The next morning, Zhou Zhuofei and Xiao Wang arrived at the company and were waiting for the elevator in the underground parking lot, with Zhou still chewing on her breakfast.
Since she had mentioned wanting to sleep in a little longer, Xiao Wang had packed breakfast for her to eat in the car.
As they chatted, Xiao Wang brought up the progress of their move. "Most of the things are ready. The cat tree arrived yesterday, and I'll install it today."
"You even bought a cat tree for Daoyan?" Zhou Zhuofei asked.
The item wasn’t on her list, mainly because she worried that preparing too much in advance might be wasteful if things didn’t work out after a few days.
"Of course. How could I forget something for you?" Xiao Wang replied.
He had never planned on keeping a pet before.
First, he knew his busy schedule wouldn’t allow him to spend enough time with one—if he couldn’t take responsibility, he shouldn’t make the decision lightly. Second, he was afraid. Compared to humans, pets' lives were too short, and he dreaded the pain of losing that bond.
But now, things were different. If he was facing it all with Zhou Zhuofei, it didn’t seem so unbearable anymore.
"What a responsible pet owner," Zhou Zhuofei praised without hesitation. Though Xiao Wang appeared indifferent on the surface, he was secretly overjoyed.
That evening, Zhou Zhuofei received a photo from Xiao Wang of the newly installed cat tree—a five-tiered structure complete with a hammock and tunnels, so luxurious it could be called a castle for cats.
She had considered this model before but dismissed it due to its large size, which wouldn’t fit in her apartment.
Just from the photo, she could tell Xiao Wang’s place was spacious enough to accommodate it comfortably.
Zhou Zhuofei picked up Daoyan and held it close, showing it the photo on her phone. "You’re really going to live the good life now," she mused, knowing full well the cat wouldn’t understand.
Seeing how much effort Xiao Wang had put in eased some of her worries. As he had said, there was no need to fear problems—they just needed the confidence to solve them together.
Over the weekend, Zhou Zhuofei brought a few belongings and Daoyan to Xiao Wang’s place.
Though she had seen photos of his home during their conversations, she still took the time to explore every corner curiously.
Strangely, despite the unfamiliar surroundings, everything felt oddly familiar.
Perhaps it was because she had grown accustomed to Xiao Wang’s organizational habits—knowing where the remote would be, how books were sorted—so even in a new space, she could navigate it effortlessly.
As for Daoyan, the moment it was let out of the carrier, it immediately disappeared into the lowest tunnel of the cat tree and refused to come out.
Xiao Wang, inexperienced with such situations, crouched worriedly in front of the cat tree, observing for a while before turning to Zhou Zhuofei for help.
"Is Daoyan okay like this?"
Zhou Zhuofei glanced over and reassured him, "It’s fine. Cats often feel uneasy in new environments. Just let it be—it’ll come out on its own soon."
"That’s a relief," Xiao Wang sighed. If Daoyan didn’t like it here, that would be disastrous.
He had put in a lot of effort to make this move happen for Zhou Zhuofei.
Truthfully, he had been looking forward to it and couldn’t afford any mishaps.
"Wow, your couch is so comfortable!"
At first glance, Zhou Zhuofei had only admired how well Xiao Wang’s dark gray leather sofa matched the modern aesthetic of his home.
But once she sat down, she didn’t want to get up.
"It’s a classic model from this brand. Adding a lumbar pillow makes it even better," Xiao Wang said, placing a cylindrical cushion behind her back, instantly enhancing the comfort.
"This is amazing," she marveled.
When she looked up and saw Xiao Wang smiling at her, she suddenly thought of her own rented apartment’s stiff sofa and realized how much he had sacrificed by staying over at her cramped place.
From his daily habits to his choice of furnishings, it was clear Xiao Wang valued quality in life—everything in his home was carefully selected and expensive.
Curious, Zhou Zhuofei crooked a finger at him. "Let me ask you something."
When he sat beside her, she continued, "If your couch is this comfortable, wasn’t sitting on mine pure torture?"
"Torture is an exaggeration," Xiao Wang teased, seeing her serious expression. "But it was a bit hard. My back would ache after a while."
"Why didn’t you say so earlier? If I’d known your couch was this good, I’d have moved in ages ago!"
She wasn’t oblivious to comfort—she just hadn’t bothered upgrading her landlord’s old sofa since she rarely used it.
Xiao Wang chuckled softly. "But your couch has its advantages too."
"Liar. What advantages?"
"Of course it does. Yours is smaller, so when we sit together, we have to squeeze close. That makes it easy to hold you. And if I can hold you, why would I care how hard the couch is?"
