On Sunday, Zhou Zhuofei spent the entire day at home. When there was nothing to do, time seemed to pass effortlessly.
Reading books, playing games—before she knew it, the sky had darkened.
Then came the repetitive cycle of workdays, each one filled with similar routines. Sometimes, Zhou Zhuofei almost lost track of time altogether.
The only things distinguishing one day from another were the flavors of her dinner and the progress she made in her games.
Lately, Zhou Zhuofei had been playing games more frequently, because only when she immersed herself in something could she stop her mind from wandering.
Yet, Xiao Wang seemed to exist in every moment and every place. The slightest lapse in her focus would bring thoughts of him flooding back.
Zhou Zhuofei had been deliberately avoiding these feelings, trying hard to adjust her emotions.
But when she heard Xiao Wang say his business trip would be extended, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
In truth, after seeing how busy Xiao Wang had been these past few days, she had already sensed it coming. "I figured as much. You’ve been getting busier and busier lately."
"I’m sorry. The situation turned out more complicated than we expected, so it’ll take more time. I probably won’t be back until after the holiday."
"There’s no need to apologize. It’s not like you don’t want to come back—it’s just work." Zhou Zhuofei forced out the words. "I’m fine here, so don’t worry about me. Just take care of yourself and get some rest."
Xiao Wang responded gently, waiting until she finished before letting out a sigh.
"But I miss you."
Even though they messaged and called every day, it still wasn’t enough. He wanted to see Zhou Zhuofei’s expressions in person, hear her voice directly, and feel the rhythm of her heartbeat.
But there was nothing he could do. He couldn’t drop everything just to return, nor could he selfishly ask her to travel all that distance to see him.
Caught between these conflicting thoughts, his longing only deepened, seeping into every fiber of his being.
"I miss you too..."
Zhou Zhuofei thought, Finally, it’s my turn.
Usually, she was the one pouring out her emotions, while Xiao Wang patiently listened and comforted her.
This time, she could do the same for him.
"...But work is work. Just hang in there a little longer. Once you’re back, you can take time off and see me every day."
"..."
"Don’t sigh like that. Did you have a tough day today?"
"Not too bad."
"That’s good. If it gets too much, just call General Manager Ling and tell him to cancel his wedding. It’s his company—why should he be making you run around like this? Hmph!"
She rambled on until her throat felt dry, only then realizing the other end of the call had fallen silent.
But she knew Xiao Wang hadn’t left—she could still hear his breathing.
It was a sound she knew well, one she had listened to for countless nights beside him.
"Why aren’t you saying anything?"
Xiao Wang’s voice came through immediately. "I just wanted to listen to your voice a little longer."
"But I’m tired of talking now."
"Then I’ll talk instead."
They shared updates about their daily lives and work. Zhou Zhuofei talked about the detective novel she’d just finished, while Xiao Wang described the beautiful sunset he could see from his room. They chatted until their phones grew hot, reluctantly ending the call.
With a sigh, Zhou Zhuofei plugged in her phone and headed to the study.
Xiao Wang had two computers—a work laptop and a more powerful desktop. He rarely used the latter, mostly for bookkeeping and scheduling.
Lately, Zhou Zhuofei had been using it to watch anime, since the larger screen was much better than her laptop.
But today, after her conversation with Xiao Wang, her mind was restless. After turning on the computer, she accidentally clicked into the photo gallery instead of opening the browser.
Xiao Wang’s computer and phone were from the same brand, so their data synced automatically. The gallery was linked to his phone’s photo album.
Instead of seeing photos immediately, she found several folders, one of which stood out—labeled "[Fei]."
People are always sensitive to their own names, so Zhou Zhuofei noticed it right away.
If it’s named like that, it must be full of my photos, right?
Curious, she clicked in and found a collection of pictures. She wasn’t one for selfies, but she loved documenting life.
Some were photos she had taken, while others were ones Xiao Wang had captured.
The images showed her doing all sorts of things—some so mundane she couldn’t even remember the context.
Among them, one nighttime photo stood out because it featured two people.
The moment she saw Zhan Zilang, she remembered—it was the day he treated them to Japanese food, when he waited with her outside for Xiao Wang.
But when did he take this photo? I didn’t notice at all!
After browsing the entire album, she wanted to message Xiao Wang, only to realize her phone was still charging.
Staring at the screen full of photos, an idea suddenly formed in her mind.
What if I went to see Xiao Wang?
He couldn’t leave because of work, but she could go to him! It wasn’t like she had anything important to do on the weekend—what difference did it make whether she spent her time at home or on the road?
It would just be a little tiring.
But if being tired meant seeing Xiao Wang, why not do it?
Zhou Zhuofei was the type to obsessively analyze an idea once it took root, so she spent the whole night weighing the pros and cons.
The more she thought about it, the more determined she became, her excitement growing.
When Du Yu heard about her plan, far from discouraging her, she offered unexpected support.
[If you want to go, then go! It’s not like you have plans this weekend anyway. Surprise him!]
[You sound even more excited than I am.]
[Running off for love is so romantic. It’s been a while since you’ve been this impulsive, hasn’t it?]
[Not really. I’ve had my impulsive moments when we were together.]
[Well, if you don’t act impulsively now, when will you? After you’ve gotten used to being apart? Just do it! I’ll keep you company on the way.]
[Should I thank you?]
[You’re welcome!]
With Du Yu’s encouragement, Zhou Zhuofei’s resolve solidified.
