Chapter 1

【I feel I should remind you that we’re getting engaged next month, so you’d better break up with Wei Lai in advance.】

Zhang Yanxin stared at the message for a few seconds, turned off his phone screen, and didn’t reply.

He looked towards the sofa not far away, where Wei Lai had her back to him, bending down to retrieve something from her bag. The brown, well-fitted long skirt perfectly outlined her graceful figure.

Tomorrow was his birthday, and Wei Lai had booked a riverside restaurant in advance to celebrate.

Zhang Yanxin leaned against his forehead, shifted his gaze away from Wei Lai, and looked at the river outside the window. Fishing boats twinkled on both sides of the river, with occasional yachts passing by.

Wei Lai returned to the table with the items she retrieved, placed the carefully prepared gift on the table, and gently pushed it toward him. Zhang Yanxin was still looking out the window, and she asked cheerfully, “What are you looking at?” She picked up her wine glass and clinked it with his. “Happy birthday, forever love me.”

Zhang Yanxin turned back, smiled faintly, raised the red wine, and took a symbolic sip.

Wei Lai leisurely savored her wine, glancing at the birthday gifts on the table several times.

However, Zhang Yanxin didn’t notice the new addition on the table, nor did he catch her suggestive glances.

The brown gift box was not small, and even in the dim lighting, it was conspicuous on the white tablecloth. But he simply didn’t pay attention.

Wei Lai’s eyes wandered, eventually meeting Zhang Yanxin’s ambiguous gaze.

“Wei Lai,” Zhang Yanxin took another sip of wine, swallowing with a slight force, “you can set a condition for me. Whatever it is, as long as it’s within my ability.”

Wei Lai, without thinking, smiled and refused, “I gave you a birthday, what gift do I want?”

She hadn’t grasped the meaning behind Zhang Yanxin’s words.

Zhang Yanxin put down the wine glass, picked up his phone, and sent a message to his secretary.

She didn’t plan to ask for a gift, and Wei Lai stood up. Leaning over the table with both hands on the edge, she was about to kiss him when he said, “It’s not about the gift. If you haven’t decided what you want, then transfer the villa in Jiang’an to your name. I’ll arrange for Secretary Liu to handle it. Apart from the house, name another condition.”

Jiang’an was a newly developed villa area in Jiangcheng in recent years, and the price of each detached house was staggering. The owners inside were either wealthy or influential, and she had never thought she could afford a house in Jiang’an on her own.

Such an expensive house, and he suddenly wanted to give it to her?

A bad feeling welled up.

Zhang Yanxin continued to type on his phone, instructing his secretary. Throughout the process, he avoided looking at Wei Lai, unwilling to see the expression on her face at this moment.

After a pause, he added, “If you encounter any troubles you can’t solve in the future, feel free to ask Secretary Liu; he’ll help you handle it well. I’m not available.”

Wei Lai was initially surprised, but when she understood, she sarcastically and self-deprecatingly laughed.

His words had reached this point, and there was nothing she didn’t understand.

Zhang Yanxin finished instructing Secretary Liu about the villa, put down his phone, and only then did he notice that Wei Lai was about to kiss him. He reached out to hold her shoulder, but Wei Lai suddenly leaned back, sat down smoothly, avoiding him, and grasped nothing.

Their eyes met.

Wei Lai’s saddened and restrained gaze scrutinized him inch by inch, from his cold eyes to his prominent nose. Despite being so familiar with him, at this moment, she seemed to be looking at a stranger.

In terms of family background and financial strength, he was the absolute dominant party, so a breakup could happen without any warning, without any reason, and he had no reason to give her.

When they were together, he probably loved her, but when he decided to end it, he was truly heartless. It was his birthday, and he directly brought up a breakup, without considering whether she would be deeply affected or feel sad.

If she were Zhang Yanxin, she would at least wait until after her birthday to bring up the breakup and would try to be as tactful as possible when discussing the breakup fee.

But he was not her.

To him, this relationship was just a pastime, and he admitted that it was her.

Zhang Yanxin waited for her to explode, but she never questioned him.

“Within five years, guarantee that all major clients of my dad’s law firm won’t be lost. Additionally, for the new companies entering Jiangcheng Park, prioritize introducing their business to my dad.” She didn’t pretend to be lofty, straightforwardly stating the conditions for the breakup, ending their two years and four months of relationship.

When he first met her and pursued her, it was by sending business to her dad’s law firm.

Now, it was also the way to end it.

Zhang Yanxin agreed to her condition, “No problem.”

She didn’t make a fuss, didn’t create a scene, didn’t entangle him, and he felt guilty. For some reason, he wanted to compensate her more: “Are there any other… conditions?”

As he said half of the sentence, he unintentionally noticed the gift box on her side. The logo on the box was more familiar to him than anything else – the brand of the watch he often wore.

It would take her an entire year’s salary without spending a penny just to afford such a watch.

“For me?” His voice was hoarse.

Wei Lai maintained a carefree expression, a smile playing on her lips. “For someone worth giving to.” She picked up the box and walked towards the sofa, keeping her back to Zhang Yanxin.

