"You're right... That is my salary card."Ye Ruihuan narrowed her eyes slightly, then added with practiced casualness, "You've been running that vineyard all this time anyway. I believe in you. I'll give you half the shares."
Without missing a beat, she waved her hand toward Assistant Li, already preparing to draft the contract.
"…That's not what I meant…" Ye Zhi murmured, voice growing smaller. "…But half… I guess that's not impossible either…"
In the end, they signed the agreement. Ye Zhi left as swiftly as she'd arrived, but unlike before, her face was now full of joy.
At the entrance, no further sound came. The little rabbit hadn't returned. Days passed and Lin Ruijiao still hadn't come home. It felt deliberate—like she was avoiding her.
In her absence, Ye Ruihuan's dreams had become a relentless montage—scenes shifting one after the other. Slowly, disjointed fragments began to connect. The dream version of herself felt just like she was in the real world. But Lin Ruijiao… she was completely different. So different, in fact, that Ye Ruihuan began to doubt whether these dreams were simply figments of her imagination.
But then the nightmares began. Unsettling, vivid. Her dream-self began to act strangely—doing things Ye Ruihuan could hardly believe she was capable of.
One pitch-black night, only the howling wind could be heard beyond the window. A bead of sweat rolled down her temple, and Ye Ruihuan jolted awake, gasping for air. She leaned against the headboard, collecting her breath, thoughts racing.
The dream had felt far too real.
She'd been at some lavish industry gala—gilded chandeliers, clinking glasses, a sea of laughter. Even Dong Yulan had been there. Everyone chatted and joked, all smiles. Then, mid-conversation, she was struck by a thought: she was forgetting something important.
Her dream-self had stood frozen, puzzling for a long time before it dawned on her—it was the one-year anniversary of her relationship with Lin Ruijiao.
"When did I even start dating Lin Ruijiao? This makes no sense."
Even amidst the glitz and celebration, unease gnawed at her. She hadn't told Lin Ruijiao she'd be late tonight. She'd have to apologize later—hopefully it wouldn't be too late.
She forced a smile as she mingled, though her mind was elsewhere. Ye Zhi, for whatever reason, had insisted she attend this event, claiming some "big shot" would make an appearance tonight. If anything went wrong, the blame would fall on her.
"Que'er"? She called her Que'er? That nickname?!"Even inside the dream, Ye Ruihuan seemed partly aware—her thoughts were her own, but her actions were beyond her control. She could only observe, trapped within her own body.
Eventually, she found Ye Zhi, near the end of the event. But the so-called "big shot" still hadn't appeared. Ye Zhi insisted she stay longer.
"What does this big shot have to do with me?" She was bewildered but continued socializing anyway.
"Ruihuan, when are you going to finally introduce your girlfriend to us?" Dong Yulan teased, eyes twinkling.
"Girlfriend? Lin Ruijiao? Even Yulan knows? Does everyone?"Ye Ruihuan's mind swelled with unanswered questions, but her body—her dream-self—simply smiled sweetly and replied, "Next time, next time."
"What do you mean next time? Make time soon! Director Wenxian's film starts shooting later this year. I heard your girlfriend's a decent actress—bring her in for an audition," said Chen Xiao lazily from the side.
"Alright, it's settled then," Ye Ruihuan agreed immediately. At least she'd have something to bring home—a way to coax her little darling. Lin Ruijiao had talked about working with Director Wenxian for ages. She'd be thrilled.
At long last, the mysterious guest arrived. After an elaborate introduction by the host, a monk stepped onto the stage.
A monk?
Ye Ruihuan's expression froze. "So this is the "big shot"? They dragged me here all night for… a monk?"
As the host boasted about his spiritual abilities, she barely concealed her disdain. "In this day and age, people still fall for this superstitious nonsense?"
Yet something strange happened. The elderly monk, serene and draped in prayer beads, kept glancing her way.
"What the—? Why is he looking at me like that?" She felt a faint chill, but not fear. In fact, the monk exuded a peaceful aura that felt oddly familiar.
"Ye Ruihuan, is it just me, or is that old monk staring at you?" Ye Zhi whispered, then joked, "Maybe you've got Buddhist karma, and he wants to take you in as a disciple—turn you into a nun or something."
Ye Ruihuan shot her a glare, too annoyed to respond. The monk chanted a few cryptic verses, then left the stage immediately. But before exiting, he cast one final, long look her way.
Yes. There was no mistake—he had been looking at her.
The lavish banquet finally came to an end. The media had hyped it up endlessly—industry elites, VIPs, major announcements—and yet… it all ended with a monk and some meaningless mumbo jumbo.
Forget it. She needed to get home. She wanted to see Que'er.
Excitement welled in her chest on the way back. She'd be home soon, with her sweet, adorable girlfriend. For now, all other thoughts melted away. Lin Ruijiao filled her heart completely. She even found herself humming with joy.
"Should I call her first?" She thought about it… but decided against it. Better to surprise her. Assistant Li had already taken care of the gifts. And Ye Ruihuan had personally prepared one more: her jade pendant—an heirloom passed down for generations. Priceless, irreplaceable.
Que'er had always said it was beautiful.
At the thought, her smile softened even more.
"Stop being smug. Call her already—it's late…"Her dream-self was growing anxious. It felt like something was about to go terribly wrong.
And it did.
When Ye Ruihuan finally reached the Yuwan Villa, it was pitch-black. Not a single light on. Que'er must've fallen asleep. She felt a twinge of disappointment. Lin Ruijiao usually waited for her.
It must be really late...
"Hurry up—go check inside."
She opened the door. Ribbons and balloons still hung from the ceiling—Que'er had decorated the house. Following the trail, she found a candlelit dinner laid out perfectly—wine, candles, a table for two.
Ye Ruihuan smiled, her heart full. She went upstairs, ready to embrace her beloved. But when she reached their room, it was empty. Completely dark. No one.
Every other room: also empty.
A bad feeling clawed its way into her chest.
Panic.
She started searching frantically, hands trembling. She was shaking. She couldn't think. Finally, she remembered—call her.
Ring after ring—no answer.
Que'er wouldn't just ignore her. Not over something as petty as being late. That wasn't like her.
And yet… she couldn't think of any other reason.
She called again. And again.
Still nothing.
Some of Lin Ruijiao's things were gone.
Ye Ruihuan slumped onto the couch, phone clutched in her fists. Her makeup was smeared. Her designer gown still on. She didn't move.
Time passed before she finally called Assistant Li. "Find out where she went."
Moments later, her phone lit up.
A message from Lin Ruijiao.
[Let's break up. You should know why.]