“Xiao Qi, you should go back first.”

 

Su Hao loosened her grip on Zhou Yang’s collar and turned to Xiao Qi. There was guilt in her eyes, and her tone softened. Her voice was gentle to begin with—now, softened like this, it carried a hint of coquettishness. It was different from deliberate flirting; it was the kind that made one’s heart itch.

 

Zhou Yang stood beside them, clenching his teeth tightly. He didn’t dare show even the slightest anger. When Xiao Qi’s face flushed and she glanced at him shyly, Zhou Yang even forced a half-smile in response. Apart from the coldness in his eyes, everything else had to look perfectly fine.

 

“All right, I’ll head back then. Actually, we’re on the same route—it’s just this road. I’ll go first.”

 

Xiao Qi immediately withdrew his gaze from Zhou Yang. Being looked at by such an imposing man scattered all his embarrassment. He hurried off. After two steps, he broke into a run.

 

After Xiao Qi left, only the two of them remained in that small space, standing right at the edge of the sidewalk. Beyond it was the roadway—busy, restless, full of passing lives.

 

Zhou Yang looked at Su Hao.

 

She had tied her hair up when she went to work that morning, but now it fell loosely over her shoulders, revealing a bit of her collarbone. When she held her small bag, her knuckles were slender, faint veins visible beneath her skin. She was delicate, and yet made people feel helpless around her.

 

He lowered his voice.

 

“Have you eaten? Shall we go eat together?”

 

Su Hao hesitated.

 

He stood between her and the traffic, tall enough to block half the light. She pressed her lips together and tilted her head up.

 

Her slim chin lifted.

 

The posture looked like she was asking for a kiss.

 

Zhou Yang’s Adam’s apple rolled, his gaze darkening as he was about to speak.

 

But Su Hao said, “Can you disappear from my life from now on?”

 

Zhou Yang froze.

 

One hand hovered loosely in his pocket. He lowered his eyes, lifted his eyelids again after a few seconds, and curled his lips into a smile.

 

“No.”

 

His chest, however, thudded violently.

 

Why could that man surnamed Tang wander around in front of her every day, while he had to disappear?

 

The wound on his face had not healed yet; there were still bruises. When he smiled, a trace of cold ruthlessness surfaced, making the smile look faintly murderous.

 

Su Hao looked disappointed. She lowered her eyes.

 

“Then don’t blame me for treating you like you don’t matter.”

 

With that, she turned and walked away.

 

Zhou Yang clenched his teeth and stood where he was, staring at her slender figure ahead. A few seconds later, he chased after her, rubbing the bruise at the corner of his mouth.

 

“Why don’t you tell me—what would it take for you to change your mind?”

 

Su Hao ignored him and walked straight into the supermarket.

 

The supermarket was small and shabby. Zhou Yang frowned slightly—this was the first time he had ever come to such a place.

 

Back then, when choosing this apartment, partly because of Su Hao’s financial situation and partly out of a careless, perfunctory attitude, he had picked a place with convenient transportation but one major downside—people from all walks of life lived here. It was a mixed, messy neighborhood.

 

And it was precisely because of that chaos that the incident of something being thrown from a high floor had happened.

 

He had no choice but to follow her in. His words once again vanished into thin air.

 

She still didn’t respond.

 

Yet she had time to look at her phone while choosing vegetables, probably replying to someone’s messages.

 

Zhou Yang never thought he would end up like this—standing in a place he found unappealing in every way, lowering his head to look at her.

 

She was quite good at picking produce. Her fingers were so slender. She grabbed a handful and put it into a bag, then carefully selected potatoes. A few strands of hair slid down beside her face.

 

Unable to resist, Zhou Yang reached out and hooked her hair with his long fingers, flicking it up slightly.

 

Su Hao yanked her hair back forcefully.

 

Zhou Yang withdrew his hand at once and shoved it into his pocket.

 

He really looked out of place here.

 

People passing by—young and old, men and women—couldn’t help glancing at him. With his sharp features, distinguished air, and imposing presence, he stood beside a slim, pretty woman and instantly became a striking scene in this small, crowded space.

 

There were bruises on his neck.

 

Roguish and handsome—yet unmistakably expensive.

 

“Are you making shredded potatoes tonight?” Zhou Yang asked awkwardly, trying to make conversation.

 

“I haven’t eaten yet. Is Aunt Cheng at home waiting for you?”

 

Su Hao turned and glanced at him.

 

Zhou Yang raised an eyebrow. At that moment, someone pushed a cart past them. He reached out and pulled Su Hao slightly into his arms.

 

Her hands were full of items. She stumbled forward, her forehead bumping into his chest.

 

Zhou Yang desperately wanted to hold her, but he didn’t dare. He could only let it be.

 

Su Hao had thought he did it on purpose, but when she turned her head, she saw someone squeezing through behind them.

 

She felt both annoyed and awkward. In the end, she flung his hand away and walked off.

 

Zhou Yang pressed his lips together and followed her.

