Chapter Eleven

Lin Wu enjoyed her dinner that evening.

Li Xiang was an excellent boss. Whenever he organized a meal, he avoided vulgar activities like mandatory toasts, and he would even politely decline whenever a business partner tried to pressure his staff into drinking. If the people from the law firm wanted to drink, they could; if they didn’t, they didn’t. He always had their backs.

Lin Wu stayed true to her word that night and didn’t touch a drop of alcohol. They chatted while eating, and by the time they were nearly finished, the case had reached a point where they could pause the discussion. As they switched to idle conversation, Lin Wu set down her chopsticks at an opportune moment and quietly left the private room.

While heading toward the restroom, Lin Wu brushed past a well-dressed woman. A sweet fragrance drifted into her nostrils, and she glanced back at the retreating figure. The woman felt vaguely familiar, yet her name wouldn’t come to mind. After a moment of thought, Lin Wu gave up; to her, if she couldn’t remember someone or something, it clearly wasn’t important.

It wasn’t until she came out of the restroom and saw two people standing in the corridor that she realized who the woman was. She didn’t know her specific name, but she remembered having crossed paths with her once before. The circumstances were similar, though the location was different.

Having been seeing Chen Zhuo for quite some time, they had grown familiar enough that they would occasionally meet on Friday nights to grab a drink at a bar, listen to music, and then head back to the apartment together. Lin Wu recalled that the last time they had gone to a bar was over a month ago; she had been in a good mood and had been the one to suggest it. The time before that had been during the summer break.

The bar they had visited that day was very famous in Shencheng and would sometimes host entertainers and singers from the industry. Lin Wu only discovered upon arrival that a very popular band was performing, which was why the bar was much more crowded than usual. Drinking and listening to music was one of Lin Wu’s favorite ways to unwind. She wasn’t very familiar with the band performing that day, but she enjoyed their music—it wasn’t aggressive, noisy rap, but rather slower, more grounded melodies.

When the performance ended, some of the patrons began to leave. Lin Wu and Chen Zhuo were no exception. They exchanged a look, and Lin Wu told Chen Zhuo she was going to the restroom and to wait for her outside.

Chen Zhuo had replied that he could wait for her by the restroom entrance. Lin Wu had paused for a moment and asked, "Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?"

Chen Zhuo raised his eyebrows. "What’s inappropriate about it?"

"..." Lin Wu was silent for a moment before joking, "You aren't worried I'll run off, are you?"

Hearing this, Chen Zhuo stared at her intently for a few seconds. "Would you?"

Lin Wu replied without thinking, "Depends on your performance."

Chen Zhuo curled his lips and said softly, "Too many people. Let's go."

In the end, he did walk her to the restroom entrance. There was a queue, and Lin Wu had to wait for a while. When she came out, Chen Zhuo was still standing in the same spot, but a trendy, attractively dressed young woman was now standing in front of him. From a distance, Lin Wu could hear the woman’s excited voice: "Chen Zhuo, what are you doing here? What a coincidence!"

She didn’t catch Chen Zhuo’s reply. The woman immediately followed up, "Did you come alone? How are you getting home later? I didn't drive, why don't you give me a ride?"

Lin Wu glanced at the pair and walked off in the other direction. Just as she stepped out of the bar, her phone rang. It was a call from Chen Zhuo.

"Where did you go?" His voice was low and carried a sense of pressure, muffled by the noisy crowd.

Lin Wu paused for a moment before answering, "At the entrance."

A moment later, Chen Zhuo emerged alone. Lin Wu glanced behind him but said nothing. Chen Zhuo looked down. "What are you looking at?"

"…Nothing." Lin Wu didn't intend to probe. Their intimacy was strictly limited to Friday nights, and they made it a rule not to ask too much about each other’s private lives.

They walked to the parking lot in silence. Since they had both been drinking, Chen Zhuo called a designated driver. While they waited, Chen Zhuo suddenly spoke up. "Lin Wu."

