Mature, steady, handsome, with a gentle demeanor, and an age perfectly suited to Qiao Li. A successful man, in all the ways that mattered.

Red alert!

“Huh?” he feigned surprise, as if just noticing the presence of another person before Qiao Li. “And this gege is…?”

He delivered the last sentence with a faux northwestern accent, just off enough that the mockery wasn’t immediately obvious.

Zhou Zhe instantly felt like a ruddy-faced, mustachioed, salt-of-the-earth middle-aged farmer.

Qiao Li coughed, and introduced him: “This is Zhou Zhe, my… high school classmate.”

A strange pause hung in the air.

Feng Yi processed the information, and judging by Qiao Li’s awkwardness, concluded—this was likely the boyfriend she’d mentioned, the one who had dumped her.

“Hello,” he said to Zhou Zhe, flashing a brilliant smile.

Zhou Zhe raised an eyebrow, and Qiao Li naturally turned to introduce Feng Yi, “This is Feng Yi, my… friend.”

Another awkward pause, but this time, Feng Yi saw nothing amiss, standing contentedly beside her. Zhou Zhe sensed something was off, and eyed Feng Yi suspiciously.

Young, cheerful, full of energy and vitality, with refined and handsome features, delicate but not feminine.

Even more handsome and striking than Zhou Zhe had been in his youth.

Feng Yi allowed Zhou Zhe to scrutinize him, then turned to Qiao Li. “Were you looking for me?” The answer was obviously no. Qiao Li still hadn't accepted his friend request, but he’d deal with that later.

Qiao Li paused, glanced at Zhou Zhe, and a surge of vengeful desire rose within her, a desperate need to return the embarrassment she had just suffered.

“Yes,” she said, staring at Zhou Zhe, each word precise, “I was looking for you.”

Zhou Zhe’s face stiffened. Unwilling to admit he’d flattered himself, he forced a strained smile. “I have something to do at the company,” he told Qiao Li. “I’ll be going now.”

After he left, Qiao Li felt a wave of relief, a melancholic shadow in her eyes.

Seeing this, Feng Yi’s heart ached. He longed to ask, “Is he your ex-boyfriend?” but knew he didn’t have the right.

“What are you doing here?” Grateful for his intervention, Qiao Li’s tone towards Feng Yi was exceptionally gentle.

Feng Yi, feeling a little glum, answered obediently, “I was coming home from the indoor basketball court nearby. Just passing through.”

“Oh, is your home far? I drove here. I can give you a ride.”

Feng Yi hesitated, then told a small lie, “I'm going to eat out. No one's home.”

Qiao Li was in a good mood. “Then let me treat you.”

“That’s… wouldn’t that be too much trouble?” he said, already falling into step beside her.

Qiao Li chose a Chinese restaurant and told Feng Yi to order whatever he liked. She then ordered a plate of stir-fried vegetables for herself.

Feng Yi ordered several meat dishes, then laughed sheepishly. “I ordered a bit too much.”

“No, you’re still growing.”

Feng Yi felt a pang of something bittersweet. "Still growing" made him sound like a child.

Yeah, yeah, Zhou Zhe wasn't growing anymore.

He changed the subject. “Why didn’t you accept my friend request? You didn't reply to my messages either.” 

And I didn’t dare call you.

Qiao Li looked surprised. “Sorry, I haven’t been using my phone much lately.”

She opened WeChat and saw a pile of friend requests.

After she accepted his, Feng Yi immediately beamed, cradling his phone with satisfaction.

When the food arrived, Qiao Li focused solely on her vegetables, making Feng Yi’s stomach clench.

“Is that all you’re eating?”

Qiao Li nodded. “Yes, I’m trying to lose weight.”

“Why? You’re not fat.” She was even a little thin. Feng Yi wanted to feed her.

Qiao Li paused, a thought crossing her mind, her smile becoming a little strained. “It’s always good to maintain this figure.”

Feng Yi felt another pang of jealousy. Probably for Zhou Zhe.

“Oh… I think eating makes people happy. Not being able to eat delicious food would be too painful for me.” He poked at the braised pork on his plate. “But if you think the happiness you get from dieting outweighs the happiness of eating, then that’s great too. As long as you’re happy.”