Jiang Shen observed the expressions of the two and asked, "What, you don’t believe me?"
"How could we not believe you?" Du Yu was clearly a bit drunk, her words slightly slurred. "Of course I believe you."
"How much have you had to drink?"
Du Yu waved her hand dismissively. "Not much."
Naturally, Jiang Shen didn’t buy it. He turned to Zhou Zhuofei and asked, "How much did she actually drink?"
"We ordered a Set Meal A for two, and she drank all the alcohol."
"Your alcohol tolerance isn’t great," Jiang Shen remarked, then realized something was off and looked at Zhou Zhuofei. "You didn’t drink?"
"No, I was mainly here to keep her company today."
Jiang Shen gave her a thumbs-up. "That’s solid of you. So, are you two planning to continue the night or head home?"
"It’s getting late, we should go back."
"Fair enough, it is a workday after all." Jiang Shen glanced toward the roadside. "But it’s not easy to get a cab at this hour. Want me to give you a ride?"
Zhou Zhuofei hesitated, unsure how to respond.
The most practical solution was undoubtedly accepting Jiang Shen’s offer—waiting for a cab would take time, especially since they’d have to drop Du Yu off first. But agreeing would mean owing him another favor.
Zhou Zhuofei studied Du Yu’s state, trying to decide what to do.
"Xiao Zhou."
Xiao Wang’s voice suddenly cut through the air. For a moment, Zhou Zhuofei thought she was imagining it, but she whipped her head around toward the sound.
There, she saw Xiao Wang walking back from the street corner he’d disappeared into earlier.
He passed under one streetlamp after another, his figure flickering between light and shadow as if traversing the boundary between dream and reality, until he finally stopped in front of her.
At that moment, Zhou Zhuofei truly felt like her dream had materialized—just like in dramas, where the male lead appears at the perfect moment, defying all logic, when the female lead needs him most.
Xiao Wang looked at her with his usual gentle smile. "Need a ride?"
Without hesitation, Zhou Zhuofei nodded. "Sure, thank you, Secretary Xiao."
"No trouble," Xiao Wang replied, then explained to Jiang Shen, "Xiao Zhou and I live in the same direction. It’s more convenient if I take them."
"Is that so?" Jiang Shen’s gaze flickered between Zhou Zhuofei and Xiao Wang, a knowing glint in his eyes.
It was obvious there was something between them, though not yet fully defined.
But the key point was Zhou Zhuofei’s clear preference—she’d hesitated earlier, yet now chose Xiao Wang without a second thought. There was no point in arguing further.
"Then I’ll leave it to you, Secretary Xiao."
"Of course. We’ll get going now." Xiao Wang motioned for Zhou Zhuofei and Du Yu to follow him.
After walking some distance, Zhou Zhuofei finally asked, "Secretary Xiao, why did you come back? I thought you left with General Manager Ling."
"We didn’t come in the same car," Xiao Wang answered briefly, omitting the real reason—his growing unease over Jiang Shen’s behavior. After seeing Ling Yu off, he’d hurried back, only to find the other man still lingering.
"What a coincidence, otherwise I—" Zhou Zhuofei paused, then grinned at him, her voice brimming with delight. "Well, it’s just really lucky!"
Some things didn’t need to be spelled out.
The sight of Zhou Zhuofei’s smile made Xiao Wang chuckle. They hadn’t had a chance to talk earlier, but now he finally could.
"Your outfit today is different from usual."
"Haha, it’s cosplay! Did you not recognize me?"
"Not exactly, but the style is very different."
At the company, Zhou Zhuofei wasn’t one of the most meticulously dressed women—as long as her clothes were neat and her makeup subtle, she kept things practical.
Xiao Wang rarely saw her dressed up. Thinking back, the only times were probably during annual galas.
Back then, both of them were busy with their own tasks and seldom interacted, though he’d overheard colleagues mentioning a strikingly pretty girl in the admin department—a faint impression lingering in his memory.
"Is that so? Maybe it’s the colored contacts." Zhou Zhuofei widened her eyes and leaned closer, as if to show off the violet-hued lenses. "See? It’s called Misty Purple."
Xiao Wang’s gaze followed her movement, locking onto her eyes. The dreamlike shade of purple bloomed like midnight violets, drawing him deeper into an enchanting haze.
Zhou Zhuofei held her eyes open until she couldn’t anymore, blinking at last.
Only then did Xiao Wang snap out of it, calmly averting his gaze. "It’s a beautiful color."
Pleased by the praise, Zhou Zhuofei beamed. "I think so too!"
"Which character are you cosplaying?"
