The process of striving upward, to a certain extent, is essentially the process of socializing upward.
Li Xingying deeply understood that Jiang Beicheng was her most convenient channel for upward socializing. She was highly aware and knew that the emotional value Jiang Beicheng needed, she had to strive to provide in full.
When it was time to flatter, she flattered.
When it was time to give, she gave.
However, what Li Xingying didn't expect was that, despite having flirted with Jiang Beicheng privately so many times—having already "slept" with him countless times in words and in her mind—in real life, Jiang Beicheng had never explicitly made such a request of her.
Could it be that Jiang Beicheng was testing her initiative?
To be honest, Li Xingying was starting to crave Jiang Beicheng herself.
His tough-guy style of dressing made his great physique undeniably apparent.
His looks and charisma were the kind that caught attention at first glance.
And he had that sense of humor that girls absolutely adored.
His hardware was already top-tier, and after spending time together, his software was high-spec too.
Li Xingying's restless heart was getting harder to suppress.
The little devilish figure in her heart was gradually revealing its true form.
While dining with Jiang Beicheng at Halo, a creative restaurant, her gaze fixed on him, and her mind unexpectedly recalled the words Zhou Yu had used to praise Jiang Beicheng.
The two sisters used to be close, and their private chats were quite bold.
Zhou Yu had described Jiang Beicheng's body in vivid detail.
At the time, Li Xingying felt like she was listening to an erotic story, her ears turning red.
She couldn't sleep that night.
Today, she was slipping back into that state.
"Wipe your drool," Jiang Beicheng teased.
Li Xingying instantly crumbled, embarrassedly lowering her head, covering her forehead and laughing uncontrollably.
*What are you thinking, Li Xingying?*
*So shameful.*
*Seriously, could the contrast be any bigger?*
Feeling guilty, she scolded herself internally.
Snapping back to reality, she pretended to stay composed and continued eating with Jiang Beicheng.
"What's Mr. Jiang most looking forward to on this New Zealand trip?" she asked, her eyes brimming with anticipation as she waited for his answer.
Jiang Beicheng saw through her intentions. Of course, the answer little Miss Li was hoping for was something related to her.
But Jiang Beicheng didn't play along. Instead, he pondered in a reflective tone, "Emptying the soul and starting anew."
Li Xingying was dumbfounded.
She couldn't grasp the true meaning of his words.
Her mind was still filled with thoughts of romance and intimacy.
But then, thinking about it, making love seemed like a way of emptying the soul too.
She couldn't hold it in and let out a chuckle.
This meal was impossible to continue eating.
She quickly waved her hand and said, "Sorry, Mr. Jiang, my understanding isn't deep enough. I still need to learn from you."
Jiang Beicheng added, "The unknown is always fascinating, driving people to explore it with obsession. Compared to my original plan for a solo road trip, you've now become another unknown factor in this journey."
Li Xingying's eyes widened, staring blankly at Jiang Beicheng.
If that was a confession, it was so sophisticated.
Even with her writing skills, she'd struggle to come up with such romantic words.
She was instantly flustered by his charm.
Tactically turning her head to look out the floor-to-ceiling window, she changed the subject to hide her shyness. "Mr. Jiang, it looks like the shop across the street is being renovated. I wonder what store it'll be."
"Beicheng Restaurant," Jiang Beicheng replied.
Li Xingying froze for a moment before realizing. "No wonder we could meet at Halo today. How about I come as a food vlogger when it opens? I'll help promote it."
"Welcome, big-time influencer, to review the place," Jiang Beicheng said, setting down his chopsticks and wiping his hands with a wet wipe on the table. He teased, "Thanks for treating me today, little Miss Li."
Li Xingying tilted her head with a smile, picked up her phone, and scanned the QR code to pay the bill.
When a man and woman are close, fake politeness is also a form of flirting.
Whether it was flirting, teasing, or strategizing, after experiencing it all with Jiang Beicheng, Li Xingying felt his game was on another level.
Who knew how many women had fallen at his feet?
The most baffling part was that you didn't even mind and were eager to throw yourself at him.
As they left Halo Mall, Jiang Beicheng said, "Want to swing by Old Pi's place? I'm going to get a haircut."
"Mr. Jiang, I'll pass. I want to go back and keep working on Wu-3(drone), aiming to make its maiden flight even more spectacular," Li Xingying said, standing on her tiptoes to lightly kiss Jiang Beicheng's lips. "See you tomorrow. Make sure to get a cool haircut."
That move, on anyone else, would probably have them hooked like a fish.
But with Jiang Beicheng, he sometimes enjoyed the little schemes women played.
Toying with those schemes was an amusing game in itself.
…
After parting with Li Xingying, Jiang Beicheng headed to Old Pi's studio.
It was located in an old neighborhood in the city center.
Old Pi liked to style himself as a "reclusive master" while secretly reveling in the admiration of those who sought him out.
Every man, to some extent, has a penchant for showing off.
"Brother Jiang," Old Pi greeted, sitting outside his studio at a coffee stand set up in the courtyard, enjoying afternoon tea with a few coffee buddies.
He pushed some coffee beans and a moka pot toward Jiang Beicheng. "Grind it yourself?"
Jiang Beicheng picked up the beans and started grinding. "Switching to Mandheling now? I thought you were into Geisha."
"Some friends came by, so I brought these Indonesian beans. They're pretty good, give them a try," Old Pi said, chuckling with his coffee buddies.
"Brother Pi, can you do a perm?" a young woman asked as she approached.
Old Pi waved her off. "No business on weekends. Come back Wednesday to book."
Jiang Beicheng shook his head with a smile as he brewed coffee.
Of all the styling studios in town, only Old Pi would keep his doors open but refuse to work.
Even so, there was no shortage of young women gathering at his doorstep daily.
His British uncle vibe was quite the draw.
Plenty of girls wanted to date him.
"Old Pi, be straight with me. Are you just not into women?" Jiang Beicheng teased, sipping his coffee.
"If you turned into a woman, I might be interested," Old Pi shot back with a laugh.
His coffee buddies chuckled along.
"I'm keeping my distance from you from now on."
"Get lost!"
"On a serious note, can you do me a favor and trim my hair?"
Old Pi was still reliable. He got up and said, "Your hair? A few minutes' work. You guys keep drinking, we'll grab a hotpot and a bath later."
He went inside to cut Jiang Beicheng's hair.
After finishing, he looked at Jiang Beicheng in the mirror. "Damn, you're so freaking handsome. Not only handsome, but also damn rich."
Jiang Beicheng joked, "Your skills today are a bit off. You didn't bring out my best."
"You can count every hair in the mirror. What skills do you need?" Old Pi put down his tools and washed his hands. "Dinner tonight's on you, consider it payment for the haircut."
"Isn't that just a matter of you saying so?"
"Haha, you little punk."
They closed up shop and went to eat.
…
At the crack of dawn, Li Xingying packed her things and left quietly.
Her sister Zhou Yu still emerged from the bedroom and asked, "Going on a trip with Jiang Beicheng?"
Li Xingying replied, "When I get back, I'm moving out. I've already found a place."
Zhou Yu nodded. "Up to you."
Li Xingying grabbed her suitcase and left.