Chapter 560 Evening breeze, champagne, one step away
It’s past 5 p.m.
Zhuxi Community.
A slow rock song is playing on the smart speaker in the living room.
Gao Mengting was half-leaning on the sofa, holding a hardcover novel in her hands, her expression focused and relaxed.
Such quiet time is a long-lost luxury for her.
Since she founded Songmei Clothing, her life has been filled with work and she has almost no chance to breathe.
Initially, because she was afraid of letting down the trust and expectations of Tang and Song Dynasties, she worked hard, hoping that the company could make profits as soon as possible and get on the right track;
Then she expanded the scale, improved the structure, created the core IP of "He Yiyi", and promoted branding operations along the way, never daring to stop singing.
Now, the branding has finally been implemented, the company’s organizational structure has also been improved, and everything is moving in a good direction.
Her work pressure has been reduced a lot.
Occasionally recalling the experience of more than half a year, she still felt ashamed and even unbelievable.
The current monthly sales of Songmei Clothing has exceeded 30 million, and the estimated annual net profit is close to 40 million.
What does this mean? If we follow the valuation logic of similar companies and take the industry PE of 15 times, the company's valuation will be around 600 million.
Coupled with the well-known IP "He Yiyi" and the company's strong growth potential.
The neutral valuation should reach 800 million.
The 20% stake she holds is worth up to 160 million.
In other words, now she has become a billionaire.
Of course, she knows very well that valuation is just a book number, and realization is another matter.
But from a loser who was heavily in debt and betrayed by his partners to where he is today, no one can easily calm down.
In fact, when no one was paying attention, she had been emotional, excited, and even secretly shed tears countless times.
Career success not only changed her financial situation, but also made her life more calm and elegant.
Recently, she started to apply for a passport (to go to Iceland to see the Aurora), bought a violin (to learn new skills), and lent money to some friends who were in difficulty.
Everything seems to be approaching the more complete "ideal self" step by step.
“Ding dong—ding dong—”
The clear doorbell rang.
Gao Mengting put down the book in her hand, said "Here we come", and walked towards the door.
A very familiar face appeared on the video doorbell.
Her breathing stagnated slightly.
Holding the door handle, opened the door, and asked calmly: "Why are you here?"
Zhao Jingmin stood outside the door, and when she saw Gao Mengting, her eyes instantly turned red.
She bit her lip and whispered: "Mengting, can I go in and talk?"
Gao Mengting's voice was still steady: "Just stand here and say it, I can hear you."
She still can't let go of this former roommate and partner.
In order to help each other find employment, she accepted Zhao Jingmin and Shen Huijuan without asking them to pay a penny.
She took them on the road of live streaming and selling goods.
But in the end, they destroyed the most cherished "Meiting Clothing Store" with their own hands.
Of course, what breaks her heart more than the failure of her career is the collapse of friendship and belief.
With tears rolling in her eyes, Zhao Jingmin swallowed hard: "Mengting, I'm sorry that Shen Huijuan lied to me at that time. She kept saying that you were greedy and selfish, and you took all the company's money -"
Gao Mengting raised her hand to interrupt, looking at Zhao Jingmin sharply: "We all know what happened before, you come here Come to me, what's going on, let's get to the point, I don't have time to recall the past with you."
Zhao Jingmin wiped away her tears and gritted her teeth and said: "Shen Huijuan is a cunning and cunning bitch, and she set up a trap for me with her boyfriend-"
Then, in her narration, Gao Mengting understood the relationship between the two.
Zhao Jingmin is the kind of person who is not very flexible in mind, has simple thoughts and lacks the ability to think independently.
It’s easy to be influenced by other people’s words.
Shen Huijuan took advantage of this and persuaded her to betray herself together.
After they became independent, together with Shen Huijuan’s boyfriend, the three of them started a new company.
They relied on some fan traffic they had accumulated before and barely maintained their superficial prosperity in the early days.
But without the operation, management and content planning led by Gao Mengting, shortcomings were quickly exposed.
The company began to decline due to loose content, confusing product selection, confusing pricing strategies, and unstable cooperation channels.
It made the three of them breathless.
The most terrifying and fatal thing is the problem of "pressing inventory". Their capital chain cannot move at all.
