Chapter 18

Chapter 18: How Dare Our President Yu The moment those words fell, Lin Meiyan fell silent. No one knew Zhegu Cha better than she did, because Yu Jianghai had first tasted this tea when she gave it to him. Back then, Yu Jianghai had been gravely ill with a persistent high fever. She had gotten medicine for him, but it hadn't worked well. The prolonged fever had left him without his sense of taste for a long time. To help him experience different flavors, Lin Meiyan had gone to gather Zhegu Cha, which only grew during the third and fourth months of the Qingming season. She had picked it bit by bit, slowly accumulating it, and relying on the sparse bitter taste of that Zhegu Cha, she had painstakingly brought back Yu Jianghai's sense of taste. However, Lin Meiyan had never liked Zhegu Cha because it was too bitter. She was someone who didn't like suffering. Life was already bitter enough; she didn't want to add more bitterness for herself. So when faced with Secretary Shen's question, Lin Meiyan shook her head, her beautiful face serene. "No, just a glass of plain water for me." Secretary Shen was taken aback but ultimately set down the Zhegu Cha, turned to grab the cup her boss rarely used, poured a glass of plain water, and brought it over. Lin Meiyan took it and thanked him in a low voice. She accepted the cup but didn't drink, simply gazing quietly out the window. She didn't even ask when Yu Jianghai would return. Secretary Shen watched her calm demeanor and thought to himself, no wonder she had her boss completely wrapped around her finger. Anyone else would have been frantic with impatience. About ten minutes later, Yu Jianghai came up from downstairs. The moment he reached the office door, he spotted that graceful figure. Lin Meiyan sat in the seat he usually occupied, quietly looking down at the street below. Only when she couldn't see him could he gaze at her so freely, so greedily. Without a shred of restraint or concealment. She had grown a bit thinner, wearing a pale yellow dress with a lotus-leaf collar, revealing a slender white neck. Her shoulders were delicate, her waist slim. Her hair was tied low at the back of her head, with only a few loose strands falling by her ears, making her features look soft and beautiful—pure and lovely. No, she looked more like a peeled lychee—lustrous, white, and dewy. Back then, Yu Jianghai had described her just that way. On the island, the weather was scorching and the sun was harsh. After every shift of Gongfen, everyone would be tanned dark. Except Lin Meiyan. She seemed naturally immune to tanning—the more she was in the sun, the redder she got, and the whiter she became. Yu Jianghai had been standing there for a long while but hadn't stepped inside. He merely leaned against the doorframe, quietly watching her. Those eyes of his hadn't left her since she appeared. Secretary Shen had wanted to remind him several times but held back. He simply couldn't bear to see his boss like that. He didn't know how to describe it—he hadn't said anything, hadn't done anything. But those eyes seemed to reveal everything. You can't hide liking someone. Secretary Shen thought that this saying was perfectly exemplified by his boss. After who knows how long, Lin Meiyan raised her hand to check the time and asked softly, "Secretary Shen, could you ask your boss when he'll be here?" The words had barely left her mouth when Secretary Shen was about to answer. Yu Jianghai knocked on the door and walked in, bringing a gust of cool air. He hadn't arrived yet. But his footsteps could already be heard. Even though Lin Meiyan hadn't seen him in years, she could still recognize his footsteps. Unlike most people, Yu Jianghai walked with a heavy, steady gait—every step firm. Lin Meiyan suddenly looked up and met Yu Jianghai's eyes. Yu Jianghai paused, lowering his gaze to conceal all emotion. When he looked up again, he had resumed his usual cold, aloof demeanor. "Sorry, I'm late." Lin Meiyan shook her head. Yu Jianghai walked casually toward her, slipping off his suit jacket and hanging it skillfully on the coat rack nearby. Lin Meiyan happened to be watching him. Without the suit jacket, Yu Jianghai wore only a white shirt, his tall, lean frame exuding strength. His waist seemed incredibly powerful. When she noticed this, Lin Meiyan instinctively lowered her head. Yu Jianghai acted as if he hadn't noticed. He walked to his desk and sat down, adopting a purely businesslike manner. "You've surely seen Linji's design plans." Lin Meiyan hummed in acknowledgment, squeezing her fingers tightly. She actually felt somewhat unfamiliar with Yu Jianghai. Because she had never seen him with such an imposing presence—he seemed like a stranger. "Jianghai Dicai also has an interior design department. If you have any needs, you can get in touch with us." Secretary Shen, who had been standing nearby with his eyes downcast, suddenly widened his eyes. Since when did Jianghai Dicai have an interior design department? Hadn't it always been a real estate development company? They only handled land