Tomorrow Will Still Love You - Chapter 3
Pei Ning was choosing shirts and suits for Ye Xicheng, lost in thought,
when the sound of the door opening startled her. She turned sharply,
and for a moment both she and the man who entered froze in surprise.
It was the most unguarded she had ever seen him.
His shirt was half-untucked, the fabric creased, three buttons undone, revealing a stretch of his chest and collarbone.
Pei Ning’s gaze flickered away. She forced composure into her voice.
President Ye.
Her eyes gestured to the freshly delivered suits. They just arrived from the cleaners.
He gave a quiet hum of acknowledgment and, almost imperceptibly, rebuttoned his shirt.
He understood immediately. The secretary must have delegated this task to her.
Otherwise, Pei Ning would never have taken the liberty.
She continued as if nothing had happened, hanging the suits neatly, matching ties to fabric tones.
On the bed, another set lay half-arranged. As she turned to reach for it, he walked over, picked it up, and handed it to her.
For one strange, fleeting moment, it felt like a scene from a home a husband helping his wife pack away his clothes.
He turned toward the cabinet, retrieving a fresh shirt and the clothes he’d need for a shower.
His voice was calm. Order two dinners.
All right, she said. Then hesitated, glancing at his back. What would you like to eat?
He paused mid-step. She caught her own mistake too late — no title, no formality.
Not what a proper assistant would say.
He turned his head slightly. Forget it, he said instead. We’ll eat out.
She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came. She only nodded.
When he disappeared into the bathroom, she picked up her bag and walked out to the outer office.
On the couch, she sat for a while, forcing her heartbeat to steady.
This is just a job, she reminded herself. A well-paid one.
Ye Xicheng is my superior, not my past.
Do what’s required. Nothing more.
Say what’s necessary. Nothing else.
She stood, poured a glass of warm water, and left it on his desk.
A knock came at the door, followed by a man’s voice calling for President Ye.
She answered instinctively, assuming it was Assistant Wan for the handover.
Before she could reach the door, the sound of the keycard beeped the man let himself in.
He smiled when he saw her. Pei Ning, right? He introduced himself politely.
Assistant Wan, she greeted him, smiling in return. I’ve heard a lot about you.
He looked to be in his late thirties, well-dressed, composed, the kind of man whose presence put others at ease.
He was carrying a stack of documents. Pei Ning told him Ye Xicheng was in the rest room but would be out soon.
Wan nodded and gestured for her to sit. He handed her the files.
These are our upcoming investment projects. You can start familiarizing yourself with them.
All right, she said, opening the folder and froze.
The EFG Energy acquisition.
So Ye Xicheng was involved.
EFG was a German company, a global leader in proton-exchange membrane fuel cell technology.
They had research bases in Asia, Europe, and the Americas cutting-edge, ambitious, high-stakes.
She had handled numerous mergers and IPOs during her years in investment banking, and Huaning’s core businesses
lithium, infrastructure, finance, and ports were all familiar ground.
But fuel cells? That was new.
By the time she was halfway through the file, Ye Xicheng still hadn’t come out.
Wan glanced at the rest room door, half amused. For just a shower, he thought, it was taking a while.
He turned back to her. This project won’t be too hard for you, will it?
She shook her head slightly. The technical parts, I’ll need to study more. It’s my first time in this field.
Wan smiled. I’m no expert either, just know the basics. But the future of new energy is here fuel cells.
President Ye wants to get ahead of the curve. The rest of the board disagrees.
They were still talking when Ye Xicheng finally appeared.
Both of them instinctively rose. He gestured lightly for them to sit.
Pei Ning kept her eyes lowered, pretending to read.
He walked past, fastening his cufflinks. He hadn’t expected Wan to be there.
Wan’s mind went blank.
in all the years he’d known Ye Xicheng, he’d never once seen him wear black.
The man lived in white and navy. But tonight black shirt, sharp tailoring, hair still damp and neatly styled.
Ah, thought Wan silently. So that’s why he told me not to bother with the handover tonight.
He shouldn’t have come. He was intruding.
Still, the project needed immediate approval.
Ye Xicheng sat opposite them, expression calm. Not gone home yet?
Wan explained that he had been on his way but turned back the overseas team needed an urgent decision.
He handed over the document.
Ye Xicheng flipped through it, read the summary, and signed without hesitation.
Good work, he said quietly.
Wan nodded, saying he’d coordinate with the team right away.
Pei Ning closed her file. Assistant Wan, this one
No rush, he said with a smile. Read through it first. We’ll discuss it at the morning meeting.
Ye Xicheng set down his pen and looked at Wan. Join us for dinner.
Pei Ning hoped he would it would make things less awkward.
Wan nearly choked. Eat? With them? Not a chance.
He forced a laugh. My son’s waiting I promised to be home before bedtime. Perfect excuse.
