Chapter 7: The Warmth and Touch at the Wrist

The rose of Chapter 7: the warmth and touch at the wrist.

[When I’m back from my business trip, I should have time to have dinner with you.]

In just a few hours, Ye Jiayuan had gone from politely declining to taking the initiative to invite her.

Fu Chaoying held a wet wipe and slowly wiped her hands, but she couldn’t help wondering: did Ye Jiayuan feel even a little special toward her?

When she reached the palm of her right hand, Fu Chaoying suddenly froze. A faint smile tugged at her lips as she kept wiping, until even the warmth and touch left on that wrist were gone.

Then she typed slowly into the chat box: [Okay. When will you be back?]

She didn’t expect an instant reply, so Fu Chaoying went on eating her late-night snack.

As expected, Ye Jiayuan didn’t reply until an hour later. But when she did, it was: [There’s a shareholders’ meeting tomorrow morning. I should be able to have the contract delivered to you by this afternoon.]

Ye Jiayuan still hadn’t answered her question about when she would be back. Leaving the time vague seemed like a privilege only people in power had.

Seeing that, Fu Chaoying didn’t ask again. She only shook her head lightly and politely sent a thank-you.

According to Fu Chaoying’s understanding, in recent years, as Xingye International’s overseas business had gradually expanded, Ye Jiayuan’s main base had been in Singapore and Hong Kong. This trip to Singapore barely even counted as a business trip.

“Oh, if you don’t eat it now, it’ll get cold. Be careful or you’ll end up with a stomach ache,” Aunt Wu reminded her softly from the side.

Fu Chaoying turned and smiled faintly at her, then gathered her thoughts and quickly finished the late-night snack.

She hoped she would sleep well tonight.

*

The next morning, Fu Chaoying went to the law firm where her friend Shen Guannan worked and asked her to help review the electronic contract Xingye’s legal department had sent over.

Shen Guannan read it carefully for a long while; then she lifted her eyes. “The Ye family... has treated you fairly well.”

Fu Chaoying nodded slightly and said with a smile, “But I actually don’t want the art museum anymore.”

This was within Shen Guannan’s expectations. After all, that museum carried far too many memories of another person.

Shen Guannan nodded in understanding and thought it over before saying, “So you only want the agency rights to your works back, and..."

Fu Chaoying’s brows curved slightly; in a low voice, she said, “I want to give the art museum named after me a proper farewell.”

After they finished discussing the contract, Shen Guannan prepared to go back upstairs and continue working.

Fu Chaoying had just been about to invite her to dinner when she suddenly received a call from her aunt.

“Xiao Ying, are you free tonight? Come have a meal with me and your cousin.”

Fu Chaoying knew her aunt was very busy; if there was nothing important, she wouldn’t have specially called her to dinner.

Although there was a high probability they would still be talking about yesterday’s matter, she had to go to this dinner.

Fu Chaoying obediently agreed, then drove home.

The weather was lovely today, the temperature pleasant. After lunch, Fu Chaoying and Aunt Wu sat together in the pavilion drinking coffee.

Fu Chaoying had never thought of herself as someone afraid of loneliness.

But after the important people in her life passed away one by one, she had become more and more afraid of being alone.

Even now, when she read a book or drank coffee, she had to cling to Aunt Wu’s company.

Aunt Wu understood what she was thinking, but she also worried that if Fu Chaoying stayed at home all the time, she would end up stifled.

So she brought it up as if casually: “You didn’t keep Miss Jiayuan here for tea yesterday either.”

Fu Chaoying kept her eyes on the words in her book and didn’t look up. “She’s going on a business trip today; it wasn’t convenient for her to stay long.”

“Then when will she be back?” Aunt Wu asked curiously.

Fu Chaoying shook her head and answered softly, “She didn’t say.”

“For a big boss like Miss Jiayuan, she generally won’t take the initiative to tell people her schedule. You’d have to ask her yourself,” Aunt Wu said earnestly.

Hearing her say all that in such a concerned tone, Fu Chaoying helplessly lifted her eyes. “I did ask. She didn’t reply.”

Aunt Wu was utterly baffled.

By rights, whether out of private friendship with Xiao Ying’s mother and grandmother, or out of gratitude for the Fu family’s kindness toward the Ye family, Ye Jiayuan should have been showing Xiao Ying a little more care.

More importantly, that thoughtfulness and gentleness she had shown that night—no matter how you looked at it, it didn’t seem fake.

Noticing Aunt Wu’s hesitant expression, Fu Chaoying gave a slight shake of her head. She herself didn’t know what Ye Jiayuan was thinking.

