After settling in at Zhou Mi’s place, the two truly achieved going out and coming back together, commuting together every day, taking walks together, in all aspects—food, clothing, housing, and transportation—no different from a regular cohabiting couple.
Occasionally, when encountering colleagues in the basement parking garage, they would tease the pair, asking when they could drink to their wedding.
Perhaps because their romance wasn’t particularly high-profile or flamboyant, yet filled with sincere, sweet, down-to-earth little details, the company staff simply couldn’t detect any hint of patronage or social climbing in this superior-subordinate couple with such disparate status.
Zhou Mi was still Zhou Mi, able to work diligently, communicate humbly and warmly, and carefully study point discounts and coupons when ordering afternoon tea.
Zhang Lian was also still Zhang Lian, possessing both thunderous methods and occasional witty words and actions, able to calmly expand client relationships during conference calls, debate with global teams, and secure more projects for his company.
After work, they would come together, forming the aura of perfectly matched lovers.
Occasionally, two or three times, Zhang Lian would come directly to Zhou Mi’s workstation to pick her up, asking when she would be going home.
At such times, there would be a long chorus of “tsk tsk” or “ooh” around them.
Zhou Mi would pack up her bag with a red face and hurriedly pull Zhang Lian’s arm to leave.
At the elevator, Zhou Mi would pretend to be angry and complain: “It was just over five minutes without replying to your WeChat, I was checking slides on full screen.”
“Ten minutes,” Zhang Lian corrected, looking composed: “So I came to notify you in person.”
Zhou Mi suppressed a smile, thinking of another angle: “Looked at this way, dating me is so convenient, picking up your girlfriend only requires walking this short distance, not troublesome at all.”
Zhang Lian’s lips curved slightly upward as he said casually: “Yes, I’m quite lucky.”
Zhou Mi smiled with her eyes completely curved into thin lines, like a tightly sealed bottle cap, afraid the honey inside would leak out.
Once during a meeting, while they were slacking off, the topic turned to their daily interactions. Jenny sighed: “I thought it would be like in Fifty Shades of Grey, riding in helicopters.”
Zhou Mi laughed: “What misconceptions do you have about Fabian?”
Another colleague named Huahua pointed out: “God, Minnie, your tone when mentioning him is so, you know.”
Zhou Mi was confused: “What?”
The colleague said, “Like chatting about family.”
Zhou Mi didn’t understand what this feeling was supposed to be. On the way back, she told Zhang Lian in the driver’s seat, “Today, Huahua said I talk about you like I’m making small talk about family, is it that dating me has brought you down from your pedestal, turning you into an ordinary person?”
Zhang Lian turned his head to look at her: “Is being human not good?”
Zhou Mi thought again: “True, from being every woman’s dream man to being just Zhou Mi’s man,” and then waved her small fist proudly: “Hmm, feels so good, so good.”
Zhang Lian let out a laugh.
Zhou Mi glanced at him, her expression cooling: “What does that laugh mean?”
Zhang Lian: “Look at your behavior.”
Zhou Mi: “What about it?”
Zhang Lian raised his eyes to check the road signs, turned the steering wheel, and moved out of the traffic flow.
Zhou Mi also looked out the window: “Where are we going?”
Zhang Lian parked the car by the roadside, rolled up the windows, unfastened his seatbelt, and without hesitation leaned over to kiss her.
Zhou Mi deliberately turned her head away at first, but was controlled back by his hand, deepening the kiss.
Zhou Mi’s ears turned blood-red from the entangled kiss and his caresses. She weakly hooked her arms around his neck, wholeheartedly savoring the universe’s most beautiful lips, no longer able to pay attention to the bustling traffic and surging crowds outside.
When they separated, Zhou Mi’s breathing couldn’t be steady for quite a while, while Zhang Lian started driving again, his eyes containing a smile.
Zhou Mi cupped her face with both hands to cool herself down, being coquettish despite having received favor: “Died for no reason, suddenly stopping by the road to kiss.”
Zhang Lian didn’t speak, but the curve of his lips became even more pronounced.
Zhou Mi turned to look at him: “On one hand despising my behavior, on the other hand unable to wait a moment to kiss me, is this what men are like?”
Zhang Lian said, “This isn’t a parallel relationship, but a causal one. It’s precisely because of this behavior that I can’t wait until we get home.”
