Volume One, Chapter 127: Do You Want to Come to the Second Bedroom and Sleep with Me?

Zhou He was stunned, his eyes widening in disbelief as he stared at Xu Zhi. "What I just told you had nothing to do with this... Wait, are you moving in here?"

He finally caught on. "No wonder you asked why I live here."

Xu Zhi’s cheeks flushed slightly, but she stubbornly replied, "Don’t you think living here is inconvenient?"

Liang Jinmo had already approached, and Zhou He lounged back on the sofa like a lord. "I think it’s quite convenient."

Xu Zhi was speechless.

As Liang Jinmo settled onto the sofa, she looked at him with a hint of grievance.

Liang Jinmo, puzzled, asked what was wrong.

Before Xu Zhi could answer, Zhou He snorted, "Boss, your newly minted fiancée seems to want to kick me out..."

Xu Zhi hurried to deny it, "I didn’t mean that."

She felt like Zhou He was acting like a troublesome, cantankerous old woman.

Zhou He deliberately added fuel to the fire, "That’s great then. If you want to move in, just do it. I don’t mind. There are two bedrooms here; the boss and I can share one."

Xu Zhi was speechless again.

Zhou He spoke as if he owned the place.

She realized she had been mistaken. She used to fear stern elders, but now she found people like Zhou He—who usually joked and bantered—were even harder to deal with when they got serious.

Liang Jinmo glanced at Zhou He. "I don’t want to share a room with you."

Zhou He replied, "That’s fine. I’ll sleep on the sofa. Look how big this sofa is—I can lie across it sideways, lengthwise, or even upside down..."

He demonstrated different sleeping positions as he spoke. Xu Zhi found it utterly embarrassing.

When the enemy’s shamelessness surpasses yours, playing the thick-skinned card doesn’t work. She was ready to surrender but, glancing at Liang Jinmo, she couldn’t help but feel reluctant.

Forget about the others. She turned to Liang Jinmo. "Jinmo, can I move in? If Liang Muzi causes trouble, I can chase him away."

Zhou He was dangling from the edge of the large sofa and immediately looked over upon hearing this.

Liang Jinmo didn’t glance at Zhou He. His tone was calm, with no emotion: "Up to you."

Xu Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, feeling reassured. She looked at Zhou He. "Then I’ll move in today."

Zhou He snorted, "I’m not helping you move your stuff."

Xu Zhi thought he was really childish.

She didn’t have much to move anyway; she had only recently left home with Zhao Nianqiao.

Still, she went back to Liang Jinmo’s apartment once more to pick up some essentials and to inform Zhao Nianqiao.

Liang Jinmo drove her there. When they arrived, Zhao Nianqiao was on the balcony, speaking on the phone.

Xu Zhi pulled Liang Jinmo to sit on the sofa and wait.

The call lasted a long time. From the conversation, it seemed a friend was offering her a job, but the location was in Bian City.

Bian City was a coastal city, very far from Beicheng—over five hours away by plane.

Zhao Nianqiao finally said she needed to think it over and hung up.

She returned to the living room and greeted Liang Jinmo and Xu Zhi.

Xu Zhi asked, "Mom, are you going to Bian City?"

Zhao Nianqiao replied, "Not sure yet. But the job opportunity is good—it doesn’t mind my age, it’s stable, with good benefits. It’s a company founded by a college classmate, with a promising future."

Xu Zhi frowned slightly but said nothing.

She was an adult and shouldn’t cling to her mother, but their mother-daughter relationship was special and had only recently become closer, so she felt reluctant.

Zhao Nianqiao understood Xu Zhi’s feelings and, a bit reluctant herself, said, "It’s uncertain. I haven’t decided yet. There are still family matters to settle, and I want to wait and see what happens with your father’s side first."

Xu Zhi responded with a muffled "Mm."

The atmosphere grew a little tense.

Liang Jinmo, sitting beside Xu Zhi, lowered his gaze for a moment before speaking up and addressing Zhao Nianqiao, "Auntie, Xu Zhi and I just talked. She’ll move over to my place first."

Zhao Nianqiao was surprised.

Liang Jinmo was sincere. "Is that okay?"

