Chapter One: Reunion

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At ten in the morning, the Spring Project Office was just beginning its new workday.

Many had worked overtime the previous night, and now wore sleepy expressions. An intern clung to life with coffee in one hand while opening an unfinished elevation drawing on their computer.

Sunlight poured through the glass, casting into the office and illuminating the corners of models, making them appear even more intricate.

Shu Shiran led Wu Tianqi into her own office. “Have a seat, wherever you like.”

Wu Tianqi looked around and asked, “Shiran, did you open this firm by yourself?”

Shu Shiran replied, “I started it with a friend. She’s away on a business trip, but you’ll meet her later.”

She sat down on the sofa opposite him. “I took a look—your studies aren’t entirely unrelated to this field.”

“You need philosophy for architecture?” Wu Tianqi was evidently surprised, never having heard of such a thing.

Shu Shiran was momentarily at a loss. “Didn’t you major in sculpture as an undergraduate?”

Wu Tianqi smiled. “I did, but I’ve forgotten most of it.”

It wasn’t unusual for someone in their circle to study sculpture in undergrad and then switch to philosophy in graduate school. In their world, it was common to pursue whatever was deemed obscure or unprofitable; finance was actually a rarity.

Shu Shiran and Wu Tianqi weren’t particularly close, though they had seen each other at various occasions since childhood. He was three years younger than her—a typical scion, exuding a laid-back, somewhat unserious air she was all too familiar with.

She studied him discreetly; nothing about his appearance suggested he was considering becoming a monk.

Shu Shiran said, “You’ll start as an intern. You’ll follow me, and I’ll mentor you.”

Wu Tianqi nodded, seemingly indifferent to whatever role he was given.

“This line of work is pretty exhausting,” Shu Shiran warned.

“Lots of overtime?” Wu Tianqi ventured.

Shu Shiran replied calmly, “There’s no such thing as overtime in this business—only all-nighters.”

Wu Tianqi was momentarily speechless.

It was a joke everyone at the firm liked to make, but the overtime was very real.

Suddenly, Shu Shiran’s phone buzzed twice. She glanced at it—work messages. “Do you have any questions?”

“Not at the moment,” Wu Tianqi answered.

Shu Shiran opened her messages. “I’ll have someone show you around the office. HR will go over the rest with you.”

Wu Tianqi stood up. “Alright, Shiran.”

“Just call me by my name here,” Shu Shiran said, “or ‘Sharon’ if you prefer.”

It was her assistant who came to show Wu Tianqi around.

As Wu Tianqi followed along on the tour, he stole a glance at his phone.

A few friends knew he was starting at Shu Shiran’s office today.

—Started work yet?
—Come on, tell us how it feels!
—If they’re hiring, get me in. I’m cheap.
—I’m even cheaper. I’ll work for free! [grinning][grinning]

Wu Tianqi read the messages but didn’t reply.

None of them really cared about him.

Many of his acquaintances admired Shu Shiran, the eldest daughter of the Shu family, and envied his good fortune to work here.

He, however, wanted none of this so-called good fortune.

*

Near noon, Shu Shiran’s phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID, picked up, and leaned back in her chair. She’d been busy all morning, preparing for a competition project.

Once the call connected, a woman’s voice came through: “Did that young master start today?”

It was Dai Jiao, the other owner of the firm.

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“He’s here,” Shu Shiran replied, stretching her stiff neck. “Done with your meeting? Where are you now?”

“I’m on my way to the construction site,” said Dai Jiao.

“Haven’t had lunch yet?”

“Not yet. I’ll eat when I get there.”

Shu Shiran gave a noncommittal hum, then couldn’t help but yawn, tears springing to her eyes, blurring her vision.

Dai Jiao heard it over the phone. “What time did you finish last night?”

Shu Shiran wiped her tears with a tissue. “A bit past three.”

She’d been fine in the morning, but now fatigue was setting in.

“I made it till two-thirty,” Dai Jiao said.

“I saw your feedback in the group chat after two.” Shu Shiran yawned again as she spoke.

Dai Jiao caught it and started yawning as well, her voice muffled. “The sun is really blazing here. I’m going to get tanned again.”

Getting tanned was something Shu Shiran knew all too well.

Every site visit meant standing shoulder to shoulder with the sun.

She reminded her, “I just managed to get my complexion back. Use more sunscreen, don’t be lazy about it.”

The mention made Dai Jiao laugh.

Last time Shu Shiran went to a site, she’d been too busy to apply sunscreen, and came back visibly darker, a tan line starkly dividing her forehead—a silly but endearing look.

She’d left as a fair-skinned beauty; anyone who didn’t know better would have thought her site was in Africa.

Dai Jiao had no desire to repeat Shu Shiran’s mistake.

She pulled out her sunscreen spray, dousing herself as she began to vent about the morning’s project meeting in a torrent of words.

At last, she concluded, “Even a dog wouldn’t do architectural design!”

Shu Shiran, who’d just pulled several all-nighters, felt deeply understood. “Exactly, not even a dog.”

Of course, some people, however much they cursed, were always the most meticulous in their work.

