I’ve Decided
The more Ye Yanxi thought about the promise she’d made to Old Master Xiao — that she would leave Xiao Yu in two days — the heavier it felt in her chest. The idea of walking away from him had become unbearable; every time she imagined life without Xiao Yu, it seemed impossible. She found herself wanting to take the promise back.
That night Xiao Yu had some work to finish. After sitting with her for a while, he kissed her forehead and went downstairs to his study. He told her to rest and to call him for anything — he could hear her from the study.
As soon as he left, Ye Yanxi fished her phone out and dialed He Chuyan.
“Yanyan, come out with me tomorrow night,” she said. “Let’s meet.”
She chose to invite He Chuyan in person; she didn’t want to say this over the phone where Xiao Yu might overhear.
Her fever had broken that evening, leaving only a light dizziness. By the next morning she felt much better and went to the office with Xiao Yu. On the way she told him about the plan to meet He Chuyan that night. He didn’t press—he knew He Chuyan was her childhood friend and had stood up for her more than once. He only warned her to come home early if she felt unwell. Even if he’d objected, Ye Yanxi would have gone — that was just her nature.
After work she and Du Guo said hello to Xiao Yu and headed off to meet He Chuyan. The three of them wandered the street and ended up in a hot pot place, boiling pot steaming between them. Du Guo ordered a mountain of meat; He Chuyan ordered extra lamb. Between courses they all complained about the usual — work, sleep, life. Ye Yanxi tossed her voice lightly into the conversation.
“Xiao Yu and I—we’re breaking up soon.”
The words landed like a brick. Both of her friends went utterly still, faces frozen.
He Chuyan was the first to recover. “Why? Did President Xiao bring it up?”
Du Guo muttered, “I thought you were about to be Mrs. President.”
Ye Yanxi kept her calm. “I’m the one who’s decided to end it. He doesn’t know yet.”
“What do you mean, you decide to split and he doesn’t know?” He Chuyan’s voice rose. “What happened? Is he cheating on you?”
“No.” Ye Yanxi bit her lip. “He hasn’t done anything to hurt me. He’s very good.”
Du Guo and He Chuyan exchanged baffled looks. They couldn’t fathom the situation.
“If you’re the one breaking it off,” Du Guo ventured, “did you—did you do something to him?”
Before Ye Yanxi could answer, He Chuyan slapped the table in outrage. Heads from neighboring tables turned toward them.
“You what?” she snapped. “Do you even know Yanxi? She stuck with that scumbag Chu Beize for eight years and never wavered. There’s no way she’d run off with someone else.”
He Chuyan’s anger softened into fierce protectiveness. “If Old Master Xiao’s the problem, then screw him. This isn’t a drama where the older generation gets to pull the strings — we live in the modern age. Yanxi, why don’t you drag them out and let people see who’s stronger? Problem solved.”
Du Guo rolled his eyes. “Yeah, and if you did that, Yanxi and President Xiao might never have a chance again.”
“It’s better to cut it off cleanly,” He Chuyan argued. “If you marry into a family with an unreasonable old man, you might be miserable forever. Better to end it now than regret it later.”
Ye Yanxi raised a hand. “I know you mean well. But this is my decision. Tomorrow I’m moving out. I’ve told my father I’m going home to stay.”
He Chuyan wanted to argue more, but she knew He Chuyan enough to know that once Ye Yanxi made a decision, nothing could change it. He Chuyan’s expression softened, concern warring with resignation.
“You really like him, don’t you?” she asked quietly.
Ye Yanxi nodded without hesitation. “Yes. I like him.”
“Then why not tell him? Maybe he can fix it. You two have already confessed your feelings to each other—if he wants to be with you, he could find a way to deal with his grandfather.”
Her gaze darkened. “I don’t know what his feelings for me are. Maybe he’s with me because of something that happened sixteen years ago. Maybe it’s responsibility. Maybe it’s something else. Apart from that, I don’t know that there’s anything else between us.”
The three fell silent. Even Du Guo, who usually had a joke ready, had nothing to say. Xiao Yu’s background — powerful, prestigious, a family that carried its influence like armor — loomed over all of them. For ordinary people like them, such a gulf in status felt insurmountable; the deeper you fell, the worse the damage could be.
He Chuyan’s fierce face melted into something like helplessness. “If you’ve already made up your mind, we’ll support you. No questions. Whatever you choose, we’re with you.”
“Yeah,” Du Guo chimed, suddenly earnest, “we’re on your side. Who cares about being a president’s wife? Screw that.”
Ye Yanxi’s chest warmed at their devotion. It hurt — and yet, it comforted her. She had two friends who loved her without asking why. That kind of loyalty was rare.
She explained everything then: Old Master Xiao’s objections, her plan to move out, why she couldn’t imagine staying. She didn’t hide anything. When she finished, He Chuyan slammed a chopstick down.
“You said his grandfather forbids it?” she said. “This isn’t a period drama. People should be allowed to choose who they love.”
“Anyway,” Ye Yanxi said, forcing a smile, “let’s not dwell on sad things tonight. We’re here to eat hot pot. Lamb’s ready—help yourselves.”
Du Guo complained half-jokingly about the smaller portion on his plate. He Chuyan immediately snatched a few slices into her mouth, teasing. Du Guo puffed and sulked like a scolded child, and the three of them laughed until the tension thinned.
After they paid, Du Guo and He Chuyan left together. Ye Yanxi was about to step out when her phone buzzed. Xiao Yu was coming to pick her up.
She didn’t wait long. The car stopped and she slid into the back, then glanced over and saw a woman in the front passenger seat. In the dim interior the silhouette was obvious: a striking figure, voluptuous and deliberately glamorous. Ye Yanxi’s eyes lingered, unable to hide her curiosity.
“Who is she?” she asked at last.
“She’s the secretary from the other company,” Xiao Yu said from the driver’s seat. “We had dinner together. I’ll drop her off first.”