The first thing she did upon returning to her room was call Du Yu via voice chat.
As soon as the call connected, she poured out the details of her conversation with Wang Zicheng.
"What? That guy already has a one-year-old child?"
Zhou Zhuofei slapped her thigh in agitation—she knew Du Yu would understand her.
"Right?!"
"How outrageous. How did he even manage to find a wife?"
"Who knows?" The mere thought of Wang Zicheng’s smug face made Zhou Zhuofei grit her teeth in frustration. "And then he had the nerve to act all apologetic, putting on this fake, remorseful act. Where was this energy before?"
"That just proves he wasn’t sincere. He only apologized because he ran into you and wanted to save face."
"Ugh, so annoying! If he knows he’s insufferable, why does he keep popping up to remind everyone of his existence?"
"Don’t let it get to you. Aren’t you done with work for the day? Come out for drinks—don’t let that makeup go to waste."
"Not tonight. I’ve already taken it off, and going out is such a hassle." Zhou Zhuofei grumbled, but her gaze suddenly landed on the mini-bar beneath the TV cabinet. She sat up from the bed.
"The hotel probably has something, right?"
"Of course it does."
Zhou Zhuofei rolled off the bed and opened the liquor cabinet, finding it fully stocked—not just with soft drinks but also an assortment of mini bottles of alcohol. She grabbed a few at random, then called the front desk to request some ice.
"I’ll just drink here in the hotel."
"Fine by me. At least if you get drunk, you can just pass out without worrying about getting home."
Once the ice arrived, Zhou Zhuofei haphazardly mixed herself a drink. Though she called it "cocktail-making," it was really just high-proof alcohol as the base, topped off with soda and ice. The sugary mixer masked the harshness, making it easy to down without tasting the liquor.
Leaning against the headboard, she tossed her phone aside, chatting with Du Yu between occasional sips.
The conversation inevitably circled back to Wang Zicheng. Seeing how fixated Zhou Zhuofei was, Du Yu offered a suggestion.
"Why don’t you hire someone to look into him? Maybe this whole ‘changed man’ act is just a facade. Leopards don’t change their spots."
"Huh? You want me to ask Jiang Shen again? Do I look like I’m made of money?"
The moment Jiang Shen’s name came up—especially from Du Yu’s mouth—Zhou Zhuofei immediately went on high alert. She warned, "I know you’re into guys like Jiang Shen, but stay away from him, okay?"
Du Yu feigned innocence. "I haven’t done anything."
"Oh really? Then who’s been chatting with him behind my back? Don’t think I don’t know!"
"What’s the big deal? Can’t I even talk to a handsome guy after a long day at work? Since when did you become so controlling?"
"Just take my advice and steer clear of smooth-talking pretty boys. Trust me, nothing good comes of it."
"So this is still about that Wang guy, isn’t it? You keep saying you don’t care, but the second his name comes up, you bristle like a cat. What, did hearing about him being a doting husband set you off again?"
Du Yu never minced words. Zhou Zhuofei had seemed calm just yesterday, but today the resentment was bubbling back up—no prizes for guessing why.
"Why would I be mad? It’s none of my business!" Zhou Zhuofei took a fierce swig of her drink. "I’m not mad at him. I’m mad at myself."
"Then why can’t you just let it go?"
Zhou Zhuofei had no answer. She could only keep drinking.
Du Yu sighed. "Every time we talk about this, you dodge the subject. But you can’t keep avoiding it forever. Look at him—married with a kid, living his best life. Now look at you. Do you really think that’s fair?"
"Of course it’s not fair." Though the thought was petty, Zhou Zhuofei refused to believe Wang Zicheng had genuinely transformed into a model husband and father. More likely, he’d just gotten better at faking it.
But she kept that to herself. Saying it out loud would make her sound bitter and small.
"Exactly. Why does he get to turn over a new leaf while you’re still drowning in misery? A failed relationship doesn’t mean you’ve failed at life. There are plenty of good men out there. And even if there weren’t, you shouldn’t torture yourself like this."
