She was here now, so she might as well make the best of it.
Cheng Yi quickly adjusted her mindset and focused on transcribing the meeting. As long as she concentrated on work, there was no time for her thoughts to wander.
Her skill as a translator had already made an impression during the last project. Even so, watching her now—working seamlessly with the others—left Fang Zhiyuan both admiring and quietly uneasy. How to describe this conflicting feeling? She fit into their team with an ease that stirred a strange, sharp jealousy in him.
That kind of silent understanding used to belong to them alone—wordless, effortless, almost instinctive. She would hand him water before he even realized he was thirsty. She could read him so well that unfinished thoughts, unspoken wants, even the quiet between them, never needed explaining.
Sometimes, you never realize what you've got until it's gone.
Fang Zhiyuan caught the rich aroma of coffee and saw the carefully chosen snacks on the table, and he missed the tenderness that had once belonged solely to him.
Back in university, whenever there was a debate tournament, he would skip meals preparing for it. She always showed up on time with a tray of food, standing by until he finished every bite. He'd always thought he was the one taking care of her, but he hadn't realized he was the one being looked after.
Cheng Yi's role might have seemed unremarkable, but every team member relied on her. A single sentence, a simple glance—before anyone noticed the gap, she had already filled it.
When Ye Minglang faltered during his presentation, she silently slipped him a note with the missing key point. Standing beside the dazzling PR lady, she didn't shine, but she made sure every detail was taken care of like a skilled assistant.
Fang Zhiyuan couldn't deny it. Ye Mingzhe was a natural leader. Charisma came to him like breath. His words carried a quiet authority that left no room for resistance. Earlier that day, Fang had been ready to fight fire with fire, but a few calm words from Ye Mingzhe had smoothed the waters. And Cheng Yi? She followed him like receiving silent orders, throwing herself into the work as if nothing else existed.
That kind of trust... that kind of harmony... it wasn't built overnight. It had to be forged over years of intense collaboration. In a cutthroat field like venture capital, the fact that such a small team had held their ground said it all. No wonder she had become so independent and composed. Not everyone could survive in such a high-pressure environment, but she had weathered it quietly and made it through the worst of it.
Watching her now, completely absorbed in her work, Fang Zhiyuan had to admit she was no longer the shy, delicate girl he remembered.
Seizing a moment when Cheng Yi was preparing coffee, Fang Zhiyuan couldn't resist approaching her.
"Yi, can we talk?"
Cheng Yi didn't respond. She acted as if she hadn't heard him, just kept stirring sugar into the coffee.
"Have we really gotten to the point where we can't even sit down and talk?"
Her reply was to hand him the warm, fragrant cup, both hands steady.
"There's nothing to talk about."
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After crossing swords a few times, Fang Zhiyuan had come to see the full extent of Ye Minglang's abilities.
But today, someone else caught his attention.
The man stayed in the background, quietly steering the situation and dissolving tension with almost no effort. But what really bothered Fang Zhiyuan was Cheng Yi's attitude. She seemed to care more about this man than she did about Ye Minglang.
Respecting a strong boss was natural, especially someone like Ye Mingzhe. Any working professional would feel the same. But Cheng Yi's obedience was almost unquestioning. Even his own brother Ye Minglang and that glamorous PR lady didn't go that far. When she first walked in, she clearly wanted to bolt. A few calm words from Ye Mingzhe, and she stayed without hesitation. One glance from him, and she was immediately engrossed in her work.
If this had been the old Cheng Yi, Fang Zhiyuan might not have thought much of it. That was simply her nature. But things had changed. Cheng Yi had grown into a confident, competent professional, not someone who would submit to authority just for a salary.
Could it be?
A warning bell went off in Fang Zhiyuan's mind.
There was another possibility—one he didn't want to admit. He cared. And the thought gnawed at him like something eating away inside.
He had always believed that kind of absolute trust and deference belonged to him alone. But when he saw the ring on Ye Mingzhe's hand, he could no longer be sure.
As a lawyer, his instinct was always to assess the situation first. If Ye Mingzhe really was the rival, then he was at a clear disadvantage. He had to get a handle on things, especially what was going on in Ye Mingzhe's mind.
At lunch, Fang Zhiyuan sat across from Ye Mingzhe and went straight in.
"Mr. Ye, are you seeing someone?"
Ye Mingzhe raised his hand, showing the silver ring gleaming under the light.
"I'm married."
Fang Zhiyuan paused for half a second. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a flicker in Cheng Yi's expression, a slight dimming of light. What mattered now was making sure Ye Mingzhe did not realize it had all been a probe.
"You travel a lot. Your wife must worry about you."
"She's on vacation."
Fang Zhiyuan let out a long, quiet breath.
So that was all it was. Just him being jealous over nothing.
-----------------------------------------------------
The war hadn't ended. it had merely shifted to venues at the dinner table.
"Mr. Ye, your younger brother is truly impressive. So young, yet already running the company so efficiently."
Ye Mingzhe responded with a calm smile.
"My brother's expertise lies in networking. As for management, he's still learning. I hope you'll be generous with your guidance."
"Then he must know quite a bit about preventing mobile viruses."
Though the words were directed at Ye Mingzhe, the sharp gaze landed squarely on Ye Minglang, like an arrow. Ye Minglang looked up at once, ready for battle, answering with a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"Absolutely. I make sure no viruses get anywhere near the people around me."
Fang Zhiyuan turned to Cheng Yi, who seemed a little lost.
"And what do you think, Miss Cheng?"
She had barely touched her meal. The focus she usually brought to her work had vanished, replaced by a distant, troubled air.
"Minglang means well. I don't think he'd do anything reckless."
Fang Zhiyuan's expression darkened. He raised his glass and downed it in one go.
Cheng Yi had no interest in their little power games. She focused instead on her interpreting duties behind Ye Mingzhe, who was locked in conversation with a senior client speaking Mandarin in a thick Cantonese accent. The client was animatedly recounting a vacation story — for Ye Mingzhe, it might as well have been a listening comprehension test. And if he failed, Cheng Yi knew she'd be the one taking the next test.
During a lull in the banquet, Mandy quietly pulled Cheng Yi aside. As a native of Hong Kong, she was more than capable of helping out.
"Things are getting awfully lively over there—all for you. Cantonese is a piece of cake for me. Want me to take over?"
"I'd rather not stop."
"Alright then, the Big Boss is counting on you."
She stepped away, but not before casting an admiring glance at the man who had stayed remarkably calm all evening. There was nothing ordinary about his composure.
There was something about that man. His thoughts ran deep, too deep to guess.