If you asked Zhou Zhuofei what she had learned from her last relationship, aside from the fact that her personality wouldn’t change according to someone else’s will, the most crucial takeaway was to prioritize her own feelings.
Since she was the one who liked Xiao Wang, why wait for him to speak first?
At this moment, all they were discussing was whether they liked each other or not. She didn’t need to overthink it.
Even though she still felt a little nervous when she spoke up, seeing Xiao Wang’s undisguised surprise and flustered expression actually boosted her confidence.
That’s right—the initiative was in her hands. She could start things and end them as she pleased. There was nothing to worry about.
Holding a mango, she stood up and deliberately coughed. “Think about it. I’ll go cut this mango.”
The moment she rose, Xiao Wang instinctively grabbed her wrist.
“I like you.” Zhou Zhuofei’s words had completely derailed his plans. He didn’t even bother recalling the confession he had prepared all night, answering firmly without hesitation: “I like you.”
Zhou Zhuofei’s lips curled upward uncontrollably. So, he did like her.
Thank goodness—her instincts hadn’t been wrong.
“Well… that’s great.”
Her earlier boldness instantly dissipated. It was as if she had fallen into a sweet dream, dizzy from the overwhelming joy of the surprise.
She didn’t know what to do next.
Zhou Zhuofei didn’t want to rely on her past relationship experience, so she quickly racked her brain for memories of the romance games she’d played over the years.
When characters succeeded in their confessions, they usually embraced passionately or shared a fiery kiss, right? But that didn’t seem quite fitting for them.
What would Du Yu do?
But since she’d never been interested in hearing about other people’s love stories, Du Yu rarely shared such things with her.
After much deliberation, Zhou Zhuofei still couldn’t figure out what to do.
The moment nearly turned awkward until Xiao Wang broke the silence. “Are you done talking?”
“Yeah.”
“Then can I start?”
“Sure.”
Xiao Wang stood up, pulling Zhou Zhuofei’s wrist with him. His other hand gently cradled the back of her hand before intertwining their fingers, pressing them tightly together, leaving no gaps between.
“Before, I never looked forward to what tomorrow would bring. But now, the moment I open my eyes, all I want is to see you—to be with you, no matter what we’re doing.”
As he poured out his longing, Xiao Wang gradually tightened his grip, pulling Zhou Zhuofei closer.
“This is really… too good.”
Zhou Zhuofei let herself be drawn into his arms, resting her head against Xiao Wang’s firm chest, soaking in his warmth.
Through the thin fabric of his clothes, she could hear the strong, steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
One beat, then another—as if trying to sync with her own pulse.
At the same time, she caught Xiao Wang’s whispered confession: “…I like you.”
The earlier dizziness finally subsided, only to be replaced by a tidal wave of euphoria.
They stayed like that for a long time, until the director (the cat) crept out from the bedroom. It seemed to have accepted the presence of Xiao Wang, this new stranger in the house, and cautiously ventured into the living room, perching on a high spot to observe the two.
Then, Xiao Wang suddenly asked, “Do you want to eat the mango now?”
“Huh?” Only then did Zhou Zhuofei realize she was still holding the mango. How could she even remember it at a time like this?
“No.” She tossed it back into the fruit bowl. “It was just an excuse. I don’t feel like eating anything right now.”
“Then what do you want to do?”
“Me?” Zhou Zhuofei shifted slightly, wrapping her free arm around Xiao Wang’s waist. “I don’t want to do anything right now.”
Xiao Wang’s waist and back were completely free of excess fat. Her fingers traced the contours of his spine, feeling the outline of each muscle. With the slightest pressure, they tensed instinctively.
She couldn’t help but mutter, “You’re not comfortable to hug at all.”
Xiao Wang chuckled softly. “But hugging you feels great.”
“Of course.” Zhou Zhuofei rolled her eyes, whether he could see it or not, and declared proudly, “That’s all my hard-earned effort—every bit of softness is my labor of love!”
Xiao Wang leaned in, murmuring by her ear, “Soft, sweet… like a freshly baked cupcake.”
And not just to hold or smell—even tasting her would be just as sweet, if not sweeter.
Last night, he had stayed up late, lost in thought. Whenever frustration crept in, he’d reach for a cigarette, but the mere thought of her miraculously calmed him down.
But a new problem had arisen.
Just revisiting the memories of the previous night was enough to stir his desires, making them hard to suppress.
Unconsciously, Xiao Wang pulled Zhou Zhuofei even closer, resting his chin atop her head. Her soft hair brushed against his cheek, each strand tugging at his heart.
Right now, he could only describe himself as satisfied yet insatiable.
“I don’t want to be a cupcake,” Zhou Zhuofei protested.
Calling her sweet was fine, but comparing her to food?
“Then what do you want to be?”
“Do I have to be something?” she mumbled. “I’d rather just stay human.”
Sure, she’d once complained about the grind of adult life, joking that being a carefree cat sounded better. But if given the choice, she’d still pick being human.
“You can be anything,” Xiao Wang said gently. “I’ll be with you.”
“Then… let’s both be cupcakes.” Her eyes sparkled mischievously. “You’re a chocolate brownie, and I’m a strawberry shortcake.”
Seeing how specific she was, Xiao Wang asked, “Do you want cake? Should we go get some?”
The thought of stepping out into the scorching heat instantly killed her enthusiasm.
“No way, it’s too hot outside… such a hassle.”
“Then I’ll go buy it for you?”
“No need.” Zhou Zhuofei tilted her head up, meeting his gaze before dramatically opening her mouth wide— “Rawr!”—and pretending to take a big bite out of his chest.
