The Remaining Warmth Of Fog Harbor Chapter 33
byFissures grow secretly
In the private room of the Michelin restaurant in Wugang Financial Center, Lu Wanheng had just finished a three-hour project matchmaking meeting and was rubbing his brows tiredly.When the partner’s representative stood up to say goodbye, she forced herself to stand up and say goodbye, with the rough touch of the contract paper still left on her fingertips.Shen Zhiyi was waiting in the cafe downstairs of the restaurant as agreed. She had just experienced a breakup in her original family and had not yet completely calmed down. She was wearing a light gray knitted skirt, holding a warm latte, and staring at the exit of the restaurant. It was her only source of security at the moment.
Lu Wanheng walked out of the restaurant quickly, the cold evening breeze ruffled the corners of her suit, and when she saw the figure waiting quietly in the corner cafe, the coldness in her eyes melted away instantly.She walked through the traffic, quickly walked into the cafe, sat down opposite Shen Zhiyi, stretched out her hand and gently covered the back of her cold hand: “I kept you waiting, the project docking went smoothly.” Shen Zhiyi shook her head, pushed the warm latte in front of her, and said softly: “I ordered the sugar-free version you like, it has just been warmed.”
The two sat opposite each other, chatting in low voices about the preparation progress of the exhibition and the follow-up plans of Lu Wanheng’s project, trying to seize a moment of stability in their busy lives.Shen Zhiyi was still immersed in the pain of breaking up with her original family. Lu Wanheng’s company was her only comfort. She subconsciously moved closer and gently hooked Lu Wanheng’s fingers with her fingertips, absorbing the familiar warmth.Unexpectedly, this tender scene was secretly photographed by a financial industry colleague at the next table.
This colleague was Lu Wanheng’s former subordinate in an investment bank. Now he has switched jobs to a competing company and has been coveting Lu Wanheng’s core projects.After he recognized Lu Wanheng, he secretly observed and saw the intimate interaction between the two. He immediately took out his mobile phone, adjusted the angle, and took a clear photo of the same frame. In the photo, Lu Wanheng lowered his head to listen to Shen Zhiyi’s words, his eyes were gentle, and the two people’s fingertips were intertwined in an intimate posture. The warm yellow lights of the cafe were in the background, making the picture particularly dazzling.
Without any hesitation, this colleague sent the photo to a private communication group in the financial circle with the text: “Former investment bank CEO Lu Wanheng, as rumored, is getting together with a female painter. Even now, they still have a long-term relationship. I am afraid that the project in hand may not be saved.”
The news was like a spark thrown into boiling water, instantly exploding in the financial circle.Lu Wanheng was once the youngest CEO of an investment bank. He was known for his calm determination and strong business capabilities, and was recognized as an elite benchmark in the industry.The news that she broke up with the Lu family and left to start a business was already a hot topic. Now that the label “gay” was exposed together with the intimate photos, it immediately caused an uproar.The chat records in the private group were frantically screenshotted and reposted. Editors from major financial media sniffed out the traffic password and wrote tweets one after another. Topics such as #investmentbank executivegay# #鲁万珩女painter# quickly became hot searches in the circle and even spread to public social platforms.
Rumors poured in like a tidal wave. Some people ridiculed her for “abandoning her career due to love” and “not doing her job properly.” Others questioned her professional abilities and believed that “people with chaotic private lives are not worthy of controlling large-scale projects.” What’s more, they dug up the past of her break with the Lu family and the freezing of assets, and made up rumors about “betraying the family for a female painter” and “misappropriating project funds to support her lover.”The financial circle is extremely sensitive to private life, especially when it comes to “non-mainstream” topics such as gender orientation, which have been magnified and become a topic of conversation after dinner.
