It fell from his fingertips

Have you made up your mind?

The moment Tang Luoqing saw those words, she guessed that Zhou Jinbai knew and that he had chosen to forgive Zhou Yanchen.

A vague, indescribable feeling welled up inside her; it felt as if something was blocking her chest, making her feel somewhat stuffy.

After staring at her phone screen for a long time, Tang Luoqing turned it off, tossed it onto the sofa, and stopped looking at it.

Downstairs, Zhou Jinbai sat in his car, staring at his phone screen for a long time before putting it away and driving off.

The next day, Tang Luoqing went to Lu's Cultural and Creative Industry, signed a new contract, and talked a lot about the cultural and creative exhibition three months later.

The theme of this cultural and creative exhibition is "City Temperature", which coincides with Tang Luoqing's specialty of healing illustrations. Therefore, when Lu Yu received the notice to assist in organizing the cultural and creative exhibition, Tang Luoqing was the first person he thought of.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Lu. I really don't know how to thank you enough. If you don't mind, would you mind if I treated you to lunch?"

Tang Luoqing was truly grateful to Lu Yu. Lu's Cultural and Creative Industry did not hinder the illustrator's creative freedom and was very inclusive. Moreover, he was also the only grandson of Grandpa Lu, who helped her secure the opportunity to enter Qinyuan and has now helped her register for the cultural and creative exhibition.

"Of course! I've arranged to meet Jin Bai for lunch. Shall we go visit my grandfather after we eat?"

After signing his name and putting down his pen, Lu Yu added, "My grandfather has been asking about you a lot these past few days, saying he hasn't seen Tang Yatou for several days."

Upon hearing this, Tang Luoqing, who had instinctively resisted the name Zhou Jinbai just moments before, was flattered and surprised.

Naturally, she couldn't bring herself to refuse.

Lunch was at a low-key private restaurant. As soon as Tang Luoqing and Lu Yu entered the private room, they saw Zhou Jinbai sitting on the sofa by the window.

She paused slightly involuntarily, and her breathing became lighter for a moment.

The man leaned back on the sofa, holding a document in his well-defined hands. He crossed his long legs, looking relaxed. His profile was handsome and aloof, with long eyelashes that concealed the emotions in his eyes. His aura was completely out of place with the lively atmosphere of the lobby outside.

"Can't you take a break?"

Lu Yu walked over and patted Zhou Jinbai on the shoulder teasingly, his tone both helpless and amused: "Is it so hard to put down your documents while eating and give yourself some time to yourself?"

Zhou Jinbai didn't say anything, but put down the documents.

When she looked up, her gaze met Tang Luoqing's.

The man's dark eyes deepened, his taut jawline relaxed slightly, and he gave a slight nod to Tang Luoqing, who walked in a beat later, as a greeting.

Tang Luoqing nodded and sat down at the dining table.

The meal wasn't too awkward, thanks to Lu Yu's presence, and the atmosphere remained relatively harmonious, although Zhou Jinbai spoke very little throughout.

Most of the time, he listened attentively to Lu Yu, but his gaze would always drift unintentionally to the person diagonally opposite him, lingering on her for a moment before quickly looking away.

After the meal, the group decided to head to Qinyuan Garden.

Actually, Tang Luoqing's original destination for this trip did not include Qinyuan. She planned to go home after signing the contract today, but plans can't keep up with changes.

However, just as he was about to leave the private restaurant, Lu Yu received a phone call. He didn't know what exciting things the other end of the line was saying, but he excitedly said directly to Zhou Jinbai and Tang Luoqing, "I'm sorry, something came up. Luoqing, you can take Jinbai's car to see my grandfather. I can't take you."

Before he finished speaking, Lu Yu had already rushed out of the restaurant, walked to his car by the roadside, got in, and the car sped away.

Tang Luoqing, who had originally planned to hitch a ride with Lu Yu: "..."

Looking at Zhou Jinbai, who was walking slowly to the car, the man opened the passenger door, raised his hand to cover the roof, and said in a lower voice than usual, his tone devoid of emotion: "Get in."

Tang Luoqing looked at Zhou Jinbai in front of her, hesitated for a moment, and then refused: "How about I take a taxi myself? Don't bother me."

These words were far too distant. Even back when she didn't know Zhou Jinbai's feelings and only saw him as her boyfriend or older brother, he had still taken her home before. But now...

Tang Luoqing didn't care about that. Before she finished speaking, she turned around and wanted to leave.

The next moment, a warm force suddenly covered her wrist, and Tang Luoqing was stunned, her feet frozen in place.

She glanced down at her wrist, which Zhou Jinbai was gripping, a flicker of panic crossing her eyes: "Zhou Jinbai, you..."

Tang Luoqing felt a pang of panic when she met Zhou Jinbai's deep gaze.

"Even with Zhou Yanchen's status, he's not qualified to give this to you?"

The man gripping Tang Luoqing's wrist felt increasingly hot, his knuckles tightening slightly. His voice grew even lower, tinged with an almost uncontrollable hoarseness: "Or... are you going to cut all ties with me from now on?"

Tang Luoqing was even more at a loss for words, her heart filled with chaotic emotions, and for a moment she couldn't tell what else she could do.

At the same time, she was very clear that if she and Zhou Yanchen broke up in the future, she did not intend to continue to have any contact with related people, including Zhou Jinbai.

Tang Luoqing opened her mouth, lowered her eyes, and avoided looking at Zhou Jinbai.

There was a moment of silence around them, as if they had tacitly agreed with the answer to the question they had just asked.

Tang Luoqing thought that Zhou Jinbai should understand what she meant.

It can happen immediately.

"Get in the car."

Zhou Jinbai released Tang Luoqing's hand and spoke again, his tone cold: "I'll see you off. If I don't, I'll probably be the one who won't be allowed into Qinyuan next time."

After saying this, Zhou Jinbai remained standing in the same spot, waiting for Tang Luoqing to get into the car.

Tang Luoqing was speechless for a moment.

She knew Zhou Jinbai wasn't telling the truth. After all, no matter how arrogant she was, she couldn't possibly be so confident as to think that Zhou Jinbai was less important to Old Master Lu than a small-time illustrator like herself.

But when she thought of Qinyuan and all that he had done to her before, Tang Luoqing could no longer refuse.

She bit her lower lip and nodded: "Thank you, brother."

Then, bending down and lowering his head, he deliberately avoided Zhou Jinbai's hand blocking the car roof and quickly got into the car.

The term "elder brother" clearly distinguishes the two individuals' social statuses.

The two words floated into his ears, and Zhou Jinbai paused in closing the door. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, but he quickly composed himself.

He then closed the door, walked around the front of the car, went to the driver's seat, and started the car.

The car sped along, and Tang Luoqing turned her head to look at the scenery rushing past the window. The car was extremely quiet.

Just then, a cell phone rang in the quiet carriage.

Tang Luoqing picked up her phone and saw that it was a call from Zhou Yanchen.

She hesitated, preparing to answer the phone, just as she was about to press the answer button, when the man in the driver's seat grabbed her wrist.