Volume One, Chapter 33: "What on earth is Brother Jinmo?"
At Xu Zhi’s call, both Liang Jinmo and Liang Muzhi were stunned.
To Liang Jinmo, the address was novel, and more than that, it was the first time Xu Zhi had not avoided Liang Muzhi and had spoken to him directly.
To Liang Muzhi, it was like a bolt of lightning—he felt himself struck dumb.
Xu Zhi had actually called Liang Jinmo “Brother Jinmo.”
Were Xu Zhi and Liang Jinmo really that close? Close enough to address him as “brother?” He could barely recall them exchanging more than a few words!
What’s more, Liang Jinmo was practically an enemy to him—what was Xu Zhi thinking?
After calling out, Xu Zhi took advantage of Liang Muzhi’s shock, stepping toward Liang Jinmo.
When she reached him, she looked up at him. “Let’s go.”
Liang Jinmo immediately noticed her swollen, reddened eyes.
He asked nothing, simply turned, and walked out of the complex beside her.
In Liang Muzhi’s line of sight, the two figures grew smaller and smaller.
When they disappeared from view, a realization dawned on him and he hurried after them.
Just as he exited the south gate, a car swept past.
He didn’t recognize Liang Jinmo’s car, but he saw Liang Jinmo in the driver’s seat—and Xu Zhi in the passenger seat.
Xu Zhi had actually left with Liang Jinmo.
He felt a rush of blood surge to his head, a mix of anger and confusion. Had Xu Zhi lost her mind?
At that moment, Xu Zhi was seated in Liang Jinmo’s car, feeling a wave of satisfaction.
Young Master Liang had likely never been so humiliated. She could easily picture his furious, flustered expression now.
Sure enough, within minutes, her phone rang—it was Liang Muzhi calling.
She set her phone to silent without hesitation.
Liang Jinmo asked, “Liang Muzhi?”
“Yes.” Xu Zhi slipped her phone back into her bag.
Liang Jinmo guessed that her tears were probably related to Liang Muzhi.
But he didn’t ask further. Instead, he changed the subject. “Is there anywhere you’d like to go?”
Xu Zhi tucked her chin in, lowering her head. Her face was haggard, her eyes swollen like walnuts. She couldn’t think of anywhere to go.
But she didn’t want to go home either. After a moment’s thought, she said, “Can I go to your place?”
This was Xu Zhi’s third time at Liang Jinmo’s apartment.
Once inside, Liang Jinmo asked if she wanted something to eat.
It was already past three in the afternoon, and Xu Zhi hadn’t eaten all day, but she still shook her head. “I’m not hungry.”
She sat on the sofa and glanced at her phone. Liang Muzhi had called over a dozen times, followed by a barrage of messages.
The air conditioning was on. Liang Jinmo took off his overcoat and glanced at her. “Aren’t you hot?”
It was indeed hot. Xu Zhi shed her jacket, then slowly removed her hat, though she kept her mask on.
Liang Jinmo poured her a glass of water and set it on the coffee table, making no move to prompt her to remove her mask.
His phone rang just then. He picked it up and answered.
Xu Zhi overheard what seemed to be a work-related conversation.
It sounded tricky. She noticed the slight furrow of his brow, the seriousness in his face, his tone stern: “After repairs, you need to retest. I’m certain I reminded you. If there’s another problem once the product goes live, who do you think will take responsibility? If one tester isn’t enough, use two; if two won’t suffice, use three. Do it yourself if needed. This project is important. I want to see the final test report, and whoever signs is responsible.”
When Liang Jinmo hung up, he met Xu Zhi’s gaze.
She shrank her neck, a bit uneasy. “You seem really busy.”
“A bit,” he replied. “There’s a new program about to launch.”
“Oh, then go ahead,” she said quickly. “I won’t disturb you. I’ll just stay here for a little while and head home tonight.”
She wanted to escape her home environment, and this was the perfect place—somewhere Liang Muzhi couldn’t find her. Here, she felt safe.
He asked, “Will you be all right on your own?”
Xu Zhi blinked in surprise. “I’m not a child. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Liang Jinmo turned toward the study. “I’ll get back to work, then. Call me if you need anything.”
He went in, leaving the door ajar. Xu Zhi could hear the clacking of his keyboard.
It was uncomfortably warm. With Liang Jinmo in the other room, she sat a while, then finally took off her mask, breathing easier at last.
A little later, as she was growing bored, there was a knock at the door.
It was room service, delivering the items Liang Jinmo had ordered—coffee, milk tea, and an assortment of snacks and desserts.
She hadn’t noticed when he’d placed the order. Gathering the items, she gently knocked on the study door.
Liang Jinmo glanced up at her, now wearing a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. Xu Zhi was momentarily stunned.
Women are visual creatures too, easily struck by a new kind of beauty. With his glasses on, Liang Jinmo’s reserved, ascetic aura was stronger than ever—like a flower on a distant peak, best admired from afar.
The metaphor startled her. Collecting herself, she said, “Room service brought these. Should I bring them in for you?”
Liang Jinmo removed his glasses and massaged his brow. “They’re for you, except for the iced Americano.”
Xu Zhi carried them in anyway, placing the iced Americano on his desk. She paused, eyeing the little cakes and macarons on the tray.
From the soup dumplings last time to the blueberry cake and macarons now, she realized Liang Jinmo always ordered her favorite foods.
Noticing her hesitation, Liang Jinmo asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” Xu Zhi spotted a small side table in the study and set the items there. “I can’t finish all this by myself. Let’s share.”
“I don’t eat sweets.” He leaned back in his executive chair, gesturing toward the sofa behind the little table. “Have a seat.”
Xu Zhi obediently sat down.
Liang Jinmo fixed his gaze on her, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing at his lips.
Xu Zhi noticed. “What are you smiling at?”
“I’m not.”
“I saw you!”
Liang Jinmo said, “You claimed your eyes were swollen and ugly. Now I believe it.”
“Ah!” Xu Zhi realized and clapped her hands over her face. “Don’t look!”
He lowered his head, fist pressed to his lips to stifle a laugh.
She was clearly feeling much better, which put him at ease. He asked, “Want to talk about it?”
Xu Zhi peeked at him through her fingers. “Talk about what?”
“Why you were crying.”
She squinted at him. “Are you curious about my affairs?”
“If you don’t want to say, never mind,” he replied. “I’m not really interested in whatever’s going on between you and Liang Muzhi.”
Xu Zhi thought he never played by the rules.
“But…” He paused. “What’s with this ‘Brother Jinmo’ business?”
Xu Zhi’s face grew hot. “I… I didn’t know what to call you.”
The only time she’d called his name was that incident by the lake, and she’d used his full name in a moment of panic. Other than that, she’d never addressed him directly.
“Then just call me that from now on,” he said, accepting the address.
Xu Zhi didn’t object. After all, he was three years older than her; it was only polite to call him brother. She asked, “Are you not busy anymore?”
He acknowledged with a hum, then added, “Yang Xue has decided to join Cheng Yu’s team. What do you think about that?”
It was the same question as before, and Xu Zhi was momentarily at a loss for words.