Chapter 135: The Archive

Liang Jinshang insisted on taking a shower; today was the final day of her business trip, and she had work to finish later.

Shang Yucheng granted her three minutes of grace, and she hurriedly washed up.

By the time she finished, it was just past five, so she had no choice but to put on a dry pair of pajamas and lie back down. At first, she worried that Shang Yucheng might carry out his earlier threats. However, having spent the entire previous day traveling and pulling an all-nighter, he was exhausted; although he had been woken up, his desire had not stirred with him.

Thus, he simply wrapped a long arm around her and pulled her back into a slumber.

Based on her understanding of him, Shang Yucheng had immense stamina; usually, after two or three hours of sleep, he wouldn't be this lethargic. She felt she might have wronged him again. Regardless, he had sacrificed his sleep to look after her.

Feeling a pang of conscience, she sincerely suggested, "Don't lean on me. I have to get up for work soon, and if you move, you'll just wake up again."

Shang Yucheng let out a lazy "hmm," but his hold on her did not loosen. After a while, he asked as if making idle conversation, "Returning to Jincheng tomorrow?"

"No," Liang Jinshang paused. "The day after is the weekend, so I want to stay for two more days. To look around."

Shang Yucheng was noncommittal, closing his eyes as if ready to sleep. Liang Jinshang felt comfortable in his embrace and drifted off into a daze; in the end, it was Shang Yucheng who woke her up.

Seeing him already dressed and fastening his watch, she asked in confusion, "Do you have somewhere to go?" It wasn't that she was being narcissistic, but hadn't Shang Yucheng followed her here to catch her?

Shang Yucheng gave a casual "hmm," then paused to add, "Let's have dinner together tonight."

That meant he was occupied for the entire day. Liang Jinshang asked, puzzled, "Aren't you going back to Jincheng?"

"I'll stay here and keep you company for two days," Shang Yucheng said coolly.

He was the boss, so of course, he could do as he pleased. But he had just returned from one business trip and had come straight to Xingcheng without a break. She always felt that, given his personality, he wasn't the type to abandon a mountain of official business just to accompany her on a leisure trip.

However, Liang Jinshang didn't press the issue.

She stood in front of the mirror to apply makeup. Relying on her naturally good skin and bright features, she rarely wore makeup. Today, having just recovered from a fever, her complexion was too pale, so she decided a light touch would be better.

After applying the base, she was just about to put on lipstick when Shang Yucheng suddenly leaned in and pecked her lips lightly. She realized then that he had been leaning to the side, watching her apply her makeup in silence.

They rarely shared such gentle, non-erotic kisses. But compared to the deep kisses heavy with sexual implication, a woman is more easily moved by this kind of simple, sincere "kiss."

The skin behind Liang Jinshang's ears grew hot. She had intended to apply blush, but now it wasn't necessary.

***

In the afternoon, her colleagues who had finished their work flew back to Jincheng.

Liang Jinshang was left alone, standing in the sunset, feeling a slight sense of desolation.

Xingcheng.

She wanted to stay here for two more days, and it wasn't just for aimless wandering. Yuan Xi had said yesterday that Xingcheng was her second hometown. For Liang Jinshang, even if it didn't count as a second home, it was a place where she held many memories.

During the most brilliant years of Fang Xin'ou's successful career, he had once stepped back from his high-paying position at the Qingcheng Architectural Firm to spend several years as a visiting professor in Xingcheng. Back then, she would often follow her mother to Xingcheng during the holidays for family reunions.

Following her memories, Liang Jinshang arrived at Xingcheng University. She couldn't get into the school, so she wandered around the perimeter. Suddenly, she spotted a small Western-style house with a distinctive design.

She walked closer and saw, to her surprise, that it was a private collection gallery. Driven by curiosity, Liang Jinshang went inside.

It was indeed a collection gallery, with all sorts of strange and varied items displayed in the cabinets. A thin sketchbook in a separate display case caught her attention. When she saw the signature, her previously dull and lonely gaze instantly erupted with incomparable brilliance.

On the cover of the sketchbook, "Fang Xin'ou" was clearly written!

It was her father's sketchbook; it was actually being kept here! Liang Jinshang pressed against the glass, wishing she could climb inside.

"Interested?" A flat male voice came from behind.

Liang Jinshang turned to see a man of indiscernible age approaching. If you said he was young, he was wearing a top-quality traditional Tang suit; if you said he was old, he had a handsome, upright posture and clear, bright eyes.

Liang Jinshang asked, "Sir, hello. Could you take this sketchbook out for me to look at?"

The man's tone was arrogant. "If you went to a museum, would you ask them to take out a famille rose peony vase for you to handle?"

Liang Jinshang was speechless. It was just a sketchbook. Although she was Fang Xin'ou's daughter and a loyal admirer, she didn't think his sketchbook could be compared to the value of an antique.

"I just want to see it..." Liang Jinshang softened her voice to plead. "I won't damage it." Whenever she wanted, using that face to act pitiful had always worked for her.

But the man, who seemed to be the gallery owner, remained unmoved. "No."

"Then can I buy it?"

The owner replied, "Would you ask the museum to let you buy the famille rose..."

"Fine, fine, stop! I won't ask anymore," Liang Jinshang conceded.

However, she continued to linger in front of the display, unable to bear leaving. She wanted this sketchbook. No matter what was drawn inside, for it to be treasured by someone, it must be something very precious. Fang Xin'ou would be released from prison in half a year, and Liang Jinshang wanted to prepare a surprise for him.

Just as she was thinking this, a familiar female voice suddenly came from the entrance. "This is the place I told you about last time..."

Yuan Xi.

Liang Jinshang instinctively didn't want to run into her here and have to engage in awkward pleasantries. So, she quickly bypassed a few display cases, trying to hide. On the way, she glanced at the owner, hoping to signal him not to give her away.

To her surprise, the man's expression didn't change a bit, as steady as a monk in meditation.

Liang Jinshang had just let out a sigh of relief when a cold, low, and magnetic voice came from behind. "I'm impressed you managed to find this place."

Shang Yucheng?

Shang Yucheng was actually with Yuan Xi? So, his "being busy during the day" was to accompany Yuan Xi?

Liang Jinshang lowered her eyes, a complex smile tugging at her lips. He was truly organized; he never let anything slide. She didn't want to run into Yuan Xi alone, let alone with Shang Yucheng. She didn't want to be the lonely one bumping into a pair.

Just as she circled to the back, she saw a rear exit and walked out without hesitation.

She would come back tomorrow.

A private collection gallery like this, which clearly had high operating costs and didn't sell tickets, surely sold its collection to stay afloat. Even if it was expensive, she was determined to buy that sketchbook.

Liang Jinshang returned to the hotel, deliberately forgetting Shang Yucheng's invitation to have dinner that morning. In any case, she hadn't agreed to it at the time.

But past seven o'clock, Shang Yucheng's call came through. "Where are you? I'll have Xiao Wang pick you up."