Chapter 132 is quite meaningful.
Grandma Zhou was also there.
That was the first time she had ever stepped into such a lively place.
The carousel undulates to the music, and the Ferris wheel slowly rises into the night sky.
She followed closely behind Zhou Huaiqing, clutching the hem of his clothes, afraid of getting lost.
Back then, balloons were sold everywhere in the park.
Zhou Xiaolu and Zhou Zhuoye tugged at their grandmother's clothes, begging to buy it.
The old lady smiled and gave one to each person.
The little sister sweetly said she wanted pink, while the little brother clamored for blue.
The old lady had kind eyes and took out some change from her pocket, handing the balloons to them personally.
The two children laughed like flowers and skipped away.
When it was her turn, she stood there, not daring to say a word.
She lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers, her nails almost digging into her palms.
My throat felt like it was stuck. I wanted to say "I want it too," but the words got stuck in my throat and I swallowed them back down.
She was afraid to speak up, afraid of bothering people, and afraid of being thought of as "immature".
Having lived under someone else's roof since childhood, she knows all too well what she should and shouldn't do.
Saying one more word or asking for more will be seen as greedy and rude.
She preferred to remain silent, preferred to pretend she didn't care.
The old woman's gaze was as cold as ice.
When that gaze swept over her, it was devoid of warmth or emotion, as if he were looking at a complete stranger.
She felt a tightness in her chest, as if a cold wind had penetrated her.
She swallowed hard, but didn't ask for anything.
His Adam's apple bobbed, his lips moved, but he ultimately said nothing.
She silently took half a step back and stood behind Zhou Huaiqing, like an invisible person.
Let's go.
The old lady withdrew her gaze, her tone calm, yet carrying an undeniable air of command.
No one gave her a second glance, and no one asked her if she wanted it.
She followed with her head down, her footsteps so light they were almost silent.
The two slowly turned around again.
The streets were still bustling, but their pace was unhurried, as if they were taking a stroll, or as if they were delaying the moment of parting.
As the streetlights lit up one by one, they cast long shadows of the two people, which overlapped, separated, and then overlapped again.
The night in Jiangcheng was exceptionally gentle, with neon lights turning the entire street into flowing silk.
A gentle evening breeze lifted her long, soft hair, and her face was as white as a freshly steamed glutinous rice ball.
The colorful signs were reflected on her profile, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.
Her eyelashes trembled slightly, her lips were a pale pink, and there was a hint of coolness on the tip of her nose.
Sheng Tingzhou's gaze lingered on her face for a few seconds, as if confirming something.
Sheng Tingzhou turned his head to look at her, and the corners of his lips unconsciously curved up.
That smile was faint, yet genuine.
He didn't speak, but just looked at her quietly, as if he were looking at a long-lost dream.
It was almost 10 o'clock when we got back to the hotel.
The lampposts at the hotel entrance cast a dim yellow light, and the motion-sensor lights in the corridor turned on one by one with the sound of footsteps.
She took out her room key and prepared to swipe it to enter.
Just as she was about to turn around and go into the room, he gently grabbed her wrist.
The night breeze swept through the corridor, ruffling her hair.
She turned around, her movements hesitant, her gaze fixed blankly ahead.
The night was slightly cool, and the wind outside the window gently lifted a corner of the curtains.
He bent down, his movements slow.
His lips were just centimeters away from touching mine.
The distance was so close it was breathtaking, so close it felt like the next second.
All restraint will crumble.
The air seemed to freeze, and even heartbeats became clearly audible.
Suddenly, the balloon gently touched the top of my head.
The balloon had somehow drifted between the two of them.
The soft rubbery texture unexpectedly brushed against her hair.
A tingling, electric current exploded from my scalp and instantly spread throughout my body.
Are you feeling better tonight?
The man's voice was a little hoarse and low.
There was a hint of concern in his voice.
Song Zhiwei froze, then looked up at him.
"Hmm... much better."
Sheng Tingzhou nodded.
"Go wash up. If you need anything, just knock on the door next door. I'll be waiting."
She came out of the shower, the air thick with steam, and the mirror was covered with a thin layer of fog.
I just picked up a towel and dried my wet hair ends.
The phone rang twice, its crisp notification sound breaking the silence.
It was a message from Zhou Yuze: 【Zhiwei, are you asleep?】
She stared at the screen, her eyes slightly glazed over, her fingers pausing on the keyboard for half a second before slowly typing back down.
Not yet, does my uncle need something?
The message was sent and received a reply almost instantly.
It's nothing, I was just asking.
The reply was so brief it was almost perfunctory, but she didn't notice anything amiss. She simply gave a soft "hmm" and put her phone aside.
Without thinking much of it, she continued to dry her wet hair with a towel.
I walked to the desk, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
She turned on her computer, and the light from the screen shone on her face.
She reorganized the meeting schedule for the two days, checking the time, location, and list of attendees item by item.
The schedule was packed like a market, with conference calls, client meetings, and project presentations.
One task after another, with almost no time to catch one's breath.
Fortunately, I don't have to work overtime.
She breathed a sigh of relief, closed the folder, and prepared to get up to pour herself a glass of water.
My phone vibrated twice more.
The vibration echoed across the table. She turned around and froze.
Zhou Yuze actually made a video call.
The avatars on the screen kept flashing, and the ringtone kept ringing persistently, one after another.
She hesitated for a few seconds, her fingertip hovering above the answer button.
My uncle rarely initiates video calls, so this behavior is quite unusual.
Thinking that her uncle rarely contacted her, and that he probably had something to do, she still answered the call.
On the other side of the screen, Zhou Yuze's lips curled up as soon as he saw her.
"Am I bothering you so late?"
"No."
She answered softly, and casually adjusted the camera angle.
His gaze swept over her back, carefully examining the room's furnishings.
After confirming that there was no one else around and that he hadn't heard any other sounds, the tension in his heart finally eased a little.
But that moment of relaxation lasted only a moment before being replaced by another complex emotion.
Do you live alone?
As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized how silly his question was and quickly added a sentence.
"You weren't with a female colleague? I was worried it might be inconvenient for you."
She shook her head, her tone natural.
"No, it's just me. But President Sheng lives next door, so don't worry about me."
She spoke with an open and honest expression, completely unaware of what her words meant to the other person.
When Zhou Yuze heard the words "President Sheng," his chest tightened and he felt a tightness in his chest.
Her breath hitched, her smile froze on her lips, and even her fingertips went cold.
He stared at her on the screen and suddenly felt that the warm yellow light from the desk lamp made her look too gentle.
But this tenderness no longer seems to belong to him.
But he knew that this feeling could never cross the line.
"Your birthday is in two days, can you make it back?"
She paused, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, before snapping out of her reverie about her busy work.
Oh, right, the day after tomorrow.
The plan was for five days, but I definitely won't be able to go back.
"I can't go back; I haven't finished things here yet."
Her voice carried a hint of apology.
Zhou Yuze pursed his lips, his knuckles unconsciously rubbing the edge of his phone.
A few seconds later, he spoke in a low voice.
"So... what kind of birthday present do you want? Your uncle will prepare it in advance and give it to you when you come back."
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