Shi Sui slept very peacefully on the plane.

When she removed her eye mask and rubbed her eyes to look out the window, it was afternoon in Hangzhou with bright sunshine outside.

At this moment, the plane announced it was about to land.

Shi Sui’s spirits lifted, feeling all the blood in her body boiling.

When something anticipated is about to happen, the waiting time seems especially long.

The plane landed smoothly. Shi Sui queued in the long line to disembark, waited for checked luggage, then finally saw her parents waiting hand in hand at the arrival gate two hours later.

“Sui Sui!” From over ten meters away, Li Yin opened her arms toward her.

Shi Sui rushed over, eyes reddening, throwing herself into her mother’s embrace.

Meeting in person was completely different from video calls. Human body temperature, scent, voice – everything became tangibly real.

Years of accumulated longing piled up. After smelling the warm fragrance on her mother, Shi Sui couldn’t help but cry like rain.

Li Yin’s voice choked up as she comforted her while pressing her shoulders, leaning close to examine her carefully.

Compared to the fair, soft little girl with some baby fat from years ago, the current Shi Sui had obvious changes.

Her once shoulder-length black hair now reached her spine, her chin was more pointed, and her facial features were more defined.

“You silly girl, it’s not like you don’t have money to eat,” Shi Yue, beside them, ruffled her hair tips, sighing with heartache, “How did you get so thin?”

Shi Sui stood in the middle, linking arms with both of them on either side, complaining: “The food abroad doesn’t taste good.”

Li Yin giggled: “Alright, alright, we’ll take you for a feast right now.”

Shi Sui excitedly raised one hand: “Let’s go!”

Shi Yue, beside them, glanced at his watch: “Indeed, it’s getting late now. Let’s head straight there – we absolutely can’t keep people waiting.”

Li Yin also nodded hurriedly: “We need to hurry.”

Walking toward the underground parking garage as they spoke, Shi Yue went to start the car.

Hearing their conversation, Shi Sui was a bit confused and couldn’t help asking: “There are other people? Who?”

Li Yin was about to answer when she suddenly remembered what Yan Tingli had said that day – after so many years apart, meeting again naturally required giving Sui Sui a birthday surprise. Telling her in advance would ruin the fun. So she smiled and said, “It’s a secret for now. Sui Sui will know when we get there.”

Shi Sui sighed: “Why are there other people?”

Li Yin said gently: “It’s your birthday – naturally it’s livelier with more people. They’re all old friends.”

“Fine.”

Shi Sui tried hard to ignore the slight unwillingness in her heart.

After being away for so long before returning home, she only wanted to be alone with her parents, not have others there.

But she quickly adjusted her mindset.

Excitedly getting in the car, she pressed against the window, staring unblinkingly at the scenery outside.

From her earliest memories until before high school, Shi Sui had grown up in Hangzhou.

This place had urbanized skyscrapers as well as misty Jiangnan scenery. Every district had famous commercial areas with countless trendy people flooding the streets.

After several years away, the urban areas had changed considerably.

Passing through the high-tech district, Shi Sui gazed at the densely packed technology companies outside.

Especially the one in the very center – tall and towering with streamlined design, like a mechanical giant overlooking the city – she lingered looking at it for a long time.

So beautiful.

Shi Sui thought to herself.

Until the car turned a corner and the building’s front came into view, with “Zhilian Future” in four characters appearing before her eyes.

Her heart felt suddenly gripped by an unknown hand. Shi Sui’s face turned white instantly as she whipped around to look at her mother.

“What’s wrong?” Li Yin leaned closer to ask.

Shi Sui pointed outside the window: “This… Zhilian Future, is it that Zhilian Future?”

Her brain was muddled, her speech becoming incoherent.

But Li Yin still understood: “Mm, you must have heard about it abroad too. This is the company Xiao Li founded single-handedly. It just went public in America at the beginning of the year – it was trending all over domestic social media.”

Speaking of this topic, even Shi Yue, who was driving in front, couldn’t help but click his tongue: “I said before that Xiao Li would amount to something. I wasn’t wrong about him.”

His tone was full of pride, clearly feeling honored to know Yan Tingli.

The approval and familiarity in her parents’ tones made Shi Sui’s expression increasingly ugly.

She pinched her palm, forcibly suppressing her unease: “…Isn’t his family in Beijing? Why would he open his company here?”

Shi Yue said, “Hangzhou has been tilting resources toward these tech enterprises and tech talent to develop in recent years. Xiao Li opening his company here definitely has his considerations.”

