I slept with my sister's classmate, and she turned out to be my boss.

Chen Yang's car drove out of Qingshun County and onto the highway.

The scenery outside the car window rushed past; the autumn fields were golden, and the distant mountains were clearly outlined.

But she had no interest in admiring the scenery.

My mind was filled with the conversation I had just had with Chen Dapeng.

"County Chief He asked me to check the data for Liuhe Town."

"Many data points don't match up."

"810 million yuan, but there is no record of any allocation in the county finance bureau's accounts."

Chen Yang tightened his grip on the steering wheel slightly.

She wasn't ignorant of officialdom; having worked in state-owned enterprises for so many years, she saw things more clearly than Chen Dapeng.

810 million is no small sum.

What does it mean that this money could disappear from Liuhe Town's accounts for three years without anyone investigating?

This means someone is protecting it from above.

Fang Mingyuan was able to operate in the county for more than ten years; he couldn't have done it all on his own.

He must have someone above him.

He Ying wants to take action against him, but relying solely on Chen Dapeng to check the data is not enough.

She needs a stronger backer.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Yang picked up his phone and dialed He Ying's number.

It rang twice, then the call was connected.

"Chen Yang." He Ying's voice came from the other end of the phone, sounding somewhat tired.

"I'm on the highway."

Drive slowly on the road.

"Yingying," Chen Yang's voice deepened, "Dapeng told me everything."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

"I know. He texted me."

Chen Yang smiled, a smile that carried an indescribable meaning.

"So, you should tell me what secrets you two are keeping, right?"

He Ying didn't say anything.

Chen Yang continued, his voice not loud, but every word carried weight.

"I know my younger brother too well. He's never been the type to get involved in troublesome things. He's kind, but he doesn't meddle in other people's business; he's smart, but he doesn't take risks easily."

She paused for a moment.

"If you don't have any special relationship with him, he won't willingly do these things for you."

A long silence followed on the other end of the phone.

Chen Yang didn't rush her; she gave He Ying time.

"Chen Yang".

He Ying finally spoke, her voice very low.

"Okay, go ahead."

"I told you, don't laugh at me."

Chen Yang's heart suddenly skipped a beat.

"you say."

"Before I went to Qingshun County to report for duty, we had a dinner party at the hotel..." He Ying's voice was broken, as if she was trying hard to organize her thoughts, "That night, I drank too much and went into the wrong room..."

Chen Yang didn't speak, waiting for her to continue.

"There was a man in the room," He Ying's voice was so soft it was almost inaudible. "I...slept with him...one night."

Chen Yang's breath caught in his throat for a moment.

"That person..." her voice was a little tense, "was it Dapeng?"

He Ying did not answer.

But that silence was the answer.

Chen Yang parked the car in the emergency lane, pulled the handbrake, leaned back in his seat, and stared at the road ahead.

My head is buzzing.

Her best friend.

Her only brother.

The two of them slept together without her knowledge.

"Chen Yang?" He Ying's voice came from the other end of the phone. "Are you listening?"

"Yes." Chen Yang's voice was a little hoarse. "Let me catch my breath."

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

"Were you all drunk that night?"

"Um."

"Does he know it's you?"

"I don't know. It was very dark that night, and we were both drunk, so we couldn't see each other's faces clearly." He Ying's voice was low. "He only recognized me when he saw me in the hallway on his first day at work."

"And what about you?"

"I left as soon as I woke up the next morning, without seeing his face clearly. Later..." He Ying paused, "Later, I saw him in the photos you posted on WeChat Moments. I recognized him by the mole under his left eye."

Chen Yang closed his eyes.

She remembered—she had indeed posted a photo of herself and Chen Dapeng on her WeChat Moments.

"So you knew from day one?"

"He knew. I knew too." He Ying's voice was a little hoarse. "But we didn't say anything."

"Why don't you say so?"

"What should I say?" He Ying gave a bitter smile. "Say 'you slept with me one night'? Or say 'I'm the woman you slept with that night'? Chen Yang, how could I possibly say such a thing?"

Chen Yang fell silent.

She understood He Ying's difficulties.

If it were her, she wouldn't be able to say it either.

"What kind of relationship do you two have now..." Chen Yang hesitated, choosing his words carefully.

"Superior and subordinate." He Ying's answer was quick, as if she were avoiding something. "He's a clerk, and I'm the county magistrate. That's all."

"That's all?" Chen Yang retorted. "Then why was he willing to help you investigate Liuhe Town? He's a new recruit; getting involved in this kind of thing could easily lead to him being retaliated against, marginalized, or even targeted. If it weren't for you, why would he take that risk?"

He Ying fell silent.

"Yingying," Chen Yang's voice softened slightly, "the relationship between you and my brother isn't just that of superior and subordinate, is it?"

There was a long silence on the other end of the phone.

