Chapter 129: “Can’t Refuse Even If You Want To”

The class reunion was held that very evening.

Most of the classmates showed up—out of forty, thirty-two came. Only a few were absent due to work or family reasons, and then there was Yuan Jiahui who didn’t come—of course she couldn’t. Her father was still on trial, and her family situation was probably a mess. Besides, even if she had come, she wouldn’t be able to face Hou Zihao and Zhou Leqi. Why bother putting herself through that embarrassment?

They rented a party villa, with some barbecuing outside and some ordering takeout. Milan and Yan Lin came too. Although Milan was from Class 43, since school days she had always been seen as a sort of outsider by Class 41, and when she entered the villa with Yan Lin, everyone started teasing, “The spouse came to freeload? Yan Lin, you gotta pay double!”

The most enthusiastic tease came from Ge Ao.

He was now a programmer at a big internet company in Shenzhen—money in the bank but thinning hair to match. His hairline had receded a bit, but that didn’t stop him from being lively and playful, bouncing all over the party villa and showing up everywhere.

Yan Lin smiled, probably in a good mood, and said, “If I pay double, can I get some peace and quiet?”

That one line only made the guys tease him even more. Everyone said Yan Lin had learned to protect his wife. Milan’s face stayed red all night, the warmth never fading.

The old classmates exchanged greetings, then broke off into small groups chatting and eating. Ge Ao first ate two skewers of grilled chicken wings to fill his stomach, then played a bit of pool and some board games. Eventually, he got impatient, checked his watch, then looked out the window loudly asking, “Where’s Monkey? Why hasn’t Monkey come yet?”

Most of those present, except Milan and Yan Lin, hadn’t seen Hou Zihao for many years. Their last meeting was on the graduation trip back from Hainan—though in the past six months, they’d become familiar with him again, since news about his family’s affairs was constantly on social media. Every morning checking trending topics, it was almost impossible not to see something about him. So it was natural they all wanted to see him now.

Encouraged by Ge Ao, everyone started tagging Hou Zihao and Zhou Leqi in the group chat, asking why they hadn’t come yet, if they were planning to ghost the reunion.

Not long after the messages went out, there was movement at the villa’s entrance. The classmates outside barbecuing were the first to spot two familiar figures. Calling out to them, the whole class looked up, seeing the school days’ quintessential young couple.

They had always been a perfect match.

Seven years ago, it was their grades and looks that matched; now their compatibility was more of a vibe. They seemed to know each other well enough that the feelings from their youth hadn’t fractured over time or changed by circumstances—instead, they’d grown deeper and more certain, like aged grain turned into fine wine, richer and smoother.

Their invisible closeness showed in every corner—whether in the way their steps matched when they moved, the way their bodies leaned when standing, or the occasional glance each instinctively cast at the other. It was as if every little detail was unwilling to be separate from the other.

It was a love both subtle and low-key, yet passionate and bold.

Those watching felt their own emotions stir—hard to say whether it was nostalgia or envy. While everyone was managing their feelings, Ge Ao was already rushing over, hooking his arm around Hou Zihao’s shoulder and shouting loudly, “Damn you, Hou Zihao! How many years did you say you’ve been missing?!”

What is a friend?

Someone who’s your support and healer during gaming sessions at the internet cafe, the person you swap homework with in class every morning, the one who mocks you loudly when you’re elected the sports committee reluctantly, the one who sits in the third row to cover for you even if unwilling, and the one who, after many years apart, can meet again without awkwardness.

That’s a rare thing.

Zhou Leqi’s eyes held a faint smile as she watched old friends teasing Hou Zihao—he’d always been well-liked, and just moments after entering the door, he was nearly swallowed up by the crowd.

She wasn’t very good at handling such enthusiastic scenes and felt she shouldn’t interrupt his reunion with friends. So she silently greeted him and then slipped away to find Milan.

The party villa was pretty nice. The living room had a large sofa where Zhou Leqi and Milan each grabbed a cocktail and settled in, watching the lively scene and chatting casually.

Milan was sighing and commenting, “Hou’s popularity is no joke, unlike Yan Lin, who’s always by himself.”

Hearing this, Zhou Leqi glanced over and indeed saw Hou Zihao surrounded by people, while Yan Lin stood on the outskirts, looking somewhat solitary.

But his expression was soft… it was clear he was in a good mood.

Zhou Leqi withdrew her gaze and looked at Milan, saying, “As long as one of you can socialize, that’s fine. If you were both that talkative, wouldn’t you be arguing all day?”

Milan puckered her lips and said, “He just doesn’t want to talk, but that doesn’t mean he can’t—really. Having a lawyer boyfriend is pure suffering, all formal and scripted. If we ever fought, I’d probably end up in jail.”

Zhou Leqi laughed, just as Milan said wistfully, “If only he were half as good as Hou… so considerate and gentle with you.”

