Chapter 3: “Don’t be in such a rush to throw yourself into my arms, good girl.”

The surrounding noise filled her ears, deafening, as if trying to swallow her whole.

Across the table, Xia Zhicha and Fu Chiyu locked eyes.

Fu Chiyu’s pupils were dark, making his almond-shaped eyes seem especially deep. There was a lazy smirk in them, like he could see straight through to her heart.

Charming and dangerous.

Her ears burned hotter, and Xia Zhicha quickly looked away, trying to cover her fluster by typing.

Xia Zhicha: [Slipped hand…]

Fu Chiyu didn’t reply. She didn’t dare check his reaction either. She switched apps and started scrolling through something else.

If one ignored the slight tremble in her fingertips, she might have looked calm.

So embarrassing…

Xia Zhicha kept repeating in her mind.

Would he think she was being forward?

“Zhizhi, want a sip?”

At that moment, Jiang Lili tapped her shoulder and waved a beer bottle in front of her. “I’ve never seen you drink. Want to try?”

Xia Zhicha had never drunk alcohol before. As a lifelong good girl, alcohol always felt like a dangerous thing to her.

She was just about to decline when Jiang Lili had already stuffed a glass in her hand.

Jiang Lili was tipsy and overly enthusiastic, pulling her in by the shoulders. “Trying once won’t hurt! It’s just beer—low alcohol content. Just think of it like soda.”

As she spoke, she filled the glass in Xia Zhicha’s hand.

Xia Zhicha wasn’t good at resisting this kind of enthusiasm. After a moment’s hesitation, she looked up—only to accidentally meet Fu Chiyu’s gaze again.

He was also holding a glass, resting it near his lips, looking bored.

Noticing her gaze, he paused, narrowed his eyes slightly, and then raised his glass slightly toward her.

As if toasting her from afar.

Then he smirked, tipped his head back, and downed the drink in one go, his prominent Adam’s apple moving with the motion.

A picture of careless charm and practiced flirtation.

It felt like all the blood in her body rushed to her head. Her wrist trembled like it had been shocked. Nervously, she looked down and took a small sip of the beer.

The sharp bitterness hit her throat unexpectedly. Xia Zhicha coughed violently, unable to handle the taste.

Her glass shook with her movements, spilling beer onto her hand as she turned red from the coughing fit.

“Oh my god.” Jiang Lili hadn’t expected such a strong reaction. Most of her buzz vanished in an instant. She quickly took the glass from Xia Zhicha and started patting her back. “You really can’t drink at all?!”

Xia Zhicha shook her head, wanting to explain that she’d just choked, but her throat was still sore. Her face stayed flushed.

It took her a while to calm down.

Seeing she was okay, Jiang Lili sighed in relief and handed her a soda. “Here, this’ll help. Guess from now on, we’ll have to put you at the kids’ table during parties.”

Gao Yuyang laughed and tried to smooth things over. “Sorry, sorry. Next time, we’ll order fewer drinks.”

Xia Zhicha opened her mouth, but her voice came out raspy. She decided to stay quiet.

She didn’t dare lift her head, afraid to see a mocking expression on Fu Chiyu’s face.

Of all people, it had to be in front of Fu Chiyu…

A wave of regret rose in her chest. Xia Zhicha suddenly felt a little miserable.

She knew it was just a dinner, and maybe he wouldn’t even remember her after tonight—but she still didn’t want to embarrass herself in front of him.

He might even think she was a buzzkill.

Her thoughts were a chaotic mess. Xia Zhicha looked down, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her shirt until the fabric wrinkled.

“Waiter, can we get some tissues?”

Right then, she heard Fu Chiyu’s calm voice.

The service was fast. A fresh pack of tissues was brought to the table.

Xia Zhicha kept her head low but carefully peeked up just enough to see what Fu Chiyu was doing.

She didn’t dare look at his face. All she could see were his slender, well-shaped fingers slowly tearing open the pack, then pulling out two tissues.

He handed them to her.

“Wipe your hands.” His tone was flat and unhurried. “If the alcohol dries, it’ll get sticky.”

Xia Zhicha blinked and took the tissue like she’d just woken from a dream. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Fu Chiyu didn’t seem anything like the rumors—arrogant, cold, or rude.

He was even… considerate?

She lowered her head and carefully wiped her hands. Still feeling a bit sticky, she decided to go to the restroom.

The restroom was tucked away in a quiet corner of the restaurant. Small, with only one sink, and a mirror cracked in the corner and fogged with water stains.

While washing her hands, Xia Zhicha looked at herself in the mirror. Her face was still flushed, and the broken reflection made her features appear even softer.

…So pathetic, Xia Zhicha.

You meet him again after so long—he doesn’t even remember you—and yet you’re this flustered?

She had promised herself she would let go of this crush. That she wouldn’t keep chasing after someone so out of reach.

Yet the moment she saw him again, her emotions spun out of control, rising and falling with his every move, every word.

Cold water ran over her hands. She bent down to splash her face, trying to calm herself.

Only when her face had cooled did she dry her eyes with a few wipes, then turned to leave.

Still distracted, her steps were quick—and just as she exited, her forehead slammed into someone’s chest.

It was a hard hit. She stumbled backward, hearing the other person grunt softly.

“I’m so sorry—!” she blurted.

Before she could finish, a cool hand gently pinched the back of her neck.

She instinctively shrank back and looked up. When she saw it was Fu Chiyu, her eyes widened.

He calmly retracted his hand, his beautiful eyes curved with mischief, voice teasing:

“Don’t be in such a rush to throw yourself into my arms, good girl.”