Wen Xin and Shi Qianyu slept in each other’s arms, lost in sweet dreams through the night.
Early the next morning, before dawn had even broken, Shi Qianyu rose from bed. Wen Xin stirred at the sound beside her and sleepily opened her eyes. “Are you leaving?”
“Mm.” Shi Qianyu hadn’t meant to wake her. She lowered her gaze and planted a soft kiss on Wen Xin’s eyes. “It’s still early. Get some more sleep.”
“Okay.” Wen Xin murmured her agreement softly, though she didn’t drift off again.
The morning air carried a slight chill, and Shi Qianyu’s outfit was far too thin. Worried that she might catch cold, Wen Xin got up and rummaged through her suitcase for a moment before pulling out a shirt and handing it over.
“Wear this on your way out.” She let out a small yawn, clearly still groggy, but she insisted on seeing Shi Qianyu to the door. “You too, A-Yu. Go back and catch a little more sleep after.”
“Got it.” Shi Qianyu curved her lips in a smile and replied, then turned to leave.
The hallway was utterly still and empty in the early morning quiet. Wen Xin watched until Shi Qianyu stepped into the elevator before finally returning to her room. She slipped back into bed and closed her eyes.
Shi Qianyu’s warmth and scent still lingered on the sheets, filling her with a sense of security. Wen Xin instinctively hugged the quilt tighter and soon slipped into dreamland once more.
When she woke again, daylight was streaming in bright and clear.
With plenty of time to spare, Wen Xin freshened up and selected an outfit based on the weather forecast. Today’s temperatures were a touch cooler than yesterday’s, making a shirt the perfect choice.
She rummaged through her suitcase, looking for the new black shirt she’d bought, only to suddenly remember that she’d handed it to Shi Qianyu that very morning.
Good thing she had a white backup. Footsteps and voices grew louder outside her door—she had a feeling everyone else was already up—so she wasted no more time. She quickly dressed, tidied herself, and opened the door.
Gao Qiu happened to be walking this way with Tao Qing in tow. Spotting Wen Xin, she greeted her warmly. “Hey! I was just about to come find you.”
“Great minds think alike.” She gave Wen Xin’s shoulder a friendly pat, grinning ear to ear. “New shirt? I don’t think I’ve seen you in it before.”
Wen Xin nodded. “Mm, picked it up last weekend.”
“Looks great on you. Send me the link later so I can check it out.” Gao Qiu chatted idly as they walked. “Heading to breakfast? Tao Qing and I were up playing games until past one in the morning. I’m starving.”
One in the morning.
Wen Xin latched onto the detail. Shi Qianyu had shown up around that time last night, and Gao Qiu’s room was right next door. She didn’t want anyone overhearing anything. “About the same for me.”
Gao Qiu looked puzzled. “You too? What kept you up so late?”
“The footsteps in the hallway woke me up. Took me forever to get back to sleep.”
“Did you hear any noises?” Wen Xin asked softly, probing.
Luckily, Gao Qiu shook her head. “Nope, nothing.”
She turned to her boyfriend. “What about you?”
“I didn’t hear a thing,” Tao Qing said.
Perfect.
Wen Xin followed them downstairs to the restaurant, breathing a quiet sigh of relief.
But her tension returned the moment she spotted Shi Qianyu.
Shi Qianyu was wearing the shirt she’d given her.
She’d tied her hair into a sleek low ponytail. The black shirt had its sleeves casually rolled up to reveal her pale, smooth wrists, paired with a beautifully draped skirt and a metal belt—an effortlessly free and casual vibe.
It was sexy and cool, utterly different from the gentle version of her from yesterday, but she pulled off the style flawlessly, as she did with every look.
Gao Qiu couldn’t help exclaiming once more. “Never mind the link, Wenwen.”
“Huh?”
“I should ask Director Shi for it instead. That whole outfit is right up my alley!”
“…”
How was Wen Xin supposed to tell her that she’d bought the shirt herself?
No matter—it was fine as long as no one noticed. Shi Qianyu joined them for the breakfast buffet today, which offered a huge spread of steamed, boiled, and fried options.
Wen Xin carefully selected items for her plate, not noticing the person who approached until Shi Qianyu’s voice sounded quietly beside her.
The room buzzed with noise, but with how close they stood, no one else would overhear. Shi Qianyu kept her voice low, just for her. “Did you manage a catnap later?”
“…Yeah.” Wen Xin didn’t dare meet her eyes and answered softly.
“That’s good.” Shi Qianyu smiled, reaching out to snag a steamed dumpling. “Their dumplings are pretty tasty. You should try some.”
“Okay.” Wen Xin nodded and followed suit, adding two to her plate.
Remembering the shirt, she whispered, “Why’d you wear this one?”
“I liked it, so I did.” Shi Qianyu replied. “You have great taste. A bunch of people complimented it this morning.”
Wen Xin thought to herself that it wasn’t the shirt that looked good—it was the person wearing it.
