On The Night I Confirmed My Girlfriend's Infidelity, I Kissed Her Sister (GL) - Chapter 49: Shelter

“Need a ride to work? I’m heading that way anyway.”

Before the words fully settled, Fu Chaoying turned to look at Ye Jiayuan. After a brief silence, she replied, “Thank you for the offer, Jiayuan-jie, but I need to drop my sister off at school first.”

“How about together?” A faint, almost imperceptible smile flickered across Ye Jiayuan’s eyes as she shifted her gaze to Fu Chaohua.

Sensing the subtle tension between them, Fu Chaohua awkwardly rubbed her nose and chuckled. “Uh, I can just take the subway. Don’t worry about me.”

Ye Jiayuan gave a light smile. “I actually have some business at Southern University today.”

Unable to refuse, Fu Chaohua glanced back at Fu Chaoying, who also smiled slightly. “Then thank you, Jiayuan-jie.”

Fu Chaoying walked to the passenger side and was about to open the door when she saw Ye Jiayuan head straight for the driver’s seat.

Surprised, Fu Chaoying blurted out, “Where’s Liu Xin?”

Ye Jiayuan turned to her, the corners of her lips curving up. “She went back to Hong Kong.”

Flustered, Fu Chaoying looked away and pulled open the passenger door.

If Ye Jiayuan was driving, it would be too rude for both of them to sit in the back, Fu Chaoying thought.

Fu Chaohua sat in the back, glancing between their profiles, unable to suppress a smile. How had she never noticed before how well-matched these two were?

Noticing Ye Jiayuan hadn’t started the car yet, Fu Chaoying turned her head casually, only to meet her unexpectedly gentle gaze.

Before Fu Chaoying could look away, Ye Jiayuan spoke. “Did you bring an umbrella? It might rain today.”

Fu Chaoying was about to say she had one in her car when Ye Jiayuan smoothly reversed out of the parking spot with lightning speed, adding nonchalantly, “No worries. I’ll pick you up after work—you won’t need an umbrella.”

…She did that on purpose!! Fu Chaoying turned her head away but couldn’t help the slight curve of her lips.

Fu Chaohua listened to their exchange and couldn’t hold back a soft laugh.

Fu Chaoying pressed her lips together, took a deep breath, and averted her gaze before speaking again. “Jiayuan-jie, don’t you have work in Hong Kong?”

“Qu Jingyuan is handling things there.” Ye Jiayuan glanced at her, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

Fu Chaoying noticed from the corner of her eye but didn’t turn to look, instead catching sight of Ye Jiayuan reaching to play some music.

This time, it wasn’t “Love-ing”—just a soft, soothing melody.

Fu Chaoying listened, but the occasional, almost imperceptible glances from beside her made it impossible to close her eyes.

Ye Jiayuan dropped Fu Chaohua off at Southern University’s gate. Fu Chaohua cheerfully got out and added, “If you ever need company for anything, just call me. I’m always free.”

Ye Jiayuan gave a slight nod. “Will do.”

Fu Chaoying looked away, guessing her cousin had offered to ease any awkwardness between her and Ye Jiayuan.

Within seconds, Fu Chaohua’s WeChat message arrived: [“Don’t you think Jiayuan-jie seems different today?”]

Fu Chaoying replied with an emoji and turned off her phone, her gaze still fixed outside the window when she heard Ye Jiayuan ask, “Have your sister and Dong Muyu gotten together?”

Fu Chaoying gave a soft hum, “Almost.”

Before the words fully settled, she heard Ye Jiayuan sigh lightly.

It was the first time Fu Chaoying had heard her sigh so noticeably, and she instinctively turned to look at her.

Ye Jiayuan seemed to be slightly frowning, but her expression was focused and serious as she looked ahead at the road.

Fu Chaoying averted her gaze just as Ye Jiayuan was about to turn her head and murmured, “You don’t have to stay in Nanyan just because of this.”

Ye Jiayuan gave another soft hum, “We happened to discuss this project yesterday. Coming back to assess it is work-related.”

“Oh,” Fu Chaoying responded quietly.

A faint smile curved Ye Jiayuan’s eyes, “Originally, it was Qu Jingyuan’s task, but I took it from her.”

