However, she had no courage to do that. She did not have Song Yu’s fate to have a boyfriend like Qi Chengzhi.

If she also had a… if only Qi Chengzhi was her boyfriend, she would not need to be afraid of anything else.

At the end of the day, he was not hers. Yang Yunshu could only clench her jaws and swallow her tears. She packed her things up while she cried in humiliation.

When she was about to leave after packing, she felt as if the whole office was taunting her.

Those people with whom she used to joke around with and had gotten along well with her, seemed to look at her with a disgusted expression.

Yang Yunshu gritted her teeth and left the office with muted sobs.

Director Zhao let out a sigh and asked with concern, “Song Yu, are you alright?”

Song Yu shook her head and said tiredly, “I’m fine.”

“Qilin called just now and requested for you to go over to their engineering department to discuss some matters. If you don’t feel like going now, I can help you decline it and arrange for another time,” Director Zhao said in an understanding manner.

Song Yu self-mockingly pursed her lips. The way Director Zhao treated Yang Yunshu today was exactly how he had treated her in the beginning.

Nonetheless, the difference between Yang Yunshu and her was that Yang Yunshu inflicted this upon herself but she, on the other hand, was coerced by Wang Liwen.

In the beginning, Director Zhao told her off and said the same words to her for the sake of Wang Liwen: “If you want the job then work, if you don’t, then just quit.” Now, he was treating her so carefully as if she owned the company.

She shook her head and said, “I’m fine, I’ll head over now.”

…

…

Just when Song Yu reached the floor of Qilin’s engineering department, she remembered that Jian Yi was the manager of this department.

She should have thought of it earlier, but her mind was disoriented thanks to Yang Yunshu’s harassment and did not remember this.

Since she was already here, there was no way for her to turn around.

She could only hope that Jian Yi would not attend the discussion in person.

Unfortunately, when she entered the engineering department and told them her intentions, they brought her straight into Jian Yi’s office.

When Jian Yi saw her entering his office, both of his eyes were fixed onto her.

Even when he told his assistant to excuse himself, his eyes remained fixated on Song Yu.

Song Yu frowned, she had a feeling that Jian Yi requested her for something unrelated to work.

“Director Zhao told me that you want to discuss some issues regarding the project. May I know what’s the issue?” Song Yu stood in the middle of the office and did not take another step forward. “I have been following up with the hotel’s project and communicating with Manager Wang from our engineering department, but I haven’t found any issues.”

Jian Yi’s gaze was so intense as if he was afraid that she would disappear into thin air at any moment. His eyes did not blink at all when he lifted his head to look at her. He signaled with his hands and said, “Please have a seat.”

Song Yu pursed her lips and sat across his desk without saying a word.

“What do you want to drink? I’ll ask my assistant to prepare it for you.” Jian Yi pressed on the speaker and was about to press the intercom button next on the phone. He was still staring at Song Yu’s face with an entranced expression, making her feel rather uncomfortable.

“There’s no need for that,” Song Yu said calmly. “I’m here to talk about work, let’s go through it as soon as possible so that I can settle them.”

Jian Yi tugged the corner of his lips bitterly and said in a low raspy voice, “Song Song…”

He laughed bitterly. “Haha, it’s been so long since I’ve called you that. I really missed it. We can’t even be friends now, can we? Must your attitude be so different toward me? We only share nothing more than a professional relationship?”

He raised his hand and placed it on his desk. It extended almost half of the distance between them as if he intended to hold Song Yu’s hand, but he stopped halfway. “Can I interpret this as you still have feelings for me? They say that the deeper the love, the deeper the hate, isn’t it? You’re treating me so coldly without any emotion, you’re unable to put on a normal expression and speak properly to me. Isn’t this a sign that you still care for me and that’s why you hate me so much?”

Song Yu was not expecting Jian Yi to be this thick-skinned.

She stood up and sneered coldly, “You’re wrong, I don’t hate you. It’s just because your character is so off-putting, not that I care. This is how I act around someone that I despise. I wouldn’t behave this way if I hate you because I care about you. I treat you just like how I would treat a normal stranger. Now you’re the manager of my client’s company, what’s wrong with staying professional? If I made you uncomfortable by treating you coldly, I apologize, but I won’t change because I care for Qi Chengzhi. I wouldn’t want to upset him just to please you.

“If you call me all the way over just to talk about my attitude, I’ll excuse myself.” Song Yu turned around to leave but Jian Yi sprung to his feet. His chair moved back due to the recoil of his legs. He leaned forward slightly and grabbed Song Yu’s arm across the desk.

“Song Yu!” Jian Yi grabbed her. “Don’t leave yet. Okay, if you don’t want to hear about this, I won’t speak of it any further. Just sit down first, I have something really important to tell you.”

Song Yu frowned, she felt like Jian Yi was not going to discuss work-related matters.

Jian Yi’s words reminded her of the things he had told her in the back garden of the Qi’s family old mansion.

He said the same thing during that time.

Song Yu pursed her lips. “If the important matter has nothing to do with work, then you don’t have to tell me.”

Jian Yi paused for a moment before releasing her hand slowly. He went around his desk and came forward to block her path in a swift motion.

“Song Yu, did you tell Qi Chengzhi about what I told you in the back garden of the Qi’s family old mansion?”

Song Yu ignored him and scooted a few steps aside calmly so that she could get past him and leave.

“Song Yu, Qi Chengzhi’s going to transfer me to the subsidiary company in France.” Jian Yi held onto her wrist from behind to stop Song Yu from walking away. Then, he came up to her front again.

“Don’t you feel that it’s just too much of a coincidence? I just told you about my suspicions, that Qi Chengzhi did something bad to you and tried to hide it from you. He then went and told Qi Chengyue that he wants to transfer me to France. He even wants to assign me as the general manager.

“I am clearly aware that I’ve only been the manager of the engineering department in Qilin for a short period of time. My experience doesn’t qualify for a general manager. Even though the subsidiary company in France is still far from reaching the scale of our local company, I’m still not up for it. There are so many other talents in this company that qualify for that post and are eager to be groomed. Why would Qi Chengzhi choose an inexperienced person like me to be the general manager?

“If Qi Chengzhi is someone who would only choose family members, I would’ve been promoted long ago and not just remained as a small department manager for the past two years. Now, his intentions of transferring me to France all of a sudden indicates that he’s guilty. He’s afraid that I may find out the truth, that’s why he transferred me to keep me away from you in case things go against his odds.”

“Are you finished?” Song Yu asked coldly.

“Song Yu, you still don’t believe me? Do you really think that all of these things are merely a coincidence? If he’s not guilty, why would he transfer me right after I told you of my worries? He’s definitely scared of something! This also proves that he really did something bad to you and tried so hard to keep you from knowing. He’s afraid that you’ll leave him.”

Jian Yi held Song Yu’s shoulders with both his hands. “Song Yu, wake up and look at this rationally. Why can’t you see what I see? Qi Chengzhi is hiding something from you. He’s scared, that’s why he’s transferring me away, out of sheer guilt!”

“Let go of me!” Song Yu said heavily.

Jian Yi did not let go. “Tell me, what other reasons can there be for him transfer me to France suddenly?”

“Perhaps it’s because of how you’re always bothering me like this,” Song Yu said coldly. “Or it could be Qi Chengyue who went to him and requested for your promotion.”

She scoffed gently in an indifferent manner. “Isn’t this your intention when you chose to marry the Qi family? A promotion and a better future. You’ve gotten what you’ve wished for, yet you come up with this conspiracy idea. Aren’t you tired?

“Jian Yi, since he has already given you a promotion, why do you continue to harass me? Please let go of me now.”

Jian Yi clenched his jaws and refused to let go of his grip on her. “Song Yu, what should I do for you to believe me?”

“You lied and cheated on me in the past, why should I trust you?” Song Yu threw him a look of disdain. “We’re in a company, please consider your current status.”

Song Yu tried to shake off his hands from her shoulder but Jian Yi refused to let go. He even pulled her towards him.

In a state of shock, Song Yu kept trying to shun away from him. She gritted her teeth and raised her leg to use the tip of her feet to kick his shin with all her strength.

There was not much flesh on the shin, it was just a layer of skin covering the bone. After Song Yu gathered all her strength to kick on it, Jian Yi shuddered in pain and released her.

“Jian Yi, from now onwards, don’t use work as an excuse to find me and tell me such nonsense!” Song Yu lowered her head and saw Jian Yi squatting down due to the pain, both hands clutching his painful shin. She continued, “No matter what you say, I won’t believe you. Don’t waste your effort, just focus on Qi Chengyue and live a happy life.”

Song Yu walked past him and opened the office door. She had just turned around and taken a few steps when she met Qi Chengyue walking towards her direction.

She should be looking for Jian Yi. She stopped walking after seeing Song Yu. Her face that was looking rather sweet prior to their meeting turned dark. Her expression changed as she glanced at Jian Yi’s office with a malicious gaze.

Song Yu knew that she must have misunderstood again and thought that she came to pester Jian Yi.

She was too lazy to argue with Qi Chengyue as it was just going to be a waste of energy. She nodded lightly and moved on.

“Song Yu, I have something to tell you.” Qi Chengyue turned around to look at Song Yu’s side view when they crossed paths.

Song Yu stopped and turned her head to stare at Qi Chengyue. There was no one at the hallway when she said, “If you want to accuse me of bothering Jian Yi again, then don’t say anything. I don’t want to hear your groundless presumptions.”

Qi Chengyue turned around to face her. Surprisingly, she did not yell at Song Yu and instead, she said calmly, “It’s related to Jian Yi, but it involves my brother and you as well. It’s not what you assume.”

Qi Chengyue glanced at her luxurious watch and said, “It won’t take long, let’s head to the cafe downstairs and have a seat.”

Song Yu considered for a moment and finally agreed to have a chat with Qi Chengyue.

She had originally planned to look for Qi Chengzhi after leaving Jian Yi’s office.

…

…

Song Yu followed Qi Chengyue to the cafe downstairs in Qilin. Qi Chengyue ordered a cup of cappuccino. Song Yu did not order anything since she had no plans of staying to chat for long.

Before the coffee was served, Qi Chengyue remained silent. Song Yu had nothing to say to her, both of them just stared at each other’s eyes.

Song Yu had no intentions of looking at her, so she kept her head lowered.

The aroma of coffee wafted across the table as the waiter brought over the fragrant coffee to serve. After he left, only then Song Yu lifted her head.

“What do you want to tell me?” she asked.

Qi Chengyue sipped on her coffee. Then, she wiped off the foam on her lips carefully with a tissue so that she would not ruin the delicate makeup on her lips.

“I remember that you almost drowned when you were young. You were in your teenage years when it happened?” Qi Chengyue put down the tissue and asked.

Song Yu did not answer her. Of course, she remembered the only time when she almost drowned. She was thirteen years old.

Qi Chengyue moved her lips and said, “I remember that my big brother was still studying in the United States back then. It was during the Christmas holidays. He came back to visit and booked a returning flight two days before the term ended. One day before he flew back, Jian Yi, Guan Xiaolin and you went fishing at the lake. My big brother was also there with Yan Beicheng and his friends to play.

