Zhou Zhuofei took the dress and held it up to compare, then swiftly changed into it.
Once dressed, she headed straight out the door. Xie Lan’s bedroom was on the second floor, and as soon as she stepped out, she heard Xie Huai’s voice from downstairs—perfect timing.
After Xie Lan’s earlier remarks, Zhou Zhuofei had recalled quite a few things herself. Xie Huai would often stare at her for long moments whenever they crossed paths.
Perhaps he wasn’t really looking at her, but searching for someone else’s shadow in her?
To confirm this, she needed to test it herself. To ensure the effect, she deliberately didn’t let Xie Lan come out with her.
Just as she was about to descend the stairs, fate intervened—Xie Huai happened to be coming up at the same time, and the two collided on the staircase.
This time, perhaps because she felt more confident, Zhou Zhuofei noticed she was unusually composed in Xie Huai’s presence, completely free of the nervousness from last time.
She paused midway down the stairs, waiting to see his reaction.
At first, Xie Huai paid no attention to the footsteps from above—after all, people came and went in the house all the time. But when the sound suddenly stopped, he instinctively glanced up.
For a fleeting moment, he thought he saw the figure he had been longing for.
In the rare moments of happiness in his life, it was this very person who would wait here for him after school, asking with infinite patience and gentleness how his day had been.
But those days had been painfully brief, like a dream.
The illusion shattered just as quickly, and Xie Huai steeled himself, reminding himself that this couldn’t be real.
The person before him couldn’t possibly be her.
When his vision cleared, he realized it was Zhou Zhuofei standing in front of him.
And, unusually, she was smiling at him, greeting him first: "President Xie."
Zhou Zhuofei had been closely observing Xie Huai’s reaction. Though he hid it well, she still caught the slip.
So her smile now was entirely genuine—she might have just found the solution to her problem.
By then, Xie Huai had already regained his composure, feigning calm as he replied, "Why is Miss Zhou in my home?"
"Uncle Xie invited me," she answered lightly. "Didn’t he tell you?"
Xie Huai truly hadn’t known. Most of his energy was spent on the company and himself; he rarely concerned himself with household matters, let alone conversations with his father. But why would his father invite Zhou Zhuofei out of the blue?
The two shouldn’t have even had a chance to meet. Had his father discovered something?
No, that was impossible. His father had long forgotten about that person. When Xie Lan was brought home, he couldn’t even recall her name. There was no way he’d contact Zhou Zhuofei for that reason.
Despite the storm of questions in his mind, Xie Huai showed no curiosity—a habit of his, never leaving the initiative to others.
"I see. Are you heading home now?"
"No, just going downstairs to fetch something."
Filled with suspicion, Xie Huai stepped aside to let her pass. "Ladies first."
Zhou Zhuofei walked past him without a glance, though she could still feel his gaze lingering on her. Suppressing her discomfort, she suddenly turned around just after passing him, catching Xie Huai off guard with a direct question:
"Do I look like her?"
He froze, completely unprepared.
How… how did she know?
Zhou Zhuofei’s tone was light, almost teasing. "Seems there’s some resemblance, or else President Xie wouldn’t have taken so long to think about it."
Xie Huai’s eyes turned cold. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."
But Zhou Zhuofei was no longer intimidated by his glare.
Smiling, she lifted the hem of her dress and shook it at him. "What do you think of this dress? Xie Lan helped me pick it. I think it’s quite nice. Next time you want to give me something, skip the impractical designer bags. Just get me more of these—I could use a rotation."
She continued, "And I’ve been thinking… you were right. My current job is too exhausting. Teaching sounds much better—at least there’s—"
Before she could finish, Xie Huai cut her off. "Miss Zhou."
If her earlier words could’ve been a coincidence, the latter part was unmistakably pointed.
She had clearly figured something out.
Zhou Zhuofei blinked innocently. "What’s wrong? I’m just earnestly answering the question you asked me last time."
If he couldn’t handle hearing this much, why had he monologued at her in the car without considering her feelings?
"I understand what you mean," Xie Huai replied darkly.
Once the truth was laid bare, the self-deceptive illusions vanished. Now, when he looked at Zhou Zhuofei, that uncanny feeling was gone.
When someone deliberately tries to mimic another, all that remains is a poor imitation.
"Really? But even I don’t know what I mean. Could President Xie enlighten me?"
Zhou Zhuofei remained unruffled. Normally, she wasn’t one to poke at sore spots, but now she relished it—especially seeing Xie Huai’s expression, torn between avoidance and obligation.
"Let’s end this here," Xie Huai said coolly, fully aware of her intentions. "I won’t disturb you again."
"First of all, it wasn’t ‘disturbing’—it was harassment. Second, you don’t get to decide when this ends." Zhou Zhuofei suppressed her anger.
