Chapter 9: I’m Single, So It’s Convenient

“It wasn’t entirely for your grandmother that I gave it to you.”

Then what was it for?

The moment Ye Jiayuan finished speaking, Fu Chaoying looked her straight in the eye. As always, those deep pupils held too many complicated emotions she couldn’t quite decipher.

Just as Fu Chaoying was waiting for her to continue, a bright, sweet voice suddenly cut in.

“Ah Yuan? You’re here too!”

The voice sounded vaguely familiar. Was it the woman who had called Ye Jiayuan earlier when they were in Nanyan?

Fu Chaoying turned toward the sound and saw a striking blonde woman with soft waves in her hair walking toward them.

She was extraordinarily beautiful, with a flirtatious charm in every movement.

When she came closer, Ye Jiayuan introduced her calmly. “Qu Jingyuan. My colleague.”

Qu Jingyuan gave a soft huff, clearly displeased with the word colleague. She sat right beside Ye Jiayuan and lightly nudged her shoulder, saying in a spoiled tone, “So you were having dinner with a pretty younger girl. No wonder you wouldn’t tell me why. Hmph.”

Seeing how close the two of them were, Fu Chaoying simply sat still, a faint smile on her lips, her gaze casually drifting to the shoulder Ye Jiayuan had quietly pulled away from.

But that was all. Ye Jiayuan didn’t react much to the woman’s behavior; she only gave a brief introduction. “This is Fu Chaoying.”

Fu Chaoying and Qu Jingyuan exchanged a glance, and Fu Chaoying gave her a slight smile.

Qu Jingyuan looked like she was clearly more than just the colleague Ye Jiayuan had called her. Before Fu Chaoying could figure out their relationship, she decided to play the part of an introverted, not very sociable person.

They had barely exchanged two sentences when Fu Anyun returned to the table, chatted briefly with Qu Jingyuan, and quickly explained everyone’s relationship.

Then, smiling, she teased Ye Jiayuan, “Xiaoyuan, it’s about time you started thinking about your personal life, hm?”

At that, Fu Chaoying’s heart gave a sudden jolt. She turned to look at Ye Jiayuan, only to see that her expression was still as composed as ever.

Before Ye Jiayuan could respond, Qu Jingyuan gave a light laugh and spoke first. “Auntie, what do you think of me? Don’t I suit Ah Yuan?”

Fu Anyun’s gossip instincts were immediately piqued. She looked at Qu Jingyuan, then at Ye Jiayuan, and laughed in agreement. “Very much so.”

Though it was only a joke, Fu Chaoying still watched closely for any change in Ye Jiayuan’s expression. Then she heard Qu Jingyuan ask, “What does the younger sister think?”

Fu Chaoying tilted her head slightly and met Ye Jiayuan’s eyes directly, the corners of her lips lifting into a deeper smile. “As long as Sister Jiayuan likes it.”

Looking at the obedient, sensible younger sister before her, a trace of amusement flashed in Ye Jiayuan’s eyes. She turned to ask Qu Jingyuan, “Aren’t you supposed to be over there?”

Qu Jingyuan rose gracefully, but not before hooking an arm over Ye Jiayuan’s shoulder. “Then you should come with me and drink a toast.”

The banquet on Qu Jingyuan’s side was for an important business partner.

Ye Jiayuan nodded and agreed, then told Fu Anyun and Fu Chaoying that they could contact the driver anytime to send them back.

She also sent the driver’s number to the two women from the Fu family, and only then left with Qu Jingyuan.

After Fu Anyun went to attend the second half of the drinking party, Fu Chaoying sat alone in the lounge area by the floor-to-ceiling window, waiting for Ye Jiayuan to return.

Outside, the clouds churned in dark layers; the moon was almost completely hidden.

In the faint moonlight, Fu Chaoying gazed out at the waves, but all she could make out was a dim stretch of sea dotted with scattered lights.

“Xiaoying.”

A cool voice pulled Fu Chaoying out of her thoughts.

When she came back to herself, Ye Jiayuan was already standing behind her, her expression seeming a little softer than usual.

Probably because she had been drinking, Fu Chaoying guessed silently.

Ye Jiayuan didn’t ask why she had been waiting here alone.

Fu Chaoying awkwardly explained that Fu Anyun had left first, then went down in the elevator with her.

Inside the enclosed space, the silence was so complete that all they could hear was each other’s breathing and the faint hum of the elevator machinery.

“Why didn’t you go back first?” Ye Jiayuan asked suddenly.

Fu Chaoying said softly, “You didn’t keep me waiting very long.”

Then she added, “Sister Jiayuan seems to get along well with that colleague of yours.”

It sounded like casual conversation, yet also like a test.

Ye Jiayuan turned to look at her, her gaze deep and slightly probing. “Mm. We were university classmates.”

University classmates; colleagues. Neither word had anything to do with girlfriend.

Fu Chaoying’s smile deepened. Deliberately, she tugged at Ye Jiayuan’s sleeve, which had loosened at some point. “You still hadn’t finished what you were saying earlier.”

Ye Jiayuan lowered her eyes to look at her hand and the movement at her sleeve; the corners of her lips curved faintly. “Which line?”

