Reaching Further Amid the Clinking of Wine Cups

The car made its way slowly through the evening rush-hour traffic. Outside was a familiar sight on a Beijing winter night: the lights along Chang'an Avenue were just coming on, headlights formed two flowing rivers of light, and China World Trade Center Phase III glowed in the distance like a pillar of light reaching to the sky.

Su Jin leaned back in her seat, resting with her eyes closed.

The car was quiet except for the faint hum of the air-conditioning vents.

Lu Shen had sent the driver, a veteran in his fifties who spoke little and drove with exceptional steadiness. He had said only one thing on the entire journey: "Ms. Su, there's a blanket in the car. You can use it if you're cold."

She didn't use it. Her burgundy velvet gown was thick and lustrous, enough to withstand the warm air in the car.

A faint fragrance lingered inside, a restrained woody scent. She didn't know whether Lu Shen had specifically requested it or whether it was the driver's own habit.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg appeared beside her ear, his voice very low. [This system got hold of tonight's guest list. Would you like to hear it?]

Su Jin didn't open her eyes. "Go on."

[The host is the Lu Group. Officially, it's an annual appreciation reception, but it's really a place to connect people with resources. The guests fall into a few categories: among the entrepreneurs, there are a few energy and real estate tycoons, each worth at least ten billion yuan; among the investors, Sequoia, IDG, and Hillhouse are all sending people. There are even more from the entertainment industry: those popular actors and directors will all be there, along with a few top idols. The fashion world will be represented too: Vogue's editor-in-chief, Bazaar's publisher, and the China CEOs of several luxury brands...]

Su Jin opened her eyes and watched the lights sweep past outside the window.

"Vogue's editor-in-chief?" She remembered the message she had received a couple of days ago.

[Yes, that's her. This system thinks you could find an opportunity to talk to her tonight.]

The car turned onto a quiet street lined with high walls and deep courtyards. She couldn't see what lay inside, but the imposing gates alone were enough to suggest that the residents were either rich or powerful.

At last, the car stopped before a pair of vermilion gates. Two large red lanterns hung above the entrance, casting a warm glow over the ground.

The gates slowly opened, and the car drove in. After passing down a short, tree-lined drive, the view suddenly opened up: an old-fashioned, three-story villa stood in the night, warm yellow light glowing throughout. The fountain at the entrance shimmered under the lights, and guests were already making their way inside in twos and threes. The men wore suits and polished shoes, the women were decked in jewels, and the faint sound of conversation and laughter drifted over.

The driver parked and hurried around to open the door. The moment Su Jin stepped out, she felt several gazes turn sharply toward her-not because of who she was, but because her burgundy velvet gown was so dazzling under the warm yellow lights, and her face so striking in the night.

She paid the gazes no mind and walked inside, lifting her skirt as her heels clicked crisply against the flagstone path.

Zhou Ye and Fang Ying appeared from who knew where and followed at a discreet distance, one watching ahead and the other watching behind. Blending into the night, they were barely noticeable.

Two

The villa's main hall was even more imposing than it appeared from outside.

The space rose three stories high, with a huge crystal chandelier hanging from the domed ceiling. Countless crystals refracted brilliant light, illuminating the entire hall as brightly as day.

The walls were clad in dark red paneling and hung with several enormous oil paintings. Su Jin glanced over them and recognized one as an original by a modern-era master. Poly had auctioned a similar work last year for eighty million yuan.

More than a hundred people had already gathered in the hall, scattered about in groups of two or three.

The men wore dark suits and held champagne, leaning slightly toward one another as they talked, their manner reserved and polite. The women were all vying to outshine one another, in long dresses and short, adorned with jewelry and wearing makeup so exquisite they looked as though they had just stepped out of a magazine.

The heady scent of champagne and the fragrance of expensive, unfamiliar perfumes drifted through the air, mingling with barely audible jazz. The whole scene was so luxurious it seemed almost unreal.

Su Jin had only just stopped at the entrance when a young man in a white suit came up to her.

"Ms. Su? President Lu instructed me to take you straight inside when you arrived." He bowed slightly, his smile perfectly measured. "This way, please."

Su Jin nodded and followed him through the crowd. People kept looking over as they went-some gazes were dazzled, some appraising, some curious, some scrutinizing, and a few young women's eyes flashed briefly with wariness.

