[Alright, then I won’t hold back.]
Zhou Zhuofei let out a long sigh of relief. At least she hadn’t made any mistakes.
As for the credit card’s limit, while it did surprise her, it wasn’t enough to make her feel overwhelmed. Still, she really needed to think about how to repay Xiao Wang’s kindness.
Maybe she could bring him some local specialties next time she went home?
This Saturday, the company was holding a training session for all new employees who had joined within the last three months. As part of the support staff, Zhou Zhuofei had to work overtime.
However, once the training started, she didn’t need to stay on-site and could return to the office to rest.
Even though it was overtime, Zhou Zhuofei was in a pretty good mood. First, it was only half a day. Second, the workload wasn’t heavy. And third, the office was quiet and peaceful with fewer people around, allowing her to relax and pass the time comfortably.
Before long, she received a message from Zhan Zilang, who was attending the training. He had already started slacking off, finding the session boring.
Zhou Zhuofei knew it wasn’t ideal, but she didn’t say anything—after all, these kinds of trainings were usually dull.
Still, he needed to do the bare minimum, so she just reminded him to pay some attention. Failing the test would be embarrassing, especially since he was from the administrative department.
[Be careful. If you fail, Sister Ye definitely won’t let you off the hook.]
[Relax~ I’m a test-taking pro. Passing is a piece of cake.]
[Wow, you’re amazing.]
[Zhou-jie, do you have plans for the afternoon? The limited-edition console I ordered arrived. Wanna come over and check it out?]
[Are you inviting me to your place?]
Zhou Zhuofei’s first reaction was that it might not be appropriate. She knew Zhan Zilang didn’t have any ulterior motives, but she couldn’t help overthinking it.
[Yeah, didn’t I mention it before? Come see my collection.]
[Just me? Isn’t that a bit… awkward?]
[You’re the only one who gets it. Who else would I invite?]
Zhan Zilang sent a flurry of stickers, clearly baffled by her hesitation.
To him, inviting friends over was completely normal—hosting parties and even inviting friends of friends was standard.
For a moment, Zhou Zhuofei felt like a cynical, calculating adult compared to Zhan Zilang. But a little caution was still necessary.
[It’s not that. Don’t you think it’d seem too intimate if it’s just the two of us at your place? I wouldn’t even know how to explain it later.]
[Huh??? What’s there to explain? My place is always full of people. What are you worried about?]
[…Sorry, I keep forgetting you’re rich. Is your house so big I’d get lost?]
[Not that exaggerated. Though if we went to the vacation estate, maybe…]
[Stop talking. I hate you.]
[Hahaha, so are you coming or not? I also have the original signed concept art for The Elder Scrolls.]
[Hello, I hereby retract my previous statement of hatred. Take me with you, thank you.]
After sending the message, Zhou Zhuofei wondered if she was being too guarded. A few years ago, she would’ve agreed without hesitation instead of overanalyzing like this.
But after some reflection, she decided the issue wasn’t with her—it was just that Zhan Zilang’s lifestyle was so different from hers that their perspectives naturally clashed, just like with Cen Huan.
The world was made up of all kinds of beliefs, so there was no need to obsess over whether her thoughts were "correct." As long as she wasn’t hurting anyone, she was free to think however she wanted.
Before the training ended, Zhou Zhuofei returned to the venue to help clean up. Zhan Zilang stayed behind too.
Once everything was sorted, they went out for lunch together, officially wrapping up the day’s work.
After clocking out, Zhou Zhuofei followed Zhan Zilang to the parking garage—only to realize he’d switched cars.
"Wait, you changed cars?"
"Gotta rotate them. Can’t let the others sit unused—that’d be sad."
"How fair of you."
"Of course. I bought them because I liked them, so of course I’ll use them."
They chatted the whole way until the car finally pulled into the driveway of a mansion. Zhan Zilang parked in the courtyard and motioned for her to come inside.
From the moment she stepped out, Zhou Zhuofei couldn’t stop looking around. The mansion looked just like the ones she’d seen on TV—ornate landscaping, meticulously designed architecture.
The moment she entered, her eyes were drawn to the soaring ceilings and a massive crystal chandelier.
Before she could even take in the first floor’s layout, Zhan Zilang whisked her upstairs.