acquisition, construction, and building houses. They had never done soft projects like interior decoration. Lin Meiyan said nothing, considering her options. Yu Jianghai lowered his gaze to the teacup on his desk, picked it up, and took a sip before speaking unhurriedly, "The decoration department of Jianghai Dicai was brought in as a team from Xiangjiang. In all of Jiangcheng, only Jianghai Dicai can undertake Linji's decoration project." Lin Meiyan cast aside her scattered thoughts, looked up with clear eyes, and said, "I know." "But Jianghai Dicai is a large corporation, while my Linji is just a small shop. I'm afraid we can't afford Jianghai Dicai's decoration services." Just that one fee alone would be more than she and Linji combined could ever pay. Yu Jianghai raised his teacup for a drink and glanced at Secretary Shen. Secretary Shen understood immediately, stepped forward, and said to Lin Meiyan, "Youth Lin, our Jianghai Dicai has just established its decoration department, and we're still in the dark about everything." "If Linji is willing to let Jianghai Dicai handle the decoration and, after the project is completed, give Jianghai Dicai free advertising, we can offer you the biggest discount." Actually, he hadn't even figured out what discount to give yet. Secretary Shen couldn't help but glance at his boss, who was sipping his tea without saying a word. Secretary Shen muttered to himself—his boss was a businessman, after all. A ruthless one among businessmen. He never did business at a loss. Could he be planning to take a loss this time? That couldn't be. The boss gave no response. Secretary Shen steeled himself and said to Lin Meiyan, "If Linji can give Jianghai Dicai free advertising, then Jianghai Dicai can offer you a fifty percent discount." The moment he said this, Yu Jianghai set down his teacup and glanced at him. Secretary Shen thought to himself that he was definitely going to be praised. After all, any less would make the boss look like he was giving things away. Any more would make it seem like the boss and Youth Lin weren't familiar enough. Fifty percent. Fifty percent. Fifty percent was just right. Yu Jianghai's voice was cold and deep, "Linji advertises for Jianghai Dicai, and Jianghai Dicai decorates Linji for free." Secretary Shen: "??" Wait, boss, are you still that heartless boss? Are you still the boss who never takes a loss in business? Isn't this way too much of a giveaway? Lin Meiyan was stunned for a moment. She instinctively held up her cup of plain water and took a sip. "Free? That won't do." "Let's keep things separate." "Decoration is decoration. Fifty percent is fifty percent." Yu Jianghai's gaze fell darkly on her lips—or rather, on the spot where her lips met the rim of the cup. Lin Meiyan's skin was very fair, and her lips were pink. After drinking, they carried a hint of moisture, her thin lips touching the cup's rim briefly before pulling away. Yu Jianghai withdrew his gaze with a barely contained restraint. He stood up and walked to the window, turning his back to Lin Meiyan, and settled the matter with finality, "Then fifty percent it is." Lin Meiyan didn't understand why the negotiation had been going so well. And then the other party suddenly stood up and turned his back to her. She was a bit puzzled, but given the vast gap in their statuses now, she naturally wouldn't ask on her own. "So where do I sign the contract?" "And who do I contact for the follow-up decoration work?" Yu Jianghai didn't even turn his head, simply instructing, "Secretary Shen, take her to sign the contract." Secretary Shen acknowledged with an "Oh," and briskly led Lin Meiyan out. After they left, Yu Jianghai calmly went into the room behind his office, changed his clothes, and then came back out. The tea that had been set on the table after Lin Meiyan and Secretary Shen left was still there. The cup of water Lin Meiyan had drunk from was still there too. Just then, Secretary Shen's apprentice, Xiao Chen, came in to collect the cups. Normally, whenever Secretary Shen wasn't around, she would take over her master's duties, specifically to attend to—or rather, coordinate with—President Yu. Who would have thought that Xiao Chen, who had always collected cups and documents without issue in the past, would be scolded this time. As her hand was about to touch the cup Lin Meiyan had used, Yu Jianghai frowned and said coldly, "No need to clean up. Get out." Xiao Chen was taken aback, but she nodded respectfully nonetheless. "Yes, President Yu." After she left, she couldn't quite understand—she had always been the one to clear the tea and cups from President Yu's office, so why wasn't she allowed to now? After she was gone, Yu Jianghai stood alone in place for a long time. Only then did he bend down, pick up the cup Lin Meiyan had drunk from, and gaze at it for a long while. Only then did he set the cup aside separately. No, to be precise, he replaced it with a new cup for himself. On the other side, Secretary Shen led Lin Meiyan to the outer office. To be honest, he was in a difficult spot too. Where did Jianghai Dicai