of the general manager of the Northern Xinde Industrial Zone was decided.

Lu Zhenting sat in the main seat, his fingertips lightly tapping the smooth tabletop.

His gaze swept across every face in the room.

"Today we'll only discuss one thing—personnel selection, and who will take the helm of the Xinde Industrial Zone."

The conference room fell silent instantly, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone knows that this topic inevitably involves one name: Tang Muyang.

Existing shareholder Li Chongshan was the first to break the silence.

"Tang Muyang's abilities are obvious to all."

"Last year, with that mess at the jewelry store, how many people were waiting to see us fail?"

"He managed to turn things around in six months."

"These are undeniable achievements; they're there for all to see, and no one can erase them."

"In the past, the biggest problem for the group was internal strife!"

Li Bingqian tapped his knuckles on the table, making a dull sound.

"Factional infighting and the burying of talent—Tang Muyang is the most typical victim of this."

"If we continue like this, we're not moving forward, we're digging our own graves!"

"I object!"

A calm but hesitant voice broke in.

Zhao Qichang adjusted his glasses and leaned back slightly.

"Tang Muyang is capable, but he is too young."

"The Xinde Industrial Zone is the core project of the group for the next five years. It involves huge investment and is crucial to the overall situation."

"Isn't it too risky to put a young person in their early twenties in such a crucial position?"

"Who will bear the consequences if a wrong decision is made?"

"adventure?"

Lu Zhenting suddenly laughed, but there was no warmth in his smile.

There is only one kind of oppressive power emanating from someone who has long held a superior position.

"In my view, the biggest risk the group takes is to remain stagnant and continue using the old rules that prioritize seniority and suppress those who get things done!"

He slowly stood up and placed his hands on the edge of the table.

His sharp gaze swept over every participant.

"Everyone here, including myself, who hasn't been young once?"

"Who hasn't been ostracized, been beaten, or doubted their chosen path in the dead of night?"

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a power that penetrated people's hearts.

"If I hadn't met my old leader who stood up against all odds and dared to give me a platform back then, I wouldn't be qualified to sit here and speak today."

"Putting ourselves in their shoes, shouldn't we now give truly capable young people a chance to give it their all?"

The meeting room was so quiet that only the faint sound of the air conditioner could be heard.

Many people lowered their heads, lost in thought.

"Tang Muyang's ability to turn the tide in desperate situations and rise above suppression proves his character and capabilities."

"We shouldn't suppress such a promising talent; instead, we should give him a bigger stage to explore, experiment, and even make mistakes!"

Lu Zhenting straightened up, his voice suddenly rising in pitch.

With an unquestionable determination.

"I formally propose that the group's personnel management system must be reformed!"

"Abolish unnecessary rules and regulations; let whoever is capable take the lead!"

"The Northern Xinde Industrial Zone project is entirely entrusted to Tang Muyang!"

"The group will only supervise, not hinder, and will fully support!"

After he finished speaking, the conference room fell silent.

Then came sporadic applause, which gradually grew louder and eventually became a continuous chorus.

"agree!"

"I second that!"

"It should have been done a long time ago!"

Zhao Qichang opened his mouth, looking at the faces around him that were on fire.

He finally sighed in despair and slowly raised his hand.

Passed unanimously.

An appointment document, still wet with ink and stamped with the bright red seal of the board of directors, was placed into an urgent file folder.

It was sent to Hezhou under the cover of night.

In Hezhou City, the lights were dim in that temporarily rented office.

Tang Muyang stood by the window, watching the few cars passing by on the street below.

Unconsciously, fingertips traced meaningless lines on the cold glass.

The uncertainty about the future in my heart is like the light mist outside the window.

They can't scatter, nor can they gather together.

The door was gently pushed open, and Zhou Yanting strode in.

Holding a brown paper file folder in his hands, his breathing was a little rapid from jogging.

"President Tang, this is an urgent document from headquarters, issued directly by the board of directors."

Tang Muyang turned around and took the rather heavy bag.

I opened the seal and pulled out the stack of documents inside, which still smelled of ink.

His gaze swept over the carefully worded official documents, line by line.

Ultimately, the decision was settled on the keywords "full responsibility," "no restrictions," and "full support from the group."

Something suddenly swelled up in my chest, then slowly settled back into solidity.

Over the years, those sleepless nights, those grievances swallowed back down.

Those moments when you could only endure them by sheer grit and determination...

Suddenly, everything gained weight in the face of this appointment.

"This time, headquarters is serious."

Zhou Yanting looked at the lines of his profile that tensed up and then slowly relaxed, and said softly.

His eyes were filled with genuine joy.

