Zhou Zhuofei detected a hint of arrogance in the other person's tone and wasn’t sure how to react. Du Yu, noticing her expression, immediately burst into laughter and explained, "Don’t mind him—he’s technically a rich second-generation, if you will."
Han Chubin promptly complained, "That term sounds awful."
Du Yu quickly amended, cupping his chin in her hand and pinching his cheeks between her thumb and fingers, her voice dripping with affection, "Then how about 'young master'? Young Master Dongye, perhaps?"
"It’s all up to you. Call me whatever you like," he replied.
As the couple began to get cozy, Zhou Zhuofei tactfully averted her gaze, pretending to study the restaurant’s decor.
This was an unavoidable scenario when hanging out with couples—the fate of being the third wheel. She understood.
After the meal, the trio decided to catch a movie.
At the cinema, Zhou Zhuofei pulled out her phone while asking Du Yu how much she owed for dinner.
Before she could even finish, Du Yu waved her off. "Come on, you think I’d ask you to pay? Save it for buying snacks for your director."
With that, she excused herself to the restroom, leaving Zhou Zhuofei and Han Chubin alone, exchanging glances.
Zhou Zhuofei wasn’t the socially anxious type, and since she’d once moved in similar circles as him, she felt a natural familiarity.
After some casual small talk, Han Chubin pulled out his phone and gestured, "Want to add each other?"
"Sure," Zhou Zhuofei agreed, swapping social media handles with him. Once connected, she instinctively browsed through his profile.
Han Chubin’s feed was lively, updated almost daily with posts about anime, games, food, and travel photos—a testament to someone who loved life and kept busy. It seemed he and Du Yu were well-matched in that regard.
Before long, Du Yu returned to find them both engrossed in their phones. Assuming they’d run out of things to say, she wondered why—both were usually so outgoing.
"What’s with the silence?" she asked.
Zhou Zhuofei flashed her phone screen. "We just added each other. I was checking out his posts."
Du Yu leaned in to look. "His feed’s always buzzing. Every post has tons of comments."
The two chattered away, leaving Han Chubin with no room to interject. He could only watch until the announcement for their movie screening finally sounded.
After the film, as they stepped out of the cinema, Han Chubin asked Du Yu what their next plans were.
Du Yu and Zhou Zhuofei exchanged a glance. Without Zhou Zhuofei even speaking, Du Yu guessed, "Let me guess—you want to head home."
Zhou Zhuofei grinned. "You know me so well."
Her social battery had a time limit—like a draining phone, she started full of energy but eventually ran out and needed to recharge at home.
Du Yu had anticipated this and shook her head. "Go ahead. We’ll stay out a bit longer."
Zhou Zhuofei had been waiting for this. "Perfect! Enjoy your date," she said cheerfully, then waved at Han Chubin with a smile. "Bye! Nice meeting you."
Han Chubin smiled back, his gaze lingering on her face a moment longer than necessary.
Du Yu's style of dressing was just like her appearance—radiant and strikingly bold. No matter who stood beside her, all attention would inevitably be drawn to her. His past girlfriends had all been of Du Yu's type: stunning and flamboyant. Standing with them was not only visually pleasing but also gave him a great sense of satisfaction.
On the other hand, Zhou Zhuofei's appearance was much softer. At first glance, people might not immediately consider her beautiful, but there was an undeniable comfort in her presence. She carried an air of intellect and competence, a combination Han Chubin hadn't quite encountered before.
Only after Zhou Zhuofei had walked away did he finally pull his gaze back, casually asking Du Yu, "What does your friend do for a living?"
Du Yu rolled her eyes at him, displeased that he hadn’t even remembered Zhou Zhuofei’s name. "Her name is Zhou Zhuofei. At least try to remember it," she chided.
"Alright, alright, got it. So, what does Zhou Zhuofei do?"
"She works in administration, at Huanyu. Pretty good job, right?" There was a hint of pride in Du Yu’s tone. Han Chubin came from a well-off family and had seen much of the world, so his speech naturally carried a trace of superiority.
And Du Yu happened to like that. In her opinion, a man showing off wasn’t a bad thing—as long as he had the means to back it up. Empty bragging was a no-go, but Han Chubin fit her standards perfectly.
To her, Zhou Zhuofei’s job was undeniably solid, something no one could find fault with.
Sure enough, Han Chubin gave a slight nod. "Huanyu? That’s impressive. No wonder she’s stepped back from the scene."
