Yinian curled into a ball, the corners of her eyes flushing a strange, peach-blossom pink.
“You’d have a better chance becoming CEO Shen’s lover. Though, speaking of which, Little CEO Shen really did inherit her mother’s beauty, just without the terrifying part.”
“CEO Shen’s lover isn’t a job for mere mortals. I’m telling you, Sisi complained to me before. That woman doesn’t even take her clothes off or actually do anything in bed. She just likes to watch from above, eyes cold, enjoying the sight of the other person being tormented. It gave Sisi such a ‘work injury’ that she’s traumatized and lost her appetite for sex entirely.”
Suddenly hearing about Shen Yi’s private affairs made Yinian even more uncomfortable. No wonder she always tormented her, insisting on punishing her with those acts…
If Shen Yi’s former lovers heard this, they would probably laugh until they cried. Torment? Punishment? That was clearly a flirtation so mindful of Yinian’s limits that Shen Yi was practically pampering her!
“Who doesn’t admire Liu Qiao’s skills, though? To think she actually managed to come back.”
The other woman murmured in agreement. No matter how much they liked CEO Shen’s face and money, they wouldn’t dare try it.
Liu… Liu Qiao…?
The familiar name gave Yinian a jolt. Since the last incident, Liu Qiao hadn’t sent her a single message. Yinian hadn’t dared to reach out either, terrified of getting no response and wanting to cling to a shred of hope.
Liu Qiao was back? She was okay?!
Yinian desperately wanted to hear more. But just then, a sound at the door interrupted the gossip.
“Xu Yinian, why aren’t you out yet?”
It was Ji Yan and Qin Jiashu.
Yinian realized she had stayed in the stall too long trying to avoid an awkward encounter, and then got distracted by the listening.
“I-I’m… coming!”
With no other choice, Yinian braced herself and opened the stall door. She immediately locked eyes with two beautiful women whose expressions were frozen in mortified shock. They were clearly in the same profession as Liu Qiao.
It was bad enough to be caught gossiping, but to be caught by… the subject herself! The two women looked like they wanted to drop dead on the spot.
Ji Yan and Qin Jiashu treated Yinian like a delicate flower, afraid she’d melt in their mouths or shatter in their hands. Thinking someone had bullied her again, they glared at the women, only realizing what happened when they saw Yinian’s embarrassed face.
“It’s not like you were the one being awkward. If we hadn’t called you, were you going to hide in there forever?” Ji Yan’s gaze swept over the two women with ill intent, before softening instantly the moment it landed on Yinian. Her double standards were crystal clear.
Yinian gave a vague, muddled response, her eyes darting away as she walked past.
“Miss Xu…”
No matter how scared they were, the two women still stammered out a plea to Yinian. “We didn’t mean to talk behind your back… could you please not tell anyone what we said…?”
This caused Yinian to stop abruptly. She replied hurriedly but solemnly, “I… I won’t tell anyone.”
She didn’t have a spoiled or arrogant bone in her body. She was so soft that she instinctively tried to accommodate and reassure others.
This bit of warmth gave Yinian a spark of courage. She glanced at Senior Sister Ji Yan and Qin Jiashu, then spoke hesitantly to the two women.
“I… I just heard the name Liu Qiao. I heard she was in trouble before. May I ask… how is she doing now?”
The two women looked at each other. With outsiders present, they were hesitant to speak. It was only after Yinian asked Ji Yan to wait outside for a moment that they finally spoke.
“She offended CEO Shen and had some enemies, so she really did disappear for a while. But she suddenly returned recently, looking more successful than ever. She even came to the banquet today.”
“Who else but CEO Shen herself would dare to save Liu Qiao? So everyone assumes she’s back in favor.”
The more Yinian heard, the more something felt off. Shen Yi was the one who saved her, yes, but could it have been… because of her plea?
Back then, she had even angered Shen Yi and nearly gotten into trouble herself. Knowing that she couldn’t sway Shen Yi’s absolute principles, she hadn’t dared to bring it up again, assuming she had failed.
Shen Yi… really did save Liu Qiao.
It was a touch of humanity, a break in the rules, so unlike her cold and thinning reputation. In her typical slow-witted way, Yinian didn’t consider that it was her influence that made Shen Yi break her own rules. However, her heart fluttered at the thought that the woman had taken her plea seriously.
Shen Yi… isn’t that scary, or that heartless.
Then, she heard the women lower their voices to gossip again.
“CEO Shen is usually so cold and heartless. When has she ever been this lenient? No one’s ever seen her pamper a lover like this. Even though Liu Qiao won’t admit it, everyone’s saying… she might actually become the next Matriarch of the Shen family.”
This time, Yinian couldn’t hold it back. She broke into a violent fit of coughing.
“No one’s ever seen her pamper a lover like this,” “She might actually become the next Matriarch…”
Even though she knew it was a misunderstanding, Yinian’s fingertips turned burning hot with shame.
W-what…? Madam Shen…?
Setting aside the fact that those two words were a hundred times more embarrassing to think about than “lover,” the idea of this ridiculous rumor reaching Shen Yi’s ears was unthinkable.
The girl’s reaction was far too intense. Her thin face turned a deep, blood-red, and her eyes watered from coughing. She looked more vivid and beautiful than any makeup could make her.
The two women, stunned by her beauty at such close range, finally noticed her unnatural embarrassment. They asked hesitantly, “Are you alright?”
They had no idea that they were feeding the gossip directly to the real person involved.
“I-I’m fine. I’m just… happy for Liu Qiao…”
Yinian didn’t forget to try and cover her tracks before fleeing the room, leaving the two women staring at each other in confusion.
She had no idea how that “happy” comment would come back like a boomerang, hitting her when she least expected it.
After being interrogated by Ji Yan and Qin Jiashu for a long time, Yinian honestly told them about the time she, Sister Ran, and Shen Ruoshuang had stumbled upon Liu Qiao. She explained that she felt she had cost the woman her job, which was why she asked.
Both Ji Yan and Jiashu knew that Bai Ran had offended Shen Yi previously, leading to the trouble with the overseas line. They both guessed that was the real catalyst.