 

After a while, seeing her pick out towels and a toothbrush, he said softly,

 

“Talk to me, Su Hao.”

 

His voice was gentle.

 

Su Hao almost softened.

 

She clenched her teeth and walked straight ahead to the checkout counter.

 

Zhou Yang still followed.

 

She placed the items on the counter, took out her phone, and opened the payment code.

 

Just as she raised it, a wrist wearing a watch stretched out too, seemingly trying to pay.

 

Su Hao’s beautiful eyes flicked toward him.

 

Zhou Yang licked the corner of his lips and slowly withdrew his hand.

 

Payment successful.

 

Su Hao picked up the bags and left.

 

Zhou Yang walked beside her.

 

“Let me carry them for you?”

 

“No.”

 

They turned into the stairwell. Zhou Yang kept following.

 

When they were almost on the third floor, Su Hao suddenly turned around.

 

Zhou Yang stopped and stood lazily on the step below her.

 

She was truly beautiful. Under the orange light, her skin was flawless.

 

Su Hao said, “Get lost.”

 

Zhou Yang: “…”

 

He smiled.

 

“No.”

 

“I won’t stop chasing you until I succeed.”

 

He stepped up closer to her. Su Hao retreated, but he leaned in, staring straight at her.

 

“I’m serious. One hundred percent serious. I’m already thinking about how many kids we’ll have.”

 

His breath was dangerously close.

 

Su Hao looked at that astonishingly handsome face and was speechless for a moment.

 

“You want to marry me, so I have to marry you? Zhou Yang, how can you be so good at daydreaming?”

 

She turned and went upstairs quickly, her footsteps light and fast.

 

Zhou Yang didn’t follow. He laughed from behind her.

 

“Slow down. If you fall, I’ll have to catch you. I’d be very happy to—but you probably wouldn’t.”

 

Bang.

 

The door slammed shut loudly.

 

Zhou Yang stood there. The wind blew in through the stairwell, brushing against the wound at the corner of his mouth. He rubbed it and leaned lazily against the railing.

 

The things he had just said…

 

He hadn’t thought about them at all before speaking.

 

And he didn’t regret them afterward.

 

Did that mean they were his true feelings?

 

After thinking for a while, he laughed.

 

Damn.

 

How did he end up thinking about marriage already?

 

---

 

After entering the apartment, Su Hao put down the groceries.

 

Cheng Ling came out of the bathroom and took the shopping bag from her.

 

“Why are the potatoes here so big? Good thing you only bought one.”

 

Su Hao hummed in response. She took out the towel and toothbrush.

 

“Mom, don’t use the old towel and toothbrush anymore. I bought new ones for you—same brand as yours.”

 

Cheng Ling glanced at her.

 

“You’re wasting money.”

 

But she still took them away happily to replace the old ones.

 

Su Hao stretched and sat down on the sofa, poured herself a glass of water, and drank.

 

Her phone rang inside her bag.

 

She took it out and looked.

 

It was Tang Rui.

 

Tang Rui: I’ve been working overtime a lot lately. I’ve been busy.
Tang Rui: Su Hao, I really regret it. I regret it so much. I often think of you here in the US. I kept that necklace and looked at it hundreds of times. Whenever I see it, it’s like seeing you.

 

Su Hao replied:
Tang Rui, focus on your work.

 

For now, she still had patience. She wasn’t sure about the future. If Tang Rui kept pestering her like this, once her patience ran out, she would probably cut him off completely.

 

But Tang Rui seemed to understand her bottom line. Each time he edged close, he would retreat again.

 

Unlike Zhou Yang, he was not domineering. He was more like warm water slowly boiling a frog.

 

Even if Su Hao wanted to be harsh, it felt like punching cotton.

 

She actually still remembered the year Tang Rui went abroad. Her father was critically ill and admitted to the ICU. Tang Rui transferred a large sum of money back from overseas to help her through that crisis.

 

When it came to matters like this, personal feelings suddenly became insignificant.

 

That year had been extremely difficult.

 

Su Qian only found out later. She brought a team of specialists to perform surgery for her father and extended his life by two more years.

 

Debts of gratitude were hard to repay.

 

In the following years, Su Hao was busy repaying money and favors, taking care of her parents, cooking and learning all kinds of dishes. Every time Su Qian came back to Hui City, she would praise Su Hao’s cooking for getting better again. Each time she said that, Su Hao felt a little more at ease.

 

Fortunately, two years later, their old house was demolished. Although compensation in a small city wasn’t much, it was enough to repay debts and sustain their living.

 

---

 

Tang Rui had indeed been busy these days.

 

People were traveling for business, others were on duty. He took on several cases. Given his ability, many people were watching him as soon as he returned to China. Some commissions couldn’t be refused. Many companies sent people to look for him personally, which made others envious.

 

The firm assigned him an assistant and a team.

 

When he got busy, he barely saw daylight.

 

At the moment, only he was in his spacious private office. The sound of the keyboard rang occasionally.

