Lin Qian took Li Zhicheng to a western restaurant.
It was already past nine o 'clock, and there weren't many people in the restaurant. The lights outside the window shone silently, making the place extremely quiet.
The waiter came up to take their order. Li Zhicheng took the menu and put it on the table.
"My English isn't good, you decide."
Lin Qian could understand that. Many people were reluctant to speak when they were out of the country. Not to mention that Li Zhicheng used to be a soldier. If he spoke fluent English, she would feel uncomfortable.
Lin Qian didn't hesitate. She looked at the menu and quickly listed a bunch of dishes to the waiter. She glanced at Li Zhicheng, then quickly whispered to the waiter, "… He doesn't eat ketchup, don't put it in all the dishes; beef … he likes big pieces; don't put onions, he doesn't like them; do you have tea for drinks? Yes, as long as it's tea, British black tea is fine … No, he definitely doesn't drink milk tea … "
Just as she was thinking about his preferences, she suddenly felt a pair of burning eyes on her face.
She looked up and saw Li Zhicheng's eyes were slightly lowered, slowly drinking from the glass in front of him. Everything was normal.
Lin Qian suddenly blushed.
He probably … didn't understand. If he could understand, he would have scored full marks in his college English listening comprehension and could listen to BBC without any problems.
It's impossible, a soldier doesn't need English.
Thinking of this, she calmed down again.
Lin Qian quickly realized that this night wasn't as anxious, tense, and unbearable as she had imagined.
While waiting for the dishes to be served, she was still debating which topic to choose, which was more relaxed and natural. Li Zhicheng had already taken off his jacket, only wearing a dark gray outdoor fleece jacket, his hands gently placed on the table. Lin Qian's eyes naturally fell on his clothes. Hmm … this jacket is waterproof and warm, and it looks beautiful, showing off the man's strong and well-proportioned body. He knows his stuff, and … he actually knows how to dress.
At this time, Li Zhicheng calmly asked, "Do you come to this restaurant often?"
Lin Qian immediately answered, "Not often, I haven't been in the US for long. I used to come here for a few weeks during the summer and winter vacations when I was in college. My brother brought me here a few times, it's not bad. "
Li Zhicheng looked at her with his dark eyes and nodded.
Naturally, Lin Qian began to talk about the dishes, the chefs, and the surrounding scenic spots. Li Zhicheng had never been a talkative person. Even when he said something that made her blush, he was concise and concise. But today, Lin Qian realized that if he wanted to have a deep conversation with someone, he was actually very good at adjusting the atmosphere and leading the situation.
For example, she was the one speaking most of the time. But every now and then he would ask a few questions or make conversation with her, and before she knew it, the topic had shifted from the restaurant to her college life, and from college life to her hobbies and interests. By the time Lin Qian realized this, Li Zhicheng knew everything about her life, her family, her likes and dislikes.
Therefore, quietly approaching the target was also one of the characteristics of wolves.
But she had to admit that the conversation was pleasant and casual. Li Zhicheng did not give her too much pressure, as he had said when they first met tonight. But every time she became engrossed in the conversation, he would stare at her with his dark, sharp eyes. His stare made her heart beat a little erratic, but it was not an annoying feeling. She even felt a faint, dangerous sweetness in her heart.
When the meal was almost over, Lin Qian, who had been leading the conversation, finally decided to take the lead.
Her heartbeat was a little erratic as she looked at Li Zhicheng's handsome face under the light. His velvet jacket was zipped up to his neck, and his collar was up. At that moment, he looked like a cool young man. He didn't have the cold and intimidating look he had when he was in a suit at the company, nor did he have the sophisticated look he had when he was strategizing. It was a strange feeling, as if in front of you, he was showing another side of himself.
The harmless, ordinary side of him.
Sensing her gaze, Li Zhicheng put down his knife and fork and waited for her to speak.
Lin Qian said, "Mr. Li, can I ask you three questions?"
Li Zhicheng glanced at her and said in a low voice, "Yes."