Zhou Zhuofei nodded absently. The alcohol was starting to take effect, her nerves cushioned as if by gentle hands, her body floating weightlessly.
She clumsily raised her glass to her lips—only for the ice cubes to greet her instead of liquid.
The drink was already gone.
"Need to mix another one."
"Wait, already? You’re going too fast. That’s hard liquor, not beer. You’ll regret it tomorrow."
"It’s fine." Zhou Zhuofei slid off the bed, but the moment she stood, her legs wobbled like cotton beneath her. She lost her balance and crashed to the floor.
Luckily, the carpet softened the fall. The noise was dramatic, but the pain was minimal.
Du Yu’s alarmed voice crackled through the phone. "What happened? Are you okay?"
Zhou Zhuofei lay sprawled on her side, her mind foggy, yet her hand still clutching the empty glass aloft.
"Why aren’t you saying anything?"
"I’m… fine," she mumbled, staring blankly at the glass. "The cup didn’t break."
"Who cares about the cup? I’m asking about you!"
"I’m fine too."
"Seriously, stop drinking. If you’re already like this, you’ll be wrecked tomorrow."
"I’ve already started. No point quitting halfway."
Zhou Zhuofei pushed herself up and crouched before the liquor cabinet to pick another bottle. Though dizzy, her thoughts were clear—she knew she wasn’t drunk yet.
Equally clear was the truth in Du Yu’s words. She just didn’t know how to face it.
"Do you really need to drink yourself into oblivion? Send me your hotel address. I’ll come over."
"Don’t bother. It’s too much trouble. One more drink, then I’ll sleep."
"Fine." Du Yu figured nothing bad could happen in a hotel. If Zhou Zhuofei needed to vent, so be it. "Just one. No more."
"Yeah, yeah. Why would I lie?"
"Now, where were we?"
"You said there are no good men left in the world."
"That’s not what I said! I said there are plenty of good men."
"If you remember, why ask?"
"Zhou Zhuofei, stop twisting my words. Let me ask you this: If Xiao Wang wanted to date you right now, would you say yes?"
"How? He’s a committed bachelor."
"Dating isn’t marriage. I’m asking if you’d want to."
"Obviously. He’s gorgeous, sweet—why wouldn’t I?"
"See? If you like someone, go for it. If not, move on. What’s there to overthink?"
Zhou Zhuofei hummed noncommittally. Somewhere in the haze, she thought she heard her phone ping twice, but the sound was faint, so she ignored it.
"Alright then. I’ll go find him tonight."
Du Yu gasped. "Wait—what are you planning?"
"In my dreams. Tonight’s the night: confession, date, the whole package."
Zhou Zhuofei let out a relieved sigh and said with exasperation, "Could you be a little more ambitious? Is this all you dream about? If only you’d think a little bigger!"
"No inspiration, can’t come up with anything."
Suddenly, the doorbell rang from outside, interrupting their conversation.
"Who’s here?"
"Not sure, maybe a colleague." But Zhou Zhuofei couldn’t think of who it might be—most of her coworkers had already gone home, and logically, she should be the only one left on this floor.
"Then I won’t hang up yet. Go open the door."
Zhou Zhuofei gave a quiet "Mm" and slowly pushed herself up from the bed. One of her legs, numb and sore from sitting cross-legged for too long, made her walk with an unsteady limp.
The person outside didn’t press the doorbell again after the first ring, nor did they hurry her.
Zhou Zhuofei shuffled to the door and peeked through the peephole before opening it.
The narrow view through the peephole compressed the world into a tiny frame, and Zhou Zhuofei immediately recognized Xiao Wang standing outside, holding a plastic bag in his hand.
It belatedly occurred to her that he was probably here to deliver some local specialties he’d promised. But hadn’t she told him they could handle it at the office?
Or had she misremembered the whole thing?
