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Xu Wu didn’t know which of her actions had upset Zhou Jinye, nor why he suddenly brought up the past last night.
In his eyes last night, she seemed to see the same lingering resentment from seven years ago.
But…
It also carried a hint of helplessness.
At the time, she hadn’t said anything—more out of bewilderment than anything else.
When Xu Wu naively thought that everything could be covered up and avoided, that she could coexist peacefully with him as neighbors, she forgot one thing: with Zhou Jinye’s personality, it was unlikely. In their presence, the bitterness of their breakup felt like an insurmountable gap between them. She stood on the opposite side of the street, unable to take a single step forward.
Their encounters, becoming neighbors, gradually improving their relationship, and now him becoming her client—all these coincidences made Xu Wu reluctant to dwell on the past. She wanted to live in the present. But last night, when he inexplicably vented his emotions at her, it reminded her of him during that spring season long ago.
Perhaps Zhou Jinye’s words struck at the deepest wound in Xu Wu’s heart. Countless memories of that time replayed ceaselessly in her mind.
Slowly, she drifted off into a hazy sleep, thinking she wouldn’t have to think about it anymore.
But…
In her dream, those memories played out again.
The abyssal mud gradually transformed into surreal scenes.
The light gray concrete ground darkened, and the humid mist carried raindrops that struck her face.
Though spring should have been warm, the rain felt like shards of ice pelting down on them, chilling their hearts.
And on his temples—whether it was sweat from enduring pain or rainwater, she couldn’t tell.
His voice, filled with despair and不甘 (resentment), shouted at her over and over. Yet her expression remained calm throughout, unchanged.
Zhou Jinye and Xu Wu were drenched. In desperation, he tightly gripped her wrist, his voice hoarse: “Have you thought this through?”
It was his final trembling question, tinged with a choked sob.
The relentless rain of the plum rain season pooled in uneven patches on the ground, splashing water everywhere.
“Yes.”
Her cold, emotionless tone sealed the end of their relationship.
Dust stirred by large raindrops mixed into the puddles, staining them endlessly black.
Xu Wu didn’t look back. Resolutely, she stepped into the muddy pit, sinking deeper and deeper into its depths.
······
“Ding dong.”
A WeChat notification chimed at this moment.
The screen showed that he had finally accepted the 88-yuan red packet she had sent earlier.
Xu Wu stared at the interface confirming the receipt of the red packet.
88—
This number seemed to serve as a reminder:
They had broken up and shouldn’t have met again.
In the past, she had buried herself in studying and work, numbing herself and burying those memories deep within her heart. But when he reappeared in front of her, it was like a brand seared into her mind—their memories still surfaced vividly.
As for his bad mood yesterday, Xu Wu didn’t know what had happened, but she kept it in mind.
Regarding the house, she had already paid the full amount and didn’t have enough money to move out for now.
Thinking about having to work with him for some time, she quickly reined in her emotions. Since he had become her client, she needed to focus and take responsibility, getting through this period first before considering anything else.
After working all morning on the advertising campaign plan for the car exhibition, she sent the proposal to him.
As she turned off her phone screen, Jiang Zihan sent her a message.
[Sis, I’m not on duty tonight, and it’s Friday—we haven’t hung out in ages. Let’s meet up at our usual spot after work, okay?]
Currently, her workload wasn’t too heavy. Once LUNAR and Fan Xiang confirmed everything, they could proceed.
Lately, she’d been so busy she hadn’t had time to rest, and her mood felt weighed down by a stone. Perhaps she could try to relax and change her mindset. She typed on the screen:
[Sure.]
________________________________________
As the sun dipped low in the west, Friday evenings were always bustling at bars.
After being crushed by a week of work, everyone released their pent-up happiness on their day off.
This bar was called “Homecoming.”
Xu Wu loved it. Unlike ordinary bars, every aspect of its design exuded a cozy atmosphere.
The lights in the bar had been switched to warm ambient lighting.
The stage no longer played sentimental music but instead blared energetic, passionate tunes.
The deafening beats drew a crowd of young men and women below, swaying wildly to the rhythm.
Jiang Zihan regaled her with amusing anecdotes from recent events.
“You wouldn’t believe it—I almost died laughing when I saw him at the hospital.”
After returning, she had started working in general surgery at a hospital in the city center.
Xu Wu sipped from a small bottle of alcohol in front of her.
Jiang Zihan hadn’t seen her drink like this before and paused her story to ask, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, go on,” Xu Wu replied, setting down the empty glass and reaching for another small cup. “Osmanthus wine shouldn’t get me drunk, right?”
“Alright,” Jiang Zihan continued, “Here’s the kicker—I’d met him before. He’s the brother of the girl whose car I hit. We got into an argument, and when I left, I accidentally stepped on his toe. Turns out, he had ingrown toenails, and he ended up seeing one of my colleagues for treatment.”
“I still remember his pained expression—it was hilarious how stubborn he was, refusing to admit it hurt.”
“What a coincidence,” Xu Wu murmured, taking another sip of her drink.
“Yeah,” Jiang Zihan agreed. “Like you and your ex-boyfriend becoming neighbors—who would’ve thought it’d be so ironic?”
At the mention of Zhou Jinye, Xu Wu’s lashes fluttered slightly.
She gazed at her half-finished bottle of osmanthus wine and asked, “What if you unintentionally upset someone without knowing why? What do you do?”
“You should figure out the reason,” Jiang Zihan said, holding her own glass. “Sitting here overthinking without knowing the cause only drains you.”