And bank loan review is strict, and their small and precarious company cannot apply at all.
Shen Huijuan and her boyfriend found a private loan institution and asked Zhao Jingmin to "share the risk" and coaxed her to use her personal name as a guarantee for a loan of 400,000 yuan.
Promise to transfer part of the equity to her.
As a result, the company still failed to hold on.
Zhao Jingmin realized belatedly. After being reminded by a friend, she discovered that the company’s accounts were very vague and had serious problems.
When she went to question him, Shen Huijuan turned her back and refused to recognize him.
At this time, she heard other roommates talk about Gao Mengting’s current brilliant situation.
I also learned that she helped classmates who were in difficulty.
So with the last glimmer of hope, I came to ask for help with a smile on my face.
"Meng Ting, I was too stupid before, and I didn't discriminate when I was deceived. I really didn't mean to hurt you. When I was in school, you often invited me to dinner. You gave me coins in the winter and bought me gifts for my birthday."
She became more and more excited as she spoke, and finally choked up until she burst into tears.
Gao Mengting listened quietly and took a long breath.
Evil will be punished.
Seeing that the two people who once pushed themselves into the abyss have now fallen into the quagmire.
The pain and frustration that had accumulated in my heart finally found an outlet.
She looked at her former friend, "Zhao Jingmin, I have no obligation to take responsibility for your mistakes, let alone the fact that you did the same to me.
But I can give it to you. I would like to make a suggestion, you can sue Shen Huijuan, check the accounts, collect the certificates, and sue her for misappropriation of funds. You should not be responsible for this alone."
Zhao Jingmin opened her mouth and wanted to say something else.
Gao Mengting suddenly laughed.
"However, thank you for coming over to tell me this today. It has given me a lot of ideas. No, no, no, I must drink some wine tonight to celebrate!"
"Puffy—" The door was simply closed.
Zhao Jingmin stayed where he was, his face pale and his whole body cold.
Standing at the door at a loss.
A few minutes passed.
“Click——” The door was opened again.
Gao Mengting changed into a windbreaker and held a Chanel bag in her hand.
Zhao Jingmin’s heart beat fiercely, as if a glimmer of hope was ignited again, and she said with tears in her eyes: "Mengting--" Gao Mengting interrupted in a brisk tone: "I just remembered that I have finished drinking all the wine at home, and I have to go to the supermarket to make up for it."
After saying that, she pressed the elevator button.
"Ding Yi Yi" The elevator door slowly opened.
Gao Mengting reminded: "Let's go, this is no longer your rental house, the door locks have been changed. You should also throw away your previous access card."
After saying that, she turned and walked into the elevator.
Zhao Jingmin bit her lip and followed subconsciously.
The two went downstairs one after another.
In the parking space directly opposite, the lights of a black Mercedes-Benz flashed and then unlocked.
Gao Mengting stood in front of the car and looked back with a smile: "Remember to notify me when your court session begins."
Under the light, she stood in front of the Mercedes-Benz, her back tall and straight, her movements chic and confident.
Just like the high-spirited roommate who made a fortune for himself.
Zhao Jingmin pressed her dry lips tightly.
Regret gnaws at the bones and burns at the heart.
At this moment.
"Rumble one by one"
A low and powerful engine roar came from the distance.
The two subconsciously looked up.
At the corner of the community, a red motorcycle roared out of the night.
Carrying wildness and publicity, he slowly stopped in front of Gao Mengting.
There is a tall and straight boy in the driving seat. In the back seat, a sexy girl puts her hands on his shoulders and leans back slightly, as if she is deliberately keeping a distance.
The girl turned over and got out of the car neatly, took off her helmet with a little restraint, and her long orange-brown hair poured out.
She lowered her head slightly and said softly, "Senior."
"Qiuqiu?" Gao Mengting raised her eyebrows and looked at the boy again, with a bright smile slowly rising on her face.
Immediately, the boy took off his helmet, revealing a handsome and three-dimensional face.
The caramel-colored turtleneck sweater fits his wide shoulders and narrow waist, outlining his textured body proportions.
The breeze blew his dark hair, revealing a strong literary and artistic temperament in his laziness.
(Limited special effects trigger)
When their eyes met, Gao Mengting's face suddenly turned red, and her heartbeat began to accelerate.
