Before going to bed, Liao Yun sent over a video call. The blush on Su Hao’s face had already faded quite a bit. She accepted the call and walked to the window; the room was somewhat dim.

 

Liao Yun glanced at the screen and asked, “You’re at a hotel?”

 

“Yeah. Is it too dark? I’ll turn on the light.” Su Hao reached out and flipped the switch. The room brightened.

 

Seeing it clearly, Liao Yun said, “The environment looks pretty good.”

 

“You seem to have gained a bit of weight too.”

 

Su Hao pinched her cheek. “Really?”

 

“Yeah. Your complexion looks much better too. When you were taking care of your dad before, you looked pale all the time.”

 

“It wasn’t that bad back then,” Su Hao replied.

 

“Looks like life over there suits you,” Liao Yun said with a sigh.

 

Su Hao sat by the window. Behind her were towering buildings, their lights dazzling. Liao Yun admired the view for a moment, then looked back at Su Hao. “Have you… started dating anyone?”

 

Su Hao leaned back, her expression unchanged. “Nope.”

 

“Really not dating?” Liao Yun found it hard to believe. A woman as good as Su Hao, in a big city like that—there should be plenty of men pursuing her. Big cities weren’t supposed to care so much about someone’s past, right?

 

“No. I’m not in a rush.”

 

“Not in a rush—or no one?” Liao Yun asked cautiously. She knew Su Hao didn’t really mind, but she was still afraid of hurting her feelings.

 

Su Hao smiled. “Truly not in a rush. And yes, there’s no one.”

 

“They must all be blind!!!” Liao Yun spat angrily.

 

Su Hao burst out laughing.

 

Liao Yun then asked, “Auntie is coming to Li City for a visit, right?”

 

“Yeah. I’m planning to go pick her up in a week or two, on a weekend.” Su Hao felt grateful—Liao Yun knew so quickly, which meant she’d been checking in on her mother often.

 

“I don’t have time, otherwise I’d go up and play for a bit too,” Liao Yun said wistfully. Jiang City was a small place—nice mountains and rivers, but nowhere near as lively as a big city.

 

“When you take annual leave, come over. You’ll have a place to stay,” Su Hao said, scratching her head. Around Liao Yun, she felt more relaxed.

 

Liao Yun nodded. “Okay.”

 

She hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Um… how is Zhou Yang these days?”

 

Su Hao paused, thinking Liao Yun had noticed something. But when she saw that curious, innocent look, she replied, “Him? About the same. More mature, I guess.”

 

“Very handsome, right?”

 

“Mm. More or less.”

 

The type who drew attention wherever he went—restless, magnetic, attracting countless women.

 

Liao Yun sighed. “Sigh… people like him must be living really well.”

 

Su Hao smiled faintly, her fingers tugging lightly at her nightdress.

 

Her phone chimed.

 

A WeChat message popped up. Su Hao glanced at it.

 

Zhou Yang: Asleep?

 

“Who’s messaging you at this hour?” Liao Yun asked slyly from the other end.

 

Su Hao lifted her head and smiled. “A colleague from work.”

 

“A guy?”

 

“A woman.”

 

“Don’t lie to me. I still have something to tell you.” Liao Yun sounded serious now, and Su Hao felt a faint premonition. Sure enough, Liao Yun continued, “Tang Rui should be coming back this week. And he might be planning to develop elsewhere. I heard it could be Hai City—but… it might also be Li City.”

 

“What do you think?” she asked.

 

“What can I think?” Su Hao smiled back.

 

Liao Yun let out an “ah,” then laughed. “That’s true. What can you think? The world out there is so good, there are so many men—you wouldn’t still get tangled up with him in the end.”

 

“Our Su Hao must have plenty of people chasing her.”

 

Su Hao just smiled, too lazy to respond to her rambling. The two of them had always been able to talk about anything. They chatted for a while longer before hanging up.

 

It was late. Su Hao poured herself a glass of water, drank it, and lay down to rest. Just then, a voice call came through.

 

She glanced at the screen—it was Zhou Yang.

 

Su Hao answered.

 

“I’m about to sleep,” she said softly.