"A supporting role from my favorite anime! Even though she’s not the main character, her personality and growth arc are amazing!"
Once she started talking about her interests, Zhou Zhuofei couldn’t stop. She chattered all the way until they reached Xiao Wang’s car.
He unlocked the doors and opened the backseat for her, helping her settle Du Yu inside. Careful not to touch her, he shielded Du Yu’s head to prevent bumps. "Watch your head."
Once Du Yu was in, Xiao Wang turned to Zhou Zhuofei. "Should we drop your friend off first?"
"Yes, please."
Not wanting to leave Xiao Wang alone in the front—which would feel impolite—Zhou Zhuofei suggested she take the passenger seat so Du Yu could stretch out in the back.
She even whispered a warning to Du Yu, "Please don’t throw up."
Du Yu wasn’t that far gone. Hearing her friend’s remark, she pinched Zhou Zhuofei in protest. "Do you really think I’m that wasted?"
Well, if she could still sass her, she was lucid enough.
Rubbing the pinched spot, Zhou Zhuofei climbed into the front seat. After confirming Du Yu’s address, Xiao Wang started the car.
This time, he was the one to break the silence, asking why they’d gone to the bar.
Their outfits, combined with a weekday drinking session, clearly hinted at something unusual.
Zhou Zhuofei happily recounted the night’s events, with Du Yu chiming in occasionally. Xiao Wang listened attentively until the end, then glanced at Du Yu through the rearview mirror. "Miss Du, congratulations on finally breaking free today."
"Thank you! I endured for so long just for this moment." Du Yu launched into a dramatic tirade against Han Chubin. "Who does he think he is? I was already slumming it by dating him, and then he had the nerve to hit on Mumu? Death penalty!"
Zhou Zhuofei could only soothe her, "Alright, alright, it’s all in the past. No use dwelling on it."
"No way, I have to take him as a lesson! I’ve finally seen the truth—men, not a single one of them is any good." After venting, Du Yu added, "Xiao Wang, I’m not talking about you."
Xiao Wang replied calmly, without any offense, "It’s fine, I understand how you feel. In relationships, girls do tend to invest more emotionally and often end up getting the short end of the stick."
Du Yu, as if finding a kindred spirit, slapped the car seat excitedly. "So true! Why is it that girls are expected to be loyal and devoted while men can’t help but chase after every new attraction? And then they have the nerve to say, ‘You’re all I need.’ Makes me want to puke."
"Such a deep topic for the middle of the night," Zhou Zhuofei muttered, covering her face, convinced Du Yu was still drunk.
But Xiao Wang patiently responded, "I don’t think this is a gender issue. It’s just that some people aren’t ready for a committed relationship and assume everyone else is the same. They’re only looking for a fling, not a partner."
"Maybe you’re right, Xiao Wang. I never thought there’d be such a reasonable guy among men."
"Thanks for the compliment. If you’re thirsty, there’s bottled water in the back you can have."
Du Yu sighed dramatically. "Sigh… If that jerk had even one-tenth of your thoughtfulness, I might’ve forgiven him for cheating…"
Zhou Zhuofei, hearing her spiral further, quickly cut in, "How about you drink some water? Hydrate a little."
"No thanks, I’ve had enough today. I’m not crying—why would I need to ‘hydrate’?"
Zhou Zhuofei took a deep breath, reminding herself not to argue with a drunk, then picked up her phone and threatened playfully, "Behave, or I’ll record your embarrassing state today and never delete it, no matter how much you beg!"
"You dare threaten me, Zhou Zhuofei? Want me to spill all your embarrassing college stories?"
"I—" Zhou Zhuofei nearly lunged to the back seat to shut Du Yu up. Just give it a rest, will you?
But she didn’t dare make too much noise or movement, not wanting to disturb Xiao Wang while he drove. Through gritted teeth, she hissed, "I’ll let it slide today, but you’re dead tomorrow."
"Ooooh~ Mumu’s mad~ How scary. Pfft, like I’d believe you?"
At the peak of frustration, Zhou Zhuofei only smirked coldly. "Du Yu, you’ll regret this tomorrow."
"Aw, you’re all talk. I’ll always be your dearest, right?"
"Hmph, not for long."
After her retort, Zhou Zhuofei caught Xiao Wang’s faintly amused smile in the rearview mirror and suddenly remembered they were in his car. Flustered, she apologized, "Sorry, Xiao Wang. Are we being too loud?"
"Not at all. I usually play music while driving, but listening to you two bicker is just as entertaining."
"We’ve always been like this. Even after college, nothing’s changed—especially her." Zhou Zhuofei emphasized, "Still the same mess as back then."
"But you sound different with her compared to at the office."
