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10 — The Summit

◎ She has a date with me ◎

The next afternoon, Lu Shiyin received a call from Xiao Ting. She thought something might have happened to Zhong Jiajia, but the sweet voice on the other end said, “Sister Shiyin, madam made a few extra jars of honey lemon tea. I was going to bring some to you. Are you home?”

Lu Shiyin had been working all week and had completely forgotten about last weekend.

She hadn’t been back to her own place for a week. Who knows how dusty it had gotten? So she compromised and suggested meeting at a café halfway.

Just as she was about to leave the Lu residence, Lu Zhengguo was in the courtyard practicing tai chi in a white tunic.

She waited for a break in his routine to say goodbye. Lu Zhengguo took a sip from his thermos, then finally spoke, “Come back with little Cheng more often when you’re free. Always running off to the Cheng family’s old estate makes it seem like you don’t have your own home.”

She was a bit surprised. Even if this rare warmth was thanks to the project’s success, she still hoped it would last a little longer.

“Alright,” she replied.

—

At the café, Xiao Ting had already arrived and was sitting by the window. When she saw Lu Shiyin walk in, she waved her over.

As soon as they sat down, Xiao Ting handed over two large bags. “These are all made by madam. I just helped out. They’re good for autumn—calming and reducing internal heat.”

Lu Shiyin peeked inside. Everything was neatly packed in airtight containers—Zhong Jiajia’s style, for sure.

She didn’t know if this gesture came from Xiao Ting’s initiative or Zhong Jiajia’s sincere intent, but either way, she smiled from the heart. “Please thank my mom for me. She put in a lot of effort.”

She moved the bags down by her feet just as the waiter brought her espresso.

When she looked back at Xiao Ting, she noticed the necklace she was wearing—a classic Bvlgari coin-style pendant in rose gold. It really suited her.

“You look great wearing that,” Lu Shiyin said.

Xiao Ting touched the necklace and glanced down at it. “Thank you, Sister Shiyin. You always give me so many things.”

Lu Shiyin didn’t respond, waiting for what she’d say next.

Xiao Ting continued, “I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. I wasn’t sure if I’d pass. I thought I’d wait for the preliminary exam results before saying anything.”

Lu Shiyin took a sip of coffee. Though she hadn’t completed university in China, she knew how the graduate exam process worked. “If your preliminary score is good, you’ll need to prepare for the interview. There’s not much time between the two. If you only tell us then, how are we supposed to find a replacement caregiver in time?”

She understood Xiao Ting’s mindset. She wasn’t trying to scold her—this was all very normal.

She paid Xiao Ting well. Zhong Jiajia was quiet and treated Xiao Ting kindly. Even if Xiao Ting slacked off occasionally, they didn’t make a fuss.

If she failed the exam, she could stay as if nothing had happened. But if she passed, all the trouble would be left to them.

Xiao Ting knew she was in the wrong and lowered her head, unsure what to say.

“I’m not blaming you, Xiao Ting. But you should’ve talked to me earlier so I could plan. Studying for exams while caring for my mom is very distracting. I need to question whether you still have the energy to care for her properly.”

It was true—people are selfish. When their own future takes priority, they naturally pay less attention to others. And given that Zhong Jiajia was disabled and in a vulnerable position, Lu Shiyin had every reason to worry she wouldn’t be properly looked after.

“Sister Shiyin, please don’t worry. I’ll do my best. I promise I’ll give it my all when caring for madam.”

Xiao Ting was earnest, but Lu Shiyin knew that pretty words were easy. Doing it was another matter.

Still, she had no choice but to rely on her for now.

“Xiao Ting, I really appreciate how well you’ve looked after my mom these past few years. We’re all very satisfied with you. I won’t stop you from pursuing your goals. I only ask one thing: please take good care of her. If there’s anything you can’t handle, call me right away.”

“You’re cooking and caring for her—probably too much for one person. I’ll hire another helper just for cooking, to lighten your load.”

Xiao Ting’s eyes welled up with tears. She choked up and nodded. “I understand… Madam treats me very well. I’ll do my best.”

Lu Shiyin softened her tone. “Alright, don’t cry. You’ve been out long enough. Go back—my mom needs you.”

Xiao Ting stood up, bowed deeply, and thanked her repeatedly before leaving.

Lu Shiyin rested her head on her hand, closed her eyes, and felt exhausted.

—

That morning, Cheng Jinghe had returned from a business trip to City B just in time for the business summit in City A.

This year, the summit was hosted by Sirun Group at Yinquan Garden.

After the morning sessions, guests would dine there as well.

Yinquan Garden was large and styled in traditional Chinese design. Cheng Jinghe was assigned to Pingshan Hall, the main VIP room.

He entered and saw many familiar faces. The main seat was taken by Yan Qianzhe, who was shaking hands and chatting with everyone.

Moments later, the door opened again, and Lu Qisheng’s arrival stirred another wave of attention.

Lu Qisheng had once held a key position in the business association of City A. When his term ended, he stepped down voluntarily, gaining admiration from his peers.

