Ning Yuxuan stared at her phone screen.
What was he calling for?
Her first instinct was to hang up, but then she felt that not answering would make her seem weak, as if she were afraid of him.
After hesitating for a few seconds, Ning Yuxuan pressed the answer button and held the phone to her ear.
A clear, cool male voice came through: "Xuanxuan?"
Ning Yuxuan stayed silent.
Two seconds later, Xie Zhiyan spoke again: "I know you're listening."
There was a faint trace of amusement in his tone.
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
She coughed lightly and put on an affected tone. "Hello? The signal's not great—what did you just say?"
"Nothing much," Xie Zhiyan replied. "Did you just text me?"
Ning Yuxuan rolled over on the bed, deliberately keeping her tone casual. "Oh, sorry about that. I meant to text my brother but sent it to you by mistake. Did I disturb you?"
There was a brief pause before Xie Zhiyan answered, "No, you didn’t. I just got home."
Ning Yuxuan let out an indifferent "Oh." "Alright then, if there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up?"
"Wait."
Ning Yuxuan’s heart skipped a beat.
Xie Zhiyan: "Are you sure there’s nothing you wanted to ask me?"
Ning Yuxuan pressed her lips together. "Like I said, it was a mistake."
On the other end, the man seemed to sigh softly.
"Goodnight, Xuanxuan."
Ning Yuxuan: "...Goodnight."
After hanging up, Ning Yuxuan stared blankly at her phone for a couple of seconds.
Then she turned over forcefully again, burying her face in the pillow.
Ning Yuxuan, what’s wrong with you?
It’s just asking him how many girlfriends he’s had—why are you being so hesitant and wishy-washy about it?
After all that, she still hadn’t gotten her answer.
She had spent the whole day in meetings with the renovation team, and now the exhaustion from the busy day washed over her again.
Clutching her phone, Ning Yuxuan drifted off to sleep without realizing it.
Over the next few days, Ning Yuxuan held several more meetings with the management team, finalizing details with the renovation crew.
Chen Jun, the hotel’s general manager, had been present throughout. With his years of experience in the industry and deep understanding of Huayuan, he was far more knowledgeable than Ning Yuxuan.
Ning Fei also attended a few times, though she refrained from interfering with her daughter’s decisions, merely observing.
From Ning Fei’s demeanor these days, the management team could tell she was gradually preparing to hand over control of the hotel to her daughter.
No one dared to openly oppose the decision, but when the idea was first floated, many had privately voiced their concerns.
Ning Yuxuan was too young, and more importantly, she had no prior experience in the industry. Her only notable qualification was a prestigious degree, which hardly made her a convincing leader.
Some had even approached Chen Jun in private, urging him to persuade Ning Fei to reconsider—warning that letting personal feelings dictate such a crucial decision could undo all the progress Huayuan had made.
But by now, most of the dissent had died down.
During their discussions, Ning Yuxuan had cited data and made points that clearly showed she had done extensive research. Thanks to her multiple site visits, she understood the conditions of the new branches even better than Chen Jun did.
While the long-term effects of her decisions remained to be seen, at least in the short term, none of them raised any red flags.
Only a small faction still held reservations, primarily about the decision to open four new branches in Tongxing District at once.
Compared to Tongxing District, tourists and business travelers visiting Beicheng overwhelmingly preferred staying in the more vibrant and culturally rich central districts.
Zhou Lin, the hotel’s deputy manager, had even sought out Ning Fei for a private conversation: "Sis Fei, now that we’ve secured Hengjiang’s investment—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—why aren’t we opening new branches in the central districts instead?"
As one of Huayuan’s earliest employees, Zhou Lin had plenty of experience and was slightly younger than Ning Fei, addressing her affectionately as "Sis Fei" in private.
Ning Fei replied, "The investment was secured by my daughter, and the location was decided after discussions with Hengjiang’s CEO, Xie Zhiyan."
Zhou Lin still couldn’t understand. "Sis Fei, I trust your judgment of your daughter and Mr. Xie. But no matter how powerful Hengjiang Group is, they’re not experts in hospitality—they’re just providing the funding. When it comes to choosing locations, they might not have the same insight as those of us who’ve been in this industry for years."
