Back in Beijing, Qian Fei was officially appointed as the head of her department. This meant she could now independently lead projects without relying on anyone else.
Moving into the private office once used by Li Yifei, she stood by the window, gazing through the glass at the towering skyscrapers outside, overwhelmed with emotion.
Two years ago, she had never imagined she would become the person she was today—capable of standing on her own, making decisive judgments, and taking charge.
Back then, she had only dreamed of marrying a man she could share a simple, stable life with, holding a steady job with an income sufficient to buy a home. That kind of life would have been enough for her.
But unexpected changes often reshape one’s path.
The man she thought would share that life with her left, while another man—someone she once believed belonged to a completely different world—entered her life.
Amidst the turbulence of her career, she was pushed to climb higher, step by step, transforming from an overworked investment banking grunt into an elite professional.
She bought a home, then sold it, and in the same apartment, her identity shifted from landlord to tenant.
Looking back on the past two years, she felt her life had been a rollercoaster of ups and downs.
Yet she was grateful for this journey.
Without these twists and turns, she might have lived out the mediocre existence she once envisioned—sparing herself much pain and hardship, but also missing out on the growth, struggle, and the fulfillment they brought.
A knock sounded at the door, followed by a voice calling, "Director Qian!"
She snapped out of her thoughts, settled into her chair, and called out crisply, "Come in."
From this moment on, she was no longer the aimless Beijing drifter Qian Fei, no longer the overworked investment banking grunt Qian Fei, no longer the overly accommodating pushover Qian Fei.
From this moment on, she was Qian Fei, the investment banking elite, ready to carve out her own legacy.
●︶3︶●
Lately, Qian Fei had been busy assisting another department with a municipal bond project. Li Yifei, too, was occupied with his own company’s affairs. As a result, the only time they had together was the few hours between leaving work—assuming neither had to work late—and bedtime.
During those hours, Li Yifei always tried to seize the opportunity for a proper meal, but Qian Fei would shut him down with the excuse that there were other people in the house.
Eventually, Li Yifei grew even busier, explaining that he needed to thoroughly review his company’s accounts from top to bottom. Their nightly rendezvous dwindled from daily to every other day, then to every three days… until, gradually, Qian Fei found herself spending more time with Liao Shiyu instead.
As their interactions increased, Qian Fei’s impression of Liao Shiyu underwent a subtle shift.
She noticed that Liao Shiyu carried herself with grace and courtesy. Though her demeanor was cool, it never made others uncomfortable. Occasionally, Liao Shiyu would chat with her, often asking about her college days—as if she were particularly fascinated by that period of her life.
On evenings when Li Yifei worked late, Qian Fei usually cooked for herself.
One day, Liao Shiyu wandered into the kitchen, drawn by the aroma of the food, and watched with fascination as Qian Fei wielded the spatula.
It was the first time Qian Fei had seen an expression on Liao Shiyu’s face other than aloof elegance. On impulse, she blurted out, "Have you ordered takeout yet? If not, why don’t we eat together?"
Liao Shiyu’s dark, clear eyes widened slightly before she replied, "Okay."
From that day on, whenever Qian Fei cooked, she made sure to prepare a portion for Liao Shiyu as well.Qian Fei felt she was truly born to serve others. No sooner had Li Yifei left than Liao Shiyu arrived, and in both cases, their relationships with her had started over a meal.
She had initially thought that dining with Liao Shiyu might be awkward due to not knowing what to talk about, but this concern turned out to be completely unnecessary—Liao Shiyu was surprisingly adept at keeping the conversation flowing.
After tasting Qian Fei’s stir-fried eggplant strips, a somewhat wistful expression crossed Liao Shiyu’s face. “I used to think my parents had me so I could enjoy a comfortable life at home and achieve great things outside. Cooking, for instance, shouldn’t have been my responsibility. Since my parents raised me like a boy, I believed I should stay out of the kitchen, just like men. When I was with my ex-boyfriend at home, I never cooked—we always ordered takeout. At first, he didn’t say anything, but eventually, I could sense his annoyance.”