"yes……"

Tang Muyang let out a long breath, his voice slightly hoarse.

"They're getting serious."

He raised his eyes and looked out the window at the distant night sky.

It was pitch black there, yet it seemed to be emitting light.

"Pass the word down: everyone, immediately hand over your current tasks."

"We're going back to Kyoto, to the Shintoku industrial area. We can't wait any longer."

"yes!"

Returning to Kyoto, my state of mind was completely different.

Last time, he was wearing a hat that said "exile," looking disheveled and dirty.

This time, they are returning with the imperial sword in hand, openly and legitimately.

The Xinde Industrial Zone was still a patch of newly leveled yellow earth, fenced off.

It was as desolate as the end of the world.

Wearing a safety helmet and with muddy feet, Tang Muyang plunged into the construction site.

From foundation excavation to reinforced concrete, from pipeline pre-laying to factory roofing.

He was present at every stage of the process.

The blueprints were laid out in the temporary prefabricated house, rustling loudly in the wind.

The top was covered with circles and question marks drawn in red pen.

He often argued heatedly with the construction team, over a single label or an inch of pipeline.

"Mr. Tang, your standards are too high; the costs are unsustainable!"

Project manager Lao Chen held the budget sheet, his brows furrowed in worry.

"Engineer Chen, this isn't a matter of cost."

Tang Muyang pointed at the blueprint and pressed his finger firmly on it.

"This is a fundamental problem."

"If the grade of this beam is slightly off, the entire production line might start shaking in the future."

"Saving this little bit of money today could be the root cause of ruining our reputation and causing accidents in the future!"

"Change it, to the highest standard! I'll figure out the funding!"

Old Chen looked at his bloodshot eyes and the dusty work clothes he was wearing.

He swallowed his words and nodded emphatically.

"Okay, whatever you say! I'll personally oversee their rework!"

Zhou Yanting brought in instant noodles in the middle of the night and saw him still struggling with the data on the computer screen.

I couldn't help but sigh.

"Mr. Tang, it's almost two o'clock. Even the strongest person can't keep going like this."

"Almost done, I'll go to sleep after I finish looking at this materials list."

Tang Muyang didn't even look up, rubbing his numb temples.

"If you don't lay a solid foundation, everything else will be castles in the air."

I can't sleep well.

He was like a nail, firmly fixed to this wasteland.

Doubtful voices, hesitant glances, and hidden sabotage.

The factories that were springing up day by day and the ever-accelerating pace of progress gradually quieted down.

Just when my career was pushing forward with all my might, a ray of light unexpectedly shone into my life.

He met Chen Shuyan at an industry dinner he couldn't refuse.

A girl from Zhejiang, who speaks softly and whose eyes crinkle when she smiles.

She didn't ask him about his past heartbreaks, nor did she press him for a definite future.

He would simply leave a light on and a bowl of soup warm when he returned home late at night.

When he frowned, I quietly stayed by his side and handed him a cup of tea that was just the right temperature, neither too hot nor too cold.

That kind of gentle, enduring warmth is a comfort to a heart that has been tossed about too long in the business world and in love.

It has a fatal attraction.

He introduced her to his friends, and she generously introduced him to her family.

The wedding was naturally put on the agenda.

Everyone around him said that Tang Muyang had finally gotten over his hardships and could settle down.

He thought so too.

They even started secretly looking at properties and imagining what their future home should look like.

Time slips away quietly amidst busyness and warmth.

When the last piece of equipment in the Xinde Industrial Zone was debugged, the production line roared to life.

When the first batch of products successfully rolled off the production line, the sycamore trees outside the window had already turned yellow and then green again.

At the victory celebration banquet, elegant ladies and splendid figures mingled, and glasses clinked in celebration.

Praise and congratulations came like a tidal wave, almost overwhelming him.

"President Tang, this battle in the industrial zone was brilliantly fought! The group's foundation in the north is now firmly established!"

"Chairman Lu really had foresight back then, defying all opposition! Come, President Tang, let me toast you. I hope you'll take good care of me in the future!"

Tang Muyang held up his glass, a polite and humble smile on his face.

Yet, I felt unusually calm.

He knew he deserved the applause.

But more than the glamour on stage, he misses the mud and sweat on the construction site.

But fate always seemed to play tricks on him.

He always shatters everything just when he thinks it's within reach.

The closer the wedding date got, the more off Chen Shuyan's condition became.

At first, I had insomnia and cried for no reason.

Later, she began to experience auditory hallucinations, constantly saying that someone wanted to harm her.

The day the diagnosis came out, Tang Muyang felt like the sky had fallen.

Congenital schizophrenia.

