64. Underground Love

In the evening, the lights in the editorial office of Faces were still bright. Chi Jin rubbed his aching neck, finally sending the detailed proposal that Chen Yisheng had requested. As soon as the email notification sounded, his phone vibrated.

Chen Yisheng: "Basement parking lot, Area B. The car is already warmed up."

It was followed by a small hot pot emoticon package, I don’t know where it was searched from.

Chi Jin couldn't help but raise the corner of his mouth, but replied quite reservedly: "Got it. Five minutes."

She quickly packed up her things and said goodbye to her colleagues who were still working overtime: "I'm leaving first, everyone should stay up too late."

Duan Xingche looked up from his manuscript, his eyes full of resentment: "Master, are you going to eat something delicious? I'm so jealous!"

"Go home and cook instant noodles."

Chi Jin lied without changing his expression.

She walked towards the elevator, debating whether to take the passenger or freight elevator. The passenger elevator was faster, but also more likely to run into colleagues. As she hesitated, one of the passenger elevators arrived at her floor with a ding.

The door slowly opened—Chi Jin's breath was instantly choked.

Chen Yisheng stood in the center of the elevator car, surrounded by several editors from other departments, seemingly engaged in conversation. He stood tall and straight, dressed in the same dark gray suit he wore during the day, his tie loosened, giving him a less formal, more relaxed air. His gaze swept calmly outside the elevator, barely pausing when he saw Chi Jin, as if he were seeing a completely unrelated stranger.

However, in that split second, Chi Jin accurately caught the subtle smile that flashed across the depths of his eyes.

Her footsteps were nailed to the spot.

Go up? Take the elevator down to the underground parking lot with her boyfriend and some unfamiliar editors? Then what? What expression should she use in front of everyone? Which way should she go after getting off the elevator? What if they were seen getting into the same car...

Chi Jin's brain CPU was instantly overloaded.

"Editor Chi, aren't you going up?" An editor with a familiar face in the elevator kindly pressed the door-opening button and asked.

"Ah! No, no!" Chi Jin suddenly came back to his senses, and put on a very natural professional smile on his face, "I suddenly remembered that I forgot to take a document. Everyone, please go first!"

As she spoke, she turned around and took two steps back. Her acting was so realistic that I wanted to present an award myself.

The elevator door slowly closed. Through the final gap, Chi Jin seemed to see the corner of Chen Yisheng's mouth curl up almost imperceptibly, so quickly that it seemed like an illusion.

She sighed deeply, leaning against the cold wall, her cheeks burning. She felt guilty as a thief... Dating was like working underground intelligence.

After waiting patiently for two minutes and confirming that the elevator had gone down and would not come back for a while, Chi Jin pressed the button for another freight elevator like a thief.

The freight elevator slowly descended, and Chi Jin's heart skipped a beat with each stop, fearing he'd run into someone he knew. Fortunately, he finally reached the basement level without incident.

As the elevator doors opened, a cool breeze mingled with car exhaust fumes blew in. Chi Jin lowered his head and walked quickly out, mentally pondering how to get to Area B.

As soon as she looked up, her steps stopped.

Not far away, a black SUV, its flashers on, quietly parked beside the passage. And next to the car, leaning against the driver's door, who else could it be but Chen Yisheng?

He was actually waiting here so blatantly!

Although this location is relatively remote, it is definitely not uninhabited!

As expected, what you fear will come true. Chi Jin noticed two interns from the editorial department of "Autumn Letters" chatting and laughing as they walked past a car not far away, and they were about to look in this direction.

At that moment, Chi Jin's desire to survive reached its peak.

She quickly lowered her head, pretending to be looking at her phone, and at the same time, she used all her acting skills to walk past Chen Yisheng's car without looking away and without stopping.

The moment she passed the driver's seat, she quickly raised her eyes, blinked twice in the direction of Chen Yisheng, and then desperately signaled in the direction of the fire escape: Go! Wait for me over there!

The whole process took less than three seconds. She didn't even dare to see Chen Yisheng's expression. Like an unrelated passerby, she hurriedly passed by the luxury car and the smiling man, and rushed into the entrance of the fire escape not far ahead.

The fire escape was quiet and deserted, with only the sensor light illuminating at her hurried footsteps. Chi Jin leaned against the cold wall, stroking his pounding heart, and let out a long breath.

Just as she was daydreaming, the door to the fire escape was gently pushed open.

Chen Yisheng stood at the door, one hand still on the doorknob, watching her calmly. He had already taken off his suit jacket, wearing only a white shirt, the sleeves casually rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms. His face was expressionless, but his usually cold eyes were now filled with obvious amusement and amusement.

"Agent Chi," he said, his voice low and playful. "You're quite adept at this underground contact procedure."

Chi Jin's face flushed red, and he felt so embarrassed that he wanted to find a hole to hide in: "I... I'm not... There was Zhong Xin's intern over there just now!"

Chen Yisheng laughed softly, his chest shaking slightly. He walked over and naturally took the slightly heavy commuter bag from her hand, while his other hand grasped her wrist precisely.

"So, I'm so secretive?" He held her hand and pushed open the door to the private parking area on the other side of the fire escape, the smile in his voice still there.

"It's not that I can't see the light..." Chi Jin followed behind him and whispered in defense. The warm touch on her wrist where he was holding made her heart beat faster. "It's...it's because it has a bad influence. You are the deputy editor-in-chief, and I'm just a small editor. What will others say about you if they see it? Besides, you put on and take off this ring, and if someone doesn't know, they will think I'm the mistress who is destroying your family...the mistress."

She spoke the last few words very quickly, almost holding them in her mouth.

Chen Yisheng paused and turned to look at her. The light from the corridor ceiling lamp cast a faint shadow on his well-defined face, and his eyes became serious.