Compared to Cheng Jinghe’s calm composure, Lu Qisheng was more slick and shrewd—his words revealed nothing and left no loose ends.

Even when he had to answer seriously, he’d brush it off with a joke.

Upon seeing Cheng Jinghe, he pulled him over and placed a hand on his back. “You’ve probably all heard by now—the Cheng and Lu families are now joined by marriage. This is my nephew-in-law. Please look after him. The wedding date’s been picked. I hope you’ll all attend.”

Someone asked, “Lu family… is it the one who came back from overseas?”

“Yes, that’s her.”

“I vaguely remember her… can’t recall what she looks like now.”

“Don’t bother. I heard she’s a general manager at Mingchen now—totally unremarkable.”

…

With that, Lu Qisheng diverted attention from the questions he didn’t want to answer by putting Cheng Jinghe under the spotlight. People began teasing him about his marriage—and their older-woman-younger-man relationship.

Cheng Jinghe disliked discussing his personal life at such events. Their words carried clear disdain for Lu Shiyin, and he didn’t appreciate it.

But he wasn’t foolish either. He steered the conversation away and returned to his seat.

Lunch ended quickly. Some guests left, others stayed—Yinquan Garden also offered entertainment.

Cheng Jinghe and three others were hidden shareholders, so their identities weren’t publicly known.

He didn’t leave immediately, staying in the room until only the four of them remained.

Yan Qianzhe suddenly said, “Is it just me, or is it getting hot?”

Chu Yi replied, “Hot? No way. The weather’s perfect today.”

Lu Jingfan and Yan Qianzhe exchanged a look. “It is kind of warm.”

Yan Qianzhe added, “Why don’t you take off your shirt?”

Lu Jingfan leaned back. “No way!”

Cheng Jinghe was smoking. The white smoke rose between his fingers. He stubbed it out and looked through the haze at the two who were clearly acting, face expressionless.

They laughed and dropped the act.

Only Chu Yi remained clueless, asking what was going on. Yan Qianzhe shook his head. “Nothing at all.”

—

After finishing her coffee, Lu Shiyin put the bags in her trunk.

She hesitated before getting in the car. Not wanting to go home yet, she locked the car and bought a milk tea to sip while walking.

She hadn’t gone far before she noticed she was across the street from Yinquan Garden. The red carpet was laid out, hostesses in qipao stood at the entrance, and the central plaza fountain was on.

Traffic police were directing cars at the roadside.

She looked up and saw a huge banner.

After reading it, she thought: Ah, it’s the summit.

She quickly realized there was a high chance of running into acquaintances here and decided to leave fast.

But sometimes fate just isn’t on your side. She had just taken a step when a female voice called out:

“Lu Shiyin!”

The voice was full of surprise. She stopped and turned. The back window of a Mercedes rolled down, revealing a sharp-faced girl.

“It is you!”

Memories surged. Lu Shiyin took a deep breath.

The girl told the driver to stop, then got out. “Yinyin, when did you get back? I missed you so much! You’ve been abroad all this time and didn’t contact us!”

“Just the other day, I was telling Yingying and the others I wondered how you were doing—who knew I’d run into you today!”

Lu Shiyin subtly pulled her hand away and addressed her. “Wu Zihan.”

Wu Zihan was clearly excited. She pulled Lu Shiyin into a hug and even took her milk tea and sipped it. “Still your favorite!”

Lu Shiyin smiled faintly. “I was just about to leave.”

“Don’t! Have dinner with us tonight. I’ll call everyone over. We all missed you!”

“No,” she stepped back to keep some distance. “I have things to do…”

“What could be more important? Don’t tell me you’re blowing me off?” Wu Zihan fake-pouted and laughed exaggeratedly. “Still such a shy little thing—we were best friends!”

She took two steps closer. “What is it? Got all high and mighty after going abroad? Trying to keep distance from me now?”

Lu Shiyin inhaled and forced a strained “No.”

“Then it’s settled! We’re so close—what are you being shy about?” Wu Zihan pulled her back into another hug.

Wu Zihan was taller, making Lu Shiyin look small and delicate beside her.

The overpowering perfume on Wu Zihan made Lu Shiyin nauseous. She hated strong scents, and Wu Zihan always wore the most pungent kind.

Holding her breath, Lu Shiyin clenched one hand tightly and gripped her milk tea cup with the other, trembling slightly.

Wu Zihan, meanwhile, sent a voice message to a group chat: “Guess who I ran into?! Lu Shiyin! She’s back! Let’s go out tonight! Anyone who doesn’t come is no friend of mine!”

Then she started calling people. By the third call, her phone was suddenly snatched away, and the call cut off. The phone was casually tossed into the nearby lawn, bouncing before falling into a drainage grate.

Cheng Jinghe, face like thunder, pulled Lu Shiyin into his arms, placing a hand around her waist. “She has a date with me.”

Chu Yi, standing nearby, laughed. His tie was off and two buttons undone, looking carefree. Hands in his pockets, he raised an eyebrow at Wu Zihan and said playfully, “Oops, your phone fell into the sewer~”