Like the first fallen leaf in autumn, it falls silently into the lake of my heart.
She is a young and artistic woman herself. Seeing the appearance of Tang and Song Dynasties, she couldn't take her eyes away for a while.
Cheng Qiuqiu, who was next to him, gently squeezed the crossbody bag on his shoulder and lowered his eyes, looking a little flustered and with a hint of guilt that he couldn't hide.
"Helo, Mengting, are you surprised to see me?" Tang Song put down his helmet and stood in front of her with a smile.
Although he seemed as calm as an old dog, he was actually a little panicked in his heart.
I dated Qiuqiu for a long time, but when I came back, I was caught by my partner.
"It's a little bit." Gao Mengting said in a brisk tone: "By the way, how come you are with Qiuqiu?"
"We met by chance at the car dealership. I happened to be buying a car too, so I asked her to help inspect the car, and then we came back together."
"That's it." Gao Mengting did not continue to ask, just smiled and stepped forward, raised her hand and pinched it. Pinch his cheek,
There was a hint of joking in his tone, "This dress suits you really well, you are very handsome."
Tang Song smiled and gently pinched her apples with his backhand.
"Are you going out?"
"Well, I'm in a good mood today. I want to have a drink and go to the supermarket to buy some snacks and wine." Gao Mengting raised her eyebrows, leaned forward, with a smile in her eyes, "Do you want to come together?"
"Of course, let's go, we haven't had a drink together for a long time."
"Qiuqiu, do you want to come together?"
Qiuqiu Lian He shook his head hurriedly, "No, senior, I'll go up and prepare dinner first. I'll have hot dishes when I come back later. "Okay, thank you for your hard work. Let's go to Tang Song and get in the car."
"Puffy Yiyi" The car door was closed.
The Mercedes-Benz E300L started slowly and disappeared from sight.
Zhao Jingmin looked at Qiuqiu standing there and asked hesitantly: "Qiuqiu, who is that boy?"
Qiuqiu used to work as a part-time artist for Meiting Clothing Store, and she was also their school girl, so she naturally knew him.
Cheng Qiuqiu whispered: "Senior's boyfriend is also her current partner."
After saying that, without further explanation, she turned around, picked up the two helmets, and walked towards the unit building.
Zhao Jingmin stood there, the corners of her lips trembling slightly.
My heart felt like it was being pressed tightly by something, but I couldn’t resolve it.
It was dark outside the window, but the lights inside were bright.
"Zila——"
The hot oil is poured on the dried chili peppers and peppercorns, and the aroma is fragrant.
“0K, the last dish of boiled pork slices is ready! How about it? Our Qiuqiu’s craftsmanship is good, right?”
“It’s so delicious. I can’t tell that Qiuqiu is still a chef.”
“No, no, just ordinary home-cooked food.”
On the simple dining table in the living room.
There are 5 dishes neatly placed.
Stir-fried pork with chili, boiled pork slices, mushrooms and wheat, soy sauce beef, and mixed vegetables.
The hot dishes are all fried by Qiuqiu himself, and the other two are ready-made cold dishes bought from nearby delicatessens. They are simple but full of fireworks.
There was a soft sound of "click one by one", the champagne was opened neatly by Gao Mengting, and the foam bubbled.
The amber liquid flowed into the three glasses along the mouth of the bottle, giving off a soft luster under the warm yellow light.
A light fruity aroma mixed with the aroma of yeast and baking quietly spreads in the air.
"Come on, cheers! To us now and to this autumn." Gao Mengting raised her glass, her eyes sparkling.
"Cheers!"
The glasses touched each other lightly, making a crisp and sweet sound.
The slightly cool wine enters the throat, and the fragrance explodes on the tip of the tongue.
A refreshing night in the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The window is half open, and the cool night breeze blows into the house, mixing the aroma of hot vegetables and wine, which is just right.
The three of them sat around the dining table, eating, drinking, chatting, and laughing.
Even Qiuqiu, who had always been silent, became cheerful and took the initiative to raise the glass several times.
The night outside the window quietly settled, and half of the second bottle of champagne was gone.
Both girls were a little drunk, with rosy cheeks and distracted eyes.
