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

Zhao Meng was stunned.

He opened his mouth, as if something was stuck in his throat.

"Who...who is he? How old is he? Which university does he go to? Tsinghua University or Peking University?"

Fu Hua stood up and patted herself off.

"unimportant."

She looked down at him. "It was a pleasure to see you today. I should go now. You should go back."

She placed the empty bottle on the chair and turned to leave.

Zhao Meng stood up and followed.

"I send you."

He said.

I want to take a walk by myself.

Fu Hua didn't want to get involved in any romantic entanglements.

Zhao Meng insisted, "Let me take you, okay?"

He felt as if he had swallowed a fishbone, unable to spit it out or swallow it down, and his whole body felt uncomfortable.

Fu Hua did not refuse.

The two walked side by side through the tree-lined path under the plane trees.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns of light on them.

Zhao Meng walked beside her, his heart churning with emotion.

He wanted to speak several times, but didn't know what to say.

We've arrived at the school gate.

There weren't many people around at that time.

The two stood under the shade of a tree.

Fu Hua stopped and turned around.

"Alright,"

She waved her hand, "Go back now."

Zhao Meng stood in front of her, without moving.

"Where are you going? I have a bicycle, I'll give you a ride."

Fu Hua frowned and shook her head.

"No need, really no need, I can manage on my own."

Zhao Meng looked at her, and the smile on his face slowly faded.

"Fu Hua,"

His voice was a little tense, "Can't you give me a chance? I..."

"cannot."

Fu Hua interrupted and refused directly.

Zhao Meng froze, a deep sense of frustration in his eyes.

Fu Hua looked at him, her tone calm, and every word clear.

"You can't force feelings. You're great, but you're not my type."

Zhao Meng lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes concealing the darkness in them. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he managed a weak smile.

The sunlight shone on his face, and his expression changed several times.

Disappointment and resentment eventually turned into a bittersweet calm.

He took a breath and looked at her.

"That……"

He asked cautiously, "May I hug you?"

Consider it a tribute to a relationship that ended before it even began.

Fu Hua looked at him.

Zhao Meng gave a wry smile: "I apologize for my presumption."

Fu Hua remained silent for two seconds.

She thought of Class 6.

Thinking back on the days we spent together,

Thinking back to the days when they protected her,

Thinking of those pure friendships among classmates.

She always harbored a special feeling towards the people in Class 6.

Anyway, we probably won't see each other again.

A hug is nothing.

She nodded: "A hug, for friendship."

Zhao Meng's eyes lit up, and he took a step forward.

He reached out and gently wrapped his arms around her.

It's like being afraid of damaging something precious.

His arms were stiff, he dared not exert any force, and he merely held them loosely.

A faint fragrance wafted past my nose, delicate and hard to describe.

His heart was pounding, and he was having trouble breathing.

It felt like something was gripping my chest; it hurt, but I couldn't bear to let go.

Just one second.

Make him regret not taking the initiative earlier.

Fu Hua's gaze passed over Zhao Meng's shoulder and landed on the other side of the street.

A person was standing there.

His military uniform was crisp and straight, and his epaulets gleamed in the sunlight.

He just stared at her without any expression on his face.

This is a thank-you speech.

He crossed the road and was walking quickly step by step.

Before Zhao Meng could react, he was yanked away.

Xie Ci shielded Fu Hua behind him and stood in front of Zhao Meng.

The two people were standing face to face.

Zhao Meng staggered a step, steadied himself, and looked up at the person in front of him.

Tall, broad-shouldered, in military uniform, with an imposing presence.

Those eyes looked at him, indifferent, sending a chill down his spine.

Who is he?

Zhao Meng looked at Fu Hua.

"My partner."

Fu Hua touched her nose, feeling somewhat embarrassed at being caught.

Introducing Zhao Meng to Xie Ci: "He was my high school classmate; we just happened to run into each other."

She really wanted to say, "Is this how Class 6 of Ding greets each other?"

"Just now, I thought you were saying goodbye to an old classmate."

Xie Ci's expression shifted slightly. Facing Zhao Meng, a dark glint welled up in his eyes as he restrained himself and said, "There won't be a next time."

Zhao Meng's face turned red.

He clenched his fist, then relaxed it.

He wanted to say something—that he didn't do it on purpose, that he knew his limits, that he wanted to say…

But looking into Xie Ci's eyes and his overall aura, he couldn't say anything.

Xie Ci turned around and took Fu Hua's hand.

"Let's go."

Fu Hua nodded and followed him.

Zhao Meng stood there, the sunlight shining on him, casting a long shadow.

He watched their retreating figures, his eyes filled with resentment, disappointment, and anger...

He lowered his head and stared at his hands.

He hugged me too lightly just now.

It was so light, it felt like I'd never held it before.

He sniffed the back of his hand; the unique, subtle fragrance seemed to still linger at the tip of his nose, intoxicating him.

One hug isn't enough.

Xie Ci opened the passenger door, and Fu Hua got in.

He bent down, pulled out the seatbelt, fastened it, and then closed the door.

He walked around to the driver's seat and started the car.

He kept a cold face and didn't say a word the whole time.

After getting on the bus, he took a thermos from the side and handed it to me.

"Have something hot to drink."

"Thanks."

Fu Hua smiled and took it, opened it, and found it was osmanthus tea, still warm.

She took a sip and turned her head to look at his expression.

Xie Ci stared ahead, his face expressionless.

His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly.

Fu Hua pursed her lips, tilted her head, and asked,

Are you angry?

Xie Ci didn't say anything, but turned the key, shifted his stance, and stepped on the gas, his movements much more exaggerated than usual.

Fu Hua looked out the window at the street scene flashing by.

Looking at his cold face again, she thought for a moment and then spoke.

That was just a farewell.

She explained, "The people in Class 6, I...you know me..."

She paused, trying to put herself in his shoes.

If today it were Xie Ci and he hugged a girl,

No matter the reason, she couldn't accept it.

No wonder he was angry.

She was just acting on impulse.

It's her fault!

We shouldn't be soft-hearted.

Fu Hua turned her head and looked at Xie Ci.

He said sincerely, "I'm sorry."

Xie Ci's fingers twitched on the steering wheel.

"I shouldn't have hugged other men."

Fu Hua lowered her head. "It was my fault. I won't do it again."

She looked at him.

"Don't be angry."

There was no response to the thank-you note.

He increased the car's speed a little more.

Fu Hua's heart skipped a beat as she watched the trees rushing past the window.

"Drive slower."

She frowned. "It's so unsafe, there are so many bicycles here."

He remained silent after offering his thanks.

The guilt in Fu Hua's heart slowly transformed into something else.

She put down the thermos, her voice turning cold.

"parking."

The acknowledgments remained unchanged.

"I want to get off the bus."

Xie Ci glanced at her sideways and saw her expression.

It wasn't the same look as when he apologized earlier; it was the expression of someone who was genuinely angry.

He slammed on the brakes, and the car immediately slowed down.

"sorry."

His voice was a little tense, "Did I scare you?"

Fu Hua remained silent.

Xie Ci pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned to look at her.

"I only drove it this way because I was confident."

He explained, "It's not out of spite. I'll drive slower now, please don't be angry."

Fu Hua didn't look at him or respond.

She reached for the car door.

"Huahua".

Xie Ci panicked: "I'm not angry, so please don't be angry either, okay?"