Jiangcheng, late autumn, 5:30 in the afternoon.
The sun was covered by the clouds at some point, and the sun was trapped in the thick clouds, struggling to reveal a few rays of afterglow.
Zheng Shuyi lay on the table for a long time, cold sweat bursting out of his forehead.
The clear ringing of the mobile phone was particularly refreshing amidst the mechanical and dense keyboard sounds, pulling Zheng Shuyi's consciousness out of the chaos.
"Hello, are you Zheng Shuyi, reporter from Caijing Weekly?"
Zheng Shuyi lay down on the table to answer the phone, holding on to speak: "It's me, may I ask who you are?"
"I'm Chen Sheng, assistant to the president's office of Mingyu Bank. A month ago, your magazine and Shiyan always made an appointment for an interview. The original date was tomorrow. Do you remember?"
Zheng Shuyi woke up instantly, and subconsciously straightened her back.
Of course she remembered it.
She had heard the name Shi Yan too many times in this period of time.
In the beginning, he was well-known in the industry because he suddenly appeared in the financial circle as the son of Shi Wenguang of Mingyu Group.
After returning from studying in Europe, he took over Mingyu Bank, a private commercial bank under Mingyu Group.
This was not a good thing for the industry insiders at the time. After all, the bank’s operating status was already in jeopardy. Some financial critics even changed their serious words, thinking that it was Shi Wenguang’s use of half-baked subsidiaries for his son to play with. ticket.
However, after Shi Yan took over Mingyu Bank, he sharply resolved the bank's over-reliance on deposit and loan business, prominent risks and other problems, pointed at the risk management and control mechanism, and acted vigorously to turn things around.
The banquet at the age of 27 aroused the attention of the entire financial world, various honors came one after another, and interview invitations naturally also hit the hotline of the president's office of Mingyu Bank.
Despite his early fame, there are very few interviews and reports about him.
Even in the most mainstream media, it is difficult to get interview opportunities. If you can get a few words from him, it is enough to publish the most eye-catching pages.
But this time, it was an interview that the editor-in-chief of the magazine had spent a lot of time trying to get through the relationship with all parties.
When the editor-in-chief handed over this task to Zheng Shuyi, the entire magazine was envious.
How much attention the name "Shi Yan" can attract in the media also means how much attention the reporters who interviewed him can get.
But now this phone call made Zheng Shuyi's heart hang, and asked cautiously: "Is there any change?"
"That's right." Chen Sheng said, "The interview was originally scheduled at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning, but due to Mr. Shi's personal work, tomorrow's time is not available."
Zheng Shuyi: "After that..."
"Maybe there will be no time in the next few days." Chen Sheng said, "So if it's convenient for you, is it acceptable to postpone the interview to a week later?"
cannot.
Finance and economics interviews pay attention to timeliness, wait a week for the interview, return to check and publish the manuscript, the day lily is cold.
"It really won't work after a week. Can you spare some time? A telephone interview is also possible!"
Chen Sheng: "I'm afraid it really won't work. I can't tell you about the specific work, but it will take a week at the earliest to be free."
"What about tonight!" Zheng Shuyi asked anxiously, "Are you free tonight? Just three hours, or two hours."
Before Chen Sheng could answer, Zheng Shuyi gritted his teeth, and said, "An hour is fine! Just be flexible."
She has prepared for this interview for nearly a month, and she has a thorough understanding of the public financial dynamics in Shi Yan's hands, and she is counting on this manuscript to earn fame this year.
After a moment of silence, Chen Sheng lowered his voice and said, "There is always a more important banquet tonight. Maybe, I just said maybe, I might find some time in the middle. Look..."
"I'll wait!" Zheng Shuyi agreed without saying a word, "Give me the address, and I can come and wait."
Before hanging up the phone, Chen Sheng emphasized again: "Miss Zheng, I can arrange a place for you, but I can't guarantee that there will always be time, and you may run away."
—
There was only a mechanical "beep" sound in the receiver. After lingering in his ear for a long time, Zheng Shuyi had to "boom" back to the table. Disappointed.
It was supposed to be fun to be able to interview Shiyan.