Then she sighed deeply, genuinely feeling a little jealous.

Zhou Leqi pursed her lips, took another sip of her cocktail, and felt a little sweetness quietly spreading in her heart, thinking:

Yeah, he really is…

…very considerate of her, gentle and thoughtful.

Meanwhile, the guys were gradually getting more lively.

They weren’t drinking cocktails—they were rotating between beer and liquor. Ge Ao’s tolerance was average; after a few drinks, he was getting tipsy, his face bright red as he hooked his arm around Hou Zihao’s shoulder, drunkenly complaining that Hou never told them he was a rich second-generation, and that he seemed to take all the good stuff—money, a girlfriend—and then went on to grumble about his own miserable single life.

Hou Zihao sighed quietly, thinking to himself that although things seemed glamorous on the surface, in reality, his girlfriend had already rejected his marriage proposal three times in a row. Even worse, his future mother-in-law held a very poor impression of him, which meant the marriage registration was still a long way off.

He felt frustrated inside but still comforted Ge Ao out loud, saying he’d try to introduce some classmates to him later. Ge Ao wasn’t convinced and grumbled, “Come on, we’re already twenty-five or twenty-six, what real love can we still find? Matchmaking is all about conditions…”

“So what do you want to do then?” Hou Zihao sighed helplessly.

Ge Ao snorted, rolled up his checkered shirt sleeves, and gloomily said, “What else can I do? Just accept it — not everyone’s like you and your girlfriend, still stuck in this lovey-dovey stuff after seven or eight years.”

Those words were rough but not without truth.

Hou Zihao smiled slightly and instinctively turned to look for Zhou Leqi sitting on the sofa in the living room, only to find she wasn’t there. She had gone with Milan to the backyard, probably hungry and looking for the barbecue.

He wasn’t sure if she could grill the food herself and considered going to help her, but just then another classmate suddenly interrupted, picking up on what Ge Ao said earlier: “Actually, it’s rare for a first love to last like theirs. Zhou Leqi really went all out — she even dared to write a complaint letter. You really can’t argue with that.”

Hearing this, Hou Zihao stopped in his tracks and frowned at the classmate, completely confused: “Complaint letter?”

That classmate, also from Beijing’s finance circle, was surprised to see Hou Zihao’s expression and said in disbelief, “You don’t know? It’s been spreading in the circle — she wrote a letter to the Securities Regulatory Commission to report Runyuan, and now no company dares to hire her.”

The backyard of the party villa was large, with an impressive open-air swimming pool. Although it was winter and the pool wasn’t in use, just looking at it was quite pleasant.

Zhou Leqi and Milan helped some classmates with the barbecue outside. At first, Zhou Leqi’s fingers were nearly frozen while brushing oil on the meat, but after a while by the charcoal fire, they warmed up. She was sensitive to cold and shivered, thinking how the winter in A City was really long overdue, even colder than Beijing. Going out without a hand warmer was really not an option…

That thought made her recall the pink little hand warmer Hou Zihao gave her during their school days. She still kept it, though rarely used it now, treating it as a beautiful keepsake. In the years he was not by her side, it was one of the few comforts she had.

Thinking of this suddenly made her miss him. Perhaps the atmosphere of the reunion that night subtly stirred her emotions, making her especially want to see him right then. Just as she turned her head, he was already there.

He walked quickly, seeming eager to see her. Though it was just a few steps from the room to the backyard, his hurried expression made it feel like a long journey. Distance often intensifies innocence, and proximity can paint romance — that space seemed just right, making it easy for a dazzling love to spark.

He even seemed out of breath, his deep eyes hiding a captivating light. The mature man suddenly looked a bit rushed, blurting out, “...Why didn’t you tell me?”

She didn’t understand what he meant at first until he finished, “You wrote a letter to the Securities Regulatory Commission? ...Aren’t you supposed to be smart?”

Aren’t you always smart? Haven’t you always carefully planned your life?

Aren’t you the one who said you’d make lots of money in the future and worked so hard for that life?

So why suddenly do something so unwise for me?

Even… why are you so stingy with telling me?

She finally understood his question. Although surprised he knew about it, she remained calm and even smiled at him, rubbing her cold hands, saying, “It’s no big deal. What’s there to say?”

But his reaction was very different from hers. She saw strong emotions flicker in his eyes, so much that he turned his back to calm down. The classmates were watching them, making Zhou Leqi feel a bit awkward. She wanted to reach out to pull him aside to talk privately, but before she could, he pulled her into his arms.

Friendly teasing and laughter rose around them, along with cheers and applause.

She was surprised by the sudden embrace but also felt its warmth, as if an endless source of heat could keep her from ever feeling cold.

“I really can’t wait any longer…”

She heard his urgent and emotional voice by her ear, like the rising tide forcing everything backward.

“...Please, marry me.”