Chapter 11 Subtle Changes (2)

"Game over again..."

Ye Feifei tragically flopped back onto her bed and wailed despairingly at the ceiling.

However, within a short while, her phone buzzed again with a notification for a private message.

Ye Feifei had lost all hope, her romance had ended before it even started, how miserable...

Without a doubt, the private message was from Shen Sirui, but its content...

"Girls who are used to being strong and pretending to be strong always make people feel especially heartbroken!"

Ye Feifei could hardly believe it, her pretense of a fortress had been so quickly and warmly breached.

Still not recovered from her shock, Feifei received another private message from Shen Sirui: Feifei, are you free tomorrow? A new coffee shop has opened in the south of the city, want to give it a try? If you're willing, I'll be waiting for you at this coffee shop named "Cape of Good Hope" at 19:00 tomorrow evening, I hope you can come!

Isn't this nickname becoming too intimate too quickly?

But for some reason, Ye Feifei felt electrified!

It took an entire night for Ye Feifei to figure out, not knowing how to hide herself, being overly genuine, that was what attracted Shen Sirui the most!

She thought, her arrogance, her aloofness, her show of strength, her independence, her sharpness, these were what a successful man would need. Not all successful men liked to emphasize their worth with nodding subordinates. If Shen Sirui was the Monarch of this S City, then what he needed would inevitably be someone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him and admire the world like a beautiful painting.

— So, am I that person?

The night breeze in summer always arrived as expected. That evening, Ye Feifei who had come to the meeting picked out a playful black lace dress! Though it was a short dress, it elegantly showcased her slender legs.

She thought she should display the cold pride innate to her bones to the utmost extent.

She liked being genuine, so she needed someone who understood her true self to be her lifelong partner.

Love is not about compromising oneself to please, but to find the one who understands you best in Radiant Brilliance and stand side by side to see the world.

Stepping into the elegantly decorated Cape of Good Hope coffee shop, Ye Feifei quickly spotted the gracefully poised Shen Sirui at a quiet and refined seat by the window.

A faint, pale color floated in his brow, like the reflection of the moon on the lake's surface, indistinct, with an indescribable beauty. Even if somewhat ethereal, as though hanging in the distance, Feifei felt that this moment's Shen Sirui was actually very close to her, as if she could see him standing behind her with a warm smile as soon as she turned around.

She thought, propping oneself up with struggle in this weary and noisy city, even if it could be labeled as "hard-working," was ultimately too exhausting. She thought, perhaps she had already found that harbor where her lonely and drifting soul could moor.

"Feifei, you've come..."

They had known each other for only three days, yet this familiarity didn't feel offensive at all. He was more like an old friend, his slightly upturned lips carried a hint of seductive melancholy, ethereal like a wisp of blue smoke.

Ye Feifei's lips curved slightly, "Thank you for your gracious invitation, President Shen, it is truly an honor for me!"

Shen Sirui's smile deepened, "No need to be polite, your presence means you've already considered me a friend, and if you don't mind, you can call me by my name!"

Ye Feifei was slightly startled, then her smile gently spread, "How could I dare to do so? Moreover, Yi Chu probably wouldn't call you that way either! Wouldn't it seem like I don't know the rules?"

Men are always cunning, his slightly squinted eyes held a hint of an inscrutable smile, and the words he uttered could easily pierce through your defenses: "Although I've known Yi Chu for a long time, as an investor in the IP drama 'Rose Sea,' I inevitably had a lot of interaction with Yi Chu! But like other investors, my relationship with Yi Chu is strictly professional, and we hardly interact privately, it's different!"

This was like clarifying the boundaries between Shen Sirui and Xia Yichu in front of Ye Feifei!

The intent couldn't be more obvious!

Ye Feifei wasn't silly, of course she understood!

But some feelings come too fast, even if one hasn't made it clear, or maybe it's just a liking and not necessarily planning a next step, but... it still made Ye Feifei feel shy.

— Weren't we supposed to be flirting with handsome men? How did it turn into being flirted with?!

— This is not good; I don't like it! Although I've always been passive!

Just then, the waiter brought over the menu, perfectly resolving this slight awkwardness.

As usual, Ye Feifei ordered a cup of cappuccino and a plate of taro balls, while Shen Sirui just smiled lightly and casually ordered a few snacks and a cup of bitter coffee, then signaled the waiter to go.

"Why did you choose bitter coffee? Is there a story behind it?"

Her long lashes fluttered under the dimly lit room, like trembling butterfly wings.

Shen Sirui's smile remained unchanged, although the topic was a bit heavy: "Although Shen Corporation attracts attention now, few people take the time to understand its history. In fact, we, the Shen Family, didn't start from nothing, we're fundamentally different from the lucky ones who got rich because of national policies in Z City! It's just that, in recent years, with the rapid economic development, we happened to learn the skills of investing, that's all!"

He paused slightly, probably because it had been too long since he had confided his family history to anyone, for a moment, he didn't know where to start.

The light smile on his face faded with the breeze, his gaze turning to the window, his thoughts seemingly drifting far away, "Actually, I remember when my father first started his business, he only had a few small houses for rent. Back then, like everyone who just entered society, we lived hand to mouth, struggling at the subsistence level. I was young back then, so strictly speaking, I'm not a born rich second generation. I'm someone who has fought alongside my father, even though I always admire those with advanced degrees, scholars indeed lose out to soldiers in this society. Sometimes, experience and seniority are far more important than academic qualifications. Survival of the fittest, the real strong don't have to care about their background! But successful people always understand that they should never forget their history, remain true to their original aspirations, and that endurance is key to long-term success!"

He brought back his gaze from the distance, his deep eyes resting on Ye Feifei, and spoke the last meaningful phrase, "Bitter coffee, although bitter, constantly reminds me to put hardship first. The saying goes, 'Born in sorrow and die in peace.' It was true in the past, and it is true now!"