Lu Wanheng’s mobile phone was bombarded with messages late at night. Inquiries from partners, former colleagues, and industry partners continued to pour in. Some media even called directly to request interviews.She looked at the malicious comments on the phone screen and the widely circulated photos of the same frame, and her face instantly darkened.She was not afraid that she would be discussed, but she was afraid that these rumors would implicate Shen Zhiyi, a girl who had just come out of the pain of the breakup of her original family, and could not withstand another public attack.
She immediately blocked all unfamiliar numbers, turned off notifications on social platforms, and turned to look at Shen Zhiyi, who was sleeping beside her. The moonlight shining on her tear-stained face was particularly distressing.Lu Wanheng gently stroked the top of her hair and secretly made up his mind: no matter what, he must protect Shen Zhiyi and not let her be hurt by these dirty rumors.But she didn’t know that this sudden public opinion storm was just the beginning of a workplace crisis, and greater pressure was still waiting for her.
Before the rumors in the financial circle had subsided, the core project that Lu Wanheng was responsible for suffered a fatal blow.The independent investment studio she founded after leaving her job undertook a large-scale financing project in the field of new energy and invested a lot of time, energy and funds. When it was about to enter the final stage, it was suddenly reported by a competitor in real name.
The report letter was sent directly to the project supervision department and the partner headquarters. The content directly pointed out that the project had problems such as “data falsification”, “illegal operations” and “profit transfer”. The words were sharp and attached with a large amount of “evidence” – although most of them were taken out of context and deliberately falsified data, it was enough to trigger an investigation by the supervision department and make the partners have doubts.The whistleblower behind the scenes was the executive from the competing company who took the photos and spread the rumors. He intended to use the double blow of reporting and public opinion to force Lu Wanheng to give up the project and take over the project himself.
The investigation notice from the regulatory authorities and the inquiry letter from the partner were sent to Lu Wanheng’s studio on the same day.The project was forced to be suspended, team members were panicking, and the funds invested in the early stage were at risk of being wasted. Lu Wanheng’s independent studio had just started to make progress when it encountered the most serious crisis since its establishment.She stayed up late for days, organizing project information, checking every data, preparing clarification materials, and trying to prove the compliance of the project. However, the investigation process of the regulatory authorities was cumbersome, and once the trust of the partners collapsed, it was difficult to rebuild.
To make matters worse, Lu Wanheng’s immediate boss, Zhou Mingyuan, the chief investment officer of the project partner, suddenly asked her to meet.Zhou Mingyuan is a senior boss in the financial circle. He always pays attention to “reputation” and “rules.” He has already criticized Lu Wanheng’s personal life. Now that rumors are brewing and projects have been reported, he has found an excuse to put pressure on him.
The meeting place was chosen in the conference room of the partner’s headquarters, and the atmosphere was so oppressive that it made people breathless.Zhou Mingyuan sat in the main seat, tapping his fingers on the table, looking at Lu Wanheng with cold eyes, and got straight to the point: “Lu Wanheng, you don’t need to say more about your current situation? The project was reported, public opinion was flying, and the reputation of our partners was also affected.”
Lu Wanheng straightened his back and spoke calmly: “Mr. Zhou, I can guarantee the compliance of the project. The contents in the report letter are all forged. I have compiled all the clarification materials. I believe the regulatory authorities will give us justice.”
“Fairness? In the financial circle, reputation is the greatest justice.” Zhou Mingyuan interrupted her and threw a printed photo of the same frame on the table. “Look, what is being spread in the circle now? ‘Investment bank executives are gay’ and ‘private life is chaotic’. These labels are attached to you. How can customers trust you? How can our company explain to shareholders?”
Lu Wanheng’s fingertips tightened slightly, and his face turned pale: “My personal life has nothing to do with work, and I have never affected project progress due to personal matters.”
“It’s irrelevant?” Zhou Mingyuan sneered, with obvious pressure in his tone, “Now everyone associates the project report with your personal relationship, thinking that you were distracted by your love affair, which led to loopholes in the project. Lu Wanheng, I know you have strong business ability, but in this circle, reputation is more important than ability. Your current status has affected the advancement of the project and the interests of our company.”