"Chen Yang." He Ying's voice finally rang out, carrying an indescribable fragility, "I told you, don't make fun of me."

I'm not making fun of you.

"I really... don't know how to define my relationship with him." He Ying's voice was very soft, as if she were talking to herself. "After that night, I thought I would never see him again in this life. But fate sent him to me. He is your younger brother, my subordinate, and six years younger than me."

She paused for a moment.

"I know I shouldn't have any feelings for him. But I can't control myself."

Chen Yang didn't interrupt her and continued listening to He Ying.

"I pay attention to every detail about him. I get nervous when he delivers documents; my heart races when he greets me in the hallway; and I can feel his gaze on me when he sits behind me during his field research trip."

He Ying's voice trembled slightly.

"Chen Yang, I'm thirty years old. I thought I'd never feel love again. But Da Peng... he appeared, in that absurd way. What should I do?"

As Chen Yang listened to her best friend's voice on the other end of the phone, a complex mix of emotions welled up inside her.

Heartache? Helplessness? Or some inexplicable sense of absurdity?

There are.

"Yingying, tell me the truth—are you serious about Dapeng?"

"I don't know," He Ying said in a low voice. "All I know is that every day when I go to the office, the first thing I do is check if he has sent me a message. If he has, I will check it several times; if he hasn't, I will feel disappointed."

"So, what do you think of Dapeng's feelings towards you?"

He Ying remained silent for a few seconds.

"He... probably sensed it too. But he was very restrained and never crossed the line. Whenever we were alone, he was very proper, not saying things he shouldn't say or doing things he shouldn't do."

As Chen Yang listened, the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved into a smile.

"That's my brother. If he dares to misbehave, I'll be the first to deal with him."

He Ying chuckled softly on the other end of the phone, but quickly suppressed it.

"Chen Yang, don't you think I'm being ridiculous?"

"Absurd?" Chen Yang thought for a moment. "It is quite absurd. You slept with my brother, then became his boss, and then fell in love with him. Even TV dramas wouldn't dare to write a plot like this."

"Chen Yang..."

"But I don't think you did anything wrong." Chen Yang's tone became serious. "You were both drunk that night, it wasn't anyone's fault. You both tried to control yourselves afterwards and didn't do anything to wrong each other. Who can predict matters of the heart?"

He Ying didn't say anything.

"Yingying," Chen Yang's voice softened, "I have a question for you, answer me honestly."

"Go ahead and ask."

"If Dapeng weren't my brother, if he weren't your subordinate, if there weren't this six-year age difference between you—would you be with him?"

He Ying did not hesitate.

"meeting."

One word, very light, but very firm.

Chen Yang gripped the steering wheel, staring at the endless highway ahead, and remained silent for a long time.

"I understand," she finally said.

"Chen Yang...you don't object?"

"Why should I object?" Chen Yang retorted. "Dapeng is my younger brother, and I know what kind of person he is. He's kind, responsible, and wouldn't let anyone down. You're my best friend, and I know what kind of person you are too. You're excellent, principled, and wouldn't do anything to hurt others."

She paused for a moment.

"If you two really get together, I won't have any worries."

He Ying's voice trembled slightly: "But... he's your younger brother, I'm your classmate, I'm six years older than him, and I'm his boss. You don't mind any of that?"

"Age isn't a problem," Chen Yang said. "The relationship between leaders and subordinates can be adjusted. As for the fact that you're my classmate—"

She smiled.

"If you really become my brother's wife, should I call you Yingying? Or your sister-in-law? Or classmate? It'll all feel awkward no matter how I call you..."

"Chen Yang!" He Ying cried out anxiously on the other end of the phone, "Don't say things like that... Who wants to be your brother's wife?"

"Okay, okay, I won't say anymore." Chen Yang laughed out loud. "But you just told me not to make fun of you—Yingying, I really wasn't making fun of you, I'm just dying of laughter because of you."

"You still dare to talk back!"

"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore." Chen Yang stopped laughing and his tone became serious. "Yingying, I'm talking to you seriously."

"you say."

"My younger brother is a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to relationships, and he's not very good at expressing himself. If you have feelings for him, don't just wait for him to make the first move. With his personality, if you don't give him a push, he might keep it bottled up forever."

He Ying fell silent.

"And another thing," Chen Yang continued, "your current relationship—superior and subordinate, classmates and siblings, age difference—is indeed quite troublesome. But troublesome as it may be, it's not unsolvable. The key is what you two think about it."

"I know."

"Alright, that's enough. You decide for yourself." Chen Yang glanced at the navigation. "I'm almost home, I can't talk to you anymore."

"Okay. Drive carefully."

"Yingying."

"Um?"

"Thank you for telling me this."

He Ying was taken aback for a moment: "Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for trusting me." Chen Yang's voice was sincere. "Da Peng's matter, your matter, your matter—no matter what the future holds, I'll be there for you."

