61: Chapter 61 Sharing the Rain

It was eleven fifty in the morning.

There were still ten minutes until the lunch break.

Qiao Yichen turned off his screen early, picked up the umbrella beside him, and stood up to leave.

In the Planning Department, some people were still working diligently, the light from their screens reflecting on their faces.

Others had already gathered together, discussing what to eat for lunch.

Along the row by the window, colleagues who had ordered takeout early were leaning back in their chairs, scrolling through their phones, occasionally letting out a soft chuckle.

Qiao Yichen pushed open the glass door and stepped into the hallway.

Just then, the door to the Director's office not far behind him also opened.

Liu Yanran walked out.

The two exchanged a smile.

Liu Yanran didn't stop walking; she just naturally walked over, and then they both took the elevator downstairs together.

Once outside the office building, Qiao Yichen opened the umbrella.

Black frame, deep gray canopy; the joints clicked softly as it opened.

The umbrella wasn't large, just enough to cover the two of them.

Liu Yanran stepped naturally under the umbrella, and the two stood very close.

She offered her hand.

He took it.

Holding hands, the two walked toward the Yintai Mall diagonally across from the office building.

...

On the fourth floor of the mall, at the Hangzhou cuisine restaurant they frequented.

In the small private room, the dishes were already served—longjing shrimp, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and pickled bamboo shoot, pork, and clam soup—all light flavors that she preferred.

Qiao Yichen served her a bowl of soup and pushed it over.

Liu Yanran accepted it and took a sip while looking down.

"How is the project going?" Qiao Yichen asked.

"It's already been sent to the boss," Liu Yanran put down her spoon. "I forwarded your two scheme frameworks, budget breakdowns, and core selling point comparisons exactly as they were. The boss said he would show them to his friend this afternoon and notify me immediately once there is feedback."

Qiao Yichen nodded and picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks: "Then it can be decided this afternoon."

"Mm," Liu Yanran paused, "What about your side?"

"Su Qing said the studio license should arrive in the next couple of days," Qiao Yichen put down his chopsticks. "This afternoon, I'll take an hour or two to open the corporate account. Once it's open, all transactions can go through the public account."

Liu Yanran glanced at him: "You're quick."

"Delaying too long invites complications," Qiao Yichen said. "Besides, I contacted Wang Xiao last night too."

He picked up a piece of shrimp, his tone casual: "He's kept the slot open for me. I'll set aside some time this weekend to meet him and finalize the subsequent cooperation."

Liu Yanran hummed in response, not asking further questions.

After a few seconds of silence, she suddenly spoke, her tone still level:

"Manager Xu from the auction house you mentioned this morning also called."

Qiao Yichen looked at her.

"The cabinet will be delivered tomorrow," Liu Yanran picked up some greens with her chopsticks. "Between ten and twelve in the morning."

"That is quite fast," Qiao Yichen commented.

"It happens to be the weekend, and I have time," Liu Yanran finished, looking down to continue eating.

Qiao Yichen looked at her and put down his chopsticks.

"Then I'll come over tomorrow."

Liu Yanran's chopsticks paused; she didn't look up.

"...Mm."

After the meal, the two walked out of the restaurant.

It was noon, and the mall was gradually getting more crowded.

Liu Yanran walked beside him, not asking where they were going or why they weren't returning to the office.

Qiao Yichen stopped at the corner of the third floor.

Liu Yanran followed his gaze—it was 'Cloud Corridor,' the shop they had visited together before.

She turned to look at him, her eyes holding a question.

Qiao Yichen showed a rare hint of awkwardness and cleared his throat:

"That... the clothes we changed out of last time, I forgot to pick them up here."

Liu Yanran looked at him, thinking it was some important matter.

Then she retracted her gaze and walked toward the store.

The interior still had soft lighting, and the air was filled with a faint scent of cedarwood.

The middle-aged shop assistant, wearing a well-fitting vest, clearly remembered them. A smile immediately appeared on his face as his eyes swept over their faces.

"Mr. Qiao, Ms. Liu, good afternoon," he bowed slightly. "Mr. Qiao is here to pick up the clothes you left in storage, correct?"

"Yes," Qiao Yichen nodded.

"Certainly. They have been properly stored and cleaned for you. Please wait a moment."

The assistant turned and walked into the back room, quickly returning with a dark dust bag, which he presented with both hands.

Qiao Yichen accepted it and thanked him.

Just as he was about to turn, he paused again.

"Oh, right," he looked at the assistant, his tone even. "I'm planning to get some new clothes soon. I'll come to the shop another day when I have time to order a custom set."