have a decoration department? This was entirely a fabrication his boss had made up on the spot, yet now he had to run himself ragged over that offhand remark. "Youth Lin, let me find a contract, and we'll draft it together on the spot. Once you've confirmed there are no issues, we can sign." Lin Meiyan nodded, her voice gentle. "Sorry for the trouble." Secretary Shen was startled and replied very politely, "No trouble at all, no trouble at all. This is my job. Youth Lin." "Please, don't be polite with me." If she was polite to him, he'd probably lose his full attendance bonus for the month. If she was even kinder to him, he'd lose next month's bonus too. Lin Meiyan tilted her head, clearly puzzled as to why Secretary Shen was reacting this way. He bowed and turned to leave. "Youth Lin, please wait here for a moment." Secretary Shen moved quickly. Within a few minutes, he had found paper and a pen and was drafting a contract on the spot together with Lin Meiyan. The two of them revised it together, and once they confirmed there were no issues, Secretary Shen handed the contract to her. "Youth Lin, take a look. If there's no problem, sign here." Lin Meiyan had watched Secretary Shen draft the contract, and every clause had been written only with her approval. She could honestly say she couldn't have found better terms than these. So Lin Meiyan took the contract without any hesitation. But just before she was about to sign, she suddenly asked, "Secretary Shen, after this contract is signed, will Jianghai Dicai be at a loss?" She felt that every clause in this contract was in her favor—not necessarily so favorable for Jianghai Dicai. Secretary Shen replied, "No." He answered crisply. "Youth Lin, we're businesspeople. Businesspeople naturally don't do losing deals." —Bullshit. His boss, that shrewd and ruthless man, went completely mad the moment he encountered Youth Lin. And a fifty-percent discount on fees? Even if they charged double the full amount, Jianghai Dicai might not break even. But could Youth Lin know that? If she found out now, he probably wouldn't live to see tomorrow morning. No—he'd be packing his bags and getting the hell out right this instant. How could he still qualify as the boss's right-hand man? He'd be better off as a thorn in the boss's side that got removed! Seeing that he answered firmly without seeming to lie, Lin Meiyan took the contract and signed it carefully. Her handwriting was beautiful—neat and precise, like printed type. Every stroke was well-formed. She signed her name three times in a row before returning the contract to Secretary Shen. He put it away and said, "Youth Lin, I'll now take the contract to get my boss's signature." At that point, he feigned a casual reminder. "For an important contract like this, I'd still suggest you not let it out of your sight." "After all, these days there are far too many ways for swindlers to trick people." Lin Meiyan hadn't originally wanted to go. She didn't want to run into Yu Jianghai again. His presence these days was too overpowering, too aggressive. It made her uncomfortable. But since Secretary Shen had put it that way, she hesitated for a moment before getting up. "Then I'll go watch him sign. There's nothing else, right?" "No." Hearing that answer, Lin Meiyan felt at ease. Jianghai Dicai's office was very large—the entire top floor of the building was office space. Secretary Shen led Lin Meiyan through the main work area, drawing the attention of many who looked up and whispered among themselves. "Who's that Secretary Shen brought in?" "I've seen him run back and forth twice already." "Don't recognize her." "Looks like they're setting up a new department, and Secretary Shen's bringing her in to sign a contract." "Does signing a contract require Secretary Shen to handle it personally?" "Does it require going back and forth to President Yu's office several times?" No one answered that question. Xiao Chen, who had gone in earlier to collect the cup and come back empty-handed, added quietly, "I just went to President Yu's office to collect the cup, and President Yu wouldn't let me touch it." At that, everyone exchanged bewildered looks. What did that mean? He wouldn't even let anyone take the cup. "Then who used that cup?" The question was directed at Xiao Chen. She thought for a moment. "Just now, my master brought that pretty female comrade in." Who used the cup? No answer was needed—the answer was already clear. Everyone exchanged knowing glances. "No way?" "Exactly. In the years since Jianghai Dicai was founded, when have you ever seen President Yu have any contact with the opposite sex?" "Right. When he was selecting a secretary back then, President Yu had only one requirement—same sex." "He can't even tolerate someone of the opposite sex within three meters of him. Could he really let someone use his cup and not wash it?" That sounded so strange. The surrounding area fell silent instantly. "Could President Yu have gone mad?" "President Yu hasn't gone mad—I'm afraid our ears have." The sun hadn't risen from the west either. How could they be