Ye Tiao's office was located on the top floor of the building, with floor-to-ceiling windows behind his desk. Sunlight poured unreservedly through the bulletproof glass, spilling across the desk and the hardwood floor.
Not far from the desk, a display platform held numerous miniature architectural models. Noticing Ye Qianying's gaze, Ye Tiao wheeled her closer to take a look.
"They were just delivered yesterday—these are the models for the company's latest flagship project, 'Sunset Villas.'"
Since Ye Qianying was in a wheelchair and couldn’t see well, Ye Tiao adjusted the display platform to a lower height for her. "The modeling looks good, doesn’t it?"
Sunset Villas?
The name stirred something in Ye Qianying’s heart.
She knew about this project—it was Ye Tiao’s fourth major real estate venture, following the "Tech Industrial Park," "Forest City," and "Entertainment Plaza" concepts.
The core theme of "Sunset Villas" was livability and comfort, tailored specifically for middle-aged and elderly residents—a place where people could entrust their retirement years after decades of hard work.
But what made Ye Qianying remember it so vividly wasn’t because the project had been a great success.
Quite the opposite—it had failed.
Later, another company executed a similar concept with resounding success, while Ye Tiao’s "Sunset Villas" took a sharp turn midway.
Ye Qianying didn’t know what had happened back then. She only knew that after the residential area was completed, Ye Tiao decided to pivot the project, transforming it from a retirement community into just another high-end neighborhood.
The properties had sold, and at a handsome price at that. Yet Ye Tiao had been deeply affected, never speaking of it again.
Rumor had it that on the night he made the decision to change course, he had smoked an entire pack of cigarettes on the balcony.
Later, her second brother, Ye Jiao, had once mentioned in passing, "Big Brother was so upset not because he might lose money, but because he felt like he’d failed you."
It was this remark that made Ye Qianying remember the incident so clearly.
Failed her? How could it have anything to do with her?
Due to her well-known personal circumstances, Ye Qianying had no involvement in the family business. She wasn’t short on money, had no interest in commercial affairs, and rarely discussed work matters with her brothers.
By all accounts, "Sunset Villas" should have had nothing to do with her.
Recalling this old matter, Ye Qianying couldn’t help but examine the model before her with extra attention.
Seeing her absorbed in the details, Ye Tiao picked up one of the miniature buildings and placed it in her palm.
"This set is still needed for work, so I can’t let you take it home. But since you like it so much, little sister, I’ll have another one made for you."
Ye Qianying knew he had misunderstood but didn’t explain.
She carefully disassembled the model along its seams, studying the lobby design inside the building and scrutinizing the overall layout of the community.
After a long pause, she shook her head solemnly.
The vague confusion that had lingered in her heart was finally resolved.
She knew now why the project had failed—and why Ye Tiao had later felt he’d failed her.
Ye Tiao frowned slightly at her reaction. "Don’t you like it?"
"It’s not that. Brother, is this model designed to true scale?"
Ye Tiao nodded firmly. "Everything is to scale."
"Then it won’t work for 'Sunset Villas.' Brother, you should ask the project team—their design approach is flawed from the start."
Ye Qianying sighed and pointed out the issues. "Elderly people move slowly, often relying on canes or wheelchairs. I know these steps are meant for aesthetics and greenery, but seniors won’t be able to climb them."
She paused, then added, "The first phase is set in a northern city. Look at this ramp—the slope is already steep. If there’s leftover ice or snow in winter, it’ll be dangerously slippery. Someone could get hurt."
Beyond that, there were problems with thresholds, handrails, and the inconveniences brought by certain unit layouts…
Even as an outsider, Ye Qianying could guess that this project had likely been handled by the same team behind "Forest City."
The entire community prioritized greenery, with some designs so elegant they bordered on intricate… yet for elderly residents with mobility issues, those very features became obstacles.
No wonder the project had ultimately failed. By the time sales began, they must have realized the fatal flaws in the original design.
And that explained why Ye Tiao had never wanted to speak of it again.
—He had a younger sister who relied on a wheelchair. He doted on her, always mindful of her needs.
Yet right under his nose, a project supposedly tailored for those with limited mobility had gone unchecked for such glaring oversights.
Ye Tiao had done his best to care for his sister, but he could never truly understand the daily struggles she faced.
That night of chain-smoking had been fueled by guilt—toward Ye Qianying.
After hearing her critique, Ye Tiao stared at the model, then at her, his expression shifting between astonishment and realization.
His lips trembled slightly, his emotions in turmoil. Standing just three steps away, Ye Qianying could hear the uneven rhythm of his breathing.
"It’s alright, big brother. The project’s still in its early stages. There’s plenty of time to revise the design," she said lightly, pretending not to notice his remorse.
"...Yes. There’s time," Ye Tiao replied heavily.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his emotions behind a composed smile. Kneeling, he gave Ye Qianying’s hand a firm squeeze.
"You’ve just saved me a fortune, little sister. A few words from you might’ve just earned the company back two hundred million."
