At the vast airport entrance, a group of about ten people walked in, some chatting excitedly about the sights they hoped to see in Yun City, while others expressed concerns about how smoothly their work would go.
Guan Qingtong organized the team, directing everyone to take a seat in the waiting area. As she turned around, she noticed Su Yirao and investor Li Hengxuan standing together, smiling and chatting.
Li Hengxuan had offered to invest in the instant coffee project when he learned of Su Yirao's involvement. Despite Guan Qingtong's firm refusal, he insisted on tagging along under the pretense of a shared interest in the trip.
However, everyone on the team knew that Li Hengxuan's intentions extended beyond business.
Feeling uneasy, Guan Qingtong quickly made her way to Su Yirao's side. With a bright smile, she hooked her arm through Su Yirao's, speaking with exaggerated cheerfulness.
"Su Jie, I just remembered I forgot to buy motion sickness pills. Can you come with me to get some?"
Before Su Yirao could react, Guan Qingtong turned to Li Hengxuan, smiling apologetically. "Li-ge, I need to borrow my girlfriend for a bit. We'll catch up with you later."
Whenever she spoke to Li Hengxuan, Guan Qingtong made sure to emphasize the words "my girlfriend," as if making a point.
Without waiting for a response, she tugged Su Yirao away from him.
Su Yirao glanced at Guan Qingtong, who was earnestly asking where they could find motion sickness pills, and couldn't help but smile faintly.
"You know, medication isn't always good for your health," Su Yirao said after a pause. "Some things don't need to be taken so seriously."
Guan Qingtong let out a soft, playful huff, pouting slightly. "Su Jie, I just... don't feel good about it."
"I understand," Su Yirao said with a sigh, gently rubbing her forehead in a comforting gesture. "But he's just an old friend and business partner. It's only polite to be courteous."
Guan Qingtong's discontent began to fade as she felt reassured. "But I don't like him being around. I just don't like him!"
"Su Jie, we're supposed to be a couple. What's he doing tagging along?"
Guan Qingtong's voice was soft, almost like a whisper, but her pout showed her irritation clearly.
Su Yirao chuckled softly. "I've already told you—my girlfriend is more important than an old friend."
But the title of "girlfriend" was just an act, and the sense of security it provided was equally false. Despite all her efforts, Guan Qingtong still felt uncertain.
Why couldn't Su Yirao see how obvious it was?
She remained silent, her expression betraying a hint of sadness.
"Qingtong, I don't like seeing you like this," Su Yirao said with a gentle smile, placing a finger under Guan Qingtong's chin to tilt her face up.
"I know what you're thinking."
Guan Qingtong's eyes widened in surprise, her cheeks flushing as she hesitantly asked, "Su Jie, you know... what? What am I thinking?"
Her voice trembled slightly, and she couldn't bring herself to meet Su Yirao's amused gaze.
Su Yirao's laughter grew louder, clearly enjoying Guan Qingtong's embarrassment. "Come on, let's head back."
What? That's it? What did she mean by that?
Guan Qingtong was left puzzled, her thoughts racing. Had Su Yirao just avoided answering her? Or was this a gentle rejection?
She could accept being turned down, but Su Jie…
Su Yirao held her hand, leading her back to where they had come from.
Guan Qingtong's heart felt as if it was being gently tugged by an invisible force. She desperately wanted to move forward, but something inside her held her back. It was as if she were standing on the edge of a chasm—so close to what she wanted, yet unable to reach it.
"You like her…"
"I know what you're thinking."
Every time she tried to close her eyes and rest on the plane, Su Yirao's soft voice echoed in her mind.
Guan Qingtong was baffled, yet she couldn't help but recall the way those words had made her heart race.
Not liking…
Maybe she just wasn't liked enough.
Guan Qingtong spent the rest of the trip reflecting on what she might have done wrong—what had made Su Yirao feel that way.
Was it her jealousy? Or something else?
Fortunately, the tasks of inspecting various coffee plantations and handling work details eventually distracted her from her worries, allowing her to focus on the job at hand.
Su Yirao, meanwhile, spent most of the trip enjoying the sights of Yun City, stepping in occasionally to offer advice or guidance when needed.
The intense sunshine of Yun City had taken its toll on Su Yirao and Li Hengxuan after a long day of exploring the ancient streets. They decided to take a break at an outdoor café, sitting under a large umbrella for some shade.
"Li Hengxuan, I think I've shown you enough of Yun City by now," Su Yirao said playfully, sipping her iced coffee with a mischievous tone.
"Still trying to get rid of me, huh? You're so annoying!" Li Hengxuan replied with a teasing grin, clearly enjoying the banter.
Su Yirao leaned back in her chair, basking in the sun with her eyes half-closed. "If I'm so annoying, why don't you just leave?"
"You know, I wanted to invest in your little girlfriend's project, but she didn't agree. So, I had to find another way in. When my brother heard that you were willing to owe me a favor for this, he jumped at the chance…"
"Come on, her business is practically guaranteed to succeed. Your brother knows that," Su Yirao scoffed.