He paused, changed the topic, and laid out the hidden conditions: “If you want to keep this project, want the regulatory authorities to withdraw the case as soon as possible, and want the public opinion to calm down, you must make a statement. I don’t care what your life is like in private, but as the project leader, you must publicly clarify to the public, partners, and regulatory authorities that your personal relationship will not affect your work, and you must let everyone see that you have ‘returned to normal’ and are no longer distracted by these ‘irrelevant’ things.”
Lu Wanheng’s heart sank. She understood the implication of Zhou Mingyuan’s words – the so-called “public clarification” was just a disguised form of forcing her to distance herself from Shen Zhiyi, or even alienate or break up, in order to calm public opinion and restore the reputation of the project.What this boss values is never the truth of the project, but the company’s face and the evaluation within the circle. For these, he can easily sacrifice other people’s feelings and force her to make a dilemma.
Walking out of the partner’s headquarters, the sun was dazzling, but Lu Wanheng felt cold all over.On one side is the career she has worked so hard for, the hard work of her team members, and the opportunity to prove herself after getting rid of the Lu family; on the other side is the lover she treats as a treasure, Shen Zhiyi, who has just experienced a breakup in her original family and needs her company.Abandoning the project means that the studio may close down, which means that she will once again be in financial difficulties and unable to give Shen Zhiyi a stable life; and following the boss’s request, alienating Shen Zhiyi and clarifying publicly means hurting the girl who relies on her wholeheartedly and making her suffer the pain of being abandoned again.
The pressure of the workplace and the indifference of human nature, like an invisible net, tightly wrapped Lu Wanheng, leaving her breathless.Standing on the busy street, she felt so helpless for the first time. She didn’t know how to choose in order to keep the project without hurting Shen Zhiyi.
Under the double attack of the project crisis and pressure from his boss, Lu Wanheng finally chose to compromise.She couldn’t let the hard work of her team members go to waste, she couldn’t let the fledgling studio collapse, let alone let her competitors succeed.But she will never betray Shen Zhiyi. She can only find a difficult balance between “preserving the project” and “protecting her lover” – publicly clarifying her personal relationship will not affect her work, and at the same time, in private, try to reduce public contact with Shen Zhiyi to avoid leaving more opportunities for her opponents to attack.
The public clarification statement was written by Lu Wanheng who stayed up late at night.She carefully considered every word, not only to satisfy her boss’s request and calm public opinion, but also to protect Shen Zhiyi from leaking her personal information and not hurting their feelings.In the statement, she made no mention of her gender orientation, only emphasizing that “private life and work are strictly separated. I will devote myself to the advancement of the project, ensure that the project is implemented in compliance, and live up to the trust of my partners and team.”
The statement was posted on the studio’s official account and on an authoritative platform in the financial circle, instantly sparking heated discussions.Some people think that she is “aware of current affairs” and “takes the overall situation into consideration”, while others ridicule her for “abandoning love for the project” and being “hypocritical”. However, in any case, the direction of public opinion has indeed changed, the attitude of the partners has softened a lot, and the investigation by the regulatory authorities has also accelerated.Zhou Mingyuan expressed satisfaction with this statement and privately hinted that she would truly “get back on track” if she “continues to maintain this state.”
But this clarification became an invisible gap between Lu Wanheng and Shen Zhiyi.In order to avoid being photographed together again and triggering new rumors, Lu Wanheng had to start deliberately alienating Shen Zhiyi.She no longer went home on time to eat and read paintings with her every day as before, no longer took the initiative to hold her hand in public places, no longer frequently answered her calls or responded to her messages, and even began to make excuses to reduce the number of meetings with her.
Shen Zhiyi was keenly aware of the changes.In the past, no matter how busy she was, Lu Wanheng would report her schedule in advance, and even if she came home late at night, he would leave a lamp and warm a bowl of soup for her; but now, her news often goes unanswered, and she either doesn’t answer the phone or hangs up after a few words. She comes home later and later, and sometimes even stays up all night, leaving only a text message saying “working overtime on the project.”
