Li Yifei told Qian Fei that he had to resign.
Qian Fei asked him why. After a brief pause, Li Yifei said, “The company’s run into some trouble.”
Qian Fei assumed he was referring to the import-export business he had started on the side, so aside from saying, “Got it,” she didn’t press further.
He was always so clear-headed—whatever he wanted to do, whatever he had to do, he knew better than anyone. His decision must have been well-considered, and she had no reason to worry needlessly on his behalf.
Truth be told, she had sensed it for a while now. From the subtle undercurrent of anxiety in him, she could tell something was troubling him—something he didn’t want her to know about.
Over the past two years, she had matured enough to shed her old restless nature, the kind that would latch onto every little thing, digging for answers as if her life depended on it.
So, if Li Yifei didn’t volunteer what was bothering him, she wouldn’t pry. She often consoled herself with that clichéd saying: When he’s ready to tell me, he’ll tell me.
Li Yifei continued, “I’ve already spoken to the deputy manager. After I resign, the department won’t appoint a new head right away. The deputy manager will oversee things temporarily. Once you’ve led a project on your own and proven yourself, they’ll promote you to department head—completely justified.”
Hearing him lay out everything so meticulously for her, Qian Fei frowned. “I’ve got a really bad feeling about this.”
Li Yifei asked, “What do you mean?”
Qian Fei said, “This reminds me of when my mom was about to pass—she dumped a whole bunch of instructions on me just like this.” She glanced at him cautiously. “The way you’re arranging all this for me feels way too much like settling affairs before… you’re not hiding some terminal illness from me, are you?”
Li Yifei scoffed and pinched her cheek, a wicked glint in his eyes. “What kind of man, after just getting a taste of something sweet and craving more, would pack up and die, leaving his little temptress behind?”
Qian Fei flushed and swatted his hand away. “Get lost, you pervert! The whole country’s cracking down on obscenity—keep touching me, and I’ll report you for harassment and have you locked up!”
Li Yifei smirked, his expression smug. “Pretty sure I’m not the only one who’s developed a taste for it. Bet you wouldn’t dare.”
●︶3︶●
The next day, Li Yifei went to the office to complete his resignation.
The reactions from their colleagues were sharply divided along gender lines.
Most of the male colleagues were quite pleased, while the female colleagues were reluctant to see him go.
After seeing Li Yifei off, Qian Fei overheard another department’s female colleagues holding an impromptu meeting in the restroom.
“Hey, do you think Li from Department Two resigned to get away from that Qian Fei in his team?” one said.
“Ugh, that girl’s just too much—chasing after him shamelessly like that. And look, she’s finally driven our handsome Li away! Why couldn’t she be the one to leave?” another chimed in.
“What’s worse, some guys from other departments actually seem to like her. What’s so great about her? Just because she passed the securities qualification exam—anyone could do that if they studied all day instead of working!” the first one added.
“Exactly! She’s got no shame!” the second agreed.
Qian Fei sighed, washed her hands, and left.At times like these, she missed Zhao De terribly.
If Zhao De were here, he would surely scold those gossipy female colleagues and tell them, "Open your eyes and see clearly, will you? These two are genuinely in love! Stop being sour grapes already!"
But since that cold winter last year, the kind-hearted man who always stood up for her was gone.
She thought helplessly that it was all because she and Li Yifei had been too proper, too upright, and too sanctimonious in their daily conduct. They believed it would be more convenient for work if their relationship remained undiscovered within the company. So they never acted intimately near the office. Even when commuting together in the morning or evening, they would only meet up a block away, out of sight. Truth be told, apart from Zhao De, no one in the company knew they had long been in cahoots.
Before leaving work in the evening, Li Yifei texted her, saying he was busy with some handover tasks at the company and couldn't pick her up. So she took the subway home alone.
She cooked dinner, but by the time Li Yifei returned, the food had gone cold.
Over dinner, they chatted. Li Yifei told Qian Fei he had been running around all day, swamped with work. Then he asked how her day had been without him there to watch her back.
Qian Fei jokingly recounted the restroom gossip she'd overheard.
Li Yifei snorted with laughter.
Qian Fei asked what was so funny—was he laughing at how ridiculous those women were?
With a smirk, Li Yifei said, "I'm laughing at how, even as a sponsor representative, your brain capacity remains so low. Can a man enter the women's restroom? If he can't even get in, how could Zhao De have spoken up for you there?"
He sighed at this point.
Qian Fei asked what was wrong. Li Yifei put down his chopsticks. "I keep feeling like Zhao De is just away on a long business trip, that he hasn't really left us."
Qian Fei also set down her chopsticks. "Yeah, I feel like he'll be back in a couple of days to play Landlord with us!"
Some people always make it hard to believe they're truly gone.