The blind faith in his tone made Shi Sui somewhat agitated: “Are you very familiar with Yan Tingli? Why do you keep praising him?”

Li Yin was stunned, hearing this and looked at Shi Sui: “What’s wrong?”

Realizing her tone was too harsh, Shi Sui calmed down, mumbling: “…I just don’t want you praising other people.”

Li Yin laughed, pinching her cheek: “Little vinegar jar.”

Looking outside again, that Zhilian Future building was getting farther and farther away.

Shi Sui withdrew her gaze, taking a long breath.

It’s fine, she comforted herself.

Hangzhou was so big, with ten main urban districts.

As long as she didn’t want to, they would never run into each other.

At Zhilian Future headquarters, the board meeting had just ended.

According to basic etiquette, the directors should nod and exchange pleasantries with each other before leaving the conference room in groups of two or three.

But barely had Yan Zecheng’s words declaring the meeting adjourned fallen when there was a “crash” of a chair. The young man sitting to his immediate right casually stood up, striding out on long legs and disappearing through the main door under everyone’s gaze.

The conference room fell silent for a moment.

Yan Zecheng’s expression darkened, but it was fleeting: “Everyone can go.”

Everyone present was shrewd and could more or less see that this couple and their heir weren’t really on good terms.

Ever since Yan Tingli renamed “Qisheng Technology” to “Zhilian Future,” went public in America, and brought his technical team to Hangzhou, the original Beijing headquarters had gradually been sidelined.

Although the Yan-Song couple still held absolute controlling shares in the company, they couldn’t grasp the core technology. In reality, their voice carried less weight than their son Yan Tingli’s.

Especially since the couple only had this one son who enjoyed sole inheritance rights. Who would ultimately control the entire company was a foregone conclusion.

At this moment, having finally caught Yan Tingli during meeting time, Gao Linhan quietly slipped to the most remote restroom to slack off.

Just as he leaned against the wall and opened his game, a figure emerged from inside.

He glanced over casually with his peripheral vision, looking down casually.

The next second, he suddenly looked up.

Damn, why was Yan Tingli here!

He seemed not to have noticed him hiding behind the wall, just removing his watch in front of the mirror.

Then switching from Vacheron Constantin to Patek Philippe.

Gao Linhan: “?”

Both were watches worth millions – was it necessary to change them twice a day? Who was he showing off to?

Then he saw Yan Tingli move his shirt’s cufflinks from the left side to the right side.

Gao Linhan: “?”

What difference did it make?

Looking more carefully for a while, he realized even the shirt Yan Tingli was wearing seemed different from this morning.

The morning one was just regular business attire, but this one had extremely intricate embroidery when examined closely.

Looking at his hair again, compared to the usually tousled strands from staying up all night working, today’s looked different –

Gao Linhan gasped. Did he even use hair gel?

What was Shi Sui trying to get back together with him?

Not daring to look further, Gao Linhan put away his phone and was about to sneak back to his workstation on tiptoe.

A cold voice came from behind: “Come back.”

Who?

Him?

Gao Linhan turned to find that Yan Tingli had long been watching him peek around through the mirror.

He immediately grinned: “What a coincidence, Brother Yan.”

Yan Tingli ignored him, just staring expressionlessly at the mirror.

“Go to the mall next door and buy me some concealer.”

Gao Linhan: “…Huh?”

“Hurry up, I’m in a rush.”

“What for?”

Yan Tingli’s gaze in the mirror was cold, his expression the kind of displeasure that looked like he wanted to smash the mirror: “What else would concealer be for?”

Gao Linhan leaned closer, scanning across this face where you could barely see pores.

The more he looked, the more unfair it seemed. Truly a genetically chosen handsome man – staying up all night every day without his face deteriorating.

He asked in confusion: “Where needs covering?”

“Dark circles.”

Huh? Gao Linhan squinted and leaned even closer before seeing that there was indeed a little. But everyone was human – this tiny flaw was too normal. Even male model auditions weren’t this strict.

Just as he was about to speak, Yan Tingli’s phone rang. Gao Linhan caught a glimpse – it was Song Jie, the vice chairman.

He answered: “Speak.”

Walking toward his office while talking, his tone indifferent: “If you don’t want to go tonight, fine. Then there’s no need for the 3.0 launch supply chain to go through you either.”

Another big piece of gossip.

Gao Linhan was amazed.