"It’s not exactly stepping back. She just doesn’t like going out much. Honestly, she spends most of her time gaming at home."
"That’s pretty reclusive," Han Chubin remarked offhandedly, his words still directed at Du Yu while his thoughts quietly drifted elsewhere.
That evening, as Zhou Zhuofei browsed a gaming forum, Du Yu suddenly sent her a message.
[So, what do you think of him?]
Zhou Zhuofei typed with one hand while tapping out a reply on her phone with the other.
[He’s alright.]
[Just three words? You’re so dismissive—are you gaming again?!]
[If you like him, that’s what matters. I only met him once; it’s not like I can tell much else.]
From what she could see, they looked good together, shared similar interests, and his family background was solid. From Zhou Zhuofei’s perspective, there really wasn’t anything to criticize.
[I think he’s decent too. We’ll just take it slow for now.]
[Go for it. Oh, and your birthday’s coming up, right? Check your wishlist and send me links for anything you want.]
Du Yu immediately bombarded her with a flurry of emojis—shy faces, kisses—before going silent again.
Zhou Zhuofei tossed her phone aside, satisfied. Perfect. Now she had at least an hour of uninterrupted forum browsing ahead.
It wasn’t until she was about to sleep that Du Yu finally sent the links. Zhou Zhuofei was too tired to even open them, replying with just an "OK" before turning off her phone.
Du Yu’s job often required late nights, so her schedule was naturally erratic. But Zhou Zhuofei? She couldn’t keep up with that kind of lifestyle.
It wasn’t until the next morning, while brushing her teeth and scrolling through her phone, that Zhou Zhuofei finally opened the link Du Yu had sent her. The page displayed an anime figurine available for purchase. After a quick glance at the shipping details to confirm it was in stock, she proceeded to place the order and complete the payment.
The entire process took less than a minute—she hadn’t even finished brushing her teeth.
At that moment, Zhou Zhuofei felt a sudden sense of relief.
Compared to her student days when she had to scrimp and save to afford things she liked, she no longer faced that struggle.
So, even though she hadn’t pursued the career she truly loved, she had chosen money instead—and with it, she could buy more of the things she enjoyed. Wasn’t that a form of "roundabout fulfillment" in its own way?
After finishing her morning routine, she sent Du Yu a message to let her know she’d made the purchase. But after a long wait, there was still no reply.
Something felt off, so Zhou Zhuofei checked Du Yu’s social media updates. There, she found a photo posted at 3 a.m. of stargazing from a mountaintop. No wonder she hadn’t responded—she’d probably only just fallen asleep.
"She really knows how to push the limits…" Zhou Zhuofei muttered, zooming in to examine the photo closely.
This was one of her habits—always noticing seemingly insignificant details.
The photo was taken from the back of a pickup truck, the surroundings suggesting a wide-open area. Even after living in City K for seven years, she had no idea there was a spot like this perfect for stargazing.
Du Yu sat in the passenger seat, and a small portion of the driver’s figure was visible in the corner of the photo. Judging by the clothing, it matched Han Chubin’s style.
Zhou Zhuofei casually liked the post and scrolled down to find a lively discussion in the comments section, filled with their mutual friends.
Some admired Du Yu’s ability to stay up so late, others complimented the truck, and a few even questioned who exactly was in the driver’s seat.
Amused, Zhou Zhuofei read through the comments, chiming in on the more entertaining ones. Phone in hand, she wandered from the bathroom to the living room before flopping lazily onto the sofa, where Director lay curled at her feet.
The apartment was quiet, save for the occasional sounds of children playing outside the window.
After replying to a few messages, she set her phone down on the table. A wave of drowsiness washed over her, and she let out a yawn before settling in for a nap.
Even the most ordinary weekends always managed to give her the rest she needed.
The next day, she headed to work feeling refreshed.
Mondays were always the busiest. Zhou Zhuofei spent the morning buried in tasks, took a short break at noon, and then immediately dove into preparing for the afternoon tea arrangements.
Of course, she didn’t forget to enlist Zhan Zilang’s help. Working together, they got things done much faster.
Once everything was settled, the two found a quiet corner to sit. Zhan Zilang shed all decorum, tossing off his suit jacket and loosening his tie to fan himself, while Zhou Zhuofei pulled out her phone—she’d heard it buzz several times earlier but hadn’t had a chance to check.
When she saw the notifications lighting up her screen, she couldn’t help but murmur, "Huh?"