Ning Fei hadn’t initially known the reasoning behind her daughter’s decision either.
But after Xie Zhiyan visited their home and explained it in person, she stopped questioning it.
However, after learning that her daughter and Xie Zhiyan were dating, Ning Fei began to wonder:
Was Xie Zhiyan supporting her daughter so unreservedly simply because he was in love with her?
Still, having committed to backing her daughter fully, Ning Fei wasn’t about to backtrack.
The discussion ended without a resolution, and Ning Fei later advised her daughter to be mindful of Zhou Lin’s concerns.
For long-standing employees like Chen Jun and Zhou Lin, who had been with Huayuan since its early days and now held management positions, their opinions carried significant weight.
After the Thursday management meeting, Ning Yuxuan asked Zhou Lin to stay behind.
"Auntie Zhou," she began with a smile, "if you have any thoughts about today’s discussion, I’d love to hear them."
Zhou Lin was surprised Ning Yuxuan had singled her out.
After a moment, she answered honestly, "Yuxuan, I’ll admit you’re far more capable than I expected, and you’ve adapted to this industry remarkably fast. As for the details we discussed today, I have no objections."
Ning Yuxuan: "If not the details, then what about the broader strategy?"
Zhou Lin studied her expression, confirming she genuinely wanted feedback, and spoke frankly. "Then I’ll be blunt—I still don’t agree with the decision to open four branches in Tongxing District all at once. But..."
Ning Yuxuan raised an eyebrow. "But?"
Zhou Lin: "But since there’s no turning back now, I’ll do everything I can to help make these four branches successful."
Ning Yuxuan smiled. "Good. Auntie Zhou, that’s all I needed to hear. How about we make a bet?"
Zhou Lin looked intrigued. "What kind of bet?"
Ning Yuxuan grinned. "A bet that within a year, the value of these four new branches will double from when we first took them on."
Zhou Lin froze for a second before composing herself. "Yuxuan, it's not that Auntie Zhou doubts your abilities, but if you'd said two or three years, I might have believed it possible. One year..." She shook her head, leaving the rest unsaid.
Ning Yuxuan, however, seemed utterly confident. "Auntie Zhou, in my opinion, one year is enough. This bet is also my personal goal, but I can't do it alone. Your help is crucial to me."
Zhou Lin studied Ning Yuxuan thoughtfully for a few seconds before suddenly smiling. "To be honest, I don’t know where your confidence comes from. But since you’ve asked, whether we succeed or not, I’ll do everything I can to support you."
To Zhou Lin, Ning Yuxuan’s words sounded like a child’s game—every syllable dripping with naivety and inexperience.
Yet, there was something about it that moved her.
Huayuan was the company she had stayed with the longest in her career, the one she had poured the most effort into.
At forty-five, Zhou Lin still believed she was in her prime—experienced, energetic, and far from declining.
She truly wanted to achieve something remarkable again, but she had noticed that Ning Fei lacked strong ambition in the hotel industry. Over the past two years, every decision had been about playing it safe, which clashed with Zhou Lin’s own aspirations.
She had considered leaving, but Huayuan was a company she had helped build from the ground up. Whether it was personal sentiment or the competitive salary, she couldn’t bring herself to walk away.
Now, with Ning Yuxuan’s arrival—no matter how unrealistic her goals might seem—Huayuan finally had a new direction, and Zhou Lin felt reinvigorated.
Having received Zhou Lin’s answer, Ning Yuxuan raised her hand. "Then let’s work hard together."
Zhou Lin shook her head in amusement but still high-fived her.
This girl’s style was completely different from Ning Fei’s. Perhaps that was the advantage of youth.
On Thursday evening after work, Ning Yuxuan met up with Tao You again.
Last time they’d gone out for dinner, they’d run into Shen Chipeng and his friends, which not only wasted time but also cut their shopping trip short.
This time, Tao You happened to have the day off, so they arranged another dinner.
They chose a Japanese restaurant—not as upscale as the last one, but still popular enough that reservations had to be made days in advance.
This time, Tao You insisted on paying.
