Tomorrow Will Still Love You - CHAPTER 9:

Jiang Yunzhao and Pei Ning had already left. Ye Xicheng watched them go,

then turned away and called his assistant.

“Wait for me,” he said simply.

Assistant Wan had just gotten into the car and told the driver,

“Hold on, President Ye’s still behind us.”

He frowned slightly. Wasn’t Ye supposed to be with Pei Ning and Jiang Yunzhao?

A moment later, Ye Xicheng climbed in.

“Where to, sir?” Wan asked.

“The office.”

The driver changed direction.

Wan could only guess Ye Xicheng had probably been left behind by Pei Ning and Jiang Yunzhao.

The silence that followed was awkward until Ye finally broke it.

“The project coordination meeting’s on Monday?”

Wan nodded. “Yes, Yao Xi will represent Xihe Company.

We’re still not sure who’ll come from Xiang Group.”

Xiang Yilin hadn’t attended the last few meetings.

It was unlikely he’d show up Monday either.

Not that Ye cared. He never went to those meetings himself.

He glanced at his phone. For some reason, he’d expected Jiang Yunzhao to send an explanation,

maybe even a half-hearted excuse. But the screen stayed dark and silent

like a signal lost in the middle of nowhere.

By five in the afternoon, Pei Ning and Jiang Yunzhao had wrapped up their discussion.

She was gathering materials for the project when he stretched lazily.

“Take a break,” he said. “No need to rush.”

“I’m fine,” she replied, fingers moving swiftly over the keyboard. “I’m used to it.”

She couldn’t rest until the work was done. Six years working under

Qi Jinzhou had left her with what she half-jokingly called

“Qi-induced perfectionism.”

Jiang grinned. “That guy must’ve worked you to the bone.

I’ll get revenge for you someday. But really, don’t you ever worry about burning out?”

Pei Ning smiled faintly. “When a project’s done, I climb mountains. Helps me clear my head.”

They chatted idly, until somehow the topic circled back to Ye Xicheng.

Jiang rested his chin on his hand, eyes gleaming. “I’ve known Ye for almost twenty years.

The longer I know him, the less I understand him. Here, look at this.”

Pei Ning paused mid-typing. “What is it?”

He handed her his phone.

It was a week-old chat between him and Ye.

Jiang: I canceled an important date for you. Saturday, pretend you’re just back from a trip.

I’ll pick Pei Ning up from the South Station I’ll grab you, too.

We’ll all go out that night 🙂

Ye: Don’t be ridiculous.

Jiang: Ha.

Pei Ning handed the phone back. Jiang sighed. “You see?

He just happens to show up at the station today? Come on. Coincidence?

I think not. I planned to pick him up myself, but he went all the way to

Shanghai just to ride back with you. You know how he is.

He can’t fake things, not even for a ‘chance encounter.’”

Her fingers hesitated over the keyboard enough to make her type the wrong number.

Jiang continued, voice teasing but thoughtful. “You know him better than anyone.

No one can summon Ye Xicheng at will unless it’s you.”

“Keep talking and I’ll make a mistake,” Pei Ning warned lightly.

“Then you’ll be the one paying for it.”

Jiang chuckled. “I trust your professionalism.” He took out his phone,

dialed, and put it on speaker.

A smooth, magnetic voice came through. “What is it?”

Pei Ning froze. Jiang had just called Ye Xicheng.

“I just finished talking business with Pei Ning,” Jiang said casually.

“She’s still here, helping me organize some data. I stepped out for a smoke

thought I’d give you a call. Want to join us?

I’ll tell her you’re coming to give me some project advice. Then we’ll grab dinner.”

Normally, Ye would’ve refused instantly. But this time

“Alright. I’ll come by.”

Jiang ended the call, smirking. “See? Still the same Ye Xicheng the one who comes when you call.

Anyway, that’s it for me. I’m done meddling in your business.”

“Thank you,” Pei Ning said sincerely. She didn’t argue further, only added,

“But I’ve got plans tonight. I won’t join you for dinner.”

“No problem,” Jiang said cheerfully. “I’ll eat with Ye.”

With that, she could only smile faintly and return to work.

By five-thirty, Ye arrived.

“President Ye,” she greeted.

He gave a curt nod and sat opposite her. Jiang handed over some papers.

“Look at this too risky to move forward?”

They talked shop for a bit. When Pei Ning finally looked at the clock, it was already six.

She packed up. “I’ll head out now.”

Jiang wasn’t ready to let her go so easily. “Dinner with a friend, right?

Why not join us? The more the merrier.”

“I really can’t tonight,” she said with a polite smile. “Next time, my treat.”

Jiang tilted his head. “You just moved to Beijing. Old friend?”

After a pause, Pei Ning answered honestly. “Blind date.”

Jiang blinked. “You’re kidding.”

She opened her WeChat and showed him the chat. “Why would I?”

He stared. Damn. She was serious.

“How’d you even meet him? A dating app? Don’t trust those, seriously.”

“A friend introduced us,” she said simply.

