Yearning For Warmth, Day and Night - Chapter 12
Chapter 12: Missing
Eleven saw Wei Hui again two hours later, outside Su Ziyan’s office. When she heard the door open and looked up, she saw Wei Hui walking in. Unlike her pale and fragile appearance in the morning, she now looked the same as usual—dressed in a red long dress that hugged her elegant figure, long hair cascading over her shoulders. Though she wasn’t smiling, her facial features appeared sharp, especially her brow bone, exuding a faint chill.
“Come out,” Wei Hui said calmly.
Eleven followed her nervously out of the office.
Outside, Su Ziyan and Pei Tian were also present. Both men looked at her with unreadable expressions. Under their gazes, Eleven twisted the hem of her pants with both hands, her head lowered, looking fearful and uneasy.
Wei Hui didn’t say much more. After calling her out, she got into the car. Eleven, startled by the move, bit her lip and climbed into the backseat as well.
She glanced at Wei Hui from the corner of her eye. Wei Hui sat with her arms crossed, head turned to look out the window, her expression indifferent and cold, as though she had nothing to say.
Eleven, on the other hand, had plenty she wanted to say—but so much, she didn’t know where to begin.
Pei Tian was driving. As it neared evening, Eleven thought Wei Hui would head straight home. But unexpectedly, she spoke flatly: “To the company.”
Pei Tian turned the car around and drove toward the company.
The hospital and the company were not far apart, about a ten-minute drive. Eleven had seen Wei Hui enter this company building once before, so she recognized it. When Wei Hui got out of the car, Eleven softly said, “Third Miss, I…”
“Get out,” Wei Hui interrupted. “Follow me.”
Eleven pressed her lips together and got out, trailing behind Wei Hui. As they reached the entrance, a security guard opened the door. Looking inside, it was just as she imagined—simple but grand decor, brightly lit, even the marble floors reflected people’s silhouettes.
There were many people in the company, all moving briskly. When they saw Wei Hui, they lowered their heads and greeted her.
“Hello, Director Wei.”
“Director Wei.”
Wei Hui walked straight ahead. Pei Tian went ahead and pressed the elevator button. Eleven stayed hidden behind Wei Hui, the feeling of being out of place crawling over her like leeches, slowly biting her, so much so that she couldn’t even stand up straight.
When the elevator arrived, Wei Hui stepped out in her high heels. Soon, someone approached and said, “Director Wei, Vice President Luo is waiting for you in the office.”
Wei Hui nodded slightly and told Pei Tian, “Take her to the lounge.”
Pei Tian replied, “Follow me.”
Eleven glanced at Wei Hui’s tense profile, then at Pei Tian’s serious face. She clenched her teeth and followed him. Wei Hui looked at her slender back, and a voice echoed in her ears—
“Third Miss, Eleven knows about your illness.”
“I don’t think she can be kept.”
“Director Wei?” the secretary called, interrupting her thoughts. Wei Hui turned and walked into the office.
Eleven was settled in the lounge. Pei Tian simply told her not to wander and then left. The lounge had everything—snacks, tea, multiple sofas, even folded blankets, clearly meant for resting. Eleven picked the innermost sofa and sat down, head bowed, fiddling with her fingers. Her long hair covered her face, hiding her expression.
Time passed. Eventually, the door opened, and several people entered. Upon hearing them, Eleven instinctively shrank deeper into the sofa. She was slim and slight, and the people who entered were busy chatting, not noticing her at all.
“Why did Vice President Luo return from abroad?” a girl in a plaid shirt asked, puzzled. “Wasn’t he doing quite well overseas?”
“Well, even if things were good, that’s still a branch office. Who wouldn’t want to return to headquarters?”
“Does it matter?”
“Are you naïve or just dumb?” a woman in a blue suit said, sipping tea. “Director Wei hasn’t been in the position long. She hasn’t secured it yet. Why else would Luo return now?”
“Is he trying to seize power?” The plaid-shirt girl gasped. “No way! I think Director Wei is doing great. The company has grown like a rocket these past years. My friends are jealous I work at Wei Tian.”
“Director Wei is just too serious and cold, but otherwise, she’s the perfect woman.”
“What’s wrong with being cold? If she were warm and gentle, men would be lining up around Jiangcheng chasing her. You have no idea how shameless some of them can be. Coldness keeps them away.”
