Chapter 45

The deep blue sailboat unfurled like a banner in the wind, the tip of the sail catching the blinding sunlight.
Lu Yi stood in the swirl of noise, her eardrums nearly bursting from the cheers. It was as if the world had gone silent, she could only see the oncoming sails, the people on board, one figure in a taut crouch, pulling himself into a bowstring, reading the wind, adjusting course with easy confidence, taking command of the race.
Ji Changming had mysteriously produced a pair of binoculars, clambered onto a bench, and was doing live commentary: “Second one’s the red boat, that’s Heng! Yi’s catching up too, hey, can Heng even keep up at all?!”
“Whoa whoa whoa, where’s that green boat even going? They don’t even know where the marker is!”
“Okay, I declare Jinshen is blowing everyone else out of the water, those guys aren’t even close enough to eat his dust!”
“…”
The blue boat trailed a white wake behind it, slicing across the finish line. Lin Jinshen straightened up, grabbing with just one hand now, his swimsuit soaking wet and clinging tight to the lines of muscle on his body.
“Oh my god, he’s so hot! Makes me wanna learn!” Yu Yin gasped, how had she never gotten into this sport before?
“It’s super demanding. You’ve gotta use your arms to fight the wind the whole time, squat up and down nonstop, the whole body’s working.” Ji Changming stroked his chin. “And Jinshen’s stuck in an office all day, still in killer shape.”
“You think he’s got abs?” Wu Sidong tossed out, deadpan. He never managed to get any. He always figured office guys like him were just... one soft piece.
The question hung in the air. Suddenly, everyone looked at Lu Yi.
Lu Yi: “?”
She was literally the only one who could know. Ji Changming lowered his head, asked sincerely, “Sis-in-law, does Jinshen have abs or not?”
Lu Yi flushed, put on the spot. “I mean... probably.”
“Yes or no, how’s there a ‘probably’ in there?”
Lu Yi dropped her voice to a mumble: “Then you ask him.”
“Yeah, like I’d dare!”
“He’s coming ashore!” Wu Sidong spotted Lin Jinshen stepping off the sailboat, hitting the sand.
The beach erupted in a fresh round of cheers, honest, exaggerated, a flood of “legend!” and “badass!” Lin Jinshen just nodded his thanks, expression barely changing, already heading for Lu Yi.
Water still slicked over him, hair and face not quite dry.
Lu Yi handed over water and a towel. “Tired?” she asked softly.
“Not really.” Lin Jinshen tipped back half the bottle. His chest rose and fell fast, breath catching up with the strain.
Ji Changming played the loyal hype man: “Jinshen, you’re a living legend, totally unstoppable! Heng used to be able to challenge you, but now? Not even close.”
Lin Jinshen finished his water, screwed the cap on, and answered deadpan, “Thanks.”
“For the record, I’m twenty-eight.”
Not exactly past his prime.
Ji Changming burst out laughing. “Not old! Not old at all! Jinshen’s at his peak. Prime of life!”
Lu Yi was used to Lin Jinshen’s signature deadpan sense of humor. She pressed her lips together, trying not to laugh. The others were clearly trying (and failing) to hold it in, but soon, attention shifted as Yu Zeheng and Gu Yu crossed the finish, cue new jokes and cheers, with Ji Changming and the rest rushing over to greet them.
Lin Jinshen wiped his face, folded the towel neatly.
“Everyone says you’re seriously hot,” Lu Yi told him, heart still thumping, looking up, she couldn’t get the image of him sailing out of her mind.
Lin Jinshen looked down at her through his lashes. “Who’s ‘everyone’?”
“So many! Let me count, Zhang San, Li Si, Wang Er, Wu Liu…” Lu Yi couldn’t keep the smile off her face, pretending to count it out dead serious, just to mess with him.
Lin Jinshen’s lips quirked, the smallest smile. Like the ice on a glacier, melting just enough to show a crack. “Does Lu Yi count?” he asked softly.
Lu Yi nodded, playing coy. “Guess she does.”
“If it’s not too much trouble, thank her for me.”
Lu Yi bit back her smile so hard it hurt. Her cheeks ached. She just couldn’t hold it in, and ended up laughing out loud. “Oh, I’ll let her know.”
“Victory comes with a prize. I’ll give it to you tonight.”
Lu Yi raised her brows. “What is it?”
