For the first time in my life, I evaded responsibility at work.

“President Lin, may I ask, you probably don’t cook this dish very often, do you?”
“It’s alright,” Yichen replied with practiced ease. “Because I don’t like these two dishes, I seriously lack the nutrients from them. So, almost every time I cook, I make sure to include them.”
“…”
Xiao Qi was already gritting her teeth. “President Lin, just give it to me straight—is picking out vegetables from your food going to be my lifelong job?”
“Mhm.” Yichen nodded elegantly. “Picking vegetables for the president, you are now a proud vegetable-picker.”
“…!”
With a show of backbone, Xiao Qi set her chopsticks down with a snap. “As the saying goes, neither wealth nor poverty can sway me, nor force bend me. So… you’ll have to find someone else for this ‘proud’ position!”
Damn it, she might be a rather impoverished alien, but she was still an alien! How could she come all the way to Earth just to pick veggies for someone?
No way.
Yichen shook his head. Alright! She was mad. If he kept teasing her, she might just “run away from home” again.
But since the performance had already started…
“Let’s eat. If you don’t want to pick, I won’t force you. I, the president, will pick for myself.”
And so, Xiao Qi watched as President Lin meticulously picked out vegetables from his own plate.
He really didn’t eat them?
She’d thought he was just trying to mess with her.
Xiao Qi scoffed, “You’re a grown man and still picky about your food? Just eat the beef, I’ll take these two dishes.”
“Alright!”
Five hours later, Xiao Qi lay sprawled on the bed.
Xiao Bai leaped onto her. “Xiao Qi, why do you look like you’ve just been ravished?”
“…!”
“Try being lectured in the kitchen for five hours. I bet even your cat brain would turn to pig brain.”
Xiao Bai: “…”
“So you mean your brain is pig brain now?”
Xiao Qi: “…”
She sat up, ruffling her hair into a nest. “That guy wasn’t teaching me to cook, he was deliberately finding fault with everything I did.”
That’s right. After dinner, President Lin started teaching her how to cook.
And then…
“Xiyang, how can you be so clumsy? That’s vinegar, not soy sauce.”
“How could you be so clueless? That’s sugar, not salt.”
“How can you be this dense? That’s pepper, not MSG…”
Having someone repeatedly call you clumsy, clueless, and dense—no wonder she felt her brain had turned to mush.
“No, I have to go back to Auntie’s. If this keeps up, I’ll never survive.”
“Xiao Bai, I’m going to scout the way. Once it’s safe, we’ll go back to Auntie’s.”
Xiao Bai was all for it.
The house might be big, but he still preferred their little nest.
Xiao Qi slipped out and crept downstairs. As she passed the study, she noticed the wooden door was half-open, so she instinctively peeked inside.
She knew the study well—bright, spacious, with a solemn yet minimalist air, just like his office.
President Lin sat behind the broad desk, head down, reviewing files.
He must be working…
Suddenly, she realized he hadn’t gone to the office all afternoon.
He must have brought work home.
But why hadn’t he gone to the office?
She pushed the thought aside.
Because in front of her…
Yichen, engrossed in work, had a kind of imposing severity. The light streaming through the floor-to-ceiling window behind him seemed to halo his youthful frame. Xiao Qi found herself awed and, once again, smitten.
So handsome, so cool, so…
“If you want to watch, come in. No need to sneak around.”

“…”
Xiao Qi snapped awake, realizing she’d once again been dazzled by the president’s good looks, breaking out in a cold sweat.
It’s true— the more dangerous the creature, the more stunning its appearance. President Lin was the perfect example.
But wait, his eyes had been glued to the papers the whole time—how did he know she was at the door?
“Why are you still standing there?” Yichen finally looked up at her. “Come in.”
“Oh!” For some reason, Xiao Qi felt a little nervous, her gaze wandering as she entered.
The last time she’d been here, she’d poked around at his books.
“Would you like some tea?”
“Uh? Tea?”
Yichen took out some floral tea from the drawer. “Go brew two cups, use the pair of white cups in the kitchen.”
“Oh, okay.”
A moment later.
The study was filled with a delicate fragrance of tea.
Xiao Qi hadn’t expected the tea to be so delicious, and moreover…
The cup was a gracefully curved, classical white porcelain; its surface was smooth and translucent, the pale green tea inside making it look both lovely and exquisite.
So the study presented this tableau:
A girl sat on the sofa, cradling a teacup and gazing down, absorbed in admiration.
While the man in the armchair watched the girl on the sofa.
As though you sit watching the scenery, and the one watching the scenery is watching you.
Xiao Qi was completely unaware that she’d become part of the scene—
Cup in hand, she gazed down intently at the tea.
Yichen’s long fingers traced the rim of his cup.
He kept his eyes on her clear, spirited face, the faint aroma of tea drifting between them, a subtle joy flickering in the depths of his heart.
These cups were a gift from her, from Xiyang, years ago.
After she left, he’d never brewed tea in them again.
Back then, when she first left, he’d almost smashed the cups in a fit of anger.
But in the end, he couldn’t bear to.
Yichen opened the drawer. Inside, the ring she’d given him lay quietly.
He wanted to take it out and put it on her finger immediately.
But the impulse died before he acted.
That day, when he put it on her, she’d taken it off without hesitation and returned it.
She’d probably do the same now.
Xiao Qi finally noticed the intense gaze from beside her.
She looked up, and their eyes met in the air, caught off guard.
Looking into those deep black eyes, Xiao Qi’s heart skipped, but she quickly came to her senses and lowered her gaze.
Goodness, she’d nearly fallen for him again.
Suddenly she remembered—
How stupid! She could just use her powers to leave!
Why was she still sitting here sipping tea?
“Xiyang,” Yichen withdrew his gaze, looking down at his cup. “Do you think these cups are beautiful?”
At the mention of the cups, Xiao Qi’s attention shifted to them. “Yes, they’re beautiful, refined, and classic.”
“Can you tell how old they are?”
How could she possibly tell?
But Xiao Qi would never admit she couldn’t.
She answered confidently, “At least five or six years,” and took another sip.
He looked up at her.

