Chapter 5

However, upon further reflection, it seems that it is not unusual for a man to appear with a woman, and the first question that came to mind was: "Who is this?"

Zheng Shuyi pursued her undergraduate studies in journalism at a financial university. During the first professional course upon enrollment, the teacher mentioned this person—Guan Xiangcheng

While speaking, she turned her head to glance around, her long hair lifted by the wind, her eyes sparkling, "These horses are so beautiful!"

As Zheng Shuyi was secretly criticizing, Shi Yan raised his hand to loosen his bow tie, and then began to answer Zheng Shuyi's questions

Zheng Shuyi paused her fingers, stopping her actions, carefully discerning whether the footsteps were approaching her.

Leaning against the partition, Zheng Shuyi laughed unabashedly.

"Have you finished asking?" Shi Yan suddenly turned her head to look at her

The logic in Shi Yan's words is very strong, with each point intricately connected. Each sentence is answered in succession; although the words are few, the amount of information is quite substantial. Zheng Shuyi does not dare to miss a single word and listens attentively.

Zheng Shuyi took out that set of clothes and, while choosing a fitting room, glanced over towards Shi Yan's side.

Shi Yan walked directly to the changing room. As she stepped through the door, she seemed to remember something and turned her head to look at Zheng Shuyi, who was behind her.

At first, Zheng Shuyi merely followed Shi Yan's gaze and felt that the old man's voice was somewhat familiar

He took off his glasses, his eyes slightly squinting

Do I really look so unattractive

Although it is a private stable, the changing room is indeed quite spacious, with four compartments on each side

He has arrived

Zheng Shuyi secretly broke into a sweat

However, today he clearly regarded Zheng Shuyi as someone brought by Shi Yan. Having just heard the back-and-forth conversation between the two, he likely formed a basic understanding of Zheng Shuyi in his mind, and his attitude towards her was not much different from that towards Shi Yan

She threw out topic after topic, leaving almost no time to think about where this car would be heading

After a moment of silence, Zheng Shuyi began to feel somewhat anxious and quietly raised her eyes to look at Shi Yan

In fact, the hand she placed at her side was already clenched into a fist

The door curtain barely covered the area from the chest to the ankles, and Shi Yan turned around, making eye contact with Zheng Shuyi.

How do I navigate through this desolate mountain wilderness

Under the gaze of Shi Yan, his eyes shifted downward, examining her face with a hint of curiosity for several inches

Her gaze gradually settled on his eyes

After chatting a bit about the industry, he changed the subject: "How long have you known Shiyan?"

Uncle Guan

Zheng Shuyi smiled brightly, her voice sweet, "Hmm! I will obediently wait."

Time banquet

Although the changing room was brightly lit, Shi Yan's gaze carried a hint of chill

Setting aside other factors, she has been preparing for this job for a long time, and the greater her expectations, the greater her apprehension.

The sound of footsteps is growing fainter, likely indicating that someone is about to leave

Two hours have passed

She took off her clothes and carefully changed into this riding outfit. Just as she was about to fasten the last button at the collar, she suddenly heard a sound of footsteps approaching

Unfortunately, it is not

The interior of the car remained persistently quiet. A cold breeze swept in, causing Zheng Shuyi to shiver unexpectedly

Although the voice is calm, it carries a warning undertone

It has been a long time without any news; they should have already left.

Unfortunately, there is a very tall storage cabinet in between, and she cannot see what is happening on the other side, nor does she know if Yan is still there

Standing outside the changing room at the racetrack, Guan Xiangcheng is present

As he drew closer, his features became clearer, and Zheng Shuyi suddenly realized that she indeed recognized him

Is there anything else?

It is quite difficult to follow his line of thought, as the demands on attention are nearly at the level of an examination. During this time, one must also analyze what he says to avoid asking repetitive questions that might make him laugh at one. Therefore, by the time Zheng Shuyi recorded the final key points, her palms were already covered with a fine layer of sweat

Zheng Shuyi admitted that when she sat down, she deliberately posed, managed her expression, and even subtly adjusted the position of her legs to look their best

Yet such scrutiny feels like torment, with each second stretching into infinity

After speaking, Shi Yan remained silent, still maintaining the appearance of resting with closed eyes

He no longer spoke much and went straight into the changing room, leaving only Guan Xiangcheng and Zheng Shuyi outside

Indeed, I collided with his gaze

I misspoke

When he spoke the first sentence, Zheng Shuyi had not yet come to her senses, paused for a moment, and immediately lowered her head to begin taking notes

Zheng Shuyi silently cursed under her breath, yet spoke sweetly, "I will record the entire process, and once the final draft is completed, I will specifically verify it with you"

As the banquet was about to leave, Zheng Shuyi hurriedly got out of the car to catch up.

Unexpectedly, Shi Yan did not avert her gaze. In this moment of eye contact, she was at a loss for what expression to wear, and could only blink her eyes.

Zheng Shuyi was momentarily taken aback before realizing what he meant

Zheng Shuyi, who harbored a guilty conscience, felt somewhat uneasy under his gaze and averted her eyes.