Zhou Zhuofei patted her head, unable to recall the details, and decided not to dwell on it.
She turned the doorknob and opened the door. "Looking for me?"
"You didn’t reply to my message earlier, so I came up," Xiao Wang said, lifting his gaze. The moment his eyes landed on Zhou Zhuofei, he paused involuntarily.
Her cheeks were flushed an unusual shade of pink, and her usually bright, lively eyes were now glazed with a thin mist, her gaze unfocused. Though she was looking at him, her mind seemed elsewhere.
"You…" His expression shifted to shock. "Have you been drinking?"
"Yeah, just a little." Zhou Zhuofei braced herself against the doorframe with one hand and gripped the doorknob with the other, struggling to suppress the dizziness threatening to overtake her.
"Alone? Or with friends?"
"Just me, but I was chatting with a friend."
"I see." Xiao Wang relaxed slightly. He lifted the plastic bag and explained, "These are pastries I bought yesterday. They won’t stay fresh for long, so I thought I’d bring them to you today."
Zhou Zhuofei only caught the gist of his words—her attention was too scattered to focus properly. She thanked him and forced a smile, hoping to end the conversation quickly.
But without her usual composure, no amount of acting could make her seem normal.
"Thanks, I’ll try them later."
She reached for the bag, but as she let go of the doorknob, her balance wavered, and she swayed unsteadily.
Without thinking, Xiao Wang reached out to steady her. "Careful."
Once she regained her footing, Zhou Zhuofei leaned against the doorframe and gave him an embarrassed smile. "Sat too long—got a bit lightheaded when I stood up."
His voice softened. "Let me bring these in for you. They’re a bit heavy—I also got some candies and other things."
"...Sure."
Zhou Zhuofei wasn’t sure why she hesitated. She opened the door wider and watched as Xiao Wang stepped inside.
After lingering for a moment, she closed the door and followed.
Only then did she feel a belated relief that her room wasn’t too messy. The table was cluttered with cosmetics from the morning, her clothes were packed in the suitcase, and the nightstand only held a few empty bottles of alcohol and soda.
She picked up her phone from the bed and saw that Du Yu had already hung up, leaving behind a message:
[Since it’s Xiao Wang, I’ll make myself scarce.]
Zhou Zhuofei replied with a string of question marks, but Du Yu only sent back a heart emoji before going silent.
"Is here okay?" Xiao Wang pointed to an empty spot on the table and glanced back at her.
"Yeah." Zhou Zhuofei nodded absently, dropping her phone onto the bed.
Xiao Wang studied her, concern creeping into his expression. "Any updates from Lv Lawyer?"
Earlier in the lobby, he’d run into a group of colleagues from the admin department. A simple greeting should’ve been enough, but Xiao Wang had noticed Zhou Zhuofei’s unusual behavior and deliberately lingered to chat with Zhan Zilang.
Zhan Zilang hadn’t thought much of it. Knowing that Xiao Wang and Zhou Zhuofei were close, he figured Xiao Wang might already be aware of whatever Zhou Zhuofei hadn’t shared with him. So he mentioned his observations.
"Seems like Zhou-jie hasn’t been in the best mood these past couple days. Maybe something’s bothering her."
"Like what?"
"Huh? You don’t know, Xiao Wang?" Zhan Zilang suddenly felt awkward. "Is it inappropriate for me to talk about Zhou-jie’s business like this?"
"I’ve been away on a business trip, so I’m out of the loop. I was planning to check in on her later."
"If it’s about work, maybe hold off. She really doesn’t seem like herself—hardly talks at all these days."
Zhan Zilang nearly sighed. Zhou Zhuofei was usually the one he chatted with the most—he’d been unbearably bored the past two days!
"Any idea what’s going on?"
"Hard to say, but it’s definitely personal. I keep seeing her texting someone on her phone."
Xiao Wang had a rough idea by then. He suspected the negotiations with Xie Huai weren’t going well and decided to ask her directly.