●︶3︶●
The next evening, just before leaving work, Qian Fei received a call from Li Yifei.
He told her over the phone, "Hurry down! This young master has carved out time from his busy schedule to pick you up!"
Qian Fei packed up and took the elevator downstairs with a few colleagues. Among them were those women from other departments who loved their gossip sessions.
As they exited the building, the women behind Qian Fei gasped and murmured with sounds of "Oh," "Ah," and "Huh." Following their gazes, Qian Fei looked ahead and saw Li Yifei leaning against his Cadillac on the opposite side of the street, watching her.
Wearing sunglasses, dressed all in black, his long legs crossed casually as he leaned against the car, he held a large bouquet of roses. Under the public gaze, his handsomeness was downright outrageous.
Spotting her, he removed his sunglasses and smiled at her from where he leaned.
Qian Fei's ears burned.
Amidst the stares and murmurs around her, her heart swelled with a mix of embarrassment, shyness, and an indescribable happiness. Slightly flustered, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.Across the street, Li Yifei straightened up from leaning against his car, took off his sunglasses and casually hung them on his shirt, then strode over with long steps, holding a bouquet of flowers.
Qian Fei's heart pounded as she watched him, thinking how utterly flashy and eye-catching he was.
She found it puzzling—such exaggerated, showy, shameless behavior would look ridiculous on anyone else, but on him, it was simply delightful to watch!
He walked straight up to her, stopped, and thrust the bouquet of dazzlingly red roses into her arms. Then, in full view of everyone, he cupped her face and planted a swift, precise, and firm kiss on her lips.
Qian Fei felt like she was about to float away.
She heard gasps and murmurs from behind her.
She used to despise public displays of affection, but at this moment, she thought—damn, this feels amazing.
When cheers erupted from her colleagues, Li Yifei finally released her.
Her coworkers greeted him with smiles, calling him "President Li," and he responded just as warmly before naturally taking her hand.
One colleague asked, "President Li, I was off for a couple of days and just heard you resigned. Why?"
Li Yifei swung their clasped hands and smirked, "To make it easier to announce my affair with this beauty to the world!" He paused, glancing subtly behind Qian Fei before adding, "You have no idea how hard I worked to chase her—utterly exhausting!"
His words were bold and resonant, making Qian Fei's heart swell.
Her colleagues clamored about not having had the chance to bid him farewell, but Li Yifei just smiled and said, "There's plenty of time! Today, I'm taking her away. We'll arrange a dinner when everyone's free!" With that, he led her across the street, flaunting their relationship for all to see.
Qian Fei could practically feel the stunned gazes burning into her back. She imagined the expressions of the office gossips and nearly burst with satisfaction.
Even after getting into the car, her heart still raced uncontrollably.
Li Yifei accelerated with dramatic flair, sending the car zooming forward.
Unable to contain her excitement, Qian Fei turned to him and asked, "What kind of stunt was that today?"
Li Yifei shot her a sidelong glance and raised an eyebrow. "No stunt. I’m just too honest to let the truth be twisted. I wanted those gossipmongers to know—I was the one shamelessly chasing you!" He smirked. "So? How did it feel? Good?"
Qian Fei threw her head back and laughed. "So good I nearly forgot my own name! But next time, can you just give me a bouquet made of cash instead?"
Li Yifei gave her a sidelong glance and scoffed. "Then you’ll have to call me 'Daddy' first!"
●︶3︶●
A few evenings later, Li Yifei looked slightly solemn as he told Qian Fei, "Jinjin, I might have to move back home for a while."
He explained that his father’s health was declining and had urgently summoned him to "return to the family fold."
Qian Fei replied, "Actually, I have to leave for Hubei the day after tomorrow for a private bond project. I’ll be gone about a month. Leaving you alone at home for that long does worry me a bit."Just like that, the two of them were each preoccupied with their own affairs, and two days later, the house was empty.
In the days that followed, Qian Fei was buried in her project in Hubei, working tirelessly day and night. She put in tremendous effort, knowing that once this project was completed, she would likely be promoted to department head.
She spoke with Li Yifei on the phone every day, and sometimes she could sense that he was a little unsettled.
She cautiously asked him what was wrong, and he told her, “It’s nothing. I’m just eager to see you become the department leader who calls the shots.”
After that call, Qian Fei doubled down on her efforts to complete the project.
A month later, she finally wrapped up the project successfully and returned to Beijing.
The moment she opened the door to her home, she saw a young woman with a loosely tied bun sitting on the living room sofa, watching TV.
Hearing the sound, the woman turned her face toward the door.
It was a cold yet beautiful face, with flawless, meticulously applied makeup, and an air of aloofness and detachment lingering between her brows.
Staring at that face, Qian Fei froze for a moment.
OpenNovel