hearing such an unbelievable piece of news? "Xiao Chen, you didn't missee it, did you?" Xiao Chen shook her head, speaking with certainty. "That cup is President Yu's. He just rarely uses it. Today my master took it out and gave it to that female comrade—" "What's the key point? The key point is that President Yu didn't object." "Ahem, ahem." Secretary Shen and Lin Meiyan walked over with the contract. They could hear the discussion from afar, and Secretary Shen wished he could strangle his apprentice. Xiao Chen turned around and saw her master and the female lead of the story standing right behind them. She felt like she was about to shatter into pieces. Xiao Chen stammered, "M-m-master." Secretary Shen said coldly, "Gossiping during work hours—salary deduction." Xiao Chen almost cried out, Don't deduct my salary! But Secretary Shen ignored her and addressed the group behind her. "None of you are getting away either." The others' faces instantly turned ashen. However, the moment Secretary Shen turned back to face Lin Meiyan, he resumed his usual cheerful demeanor. There was even a hint of fawning in his tone. "Youth Lin, don't listen to their nonsense." Lin Meiyan paused slightly, a subtle feeling stirring within her, though her expression remained composed as she asked, "So, I used Yu Jianghai's cup?" Secretary Shen's ability to say the right thing to the right person was on full display at this moment. "How could that be?" "My boss has his own exclusive cup. Besides, he never shares a cup with anyone." This was common knowledge known to everyone. Lin Meiyan thought to herself, he's lying. Although Yu Jianghai was a germaphobe, during those years on the island, due to the harsh conditions and limited supplies, the two of them had shared the same cup. Of course, Lin Meiyan wouldn't say this out loud. She hummed in acknowledgment, her features gentle and her voice soft. "Lead the way. I need to finish signing the contract and get back to pick up my child from school." Secretary Shen breathed a sigh of relief. He wiped the sweat from his brow and obediently led the way, not forgetting to shoot a fierce glare back at the group of gossipy office colleagues! Xiao Chen gave a thumbs-up gesture in acknowledgment, but the moment Secretary Shen and Lin Meiyan left, they all erupted. "The female lead is married." "She has a child." "Then doesn't that make our President Yu the third party?" The group fell silent as this conclusion suddenly dawned on them. Everyone was somewhat incredulous. This was the boss of Jianghai Dicai willingly becoming a third party for love? Becoming a third party for love. Becoming a third party for love? Who would dare believe that if they heard it? Secretary Shen led Lin Meiyan to Yu Jianghai's office. Along the way, he felt he should do something to make up for what happened. "Youth Lin." "Hmm?" Lin Meiyan turned to look at him, her profile fair and soft, her gaze gentle and attentive. This made Secretary Shen's heart skip a beat involuntarily. He immediately pinched his own thigh—he couldn't afford that. He couldn't afford that. He must uphold male virtue. He was a married man with a wife. Pinch. Pinch hard. Pinch until it hurt. Besides, no matter how beautiful Youth Lin was, she couldn't compare to his high monthly salary! At that thought, Secretary Shen's heart instantly became calm as still water. He explained officially, "Some of my colleagues are a bit unreliable. Don't take their words to heart." "My boss has always only liked his own cup. As for things others have used, he won't even touch them." As he finished speaking. The office door was open, and Secretary Shen saw his boss holding the cup that Youth Lin had used earlier, his gaze deep and gentle. It was as if he was looking at a person through the cup. That was a side of the boss Secretary Shen had never seen before. Was this still his ruthless, germaphobic, cold and aloof boss? Ahhhh. Secretary Shen was about to lose his mind. He couldn't continue his explanation. Lin Meiyan also saw this scene, and her heart skipped a beat. "Boss, I've brought Youth Lin to sign the contract." Yu Jianghai put down the cup, acting as if nothing had happened. "Come in." Secretary Shen led Lin Meiyan inside. He placed the contract on Yu Jianghai's desk and immediately shifted the topic to business. "Boss, this is the renovation contract signed between Jianghai Dicai and Linji." He even proactively bent down to open the contract. "All the details have been fully explained to Youth Lin. She has agreed to everything and has also signed at the bottom." "Please take a look." Yu Jianghai flipped through the pages, scanning the contract content quickly, and finally his gaze stopped on Lin Meiyan's signature. Her handwriting was just as it had always been—neat, orderly, every character like a perfect square. Just like a model student doing homework. Lin Meiyan noticed Yu Jianghai observing her handwriting, and her face slowly began to grow hot and flushed. Because in that moment, she was reminded of years ago. Back then, because Lin Meiyan was highly literate, she had