“Oh.” Fu Chaoying turned her head away, only to feel a light pat on her head.

Before she could react, Ye Jiayuan had already withdrawn her hand seamlessly.

Fu Chaoying could do nothing about it, merely glancing at her briefly before looking away again.

Every defense she had crumbled to ashes in Ye Jiayuan’s presence.

Fu Chaoying pressed her lips together, an inexplicable unease settling in her heart.

She had always seen Ye Jiayuan through rose-tinted glasses, and now that they were together as girlfriends, pausing or stepping back was anything but easy. She couldn’t refuse Ye Jiayuan, nor could she resist her touch.

Fu Chaoying let out an almost imperceptible sigh and fell silent, only to see Ye Jiayuan pull the car over to the side of the road.

“Wait two minutes,” Ye Jiayuan said in a low voice before stepping out decisively.

Fu Chaoying’s gaze involuntarily followed her as she entered a flower shop by the street. Moments later, she emerged holding a bouquet of roses and walked back toward the car.

Fu Chaoying quickly averted her eyes, but Ye Jiayuan was already sliding back into the driver’s seat and handing her the flowers. “Good morning, Miss Fu.”

Unable to resist, Fu Chaoying turned to look at her, only to find endless tenderness and affection swirling in her eyes. “Love should start with flowers. I’m sorry I overlooked that before.”

A sudden sting pricked Fu Chaoying’s nose as she reached out to take the bouquet. “Thank you.”

Ye Jiayuan’s gaze lingered on the faint pink at the corners of her eyes, a flicker of heartache passing through her own before she started the car and drove toward Fu Chaoying’s company.

Fu Chaoying gently inhaled the fragrance of the roses in her arms. She must have ordered them in advance—otherwise, the few seconds she had stopped wouldn’t have been enough to scan and pay.

Ye Jiayuan was certain she wouldn’t refuse her.

And indeed, she couldn’t. She couldn’t refuse her offer of a ride, nor the flowers she handed her.

Fu Chaoying was momentarily lost in thought. When they reached the company building, she turned to look at her. “Thank you, Jiayuan-jie, and for the flowers.”

Ye Jiayuan gave a slight nod. “See you this afternoon.”

Fu Chaoying spoke softly, “I have a meeting at Senior Dong’s company this afternoon. I’m not sure when I’ll be off work.”

“Alright.” Ye Jiayuan drove away.

Fu Chaoying carried the flowers into the elevator and happened to run into a colleague.

“Good morning, Teacher Fu! Are those flowers from an admirer? How lovely!”

The corners of Fu Chaoying’s lips curled into a faint smile, but she shook her head. “From my sister.”

“Wow, your sister is so romantic!” The colleague assumed she meant her biological sister and sighed in admiration.

Fu Chaoying smiled lightly and didn’t explain further.

But as soon as she settled at her desk, she received a WeChat message from Ye Jiayuan: Good morning. I like you.

The latter half of the message made her heart flutter. She found a vase and carefully arranged the roses before picking up her phone again. Her fingers hovered over the screen, hesitating, when another message arrived—this time, a photo.

Followed by text: Already at the office.

Ye Jiayuan had never shared her daily work life with her before. It was always Fu Chaoying who sent photos—coffee, lunch, magnolia trees, anything she wanted to share.

A ripple of emotion stirred in Fu Chaoying’s chest. She replied: Morning. Have a good day at work.

After sending the message, she put her phone away and started on her tasks.

It wasn’t until past eleven that Fu Chaoying had a free moment. She opened a browser and searched for “Sunrise Project.”

The Sunrise Project was a charity initiative funded by Xingye International Group, aimed at supporting underprivileged women of appropriate age in Guangnan Province. It covered both basic and higher education, with the first phase targeting orphaned girls and the second expanding to include girls from large families—all focused on females.

There weren’t many reports about the Sunrise Project online. Fu Chaoying then searched for the charity organization and discovered that Qin Zhaodi was one of its staff members. No wonder… No wonder she could get Ye Jiayuan’s contact information.

As she pondered this, she noticed a notification badge on the WeChat icon in her taskbar. A click revealed another message from Ye Jiayuan: This restaurant is pretty good. I’ll take you there next time.

