You Are My Lover Friend – Zhang Xincheng, Wang Yuwen

On the eve of their high school graduation, Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan had a dinner gathering with the whole class. Thinking about how their close-knit high school life was coming to an end, everyone felt a deep sense of reluctance. They started opening beers and boldly embraced the “bottoms-up” tradition. Looking back at their youthful days, their bonds were truly strong.

Eleven years later, on a morning when Tang Yang was still lying in bed, Jiang Shiyan was already tugging at her nose like an alarm clock, telling her to get up. Even after all these years since graduation, the brotherly bond between the two remained deep. Tang Yang reminded Jiang Shiyan to drive steadily, as she wanted to take this chance to touch up her makeup. This day marked Tang Yang's first day on a new job.

She had come to apply for a position at a bank, and her emotions were a mix of nervousness and anxiety. It had been difficult to get into such a prestigious local bank. The leadership team at the bank also paid special attention to this new hire, as she had a PhD, which made her somewhat overqualified for the position. Unlike Tang Yang's meticulous work, Jiang Shiyan worked as a livestream host, facing high pressure and a heavy workload.

He often managed tasks like food-related livestreams. On this particular day, Sheng Nina and the team from Lìyà had a disagreement at work. Lìyà had suddenly added a new product to the sales plan, and Sheng Nina was not happy with this unilateral decision. She asked Jiang Shiyan to mediate the situation. Lìyà now had a large fanbase and was well-known. Occasionally, she displayed a celebrity-like attitude, and most people felt they should accommodate her.

However, after Jiang Shiyan understood the full situation, he concluded that the issue lay with Lìyà. A complete list of products for the livestream had already been finalized, but the product Lìyà added was missing a food safety barcode. If fans were to report this in the future, they could face a huge compensation claim. After Jiang Shiyan explained all the pros and cons to Lìyà, she still refused to compromise.

She even mentioned that many companies had extended offers to her and that she had stayed out of loyalty. Seeing her becoming increasingly difficult to manage, Jiang Shiyan agreed to terminate her contract on the spot. This left Lìyà dumbfounded. On Tang Yang's first day at work, Jiang Shiyan sent her a message asking if she wanted to treat her colleagues to lunch and mentioned that he had already reserved a table at the most famous local restaurant.

However, the department head declined due to other matters, and with everyone unsure of their standing, no one dared to agree. As a result, Tang Yang had to eat alone at the cafeteria. At noon, Jiang Shiyan had originally been invited to a lunch, but upon hearing that Tang Yang was eating alone, he made an excuse, saying that he had also heard that the cafeteria food at Tang Yang's company was delicious and wanted to taste it.

Tang Yang, in a bad mood, agreed, and also asked him to retrieve the bag she had left in his car. Tang Yang was feeling a bit upset because, on her first day, her boss hadn’t arranged an office for her and had instead squeezed a spot for her next to other employees’ desks. Fortunately, Jiang Shiyan’s thoughtful care deeply touched Tang Yang.

Not only did Jiang Shiyan bring her bag, but he also gave her the necklace she had been eyeing for a long time. Tang Yang was overjoyed and asked Jiang Shiyan to help her put it on.

In the elevator, Jiang Shiyan gently helped Tang Yang put on the necklace. There was a slight sense of ambiguity in the air. Tang Yang immediately asked if everything at his company was going smoothly. After all, knowing Jiang Shiyan’s character, he always handled things smoothly, so Tang Yang never really worried about him. The bank's HR gave Tang Yang an onboarding evaluation form. Just then, she saw the news on her phone about Lìyà’s resignation from Jiang Shiyan’s company.

She quickly called Feng Weiran to get more information. Feng Weiran, also their high school classmate, was now married with children, one of the first among their group of friends to settle into married life. Concerned that Jiang Shiyan might feel upset about Lìyà’s resignation, Tang Yang invited him to dinner. Over the meal, they easily found their usual rhythm. Jiang Shiyan reminded Tang Yang to call him if she ever encountered difficulties at work.

Tang Yang joked if he would expect a tip for his help. Jiang Shiyan responded that there should always be a material reward, otherwise, there’s no motivation. Their banter was so natural that outsiders might mistake them for a couple, though they had been best friends for thirteen years. Feng Weiran drove Jiang Shiyan back and, upon seeing the two having dinner together, gave them a lift as well.

