Cheng Mingze didn’t speak.

“Mingze?” Cheng Shuo turned his head in confusion.

“Hmm?” Cheng Mingze came back to his senses, “Yes, she looks quite nice.”

“Right!” Cheng Shuo went over and put his arm around Li Sitong, “Jiaojiao, you should go shopping with your mother more often.”

Li Sitong pinched him: “Go on! Jiaojiao is in tenth grade. She should focus on studying first. After high school graduation, there will be plenty of time to dress up nicely. There’s no rush now—now is the time to study hard.”

“You’re just too serious. Jiaojiao is already working hard enough,” Cheng Shuo said helplessly.

Xue Jiao stepped forward: “It’s fine. I don’t like dressing up anyway. We can talk about it later.”

Cheng Shuo became even more helpless: “You two…”

“Let’s go, it’s almost time,” Cheng Mingze suddenly spoke up.

“Let’s go, let’s go.”

With that, the four of them headed out together.

——

The theater was indeed warm as Li Sitong had said. There was no need for a coat at all. Xue Jiao draped her coat over the chair and sat in her seat waiting.

“I’m going to the restroom first.” This was the first time in either of Xue Jiao’s lives that she had attended a play. The show hadn’t started yet, and people’s gazes kept unconsciously drifting toward her, making her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

“Go ahead. Do you know where it is?” Li Sitong asked with concern.

“I do.” Xue Jiao said, walking out.

Walking into the spacious area outside, she finally exhaled and headed toward the bathroom with light steps.

By the time she returned, the show was about to begin. Xue Jiao quickened her pace and bumped into someone hurriedly coming out from inside.

“Oh—” Xue Jiao exclaimed in surprise.

Lin Zhihua, who had instinctively wanted to frown and step aside, immediately reached out and caught her. Once she was steady, he immediately let go.

“Thank… Lin Zhihua!” Xue Jiao was stunned when she saw his face.

Lin Zhihua’s pupils contracted slightly. His surprise was no less than Xue Jiao’s. Today’s encounter… was truly not premeditated.

Next, Lin Zhihua noticed her particularly unusual attire today.

“What a coincidence,” he paused, “Who did you come to see the play with?”

Xue Jiao scratched her head: “I came with my family.”

Lin Zhihua nodded, seeming to feel slightly relieved, his gaze lingering on her.

He had been wanting to see her. Sometimes he wanted to go directly to her home to see her, but ultimately held back. Today’s chance encounter was unexpected, and also… a pleasant surprise.

Lin Zhihua was incredibly grateful that he had come today.

“What are you…” Xue Jiao’s eyes widened slightly, looking curiously behind him. The show was about to start, so why was he still outside?

“Just getting some fresh air. Let’s go in together, it’s starting.” Lin Zhihua turned around inconspicuously, gesturing for Xue Jiao to go first.

“Oh, okay!” Xue Jiao hurried in, still talking, “By the way, the problems you gave me are excellent, and your notes too. Thank you so much!”

“You’re welcome,” Lin Zhihua replied, then feeling that these three words might seem cold, he added, “You can ask me if you have any questions.”

“Great! Thank you!” She said, pulling a coconut candy from her pocket and handing it to him, “Have a candy!”

After saying this, she quickly ran toward the orchestra seats, seeming somewhat embarrassed.

That candy was given to her by Cheng Shuo in the car. Xue Jiao hadn’t eaten it and had put it in her pocket. This item seriously clashed with Lin Zhihua’s demeanor. She regretted it as soon as she gave it to him and could only quickly run away.

Lin Zhihua was stunned, looking somewhat stiffly at his fingers that had momentarily touched hers. His fingertips were tingling.

The girl had already disappeared. Lin Zhihua walked back to his seat and sat down.

The woman beside him, who was also preparing to leave, widened her eyes, surprised to see the man who had left return. Then she exclaimed with delight: “Mr. Lin! You didn’t leave!”

Lin Zhihua didn’t even turn his head, only saying a few words: “Watch the play. Be quiet.”

At that moment, his phone vibrated—

[Chen Yan: Boss? The car is ready.]

Lin Zhihua quickly replied—

[Not leaving yet. Will watch till the end.]

After typing, he put away his phone, completely unaware that the secretary on the other end of the call had eyes as wide as brass bells.

The boss… wasn’t leaving?!

Lin Zhihua, having put down his phone, unwrapped the coconut candy and popped it into his mouth, savoring it carefully.

Very sweet, sweet to the point of being cloying.

But he didn’t want to spit it out. Instead, his tongue moved slightly, feeling this sweetness.

——

This was Xue Jiao’s first time watching a play, but she still understood it. The play told a story about family love, romantic love, and mutual understanding—somewhat heartwarming and somewhat bittersweet.

Li Sitong watched with tears in her eyes. Cheng Shuo put his arm around her, and they both looked affectionately at Xue Jiao and Cheng Mingze.

They had been moved by the familial sentiment portrayed.

Xue Jiao and Cheng Mingze were sitting next to each other. They exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness in the other’s eyes.

After the play ended, the parents, moved to tears, took their expressionless children to a restaurant for dinner. Lin Zhihua and the woman sitting next to him also walked out of the hall.

“Mr. Lin, shall we have French cuisine tonight?” The woman smiled shyly. Her mother had said that Lin Zhihua was silent and rigid, so she should be more direct.

“Miss Xie, is it?”

“Yes… my surname is Xie.”

Miss Xie was very pleased and became even shyer. She must be the first woman Lin Zhihua had ever watched a play with!

When she thought about what kind of business empire and prospects this man beside her possessed, even if he had “flaws,” she couldn’t help but blush a little.

