Chapter 12: The Photo in the Drawer
[Location: Xu Corporation HQ — CEO Office | Time: 7:30 AM]
The hum of the espresso machine filled the sleek, minimalistic CEO suite. Morning light filtered through glass walls, casting long shadows across the charcoal-tiled floor.
Xu Yichen sat behind his desk, sharp in a dark navy suit, reading through reports as if the world outside didn't exist. His fingers tapped rhythmically against the edge of the desk until a knock broke the silence.
[Knock. Knock.]
"Come in," he said without looking up.
Yuan Fei entered, holding a thin manila file. His assistant's crisp white shirt was already showing signs of a long morning.
"The report on Lingxi's records, as requested. We did a soft scrape. No digital trails under her real name. Even the university archives list her under a pseudonym."
Yichen finally glanced up.
"And the original photo?"
Fei hesitated before handing him a single print.
It was the university group photo—the same one from the alumni event flyer. Twenty smiling faces, half-forgotten. But in the back row, slightly off-center, stood Qin Lingxi.
Hair tied in a high ponytail. A hesitant smile. One hand gripping the edge of her white coat.
Yichen's gaze lingered.
He knew this photo.
It used to be pinned inside the drawer of his old dorm desk. The same one she'd cleaned for him after finals, pretending she didn't know his favorite snack was chocolate almonds. He'd taken this photo before he left—before it all fell apart.
"She didn't want to be found," he murmured.
Yuan Fei cleared his throat.
"There's more. Du Haoran is also digging. Quietly. He's requested access to hospital rotations and clinic internship logs."
"Let him," Yichen said, slipping the photo into the drawer, closing it with a soft click. "The closer he looks, the more he'll realize she never needed saving from me."
[Location: Qin Lingxi's Apartment | Time: 8:45 AM]
Lingxi watered the potted peace lily near her window, dressed in casual gray slacks and a simple white blouse. Her expression was calm, though her eyes flicked toward her phone every few minutes.
It hadn't rung.
Not even a message.
"He knows now. Maybe even remembers."
She opened a small tin box on her desk, pulling out a weathered photograph—Yichen, smiling faintly at the edge of a bookstore window. She had taken it secretly, back in the early days.
"You looked less guarded then," she whispered, brushing her thumb across the image. "Less broken."
The doorbell rang.
She stiffened.
"Unscheduled. And it's too early for my shift."
She opened the door cautiously.
Du Haoran stood there.
Perfect suit. Polished shoes. Crooked smile.
"Lingxi," he greeted. "May I come in?"
Her grip tightened on the door.
"This is unexpected."
"That's the point. You've been good at hiding. But I'm very good at seeking."
[Location: Chen Family Villa | Time: 9:00 AM]
Chen Yao stood in front of the mirror, dressed impeccably in a blush-pink power suit. Her face was flawless, yet something in her eyes betrayed fatigue.
Her mother stood behind her, watching with quiet calculation.
"You have lunch with Minister Zhang's daughter at noon. Don't embarrass yourself."
"She's not marrying me, is she?" Chen Yao quipped, applying her lipstick.
"She's your future sister-in-law. At the very least, act like you're capable of holding a conversation."
"That depends. Will she talk about art? Or will she only talk about power?"
Her mother didn't answer.
Yao turned, voice hardening.
"I've already signed the papers. Isn't that enough sacrifice?"
"You married a man below us and still lost him," her mother snapped. "This time, marry wisely."
Yao stared at herself again, voice almost a whisper.
"I lost him before I even knew I loved him."
[Location: Qin Lingxi's Apartment — Continued | Time: 9:10 AM]
Lingxi sat across from Du Haoran, hands folded, calm on the surface. Her body language was closed off, guarded.
He smiled casually as he looked around her modest living space.
"Simple. You always liked simplicity. Even when you were pretending to be someone else."
"You're wasting both our time," Lingxi said flatly.
"On the contrary. Yichen is back. That changes the board's dynamics. I need leverage."
"And you think I'm that leverage?"
"I think you're his blind spot. One he never covered properly."
Lingxi's gaze sharpened.
"Don't mistake his silence for weakness."
"I never did. But tell me, Lingxi…" He leaned forward. "Does he still know the truth about the night you disappeared?"
She said nothing.
"No?" he continued. "Well, that's unfortunate. Because I do."
She rose from her seat.
"If you want to threaten me, do it outside my home."
Du Haoran stood as well, smile fading.
"He'll protect you again. But protection only lasts as long as the secret does."
He walked to the door, pausing.
"You were always more dangerous than you looked."
"And you were always smaller than you pretended to be."
Door closed.
Lingxi locked it.
Then exhaled.
"He remembers… or he will soon."
[Location: Xu Corporation HQ — Rooftop Garden | Time: 10:30 AM]
Yichen stood on the rooftop, the wind tugging lightly at his coat. The city stretched beneath him—towering, unaware.
Yuan Fei joined him, hesitating as he held up a folder.
"Board meeting at noon. But there's one more thing."
He handed over an envelope.
Yichen opened it slowly.
A second photo. Different this time.
Lingxi—older. More composed. Standing near a hospital wing in a candid shot. Slight smile. A medical clipboard in hand.
Recent.
He stared at it longer than necessary.
"What was she doing that day?"
"Volunteering. Free clinic outreach."
Yichen said nothing. Then:
"Have our legal division draft a donation package to that clinic. No names."
"Of course."
Fei turned to leave but paused.
"Do you want me to reach out?"
Yichen shook his head.
"Not yet. When the time's right, I'll know."
[End of Chapter 12]
A/N — Author's Note:In this chapter, pieces of the past begin surfacing—some hidden in drawers, others knocking at doors. The tension around Lingxi's secret builds as Yichen inches closer to truths buried years ago. Meanwhile, Du Haoran's shadow grows. The question is: who will confront the storm first?