When they walked out of the restaurant, the sun was still bright but not harsh. The afternoon felt calm, almost peaceful, and the street was busy as usual. Cars passed one after another, people walked by in small groups, and distant voices blended into a soft background noise.
But Lin Xue felt none of it.
Everything seemed slightly far away, like she was watching the world instead of being part of it.
Zhao Chen walked beside her and unlocked his car. "I'll drop you home," he said, his tone casual.
Lin Xue nodded. "Okay."
Her voice was calm and steady.
Nothing in her expression showed what she was thinking.
Liu Yuer stood a few steps away, smiling lightly. "You two go ahead," she said. "I have something else to do."
Zhao Chen looked at her. "Already?"
"I'll see you later," Liu Yuer replied.
Before leaving, she glanced at Lin Xue for a moment.
It was a small look, easy to miss.
But Lin Xue noticed it.
There was curiosity in her eyes.
Not suspicion.
Just interest.
Lin Xue gave a small polite nod.
Liu Yuer smiled back, then turned and walked away without saying anything more.
For a brief moment, Lin Xue watched her leave.
That calm figure.
That gentle smile.
In her previous life, she had trusted that kind of expression.
Now, she only observed it.
Then she turned away and got into the car.
The car ride was quiet.
Zhao Chen drove with one hand on the wheel, speaking from time to time about work. He mentioned an upcoming meeting, a few clients, and some small problems that didn't sound serious.
His tone was relaxed.
Confident.
Like everything was under control.
Lin Xue responded when needed. She didn't say much, but she didn't seem distant either. Her voice was soft, her answers natural.
To him—
nothing had changed.
But inside, her thoughts were clear.
She remembered every detail.
The file.
The timing.
The place she had moved it to.
She hadn't rushed.
She hadn't made any obvious move.
She had simply taken something he depended on—
and removed it quietly.
That was enough.
The car stopped in front of her apartment building.
"I'll call you tonight," Zhao Chen said.
Lin Xue opened the door. "Drive safe."
She stepped out and closed the door gently.
Zhao Chen didn't wait. His car moved away quickly and disappeared into the road.
Lin Xue stood there for a few seconds, watching until it was gone.
Only when she could no longer see it did she turn and walk inside.
The hallway was quiet. Her footsteps echoed softly as she walked to her apartment.
When she closed the door behind her, the silence felt deeper.
She placed her bag down and walked toward the window without turning on the lights.
Outside, the city continued as usual.
Inside, everything felt still.
About an hour later, Zhao Chen reached his office.
He walked in quickly but without panic. His posture was straight, his expression controlled. From the outside, he looked exactly the same as always.
Reliable.
Capable.
In control.
He entered the meeting room.
Two investors were already there, sitting at the table.
"You're late," one of them said.
"Just a few minutes," Zhao Chen replied. "Let's start."
He sat down and opened his laptop.
This was routine.
Everything had already been prepared.
Everything should have been ready.
He searched for the file.
Then again.
And again.
His fingers slowed.
His expression changed.
"It should be here…" he said quietly.
The room became silent.
"You said everything was prepared," one investor said.
"It is," Zhao Chen replied quickly. "There's just a small issue."
He checked every folder again.
More carefully this time.
Nothing.
The file was gone.
Not misplaced.
Not hidden.
Gone.
For the first time, he felt something was wrong.
A slight pressure formed in his chest.
This had never happened before.
Not once.
At home, Lin Xue stood near the window.
Her phone was in her hand, but she didn't check it.
She didn't need to.
She already knew what was happening.
She could almost imagine it clearly.
Zhao Chen opening his laptop.
Searching.
Pausing.
Realizing.
A small smile appeared on her lips, then slowly faded.
This was not revenge.
Not yet.
This was only the first step.
A reminder.
Back in the meeting room, the atmosphere had changed.
"This is not acceptable," one investor said. "If you are not prepared, why call this meeting?"
Zhao Chen stayed quiet for a moment before speaking. "It won't happen again."
"That's not the point," the other man said. "It already happened."
Zhao Chen clenched his hand under the table.
He didn't like this feeling.
Things were slipping.
And he didn't understand why.
Then a thought came to him.
Lin Xue.
She usually handled these things.
She checked everything.
She made sure nothing went wrong.
Everything worked because of her.
He paused for a moment.
Then continued searching.
But this time—
he wasn't confident anymore.
The meeting ended earlier than planned.
No agreement.
No progress.
Only dissatisfaction.
Zhao Chen stayed in the room for a while after the others left.
He looked at the empty screen in front of him.
Something felt off.
Not just the missing file.
Something deeper.
Something he couldn't name.
That evening, Lin Xue's phone rang.
Zhao Chen.
She picked it up after a second.
"Xue'er," he said, "did you check the report yesterday?"
"Yes," she replied. "I arranged everything. Why?"
"The file is missing."
Lin Xue frowned slightly. "Missing?"
"Yes."
"That's strange," she said. "I checked it carefully."
There was a short silence.
"I know," Zhao Chen said.
"Did the meeting go badly?" she asked.
"…Not very well," he replied.
Lin Xue lowered her eyes.
"I can come tomorrow and check everything again," she said.
Her voice sounded sincere.
Like she truly wanted to help.
Zhao Chen paused, then said, "Come early."
"Okay."
The call ended.
Lin Xue slowly lowered her phone.
Her face remained calm.
Nothing had changed on the outside.
But something had already started.
Zhao Chen had failed.
And he didn't even know why.
She walked to her desk and opened her laptop.
The missing file was there.
Complete.
Safe.
Exactly the same.
She looked at it for a moment.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.
She could send it back.
Fix everything.
Return things to normal.
But she didn't.
She closed the file.
Not yet.
Let him feel the problem.
Let him notice the gap.
Let him understand—
even if only a little—
how much he depended on her.
In another place, Liu Yuer sat alone with a cup of tea.
The cup had already cooled, but she didn't notice.
Her thoughts were elsewhere.
On Lin Xue.
On her calm face.
On her quiet eyes.
Something felt different.
She couldn't explain it.
But it stayed in her mind.
Like a small detail that didn't match.
Liu Yuer frowned slightly.
Then shook her head.
"Maybe I'm thinking too much," she said.
Still—
the feeling didn't go away.
Back in her room, Lin Xue stood near the window again.
The city lights had come on.
Buildings glowed softly.
Cars moved in long lines of light.
Everything looked normal.
Peaceful.
But her life was no longer the same.
She was no longer the person who gave everything without thinking.
No longer the one who trusted without doubt.
This time—
she would move carefully.
Step by step.
Her reflection looked back at her in the glass.
Calm.
Steady.
Certain.
"Zhao Chen," she said softly.
"Let's see how long you can manage…"
"…without me."