Meeting a Group of People on the Same Wavelength at an Art Exhibition

At 2:50 the next afternoon, Su Jin stood before an inconspicuous gray building in Chengdu's Taikoo Li.

The frontage was small, with no sign, only a line of tiny characters carved into the wall: Yuqing Art Museum.

She pushed open the door and found a different world inside: a three-story-high space with exposed concrete walls, where natural light poured through a skylight and fell squarely on the enormous painting at its center.

It was an abstract painting, vast swathes of blue in varying shades, like the sea and the sky at once. A golden fissure ran across the middle, as if light had cleaved something open.

Su Jin stopped in front of it and stood there for a full three minutes.

[Host, do you understand it?] Little Golden Egg popped out and asked in a small voice.

"No," she said. "But it's beautiful."

[...This system thought you were about to share some profound insight.]

Su Jin ignored Little Golden Egg and continued inside.

There were few people in the exhibition hall. They were scattered here and there in twos and threes, occasionally exchanging a few quiet words, though most simply looked at the paintings in silence.

Her outfit suited the atmosphere perfectly: a dark gray Loewe cashmere coat with a loose silhouette and a belt tied in a casual knot at the waist; beneath it, a white shirt dress from the same brand, its top two buttons undone to reveal her delicate collarbones; and a pair of black Stuart Weitzman ankle boots with low heels that made no sound as she walked.

Her jewelry was minimalist: a pair of Tiffany HardWear earrings, silver spheres with a cool, hard industrial edge; on her right wrist was only a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso watch, with a navy dial, a rose-gold case, and a slender bracelet that followed the curve of her wrist.

Her hair was half up, the portion falling over her shoulders teased by the wind into slightly tousled curves that made her face look even smaller.

Her makeup was much lighter than yesterday's: her eyeshadow was barely visible, just a faint wash of brown, while her lips wore Chanel matte liquid lipstick in shade 132, a milk-tea nude pink so understated it almost blended into her skin.

She stopped in front of a small painting, no larger than a sheet of A4 paper. It showed a person sitting by a window, the scenery outside blurred into a pool of light.

The figure's back was slender, their head slightly bowed. There was no telling what they were looking at or thinking about.

She stood before the painting, watching quietly, as if waiting for the person in it to turn around.

"You like this one too?"

A voice sounded beside her.

Su Jin turned to see a young woman standing next to her, twenty-six or twenty-seven, with shoulder-length hair dyed light chestnut and bangs casually tucked behind her ear, revealing a small, rounded face.

She wore a printed Isabel Marant blouse under a beige tweed jacket, with jeans and ankle boots, giving her an effortlessly stylish air.

She was looking at Su Jin, her eyes shining with frank admiration.

"I stood here looking at it for ten minutes just now," she said. "The more I looked, the more I liked it, but I couldn't say why. I was about to leave when I saw you standing here without moving, and suddenly I thought-oh, so I'm not the only strange one."

Su Jin smiled. "You don't need a reason to like a painting."

The young woman's eyes lit up. "Yes, yes, exactly. Anyone who insists on explaining why is just pretending to be an expert."

She held out her hand to Su Jin. "I'm Meng Qi. Qi as in 'to rest.'"

Su Jin shook her hand. "Su Jin."

"Su Jin." Meng Qi repeated her name, her gaze lingering on her face. "You're really beautiful. I hope you don't mind me saying that. I'm the sort of person who says whatever comes to mind, and I can't help complimenting beautiful people and things when I see them."

Her directness made Su Jin laugh. "I don't mind."

As the two were talking, another voice cut in.

"Meng Qi, have you cornered another stranger to tell her she's beautiful?"

A man in a black suit walked over. He was around thirty, with gold-rimmed glasses and a scholarly face, and a faint, helpless smile on his lips.

He came up beside Meng Qi and gave Su Jin a slight bow. "Hello, I'm Xu Yanqiu, Meng Qi's... friend."

"Friend?" Meng Qi shot him a sideways glance. "Listen to you. We were neighbors who grew up together, but you just had to call yourself a friend. You make it sound like there's something going on between us that we can't tell anyone about."

Xu Yanqiu adjusted his glasses and said nothing, merely smiling at Su Jin.