 

On Zhou Yang’s end, he was still looking through documents; the sound of pages flipping came through. “Hm? Then I guess I should say good night?”

 

There was a smile in his voice.

 

“Good night,” Su Hao replied.

 

Her voice was pleasant. The call ended.

 

Zhou Yang froze for a moment, then laughed. Pretty bold of you, Su Hao.

 

After hanging up, Su Hao didn’t fall asleep right away. She opened her chat with Liao Yun, typed for a while, then deleted everything.

 

She rarely talked to anyone about emotional matters—there never seemed to be much to say. Looking around now, only Liao Yun seemed like someone she could talk to, yet she still regretted it once the words were typed out.

 

Ding.

 

Her phone rang again.

 

Tang Yu: Are you asleep? When are you coming back to Li City?

 

Su Hao: Not yet. Probably in a couple of days.

 

Tang Yu: Wow, okay. I kind of miss you. Strange, isn’t it?

 

Su Hao: Not strange.

 

Su Hao hesitated, typed out a long message, then deleted it. She realized she truly had no one to talk to about feelings.

 

Under the bedside lamp, she opened Moments and scrolled aimlessly. She came across a forum link posted by Li Xiu, tapped into it, browsed for a bit, and downloaded the app.

 

Soon, she found an emotional advice post.

 

The story went something like this: the ex-boyfriend was a playboy who now wanted to get back together and kept sabotaging her current budding relationship. She asked what she should do.

 

The comments were all over the place.

 

Someone asked: “Do you still like your ex?”

 

The original poster replied: “I still have some feelings.”

 

Then added: “But he was the one who dumped me before. Everything was always on his terms.”

 

Another person replied: “Then agree to get back together—and this time, you dump him.”

 

Su Hao liked that comment: “Then agree to get back together—and this time, you dump him.”

 

The faint urge she had to say something vanished.

 

She put down her phone and fell asleep.

 

---

 

Over the next two days, Su Hao finished up her work. She also received a message from Assistant Lu confirming the flight booking. Zhou Yang still had some matters to wrap up, so the flight was scheduled for Saturday.

 

By Friday morning, Su Hao had finished all her tasks. She took a nap at the hotel in the afternoon.

 

After waking up, she showered, changed clothes, and went down to the second-floor restaurant for dinner. It was a Western-style restaurant.

 

She ordered a steak, eating while looking at the scenery outside. The chair across from her was pulled back, and Zhou Yang sat down. He loosened his tie.

 

“You didn’t reply to my message,” he said.

 

“Didn’t see it,” Su Hao glanced at him, then picked up her knife and fork to cut the steak.

 

Zhou Yang removed his tie completely, crossed his long legs, reached over, slid Su Hao’s plate toward himself, and took her cutlery. He began cutting the steak, his voice low and amused. “You have to cut it like this. If you cut it your way, how long would it take?”

 

Since he was already doing it, Su Hao let him. She picked up her juice and took a sip.

 

He’d been busy these past two days, but every day he still had the staff deliver food to her.

 

The roses had turned into lilies—thoughtful, at least.

 

Su Hao turned her face toward the window.

 

Zhou Yang finished cutting the steak, speared a piece, and brought it to her lips. Su Hao snapped back to attention and looked at him.

 

Zhou Yang glanced down at his own hand, realizing it was the first time he’d ever served a woman like this. His tongue pressed against his cheek as he nudged the fork forward. “Hm?”

 

Only then did Su Hao slowly open her mouth.

 

She wasn’t smiling, but her features were naturally soft. Even a sideways glance at him looked like a gentle glare. Zhou Yang chuckled softly. “Are you like this with every man who likes you?”

 

Su Hao chewed the steak, her cheeks puffed slightly. “Like what?”

 

“Cold. Distant.” Zhou Yang took another bite himself. They were sharing the same set of cutlery. After speaking, he paused, his gaze darkening. “Oh, I’m wrong. You were quite warm with Shen He.”

 

Not just warm—gentle, admiring.

 

Back in that billiards room, that single glance had seemed filled entirely with Shen He.

 

The thought irritated Zhou Yang.

 

Su Hao thought to herself: You still dare bring up Shen He?