Fu Chaoying looked up the restaurant, checked the menu and reviews, and bookmarked it before replying: Saved.

When Ye Jiayuan saw those three words, her eyes curved slightly. The man sitting across from her, President Nan, noticed. “What, a message from your girlfriend? Rare to see you smiling like that.”

Ye Jiayuan turned off her phone and said calmly, “We had a little fight.”

President Nan burst into laughter. “Oh? You’re this happy even after a fight? Looks like President Ye has fallen hard, huh?”

The corners of Ye Jiayuan’s lips lifted almost imperceptibly. “If she were indifferent, then I’d have a headache.”

“Hah, true enough.” President Nan chuckled and offered advice. “But you don’t strike me as the type who knows how to pamper your partner.”

Ye Jiayuan shook her head. “Feeling my way across the river, but it seems to be working so far.”

Meanwhile, Fu Chaoying sneezed twice while eating lunch in the company cafeteria.

Across from her, Li Bingzhi chuckled lightly, “Who’s thinking about our Teacher Fu? Could it be… the sister who sent flowers this morning?”

…She knew it would spread through the company.

Fu Chaoying couldn’t help but smile, “What else are people saying?”

“Ahem.” Li Bingzhi cleared her throat, “Well… the office is divided into two camps. One thinks the flowers were really from your cousin, while the other believes it’s from an admirer.”

Fu Chaoying looked up at her, only to hear her continue with a laugh, “Xiao Lan and I just smiled knowingly… but why did President Ye suddenly send flowers?”

Xiao Lan was the company’s legal counsel.

Letting Li Bingzhi indulge in her gossip, Fu Chaoying said softly, “You also think she doesn’t seem like the type to send flowers.”

Li Bingzhi burst into laughter, “We all agree President Ye is the kind of woman who wouldn’t send flowers to others, and no one would dare send her flowers either.”

Ye Jiayuan’s presence was too formidable, coupled with her serious demeanor—she seemed like the classic type allergic to romance.

Fu Chaoying shook her head, offering no comment.

Suddenly, she remembered that in Hong Kong, Ye Jiayuan had also given her a bouquet of roses.

Heading upstairs for her lunch break, Fu Chaoying received a message from Ye Jiayuan saying she had a meeting at President Nan’s place in the afternoon and asked Fu to message her when it ended.

Spotting the full name of President Nan’s company in the corner, Fu Chaoying opened a blue-hued app and set off with her team to Dong Muyu’s company.

The project was progressing steadily, and Dong Muyu’s team was highly cooperative.

During the tea break, Dong Muyu sidled over to gossip, “I heard President Ye is back in Nanyan.”

Fu Chaoying nodded lightly, playing dumb, “So you’ve heard about it too, Senior Dong.”

“Yep,” Dong Muyu said. “President Ye mentioned she’d visit the company this afternoon for an inspection. Our team even prepared a brief presentation. How long do you think would be appropriate?”

Recognizing the obvious probe, Fu Chaoying looked at her helplessly, “I doubt you’ll need a PowerPoint.”

Dong Muyu laughed heartily and patted her shoulder lightly, “Alright, with your word, I’m relieved.”

Fu Chaoying deftly steered the conversation elsewhere, “What about you? How’s it going with my aunt…”

Dong Muyu sighed, “Let’s just say it’s progress with twists and turns. Victory is within sight.”

Fu Chaoying chuckled, “Care to put it in terms I can understand?”

Dong Muyu exhaled dramatically, “She’s coming to evaluate my cooking tomorrow night, so I’m pulling an all-nighter to study recipes.”

Fu Chaoying burst out laughing, “Well, we’ll see how it goes.”

Dong Muyu shook her head.

After she left, Fu Chaoying picked up her phone and noticed Ye Jiayuan had sent a message twenty minutes earlier: [Thank you for the flowers, sweetheart.]

Fu Chaoying pressed her lips together and tapped the screen: [Just returning the favor for this morning’s bouquet.]

[Then should you also return the words ‘I like you’?]

Fu Chaoying instantly locked her phone, her heartbeat accelerating abruptly.

