Xiang Yuan looked at him in surprise, feeling that those words didn’t sound like something he would say. She blinked at him, utterly stunned. Xu Yanshi regretted it a little after speaking, but he didn’t think it was necessary to explain everything to her.

“You had a fight with Feng Jun?” Xiang Yuan asked cautiously.

“No.” He lowered his hand and stuffed it into his pocket. Still lounging lazily in the chair, he turned his head slightly, leaving her with a cold profile. “We haven’t been in touch for a long time.”

Xiang Yuan puffed up her cheeks and nodded thoughtfully. “Me too. We lost contact after graduation.”

He gave another perfunctory “Mm.” Back when she had just started liking him, every time he responded indifferently like that, her heart would burst with pink bubbles, her mind filled with fluttering thoughts, and her heartbeat would race like a deer caught off guard. It was clearly just a simple exchange.

“Have you eaten?”

“Mm.”

Yet she would jump for joy in the dormitory, bouncing around and spinning on the spot like he had just promised to pluck the stars from the sky for her.

That had been the most youthful and beautiful version of themselves. He hadn’t liked her back. Now they were both adults, long immersed in the sea of fame and fortune, and had seen the vanity of the world and those fleeting emotions that turned to dust. Only a fool still believed in love.

Xiang Yuan lowered her head again and resumed playing on her phone, focused on climbing the leaderboard.

After a brief silence, Xu Yanshi stood up, one hand in his pocket, the other holding the notebook. The hard corner tapped twice against the table with light force. “Are you coming or not?”

Xiang Yuan instinctively replied, “Wait a sec, I’ll finish this round.”

Then she realized something was off and looked up suspiciously, meeting his emotionless gaze. “You’re waiting for me?”

Xu Yanshi sneered coldly. “What else? You think I’m spending my time here reminiscing with you?”

Xiang Yuan flushed. “No, I just thought…… we’re off work.”

“There’s still ten minutes left.” He said, glancing at his watch and tapping the face with his index finger. “The tech department has another meeting.”

Xiang Yuan instantly exited the app, tossed her phone into her bag, casually brushed the loose strands of hair behind her ear, and gave him a glare. “Why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

Without waiting for a response, she darted out the door.

She wasn’t tall— just about 162 centimeters— but her legs were perfectly proportioned. Once she put on high heels, people often mistook her for at least 168. Her long, straight legs carried her figure entirely.

Xiang Yuan hurried to the door of the conference room. Not seeing him catch up, she smiled at passing employees who greeted her and decided she needed to maintain a good image. Standing discreetly by the door, her infamous bag from the earlier meeting swung lazily from her arm. She cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone, bent slightly at the waist, and shouted mischievously toward the conference room entrance, “Xu Yanshi, stop playing games! Hurry up, the tech department’s meeting is starting!”

She didn’t even look inside after yelling, just leaned against the wall, waiting.

But inside the conference room that afternoon, having just heard someone twisting the truth to play the victim, Xu Yanshi leaned against the conference table. He had his arms crossed, head lowered, and was wearing a rare bright smile.

……

Xiang Yuan waited at the door for a while before he finally came out. “What were you doing in there?”

Xu Yanshi adjusted his glasses and started walking. “Thinking about how to introduce you.”

Xiang Yuan slung her bag over her shoulder and tucked her hands into the pockets of her down jacket. She looked up at him in confusion. “Just say I’m someone with connections. Isn’t that what you all call me behind my back anyway?”

Xu Yanshi shot her a sideways glance and bluntly exposed her, “Aren’t you?”

“……” Xiang Yuan stared him down coldly. “Do you really have friends?”

Xu Yanshi ignored that.

Xiang Yuan waved her hand dismissively and said with mock defeat, “Didn’t General Manager Li already introduce me? If you must say something, just say we’re high school classmates.” Then she reconsidered, “Forget it. Better not say we went to the same high school. No. 6 High wasn’t exactly prestigious. I don’t want to drag your image down.”

“Alright.”

She was despised.

……

At the tech department meeting, Xu Yanshi indeed didn’t mention their high school connection. He completely treated her as a new employee and kept a distant attitude, pretending not to know her.

After his brief introduction, the room burst into enthusiastic applause. Everyone was smiling like they were genuinely welcoming her. Xiang Yuan scanned the room sharply. Yep, it was a majority male squad. Other than her and two other women, the department had over twenty guys.

Gao Leng suddenly stood up, his tone sharp as he stared at her, “This might be rude, but Team Leader Xiang, I just want to ask— why am I the only one assigned to your team?”

Xiang Yuan smiled sweetly. “Because I specifically asked General Manager Li for you.”

Gao Leng asked again, “Why did you ask for me?”

What, like you’re ordering food? You pick me, and I show up?

Xiang Yuan answered calmly, “Because you’re the most handsome.”