“Still. Be careful,” Jiang muttered. “You never know people these days.”

“It’s fine. The restaurant’s right outside my neighborhood. I’ll walk.”

At that, he gave up. Deep down, he understood.

Pei Ning wasn’t planning to get back with Ye Xicheng not after everything.

She’d always felt she wasn’t good enough for him, and after what his father did,

she’d locked those feelings away for good.

Taking the assistant job at his company wasn’t a reconciliation it was closure.

Her way of drawing a clean line: bridge to bridge, road to road, no looking back.

And now, at her age, marriage was something practical, not romantic.

Wealthy men would look down on her background.

Poorer men, she couldn’t see herself with.

So a mutual connection that was safest.

Jiang raised his cup with a faint smile. “Then I wish you luck.”

“Thank you.” She finished her coffee, stood, and said to Ye, “President Ye, I’ll be going.”

He murmured an indifferent “Mm,” eyes unreadable.

She’d just reached the door when his voice stopped her. “Assistant Pei.”

She turned. “Yes?”

“I’ll send the materials you need tonight,” he said flatly.

She nodded. “Alright.”

When she left, Jiang closed his laptop. “She’s still overthinking. Take it slow.

My bet? The blind date’ll go nowhere. But even if it does,

you’ll find a way to ruin it. Keep her too busy traveling for work,

she’ll have no time to date anyone.”

Pei Ning arrived at the restaurant early, flipping through a magazine as she waited.

A familiar voice said, “Senior.”

She didn’t look up.

“Senior!”

The voice was closer now warm, amused.

She lifted her head, stunned. Then, slowly, she smiled.

Yao Yuan grinned back. “You don’t look surprised at all.

I was hoping for at least a little excitement.”

“I was this close to tears of joy,” she said dryly, still processing the coincidence.

They’d met abroad during grad school. They’d stayed in touch for a while

until both got into relationships and drifted apart. She thought he was still overseas.

“When did you block me on WeChat, anyway?” she teased.

“I didn’t block you,” he said, laughing. “That’s a new account. Makes things more fun.”

“So you already knew it was me?”

He nodded. He’d known for a while she was his friend’s best friend, after all.

When he heard she’d moved back to Beijing, he couldn’t resist setting up this little surprise.

“Didn’t expect you to come back,” he said. “Beijing’s a small world especially in business.

You’re bound to run into people you’d rather not see… like Xiang Yilin.”

“Let’s not talk about him.”

He raised his brows. “Fair enough. I heard you’re working at Huaining?”

“Just a small assistant job.”

He chuckled. “Which kind? Career, personal, emotional?

Those are the standard categories for a blind date, right?”

“Don’t start.” She rolled her eyes. “You haven’t changed at all.”

Yao Yuan propped his chin on his hand, smiling lazily.

“Didn’t expect you to be the one blind dating. I almost called you when I heard you were in Beijing.

But this seemed way more interesting.”

“Nothing wrong with blind dates,” she said lightly. “I’m just an ordinary person.”

“You? Ordinary?” He laughed. “Come on.

You could start a stampede if you walked through a university campus.”

“They’d stop running if they knew my background,” she said softly.

Then, to change the subject: “Let’s talk about something happier.”

He grinned. “That, I can do. Still hiking?”

“Always. Life goes on, mountains stay.”

He smiled, remembering. They’d met on a mountain trail.

She once told him her parents’ souls lived in the mountains

that climbing brought her closer to them.

Her parents, brilliant scientists, had died in an avalanche when she was two.

She remembered none of it, only stories.

He’d never known what to say to that.

So instead, he said, “I came back to Beijing two years ago.

Almost got married. Didn’t work out. Long story. I don’t hike as much now work’s been insane.

But next time you go, call me.”

She smiled. “Deal.”

They ordered food. He swapped a few dishes around. “These are good for your skin.”

She laughed quietly. “You must’ve learned that from your ex.”

He only shrugged.

As they ate, he said, “I’ve heard your boss pays well for talent.

Guess he knew what he was doing hiring you.”

She smiled. “You know Ye Xicheng?”

“Not personally. My cousin worked with him once. Said he’s impossible to read.

Talk business with him no small talk, no favors. Cold as ice, but sharp as hell.

You can’t tell what he’s thinking.”

“Sounds about right,” she said softly.

After dinner, they said goodbye outside. He offered to walk her home,

but she pointed across the street. “I live right there.”

At home, she showered, made a cup of coffee, and waited for Ye’s promised email.

Ten o’clock. Nothing.

Ten-fifteen. Still nothing.

She sighed, tapping her phone against her palm, then finally sent a message:

President Ye, I didn’t get the email. Could you resend it?

Of course she knew. He hadn’t sent it at all.

Ye had just stepped out of the shower when his phone buzzed.

He hesitated, towel draped over his shoulder. Then he typed back:

Had your blind date? Home yet?

He’d even added a tiny pause a comma that somehow made the

message sound more like a question than a text.

Pei Ning stared at it for a long time, the glow of her phone soft against the quiet of her apartment.