She paid them no mind, following at an unhurried pace. The hem of her velvet gown brushed gently over the floor, and the emerald on her panther necklace flashed occasionally under the lights, like some silent declaration.

At the far end of the hall, a semi-enclosed seating area came into view.

There were fewer people there, and the sofas were more spacious and comfortable. Several people were sitting and chatting, and Su Jin spotted Lu Shen at once.

He wore a dark blue velvet suit today, without a tie, his shirt collar slightly open. He looked less businesslike than usual, more relaxed and casual.

He was talking to someone beside him, his head turned and a careless smile on his lips. Hearing footsteps, he turned and looked at Su Jin.

In that instant, his expression changed.

It wasn't an exaggerated look of amazement. His eyes simply lit up, as though a lamp had been kindled.

He rose from the sofa and hurried over, covering the distance in three strides instead of two. Stopping in front of her, he looked her over from head to toe-from her pinned-up hair to the panther necklace below her collarbone, from the deep V of her gown to its floor-sweeping hem. Then he spoke, his voice lower than usual, with a trace of huskiness he hadn't even noticed himself.

"Su Jin." He said her name, not "Ms. Su," but "Su Jin." "Tonight... you've left me at a loss for words."

Su Jin looked at him, her lips curving slightly. "If you don't know what to say, then don't."

Lu Shen laughed, a broad smile revealing his even white teeth.

He reached out as though to support her arm-without actually touching her, merely making a gesture of invitation-and led her inside.

"Come, let me introduce you to a few friends."

Three

There weren't many people in the seating area, but every one of them was a heavyweight.

Lu Shen introduced them one by one. The middle-aged man in a dark gray suit was surnamed Xu, a partner at a top investment firm with several billion yuan at his disposal;

the gray-haired gentleman beside him was surnamed Chen, one of the country's earliest collectors. Any painting in his home was worth enough to support an ordinary person for a lifetime;

the young woman sitting on the sofa had neat short hair and exquisite but understated makeup. She wore a short black Balmain dress and gave off an air that was both capable and stylish.

"This is Zhao Yu," Lu Shen said, gesturing to the woman. "The editor-in-chief of Vogue China."

Zhao Yu stood and offered Su Jin her hand. Her gaze lingered on Su Jin's face for two seconds before her lips curved into a smile. What she said left several people nearby stunned: "I know you. I had someone send you an invitation."

Su Jin shook her hand, neither servile nor arrogant. "I received it, but I haven't had time to reply yet."

"There's no rush." Zhao Yu smiled, her gaze still on Su Jin's face, though her scrutiny was comfortable rather than intrusive. "A face like yours is worth waiting for."

President Xu laughed and interjected, "It's rare for Editor Zhao to praise someone. Ms. Su, you must have a good chat with her tonight."

They sat down again, and a server brought champagne. Su Jin raised her glass and took a sip. It was a vintage Dom Pérignon, delicate on the palate, with fine, dense bubbles that burst gently on the tip of her tongue.

As she drank, she listened to them talk. President Xu discussed projects he had recently looked at, Elder Chen spoke about a painting he had just acquired, and Zhao Yu occasionally joined in or lowered her head to answer a message, relaxed but still in control.

Lu Shen sat beside Su Jin, occasionally leaning over to say a few words in a low voice, explaining one person's background or another's connections. There was a trace of unconscious attentiveness in his tone, though he concealed it well enough that it didn't make him seem overly eager.

After more than twenty minutes, President Xu and Elder Chen got up to mingle elsewhere, leaving only Su Jin, Lu Shen, and Zhao Yu in the seating area.

Zhao Yu put down her phone and looked at Su Jin, her gaze more focused than before.

"Ms. Su," she said, "I had someone contact you because I saw a few photos from Chengdu. On the day you went to see Shen Nian's exhibition, someone took pictures of you and posted them on their WeChat Moments. They eventually made their way to me. A friend of mine said something that left a particularly deep impression on me."

Su Jin didn't ask what it was. She simply looked at her and waited for her to continue.

Zhao Yu smiled, a hint of admiration in her expression. "My friend said, 'When this person stood in front of the painting, she was more beautiful than the painting itself.' I thought then that this person's face belonged in my magazine."

