CHAPTER 36: 36. IN THE DREAM, BEING GENTLY CHERISHED BY SOMEONE

Shi Nian returned home, but Xiang Yuan was already gone. He left a note on the fridge with a magnet, saying he had to go out temporarily and would try to come back early.

Tonight, such a note didn’t disappoint Shi Nian; instead, it made her quietly breathe a sigh of relief and have a good sleep.

Early in the morning, she woke up in the sunlight filling the window, staring blankly at her own silhouette in the light halo.

She had a dream, in which there was a patch of darkness, and she couldn’t see anything. But she could feel she wasn’t alone in that darkness. There was another person, a man.

...In the dream, that man touched her. Though it was unfamiliar, the gesture was filled with incredible gentleness, as if she were a fragile treasure. It was the long-lost feeling of being cherished.

Strangely, such a bizarre dream didn’t scare her; when she woke up, she wasn’t covered in cold sweat anymore. Instead, she felt somewhat—lost.

She sighed, got up, and washed up.

Dreams are all the opposite, aren’t they? She’s originally afraid of the dark and has a touch of claustrophobia, so how could the real her endure being intimately touched by a stranger in the darkness? It’s truly absurd.

"Pfft," she spat out the toothpaste, rinsed the toothbrush with water, and unintentionally looked up at the mirror.

Who is that woman in the mirror with slightly messy hair, rosy cheeks, and bright eyes?

She frowned and almost fled back to the room. Without having breakfast, she went out to work.

But as soon as she entered the office, Ye He came up and winked at her, "Boss, your face is glowing. Last night—did you ’work out’ with your brother-in-law?"

"Don’t talk nonsense."

Shi Nian hurried back to her desk. But she saw Ye He still winking—she looked down suddenly and was also startled; there was a big bunch of red roses on the desk!

Ye He leaned over, "I’ve signed for you. They were sent over by your brother-in-law."

But Shi Nian couldn’t help frowning, remembering what Xiang Yuan said last night, "How about a date tomorrow?"

"Thank you."

Shi Nian pulled open the file cabinet and threw the bouquet in.

Ye He looked surprised, "Why? Shouldn’t I find a vase to put them in for you?"

Shi Nian sneezed, "I’m allergic to pollen. That’s enough Ye He, let’s get to work."

.

After the morning meeting, the head of the editorial team, Li普曼, called Shi Nian into the office and praised, "Tong’s wife’s article was done well, and now the clicks and downloads on PC and mobile terminals are excellent. On the print media side, it’s been placed in key positions by major retail terminals. Shi, congratulations."

Only then did Shi Nian breathe a long sigh of relief, "The interview with Tang Yanqing got messed up by me, so it’s a redemption of my faults."

Li普曼 nodded, "News requires not only sensationalism but also the reflection of the humanistic concern behind the event. This topic is good; I suggest you expand on it, go deeper, and make it a series."

Shi Nian decisively nodded, "Alright."

Li普曼 looked serious, "However, Shi, it will be very dangerous."

Shi Nian then smiled, "Back in the day, when you were a reporter, bombs exploded right beside you, and thugs abducted you... Were you ever afraid?"

Li普曼 was about to speak, but Shi Nian had already jumped in, eyes bright, "I’m a journalist, and I have no choice but to take responsibility."

.

There was still an hour before lunch break, but Shi Nian got up and headed out. Ye He quickly stood up to follow, "Boss, shall I go with you?"

Shi Nian shook her head, "I’ll go alone; I’ll call you if anything comes up."

The flowers from the morning had already been delivered by Xiang Yuan, and he would certainly come to pick her up for lunch at noon.

Sorry, she didn’t want to see him today.

She thought about it, pulled out that business card to look at the address, and then started the car and drove over there.

Who exactly is this Yancy?

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