She had taken the initiative to ask her to dinner, yet still wouldn’t give a definite time. Was this how people in positions of power always were?

Fu Chaoying pressed her lips together slightly and kept reading.

“Sleepy? Want to take a nap?” Aunt Wu noticed she had yawned several times in a row.

“Later there should be a contract delivered here. I’ll rest after signing it.”

Aunt Wu didn’t ask any more and simply sat with her in silence.

Spring sleepiness and autumn fatigue; it was only natural. Fu Chaoying was reading when, before she knew it, she had fallen asleep on the table.

About half an hour later, the courtyard gatebell rang. Aunt Wu guessed the contract had arrived and hurried to open the door.

Fu Chaoying vaguely heard the movement and was about to keep dozing when she heard a steady set of footsteps behind her, followed by a cool voice:

“Xiao Ying.”

Fu Chaoying still hadn’t realized who it was, but her heart had already suddenly started racing. After a moment to steady herself, she rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up.

The person who had come... was Ye Jiayuan?

Fu Chaoying rubbed her eyes again before confirming that the person standing before her was indeed Ye Jiayuan.

She was dressed in a dark blue suit, holding a kraft paper envelope in her hand.

Fu Chaoying was a little surprised. “Sister Jiayuan? Why did you come personally? Weren’t you supposed to be on a business trip today?”

The questions came out in a rush.

Ye Jiayuan nodded slightly and looked at her eyes, still hazy with sleep; the corner of her lips lifted by the smallest, almost imperceptible degree as she explained, “I’m taking a night flight.”

Fu Chaoying blinked and raised a hand to take the contract.

The signing pen had already been prepared, so she simply signed her name directly.

Seeing how decisively and neatly she signed, Ye Jiayuan asked her in a low voice, “Aren’t you going to look at it?”

In the middle of signing, Fu Chaoying shook her head at her. “I trust the Ye family. I trust you.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Fu Chaoying lowered her head and continued signing.

Ye Jiayuan watched the clean line of her jaw, then her slightly curved lips; her throat moved faintly.

After Fu Chaoying finished signing, she put the contract back into the kraft paper envelope and handed it to Ye Jiayuan. “Thank you for making the trip yourself, Sister Jiayuan.”

Ye Jiayuan nodded faintly at her, but still didn’t take it. Instead, she turned to Aunt Wu and asked, “Aunt Wu, is there any of yesterday’s floral tea left?”

Aunt Wu had assumed Ye Jiayuan would leave as soon as the contract was signed, so she had only handed her a cup of warm water. She hadn’t expected her to want the floral tea from last night.

Fu Chaoying’s lips curved slightly as she kept reading. She tried hard to focus on the page, but out of the corner of her eye, Ye Jiayuan’s figure simply wouldn’t leave.

She was too curious about Ye Jiayuan.

Ye Jiayuan wasn’t looking at her; she was looking at the flowers in the courtyard, staring so intently she seemed lost in thought.

No one mentioned the business trip, and naturally Fu Chaoying couldn’t possibly ask when she would be back.

After all, sharing one’s schedule was the beginning of intimacy.

And right now, they were nothing more than people who had exchanged paintings. Mm—not even really familiar.

“Do you like Andena?” Ye Jiayuan suddenly asked.

Fu Chaoying didn’t look up; she only gave a quiet mm.

After a moment, she raised her eyes and softly asked in return, “You know her too, Sister Jiayuan?”

Andena was a relatively niche female author.

Ye Jiayuan nodded. “I’ve read two of her books.”

Fu Chaoying had just been about to ask her something else when Aunt Wu came over carrying the floral tea.

Aunt Wu had always liked chatting about everyday matters; she hadn’t found it convenient to ask during the contract signing, but now the atmosphere was much more relaxed, which made it perfect.

“Miss Jiayuan is flying out tonight? Taking a red-eye?”

Ye Jiayuan took a light sip of tea. “Mm.”

Fu Chaoying was reading, but a trace of confusion flashed through her mind: Singapore wasn’t that far away; why take a red-eye?

Aunt Wu cheerfully continued, “Miss Jiayuan, your work must be very busy, right? How long will you be staying in Singapore this time?”

Fu Chaoying slowly lifted her eyes; after exchanging a glance with Aunt Wu, she gave Ye Jiayuan a helpless smile. “Aunt Wu likes to chat; she’s not deliberately trying to pry into your privacy.”

There was a faint distance in those words.

Ye Jiayuan looked at her deeply, then said in a low voice, “It’s not really private. I’ll probably be back in about two months.”

“So long?” Aunt Wu couldn’t help sighing.

Fu Chaoying closed her book and smiled faintly. “It was the same before; Sister Jiayuan is always busy, and it’s hard to see her even a few times a year.”

