Chapter 21 — The Beginning of Oblivion

The car moved steadily along the road, but Lin Xiaowen, sitting in the passenger seat, was weighed down with worries, not the slightest bit sleepy. Xu Ningning glanced at her, the corner of her mouth curling into a sly, mocking smile.

“You still insist there’s nothing going on? No possibility at all? Care to explain, then? And don’t tell me you’re just ordinary friends. He couldn’t wait to see you before dawn, still remembered to bring gifts for you and your daughter while traveling out of town… Tsk, tsk, impressive, Lin Xiaowen, keeping secrets from me, huh?”

Lin Xiaowen had known she couldn’t dodge this conversation. She’d already rehearsed countless responses in her mind, ready to fire back, but when it came time to speak, she suddenly lost all desire to explain. Her thoughts were swept away by the shifting shadows of trees under the streetlights.

“Don’t give me the silent treatment, that won’t solve anything!” Xu Ningning continued cheerfully, “Or are you waiting for our big star to come back from Beijing so I can ask him myself?”

“Our big star?” Lin Xiaowen snorted, shooting her a look of disbelief. “Since when did he become ours?”

“Oh—right, right!” Xu Ningning quickly corrected herself, feigning shock. “Not ours, yours. My mistake! Please, forgive this little person, great lady. Hee hee…”

Lin Xiaowen rubbed her temples helplessly. “Xu Ningning, can’t you stop teasing me? Cheng Yishu and I aren’t even ordinary friends. If anything, it’s Ranran who gets along well with him… He called just to check on Ranran, that’s all!”

“Have you ever heard of someone coming to see a child at dawn?” Xu Ningning shot her a sidelong glance, exasperated. “Lin Xiaowen, you’re so dense! Cheng Yishu’s intentions couldn’t be clearer. Why else would he keep finding excuses to get close to you and Ranran? You really think he has that much free time? He’s a top star, his schedule is packed, and yet he still makes time to think about you two…”

“Enough, enough!” Lin Xiaowen gripped her seatbelt, trying to stop her. “Focus on driving, will you? You’re channeling all the energy your mom uses to pressure you into marriage onto me now!”

“I’m just worried you won’t see what’s right in front of you!” Xu Ningning’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. “If Cheng Yishu really likes you, why not give it a try? He likes Ranran, so he’s clearly not put off by kids. That makes things much simpler. And with his qualities… well, you’d hardly be settling. It’s worth considering!”

Xu Ningning kept muttering to herself, but Lin Xiaowen gave no response. Annoyed, she was about to call her name, but when she turned, she found Lin Xiaowen had already fallen asleep against the window.

With a sigh, Xu Ningning let the matter rest, quietly lamenting this unfortunate woman’s fate—when would she finally see the clouds part and the moon shine through?

But was Lin Xiaowen truly asleep, lulled by Xu Ningning’s endless chatter? She was only pretending to doze, her mind awash with tangled thoughts until she finally drifted into a hazy slumber…

It’s said that when someone who hasn’t been part of your life for a long, long time suddenly appears in your dreams, it marks the beginning of their gradual forgetting of you.

And so, when that tall, slender boy in a pale blue shirt smiled and waved at her against the light, a single tear slid down Lin Xiaowen’s cheek without warning.

In the business development office, Director Wang called Xu Ningning in, scribbled and signed a few more papers, and finally said, “Alright, you can officially open for business now. But make sure to submit your employees’ health certificates soon.”

Xu Ningning nodded, bowing repeatedly with polite “Understood” and “Thank you” before backing out of the office.

Big corporations were indeed a different world—even the manager of a small department acted as if he were above everyone else.

Still, since she wouldn’t have to deal with these self-important types every day, Xu Ningning was in high spirits as she received the operating license. While waiting for the elevator, she double-checked the contract:

Legal representative for ‘Cute Baby Boutique’—Xu Ningning.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, soon I’ll be someone with a store in a big mall. My status has doubled! I must take a picture to show Xiaowen…”

The elevator chimed open, and Xu Ningning instinctively looked up.

And then, she couldn’t look away.

A man stepped out in a black business suit, a white shirt paired with a blue-green tie. His elegant tie clip was set with tiny diamonds that sparkled subtly as he moved. He was tall, at least six feet, with thick brows, dense hair, and eyes as deep as the sea. His nose was straight and pronounced, his lips pressed into a forbidding line—giving off an air that warned strangers to keep their distance.

Behind him, several others followed, equally meticulous in appearance, looking for all the world like a scene from a gangster film.

By the time Xu Ningning snapped out of her daze, the group had already disappeared down the deepest corridor of the office floor.

Slowly, she shuffled into the elevator, only to realize her face was growing hot. In a panic, she searched for a reflective surface and noticed she hadn’t even pressed the button for her floor.

Realizing this, she blushed uncontrollably, cursing herself for being so starved for male attention that she was swooning over a stranger.

Her cleaning cloth moved back and forth over the same shelf, not budging an inch, prompting little Ying to come over and ask softly, “Ningning, are you alright?”

Little Ying was the new sales assistant, a young woman from the countryside with modest education but a neat, honest appearance, her hair pulled back in a simple ponytail. She was quick and capable.

“I’m fine!” Xu Ningning snapped back to reality, clearing her throat.

“Oh… I just saw you spacing out for a while. As long as you’re okay.” Little Ying flashed a bright, toothy smile before returning to her work.

“Xu Ningning, you’re really something,” Xu Ningning thought to herself. “So deprived you’re already daydreaming about random men… But, if he was heading to an office, what could he be here for? Is he an owner of another brand in the mall, just like me? With that build… maybe fashion? Or could he be a model…”

“Ningning, your phone’s ringing!” Little Ying called, handing her the store phone. “I think it’s Xiaowen!”

“Thanks!” As she took the phone, Xu Ningning couldn’t help but wonder if Little Ying liked Xiaowen more than herself—probably because Xiaowen had hired her.

As she thought this, Xu Ningning picked up. “Hello? What’s up?”

“Nothing, just checking how things are going there. Is it too much for you and Little Ying to handle?” Xiaowen asked.

“Too much?” Xu Ningning glanced at the sparse shoppers in the mall. “Honestly, I feel redundant. Little Ying could manage alone.”

“That bad?” Xiaowen exclaimed. “But it’s a big mall!”

“Maybe the crowd hasn’t picked up yet. Either way, I’m not waiting around—I’m coming back to keep you company.”

“Don’t!” Xiaowen protested. “If you leave Little Ying alone and there’s a rush, how will she manage?”

“Don’t worry,” Xu Ningning cut her off impatiently. “I need to talk to you about something, anyway.”

That was just how Xu Ningning was—she could never keep anything to herself for more than a day, or she’d explode.

“Alright, do what you think is best,” Xiaowen instructed. “Just make sure you remind Little Ying to be careful when closing up—check the circuit breakers and everything.”

“Got it, boss!” Xu Ningning teased.

“Go away!” Xiaowen hung up with mock annoyance, and only then did Xu Ningning let her smile fade.

How could she possibly describe such a god-like man to Xiaowen in a way that would let her truly grasp his charm?