Chapter 97 Tsk, still something this late…
After hanging up the phone, Zhou Yue leaned against the wall in the corridor, took a few deep breaths, and then put his phone back in his suit pocket. Through the door, the sounds of laughter, toasts, clinking glasses, and chairs rubbing together from the private room poured out, like another world.
He straightened his cuffs and walked back into the private room, his face now bearing that faint smile again. Several business partners were waiting for him with their glasses raised. He picked up his glass and said calmly, "Excuse me, I just received an urgent call."
He recalled Xia Zhiyao leaning against the cold wall, her voice trembling as she said, "I... am in the office." His fingers involuntarily tightened around the wine glass. That image was like a thin thread tied to his heart, impossible to erase.
"Mr. Zhou, take a look at this..." The partner on the other end smiled and leaned closer, his voice tinged with a hint of probing.
Zhou Yue raised his eyes, his gaze clear and his tone steady: "We can discuss it, but let's follow this procedure first." With just one sentence, he stabilized the situation and gave the other party a way out.
After the round of toasts, everyone dispersed, and the atmosphere in the private room became lively again.
Xia Zhiyao closed the last document, raised her hand to rub her temples, leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes for a few seconds, and her fingertips touched the bracelet on her wrist again. The string of delicate diamonds shimmered with a hint of warmth in the cold light, like an invisible anchor, slowly pulling her back to herself.
She took a deep breath, got up and walked to the window. Below, there was traffic and lights, with taillights casting red lines on the road.
A few minutes later, she opened WeChat, took a picture of the night view outside the window, and sent it: 【All done, going home in a bit.】 On the other end, when Zhou Yue saw this message, the corner of his mouth curved almost imperceptibly, and he typed a few words on the screen: 【I'll go home too when I'm done.】
Xia Zhiyao looked at that line of words, and her eyes softened. She seemed to feel the warmth on the other end through the words. She leaned against the glass, slowly slid to the windowsill, pulled her knees up to hug them, and her cheeks flushed slightly in the light.
Around 11 p.m., the two returned to their respective apartments at almost the same time. The summer night in the city was sultry with a slight breeze, and the neon lights outside the window cast dappled patterns of light on the walls.
Xia Zhiyao pushed open the door, casually placed her bag in the entryway, leaned against the door, and let out a long breath. Zhou Yue had just taken off his suit jacket, put his phone on the table, and relaxed his shoulders slightly.
Zhou Yue pushed open the bedroom door and found Xia Zhiyao already lying on one side of the bed, her hair spread out on the pillow, her breathing even, and the tension between her brows gradually easing. She felt a slight sinking on the other side of the bed, as a familiar warmth drew near.
Zhou Yue bent down and turned off the bedside lamp. He didn't say anything, but simply reached out and gently pulled her close. Xia Zhiyao leaned in, her forehead brushing against his chin, and she caught a faint scent of shower gel.
She closed her eyes, her fingers curling slightly in his palm. Without a word, the weariness in her heart was gradually washed away by his warm breath.
Zhou Yue lowered his head and gently rubbed his head against her hair without saying a word. The two of them breathed together in the darkness, their bodies pressed together, their heartbeats gradually aligning, as if the noise of the entire city was shut out from behind the door.
The air of the summer night was warm and quiet. They embraced each other and soon fell asleep, carrying away all the busyness, anxiety and longing of the day, and were gently embraced by the night.
Xia Zhiyao woke up first. The moment she opened her eyes, she was disoriented for a second. It was no longer a hotel or a conference room, but a familiar bedroom with a familiar scent. She turned her head and saw Zhou Yue still sleeping, his brows and eyes relaxed, his breathing deep and slow.
He always woke up early, but at this moment he slept exceptionally soundly. Xia Zhiyao stared at him blankly, and fragments of all the repression and anxiety from last night rose and fell little by little, making her chest feel soft.
She gently pulled out one hand and stroked his messy hair. Zhou Yue seemed to sense it, moved slightly, and tightened his arms around her, pulling her back into his embrace. His eyes were still closed, and his voice was low and hoarse: "Don't go... sleep a little longer."
Xia Zhiyao chuckled softly, leaned against him, closed her eyes to feel the rhythm of his chest rising and falling, and gently traced a line on his body with her finger: "Don't we have to get up early today?"
"There will be a meeting," he said, half-asleep, "but it's still early."