“Alright, Team Leader Xiang.” Gao Leng sat down. “Welcome.”

The whole table burst into laughter. Even Xu Yanshi couldn’t help the slight curve of his lips. Some of the guys thought Xiang Yuan was very approachable and sunny, especially with that sharp little canine tooth that showed when she smiled. It made her look like a cheerful young woman. The initial wariness faded. These guys were pretty simple, acting on reason, not emotion.

Xu Yanshi knocked his knuckle against the table, scanning the room. “Anyone else want to switch to Team Two?”

Several guys raised their hands out of courtesy.

But Xiang Yuan refused them all. She grinned and said with complete honesty, “I don’t know much. I can’t manage so many people. You all keep doing your own work. Having Gao Leng is enough for me.”

The guys hooted teasingly.

Gao Leng choked on his water, elbow propped up, pretending to adjust his glasses to hide his flushed face.

Just then, a woman with long black hair and black-framed glasses raised her hand. “Team Leader Xiang, may I join your team?”

Xiang Yuan hadn’t seen the other party earlier, probably because she wasn’t at the level to attend the main meeting.

This time, it would look too pretentious to refuse, so Xiang Yuan nodded. “Sure.”

Xu Yanshi glanced at her. “Anything else to say?”

Xiang Yuan thought for a moment. “Everyone, let’s work hard. The future of our nation depends on you.”

Xu Yanshi raised an eyebrow. “That’s it?”

Xiang Yuan threw him a flirty wink. “Let’s talk about the rest in private.”

“……”

Another round of laughter burst from the crowd.

She was so cheeky.

Xu Yanshi leaned back lazily in his chair, fingers loosely curled on the table. After silently enduring that flirty wink, he shifted his gaze away without a word, completely ignoring her. He tapped the table coldly. “Meeting adjourned.”

Xiang Yuan withdrew her gaze, feeling a little deflated.

────ρя


However, what left everyone utterly dumbfounded was that this high-profile ‘airborne’ newcomer to the tech department, after just one day of touring the company, took the initiative to apply for annual leave on behalf of her two team members. The very next day, she whisked them away to eat, drink, and have fun, making a complete circuit around the entire circle of friends on social media.

What truly blew people’s minds was that Iron Crutch Li, normally someone who hemmed and hawed even over leave requests for weddings or funerals, actually approved a full week of vacation for three people at once.

The rest of the tech department, bombarded by Gao Leng’s constant updates on social media, felt deep injustice. One by one, they cast resentful glances at their boss’s workstation, grumbling as they flooded Xiang Yuan’s posts with comments.

【Zhang Jun: What kind of divine team leader are you?!】

【Li Chi: We’re ready to defect en masse! Team Leader Xiang, take us too!】

【Shi Tianyou: Shame on the two upstairs, but Gao Leng might be the biggest winner in life. This may be bold, but Team Leader Xiang, about you choosing Gao Leng as your team member just because he’s the most handsome— perhaps reconsider? I was sitting on your right at the meeting. Maybe the angle threw you off. My name is Shi Tianyou. Nice to meet you. If you need to expand your team, please consider me first.】

【You Zhi: What made you choose Gao Leng the shortie? Was it a moral collapse or a loss of humanity?】

Gao Leng replied to You Zhi, 【I’m 178 cm. No one except the boss is qualified to call me short.】

You Zhi replied to Gao Leng, 【Oh, and those extra 8 cm, are they from your scalp or your athlete’s foot?】

Gao Leng replied to You Zhi, 【Cut the crap. Meet me in Kings Canyon^[1]refers to the main 5v5 game map in the mobile game Honor of Kings. If I win, I’m 178. If I lose, I’m 187.】

You Zhi replied to Gao Leng, 【Idiot.】

……

At that moment, Xiang Yuan was taking Gao Leng and her other team member to try out paragliding— the motor-powered kind. Gao Leng was beside himself with excitement, almost blowing a snot bubble. “Is it like skydiving? Is it that intense? Is it thrilling?”

This time of year, the place was deserted. Even slightly raised voices echoed through the empty valley. Xiang Yuan crouched on the stone steps nearby, playing a match-3 game again. The cold wind turned her fingers white and red. She looked up briefly at Gao Leng. “Have you ever skydived?”

Gao Leng shook his head. “No.”

“It’s not as intense as skydiving.” Xiang Yuan said, eyes back on her phone. “Just like riding a tuk-tuk.”

Gao Leng asked, “You’ve done it?”

“Mm.”

Gao Leng sensed she had a story. “What other extreme sports have you done?”

Xiang Yuan didn’t answer. Even if she told him, he wouldn’t understand. She had gone bungee jumping when she was eighteen. There wasn’t a single extreme sport she hadn’t tried.

Before Gao Leng could ask more, the owner came over to call them in.

Gao Leng wrapped his coat tighter around himself and led his team member into the activity camp.