“You two young heirs must be out of your minds. If I were in your shoes, I’d never work—I’d just enjoy life every day.”

“If I didn’t work, who’d be your partner?” Shu Shiran replied.

“True. I can’t do without you.” Dai Jiao’s complaints were just for show. “Honestly, I wish we had more heirs coming here to ‘experience life’—the more, the better, as long as they bring projects.”

Wu Tianqi had been sent to Shu Shiran by his parents.

When they first reached out about placing him with her, she’d thought it strange and didn’t agree immediately.

Then they told her he wanted to become a monk.

For people like Shu Shiran and Wu Tianqi, earning a living wasn’t a concern—they simply pursued what they liked. After returning home, Wu Tianqi had tried all sorts of things but found them all dull, until one day he told his parents: Life is too empty; I want to become a monk.

He was their only child, so naturally, his parents couldn’t accept that and sought to keep him occupied.

In the Wu family, ever since his grandfather’s generation, no one was allowed to work in the family business for fear of a fool ruining the company. Better to leave it to professionals. Besides, Wu Tianqi had no interest in it anyway.

After much thought, his parents remembered Shu Shiran and her architecture firm.

They sent Wu Tianqi along with a hotel renovation project in tow.

Shu Shiran warned them that the work here was demanding, but this only made his parents happier—they hoped the busier, the better, that exhaustion would keep him from dwelling on “becoming a monk.”

Shu Shiran brushed her hair aside, glancing out through the office’s glass wall to the open workspace. Wu Tianqi’s desk was perfectly visible from her vantage point.

She wondered how long he’d last.

She’d told his parents there was no guarantee he’d stay; if he insisted on leaving, she wouldn’t stop him.

Their reply: Every day he stays is a win.

“There’s one more thing,” Dai Jiao said over the phone. “The client for the Jinhe Mansion project came back early and is free this afternoon. They’ll come by at three to meet with you.”

Jinhe Mansion was a villa project—mostly interior, but among their current negotiations, it was one of Shu Shiran’s favorites.

The client was from Wall Street and had arranged contact with Dai Jiao through a local representative.

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No designer could resist a client like that.

Especially a Wall Street upstart—for them, money was just numbers passing through their hands. They weren’t short on cash, and their tastes were adventurous.

This meant the project offered enormous creative freedom—cutting-edge technology, the newest materials, and the possibility of collaborating with renowned designers.

**

At a few minutes to three in the afternoon, assistant Yuanyuan informed Shu Shiran that the client had arrived.

She made sure to compose herself before meeting the client, checking her reflection in the mirror.

Her complexion had mostly recovered by now.

She swept her bangs aside to check; the suntan line was gone. As for her dark circles, she’d covered them well—they were barely noticeable.

After tidying up, she left her office, and on a sudden impulse, called for Wu Tianqi. She’d been too busy earlier and hadn’t had a chance to check in with him.

“How has your first half-day been?” she asked.

She’d seen him chatting with two other interns earlier and gathered he was already fitting in.

“Not bad,” Wu Tianqi replied with a yawn. “The atmosphere is pretty relaxed.”

His answer sounded a bit forced, as if he couldn’t think of any other positives.

“Come with me to meet the client,” Shu Shiran said.

Wu Tianqi shuffled after her, his steps uneven. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Just listen,” Shu Shiran replied.

As they walked, they overheard two people whispering ahead.

“Is that our client going to the meeting room?”

“I think that’s for the Jinhe Mansion project.”

“He’s so handsome! I hope Sharon lets me handle this one.”

“Are you sure? No matter how handsome, once a man becomes the client, his charm drains away bit by bit.”

“But this one really is handsome. Did you see? I could put up with revising the proposal if I got to see that face.”

“Alright, you can handle him later.”

Hearing voices, the two finally noticed Shu Shiran approaching.

“It’s a deal, then.”

Shu Shiran nodded, and the pair hurried off.

At that moment, Yuanyuan said to Shu Shiran, “The client really is very handsome.”

Wu Tianqi muttered, “How handsome could he be?”

Yuanyuan knew he was just another young master here to ‘experience life’ and didn’t reply.

But her look said it all—clearly, he was handsomer than Wu Tianqi.

Wu Tianqi was even more skeptical.

Now, Shu Shiran’s curiosity was piqued.

After so many years in this industry, clients were all the same to her—neither male nor female, regardless of looks. There were only difficult and more difficult clients. Such excitement from her colleagues was rare.

The office wasn’t large, so they quickly reached the meeting room. Yuanyuan pushed open the door.

Shu Shiran led the way in. As the door opened, she immediately saw the man sitting inside.

He sat facing the door, leaning back in his chair, head lowered casually, one hand resting carelessly on the table. Dressed in a black windbreaker, he looked crisp and sharp, his skin almost icy pale by contrast.

The moment she looked at him, he raised his head and their eyes met.

Upon seeing his face, Shu Shiran paused in surprise.

Before she could speak, Wu Tianqi’s delighted voice sounded behind her: “Ji Xi? I didn’t expect it would be you.”