Two seconds later, her phone vibrated again—another message from Ye Jiayuan: [Sweetheart, why are you ignoring me? /[pout]]

Unable to suppress her smile, Fu Chaoying typed two words: [No returns!]

Ye Jiayuan: [Fine then.]

Ye Jiayuan: [Good afternoon. I like you.]

Two messages in quick succession. Seeing those three words again, Fu Chaoying felt something in her heart sink even deeper.

The break ended, and the meeting resumed.

By five in the afternoon, as Fu Chaoying’s meeting was winding down, she noticed Dong Muyu answering a phone call before shooting her a meaningful glance.

Ye Jiayuan had arrived, and Dong Muyu needed to step out to greet her.

Fu Chaoying gave her a slight nod and continued with the meeting. Yet her gaze kept drifting uncontrollably toward the door.

Within minutes, a familiar figure appeared in the corner of the conference room.

Dong Muyu cast a curious glance before clearing her throat. “President Ye is here for an inspection. Let’s welcome her.”

Fu Chaoying locked eyes with Ye Jiayuan across the standing crowd, her heart skipping a beat.

Ye Jiayuan was ushered to her seat by Dong Muyu.

As Fu Chaoying wrapped up her summary presentation, she noticed the movement and felt her voice waver slightly when she caught sight of Ye Jiayuan sitting down.

Ye Jiayuan’s gaze was fixed on her. Fu Chaoying stole a glance from the corner of her eye and swallowed quietly.

This was the first time she’d shown her professional side to Ye Jiayuan. Nervousness fluttered through her, but she regained composure within seconds.

After concluding, Fu Chaoying gave a slight nod to the audience. Amid thunderous applause, she noticed Ye Jiayuan clapping at the far end of the table.

Fu Chaoying glanced discreetly at her, catching what seemed like a hint of amusement in her eyes.

When the meeting ended, Fu Chaoying left with her team.

Ye Jiayuan exchanged a few quick words with Dong Muyu before heading to the parking lot, only to see Fu Chaoying’s company car driving away.

Frowning slightly, Ye Jiayuan sent a message: [You didn’t wait for me.]

The moment she hit send, she felt a light tap on her shoulder. Turning abruptly, she met Fu Chaoying’s calm eyes.

“Let’s go,” Fu Chaoying said softly, only to have her wrist suddenly caught.

Fu Chaoying lowered her eyes and made a token attempt to pull away before Ye Jiayuan released her grip.

“I thought you’d left,” Ye Jiayuan said, staring intently into her eyes.

Fu Chaoying blinked. “We agreed this morning,” she replied evenly.

Before she could finish, Ye Jiayuan gently patted her head. Fu Chaoying looked up sharply, meeting her smiling eyes.

“Little darling,” Ye Jiayuan murmured.

Avoiding her gaze, Fu Chaoying walked ahead to the car. “Let’s go.”

Once inside, the scent of roses made Fu Chaoying turn—there was indeed a bouquet on the back seat. The same arrangement she’d picked out for Ye Jiayuan at noon.

“This is my first time receiving flowers,” Ye Jiayuan said, her eyes curving slightly. “Thank you, little darling.”

Fu Chaoying turned to her in surprise. “Impossible. Weren’t there many admirers before?”

Ye Jiayuan shook her head. “I threw them all away.”

…So it wasn’t her first time receiving flowers, but the first time she’d accepted them. Fu Chaoying’s lips quirked upward in silent understanding.

As Ye Jiayuan drove out of the parking garage, light rain began to fall.

Only then did Fu Chaoying remember to ask, “Where are we going?”

“Nanda University. Your sister chose the place.”

Fu Chaoying made a small sound of acknowledgment and checked her phone, finding the earlier message from Fu Chaohua: [Booked a restaurant. Your sister went through great pains for your love story!]

Fu Chaoying replied: [Is Senior Dong coming too?]

Fu Chaohua: [Mhm.]

Fu Chaoying exhaled quietly in relief.

Arriving at the restaurant parking lot, Fu Chaoying got out of the car, only to see Ye Jiayuan open the rear door and pick up the bouquet of flowers.

“What are you doing with that?” Fu Chaoying asked softly.

“Showing it off,” Ye Jiayuan replied, a faint smile flickering in her eyes.