The wind rustled through the treetops outside the window, and the sounds of birdsong and cars gradually rose. She exhaled, feeling as if she were melting into his arms, almost succumbing to sleepiness once more.
The two of them stood side by side, without saying a word or rushing to get up. All the social engagements, meetings, undercurrents, and anxieties of the previous night were gradually washed away by the morning light, leaving only the quiet flow of their breaths, warmth, and each other's presence.
The alarm clock rang promptly at 7:30. Xia Zhiyao opened her eyes first, propped herself up to turn off the alarm, and Zhou Yue turned over, his arm still unconsciously hooked around her waist. He squinted at her sleepily and asked, "You're up so soon?" His voice was still hoarse from just waking up.
Xia Zhiyao smiled and gently tapped his palm with her finger. "You should get up too."
She got out of bed to wash up. Her face in the mirror was already made up with professional makeup. Zhou Yue looked at her with a half-awake, half-gentle gaze, as if he were secretly looking at a familiar yet fresh painting.
As Xia Zhiyao put on her suit and pulled her coat out of the closet, the bracelet on her wrist swayed gently, and tiny specks of light shimmered on her cuffs.
Xia Zhiyao nodded, picked up her briefcase, and walked towards the door. She paused at the door, turned back to look at him, and Zhou Yue asked, "Are you free tonight?"
"Yes," Xia Zhiyao smiled, her voice carrying a hint of certainty, "Let's have dinner together tonight." She turned and left.
A new day is about to begin.
As evening fell, the meeting room of the client had just ended. The sky outside the window was tinged with a pale orange hue between the tall buildings. Xia Zhiyao put away her notebook, quickly organized the documents, and closed the computer, her movements as swift as a gust of wind.
"President Xia." Zhang Luyuan's voice came from behind, his tone as gentle as ever, yet tinged with a hint of inquiry, "Do you have a moment to chat? About tomorrow's data interface..."
Xia Zhiyao stopped and turned to look at him. There was a moment of hesitation in her eyes, but she quickly gave a professional smile: "I'm sorry, my schedule is full for today. I will reply to your email tomorrow morning."
As Zhang Luyuan watched her retreating figure, the smile on his lips faltered slightly. Through the floor-to-ceiling window, he saw a black Porsche parked in the waiting area on the side of the road below, the reflection from the car window completely obscuring the figure inside.
Xia Zhiyao emerged from the revolving door with noticeably lighter steps. She strode towards the car, opened the door, and sat down. A few minutes later, the Porsche disappeared into the evening rush hour traffic.
Zhang Luyuan's gaze was fixed on the departing car, its red taillights leaving two streaks of light on the street. He couldn't see the people in the driver's seat, nor could he hear their conversation.
He stood there, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the folder, his gaze gradually darkening. The setting sun shone through the glass onto his face, dividing his expression in two: one half a gentle, polite professional smile, the other half an unfathomable, dark mind.
On the other side, the car had already turned the corner. Xia Zhiyao leaned back in the passenger seat and let out a long sigh. The wind outside the window ruffled her hair slightly, and her expression finally relaxed from her work.
"You've had a long day." Zhou Yue glanced at her as he drove. "Are you hungry? What would you like to eat?"
Xia Zhiyao smiled, her voice still hoarse from work, "You decide."
"I haven't decided yet," Zhou Yue said with a smile, driving slowly along the street. Neon lights and streetlights flashed by one by one, and the street scene outside the car window unfolded in front of them like a slideshow.
As the car rounded a corner, Xia Zhiyao suddenly spotted a small Mexican restaurant on the roadside. Her eyes lit up, and she pointed to the restaurant, saying, "Let's eat here."
Zhou Yue followed her gaze and smiled, "Okay."
They stopped at the restaurant entrance. The store was small, with bright yellow and turquoise walls, warm light shining from the windows, and Spanish songs drifting softly from inside.
The two chose a seat by the window. Outside the window, pedestrians and cars rushed by under the streetlights. Xia Zhiyao leaned back in her chair, as if the exotic atmosphere had pulled away the fatigue of the day.
The dishes Zhou Yue ordered arrived one after another: crispy corn chips with avocado sauce, grilled fish with red peppers, braised beef soup, crispy fried shrimp, and a large plate of fajita. The aroma of heat, cumin, chili, and lemon mingled in the air, easing the stress of the whole day.
Zhou Yue rested his chin on his hand, watching Xia Zhiyao devour her food, a smile unconsciously creeping onto his lips.
