My girlfriend is from the future!

Deny it?
Or admit it?
Unable to ask questions or evade answers, He Tianran fell into a silence that made others feel awkward.

Often, we would use another silent but appropriate word to describe this state:

default.

So, without any response from He Tianran, Wen Liang and Li Wang both got an extremely clear answer.

No one tried to ease the silence. He Tianran seemed to be lost in this question, searching for something. Wen Liang quietly watched him, lowering his eyes from time to time, pondering by himself, without urging him.

Li Wang observed the two of them with great interest. No matter whether it was the verbal confrontation before or the silent communication now, Li Wang did not directly participate in either. Everyone was clearly discussing his movie, but he was more like an outsider, a question setter, while He and Wen were more like the parties involved, the answerers, and were lost in their own thoughts about the questions he asked, so much so that both of them were surprised to not notice Li Wang's straightforward gaze.

However, the director did not just passively observe. He raised the glass of draft beer in front of him at the right time to signal, and the other two people subconsciously raised their glasses and collided them in mid-air.

The night breeze was blowing gently, and after the cool wine went down my throat, the aroma of malt spread in my mouth. Even the unspeakable worries were mostly swallowed up, and I felt refreshed.

The person who broke the silence came unexpectedly. As soon as He Tianran put down his wine glass, he heard someone shouting from behind:
"Brother Tianran?"

He Tianran looked back and unexpectedly met... Xie Yanyan.

Xie Yanyan was still wearing the outfit she wore for today's meeting, a beige mid-length skirt paired with a knitted cardigan that was popular in autumn, and short-heeled shoes of the same color for convenient commuting. She was sitting at another table, with several other career women of the same temperament sitting next to her.

Is it a colleague from the company? Or a close friend?

He Tianran wasn't very sure, but he still waved to Xie Yanyan. She said a few words to her friends and walked over with a glass of wine.

"Brother Tianran, is it really you? You seem to be in a good mood today~"

He Tianran smiled slightly and introduced:
"This is Director Li Wang. Teacher Wen Liang won't introduce him. You have met him at the meeting at noon. The three of us will get together tonight to talk about Director Li's movies. What about you, Yanyan?"

Xie Yanyan is one of the few people that He Tianran can remember without the memories of other personalities, because she and He Yuanchong were brought together by their families when they were in high school. That was the first time that He Tianran discovered that He Panshan, his old father who liked to control others, actually had an open-minded side and at least did not object to premature love.

"Me? I have a friend to meet up with, too. Hi, Director Li."

As Xie Yanyan spoke, she shook hands with Li Wang, and then nodded slightly to Wen Liang to show her politeness. Then she looked back at the people at her table, leaned close to He Tianran's ear, and gave a detailed introduction:

"There are three people over there, two of whom are executives of ByteDance, one is in charge of marketing, and the other is in charge of event planning; the other one in black is a technical expert in charge of the live broadcast network architecture of a certain fish platform."

Xie Yanyan stopped talking, and He Tianran understood. The surfing line has been developing rapidly recently, and there have been great changes in personnel turnover. Now is the time to recruit new people.

Seeing the other party's cautious look, He Tianran smiled and said:
"Why, you're not doing marketing anymore, you're doing HR now? Who do you want to recruit in person? Do you want me to come over and have a drink and chat with you guys later?"

Although Xie Yanyan is not very old, she has been following the project and promoting the market since the Surf Line platform was not yet online. She is a veteran in promoting the market. For something like poaching people, her personal presence can indeed represent the sincerity of the platform.

"That's great." Xie Yanyan didn't refuse, but she still delayed strategically, "But let's let the three of them chat alone for a while. When I'm not here, they can still talk about some things. If you go now, you'll be too stressed."

After saying that, she pulled over a chair and sat on the other side of He Tianran.

"Hey, my aura should be quite friendly..."

He Tianran said something polite, curled his lips, and asked in a fake tone:

"Where's my brother? Isn't he going to expand the live broadcast service of the surfing line? Why didn't he come out with you?"

