Chapter 16: The Gift

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Zhou Zhuofei detected a hint of arrogance in the other’s tone and wasn’t sure how to respond. Du Yu noticed her expression and immediately burst out laughing, explaining, “Don’t be fooled by his attitude; he’s reluctantly considered a second-generation rich kid.”

Han Chubin immediately complained, “That label sounds so unpleasant.”

Du Yu quickly corrected herself, cupping his chin in her palm, her thumb and fingers pinching his cheeks affectionately. “How about calling you ‘Young Master’? How does Young Master Dongye sound?”

“That’s just up to you. Call me whatever you want.”

Seeing the young couple start to get cozy, Zhou Zhuofei consciously averted her gaze, pretending to study the restaurant’s decor. She understood that when out with a couple, being the third wheel was inevitable—that was her fate.

After eating, the three decided to catch a movie.

At the cinema, while Zhou Zhuofei asked Du Yu how much the meal had cost, she pulled out her phone.

Before she finished speaking, Du Yu waved her off, “Forget it, you’re not going to ask me for that money. Keep it and buy some snacks for the director.”

With that, she got up to go to the restroom, leaving Zhou Zhuofei and Han Chubin to exchange glances.

Zhou Zhuofei wasn’t socially anxious, and since she used to move in similar circles, a natural warmth accompanied her.

They chatted casually for a bit before Han Chubin pulled out his phone and suggested, “Why don’t we add each other as friends first?”

“Sure.” Zhou Zhuofei took out her phone and exchanged social media accounts with him. Once added, she casually browsed his profile.

Han Chubin’s profile was rich and active—he posted almost daily. Besides anime and gaming content, there were photos of delicious food and travels, painting the picture of someone who loved life and lived it fully, quite compatible with Du Yu’s vibe.

Soon Du Yu returned. Seeing the two silently absorbed in their phones, she wondered if they had run out of things to say. That couldn’t be right; both were usually extroverted.

“Why aren’t you two talking?”

Zhou Zhuofei immediately showed her the phone screen. “We just became friends. I’m checking out his updates.”

Du Yu glanced over and said, “His posts are lively—each one has tons of comments.”

The two bubbled with chatter while Han Chubin found himself unable to join, watching them until the theater usher called for seating.

When the movie ended and they stepped outside, Han Chubin asked Du Yu where they planned to go next.

Du Yu and Zhou Zhuofei exchanged a glance. Before Zhou could speak, Du Yu said, “Let me guess—you want to go home.”

Zhou Zhuofei laughed right away. “You know me too well.”

She had a limit for outings, like a battery draining from full to empty. At first, she could be energetic, but as her energy waned, she just wanted to go home and rest.

Du Yu had predicted this and shook her head. “Then you head back. We’ll hang out a bit longer.”

Zhou Zhuofei was waiting for that. “Alright! You guys enjoy your date.” She waved at Han Chubin with a smile. “Bye, nice meeting you.”

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Han Chubin smiled in return, his gaze lingering on Zhou Zhuofei’s face a moment longer.

Du Yu’s style matched her striking appearance—bold and radiant, commanding attention from anyone nearby. His past girlfriends were all like Du Yu: stunning and flamboyant. Standing next to them was not only a visual delight but also gave him immense satisfaction.

Zhou Zhuofei’s looks were softer, more understated. At first glance, no one might label her as traditionally beautiful, but she was pleasant to look at, carrying an air of intellect and professionalism that set her apart from anyone Han had met before.

After Zhou Zhuofei walked away, Han withdrew his gaze and casually asked Du Yu, “What does your friend do?”

Du Yu rolled her eyes at his failure to remember Zhou’s name. “Her name’s Zhou Zhuofei. At least remember that.”

“Alright, alright. What does Zhou Zhuofei do?”

“She works in administration at Universal. Not a bad job, right?”

There was a hint of pride in Du Yu’s tone. Han Chubin came from a wealthy family and was well-traveled from a young age, so a certain air of superiority often crept into his speech.

