Chapter Five, Iron Blue (05)

Liang Jingxing lightly brushed his index finger against the menu page, then with a "snap" closed it and handed it to the waiter, saying, "That will be all for now"

Jiang Ci slightly raised her eyes and said, "I used to think that sweets were not delicious."

Liu Yuan smiled and said, "I have known Brother Liang for a long time; I used to be his assistant." He seemed unaware that he had changed how he addressed him.

Liang Jingxing's gaze slightly darkened

Liang Jingxing invited Jiang Ci to take a seat, then called the waiter to pour tea and water, presenting the menu and asking her to order.

Jiang Ci shook his head, "The guest follows the host's convenience"

Liu Yuan scratched his head and smiled, saying, "Alright, Miss Jiang, if you have the opportunity to come over and paint again in the future, feel free to look for me." He accompanied Jiang Ci to the door and reminded her to be careful on her way back.

Once a person has tasted convenience, they begin to forget the difficult days without it. Jiang Ci cannot help but feel a bit disdainful of himself, yet his legs are quite honest.

Which one is sweeter

Well, I am not quite sure whether it is teaching photography theory at Chongcheng Academy of Fine Arts or something else

He first saw the ladder positioned in the middle of the corridor, along with various paint cans scattered all over the floor, where the white surface was also stained with latex and various acrylic paints. He raised his head and turned his gaze towards the wall on one side, and was immediately taken aback

Jiang Ci's eyelids trembled. It was still this sentence, the meaning of which was quite bland. It was neither a persuasion nor a plea, and it seemed indifferent to whether the listener accepted or rejected it

The dishes were served quickly, and Liang Jingxing mentioned to Jiang Ci about the opening of his company, "If you have time during the summer vacation, you can come over to work part-time."

Oh... Jiang Ci came to her senses and quickly averted her gaze before Liang Jinghang looked up, "That's enough"

Liang Jingxing moved the Yangzhi Ganlu and Mango Sago in front of Jiang Ci, saying, "Choose one."

The waiter brought two desserts to the table. Jiang Ci opened her mouth but ultimately said nothing, carefully putting away the bill.

Liang Jingxing looked at Liu Yuan and said, "You should come along too."

Jiang Ci raised her eyes and asked, "What assistant?"

Liang Jingxing glanced at her and sighed inwardly

Her originally bald head had now transformed into a closely cropped hairstyle. When she lowered her head, the dark blue-black scalp was still visible.

Jiang Ci paused for a moment, slowly shook his head, "I do not intend to apply for an art major"

He stared at the line of waterfowl for a while before finally taking a step forward, following the contour of the lake, walking from one end of the corridor to the other, and then turning to look at the other side—still under construction, but from the outline, one could vaguely see the endless snow-capped mountains, where the mountains met the clouds, and the clouds met the sky

Jiang Ci nodded, stood up, and walked towards the door

Liang Jingxing pondered. He truly could not ascertain what Jiang Ci liked to eat, so he ordered a few dishes according to Chen Juefei's usual preferences.

Liang Jingxing walked over and picked up the backpack that was placed on the table for her. He did not expect it to be quite heavy; he miscalculated his strength for a moment, and his arm was pulled down. He steadied himself, only to see Jiang Ci quietly watching him, a smile seemingly unable to be contained, revealing a hint from the slightly raised corners of her eyes

Of course! Liu Yuan spoke of his boss with great pride, "He even won an award! It was the set of photos we took during the interview that saved quite a few people after being published in the newspaper..." He began to elaborate on the story behind that photo news article, but halfway through, he noticed Jiang Ci's lips pressed together slightly, and her gaze had darkened a bit. Liu Yuan was taken aback and immediately fell silent. He couldn't figure out what he had said that had upset Jiang Ci, so he dared not speak again. He thought to himself, this young lady is indeed not so easy to get along with.

Liang Jingxing narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "Let's go." with the book.

