Chapter 90

Shang Mingbao’s birthday was spent in New York.

Every year, her birthday was celebrated with a flurry of parties and events. Brands would compete to host small birthday gatherings, often booking months in advance to offer custom, limited-edition designs. These events were filled with elaborate gestures and delicate details, from silk-gloved hands presenting jewelry to explaining the significance of custom embroidery. Given her long-standing relationships with these brands, Shang Mingbao rarely declined their offers.

Occasionally, her friends in Hong Kong would complain, questioning why she stayed in New York during summer when she could easily return to Hong Kong.

During her years studying in New York, after drifting apart from Liao Yunuo, Shang Mingbao organized only one birthday party herself. Two classmates from Hong Kong and two more from Europe joined her, and Sophie hosted the event at a vacation villa in the Hamptons.

American parties often grew chaotic, with the guest list expanding to include more people than anyone knew. In the end, the focus was more on drinking than on who was hosting or celebrating.

On that day, Xiang Feiran was present but kept a low profile. Shang Mingbao, trying to escape her friends’ attempts to get her drunk and their probing questions, sought him out, smelling of cake and alcohol.

The villa was in disarray. Every room she checked seemed to have people kissing. After going through all three floors, she pushed Xiang Feiran against the wall in the stairwell, laughing uncontrollably.

The green-striped wallpaper and the soft glow of the gilded wall lamps contrasted with the musty smell of the sea-affected wood.

In her own birthday party and house, not finding a quiet spot to talk and kiss her boyfriend seemed absurdly amusing.

Shang Mingbao laughed so much she could hardly stand, and Xiang Feiran had to support her. He playfully teased her, saying their academic circle had never seen such a scene.

He was actually feeling jealous, suddenly noticing how many noticeable young men were around her.

They eventually stopped at a corner outside the villa, breathless and a bit drunk. They kissed, paused, and kissed again while talking about trivial matters, listening to the sound of the waves.

That night had no stars. Shang Mingbao vividly remembered the clouds parting to reveal a few distant stars, but none compared to the way Xiang Feiran looked at her.

Inside the villa, amid the chaos, she took his hand and asked if he could meet her friends and close ones.

It was their second year together, and both were grappling with his refusal to marry and her need for an arranged marriage. Despite their strong feelings for each other, they both took a step back for the other’s sake.

One asked, “Would it be inconvenient?”

The other replied, “Maybe we can discuss it later.”

This seemed like a small reflection of their many years of misalignment.

After that party, Shang Mingbao never hosted another. Her third birthday was spent in the frozen tundra of Rocky Mountain National Park, where the thin air and altitude provided a refreshing break from the summer heat, almost like spring.

Xiang Feiran had carefully planned this trip, driving her there to escape the unbearable heat of July on the plains. The area, a kingdom of wildflowers, was uniquely hers.

Above the treeline, on the grassy slopes, forest edges, and perennial frozen ground, Arctic gentian bloomed in clusters. These small, resilient flowers, with their white and green hues, were a beautiful contrast to the rugged landscape. Looking out from the wildflower slope, the surrounding peaks and snowfields were majestic, and the lichen on the rocks displayed a mottled dark red.

Shang Mingbao felt more like a princess in the wilderness than she ever did in VIP rooms, parties, or grand castle estates.

In their tent, she asked why the gentian flowers bloom in the sunshine but close up on cloudy days.

This was her first time discussing the outdoors with him, and Xiang Feiran had played coy about the answer. He was surprised that, after two years, Shang Mingbao had never sought out the answer herself.

“Didn’t you ever look it up?” he asked, somewhat amused and exasperated.

Shang Mingbao felt more like a princess in the wilderness than she ever did in VIP rooms, parties, or grand estates.

In their tent, she asked why gentian flowers bloom in the sun but close up on cloudy days.

It was their first discussion about the outdoors, and Xiang Feiran had previously teased her with the answer. He was surprised that after two years, Shang Mingbao had never looked it up herself.

“Didn’t you ever search for it?” he asked, amused and somewhat incredulous.

“I wanted to look it up, but since you were the one who brought it up, I kept waiting for your answer,” Shang Mingbao replied with a certain innocence in her logic.

Xiang Feiran was incredulous as he explained that not all gentian flowers have this mechanism. The reason they close up on cloudy days is to protect their reproductive processes from rain. If it rains heavily, the funnel-shaped flowers can collect water, which would be disastrous for their reproduction. The petals close to prevent rainwater from disrupting pollination and seed formation.

