35. A Thousand Words

In the dead of night, Cheng Boyan's large hand tightly gripped Wen Xueyan's waist; how he wished they would never be separated again.

Wen Xueyan obediently nestled against him.

Cheng Boyan's fingertips, burning with heat, traced her curves, as if reading a poem, trying to etch every line and every punctuation mark into the deepest part of his memory.

Cheng Boyan's movements were sometimes as rapid as a torrential rain, and sometimes as slow as a sigh.

"Xueyan." Half an hour later, his deep voice was terribly hoarse as he buried his face in the crook of her neck, his breath hot.

A thousand words were in his heart, yet he couldn't utter them. What could he say? That Xu Junxian refused to divorce him? That he foresaw the impending storm might affect her, and that he needed to temporarily push her away from it?

Suddenly, a tiny white flake streaked across the darkness outside the window, followed by another. Wen Xueyan paused slightly, then looked closely; it was snowing. The first snow of early winter, fine and sparse, danced silently against the inky sky outside the window.

"It's snowing," she said softly, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility.

Hearing the sound, Cheng Boyan also turned his head to look out the window. Under the snowlight, the contours of his profile appeared even more profound. He tightened his arms around her, gently resting his chin on the top of her head, his breath carrying the faint fragrance of her hair.

Wen Xueyan's thoughts drifted back to the "Hidden Abode" of the evening.

The secluded pavilions and towers, the babbling streams, and the exquisite dishes on the table: the aroma of black truffle-baked chicken, the tender and smooth meat; the golden broth wild rice stewed with sea cucumber, soft and chewy, rich in nutrients; the light and elegant boiled cabbage, seemingly plain, but actually full of flavor; the crab meat lion's head meatballs, soft and fragrant, melting in your mouth... Finally, a bowl of warm and nourishing coconut stewed bird's nest, sweet and moist.

Seeing Wen Xueyan enjoying her meal so much, Cheng Boyan smiled with satisfaction. He had been longing for this scene for a long time.

“Tonight,” Cheng Boyan said, “I met Xu Junxian’s older brother, Xu Junheng, at Yinlu.”

Wen Xueyan remembered the man who brushed past her, and the scrutinizing yet slightly amused look he gave her.

“He might have seen you,” Cheng Boyan continued. “Even though he doesn’t know you, he’ll inevitably keep an eye on you. The divorce proceedings are about to enter a crucial stage, and the Xu family might not let go easily.”

Why did he want to take her out to dinner tonight? Cheng Boyan recalled that he hadn't expected to run into Xu Junheng before leaving home. However, he wasn't entirely unmoved by his restrained confrontation with Xu Junxian that evening. But years of navigating the business world had taught him that emotions were the most useless luxury.

Wen Xueyan's name flashed through his mind. Their relationship was always hidden in the shadows, like moss that never sees the sun, cautious and timid. He could never, like ordinary lovers, openly hold her hand, walk through bustling streets, step into an ordinary restaurant, serve her food in front of everyone, and watch the smile appear on her lips.

Xu Junxian's sudden appearance tonight gave him a premonition that he would see Xueyan less often, or even be separated for a short time.

The thought made his heart clench. He suddenly couldn't bear the thought of how intense his longing would be before their next, unknown meeting if he didn't see her tonight.

He really liked this restaurant and had always wanted to bring her here. He was even worried that if he didn't come soon, he wouldn't have another chance.

Wen Xueyan turned around, stroked his cheek, and interrupted his thoughts.

He turned to the side, gazing into her eyes in the dim light, his fingertips gently stroking her hair: "If you're scared, or have any concerns, I can arrange for you to go abroad for a while right away. Would you like to go?"

Wen Xueyan remained silent for a moment, then looked past him at the sparse snow still falling outside the window. Was she afraid? Perhaps a little. She shook her head.

"No need," she said softly. "I'm not going anywhere. So, let's not see each other or contact each other for the time being."

As she uttered those words, her heart felt as if it had been pricked by tiny ice needles, a dense, stinging bitterness and longing washing over her. How could she not want to see him? She craved his warm embrace, she craved everything about him. But it was precisely this longing that compelled her to remain clear-headed. A moment of recklessness might become the weakness that broke him, or it might drag her herself into an unpredictable vortex.

Her restraint, like a cup of warm water, gently poured into Cheng Boyan's heart, bringing warmth and a deeper sense of pity.

"Then remember, if the Xu family comes looking for you, or if you encounter any trouble later, you must tell me or contact Qiao Lanyue at any time."

"Um."

Cheng Boyan lowered his head and placed delicate, lingering kisses on her fair neck, filled with tenderness, guilt, and a silent, cherished affection.

That night, Wen Xueyan snuggled closer to Cheng Boyan in her sleep. Feeling this, Cheng Boyan tightened his arms and gently kissed her forehead.

The following day, Sunday. The snow stopped in the middle of the night, leaving only a thin layer of dampness on the ground, which was quickly evaporated by the winter sun.

