Yet this person was clearly utterly useless, incapable of withstanding even the slightest blow.

“Yiyang,” Xiaoqi tugged at his hand, bewildered. “Why are you sneaking around and dragging me here?”

“The sapphire theft has been exposed. That video has spread throughout the company,” Yiyang hesitated. “Xiyang, in the video you had your back to the camera, so you didn’t take the sapphire, did you?”

There’s even a video?

The Research Department’s work was confidential, so of course there were cameras installed. Otherwise, if someone took something without permission, who would ever know?

In a perfectly calm voice, Xiaoqi replied, “I was the one who took the sapphire.”

“What?” Yiyang was dumbfounded. “How could you…”

“It was mine to begin with.” Xiaoqi paced the corridor. “Yiyang, I can’t tell you right now why it’s mine…”

“So the thing you said you needed to fetch last time—it was the sapphire?” Yiyang didn’t doubt her for a moment, only worried about the current mess.

Xiaoqi nodded. “I didn’t know there were cameras inside.”

“Does my brother know about this?”

“He does, but how did the footage get out? Isn’t everything in the Research Department supposed to be confidential?”

Yiyang was equally puzzled. He took Xiaoqi’s hand. “Xiyang, let’s not talk here. Maybe you should lay low for a while, before this blows up even more.”

“No,” Xiaoqi stopped in her tracks. “The sapphire was mine from the start. I’m not afraid if they come for me.”

Yiyang suddenly pretended to be angry. “Xiyang, you should have told me the sapphire was yours! If I’d known, I would’ve gone with you to ‘steal’ it—I mean, we’re both troublemakers, after all.”

His joke eased Xiaoqi’s mood considerably.

“Thank you, Yiyang. But I have to face and solve my own problems. Besides, I’m not one of those fragile girls who hides behind others at the first sign of trouble. Let’s get back to work. I’ll handle this—don’t worry.”

Yiyang could only go along with her. “Just remember, if anything happens, come to me. I’ll always support you.”

She smiled. “To have such a good friend on Earth—and such a handsome one—what more could I ask for?”

Yiyang smiled back.

When Xiaoqi returned to her post, her colleagues were whispering among themselves. At her approach, they fell silent and bent over their work.

She walked over to Fang Li. “Assistant Fang, is President Lin in his office?”

“He is, but…” Fang Li hesitated. “President Lin said he doesn’t want to see you right now. I’ll handle any work matters.”

Still angry about yesterday? How petty.

Doesn’t want to see me? Then so be it—I’m not desperate to see him either!

Fuming, Xiaoqi sat down at her desk. Fang Li could only sigh in resignation.

If only Miss Ye would go and coax President Lin. But given how few brain cells this Miss Ye seems to have, perhaps it’s better not to—no sense pouring oil on the fire.

Xiaoqi spent the day enduring sidelong glances and whispers.

When work was over, she wandered dreamily along the street, stopping and starting. At everything she passed, she muttered a comment.

She didn’t notice the two white sedans shadowing her steps.

When she stopped, they stopped.

When she walked, they drove alongside.

Xiaoqi reached the entrance of a KFC and stood next to the grinning face of Colonel Sanders on the poster. She mimicked the smile, then pouted and sighed up at the sky, “Take me away from Earth!”

She drifted across the street in a daze, but suddenly froze in fear at the curb, unable to step forward. She didn’t know if it was because of the car explosion she’d witnessed when saving Lin Yichen, or if she was simply afraid of the Earth’s endless stream of vehicles.

Her legs trembled every time she crossed a street.

Time to use her powers.

Just as she was about to act, a hand seized hers, breaking her concentration.

She looked up. “You…”

Yichen said coolly, “You used to dash across streets without thinking. Who would’ve guessed you’d end up afraid to cross at all? The more you eat, the dumber you get.”

Even as she listened to the president’s scolding, Xiaoqi couldn’t help but feel that the man before her—

His jacket was off, left in the car. In a blue shirt, he looked especially tall and handsome, the severity he wore at work replaced by a touch of youthful charm.

“What are you looking at?”

“Ah?” The street was already behind them. Xiaoqi gave a nervous laugh. “I was just… watching the cars go by.”

Yichen released her hand. “Go home early. Don’t dawdle on the road like a schoolkid after class.”

Xiaoqi seized on his words. “How did you know I was stopping and starting all the way?”

Yichen ignored her, replying blandly, “Just a coincidence.”

Then he crossed the street, got into his car, and before long the white sedan vanished from sight.

A coincidence? His villa is in the opposite direction from where I live. And even if it was a coincidence, didn’t he say earlier that he didn’t want to see me today?

