After a brief rest, Liang Jingtao was the first to laugh, moving closer to Lou Minghe to tease him:
“Lou, how about we team up? I’m worried your ball might have a mind of its own. My delicate physique can’t handle your collisions.”
Lou Minghe gave him a cool glance, his tone icy: “Then don’t play.”
Huo Zhili, standing nearby, glanced at him and remarked dryly: “Almost useless.”
Liang Jingtao immediately shot him a glare and retorted irritably: “Huo Zhili, with your 30-degree mouth, you spit out minus-20-degree words. Can’t tell good from bad.”
After the break, the four returned to the court.
This time, Huo Zhili served first. His shot was steady, the trajectory conventional, with no hint of trying to retaliate.
As the tennis ball flew toward her, Yu Qingyu stepped forward quickly, flicking her wrist lightly to return the ball with precision.
Liang Jingtao reacted swiftly, following up with a swing that sent the ball straight toward Lou Minghe.
The ball flew directly in front of Lou Minghe. He suddenly exerted force, swinging his racket fiercely to send it back with full power, aiming it straight at Huo Zhili’s face.
Huo Zhili remained calm, raising his racket to block the ball effortlessly.
Liang Jingtao saw it clearly and couldn’t help muttering to Huo Zhili: “Lou isn’t here to play tennis today; he’s clearly here to target you.”
Huo Zhili heard this but remained silent, offering no response.
Not long after, Lou Minghe swung his racket again. This time, the tennis ball still carried a sharp momentum, flying straight toward Huo Zhili’s cheek.
Huo Zhili’s eyes narrowed slightly. When the ball was just a meter away, he steadily raised his racket and returned it.
After several rounds, Lou Minghe’s intention became unmistakably clear—every shot was precisely aimed at Huo Zhili, with no real interest in the game.
Huo Zhili finally dodged slightly, but the tennis ball struck his chest with a dull thud.
The impact was not light. Huo Zhili’s brow instantly furrowed tightly, his expression darkening.
Liang Jingtao hurried over and patted his shoulder, winking as he advised:
“Hey, why don’t you act it out a bit more convincingly? Just fall down and let Dr. Yu give you a check-up.”
“I’m not that low.”
Huo Zhili’s tone was icy as he shoved his tennis racket into Liang Jingtao’s arms. Then, with long strides, he turned and walked off the court, tossing back a remark:
“I’m done playing.”
Liang Jingtao looked at the racket suddenly in his hands, then at Huo Zhili’s receding figure, shaking his head helplessly and muttering under his breath:
“I think you’ll stoop even lower than this in the future.”
With that, he turned and walked toward Lou Minghe, calling out loudly:
“Let’s grab dinner together after showering. Huo Zhili’s treating tonight!”
Liang Jingtao knew full well that Lou Minghe wouldn’t be pleased, so he quickly added:
“It’s been ages since we last mooched off Huo Zhili. We’ve got to take advantage tonight.”
Lou Minghe’s expression remained cold as he retorted bluntly: “He’s not even worthy of me taking advantage of.”
“Well, he’s not, but why pass up a free meal?” Liang Jingtao glanced around, not seeing Yu Qingyu, and casually asked: “Where’s Dr. Yu?”
“She went to shower,” Lou Minghe replied briefly.
Liang Jingtao laughed and slung an arm over his shoulder, continuing to persuade him:
“It’s been a while since we all got together for a meal. Even if not for Huo Zhili’s sake, you should at least give me some face tonight.”
“Think before you speak. Who was it that had dinner with me at Crown last week?”
Lou Minghe directly exposed his lie.
Liang Jingtao didn’t feel the slightest bit embarrassed, grinning cheekily as he shook his arm:
“Ah, look at my memory, I forgot about that. Who can blame me when missing you, Lou Shao, feels like three years apart in a single day?”
The two chatted and joked as they walked together toward the lounge area.
Twenty minutes passed in the blink of an eye.
Huo Zhili had already freshened up, dressed in neat attire, quietly standing to the side waiting for Liang Jingtao.
Not long after, Yu Qingyu also emerged from the changing room.
Fresh from her shower, her soft long hair was half-dry and casually draped over her shoulders. She wore a simple white dress that accentuated her gentle yet cool demeanor.
Glancing up and catching sight of Huo Zhili not far away, her expression remained unchanged. She deliberately ignored him, picked up a glass of lemon water, and walked over to an empty table in the corner, silently waiting for Lou Minghe.
