The forgotten earring on the pillow was shaped like a camellia, her favorite; he recognized it instantly.
Why must he leave again after this? Was it disgust or resistance that drove him?
He clenched the earring in his palm, his teeth gritted in silent frustration.
Tian Youyou, how steely your heart is!
That morning, upon seeing her enter, he was inexplicably infuriated. How could she be so carefree and heartless, abandoning him when he was drunk, something she had never done before?
Seeing her with breakfast for two, he seemed to realize something. It wasn't even time for work yet; who was she bringing it for?
Only him. In this company, it was only ever him.
The dark cloud that loomed over his heart seemed to be whisked away by a breeze, suddenly clearing.
"Tomorrow, I want the same for breakfast!" Zhou Moyan declared after finishing his meal, throwing out the statement lightly.
Tian Youyou paused, a little stunned. Was he indicating that she should bring him breakfast again tomorrow?
After speaking, he got up and moved to his desk, his expression blank as he began to busily tap away at his two computers.
Tian Youyou quickly tidied up the remaining takeout boxes and dived into her work, the typical morning rush commencing.
This pattern continued for a short while. Zhou Moyan would usually tell her in advance what he wanted for breakfast the next day. If he didn't specify, she would choose based on her own preferences.
Every morning, she would arrive at the office half an hour early, bringing two servings of breakfast for them to share.
She even felt an illusion, as if they had returned to their old days. Zhou Moyan's demeanor was no longer as cold as it had been at the beginning.
That day, just before the end of the workday, Zhou Moyan came over, tapped lightly on her desk, and said, "Accompany me to an event later."
"What event?" Tian Youyou looked up, needing to know what to prepare for attending an event with her boss.
"You don't need to prepare anything, just come when I call. You'll see." Zhou Moyan seemed to anticipate her questions and gave her an ambiguous look.
Tian Youyou didn't overthink it. If it were something important, he probably wouldn't have invited her.
Only an hour after the workday was supposed to end did Zhou Moyan finally call her to head down to the underground parking lot.
Since establishing their superior-subordinate relationship, Tian Youyou felt like she had become a workaholic, barely ever leaving the office on time.
The drive was smooth, likely intentional to avoid the post-work rush.
Their destination was a five-star hotel in the city. Zhou Moyan handed the car over to the valet and led her to the hotel's top floor.
This level was not open to the public; it was actually a private club that often hosted social events for high society.
She couldn't understand why Zhou Moyan had brought her here; her attire was too casual for a gala or similar events. It was only upon entering that she realized it was an exhibition hosted by a world-renowned jewelry brand.
She immediately understood why Zhou Moyan had brought her along.
She was a jewelry designer by profession and had been rising in prominence in the domestic scene before the scandal three years ago. Although not an openly public exhibition, the event had a very high entry threshold.
Such exhibitions held in private clubs, attended by members or longstanding patrons of the jewelry brand, often showcased limited edition, collectible jewelry pieces priced in the millions—unreachable for the average person.
"Help me pick out a piece of jewelry later," he instructed as they settled down after entering.
"What type do you need? The age, status, and temperament of the recipient…" Tian Youyou whispered beside him, understanding the importance of selecting such high-value items.
"Moyan, are you here? ...Do you need introductions?" a staff member approached, offering to assist.
"No need!" He declined the offer abruptly, then turned back to Tian Youyou, "Just choose whatever you think is best."
"It's not like I'm buying…" she muttered under her breath, thinking to herself about Zhou Moyan's lavishness.
Ignoring her, Zhou Moyan let her rise to inspect the exhibition pieces.
While he could afford to sit back, she certainly couldn't—Zhou Moyan was relying on her expertise. Besides, due to her professional background, she was eager to see these limited edition pieces up close.
She paused at a collection from the camellia series.
She had only seen this particular collection in industry magazines before; it wasn't this year's model but rather a classic from the designer. She had once bought an entry-level camellia series earring and lost one; she was thrilled to see the pinnacle of this series in person.
The perfect combination of diamonds and platinum, the overall floral design softened by the elegant lines, was distinctive yet not overly dominating.
"Isn't that Tian Youyou?" Xinran's voice interrupted her reverie.
Dressed in a white chiffon dress with chestnut-colored wavy hair, she looked every bit the ethereal fairy.
"What are you doing here? The jewelry here costs millions; can you even afford it?" Xinran looked Tian Youyou up and down disdainfully at her jeans and blazer outfit.
Tian Youyou wasn't about to engage with her in such a setting and turned to leave.
Ignoring such blatantly aggressive behavior was exactly what would irritate Xinran the most.
"Hey, don't go!" Xinran rudely grabbed Tian Youyou's arm.
"Why not admit it? Your Mr. Li surely wouldn't splurge on such expensive jewelry for you, right? Or perhaps you've found a new sugar daddy?"
"Let go! Show some respect! Do you own this place? How I got here is none of your business!" Tian Youyou snapped back, trying to shake off her arm.
It seemed Xinran was determined to cause a scene.
"Hi! Mr. Li, you're here too?" Xinran suddenly shouted, waving her arm and calling over Mr. Li.
When Tian Youyou turned back, she saw the Mr. Li she knew, accompanied by a similarly plump middle-aged woman.
The woman's layered flesh and overly flamboyant dress appeared rather cheap.
Li's expression was puzzled by Xinran's enthusiasm, but he approached, recognizing the importance of the event.
His wife followed closely, her smirk mocking, as if to say she owned a desirable commodity that attracted younger women.
"And who is this young lady?" Li asked, apparently not recognizing Xinran.
Tian Youyou tried to leave, but Xinran clutched her arm tighter, leaning against her shoulder as if they were close friends.
Instead of answering Li, Xinran launched into a statement that made Tian Youyou's jaw drop.
"Wow, Mr. Li, here to see the jewelry too? Must have made plans with Youyou!" Xinran's smile was innocently disarming.
Li's chubby face turned the color of liver, "Young lady, it's not wise to joke about such things. I'm here with my wife."
He glanced at his wife, apologetically muttering.
"What? You old fool!" His wife pinched him hard on the arm, her eyes zeroing in on Tian Youyou.
Her aggressiveness was evident, not caring about maintaining Li's reputation in public.
"Oh, so this is your wife! I didn't say anything, didn't say anything. The thing with Youyou is all in the past!" Xinran acted shocked, covering her mouth.