"Okay, thank you."
Zhou Zhuofei did have a small mirror in her bag, but she hadn’t taken it out earlier because she didn’t think wiping sweat required such fussiness. Besides, she had already given up on maintaining her image in front of Xiao Wang.
After all, she’d already embarrassed herself in front of him—might as well embrace it. Instead of meticulously preserving appearances, she’d rather leave an impression of authenticity and ease.
But since Xiao Wang kindly retrieved the mirror for her, of course she’d use it. However, the angle was awkward, forcing her to tilt her chin up to see clearly.
Xiao Wang needed to glance at the side mirror occasionally to check the road, which inevitably meant catching glimpses of Zhou Zhuofei’s movements.
She was lifting her chin slightly, dabbing at the sweat on her face with the mirror. The stretch of her neck revealed elegant lines, lazily extending downward until they disappeared beneath her collar.
Her skin was fair—even fairer than the pure white of her shirt—radiating vitality. Like porcelain under sunlight, it carried a soft glow, its fine texture reminiscent of the jade sculptures Xiao Wang had seen at an art exhibition not long ago.
Her collar was slightly open, the top button undone, faintly exposing the necklace resting above her collarbone. The delicate silver chain brushed against her skin, its pendant swaying gently with each breath.
Unconsciously, he found himself captivated, absorbing every detail about her.
"Done."
Zhou Zhuofei finished wiping her face and was about to fold the sun visor back when Xiao Wang, just as he was about to look away, noticed something caught in her hair.
"There’s something in your hair."
"Huh? Where?" She immediately reached up to feel around, but since she couldn’t see, her efforts yielded nothing.
Xiao Wang guided her for a while, but when she still couldn’t find it, he offered to help while waiting at a red light. "Want me to get it for you?"
"Sure," she said, leaning closer obediently.
From his angle, he could see the top of her head, her fluffy hair, and the slight tremble of her lashes—like a migratory bird fluttering its wings before takeoff, each movement sending a faint breeze his way.
Along with it came that familiar, subtle sweetness.
Steadying himself, Xiao Wang tried to keep his hands precise, avoiding unnecessary contact. But the moment his fingertips brushed against her soft, silky hair, they trembled involuntarily.
After her earlier attempts, the foreign object had shifted, so he had to carefully comb through her strands, cautious not to make any awkward movements that might unsettle her.
Zhou Zhuofei, however, remained perfectly still, which eased his nerves enough to focus on the search.
Back when he used to see shampoo commercials exaggerating women’s hair as flowing like fabric or water, he’d dismissed it as marketing hype. But now, firsthand, he realized those ads weren’t entirely baseless.
Some people’s hair really was as light as clouds, as smooth as satin.
After some searching, he finally found the culprit—a tiny fragment of a petal.
"Got it."
"Oh? What was it?" Seeing the petal, Zhou Zhuofei guessed it must have brushed off the flowers on the table earlier. Thanking him, she took the fragment, planning to toss it out later.
The two then fell into casual conversation. Zhou Zhuofei thanked Xiao Wang for the meal last time, saying both she and Du Yu had enjoyed it.
"By the way, Xiao Wang, Du Yu wanted to ask if you like oranges. The ones from her hometown are really good—she was thinking of bringing some for you."
"No need, but thank her for me."
His response didn’t surprise Zhou Zhuofei, but she wasn’t ready to give up just yet. "Their oranges really are delicious. I eat tons of them every year."
She and Du Yu had already discussed how best to express their gratitude. Ordinary gifts wouldn’t cut it—Xiao Wang lacked nothing material. But to give something meaningful, they’d need to know him better.
And Zhou Zhuofei knew painfully little about him.
Xiao Wang explained, "I’m not fond of sweet-and-sour flavors, and oranges always have a hint of tartness, so they’re not really my thing."
"What fruit do you like, then?"
"Anything not sour is fine, I suppose." He smiled, already sensing her intention. "Don’t trouble yourself—I don’t eat much fruit to begin with."
"Right, do fitness-conscious people usually cut back on sugar?"
"Those with strict goals might, but I’m not that rigid."
"I see… Then how about some chocolate?" She pulled out a small packet from her bag—leftovers from the box Zhan Zilang had given her. The original packaging was bulky, so she’d repacked them into smaller portions, keeping a bag handy for cravings.
"Don’t judge by looks—this handmade chocolate is actually really expensive."
The heat had slightly melted the chocolate, but it was still edible, just a bit messy to handle.