“I thought that it was just a coincidence. Thinking of it now, most likely my big brother went there for you. Yan Beicheng and the few of them said that they wanted to give him a farewell. My big brother chose the place himself. There are so many places to hold a farewell, why did he choose to go to the lake in such wintery weather?” Qi Chengyue pouted her lips sarcastically.

“I was not there when it happened. I don’t know how you fell into the lake. Although the lake had not frozen entirely, the lake water temperature was as cold as ice during that time of the year. You couldn’t even swim. My brother and his friends rented a boat from Shengyue and they were eating in the cabin. He was sitting beside the window, that’s why he discovered that you had fallen into the lake. He was the first one to jump into the water, even Jian Yi was one step behind.

“Probably he thought that it was unnecessary for him to jump in when he saw my brother going in first to save you, that or he was just afraid. It was my brother who saved you from the lake, the only thing Jian Yi did was just lending a helping hand to pull the both of you out from the lake.

“When my brother sent you to the hospital, he fell sick too. Our whole family hurried to the hospital to visit him. He was having a high fever and fell unconscious, where he slept throughout the night in another ward. Yan Beicheng told our family what happened while he was unconscious.

“Guan Xiaolin mentioned to me that Jian Yi had saved you before, but I know it wasn’t true. I don’t know how Jian Yi told you that made you think that he saved you.

“In fact, my brother had never left your side and accompanied you from the moment he saved you all the way to the hospital. While you were unconscious on the hospital bed, my brother stayed beside you until his body couldn’t take it anymore. The next day, my brother had to rush for his flight once he was awake, that’s why he didn’t get the chance to see you. When I passed by your ward, I saw Jian Yi accompanying you.”

Song Yu placed her hands on her lap, her right hand shifted slightly and grabbed the sides of the sofa tightly.

She definitely did not expect Qi Chengzhi was the one who saved her.

If she had taken a moment to process her thoughts, the reason she had fallen for Jian Yi was because she heard from Guan Xiaolin that Jian Yi had saved her when she fell into the lake, and accompanied her throughout the night and fell ill eventually because of her.

Touched by his actions, she could not help but give more attention toward Jian Yi.

She was only thirteen years old at that time, and it was the age of budding romance. Her first love would always be difficult to forget once her heart was stolen by him.

Moreover, one might subconsciously shape the other person into one’s ideals, and being oblivious to their weaknesses.

It was not until Qi Chengzhi made his way into Song Yu’s heart that she finally saw the true colors of Jian Yi.

If it was the old her, she would not have believed what Qi Chengyue had just told her.

Song Yu was a very loyal girl. She would give her absolute trust to the person she likes. No matter what others said about her partner, she would not believe them. She would only believe what she saw with her own eyes and how well the person treated her.

“Why are you telling me this?” Song Yu asked. “I thought you have always wanted me to break up with your brother.”

“I don’t really like you to be part of the Qi family since I feel disgusted whenever I see you.” Qi Chengyue pursed her lips and sneered, “Until now, I still wish that you’ll leave my brother. However, I don’t want you to bother Jian Yi anymore and I don’t hope for anything else.

“I know that he’s not perfect and has many flaws, but I still love him. I love him so much that I don’t care about his flaws. Can you do that? I just want to let you know that before he was with me, he didn’t like you as much as you thought.”

Song Yu nodded her head. Her calmness surprised Qi Chengyue when she replied, “I know that. Before I got together with Qi Chengzhi, I didn’t like Jian Yi as much as you thought, not even as much as I thought. I was not upset when I knew that you guys were together. I just felt angry that I was lied to. I realized this when Qi Chengzhi entered my life.

“This would be the last time I tell you this. I don’t like Jian Yi. I’m in a really good place with Qi Chengzhi, why would I care about Jian Yi? If you still don’t believe me, you can say whatever you want in the future but just don’t come and bother me.” Song Yu stood up and paused for a moment when she got out of the sofa.

She lowered her head to look at Qi Chengyue and could not resist saying, “Actually, have you ever thought that the person he loved the most is himself? In fact, he’s not into you? You kept putting the blame on me just because you need a reason to justify the way he disregards you.”

Qi Chengyue’s expression changed instantly. She slammed her hand onto the table, giving a loud ‘pang’ and said, “Song Yu! You…”

Even though there were not many people at the cafe, the few turned and stared at them because of Chengyue’s sharp scream.

Qi Chengyue blushed in embarrassment. She pressed her hand on the table but she dared not speak anymore. She glared at Song Yu with a stiff expression.

How dare she criticize Jian Yi for not loving her!

She could not accept that Song Yu managed to trigger something that was buried deep down her heart. Her face flushed, due to anger and humiliation.

Song Yu shook her head gently and turned around to leave.

She then walked back to Qilin. She was surprised that Qi Chengyue did not follow her.

Regardless of the motive behind Qi Chengyue telling her the truth of her drowning incident, she was still grateful that Qi Chengyue was willing to let her know.

She had a great urge to see Qi Chengzhi, so that she could ask him why he never told her about it.

She felt sorry for the man as he did not even receive a simple thank you before he left. Many years passed, and she did not know that he was the one who saved her.

She could not help but ponder; if she had known that he was the one who saved her, would he be the person that she had fallen for instead?

Song Yu shook her head and chuckled.

It did not sound too plausible as she has always been awed by him, what more, she was only thirteen years old when Qi Chengzhi was already twenty-two. He was already an adult in her eyes, an age that was far beyond her years.

She remembered when she was younger, she did not revere him as much. She was still very naive then, and never feared him. Instead, she kept pestering him around.

As she matured and started becoming more sensible, she feared the way Qi Chengzhi had always put on a profound mien and kept her distance from him.

She could not recall much about the time she spent with Qi Chengzhi when she was younger. She was too young to remember those events. Some of the memories were buried deep down in her heart, they had always existed, but not necessarily remembered.

Maybe, there would be a moment that could revive those sealed memories.

Unknowingly, Song Yu had already walked to the reception while she was still deep in her thoughts. She heard someone calling, “Mrs. Qi!”

Song Yu blinked and regained her senses. She looked towards the direction of the voice in surprise and saw the receptionist blush in embarrassment. She said awkwardly, “I mean…no…Miss Song…”

Song Yu beamed gently to calm the nerves of the receptionist before saying, “Is the director busy?”

“I’m not really sure, I… I’ll call and check, but Miss Song, in the morning, the director ordered to let you in whenever you come,” the receptionist called Cheng Dongge as she spoke.

Suddenly, Song Yu stopped her from doing so. She felt that her arrival was too unexpected. What if she is really disrupting his work?

“It’s fine,” Song Yu said softly. She planned to return to Chengshi.

“Song Yu?”

Song Yu heard a voice from behind. When she turned around, she saw Luo Yushu’s tummy bounce up and down while he scampered over.

“You’re here to see our director? Why are you leaving now?” Luo Yushu ran towards her.

“No, that’s not it. I came here for business. I have to return to Chengshi as I’ve finished my discussion.” Song Yu did not explain the details to Luo Yushu.

“You wanted to meet the director just now, am I right?” Luo Yushu asked.

“Is he busy now?” Song Yu asked in return.

Luo Yushu shook his head immediately. “No, he’s not. We have just ended the headquarters meeting. I came down to buy some coffee. The director should be free now. Let’s go, I’ll lead the way.”

Luo Yushu dared not physically touch Song Yu. He placed his hand behind her back to urge her so that she could not leave.

Before she could even think of leaving, Song Yu was already in front of Qi Chengzhi’s office door thanks to Luo Yushu.

In a swift motion, Cheng Dongge knocked on the door on behalf of Song Yu. He opened the door when he heard Qi Chengzhi’s voice. “Young Master Cheng, Miss Song is here.”

Song Yu was still very embarrassed. She feared that he would be annoyed by her unannounced presence during working hours.

She braced herself as she walked in and the door closed behind her.

“Why are you here?” Qi Chengzhi was surprised to see her when he lifted his head. His charming face failed to conceal his joy.

“I came over to discuss something. I thought that I’ll drop by to see you since I’m already here. Am I disturbing you?” She asked while she stood in her place. She felt a little uneasy for no reason.

She looked at his calm and charming face from afar. She could not help but recall his appearance when he was twenty-two years old.

At this moment, it was as if she had gotten to know him once more. She imagined his twenty-two self holding her when she was thirteen years old. He was in his prime years, full of vigor. Her heartbeat started racing uncontrollably. Suddenly, she was crossed by the fact that she was unconscious and missed the chance to feel what it was like to be held under his arms.

Qi Chengzhi did not answer her question. He leaned back in his chair leisurely and said to her, “Come here.”

Song Yu paused for a moment. She hesitated for a while before dragging herself to the front of the desk.

“Why did you separate yourself from me with the desk?” Qi Chengzhi raised his eyebrows. He was not happy with a wide office desk placed in between them.

Song Yu felt abashed for a moment when she saw a faint smile hanging on the corners of Qi Chengzhi’s mouth. She walked around the office desk and came to him.

His face was right at the position of her abdomen and her soft hands were just beside his arms.

Qi Chengzhi lifted his hand and held hers. He massaged her tender palm all the way to each of her fingers. Song Yu trembled when she felt a thin stream of current spread out from her fingertips, passing through her wrist to her shoulders and then her upper body.

Qi Chengzhi turned the chair to face her, kneading her hand with one hand, the other one wrapped gently around her waist and held her back before pulling her into his arms.

He spread his legs open so that she was clamped in between them. His other hand guided hers by the back of her hand to his back, all the while kneading it lightly. His face was pressed against her abdomen, kissing her through the thin layers of clothing.

“It just so happened that I’m not busy,” he said with a low raspy voice and pressed against her abdomen. The tip of his tongue was prodding at the hem of her shirt, slipping through the slits in between the buttons. He licked her belly button and kept going in circular motions.

Song Yu’s abdomen contracted violently in waves. She was quivering uncontrollably under his tease.

“Qi Chengzhi, we’re in your office.” She used her free hand to push on his shoulder. She wanted to use some force but she could not. Instead, she clutched it tightly.

“No one will enter knowing you’re here. I feel secure with Cheng Dongge guarding outside,” he mumbled while planting wavering kisses on her skin. He inched upwards slowly, along with three slender fingers to unbutton her shirt.

“…” Song Yu’s cheeks were flushed red. She wondered if Cheng Dongge had expected them to do something inappropriate upon her arrival?

Before Song Yu could figure it out, she lowered her head and saw the buttons on her shirt unbuttoned, one by one.

He kissed her chest separated by her bra. With a single push of his hand, she was seated on his lap.

“Qi Chengzhi, stop fooling around.” Song Yu shuddered after being kissed by him.

“I’m not fooling around. I’ve missed you so much since you left this morning,” he said as he continued to caress her soft skin. His voice was throaty and raspy. It sounded like a low note made by a string instrument, vibrating on her skin stroke after stroke.

“If it wasn’t for the poor location, I would’ve had you in the car this morning.” His searing lips grazed her neck and explored further to reach the corner of her sweet mouth. “Luckily you told Chang Lai to pick me up. The fire in me hasn’t died down even after the arrival of Chang Lai. If you hadn’t come here, I would’ve gone over for you in the afternoon.”