Qian Fei considered this before replying tactfully, “Actually, some things have nothing to do with gender. It’s not about who does what making them inferior. Cooking at home and achieving great things outside are two separate matters. In my family, my dad has always been the one who cooks, yet he’s also the one who makes all the important decisions at home.”
Liao Shiyu studied her for a moment before saying, “If I hadn’t met you, I might never have understood this.”
Qian Fei shrugged. “Of course, chores should be shared between two people—it shouldn’t all fall on one. If you don’t cook, your boyfriend could. Him getting annoyed doesn’t make much sense. And if you do cook, then he should be responsible for washing the dishes.”
Liao Shiyu looked at her, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. “Does Li Yifei actually wash the dishes after meals?”
Qian Fei nodded matter-of-factly. “Yes! Alternatively, he could cook while I wash the dishes—but only if what he makes won’t kill people or make them wish they were dead.”
The surprise in Liao Shiyu’s eyes quickly spread across her entire face. “I think if his father found out he washes dishes after meals, he’d be so shocked he’d have a stroke.”
Qian Fei blinked. “Has he really been that spoiled since childhood? What exactly does Li Yifei’s father do? How could he pamper his son to the point of turning him into a modern-day Jia Baoyu?”
Liao Shiyu’s gaze shifted slightly. “He’s a self-employed businessman—a very wealthy one.” This was the cover story Li Yifei had prepared for her.
Qian Fei frowned. “Very wealthy? How wealthy? Does that mean all the things he eats, wears, and uses are genuinely high-end and not knockoffs?”
Liao Shiyu raised an eyebrow, even more astonished. “Qian Fei, you’re really quite amusing—and you don’t seem to be pretending. Do you honestly think someone as finicky as Li Yifei would settle for knockoffs?”
A corner of Qian Fei’s worldview quietly crumbled. Her hands trembled slightly as she held her rice bowl.
If Liao Shiyu’s words were true, then the bowl she was eating from right now must also be genuine—Li Yifei had once told her that this set of porcelain was from the same production batch as those specially made for central government use.
With shaking hands, she set the bowl down, deciding she would visit the supermarket after work tomorrow to buy a new set. It would be better to clean this one carefully and keep it as a display piece from now on.
Liao Shiyu suddenly asked, “Do you know what Li Yifei is busy with these days?”
Qian Fei looked up, reluctantly tearing her gaze away from the government-grade bowl. “He’s busy with his company’s affairs.”Liao Shiyu asked, "Haven't you visited his company yet?"
Qian Fei replied, "When he thinks the time is right, he'll invite me himself. He's swamped right now—I don't want to bother him and make things awkward. I don’t know if you’ve realized this yet, but I have—if two people want to last long-term, they need to give each other some space. Not everything needs to be questioned or dissected."
Liao Shiyu looked at her silently for a long moment before abruptly changing the subject. "Qian Fei, what was your first impression of me? Did it feel familiar at all?"
Qian Fei answered honestly, "You seemed a bit cold sitting on the couch watching TV, like you were resisting me."
Liao Shiyu smiled. "Actually, that wasn’t the first time we met. We crossed paths much earlier—I just heard your voice back then and never saw your face."
Qian Fei paused, thinking, but shook her head. "I don’t remember you at all."
Liao Shiyu only smiled without explaining.
When Qian Fei asked how they had first encountered each other, Liao Shiyu said, "Through the man we both know, of course."
Qian Fei chuckled to herself—it must have been when she was with Li Yifei, and Liao Shiyu had seen them together.
They chatted a while longer, eventually turning to work.
Qian Fei said, "I notice you stay home every day—don’t you get bored? Li Yifei mentioned you studied financial management. My company is hiring right now—would you like to give it a try?"
Liao Shiyu elegantly finished her last bite of food and set down her chopsticks. "Actually, I do have a job. I just took an extended leave after the New Year because I’ve been feeling unsettled. But it looks like it’s time for me to go back." She paused, then suddenly added, "Qian Fei, you’re such a kind person. It seems instinctive for you to consider others when something good comes up. Honestly, I hate kind people—they force me to admit that I’m a bad woman."