On the way, he asked why they were both still single, suggesting they might as well just get together. However, Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan rejected the idea in unison, explaining that they were too close for that. Eventually, Tang Yang got off the car awkwardly and headed home. Jiang Shiyan, tired of Feng Weiran’s repeated attempts to set him up, joked that if he had any improper thoughts about Tang Yang, he should be hit by a car.

No sooner had he spoken when a delivery man's vehicle almost collided with him. Jiang Shiyan felt a chill down his spine—could it really be that superstitious? Jiang Shiyan still lived in his old house with his mother. It wasn’t because they couldn’t afford a higher-end place, but rather because his mother tended to so many plants that moving to an apartment would make it difficult to keep them alive.

Jiang Shiyan, who also loved plants, completely understood his mother’s reasoning. Jiang Shiyan’s company officially invited Sheng Nina to be one of their hosts, even holding a press conference to celebrate. Just before the event, one of Jiang Shiyan’s cufflinks fell to the ground, and he couldn’t find it. Sheng Nina handed him one of her earrings, which turned out to be a perfect fit.

Toward the end of the press conference, Sheng Nina stumbled due to her high heels, and Jiang Shiyan quickly stepped forward to support her. A reporter happened to capture this moment. When the photo was enlarged, they noticed the cufflink and speculated that Jiang Shiyan and Sheng Nina were wearing matching items, hinting at a romantic relationship. That evening, the photo of Sheng Nina being supported by Jiang Shiyan went viral on the internet.

Tang Yang read the fans' comments below and found it amusing. Some were even commenting on Jiang Shiyan’s looks. Jiang Shiyan, too, found it all quite unbelievable. As the company’s operations director, he thought having a trending topic was a good thing, especially since it brought in free publicity. He explained the situation to Tang Yang and asked if she secretly hoped he would find someone soon.

Tang Yang, appearing serious, said that although Jiang Shiyan hadn’t found someone yet, his singleness helped share her burden of also being single. But she certainly didn’t want it to affect his personal happiness. Both of them smiled, unsure of each other's true feelings. Jiang Shiyan thought that since Tang Yang wasn’t jealous, she clearly didn’t see him as anything more than a friend. At the bank, there was plenty of under-the-surface competition.

People were discussing Tang Yang’s high starting point, speculating on alliances, and commenting on how impressive it was that she managed to gain the boss’s favor through overtime work and quietly secured a private office. When Tang Yang returned to her hometown, she would usually call Jiang Shiyan after work, and they would visit the old bookstore and little eateries they frequented during high school. The bookstore was still in the same spot.

They were both filled with nostalgia, remembering their innocent high school days. Many fun things had happened in the library, including a time when they had a small argument and gave each other the silent treatment, both raising their pinkies in defiance. Back then, Jiang Shiyan even went to the broadcasting station to call out Tang Yang’s name.

One of the reasons Jiang Shiyan and Tang Yang always have so much to talk about is because they both love food, and their tastes align perfectly. Whether it's grilled squid, fried skewers, or potato towers, they enjoy every bite. This time, while they were eating at a street stall, someone suddenly shouted, "The city enforcement is here! " Within seconds, the small table they were using was whisked away.

Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan stood there, holding their bowls of food, watching the scene unfold. The city enforcement officers were loudly reminding the vendors nearby that they couldn’t occupy public space. At that moment, Tang Yang spotted a familiar figure in the crowd. She immediately turned around, hoping not to be noticed. Unfortunately, an employee with sharp eyes recognized her and called out her name, even addressing her as "boss.

" That morning, Tang Yang had critiqued this person's work, and now, here she was, caught eating at a street stall. It couldn’t have been more awkward. As they retraced their steps along familiar streets, they often reminisced about the past. Jiang Shiyan bragged about how he once tamed a particularly aggressive dog here, and how it would lower its head submissively every time it saw him.

Tang Yang quietly nudged him to turn around, and sure enough, there was a large wolfdog staring them down, looking ferocious, mouth wide open, drooling with its tongue hanging out. Jiang Shiyan's bravado crumbled instantly. Frozen with fear, he didn’t dare move and told Tang Yang to leave first. Without hesitation, Tang Yang bolted, leaving Jiang Shiyan to face the dog alone.

