Chapter 33

The day Ran Jin returned, Chi Yu was listening to Manager Xu hold a meeting for the Planning Department, having volunteered to take the minutes.

Through the glass door of the meeting room, Ran Jin watched as Chi Yu, with her long hair pinned up and her makeup as impeccable as ever, sat looking sharp, spirited, and professional. Ran Jin gazed at her in silent stillness, while Chi Yu remained fully focused on her screen. Her fingers flew across the keys, a recording device placed nearby to capture every word so she could verify her notes later or review anything she didn’t fully grasp.

After watching her for a while, Ran Jin returned to her office and poured herself a cup of coffee. After drinking it, her head began to throb again, and the feeling of heart palpitations returned. Ever since her first dive to four hundred meters during this business trip, her condition had been poor. What was supposed to be a week-long trip had been cut short to three days.

Upon returning, Ran Jin had spent half a day resting in her apartment, mostly in a deep stupor. She woke up this morning feeling slightly better, but unable to let go of company matters, she took some medicine and came to the office.

【You better really be worried about the company. You’re clearly worried about that little brat, aren’t you?】

Sitting in her office, Ran Jin received a WeChat reply from Lu Siqiong sent half an hour prior. The voice message played aloud; Ran Jin glanced at the closed door to ensure Chi Yu wasn’t about to enter, then logged into her email. While checking her inbox, she messaged Lu Siqiong:

“I left so suddenly and dumped a heap of work on her. She must have been overwhelmed these past few days.”

After sending the message, Ran Jin thought of her impulsive departure and the restless nights of worry that followed. She couldn’t help but mock herself; she wasn’t nearly as decisive as she had imagined. Others struggled to let go after picking something up, but she was someone who could neither pick it up nor let it go.

A set of hurried footsteps echoed in the hallway. Ran Jin knew it was Chi Yu. She suddenly [bailiantales.com]felt tense, her lips tightening.

“You’re back?”

Chi Yu was holding her laptop. When she pushed open the office door, the cold sternness she’d held in the meeting room vanished. Her beautiful eyes, naturally bright and expressive, now held a layer of undisguised pleasant surprise. Being looked at like that, Ran Jin felt her cheeks flush uncontrollably.

“Mhm, I’m back,” Ran Jin responded with a faint smile, habitually turning her gaze away quickly.

Chi Yu set her laptop down. Instead of sitting in her own chair, she walked over to Ran Jin and asked, “Where did you go for your business trip? There wasn’t a single word of news. As your assistant, I had no idea.”

Ran Jin caught the scent of her perfume—not overpowering or cloying—and couldn’t help but secretly increase the frequency of her breathing.

“A project suddenly had some issues, and I didn’t have time to tell you.”

“Oh? What project requires you to step in personally and leave in such a hurry?”

Chi Yu didn’t actually require an answer. She knew that if Ran Jin had intended to tell her, she would have said it directly; the vague use of “a project” meant she didn’t want to elaborate. So, Chi Yu provided the follow-up herself: “I thought you were mad at me.”

“Hm?”

Ran Jin turned her head. Chi Yu stood with her arms crossed, her waist leaning against the edge of the chair back, very close to Ran Jin’s shoulder. Her shirt was tucked into her trousers; through the thin white fabric, her slender waist was fully apparent. Ran Jin took one look and awkwardly turned back, pretending to be busy by clicking randomly.

“How could I be mad at you?” Ran Jin stared at the screen, though not a single word entered her brain. “It truly was sudden. By the time I decided to leave, it was the middle of the night. I didn’t want to disturb you, so I didn’t say anything. The cell signal there was poor, and it wasn’t convenient to contact you, so…”

Chi Yu interrupted her explanation: “As long as you’re not mad. You keep everything bottled up inside; it makes me worry that I’ll accidentally step on a landmine. If I ever say the wrong thing, just tell me directly.”

Ran Jin had thought that after disappearing silently for so many days, Chi Yu would interrogate her about where she had been. Instead, Chi Yu didn’t do that, and her tone even suggested a desire to mend the relationship. Ran Jin knew it was because she had been teaching Chi Yu and bringing her into the fold of the Chi Group without reservation, leading Chi Yu to take the initiative to ease the tension.

But fundamentally, the most important conflict between them had not been resolved. Even if the relationship was much better than before, it didn’t mean there wouldn’t be more volatility ahead.

Ran Jin’s thoughts drifted for a moment. As Chi Yu left, she patted her shoulder to remind her: “You’ve been looking at that email for five minutes, and it’s already been replied to.”

Ran Jin’s eyes widened, a wave of embarrassment washing over her. Chi Yu sat at her own desk and watched as Ran Jin discreetly exited the email and opened an unread one. Having seen everything, Chi Yu couldn’t help but let a smile touch the corners of her lips.