Why was he looking at her?
“Did I get it wrong?”
“No, you’re right.”
Xiao Qi beamed, proud of herself. “Ha! I’m very smart—one look and I know.”
“These were from when you were in university. You gave them to me.”
Her triumphant smile froze.
No wonder he’d been staring at the teacup just now.
She recalled what Zhuang Jia had said: “Xiyang, you’ll never know how much Yichen loves you.”
Xiao Qi set her cup down, her voice losing its usual cheer. “Do you miss the old Ye Xiyang?”
Yichen replied serenely, “I don’t miss her, because you’re right here with me.”
Xiao Qi stared at the tea in her cup. “I’ve lost my memory, so when it comes to you, I have no understanding from the soul. How much can I feel for you without that?”
Yichen’s phone rang. “Wait a moment, I need to take this call.”
He saw it was Joanna calling, and walked over to the window to answer. On the other end, Anna’s voice was chilling. “Yichen, I have something to tell you. The sapphire from your R&D department was stolen by Ye Xiyang.”
Yichen’s first instinct was to deny it. “She would never do such a thing.” His dark eyes narrowed sharply. “The sapphire was stolen—how do you know about this?”
Anna replied, “I’ve been to your company several times, so most people there know me, including the R&D director. He checked the laboratory surveillance and saw Ye Xiyang taking the sapphire. Li Cheng knows how special she is to you, so he didn’t dare tell you directly—he’s your subordinate, after all.
“But I’m different. We’re partners, so Li Cheng told me instead. He was afraid of angering you, so he hasn’t shown you the security footage yet. Yichen, you must have your own suspicions, right? Otherwise, with your usual sharpness, you’d have checked the surveillance right away.
“Ye Xiyang is a smiling schemer, a soft needle hidden in silk. People like her…”
“Are you done?” Yichen cut her off coldly.
“If you don’t believe me, I can send you the video. I’ve said what I needed to. You know better than anyone what needs to be done.”
Yes, that day Li Cheng had called, hesitating. And that day, when Xiyang stood beside him, he felt his pocket being moved.
Then he’d gone to look for her, and she’d been obsessed with his jacket.
“I’ve lost my memory, so when it comes to you, I have no understanding from the soul. How much can I feel for you without that…”
Yes, she’d lost her memory. So for him, how much feeling could she possibly have?
Even without amnesia, would there have been much?
Five years—so many things can happen in five years.
He was the only one who had stayed in the same place, clinging to old feelings.
Xiao Qi watched as he hung up, clearly sensing the change in him after that call. His figure suddenly seemed frozen, his tall, broad back radiating loneliness and coldness. The sounds outside were especially clear in the night wind.
What’s wrong with him?
“Hey? What’s wrong? Did something happen at the company?”
“It’s the R&D department,” Yichen turned to her. “The sapphire—did you take it?”
Catching the horror on her face, a faint, mocking smile appeared on his handsome features. “You know, my first instinct was to check the surveillance footage, but I didn’t. For the first time in my career, I avoided the truth.”
Xiao Qi stared at her shoes, her voice low but clear. “So you’re sure it was me?”
Yichen spoke steadily. “I never thought you would steal the sapphire, but the truth is—you did.”
That word “steal” was like a sharp blade driven into her heart.
It hurt terribly.
Xiao Qi’s face went pale. Her voice was unsteady. “Calling it ‘stealing’ is as good as condemning me.”
She was still refusing to see the truth.
Yichen’s tone darkened. “Calling it ‘stealing’ is already putting it lightly, do you understand? TC is a renowned company. If this goes to the police, you could end up in jail—the whole country would be shocked. Do you understand?”
His voice was calm, but every word landed on her heart like a thousand pounds.
Jail?
Was it really that serious?
Should she tell the truth?