He’d texted her first, but when she didn’t reply, he hesitated. He knew he shouldn’t barge in unannounced, but he couldn’t shake his worry. Just a quick check-in, he told himself.
The moment he saw her, he knew Xie Huai wasn’t the reason for her low spirits—she’d never drink alone in her room over something like that.
"There’s progress, but it’s still ongoing." Lv Lawyer had already warned her that all negotiation details were confidential.
"Then…" Xiao Wang hesitated. "Anything else going on?"
Something worse must have happened, he thought.
Now Zhou Zhuofei faced a choice: Should she tell Xiao Wang?
She could already picture his reaction—just like Du Yu, he’d reassure her, say it wasn’t her fault, encourage her to move past it.
But that wasn’t what she wanted. Or maybe she didn’t even know what she wanted.
"Nothing," she forced out, her mind still foggy.
"Then why drink alone in your room? I thought something was wrong."
"I…" Zhou Zhuofei leaned against the wall, head lowered, unsure how to answer.
She was upset—even Xiao Wang could tell. Denying it would be lying to herself.
But if she admitted it, what then?
As she hesitated, Xiao Wang noticed something else. His voice tightened with worry. "What happened to your leg?"
"Huh?" Zhou Zhuofei looked down and saw angry red streaks running from her knee down to her calf—a shocking sight.
She thought about it—the marks on her legs were probably from sitting cross-legged on the floor earlier, pressed into her skin by the carpet’s pattern.
Before she could answer, Xiao Wang had already walked over. "Doesn’t it hurt?"
Zhou Zhuofei answered honestly, "I can barely feel it, actually."
"Given how you look right now, I find that hard to believe."
Frowning, Xiao Wang glanced down, but since he couldn’t see clearly, he motioned for her to sit on the bed.
Zhou Zhuofei had been tired for a while, but since Xiao Wang remained standing, she hadn’t dared to sit and could only lean against the wall to rest. Now, she didn’t hesitate before settling onto the bed.
Once she was seated, Xiao Wang crouched beside her, carefully examining the marks.
He remembered Zhou Zhuofei mentioning how sensitive her skin was—how even the slightest bump or pressure left marks. He’d even asked a doctor friend about it, who said it was a mild form of acute urticaria, usually harmless and quick to fade.
But up close, he realized her legs looked much worse than he’d thought.
"You should’ve been more careful," he murmured. Recalling his friend’s advice that cold compresses could help soothe the irritation, he grabbed a towel from the back of a chair, then scooped a few ice cubes from the bucket, dampening the towel before wrapping them inside.
He handed it to her. "Here, press this against it."
Zhou Zhuofei stared at the towel he offered. Her skin had always been like this—she was used to it, having seen far worse reactions before.
But Xiao Wang treated it like a serious matter, as if it were something urgent.
She wanted to tell him not to worry, that the marks would probably vanish in ten minutes.
Yet when she met his concerned gaze, the worry etched between his brows, she couldn’t bring herself to dismiss his care.
When she didn’t respond, Xiao Wang assumed the alcohol had dulled her reactions. Without another word, he crouched lower and gently pressed the cold compress to her legs himself.
Fortunately, her knee-length cargo skirt kept the gesture from being improper—though he still had to be careful adjusting the towel.
Everything happened so fast. Before Zhou Zhuofei could react, a cooling sensation spread across her skin.
Xiao Wang looked up. "Is it too cold?"
His voice was soft, like honey, sweet enough to make her heart race uncontrollably.
The dizziness from the alcohol made it hard to tell whether this was real or just a dream.
Maybe it was a dream.
Otherwise, why would Xiao Wang suddenly appear and treat her so tenderly?
And if it was a dream… what was she supposed to do?
She remembered the playful words she’d exchanged with Du Yu earlier. Almost without thinking, she reached out, her fingertips lightly brushing the corner of Xiao Wang’s lips.
Just as soft as she’d imagined.