Du Yu was drawn to this; she believed men who liked to show off weren’t bad, as long as they had the substance to back it up—and Han fit that bill.

She saw Zhou Zhuofei’s job as solid and respectable, something no one could find fault with.

As expected, Han nodded slightly. “Universal, huh? That’s a good place. No wonder she’s stepped away from the spotlight.”

“She’s not exactly retired from the scene, just prefers staying home now. She actually spends most days gaming.”

“That’s pretty reclusive,” Han replied, still chatting with Du Yu but his mind wandering elsewhere.

That evening, Zhou Zhuofei was browsing a gaming forum when Du Yu sent her a message.

[What do you think of him?]

Zhou typed with one hand while holding her phone with the other, quickly replying.

[Not bad.]

[Only three words? Stop being so dismissive—are you gaming again?]

[As long as you like him. I’ve only met him once; I can’t say much more.]

From Zhou’s perspective, they looked compatible—similar interests and good family backgrounds. She couldn’t find fault.

[I think he’s okay too. Let’s just see how it goes.]

[Give it a try. By the way, your birthday’s coming up, right? Pick something from your favorites and send me the links.]

Du Yu promptly sent a string of emojis—shy, kisses—then went silent.

Zhou Zhuofei was pleased and tossed the phone aside. Great, now she had at least an hour to focus on the forum.

Only when she was about to sleep did Du Yu send the links. Too tired to open them, Zhou simply sent back an “OK” and turned off her phone.

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Du Yu’s job often required late nights, so her schedule was erratic, but even she was starting to feel exhausted.

The next morning, Zhou Zhuofei brushed her teeth while scrolling through her phone and finally opened Du Yu’s link. It led to an anime figurine purchase page. After scanning the shopping notes and confirming the items were in stock, she quickly placed the order and paid.

The whole process took less than a minute—she hadn’t even finished brushing her teeth.

In that moment, Zhou felt a wave of relief.

Compared to the days of saving every penny as a student, she no longer had to worry about money.

Though she hadn’t chosen her dream career, she chose wealth instead. With money, she could buy more of what she loved—a kind of “roundabout salvation,” if you will.

After washing up, she messaged Du Yu to say the purchase was done but waited a long time with no reply.

Growing suspicious, Zhou checked Du Yu’s recent posts and found one from 3 a.m.—a photo of starry skies from a mountaintop. No wonder she hadn’t responded; she must have just gone to sleep.

“She really knows how to keep going…” Zhou sighed, zooming in to study the photo.

This was one of her habits: noticing seemingly trivial details.

The photo was taken sitting on the roof of a car, in a wide-open area. Zhou had lived in K City for seven years and hadn’t even known there was such a spot for stargazing.

Du Yu sat in the passenger seat, and in one corner of the photo, a partial figure occupied the driver’s seat, dressed similarly to Han Chubin.

Zhou liked the post and scrolled down to see their mutual friends had already filled the comment section with lively discussion.

Some admired Du Yu’s stamina, others praised the car, and a few speculated about the identity of the driver.

Zhou read with interest and even joined in some witty replies. She wandered from the bathroom to the living room, lazily collapsing onto the sofa with the director’s dog nestled at her feet.

The room was quiet except for occasional sounds of children playing outside the window.

After replying to messages, she set her phone on the table. Sleepiness returned, and she yawned, settling in for a brief nap.

A seemingly ordinary weekend had given her ample rest.

The next day, she left for work refreshed.

Mondays were always the busiest. Zhou worked hard all morning, took a short break at noon, then rushed to prepare afternoon tea.

Of course, she hadn’t forgotten to invite Zhan Zilang. Working together made things more efficient.

After finishing, they found a quiet corner to sit. Zhan, disregarding appearances, shrugged off his suit jacket, loosened his tie, and fanned himself, while Zhou pulled out her phone.

She had noticed her phone buzzing several times but hadn’t had a chance to check.

Seeing the blinking avatars in her message list, she uttered a curious, “Hmm?”

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