◎About How Much She Loves Her.◎
Daily Life Arc
004
-About How Much I Love Her-
That day, Chen Yi headed to the magazine office to find Xu Yan and bring her a lunch bento.
Xu Yan’s position had long since evolved beyond just being the editor-in-chief of Shine. She had become the president in charge of this publication under the Chen Nanyun Group.
After such a long stretch of time, Yu You’an had also transitioned from her initial internship and assistant editor role into a full-fledged junior editor, working diligently every day.
When Chen Yi arrived to deliver the bento to Xu Yan, she happened to run into a group of new hires at the magazine office.
“Do you want to come watch the fun?” Yu You’an invited her. “I’m leading the training today.”
Chen Yi: “Whoa, if even Editor Yu is asking like that, what can I say? Send me the location.”
No sooner had Chen Yi agreed than Yu You’an forwarded her the location of the training conference room.
Chen Yi took one look and thought it seemed awfully familiar.
Yu You’an: “You don’t remember? This is where we had our onboarding training back then.”
Chen Yi: “I don’t remember at all.”
Who bothers to memorize something like that?
By the time Chen Yi reached the conference room door, she was carrying a bag of milk teas she’d bought for Yu You’an and her former colleagues in one hand, and Xu Yan’s bento in the other.
She pushed the door open gently and slipped inside. Yu You’an was already standing in front of the group, just beyond the projector screen, using her laser pointer to guide everyone through the new hire training slides.
Spotting Chen Yi from afar, Yu You’an flashed her a smile and lifted her chin, signaling for her to find a seat on her own.
Chen Yi chose the spot in the farthest corner by the door and settled in.
She tilted her head up, gazing at Yu You’an and the screen behind her. Suddenly, something clicked in her mind. She pulled out her phone and snapped a photo.
Chen Yi: Wife! Guess where I am right now!
After sending the message, Chen Yi tucked her phone back into her pocket. She and Xu Yan had never been the type to stress over instant replies. Besides, it was right in the middle of work hours—Xu Yan was probably swamped and wouldn’t check her messages.
Chen Yi propped her chin on her hand and listened quietly as Yu You’an spoke.
People always notice the passage of time in moments like these.
The colleagues and friends who had once sat beside her at these very desks, listening to new hire training, had now grown into capable professionals in their own right. They stood on stage, sharing their own stories and insights about the company with the latest batch of recruits.
How wondrous.
She never could have imagined, on the day she first met Yu You’an, that things would turn out like this.
Up on stage, Yu You’an lightly clicked the screen remote in her hand.
The projection flipped to the next slide, and a familiar figure appeared.
It was a photo of Xu Yan.
Chen Yi remembered this image vividly.
It was still that runway show candid shot.
Xu Yan sat in the front row, dressed in a spring-summer haute couture ensemble. Her crisp V-neck top, structured and form-fitting, was adorned with meticulously cut rhinestones. The tailored suit pants draped with effortless grace. Everything was in shades of white, complemented by her updo, giving off an air of elite detachment and cool elegance at first glance.
She was like a silver blade, sharp and unyielding, sitting poised amid the runway’s stark lighting, her eyes holding the deep, pristine white of untouched snowdrifts.
The first time Chen Yi had laid eyes on this photo, she’d thought the woman exuded a terrifying chill.
But now, she might be the only one who truly knew the warmth hidden beneath that icy exterior—the lucky one.
Just looking at Xu Yan’s photo softened Chen Yi’s gaze.
She knew Xu Yan was beautiful—not the cookie-cutter kind, mass-produced and predictable. Hers was a beauty laced with classical charm, aloof like an intangible breeze you couldn’t grasp or fathom, or like a silver lotus blooming atop a snowy peak. She was unique, effortlessly drawing the eye.
Even in just a photo.
Gasps of admiration rippled around Chen Yi, followed by someone bold enough to pipe up: “Excuse me, is the president married?”
It was the first time Yu You’an had encountered something like this—her eyes went wide. She instinctively glanced down at Chen Yi in the audience, at a loss for words.
What was wrong with these newbies?!
Were they all this gutsy?
Was this the legendary Gen Z for you?
Meeting Yu You’an’s gaze, Chen Yi could only slap her forehead helplessly.
“This is new hire training, not a gossip session.” The door suddenly swung open to the sound of high heels clicking. Chen Yi turned around—and there was the woman from the photo, in the flesh.
She wore a long, impeccably tailored skirt in supple leather that accentuated her sharp aura. A black Chinese-style blouse framed a few loose strands of hair, secured by a jade hairpin shaped like bamboo, from which dangled a tiny flower. With every step, the flower swayed gently.
The previously rowdy atmosphere, stirred up by the gossiping remark, fell deathly silent in an instant. The air seemed frozen by an arctic blast.
“If you have time to pry into my personal life, you should focus that energy on your work instead.” Xu Yan’s expression remained her usual icy calm.
The culprit who had dared to ask shrank back in terror, barely able to breathe, stammering out a shaky “Got it.” She ducked her head, hunching over like a turtle retreating into its shell.
She was terrified!