Ye Xicheng nodded slightly. Go ahead.
They left the office together. Silence filled the elevator.
He entered first, holding the door until she stepped in.
She noticed he pressed the button for the basement the car park.
Hands in his pockets, his gaze stayed fixed ahead.
She stood behind him, just far enough away, watching the elevator lights flick down.
From where she stood, she could only see the clean line of his jaw, the smooth skin where he’d just shaved.
When the doors opened, he held them again, waiting for her to go first.
The driver was already waiting near the elevator.
Ye Xicheng never liked people opening doors for him — not even his driver.
So she didn’t move to help, walking to the other side instead.
As she reached for the handle, the passenger-side window lowered. A man in a black suit nodded politely.
Good evening, Miss Pei.
She blinked. The bodyguard. She gave a polite smile, then slipped into the back seat.
Ye Xicheng was already inside, leaning against the window, gaze turned outward.
The car pulled away, the silence between them heavy.
Ten minutes passed without a word.
Pei Ning’s thoughts drifted to the magazines she’d seen earlier in his office articles about community-supported agriculture.
She turned slightly toward him. President Ye.
He looked back, eyes cool.
Are you interested in community-supported agriculture? she asked.
A pause. Then, his low voice. Something like that.
His tone made it clear he didn’t want to continue. She nodded, understanding, and let it drop.
The quiet stretched again. She took out the EFG file and kept reading.
By the end, her fingers froze on the last page.
The project had three participating groups one of them the Xiang Corporation.
Lead representative: Xiang Yilin.
Her hand tightened slightly, flipping the page too quickly.
Outside, rain began to fall soft, persistent.
She closed the folder, sliding it back into her bag.
The first time she ever came to Beijing, it had rained too. She’d been barely seven.
Chairman Ye had driven hours out of his way to bring her up from the countryside.
Her first trip to the city.
Her first taste of adventure, of something larger than the small town she knew.
And the first time she met Ye Xicheng.
The car stopped in front of a familiar restaurant.
She looked up, startled. He had brought her here before many times.
The rain was light; no umbrella needed. She got out first.
He was already walking inside.
They went upstairs. The waiter handed her the menu, but she didn’t even look, passing it to him.
She was careful, deliberate. She was his assistant.
He didn’t take it. Instead, he turned to the waiter and ordered directly.
She poured him tea.
When he said sweet and sour pork, her hand trembled, just slightly, before continuing.
That dish. The same one she used to love.
She busied herself folding the napkin, avoiding the silence.
Across the table, he sipped his tea, watching her in silence.
Once, she had never stopped talking.
She used to fill every meal with laughter and stories about professors and classmates, about the little dramas of campus life.
Back then, while waiting for food, she would sometimes stand on tiptoe and steal a kiss across the table.
Now, there was only quiet.
The dishes arrived. He passed her a bowl. She didn’t touch the rice just the soup, the vegetables. She always avoided carbs.
She looked up, catching sight of the sweet and sour pork again.
Same taste. Same memory.
She almost asked if his family still used the same chef. But just as she turned, he looked up too, and the words dissolved on her tongue.
He noticed her hesitation. What is it?
She smiled faintly. It tastes good.
A low hum of acknowledgment. Then, after a pause, he asked where she lived.
She told him the name of her community. He nodded.
They said nothing else.
When they finished, she stood to pay the bill.
Two dishes, two vegetables, and a soup just over a hundred yuan with the discount. She asked the cashier for an invoice.
Behind her, he paused mid-call, eyes lifting toward her.
He heard her clearly the word invoice and for some reason, it made him stop speaking.
Hello? Hello? Jiang Yunzhao’s voice crackled through the phone.
Ye Xicheng blinked once, then lowered the phone. Say it.
Say what? Jiang Yunzhao laughed. You’re the one who called me.
I’ll call you later, said Ye Xicheng, already walking downstairs.
Where are you?
Restaurant.
With Pei Ning?
Silence. Which said enough.
Then give her the phone, said Jiang, half-grinning. I’ve got something to ask her.
She’s paying the bill, Ye Xicheng replied flatly.
You took her to dinner and let her pay? Jiang burst out laughing.
He could picture it already Pei Ning, calm, professional, asking for the receipt to file for reimbursement.
If I were you, he teased, I’d fake a stomachache right about now. At least she might show some sympathy.
Then again… maybe not. With Pei Ning, she’d probably make you get a doctor’s note — for expense approval.
Ye Xicheng said nothing.
By the time Pei Ning came downstairs, the rain had deepened. The air smelled of wet soil.
He stood beneath the awning, cigarette between his fingers, the glow dim against the rainlight.
She didn’t approach, waiting a few steps away until he finished.
When he finally turned, their eyes met.
He crushed the cigarette underfoot and said quietly, Let’s go.