On the last day of being twenty-nine, Ji Yunxiao went to work as usual.
Nothing was much different from any other day.
She was still dressed in her signature, ascetic, custom-made suit, with her shirt buttoned all the way to the top.
An elegant, luxurious watch was fastened on her wrist, her thick, jet-black hair falling to her waist.
Her exposed face was nearly flawless, and the aura she carried was even more extraordinary.
Ji Yunxiao was undeniably beautiful.
As she walked in, she drew plenty of admiring and envious glances, but no one dared to look at her for too long.
Everyone held their breath and focused on their work, only greeting her respectfully when she approached: “Good morning, President Ji.”
“Mm.” Ji Yunxiao responded simply.
The early morning sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, gilding the golden art piece in the center of the floor, making it shine brilliantly.
The scene was just like how onlookers saw Ji Yunxiao’s dazzling life.
A lot of people wanted to be Ji Yunxiao.
She was beautiful, came from a good family, and was exceptionally capable.
Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she only soared higher as she grew, and now, not even thirty, she had already achieved so much, sitting in a position most people could only dream of, with wealth beyond measure.
It was no surprise that anyone would fall for a woman like her.
So when an intern blocked the way to the meeting room and confessed to Ji Yunxiao, no one was particularly shocked.
The sweet-looking girl clutched the strap of her bag, cheeks flushed, repeating, “President Ji, I—I really like you.
Will you go out with me…?”
“Sorry, I can’t accept your feelings.” Ji Yunxiao’s tone was gentle, but her rejection left no room for doubt.
The secretary stepped in and asked the intern to leave.
The girl’s eyes immediately filled with tears.
She bit her lip, took a bottle out of her bag, and asked in a choked voice, “Then—then, President Ji, can you at least accept this gift?”
It was a clear wishing bottle, filled with little stars folded from pink gradient paper.
The familiar scene tugged at Ji Yunxiao’s nerves, yanking her memory back to a summer years ago, when cicadas sang in the trees.
Ji Yunxiao was lost in thought for a long time.
“President Ji?” Her secretary called her from the side.
Ji Yunxiao snapped out of it, closed her eyes briefly, and said, “Let’s go to the meeting.”
She didn’t take the wishing bottle.
The regular meeting went smoothly.
After it ended, Ji Yunxiao returned to her office, but she was still distracted.
A lady’s cigarette was lit and extinguished between her fingers.
In the end, Ji Yunxiao called her secretary in and casually instructed, “Get me some paper for folding stars.”
Though shocked, the secretary quickly composed herself and got to work.
By the time Qiao Xi arrived, there was already a pile of paper stars on Ji Yunxiao’s desk.
It was a rare sight, but Qiao Xi was too excited to notice.
She teased, “I heard you stared at a little intern for over ten seconds today.
What’s up, did you fall for her?”
“No way.” Ji Yunxiao picked up a star and placed it in her palm, her tone flat.
“I wasn’t looking at her, but at the wishing bottle with the paper stars in her hand.”
At that, Ji Yunxiao suddenly smiled, her expression unusually gentle.
“It reminded me of Qianqian.”
Qiao Xi’s face instantly became complicated.
She hesitated for a moment, then tried to persuade her.
“Yunxiao, how many years has it been? Ten? Eleven? You still can’t forget Qianqian?”
The smile faded from Ji Yunxiao’s lips.
Seeing her silent, Qiao Xi tried again.
“You have to look forward, you know? You can’t stay stuck in the past.
Someday you’ll meet someone you like even more, and you’ll fall in love with her…”
Ji Yunxiao’s face was expressionless.
“Maybe.
Who knows.”
She was just humoring her friend.
Ji Yunxiao knew in her heart—it was impossible.
She couldn’t fall for anyone else.
She would never forget Song Qianqian.
“If you’re done, get out,” Ji Yunxiao said coldly.
“Don’t bother me while I’m working.”
