How did you know I was stopping to play along the way?

As she sang for him, the corners of his lips lifted unconsciously.

Little Seven ran to the stage, grabbed the microphone, and looked at the man who stood out from the crowd. “Hello, everyone. I have a boyfriend. In my heart, he’s the most handsome person on earth. Becoming a couple was something of a coincidence. Maybe one day, I’ll leave him, or maybe one day, he’ll forget about me. But at least for now, we’re together, and I cherish that. So now, I’ll sing a song for him, ‘In the Dream’—”

Before she could finish, the tall figure took the stage, seized her, and dragged her down with him.

What was wrong with him? Why did he seem angry?

Oh no, he wasn’t just angry—he looked absolutely furious.

Why was he so upset?

He pulled her out of the shop, pressed her against the wall, and looked at her darkly. “Ye Xiyang, don’t ever come to places like this again.”

Was he really mad just because she came here?

“You’re making a mountain out of a molehill—”

“Those words you just said,” he cut her off, “did you mean them?”

Huh? The things she just said?

Those words just slipped out without her thinking.

Little Seven nodded. “Yes. You and I were never the same kind of people, so sooner or later, I was always going to leave. And you’ll probably forget me eventually.”

I’m an alien, leaving is inevitable. Besides, I’m not really Ye Xiyang—when you find out, you won’t care about me anymore.

“Ye Xiyang,” Yi Chen gazed at her, something swirling in his eyes, “you’re really an ungrateful little wolf. I care about you so much, but you’re still unmoved.”

His eyes fell on her neck, a sudden sting in his gaze. “Is this really how much you want nothing to do with me?”

Why was he so angry and embarrassed?

“Mr. Lin, what do you mean?”

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Yi Chen’s anger only deepened. “Be honest—if I weren’t sick, would you have left without hesitation?”

That was the truth.

Little Seven wasn’t good at lying. She stammered, “Actually, I really do want to leave TC, to be free like Yiyang. But now Yiyang is at TC too, so I…”

“So you’re only staying because he’s here?”

What kind of logic was that?

Didn’t I just say I wanted to leave TC?

Yi Chen released her, turned aside, and stared off into the distance. Each word came out gratingly. “I’m a sick man. I forget every woman my age, except you. So I always thought you were special. I cherish and care about this special you. Now that you’re with me, I thought I could get better. I was happy, because all I wanted was to grow old with you. But even now, I’m still sick. Ye Xiyang, I’m setting you free…”

He walked away.

Little Seven didn’t fully understand his words, but a dull ache settled in her heart.

Hey, Heartbeat, just now you were so happy, racing away—why can’t you beat anymore?

Are you about to die?

She pounded her own chest. She wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn’t fall.

……

The next day, Little Seven wandered nervously outside TC’s doors.

She muttered to herself.

He said he was setting me free, but he didn’t fire me, so I still have to come to work.

If I skipped work without the boss’s permission, that would be considered absenteeism.

And it would be my paycheck that suffered.

She wasn’t about to do something so stupid!

With that, Little Seven strode into TC, unconcerned.

At her post, as usual, she greeted her colleagues, but they acted as if she were invisible.

Baffled, Little Seven asked the most gossipy colleague, but she immediately ran off to the restroom.

What was going on?

Why were they all ignoring her?

Earthlings really were strange.

Yiyang was scrolling through his phone in the car when a certain video caught his eye, making him widen them in shock.

“Drive faster,” he ordered the driver.

“Yes, sir!”

Yi Chen stepped out of the car, face dark as thunder, Fang Li trembling behind him.

Looks like Mr. Lin and Miss Ye are at odds again.

At the elevator, Yi Chen saw a familiar, tall figure running toward the escalator.

He looked up—Yiyang?

Fang Li wondered aloud, “It’s not even time for work yet. Why is the second young master in such a rush?”

Yi Chen frowned but said nothing.

When he exited the elevator, he saw Yiyang pulling Little Seven by the hand, hurrying down the corridor.

He frowned, then walked into the president’s office as if nothing had happened.

Behind him, Fang Li hadn’t seen the two, but the cold aura radiating from Mr. Lin made him even more terrified.

Yi Chen entered his office, feeling as though even the air was stifling and infuriating.

He loosened his tie and sat on the sofa, his hand brushing against something hard. Looking down, he saw the bottle of essential oil Little Seven had used to massage him the night before.

Thinking of what Little Seven had done for him, his heart softened. He stood, wanting to find her, when a glint of light caught his eye.

He looked down, and there, wedged in the sofa cushions, lay a familiar necklace.

So that was why she suddenly gave him a massage, then ran away.

