Su Xi said this partly because she had a little suspicion in her heart, thinking her son was a bit off, and partly to probe Zhou Yang. Sure enough, after she spoke, Zhou Yang lightly swept her with a glance, expressionless, but expressionless also meant there was a problem. Mother and son paused for three seconds, then Zhou Yang took the cigarette from his mouth, and casually, very flippantly, asked back, “How do you see that I like her?”
This dog of a thing spoke with raised eyebrows, eyes full of mockery.
He recovered that lazy sneer. Su Xi smiled, picked up a piece of cantaloupe, handed it to him, and said, “Oh, so you don’t like her, it’s Mom’s fault for blaming you.”
“I thought Su Hao avoided you like a scorpion today because you did something you shouldn’t, after all, Su Hao is currently considering Shen He, and the two are progressing quite well.” Su Xi still understood Su Hao better than Zhou Yang. From previous probes, since Su Hao had expressed that the past is past, she would no longer linger on Zhou Yang. At first, when Su Hao just came, there might have been a bit of emotion, but now there was definitely none.
Since there was none, she got along well with Zhou Yang. This sudden avoidance and coldness then meant that someone among them broke the harmony.
That person, of course, wouldn’t be Su Hao.
Then it must be Zhou Yang. Whether eating or playing chess, her son’s eyes and subtle behaviors couldn’t escape her sharp observation.
Fingertips took the small fork. Hearing this, Zhou Yang lowered his eyes, bit the cantaloupe. Su Xi continuously poked at his two sore spots, her brows and eyes deep.
The tip of his tongue crushed the cantaloupe, and behind him, Su Hao’s voice was talking on the phone.
Gentle as water.
Zhou Yang swallowed the cantaloupe, the tip of his tongue still sweet. But he bit the cigarette, reached for the chess pieces on the table, and asked somewhat indirectly, “Has anyone pursued her before?”
Su Xi originally planned to leave, having seen enough drama. Suddenly hearing this, she immediately took a turn, sat in the spot Su Hao had just been, holding a fruit plate, eating while watching Zhou Yang, and naturally answered, “Of course. You think you’re the only popular one?”
Zhou Yang didn’t care about Su Hao, but Su Xi was different. She had a lot of contact with Cheng Ling, almost every time discussing Su Hao, even knowing how many people pursued Su Hao while studying.
“Mm.” Zhou Yang sneered, but his eyebrows didn’t relax.
From this angle, Su Xi thought he hid his emotions well. Zhou Yang spoke again, tone casual: “So quite a few pursued her?”
“Of course, let me count…” Su Xi pretended to count, and after finishing, gave a conclusion: “Too bad, Su Hao generally doesn’t become friends with people who like her.”
Hearing this, Zhou Yang paused with his hand.
“So that deskmate confessed, and Su Hao asked the teacher to change seats. I think girls doing this is good, unlike some girls nowadays, clearly not liking someone but still befriending them and flirting, really angering.” Su Xi, talking about this, actually implied a college roommate.
That was truly a super white lotus.
Zhou Yang took the cigarette out, extinguished it in the ashtray, lifted his eyes, glanced at Su Xi, half-smiling.
This glance made Su Xi look away.
Alright.
She was talking about Yang Rou’s current stepmother.
“Anyway, I think Su Hao’s character is very good. Look now, after Tang Rui went abroad, he rarely contacted Su Hao. Su Hao also rarely contacts him. Both are clean and neat, only then can the future develop. Su Hao has done very well in this.” Su Xi took a bite of pear, leaned forward, staring at Zhou Yang, said, “You, really don’t like Su Hao?”
Zhou Yang’s narrow eyes met hers, he smiled slightly.
Then, lowering his eyes, he took Su Hao’s chess piece, moved it two steps forward, and then captured it.
His movements were agile.
But in his mind, Su Xi’s words flashed.
Su Hao finished the call, came back, sat down, and lost the whole game. She was stunned for a moment, glanced at Su Xi, Su Xi nestled in the sofa corner, shaking her head, “Not me.”
Su Hao silently turned back. Zhou Yang sat on the sofa, hands in pockets, a toothpick in his mouth, looking at her.
Her carefully set board was destroyed by someone.
Su Hao wasn’t angry either. She reached out to adjust the board and asked Zhou Yang, “Continue?”
Zhou Yang’s chess skills were quite good.
Su Hao had felt she met a real opponent, planning to finish a round to assess both her level and Zhou Yang. Who knew?
A single phone call, and Zhou Yang smashed the whole game.
Zhou Yang glanced at her phone, raised eyebrows: “Not playing.”
