In the end, it was because she was a friend of Zhao Hanchen that she cared so much.
Zhou Jingwei's eyes unconsciously took on a tinge of sadness, but he quickly contained it.
His smile was lazy and gentle, word by word, full of sincerity, "Miss Cheng's name sounds very nice."
"Thank you..." Cheng Weiyue on the other end paused awkwardly, then finally remembered the matter at hand, "Right, Mr. Zhou, what do you like to eat? I'm ordering now."
Zhou Jingwei's smile was genuine as his voice, lazy and magnetic, sounded pleasantly in Cheng Weiyue's ears through the phone, "Zhao Hanchen said Miss Cheng is quite fond of the dishes at Yipin Restaurant, so... does Miss Cheng have any recommendations?"
Cheng Weiyue thought it over seriously before replying, "The crabs are quite plump this season, does Mr. Zhou like crabs?"
Zhou Jingwei was usually not keen on foods like crabs that tended to have a fishy taste.
But at this moment, the smile at the corner of his lips seemed to deepen, and his tone was ethereal and warm, "I like them."
Cheng Weiyue on the other end let out a sigh of relief, her tone noticeably more relaxed, "Good, then I'll order one for Mr. Zhou."
Her voice was too soft, and she pronounced the word "sir" with notable modulation.
Zhou Jingwei felt as if a tiny hook had snagged his heartstrings.
He was silent for a moment before saying indifferently, "Thank you, Miss Cheng."
Cheng Weiyue laughed, saying there was no need for thanks, and hung up the phone.
It happened to be a red light, so Zhao Hanchen stopped the car and looked at him with a playful gaze, "Jingwei, ever since you returned from abroad, you've become more personable, even learned to say thank you."
Zhou Jingwei took off the glasses on the bridge of his nose, revealing deep and dark eyes.
His double eyelids were narrow and deep-set, his eyes somewhere between peach blossom and phoenix shaped, distant and lazy.
He tugged at the corner of his lips with a smile, looked towards Zhao Hanchen, and said with unknown seriousness, "What if it's because, I've taken a liking to Cheng Weiyue?"
The traffic light had turned green.
Zhao Hanchen was startled for a moment, only accelerating when the car behind honked its horn, shooting off like an arrow released from a bow.
His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, his smile calm and sparse, "It's just a woman, if you like her, I'll let you have her. But... Cheng Weiyue is hopelessly devoted to me, she probably wouldn't want to follow you."
Zhou Jingwei could detect the stiffness in his tone and saw through his feigned nonchalance.
It was indeed laughable.
Maybe Zhao Hanchen himself hadn't realized that Cheng Weiyue meant something different to him than the other casual flings he'd had, that he actually did care about Cheng Weiyue.
But Zhou Jingwei was not a kind man, and he had no intention of pointing it out to him.
He just smiled lightly, wiped his glasses clean with a handkerchief, and put them back on, his demeanor becoming even more reserved and refined, "I don't do things against other's will."
Such a statement dispelled the little doubt that Zhao Hanchen had.
Zhou Jingwei was always a man of veiled threats and unscrupulous means; if he could say this so calmly, it meant he had no intentions towards Cheng Weiyue.
Besides, they had only met once, where would any affection come from?
With that, Zhao Hanchen let go of his guard, laughed, and said, "I've always known you to keep yourself to yourself, having such a severe aversion to casual relationships, surely you're looking for someone who has only you in their heart and eyes?"
Zhou Jingwei looked down at his ink-colored watch face, the hour hand was almost pointing to eight.
Yesterday at this time, he was on the phone in the Yuxian corridor, the first time he had seen Cheng Weiyue.
Someone who has only you in their heart and eyes?
Just the thought made his heart flutter.
He truly couldn't be a virtuous gentleman...
The Maybach stopped outside the Yipin Restaurant. Zhao Hanchen walked in, familiar with the place, and seeing that Zhou Jingwei had not followed, said in surprise, "Jingwei, aren't you coming in with me?"
"The car was too stuffy, I want to stand alone for a while."
If anyone else dared to disdain the car of Zhao's eldest son, he would have surely taught them a lesson, no matter what.
But Zhou Jingwei's status was different; he was the heir apparent of the Zhou Family, which was a powerful family on par with the Zhao Family. Even his own father wouldn't dare to offend him easily.
Thus, Zhao Hanchen merely raised an eyebrow and said, "Then I'll wait for you in the VIP room."
The night was like water.
Zhou Jingwei stood at the corner of the entrance to Yipin Restaurant, his suit exuding a literate, languid air. He leaned faintly against the wall, silently standing for a long time.
The onset of autumn brought a chilling air.
Bright streetlight illuminated the area, casting a dim hue.
He bit on a cigarette with one hand on a metal lighter, the tungsten wire igniting as he brought the cigarette closer, his movements exuding an indolent, unrestrained air.
The fiery red glow in the shadows was eye-catching, reflecting off his exposed wrist at the cuff of his suit, pale and bloodless.
Fine rain began to drift from the sky, falling on him.
He seemed unaware, merely smoking with intensity.
In fact, he shouldn't have been so immersed.
But having encountered her three times in just two days, he had lost his composure, with each time being less controlled than the last.
In his life, he had never been moved like this, perhaps because he was naturally aloof, devoid of ordinary human sentiments.
Even the smiles and etiquette he displayed to others were merely because he knew that's what people liked.
What he was best at was gaining the most benefits with the least cost.
He believed he could easily manipulate hearts, so this heavy blow was particularly painful.
He felt genuine joy from just exchanging polite greetings with Cheng Weiyue.
He found every word she said adorably unbearable.
He couldn't gain any benefit from her.
Yet, he was willing to pay any price to be near her.
He liked Cheng Weiyue, desperately so.
Thus, amidst the autumn rain, Zhou Jingwei heard a voice tinged with laughter whisper into his ear, "You've fallen, haven't you?"
Zhou Jingwei, you've fallen...
He snapped the last bit of his cigarette in half, his cultured and handsome face revealing a slight, relieved smile.
If he had fallen, so be it. After all, one should lose control at least once in their life.
As for the outcome, he didn't dare to ask for too much, yet he wasn't willing to just wait for his fate....
As Zhou Jingwei walked toward Yipin Restaurant, he heard an old Cantonese song drifting from deep down the street.
"People are like the bright moon in the sky, not something one can possess."
"But my heart, every moment, is still occupied by her, she is like the moon— silent and unreachable."
The little moon on the fifteenth of the first lunar month, not to be sought, and even less to be possessed.
He knew that.
But knowing never meant one could find their way back, nor that they could let go....
All the dishes had been served, and Zhao Hanchen saw Cheng Weiyue's hair spread down. He asked a waiter for a hair tie.
He took the initiative to tie her hair for her, his low and husky voice in Cheng Weiyue's ear carried a caring note: "Jingwei has a penchant for cleanliness; he might mind your loose hair. There must be no hitches at tonight's dinner."