“Mom, he’s my good friend—Xu Ziyang.”
Hearing this, Wen Yao lowered her head to look. The little boy beside her was slightly taller than Xinxin, but just as thin.
Xing Yu looked up when he heard the voice and saw Wen Yao.
“You brought your daughter to watch a movie?”
Wen Yao lifted her head to look at him, forcing herself to stay calm as she nodded.
“Mm, it’s the weekend.”
While lining up for ticket checking, the two of them entered one after the other with their children.
Although it was the weekend, there weren’t many people at the cinema.
After entering, Wen Xin looked up.
“Mom, I want to sit with Xu Ziyang.”
Wen Yao said gently, “Xinxin, our सीट numbers aren’t together, so we can’t sit together.”
“Ah?” Wen Xin looked disappointed. “Then what should we do?”
Hearing this, Xing Yu took out his phone, opened the ticketing app, checked the seating for the screening, and then looked up at her.
“There aren’t many people today. Row 14 has four empty seats together.”
Row 14 was the second-to-last row—quite suitable for children to watch from.
Although Wen Yao didn’t want to sit with Xing Yu, she also didn’t want Xinxin to feel disappointed, so she nodded.
“Okay.”
Wen Xin and Xu Ziyang were delighted to hear they could sit together. Holding hands, they followed Xing Yu to Row 14.
Wen Yao followed behind. She saw Wen Xin and Xu Ziyang sitting together, with Xing Yu seated next to Xinxin—leaving only the empty seat beside him.
She hesitated for a moment before sitting down next to him.
Lowering her gaze to the popcorn in her hand, she turned her head toward Xinxin and handed it over.
With Xing Yu between them, their bodies inevitably brushed against each other.
“Xinxin, take the popcorn.”
Wen Yao hadn’t tied her hair today. As she leaned forward, her long black hair fell with the motion, brushing against the back of Xing Yu’s hand—soft and silky like satin.
Wen Xin was chatting with Xu Ziyang and didn’t hear her.
“I’ll pass it to her,” Xing Yu said, taking the popcorn from her hand and handing it to Wen Xin.
“Xinxin, popcorn.”
Seeing her favorite snack, Wen Xin reached out with both hands to hold it. She looked up at Xing Yu.
“Uncle, are you Xu Ziyang’s dad?”
Xing Yu replied, “No. I’m Xu Ziyang’s father’s comrade-in-arms.”
When Wen Yao saw them talking, her heart leapt to her throat. Wen Xin had a lively personality—even with strangers, she could easily start chatting.
She was afraid Wen Xin might let something slip—like her name.
Wen Xin not only knew her name, she could even write it.
She knew her preferences, her birthday—
even what she was afraid of.
Fortunately, the movie started at that moment. Wen Xin loved this animated series and always watched it very attentively.
Seeing her daughter’s eyes fixed on the screen, Wen Yao finally withdrew her gaze. But with Xing Yu sitting beside her, her body remained stiff, unable to relax.
Animated movies belonged to children—the cheerful and humorous plot drew bursts of laughter.
But Wen Yao felt as if she were sitting on pins and needles. Glancing at Wen Xin and seeing her happily absorbed, she finally stood up and left.
In the restroom, Wen Yao turned on the tap, cupped some water in her hands, and splashed her face. The early summer water was slightly cool. After washing, she took out a tissue and wiped the droplets from her cheeks.
Looking at herself in the mirror, she felt somewhat relieved that she had changed so much—so much that Xing Yu didn’t recognize her.
Still, she couldn’t help but feel afraid.
She threw the tissue into the trash and walked out of the restroom.
On the way back to the theater, part of the corridor was very dark.
At a corner, someone suddenly walked out. Wen Yao didn’t see in time and bumped straight into him. His chest was firm, and the impact made her nose sting.
That was when she realized she had bumped into a man. Startled, she instinctively stepped back, but lost her balance and began to fall.
“Ah!”
“Careful!”
Just as Wen Yao was about to fall, a strong arm wrapped around her and pulled her into an embrace.
Xing Yu, having a special forces background, reacted quickly. An ordinary person wouldn’t have been able to catch her in time.
They were now very close. The person in his arms felt almost boneless—her slender waist soft and delicate.
A faint orchid fragrance drifted into his nose.
It was a scent Xing Yu was very familiar with. Back then, Wen Yao had used shampoo with the same orchid fragrance—he had smelled it for two years.
It was rich yet fresh, subtle and pleasant.
Unable to resist, Xing Yu leaned closer to inhale again. The more he smelled it, the more it reminded him of Wen Yao.
Wen Yao was still shaken. She had nearly fallen just now. Not long ago, her calf had only just recovered from being hit by an electric scooter—she had limped for days.
After steadying herself, she realized the man was still holding her—his arm around her waist tightly.
She didn’t know if it was her imagination, but it felt like Xing Yu was holding her.
Wen Yao found herself ridiculous—just a hint of familiarity, and she was already thinking of Xing Yu.
She tried to push him away with both hands. “You can let go of me now.”
The lighting here was very dim—so dim that she couldn’t see his face clearly. But from his voice, he had already guessed that she was Xinxin’s mother.