“You’ll see tonight.” Lin Jinshen stashed his things, zipped his bag, slung it over one shoulder. With his damp black hair and flushed lips, he almost looked like a college student, if you ignored that steady, self-assured vibe.
Definitely not old, Lu Yi confirmed to herself.
And since this was a competition, there were losers, and there were prizes too. The “prize” was a combined effort from Yu Zeheng and Gu Yu.
Yu Zeheng towel-dried his face. He’d lost, but he owned it. At first he was neck and neck, but his strength gave out and he fell way behind.
“A bet’s a bet,” he said, chin lifted, a good-natured grin in his eyes.
This loss actually felt good.
“Alright, I’ll go sort it out now,” Gu Yu chuckled, exasperated and amused. He tapped his nose, then ran off to make some calls, didn’t even bother to change, just wanted to make sure they made the deadline.
“Sort out what exactly?” Ji Changming felt like he was trying to solve a riddle.
Yu Zeheng tossed him a towel, smack. Covered his whole face. “For our President Lin, wait, correction, for sis-in-law. The grand prize awaits!”
Ji Changming yanked off the towel. “What prize?!”
Yu Zeheng snorted. “Telling you would ruin the surprise.”
The secret was kept under wraps until nine o’clock.
Gu Yu had called in favors, using a private jet to airlift something to the island, because just money wasn’t enough, you needed serious connections. With Yu Zeheng backing him, he didn’t even blink, just went ahead and gave them the priciest wedding gift yet.
Lu Yi, her friends, and family waited for them early on the beach.
Nine o’clock sharp, Gu Yu raised both arms, it was showtime.
Hundreds of fireworks exploded across the sky at once, threads and sprays raining down in a shimmering Milky Way. For a few minutes, it was as bright as day. Then came bursts of vivid color, firework bouquets twining together, painting the sky with gorgeous nebulas, galaxies unfolding overhead, until finally, as the last colors faded, the heavens lit up with a thousand pinpricks of light, like the entire galaxy, flickering overhead, dazzling as the milky way itself,
It went on for nearly half an hour.
“This fireworks show has a pretty meaningful name, too, it’s called Blossoms Under a Perfect Moon.” Yu Zeheng said warmly, “May your life be vast, the stars and fireworks endless, and may you grow old hand in hand with the one you love.”
Ji Changming: “...” Seriously, why can’t I ever come up with lines like that?
“Thank you.”
“No need to thank me, we’re brothers, aren’t we?”
Lu Yi stared quietly at the sky, her pupils reflecting the brilliance bursting overhead.
She’d seen many firework displays before, impressive, dazzling, all sorts, but only this one was for her.
“It’s beautiful,” Lu Yi said, her voice sincere, tears prickling at her eyes.
Lin Jinshen held her close, glancing down to see fireworks mirrored in her gaze. He asked, “There’s still over three hours left of today, anything else you want to do?”
“Yeah.”
Lu Yi looked up at him and smiled softly. “I want you to do nothing at all. Just rest. That’s all I want tonight.”
Just for now, she wanted him to simply be Lin Jinshen.
He gazed at her in silence.
From the moment he was born, everyone had expected the world from him. To excel. To handle everything alone. He’d never let them down, because that’s just how he’d always been.
No one had ever told him that hearing someone say “do nothing” could make a heart go soft in an instant.
…
The wedding officially ended, and guests began leaving the island.
Life slowly slipped back to normal.
During her resignation, Lu Yi had been thinking hard about her next move. After learning how Anyi Furnishings grew from nothing to become a leader in the industry, and considering her own background and interests, she chose to join the design department.
She meant to start at the bottom, but Lu Kangcheng insisted she take the position of design director, not just because she’d already worked as an entry-level employee and knew the frustration of having her hands tied, but also because, really, no one is “born” suited for a job. She was young. Mistakes were normal.
Lu Kangcheng said sincerely, “I’m already thrilled that you’re willing to help your dad out, honestly. I could announce to the whole company right now that you’re my daughter. Forget this ‘hidden identity, start-from-the-bottom’ stuff, you’re not doing that.”
Lu Yi, convinced, officially joined Anyi as the new design director.
The announcement of a new “air-dropped” design director was released internally at the same time.
The post had been vacant for ages, filled only by deputy director Zhang Fang. A month ago, the company had already started renovating the director’s office, rumor had it the new director was picked and, in everyone’s mind, Zhang Fang was the obvious choice. A done deal.
Everyone had been pestering Zhang Fang to take them out for a celebratory meal.