Qiuqiu’s ascetic face looked a little silly at this time.
Gao Mengting leaned on Tang Song's shoulder and talked about a movie she had watched recently.
Speaking of excitement, she suddenly raised her hand and knocked on the table, "Qiuqiu, the atmosphere is so good today, come and play and sing a song."
As she said that, she winked at Tang Song: "I Our designer is a great talent. Not only is he good at painting, but he is also good at everything from guitar to bass. He is very good!”
In front of Tang Song, a real "professional player", she was really ashamed.
Tang Song looked at his partner and said with a smile: "My musical skills are also very good, do you want to show me my skills?"
Opposite Qiuqiu's eyes lit up, and his face showed strong anticipation and excitement.
She likes to listen to Tang and Song Dynasty singing and playing the piano.
"Bragging one by one" Gao Mengting smiled and patted him gently, her eyes gentle.
She still remembers that when her neighbor Liu Wenning played and sang, Tang Song didn’t seem to know much about music.
In order to take care of the partner’s self-esteem, she deliberately pretended not to care.
But in fact, she has admired versatile boys since she was a child.
"I'm serious." Tang Song's eyebrows were curved, and there was a little bit of provocation in his smile.
Gao Mengting tilted her head, "So, can you play the violin? I just bought one a while ago and plan to teach myself."
She deliberately mentioned a relatively rare instrument instead of guitar, in fact, to take care of the feelings of the Tang and Song Dynasties.
Hearing the word "violin", Tang Song's eyes flashed with interest, "Of course."
Speaking of which, since he got this skill, he has never done it before, and his hands were itchy for a while.
"Okay! This is what you said, don't blame me if you make a fool of yourself later."
Gao Mengting stood up and walked into the bedroom with light steps.
It didn’t take long for him to hold out a brown-black violin.
She carefully placed the piano in front of him, "Hey, sir, please perform."
Looking at the funny look of his partner, Tang Song chuckled and stood up.
He took the violin calmly and asked in a gentle and doting tone: "What do you want to hear?"
Gao Mengting blinked and said: ""Por Una Cabeza (One Step Away)", two of my favorite movies, "Scent of a Woman" and "Schindler's List", have this song in them, right?"
Tang Song did not answer. He closed his eyes, gently sided his shoulders, put the piano body close to the collarbone, held the bow with his slender fingers, and slowly lowered it.
In an instant, skills and memories flooded into my mind like a torrent.
His temperament gradually changed.
Matched with his outfit at this time, there is a strong artistic atmosphere, which is particularly touching.
Qiuqiu looked at him unblinkingly, her heart beating faster.
Gao Mengting raised her eyebrows with a look of surprise on her face.
Speaking of appearance alone, it really looks like that, very expert-like.
The next second, the sound of the piano sounded.
The notes are as deep as the night, with gorgeous sadness, like a dancer coming out of a movie screen,
spinning and jumping under the light.
His left hand slides flexibly on the fingerboard, and his right hand controls the strength of the bow. Every note is precise and full of emotion.
Gao Mengting’s hand that was originally resting on the table lifted up slightly at some point, her mouth opened wide, and she stood there blankly. Qiuqiu’s eyes were as bright as stars. She sat on the small bench beside her, staring at him unblinkingly, even breathing lightly.
As the melody progressed, everyone in Tang and Song Dynasties was immersed in the performance.
He closed his eyes, his body swayed slightly, and his posture was gentle.
The bow dances like a sword, switching between staccato, vibrato and portamento smoothly without any stagnation.
The wind outside the window blew gently in and brushed his hair.
The aura of concentration and romance on her body made Gao Mengting’s heart tremble slightly,
Maybe he was really drunk.
She closed her eyes and moved her body happily to the dance music of the Tang and Song Dynasties. A dreamy picture appeared in her mind. She was wearing a floor-length skirt, and he was in a straight suit. They were standing in the middle of the empty dance floor, facing each other with their eyes closed,
Spin and entwine.
Under the light and shadow, they are sometimes close and sometimes separated, their movements are subtle and full of tension.
The "Dance of the Soul" slowly unfolds.
Provocative, elegant, warm and restrained.
The distance between them is just like this "One Step Away".
It seems far yet close, yet near yet far.
