In the Japanese restaurant, Xia Yan and Ye Yunchen sat across from each other. She handed the menu to the waiter and glanced at Ye Yunchen, who looked a bit haggard. "Brother Ye, even if work keeps you busy, you need to remember to rest."
"Xia Yan, do you really think it's because of work?" Ye Yunchen stared intently at Xia Yan, a bitter smile curling at the corners of his lips. Seeing her frown, he quickly changed the subject. "Is it very busy being President Lu's assistant? Lately, whenever I've tried to make plans with you, it seems you never have time."
"Oh, sometimes it really is busy. What about Xiaojia? She hasn't come to see me recently. Has she contacted you?" Xia Yan casually mentioned Lin Xujia's name, catching Ye Yunchen off guard.
Before Xia Yan could notice, he quickly regained his composure. He took a sip of water to mask the disgust in his eyes toward Lin Xujia and said with a smile, "I haven't been in touch with her lately."
Hearing this, Xia Yan nodded. She held her water cup with both hands and glanced out the window. Ye Yunchen's gaze on her was too intense, making her uncomfortable. The awkwardness was only broken when the waiter served the food. Seizing the moment, Xia Yan lifted her cup and took a sip, almost blocking his line of sight.
During the meal, Xia Yan was very quiet. Ye Yunchen did most of the talking while she listened. Suddenly, her phone rang from her bag. She paused, glanced at Ye Yunchen, who had stopped speaking, and smiled awkwardly as she pulled out her phone. She looked down at it, then up at Ye Yunchen, and hung up directly. Quickly, she tapped out a message and sent it.
Lu Zhengting had just finished his meeting and returned to the office. He called Xia Yan to invite her to dinner, but she hung up on him. He was taken aback—was this little girl still angry? A minute later, his phone chimed. He swiped the screen and saw Xia Yan's message, then typed a few words in reply.
Xia Yan hadn't expected Lu Zhengting to text back. When she heard the notification, she quickly checked her phone. His message was just one word: "Where?"
"At the Japanese restaurant near the company. Meeting over?"
"Wait."
Xia Yan was stunned by this reply. She glanced at Ye Yunchen, who had shifted his gaze toward her, and quickly typed back, "Did you forget you promised not to reveal our relationship? I'm having dinner with a colleague right now. If you come, won't it blow our cover?"
After sending the message, Xia Yan sat nervously, worrying that Lu Zhengting might not play by the rules. Across from her, Ye Yunchen had been watching her expressions closely. Seeing her anxious look, he couldn't help but ask, "Xia Yan, is there someone you like?"
Xia Yan looked up abruptly, meeting his eyes. "Brother Ye, why do you ask that?"
Ye Yunchen frowned slightly. From the moment her phone first rang, the sweetness in her expression had been unmistakable. She kept checking her phone, but he didn't voice these observations. Instead, he changed the subject. "Is it President Lu?"
Xia Yan's gaze flickered. "No."
"Really?"
"Well..." Xia Yan hesitated, staring at Ye Yunchen, who was looking at her gently. A strange feeling stirred within her, as if she had remembered something. After a few seconds of thought, she said, "Yes, the person I like is Lu Zhengting."
"Why?" Ye Yunchen asked, unable to hide his disappointment. Suddenly recalling the rumors at the company, he blurted out, "Xia Yan, is it really like what people at the company say? You and President Lu..."
"Mistress?" Xia Yan said flatly. Lu Zhengting had always been rumored to have a girlfriend, the mother of his daughter Xiaohan. Xia Yan had come later, clearly not fitting the description of that mysterious girlfriend. So, the label of mistress seemed the most fitting.
Xia Yan knew about this rumor but had never taken it to heart. Last night, when she and Lu Zhengting confirmed their relationship, she had wanted to ask about Xiaohan's mother but decided it wasn't the right time and let it go.
"Is it true?" Ye Yunchen asked incredulously.
Xia Yan shook her head. "No. I admit I like Lu Zhengting, but that doesn't mean I'd stoop to being his mistress."
Even in matters of the heart, Xia Yan held onto her principles. Her earnest look made Ye Yunchen reconsider his misunderstanding. But after a moment of thought, he asked again, "What do you like about him?"
"Feelings like this can't be explained clearly, Brother Ye. Maybe it's because he always shows up when I need him most. Actually..."
Before Xia Yan could finish, Ye Yunchen suddenly reached out and took her hand, enveloping it in his. Startled, she looked at him. "Brother Ye, what are you doing? Let go."
