After leaving the hospital, Wen Yi returned to the company. Unfortunately, as soon as she got out of the car, she ran into Wei Yuan.

Wen Yi put the documents into her bag, composed herself, and respectfully greeted him, “Hello, President Wei.”

Wei Yuan withdrew his gaze from the departing car and raised an eyebrow. “Boyfriend?”

“Yes.”

Wen Yi had things to do and no time to explain her current boyfriend to her ex. Although, to be precise, Qin Nanshan couldn’t really be considered her boyfriend yet. She headed toward the building, but Wei Yuan followed her. “I didn’t know your standards had dropped so low.”

People often judge others by their cars, and Wei Yuan, being a refined, upper-class pragmatist, did this even more so. To him, a Volkswagen probably seemed like a car for the poor.

The two of them had broken up amicably. Wen Yi didn’t have the same petty thoughts as him and didn’t want to offend her boss, so she politely smiled, “When it comes to marriage, it’s better to choose someone more honest.”

Wei Yuan’s brow furrowed. “Marriage?”

Wen Yi grinned. “Yes, we’re planning to get married. I’ll be sure to invite you to the wedding, President Wei.”

Wei Yuan stopped walking, his voice lowering, “Wen Yi, come with me!”

There was a chain coffee shop downstairs, one that Tian Jia and the others typically looked down upon and wouldn’t serve to clients. Even though Wei Yuan, who usually only drank hand-brewed coffee, wasn’t picky today, he led her inside.

Wen Yi hadn’t been fond of coffee before, but for her clients and for her then-boyfriend Wei Yuan, she bought an entire coffee-making set and taught herself how to brew it. After practicing for half a month, she’d gotten good at latte art, though she drank all the wasted coffee in the process.

After they broke up, Wen Yi didn’t touch coffee for six months. She packed up the entire set and sold it on a second-hand website, losing 3,000 yuan in the process.

In the end, Wei Yuan didn’t trust the quality of the coffee and didn’t order anything. Once they sat down, he got straight to the point: “Wen Yi, don’t joke with me.”

Wen Yi dropped the polite pretense and let her face fall. “I’m not joking, Wei Yuan. We broke up a long time ago. I’m not getting any younger, so isn’t it normal to talk about marriage?”

“I remember you once told me that you’d never get married or have children in this lifetime.”

Wen Yi suddenly felt thirsty and asked the server for a cup of warm water. After drinking it, she held the cup in her hands.

Wei Yuan narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her. “Does he like the way you dress like this?”

“…”

Wen Yi was speechless. Just because she wasn’t wearing a skirt or high heels, did she really look that bad?

Wei Yuan recalled, “Do you remember the first time we met? You were on stage giving a presentation, confident, beautiful, and poised, determined to make a name for yourself. Later, I ran into you in the break room, and even though your hands were shaking, you made me believe in you.”

He wasn’t exactly a gentleman, but he liked her pretty face and admired her drive. He appreciated her character and ambition.

Every moment they spent together, Wen Yi was like a treasure full of surprises. She was like the sun, needing no one else to give her light because she shined on her own, climbing up step by step.

He thought that breaking up was just a pause before a better reunion. But the time he spent abroad was longer than expected, and in four years, so much had changed.

Wei Yuan felt disappointed. “Wen Yi, you’ve just been promoted to regional manager. Do you know what it means to choose marriage and children at this time? This industry is far more ruthless than you think.”

“I don’t know what kind of pressure you’re under, but I don’t want you to compromise in the face of reality. Even if we can’t be together anymore, you deserve better than settling for a man who has you coming to work today looking so disheveled.”

Wen Yi remained silent.

They had been together for a year, but all she could recall now were similar lectures and judgments from him. Back then, Wen Yi was young, full of dreams about the future, and she needed someone to guide her. At that time, Wei Yuan seemed tall and imposing in her eyes.

After they broke up, she gradually grew, no longer needing external pressure, but she still appreciated having gone through that phase with him.

Wen Yi put down the cup and looked up, her eyes calm. “Do you have anything else to say?”

“Wen Yi, don’t destroy everything you’ve worked for just for this.”

Wen Yi nodded, shifting her role to that of subordinate and boss. She said seriously, “President Wei, this anti-corruption initiative is extensive and long-lasting. It’s also your first challenge since returning to your position here, and I will assist you in overcoming it. Also, the promotion of the new HIV-1 drug in the eastern district has been preliminarily completed with good results. I’ll report the specific data to you next week.”

A professional smile appeared on Wen Yi’s face. She was still confident. “I’ve heard that the upper management of the group is considering forming a Strategic Innovation Department soon to adapt to the rapidly changing pharmaceutical market. The department head will be chosen through a competitive process. President Wei, your capabilities are well-known to everyone. I believe you’ll succeed, and if you need my help, feel free to ask.”

“As for everything else, I’ve considered it. I hope you won’t let personal interests affect your decision-making.”

Wei Yuan had just returned to the country, and for Nuon, which had already undergone a reshuffle, he was like an outsider. While stabilizing performance, he also needed to win people over.

Wen Yi had always remained neutral, and Wei Yuan’s repeated attempts to reminisce with her weren’t without reason. He needed a capable and loyal subordinate, and his former girlfriend was not only viewed by others as being “on his side,” but was also the mid-level employee he could most easily win over now.