Chapter 14
The following day, Lin Xiaogu received a text message from an unfamiliar number while she was working.
The message was very brief, containing only a few words:
Let’s meet.
Lin Xiaogu had no social circle and no relatives. The only contacts saved on her phone were Yu Baiyi and Xi Bingye—and she barely ever contacted one of them. Her number was so inactive that even spam messages rarely found their way to it.
So who had sent this cryptic message?
Throughout the morning, Lin Xiaogu appeared to sit quietly at her desk organizing documents, but her thoughts kept drifting toward the text.
She considered telling Baiyi. She even typed half a message asking her about it, but with her finger hovering over the send button, she ultimately stopped.
Baiyi was so busy with work. A vague, contextless message like this might only add to her troubles…
More importantly, Lin Xiaogu felt that she should slowly learn to become independent. She had to try handling some things herself.
Like an elementary school student clutching a coin while taking the bus alone for the first time, Lin Xiaogu felt inexplicably nervous about replying to the unfamiliar number.
The feeling persisted until after lunch.
She quietly hid inside a bathroom stall. After confirming that no one else was nearby, she took out her phone and stared at the words on the screen for a long time.
Five minutes later, Lin Xiaogu finally made up her mind. With trembling fingers, she typed:
May I ask who you are?
The other person replied almost immediately:
Thursday at two in the afternoon. Meet me at the café downstairs.
Lin Xiaogu froze, utterly confused.
Why do you want to meet me?
Unknown Number: I have the answers you want.
Lin Xiaogu: What answers? What are you talking about?
Unknown Number: About Yu Baiyi.
Unknown Number: The answers.
The three characters of Yu Baiyi’s name pierced Lin Xiaogu’s eyes like countless tiny needles.
Her hand shook, and her phone fell to the floor with a clatter.
She hurriedly picked it up. Pale-faced, she replied with a single Okay before rushing out of the bathroom.
For the next two days, Lin Xiaogu remained restless.
Even Luo Yu noticed how preoccupied she seemed. However, she felt awkward asking directly, so while reporting on work, she casually mentioned it to Xi Bingye.
“Prosecutor, Secretary Lin seems somewhat down lately. Is there anything I should do?”
“No.” Xi Bingye’s gaze remained on the document, her voice calm. “There are some things she must resolve herself.”
After a moment, she sighed softly.
“No one else can help.”
Luo Yu nodded.
“Wait.”
Xi Bingye stopped Luo Yu just as she was about to leave. She lifted her gaze from the document and looked at her.
“When you have time, invite Lin Xiaogu out somewhere. A park, aquarium, or amusement park would all be fine. Try to accompany her during meals as well. For the time being, don’t let her stay alone.”
“All right.” Luo Yu nodded. “I understand.”
On Thursday afternoon, Lin Xiaogu arrived outside the café at the agreed time.
Her phone screen lit up with another message from the unfamiliar number.
Come inside and look to the left. I’m sitting at the first table by the window.
After several days of struggling to sleep under immense pressure, now that the moment had finally arrived, Lin Xiaogu instead felt a nearly numb calm.
She pushed open the door and looked to the left—
This was…
This was…!
Lin Xiaogu instantly froze.
She had seen this woman before.
On the news, in the trending topic about Yu Baiyi’s engagement.
She still remembered the photograph in which the woman had leaned against Yu Baiyi, smiling beautifully.
Seeing her in person now, she truly was beautiful.
Lin Xiaogu clenched the hem of her clothes and slowly made her way toward the table before sitting across from her.
“You’re the one… who asked to meet me.”
Lin Ziyue observed Lin Xiaogu for a while. After a moment, she suddenly laughed softly.
“You don’t seem very surprised, and you didn’t ask who I am. Do you know me?”
Lin Xiaogu answered quietly, “I’ve seen you… on television.”
“I see.”
Lin Ziyue pushed the menu toward her.
“This café is downstairs from your workplace, so you must be familiar with it. Is there any coffee you would recommend?”
Lin Xiaogu shook her head awkwardly.
“I’ve never… had any.”
“All right. That’s fine.”
