In the following days, Zhou Zhuofei's life settled back into its usual rhythm.
At work, she had to handle the tasks left behind by Zhan Zilang, so she was busier than usual.
After returning home, Boss Cao would deliver meals right on time. Before eating, Zhou Zhuofei would make a point of taking a photo and sending it to Xiao Wang as proof that she was eating properly.
Xiao Wang had been swamped these days, either working late or attending business dinners, so their conversations were sporadic.
If she thought about it carefully, her current life wasn’t much different from before—at most, she’d just moved to a new place. Her days still consisted of work, playing with her cat after hours, and chatting with Xiao Wang, just like she used to do with Du Yu.
Yet, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing.
Over the weekend, she and Du Yu went to see a recently released movie and then had dinner at the small restaurant near their alma mater.
It had been two months since their last visit.
Back then, customers were still dressed in summer clothes, but now they were bundled up in long sleeves, welcoming the early autumn.
As soon as Du Yu sat down, she sighed, "Feels like it’s been ages since we last came here."
"It has been a while. Wasn’t the last time right after you got back from that exhibition?"
"Yeah." Du Yu reminisced about the past, feeling even more wistful. "Don’t you think this year has thrown more at us than the last few years combined?"
Zhou Zhuofei nodded. "Definitely. Though my zodiac year of misfortune is long over, I don’t know why this year’s been so rough."
Du Yu exaggeratedly retorted, "You call that rough? You’ve got yourself such a great boyfriend, living your little romance. Meanwhile, what about me? I’m the one who’s actually unlucky!"
At the thought of a certain unmentionable person, she couldn’t help but scoff, as if trying to ward off the bad luck.
Zhou Zhuofei almost argued back—Du Yu only saw the good parts of her life and had no idea about her own struggles. But then it occurred to her that at least she’d had some bright spots, like her fun colleagues and meeting Xie Lan, while Du Yu seemed to have nothing going for her. So she held her tongue.
Fine, she’d let her have this one.
Noticing her silence, Du Yu grew even more animated. "Am I not miserable enough? My mom called me again the other day."
She dramatically mimicked her mother’s tone: "Look at your job—everyone else gets to relax during holidays, but you’re always running around. Why not find something more stable?"
"Life’s just hard like that," Zhou Zhuofei mused. It always seemed to hover in that gray area—not exactly good, but not catastrophically bad either.
"Whatever, I’m not going back," Du Yu huffed, as much to steel her own resolve as to declare it. "I’ll keep doing what I love."
Zhou Zhuofei immediately clapped in admiration. "That’s the spirit! I’m so proud of you!"
Du Yu feigned modesty, though her lips curled up as she waved Zhou Zhuofei off. "No need to make a big deal out of it. Keep it low-key."
"I’m in awe! Long live Queen Little Fish!"
Du Yu flushed in embarrassment. "We agreed never to bring up that name again!"
"Little Fish" was Du Yu’s nickname during their club days. Back then, her obsession with anime and her domineering aura had earned her the suffix "Queen."
At the time, Du Yu had thought it was cool, but looking back after graduation, it was nothing but cringe-worthy.
So after starting work, she’d promptly adopted a new nickname.
Zhou Zhuofei burst out laughing, and soon Du Yu joined in.
Now, the name seemed silly and childish, but it also carried memories of their shared golden years.
Once the laughter died down, Du Yu curiously asked about Xiao Wang.
"How many more days until Secretary Xiao gets back?"
"Probably not until after the holiday," Zhou Zhuofei replied, glancing at her phone. They’d exchanged messages two hours ago, but then Xiao Wang had gone into a meeting.
Du Yu clicked her tongue. "That long? Even longer than my exhibition trips."
"He’s always traveled a lot for work. And lately, the CEO’s been preoccupied with other matters, so he’s even busier."
"But it can’t be easy being apart so soon after getting together."
"What can I do?" Zhou Zhuofei sighed. Of course she missed Xiao Wang.
Right when their relationship was at its peak, fate had forced her to cool off—proving itself even crueler than the authors of tragic romance novels.
"What are you doing later? Heading home?"
"Let’s walk around a bit. I heard there’s a new bookstore nearby. I want to check it out."
Du Yu gasped in mock surprise. "Wow, you’re actually not rushing home? Unbelievable."
"It’s the weekend tomorrow. Staying out a little longer won’t hurt."
The bookstore was part of a chain that had recently gained popularity in the area for its elegant decor and wide selection.
After dinner, the two headed there. The store was bustling, shelves packed with books of all genres—even a sizable manga section that Du Yu couldn’t resist.
Zhou Zhuofei initially browsed with her, but after a while, she grew bored and decided to explore other sections on her own.