“Mm.” Xing Yu loosened his grip.
Freed from his hold, Wen Yao stepped back two paces. Feeling awkward, she said nothing and walked straight into the theater.
Xing Yu turned to look at the retreating figure in the darkness. For a brief moment just now, he had thought she was Wen Yao.
After the movie ended, seeing how happy her daughter was, Wen Yao knew bringing her to the cinema had been the right choice. She just hadn’t expected to run into Xing Yu.
When Xing Yu looked at her, he noticed that her attention was entirely on Xinxin.
“We’ve met a few times now—we can be considered acquaintances. I still don’t know your name.”
Hearing this, Wen Yao instinctively tightened her grip on her handbag. In front of her daughter, she couldn’t just casually make up a name. Even if she did, what if they ran into each other again in the future?
She forced herself to remain calm and looked at Xing Yu. “My name is Wen Yao.”
Xing Yu’s gaze froze for a moment, as if he couldn’t quite believe it. “You’re Wen Yao?”
Wen Yao clenched the strap of her bag tightly, her heart pounding as if it would leap out of her chest. “Wen as in ‘temperature,’ Yao as in the jade beside ‘king.’ Wen Yao.”
A trace of disappointment flickered in Xing Yu’s eyes. Just now, he had misheard it as Wen Yao (窈).
Of course—if she were that Wen Yao, how could she not recognize him?
And she wouldn’t look at him with such unfamiliar eyes.
“That’s a nice name,” Xing Yu said, then looked at Wen Xin. “Xinxin, how about Uncle treats you to McDonald’s? Xu Ziyang is going too. Do you want to come?”
At the mention of McDonald’s, Xinxin’s eyes lit up. She didn’t nod right away but instead looked up at Wen Yao expectantly. “Mommy, can I go?”
Wen Yao spoke gently, “Xinxin, we still have things to do when we get home. If you want, Mommy can buy it for you later, okay?”
Xinxin looked a little disappointed but still nodded obediently. “Okay.”
Xing Yu could tell she really wanted to go. He turned to Wen Yao. “Let her come along. She’ll be happier eating with Xu Ziyang. I’ll bring her back after.”
Wen Yao knew her daughter wanted to go with her friend, but she didn’t want to have too much to do with Xing Yu.
“No, we’re heading home now.” She took her daughter’s hand. “Xinxin, say goodbye to Uncle Xing and Xu Ziyang.”
Xinxin waved at them. “Goodbye, Uncle Xing. Bye-bye, Xu Ziyang.”
Wen Yao led her daughter away.
Xinxin looked up. “Mommy, why did you lie? Didn’t you say lying isn’t what good children do? If Mommy lies, then you’re not a good adult.”
Wen Yao felt a bit helpless. Having such a smart daughter could be troublesome too.
After taking Xu Ziyang to McDonald’s and buying him some toys, Xing Yu finally sent him home.
Xu Ziyang’s grandmother was sixty years old, her hair already streaked with gray, making her look closer to seventy.
By the time they reached the hospital, the sun was already setting.
Attending Physician’s Office
“Her condition has deteriorated too quickly. If she had come for treatment half a year earlier, there would still have been some hope.”
Xing Yu took the payment slip and paid the medical fees first. Then he walked into the ward and saw the woman on the hospital bed—so thin she was little more than skin and bones.
Thinking of what the doctor had said, he frowned deeply.
He and Xu Ziyang’s father, Xu Cheng, had been comrades-in-arms—brothers who had faced life and death together.
Xu Cheng had died two years ago during a mission.
The woman on the bed opened her eyes. Seeing Xing Yu standing there, she parted her lips weakly. “…Ziyang, he…”
Xing Yu already knew what she wanted to say and gave a solemn promise. “Don’t worry. I will take care of Xu Ziyang and raise him well. He’ll grow up to be a strong and upright man, just like his father.”
Hearing this, the worry in her eyes seemed to fade, replaced by relief.
Monday arrived—the day the new CEO would take office.
Wen Yao had almost forgotten about it until the manager notified them to go downstairs to welcome the new CEO.
In the spacious lobby, nearly all the company employees had gathered—except for the cleaning staff.
“The vice president’s dark circles look terrible. He must’ve been so angry he couldn’t sleep last night,” Li Shu whispered close to Wen Yao’s ear.
Wen Yao couldn’t help but laugh softly. “That’s only natural.”
Up close, Li Shu stared at Wen Yao’s face—fair and delicate. She couldn’t resist reaching out to touch it, then pinching it lightly. When she withdrew her hand, she was surprised to find no trace of makeup on her fingertips.
“Wen Yao, you’re actually bare-faced!”
“I’m wearing lipstick,” Wen Yao replied.
“That shade is so light it might as well be nothing,” Li Shu said, looking at her again with envy. “Your skin is so fair and soft, and you’re so pretty. I really wish I were a man.”
At the company entrance, a brand-new black Cayenne slowly pulled up. The car door opened, revealing a long leg clad in black suit pants. Then a tall figure stepped out.
His tailored suit accentuated his straight, lean frame.
When Wen Yao saw that familiar face, the smile on her face froze, replaced by shock.
How could it be him?
The newly appointed CEO was… Xing Yu.