There was silence for a few seconds on the other end of the phone.

"Chen Yang".

"Um?"

"Thank you."

"Alright, stop getting sentimental. I'm hanging up."

Chen Yang hung up the phone and placed it on the passenger seat.

The car exited the highway toll station and entered the urban area of ​​the provincial capital.

Familiar buildings lined both sides of the street, with crowds of people coming and going.

But her mind was filled with what He Ying had just said.

"After that night, I thought I would never see him again in my life."

"The first thing I do when I get to the office every day is check if he has sent me a message."

"I'm thirty years old, and I thought I would never feel love again in my life."

"If none of these are problems, I will be with him."

Chen Yang parked the car downstairs, turned off the engine, and leaned back in his seat.

She closed her eyes, and two images flashed through her mind—

One is what He Ying looked like during her university days.

With her hair tied in a ponytail and wearing a white T-shirt, she sat by the window in the library, the sunlight shining on her face, quiet and beautiful.

Many people pursued her back then, but she didn't like any of them.

She said, "I want to establish my career first, then start a family."

The other one is what Chen Dapeng looked like when he was a child.

At five or six years old, it clung to her back like a little tail.

Wherever she went, he followed.

If someone bullies you, you don't dare tell your parents, you'll just run to her.

"Sister, they hit me."

"Who hit you? Take me there."

Now, these two people have crossed paths without her knowledge.

Chen Yang opened his eyes and sighed.

"What's going on here?"

She picked up her bag, got out of the car, locked the car door, and walked into the building.

He took two steps, then stopped.

She took out her phone, scrolled to Chen Dapeng's WeChat, and typed: "Dapeng, I don't care about what happens between you and He Ying. But you have to promise me—no matter what happens in the future, you can't hurt her, and you can't hurt yourself."

Less than ten seconds after I sent it, the other party replied.

"Sis, what did you say?"

Chen Yang looked at the words and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"You know perfectly well. Alright, that's enough. I'm home."

She put away her phone and went inside the building.

She was the only one in the elevator.

She looked at herself in the mirror and suddenly smiled.

"What if Yingying becomes my brother's wife?"

She herself found the idea absurd as soon as it came to mind.

But amidst the absurdity, there was also a hint of inexplicable anticipation.

"Yingying comes from a good family, has a good job, and is so beautiful. Dapeng is so lucky! He got a great deal!"

The elevator arrived, and she stepped out, took out her keys, and opened the door.

The room was quiet; Li Tianqin had not yet returned.

She changed her shoes, threw her bag on the sofa, and sank into it.

Staring at the ceiling, my mind started racing again.

She doesn't object to He Ying and Da Peng's relationship, but she's a little worried.

It wasn't because she thought they weren't a good match.

It was because she was worried—worried about He Ying's identity, worried about Da Peng's future, and worried about how much trouble this relationship would bring to the two of them if it really started.

But she also knew that matters of the heart were something she couldn't control.

Once He Ying sets her mind on something, nothing can sway her.

Chen Dapeng may look docile, but he's incredibly stubborn at heart.

If these two really get together—

Chen Yang closed his eyes and smiled slightly.

"Then let's go. I can't stop you anyway."

at the same time.

Qingshun County, County Head's Office.

He Ying sat behind her desk, her phone screen dark.

Her call with Chen Yang had ended almost half an hour ago.

But she remained seated there, motionless.

Chen Yang's words kept replaying in her mind.

Age is not a problem.

"The relationship between leaders and subordinates can be adjusted."

"If you two really get together, I won't have any worries."

He Ying leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes.

She recounted what happened that night.

She expressed her feelings about Chen Dapeng.

She said things she thought she would never say to anyone in her life.

Chen Yang didn't make fun of her, didn't blame her, and didn't tell her to stay away from Chen Dapeng.

Chen Yang said, "I have no objection."

He Ying opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling.

"He Ying, you're crazy," she said to herself.

But she knew in her heart that she wasn't crazy.

She just... didn't want to lie to herself anymore.

Chen Dapeng was her first man; she gave herself to him that night, even though it was under those absurd circumstances.

But she is a very traditional person.

Since Chen Dapeng was the first one, then that's fate.

She doesn't want to find another man.

She picked up her phone and scrolled to Chen Dapeng's WeChat.

"Your sister knows about us."

She typed that line, but didn't send it; she deleted it.

She still didn't know what Chen Dapeng was thinking, or if it was really as his sister said.

Is he willing to do these things for her because of a special relationship?

Put down your phone, stand up, and walk to the window.

As she watched the people coming and going, a strange sense of loneliness welled up inside her.

He Ying closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Chen Dapeng".

She read the name aloud, her voice so soft that only she could hear it.

How long will you stay in my heart?

"We can't let this drag on; we need to find an opportunity to test him."