Although they had a close relationship and perfect cooperation, she always felt that there was something like a mist between them.
It can’t be seen clearly or touched, but it actually exists.
The notes slowly ended, and the living room fell into absolute silence.
A few seconds later, Qiuqiu applauded very hard.
Tang and Song Dynasty put down the violin, and their emotions gradually broke away from the playing state.
Looking at the partner who still had his eyes closed in front of him, there was a smile on his lips and a hint of expectation and pride in his tone: "
How about it? Are you satisfied? ”
Gao Mengting slowly opened her eyes, with a hint of trance in her eyes.
She whispered: "It's amazing - I'm really scared by you."
A bright smile appeared on Tang Song's face, with a clear light shining in his eyes.
Gao Mengting looked at his expression and tilted her head with a smile, "After a full meal and so much wine, it's so hot. Do you want to go for a walk?"
"Just what I want." Tang Song nodded.
Gao Mengting picked up the windbreaker on the hanger and put it on. Her movements were elegant and smooth. Qiuqiu quickly lowered her head, pursed her lips tightly, and quietly cleared the table.
The evening wind blows through the shade of the trees, blowing the yellow leaves and making a "rustling" sound.
The two walked out of the door and walked through the quiet paths in the community.
There is mottled light and shadow under your feet. Occasionally, if you step on a fallen leaf, it will make a soft sound.
They didn’t speak, they just walked forward side by side, but they didn’t feel embarrassed.
Occasionally their eyes would collide, they would look at each other, smile, and then turn away in tacit understanding.
The street lights were dim and soft, stretching the shadows of the two people very long.
Unknowingly, I walked out of Zhuxi Community and onto the road outside.
This neighborhood is not very lively, with only sparse traffic flowing through it, and occasionally car lights slowly passing by underfoot.
Gao Mengting put her hands in the pockets of her windbreaker and stepped forward on the curb, occasionally jumping to avoid a pebble or bump, like a casual girl.
Tang Song followed her and looked at her back quietly.
The night is gentle.
It looks like the shaking film in old movies.
I walked like this for a long time.
Suddenly, Gao Mengting stopped, took off her windbreaker, put it on her arm, and looked back at him.
Her cheeks were slightly red, her wine was still lingering, but her eyebrows were bright and clear.
The evening breeze blew by, and the hair was fluttering lightly, like a scene of shame, too beautiful to be true.
Tang Song took a step forward, stood in front of her, lowered his head and whispered softly: "Put it on, it's still very cold at night?"
"I'm not cold." She smiled and shook her head, pointing to an empty wooden chair on the side of the road, "You're tired from walking, sit down for a while."
The tone is soft and soft, with a slight laziness and gentleness.
Tang Song did not persuade her anymore, nodded, sat down on the chair, and took her into his arms.
Gao Mengting leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder, and her body was very close.
She whispered about Zhao Jingmin's visit this evening, and also talked about her friendship with Zhao Jingmin and Shen Huijuan in college.
From the freshman military training to graduation, we rented a warehouse, went to the market, and moved goods together - staying in that small shop every day to divide the schedule of the live broadcast room.
Her voice was soft, as if she was reminiscing, and also as if she was clearing away the sediment in her heart.
Tang Song looked sideways at her without interrupting.
The topic slowly shifted from old stories to recent studies.
They talked about "Norwegian Wood" and Naoko.
Gao Mengting suddenly moved her body, wrapped her hands around his neck, and looked at him without blinking.
Her face was drunk, but her eyes were sober.
She leaned softly in his arms, with a faint aroma of wine and her unique body fragrance, and her warm breath swept across his chin.
"Is it hard now?" she asked suddenly.
"The soles of your feet?"
"Fool!"
After saying that, Gao Mengting couldn't help laughing "haha".
She lowered her head and lay on his shoulder, her whole body trembling slightly.
This conversation is a classic joke between Naoko and Watanabe in "Norwegian Wood".
That was one of her favorite parts of the story. It was ambiguous, clumsy, but heart-stirring.
She is very happy that the partners can quickly get what she means.
"If you drink at night, you must not ride a bicycle."
"Yes, I know."
"How about - you make do with it tonight and stay at my place?"
She finally took the last step uncontrollably.