At this moment, while facing away from Zhang Yanxin, she took a deep breath to calm herself after the unexpected breakup.

Earlier, in her mind, she had been convincing herself not to feel sad for such a man, but it was useless. After being together for over two years, how could she not feel a bit sad?

Putting away the watch, she pressed the bell to call the waiter.

The restaurant manager entered the room, followed by two waiters.

She didn’t have such a grand scale to have the manager serve personally; there was someone more important in the private room.

The manager stood at the door, smiling at Zhang Yanxin. “Mr. Zhang, can we start preparing the dishes?”

Zhang Yanxin didn’t speak, expressionless, and gestured for everyone to leave.

Wei Lai spoke up, “Manager Lu, please accompany me to see off the guest. Thank you.”

The private room was for two people in total, and tonight, she was the host, leaving only Zhang Yanxin as the guest.

Manager Lu could only smile awkwardly. Even if he borrowed another’s courage, he wouldn’t dare to ask Zhang Yanxin to leave unless he wanted to quit working at this restaurant.

For tonight’s birthday dinner, Wei Lai had reserved this riverside private room two weeks in advance. After a busy afternoon preparing the room and ordering the cake, they hadn’t even started with the appetizers, and now she wanted the birthday star to leave. Manager Lu couldn’t understand her; even if there was a quarrel, it shouldn’t happen at such a crucial moment.

While the manager was caught in a dilemma, Zhang Yanxin stood up, took off the suit hanging in the closet, and leisurely put it on. His gaze had never left Wei Lai.

Wei Lai, with her back to him, continued packing her bag, and he couldn’t see her expression.

In the end, Zhang Yanxin wanted to say something but stopped, walking decisively towards the door.

With a ‘click,’ the door closed.

Wei Lai didn’t need to maintain a fake expression anymore. She stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, arms crossed, for who knows how long. The manager and waiters didn’t come to disturb her until her phone rang on the table.

“Where are you? The dress has arrived. Should I send it to you, or are you coming to pick it up?” The voice on the other end was cold and emotionless.

The caller was her half-sister, Zhao Yihan. Their father and Zhao Yihan’s mother got married at the beginning of the month, ending a ten-year relationship, and they planned to have a simple wedding two months later.

For the occasion, the stepmother bought each of the sisters a long dress to wear on the day they entertained friends and family.

Over the years, Wei Lai had maintained a distant but amicable relationship with her half-sister. They saw each other only two or three times a year, with no conflicts but also no closeness.

Their father and stepmother met when she was in junior high. To avoid affecting her studies, her father had not remarried but had only been in a relationship. The stepmother also considered her daughter’s feelings and only considered marriage once Zhao Yihan’s career and love life were stable.

Wei Lai replied to the phone, “Send it to my home or my mom’s office, whichever is convenient.”

“Then I’ll send it to your home.” Zhao Yihan was about to hang up when she couldn’t resist adding, “By the way, I heard that Zhang Yanxin has a fiancée. Are you sure? Don’t get played.”

“We broke up today. Just now.”

Zhao Yihan didn’t intend to meddle in this unfamiliar sister’s affairs, but perhaps out of boredom, she asked, “Where are you? If you have time and don’t mind, do you want to go together?”

Zhao Yihan wasn’t that naive. Reserving a seat at the Riverside Restaurant required advanced booking, and there was no such thing as a free meal. “So generous.”

“It’s not about being generous; it’s about luck, catching an opportunity.”

“…”

—

Zhao Yihan was near the Riverside Restaurant and arrived in ten minutes by car.

The person who escorted her to the private room was Manager Lu.

Having just sent Zhang Yanxin to the restaurant’s entrance, Manager Lu had been instructed by Zhang Yanxin to take care of Wei Lai, ensuring she was looked after and safely sent home.

Manager Lu, still under the impression that they were just having a lover’s spat, didn’t know they had completely broken up. Wei Lai and Zhang Yanxin were regular customers at the restaurant, and in the past two years, he had witnessed Zhang Yanxin comforting Wei Lai numerous times.

However, tonight posed a difficulty. The pre-ordered dishes were meticulously prepared according to Wei Lai’s specifications. Now that they were about to part ways, not even sharing a meal, Zhou Sujin was worried about what discount to give Weilei when settling the bill later.

As Manager Lu pondered this, he looked at Zhao Yihan and said, “Your sister has quite the temper. It’s Zhang’s birthday today. She shouldn’t be causing a scene. You should talk to her later and advise her.”

Zhao Yihan, displeased by the comment and instinctively protective of Wei Lai, retorted, “I’m not like Manager Lu. I don’t like meddling in other people’s affairs.”

Manager Lu felt a bit awkward. This was a clear implication that he was overstepping his bounds.

Having interacted with Zhao Yihan a few times, he knew she always had a stern face and spoke with authority. Tonight was no exception.

The elevator arrived at the 42nd floor, and Zhao Yihan strode out.