Cheng Boyan went to the company early in the morning. There were many things that needed to be done, including the asset sorting that came with the divorce case, which required his personal review.

Before leaving, while Wen Xueyan was washing up in the bathroom, Cheng Boyan quietly put an envelope into the innermost corner of her bedroom drawer.

*

In the morning, Wen Xueyan and her best friend Ning Zhiyi met at a quiet teahouse. Sunlight streamed through the glass windows, falling on the wooden table, and the aroma of tea wafted through the air.

Ning Zhiyi stirred the fruit and flower tea in her cup, speaking in a light and cheerful voice about the details of the engagement banquet last night.

“We sent Hao Hao to my mom’s last night. The little guy was so excited, saying the dinner was so delicious,” Ning Zhiyi said with a smile, her eyes softening.

On the night of their engagement, the chill of early winter condensed into a thin layer of frost outside the window. Ning Zhiyi sat in Qi Wenmu's car, watching the streetlights draw warm arcs of light in the night, and for a moment felt that it was all so beautiful that it was almost unreal.

Before driving, Qi Wenmu gently placed his hand on hers, "Are you cold?" His voice was always so gentle.

She shook her head, her gaze falling on his slender fingers—the kind of hands that could wield a scalpel.

This was Ning Zhiyi's second visit to his home, and she planned to move in afterward. His apartment was very tidy, with a rational layout of three bedrooms and a living room, just like him. The bookshelves were almost entirely filled with medical monographs.

"I bought it. There's still some mortgage left, but it's not a big burden." When Ning Zhiyi asked him whether he bought or rented the house the first time he came, he answered truthfully.

When he pressed her against the door and kissed her, Ning Zhiyi smelled a faint scent of disinfectant on him, mixed with the chilly winter air.

His kisses were delicate and restrained, just like his attitude towards everything.

Just as Ning Zhiyi felt his hardness, the phone rang. It was an emergency call from the hospital's emergency room—a major car accident—and he needed to return immediately. At that moment, at least Ning Zhiyi sensed that he didn't seem to have a problem in that area.

“I’m sorry,” his eyes had already switched to work mode, “there are more than twenty wounded. Do you want to come with us? That way, we can still be together on our engagement night.”

The hospital was filled with the smell of disinfectant, the corridors were brightly lit, and medical staff were hurrying along.

Qi Wenmu seemed like a different person as soon as he entered the emergency room. He quickly put on his white coat, listened to the nurses' report on the situation, and then strode towards the resuscitation area.

Ning Zhiyi sat on a bench in the waiting area, watching him move among the wounded.

When he bent down to examine a patient covered in blood, his profile appeared exceptionally focused under the light. His slender fingers skillfully performed a preliminary examination, and he calmly issued instructions.

At that moment, she felt not only liking him, but also a touch of admiration. He was indeed an excellent doctor, and a handsome and charming man.

An hour later, he took her to the duty room. “You can sleep here for a while. I have to go into the operating room soon. The surgery may not be finished until dawn.”

The duty room was very simple, with a single bed and a desk.

Dr. Qi returned to the duty room at six o'clock the next morning.

On the way home, he remained silent, focused on driving. The early winter morning light shone through the car window onto his sharply defined profile.

As soon as he got home, he practically collapsed onto the bed and fell into a deep sleep in less than five minutes.

Ning Zhiyi covered him with the blanket and stood by the bed watching him for a while. He looked younger while asleep, and less composed than usual.

Ning Zhiyi seemed to think that he really was an ideal husband, although a vague unease still lingered in her heart.

She gently closed the door and decided to go and chat with Wen Xueyan.

Wen Xueyan listened quietly, sensing the mixed emotions of joy and unease in her best friend. She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and felt the warm tea slide down her throat, only to taste a faint bitterness.

Outside the window, the sun was shining brightly, but the chill of early winter was already quite deep.

The following week, Cheng Boyan and Wen Xueyan were both busy and did not see each other again. The stock price decline slowed down, and Cheng Boyan temporarily withstood the pressure from the board of directors.

Thursday evening came early in early winter; just past six o'clock, the sky was already dark. The employees of Norsei Chemicals were packing up to leave work, a slight restlessness hanging in the air before the weekend.

Just then, the elevator doors slid open. Xu Junheng, wearing a fine dark gray cashmere coat, walked out with steady steps.

This is not the first time he has visited a company under the Cheng Group this week.

In the days prior, Xu Junheng had visited software companies, technology companies, and investment departments, seemingly just casually browsing around.

His gaze swept across the open office area like a hawk's, his eyes quickly passing over the rows of workstations. His gaze was calm and discerning, as if he were searching for a specific target.

I couldn't find her for the past few days. The figure who, under the dim light of "Hidden Abode," wore a beige dress, possessed a refined and elegant air, and quietly followed behind Cheng Boyan, was nowhere to be found.

He remained calm and walked straight to the general manager's office.

"Big brother? What brings you here?" Xu Junhang asked, standing up.

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What a cozy evening

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I'm so afraid Xueyan will be discovered!

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