Zhou Mi’s heart instantly bloomed to the fullest.
After dinner, Zhou Mi brought out her laptop, sat upright, and continued to revise and perfect her part of the PowerPoint presentation.
Zhang Lian didn’t disturb her, wearing headphones and reading a book nearby.
The room was very quiet, with only the sounds of keyboard typing and pages turning, a kind of unspoken understanding that required no words.
After a while, Zhou Mi raised her arms high, stretching her hands, then turned around: “Zhang Lian.”
To prevent his girlfriend from needing work assistance and not getting a timely response, Zhang Lian usually kept his headphone volume quite low, so he quickly looked up: “Hmm?”
He then took off his headphones with both hands, waiting quietly for her to speak.
Zhou Mi smiled gently: “I want to tell you something.”
Zhang Lian nodded: “Go ahead.”
Zhou Mi began to be mysterious: “Never mind, I won’t say it after all.”
Zhang Lian smiled in confusion: “If you want to say it, say it.”
Zhou Mi pouted for a while, temporarily changing her mind: “I won’t say it for now, I’ll tell you when there’s a good result.”
Zhang Lian didn’t press her, looking at her with an unchanged expression, a face that said, “I’m long accustomed to this.”
Just as he was about to put his headphones back on, Zhou Mi suddenly got up from her chair, took three steps in two, rushed over, and straddled his legs, occupying the high ground: “Why aren’t you curious?”
Zhang Lian smiled faintly: “I’m not like you, needing to ask about every surprise in advance.”
Zhou Mi rested her forearms on his shoulders, mumbling: “If the result isn’t good, don’t be disappointed in me.”
Zhang Lian pretended not to hear clearly, tilting his ear slightly: “What?”
Zhou Mi understood, changing to pinching his shoulders.
“Not bad, Zhou Mi,” Zhang Lian nodded approvingly: “Keep massaging.”
How was it that every little temper and action with him was like using four ounces to move a thousand pounds? Zhou Mi wouldn’t comply, smiling as she buried her face in the hollow of his shoulder to hide herself, only to be tightly embraced by him.
—
Zhou Mi’s secret surprise was a Monday pitch proposal, competing for BN’s latest neck-hanging earphones to be launched in the summer.
Participating in this bid were two media companies, one local and two 4A agencies—one of which was Aoxing.
Half a month earlier, Zhou Mi had sent all kinds of kowtowing emojis on WeChat, begging Jenny to give her this opportunity, treating it as a chance for advanced testing and trying.
What surprised Zhou Mi was that Jenny readily agreed without any hesitation.
She said: You can start preparing. I want to take it easy, too.
Zhou Mi repeatedly confirmed: You are willing?
Jenny said: Why not? Besides, aren’t BN earphones your initial aspiration?
On Monday, sitting in the business car, Zhou Mi immediately peeled a banana, ate it in a few bites to alleviate anxiety, then put her hands together like a devout believer heading to a monastery, pressing her chin while constantly breathing through her mouth.
After a while, feeling her heartbeat calming down somewhat, she opened her eyes again.
Looking around the car, the special team members were all present without exception, but the car hadn’t started.
Zhou Mi raised her eyes in confusion: “Why aren’t we leaving yet?”
Jenny spoke casually: “Waiting for Fabian.”
Zhou Mi was stunned: “Huh?”
Jenny turned her head, mimicking her expression and tone: “Huh?”
Her pupils suddenly shifted to look outside: “Your boyfriend is here.”
Zhou Mi followed her gaze, staring wide-eyed as Zhang Lian got into the car, walked over to her, and calmly looked down: “Move in and make room.”
Her heart rate, which had just calmed down, soared again. Zhou Mi’s expression froze as she moved to the window seat.
Zhang Lian sat beside her.
Everyone in the car smiled at them like doting aunts.
The ACD teased: “Is this a parent sending a child to an exam?”
Jenny laughed loudly at his jest.
Zhou Mi’s face reddened slightly as she asked in a tiny voice: “Why did you come?”
What she wanted to ask was, how did you know, and why did you drop in like this, when she had been preparing this in secret for so long?
Zhang Lian seemed able to read her mind, his expression serious: “Minnie, I’m the boss of Aoxing, what wouldn’t I know?”
Zhou Mi was speechless, then retorted: “But I’ll be more nervous with you here, more likely to perform poorly.”