Everyone knew Song Jie managed the entire company’s supply chain. If Yan Tingli cut off all supply sources and cultivated his distributors, Song Jie’s power would be directly sidelined.

This statement seemed to ignite emotions on the other end. Not knowing what was said, Yan Tingli suddenly stopped walking.

He seemed so excited he forgot there was still someone behind him, only focusing on talking to the phone, laughing while sighing: “You’re only realizing this now? That’s far too late.”

“At eighteen, we were already together.”

“She slept with me for several years in your house, in the room upstairs from yours.”

Huh? HUH?! Gao Linhan’s mouth fell open.

Was this something he was allowed to hear?

Since ancient times, the more you know, the faster you die.

Gao Linhan broke out in cold sweat, quickly stepping away and fleeing back to the restroom.

Through the phone, Song Jie’s anger felt tangible.

“You are,” she couldn’t think of words to curse him with, “you’re both shameless.”

The smile disappeared from Yan Tingli’s face, his voice suddenly becoming slow and sinister: “It seems you still haven’t learned to behave properly.”

“Don’t know what should be said and what shouldn’t be said.”

“You don’t need to go tonight either,” he curved his lips slightly, “I’ll also follow through on what I just said.”

He cut the call, hanging up on any subsequent rings.

Until Li Yin’s call came through, saying they had reached the airport and could set out in about an hour.

Yan Tingli responded warmly, returning to his office. As soon as he pushed the door open, he was met with a palm strike. He coldly dodged, grabbed with his other hand, and with little effort twisted and flung, causing Song Jie to cry out in pain.

Li Yin, on the other end, paused: “What happened?”

Yan Tingli’s expression was ice-cold, but his voice remained gentle: “I still have some things here. See you later, Auntie.”

Hanging up the phone.

He tilted his head, his dark pupils emotionlessly sweeping over the struggling woman: “Did you think I wouldn’t fight back?”

Song Jie stared at him fixedly, rolling anger in her eyes: “I’m your mother – you dare fight back?”

Yan Tingli lifted his eyelids to look at her: “I’m shameless anyway, so what if I fight back?”

“You…!” Song Jie was about to curse something, but soon she thought of more important matters, adjusting her expression: “I’ll attend the banquet tonight. I want absolute supply rights for 3.0.”

Yan Tingli walked to the full-length mirror in his office, straightening the creases on his cuffs while saying leisurely: “What makes you think you still have the right to negotiate with me?”

“What do you mean?”

Yan Tingli frowned at his reflection for a long time before suddenly saying something completely unrelated: “You’re still too lucky.”

Song Jie looked at him coldly.

“You didn’t hit my face,” he said with satisfaction.

“Otherwise,” his voice suddenly turned cold, “I would be very unhappy.”

Watching him speak to himself with such mercurial moods, Song Jie felt dazed.

For an instant, she truly felt this son was only inches away from being mentally ill.

“Lend me your concealer.”

Song Jie: “…?”

Until Yan Tingli spoke again: “I’m willing to give you a chance to make up for your mistakes.”

Song Jie handed over the concealer from her bag while cautiously looking at him: “What?”

Yan Tingli leaned forward, his demeanor becoming spring-like again: “As long as you and Chairman Yan do as I say.”

“Everything can be negotiated.”

The airport was far from the destination, and they encountered evening rush hour midway, taking over an hour before finally approaching their destination.

From the journey and over ten hours on the plane, Shi Sui didn’t look very well.

Seeing she planned to go to dinner just like this, bare-faced, Li Yin couldn’t help but hand over a cushion compact: “It’s your birthday after all – fix yourself up a little.”

Shi Sui frowned, instinctively wanting to refuse.

Thinking there would be others at the dinner, she sighed and slowly took the compact, casually patting on some powder and applying lipstick.

The car finally entered Yi Lanshan’s underground garage.

This was a high-end Hangzhou cuisine restaurant requiring reservations far in advance.

Growing up, Shi Sui had only eaten here once or twice, when her parents were entertaining clients and she tagged along.

Shi Sui looked up at the restaurant’s sign, still unable to suppress her excitement – it seemed their family’s life really was getting better and better. For her birthday, they could even come to Yi Lanshan.

“Let’s go,” Li Yin looked down at her messages, calling to Shi Yue, “Hurry, hurry, they’re already here.”

“So fast!” Shi Yue was still getting the family’s prized good wine from the trunk. Hearing Li Yin’s words, his move,ments sped up: “Isn’t it time yet?”

