Сhарtеr 1: It Wаs His Cаr
[Intеrnаtiоnаlly renownеd рianist Yin En Yu (Yvоnne) has соnсludеd hеr Еuroреаn tоur and offiсially announсеd that shе will shift hеr fосus bаck tо hеr hоme cоuntrу…]
At twо in the afternоon, а flight from London tо Shanghаi landеd smоothly аt Terminal 1 оf thе intеrnаtional аirроrt.
А gracеful yоung woman еmerged frоm the eхit.
She wore а сrеam-соlored laсe-trimmеd drеss that cinсhed her slеnder wаist, with flаrеd sleеves that drаped lightlу. Lооse, voluminous dark tea-colоrеd curls cascаdеd down her baсk.
Аround her porcelain-like neck was a delicate choker of the same color, adorned with camellias.
Her aura was pure and elegant, like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting, untouched by the dust of the world.
Yin En Yu walked outside the airport, where a gentle breeze, neither too cool nor too warm, brushed through her hair and skirt.
Her close friend Wan Tang had been waiting for her for quite some time. Spotting her, Wan Tang immediately opened the car door, stepped out, and hurried over, embracing her warmly.
“Welcome back to the country, our great pianist.”
A smile spread across Yin En Yu’s lips. “Have you been waiting long?”
Her voice was soft as silk, gentle and warm like the weather in May, yet not cold.
“No amount of waiting for you is too long.” Wan Tang blurted out the cheesy line.
She reached for the limited-edition bag in Yin En Yu’s hand, her tone deliberately exaggerated. “Give it to me, quick! These precious hands of yours shouldn’t be carrying bags.”
At these words, Yin En Yu’s thoughts drifted to a distant memory.
Once, someone had said the same thing to her, unwilling to let her do any heavy work.
Whenever they went out, her bag was always carried by that person.
A trace of bitterness filled Yin En Yu’s heart, but her expression remained calm, her voice steady, revealing no hint of her emotions.
“It’s not that exaggerated.”
Her bag only contained a few essentials for the long flight and wasn’t heavy at all.
The rest of her belongings had been packed by her assistant a few days earlier and shipped back to the country by air.
Wan Tang paid no mind, slinging the bag over her own shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I’m happy to carry your bag.”
“I told you before, I wanted to apply to be your assistant, but you actually refused.”
The corners of Yin En Yu’s lips lifted slightly, half in jest. “How could I possibly afford to hire the esteemed Miss Wan as my assistant?”
Wan Tang waved her hand dismissively. “I don’t need a salary. Just share half your bed with me at night and let me sleep holding you.”
She leaned in, sniffing Yin En Yu’s scent—a faint milky fragrance mixed with the fresh aroma of white flowers, carrying a hint of sweet allure.
Wan Tang narrowed her eyes, her tone playful. “So fragrant~”
Who could resist getting close to such a warm, fragrant, and delicate beauty?
Yin En Yu tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “If you like it, I’ll give you a bottle of the same perfume another day.”
“Sounds good.” Wan Tang accepted without hesitation.
The two walked toward the parking area ahead. The car Wan Tang had driven to pick her up was a rose-red Ferrari.
Wan Tang pressed the car key, settled into the driver’s seat, and pulled the seatbelt beside her, fastening it.
As she was about to start the car, she noticed Yin En Yu still standing outside and asked curiously, “What’s wrong?”
Yin En Yu glanced around at the bustling crowd of hurried, unfamiliar travelers.
She shook her head, opened the car door, and got in. “It’s nothing.”
She couldn’t shake the feeling that somewhere in the shadows, a pair of eyes was fixed on her.Perhaps she was overthinking it. Her return to the country hadn’t been made public; aside from her family, only Wan Tang knew about it.
The car headed toward the bustling city center. The sky was clear and azure, and the plane trees lining the road had quietly donned fresh green leaves as the seasons shifted.
Wan Tang glanced at her from the corner of her eye. “So you won’t be going abroad anymore?”
Her best friend had left right after high school and had spent a full six years overseas.
She had only returned a handful of times in between, each visit lasting just a few short days, never giving them enough time to properly catch up.
A few months ago, after completing her master’s degree without a moment’s rest, she had plunged straight into a hectic touring schedule.
This time, they had finally managed to bring her back.
Yin En Yu tilted her head. “If there are no performances, I probably won’t go abroad.”
“Then we’ll get to spend a lot more time together from now on.” Wan Tang’s voice was tinged with excitement.
The traffic light ahead turned red. She stepped on the brake and took a closer look at the person in the passenger seat.
Her features were delicate, her skin fair and cool-toned. The corners of her eyes curved slightly, and her gaze was bright and clear, like a pool of spring water—both pure and alluring.
Looking at her, the phrase “white moonlight” suddenly popped into Wan Tang’s mind.