“True. I’d rather look at her cold face every day—so pleasing to the eye. Compared to that, Vice President Luo…” The speaker shivered, causing the others to burst into laughter.
After discussing work and making evening plans, the group left noisily, never realizing someone had been sitting quietly in the corner the whole time.
Eleven remained seated, thinking: was the Vice President Luo they mentioned the same Luo Zhouping Pei Tian had referred to?
She had lied in the hospital. She had actually heard everything, including the fact that Wei Hui was sick. She didn’t know why the Third Miss was hiding it, but since she wanted to keep it secret, Eleven decided to pretend she knew nothing.
She had thought Pei Tian would make things difficult for her at the hospital. After all, he didn’t look like someone easy to deal with. But to her surprise, he simply gave her a long look and told her to go to the office, not saying a word more.
As if he really believed she hadn’t heard anything.
Eleven sat on the sofa, her mind a mess. She didn’t want to overthink, but she couldn’t help it. The lounge door occasionally opened and closed. Each time someone entered, she tensed up. Only when they left did she relax slightly.
Time ticked by. The sky outside turned fully dark, a few stars hanging above, no moonlight in sight.
Fewer and fewer people came into the lounge, until finally there was complete silence outside. Eleven stood up nervously. She had been sitting so long her legs were numb. The last person to enter hadn’t fully closed the door, and through the gap, she could see the lights in the offices were off and the doors were all shut.
She started to panic.
Did the Third Miss forget about her?
In this unfamiliar environment, the thought sprouted and quickly grew out of control. With no sound coming from outside for so long, Eleven felt even more frightened. She called out softly, “Th-Third Miss?”
Her voice was barely a whisper, like a kitten’s mewl. She clenched her fists and tried retracing her steps to find the elevator. But there were too many offices and corridors, and the place was so big. She walked along the walls for a long time but couldn’t find the elevator—or the stairs. Nor could she find the lounge again.
The fear of being alone in this dark office building overwhelmed her rationality. Eleven ran aimlessly, her small frame darting about in panic.
Darkness only deepened her fear. Every sense became heightened in the unknown, and the more she tried to resist the panic, the more helpless she felt. Like a headless fly, she roamed around the entire floor, but still couldn’t find a way out.
Two corridors away, in an office, Wei Hui was seated on a sofa. Opposite her was a man with a buzz cut, broad build, and a protruding beer belly barely hidden by his suit. He leaned back and said with a grin, “Heard you acquired that stalled construction site. Congrats.”
He clearly had ulterior motives, but Wei Hui still responded politely, “Vice President Luo is too kind.”
“It’s after hours—no need for such formal titles,” Luo Zhouping chuckled. His eyes narrowed into slits, hiding a sharp glint. “You used to cling to me as a kid, calling me Uncle Luo. Don’t be so distant now.”
Wei Hui remained cold, raising her eyes to look at him. Her red lips parted slightly: “I was young and naïve.”
Luo Zhouping remembered the last time he saw her—at her father’s funeral. She wore black, a white flower on her chest, her expression calm and indifferent. Apart from the slight redness around her eyes, she showed no signs of grief.
Back then, he had been trying to win over the board, planning to take charge of Wei Tian using her young age as an excuse. But she refused and even made a bet—if she didn’t show results in three months, she’d step down herself. He hadn’t expected this young girl to succeed. But this time, he wouldn’t misjudge her again.
He smiled. “Had dinner yet? If not, Uncle Luo will treat you.”
Wei Hui looked down. “No need to trouble yourself, Vice President Luo.”
He placed his hands on his knees. “I mainly wanted to talk about the renovation of the stalled site. But since you’re not interested, I guess we’ll discuss it at the board meeting.”
There was a trace of threat in his tone. Wei Hui’s gaze turned cold. Luo Zhouping realized the girl he once underestimated had transformed into someone unreadable.
Wei Hui gave a rare faint smile. “Fine.”
That one word left Luo speechless for a while. Finally, he turned and left.
As soon as he left, Pei Tian entered.
“Third Miss, Vice President Luo has been frequently contacting construction material suppliers,” he reported.
Wei Hui furrowed her brows, fingers tapping the sofa arm. After a while, she asked, “Where’s Eleven?”
Pei Tian replied, “Still in the lounge.”
“Bring her here.”
But before she could relax, she heard Pei Tian’s urgent footsteps.
“Third Miss, Eleven is missing.”