Chen Yi stifled a laugh from the sidelines.
But her amusement didn’t last long.
The woman approached her side and stopped right in front of her, tapping lightly on the desk with her fingertips.
“Didn’t you come to find me?” Xu Yan asked. “How did you end up here?”
Every eye in the room instantly locked onto Chen Yi.
Chen Yi cleared her throat lightly. “I’ll explain later.”
“Later?” Xu Yan echoed. “Then I’ll join you.” She moved to take a seat.
Alarms blared in Yu You’an’s head.
She shot Chen Yi a desperate look, panic written all over her face. The message was crystal clear: Chen Yi! Get this big boss out of here!
Who ran new hire training with the top executive lounging in the audience?!
Yu You’an was freaking out.
How had her first time leading a session devolved into this?
Chen Yi wasn’t used to being the center of attention either.
She whispered to Xu Yan, “Aren’t you busy anymore?”
“I knew you were coming, so I cleared my schedule.”
“Then let’s head out first,” Chen Yi said.
“Sure.”
Xu Yan stood, smoothly picking up the milk tea Chen Yi had set aside. She walked up to Yu You’an’s spot and placed it on the table. “Little Yi got these for you all. Share them later.”
Yu You’an: “O-okay… President Xu…”
“Oh, right.” As Xu Yan turned to leave, her gaze landed once more on the gossiping newbie. “As for your question just now, I can answer it.”
“I’m not married,” Xu Yan said. “But I do have a lover.”
She fixed her eyes on Chen Yi, as if struck by a thought. The corner of her mouth curved up, her gaze glinting with foxy mischief.
“And I love her so much.”
With that, Chen Yi’s mind went blank.
As soon as Xu Yan reached her, Chen Yi grabbed her hand and dragged her out.
The moment they left, the training room—which had been so quiet you could hear a pin drop—exploded into chatter.
Countless discussions erupted behind them.
But Chen Yi heard none of it. She pulled Xu Yan up to her private office on the upper floor, shut the door, and set down the bento she’d been holding.
Face flushed, Chen Yi demanded, “How do you still remember that line?”
“Which one?” Xu Yan asked innocently, knowing full well.
Chen Yi: “You know, that line!”
Xu Yan chuckled softly. “After all this time, you’re only getting shy about it now?”
Chen Yi shook her head vigorously. “No! I’m not shy!”
She hurried to explain, “I just think I was babbling nonsense back then, and it was a bit much…”
She’d said it so offhandedly—who knew the woman in the photo would show up today, of all days, and hear it?
“I thought you’d forgotten!” Chen Yi exclaimed.
“How could I?” Xu Yan leaned back against the desk, hands braced behind her on the surface. With a slight push, she hopped up to perch on the edge, crossing her legs. Her high heel dangled from her ankle, its sharp tip tapping a rhythmic beat against the floor as her legs swung.
Her voice deepened slightly.
“How could I ever forget?” Xu Yan gazed into Chen Yi’s eyes.
That had been their second face-to-face encounter—their first conversation since parting ways at the cliff three years prior.
She had even rushed there that day, knowing Chen Yi would be attending the new hire training.
Only to hear her say it in that joking tone.
Xu Yan hadn’t been pleased at the time. She was unhappy because Chen Yi seemed to have forgotten her. Even more so because she feared Chen Yi had changed into someone she no longer knew, right under her nose.
Worst of all, she was afraid she’d be the fool who took such an obvious joke at face value.
To Xu Yan back then, Chen Yi was a dangerous ticking time bomb.
Her life, which had finally started stabilizing, could be thrown into chaos again by Chen Yi’s reappearance.
She feared lapsing back into obsession—and that this obsession might hurt the other woman, who knew nothing of it. She feared getting hurt herself.
Her first instinct had been to run, to push Chen Yi away, all to protect herself.
But who could have foreseen?
Xu Yan thought, Chen Yi had turned out to be her one true safe harbor in this world.
Stripping away all facades and tearing off every disguise, Chen Yi had woven a gentle net of love. It caught Xu Yan’s silent fall, holding her steady and guiding her to embrace those tender places she had never noticed—nor dared to notice.
Xu Yan’s eyes darkened with depth as she lifted one hand and crooked a finger toward Chen Yi.
“I’ve gotten a new chair,” Xu Yan said. “Want to try it out?”
The spring breeze passed, melting the ice and snow, drenching the ground in sweet nectar.
Chen Yi held Xu Yan close as she sat on her lap, reaching down to run a hand over the chair’s surface beneath them.
A slick wet patch glistened atop the leather upholstery.
“President Xu,” she murmured, nuzzling softly against Xu Yan’s neck, “you might need to get another chair.”
“So impressive,” Chen Yi praised with utter sincerity. “All of it—”
“Don’t say it.” Xu Yan clapped a hand over her mouth, her breathing ragged.
Chen Yi obediently fell silent, though inwardly she thought that Xu Yan had clearly been the one to provoke her first.
Fine.
If she didn’t want to hear it, Chen Yi wouldn’t say a word.
Who could blame her for loving Xu Yan so damn much?