Realizing the danger, Jiang Shiyan quickly followed suit, and the wolfdog, sensing their panic, dashed off just as swiftly. Earlier in the day, Tang Yang had casually mentioned to Jiang Shiyan how her department leader had a habit of tapping the backs of the female employees' hands while talking. On his way home after parting with Tang Yang, Jiang Shiyan couldn’t shake the thought.

Remembering that Tang Yang had gone to a dinner with colleagues, he worried that she might encounter some inappropriate behavior, so he turned his car around to check on her. Luckily, the restaurant where Tang Yang and her colleagues were dining was owned by their old classmate, Feng Weiran. Jiang Shiyan quickly got hold of a waiter’s uniform and disguised himself as a server.

Sure enough, he noticed Tang Yang’s department leader, an experienced old-timer, sitting beside her at the table. Despite Tang Yang explaining that she had a cold and had just taken medicine, the leader still insisted on toasting with her. Jiang Shiyan stepped in to help, constantly serving dishes, refilling drinks, and cleaning up to distract the leader and ease the pressure on Tang Yang.

When the leader still wouldn’t give up, Jiang Shiyan "accidentally" spilled soup on his pants, bringing the dinner to an abrupt end. Feng Weiran played along with the act, scolding Jiang Shiyan, the “waiter,” for poor service and firing him on the spot, even offering to waive the bill. Tang Yang burst out laughing on the side, giving both of her friends a thumbs-up for their brilliant performance.

Later that night, one of Jiang Shiyan’s friends told his mother about his heroic act of saving Tang Yang. Even Jiang Shiyan’s mom wasn’t surprised, as she had long believed that the two would never end up together. After all these years, if something were to happen between them, it would’ve happened by now. Currently, Tang Yang’s mom and Jiang Shiyan’s mom attend the same dance class, where they talk about everything. They’ve watched each other’s children grow up and have both concluded that their kids just aren’t meant for each other.

Yaya's recent departure was a significant blow to Jiang Shiyan's company. While the company's fan base had been steadily growing, it has now fallen out of the top ten. Seeing other live-streamers starting to compete in the PK (player-killer) arena, Jiang Shiyan decided to give it a try himself. At Tang Yang's bank, the competition is intense.

Every day, there are major and minor targets to achieve, and one constantly has to deal with inappropriate behavior from "hams" (a term for those who make unwanted advances). During one instant while eating instant noodles, Tang Yang saw the "ham" again touching a female colleague's hand through the window. It gave her goosebumps. Usually, Tang Yang can chat with Jiang Shiyan, but now, she's stressed because her mother is busy arranging blind dates for her.

Tang Yang called Jiang Shiyan for help, asking him to intervene in her love life indirectly. Her mother, who used to focus on finding high-quality single men for her daughter, has recently become obsessed with card games. She often seeks advice from Jiang Shiyan's mother, lamenting about her poor skills and weak mental resilience. Recently, Sheng Nina has been followed by paparazzi.

Every day, there are various gossip news about her, often mentioning her weight gain or lack of recent roles, portraying her as an outdated star. When she arrived at the underground parking lot from her residence, she encountered a paparazzo taking photos. The photographer, dressed in a black hoodie, had a sneaky demeanor that left her uneasy. Upon arriving at the company, Sheng Nina encountered someone else in a black hoodie in the elevator.

She became very cautious, clutching her arms and nervously watching the person's every move. The person in the hoodie was Cheng Hui, an engineer from the same company. He usually comes in only when necessary and is not very talkative, but he is highly skilled. He is always involved in software upgrades and video editing at the company. Cheng Hui was scanning a QR code with his infrared testing glasses at the company's advertising light board.

Sheng Nina found this extremely irritating and thought she was being photographed again. She loudly demanded that the person not take any pictures and delete any photos that had already been taken. Cheng Hui found Sheng Nina's reaction puzzling but didn't bother to explain. He was already used to her nagging. When Sheng Nina tried to remove his glasses, she mistook them for a spying device.