Zhou Zhuofei used a napkin to pick up a piece and handed it to Xiao Wang, her fingers grazing the melted chocolate on the bag. Out of habit, she licked the residue off her fingertips after passing it to him.
Xiao Wang accepted the chocolate, deliberately averting his gaze the moment he noticed her little gesture.
Even though she’d done it naturally, without a second thought, he couldn’t ignore one thing—ever since that day, he’d become hyper-aware of her subtle actions.
He didn’t dare dwell on what that reaction meant, so he simply tried to avoid similar situations in the future.
After dropping Zhou Zhuofei off at home, he turned the car around toward his own destination.
Tonight, he was meeting the senior who’d introduced him to the studio during university. They hadn’t seen each other since graduation, but the senior happened to be in town for business, giving them a chance to catch up.
They met at the senior’s hotel, and after dinner, they headed to the executive lounge on the sixteenth floor to chat.
Now a successful entrepreneur, the senior had started his own company a few years ago and secured funding last year. Over the glittering cityscape, they reminisced about their university days.
Most of Xiao Wang’s college years had been consumed by studies and studio work, leaving little time for personal pursuits or socializing. The senior had been one of the few people he’d spent significant time with.
Running a startup came with immense pressure and endless networking. Between complaints, the senior couldn’t help but long for the simpler days in the studio, when all they had to focus on was solving problems—not managing people, finances, or expectations.
With his wealth of experience, Xiao Wang had no qualms sharing insights and advice.
By the time the two parted ways, it was already late at night. The Senior was slightly tipsy, having shared many of his achievements but also revealing some of the hardships and pressures he faced. Before leaving, he gave Xiao Wang a firm pat on the back and offered his blessings.
"Awang, you're doing better than I am now, so I won’t say much else. But don’t just focus on your career—take care of yourself too. Stay well..."
Xiao Wang hugged his Senior goodbye and returned to his car. The parking lot was lit by only a few lonely lights, making the late-night atmosphere feel especially desolate.
He started the engine, and as the motor roared to life, he lit a cigarette.
To him, life was a continuous journey of making choices and letting go. If his Senior had chosen to join a company like him instead of starting his own business, he might have had the stable life he claimed to want. But was that truly the life he desired?
At the core of it, human nature was insatiable. With his Senior’s personality, he would never have been content with such an ordinary existence.
Regrets were regrets precisely because they were never the first choice—they were always the options destined to be abandoned. Even if he hadn’t taken this path, something else might have been sacrificed instead, leaving it as nothing more than a murmured lament.
Just like how his father always said he regretted not fighting for custody of him. Yet, over all these years, he had never seen his father put in any real effort. Apologies repeated too often started to sound more like excuses.
Rather than that, Xiao Wang preferred his own approach—focusing only on the present, unattached and free of desires. That way, there were fewer troubles to weigh him down.
He stubbed out his cigarette and was about to leave when his gaze landed on a crumpled wrapper holding a piece of chocolate. He picked it up casually. The chocolate had been left in the car for too long and had started to melt. Logically, it should have been thrown away in this state.
But then he remembered how Zhou Zhuofei had enthusiastically described it to him that afternoon, as if it were the most delicious thing in the world.
Was it really that good?
Mimicking her actions, he dipped his finger into the melted chocolate and tentatively touched it to his tongue. The rich cocoa flavor diluted the bitterness of tobacco lingering in his mouth.
Honestly, he thought it was just decent chocolate—better quality cocoa, perhaps, but hardly the "best" she had made it out to be. Yet, with the way Zhou Zhuofei had described it, even the taste seemed enhanced.
If it were her...
He closed his eyes, leaning back against the headrest, savoring the flavor.
---
Today, the people from Shirui came again.
This time, Zhou Zhuofei wasn’t called up to receive them. If she were the one handling it every time, what would the other colleagues even do? They might as well just give her two salaries.
Still, she overheard some rumors from her coworkers—apparently, Shirui and Huanyu were discussing a collaboration on a new project, one of the company’s most significant in recent years.
Zhou Zhuofei worked while listening to the office chatter.
Zhan Zilang was also at his desk, which meant Xie Huai probably hadn’t come today.
Ever since she had hung up on Assistant Bai last time, the matter seemed to have died down without further incident.
But just hearing the name "Shirui" today made Zhou Zhuofei’s thoughts drift again.
She couldn’t figure out what about her could possibly attract Xie Huai. With his status and looks, dating a celebrity would be effortless for him. So why her?
It just went to show that rich people had it too easy—skipping the ordinary, stable life in favor of seeking out unnecessary excitement.
