“Miss Yu, isn’t this a bit extravagant?” Yin Chi saw the name of the restaurant Yu Wan had brought her to and suddenly remembered—a business partner had treated her here just a few weeks ago.
The dishes were all rare delicacies from mountains and seas. The taste was good, but the prices offered no value for money whatsoever.
“Not at all. The environment here is perfect for chatting.” Yu Wan had few expressions on her face tonight. Even polite small talk came off as strictly businesslike. “Since I’m the one imposing on you, I naturally have to show some sincerity.”
“You’re being so polite, so I definitely have to brainstorm some good ideas for you.” Yin Chi chuckled lightly, tucked her sunglasses into her bag, and got out of the car.
The two entered the hotel lobby one after the other. The server asked for Yu Wan’s name and respectfully led them to a table.
After they were seated, the server introduced the evening’s menu and wine pairings in a rich, resonant voice, like he was reading a radio broadcast.
The droning, hypnotic tone made Yin Chi impatient and restless. She glanced up at Yu Wan and saw her listening with lowered eyes, still as a statue.
She really has patience.
Yu Wan gave her the impression of mountain spring water—clear and slow-flowing. Toss a stone in, and it would sink straight to the bottom without much splash.
But mountain springs wound deep and hidden, impossible to see the end of. Her mystery had no source to trace; probing it could take four or five years without even finding the right path.
After the server left, Yin Chi deliberately asked, “Reservations here are hard to snag, right?”
This restaurant usually required booking a month in advance. Yin Chi did the math—from the night she’d met Yu Wan, barely two weeks had passed. To jump the queue for a window seat, she must have called in a favor.
“Someone happened to cancel. Good luck.”
“Is that so? That’s really… too lucky.” Yin Chi didn’t pry further; she wasn’t interested in Yu Wan’s background anyway.
It would take ages from appetizers to main courses, and Yin Chi didn’t have the patience to wait that long to hear about Yu Wan’s relationship woes.
A few minutes later, she took the initiative. “Dinner’s still a ways off. Why not tell me your issue now? It’ll whet my appetite.”
Yu Wan went along with it and nodded.
“My first question might come off as rude. I hope Miss Yin won’t take offense.”
“My temper’s not that bad. Go ahead.” Yin Chi looked utterly relaxed. Any question truly offensive enough, she wouldn’t breathe a word of to anyone.
“I heard you like girls. In that sense, we should get along just fine.”
Yu Wan’s wording was so tactful that even pre-coming-out Yin Chi wouldn’t have taken offense.
What drew her attention more, though, was the implication right after.
She liked girls too.
Yin Chi’s lips quirked up. The discovery thrilled her to no end—this was a secret even Fang Nianchen didn’t know.
Yin Chi nodded in response. “So?”
She didn’t even need to ask. The intent was obvious.
What was her relationship with Yu Wan?
Chance encounter. A connection sparked by an umbrella ought to tie back to its owner to close the loop.
“My issue is about a girl and me.”
“It’s Fang Nianchen, right?” Yin Chi cut in eagerly. “The relationship question you want advice on is about her.”
Hearing her volunteer the name like that, Yu Wan was visibly taken aback.
Irked by her denseness, Yin Chi helpfully explained, “She mentioned you to me. I know—you’re her university senior and her current boss.”
“She… mentioned me to you?” Disbelief filled Yu Wan’s tone.
Anyone else, and she wouldn’t have been this shocked.
Fang Nianchen did introduce her to friends sometimes, but only when cornered—like that time at the campsite with Qiao Yan and the girl named Tao Zhixing.
“She brought you up loads of times. Impossible not to remember.” Yin Chi rubbed her brow with a headache.
She’d heard the story so many times that even the word “senior” now triggered her.
Yin Chi massaged her brow. “So, what’s the deal? You have feelings for her?”
Not a wild guess—the scattered details Yu Wan had let slip were enough to confirm it.
Women were always sensitive to relationship talk, whether their own or others’.
Sure enough, Yu Wan said bluntly, “I like her.”
“Oh…” Yin Chi just widened her eyes and let out a chuckle. “That’s really too bad.”
