"Thank you so much! How much do I owe you?" Zhou Zhuofei asked, holding up her phone.
The other person replied, "It's not much, don't worry about it. Weren’t you going to treat me to a meal anyway?"
"Oh, right! Then I won’t stand on ceremony." Zhou Zhuofei hugged the takeout bag, her heart brimming with joy. Who could understand the happiness of getting delicious food without even having to step outside?
"By the way, there’s something else," Zhou Zhuofei said, remembering her earlier conversation with Jiang Shen. She felt she should mention it to Xiao Wang. "Jiang Shen just added me..."
She summarized the situation, surprised that Jiang Shen’s next move was to personally intervene. If he didn’t charge her tens of thousands for his "services," she wouldn’t feel at ease. So, she turned to Xiao Wang for advice.
"I told him not to ask Xie Huai for money. Do you think I should still offer him something as a gesture?"
Truthfully, Xiao Wang still couldn’t quite figure out Jiang Shen’s motives—especially after sensing his interest in Zhou Zhuofei. Maybe he was genuinely helpful, or perhaps this was all part of his plan.
If he was trying to craft a "good guy" image to make her feel indebted, then his strategy was clearly working.
Because that was just how Zhou Zhuofei was. If someone treated her poorly, she wouldn’t hold a grudge. But if someone was kind to her, she’d always remember it.
Wasn’t that exactly how things had played out between the two of them?
Within moments, Zhou Zhuofei’s cheeks grew increasingly flushed, and fine beads of sweat dotted her forehead and nose.
Seeing this, Xiao Wang immediately unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the passenger door. "It’s hot outside. Get in."
Without hesitation, Zhou Zhuofei climbed in, immediately leaning toward the air conditioning vent the moment she sat down.
Xiao Wang handed her a tissue to wipe her sweat.
Only when she took it did she realize it was damp. She looked down—it was a wet wipe.
"Huh? A wet wipe?" She turned to Xiao Wang in surprise. Yesterday, there hadn’t been any in the car.
He showed her the freshly opened pack in his hand. "I found this at home today, so I brought it along."
"Oh~ That’s handy. It’s good to keep some in the car." Now, Zhou Zhuofei didn’t have to hold back—she wiped her face freely.
After choosing his words carefully, Xiao Wang said, "Money isn’t necessary. I can discuss compensation with him. Given his circumstances, money isn’t his top priority."
Zhou Zhuofei understood. "I figured. Sometimes I even suspect he’s paying to work."
"Not quite. He’s not greedy, but he doesn’t help people for no reason either. Everyone has their own motives."
In a way, greed would’ve been easier to handle—one pays, the other works, and once the job’s done, it’s over. But if money isn’t the goal, things get complicated.
"Right." Zhou Zhuofei nodded, though she only half-understood. Jiang Shen always struck her as carefree, doing whatever he pleased purely for his own amusement.
But when she thought about it—someone who navigated multiple fields effortlessly and occasionally settled disputes within his family’s business—was he really as warm-hearted as he seemed?
He often claimed he disliked Xie Huai. Could that be an excuse to settle personal grudges?
"Still, he did put in effort. If you want to treat him to a meal, that’s fine. But it’d be best if I joined you."
"Of course!" Zhou Zhuofei answered without hesitation. "I’d definitely invite you."
She would never have a meal alone with Jiang Shen. Originally, she’d considered asking Du Yu, but given the circumstances, she naturally preferred Xiao Wang.
Relieved by her decisive response, Xiao Wang relaxed. "Then there’s no problem. Go eat before your food gets cold."
"Mm, okay." Just as she was about to leave, Zhou Zhuofei turned back. "Wait, one more thing."
Xiao Wang immediately gave her his full attention. "Go ahead."
"You said everyone has their own motives." She repeated his words slowly, cautiously asking, "Then... we’re not like that, right?"
Maybe she shouldn’t have asked. But the moment Xiao Wang said it, her thoughts spiraled.
He called their relationship a friendship—mutual support between friends. She accepted that explanation, so why did she still feel the need to ask?
"We..." Xiao Wang paused briefly, his grip on the steering wheel tightening unconsciously. "Of course not."
"We’re friends. I want you to be happy every day. And you feel the same about me, don’t you?"
"Exactly!" Zhou Zhuofei nodded rapidly. "Even if I’m unhappy, I’d still want you to be happy."
"That’s not necessary." Xiao Wang smiled faintly. "Your happiness matters more."
Zhou Zhuofei got the answer she expected, and a wave of relief washed over her—though it didn’t last long. A faint sense of disappointment crept in, but she quickly suppressed it.
If she dared to ask, she had to be prepared for any answer.
She forced a bright smile. "Got it. Then I’ll go enjoy my lunch now."
"Go ahead."
"Bye! See you next week."
