Chi Yumo typed a message on the tablet for Qiao Ke, the words as cold as her expression.
[Thank you for your kindness, but I’ll have to decline. Sister Mu Xi arranged a vehicle for us. Please thank President Shi on my behalf, Assistant Qiao. And please ask President Shi not to spend any more on me.]
Seeing Chi Yumo type and witnessing her refusal, Qiao Ke felt a pang in her heart.
A year ago, their last meeting had been backstage at the theater performance.
She had seen all of Chi Yumo’s heartbreak, sadness, disappointment, grievance, and forced smiles back then—but she had turned a blind eye to every bit of it.
—You’re the sister who resembles my own sister the most.
She would never forget the joy that surged in her heart when she saw the coquettish apology message Chi Yumo had sent her last year.
But when she reflected on the details of their two years together, especially the series of upheavals in June last year, how could she possibly deserve Chi Yumo’s words, “sister”?
A year had passed, and it felt like a lifetime.
The “Miss Mo” who had trusted her, called her “Qiao Ke-jie,” made sandwiches for her, acted spoiled toward her, and smiled at her was gone forever.
“Xiao Mo, it’s been so long since we last met. Give me a few more minutes—can we talk in private?”
In Cheng Xiangxiang’s eyes, she was the “sister” Chi Yumo had once liked. For now, she had to play that role and cover for the relationship between President Shi and Miss Mo.
Chi Yumo showed no reaction.
After a few seconds of stillness, she lowered her head and began typing.
Before she could finish, Cheng Xiangxiang took the initiative again. “Yumo, I’ll head down to the restaurant first and wait for you.”
This time, she turned and walked away immediately.
Cheng Xiangxiang had seen just how much Chi Yumo liked this “sister.” They had things to discuss—private matters—and it wasn’t appropriate for her to be there.
Besides, she knew nothing specific about what had happened between them, so what right or qualification did she have to say anything? She trusted Chi Yumo to handle it herself.
Seeing Chi Yumo’s brows furrowed like an old lady’s, Qiao Ke directly grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the door. “Let’s talk inside.”
It wasn’t as if they harbored some irreconcilable grudge.
Chi Yumo relented helplessly and swiped her room card to open the door.
Once inside, Chi Yumo went straight to the window and pointed at the two armchairs before sitting down in one.
Qiao Ke sat in the other and placed the car key on the round table.
She stared at the key for a moment, gathering her emotions, before shifting her gaze to Chi Yumo, who was radiating coldness from head to toe.
“Xiao Mo, even though you don’t need the car, there are some things I still want to say to you.”
To help her boss win Chi Yumo’s forgiveness, Qiao Ke decided to explain the car’s origins early, along with some misunderstandings that had upset Chi Yumo.
“President Shi bought this car for you before you graduated, intending it as a graduation gift. Originally, she planned to take you back to the Old Mansion that afternoon after your ceremony. That morning, Zhang Kai picked up the car and parked it in the Old Mansion’s garage. President Shi wanted to surprise you when you got back.”
“Xiao Mo, I know you suffered a great grievance and hurt at President Shi’s place a year ago, but you must have seen the hot search. Not long after you left, she publicly clarified that the engagement with Miss Yin was just a rumor. She wasn’t engaged to Miss Yin, and she doesn’t like anyone else.”
“After losing track of you, President Shi worried herself sick for months. During this year with no word from you, we’ve been searching the world over.”
“No one’s perfect; everyone makes mistakes sometimes, and President Shi is no exception. But Zhang Kai and I can both testify—she’s always treated you the most specially. Over these years, you’re the only Alpha she’s had. After you left, she got through each heat cycle with inhibitors and by clinging to the things you left at the Old House.”
As Qiao Ke spoke, Chi Yumo kept her head down, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the tablet—as if listening, or perhaps lost in thought.
In the past, she had cared the most about Shi Youwan’s affairs and tried her hardest to understand her actions.
But now, she was no longer that little lover dependent on Shi Youwan for money and affection, revolving everything around her, waiting every day to be pampered.
She had returned everything that could be returned, all the material possessions. She didn’t feel she owed Shi Youwan anything anymore.
Shi Youwan was no longer her creditor, her sugar mommy, or the moon in her sky. They should be complete strangers with no ties.
She typed: [Assistant Qiao, what you’ve said has nothing to do with me anymore. We cut ties a year ago—I left, I let go, no resentment, no hatred. Please don’t bring up the past again. Let’s respect each other.]
“Xiao Mo, if you’ve truly let go, why can’t you speak? President Shi does owe you, and she sincerely wants to apologize and make it up to you.”
Qiao Ke had secretly waited just as long as Shi Youwan had last night, from the other end.