After a moment, Shi Yan seemed to have thought of something, letting out a barely audible snort through his nostrils, and then he withdrew his gaze.

Zheng Shuyi

In that moment, Shi Yan averted his gaze, opened the car door, bent down to exit the vehicle, and left behind a remark

Zheng Shuyi blinked her eyes, displaying an innocent demeanor, as if to say: "Guang Xiangcheng invited me, so what? Is there a problem?"

The changing room fell silent

Zheng Shuyi

His voice echoed clearly in the changing room

She pressed her lips together and said, "How about we talk about something else?"

Zheng Shuyi: "... ..."

He led a horse over, casually chatting with Zheng Shuyi while stroking its fur.

Zheng Shuyi: "... ..."

The next second

If you cannot ride, then do not ride

Zheng Shuyi was unsure whether there was any issue with the banquet; nonetheless, he merely displayed an ambiguous light smile and then ceased to engage with her, instead quickening his pace to follow Guan Xiangcheng.

I am afraid I might fall asleep at any moment

She does not know the degree of Shi Yan's eyesight, nor can she discern her inner beauty, thus her outer beauty must be clearly presented before him

Shi Yan stood beside the car, looking into the distance, seemingly having forgotten the presence of Zheng Shuyi

From the side, the lens cast a faint glow on his eyelashes, concealing any emotion, yet it was difficult to look away

What kind of godforsaken place is this where no birds lay eggs

Zheng Shuyi said she would not

The words that were originally to be spoken were held back, and Shi Yan furrowed his brows, thoughtfully observing Zheng Shuyi.

Zheng Shuyi's breathing was somewhat irregular, her hands resting behind her waist, her index finger anxiously stirring in everything. After waiting for a few seconds without hearing the other party speak, she steeled her heart and raised her head to look at Shi Yan

Guan Xiangcheng had a clear understanding in his heart, smiled and nodded, and patted the young horse in front of him, "Can you ride a horse?"

In open spaces, the wind is always particularly strong, sweeping through the woods with a whistling sound

"This is not even my best horse." Guan Xiangcheng immediately continued, regardless of how high one's status may be, at this age, one cannot help but feel the urge to show off their treasures, "The real treasures are inside."

This compliment may or may not be to flatter the occasion, but Zheng Shuyi accepted it with composure

Zheng Shuyi's fingers brushed against the belt, and she suddenly exclaimed: "President Shi!"

He pointed at Zheng Shuyi

She lowered her gaze, her expression shy, "We have not known each other for long"

By the time she finished asking all the content in the outline, the recording device indicated that one hour and fifty-six minutes had already passed

What is your question?

At the banquet, she turned her head and saw her looking ahead at the racetrack, her face filled with amazement, "This place is so beautiful!"

Guan Xiangcheng finished speaking and turned to walk inside, leaving Zheng Shuyi and Shi Yan behind.

Although Guan Xiangcheng has retired and seldom appears in public, his prestige remains as towering as Mount Tai, despite the vast distances.

As Shi Yan just began to speak, the woman beside him let out a small gasp.

Zheng Shuyi had a curious and expectant expression, how could Guan Xiangcheng not notice? He put away the whip in his hand and waved to the two, "Come on, come in."

Zheng Shuyi turned and entered the compartment

How do I tie this belt? Could you teach me how to do it?

Zheng Shuyi raised her head and glanced at Shi Yan, noticing that the other party's expression was calm, in contrast to her own nervousness.

However, at this moment, the car window is open, and the cold wind, which is almost winter, is rushing into the car as if it were free

Zheng Shuyi suddenly withdrew her gaze: "I have finished reading."

Zheng Shuyi did not understand what this meant, so she could only look back as well

He slowly sat up straight, raised his hand to adjust his tie, and his gaze towards her became obscure and ambiguous

Before the banquet began, Zheng Shuyi took the initiative to speak, saying: "Hello, Mr. Guan, I am Zheng Shuyi, a reporter for Caijing Weekly"

After a brief introduction, Guan Xiang immediately turned to his guest for today and said cheerfully, "I thought you were coming alone and hadn't prepared anything. Girls rarely come to this shabby place."

To be precise, it should be a one-sided understanding of this prominent figure in the financial world

The vehicle gradually came to a stop at this moment

Time banquet : `` ... ... ''

Regarding Guan Xiangcheng's identity, she is confident that during the banquet, she will not need to provide further explanations in front of him, nor will she bring trivial matters akin to children's quarrels to the forefront, which is why she dares to act this way

From then on, the name "Guan Xiangcheng" permeated Zheng Shuyi's entire university life and was frequently mentioned after he entered the workforce, with his image and voice filling television, magazines, and newspapers everywhere

His series of actions was so swift that Zheng Shuyi momentarily felt dazed before awakening from the tension of their earlier gaze

Zheng Shuyi pressed her hands against the car window, feeling flustered and anxious

From the meaning of these words, Zheng Shuyi realized that he had misunderstood her as having come together with Shi Yan, and he probably also thought that their relationship was not ordinary

It seems as if she is truly an innocent girl captivated by the allure of the scenery

Just as the thought finished, with a "bang," the sound of the door closing echoed, accompanied by a gust of wind that lifted a corner of the curtain in front of Zheng Shuyi.