Only after they met did Ning Yuxuan understand why.
With a radiant smile, Tao You announced, "Xuanxuan, my boyfriend and I are holding our engagement party next month. Will you have time to come?"
Ning Yuxuan checked the date—it was a few weeks away, coinciding with a public holiday.
Right now, she was essentially working for Ning Fei, but her schedule was flexible. As long as it didn’t clash with prearranged filming for the variety show, she could easily make time.
Seeing Ning Yuxuan agree, Tao You beamed. "I knew you’d say yes! The party won’t be too big—on my side, I’m only inviting you and Miaomiao. Lanlan’s abroad, so I told her to just come for the wedding."
She was referring to their two other roommates from A University—one now working in a neighboring city, the other pursuing further studies overseas.
After gushing a bit more about her excitement, Tao You grinned and asked, "By the way, Xuanxuan, you and that domineering CEO boyfriend of yours haven’t held an engagement party yet, right? Have you picked a date?"
Ning Yuxuan thought of the two marriage certificates locked in her drawer at home.
They were already legally married—an engagement party was unnecessary.
She shook her head. "We’re not planning to have one."
Tao You’s face fell. "Huh? Why not? Is it because you don’t want to, or is he against it?"
After a moment’s hesitation, Ning Yuxuan decided to take the blame. "I’m just lazy."
If she said Xie Zhiyan was the one unwilling, Tao You’s protective nature would kick in, and the dinner would likely turn into a full-blown critique of him.
Tao You blinked. "What a shame. You’re so beautiful, Xuanxuan—with your figure, you’d look stunning in an engagement dress. I’ve been browsing online for outfits and saw so many gorgeous designs, but they just wouldn’t suit me. I kept thinking how perfect they’d look on you."
"Oh, right!" She suddenly remembered something else. "I’ll be going to try on dresses soon. If you’re free, would you come with me?"
Ning Yuxuan nodded. "Of course."
Tao You’s eyes curved happily. "I knew you’d say that."
As they nibbled on sashimi, their conversation meandered until circling back to weddings.
Tao You and her boyfriend had been together for five years, and their relationship was as strong as ever. Now that they were finally tying the knot, she was brimming with enthusiasm for every wedding-related detail.
"Xuanxuan," Tao You said, savoring a piece of salmon, "if you’re skipping the engagement party, what about the wedding? You’re still having one, right? Last time, your boyfriend said it was up to you..."
Ning Yuxuan’s chopsticks paused mid-air.
Back then, she had impulsively agreed to Xie Zhiyan’s suggestion of holding a wedding.
But since then, he hadn’t brought it up again.
She didn’t know if he’d forgotten or was simply giving her space.
Lately, she’d been too preoccupied with the hotel to spare a thought for weddings.
After a moment, she replied, "The wedding... will probably happen. But we’re both busy with work, so it might have to wait until next year."
Tao You waved a hand. "That’s not too late! Wedding prep takes ages—next year is fine. By the way, Xuanxuan, you’ve never told me how you and your boyfriend met."
She’d been curious for a while but never found the right moment to ask.
Ning Yuxuan hesitated before answering truthfully, "It was a long time ago."
Tao You’s eyes sparkled. "How long ago?"
Ning Yuxuan thought back. "If we’re talking about the first time we met... ten years ago."
Tao You did the math and gasped. "Ten years ago? So you were only fifteen? Were you two... childhood sweethearts?"
Ning Yuxuan laughed. "Not exactly. He was already in college by then."
Her memory of her first encounter with Xie Zhiyan was hazy.
It had been the summer before her third year of middle school. Worried about her upcoming high school entrance exams, Ning Fei had taken her to the Xie family, where Xie Zhiyan—fresh out of his own college entrance exams—had been tasked with tutoring her.
Ning Yuxuan's first impression of Xie Zhiyan was terrible.
He always wore a cold expression when explaining problems to her, never cracking a smile even when she answered correctly—as if she owed him money.
Back then, Ning Yuxuan felt indignant. It wasn’t like she had begged him to tutor her, so why should she put up with his attitude?