"I—"
Before Zhou Zhuofei could explain, Du Yu cut in, "She’s just pretending. In college, she was just as wild as me. Then she joined Huanyu and suddenly became all proper."
"It’s called maturity!" Zhou Zhuofei snapped. "Work requires professionalism. It’s not pretending—just learn to speak properly!"
Du Yu burst out laughing at Zhou Zhuofei’s flustered reaction.
Their bickering continued the entire ride, but thanks to the smooth night traffic and Xiao Wang’s slightly faster driving, they finally reached Du Yu’s place before Zhou Zhuofei lost her mind.
After parking, Zhou Zhuofei asked Xiao Wang, "Could you wait for me? I’ll just take her upstairs—it won’t take long."
"Of course. Do you need help?"
Considering Du Yu’s living situation, Zhou Zhuofei hesitated for only two seconds before declining. "No, I’ve got it."
"Alright, be careful."
Zhou Zhuofei helped Du Yu into the old, elevator-less apartment complex. Du Yu lived on the third floor, and by the time Zhou Zhuofei dragged her up, she was panting. After making sure Du Yu got inside, she hurried back down.
If Xiao Wang hadn’t been waiting, she might’ve stayed for water. But now, she couldn’t spare the time.
She sprinted back to the car, buckled up, and finally caught her breath.
"Okay… let’s go."
Gasping, she adjusted her slipping glasses.
Xiao Wang noticed. "Should I turn on the AC?"
Zhou Zhuofei had planned to refuse, but she was unbearably hot, and her scalp under the wig was itching relentlessly. Defeated, she nodded.
"Please… go ahead."
As cool air filled the car, Zhou Zhuofei’s body gradually relaxed—but her scalp remained stifled and itchy, the discomfort only worsening.
And she wasn’t one to endure quietly.
So she began scratching discreetly with her right hand—the side Xiao Wang couldn’t see.
She hadn’t expected to be out so late and hadn’t brought any spare items. Taking off the wig now would reveal her real hair in who-knows-what state.
The mere thought made her want to never face Xiao Wang again.
Hang in there, scalp! I’ll treat you to an oil spa when we get home.
But her frequent fidgeting didn’t escape Xiao Wang’s notice.
"Are you still hot?"
Panicking internally, Zhou Zhuofei forced a calm smile. "No, just adjusting my wig. It’s uncomfortable."
Xiao Wang wasn’t familiar with wigs, but her distress was obvious. "Can’t you take it off?"
"Um… I’d rather wait till I’m home."
Understanding her reluctance, Xiao Wang considered speeding up—but his peripheral vision kept catching Zhou Zhuofei clenching her fists, nails digging into her palms, her usually pink fingertips turning white from the pressure.
Why endure this much discomfort?
Spotting a convenience store ahead, Xiao Wang pulled over without hesitation.
It wasn’t until Zhou Zhuofei cast him a puzzled glance that he quickly gathered his thoughts, settled on a reason, and asked gently, "Could you give me a moment? I’d like to smoke a cigarette."
Zhou Zhuofei paused briefly before replying, "Of course."
After all, she was the one inconveniencing Xiao Wang—what right did she have to object?
Xiao Wang offered an apologetic smile. "Then please bear with me for a bit. Five minutes is all I need."
Zhou Zhuofei assured him it was no trouble, watching as he stepped out of the car. Instead of lingering by the roadside to smoke, he walked straight into a convenience store across the street.
Strange. Did he need to buy cigarettes just now?
But her confusion lasted only seconds before she realized—Xiao Wang was giving her a chance to adjust her wig.
As he’d said himself, he wasn’t much of a smoker. How could he possibly be unable to wait just a little longer?
The one who couldn’t hold back was clearly her!
Scolding herself for being so slow on the uptake, Zhou Zhuofei was simultaneously moved by Xiao Wang’s thoughtfulness and immediately began frantically fixing her hair, abandoning any pretense of grace.
Ugh… Secretary Xiao is such a sweetheart. Finally, I can scratch my head properly!
For a fleeting moment, she even considered just taking the wig off altogether.
Sure, her real hair was probably a mess, and her makeup might be smudged, but surely that was better than making Secretary Xiao go through all this trouble.
But before she could decide, Xiao Wang had already emerged from the store with a bag in hand.
He approached the passenger side and tapped on the window.
Zhou Zhuofei rolled it down, and he handed her a bottle of apple juice. "Have you tried this brand before?"
"Not yet."
"Perfect timing for a taste then. Sorry for making you wait." Then, pulling a pack of cigarettes from the bag, he gave it a little shake.
"I’ll be right back."