Liang Jingxing nodded and said, "Tomorrow is Friday, take an extra day to rest, and come to work on Monday"

With thick eyebrows and thin lips, a prominent nose, and narrow, deep-set eyes, he possesses a remarkably handsome appearance. Furthermore, having been tempered by the passage of time, he exudes a mature yet unworldly charm.

Chen Juefei yawned again, "Aren't we waiting for you to bring back the late-night snack? We're about to starve here."

Are there any local specialties

Take it

In the following days, Jiang Ci did not see Liang Jingxing again

Liu Yuan chuckled and replied: "I don't think it's very interesting; there's just the Yangtze River to see and an ancient town."

Summer vacation requires make-up classes

"No," Liu Yuan scratched his head, appearing somewhat embarrassed, "but there are plenty of potatoes."

While waiting for the dishes to be served, Liang Jingxing took out a checkbook and a pen, filled in an amount, and handed it to Jiang Ci

The azure sky meets the waves, and at the edge of the sea, a line of red-feathered waterfowl is soaring towards the heavens

Liu Yuan hurriedly waved his hand, "No, no! Miss Jiang, please don't misunderstand! Our boss is not!"

What is there to be anxious about? Is it not urgent to respond, or is it not urgent to return that one hundred thousand yuan to him? Jiang Ci lowered her head and gently bit her lip

Having packed her belongings, she slung her bag over her shoulder, adjusted the straps, turned around to look at Liu Yuan, and said, "Thank you for these past few days. Please convey to your boss that the labor fee can be given to Teacher Chen Tongxu."

Hurry up and come in! It's hot outside

Jiang Ci relaxed his fingers, and the spoon clinked against the edge of the bowl, producing a crisp sound. "Are you planning to support me?"

Is four dishes enough, do you want any drinks

The corridor is the path leading to the conference room

At only seventeen years old, how can one show off? One is still just a child

The phone suddenly vibrated, bringing Liang Jingxing back to his senses

Who

Are you someone who consistently does good deeds? Is it a lingering occupational habit from the past?" Jiang Ci looked at him, "You know the saying, 'A favor of one rice grain can lead to a grudge of one rice measure. Aren't you afraid that I might just cling to you from now on?"

Jiang Ci noticed that his fingers were long, with distinct knuckles, and his nails were neatly and evenly trimmed

Liang Jingxing was momentarily at a loss for words

Is it fun

Upon getting into the car, Liang Jingxing turned the steering wheel and made a turn, returning to the company

Since I am bored, Jiang Ci started chatting with Liu Yuan: "Last time you mentioned where your hometown is, which part of Chongqing?"

Is he a university teacher

Jiang Ci took a glance and said softly: "Too much."

We have met several times in haste, and it is only today that I truly see his appearance.

Wuxi

Jiang Ci uttered a soft "Hmm," and asked, "How old is your boss this year?"

After the documents were copied, Liang Jingxing turned off the printer and placed the original documents and the copies into a kraft paper bag. Just as he reached the door, he paused, turned back, and glanced down the corridor.

Liang Jingxing pointed at the sago pudding

On the other end of the phone, Chen Juefei let out a long yawn, "Uncle, you certainly got this contract done quickly; it has already been nearly two hours."

After a while, Jiang Ci slowly raised her eyes and asked, "Is your boss married?"

Liu Yuan waved his hand and said, "Of course not, he is from Chongcheng. He helped me a lot when he came to the factory for an interview, and that's how we got to know each other"

Jiang Ci asked again: "So how did you get to know him? Your boss is not from Wuxi, right?"

Liang Jingxing placed the contract into the printer, not responding to the question, "Why are you still not asleep?"

Jiang Ci glanced at him, "He used to be a journalist?"

You falling ill midway can be considered a form of compensation

After a moment of silence, Liang Jinghang said in a deep voice: "If you are worried about the tuition fees..."