It wasn't until they entered the company and someone greeted Cheng Hui that Sheng Nina realized she had misunderstood. The glasses were already broken, and when Sheng Nina offered to buy a new pair, Cheng Hui coldly replied that they weren’t available for purchase yet. In the evening, Jiang Shiyan's mother continued to nag him about improving his emotional intelligence.

Hearing that Tang Yang had returned to her hometown, she made "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall" (a traditional Chinese dish) and invited Tang Yang to come over and try it. Curious about what Tang Yang was doing, Jiang Shiyan also bought some velvet cake, which Tang Yang loved, and put it in his car. When Tang Yang received a call from Jiang Shiyan, she was curious why he invited her down so late and found his excuse rather childish.

Jiang Shiyan mentioned that he was grateful to Tang Yang for not abandoning him during his recent encounter with a stray dog and wanted to make up for it by giving her a small gift. When Tang Yang arrived at Jiang Shiyan's car, she was surprised to receive a lipstick from him. It was a delightful surprise, as Jiang Shiyan was the first to gift her both high heels and lipstick. Tang Yang was thrilled and found the lipstick shade perfect, admiring Jiang Shiyan's impeccable taste.

Tang Yang's high school classmate, Zhou Mo, invited her to dinner. Upon hearing this, Jiang Shiyan rushed over. When he saw that Tang Yang’s blind date was not only handsome but also successful, Jiang Shiyan felt a sense of danger. Seeing that the two of them had a lot to talk about, Jiang Shiyan felt uneasy and immediately texted his good friends, asking them to come quickly because there was an urgent matter.

Cheng Hui and Feng Weiran, upon receiving Tang Yang's message, thought something might have happened and hurried to provide assistance. To their surprise, the location was a Western restaurant. Feng Weiran quickly understood Jiang Shiyan's intention—it was a move to probe the situation. When Jiang Shiyan saw his “allies” arrive, he excitedly asked Zhou Mo to sit on the side with the guys, creating some distance between Tang Yang and her date.

However, Zhou Mo proved to be so impressive that he quickly won over Jiang Shiyan's allies. Feng Weiran’s child was looking to book piano lessons with a well-known teacher, which was almost impossible. It turned out that Zhou Mo was friends with this teacher, and Zhou Mo immediately agreed to help arrange the lesson, pulling Feng Weiran onto his side. That evening, Tang Yang's friends and family were lively, discussing Zhou Mo’s handsomeness and maturity.

The women were particularly smitten by him. Jiang Shiyan was frustrated because he initially intended for them to speak negatively about Zhou Mo to create a rift, but instead, they were boosting Zhou Mo's reputation. Feng Weiran’s wife had recently acquired a new app to test compatibility. The women were excitedly trying it out, and Jiang Shiyan was eager to see how he and Tang Yang would score.

He believed they would get a high score, but when the results were revealed, everyone laughed. The scores for everyone else were higher than for Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan, and Jiang Shiyan, who cared most about the result, ended up with a score of fifty-two, indicating very low compatibility with Tang Yang. During a dinner with old classmates, Zhou Mo and his friends discussed Tang Yang, who was referred to as a diligent junior.

One classmate, who had been a dormitory mate with Tang Yang, described her as a very ambitious person. After graduation, Tang Yang saved up a bit of money and bought a house in her hometown. She disliked owing money to the bank, so she chose the shortest repayment term and lived frugally, even skipping buying her favorite figurines. Zhou Mo noted this information and greatly increased his positive impression of Tang Yang.

Tang Yang told Jiang Shiyan that she hoped he would come to her rescue again on Saturday, as he had done before, to help her deal with her blind dates. Jiang Shiyan was always willing to help with such requests and set an alarm in advance. On Saturday, Jiang Shiyan overslept and, thinking about his ideal woman talking to strangers, felt he could have put fire wheels on his car.

As expected, with Jiang Shiyan's help, Tang Yang quickly completed the tasks her mother had arranged and finished the tedious blind date process. Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan went home together, and Jiang Shiyan complained about being so hungry that he missed a meal. Since it was mealtime, Tang Yang invited Jiang Shiyan to come home and eat with her.

