Chapter 45
During lunch break, Xiao Xu went to pick up a coffee and happened to overhear a few female colleagues chatting.
Ptah had a strict work ethic—but only during office hours. During breaks, they were just like normal people: chatting, gossiping, and enjoying some downtime.
“Is President Ye dating someone?”
“My friend is his assistant. She said he’s been posting on social media way more frequently than before… Oh, and he keeps glancing at his phone.”
“That Weibo post he made the other day—no matter how I read it, those words ‘little one’ just scream affection.”
Xiao Xu wasn’t usually the type to enjoy gossip. But Ye Yuyuan… he always gave off the impression of someone living in a completely different dimension.
The thought of President Ye actually being in a relationship felt oddly surreal—strange, yet intriguing.
She couldn’t help but perk up her ears to listen.
“My friend also said he’s been keeping some homemade desserts on his desk. They don’t look great, like something his girlfriend made.”
“…Oh my god.”
Another colleague chimed in confidently, “I think President Ye has an unrequited crush.”
She then began breaking it down logically, counting on her fingers as she analyzed:
“You haven’t seen his partner, have you? Haven’t seen them? Exactly. If it were me dating someone like President Ye, the first thing I’d do is show up at his company to declare my territory.”
“Then what about the little desserts on his desk?”
“Maybe… he made them himself.”
The room fell into silence.
The thought of Ye Yuyuan personally making desserts was just too… bizarre. Just picturing him wearing an apron, his usual cold expression as he kneaded dough, was enough to send shivers down their spines.
They all exchanged awkward smiles and quickly changed the subject.
*
That night.
Fang Huai held his phone in one hand and opened the door with the other.
His assistant stood outside, handing him a package that had just arrived. Opening it, he found a simple, understated box inside. Carefully arranged within were neatly placed homemade treats.
Fang Huai blinked.
To be honest, he was a little surprised.
These weren’t the usual desserts sold in stores. He had once asked Shi Feiran out of curiosity, and he told him about things like “chocolate,” “cakes,” and “cookies”—snacks that city folks loved. He had tried them before but never quite developed a taste for them.
Yet inside this box, each treat was something from his childhood favorites—small twisted pastries, sticky rice cakes…
On the other end of the call, silence had fallen. The moonlight stretched across the ground.
Ye Yuyuan’s breathing was quiet.
His gaze was lowered, fingers unconsciously rubbing his cufflinks. His expression remained calm, but his eyes betrayed an unmistakable trace of nervousness—like a student waiting for their test results, bracing for judgment.
After a pause, he spoke in a low voice, “If you don’t like it…” he hesitated, “just throw it away.”
There was a rustling noise on the other end.
Then, in a gentle, clear voice, Fang Huai paused before saying seriously, “I like it very much.”
Ye Yuyuan knew Fang Huai’s nature well. Though he often seemed polite and distant, he was actually a very kind person, always considerate of others’ feelings, never saying anything unkind. Even if he didn’t like something, he would still say he did.
Because of this, Ye Yuyuan had no idea what would genuinely make Fang Huai happy.
The quiet man pressed his lips together and said,
“You don’t have to force yourself.”
Fang Huai didn’t respond.
“Just throw it away,” Ye Yuyuan repeated after a pause. Then, as if conceding, he added, “Next time, tell me what you actually like—”
At that moment, a small burp came through the phone.
The young man scratched his nose, laughing a little awkwardly.
“I can’t throw it away. I already finished it.”
Then, as if to reassure him, he added, “It was really good. I really liked it.”
Ye Yuyuan: “…”
His breath hitched slightly. Almost without thinking, he asked, “You really liked it?”
“Yeah.” Fang Huai answered without hesitation.
It took Ye Yuyuan a long moment to gather himself. His ears tinged slightly red, and he coughed twice.
Even so, his voice remained as steady and indifferent as ever when he said, “As long as you like it.”
Before long, since Fang Huai had to wake up early the next day, the two said goodnight and ended the call.
Ye Yuyuan sat in silence for a moment. He paced near the glass window, then finally sat back down, taking a deep breath to steady himself.
His gaze lifted to the moonlit sky.
And for the first time, he had no choice but to admit it—His heart was completely taken.
The more he heard Fang Huai’s voice, the faster his heartbeat raced.
Instead of fading over time, this feeling only…
Grew stronger.
*
Fang Huai really liked the food.
Of course, he also really liked Ye Yuyuan.
Even though he had already eaten a lot of barbecue and was completely full afterward, he still felt like he hadn’t had enough. He clumsily took a photo of the now-empty box, opened Weibo, and for the first time, posted something beyond his usual “good morning” and “good night” messages or casual chats:
@FangHuaiV: A gift from my best friend. [Image]
[Ahhh, our baby made a friend?! Best friend?!]
[I’m so jealous, I’m eating lemons again. I just finished feeling sour from President Ye’s post, and now I come here and get hit with more QAQ. I also want to be Fang Fang’s (girl)friend.]
[Huaihuai, listen to Mama—you’re still young! Please don’t start dating too early, wuwuwu!]
Fang Huai couldn’t reply to all the comments but carefully picked a few to respond to.
However, when he saw one particular word, he paused slightly.
“Girlfriend”?
He had always assumed it simply meant a female friend, but judging by the tone of these comments, it seemed to have another layer of meaning.
*
The next day.
