Chapter 19: Get Her!

Quiet.

The private space inside the car was nothing but silence.

Ever since Chen Yi had uttered those disrespectful words to Xu Yan, the two of them hadn’t exchanged another syllable.

The heavy silence in the car was nearly crushing Chen Yi.

She was the first to crack, raising the white flag of surrender.

“Chief Editor Xu.” Chen Yi opened cautiously. “Why did you praise me back there?”

And pull that head-patting killer move.

The gesture was so out of character for the rigid image Chen Yi had of Xu Yan that she couldn’t help wondering if some strange spirit had possessed her.

Chen Yi just couldn’t figure it out.

Xu Yan turned back from the window, responding in her usual style with a question of her own. “What do you think?”

Chen Yi hated when she talked like that.

In her mind, she swung her tiny fists furiously at Xu Yan, picturing her as a massive punching bag and hammering away with all her might.

Bad woman!

“Scolding me?” Xu Yan said suddenly.

Chen Yi jumped, shrinking back like a scared rabbit. “No way,” she said, as if swearing an oath.

Xu Yan let out a light chuckle. “Chen Yi, has anyone ever told you that you’re terrible at acting?”

Chen Yi hesitated. “……Now someone has.”

Something about that line must have tickled Xu Yan’s funny bone. She suddenly broke into a bright smile, her eyes locking onto Chen Yi’s. “You really want to know?”

Chen Yi nodded.

She waited for the answer, but after a moment of silence, just when she thought Xu Yan would tease her like always—leveraging her authority as the boss—Xu Yan surprised her by being straightforward.

“Most people wouldn’t have the courage you showed,” Xu Yan said, her gaze fixed earnestly on Chen Yi’s eyes.

It was a strangely captivating experience.

Everyone knew the advice—that looking someone in the eye during a conversation was polite. But most people didn’t do it. It felt awkward, or intrusive, or maybe they just lacked the confidence.

Xu Yan was different.

Her beautiful eyes held Chen Yi completely and without reservation. Even when Chen Yi met her gaze head-on, Xu Yan didn’t hesitate or look away. If anything, Chen Yi—the one being watched—felt a surge of unease.

“To say something like that to Zhouyu, in a situation like that…”

Xu Yan’s lips curved up. Chen Yi got the sense she was reminiscing about something. For some inexplicable reason, it made Chen Yi feel like she might be a stand-in for someone else.

Unable to withstand Xu Yan’s stare, Chen Yi said with a self-deprecating laugh, “Editor, maybe I’m just immature.”

“Immaturity is rare,” Xu Yan replied. “Being immature out of concern for someone else, at the right moment—that’s especially precious.”

“Work here long enough, and you’ll see that most people in this world are indifferent.”

Including herself, Xu Yan thought.

“Indifference isn’t always a bad thing,” Chen Yi said. “And you might not see every side of a person, Editor Xu.”

Xu Yan paused, arching a brow.

“You’re right.”

Xu Yan looked away from Chen Yi, turning her gaze to the window as if lost in thought.

Seizing the chance, Chen Yi snuck a few glances at her.

This odd car conversation had somehow drawn her closer to Xu Yan without her realizing it.

So Xu Yan pondered things like this too.

Chen Yi had assumed she cared about nothing but work.

That reminded her—work. “Editor Xu, where are we headed next?”

“Back to the company.”

“No other assignments for you this afternoon.”

Chen Yi’s eyes lit up.

Xu Yan saw right through her. “Want to clock out early?”

Chen Yi nodded vigorously.

“Can I, Editor Xu?”

Xu Yan shook her head, checked her watch, and asked the driver about the return trip timing. After a quick calculation, she realized that even bringing Chen Yi back to the office wouldn’t leave much time before quitting hour anyway.

“Fine,” Xu Yan agreed.

Chen Yi gave an address along their route, and Xu Yan instructed the driver to drop her off when they passed it.

Chen Yi thanked her happily, then couldn’t resist adding, “Editor Xu, you’re the best.”

Agreeing to an early clock-out made her the best?

Xu Yan fixed her with a deep, inscrutable stare.

Chen Yi’s smile vanished instantly as she realized she’d gotten too carried away.

Who did she think Xu Yan was?!

Chen Yi straightened her back at once, sitting ramrod straight.

Fortunately, the drop-off spot wasn’t far. Before long, the car pulled over at a temporary roadside stop.

It hadn’t even come to a full stop before Chen Yi’s hand was hovering at the door handle.

The moment the driver hit the brakes, Chen Yi blurted out, “Editor, this is my stop! See you, Editor!”

Xu Yan couldn’t help but laugh, half-annoyed, half-amused by her escape-artist antics.

“Fine,” she said. “Goodbye.”

As Chen Yi reached for the door, the driver called out, timing it perfectly. “Hey, Little Chen, do me a favor. Toss this for me.”

The driver handed over a coffee bag.

“Got it,” Chen Yi said.

She got out with the bag, shut the door, and waved the car off like a hotel concierge bidding farewell to guests. Only after it vanished from sight did she turn and leave.

At first, she assumed it was the driver’s coffee. But when she went to sort the trash, she spotted a receipt inside with the name “Ms. Xu.”

The time stamp: eight o’clock.

