“Xiao Fan, Xiao Fan… do you like this name? What? You think it sounds like a name for a dog? Impossible! If you were a dog, you’d be the cutest dog in the world—and the laziest!”
“Xiao Fan, let’s break up. You’ve changed. You’re not the Xiao Fan I used to know. Goodbye, Shen Xi Fan.”
Yan Heng’s bitter smile pierced through her. “Xiao Fan, you’re the only one who knows my tastes. I don’t like spicy food, but I love hot pot. I won’t eat fish, but I drink fish soup. Every dish I’ve had recently—you told the chefs, didn’t you? Three years, and you’ve forgotten nothing about me. Isn’t that true?”
Her eyes grew damp against her will. She dared not turn around. Just hearing her familiar nickname made her heart ache. If she stayed, she didn’t know how she’d face the scars of the past or the uncertainty of the future.
Pain doesn’t heal with words. It doesn’t fade with endless time. Only happiness can cure it. But what if happiness had been taken away by him—or never existed at all?
Suddenly, her walkie-talkie crackled to life. A supervisor’s voice: “Manager Shen, are you inspecting the cleanliness at five o’clock?”
“I’ll be there shortly. Wait for me in front of Building One.”
Without looking back, Shen Xi Fan softly said, “Mr. Yan, I have to go now.”
She had never said goodbye to him before. Not even during their final meeting. Now, she whispered it under her breath.
“Goodbye” has two meanings: one is that we’ll meet again, and the other is that we never will. I dislike both. I don’t want to part ways with you, but I also don’t want to never see you again.
But life rarely goes as one wishes.
* * *
As she passed the artificial lake in Zone C, a wave of exhaustion hit her. The winter wind nipped at her skin, clearing her thoughts. She reminded herself to keep personal feelings out of work and to avoid entanglements with clients. Her sensitivity and discipline had always kept her grounded.
Taking a deep breath, she straightened her uniform, forced a smile, and recited her mental checklist: Rooms—locks working, no fingerprints, clean door numbers, spotless walls and ceilings, no spider webs…
Turning a corner, she spotted a luxury car parked in front of Villa 2. A stunning woman stepped out, her figure breathtaking. Squinting, Shen Xi Fan realized it was a famous model.
Ling Yu Fan, you really are a walking disaster. Too many people fall for your charms. She mused darkly, If I sold this scene to the tabloids, I’d make a fortune… and then get fired, sued, and jailed. Mom and Dad would take turns visiting me in prison. She sighed. Forget it. Better to walk away.
But out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ling Yu Fan leaning against the door, flashing her a dazzling smile—his glasses off, his full charm unleashed. Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly plastered on a bitter expression.
Calming herself, she clasped her hands together and silently chanted, “Lust leads nowhere. Turn back now, and you’ll find fortune.”
After completing her inspections, Shen Xi Fan nodded in satisfaction. “Everything looks great. I’m very pleased. Thank you all for your hard work this afternoon!”
On her way back to the office, she caught a whiff of something familiar and doubled back. Sniffing exaggeratedly, she dashed into the kitchen. “Xiang Ya! Are those fennel dumplings tonight?”
Xu Xiang Ya nearly jumped. “You have a dog’s nose! How did you smell that from so far away? And no, you’re not getting any. Winter fennel is rare and hard to find. Forget it!”
Scowling, Shen Xi Fan retorted, “Are they for Yan Heng? No way! Give them to me. He actually prefers celery dumplings!”
Xu Xiang Ya’s eyes widened. “Really? You’re not lying, are you?”
“I swear I’m not!” Shen Xi Fan reached for the exquisite dumplings served in a blue-and-white porcelain bowl, their edges delicately crimped. The food for VIPs was truly in a league of its own.
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