Chapter 107 is a chapter by Lu Yuan: [...]
Zheng Xiaotian had already collected all those things: photos, hotel registrations, transfer receipts, ambiguous chat logs, etc., all clearly categorized and listed by time.
On nights like this, Zheng Xiaotian rarely had time to be alone. The dim light cast shadows on the computer screen, which also fell on his face, making his expression appear silent and cold.
At first, he just wanted to keep something in reserve, in case Xia Zhiyao ever lost her mind again and had some contact with Zhang Luyuan, he could expose all of this to her and let her see what kind of person this man really was.
Now, looking at these things, images kept replaying in Zheng Xiaotian's mind: those years, her life was thrown into chaos, she even fled abroad, and when she returned, she was sick and hospitalized. As a friend, Zheng Xiaotian closed his eyes. As a friend, he really didn't want to see Xia Zhiyao like that again, Xia Zhiyao, barely surviving in the cracks of rumors and scheming.
A moment later, his gaze gradually turned cold. Zhang Luyuan's face appeared in his mind—that smug, confident smile, the one that seemed to think he controlled everything. Every time he recalled it, a nauseating disgust welled up inside him.
In the end, he didn't hesitate any longer, packed up the prepared materials and sent them directly, retaliating in kind.
The next morning, the summary meeting for the first phase of new energy was held as scheduled.
Xia Zhiyao and her assistant Lin Qianfan encountered a traffic jam on the way. Lin Qianfan was a little anxious and kept checking her watch. Xia Zhiyao also frowned. Fortunately, she had left early, otherwise she would have missed such an important occasion. She pursed her lips and didn't say anything, but silently planned the meeting content in her mind.
The first phase of the new energy project has finally come to an end. Once this summary meeting is over, they can finally take a breather and give the team a break for a while. Thinking of this, the tension in her heart eased a little.
Fortunately, the red light finally turned green, and the car sped through the traffic jam. By the time we got to the company building, every second counted.
The two practically ran out of the elevator, attracting several smiling and curious glances from passing colleagues.
The moment Xia Zhiyao pushed open the conference room door, she took a deep breath and forced herself to regain her composure. The room was brightly lit, and the project's phase data was scrolling on the screen. Someone on the stage was already adjusting the microphone.
To her slight surprise, the team leader from Heyi was no longer Zhang Luyuan. Instead, it was a colleague she had worked with on a project before, who was now standing at the front of the table reviewing documents.
Upon seeing her enter, the man's eyes lit up, and he greeted her with a smile, "Zhiyao, long time no see." His tone was somewhat familiar, and he then added, "President Zhang is not feeling well, so I will temporarily fill in for today's meeting. Please bear with me."
Xia Zhiyao sat quietly in her seat, a perfectly polite smile on her face. Whether Zhang Luyuan was sick or something had happened, she didn't care.
But a lingering concern still crossed her mind: would this matter implicate Zheng Xiaotian? Would it affect the cooperation between the two companies?
The meeting proceeded as scheduled, with data and progress reports being reviewed item by item. The moderator's tone remained calm, and the atmosphere was not disrupted by the change in chairperson.
As the meeting adjourned, people walked out of the conference room in twos and threes. Xia Zhiyao greeted the female colleague and exchanged a few pleasantries.
The other person smiled and nodded, their expression showing the warmth of a long-awaited reunion, clearly still remembering the help Xia Zhiyao had given her on the project back then.
"Zhiyao, it's been a long time! How have you been?" the female colleague asked in a lighthearted tone, holding the folder in her arms.
"It's alright, the project is finally finished, I can finally breathe a sigh of relief," Xia Zhiyao replied with a smile, then asked, "So you'll be in charge of the project from now on?"
The female colleague nodded: "That's the plan for now."
The two walked side by side down the corridor, their pace slowing unconsciously. Once the surroundings quieted down, the female colleague lowered her voice and leaned closer with a laugh: "To tell you the truth, a few days ago, Mr. Zhang's wife suddenly came to the company looking for him, saying that he hadn't been home for several days and wasn't answering his phone. It was so embarrassing; everyone in the office saw it."
