Chapter 18

After sending Wen Ci back, Zhou Wu took YeYe back to the Zhou family home.

The old butler had been waiting at the door early in the morning to take Ye Ye in. Ye Ye lay lazily in the backseat, refusing to get out of the car, nudging Zhou Wu’s palm with its nose.

Zhou Wu stood by the back door and ruthlessly lifted Ye Ye out of the car.

The old butler held onto Ye Ye’s leash. “Would you like to go inside and take a look? We’ve made a nice pot of soup today.”

“Nothing to see.” Zhou Wu lazily instructed, “Take care of it, I’ll come pick it up later.”

“Understood, don’t worry.”

After patting the dog’s head, Zhou Wu got into the car and drove away, never even sparing a glance at the grand, vintage villa behind the butler.

Zhou Wu drove to the jazz bar.

Perhaps due to the over-the-top excitement from a recent party, the theme at the jazz bar was much more relaxed these past couple of days. By the time Zhou Wu arrived, a female singer on stage was playing an acoustic guitar and singing a hoarse love song.

Qin Yun, leaning on the second-floor sofa and tapping on his phone, sat up a bit straighter when he saw Zhou Wu. “You finally arrived. What kept you so busy this afternoon?”

In the afternoon, after leaving the racetrack, the others had planned to go for some go-karting, then head to the night scene, but Zhou Wu had suddenly said he had something to do and left on his own.

“Walking the dog.”

“…” Qin Yun was speechless. “With eight hundred nannies at home, does it really need you to walk it?”

Zhou Wu didn’t respond to that, changing the topic instead: “Did you manage to contact about that apartment?”

“Of course, do you even need to ask? One phone call, and it’s all set. After you check it out and feel it’s right, we can sign the contract next week.” Qin Yun was curious. “Why the sudden rush to buy an apartment?”

Zhou Wu hadn’t been back to the Zhou family home in over a year, and during his time in Jiangcheng, he had been living in a suite on the top floor of a building.

Qin Yun had even suggested he just buy that hotel.

“Where else would I live if not in an apartment?”

“You’ve been away from home for a year, and I haven’t seen you buy a place yet.”

Zhou Wu took a sip of his drink and casually replied, “I didn’t stay in Jiangcheng long before, so I didn’t have the chance.”

Qin Yun snapped out of his thoughts. That was true—Zhou Wu had left the family company and didn’t need to frequently travel for projects anymore.

“Wait, do you even have enough to buy that place? I didn’t help you negotiate any discounts. If you can’t afford it, you’ll have to take out a loan. You know, your dad spoke to my dad, so I definitely can’t lend you money.”

Qin Yun said this, laughing at his own words.

Everyone knew that Zhou Wu could never be short of money in his life. Apart from his wealth from his maternal grandfather’s side, Zhou Wu had invested in a project while studying in the U.S., and that project was still on the daily bestseller list for foreign games.

Sure enough, Zhou Wu sneered. “Thanks for your concern, but this little thing doesn’t need your pocket money.”

“Jeez.” Qin Yun cursed with a laugh. “By the way, why haven’t you replied to Duan Wei’s message? She came to me looking for you.”

Zhou Wu hadn’t received any notifications. He thought back and realized it was probably the night of Qin Yun’s birthday when Duan Wei had messaged him. At the time, he was with Wen Ci in the pool room, and it was noisy, so he had put her messages on Do Not Disturb.

“Is there something going on?”

“She just wanted me to let you know. She’s going surfing on Saturday,” Qin Yun said mysteriously. “From the sound of her voice, she doesn’t seem to be in a good mood. She probably fought with Xiang Wen Wen again. What’s going on between them lately? They’ve never fought this much before.”

Zhou Wu took a sip of his drink, looking uninterested in the rest of what Qin Yun had said. “I’m not going. I have something to do that day.”

Qin Yun was surprised by how decisively Zhou Wu rejected Duan Wei’s invitation. “What’s going on? Is it fun? Take me with you.”

“Go away.” Zhou Wu replied.

“… Fine, fine. You don’t want to bring me, no need to curse at me,” Qin Yun mumbled.

Back home, Wen Ci adjusted her expression before entering the house.

Her father was sitting in the living room. He looked up briefly when he heard the sound of her entering, then continued reading his book. Her mother came out from the kitchen with a bowl of freshly washed cherries.

“You’re back? Just in time,” her mother said, picking a cherry and holding it out to Wen Ci’s mouth. “I just washed these, try if they’re sweet.”

Wen Ci obediently ate the cherry. “Sweet.”

“Good. Then eat more. These are from one of your dad’s former students. They brought several boxes. Tomorrow, you can take some to the office and share them with your colleagues.” Her mother handed her another cherry and casually asked, “Where did you go for dinner with your colleagues today?”

“A newly opened creative restaurant,” Wen Ci replied.

Her mother nodded. “It’s good to get along with your colleagues, but you should eat out less. The oil in restaurant food isn’t good. Homemade food is always safer.”

“Okay.” Wen Ci lowered her eyes. “By the way, Mom, Yi Qing invited me to go shopping and watch a movie on Saturday. I won’t need to make dinner that day.”

“You see, you just said you won’t eat out and now you’re going again,” her mother teased.

“But I already promised Yi Qing.” Wen Ci ate another cherry. “I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Remembering their argument from earlier, Wen Ci’s mother sighed and took a step back. “Alright. Yi Qing is in the second year of high school, which is more difficult than what you’re doing. You should disturb her less and give her more time to rest.”

The implied meaning was clear—she wanted Wen Ci to spend less time with Dou Yi Qing.

