Chapter 9

*Moon-Chasing Diary*
“You are… the eternal runner-up?”
— *Moon-Chasing Diary*
_
“Here?” Qin Sang was doubtful. “Are you sure you didn’t see wrong?”
“Of course not!” Xiaoxiao retorted urgently. “My eyes are sharp. How could I mistake him? And that Mr. Xie is way too eye-catching—just standing there, he looks like a celebrity. It’s hard to misrecognize.”
At first, she’d heard staff whispering about whether someone was handsome or not. She thought Huitai had invited some male celebrity to support the event. Curious, she went to take a look.
Only to realize it wasn’t a celebrity at all—it was Qin Sang’s high school classmate who worked at the aerospace institute.
Shocked, she hurried back to tell Qin Sang.
Xiaoxiao frowned, unable to figure it out. “I don’t know what his identity is, but Huitai’s people seem really polite to him. Even the chairman’s assistant personally came down to greet him.”
Something stirred in Qin Sang’s mind. “How long until the opening?”
Xiaoxiao checked the time. “About fifteen minutes. Sang-sang, why?”
Qin Sang curved her lips and smiled at her. Xiaoxiao suddenly had a bad premonition. “Don’t tell me you want to sneak out?”
Qin Sang’s smile turned even sweeter; her downturned eyes became crescent moons. Whenever she smiled like this, nothing good followed. Xiaoxiao collapsed. “Stop! If Sister Wen finds out, she’ll kill me!”
“If I don’t say it, and you don’t say it, how would Sister Wen know?” Qin Sang said.
Xiaoxiao hesitated. “But…”
“Xiaoxiao, I’m just going out for some air.” Qin Sang swore. “I promise I’ll be back before the opening.”
_
Huitai’s jewelry exhibition was grand and loud. They invited many celebrities to stand on stage; media outlets were well taken care of. For this anniversary, Cai Shengbin had clearly spent a lot of effort.
As Huitai’s spokesperson, Qin Sang’s every move was already watched. Not to mention the old story between her and Madam Cai—the rare meeting of true kindred spirits. Like Zhong Ziqi and Yu Boya: confidants were hard to find.
This time, Huitai’s publicity focus was on her. Not long ago she’d won the Golden Bell Best Actress crown. Ten years ago, Madam Cai had gone against dissent and declared “growing together,” backing her with full force.
Now Qin Sang had gained the glory she deserved, and Huitai had truly done ten years of companionship—never leaving, never abandoning.
With news that her endorsement contract was nearing expiration, whether it would be renewed became a key point of outside speculation.
Cai Shengbin wanted to ride the anniversary momentum and publicly announce the renewal, creating a “beautiful story,” and squeeze their connection even harder for promotion.
That had been the plan. But now Cai Shengbin had been hung up high—unable to climb down.
Cai Shengbin didn’t understand. “President Tong, I don’t quite understand what you mean…”
Tong Junjie sneered. “I mean replace Qin Sang. Is that hard to understand?”
“But we’ve already pushed all the publicity out, and Miss Qin has worked with Huitai for ten years. She’s already at the venue. If we back out last minute, won’t we offend her completely?”
Cai Shengbin was always smooth. He valued profit and commercial value, but he wouldn’t recklessly do something like offending people.
Tong Junjie flicked ash. “Chairman Cai, I thought you were smart. Qin Sang is just a little celebrity. Can an egg crash into a stone? Besides, you can support whoever you want. Why not go with the flow and do someone a favor? Tan Xiaoxiao is the niece of CITIC’s Chairman Song. Give her face, and you give Chairman Song face. Chairman Song will remember it.”
Cai Shengbin weighed pros and cons. After thinking it over, he called his assistant. “Have them withdraw all the prepared press releases. Don’t leak anything to Qin Sang’s side yet. Say there’s an on-site malfunction and have them wait longer.”
Tong Junjie stood up, satisfied, and extended his hand. “Then, Chairman Cai, here’s to a pleasant cooperation.”
“A pleasant cooperation.” Cai Shengbin shook his hand, smiling ingratiatingly. “Xiao Tong, I didn’t realize you were this capable. My eyes were bad—I mistook a pearl for a fish eye. I’ll have to trouble you to say a few good words for me to Chairman Song.”
Cai Shengbin played at sentiment; his words were full of flattery.
Tong Junjie and Xie Yuncheng were from the same compound. But the Tong family had declined. To put it bluntly, Tong Junjie’s father was just a driver for the old leader. The Cai family was different: rooted in Tong City, running jewelry for years, and they’d also latched onto someone from the Xie family. Cai Shengbin used to look down on Tong Junjie. But now Tong Junjie had become CITIC’s top boss and was trusted deeply by Chairman Song; if Cai Shengbin didn’t fawn a little, he couldn’t.
Tong Junjie gave a perfunctory scoff. “Sure.”
“Chairman,” the assistant knocked and came in. She glanced at Tong Junjie, then lowered her voice. “That one from the Xie family has arrived too.”
Cai Shengbin’s face changed. He looked awkwardly at Tong Junjie. Tong Junjie’s expression turned playful. “That one from the Xie family?”