“If it wasn’t for the poor location, I would’ve had you in the car this morning.” His searing lips grazed her neck and explored further to reach the corner of her sweet mouth. “Luckily you told Chang Lai to pick me up. The fire in me hasn’t died down even after Chang Lai had arrived. If you hadn’t come here, I would’ve gone over to find you in the afternoon.”

“…” Song Yu did not ask further. If he had planned to find her in the afternoon, he would most likely have brought her to a hotel right away.

Was he in his right mind to find her in the afternoon just for something like that?

As she was deep in her thoughts, she heard the files on the desk were being swept away. Then, she was carried onto the top of the desk.

Before she could even react, he was already on top of her. Her back was against the cool surface of the office desk. She could feel the cool temperature through the thin layer of her shirt. However, it became warm after a short while.

“Hold on…” before he entered her, she pushed him and said, “We have to play safe.”

Qi Chengzhi buried his face into her neck and took in a deep breath before lifting his body slightly. His long arms extended to the side and opened the drawer to take out a packet with aluminium packaging.

Song Yu did not expect him to prepare this in the office. She blushed and poked his chest with her soft fingertips. “Why do you have this prepared in your office?”

She knew that he would never cheat, but she wanted to indulge in her whimsical side and question him since she saw it.

“If I told you that I wanted to have you in this office a long time before, will you believe me?” He chuckled lightly, his throat vibrated with his laughter.

Song Yu blushed immensely. Looking at his serious face, she wondered how he could think of such shameless things all day long!

In the end, she was ravished by him right there on the office desk.

When they were in the middle of it, he suddenly carried her off the table and turned her around so that she was bending over the desk, where he continued to pound her from behind.

This position made her feel a little panicked. She could not help but extend her hand to the back so that she could feel him and calm down. He pounded her so deep that the office desk was covered in both their sweat.

…

…

Finally, Song Yu sprawled lazily in Qi Chengzhi’s arms without any reserve of strength left.

He sat on his swivel chair and adjusted the back so that it was lowered. He laid on top of it while he held Song Yu and massaged her.

He lowered her head to see her blushing cheeks. Her eyes were misted over, looking so demure in his arms.

He could not resist and kissed on her forehead, her eyes, and soon, his burning lips were grazing all over her face.

Just like that, the both of them cuddled tightly on the chair.

Qi Chengzhi could not help but tighten his embrace. Song Yu felt the pressure around her waist. She moved her hands that were originally against his chest to wrap around his neck. When she lifted her head up, she remembered why was she here.

Before she could say anything, Qi Chengzhi spoke, “You said that you’re here to discuss something, but I don’t recall having a problem related to the engineering department.”

Song Yu paused for a moment before saying, “It’s Jian Yi. He lied to me saying that it’s work-related. After I came over, he started telling me that you are going to transfer him to France because you’re guilty.”

Song Yu summarized to Qi Chengzhi about what Jian Yi had told her.

“Before you arrived, he came to find me and rejected the offer to France,” Qi Chengzhi said calmly while he toyed with the ends of her hair. He curled it around his finger before releasing it and kept repeating the motion.

“I met Qi Chengyue after I left his office. She told me something too.” She lifted her head to look at him.

Qi Chengzhi halted his motion of playing with her hair. His thick dark brows frowned slightly. He said in a lowered voice unhappily, “What did she say to you again?”

“Nothing bad.” She subconsciously drew lightly on the back of his neck with her soft fingertips, smearing them with the thin layer of sweat. Her fingers made contact with the straight ends of his hair, giving her a prickly sensation.

“It was about that time when I almost drowned at thirteen years old. For so many years, I’ve always thought that it was Jian Yi who saved me,” Song Yu said. “But now I’ve found out that you were ‘coincidentally’ there, and it seemed that it was someone else who had saved me.”

She lifted her head to look at him. Before he could answer, she recalled the annoying teasing expression that Qi Chengzhi made with his raised eyebrow. She copied him and raised hers, asking, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“So you’ve liked Jian Yi for so many years just because of that incident?” He tightened the hands that were embracing her.

Song Yu was a little embarrassed. She felt like she was being mocked for falling for the wrong person.

“I didn’t know that you thought it was Jian Yi who saved you,” he said. His low raspy voice seemed to accompany a feeling of disappointment. She was not sure if she heard it wrongly.

“I was rushing for my flight that morning. I thought that at least someone would’ve told you about it,” he said while he sighed internally.

“Too bad I was out unconscious. I really wanted to know how the thirteen-year-old me would have felt to be carried by the twenty-two-year-old you,” she said as she sighed regretfully. She buried her face into his arms and sniffed him as she kept on rubbing herself onto him, like an adorable cat curling up against its master.

“Aren’t you being carried by me now?” he said and chuckled.

“It’s different, you’re already an old man who’s thirty-five years old. You still had a young body when you’re twenty-two!” Song Yu tsk-tsked over his question while her soft hands caressed his firm chest ruefully. “You were still a young hunk back then, how can you compare that with your current self?”

Qi Chengzhi made a long face and pinched on her waist. “Are you hating on my age?”

“Ouch! It hurts, you’re so petty!” Song Yu took revenge by pinching him on the waist before she tried to escape.

“Where are you going?” He pulled her back.

“Since you’re so petty and pinched me so painfully, why should I stay here?” Song Yu grabbed his wrist and try to shake him off.

Qi Chengzhi was definitely not letting her go. He embraced her and massaged the place where he pinched her. “Stop it, you pinched me back, didn’t you? Let me massage it. I didn’t even use much strength.

“Look for yourself.” Song Yu raised her shirt and exposed her thin waist. A red mark appeared on her fair skin. “Sigh, men. Oh, how you treasured me when we just got together in the beginning. You couldn’t even bear to touch me with much pressure, let alone pinch me. Look at you now, you really pinched me hard.”

Qi Chengzhi chuckled lightly. “You’re complaining about me? You were so gentle back then, but your temper is getting worse these days. Back then, you wouldn’t dare to retort like this.”

Song Yu blushed and gave up on leaving. In fact, she was just pretending to leave, she was not really trying to pick a fight.

Even though his pinch made a red mark on her waist, it was actually not painful. He controlled his strength as he could not bear to really hurt her.

Song Yu then acted coquettishly like a kitten, rubbing against him while she snuggled into his arms. She rubbed against his chest and said, “Massage me.”

Qi Chengzhi broke into laughter while he massaged her waist. Not only the part where he pinched her but the entire waist since she seemed to be so sore from their previous activity.

Song Yu felt very comfortable under his massage. Her fair cheeks were covered by a tinge of pink, her cheeky face expressed a joyful look with her eyes half-closed, looking so alluring.

Suddenly, she was shoved by Qi Chengzhi while he whispered into her ears with a raspy voice, “You think I’m old? Do you think my thing is as big as my age?”

Song Yu’s face flushed red. She could feel him against her, the sensation together with his words made her feel so embarrassed.

She gently hammered his chest, but he said, “I managed to make you so worn out at this age, are you sure you’ll survive if I was younger?”

“You’re shameless!” Song Yu turned her face and buried it into his chest, not wanting to look at him.

However, when Qi Chengzhi lowered his head, he saw the back of her neck flushed red as well, leaving him to wonder how red her face was.

He still minded that he was much older than her. Therefore, he continued to dwell on this issue.

While he nipped on her delicate skin on her neck with his lips, he asked, “You think that I’m old?”

Song Yu kept her head lowered and did not answer.

He could not resist planting kisses on the reddened skin on her neck. The way she quivered helplessly under his kisses made his heart flutter. His slender fingers crept secretly downward to pull the zipper on her pants and he put himself in.

Song Yu whimpered in surprise. She had never thought that he would just go in without giving any notice. She then shuddered violently when he pushed further into her.

“Am I very old?” he asked.

Song Yu surrendered under his pounding movements and grabbed his shirt. “No.”

“Am I big?” He lowered his head and whispered into her ears.

It took quite some time and a sudden strong push for Song Yu to understand what he was trying to achieve. She blushed and punched his chest without holding her strength. “You bastard!”

Qi Chengzhi chuckled and swiped away the strands that were stuck onto her forehead and cheeks, revealing her delicate, tiny face.

He lowered his head and moved to the back of her ears to lick and nibble. “If you knew that I had saved you back then, would that be the moment that you fall for me?”

Song Yu humphed. “If I had started liking you from then, you probably wouldn’t think that I’m good enough. You would have forgotten about me easily and feel that I’m annoying. You men never know how to treasure things that come so easily.”

Qi Chengzhi hugged her tightly and placed his lips on her head and mumbled, “If I like someone, I would stick to them right from the start.”

Song Yu was stunned for a moment and thought of what Qi Chengyue said.

“I thought that it was just a coincidence. Thinking of it now, it is most likely my big brother went there for you. Yan Beicheng and the few of them said that they wanted to give him a farewell. My big brother chose the place himself. There are so many places to hold a farewell, why did he choose to go to the lake in such wintery weather?”

However, she was only thirteen years old then. She was just a little girl to Qi Chengzhi, how could he fall for her?

“Qi Chengzhi.” Song Yu felt too curious and could not resist asking, “When did you start to have feelings for me? Don’t tell me that you experienced love at first sight during our reunion after so many years. My looks haven’t changed at all. If you had really liked me, it should have been from the very beginning, right?”

Qi Chengzhi glanced at her and said, “What do you feel like eating for lunch?”

“…” Song Yu looked at him, speechless. ‘Doesn’t he feel that the change of topic is too sudden?’ she thought.

“Should we eat here or outside?” he asked again.

Song Yu looked at both of their crumpled clothes. How were they supposed to go in this state?

“Let’s eat here.”

Then, Qi Chengzhi turned his chair and extended his hand to pick up the phone. He asked Cheng Dongge to order food delivery from Dynasty.

After he finished ordering and hung up the phone, Song Yu was not letting him go without his answer. “You still haven’t answered me.”

“About what?” Qi Chengzhi’s expression was very cool as if he had forgotten her question as he played her hair in between her fingers.

Song Yu let out a sigh. “Forget about it.”

She thought about it, there was no point getting so hung up on the issue. She knew that he loved her now.

Qi Chengzhi looked at her for a while before saying, “Are you angry again?”

“No.” Song Yu combed her hair and stood up.

He still did not want to let her go. Song Yu said, “Stop it, they’ll be delivering the food soon. Look at us now.”

Only then Qi Chengzhi released her. He stared at her while she ran to the other corner to smooth out her shirt.

It was not that he did not want to tell her, but he just did not know how to say it. He could not just say that he had chosen her to be the one at such a young age.

What if she saw him as a pervert?

Qi Chengzhi adjusted his clothes in silence and took his phone out. He switched the camera into selfie mode and his face was displayed on the screen.

He looked to the left and to the right, where he posed his face to give a composed look.

“What are you doing?” Song Yu finished adjusting her clothes. Even though there was still some wrinkles, they were much better than before. When she turned around, she saw Qi Chengzhi facing his phone and could not figure out what he was looking at.

Qi Chengzhi immediately turned off the camera and put his phone down before saying calmly, “I was reading some financial news.”

“…” Song Yu did not continue.

