At that moment, the crowd around Xie Huai dispersed, allowing Zhou Zhuofei and Xiao Wang to approach.
They had barely taken a few steps when Zhou Zhuofei could already feel Xie Huai’s gaze on her.
His stare seemed to take on a tangible weight, slithering over her like a snake—damp, cold, and suffocating. It sent a shiver down her spine, raising goosebumps, and her shoulders trembled involuntarily.
Noticing Zhou Zhuofei’s reaction, Xiao Wang instinctively slowed his pace, ready to stop at any moment.
After all, Zhou Zhuofei had every right to call this off.
It had only been a few days since the incident, and forcing her to face someone who had left such deep psychological scars was undeniably cruel.
Yet, to his surprise, despite her body’s instinctive recoil, Zhou Zhuofei’s steps remained steady and resolute, showing no intention of stopping.
It dawned on Xiao Wang then—he had underestimated her. He’d always assumed she needed his protection, but in truth, she was far stronger than anyone gave her credit for.
With that realization, he quickened his stride, matching her pace as they finally stood before Xie Huai.
Just as he was about to speak, he felt a slight weight on his arm—Zhou Zhuofei had linked her arm with his. His gaze flickered downward, catching sight of her hand clenched into a tight fist against his sleeve.
Her knuckles stood out starkly, her skin pale from the tension.
"Good evening, President Xie," Xiao Wang greeted smoothly, his tone composed. At the same time, he casually reached over and gently pried Zhou Zhuofei’s fingers open.
The sudden contact made Zhou Zhuofei flinch, but once she realized it was Xiao Wang, she relaxed, allowing her hand to unfold.
She hadn’t even noticed she’d been clenching her fist again. With nothing to hold onto, she felt uneasy, so instead, she lightly grasped the fabric of Xiao Wang’s suit jacket, careful not to crumple it. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.
"Good evening," Xie Huai replied, his tone indifferent but not outright rude. After all, Xiao Wang was Ling Yu’s secretary—there was no need for excessive warmth, but basic courtesy was expected.
After the greeting, his attention shifted to Zhou Zhuofei. "Miss Zhou, what a coincidence to see you again."
"President Xie," Zhou Zhuofei responded flatly, ignoring his attempt at conversation before turning her gaze toward Xie Lan beside him.
Oddly enough, from a distance, she had thought the siblings looked alike, but up close, their differences were striking.
Xie Huai carried an air of brooding intensity, while Xie Lan seemed much brighter—though her overly mature makeup and clothing masked her true age. On closer inspection, her features were still soft with youth, her cheeks faintly rounded with lingering baby fat.
Noticing Zhou Zhuofei’s curiosity about Xie Lan, Xie Huai took the initiative to introduce them. "This is my younger sister, Xie Lan."
He then introduced the others to Xie Lan—mentioning Xiao Wang only briefly as "Ling Yu’s secretary"—but when it came to Zhou Zhuofei, his voice carried deliberate emphasis. "This is Miss Zhou. You two are around the same age—you can call her ‘sister.’"
Xie Lan obediently followed his lead.
"Secretary Xiao, Miss Zhou, nice to meet you," she said, her voice slightly nervous but clear.
Xie Huai wasn’t entirely satisfied with Xie Lan’s demeanor—her upbringing had left her with a timid, unpolished air—but he couldn’t expect too much. At least she was well-behaved, unlike that brat Xie Ya. With some refinement, she had potential. And besides, she was…
His thoughts flickered away as his eyes landed on Zhou Zhuofei and Xie Lan standing side by side. For the briefest moment, something fervent flashed in his otherwise impassive gaze.
Zhou Zhuofei, however, had a task in mind. Right now, she was focused on one thing: greeting Xie Lan, introducing herself, and then letting fate take its course.
"Miss Xie, it’s a pleasure," she said with a practiced smile. "I’m Zhou Zhuofei. Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too," Xie Lan replied.
But Zhou Zhuofei couldn’t read her reaction. The girl was clearly out of her depth in this social setting, especially after being swarmed by people earlier. Just exchanging pleasantries was probably overwhelming enough.
Zhou Zhuofei doubted Xie Lan had the mental bandwidth to process anything beyond that. True to her expectations, Xie Lan quickly retreated into silence, standing dutifully beside Xie Huai.
