Chapter 24: Xu Wu’s Home

“Good morning, Sister Xu.”

Shu Ke approached, carrying her small crossbody bag.

“Morning.” With a few days left until the exhibition, Xu Wu sent the poster dimensions to have them printed.

“I wasn’t wrong—Jinye Ge likes you,” Shu Ke declared as she set down her bag and pulled up a wheeled chair to sit beside Xu Wu.

Xu Wu had just exited a webpage and was sipping coffee when Shu Ke’s unexpected comment caught her off guard. She choked on her drink.

She hadn’t expected Shu Ke to still be thinking about this.

“Yesterday, I was nearby. All I felt was a gust of wind before seeing the curtain collapse,” Shu Ke said, wide-eyed with astonishment. “Thankfully, nothing serious happened.”

Xu Wu lowered her gaze. Zhou Jinye’s protective actions yesterday were strikingly similar to what had happened seven years ago.

That year, he had accompanied Xu Wu back to her hometown to visit her father’s gravestone.

The weather during Qingming Festival had always been overcast, as far as she could remember.

In spring, green buds sprouted from barren branches. The cemetery garden was quiet, with only the sound of the breeze brushing against their ears.

The photo on the tombstone was surrounded by footprints. Just like when her father was alive, Xu Wu gently wiped away the dust from the tombstone, as if cleaning dirt from her father’s face.

She placed flowers in front of the grave and silently gazed at the photo on the tombstone, speaking without words.

After fifteen minutes, Xu Wu stared at the photo for a full minute before reluctantly leaving.

Zhou Jinye waited for her outside the garden. He didn’t say anything, simply pulling her into his arms. After a long while, he finally spoke.

“Let’s go grab something to eat.”

During the Qingming holiday, many people visited the cemetery to pay respects to deceased loved ones.

Coming and going, the couple huddled together in the wind, oblivious to the person who had been following them.

They found a hot pot restaurant tucked in an alley. Rice cakes swirled in the bubbling broth.

Rice cakes were a local dish from Jiangcheng County, and Xu Wu had missed their taste for a long time.

The soft, fragrant fish cake melted in her mouth, tender and flavorful.

Having someone by her side to share the meal made her feel at peace, as if everything heavy had been lifted.

In the afternoon, the streets of the small county were deserted.

Only after they entered the alley did they realize someone was following them.

At both ends of the alley, Xu Wu and Zhou Jinye split up to shake off their pursuer.

But the man relentlessly chased them, closing in step by step. Trembling, Xu Wu dialed emergency services.

A sharp pain shot through her waist as she was kicked to the ground.

Before she could get up to fight back, a sharp blade lunged toward her.

The sounds of a struggle echoed through the narrow alley.

Opening her eyes, she saw Zhou Jinye grappling with the attacker.

In a panic, she grabbed a large rock from the ground and smashed it against the man’s head.

The man reeked of alcohol, his face flushed red. He shoved Zhou Jinye aside and swung his knife again.

The force of his earlier kick left her with a throbbing waist and weak legs, leaving her unable to dodge.

Amidst the wailing sirens, footsteps, and gunshots that filled the alley, the metallic smell of blood invaded her nostrils.

She was cradled in someone’s arms, her face buried in his chest, her vision swallowed by endless darkness. Her desperate cries reverberated through the alley.

It was Zhou Jinye who had taken the blade meant for her.

________________________________________

This time was no different. Even though they had broken up, he still rushed to protect her, getting injured in the process. Memories of last night cycled endlessly in Xu Wu’s mind, leaving her heart heavy with conflicting emotions.

Since their reunion, she had warned herself countless times to maintain distance.

But… now, she was the one who crossed the line, and he had saved her life.

Not to mention the promise she made to him seven years ago.

She had heard of Qin’s cruelty and seen it firsthand.

If she broke her promise, who knew what he might do.

On one hand, she had kissed Zhou Jinye, and he had saved her. On the other hand, there was her promise to Qin.

Her heart was torn.

For some reason, she suddenly thought of yesterday’s incident.

“By the way, we inspected the venue together yesterday and didn’t notice any issues. Was it really a coincidence?”

Xu Wu voiced her thoughts aloud.

The events of yesterday had unfolded too quickly. While rushing Zhou Jinye to the hospital, she hadn’t considered this possibility. Now, thinking back, they had meticulously checked every section of the venue—even a loose screw would have been spotted on the ground. Something about it seemed suspicious.

Was someone trying to sabotage the exhibition?

But this event was approved by the city government. Who would dare to interfere?

Still, she couldn’t explain why. If someone had deliberately done this, what was their motive?

“Maybe you’re overthinking it? It could’ve been an accident,” Shu Ke suggested after some thought.

Hopefully, it was just an accident...

“What are you two chatting about so happily?” Xu Tianya suddenly appeared before them.

Her overpowering perfume made Xu Wu dizzy.

She had never smelled such a strong scent on her before.

Radiant and cheerful, Xu Tianya struck up a conversation.

Xu Wu ignored her, finishing the last of her coffee.