It was their last day working together.
Whether or not Fang Huai would sing Frost was still uncertain. Logically, the songwriter singing their own song was the best option, but even he felt that Frost needed a deeper, richer voice.
Fang Huai’s voice was undoubtedly beautiful and distinctive, but it carried a clear, youthful purity that might not fully capture the song’s weight. Because of that, today might truly be his last day working with the team.
As usual, he sat down in his usual seat—only to unexpectedly find a letter tucked under his notebook.
It was still early, and the only other person in the room was Xiao Liu. She was sitting by the window, quietly peeling fruit, but when Fang Huai picked up the letter, she stole a quick glance at him, her face flushing red.
Fang Huai had a feeling this letter was best kept private.
Holding it, he stepped out into the hallway and leaned against the wall, reading it from start to finish.
“I really like you… I know that, given your career, dating is complicated, and you probably haven’t considered it. But I… hope you might think about it…”
The more he read, the more confused he became.
His light amber eyes reflected the soft morning light. He lowered his gaze, holding the letter with an expression of uncertainty.
He understood that the feelings conveyed in the letter were sincere and needed to be taken seriously.
But at the same time…
He truly didn’t understand what these words meant.
He understood what it meant to like someone. But… dating? A girlfriend?
He knew that most people sought a partner. But he hadn’t grown up in a conventional family structure—he had never witnessed love firsthand. Having only recently stepped into the world, relationships were a completely foreign concept to him.
How should he respond appropriately? Fang Huai furrowed his brows.
However, before he could think about it for too long, Shi Feiran suddenly called “Fang Huai, are you there? Come to me for a bit, we need to talk.”
Shi Feiran hadn’t been with Fang Huai these past few days—he had flown to Hai City to negotiate a magazine shoot. In the end, Young had compromised and agreed to feature Fang Huai on the cover of their next issue. Once Fang Huai finished his work here, he could sign the contract.
Negotiating a deal with Young was a big win, and Shi Feiran was quite pleased. But before he could enjoy the victory for long, he received a call from Lin Shengyun—immediately bringing his mood down.
“You can’t take the role of ‘Lin Shuheng,’” Shi Feiran said, looking at Fang Huai with a serious expression. “You didn’t agree to anything yet, did you? No matter what grand promises Lin Shengyun made, don’t believe him.”
Fang Huai had no acting experience. On the surface, Frost offering him a supporting role might seem like an incredible opportunity, but in reality, it wasn’t so simple.
Unlike Fang Huai, Shi Feiran had seen the full script. He had also heard about Xu Shu dropping out of the role—and honestly, he wasn’t surprised. If Xu Shu had a chance to star in Chronicles of Spring and Autumn, there was no way he would settle for playing Lin Shuheng.
Fang Huai, still preoccupied with his earlier thoughts, nodded absentmindedly. “Okay.”
Shi Feiran: “…”
“I’m being serious,” he emphasized. “The role itself is good, but it’s a huge trap.”
“…Oh.”
As Fang Huai absentmindedly responded, his thoughts drifted again. That person who wrote the letter… she likes me?
He had never even considered acting, so whatever Shi Feiran said was fine with him. Seeing that Fang Huai truly had no interest in the role, Shi Feiran finally relaxed and let out a sigh of relief.
*
The costume photos for Chronicles of Spring and Autumn had been released yesterday.
Xu Shu’s attitude was baffling—despite breaking his contract with Frost, he still openly posted his costume photos online. According to him, he had already paid the penalty fee.
The Chronicles of Spring and Autumn costume photos were undeniably impressive. Xu Shu, with his delicate, handsome features, suited the role perfectly. Dressed in a martial artist’s short robe, leaning casually against a bamboo forest, he flashed a faint smile. The comments under his Weibo post were filled with excited fans screaming, “Ahhh, so handsome! I’m dying!”
To be honest, landing a role in Chronicles of Spring and Autumn was an incredible stroke of luck for Xu Shu—it was leagues better than playing Lin Shuheng.
*
“If you ever want to go into acting,” Shi Feiran said, “we need to carefully select roles. It’s crucial to be cautious.”
With no acting foundation, hastily transitioning into the wrong type of drama—especially low-quality productions—would only devalue Fang Huai’s potential. Every step needed to be taken carefully.
Fang Huai agreed without hesitation. After a while, though, he frowned slightly and asked,
“What’s wrong with the role of Lin Shuheng?”
He had read the rough draft of the script and actually quite liked the character.
“You don’t know that Frost is based on real historical events?” Shi Feiran had finally relaxed, so he didn’t mind explaining. “Lin Shuheng was a real historical figure too.”
“Hm?”
“That’s where the problem lies. His real-life counterpart was a highly controversial figure. From the circumstances of his birth to everything he did later in life…” Shi Feiran said casually. “Oh, right—he had a jade pendant, a family heirloom. Before he passed away, he left it to his closest friend.”
“His closest friend was also a legendary figure. But honestly…”
Fang Huai sat up straighter, bit by bit.
The morning light reflected in his amber eyes. The weather wasn’t particularly good today—the sky was a hazy gray, and a white bird flapped its wings as the wind carried it away.
He looked at Shi Feiran and, after a long pause, asked,
“Was his closest friend’s surname… Fang?”
Then, lowering his gaze, he opened his palm.
There, lying silently in his hand—Was a white jade pendant.