The car continued to speed along, ascending the mountain road, entering the tunnel, and navigating the interchange, while Zheng Shuyi never lifted her head to notice the changes outside the window

The changing room is fitted with wooden flooring, which muffles the sound significantly

Is it true

Expanses of grassland, rows of wooden fence posts, with a few horses scattered about grazing in between, and the trees at the end are a dull yellow. The sky is overcast with a mass of gray clouds, giving the impression that they are about to descend upon that patch of woodland at any moment

Riding a horse

Riding horses is inherently distant from daily life. Even if it were not for the occasion, Zheng Shuyi's curiosity still exists. Therefore, the surprise at this moment is entirely genuine, and with a sense of excitement, she followed Guan Xiangcheng into the changing room

Guan Xiangcheng turned and pointed towards the changing room, saying, "There are some of my wife's old clothes inside. If you don't mind, you can make do and wear them. Since you are here, you might as well learn a thing or two."

Zheng Shuyi stood behind him and asked, "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Zheng Shuyi retrieved the outline book

A set of red equestrian attire is hanging in the cabinet; judging by the luster of the buttons, it seems to be somewhat old, yet the material is of very high quality, and the tailoring is quite sharp

After listening to Zheng Shuyi, Shi Yan turned his head slightly, resting his chin down, and cast a light glance at Zheng Shuyi.

Guan Xiangcheng led her to a cabinet, opened the door, and a faint fragrance wafted in the air

She immediately looked up and gazed out of the car window

The moment at the banquet paused for a moment, and he turned his head to look over.

If it were not for my ulterior motives towards you, I would have insisted that you explain the meaning of your micro-expression today

"Financial Weekly," huh..." Guan Xiangcheng nodded slightly, "I have an impression of you. I have read a few of your articles; they are well-written and insightful. I didn't expect you to be such a young girl in person"

Say

It coincidentally met the gaze of Shi Yan

You can change it; my wife's figure is similar to yours, so it should fit well

At the banquet, attention was focused on the phone, and Zheng Shuyi was not noticed

The silhouette of the banquet seemed to inscribe the bold words "indifference"

Zheng Shuyi feels that her performance this time is simply worthy of an Oscar, a Chinese version of it

Zheng Shuyi lowered her head, her fingers gently stroking the cuff, while her mind raced with calculations.

Shi Yan leaned back in the chair, eyes closed, not moving his lips, merely responding to Zheng Shuyi's words with a soft "mm".

At that moment, Shi Yan raised his head, and an elderly man with white hair, dressed in equestrian attire, approached them briskly

Just met today

The place where she is now should be Guan Xiangcheng's private horse ranch

Just as she was about to speak, Shi Yan turned around, lifted his eyelids, and said, "You may leave now"

She looked up and smiled: "You flatter me."

If they are strangers, Guan Xiangcheng maintains his identity and is the least talkative type of person

Upon suddenly encountering a strange woman, Guan Xiangcheng instinctively slowed his pace, taking a moment to observe her more closely

After waiting for a few seconds, footsteps sounded again

Guan Xiangcheng was leisurely walking over here, holding a genuine leather whip in his hand, and his gaze gradually noticed Zheng Shuyi beside him

She closed the pen cap, pretending that nothing had happened, and with her head down, flipped through the notebook, trying to cover up the embarrassment of being caught secretly watching him.

The person beside her remained silent, yet Zheng Shuyi could feel his gaze upon her

The sound of footsteps seems to be getting farther away

The already tranquil interior of the car seemed even quieter

One should develop in a cautious and prudent manner

Zheng Shuyi looked at Shi Yan with a smile, seemingly without any ulterior motive, after all, many journalists often use such questions to lighten the atmosphere at the end of an interview

Just as he was about to speak, a male voice came from not far away

The theme of this interview primarily revolves around the role of the Renminbi as a pillar currency in Asian monetary cooperation, as well as the role it plays in the East Asian region. First, I would like to ask you to discuss what preparations you believe a large commercial bank needs to make in advancing the internationalization process of the Renminbi

Oh my goodness

Of course, Zheng Shuyi has also heard that Guan Xiangcheng's greatest hobby is equestrianism

He pressed his eyelid and said, "I will go in to change my clothes"

However, a few seconds later, she realized something was amiss

She felt that gaze following her back, and she frowned, quickening her pace

Zheng Shuyi released her hand and quickly began to arrange her hair

Zheng Shuyi had lost all her thoughts, quietly tucked her legs in, tightened her coat, took out the voice recorder, cleared her throat, and said: "Mr. Shi, shall I start recording now?"

Guan Xiangcheng finished speaking and then walked out

The footsteps outside have stopped

She walked behind Guan Xiangcheng, and as she passed by a partition, she turned her head and saw Shi Yan behind the door curtain

Mr. Shi, there is one last question