"The first question …" Lin Qian said with a smile, "How did you come up with those business strategies? What's the secret?" If it were someone else, Lin Qian would not have asked. What was there to ask? Business wars were all about the mind. For example, her brother was cunning and ruthless. Could she learn from him? She couldn't.
But Li Zhicheng was different. His previous strategy was closely linked and could be followed in the art of war, which was different from other people's business wars. So this question had been bothering Lin Qian for a long time. It was rare that the atmosphere was right, so she finally asked.
After hearing the question, Li Zhicheng's eyes slowly revealed a faint smile.
"Want to learn?" he asked in a low and clear voice.
Lin Qian's face burned, but she answered frankly, "Yes. Anyone would want to learn it. "
Li Zhicheng did not answer immediately. Instead, he picked up his teacup, took a sip, and looked up at her. "There is only one principle, the simplest principle that all military commanders are familiar with."
Lin Qian's heart skipped a beat. He continued, "The purpose of all my action plans is to clear all possible obstacles, to ensure that at the decisive point, I can quickly and efficiently annihilate the opponent with absolute military superiority."
Lin Qian was stunned.
That simple? Just one sentence?
She thought about his words carefully.
"Clear all obstacles." In the previous "battle," he had lured SMQ into Ming Sheng's trap, causing them to set a series of restrictions: delivery time, price.
So! When Li Zhicheng turned to the "mid-range bag market," which was the decisive point, SMQ could not spare any troops to fight against his low-priced flanking strategy. So, this was what he meant by "using absolute military superiority to annihilate the opponent"? SMQ's overall strength was far greater than Aida's. But just as he had said, his "all the action plans" were huge, complicated, real, and fake. All of them were just to drain SMQ's forces at this decisive point. This was the strategic goal he had set his sights on long ago …
Thinking about it carefully, it was really as simple as he said.
She felt a little excited. This feeling was familiar. It was the same feeling he had brought to her when Aida was at its lowest point.
She looked up at him, her eyes clear and smiling. She said crisply, "Thank you. I've learned a lot."
Li Zhicheng sat there quietly, taking in the woman's every smile, frown, and the color of her lips. He spoke again in a low voice, "As for the specific plan …" Sure enough, her eyes lit up again, and she looked at him eagerly.
Li Zhicheng's eyes flashed with a hint of a smile. He looked at her calmly and said, "But it can't be taught." Seeing the disappointment that quickly flashed through her eyes, he calmly raised his hand, picked up the beautiful white porcelain pot, poured another cup of tea, and placed it in front of her. "However, my next campaign will be launched in two months."
Lin Qian was shocked. She subconsciously picked up the tea and took a sip. She didn't realize that after talking for so long, her mouth was dry. So she took another big sip. An irrelevant thought flashed in her mind. He's quite considerate …
This thought flashed by, and then she saw him look up at her with his deep eyes. "The war is coming. If you want to learn, follow me. Every step, we'll walk together. "
Lin Qian's heart was beating fast.
Some things were still unclear to her.
But some things, she couldn't resist.
She nodded firmly. "Okay. I'll definitely learn with all my heart. "
A slight smile flashed in Li Zhicheng's eyes again. His handsome face, with black hair and black eyes, was still calm and cold in this strange restaurant in a foreign country.
"The second question?" he asked in a low voice.
Actually, Lin Qian had asked the three questions on impulse. At this moment, he lowered his head slightly and poked at the unfinished salad in front of him with his silver fork. At the same time, he asked in a very normal tone, "Second question … Do you also use such schemes and tricks on women?"
She didn't look up, but from the corner of her eye she could see that he was looking at her, as if he was thinking, but also seemed to be staring at her attentively.
"Lin Qian, if I use schemes to get you …" After a moment of silence, he said, "Then now, even if your heart doesn't belong to me, you must be Mrs. Li in name."
Lin Qian's heart suddenly trembled, and she looked up at him.
But she met his calm and dark eyes.
Her heartbeat went out of control again.
Yes, a dangerous aura.
He was serious when he said that. If he used schemes, cunning and unscrupulous, she really wasn't sure if she could escape.
