This young man felt a fire raging within him, his entire being radiating heat that could only be conveyed to Han Yanyan through their lips and tongues. What was just a playful fling or a partnership? Love… it comes rushing in without warning!
At this moment, Qiao Chengyu could no longer deny it. From the very beginning, he had been drawn to Han Yanyan. Perhaps it began even earlier, back when he was just a lowly company employee and she was the fiancée of his half-brother. The reports and articles about her had already become his dreams.
She came from a prestigious family, living so boldly, flamboyantly, and confidently, possessing everything he longed for but lacked.
Han Yanyan was caught off guard, swept up in a fiery kiss as Qiao Chengyu pulled her close. The heat of his tongue was intoxicating, pressing deep into her very being. The desires that had lain dormant for half a year were roused, hormones surging within her.
When their lips finally parted, Han Yanyan opened her eyes, yearning to make love with Qiao Chengyu. Yet, he held her face in his hands, gazing into her eyes with sincere determination as he earnestly asked, “Yanyan… please marry me.”
Han Yanyan was taken aback.
She had a wedding ring already on her finger. The diamond was as large as a pigeon’s egg, dazzling anyone who looked at it. Entertainment tabloids were screaming headlines, proclaiming their engagement. What did Qiao Chengyu mean by saying this?
She looked at him, no longer the cool and aloof man she had known. His eyes were filled with anticipation and yearning. Suddenly, Han Yanyan understood. This was not about partnerships or formal unions; Qiao Chengyu was genuinely proposing to her. As a man, he asked the woman he loved for a promise of a lifetime.
Han Yanyan fell silent. In her silence, Qiao Chengyu’s fervent excitement began to cool, his heart slowly growing distant.
He let go of Han Yanyan, silently staring at her.
Though winter had given way to spring, the wind still felt cold.
Han Yanyan gazed at him. His face no longer glowed as before; his eyes, once brilliant, now appeared quiet and calm. He had returned to his usual self, with a hint of sorrow lurking in his gaze.
“I’m sorry.” He suddenly spoke, apologizing for his one-sided feelings that had crossed the line with a partner. “I…” He was at a loss, unsure how to explain his earlier impulsiveness. He had always been overly restrained and serious, but in this moment, it was clear to Han Yanyan that he was truly young.
A sigh echoed deep in her heart.
She simply couldn’t remain indifferent anymore.
If this were merely a story written on paper, perhaps she could detach herself, looking down from a divine vantage point, separating from everything. But she was a living, breathing person, with emotions and a heartbeat. Faced with another living, breathing individual, a young and beautiful man, love ignited passions within her when it arrived.
Han Yanyan found herself unable to turn away, unable to be unmoved, unable to resist how touched she felt.
She took a step forward, rising on her toes to kiss his warm lips once more.
“Fool.” She smiled, her gaze sparkling like the waves on a lake, her lips like fire.
This response was like a spark thrown into a dying fire, rekindling the flames in Qiao Chengyu’s eyes, making his face shine once more.
With unbridled joy, Qiao Chengyu embraced Han Yanyan tightly. His arms held her so strongly that her toes barely touched the ground. In a fervent daze, he kissed her again, mapping his lips across her radiant face, her graceful neck, and the smooth curve of her ears.
Han Yanyan giggled at his kisses and wrapped her arms around his neck, whispering softly in his ear, “Take me away.”
Qiao Chengyu felt the heat rising all over him. “Okay.”
In his apartment, Han Yanyan and Qiao Chengyu made love.
From the entrance to the living room floor, from the dining table to the big bed in the bedroom. Han Yanyan moved like a fish leaping into a stream, swimming freely, wildly waving her tail, sometimes leaping high, reaching for impossible heights, indulging in pure bliss.
In the warm afterglow, she traced the angles of his deep features, kissing his warm, softly parted lips, turning lazily in his embrace and falling asleep in satisfaction.
In the middle of the night, she awoke to find he was gone. For a moment, Han Yanyan was puzzled, wrapping herself in the blanket and stepping barefoot out of bed. The living room was dim, and the study door stood ajar, light spilling from the gap. Stealthily, she approached.
The floor was heated, warming her feet. Standing outside the study, she peered through the narrow gap. The man with clear brows and eyes was immersed in a glow of warm light, engrossed in reading documents, occasionally jotting down notes. He was so focused that he didn’t notice the figure standing quietly at the door, seriousness etched across his face.
Han Yanyan watched him for a while, a soft smile playing at her lips. If she could stay in this world and meet such a person, it wouldn’t be a bad life.
But then, she remembered the experiences from her previous life, the smile vanishing from her lips, a chill spreading in her eyes as she lowered her arms and returned to bed.
In her dreams, it felt like someone was holding her from behind. In the morning, he kissed her cheek. Han Yanyan squinted awake, groggily noticing that he was dressed, with a shirt and tie perfectly in place.
“Sleep.” He whispered gently in her ear, kissing her soft earlobe before leaving reluctantly. Han Yanyan turned over, sinking back into the warmth of the blankets, falling asleep once more.
Only when she felt well-rested did Han Yanyan lazily rise, taking a shower and dressing. She rummaged through the refrigerator for something to eat, surveying his apartment. The décor was minimalistic but cold. The living room was a bit messy, a testament to their wild night. After finishing her meal, Han Yanyan tidied up the disarray.
“Miss Han Yanyan” wouldn’t normally do these things, but the real Han Yanyan would. Once done, she looked around the neat living room, feeling a bit lost, unsure of who she was.
The Han and Qiao families soon held a grand engagement ceremony, with a bustling crowd and a sea of guests. In the news, once again, there was a new golden couple.