"I’ll be busy with revisions and won’t have much time for you. Let me arrange for someone to take you home, alright?"
Knowing he’d have his hands full, Ye Qianying had no intention of staying and adding to his workload.
Only after watching her leave did Ye Tiao’s smile vanish, his expression darkening.
He returned to his desk, his eyes burning with anger and lingering dread.
......
Ten minutes later, Ye Qianying declined the driver and nurse’s assistance, pushing her wheelchair along the street alone.
Her learning system spoke in her mind: "Your brainwaves are erratic. Are you feeling conflicted, Host?"
"A little," Ye Qianying admitted, resting her forehead against her hand beneath the veil. "I never thought the reason for big brother’s failure would be… this."
She thought back to her past life, shortly after the accident, when she had visited her father’s company. Just like today, she had dismissed her nurses and bodyguards, wanting a moment alone.
However, as Ye Qianying's wheelchair glided out of the company lobby, she quickly realized how many obstacles lay in her path.
The gently sloped sidewalks blocked by shared bikes, the accessible ramps occupied by parked vans, and one particular pedestrian walkway where renovation materials were haphazardly piled up, leaving only a narrow passage for pedestrians—all these barriers stood in her way.
Ye Qianying turned around and eventually found herself lingering at the top of an underground passage staircase. Stuck awkwardly amid the bustling traffic, she scanned her surroundings but couldn't find a single wheelchair-accessible ramp.
In the end, she had no choice but to call her driver for assistance.
—The problem was, while Ye Qianying could summon a driver, many others with mobility challenges couldn't do the same.
What Ye Qianying encountered as temporary inconveniences were, for countless people with disabilities, permanent realities of daily life.
She murmured silently to herself, "It was from that day onward that I truly understood how desperately I longed for health."
Without her legs and without assistance from others, even something as simple as going shopping became impossible.
Later, due to her facial disfigurement, Ye Qianying grew increasingly withdrawn. She lived in seclusion, and after moving abroad, most of her studies were completed online.
This episode about mobility challenges was buried deep in her memories.
But today's events brought those feelings rushing back, while also giving Ye Qianying a new perspective.
—Though her body had become incomplete, her worldview had grown richer and more comprehensive because of it.
Few people ever wondered why they rarely saw disabled individuals on the streets.
The answer was simple: inconvenience.
If even a residential complex marketed as "elderly-friendly" had such accessibility issues, public facilities were undoubtedly worse.
Able-bodied individuals could hardly empathize with the challenges faced by people with disabilities. Those accessibility features that should exist—or do exist but are occupied or ignored—were like "blind spots" in society's vision. They might be everywhere, yet remain perfectly invisible to most people.
"Not recognizing the uniqueness of my perspective was probably my own 'blind spot'," Ye Qianying reflected, thinking about how she'd effortlessly influenced the residential complex's design. "There's so much I can do."
For instance, making a neighborhood truly suitable for elderly residents.
Or donating accessible facilities.
"I used to dislike going out too much, so I never had many opportunities to realize these things," Ye Qianying sighed. "If only I'd thought of this earlier, I should have done these things in my past life."
Passersby occasionally cast furtive glances at Ye Qianying—some eyeing her motionless legs, others stealing looks at her veil-covered face.
Ye Qianying felt their gazes.
Once, such attention would have made her feel like needles were pricking her back. But with her changed mindset, she could now ignore them completely.
"I'm the only one in a wheelchair on this street, so I'm the odd one out.
But if ten wheelchair users appeared here simultaneously, no one would bat an eye;
If all disabled people had the means to go outside, no one would find a wheelchair remarkable."
"Two weeks ago, I genuinely wanted to die. But now, I'm sincerely grateful for this chance to live again."
"If one day I regain my health and appearance, may I never forget this unique perspective."
Ye Qianying maneuvered her wheelchair forward, gradually merging into the bustling crowd.
...
Among the many curious stares directed at Ye Qianying, four particularly hostile gazes came from a car parked at the street corner—their intensity reflecting their owners' displeasure.
"Yuan Wen, you were telling the truth," Xing Yuwei remarked, lowering the car window to observe Ye Qianying across the street. "Her injuries really are that severe. I thought the forums were just..."
Yuan Wen frowned, irritation flashing in his eyes: "I told you not to trust those school forums—what a toxic environment, full of baseless rumors."
Even now, the memory of Ye Qianying's sarcastic forum comment—"No matter how many posts you make, Yuan Wen won't end up in your bed"—made him feel as if she'd slapped him all over again.
What kind of young lady would say something so shameless?
Xing Yuwei leaned against the window, her expression troubled: "She's all alone... has her family really abandoned her? Maybe we should send someone to help."
"Don't bother. She deserves it," Yuan Wen snapped, pressing the button to raise the window and cut off Xing Yuwei's view.
Turning his gaze away from the solitary figure maneuvering the wheelchair, Yuan Wen added coldly:
"She's got a wheelchair to get around. I don't see what's so inconvenient about that."
