The first light of dawn broke, and a moist breeze gently swept by, causing the curtains inside the glass window to lift quietly. The cool wind drifted in, heralding the new day from the east.
Lu Muqian had woken up very early. The man lay on his side, his gaze fixed intently on the lovely young girl still fast asleep in his arms.
Perhaps his gaze was too intense, for the girl in his arms began to stir, showing signs of waking.
She first raised her hand to rub her drowsy eyes, but before they were fully open, her gaze collided with the man’s deep, obsidian-like eyes. For a moment, she seemed to hallucinate, seeing her own reflection in his eyes—as if she were the only one in his world at that moment.
“Good morn…?” What was going on? An Yin covered her mouth in shock. She had meant to say “good morning,” but why did her voice sound so hoarse, even deeper than her brother An Chen’s?
“Good morning!” Lu Muqian, seeing her embarrassment, smiled and finished the greeting she hadn’t been able to complete.
“Mmmph… mmmph…!” An Yin pointed at her covered lips while making muffled sounds, trying to get Lu Muqian to explain why her voice was like this and what had happened last night.
And why did her whole body ache so badly with every movement? The pain in her thighs felt as if she had been run over by a wheel.
“Did we… last night…?” A blush crept up An Yin’s cheeks, her face burning brightly even in the early morning.
“Yinyin drank a lot last night, and then we…”
Lu Muqian’s good mood that morning began with teasing An Yin.
He sighed with feigned regret, his tone oddly peculiar. “Yinyin, don’t you remember? What a shame—it was you who took the initiative.”
Judging by An Yin’s reaction, the young lady had likely blacked out from drinking and couldn’t recall the events of the previous night. So, Lu Muqian seized the opportunity to take the lead, spinning his tale first.
“Me? Taking the initiative? How could that be? I would never…” Well, maybe it did sound a bit like her.
“It’s alright if Yinyin doesn’t remember. I can bear it alone.” Ah, the subtle art of feigned innocence from Mr. Lu—who was really the one taking the initiative here?
“Was it really me?”
“Yinyin, you were drunk last night. You insisted on me holding you and refused to let go. If I tried to put you down, you’d cry. So, I had to hold you while you slept. But then you started trying to take off my clothes. If I refused, you’d cry again, so… so…”
Lu Muqian deliberately trailed off, his eyes soft and clear. An Yin couldn’t bring herself to argue further.
“Alright, alright, stop! Don’t say another word.” Blushing, she covered his lips with her hand. Her palm felt scorching hot as his lips brushed against it, sending tingles through her skin.
She quickly pulled her hand away. “I’m sorry. I drank too much last night and took advantage of you. I’ll take responsibility.”
Hearing her words, Lu Muqian’s heart swelled with emotion. Yinyin was so innocent—had she forgotten they were married? Taking responsibility wasn’t something she needed to worry about.
But if she insisted on taking charge, well, that wouldn’t be so bad either.
“There’s no need to take responsibility. After all… I was willing too.” The man pretended to decline.
“Lu Muqian, stop talking! I need to go wash up.”
An Yin leaped out of bed as if fleeing and dashed into the bathroom. She could already imagine how red her face must be. Turning on the faucet, she splashed water on her face first.
…………
After breakfast, An Yin insisted on driving herself to the studio, refusing to share a car with Lu Muqian. The man didn’t press her, knowing she was easily embarrassed, and let her have her way.
Little did An Yin expect that upon arriving at the studio, Jiang Mengyue would be waiting in her office again, determined to find out what Lu Muqian had done to her after she returned home last night.
Could she say it wasn’t Lu Muqian who had done something to her, but rather she who had done something to him?
One embarrassment was enough; Jiang Mengyue was practically asking her to relive it.
Jiang Mengyue burst into laughter, “Hahahaha, Yinyin, you’re that bold?”
An Yin ruffled her hair, “How would I know? I don’t remember anything. Whatever he says goes—it’s not like I’m going to argue about it.”
Seeing the clear, innocent look in Lu Muqian’s eyes this morning, it was clear that An Yin was the one who had pulled up her skirt and refused to take responsibility.
“From now on, no more drinking—at least not so casually.” An Yin had only intended to test her alcohol tolerance again last night.
…………
After the lighthearted moment, it was time for the formal meeting between Han Corporation and An Yin to discuss their collaboration.
Han Corporation was the client, and As Initial Seen Studio was the service provider.
The meeting was scheduled for noon, and An Yin and Jiang Mengyue arrived at Han Corporation right on time.
The meeting was arranged in a conference room, and they were informed they would need to wait a short while.
The other party was considerate and didn’t keep them waiting long. Ten minutes later, the conference room door opened again.
The man leading the way had a handsome face with sharp contours and honest-looking features. His slightly messy hair and mature demeanor made him appear even more grown-up than during his university days. Gone was the youthful innocence, replaced by a weariness and maturity that seemed beyond his years—a clear sign of the sudden responsibilities weighing on his shoulders.
The moment he entered, An Yin recognized him. After all these years—no, after a lifetime—seeing him again, the flutter in her heart from the past was long gone. If there was any feeling left, it was probably just a sense of warmth toward a caring senior.
“President Han, these are the partners from As Initial Seen Studio,” the assistant introduced them.
“Hello, I’m Jiang Mengyue, and this is my partner, An Yin.”
“Hello, I’m Han Xuan, the president of Han Corporation.”
They shook hands briefly, and then he turned to An Yin, “Ah Yin… long time no see.”
“Senior, it’s been a while,” she forced a smile. This… felt awkward.
“President Han, perhaps… we should focus on business first,” Jiang Mengyue interjected to ease the tension.
“Alright!”
The man sat down, leaning back in his chair, crossing his legs, and placing his hands on his thighs as he got straight to the point.
“Han Corporation initiated this collaboration. We have only one requirement: all clothing from your current season must be exclusively under the Han Corporation brand. Other terms are open for negotiation.”
“Understood. We’ve reviewed your company’s requirements. May I ask how long you intend this collaboration to last?”
Jiang Mengyue was certainly interested in the partnership, but she wasn’t blindly eager. She hadn’t yet grasped the other party’s underlying motives.
“Your performance in the recent competition was outstanding, and it’s precisely because of your strengths that we chose to collaborate. Han Corporation proposes the partnership last until after the finals.”
“Oh? I’m not sure I follow, President Han.”
“If you achieve an excellent ranking in the finals, our collaboration will continue afterward.”
“Then… what if we don’t?” Jiang Mengyue had probably already guessed.
“Even if you don’t, our collaboration will still continue after that, though we’ll need to re-sign the contract.”
Re-sign the contract?
“What scheme is President Han plotting this time?”
“It’s no scheme, just a plan focused on one person.” As Han Xuan said this, he was staring at An Yin beside Jiang Mengyue, making it obvious who the target was.
“Alright, our condition is that if Party A violates the contract or engages in any behavior that makes Party B uncomfortable, Party B has the right to terminate the agreement at any time.”
“Naturally.”
Jiang Mengyue turned to look at An Yin, seeking confirmation with her eyes. After receiving a nod, she said, “Good, then if there are no other issues, we can proceed with signing the contract.”