Chapter 6: A Lifetime of Loving Only One Person

It was a scorching August noon, the summer heat like a steamer. Even the wind that brushed against the skin was suffocatingly hot. But the moment she stepped into the conference building, the temperature around her dropped instantly, a refreshing coolness sweeping over her, making Sheng Xia sigh in comfort.

In truth, she hadn’t seen Qi Youbai at all. The sunlight reflecting off the glass windows outside was so glaring that she couldn’t see anything clearly from where she stood.

At this hour, most employees were either eating or resting, so the building was empty and quiet. While chatting with Assistant Xiao Wang, Sheng Xia could even hear their voices echoing back.

Xiao Wang led her directly toward the CEO’s private elevator.

After he pressed the floor button, Sheng Xia looked at him in surprise. “We can just take the regular employee elevator.”

He smiled and winked playfully. “It’s fine. No one’s around at this hour. As long as you don’t say anything and I don’t say anything, no one will know.”

Since he said that, Sheng Xia saw no reason to refuse and stepped in.

“Looks like the work environment here at Junli is pretty relaxed,” she commented.

Xiao Wang nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, our President Qi is very considerate toward his employees. He’s a generous and kind boss.”

Generous?

Sheng Xia recalled what Qi Youbai was like back in college. Most of the time, he was cold and indifferent, too aloof to argue with anyone—not because he was even-tempered, but because he simply didn’t care about others. She never imagined that, years later, his employees would describe him as “generous.”

She couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle.

Lost in her memories, she didn’t notice that Assistant Xiao Wang, standing beside her, turned to glance at her quietly.

With a soft “ding,” the elevator reached the sixth floor.

Sheng Xia stepped out.

Even though she had mentally prepared herself, she was still stunned by the luxurious decor of the executive floor.

And with such a spacious area being used by just a dozen or so people, it was almost ridiculously comfortable. One could practically live here without needing to go home—it was better than most upscale apartments.

No wonder people say they’d rather cry in a luxury car than laugh on a bicycle, Sheng Xia thought, finally understanding Xiao Wang’s praise of Qi Youbai.

A rich boss really is generous.

Xiao Wang led her forward.

As they passed the secretaries’ area, he briefly introduced her. Sheng Xia greeted them with a polite smile, not expecting much. To her surprise, the secretaries were exceptionally enthusiastic, their eyes sticking to her like glue, making her feel oddly self-conscious.

Xiao Wang cleared his throat deliberately. “What are you all staring at? Haven’t you seen a pretty woman before?”

Only then did the secretaries look a little embarrassed. One cute, short-haired secretary even winked at Sheng Xia and said, “Miss Sheng, if you need anything, just come to us!”

“Oh, thank you.” Sheng Xia was surprised—everyone around this cold block of ice Qi Youbai was unexpectedly warm.

Xiao Wang led her onward.

“Sorry about that, Miss Sheng. They’re not used to seeing someone as stunning as you. Hope they didn’t offend you.”

Sheng Xia smiled. “You really are President Qi’s right-hand man. How is it that every word out of your mouth hits right in the sweet spot?”

“Oh no, I’m just telling it like it is.”

As they chatted, the two arrived at the door of the CEO’s office.

Sheng Xia thought he was taking her to the changing room. But when she looked up and saw the big characters “CEO’s Office,” her scalp tingled and she started to panic. As Xiao Wang reached for the door handle, she instinctively slapped his hand away with a loud smack.

“?”

Startled, Xiao Wang stared blankly for three seconds, looking down at the red mark on his hand and back up at her, utterly confused.

“Heh… sorry, there was a mosquito on your hand.”

“……”

He pushed up his glasses, and after confirming he hadn’t gone blind, finally caught on.

“Miss Sheng, the shirt’s in President Qi’s office. Don’t worry—he’s in a meeting right now.” He tilted his chin, gesturing for her to look.

Following his gaze, Sheng Xia saw—

Directly opposite the CEO’s office was a large tea room, one wall made entirely of glass. From her angle, she could clearly see inside.

Three young managers in hotel uniforms stood around Qi Youbai, one of them speaking in a low voice, presumably giving a report.

Qi Youbai wasn’t wearing his suit jacket, only a white dress shirt with a gray vest layered over it. His left sleeve was slightly rolled up, revealing a discreet platinum watch. He sat with his long legs crossed on a black leather sofa, flipping through documents at a leisurely pace.

