Chapter 68 No, I am today...

Zhou Yue frowned, his sharp gaze landing on her face, his voice carrying an undeniable sense of pressure: "Why do you say that?"

Lin Zhiyi remained unmoved. She gently waved her hand, signaling him not to be so tense, and said with a hint of composure and amusement, "If you really have a girlfriend, why don't your parents know anything about it? Why did they personally bring you here for a blind date?"

She paused halfway through her sentence, a faint smile playing on her lips, a smile that, though not deep, was like a hidden nail gently embedded: "Is it because you can't tell your parents about this so-called girlfriend?"

The restaurant lights illuminated her eyes, making them appear clear and resolute. She looked up at him, her voice gentle yet leaving no room for retreat: "Or perhaps... she never even agreed to be with you?"

Zhou Yue's shoulders trembled almost imperceptibly, and his brows furrowed even more tightly. But in that instant, he still revealed a slight flaw, as someone had silently exposed his deepest thoughts.

He struggled to suppress the surging emotions in his chest, his voice low and hoarse: "How could you think that?"

Lin Zhiyi's expression was calm, with a faint smile on her lips, seemingly unintentional, yet with an air of certainty: "Even the smartest man will show it in his eyes when he likes someone. The hesitation you showed when you sat down already betrayed you."

Zhou Yue's fingertips tightened. For the first time, he looked directly at Lin Zhiyi. She seemed gentle, but in reality, she was sharp. Zhou Yue felt a surge of irritation in his chest, but he had to admit that she was right. Xia Zhiyao had never truly given him an answer.

After a few seconds of silence, he suddenly spoke, his tone cold: "And what about you? Weren't you also pushed along here?"

Lin Zhiyi remained expressionless, her eyes clear, and first chuckled, "I did it voluntarily."

Her tone was calm, yet carried an almost cold frankness: "I'm almost thirty, and I need to get married. But who the partner is, it doesn't really matter." She said it so casually.

Zhou Yue stared at her, and he could tell that she was sincere. He suddenly felt a strange sense of unfamiliarity.

The Lin Zhiyi before him was completely different from Xia Zhiyao. One regarded marriage as a necessity and was so rational that she didn't care who the other person was; the other was trapped in the past, unwilling to let go, and unwilling to give him an answer.

Zhou Yue's gaze darkened: "Why?"

Lin Zhiyi met his gaze quietly, her expression calm to the point of being indifferent: "I am the only daughter in my family." She paused, as if reciting an answer she had already thought of, "I need a husband to put my parents at ease. Only then can I do what I want to do."

She gently put down the knife, a faint smile playing on her lips: "Of course, I also hope to have children. So, at least I have to choose a child with good genes."

Her gaze was fixed on Zhou Yue, her eyes clear and resolute, and a slight smile curved her lips. She said, "You are quite good."

Changing the subject, Lin Zhiyi remained expressionless, her eyes not daring to dodge, but instead carrying a sense of knowing everything: "It's just a pity that you already have someone in your heart."

Zhou Yue could only smile helplessly and politely. She seemed to have seen through everything, and with a faint smile, she stated the facts as if they were a matter of course: "Besides, judging from your expression... she probably hasn't really agreed to you yet."

The candlelight on the table reflected her expression; in the interplay of light and shadow, her smile appeared even more composed. Without a trace of emotional embellishment, she dismantled the predicament he least wanted to touch upon in just a few words.

Xia Zhiyao's indifference, his stubbornness, and that unresolved relationship were all contained within her words.

Zhou Yue actually understood better than anyone else that if even a complete stranger could see through it, how long could he pretend to be confused?

Lin Zhiyi slowly put down her water glass and looked up at Zhou Yue. Her eyes were still clear, even a little nonchalant. "Actually," she paused, her tone still gentle, "you need an answer more than I do."

Zhou Yue wanted to refute, but couldn't utter a sound, letting the sharp pain spread through his heart.

Lin Zhiyi seemed to catch a fleeting glimpse of change in his eyes, but she didn't delve into it further. She smiled gently and looked clear-eyed: "So, you don't need to feel burdened. Let's just treat this as completing a procedure."

She paused slightly, softening her tone with a hint of self-deprecating humor: "I've done my job to my parents, and I've done my part. As for the future... we'll go our separate ways. You have your life, and I have mine."

The atmosphere around the table gradually relaxed as she remained composed, and Zhou Yue's brows also unfurrowed slightly. Lin Zhiyi was looking down at the menu, seemingly relaxed, but the moment she looked up, she suddenly stopped everything, her smile vanished, her expression darkened, and her gaze went past Zhou Yue, fixing directly on the restaurant entrance.

Zhou Yue keenly noticed Lin Zhiyi's unusual expression, frowned, and slowly turned his head in the direction of her gaze.