But the psychological sensitivity of the menstrual period was heightened to the extreme by the loss at this moment, and Zheng Shuyi's mood was definitely not good, and even a little sad.
Today is her boyfriend Yue Xingzhou's birthday.
It was their first birthday since they were together.
Yue Xingzhou also specially prepared a restaurant and booked movie tickets to celebrate with her when she got off work.
Not only could she not be able to celebrate Yue Xingzhou's birthday with her now, but she had to drag her sick body to work, and she might even miss a trip.
Zheng Shuyi turned her face around, closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, then immediately turned off the computer and began to pack her things.
Kong Nan was immersed in writing, but when he heard the movement at the opposite table, he raised his head and asked, "What's wrong?"
Zheng Shuyi stood propped up on the table for a while, and waited for the cramping pain in her lower abdomen to pass, before saying, "The interview has been advanced, and I have to go tonight."
"Ah?" Kong Nan noticed Zheng Shuyi's expression.
Although her skin was fair and clear, there was no trace of blood at this moment, it was almost transparent, and her morbidity was clearly written on her face, and she completely lost the usual lively sense of agility.
"Are you okay?"
"If you can't, you have to do it, otherwise what can I do?"
Zheng Shuyi walked to the printer, hugged a stack of documents, and stared at the ground with drooping eyebrows for a while.
The printer moved silently, and the paper was piled up in front of it in an orderly manner.
I don't know whose cell phone rang, Zheng Shuyi suddenly raised his head, blinked his eyes, and took out his cell phone.
She should have called Yue Xingzhou, but just after digging out the address book, the other party called Yue Xingzhou as if he had sensed it.
"Baby, when do you get off work? Shall I pick you up?"
Zheng Shuyi leaned against the printer and drew circles on the page with his fingers: "I'm sorry, I'm going to interview temporarily, it may take about two hours, I shouldn't be able to have dinner with you."
She thought for a while, and then said, "I'm not feeling well today, and maybe I won't be able to go to the movies tonight."
Yue Xingzhou sighed when he heard the words, and said, "Okay then, I'll find a friend and make do with it."
"Well, I'm sorry." Zheng Shuyi pursed her lips, and her voice became softer, "Can I make it up for you next time?"
—
Kong Nan waited for Zheng Shuyi to hang up the phone, turned the pen, propped his chin with the other hand, and said with a smile: "Dove your boyfriend?"
"Otherwise?" Zheng Shuyi asked back, "If you don't love your boyfriend, is it time to have a feast?"
"Sigh, it's pitiful, your dear boyfriend was robbed of the opportunity to celebrate your birthday with you by a man who has never masked his face."
"It's as if I'm going to accompany Shi Yan to celebrate his birthday." Zheng Shuyi picked up the documents and went to the side to bind them, "I'm speechless, I don't even know what Shi Yan looks like, but I want to dove my boyfriend because of him." friend."
Kong Nan felt a little unbelievable: "But then again, does your boyfriend have any objections?"
"Is there any opinion on this kind of thing?" Zheng Shuyi thought for a while and said, "He didn't say anything, but he expressed his understanding."
"Tsk, your boyfriend is too reasonable." Kong Nan said while turning off the computer, "Unlike my boyfriend, who is clingy to death, if I dove him, no matter what the reason, he will definitely get angry with me .”
In a trance, Zheng Shuyi lost his mind for a moment.
With a "click", she felt a tingling pain in her fingers, and she pulled her hand away reflexively to avoid being pricked by the stapler.
But the sharp pain at the fingertips did not dissipate for a long time, and gradually spread to the heart.
Zheng Shuyi held the documents in one hand and the mobile phone in the other, and was lost in front of the printer for a while.
"I'm off work." Kong Nan got up with her bag and handed over a box of medicine, "I see you've finished taking your painkillers, take mine and take some in advance, so you don't pass out from the pain during the interview."
After finishing speaking, she leaned closer again and whispered, "If you mess up, some people who are eyeing you will die of joy."
Zheng Shuyi had no intention of responding to Kong Nan's reminder at this time, her mind was full of the words "reasonable".
