Who wants to be a male model after being reborn? I want to be a male god.

Chapter 424 was not the answer she expected.
Everything the two of them are saying right now is just speculation.

Yang Yiyao took a deep breath and walked back to the sofa to sit down.

For the first time, she felt a deep sense of powerlessness; she wanted to help, but didn't know where to start.

She said softly, "Xu Wen, these are just guesses. We lack crucial evidence right now, so we can't just sit here and speculate."

Xu Wen nodded and closed his laptop: "But your ideas have given me a new direction, thank you."

This simple thank you made Yang Yiyao's heart skip a beat.

She knew that Xu Wen probably hadn't told anyone about this, but he did tell her anyway.

This trust stirred a strange feeling within her, as if she were enveloped by a warm tide.

But she quickly suppressed those emotions; now was not the time to think about such things.

"What are you planning to do next?" she asked.

Xu Wen unplugged the USB drive from the computer and put it back in the safe.

"Two lines of investigation: First, continue tracing the origin of the USB drive to see if we can find any other clues; second..."

He paused, his eyes hardening: "Investigate the relationship between Gu Hong and Li Qingyun. If, as Gu Hong claims, they are being targeted by the investigation team because of the school district housing project, then the rift between them might give us an opportunity."

Yang Yiyao nodded thoughtfully: "I can ask my dad about the Education Department's movements. Although my dad isn't very capable, he can still get some information out of me."

Xu Wen gave her a grateful look.

He never expected that the woman in front of him would go to such lengths for him.

"Be careful. If it's really as we suspect, then this matter is very complicated," he cautioned.

Yang Yiyao smiled, a hint of smugness flashing in her eyes: "You said I was a fortune teller. Fortune tellers can tell your fortune, remember? I can always sense danger before it comes."

Her joke lightened the atmosphere in the room.

Xu Wen even slightly curled the corners of his mouth, though the smile was fleeting.

"By the way, how's things in Flash City? Has the encirclement and suppression by Meituan and Ele.me had any impact?" Yang Yiyao suddenly remembered something.

Xu Wen's expression turned serious again: "There will definitely be an impact, but Gu Hong promised Hong Jing that he will continue to support us. The most important thing now is to stabilize the university market, which is our foundation."

"What do you need me to do?" Yang Yiyao asked with concern.

"Keep an eye on things in Linjiang, especially Li Qingyun. If he does anything unusual, tell me immediately."

Yang Yiyao nodded, then hesitated for a moment: "Xu Wen, have you ever considered that if the USB drive really was given to you by Gu Hong, then he might also be using you to deal with Li Qingyun?"

Xu Wen's eyes deepened: "I've thought about it, but in the current situation, we all need allies, even if it's just temporary."

After he finished speaking, he stood up and left the soft sofa.

If he stayed on the sofa any longer, he felt he could really fall asleep.

"It's getting late, I should go. Thank you for your analysis tonight, it was very valuable." Xu Wen turned around and picked up his coat.

Yang Yiyao escorted him to the stairwell: "Keep in touch anytime. I'll let you know as soon as I have any news."

Xu Wen nodded, went downstairs, and left.

Yang Yiyao stood by the window, watching his figure disappear into the night, her heart filled with mixed feelings.

She knew that Xu Wen was carrying too much on his shoulders.

The pressure in Flash City, the mystery of the USB drive, Gu Xingruo's safety, and Gu Hong, who may be using him.

All she could do was try her best to help him clarify his thoughts, even if it meant questioning the people he trusted.

Yang Yiyao walked back to the sofa and looked at the scattered tarot cards on the table.

She randomly flipped open one of the pages.

The "Star" card is upright.

The card depicts a woman kneeling by a lake, pouring two jugs of water into the water, with stars twinkling above her head.

A symbol of hope.

She gently stroked the card, a bitter smile appearing on her lips.

In the long river of fate, each of them is merely a traveler drifting with the current, trying to grasp a fleeting glimmer of starlight in the darkness.

Xia Ning stood in the elevator of the Flash City headquarters building, watching the numbers on the elevator screen rise continuously.

She was carrying an insulated lunchbox, her hand unconsciously touching the surface of the lunchbox.

Xia Ning has been bringing Xu Wen lunch recently to ensure he gets enough to eat and remind him to eat.

From initial rejection to current tacit approval.

She approached the world that once belonged to her with the utmost care, like a snail.

As the elevator doors opened on the top floor, Xia Ning took a deep breath.

Behind the frosted glass at the end of the corridor, Xu Wen's figure could be vaguely seen working at his desk.

She gently straightened her shirt collar, composed herself, and then walked to the office door to knock.

"Come in." Before she could knock, Xu Wen's hoarse voice came from inside.

He could always accurately predict her arrival, just like he could always guess where she was going and what she was going to eat when they went on dates.

