Qi Wei started the conversation, saying, “When I first saw that plot of land, I felt its location was exceptionally good. Whether building entertainment facilities or a holiday resort destination, it is an outstanding choice, so I went ahead and bought it.”
Qi Wei rolled up his sleeves. “Only later did I realize it was the exact piece of land you had been striving for. Isn’t that a coincidence?”
Shi Liang explained his and Bai Yuan’s planning for the plot to Qi Wei.
Listening to the proposal, Qi Wei shook his head. “Bai Yuan’s business in Kyoto consists entirely of shopping malls, so he might not understand other sectors.
“The geographical location of this land is actually much better suited for building a large-scale resort.
“Here, peach blossoms bloom in March and April, and after they wither, jasmine flowers bloom in May. I plan to plant peach blossoms on one side of this land and jasmine flowers on the other.
“During the peach blossom blooming season, we can host singles events here, organizing various games and encouraging single men and women to actively participate to foster mutual affection through the activities.
“For anyone who successfully holds hands, we will personally gift them our local specialty, peach blossom brew. I have even thought of a name for the peach blossom brew: Summer Night’s Slight Chill.”
Shi Liang glanced at him.
“Or perhaps we could encourage them to brew their own Summer Night’s Slight Chill wine, pickle it, and bury it beneath the peach tree of their choice, digging it up again when they get married. This will allow the resort to bear witness to their love. The place will hold a unique meaning for them, making them much more willing to travel and return here in the future.
“After May, the jasmine flowers begin to bloom, and the phonetic sound of jasmine rain happens to coincide with never part from you in Chinese. We can set up a resort village here named Jasmine Rain, primarily catering to couples and married pairs.”
The waiter brought in the mandarin duck hot pot, turned on the burner, and successively served the dishes to the table.
Shi Liang watched the waiter’s movements the entire time.
With a pensive look, Shi Liang gazed ahead as the broth in the pot bubbled away.
Qi Wei broke the silence. “What is it? Do you feel something isn’t quite right?”
Right! How could it not be right?
Only…
After a moment of consideration, Shi Liang replied, “I think your proposal is worth considering, but I need to discuss it with Bai Yuan and give you an answer tomorrow.”
Qi Wei smiled slightly. “No problem at all. You can take your time to think it over.”
That plot of land was currently in Qi Wei’s hands, so taking control of it right now was obviously out of the question.
Yet he never expected Qi Wei’s next words to be, “I know you want the controlling stake, and that is not a problem. But I need you to hold the controlling stake, not Bai Yuan.”
Shi Liang looked at him. “Why are you doing this? The land is clearly in your hands, and you could easily hold the controlling stake yourself.”
Looking at him, Qi Wei remembered how his eagerness to win him back had accidentally landed Shi Liang in the hospital, a thought that filled him with deep remorse.
He was terrified that if his intentions were too obvious, he would end up scaring Shi Liang away.
“I simply do not wish to see you distressed. I care for you deeply, but I know you no longer love me. I have no other demands; my sole wish is that the name of the peach blossom brew remains unchanged. Consider it granting me one final, small extravagance.”
Shi Liang was momentarily stunned. He had expected Qi Wei to argue strictly from a business perspective, claiming that building a resort would be highly profitable, keeping the conversation strictly professional without touching upon personal feelings.
Or perhaps Qi Wei might have used the Summer Night’s Slight Chill proposal to prove how earnest his feelings were, thereby trying to coax Shi Liang back to his side.
Yet none of that happened. Qi Wei adopted a romantic attitude reminiscent of the classic verse, ‘Though I die nine times, I shall not regret it,’ which completely baffled Shi Liang.
For a moment, he didn’t quite know what to say. “Let’s eat hot pot first. Your proposal is something we will take into consideration.”
“Alright, let’s eat first.” Qi Wei wanted to pick up some food for Shi Liang, extending his chopsticks halfway before stopping himself. Instead, he reached for the serving chopsticks and placed several pieces of meat into Shi Liang’s bowl.
The two of them chatted idly back and forth. Toward the end of the meal, a waiter brought over a mango cake that had been prepared in advance for Shi Liang. The waiter suggested singing a birthday song for Shi Liang together, but knowing how much Shi Liang loathed such public spectacles, Qi Wei declined the offer.
After the birthday candles were lit, Shi Liang closed his eyes to make a wish, while Qi Wei silently made a wish in his heart: “I hope you can return to my side and never leave me again.”
After dinner, Qi Wei headed to the parking lot to get his car.
Declining Qi Wei’s offer for a ride, Shi Liang walked toward the street intending to hail a taxi. Just then, a Ferrari stopped right in front of him. The window rolled down to reveal Li Yanxiang behind the wheel.
Shi Liang asked, “What brings you here?”
Li Yanxiang replied, “Get in the car first. Bai Yuan and the others suddenly decided to hold your birthday celebration at home, and they’ve hired a private chef to cook right there. The Princess Mansion is a bit too small, so they’re busy organizing everything now and sent me to take you out for a bit. Tonight, they said they’re going to give you a big surprise. You can go ahead and imagine what this surprise might be. I guarantee you’ll never guess it.”
Shi Liang chuckled. He didn’t even need to guess; having grown up together with these childhood friends, he knew exactly how their minds worked. Barring any accidents, they had probably hired a magician just like in previous years.
If these childhood friends of his were capable of pulling off a genuinely unexpected surprise, it would have to be flying in some entertainment celebrities to put on a play for him right here.
Still, since everyone was enthusiastically preparing for his birthday, he didn’t want to dampen their spirits. With a smile, he said, “A surprise that even I can’t guess? Well, I certainly have something to look forward to then.”
Li Yanxiang gazed intently at his smile for a moment before replying, “The birthday boy should smile more often. Has anyone ever told you, Shi Liang, that your smile is stunning? You should smile more in your daily life.”