“They only went to the same high school. Calling her a ‘comrade-in-arms’ is a bit dramatic.”
Qin Yun clicked his tongue.
“Was he really that close to Wen Ci? He even invited her to dinner—oh, wait. I suppose they were fairly close in high school. Xiang Wenwen invited her to his wedding too.”
Zhou Wu’s eyelids drooped lazily as his gaze remained on the photograph.
He did not answer.
“Didn’t Duan Wei say Xiang Wenwen has been extremely busy lately? She said they haven’t seen each other in almost two weeks.”
Qin Yun continued, “He looks quite free to me.”
Remembering the conversation he had shared with Dou Yiqing in the car, Qin Yun secretly glanced at Zhou Wu and tested him.
“When we were in Bincheng, I didn’t see the two of them call each other even once. What married couple behaves like that?”
“Do you think they might genuinely be preparing to divorce?”
The phone was tossed back into his hand.
Zhou Wu’s tone was casual, and his face revealed nothing.
“I don’t know.”
It was not yet nighttime, so Blue Note was not crowded.
A server placed drinks on the table.
Qin Yun temporarily ended the subject and set a glass in front of Zhou Wu.
“Here. Try it. It’s a new drink that just arrived.”
Zhou Wu gave a quiet hum of acknowledgement but remained seated without touching it.
Qin Yun took a sip.
It was sharp, sweet and stimulating, identical to the drink he and Dou Yiqing had tried at the island bar.
Satisfied, he picked up his phone, planning to photograph it and tempt Dou Yiqing.
Then he noticed a new comment beneath Xiang Wenwen’s post.
**Unreasonable Damn Woman: Help, why are you two eating at the library… Just seeing this place is giving me PTSD.**
“F*ck!”
Qin Yun opened their conversation and held down the voice-message button.
“Dou Yiqing, you’d rather comment beneath Xiang Wenwen’s post than reply to me? Are you ill—hey, where are you going?”
Zhou Wu stood and left the untouched drink on the table.
“I have something to do. I’m leaving.”
…
The library dining area was surrounded by greenery, with an enormous bookshelf behind it.
The atmosphere was quiet and comfortable.
Although it was not part of the reading area, many students worked while eating nearby, so everyone instinctively kept their voices low.
Xiang Wenwen took a sip of water.
“Why didn’t Yiqing come with you today?”
“She enrolled in an online course. She’s been taking classes at home recently,” Wen Ci answered.
“Has her relationship with her family improved?”
Xiang Wenwen remembered something.
“Her parents said she fell out with them because she refused to attend a matchmaking date.”
Wen Ci shook her head, then asked in surprise, “You’ve met her parents?”
“For work. I visited many of the senior professors in the city.”
Xiang Wenwen shrugged.
“I originally wanted you to introduce me to Professor Wen, but I happened to meet him in Guang’an.”
“To be honest, I didn’t expect Yiqing’s relationship with her family to become so strained.”
“But I understand. Marriage is something you genuinely have to consider carefully.”
Knowing that Xiang Wenwen’s marriage was not going particularly well, Wen Ci merely lifted the corners of her lips faintly and did not question him.
She did not want to touch upon his pain.
Besides…
She herself carried a strange instinct to avoid the subject.
The topic clearly made Xiang Wenwen somewhat frustrated too.
He shook his head, adjusted his expression and changed the subject.
“I haven’t visited this place in years. Do you remember?”
“During high school, the three of us often met here to solve practice questions. Whenever we became hungry, we would eat sandwiches here.”
“There weren’t many restaurants nearby back then, and the dining area was always crowded. We had to queue for half an hour every time.”
“Once, Dou Yiqing secretly brought bread into the reading area because she wanted to save time on eating. She was fined two hundred yuan.”
Remembering the chaotic scene, Wen Ci laughed and nodded.
“I remember.”
“And that time a couple were becoming intimate in the library. She walked over and asked whether they were too poor to book a hotel room—”
“Is anyone sitting here?”
Xiang Wenwen was absorbed in reminiscing when a cold voice interrupted him.
Hearing the familiar voice, Wen Ci froze.
When she looked up, the smile on her face had not yet disappeared.