After saying goodbye, Zhou Zhuofei stepped out of the car. The scorching sun left no room for lingering—she dashed straight into her neighborhood.
Only when she disappeared from view did Xiao Wang finally look away.
Turning back, he realized his hands were still clenched around the steering wheel.
There was something else he hadn’t said: Zhou Zhuofei’s happiness mattered more to him.
Because he rarely felt that emotion himself. Seeing her happy gave him immense satisfaction.
But he had to remind himself—repeatedly—not to cross the line. He had to remain the steady, dependable figure in her life.
Yet humans always want more. After stealing a few sweet moments, Xiao Wang didn’t know how much longer this fragile equilibrium could last.
Back home, Zhou Zhuofei immediately turned on the stove to boil water before unpacking the takeout.
The bag was stuffed with boxes of braised delicacies—meat, tofu, vegetables—everything looked mouthwatering.
Unable to resist, she grabbed a piece with her fingers before even picking up chopsticks.
Just as Xiao Wang had recommended—it was delicious!
She devoured several more pieces before remembering to plate the food. Once the noodles were ready, she took a photo and posted it online, sending a copy to Xiao Wang as well.
With that done, she settled in to savor her meal in peace.
Afternoon, air conditioning, a variety show playing on TV, and delicious food laid out before you—who wouldn’t be happy?
Zhou Zhuofei had barely stepped outside these past few days. As the weather grew hotter, she had lost all desire to leave the house. Du Yu had tried to invite her to a water park, but Zhou Zhuofei’s response was: "Unless you can book the entire place like a CEO, forget it."
What’s the difference between going to a crowded water park and jumping into a pot of dumplings?
Du Yu shot back, "Weren’t you just one step away from booking the whole place?"
Damn it—how could she even retort to that?
Jiang Shen hadn’t replied for several days, and Zhou Zhuofei didn’t dare press him. This was one of the downsides of him not charging her—she couldn’t demand answers with a clear conscience.
Well, since Xie Huai hadn’t shown up again either, she decided to assume the matter had been resolved.
However, Xie Lan had been messaging her these past couple of days. The girl was currently preparing to enter a preparatory college and was receiving private tutoring at home, so her schedule was relatively flexible.
Xie Huai had forbidden her from contacting her old friends, and since moving here, she hadn’t made any new ones yet. Apart from studying, her days were mostly spent accompanying her father or Xie Huai to social events.
Through their conversations, Zhou Zhuofei also learned a bit about Xie Ya. He had been staying at home lately, and Xie Lan’s relationship with him was lukewarm at best—even when they crossed paths, they rarely spoke.
Just from Xie Lan’s descriptions, Zhou Zhuofei could tell the girl was probably quite hurt.
When Xie Lan first discovered she had family, she must have been thrilled. But after being brought into the household, she realized this was far from a normal family dynamic.
Then again, it made sense—three siblings, all from the same father but different mothers, two of them illegitimate. Even Zhou Zhuofei would struggle to adjust immediately, let alone with Xie Ya’s eccentric temper.
So, all Zhou Zhuofei could do was encourage Xie Lan to stay strong and not let the outside world affect her. Having grown up in hardship, Xie Lan was more mature and independent than most her age. Zhou Zhuofei believed she’d soon find a way of life that suited her.
[By the way, big sis, I told my dad about meeting you. I’d like to invite you to dinner—would you come?]
[If it’s dinner, will it just be the two of us?]
[And my dad. I didn’t invite my older brothers.]
Xie Lan had been thinking for days. Though she hadn’t come up with a perfect solution, she felt she could at least bring the matter to her father.
Her relationship with him was still distant. Though he, like her eldest brother, was rarely home, whenever they met, he would ask how she was doing with genuine concern, showing he cared.
So, two days ago when her father returned, she pulled him aside and shared her story about meeting "Big Sis Zhou." Touched by the serendipity, her father remarked on how fate brought people together.
Seeing his reaction, Xie Lan felt her plan might work. Seizing the moment, she proposed inviting Big Sis Zhou to dinner.
But to her surprise, her father didn’t immediately agree. Instead, he said he had some matters to attend to and would discuss it in a few days when he was free.
Xie Lan, however, was anxious—the sooner this was resolved, the sooner Big Sis Zhou could rest easy. So she pressed him several times.
Mr. Xie calmly patted her shoulder and explained, "No matter what, I still need to verify things first. You’ve never met her before—what if someone is impersonating her? Don’t worry, a few days won’t make a difference."
Though Xie Lan trusted her instincts, she couldn’t argue with his logic and reluctantly agreed.
Two days later, she finally got her answer. Not only did her father confirm she hadn’t mistaken Zhou Zhuofei’s identity, but he also praised her as an outstanding person, urging Xie Lan to learn from her.
At first, Xie Lan was too excited to think much of it, immediately rushing to share the news with Big Sis Zhou.