Lu Shen coughed softly beside them, as though he wanted to say something but held himself back.

Su Jin raised her champagne and took an unhurried sip. Only after setting the glass back on the table did she speak. "What would you like me to shoot, Editor Zhao?"

Zhao Yu's eyes lit up. She liked this kind of straightforward conversation.

She said, "For next month's 'Society Ladies' feature, we want to photograph a group of people with real weight behind them. Not the kind of society ladies who rely on their families to mingle in these circles, but young women who have accomplished something themselves. I've heard about your investment in Poly, and I know about your guesthouse project in Shuanglang, as well as that Paris boutique-"

She paused. "You're expanding your territory fast."

Su Jin didn't deny it. She only smiled.

Zhao Yu continued, "We need eight people for the feature, and you're the first I wanted to invite. The shoot will take two days. We'll choose the location, and the clothes will be sponsored by brands. You can also bring your own jewelry-that panther necklace you're wearing today, for example, is lovely."

She glanced at the emerald below Su Jin's collarbone. "If Cartier finds out this necklace made the cover, they'll probably come to you to renew the contract."

Su Jin didn't agree immediately after hearing her out. Instead, she asked, "Who are the other seven?"

Zhao Yu named a few people: one ran a tech company, one ran a charitable foundation, one ran an art space, and one was that currently popular actress who had been nominated at an international film festival. Su Jin listened and nodded.

"All right," she said.

Zhao Yu smiled, took a business card from her bag, and handed it to her.

The card was made of thick cotton paper, bearing only a name and a phone number. There was no title or email address; it was understated to the point of silence. She said, "That's my private number. Call anytime. I'll have someone send you the shoot proposal next week."

Su Jin accepted the card and put it in her clutch.

Lu Shen watched from the side, a smile on his lips the whole time.

Only after Zhao Yu got up to mingle elsewhere did he lean over and lower his voice. "Do you know how hard it is to get Zhao Yu to agree to anything? I've known her for five years, and I've rarely seen her offer someone her card."

Su Jin turned to look at him, her gaze calm. "So?"

His gaze met hers, and he froze for a moment before laughing with a helpless smile.

"So-I'm impressed," he said. "Su Jin, you really leave me at a loss for words."

Four

After Zhao Yu left, people kept coming over to greet Lu Shen and take the opportunity to meet the unfamiliar beauty sitting beside him.

Su Jin was introduced to more than a dozen people: some in energy, some in real estate, some in investment, some in film and television, along with several popular actors and directors.

She didn't say much, but every sentence hit the mark. Now and then, she would ask a question that made the other person pause to consider how to answer.

The film director was surnamed Cheng. He was in his early forties and had made several movies that had done well with both critics and audiences.

He stared at Su Jin for a long moment, then suddenly said, "Ms. Su, are you interested in acting?"

Several people nearby laughed. Someone said, "Director Cheng has spotted his quarry and can't resist the hunt."

Ignoring the teasing, Director Cheng looked seriously at Su Jin. "I mean it. It would be a shame for a face like yours not to appear on the big screen. There's a role in my next film, the second female lead-a mysterious woman from a distinguished family. Her bearing is very much like yours. Would you consider it?"

Su Jin smiled and shook her head. "You flatter me, Director Cheng, but I don't act."

Director Cheng looked regretful, but he still wouldn't give up. "If I find a suitable role in the future, I'll come to you again. Whenever you feel like acting, get in touch."

He handed her a business card, and Su Jin accepted it.

Lu Shen watched from the side, an "I knew it" smile on his lips the whole time. Once Director Cheng had left, he said quietly, "How many business cards have you collected tonight?"

Su Jin thought for a moment. "I didn't count."

"Including Zhao Yu's, at least ten," Lu Shen said. "Do you know what those ten cards mean? They mean you've entered ten circles tonight-the fashion circle, the investment circle, the film and television circle, the collecting circle... From now on, these people will think of you when something comes up."

Su Jin turned to him, a hint of amusement in her gaze. "Wasn't that why you invited me?"

Lu Shen froze for a moment, then smiled a very sincere smile.

"Yes, but not entirely," he said. "Of course I invited you because I wanted you to meet these people. It's good for you. But more than that-"

He paused, his gaze settling on her face as his voice dropped. "I wanted to see you."