Lin Wu responded, looking up at him. "Yes?"

Chen Zhuo was quiet, his gaze fixed directly on her face. "Just now—"

Before he could finish, Lin Wu smiled and interrupted him. "Mr. Chen, there’s no need to tell me."

She played by the rules and was not the least bit curious about that woman. Because of that little interlude, however, Chen Zhuo had been quite demanding with her that night. She had felt baffled at the time, not understanding why he was acting so crazily. Logically, if anyone should have been unhappy, it should have been her.

Seeing the two of them now and recalling that day, Lin Wu hesitated for a fraction of a second before walking past them with a calm expression to return to her private room. *They certainly have a way of crossing paths,* Lin Wu thought.

"Chen Zhuo, what are you looking at?" Ying Xianya, who had been speaking to Chen Zhuo, noticed his wandering gaze and indifferent expression. She followed his line of sight, but the corridor was unremarkable, with only two waiters standing by.

Chen Zhuo retracted his gaze and said in a flat tone, "Nothing."

Ying Xianya said "Oh," and, being tactful, didn't press the matter. She smiled with her eyes and asked softly, "Are you free this weekend?"

Chen Zhuo: "No."

Ying Xianya: "..."

Hearing his reply, she pouted slightly, aggrieved. "You didn't even think about it before saying you were busy."

Seeing her reaction, Chen Zhuo pulled himself together and said politely, "Ms. Ying, I am very busy."

"..." Ying Xianya froze, looking slightly dejected. "Alright, then I’ll ask you again when you have time."

Chen Zhuo didn't respond. He checked his watch. "I have something to attend to, so I'll be going."

Before Ying Xianya could reply, Chen Zhuo turned and walked away. She watched his retreating back and stamped her foot in frustration.

-

Back in the private room, the group exchanged a few more pleasantries before preparing to leave. As they reached the door, Li Xiang spoke politely to Chen Zhuo, "Mr. Chen, please feel free to contact us if you need anything."

Chen Zhuo acknowledged him, then glanced at Lin Wu, who was standing to the side with a faint smile. His eyes flickered. "No problem."

After seeing Chen Zhuo and the others off, Li Xiang rubbed his temples and looked at his team. "Let’s head back. We have work tomorrow." He instructed the assistants who hadn't been drinking to ensure their respective lawyers and colleagues got home safely.

As he finished giving instructions, Li Xiang remembered something and looked at Lin Wu. "Are you and your assistant riding with me?"

Lin Wu was about to agree when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She took it out to see a message from Chen Zhuo containing just two words: "Lawyer Lin."

Lin Wu: "Is there something you need, Mr. Chen?"

Chen Zhuo sat in his car, watching the flickering lights outside the window. His long fingers moved slightly: "Yes."

Lin Wu: "What is it?"

Chen Zhuo wanted to ask if she wanted to ride with him, but he knew she would definitely refuse. Hesitating for a moment, he loosened his tie and sighed softly: "Nothing. Get some rest early."

"..."

Seeing the message, Lin Wu was bewildered. *Was he drunk?*

"Lin Wu," Li Xiang called out as she stood there in confusion, "whose car are you taking?"

Lin Wu snapped out of it and hurriedly put her phone away. "Yours."

"Then let’s go," Li Xiang turned, not forgetting to tease her, "Since when did you start spending so much time on your phone?"

Lin Wu was speechless and made up an excuse. "A client message." It wasn't entirely a lie.

Li Xiang raised an eyebrow. "Which client is so demanding that they’re bothering our Lawyer Lin after nine at night?"

Lin Wu smiled and replied, "A client of Xianghe Law Firm."

Li Xiang: "..."

After arriving home in Li Xiang’s car, Lin Wu felt a sudden wave of fatigue, even though she hadn't exerted much effort socializing during dinner. After a quick wash, she hesitated for a moment between sleeping or working a little longer, but she chose the latter. She knew perfectly well that even if she lay down now, she wouldn't be able to fall asleep.