Only later did it dawn on her—for her father to know so much, he must have investigated Zhou Zhuofei thoroughly.
After a brief consideration, Zhou Zhuofei readily accepted the invitation.
Xie Lan had made it clear—she wanted to introduce Zhou Zhuofei to Mr. Xie. Zhou Zhuofei agreed with Xie Lan’s reasoning: no matter how reckless Xie Huai was, he would still have to respect family authority. The more openly she presented herself, the better.
But the level of hospitality still caught her off guard. Before she even left work that day, Xie Lan messaged her, saying the family had sent a car to pick her up.
Zhou Zhuofei thought, As expected of a wealthy family—they really know how to do things properly.
The moment she stepped out of the company building, she spotted a sleek black luxury car parked by the curb, its gleaming emblem drawing curious glances from passersby.
Coincidentally, Xie Lan sent her the license plate number to help her identify the car. Zhou Zhuofei took a closer look—it was indeed the right one.
Bracing herself, she quickened her pace, hoping to slip inside unnoticed.
But when she was still a dozen steps away, a uniformed driver emerged from the front seat, jogging over to bow before her. "Good afternoon, are you Ms. Zhou Zhuofei?"
"That’s me."
"Ms. Zhou, I’m the Xie family’s driver. Please, this way." With that, he opened the car door for her.
Murmuring her thanks, Zhou Zhuofei climbed in under the fascinated stares of her coworkers.
She couldn’t help wondering if tomorrow’s office gossip would paint her as some mysterious heiress.
Then again, with Zhan Zilang—the young tycoon who never drove the same car twice in a week—already setting the bar, her "news" might not even be that sensational.
Once inside, she texted Xie Lan, asking about the dinner location.
[At home! Dad insists that hosting at home is the only way to show sincerity.]
Honestly, lately, she’d visited more mansions than restaurants. After so many, she’d grown numb—even bold enough to critique them now.
For instance, she thought the Xie family’s estate looked a bit outdated compared to the Zhan family’s modern grandeur.
As the car pulled into the courtyard, Zhou Zhuofei spotted Xie Lan waiting eagerly by the front door.
The moment she stepped out, the girl rushed over, beaming. Xie Lan wore a simple dress, her face free of makeup, radiating the effortless beauty of youth.
"Big Sis Zhou!"
"Your dress is lovely today."
Xie Lan shyly tugged at the hem. "Thank you! You look beautiful too!"
Zhou Zhuofei burst out laughing. "What’s so pretty about office wear?"
Chatting, they headed inside. Since dinner wasn’t ready yet and Mr. Xie hadn’t appeared, Xie Lan led Zhou Zhuofei to her bedroom first.
Or rather, her suite—complete with a walk-in closet, bathroom, sauna, balcony, and even a study.
The entire space was several times larger than Zhou Zhuofei’s rented apartment. Staring at all this, she wondered if her earlier concerns had been misplaced.
Could someone living in a place like this really be unhappy?
She asked Xie Lan, "Do you still feel out of place living here now?"
After a moment of thought, Xie Lan replied, "Actually, yes, sometimes. Occasionally, I wake up feeling like I’m in a strange place and can’t immediately process that I live here now."
"It’s just a matter of habit. You’ll get used to it after a few more days."
The two chatted for a while, and Xie Lan expressed great satisfaction with her current life, with almost nothing to complain about.
Zhou Zhuofei quickly understood the reason. Xie Lan and Xie Ya’s circumstances were completely different. Xie Ya had been raised in luxury, never lacking material comforts, so she paid little attention to such conditions and instead fixated on the emptiness in her spirit. Xie Lan, however, was different—she hadn’t even reached the point of considering spiritual fulfillment, as material satisfaction alone was enough to make her content.
Zhou Zhuofei’s gaze unintentionally drifted to the bedside table, where a row of photos was displayed, all seemingly family portraits. Curious, she walked over for a closer look.
"Is this you as a child? You were so adorable."
Xie Lan also approached and began introducing them. "Yes, these are all photos I brought from my hometown. These are my grandparents…"
Not a single photo showed Xie Lan alone—every one was a group picture with her family, and just glancing at them evoked a sense of nostalgia.
"This is my mother…" Xie Lan picked up a photo of a young woman holding an infant. Her mother had passed away when she was very young, and she had almost no memories of her left.
Sensing the shift in mood, Zhou Zhuofei quickly changed the subject. "You look a lot like your mom."
Despite the photo’s blurry resolution, she pointed out earnestly, "See, your face shape is similar, though you seem a bit taller than her…"
But the more she spoke, the more something felt off. Why did the photo seem increasingly strange the longer she looked?
Zhou Zhuofei unconsciously leaned in, trying to discern something unusual in the image.
Why did she feel… that she bore a slight resemblance to Xie Lan’s mother?