Xiang Yuan stood up from the steps and snapped a photo of the surrounding mountains. The quiet, moist hills exuded a serene stillness, nature’s soft and silent response.

She posted the photo on her Moments without any caption. Only then did she realize her last post— the group photo at Mingsha Mountain— had already been plastered all over by the tech department guys.

She scrolled through the comments with a grin and finally replied to You Zhi, 【Probably the brilliance of human nature.】

You Zhi instantly caught on and replied, carrying the joke forward, 【Care for the intellectually challenged? Got it. I think I need to revise my opinion of you. You, me, and the boss— we’re clearly the same breed.】

Their shared humor seemed to reach a consensus in the comments section. The rest of the tech bros were not having it, though, and resumed bombarding Xiang Yuan’s feed.

【Zhang Jun: Why only reply to You Zhi?】

【Li Chi: Looks like Team Leader Xiang does judge by appearances. Youth sure is impulsive.】

【Shi Tianyou: I’m emotionally devastated.】

Xiang Yuan laughed uncontrollably while holding her phone. In the end, she decided to preserve her dignity as team leader and posted a collective reply, equal parts comfort and boss-mode, 【Work hard, everyone. I’ll bring you back some gifts.】

After posting, she pulled up the hood of her down jacket and looked up at the sky. Despite the deafening roar of the paraglider’s engine above the valley, she could still hear Gao Leng’s voice howling like a banshee.

“So high!!!!!!! Hooooh!!!!!!!”

Idiot.

Xiang Yuan commented silently.

She opened the match-3 game again. She wondered what Xu Yanshi’s highest score was.

Just as she launched the app, that man— whose face had just flashed through her mind— suddenly posted on Moments. It was merely a link repost, but all the senior members of the ‘Tech Bro Club’ rushed to comment beneath it.

【Zhang Jun: What’s the occasion? Even the boss is posting now?】

【Li Chi: Eight years later, my grandpa’s Moments is finally updated! I’m crying.】

【Shi Tianyou: Love you, mwah, mwah.】

【You Zhi: Boss, you joining this competition? Short on cash?】

【Gao Leng: No joke, I’m replying to your post while in the air right now.】

Xiang Yuan tapped on the shared link. It was a competition announcement. The host was Wade Aerospace Technology Group, and the title read, ‘The Third Wade Cup Technological Innovation Competition’. She skimmed through quickly, skipping the long section full of technical jargon and entry rules. Her eyes landed at the bottom. The prize money was 200,000 yuan.

She was, in fact, very short on money at the moment. All the expenses for this trip had been charged to the credit card her brother had secretly slipped into her bag before she left.

When Gao Leng and Lin Qingqing returned, Xiang Yuan tucked her phone back into her pocket. “Let’s go. Next stop.”

Gao Leng was stunned. “We’re still going? You’re not done yet?”

He had thought this was the final stop. He’d already poured out every bit of excitement on that flying machine, to the point that now his throat was hoarse and he was leaning on Lin Qingqing for support. His lips were pale, and his legs felt like cotton. “Team Leader, tomorrow’s our last day of leave. We can’t keep going that way. Past that, it’s the border already.”

Xiang Yuan walked over to start the car, and Gao Leng trailed behind her, sweating and mumbling nonstop, trying to persuade her to turn back before it was too late.

She ignored him, got in the driver’s seat, started the car, then suddenly pulled out a crumpled, yellowed towel from who knows where and tossed it to Lin Qingqing in the back seat. “Stuff this in his mouth.”

“Okay.”

Gao Leng hadn’t expected the quiet woman to be so strong. She wasn’t even shaky after coming down from the paraglider. Who were these monsters he’d ended up traveling with?!

“Mmm-mm-mm, mm-mm-mm!”

（Lin Qingqing, let me go!）

He thrashed wildly.

“Not letting go. Team Leader said you talk too much.”

“Mm-mmm-mmm-mm?!”

（You actually understood me?!）

Gao Leng stared at her in disbelief.

────ρя


The trip lasted ten full days, and Xiang Yuan ended up extending their leave by three more days with Iron Crutch Li.

On the eighth day, just before driving into the desert, she sent all the data she’d recorded to Xu Yanshi.

【These are the positioning logs I’ve collected along the northwest route over the past few days. I used two different instruments. One is the Weilin PND— that’s the portable navigation unit you guys delivered to Lao Liang’s team a few days ago. The other is the vehicle’s built-in navigation. I also compared data using Baidu Maps and my phone’s default map app. You should be able to spot the problem. Once we enter the desert, there might be no signal.】

She originally wanted to add something cheeky like ‘don’t miss me too much’, but after thinking it over, she deleted it and wrote instead, 【I’m here for serious work. Let’s not bring up the past. My breakup with Feng Jun has nothing to do with you. You don’t need to feel awkward.】

Right after, she sent another message, 【Also, I don’t like you anymore.】