Chapter 99: Understanding

“Xiaxia, from what you just said and the way you reacted, it seems you’re not ready yet. When you hear someone confess their feelings, your first instinct is to avoid it, maybe even to run away. Is it because you don’t like the person confessing to you, or are you simply afraid of being in a relationship?”

Shen Mengxia was caught off guard by the question. She paused, considering Lin Lehan’s words.

Did she not like Ye Chen?

That didn’t seem quite right either.

She thought about it. Her only relationship had ended with the man cheating on her, and since then, she’d lost interest in romance altogether. It all seemed rather unremarkable to her.

She had known Ye Chen since high school—almost ten years now. They’d started as upper and lower classmates, now they were superior and subordinate at work.

Shen Mengxia was startled to realize that, whenever she thought back on her past, Ye Chen’s presence was always there.

Seeing how troubled Shen Mengxia looked, Lin Lehan and Wen Jiu exchanged a glance, silently thinking, “There’s hope.”

On the other side, three men sat together, watching the trio whispering away, clearly uninterested in their conversation. They exchanged helpless smiles and, in perfect understanding, raised their glasses in a toast.

A toast to their neglected selves.

For a long time, Wen Jiu and Lin Lehan communicated only through glances; since Shen Mengxia remained silent, they worried about her state.

Then, all of a sudden, Shen Mengxia stood up abruptly, as if she’d made an important decision.

Her movement was so sudden that the three men, still drinking, all turned to look at her.

Shen Mengxia turned to Wen Jiu and Lin Lehan and said, “Jiujiu, Hanhan, I’ve made up my mind. I’m going to pursue my own happiness! Why should I let the shadow of that jerk from before follow me all this time? Thank you both. I’m leaving now.”

With that, she grabbed her bag, greeted the three men, and swept out in a rush.

Wen Jiu and Lin Lehan exchanged a smile.

Xiaxia had finally come to terms with her feelings.

In truth, if Shen Mengxia had no feelings for Ye Chen, neither of them would have tried to persuade her to think it through or even encouraged her to pursue him.

After Shen Mengxia left, Wen Jiu pulled Lin Lehan along to continue drinking.

Before long, the five of them were drinking together.

As the night wore on, it was nearly eleven.

Lin Lehan felt she couldn’t drink another drop and set her glass aside.

Pei Yi and Lin Youqi hadn’t had much to drink and were still clear-headed.

Wen Jiu held her liquor well—her face was a little flushed, but she wasn’t drunk.

Gu Zehuai seemed a bit dazed from the alcohol; Wen Jiu assumed he was drunk, but he wasn’t.

When the gathering broke up, everyone headed home separately.

Watching Gu Zehuai walk steadily into the complex, his hand holding hers tightly, Wen Jiu finally believed he truly wasn’t drunk.

Once home, they rested in the living room for a while before Wen Jiu went to shower.

When she finished, she saw that Gu Zehuai had already showered in the guest bathroom and was toweling off his hair.

By the time she’d finished her skincare routine, Gu Zehuai was in the study, working through some documents.

When Wen Jiu came in, Gu Zehuai immediately set his work aside.

“All done with your skincare?” he asked, closing his laptop and walking toward her.

Seeing all her skincare products, Gu Zehuai didn’t recognize a single one, nor did he know the order in which to use them.

He decided from now on, he would learn the steps from Wen Jiu so he could help her in the future.

Wen Jiu nodded, glancing at the desk behind him. “Are you finished working?”

Gu Zehuai raised an eyebrow and replied, “If Jiujiu’s come looking for me in the study, she must be missing me. Of course, I had to finish up.”

Wen Jiu laughed and scolded, “You’re so cheeky.”

Gu Zehuai took no offense at her words. Instead, he scooped her up in his arms and strode out of the study toward their bedroom. “Time for bed.”

Caught off guard as she was lifted into the air, Wen Jiu let out a cry, immediately wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

Every time, Gu Zehuai managed to surprise her like this.

Looking at Wen Jiu leaning against his shoulder, Gu Zehuai smiled in utter contentment.