Lin Ziyue smiled generously and waved over a server, asking her to recommend two caffeine-free drinks.
While Lin Ziyue spoke with the server, Lin Xiaogu secretly raised her eyes and looked at the woman opposite her.
Lin Ziyue had meticulously styled, long, wavy hair in a misty brown shade. Several strands rested casually over her shoulders, gleaming softly beneath the sunlight streaming through the glass window. Her lips were painted a vivid red that most people could not carry well.
Her brows were relaxed, and the outer corners of her eyes tilted slightly upward. When she smiled, the movement of her eyes carried an unhurried, approachable confidence.
Lin Xiaogu truly knew nothing about coffee.
As she listened to Lin Ziyue and the server exchange terms like dark roast, Italian blend, and citrus finish, it all sounded like an incomprehensible foreign language to her.
Lin Xiaogu quietly lowered her eyes and unconsciously sniffed. Her fingers curled slightly against her knees.
It would be wonderful if someday… she could possess that kind of confidence too.
But that kind of assurance was probably something one was born with—or something nourished by wealth and affection. Even if she imitated its outward appearance, without that support rooted inside her, her insecurity would eventually reveal itself.
“Thank you.”
The server collected the menus.
“I ordered a grape cold brew for you. It doesn’t contain caffeine. Is that all right?”
Lin Xiaogu nodded.
Lin Ziyue suddenly reached out and gently held the hand Lin Xiaogu had placed on the table.
“Let’s introduce ourselves properly. My name is Lin Ziyue. You’re Lin Xiaogu, correct?”
“Mhm.”
“You said you’ve seen me on television. I’m curious about which news report it was. Would you mind telling me?”
Lin Ziyue’s smile was gentle and appropriate, making it difficult to sense any hostility.
Yet Lin Xiaogu’s throat felt uncomfortable, as though a clump of damp cotton were lodged inside it.
She could not bring herself to admit that she had seen Lin Ziyue in the trending topic, so she casually invented an excuse.
“I’m sorry. It was a long time ago, and I don’t remember clearly.”
Lin Ziyue nodded without pressing further.
“All right.”
At that moment, the server approached carrying three drinks.
“Excuse me. Here are your three beverages.”
“Three?”
Lin Xiaogu unconsciously spoke aloud.
“Oh.” Lin Ziyue smiled. “Another friend will be joining us shortly.”
Someone else?
Had Lin Ziyue not asked to meet her privately, saying she had something to tell her?
Before Lin Xiaogu could make sense of it, her phone suddenly rang.
The instant she saw the caller ID, panic surged through her heart. Feeling inexplicably guilty, she abruptly placed the phone facedown on the table and looked timidly at Lin Ziyue.
Lin Ziyue smiled slightly.
“It’s Yu Baiyi, isn’t it? Answer it.”
Having been seen through, Lin Xiaogu had nowhere to hide.
She swallowed and pressed the answer button.
“Hello…”
She had originally intended to say Baiyi’s name, but because Lin Ziyue was present, she forcibly swallowed the rest.
Even Lin Xiaogu was startled by the awkward greeting. The breathing on the other end of the line clearly grew heavier.
Yu Baiyi’s tone was equally stiff.
“Where are you right now?”
“I’m… working.”
“You’re at the procuratorate?”
“Mhm.”
“Then guess where I am.”
“You’re… away on your business trip.”
“I’m already back.” Yu Baiyi sounded as though she were speaking through clenched teeth. “Lin Xiaogu, turn around.”
Lin Xiaogu’s heart tightened, and she abruptly turned—
Yu Baiyi stood at the café entrance with her phone in hand, staring at her with blazing intensity.
Lin Xiaogu suddenly felt a headache coming on.
Yu Baiyi strode over and glared at her.
“This is what you meant when you said you were working?”
“Baiyi, it isn’t—”
“What else are you planning to explain?”
Lin Ziyue spoke at the appropriate moment, her voice gentle as though attempting to ease the tension.
“All right. Why become so tense the moment you see each other?”
She looked up at Yu Baiyi.
