Chapter 56: So It Was Her

Ever since that dramatic autumn rain, the weather had started to cool. Yao Jia added a jacket over her dress before stepping out.

As she was leaving, she noticed Meng Xingzhe seemed to be heading out as well. Considering his recent behavior of ignoring her—talking while looking everywhere but at her—she couldn’t be bothered to engage. She didn’t even think to ask, “Where are you going? If it’s on the way, I could give you a lift.”

Outside, Yao Jia intended to hail a taxi, but coincidentally, Tang Minghui, the private driver who had once picked up Shanshan, had just finished taking the child for a ride and was dropping him home. Seeing Yao Jia looking for a cab, he offered, “Where are you headed? I’ll take you there!”

Yao Jia mentioned she was going to the exhibition center and insisted that if he was going to drive her, she should pay the regular fare.

Tang Minghui smiled good-naturedly, saying, “Sure, whatever you say.”

On the way, Yao Jia struck up a conversation with Tang Minghui.

Thinking of his ambiguous relationship with Chen Luoxi, she tentatively asked, “Tang, what do you think of my sister Chen?”

Tang Minghui immediately became flustered, his ears turning red and a sheen of sweat appearing on his forehead. He chuckled awkwardly, “Her? She’s beautiful, capable, strong-willed, and not materialistic. She doesn’t mind me being a private driver and always treats me with respect and gratitude. I think she’s wonderful!”

Yao Jia probed further, “But she’s divorced and has a child.”

Tang Minghui quickly glanced at her, his expression disapproving, “What’s wrong with being divorced with a child? Why are young women today more conservative than I am? Many people get divorced these days. It’s a personal choice for one’s freedom. If someone’s unhappy, divorce is a responsible decision for their future. There shouldn’t be any social stigma. Besides, little Shanshan says he doesn’t even remember what his father looks like. Chen Luoxi’s ex doesn’t care about the child at all, so wasn’t she right to leave such a man?”

Yao Jia smiled, thinking Chen Luoxi had indeed found the right person this time. And it was little Shanshan who had brought them together.

The car soon arrived at the exhibition center. Before getting out, Yao Jia told Tang Minghui, “You’re a great person too. If Shanshan had a dad like you, he’d be so happy!”

Tang Minghui chuckled bashfully, his face turning red, “Then please put in a good word for me with Luoxi. I’ll definitely repay you someday!”

Yao Jia laughed and agreed, saying that speaking well of him was no problem, but repayment was unnecessary.

After getting out of the car, she saw Yue Xuran waiting for her at the entrance of the exhibition center.

He was clearly well-prepared today, with styled hair and a tailored suit, looking both refined and handsome, elevating his usual appearance significantly.

Seeing her step out of the car, he quickly walked over to greet her and led her inside.

Inside, the air conditioning made it warm, so Yao Jia took off her jacket.

With her jacket draped over her arm, she tossed her hair and turned to Yue Xuran, intending to wish him luck for a smooth event.

But as she turned, she noticed Yue Xuran was staring at her intently.

She smiled and asked, “What’s up? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Yue Xuran’s gaze deepened, “You look really beautiful today.” His voice had taken on a slightly deeper tone.

Yao Jia felt a bit embarrassed by the compliment. So she decided to return the favor.

“You look incredibly handsome today too!”

Yue Xuran smiled at her, his gaze even more profound, “I made an effort because I wanted to show you my best side today.”

Yao Jia’s heart skipped a beat at his words. It felt like there was a different meaning behind them compared to usual.

With the event about to start, there was no time to dwell on it. She followed Yue Xuran through the VIP passage to the front row of the venue.

Next to Yao Jia’s seat was Tao Lie, another partner of Four Dot Technology. He looked at her in amazement, “Our esteemed shareholder looks stunning today!”

The straightforward compliments from men were always simple and blunt, lacking in finesse or romantic embellishment. Yao Jia couldn’t help but laugh.

“Thank you, Boss Tao, you look dashing today too!”