“Fine.” Qiao Xi sulked her way to the door, then remembered, “Oh right, everyone’s throwing you a birthday party.
President Ji, you better show up.”
Ji Yunxiao: “Got it.”
“And this.” Qiao Xi mysteriously produced a book and set it on the CEO’s desk.
Ji Yunxiao raised an eyebrow.
“What’s this?”
Qiao Xi tried not to laugh.
“That little writer you rejected two years ago—her new book just came out.”
Ji Yunxiao was unmoved.
“Does that have anything to do with me?”
Qiao Xi said, “She wrote a troublemaker villain with your exact name.
It’s hilarious.”
Ji Yunxiao brushed her off.
“Just leave it there.”
“You have to read it! It’s really funny.” Qiao Xi hyped it up before leaving.
But Ji Yunxiao only glanced at it before getting back to work.
Normally, the book would have ended up on the bottom shelf, never to see the light of day.
But when she saw the “Qian” character in the heroine’s name, Ji Yunxiao, almost against her will, opened it.
She skimmed through it for who knows how long, then closed the book and commented, “Boring.”
That night, Ji Yunxiao showed up on time at the luxury cruise ship.
A floor-length, bright red dress hugged her graceful figure, accentuating her already captivating curves.
Her thick black hair was swept into a low bun, a ruby necklace hung around her pale neck, and her exposed arms weren’t thin, but perfectly proportioned, blending strength and beauty.
At that moment, Ji Yunxiao was radiant, the undisputed star of the show.
A friend nearby couldn’t help clutching her chest and sighing, “Ji-jie, you’re so hot out of your suit.
Even a straight girl like me is tempted…”
Ji Yunxiao shot her a look, half-smiling, half-warning.
“You’d better not think about anything.”
Her friend sobered up immediately.
Anyone who knew Ji Yunxiao at all knew she had a white moonlight she could never forget.
Over the years, countless people had admired and pursued Ji Yunxiao, including plenty of handsome men and beautiful women, but she never said yes to any of them.
She didn’t date, didn’t hook up, didn’t look for substitutes.
She stayed single, missing that person day after day, year after year.
Loving her for real was a painful thing.
Because you could never have her.
She couldn’t really get close to her.
Her friend let out a soft sigh, then forgot about those thoughts and joined the crowd with a smile.
As soon as midnight struck, fireworks lit up the sea right on time.
Right after, a server pushed over a cake cart, the candles were lit, and everyone gathered around to sing the birthday song and wish Ji Yunxiao a happy birthday.
“Happy 30th birthday, President Ji!” The cruise ship was brightly lit, but Ji Yunxiao was staring at the dark, shimmering sea, silently thinking, Thirty years old.
This was the eleventh year since Qianqian passed away.
“President Ji, make a wish.” The people around her started coaxing.
Make a wish? Ji Yunxiao looked at the candles burning on the cake.
She never believed in wishes, but this time she closed her eyes.
Ji Yunxiao silently wished in her heart: “Let me see Qianqian one more time.”
Even if it’s just in a dream.
Later, Ji Yunxiao drank a lot.
Qiao Xi and her secretary had to help her home.
When she fell into the soft bed, Ji Yunxiao felt the world spinning, like she was falling endlessly.
She couldn’t even describe the feeling, like she’d slipped into a hazy dream.
When she opened her eyes again, there was loud, chaotic music in her ears, a cheap, pungent perfume under her nose, and someone’s hands were groping her, trying to take off her clothes.
Ji Yunxiao’s head was spinning, but she still grabbed the person’s wrist, frowning and snapping, “Don’t touch me.”
“Ow! That hurts!” a coquettish female voice cried out.
“Xiaoxiao, what are you doing? Let go!” Ji Yunxiao shoved her aside.
She looked around.
It seemed like a private room.
In the dim light, the heavily made-up woman she’d just pushed away clung to her again.
“Why the sudden attitude? Weren’t you just trying to get close to me?”