Yue Xingzhou, are you being too "reasonable"
Moreover, she just said that she was not feeling well, yet Yue Xingzhou didn't even ask her what was wrong.
Once a certain idea is born, it will germinate in my heart irresistibly.
Zheng Shuyi sat down at the work station in a daze, and after hesitating for a while holding the phone, he sent a message to Yue Xingzhou.
Zheng Shuyi: Are you unhappy
Yue Xingzhou:
Yue Xingzhou: No, I understand, work is important, and we will celebrate many birthdays together in the future.
Yue Xingzhou: By the way, you said you are not feeling well, what's wrong? Are you sick
Zheng Shuyi let out a breath.
It seems that menstrual period is easy to be sensitive, and I think too much.
Zheng Shuyi: It’s nothing, it’s just that menstruation is uncomfortable TAT
Yue Xingzhou: I feel sorry for the baby.
Yue Xingzhou: Where did you do the interview? I'll pick you up when it's over.
—
The address Chen Sheng gave was Warner Manor in the western suburbs.
It was rush hour, and there was a traffic jam on the road. Enduring the abdominal pain, Zheng Shuyi took a subway bus and took a taxi along the way. It took an hour to reach the destination.
It would be a lie to say that she wasn't upset. Along the way, she didn't know how many times she silently scolded Shi Yan.
But the place Chen Sheng arranged for her was the rest area above the banquet hall. This place is spacious, gorgeous, but empty, enough to magnify the loneliness of a stranger a hundred times.
Zheng Shuyi sat on the sofa, her legs dangling with the ticking of the wall clock, looking around over and over again, trying not to fall asleep.
However, the waiting time was too long. She drooped her head like a chicken pecking rice a few times and almost fell asleep, until there was a sound of pushing the door, Zheng Shuyi sat up straight in shock, raised her head and looked at the door.
Under the direct light, a man drove in, as the light became brighter and brighter.
Zheng Shuyi saw the person coming, and was discouraged all of a sudden.
It wasn't Shiyan who came, but his brother-in-law Qin Xiaoming, who is now the second in command of Mingyu Group.
This person had been interviewed by Zheng Shuyi several times, so the two could be regarded as acquaintances.
Qin Xiaoming also caught a glimpse of Zheng Shuyi when he came in.
At first she straightened her back abruptly, and her bright eyes could be seen to be extremely excited even in the dark.
But the moment they met his eyes, they dimmed again, and even the whole person felt a little depressed.
Qin Xiaoming paused, took the phone aside and covered it, "Why are you here?"
Zheng Shuyi replied truthfully: "Come and wait for Mr. Shi, there is an interview today."
Qin Xiaoming looked her up and down, looked at her pale face for a few more seconds, didn't say anything, just muttered "it's so late" and left.
Zheng Shuyi sat for another two hours, as long as two long nights.
I don't know when it started to rain outside the window, pattering against the leaves, making a bleak "rustling" sound.
Occasionally, there are occasional movements from the banquet downstairs. Although it is small, it can be expected to be lively.
With such a comparison, Zheng Shuyi felt that he was even more miserable.
Just when she couldn't bear the drowsiness and her eyelids were fighting up and down, the phone finally rang.
The crisp ringing of the bell gave rise to an ominous premonition in the empty house.
"Miss Zheng, I'm sorry, the banquet here is over, Mr. Shi has other things to do, so..."
really.
Zheng Shuyi was silent for a few seconds before saying, "I see, thank you."
This interview is still too late.
The moment Zheng Shuyi stood up, she felt dizzy in her head, and she leaned on the sofa for a while before stepping on her high heels and getting into the elevator.
When she got outside the gate of Warner Manor, as expected, the rain had already sealed the gate.
The autumn leaves and the cold wind slapped Zheng Shuyi's legs like a knife.
She didn't expect to stay outside for a long time today. She was wearing a daily OL suit skirt, which looked serious and serious, but the thin layer of transparent stockings was just for etiquette, and it was not worth it at all.
The legs under the coat were exposed, and the skirt could barely cover the knees. In this cold wind, it became more eye-catching than the luxury car at the door.
Gradually, people came out, Zheng Shuyi stepped aside, and when she turned her head to look, she found that many people had been interviewed by her.
