Her face was bare of makeup, her hair loose around her shoulders. She wore a slightly worn, oversized sweater and, surprisingly, flat shoes. Soft, almost ethereal. He was surprised, but more than that, she felt like a stranger.

The woman he remembered was all precisely applied red lipstick and a long, elegant neck. When had he ever seen her so soft, so unguarded?

Qiao Li greeted him casually, "What are you doing here?"

He frowned slightly, unsettled by her casual tone. For the past ten years, Qiao Li had always been tense and guarded around him, strong yet vulnerable. Never this relaxed, this…lazy.

Pushing aside his confused thoughts, he replied, "I'm with Sisi. She's buying groceries. Says she's going to make me a feast."

She nodded distractedly, forcing a polite smile. "Oh, well, you two take your time. I should get going."

Zhou Zhe stepped aside to let her pass. As she walked by, without the added height of her usual heels, she seemed smaller. He could even smell the faint fragrance of her loose hair.

He couldn't help but watch her go. Even in the crowded marketplace, she was as eye-catching as ever, but different somehow. Grounded, human, touched by the everyday. He'd once heard someone say that men are fickle creatures, drawn to excitement and adventure, wanting women who are like fire, like roses. But when the dust settles, it's the hazy image of someone bathed in the afternoon sun, making soup, that lingers.

The words he'd once dismissed with a cynical laugh now echoed in his mind, unsettling him. He saw someone pushing a shopping cart about to collide with her. His body reacted before his mind could process, and he lunged forward, grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the way.

Bottles of soy sauce and vinegar clattered inside the cart. The woman pushing it started cursing, "Watch where you're going! Are you blind? What's wrong with you?"

The corner of the cart had hit Qiao Li's hip, and her temper flared. "And what are you?"

The woman's husband, short, stout, and with a face that screamed trouble, pushed through the crowd. Hearing Qiao Li's retort, he jabbed a finger at her. "You say that again!"

His finger was practically touching her face. She wanted to slap him, but she knew the type – he'd actually hit her. If she didn't want trouble, she had to hold back.

Before the man could gloat over her silence, someone grabbed his wrist, twisting it until it cracked. He cried out in pain, sweat beading on his forehead.

Zhou Zhe sneered. "You want to hit her?"

Qiao Li, completely surprised by Zhou Zhe's intervention, stared at him.

He acted smoothly, grabbing the man by the collar. "If you want to fight, let's go outside. There's a police booth right over there. We can call the cops after we're done." The man's face turned red, his breathing constricted. Seeing Zhou Zhe's expensive clothes, he knew he couldn't afford to escalate things. "Let go!" he blustered.

Zhou Zhe, having dealt with all sorts of people over the years, recognized the weakened bravado. He released his grip, his eyes fixed on the man with contempt.

The man muttered a few more empty threats before pulling his wife away.

The entire confrontation had lasted less than a minute. Qiao Li watched Zhou Zhe straighten his sleeves, stunned.

This wasn't like the Zhou Zhe she'd spent seven years with.

Years ago, when she'd been working as a technical translator in Germany, harassed by her boss to the point of near breakdown, she'd reached out to Zhou Zhe in desperation. He'd calmly analyzed the situation, and with the help of a recording, secured her a generous severance package.

Had he done the wrong thing? Qiao Li didn't know.

She only knew that at countless crossroads in her life, if he had just once been less rational, things might have ended differently.

In the crowded market, their eyes met, and for a moment, neither spoke.

Qiao Li looked down, then back up, the complexity in her eyes replaced with a forced lightness. "Thanks," she said with a smile.

Zhou Zhe twitched his lips, but couldn't quite manage a smile in return.

He shook his head. "No need for thanks between friends."

Even though they both knew they would never be friends, they tacitly used the word to define their relationship.

Their silence was broken.

"There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you." A woman hurried up behind Zhou Zhe, looping her arm through his with practiced intimacy.

Feng Sisi paused, then turned her gaze to Qiao Li, offering a loaded greeting. "Hello."

Qiao Li understood the body language perfectly. She raised an eyebrow, amused. "Hello." Without looking at Zhou Zhe, she added, "Someone's waiting for me. I have to go."

Before Feng Sisi could say anything else, Qiao Li turned and walked away.

Zhou Zhe stared after her.