Night fell, and the city lights came on, their dazzling, shimmering neon glow converging into a long river of light—a world of luxury and indulgence…
Before the expansive floor-to-ceiling window stood a man who had been there for who knows how long, holding a phone in his hand. Just before the screen went dark, a message from someone appeared:
“Ji Xueli is back.”
How ironic. He hadn’t known when she left, and now he was just as clueless about her return.
Ji Yanzhou clenched his fist, his dark eyes fixed on the bustling city outside. He seemed enveloped in darkness, like a cold, unfeeling statue, untouched by the noise and glamour of the world.
Three years… She had been gone for three whole years.
To say he didn’t resent her would be a lie; to say he had moved on would be just as false.
If anything, he had been holding onto a knot of anger inside him all this time. He couldn’t understand—with what kind of feelings, with what state of mind had she abandoned the three years they had spent together and fled abroad?
Click.
The lights turned on, momentarily blinding him and worsening his already foul mood.
“President Ji, it’s time to leave.” A clear, feminine voice reached him.
Ji Yanzhou turned around. The familiar features of the woman before him only made him feel more irritated. His voice was icy. “Who gave you permission to come in directly?”
Xie Yujun was taken aback for a moment. Seeing his displeased expression, she paused before replying, “I’m sorry, President Ji. I’ll head out now.”
Ji Yanzhou was in an exceptionally bad mood. He didn’t respond. Instead, he pulled out a cigarette case and lit one, needing something to numb himself.
Smoke filled the air, blurring his handsome features. Xie Yujun didn’t know why his mood had suddenly soured so much, but she knew better than to pry. She closed the door behind her and left.
She had never seen Ji Yanzhou like this before—dejected, restless, and agitated… Could it be because the deal fell through?
Lost in thought, she stepped into the elevator but then hesitated and stepped back out.
Inside the office, Ji Yanzhou remained standing in the same spot. He looked at another message from Cheng Du—a string of phone numbers. Cheng Du hadn’t said whose number it was, but Ji Yanzhou knew all too well.
The cigarette between his fingers continued to burn, mirroring the turmoil and restlessness in his heart.
As time ticked by, he stubbed out the cigarette. Just as his slender fingers touched the screen, the door opened again.
Ji Yanzhou looked up, and at the same moment, his finger accidentally slipped, dialing the number. The person outside walked in.
“Ji Yanzhou, want to grab a drink?” Xie Yujun asked him.
At that very moment, the call connected, and a voice he had once cherished and knew so well came through: “Hello? Who is this?”
The woman’s voice was cool and pleasant. Though it was just a single word, it was enough to send a jolt through Ji Yanzhou, so much so that he didn’t hear what the person in front of him had said.
He remained silent, frozen in place.
The woman’s puzzled voice sounded again: “Hmm? No one there? I’ll hang up then.”
She seemed about to say something more, but he had already ended the call.
Xie Yujun watched the man before her. He seemed somewhat disheveled, but more than anything, there was a sense of self-mockery about him…
Ji Yanzhou’s gaze was cold and mocking. Back when Ji Xueli had gone abroad, she had changed all her contact information…
After a moment, his eyes finally settled on Xie Yujun. “What are you doing here?”
“Asking you out for a drink,” Xie Yujun replied.
For some reason, she felt that the call he had just hung up was incredibly important to him…
“Not in the mood,” Ji Yanzhou said, picking up his coat as he prepared to leave.
“Don’t forget, you still owe me one.”
Ji Yanzhou didn’t pause his steps: “Then keep up.”
Meanwhile, on the other end, Ji Xueli, who had been inexplicably hung up on, cursed at her phone a few times.
“What a weirdo…” She had been worried it might be someone the original owner knew, so she had been cautious and didn’t dare speak carelessly. Turns out it really was just a prank call.
Ji Xueli tossed her phone aside and prepared to go back to sleep.