Shi Sui was still standing there in a daze when Li Yin grabbed her hand and they ran toward the restaurant.

“Slower, slower, Mom, go slower.”

“If we go any slower, we’ll miss this elevator!”

Right up until they were breathlessly in the elevator.

Watching the elevator numbers jump upward, Shi Sui’s right eyelid suddenly twitched along with them.

Looking at her mother rapidly replying to messages on her phone, an extremely bad premonition suddenly rose in her heart.

She licked her lips, really unable to resist pulling Shi Yue’s hand: “Dad, who exactly are we meeting tonight—”

At this moment.

The elevator dinged, reaching the eighth floor.

The elevator doors opened before her eyes.

A row of qipao-dressed waitresses stood outside, bowing with beaming smiles: “Welcome, Mr. Shi’s family.”

“And welcome Sui Sui home – we’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

Li Yin was also shocked by the scene before her.

Standing in place, she looked at Shi Yue, their eyes communicating.

“Did you arrange this grand setup?”

Shi Yue returned with equally confused eyes, shaking his head.

At this moment.

Light footsteps came from around the corridor corner.

The entire eighth floor seemed to have been reserved, quiet enough to leave only that person’s footsteps.

“Click, click, click.”

The footsteps resonated with her heartbeat frequency.

That bad premonition, along with thin sweat breaking out on her scalp and the physiological urge to turn and run, reached its peak.

Her calves unconsciously stepped backward, but the elevator doors had already closed.

At this moment.

A young man’s figure finally appeared around the corner, his physique tall as always. His shirt was slightly rolled to his forearms, revealing a black watch with an invaluably expensive silver cufflink on his chest.

Yan Tingli raised his eyes, gracefully showing her a perfect smile.

“I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

It was “you.”

Not “you all.”

Shi Sui’s face instantly turned deathly pale.

Without even thinking, she tremblingly reached for Li Yin’s hand: “Mom, I feel a bit—” unwell.

But her words were drowned out by Yan Tingli’s suddenly raised voice: “Uncle, Auntie, my parents are waiting for everyone in the private room.”

Shi Yue immediately straightened up: “Sorry, there was some traffic on the way.” His other hand pulled Shi Sui: “Sui Sui, let’s hurry in. Your Uncle Yan and Aunt Song are waiting for us.”

Shi Sui had no choice but to be pulled forward.

Passing by Yan Tingli, she held her breath, every cell in her body tense, nerves stretched into a single line as overwhelming fear clamored wildly.

But nothing happened. He just fell one step behind her.

His pace was unhurried, calm, and composed.

As if there was no danger at all.

But Shi Sui already felt substantial gazes cast from behind.

Like ice cubes about to melt, slowly sliding across her skin, leaving only sticky, ice-cold liquid.

His breathing also seemed heavier.

Like coarse breath bursting from his chest due to excessive excitement and dilated blood vessels.

Shi Sui was almost trembling.

Unable to resist, she turned around, glaring at him with trembling eyelashes.

But there was nothing.

Yan Tingli looked down at her, that perfectly beautiful face showing no expression whatsoever.

To her glare, he only returned a puzzled gaze.

Shi Sui stiffly turned back around. Closing her eyes, doubt arose in her heart.

Was she already so disturbed that she was having hallucinations?

The initial shock was too great. When she saw Yan Zecheng and Song Jie again, Shi Sui couldn’t muster very intense emotions.

Routinely calling them Uncle and Auntie, routinely answering their polite small talk.

Knowing so much inside information, looking at the harmonious, aristocratic family across from her, Shi Sui suddenly found everything before her incredibly surreal.

Song Jie was still as always, treating her politely and warmly.

Having developed the habit of looking people in the eyes while speaking abroad, when Shi Sui conversed with Song Jie again, she discovered that in her curved eyes, there wasn’t a trace of a genuine smile.

Such an obvious fact – how had she never noticed before?

,

Was it not knowing, or knowing but not daring to verify?

These things were impossible to know now.

On her first night back home.

Shi Sui already felt tired.

Apart from necessary socializing, Shi Sui only focused on eating, mechanically filling her stomach.

But Song Jie talked surprisingly much tonight. Asking about her experiences abroad, which company she was going to work for upon returning, Shi Sui selectively answered.

Suddenly, she smiled and asked: “Did you have a boyfriend abroad?”

“Clang.”