Thinking back on what her mother had said about Yi Qing, Wen Ci felt a little frustrated. She pressed her lips together, forcing the frustration down. “I’m going upstairs, Mom.”

Once back in her room, Wen Ci stood in front of the mirror, taking a look at her expression.

“You’re terrible at lying,” Zhou Wu’s voice suddenly rang in her ear.

The image of Wen Ci in the mirror was calm and indifferent, without any flaws.

It was just that Zhou Wu was too sharp, Wen Ci thought.

After finishing her shower, Wen Ci stood by the window, drying her hair with a towel.

She didn’t used to like this window. Her home was at the end of an alley, and outside the window was only a narrow path and a wall.

When she was young, whenever she couldn’t solve a problem, she would look out the window and always feel that the world was like an airtight prison.

But now, her thoughts had subtly changed.

Wen Ci lowered her eyes and looked down. Her gaze lingered on the empty space where Zhou Wu had been standing earlier, until her phone rang.

It was Dou Yiqing calling. As soon as Wen Ci answered, Dou Yiqing burst into song with “Liberation,” followed by an important announcement: “Public classes can go to hell!!!”

Wen Ci couldn’t help but laugh. “Is it over? How was it?”

“I don’t know. Anyway, it’s done.” Dou Yiqing’s voice was tired. “I need happiness, I need to vent, I need to indulge—come to KTV with me this Saturday night!”

Wen Ci hesitated. “Next week works, right?”

Dou Yiqing stretched her voice. “That’s too long! Do you have plans this Saturday?”

“A little,” Wen Ci said awkwardly. “…I’m going shopping and watching a movie with Dou Yiqing, and maybe we’ll have dinner.”

Dou Yiqing was silent for a moment. “…You’re meeting that guy again!!” Dou Yiqing quickly recalled the date she had helped her cover up last time. “It hasn’t even been long! You two meet so frequently!”

Wen Ci’s cheeks turned red. Although she knew Dou Yiqing couldn’t see her, she still held the phone with her shoulder and clasped her hands together. “Please, please. If it’s KTV, can I go with you this Friday?”

Dou Yiqing was silent for a while. “Forget it. You only have one class on Friday, and you’re going out to drink and sing with me. That’s too much!”

“It’s fine, I won’t be too tired. I’ll come to find you after school on Friday.”

“Forget it,” Dou Yiqing suddenly thought of someone. “I’ll find someone else to go with me. You! Remember to wear a condom!!!”

“…” Wen Ci closed her eyes and tried to stifle her laugh. “I know, I know. You don’t have to remind me every time.”

After chatting a little more about school, they finally hung up.

Dou Yiqing stared at her phone, her curiosity getting the best of her. She opened their high school class group and began scanning through the list of male classmates.

Wen Ci was completely unaware of the potential danger.

She finished drying her hair and sat down to write lesson plans but found it impossible to focus. So she picked up her phone again and opened her photo album.

She had taken many pictures of the dog today.

Wen Ci looked at the dog for a while, and then, unable to resist, her gaze drifted to Zhou Wu, who was beside the dog.

She had secretly taken the picture.

Zhou Wu clearly didn’t notice. He was stirring noodles, his face wearing a subtle smile. His other hand lazily rested on the dog’s head, and the muscle lines on his arm tensed slightly with his unconscious movement, drawing a clean but unexaggerated curve.

Wen Ci stared at the photo for a long time, then pressed her lips together and set the photo as the wallpaper for her WeChat chat with Zhou Wu.

—-

The next day at work, Yang Yunfei purposely came over to find Wen Ci.

She arrived just as Wen Ci was returning from her class.

“What’s up?” Wen Ci asked as she saw Yang Yunfei standing by her desk. “Is something wrong?”

“Yes.” Yang Yunfei waited until Wen Ci sat back down, then leaned in and asked mysteriously, “Wen Ci, that handsome guy yesterday—he’s not your boyfriend, right? Does he have a girlfriend?”

“No,” Wen Ci immediately denied, then vaguely added, “I think… he doesn’t have a girlfriend.”

“Then, is he your… ambiguous partner?”

Wen Ci stayed silent for a while.

Ambiguous partner? Between her and Zhou Wu, it shouldn’t… count as ambiguous, right?

Who has an ambiguous partner they don’t even talk to every day?

“Not really,” Wen Ci answered quietly.

Upon hearing her answer, Yang Yunfei sighed in relief. “That’s great. Wen Ci! Please! Give me his WeChat! My happiness for life is in your hands!”

Yang Yunfei pouted. “That guy left so quickly yesterday, I regret not asking for his WeChat right then.”

Wen Ci instinctively wanted to refuse, but stopped herself before the words came out.

Yang Yunfei just wanted his WeChat. Would it be weird if she rejected him on Zhou Wu’s behalf?

Yang Yunfei had another class soon, and seeing that time was running out, she urged, “Can you do it, Wen Ci?”

“I need to ask him first.”

Wen Ci hesitated in her heart, but her expression didn’t show it. She smiled faintly. “If he agrees, I’ll send his contact to you.”

“Great, great, I’ll wait for you!” Yang Yunfei blew her a kiss. “I’ll go to class now.”

After Yang Yunfei left, the office became quiet.

Wen Ci took out her phone and typed a message. After hesitating for a long time, erasing and typing again several times, she finally sent it:

【Wen Ci: Zhou Wu, the female teacher who was with me yesterday afternoon wants your WeChat. Is that okay?】

Zhou Wu replied immediately.

【Zhou Wu: ?】

【Zhou Wu: Not okay.】

【Zhou Wu: Be here early on Saturday. 】