R70 Chapter 10

Team Leader Yuan, Do You Have Someone You Like?

Seeing her daughter like this, Sun Hongying became even more certain of her suspicions.

She smiled and patted her daughter’s hand, her tone gentle. “Alright, alright, Mom won’t say anything more.”

“But Yunzhu, you must remember—happiness is something you have to fight for yourself. Yuan Ye is truly a good boy in Mom’s eyes. Don’t let this opportunity slip away.”

Wu Yunzhu lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes, her mind in complete turmoil.

She knew Sun Hongying was right, but given her current circumstances, it really wasn’t appropriate to think about such things.

Moreover, Yuan Ye’s feelings toward her… what exactly did he think? She didn’t dare to be certain.

Yuan Ye liked her, but that was ultimately something from her previous life. She didn’t dare to be sure about now.

Just then, Wu Jianguo walked in, holding a thick coat. “I found the clothes. Yunzhu, take them to Yuan Ye.”

Wu Yunzhu took the clothes, nodded, and turned toward the inner room.

Her heart was beating somewhat fast, and her footsteps unconsciously lightened.

Reaching the door, she took a deep breath, raised her hand and knocked softly. “Team Leader Yuan, I’ve brought you the clothes.”

Yuan Ye’s deep voice came from inside. “Come in.”

Wu Yunzhu pushed open the door and walked in.

Yuan Ye had already changed into clean clothes and was standing by the bathtub drying his hair.

His hair was still damp, water droplets sliding down his neck. He looked much more refreshed overall.

Wu Yunzhu handed him the clothes, saying softly, “This is my father’s coat. Wear it for now so you don’t catch cold.”

Yuan Ye took the clothes, his gaze falling on her face, his eyes gentle and focused. “Thank you.”

Wu Yunzhu felt somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze. She lowered her head and said softly, “No need to thank me… You—you should put the coat on quickly so you don’t get cold.”

Yuan Ye nodded and draped the coat over himself.

His movements were gentle, as if afraid of disturbing something.

The room fell quiet for a moment, with only the sound of their breathing interweaving in the air.

After a while, Yuan Ye said softly, “Yunzhu, today… thank you.”

Wu Yunzhu raised her head and met his gaze, her heart trembling slightly.

She pressed her lips together and said softly, “What’s there to thank? It’s only natural.”

Yuan Ye looked at her, his eyes deep, as if he had a thousand words to say but didn’t know where to begin.

In the previous life at this time, Wu Yunzhu hadn’t returned to her parents’ home, but was helping Xie Yun take care of his illegitimate child.

He hadn’t known at the time that the child was the illegitimate son of Xie Yun and Cheng Yaoyao. If he had known, he definitely would have…

Yuan Ye was startled by his own thoughts.

Would have what?

Would he have told Yunzhu about this?

Telling Yunzhu wouldn’t necessarily mean she would leave Xie Yun, but there was no doubt that she would be sad and heartbroken.

He didn’t want to make Yunzhu sad.

Yuan Ye was lost in thought when Wu Yunzhu looked at him with some confusion.

“Team Leader Yuan?”

Wu Yunzhu blinked and waved her hand in front of Yuan Ye’s eyes.

“I’m fine.”

Yuan Ye instinctively grabbed the wrist waving before his eyes, his palm touching a patch of delicate, cool skin.

Wu Yunzhu’s wrist was slender with prominent bones, her skin so fair that the pale blue veins were almost visible.

His fingers tightened slightly, his fingertips unconsciously caressing it, as if confirming something.

Both of them froze simultaneously.

Yuan Ye’s gaze moved from her wrist to meet Wu Yunzhu’s slightly widened eyes.

Her eyelashes trembled lightly, a flash of panic passing through her eyes.

Her cheeks visibly flushed with a thin layer of red, and even her earlobes were tinged with a faint pink.

The air seemed to freeze in that moment.

Yuan Ye suddenly let go, as if burned, quickly withdrawing his hand, the sensation of her skin still lingering on his fingertips.

He coughed lightly and turned his head away, concealing the unnaturalness on his face.

Wu Yunzhu also hastily withdrew her hand, the warmth of his palm still lingering on her wrist.

She lowered her head, her fingers unconsciously twisting together, her heart beating so fast it seemed about to leap from her chest.

She bit her lower lip, trying to calm her emotions, but found her cheeks growing hotter and hotter.

Neither of them spoke, and a subtle awkwardness permeated the air.

After a few seconds, Yuan Ye finally broke the silence, his voice somewhat hoarse, “Sorry, I was just… a bit distracted.”

Wu Yunzhu shook her head, her voice as soft as if talking to herself. “It’s—it’s fine…”

Her voice grew softer and softer, finally becoming almost inaudible.

She kept her head lowered, not daring to look at him, her fingers unconsciously rubbing her wrist, as if his warmth still lingered there.

Yuan Ye glanced at her, his gaze falling on her slightly flushed cheeks, inexplicably softening inside.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but didn’t know what to say.

In the end, he only sighed softly and said in a low voice, “You don’t need to bring me lunch anymore. It wouldn’t be good if people saw. Your reputation is most important.”

Wu Yunzhu raised her head and met his gaze, then quickly looked away, her voice somewhat flustered. “You don’t need to worry about me. I just want you to have enough to eat…”

“I know Xie Yun has been working against you in secret because of me. But I couldn’t see these things clearly before. It wasn’t until recently that I suddenly understood.”

“I can’t let Xie Yun continue like this, and I can’t let things continue between myself and Xie Yun like this anymore. Between us, there should have been a resolution long ago…”

Wu Yunzhu’s voice grew lower and lower, finally becoming almost a whisper.

She felt she must look very disheveled now, her face burning as if about to catch fire, her heart beating so fast she could barely breathe.

Yuan Ye watched her flustered appearance, an inexplicable urge to comfort her welling up inside.

He reached out his hand and gently placed it on Wu Yunzhu’s shoulder.

“If you need my help, just say so. I’ll help you.”

Wu Yunzhu nodded, her fingers tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, trying to calm herself down.

She took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound calmer, “Team Leader Yuan, do you have someone you like?”

Yuan Ye froze. He hadn’t expected Wu Yunzhu to ask him such a question at all.

From his perspective, Wu Yunzhu’s eyes held only Xie Yun.

Although he couldn’t find a single merit in Xie Yun, just thinking about Wu Yunzhu being married to him made him turn a blind eye to some of Xie Yun’s minor actions against himself.

He didn’t want to make Yunzhu’s life difficult.

“Why ask this?”

Wu Yunzhu saw clear confusion in Yuan Ye’s eyes, which made her unconsciously grip the clothes in her hands tighter.

A trace of loneliness passed through her heart.

Could it be that in the previous life at this time, Yuan Ye had already given up on her?

That made sense—after all, she was already married.

Given Yuan Ye’s personality, even if he still liked her, he would force himself to let go.

“Nothing, just asking casually.”

Yuan Ye hummed in acknowledgment, his gaze falling on her face, lingering for a few seconds before quickly moving away.

“Yes.”

Wu Yunzhu didn’t hear clearly and reflexively asked, “What?”

“Yes.” Yuan Ye’s gaze was profound. He stared at Wu Yunzhu’s face, not wanting to miss a single expression. “I do have someone I like.”