Su Jin said nothing, only looking at him.

Lu Shen didn't look away, letting her look at him.

His eyes seemed especially clear in the warm yellow light, and his roguish smile had faded somewhat, replaced by a serious expression that was almost reverent.

He said, "Su Jin, I've pursued a lot of people, but none of them were like you. When I send you messages, I'm lucky if you reply once out of ten times.

"When I asked to see you, you made me wait over a month. I had people ask around about what you were doing and found out you don't need me at all-you have your own things to do, your own circles to enter, your own territory to build.

"You don't need me to help you with anything, and you don't need to get anything from me."

He paused and took half a step forward, moving closer to her.

"But the more that's true, the more I want to pursue you."

Su Jin was silent for a few seconds after hearing him out. Then she smiled, a faint smile, but there was light in her eyes.

She said, "Lu Shen, do you know why I don't date?"

Lu Shen shook his head.

"Because dating is too much trouble," she said. "You have to consider the other person's feelings, report your schedule, tell them who you're meeting, explain why you didn't reply to a message. I don't have the time or the energy for that.

"What I want is to see whoever I want, go wherever I want, and do whatever I want, without having to answer to anyone."

She looked at him, her gaze as calm as a still pool.

"If you can accept that, then pursue me. If you can't, give up now."

Lu Shen stared at her for a full five seconds, then suddenly laughed, one eyebrow lifting.

He said, "Su Jin, hearing you say that makes me want to pursue you even more."

Su Jin ignored him and turned to leave.

His voice came from behind her. "Where are you going?"

"To find something to eat." She didn't look back. "I'm hungry."

Five

The buffet was set up on the east side of the villa. A long table was laden with all kinds of food: Western dishes such as steak, lobster, and oysters; Chinese dishes such as roast duck, shumai, and spring rolls; and several delicate Japanese dishes, with salmon and sweet shrimp arranged in pretty flower shapes.

Su Jin took a plate, picked out a little of each, and found a seat by the window.

Outside was the garden at night. The fountain was still spraying water, its jets colored by the lights.

She ate as she looked out the window, enjoying a rare moment of peace.

She had only taken a couple of bites when a voice sounded beside her.

"Hiding here to sneak some food all by yourself?"

Su Jin turned and saw a young woman standing beside her. She was twenty-five or twenty-six, wearing a short Balmain dress decorated with sequins and holding a glass of champagne. She was smiling at her.

The face looked familiar. Su Jin thought for two seconds and recognized her: Jiang Yao, the fashion blogger she had met at the gathering Xu Yanqiu had arranged the night before last.

"Jiang Yao?" she said. "You're here too?"

Jiang Yao sat down beside her and let out a long breath, as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Don't even ask. A brand brought me along, saying I should come broaden my horizons. But once I got inside, I didn't know anyone. I wandered around alone with a glass for half an hour, and my feet are aching. When I saw you sitting here, it was like seeing family."

Su Jin laughed at that and nudged the plate in front of her toward Jiang Yao. "Want some?"

Jiang Yao didn't stand on ceremony. She picked up a shumai, took a bite, and narrowed her eyes in satisfaction.

"You've got the right idea," she said. "Eating and drinking as you please. Not like those people, wandering around with glasses in their hands and not eating a bite. I wonder if they're hungry."

Su Jin smiled and went on eating.

After finishing the shumai, Jiang Yao wiped her hands and looked at her with undisguised admiration.

"Su Jin, you know what? You look especially beautiful tonight. Where did you buy that dress? Is it Gucci? I don't think I've seen this design before."

Su Jin nodded. "It's Gucci. It hasn't been released yet. The boutique set it aside for me."

"The boutique?" Jiang Yao's eyes lit up. "You mean your place, The Star? When does it open? I want to go!"

Su Jin gave her a date, and Jiang Yao immediately took out her phone to make a note. As she typed, she said, "I'll bring a few friends to support you. They're all well-known bloggers in the circle, with tens of millions of followers between them. I guarantee your opening day will be lively."

Su Jin looked at her and thought that although the girl was boisterous, she was quite sincere. "All right," she said. "I'll save you a VIP spot."

Delighted, Jiang Yao reached for a spring roll.