Zhang Fang, in his thirties and practically a company veteran, tried to play it down. “What do you want to eat? You guys pick a restaurant. How about this Saturday?”
“Sounds great!”
A few days later, the new appointment came down and the entire design department was floored, the new director was the boss’s daughter.
Zhang Fang acted unfazed. “I told you not to run your mouths, now you’ve made yourselves look stupid. Alright, let’s drop it, and don’t go mouthing off about it again. Watch yourselves or the new boss might come for you.”
Of course, some people thought Zhang Fang deserved better; after all, the promotion was basically in his hands until the princess parachuted in. “That’s just how it goes, work hard all you want, but it’s all about who you’re born as.”
“These rich girls just show up to look pretty and get their allowance. In the end, big bro Fang will still be the one handling everything.”
“You seriously know nothing, dude. The boss’s daughter just married the actual prince of Huayu. You think she’s short on allowance money? That wedding was basically burning cash in public.”
“Who knows what’s really going on... Maybe she really came to work?”
Someone sighed, “Either way, tough luck for Fang. The princess gets the title, but the work is all his. Everyone better be careful, not worth ticking off the new princess.”
Zhang Fang waved it off. “Alright, back to work. Enough gossip.”
Monday, Lu Yi started her new job for real.
For the first time, father and daughter arrived at the company together. Lu Kangcheng personally walked her to the design department, toured her around her new office, he’d supervised every detail, making sure only the best went in.
Crisp white everywhere, sleek linear pendant lights, everything from desk to sofa was Anyi’s own product. The vibe was clean, sharp, but softened by graceful lines, strength and elegance in one.
“Well? You’ve got the best eye, how’d I do with the décor?”
Lu Yi nodded with approval. “It’s amazing. Total dream office for me.”
Lu Kangcheng grinned, “See, your old man gets you. Anyway, get settled. Lunch together later?”
“Sure.”
Once the door was shut, Lu Yi sank into her chair, tipped back, and studied the whole place. She could sense right away that the design department’s attitude toward her was complicated, not quite hostile, but definitely not welcoming.
Not surprising. She was new, and the boss’s kid. Anyone would have doubts.
Lu Yi expected as much and wasn’t discouraged. What mattered most was getting up to speed.
A knock on the door. She straightened up: “Come in.”
Zhang Fang stepped in, a stack of files in his arms, smiling easily. “These all go to you from now on, Director Lu. Might look like a lot. I sorted them by urgency for you.”
Lu Yi stood to take them. “Thank you.”
“They’re heavy, I’ll set them down.” He was here for the official handover. “I’ve been acting director for a while, honestly, so it’s a relief you’re here. I was starting to worry I’d mess something up.”
“Thanks for all your hard work, Deputy Zhang.”
“Of course, all for the company.” Zhang Fang smiled.
Lu Yi said sincerely, “I’m new here, so there’s a lot I don’t know yet. I hope I won’t have to bother you too often, Deputy Zhang, it’d be great if you don’t mind helping me out sometimes.”
“Oh, that’s no trouble at all,” Zhang Fang replied, ever the good guy. “Anything you need, just ask, I’ll tell you whatever I know.”
The handover done, Zhang Fang let himself out.
The smile on his lips faded to a snort. A rookie parachuted in, playing diligent for now. Give it a few days, she’d probably dump all the work right back to him. He really was out of luck.
Lu Yi knew she had a lot to learn, but she didn’t slack off, she threw herself into the work like she was back in school, starting again from scratch.
Lu Yi’s single-minded focus didn’t escape Lin Jinshen’s notice. That night, when he came downstairs from his study to get some water, she didn’t even look up at him, and Puff was ignored too. Puff could only squat by her side, head tipping back sleepily, eyes squeezed shut, barely keeping awake. At last, when Lin Jinshen came down, Puff pattered over, meowing pitifully, as if pleading for attention.
Lin Jinshen had already accepted Puff into the family; these days, he’d pause to give Puff a pat on the head, and on rare occasions, would scoop Puff up in one arm to fetch water at the kitchen island. But honestly, you could count those times on one hand.
Their intimacy, too, had dwindled, from three times a week down to barely once. And if Lin Jinshen didn’t mention it, Lu Yi probably wouldn’t have the thought at all.
Besides, she collapsed into bed every night utterly exhausted. Not that he was some kind of beast, he’d never force her.
