HGG - 49

Never expect anything from human relationships. Never open your heart to others. Never become weak.

This was how they educated the next generation.

An Siyue took a drag from her e-cigarette, the white vapor particles created by the atomizer enveloping her like mist in a fairy tale. The beautiful middle-aged woman casually glanced at Song Yi and said: “I’ll give you five million yuan. Go fall in love with my son.”

With this statement, the meeting among these women fell into an awkward silence.

Song Yi silently gazed at An Siyue, sinking into deeper contemplation.

At this moment, Gao Jie stepped in to respond.

“Your son...?” Gao Jie asked with an impeccable smile. “You mean Mr. Chi Yu?”

An Siyue shot her a disdainful look and replied nonchalantly: “Of course I mean Chi Zhao.”

For the first time, cracks appeared on that porcelain-doll face. Struggling to maintain her smile, Gao Jie asked: “You must be joking again. To directly command someone to fall in love like this is utterly unreasonable...”

“Unreasonable?” An Siyue seemed to mull it over for a moment before saying: “True. If she marries into our family, all the assets might go to Chi Zhao anyway. By then, five million won’t mean much.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.” Gao Jie shifted tactics, turning to smile at Song Yi. “Miss Song isn’t the type of person to sell her dignity for money. Such behavior might indeed be inappropriate.”

She was clearly flustered, or she wouldn’t have blurted out something so self-destructive in her panic.

An Siyue’s gaze turned cold, piercing both Song Yi and Gao Jie as if wielding a bayonet: “How presumptuous of you to lecture me. Fine, take it as a joke, as you suggested.”

Gao Jie immediately stood up involuntarily.

Just then, the Filipino maid arrived with freshly brewed green tea. Gao Jie smoothly took the tray and poured tea for both An Siyue and Song Yi. After sitting back down, she had regained her composure, reverting to her usual demeanor: “Of course, I wouldn’t dare interfere with Madam An’s thoughts.”

The proposal was indeed unexpected, but after careful consideration, Song Yi wasn’t particularly surprised.

An Siyue wanted Gao Jie to give up.

If Song Yi wasn’t mistaken, this deeply calculating Mrs. Chi wanted Gao Jie to face reality.

Who was being addressed didn’t matter; Song Yi just happened to be present.

Finally, Song Yi spoke: “My current income is already satisfactory. I truly have no intention of taking on such work to increase my earnings.”

“Oh?” An Siyue scrutinized her once more, then let out an enigmatic smirk. “You call this ‘work’?”

Song Yi raised her eyes, responding calmly and confidently: “Isn’t that what you implied?”

This time, An Siyue’s smile spread across her face like moonlight. “What’s your name?”

She had already asked this once before.

“My name is Song Yi,” Song Yi replied.

“At the beginning of next month, Old Man Dan Ji is hosting a birthday party,” An Siyue said with a smile as she stood up and headed toward the stairs. “You’ll attend.”

The mature, graceful woman ascended the staircase leisurely, her expensive electronic cigarette still held elegantly between her fingers.

“Don’t worry, I won’t force you to fall in love with my son anymore,” she added.

Song Yi’s expression remained calm, though she could feel her chest trembling slightly from the sudden intimidation.

Gao Jie didn’t raise her head. Her exquisite features were devoid of emotion, pure and blank.

“From now on, do exactly as I say.” An Siyue’s voice echoed from the stairwell, sharp as a falling blade, piercing everyone’s foreheads indiscriminately. “Let me remind you—being one of Chongming’s directors, I can fire any Chongyou employee at any time.”

What a dangerous and capricious woman.

On the way back, Gao Jie remained silent throughout.

Thanks to her, Song Yi seemed to have gotten herself entangled with a very troublesome character.

It wasn’t until the car stopped in front of the employee apartments that Gao Jie finally managed to speak, forcing a bitter smile: “My apologies. It seems I’ve dragged you into some trouble. Little Zhao’s tendency to do as he pleases must be inherited from his mother…”

“It’s fine,” Song Yi replied as she leaned down toward the car window after getting out. “I’m grateful that you invited me today.”

Something seemed to click in Gao Jie’s heart.

“It was such a stroke of luck to visit Mr. Chi’s home and meet his mother,” Song Yi earnestly said. “Thank you.”

Gao Jie choked for a moment, then could only reply with a strained smile: “That’s wonderful. You’re welcome.”

As Gao Jie’s car drove off, Song Yi turned around to see Chi Yu standing in the night, ready to take out the trash.

When their eyes met, the garbage bag in Chi Yu’s hand dropped to the ground with a dull thud.

“Wait, did I see that right?” he asked. “Gao Jie?”

“It was indeed Miss Gao,” Song Yi replied as she pushed open the apartment door.

“Wow!”

It was the first time Song Yi had heard Chi Yu, who usually carried himself like a melancholic fallen angel, exclaim with such clarity and enthusiasm.

After entering, Song Yi held the door open for the artist, who rushed back after hastily disposing of the trash.

As they walked upstairs together, Song Yi suddenly thought of something and turned to ask him: “You know Gao Jie too?”