These were obviously unimaginable and even irrelevant words, but when he said them so calmly, there was an unquestionable weight to them.
Lin Qian lowered her head and continued to poke the pile of food on the plate with her fork. Poke, poke, poke …
But she heard him make the final conclusion of this question. "So, you can rest assured about me."
This short sentence successfully made Lin Qian go from being shocked and speechless to blush.
"I didn't think about whether I can rest assured or not," she quibbled, "I just wanted to have a casual chat with you."
"Well," he stared at her blushing face and said in a low voice, "Very good. We really should 'have a casual chat.' "
Lin Qian's face was still hot, and she casually replied, "Why?"
"Because, whether as a subordinate or as a woman, you should know more about me."
His voice was low and firm. After a moment of shock, Lin Qian continued to blush …
"What's the third question?" he asked again.
Lin Qian pulled herself together.
She raised her blushing face and looked straight into his eyes with her clear and bright eyes.
"If one day, the woman you love brings you pain like having your tendons pulled out and your bones peeled off, what would you do?"
Li Zhicheng also stared back at her.
After a short silence, his eyes remained calm.
"If it's the woman I love, then I can only …" he said softly, "gladly endure it."
When they walked out of the restaurant, the snow had stopped.
The night was quieter than before, and the lights in the city were still bright. Along the wet streets, snowflakes fell from the trees from time to time, and the air was cold but refreshing.
In such a night scene, one's mood also seemed to become wandering.
Wandering in this quiet and beautiful foreign New Year's Eve.
So when Li Zhicheng suggested to walk, Lin Qian nodded happily.
Maybe because they had talked too much in the restaurant, and it was the first time they had such a deep conversation, now they strolled on the street under the trees without talking for a while.
After walking for a while, they heard faint singing in front of them. Listening to the tune, it sounded like many people were singing Chinese, "The Descendant of the Dragon."
Lin Qian smiled and said, "I remember there is a park in front, maybe there."
Li Zhicheng said, "Let's go have a look."
The whole park was a huge circular green space in the city. Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian stepped on a set of white steps, and when they looked up, they could see the green low hill and the winding white pavement in between. Between the shadows of the trees, they could see a stage in the distance, with flashing lights and melodious music. Many people gathered under the stage, singing along with the music.
After a few steps, they saw a few young Chinese students walking over briskly. Seeing them, they greeted them enthusiastically, "Hi, are you Chinese? Happy New Year! "
Lin Qian smiled and said, "Happy New Year! What's going on in front? "
Someone answered, "It's the Chinese New Year Gala organized by the International Students Union."
Lin Qian turned her head and smiled at Li Zhicheng, "Let's go watch this' Spring Festival Gala 'together."
In the dark night, Li Zhicheng's eyes also flashed with a smile, "Okay."
Looking closer, there were actually not many people around the stage, about 40 to 50 people gathered around. The stage was built in an empty space in the park. Although it had been snowing, it did not seem to affect people's enthusiasm at all.
At this moment, a young girl dressed in a golden ancient costume was dancing a classical dance on the stage with a fan in her hand: Water Moon Mirror Flower. Although her movements could not be considered professional, there was a burst of applause and cheers from the audience. Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian stood on the periphery. Li Zhicheng looked calm, and Lin Qian was smiling.
Humans are strange creatures.
While she was in China, she felt less and less about the Spring Festival. She did not have much interest in the beautiful Spring Festival Gala. But at this moment, watching the simple gala organized by the international students, looking at the impassioned expressions of the people on and off the stage, some of whom even had tears in their eyes, Lin Qian's mood also became surging.
She watched intently, clapping and laughing loudly with the people around her. For a moment, she even forgot about Li Zhicheng beside her. Until she inadvertently turned her head, she realized that Li Zhicheng was looking at her, his handsome face as gentle as a sculpture in the night, his eyes clear and focused. She did not know how long he had been watching her.
You stand on the bridge to enjoy the scenery, but the person who is enjoying the scenery is watching you from upstairs.