Fortunately, Xie Zhiyan’s mother, Zheng Xinmei, treated her extremely well. Every time they met, she would shower Ning Yuxuan with praise, calling her adorable and beautiful, and even prepared all sorts of delicious dishes for her.
It was only because of Zheng Xinmei that Ning Yuxuan endured the daily tutoring sessions—otherwise, she would have quit long ago.
Looking back on that holiday now, Ning Yuxuan realized that apart from explaining problems, Xie Zhiyan had never once said an unnecessary word to her.
At the time, she was already accustomed to boys her age fawning over her, so she naturally had no interest in trying to please an older guy who treated her with indifference—no matter how good-looking he was.
When Ning Yuxuan mentioned this, Tao You widened her eyes. "How much older is your boyfriend?"
Ning Yuxuan: "Five years."
Tao You exhaled in relief. "Oh, that’s not too bad… So when did you two get together? How long has it been?"
Ning Yuxuan: "About a month."
Tao You: "Oh… Wait, what?"
She stared at Ning Yuxuan in shock. "A month?"
Ning Yuxuan mentally calculated—it hadn’t even been a full month yet.
Tao You was utterly stunned. "Just a month, and you’re already talking about marriage?"
Ning Yuxuan remained unfazed. "We’ve known each other for a long time."
That wasn’t wrong. If not for that, she wouldn’t have dared to agree to Xie Zhiyan’s marriage proposal so casually.
Tao You fell silent for a second before giving Ning Yuxuan a thumbs-up. "Alright, Yuxuan, you’re way bolder than me!"
She had dated her boyfriend for five years before deciding to marry him, yet Ning Yuxuan was ready after just a month.
Tao You stuffed a large piece of eel into her mouth, then took a few sips of miso soup.
"Speaking of which, I have a question…" Tao You started again. "If you’ve known each other for ten years, why did you only get together now? What happened?"
Ning Yuxuan took a sip of soup and replied casually, "Nothing much. We just lost touch for years and then suddenly reconnected because of certain circumstances."
Tao You’s eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Oh? And after you reconnected, what happened next?"
Ning Yuxuan recalled Xie Zhiyan’s abrupt "Marry me" and paused briefly before answering, "Nothing special, really. Just a few coincidences, and then we ended up together."
Tao You narrowed her eyes. "Yuxuan, you’re definitely hiding something from me. If I ever get the chance to meet your boyfriend, I’m grilling him myself!"
Ning Yuxuan smiled faintly. "Fine, go ahead and ask him then. Now, let’s eat!"
The Japanese restaurant was excellent, though the prices matched its quality—so they had to savor every bite.
Located on the top floor of the mall, they decided to browse their way down after dinner.
At nine in the evening, the mall’s announcement system reminded shoppers that the place would close in half an hour.
Having finished their shopping, Ning Yuxuan asked Tao You how she planned to get home.
Tao You replied, "My boyfriend’s on a business trip, so he can’t pick me up. I’ll just take the subway."
Ning Yuxuan: "I’ll have my family’s driver come get me. I can drop you off on the way."
Tao You: "Sounds good. Hey, isn’t your boyfriend coming to pick you up?"
Ning Yuxuan: "He’s probably busy with work."
Tao You blinked. "No matter how busy he is, he should still come get his girlfriend!"
Ning Yuxuan saw right through her. "Honestly, you just want him to show up so you can dig for more gossip, don’t you?"
Tao You grinned. "Guilty. You know, last time, I didn’t even get a proper look at his face. I still don’t know what he looks like. Why don’t you call him and ask if he can pick us up? Satisfy my curiosity!"
Ning Yuxuan chuckled. "Fine, I’ll ask."
Tao You cheered. "Yes!"
Ning Yuxuan dialed Xie Zhiyan’s number.
After two rings, he answered.
She got straight to the point. "My friend and I just finished shopping. Do you have time to pick me up?"
"Where?"
Ning Yuxuan gave him the mall’s address.
There was a brief pause—probably him checking the location.
A moment later, his voice came through. "I’ll need about twenty minutes. Will that work?"
Ning Yuxuan thought for a second. "Should be fine."
The mall still had half an hour before closing, so she and Tao You could browse a little longer.
