A name that only she knew

"You've changed a lot…" Qi Jianyi's gaze lingered on the man seated across from her. Somehow, Xu Yichen—who had clearly been on his way out of the restaurant—had ended up following her into the private dining room. 

She had been too lost in her thoughts to stop him. And now, here they were. 

Offering a polite smile, she responded softly, "Well, it's been years since we last met." 

"That's true…" Xu Yichen replied, his tone light, almost nostalgic, before silence once again settled between them—familiar, yet slightly suffocating. 

Qi Jianyi shifted slightly in her seat, trying to dispel the awkward air. "How… how have you been?" she asked, her voice tentative as she fumbled for conversation. 

Xu Yichen chuckled, sensing the hesitation in her voice. A trace of sorrow flickered in his eyes, barely visible before he masked it with a gentle smile.