After a full day of work, Ran Jin discovered that her sudden departure hadn’t left Chi Yu in a scramble. Chi Yu had not only completed all her assistant duties but had also helped prioritize tasks, allowing Ran Jin to handle the most urgent matters quickly upon her return. Thanks to Chi Yu, today was relatively easy.

Outside, the sky had long since turned black, and a dense rain had soaked the entire city. Because the window’s soundproofing was so good, Chi Yu—buried in work—hadn’t noticed when the downpour started. She hadn’t driven today because she was tired, coming stolen content in by taxi instead. With the heavy rain and evening rush hour, she wouldn’t be able to call a car.

Just as Chi Yu was about to call Butler Chen to pick her up, Ran Jin said, “I’ll drive you back.”

“Okay!”

Sitting in Ran Jin’s passenger seat, Chi Yu felt a familiar sense of security. As Ran Jin drove steadily into the rainy night traffic, Chi Yu realized that what made her comfortable wasn’t just the seat she had occupied countless times, but the fact that the entire cabin was filled with a familiar scent.

“Want some chocolate? To tide you over.”

While waiting for a red light, Ran Jin took an unopened box of chocolates from the console and handed it to Chi Yu. Ran Jin said, “Looking at the traffic, it might take over an hour to get to the Chi house. I was careless; I should have had dinner ready for you when we got in the car.”

“It’s no trouble. I like this brand of chocolate.”

The familiar pampering allowed Chi Yu to relax completely. Hearing Chi Yu’s upbeat tone and the words “I like it,” Ran Jin couldn’t stop a faint smile from spreading across her lips.

Chi Yu took the chocolate, opened the packaging, and ate one. Her gaze locked onto a small car air freshener on the right side of the center console. It was shaped like a little peach, white with a reddish tint, the pinkness on the tip looking particularly realistic and cute. The peach scent was soft and sweet; Chi Yu had been obsessed with it years ago. Before she was even old enough for a driver’s license, she had bought a bunch of them and insisted they be placed in her sister’s and Ran Jin’s cars.

Whether it was the chocolate or the air freshener, they were all Chi Yu’s favorites. This couldn’t unauthorized copy help but remind her that the dishes Ran Jin “liked” were also almost entirely tailored to her own tastes.

“Sister Ran,” Chi Yu said while eating chocolate. “This air freshener was discontinued two years ago. I looked everywhere and couldn’t find it, yet you’re still using it.”

The light turned green. Ran Jin slowly pressed the accelerator, glanced at the little peach, and said, “I have more. I’ll give some to you later.”

Chi Yu ate a second chocolate, testing the waters thoughtfully: “You bought a lot?”

“Mhm…” Ran Jin watched the wipers tirelessly clear the rain from the windshield and spoke the truth. “Once I get used to something, I don’t want to change. I heard it was being discontinued, so I bought a bit extra.”

“That’s rare.”

“Hm?”

“That you would have something you actually like.”

Ran Jin’s expression became unnatural for a moment, which Chi Yu caught in the dim light of the car. There were far too many cars; they could hardly move. Neither of them was in a hurry.

However, it was already past dinner time. Chi Yu remembered that she had bought Ran Jin Kung Pao Chicken for lunch. After a few bites, Ran Jin seemed to have a poor appetite and couldn’t finish it, yet she wouldn’t throw it away, saying she’d put it in the fridge for tomorrow. Chi Yu had stuffed the leftovers directly into the trash.

Ran Jin hadn’t eaten much at lunch and had lasted until now, yet she was only thinking of others.

“You must be hungry too. Want a chocolate?” Chi Yu asked.

“Okay, at the next red light…”

Before Ran Jin could finish, Chi Yu held a piece of unwrapped chocolate to her lips. “Open up.”

In the past, when she sat in Ran Jin’s passenger seat, she would often feed her various things—from snacks to fruit. As long as she was eating, Ran Jin would have a share. Perhaps because Chi Yu had figured some things out over the past few days, or because Ran Jin’s sudden departure had left her unspoken emotions brewing for days, Chi Yu felt a fluttering sense of transgression tempting her to do this.

Ran Jin was startled and accidentally hit the horn. With a loud honk, the chocolate in Chi Yu’s hand was nearly dropped.

“Thank you…” Ran Jin quickly took the chocolate into her mouth, thanking her vaguely. Because she was driving, the movement wasn’t perfectly timed; as she took the chocolate, her hot, soft lips brushed against Chi Yu’s fingertip.

“…” Ran Jin could only pretend nothing had happened.

A sensation like soft candy quickly spread to Chi Yu’s heart. Her fingertip was stained with a bit of Ran Jin’s lipstick; she realized Ran Jin was wearing a unauthorized copycherry-pink shade—translucent and natural—that made her look years younger.

“Is it good?” Chi Yu just wanted to keep her talking.