Fu Chaoying averted her gaze, though her peripheral vision caught the sight of the blooming roses in Ye Jiayuan’s arms—her heartbeat quickened uncontrollably.

As they walked side by side toward the restaurant, Fu Chaoying suddenly received a call from her aunt.

Pausing at the entrance, Ye Jiayuan stood nearby, waiting for her.

“Auntie?” Fu Chaoying answered softly, only to hear her say, “Mu Yu is coming over tomorrow evening. Do you have time to come home?”

Fu Chaoying obediently agreed, “I have time.”

“Good, then come over after work, alright?”

“Mm.” Just as Fu Chaoying was about to hang up, her aunt added, “Do you know Jiayuan’s back in Nanyan?”

Fu Chaoying’s brow twitched slightly before she replied, “I know. What’s wrong, Auntie?”

“Aunt Chu said she argued with her yesterday, and this morning, her suitcase was gone. Did she go to your place?”

Fu Chaoying glanced at Ye Jiayuan before answering quietly, “Jiayuan-jie came by this morning for something, but I didn’t see any suitcase.”

A trace of amusement flashed in Ye Jiayuan’s eyes.

A vaguely familiar woman’s voice murmured on the other end of the line. Fu Chaoying blinked, then heard—

“Xiao Ying.” It was Chu Yiyun’s voice.

“Aunt Chu, hello. You’re there too,” Fu Chaoying greeted politely before hearing her say, “If you see her, try to persuade her for me.”

Fu Chaoying’s heart stirred slightly, and she answered softly, “But Jiayuan-jie might not listen to me.”

“It’s fine. I’ve already talked to Xiao Hua too—just both of you try to convince her.”

“Alright. Goodbye, Aunt Chu.”

After hanging up, Fu Chaoying instinctively looked up at Ye Jiayuan, meeting her gentle gaze.

“I’ll listen to you,” Ye Jiayuan said, the corners of her lips lifting. Then, with a hint of grievance, she added, “I’m homeless now. Will Xiao Guai take me in for a few nights?”

Fu Chaoying pressed her lips together. “You’re not homeless—you’re deliberately avoiding home.”

Ye Jiayuan paused briefly before replying lightly, “You saw right through me.”

Fu Chaoying: ?

Her gaze grew increasingly complicated as she looked at Ye Jiayuan. “Aunt Chu asked me to persuade you. Jiayuan-jie, why don’t you go back home?”

Ye Jiayuan sighed helplessly. “Then I’ll stay at a hotel.”

Fu Chaoying bit her lip before reaching out to tug lightly at her sleeve.

Ye Jiayuan lowered her eyes to the slender fingers gripping her left sleeve, a faint smile crossing her expression.

“Let’s eat first,” Fu Chaoying murmured.

The implication was that there was room for negotiation. Holding the roses, Ye Jiayuan followed her with an unruffled, leisurely air.

Once inside the private dining room, Fu Chaohua and Dong Muyu were already seated. Spotting Ye Jiayuan behind Fu Chaoying, they immediately teased, “Oh? Who gave Jiayuan-jie those flowers?”

Ye Jiayuan glanced subtly at Fu Chaoying before clearing her throat and answering solemnly, “My girlfriend did.”

Amusement flickered in Fu Chaoying’s eyes as Fu Chaohua joked, “Ugh, stop feeding us dog food—we won’t have any appetite left for dinner.”

Ye Jiayuan remained indifferent. “Order whatever you want.”

Dong Muyu chuckled. “Alright, alright. Since President Ye is so generous, we won’t hold back.”

Fu Chaoying took a seat beside her cousin, and Ye Jiayuan promptly settled in next to her, carefully propping the rose against the back of an adjacent chair.

Once she had arranged it and turned back, Fu Chaoying subtly averted her gaze and began perusing the menu with her cousin.

Fu Chaohua pointed at the menu, “This peppercorn fish fillet looks pretty good.”

Fu Chaoying murmured, “Looks like it has a lot of bones.”

Fu Chaohua: “Then how about steamed sea bass?”

Fu Chaoying replied softly, “Too bland.”

Listening to her, Ye Jiayuan’s eyes curved slightly in amusement—until she noticed Dong Muyu watching her and immediately lifted her gaze.