She meant herself, of course—though laced with a touch of luck.
Had she not come tonight, she wouldn’t have realized they actually liked each other. She’d still be stubbornly pining for Fang Nianchen, the dumbest fool of the century.
Good thing, good thing.
“Then go ahead and like her. What does my liking girls have to do with it?” Yin Chi said straightforwardly.
She was already this pathetic; no way was she fielding this mess too.
“For certain reasons, I can’t ask her directly. So I wanted to test the waters with you first.” Yu Wan added considerately, “I saw you two at the mall that day. You seemed close. If it’s too much trouble, no need to say anything.”
The mall… Yin Chi’s mind was packed; it took effort to recall that day.
Just seemed close? Enough to impulsively ask her out face-to-face?
Did Yu Wan think everyone was as easy to fool as her employees?
Delighted at reading her true intentions, Yin Chi cut straight to it. “You’re spot on. Fang Nianchen likes girls, and yeah, I like her.”
“A young, pretty little sister who knows how to care for people—totally normal to like her, right? Oh, aside from how she can be annoying sometimes.”
As she spoke, Yin Chi watched Yu Wan’s face and piled on. “Did I forget to mention? When she was doing her master’s in the UK, we were roommates for two years. She’d nag like an old mom, and when she got serious, she’d even police my smoking and drinking. Annoying, huh?”
“Sigh…” Yin Chi heaved a long sigh. “Truth is, seeing each other every day makes it hard not to catch feelings.”
Finally, a ripple crossed Yu Wan’s placid face.
Worry clouded her eyes. “She told me she doesn’t like anyone right now.”
“No one right now—doesn’t mean there wasn’t anyone before?”
No one right now… but before…
Yu Wan’s heart twisted. She stared blankly at Yin Chi.
In looks, Yin Chi rivaled some of the agency’s signed stars, and she was a heiress from a prominent family to boot—way better background than hers.
The person who’d been by Fang Nianchen’s side during those years studying in the UK… was Yin Chi.
Companionship was what she’d always lacked most. Those five blank years had stolen too many chances from her and handed openings to others—no one to blame but herself.
Yin Chi pressed on. “She’s lying to you.”
No way was she spilling the real truth.
“Mm.” Yu Wan looked numb, reduced to mere agreement.
Yin Chi tossed out the misleading words on purpose, then inwardly chided herself for being mean upon seeing Yu Wan’s dejected look.
Yu Wan right now reminded her just how lowly secret crushes felt—herself, Fang Nianchen, or Yu Wan.
But in this whole mess, Yu Wan and Fang Nianchen were the lucky ones.
At least they liked each other.
As the sole loser who’d taken the L, snagging nothing would go against her nature.
Take tonight’s chat: filling in so many details about their relationship was worth the price of admission alone.
But… far from enough.
Things were getting more and more entertaining. From her omniscient perch overlooking it all, it felt absurd yet perfectly logical.
Yin Chi nearly burst out laughing just thinking about it.
“President Yu. Do you show this many expressions at work?” Yin Chi propped her chin on her hands and teased. “Now you finally look alive.”
The next second, Yu Wan’s face turned stern. “As a manager, I have to come across as strict. That’s how you keep subordinates in line.”
“Too stern—doesn’t it scare people? You should dial it back around someone you like, at least.” Yin Chi flashed her a smile by way of contrast. “I never put on a sour face around Fang Nianchen, so even though she doesn’t like me, at least she’s not afraid of me.”
Yu Wan said nothing, savoring her words carefully.
Fang Nianchen didn’t like Yin Chi?
She shot Yin Chi a doubtful glance, and Yin Chi just arched a brow back at her.
Yu Wan had a hunch—she’d revealed that on purpose.
But… what was her goal?
Just then, the server brought the appetizers. Yin Chi thanked him as she took them.
The appetizer was a molecular gastronomy dish—not very filling, but uniquely styled. It blended juices from various seafoods with bits of Boston lobster, bursting with fresh flavor.
Just taking one bite, Yin Chi was already fully satisfied.
She felt Yu Wan’s sincerity, and she didn’t want to be a complete villain.