On one hand, she continued her routine—working steadily, maintaining daily conversations with Xiao Wang, and paying closer attention to his schedule.
She needed to know his plans. What if he had to travel elsewhere on the weekend? Then her trip would be for nothing.
Luckily, Xiao Wang often shared updates about his day, so gathering information didn’t seem suspicious.
Zhou Zhuofei constantly reminded herself not to slip up in front of him.
She didn’t want to play any emotional games either, so every day, she kept their conversations natural, ending each night with a simple "goodnight."
On Friday, she had already informed Xiao Wang in advance that she would be going to watch a movie and have dinner with Du Yu, and of course, she had prepared photos and other evidence ahead of time.
At the exact moment she told Xiao Wang the movie was starting, she was already on a plane, waiting for takeoff.
The flight was both boring and exhausting. Zhou Zhuofei drifted in and out of sleep, and by the time the plane landed, she felt almost as if her soul had left her body.
She had departed in the afternoon, and by the time she arrived in City L, it was already late at night.
Eagerly, she turned on her phone—unsurprisingly, Xiao Wang had sent her several messages.
[Is the movie over yet?]
[Still not home?]
[Should I call you at 11?]
Zhou Zhuofei glanced at the time: it was 10:20 PM. There was no way she’d make it back in time.
[Not home yet. Is 11:30 okay? Du Yu and I are still out.]
[Sure, be safe.]
She put her phone away and immediately started sprinting, searching for the driver she had booked in advance. Once in the car, she rushed toward the hotel.
Only after settling into the seat and watching the streetlights and unfamiliar scenery flash by outside the window did it truly sink in—she had actually traveled to a strange city on a whim.
Even during her university days, she had never done anything like this. Yet here she was now.
Du Yu, timing it perfectly, sent her a check-in message. Upon learning she had arrived safely, Du Yu reminded her to touch up her makeup.
[Freshen up and make a dazzling entrance!]
[I’m practically dead—how am I supposed to dazzle anyone?]
[Hang in there! Adjust your state and rest a bit! Just one more hour!]
[Got it. Your excessive exclamation marks are blinding me.]
[Then hurry up and rest. Let me know when you get there—if I don’t hear back by midnight, I’m calling the police!]
[Okay! Love you!]
Zhou Zhuofei put her phone down and checked her reflection in the window’s dim light. Her makeup had mostly faded.
She was about to reapply when she suddenly remembered a certain night—another time she had agonized over whether to take off her wig. Back then, Xiao Wang had excused himself to smoke, giving her space to decide. In the end, she had abandoned propriety and removed it.
Now, Xiao Wang had seen her cry over dramas, watched her sweat profusely from spicy hotpot—he’d witnessed her in every awkward state imaginable.
So was touching up her makeup really necessary?
In the end, she put down the compact.
Thanks to the driver’s relentless efforts, the car finally arrived at Xiao Wang’s hotel just before 11:30 PM.
She had two minutes left before the scheduled call.
Zhou Zhuofei hurried into the lobby, found the elevator, and was about to step in when she realized—it required a room key to operate!
A huge oversight!
Frustration washed over her. How could she have forgotten such a crucial detail?
But time was up. Xiao Wang called right on schedule.
What now?
Flustered, she answered while scurrying toward a quiet corner.
"Hello?"
"Are you home yet?"
"Not… yet, but almost."
The hotel lobby was spacious, and every sound echoed—ironically, this matched the acoustics of an apartment building’s entrance. Hopefully, Xiao Wang wouldn’t notice.
"What are you up to?"
"Just finished showering. Was about to sleep after our call."
"Still tired today?"
"It’s fine. Never mind me—how was your time with Du Yu?"
While keeping up the conversation with Xiao Wang, she was also frantically messaging Du Yu for solutions.
How could she get an elevator key without alerting Xiao Wang?
[What floor? Maybe take the fire escape?]
[21st floor—are you trying to kill me? I just got off a long flight, and now you want me to climb stairs?]
[That high? You’d better survive!]
[You think?!]
Distracted, Zhou Zhuofei struggled to multitask. Xiao Wang quickly noticed her absentmindedness—the sound of her texting was impossible to miss.
"...Are you talking to someone else?"
"Huh? Yeah, Du Yu’s asking me something… I’ll finish replying now."
"Alright. I’ll go to the bathroom real quick."
"Okay."
Meanwhile, Du Yu kept brainstorming ideas.
[Any coworkers on the trip you know? Maybe one can take you up.]
[Sweetie, the others are all company executives. I don’t even have their contacts.]
[Wow, sweetie, you’re really not moving in high circles, huh?]
[I’m just a regular admin assistant—how would I have executives’ numbers?]
[Then change tactics. Say you ordered late-night snacks and ask him to come down?]
[Don’t you think he’d catch on?]
Given Xiao Wang’s sharp mind, Zhou Zhuofei was sure he’d figure it out. Besides, her behavior today had already been suspicious enough—it was only his busy schedule that kept him from noticing.
Maybe she should just come clean?
The surprise didn’t need to go all the way. The fact that she’d made it here was impressive enough.
Right now, exhausted and sleepy, what she wanted most wasn’t to see Xiao Wang—it was to collapse into a bed!
Lost in thought, she suddenly heard Xiao Wang’s voice again.
"I’m back."
She absentmindedly hummed in response—but the voice didn’t just come through her headphones. It sounded like…
She turned around in disbelief, and there he was: Xiao Wang, standing before her with a warm smile.