“Well, Miss Xie, I’m not satisfied with this blind date arranged privately by my parents. I will have my assistant see you home. I have something to attend to, so I’ll leave first.” After saying this, Lin Zhihua left without looking back.

“Hey—”

Tan Qi interrupted her: “Miss Xie, please.”

Miss Xie stared as Lin Zhihua’s figure quickly disappeared. After a moment, certain that he would not return, she stamped her foot and said angrily: “What kind of person is he? He’s still a cripple… hmph!”

Tan Qi’s face completely cooled: “Miss Xie, I don’t think you need an escort. So, goodbye.”

After saying this, he immediately turned and left.

The big boss was indeed abnormal when it came to work, but he was the person they respected the most. They wouldn’t allow anyone to slander him!

This Miss Xie, who had written “bitch” all over her face… wasn’t worthy of the boss’s car.

——

“Zhihua! Xie Wei just called to say you made her go back by herself?!” Mrs. Lin widened her eyes, looking incredulous.

But Mrs. Lin also knew that this kind of ungracious behavior… her son was indeed capable of it!

Mr. Lin also stood up angrily: “You should at least have sent her home!”

Lin Zhihua, while pulling off his tie, casually said: “She’s not worthy.”

Tan Qi would never hide anything from him. Lin Zhihua knew everything Xie Wei had said.

“How can you talk like that?!” Mr. Lin became angry again.

Lin Zhihua looked at him coldly: “If you trick me into blind dates with excuses again in the future, you can pack your bags and leave the country.”

Mr. and Mrs. Lin were taken aback, feeling somewhat guilty. Today, they had indeed tricked Lin Zhihua into going to the theater with a phone call.

Lin Zhihua continued: “Your lies are very clumsy. I went today to tell you that even if you trick me into meeting someone, it won’t lead anywhere.”

“But you still watched the play with her…” Mrs. Lin muttered.

Lin Zhihua paused, then replied with two words: “Unexpected.”

Mrs. Lin was choked up. Mr. Lin continued earnestly: “Zhihua, Xie Wei is suitable for you. Your mother has already asked her mother and found out that Xie Wei grew up abroad since childhood. She believes in Platonic love, which is just right for your situation! And in other aspects…”

“Have I become so terrible that you need to go to such lengths to find out about me?” He threw his coat on the sofa and said calmly, “Don’t worry about my marriage.”

“How can we not worry?! You’re my son! Seeing you all alone—what use is making a lot of money? When you’re old without a companion, without children… son, listen to us, Xie Wei is just right. You should get to know her better.”

Mrs. Lin was almost in tears. The Lin couple were indeed somewhat incompetent, but for their only son, they had a genuine heart, though they often misplaced their good intentions.

“I’ll say it again, Xie Wei is not suitable.” Lin Zhihua looked at Mrs. Lin. “Xie Wei had six boyfriends while in America and had an abortion once. Her father, Commissioner Xie, is mismanaging his business. I’m currently in the process of taking over the Xie family company. So do you think what the Xie family is saying is true?”

As his words fell, the entire room fell silent, with only the heavy breathing of the Lin parents.

Seeing that they were quite upset, Lin Zhihua sighed almost imperceptibly: “I wasn’t planning to tell you, but you went too far.”

Mr. Lin clutched his chest, gasping heavily, with bulging veins on his forehead, furious.

This was outrageous!

Mrs. Lin quickly supported him. Mr. Lin pushed her away, his eyes widening: “Xie Ju’an! I won’t let him get away with this!”

Mrs. Lin also looked distressed, both hateful and regretful. “This Xie Wei is really… talking about Platonic love, isn’t that just lying? No, I have to spread the news about her time abroad. Let’s see who will marry her then!”

“Enough!” Mr. Lin was now thinking clearly and impatiently glared at Mrs. Lin. “Aren’t we embarrassed enough? Introducing someone like that to our son!”

Mrs. Lin opened her mouth but couldn’t speak.

Clutching her chest, she felt stifled with frustration that couldn’t be vented.

Mr. Lin looked at Lin Zhihua again: “This time it’s my and your mother’s fault. We arranged things without checking first. But you should also take your marriage seriously.”

Lin Zhihua’s hand, holding a glass of water, paused for a moment before finally saying: “Don’t worry about it. I know what I’m doing.”

“What do you know? If you knew, you wouldn’t still be without a girlfriend at this point!”

Lin Zhihua remained silent, only staring directly at the two with his eyes. His gaze was deep and black as ink. The Lin couple found it somewhat unbearable and fled in disarray.

He looked at the closed door, his lips curving slightly in self-mockery.

The room was completely quiet, silent as if isolated from the clamorous world outside.

At this moment, his phone vibrated slightly.

[Jiaojiao: Lin Zhihua!! What’s going on with this problem? There’s nothing wrong with my auxiliary line, it should be the center of gravity. Why can’t I get the correct answer?? Help! Urgent!]

[Jiaojiao: Image.jpg]

After carefully looking at it, Lin Zhihua’s lips curved upward, his eyes gradually filling with mirth.

He walked quickly toward the study with his phone, even his footsteps having a certain lightness. His fingers typed—

[Wait a moment. I’ll draw a diagram for you. Think about why you believe it should be the center of gravity. Carefully review your thought process.]

He sat at the desk, picked up a pen and a notebook that had already been used for numerous mathematical calculations, and began drawing meticulously.

The air was cold, the night was cold, and the dim yellow light was also cold.

The room was frighteningly quiet, making the sound of the pen sliding across the paper particularly clear.

But his heart was warm, and life became lively.