---
Lin Yue sat at her desk, fingers gently skimming over the edge of the document in front of her.
The quiet hum of the office around her faded into the background as her mind drifted back to the day she arrived in the capital.
It felt like a lifetime ago.
---
She had been sitting in the small garden behind her house, her favorite painting apron wrapped comfortably around her waist.
The air had smelled of jasmine and hibiscus, and the sky was a dreamy blue, dotted with soft clouds. A gentle breeze stirred the leaves as birds chirped lazily in the distance.
Lin Yue had just added a stroke of blue to her canvas, softening the sky's edge.
The warm sunlight glowed on her skin, and the rhythm of her humming intertwined with the soft melody playing on her phone.
It had been a rare moment of peace, a pause in the midst of her quiet life.
Then the phone rang.
She wiped her paint-streaked fingers on a towel, glanced at the screen, and smiled brightly. "Yuwei."
"Yueyue! I have news—big news." Mo Yuwei's voice was bubbling with excitement.
Lin Yue sat straighter. "What is it?"
"I found out about that architectural competition between the big companies. Guess what? It's Liang Conglomerate, Tang Group, and Xu Group. They're all bidding for a massive cultural renovation project—the Chunhua Centre."
Lin Yue's eyes widened. "A cultural project?"
"A renovation project for Chunhua Cultural Centre," Yuwei said quickly. "Traditional meets modern aesthetics. They're looking for someone who understands both—someone with vision. That's you. I recommended you. And guess what? There's a spot on the team. "
Lin Yue blinked. "You… you recommended me?"
"Of course," Mo Yuwei said.
They talked for a while longer. Yuwei then told her to take the earliest flight to the capital. Lin Yue agreed without hesitation.
---
The next day, the plane had touched down in Capital City, and she stepped out with her heart pound as she wheeled behind her a suitcase.
Mo Yuwei was waiting at the arrivals gate and when she saw her, she smiled softly.
"Over here!" she called, her usual chic self in a cream trench coat and sunglasses. "Yue Yue!"
Lin Yue smiled, dragging her suitcase over. "You didn't have to come."
"Welcome to the capital, Yueyue!" she'd said, smiling.
They took Mo Yuwei's car to Yunhe Garden—a quiet residential estate with modern, tasteful homes tucked in lush greenery.
The moment Lin Yue stepped inside the apartment Yuwei had found for her, she felt at peace.
Spacious, sunlit, and minimalistic.
It suited her.
"I figured you'd like this one. It's close to the Liang Conglomerate headquarters and has the best natural light for your painting," Yuwei explained.
Lin Yue turned to her friend, deeply moved. "Thank you, Yuwei. Truly."
"Don't get emotional now. We have dinner reservations," Yuwei said, linking arms with her.
---
They met at a refined restaurant overlooking the riverside. The air was cool and smelled of cherry blossoms. The private room was already set when they arrived.
Chen Linfei stood up as they entered, his expression warm and respectful.
"Lin Yue," Chen Linfei greeted with a kind smile.
Lin Yue blushed as she sat down. "Thank you for your help."
"You're too polite," Chen Linfei smiled. "We just gave you a stage. Your talent spoke louder than anything else. "
---
Back in the present, Lin Yue blinked out of her memory. She looked down at the design file again of the Chunhua Project.
Her lips parted slightly.
And here she was.
At Liang Congromerate.
To understand what happened.
Ah Yan— Liang Yexuan.
Why didn't Liang Yexuan come back to me?
After recovering his memories, he'd vanished from her world as if she were nothing but a shadow.
Why?
She took a deep breath.
---
Inside the towering glass office of the CEO, Qin Ke knocked barely waiting to hear welcome.
"Come in," came the cold, deep voice from within.
Liang Yexuan sat at his desk, sharp eyes focused on a blueprint spread before him.
He didn't look up as Qin Ke approached.
"We've made significant progress with the Chunhua bid," Qin Ke said quickly. "Our concept design might just win this."
Liang Yexuan raised a brow looking up with his sharp eyes on Qin Ke. "I told you—I'm not interested in speed. I want perfection."
"It is perfect," Qin Ke said with a rare grin. "You'll want to see this."
He rolled open the canvas gently, revealing the new painting—the central artistic vision of the Chunhua Cultural Centre proposal.
Liang Yexuan's expression changed the moment his eyes landed on it.
The painting displayed a grand architectural concept—an ancient cultural site reimagined with modern lines yet holding the soul of history. Wooden pavilions with curved eaves, lotus ponds, and stone bridges were gently interwoven with ambient lighting, eco-friendly walkways, and glass extensions that reflected the sky.
It was breathtaking.
For a moment, silence filled the room.
Liang Yexuan leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.
Something about the brushstrokes, the flow, the vision... it tugged at his mind.
His heart skipped a beat.
Why does this feel like... something I've seen before?
He blinked, clearing the sudden blurriness from his eyes and reached for his glass of water.
Taking a slow sip, he composed himself.
"Who designed this?" he asked, voice low.
"A new member," Qin Ke replied. "Joined yesterday."
Liang Yexuan was silent, still staring at the canvas.
"Tell her to come to my office," he said in a low voice. "Now."
Qin Ke nodded and left quickly.
---
Qin Ke headed quickly to the design floor. Zhang Qian was organizing a stack of reports when he approached.
"The CEO wants to meet the artist who did the Chunhua piece," Qin Ke said.
Zhang Qian's brows lifted. "Oh! That's Lin Yue. She's over there."
They walked to her desk.
Lin Yue was staring blankly at her monitor, the screensaver flickering across the glass.
She didn't hear their footsteps.
"Lin Yue," Zhang Qian called.
No response.
"Lin Yue."
Still nothing.
Gently, Zhang Qian tapped her on the shoulder.
Lin Yue blinked rapidly, turning to look at them, her cheeks slightly flushed in surprise.
"Lin Yue," Zhang Qian said, her voice playful. "The CEO wants to meet you."
Lin Yue's heart stopped.
CEO...?
She stood slowly, legs wobbling beneath her.
Her fingers were numb.
Her lips parted, but no sound came out.
---