They ate and chatted, and Jiang Yao talked about all sorts of things in the circle: which brand was changing designers, which celebrity had recently been fighting over resources, which blogger looked popular but was actually faking their numbers, and what shady dealings lay behind which event.

Su Jin listened with relish, asking the occasional question, and Jiang Yao spilled everything like beans pouring from a bamboo tube.

After they had talked for more than twenty minutes, Jiang Yao's manager came to fetch her, saying it was time to meet a certain brand's PR representative.

Jiang Yao stood reluctantly. Before leaving, she leaned close to Su Jin's ear and whispered, "That Lu Shen has been watching you all night. I've noticed for a while now. Wherever you go, his eyes follow. Is he pursuing you?"

Su Jin smiled but said nothing.

Jiang Yao wore an expression that said, "I get it," patted her hand, and followed her manager away.

Six

After Jiang Yao left, Su Jin sat for a while longer, then got up and headed back.

As she passed through the crowd, she saw Zhao Yu chatting with several men in suits. She recognized one of them: he was the China CEO of a luxury brand, and she had just seen him in the news last week.

Zhao Yu saw her and beckoned.

Su Jin walked over, and Zhao Yu naturally linked arms with her. She said to the men, "This is Su Jin, a shareholder in Poly and one of the people being photographed for my next feature."

The men's gazes all landed on her at once. The CEO's eyes lit up, and he said in slightly accented Chinese, "Ms. Su, you have a wonderful presence. You'd be a great fit for our brand. Would you be interested in working together?"

Su Jin was neither servile nor arrogant. "We can talk about it."

The CEO immediately handed her a business card and said he would have someone contact her the following week.

After a few more words, Zhao Yu led her away from the group. As they walked, she said quietly, "This brand wants to find a brand friend in China. They've been looking for half a year and haven't found anyone suitable. You got lucky today and happened to meet them."

Su Jin looked at her. "Did you do that on purpose?"

Zhao Yu smiled and did not deny it. "I like smart people. Your performance tonight was worth giving you a hand."

They walked to a relatively quiet corner, where Zhao Yu stopped and looked at her earnestly.

"Su Jin, remember this: in this circle, beauty is an admission ticket, but it isn't a pass. You have beauty, brains, a career, and ambition. Put all those things together, and you can go a long way."

She paused and took a business card from her bag. It was not the personal card she had given her earlier, but another one, printed with her assistant's contact information.

"Next week, I'll have someone send you the shoot plan. If you have any questions, call this number anytime."

Su Jin took the card and thanked her.

Zhao Yu nodded, then turned and headed into the crowd. She was soon surrounded by several women in formal gowns, and another round of socializing began.

Seven

By ten thirty that night, the reception was drawing to a close.

Su Jin stood on the second-floor terrace, feeling the night breeze as she looked down at the garden.

The fountain had stopped, and the lights had dimmed considerably. Guests were leaving in twos and threes, headlights coming on one car after another before disappearing into the night.

Footsteps sounded behind her.

Lu Shen came to her side and leaned against the railing, turning his head to look at her. "How was tonight?"

Su Jin thought for a moment. "Not bad."

"Not bad?" Lu Shen laughed. "You met Zhao Yu, landed a Vogue shoot, had a luxury brand's CEO offer you his card, and got invited by Director Cheng to act in a film-and you call that not bad?"

Su Jin turned to look at him, her gaze calm. "What else would I call it?"

Lu Shen looked at her, something stirring in his gaze. "Su Jin, you know, I've met a lot of people, but none of them were like you.

"You've clearly gained so much, yet you seem not to care about any of it. You could clearly make a living off that face, yet you insist on doing so many things yourself.

"You clearly-forget it. I won't say any more."

He paused and took a step forward, moving a little closer to her.

The night breeze lifted a few loose strands of her hair, brushing them gently across the back of his hand.

"Su Jin, can I ask you a question?"

Su Jin looked at him. "Go ahead."

"Do you have any feelings for me at all?" His voice was lower than usual, carrying a hint of nervousness that even he had not noticed. "Even a little?"

Su Jin did not answer right away.

The night breeze blew past. The light on the terrace was dim, and only the ground lights in the distant garden remained lit, casting small pools of light across the ground.

She stood there, her long burgundy dress fluttering gently in the wind. The emeralds on her cheetah necklace flashed now and then, like some kind of silent answer.

