It fell from his fingertips

Once some ideas are opened up, it's hard to pretend nothing's wrong.

That night, Tang Luoqing lay in bed, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.

The phone screen glowed faintly, hovering over the WeChat interface sent by Zhou Jinbai.

Tang Luoqing didn't consider herself a particularly sensitive or conflicted person, but Zhou Jinbai's subtle and gentle care was completely different from the "cold, aloof, and unapproachable" older brother image she had heard from her boyfriend, Zhou Yanchen.

Her knuckles turned white as she gripped her phone tightly. She edited and rewrote the message in the input box several times. Finally, Tang Luoqing bit her lip, hesitated for a full three minutes, then steeled herself and pressed send: "Brother, is now a good time to talk? There are some things I'd like to clarify."

On the other end of the WeChat message, in the study of the penthouse suite,

Zhou Jinbai sat behind his desk, a pen between his fingers hovering in mid-air. The merger agreement in front of him was spread out on the same page, and he hadn't turned the page for almost ten minutes.

The phone on the desk vibrated slightly. Zhou Jinbai glanced at the screen and tensed up slightly.

He put down his pen, picked up his phone, and his eyes darkened when he saw the WeChat message.

After a moment, Zhou Jinbai replied with a single word: 【Okay.】

The message came quickly: [Ten minutes later, downstairs, at the coffee shop?]

Zhou Jinbai paused slightly, his fingertip tracing the edge of the screen before replying: 【Mm.】

He put away his phone, but instead of getting up immediately, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes tightly.

When he opened his eyes again, Zhou Jinbai made a phone call.

Meanwhile, when Tang Luoqing finished tidying up and arrived at the restaurant downstairs, Zhou Jinbai was already waiting in a corner seat by the window.

The warm light of the coffee shop illuminated the man's handsome profile. His face was breathtakingly beautiful, yet the unintentional melancholy in his eyes made him appear somewhat forlorn.

Tang Luoqing slowed her steps, her heart inexplicably quickening its pace.

She walked over nervously and sat down opposite Zhou Jinbai.

The waiter quickly brought over a drink. Tang Luoqing's lips parted slightly, about to say that she hadn't ordered, when the man opposite her spoke first.

I ordered you a glass of orange juice.

The man's deep gaze fell on Tang Luoqing's face, and his voice was low: "If you don't like it, choose something else."

Tang Luoqing: "..."

She likes to drink orange juice, but...

Tang Luoqing glanced at the Americano in front of Manager Zhou, which looked extremely bitter, and after a moment's hesitation, couldn't help but ask, "Brother, won't you have trouble sleeping if you drink this tonight?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jin picked up his coffee cup with his slender, white fingers, looked up at Tang Luoqing, and his prominent Adam's apple bobbed slightly: "It's nothing, I'm used to it."

What Zhou Jinbai didn't say was that even without black coffee, after chatting for a while, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.

But once those words were spoken, Tang Luoqing would inevitably feel guilty.

He didn't want her to have any feelings for him other than romantic feelings.

Tang Luoqing looked at Zhou Jinbai across from her, and for a moment she didn't know what to say.

Even though she had rehearsed her speech several times before coming, Tang Luoqing didn't know how to start the conversation when she actually met Zhou Jinbai.

A few seconds of silence fell between them. Tang Luoqing grew increasingly nervous, her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

But no matter how difficult it is, there are some things that must be clarified.

She took a deep breath, clenched her fists and then relaxed them, repeating this twice before gathering her courage. She looked directly at the man opposite her, her voice trembling slightly: "Big brother, why...why are you taking such good care of me? Is it because I'm Yan Chen's girlfriend?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Jinbai looked at Tang Luoqing. A surge of emotion welled up in the man's dark eyes, and his fingers gripping the coffee cup tightened subtly.

After a long silence, Zhou Jinbai's voice was deep and hoarse: "No, because..."

"etc."

Hearing the expected answer, Tang Luoqing blushed and then nervously tried to interrupt Zhou Jinbai.

The main thing was that she never expected Zhou Jinbai to be so direct.

For a moment, Tang Luoqing was even more at a loss, her mind was in complete chaos, and for a brief instant, she even wanted to run away.

But then she thought of Zhou Yanchen's repeated lies and perfunctory responses, and Tang Luoqing forced herself to calm down.

She wouldn't let Zhou Yanchen deceive her, so she couldn't deceive herself either, nor could she pretend to be ignorant and delay others.

Tang Luoqing steadied herself, staring intently at the man opposite her. A hint of redness flickered in her eyes, but her gaze was exceptionally earnest: "You like me?"

As soon as those four words were uttered, Tang Luoqing's hands clenched into fists under the table in a tense manner.

Looking at Tang Luoqing's reddened ear tips and her forced composure, Zhou Jinbai's tense jawline relaxed slightly.

A moment later, the man's prominent Adam's apple bobbed forcefully: "Yes, I like you."

Tang Luoqing's breath hitched.

Even though she had already guessed the answer, she was still somewhat blank when she heard this response from a man who was considered upright, aloof, and noble by outsiders.

Her mouth spoke before her brain, stammering, "From...from when? I...how come I don't know?"

Upon hearing this question, Zhou Jinbai tapped his fingertip on the table, making a soft sound.

For some unknown reason, his gaze softened for a moment, but he quickly composed himself and said calmly, "Now you know, I'm sorry, I was too hasty. As for liking you..."