been entrusted with an important task by Daduizhang. Besides earning Gongfen every day, she also had to serve as a scorekeeper. That was how she wrote back then. Every stroke, every line, all neat and orderly. When she was recording Gongfen by candlelight in the cave, Yu Jianghai would sit beside her, playing with her hair. Occasionally glancing at her scorebook, he would lie on his side, his face still young, his eyes carrying a smile, his tone teasing. "Yanyan, why are you writing like you're doing homework at school?" "Every character is written so neatly." "Anyone would think a middle school student was doing homework." At that time, Lin Meiyan was already twenty-three years old, and naturally couldn't take such teasing. She couldn't help but punch him hard in return. However, every time, her fist would be caught by him. In the end, what was supposed to be her recording Gongfen would somehow turn into them tumbling into bed together in passion. Every time, by the end, Lin Meiyan was so exhausted that she couldn't finish her scorekeeping work. But when she woke up, the scorebook would be perfectly filled in. It turned out that while she was asleep, Yu Jianghai would take the notebook and imitate her handwriting, writing it all out from beginning to end. And so Lin Meiyan went about her task day after day, yet not a single person could recognize her. At the thought of this, the heat slowly faded from Lin Meiyan's face. She stood by the window, bathed in the light streaming in from outside, her entire figure gilded in a layer of gold. She murmured softly, "Yu Jianghai, please just sign it soon." She was almost late to pick up her child. Yu Jianghai felt a momentary daze—in that instant, he, like Lin Meiyan, was thinking of the past. Returning to the present, he suddenly turned cold and distant. He gave a soft "mm," took the black fountain pen, and swiftly wrote his name at the end of the contract. Whether intentionally or not, he wrote his name right beside Lin Meiyan's—bold, flamboyant, vigorous strokes. The three large characters of Yu Jianghai just happened to envelop the three neat, small characters of Lin Meiyan. From the outside, it looked as if Yu Jianghai were holding Lin Meiyan. Holding her completely. Secretary Shen, standing behind Yu Jianghai, was inwardly— Tsk. Tsk tsk. Tsk tsk tsk. Secretary Shen knew. Secretary Shen said nothing. Secretary Shen was secretly thrilled—shipping them hard. He was shipping them to death. Unfortunately, the contract closed too quickly. Lin Meiyan only caught a glimpse of a corner, not seeing it clearly. Yu Jianghai had already closed the contract, as if nothing had happened. He picked one from the two copies and handed it to Lin Meiyan. "Two copies—you keep one." Lin Meiyan took the contract and opened it to check. When she flipped to the last page and saw Yu Jianghai's flamboyant signature, she hugged tightly the page bearing her own name. She paused slightly, pinched her fingers hard, a hint of awkwardness in her manner. Yu Jianghai lifted his gaze, his eyes settling on her face, not missing a single flicker of her expression. "Is there a problem?" Cold and detached. At least from his appearance and tone, no emotion could be discerned. Lin Meiyan paused, pinched the corner of the contract, then looked up and said softly, "No problem." Yu Jianghai gave a soft "mm," then shifted his gaze to the window. "Within three days, the renovation department of Jianghai Dicai will arrive at Linji in full." "At that time, arrange for someone to keep watch at Linji." Lin Meiyan nodded and said quietly, "I understand." She took the contract and took her leave. Yu Jianghai spun the pen in his hand, several times wanting to throw it down and stand up, but he restrained himself with iron will. "Secretary Shen, see Youth Lin out." His voice was cold, as if the two of them were strangers. Secretary Shen nodded in acknowledgment, opened the door, and invited Lin Meiyan out. "Youth Lin, let me escort you to Simenkou Youeryuan to pick up your child." The moment those words fell, the pen in Yu Jianghai's hand snapped clean in two—a crisp crack, broken into halves, shattered. Secretary Shen's steps faltered. He glanced back and, from the corner of his eye, saw the broken pen in Yu Jianghai's grip. A chill ran through him. In that moment, in Secretary Shen's eyes, it wasn't the pen that had been snapped—it was him. He could almost see himself shattered into pieces. Secretary Shen's foot had already stepped out the door, but he forced himself to stop. He scratched his head. Damn mouth, say something, ahhhh. His mouth moved faster than his brain. "Youth Lin, I'm sorry." He raised his hand to check the time. "I just realized—my apprentice needs me for something. I might not be able to escort you." Lin Meiyan was taken aback. She wasn't a forceful person by nature, and she quickly accepted the outcome. She shook her head gently and said, "It's fine. I can go on my own." From Jianghai Dicai to Simenkou Youeryuan was only half an hour. Adding in waiting for the bus and stopping along the way, she might be