Shi Sui’s spoon hit the bowl rim.

Her peripheral vision swept to the opposite side. Yan Tingli showed no reaction, head lowered, casually playing with his watch.

Shi Sui’s heart relaxed slightly.

She answered honestly: “I had some contact.”

“Oh? What happened after?”

Shi Sui didn’t like the Yan family’s forceful way of speaking, like interrogation. She simply replied: “Not suitable.”

Li Yin, beside her, was attracted by her mention of “contact,” turning to look at her: “What kind of boy was he? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Shi Sui kept her head down, eating, mumbling: “I’ll tell you when we get home.”

As soon as she finished speaking, she seemed to hear a soft laugh from across the table, like a sneer.

“It seems in this regard,” Song Jie suddenly grabbed Li Yin’s hand, saying warmly, “you’re quite anxious too.”

“How could I not be anxious,” Li Yin said helplessly, “she’s grown this big and I’ve never seen her date a single boy.”

Song Jie’s meaningful expression was fleeting.

She curved her lips, saying with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes: “What a coincidence – I’ve never seen a girl around my Tingli either, and he’s already this old.”

“I think he and Sui Sui are quite suitable. They’ve known each other since before, understanding each other’s background.”

“Why don’t we try letting them date?”

Shi Sui spat a mouthful of soup into her bowl.

Her eyes looked at Song Jie in disbelief, then at Yan Tingli, who was slowly smiling at her.

Only two words remained in her mind.

Insane.

“No.” Shi Sui immediately said.

Her firmness made everyone present pause.

Li Yin was initially just incredulous – how could their Sui Sui possibly reach someone of Yan Tingli’s caliber?

Turning to look at Shi Sui, she was looking down, her fingers gripping the chopsticks particularly tightly.

“Auntie, he and I aren’t very suitable.”

Shi Sui’s mind was in chaos.

Even now, she didn’t know what exactly Yan Tingli wanted to do.

She could only use her small strength to resist this uncontrollable situation.

“Indeed, not very suitable.”

A light voice came from across the table.

Yan Tingli tapped the table with his fingertips, his expression completely calm.

After he said this neither lightly nor heavily, the entire topic was dropped.

As if he had never fancied her, as if she was taking herself too seriously.

Shi Sui stared blankly.

This feeling of tight then loose made her feel like riding a roller coaster, completely unsure whether what lay ahead was level ground or an abyss.

She pressed her lips together hard.

She didn’t think deeper – at least until now, Yan Tingli was normal.

Maybe she was being too paranoid.

Feeling the banquet was ending, Shi Sui put down her chopsticks, quietly waiting for someone to suggest finishing.

At this moment, the lights in the private room suddenly dimmed.

Shi Sui’s heart jumped violently.

When she heard the birthday song playing, she came to her senses – she had almost forgotten today was also her birthday.

The waitstaff wheeled in the cake Li Yin had ordered.

After simply making a wish and blowing out candles, Shi Sui distributed cake to everyone, only hoping in her heart for it to end.

Until a pink gift box was handed to her, held by beautiful, slender fingers.

Shi Sui slowly raised her eyelashes, looking toward Yan Tingli.

Under this lighting, his features and skin were flawlessly perfect. Her heart unconsciously skipped a beat.

“…What is this?” Shi Sui was cautious, not immediately reaching out to take it.

“A gift.”

“Sui Sui, Xiao Li is giving it to you – just take it.” Li Yin said from the side.

Shi Sui had no choice but to accept it.

The box was very light, impossible to judge what it was. Probably jewelry, she guessed.

Seeing her take it, Yan Tingli’s eye corners slowly curved upward. As if thinking of something happy, his lip curve also enlarged.

“I hope you’ll like this gift.”

Shi Sui lowered her eyes: “Thank you.”

Just like that, this dinner passed in Shi Sui’s fear and trepidation, but he remained calm on the surface.

Only after reaching home and sitting on her little bed did Shi Sui’s racing heartbeat finally calm down.

She looked down at the pink gift box before her.

Shaking it slightly.

It made a rustling sound.

She couldn’t tell what it was.

Shi Sui thought and thought, but still couldn’t resist opening the box.

The next second, her fingers trembled and both box and lid fell to the floor.

With this impact, there was a “jingle” sound.

A pair of handcuffs with soft pink sheepskin padding fell to the ground.

A note also fell out of the box. Shi Sui picked it up with trembling fingers.

Written in flowing script were three characters: [Do you like it?]