During dinner, Tang Yang’s mother overheard Jiang Shiyan referring to her daughter as “Yang Ge. ” She quietly reminded Jiang Shiyan not to use that nickname, fearing that her daughter might end up relating to men as just friends. Jiang Shiyan suddenly realized that his usual phrase was indeed quite casual. After dinner, when Tang Yang was seeing Jiang Shiyan out, he asked how he should address her in the future. Tang Yang felt that any nickname would be fine.

Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan had planned to play tennis on Sunday, but early in the morning, Tang Yang received a WeChat message from her senior, Zhou Mo, asking for her help. Unable to refuse, Tang Yang sent her location to meet him. At the tennis meeting spot, Feng Weiran and his wife arrived early, and Jiang Shiyan brought snacks, ready to have a good time.

Soon, Jiang Shiyan received a message from Tang Yang, saying she couldn’t make it because she had to meet Zhou Mo. Jiang Shiyan was distracted throughout the tennis game, especially after hearing that Tang Yang might find a partner this year. The prediction suggested that her partner might be someone she’s familiar with but doesn’t know well. Since Jiang Shiyan and Tang Yang understood each other very well, they didn’t fit this description, which left Jiang Shiyan feeling quite frustrated.

Sheng Nina, an actress, had previously helped Jiang Shiyan’s company with several live broadcasts. Now that she had film offers, she prioritized her own work. Seeing the poor viewership, Jiang Shiyan called Sheng Nina. Her agent signaled her not to agree, but Sheng Nina had a good impression of Jiang Shiyan and accepted his invitation. Tang Yang and Zhou Mo met at Feng Weiran’s café.

Zhou Mo’s request for help turned out to be asking Tang Yang for her opinion on various figurines’ features and styles. Knowing Tang Yang liked figurines from their chats, Zhou Mo made a special effort to engage. That day, Tang Yang stayed out late and found that she hadn’t replied to Jiang Shiyan’s messages for a long time. She felt she might have hurt Jiang Shiyan’s feelings.

To make amends, Tang Yang bought fish-flavored shredded pork rice and delivered it to Jiang Shiyan’s company the next day. Jiang Shiyan, who was initially upset, was quickly cheered up by the sight of Tang Yang bringing him lunch, and all his grievances disappeared. At the bank, Tang Yang received a loan application from a woman whose husband had died in a special military mission.

As a woman herself, Tang Yang felt deep sympathy and wanted to help her get approval. However, a colleague reminded Tang Yang that being a widow would increase the repayment pressure. After work, Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan planned to stroll around. When with Tang Yang, Jiang Shiyan could forget everything else. Passing by a sports hall, even though it was closed, Jiang Shiyan wanted to play tennis. He suggested they climb over the wall.

With their agility, they both scaled the wall, but found that the tennis hall’s door was locked. At that moment, a security guard spotted them. Jiang Shiyan quickly pulled Tang Yang away, and they eventually found an unlocked storage room to hide. In the cramped corner, Tang Yang and Jiang Shiyan were very close, close enough to hear each other’s breathing. Jiang Shiyan, feeling embarrassed, apologized for bringing Tang Yang into such an adventure so late.

Tang Yang admitted that they were quite different, like parallel lines. Jiang Shiyan’s work required flexibility, freshness, and fashion, while Tang Yang’s job was rigid and meticulous, often requiring her to suppress her true feelings and respond in a formal manner.

When Tang Yang reflected on why they had become such familiar and comforting friends, Jiang Shiyan agreed. Despite the many beautiful and charming people in the company over the years, Tang Yang had always been the most dazzling and gentle rainbow in his heart. Jiang Shiyan almost leaned in to kiss her, but as their eyes met, Tang Yang felt embarrassed and quickly avoided his gaze, finding an excuse to leave.

To help Jiang Shiyan fulfill his wish, Tang Yang took him to a nearby night market to play tennis. The place had ample lighting and was perfect for playing. After returning home, Jiang Shiyan, still excited from the game, sat in the courtyard drinking tea and reminiscing about their tennis session. Tang Yang hinted that Jiang Shiyan should cherish their friendship. Jiang Shiyan didn’t fully understand her comment but felt a strong sense of urgency.