Wasn’t she exactly that for someone?
Elegant as an orchid, with talent as rich as an immortal’s—who wouldn’t love such a beauty?
“You should take some proper time to rest now,” Wan Tang said, pinching Yin En Yu’s cheek. “Look at this little face—there’s no meat on it.”
Being the youngest pianist on the current charts was no easy feat.
Behind it lay countless days and nights of persistence and hard work.
Wan Tang had seen her tirelessly polish every note, over and over again, striving for perfection.
From childhood to now, at twenty-four, that same dedication and perseverance had remained unwavering for two whole decades.
Yin En Yu lazily lifted her eyelids, her long, curled lashes fluttering toward Wan Tang. “Isn’t that a good thing?”
Then she answered, “I have a solo recital at the Grand Theater next Friday.”
“After that performance, I’ll take some time off.”
It was about time she allowed herself to relax a little.
Hearing this, Wan Tang immediately said, “I’ll definitely be there to support you.”
“Alright.” Yin En Yu smiled softly. “I’ll reserve the best seat for you.”
On the congested road, cars streamed past endlessly.
Yin En Yu turned her head listlessly toward the car window, watching the street scenes flash by.
Suddenly, a gleaming black Pagani appeared in her line of sight, pulling up right beside her.
The car’s body was mirror-like, reflecting dazzling light under the sun.
Yin En Yu’s heart skipped a beat. She unconsciously straightened her posture, staring blankly at the car.
This car… it seemed like his.
But the other car’s windows were tightly shut, the dark glass making it impossible to see who was inside.
Wan Tang, who had been talking to Yin En Yu, noticed her lack of response and glanced over. “En En, what are you looking at?”
Yin En Yu snapped out of her tangled thoughts and withdrew her gaze. “Nothing.”
“What were you saying to me just now?”
Wan Tang repeated her earlier words. “I asked if you wanted to grab something to eat first.”
Yin En Yu pursed her lips. “Let’s just go home first. I’m not very hungry right now.”
“Alright.”
The crowded road finally began to ease up. Wan Tang gently pressed the accelerator, slowly picking up speed.Vehicles around her overtook and sped ahead.
Wan Tang glanced forward and casually remarked, “Huh, isn’t that He Yu Zhou’s car up ahead?”
Her tone was certain.
His Pagani global limited edition—there was only one like it in all of Shanghai.
Beyond its rarity, even the license plate number held special significance.
As soon as she spoke, Wan Tang suddenly realized her slip of the tongue. “En En, I’m sorry, I—”
“It’s fine,” Yin En Yu replied calmly, her gaze fixed ahead. “His name isn’t forbidden here.”
Though hearing news about him still stirred ripples in her heart, she never regretted meeting him.
Nor had she ever thought of deliberately erasing the moments of happiness and love that had once truly existed.
To her, they were beautiful memories, an inseparable part of her life’s journey.
She was also certain now that the car she had just seen was indeed his.
More than the brand of the sports car, what she remembered was that license plate number.
「Shanghai A·Z0416」
To others, it might seem ordinary, nothing special. But those who knew her would understand—the digits at the end were her birthday.
Before, his license plate had been bold and eye-catching—
「Shanghai A·Z0000」
It was only after they got together that he changed it to the current one, even paying a high price at auction for it.
At the time, she had teased him, calling him a fool, saying this plate was far less valuable than “0000.”
But he didn’t care, looking at her with a doting smile as he said, “As long as it means something to me.”
His love was like that—bold and sincere.
He gave her a romance that was passionate and intense.
He made her, who lacked a sense of security, open her heart completely, trusting and relying on him. He made her, alone in a foreign land, no longer feel lonely.
Seeing her expression unchanged, Wan Tang continued without hesitation, “So, is He Yu Zhou also here at the airport to pick someone up?”
“Who could possibly order him around?”
That young master was famously arrogant and unrestrained, indifferent and detached from everything.
The only one who could stir his emotions, hold him in check, and make him obedient was the person sitting in the passenger seat beside her.
Without waiting for Yin En Yu to respond, Wan Tang ventured a guess, “He… couldn’t have a girlfriend now, could he?”
Then she immediately shook her head, dismissing the idea. “Probably not. If he had a girlfriend, I would’ve heard something about it.”
Even though she hadn’t seen much of He Yu Zhou since Yin En Yu broke up with him, they still moved in the same circles, so she would have picked up some news through other channels.
Yin En Yu’s fingers, resting on her lap, curled tightly, turning pale and bloodless, her nails digging deep into her palms.
Yes, it had been two years since they broke up.
It was only natural if he had a girlfriend now.
That car, which had only ever carried her, now had someone new in the passenger seat.
No one was obligated to wait for her forever, especially since she was the one who had ended things back then.