She shook her head and laughed, "Nothing was said in any real way, but you know, everyone's guessing privately—that something that happened outside has been discovered."
Xia Zhiyao raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Is that so?" Her tone was teasing, as if she were casually agreeing with the gossip.
On the surface, she seemed to be just someone who listened to the commotion and didn't take it to heart, but deep down, something was subtly touched.
She turned her head and looked at her female colleague's animated expression, a hint of teasing amusement in her eyes. She didn't press further, but simply smiled and nodded, jokingly adding, "Looks like we'll have to get together more often; you're much more informed than I am."
The female colleague laughed heartily, then immediately chimed in, her tone becoming more intimate: "Of course. Heyi is undergoing a major reshuffle recently... there's a lot of buzz about it."
As she waved her hand, a hint of self-deprecation in her voice, she said, "Sigh, I really envy you. You have your own business, so at least you don't have to worry about being suddenly reassigned or having your career fluctuate with every personnel change."
Xia Zhiyao smiled gently: "It's not that easy. Doing things yourself is really tiring. But at least it's the path you chose."
The two chatted back and forth, from work to life, and talked about the fun times they used to work overtime together, until their respective assistants reminded them to stop.
"Let's get together again sometime and have a proper meal," the female colleague said with a smile and a wave.
"Okay." Xia Zhiyao nodded, a smile on her lips, but her eyes softened.
As the people gradually dispersed at the end of the corridor, Xia Zhiyao walked alone towards the elevator. She lowered her head, took out her phone, a slight smile playing on her lips, and quickly typed: "[Did you do it? He didn't come to the meeting today.]"
Not long after, Zheng Xiaotian's reply was still brief: 【Yes.】
Seeing those two words on the screen, Xia Zhiyao gave a soft hum, then quickly added: "You're pretty fast."
A few seconds later, a message replied, tinged with disdain and self-righteousness: "It's all about reciprocity!"
Xia Zhiyao stared at the screen, her smile deepening. The inexplicable frustration in her heart finally dissipated completely, and she couldn't help but chuckle softly, her laughter ringing out clearly in the quiet elevator.
Someone nearby subconsciously turned their head and glanced at her curiously. Xia Zhiyao raised her eyes, but her expression remained indifferent. She casually stuffed her phone into her pocket, as if the laughter from earlier had nothing to do with her.
At that moment, she suddenly felt that the air was much lighter. The elevator slowly descended to the first floor and the doors opened.
Xia Zhiyao walked out with the crowd, taking out her phone as she went and quickly typing: "[Tell me in advance next time.]" This time, her lips curled up even more, and her eyes held a hint of teasing.
The screen lit up again quickly, and Zheng Xiaotian's reply carried his familiar teasing: "[Now that's a surprise.]"
As Xia Zhiyao finished saving the last file and was about to close her laptop near the end of the workday, she received a WeChat message from Zhou Yue: [It's Friday! You've had a long week, don't work overtime. How about we go out for a big meal?]
She could picture Zhou Yue's expression on the other end of the phone, like a puppy seeing its favorite toy, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he replied: "Send me your location, I'll be there in a bit."
A short while later, Zhou Yue sent the location: a newly opened beef hot pot restaurant. Xia Zhiyao clicked on the link and looked at the steaming broth in the photo, feeling inexplicably relieved.
As night fell, the hot pot restaurant was bustling with activity, and the aroma of food wafted through the air. As soon as the two sat down, Zhou Yue picked up his phone, scanned the order code, and looked up with a smile, saying, "What kind of hot pot do you want? Their handmade beef balls are their signature dish, you have to order them."
Xia Zhiyao glanced down at the menu, thought for a moment, and then smiled and said, "Let's have a hot pot with two broths. You order the meat, and I want bamboo fungus and shrimp balls, and fennel mini fried dough sticks."
“Okay, then I’ll have a little of everything.” Zhou Yue quickly pointed to several items with his fingers, his movements swift and efficient.
Xia Zhiyao glanced at it and couldn't help but chuckle softly, "We can't eat that much, can we?"