At the restaurant entrance, Zheng Xiaotian stood there swaggering, a smug smile playing on his lips, casually twirling his car keys, his nonchalant demeanor carrying a hint of provocation.

Beside him, Xia Zhiyao stood quietly. Unlike her usual sophisticated and capable appearance, she wore a light-colored sweater and dark blue jeans, looking exceptionally fresh and youthful. It was clear that she had just come out of the house temporarily, which only made her look more relaxed and at ease.

Zhou Yue's heart sank, and he froze for a moment. Zheng Xiaotian looked up and met his gaze. His eyes quickly swept across the table and landed on Lin Zhiyi across from him.

A moment of surprise flashed across his eyes, quickly replaced by an indescribable emotion: surprise, hesitation, and even a barely concealed unease. His smile froze on his lips, and his once-arrogant demeanor seemed to have been abruptly cut short.

His gaze was fixed on Lin Zhiyi, as if he had been pulled back to a time he didn't want to revisit. Even just sitting quietly, she still shone with her own light. She was the person he had tried so hard to keep, but to no avail.

Lin Zhiyi remained calm and composed, her expression elegant and serene. She seemed oblivious to Zheng Xiaotian's reaction, simply nodding politely to them with a distant, indifferent smile.

Xia Zhiyao stood to the side, her gaze sweeping lightly over the three of them. The atmosphere was subtle. Zhou Yue was about to get up when a faint smile appeared on his lips. He was about to start a small talk.

In that instant, Zheng Xiaotian's heart tightened, and he felt a little flustered. In a moment of impulse, he subconsciously reached out and pulled Xia Zhiyao to his side.

He spoke with a grin, his tone deliberately light, but his voice tightened involuntarily at the end: "Hungry? Let's see what's good to eat, darling." It was almost blurted out, with a hint of panic and a touch of defiant provocation.

Xia Zhiyao paused for a moment, her gaze sweeping across Zheng Xiaotian's face before she immediately understood his meaning. Without the slightest hesitation, she placed her hand on his shoulder and her voice followed, soft and casual: "Yueyue, what a coincidence."

The familiar address cut into Zhou Yue's heart like a sharp blade, suddenly tightening his chest and making it hard to breathe.

Xia Zhiyao's fingers twitched slightly, her expression nonchalant, but her tone revealed a hint of deliberate boasting: "I came to eat with Xiaotian."

As she continued the conversation, Zheng Xiaotian's panic subsided slightly, and he managed a forced smile, though it still carried a hint of awkward stiffness.

The light in Zhou Yue's eyes turned completely cold, as if all the warmth had been sucked out of his heart in an instant.

Lin Zhiyi's expression changed slightly across from her. She sat upright in her chair, her gaze shifting between the three of them. Her expression remained calm on the surface, but she couldn't hide the surprise that crossed her face.

Zhou Yue's knuckles were gripping the edge of the table tightly, as if he were trapped in the eye of the storm, even his breathing was restrained.

The restaurant was bustling with noise, and all the seats were taken. A waiter, holding a notebook, looked flustered. He flipped through the pages several times but couldn't find an empty table, and stood to the side, unsure how to start a conversation.

Zheng Xiaotian glanced around, a smile playing on his lips. His gaze lingered on Zhou Yue for a moment before he said in a cheerful tone, "Hey, Mr. Zhou, would you mind sharing a table?"

Finally, the four of them sat down. Everyone at the table was smiling and behaving with elegance and composure, as if it were just an ordinary dinner. But beneath that "decent" exterior, emotions were churning and undercurrents were surging.

Zheng Xiaotian, familiar with the place, called out to the waiter and ordered a few more dishes, his tone light and cheerful: "Seafood platter, roast chicken, and a steak, please." As he spoke, his gaze fell on Xia Zhiyao, his tone carrying a hint of deliberate consideration: "Your stomach isn't feeling well today, would you like some soup? Or how about some lobster bisque?"

Xia Zhiyao's eyes flickered slightly, a smile playing on her lips, and she softly replied, "Okay." Her movements were extremely natural, as if this kind of care and being cared for was already commonplace.

Zhou Yue's gaze lingered on Xia Zhiyao. Her affected, coquettish manner, her arm around his shoulder, her playful smirk, and her seductive advances might seem flawless to others, but to him, it was like a clumsy play, a clumsy actor, her movements deliberate, her smile empty. She was acting, and not at all well.

His gaze slowly shifted, landing between Lin Zhiyi and Zheng Xiaotian. The two spoke politely, behaved appropriately, and smiled warmly, like old friends catching up after many years.

But the details didn't fool him; there was a hint of stiffness hidden in his smile, and he was too cautious in his choice of words.