“It’s good!” The chocolate ball made a small round bulge in Ran Jin’s cheek. She spoke with genuine emphasis, as if afraid Chi Yu wouldn’t believe her.

The winter rain, which seemed like it would last all night, began to taper off once they got off the highway. By the time they reached the Chi house, the wind and rain had stopped, though it was still freezing.

“Thanks for the ride, Sister Ran. See you tomorrow.”

Chi Yu pushed the door open and stepped out. A gust of cold air rushed in, giving Ran Jin—who had ignored her discomfort throughout the ride—another wave of shivers and goosebumps.

“Xiao Yu.” Ran Jin called out to her. Chi Yu turned back; a few strands of her pinned hair were whipped up by the wind, and her trench coat billowed toward Ran Jin, as if trying to envelop her.

“If you like the chocolate, take it with you. There probably isn’t any in the house.” Ran Jin handed the box to Chi Yu.

“There really isn’t. I’ll take it then.” Chi Yu took the chocolate and entered the yard. Ran Jin’s car remained at the gate; she didn’t leave immediately. She wanted to make sure Chi Yu got inside safely.

Chi Yu’s tall figure disappeared into the yard. The orange light of the living room held a warm power that could pierce through the winter cold. stolen content node="145">It’s good that Xiao Yu is in this safe, warm place.

Ran Jin pressed the back of her finger against her aching, tight eyelids. She seemed to have symptoms of a fever; her whole body felt chilled, and she was dizzy and nauseous. Likely due to diving too frequently these past few days, her body was reacting poorly. She popped two mints into her mouth, hoping the menthol would refresh her and give her the energy to drive back to her apartment.

Just as she was about to drive away, Chi Yu ran back out of the house, with Auntie Su following behind her.

“What’s wrong? Did you forget something?” Ran Jin saw her panic and lowered the window to ask.

Chi Yu’s face was full of anxiety: “Lulu is missing!”

Ran Jin: “Lulu is missing? How?”

Lulu was quite old. Although she usually looked more active than other senior cats and liked to jump around, cats are territorial animals. She generally wouldn’t leave her familiar territory. Any commotion outside would normally send her into hiding for hours.

Auntie Su wrung her hands, her brow furrowed with worry: “Our ventilation system has a problem, so I had the property management come over to look. Two people came today with tools and were banging around; I expect the noise spooked Lulu. Usually, she hides when people come over, so I didn’t remember to close the door. She must have slipped out then.”

The Chi villa had three floors plus a spacious attic and large front and back yards. Even under normal circumstances, it was hard for Auntie Su to find Lulu in several hundred square meters, let alone notice that Lulu—a lover of enclosed spaces—had slipped out when no one was looking.

Chi Yu asked, “What time was this?”

Auntie Su said, “The property people were here around two or three in the afternoon.”

By that count, Lulu had been missing for several hours. Chi Yu’s face was grim, her frantic urgency written all over her. Both Ran Jin and Auntie Su knew how much Chi Yu treasured Lulu. From elementary school through middle school, before Ran Jin joined the household and while Chi Li was too busy to be seen, Lulu had been the one to accompany Chi Yu. Her empathy and obedience had dissolved Chi Yu’s youthful loneliness.

To Chi Yu, Lulu wasn’t just a cat; she was an essential family member. Chi Yu had always treated her like a younger sister. Her sister had just passed away, and now Lulu was gone. Given her age and how long she’d lived with humans, she had likely lost the ability to survive in the wild. If she stayed missing, she would very likely not survive. The impact this would have on Chi Yu was self-evident.

“Don’t worry yet.” Ran Jin gripped Chi Yu’s arm. “I’ll notify property management immediately and have them help search. The community walls are high; Lulu might not have made it out. If she left through the main gate, the guards might have seen her. Auntie Su, call everyone in the house to go out and look. Have property check the surveillance to see if Lulu was caught on camera.”

Auntie Su said, “Okay! I’ll go right now!”

Ran Jin analyzed the situation for Chi Yu: “Lulu spent some time on the streets a long time ago. Even after ten years at home, she should still have basic survival instincts for hiding. She isn’t familiar with the outside, so the most likely scenario is that she’s found a safe, hidden spot to tuck herself away. Let’s split up and check the greenery; she’s very likely in there. Don’t worry, with me here, I will definitely bring Lulu back to you.”

Chi Yu’s frantic emotions were calmed somewhat by Ran Jin’s logical arrangements. If someone else had said it, she might not have believed them, but if Ran Jin said she could bring Lulu back, then she could.

“Okay, I’ll go check the flower beds to the west,” Chi Yu said. “You check near the artificial lake to the east. Keep your phone on you; if you find her, notify me immediately.”

“Mhm. Be careful, it just rained and the ground is slippery,” Ran Jin reminded her.

“Okay.” Chi Yu looked back under the hazy night light and said to Ran Jin, “You too.”