His serious explanation seemed oddly out of place in the casual setting of the tent, but Shang Mingbao took the knowledge to heart, vividly remembering it.

On another birthday, she was in Boston. She had flown there ahead of time and jumped into his arms when he returned to pack his bags.

She would never forget his stunned expression and the deep, passionate look in his eyes after the initial shock. At that moment, Shang Mingbao felt he would do anything for her.

Her feelings quickly intensified after a phone call from Wen Youyi, only to wilt just as fast upon hearing the word “husband” from her.

Subsequent birthdays blurred together, celebrated via phone and video calls from different locations.

In her apartment on West 56th Street, Shang Mingbao reflected on these memories in just ten seconds before signing the real estate contract and receiving the keys. The co-op apartment was a complicated purchase, and she had paid far above market price.

After signing, she went to Wendy’s club.

Wendy, who was visibly upset, had invited prominent figures for her birthday party. Two globally renowned actresses had flown in from Los Angeles, but Shang Mingbao arrived in casual clothes.

The security assumed she would change into formal wear inside the club and did not stop her, but someone had informed Wendy.

Wendy intercepted her before she entered the ballroom, trying to maintain a smile. “Dear, this is your birthday party.”

Ignoring the dress code felt like a slap in the face.

Shang Mingbao said, “I’m not continuing with the Glory brand. I’ve canceled my lease on the Fifth Avenue club, and there are some banking issues to sort out. For any concerns, contact my lawyer.”

She handed Wendy a business card from a Hong Kong firm rather than the prestigious Wall Street lawyer Wendy had recommended.

Wendy took the card with a strained smile, her eyes narrowing in discomfort. “Darling, I’ve always thought you were mature and independent. You shouldn’t handle our business like this. Don’t be upset, okay?”

Wendy’s haughty demeanor had never changed since their first meeting, but Shang Mingbao had grown indifferent to the nuances of their interactions. She sighed and smiled, “When you and your high-society friends and lawyers were indulging me, wasn’t that treating me like a child? If that’s the case, then this is how it is.”

She shrugged, “Sorry, I don’t understand.”

Wendy was taken aback. “You—”

Shang Mingbao nodded, “Goodbye, my friend.”

She genuinely considered Wendy a friend, appreciating her straightforwardness despite the pretense. Shang Mingbao had long ceased to distinguish the sincerity from the facade.

The party continued brightly inside the club. Wendy, forced to maintain her composure, calmed the guests while the orchestral music drifted through the windows.

Shang Mingbao took one last look at the scene before she left in a taxi, not looking back.

That night, the doorbell of the Upper East Side villa rang frantically.

The maid reported that it was Master Wu, and Sophie was about to find an excuse to send him away. However, Shang Mingbao stood up from the sofa and said, “Let him in.”

As the door opened, Wu Baiyan hurried through the foyer and saw Shang Mingbao standing by the coffee table.

Wu Baiyan, anxious from his rushed trip, saw her and asked, “I was delayed with some company matters. Wendy said you’re quitting?”

“Yes, I’m not staying in New York,” Shang Mingbao replied.

“Why?” Wu Baiyan was shocked. “You’ve been running around for months. Are you just quitting now? What about the penalties?”

“I can afford them,” Shang Mingbao said casually.

Wu Baiyan sighed in relief and nodded. “I’ll handle things with Wendy.”

“No need,” Shang Mingbao smiled. “My lawyer will deal with her.”

Wu Baiyan sensed something amiss. “Babe… what’s wrong?”

“I’m fine. I’ve decided to move back to Hong Kong. It’ll be closer to Xiang Feiran.”

“What?” Wu Baiyan couldn’t believe it. “Aren’t you two broken up?”

Shang Mingbao smiled and shook her head gently, “Alan, your information is really up-to-date. Who told you? Which of my servants did you bribe?”

The maid standing at the entrance of the living room subtly changed her expression.

“Was it Sophie?” Shang Mingbao’s gaze shifted over.

Sophie was devastated by the question and look, “Babe!”

“You didn’t, I know,” Shang Mingbao said with a smile, “You’ve been with me since I was young; how could I doubt you?”