Knowing Zhou Mo was actively pursuing Tang Yang, he feared that if he didn’t confess soon, he might miss his chance. During a staff meeting, Tang Yang presented her project proposal. To her surprise, Gan Yiming was the first to approve it and even praised Tang Yang publicly for her keen eye in finding clients right after starting work. After the meeting, Tang Yang’s colleagues warned her about the risks of the project and advised caution.

Tang Yang was mainly sympathetic to the military widow and hadn’t fully considered the potential risks. Zhou Mo sent a package to Tang Yang’s home, and she was thrilled to see the figurines. However, the recipient's name on the package made her suspicious, as it wasn’t a name Jiang Shiyan would use. Tang Yang recalled a recent conversation with her senior about figurines and suspected that Zhou Mo had bought the set to win her favor.

The figurines were expensive, and Tang Yang refused to accept them. Zhou Mo seemed a bit unhappy, so Tang Yang immediately offered to transfer money for them. Zhou Mo, understanding Tang Yang’s refusal, accepted her payment. Jiang Shiyan had originally planned to take Tang Yang to a Michelin restaurant that day, but since Tang Yang couldn’t make it due to work, Jiang Shiyan gave the valuable Michelin invitation to Feng Weiran.

Cheng Hui, seeing this great opportunity, asked to join Feng Weiran at the Michelin restaurant. Jiang Shiyan then brought a lunchbox to Tang Yang’s home and, seeing the figurines, felt uncomfortable. He ended up breaking one of the figurine’s arms, and when Tang Yang demanded he fix it, Jiang Shiyan was pleased. He had recently bought the same figurine and could now leave it at Tang Yang’s place. Tang Yang was very focused on her first loan project.

She often visited a small eatery to observe its business. After expanding the storefront, the business had become much quieter. Tang Yang invited Jiang Yanan for a meal, and after just one bite, Jiang Yanan remarked how much better the food was compared to the storefront’s décor. Tang Yang looked back at the eatery’s simple decor and formal menu, realizing it didn’t stimulate much appetite.

Jiang Yanan bought a lot of the eatery’s specialty food and brought it to Jiang Shiyan’s company, both to support the owner and to help with promotion. Jiang Shiyan tasted it and found it quite good, noting the small shop's name on the takeout box. The next day, after work, Jiang Shiyan saw a group of boys bullying another child, a scene he felt he had seen before.

He immediately started recording a video on his phone while running to the scene. Jiang Shiyan lifted the bullied boy off the ground and used the video to warn the bullies that if they continued, he would post the video online. He told them that they would be labeled as bullies for life, affecting their future in school and work. The bullies quickly left.

Jiang Shiyan learned that the bullied boy, Min Lin, was the son of the female owner of the fast-food restaurant. Min Lin’s father had died in the line of duty, and the school children bullied him for being from a single-parent family. Jiang Shiyan felt a pang of pain. As someone who also came from a single-parent family, he was grateful for Tang Yang’s companionship and support.

Many times, she had stood up for him against bullies, never viewing him through a prejudiced lens. Jiang Shiyan felt comforted when he recalled those past experiences.

Jiang Shiyan wanted to help promote the "Zhilan" small shop, so he invited a well-known food vlogger who had reviewed restaurants before. The vlogger arrived at Yi Xiu with no reservations, bringing large bags and filling them with all the sponsored food products from the company. He even asked Jiang Shiyan why he was so concerned about such a small shop with low prices and no potential for profit.

Sheng Nina had once broken Cheng Hui's smart glasses, and to make up for it, she offered to treat him to dinner. Cheng Hui finally agreed, but when Sheng Nina arrived, she was surprised to find seven or eight engineers, with no sign of Cheng Hui.

One of the engineers explained that they were the ones who developed the glasses and assured her that breaking them was no problem—they would make a new pair and, once released, gift them to both Cheng Hui and Sheng Nina. They awkwardly added that they had long admired Sheng Nina and had never met a celebrity in person, and Cheng Hui had helped them fulfill that dream. Sheng Nina smiled awkwardly and responded that she also liked high-tech products.

During a meeting, Gan Yiming suggested three factories for loans. When Tang Yang visited the sites, she found that these companies were not among the local top ten performers, as Gan Yiming had claimed. Many of the machines were covered in a thick layer of dust, indicating they hadn't been used in a long time. Tang Yang felt there was a significant loan risk and didn’t recommend approving the loans.

