Qiu Yingying is reborn and bound to a learning system.

Meng Yanchen returned to his office, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the desk. The reunion had been calmer than he had expected, yet it stirred something within him. He had clearly seen the confusion and inquiry in her eyes; perhaps she wasn't entirely without recollection. This thought stirred a secret expectation within him.

He picked up the internal phone and dialed the brand department's number: "Have Ms. Qiu's team wait in conference room number one. I'll be there in ten minutes."

After hanging up the phone, he opened the drawer of his desk and looked at the pearl hair clip lying quietly inside. The sunlight after the New Year shone through the blinds, casting dappled light on the hair clip, much like the moonlight of that late night.

Perhaps it's time to return it to her. But then again, it seems too deliberate. If she has already forgotten the accident, this action will only put her in an awkward position; if she still remembers, will this reminder even bring her back to anything?

Meng Yanchen held the hairpin, lost in thought. Years of upbringing had instilled in him a habit of restraint, but facing this person he had been thinking about all Spring Festival, he couldn't help but want to get closer, like a butterfly breaking free of its cage, wanting to see where the spring light that had allowed him to emerge from his cocoon came from.

Meanwhile, Qiu Yingying in the conference room was restless. The overpowering scent of cedarwood made her wonder if something had really happened between her and Meng Yanchen. An image in her mind—a tall, imposing figure in a dark gray suit—gradually overlapped with the image of Meng Yanchen before her.

Her heart was racing, and a bold idea sprouted in her mind, but she quickly suppressed it—it was impossible. How could President Meng have had any interaction with her at that dinner party?

"Sister Qiu, President Meng is here." The intern's reminder made her quickly put away her phone.

Meng Yanchen entered the conference room, his gaze immediately falling on her, carrying a hint of barely perceptible probing. He sat down in the head seat, his fingertips resting on the table, his tone steady: "How's the plan being refined? Ms. Qiu, please tell us about it."

Qiu Yingying took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her heart, and began her report. She tried her best to focus, her voice clear and logical, befitting a professional team leader. But whenever her gaze met Meng Yanchen's, she was always captivated by the deep meaning in his eyes. Once, she even saw his gaze fall on her hair, as if searching for something, which made her heart tighten and her words falter.

After the presentation, the brand department colleagues left one by one, leaving only the two of them in the conference room. Meng Yanchen watched her pack her things, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Ms. Qiu, the initial communication about the project was a bit rushed at the moment. After this, we'll have plenty of time, so perhaps we can discuss the details privately."

Qiu Yingying paused, looked up at him, her eyes full of doubt: "Mr. Meng, do you think there's anything in the plan that needs to be adjusted?"

"No," Meng Yanchen shook his head, his gaze falling on the ends of her hair, his tone carrying a subtle hint, "I just feel that some details may require more in-depth communication."

Qiu Yingying's heart skipped a beat, and that sense of familiarity washed over her again, making her almost blurt out, "Have we met somewhere before?" But the words caught in her throat. The President Meng in front of her was a high-ranking executive at Guokun, the client. As the contractor, she couldn't be abrupt, much less lose her composure.

"Okay," she nodded, trying to keep her voice calm, "Anytime is fine, Mr. Meng, just contact me when it's convenient for you."

Meng Yanchen looked at her feigned composure, a faint smile flashing in his eyes. He didn't press further, simply nodding slightly: "Then I won't bother you any longer. I'll have my assistant contact you later."

Qiu Yingying walked out of the conference room carrying a folder, her back already damp with a thin layer of sweat. She glanced back at the closed conference room door and hurried away.

Meanwhile, in the conference room, Meng Yanchen picked up a pearl hair clip from the table and gently stroked it with his fingertips. He knew that this long-awaited communication was finally about to begin.

The sunlight after the New Year was warm and bright, much like the light in her eyes, and that deliberately sealed-away memory of the night was slowly awakening.

Qiu Yingying practically fled from the Guokun Building.

The moment the elevator doors closed, she felt as if all her strength had been drained away. Her back pressed against the cold metal, her chest heaving violently. Meng Yanchen's words in the conference room, "Some things may require deeper communication," were like a fine needle, gently piercing the calm she had been trying to maintain.

She didn't know if he meant work, or... something else.

But she understood the deeper meaning in his tone.

The feeling was like someone had thrown a pebble into the depths of her heart, the ripples spreading outwards and disrupting all her reason.

Back at the company, Qiu Yingying buried herself in work, trying to dispel the panic in her heart with busyness. But the more she did this, the more Meng Yanchen's shadow lingered in her mind.

His eyes.

His voice.

He had a faint scent of cedarwood on him.

And that meaningful remark.

All of these thoughts were swirling in her mind.

Could he be that person?

At three o'clock in the afternoon, her phone rang.

It was an unfamiliar number.

Qiu Yingying hesitated for a moment before answering the phone: "Hello."

"Team Leader Qiu, hello, I'm Mr. Meng's assistant, my surname is Zhou." A gentle male voice came from the other end of the phone. "Mr. Meng asked me to confirm with you whether you are free to come to Guokun at 10:00 AM tomorrow? He would like to discuss the details of the plan with you privately."

Communicate individually.

These four words surged through Qiu Yingying's nerves like an electric current.

