Volume One, Chapter 22 Is Liang Jinmo still angry? He’s sitting so far away from her.

However, Liang Jinmo hadn’t spared Xu Zhi a single glance from beginning to end.

Xu Zhi felt even more frustrated.

The car parked near the restaurant, and once they got out, Liang Jinmo and Cheng Yu walked side by side. As Cheng Yu’s little admirer, Yang Xue followed closely behind.

Zhou He slowed his pace, falling in step with Xu Zhi, who was at the back. He asked, “Xu Zhi, did you watch the video?”

Xu Zhi turned to look at him, her face growing warm as she tried to appear calm. “No.”

“You’re blushing,” Zhou He chuckled. “You’re not very good at lying, you know.”

Xu Zhi found him utterly annoying.

She bit her lip. “Did you film it?”

“Yes. That day, you spilled wine on yourself, and the boss wanted to lend you his jacket. You refused, but then he dragged you outside. I followed and saw you two in the hallway, tugging at each other,” Zhou He recalled. “It was so rare. You know, I’ve known the boss for years, and I’ve never seen him treat any girl like that. So I took out my phone and captured the precious moment.”

Xu Zhi: “…”

Zhou He really missed his calling as a content creator.

She glanced ahead, taking in Liang Jinmo’s tall figure before turning back to Zhou He. “You didn’t show him the video, did you?”

“I sent it to him the next day,” Zhou He said. “But honestly, it didn’t mean much. The boss is always cold and doesn’t take jokes well. Besides, he wasn’t drunk at the time—he remembers everything from the video. You, on the other hand…”

There was a mischievous glint in Zhou He’s eyes. “Whether you blacked out or not, I just wanted to help you relive your drunken antics.”

Xu Zhi: “…That’s really unnecessary.”

“Hahahaha!” Zhou He laughed heartily. “How did you feel after watching it?”

Xu Zhi turned away, placing her hand on her forehead. “Don’t bring it up…”

To think she’d entered the bar pretending to be sophisticated, insisting on strong liquor, only to turn out to be a lightweight who needed Liang Jinmo to clean up after her.

And worse, she shamelessly harassed him…

A thought struck Xu Zhi, and she asked Zhou He, “Could you… not tell him I watched the video?”

Zhou He was taken aback.

But soon, he caught on to her little scheme. “You want to pretend you blacked out and don’t remember any of it?”

Xu Zhi felt guilty, but she couldn’t think of a better plan. “Please.”

“Well, it’s not impossible,” Zhou He mused, “but you’ll have to answer a few questions honestly.”

Xu Zhi: “What kind of questions?”

“What’s your relationship with our boss?”

“Neighbors,” she replied.

Zhou He looked skeptical. “Come on, you’re not being honest. I don’t believe the boss would treat a regular neighbor girl like that. Ever since I met him in the States, he’s never shown that kind of patience with any girl. Even when someone threw up on him, he didn’t get angry, just helped clean up.”

Xu Zhi fell silent.

Her relationship with Liang Jinmo wasn’t close; in fact, she’d once been one of those who bullied him. How was she supposed to explain that to Zhou He? As the boss’s close friend, he’d probably punch her…

She didn’t reply, and Zhou He sighed. “I’ll tell you, the boss had a tough time when he was in America. I know a bit about his family situation. During his grad school years, he worked himself to the bone to earn enough credits, barely sleeping or eating, and he had to work to pay his living expenses. He really… had it hard.”

Xu Zhi was silent for a moment before saying, “I know.”

She knew that what she’d witnessed was only a tiny fraction of the hardships Liang Jinmo had endured.

They were almost at the restaurant when Zhou He glanced at the others ahead and slowed his pace even more. “The boss looks like that, so he’s never short on girls around him, but he’s always been indifferent toward women. In America, some classmates even wondered if he was gay. I just think…”

“He’s never dated anyone, so I feel a bit insecure.”