Before the event began, Yao Jia quickly instructed Yue Xuran and Tao Lie, “When you’re on stage for the speech or during media interviews, please don’t mention me. I don’t want to be in the spotlight!”

Tao Lie didn’t quite understand, “You’re so beautiful, why would you be afraid of fame?”

Such simple thoughts from men.

Yue Xuran, however, agreed unconditionally, “Alright!”

It seemed that any request from Yao Jia would receive his unwavering support.

As guests continued to arrive, the event was about to start. Yue Xuran needed to go on stage for his presentation about their flagship product. Before leaving, he repeatedly reminded Tao Lie to take good care of Yao Jia.

Finally, Tao Lie grew impatient, “Isn’t Yao Jia your golden patron just as much as mine? Of course, I’ll look after her! Now go, don’t delay!”

Yue Xuran gave Yao Jia one last long look, smiled at her, and then turned to head toward the stage.

Tao Lie watched him leave and commented to Yao Jia, “Don’t you think he’s being a bit clingy today?”

Yao Jia laughed, nodding, “A little.” She turned to Tao Lie, “Aren’t you going on stage later?”

Tao Lie quickly waved his hands, “I’m not the type for the stage. I’d be so nervous I’d throw up. This kind of public appearance is best left to Old Yue.”

As they chatted, the lights in the exhibition hall dimmed. A male and female host took the stage to warm up the audience.

Yao Jia noticed the hosts and whispered to Tao Lie, “You really went all out, getting the top TV hosts to come!”

Tao Lie looked pleased, “Of course!” He paused, “Initially, the head of the planning department tried to invite the top female host, Tang Xin, but she hadn’t even heard of Four Dot Technology and refused to come, no matter the fee. Then I sent Old Yue to charm her, and he actually managed to get her here. What’s more, not only did she agree to come for free, but she also brought along a male host!”

Yao Jia marveled, “Yue Xuran’s charm really works wonders!”

She looked toward the stage, where the elegant and sweet-voiced female host, Tang Xin, was inviting everyone to watch a short video.

The entire venue went dark, focusing all light and attention on the large screen on stage.

Tao Lie quickly told Yao Jia, “Make sure to watch the last two seconds of the video closely.”

Yao Jia was puzzled and was about to ask when rousing music filled the hall, reverberating in every corner.

Feeling invigorated, Yao Jia turned her gaze to the screen.

Under the stirring background music, the video showcased the journey of Four Dot Technology’s founding and development, with stunning visuals and transitions.

After the introduction, the main product was revealed.

In the video, it was as if a veil was being lifted, gradually bringing into focus the flagship product of the launch, the full-screen 5G smartphone.

The visuals became vibrant and dazzling, showcasing the phone’s extraordinary features from every angle.

From the complete view to exploded diagrams of components, and back to the fully assembled product.

After a cool rotation, the phone stood prominently in the center of the screen.

The phone’s black screen suddenly lit up, and two characters appeared stroke by stroke—

“Jiaru.”

The video paused on these characters.

The music concluded with this image.

The host invited Yue Xuran to the stage for his presentation.

Yue Xuran stepped up, standing at the center. He was tall, handsome, and exuded an air of elegance and confidence.

He greeted the audience with a warm smile.

His voice was clear and pleasant.

After scanning the crowd, his gaze settled on a particular spot in the audience.

Then he said, “Thank you all for attending the Four Dot Technology product launch. As you can see, our flagship product is—the Jiaru phone.”

Yao Jia stood beneath the stage, looking up at Yue Xuran. Her emotions were still riding high, fueled by the rousing background music that had just played.

Beside her, Tao Lie leaned in and whispered, “The ‘Jia’ in ‘Jiaru’ comes from your name.”

Yao Jia turned to Tao Lie and flashed him a bright smile.

Then she said, “You all are too kind. How can I possibly accept this?”

Tao Lie looked at this clueless girl and felt a nervous sweat for what his partner was about to do.

Meng Xingzhe and Bei Luonan were sneakily seated in the back row of the press conference.

