Love for You

Miao Jing shook her head in denial. "Just a coincidence."

"You've been gone for so long, and suddenly you contact me just to see me?"

She looked up at him, her gaze clear and pure. "I need to ask for your help."

"With what?"

"You know many people, have numerous lawyer friends, and have strong government connections. It should be easy for you to investigate someone."

Cen Ye raised an eyebrow. "At my age, I'm still expected to be the fool who gets taken advantage of?"

"Isn't it that you owe me a favor, Director?" Miao Jing smiled.

Cen Ye also smiled. "It seems I overthought tonight."

The hotel had a buffet dinner. Miao Jing didn't leave until nine in the evening. She first went to the parking lot to find her car and called Chen Yi to ask where he had parked it—at the billiards hall or at home.

The music on Chen Yi's end was deafening, making it unclear whether he was at a KTV or a bar. He seemed to have been drinking, his tone impatient as he mumbled something unintelligible. When Miao Jing called back, he hung up directly.

Miao Jing then asked Bo Zai, who made a series of calls to friends and finally gave her an address.

It was on the bar street not far from the hotel. Miao Jing searched bar by bar until she found Chen Yi by the dance floor. He was holding a bottle of beer, his dark eyes deep and glimmering, cozying up to a scantily clad beauty.

Seeing her push through the crowd, Chen Yi draped an arm over the beauty's shoulder and stared at her indifferently. Miao Jing stood before him. "It's so late. Aren't you going home?"

"Nightlife is just getting started at this hour," he said, raising a brow and curling his lips into a provocative smile. "Are you done already?"

His phone had a car tracking system—the car had been parked in the hotel parking lot for a full seven hours without moving.

Miao Jing brushed aside a stray lock of hair by her cheek and replied calmly amid the noisy music, "Just finished. How much have you had to drink? Let me drive you home?"

He watched her with interest, noting her changed appearance: her shoulder-length hair loosely tied into a ponytail, her makeup half-faded, her vibrant lip color restored to a pale pink, her bright eyes slightly weary yet composed and restrained. The collar of her black knit sweater was pulled up to her chin, giving her an aloof yet clean look.

"Let's go."

He downed the beer in one gulp, his body reeking of hazy smoke and alcohol. Staggering slightly, he followed her out of the bar and lazily settled into the passenger seat, crossing his long legs. Miao Jing's phone rang—it was Lu Zhengsi calling about a work process. He asked where she was, and Miao Jing replied softly that she was entertaining a friend, ending the call in a few words.

"Don't want Lu Zhengsi to know?"

"Right."

"Is that guy your ex-boyfriend?"

"Yeah."

He clapped his hands lightly, his tone full of admiration. "Miao Jing, you're something else, juggling so many men with such ease. Impressive."

Miao Jing focused on driving, maneuvering the old car slowly and ignoring his remarks. After nearly half an hour of silence, when the car stopped at the foot of their apartment building, she replied calmly.

"Thanks for the praise! Like master, like apprentice—you taught me well."

Chen Yi's lips twitched, his expression dark and unpleasant.

She got out of the driver's seat, tossed the car keys to him, and tightened her coat before turning to leave. Chen Yi, leaning against the car door, called out to stop her. "Miao Jing, come upstairs and make me a bowl of sobering soup."His handsome eyes were half-lidded, fingers rubbing his brow, his tall frame somewhat slumped and listless. Miao Jing turned her head to gaze at him, pausing silently for a moment, lost in thought. The night breeze blew her messy, loose long hair across her cheeks. Wearily, she brushed the strands away, a sudden glimpse of alluring charm flashing through as she turned toward the stairwell, her voice gentle: "Is there milk at home? What food is left?"

"Don't know."

His voice carried a slightly hoarse, nasal tone.

Miao Jing had moved into the company dormitory for some time now. Since she'd stopped managing the household, Chen Yi couldn't be bothered either, and they had returned to that desolate, chilly home. Shedding her coat and rolling up her sleeves, Miao Jing went to the kitchen to wash up and prepare a simple meal. Using the remaining unexpired ingredients, she whipped up a bowl of egg and red date soup, handing it to Chen Yi who lay collapsed on the sofa.

Her phone rang again—it was Cen Ye calling. Miao Jing stepped onto the balcony to answer, her tone soft and unhurried. After chatting briefly, she turned back inside.

Chen Yi was curled on the sofa smoking, engulfed in clouds of smoke that veiled the room in haze.

Frowning, she moved her bag and coat from the edge of the sofa to spare them from secondhand smoke, then heard Chen Yi's low, muffled question.

"Such a high-class boyfriend—how could you bear to break up?"

"You want to know?"

"Shouldn't you talk to me about it?"

His slender fingers flicked ash from the cigarette before he took another deep drag from the filter, exhaling faint smoke rings.

She crossed her arms, pondering for a moment, then spoke slowly: "The external reason is that his parents felt my background wasn't a good match. The internal reason... Before he became director, the legal department had several legal managers, each with their own connections and influence, and the infighting was intense. I was in the R&D center at the time, mainly assisting with project management. For work convenience, my employee account had some internal permissions. And because I'd previously worked in the procurement center, I knew quite a few people. Cen Ye had a rival in another business division—I accidentally uncovered a project vulnerability through some clues and privately reported it to Cen Ye. He used it to bring that person down. Some people knew about our private relationship, so to avoid compliance issues, we ended things and I resigned from the company... He promised me a strong career opportunity in return."

His mind conjured dramatic scenarios: "So you came back to Tengcheng..."

"Do you think I came back because of you?" Miao Jing remained calm. "Actually, no. This project involved complex elements, and internally it became very messy. I'm lying low to avoid potential fallout. I've always told people I'm from Z Province—almost no one knows I'm originally from Tengcheng."

Chen Yi held the cigarette between his lips, his body frozen stiff.

Miao Jing blinked slowly: "Haven't you always told me to get lost? I never planned to stay in Tengcheng long anyway. Once the storm passes and I've rested enough, I'll leave again. My abilities and career path don't belong in a small city... Chen Yi, I told you, I wouldn't return to Tengcheng again."

He cracked a faint, pale smile: "Great... You're really fucking..."