Even more surprising was that the usually flamboyant and playful Miss Han unexpectedly became calm after the second engagement. Both Han Father and Qiao Father felt immensely gratified.
As for her fiancé Qiao Chengyu, a reporter captured a photo of him alone with his fiancée. In the picture, he gazed at her with kindness, a smile on his lips that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere…
Qiao Wenxing followed Bai Yue away from his hometown of D City, leaving behind his father’s territory for the unfamiliar.
After a few days in a hotel, he rented a modest apartment. The surroundings were passable, but now with limited funds for starting a business, buying a home was not an option. Starting anew in an entirely strange place was no easy feat. To cut costs, he had to take care of many trivial matters himself.
Once he left the familiar environment, he realized it was hard to get things done and achieve success.
Qiao Wenxing stumbled his way through renting office space. After signing the contract and paying, he moved in only to discover all sorts of problems. Back in D City, no agent would dare to mislead him like this, unless they wanted to ruin their reputation. But here, no one knew him; arguing and negotiating were futile, forcing him to swallow his losses in silence.
His company was built amidst struggles, with Bai Yue still acting as his secretary, serving tea and checking in on him as she did back in D City. However, she couldn’t really assist him in work—she wasn’t a particularly capable professional. In fact, she had made several mistakes that led to minor troubles.
With no other option, Qiao Wenxing reluctantly hired a capable girl as an assistant, taking over Bai Yue’s work alongside his own.
In this new place, expanding his business without a network to lean on was both painful and unforgettable for Qiao Wenxing as he faced an adaptation period.
No one recognized him; Qiao's princely aura held no sway here. He had to learn to humble himself, offering praise, niceties, and even flattery.
All of this made him uncomfortable. But he left D City and his father’s control to prove himself. He had to be responsible for the future he shared with Bai Yue; he needed to provide her with a satisfactory life.
Slowly, Qiao Wenxing began to realize he wasn’t as exceptional as he had believed. Titles like “youth elite” and “future business leader” turned out to be nothing but flattery, illusions of grandeur. Regret enveloped him, but the situation had escalated; retreating to D City to seek pity was not an option. He had to achieve something before he could face returning home.
The news of Han Yanyan and Qiao Chengyu’s engagement reached Qiao Wenxing and Bai Yue almost simultaneously. Their friends in D City were eager to relay any news about Han Yanyan. These so-called friends enjoyed the spectacle, each one wishing for more drama, lusting for the latest gossip.
“Yueyue, let me tell you, the engagement ceremony for Miss Han was extravagant, you can’t imagine how lavish!” A former female colleague eagerly recounted to Bai Yue.
Bai Yue asked, “You went?”
The colleague replied, “Who am I to go? President Liang was there, snapped photos, and posted them in the group. I’ll send them to you shortly! It was like a dream!”
Bai Yue feigned indifference, saying, “Of course, Wenxing had canceled the wedding with her, which must have been quite hurtful. This time, the Qiao family had to make it up to her, or it would be too pitiful.”
The colleague paused, unsure of how to respond.
The eldest Miss Han lived a life beyond their wildest dreams, with a ring as big as a pigeon’s egg and an engagement ceremony that was both luxurious and romantic, surrounded by esteemed guests that included many celebrities, each honored to be invited. The colleague was puzzled as to what could possibly make her pitiful.
Changing the topic, she asked, “What about you? How are you doing? When will you marry President Qiao?”
Bai Yue's mood brightened, “There’s no rush; I’m only twenty-two. Besides, Wenxing has just freed himself from his father’s control and is trying to build his own career. Right now, I’m focused on how to best assist him; we can talk about marriage later.”
Bai Yue was unaware that the colleague on the other end of the line was rolling her eyes. In the head office, Bai Yue had the most ordinary education, did the least amount of work, and was the slowest and least efficient. But everyone knew she was the junior the young master of the Qiao family had broken the rules to hire, and the extent to which Qiao Wenxing cared for her was unspoken; everyone pretended not to notice and often helped her out in her work, constantly praising her.
It seemed she was still clueless, thinking she was the virtuous support behind the man.
After hanging up, Bai Yue scrolled through the photos her colleague had sent. It was just an engagement ceremony, but lavish beyond her imagination. The more she looked, the wider her eyes grew.
In the end, she couldn’t help but show the photos to Qiao Wenxing, who replied, “I’ve seen them.”
Bai Yue sighed, “We’ve let her down. I hope she can find happiness.”
Qiao Wenxing wrapped an arm around her shoulders, smiling, “Don’t worry about her; if she’s not doing well, she won’t let anyone else suffer either.”
Bai Yue relaxed, “That’s great to hear; I won’t feel so guilty.” She flipped through the photos, marveling, “It must have cost at least two hundred thousand to hold such a ceremony.”
“Impossible.” Qiao Wenxing laughed, “Just Yanyan’s dress cost more than that.”
Bai Yue suddenly felt a tightness in her chest.
It dawned on Bai Yue that she had nothing to her name.
In the past, Qiao Wenxing often gifted her luxury items she couldn’t afford. She had always regarded them as priceless. But now she realized that “expensive” was a very subjective term. What she deemed expensive might not hold the same weight for others.
At the very least, it was certainly not comparable to Han Yanyan’s value.
She stared at the images, especially focusing on the pigeon egg-sized diamond on Han Yanyan’s finger. Unable to resist, she quietly searched for the ring's price online.
The long string of numbers left her once again breathless.
The author has something to say: I can only promise one update every morning at 7. Additional updates will drop irregularly, without guarantees.