Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Rose Eight: Stunning.

On the third day after Ye Jiayuan arrived in Singapore, Fu Chaoying reposted Ye Yian’s breakup statement and added a very simple caption: [Let’s each live well.]

That marked the complete end of the tangled mess from the past, and also the opening overture to Fu Chaoying’s career.

For the next week, Fu Chaoying barely stopped moving. After settling on the company’s location, she registered it, handled all the necessary licenses, and pushed the renovation and design work forward at the same time.

Meanwhile, her WeChat friends kept messaging her, trying to find out why she and Ye Yian had broken up so suddenly.

Fu Chaoying didn’t answer a single one of those gossip questions. She only replied to messages about work.

Word that Fu Chaoying was starting an art brokerage company spread quickly through the circle.

With the Fu family’s extensive connections behind her, Fu Chaoying signed several domestic artists without much trouble; most of them were ink painters, with a few calligraphers mixed in.

Fu Chaoying hadn’t planned to reach out to her grandmother’s old acquaintances, but unexpectedly, they were the ones who came forward first.

Because the Singapore art reception was drawing near, Fu Chaoying didn’t have time to meet each of them in person. She only made a preliminary agreement to cooperate.

It was only when Fu Chaoying and her aunt set out for the airport that she realized her last conversation with Ye Jiayuan had been two weeks ago.

Fu Chaoying had been too busy these past two weeks, pouring all her energy into preparing the company and having no time to think about anything else. Naturally, she also hadn’t had time to contact Ye Jiayuan.

And the other side was even less likely to reach out first.

So the two of them had quietly fallen out of contact, just as they had before; they could go a whole year without seeing each other more than once or twice, and when they did meet, it was nothing but polite small talk.

Looking at those distant, courteous words, Fu Chaoying could only wonder whether those scorching scenes had been nothing more than a dream.

But even if it was a dream, she would still step into it.

Fu Chaoying opened her chat with Ye Jiayuan and typed a line with her fingertips: [Sister Jiayuan, I’m flying to Singapore today.]

She didn’t give a reason for the sudden trip; naturally, she wanted the other woman to ask.

But things didn’t go as she hoped. Even until the plane took off, no new message appeared in the chat box.

Ye Jiayuan might be busy.

Fu Chaoying turned off her phone, pulled the blanket over herself, and prepared to rest.

Her aunt, Fu Anyun, looked at her with concern. “You haven’t been sleeping well these past few days?”

Fu Chaoying shook her head slightly and smiled faintly. “I was revising the renovation drawings until midnight yesterday.”

Fu Anyun patted her shoulder. “Your health comes first. The family won’t miss your little bit.”

In truth, she didn’t even need to touch the family assets; Xingye’s 5% stake would be enough to let her live the rest of her life in comfort.

But what would be the point of that?

Fu Chaoying replied softly and nodded. “Got it, Auntie.”

Fu Chaoying closed her eyes, but her mind was still replaying every little detail of her interactions with Ye Jiayuan.

Although Ye Jiayuan always gave her a cool, detached impression, the other woman had indeed sent her many positive signals.

In short, she had a very good chance of latching onto Ye Jiayuan’s big tree.

After resting for a long while, they finally arrived in Singapore.

Fu Chaoying immediately opened her phone to check for messages, only to find a single line sitting quietly in Ye Jiayuan’s chat box: [Mm.]

? She didn’t even ask why I was coming?

Hadn’t they agreed that she could contact Ye Jiayuan once she arrived in Singapore?

Fu Chaoying took two deep breaths, pressed her lips together, and closed her phone.

Fu Anyun happened to see this. “What’s wrong, Xiaoying?”

Fu Chaoying curved her lips slightly. “I’m still getting used to the air in a foreign country.”

Fu Anyun laughed and gently tapped her shoulder. “You child!”

Everything on this trip had been arranged by her aunt, so Fu Chaoying only needed to follow along. But then she caught sight of a familiar figure.

Was it her?