“There are empty seats everywhere. There’s no need to share our table.”
Xiang Wenwen refused politely and instinctively looked towards the newcomer.
Then surprise crossed his face, followed by a strange expression.
“…Zhou Wu? Why are you here?”
Zhou Wu’s gaze swept over Wen Ci’s face.
Her eyes were curved.
Apparently, she had been having a pleasant conversation.
“Passing by.”
He ignored Xiang Wenwen’s refusal, pulled out a chair and sat.
“What about you?”
Zhou Wu wore a white shirt that day, the sleeves rolled to his elbows.
When he sat, his long legs—covered by black suit trousers—rested casually apart.
He was handsome enough to attract attention.
Several diners at the surrounding tables could not resist glancing towards them.
A trace of irritation flashed through Xiang Wenwen’s eyes.
Recently, Zhou Wu’s name had appeared repeatedly in his conversations with Duan Wei.
Not one mention had been pleasant to hear.
However, the adult world was always filled with pretence.
Xiang Wenwen forced a smile.
“Wen Ci and I happened to meet, so we decided to have dinner together.”
Zhou Wu noticed the fleeting disgust but did not care.
He nodded lazily.
“Why eat here?”
“Since we were already here, we thought we might revisit some old memories.”
Revisit old memories?
Zhou Wu leaned against the chair and looked towards the person beside him.
“You used to come here often?”
Wen Ci wanted to ask when he had returned.
But she was afraid she might accidentally reveal that she knew he and Duan Wei had previously been together in Bincheng.
So she suppressed the question.
Sensing Zhou Wu’s gaze, she returned to her senses and softly answered, “Mm. During high school, we often came here on weekends to complete practice questions together.”
Zhou Wu scoffed.
“Practice questions? What’s worth remembering about that?”
Xiang Wenwen:
“…”
“That’s true.”
Xiang Wenwen smiled and casually agreed.
“I still remember our final year. We studied like we were insane.”
“Whenever Wen Ci and I happened to meet on the bus, both of us would be holding notebooks filled with our mistakes.”
Wen Ci smiled and was about to respond when someone’s knee touched hers.
“The bus?”
Zhou Wu looked at her.
“Didn’t you ride a bicycle to school?”
Wen Ci suddenly remembered their encounter outside the school gates.
When Qin Yun asked how Zhou Wu knew she owned a bicycle, Zhou Wu had replied that she used to ride one to school.
She had assumed he had merely said that to placate Qin Yun.
Unexpectedly, Zhou Wu genuinely believed it.
“How could she?” Xiang Wenwen answered first. “Jiangcheng Middle School didn’t allow students to cycle to and from school.”
As expected, Zhou Wu raised an eyebrow and gave a faint, “Oh.”
Wen Ci remained calm.
Her home was close to the school, and after work, she often cycled directly to the hotel.
It was normal for Zhou Wu to have formed that impression.
She lowered her eyes and was about to spear a piece of tomato when his knee touched hers again.
“Then, Ms Wen, how did you bring a bicycle onto school grounds?”
Zhou Wu dragged out the words and questioned her in amusement.
“Did you break school rules?”
Wen Ci froze.
“I didn’t.”
“I saw you.”
Zhou Wu raised his eyelids slightly.
“It was the afternoon after the first monthly exam in the second semester of our second year.”
“I had just finished a basketball match and saw you pushing a bicycle away.”
“I didn’t—”
Wen Ci stopped.
Wait.
She stared at Zhou Wu blankly as the memory slowly returned.
She seemed to have genuinely ridden a bicycle at school once.
During the final match of the second-year basketball tournament, their class had played against another.
Zhou Wu had been their primary forward.
The basketball matches were always held after school in the afternoon.
At the time, Wen Ci had to return home punctually every day, so she had missed every match.
To watch Zhou Wu play in the final, she lied to her family for the first time and said she needed to remain behind to work on the classroom noticeboard.
Coincidentally, Mother Wen had been attending a wedding that day, so she asked Wen Ci to bring her bicycle home when she left school.
It had been the first time Wen Ci lied because of Zhou Wu.
Even she had almost forgotten it.
