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The cashier counter at the milk tea shop was surrounded by three girls: Song Siting, Zou Qi, and Wang Miaomiao.
Xu Zhiqiao had just finished making two cups of milk tea and was carefully packaging them for a customer when the delivery driver arrived to pick them up.
“Are both of those guys your Big Brothers?” Zou Qi asked eagerly. “Why did you act like you didn’t know them?”
Wang Miaomiao leaned her face into her palm, sighing, “Your two Big Brothers are seriously too handsome. On the day of freshman registration, I looked at every single guy—none of them could compare to even a single strand of their hair.”
Song Siting added, “I saw that hair salon had a transfer notice posted up. Was that your Big Brother’s doing?”
The three girls chattered over each other, leaving Xu Zhiqiao unsure of who to respond to first.
Taking a moment to organize her thoughts, she figured it was better to explain things clearly now and avoid misunderstandings later, especially since they’d be seeing each other every day.
“The one in the floral shirt is my step-Big Brother,” she began, getting straight to the point. “The one in black is his childhood friend. My Mother asked them to come pick me up.”
“How’s your relationship with them?”
“It’s… normal,” Xu Zhiqiao chose her words carefully. “That’s my Mother’s side of the family. I just happened to get into this University, so… I’m just me. My relationship with my Mother’s household is…”
How to even put it?
Xu Zhiqiao frowned, struggling to find the right phrase.
The other three stared at her, eyes wide and waiting.
After a brief stare-down, and seeing she couldn’t come up with the words, Song Siting smiled first. “It’s fine, it’s fine—we get it.”
Zou Qi and Wang Miaomiao nodded in unison.
Xu Zhiqiao let out a quiet breath.
Forget it.
It really was hard to put into words.
“But,” Song Siting suddenly shifted topics, “doesn’t that guy in black… like you?”
“……”
“Don’t be shy,” Zou Qi said with gleaming interest. “We saw it when he held your hand—so careful and tender.”
Wang Miaomiao added, “His face was cold at first, but the moment he held your hand, he started smiling.”
The mention of Zhou Cong instantly brought back the scene in the car, and Xu Zhiqiao’s mood took a nosedive.
“Don’t talk about him. He’s just my Big Brother’s friend. We’re not close.”
Song Siting tapped her fingers on the table. “He strikes me as a pretty dominant guy.”
Zou Qi grinned. “But seriously, just for that face, can’t you give him a chance?”
“……” Xu Zhiqiao’s eyelashes fluttered. “I already like someone.”
“Who?”
Xu Zhiqiao pressed her lips together. “Andy Lau.”
“……”
“I just like that type,” Xu Zhiqiao murmured. “Someone who feels reliable at first glance.”
Wang Miaomiao snorted. “Like a father?”
“……”
“That’s a pretty big difference then,” Song Siting muttered. “Your black-clothed Big Brother has that flirtatious look in his eyes. Yeah, he’s drop-dead gorgeous, but definitely not the kind of guy who makes you feel safe.”
Zou Qi patted her on the shoulder. “I get it now. Our Little Bao Zhiqiao likes someone steady, cultured, restrained, and warm.”
Xu Zhiqiao waved them off. “Go back to the table. You’re blocking customers.”
“You’re not going back to the dorm during military training, right?”
“Why?”
“It’s Miaomiao’s birthday the day after tomorrow,” said Song Siting. “We want to celebrate for her.”
Xu Zhiqiao instantly agreed, cheerful. “Sure! Don’t order a cake—I’ll make one. I’ll bring it over.”
“Great.”
–
Military training wasn’t too exhausting for Xu Zhiqiao, but the same couldn’t be said for the rest of the freshmen who came in and out of the milk tea shop every day. All of them had sun-darkened skin and baggy camouflage uniforms tucked into their pants, slumping into the shop to enjoy the air conditioning.
Occasionally, someone would recognize her from the day at the hair salon. The more outgoing ones would ask about the two handsome men by her side.
The salon had been rented out the very next day.
Still a hair salon, but the entire staff had been replaced, and the gimmicky outfits and Bluetooth earpieces were gone.