Xie Yanyan was embarrassed, her eyes avoided her gaze, and she was evasive, "Oh, him... He was busy with other things after get off work. The platform's affairs are very complicated, and everyone is doing their own job. I am just taking a break from my busy schedule. Besides, Yuan Chong has been to this place many times. By the way, brother Tianran, you may not know that this Tap Room is jointly opened by me and a few of my girlfriends."

The people present were all smart and knew that the other party was trying to change the subject, especially He Tianran and Wen Liang. After hearing this, the two looked at each other. The man did not ask about his brother's whereabouts anymore, but pretended to be surprised by her new topic. He looked around and said:
"Really? When did this store open? You didn't tell me, I have no idea."

"You're a very busy person. It's been more than three months since the opening. At that time, Wild at Heart was in the middle of promotion and hadn't been officially launched yet. You were totally focused on that."

"How did you come up with the idea of ​​opening such a pub?"

"I want to... start my own business."

"Why, your family business plus the surf line business aren't enough to keep you, a tough lady, busy?"

"It's all because of your brother~"

He Tianran deliberately guided the conversation. As the topic deepened, Xie Yanyan recalled and said:

"When I was in college, Yuan Chong and I really liked going to nightclubs. He was very smart and majored in finance, so while we were having fun, we got to know professionals in nightclubs. Over time, he wanted to start his own club and make it a brand, even if it was just a side job. He often said that Uncle He's favorite financial saying was 'conservative people can save money, but only those who know how to have fun can make money'. So turning a hobby into a career was a way for him to prove himself. However, people's entertainment methods have changed a lot in recent years, and the risk of investing in this industry is very high. He thought about it again and again, but it has never come to fruition..."

He Tianran nodded. He Panshan did often instill the concept of "play" in his two sons, especially when they were in adolescence. After all, this old father was one of the most "fun" people in the city when he was their age, and he was also very rebellious. Not to mention rock and roll, he finally chose IT. Putting aside his accurate vision of the changing situation, it is hard not to doubt that he had no intention of going against the old man in his family.

Because he has always maintained this "playful" mentality, He Panshan's current success has intensified his "prodigal son" style of behavior, which has also made him stubborn. This is actually very contradictory. This father born in the 1970s can play the latest games with his son and discuss the hottest topics; he can also be as rigid as a mountain and have the final say. Whenever he encounters any disobedience, there will be a storm, which is bound to show the dominance of the head of the family.

"He Pan... When my dad talks, you have to put yourself in his shoes, because he only accepts the kind of 'rebellion' he had when he was young, or in other words, he only accepts the kind of 'playing style' that he approves of. He has his own right to interpret and set his own rules. If it goes beyond this scope, it is undoubtedly a challenge to his authority, and he will not accept this. So Yuan Chong was right not to take too many risks in starting a business... because not making mistakes is the greatest right thing to do."

He Tianran analyzed his father and praised his brother's caution in investing and starting a business. Seeing him express this, Xie Yanyan became more relaxed.

"Yeah, I thought so too, but I love my dog. Ever since Yuan Chong discussed this with me, I've been excited. When we were in college, we talked about setting up our own business together if we had the chance. Nightclubs were our first choice, but the industry was too complicated. After graduation, my interest in that kind of place gradually faded, so we settled for the next best thing and opened this pub. It's nice to have a place to relax and have fun with friends, so I spent the whole last year making plans and researching in my spare time, and finally finalized everything at the beginning of this year."

He Tianran: "So Yuan Chong also has shares in this store?"

Facing the question, Xie Yanyan shook her head and said awkwardly:
"Well...he was quite interested in the early stage, but as time went on, he stopped asking about it. Later, when I asked him about it, he did some calculations for me and felt that it was not interesting, so he let me run it for fun. He didn't get involved. However, he said that if the store made any profit, it would be mine, and if it lost money, he would help me cover it. He supported my entrepreneurship."

"That's it..."