…

…

After finishing their lunch, Qi Chengzhi actually planned to let Song Yu accompany him here. Nevertheless, Song Yu insisted on going back to her company. He gave up and drove Song Yu back.

On the way back, Song Yu received a call from Yu Qianying asking them to go home for dinner.

“Mum, hold on for a minute. I’ll ask him if he’s free tonight.” Song Yu covered the speaker and turned her head around to ask Qi Chengzhi, “Do you want to come over tonight?”

Qi Chengzhi nodded his head. “I don’t have any social business tonight. I’ll be able to get off work on time since I don’t have much work to do. We can go over.”

“Mum, we’ll be there. Okay.” Not knowing what Yu Qianying had said to Song Yu over the phone, she glanced at Qi Chengzhi and laughed. “He likes to eat spicy and sour food, such as boiled pork slices, sliced cold chicken and Szechuan crayfish. Oh, he loves to eat sesame sauce fried lettuce, as well as sea urchin and other seafood.”

After hanging up the phone, Song Yu looked at him smilingly and said, “My mum was asking what kind of dishes you like.”

…

…

At night, Qi Chengzhi came out from the elevator and called Song Yu on the cell phone. “Uhm, I’m off work. I’ll come over to pick you. Of course, we can’t be late. Your mum would definitely see me more as her son-in-law and would like me better.”

Jian Yi came out of the elevator next to Qi Chengzhi’s and heard him on the phone.

Qi Chengyue had applied for leave in the afternoon and stayed home today.

In the afternoon, he saw Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu leave the company together. Both of their clothes were a little wrinkled under close observation. Qi Chengzhi was holding Song Yu’s hand so tenderly as if there was no one else around. The way they displayed their affection made Jian Yi’s eyes hurt.

Then, he overheard other company staff saying that Song Yu stayed in Qi Chengzhi’s office the entire afternoon.

The tone of their gossip was rather amorous. When he thought of their slightly crumpled clothes, Jian Yi could already guess what they were doing in the office.

Furthermore, Song Yu was still blushing and her eyes were in a daze.

At that moment, he gnashed his teeth so hard that they almost fell out. He stared at the shadow of Song Yu’s back and was entranced by it.

At that moment, he overheard the phone call between Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu. From their conversation, it seemed like Yu Qianying had already accepted him and treated him as her son-in-law.

It was as if something took over Jian Yi. He followed behind Qi Chengzhi and got into his Cayenne.

The Cayenne was a dowry of Qi Chengyue when she married him. When he was asked to choose a car as her dowry, he thought of Qi Chengzhi’s black Range Rover, it possessed that mature elegance like Qi Chengzhi himself.

He did not know what made him want a sport utility vehicle as well. However, he did not want to have the same car as Qi Chengzhi, and that was the reason he chose this Cayenne.

When he saw Qi Chengzhi’s car moving forward, he grabbed his steering wheel with reddened eyes.

Who gave this man the right to have everything he wanted?

He had already won at the starting line, given that he was born into the Qi family, and now he even got to have Song Yu.

A few days after his return from his honeymoon with Qi Chengyue, he went to visit the Song family. Yu Qianying still treated him politely, she told him awkwardly that he was welcomed to visit again but it would be inconvenient if he still had feelings for Song Yu.

Also, she told him that they had accepted Qi Chengzhi. They thought that Song Yu was living rather happily together with him.

In between those lines, they were hinting Jian Yi that he should avoid coming over to prevent the awkwardness. Song Yu would not be happy if she knew that he visited.

Now, Qi Chengzhi was going to transfer him to France. Who the hell did he think he was, dominating others around as he wished!

Unknowingly, his love and pride were snatched away by Qi Chengzhi.

In front of him, Jian Yi had always felt like he was helpless and despised by others.

The more he thought about it, the more angered he became. He stepped on the accelerator subconsciously and smashed right into Qi Chengzhi’s trunk.

Qi Chengzhi was totally unprepared for this. He was preparing to turn when his car got hit by Jian Yi. His car drifted out and the trunk of his car banged another car on the runway.

Under so many subsequent impacts, Qi Chengzhi’s forehead slammed onto the steering wheel before it flung towards the side and hit the glass window.

Qi Chengzhi was a little dizzy after the crash. He inhaled and opened the door to exit the car. He saw Jian Yi come down as well and took out a cigarette from his pocket. He lit it up and took a drag, squinting his eyes as he looked at Qi Chengzhi.

“Sorry, I got a little carried away while driving,” Jian Yi said calmly as he puffed out a cloud of smoke.

The driver that got involved in the accident came down from the car and shouted at Jian Yi furiously, “How do you drive your car! Are you tired of living? How dare you lose focus while driving! Even if you don’t want to live, don’t drag others down with you!”

“Let the police handle this rear-end incident.” Jian Yi did not bother about the stranger. He took another drag and flicked the ash off.

“How dare you, fu*king show-off!” That man swore as he called the police on his cell phone.

Jian Yi glanced at Qi Chengzhi and laid against the car door of the Range Rover.

The trunk of the Range Rover was dented from the crash. It did not look as pompous as before. Jian Yi took another drag of relief.

“Sorry, I hope I didn’t delay your appointment?”

Qi Chengzhi gave him a scornful look and called Cheng Dongge. He also asked Chang Lai to drive the company’s car out.

Jian Yi was smoking while he listened to his call. His forehead was already injured due to the crash, how could he still act so calmly in such an awful state!

Cheng Dongge and Chang Lai arrived before the police came.

Both of them were shocked by the scene the saw. The Range Rover was very much dented and Qi Chengzhi had injured his forehead.

“Young Master Cheng!” Cheng Dongge took out a tissue. “Your forehead…”

Qi Chengzhi took the tissue from him and ordered inattentively, “You stay here to take care of this. Chang Lai, fetch me to pick Song Yu up.”

“Young Master Cheng, it’s best that you go to the hospital to treat your wound,” Cheng Dongge said.

Anyway, Qi Chengzhi was not seriously hurt. Even though he received two consecutive impacts, it only grazed his forehead. He did not bleed too much, but blood was still oozing out from the wound after he pressed it down with a tissue.

Nevertheless, an impact to the head was no laughing matter. Looking at the state of the Range Rover, the impact was not small. It would complicate things if he got a concussion.

“Don’t bother about it,” Qi Chengzhi said. “Chang Lai, drive.”

Jian Yi threw the cigarette on the floor coldly as he looked at Qi Chengzhi entering the car. He put out the cigarette by stepping on it, but his gaze remained fixated on Qi Chengzhi.

…

…

Song Yu kept waiting beside the road. Normally, Qi Chengzhi would arrive within fifteen minutes. However, the Range Rover was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, there was a Mercedes-Benz S400 approaching her slowly and parked in front of her.

Song Yu did not pay much attention to it as she thought that it was someone else’s car, but she saw Chang Lai coming down from it.

“Miss Song.”

“Chang Lai?” Song Yu was a little surprised. “Where’s your director?”

If Qi Chengzhi could not make it, he should have called her.

“The director is in the car. He was in an accident just now. The Range Rover got hit, that’s why I drove him here,” Chang Lai explained.

Song Yu’s expression changed instantly after hearing what he had said. She opened the back door and entered in a hurry. She was relieved when she saw Qi Chengzhi sitting there.

In fact, she did not know what was she worried about. The fact that Chang Lai told her that Qi Chengzhi was in the car meant that he was all right.

However, her heart still dropped when she heard the word “accident”.

“Chang Lai said that you got into an accident? Are you hur…” before she could even finish the word “hurt”, she saw the wound on the corner of his forehead. It was not bleeding profusely, but there was still drops of blood around it.

“Why didn’t you go to the hospital!” Song Yu panicked when she saw his wound.

“Didn’t I say I will pick you up? It’s just a minor injury, don’t worry,” he said as he pressed a tissue against the wound. Blood seeped through the flimsy piece of material.

“Didn’t I say I will pick you up? It’s just a minor injury, don’t worry,” he said as he pressed a tissue against the wound. Blood seeped through the flimsy material.

“You can’t ignore your injury so that you can pick me up! I’m worried about you, and you are making me worry more by doing this.” Song Yu removed his hand from his head, checking the wound. It was not as bad as she thought it would be. She breathed a sigh of relief.

However, the fact that the bleeding did not stop worried her. “It’s still bleeding. You need to disinfect and stop the bleeding, not just mop it up with a tissue.”

The cut on Qi Chengzhi’s forehead was the size of a Nin Jiom Herbal Cough Syrup bottle top. The wound was small, but it did not stop Song Yu from worrying about it.

Qi Chengzhi masked his pain in hopes of belaying her worries, but she could not stop her emotions as she stared at his handsome face now marred.

It had to have hurt—it was an open wound after all.

Tears welled in her eyes. Qi Chengzhi’s nonchalance made her heart ache.

“Chang Lai, please make a stop at the hospital,” Song Yu’s voice trembled as she spoke.

“It’s fine. I don’t want to be late. It’s the first time your mom has sincerely invited me, and she even prepared my favorite dishes. I don’t want to give a bad impression,” Qi Chengzhi insisted. His face was pale, as he laid back.

“I’m sure my mom will understand,” assured Song Yu as she watched Cheng Lai take the turn that placed them on the path to the hospital.

Qi Chengzhi fell silent, spotting the tears that filled her eyes.

Chang Lai sneaked a glance at the rearview mirror, allowing his curiosity to prevail.

He noted the change in the director’s mannerisms. Before Song Yu had gotten in Qi Chengzhi had been quite energetic, dabbing at the wound with his tissue while assessing the damage through his phone. He even took a few work-related calls.

In the presence of Song Yu, however, all his vigor had evaporated, leaving behind a man weak with suffering who was still trying to brave the injury. It garnered plenty of sympathies.

Chan Lai knew a ruse when he saw one, and this was a rouse. Although, he did doubt its success.

The following conversation placed him in his place.

Song Yu gently slung an arm around his neck, allowing him to gently rest his head on her shoulder. “Does it hurt?”

“It’s bearable. Just a slight headache.” Qi Chengzhi’s baritone voice dipped lower into a pitiful, frail mumble. The weak murmurs against her neck tugged sharply at her heart.

Chang Lai pursed his lips together.

“How did you get into an accident? You’re usually so cautious when you drive.” Song Yu pulled out another tissue and pressed it to the wound.

Qi Chengzhi did not answer. Chang Lai understood his silence, and, thinking on his feet, quickly said, “It was Manager Jian.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with him. The director was making a turn when Manager Jian slammed into the car’s rear. The director’s car swerved and got into a second collision with another car. The injury came from the successive collisions.”

“Is he insane?” Song Yu exclaimed.

“I’m fine,” Qi Chengzhi smiled and pinched Song Yu’s hand.

This reaffirmed Chang Lai’s hypothesis—the director was putting on an act.

A moment later, Qi Chengzhi’s phone rang. It was Cheng Dongge.

“It’s probably the investigation,” Qi Chengzhi said.

“Let me.” Song Yu took the phone. “Special Assistant Cheng, this is Song Yu.”

“Miss Song,” Cheng Dongge greeted audibly while side-eyeing Jian Yi. Jian Yi shot him a look of pure hatred.