Fu Chaoying didn’t dare to be sure. Only after following her aunt a little closer and hearing the other person greet them did she realize belatedly—

“Assistant Liu?”

Ye Jiayuan’s assistant, Liu Na, nodded at her. “Miss Chaoying, long time no see.”

Fu Chaoying shook hands with her together with her aunt and heard her explain, “President Ye is still in a meeting; she specifically asked me to pick the two of you up and take you to the hotel.”

Fu Anyun was an old hand at this sort of thing. After exchanging a few polite words, she led Fu Chaoying into the car.

Fu Chaoying quietly asked her aunt, “Did you tell Jiayuan in advance that we were coming?”

Fu Anyun shook her head. “The day Jiayuan left Nanyan, she had two invitations delivered to me by express.”

Then Fu Anyun gave the other invitation to her niece, Fu Chaoying.

Only then did Fu Chaoying understand. So the moment Ye Jiayuan received her message, she already knew she was coming to Singapore with her aunt for the reception.

No wonder she hadn’t asked about the reason for the trip.

Fu Chaoying was still lost in thought when she suddenly heard Assistant Liu say, “Ladies, President Ye would like to invite the two of you to dinner. I wonder if you have time tonight?”

Fu Anyun smiled at her. “We’d be deeply honored.”

With the relationship between the Fu and Ye families, Ye Jiayuan’s thoughtfulness and courtesy were naturally beyond question.

When they reached the hotel, Fu Chaoying looked up and somehow felt that it looked familiar.

“Xiaoying, do you remember your fifteenth birthday? We stayed at this hotel when we brought you here.”

That sentence instantly stirred her memory.

That year, her birthday happened to fall during the Spring Festival, and both the Ye and Fu families were there, combining a vacation with the New Year.

It was also the last time in her life that the whole family had gathered together to celebrate her birthday.

It was a pity; not even a single photo had been left behind.

Fu Chaoying and her aunt exchanged a few brief memories before checking in.

Both of them had suites, with their rooms next to each other; if they opened the door, they could see the sea.

Fu Chaoying took a shower, changed into summer clothes, and sat on the balcony for a while to enjoy the sea breeze. Then she suddenly heard a knock at the door.

“Xiaoying, it’s me.”

A faint female voice came through the wooden door; it was her aunt, coming to find her.

Fu Chaoying stepped forward and opened the door in a few quick strides, only to see two people standing outside.

Her aunt was there, along with Ye Jiayuan.

They hadn’t seen each other in two weeks, and Ye Jiayuan was actually wearing a dress; the simple dark-gray style outlined her graceful, elegant figure.

A trace of surprise flashed in Fu Chaoying’s eyes, but she quickly looked away and curved her lips into a smile. “Sister Jiayuan, long time no see.”

Her aunt coughed lightly.

Ye Jiayuan glanced over her clothes, then let her gaze settle on her hair. Her tone was even. “Mm. After you’ve dried your hair, shall we go eat together?”

“Okay, please come in.” Fu Chaoying didn’t think anything of it and turned back into the bedroom.

Only when she saw herself in the mirror did she suddenly realize she had opened the door without wearing a bra!

Good heavens. Even though the camisole covered most of her, every movement made it especially obvious.

It would have been bad enough if her aunt had seen; how had Ye Jiayuan seen it too...?

Still, the other woman might not necessarily have noticed.

But just as Fu Chaoying was about to blow-dry her hair, she discovered that the sea breeze seemed to have already dried it...

So Ye Jiayuan’s request for her to come in and dry her hair had only been a roundabout way of saying...

She had seen it.

Fu Chaoying hurriedly ran the blow dryer through her hair a few times, then washed her face several more times to calm herself down.

Two minutes later, she finally steadied her nerves.

After changing clothes, Fu Chaoying opened the door and, as if nothing had happened, greeted the two of them. “Let’s go.”

On the way to the restaurant, Fu Anyun chatted with Ye Jiayuan about recent developments and casually teased her, “Why did you suddenly start sponsoring an art forum?”