Zhang Lian said, “Should I leave now, then?”
Zhou Mi didn’t make a sound.
Zhang Lian deliberately made a gesture of getting up, and was immediately pulled back by Zhou Mi, grabbing his clothes, murmuring: “Alright, let’s just go.”
The man’s tone became reassuring: “Can’t you think positively? Maybe you’ll perform exceptionally well.”
Zhou Mi looked up at the sky: “Hopefully.”
When they arrived at the BN building and met with the contact person, then went to the conference room, the procurement and marketing directors responsible for scoring were particularly surprised, even somewhat flattered as they teased: “Why has Fabian come too? Too much emphasis on a small project, is it worth such a big fuss?”
Jenny pointed to Zhou Mi: “Accompanying family. Today is Fabian’s girlfriend’s first proposal.”
Zhou Mi was slightly embarrassed, nodding politely.
The other party looked at Zhou Mi a couple more times, then patted Zhang Lian’s arm in surprise: “Wow, wouldn’t have guessed.”
Zhang Lian smiled without speaking.
After sitting down and making simple introductions, Zhou Mi took a sip of coffee, then went forward to connect the projector. She was the first presenter and needed to perform well, setting a good start for the crucial creative part that would follow, with no room for errors.
She repeatedly reminded herself and reviewed the proposal tips that she must pay attention to, then cleared her throat lightly, clicked the mouse, freezing the screen on the cover of the bid presentation.
Zhou Mi first glanced at the screen, then faced everyone. Zhang Lian was sitting across from her, and her gaze slid over his face. The man’s expression was calm, but his eyes were extremely warm, quietly encouraging her.
Zhou Mi looked at the two clients, displayed a smile, and began her opening lines that she had practiced hundreds of times.
The conference room was silent. The young woman’s appearance and smile were striking and extremely infectious, unconsciously attracting everyone present.
Everyone was watching Zhou Mi.
Compared to the feeling of being slowly dissected during past evaluations, these gazes now felt more like spotlights, only serving to make her past efforts appear clearer and brighter.
She was on stage, beginning to present her first solo song, her first dance sequence, even if her voice wasn’t yet completely confident and resonant, even if her movements weren’t yet 100% coordinated and graceful.
After all, it was her first time. Zhou Mi’s cheeks and ears turned slightly red, but she didn’t go silent or stutter because of it.
Her chest rose and fell slightly as she smoothly followed the content on the slides. In the middle, she learned from Ye Yan’s previous example, appropriately throwing in a few interesting, trendy jokes, and taking the opportunity to criticize the competing products.
All the clients laughed out loud.
She took the opportunity to make eye contact with Zhang Lian, who was also looking at her, smiling, his eyes full of approval, pride, and shared honor.
In just a few short minutes of presentation, Zhou Mi’s back was already covered in fine sweat like after a long run. Returning to her seat, Jenny lightly patted her arm under the table, a clear sign of approval.
Zhou Mi took a deep breath, secretly curling up the corners of her mouth.
—
During the Q&A session, Zhou Mi also answered one question, receiving a nod from the client’s marketing director.
After the more than half-hour proposal ended, everyone said goodbye to the clients. Whether out of courtesy or genuine feeling, the other party was full of praise for Zhou Mi, directly complimenting Zhang Lian on his good taste.
Zhang Lian gladly accepted this assessment.
When they went to find their car in the basement garage, the others walked ahead, leaving the couple to themselves.
The two walked side by side, neither hurrying nor dawdling.
After mentally reviewing for a moment, Zhou Mi suddenly hit her forehead, belatedly realizing: “I think there was a small point I didn’t explain clearly…”
Zhang Lian immediately took the hand she was using to knock her head: “It was already perfect.”
Zhou Mi smiled and glanced at him: “Really?” Then a second later, dejected: “Actually, I wanted to tell you after the proposal was accepted, but you came directly with us, which was so frustrating.”
Zhang Lian said, “If I hadn’t come, how could I have personally seen how excellent you are?”
Zhou Mi was secretly delighted, pressing her lips together, still not completely confident: “What if we end up losing to the other company, won’t that be embarrassing?”
“Zhou Mi,” Zhang Lian raised her hand and kissed the back of it, as if imprinting a medal of commendation: “In my heart, you’ve always been perfect and number one.”