“The cause of the accident has been determined to be tailgating,” Cheng Dongge spoke into the phone.

Jian Yi, despite being the cause of the accident, had walked away from the accident without even a scratch to his person or his car. Irrespective of intentions, the damage has been done.

Song Yu bit her lip, “Was it intentional?”

“This… The police have yet to decide. But, in my honest opinion, I think it is.”

…

…

Qi Chengzhi’s wound was promptly treated, upon their arrival at the hospital. After a few questions about the injury, the doctor called for a brain scan.

Song Yu dialed home as she waited.

“Why aren’t you guys back? The dishes are ready,” fussed Yu Qianyin once Song Yu identified herself.

“Qi Chengzhi got into an accident. We’re at the hospital for a check-up. If everything is alright, we should be back soon,” Song Yu explained.

“What happened? Is it serious?” The alarm in Yu Qianyin’s voice was evident.

“It’s not a serious injury, just some bleeding on his forehead. The doctor is conduction a brain scan now to ensure that there are no internal injuries.”

“How did he get into an accident? Tell him to be careful when he drives. Don’t drive recklessly. If someone wants to merge, just let them. His safety is the most important,” lectured Yu Qianyin. This concern was born from her change of perspective. She had finally begun viewing him as her son-in-law.

“He is a cautious driver. Today, whilst he drove to my office, Jian Yi had intentionally rear-ended him,” Song Yu tensed as she spoke of the accident—her anger bubbling beneath the surface.

She heard Yu Qianyin sigh on the other end, “As long as he is safe. We’ll be waiting at home. No rush.”

“Okay. He initially wanted to hide the accident from me because he didn’t want to make you guys wait.” Song Yu plucked at the bunched up fabric of her pants.

“He… That’s nice of him.” Yu Qianyin was touched by the gesture.

…

…

Qi Chengzhi came out of the hospital sporting a bandage on his head. The brain scan showed no signs of any internal injuries.

Song Yu let out a breath of relief and allowed for Chang Lai to send them back to the Song family house.

When they arrived, it was already past dinnertime.

The air was still tonight so some of the children were playing badminton.

Song Yu watched a boy, maybe eight or nine years old, flick his racquet. All the children looked up as the shuttlecock soared into the air.

“Aiya,” a child cried out. Two of the boys ran to the stone plaque. They angled their heads to look up into the branches of the tree growing next to it.

One of the boys tried to haul himself up to the plaque, but it was too tall for a child their height. It reached as high as Qi Chengzhi’s waist.

They tried multiple times, all in vain.

While walking back to her house, Song Yu and Qi Chengzhi passed the two boys. Seeing their unhappy faces, Song Yu asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Sister Song Yu!” A boy cried, recognizing her, “We hit the shuttlecock too hard and it got stuck in the tree.”

He raised his dusty hands and pointed at the shuttlecock lodged between the branches of the looming tree.

Song Yu hesitated. Under normal circumstances, she would have asked Qi Chengzhi to retrieve it.

However, with his recent accident and resultant headache, she did not want to bother him.

Song Yu was the only other adult present, and she could not bring herself to leave without seeing their shuttlecock returned.

She stared at her high heels, then said to Qi Chengzhi, “Can you lift me up onto the plaque? I’ll get the shuttlecock.”

“I’m right here.” Qi Chengzhi locked eyes with her and proceeded to unbutton his jacket.

“You hurt your head. You shouldn’t be climbing up high places,” Song Yu argued, trying to dissuade him.

“It’s not a big deal.” Qi Chengzhi passed Song Yu his coat, unbuttoning the cuffs of his sleeves so he could roll them up before approaching the tablet.

His arm muscles contracted as he pushed his body up onto the stone, the veins beneath them protruding from the effort.

He landed gingerly on the plaque and plucked the shuttlecock from the branches without much difficulty.

The boy jumped in glee and waved his outstretched arms. He thanked Qi Chengzhi with a loud, “Thank you, uncle!”

The shuttlecock, which was about to be passed along, was sharply pulled back. Qi Chengzhi deposited it back into the tree and leaped down.

“Don’t you have any manners? You called her sister but you call me uncle? You may be young, but that doesn’t excuse your lack of politeness.” Qi Chengzhi’s face was stormy when he grabbed Song Yu’s hand and marched away with her, leaving the two boys staring after them with their mouths agape.

When the boys turned and spotted the shuttlecock, they almost cried. Qi Chengzhi had placed it much higher than it originally was.

“They’re just kids. Why are you being so mean?” Song Yu looked back at the children under the tree. She felt terribly sorry for what had just occurred.

“That shuttlecock is their punishment. That way, they will remember their mistake,” Qi Chengzhi said with a stern expression. “A small misdemeanor left unchecked can lead to dire consequences.”

Song Yu had nothing left to say.

…

…

Dinner ended without incident. Yu Qianyin escorted Qi Chengzhi and Song Yu out as they left.

Yu Qianyin waited for them to get into the car and drive off before walking back to her house. On the way, she ran into a neighbor from the next apartment block.

“Madam Yu, was that Song Yu’s boyfriend just now?” The neighbor’s eyes glanced at the car that had exited the driveway.

“Haha, yes it is,” Yu Qianyin replied in a merry tone. She was in a good mood—she no longer had to give a disappointing answer whenever people asked about her daughter’s eligibility. There would be no annoying follow-up whys and hows.

“My son was playing badminton around there just now. He told me that their shuttlecock got stuck on the tree and the man helped them get it down. But just because my son called the man uncle, he placed the shuttlecock back up on the tree. The boy is still young and is learning. Why would he upset a child over such a minor issue? My son had to run back home and get his dad to help retrieve the shuttlecock.” The neighbor shook her head in disapproval.

Yu Qianyin stayed silent.

“You can tell from this small incident that this man is calculative. To me…” the neighbor trailed off after realizing that she had spoken out of turn. She laughed awkwardly, “Please don’t mind my words. See you around.”

Yu Qianyin’s face was hot with shame after hearing the neighbor’s story. The only saving grace was the fact that it was dark so no one could see her bright red face.

She thought of the incident and the behavior which she had come to expect of Qi Chengzhi. She muttered under her breath, “Why don’t you just accept that you are old?”

…

…

Friday rolled around and Qi Chengzhi’s head wound was now a scab. The bandages were no longer required.

The flight was in the afternoon so Qi Chengzhi still had to step in the office that morning.

Song Yu had taken the day off and was dragged to the company by Qi Chengzhi.

She did not want to come to Qilin. While he was working, she had nothing to do but laze around in his office. Furthermore, it would be very awkward when subordinates came to speak to him.

“I would have to make another trip just to fetch you.” Qi Chengzhi shot her a look that hinted at her childishness.

In the end, the two of them stood before Qilin’s main entrance.

When they entered the building, they saw Jian Yi and Qi Chengyue.

The front end of Jian Yi’s car had been damaged, so it had been sent to 4S workshop for repairs. Today, he rode in Qi Chengyue’s Audi TTS.

Qi Chengyue immediately snaked her hand around Jian Yi’s arm. She was worried that he would get into trouble.

Jian Yi frowned but caught Qi Chengyue’s warning look.

“Brother, why is Song Yu here? Is she going to work here? When did you start blurring the lines between work and personal affairs? If the family knew…”

Qi Chengzhi interjected coldly, “If the family knew that Jian Yi drove into my car on purpose…”

Seeing that he had won the argument, Qi Chengzhi turned to leave with Song Yu. Song Yu grabbed his arm and pulled him to a stop.

Qi Chengzhi stared at Song Yu who was shooting daggers at Jian Yi. “Jian Yi, please stop all this nonsense. You’re lucky that it was just a minor injury. If you hurt him again, I will hate you forever!”

“You didn’t tell me that it was intentional,” said Qi Chengyue as she accompanied him to his office. Getting inside, she informed the assistant that there was to be no disturbances and locked the door.

“You believe Qi Chengzhi’s words? He’s just framing me in front of Song Yu.” Jian Yi took out a cigarette and started smoking, after tossing the packet onto the table.

“Jian Yi, just because I didn’t ask you doesn’t mean I didn’t know. I asked Cheng Dongge. There was no way the accident was due to tailgating, not at that stretch of road and at that time. You just rammed straight into his car!” yelled Qi Chengyue. “Did you not hear what Song Yu said? She will hate you forever. You will no longer be a part of her life!”

“This has nothing to do with her. Can you stop bringing her up in every discussion?” Jian Yi sucked in a sharp breath, filling his lungs with smoke.

“Do you think I’m stupid? I know that you still hold her in your heart– that you like her. I also know that you’re only with me for my status, yet I keep telling myself that I can win you over. I’m beautiful, and my love for you is true. Since you picked me, I thought you would be at least a little bit interested in me, and that I could slowly win you over.

“I’ve been telling myself this version of the truth. I know that everyone says I’m irrational and that I’m tyrannizing Song Yu. Did you think me unaware of all your unwanted advances toward her? I didn’t want to acknowledge it; it was much easier to convince myself that she was coming onto you.

“But this has been going on for far too long. Do you even like me?” Qi Chengyue’s tone was icy now, and her gaze was colder still. “Now, since you’ve married me for my status, don’t you think you should be treating me more respectfully? My happiness determines your future, after all.

“Let me put it in a way you’ll understand: your future, in the company, rests in my hands. One word from me and my brother will gladly terminate you. Even if you wanted to start your own business, you’d need my money.

“When you’re with me, and Song Yu appears, please don’t gawk at her. Your attempts to hide our intimacy from her is pointless. Do you think her that naive? We’re married. Do you think she thinks we just lie next to each other in bed and sleep?”

A bitter, sardonic laugh resounded from Qi Chengyue’s throat. “She knew you weren’t completely innocent since the day we began our dalliance. In her eyes, you’re tainted, so who are you acting for really? You keep painting yourself as her knight in shining armor, but now she knows the truth, and she wants nothing to do with you.”

The cigarette burned between Jian Yi’s long fingers. He seemed paralyzed; his eyes downcast, unable to meet hers.

Qi Chengyue approached him. She gently covered the hand that held the cigarette. “Jian Yi, you know that I love you. I never want to use my status against you. All I want is for you to pay more attention to me and let me into your heart. And I’ll give you whatever you want.”

“Yes, I did intentionally bang into Qi Chengzhi’s car. It’s f*cking unfair that he gets whatever he wants by virtue of being born into the right family, while I have to fight for everything. What gives him the right to domineer me? One word from him, and I have to migrate to France. Even if we were to become family, I would still have to watch myself around him.” Jian Yi hissed through gritted teeth.

Qi Chengyue plucked the cigarette from his hand and threw it into the ashtray. She took his hands and released a slow, soft sigh. “Cut down on the smoking, Jian Yi. We want a child. I know you don’t love me, but at least give me some sense of security. Let me know that you are still mine and that you will father my child.”

Jian Yi’s eyebrows fell into a downward slant, and he pulled his hands away. “I told you before that I want to focus on my career. There’s no need to rush into this. We’re still young. Let’s wait until my career is stable.”