He said, took out the toothpick, threw it in the trash, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and got up toward the stairs, casually taking out his phone, scrolling a bit.
Su Hao’s restrained personality wasn’t his type. The chessboard was so beautiful, ruined by him, yet she could still endure it.
Zhou Yang thought he must be crazy.
To like Su Hao, who goes against all his preferences.
Dinner, Father Zhou came home, but Zhou Yang went out. Father and son brushed past, chatted a bit in the hallway. Zhou Yang went upstairs, changed into black shirt and black pants. He rarely wore this shirt, collar unbuttoned as usual, sleeves rolled to elbows, chatting casually while leaning against the shoe cabinet, completely relaxed.
Completely different from Father Zhou’s serious expression. After chatting, Zhou Yang took the keys. Su Hao had just helped Su Xi pick some lily petals from the garden.
The two met face to face.
Zhou Yang’s eyebrows sharp, glancing at Su Hao’s side face and neck as he passed.
Su Hao stepped aside slightly, then went inside. The air carried a faint lily scent. Zhou Yang squinted, restraining the urge to look back at her.
Descending the steps.
Now, she was truly cold.
Su Xi, holding the lily petals, glanced outside, asked Su Hao: “Zhou Yang left?”
Su Hao hummed.
Su Xi mumbled: “Alright, anyway, he’s just not at home.”
Then she called Father Zhou: “Zhou Qinkai, you control your son.”
Zhou Qinkai was reading outside, smiled: “Can’t control, ignore him.”
“Tsk.” Su Xi pulled Su Hao: “Come, tonight we’ll make a super delicious meal.”
Su Hao helped, the two whispered, guiding each other. Su Xi glanced at Su Hao, saw her gentle eyes, no longer avoiding Zhou Yang, poised. Su Xi liked her from the heart, cautiously asked: “Zhou Yang…these days hasn’t done anything inappropriate, right?”
Su Hao lowered her eyes, cutting cucumbers.
“No.” Tone flat.
Emotions well hidden, Su Xi almost believed her. Hesitated: “Zhou Yang, honestly, among women, things are smooth for him. Uncle Zhou and I don’t understand how we raised him like this. But he’s not bad, actually very good.”
Su Hao nodded.
This she didn’t deny.
So Su Xi noticed something.
Su Hao took a new cucumber, kept cutting. She roughly understood Su Xi wanted to speak, or was speaking for Zhou Yang, hoping Su Hao wouldn’t be so cold toward him? Su Hao thought, considering today’s performance, it was indeed improper.
Su Xi saw her nod, breathed out.
She hoped Su Hao wouldn’t dislike Zhou Yang, otherwise, what if Su Hao stops coming home?
Even if Zhou Yang liked Su Hao now, it wouldn’t be real love. That wild heart, Su Xi still didn’t fully know? So she never urged him to marry, couldn’t push him. But Zhou Yang inherently had a controlling side.
If he really liked Su Hao, he’d probably be quite domineering. Then losing her favor would be awkward…
So only she, the mother, could occasionally blow kitchen wind, letting Su Hao know Zhou Yang isn’t bad.
Dinner for three, Uncle Zhou asked about Su Hao’s work, she answered one by one. Uncle Zhou: “How’s it with colleagues?”
Su Hao smiled slightly: “Okay.”
“If anything, tell me.”
Su Hao hummed, heart warm.
After dinner, Zhou Qinkai sent Su Hao home. Su Xi insisted on coming, sitting with Su Hao in the back seat. They went to the Huahui Community, seeing outside prosperity.
Su Xi was slightly critical of the old house, but upstairs, seeing Su Hao keep it so clean, reassured.
An hour later.
Su Hao sent off the Zhou Qinkai couple, washed, read, then lay down to sleep.
Next day is Monday. Weekend felt like it didn’t exist. Su Hao hurriedly bought breakfast downstairs at the convenience store, then rushed to the company.
Entering the finance office, I saw Chen Yu standing, packing things. She froze, walked to her desk. Lu Mimi beside Chen Yu, sarcastic: “People, walking by the river, shoes get wet. Problems solved privately are escalated, ignoring Zhang Xian’s advice. Awesome.”
Though not named, it was clearly aimed at Su Hao. She opened milk, drank, ate sticky rice, head down.
Chen Yu kept packing.
WeChat group many @ her, asking if she was fired.
Company group also discussed. Some said Chen Yu was sloppy, and deserved firing. Others said she framed the new finance assistant, alerting President Zhou, leading to firing. Then discussion continued.
“Oh, this new assistant, what background? Alerted President Zhou, what’s her relation?”