“It was an old, battered black bicycle, and it was very tall.”
The library table was narrow, already full with three people.
Beneath it, Zhou Wu’s leg had never moved away and remained lightly pressed against hers.
He slowly helped her remember.
“You had to pedal twice before you managed to climb onto it.”
“…”
Her heartbeat gradually quickened.
Although he was teasing her for having short legs, Wen Ci felt an inexplicable, tiny spark of happiness.
“Sorry.”
She admitted her mistake.
“…But it happened only once.”
…
After seeing Zhou Wu, Xiang Wenwen no longer felt like reminiscing.
After eating briefly, the three left the library together.
Outside, the sky was completely dark, and the leaves rustled in the wind.
In the night breeze, Xiang Wenwen caught the faint fragrance on Wen Ci.
He suddenly remembered that during high school, everyone had suffered beneath their studies and the high temperatures.
By the end of the school day, most people carried a faint smell of sweat.
Wen Ci never did.
Her uniform, hair and the exposed section of her arm always carried a delicate osmanthus fragrance.
“That’s enough for today. See you next time.”
Xiang Wenwen smiled politely and said goodbye to Zhou Wu.
Then he turned towards Wen Ci.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you home.”
Zhou Wu did not even look at him.
He lowered his eyes and asked casually, “Do you want him to drive you, or me?”
His expression remained calm.
Internally, he decided that if she dared choose Xiang Wenwen, he would block Xiang Wenwen’s car before it could leave.
Wen Ci knew nothing of his thoughts.
She did not hesitate and stood firmly beside Zhou Wu.
“Zhou Wu can take me. See you next time, Class Monitor.”
…
After entering the car, Wen Ci fastened her seat belt and finally asked, “When did you return?”
“This afternoon. I had just got off the plane,” Zhou Wu answered as he started the car.
Wen Ci gave a quiet, “Oh.”
She remembered the Moments post Duan Wei had uploaded that afternoon.
She tried to restrain herself but failed.
Holding the canvas bag on her knees with both hands, she pretended to ask casually, “Did Duan Wei not return with you? I saw her Moments this afternoon… She still seems to be in Bincheng.”
“Why would we return together?”
Zhou Wu said, “I flew from Singapore.”
Wen Ci looked at him.
“You went to Singapore?”
“Mm. I went the day after you left.”
Zhou Wu spoke calmly.
“Didn’t I tell you during the video call? Something suddenly came up, so I couldn’t return to Jiangcheng yet.”
Wen Ci stared blankly.
“I thought…”
“What did you think?” Zhou Wu asked.
Wen Ci shook her head.
“Nothing.”
She had thought that when Zhou Wu said he had “something to handle,” he meant he was going to remain in Bincheng and holiday with Duan Wei.
That was why, every time she spoke to Zhou Wu over the past week, she resisted asking what he was doing or when he would return.
She was afraid his reply might contain Duan Wei’s name.
Yet she could not suppress her anxiety and secretly checked Duan Wei’s Moments countless times every day.
So they had not been together.
Wen Ci released the canvas bag and shamefully breathed a sigh of relief.
“Ms Wen, I’ve noticed you never pay attention to the road when you’re in a car,” Zhou Wu suddenly said slowly.
“Mm?”
“I’m practically abducting you into the mountains. Haven’t you noticed?”
Wen Ci raised her head and looked outside.
The scenery beside the road was unfamiliar.
They were neither travelling towards her home nor the hotel.
The car stopped at a red light.
Zhou Wu leaned back against the seat and turned to look at her.
His eyes were dark, carrying a faint, seductive quality.
“Yeye has learned how to do a handstand.”
He invited her, “Do you want to visit my home and see?”
…
Naturally, Wen Ci took the bait.
Zhou Wu’s new home was located in the best area of Jiangcheng.
Because the properties were not openly traded on the market, ordinary people could not even learn their prices.
There were several employees inside the residential car park alone.
When Zhou Wu and Wen Ci passed, the employees even saluted them.
Wen Ci froze and instinctively bowed in return.
Zhou Wu turned aside to suppress his laughter.
There was only one residence on each floor.