She hadn’t clocked out until she watched President Shi go upstairs to her room.
In all these years by President Shi’s side, when had she ever seen her boss so humbled?
It wasn’t superficial stubbornness—it was love rooted deep in her heart.
But as an outsider, she had no right to speak the sacred word “love” on President Shi’s behalf.
[Please tell President Shi she doesn’t owe me, so there’s no need for amends. My inability to speak has nothing to do with her—it’s my own issue.]
Shi Youwan truly didn’t owe her.
Those two years, Shi Youwan had helped her through unprecedented hardships, both financially and emotionally. She had much to thank her for.
Without Shi Youwan descending like a god into her life, she couldn’t have paid off the hospital debts so quickly, kept the Old House so easily, or emerged from the grief of losing her grandmother so soon.
Shi Youwan’s kindness to her could be described as immense benevolence without exaggeration.
Moreover, Xiao Yi was Xiao Yi, and Shi Youwan was Shi Youwan. Xiao Yi’s actions and misdeeds behind Shi Youwan’s back shouldn’t be pinned on her.
“Xiao Mo…” Qiao Ke wanted to say more, but Chi Yumo clearly had no patience left to listen.
She stood up, took the car key, and placed it back in Qiao Ke’s hand before walking to the door first and opening it.
Seeing Chi Yumo’s stubbornness, Qiao Ke knew further words were pointless.
As she reached the door too, Chi Yumo raised the tablet, the screen filled with eight bold characters: [We’ll meet no more; strangers if we do.]
Knowing she had spoken too much today, Qiao Ke expressed her regret. “I’m sorry. I said all that not to amplify President Shi’s worries to cover up the hurt you suffered. Xiao Mo, Zhang Kai, Aunt Han, and I… we all miss you too. No matter what happens between you and President Shi, no matter if we ever meet again, our hope that you’re doing well comes from the heart. The road ahead is long—please take good care of yourself.”
She had wanted to add that if she ever needed help and was willing to accept it, President Shi would surely assist.
But who was Shen Muxi?
With Chi Yumo now under Shen Muxi’s wing, how could she lack resources or doctors?
After meeting Chi Yumo, Qiao Ke returned to the suite to report to Shi Youwan.
She skipped recounting what she’d said to Chi Yumo and relayed Cheng Xiangxiang’s and Chi Yumo’s words verbatim.
Having anticipated that Xiao Mo wouldn’t accept the car, Shi Youwan was mentally prepared. Instead, it was Cheng Xiangxiang’s words that gnawed at her.
Shi Youwan called Zhang Kai to ask.
“When Xiao Mo was learning to drive before, aside from that one crash, were there any other issues?”
Zhang Kai thought back. “Miss Mo drove very cautiously, always at low speeds. She showed clear tension and panic from both the passenger and driver’s seats. It could be anxiety from unfamiliarity with driving conditions and lack of skill, or perhaps an instinctive aversion.”
“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”
“I asked Miss Mo about it. For something as life-or-death as driving, where one mistake could end everything, why force herself? She said she didn’t want to disappoint you.”
As soon as Zhang Kai finished, Shi Youwan fell silent.
The breakfast Qiao Ke had had room service bring before going to Chi Yumo—congee and dim sum—sat cold on the table. Only the coconut milk, which Qiao Ke had specially fetched from the trunk and warmed, had been fully drunk.
This past year, to get Shi Youwan to eat more, Qiao Ke and Chen Han had racked their brains inside and out, buying and making every food they could with coconut meat or juice.
It was a five-star hotel, sure—the kitchen could whip up varieties—but Shi Youwan only craved this one imported fresh coconut drink from the supermarket.
Qiao Ke and Chen Han had both smelled it carefully; it truly resembled Miss Mo’s pheromones the most.
As for how similar the taste was, only President Shi knew. But if it wasn’t close, she wouldn’t be so obsessed.
Qiao Ke cleared the breakfast onto a tray and had Zhang Kai take it away first.
“President Shi, the signing with the Cultural and Tourism Bureau is at 9:30 a.m. It’s 7:50 now—rush hour traffic will be bad. We should leave at 8:30.”
The person who had been sitting primly on the sofa had changed posture: eyes slightly closed, brows tightly furrowed, one hand propping her forehead.
After a wait, Qiao Ke heard, “Okay, you can go first.”
—Xiao Mo, go learn to drive. Next time Zhang Kai takes sick leave, I’ll have one more safe, reliable option.
—Xiao Mo, how’s the license coming? Driving isn’t hard, right?
—Graduated driving school—congrats! Xiao Mo can be my driver now.
—Go practice outside. Graduation’s soon; you must master driving.