"Xia Yan, I've known you longer than he has. Why does he get to be the one you like?"
"Brother Ye, feelings have nothing to do with time." Xia Yan frowned, trying to pull her hand free, but the harder she tried, the tighter he held on.
"Nothing to do with time? Then what?" Ye Yunchen said sadly. His life abroad had been filled with loneliness. Whenever things got tough, thinking of Xia Yan eased his solitude.
To him, Xia Yan was sensitive, cold on the outside but warm within. He was the opposite. She seemed to have a magic that drew people closer, and only by getting close could they feel her warmth.
Xia Yan didn't know what was going through Ye Yunchen's mind. She had never seen him so out of control. Surprised, she struggled for a while but eventually gave up. Looking at him seriously, she said, "Brother Ye, besides me, there's Xiaojia. She's always been..."
"What a coincidence! Isn't this Manager Ye and Assistant Xia?" Ke Yaru stood beside Lu Zhengting, glancing at Xia Yan before shifting her gaze to their clasped hands. She covered her mouth with a smile. "You two have such a good relationship. Zhengting, let's not disturb them. There's an empty table over there. Shall we go?"
Feeling Lu Zhengting's sharp gaze, Xia Yan shuddered. She mustered all her strength to pull her hand free from Ye Yunchen's and looked up at Lu Zhengting. His expression was cold and stern as he walked toward the table Ke Yaru had pointed out without a word.
Ke Yaru paused, sensing the change in Lu Zhengting. She frowned, glanced at Xia Yan's dazed expression, and sneered.
How could she continue eating? From her seat, Xia Yan could see the interaction between Lu Zhengting and Ke Yaru. Though Lu Zhengting remained expressionless and barely responded to Ke Yaru, it still irritated her. Perhaps because it was Ke Yaru, Xia Yan felt a strong aversion.
She glared at their table and muttered to herself, "What a small world! Of all places, we had to run into them here!"
Turning back to Ye Yunchen, she said, "Brother Ye, Xiaojia really likes you. She's a good girl. If possible, I hope you two can..."
"Beep beep..."
Xia Yan glanced at her phone lighting up on the table but ignored it, focusing on Ye Yunchen. "Brother Ye, I..."
"Beep beep..."
Taking a deep breath, Xia Yan calmly picked up her phone and pretended to casually check the message. It was from Lu Zhengting, short and to the point: "Restroom."
"No!"
"Then I'll come over."
Xia Yan stared at the message in disbelief. Gritting her teeth, she typed furiously, "Jerk!"
In the restroom, Xia Yan glared at Lu Zhengting angrily. "Why are you here?"
Without a word, Lu Zhengting grabbed her hand and led her to the sink. He turned on the tap, washed her hand under the running water, then dried it with a few paper towels. "Having dinner with a colleague, huh?"
"I wasn't lying. Brother Ye is a colleague." Xia Yan, who had been fuming, now found his gesture of washing her hand both amusing and exasperating.
"Do colleagues hold hands during dinner?"
"It was an accident."
"An accident?" Lu Zhengting repeated flatly.
Xia Yan blinked, watching the man meticulously wiping her hand. She changed the subject. "Do you smell something? A strong whiff of vinegar?"
As she spoke, she wrinkled her nose and sniffed, her clear eyes sparkling with amusement as she looked at him. He paused slightly. Suddenly remembering Ke Yaru waiting outside, she asked, "Why are you with Manager Ke?"
"Having dinner with a colleague."
"..."
Learning from her, huh? Frustrated, Xia Yan pulled her hand away and pouted.
"Jealous?"
"No, I don't have time to be jealous," she said sourly, glancing at him. "I'm going back. Don't want to keep anyone waiting."
Lu Zhengting found her amusing. As she turned to leave, he said coldly, "Stop."
Xia Yan paused, blinked, and pouted before turning around with a blank expression. "President Lu, any other orders?"
Seeing this, Lu Zhengting couldn't help but find it entertaining. "Did I say you could leave? Come here."
"No!"
"Come here."
"If you have no orders, I won't keep you from your dinner with your colleague." Xia Yan was seething inside but kept her composure.
Lu Zhengting smirked, stepping closer to her. His deep voice carried a hint of teasing. "Then should I take you out there now and tell them about us?"
"..." Xia Yan froze for a moment. When he took her hand as if to lead her out, she dug in her heels and refused to move.
"Hmm?" Lu Zhengting stopped and gave her a devilish smile, his voice almost a murmur.