Zhou Jinbai curled the corners of his lips slightly, the smile very faint and fleeting.

He leaned back in his chair, relaxing slightly, his gaze fixed on the night outside the window, as if recalling something from long ago: "Do you remember the first time you came to the Zhou family?"

Tang Luoqing nodded.

At that time, she was a child from an ordinary family visiting the wealthy family of Zhou Yanchen for the first time. She was so nervous at first that she didn't dare to speak. But unexpectedly, Mr. and Mrs. Zhou were very gentle and kind to her, and even called her Luo Qing affectionately.

Only Zhou Yanchen's older brother, Zhou Jinbai, looked at her coldly, addressing her as "Miss Tang" without any expression.

So at that time, what she feared most was Zhou Jinbai.

Hearing Zhou Jinbai's words now, Tang Luoqing was incredulous: "So...early?"

Zhou Jinbai withdrew his gaze, his eyes returning to Tang Luoqing's face. His fingertips traced the coffee cup, and his voice softened further: "Even earlier than that."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Jinbai's thoughts suddenly drifted back to the sunlight of that day.

At that time, Lu Yu had just started working in the cultural and creative industry, and he insisted on taking him to some villages with a strong artistic atmosphere to gather inspiration.

Passing by a courtyard, I saw a girl sitting on a swing under a cherry blossom tree. Petals danced and fell in a colorful display, and the distant sunlight cast a warm glow. The girl swung on the swing, her long black hair fluttering in the wind. She smiled with her face upturned, her eyes curving into crescents. The sunlight that day shattered on her eyelashes, dazzling and radiant.

Zhou Jinbai's heartbeat, which was usually as steady as a machine, suddenly became uncontrollable and lost its rhythm.

"What? But... we didn't know each other before."

Tang Luoqing's curious voice pulled Zhou Jinbai back to reality.

Zhou Jinbai blinked, suppressing all the emotions surging in his eyes.

Looking at Tang Luoqing's confused face, the man let out a soft laugh, his voice deep and magnetic: "Who says you can't like someone you don't know?"

Tang Luoqing: "..."

That being said, but...

Tang Luoqing pursed her lips, unwilling to give up, and stared at the man opposite her with a probing look: "Then, can you tell me when?"

Upon hearing this question, Zhou Jinbai raised his hand and rubbed his temples, his posture unusually casual. The corners of his eyes curved slightly, concealing a barely perceptible smile: "As you get older, it's not easy to keep secrets. Luo Qing, let's not press you for an answer."

Tang Luoqing: "..."

Ok.

Regardless, now that things have been laid bare and she knows Zhou Jinbai's feelings, she can no longer accept his kindness or enjoy the convenience he brings with a clear conscience.

This is unfair to him.

So Tang Luoqing mustered her courage and decided to refuse tomorrow's appointment: "I'm sorry, brother, I can't go to Master Lu's studio tomorrow."

Zhou Jinbai didn't seem surprised at all, as if he had expected Tang Luoqing to say that.

In fact, when she didn't reply to his message about the time to meet at the art studio the next day for a long time, he vaguely guessed what was going on.

Zhou Jinbai picked up his coffee and took a sip. The bitterness of the coffee spread on his tongue, but his tone was as calm as if he were talking about an ordinary business matter: "I understand, but you can put yourself in my shoes. I'm not the only one who has the right to help you apply for that art studio. Lu Yu can too."

Tang Luoqing was taken aback: "What?"

Before she could finish speaking, Tang Luoqing's phone rang on the table. It was Lu Yu.

Tang Luoqing suddenly looked at Zhou Jinbai, vaguely sensing something.

The call connected, and Lu Yu's voice was cheerful on the other end: "Teacher Tang, I heard you went to Xinwei?"

Tang Luoqing was still looking at Zhou Jinbai when she saw him calmly pick up his coffee and take another sip, without even lifting his eyelids, as if the matter had nothing to do with him. She then looked away and answered the phone, "Yes, at Xinwei. Mr. Lu is listening..."

Lu Yu interrupted Tang Luoqing: "I heard from Jin Bai that you're staying at the Jingyue Hotel? It's very close to my grandfather's studio. Would you be interested in going over there to take a look and maybe find some inspiration?"

Tang Luoqing opened her mouth, her heart filled with mixed feelings, her tone tinged with deep hesitation: "I want to, but..."

"Go if you want."

Lu Yu said it simply: "I've already spoken to my grandfather, and he agreed. The key is with Jin Bai; you can just ask him for it."

"That's what I said, Teacher Tang. I look forward to your second and third works."

Lu Yu spoke very quickly and hung up the phone as soon as he finished.

Tang Luoqing stood frozen in place, holding her phone, her fingertips growing cold.

She knew Lu Yu had no ulterior motives, and she also knew that Zhou Jinbai had most likely just casually mentioned her address and hadn't done anything extra, but she still felt uneasy.

Zhou Jinbai put down his coffee cup, looked at Tang Luoqing with an open and honest gaze, and spoke clearly and calmly, saying each word: "Tang Luoqing, work is work, and feelings are feelings. It's better to separate."

Tang Luoqing: "..."

She also wanted to separate work and personal life, but...

"Then, then you..."

Tang Luoqing didn't know how to continue.

Zhou Jinbai, however, calmly gazed at Tang Luoqing, his posture impeccable, his tone as serene as water: "I will revert to my identity as Brother Zhou Yanchen, if... he can treat you well."