However, Lin Wu didn't expect that just as she sat down at her desk, Chen Zhuo would call. She was slightly surprised to see the caller ID.

"Hello?" Lin Wu answered hesitantly. "Mr. Chen."

Hearing her cool, detached tone, Chen Zhuo raised his eyebrows slightly. "Not resting yet?"

Lin Wu thought he was asking a question with an obvious answer; if she were resting, she wouldn't have answered his call. After a few seconds of silence, she asked, "Is Mr. Chen here to supervise the work?"

Chen Zhuo: "The case isn't that urgent."

Lin Wu caught the subtext in his words and gave a soft "Oh." Suddenly, both fell into a tacit silence. The line was quiet, and across the connection, they could almost hear each other’s breathing.

Lin Wu felt the atmosphere was off. She stared blankly at her computer screen and bit her lip. "Mr. Chen, if there's nothing else, I’m going to hang up."

"Are you home?" Chen Zhuo asked.

Lin Wu: "...Yes." She paused, then decided to be polite and ask in return, "What about you, Mr. Chen? You should be home by now, right?"

Chen Zhuo: "I arrived half an hour ago."

Lin Wu: "..." She hadn't wanted to know that specifically.

"Alright," Lin Wu replied. "Then get some rest, Mr. Chen."

Chen Zhuo gave a soft "Mn." "Goodnight, Lawyer Lin."

Lin Wu hesitated for a second. "Goodnight, Mr. Chen."

After putting the phone down, Lin Wu sat in a daze for a while before pulling her focus back to work. She didn't get to bed until one in the morning.

-

For the next two days, Lin Wu and Chen Zhuo did not meet. She was busy to the point of exhaustion, and Chen Zhuo, having just taken over the struggling Fenxing Investment Bank, was equally swamped. They didn't see each other on Friday night either.

On Saturday, Lin Wu met with a client, and once that was finished, she finally welcomed her short weekend break. As soon as she got home, she received a call from He Jiayun, inviting her to dinner at her place.

Lin Wu lay lazily on the sofa, rubbing her eyes. "Maybe next time. I’m really tired today."

Hearing her tone, He Jiayun frowned. "Didn't get enough sleep again?"

Lin Wu gave a vague response. "Not exactly, just a lot of things going on lately."

He Jiayun: "...Fine. How about tomorrow, then?"

Lin Wu laughed. "Why the sudden push for me to come over? Have you prepared a surprise?"

He Jiayun scoffed. "Your birthday hasn't even arrived yet, where would a surprise come from?"

Lin Wu said "Oh" and raised an eyebrow. "So there *is* a surprise for my birthday, then."

"..." He Jiayun was speechless and clicked her tongue over the phone. "Don't try to fish for information from me."

Lin Wu couldn't help but chuckle. After a few more words, He Jiayun asked, "How do you plan to spend your birthday? It happens to be on a Friday. Do you want to spend it with me, your colleagues at the firm, or perhaps with Chen Zhuo?" She was very curious.

Lin Wu: "Chen Zhuo doesn't even know when my birthday is."

He Jiayun was surprised. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Lin Wu said. "We've never talked about it."

He Jiayun: "He might still know. He’s seen your ID, hasn't he?"

"That was a long time ago," Lin Wu said. "Over half a year ago." She didn't think Chen Zhuo would remember such trivial details.

He Jiayun: "That’s not necessarily true."

Lin Wu didn't say anything.

"Seriously, if we have dinner, are you going to invite him? Or tell him it’s your birthday?" He Jiayun pressed.

Lin Wu said without hesitation, "No."

He Jiayun: "Understood. Then I’ll celebrate it with you."

Lin Wu smiled. "Alright, then I’ll leave it to our young lady."

He Jiayun: "Don't worry about it."

"Don't make it too grand," Lin Wu cautioned. "Just the two of us having a meal is enough." *Maybe add Li Xiang to pay the bill,* she thought.