Sophie’s palms were sweating, and she suddenly deflated, “I thought Master Wu was someone you trusted since childhood. Sometimes there are difficulties I can’t help you with…”

Shang Mingbao nodded, “I don’t blame you; it’s my fault for leading you to make the wrong judgment, but Rinna…”

She looked at the maid at the door, “What do you have to say?”

Wu Baiyan took a deep breath, “I just wanted to understand your recent situation. If you don’t like it, I won’t ask again.”

Shang Mingbao instructed Rinna, “Go to my wardrobe, the bottom drawer of the jewelry cabinet, there’s a pink diamond and a design draft. Bring them to me.”

The maid went as instructed, her steps weak, and after taking out the bare stone, she placed it on the design draft, holding the draft with both hands.

“Miss…” She trembled, her face ashen.

“Go, deliver it to Master Wu yourself.”

Rinna left and handed them over, “Master Wu…”

Wu Baiyan irritably twisted his bow tie, “What does this mean?”

“You asked me to help you choose and design it. Did you forget? I haven’t found a suitable craftsman, so I couldn’t help you realize it. You should find someone yourself.”

It was a very dynamic design draft, but Wu Baiyan only glanced at it, “Shang Mingbao, don’t you know what I meant when I did this?”

“I don’t.”

“I said this was the gemstone and ring I wanted to give to my future girlfriend for a proposal, worth one million dollars,” Wu Baiyan looked into her eyes, “I wouldn’t give it to anyone but you.”

Shang Mingbao shook her head, “I wouldn’t design a diamond ring for myself, just as no wedding planner would plan their own wedding.”

Wu Baiyan’s face darkened, and he grabbed the stone and draft from Rinna’s hands, “Shang Mingbao, where did I fall short? From eighteen to now, six years with you, and six years from me! I’ve shopped with you, talked with you, helped you with difficulties, and I feel sad when you cry!” Wu Baiyan pointed at his chest, “You’ve ended things with him, why can’t you try accepting me?”

“Because I don’t like you!” Shang Mingbao suddenly shouted, her voice echoing in the large, luxurious house, “I don’t like you! How many times do I have to say it!”

In front of so many servants, Wu Baiyan was embarrassed, his face turning from dark to pale, cold.

“You like how I treat you, and then? You tricked me with Wendy, played house with me, bribed my servants, and monitored my schedule! You’re like a fly! A fly that won’t go away, no matter how much you swat at it!”

Seeing Wu Baiyan’s face turn white, Sophie felt a pang of sympathy and wanted to persuade Shang Mingbao to relent, but thinking about her own mistakes and Shang Mingbao’s intense anger, she remained silent.

“Wendy…” Wu Baiyan’s tone became frantic, “Wendy isn’t playing house! You want to start a high jewelry club in New York, she’s the best choice. You’re Shang Mingbao, investors would naturally want to come to you. They don’t understand your designs and blueprints, so what’s wrong with using the most convenient way to achieve the goal? Your goal is to get things done; why care about the intentions of the intermediaries?”

Shang Mingbao looked at him with deep disappointment, understanding the final piece of the puzzle about this game of pretense.

“You’re too kind…” She clenched her fists, every nerve in her body tense, “Thank you.”

“Babe, babe, don’t be angry about this, okay?” Wu Baiyan tried to calm her, “I was wrong, I shouldn’t have acted on your behalf without telling you, but I had no ill intentions. I just wanted to protect you. Remember, in Sri Lanka, I could really die for you, even if Xiang Feiran was there, he wouldn’t do more than I did!”

Shang Mingbao felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion and calm, “Leave, Alan. I won’t give you another chance to cling to me.”

Wu Baiyan was thoroughly panicked, “Shang Mingbao! I’m one of the people your father thinks highly of—”

“That’s because he’s blind!” Shang Mingbao shouted with her eyes closed, “Get him out!”

“…”

The bodyguards came forward politely to ask him to leave. But Wu Baiyan didn’t give up, trying one last time: “I know you’re heartbroken from breaking up with Xiang Feiran. Calm down for a while, okay? Give me time, and I’ll prove to you that I will never hurt you…”

Shang Mingbao looked at him with a numbing indifference, “You exacerbated the situation and made me separate from Xiang Feiran. That’s the greatest harm.”

“You blame me?” Wu Baiyan was incredulous.

“I blame myself—show him out.”

The girl he had pursued for six years, who was a year older but whom he always treated like a younger sister, turned her back on him, ignoring his struggles and curses, and his repeated pleas. She only left him with a cold, emotionless back.