Xu Zhi: “…”

“You… might be overthinking it?” Xu Zhi slowed her steps, a twitch at the corner of her eye. Even if Liang Jinmo liked men, Zhou He was far too rowdy to be his type.

Zhou He burst out laughing. “Just kidding. But, as his buddy, I really hope he finds someone. He’s different with you—maybe you should think about it?”

Xu Zhi had no idea how to “think about it.” Liang Jinmo had never said anything to her…

Besides, how could he possibly like her? Zhou He didn’t know about the past. If he did, he’d never suggest such a thing.

No one would like someone who had bullied them. On that day, years ago, when she met Liang Jinmo’s eyes, she hadn’t understood his expression—but now she did.

It was contempt and disgust.

The others entered the restaurant ahead, and Zhou He urged her, “Say something!”

Xu Zhi was quiet for a few seconds, then, without another word, hurried forward and entered the restaurant.

Zhou He: “…”

Xu Zhi caught up to Yang Xue, and, guided by the waiter, they entered a private dining room together.

The room was spacious, so even though the table was round, they could sit far apart.

Yang Xue took the seat next to Cheng Yu, and Xu Zhi sat on Yang Xue’s other side.

Liang Jinmo, silent, chose the seat beside Cheng Yu.

Zhou He entered, glanced around, and joked, “Cheng Yu really is the golden boy—everyone wants to sit by him. Well, I’ll take the seat next to Xu Zhi then.”

Xu Zhi lowered her head to look at the menu, still wondering if Liang Jinmo was angry with her. He was sitting so far away.

After they ordered, Zhou He remembered something and asked Xu Zhi, “Do you want to invite any other friends? It’s your birthday, after all.”

The first name that flashed through Xu Zhi’s mind was Liang Muzhi.

Her expression stiffened, and after a couple of seconds, she forced a weak smile. “No need.”

She hated herself for her lack of resolve. Why, even now, did she still think of Liang Muzhi?

He had already gone to Hong Kong with Chen Jing, living it up and barely bothering to send her a perfunctory gift. She didn’t know what she was still clinging to.

Suddenly, her mood soured, a wave of frustration with herself for being so weak.

But her nature wouldn’t allow her to show it and spoil the mood, so she pretended to be cheerful, called the waiter over, and asked everyone if they wanted any drinks.

“You’re drinking again?” Zhou He teased.

Xu Zhi’s cheeks heated. “I’m not, but you all can, if you like.”

Yang Xue ordered fruit wine and said to Xu Zhi, “It’s fine, have some with me. It’s really low alcohol.”

After her last drunken episode, Xu Zhi was well aware of her limits and didn’t bother pretending. “I’ll stick to juice.”

With so many people here, if she embarrassed herself again like that night, she’d want to jump off a building.

The men ordered a few cans of beer. When the food was served, everyone ate and chatted.

Liang Jinmo was a bit more talkative than usual, mostly because he and Cheng Yu were discussing their team’s prospects.

Xu Zhi had joined the conversation at first, but gradually fell silent. She realized that Liang Jinmo hadn’t looked at her even once.

With Zhou He and Yang Xue keeping the atmosphere lively, there was no risk of awkwardness. Midway through the meal, someone knocked on the door—a delivery guy entered. “Mr. Zhou, here’s the cake you ordered for Ms. Xu. Could you sign for it?”

Xu Zhi’s day had been so chaotic, she’d completely forgotten about the birthday cake.

She hadn’t expected Zhou He to remember.

Zhou He signed for the cake. Yang Xue, as if she'd stumbled upon something big, shot Xu Zhi a barrage of meaningful looks: Something’s going on?

Xu Zhi poked Yang Xue under the table, signaling her not to overthink.

But when she looked up, she accidentally met a pair of familiar dark eyes.

Liang Jinmo was staring at her.

It was the first time all day he’d looked at her directly.

Xu Zhi felt her heart skip a beat.