Gan Yiming, however, kept pressuring her, saying that these factories were major clients and that refusing the loan would lead to endless trouble from them. Tang Yang conducted a thorough investigation, including looking into the factory owner's large spending records. At a public meeting, Tang Yang presented her findings, revealing that the owner had spent millions on streaming platforms and online gambling, frequently purchasing luxury goods and leaving thousands of comments on livestreams.

It was clear that this person was not focused on running the business and did not have the capacity to repay the loan. Tang Yang not only had records but also solid data to support her claims, making it impossible for anyone to cover up the truth. Jiang Shiyan brought the figurine he bought to Tang Yang’s home. At first, Tang Yang noticed that the figurine was flawlessly repaired and praised Jiang Shiyan’s skills.

But then she noticed the number on the figurine and was shocked. The code on the figurine was clearly different from her original one. Tang Yang quickly looked it up online and realized that Jiang Shiyan had bought the set in advance. Tang Yang was unsure of Jiang Shiyan’s intentions. Did he like her, or was he just trying to make up for damaging her figurine?

She had no clue, so she sought advice from a close friend, though she framed the situation as if it were about a colleague. Upon hearing the story, her friend immediately guessed that the guy must have a crush on the girl. So many coincidental details—gifting lipstick, high heels, and even an expensive figurine—what else could it be but love? Her friend advised Tang Yang to take the guy shopping and test the waters through subtle hints.

Following her friend’s advice, Tang Yang tried each suggestion one by one. The results were confusing—neither clear rejection nor confirmation of feelings, but with a lingering sense of ambiguity. When Jiang Shiyan saw Tang Yang wearing a different style of clothing than usual, he didn’t offer any empty compliments or buy matching couple bracelets. However, he did give her a sweet, delicate bracelet and, when he noticed her shoelaces were untied, casually knelt down to tie them for her. What kind of feeling was this? A sibling-like bond? Tang Yang was left puzzled, her head spinning with thoughts.

Cheng Hui and Sheng Nina were doing an outdoor live broadcast. This time, their location was a coastal hillside with tea gardens, a bright blue sky, and fresh air. Cheng Hui worked with precision and seriousness, and after finishing work, he kept himself busy with his own activities, like night running and watching the sunrise. Sheng Nina had never encountered someone with such boundless energy.

Her assistant even thought this guy was pretending to "coincidentally" bump into them as a way to strike up a conversation with the beauty. But in reality, Cheng Hui was genuinely heading out to watch the sunrise. He had set his alarm for 4 a. m. and had already checked the sunrise time the night before, preparing a detailed route. Tang Yang really wanted to help the female owner of a small restaurant.

Coincidentally, Jiang Shiyan had run into the owner's son and felt sorry for the boy who was being bullied. The two of them quickly agreed to work together and designed a promotional food advertisement to help the restaurant. Jiang Shiyan brought his professional filming team and carefully prepared everything. They even conducted a special interview about the owner's hardships and the origin of the restaurant.

The inspirational story, combined with the food video, attracted many customers, and the small shop’s business boomed. The bank staff saw the great success of the small shop that Tang Yang was responsible for lending to and were envious, thinking she had secured a lucrative deal. However, Tang Yang just felt she was lucky. That same day, an uninvited guest arrived at Jiang Shiyan’s company.

The man had trusted an advertisement link and invested in a fund, only to find that the website soon disappeared, and he could no longer find it. In a fit of rage, the man stormed into Jiang Shiyan’s company and took a woman hostage, holding a knife to her neck. The situation was critical. As the head of Yi Xiu Company, Jiang Shiyan immediately stepped forward to calm the man down.

The man was determined to get his investment back, but Jiang Shiyan advised him to call the police, as his company had never hosted such a link. The police soon arrived, along with a psychological counselor. A large crowd had gathered, and the counselor suggested that Jiang Shiyan continue to keep the man calm and move him to a less crowded area. Jiang Shiyan, thinking quickly and remaining calm, worked with the police to guide the man toward the elevator.

