{I watched her take care of other men with my own eyes. 3}

Zhao Tian fell into deep thought. “So, you really think those two kids have feelings for each other?”

“What else?” his friend added with a teasing jab, “Zhao Tian, your carefully planned scheme is bearing fruit, and now you’re pretending you don’t see it.”

Zhao Tian hung up the phone, his expression complicated.

Only one thought occupied his mind: it would be perfectly normal for his son to have feelings for Qian Xu. She was a smart, beautiful, hardworking young woman who took her studies and work seriously—a real catch, genetically and otherwise. But then another thought followed, and once it surfaced, it couldn’t be shaken: as a father, he was keenly aware that his son might not be a match for her.

—

The evening banquet hadn’t ended yet.

As the event neared its end, Qian Xu couldn’t hold back a chuckle as she looked at a drowsy Zhao Buhui. She took advantage of the crowd dispersing; otherwise, she wouldn’t have willingly walked over to his side.

“Did they really not pressure you to drink?”

“No, not at all. Everyone was friendly, no one was pulling those old tricks,” Qian Xu forced herself to explain to the man before her. She didn’t want Zhao Buhui to worry excessively about her situation or to feel discouraged by how she handled things. Trying to keep a balance, she said, “I know you meant well. Maybe I was a bit too rigid.”

Zhao Buhui sat up, leaned back on the Italian sofa, and then closed his eyes. “It was my mistake.”

“Misreading the situation, rushing forward, making a fool of myself in front of those people,” he admitted without concern for his own pride, “and causing you embarrassment.”

Qian Xu didn’t know what to make of their interactions. Was it that each taking a step back opened new possibilities? Or maybe because neither of them was particularly aggressive, it was easier not to accidentally hurt each other. It was somewhat ironic; a man usually as proud as a rooster now lowered his stance, even raising a faint, comfortable smile while drinking with her.

Qian Xu unexpectedly found this moment rather warm.

Especially on a night that had already been full of challenges for her. She had initially expected to keep herself on high alert the entire time, yet now she felt that having this silly guy self-righteously step in for her not only brought a bit of humor but also eased the coldness of this winter evening.

“Thank you.”

She was clearly awkward, unsure of how to accept someone else’s kindness. Still, there was a touch of gentleness when she helped him up.

He should have been secretly pleased, perhaps influenced by the alcohol, as he chuckled in response to her rare “thank you.”

When she said, “Stop laughing,” the smile on his face immediately disappeared.

Qian Xu wasn’t entirely satisfied with Zhao Buhui in other respects, but his ability to follow orders was refreshing. In the past, she constantly had to recalibrate her approach, always struggling to reach a compromise, but with Zhao Buhui, there was no negotiating. Even in his drunken and distracted state, he didn’t resist her requests.

“Fine, do whatever you want,” she said, glancing at the antique clock above the fireplace and mentally mapping out her next steps. Eyeing the intoxicated Zhao Buhui, she added, “I’ll take you back in a bit.”

“But I drove here…” Zhao Buhui muttered.

At that moment, Qian Xu forgot about his background, wealth, and status, blurting out, “Are you really going to spend four or five hundred for a driver?”

Mrs. Li’s estate was quite far out, around forty kilometers north of the development zone, so hiring a driver wouldn’t be cheap.

Realizing she might have overstepped, Qian Xu corrected herself, “Fine, get a driver, then.”

“I won’t,” he mumbled with his eyes still closed, waving his hand dismissively. “A driver costs too much in this kind of weather.”