“I don’t think having children and a career is mutually exclusive. With my family’s support, it won’t burden you. I’m just worried that you’re using your career as an excuse to not have children. Or…” Qi Chengyue took a shaky breath. “Is it more so that you do not want to have my children?

“Just because you don’t have kids with me doesn’t mean Song Yu will forgive you or love you. Jian Yi, you’re nothing but filth in her eyes. She can’t even stand to look at you now. Stop acting like you’re so faithful; it’s not like you haven’t slept with me.”

She laughed in open derision. “Quit smoking. I don’t know when you began, but it must be recent, so there’s still hope. Once you’re clean, we’ll try for a child. If not, we’ll head to France. It’s the company’s orders. There’s no way out of it unless you resign.

“Remember what I said. Think before you make your decision.” With that final remark, Qi Chengyue turned heel and calmly walked out, away from the office and away from Jian Yi.

Jian Yu clenched his shaking fingers. Slowly, his face bloomed a bright red.

The ashtray sailed through the air and shattered against the office wall.

The ashtray sailed through the air and shattered against the office wall.

…

…

It was not the first time Song Yu visited Paris—she had traveled there twice, back when the Song family saw better days.

At the time, she was still far too young to truly appreciate the City of Love’s true magnificence.

Setting foot in Paris at her current age allowed her to see the city through a whole new lens. Everything seemed new and exciting, as though it was her first time visiting the city.

The city of Paris was full of green-roofed ancient buildings, and the road consisted of time-worn lattice stones. All-in-all, they probably had about a few hundred years’ worth of rich history between them.

On a pavement unfit for high heels, women wore flats as they strolled about with a cigarette between their fingers. An indescribable yet graceful nonchalance characterized their appearance.

The branch company sent over a car to pick them up. Song Yu immersed herself in the scenery while seated inside the car.

They were first dropped off at the hotel, after which Qi Chengzhi went by himself to the company.

Qi Chengzhi’s birthday was coming soon—it fell right on one of the days where they were still in Paris. Song Yu realized that fact only after she had agreed to go with him.

She took out her cellphone and checked the calendar; his birthday was only two days away.

Seizing Qi Chengzhi’s absence, she sorted out their belongings and went to the front desk.

At about half-past five in the evening, Song Yu was heading back to the hotel in a taxi when Qi Chengzhi called, “I’m done. Coming back to pick you up.”

“Everything’s settled?”

“Not yet. The rest will be continued tomorrow.” Qi Chengzhi sensed something odd in her voice. “Where are you?”

“It was a bit boring to be alone, so I went out and looked around,” Song Yu explained as she savored the scenery outside. She saw beauty in every single one of Paris’ buildings, and it seemed to her that each one had their own story to tell.

When the taxi stopped at a red light, Song Yu’s eyes caught sight of an apartment wall that bore the sculpture of a woman. The woman was half-naked from the waist up. Though it was a stone sculpture, there was tremendous attention to detail in the long dress that covered her from the waist down; its intricacies and details were akin to the wing of a cicada, while its realism was truly unparalleled. A slender and full-bodied leg emerged from the folds of the dress.

Naked though the sculpture was, there was nothing inherently sexual about it. On the contrary, it was a genuine embodiment of artistic intention.

Song Yu was mesmerized by the appearance of a dazzling sculpture on such an unassuming building.

“Public security isn’t very good in Paris. If you want to go around tomorrow, wait till I’m back. I’ll get things done as quickly as possible and come back early. If you’re really bored, just take a walk around the hotel, don’t wander far,” Qi Chengzhi pleaded her worriedly.

“Okay.”

Qi Chengzhi was already waiting at the hotel lobby by the time Song Yu arrived.

He was facing the entrance throughout the period he stood there. Europeans were generally tall, but he was no less inferior to them when he stood up straight.

Qi Chengzhi rushed over the instant he saw her. “Why didn’t you tell me you went out?”

“I didn’t go too far, don’t worry.” Song Yu hugged his arm.

“Is there anything you want to get from the room? If there isn’t, we can leave here immediately.” Qi Chengzhi stroked her hair.

“Nope. Let’s go.”

“I actually wanted to bring you to a Michelin star restaurant, and before we left the country, I even told the company in Paris to help us book ahead. Still, it was already fully booked even though they enquired half-a-month in advance.” Qi Chengzhi held her hand and interlinked his fingers with hers. “And that’s because my decision to come here was pretty last-minute. If we were just a few months earlier, we’ll surely be able to book a table.”

“It’s okay. I saw plenty of roadside restaurants when I was out just now. They all look so exquisite. A few small, round tables were placed near the door, and it felt like a really casual and cozy place, especially when I see people seated around it. Just looking at it makes me want to try it out.”

Thus, the two of them took a walk without any destination in mind and chose a restaurant at random. At that time, Paris was warm and not too windy, resulting in a great many people having their meals while seated outside. There was an air of sophistication to just sit there and admire the beautiful scenery against the backdrop of aesthetic architecture.

Song Yu, therefore, chose to sit outside, and they ordered two steaks. As they waited to be served, they saw a few locals either having beer or sipping on champagne. All were chatting softly amongst themselves, and the whole atmosphere just seemed so unrushed and easy-going.

Even though most of the tables were occupied, the environment remained subdued and not at all raucous.

The speed of service, however, was markedly different from back in their country. Everything moved at an incredibly slow pace, with their steaks arriving after close to an hour’s wait.

It was a simple meal: steak topped with a salad of some vegetables and spices that Song Yu was unfamiliar with, as well as a side of thick French fries.

The beauty of its presentation was not reflected in its taste. When Song Yu began eating, she could not help but comment, “Is it because back home they improved the way they cook Western food, or is Western food in the West really that terrible? It’s so charred and so tough. Even though its medium-well, the meat is just so hard to chew on.”

QI Chengzhi took a bite and nodded. “It really doesn’t taste as nice as the ones back home.”

In the end, Song Yu did not manage to fill her belly up too much. They took a stroll and passed by a narrow street, with restaurants and bars lined up on both sides. A silver-haired waiter waved and them and called out, ” Bonjour 1 , au revoir!”

Song Yu giggled out of amusement because he said ‘good morning’ at night.

Since they had yet to satiate their hunger, they bought a doner kebab, which was different from the ones they had back at home. In France, doner kebabs were wrapped in a thin flatbread, with fillings that include fresh vegetables and French fries in addition to the barbecued meat, which was all drizzled in salad dressing and ketchup. It was a large portion.

Qi Chengzhi requested for two plastic forks, and they took turns eating that one kebab.

They returned to the car after that, and the driver brought them to a place where they could watch the Eiffel Tower’s light show.

When the time came, lights were twinkling on full display on the tower. Its diamond-like resplendence enchanted Song Yu.

Qi Chengzhi’s gaze shifted away from the tower and onto Song Yu’s mesmerized face. He planted a gentle kiss on the corner of her lips.

Song Yu turned her head since her attention could no longer be focused on the tower. She admired how intensified Qi Chengzhi’s facial features were in the night, and her hands unknowingly moved over to cup his face.

His face was indistinct in the dark of the night, so she traced her hands slowly all over the stern creases that were present. The more she looked, the more in love she became.

The love she had for him came from within the depths of her heart. She felt it in her bones, and it was so strong that it was impossible for her to extricate herself from it.

If she were to remove it from herself, part of her soul would be removed too.

She tiptoed and kissed his lips slowly.

In her heart, she thought, ‘Oh, how I adore this man… How I adore him so dearly…’

“Qi Chengzhi, I don’t know if I can ever love you less. Being with you for so long makes me love you more and more. My heart aches because of how much I love you, and I hate that the only way I can stop aching for you is if I cut my heart open.” She looked up at him with her blushing-red face.

He looked at her profoundly, his eyes filled with an abundance of warmth. His voice was hoarse when he said, “Keep on loving me more and more. I won’t let you down.”

…

…

On the third day, Qi Chengzhi came out of the company at four in the evening. He made use of that day as well as the two days prior to get everything settled. He wanted to spend the remaining two days exploring the city with Song Yu.

The branch company’s driver picked Qi Chengzhi up, but as Qi Chengzhi looked out the window, he noticed that they were not heading back to the hotel.

The driver said, “Miss Song’s instructions. She’s already waiting for you at the restaurant.

Qi Chengzhi initially wanted to call Song Yu and ask what was going on, but he decided against it and placed his phone away.

He recalled how Song Yu was acting a bit odd the day before. Unease crept into his mind while he was in the company, so he phoned the hotel room. When no one picked up, he tried Song Yu’s cell. It was then that he learned she went out by herself again, and when he asked her where exactly she was, she simply dodged his question.

She was being so secretive that he had no idea what she was up to.

He arrived at the restaurant after nearly an hour in the car.

Qi Chengzhi went down and saw Song Yu standing at the entrance. She was wearing a knee-length gown and a jacket, with her long hair draping over her back and shoulders.

Her beautiful monochrome eyes lit up the instant she laid eyes on him and she flashed him a loving smile.

At that moment, it was as though the only person she could see was him.

Qi Chengzhi paused momentarily because he found himself unable to look away from her eyes. They were filled with utter devotion and loyalty.

‘ From the north comes a ravishing maiden whose beauty stands alone. 2 ‘

That was the first thing that popped into his mind, and immediately after, he saw Song Yu extend a hand toward him.

Qi Chengzhi smiled, for Song Yu’s small gestures were always full of surprises.

If any other woman were to take her place, they would probably be standing there motionless, waiting sheepishly for the man to walk over and escort them.

Song Yu was different—she was the one who offered her hand, wanting to escort him out of her own volition.

Qi Chengzhi sauntered over and extended his hand, which she promptly took, and both of them then went into the restaurant.

With five more minutes to go before the clock struck five, it was still considered early, and there were not too many people there in the restaurant. Only two of the tables were occupied, and even then, they were chatting over wine instead of having a meal.

The couple took their seats and were greeted by a waiter, who lowered his head and whispered something into Song Yu’s ear.

Whispering was an act that required proximity under normal circumstances; such closeness was involuntary and unavoidable, and neither Song Yu nor the waiter read too much into it.

Qi Chengzhi however, was not too pleased that the waiter’s lips were so close to Song Yu’s ear.

He had no idea what the waiter was saying to Song Yu. She turned to look at the time, nodded, then told Qi Chengzhi, “I’ll be back in a moment.”

Then, she disappeared shadily with the waiter before Qi Chengzhi could nod or respond.

He was acutely aware of every single one of Song Yu’s movements. He looked at the clock too but did not sense anything amiss.

As he was trying to contain his temper during the wait, a man dressed in a tuxedo appeared playing a melodious tune on the violin.

The first few measures of the piece were familiar to Qi Chengzhi’s ears, but he was unable to point out what song it was. Perhaps he had heard it before in passing and did not pay much attention to it.

However, Song Yu walked out soon after.

The violinist stepped aside and let Song Yu walk in front of him.

Qi Chengzhi stared at her even though there were a couple of tables separating them.

Her nervousness was apparent since she took a couple of deep breaths before looking up at him. Her shyness had gotten the better of her and she was blushing severely.

“I love you, not only because of your beauty…”

Song Yu’s gentle voice escaped her lips, causing Qi Chengzhi to be so stupefied that he froze like a stone with his eyes fixed on her.

