The door was suddenly pushed open from the outside, and Zhou Lingxing looked up.

When he saw who had entered, he exhaled in relief. At such a critical moment, one more second of looking at that person might have broken his composure.

Sun He glanced at Zhou Lingxing lying on the bed, feigning a bit of surprise. “Why are you still daydreaming after being up here so long? Weren’t you going to rest?”

Zhou Lingxing smirked. “Didn’t you already figure it out?”

Sun He grinned. “Oh? So you’re admitting it now?”

The man on the bed casually crossed his hands over his lap, his expression calm, showing no hint of embarrassment.

“Mm. Your guess came true an hour ago.”

Sun He was about to tease him, but Zhou Lingxing cut him off.

“Realizing it late isn’t a problem, as long as you act fast enough.”

Sun He raised an eyebrow. “Already got the next step planned?” He grinned mischievously. “Tell me about it—I’ll help you strategize.”

Without changing his expression, Zhou Lingxing spoke two words:
“Seduction.”

“Pfft—hahaha!” Sun He burst into laughter.

What had he just heard? Seduction? Seduction?!

Zhou Lingxing seemed to have predicted Sun He’s reaction, coldly watching him laugh until tears came.

When Sun He finally stopped laughing, Zhou Lingxing asked seriously, “It won’t work?”

His expression was so serious that it was terrifying.

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Sun He chuckled, “Oh, it’ll definitely work! I just want to know—how exactly do you plan to seduce her?”

Zhou Lingxing didn’t respond, casually playing with his phone, appearing carefree. But inside, he was already restless—he hadn’t even figured out how to go about it yet.

As he mindlessly scrolled through a few Weibo posts, a memory from earlier in the day flashed in his mind.

Had he only liked her post? Meanwhile, Xiaoban and Wave had already posted supportive messages?

Didn’t that mean he was lagging behind?

Quietly, Zhou Lingxing began typing.
**[Reposted Weibo // Be quiet.]**

Doesn’t seem forceful enough, he thought, and deleted it.

**[Reposted Weibo // Shut up.]**

Too simple. Not right.

**[Reposted Weibo // Not happy? Let’s solo, bring it on.]**

This felt better. Satisfied, he nodded and hit send.

He didn’t bother to look at the sudden influx of comments, tossing his phone onto the nightstand.

Sun He had quietly observed everything and couldn’t help laughing. Glancing at Zhou Lingxing’s smug expression, he inwardly clicked his tongue. Why did it feel like he had just been force-fed a mouthful of dog food?

Caught off guard, defenseless.

—

When dinner time arrived, Lao Yu eagerly volunteered to wake Zhou Lingxing.

Whether it was because Lao Yu’s approach was too aggressive or Zhou Lingxing was still contemplating his seduction strategy, by the time Zhou Lingxing came downstairs, his face was dark.

Usually, Lao Yu would cower under Zhou Lingxing’s intimidating presence, but the thought of food gave him courage. Completely ignoring Zhou Lingxing’s displeasure, Lao Yu was already fantasizing about sashimi ramen and sushi, pacing around the living room like a fly desperate to escape its cage.

Su Heng smiled slightly. “Which restaurant should we go to?”

“The new barbecue tavern! They have Japanese-style grilled meat too!” Lao Yu jumped with excitement, his eyes sparkling.

Hearing this, the young woman looked toward Zhou Lingxing, seemingly seeking his approval.

The moment their gazes met, Zhou Lingxing turned away and waved his hand. “Let’s go.”

If he looked any longer, his legs might refuse to move.

To ensure everyone could fit in one vehicle, Sun He had thoughtfully arranged for a seven-seater van.

Su Heng quietly sighed, lamenting the lost chance for some alone time.

As soon as they entered the restaurant, the rich aroma of grilled meat greeted them.

Lao Yu swayed as he took a seat, grabbing the menu and eagerly marking dishes.

Wave, about to make a sarcastic remark, suddenly noticed the drinks menu and his eyes lit up. He grabbed it excitedly.

After a moment of study, the young man exclaimed, “What’s the point of just eating meat? Let’s get some drinks too!” l

Xiaoban and Old Fish were huddled over the menu, paying no attention to Wave’s suggestion.

It was Sun He who nodded first in agreement. “Sure, we can relax since we don’t have any matches coming up.”

Then, he glanced at Su Heng across the table. “Can you drink?”

The girl shrugged. “I’m fine with anything.”

Zhou Lingxing frowned as he observed her calm expression.
Doesn’t this woman have any sense of danger?

He gave a deliberate cough. “We’re here to eat. What’s the need for alcohol?”

Sun He smiled knowingly but didn’t say a word.

Wave, however, was determined. “There are so many of us. What’s the harm in drinking a little?”

Seeing Zhou Lingxing about to reject him again, Wave quickly cut in. “Isn’t today Su Heng’s birthday? She should decide—drink or not?”

Caught off guard, Su Heng hadn’t expected the topic to land on her. She snuck a glance at the man whose expression had darkened.

“Maybe… we could drink a little?” she said cautiously.

Zhou Lingxing’s face nearly dropped to the floor, but Wave pretended not to notice and waved at the waiter.

“Over here! Six bottles of sake, six bottles of plum wine, six large beers… and six cups of soju. That should do it.”