Zhou Yue could tell that this wasn't the distance between "ordinary friends," but rather... two people who were once very close, quietly parted ways at some point, and now, upon meeting again, could only use politeness to mask their awkwardness.

Zhou Yue's brows furrowed slightly, a sudden surge of irritation rising in his chest. His emotions surged like a tide, and he didn't know who to focus on: Xia Zhiyao's feigned smile, Zheng Xiaotian's abrupt intimacy, or Lin Zhiyi's overly calm composure.

He just felt that the entire desktop was like a series of intricate plays, and he was trapped in it, becoming the most pathetic spectator.

Zheng Xiaotian spoke casually, as if chatting, "You two... knew each other before?" He spoke lightly, but a hint of probing flashed in his eyes.

Lin Zhiyi smiled slightly, her voice light, yet enough to instantly tighten the atmosphere at the table: "No, I'm here today for a blind date with Zhou Yue."

This statement was made with composure and grace, as if it were merely a natural answer to the question. But those who knew her well could tell that it wasn't unintentional, but rather a deliberate attempt to make things clear.

She laid bare this relationship in public, appearing composed on the surface, yet carrying a chilling sharpness beneath. In that instant, it was as if she had gently placed a knife on the table, making it clear to everyone.

Xia Zhiyao's hand tightened slightly on the soup spoon, her movements pausing for a moment before she lowered her head. The spoon struck the rim of the bowl with a soft sound. She didn't speak immediately, but she knew that Lin Zhiyi's words were a deliberate response to her and Zheng Xiaotian.

Zhou Yue frowned, his chest tightened, and his gaze shifted between Lin Zhiyi and Xia Zhiyao, his inner turmoil suddenly intensifying.

After a long silence, she finally spoke, her tone casual, as if she were making a trivial remark: "Today...it's quite lively."

Zhou Yue's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, his heart tightening as if stabbed, but he couldn't utter a single word. He understood; there was sharpness and grievance in her words, but she had wrapped them in a gentle shell, unwilling to let anyone see them.

Zheng Xiaotian acted as if nothing had happened, still smiling and chatting with Lin Zhiyi, his tone light and his demeanor relaxed, as if the emotional fluctuations at the table had nothing to do with him.

Xia Zhiyao put down the soup spoon, a gentle smile on her lips, her tone so soft it seemed she was genuinely praising someone: "Miss Lin is quite nice. She's beautiful, comes from a good family, and has a gentle temperament. She's a perfect match for you."

She paused, then added with a half-smile, "You're over thirty, it's time to settle down." Her words sounded casual, yet they carried a subtle sarcasm, the sharpness hidden in her calm voice.

Zheng Xiaotian's smile froze for a moment. He wanted to speak up and smooth things over, but he didn't know what to say. Even his nonchalant attitude revealed a hint of guilt.

Zhou Yue's brow furrowed slightly, his knuckles digging into the table, veins bulging faintly.

Xia Zhiyao seemed to sense the sudden tension in the air. Her smile subtly shifted, and she regained her composure, gently raising her eyes to smile at Lin Zhiyi: "Miss Lin, please don't misunderstand. Mr. Zhou and I are just neighbors. We grew up together. He's like a younger brother to me."

She spoke casually, as if explaining something, or perhaps trying to build a defense for herself. But her smile was too quick, her words too hasty, and a hint of deliberate artifice and falsehood could be detected.

The atmosphere on the table was a little more subtle than before.

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhiyi remained unmoved, merely smiling slightly as she gently placed the wine glass back on the table, her movements as composed and elegant as ever.

"Oh? What a coincidence." Her voice was gentle and clear, and her demeanor remained dignified, like an observer who always stood outside the stage, gentle yet carrying an insurmountable distance.

Zhou Yue glanced at Xia Zhiyao. Her seemingly casual demeanor and dignified explanation were nothing short of irony in his eyes. His gaze gradually turned cold, as if he might lose control at any moment.

Zheng Xiaotian was still lazily leaning back in his chair when Xia Zhiyao's seemingly lighthearted teasing remark sounded like a subtle provocation to him. A sense of annoyance flashed through his heart, but he maintained his nonchalant smile.

He said in a half-joking, half-teasing tone, "Don't just praise others, you're great too. Just being able to sit at the same table with me makes this meal worthwhile."

Xia Zhiyao seemed to have noticed, but deliberately chose to continue provoking: "This table is truly full of talented people." She said it with a half-smile, her tone light, but it was as if she was subtly pointing the finger at Zhou Yue and Lin Zhiyi at the same time.

Lin Zhiyi maintained her smile and dignified demeanor, responding calmly, "Miss Xia is joking."

The four of them were sitting upright and composed, as if they were attending an ordinary dinner. The laughter and clinking of bowls and chopsticks around them seemed to mock them.