She wandered until she reached the mystery novels, where a title on the top shelf caught her eye. She reached for it, but the store’s shelves were taller than standard bookcases, and even stretching her fingers only grazed the spine.
As she adjusted her sleeves, preparing to stand on tiptoe, an arm suddenly appeared beside her, plucking the very book she wanted.
She was just lamenting her choice of flat shoes when the hand turned and offered the book to her.
"Were you trying to get this one?"
A kind stranger! Zhou Zhuofei thanked him profusely, then looked up to see a clean-cut, scholarly-looking man. Handsome and helpful—what a combo.
"Yes, thank you."
He smiled politely. "No problem. I’m a fan of this author too."
"Oh, really?" Zhou Zhuofei skimmed the synopsis and, finding it interesting, decided to buy it.
The man, noticing her interest, enthusiastically recommended other works by the same author. They chatted briefly, and Zhou Zhuofei quickly realized he was a hardcore mystery enthusiast—unlike her, a casual dabbler in the genre.
He used terms she’d heard but didn’t fully grasp, leaving her with little to contribute beyond polite nods.
When he finally paused, she seized the chance to thank him again before making a swift exit.
It reminded her of when Du Yu passionately gushed about some anime she had zero interest in—except with Du Yu, she chose to humor her. With a stranger, she had no patience for it.
After leaving the mystery section, Zhou Zhuofei found Du Yu still browsing in the manga area, already holding several books in her hands.
Zhou Zhuofei couldn’t help but ask, “Do you even have space left at home?”
Du Yu replied matter-of-factly, “I’ll make space. If not, I can always keep them at my workstation—our desks are big enough anyway.”
“Impressive. Well, if you ever run out of room, you can always store them at my place.” Xiao Wang, aware of her habit of collecting odds and ends, had already discussed getting a display cabinet for her.
It wouldn’t be as extravagant as Zhan Zilang’s setup, but at least it was better than cluttering the coffee table or sofa like before.
“Tsk, you wish. Let’s just get these for now.”
The two wandered around a bit longer before heading to the checkout counter.
While waiting in line, Du Yu nudged her shoulder and whispered, “There’s a hot guy behind us—turn around slowly!”
Zhou Zhuofei obliged, turning her head gradually, only to realize it was the same guy who had helped her earlier.
She glanced at him and immediately turned back. “I actually ran into him before.”
Du Yu eagerly sought validation: “So? Isn’t he handsome?”
“He’s alright.”
“You’re so indifferent. Does being in a relationship mean no other guy catches your eye anymore?”
“Not necessarily. A truly breathtaking guy might still squeeze his way into my heart.”
After paying, they had just stepped out of the bookstore when a voice called from behind, “Excuse me…”
They both turned to see the same guy striding toward them. He stopped directly in front of Zhou Zhuofei.
“Can I help you?”
The guy smiled sheepishly and explained, “I was wondering if I could get your contact info? Maybe we could chat about mystery novels sometime.”
His tone was calm, his manner polite. Though he was clearly hitting on her, it didn’t come across as pushy or uncomfortable.
Zhou Zhuofei answered without hesitation, “Sorry, I’d rather not.”
Disappointed but respectful, he apologized and left without pressing further.
Once he was gone, Du Yu couldn’t contain her curiosity. “But you love mystery novels, don’t you? What’s the harm in adding him?”
Zhou Zhuofei shook her head. “I’m not that hardcore about it. Adding him would just feel like an obligation, and if I want to discuss books, I can always talk to someone else.”
“I thought you were refusing because you’re in a relationship.”
Du Yu didn’t think Zhou Zhuofei was the type to cut off all social connections for romance, but she’d seen plenty of people who isolated themselves in their relationships. Given her friend’s limited dating experience, she had to ask.
“It’s not that extreme. I just don’t see the point in adding unnecessary people.”
Xiao Wang was completely transparent with her about his interactions with others. After they went public, he even pinned a photo of her gaming back view to the top of his social media.
Whether for work or personal reasons, he always made sure to clarify if he was meeting someone of the opposite sex alone.
Since Xiao Wang operated this way, she felt she should do the same.
If she wanted information, she could look it up online. If she wanted to share her thoughts on a book, she knew Xiao Wang would be more than happy to discuss it with her.
So no matter how she looked at it, there was no reason to add that guy.
“But wouldn’t it be nice to make a new friend?”
Zhou Zhuofei shook her head again, smiling at Du Yu. “I don’t have the energy to maintain too many social connections. You and him are enough for me.”
“Wow, way to make me feel pressured.”
“Not at all! Think of it this way—I know you, and you know tons of people. That means I’ve got connections by extension.”
With that, Zhou Zhuofei playfully nudged Du Yu. “Love you, babe.”