“Domestic policies have been good recently, so the company’s focus is shifting,” Ye Jiayuan said, looking up at the large clouds drifting across the blue sky.

Fu Chaoying couldn’t help yawning again.

Ye Jiayuan noticed. “Didn’t sleep well last night?”

Fu Chaoying nodded. “My stomach’s a little upset.”

After all, she hadn’t eaten dinner yesterday, and in the middle of the night she’d eaten fried food that was almost cold.

When Aunt Wu heard that, her face filled with self-reproach.

Ye Jiayuan glanced at the coffee cup on the table and turned to Aunt Wu. “Next time she’s having stomach trouble, don’t let her drink coffee.”

As soon as she said that, Fu Chaoying hurriedly spoke up, “I’m already fine.”

It was just diarrhea; she’d already taken montmorillonite powder.

Ye Jiayuan looked at her face, as if checking whether she was telling the truth.

Fu Chaoying met her gaze, only to see Ye Jiayuan slowly rise. “Rest first.”

“If you’re going to Singapore for business or travel, you can contact me.”

Fu Chaoying quickly stood to thank her, then escorted her to the gate with Aunt Wu and waved at her. “Sister Jiayuan, have a safe trip.”

Ye Jiayuan nodded. “When I’m back from my business trip, I’ll treat you to dinner.”

Fu Chaoying couldn’t help freezing.

She thought to herself: did Ye Jiayuan mean she had originally planned to invite her to dinner tonight? Just because her stomach was upset, she’d pushed it back to next time?

But before she could think it through, Ye Jiayuan had already gotten into the car and left.

Next time would be two months later.

That was too long, Fu Chaoying thought.

*

That evening, Fu Chaoying returned to the old residence and had dinner with her aunt and cousin.

The first half of dinner was spent revisiting everything between her and Ye Yian, including her aunt’s furious scolding of Ye Yian and her own pity and tenderness for Fu Chaoying.

“You silly child, you should have told us sooner.”

Fu Chaoying smiled. “I was afraid of causing you trouble.”

“Family members are supposed to trouble each other!”

Fu Chaoying smiled again. “I’ll definitely do that next time.”

“Still talking about next time? Next time you’d better keep your eyes open!”

Fu Chaoying didn’t deny it. On this point, she naturally agreed.

In the latter half of dinner, her aunt started worrying about her next step.

This was the real topic for the evening.

Fu Chaoying was very direct this time. “I plan to establish an art brokerage company and do curating, collaborations, auctions, and the like.”

After hearing that, her aunt looked a little puzzled. “Isn’t that overlapping with part of what the art museum does? Then you don’t want the museum anymore?”

“I don’t.” The decisiveness and resolve in Fu Chaoying’s tone were obvious.

Her aunt didn’t press further on that issue and instead shifted her attention to the new idea. “You want to sign old-school painters?”

“Works by traditional artists are mostly managed by professional teams,” Fu Chaoying said, shaking her head lightly. Then she continued, “I won’t limit myself to ink painters, and I won’t only focus on China.”

Her aunt suddenly understood, then praised her repeatedly. “Expanding your horizons is a good thing.”

“I happen to have quite a few connections with international artists.”

As she spoke, her aunt lightly patted Fu Chaoying’s arm and smiled at her. “Your sister has no ambition in this area, so hurry up and make use of my resources. Don’t let them go to waste.”

Fu Chaoying blinked, then smiled a little shyly. “Then I’ll have to rely on Auntie’s support in the future.”

Her aunt waved it off. “What are you saying? We’re family.”

After discussing some specific ideas in detail, her aunt suddenly said, “There’s an artists’ gathering in Singapore next week. Why don’t you go with me?”

Fu Chaoying froze slightly. Ye Jiayuan’s figure immediately came to mind—Singapore... wasn’t she there?

Still, such an opportunity was truly rare; Fu Chaoying immediately nodded and agreed.

*

On the plane to Singapore, the assistant reported to Ye Jiayuan, “President Ye, President Qu’s side is pressing again.”

Ye Jiayuan’s expression remained calm. “Didn’t you tell her we’d switch to a video conference?”

“I did, but she insists on meeting in person.”

Before the assistant even finished speaking, Ye Jiayuan’s phone rang sharply.

As soon as she answered, a bright female voice came from the other end.

“President Ye! Weren’t you on an afternoon flight? Why did it get changed to tonight?”

“There was something I needed to handle,” Ye Jiayuan said, her voice still composed.

“How important could it be, for you to come out personally like this?” the other person asked curiously.

“An important private matter.” Ye Jiayuan replied lightly.