 

His fingers flew across the keys.

 

The door behind him opened.

 

“President Tang, are you okay? You don’t seem to be in a very good mood.”

 

The only female colleague in the team brought in coffee and asked.

 

Tang Rui stared at the stock charts on the screen and took the cup, but in his mind was Su Hao’s message—focus on your work.

 

He felt that sentence implied something.

 

The more he thought about it, the more his chest hurt.

 

He shook his head and rubbed his brow.

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

“I think you’re troubled by love,” the woman said as she pulled a chair over and sat down. Dressed in a sharp business suit, capable and confident, her words were equally incisive.

 

Tang Rui turned to look at her.

 

She smiled with the confidence of a senior professional.

 

“Tell me about it. Maybe I can help.”

 

Tang Rui put down the coffee and leaned back slightly, loosening his collar.

 

The bruises on his face were quite obvious. On someone with fair skin, they looked especially harsh.

 

The woman glanced at the bruises.

 

Truthfully, there were no secrets in this world. She had seen the video too.

 

A fight with the young master of the Zhou family from Li City—no small figure. Tang Rui had guts.

 

Everyone privately worried for him. And it was said that the fight was over a woman.

 

Indeed—if it weren’t for a woman, why would he provoke Zhou Yang?

 

Among the rich young men of Li City, Zhou Yang was both famous for his playboy image and known as a ruthless character.

 

After hesitating for a moment, Tang Rui looked at the computer and began:

 

“I grew up mostly with my grandparents and spent little time with my parents. But every time my father saw me, he reminded me that I had a marriage arrangement from birth. I thought—this isn’t ancient times, why are people still arranging marriages? But later, my younger sister’s health wasn’t very good. My father was superstitious and kept insisting that marriage would bring good fortune and ward off misfortune…”

 

“Strangely enough, after the marriage, my sister really did get better the following year. Pretty miraculous, right?”

 

After he finished, he looked at the woman.

 

She rested her chin on her hand and nodded. “It does sound like that.”

 

“The bad luck was warded off, the marriage happened, but the two of us were very restrained with each other. We didn’t talk much at home, yet we had to sleep in the same bed at night.

 

“She was very busy, because she had to take care of her father. Her father didn’t get better because of our marriage—in fact, he kept going in and out of the hospital.

 

“I went to university and had classes. I rarely went home. The outside world was exciting. After that stage passed, living with the label of being married felt… stifling. I thought about giving up.

 

“But studies were busy, work was busy. We were apart more than together. The matter dragged on.

 

“Sometimes I also felt I couldn’t hold her back. I didn’t think too much at the time.

 

“In the third year, after I finished my studies and returned home, I found a job. The commute was long, but we saw each other more often. We could talk.

 

“She took care of everything at home. I didn’t have to worry about anything. I didn’t even know where my clothes were, but she could always find them and put them beside me, then leave.

 

“At that time, a thought came to me—I wanted to try being with her for real.

 

“I deliberately got closer to her. Because of her family situation, she was especially gentle. She probably guessed my intentions and didn’t avoid me. We naturally started a relationship.

 

“Neither of us had experience. It was clumsy at first. But she never resisted, and she even helped me smooth over some embarrassing moments.

 

“We gradually had more and more to talk about.

 

“Later… we slept together. Still awkward, still inexperienced. But right then, I received an offer from Wall Street.

 

“That was something that shook me deeply. I struggled for a long time.

 

“She probably saw it too, but she never said anything, and never complained.

 

“To be invited to Wall Street… that was the moment I had worked for all those years.

 

“And then… you got divorced?” the woman asked bluntly.

 

Tang Rui rubbed his face.

 

“Yeah.”

 

She clicked her tongue.

 

“The biggest mistake you made was giving her up.”

 

“You’re right,” Tang Rui leaned forward and took a sip of coffee. “Now she’s very cold toward me. That kind of coldness is subtle, quiet, and relentless. Nothing I do seems to move her. I feel utterly defeated.”

 

The woman said, “Maybe you’re not the only one who treated her like that.”

 

Tang Rui stiffened and looked at her.

 

She smiled.

 

“When you’ve been through it too many times, you become numb.

 

“The person who can still stir her emotions—that person might still have a chance.

 

“President Zhou—can he make her feel something?”

 

The question came late.

 

Behind them—

 

A tall man draped his suit jacket over his arm, silently handed it to Lu Qi, then walked into the smoking area.

 

With a cigarette between his fingers, he leaned against the window railing, one hand resting on it, crushing the slender cigarette again and again in the ashtray.

 

Zhou Yang’s jawline was tense and cold. His narrow eyes stared at the ashes.

 

He had never thought about such things for any woman. It was meaningless to him—and he couldn’t be bothered.

 

But at this moment, his mind was filled with Tang Rui’s words.

 

Lu, his assistant, stood quietly beside him.

 

After a long while, Zhou Yang said:

 

“They’re all trash. What about me?”

 

Lu Qi blurted out without thinking:

 

“You are too.”