If they swapped places and he had to live her life for a while, he’d probably settle down real quick.
After lunch, Zhou Zhuofei had to go downstairs to sign for a delivery. She parted ways with Ye Ru at the restaurant and headed for the elevator alone.
While waiting, her eyelid suddenly started twitching uncontrollably. She chalked it up to lack of sleep the night before and figured she’d take a quick nap after retrieving the documents.
Just then, the elevator doors opened. With one hand still pressed against her eye, she stepped inside without looking up, only vaguely registering a few pairs of dress shoes. She automatically moved to the side.
Rubbing her eye, she waited for the twitching to subside before finally lowering her hand. But then, drowsy from the heavy carbs at lunch, she couldn’t suppress a yawn.
Mindful of the others in the elevator, she covered her mouth to muffle the sound.
But when she finally looked up, she froze—Xie Huai was standing right beside her, along with Ling Yu and Xiao Wang. Xiao Wang, who seemed to have been watching her, smiled and nodded in greeting.
Her half-formed yawn died in her throat.
Could this be any more coincidental?!
Her luck lately was truly something else. In three years of working here, she’d barely ever run into Ling Yu. But now, she kept bumping into high-profile figures left and right. Maybe she should buy a lottery ticket.
If she won five million, she wouldn’t even need this job anymore.
With inflation these days, a million wasn’t enough to live comfortably for life. But five million? That’d be enough to go back to her tiny hometown and live off rental income.
Though the elevator was crowded, no one spoke. Zhou Zhuofei noticed both the first floor and basement buttons were lit—Xie Huai and the others must be leaving.
She stole a glance at Xie Huai. He seemed lost in thought, his gaze distant. His eyes, with their heavy whites and dark irises, always carried an unsettling depth—like being watched by a snake. And humans were hardwired to fear snakes.
Zhou Zhuofei didn’t want to dwell on it. The moment the doors opened, she bolted out first, ignoring the murmurs behind her.
At the front desk, she smoothly signed for her mail.
The receptionist, also from the admin department, was a familiar face, and since it was lunch break, they chatted freely.
Right now, the topic of conversation was Xie Huai’s appearance.
"Don’t you think President Xie is so handsome? I think he’s way better-looking than President Ling!"
"No way, President Ling’s features are way more striking. President Xie falls a bit short in comparison."
"Seriously? Your standards are too high! For a CEO, he’s practically perfect! Zhuofei, what do you think?"
Zhou Zhuofei didn’t even look up, busy digging through the pile of envelopes for hers. "I think you’re both right, but I remain Xiao Wang’s most loyal supporter."
The receptionist laughed. "Oh right, how could we forget—you’re Xiao Wang’s number one fan."
"Xiao Wang is definitely handsome too, but he’s not a CEO. It’s just not the same vibe."
"Blasphemy! How dare you slander Xiao Wang!"
After a bit more searching, Zhou Zhuofei found her mail—along with Luo Jing’s, which she decided to take back for him.
But just as she was signing, she realized the chatter around her had suddenly stopped.
The sensation was eerily similar to when a bustling classroom suddenly falls silent during a school break—an unsettling phenomenon.
"Why did it go so quiet all of a sudden?"
Zhou Zhuofei looked up and noticed the receptionists' gazes fixed on something behind her. She turned around and saw a vaguely familiar man walking toward the front desk.
It was the same person she’d encountered in the elevator earlier. He was holding a stack of visitor passes, apparently returning them.
"Hello, I’m here to return these passes."
The moment she heard his voice, Zhou Zhuofei recognized him—it was Assistant Bai, the man she’d spoken to on the phone.
But he probably didn’t know her, since she hadn’t said a word in the elevator.
Just as she thought this, she heard him greet her: "Miss Zhou, could you come with me for a moment?"
Well, it made sense that he knew her.
If Xie Huai had any particular interest in her, her information would’ve long been laid out before him.
So much for privacy in the world of fiction—were citizens’ personal details just up for grabs?
After agreeing, Zhou Zhuofei left her documents at the front desk, planning to retrieve them later, and followed Assistant Bai toward the elevator. He led her down to the basement level.
There, he guided her to a sleek black luxury car, its hood adorned with the unmistakable emblem of a "bare-bottomed angel"—the very one Zhan Zilang had once teased about.
Assistant Bai opened the car door for her. Inside, Xie Huai lounged in a relaxed posture, his legs crossed casually, revealing immaculately polished shoes that gleamed under the light.
He glanced at Zhou Zhuofei and gestured invitingly.
"Miss Zhou, may I have a word with you?"
