At the end of summer, as the heat dissipated, Yin Chi left North City. After staying in the country for just a short month, she headed back to the UK to handle business at the branch company.
Before leaving, Fang Nianchen went to the airport to see her off. Yin Chi grinned and reached out to pat her head, but she dodged aside with a quick twist.
Muttering excuses, “Don’t always pat my head, or I won’t grow any taller.”
“How much taller do you need to be? That’s enough already.” Yin Chi was barely as tall as her in high heels; if she wore flats, she’d have to tilt her head up slightly to look at her, which put a lot of pressure on her heart.
“Still, no patting.” Fang Nianchen dug in her heels, refusing to budge.
“Fine, fine, I won’t argue with you about this.” Yin Chi’s luggage was being wheeled by her assistant, leaving her hands free and utterly relaxed.
She shoved her hands in her pockets. “I’ll be back soon. If Chen Yuyang gives you any trouble during this time, tell me. I have a few good friends in North City who can help you out.”
Chen Yuyang had gone silent since being discharged from the hospital last week. Of course, he wasn’t going to turn over a new leaf just from getting beaten—he was just lying low, probably plotting something.
Being targeted by a petty creep like that felt as disgusting as stepping in dog shit.
“Also, about Miss Yu’s mom—do you want to ask her yourself, or should I look into it for you? Taking out high-interest loans isn’t a good habit. Even though Miss Yu is a director at Yunqi with a decent salary, she can’t keep burning through it like this.”
“Isn’t it kinda bad to secretly dig into her family’s business…?” Fang Nianchen had always been a law-abiding citizen from childhood and had never considered “investigating” someone.
But if she asked, Yu Wan might not even tell her.
No one wants to bare their most embarrassing side to others, and she was no exception.
Hearing this, Yin Chi understood.
She had a bodhisattva’s heart, but in the end, everyone was just human and tended to pick the easy way.
She nodded. “Got it. I’ll get you the info ASAP.”
“Thanks.”
“Just thanks? And then what?” Yin Chi gave her a once-over and spread her arms slightly. “Make your dear big sis leave happy.”
The way she said it… made it sound just like that “leave.”
Fang Nianchen was helpless. She leaned in, threw one arm around her, patted her back—giving her a hug in full “good bros” style.
She was just about to pull away when Yin Chi hooked her back in, holding her tight. “Next time I come back, remember to introduce me to your girlfriend.”
She had tracked her down in North City, all excited, only to get rejected a second time. That night, she had indeed caught the glint of tears and reluctance in Yin Chi’s eyes.
Fang Nianchen couldn’t imagine how Yin Chi had pulled herself out of that funk so quickly—if it were her, she definitely wouldn’t have let go that fast.
So she was sincerely glad that Yu Wan liked her too. What luck.
After Yin Chi left, no one pestered Fang Nianchen every few days anymore.
Mai Tian’s proposal was only half-done when she herself got an invite from a UK magazine and headed there to shoot material.
Due to the time difference, Fang Nianchen often ended up on late-night calls with her, pulling all-nighters that left her dazed. She’d catch up on sleep whenever she could.
On weekends, she dutifully kept her promise, even starting to excitedly prep ingredients as early as Friday. The next day, she whipped up a huge spread for Yu Wan to come over to her place and “mooch a meal.”
The two of them tacitly avoided any talk of “dating” or confessions—even Chen Yuyang’s name, that ill-omened broom star, rarely came up.
Yu Wan would spend the whole afternoon at Fang Nianchen’s on Saturdays. They’d pick one or two movies or documentaries to kill time, choosing stuff that was fun to watch and steering clear of anything remotely tearjerking.
Even just sitting quietly, not saying a word, brought a sense of ease spreading between them.
Her mood was as light and ready to soar as a kite in the wind.
In Fang Nianchen’s words, she was working hard to build the atmosphere but hadn’t found that crucial moment yet—the one to pierce that paper window.
By late September, Fang Nianchen got temporarily reassigned to another team.
It was well-known that the team lead there was mortal enemies with Su Xiazhi, and by extension looked down on anyone under her. They dumped the most tedious, toughest tasks on Fang Nianchen.
Weekend overtime became routine; she went a full week without seeing North City’s sunsets, only dragging home after nightfall.
It wasn’t until the National Day holiday notice came out that Fang Nianchen gritted her teeth, finished most of the work despite her annoyance, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
People’s holiday hype started back in school days and carried into work, with everyone front-loading the excitement and getting restless early.
No surprise, Qiao Yan was the first to ask where she was going. Fang Nianchen replied lazily, “Home.”
“No way… You’re staying home all seven days?” Qiao Yan looked incredulous. “Come with me and Tao Zhixing? We’re heading to the beach.”
Fang Nianchen still shook her head. “Too far. I’ve got to take Pan-fried Dumpling to an event on the third.”
“That thing you mentioned before, visiting autistic kids?”
“Yeah, the event’s on the third, with several therapy dogs joining. Not far—just in Long City, two hours’ drive.”
