Countless people envied Liang Yufeng's "defiance of fate." The Xu family members were not convinced by him, but they had to rely on him for a living. Even Madam Xu, who had once pointed at his nose and called him a bastard, now had to endure and treat him with utmost respect. Seeing their dissatisfaction but their inability to express it, Liang Yufeng once again savored the sweetness of power.
As Xu Zhengxi had said, no one could resist this feeling. He now understood why Xu Zhengxi had laughed like that when he heard him say, "Power cannot buy affection." Recalling it now, he felt he had been naive and childish.
The higher one climbed, the colder it became. The lives of those in power were glorious, yet filled with schemes. Especially for someone of his background, countless people wanted to bring him down. A moment's carelessness could lead him into a trap.
Liang Yufeng trusted no one and handled many matters personally, sleeping only three to four hours a day.
When he was tired, he would look through his old phone. On the domestic phone he used in college, he still had photos taken during his passionate period with Lan Lan.
Late at night, he would drink whiskey, swirling the bottle, his gaze fixed on the photos. He hadn't dated anyone since her. It was as if he had lost the ability to love. Yet, seeing her photo still stirred a sense of being struck, whether it was lingering affection or an unresolved, unwilling heart.
Liang Yufeng logged into WeChat, which he hadn't used in a long time, and found Lan Lan's number. He could still see her recent WeChat Moments. Lan Lan had not blocked him. She was always like this; after breaking up, she would simply forget his existence and wouldn't mind having his number in her contacts.
Liang Yufeng scrolled through all of Lan Lan's WeChat Moments posted since they broke up. The quantity was not large, but he could still glimpse her general life through this content.
She had already graduated with a master's degree and started working at a top securities firm in the country. After a year of work, her position seemed to be quite good. During this time, she also appeared to have dated a few times, but no man had appeared in her WeChat Moments. Her life, without him, was still brilliant.
He was not surprised that she would find such a good job. She had been an excellent student when she was studying, and when they chatted, he could feel her ambition.
In her latest WeChat Moment, she posted a photo. A sharp professional suit accentuated her beautiful figure. She carried an Hermès bag in her hand, wore exquisite makeup, and exuded charm. In the more than three years since they last saw each other, she had matured significantly. After entering the workplace, a person's growth accelerated exponentially.
Perhaps it was because he had looked at her photo before sleeping, but Liang Yufeng dreamed of her again that night. For some reason, they met again. She saw him and proactively came to tease him, igniting his fierceness. He pushed her against the wall, suppressing her, longing for her to beg for mercy, to admit her mistake. Instead, she remained as playful as ever, taunting him, "After all these years, you truly haven't improved at all..."
Angered and embarrassed, he punished her, biting her ear fiercely, "I'll make you cry right now."
When he woke up, Liang Yufeng was drenched in sweat. He looked down, then got up to take a cold shower. The water streaming down his head couldn't wash away the sensual and stimulating images from his dream. He had been too empty and too repressed all these years.
But dreams were just dreams. Although they were in the same city now, the chances of meeting were slim. When they broke up, she had been so annoyed with him. She probably had forgotten that such a person as him existed.
After that day, Liang Yufeng would check Lan Lan's updates almost every day using another phone. One evening, as usual, he had just finished browsing Lan Lan's WeChat Moments. As he was about to exit, he noticed that she had sent him a message a few minutes ago!
Liang Yufeng stared at the screen for a long time. He wasn't mistaken; the message was indeed from her. "Are you Liang Yufeng?"
Perhaps it had been too many years since she last spoke to him, she still needed to confirm his identity. He hadn't changed his WeChat name or avatar. The avatar was still a photo of a Christmas tree she had taken, from the day they confirmed their relationship. He figured she had forgotten.
Liang Yufeng hesitated for a long time before replying with a single word, "Yes," without even punctuation.
On the other end, she replied almost instantly, "Which city are you working in now?"
Liang Yufeng: "Huaixi." She suddenly contacting him must mean she needed something from him, but he couldn't imagine what. It couldn't be that she wanted to get back together.
Just then, Lan Lan's message came again, "Are you free tomorrow? Let's have dinner, my treat."
Liang Yufeng's heart skipped a beat. He reread the message several times, forgetting to reply. Lan Lan then sent another message, "Let's just consider it a reunion of old classmates. Give me some face, okay?"
Liang Yufeng remembered that when they confirmed their relationship, Lan Lan had also asked him out for dinner. This time... did she want to reconcile?
He hadn't intended to seek her out, but this time, she had come to him, so he couldn't be blamed anymore.
After a while, Liang Yufeng said, "Time and place."
Lan Lan quickly sent them over. She said, "Let's talk when we meet tomorrow," and then went silent. Because of her message, Liang Yufeng dreamed of her again that night. The content of the dream was even more intense and terrifying than the previous night. Desire was like surging waves; once the dam had a crack, a flood was inevitable. Indulgence was addictive, and he could faintly feel the prelude.
The next afternoon, Liang Yufeng arrived at the appointment wearing a custom-made dark gray suit. He arrived early and waited for Lan Lan. Ten minutes later, he saw a slender figure in a red slip dress. She swayed her hips as she walked, looking around, as if she hadn't seen him.
Liang Yufeng looked at her fair skin, his throat already dry. He gently tapped the table, feigning calmness, and called out her name, "Lan Lan."
"...Liang Yufeng?" Lan Lan finally looked at him, but her eyes were filled with surprise.
It wasn't Lan Lan's fault. She truly didn't recognize Liang Yufeng. When she was parking outside earlier, she had seen his figure through the window. At that moment, she thought this man was exactly her type, and if it weren't for the important matter at hand, she wouldn't have missed the chance to flirt with him. Who would have thought he was Liang Yufeng...
She recognized the brand of the suit. A set like that would cost at least seven figures. Had Liang Yufeng become so successful now?
"Sit down," Liang Yufeng invited her to sit, as if he were the one hosting.
Lan Lan snapped out of her surprise and joked with him, "I really didn't recognize you. I saw you outside just now and thought you were some incredibly handsome guy."
Liang Yufeng was not moved by her compliment. His expression was calm and unruffled. He handed her the menu. Lan Lan was not shy; she took it and ordered their dishes, then looked at the man opposite her.
After many years, even the contours of his face had matured. He carried a cool demeanor, seemingly unapproachable. Where was the awkward young man who would blush when she teased him and who used to revolve around her all day?