Qian Fei laughed. "Don’t you think women are more charming when they’re a little bad? Besides, kindness might be a virtue to others, but for me, it’s a flaw. I’m too much of a pushover—Li Yifei has scolded and looked down on me for it countless times!"
Liao Shiyu gazed at her and said softly, "You’re fine the way you are. At least it makes it impossible for anyone to truly dislike you."
●︶3︶●
While washing dishes, Qian Fei heard Liao Shiyu ask from behind her, "Between your ex-boyfriend and Li Yifei, who left a deeper mark on you?"
She stopped and turned to look at Liao Shiyu. "Do you think something more unforgettable is inherently better? I don’t see it that way. No matter how unforgettable something is, if you can’t hold onto it, it’s meaningless. It’s better to cherish what you have now. My ex—if you hadn’t brought him up, I’d already forgotten about our past. As for Li Yifei, whether you mention him or not, he’s part of my present life. Compared to what I have now, 'unforgettable' carries no weight at all."
Liao Shiyu watched her for a long time without speaking.
The next day was the weekend. Early in the morning, Liao Shiyu told Qian Fei she was going out for a beauty treatment. Shortly after she left, Li Yifei arrived.
They spent some time being affectionate in the room, and before long, Li Yifei had his fill.Then Li Yifei wiped his mouth and asked Qian Fei with lingering satisfaction, "How's Liao Shiyu getting along living here? Hasn't she made you unhappy? If she's causing you any trouble, just tell me, and I'll kick her out immediately! After all, her usefulness has pretty much run its course. I find her super annoying now—she's driving me crazy! If she could really move out, it wouldn't be such a hassle for this young master to get a decent meal!"
Early in the morning, he had called Liao Shiyu, sweet-talking her and spending his own money to send her to a beauty salon for a head-to-toe, queen-level luxury pampering session—all just so he could have a satisfying meal with his Feifei on the weekend. Wasn't he putting in the effort?
Qian Fei straightened her clothes and said, "We get along just fine. No need to kick her out." She paused, then gritted her teeth as she rubbed her sore thighs. "I think it's better to let her stay. Otherwise, with how hard you're working me over, I'm afraid I'll either end up bow-legged or walking with my feet splayed out sooner or later! Besides, she's kind of pitiful. I can tell there's someone in her heart, but for some reason, they couldn't be together."
Li Yifei scoffed. "Whether she's pitiful or not isn't my problem. I didn't let her stay out of pity in the first place."
Qian Fei asked, "Then why did you?"
Li Yifei narrowed his eyes. "Guess! If you guess right, I'll tell you. If not, keep trying!"
Qian Fei smacked him across the face. "Guess my ass! If I guessed right, would I need you to tell me? Playing games with Broker Qian—do you still want your company to go public smoothly in the future?"
Li Yifei was stunned.
Broker Qian was no longer the pushover, ever-smiling saint she used to be. Nowadays, her wings were getting tougher by the day.
●︶3︶●
Li Yifei wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly why Liao Shiyu had moved into his and Qian Fei’s place. But he decided to play dumb.
True gold fears no fire. If his father wanted to observe Qian Fei through Liao Shiyu’s eyes, he was happy to go along with it. He was confident that Qian Fei’s character and personality would win over anyone who looked at her through a biased lens.
Even a picky young master like him had been won over by her. As for the deliberately aloof Liao Shiyu, he figured it wouldn’t be long before his Feifei had her willingly pouring her heart out.
There’s a kind of person in this world who, at first glance, seems utterly bland—no edges, no personality, no temper, neither heart-fluttering nor memorable, as tasteless as plain water. But over time, she makes people unwittingly fall for her, unwittingly become devoted to her. She makes people admit that even plain water has a flavor—a faint sweetness that seeps into your heart and lungs. And as long as you’re alive, you’ll never be able to live without it.
Li Yifei felt that he’d fallen into the hands of just such a person in this lifetime—and he’d fallen willingly.
OpenNovel