"Come, slow down your steps."
"Brother Cheng, where are you taking me?" Mei Xiang was blindfolded but her voice was full of smiles.
"You’ll see when we get there." Chen Cheng gave a mysterious smile and led Mei Xiang slowly forward.
Mei Xiang playfully chided, "So secretive." But she didn’t stop walking, carefully following Chen Cheng step by step.
The elevator ascended, the numbers changed, finally stopping at the top floor.
A breeze welcomed them, making Mei Xiang shrink her neck, "It’s so windy~ Where is this?"
Chen Cheng found the perfect angle and removed the scarf from Mei Xiang’s eyes, "We’ve arrived."
Mei Xiang uttered a cry of amazement; before her eyes was the dazzling night view of the cityscape.
They were standing on the rooftop of the Dili Building, where countless lights twinkled like stars, and the distant skyscrapers glittered magnificently against the backdrop of the night sky, like towering giants.
"It’s beautiful!" Mei Xiang excitedly clung to Chen Cheng’s arm, "Where is this place? It’s so pretty!"
"This used to be called the Green City Center," said Chen Cheng, "now it’s the Dili Building."
Mei Xiang took a deep breath; she had never seen such a sight in Tokyo, "It’s beautiful, but..."
She turned her head, "Didn’t I just say that I didn’t want to see the night view?"
Chen Cheng pinched her cheek, "This isn’t just any night view, it’s a scene only you can see."
"I bought this building, and you, are the first person to stand here and see this night view," Chen Cheng explained with a smile.
Mei Xiang was stunned, her eyes wide with disbelief as she gazed at Chen Cheng.
She opened her mouth but was momentarily at a loss for words, finally regaining her voice after a while, "I... am the first?"
Mei Xiang’s eyes began to fill with tears; her heart was overwhelmed with indescribable touch and surprise.
Back in Tokyo, she had also wandered the bustling streets and seen the splendid city lights under the neon signs, but at this moment, the unique night view that belonged solely to her struck a deep chord in her heart.
"Brother Cheng, why would you do so much for me?"
Mei Xiang snuggled close to Chen Cheng, afraid that all this was just an illusory dream that would vanish as soon as she let go.
"Because you’re worth it. From the first moment I saw you, I wanted to present all the beauty of the world before you."
"Does that mean, from the first time you saw me, you’ve been thinking..."
Chen Cheng leaned down and kissed her tender lips, "How can anyone not be charmed by such a beautiful, understanding Mei Xiang?"
Mei Xiang’s cheeks flushed instantly; she closed her eyes slightly, lost in this affectionate kiss.
After a long while, as their lips parted, Mei Xiang shyly looked down, but her heart was full of sweetness.
"Brother Cheng, you’ll spoil me ," Mei Xiang whispered.
Chen Cheng lifted her chin and looked into her eyes, "I want to spoil you, to make you the happiest girl in the world."
That night, in the night air of the city, the autumn wind was no longer cold but carried a hint of sweetness, gently brushing Mei Xiang’s face.
The next day, in Shulin’s office.
"What were you up to last night?" Shulin asked Chen Cheng in a low voice, "Xiao Er called to say you were bringing Mei Xiang to see Li Ya? But in the end, where did you all go?"
Chen Cheng took a sip of coffee, "Mei Xiang was a bit upset, so I took her out for a breather."
He put down his cup, "You always have to find an excuse, right?"
Shulin leaned back gracefully, a scrutinizing look in her eyes, "A breather? Where did you go on such a cold day?"
Two sneezes interrupted Shulin’s questioning, and Mei Xiang, covering her nose, approached, her voice nasal, "Aunt Wen, I’m sorry. I went to touch up my makeup."
Shulin’s smile turned concerned, "Caught a cold? You should wear more in this weather."
She glanced at Mei Xiang’s pleated skirt, "Stop wearing skirts. You’re bare-legged at least wear a pair of thicker stockings, right?"
Mei Xiang smiled brightly, her nose a bit red, as she clung to Chen Cheng’s arm, "It’s okay, I’m not cold."
She knew about the situation between Chen Cheng and Shulin, but to the man she had entrusted her life to, his warm embrace was far more comforting than any clothing.
Shulin watched the two sitting across from her, especially the happy smile on Mei Xiang’s face; at this moment, she wished she too could be ten years younger, as bold in expressing her emotions as Mei Xiang.
"Um... that what," Shulin cleared her throat and spoke seriously, "Mei Xiang, I asked you to come today because there’s something I need to discuss with you."
"We had an agreement to sign the contract on January 1st next year, right? There’s only about ten days left before the year ends."
Shulin paused, "But as you know, CGG has encountered a lot of issues lately, especially with financing..."
She looked at Chen Cheng, "If not for Mr. Chen stepping in, we would have had no solution at all."
"So, I wanted to ask if we could delay the transfer a bit," Shulin continued, "Of course, during this period, any costs incurred would be included in our transaction."
Mei Xiang sniffled, "Okay."
"Really? You agree?" Shulin was surprised.
Mei Xiang spoke with a smile, "Right now, I only have the mines in Brazil, and I have enough money for myself."
"Aunt Wen is facing difficulties, so postponing is no issue," she went on, "You can rest assured, I won’t sell the mines to anyone else."
"Mei Xiang, you truly are an angel," Shulin said earnestly.