Chapter 78

Kong Xiyan sensed something was off the moment she got in the car.

The atmosphere was strange.

Chi Wanzhao, as usual, wore her characteristic blank expression, looking perfectly normal. In fact, she even shifted over a bit to make room for Kong Xiyan. But once Kong Xiyan sat down, she realized what was wrong.

Zhou Sheng kept his head down, wearing a look of utter dejection.

In all the time she'd known him, she'd never seen that expression on his face.

No wonder she'd felt something odd the moment she laid eyes on him.

Kong Xiyan thought about asking a question or two, but a sidelong glance at Chi Wanzhao's profile made her think better of it. She held her tongue all the way to the apartment.

In the meantime, she replied to a message from Tong Yue.

She'd left the dinner party in such a hurry that she hadn't had a chance to speak with Tong Yue. Shortly after getting in the car, Tong Yue messaged her with the results of their earlier investigation.

The people she'd named were no longer in City B. Xinhui had always maintained strict control over personnel changes, so tracing them might take a few more days.

Kong Xiyan reassured her there was no rush and instructed her not to tell anyone else for now—she didn't want any unnecessary complications.

Tong Yue, having spent years in the industry, knew what to ask and what to leave alone. Curious as she was, she didn't pry, simply replying with an "Okay."

Kong Xiyan put down her phone and gazed out the window. Occasional fallen leaves drifted through the air, brushing past the glass. As she watched, her expression softened.

Chi Wanzhao turned to look at her. The dim yellow streetlights filtered in from outside, casting light across Kong Xiyan's delicate features, making her look astonishingly beautiful. A warmth surged in Chi Wanzhao's chest. She wanted to hold on to this moment of beauty—and she really did reach out.

Kong Xiyan felt her wrist being pulled. She turned to look at Chi Wanzhao, blinking slowly in confusion.

Chi Wanzhao's bright eyes were dark and luminous, their sharpness undimmed by the dim lighting.

They stared at each other for a long moment before Chi Wanzhao cleared her throat. "Scoot over a bit."

Kong Xiyan, not understanding why, obediently moved closer. Chi Wanzhao rested her head on Kong Xiyan's shoulder. "Let me rest for a while."

With that, she closed her eyes.

Kong Xiyan turned to look at her, taking in the faint dark circles and obvious exhaustion. In a low voice, she asked Zhou Sheng, "What's going on with President Chi?"

Zhou Sheng was still mourning his lost bonus. Hearing Kong Xiyan's question, he started to turn and answer, but Chi Wanzhao's light voice explained first: "Meetings all day."

"I'm a bit tired."

Zhou Sheng shrank back again.

Kong Xiyan understood. Afraid Chi Wanzhao would be uncomfortable resting against her shoulder, she shifted back in her seat, pressing her body against the backrest. Chi Wanzhao's head now rested more comfortably, propped against the seat back.

Before long, the breathing beside her evened out.

Kong Xiyan glanced at the two figures in the front, who were staring straight ahead. Only then did she dare to turn fully and look at Chi Wanzhao.

She'd rarely seen Chi Wanzhao use any skincare products, yet her skin was incredible—fair with a rosy tint, finer even than her own. In her relaxed state, she wore a languid, easy expression.

She looked like—Yanyan, at home.

Kong Xiyan boldly reached out, wanting to wrap her arm around Chi Wanzhao's shoulder. She raised her hand several times but couldn't bring herself to do it. Unbeknownst to her, her wrist brushed against Chi Wanzhao's shoulder, rubbing up and down. Chi Wanzhao, eyes closed, furrowed her brow slightly.

The car soon drove near the apartment. Seeing they were almost there, Kong Xiyan leaned over and called softly, "President Chi."

Chi Wanzhao's eyelashes fluttered. Kong Xiyan called again, "President Chi, we're here."

She was about to whisper something when Lu Han suddenly honked the horn and the car swerved. Kong Xiyan's body leaned into Chi Wanzhao, and her lips unavoidably brushed against Chi Wanzhao's cheek.

Kong Xiyan's face instantly turned crimson. She hurriedly sat up straight, blinking nervously. Lu Han muttered something about pedestrians crossing without looking.

The two in front were focused on the road, unaware of the subtle shift in the car's atmosphere. As Kong Xiyan sat up, Chi Wanzhao tilted her head slightly downward, furrowing her brow as she slowly opened her eyes.

Kong Xiyan looked at her guiltily and whispered, "President Chi, you're awake. We're almost there."

"Mm."

Chi Wanzhao gave a faint response, then turned to look at her, her gaze deep.

Kong Xiyan's face was still flushed from the earlier accident. Under that scrutiny, she quickly ran a hand through her hair and pretended to look out the window.

Luckily, the car soon entered the apartment complex. Zhou Sheng got out first and opened the door for them. Chi Wanzhao, now standing beside him, had her face set in a stern expression again, lips pressed together as if displeased. Without another word, she turned and strode off.

Kong Xiyan was about to follow when Zhou Sheng called out softly, "Madam!"

He glanced in the direction Chi Wanzhao had gone, then said cautiously, "Madam, take care."

Kong Xiyan: ??

She stood there, baffled, until Zhou Sheng had jogged back to the car and driven off, leaving a puff of exhaust. She watched the black car disappear before finally turning away.