“I didn’t know what you liked to drink, so I ordered the most ordinary iced Americano. Is that acceptable?”
Yu Baiyi sat across from Lin Xiaogu. Hearing this, she narrowed her eyes and cast Lin Ziyue an irritated glance.
“Whatever.”
Then her gaze returned to Lin Xiaogu’s lowered face.
When Lin Xiaogu continued sitting in a daze, Yu Baiyi gently kicked her calf beneath the table.
Lin Ziyue behaved as though she had not noticed the undercurrent between them and continued smiling.
“Since everyone is here, let’s discuss this properly. It would be best to resolve the issue once and for all.”
The issue that needed resolving.
Did she mean Lin Xiaogu?
When Lin Xiaogu returned to her senses, a fine, persistent pain spread through her chest.
Yu Baiyi looked coldly at Lin Ziyue.
“So without my knowledge, you investigated Lin Xiaogu’s phone number and arranged for both of us to come here. Lin Ziyue, what exactly are you trying to do?”
“Didn’t I tell you that you have no right to interfere in matters between us?”
It seemed that Baiyi did not have a good relationship with her fiancée.
Should Lin Xiaogu feel happy about that?
The next instant, she felt ashamed of herself for even having such a thought.
Despite Yu Baiyi’s harsh questioning, Lin Ziyue did not become angry. Instead, the corners of her lips curved upward.
She turned toward Lin Xiaogu and said casually, “We’re engaged. Did you know?”
As expected, this day had finally come.
Yu Baiyi’s expression changed abruptly.
“Xiaogu, don’t listen to her nonsense—!”
“I know.”
Yu Baiyi froze completely.
“What… did you say?”
Lin Ziyue looked at Yu Baiyi and spoke gently.
“Why are you being so fierce? Don’t frighten her.”
“Still… I truly didn’t expect her to say she already knew about our engagement. Did you actually tell her?”
Yu Baiyi could no longer pay any attention to Lin Ziyue.
Her eyes reddened slightly, and disbelief and panic filled her voice.
“Xiaogu… What did you say? How did you… find out? Who told you?”
Lin Xiaogu’s heart instantly sank to the bottom.
She had imagined many possible reactions from Yu Baiyi.
Perhaps she would become furious and demand to know why Lin Xiaogu had remained silent despite knowing.
Perhaps she would soften her voice as usual, coax Lin Xiaogu, and beg for forgiveness.
Or perhaps she would simply acknowledge the truth calmly and order Lin Xiaogu to accept it.
But the Yu Baiyi before her now…
Was panicking.
And that panic hurt Lin Xiaogu more than any other reaction could have.
“If I hadn’t said anything… how much longer were you planning to hide it from me?”
“Xiaogu, I’ve always wanted to find time to speak with you. But you know I’ve constantly been away on business lately and truly haven’t had the time. I originally planned to tell you once I returned from this trip.”
Tell her…
And then what?
Would it be like what happened in television dramas, where Yu Baiyi gave her some money and told her to leave?
Lin Ziyue sat beside them, quietly drinking her beverage and observing the two women before her.
Silence spread through the air.
Afternoon sunlight streamed diagonally through the café’s glass windows, dividing the tabletop into light and shadow. Dust slowly swirled through the beam before gently settling on the floor.
Lin Xiaogu felt something scorching gather in her eyes and slide down her cheeks.
Just then, her phone rang again.
It was Xi Bingye.
Perhaps it was already time to return to work. The prosecutor must have noticed she was absent from her desk and needed her to handle something.
Lin Xiaogu sniffed and tried to regain control of her emotions before answering.
“Prosecutor Xi.”
The moment Yu Baiyi heard that name, her brows furrowed.
Xi Bingye’s calm voice came through the phone.
“Secretary Lin, there is a document that needs to be organized. Are you available now?”
Lin Xiaogu pressed her lips together, unsure how to respond.
The café door opened once again. The server’s greeting of “Welcome” almost overlapped with the voice from the phone—
Xi Bingye’s tone remained perfectly composed, yet every word reached Lin Xiaogu clearly.
“Or is now… an inconvenient time?”
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