half an hour late. Secretary Shen raised his wrist to check his watch—the hour hand was nearly at five. It was almost five o'clock. "But I recall Simenkou Youeryuan dismisses at five, and it's already four forty now." "If you go on your own, you might not make it in time to pick up your child." Lin Meiyan clutched the contract and thought for a moment. "It's fine. I'll ask the teacher to watch her a little longer and have her wait for me." Secretary Shen blurted out, "That wouldn't be good—Qiaoqiao already got lost once after dismissal." It was like rubbing salt into a wound. Lin Meiyan hadn't been anxious before, but his words made her anxious now. That was exactly what Secretary Shen wanted. He turned to look at Yu Jianghai. "Boss, do you have time later? Would you mind giving Youth Lin a ride?" See—this is what a secretary does. The suggestion had originally come from Yu Jianghai, but Secretary Shen had twisted it around, saying the same thing with a different meaning. Yu Jianghai glanced at him, then at his schedule, and said in a cold voice, "I have half an hour." Secretary Shen clapped his hands. "There we go!" He said to Lin Meiyan, "Youth Lin, it just so happens that from Jianghai Dicai to Simenkou Youeryuan takes half an hour." "Let my boss give you a ride." Had those words come from Yu Jianghai himself, Lin Meiyan would have refused. Anyone with eyes could see that Lin Meiyan was very polite to Yu Jianghai, very measured, even deliberately keeping her distance. But the words came from Secretary Shen, and with the earlier mention he'd deliberately made, Lin Meiyan had no room to refuse. She pinched her palm, then looked up at Yu Jianghai and said, "I'll trouble you, President Yu." Just listen to that tone. From Yu Jianghai to President Yu. Yu Jianghai's face instantly turned cold, a chill radiating off him in waves. He picked up his keys from the desk, strode briskly around it, and left the office. There was no pause whatsoever. Only when he passed Lin Meiyan did he cast a sidelong glance at her, his gaze cold and indifferent, carrying a gust of cool air with him. Then he turned and strode away. Lin Meiyan stood there, at a loss. She frowned, clearly not understanding why Yu Jianghai was angry again?! He was always so quick to anger. Secretary Shen, however, seemed to have noticed something. He quickly said, "Youth Lin, it's getting late. You should head over soon so you can pick up the child on time." Lin Meiyan hummed in acknowledgment, then lifted her skirt and chased after him. Given Yu Jianghai's pace, he should have already reached the end of the corridor by now. But when Lin Meiyan came out, he was standing at the corner of the hallway. Lin Meiyan paused. Was he waiting for her? After she approached, Yu Jianghai pressed the elevator button. With a ding, the elevator let out a whirring sound, clearly coming up from below. The numbers on the screen to the left of the elevator were jumping, from one to nine. Jianghai Dicai had a total of eight buildings, and the building where Jianghai Dicai's office was located was the only low-rise high-rise. It was also the only building equipped with an elevator. Back when Jianghai Dicai first launched in Jiangcheng and made a name for itself overnight, this elevator building had a lot to do with it. Because Jianghai Dicai's original advertisement was that they had introduced elevator commercial housing from Xiangjiang. Even if it was only one building, it was enough for Jianghai Dicai to make a splash in Jiangcheng. After all, it was the only commercial elevator building in Jiangcheng. That was no empty title. Only Jianghai Dicai in the entire city dared to claim such a thing. Lin Meiyan watched the numbers jumping on the small elevator screen. Standing on the fourteenth floor at the top of the building, she looked at the man before her—dressed in a suit, dignified, cold, and sharp. For the first time, Lin Meiyan felt a sense of daze. The man who had once fallen into the mud now stood at the highest position, unreachable and untouchable. Lin Meiyan felt no anger, no envy, and no regret. Only happiness for him. That was from the bottom of her heart. And that was exactly what she said. Standing side by side with Yu Jianghai, looking out at the scenery from the highest point, she said, "Yu Jianghai." She finally called his name again. Yu Jianghai turned around, the cold expression on his face loosening slightly, though it wasn't obvious. Lin Meiyan smiled softly. "Yu Jianghai, congratulations." —Congratulations on standing where you are now, congratulations on making everyone who once bullied you and looked down on you see you in a new light. Yu Jianghai clenched his car keys, staring at her without blinking. He wanted to ask one question. And what about you? I'm standing up high now. Would you look back at me? In the end, he couldn't bring himself to ask. Yu Jianghai withdrew his gaze, looking out the window with a calm and composed expression. "Thank you." What was there to congratulate? He never thought this was something worth celebrating. Just then, the elevator arrived. With