Chapter 24.1

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Chi Qilan asked, “Are you in love with that girl, Qiao Ziman?”

Jiang Shu rushed over, close to tears. Chi Yin glanced at her, then softened her tone slightly, “I know, especially given how well-informed you are, Mother.”

“Don’t give me that sarcastic tone,” Chi Qilan scoffed. “Chi Yin, haven’t you noticed how much you’re like me?”

Chi Yin’s eyes narrowed coldly. “Oh? How so?”

“You’ll stop at nothing to get what you want. You agreed to work at my company because of her, didn’t you?” Chi Qilan continued, her voice sharp. “Let me tell you something—playing around is fine, but don’t take it too seriously. With her abilities and her family background, do you really think she’s worthy of you?”

She added, almost mockingly, “Oh, and here’s some news—Elvis is coming back to the country.”

Chi Yin’s brow furrowed, and a sudden, cold anger flashed in her eyes. Her voice rose sharply. “That’s impossible. She will be mine.”

The sheer force of Chi Yin’s words and the powerful aura she exuded stunned Chi Qilan into silence. After a moment, she hesitated, then muttered, “What’s so special about her? Why are you taking this so seriously?”

What’s so special?

It’s simple—you gave me despair, and Qiao Ziman gave me a new beginning.

Chi Yin didn’t offer much explanation. She simply promised Jiang Shu that they would go out for a meal together soon and then drove off from the Chi family villa.

She wandered aimlessly through the streets, her mind a whirlwind of negative emotions that suffocated her. Deep down, she knew this frustration wasn’t solely due to her argument with Chi Qilan. There was a deeper, more haunting reason—Elvis.

The mere mention of that name brought back memories of someone who clung to her like a nightmare, impossible to shake off. The weight of it pressed down on her, filling her with a rising sense of unease.

Her irritation grew quickly, spreading uncontrollably in her chest. Chi Yin’s face tightened with tension, her brows furrowed in deep thought. Gripping the steering wheel tightly, she suddenly floored the gas pedal, driving away from the busy streets and turning onto a winding mountain road.

***

After work, Qiao Ziman, as she usually did on her birthday, invited several close friends and her cousin to a celebration.

They gathered at a barbecue restaurant near the office, booking the largest private room available. Her friends and family all sat in a circle around the table, which was laid out with various meats, vegetables, bottles of beer, and, in the center, a two-tiered cream birthday cake.

“Qiao Qiao, happy birthday!” they cheered.

Her friends raised their glasses, eyes eagerly fixed on the center of attention—Qiao Ziman. Ji Yun, sitting beside her, nudged her with an elbow. “What are you spacing out for? Time to make a toast!”

“Oh, oh, right!” Qiao Ziman quickly set down the birthday gifts she had been holding and grabbed her beer glass. “Thank you, everyone. This one’s for you all—I’ll finish it!”

Without hesitation, she downed the entire glass of beer in one go, leaving her friends Tang Xiaoxiao and Ji Yun staring in disbelief.

“Wait a minute, didn’t you say you were quitting alcohol?” Tang Xiaoxiao asked, eyes wide.

Qiao Ziman wiped her mouth with a napkin. “It’s fine,” she said, a little too excited, “I slept with Chi Yin again.”

Ji Yun: “???”

“What did you just say?”

Thinking about Chi Yin, Qiao Ziman’s mood suddenly plummeted. She didn’t feel like explaining and muttered, “Nothing,” as she lowered her head to check her phone.

It was already 8 p.m.

Why hasn’t Chi Yin sent a single message?

Ji Yun, now full of curiosity, was practically buzzing with anticipation. The lack of details was driving her crazy. “Qiao Qiao, why are you so distracted today? What’s going on? Just tell us already!”

Argh, spill it!

A flicker of joy flashed in Qiao Ziman’s eyes, but it quickly faded. “It’s Chi Yin’s birthday today, too.”

I wonder how she’s doing right now.

Ji Yun: “…”

“Why don’t you just ask her?”

Qiao Ziman hesitated, her finger hovering over Chi Yin’s WeChat profile picture. It was strange—they had added each other on WeChat days ago, but not a single message had been exchanged. The only time she opened Chi Yin’s profile was when Ji Yun had prompted her to check out her Moments.

Ji Yun urged, “Qiao Qiao, what are you waiting for?” She teased, “Why are you acting all shy now?”

Qiao Ziman cleared her throat, shooting her a glare, then ducked her head down again.

She zoomed in on Chi Yin’s profile picture. At first glance, it looked like a blank white square, but upon closer inspection, there was a small, lonely bear sitting in the bottom-right corner.

Curious, Qiao Ziman tapped on Chi Yin’s Moments. There were still only two posts, and both were related to her. A sudden wave of sadness washed over her.

Without further hesitation, she opened the chat window and sent Chi Yin her very first message:

[I’m waiting for you.]

The message was simple, but it carried all the genuine emotion she felt in that moment.

Time ticked by, second by second.

Qiao Ziman anxiously checked her phone every five minutes, growing more and more restless as time passed. She couldn’t sit still. Finally, two hours later, her phone buzzed.

She immediately sat up straight, her fingers sliding quickly across the screen. Without blinking, she read the message from Chi Yin:

[I’m heading home. Have fun and happy birthday.]

Qiao Ziman read that line several times. For some reason, she could feel that Chi Yin was in a bad mood.

“Qiao Qiao, have a drink!” someone called out.

“Yeah, what’s going on? You’ve been ignoring us all night. Have you fallen out of love with us already?” another friend teased.

“Still playing on your phone? Three shots penalty!” they joked.

Qiao Ziman’s fingers curled against the table. She glanced down at her now-darkened phone, hesitating, unsure of what to say.

Sensing her unease, Ji Yun handed her phone back with a reassuring look. “If you want to go, just go. I’ll cover for you here—don’t worry, I won’t let the party die down.”

“After all, your…” Ji Yun caught herself just in time, quickly shifting, “your boss is the most important, right?”