Volume One, Chapter 27 He made her feel that in this world, there truly was someone who valued her deeply.

Liang Muzhi was completely oblivious as he walked over and snatched the suitcase from Xu Zhi’s hand. “Get in the car,” he said.

Chen Jing pressed close to Xu Zhi, reaching out to link arms with her. “Let’s go, little Zhi,” she coaxed.

Like Yang Xue, Chen Jing seemed naturally friendly, but… she was also not quite the same. Xu Zhi felt that Chen Jing was a bit aggressive, though she couldn’t say exactly why she felt that way. The moment Chen Jing took her arm, Xu Zhi felt distinctly uncomfortable.

She wasn’t used to such intimacy with someone she barely knew. Her body was stiff, but she couldn’t very well pull away, so she allowed herself to be mechanically escorted by Chen Jing into the back seat.

Liang Muzhi settled into the driver’s seat, glanced at his watch—it was nearly noon. He asked Xu Zhi, “Do you want to eat out before heading home?”

Xu Zhi quickly shook her head.

“Come on, little Zhi,” Chen Jing’s voice was sugary sweet, cajoling Xu Zhi. “Last time the meal didn’t go well, let me make it up to you. I was just worried about Muzhi that day, that’s why my attitude wasn’t great. Let me treat you to lunch today.”

Xu Zhi wasn’t used to dealing with people like this. She felt uncomfortable all over, trying discreetly to withdraw her arm from Chen Jing’s hold, but failed.

She pressed her lips together and said with effort, “I… I have something to do at home. You two go ahead. I can take a taxi back myself.”

“How could that do?” Liang Muzhi said, “I’ll take you home first.”

The car started. Chen Jing, still unwilling to give up, asked, “Little Zhi, are you mad at me?”

Xu Zhi replied helplessly, “No.”

“Then why won’t you have lunch with us?” Chen Jing pressed. “If it were just Muzhi, would you go have lunch with him?”

That question… Xu Zhi sensed a trap.

“Or I could cook for you. Muzhi and I can cook at home,” Chen Jing chattered on. “I’m best at Hunan cuisine—do you like that? Oh, and we just went shopping in Hong Kong, brought back lots of goodies. Why not come see if there’s anything you like?”

Xu Zhi felt the nerves in her temples throbbing. Chen Jing was certainly enthusiastic, but Xu Zhi did not like this kind of enthusiasm. She gritted her teeth and steeled herself. “I’m not going. I want to go home. I really have things to do,” she insisted.

From the rearview mirror, Liang Muzhi glanced at the two girls in the back seat, his gaze lingering on Xu Zhi’s face for a couple of seconds.

For some reason, that strange dream came to mind again, and he felt an inexplicable heat in his body. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he forced himself to regain composure. “Little Zhi,” he asked, “are you still upset? I went to Hong Kong and missed your birthday.”

“No,” Xu Zhi said.

“Then why aren’t you wearing the bracelet I gave you?”

Xu Zhi was caught off guard, but before she could answer, Chen Jing interjected.

“Exactly, I picked out that bracelet. You don’t like it?”

The words left Xu Zhi stunned.

She drifted into a daze, her gaze slowly moving forward to rest on Liang Muzhi. From this angle, she couldn’t see his expression. She didn’t know if this mattered to him at all—

So even the so-called birthday gift hadn’t been chosen by him.

She suddenly wondered about the other birthday presents from before.

Back then, when he didn’t have a girlfriend, did he just grab whatever was convenient? Was giving her a birthday present nothing more than a mechanical chore, easily brushed aside?

Her arm was still imprisoned in Chen Jing’s grasp, yet Chen Jing’s words faded into a dull hum. Xu Zhi’s ears buzzed, and her body grew cold in waves.

Why, she wondered, was she always so foolish?

She had always treasured Liang Muzhi’s gifts—afraid jewelry would wear out, nervous digital gadgets would break, anxious ornaments would get scratched…

She always felt genuinely happy to receive his presents. Why?

Because Xu Heping and Zhao Nianqiao never celebrated her birthdays. Only Liang Muzhi had ever gone out of his way to make her feel special on that day.

He made her believe that there was someone in the world who valued her.

Chen Jing shook her arm. “Little Zhi? Say something?”

Xu Zhi came back to herself, glanced at Chen Jing, and after a moment, spoke. “Could you let go of my hand?”

Chen Jing was taken aback.

“I’m not comfortable being so close to people I don’t know well,” Xu Zhi heard her own voice, cool and distant. “This makes me very uncomfortable.”

The car fell into silence.

Chen Jing opened and closed her mouth, a bit embarrassed.

Liang Muzhi frowned. “Little Zhi, what’s wrong with you? Chen Jing didn’t mean any harm.”

Xu Zhi’s expression didn’t change. She kept her gaze on Chen Jing. “Will you let go?”

Chen Jing awkwardly released her grip.

Xu Zhi immediately shifted away, putting distance between them.

An awkward tension filled the car. Liang Muzhi’s face darkened. “Little Zhi, can’t you be more polite? Speak properly. You never used to be like this.”

Xu Zhi was quiet for a moment, then said, “If you don’t want to take me, you can stop here. I’ll get a taxi home.”

She didn’t stop to consider the consequences of her words. In the past, she was always careful, afraid to upset others. But the truth was, she herself was always the most upset.

Now, she spoke without thinking, unwilling to ponder further.

Not having flung off Chen Jing’s hand outright was already more than polite.

As expected, Liang Muzhi lost his temper and slammed on the brakes.

But stopping here was against the rules; the car behind nearly collided with them and also braked hard, the tires screeching sharply.

The driver behind them, a chubby middle-aged man, stuck his head out and started cursing.

Chen Jing was startled. “Muzhi, what are you doing? You can’t stop here. Just pull up at the next rest spot…”

Liang Muzhi ignored her, turning to Xu Zhi with a cold look. “Apologize to Chen Jing, or get out here. Your choice.”

Xu Zhi’s answer was to unbuckle her seatbelt and open the car door.

Her suitcase was still in the trunk, but as she stepped out and walked toward the back, Liang Muzhi hit the gas.

The car sped off, leaving her standing there, a wave of dizziness washing over her.

Liang Muzhi’s departure was swift. The impatient driver behind barely waited, got out just as Liang Muzhi drove away.

The man, short and stout, vented his anger on Xu Zhi, swearing, “What the hell is wrong with you? I don’t care what your problem is, blocking the street like you own it. If you want to argue, go fight at home!”

His voice was loud, drawing the attention of passersby.

Fortunately, he was in a hurry; after cursing, he climbed back in his car and drove off.

Xu Zhi slowly walked to the curb.

People were still pointing and whispering. She had always been thin-skinned; tears welled in her eyes, finally spilling down her cheeks.

Liang Muzhi had always been like this—reckless, never caring about others’ feelings. But she had always thought he treated her at least a little differently, that he cared how she felt. Now…

Perhaps it was because she had embarrassed his girlfriend and refused to apologize. He felt he had to defend Chen Jing.

Her legs were weak as she sat on a wooden bench beneath the trees by the roadside landscaping. She pulled a wet wipe from her bag and wiped her face haphazardly.

She kept taking deep breaths, and after a long while, calmed herself.

Then she laughed.

She thought of all the years before, how she’d always prepared early for Liang Muzhi’s birthday, carefully selecting gifts.

Now, all she felt was that she was nothing but a self-deluded fool.