After the divorce, the aloof female CEO was filled with regret.

My eyes flickered slightly. How could I not yearn for freedom? It was just that I was blinded by love, and with some special circumstances, that led to this arranged marriage.

Originally, I didn't want to admit it, but seeing her "absolutely disbelieving" expression, I suddenly felt a surge of stubbornness.

Someone once asked, which is more painful, never having obtained something or having obtained it and then losing it? I think it's when you're just a tiny bit away from getting it, and then it's all gone. That's what hurts the most. It's like taking an exam where the maximum score is 100, and you only need 60 to pass, but someone else only gets 59, just a tiny bit short.

Jiang Yuwei said I wasn't that kind of person, but I insisted that I was, that I was the one she was looking for, and that she would be so prejudiced that she wouldn't believe me and would miss out on me for the rest of her life.

To be honest, if I were to go head-to-head with Jiang Yuwei, I definitely wouldn't stand a chance, and besides, I don't have the inclination to deal with her. However, I find it quite amusing to retaliate like this, a little thing that can easily make her uncomfortable.

I told the other person through a translator, "That's right, I am Shumeng."

The translator hesitated for a moment, glanced at me, then at Jiang Yuwei, and finally nodded to translate it for the partner.

At this moment, Jiang Yuwei chuckled lightly. Her voice sounded quite ordinary, but the contempt in it was incredibly strong.

"Ye Qiu, you always lie."

When have I ever lied? She doesn't understand me at all. We've been married for a year, and she's always been cold and indifferent to me. Why does she say that about me?

I saw the mockery in her eyes, but I didn't take it to heart at all and just snorted.

"What's it to you? When you're out in the world, you have to earn your own reputation. I am Ye Qiu. If you don't believe me, others will. Besides, I'm only cooperating with you this once. If I don't come back next time, who will know my real identity?"

Jiang Yuwei glanced at me but ignored me. Meanwhile, the partners, especially the project director with the receding hairline, kept praising me.

"The game characters you designed are so light and energetic, they're amazing, absolutely fantastic!"

I quickly thanked them. The project director and the concept artist exchanged a glance, and after the concept artist nodded, the project director immediately spoke excitedly to Jiang Yuwei.

"Let's sign the contract now. With Ye Qiu around, BK definitely won't choose any other partner."

At that moment, the corners of my mouth turned up slightly, and I raised an eyebrow at Jiang Yuwei with a smug look.

"Jiang Yuwei, I've got the collaboration sorted out for you."

Jiang Yuwei smiled too, a hint of a smile appearing on her delicate and fair face. "Even without Ye Qiu, BK was going to cooperate with us anyway."

Oh ho, she thinks I'm showing off to her?

"Who said that? I was talking about what happened after I returned to China."

What I meant was to secure the partnership, then get a divorce upon returning to China.

Jiang Yuwei's eyes immediately darkened, and the smile on her face slowly faded.

She stared straight at me, her deep eyes holding a secret, but I was so caught up in my joy that I didn't notice anything amiss.

The two sides quickly reached an agreement and discussed many plans for the future. The whole process was very smooth and pleasant. Later, Jiang Yuwei and Secretary Li went to sign the cooperation agreement. I guessed that it must be a tedious and lengthy process with a lot of back-and-forth negotiations over the price. I don't like that kind of occasion, so I stayed in the hotel private room to wait for dinner.

The partner company kept an artist named Deborah on the project. This girl speaks English, is tall, has a hot figure, and blue eyes. Her appearance is average, but she has a good temperament.

When the director was here, she was quite quiet, but now that the director has left, she immediately grabbed my hand excitedly and praised me in all sorts of ways. She was especially excited that I was Ye Qiu and talked to me at length about her design philosophy.

I responded politely, but she held my hand tightly, and I managed to pull it back with great difficulty.

Deborah was a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I was just too excited. I hope you don't mind."

I maintained a distant attitude, responding in a businesslike manner, not really wanting to talk, and feeling uneasy inside.

Didn't we already finish discussing the design? Why do we need to continue?

This is my first time working here, and I'm not quite sure about the procedures. She continued talking non-stop, not only about her designs but also introducing herself.