The moment the lift doors opened, Wen Ci heard Yeye barking loudly.
“Woof! Woof! Woof!”
Zhou Wu opened the door and moved him aside with one foot.
“If we receive another complaint, you’re going back to your old home.”
Yeye immediately became obedient.
The moment Wen Ci entered, he rushed towards her with all four limbs.
Because of his owner’s warning, he only dared release excited whimpers.
Wen Ci’s heart softened.
She crouched and stroked him, saying in delight, “He still remembers me.”
“Not necessarily,” Zhou Wu said. “He might be pretending.”
Yeye cried, “Whine-woof!”
Wen Ci immediately defended him.
“He does remember me.”
“Fine.”
Zhou Wu laughed, nodded and pointed towards the wall.
“Yeye, go. Do a handstand.”
Wen Ci froze.
“He can genuinely do one?”
“Of course.”
Zhou Wu looked amused.
“Did you think I lied to bring you home so I could sleep with you?”
“…………”
Wen Ci’s face heated.
She hurriedly released Yeye and stood to give him space.
She lied, “No. I didn’t think that… Go on, Yeye.”
Yeye barked.
Wen Ci waited.
Yeye remained seated on the floor, facing her without moving.
Wen Ci clasped both hands awkwardly in front of herself and looked from side to side.
“Is he deciding which wall to use?”
Zhou Wu laughed quietly.
Before Wen Ci could react, he caught her chin and lowered his head to kiss her.
He was laughing so hard that his breath trembled against her face, tickling her until her heart tingled.
“Sorry, Ms Wen. I did lie to bring you home so I could sleep with you.”
…
Their clothes were scattered across the floor, and Yeye had been locked outside the bathroom.
He paced anxiously as he listened to the water and Wen Ci’s occasional uncontrollable gasps from within.
Wen Ci sat on the tiled edge of the bathtub with her legs held apart.
Zhou Wu stood between them.
The wall against her back was cold, while Zhou Wu’s fingers were hot.
From this position, Wen Ci could see everything clearly.
Her ears burned, and her face became bright red.
Unable to confront the sight, she instinctively closed her eyes and leaned forwards to kiss him.
Their lips had only touched when Zhou Wu moved aside.
He lowered his eyes, and his free hand covered Wen Ci’s lower abdomen.
Even in this position, there was barely any softness gathered there.
“Ms Wen, why have you always been so thin?” Zhou Wu asked.
Wen Ci did not understand why he wanted to begin a conversation at that moment.
“I… haven’t.”
“Were you this thin in high school too?”
Zhou Wu tried to remember.
“Mm… I’m a little heavier now.”
Zhou Wu sounded regretful.
“I should have become close to you in high school.”
Wen Ci’s thoughts were already blurred.
Only after a long pause did she respond.
“What…?”
“Then I wouldn’t have needed to write my English homework.”
Zhou Wu’s voice carried a lazy hoarseness, wrapped in desire as it sounded low beside Wen Ci’s ear.
Wen Ci rested her head against his chest and breathed silently for a long time.
Then she shook her head.
“That… still wouldn’t be allowed. You would have needed to write it.”
Zhou Wu laughed.
He withdrew his hand and wiped his wet fingers against Wen Ci’s thigh.
Before she could recover, Zhou Wu supported her hips.
Immediately afterwards, the sudden stimulation made her throw herself backwards.
Zhou Wu had anticipated it.
He placed a hand behind her head and prevented her from striking the wall.
Wen Ci trembled, still dazed.
Zhou Wu lowered his head and kissed her.
His tone was identical to the one he had used while casually chatting earlier.
“Do you still like Xiang Wenwen?”
Wen Ci’s half-closed eyes abruptly opened.
Flushed and helpless, she stared at Zhou Wu without knowing how to answer.
She was terrible at lying in front of him.
Without Xiang Wenwen as an excuse, she would never be able to conceal her feelings.
If Zhou Wu discovered that she liked him, would he feel burdened and end their relationship?
…After all, Duan Wei might soon change her mind.
Wen Ci decided to choose the safest answer.
She replied quietly, “I li—ah!”
Wen Ci had only produced the first syllable before Zhou Wu bit her hard.
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