Extra Chapter 1.3 - Lin’s Side Story
The coffee on the table had long since gone cold. It wasn’t until he touched the icy rim of the cup that he realized. Without raising his head, he called out to his secretary, “Lucy, a cup of coffee, thanks!”
However, the person he expected didn’t appear. Lin Yishen looked around in confusion. There was no one in sight. Then, he glanced at the clock on the table and realized that two hours had passed since work ended, and he had been completely absorbed in numbers and reports.
With a bitter smile, Lin Yishen stood up, ready to pack his things. The wedding invitation on the table lay quietly in a corner, so red it made him envious. He casually glanced outside; the city was glowing with lights, spring had just begun, and there was no trace of autumn chill. The lights were shining, the green waters flowed, and the clouds and stars dotted the sky. It was a scene where heaven and earth seemed to compete with each other, a beautiful spectacle.
It felt like being eternally awake, yet always alone.
At that time, Wen Wei had developed the habit of staying late at the office and then heading alone to the rooftop. The bustling commercial district below, full of light, felt like an ocean of brilliance to her. She liked to watch the twinkling lights at night, as it brought her peace and comfort.
That night seemed no different from the others. Wen Wei sat on the rooftop with a cup of coffee. Just as she was about to get up, she heard footsteps approaching from behind. She turned around suddenly and saw Lin Yishen standing in the shadow of the lights. His strong posture radiated a sense of loneliness and rare warmth. But it felt unreal; Lin Yishen seemed both farther away and closer to her.
He walked over and sat beside her. “A lonely and desolate city, though very beautiful.”
Wen Wei smiled. “Finding hope in despair.”
Lin Yishen laughed heartily, and Wen Wei joined him. She opened her fingers, letting tiny streams of light pass through. She squinted and smiled, and he looked at her. Both of them felt that something in the atmosphere had shifted.
In the end, they went out for dinner together: crab roe with chicken kidneys, chrysanthemum yellow fish soup, Songjiang bass, and scallops with lettuce—nearly all of the signature dishes of Shanghai cuisine.
Wen Wei picked up a piece of fish and put it in her mouth. She smiled. “Manager Lin, are you from Shanghai?”
He shook his head. “Aren’t you from Shanghai?”
She paused for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, I’ve lived in Shanghai my whole life until the headquarters sent me here.”
Lin Yishen smiled comfortingly. “Do these dishes still taste like home? I’m not from Shanghai, so I wouldn’t know.”
A warm current surged in Wen Wei’s heart. She paused with her chopsticks and muttered, “They taste very authentic, thank you.”
In fact, she had already been paying attention to this famous general manager of the company. In his early thirties, a diamond bachelor, a Cornell Business Administration PhD graduate, with no scandals and a reputation for integrity. Many people said that when speaking to him, they felt respected. His smile alone could make people feel like they were surrounded by spring.
She later found out that before studying abroad, Lin Yishen had worked as a PR manager at a hotel. A job like that required dealing with all kinds of difficult clients, but now, dealing only with well-trained subordinates and polite clients, he was in his element. Still, he had his moments of anger. When his cold, stern face appeared, no one dared to challenge him.
She had only seen him angry once.
It was because of a mistake made by their finance department. On her second day after being transferred, she entered the office only to see Lin Yishen with a grim face, standing with his hands behind his back in front of the finance manager. No one dared to speak; the atmosphere was as cold as a snowy December day.
No one knew how that day passed. Everyone was too scared to make a sound. After Lin Yishen left, not even half an hour passed before she was invited to his office. Lin Yishen was standing with his back to her in the morning light. She noticed a resignation letter and an appointment letter on his desk. To her shock, the appointment letter had her name on it—Finance Department Manager.
She was startled, quickly organizing her thoughts. “General Manager, I’m here.”
He turned around, his expression softening as though nothing had happened. He simply pointed to the appointment letter. “Miss Wen, can you accept this position?”
Without hesitation, she shook her head, which prompted a questioning look from Lin Yishen. She spoke earnestly, “Based on my qualifications and experience, I don’t think I should take this position. Besides, I’ve only just arrived and am unfamiliar with the situation here.”
Lin Yishen smiled and relaxed his brow, looking even more dashing. “You’ll get familiar with it quickly. A finance manager doesn’t need to handle everything personally; they just need to delegate. Also…” He paused. “What the company needs is a dedicated employee. I trust Miss Wen very much because—” He didn’t continue but instead looked at her with sincere honesty.
That “trust” immediately captivated her. Holding the appointment letter, she nodded seriously. “Alright, I accept.”
Later, she found out that Lin Yishen had a keen intuition for people. His four years in the hotel industry had honed his sharp eye. According to the company’s switchboard operator, “He’s seen all kinds of people—nothing surprises him. We’re too simple in front of him.”