"I’m surprised to see Miss Zhou at an event like this," Xie Huai remarked.
Given her background, Zhou Zhuofei had no business being here—especially not as Xiao Wang’s plus-one. But Xie Huai deliberately ignored that detail, refusing to acknowledge Xiao Wang’s role.
A beautiful girl naturally drew attention, especially one he had his eye on.
His gaze skimmed over Zhou Zhuofei’s earrings and necklace—cheap, unimpressive pieces she could never afford on her own. Clearly, Xiao Wang had provided them.
If the two had no personal connection, Xiao Wang would never go to such lengths.
So just how far had things progressed between them?
Xie Huai’s eyes flicked between the two, lingering on Zhou Zhuofei’s grip on Xiao Wang’s sleeve—a small but telling gesture of dependence.
Xiao Wang, huh?
Sure, women liked the gentle, considerate type. But so what?
A man’s efforts could only go so far. Once someone had tasted true luxury, how could they settle for mere kindness?
Zhou Zhuofei waited, but when nothing happened, she gave up.
She had no intention of probing further with Xie Lan. Years ago, when she’d helped the girl, it had been purely out of goodwill—a way to pass on some luck. Whatever Xie Lan’s life was like now, she’d had it rough back then, and Zhou Zhuofei had made a difference when it mattered. That was enough.
As for Xie Lan’s brother being Xie Huai… well, Zhou Zhuofei could only offer silent sympathy. There was nothing else she could do.
Her lips curled into a perfunctory smile as she scrambled for a response, but Xiao Wang beat her to it.
"I invited Zhuofei," he said.
Zhou Zhuofei quickly nodded in agreement.
She thought he was just covering for her, but then he continued, his tone measured yet edged with something sharper. "She’s been feeling down lately, so I brought her out to meet new people and lift her spirits. We won’t take up any more of your time—enjoy the evening."
As he spoke, Xiao Wang held Xie Huai’s gaze. Though his voice remained calm, Zhou Zhuofei caught the undercurrent of defiance.
The look in his eyes was unlike anything she’d seen before—still composed, but with a quiet steel she hadn’t known he possessed. It left her momentarily stunned.
Reacting faster than Zhou Zhuofei was Xie Huai, whose mood soured—was she referring to him?
He raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing for the first time the secretary who always trailed behind Ling Yu.
Xiao Wang maintained an unyielding yet respectful demeanor. Years in the corporate world had taught him how to navigate any situation with ease, and he’d long since learned to ignore the intimidating glares of powerful figures.
His composure gave Zhou Zhuofei a surge of courage. What was so great about capitalists? The feudal era had been overthrown over a century ago—this was a new age of freedom.
Even if this was a novel, so what? People were still equals!
Taking a deep breath, Zhou Zhuofei reached into her handbag, which held her phone, a compact for touch-ups, and one other item…
She hadn’t known why she’d brought it when she left earlier, but now she understood.
"President Xie, there’s one more thing I forgot to mention," she said, pulling out a crumpled check and tossing it at his feet.
"This is my answer."
She hadn’t dared to discard it carelessly, worried someone might pick it up and cause trouble.
Now, it was back where it belonged—whatever Xie Huai did with it was no longer her concern.
Watching his stormy expression with satisfaction, she flashed a smile at Xie Lan, who looked on curiously, then grabbed Xiao Wang’s hand and turned to leave.
But after a few steps, Zhou Zhuofei suddenly sighed in regret.
Xiao Wang asked, "Why the sigh?"
She looked up at him earnestly. "Did I just litter? That feels so immoral. I haven’t littered in years—I’m disgusted with myself."
Xiao Wang was stunned. Just as he’d been marveling at her boldness, she shattered his expectations again.
He couldn’t help but wonder why Zhou Zhuofei always had such peculiar thoughts.
Strange yet endearing.
The thought flickered through his mind, softening the sharpness in his eyes. "Of course not. You were just returning what was his. And honestly, that was pretty cool."
"Thanks, you were cool too," Zhou Zhuofei agreed cheerfully, snapping her fingers. "I’m thirsty—let’s grab some juice!"
They headed to the drinks table. The event mostly featured cocktails, with only a few non-alcoholic options. After some deliberation, Zhou Zhuofei settled on juice.