“I love you more and more…

“Every look in your eye touches my heart…

“Because you’ve let me see forever…

“I now understand myself…”

She was singing softly without using a microphone.

Her eyes never shifted away from Qi Chengzhi as she sang; all of her concentration was poured out warmly for him.

With small steps, she advanced forward, with the violinist following close behind her.

The soothing sound of the violin was a perfect complement to her voice.

Even the guests on the other two tables stopped talking and looked at Song Yu.

“All these future days must be treasured…

“Loving me, there will be some pain and unfairness…

“If you really love me…

“It is not an easy decision…”

Some new guests came in, but they seemed to notice that everyone was staring at her, so a few stood at the door because they did not want to interrupt.

Others slowed their steps and looked at her as they went to take their seats.

A waiter came forth and showed them the way, going so far as to gesture to them to avoid disturbing Song Yu.

“I can feel your breath next to my ear, like a deep, gentle breeze…”

“You soothe my unease so gently…

“So, I want to study your smile every day…

“Ohhh, this feels so natural…

” Forever Love, Forever Love 3 …

“I just want to spend my lifetime loving you…

“From now onward, you’ll be the reason for my happiness…

“Love is the most beautiful and longest journey…

“Along the way, rain and mud…

“Might sometimes stop us from going forward…

“I can feel your body heat in my chest…

“Like the warmth of sunshine…

“You magically melt my uneasiness…

“It’s unbelievable, and this is proof of my reasons for loving you…”

Qi Chengzhi’s heart began beating so wildly that it could explode at any time. His breathing became more stifled too. All his eyes could see was Song Yu standing in front of him, singing a love song, in the presence of all those other people around.

He noticed how red she already was, and even though she was incredibly embarrassed, she still sang to him under the watchful gaze of countless eyes.

Song Yu looked at him with an equally warm gaze.

“In this verse of the Wang Leehom song, the author seemed to have made an error with the lyrics. The original lyrics should have read, “Your emotional eyes, my silent voice…”. Whether it was intentional or otherwise, we are retaining what the author wrote and adding a clarification for readers. Your silent voice, my emotional eyes… 4

“It seems to be the greatest evidence…

“So, let me say once more…

“I love you~~

“Forever…”

As she dropped her last note, the violin gracefully produced its final note too. The entire restaurant stood up in applause.

The violinist bowed slightly and chuckled before saying something in French. He then gave the two of them some space.

Song Yu was still nervous when she quietly wished him, “Happy birthday.”

She looked at the clock. “It’s three minutes past five, which means that its precisely three minutes past midnight on the seventeenth back home.”

Qi Chengzhi lowered his gaze at Song Yu’s already flushed face, and his heart was filled with intense emotion.

He placed his hands gently on Song Yu’s waist and pulled her into his embrace, after which he bent down and kissed her on her bright red cheeks.

Eventually, the two of them sat down because they were afraid of disturbing the other guests.

Fortunately, the tables were not too big and they were able to sit especially close to each other, even if they were sitting on opposite sides of the table.

“You remembered my birthday?” Qi Chengzhi’s voice was hoarse, and the way he looked at Song Yu was as though his dominance was going to take her right then and there.

“Didn’t you tell me to remember it when I helped you create your WeChat password?” she asked. Ever since then, she made a mental note of it.

Qi Chengzhi’s hands were on the table, clinging to hers and fiddling with her fingers.

Her words made him so happy that his eyes looked like they were smiling.

“So, this was what you were up to the past two days?” No wonder she was always out.

“Mm. I asked the hotel front desk if there were any good restaurants around. Then I searched one by one until I found one that was not fully booked. At first, they did not agree to my request because they were afraid I would disturb the guests, but the French are just so romantic. When they listened to me explain that this was my boyfriend’s birthday, and the first time we celebrated your birthday together, they said yes immediately. They also didn’t mind too much because I wanted this specific time, and they told me that it wasn’t peak hours so there weren’t too many guests.”

“Thank you.” He massaged her hands and planted a kiss on her fingers, one after the other. “This is the best birthday I’ve ever celebrated.”

Above her bright red cheeks, her eyes lit up instantly. “Really? I’m glad you like it. Before this, I kept thinking of what would be the best birthday present for you. It needs to be really special.”

“I’m happy as long as you’re with me on my birthday.” He kneaded her delicate fingertips gently.

Earlier on, he thought that she had forgotten his birthday. Although she did ask Chang Lai about it, the main reason he thought she forgot was that she initially rejected his proposal to bring her along on his business trip.

Regardless, she did not want to spend his birthday alone out of the country.

Past birthdays usually coincided with him requiring to entertain his clients, so he never had an opportunity to actually celebrate his birthday.

It was either that or having dinner with clients. If, on the off-chance that nothing was going on, he would spend it alone, and no matter how free he was, he was never one to go all sentimental to celebrate such an occasion.

Things had changed since then, and he desperately wanted to spend it with Song Yu. If she was not beside him, a surge of never-before-experienced loneliness would come haunting him.

Thus, he was very insistent that Some Yu went with him.

Even if she forgot his birthday, he would not go to great lengths to remind her. The only thing he wanted was for her to be beside him.

Besides, he had already made up his mind on the perfect present for himself.

Qi Chengzhi’s fingers interlaced with Song Yu’s. He gripped her tight, and his fingertips were touching the back of her hand. “Come closer.”

Song Yu thought that there was something he wanted to tell her, so she leaned forward. Since the table was a bit narrow, she only needed to lean slightly for her to reach the center of the table. She could practically move forward to Qi Chengzhi’s side if she wanted to.

Qi Chengzhi pulled her hand lightly and placed his other hand onto the back of her head. He leaned forward ever so slightly and kissed her on the lips.

Song Yu quivered and began gripping his hand much harder than she had done so moments earlier.

Her grip was so tight that her fingertips could feel the bony structures of his hand.

She felt his tongue caressing hers with force, tickling her somewhat.

Unable to bear the ticklishness anymore, Song Yu let out a couple of moans and initiated further tongue action with him. Despite the added intensity, he upped the ante and kissed her with more vigor.

Unable to bear the ticklishness anymore, Song Yu let out a couple of moans and initiated further tongue action with him. Despite the added intensity, he upped the ante and kissed her with more vigor.

Her lips were swollen and tingly due to his sucking. When he finally broke away from her lips, he was still holding her hand and massaging it gently.

His thin lips were barely an inch away from hers, and he gazed upon her moist red lips. A gentle peck followed soon after and he resumed his seat.

“No one’s ever poured out their heart for me.” Qi Chengzhi said as he fiddled with her fingertips using his slender and well-defined fingers.

Song Yu felt an acrid taste in her throat. She grasped his hand and kissed each finger segment. His finger joints were distinctly visible when his finger was bent slightly, and it made for an extremely handsome sight.

“I’ll pour out my heart more and more for you in the future.” She cupped his handsome hands in hers. “I’ll always be by your side in the future. Every birthday and every celebration too, I’ll spend them all with you. If you are busy, I’ll wait for you. Even if I have to wait until the last second of the day, I’ll celebrate it with you as long as we’re together.”

Qi Chengzhi’s captivating black pupils glimmered with flashes of happiness. “Are you asking me to marry you?”

Song Yu’s face turned red, and she found it impossible to avoid his gaze.

The way he looked at her was as though he was teasing her for being so thick-faced. It was beyond any ordinary woman to make such a promise so eagerly.

In fact, she did not give much thought to it, and her words were simply a reflection of what was on her mind. She did not foresee that her words would hint at something deeper, and in hindsight, it did look like she was too eager to marry him and chain him to herself.

Song Yu grumbled irksomely. She attempted to retract her hand, but Qi Chengzhi kept a firm grip on it.

“It’s understandable that you want to get married to me. What’s there to be ashamed about?”

“I don’t mean it like that!” She blushed. “I didn’t think much of it when I said it, it’s not that I want…”

Her sentence was interrupted by the waiter serving up their dishes. Qi Chengzhi finally let go of her hand and stopped teasing her.

…

…

After dinner, the couple went back to the car, but Song Yu noticed that it was not heading toward the hotel.

“We’re going somewhere,” Qi Chengzhi explained.

“Where?” Song Yu asked curiously.

Qi Chengzhi did not elaborate further, merely kneading her hand before saying, “You’ll know when we get there.”

The car eventually stopped by the side of the road. Qi Chengzhi brought her down from the car and passed through a busy street where both sides were lined with restaurants and bars.

Small round tables were set up outside, with people gathering together for a meal or a chat over some wine.

It looked crowded and hectic because it was a very narrow street.

Song Yu followed him until the very end, to which a church appeared right in front of her eyes.

Astonishment and awe were inevitable for Song Yu. It was the kind of pleasant surprise that was similar to Tao Yuanming’s Peach Blossom Spring, a poem which talked about the wonder that was invoked upon by walking through a small tunnel and discovering an ethereal utopia.

“This is…” Song Yu looked at Qi Chengzhi incredulously, but he dragged her swiftly into the church.

Not a single person was present inside, and the spacious yet empty pews appeared solemn under the gaze of the Virgin Mary.

Qi Chengzhi continued walking her, stopping only at the front. His face was very serious when he turned and looked at her, further enhancing the intimidation that was ever-present on the stern contours of his face.

“I insisted on bringing you with me because I thought you forgot that my birthday was on this date, while I’m in France. If you were back home, we wouldn’t be able to spend it together. Surprisingly you remembered, and I’m really touched because of that. I never intended to remind you actually, because I’ve already prepared a birthday gift for myself.”

Song Yu’s breathing became erratic because deep down, she seemed to know what he was going to say and do.

She then watched him take out an exquisite-looking square box. She gulped out of nervousness but noticed that Qi Chengzhi appeared to be more nervous than she was.

His hands were shaking as he presented the box to her.

Even though his hands were positioned firmly in front of her, the trembles did not go away.

It scarcely occurred to Song Yu that Qi Chengzhi would have his moment of anxiousness. She saw him take a deep breath and focus his energy into opening the box.

Inside was a simple but unique diamond ring. The diamond that was nestled in the setting was square-shaped, and it flickered with resplendence under the light of the church.

Song Yu’s misty eyes looked up and stared at Qi Chengzhi’s handsome face, noticing that the stern creases on his face were a direct result of his anxiousness.

Song Yu felt as though her stomach was tying itself in a knot. This man—who on most days was so self-confident and fearless—turned into a mess because he wanted to ask for her hand in marriage.

“I don’t believe in God, but I believe that there must be a certain amount of solemnness in such a revered place. It’s the same as when we bought our couple rings, I told you that wedding rings are a more solemn affair, and when it comes to asking for your hand in marriage, it is only right that it is even more solemn.

“Song Yu, one girl has been in my heart since forever. I’ve been watching her since she was a baby, up until she grew up into a beautiful woman. I taught her how to write. I watched her fall down when she learned how to walk—she got up, patted the dust off her hands and her knees, then continued walking stubbornly again. I saw her wearing Jixia High School’s uniform, looking as nervous as a little girl when she first stepped foot into the school.