After all, she no longer liked Fang Nianchen now, so her rivalry with Yu Wan was null and void.
Yin Chi still remembered the promise she made to Yu Wan before entering the restaurant—she had to “properly” offer some advice.
Yin Chi set down her utensils and spoke leisurely, “Instead of asking me ten questions here, why not just ask her directly? I’m not her—how would I know what she’s thinking?”
Yin Chi’s attitude had shifted too abruptly. Yu Wan didn’t know how to react for a moment and just nodded instinctively. “I’ll give it a try.”
“If only everyone in the world were as smart as you.” Throughout, Yin Chi hadn’t sensed any baseless hostility from Yu Wan. Her emotions were terrifyingly stable; even the most surging feelings were hidden beneath her skin.
It was precisely because she couldn’t see through her that she felt uneasy.
For the first time, Yin Chi had this sensation.
She wanted to take back her earlier words—she was now extremely interested in Yu Wan.
And so she invited, “After dinner, if you have time, want to head to a bar with me?”
Instinct told Yu Wan that she couldn’t refuse Yin Chi’s invitation.
Whether out of personal curiosity to learn more about Fang Nianchen’s grad school days, or to find out exactly who Fang Nianchen liked.
Yin Chi was a reliable source of intel.
“Sure.”
“Les bar okay with you?” Yin Chi added. “I don’t like places with a lot of men—they’re so smelly.”
“I don’t mind.”
“Impressive,” Yin Chi sighed. “You’re actually this easygoing.”
Yu Wan smiled without a word.
It was the first time she’d heard someone describe her that way.
Yin Chi suggested, “Let’s eat first, then. We can talk about the rest at the bar.”
“Sure.”
—
Emerging from the hotpot restaurant, the muggy summer night dragged them back from the cool AC room to reality.
Qiao Yan clamored to go drinking, and Fang Nianchen chimed in that it sounded good.
Qiao Yan proposed, “There’s a new bar in the north part of town—wanna check it out?”
“Hey hey hey? I’m the one who owns a bar, so why go to someone else’s?” Tao Zhixing was the first to object.
It wasn’t about the money—Fang Nianchen and Qiao Yan always drank for free at her place anyway.
She’d just heard utter distrust from Qiao Yan’s mouth, this fickle woman!
“Hmph.” Because Tao Zhixing had brought up dieting again during dinner, Qiao Yan didn’t even want to look at her.
Even during the meal, she’d sat right next to Fang Nianchen and ignored her topics.
The atmosphere chilled. Tao Zhixing got even angrier because of her silence. She’d given her the cold shoulder all through hotpot, and now she was deliberately saying this to piss her off.
What had she ever done to her? Was she sick in the head or something?!
Dark undercurrents surged between the two. Fang Nianchen glanced back and forth, stepping in to smooth things over. “Zhixing’s place is nearby—we can walk there quick. North side… that’s kinda far.”
Fang Nianchen lived in the southeast; a cab from the north side would take over twenty minutes, and it wasn’t safe.
Qiao Yan thought it over and compromised. “Fine.”
“Oh? Not going now?” Tao Zhixing taunted from the side.
“Tao Zhixing, you itching for a beating?” Qiao Yan gritted her teeth.
Tao Zhixing wouldn’t back down. “You crazy bitch, inexplicably venting on me for what?!”
“Me, inexplicable?” Qiao Yan was so mad she almost laughed. “You still think I’m just throwing a tantrum every day, huh?”
“You guessed right.”
“Hey hey hey…” Fang Nianchen rubbed her temples, blocking between them. “You two, calm down.”
“Tch…” Qiao Yan poked her head out from in front of her and shot Tao Zhixing a vicious glare.
Tantrums aside, for Fang Nianchen’s sake, the two held off from actually arguing—for now.
The three walked in silence to Tao Zhixing’s bar. Once inside, the charged silence between them finally eased as the atmosphere livened up.
“I’m heading upstairs first.” Tao Zhixing grumbled, abandoning the pair without looking back.