Just a little drink? Not happening.

The waiter grinned ear to ear and hurried off to place the order, chuckling with a colleague. “Finally, some stock is going to clear out!”

Everyone was stunned. Even Su Heng raised an eyebrow. “This is what you call a little?”

Wave’s eyes crinkled with laughter. “It’s for your birthday, after all!”

Old Fish scoffed. “Please, everyone knows you’re just a booze addict.”

Su Heng shook her head lightly. “I only found out today.”

Then, she glanced again at Zhou Lingxing, whose expression had grown even darker. A sense of unease crept over her.
She silently prayed she wouldn’t make a fool of herself if she got drunk.

Before the food arrived, the alcohol was already on the table.

Xiaoban swallowed nervously at the sight of so many bottles.
This setup… felt a bit intimidating.

Zhou Lingxing, still stone-faced, grabbed a bottle of sake and opened it with a swift twist. Without sparing anyone a glance, he poured a cup for himself.

And as if that wasn’t enough, he filled a cup for Wave as well.

Wave, startled but delighted, accepted it immediately. “Ling-ge, what’s this about?”

Zhou Lingxing sneered. “Didn’t you want to drink? Cheers.”

With a clink of their cups, both men downed their drinks in one go.

Sun He observed Zhou Lingxing’s strange behavior with an amused grin. Was he really expecting Su Heng to escape tonight?

Finally, some dishes were served, and the spicy warmth of the sake lingered on their tongues.

Sun He quickly grabbed a slice of salmon, tossing it into his mouth before even dipping it in soy sauce, satisfaction written all over his face.

But Zhou Lingxing showed no signs of stopping. This time, he filled everyone’s cup—except Su Heng’s.

Seeing their bewildered looks, he said flatly, “Toast to the birthday girl.”

Su Heng hurried to stand, grabbed a bottle from the man’s side, and filled her own cup.

Before Zhou Lingxing could stop her, she had already downed it. He could only sigh in frustration, feeling that all his efforts had been in vain.

Sun He snickered as he leisurely opened a bottle of plum wine. After pouring himself a cup, he poured one for Su Heng. “A toast to you. Happy birthday.”

Without hesitation, Su Heng raised her cup to drink—only for a hand to intercept it mid-air.

Zhou Lingxing’s large hand effortlessly snatched the cup from her lips, the back of his fingers brushing against her mouth, sending shivers through her.

He shot Sun He a cold look. “Toast me first.”

Su Heng blinked, confused by his sudden action, her cheeks burning.

Had she really had too much to drink after just one cup?

From that point on, Su Heng felt like an outsider, watching everything unfold with Zhou Lingxing’s voice dominating the night:

“Not toasting me?”

“Why are you toasting her?”

“Cheers.”

If she still couldn’t see his intentions by now, she must really be clueless.

But as time went on, no matter how good Zhou Lingxing’s drinking tolerance was, he couldn’t keep up against four people.

Xiaoban seized the opportunity and immediately raised his glass toward Su Heng. “Happy birthday, Miss!”

The girl glanced at the man’s back as he headed to the restroom and nodded helplessly.

The wine was a bit spicy and slightly bitter, but all that remained in her heart was a trace of sweetness.

Su Heng could no longer suppress the curve of her lips.

Could she dare to guess now… that maybe he liked her a little too?

Seeing Xiaoban successfully propose a toast, everyone else followed suit and raised their glasses to Su Heng.

By the time Zhou Lingxing returned, finally a bit more sober, Su Heng was already tipsy.

He couldn’t help but furrow his brow. She was really something else—always causing trouble.

The girl saw him and smiled sweetly. Her cheeks were flushed, and even her usually cold voice carried a soft, tender tone.

“What took you so long?”

It sounded as if she were whining at him.

Her eyes held a hazy charm, making it impossible to look away.

Zhou Lingxing froze, unable to take another step.

This woman—she must be poisonous.

He had no choice but to pinch his thigh in secret, forcing himself to stay focused.

After drinking a bit more, the girl didn’t talk much, but her attitude toward everyone warmed considerably.

As the party hit its peak, she stopped relying on Zhou Lingxing to block drinks for her and accepted every toast without hesitation.

After several rounds, the only ones still standing were Zhou Lingxing and Sun He.

The girl’s eyes were slightly hazy, and she spoke slowly, riding the mood. “Honestly, I envy people who live normal lives.”

The two men were stunned, turning to look at her.

Su Heng didn’t seem to care about their reactions and smiled faintly. “Before all this, being able to go to school or work like a normal person was my biggest wish.”

Propping her head on her hand, she glanced at the young boys who had passed out.

“Ever since I got this illness, I haven’t been able to live like other people.” She seemed to smile as she continued, “I’d suddenly fall asleep in the middle of class, lose consciousness halfway through an exam, or even collapse on the field, scaring both teachers and classmates.”

Thinking back, it felt like a long time ago, though it had only been a few years.

As if organizing her thoughts, she paused for a long moment before speaking again. “Later, the teachers suggested I transfer to a special education school… Then, my mom left, so I just dropped out altogether.”

The air fell silent for a moment.

Su Heng smiled again, looking at the only two people still sober at the table.

“And after that, you guys found me.”