When the door closed, Shang Mingbao crouched down.

“Sophie, I lost two friends today…”

She covered her eyes, her hot, tired breaths filling her palms.

There were still too many accounts left unsettled, friendships, love, affection, and interests—how could they be settled clearly… How weak she was, hesitant and appeasing, afraid of hurting friends’ feelings. How weak yet radiant she was, attracting so many covetous eyes and delusions. She and Xiang Feiran were just people traveling with jewels at night.

As the clock approached midnight, marking the end of her twenty-fifth birthday, she didn’t receive a “Happy Birthday” from Xiang Feiran.

“Can you wish me a happy birthday?”

The green cursor blinked in the WeChat chat window.

As midnight passed and the bell tolled, the message remained unsent.

—

“Happy Birthday, Shang Mingbao.”

Under that night sky, there was no echo.

—

She didn’t want to fly anymore.

This was the only thought that surfaced after landing in Hong Kong again.

Wen Youyi came to pick her up at the airport. Seeing Shang Mingbao’s face brought her some relief. Compared to her previous dazed state, she now appeared resolute and clear-headed.

Starting over again, Shang Mingbao felt uncertain but no longer anxious.

“Do you want to be a jeweler or a jewelry designer? You need to decide,” Shang Shao asked her at the heart of Deep Water Bay Pavilion. “Even if it’s an independent brand serving a niche market, you can’t handle PR, marketing, operations, procurement, design, and production all by yourself. Modern companies have many specialized departments for a reason, not to have one person juggle everything from start to finish.”

Shang Mingbao reflected, “In New York, PR and market/client resources were managed by Wendy, but I did spend a lot of time maintaining them.”

Talking endlessly about material aesthetics with celebrities and socialites had nearly made her sick.

“Forget it, you also handled sales,” Shang Shao nodded. “Not bad, a business genius.”

“Brother!” Shang Mingbao was irritated. “My plan includes hiring people for those roles too!”

“Useless, because you haven’t streamlined the process. Either you drive them to exhaustion, or they operate independently. You were indeed just playing house in New York, but I didn’t expect you to deceive investors,” Shang Shao pondered seriously. “Has Wall Street’s level dropped so drastically?”

Shang Mingbao: …

“Clarify your position. If you enjoy gemstones and design, then focus on that and find a professional team to build the brand. If you want to build a brand, then thoroughly understand the entire industry chain. I hear you look down on our family’s jewelry group?”

Shang Shao’s first assignment at the group was as an assistant president at the jewelry division. Though it was only for a year, he understood how that part of the business functioned smoothly and efficiently.

Shang Mingbao stubbornly replied, “I don’t like gold and diamonds.”

“Do you understand the entire business operation process? Cost control? Customer profiling, annual PR and media plans, competitors? Pricing? The product lifecycle, supplier database, store operations?”

Shang Mingbao: …

“You don’t want to understand these things.”

Shang Mingbao shook her head vigorously. “I don’t want to at all.”

Shang Shao tapped his leg, pondering. “So, what is your instinct? What’s the basic drive behind wanting to do this?”

“I enjoy it, feel a sense of achievement from creating with nature’s gifts, and want more people to see my products.”

“So, in New York, you wanted to set up a club, using social connections to shortcut your way into the high-end jewelry circle.”

Shang Mingbao nodded.

“Does serving them give you the freedom to realize your design ideals?”

“Somewhat… not much, but maybe more in the future,” Shang Mingbao admitted.

In that circle, design is a bit like the emperor’s new clothes—what’s not there can be claimed to be present, and what’s present can be denied. The buzz often overshadows the design itself, so most independent brands are led by people who left luxury brands with years of fashion industry resources and reputation, and their investments mostly come from major fashion groups.

“You’ve taken the long route. Unless you only want to make million-dollar pieces.”

Shang Mingbao looked at him in confusion.

Shang Shao’s gaze returned. “How about opening a store in Mingxian’s hotel first?”

“Ah!” Shang Mingbao exclaimed, covering her face, her mouth slightly open.

“What?”

“You’re so smart, brother! Oh my god! Brother, brother, brother!” She felt enlightened and at the same time, found the situation amusing. Was there a more suitable place for her to test the waters?

Shang Shao found her as noisy as a flamingo, stood up from the pavilion, and asked casually, “Why didn’t you ask Shang Yuye about these questions? Didn’t he discuss this with you before?”