She looked at Lu Shen for a long time, so long that he began to grow uneasy.

Then she smiled, a faint smile, but there was light in her eyes.

"Lu Shen, if I said I didn't, I'd be lying."

Lu Shen's eyes lit up at once.

But she went on, "Having feelings doesn't mean anything, though. I told you, I don't date. If you can accept just seeing each other, with no responsibilities, no need to account for ourselves, and no questions about the future, then we can continue. If you can't-"

She did not finish, but her meaning was clear enough.

Lu Shen stared at her for a full five seconds, then suddenly laughed, his smile helpless yet sincere. "Su Jin, you really... leave me not knowing what to do."

Su Jin said nothing, only looking at him.

He took another step forward. This time he was so close he could smell the faint perfume on her skin-peony, rose, and the barely perceptible warmth of suede. "I won't force you to make any decisions. But I want you to know I'll wait. When the day comes that you want to date, consider me first."

Su Jin looked at him. A flicker of complicated emotion passed through her eyes, but they soon grew calm again.

"Then you may have to wait a long time."

Lu Shen smiled, looking perfectly at ease. "I can afford to wait."

The night breeze blew past. Only the two of them remained on the terrace, accompanied by the occasional sound of cars in the distance.

Eight

It was nearly midnight by the time she returned to her apartment at the China World Trade Center.

Su Jin kicked off her high heels and walked barefoot across the thick carpet to the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing out at the brilliant night view.

Beijing at night was always like this, ablaze with lights and filled with an endless stream of cars, like a city that never slept.

She stood there for a long time, then turned and walked into the bathroom.

By the time she had removed her makeup, bathed, and finished her skincare routine, it was one in the morning. Wearing a bathrobe, she sat at her dressing table and looked at her bare face in the mirror.

Her skin was still clear and luminous, her features still delicate, though there was a faint trace of weariness beneath her eyes.

Her phone buzzed. It was a message from Lu Shen: I had a great time tonight. Good night.

She did not reply.

It buzzed again. This time it was Shen Mingwei: Construction in Dali is progressing smoothly, and work has also started on Lin Man's flower-growing base. We can start a trial run next month. Do you want to come cut the ribbon?

She replied: Okay, arrange it.

The third message was from Cheng Yan: Shen Nian has finished that painting. She said you can come see it anytime.

She replied: Arrange it for next week.

The fourth message was from Zhou Ye: The contract for the courtyard house is ready. We can sign it tomorrow morning.

She replied: Okay.

She put down her phone, leaned back in her chair, and closed her eyes.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg popped out, his voice soft. [You're tired after tonight, aren't you?]

Su Jin said nothing.

[This system observed that tonight you met Zhao Yu and entered the fashion circle; met that CEO and got an opportunity to work with a brand; met Director Cheng and gained an entry point into the film and television circle; and met Lu Shen-] He paused. [This system won't comment on that.]

Su Jin opened her eyes and looked at the face in the mirror.

"Tomorrow I'll sign for the courtyard house, next week I'll shoot for the magazine, and next month I'll go to Dali for the ribbon-cutting. Then-"

She paused, the corners of her mouth curving slightly.

"Then I want to make a trip to the United States."

[The United States?] Little Golden Egg was stunned. [What for?]

Su Jin stood up and headed for the bedroom. As she walked, she said, "MIT. I want to study there."

[Study?] Little Golden Egg's voice changed pitch. [Host, you're already one of the richest people around. Why study?]

Su Jin stopped at the bedroom door and glanced back at him. Though he was floating in the air without a physical form, she still glanced at him.

"Having money doesn't mean having brains. I want to learn something real-computers, artificial intelligence, things that change the world."

She paused, the corners of her mouth curving upward.

"Besides, my IQ should be high enough now."

Little Golden Egg fell silent.

Several seconds passed before he spoke, a trace of awe in his voice. [Host, this system understands you less and less.]

Su Jin smiled, walked into the bedroom, and slipped under the covers.

Outside the window, Beijing's nightscape was still brilliant. The woman lying in bed closed her eyes, that faint smile still on her lips.

Tomorrow there would be new things to do, new people to meet, and new territory to lay out.

And farther away, an even bigger world was waiting for her.