"Chi Jin." He called her name in a gentle but firm tone. "Your ability is obvious to all. You are excellent. That is the recognition you have earned yourself. It has nothing to do with me."

His words temporarily soothed the slight uneasiness and entanglement in Chi Jin's heart.

"I know..." she whispered, "but I still want to... wait a little longer, until I become a little stronger, then... we can talk about it then, okay?"

She raised her head, her eyes sparkling with a hint of pleading and coquettishness, as if hiding stars.

Seeing her like this, Chen Yixin couldn't even say "no." His heart softened, and he sighed helplessly, gently scratching the tip of her nose with his finger. "Okay. All up to you. Whatever the little brat says, that's it."

As he spoke, he opened the passenger door, made an "invite" gesture, and returned to his previous teasing tone: "So, now, may I have the honor of inviting my secret girlfriend to dinner?"

Chi Jin was amused by him, and the awkwardness instantly disappeared. She bent over and got into the car, still taking advantage of him: "Okay. Xiao Chenzi, let's go to the hot pot restaurant!"

"Yeah." Chen Yisheng responded cooperatively and closed the car door with a smile.

Outside the window are the dazzling neon lights of the city, soothing music is playing in the car, and you are going to eat hot pot with the person you love - Chi Jin leans back in the comfortable seat, thinking that this is probably what happiness is like.

She stole a glance at Chen Yisheng, who was driving. His profile was well-defined, and his expression was focused yet relaxed.

Chi Jin suddenly remembered what happened in the elevator just now. He deliberately played a trick and poked his cheek with his finger: "Hey, Deputy Editor-in-Chief Chen, you pretended not to know me in the elevator just now. Didn't you act quite well? You were very indifferent."

Chen Yisheng stared straight ahead and replied seriously, "It's mutual. Queen Chi improvised with such swift reactions and convincing acting. I admire her. I'll definitely keep up the good work next time and strive for even more seamless coordination."

"There will be a next time?!" Chi Jin widened his eyes.

"Based on my understanding of Editor Chi's work ethic..." Chen Yisheng said slowly, turning on the turn signal, "Overtime and conducting 'spy meetings' in the underground parking lot will likely become our daily routine."

Chi Jin imagined the scene and couldn't help but burst out laughing.

The car stopped at a red light. Chen Yisheng reached out his hand, found her hand accurately, and held it tightly in his palm.

A warm force came, and Chi Jinhui held him.

Who cares? Anyway, let's just make the most of today's hot pot and my boyfriend. I'll leave the future to them.

After dinner in the evening, Chen Yisheng sent Chi Jin home. The two of them stayed close to the car for a long time before separating.

I opened the door with my key and was greeted by the sweet aroma of baking cookies.

"I'm back!" Chi Jin shouted while changing his shoes.

My roommate Taozi popped her head out of the living room, a flour sifter in her hand and a bit of flour on her face. "Chizi's back? Hey, didn't you say you wanted instant noodles? Why do you smell like hot pot?"

She sniffed like a curious puppy.

Chi Jin paused, her face a little hot. She changed into slippers, lingered in the living room, slumped into the soft sofa, picked up a pillow, rested her chin on it, and looked around.

Taozi put down what she was holding, wiped her hands, and leaned over, narrowing her eyes sharply. "Something's wrong, oh, something's wrong, Chizi-san. Your face is flushed, your eyes are flickering, and the corners of your mouth can't help but curl up... Tell me! Where have you been? Is there something wrong?"

Chi Jin felt even more embarrassed by what she said. She buried her face in the pillow and laughed for a while before looking up. Her eyes sparkled, a little shy and full of a strong desire to share. She took a deep breath, as if she was about to announce something important.

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you." Chi Jin couldn't hide the smile in his voice.

"With Chen Yisheng?"

Chi Jin blushed and nodded vigorously.

"Oh my god!!!" Taozi burst into an earth-shattering cry and hugged Chi Jin fiercely, "Okay, okay, Chi Jin, let me tell you the details——"

She laughed out loud at Taozi's reaction, her inner uneasiness completely replaced by her friend's excitement. She briefly recounted how the two of them finally made their feelings known, of course, automatically omitting some of the less appropriate scenes for children.

Taozi was amazed when she heard this, with a look of delight on her face: "Wow, this is so good! Congratulations! I have to give my best wishes!"

"I've seen him twice. Doesn't your editor-in-chief look even more impossibly handsome up close? Is he just as cold in private, too?"

Chi Jin thought of Chen Yisheng's smiling eyes, his gentle tone, and the scorching heat of his palms when he looked at her. Her face flushed again, and she muttered softly, "It's... okay... Actually, he's quite different in private."

"Wow~~" Taozi said in a long voice, with a smirk of "I know what I mean." "It's different~ Oh~ It seems that our Mr. Chen is cold on the outside but warm on the inside! Classmate Chi Jin, you are lucky!"

The two of them laughed and joked for a while, and Chi Jin's heart was filled with happiness and friendship. She ate a cookie baked by Taozi, and suddenly remembered something, and looked at Taozi with a sly look.

"Okay, I've finished reporting my gossip. Now it's your turn, right?" She nudged Taozi with her shoulder. "Don't think I don't know. Lately, you and my little apprentice..."

Now it was Taozi's turn to blush. Her eyes wandered, and she picked up a biscuit and pretended to chew it attentively.

"I'll tell you when there's some actual progress."

Chi Jin laughed triumphantly: "Hahahaha! Then I'll wait!"

The two girls burst into laughter, filling the living room with a cheerful atmosphere. The moonlight outside the window was just right, and the whispers and laughter between the best friends continued for a long time, sharing their sweetest thoughts and looking forward to the even better stories that might be coming.