“I said, don’t touch me.
Can’t you understand?” Ji Yunxiao shot her a cold look, the chill in her eyes making the woman shiver.
The woman shrank back, but then looked confused.
What’s going on? How could Ji Yunxiao have such a strong presence?
Meanwhile, Ji Yunxiao herself had no idea what was happening.
Where was this? What was going on?
She tried to think, but her head felt like it was being pricked by needles, a sharp, persistent pain.
She couldn’t focus at all.
Pressing her temples, Ji Yunxiao just wanted to get out of there.
But the heavily made-up woman was determined not to let her go, clinging and pestering her.
Ji Yunxiao was extremely annoyed.
She didn’t have much strength right now, but finally managed to pin the woman down on the sofa.
“What are you doing?” the woman struggled.
Ji Yunxiao’s face was expressionless.
“Don’t move.”
Her posture was oddly intimidating, making the woman blush.
“Xiaoxiao, are you trying to be the top?”
Ji Yunxiao didn’t answer.
After looking around, she pulled the belt off her own dress.
Soon, the woman’s hands were tied up.
But the woman didn’t mind, and said in a sweet voice, “So you like to play like this, Xiaoxiao? You should’ve said so earlier.”
A cold smile curled on Ji Yunxiao’s lips.
“You’re too wild, little sister.”
Little sister? She was actually several years older than Ji Yunxiao.
Who was Ji Yunxiao calling little sister? Was this some kind of roleplay? The woman played along, asking, “Don’t you like wild little sisters?”
Ji Yunxiao told her, “I like pure ones.”
Once she’d tied a tight knot and made sure the woman couldn’t break free, Ji Yunxiao got up and left without looking back.
“What? Where are you going?”
No one answered her.
“Ji Yunxiao! Ji Yunxiao, you bastard!” The voice faded, but the noisy music kept blaring.
This place seemed to be a bar.
But how did she end up here? Ji Yunxiao’s head still hurt.
She couldn’t find her phone, so she stumbled to the bathroom.
In front of her was a spotless mirror.
Through it, Ji Yunxiao saw her own face.
And she was startled.
Who did this heavy, smoky nightclub makeup on her? Was someone playing a prank? Luckily, there were makeup wipes in her bag.
Ji Yunxiao wiped off the makeup and washed her face.
The woman in the mirror looked much more familiar, but she didn’t look like the 30-year-old Ji Yunxiao.
Water still clung to her face.
Ji Yunxiao didn’t bother drying it, just reached out to touch her reflection.
Her skin was soft and smooth, like she was twenty again.
Was she dreaming?
Still confused, a cool voice sounded behind her.
“Are you done making a scene?”
Ji Yunxiao turned around and froze.
Standing at the door was a stunningly beautiful woman, with arched brows, red lips, delicate features, and a beauty mark at the corner of her eye that made her look irresistibly charming.
It was the face she’d dreamed of for years.
This face was etched into her bones, impossible to forget.
It was her Qianqian.
After all these years, how was her Qianqian still so beautiful?
The sudden rush of happiness felt unreal.
Ji Yunxiao’s eyes filled with tears, blurring her vision, but she laughed out loud.
“I missed you so much.”
Did my birthday wish really come true?
Ji Yunxiao ignored the dizziness in his head and walked straight over to the woman, pulling her into his arms.
Ji Yunxiao said, “I miss you so much.
Every moment, day and night, I think about you.”
Lin Qianwei’s beautiful brows furrowed tightly.
She could have pushed him away, but at the crucial moment, she stopped herself.
It was as if endless sadness suddenly crashed down on her, making her feel inexplicably sour and bitter.
Something’s not right.
The Ji Yunxiao in front of her seemed completely different.
He wasn’t like before at all, almost like he was a different person.
Why?
Lin Qianwei didn’t have time to think about it.
In the next instant, her mind went completely blank.
Because Ji Yunxiao held her chin and kissed her.