a ding, the doors slid open automatically, revealing the space inside—deep and quiet, with a hint of dim light, quite mysterious. Lin Meiyan hesitated. She didn't move. But Yu Jianghai had already stepped in first. He pressed the number one on the elevator panel, then stood at the entrance, lifting his gaze to look at Lin Meiyan. He stood in the darkness. While Lin Meiyan stood in the light. He seemed to be waiting for her to come in, so much so that the elevator doors remained open for a long time without closing. Lin Meiyan wavered for a moment before following him into the elevator. To be honest, she was unfamiliar with elevators and even a little afraid of them. This was her second time riding an elevator. The first time was an hour ago, when she had followed Secretary Shen. She didn't like elevators. In fact, she was somewhat terrified of them. Because the moment the elevator rose or descended, it felt like her heart was about to leap out of her chest. But she had to go downstairs. And Yu Jianghai was waiting for her. After hesitating for a few seconds, Lin Meiyan finally made her decision and slowly stepped inside. Once in the elevator, she chose the corner spot—the farthest position from Yu Jianghai. Yu Jianghai pressed his lips into a thin line. He watched the elevator doors close without a word, standing at the entrance like a statue. Except that the faint fragrance behind him kept drifting uncontrollably into his nose. Lin Meiyan stood behind him. As the elevator descended floor by floor, her heart began to race uncontrollably, as if it had dropped into a void. She dug her fingers tightly into the elevator wall, biting her lip, not making a single sound. But the elevator descended far too quickly. It felt like falling straight from the sky into the abyss. In the end, Lin Meiyan couldn't hold it in. She let out a muffled groan, which sounded especially loud in the silent, cramped elevator space. Yu Jianghai turned around. In the dim elevator light, he saw her pale complexion at a glance. Yu Jianghai paused. "You're afraid of elevators?" It was a statement, not a question. Lin Meiyan said nothing. At least from her appearance, nothing could be discerned—were it not for the fact that her lips had been bitten for so long that a trace of blood had surfaced, it might not have been noticeable at all. Yu Jianghai reached out and pressed the elevator stop button directly. With a ding, the elevator doors opened. Lin Meiyan was somewhat startled. Yu Jianghai didn't step out. Instead, he walked over to her and extended his arm. "Hold on." Lin Meiyan lowered her gaze for a glance. She didn't take his arm, but said, "I can walk out on my own." Yu Jianghai's gaze dimmed slightly. Without a word, he followed Lin Meiyan out of the elevator. Lin Meiyan had assumed they were on the first floor, but she never expected that after stepping out of the elevator, the wall beside her bore the number "7." "This is the seventh floor?" Then how were they supposed to get down? Yu Jianghai gave a hum of acknowledgment, shrugged off his suit jacket, and casually draped it over his arm. His voice was cold and low. "Follow me." Lin Meiyan bit her lip. She hesitated for a moment, watching as Yu Jianghai pushed open the door next to them. She stood rooted in place for a full three seconds before finally following him over. Once the door opened, the small space within revealed a hidden world—it turned out that beside the elevator, there was a concealed stairwell. If she had known there were stairs, perhaps she wouldn't have taken the elevator? But this building had fourteen floors. Lin Meiyan suddenly felt uncertain about that thought of hers. Step by step down the stairs, Yu Jianghai had initially been walking quickly, but when he noticed she was wearing a pair of strappy low heels, he gradually slowed his pace. The stairwell was quiet. For a moment, there was only the sound of heavy and light footsteps descending. Yu Jianghai led the way, and Lin Meiyan followed closely behind. Yu Jianghai glanced back at Lin Meiyan. Just then, the light from the stairwell window fell upon her. Her hair, pinned up in a bun, had become loose and disheveled from going up and down the stairs. The weather was also hot—whether going down or up the stairs, it took considerable effort. Before long, a thin sheen of sweat appeared on her cheeks, and her fair skin flushed a soft pink from the heat radiating from within. At this moment, Lin Meiyan looked soft and beautiful, with rosy lips and white teeth. Yu Jianghai's gaze darkened slightly. The pace of his steps slowed a little more. Lin Meiyan was focused solely on watching the stairs as she descended. Step after step, the stairs seemed to stretch endlessly without a bottom. This made her concentrate even more, so she completely failed to notice that Yu Jianghai's pace had slowed. She ran straight into him—and it was his back she collided with. She reflexively said, "Sorry." Yu Jianghai turned to look at her but said nothing. In a spot where Lin Meiyan couldn't see, his hand slowly clenched into a fist. "President