Volume One, Chapter Eight All he ever gave her were those half-hearted jokes, never anything sincere.

Xu Zhi truly had nowhere to vent her frustration.

Liang Muzhi was usually indifferent to everything, but now his voice was cautious. The contrast almost made her believe that he was genuinely afraid of her anger.

As so many times before, her heart softened.

Her tone gentled. “No.”

A spark lit in Liang Muzhi’s eyes. “So we’ve made up?”

“Mm.”

She was still a bit aloof, but he didn’t mind. “This really was my fault. If you’re still upset, you can hit me or yell at me, but please don’t keep it bottled up—it’s not good for your health.”

A wave of helplessness washed over her.

What could she say to him? He truly didn’t realize what was wrong with his actions. He had only favored Chen Jing and pushed her aside because of that.

She hesitated before asking, “Why don’t you put yourself in my shoes? If I asked you to take the blame for my boyfriend, how would you feel?”

Without thinking, he replied, “You don’t have a boyfriend.”

“One day I will,” she said with a small smile, a faint ache spreading through her chest. “Or do you think I’m so terrible that no one will ever pursue me, that no man will ever like me for the rest of my life?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

Liang Muzhi was taken aback. It dawned on him that he had never really imagined Xu Zhi with a boyfriend.

Their families had always joked about their childhood betrothal, saying she was meant to be his wife one day. He’d gone along with it, never taking it seriously. Xu Zhi was his childhood friend, the girl-next-door, someone who had always been part of his life. But she was so well-behaved, he couldn’t imagine spending his life with someone so dull.

He craved adventure and excitement, things she could never give him.

He suddenly remembered that back in college, quite a few boys had shown interest in her. She was so innocent that he worried she might be taken advantage of, so he’d asked her roommates to look out for her, to make sure she wasn’t deceived by some jerk.

Her roommates had teased them about their supposed relationship, and he’d gone along with it, figuring that if Xu Zhi had the reputation of having a boyfriend, the wrong kind of men would stay away.

But now, he had a girlfriend, and Xu Zhi was about to graduate. They were both adults. It was only natural for her to date.

Still, he couldn’t help but worry. “Our little Xu Zhi is so sweet—she’s bound to be fooled. There aren’t many good men out there. You’ll have to keep your eyes open and be careful with this sort of thing.”

She was still smiling, but her eyes held a trace of sorrow. “I will.”

Their gazes met, and Liang Muzhi felt a sharp sting in his chest. An inexplicable anxiety rose in him, though he couldn’t say why. He changed the subject awkwardly. “By the way, about me and Chen Jing, please don’t tell my family yet—not your parents, either. My parents and grandfather are still upset. Give me some time, and I’ll formally introduce Chen Jing to them.”

Xu Zhi lowered her gaze, recalling what Xu Heping had said.

Xu Heping wanted her to win Liang Muzhi back—but with what? That night of wind and snow, Chen Jing was at a hotel near the police station. Liang Muzhi hadn’t wanted Chen Jing to brave the storm to handle the bail, yet he’d let the police call her, far away at school.

Now that the family knew, she’d been made to take the fall for Chen Jing.

And he was even planning to introduce Chen Jing to his family.

All he’d ever given Xu Zhi were jokes, never any real consideration.

The difference was obvious. Liang Muzhi’s protection of Chen Jing showed where his true feelings lay.

She thought that this time, she probably couldn’t do as Xu Heping wished. Having already lost, she might as well retain a shred of dignity and bow out gracefully.

She nodded.

Liang Muzhi relaxed.

The food had just been served and the waiter left when more footsteps approached. Xu Zhi looked up and saw Chen Jing walking straight toward Liang Muzhi.

“We never really introduced ourselves before, and that night was so rushed, so I invited Chen Jing to join us for dinner,” Liang Muzhi explained. “You two should get to know each other.”

Xu Zhi felt her face stiffen.

“Chen Jing, this is Xiao Zhi, my best friend,” Liang Muzhi said, letting Chen Jing sit beside him. He looked at Xu Zhi. “Xiao Zhi, this is my girlfriend, Chen Jing. You’re both very important to me, so I hope you can be friends.”

Chen Jing wrapped her arms around Liang Muzhi’s and flashed a sweet smile at Xu Zhi. “Hello, Xiao Zhi. Please take care of me in the future.”

No wonder Liang Muzhi liked this kind of girl—warm and outgoing, Xu Zhi thought. But she herself was painfully shy, and found it hard to reciprocate such enthusiasm. She managed a polite smile. “Hello.”

This dinner had already become a torment for her.

Throughout the meal, Chen Jing kept offering food to Liang Muzhi and asking him to peel shrimp for her.

Xu Zhi ate quietly, wishing only to get through the evening as quickly as possible.

But Chen Jing was a chatterbox, and brought up the fight again. “So your parents know now—they should be able to sort it out for you, right? I heard those thugs are even demanding compensation.”

“Mm. My mom said our family’s lawyers will handle it.” Liang Muzhi’s tone was gentle. “Don’t worry about it anymore.”

“But it’s so strange. How did your parents find out so quickly?” Chen Jing muttered.

Liang Muzhi frowned slightly, about to reply, but Chen Jing turned to Xu Zhi. “Xiao Zhi, you didn’t tell Uncle and Auntie Liang, did you?”

Xu Zhi met her gaze. “No.”

A tense silence fell. Liang Muzhi tried to smooth things over. “Alright, Xiao Zhi has already spoken up for me. My mom only let me off because of her.”

“I just feel bad for you,” Chen Jing pouted. “Look at your face, all swollen, and you had to kneel for so long… But if no one said anything, why would your parents punish you? Someone must have told them. Xiao Zhi, I’m not accusing you, but think—maybe you told someone and it got back to them?”

Xu Zhi’s fingers tightened around her chopsticks as she thought of Liang Jinmo.

But she quickly dismissed the idea. Liang Jinmo didn’t get along with the rest of the Liang family, and he wasn’t the talkative type.

“I think Uncle and Auntie Liang probably heard it from someone else,” she replied.

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” Liang Muzhi soothed the insistent Chen Jing. “Even if Xiao Zhi accidentally told someone and it reached my parents, she took the blame for you. Let’s just move on.”

Chen Jing pouted, clearly unhappy, but finally relented. “Alright.”

Xu Zhi lost her appetite completely. She looked at Liang Muzhi, her tone icy. “So you think it’s my fault too? That I caused you to get beaten and punished, is that it?”

Liang Muzhi was taken aback.

He was a straightforward person, and once things were over, he didn’t dwell on them. What he’d just said was only to placate Chen Jing; he hadn’t really thought it through.

Xu Zhi was usually as docile as a lamb. Her sudden seriousness left him at a loss for words.

“I’m full,” Xu Zhi said, putting down her chopsticks and standing up. “You two enjoy your meal.”