It fell from his fingertips

"What?"

For a moment, Tang Luoqing didn't quite understand what Shen Baiyan was saying.

Seeing Shen Baiyan raise an eyebrow meaningfully, she leaned closer to her ear and added, "That night Zhou Yanchen flew back from Haicheng to coax you, we were at this bar too, remember?"

Tang Luoqing was still somewhat bewildered.

It wasn't until she was almost in the private room on the second floor that she suddenly remembered that she seemed to have seen a somewhat familiar figure that day.

So, back then, that figure was Zhou Jinbai?

So, did he see Zhou Yanchen come to find her at that time? And even hug her?

If Zhou Jinbai saw this, wouldn't he be... very sad?

With this thought in mind, Tang Luoqing couldn't help but drink two more glasses of wine.

As they drank their third cup, Zhou Jinbai grabbed her wrist, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Or did something happen?"

Tang Luoqing looked at Zhou Jinbai.

She wasn't a big drinker, and after two glasses, she was already feeling a little tipsy. Looking at Zhou Jinbai's handsome face so close to hers, she raised her hand and stroked his face, feeling a strange mix of emotions.

Seeing this, Shen Baiyan guessed that Tang Luoqing and Zhou Jinbai were probably enjoying some alone time, so she nudged Lu Yu's arm and said to Zhou Jinbai, "Luoqing is probably drunk. Let's call it a day and go home. How about we get together again next time?"

"So early?"

Lu Yu was still unaware of what had happened and was somewhat unsatisfied.

Mainly, he wanted to spend more time with Shen Baiyan.

The next moment, Shen Baiyan grabbed his ear: "It's getting late. Come back to the hotel with me. I have something to tell you."

Upon hearing that he could still spend time with Shen Baiyan, and enjoy some alone time with her, Lu Yu stopped worrying about whether it was too early or not, and decisively pulled Shen Baiyan out of the private room, saying as they walked, "I'm going to pay the bill, let's go."

Zhou Jinbai didn't look at Lu Yu. He bent down, hugged Tang Luoqing, and walked out of the bar step by step.

Once inside the car by the roadside, he placed Tang Luoqing in the passenger seat, fastened her seatbelt, and gently pinched her cheek. Tang Luoqing, who was looking at him earnestly but with hazy eyes, asked softly in a low voice, "What's wrong? Something on your mind?"

At this moment, only Tang Luoqing and Zhou Jinbai were in the cramped car. She looked at Zhou Jinbai's face, slowly raised her hand to touch his face, and sniffled pitifully as she did so. When she spoke, her voice was full of grievance: "Zhou Jinbai, were you... very sad before?"

Zhou Jinbai was slightly taken aback: "What?"

Tang Luoqing moved closer to Zhou Jinbai, her voice filled with even more grievance: "Whenever you saw me and Zhou Yanchen together before, were you sad and unhappy? How did you get through those days?"

Tang Luoqing had never thought about these things before, or rather, she deliberately avoided thinking about them.

But Shen Baiyan's words tonight reminded her, forcing her to recall how he felt every time he saw her holding hands with his younger brother, or even...

Zhou Jinbai looked at Tang Luoqing, whose eyes were slightly red and whose long eyelashes were wet with tears. He couldn't help but lower his head and kiss her before saying, "To be honest, the first time I saw Yan Chen holding your hand at home, I felt like... my mind went completely blank. It was even harder to accept than when I gave up painting and was forced to return to the Zhou Group nine years ago. Later..."

Zhou Jinbai sighed softly: "Later, every time my parents told me that Yan Chen was going to take you home and asked me if I wanted to go back, I really wanted to go back immediately, no matter where I was. But when I thought about going back and seeing Yan Chen holding your hand and looking at you affectionately, and even... I didn't dare to go back. But every time, I couldn't help it and went back at the last minute."

Tang Luoqing felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this. Tears streamed down her face, her voice choked with sobs, and she could only manage to call out Zhou Jinbai's name. She couldn't utter another word.

"Don't cry."

Zhou Jinbai lowered his head and kissed away Tang Luoqing's tears, his voice low and husky: "Everything from the past is in the past, and you didn't know I liked you back then. It has nothing to do with you. So whether I was sad or wanted to see you back then, it was my own choice. You can't be sad just because I was sad because I liked you in the past and couldn't have you. You're not allowed to be like that. Tang Luoqing, I just hope that every day after we're together, you'll be happy. The past is the past, okay?"

Before Tang Luoqing could compose herself, Zhou Jinbai leaned close to her ear, his voice unusually low and husky: "And seeing you cry makes me want you to cry even harder, like... should we try it, in the car?"

"What?"

Tang Luoqing was still immersed in the sadness she felt because Zhou Jinbai had been with Zhou Yanchen, and she didn't react for a moment when she heard Zhou Jinbai's words.

Seeing Zhou Jinbai's intensely passionate gaze fixed on her, and his tender kiss on her lips, Tang Luoqing instantly understood his meaning, her cheeks flushing red: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Tang Luoqing's effects of the alcohol were almost gone, but her body was getting hotter and hotter.

She grabbed Zhou Jinbai's hand, stopping him from moving it around, and even pretended to be angry: "Zhou Jinbai, no, not in the car, what if someone sees us?"

"Shall we go home?"

Zhou Jinbai didn't continue to torment her. Instead, he turned around, sat down, fastened his seatbelt, and started the car.

Along the way, Tang Luoqing kept the car window open, watching the scenery rushing past, and her mood gradually brightened.

Zhou Jinbai is right. She didn't know he liked her before; what matters is the future.

Not long after, the two returned home. Tang Luoqing was carried into the house by Zhou Jinbai, who closed the door and kissed her passionately.

Their breaths mingled as Tang Luoqing lay in Zhou Jinbai's arms. Overwhelmed by passion, she breathed softly, her voice hoarse.

"Zhou Jinbai, do you have the ring? Help me put it on."

"What?"

Zhou Jinbai paused slightly.

Tang Luoqing couldn't stand his abrupt stop any longer, so she couldn't help but bite Zhou Jinbai's shoulder and urge him, "I said ring, put it on me, don't you understand? Fine, get out."

"No, I won't go out."

Zhou Jinbai smiled, and sweat dripped from his forehead, landing on Tang Luoqing's neck.

Then, he kissed the woman in his arms again.

Their breaths mingled more and more intensely. As they plummeted into the clouds, Zhou Jinbai slowly placed the engagement ring he had given Tang Luoqing on her finger.

The man's hand grasped hers, their fingers intertwined.