“Director Ye, what’s got you so happy? Care to share with the rest of us?”

Ye Jiayuan responded with effortless calm, “Your company’s KPIs are coming along nicely.”

Dong Muyu, who had just been reminded earlier that day about lagging progress on one of their project lines, instantly fell silent.

Fu Chaohua, absorbed in ordering, tilted her head toward her sister. “Are you just not in the mood for fish today or what?”

Fu Chaoying’s eyes flickered uncertainly. “Not at all. Let’s just… look at other fish options.”

Ye Jiayuan interjected evenly, “It’s fine. Order whatever you like—I can always eat other dishes.”

Only then did Fu Chaohua remember. “Oh right, Jiayuan-jie is allergic to fish.”

As she spoke, she glanced meaningfully at Fu Chaoying, her eyes brimming with unspoken curiosity, though she refrained from calling her out.

Fu Chaoying pressed her lips together. “This shredded beef dish looks good.”

“Fine, fine, we’ll get it.”

Once the order was placed, Ye Jiayuan’s visibly improved mood led her to request a dozen beers.

Naturally, Dong Muyu had to keep her company—after all, she was the client.

Fu Chaoying and Fu Chaohua exchanged a look. “We drank a lot yesterday, and it’s not safe to drive after drinking.”

“Have juice, then.” Ye Jiayuan opened a bottle of orange juice and poured some for her.

Seizing the moment, Dong Muyu took the bottle and filled a glass for Fu Chaohua as well.

After the four clinked glasses, Ye Jiayuan and Dong Muyu continued toasting with alcohol.

Fu Chaohua whispered to Fu Chaoying, “Jiayuan-jie seems like a completely different person.”

Fu Chaoying shook her head and took a small sip of juice. She had no idea where Ye Jiayuan had picked up these habits.

Hearing Ye Jiayuan speak, Fu Chaoying instinctively turned toward her, catching snippets of her work-related conversation with Dong Muyu.

Most of the time, Ye Jiayuan simply listened to Dong Muyu’s updates, speaking rarely. But when she did, her words were sharp and incisive—always hitting the mark.

Fu Chaoying found herself drawn to her presence, only for Ye Jiayuan to suddenly meet her gaze. “Xiao Ying did an excellent job today.”

“Players and clients can always tell when someone’s put in the effort.”

For a few seconds, Fu Chaoying was lost in the intensity of her focused, appreciative stare before forcing herself to look away.

Dong Muyu chuckled lightly. “Our team has nothing but respect for Teacher Fu.”

Fu Chaoying raised her juice to clink with Dong Muyu’s glass, then turned to Ye Jiayuan and tapped hers against it. “Director Ye is the real expert here.”

Ye Jiayuan held her gaze—then, unexpectedly, smiled.

At the sound of her laughter, Fu Chaoying calmly lifted her glass and took another sip of juice.

Ye Jiayuan had genuinely been listening to her presentation, just as attentively as she had during Fu Chaoying’s first speech at the shareholders’ meeting.

As she set her juice down, Fu Chaoying heard her cousin murmur beside her, “Do you think Jiayuan-jie was hinting at something?”

Fu Chaoying blinked, immediately catching her meaning.

Ye Jiayuan and Dong Muyu continued drinking, and before anyone realized it, six bottles had already been emptied.

Dong Muyu was becoming more talkative, while Ye Jiayuan remained expressionless, her emotions unreadable—showing no signs of intoxication except for the faint pink tint on her cheeks.

Fu Chaoying and Fu Chaohua had moved on to discussing the subtle power play between Dong Muyu and Fu Anjun.

“My mom deliberately wanted to test her cooking skills, but she’s never lifted a finger in the kitchen her whole life. I’m afraid she might burn the place down.”

Fu Chaoying chuckled helplessly. “You’re underestimating Senior Dong. She can just follow a recipe—it’ll be fine.”

Fu Chaohua shook her head, at a loss. “Even if I wanted to help, I couldn’t.”

She wasn’t skilled in cooking either—the closest she came was mixing drinks.

Noticing a gaze from beside her, Fu Chaoying turned and heard Ye Jiayuan say, “I can cook.”

