"You..." Although she was indeed less shy about such matters than ordinary Girls.
But that was merely because she had read a vast number of case files.
Being reminded of her actions by Jiang Cheng like this, she still couldn't remain indifferent.
"Forget it, why bother arguing with you? I'm warning you, don't mess with me, or whatever happens to these ribs is what will happen to you..."
Knowing Jiang Cheng was thick-skinned and that she couldn't win an argument with him, she could only indignantly fork a piece of rib and bite down hard.
Seeing this, Jiang Cheng's brow twitched: "You're cutting off your own escape route..."
"Alright, be serious, I'm done talking to you..."
After a muffled huff, Qiu Yihe stopped looking at Jiang Cheng and lowered her head to focus on eating her meal.
Seeing her shyness, Jiang Cheng didn't continue to tease her.
There weren't many people in the cafeteria, mostly R&D personnel wearing white coats.
They sat together in twos and threes, discussing something in low voices, occasionally dropping terms like "Photoresist," "Wafer," and "Nanometer Process."
Their expressions were focused, their eyes carrying the unique rigor and persistence of researchers; even while eating, they held notebooks, scribbling a few lines from time to time.
The security personnel at the door remained vigilant, patrolling every ten minutes, their eyes scanning every corner, ensuring not even a fly could fly in unnoticed.
Qiu Yihe swallowed the food in her mouth and started a new topic: "No wonder security is so tight. If anything happened here, the loss would be immense."
Jiang Cheng took a sip of soup, his gaze falling on a group of young R&D personnel arguing nearby, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "They are all top-tier talents in the country. Here, they can do truly meaningful work."
After he spoke, Qiu Yihe's chopsticks, holding a shrimp dumpling, stopped in mid-air.
The delicious juice from the dumpling dripped back onto the plate.
She was completely oblivious, merely lifting her head to stare blankly at Jiang Cheng.
The setting sun outside happened to hit the side of his face.
At this moment, Jiang Cheng's gaze was fixed on that group of young R&D personnel in heated discussion, his eyes holding a light she had never seen before—one that was almost devout.
It wasn't a desire for wealth or power, but something deeper.
A determination of 'knowing there are tigers in the mountains, yet heading straight for them.'
A sense of responsibility that'success does not have to be mine, but I must be part of the success.'
She remembered the scene back at Jiang Cheng's home in Chengdu when she was delirious with fever, hearing him say decisively on the phone to Wang Houliang that "technology can be shared."
At that time, she knew that although Jiang Cheng was a scumbag, he still possessed a sense of greater righteousness in his bones.
And now, sitting in this simple yet powerful cafeteria, watching these people around her who were focused and had light in their eyes, listening to terminology she didn't fully understand but felt as heavy as a thousand pounds... she finally touched the temperature and weight of that "greater righteousness."
This wasn't a simple "investment" or "sharing."
Rather, he was putting himself, along with his resources, his vision, and everything he could mobilize, onto this destined-to-be-difficult path.
Building a battlefield for these people where they could purely chase the stars and the sea.
Under the shroud of this emotion, she suddenly felt the delicious shrimp dumpling in her mouth was a bit hard to swallow.
She used to think that relying on one's own struggle and staying on the front line was true value.
But at this moment, she suddenly felt that value might have different forms.
Like Jiang Cheng, using his way to prop up a sky for more people to look up at the stars in peace—wasn't that also a more magnificent form of persistence?
A feeling that she was much inferior to Jiang Cheng instantly arose in her heart.
In the past, she felt that someone like her, relying on her family to live aimlessly and occupying a useful position without doing anything, was a shameful thing.
But seeing Jiang Cheng like this, she felt that if you could use your background and your halo to do something that could change the general direction, wasn't that much better than her being an obscure little Anti-drug Police Officer?
Although it's said that no profession is superior to another.
However, with her identity, she clearly had a higher position to take; if she didn't take it, someone else would.
Then, thinking further, if those people took the position but did nothing, or like Qiu Li, proposed things like sealing files, wouldn't the harm to society be even greater?
While she was now desperately toiling at the bottom, at a critical moment, she would have no way to influence scumbags like Qiu Li, and wouldn't even have the right to say no to her.
Perhaps... she really had taken the wrong path... after putting down her chopsticks, she sighed, then picked up the juice glass next to her, her fingertips trembling slightly.
"Jiang Cheng..."
Seeing that Qiu Yihe's voice was a bit low, Jiang Cheng glanced at her in confusion: "Hmm?"
Meeting Jiang Cheng's returning gaze, Qiu Yihe raised her glass, her eyes bright and firm.
She spoke with a smile: "A toast to you. And to everyone here. I hope you all turn the natural chasm into a thoroughfare soon."
Jiang Cheng was a bit baffled by her sudden sentimentality.
Although he didn't know what this Girl had imagined about him in her head.
But seeing how serious she was, a very faint but real warmth spread in his eyes as he raised his glass to lightly clink hers.
"I'll take those as good words."
The glass made a crisp sound.
Like the echo of a promise.
After a knowing smile, Qiu Yihe finally couldn't hold back anymore.
She asked: "Those three... are they really all his wives?"
"What else would they be?"
Seeing Jiang Cheng's matter-of-fact face, Qiu Yihe's coquettish lips curled up: "How exactly did you get him to agree to stay in China?"
Seeing her ask this question again, Jiang Cheng simply told the truth.
"It was a condition he proposed himself. As long as I could bring his three sweethearts from Tyrande safely and completely, and settle them down, he would sell his life to China, giving his all until his dying day."
This answer was clearly not within Qiu Yihe's range of consideration.
This answer was clearly not within Qiu Yihe's expectations.
She had thought of coercion, bribery, national righteousness, and even some underhanded methods.
The only thing she hadn't expected was that the fulcrum to move Jolins' life trajectory was actually three women.
"Just... just for the three of them?" Qiu Yihe's voice was full of disbelief.
"Otherwise?" Jiang Cheng spread his hands, his eyes carrying a sense of superiority as if saying 'you don't understand': "For some men, no matter how heavy the kingdom is, it's not as heavy as that little bit of longing in their hearts."
"But... why exactly?" Qiu Yihe still didn't understand. "Is there something special about them? Is it worth him giving up so much?"
Hearing this, Jiang Cheng suddenly leaned in closer on purpose, hooking his lips as he stared at Qiu Yihe.
After the soft cafeteria lights hit his deep eyes, his voice became even softer: "Why? Because of love, you dummy."