Seeing she couldn’t be swayed, Qiao Yan dropped it and leaned back in her chair. “Sigh… Busy bee.”
Suddenly, she remembered something. “What do you think Bodhisattva Yu’s doing for the holiday? Not working overtime again, right?”
Maybe from work fatigue, Director Yu had been keeping a straight face lately. Back when the department staff performed well, you might catch her smile occasionally.
Good thing Fang Nianchen wasn’t in HR anymore, or her crush on President Yu would’ve been frozen solid by that sub-zero-20-degree glare.
“I’m heading out first.” Hearing Yu Wan’s name, Fang Nianchen cut the chat short.
Qiao Yan called out “Hey!” twice from behind but couldn’t stop her. She nearly got scalded by the overflowing hot water, hopping around for a bit before cursing her out for valuing romance over friendship.
Fang Nianchen took her brewed coffee back to the planning department, set the cup on her desk, and turned to gaze out the window.
Right, what was Xuejie doing for National Day?
She thought to shoot a message first—Yu Wan was busy anyway, probably wouldn’t see it till late.
But unexpectedly, Yu Wan replied right away: [Might have to go back to my dad’s place. Xiao Ning’s back.]
Xiao Ning’an was back?
She’d said it’d be half a month at most—doing the math, yeah, about time.
Fr Xuejie0720: [Got any plans?]
Fang Nianchen hadn’t nailed down details yet, but didn’t want Yu Wan running around and getting tired.
[No worries, just asking.]
Fr Xuejie0720: [I’ll be back after a day.]
[Wherever you wanna go, I’ll go with you.]
That “go with you” warmed Fang Nianchen’s heart for no reason.
Not wanting to waste Yu Wan’s good intentions, she told her about the autistic kids visit. Yu Wan agreed readily, setting to meet at Fang Nianchen’s building entrance on the morning of the third.
—
A few days before the trip, Fang Nianchen borrowed Yao Zhihao’s big Jeep.
The autism rehab center was up in the mountains—high altitude, long winding roads, so an off-roader was handy. Plus, his was customized inside, perfect for stashing Pan-fried Dumpling and some luggage.
With the mountain trip and cooler weather, Fang Nianchen switched to long sleeves for departure day.
Early in the morning, she led Pan-fried Dumpling downstairs and saw Yu Wan already waiting at the building entrance.
“It even has clothes on.” Yu Wan was pleased with Pan-fried Dumpling’s flashy new look. “Looks pretty good.”
Pan-fried Dumpling was one smart doggy; hearing the praise, it wagged its tail even harder, the big fluffy thing smacking Fang Nianchen’s leg with painful “smack-smack” sounds.
Fang Nianchen had no choice but to pat its head to calm it down.
They got in the car and headed to Long City.
On the road, Fang Nianchen asked about Yu Wan’s trip home.
Yu Wan said, “I saw Xiao Ning. She came back to handle some stuff and will head back to the US soon.”
Thanks to this little tattletale, the young miss had to shuttle back and forth despite her packed schedule.
Fang Nianchen “oh”-ed knowingly. “So why’d she come back?”
“She was worried Chen Yuyang might do something overboard to me, and my mom…” Yu Wan trailed off. “Anyway, she came back out of worry for me.”
“So your mom…”
She’d barely started when Yu Wan hurriedly cut her off. “Is this autistic kids visit a charity event?”
“Yeah.” Sensing she didn’t want to talk about it, Fang Nianchen skipped her mom topic. “Pan-fried Dumpling passed its therapy dog cert this year. The issuing org runs events every month—sometimes visiting empty-nesters, or if needed, lending dogs out to folks with depression.”
“Do you go often?”
“When I have time. Met a bunch of interesting people.” Fang Nianchen smiled. “You suddenly realize there are so many good people in the world.”
“You’re one of the good ones too,” Yu Wan said earnestly.
Fang Nianchen merely hooked the corner of her mouth, neither affirming nor denying her compliment.
The two-hour journey included a midway stop at the rest area to refuel.
They set off early and arrived in Long City before lunchtime.
The organizer of this event was a well-known clothing company, providing food and lodging for the therapy dogs and their owners—but with the rule that each owner could bring at most one friend or family member.
Fang Nianchen had scouted the accommodations in advance, confirming they were standard rooms that wouldn’t shortchange Yu Wan, before letting her tag along.
Nearing noon, cars pulled in one after another, filling the venue with an even mix of men and women.
Like Pan-fried Dumpling, Fang Nianchen was the most popular dog owner there. Everyone who spotted her greeted her warmly, affectionately calling her “Xiao Chen.”
Spotting the beauty standing beside Fang Nianchen—elegant gestures radiating cool aloofness, silent as a sculpture when not speaking—
“Xiao Chen, this is… your sister?”
“She’s my friend,” Fang Nianchen introduced.
Inwardly, though, she grumbled: They clearly don’t look anything alike—how could anyone mistake us for sisters?
A bolder guy stepped up to chat her up. “Oh oh, your friend’s gorgeous! Does she have a dog too? Wanna add WeChat and chat about it…”
“No,” Yu Wan replied coolly. “Thanks.”