He Tianran also made a rough estimate in his mind. Although this store is quite popular now, if the rent, decoration, manpower, performances and alcohol costs of the prime location are taken into account, making money is not a big deal. The main goal of this first year is to survive. If it can make a profit by the end of the year, it will be the blessing of the God of Business. Xie Yanyan also said that this store is a partnership with several of her girlfriends. At the end of the year, the net income will be divided with several shareholders. Whether the resulting figures can compete with those of the senior workers present is really an unknown.

Compared with the live broadcast and real estate projects currently hosted by He Yuanchong, this laborious investment project is indeed not even at the dessert level. However, a tall building is built from the ground up. Just by the fact that Xie Yanyan successfully implemented what she had in mind and never said a word against He Yuanchong from beginning to end, He Tianran really admires this girl at this moment.

He Tianran actually hadn't said anything just now. He Yuanchong's desire to open a nightclub was nothing compared to his brother's decision to go against He Panshan's arrangement after graduating from college and switch to film and television. To put it bluntly, they were the second generation of the rich. At certain stages of their careers, their trial and error costs were negligible, and they didn't have to worry about their own profits and losses. Their families would help cover the bottom line no matter what. Xue Yong was a good example. The biggest punishment faced by people like them was the disappointment of their parents after a failed operation.

The consequences of this situation vary from person to person. At least compared to the calmness of He Tianran, the biological son, He Yuanchong, the younger son, is actually much more cautious. Especially since his life experience is so special, he has to be even more careful about what kind of image he should show when facing He Panshan.

So, as a son, in front of He Panshan, He Tianran has the opportunity to make mistakes as long as he does not offend his father and does not touch his bottom line; but He Yuanchong, in order to always be the "good son" of this business tycoon, cannot make any mistakes at all.

Not making mistakes is certainly the greatest correct thing. A person who does not lose chips and does not go to the table will naturally not lose. But since you have chosen to watch, don't expect to be able to "play" with the people at the table.

He Tianran chewed everything thoroughly, but Wen Liang, who had been listening on the other side, was paying attention to something different. When she saw that He Tianran stopped talking, she asked:
"Miss Xie, are you disappointed?"

"Ok?"

Xie Yanyan was stunned. Not only her, but the two men present all looked at Wen Liang, wondering why she asked that.

Wen Liang held the wine glass, swung his wrist casually, and tried to make his tone sound calmer:

"You said you valued the promise you made to He Yuanchong in college to start a business together, but from what you described, it seems like these have become insignificant things to him now~"

"Right~! Of course I did! I was so disappointed when he said he wasn't interested and told me not to waste it!"

Otherwise, it is said that there are differences in thinking between men and women. Just when He Tianran was weighing the pros and cons of the relationship between the father and his two sons, Wen Liang had already hit the nail on the head. Xie Yanyan's spirits were lifted and she began to complain.

She couldn't help but complain about He Yuanchong's lack of attention and insensitivity in this regard. She complained about how tired she was from running to the pub alone, and blamed her boyfriend for not caring. Then she put herself in his shoes and talked about the busy work they both had to do in the mountains and seas after graduation, trying to comfort herself from the resentment in her heart.

Wen Liang joined in the conversation, occasionally complaining about the man's negligence. During the conversation, there were only statements of opinion and no questions. The emotional value was at its highest point. If someone didn't know, they would have thought that the two were extremely good friends. But in fact, apart from their official dealings, the two did not have much of a private relationship.

So it seems that Xie Yanyan doesn't really need comfort from others. She just has been holding it in for too long and just happened to have a chance to vent.

He Tianran was not very interested in the love life between her and He Yuanchong at first, but as he listened, he began to listen.

Although Xie Yanyan and He Yuanchong's acquaintance and love were largely a "marriage between wealthy families", who can deny that true love cannot exist in this kind of relationship model?
At least Xie Yanyan cares a lot about this relationship. He Yuanchong is her first love. When talking about this, the girl's face is shining with pride and happiness. She vividly describes the scene when her father took her to visit the He family and He Yuanchong took the initiative to come up and make friends with them. Everything seems to be vivid in her mind.

