When they arrived outside Li Weiyi’s home, Xu Yi got out first and opened the car door for Li Weiyi. She felt a bit embarrassed and said, “Thank you, Brother Xu Yi. I’ve troubled you.”

Xu Yi said, “It’s nothing. Go on in. If you need help with anything in the future, call me anytime.” The two had already exchanged phone numbers.

Li Weiyi was very touched. That Zhang Jingchan wouldn’t even meet her, but Xu Yi was gentle and considerate in everything, always thinking of others. She thought to herself: Worthy of being a mature workplace elite—much better than that bratty boy.

Li Weiyi walked a few steps, then turned back. Standing in the bright sunshine, she smiled at Xu Yi with her eyes crinkling. “Brother Xu Yi, you look really tired. Has work been too hard lately? Your body is the foundation of everything. You’re someone who’s going to achieve great things. There’s a long road ahead—you must take care of your health! Let’s both do our best!”

After a moment of surprise, Xu Yi nodded and smiled. “Alright, I’ll be careful.”

Li Weiyi happily went home, her steps bouncing, her hair swaying. Her retreating figure in Xu Yi’s eyes slowly overlapped with that person from that night in his memory.

That person had been the same—after offering their precious blessings to him, bouncing and hopping upstairs. Then they disappeared.

Xu Yi leaned against the car door, lit a cigarette, leisurely finished it, and left with a smile.

So you’re here, he thought.

Whether you two are the same person, I’m not sure.

You both have secrets, and I don’t care.

I only know that the purity and brilliance that made my heart suddenly flutter—it has reappeared.

…

————

January 13, 2022, Xu Yi’s home.

Li Weiyi awoke as if from a dream, looking toward the door.

Keys jingled softly. Xu Yi said, “Xiaoyi, I’m opening the door.”

Li Weiyi’s hands resting on her thighs slowly clenched into fists.

Xu Yi glanced at her and walked over to sit beside her. He reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Li Weiyi endured without moving. As if not noticing her stiffness, he wrapped one arm around her from behind and interlaced their fingers. Li Weiyi trembled slightly.

“What exactly happened?” he asked. “Why do you suddenly… seem so afraid of me?”

“No, no!” Li Weiyi immediately said. “I just… just suddenly had very important artistic inspiration and wanted to be alone to capture it. Really!”

“Is that so?”

She nodded vigorously.

Xu Yi laughed softly and said, “What a painting fool! Don’t do this again. I can’t take it.”

Though his tone was calm and gentle, Li Weiyi heard the seriousness in it. Her heart filled with tension, guilt, and confusion. She only lowered her head and said, “I understand.”

He glanced at his watch and said, “The driver should be here. I’m going to work. I’ve reserved that spring water restaurant you like for tonight—I’ll have the driver pick you up at 5:30.”

Li Weiyi made a vague sound of acknowledgment. Seeing her still looking unwell, Xu Yi remained silent for a moment, then pulled her waist close and leaned down to kiss her. Li Weiyi felt like her scalp was exploding. She felt the light sucking and turning of his cool lips, his tongue expertly slipping inside. His kiss was somewhat different from the person—a bit forceful, a bit fierce. Even her fingertips went numb as he kissed her for a while in a daze. He lowered his head to hold her in his arms and said, “Why are you still like a child, always not engaged…” He laughed softly and said, “Don’t forget what you promised me before I left on my business trip.”

Li Weiyi said, “…Which thing?”

He released her, stood up and went out to get his suit and dress shirt. Li Weiyi hesitated for a moment and followed, then immediately looked away when she saw him removing his robe to change clothes.

As Xu Yi changed, he said, “I was on a business trip for over half a month, and you want to play dumb and pretend it doesn’t count?” He looked up at her with a smile. “Move in tonight. You promised. I’m too busy—this way we’ll have more time together. I’ve prepared a room for you, the one next to the master bedroom. Don’t worry, without your consent, I guarantee I won’t do anything to you.”

Li Weiyi thought: “………..”

She took a deep breath and smiled. “Alright, don’t worry. I, Li Weiyi, always keep my word. Hurry and go to work, or you’ll be late.”

Hearing this, Xu Yi smiled and finally left.

Li Weiyi’s body still seemed to retain the sensation of his touch—slightly itchy, slightly numb. This feeling was very strange. On one hand, her body was familiar with his closeness and even felt at ease; on the other hand, it felt particularly unreal and uncomfortable in her heart.

She calmed herself for a moment, took out her phone, and dialed that number she had memorized perfectly.

Her heartbeat simultaneously accelerated.

The phone rang seven or eight times before being answered. But there was no voice on the other end, only faint breathing sounds.

Li Weiyi said, “Zhang Jingchan?”

He made an acknowledging sound.

Li Weiyi couldn’t quite describe her feelings—guilt, grievance, and deep dependence surged through her heart. She said, “It’s me.”

Zhang Jingchan said, “I know.”

Li Weiyi thought to herself how would you know if I didn’t say anything, then heard him say, “You changed your number after all.” That voice seemed shrouded in cold mist.

Li Weiyi said, “…”

He sighed very lightly and said, “Forget it. Where are you? I’ll come pick you up.”

Li Weiyi froze again. She absolutely couldn’t tell the truth. She answered, “…At the studio, with some painters. You know, the art circle—it would be really inconvenient for you to come pick me up. I’ll take a taxi to your company instead. Very quick.”

“Alright, I’ve moved locations—Huicui Tower. Don’t go to the wrong place. I’ll send you the location.”

Sitting in the taxi, Li Weiyi searched for “Huicui Tower” and was dazzled by the glaring achievements that appeared line after line.

Huicui Group, founded by Zhang Jingchan in 2016, evolved from Fu Ming Group established by his father. In this lifetime, Zhang Jingchan carried no debt burden. Instead, the Zhang family enjoyed a reputation for responsibility and accountability.

Though after 2014, Fu Ming went through bankruptcy liquidation and became a shell of itself, most of the group’s social resources and network connections were preserved, becoming Zhang Jingchan’s inherent advantage in starting his business.

His development over these eight years could be described as smooth sailing and unstoppable. In 2018, Huicui Group’s valuation exceeded 500 million; in 2020, 4 billion. In early 2021, Huicui Group successfully went public. Zhang Jingchan himself ranked among the nation’s top hundred entrepreneurs. His group’s output value and influence even surpassed Xu Yi’s Muchen Group. The two were the most dazzling new stars in Xiang City’s business world.

This overwhelming, imposing feeling reached its peak when Li Weiyi stood beneath Huicui Tower.

The former Zhang Jingchan had carried a billion in debt, alone and isolated. Though his company had high potential and value, he still huddled in a corner of the suburban entrepreneurship park.

Now, he owned two skyscrapers in the city center, bearing the Huicui name—golden and magnificent, worth its weight in gold, overlooking the entire city.

This was the life he should have had, wasn’t it? Li Weiyi thought. He and she were never from the same world.

Neither was Xu Yi.

Clearly Zhang Jingchan had given advance notice. From the moment Li Weiyi stepped into the tower, a beautiful, proper secretary respectfully guided and accompanied her throughout, taking the understated luxury executive-only elevator up to the top floor. After that, she was brought to the innermost CEO’s office.