When they met at the entrance of the convention center, they happened to see Yue Xuran personally come out to greet Yao Jia, and then saw Yao Jia take off her coat as she entered.

Bei Luonan exclaimed, “Wow, Yao Xiaojia looks stunning today! She’s a beauty among beauties! Her figure is incredible! Truly, girls dress up for the ones they want to impress, saving their best looks for their boyfriends!”

After praising Yao Jia, he deliberately teased by complimenting Yue Xuran, “Yue Xuran looks sharp today too, a perfect match for Yao Xiaojia. Look, Xingxing, look at them walking together. She’s graceful and charming, he’s elegant and refined. They’re truly a perfect couple!”

His exclamations earned him a curt “shut up” from Meng Xingzhe.

“Where did you learn so many adjectives? From your blushing little rabbit? All that talk about grace and elegance, isn’t it a bit nauseating for a guy?” Meng Xingzhe retorted.

Bei Luonan shot back, “What does my praising Yao Xiaojia have to do with you? Why should I shut up? You don’t even like her, right? Didn’t you swear you’d never like her because she’s not good enough for you?”

Meng Xingzhe felt as if his past arrogant words were slapping him in the face, each one like a sharp knife stabbing at him.

He pressed his lips together, refusing to speak, sulking as he found a seat in the back row of the auditorium.

As he sat, two girls passed by, staring at him. Then two young female reporters with badges walked by, also giving him lingering looks.

Meng Xingzhe was all too familiar with this kind of attention from the opposite sex. In the past, he would have basked in it, raising his chin to project his most handsome angle. But now, it only annoyed him. He pulled up the collar of his jacket, angrily covering most of his face.

He slowly realized why he was so irritated. No matter how handsome he made himself appear, Yao Jia never looked at him with the kind of shy, admiring, and infatuated gaze that other girls did.

He tugged at his collar, thinking it should have been designed to act as a mask. He found the dark lighting of the auditorium irritating, casting everyone in shadow. Even the chair he sat on was annoying—hard and uncomfortable, making him restless.

Even Bei Luonan beside him seemed particularly annoying today, though he couldn’t pinpoint why.

He just felt annoyed by everything for no reason.

Most annoying of all was Yue Xuran, who had started his speech on stage.

He wished that guy would stumble over his words, creating an imperfect pause.

But Yue Xuran’s speech was smooth and captivating.

Then came the moment he dreaded most. Yue Xuran looked towards Yao Jia’s seat and announced that the phone he designed was called “Jiaru.”

Meng Xingzhe found Yue Xuran utterly unbearable! “Jiaru,” how cheesy!

He realized Yue Xuran’s cheesiness was making his teeth ache, his molars nearly clenching.

When Yue Xuran announced the phone model as “Jiaru,” Bei Luonan couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow! This guy really knows how to play! So romantic, it’s killing me! If my name were Bei Luojia, I’d be moved to tears right now!”

He turned to look at Meng Xingzhe, hoping he’d learn something. Instead, he saw Meng Xingzhe’s face stretched as long as a mile.

Bei Luonan laughed mercilessly, “Someone’s outshining you, can’t handle it, can you? Hahaha, karma!”

Meng Xingzhe ignored him. He picked up the bottled water provided by the organizers, unscrewed the cap, and started drinking. After finishing his own, he reached for Bei Luonan’s.

“Hey, why are you taking my water?” Bei Luonan tried to snatch it back.

Meng Xingzhe didn’t give him the chance, unscrewing the cap and bringing it to his lips. Before drinking, he offered Bei Luonan an explanation, “My stomach’s upset, feels like heartburn.”

Then he tilted his head back and gulped down the water.

Bei Luonan muttered under his breath, “Looks like your stomach’s upset, probably reflux.”

Meng Xingzhe didn’t watch the second half of the press conference. He feared that if he did, his stomach would burn a hole from the acid.

And after the stomach, it would be his heart.

He got up and left the venue.

Bei Luonan followed him out.

He drove Meng Xingzhe back to the dorm.

