Sherry Yuan said to Andrew Yu, "Sorry, I need to head out."
Andrew Yu looked disappointed. "Alright then. I'll come by another day."
Sherry Yuan didn't try to stop him, and Andrew Yu left, glancing back at her with every step.
Sam Shang smiled.
Round one—victory!
"Did Assistant Mi really say that?" Sherry Yuan could see the sparks between Sam Shang and Andrew Yu, but she couldn't be bothered to intervene.
"Of course," Sam Shang replied. "Cherry even asked about it, wanted to know how your holiday went."
"Not bad," Sherry Yuan smiled slightly. "In a week, I'll be back at work."
"Mhm," Sam Shang watched Sherry Yuan carefully. Seeing she wasn't upset, he asked, "So, who's Andrew Yu?"
"He's the guy who accidentally fell in the water that day," Sherry Yuan thought for a moment, then added, "Very enthusiastic fellow."
Just enthusiastic?
Isn't that a bit too much enthusiasm?
Sam Shang silently decided—he was definitely going to defend his turf!
The two of them went to Cherry Miller's place for dinner. Cherry greeted them with a smile, "Sherry, how have you been lately? I've been so busy these days, I haven't had a chance to check in."
"Pretty good," Sherry Yuan replied gently.
"Glad to hear it. Looks like things have really improved for you," Cherry Miller said, noticing Sherry Yuan finally seemed more relaxed. "You used to only train and work, barely living like a regular person. That kind of pressure isn't healthy. Getting out and experiencing normal life is good for you."
"Yes."
"Once you start working again, I'll have someone redo your schedule. Don't spend all your time at work—you need a life outside of it." Cherry Miller then turned to Sam Shang. "If you're not too busy, you can take Sherry out and show her around."
"Okay, Cherry!" Sam Shang was so excited his fingers turned red.
"Come on, let's eat and chat," Cherry Miller smiled. "This chef was just poached from a rival—let's see how his cooking is."
"Okay." Sherry Yuan answered together with Sam Shang.
Compared to the meal we had that day, this dinner was much more upscale.
There was less of that everyday warmth, and more a sense of nobility and luxury.
It was just a meal, but it tasted completely different.
After dinner, on the way back, Sherry Yuan was lost in thought.
She seemed to understand what Cherry Miller meant.
Andrew Yu was like the dishes at Autumn Boss’s restaurant: simple and ordinary, but full of flavor.
Sam Shang was like tonight’s luxurious feast: elegant and extravagant, but out of reach.
This was a multiple-choice question.
Two completely different directions, hinting at two completely different futures.
Sherry Yuan hit the brakes suddenly and stopped in the middle of the road.
"What’s wrong?" Sam Shang looked at Sherry Yuan in confusion.
"Sam, you go ahead," Sherry Yuan said. "I just remembered something—I need to find Assistant Miller."
"Oh, then I’ll go back with you…"
"No need, I’ll be fine on my own." Sherry Yuan refused.
"Alright, I’ll head back first. Or, you can take this car and I’ll call another one," Sam Shang said considerately.
Sherry Yuan nodded. "Okay."
Cherry Miller didn’t seem surprised that Sherry Yuan came back.
Tonight’s dinner was specially prepared for Sherry Yuan.
As long as she wasn’t foolish, she should be able to understand Cherry Miller’s deeper meaning.
"Assistant Miller." Sherry Yuan stood before Cherry Miller. "Thank you for reminding me."
"Sit." Cherry Miller had someone bring over two cups of tea and smiled. "You’re lucky—this is the new tea Madam just delivered. She only made twenty pounds of it, and after giving it away, there’s just a couple pounds left. I only got three ounces. You’re fortunate to have a taste."
Sherry Yuan held her cup a bit awkwardly. "Thank you, Assistant Miller. I have something to ask you. Back then, did you also have two paths to choose from?"
Cherry Miller cradled her tea and smiled gently. "Looks like you didn’t waste your dinner—let me tell you about my choice back then."
"Sherry, just like you, I didn’t come from a privileged background. You know about my mother—we lived at the very bottom in Paris, and status-wise, I was never a match for the Yin Family. Years ago, my mom even forced me to kneel and swear I would never dream of the Yin Family’s young master, and just do my job properly." Cherry Miller’s voice grew softer as she recalled the past. "Back then, when Ethan Yin pursued me, all I did was hide. Because I knew my presence would bring shame to the Yin Family."
Sherry Yuan’s expression shifted.
Her situation now was so similar to Cherry Miller’s back then!
"I agreed and started avoiding Ethan Yin, even went on blind dates with others. I forced myself to go out with two guys, but they both disappointed me. I was raised by the Yin Family, so even though my background wasn’t great, I got a real elite education. That made me completely out of sync with people who hadn’t had that kind of upbringing. Friends, maybe—but lovers? It was unbearable. Later, things happened that made me realize I couldn’t stand their narrow worldviews, so I chose to leave."
"The choice I faced then is the same as yours now. Do you pick an ordinary family, or a man with good conditions from our circle? But I realized I didn’t really have a choice. Back then, I wasn’t strong enough—I was the one being chosen, not the one doing the choosing."
"That’s when I started working hard, constantly improving myself, climbing to a place strong enough that people would ignore my background and recognize my abilities. Only when I achieved all that did I finally have the right to choose." Cherry Miller said.
"You chose Ethan Yin," Sherry Yuan said.
"Yes, I chose Ethan Yin—the hardest challenge." Cherry Miller nodded. "When I decided to be with him, I knew what kind of difficulties I’d face, so I studied a lot to become a qualified matriarch."
"And you did it. Everyone in the world knows how outstanding and brilliant you are." Sherry Yuan looked at Cherry Miller with admiration.
This girl was actually younger than her, but everyone could see her dazzling light.
Cherry Miller smiled. "That’s because I realized my world, my stage, is here in the Yin Family. This is my lifelong career—I could never leave it to live an ordinary life with a man I barely know. I’m destined to be extraordinary. So I didn’t give myself a chance to hesitate—I made my choice, quickly and decisively."
A trace of confusion flashed in Sherry Yuan’s eyes. "But what about me?"
"You? Didn’t Madam save you, and Mr. Hans help you grow into a skilled martial artist?" Cherry Miller looked at Sherry Yuan kindly, her voice gentle and encouraging. "You’re not lacking at all. Others don’t know your story and think you’re just a bodyguard, but you’re actually a multi-talented expert in assassination, defense, disguise, tracking, counter-surveillance, languages, and classic texts. Maybe you’re not good at business, but you excel at real combat! Sherry, be confident—you’re not lacking in any way. How could Madam let you protect Nina if you weren’t the best? If you were, she’d never have chosen you for the job."
Unconsciously, Sherry Yuan sat up straighter. "Really…?"
"Absolutely." Cherry Miller said firmly. "Just like me, you owe a debt of gratitude. The Yin Family is our foundation—the place we’re meant to dedicate ourselves to."
"Yes!" Sherry Yuan nodded vigorously. "I have to repay Madam for saving me all those years ago! If it hadn’t been for her, I…"