In the private room, Wei Lai sat at the dining table, casually swirling the red wine glass in her hand, continuously glancing at the men’s watch on the table.

After Zhang Yanxin left, she took the gift box that she had put in her bag and contemplated how to handle the watch that had not been given away.

The door to the private room was pushed open from the outside, and Wei Lai turned her head to look.

“So soon?” she said, lifting the wine glass to her lips as if tasting it, subconsciously concealing her distraction from earlier.

Zhao Yihan entered, saying, “Rare chance for a feast. I was afraid I’d miss it if I came late.”

Manager Lu, standing at the door, understood now and instructed the kitchen to prepare the dishes.

Wei Lai and her sister had little common ground due to their infrequent meetings. After Manager Lu closed the door to leave, the room fell into a brief silence.

“Just broke up, and you can still eat?” Zhao Yihan broke the silence, speaking candidly.

Wei Lai, indifferent, replied, “Such an expensive meal per person. It would be a waste not to eat.”

Zhao Yihan was left speechless. She hadn’t expected her sister to be dumped while celebrating someone’s birthday. She casually placed her bag on the sofa, took off the white shirt draped over her, scanned the wardrobe, estimated the distance to the sofa to be around five or six meters, and decided not to hang it up. Instead, she laid it directly on the back of the sofa.

Wei Lai noticed that her sister was someone who preferred convenience over formality. She didn’t mind the clothes getting wrinkled; it saved her the trouble of taking a few extra steps.

For her sister to come all the way to bring her a dress, Wei Lai felt a bit sorry for her.

Setting down the wine glass, Wei Lai stood up, and Zhao Yihan happened to walk to the table. Wei Lai glanced at Zhao Yihan’s shoes – light-colored flats. Zhao Yihan had always been tall and slim since she was a child, at least four or five centimeters taller than Wei Lai. Now, it seemed like she had grown even taller.

“You seem to have grown taller,” Wei Lai said, trying to find something to talk about.

Zhao Yihan nonchalantly responded with an “Mm” and pulled out a chair to sit down. She had grown two centimeters taller recently; during a medical checkup, she measured her height as 174.5 cm. At twenty-seven, she unexpectedly grew taller, finding it quite fresh.

She poured herself a glass of red wine, and before Weilei returned to her seat, Zhao Yihan turned to find someone. Wei Lai was holding a hanger with her expensive white shirt and hung it in the wardrobe.

In the past, whether Wei Lai personally brought her a dress or Wei Lai hung her clothes, such things would never have happened.

At that moment, Zhao Yihan suddenly couldn’t tell who had grown more.

She couldn’t bring herself to say sentimental words, and saying thank you seemed unnecessary. Instead, she turned her head to drink wine, and the watch box on the table caught her eye. The box was open, and she looked at the quite expensive watch, uncertain. “Bought for Zhang Yanxin?”

Wei Lai nodded.

The watch’s strap was custom-made, and it cost quite a bit more. Wei Lai’s annual salary was nowhere near enough to buy such a watch. Zhao Yihan clicked her tongue. “Generous.”

She added, “Affectionate.”

“He usually gives me more, and in these two years, he’s brought a lot of business to my dad as well.” We Lai didn’t elaborate on the other aspects.

Zhao Yihan raised her eyebrows at the watch. “How do you plan to deal with it after the breakup?”

Weilei had been considering this question. Such an expensive watch wasn’t worth keeping, and there was no suitable person to give it to. “When I have some free time, I’ll ask around the industry to see how much I can sell it for.” Even if it hasn’t been worn for a day, opening the box would result in a significant loss.

Zhao Yihan didn’t respond immediately; she lowered her head to send a message to a friend. This friend was the manager of the flagship store of a watch brand in Jiangcheng, and knew the market situation well.

She briefly explained Wei Lai’s situation and asked her friend, “Will it lose much value?”

The manager checked the order for this watch: “Wei Lai went through a lot to get this watch, waiting in line for over seven months and matching an equal amount of goods. Now, she wants to return it? Is her boyfriend unwilling to accept the watch because it’s too cheap?”

Zhao Yihan: 【It’s divided, the watch was not delivered.】

Store Manager: Such a pity. It’s regrettable that the talented and beautiful couple has parted ways, and it’s also a shame for this watch that took a lot of effort but didn’t get a chance to be given.

Zhao Yihan: 【See if there’s any way to minimize her loss.】

Store Manager: 【Aren’t you indifferent to your supposed sister? What’s gotten into you today?】

Zhao Yihan didn’t want to reveal the real reason to an outsider, so she answered vaguely: 【How about tomorrow at the store? I’ll come to see you after work tomorrow night.】

Manager: 【I’m here right now.】

Zhao Yihan asked curiously: 【Aren’t you off today?】

Store Manager: 【Took an impromptu day off. There’s a heavyweight customer coming to the store tonight to choose a watch. Apparently, he’s in Jiangcheng for a meeting, and his watch got accidentally scratched and damaged by a friend, so he needs to buy a watch temporarily. Don’t know who this big shot is, but it even alerted our regional manager to fly over. I can’t take a break.】