Xia Zhiyao rolled the grilled beef and crispy fried shrimp into a pancake, then added yogurt sauce and avocado sauce. She looked much more relaxed than she usually does in the office, and her eyes were full of a long-lost appetite.
"Eat slowly," Zhou Yue reminded him softly, with a hint of indulgent smile. "I can tell you haven't eaten well all day just by looking at you like this."
Xia Zhiyao chewed for a while, then finally stopped and smiled, wiping her hands with a tissue: "Really... I'm so tired today, I didn't even have time for lunch."
Zhou Yue handed her a cocktail: "Then eat more."
Looking at her, Zhou Yue felt a long-lost sense of peace. At that moment, he felt that this simple scene—her eating earnestly and smiling at him—was more real than any negotiation or contract signing.
Halfway through the meal, most of the food on the table had been eaten. Xia Zhiyao leaned back in her chair, twirling lettuce from the salad with a fork, and casually mentioned her new home: "The third-party inspection should be completed this week. Once this round is over, there shouldn't be any major problems."
Zhou Yue was helping her arrange the crispy fried shrimp on a plate when he looked up at her and said, "Then you should at least leave the house empty for a few months before moving in. The newly renovated house smells so strong."
Xia Zhiyao smiled, tapped her finger lightly on the table, and said with a hint of teasing in her eyes, "You don't want me to move out, do you?"
Zhou Yue raised his eyebrows, his expression serious: "It's no big deal, I'll just move in with you." He then chuckled to himself, his voice low and joking.
Looking at the brightly colored dishes in front of her, Xia Zhiyao suddenly felt that all the busyness and stress of the day had become distant.
After finishing their meal, the two walked side by side toward the black Porsche parked on the street corner. Just as Xia Zhiyao was about to open the car door, her phone suddenly vibrated.
A message appeared on the screen, sent by Zhang Luyuan: "Send me another copy of the data interface part tomorrow morning; I need to prepare it in advance."
She paused for a moment, frowned, sighed, and didn't reply. She simply locked the screen and stuffed her phone into her bag.
This small gesture was noticed by Zhou Yue. He leaned against the car door, one hand in his pocket, and said, "Tsk, someone is still urging you to work this late? I can tell who it is just by looking at your expression."
Xia Zhiyao raised an eyebrow: "What did you see?"
"Who else could have that expression that changes from mood to bad in a second?" Zhou Yue said lazily, but there was a hint of sourness in his tone. "President Zhang is really dedicated, still urging you so late."
Xia Zhiyao chuckled, looked up at him, and a hint of helplessness appeared in her eyes: "It's just work."
Zhou Yue raised an eyebrow, his smile widening. "I think he's being overly enthusiastic; he has ulterior motives."
Xia Zhiyao chuckled, tucked her hair behind her ear, and slipped into the passenger seat: "Don't overthink it."
Zhou Yue smiled, bent down to close the car door for her, and said in a low voice, "I'm not overthinking it, I'm genuinely jealous."
With a low hum of the engine, the Porsche glided into the night, the city's neon lights and streetlights shimmering on the windshield.
As Zhou Yue drove, he turned to look at her, his tone a few decibels lower than before: "If he makes any unusual movements, remember to tell me immediately, and I will keep a close eye on things."
Xia Zhiyao nodded: "Okay, I'll definitely tell you if anything happens."
As the lights and night breeze swept by, she suddenly felt a long-lost sense of reality. It wasn't just that someone was in the car eating with her and listening to her talk, but that someone was watching over and protecting her from places she couldn't see.
Over the past few years, she has gotten used to processing and coping on her own, and even when she is very anxious, she is unwilling to ask for help.
But now, someone is telling her in a calm and unhurried tone: You don't always have to carry it all by yourself.
She leaned back in her seat, tilted her head slightly, and looked at Zhou Yue's profile. The light cast a faint golden hue on his chin and eyelashes, and there was an unusual sense of certainty and gentleness between his brows.
Zhou Yue didn't turn around. He held the steering wheel with one hand and reached out with the other to gently pinch her fingertips. Xia Zhiyao leaned back in her seat, her eyelids gradually drooping, and her breathing slowly synchronized with his.
At a red light, she suddenly realized that the anxiety was still there, but it was no longer the agonizing feeling of isolation and helplessness. With this person by her side, she finally had some space to breathe and relax.
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