So why would he be so thoughtful as to hold my hand across the street?

Maybe he’s not angry anymore?

But he didn’t seem to be in a good mood.

Xiaoqi puzzled over it, then gave up. She still hadn’t solved her transmitter problem.

Sigh…

She had barely returned home when Joanna stepped out of her car and glided over. “Got a minute? Want to have a drink together?”

Suddenly, Xiaoqi found her not so pretty after all, and had no desire to share a drink with her.

“No, I have work tomorrow. Is there something you need?”

Joanna, unfazed by Xiaoqi’s obvious detachment, smiled with painted lips. “I heard about the sapphire.”

“How did you find out?”

“You work beside Yichen. How could I not know?”

The implication was clear—her relationship with Lin Yichen was anything but ordinary.

Xiaoqi had always been a bit clueless, but ever since she’d been with Yichen, she became keenly aware of everything concerning him. She sensed at once the malice hidden behind Joanna’s casual tone.

But what did it matter? Their problems had never been about outsiders. And besides, none of this really concerned her—she wasn’t the real Ye Xiyang.

“This is my problem,” Xiaoqi replied, her tone now distant and stiff. “I’ll handle it myself. You needn’t worry.”

“I think you misunderstand,” Joanna laughed lightly. “Why would I care about your problems? I’m only concerned about Yichen. Our families have already approved us as a couple, so whatever happens—his honor is mine, his loss is mine.”

“So when something happens to someone close to him, how could I not be concerned?”

Xiaoqi looked at the elegant, beautiful woman before her—her every word and gesture exuded refinement. And what about herself…

“Will you and he be together in the future?” Xiaoqi asked.

“Not ‘in the future’—we are together now, and always will be,” Joanna replied with an air of superiority. “I’m sure you remember what I said in the car last time: Yichen’s father values me highly. That wasn’t a joke; it’s the truth. I met his parents long ago—they already consider me family. With my status and looks, how could I not be a perfect match for Yichen? Don’t you agree?”

Xiaoqi lowered her gaze, fiddling with her fingertips. In truth, she wanted to say: Even if you’re a perfect match, Lin Yichen will never love you, because there’s always been someone else in his heart.

But that someone wasn’t her—she was only an imposter. So what right did she have to say such a thing?

Seeing her silent, Joanna smirked. “Maybe Yichen feels something different for you, but I don’t mind him finding a distraction for his loneliness.”

She left it at that—sometimes, saying too much has the opposite effect.

Joanna’s tone softened. “Actually, I came today because of the sapphire. Since you’re involved, I hope you’ll take full responsibility and not drag Yichen down with you.”

Xiaoqi, who had been nervously pulling at her fingertips, now clenched her hands. “Don’t worry. I take responsibility for my actions. I won’t implicate President Lin.”

“Then tell me, how do you plan to handle it?”

Xiaoqi looked up. “What are you getting at?”

Joanna’s voice turned cold. “If you stay by Yichen’s side, it’s as if he’s keeping a thief around. You’ve seen how the rumors spread—if you don’t leave, sooner or later people will start talking about Yichen too. By then, both the company and outsiders—how do you think they’ll see him?”

Xiaoqi scoffed. “I’m no thief. That sapphire was—”

“I’m not here to accuse you,” Joanna cut her off. “I’m just reminding you: Yichen is nothing like you. You can make mistakes and be gossiped about, but we’re constantly under the magnifying glass. Even if we do nothing wrong, trouble from those around us will reflect on us. Do you have any idea how much trouble your stealing the sapphire has caused Yichen?”

“Even if I made a mistake, what does that have to do with President Lin? I won’t drag him into this.”

Her first instinct, after the sapphire matter was exposed, was indeed to find Lin Yichen.

But Assistant Fang had said he didn’t want to see her.

After thinking it through alone, she realized she had created this mess herself. She wouldn’t go to Lin Yichen for help.

Otherwise, she would have spoken to him on the street just now.

“Do you have any idea how important this sapphire project is? If it fails, do you know how Yichen’s rivals will attack him? Even after all this, he’s still keeping you by his side—he’s bearing the blame for you. Do you really think it has nothing to do with him?”

Joanna’s tone became aggressive. She truly couldn’t understand why Yichen liked this woman—aside from being pretty, what did she have? In every way, Joanna felt she was superior, so why couldn’t Yichen see her?

If the other woman were better than her, she would have stepped aside. But this one was so utterly useless, so vulnerable.

Joanna’s intention was perfectly clear to Xiaoqi now—she wanted her to leave TC, to leave Lin Yichen, so she could have him all to herself.