Her heart suddenly raced, and her fingers tightened slightly around her phone: "Tomorrow morning...okay."

"Okay, I'll send you the meeting room information."

After hanging up the phone, Qiu Yingying stared at her phone screen, lost in thought for a long time.

He really wanted to see her alone.

Why?

Was it for work, or... for that night?

She dared not think about it too deeply, nor did she want to.

But the secret suspicions hidden in my heart grew wildly like weeds.

At 10 a.m. the next day, Qiu Yingying appeared at Guokun Group on time.

The receptionist had already been notified and took her directly to the small conference room on the top floor.

It was quieter and more private here than in yesterday's large conference room. The Shanghai skyline stretched out through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and sunlight streamed through the glass, casting warm dappled patterns on the table.

Qiu Yingying stood by the window, trying to calm herself down.

Just then, the door was pushed open.

Meng Yanchen walked in.

He wore a light gray suit with a white shirt underneath, without a tie. He looked a bit softer than yesterday, but still exuded a powerful aura.

The moment he saw her, he paused, a fleeting, almost imperceptible emotion flashing in his eyes.

"Good morning, Team Leader Qiu."

"Good morning, Mr. Meng." Qiu Yingying turned around, trying to make her voice sound steady.

Meng Yanchen walked to the conference table and gestured for her to sit down: "Please sit down."

Qiu Yingying sat down, placed her hands on her knees, and nervously twisted her fingertips together.

Meng Yanchen sat down as well, but did not immediately turn on the computer. Instead, he looked at her with a deep gaze: "You prepared yesterday's plan very well."

"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Meng." Qiu Yingying nodded. "Our team has done a lot of homework."

"I can see that." Meng Yanchen's gaze fell on her face. "You're very professional."

His gaze was so focused that Qiu Yingying felt a little uncomfortable. She avoided his eyes and looked out the window: "Mr. Meng, is there anything that needs to be adjusted that you asked me to come here today?"

Meng Yanchen remained silent for a moment before speaking: "The plan itself is not a big problem."

Why did he ask her to come?

Qiu Yingying was puzzled, but dared not ask.

The meeting room was so quiet that only the two of them could be heard breathing.

After a while, Meng Yanchen slowly spoke: "Team Leader Qiu, do you... still remember the underground parking garage of the Yuntan Hotel before the New Year?"

Qiu Yingying's heart skipped a beat.

He mentioned...

Could it be... him?

She tried to keep her expression calm: "I remember, what's wrong?"

Meng Yanchen looked at her, a hint of inquiry in his eyes: "You drank too much that night."

Qiu Yingying's cheeks instantly burned.

Her heart was pounding, her fingertips were icy cold: "Mr. Meng... how did you know?"

Meng Yanchen did not answer, but instead took a small box from the drawer and pushed it in front of her.

"This is yours."

Qiu Yingying was stunned.

She opened the box and saw a pearl hair clip lying quietly inside.

That was the one she lost years ago.

The moment Qiu Yingying saw it, something seemed to explode in her mind.

A burning hot body temperature.

Deep, labored breathing.

The scent of cedar.

And a pair of focused eyes.

The blurry fragments instantly became clear.

She suddenly looked up at Meng Yanchen, her eyes filled with shock, panic, and disbelief.

"It's you..."

Meng Yanchen looked at her, and the emotions in his eyes were finally no longer concealed.

There was guilt, heartache, and a sliver of... expectation.

"it's me."

The air seemed to freeze.

Qiu Yingying's mind went blank, with only one thought swirling wildly within her:

The person that night really was him.

Her face flushed crimson instantly, her lips trembled slightly, but she couldn't utter a single word. Only one thought occupied her mind: "I'm doomed, I've offended the client."

Seeing her reaction, Meng Yanchen felt a pang of anxiety.

He reached out his hand, wanting to comfort her, but stopped mid-air, ultimately just clenching his fist: "Team Leader Qiu, I'm sorry."

His voice was low and hoarse, filled with deep remorse.

Qiu Yingying looked at him, her mind in turmoil.

Shock, shame, panic, fear... and a trace of indescribable emotion intertwined in her heart.

She didn't know what to do or what to say.

He could only instinctively stand up and stagger toward the door.

"Team Leader Qiu!" Meng Yanchen also stood up, his voice tinged with urgency.

Qiu Yingying didn't turn around, but quickened her pace and almost ran out of the conference room.

Her mind was a complete mess, with only one thought remaining:

escape.

She wants to leave.

leave him.

Leave this place that makes her feel uneasy.

Meng Yanchen stood there, watching her disappearing figure through the doorway, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

He knew this was too sudden for her.

He also knew that what he was doing might be somewhat abrupt.

But he didn't want to wait any longer.

He wanted her to know the truth.

I want to apologize for what happened that night.

I want to take responsibility.

Perhaps it's time for him to start a new chapter in his life.

He picked up the pearl hair clip from the table and gently stroked it with his fingertips.

Sunlight streamed through the glass, casting a spring-like glow on the hair clip.

Meng Yanchen's gaze hardened.

No matter what she thinks now, he will not give up.

He will wait for her.

Wait until she calms down.

He waited until she was willing to listen to his explanation.

He would leave it to her to decide whether she wanted to take responsibility or offer compensation.