"If you can't finish it, pack it up and take it home." Zhou Yue didn't look up, his tone was firm, as if it were a matter of course. He looked up at her seriously and lowered his voice: "As long as you can eat well, I'm relieved."
Xia Zhiyao was both amused and exasperated by his words. She picked up a piece of vegetable and threw it into the pot, complaining softly, "And you're telling me? I've gained so many pounds."
Zhou Yue stared at her, a smile playing on his lips, but his tone was extremely serious: "Your height and weight are just right."
The two chatted casually about work and life. Zhou Yue was busy putting meat into the pot while keeping an eye on her bowl, afraid that she would just talk without eating.
"Eat quickly, or it will all get tough." He picked up a piece of tripe with his chopsticks and put it in her bowl.
Xia Zhiyao smiled and shook her head, her tongue trembling from the heat, and exhaled, "This tastes authentic."
Just as she was about to add some more beef balls, her phone vibrated. Xia Zhiyao casually tapped it, and paused slightly when she saw the sender: Zhang Luyuan. [Could we meet and talk?]
As Zhou Yue was speaking, he suddenly noticed that the person opposite him looked a little off for a moment. Her smiling eyes seemed to be suppressed by something, and she slightly restrained herself.
"What's wrong?" He subconsciously put down his chopsticks, his tone slightly tense. "Is something the matter?"
Xia Zhiyao paused for a moment, then raised her hand and waved her phone, her expression indifferent: "It's nothing, it's just... Zhang Luyuan said he wants to talk to me."
Zhou Yue's brows furrowed immediately, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. He stared at her, his voice low: "He still has the nerve to come looking for you?"
Xia Zhiyao looked at the bubbling soup on the table and smiled slightly. "That's why I didn't plan to reply to him right away." Her tone was indifferent, as if she were talking about a trivial matter, but she knew in her heart that she would have to see him sooner or later.
Zhou Yue stared at her changing expression, then slammed his chopsticks down on the table. He gave a cold laugh, his voice low: "Before, I couldn't say much because of work. But now he actually wants to see you. This is probably not a good thing."
The soup on the table was still bubbling, the steam blurring their faces. Xia Zhiyao pursed her lips, understanding that Zhou Yue's stubbornness and anger stemmed from heartache, but his gaze was too sharp, and that extreme possessiveness made her breath catch in her throat.
She gently grasped his hand in return and whispered, "Zhou Yue, I know. But there are some things I have to end myself."
Zhou Yue stared at her, his gaze sweeping over her face inch by inch, as if trying to see right through her. After a moment, he chuckled softly, but his laughter was cold: "Fine. If you want to see him, I'll go with you. If you want to face him, I'll sit next to you and see what tricks he can play."
For a moment, Xia Zhiyao suddenly couldn't tell whether he was making a promise or a warning.
Zhou Yue's dark eyes were still fixed on her. Xia Zhiyao let out a soft breath, took his hand in hers, and softened her tone: "How about this, you come with me, but I'll talk to him alone. You wait for me at the door or in the car, okay?"
Her voice was soft, with a touch of coquettish gentleness, but also an undeniable seriousness: "With you here, I feel at ease. But this matter... I have to face it myself."
Zhou Yue's brows were tightly furrowed, and the shadows in his eyes were churning, as if he was about to explode at any moment: "You know I can't stand it when you go to see that kind of person alone." His voice was hoarse, almost clenched through his teeth, "I'm worried."
Xia Zhiyao's gaze was calm yet gentle as she lightly traced her finger across his palm: "Zhou Yue, when I go to see him, I'll definitely choose a public place. It'll be a good opportunity to test him and find out who's behind him."
Zhou Yue was silent for a few seconds, his eyes scanning her face inch by inch, and finally he chuckled softly, a chuckle that was both dangerous and doting: "Okay. But I'll be right at the door, you'll see me as soon as you come out."
He moved closer to her, his voice low: "If he dares to say a single word he shouldn't to you, I'll go in immediately."
Xia Zhiyao smiled, her tension easing slightly. She knew that Zhou Yue's obsession and possessiveness stemmed from caring too much.
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