Shortly after she sat down, a man in a crisp suit and gold-rimmed glasses approached to strike up a conversation.
Those who could enter this club were all VIP members, with high thresholds and spending standards—everyone here was either wealthy or influential.
“Miss, is this seat taken?” the man asked politely, his gaze lingering on her.
Yu Qingyu faintly raised her eyelashes, giving him a brief glance, her tone distant: “No.”
The bespectacled man promptly sat down opposite her, initiating conversation: “Did you come alone to play golf?”
“No.” Yu Qingyu kept her eyes lowered, her tone flat, showing no interest in engaging further.
“I’m a regular here, often come to play. How about exchanging WeChat? We could arrange to play together next time we’re free.” The man was straightforward, getting straight to the point.
His words caused Yu Qingyu to slightly furrow her brows, her expression turning impatient as she coldly refused: “I don’t come here often.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Huo Zhili strode over.
Standing beside the table, he cast a cold glance at the bespectacled man, his tone carrying a sense of pressure:
“Hitting on her? Asking for WeChat?”
The powerful aura he exuded instantly led the bespectacled man to mistake him for Yu Qingyu’s boyfriend. His expression immediately changed, and he quickly stood up to apologize:
“Sorry for the disturbance.”
With that, he hurriedly turned and left.
Huo Zhili withdrew his gaze and looked at Yu Qingyu, who was still staring down at her phone, speaking in a low voice:
“Let’s have dinner together tonight.”
Only then did Yu Qingyu look up, scanning her surroundings, her tone tinged with surprise: “Are you talking to me?”
“Aside from you, I don’t know anyone else here,” Huo Zhili replied calmly.
Yu Qingyu picked up the lemon water in front of her, her fingertips lightly gripping the glass, her tone cool and resolute: “I don’t see any need for us to have dinner together.”
Huo Zhili leaned against the back of the chair, his gaze fixed intently on her:
“Does the end of a relationship have to mean cutting all ties and never speaking again?”
“Otherwise? Should we keep lingering on? Huo Zhili, your views on relationships are truly something I can’t agree with.”
A hint of mockery colored Yu Qingyu’s eyes. As soon as she finished speaking, she picked up her phone and stood to leave.
Walking to the side, she lowered her head and sent a voice message to Lou Minghe, her tone cool and crisp: “Brother, I’ll wait for you in the parking lot.”
A few minutes later, Lou Minghe emerged from the changing room dressed neatly, carrying a sports bag, with Liang Jingtao following closely by his side.
His gaze remained cold throughout as he headed straight for the exit, not sparing a single glance at Huo Zhili nearby, showing no intention of lingering.
Seeing this, Liang Jingtao simply walked over and sat down opposite Huo Zhili, feigning helplessness as he spoke:
“I tried persuading him for ages, but Lou Minghe absolutely refused to have dinner with you. No choice, I’ll reluctantly keep you company instead.”
Huo Zhili remained silent, not responding to his words, and stood up directly to walk out.
“Hey, wait for me!” Liang Jingtao quickly got up to follow, hurrying after him while chattering,
“My driver left earlier, so tonight I’ll have to stick with you.”
The two walked all the way to the parking lot, but Lou Minghe and Yu Qingyu had already left.
Meanwhile, in the back seat of the car, Lou Minghe turned his head to look at Yu Qingyu beside him, speaking in a calm tone: “You’ve grown up.”
“Yes, I’ve come to my senses. I was too foolish before.” Yu Qingyu’s gaze rested on the car seat, her fingers idly playing with her phone, her tone steady and unruffled.
Lou Minghe continued:
“Liang Jingtao was chattering in my ear for a while earlier, suggesting we have dinner with them. I refused. Did Huo Zhili speak to you?”
“He did, asking to have dinner together. I didn’t agree.” Yu Qingyu replied softly, her expression showing no trace of emotion.
After a moment of silence, she recalled Huo Zhili’s recent blind date and added quietly:
“Letting go completely is still a bit difficult, but I won’t take the initiative to get close anymore.”
Lou Minghe turned his head, his gaze softening slightly as he gently reassured her: “Just let things take their natural course. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
Yu Qingyu slowly lifted her eyes, looking out the car window, her voice as light as a breeze:
“He went on a blind date. Perhaps once he gets married and has children, I’ll truly be able to find peace in my heart.”