A Chan – CH 069

Chapter 69: Xu Yi’s Heart (1)

Li Weiyi stared blankly for a while, then pushed open the door and went out. The second secretary, sitting outside, looked worried, while the first secretary secretly gave her directions.

Soon, Li Weiyi found Zhang Jingchan sitting alone on the fire escape stairs.

Outside the glass window, sunlight slanted, illuminating his black suit. His back was broad, yet still appeared thin, slightly hunched. In this life, a man worth billions, a 27-year-old CEO, was now like a young lad, driven out of his office in anger, with nowhere to go, sitting on the floor. He was clearly suppressing a torrent of anger, yet his back view conveyed a pitiful aura.

Watching this scene, the chaotic emotions swirling within Li Weiyi suddenly seemed less important, and she chuckled.

Zhang Jingchan’s back shifted slightly.

Li Weiyi walked over, sat down beside him, rested her hands on her knees, and gazed at the blue sky and white clouds outside the window. She said, “Give me some time to think this through. I really hadn’t considered this before.”

He didn’t speak, but Li Weiyi strangely sensed that his previously icy aura had slightly melted and dissipated.

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Li Weiyi’s mood relaxed, and she continued, “Hey, I’m doing this for your own good, and I’m giving you time. Think it through. Is it really… you want to be with me, or is it just a momentary impulse?”

Zhang Jingchan snorted coldly, bracing himself against the steps behind him. He said, “I’m not you. This is a major life decision, and I’ve thought it through very clearly.”

Li Weiyi thought to herself, “How did this bring up the topic of life’s big decisions again?” She dared not retort but looked at him earnestly and asked, “Actually, I really want to ask you, why? What is it about me that you see? To be honest, I’m not insecure, but I know my place. I’m just an ordinary girl, barely considered a girl from a modest family. But you, sir, were used to a lavish lifestyle in college, and even more so now. With your figure, looks, wealth, and ability, what kind of woman couldn’t you get? How did your taste change? Compared to you, I’m far inferior.”

Zhang Jingchan finally smiled slightly, turning to look at her: “That’s why.”

“Huh?”

He said calmly… He said calmly, “I’ve laughed more during the time I’ve been with you than in the past twenty-seven years.”

Li Weiyi asked suspiciously, “So your purpose in finding a girlfriend is… to find a joker? Why don’t you find a comedian? They are more professional than I am.”

He laughed again, stood up, and said, “To each their own; there’s no explanation needed. Li Weiyi, I’ll give you time to consider, but there’s one condition: you’re not allowed to see him again before we travel back in time.”

Li Weiyi also stood up: “That… might be a bit difficult.”

Xu Yi was a shrewd person, and he kept a close eye on her; she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to refuse.

Zhang Jingchan’s smile faded, and he put his hands back in his pockets, saying, “This is non-negotiable; this is my bottom line.”

Li Weiyi fell silent.

He said coldly, “Li Weiyi, in my timeline, you were clearly with me every single second. He’s the third party who suddenly appeared. But it doesn’t matter. Someone like me can carry a billion yuan debt; a cooked duck won’t fly away, let alone have his girlfriend stolen. If you… still have even a shred of affection for me, don’t see him again these next few days.”

Li Weiyi felt a surge of bitterness in her chest. After a moment of silence, she nodded and said, “Okay, I promise you, I won’t see him for these next few days. And, you’re the gigolo!”

Afterwards, the two seemed to have reached a tacit understanding, no longer mentioning anything about their relationship and making no intimate or ambiguous gestures. They seemed to have returned to their initial, purely professional partnership. After a stiff discussion, they decided to return to Chen City to investigate the deaths of Zhang Moyun and Ding Chenmo.

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To Xu Yi, the girl Li Weiyi from eight years ago was like a small orange lamp, slightly yellow, clear, and warm, illuminating his weary and muddy heart. That was a critical moment for Fuming, a man facing both internal and external pressures as the chairman’s special assistant. Every day, he was exhausted, often waking in the middle of the night, bewildered and lost. After all, he was only a young man in his mid-twenties, struggling and repressed, unsure if his choices were right or wrong, or if he had any bright future ahead.

It was at this time that she appeared.

A mysterious girl who seemed to have fallen from the sky, her smile purer and warmer than anyone he had ever seen, her heart and eyes brimming with joy and love.

Later, Xu Yi thought that the reason he was so easily attracted to Li Weiyi was probably that the more complex and dark one’s thoughts, the more one yearns for simplicity and beauty.

The first confession came not long after they met. Coincidentally, that night it was raining heavily. Xu Yi had finished work and was driving home when he saw a small figure in the distance, holding an umbrella, struggling against the wind and rain.

Xu Yi parked his car beside her and honked the horn.

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The lost kitten looked up, first confused, then delighted, and waved at him. He rolled down the window and heard that sweet, cloying “Brother Xu Yi.” At that moment, Xu Yi felt he was really crazy; a minor girl calling him “brother” could make his heart flutter with a hidden desire.

He let her get in the car. She hesitated slightly but didn’t refuse.

“Aren’t you afraid your brother will kidnap you?” he asked, half-jokingly.

Li Weiyi thought for a moment and replied, “No, you’re a high-level talent in a big corporation, very busy, you don’t have time for this.”

Xu Yi laughed heartily.

After laughing, he coughed slightly. Li Weiyi looked at this older brother and asked with concern, “What’s wrong?”

Xu Yi couldn’t stop coughing. After a while, he calmed down and replied, “I’ve been staying up late a few nights and caught a cold. My throat’s a little sore, but it’s nothing.”

Li Weiyi gently patted his shoulder. He turned his head, and in the girl’s fair and delicate palm lay a candy.

“Monk fruit candy, with mint inside. It’s refreshing and soothing. My throat’s been dry lately, too; here you go.”

Xu Yi said, “It’s inconvenient while driving. Can you peel it for me?”

Li Weiyi unwrapped the candy, and Xu Yi reached out, took the candy, and popped it into his mouth. Just as she said, it was cool and moisturizing, instantly relieving the soreness and itchiness in his throat.

Xu Yi smiled again. It had been so many years since he’d eaten candy.

Actually, he’d hardly ever eaten it since he was little.

“Have you been in contact with Ah Chan lately?” he asked.

Li Weiyi paused, then lowered her eyes. “No, he hasn’t seen me since; why would he contact me? There’s really nothing between us.”

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“Then you…” Xu Yi gazed at the blurry rain ahead, “Aren’t you planning to help him and Fuming anymore?”

Li Weiyi asked curiously, “What can a high school student like me do for him? Help him solve functions or help him memorize modern history?”

Xu Yi laughed again.

They stopped mentioning Zhang Jingchan and started chatting casually. He was a shrewd businessman, easily engaging the young woman in lively conversation, creating a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere throughout.