The rejection was straightforward but harmless. The guy chuckled twice to defuse the awkwardness, then moved on to chat with Fang Nianchen about the event.
“Hang on, I need to grab something from the car. You two chat,” Fang Nianchen said, leading Pan-fried Dumpling toward the car.
Yu Wan followed. “What’d you forget?”
“Nothing. I just got tired of listening to them yap. Didn’t wanna stick around, so I made an excuse to bail.”
So very her.
Yu Wan sighed sincerely from the heart. Once this little rascal lost interest in someone, her ways of ditching them were all sharp and sly, leaving the other party iced out and clueless.
Come to think of it, she’d been on the receiving end before. Reconnecting took Herculean effort.
Still, she marveled at Fang Nianchen’s popularity—happy for her, not worried about her being alone or targeted, yet oddly tense.
Like winning the lottery and panicking on the way to claim it, scared someone might spy it, steal it, rob it—overwhelmed with the urge to hoard it away.
Just then, a little Beetle zipped into the parking lot and parked right across from them.
Out popped a petite girl, then—bang—the car door slammed shut hard.
Yu Wan noticed Fang Nianchen’s face change inexplicably, laced with horror. She even shuffled back a step, like she wanted to hide.
But Yu Wan was right behind her; heel bumped toe. Fang Nianchen glanced back, stayed put, face full of reluctance.
“How…”
“Ah! Fang Nianchen!!!”
Yu Wan had just opened her mouth to ask when the shout barreled across the parking lot—like a shrewish roar that rattled souls.
Zeroing in on her target, the girl jabbed a finger at Fang Nianchen and bolted excitedly, barreling past people calling out to her.
“Xiao Chen!” She leaped at her upon arrival, hugging tight and swaying side to side. “I mi—ssed—you—so mu—ch!”
Fang Nianchen looked spooked, throwing her hands up in surrender with a strained grin. “I know… let me go first…”
The girl clung like glue, refusing to release. “You’re so cold! Even Pan-fried Dumpling’s warmer to me!”
At its name, the big golden retriever let out a “Woof!”
Fang Nianchen’s heart plummeted. She truly couldn’t handle over-the-top enthusiasm, least of all physical contact.
Pushing the girl away took effort—but not too much, or she’d read into it.
Nearly throttled to death, Fang Nianchen finally gulped air and twisted to glance at Yu Wan.
Yu Wan stared back.
That death glare rang a bell—like back in HR, when President Yu grew displeased with a subordinate’s work. She’d drop the smile and fix them with that look.
Fang Nianchen had done stellar work back then, so she’d never caught it firsthand. Now, her soles prickled cold.
After the enthusiastic hugfest, the girl suddenly remembered her own dog, tossed out a hasty line, and dashed back for it.
“She’s just… super enthusiastic,” Fang Nianchen said with an uneasy smile once the girl was out of sight, protesting her innocence. “She does this with everyone.”
“Mm.” Yu Wan’s face stayed blank.
Fang Nianchen panicked, stressing hard. “You… believe me. She’s really just like that—total extrovert. I used to ignore her completely.”
“So today’s special?” Yu Wan pounced on the slip.
Busted, Fang Nianchen went speechless, eyebrows drooping.
She cut a fierce figure in waist-hugging clothes and tactical boots, but Yu Wan’s words had her head bowed in grievance.
Suddenly, Yu Wan chuckled lightly. “I’m kidding. Why so scared?”
Tease her once, and she played pitiful—enough to stir guilt.
Fang Nianchen’s head snapped up. “Really?”
Her eyes flickered with eager hope.
“Really.” Yu Wan softened. “Don’t stress. Making friends is good. I get why they like you—pure admiration.”
Admiration, yes. Nothing more was possible.
Only then did Fang Nianchen relax a fraction, exhaling as she puffed her chest out again.
The girl returned, dog in tow, enthusiasm unflagging as she vented to Fang Nianchen. “Did you know? My boss’s dog is registered as a therapy dog too— even earlier than mine.”
“My bad mouth—I mentioned this event to him. Guess what? He dumped the dog on me to bring along and log hours.” She gnashed her teeth. “Old single male bosses are the absolute worst in my life! Nosy as hell normally, and they snatch every little perk. Isn’t this straight-up forced overtime?”
With that, Fang Nianchen spotted the unfamiliar Yorkshire at her side.
The girl rambled freely, jumping topics but always looping in Fang Nianchen. “If you get a meddlesome boss like that—guy or gal—run fast. Once they’re on you, it’s endless trouble. Like me.”
Fang Nianchen endured the machine-gun rant, head spinning.
She nodded mechanically. “Yeah… yeah.”
All you say is right.
“Huh? Xiao Chen, who’s this?” Only now did the girl clock the unfamiliar woman beside Fang Nianchen.
Up close, that innate iciness? She loved it.
Fang Nianchen snapped alert. “Oh, she’s…”
“I’m her boss,” Yu Wan said, lips quirking in a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “The nosy kind.”