Lin Jinshen used to think of himself as dedicated to his work, but ever since getting married, he’d learned to balance his roles, husband and professional, making time so his partner wouldn’t feel neglected. Lu Yi, however, clearly had no such intentions.
Whatever. Once she settles in, things will probably go back to normal.
If things aren’t better in three months, he’ll consider holding a second “family meeting.”
But before Lu Yi had a chance to get used to her new job, word came, she was being sent on a business trip. She’d finally organized her tasks and, painfully aware of her shortcomings, scheduled a tour of various factories. She wanted to see the production lines for herself, talk face-to-face with front-line workers, connect with store customers, and observe everything that couldn’t be discovered from behind an office desk.
There was something amazing about watching her sketches transform into actual products, seeing them brought into all sorts of homes and becoming a real part of daily life.
Lu Yi loved being in this state, busy, challenged, grounded, as if she’d found her anchor all over again.
The trip had no fixed end date, she might pop home for a bit, then move on to the next destination. She tentatively set a one-month timeline for herself.
Lin Jinshen took it in stride: he understood, respected her independence. Before marriage, they’d agreed never to interfere with each other’s work.
Lu Yi packed. Her new assistant, Gan Li, messaged again, confirming her flights and giving her the latest possible departure time, factoring in the ride to the airport and security checks.
Gan Li was fresh out of college, still brushed with that idealistic, “untainted by the world” shine. She wore her hair in two low braids, beaming with energy and cuteness. On the surface, she was outgoing and bubbly, but beneath that, attentive and thoughtful.
Lu Yi couldn’t be happier with her new assistant.
Lugging her suitcase downstairs, Lu Yi caught Puff watching her, as if she knew she’d be gone for a long while, but in reality, she just couldn’t resist the toy ball, pawing at it with gusto.
“Mom won’t be home for a while, okay? You be good, got it?”
“Meow?”
After a thorough round of ear rubs, Lu Yi added, “Listen to Aunt Fang, eat well, get plenty of exercise, and… try to get along with your dad.”
The last part came out as a mutter. ‘Dad’ was better than ‘Uncle,’ right?
“Meow meow?”
Puff remained committed to dismantling her toy ball, claws whirring.
Initially, Lin Jinshen had thought her trip was no big deal, it was just business travel, he told himself. She’d be back in a few days, then off to the next gig. Nothing out of the ordinary.
But that very night, lying alone in bed, he found himself staring at the ceiling, wide awake. The space next to him was astonishingly empty.
He chalked it up to habit, like the night before their wedding, he’d gotten used to sharing a bed. Switching back to pre-marriage solo sleep just felt…weird.
With that in mind, he let himself drift into insomnia, guilt-free.
He didn’t know how long he’d been staring into the darkness. For the first time in ages, he adjusted his sleeping posture, even stretched out the arm Lu Yi usually used as her pillow, but nothing helped.
He checked his phone. It was past 2 AM.
The system sent a gentle reminder: It’s late. To greet a brighter tomorrow, please go to sleep soon.
Lin Jinshen: “…”
He shut off his phone with obvious irritation, face blank. By morning, he’d gotten only a handful of fitful hours.
That was the first night.
The second night: same story.
The third? No improvement in sight.
Insomnia had a snowball effect. His patience thinned, his irritability spiked, his moods swung wildly, and it all got worse whenever he picked up his phone. Separated from Lu Yi, he’d force himself to call or message her every day: about the weather, meals, her workload. Her replies: brief, to the point, and never more than a few words.
She never once took the initiative. Not even a stray punctuation mark.
It was as if she’d forgotten she had a cat, let alone a husband, waiting at home.
Lin Jinshen set his phone aside with a sigh, fingers kneading at the bridge of his nose, trying and failing to press down the restlessness.
During all this, Jiang Xun, ever the sharp-eyed assistant, sensed something was wrong with the boss. After missing the high fever incident last time, a grievous dereliction of duty, he’d vowed never to slip up again. The boss’s health was officially his #1 priority.
This time, Jiang Xun spotted the signs: poor sleep, the faint dark circles beneath his eyes, shorter temper, a sudden culling of minor work tasks, completely out of character. The way Lin Jinshen kept rubbing at his temples hinted at headaches or discomfort.
Didn’t look like a physical illness. This felt…psychological.
Young people these days were all a bit “broken” inside. Even the top boss had his demons.
Jiang Xun googled terms like “sleep disorder,” “irritability,” and “headache.” What popped up almost made his eyes bug out.
Withdrawal symptoms.
