When a partner from the Yan family’s business arrived, Yan Jingheng called Chi Wei over to greet them. She followed his lead, exchanging a few pleasantries, but when she looked up again, the man was no longer on the upper floor.
The Yan family’s business had been struggling in recent years, and since taking over, Yan Jingheng was eager to prove himself.
These cocktail parties became his busiest moments.
He was busy seeking investments and building connections.
As Mrs. Yan, Chi Wei couldn’t afford to relax for a moment, forced to accompany him with a smile everywhere they went.
After making the rounds, just as Chi Wei felt her face stiffening from all the smiling, Yan Jingheng’s phone rang. Standing close by, she inadvertently caught a glimpse of his screen.
It was Qiao Mingfei.
Several investors nearby were waiting for Yan Jingheng to introduce his projects. After only a moment’s hesitation, he pushed Chi Wei forward. “My apologies, everyone. I have an urgent call to take. My wife is thoroughly familiar with the Yan family’s projects, so she’ll take over the introductions for me.”
By the time Chi Wei finished presenting the projects to the surrounding guests, ten minutes had passed, and Yan Jingheng still hadn’t returned.
She tried calling him, but no one answered.
Throughout the party, people occasionally approached Chi Wei to ask about Yan Jingheng’s whereabouts, and she managed to handle all their inquiries.
But even as the event drew to a close, she never saw Yan Jingheng again.
Guests gradually dispersed, and his car had already left the underground garage. Chi Wei felt like an object he had carelessly left behind at the party.
Unimportant.
Even if forgotten, there was no need to retrieve it.
Yet just before the party, he had promised her he would send Qiao Mingfei and her daughter away.
Less than an hour later, he had abandoned her again because of Qiao Mingfei, because of a nanny.
Even his most cherished career had taken a backseat to Qiao Mingfei.
Chi Wei thought perhaps there was no need to wait another half month.
Yan Jingheng’s attitude was already clear. She should cut through the entanglement swiftly.
As she walked out of the garage and was about to hail a taxi, a horn sounded behind her. A sleek black Maybach pulled up beside her, and the window rolled down. Chi Wei first saw a face as finely sculpted as a statue, a blue diamond earring glinting under the streetlight.
The next moment, Xiao Yuanrui’s irritating face leaned over from the side. “Isn’t this Mrs. Yan? Alone again? Get in. I happen to be heading your way and am feeling generous enough to give you a ride.”
Just as Chi Wei was about to decline, her phone chimed. It was a message from Aunt Liu, asking when she would be back and saying the young master was crying.
Uncertain of the situation at home, Chi Wei sent a reply but received no response. A flicker of worry crossed her face, and a vague sense of foreboding stirred within her.
The hotel was located outside the city center, making it inconvenient to find a taxi. Ignoring Xiao Yuanrui’s annoying expression, Chi Wei opened the car door and got in. “Jiahe Jingting. Thank you, Young Master Xiao.”
“Cut it out. If I weren’t heading that way, I wouldn’t be this nice. If you want to thank anyone, thank Shi Ye,” Xiao Yuanrui grumbled.
Chi Wei tilted her head to glance at the man beside her. He was looking down, a laptop resting on his knees, his long, slender fingers tapping rapidly on the keyboard at that moment. Perhaps sensing her gaze, he lifted his head. "Something wrong?"
His magnetic voice carried a hint of stiffness, mixed with a subtle sense of pressure.
Just from Xiao Yuanrui's respectful attitude toward him, Chi Wei could easily tell that this man was someone of extraordinary status.
She replied politely, "Nothing, really. I just wanted to thank you for letting me ride along. I—"
"Just a verbal thank you? Miss Chi, that seems rather lacking in sincerity." The man closed his laptop, his gaze lazily settling on Chi Wei's face.
His direct, almost invasive stare, barely concealed, made Chi Wei's heart flutter with unease. At the same time, it stirred a faint sense of familiarity within her.
Chi Wei asked, "Then what kind of sincerity would you like, sir?"
"That depends entirely on Miss Chi's own judgment. Here's my business card. Feel free to contact me whenever you've made up your mind." The man chuckled lightly as he casually handed her a card.
His every gesture seemed to carry an air of unconventional nonchalance.
Yet, when it came to the matter of gratitude, he appeared oddly persistent.
On the pitch-black surface of the card, two large characters were embossed in gold: Shi Huan.
Below them was a string of phone numbers.
A flicker of shock passed through Chi Wei's eyes. If she remembered correctly, the heir of the Shi family—the most prominent elite family in the capital—seemed to share that name.
The Shi family's status far surpassed that of the Yan family by several tiers.
If the man before her truly was the Shi family heir, Chi Wei was certain she could never have had the chance to meet him before.
Yet, the sense of familiarity she felt didn't seem fabricated. Ever since she first saw the man, an inexplicable feeling had tugged at her nerves. Almost as if compelled by some unseen force, before the car came to a stop, Chi Wei asked, "Mr. Shi, have we met before?"
"What do you think, Miss Chi?"
"Probably not, I suppose." Chi Wei wasn't entirely sure.
"Then it's not too late to get acquainted now." His light, almost airy words were drowned out by the roaring engine of the car, making them difficult to hear clearly.
The car stopped at Jiahe Jingting. As Chi Wei got out, she watched the Maybach that had brought her back drive straight into the neighboring courtyard.
Some time ago, she had heard that the neighboring villa had been purchased. It had been undergoing renovations just a few days earlier, but she never expected the new resident to be Shi Huan.
Jiahe Jingting wasn't exactly the most upscale villa district in the city.
For someone of Shi Huan's status to live here seemed somewhat mismatched.
But these weren't matters for Chi Wei to worry about. Upon returning home, she saw Yan Zhilang curled up alone on the sofa, a broken toy train lying beside him.
He had been crying for who knows how long—his eyes were red, and his shoulders trembled intermittently, looking utterly miserable.
Aunt Liu was beside him, trying her best to comfort him, but to no avail.
Seeing Chi Wei return, she immediately seemed to find her anchor. "Madam, you're finally back. The young master has been crying for so long, and I've tried everything to calm him down, but nothing works."
"What happened?" Chi Wei didn't even bother to change her shoes, tossing her bag aside as she hurried over to check on Zhilang.
Aunt Liu explained, "It was Miss Yueyue. She stepped on the young master's favorite toy and broke it.
The young master got angry and threw Miss Yueyue's doll into the swimming pool."
Later, Mr. Yan returned, taking Miss Qiao and Miss Yueyue to buy new toys, leaving the young master behind by himself.
Aunt Liu had never been fond of Qiao Mingfei and her daughter. She used to refer to Qiao Shiyue as "that little Qiao girl," but after Yan Jingheng overheard her and reprimanded her a couple of times, she changed her way of addressing them.
After hearing the whole story, Chi Wei felt another wave of absurdity wash over her.
So the reason Yan Jingheng had abandoned his business and left her behind was simply because of Qiao Shiyue's cloth doll.
Not only that—for the sake of that cloth doll, he had also left Zhi Lang behind.
Chi Wei thought, there really was no need for her to wait any longer regarding the divorce.