Right before Xu Yan would have arrived at the office.

Strange.

So Xu Yan had actually finished the black Americano she’d bought her?

That brutally bitter Americano was that good?

Of course it was—you, Xu Yan, ultimate black Americano fan.

Humming a tune, Chen Yi tossed the coffee bag and its contents into the proper bins.

The Chen Yi of this moment was worlds away from the one in the car just minutes ago. The magic words “off duty” had instantly revitalized her, filling her with energy and glow.

She claimed a bench under the shade of a tree and messaged the friend she’d been coordinating with earlier.

The autumn plane trees were half yellow, green leaves interspersed among them. Looking up, the colors blended in a lovely mosaic, softened further by the sunlight filtering through.

Chen Yi pulled out her phone and snapped a photo. She didn’t dare post it to her social feed—too risky if coworkers noticed she was off early.

She’d send it to Fade.

That was the only thought in her head the instant she took the shot.

For no particular reason, in this peaceful, lovely moment, Fade came to mind. And Fade was just some online friend whose real name, face, or age she didn’t even know.

Chen Yi shook her head with a smile at her own obsessive thoughts.

She sat there for about ten minutes before her friend arrived. Chen Yi didn’t need to look up to know it was her—the custom-tuned supercar engine roared like a Gundam on approach.

“Chen Yi, over here!” The woman in a stylish coat waved from the open convertible top.

Chen Yi walked over with a helpless sigh.

The moment she slid into the passenger seat, the woman teased her. “Come on, Chen Yi, after all this time, you still can’t get used to my car?”

Chen Yi shot her a plaintive look. “Yeah.”

“It’s really loud.”

“Su Dai, if it weren’t yours, I’d be cursing up a storm by now.”

Su Dai laughed heartily. “Well, thanks for that.”

“I tracked down the person you’re after. Head there now?”

“Where?” Chen Yi asked.

Su Dai pulled up the navigation. “Xitu Lanya Restaurant.”

It wasn’t far—about twenty minutes.

“Xitu Lanya has great reviews. Want to grab a meal while we’re at it?”

“Sure,” Chen Yi said.

With their destination set, Su Dai flicked on the turn signal, spun the wheel, and peeled out. Once they hit the main road, she turned down the volume on the car stereo and asked curiously, “What’d this person do to get under your skin? Takes some skill to occupy Miss Chen’s thoughts like that.”

Su Dai and Chen Yi went way back—family friends, really, with ties stretching back to their grandparents’ generation. The Chen family came from a line of artists and intellectuals, bookish through and through, only dipping into entertainment and fashion in Chen Yi’s mother’s era to build their current success. The Su family had deep political roots, with tangled networks and vast connections, gradually shifting from government to business under Su Dai’s father.

Su Dai had always been a little devil—mischievous through and through. Two years older than Chen Yi, she still listened to her every word.

Chen Yi might look quiet and reserved, but she was full of sly ideas underneath.

Chen Yi rarely stirred up trouble on her own.

She usually just helped Su Dai scheme passively.

Situations like this—where Chen Yi actively sought her out to cause a stir—were few and far between in Su Dai’s memory. That alone had her buzzing with excitement.

Chen Yi rested her hand on the door, propping her chin as she said flatly, “Nothing much. I just can’t stand her.”

“Easy fix,” Su Dai said with a grin. “Your big sis and you will take her down.”

“Oh, when did you get this brooch? It’s gorgeous. Dressed to the nines today—got a date?”

Mentioning it made Chen Yi groan. She waved it off. “Don’t ask. It was for work.”

“The boss gave it to me.” She took off the moon-shaped brooch, wrapped it carefully in tissues from Su Dai’s car, and tucked it into her pocket to avoid damaging it.

“Your boss sounds decent,” Su Dai said. “That brooch doesn’t look cheap.”

Chen Yi shrugged. “Wasn’t a gift.”

They chatted idly all the way to Xitu Lanya Restaurant. After the server seated them, Su Dai took charge of ordering while Chen Yi scanned the room.

Persistence paid off. From her spot by the window, she caught sight of Liu Lingfeng’s figure. He was out on a date with a girl, a bottle of red wine on their table, and they were drinking with gusto.

At the sight, Chen Yi figured her plan for the day had gone up in smoke.

But after they finished their meal, Liu Lingfeng grew bold beyond belief. He actually headed down to the underground parking garage to drive himself.

“Bro’s pretty wild, not calling a designated driver?” Su Dai was flabbergasted.

Chen Yi curled her lips in a smirk. “Isn’t that perfect?”

“Brought the CD?” she asked.

Su Dai nodded.

Chen Yi pulled the CD from inside the car and wedged pieces into the gaps at the front and rear of Su Dai’s vehicle. Once she was sure they were secure, she climbed into the passenger seat, buckled her seatbelt, and settled in.

Chen Yi said, her eyes fixed on the car revving up in the garage ahead. “Follow it and ram him.”

Su Dai stared at her in shock. “Holy shit, Chen Yi? Yi Jie? You’re serious?”

“Just hit it,” Chen Yi urged. The fierce determination etched on her face was the kind Su Dai had only ever seen when Chen Yi was deep in a gaming session.

She heard Chen Yi add, “You crash into it. If anything happens, I can afford to cover the damages.”