The fake heiress loves to act? The max-level boss isn't interested in playing along.

Fu Hua glanced at the time; it was almost nine o'clock.

Just as she was about to speak, Xu Jing walked up from behind.

With a gentle smile, she said, "Xingzhou, could you give me a ride home? My house isn't far from Fu Hua's."

This was said so casually, yet Lu Xingzhou frowned slightly: "Xu Jing, weren't you driving yourself?"

"I didn't drive today, so I came in a colleague's car."

As Xu Jing spoke, she had already moved to the other side of Fu Hua.

"Let's go, together."

Fu Hua didn't say anything, and the three of them walked out side by side.

The streetlights stretched and shortened the shadows of the three people, creating a somewhat subtle atmosphere.

As she reached the door, Xu Jing suddenly cried out "Ouch!" and twisted her ankle, falling towards Lu Xingzhou.

Lu Xingzhou instinctively steadied her, asking, "Are you alright?"

"It's okay, it's okay..."

Xu Jing leaned on his arm and straightened up.

She smiled sheepishly, "I'm not used to the new shoes yet, thank you, Xingzhou."

As she spoke, her eyes glanced at Fu Hua.

Fu Hua simply watched calmly, her face expressionless.

Lu Xingzhou released his grip and created some distance: "Be careful."

The three continued walking forward.

Xu Jing deliberately brought up old stories from the old compound with Lu Xingzhou, and laughter filled the air.

Fu Hua walked quietly to the side, like an outsider.

As they approached the fork in the road, Lu Xingzhou said, "Xu Jing, your house goes left, and Fu Hua and I go right. Let's part ways here."

Xu Jing paused for a moment, but her smile remained: "Alright. Then, Comrade Fu Hua, Xingzhou, take care."

She stood there, watching the two figures walk away side by side.

Under the streetlights, the two shadows were neither too close nor too far apart.

Lu Xingzhou turned his head and said something to Fu Hua, who nodded slightly.

Xu Jing's smile slowly faded, and her eyes turned cold.

Just then, she caught a glimpse of the other side of the road out of the corner of her eye.

There was a military green jeep parked there, like a military vehicle.

The car window was rolled down halfway, revealing a clear profile of the person in the driver's seat.

Acknowledgments.

Xu Jing's eyes lit up, and she quickly crossed the road to the car.

Her smile brightened again: "Xie Ci? What are you doing here?"

Xie Ci turned his head and saw that it was her.

His face was expressionless: "Waiting for someone."

"Shall we wait for Fu Hua?"

Xu Jing smiled naturally, "We were together just now. Did Lu Xingzhou take her home? You know Lu Xingzhou, right?"

That's Old Master Lin's grandson. I heard he and Comrade Fu knew each other before and had a pretty good relationship.

I noticed Lu Xingzhou was talking to her the whole time, and they were acting quite intimately…”

She spoke casually, as if chatting about everyday things.

But each word is like a carefully polished needle.

Xie Ci's hands remained on the steering wheel.

He simply glanced at her and asked, "Are you done?"

Xu Jing was taken aback.

"Get out of the way once you've finished speaking."

Xie Ci said calmly, without even glancing at her, "You're blocking my view."

"Thank you, I..."

Xu Jing wanted to say something more.

Xie Ci had already turned his gaze forward again, his profile half-lit and half-shadowed by the streetlights, his features cold and hard.

That kind of indifference that completely ignores the challenge.

It's more embarrassing than any rebuttal.

Xu Jing stood by the car, unable to suppress her smile.

She bit her lip, turned and left.

Chunky heels clicked on the ground with a crisp, rapid sound.

After walking a dozen meters, she looked back.

The jeep remained parked in the same spot, and Xie Ci remained in the same posture.

Xu Jing thought that he didn't believe her at all.

That certainty, that trust,

The resentment and jealousy in her heart were about to overflow.

On what grounds?

On the other side of the road, Fu Hua and Lu Xingzhou reached the entrance of the alley.

"That's enough for now."

Fu Hua stopped in her tracks. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Lu Xingzhou looked at her, a gentle summer breeze blowing by.

The wisps of hair on her forehead fluttered gently.

Under the streetlights, her eyes were so clear they seemed to reflect starlight.

In the summer night, the alleyways are becoming less crowded with pedestrians.

The streetlights cast dappled light through the gaps in the leaves, and the cicadas chirped tirelessly.

Fu Hua and Lu Xingzhou chatted casually.

When no one was around, Lu Xingzhou suddenly stopped.

"Fu Hua".

He stood under the streetlight, his expression unusually serious.

"Hmm, what's wrong?"

Fu Hua stopped. "How about we leave you here and you go back?"

"no."

Lu Xingzhou took a few steps closer, the streetlight illuminating his expression clearly.

—That focused gaze, carrying a certain determination,

This made Fu Hua's heart tighten slightly.

The two stood under the sycamore tree, the night breeze rustling softly through the branches and leaves.

"Fu Hua,"

Lu Xingzhou spoke, his voice lower than usual, "There are some things I've thought about for a long time, and I feel I should tell you in person."

Fu Hua looked at him quietly without saying a word.

"It's been several months since the project started."

Lu Xingzhou looked at her, his gaze tracing her features inch by inch.

"I've met many people—smart, excellent, beautiful… but none of them are like you."

He paused, as if gathering his courage: "The way you focused on your experiments, the way you helped your grandfather play chess in the park, the composure you displayed when explaining algorithms, the impeccable handling of situations at the celebration banquet... every time, it made me even more certain. I like you."

The night wind suddenly picked up, ruffling the stray hairs on Fu Hua's forehead.

Lu Xingzhou continued speaking, his pace somewhat rapid.

As if afraid of being interrupted: "I know I may not be good enough, but I will try my best. Although the Lin family is not as good as the Xie family, my grandfather admires you very much, and my parents... as long as you are willing, they will definitely like you too, I..."

Lu Xingzhou.

Fu Hua interrupted him softly.

Lu Xingzhou stopped, a fleeting look of anticipation in his eyes.

Fu Hua looked up, the moonlight shining on her face.

Those eyes were as clear as an autumn lake: "Thank you for saying that. It's an honor to be liked by someone as outstanding as you."

Lu Xingzhou's heart skipped a beat.

But the next second, Fu Hua's words instantly cooled that glimmer of hope: "But I'm sorry, I can't accept that."

The air freezes.

The color drained from Lu Xingzhou's face little by little.

Her lips moved slightly: "Why? Is it because... I'm not good enough? Or do you think I'm older than you, and you can wait?"

"It's not your problem."

Fu Hua shook her head, her tone gentle but firm, "It's because I already have someone else in my heart. As for you... I only have feelings for you as a colleague and friend, not romantic feelings."

She made it very clear, leaving no room for ambiguity.

Lu Xingzhou remained silent for a long time.

The night breeze blew through the hair on his forehead.

Those always bright eyes dimmed at that moment, as if covered with a layer of gray.

"friend……"

He repeated the word, a bitter smile curving his lips, "Fu Hua, I don't want to be friends with you."

As he spoke, he suddenly reached out, wanting to grasp Fu Hua's hand.

It wasn't an impulse, but more like a tentative attempt born of unwillingness to give up.

Fu Hua instinctively tried to back away.

But the other hand was faster than her.

A hand with distinct knuckles reached out from the side.

He firmly slapped away Lu Xingzhou's wrist.

The force was neither too light nor too heavy, but it carried an undeniable warning.

The acknowledgments appeared at some unknown time.

He stood half a step to Fu Hua's side, his military uniform crisp and his shoulders straight.

He was like a silent and solid wall.