"Yes, yes. It's a small amount of money for us. But getting a favor from you, Su Yirao, is no small feat," Li Hengxuan said, smiling as he adjusted his glasses.
"So, you're wasting my favor by making me play tour guide?" Su Yirao glared at him.
Li Hengxuan laughed heartily. "The sightseeing is just a bonus. The real goal was to plant a seed of doubt in your little girlfriend's mind."
"Just a little nudge, and she'll start feeling insecure, maybe even push you away. That's when I can swoop in," he said with a sly grin.
"And you think you know her that well after just a few meetings?" Su Yirao retorted. "What if I let her be jealous?"
"Jealous people often trust their imagination more than what they see. Once that doubt takes root, it's hard to remove."
Su Yirao rolled her eyes. "You realize this makes you look like the typical homewrecker, right?"
"I don't care, as long as I win her over," Li Hengxuan said nonchalantly. "Who's going to care about the truth once it's all over?"
"You're shameless."
"So are you. Didn't you use to pull stunts like this to get close to Yu Xingye?" Li Hengxuan shot back.
Su Yirao's expression darkened, and she resisted the urge to slap him.
"Bringing up old stuff again? You're so annoying!"
Back then, her actions were beyond her control, and now, just thinking about it made her cringe with embarrassment.
"I don't mind. I can accept everything about you," Li Hengxuan said with a smirk.
"Get lost!" Su Yirao snapped, glaring at him. "If you keep this up, we won't even be friends anymore!"
"I'll always be here for you, Su Yirao. Right behind you, supporting you," Li Hengxuan said calmly. "Now go ahead, and do what you couldn't before."
Su Yirao's heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding washing over her.
"What do you mean?"
"Show her what it's like to see the one she loves cheating on her. That was your plan back then, wasn't it? But you never got the chance to go through with it," Li Hengxuan said.
Yu Xingye had been handsome and wealthy, with many admirers even during his high school and college years.
As the story's villainess, Su Yirao had naturally hatched many schemes, including one where she planned to make Guan Qingtong witness Yu Xingye's infidelity firsthand.
She had even roped Li Hengxuan into helping her with the details, but the plan had fallen through when Yu Xingye broke up with his girlfriend.
In the original novel, after Guan Qingtong and Yu Xingye got together, the villainess resumed her plan, orchestrating a scenario where the heroine caught the hero in bed with another woman.
This led to a series of dramatic developments…
"You're one of them? A fellow awakened one?" Su Yirao asked. "Did you bring Yu Xingye here? It won't work."
Did he think he could force the story back on track with this stunt?
Su Yirao considered the possibility but felt that something wasn't adding up.
Li Hengxuan's confident demeanor faltered for a moment, surprise flashing across his face.
"Awakened? What does that mean?" Li Hengxuan asked, clearly confused. "Why would I bring Yu Xingye? She's in love with you, not him. Wasn't your plan to make her see you cheating on her?"
Three question marks popped into Su Yirao's head, and a chill ran down her spine.
"What are you planning, Li Hengxuan? Are you out of your mind?"
Su Yirao jumped to her feet, scanning the area warily.
"I'd never hurt you, Su Yirao. You're overthinking it," Li Hengxuan said with a casual wave of his hand. "I just staged a little scene for her to see. To make her give up on you."
Li Hengxuan glanced at his watch. "The show's already over. You should head back."
"You're a hopeless romantic, aren't you? Su Yirao, weren't you even worse back in the day?" Li Hengxuan teased, but his words only earned him a splash of coffee.
The clean, crisp shirt he had been wearing was now stained with coffee, but instead of getting angry, Li Hengxuan laughed.
"And you think I'm the hopeless romantic? Look at yourself!"
Without another word, Su Yirao stormed off, leaving him to chuckle to himself.
Back at the hotel where Guan Qingtong and the others were staying, Guan Qingtong had spent the past few days thoroughly inspecting various coffee plantations. She had already made up her mind and planned to finalize the contracts the next day.
But due to her lack of experience, she still felt the need to consult Su Yirao about everything she had seen and learned that day.
In the past, Su Yirao had always provided excellent advice, and Guan Qingtong enjoyed the praise she received when her decisions were validated.
Typically, Su Yirao would return within half an hour, so Guan Qingtong decided to wait for her in her room.
Knowing the room's password, she easily unlocked the door and stepped inside.
The evening light filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the bed. There, on the bed, were a man and a woman, lying in each other's arms.
Guan Qingtong froze in shock, rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things.
But before she could react, the couple stirred, seemingly awakened by the sound of the door opening.
A drowsy voice, laced with sleep, murmured, "Li Hengxuan, who's at the door? Go check."
The voice was unmistakably Su Yirao's.
Guan Qingtong's mind reeled as Li Hengxuan sat up, peering at the doorway.
"Oh, Guan Qingtong. She's here," he said, his tone nonchalant.