Chapter 17.2 - Kudzu Flower 葛花
She finally pulled her gaze away from the ribs. “… Uh… Senior Brother, what’s difficult?”
Lin Yishen stood up, patted her on the head, and decisively concluded, “Junior Sister, you really are a handful!”
After finishing the ribs, she picked up her green bean paste. Before it reached her mouth, Xu Xiangya’s voice floated over, “Good job, abandoning us to chase your bright future!”
She grinned, “The green bean paste is really good. Manager Xu, you’ve worked hard.”
Xu Xiangya said, half envious, half regretful, “It’s a shame. You had such a high position and just let it go like that. I feel bad for you.”
Shen Xifan shook her head. “Ivory, let me ask you, when I was appointed room manager a year ago, honestly, were you convinced?”
Xu Xiangya nodded without hesitation. “Of course, I wasn’t convinced. Not just me, many people were waiting to see you fail!”
“Exactly!” She squinted. “I wasn’t convinced either, so—I want to learn more, improve further. Now, China’s hotel management model is aligning with international standards, and the services offered by major hotel chains will become more personalized and individualized. The future of hotel management is not in China—it’s in America, in Switzerland.”
After a brief silence, Xu Xiangya slowly spoke, “What’s going on between you and Yan Heng?”
“Uh?” She had a piece of green bean paste stuck in her mouth. “There’s nothing going on! Just the usual!”
“Stop lying. Everyone could tell something was going on between you two at the ball. You haven’t been on duty for a few days during the New Year, and the hotel’s been buzzing. Some people are saying you’re his kept woman…”
She choked on her food and immediately coughed, “He’s my first love. Is that clear now?”
Xu Xiangya’s eyes widened. “Wow, so your first love is that rich now?—Uh, what I meant to say is, that man is really too much!”
She put down her spoon and sighed. “I really don’t want to discuss Yan Heng. I only care about whether I can go abroad. In other words, the future is my main concern, everything else is secondary.”
Xu Xiangya thought for a moment before speaking, “Xi Fan, you need to be careful. People talk.
Working in a hotel is like walking on thin ice. The former room manager was also dismissed for being involved with a guest. You and I both know the hotel’s rules. There are a lot of people who will make trouble. Even if you’re going abroad, if something like this happens before you leave, your future career will be very difficult.”
A warm current surged in her heart as she sincerely said, “Thank you.”
Time passed slowly. March no longer held the biting cold, and a faint hint of spring began to emerge. The hotel entered its off-season. According to the original plan, the new building at Gunanhuating would be renovated to feature the latest executive suite design from Singapore. She thought to herself that this might be her last major project.
On the day of completion, Mr. Cheng specially brought a few colleagues to visit, and the response was unanimously positive. During the gathering, Shen Xifan drank quite a bit. By the time she returned to her office, she was feeling dizzy. Fortunately, she had already prepared for her resignation, and now all routine matters had been handed over to her subordinates.
Fueled by the effects of alcohol, she lay down on the sofa for a nap. However, her sleep was restless, as she kept feeling like someone was calling her name. Upon listening closely, it was the voice of Yan Heng.
The way he called her name felt like a farewell, as though they would never meet again.
She was woken up by the ringing of her phone. The cheerful tune of “Two Tigers” played, and she immediately recognized it—Li Jie.
Only he could pull off such a cute, slightly childish ringtone.
Today, Li Jie seemed a bit fidgety and unclear with his words. After a long hesitation, he stammered, “Shen Xifan, it’s my birthday today. I was wondering if you could grace me with your presence?”
She laughed, “Oh, really? I’ll definitely come. What’s the matter? Afraid I might decline?”
Li Jie sighed with relief, “Here’s the thing. I decided to bring my girlfriend to meet you all. After all, you were my last blind date, and I’m afraid you might end up turning this into some drama!”
She burst into laughter, “Li Jie, you’re so shameless! So, what’s the deal, bringing the old flame and the new love together?”
Li Jie immediately slicked back his words, “Yes, yes! If my wife doesn’t mind, I might even consider letting you be the mistress!”
“Ugh!” Shen Xifan spat at him, “You’re dreaming!”
Birthdays were indeed a grand occasion, something only once a year for every person. She wandered around the mall and happened to spot a sale on jade pendants at Chow Tai Fook. She thought to herself, a pair of jade pendants would make a good birthday gift and a nice meet-and-greet gift for the couple, something both would appreciate.
On the way there, she thought about how long she had known He Suye, yet she didn’t even know his birthday.
Li Jie had booked a private room at the most famous Sichuan restaurant in the city. Although there weren’t many people, it felt grand enough. When Shen Xifan walked in, the first thing she saw was a petite, pretty girl linking arms with Li Jie, smiling and chatting with Qiu Tian.
Li Jie, ever observant, spotted her immediately and waved excitedly, “Over here, over here!”
The girl turned around, “Li Jie, is this Miss Shen? She’s quite pretty and has a lot of elegance!”
Having worked in the hotel industry for so long, Shen Xifan quickly figured out the girl’s background—she was a fiery, straightforward girl from Sichuan. But she was easy to get along with.
Shen Xifan smiled, “Hello, I’m Shen Xifan, Li Jie’s last blind date.”
Everyone burst into laughter, and the girl’s eyes lit up, “I’m the end of his blind date saga. My name is Su Shan, Shan as in the mountain, not the ‘Su San who left Hongtong County.’”
More laughter followed. After she sat down and looked around, she suddenly noticed—where was He Suye?
Qiu Tian chuckled secretly, “He’s in the lab. Boss yelled at the graduate students, so he had to stay behind and watch. He’ll be here soon.”
Shen Xifan rolled her eyes, “Why do you call He Suye ‘Sharp Corner’?”
“Because He Su is like a sharp corner that’s just emerging, and already a beautiful woman is standing there! Look—he’s here, looking all fresh and radiant, like he doesn’t eat worldly matters. It’s really envy-inducing!”
It seemed like it had been a long time since she had seen He Suye. He had lost some weight, but his high nose bridge and firm chin were even more pronounced. He looked in great spirits and more imposing than ever.
She felt a bit frustrated. Why did He Suye look even more handsome the more she looked at him? She had clearly warned herself to keep a distance, not to fall too deep, but why was it that as soon as she saw him, everything she had told herself went out the window? She berated herself inwardly.
He Suye, however, didn’t seem to notice. “Little girl, long time no see. I’ve been so busy lately, it’s exhausting!”