On the way, he said objectively, “Yue Xuran’s Jiaru phone is impressive.” After a pause, he added, “Xingxing, I know you might not like me praising Yue Xuran, but I have to objectively tell you, their phone’s pre-sale numbers are quite high. Their enthusiast forum is the main hub for pre-sales. I really envy their forum; the registration numbers are huge, daily active users are high, and their fans are die-hard loyalists. Some of them are even influencers across various media channels.”

Bei Luonan accelerated and continued, “In this era where internet marketing is king, having those big-name loyal fans is crucial! By the way, Yue Xuran’s team previously gave test units to forum loyalists for feedback, making them feel involved, like the phone is as much theirs as it is Four Dot Technology’s. That’s why their customer loyalty is so high.”

Meng Xingzhe listened quietly, not interrupting.

Bei Luonan went on, “Now, the members of Yue Xuran’s phone enthusiast forum are actively promoting Four Dot Technology’s phone across various media channels. Yue Xuran’s team has really won the hearts of the grassroots! If only we could use Yue Xuran’s forum resources and those loyal fans! I believe with their organic promotion, the future sales of the Jiaru phone are very promising, and Four Dot Technology’s rise is very likely.”

He rattled off a lot about Yue Xuran, finally circling back to Yao Jia, “Yao Xiaojia is really lucky to have found such a quality guy. I’m happy for her.”

The more Meng Xingzhe listened, the more irritated he became. By the time he heard this last sentence, he was nearly exploding with frustration. He directly told Bei Luonan, “Shut up!”

Taking a breath, he said, “Let me have a moment of peace.”

After saying this, he didn’t notice anything, but Bei Luonan glanced at him in surprise.

He almost heard a plea in Meng Xingzhe’s tone.

Meng Xingzhe was actually pleading.

But for whom?

The press conference ended smoothly.

The beautiful, popular TV host Tang Xin had a long private conversation with Yue Xuran.

Yue Xuran’s assistant came over to offer Yao Jia coffee and snacks. With a mischievous glint, the assistant added a juicy tidbit, “The beautiful host wanted to invite Mr. Yue to dinner, but our straightforward Mr. Yue cut off any special ideas by saying he planned to have dinner with the girl he likes.”

Yao Jia exclaimed, “He just turned down such a chance? What a ruthless guy!”

The assistant looked at Yao Jia with a peculiar expression, as if she had missed the point of the story.

The assistant chuckled dryly, told Yao Jia to enjoy her coffee, and went off to find Yue Xuran.

Yao Jia saw the assistant say something to Yue Xuran, who then looked back at her, shook his head, appearing a bit helpless.

As the crowd gradually dispersed from the venue, Yao Jia still felt surrounded by the echoes of the lively atmosphere.

It was like the lingering excitement after experiencing a dazzling spectacle, a thrill that refused to fade immediately, leaving a trace of exhilaration within her.

Throughout the evening, Yao Jia felt a distinct sense of pride.

This company was her investment.

Such an outstanding team was one she had supported with her resources.

Behind today’s grand event was her contribution.

This was a success in one aspect of her life, a moment of achievement, a realization of her own value.

She remained seated, watching Yue Xuran conversing with his team not far away. Some of them seemed to glance in her direction, and Yue Xuran also looked back at her.

Yao Jia returned their gaze with a warm smile.

In the next moment, encouraged by her smile, Yue Xuran strode toward her, his hands hidden behind his back.

Tao Lie and the others stayed where they were, as if cheering him on.

When Yue Xuran reached her, Yao Jia quickly stood up from her seat.

She smiled at Yue Xuran and said, “Your answers to the media’s questions on stage were brilliant. It seemed like nothing could stump you. I could feel the audience genuinely applauding you!”

Yue Xuran smiled back and asked, “And you, did you clap for me?” His gaze was deep as he looked at her.

Yao Jia nodded, “Of course!”

Yue Xuran beamed with joy.

Then, he grew serious.

He called Yao Jia’s name. She looked up to see his profound gaze fixed on her.

“Thank you, Yao Jia,” he said.

He continued, “Without you, there would be no Four Dot Technology.”