This apartment had been custom-designed by a friend, with every detail tailored to his preferences.
He had lived here for five or six years without complaint, but no matter how perfect the space, it was still just an empty shell.
No one waited for him here, no one called his name. No matter how nice the environment, it was just a replaceable object.
So Xiao Wang never criticized Zhou Zhuofei’s place—because her presence alone made it the winner in his eyes.
"How do you always know the right thing to say?"
"Because I mean every word."
Just as Zhou Zhuofei was about to respond, her phone rang. Seeing it was her mother, she answered.
After years of working away from home, she wasn’t as attached as she used to be, keeping in touch with her parents just enough—visiting during long holidays but mostly preferring solitude.
The familiar loud voice came through immediately: "Feifei, are you coming home next week for the holiday?"
"The holiday is in two weeks, right? I’m not coming back. Three days isn’t enough for the trip."
"You should try to make it. Auntie Zhang’s son is getting married—come back with us for the banquet."
Auntie Zhang was her mother’s longtime friend, and as kids, Zhou Zhuofei had often played with her son. But after starting elementary school, they saw each other less, and their bond faded.
Now, whatever she knew about him came secondhand from her mother.
"He's getting married this year? Didn't you say he just broke up at the beginning of the year?"
"Exactly! The previous relationship lasted years without marriage, and now he’s tying the knot after just half a year with this one. Aunt Zhang mentioned she misses you too. You should come back if you’re free."
The moment wedding attendance was brought up, Zhou Zhuofei’s heart shrank with reluctance. But Aunt Zhang had always been kind to her, and skipping it felt inappropriate.
Hesitating, Zhou Zhuofei decided to think it over. "I’ll need to check my work schedule. I’ll let you know next week."
"Alright, try your best to come back."
"Got it. Anything else?"
"Oh, one more thing—Aunt Zhang wants to set you up with someone..."
At those words, Zhou Zhuofei nearly sighed aloud. Of course.
If it were just about the wedding, her mother wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of calling—a simple text would’ve sufficed.
"...He’s a colleague of her son, also a local. Sounds like a decent match. I know you’re not looking right now, but just treat it as making a friend. Who knows, if you ever move back..."
Zhou Zhuofei stole a glance at Xiao Wang’s expression and immediately sensed his mood darkening. She reached out to stroke his cheek reassuringly.
Once her mother finished, she shut it down firmly. "Please thank Aunt Zhang for me, but I’ll pass on the setup. I won’t be coming back."
She knew her mother too well—if she attended the wedding, the guy would inevitably be there, and refusing to meet him then would be impossible.
"Young people should meet more friends. What’s the harm? Or are you just going to stay cooped up forever?"
"Why do I need so many friends? Du Yu’s enough for me."
"And you think Du Yu will stick around your whole life?"
"Didn’t you and Aunt Zhang stay friends for life?"
The line fell silent before her mother sighed. "Fine. Do what you want."
Zhou Zhuofei quickly shifted to a cheerful tone. "You’ve worked hard all your life—stop worrying. Go out, enjoy good food. Young folks have their own ways now."
"Hmph. If I don’t fuss over you, who will?"
"Alright, alright. Go have fun with Dad."
After a stream of sweet talk, she finally soothed her mother’s irritation. Hanging up, she exhaled heavily.
Exhausting.
Then her gaze landed on Xiao Wang, his face unreadable. One down, one to go.
Tossing her phone aside, she flopped into his arms and whined, "I’m wiped."
Xiao Wang caught her effortlessly, though his expression remained tense. Sitting beside her, he’d heard every word—Zhou Zhuofei’s refusal was firm, yet she’d never mentioned they were dating.
The call also highlighted something: not all families were like his. His mother never meddled, and he’d never questioned it. But Zhou Zhuofei’s family was different. Their bickering revealed a close bond, her mother’s concern natural, and Zhou Zhuofei herself softened her words to spare feelings.
Which meant—this would keep happening unless she disclosed their relationship.
After nestling against him briefly, Zhou Zhuofei sat up and locked eyes with him.
"You’re wondering why I didn’t tell my mom about us, right?"
Xiao Wang stayed silent, but his gaze answered yes.
"If I had, that call would’ve dragged on forever. She’d grill you about everything, and you don’t strike me as the family-chat type."
She’d pieced it together: Xiao Wang didn’t want his brother telling their family about them, which meant he avoided entanglements—and wasn’t ready to navigate hers.
If her mother knew about Xiao Wang, he’d be trapped in that web.
"What if it scares you off? Then where would I be?"