Without waiting for a response, he took out a cigarette case from his pocket, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and casually opened the window. The sultry night breeze flowed in, and a faint blue smoke spiraled up, creating a separation between the two.

The topic shifted suddenly, and Liu Yuan was momentarily taken aback, pausing for a moment, "Twenty-nine."

Liu Yuan shook his head even faster, as if he wanted to shake it off from his frail body, "I am not either!"

Jiang Ci fell silent for a few seconds before speaking again, "You are not an ordinary employee, are you"

No

Liang Jingxing chuckled, fixing his gaze on her eyes, "Can you do it?"

As Jiang Ci sipped her tea, she took the opportunity to silently observe Liang Jingxing.

This man has a certain charm, but it is a charm that is difficult to articulate, as in real life, she has never seen it in any other man before

After a long silence, Jiang Ci was just about to speak when Liang Jingxing gently waved his hand and said calmly, "There is no rush"

Liang Jingxing's voice was flat: "Aren't you going to roll down and buy it yourself?"

Liu Yuan quickly shook his head, "No, Brother Liang, I want to go back early"

Liang Jingxing glanced at her and asked, "Do you have any dietary restrictions?"

Liu Yuan shook his head, "No."

That is also quite a lot

Jiang Ci stood still

The term "finally" is indeed a source of great anger and resentment. Liang Jingxing could not help but glance at Jiang Ci, who was sitting upright in her chair, her expression calm and composed, completely unlike someone who had committed any heinous acts.

Chen Juefei chuckled and said, "I am playing a game and cannot get away right now"

She hurried and delayed, and in the end, she completed it only one day later than the agreed time

At that moment, Liang Jinghang pushed the door open and entered. Liu Yuan immediately jumped up from his chair, "Brother Liang, you finally arrived"

Liu Yuan's face was completely flushed, "Miss Jiang, please stop teasing me."

Photography assistant, help him drive, carry the camera and DSLR lenses, and so on

His gaze was evasive, as if he was quite sensitive to the term "homosexuality". Jiang Ci, curious, asked, "Isn't your boss? Could it be that you are?"

Jiang Ci turned around, and Liu Yuan stood at the door, waving his phone. "The boss just called and said he wants to treat you to dinner, personally handing you the money! Come in and wait for a moment!"

Liu Yuan's face turned red with a "whoosh", and Jiang Ci was slightly surprised, "Did I guess it right?"

Jiang Ci curled her lips and said, "Then why are you blushing?"

The night was quiet, with the entire office building enveloped in stillness, save for a few floors that still had their lights on. Liang Jinghang retrieved a contract from the drawer of his office while simultaneously turning on one side of the printer. As he waited for the printer to warm up, he suddenly recalled something and got up to head towards the conference room

Jiang Ci picked up the ceramic spoon, took a spoonful and fed it to her mouth, mumbling something softly. Liang Jingxing did not hear clearly and asked again.

Jiang Ci looked at him and asked, "Is he gay?"

Liang Jingxing suddenly remembered that she was about to enter her third year of high school, "Which art academy are you planning to apply to?"

Liu Yuan took the bag off her back, placed it at the front desk, and brought her a chair

An age difference of twelve years is sufficient to make a man appear calm and composed, with a measured approach to his actions. This statement straddles the line between a question and a rhetorical question, clearly indicating that he does not care how Jiang Ci responds, as either answer would not affect him in the slightest

The sun was already slanting to the west, yet the heat had not dissipated; the white cement ground, baked by the sun all day, was radiating waves of heat. The large bag felt like a heavy stone pressing down on her back. After only a few steps, Jiang Ci was already sweating profusely. Just as she was about to cross the street, a voice suddenly called out from behind her: "Miss Jiang!"

The dining place is in a private restaurant with a unique courtyard, and in the distance, there is a slanted bridge and a painted pavilion, with faint sounds of silk and bamboo instruments and flowing water.

Liang Jingxing walked back to the office, "I encountered someone on the way and first sent her back."