When she entered the apartment, Chi Wanzhao was sitting on the sofa, playing with Yanyan. Kong Xiyan walked in and, scratching her head, asked, "Have you eaten?"

"Not yet."

Chi Wanzhao answered without looking up. "Make me something simple."

Taking the cue, Kong Xiyan let out a breath and hurried into the kitchen.

She made some fried rice and a bowl of soup for Chi Wanzhao, and prepared cat food for Yanyan. When she came out, Chi Wanzhao was no longer on the sofa. Yanyan, with its bright blue eyes fixed on her, had caught the scent of the cat food and rose unsteadily, padding over to Kong Xiyan's feet, waiting to be fed.

As she served Yanyan, Kong Xiyan glanced up toward the second floor, wondering if she should call Chi Wanzhao down for dinner.

Upstairs, in the bathroom, Chi Wanzhao had been standing in front of the mirror for nearly half an hour. Her gaze was fixed on her left cheek, which bore an unusual patch of red—and on closer inspection, it was a smear of lipstick.

She raised her hand slowly, fingers touching her skin, and smiled softly as she looked down.

The woman in the mirror curved her lips, her bright eyes shining with rare joy. The usual sternness around her had vanished, replaced by gentleness.

When Kong Xiyan saw Chi Wanzhao come downstairs again, she had already showered and changed into a robe. Kong Xiyan, who had been slumped over the dining table, sat up straight and watched Chi Wanzhao take a seat and begin eating dinner with elegant movements. Yanyan leapt up onto the table and curled into a ball, looking between Kong Xiyan and Chi Wanzhao.

Kong Xiyan met the cat's gaze, then remembered Assistant Zhou's earlier words and asked, "President Chi, about Assistant Zhou just now—"

Chi Wanzhao paused in her eating, glancing at her. "What about him?"

Kong Xiyan opened her mouth, then said, "Nothing. Go ahead and eat."

Chi Wanzhao slowly finished the remaining fried rice.

In the apartment, both the woman and the cat watched Chi Wanzhao eat. She remained perfectly natural, exuding elegance in every gesture. Dim moonlight from outside the window filtered in, adding a serene stillness to the room.

Meanwhile, far away at the company, Zhou Sheng was still working overtime.

The entire floor was quiet, except for the occasional sounds drifting from Zhou Sheng's office.

"It's Xiao Cheng."

"Yes, everything—especially the dirt."

"A week? Too long. Make it three days."

"Too short?"

Zhou Sheng let out a cold laugh. "Either deliver all the files within three days, or prepare a replacement. Your choice."

He slammed the phone down, his handsome face tense and his starry eyes sharp.

From the doorway, which hadn't been fully shut, came the sound of slow, deliberate applause. Zhou Sheng looked up to see Jiang Yuan leaning against the doorframe, watching him.

Jiang Yuan: "First time seeing Assistant Zhou lose his temper."

"Quite a personality."

Zhou Sheng shot him a glance, dropped his guard, and asked casually, "What are you doing here?"

Jiang Yuan walked back to his desk. "Nothing much. Just came to grab some documents."

He flipped through a couple of pages before asking, "Who were you yelling at on the phone just now?"

Zhou Sheng tilted his head, looking at Jiang Yuan, and said flatly, "It's nothing."

Jiang Yuan smiled gently, set down the files, and walked over to Zhou Sheng's desk, hands in his trouser pockets. Leaning against the edge of the desk, he said in a light tone, "Tell me about it."

Zhou Sheng put down his folder, took off his glasses, and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "Nothing much."

"Just lost my year-end bonus."

Jiang Yuan leaned against the desk, studying Zhou Sheng. Without the gold-rimmed glasses, his aura lost its sharp edge—his starry eyes narrowed slightly, and instead of looking like a well-groomed wolf, he looked almost—a bit simple-minded.

Jiang Yuan was amused by his own imagery and let out a grin, his handsome face breaking into a smile.

But Zhou Sheng frowned at him. "You find this funny?"

Jiang Yuan waved his hand. "No, no, no. This is a very sad thing."

Zhou Sheng: ...

He was grinning like a flower—nothing sad about that.

Zhou Sheng waved him off. "You got your files. Go home. I still have work."

Jiang Yuan's smile faded. "Come on, you still haven't told me why you lost your bonus."

Zhou Sheng gave him an expression that said, "You're being such a nag," but Jiang Yuan mused, "I think I heard the name Xiao Cheng from the doorway. Is he involved?"

"You know, I've been in this industry a long time. I happen to have quite a bit of dirt on people."

"Especially those who want to climb high but can't keep their footing."

Zhou Sheng's irritability immediately subsided. He put his glasses back on, the gold frames glinting under the fluorescent lights, and the starry eyes behind them grew sharper.

"You know something?"

Jiang Yuan shrugged. "Maybe I do."

Zhou Sheng gave him a long look. "What's your price?"

Jiang Yuan straightened up, moving away from the desk. His tall figure turned his back to Zhou Sheng as he walked to his own desk and picked up the name plate sitting there.

"Let's have a meal together later."

Zhou Sheng's gaze burned into him. "Alright."

Jiang Yuan's fingers traced the name plate. "Consider it a delayed welcome dinner."

Zhou Sheng: ...

He realized this guy really held a grudge.