“Of course,” Chi Yu replied, looking up. “Before Uncle Gao Feng got into trouble, she often followed us around and played with us.”

Song Yi abruptly stopped, causing Chi Yu to nearly trip over her sudden halt.

“Why doesn’t Chi Zhao recognize her?” Song Yi asked.

She suddenly recalled how Chi Zhao would hide under desks or even flee to the restroom to avoid meeting Chi Yu.

Song Yi looked at Chi Yu, who gave her a glance that said, “Exactly.”

He had been pretending.

“Uncle Gao Feng was a good man,” Chi Yu sighed. “He often taught children origami, and we all loved him. But because of that kindness, he ended up being deceived.”

When they were young, Chi Zhao and Gao Jie knew each other. Their relationship was simple and not bad at all. Gao Jie was clingy, and Chi Zhao never rejected people without reason.

Whoever gave him love, he accepted fully. Chi Zhao would reciprocate with kindness and friendliness, whether genuine or not.

“But after Uncle Gao Feng went bankrupt, he lost all face and even ended up in prison. His family suffered too. The higher they had risen, the harder they fell. During his imprisonment, Gao Jie never visited her father once. Moreover, she has a strong sense of pride. After the incident, she always felt the whole world owed her, saying some extreme things and doing some rash actions...”

In short, they had already reached a fork in fate’s path. Over time, Chi Zhao simply acted as though he didn’t know her anymore.

Song Yi remembered that Chi Zhao was quite skilled at origami. Especially during meetings, while listening to reports, he would fold countless pieces. She had received several from him.

Pigeons, frogs, paper cranes—things that weren’t easy to throw away. She usually just tucked them away carelessly.

“You shouldn’t think Chi Zhao is heartless,” Chi Yu said with a soft smile. “Don’t be fooled by his friendly demeanor toward everyone. None of the children my parents raised are anything but ruthless...”

Song Yi didn’t dwell on the fact that he had just insulted himself. Instead, she immediately responded: “Is that so?”

Chi Yu looked at her.

“I actually think Chi Zhao has handled it quite well,” Song Yi said. “He must have regarded Mr. Gao Feng as a close elder and dear friend. That’s why he feels uncomfortable with Miss Gao’s behavior.

“He hasn’t done anything to harm Miss Gao. He simply distanced himself quietly and discreetly.”

Chi Yu stared at Song Yi in astonishment. As Chi Zhao’s older brother, he felt an unfamiliar sense of shame at this moment.

He had never interpreted Chi Zhao’s actions from this perspective.

However, Song Yi didn’t notice Chi Yu’s hesitation. Suddenly remembering something, she rummaged through her bag and pulled out a paper pigeon.

Chi Yu took it and examined it, muttering absentmindedly: “This folding style... it was taught by Uncle Gao Feng back then...”

Song Yi said no more.

After Chi Yu stood there motionless for several minutes, Song Yi snatched the paper pigeon back: “Give it back. I didn’t intend to give it to you.”

“What?”

“This was given to me by Mr. Chi,” Song Yi said expressionlessly, carefully tucking it back into her pocket.

In the end, she didn’t tell Chi Yu that she had met An Siyue.

Nor did she mention it to Chi Zhao. The birthday party was still some time away. She assumed Gao Jie wouldn’t reveal it either.

Keeping it a secret was a deliberate decision made after careful consideration. However, upon learning of this, An Siyue’s response was: “Are you sure you can keep this from Chi Zhao?”

Song Yi realized how elementary her understanding of The Study of Chi Zhao was compared to An Siyue.

A week later, An Siyue suddenly called Song Yi out.

The reason? She wanted to personally help Song Yi pick out an outfit for the birthday party.

“Old Man Dan isn’t picky, so no need for formal attire. But you probably don’t have many presentable outfits...” An Siyue yawned tiredly as she spoke, casually picking out a suit and handing it to the store clerk without hesitation. “Don’t embarrass me.”

Never would she have imagined that her reputation would one day be tied to Song Yi.

Before being guided to the fitting room by the staff, Song Yi added: “Was your comment about dating Mr. Chi that day meant to convey your stance to Miss Gao, so she’d back off?”

An Siyue, who had been browsing for the next piece, turned around. Narrowing her eyes, her icy expression resembled that of a leopard looking down from above.

“Of course not,” An Siyue replied teasingly. “I just found it amusing to watch you all panic.”

Song Yi didn’t waver. She averted her gaze, thoughtfully turning away.

Do people always mean what they say?

How much truth, how much falsehood?

Just as Song Yi turned away, she heard An Siyue speak again.

“However,” she said, “I haven’t seen what I wanted to see from you yet.”

Under An Siyue’s guidance, Song Yi tried on no fewer than ten outfits in quick succession.

The familiar scene reminded her of when Chi Zhao accompanied her to pick out a dress.

However, An Siyue was far less considerate than Chi Zhao.

Her dissatisfaction was written all over her face. This beautiful, glass-like visage seemed incapable of expressions other than annoyance, disdain, and arrogance.