She couldn’t win an argument, so she just tossed her necklace onto the sofa.

Ye Xiyang, you really are something.

The president was now livid.

Meanwhile, elsewhere—

“Yiyang,” Little Seven shook off his hand in confusion, “why are you dragging me here all sneakily?”

“The sapphire theft has been exposed—the video is all over the company,” Yiyang hesitated, “Xiyang, in the video you have your back to the camera. So the sapphire wasn’t taken by you, right?”

There was video?

The R&D department was always supposed to be confidential, so of course there were cameras inside.

Otherwise, if someone took something, who would know?

Little Seven replied calmly, “I did take the sapphire.”

“What?” Yiyang was stunned. “How could you…”

“It was mine to begin with.” Little Seven paced the hallway. “Yiyang, I can’t tell you yet why it’s mine…”

“The last time you said you needed to get something, you meant the sapphire?” Yiyang never doubted her, only worried about the current situation.

Little Seven nodded. “I didn’t know there were cameras inside.”

“Does my brother know?”

“He does, but how did the video get out? Isn’t the R&D department supposed to be confidential?”

Yiyang was baffled too. He pulled Little Seven aside. “Xiyang, let’s not talk here. Why don’t you come with me and lay low for a while? If things get out of hand, it’ll be trouble.”

“No,” Little Seven stopped. “The sapphire was mine to begin with. Even if they arrest me, I’m not afraid.”

Yiyang pretended to be mad. “Xiyang, if the sapphire was yours, why didn’t you tell me earlier? If you had, I would’ve gone with you to steal it! We’re both troublemakers anyway.”

Thanks to his joke, Little Seven relaxed.

“Yiyang, thank you. But I need to handle my own problems. I’m not the type who hides behind others or falls to pieces at the first sign of trouble. Let’s go—we have work. I’ll deal with this myself, don’t worry.”

Since she insisted, Yiyang relented. “Just promise me—if anything happens, come to me. I’ll always support you.”

“Mm! To have such a great friend on Earth, and so handsome too—what more could I ask for?”

Yiyang smiled.

Little Seven returned to her post. Her colleagues whispered to each other, but once they saw her, they fell silent, heads down, pretending to work.

She walked over to Fang Li. “Assistant Fang, is Mr. Lin in his office?”

“He is, but…” Fang Li hesitated, “Mr. Lin said he doesn’t want to see you right now. Work matters will be handled by me.”

Still mad about yesterday?

How petty.

Doesn’t want to see me?

Fine! I’m not dying to see him either!

Little Seven sat at her post in a huff.

Fang Li looked helpless.

If only Miss Ye would just try to make up with Mr. Lin. But given how straightforward she is, maybe it’s better not to add fuel to the fire.

Little Seven spent the entire day amid her colleagues’ whispered gossip.

After work, she drifted along the street, stopping and starting as if sleepwalking.

Whenever she saw something, she’d mutter to herself.

She had no idea two white sedans were shadowing her every step.

When she stopped, the cars stopped.

When she walked, they drove.

She reached the entrance to a KFC and pressed her face to the poster of the grinning Colonel Sanders.

She mimicked his smile, then pouted and looked up at the sky, sighing, “Take me away from Earth!”

She drifted across the street in a daze.

Suddenly, fear overtook her. She stopped at the curb, unable to cross.

She didn’t know if it was because of the car explosion when she’d saved Lin Yichen, or if she was just always afraid of the endless traffic on Earth.

Every time she tried to cross, her legs would tremble.

Maybe she should use her superpowers!

But just as she was about to, someone grabbed her hand, and her power fizzled out.

She looked up. “You…”

Yichen said quietly, “You used to be so reckless crossing the street. I never thought you’d turn into someone who can’t even cross a road. Getting dumber by the day.”

Even though she heard his criticism, Little Seven found herself gazing at the man before her…

He’d left his jacket in the car. In just a blue shirt, he looked spirited and handsome, his features more youthful and carefree than the stern executive she was used to.

“What are you looking at?”

“Ah?” They’d already crossed the street. Little Seven forced a smile to cover her embarrassment. “I was looking at all the cars.”

Yichen let go of her hand. “Go home early. Don’t dawdle like a schoolkid on your way.”

Little Seven caught the key point. “How did you know I was stopping and starting along the way?”

Yichen acted as if he hadn’t heard, his expression flat. “Coincidence.”

Then he crossed the street, got into his car, and soon the white sedan disappeared into the city.

Coincidence?

His villa is in the opposite direction from where I live, isn’t it?

And didn’t he say just today that he didn’t want to see me?