After getting her marriage certificate, Chi Yang immediately dove into her career.
She had just signed a contract and stepped out of the National Museum.
Beneath the shade of green trees stood a figure in a white high-collared cheongsam. A light green agate pendant with pearl tassels swayed gently as she crossed the threshold.
“Ms. Chi.”
The curator of the Dunhuang Hall personally escorted her out. “On behalf of all the staff working on the Dunhuang exhibition, I once again welcome you to the team.”
Chi Yang, rarely so humble, shook hands with the curator.
She smiled gently, “It’s an honor for me to participate in the relief replication of the Dunhuang murals at the National Museum so soon after returning to the country.”
Chi Yang had come today to sign her work contract.
She was a relief mural artist who had just returned to China after completing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze.
Her return wasn’t for the marriage certificate.
Instead, it was because the National Museum had opened a new hall and wanted to replicate the Dunhuang murals in relief form. Chi Yang had received this job offer, which finally prompted her to leave Italy and come back.
The curator of the Dunhuang Hall bid farewell to Chi Yang, agreeing that she would start work the following Monday.
Chi Yang stood there gracefully and elegantly, watching the curator walk away, saying with utmost humility:
“Goodbye, teacher. See you on Monday.”
However, as soon as the curator’s figure disappeared from sight, the previously elegant cheongsam beauty slumped her shoulders in despair. She then hurriedly dashed under a tree, hiding from the sun while calling Jiang Li—
“Sweetie Li.”
She cooed like a little flirt, “Where are you right now? Your dear, adorable Yangyang is about to melt from the heat. Come pick me up quickly and save me~~”
Chi Yang had left home early in the morning.
It was quite cool back then.
She never expected the midday sun to be so scorching.
To make matters worse, she had chosen not to bring an umbrella for today’s cheongsam beauty look. After all, even if she had brought an oil-paper umbrella that matched the cheongsam, it wouldn’t have blocked the sun.
Jiang Li couldn’t stand Chi Yang’s coquettishness. She sighed, “Send me your location, Your Highness.”
Chi Yang quickly sent her location.
Her skin was delicate and couldn’t bear the harsh sun, so she headed to the nearest café to wait.
Jiang Li soon picked her up. “Where to?”
“The mall.”
Chi Yang sprawled lazily in the passenger seat, with none of her earlier elegant beauty demeanor. “Only shopping can soothe my heart, which is about to melt from the sun.”
Jiang Li couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Alright,” she said, turning the steering wheel. “Next time something like this happens, call Xie Youci to pick you up. His company isn’t far from where you work.”
“No way,” Chi Yang pouted disdainfully. “Let’s keep today’s shopping fun and not bring up anything unlucky. No talking about dogs.”
Jiang Li shook her head helplessly.
Just look at them.
These two fought so fiercely, yet there were still media rumors about the Chi and Xie families arranging a marriage. Utterly absurd!
However, an old saying indeed holds true:
Enemies are bound to meet.
In other words—
Just as Chi Yang signed the receipt for her third bag of the day, she looked up and saw Xie Youci, dressed to the nines and looking as flashy as ever.
Xie Youci stood nearly 1.9 meters tall.
Compared to his usual carefree and lazy demeanor, he appeared more refined and restrained in today’s work setting.
He wore a well-tailored black suit.Beneath the finely tailored jacket were broad shoulders and a narrow waist that exuded masculinity, paired with a white shirt and black vest inside. At the collar was a low-key silver-white button, and the cufflinks had been carefully chosen as well.
Though his expression remained as arrogant as ever.
The outfit, however, unexpectedly highlighted a gentlemanly air of nobility that seemed to emanate from his very bones.
Chi Yang’s smile froze.
Xie Youci happened to glance over inadvertently, his gaze lingering, and their eyes met by chance.
He raised an eyebrow slightly.
Then, unhurriedly, he turned to face her directly.
His lips curled into a faint, sharp-edged smile.