Once, Shen Zhiyi carefully prepared Lu Wanheng’s favorite home-cooked food. From early evening until late at night, the food was reheated over and over again until it was completely cold, without seeing that familiar figure.She dialed Lu Wanheng’s phone. It rang for a long time before she was answered. There was a noisy voice on the other end of the phone. Lu Wanheng’s tone was tired and alienated: “Zhiyi, I am too busy with projects here. I won’t go back tonight. You should go to bed early.”
“Wanheng, are you hiding something from me?” Shen Zhiyi’s voice was filled with tears. She vaguely guessed something, but she couldn’t believe it. “Did you start to dislike me because of those rumors and your boss?”
“No, don’t think too much about it.” Lu Wanheng’s voice paused, with a hint of unnoticeable guilt, “I’m just too busy and the project is under a lot of pressure. I will definitely accompany you well after I finish this period of work.” After saying that, she hung up the phone in a hurry, without giving Shen Zhiyi a chance to ask further questions.
The busy signal on the other end of the phone was like a dull knife, cutting Shen Zhiyi’s heart repeatedly.She had just come out of the breakup of her original family, and her heart was fragile and sensitive. Lu Wanheng’s alienation made her involuntarily think of her parents’ abandonment and neglect, and the past that had been denied and hurt.She looked at the table full of cold food and the empty living room, hugging her knees and squatting on the ground, crying silently.She doesn’t understand why two people who truly love each other always have to go through so many obstacles. Why do they have to endure the pain of workplace pressure and other people’s rumors?
After Lu Wanheng hung up the phone, he leaned back on the chair in the conference room and closed his eyes tiredly.Shen Zhiyi’s crying voice on the other end of the phone was like a thin needle, pricking her heart hard, making her feel distressed.How she wanted to go back to the apartment immediately, hold the aggrieved girl in her arms, tell her her difficulties, and tell her that she had never thought of giving up on her.But she couldn’t. As long as the project didn’t end and the competitors didn’t give up, she couldn’t bring any risk to Shen Zhiyi. She could only choose this “hurt” method to protect her silently.
She opened her wallet and looked at the bookmark hand-painted by Shen Zhiyi in the mezzanine. The foggy blue cardboard had been rubbed until it was a little warm, but the writing on it was still clear.This bookmark is her only motivation to continue, and it is her warmest comfort in the cold workplace struggle and public opinion storm.She silently vowed in her heart: when the project is over and the crisis is resolved, she will redouble her compensation to Shen Zhiyi and never let her suffer such injustice again, never let her suffer loneliness and uneasiness alone.
After the public clarification statement was released, Lu Wanheng’s “alienation” became more obvious.She devoted all her time and energy to the project. During the day, she held meetings, contacted regulatory authorities, and sorted out and clarified materials. At night, she either worked overtime in the studio until late at night or participated in necessary social activities, trying to regain the trust of her partners and resolve the project crisis.Returning home late became the norm, and sometimes even for three or four days in a row, Shen Zhiyi could not see her face and could only confirm her safety through occasional text messages.
The atmosphere in the apartment gradually became deserted.Shen Zhiyi was now the only one left in the once cozy little nest. There were piles of drawings in the balcony studio, but she no longer had the thought to pick up a pen.She often sat on the sofa in the living room, looking at the light in the entrance hall, waiting all night, and then fell asleep tiredly when it was almost dawn.The coat left by Lu Wanheng, the used water glass, and the briefcase on the table have all become the sustenance of her thoughts. Holding these items with Lu Wanheng’s breath, she seemed to feel a faint warmth.
Once, Lu Wanheng came home late at night, smelling heavily of alcohol and stumbling on his feet.She walked into the bedroom quietly and saw Shen Zhiyi curled up on the bed, her brows furrowed and tears hanging from the corners of her eyes. The guilt and distress in her heart instantly surged.She lay carefully next to Shen Zhiyi, wanting to hug her, but she was afraid of disturbing her, so she could only watch her sleeping face quietly in the dark.