Xiao Wang watched her struggle and asked, "Not trying a cocktail?"
"Better not. My alcohol tolerance is terrible—I barely drink."
"Not at all?"
"Well, I can handle beer duck," she joked, then admitted, "But one can of beer, and I can’t walk straight."
"That really is low tolerance. It’s good to be cautious."
They took their drinks to a quiet corner to chat.
Though their plan had failed, neither was disheartened—they still had a backup. For Zhou Zhuofei, seeing Cen Huan connect with Ling Yu was a silver lining.
She was already itching to leave. Sticking around felt pointless, but as Xiao Wang’s plus-one, she couldn’t ditch him.
Leaning lazily against a pillar, she sipped her juice, finishing it quickly.
Xiao Wang noticed. "Ready to go home?"
Zhou Zhuofei nodded. "Honestly, I admire people who can mingle for hours."
"Some are naturals. Others just have no choice," Xiao Wang said, mirroring her posture as he watched the crowd. "When you’re in certain positions, you’re often at the mercy of circumstances."
"Not our problem," Zhou Zhuofei said, clinking her nearly empty glass against his. "Here’s to you clocking out soon!"
For Xiao Wang, "clocking out" wasn’t a clear boundary between work and life—he’d long blurred the two. Unlike Zhou Zhuofei, who filled her free time with hobbies, he often pondered work even at home. Life was just another workspace.
"By the way, my mom loved the chocolates you helped me pick last time."
"Glad to hear it! Their other flavors are great too—you should try them."
Xiao Wang smiled but knew he wouldn’t. When he’d brought the chocolates home, along with other gifts, his mother had been effusive as usual, bragging to her friends and taking photos.
But she’d only taken one bite of the chocolates before setting them aside. "These aren’t for us," she’d said. "We’ll save them for Chenchen—kids love sweets."
He didn’t mind. Once given, the gifts were hers to handle. Still, it stung.
Even after years of this dynamic, seeing his younger brother bask in unconditional love made him wonder: some people were just born to be cherished.
Soon, both were ready to leave.
"I’ll say goodbye to Ling Yu," Xiao Wang said.
"I’ll do the same with Cen Huan."
They found Cen Huan and Ling Yu to bid farewell. When Cen Huan heard Zhou Zhuofei was leaving, envy flashed in her eyes.
While Ling Yu and Xiao Wang talked, Zhou Zhuofei whispered, "When can you head out?"
Cen Huan shook her head. "No idea."
Years in hospitality had toughened her stamina, but tonight had drained her.
"Don’t overdo it. If you’re tired, sneak off to the lounge," Zhou Zhuofei urged, silently criticizing Ling Yu’s lack of consideration—Cen Huan was in heels!
But Cen Huan wasn’t as bold. Their relationship was strictly professional, so she just smiled. "I’m fine. You go ahead."
"Alright, see you."
As they walked toward the exit, other guests were also departing.
Then—click-clack-click—the sharp sound of heels echoed behind them. Zhou Zhuofei turned to see Xie Lan hiking up her skirt, rushing toward her.
For a moment, she couldn’t discern the other person’s intentions, so she hesitated to react immediately.
It wasn’t until Xie Lan stumbled to a stop in front of her that she instinctively reached out to steady her. “Easy there,” she said.
Xie Lan’s cheeks were flushed, her breath uneven as she gazed at her with hopeful eyes. “Sister, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“You…” Xie Lan gathered her courage and finally voiced the question that had haunted her for so long. “Do you know a girl named Zhang Qiaoqiao?”
“I do know one.”
Zhou Zhuofei hadn’t expected this—just when she’d given up, Xie Lan had sought her out. Was her luck finally turning?
“I…” Xie Lan’s lips trembled with emotion, leaving her momentarily speechless.
From the moment she heard Zhou Zhuofei’s name, one thought had consumed her: Could this sister before her be the very same “Sister Zhou Zhou” who had supported her all those years?
She couldn’t be sure, yet the feeling in her heart grew stronger by the second.
She had vanished abruptly—after the Xie family took her in, they severed all ties to her past.
Had it all been to erase Zhang Qiaoqiao and mold her into Xie Lan?
Would anyone even remember who she used to be?
Just as she struggled to find the right words, Zhou Zhuofei asked, “Then… do you know Sister Zhou Zhou?”