“Have you seen Yangkang’s latest promotional ad?” Xu Tianya prattled on. “Let me tell you, its viewership has surpassed all other ads this quarter.”

She barely stopped short of saying it outperformed Boheng Technology.

Xu Wu set her cup down and smiled faintly. “Congratulations.”

“I heard you also secured resources from LUNAR and Fan Xiang?” Xu Tianya crossed her arms and looked down at her.

Xu Wu didn’t understand her intentions but patiently replied, “Yes.”

“Did you get media coverage?”

Xu Wu nodded, unsure of what she was asking.

“Then my friend and I will definitely come to check it out during the exhibition.”

Xu Wu glanced at her. Xu Tianya’s involvement in yesterday’s incident was impossible.

Xu Tianya’s disjointed speech seemed aimed solely at boasting. Xu Wu didn’t understand the point of her rambling.

________________________________________

Later in the afternoon, Xu Wu picked up the revised posters and headed to the exhibition hall.

She arranged to replace the problematic posters and revisited the scene of yesterday’s incident. By the time she returned home, it was late.

“Pudding, stop following me. I’m leaving.”

As the elevator doors opened, Li Qingyang’s voice echoed from inside his apartment across the hall.

Pudding darted past Li Qingyang and ran out into the corridor.

“…”

Li Qingyang froze behind her.

Zhou Jinye’s merciless laughter followed from behind him, and Li Qingyang chased after Pudding.

Xu Wu had just stepped out of the elevator and walked a few paces when Pudding, as usual, ran to her. She petted its fur.

Seeing Li Qingyang emerge behind it, Xu Wu greeted him politely, having already heard his voice from afar.

Li Qingyang glanced at Zhou Jinye, who had appeared at the door during his moment of surprise, then turned to Xu Wu, who was unlocking her door across the hall.

Regaining his composure, he laughed awkwardly. “You live right across from Jinye?”

“Yes,” Xu Wu replied, opening her door.

For a moment, Li Qingyang’s mind raced. He looked at Zhou Jinye.

He had never mentioned it.

They were hiding it well.

If not for his injury preventing him from driving and his assistant being busy elsewhere, he wouldn’t have known they lived so close if he hadn’t come to drop him off.

“I’ll be going then,” Li Qingyang said halfway down the hall before turning back to Xu Wu. “Xu Wu, besides WeChat, what’s Jiang Zihan’s phone number?”

Xu Wu looked at him. He must have been blocked on WeChat.

This man was stubborn, determined to take responsibility for Jiang Zihan, seemingly intent on seeing it through.

“What if she doesn’t need it?” Xu Wu recalled Jiang Zihan’s words from yesterday.

“That’s my problem. I’ll deal with it.”

After a pause, Xu Wu found his WeChat contact and sent him Jiang Zihan’s number. “I’ve sent it to your WeChat.”

________________________________________

[You’re quite the hidden gem, living right next door.]

Zhou Jinye received the message while mooching dinner at Xu Wu’s place.

Immediately, the messages kept coming.

[And you’re still in denial. Yesterday, who got hurt because of whom?]

[Tsk tsk tsk, mark my words, in a few days, you two will be living together.]

He even added a dog emoji giving a disdainful gesture.

[I’m hanging on one tree.]

Plus a photo of the dining table with dishes laid out.

Zhou Jinye, seeing the long string of messages, replied:

[Is your dining table this color?]

When Zhou Min bought furniture, she hadn’t purchased identical pieces for both apartments—they were all different.

Li Qingyang had been to his place before to take care of Pudding. The dining table was in the living room, visible when fetching dog food.

[Xu Wu’s home.]

Three simple words conveyed a hint of pride.

[Tsk, so you’ve resolved your issues?]

[I asked.]

But she hadn’t told him everything. She didn’t remember much either.

He could only speculate based on her drunken questions from last time.

[Looks like you’ve resolved it.]

[You should focus on resolving your own issues.]

After dinner, Xu Wu finished eating first and went to run him a bath.

Her deliberate actions were clear enough.

Zhou Jinye followed shortly after finishing his meal.

As she stepped out after running the bath, Zhou Jinye entered the room.

He moved closer to Xu Wu, his movements like a predator stalking its prey.

“Xu Wu, what are you avoiding?”

Xu Wu retreated onto the tiled floor of the bathroom, guiltily blinking. “Nothing. I just finished running your bath.”

Zhou Jinye saw through her nervous gestures but merely chuckled. “Oh? I thought you’d done something outrageous to me.”

Again with the outrageous things.

She thought of their kiss.

Though they had kissed before, during their relationship, this time it was initiated by her after their breakup.

“I haven’t!”

He raised an eyebrow and headed toward the shower.

Xu Wu remained frozen in place.

The shower and washroom were separated by transparent glass doors, offering a clear view inside. His hands moved to his waist, pulling up his shirt.

His toned, narrow waist gradually came into view, along with a faint, jagged scar above his lower back.

Xu Wu finally realized he was about to bathe and hurriedly backed out. “Wait, I’m not done yet.”

A mocking laugh echoed from the bathroom.

“I thought you were standing there to watch me shower.”