Haircuts had gone from 35 yuan to 15.
The girls’ dorm had a group chat with just the four of them, and Song Siting took the lead in choosing the restaurant for the birthday dinner—on the fifth floor of a shopping mall downtown.
The mall had six floors. The fifth and sixth were both restaurants, but despite being one level apart, the clientele they catered to were worlds apart.
Two of the girls were on diets, so Xu Zhiqiao made a six-inch cake herself. When they arrived at the hotpot restaurant, the food had just been served.
“Zhiqiao, add a few more dishes for yourself,” Wang Miaomiao offered. “My parents gave me some extra birthday money. Don’t be shy.”
Xu Zhiqiao handed her the cake and casually added two more dishes.
“I’m going to wash my hands, they’re a little sticky.”
“Don’t be long!”
The restrooms were always in the same spot in malls, but Xu Zhiqiao had a terrible sense of direction. She wandered around for a bit without finding it, and a staff member told her the fifth floor was full—she’d have to go up to the sixth.
She took the escalator.
The sixth floor was noticeably quieter, the floor tiles even shinier than downstairs.
A glowing green restroom sign led the way, and Xu Zhiqiao shook out her hands as she approached.
But the next moment, she stopped in her tracks.
Near the restroom’s ventilation window, a man leaned against it, an unlit cigarette between his lips. Their eyes met.
It was Zhou Cong.
He was wearing a black hoodie, half unzipped, revealing his pale collarbone. Loose white pants hung low on his hips, a black-and-white silk belt draped down one leg.
He looked every bit the walking definition of swagger—so dazzling it was almost intimidating.
They locked eyes for half a second before Xu Zhiqiao quickly looked away and pretended not to see him, slipping into the restroom.
Inside, a young fashionable woman was touching up her makeup. She glanced at Xu Zhiqiao through the mirror as she walked in.
After washing her hands, Xu Zhiqiao headed back out.
A woman’s voice followed behind her: “Come with me to the jewelry store, okay? I asked someone to hold a bracelet for me. Your taste is good—help me decide.”
Then came Zhou Cong’s indifferent tone. “Sure.”
Xu Zhiqiao didn’t pause. She rode the escalator back down and rejoined the hotpot dinner.
After the meal, Song Siting suggested stopping by the first floor—she wanted to buy a lipstick.
The first floor of the mall was full of cosmetic stores, sandwiched between milk tea shops and Lego and figurine stores.
Since they were already there, the girls decided to stroll around a bit and help digest their food.
Zou Qi and Wang Miaomiao headed for the figurines, so Xu Zhiqiao stayed with Song Siting and followed her into the makeup store.
By sheer coincidence, Zhou Cong was there too.
Even Song Siting looked surprised, shooting a questioning glance at Xu Zhiqiao.
But Xu Zhiqiao didn’t react. She linked arms with her and stepped inside.
Two beauty advisors were attending to a young woman—one applying makeup, the other holding a mirror, both overly attentive.
“Miss Zhao, this foundation suits your skin tone perfectly.”
Song Siting frowned. “Could you grab me a lipstick?”
“Please wait a moment,” the salesgirl replied half-heartedly. “We’re busy right now. The testers are over there—you can try them yourself.”
The so-called Miss Zhao glanced at them through the mirror, then smiled. “I’m fine on my own.”
“You’re our Black Card client, Miss Zhao,” the salesgirl said, shooting a glance at the man playing with his phone beside her. “Your experience is our top priority.”
The atmosphere turned awkwardly silent.
Then Miss Zhao suddenly spoke. “Ah Cong, how’s the makeup?”
The man lifted his eyes from his phone, his gaze falling somewhere indeterminate. “Just buy them all.”
By now, Song Siting was completely irritated. She didn’t even want the lipstick anymore and tugged at Xu Zhiqiao’s arm to leave.
But a low, magnetic voice halted them.
“Not getting the lipstick?”
It wasn’t directed at Song Siting.
Of course not.
The man straightened up, his tone cool and indifferent.
“Xu Zhiqiao.”