As for how they fell in love, it was quite simple. Xie Yanyan was arranged by her parents to go to Australia when she was very young. Needless to say, her living habits were well-developed and her friends were all there. She had originally planned to finish university there before returning to China, but she was suddenly called back. In addition, she did not have a deep impression of Hong Kong, so she felt depressed. Fortunately, she met He Yuanchong after returning to China. After his private guidance and frequent invitations, the boy and girl naturally developed feelings for each other.

But time has passed, and when Xie Yanyan was sweetly reminiscing about the past, He Tianran darkly thought of a possibility, that is, could Xie Yanyan also be the ending that He Panshan prepared for his "son" He Yuanchong?

Although future changes cannot be predicted, people can piece together the shape of the future through clues from the present.

It is well known that He Tianran, the eldest son, changed his career to work in the film and television industry, but this does not mean that He Yuanchong, who has been working in Shanhai, has much more advantages than the former in handling family business. Moreover, when the real estate project is officially launched, he is destined to stay away from the core business of Shanhai Group. By then, it will undoubtedly take most of his life to start a new business. If he marries Xie Yanyan in the future, the first half of his life will be complete and clear.

Of course, the girls don’t care about these things. Most of the time, they will still be indignant today, many years later, because of a promise their former lovers made, whether intentional or unintentional, but still have not fulfilled. They may even empathize with them and form a united front to fight against the same enemy.

"I would like to ask the two gentlemen present here, will these words of promise gradually fade away as time goes by?"

Guessing that the topic had gotten to this point, it would be boring if it continued to revolve around He Yuanchong, so Wen Liang brought up a more profound topic.

Li Wang and He Tianran looked at each other. The former shrugged and said openly:

"I don't know. Anyway, this has never happened between Dongdong and me. We both speak very straightforwardly."

Wen Liang didn't give this nice guy face, "It's just that Sheng Qidong is not here now. She was really frank when she complained about you to me in private."

"Oh~ Talk about this~"

Li Wang remained noncommittal, but he didn't dare to refute his girlfriend's best friend.

After asking him, everyone's eyes were focused on He Tianran's face. The man leaned sideways and thought for a while. He looked at Xie Yanyan with an imperceptible pity in his eyes, and then shifted his gaze to Wen Liang's face who asked the question.

"Is it not a foul if I ask back now?"

"Not counting."

"Then I have to ask you, when you asked this question, what kind of answer did you want?"

Wen Liang frowned, "What do you mean?"

"The rational answer is that as time goes by, more important things will always appear around people, and these things may be more important than a promise at that time. As these things accumulate, people will naturally forget other things..."

He Tianran clasped his hands together, placed them in front of his abdomen, and continued:

"However, in many cases, just like what Yanyan has said, she knows the answer herself and can comfort herself very well. Therefore, emotional problems can only be answered with emotions, just like you girls like to speak in a sarcastic way and boys like to make promises. The vague words between lovers, the degree of seriousness and the true meaning of the words, require you to read them with different emotions at that time and at this moment. As for how long this emotion can exist and whether the answers obtained in the two situations are the same, it depends on your own opinion."

Wen Liang understood what He Tianran meant, but was also extremely annoyed by his "clear-headed" attitude, so as to verify the man's theory, she deliberately said something sarcastic:

"I don't understand. Speak human language."

"It's simple isn't it?"

He Tianran leaned forward and placed his hands on the table. He raised a finger towards Wen Liang:
“Madam, let me teach you a lesson on how to read your lover’s ambiguous words.

Next, if I say I hate you, then I must still love you.

If I say I bless you, that will be my final farewell to you and I will leave you completely.

Like, dear, I wish you all the best, and I wish I don’t hate you.”

After saying that, He Tianran put down his finger. He looked at Xie Yanyan who was also looking at him. Just as he was about to explain, he heard a sentence:
"So... I forgive you... what does that mean?" (End of this chapter)