Shen Zhiyi was not actually asleep. She felt the familiar breath around her and her body trembled slightly, but she did not turn around.She didn’t know how to face Lu Wanheng, didn’t know what to say, whether to question her alienation or comfort her tiredness. Thousands of words were stuck in her chest, and in the end they turned into only a gentle sigh.
Lu Wanheng heard the sigh and knew that she was awake, so he said in a hoarse voice: “Zhiyi, I’m sorry, I have made you feel wronged recently.”
Shen Zhiyi didn’t look back, and her voice was choked: “You don’t have to say sorry to me, I know you are busy, I just… miss you a little.”
A simple sentence made Lu Wanheng’s eyes turn red instantly.She stretched out her hand, hugged Shen Zhiyi gently from behind, and buried her face in the crook of her neck. Her voice was full of suppressed exhaustion and love: “I miss you too, every day. When the project is over, I will definitely accompany you well. We will go to the pier to sketch, go to the sea, and finish the couple’s book. We will never be separated again.”
Shen Zhiyi leaned in her arms, feeling the familiar embrace and warmth. The grievances and longings he had accumulated for a long time completely exploded at this moment, and tears fell silently, soaking Lu Wanheng’s shirt.She knew that Lu Wanheng had his own difficulties and that she was trying to protect herself and keep the project, but the loneliness and uneasiness in her heart were still too much for her to bear.How she hoped that these storms would pass quickly and they could go back to the way they used to be, staying with each other every day, no gossip, no workplace pressure, only pure love and tenderness.
Lu Wanheng hugged her tightly and didn’t say anything. He just patted her back gently and conveyed his feelings with silence.She knew that no matter how many promises she made, it was not as good as actual companionship, but now she could only choose to endure it and bear all the pressure and pain alone.She hid her love for Shen Zhiyi in her late night hugs, in her tired eyes, in the bookmarks in her wallet, and in every restrained thought.
In order to make Shen Zhiyi feel at ease, Lu Wanheng would secretly send her messages during his busy schedule, telling her how he was doing, and reminding her to eat on time and take rest; he would fill the drawers in the studio with Shen Zhiyi’s favorite snacks, so that she could feel a touch of warmth when she came to deliver things; when he came home late at night, he would quietly cover her with a quilt and press a gentle kiss on her forehead, even if she was still asleep.
These subtle actions, like wisps of light, illuminated Shen Zhiyi’s lonely waiting, making her understand that Lu Wanheng’s alienation was not a lack of love, but a deep love.She began to learn to understand Lu Wanheng’s difficulties, learned to regulate her emotions, picked up the paintbrush again, and poured all her thoughts and grievances into the “Late Thoughts” series of paintings.On the drawing paper, she drew two figures side by side, walking through the wind, rain and fog, towards the warm sun in the distance, to encourage herself and Lu Wanheng, believing that the wind and rain will eventually pass, and they will eventually usher in their own light.
The project crisis is still going on, the public rumors have not completely subsided, Lu Wanheng is still coming home late frequently, and the relationship between the two is still full of forbearance and restraint.But they all understand that this love that has gone through many tests has become indestructible.Lu Wanheng was fighting for their future in the front, while Shen Zhiyi was waiting silently at the back, using his paintbrush and love to build the warmest harbor for her.
The hand-painted bookmark on the inside of the wallet is still a treasure that Lu Wanheng carries with him; the drawings in the balcony studio still record the love and perseverance between the two.The distance and alienation did not dilute their feelings, but made them cherish each other more and strengthened their determination to go on together.They are all waiting, waiting for the day when the project ends, waiting for the day when the storm subsides, waiting for the day when they can embrace each other without any scruples and never have to separate again.And this love hidden in forbearance will eventually shine with the most dazzling light in the near future.
Banxia novel, a lot of fun