Gritting his teeth, his tone was filled with resentment.
“It’s been a long time, hasn’t it—”
“Chi. Er. Er.”
Chi Yang inwardly cursed her bad luck. It was supposed to be a happy day of shopping, and she had even deliberately avoided staying at the marital home, yet she never expected to run into him here.
Just then, Xue Rang also turned to look over, “Huh? Chi Xiaoyang! Xiao Tianli! What a coincidence, you’re here too!”
“Yeah,” Chi Yang crossed her arms.
Her gaze swept past Xie Youci with an air of arrogance, “Narrow paths lead to encounters, and enemies are bound to cross paths.”
“Miss Chi seems to be living quite comfortably outside lately, doesn’t she?”
“Isn’t that just giving Mr. Xie his freedom?”
“Well, I must thank Miss Chi for her gentle consideration.”
“Hmph, you’re welcome.”
“…”
When enemies meet, the atmosphere turns strange.
As soon as Chi Yang and Xie Youci exchanged words, the energy between them seemed to crackle like sparks.
Xue Rang and Jiang Li huddled to the side, whispering, “What are they arguing about? Why can’t I understand?”
“No idea,” Jiang Li shook her head. “But I feel like… Brother Ci’s current state… somehow reminds me of a resentful husband who’s been left alone for too long, feeling empty and lonely.”
“Huh?” Xue Rang was shocked. “That description fits Brother Ci? But now that you mention it, it does seem kind of accurate…”
However, the two of them ultimately dismissed the idea with a wave of their hands, “Nah! Just wild guesses! How could that possibly be the case with them?”
Chi Yang and Xie Youci each turned their heads away.
No longer paying any attention to the other.
Xue Rang grinned foolishly, “By the way, have you two eaten yet? How about joining us? My treat!”
Chi Yang: “…”
Jiang Li: “…”
She turned to Xue Rang with a polite smile: Thanks, but no thanks. Please just let them go their separate ways.
But once Xue Rang had spoken, it was too late to take it back.
Xie Youci even added leisurely, “Sure.”
Fifteen minutes later.
Chi Yang found herself forced to sit at the same dining table with Xie Youci, her plastic husband whom she hadn’t seen in days.
The atmosphere remained tense and confrontational.
Xue Rang chimed in from the side, “Order, order! This restaurant is amazing! You can’t go wrong with anything here!”
But neither Chi Yang nor Xie Youci made a move.
Chi Yang leaned back softly, resting her elbow on the table, her fingertips tapping her cheek idly as she looked up at him.
Xie Youci, on the other hand, sat with his legs crossed casually, his dark eyes still harboring a trace of resentment.
Xue Rang: “…”
He glanced at Chi Yang, then at Xie Youci, and finally grabbed the menu, “Fine! I’ll order!”
Jiang Li sat quietly beside them, sipping water without daring to say a word. She felt like she was going crazy—the more she looked at Xie Youci, the more he seemed like a resentful puppy, as if he were complaining that Chi Yang hadn’t come home in a long time…
What a ghost story, what a ghost story.
What home do these two even have?!
Jiang Li stood up, “Um, I’m going to the restroom.”It must be the scorching heat making her dizzy enough to think such thoughts; she needed to splash some water on her face to cool down and clear her head.
Xue Rang looked up at her blankly. “Hey, perfect timing. I need to go to the front hall to pick out some seafood too.”
After saying this, he paused for a moment.
Then he turned his head to warn the two of them, “While Jiang Li and I are away, you two better not sneak in another argument!”
Xie Youci: “Depends on my mood.”
Chi Yang: “I’ll try.”
Jiang Li and Xue Rang stood up, ready to leave.
Chi Yang watched them go with a charming, radiant smile, but the moment the door closed, her expression instantly dropped. She lifted her foot and kicked the opposite leg with her high heel.
“Xie Youci!”
Chi Yang looked vividly angry. “Why did you agree to have dinner with Xue Rang? What if we get exposed?”