Shang Mingbao was puzzled. “No, he said New York was fine.”

Shang Shao lowered his gaze and said abruptly, “He wanted you to face some setbacks.”

And lose investors’ money. Hmm.

“Go talk to Dad again. I’m not very clear about your developments over the past two years; I might be biased.” Shang Shao finished the last bit of bird food, opened the wet towel on the tray, and slowly wiped his hands.

“No, I don’t want to deal with him for now,” Shang Mingbao said coldly.

Shang Shao smiled slightly.

“What are you laughing at…”

“At his lack of memory.”

With Shang Lu first, then Shang Shao, and now Shang Mingbao, Shang Yuye had mishandled the marital affairs of his three children in a row.

“So, about Xiang Feiran,” Shang Shao paused for a moment and asked, “Is there any follow-up?”

Shang Mingbao’s expression quickly darkened, like embers on ashes.

“I don’t know,” she said softly.

“Just consider it a life experience,” Shang Shao said with a detached attitude, which was consistent with his view on romantic matters over the past two years.

“Do you all think like this?” Shang Mingbao asked, raising her head in confusion.

“I think he himself thinks that way too.”

Her elder brother said so casually.

Shang Mingbao’s heart, which had undergone surgery, thudded sharply.

It wasn’t… it wasn’t like this… She wanted to argue, but Shang Shao had already walked away, and she didn’t know who to argue with.

At the end of August, Fang Suining, who had finished his holiday, was preparing to return to Paris and had invited Shang Mingbao to dinner in Ning City.

Shang Mingbao had been staying at a house in Ning City provided by Shang Lu and was currently looking for a new place. When she received the invitation, she felt a stir of emotions but didn’t dare to think too much about it.

Fang Suining had chosen a high-end Japanese restaurant for the meeting. The sliding door opened to a typical sunken-style private room. Fang Suining had arrived earlier, and a pair of women’s shoes were left at the entrance of the room. Shang Mingbao took off her canvas shoes, greeted Fang Suining, and sat down opposite her.

The waiter presented the menu, introduced the specials of the day, poured tea for both of them, and then left the room.

“You look well,” Suining remarked, sipping her hot tea, her gaze slightly unfocused.

“Perhaps it’s still the climate in Hong Kong that suits me,” Shang Mingbao said, lowering her eyes and smiling faintly.

She could tell from Fang Suining’s words that there was an underlying meaning. But since she was the one who initiated the breakup and made the decision, expressing how much she missed him would seem insincere and disrespectful. So, she chose to brush it off lightly.

They chatted for a while, sharing recent updates, without noticing a faint sound of footsteps just outside the sliding door.

The light cast the shadow of a figure on the door’s paper surface, which Xiang Feiran mistook for Fang Suining.

Although he saw a pair of canvas shoes at the entrance of the room, which were women’s shoes, he assumed they belonged to Fang Suining’s classmate and didn’t think much of it. Fang Suining had been eager to introduce him to new women and complained that he was over thirty, which worried the market. Despite rejecting her several times, she often acted without prior notice, which was consistent with her personality.

It was the weekend, and he had driven over from the mountains, dressed casually without any special grooming. After removing his shoes, Xiang Feiran opened the sliding door and leaned in slightly.

“Sorry for being late,” he said, lifting his eyes casually.

This high-end Japanese restaurant was very quiet, with no rotating tables, only private rooms. The sound of water trickling in the hall, where bamboo tubes were filled with water and sank to the end with a thud on the black rocks, created a meditative atmosphere.

Shang Mingbao held her tea cup, her red lips slightly parted as reflected by the black pottery.

“Feiran…”

She only formed this lip shape, unable to speak.

It had been two months since their breakup, and they hadn’t had any contact. She had no idea about his current situation. Shang Mingbao wanted to gaze at him for a long time, taking in his broad chest under the black T-shirt, his pale skin and slightly drooping forehead hair, and the hand resting on the sliding door.

Xiang Feiran’s gaze lingered on her face for a moment before turning to Fang Suining with a neutral expression.

Fang Suining stared at him, silently pleading with her eyes for him not to leave.

Xiang Feiran gave a slight nod, not sparing Shang Mingbao a second glance, his expression unchanged. He simply said “Sorry” politely—

And then he retreated, closing the sliding door decisively.