After Zhang Xiaoyu closed the door, only Jing Zhe and Zhou Ziqiong remained in the room, and the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

"Sixth Sister, if they're not drinking, let's drink together!"

Seeing the atmosphere getting increasingly awkward, Jing Zhe could only pour himself a glass of wine to cover up his embarrassment.

Zhou Ziqiong shook her head: "I can't drink it..."

"..."

Jing Zhe was taken aback, then remembered that Zhou Ziqiong had been menstruating for the past few days and naturally couldn't drink alcohol.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but chuckle. Zhang Xiaoyu had specifically emphasized that there was no one upstairs—Zhou Ziqiong was menstruating, so even if they really wanted something to happen, it wouldn't be possible!

"Okay, then I'll drink it!"

Jing Zhe picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Zhou Ziqiong poured herself a cup of tea and said with a smile, "Zhe'er, since your sixth sister can't drink alcohol, I'll use tea instead. Thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for helping Zhou Family Cloth Shop get out of its predicament and rise from the ashes, and thank you for helping me too."

As she spoke, Zhou Ziqiong raised her teacup and looked at Jing Zhe with a gentle smile.

However, Jing Zhe did not raise his glass. He looked at Zhou Ziqiong with a serious expression and said, "Sixth Sister, I do not accept this."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't help you."

"If this doesn't count as helping—then what does?"

Jing Zhe shook his head and stared intently into Zhou Ziqiong's eyes: "You are my most beloved—Sixth Sister, and also my closest woman. No matter what difficulties you encounter, they are the same as my difficulties. Do you think it counts as helping me if I do things for myself?"

"..."

Hearing Jing Zhe's explanation, Zhou Ziqiong didn't know what to say, but her heart felt warm, especially when she heard Jing Zhe say "my favorite," her heart pounded wildly.

She would be even happier if he switched the terms after "favorite" and "closest".

Thinking of this, Zhou Ziqiong felt shy.

She then quickly raised her glass and drank it all in one gulp, only then did she feel a little calmer.

"Sixth Sister, I didn't even accept it, why did you drink it?"

"Ah...it's okay, if you don't want to drink it, I'll pour you another one."

As she spoke, Zhou Ziqiong poured herself another glass.

"Since Sixth Sister has already drunk, I naturally have to join her."

Jing Zhe gave a wry smile and drank the wine as well.

He was in a good mood today, so he went downstairs to toast everyone, and was toasted in return. He was already a little unsteady on his way upstairs, and now with another drink, he started to feel dizzy.

"Sixth Sister, wait..."

He had just put down his wine glass when he saw Zhou Ziqiong pick up her teacup, looking like she was about to drink again, so Jing Zhe quickly stopped her.

"Sixth Sister, let's talk for a bit first, no rush to drink! I've already drunk too much, I'm afraid I can't drink any more."

"Zhe'er, didn't your sixth sister tell you? I'll drink, you just watch!"

With that, he pushed Jing Zhe's hand away and drank it all in one gulp again.

"..."

Jing Zhe was speechless. As a guest, he had to drink since even a woman had drunk.

She had no choice but to grit her teeth and drink another cup, then snatched the teapot back and wouldn't give it to Zhou Ziqiong no matter what she said.

"Sixth Sister, let's talk for a bit!"

"Okay, go ahead and tell me!"

Actually, Zhou Ziqiong did it on purpose. They say people speak the truth when they're drunk, and she wanted to wait until Jing Zhe was completely drunk so she could ask him questions she cared about.

"Sixth Sister, I'm leaving."

"Um…"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Ziqiong lowered her head.

In fact, she knew that Jing Zhe had come from Jingzhou with a lot of missions, and he couldn't stay in Ruzhou forever.

So when the Ruzhou branch of Da'an Daily successfully opened for business, that would be the day he left. Zhou Ziqiong was very conflicted about this, because she both hoped that Da'an Daily would be successful, but she was also particularly afraid that it would be successful, because then it would be time to say goodbye.

After so many years apart, Zhou Ziqiong had grown accustomed to having Jing Zhe by her side and relying on him. At this moment, she dared not imagine how she would live without Jing Zhe.

Thinking about this made her feel so uncomfortable that she felt like she was suffocating.

She looked up, her eyes filled with pity: "Zhe'er, when will you come back?"

Jing Zhe thought for a moment and said, "My last stop is Jiangling. From Jiangling, I'll be traveling back to Jingzhou by water, so at least for the time being, I probably won't be coming to Ruzhou again. It's possible that I'll never come to Ruzhou again!"

"..."

Upon hearing the last sentence, Zhou Ziqiong's eyes were filled with tears that were about to fall.

"What, you've left and you don't want to come back to see your sixth sister anymore?"

Zhou Ziqiong bit her lip to stop herself from crying.

"I'm not coming back."

Seeing Zhou Ziqiong on the verge of tears, Jing Zhe immediately said, "Because I'm planning to send Sixth Sister to Jingzhou! I've gotten used to spending so many days with Sixth Sister in Ruzhou. If it weren't for this mission, I wouldn't want to leave Sixth Sister! I don't know when I'll finish my work in Jiangling, and then I'll have to go back to Jingzhou to report back, which will take a long time. If I don't see Sixth Sister for so long, I'm afraid I'll go crazy! So Sixth Sister, let's go to Jingzhou! That way, I can see Sixth Sister as soon as I return to Jingzhou!"

"..."

Hearing this, Zhou Ziqiong's expression finally softened. She stared at Jing Zhe and finally reached out her hand.

"Ouch! That hurts, Sixth Sister!"

It turned out that Zhou Ziqiong's hand landed on Jing Zhe's arm again, and then circled his arm three times to the left and three times to the right, making intimate contact with it.

Does it hurt?

"pain."

"Serves you right! Who told you to tease me on purpose!"

"..."

Zhou Ziqiong said with a pout.

She then added, "Sixth Sister will also miss you. When you return to Jingzhou from Jiangling, write to me in advance so I can stay in Jingzhou for a while longer."

Upon hearing this, Jing Zhe stepped forward and took Zhou Ziqiong's hand: "Sixth Sister, I don't want you to stay in Jingzhou for just a few days, but I want you to return to Jingzhou completely, so that as long as I am in Jingzhou, I can see you every time I open my eyes."

Jing Zhe spoke with deep emotion, and Zhou Ziqiong listened with equal emotion.

Then, Zhou Ziqiong raised her teacup and drank it all in one gulp. Her gaze then fell on the wine glass in front of Jing Zhe.

"..."

At this point, Jing Zhe had no choice but to bite the bullet and go for it again.

After he finished drinking, Zhou Ziqiong asked, "Zhe'er, are you telling the truth?"

"Of course it's the truth! Do you think I would lie to you, Sixth Sister?"

"I know you wouldn't dare!"

After saying that, Zhou Ziqiong laughed at herself.

"Sixth Sister, how about we go back to Jingzhou? Second Sister is there too, and Fifth Sister should be going back soon. After I go to Kunlun County and Jiangling, I'll take Third Sister and Fourth Sister back to Jingzhou. Then we'll renovate the Jing family home properly, and it'll be just like when we were kids. What do you say, Sixth Sister?"

As he spoke, Jing Zhe pulled Zhou Ziqiong into his arms and sat down on the same chair.

————