Fu Chaoying was curious too.

From what she knew, Xingye had focused more on the high-tech sector and then the financial sector. Why had it suddenly turned its attention to the arts?

Only Ye Jiayuan’s soft voice came in reply. “Some time ago, I bid on a painting and thought it was rather interesting.”

Fu Chaoying heard that and slowly lifted her eyes to look at her. Was she talking about Jade Magnolia?

Then her aunt suddenly patted her shoulder. “Your Sister Jiayuan specifically bought Jade Magnolia at auction. You returned the favor, didn’t you?”

So her aunt knew about Jade Magnolia too. Had Ye Jiayuan discussed it with her aunt before the auction?

So when she sent the painting over, it really was to fulfill Fu Li’s dying wish. There was no other meaning at all.

Fu Chaoying hadn’t had time to answer when she heard Ye Jiayuan say calmly, “Whether or not she returns the favor is a small matter; besides, Xiaoying has already given something back.”

Fu Anyun smoothly changed the subject.

But Fu Chaoying couldn’t calm her thoughts. So she had been overthinking it.

She had thought Ye Jiayuan felt at least a little differently about her, and that was why she had insisted on giving her a return gift.

Fu Chaoying looked at Ye Jiayuan’s profile without giving anything away, only to find that the other woman had looked back with pinpoint accuracy.

In the blue hour, the sea breeze brushed gently past, and the two of them met each other’s eyes.

She saw that Ye Jiayuan’s pupils were clear and bright, yet also deep and impossible to read.

They both looked away in silent understanding.

It was as if, in that instant, the faint light of dusk had been lost.

As the host, Ye Jiayuan took them to the most famous seaside restaurant in the area; they even had the best table.

Fu Anyun praised her repeatedly for being so thoughtful, then reminded Fu Chaoying to learn from her in the future; sooner or later, she would have to host people and handle social obligations herself.

Once the conversation turned to Fu Chaoying, Ye Jiayuan’s gaze fell on the blue fringed dress she was wearing.

The pattern was quite distinctive.

“Did you design this pattern yourself?” Ye Jiayuan asked in a low voice.

Fu Chaoying nodded lightly. “I drew the pattern myself; I had a friend help me design the dress style.”

Ye Jiayuan didn’t press further and instead asked, “How are the company preparations going?”

As the host, Ye Jiayuan controlled the direction of the conversation.

Fu Chaoying answered each of her questions, and saw Ye Jiayuan give a slight nod. “Not bad. If there’s anything you need help with, don’t be shy.”

Fu Chaoying naturally wouldn’t refuse resources that were handed to her.

That topic ended there.

Fu Chaoying looked out at the waves lapping against the shore beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, while all kinds of international news floated in her ears.

The dishes were served quickly, and the three of them ate in quiet.

Near the end of the meal, Fu Anyun said she needed to go to the restroom.

Only Fu Chaoying and Ye Jiayuan remained at the table.

Fu Chaoying lowered her head to peel a shrimp when she suddenly saw a peeled one appear on her plate.

She looked up in surprise. Ye Jiayuan’s lips were slightly curved as she said softly, “I remember we’ve only gone two weeks without seeing each other.”

Fu Chaoying lifted the corners of her mouth just enough, pretending not to understand the hidden meaning in her words. “Thank you for the shrimp, Sister Jiayuan.”

With that, she put it into her mouth.

Ye Jiayuan looked at her for a long moment. “I bid on the collectible. I didn’t need to discuss it with anyone, and I wouldn’t take the initiative to tell anyone about it either.”

Fu Chaoying’s heartbeat suddenly quickened; she slowly raised her eyes to look at her.

Ye Jiayuan’s expression was calm, yet it seemed as if she had seen through all of her careful thoughts—

“Giving it to you wasn’t entirely for your grandmother.”

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Because the rankings page requires the word count to stay around 30,000 words, updates are being posted every other day TT; once it gets on the charts, it’ll be fine!