"You don't know, do you? I'm BK's youngest concept artist, and also the most promising daughter of BK's chairman. Everyone says my designs are exceptional, and I'm the most likely to inherit the family business. But my dad doesn't want me to reveal my identity..."

Oh, so she's a rich heiress hiding her identity, here to gain experience at the company.

As I listened perfunctorily, I inadvertently glanced outside the hotel, and suddenly, someone who shouldn't have been there entered my field of vision.

It was Chen Yiran. He was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans, with his hair falling smoothly over his forehead. I blinked, thinking I was seeing things, but the next second he hurriedly pushed the door open and came in, panting, saying in English, "Sorry I'm late."

I remained seated. Chen Yiran saw me and asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

I'm quite confused too. "I'm here to discuss cooperation, what about you?"

“I’m out on official business. A patient with early-stage stomach cancer is willing to participate in the experiment, and the hospital sent me to pick him up for admission.”

Deborah saw him, her blue eyes instantly lit up, and she waved to him, "Hey, I'm here."

Chen Yiran walked towards her, smiled and nodded, "Sorry I'm late."

Deborah grabbed his hand, kissed it, and stared at Chen Yiran with burning eyes.

"It's okay, I'm not finished here yet either. You two know each other?"

She was referring to me and Chen Yiran.

Chen Yiran glanced at me and said, "I know him."

Deborah's eyes sparkled, and her smile widened. "What a coincidence! I'll take you home to meet Grandpa later. You're so handsome, the most handsome guy I've ever seen. He'll be so happy."

Hearing this, I raised an eyebrow.

Why does that sound so awkward? Is she taking the doctor home, or her boyfriend home? Her tone is really strange.

"Is it her grandfather who has cancer, or is it her own?" Chen Yiran answered in Chinese, her voice carrying a hint of explanation. "The information shows that he is an eighty-year-old man, so it should be her grandfather. However, they didn't tell me the specific address, so they just told me to come here first. Originally, I was supposed to come with my senior, but he is close to Lu Mi and took leave to accompany Lu Mi on a field trip."

My eyes flickered slightly as I thought to myself, it seems that Chen Yiran's relationship with his friend has become a bit strained after what happened that night.

Chen Yiran smiled and said to Deborah, trying to pull his hand away, but found that Deborah was holding on tightly, and his smile froze a little.

"How much longer? I can't stay out for too long," Chen Yiran asked.

Deborah gripped his hand tightly, her brow furrowed slightly, looking troubled. "I just closed a big deal, and I'll be busy for a while longer. Handsome, why don't you sit here for a bit? I'll treat you to dinner. We can go home together after this is over."

That must be pretty late.

I glanced at Chen Yiran; he had just managed to pull his hand back with great difficulty, and his gentle face showed a hint of embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, if time is too tight, the hospital will arrange for a new person to take over tomorrow, and it won't be too late to admit the elderly person then." After Chen Yiran finished speaking, he nodded slightly and prepared to leave.

Deborah stood up abruptly. "No need to wait until tomorrow, I have other plans for tomorrow. Let's do it today. After they finish signing the cooperation agreement and come back, I'll take you home. Please have a seat."

Deborah warmly invited Chen Yiran to sit down and even brought him a bottle of iced cola.

I glanced at the two of them. Although Chen Yiran had a polite smile on his face, his thin lips were pursed, and he was gripping the folder tightly, looking a little uneasy and nervous.

Deborah lowered her eyes, her face beaming with a smile.

I thought she was talking too much just now, but now that she's suddenly quiet, I'm inexplicably feeling a little uneasy.

I frowned slightly, holding my phone, my fingers swiping across the screen.

Deborah poured me another cup of black tea, acting like a gentleman. "They should be back soon. Please have some tea."

I took the tea, but didn't drink it. She went to talk to Chen Yiran again, praising his good looks, and then introduced herself, repeating what she had just told me to Chen Yiran.

Chen Yiran was clearly struggling to cope, keeping his head down and drinking his cola, occasionally offering a few gentle replies.

Deborah kept staring at him, then suddenly reached out and touched his leg, praising, "Your legs are so beautiful, so slender, yet so strong..."