Fu Chaoying patiently reminded her, “The one about giving me the Magnolias painting.”

“Oh…” Ye Jiayuan seemed to remember.

Fu Chaoying looked up at her, waiting for the next sentence, only to see her slowly lean toward her ear. A warm breath brushed past.

“Secret.”

Fu Chaoying’s whole body jolted.

All she could hear by her ear was Ye Jiayuan’s cool, magnetic voice.

For that brief instant, Fu Chaoying felt as if she had fallen into a dream.

And once Ye Jiayuan had said it, she pulled back and restored the proper distance between them; that strange feeling gradually faded away.

“I’ll tell you next time,” Ye Jiayuan said lightly.

Fu Chaoying couldn’t help thinking that Ye Jiayuan always gave people an unfathomable feeling; for example, she had taken the initiative to explain that she hadn’t given the painting solely for her grandmother, yet she still refused to state the real reason.

Lost in thought, Fu Chaoying didn’t even notice her heartbeat picking up.

On the way back to the hotel, Ye Jiayuan took a work call and still maintained that unruffled, indifferent composure.

When they reached Fu Chaoying’s room, Ye Jiayuan had finally finished dealing with work. “I’m staying here too. If anything comes up, call me anytime.”

Her manners were still so impeccable that no one could find fault with them.

Fu Chaoying took the chance to ask, “Will you be attending the banquet tomorrow night too?”

Ye Jiayuan shook her head. “I have an important meeting tomorrow night. Go with Aunt Yun.”

Fu Chaoying didn’t ask anything else. She nodded goodbye to her. “Good night.”

But just as she was about to close the door, Ye Jiayuan spoke again. “There’s thunder and rain tonight; remember to lock the windows.”

After a slight pause, Ye Jiayuan added, “If you’re scared... your aunt should be back by then.”

Fu Chaoying caught the concern in her words and felt warmth spread through her heart. She answered softly, “Thank you, Sister Jiayuan. You even remembered something this small.”

“Mm. Good night.” Ye Jiayuan turned and left.

*

Just as Ye Jiayuan had said, the thunderstorm arrived an hour later.

Wind and rain howled against the windows; lightning and thunder crashed together like a terrifying BGM.

Fu Chaoying had already showered. At that moment, she was sitting on the sofa, silently staring at the bizarre image on the television screen without blinking.

After several bursts of lightning and thunder, Fu Chaoying finally turned her eyes toward the window.

Being on a high floor, of course there was nothing to see outside; but she was no longer the little girl who feared thunder.

Over the past few years, she had grown used to watching horror films alone through countless thunderstorms; bad weather like this could no longer drive her into a cage of fear.

If anything, it was when she was doing ordinary little things that she feared being alone more.

Perhaps it was because, over the first twenty years of her life, her mother and grandmother had given her so much love.

It had made her brave enough to face fear, yet still nostalgic for everyday warmth.

A ringing phone interrupted Fu Chaoying’s thoughts.

She picked up the remote and paused the TV, then stood to get her phone; the caller ID showed “Ye Yian.”

Fu Chaoying hung up without hesitation. Two minutes later, she received a WeChat message from her: [Mom told me you came to Singapore with Aunt Fu. The weather is bad tonight; if you’re scared, I can come keep you company.]

Fu Chaoying stared at the screen and let out a cold laugh.

When Ye Yian went out into that stormy night to tangle with another woman, why hadn’t she thought about whether Fu Chaoying would be scared?

Fu Chaoying blocked her on WeChat with a flick of her hand, then turned off the screen; but then she remembered that Ye Yian had used the word come. She was also in Singapore?

After another peal of thunder, the message alert sounded again.

Fu Chaoying picked up her phone and saw that it was a message from Fu Anyun: [The weather is bad, so I’m staying here tonight. Take care of yourself / hug]

A thought suddenly flashed through Fu Chaoying’s mind; she remembered Ye Jiayuan’s reminder before she left, and the corners of her mouth lifted slightly as she placed a call.

“Jiejie, I’m scared...”

Fu Chaoying deliberately lowered her voice and let a bit of tremor into it, trying to sound as pitiful as possible.

Ye Jiayuan’s steady, gentle voice came from the other end. “I’m here.”

Just two words, but somehow they were reassuring.

Then Ye Jiayuan asked, “Your aunt isn’t back yet?”

Fu Chaoying’s heart stirred. She only gave a soft mm before hearing the next question. “Do you want to come over here?”

A vivid image immediately flashed through Fu Chaoying’s mind, and her throat went slightly dry. She pretended to hesitate and asked back, “I checked the weather forecast; there’ll be thunderstorms all night. Is it convenient over there, Sister?”

The point was in the last sentence.

Another muffled rumble sounded outside the window. Fu Chaoying waited with full attention for an answer, but the other end of the line stayed silent for a long while.

“Jiejie?”

Unsure whether the signal was bad, Fu Chaoying called tentatively, and then heard a very low laugh from the other end.

“I’m single, so there’s nothing inconvenient about it.” Ye Jiayuan’s answer was brief and clear.