Xu Zhi looked at him in surprise. She had been pondering how to bring this up, but he spoke first.

Zhao Nianqiao glanced at Xu Zhi and smiled. "You’re engaged, it’s only natural to live together. As her mother, I have no objections. Jinmo, just treat Zhi well."

Xu Zhi went to her room to pack, and Zhao Nianqiao followed to help.

After entering, Zhao Nianqiao closed the bedroom door and asked, "Have you thought it through?"

Xu Zhi was momentarily taken aback.

"This time is different," Zhao Nianqiao said softly. "I do support your relationship, but I just learned you used to bully Jinmo and even abandoned him. Even if you seem fine now, those things will weigh on his heart. Have you thought about how to help him let go of those burdens?"

Xu Zhi hadn’t thought it through. She was taking it step by step.

After a moment, she said, "I don’t know. But I feel I need to be near him first; otherwise, it seems like the distance between us grows."

Zhao Nianqiao still worried, "If he still cares about what happened before..."

Xu Zhi lowered her head. "When I went home before, I promised Dad to get engaged to Liang Muzi partly because I was afraid Jinmo would want revenge… But now I’ve made up my mind. I don’t want regrets. Even if it’s risky, I’m willing to take it. If… if things don’t go well…"

She looked up at Zhao Nianqiao. "It’s because I was wrong before, because I wasn’t good enough. I have no right to blame others. I’ll bear the consequences myself, at least I tried."

Zhao Nianqiao came over and stroked her head. "Then go."

All of Xu Zhi’s belongings fit into a handbag and a plastic bag.

As she left the bedroom, she caught the scent of smoke in the air and turned to look toward the living room.

Liang Jinmo was putting out a cigarette in the ashtray, then stood and came over to help her carry her things.

The two said goodbye to Zhao Nianqiao and went downstairs.

Xu Zhi sensed a slight chill in Liang Jinmo’s presence.

She didn’t quite understand why he was upset again.

When Liang Jinmo was unhappy, his aura was heavy, and those nearby felt the pressure. Xu Zhi wanted to ask but was a little afraid.

Back in the hotel suite, the three ordered takeout for dinner.

After the meal, Xu Zhi discovered something: someone seemed to be living in the secondary bedroom she used to occupy.

She asked in the living room. Zhou He said, "Oh, the room you used is being used by the boss these days."

Xu Zhi was puzzled. She had the secondary bedroom, so if Zhou He came to stay, he should take that room. But instead, Liang Jinmo had given his own bedroom to Zhou He, the guest.

Now that she had arrived, Liang Jinmo still assigned her the secondary bedroom.

As for Zhou He, before going to bed, he boldly went to the master bedroom, saying, "There’s no way I’m really sleeping on the sofa."

Liang Jinmo changed into his pajamas calmly. "Then I’ll sleep on the sofa."

Zhou He grabbed him back. "Listen, Xu Zhi is watching you like a hawk. Sleeping on the sofa isn’t safe. What if she does something to you? No one will help you—I don’t trust it."

Liang Jinmo was speechless.

Zhou He wanted to say more but was told to "shut up and sleep."

But Zhou He didn’t expect that although he went to sleep, he didn’t shut up.

He talked in his sleep and snored loudly.

Around midnight, Liang Jinmo took a blanket and went to the living room.

Xu Zhi couldn’t sleep. Hearing movement in the living room, she got up, opened the door, and saw someone on the sofa in the dark.

She tentatively asked, "Zhou He?"

Liang Jinmo replied, "It’s me. You’re still awake?"

Hearing it was him, Xu Zhi felt a bit happy. She had been lying awake, wondering why he had been so down after helping her with her things.

People in the quiet of the night tend to lower their guard. At least Liang Jinmo’s tone now was much gentler than during the day.

"I can’t sleep," she said. "What about you? Why are you out here? Aren’t you sleeping with Zhou He?"

"He talks in his sleep and snores," Liang Jinmo answered.

Standing by the sofa, Xu Zhi wanted to laugh a little. He seemed annoyed but helpless.

After hesitating a few seconds, she took a deep breath and asked, "Then… do you want to come sleep in the secondary bedroom with me?"