21 – Competing with the Man for the Fish Pond
Yu Ai curled her lips. The internet really was a wonderful thing—just post anything casually, and those who wanted to pay attention to you would naturally see it.
She had merely posted some mundane workday updates, and Zhou Hui couldn’t wait to come find her.
Zhou Hui, waiting downstairs, happened to run into Mo Yihan as he was leaving the company.
He glanced casually at Zhou Hui. Wasn’t this woman somewhat involved with Yu Ai’s husband?
Seeing Mo Yihan look at her, Zhou Hui smiled at him, her heart immediately racing with wild thoughts. Was Mo Yihan interested in her?
Yu Ai came down shortly after. “Xiao Hui.”
Zhou Hui quickly composed herself and put on a smiling face for Yu Ai. “Xiao Ai, are you off work?”
“Yes,” Yu Ai said. “What made you think of coming to see me today?”
Apart from that one time at the company’s annual party, Zhou Hui had never asked the original host out alone before. No wonder she seemed suspicious.
“It’s been so long since we’ve had a meal together. There’s a new trendy spot near your company—let me treat you to dinner.”
Zhou Hui went on recommending the restaurant’s dishes, emphasizing how many positive reviews it had, as if her only intention was really just to share a meal.
“Xiao Ai, how was your trip to Tibet with Ying Yi? Why couldn’t I reach you before?” Zhou Hui had no idea that Yu Ai already knew about her and Ying Yi. Ying Yi had later confessed to her and told her not to contact him again.
Yu Ai blushed shyly. “A Yi and I were having some relationship issues before, so I didn’t bring my phone. We wanted to focus on our time alone together.”
Zhou Hui ate her food, but it tasted like cardboard in her mouth. Even if it was a fish she no longer wanted, it should only die in her fish pond. What was this about releasing it now?
“I saw your company’s CEO. I felt really bad about staining his clothes last time—I’d like to properly apologize to him.”
Zhou Hui steered the conversation toward Mo Yihan. “But it seems like he doesn’t remember me.”
“President Mo isn’t that petty,” Yu Ai feigned ignorance. “This dish is pretty good. I’ll bring A Yi and Xiao Yu here to try it next time.”
Seeing her act this way, Zhou Hui cut straight to the point. “Xiao Ai, do you have your CEO’s contact info? Can you share his WeChat with me? I want to apologize to him personally.”
“Ah?” Yu Ai looked up. “I actually don’t have it. I only have his phone number, but he usually doesn’t answer calls or messages from unknown numbers.”
Zhou Hui sneered inwardly. I’ve seen what’s going on between you two—how could you not have his contact? What a bitch!
Yu Ai took out her phone and unlocked it. “I’ll send you his number, but I don’t know if you’ll be able to reach him.”
Suddenly, she clutched her stomach. “I need to use the restroom first. You can note it down.”
A heaven-sent opportunity! Zhou Hui took the phone gleefully. She exited the screen, opened Yu Ai’s WeChat, and scrolled through all her contacts. There really wasn’t anything.
She refused to believe it. She opened the profiles of every suspicious male contact and checked their moments, but still found nothing.
Afraid that Yu Ai would return from the restroom soon, she quickly memorized Mo Yihan’s phone number.
In the women’s restroom, Yu Ai watched Zhou Hui’s actions through 001’s projection screen and smirked coldly. This woman really wasn’t very bright.
If she hadn’t intentionally given her so much time, Zhou Hui would have likely exposed herself much sooner.
By the time Yu Ai returned from the restroom, her phone was already back on her seat.Zhou Hui barely touched the rest of her meal after obtaining Mo Yihan’s phone number. Distracted, she only wanted to return quickly to verify its authenticity.
After Yu Ai left, Zhou Hui dialed Mo Yihan’s number, but his phone automatically blocked unknown calls.
She then searched for the number on WeChat and found it truly belonged to Mo Yihan, with a profile picture showing his side profile.
She immediately sent a friend request, wondering how Yu Ai could possibly not have Mo Yihan’s WeChat. Were their secret affairs really that well-hidden?
Zhou Hui waited all night and kept checking her phone during class the next day. Despite sending multiple friend requests, he never accepted.
Finally, she tried a different approach. Using her alternate account, she set a profile picture using back view photos of Yu Ai from her friend circle.
After sending the request, it was accepted within seconds.
Mo Yihan had received several friend requests from an unknown account yesterday and assumed his information had been leaked.
When he checked his phone again, another account was adding him, but he immediately recognized the silhouette in the profile picture as Yu Ai. Clearly, both accounts belonged to the same person.
Glancing at Yu Ai sitting across his desk typing on her phone, he smirked mischievously. This little woman—sometimes foolish, yet unexpectedly clever.
She had tried adding him with her alternate account first, which he ignored, then switched back to her main account. Judging by the timestamps of yesterday’s requests, she must have stayed up all night waiting for his approval.
“Typing…” appeared on screen.
‘Hello, brother, how are you~’
Mo Yihan looked up and saw Yu Ai still typing on her phone.
Soon another message arrived.
‘My name is Xiao Ai, like the heart symbol ❤️. What’s your name? Can we be friends?’
Mo Yihan couldn’t suppress his amusement. His little lover actually had such romantic flair?
He didn’t mind playing along and pretending not to know.
He deliberately waited several minutes before replying—in relationships, he always maintained the dominant position, which was why he never initiated adding Yu Ai on WeChat.
‘You can call me Daddy!’
The immediate reply came: ‘Brother sure knows how to joke.’
While waiting for Mo Yihan’s response, Zhou Hui had already browsed through all his Moments posts.
She confirmed it was really him—though there were no full-face photos, his daily life showed him frequenting upscale venues, with even his casual shoes being luxury items.
As someone well-versed in luxury brands, she grew increasingly excited. If she could secure his favor…
Watching Mo Yihan and Zhou Hui’s chat on 001’s display in her mind, Yu Ai nearly laughed aloud.
Daddy? Mo Yihan really had a domineering way of speaking, while Zhou Hui kept humoring him.
She glanced at Mo Yihan, thinking how smug he looked. She hoped he wouldn’t regret it later when he discovered the plain-faced Zhou Hui behind the screen.
Noticing Yu Ai’s glance, Mo Yihan became even more energized. His little lover was definitely pretending—daring to say online what she wouldn’t say to his face.
He’d play along with her act to spare her embarrassment.
The fact that they were in the same room while Yu Ai sent him flirty messages, thinking he was unaware, added an extra layer of amusement for him.
That evening, Mo Yihan carried a resisting Yu Ai into his car.
Afterward, Yu Ai saw over a dozen missed calls on her phone.She sent a message to Ying Yi, saying she was working overtime and would sleep at the company today.
The man beside her complained, “Still have the energy to play with your phone? Seems like you still have strength left?”
Mo Yihan’s voice was teasing and murmured, “One more time? Hmm?”
Yu Ai immediately turned off her phone and closed her eyes. “I’m sleeping.”
“Heh.” The man chuckled softly at the sight of the woman burrowing into the blanket.
“Ding, Mo Yihan’s Affection Points +5.”
…
For a while after that, Yu Ai always made sure to leave right on time, acting as if she was afraid Mo Yihan would drag her into doing something again.
Mo Yihan didn’t say anything about it and even seemed to be in a good mood every day.
Looking at their chat on his phone, Mo Yihan raised an eyebrow with a wicked smile. Just a caged bird—if she wanted to play hard to get, he didn’t mind.