The light hitting his side profile deepened the shadows of his features. That elegant and cold face was calm, composed, and mature.

In his hands, even paper looked like art…

The sight of him actually made Sheng Xia’s long-stilled heart begin to beat again. Thump. Thump. Thump. She could practically count each beat.

“Miss Sheng?”

Xiao Wang’s voice broke her daze.

“Mm?” Sheng Xia snapped out of it, slightly annoyed. Why is she still being drawn in by Qi Youbai’s looks?

“Shall we go in? While President Qi isn’t here.”

She nodded. “Let’s go.” She took the initiative and opened the door. The two of them walked in.

As if he sensed something, the man in the tea room, who should have been focused on his subordinates’ report, suddenly lost focus. The exact moment Sheng Xia turned away and stepped inside, Qi Youbai slowly lifted his eyes. His gaze, as cool and sharp as autumn rain, pierced through the years of lost time and locked tightly onto her elegant figure.

Inside, Xiao Wang led her into a private rest room. Sheng Xia, feeling uneasy, said, “This feels a bit inappropriate. You’re sneaking me into your boss’s office?”

He smiled and handed her a white shirt. “Don’t worry. I’ll stand guard outside. Our president won’t be done anytime soon.”

He closed the door and left.

Sheng Xia sighed. Qi Youbai really has changed. His assistant dares to sneak outsiders into his office? What if she steals something important?

She quickly took off the jacket, confirmed that the curtains were drawn, and swiftly changed.

But something felt off.

Once she finished and stood before the full-length mirror, she realized—the shirt didn’t fit right at the shoulders. This was a man’s shirt.

Still, it wasn’t a big deal. It was clean and wearable. She could just roll up the cuffs and tuck the hem into her waistband. Oversized boyfriend-style shirts were trendy anyway. And with her face and figure, she could make even a sack look good.

After tidying herself up, she folded the coffee-stained blazer and held it in her arms. Looking around, she thought, Qi Youbai wronged me first, so taking a cheap tote bag from his office isn’t unreasonable, right?

It’s just too inconvenient to carry documents and the jacket by hand.

She stepped out of the rest room and into his work area.

The office, with its monochrome theme of black, white, and gray, was spotless and tidy. Beside the desk was a massive floor-to-ceiling window. Far off in the distance, she could see Junli International’s famous Crescent Lake. Below was the hotel’s well-known Moonlight Garden.

That’s the white-flowered patch she’d seen earlier. The petals weren’t pure white, but shimmered like moonlight, giving off a faint, cool fragrance—hence the name “Moonlight Garden.”

Sheng Xia withdrew her gaze. Now wasn’t the time to admire flowers. She returned her attention to finding a tote bag. But despite the piles of documents and books, there wasn’t a single bag in sight.

Just as she was about to ask that cute short-haired secretary outside for help, something on the desk caught her eye.

A platinum-framed photo.

In it was a young woman with a bright, radiant smile, long straight black hair, and a slightly youthful face—her younger self.

And beside her, arm draped over her shoulder, was none other than the younger Qi Youbai. This photo was taken before they broke up, during their sunrise trip to Rizhao Mountain.

In the photo, he looked like ice that had finally melted—his smile soft and unmistakable. They wore matching sun jackets—blue and pink, tall and petite, leaning closely together. A picture-perfect couple.

The backdrop was a field of pale purple flowers. The petals were gradient—darker toward the edges and lighter in the center, blooming in the sunshine of summer.

If she remembered correctly, the flowers planted along that glass corridor Mr. Zhang had shown her earlier were the same kind—bellflowers.

Suddenly, everything strange made sense. Mr. Zhang’s frequent glances, his curious questions about her background, and his final suggestion about holding the exhibition in the glass corridor.

And not just that. An assistant close to the CEO, noticing her stained clothes in time, taking her in the CEO’s elevator, boldly letting her use the CEO’s private office.

Sheng Xia looked down at the blazer in her arms—it looked exactly the same as Qi Youbai’s vest. And the shirt she wore? Probably not from a female colleague.

She tossed the blazer onto a chair and took out her phone. In the search bar, she typed six words:

“Bellflower meaning in flower language.”

The page refreshed instantly.

The answer she saw:

“Only the one who tied the knot can untie it. A lifetime of loving only one person.”

A blessing from afar. A gentle love.