Lin Qian's mind suddenly came up with this eternal romantic saying. That little bit of hazy sweetness once again appeared in her heart dangerously.
At this time, Li Zhicheng said, "You are very hot-blooded."
Lin Qian was slightly stunned.
Lin Mochen had despised her more than once, saying that she was too soft-hearted and always gave her heart to people she trusted without hesitation. But she didn't think there was anything wrong with that. Just like how Lin Mochen taught her to pull out the tendons and peel the bones off a man, she would never do that to the man she loved.
At most … she would be more careful not to let him take advantage of her and think that she had the upper hand.
But at this moment, regarding Li Zhicheng's evaluation, she did not argue, but answered vaguely, "Yes, I am trying to become more mature."
Unexpectedly, he glanced at her and answered slowly and deeply, "No need."
Lin Qian turned her head again to look at him.
But he had already turned his head to look at the performance in front of him, leaving her only his handsome side profile.
Lin Qian was silent for a moment, then turned her head to look at the front as well.
He said no need.
Does this mean that he agrees with my personality, so there is no need to change?
Or … I don't need to become mature because I have him?
Lin Qian's face slightly heated up again.
Oh no, after being flirted with by him so many times, his words were clearly not ambiguous, but she had already begun to imagine it …
The two of them watched for a while, then left the stage on foot, walking along the white path between the green fields to the other side of the park.
That was Lin Qian's plan. It was a little after ten, so after passing through the park, she could take a taxi home. If she sent Li Zhicheng back to the hotel, she might be able to make it in time to spend the New Year with her brother, so she hurried to coax the other big Buddha.
After walking for a while, she saw in the grass in front of her stood a huge dark rock wall. It was more than ten meters high, with an inverted arc at the top, which looked quite difficult to climb. It turned out to be a man-made rock climbing wall.
In such weather, there were actually a few young people climbing on the rock wall with ropes tied to their waists. On the ground, there were also a few people shouting and cheering in English, looking very enthusiastic.
Lin Qian naturally stopped and took a few more glances.
Then she heard Li Zhicheng, who was beside her, say calmly, "Do you want to give it a try?"
Huh?
Lin Qian turned her head to look at him.
She had to admit that the Li Zhicheng she saw at this moment was very handsome.
Because he lowered his head slightly, took off his coat neatly, and threw it on the grass. Then he rolled up the sleeves of his beautiful fleece jacket, revealing his strong and slender arms, and took off his watch and put it in his pocket. Then he looked at her and said, "Do you want to make a bet?"
Lin Qian was interested, "What bet?"
He smiled slightly, "If you reach the top first, you can make any request of me, and I will agree. If I reach the top first … "
Lin Qian's heart skipped a beat.
It's here.
It's finally here.
She took a deep breath. Unexpectedly, she heard him continue calmly, "… Tonight at twelve o 'clock, accompany me to celebrate the New Year."
Lin Qian rolled her eyes.
That's it?
He didn't want her to be his girlfriend?
Phew … She was relieved.
"Then isn't it a bad deal for you?" she asked, "If I win and ask you for Aida Group, what will you do?"
He smiled faintly, brushed past her, and walked toward the rock wall.
"A gentleman keeps his promise. If you win, Li Zhicheng will be at your mercy. "
Lin Qian smiled immediately. At the same time, his calm and confident attitude aroused her competitive spirit. She thought that although he was a soldier, most of the time he was a commander. He played with guns, not an expert in rock climbing. Anyway, she was good at it, so she still had a chance of winning.
So she pulled herself together, took off her coat, gloves, hat, scarf … and other cumbersome things, threw them on the grass, and walked toward the rock wall.
Most people who loved the outdoors were cheerful. For people who shared the same interests, they often responded with kindness and welcome without saying much.
After hearing Lin Qian say that they wanted to try, a young black man immediately ordered his companions to tie the safety ropes for them, and then said in broken Chinese, "Happy … New … Year! GoGoGo！”
It was already very late at night, but the party music could still be clearly heard from not far away, making people feel warm inside. There was a soft light above the park, casting a dim light on the rock wall.