 

They finished her entire portion of steak. Throughout the meal, Su Hao never touched the fork—Zhou Yang fed her the whole time.

 

For the last bite, she even showed some distaste and pushed it away.

 

Zhou Yang set down the cutlery, wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin, and asked, “There’s still some time tonight. Want me to go shopping with you?”

 

Su Hao stood up. “No need. I’ll go by myself.”

 

“Oh?” He smiled, picked up his jacket and tie, loosened his collar, and called the waiter over to sign the bill.

 

Su Hao glanced at him and walked off first. She planned to go to the commercial district to buy some things for her mother, Su Qian, and for Liao Yun.

 

As she reached downstairs, Zhou Yang grabbed her wrist from behind and said in a low voice, “Shopping around here—you’d better let me take you.”

 

Before she could react, he pulled her toward the black car, opened the passenger door, and pressed her inside with a hint of force.

 

After she sat down, Su Hao couldn’t help asking, “Are you this domineering with every woman?”

 

Zhou Yang laughed. He lowered his head, looking at her, elbow resting on the car window. His fingertip tapped her nose. “Only with you.”

 

Sweet words came effortlessly to him.

 

Su Hao smiled faintly.

 

Then she rolled up the window.

 

Left with no choice, Zhou Yang released her, walked around the front of the car, and got into the driver’s seat. Once inside, Li Yi happened to send a message.

 

Li Yi: Wen Zeli said he’s treating you to drinks tonight.

 

Zhou Yang: Not going. Shopping.

 

Li Yi: What did you just say? You? Shopping???

 

Zhou Yang: Is that so strange?

 

Li Yi: Your first girlfriend cried for three hours just to get you to shop with her. Did you ever go?

 

Zhou Yang: Did that really happen?

 

He thought about it—his first girlfriend… what did she even look like?

 

He couldn’t remember. Zhou Yang gave up thinking, started the car, and glanced at Su Hao.

 

She was looking down at her phone too, scrolling through that emotional forum again.

 

The little stories there were quite interesting.

 

She read attentively, unconsciously pinching her ear with her fingers. Her ear was small and rosy.

 

Zhou Yang watched, a little mesmerized. When her fingers kept moving, he reached over and pinched her little finger.

 

Su Hao startled and looked up. Zhou Yang curved his lips into a smile. “Does your ear itch?”

 

“A kiss would make it stop.”

 

Su Hao shook his hand off.

 

Zhou Yang didn’t mind. He drove toward the commercial street.

 

It was the busiest time of day, crowded with people. Su Hao didn’t often come to places like this, looking around as she walked. Zhou Yang strolled lazily beside her, hands in his pockets. “What are you buying?”

 

Su Hao thought for a moment. “A qipao shop…”

 

“For my mom? You can’t afford it. Too expensive,” Zhou Yang guessed immediately.

 

“How about this instead?” He reached out, wrapped an arm around her waist, and guided her into a silk scarf shop.

 

Su Hao reacted at once—Su Qian also loved silk scarves. Her eyes lit up as she went to browse.

 

Zhou Yang lounged against a sofa, waiting for her. The shop was mid-to-high-end, and with Zhou Yang’s branded outfit, presence, and looks, he was impossible to ignore. Several staff members swarmed over to introduce items to Su Hao.

 

In the end, she chose a purple scarf and went to pay.

 

As she was paying, her phone rang.

 

She glanced at it.

 

It was from Yun Lü.

 

Yun Lü: Haohao, I need to tell you something. Shen He’s grandfather suddenly returning to China—Zhou Yang was the one who tipped him off.

 

Su Hao’s hand tightened around the scarf.

 

She calmly paid, took the bag, and walked back toward Zhou Yang. Zhou Yang reached out to take the bag from her, but Su Hao pulled it back.

 

The next second, she rose onto her toes and leaned close to his ear.

 

Zhou Yang froze for a beat, then wrapped an arm around her waist and tilted his head to listen, completely instinctive.

 

Then Su Hao spoke softly:

 

“Zhou Yang, was it you who called Shen He’s grandfather back to China? How are you so capable…”

 

Her voice was gentle as water.

 

Yet it swept across Zhou Yang’s back like a cold wind.

 

His entire body stiffened.