Along the way, she spotted several housekeepers going about their work. It was then that she realized—to Zhan Zilang, "home" wasn’t a private space at all, not with so many people coming and going daily.
"I’ve been wanting to show you this for ages, Zhou-jie," Zhan Zilang said excitedly as he led her to a door.
Then he swung it open right in front of her.
Zhou Zhuofei thought she was prepared—but the sight still made her gasp.
She’d expected a lot, but this was… a lot.
The room was bigger than her entire living room. One whole wall was a display case filled with gaming consoles, accessories, game cartridges, and all kinds of merchandise.
As they stepped inside, sensor lights flickered on, casting a warm glow over the glass and the treasures within, making them sparkle…
This was heaven!
Zhan Zilang feigned nonchalance. "Not bad, right?"
Zhou Zhuofei saw right through him. "If you wanna brag, just say so. Stop pretending!"
She’d compliment him—but he wasn’t allowed to act coy about it!
"Heh, I finally found someone who gets it. Cut me some slack, Zhou-jie~"
None of Zhan Zilang’s friends were into anime or gaming. Until now, the only place he could show off his collection was online. Sure, his friends would humor him with a few compliments, but what was the point of sharing with outsiders?
That "Zhou-jie" nearly made her shudder.
"Stop that. Talk normally," she said, rubbing her arms.
"Fine, fine. Here, check this out—I flew overseas just for this convention. It’s signed by the designer."
Zhan Zilang pulled her over and started explaining his collection in detail. Half an hour later, they’d only covered a fraction of the display.
He wasn’t tired yet, but Zhou Zhuofei’s legs were.
"Can I sit down while you talk?" she asked bluntly.
"Sure, go ahead," he replied, unfazed.
The point wasn’t whether she listened—he just wanted to share with someone who understood.
So she sat and listened for another half-hour until Zhan Zilang finally ran out of steam.
"Wanna play some games? Zhou-jie, have you tried Super Smash Bros.?"
"Played a bit with friends before, but not too much."
"Good enough! How about a round?" Zhan Zilang enthusiastically extended the invitation. "I haven’t played in a while either."
"Sure."
Being in such a great place, it’d be a shame not to play a few rounds.
Zhan Zilang dug out the game cartridge, hooked up the display, and the two picked up their controllers for a match.
During the first round, they were both laughing and joking, but by the second, they’d unconsciously gotten serious, barely exchanging any words.
Zhan Zilang’s phone buzzed several times, but he ignored it until the game ended, letting out a long exhale.
Close call—he’d almost lost to a beginner.
From Zhou Zhuofei’s moves, it was clear she was still unfamiliar with the character’s skills, pulling off combos only after his reminders.
Yet she’d managed to keep up with him, her reflexes undeniably sharp.
Zhan Zilang couldn’t help but praise her sincerely, "Damn, Zhou-jie, you’re pretty good!"
"Flattery will get you nowhere," Zhou Zhuofei replied, setting down the controller to stretch her wrists and fingers. "But yeah, it’s been a while. Another round?"
"Absolutely! Let’s go again!"
Riding the high, they played several matches, their skills evenly matched.
Just as they were deep into yet another intense round, a clamor of footsteps echoed from outside the door.
Then the door swung open, accompanied by a teasing laugh.
"Let’s see what you’re up to, you bastard!"
The moment Zhan Zilang recognized that voice, he cursed reflexively, his focus slipping.
Zhou Zhuofei seized the opening and unleashed a combo, finishing him off.
The screen flashed a bold "KO."
"Damn it!" Zhan Zilang’s curses escalated as he tossed the controller aside, ready to confront his friend.
Zhou Zhuofei turned to see what was happening.
The doorway was packed with young men, their designer clothes marking them as wealthy heirs.
Noticing Zhou Zhuofei, they whistled and jeered, "No wonder you weren’t picking up your phone—sneaking around with a girl, huh?"
Girl. Such a plain term. Zhou Zhuofei couldn’t help but smirk—it’d been ages since anyone called her that.
"Cut the crap," Zhan Zilang snapped, his tone stern. "This is my boss."
"Ohhh, the boss." Their teasing dialed back, though their grins remained cocky, clearly unfazed.