Su Jin watched the two of them, a flicker of interest in her eyes.

"Are you here for the exhibition too?"

"She's here to 'see' it," Xu Yanqiu said, pointing at Meng Qi. "I'm here because she dragged me along to keep her company. But-" He looked at the small painting on the wall.

"This one really is good. The artist's young and only recently emerged. This is the first time this group of works has been shown publicly. If you like it, you could talk to the gallery. It probably hasn't been reserved yet."

Meng Qi immediately looked at Su Jin. "Do you want to buy it? If you do, I won't fight you for it. But if you're hesitating, I'm going to snap it up."

Su Jin looked at the painting, then at Meng Qi's shining eyes, and smiled.

"You buy it," she said. "I'll look at the others."

Meng Qi didn't stand on ceremony. She immediately turned to find a staff member.

Xu Yanqiu stayed where he was, looking at Su Jin with a hint of scrutiny, though more curiosity than anything else.

"Where are you from, Miss Su? Your accent doesn't sound local to Chengdu."

"Beijing," Su Jin said. "I'm in Chengdu on business, and I came to see the exhibition while I was here."

"Beijing's a great place." Xu Yanqiu nodded. "I spent six months there last year, working on a project in Wudaokou. The pace there is so fast it leaves you breathless, but stay long enough and you get addicted to it."

Su Jin was about to reply when Meng Qi came running back, a receipt in her hand and a beaming smile on her face.

"Done! I can pick it up next week." She linked arms with Su Jin. "Su Jin, thanks for letting me have it. Dinner's on me tonight, and you're not allowed to say no."

Su Jin looked at her and suddenly thought she was rather interesting.

"All right," she said.

Two

Dinner was arranged at a private-kitchen restaurant in Taikoo Li, tucked away on the second floor of an old building. There was no sign at the entrance, only an attendant in a qipao who checked their reservation before leading them inside.

The private room was small, with just enough space for a table for six. Its window faced the red walls and black tiles of Daci Temple, and a few birds could still be seen flying over the eaves in the gathering dusk.

A charcoal fire burned in the room, filling it with warmth. A celadon tea set sat on the table, the tea already brewed.

Besides Meng Qi and Xu Yanqiu, there were two other people.

One was Meng Qi's younger female cousin, Lin Zhi, a twenty-two-year-old graduate student studying oil painting at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute. She had also been at the exhibition that afternoon, but they hadn't run into each other.

She looked a little like Meng Qi, though she was thinner and had a quieter air. She wore a loose black sweater, and her hair was cut short enough to show a row of delicate silver earrings along her ear.

The other was Xu Yanqiu's university classmate, Shen Che, who ran an architectural design firm in Chengdu. He was thirty-one, wore round glasses, and had a slightly goofy smile, but spoke in a very organized way.

He had come straight from a construction site, with a few specks of mud still on his trouser legs, and apologized as soon as he came in, saying he really hadn't had time to change.

The five sat around the charcoal fire, the fragrance of tea mingling with its warmth. Dusk deepened outside the window, and the light in the room was warm and soft.

Meng Qi was a natural at keeping the atmosphere lively. She ordered dishes, poured tea, and looked after everyone, never letting the conversation go cold.

She ordered a tableful of food-Sichuan pepper chicken, sliced pork with garlic sauce, husband-and-wife lung slices, kung pao shrimp, mapo tofu, boiled-water cabbage, and brown-sugar glutinous rice cakes-all authentic Sichuan dishes. As she ordered, she said:

"I don't know if you can eat spicy food, so I've tried to order some dishes that aren't too hot. The boiled-water cabbage is for anyone who can't handle spice, but if you all can, we can skip it-actually, never mind, we're here anyway, so we might as well try it."

Lin Zhi didn't talk much, but whenever she did speak, she got straight to the point.

She looked at Su Jin and said quietly, "I saw you at the exhibition this afternoon. You stood in front of that big blue painting for a long time. When I looked at you, you happened to be smiling. I wondered what you were remembering."

Su Jin paused, then smiled. "That painting reminded me of Erhai Lake in Dali."

"You've been to Dali?"

"I just got back from a project there," Su Jin said. "I've acquired seven courtyard properties in Shuanglang and plan to turn them into boutique guesthouses."

