Chapter 7

◎This Strange Woman.◎

Inside the black car, Chen Yi gripped her phone, unable to squeeze out even a hint of a smile—yet she had to try. Embarrassment made her skin crawl, and Xu Yan’s cold gaze upon her only tightened the knot in her chest, leaving her breathless.

She was going to be misunderstood again, wasn’t she? If this kept up, Xu Yan might peg her as some kind of perverted stalker.

“Chief Editor Xu.” Chen Yi clutched her phone tighter, her social death sending chills through her limbs. Survival instinct forced a stiff smile to her lips. “I can explain.”

Xu Yan held her leather jacket in her hands, the black leather catching a gleam from the streetlamp outside, like a patch of illusory water pooling quietly on the ground.

“No need,” Xu Yan said, seeing right through Chen Yi’s discomfort. “Wrong car. I get it.”

Her tone was perfectly even, but to Chen Yi’s ears, it carried an undercurrent of sarcasm.

She gave a helpless smile. “Thanks, Chief Editor Xu.”

“Sorry for the intrusion. I’ll get out now.”

Chen Yi bowed slightly toward Xu Yan from her bent position, then pulled open the door beside her and climbed out from the passenger side.

The driver was still in the car—this wasn’t the place to clear up the misunderstanding that she liked Xu Yan. She could admit outright that she liked girls, but Xu Yan probably wouldn’t want the hassle of that kind of drama.

She really had been in the wrong this time.

Chen Yi got out, and Xu Yan made no move to stop her. They exchanged a distant farewell, and Xu Yan drove off.

Chen Yi watched the car leave and let out a sigh of relief. Then she stared at her phone, a wave of helplessness washing over her.

Thirty-nine people were ahead of her in line for a ride.

What else could she do? Wait it out.

She stood at the entrance to the restaurant where the group dinner had been held. The crowd that had earlier perched on little stools by the door, waiting for their numbers to be called, had mostly dispersed. Night had fallen, leaving only a few others like her waiting for rides. They clustered in twos and threes, while Chen Yi stood alone, head down, scrolling her phone.

The Miracle icon sat right there on her home screen. She wanted to tap it, but thoughts of Fade filled her with a cowardice that made her hesitate.

As she wavered, the people around her grew noisy. Chen Yi looked up to find rain suddenly pouring down—without warning, fierce and unrelenting, as if the sky itself were hurling it at them.

Complaints and curses mingled with the patter of raindrops in her ears.

Progress on her ride-hailing app had slowed to a crawl.

Just one of those days, Chen Yi thought.

Amid the downpour, headlights pierced the gloom. In the eager stares of the waiting crowd, a familiar black Mercedes pulled up. The door opened, and a woman’s leather boots splashed through the puddles. A black umbrella bloomed open, her silky hair framing her like a figure from a painting.

It was Xu Yan.

Chen Yi watched from afar, several meters away, unsure whether to wave or call out, afraid of earning yet another misunderstanding.

Was Xu Yan here to pick her up?

The fanciful thought bubbled up, only to shatter just as quickly. Xu Yan approached the Xitu Lanya Restaurant and took a takeout bag from a long-suffering server.

As Xu Yan turned back with the bag in hand, her eyes met Chen Yi’s. It was like two unyielding headlights clashing in the speckled rain of night, a secret signal flickering between them across the distance.

Chen Yi stepped forward first. “Chief Editor Xu.”

Xu Yan’s brow furrowed slightly. “Still no ride?”

Chen Yi wiggled her phone. “Bad weather. No rush—I’ll wait.”

Xu Yan: “How much longer?”

Chen Yi hadn’t expected the question. She blinked, then checked her phone and gave an honest answer.

Xu Yan asked again: “Where do you live?”

Chen Yi panicked a little. “Chief Editor Xu, really, it’s fine. I can wait for the car. No need to trouble yourself driving me.”

Joking aside!

Back in school, Chen Yi had hated sharing space with teachers. Now at work, being alone with her boss was even worse. Especially since everything between her and Xu Yan so far had been awkward. The last thing she wanted was to climb into that car and stew in embarrassment all the way home.

Xu Yan remained calm. “Answer me.”

Chen Yi caved and named her apartment complex.

Xu Yan seemed mildly surprised. “On my way.”

“I’ll drive you.”

Refusing now would be rude, so Chen Yi agreed. Inwardly, she grumbled—Xu Yan really was the type who said what she meant and meant what she said. Tough to handle.

Chen Yi trailed behind Xu Yan, taking small, quick steps to climb into the car.

Xu Yan stowed her umbrella by her feet and placed the takeout bag on the divider behind the seats.

Chen Yi stayed silent. Since getting in, she’d been attuned to every sound around Xu Yan: the rustle of the umbrella folding, the patter of raindrops shaking off, the crinkle of the takeout bag being set down. Once those faded, only their breathing remained.

Oh, right—and the driver.

Chen Yi had checked earlier: from the Xitu Lanya Restaurant to her place was a forty-minute drive on a good day. With the rain, traffic was bound to jam it up more.

Should she start a conversation? And if so, what about?

After agonizing over it, Chen Yi cleared her throat softly. “Chief Editor Xu.”

Xu Yan, eyes closed in repose, lifted her lids and turned slightly toward Chen Yi.

“I’m really sorry for troubling you so much today,” Chen Yi said politely.

“No trouble. Also—” Xu Yan stared at her for three seconds, then added, “If you don’t want to talk, don’t force it.”

Chen Yi’s expression froze.

A little version of herself in her mind screamed wildly, pummeling a life-sized Xu Yan doll. Outwardly, she just smiled, averted her eyes, and settled into being a quiet corpse.

After a long silence, the irritation in Chen Yi’s heart ebbed, replaced by another thought.

Xu Yan was actually a pretty decent person.

Maybe once the misunderstanding cleared up, things between them could thaw a bit.

“Chen Yi, which building?” Xu Yan asked.

Chen Yi waved her off. “Chief Editor Xu, no need to go to the trouble. Just drop me at the gate.”

Xu Yan looked like she wanted to say something, held back, then said instead: “You sure?”

Chen Yi: “Yeah!”

Xu Yan said okay, handed her the umbrella, and just before Chen Yi opened the door to get out, added: “You made it home tonight without it being too late.”

Chen Yi hadn’t caught on yet when Xu Yan continued: “Get some early rest. Sleep in a bit. And don’t be late tomorrow.”

She paused. “Don’t sleep in the meeting room.”

The door shut, and the car headed into the complex’s underground garage.

Chen Yi, holding the umbrella in the pouring rain, felt her sneakers soak through.

Staring at the car’s vanishing taillights, she ruthlessly shredded her budding good opinion of Xu Yan.

What decent person?!

Not decent at all!

So she’d driven her home just to make sure she showed up on time for work tomorrow. And Xu Yan lived in the same complex but actually dropped her at the gate.

Xu Yan—!

Chen Yi ground her teeth.

She punched the air in the direction the car had gone, looking every bit the frenzied, fur-bristled cat.

“Miss Xu, is something wrong?” The driver noticed Xu Yan watching the rearview mirror.

Xu Yan hid a smile tugging at her lips and shook her head.

“Nope,” she said. “Thanks for the hard work today.”

After sharing some of the takeout food with the driver, Xu Yan took the rest and headed up from the underground garage.

At her door, it flew open as if on cue. A fluffy little girl barreled out, shouting happily: “Little Aunt! You’re back!”