Lin Qian and Li Zhicheng stood side by side under the rock wall, a meter apart. She turned her head and looked at him with a slight provocation, "Can we start?"
Li Zhicheng looked up at the rock wall, the corner of his mouth slightly raised, "Let's start!"
As soon as he said that, Lin Qian used all her strength, stuck to the rock wall like a cat, and climbed up step by step. After a few steps, she suddenly felt something was wrong. She stopped and looked back. Li Zhicheng was still standing in the same place, his handsome face calm and motionless.
"Why aren't you moving?" Lin Qian asked.
He glanced at her, his voice as cool as water, "I'll let you have five minutes."
If Lin Qian had only been a little competitive before, then at this moment, she was completely stimulated by Li Zhicheng's attitude.
Let me have five minutes?
This rock wall isn't that high, and he's letting me have five minutes? Five minutes was enough for her to climb most of the way.
Lin Qian would never refuse a free advantage. At this moment, Li Zhicheng was obviously looking down on her, but she didn't feel humiliated at all. If he wants to let me have it, why should I stop him? Let me have it.
She's going to win. With this idea in mind, Lin Qian continued to climb up without any distractions.
On the ground, there were also Chinese people among the group of young men. Hearing their conversation, they cheered loudly and explained to their partners of different skin colors. As Lin Qian climbed a bit, she heard a bunch of cheers for Li Zhicheng from below.
"Good job, buddy!"
Li Zhicheng heard them, turned his head sideways, and nodded at them. Then he continued to put his hands in his trouser pockets, looking up at the woman who was racing against time, trying to move forward again and again, determined to win against him.
The corner of his mouth slightly curled.
Lin Qian had already climbed 23 degrees, and the most difficult angle of elevation was not far away. Just as she was about to continue, she heard someone among the group of young men shouting, "Five minutes up."
Her heart skipped a beat.
Although Lin Qian was easily hot-blooded, as Li Zhicheng said, when it came to real work, she had a good mentality and was very focused. At this moment, she told herself not to look down, not to care if he was catching up or not, just to climb at her own pace.
Unexpectedly, she heard a clear voice coming from below, "Lin Qian, I'm going to start chasing."
Lin Qian had just stepped into a small groove on the rock surface. Hearing this calm but powerful voice, for some reason, her heart skipped a beat, and she almost lost her footing.
She took a deep breath.
Was he deliberately trying to disrupt her morale? But she couldn't help it. She cursed him in her heart and continued to climb.
Soon, she was below the elevation.
Although Lin Qian kept telling herself not to pay attention to him, the series of exclamations and cheers from below was too obvious. She couldn't imagine how fast and beautiful his movements were.
Seeing that the "decisive point" was right in front of her, she finally couldn't help but look down.
She was shocked by what she saw. Li Zhicheng was already below her feet! He was only one body's length away from her.
What kind of heaven-defying speed was that? Is he a special forces soldier?
But in this hasty glance, she saw that his body was strong and his movements were agile. His long legs were firmly planted on the rock wall. His short hair was slightly messy due to the wind, and his handsome face was calm and focused. In an instant, he climbed another height, and his arms were already beside her calves.
Lin Qian quickly turned her head and climbed as hard as she could.
But even though it was a rock wall placed in the park, it was still difficult to climb it at a nearly 120-degree elevation. Plus, the rock wall was particularly slippery. Lin Qian tried a few times but still couldn't climb it.
At this time, she didn't have to deliberately look back at Li Zhicheng. Because he had climbed to her side in an instant. His dark figure was like an agile cheetah in the night, crouching at a position less than a foot away from her.
Surprisingly, he stopped climbing and turned his head to look at her. With a faint smile in his voice, he said, "You're willing to admit defeat?"
Lin Qian, who was in full battle mode, momentarily forgot that this person was her boss, and also forgot that he was her powerful pursuer. Without raising her head, she arrogantly replied, "F * ck you!" Then she gathered all her strength and once again leaped upwards.