From the looks of it, this is a reception in the financial world.
Zheng Shuyi subconsciously wanted to see if it was possible to meet Shi Yan again.
But to her surprise, she didn't know what he looked like.
Shi Yan's style is very low-key, and he rarely appears in front of the public. Zheng Shuyi searched the Internet when he was preparing materials, and only saw his unclear figure in some large panoramas, but there were no serious portraits.
—
After a while, a female CFO of an Internet finance company had a double-sided relationship with Zheng Shuyi. Seeing her standing here pitifully waiting for the bus, she offered to take her home, but Zheng Shuyi refused.
Just now Yue Xingzhou said that he would come to pick her up.
It was eleven o'clock sharp, an hour before his birthday passed.
She thought, no matter what, she still had to say "Happy Birthday" to him personally.
The parking gallery on the first floor is spacious and clean, and the guests' cars drove away one after another, leaving faint taillights behind.
Not long after, there were not many people left in the banquet hall.
"Reporter Zheng?" A man stepped forward.
Zheng Shuyi glanced back, she was an executive of a certain capital company whom she had only met once, but usually chatted with her on WeChat.
The man came forward with a smile, leaned very close, and said drunkenly: "Are you alone? I'll take you home."
This person usually looks like a human being in social situations, but now he didn't even exchange pleasantries, and his thoughts were clearly revealed.
Zheng Shuyi: "Thank you, no need."
The man got closer and took her arm, "Let's go, it's not easy to take a taxi when it's raining so hard."
Zheng Shuyi frowned, and pushed his hand away, "No need, thank you, my boyfriend will be here later."
Hearing the word "boyfriend", the man looked at Zheng Shuyi, and when he looked at her, he knew that what she said was not an excuse, so he turned around and left without saying a word.
Next, another young man made the same invitation to her.
This is also an acquaintance, but Zheng Shuyi knows that he is a rich second generation who really plays with tickets.
It seems that today is not a serious financial reception.
After dismissing that person with the same emphasis on "boyfriend", Zheng Shuyi stood by the wall.
Originally, she felt uncomfortable when she was spoiled by the time today, and when encountering such things one after another, there was an unknown fire in her chest.
The scene of her standing in the cold wind happened to fall into the eyes of Qin Xiaoming who walked out of the banquet hall.
Qin Xiaoming was moved with compassion, and turned to Shi Yan and said, "Isn't this Zheng Shuyi? The little girl was so pitiful waiting for you at night. There are so many people here, and it's not convenient for me. Find a chance to help send one away." let's go."
Shi Yan glanced over, and saw that the woman's cashmere scarf was wrapped several times and wrapped up to her chin, making the face on it look as big as a palm.
Under the bright cold light, her face was slightly pale, and the tip of her nose was also red from the cold, but she still couldn't hide her delicate features, almond eyes and red lips, bright and delicate, like a finely carved porcelain doll, standing there, It has a pitiful taste.
—
When Zheng Shuyi looked up from the phone, a black Bentley slowly stopped in front of her.
At the same time, there was a sound of footsteps behind him.
Zheng Shuyi turned her head and made eye contact with the man walking towards her for a moment.
The man's eyes paused for a while, the crystal chandelier above his head cast a cold light on his gold-wire mirror frame, and the snow chain swayed slightly on his cheek.
"Reporter Zheng?" He stopped, and the arc of the arms outlined by the suit showed a bit of alienation, "Shall I give you a ride?"
Zheng Shuyi had never seen this man before.
But she was thinking, why are the rich second generations all so casual now.
"No thanks."
The eyes behind the lens are decorated with bright lights, and the end of the eye is raised upwards. It should be a frivolous look, but it reveals a sense of oppression that cannot be ignored.
So, under the biting cold wind, Zheng Shuyi met his gaze and added: "My boyfriend will pick me up right away."
One word at a time, the word "boyfriend" is emphasized, and the subtext means: I am a person with a boyfriend.
"..."
The corners of Shi Yan's mouth curved into an almost imperceptible icy arc, he put one hand in his pocket, and walked away.
The parking officer opened the door, he bowed into the car, and the Bentley sped away.