Qi Xiu moved through the complicated, often gossipy social circles that were centered around Shanghai's elite with a quiet, almost otherworldly grace. You might see her at the most exclusive gallery openings or at a high-profile charity gala in a five-star hotel ballroom. Liang Chen was probably there, too. She was his former college classmate, and even though their careers had taken very different paths, she still seemed to be in his social circle, always showing up where he might be without making it obvious. She never made a big deal out of her interest in him, and she never directly sought him out. Instead, she was an observer, always on the edge of his sparkling world, taking in every quick glance or casual comment he made and storing each one like a treasured memory.
Qi Xiu had a crush on Liang Chen that she had kept to herself since they were in college. It wasn't a teenage crush; it was a deep respect for his sharp mind, his calmness under pressure, and, to be honest, his looks, which even then made him stand out from all the other young men. Now that she saw him command a room with the quiet authority of a CEO and easily handle complicated conversations, her subtle crush had grown into a quiet, persistent desire. She watched how he interacted with other people, listened to whispers about where he was going from a distance, and always kept a respectful distance from events where she thought he might be. It was a private world of desire that she kept very secret. Only her heart could speak it.
This subtle orbit and carefully maintained closeness weren't just about how she felt; they were, without her knowing it, setting the stage for future interactions that would inevitably involve the Liang family's grand plans. Liang Chen's family was putting more and more pressure on her to get married, and they were being very careful in their search for the right person—someone with a perfect background and social standing. This would inevitably make her play a more direct role. Qi Xiu's quiet observations and the way she always fit in with Liang Chen's social circle were actually making her look like a great option, a possible piece in Grandfather Liang Zhong's complicated family game. And the ironic thing was that even though her heart just wanted his real attention, her quiet actions were making her a strategic pawn in a much bigger, high-stakes game.