"Nice gig you’ve got here," one remarked, eyeing Zhou Zhuofei.
Afraid they’d say something worse, Zhan Zilang quickly stood, herding them out.
"What are you guys even doing here?"
"Just passing by, thought we’d say hi. Who knew you’d ghost us…"
"Let’s talk outside." Zhan Zilang shooed them away like ducks.
Before leaving, he reassured Zhou Zhuofei, "Zhou-jie, feel free to switch games. I’ll be back after dealing with them."
"No rush."
His friends weren’t having it. "‘Dealing with us’? What’s that supposed to mean?"
"Look at Zhan Zilang, all grown up with a career now. Too good for us, huh?"
"Can’t you guys act normal for once?" Zhan Zilang groaned, spotting the friend at the back. "Set a better example!"
Zhou Zhuofei’s gaze lingered, then she caught a flash of red amidst the chaos.
Her senses sharpened instantly—that color was burned into her memory now.
Peering closer, she realized someone with red hair stood just out of view, blocked by the wall and the crowd.
Could it be…?
Her mind jumped to Xie Ya, but she couldn’t assume it was him just because of the hair.
She tried shifting for a better look, but Zhan Zilang had already ushered them all out.
Shaking her head, Zhou Zhuofei chided herself for overthinking. She could just ask Zhan Zilang later.
Xie Ya worked at a bar—he couldn’t be using a fake name or ID, right?
With that, she shrugged off the distraction and hopped up to pick another game.
Zhan Zilang’s collection was impressive, but Zhou Zhuofei wasn’t one to agonize over choices. She grabbed one quickly—better to play than waste time deciding.
Zhan Zilang didn’t return for a while, not that it mattered. The setup was perfect, his presence irrelevant.
As she eyed the room full of collectibles, a rare pang of envy struck her.
Damn, why wasn’t she rich?
Just as she got absorbed in the game, heavy footsteps thudded outside, drowning out the audio.
Frowning, she reached to adjust the volume—then the door burst open.
"Back already?"
She expected Zhan Zilang, but it was Xie Ya standing there. So she hadn’t been wrong earlier. Yet something was off—his expression calm, but his eyes frantic.
"You…" A dozen thoughts raced through her mind.
What came out was: "Wrong room?"
Xie Ya hesitated for just a second before stepping inside and shutting the door.
Zhou Zhuofei tensed, tossing the controller aside and fumbling for her phone.
Was he here to silence her now that she knew his secret?
But Xie Ya didn’t have time for explanations. He moved closer, voice low. "I need a favor."
That instantly defused her panic.
"What do you want?"
"If someone tries to come in, stop them."
"Uh, this isn’t my place. How am I supposed to stop anyone?"
Xie Ya’s frown deepened. He couldn’t tell if she was genuinely confused or messing with him. But she was his only option.
"Someone’s looking for me," he said hurriedly. "They’ll show up here soon. Just keep them from entering. Clear now?"
Zhou Zhuofei put on an "enlightened" expression and nodded with exaggerated seriousness. "I get what you're saying, but I want to know—who exactly is this 'someone' you're talking about? If I’m going to help you, I need the full picture, right?"
Xie Ya paused for a moment before reluctantly answering, "It's my brother."
"Well... that makes it a family matter then." Zhou Zhuofei rubbed her chin. "Even an honest official can’t settle domestic disputes. I really shouldn’t interfere."
By now, Xie Ya could see right through her—she had no intention of helping at all.
Begging wasn’t his strong suit, and he wasn’t about to waste any more time arguing with Zhou Zhuofei. His tone turned stiff as he retorted, "Fine, forget it if you won’t help."
Just as he turned to find another hiding spot, a sudden noise from beyond the door made his face go pale. Going outside was no longer an option—because the person was already right there.
Xie Ya had no choice but to turn back. The old tactics wouldn’t work on Zhou Zhuofei, so he switched strategies.
"Twenty thousand. Help me this once."
Unlike Cen Huan, Zhou Zhuofei wasn’t the selfless, kind type. But no one could resist money.
Got you now, you little brat.
Zhou Zhuofei’s smile widened as the thought crossed her mind.
"If you’re willing to pay twenty thousand to get rid of whoever’s out there, why shouldn’t I just sell your secrets to them for an even bigger payout?"