After hanging up, she updated Tao You.
Tao You nodded, then asked, "I still don’t know your boyfriend’s name."
Ning Yuxuan: "Xie Zhiyan."
Tao You mused, "Hmm, sounds familiar. Maybe I’ve heard it somewhere before."
They wandered around the first floor for a while longer before Xie Zhiyan arrived—three minutes early.
Ning Yuxuan and Tao You both climbed into the backseat, with Ning Yuxuan instructing Xie Zhiyan to drop Tao You off first.
At first, Tao You was a little stiff.
The last time she’d seen Ning Yuxuan’s boyfriend, his intimidating presence had left a deep impression—especially how he’d scared off Shen Chipeng and his friends.
But as the car moved along, Tao You realized he spoke quite gently.
When the topic turned to her friendship with Ning Yuxuan, Xie Zhiyan even asked about their college days.
Gradually relaxing, Tao You chattered away. "Back in school, all sorts of guys tried every trick in the book to chase Yuxuan—bringing her breakfast, tagging along to her classes, you name it…"
At first, Ning Yuxuan didn’t sense any danger.
She even chimed in midway, "See, Xie Zhiyan? I told you I was popular."
Xie Zhiyan let out a low chuckle. "Yes, you were."
Tao You continued, "Oh, and there was that one guy who set up candles outside the dorm to confess… But come on, who is our Yuxuan? She’s seen it all since she was a kid. None of those cheap tricks ever worked on her."
Only then did Ning Yuxuan realize the trap.
Before she could salvage the situation, Xie Zhiyan turned his head slightly and gave her a meaningful look. "Is that so?"
Completely oblivious to the tension, Tao You added, "Of course! Our Yuxuan is way too amazing to fall for those clichés. Not a single one of those guys succeeded!"
Ning Yuxuan: "…"
Well. Now he knew she’d never dated anyone in college.
To prevent Tao You, the big-mouthed one, from spilling more secrets, Ning Yuxuan gently tugged at her arm and whispered, "Stop talking about me. Didn’t you say you were curious about my boyfriend? He’s right there in front of you. Ask him whatever you want—I’ve got your back."
Tao You froze.
Earlier, she had boldly declared in front of Ning Yuxuan that she would interrogate her best friend’s boyfriend. Now that the opportunity had finally arrived, she suddenly felt timid.
Tao You glanced at the figure in the driver’s seat and mumbled, "Um, maybe next time…"
Ning Yuxuan shot her a look of exasperation.
Tao You stuck out her tongue and leaned in closer to whisper, "I’m too scared to ask!"
Ning Yuxuan whispered back, "What’s there to be scared of?"
Tao You admitted honestly, "Your boyfriend’s aura kind of reminds me of… well, my boss. It’s intimidating."
Ning Yuxuan couldn’t help but laugh. "You were just blabbing about all my college stories in front of him earlier—why weren’t you scared then?"
Tao You countered with perfect logic, "That’s totally different! I can report to my boss, but I can’t exactly interrogate him!"
...
Twenty minutes later, the car pulled up in front of Tao You’s apartment complex.
Tao You stepped out and waved goodbye to Ning Yuxuan.
Since it was quite late, Ning Yuxuan asked Xie Zhiyan to wait at the gate for a moment.
Only after Tao You sent a message confirming she had safely made it home did Ning Yuxuan tell Xie Zhiyan they could leave.
Xie Zhiyan glanced back at her. "Want to move up front?"
Ning Yuxuan shook her head. "No need. It’s only another ten minutes to my place."
Xie Zhiyan didn’t press further and started the car again.
...
Meanwhile, in a certain group chat, a single photo suddenly sent the elite circles of Beicheng into a frenzy late at night.
A rumor began spreading like wildfire—
After Xie Zhiyan publicly acknowledged his relationship with Ning Yuxuan, he was seen driving the same car to drop off another young woman at her home.
Those who had been shocked by Xie Zhiyan dating Ning Yuxuan in the first place were now buzzing with renewed excitement.
"See? With Ning Yuxuan’s background, Xie Zhiyan was obviously just playing around with her!"