“Did you upset someone?”
“Mm, maybe,” Xu Wu replied uncertainly. “I don’t know what I did to upset him.”
“Then you should find out,” Jiang Zihan advised. Mid-conversation, she glanced outside and spotted a familiar figure.
“Sis, wait here for a bit. I see the guy I was telling you about outside—I’ll be right back.”
Xu Wu nodded, finishing the remaining half of her drink. Holding the empty glass, she didn’t hear clearly due to the loud music.
She was sitting close to the speakers. Whether it was the noise or the alcohol, her head felt dizzy.
Looking up to search for Jiang Zihan’s figure, she instead spotted a familiar face at the bar nearby.
Rubbing her bleary eyes, she placed the empty glass on the table and muttered, “I really can’t drink anymore—I must be drunk. I’m seeing things.”
Picking up her phone to call a taxi, she heard a voice behind her. “Xu Wu.”
Squinting, she looked over. “Yuan Yiheng?”
Had she hallucinated? She hesitated before calling out to confirm.
He acknowledged her.
“What are you doing here?” Xu Wu asked.
“I’m meeting a distant cousin’s niece,” Yuan Yiheng explained, noticing her slightly tipsy state. “Do you want me to take you home?”
Xu Wu finally noticed the younger cousin standing behind him.
“Oh, okay. Let me tell someone first,” she said, her alcohol-addled brain slow to process. Realizing it wasn’t safe to hail a taxi while drunk, she nodded gratefully. “Thanks.”
She had underestimated the potency of the osmanthus wine, drinking cup after cup.
Stumbling slightly, she was caught by Yuan Yiheng.
“Thank you.”
For some reason, she felt as though someone was watching her.
________________________________________
At the bar, Li Qingyang ordered a drink. “How’s the exhibition hall coming along?”
“Do you even care?” The bartender served him a glass of red wine. Zhou Jinye showed little interest, glancing at Li Qingyang’s crocs. “You’re still going out with your foot like that?”
“Yeah, the doctor told me to get out and walk around. Besides, I’ve been cooped up at home all day,” Li Qingyang replied, continuing his inquiry. “Who are you working with?”
“Lingmei.”
“My sister’s company?”
“Mm.” Zhou Jinye casually picked up the glass of red wine the bartender had poured.
Li Qingyang guessed again. “Xu Wu?”
Zhou Jinye didn’t respond, but his silence was an affirmation.
“So, you’re her client now?” Li Qingyang slapped him playfully.
Zhou Jinye glanced at him but then spotted Xu Wu being helped by that same man from before at the bar nearby.
“So what if I am?”
“You still have feelings for her,” Li Qingyang bluntly pointed out. “Why choose her company among so many advertising agencies? Lingering affection?”
“And last time, when I heard about my sister’s accident, your first thought was of her.”
Not far away, they stood close together, and Xu Wu smiled at him.
Zhou Jinye lowered his gaze, idly swirling the red wine in his glass.
Then he spoke. “Do you think it’s possible?”
In truth, what he wanted to ask was whether he thought there was still a chance for them to be together. After all, the person she had claimed to like back then seemed to have appeared.
“Tsk tsk tsk,” Li Qingyang smirked at him. “Why not?”
“You should seize this opportunity and get some answers.”
Zhou Jinye didn’t say anything, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a woman approaching.
“Oh, I didn’t expect it to be you,” the woman said, sitting next to Li Qingyang with a mocking smile.
Li Qingyang turned to look, surprised before rolling his eyes. “Why is it always you?”
Glancing at his watch, he noted it was getting dark. Zhou Jinye bid farewell and left.
As night fell, he entered the elevator, the doors slowly opening.
He saw the woman in front of his door fiddling with her keys.
“What are you doing?”
This scene made Zhou Jinye frown.
“I’m trying to open the door, but it won’t budge. This is my door!” She twisted the key repeatedly in the lock.
Pulling out her phone, she drunkenly dialed Jiang Zihan’s number, thinking she was calling her boyfriend. “Hey, dear, I can’t seem to open my door.”
Zhou Jinye stepped forward and pulled her aside. She smelled faintly of alcohol, her cheeks flushed from intoxication.
With strained patience, he said, “This is my door. Yours is over there.”
“No, it’s not. I definitely didn’t get it wrong—it’s here,” Xu Wu slurred, her head spinning.
“...”
“Try this key,” Zhou Jinye said, recently having locked his door to prevent Pudding from escaping.
“Success!” Under the bright corridor lights, Xu Wu mumbled in her haze, “See, I told you it was my door.”
“...”
Bending down, she spread her arms wide in welcome. “Dear, would you like to come in?”
Dear?
She had just called someone else “dear” on the phone.
Zhou Jinye’s face darkened instantly. He grabbed her chin. “Who are you calling? Look at me—do you even know who I am?”
Xu Wu squinted, slowly leaning her head toward his. Was she too drunk? Why was his face still there?
Since it was a hallucination, Xu Wu decided to say what was on her mind.
She brushed his hand away and wrapped her arms around him.
His body stiffened at the sudden embrace. Lips pressed tightly together, he tried to push her away.
Yet she murmured softly into his chest, “I’ve missed you so much... so, so much.”
As she burrowed closer, it was as if she wanted to melt into him completely.
Zhou Jinye’s Adam’s apple bobbed, his voice hoarse. “Xu Wu, you—”
Before he could finish, her wine-scented lips pressed against his.
He froze in place. A second later, the warmth of her lips disappeared.
“Can you tell me what happened last night?” she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
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