“Damn!” Qiao Yan stomped in frustration. “Does she have no end to it? Gave me attitude last week, calls me fat this week, says I’m inexplicably unreasonable next… next time is she gonna say I… I…”
Qiao Yan couldn’t think of more ways to curse herself, her voice trailing off smaller and smaller.
Fang Nianchen had no clue what exactly had gone down between them to make things this irreconcilable.
She’d said such nice things today, to celebrate her escaping the sea of bitterness, but now Fang Nianchen just had a massive headache.
Fang Nianchen and Qiao Yan headed to the bar counter, where there were always spots Tao Zhixing reserved specially for them.
Maybe Tao Zhixing forgot to tell them today—the spots at the counter were taken.
Judging by the backs, two long-haired women. Fang Nianchen figured whatever, they could sit somewhere else.
But Qiao Yan thought otherwise and marched straight over. “Sorry to bother you, but these seats…”
In the light, she made out one of the women’s faces. Qiao Yan’s heart skipped a beat as she exclaimed, “P-President Yu?!”
Yu Wan looked up, her gaze lingering on her for an instant before passing over to lock onto the person behind her.
Her pupils dilated slightly.
After hearing Qiao Yan’s shout, Fang Nianchen’s mind went blank. It took her a few seconds to remember how many President Yus she’d met in her life.
Seeing Yu Wan for real gave her an unreal feeling. She pinched herself hard, confirming she wasn’t dreaming.
The bar’s atmosphere was hopping, but right then, all the blood in Fang Nianchen’s body froze.
“Oh my, what a coincidence.” Yin Chi held her wine glass, circled around Yu Wan to stand before her. “Let me introduce— this is my new friend, Yu Wan, Miss Yu.”
“Don’t tell me… you two know each other?” Yin Chi’s smile was clearly that of someone stirring the pot.
Like Yu Wan, Yin Chi hadn’t expected someone with Fang Nianchen’s stodgy personality to show up at a les bar. Running into her was pure accident… but a fun one.
Fang Nianchen would die before imagining Yu Wan liked women—and liked her? The chemical reaction was kicking in too fast. Yin Chi figured she’d be laughing in her dreams tonight.
Fang Nianchen stayed silent, staring at her with furrowed brows tightening bit by bit.
Suddenly, she reached out, grabbed Yin Chi’s arm, and yanked her away from the counter with freakish strength.
Everyone was caught off guard by the sudden move. By the time they snapped out of it, the two had melted into the dim interior and vanished.
Fang Nianchen dragged her all the way to the emergency exit door. The heavy door blocked the outdoor heatwave; the pounding music slammed against it, making their ears ache.
Fang Nianchen’s simmering anger mixed into all that noise, bouncing back off the door. “Why did you bring her here?”
Yu Wan wouldn’t—and shouldn’t—be here. And definitely not with Yin Chi.
Plus, why had Yin Chi suddenly met up with Yu Wan? And introduced her as her new friend?
Fang Nianchen was breathing raggedly, as if Yin Chi were some scheming villain.
“Why grab me so tight? I’m not gonna run.” Yin Chi shot her an annoyed look and ordered, “Let go.”
Fang Nianchen released her, arm dropping naturally, but still eyed Yin Chi warily.
“I’m innocent,” Yin Chi said unhurriedly. “I didn’t bring her—we just finished eating and wanted a drink, so we came. I checked with her, and she didn’t mind.”
“You two even ate together?”
Top Student Fang’s knack for grabbing the key points was as sharp as ever. Yin Chi grinned. “Yeah, not just ate—we talked a ton too.”
“Lots and lots of personal stuff.”
Fang Nianchen really wanted to ask what “personal stuff” she meant, but that would seem too nosy. Prying into Yu Wan’s private affairs would make her feel unscrupulous.
Watching Fang Nianchen hesitate, Yin Chi reminded casually, “You dragged me away right in front of her—aren’t you worried she’ll misunderstand? This is a les bar, and we’re both women.”
The implication: time alone like this, something might happen.
They wouldn’t actually do anything, but that didn’t mean Yu Wan wouldn’t overthink.
It seemed she had a point.
Fang Nianchen took a deep breath, turned, and headed back to the counter.