But this time, she stepped on a protruding rock, which was unusually slippery and even a little loose. Her feet swayed, and her heart sank. Oh no!
Her body suddenly lost balance, and she suddenly fell off the rock wall.
Screams and sighs of pity could be heard from below. And Lin Qian's body was like a kite, swaying randomly with the rope. She was so shocked that she broke out in a cold sweat. The rock wall, Li Zhicheng, the trees, and the stage lights in the distance were spinning rapidly in front of her. She subconsciously grabbed randomly, trying to find a foothold to stabilize herself when her body hit the rock wall. Unexpectedly, at this time, her right arm was suddenly tightened by someone. A strong force hit her, and her body was instantly pulled over by that force.
In a trance, she only saw Li Zhicheng's dark and cold eyes. Then she felt her waist tightened, and she was firmly held by him. Her whole body was pressed against his chest. And with a turn of his body, he firmly pinned her to the rock wall, ending her weightlessness and swaying.
"Are you okay?" the people below asked.
"God! How did he do it? "
Lin Qian was gasping for air. Although there was a safety rope on her, suddenly being weightless from such a high place and spinning randomly in the air was still frightening. She looked up at Li Zhicheng, who was very close to her, and answered in a somewhat dry voice, "I'm okay."
Li Zhicheng didn't say a word, only looking down at her.
The lights from above were dimly reflected on the top of his head. It turned out that at some point, it had started to snow again, falling around the two of them. Because of nervousness, Lin Qian's heart was still beating very fast. And his hand was still firmly fixed on her waist, locking her between him and the rock wall. His body was hot and heavy, and Lin Qian could even feel his heartbeat in his chest. "Thump, thump, thump" … It was actually as fast as hers.
Was he … worried about her?
"It's okay, it's nothing," she said softly.
"Yeah." His voice was also very soft, but his hand locked on her waist tightened. "I won't let anything happen to you."
Lin Qian looked into his dark eyes, and couldn't help but smile. And at this moment, from somewhere in the distance, a deep and long bell rang.
"Dong, dong, dong." Accompanied by the chorus of the international students not far away, "Ten, nine, eight, seven …"
It was already midnight.
Li Zhicheng and Lin Qian, as well as the young people on the ground below, all looked in the direction of the sound.
"Four, three, two, one!"
Not far away, came the enthusiastic cheers. And the foreign young people on the ground also shouted in a mixture of Chinese and English, "Happy New Year!" "Happy New Year!" "Ma … year … Happy!"
Lin Qian turned her head in a daze, looking at Li Zhicheng who was hugging her tightly.
And he was also looking at her.
The two of them smiled at the same time.
"Happy New Year."
"Happy New Year."
Lin Qian had already recovered from the shock, and now she was infected by the surrounding atmosphere, regaining the spirit of the Dragon Horse. She looked up at him with a smile and said, "I've already fulfilled the bet I lost."
The smile on Li Zhicheng's lips didn't fade for a long time. "Yeah."
Lin Qian looked into his eyes and said sincerely, "My New Year's wish is that the Dragon Horse spirit of Aida will return to its peak in the new year."
Li Zhicheng looked at her quietly, not saying a word.
At this time, the people on the ground had already begun to shout, pulling the rope around Lin Qian, trying to slowly put her down. But this time, they couldn't pull her down.
Lin Qian also felt it. Because Li Zhicheng was so strong around her waist, not moving an inch.
Then he suddenly bent his face down.
Lin Qian's heart skipped a beat. Is he going to kiss me?
However, as they intertwined, she only felt his breath brushing past her face. Then, his face gently pressed against hers, burying itself in the hollow of her shoulder.
It wasn't a kiss, it was a hug.
A hug in mid-air.
Lin Qian's face was completely pressed against his chest, smelling the cool breath on his body. Then she heard him whisper in her ear, "My New Year's wish."
Lin Qian's heart instantly became chaotic.
She became his girlfriend?
She married him?
But unexpectedly, he said in a soft voice that she had never heard before, "I hope that Adjutant Lin and I can have this day every year, and every year."
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