He Jiayun: "Got it."

Once they finished chatting, He Jiayun told her to get some rest and hung up. Lin Wu tossed the phone aside, having no energy to move. She curled up on the sofa with a blanket, intending to rest for a moment, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

Lin Wu slept until nightfall. When she opened her eyes, the room was pitch black. For a moment, she couldn't even remember where she was. After a while, she got up and turned on the lights. At the flash of brightness, she instinctively closed her eyes—a natural human reaction.

Having skipped lunch, she woke up feeling famished. Lin Wu walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge, only to find a few cans of sparkling water and beer. It seemed she hadn't gone grocery shopping in a long time. Leaning against the fridge door, she decided to head to the supermarket. Although she didn't always live her life with much intention, occasionally she had the urge to eat a proper meal and live well.

The supermarket wasn't far—just across the street. Lin Wu didn't feel like driving. The supermarket was quiet at night, which she preferred; she found crowded, noisy places uncomfortable. Taking a small shopping cart, she wandered slowly through the aisles. Seeing the shelves packed with snacks, she hesitated, then reached out to grab some. *It’s a rare treat, it should be fine,* she thought.

After picking up some snacks, she turned toward the refrigerator section. The shelves were filled with an overwhelming variety of milk and yogurt, and she didn't know which to choose.

Suddenly, a familiar voice drifted into her ear: "The Earl Grey flavor is quite good."

"...?"

Lin Wu turned her head to see Chen Zhuo standing beside her, dressed in a casual trench coat and pushing a shopping cart identical to hers. She looked stunned. "What are you doing here?"

Chen Zhuo leaned over, picked up a carton of yogurt, and placed it in her cart. He said in a measured tone, "Grocery shopping."

Lin Wu: "..."

She didn't speak, just stared at him. Seeing her serious expression, Chen Zhuo gave a very slight smile. "What?"

"You..." Lin Wu frowned, guessing, "You don't live in the same complex as me, do you?" That seemed impossible.

Chen Zhuo: "No." *I wish I did,* he thought.

Lin Wu: "Then you live nearby?" If he didn't live in the area, he wouldn't be shopping here.

Chen Zhuo nodded, admitting, "Yes."

Upon receiving his confirmation, Lin Wu didn't know what to say. She wondered if they were fated to be together or destined not to be. They had known each other for so long, and this was the first time they had run into each other near their homes.

They fell into a mutual silence. Suddenly, Lin Wu’s stomach growled.

Chen Zhuo looked at her. "...You haven't eaten yet?"

Lin Wu nodded, feeling a bit embarrassed. "I ran out of groceries."

Chen Zhuo checked the time, feeling suspicious. "Did you skip lunch?" It was just past six; if she had eaten a normal lunch, she wouldn't be this hungry, nor would she have grabbed so many snacks. Chen Zhuo looked at the items in her cart.

Lin Wu gave a vague response, feeling awkward. "...I suppose so."

Chen Zhuo: "..."

He was speechless. He stared at her deeply for a moment before saying softly, "Lin Wu."

Lin Wu looked up. "Yes?"

Chen Zhuo’s eyes were deep and captivating; when she looked into them, Lin Wu often found it hard to hold her ground. This time, before she could look away, Chen Zhuo wore a look of helplessness and said in a low voice, "What are you planning to make?"

He had originally wanted to say, *Can’t you take a little better care of yourself?* But that would be crossing a line, and Lin Wu would push back. He knew her too well.

"...I haven't decided," Lin Wu admitted, caught off guard. She had come to the supermarket on a whim and had no clear plan for dinner.

Chen Zhuo understood. He paused and asked, "Would you like to have some home-cooked food?"

Lin Wu’s breath hitched. Her instinct told her not to accept, but she found herself saying, "Where?"

Chen Zhuo looked down and said, unhurriedly, "My place. Want to go?"