Yu." Someone was smoking in the stairwell. Seeing Yu Jianghai coming down the stairs, they were immediately startled and hastily raised their hands to wave away the smoke. Yu Jianghai gave a hum of acknowledgment and turned back to wait for Lin Meiyan. When Lin Meiyan heard that "President Yu," she no longer wanted to take another step down. The scene she feared most had happened after all. But if she didn't take the elevator, the stairs were the only way down. Lin Meiyan appeared awkwardly from behind the corner of the stairwell. With her appearance, the previously lively stairwell instantly fell silent. Everyone exchanged glances. Earlier, they hadn't understood why President Yu wouldn't take the elevator on such a hot day and chose the stairs instead. But when they saw the young woman coming down behind President Yu, they understood. It wasn't that President Yu wouldn't take the elevator. It was that President Yu had to accompany someone down the stairs. President Yu had to accompany someone down the stairs. What a chilling statement that was. Lin Meiyan steeled herself and walked over. Even after reaching the first floor, she could still feel the piercing stares behind her. At twenty-nine years old, Lin Meiyan should have long been accustomed to such looks. But the problem was that she was with Yu Jianghai. She stood silently downstairs, holding her bag, her eyes vacant as she gazed at the passersby around her. Yu Jianghai, meanwhile, took out his keys to get the car. A moment later, a black Mercedes-Benz pulled up in front of Lin Meiyan. Reason told Lin Meiyan that she shouldn't get in the car. The more she got in, the more entangled she became with Yu Jianghai. But reality was that her daughter was still waiting for her at school. If she arrived even a minute late, she feared the scene of her daughter being abducted after school last time would repeat itself. Lin Meiyan gripped her bag, her knuckles turning white from the pressure, yet her feet seemed rooted to the ground, unmoving. Yu Jianghai rolled down the car window. "Get in." Lin Meiyan paused, then finally picked up her bag and got in. This time, Yu Jianghai didn't help her with the seatbelt. He simply turned his head and asked, "Do you know how to buckle a seatbelt?" His profile was extremely handsome, with smooth lines, a straight nose, and well-defined lips. Calling him handsome would not be an exaggeration. Unfortunately, Lin Meiyan didn't notice any of that. She lowered her gaze, felt for the seatbelt, and pulled it across to buckle it. After fumbling for quite a while, she finally managed to fasten the seatbelt. Throughout it all, Yu Jianghai waited quietly—neither impatient nor irritated. Instead, he was calm, composed, and restrained as he gazed at her. Lin Meiyan finally finished buckling her seatbelt. She let out a soft sigh of relief, and as she looked up, she met that pair of deep, obscure eyes. Her heart gave a sudden leap. But upon closer inspection, the other person had returned to his calm and composed demeanor, as if nothing had happened before. "I'm ready," Lin Meiyan said softly. "Please take me to the kindergarten." Yu Jianghai grunted in acknowledgment, then stepped on the gas and shot forward. The ride was smooth this time, without the jostling she had experienced on her first trip. This puzzled Lin Meiyan somewhat. However, once they arrived at Simenkou Youeryuan, she no longer felt the need to ask. Yu Jianghai had driven at full speed the entire way, pushing the car to its maximum. But because they had set out from so far away, they still arrived five minutes late. When they reached Simenkou Youeryuan, quite a few parents were already at the entrance. Most had already picked up their children, leaving only a handful of kids still waiting where they were. They looked like children forgotten by their parents, their dim eyes filled with disappointment as they glanced around. Qiaoqiao was one of them. As she stood on her tiptoes scanning the area, a black Mercedes pulled up at the kindergarten gate. Everyone instinctively turned to look. "Wow, what a cool car." "Even nicer than the one at Ding Haohao's house." "Whose car is this?" Qiaoqiao thought to herself, This is my Uncle Yu's car, but she couldn't say it. She raised her little eyebrows smugly, with an expression that said she knew something the others didn't. After the car came to a stop. Yu Jianghai got out first, then turned to open the passenger door for Lin Meiyan. It was only then that she realized the door could actually be opened from the outside. She stared at Yu Jianghai in astonishment, her eyes wide as saucers. "Yu Jianghai!" "You were messing with me before!" Before she could finish her sentence. Yu Jianghai pointed at Qiaoqiao not far away. "The child is waiting for you." Lin Meiyan let it go at that. She stepped out of the passenger seat, and Yu Jianghai stood beside her—a handsome man and a beautiful woman. The two walked toward the kindergarten gate together. For a moment, the entire entrance fell silent. "Qiaoqiao, your mom and dad are here to pick you up from school!"