Song Yi received relatively few critiques, making her luckier than the surrounding clerks.

Her criticisms were limited to: “Stand straight, don’t bow your head,” “Hurry up,” and “Don’t worry about damaging anything—I’ll just buy it if you do.”

Moreover, when Song Yi tried on a puff-sleeved dress, An Siyue even tilted her chin and raised an eyebrow, saying: “You look quite nice.”

Song Yi glanced over impassively.

She was somewhat interested in this dress. But it wasn’t something she’d have many occasions to wear, and she assumed the price tag wouldn’t be low.

“Still, this kind of outfit is better suited for private wear,” Lady An ultimately vetoed it.

Too sweet. Paired with Song Yi’s cold beauty, it left much to be desired.

The clothing stores An Siyue frequented were naturally exceptional, with so few customers it felt like they hadn’t opened for business. However, Song Yi noticed that the store’s style catered to a specific age group, clearly chosen deliberately for her.

When Song Yi put on a white suit, An Siyue finally gave the highest praise she had ever offered. She essentially settled on this piece but wanted to confirm one last time.

The store was spacious. While An Siyue was surrounded by staff like a queen inspecting the latest arrivals, Song Yi wandered alone to another section of the store.

To be honest, she didn’t particularly like the outfit she was wearing.

White—it reminded her too much of Gao Jie.

Song Yi had grown weary of pondering An Siyue’s intentions. Perhaps, as she had said herself, it was simply “for fun.”

There were a few scattered customers in this area. When no one was looking, Song Yi suddenly felt her wrist grabbed, and she was pulled into a fitting room.

The first thought that crossed her mind as she leaned against the wall was—her clothes would get dirty.

This wasn’t an occupied fitting room, so it was cluttered with hangers and unused decorations.

In the narrow space, Song Yi was pressed against the wall with no room for refusal. Raising her head slightly, she could clearly see his face at close range.

It was a face that could make one’s heart skip a beat.

The moment her gaze met his, Song Yi instinctively held her breath.

“Chi…” Before she could finish, he suddenly leaned closer, bracing his hands against the walls on either side of her: “Don’t speak.”

From outside came An Siyue’s voice: “Song Yi? Where did you go…?”

Perhaps to confuse her, Chi Zhao was wearing black-framed glasses today. His appearance was already youthful, and the glasses made him look even younger. Seeing her boss dressed differently than usual left Song Yi feeling a bit overwhelmed.

She raised her hand, creating a barrier between his face and hers: “Too close.”

“Sorry,” Chi Zhao lowered his voice, seemingly embarrassed as well. “It’s too narrow.”

“Have you been here the whole time?” she asked.

“You looked better in that dress earlier,” he replied evasively.

As Chi Zhao spoke, his warm breath brushed against Song Yi’s palm. One of his knees slipped between her legs, pressing against the wall behind her.

Their position was incredibly awkward.

They were so close, their limbs tangled in the dim light, afraid to touch each other yet unable to distance themselves. They intertwined in a way that avoided contact as much as possible.

“That dress was too cute,” Song Yi reluctantly answered after a long silence, tilting her head. “It didn’t suit me.”

“Who said that?” Chi Zhao averted his gaze, tilting his head to examine the ventilation vent on the ceiling. “I thought it suited you perfectly.”

Silence again.

Song Yi’s hand went numb. Attempting to shift her position, she accidentally brushed his cheek. She swallowed hesitantly: “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine.” After speaking, Chi Zhao also raised his hand. He suddenly removed the non-prescription glasses, his gaze dropping, caressing her lips like dappled light.

Song Yi couldn’t help but study his eyes.

It was suffocating.

It was as if molten lava had burst its banks, about to burn down lush forests.

A few seconds later, Chi Zhao said: “You can go out now.”

Song Yi froze momentarily, then quickly replied: “Alright.”

Upon exiting, An Siyue was standing in front of a black dress. She turned her head slowly, subtly detecting something from Song Yi’s expression.

But she didn’t mention it: “Try this one.”

When Song Yi had previously gone shopping for dresses, professional staff had solemnly informed her that black suited her best.

Standing in front of the mirror, Song Yi had to admit that this dress was the most conventional choice.

Thus, it was decided.

While checking out, Song Yi walked alone to the puff-sleeved dress she had tried on earlier. After repeatedly calculating her financial situation, she hesitated for a long time before asking the clerk: “How much is this—”

Before she could finish, a cold female voice interrupted.

“Wrap that one up too.” An Siyue paid with her card without glancing aside. “I’ll give it to you.”

The high-end boutique’s items were limited in quantity, and this particular dress was the last one available. Just as Song Yi was about to thank her, the clerk behind her bowed apologetically: “We’re very sorry, but another customer just purchased this item. If you have other preferences, we’d be happy to assist you further...”

“Another customer?” An Siyue frowned momentarily before suddenly breaking into a faint smile.

Her gaze lingered on the dress, then drifted to Song Yi.

“You’re always dressed so poorly yourself,” An Siyue remarked, “but you sure know how to pick for others.”