“Chen Yu messed up many times, never fired. Walking by the river, shoes get wet. Now the new assistant works well, exposing her. Can’t blame the new one.”
“No, wrong. This new assistant is scheming. One issue could be handled, she made monitoring necessary. Everyone knows only the above President Zeng can open. She clearly knew, removing Chen Yu, could take her place.”
“Heavens, scary. Does the new one like President Zhou?”
“Hahaha, President Zhou blind? Even if looks at Lu Mimi, not her type.”
Then.
President Zeng, using small account, edited:
“Heh, you’re too naive, keep gossiping.”
“Hmm? Meaning? Which department…”
“This has some meaning…”
Su Hao is also in this group. This group lacked anyone above President Zeng’s rank, mostly low-level employees. She glanced, then knew Chen Yu was fired.
Almost off work.
Zhang Xian saw people gone, left Su Hao, spoke, tone gentler: “Chen Yu left, you take her work. In three months, hire a new assistant. I’ll assist you. Her departure is unrelated to you. Her work attitude, bound to leave. We gave chances. I arranged for you to step up, she didn’t assist, her choice. Don’t think too much, just work well.”
“Thanks, Zhang Xian.” Su Hao responded gently, no real inner emotion. Previously admired Zhang Xian, now none. Liao Yun had said colleagues rarely become friends; she now felt it.
“You’re welcome, all by your own effort.”
Zhang Xian left. Su Hao sat, flipped the work record. Chen Yu left hastily, nothing left. Book still previous cashier’s diary, Su Hao to handle tomorrow, must understand today. She ordered dinner from the cafeteria.
Eating, reading.
Li Xiu’s birthday invited many, wearing off-shoulder black slit dress, hands on waist, eyes scanning outside. Friends knew she waited for Zhou Yang.
Then, her best friend opened the door, waved at Li Xiu on the high stool with a mic. Li Xiu put down the mic, clicked heels toward the door. Turning, I saw the elevator open slowly, a man speaking to Li Yi, narrow eyebrows smiling.
Li Xiu froze, tugged skirt, cooed: “You’re hard to invite.”
Zhou Yang exited the elevator, took a cigarette from Li Yi, eyes on the striking woman ahead, and intended to check her dress.
In his mind, flash to the billiard table, little black dress, holding cue, gentle Su Hao.
He frowned.
“You can refuse me, but tonight I must have a good birthday.” Li Xiu approached, subtly complained, and casually held his arm.
Zhou Yang glanced, snickered, raised arm.
Li Xiu held air.
Stunned for a second, stomped, followed, lips bitten, eyes on his tall back, full of grievance. Zhou Yang didn’t rush to enter the room, stood at the door, lit a cigarette, and relaxed posture.
Li Yi leaned on the railing, also smoking, and the music was loud. Li Xiu ran, chatted briefly, whispered: “Thanks, bro.”
“Cousin.” Li Yi corrected.
“Alright.” Li Xiu looked at Zhou Yang, then saw best friend on the phone, unwillingly, waved, whispered. Li Xiu seized the moment, half-step behind Zhou Yang, pretended to lean on his shoulder, lips pressed, smiling.
Best friend quickly took shots.
Ten or so photos, some usable.
Li Xiu took the phone, told Li Yi and Zhou Yang: “Finish smoking outside then come in, birthday starts.”
Her friends are not of the same age as Zhou Yang, so she didn’t force it.
Downstairs duo dance was highlighted, very anticipated.
Li Yi nodded.
Li Xiu looked at Zhou Yang, he blew smoke rings, mist over brows, low laugh: “Got it, go in.”
Li Xiu glanced, then a friend entered the room.
Two crowded, flipped phones, chose photos, close together. Both attractive, Li Xiu thought she and Zhou Yang a perfect match.
Beauty filter, sent.
Outside it was raining, on the second floor. Zhou Yang leaned on the wall, hallway lights fewer, some bright ones off.
Remaining warm-toned, making the place dim. Only cigarettes are noticeable.
Zhou Yang opened surveillance.
Saw the finance office, Su Hao working overtime, bright light on her, soft. Black hair down, back slender, waist thin.
Zhou Yang squinted, watched long, then glanced outside at the rain.
Then we opened WeChat, thought, and edited the message.
Zhou Yang: It’s raining. President Zeng has an umbrella. Remember to take after work.
Sent, slightly nervous waiting. Scrolled Moments, saw one minute ago, Li Xiu posted:
Photo of her with Zhou Yang.
Li Xiu: Are we a match?
Photo.
Su Hao: Very compatible, perfect match.
Zhou Yang bit off the cigarette.