He added, “There’s something I’ve wanted to give you for a long time. But back then, you were my investor, my financial backer. If I had given it to you then, people might have thought I was just after your money.”

As he spoke, he smiled again, seemingly to ease his own tension. He appeared more nervous now than when he was on stage handling tricky questions from the media.

He took a breath and continued—

“Now, Four Dot Technology can finally start giving you returns on your investment. I’m no longer just someone taking money from you. So now, giving you this gift shouldn’t seem like I’m freeloading.”

He smiled, a hint of shyness and apprehension coloring his handsome face.

“Do you remember the message I sent you the night we went to the orchard?” he asked.

Yao Jia nodded, then shook her head.

“I remember you sent a message, but I don’t remember what it said.”

Yue Xuran shook his head, smiling with a touch of helplessness but more indulgence.

“Take out your phone and read it again,” he suggested gently, his voice as soft as a spring breeze.

Yao Jia quickly retrieved her phone from her bag, opened WeChat, and searched through their chat history.

Suddenly, her fingers stopped.

She found it.

The message from that day was a series of scattered phrases:

[I’m home.]

[Very happy.]

[Enjoyed today’s event.]

[Joyful and relaxing.]

[Sleep early.]

Yao Jia looked up, showing Yue Xuran her phone screen. “You didn’t say anything special, just told me to sleep early.”

“Read the first word of each sentence together,” Yue Xuran instructed, looking into her eyes.

Yao Jia paused, then scanned the screen from top to bottom.

“I—really—like—you—”

Yao Jia froze.

She looked up, eyes wide, at Yue Xuran.

Finally, Yue Xuran brought his hands forward from behind his back, revealing a bouquet of fiery red roses.

He offered them to Yao Jia, his smile unable to hide his nervousness. His usually gentle voice now carried a hint of anxious hoarseness.

Looking into her eyes, he confessed, “The smartphone is a gift from our entire team to you, and these roses are a gift from me. Yao Jia, I really like you. I hope to have the chance to go from being your pretend boyfriend to your real one.”

Yao Jia’s heart skipped a beat, leaving her stunned and unsure of how to react.

She had never considered that Yue Xuran might like her, nor had she thought about whether she liked him.

She noticed Tao Lie and the team in the distance cheering for Yue Xuran, shouting, “Say yes! Say yes!”

…This scene felt straight out of a TV drama, making her skin tingle.

Yao Jia suddenly felt at a loss.

“This is so sudden!” she stammered, looking at Yue Xuran, “How should I respond?”

Her face was a picture of confusion, her fair and pretty features filled with uncertainty.

Her bewilderment was so endearing that it invoked a protective urge. Yue Xuran, instead of feeling dejected by her lack of clarity, was moved to tenderness.

He smiled, raising a hand to gently pat her head in reassurance.

“It’s okay,” he said, placing the bouquet into her hands. “If you’re unsure now, that’s fine. Don’t feel pressured. Just know that I like you and I’m going to start pursuing you. As long as you don’t take away my chance to chase you, that’s enough!”

Yao Jia saw his smile return to its usual warm and gentle state. She exhaled, hugged the roses, and smiled back at him.

Her stomach growled. The snacks she had earlier seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving her hungry.

Yao Jia felt embarrassed about her stomach.

Yue Xuran, ever considerate, said, “Let’s go. I’ll take you to dinner. I’ve already made reservations.”

He helped Yao Jia with her coat. She pointed to the people behind him and asked, “What about them?”

Yue Xuran grinned, “I’m not inviting them. They can fend for themselves. I’m only taking you.”

“Ah, special treatment!” Yao Jia said, clutching the roses as she followed Yue Xuran out of the convention center.

Seated at the dinner table, chopsticks in hand, Yao Jia recalled a bit of gossip Yue Xuran’s assistant had shared—a beautiful host had invited him to dinner, but he had declined, saying he was taking someone he liked instead.

Looking at Yue Xuran’s warm smile across the table, Yao Jia’s heart skipped a beat.

So, it was about her all along.