The office air conditioning is very cold.

Xu Wen was only wearing a dark gray shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his well-defined forearms.

The table was piled high with documents, and three monitors simultaneously displayed operational data from different cities.

He typed away on the keyboard without looking up, his dark eyes appearing particularly glaring in the cold light.

"Today's lunchbox is your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs." Xia Ning placed the lunchbox on the coffee table in the reception area with exceptional gentleness.

When the insulated box is unscrewed, a sweet and sour aroma immediately fills the air.

Xu Wen's nostrils twitched slightly as he finally looked up from the sea of ​​data.

He rubbed his temples and walked to the sofa. As he took the chopsticks Xia Ning handed him, his fingertips inadvertently brushed against the back of her hand.

The two froze simultaneously, then pretended nothing had happened.

"Have you been sleeping well lately?" Xia Ning asked, her voice softer than usual as she watched him wolf down his food, as if afraid of disturbing him.

"It's alright." Xu Wen picked up a piece of pork rib, with sauce sticking to the corner of his mouth.

Xia Ning subconsciously pulled out a tissue, but stopped awkwardly halfway through.

She can no longer perform what used to be her most familiar move.

Finally, Xu Wen took the tissue himself, and their fingertips touched again. This time, neither of them pulled away.

The only sound in the office was the soft clinking of chopsticks.

Xia Ning secretly glanced at Xu Wen's profile. He had lost weight since the last time they met, and his jawline was as sharp as if it had been carved with a knife.

Her once captivating peach blossom eyes were now bloodshot, yet still shone with an astonishing brightness.

It was a kind of obsession she couldn't understand.

"Is there any news about Gu Xingruo?" Xia Ning regretted asking as soon as the words left her mouth.

She watched as Xu Wen's chopsticks froze in mid-air, sauce dripping onto the document and leaving a small brown stain.

"She's safe." Xu Wen put down his chopsticks, his voice suddenly sounding distant.

This is an unspoken taboo between them, and every time it is brought up, the distance they have finally narrowed becomes impossibly distant again.

Xia Ning gripped the hem of her skirt tightly.

This light blue dress was one that Xu Wen had once praised as beautiful, and she wore it specially today, but it looked like an inappropriate joke.

During the meal, neither of them spoke again.

Xia Ning stared blankly at the azure sky outside the window.

After seeing a bird fly past the window, she finally mustered up her courage: "What if... what if she never comes back?"

The air solidified instantly.

Xu Wen's Adam's apple bobbed as his gaze fell on the photo frame on the corner of his desk.

That was a photo of him and Gu Xingruo at the amusement park.

“I don’t have time to think about these things. Flash City is at a critical stage. Meituan and Ele.me are simultaneously besieging us in seven cities, and there are many other things to do.” Xu Wen’s voice was particularly hoarse and full of exhaustion.

"You know that's not what I'm asking!" Xia Ning suddenly stood up, knocking the insulated box to the ground and spilling soup everywhere.

Xia Ning's fingers twisted together gently, her voice soft: "This past year, since we broke up, I've always been thinking about what I can do. I regret the mistakes I made back then every day. Xu Wen, let me slowly make amends, okay?" Xu Wen was stunned.

He had never seen Xia Ning like this before.

Her eyes were red, her lips were trembling, and she looked extremely aggrieved.

She has been quiet and crazy in the past, but she has never been in this state.

“I watched you work so hard every day waiting for her to come back, watched you collect all the news about the outside world, watched you…”

Xia Ning's voice suddenly choked up. She pointed to the photo frame on her desk: "Sometimes I even wish she would never come back, just like that."

"Xia Ning." Xu Wen interrupted her, his voice sounding slightly cold.

He bent down to pick up the overturned lunchbox.

“I won’t give up on anyone, including you, but now is not the time to talk about this.” He took a deep breath after he finished speaking.

These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Xia Ning's head.

Looking at Xu Wen's crouching figure, she felt a pang of heartache for no apparent reason.

"Including me? Is that all I mean to you? Just one of 'anyone'?" Xia Ning gave a bitter laugh.

She clearly no longer had any expectations; she just wanted to play her role well.

But Gu Xingruo's departure rekindled her hope.

But now it seems that she can never be the only one in his heart again.

Those things from the past are in the past.

Xu Wen stood up, crumpling the oil-stained tissue into a ball in his hand.

His gaze reminded Xia Ning of a painful past experience.

He looked at her like that when she stood in the rented room holding a fruit knife.

Exhausted yet tolerant, like watching a child who doesn't know any better.

"Do you know why I accepted your lunch?" Xu Wen suddenly asked.

Before she could answer, he pointed to the green plant in the corner of the office: "The one you moved in last week has already sprouted new leaves."

He then pointed to the filing cabinet: "You put those category labels on, now it's so convenient for me to find things."