Compared to the indescribable pressure Xie Huai had subjected her to, his dismissive attitude now disgusted her even more. Even at this moment, he was still talking down to her.
She suddenly felt Xie Lan’s decision to study abroad was the right one. Staying in this household any longer would only rot her from the inside, just like him.
Xie Huai appeared calm, but his mind raced for a solution.
Zhou Zhuofei knew too much. While he’d naturally back off now, that wasn’t enough.
He had to ensure she never crossed paths with his social circle again, sealing the secret for good.
If this got out…
Just as he was strategizing, he noticed Xie Lan peeking from the top of the stairs. Immediately, he shifted gears.
"Arguing here is pointless. Let’s sit down and talk. I’m sure we can find a solution that satisfies you."
"Fine. But first, answer my last question." Zhou Zhuofei pulled out her phone. Still unfamiliar with quick-recording shortcuts, she opened a voice message function in a chat app and pointed it at him.
"Admit there’s no ‘dispute’ between us—just your one-sided harassment. Once you acknowledge that, we’ll talk."
Xie Huai glared at the phone, his jaw tightening with barely restrained fury.
"What’s the point of arguing over this?"
Zhou Zhuofei wasn’t the least bit intimidated. She had never been the timid type; on the contrary, she often channeled her frustrations into a simmering energy, waiting for the right moment to erupt.
“Of course, you can choose not to say anything,” she raised an eyebrow, her tone impatient. “Then there’s nothing left to discuss. If you’re asking for a favor, President Xie, you should at least show some sincerity. I’m not one of your subordinates you can boss around—empty words won’t work on me.”
“Anything but this,” Xie Huai’s veins bulged faintly on his forehead, each word seeming to grind out between clenched teeth. “Name any other condition.”
“Seems President Xie still lacks sincerity.”
The next second, her phone emitted a sharp beep—the sound of a successfully sent message.
Both of them were startled. Zhou Zhuofei glanced down at her phone, then at Xie Huai’s grim expression, before showing him the screen with feigned regret. “The message auto-sent after sixty seconds. But no worries—if you’re willing to talk now, I can give you another sixty seconds.”
Her attitude made one thing crystal clear to Xie Huai: she wouldn’t back down. At this point, he had no other choice. Dragging this out would only create more trouble. He had to act decisively.
Xie Huai pressed his hand over Zhou Zhuofei’s phone to prevent further action, his voice stiff as he forced out a string of words: “I apologize for disturbing you. Is that enough?”
Seeing Xie Huai lower his head and apologize was far beyond Zhou Zhuofei’s expectations. Her original plan had only been to get him out of her life.
If he could go this far, did that mean these seemingly untouchable elites weren’t as invincible as they seemed? Could she push even further?
Her mind raced. She had no experience in this, couldn’t ask for outside help, and couldn’t let Xie Huai see she was flying blind.
She reminded herself to stay calm and wondered—what would Xiao Wang do in this situation?
Gradually, an idea formed. She met Xie Huai’s gaze and declared firmly, “I won’t negotiate with you directly. Have your lawyer bring me a solution—”
“Fine, but I have conditions too—”
Zhou Zhuofei cut him off immediately. “You’re in no position to set conditions. The sooner your lawyer comes to me, the better it’ll be for you.”
By now, Xie Huai had completely lost control of the situation. Being led by the nose was a humiliating blow. Unwilling to engage further, he tossed out a terse “I’ll have my lawyer contact you soon” before storming off.
When he reached the stairs and saw Xie Lan, he didn’t even pause to acknowledge her greeting, brushing past without a word.
Xie Lan didn’t need an explanation to understand what had happened.
Zhou Zhuofei approached and found Xie Lan looking conflicted and upset. She gently patted her head. “You okay?”
Xie Lan lifted her gaze, her voice tinged with disappointment. “I always thought my brother was just strict with me… that deep down, he cared.”
But now she wasn’t so sure what his kindness had really meant.
Zhou Zhuofei didn’t know how to comfort her. Even as an adult, she’d never dealt with such complicated emotions before.
Then a phrase surfaced in her mind, and she spoke on instinct: “Don’t let someone else’s issues become your burden.”
Only after saying it did she realize—these were Xiao Wang’s words to her once.
Without hesitation, she continued, “Think about how much you’ve already overcome. Are you really going to let this hold you back? You don’t need his answer. Focus on your studies—your future is full of possibilities.”
“Really?”
“Absolutely. I believe in you. Do you believe in yourself?”
Xie Lan seemed to draw strength from her words. She nodded firmly. “I can do it.”
Zhou Zhuofei returned to her room to change. Xie Lan had offered to gift her the dress she’d worn, since it suited her so well, but she refused outright. Taking it home would’ve haunted her forever.