The doctor said the cause of the disease is complex and difficult to cure; it can only be controlled.

It requires extremely careful care and cannot be subjected to any further stimulation.

He frantically took her to every renowned doctor he could find across the country.

Chinese medicine, Western medicine, folk remedies, secret prescriptions—if they're said to be effective, people will try them at any cost.

The hospital's pale corridors stretched on and on.

He held her cold, trembling hand and spoke to the doctor over and over again.

"Money is not a problem; we're willing to try any method."

"Please, please save her..."

The doctor just shook his head and patted him on the shoulder.

His eyes were full of pity.

"Mr. Tang, I understand. But this illness really can't be rushed."

"It's her good fortune to have met you."

"From now on, just stay by her side and don't upset her; that's the best treatment."

That winter was particularly cold.

Chen Shuyan's parents rushed over from Zhejiang and looked at their daughter's empty eyes.

The two elderly people aged ten years in an instant.

Her father held Tang Muyang's hand, tears streaming down his face.

"President Tang, Shuyan doesn't have that kind of luck..."

"We can't let her hold you back any longer."

"Let's take her home, let her rest quietly in her hometown, maybe... she'll get better."

Tang Muyang stood at the station, watching the car carrying her disappear around the corner.

It was as if his soul had been ripped out.

The cold wind brushed against my face, but I didn't feel any pain.

The corner of my heart that had finally warmed up a little has become empty again.

It's colder than winter in the north.

His career reached its peak, but his love life plummeted once again.

He seems to be repeating this cycle all the time.

You gain some, then lose more.

As winter fades and spring arrives, the tower cranes on the construction site are dismantled, and newly planted saplings sprout tender buds.

The Xinde Industrial Zone is now fully operational.

It has become one of the most profitable engines for the group in the north.

Tang Muyang's name is gaining increasing weight in the industry.

He is still very busy, but the pace is no longer like a battle.

The sharpness and eagerness that once belonged to youth between his brows has been tempered by time into a gentle composure.

Only when he is alone occasionally does a deep-seated weariness and loneliness flash across his eyes.

Spring seemed to arrive exceptionally early in 2002.

It was an ordinary weekday afternoon when the magnolias were in full bloom.

The sunlight was lovely, streaming warmly into the office and casting bright patches of light on the floor.

He was looking at a report when there was a knock on the door.

"Mr. Tang, your new senior assistant has arrived."

The HR manager stepped aside, and a figure walked in from behind him.

Tang Muyang subconsciously looked up.

The moment their eyes met, he froze.

With a loosening of his grip, the pen fell onto the solid wood table with a "thud".

It stood out clearly in the quiet office.

The girl who walked in was wearing a simple light gray suit skirt.

The tailoring was excellent, perfectly accentuating her slender figure.

She was tall and slender, with her long hair tied back in a neat low ponytail.

Her smooth forehead and graceful neckline were on full display.

Her skin was extremely clean and fair, almost transparent in the sunlight.

Her features were exceptionally beautiful, with clear eyes and eyebrows, a straight nose, and naturally rosy lips.

But what's most captivating isn't her appearance, but her aura.

He was just standing there quietly.

There is a quiet and insightful scholarly air intertwined with a crisp and efficient professionalism.

Unassuming, yet impossible to ignore.

It's a kind of beauty that you'll never forget once you've seen it—comfortable yet stunning.

She met Tang Muyang's stunned gaze without the slightest hint of stage fright.

He took a step forward with composure, a perfectly timed smile playing on his lips.

"Hello, Mr. Tang, I am Gong Yiqing."

"I will be your senior assistant starting today. Please give me your guidance."

Her voice was clear and gentle, and her tone was steady.

The pronunciation is clear, and each sound lands in the most comfortable position for the ear.

Tang Muyang remained stunned in the large seat.

They forgot to respond, forgot the proper etiquette.

Time seemed to be stretched out and slowed down infinitely.

Dust particles float in the office, and light spots move across the windowpanes.

And the uncontrolled, heavy, and clear thud in his own chest.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

He experienced many "first encounters".

Heart-stirring, breathtaking, and regrettable.

But never before has it been like this.

It was as if a silent lightning bolt had struck my mind, and a boulder had been thrown into the lake of my heart, stirring up towering waves.

All sounds and sights are fading away rapidly.

All that remained in my field of vision was that smiling figure.

He vaguely realized it.

On this seemingly ordinary workday afternoon, the personnel check-in process was carried out as usual.

Fate, in a way that could not be refused, delivered to him a gift that was long overdue and incredibly precious.

This woman is named Gong Yiqing.

This will completely change the trajectory of his life from then on.