Withdrawal: the set of physical or emotional tolls you pay when you abruptly stop something you’ve come to rely on, whether a substance or a habit.
Basically, once you’re hooked, it hurts to quit cold turkey.
Every symptom fit the boss to a T. Case closed, he was at least eighty percent sure.
Jiang Xun frowned, rubbing his chin, completely stumped. What on earth was the boss addicted to? Drugs? No way. Then what else? And why had he “quit” so suddenly?
He resolved to investigate further. Time to prove what an indispensable assistant he really was.
If the boss truly was in withdrawal, that was no joke. With Mrs. Lin away, Jiang Xun was the only reliable point man, so he’d better line up a good psychologist, pronto.
If the boss was happy, his own job was secure. If not? There went his rice bowl. Couldn’t be clearer than that.
Jiang Xun closed out of the webpage.
He reached out to touch the hydroponic banana labeled “No Green-Eyed Monsters.” His marked banana still wasn’t ripe or yellow, and he grinned with satisfaction: another day, another productive shift.
…
Lu Yi’s days lately have been absolutely packed.
She took Gan Li with her to tour the company, inspecting every production line, watching the birth of each desk and sofa, scrutinizing everything from the treatment of the leather to the use of a single screw.
The workers on the ground had been there for years, some longer than Lu Yi had even been alive. They shared stories from the floor, little needs and observations that she carefully listened to.
Lu Yi spent her days touring and her nights making voice notes on her recorder.
On the fourth day, she transcribed the key points, yawned and stretched, and picked up her phone to relax, only to spot Puff in her wallpaper. That’s when it hit her: she hadn’t seen Puff in days.
Her little darling, her sweet baby, she just missed her so much!
Clutching her phone, Lu Yi opened the chat labeled “Mister.” The last message was from lunchtime, Lin Jinshen asking whether she’d eaten. She’d snapped a picture of the company cafeteria food and replied, [I did!]
She was chatting with one of the older hands at the factory at the time. He’d said the cafeteria was great, balanced meals, tons of variety, and occasional bonus nutrition packs.
So Lu Yi had put her phone down and joined their conversation.
Most of their messages were like that. It wasn’t that she meant to be perfunctory. She was just so busy. By the time she finished work, it was always past eleven, and by Lin Jinshen’s schedule, he’d already be asleep. She couldn’t bear to wake him.
But tonight, it was only ten. He shouldn’t be sleeping yet.
Lu Yi used her phone like a mirror. She’d already showered, cleansed her face, slipped on a T-shirt and pajama pants, and tied her hair up loosely. She pushed back a stray strand, made sure she looked okay, and for the first time, hit video call.
She repositioned the camera to frame herself on-screen.
Not bad. The hotel lighting was forgiving; her skin looked flawless and, maybe because she’d lost some weight, her eyes looked bigger.
She finished adjusting, but the video call wasn’t picked up.
Lu Yi waited so long, she figured Lin Jinshen must be busy or away from his phone. She frowned, about to hang up, when the call suddenly connected, and Lin Jinshen’s face was way too close to the camera.
All she could see on her screen was half his face: the shadow of his lashes, that striking profile, pale skin, sharp features, all up close out of nowhere, his handsomeness practically jump-scaring her. Lu Yi bit her lip. This, right here, was what they called an instant hearts-stopping beauty attack.
This was it!
Lin Jinshen seemed to notice how close he was, frowned a little in annoyance, and tried pulling his phone back, overshot, ended up too far, and had to try again. The whole process was awkward and kind of adorable.
Lu Yi almost cracked up. He looked just like her grandpa trying to figure out a smartphone.
He probably never video-called anyone before. Most people honestly didn’t have the guts to call him, either.
“Why’d you take so long to pick up? Were you busy?” Lu Yi fought back her grin. She had to respect her elders, a tech-challenged old-schooler was no joke.
Lin Jinshen: “…No, not busy.”
He only answered the last part, since the first required lying.
Lu Yi hadn’t been expecting a real answer anyway. Without missing a beat, she angled her phone, “Where’s Puff? Show me my little kitty!”
As soon as she mentioned Puff, Lin Jinshen could see her eyes light up.
He felt something heavy in his chest; the withdrawal from insomnia hit even stronger, but he just sat there, unmoving, even though he was upstairs and could be down in under a minute. “You only want to see the cat?” he asked.
Lu Yi blinked, caught off guard. “What else would I want to see?”