The smile on the assistant's face deepened. Liu Yanran, standing to the side, also spoke up:

"One set is indeed too few," she said lightly. "For formal occasions, business banquets, and daily commuting, you need at least three as a base."

The assistant immediately understood, and his smile became even more sincere:

"Ms. Liu is absolutely right. Although the customization period is slightly longer than ready-to-wear, its advantage is that it fits the client's figure and wearing habits perfectly."

He paused, his gaze naturally shifting to Liu Yanran, his tone laced with flattery and goodwill:

"Speaking of which, the few detail modifications Ms. Liu suggested for Mr. Qiao last time—sleeve length, waistline, trouser hem—were all extremely precise. We have an associate specifically responsible for recording the measurements of our regular clients. Mr. Qiao can use these fine-tuning parameters directly next time, which will be much more efficient."

He bowed slightly:

"Your girlfriend's eye for detail is truly very professional."

The fingers holding her bag strap paused.

She did not refute.

Qiao Yichen stood beside her, turned his head, and his gaze dropped from her slightly lowered eyelashes to the corner of her pursed lips.

He took her hand.

"That's true," his voice wasn't loud, but it was very clear. "She knows a lot about clothes. I usually listen to her advice."

Liu Yanran turned to look at him.

There was no complaint, no embarrassment, only a sense of helplessness.

She didn't speak.

She just quickly and covertly pinched the soft flesh on his waist with her other hand.

The force wasn't heavy. Her nail scraped across his shirt, like a kitten scratching playfully.

Qiao Yichen didn't even frown; instead, the corner of his mouth curved upwards.

The assistant kept his eyes focused on his business, pretending he saw nothing, and smiled as he escorted the two to the door.

"We look forward to Mr. Qiao and Ms. Liu's next visit."

...

The walk back to the office wasn't long.

The rain was still falling, fine and dense, showing no signs of stopping.

Qiao Yichen held the umbrella, and Liu Yanran walked beside him. The umbrella canopy was tilted toward her side, and the rainwater dripped down from his side of the rim; he didn't try to huddle further inside.

She didn't say anything. She took the Audi key out of her bag and handed it over.

"It's more convenient to drive in the rain."

Qiao Yichen looked down at the key resting in her palm.

He didn't take it. Instead, he stepped forward half a pace, wrapped his arm around her side, and gently rested it on her shoulder.

"My girlfriend is really good to me."

He lowered his head and leaned in—not a real kiss, just an exaggerated tease—his lips hovering two or three inches from her forehead.

Liu Yanran didn't even raise her eyelids; her palm was already pressed against him.

Her palm pressed lightly but firmly against his lips, pushing his face away.

"You really are childish," she said, her tone calm, but the faint blush around her ears was visibly deepening, spreading across her cheek at a rate visible to the naked eye.

Then she slapped the key into the hand that was holding her shoulder.

Qiao Yichen grasped the key and smiled.

He stopped teasing and just held her a little tighter.

...

The lobby downstairs at the company.

Qiao Yichen glanced at his phone, then turned to Liu Yanran: "I need to go handle something at Su Qing's place in a bit. I'll take you to the elevator entrance first."

Liu Yanran nodded: "Okay."

The two walked side-by-side toward the elevator hall.

Just as they rounded the corner, they bumped into three familiar faces.

Li Yong was holding a cup of coffee, animatedly telling Shen Bowen something, while Meng Zhi followed quietly beside them, holding her phone.

Li Yong had sharp eyes and stopped talking as fast as a conditioned reflex, immediately putting on a smile:

"Hello, Director Liu! Boss!"

Shen Bowen and Meng Zhi followed closely behind, greeting them in unison with respectful attitudes.

Liu Yanran didn't stop walking. She nodded at them, her gaze sweeping over the three faces, her expression calm enough that no emotion could be discerned.

"Mm," she responded, her voice cool and distant.

Li Yong and the other two subconsciously stepped aside to let them pass.

Qiao Yichen walked slightly behind her, and as he passed Li Yong, his footsteps naturally paused for a moment.

Qiao Yichen's tone was as usual:

"I need to go to the bank for a bit. If the direction of the proposal is confirmed this afternoon, deepen it based on the ideas discussed this morning."

Li Yong immediately became serious: "Understood, Boss, don't worry."

Shen Bowen nodded, and Meng Zhi also softly replied, "Okay."

The elevator doors happened to open at that moment.

Liu Yanran entered the car first, and Li Yong's trio followed in single file.

Qiao Yichen turned and headed toward another elevator going down.