Lin Zhi's eyes lit up. "Shuanglang? That place is wonderful. I went there to sketch from life last year and stayed for half a month, painting Erhai Lake every day until I was tanned like a lump of coal."

She paused. "Will your guesthouses need paintings later on?"

Su Jin looked at her and smiled. "They will. And not just decorative paintings. I want to do something that truly brings in the local scenery and character."

Lin Zhi nodded and asked no more, but Su Jin could tell the young woman was turning something over in her mind.

Shen Che, on the other hand, grew talkative. Once he started discussing architectural design, he couldn't stop.

When he heard Su Jin was planning guesthouses in Dali, he immediately pulled out his phone to show her a recent project of his: a boutique hotel in Lijiang, tucked deep within Shuhe Ancient Town. It used local reclaimed wood and gray bricks, its design restrained but meticulous in every detail.

"If you need a designer, I can recommend a few reliable ones," he said. "I won't get involved myself. I have too many projects on my plate and can't manage any more.

"But I know a few young people who just came back from abroad. They have good ideas and are down-to-earth, and they happen to need a project to cut their teeth on."

Su Jin nodded. "All right, I'll send you the details later."

Xu Yanqiu sat to one side and didn't say much, but whenever he did chime in, he moved the conversation forward.

He worked in investment, focusing on technology and consumer sectors. He wasn't very familiar with guesthouses, but he seemed more interested in Su Jin herself.

He asked what she did in Beijing, and when she said she made a few small investments, he didn't press further. He merely nodded and raised his teacup to clink it against hers.

Dinner lasted more than two hours. They talked about painting, then architecture, then travel, then their respective lives.

Su Jin realized it had been a long time since she'd chatted so easily with a group of people-not discussing business or attending a social engagement, just pure, casual conversation among people her own age.

Meng Qi had a few glasses of plum wine, and a faint blush colored her cheeks. She leaned back in her chair and looked at Su Jin.

"Su Jin," she said, "can we keep in touch? I think you're a really interesting person."

Su Jin looked at her and smiled. "Sure."

Three

After dinner, the group stood in the street in Taikoo Li and said their goodbyes.

The winter night's wind was a little chilly, but Chengdu's nightlife was only just beginning.

Young people came and went along the street, holding milk tea, talking and laughing, while the lights illuminated the whole street.

Meng Qi held on to Su Jin's arm, reluctant to let go. "Are you still in Chengdu tomorrow? I'll take you out for something delicious. You couldn't eat your way through all the good food in Chengdu in a day and a night."

Su Jin shook her head. "I'm going back to Beijing tomorrow."

"So soon?" Meng Qi looked disappointed. "When are you coming back, then?"

"Soon," Su Jin said. "The project here has just started, so I'll be coming often."

Meng Qi immediately pulled out her phone. "Let's add each other on WeChat. You have to tell me whenever you come. I'll take you all over Chengdu to eat, and I guarantee we won't have the same thing twice."

The two added each other on WeChat, and Lin Zhi came over too. She quietly scanned the code and said, "Whenever your guesthouses need paintings, just contact me."

Shen Che and Xu Yanqiu added her on WeChat as well. As Xu Yanqiu did so, he looked at her and said, "Miss Su, let's get together again when you have a chance back in Beijing. I have a few friends, and I think you'd be interested in what they're doing."

Su Jin nodded, said goodbye to the group, and got into the car waiting by the roadside.

The car slowly pulled away from Taikoo Li. In the rearview mirror, she could still see Meng Qi standing there waving, with Lin Zhi beside her, while Shen Che and Xu Yanqiu had already turned and headed in another direction.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg popped out. [This system scanned those people. Their backgrounds are all quite clean.

[Meng Qi is the only daughter of the Meng family in Chengdu. She's in the liquor business, has a net worth of over a billion, and has a wide network of contacts.

[Lin Zhi is her younger cousin. Her family is in textiles, but she works in art herself and has nothing to do with the family business.

[Shen Che comes from an ordinary family and made his way through his own abilities. He's made a bit of a name for himself in Chengdu's architectural design circles.

[Xu Yanqiu-]

Little Golden Egg paused.