Tang Yang was watching the live stream and saw Jiang Shiyan negotiating with the man, who was still holding the knife. She was terrified. Despite being in the middle of a staff meeting, she immediately stood up and ran out. Fortunately, Jiang Shiyan made it through the ordeal unharmed. When Tang Yang arrived at the scene, she saw Jiang Shiyan wrestle the knife away from the man, only to be pushed down in the process.

Tang Yang ran over in a panic and helped Jiang Shiyan up. Jiang Shiyan was surprised to see her there, while Tang Yang, overwhelmed, burst into tears. Seeing her red, swollen eyes, Jiang Shiyan felt that the risk he took was completely worth it. After the crisis at the company during the day, Jiang Shiyan and the entire staff were working overtime. Tang Yang stayed at the company as well.

Jiang Shiyan's mother saw the news report and was so frightened that she immediately called her son. Seeing that he was safe and that Tang Yang was by his side, she finally felt reassured. In the early morning hours, Tang Yang fell asleep on the company sofa. Jiang Shiyan gently covered her with a blanket and, looking closely at her long eyelashes, felt that working overtime wasn't tiring at all—in fact, it even felt a bit romantic.

One day, with nothing to do, Tang Yang decided to visit Jiang Shiyan's company. She happened to arrive during a brainstorming session, where they were trying to figure out the theme for their next show. Tang Yang overheard that none of them were particularly satisfied with their ideas. This reminded her of how Zhang Zhilan had made fried rice from leftover rice last time, and it tasted amazing. She suggested they could create a "Leftover Challenge" cooking competition.

Everyone thought it was a great idea, especially as it fit with the fast-paced lifestyle of today's youth, and they immediately decided to use this theme. Jiang Shiyan invited Tang Yang to stay for a company meal. While browsing the food displays, she overheard one of Jiang Shiyan's colleagues asking about her relationship with the boss. Jiang Shiyan quickly clarified that he and Tang Yang were just like close brothers, ready to help each other at any moment.

Feng Weiran, standing nearby, also chimed in, saying that the two of them had a purely platonic friendship, so no one should misunderstand. Hearing this conversation, Tang Yang suddenly felt disappointed. It turned out Jiang Shiyan had always seen her as just "one of the guys" and even went out of his way to distance himself from her in front of his colleagues. With this thought, Tang Yang lost interest in staying.

She had a colleague pass on a message, saying that she had to leave for a work meeting and that there was no need to have dinner together. Back home, Tang Yang carried the dessert box Jiang Shiyan had given her before she left his company. Although it contained her favorite treats, she recalled hearing him clarify that they weren't romantically involved, and her mood soured.

She decided it would be better to keep her distance from Jiang Shiyan in the future to avoid any potential heartache. Jiang Shiyan, as usual, went to Tang Yang's bank to pick her up after work. Her colleagues, upon seeing such a handsome guy, looked at her with envious eyes.

But when Tang Yang came out, she coldly reminded Jiang Shiyan not to pick her up from work anymore and not to drop by so often to avoid people misunderstanding their relationship as a romantic one. It was the first time Jiang Shiyan had heard Tang Yang say something like this, and he felt genuinely upset. Back at the company, he sought out Cheng Hui and Feng Weiran, repeating what Tang Yang had just told him.

Cheng Hui and Feng Weiran exchanged puzzled looks, sensing something was off. Tang Yang had always been carefree and never cared about how others viewed their friendship. Why was she suddenly being so cautious now? Feng Weiran speculated that Tang Yang might have found someone she admired at the bank and was worried that Jiang Shiyan picking her up might hurt her chances. Hearing this explanation, Jiang Shiyan became even more unsure of what to think.

Lately, it seemed that wherever Tang Yang was, Jiang Shiyan wasn’t, and whenever Jiang Shiyan was around, Tang Yang was absent. Even Feng Weiran and Jiang Yanan noticed this. One day, Jiang Shiyan overheard that Tang Yang had gone to look at houses with a senior. Growing suspicious about how close they had become, he immediately called Tang Yang. During the call, Jiang Shiyan learned that Tang Yang had been in a car accident.

He rushed to the scene just in time to find that three or four drunk men had smashed her car windows with iron rods and were yelling, ready to cause trouble.