After saying goodbye to Xie Lan, she finally checked her phone on the ride back and saw multiple messages from Xiao Wang.
[Where are you?]
[I saved the recording. Are you okay?]
[Reply as soon as you see this.]
The recording had been a spur-of-the-moment decision. She immediately opened Xiao Wang’s chat—her first instinct was that he was the safest person to share it with.
He seemed worried. She quickly reassured him, briefly explaining what happened while omitting her discovery. That was her leverage against Xie Huai, and keeping Xiao Wang in the dark was for his own protection.
[Do you know any reliable lawyers? I might need to consult one.]
[I have a friend who’s a lawyer. I’ll ask.]
[Thanks!]
[Glad things are progressing, but wasn’t today a bit reckless?]
[Well… it was complicated. I didn’t have time to think.]
[Don’t do that again. You had me worried. I’ll ask about the lawyer and update you.]
[Got it!]
After replying, Zhou Zhuofei stared at Xiao Wang’s messages, frowning.
They were just words, yet something felt off. Rereading the exchange, she sensed a shift in his tone—almost like he was upset.
But in the heat of the moment, she hadn’t had time to deliberate. Most of her decisions had been pure instinct.
The more she reread, the more her explanation felt insufficient. Should she clarify further?
But the conversation had ended. Would reaching out again make her seem nitpicky?
She agonized over it the entire ride home without reaching a conclusion.
What if Xiao Wang wasn’t upset at all, and she was overthinking?
The frustration mounted. She roughly ran a hand through her hair—she was terrible at navigating relationships!
Wait… Hadn’t she just told Xie Lan not to internalize others’ problems? And here she was, doing the exact same thing.
Zhou Zhuofei smacked her forehead, forcing herself to stop spiraling. What was done was done.
She pulled out her phone again to update Jiang Shen. If she could handle this herself, there was no need for him to confront Xie Huai.
To her surprise, he called almost instantly.
The moment she answered, Jiang Shen’s signature lazy drawl drifted through the speaker. “That was fast. You really wrapped things up?”
“Not entirely. I still have to meet with his lawyer.”
“Lawyer?” His tone turned odd. “You didn’t dig up some tax evasion scandal, did you?”
Zhou Zhuofei gave a dry laugh. "I don’t have that kind of ability."
Jiang Shen’s tone carried a hint of implication. "Oh, you’re plenty capable. So, do you still need to find a lawyer? Want me to introduce you to one?"
"I’ve already asked Xiao Wang for help."
"Figured as much," Jiang Shen muttered, then teased, "So, tell me—does this count as me actually being helpful?"
"Of course it does. Wasn’t it you who dug up the information on Xie Lan? Just the other day, I was saying I should treat you to a meal."
"Treat me? Well, I don’t do cheap. If we’re eating, it’s lobster."
"Sure. But I’m not really familiar with which places are good. How about you pick the restaurant, and I’ll cover the bill?"
Jiang Shen hadn’t expected Zhou Zhuofei to respond so earnestly. Surprised, he asked, "That generous? Planning to splurge?"
"It’s only right. You’ve all helped me so much—shouldn’t I treat you to something nice?"
"'All'?" Jiang Shen repeated playfully. "So, you’re inviting Xiao Wang too."
"Of course. You’ve both helped."
"Forget the meal. Save your hard-earned money. If you really want to thank me, just answer one question honestly."
Zhou Zhuofei didn’t agree right away, instead asking cautiously, "What do you want to know?"
"Don’t look so tense. What could I possibly ask? I just want to know—what exactly is your relationship with Xiao Wang? No need to rush. Think it over before answering."
"We’re…" The word "friends" was already on the tip of her tongue, but Jiang Shen’s last remark made her pause.
As if answering too quickly would make her seem insincere.
"Why are you asking this?"
"Curiosity, of course. You see, a detective must always maintain a sense of curiosity and uncover the truth. So, I’m very interested in your relationship."
"We’re friends."
"Just friends? You don’t have any other thoughts about him? I really think Xiao Wang treats you differently. Have you seen how defensive he gets around me?"
"Huh?"
There was no way Jiang Shen couldn’t see through Xiao Wang’s intentions. Every time before, he’d rushed over to interrupt—wasn’t it because he was afraid Jiang Shen would make a move on Zhou Zhuofei?
"Don’t worry, I don’t hit on clients. Professional integrity and all."
Zhou Zhuofei was thoroughly confused by now. Without thinking, she blurted, "What do you mean, 'hit on'?"
"Was I not obvious enough? Are you really this clueless, or are you playing dumb?" Jiang Shen chuckled. "But if you’re willing, I wouldn’t mind bending the rules a little~"
