When they finally arrived at her place, Yifan brought the car to a smooth but swift halt. Before he could say anything, Lian had already unbuckled and slipped out, almost like she was fleeing from something that would burn her.
But just as she reached her door, he caught her wrist, his grip firm but not forceful.
"I want you to come," he said, his voice low. He handed her a dark, sleek envelope, an invitation card.
She blinked, confused. "What's this?"
"My welcoming banquet," he replied, his gaze softer now, almost too affectionate. She could feel it, burning quietly through the mask of his usual coldness. Her eyes darted everywhere but his face, afraid she might crumble under the weight of his stare.
Still, she took the card with a hesitant hand, slipping it into her bag before gently pulling herself free from his grasp and turning to leave.
But she didn't get far.
His arms wrapped around her from behind, warm, firm, familiar. Lian froze, breath caught in her throat. Her heart thudded dangerously.
"Please forgive me, Lian." His voice was a whisper, tinged with a vulnerability that knocked the wind out of her.
He let go after a moment, leaving her stunned.
Without looking back, she fled into her house and shut the door behind her, leaning against it, chest heaving. She bit her lip, hard.
Outside, Yifan stood still, fists clenched, jaw tight.
Winning her heart again...after all he'd done, wasn't going to be simple.
With a final glance at the her, he exhaled sharply, then got into his car and drove off, his expression unreadable under the shadows of the night.
Through the window, Lian watched the black Jaguar disappear into the distance, its taillights slowly swallowed by the night. She didn't move for a while, just stood there.
Then, with a heavy exhale, she sank into the nearest chair, arms limp at her sides. A dark chuckle escaped her lips, brittle and bitter.
The silence of the room wasn't empty. It was loud, filled with memories that flooded in like an unwelcome tide.
Their childhood.
The innocent warmth of his palm in hers.
That kiss they shared in his bed.
And then, the shift. His cruelty.
Her smile trembled into something hollow as her fingers curled against her chest.
She remembered kneeling before him, the bitter taste of humiliation choking her throat. Begging him not to tear down what was left of her world. The icy look in his eyes. The way he turned his back on her without a word. As though she'd never mattered.
"He destroyed it… turned deaf ears to my pleas…" she whispered. Her voice broke, barely audible.
Her hand moved slowly to her face as the tears spilled. "And now he says… he loves me?"
The pain dug its claws into her again.
"How much more do you want to break me, Yifan?" Her voice shook with rage and sorrow.
"I hate you…" she whispered, clutching the fabric of her blouse over her heart. "You cause me nothing but pain."
While everyone else slept in quiet peace, Lian's night was far from restful. Miserable and heavy-hearted, she cried herself to sleep.
---
The next morning, her eyes were puffy, her spirit dull. Unlike her usual energetic self, Lian moved slowly, almost lifelessly. She walked into the kitchen and prepared a cup of warm lemon detox water, sipping it in silence. Then she headed into the bathroom and cleaned up.
It hit her again, today was her day off. But instead of relief, it only added to her discomfort. She would have much preferred burying herself in work.
To distract herself, she began tidying up the house, but her thoughts refused to settle. Eventually, she gave up, slipped into a simple blue dress, styled her hair neatly, and put on short heels. Grabbing her bag, she stepped out.
Somehow, she ended up at a high-class café, the kind nestled in between old trees and modern glass walls. She chose a lone table at the far end by the window, ordered a cup of coffee, and sat quietly, staring at the world outside. The breeze fluttered, swaying her hair as she whispered, more to herself than anyone else, "What a beautiful sight."
"…Yes, it is."
Startled, she turned her head to find Wang Liwei sitting across from her, having taken the opposite seat without her noticing.
"You don't have work today?" he asked..
"No… I was sick a few days ago, so I got a day off," she replied, her voice quiet.
Liwei raised a brow, casually sipping his drink. "You close to Yufan?"
Lian froze slightly before answering, "N-no."
Her reply came too quickly, and Liwei noticed, but he didn't push further. Instead, he leaned back with a relaxed shrug, eyes drifting to the window as well.
"Peaceful morning," he said.
Lian nodded softly. "It is."
Neither of them spoke for a while, letting the hum of the café and the gentle morning sun fill the silence. The atmosphere was calm, but underneath Lian's composed face, her emotions still trembled.
And yet, sitting across from someone who didn't force her to speak, who didn't dig or demand, felt like a tiny breath of relief in an otherwise suffocating day.
A little while later, Liwei stood up, brushing invisible dust from his suit. "I have work," he said simply.
Lian offered him a small smile as he walked away, his back retreating into the bustle of the café. She glanced down at her coffee, now cold and barely touched. With a tired sigh, she rose to her feet.
In her haste, her bag slipped from her shoulder and fell to the floor with a soft thud. Everything inside spilled out—her phone, lip balm, pens, a small notepad, and documents. She crouched down to gather them, her fingers pausing when they brushed against something smooth and black.
The invitation card. The one Yifan had given her last night.
She stared at it for a long second, her breath catching slightly at the memory of his voice… his embrace.
"Please forgive me, Lian…"
Shaking herself free from the thought, she scooped the card back into her bag and zipped it closed.
Her phone vibrated.
> Yixi: Lian, please meet me at SKP now.
Lian blinked, reading the message again.
SKP(Shin Kong place), Beijing's luxurious, high-end mall known for designer brands and premium shopping. It wasn't the kind of place she visited.
With a confused frown and no other plans for the day, she picked up her bag and stepped out of the café.
---
When the taxi pulled up in front of SKP Mall, Lian stepped out, adjusting the strap of her bag. She spotted Yixi almost immediately, standing with one hand on her hip and the other waving excitedly.
"Why are we her..."
Before she could finish, Yixi pulled her into a tight hug.
"I missed you at work today," Yixi murmured, squeezing her once before letting go with a grin. "Anyway, let's go shop for the upcoming party."
"Party?" Lian blinked, caught off guard.
"My brother got invited to Yifan's banquet," Yixi said, already dragging Lian toward the entrance. "And of course, I'm tagging along. Knowing the frozen wall between you and Ice Prince Yifan is melting, I bet he sent you a VIP invitation."
Lian froze mid-step, her eyes flickering away everywhere but at her friend's knowing gaze.
Yixi raised a brow. "Don't tell me you didn't look at the card?"
"I did," Lian muttered. "I just… haven't decided."
Yixi smirked, clearly not buying it. "Well, decide fast. Because if you show up looking like your usual office self, I'm going to disown you."
Lian sighed in surrender as Yixi clasped her hand and practically skipped into the luxury mall.