“Give it to me?” Shi Qianyu continued their hushed exchange, quietly asking for the shirt she loved. “I’ll get you a new one later.”
“No need.” It was just a shirt; Wen Xin wasn’t stingy. If Shi Qianyu liked it, she could have it. “You really rock it, A-Yu.”
It was the first time she’d called her A-Yu in a setting like this, and Shi Qianyu clearly loved it—her eyes lit up with an even warmer smile.
Just then, someone approached.
Wen Xin smoothly pulled back, creating some distance between them without drawing attention. The newcomer slotted right in the middle, grabbing food while chatting with Shi Qianyu.
Shi Qianyu switched to her normal volume, chatting easily and gracefully. No matter the topic, she handled it perfectly—like she belonged to an entirely different world from Wen Xin’s.
Yet this same poised woman had snuck into her room last night and clung to her all night long, claiming she was afraid.
Wen Xin sometimes found herself lost in brief confusion, wondering which side was the real Shi Qianyu. Other times, she secretly rejoiced, thrilled that only she got to see this hidden facet.
They even shared a subtle, secret connection—like the shirts they both wore.
Like Gao Qiu, the newcomer was drawn to her outfit and made casual small talk. “Director Shi, you look stunning today.”
“Thanks.” Shi Qianyu accepted the compliment with natural poise. “Someone gave it to me.”
Gossip sparked in the woman’s eyes, and she asked on impulse, “Who? Your boyfriend?”
“No.” Shi Qianyu shook her head. “It was from a woman. Someone very close to me.”
“Makes sense.” Shi Qianyu’s looks and figure made her stunning even in a sackcloth; an ordinary shirt took on the air of haute couture. The woman sighed in genuine admiration. “No guy would have taste that good. It’s really beautiful.”
“Exactly.” Shi Qianyu smiled. “I love it.”
The words carried an undeniable intimacy. As Wen Xin walked away with her plate, her gaze inadvertently met Shi Qianyu’s. The playful smile in her eyes was utterly captivating.
It gave Wen Xin the strangest illusion, making her feel like Shi Qianyu wasn’t talking about the shirt at all…
Like she was referring to Wen Xin herself.
~~~
Lack of sleep had left her brain fuzzy.
Wen Xin returned to the table and sat down. A moment’s reflection made her realize she was reading too much into it—why would Shi Qianyu mean her?
Shi Qianyu had already moved on, and the finer details were lost. Wen Xin focused on her meal, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off with her lately.
She was more dependent on Shi Qianyu than usual, paying closer attention to her every move and word. She overanalyzed her speech and felt smug over the smallest things.
This went beyond what was appropriate for mere lovers. Wen Xin resolved to rein herself in from now on.
After breakfast came free time.
They were at the beach, after all, so swimming was a must. The midday temperature was comfortably warm. Gao Qiu changed into her swimsuit and dragged Tao Qing into the water.
Fei Yuan and his girlfriend joined in, along with a few other colleagues—but not Wen Xin. She was hopeless on the water, with no real swimming ability, and had no desire to go in.
She didn’t retreat to her room, though; that would make her seem antisocial. Instead, she stayed nearby in the rest area.
A few women from other departments sat at a round table. Wen Xin had seen them around but wasn’t close, so they exchanged greetings before everyone went about their own business.
Some chatted; others snapped photos. The beach was gorgeous—the sky a vivid blue, sunlight gleaming, waves lapping at the sand in sparkling ripples.
Wen Xin remembered a project that needed some ocean-themed elements. This was perfect material, so she pulled out her camera and captured plenty of stunning shots.
Bored afterward, she did what she usually did: logged into her game and knocked out her daily quests.
The only difference this time was that Shi Yu came online soon after.
She should have been working right now.
Wen Xin chalked it up to coincidence, completely unaware that Shi Qianyu was sitting in the first-floor café at that very moment, gazing out the window toward her. Wen Xin’s solitary figure was impossible to miss.
Shi Qianyu started to rise but thought better of it, mindful of Wen Xin’s worries and reservations. She didn’t want to cause trouble, so she switched to an alt account instead. Having Shi Yu log in to keep her company wouldn’t interfere with work—Shi Qianyu had multitasked like this plenty of times before and had it down to a science.
Wen Xin sent her a team invite and excitedly opened a private chat window: 【Not busy today?】
Shi Yu: 【Not bad. Rare day off, resting at home.】
She asked Wen Xin in return: 【What about you?】
Wen Xin trusted Shi Yu completely and held nothing back: 【Team-building with the company. We came to the beach.】
She sent her a photo of the scenery she’d just taken: 【It’s gorgeous. Sharing it with you too.】
Even through the screen, Shi Qianyu could sense her contentment and relaxation: 【It really is. Looks amazing.】
She hoped Wen Xin would share more with her: 【The ocean view is so beautiful. What have you all been up to at the beach?】