[Xu Yanqiu is the third son of the Xu family in Shanghai. The family works in finance and real estate. He's from a collateral branch, so he's not as central to the family, but he still has considerable family wealth. He went out on his own to work in investment and has done quite well.]

Su Jin leaned back in her seat, listening without a word.

[What do you think of them, Host?]

"They're good," she said. "Normal."

[Normal?]

"Just normal friends." Su Jin watched the lights flash past outside the window. "They're not after my money, and they don't want to get anything from me. They simply find me interesting and want to be friends.

"There were plenty of people like that in my old life, but in my life now-very few."

Little Golden Egg fell silent.

After a long while, Little Golden Egg said softly, [Host, this system thinks you should make more friends like them.]

Su Jin smiled without saying anything.

Four

By the time she returned to the hotel, it was almost ten.

She removed her makeup, showered, changed into a robe, and sat on the sofa to deal with her messages.

Shen Mingwei had sent more than a dozen WeChat messages, all about progress on the Dali project: the construction crew had moved in, the renovation plan had been finalized, Lin Man had sent people over, negotiations for the flower-growing base's land had been settled, and the contract could be signed in the next couple of days.

At the end, she'd added: How are things on your end? Has your trip to Chengdu been fruitful?

She replied: Yes. I met a few new friends who might be useful later.

Cheng Yan had sent a message: That big blue painting today is the centerpiece of Yuqing's current exhibition. The painter is Shen Nian, born in the nineties. She just came back from London, and this is the first time this group of paintings has been shown since her return. If you're interested, I can arrange for you to meet her.

She replied: Okay, arrange it.

Zhou Ye had sent a message: The basic structure of the security team in Beijing is in place. Five people, all veterans, with clean backgrounds. Their loyalty has passed preliminary screening. Meet them when you get back.

She replied: Arrange it for next week.

At the bottom was a message from Chen Shen: Why didn't you come to the track today? What happened to meeting this morning?

She looked at the message, the corners of her lips curving up, and replied: I went to an exhibition.

He replied instantly: Is an exhibition more interesting than driving?

She replied: Both are interesting.

Again, he replied instantly: When are you coming back to Chengdu, then? I'll take you to an exhibition and driving-a one-stop service.

She didn't reply.

Putting down her phone, she stood and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

Chengdu's nightscape spread out beneath her, its lights joining into a sea of illumination. In the distance, Tianfu Avenue was like a flowing river of light.

She stood there, looking at the lights, and suddenly remembered the inexplicable feeling that had welled up in her as she stood before the big blue painting that afternoon.

What was that painting called again?

She remembered the small line of text on the exhibition hall wall: "Beyond the Sea Is Still the Sea."

[Host,] Little Golden Egg floated over. [What are you daydreaming about?]

Su Jin ignored Little Golden Egg, picked up her phone, and sent Cheng Yan a message: Send me Shen Nian's contact information tomorrow.

Cheng Yan replied: Got it.

She put down her phone, turned, and walked into the bedroom.

She was returning to Beijing tomorrow, meeting the security team the day after, and attending Lu Shen's reception the day after that. Her schedule was packed, but she found herself looking forward to it.

Not to the events themselves, but to the people behind them.

Meng Qi, Lin Zhi, Shen Che, Xu Yanqiu-these new friends reminded her of her life long ago.

Back then, she had no money, but she had plenty of friends to eat at roadside stalls with, complain about their bosses with, and daydream with.

Later, she had money, but those friends gradually drifted away. It wasn't that she had changed; it was that the way they looked at her had changed.

But the way these people had looked at her today was uncomplicated. It wasn't because of her money or her face. They simply found her interesting.

She hadn't felt that way in a long time.

[Host,] Little Golden Egg followed her in and asked cautiously, [you seem to be in an especially good mood today?]

Su Jin slipped under the covers and closed her eyes.

"Mm," she said. "I met a few interesting people."

[More interesting than Lu Shen?]

"Different."

[More interesting than Chen Shen?]

"Different too."

[Then what kind of interesting?]

Su Jin thought for a moment, her lips curving into a smile.

"The kind of interesting where we can eat at roadside stalls together."

Little Golden Egg fell silent.

The lights went out, and the room fell into darkness.

Outside the window, Chengdu's night gently enveloped the city, enveloped the woman lying in bed with a smile still on her lips.