An Inkstone Meets Autumn

[Ten-year age gap, powerful senior leader, workplace rookie, the one in power lowers his head, old flame rekindled, angst and sweetness, intense push and pull, happy ending] Li Yanqiu’s memory of Sun Yanzhou went back to when she was in middle school. All she knew was that he was a young man who loved playing basketball and showing off how cool and handsome he was. She fell for him at first sight. From then on, she kept a secret in her heart: she had a crush on him, and loved him in secret for more than fourteen years. Fourteen years later, in Yuncheng. They met again for the first time on a street corner outside the cafe where she was on a blind date, colliding right into each other. The instant she looked up, she felt shock, panic, and, more than anything, anticipation. Sun Yanzhou stood before her in a dark gray coat, his features even more handsome than they had been ten years ago. “Long time no see, Li Yanqiu.” When they met again, he was a prominent figure in Yuncheng, while she was just a workplace rookie. She ran, and he pursued her. Using their old acquaintance as an excuse, he deliberately looked after and protected her. Sun Yanzhou, thank you for taking care of me. But why did you have to come back into my life? Do you know I’ve liked you for more than ten years? My heart had finally gone quiet. Are you going to make me fall for you again? Only then did he realize that the girl he had loved had also been in love with him for more than ten years. Until Sun Yanzhou’s father came to see her. “You and Yanzhou aren’t right for each other. I’ve already arranged a marriage for him. For your sake, he even gave up a chance at a promotion. “You’re a smart girl. You should understand.” She lowered her eyes and said softly, “I understand, Uncle.” After that day, she disappeared completely. Sun Yanzhou was distraught, eventually breaking down so badly that he ended up in the hospital. In the end, he still lost the precious woman he had cherished above all else. What did success and fame matter? His world was still missing her.