“I watched her grow from that little girl into a beautiful woman, and I’ve seen men the same age look at her with infatuated eyes, which she was oblivious to. I’ve seen the helplessness in her eyes when she looked at me, and I’ve also seen her cry because she was terrified of being helpless. I didn’t know when, but I’ve slowly let her into my heart. Deeper and deeper she went, and it came to a point where I don’t even know how deeply she was embedded in my heart. There’s no way I could ever remove her from my heart. I wanted to wait until she grew up because I want to marry her, but when I finished studying in America and came home, she was already engaged to my little brother.

“Back then I was still young. I didn’t have any say in anything, and I didn’t have any way to stop it from happening. Up until some years later when her family went bankrupt, I wanted to help her, but knowing that she was stubborn and would not accept any form of help, I watched her lead a normal life, and I watched as she disappeared from mine.

“During those years when she wasn’t in my life, I felt like I was the one who let her slip away. I set foot on a complicated road, and I did everything I could just to find her again. Then suddenly, I bumped into her last year, and I told myself that I had to marry her.

“I used my company’s business to get closer to her. I made her flustered and I made her blush. I like seeing how red her face became when she was in my arms; I like the feeling when I kiss her soft skin; I like the warmth I feel when she’s in my arms; I like the softness of her lips; I like how dazed she looks after I kiss her, and I like her little temper when I tease her too much.

“I like that she poured out her heart just to prepare for my birthday; I like that she’s so thick-faced and was brave enough to sing a love song for me right in front of all those people; I like when she can’t help but blurt out things that are usually said by men.

“I want her to be in my arms forever, to be beside me for every birthday, every celebration, and every last second of my entire life. I want her to stand behind me so I can protect her, so she’ll never have to suffer any kind of harm or suffering ever again.”

“Song Yu, will you marry me?”

By then, Song Yu was speechless; she had no idea that he liked her for so long.

What kind of man was able to love a woman for so long? For years, that love never changed, and he did all sorts of things in secret just so he could one day be with her.

She felt as though he had cast the most intricate web—one that was capable of expanding its surface area bit-by-bit—just so one day he could catch her back and have her for himself.

If another man did that to Song Yu, it would strike fear into her and make her feel as though she was being lied to.

That the man was Qi Chengzhi formed the sole reason she teared up for him, knowing that it was exactly the kind of thing he would do. It was a perfectly normal thing for Qi Chengzhi to do, and yet there was no diminishing the emotional impact it had on Song Yu.

Never before was there ever a moment where he felt like letting go of her.

Qi Chengzhi looked at her anxiously. At the very beginning, his confidence was there, since he felt that Song Yu’s love for him was so deep that she would nod enthusiastically and say yes.

When it came to the crux however, his anxiousness was unparalleled.

Song Yu was finally unable to restrain her tears and she threw herself into his embrace. His love was so deep and unwavering that she wondered how long he had been liking her. Was it ten years? Twenty?

It felt as long as time immemorial.

“Song Yu?” He hugged her gently. His voice had turned hoarse due to the anxiousness he felt, and it rang above her head with underlying tones of uncertainty.

“Yes! Yes!” She wrapped her hands around his neck tightly, with no shortage of appreciation and gratitude “Why didn’t you look for me sooner? Why didn’t you tell me a few years earlier? All those years wasted, shortening the time we could spend with each other.”

Song Yu lamented that they met and fell in love so much later than what could have been.

She could never him love enough, not even in her entire lifetime.

A man as magnificent as him was a rare find. Love hid itself well in someone as special and remarkable as he was.

She must have been lucky to cross paths with a man like him during her lifetime. Luckier still was the fact that he fell in love with her.

Even if she loved him with all her heart, she worried that it might not be enough to repay all the care and affection he gave to her.

Why in the world was she ever afraid of him when she was younger?

Things might have turned out much better if she knew that he was the one who saved her when she was thirteen-years-old.

In that way, at least she was able to love him for a few more years.

Qi Chengzhi’s hand went behind his neck and he pulled her left hand down so he could put the ring on her. He interlaced his fingers with hers and grasped it tightly; he was more than pleased to see an engagement ring on her ring finger when he looked down.

He rubbed away the tears on her face and looked at her with loving eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t look for you a few years earlier, and I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you all this earlier. I’m now thirty-five, and I’ll do my very best to live until I’m ninety or a hundred. I want to live until you get tired of me, but even if you do get tired of me, I still want to be with you and live for as long as I can.”

Song Yu’s tears began gushing out from her eyes. She thought about how the duration of their life together would amount to fifty or sixty years at most—she regarded it as being a really short period of time, one that was scarcely enough for her.

“I won’t get tired of you. Even if you have wrinkles all over your face and you can’t open your eyes, or even if your teeth all falls out, I’ll never get tired of you.” She tilted her head downward, pulled his interlacing fingers, and kissed the back of his beautiful hand, all while her tears were falling drop-by-drop onto it.

She never would have imagined that she would one day love a person so strongly that she did not know how best to love him properly. She was afraid that the love she gave him was lacking by even a tiny fraction.

Her only hope was to love him more and more, to give him the best that she could insofar as it was practicable for her to do so.

Although Song Yu was not religious or anything like that, being in such a solemn place—a Catholic church with magnificent art on the ceiling, with the beautiful and compassionate Virgin Mary standing guard—prompted Song Yu to sit down and lace her fingers in prayer. She closed her eyes and prayed that she and Qi Chengzhi would live the rest of their lives with an abundance of love and happiness.

When Song Yu opened her eyes, Qi Chengzhi stretched out his hand to her. “Come, let’s have a wedding ceremony now, just for the two of us. When we get back to B City, we’ll make an even bigger one.”

Song Yu was puzzled, but she put her trust in him and allowed him to bring her to the altar.

Qi Chengzhi held her hand and used his thumb to caress the ring on her ring finger. He then began speaking in complete solemness, “I, Qi Chengzhi, take you, Song Yu, to be my wedded wife. For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, I will love and honor you for all eternity.”

Though he spoke softly, the emptiness of the hall amplified the clarity and resolve in his voice.

Qi Chengzhi eyes gazed warmly at Song Yu after he finished his sentence.

Song Yu looked up at him and said softly, “I, Song Yu, take you, Qi Chengzhi, to be my wedded husband. For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, I will love and honor you for all eternity.”

The absence of a priest saying ‘you may now kiss the bride’ did not hinder Qi Chengzhi from kissing Song Yu. He pulled her into his embrace and kissed her with all his might.

…

…

Although a private exchange of vows in the church did not bind them legally to each other, Song Yu was already feeling as though she and Qi Chengzhi were really married.

In the car, she hugged his arm and asked, “Mr. Qi, can you try calling me Mrs. Qi?”

Qi Chengzhi smiled at her. Even his usually cold eyes were curved and their corners were wrinkled.

“Mrs. Qi, can you try calling me hubby?” He said with a smile; his entire face was practically beaming with happiness.

He initially thought that she would blush and be embarrassed. The blush did manifest, but she looked up at him with all smiles and rested her face on his shoulder, whispering in his ear, “Hubby.”

Her words sent an electrifying numbness from the top of his head to the bottom of his soles. The warm breath that accompanied her words crashed into his ears, making them feel ticklish.

All of a sudden, he pulled her into his embrace and placed his still-smiling lips onto her ears, saying, “If you say this to me when we’re on the bed later, I’ll come immediately.”

His sudden and unexpected lewd teasing made Song Yu blush even harder. Her ear felt scalding-hot due to his rubbing, and it was as if it would go up in smoke under his lips.

At the same time, his warm breath landed on her ears, making her tremble.

“Shameless!” Song Yu could not help but chide softly.

Qi Chengzhi’s lips curled into a smile and he let out a teasing chuckle. His lips then went forth and came in contact with the tip of her nose.

“Qi Chengzhi…” Song Yu called out but was immediately halted by his kneading hand.

“Weren’t you supposed to call me hubby?” Qi Chengzhi brushed against her lips and moved his head to the side. He could not resist kissing the corner of her lips.

His kisses rendered her weak, causing her to lean unstably on his shoulder.

The way she called him ‘hubby’ seemed rather innocuous on the surface, but in truth, she felt extremely embarrassed to say it out loud. She found it too cringey and far less natural than if she called him Qi Chengzhi.

“I’m still…not used to it,” Song Yu whispered.

She had a loving expression despite her befuddled mind and was completely unable to get angry at him; she simply melted under his gaze and felt unable to part ways with him.

“If you call me that more often, you’ll get used to it. I like it when you call me ‘hubby’, and I love to see how red your face becomes when you call me ‘hubby’.” His elegant and masculine palms were incredibly warm when he cupped her face in them and caressed her cheeks.

“You look so young, just like a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old girl. I feel proud to have such a young girl call me ‘hubby’.”

Song Yu could sense the pride in his manner of speaking.

“It’s not like you’re old,” she grumbled while tightening her grip around his waist.

Qi Chengzhi chuckled, “Oh, so I’m not old anymore? I thought someone once said that I was old?”

Song Yu paused and called out lovingly, “Qi Chengzhi.”

He dropped the ‘hubby’ issue and answered firmly, “Hm?”

“When do you want to have children?” She tilted her head up. The lighting in the car was not very good, but it was able to showcase the beauty of his handsome eyes.

“You want one already?” He hugged her tighter.

“It’s not that I really want one. I just feel that it’s something we have to talk about since we’re going to get married.” Her chin rested on his shoulder and she observed his masculine jaw. Tiny bits of stubble was already emerging.

“I’ve told you before.” If you want one, I’ll let you have one. And also, there are times where I’ll imagine how it would feel to be pregnant with your child.”

The brightness in her face was as though she was already pregnant with his child. She was brimming with happiness and love. Qi Chengzhi chuckled and said, “Let’s try tonight then.”

…

…

The car stopped in front of the hotel and Qi Chengzhi helped Song Yu down. He held her left hand and felt the ring on her ring finger.

“Big Brother Chengzhi.” A soft voice was heard just as they entered the lobby. The childlike pamper that could be heard made Song Yu’s hair stand on end.

To their surprise, Yu Keyao was there. She wore a simple windbreaker and a silk dress that reached her knees. Her feet were supported by high heels, and she looked exceptionally stunning.

Song Yu’s first reaction, however, was disbelief: ‘You’re wearing high heels in Paris? Do you no longer want to make use of your legs?’

Qi Chengzhi did not pause in his stride as he held Song Yu’s hand and ignored Yu Keyao. It was like he did not even hear her call his name—Yu Keyao was nothing in his eyes. He continued leading Song Yu to the staircase.

“I heard you’re on a business trip and it coincidentally falls on your birthday. You’ll be alone out here, celebrating your birthday by yourself, so I wanted to come visit you.”

Yu Keyao looked at him with rather lustful eyes and smiled shyly at him. Her fingers gracefully tucked a strand of hair behind her ears.

Qi Chengzhi was the only person in her eyes. Apparently, Song Yu was invisible to her because she did not even have the courtesy to say hi to Song Yu.

“May I ask for your courtesy not to say that in front of my fiancée? Even if I were to stay here alone, it’s very inappropriate for you to come looking for me, Miss Yu,” Qi Chengzhi continued coldly, “I only spend my birthdays with my loved ones. Go home, Miss Yu.”