But at the last second, she held back, letting her lips barely graze his shirt. Smacking her lips loudly, she nodded in approval. “Mmm~ Tastes good.”
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a small damp spot on his shirt. The light fabric made it especially obvious. She thought she’d been careful, but apparently not careful enough.
Oh well. In this heat, it’d dry soon.
“Keep it up.”
She averted her gaze nonchalantly, patting Xiao Wang’s chest as if to cover it up.
Huh? The texture was completely different.
Unlike the lean firmness of his waist, his chest was noticeably softer—thick yet taut, like layers of compressed sponge. The surface had a springy give, but beneath it, she could sense the latent strength coiled within.
Her fingers instinctively spread, the tips lightly skimming the edges of his muscles.
She’d always been curious about how muscles felt, but she’d never had a close acquaintance who could satisfy her curiosity. Now that she finally had the chance, she wanted to explore further—but this probably wasn’t the best time for that.
But there would be plenty of time for that later—more suitable opportunities would surely come.
Zhou Zhuofei was about to withdraw her hand after a couple of casual touches, but Xiao Wang suddenly pressed his palm over hers, stopping her.
"Curious?"
She looked up at the sound of his voice and saw Xiao Wang’s gentle smile, his eyes unusually bright as they met hers.
At first glance, nothing seemed amiss—except for the subtle but noticeable quickening of his Adam’s apple as he swallowed.
Zhou Zhuofei didn’t catch that detail, though. She nodded honestly. "Yeah, I am. Game characters all have those perfectly proportioned V-shaped torsos, but in real life, that’s pretty rare. Either the muscles are too bulky, or there’s just none at all."
"Du Yu had an ex with a great physique, but before I could even work up the nerve to ask about it, they broke up."
"Well, you won’t have to worry about that anymore," Xiao Wang said, his grip tightening slightly. His warmth seeped into the spaces between her fingers, sending a faint tremble through her fingertips.
"If you ever have questions, you can always come to me."
Zhou Zhuofei shot him a sidelong glance. That statement was loaded with implications.
After what had happened the night before, her understanding of Xiao Wang had deepened. No matter how gentle and considerate his personality might be, a man was still a man.
His kindness was his way of navigating the world—not necessarily his true nature.
She pulled her hand away and lifted her chin, her tone deliberately picky. "We’ll see."
Xiao Wang wasn’t the least bit offended by her rejection. If anything, his smile only grew. To him, her tone sounded more like a coquettish whine.
Whether it was the shimmer in her eyes or the petulant edge to her voice, it all sent the same unmistakable signal—she only acted like this around him. So far from minding, he actually wished she’d be even more willful.
They had lunch together at noon.
Since the weather was still scorching, Zhou Zhuofei didn’t feel like going out, so they rummaged through her fridge and cobbled together a meal.
To be fair, her freezer was well-stocked—everything from dumplings and tangyuan to hot pot and fried chicken.
But Xiao Wang preferred fresh ingredients. In fact, he’d already gotten a clear picture of her fridge situation the day before.
So he’d been prepared to eat out today, but to his surprise, Zhou Zhuofei had opted to stay in.
When she eagerly asked whether he wanted tangyuan or dumplings, he didn’t object. And when it came time to cook, he pitched in without complaint.
It wasn’t until after they’d finished eating and were cleaning up that he casually brought it up: "The lotus root this season is really good. Would you like some lotus root and pork rib soup?"
"Sure! Are we going to your friend’s restaurant?"
Xiao Wang shook his head. "I could bring fresh lotus root over and make it for you. How does that sound?"
Zhou Zhuofei blinked, only then realizing what he meant.
"You could’ve just said you wanted to cook for me," she said, laughing. "But I don’t think I have a pot for stewing soup."
Stir-frying was already the limit of her culinary skills—slow-cooked soups were completely beyond her.
"That’s fine. I’ll bring one. It’s just sitting around unused at my place anyway."
Xiao Wang did know how to make soup, but cooking for one had lost its appeal long ago, and his kitchenware had gathered dust as a result.
Now, though, he felt it was high time to put them to use again.
Xiao Wang stayed until the afternoon before finally leaving. Though reluctant to go, he reminded himself that now that they were officially together, there was no need to rush.
"Get some rest. I’ll see you at the office tomorrow."
At the mention of work, Zhou Zhuofei suddenly remembered that such a thing as "going to the office" still existed.
"Ugh, why do we have to work tomorrow?" she grumbled, her face scrunching up in displeasure.
She’d never been fond of Mondays, but now they seemed downright hateful.
Xiao Wang found her complaining utterly endearing. Giving in to the urge to close the distance between them, he reached out and ruffled her hair. "You’ve been working for years. Haven’t you gotten used to it by now?"
"Nobody ever gets used to work in their entire life!" she huffed, only to remember that the man standing before her was the infamous "Overtime King" of Huanyu. She quickly added, "Well, you’re different, of course."
"Not really. If there’s something we’d rather be doing, who’d actually enjoy work?"
"True." Zhou Zhuofei’s gaze flickered briefly to Xiao Wang’s chest—the mark had definitely dried by now.
Noticing her glance, Xiao Wang arched a brow. "What is it?"
She recovered quickly, feigning nonchalance. "Nothing. My eyes must’ve been playing tricks on me. Thought I saw a smudge."
"Oh?" He pretended to buy it, playing along earnestly. "Then could you take another look for me?"
Zhou Zhuofei had no choice but to commit to the act. Leaning in, she made a show of inspecting his shirt before declaring, "Nope, nothing there. You’re good."
"Alright, I’ll head out now."
"Sure, be careful on your way."
The moment Xiao Wang stepped out the door, the smile she’d been holding back finally broke free.