Fu Chaoying was surprised for a moment before recalling something. “Your kitchen at home looks like it’s never been used.”

“I follow recipes.”

So she had heard everything. Amusement flickered in Fu Chaoying’s eyes. “Then when will you treat us to your cooking, Jiayuan-jie?”

Fu Chaohua chimed in, “If Aunt Chu finds out, she’ll brag about it for three days straight!”

Chu Yiyun had always been like that—constantly bickering with her daughter, yet brimming with pride when speaking of her to others.

Ye Jiayuan gave a slight nod, tilting her head toward Fu Chaoying.

Fu Chaoying seemed to understand her meaning. “If you take me in, I’ll cook for you.”

Fu Chaoying pouted. “There’s plenty of time for that.”

Ye Jiayuan smiled faintly. “A lifetime’s worth.”

The words sent an inexplicable tremor through Fu Chaoying’s heart, much like the effect of her earlier question, “Are you going to abandon me?”

Her nose tingled slightly, and she turned back to Fu Chaohua, steering the conversation elsewhere.

“Actually, I think my mom quite likes her. After all, Grandma Bai and Grandma were close friends, and Mom gets along well with Grandma Bai too.”

Fu Chaoying nodded lightly. “What if Aunt doesn’t like her?”

Fu Chaohua laughed. “Then she’ll just worry about me never getting married. It’s not like I’d settle for anyone else anyway.”

Dong Muyu leaned over, resting her head in the crook of Fu Chaohua’s arm. “Jiejie only likes me, right?”

The words felt familiar. Fu Chaoying’s gaze inadvertently met Ye Jiayuan’s. Not long ago, when the situation with Qin Zhaodi first surfaced, Fu Chaoying had asked her the same thing: “Do you like me? Only me?”

Ye Jiayuan had said yes.

A ripple of emotion stirred in Fu Chaoying’s chest. Softly, she murmured, “Don’t drink too much.”

Ye Jiayuan nodded slightly. “I won’t.”

Fu Chaoying believed her, only to see her continue clinking glasses with Dong Muyu.

Before long, Fu Chaoying caught sight of Ye Jiayuan, her eyes hazy with drunkenness. Weren’t you the one who promised not to drink too much?

Dong Muyu chuckled, holding the wine bottle. “President Ye’s alcohol tolerance isn’t great, huh?”

Fu Chaoying subtly leaned closer to her. “Drunk?”

She lightly patted Ye Jiayuan’s cheek, only for her wrist to be caught. “Little darling.”

Fu Chaohua, witnessing this, immediately cleared his throat twice and pulled Dong Muyu up. “We still have some matters to attend to, so we’ll take our leave first.”

Fu Chaoying turned to look at them, only to see them practically fleeing the private room in a hurry.

Now, the space held only her and Ye Jiayuan.

Ye Jiayuan’s face rested against her hand, a stark contrast to her usual composed and aloof demeanor.

A flicker of amusement crossed Fu Chaoying’s eyes as she gently stroked Ye Jiayuan’s cheek, coaxing softly, “Be good, call me ‘sister.’”

“Sister.”

Ye Jiayuan’s cool yet magnetic voice reached Fu Chaoying’s ears, inexplicably making her cheeks flush.

Fu Chaoying took a deep breath. “Ye Jiayuan.”

“Sister.” Ye Jiayuan nuzzled lightly against her palm.

Fu Chaoying: ?

Suddenly feeling as though the world had turned upside down, she tentatively asked, “Then, do you want to call me ‘mommy’?”

Ye Jiayuan seemed momentarily stunned before asking in confusion, “Why would I call you ‘mommy’?”

Well, it was just a bit of fun.

Fu Chaoying inexplicably felt embarrassed, retracting her hand as if shocked. “I’ll go settle the bill.”

Before she could finish speaking, the moment she stood up, Ye Jiayuan grabbed her wrist and pressed her face against her.

Her abdomen was too soft—Fu Chaoying shivered slightly at the contact, hearing her murmur, “Little darling, take me home…”

Fu Chaoying froze for a second before lowering her gaze to meet Ye Jiayuan’s dazed, unfocused eyes. “Would my little darling really abandon me…?”