Finally, pointing to his chest, he said, "This shirt was delivered to the dry cleaners yesterday on an expedited basis."

Xia Ning's tears finally fell.

She knew, of course, that these trivial matters were her only remaining foothold.

Like vows written on the beach, they vanish without a trace when the tide comes in.

“I need you, and Flash City needs you too, but some promises I made long ago.” Xu Wen’s voice softened.

A faint rumble of thunder came from outside the window; the autumn downpour had arrived suddenly.

The raindrops pattered against the glass, like countless tiny knocks on a door.

Xia Ning recalled a time when they went camping by car. (Source: Chapter 177)
It was during a similar downpour that the two of them huddled together in a tent.

It's like the world outside is at its end, but inside it's still warm and cozy.

Xia Ning thought at that moment, "If only time could stand still."

Unfortunately, time is merciless and never stops for them.

At that time, Xu Wen only had eyes for her, not for Ruoruo, not for Shancheng, not for these tangled and complicated relationships.

"I understand." Xia Ning wiped her face and bent down to help pack up the lunchboxes.

The soup had seeped into the carpet, and no matter how much you wiped it, it would leave a stain.

Just like some people who, once they enter your life, can never be erased.

"What do you want to eat tomorrow?" she asked softly.

Xu Wen gave her a deep look, then turned back to his computer: "No need to trouble yourself, I have a meeting tomorrow."

“Then I’ll have the receptionist hand it over,” Xia Ning said stubbornly.

This was her last act of defiance, as if the story wasn't over as long as she continued delivering meals.

Xu Wen did not object.

The sound of keyboards resumed, the rain intensified, and once again an invisible barrier stood between them.

As Xia Ning reached the door, she suddenly heard him say, "That passage in your new book, about saying goodbye under the ginkgo tree, is very well written."

Her heart skipped a beat.

That was a novel she wrote based on their touching and sweet love story.

The publisher just sent over sample copies, and she secretly slipped them into Xu Wen's bookshelf this morning.

"Have you finished reading?" Xia Ning didn't dare turn around, afraid he would see her red eyes.

"Hmm, the scene where the female lead lets go at the end... that's not your style." The keyboard clicks paused for a moment.

Xia Ning smiled, tears rolling into the corners of her mouth, salty and bitter.

She gently closed the door and squatted down in the hallway, hugging her knees.

The elevator arrived with a "ding," and Yang Yiyao stepped out carrying an umbrella, raising an eyebrow when she saw her.

"Hit another wall?" Yang Yiyao's tone was ambiguous, neither sarcastic nor sympathetic.

She wore a dark green cheongsam today, which made her skin look as white as snow, and the pearl earrings on her earlobes swayed gently with her steps.

Xia Ning quickly wiped away her tears and stood up: "It's just delivering food."

She subconsciously straightened her collar, trying to make herself look less disheveled.

After saying that, she quickly ran towards the elevator, leaving behind only her back view.

As the elevator doors slowly closed, she took one last look at Xu Wen's office.

Behind the frosted glass, the figure remained in the same posture, bent over the desk.

It seems he will never turn back for her again.

The rain is getting heavier.

Xia Ning stood at the entrance of the building, gazing at the city skyline blurred by the rain.

A black sedan slowly pulled up in front of her, the window rolled down, revealing her father's stern face.

"Get in the car." Xia Hai's voice brooked no refusal.

Since her accident, her father's hair has turned much whiter, but his eyes remain sharp.

Xia Ning silently got into the passenger seat.

There was a faint smell of tobacco in the car, mixed with the scent of the leather seats.

As she watched the wipers trace a fan shape on the windshield, she suddenly asked, "Dad, if we know there's no future, should we continue?"

Xia Hai tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

He glanced at his daughter's red and swollen eyes, asked nothing, and simply turned on the heater: "When you were little, you always said you hated the etudes when you were learning piano. What happened after that?"

"Later I won the provincial gold medal, but that's different," Xia Ning said with a wry smile.
"What's the difference? Did you think about the consequences when you put him in solitary confinement back then? Do you regret it now?" Xia Hai interrupted her.

Xia Ning bit her lip and remained silent.

“I’m your father. If there’s anything, just tell me. From my perspective, I definitely don’t want you to stay by Xu Wen’s side, but…” Xia Hai looked straight ahead, his tone calm.

He glanced at his daughter's trembling hands: "This is your own choice. I respect all your choices. Your mother and I will no longer interfere in your life."

Xia Ning's tears flowed again.

It turned out that her father had already seen through her carefully concealed affection.

The sound of raindrops hitting the car roof was like countless heartbeats, and she suddenly remembered what Xu Wen had just said.

"I need you."

This may be the answer.

It wasn't the answer she was hoping for, but it was enough for her to continue with tomorrow's lunch.

(End of this chapter)