Sweat beaded on Cai Shengbin’s forehead. “It… it should be Xiaochen. Probably here about his father.”
Tong Junjie gave a meaningful “oh,” smiling. “I haven’t seen that old classmate in ages. Chairman Cai, you don’t mind if we catch up as classmates, do you?”
“Not at all, not at all.” Cai Shengbin wiped sweat with a raised hand, smiling all over—though in his heart, he only wanted to send this plague god away as quickly as possible.
_
“Mr. Xie, the chairman is still busy. When he’s done, he’ll come over. Please sit and rest for a moment.”
The secretary brought in a cup of coffee and explained softly, her eyes unable to stop drifting toward the man.
He was tall. Though he wasn’t in formal wear, even standing casually he carried an arrogant, languid aura. A black jacket over a pale-blue shirt—simple workwear style, yet it couldn’t hide the clean, noble uprightness in his bearing.
He curved his lips and nodded slightly. “Thank you.”
So handsome. The secretary screamed silently in her heart, blushing as she gripped her tray and shook her head. “You’re welcome. Please wait a moment—the chairman will be here soon.”
“Hah. And here I was wondering who it was.”
Tong Junjie entered, dripping with cold sarcasm. “Isn’t this my lofty, high-minded scientist classmate? What—Young Master Xie doesn’t need to be busy building rockets and striving for humanity’s scientific progress today?”
The words were grating. Even the secretary couldn’t help frowning.
Tong Junjie sized him up coldly. Years apart, Xie Yuncheng seemed unchanged: superior features, clear lines. Compared to the fierce, overbearing sharpness of the past, he now looked more like a blade still sheathed—cool, knowing how to hide its edge.
Tong Junjie narrowed his eyes slightly; his gaze turned colder.
What he hated most was Xie Yuncheng’s “above everyone” manner. Back then, his father drove for Xie Yuncheng’s grandfather; the kids from the compound all wore that same attitude—arrogant, looking down on him because he was only a driver’s son.
Now that the Xie family had fallen, what did Xie Yuncheng have to be proud of?
“Let me guess,” Tong Junjie mocked. “Young Master Xie came to see Chairman Cai today?”
He laughed. “Too bad—bad timing. Young Master Xie will probably go home empty-handed today. But if you’re willing to beg me for help, then for old classmates’ sake, I could plead a little for you—give you a bit of face.”
_
Qin Sang stepped out of the lounge and heard two staff members whispering nearby.
The secretary who’d just come out of the meeting room couldn’t help complaining. “That’s someone from CITIC, right? Such a nasty personality. Even to his classmates—his words are way too harsh.”
“No choice. That’s how society is. People with money and power really are something.”
The secretary sighed. “True. Sounds like that Mr. Xie does research. You know—research sounds nice, but there’s no money and no power. Of course he gets pushed down.”
…
Hearing that, Qin Sang stopped and spoke up, cutting in. “Excuse me—where is the Mr. Xie you’re talking about right now?”
They’d been complaining quietly. Someone suddenly appeared behind them; they both jumped.
Seeing it was Qin Sang, they exchanged looks. The secretary pointed toward the end of the corridor. “They’re over there—turn left, the innermost meeting room.”
Qin Sang curved her lips. “Thank you.”
The two shook their heads hard, then carefully took out their phones. “Ms. Qin, we’ve liked you for a long time. Can we take a photo together?”
Qin Sang smiled. “Of course.”
-
Huitai’s entire building was busy with the exhibition. The meeting room, however, was very quiet. Qin Sang reached the door and heard a laugh full of sarcasm from inside.
“Xie Yuncheng, you’re not that great. Back then, I lost to you everywhere only because our starting points were different. Your family background was better, so everyone was willing to praise you.”
“But what about now? Without the Xie family, you’re nothing but a pitiful worm wagging its tail and begging.”
Tong Junjie grew more and more unrestrained. He truly hated Xie Yuncheng. No matter how hard he worked, the only person anyone could see was Xie Yuncheng.
Tong Junjie’s smile turned ever more vicious. “If you’re willing to kneel and beg me, I might be able to help you work things out. Maybe your father’s case can still turn around.”
The Xie family had fallen. Xie Zhenting was in prison. Tong Junjie was delighted.
He wanted nothing more than to see Xie Yuncheng fall from the altar, smash into the mud, and never rise again.
He only wanted to humiliate him. The worse the Xie family lived, the more fun he had.
Xie Yuncheng’s expression was indifferent. His eyes held no ripples at all.
That unbothered coldness enraged Tong Junjie. He narrowed his eyes dangerously; his mouth twitched uncontrollably. He was about to erupt when a light knock sounded at the door.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb the two of you… ‘talking.’ It’s just that…”
As the two inside looked over, Qin Sang paused, then smiled faintly. She raised a hand and pointed at Xie Yuncheng.
“I happen to have something I need to ask Classmate Xie to help with.”
Tong Junjie froze first, then frowned, displeasure showing in his words. “So it’s you.”
Hearing that, Qin Sang’s gaze drifted. She looked him over once, puzzled. “You are…?”
She sized him up for a while before she finally remembered. Her tone drew out in sudden realization.
“Ah—eternal runner-up?”