Chapter Six: A Fleeting Encounter

Shen Yanlie pressed down on the brake steadily, unfastened his seatbelt, opened the car door, and with one long step, got out. The housekeeper didn’t ask many questions; she merely nodded slightly. She knew Shen Yanlie disliked idle chatter and even more so polite small talk, so she preferred to follow silently behind him like a shadow rather than speak unnecessarily.

Upon entering the villa, Shen Yanlie went straight upstairs. The housekeeper waited downstairs. After a while, Shen Yanlie came down again, his expression cold and severe, as if he'd found nothing.

“Where is she?” Shen Yanlie glanced around the living room, his tone calm and indifferent.

He was exactly as the housekeeper remembered: sharp, chiseled features, strikingly handsome yet severe, his gaze cold and remote. His presence forbade even the slightest negligence, yet also left no room for recklessness.

“Who—who do you mean?” the housekeeper stammered. “Do you mean the young master? Or…”

“The girl he brought back,” Shen Yanlie cut off her speculation, his eyes composed and razor-sharp.

“She…” The housekeeper faltered, her heart pounding in her chest. “She just left. I couldn’t stop her…”

She had known that three people appearing together tonight meant something unusual was bound to happen.

Shen Yanlie had always been chillingly ruthless. Birds of a feather flock together—Yu Wensi was no easier to deal with, but at least Yu Wensi could talk and laugh. Shen Yanlie was different. He would choose silence—his cold, deep eyes fixed on you, and you’d feel as if his gaze were an icy, blunt blade twisting slowly into your heart until you could bear it no longer.

Just left? Shen Yanlie’s brow furrowed slightly. Was the girl he’d almost collided with just now actually her?

He said nothing more and walked out. The housekeeper dared not add a word, merely watching him leave.

* * * * *

Running back to her own place, Mai Xijun locked the door behind her, bracing herself as if for battle as she began to draw. No matter what happened, she would not let her resolve waver. This time, she had to succeed in the competition.

But the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. Halfway through the drawing, frustration overtook her and her pen tore through the paper, turning her nearly finished design into a crumpled ball in the trash. She started again.

In her memory, since she was twelve, she had lived a rootless life, drifting with the current. She didn’t like to talk much or get close to many people. It wasn’t until her final year of high school, when she transferred schools, that she met Xue Lizan. Her life slowly found balance again. They went to university together, spent those vibrant years side by side, their friendship eventually blossoming into love.

After so many years together, she was still only human. Rejected by the one she loved most, betrayed by someone close—how could she not feel it? It was a shattering pain, like being struck by lightning, every nerve ending burning with anguish.

The lamplight fell across her pale face, her lips already cracked and dry, but she didn’t care. She would strive for perfection and create the most beautiful ring.

The night passed in a blur of frantic work. Near dawn, she looked at her creation and, at last, a rare smile lit her face.

She leaned forward and kissed the drawing, then set it aside carefully. Pulling out a cup of instant noodles, she added hot water. Today, she could finally submit her design and begin making the finished piece.

But where would she find materials that precious?