Urban System: Beautiful lady, I really didn't steal your black stockings!

Wang Yurou stared straight at him, her mind still replaying the experiences he had described, completely unaware that Cheng Zhe's gaze was fixed on her face, taking in the changes in her eyes.

Looking into her eyes, which were full of admiration, Cheng Zhe felt a surge of joy, and his smile deepened.

While the girls were still whispering about his experiences and indulging in their fantasies of a comeback, Cheng Zhe slowly raised his hand and gently placed it on the back of Wang Yurou's hand, which was resting on the edge of the table.

His palm was slightly cool, yet warm to the touch. The moment it touched her, Wang Yurou felt as if she had been burned and snapped back to her senses.

Her body stiffened instantly, her pupils contracted slightly, and her mind went blank with a "buzz".

Subconsciously, she wanted to pull her hand back, a sense of resistance rising in her heart. They had only just exchanged contact information and were not yet familiar with each other. How could he suddenly hold her hand?

But as soon as she moved her hand, the resistance seemed to have lost its strength, and she ultimately failed to break free.

She didn't resist, but her cheeks suddenly turned bright red, almost as if they were about to bleed.

My already chaotic mind felt like it was stuffed with a ball of yarn, all tangled up, making my breathing rapid.

She didn't know what to do. She wanted to pull her hand away but didn't want to offend him. She felt it was too intimate to stay still, so she could only sit stiffly, letting Cheng Zhe's hand cover the back of her hand. She could even feel the lines on his palm.

Wang Yurou lowered her head further and further, her twin ponytails once again covering her flushed cheeks. Her eyes darted nervously to their intertwined hands, her fingers instinctively clenching slightly, but she still didn't dare to tighten them.

A single thought kept swirling in my mind: Why did he hold my hand? What should I do? Should I pull it back?

Yet, a faint sense of satisfaction, which she herself was unaware of, prevented her from resisting, and she helplessly let him lead her.

Cheng Zhe felt the curling of her hand and knew she was a little flustered, but he didn't loosen his grip. Instead, he gently rubbed the back of her hand with his fingertips, a tender gesture.

The girls nearby gradually realized something was wrong, turned around and saw the two holding hands.

They all instinctively shut their mouths, a look of surprise flashing in their eyes, followed by knowing smiles. They all lowered their heads, no one daring to make a sound.

Lin Xi, who was not far away, saw this scene clearly. Jealousy and anger surged up in her eyes again, and her face turned extremely ugly.

Cheng Zhe paid no attention to the stares around him, nor did he care about Lin Xi's expression. He only focused on the little girl beside him.

He understood the proper boundaries of a mature man, neither rushing nor dragging his feet. Taking advantage of Wang Yurou's still-panicked state, he gently pulled her hand from the edge of the table to under it, as if it were just a casual movement.

Immediately afterwards, his fingertips slipped between her fingers, and with a gentle snap, their fingers were intertwined.

The touch under the table was more intimate than that on the table, and Wang Yurou's body tensed up even more instantly.

She could clearly feel the temperature and strength of Cheng Zhe's fingers; it was a feeling of control that made it impossible for her to even think of breaking free.

In her panic, her fingers unconsciously tightened slightly, gripping his hand tightly as if following a deep-seated instinct, without her even realizing it.

She kept her head down, her lips tightly pressed together, too nervous to utter a single word.

She could only let him lead her, listening to the pounding of her own heart, which almost drowned out the music in the tavern.

Cheng Zhe felt the response from her fingertips, and the smile in his eyes deepened. He stroked the back of her hand with his fingers, soothing her tension.

He glanced at the other girls, smoothly and subtly changing the subject, neither neglecting the others nor failing to protect the girl beside him.

He talked about interesting things that happened in his life, and the funny things he did when he first started working. His tone was relaxed and humorous, and he would throw in a few jokes from time to time, with excellent tact.

Before long, the girls burst into laughter, and the awkward atmosphere from before completely dissipated, leaving only lively chatter.

Chen Yu laughed so hard she could barely breathe, glancing at Wang Yurou, whose face was flushed, and Cheng Zhe, who remained calm and composed.

He teased, "Brother Cheng, let me tell you a secret. Yu Rou was just lying to you! She doesn't have a boyfriend; she's just a single girl!"

Upon hearing this, the other girls joined in the laughter, with Li Meng chiming in, "That's right, that's right! She was just scared by you and that's why she said those things!"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Zhe raised an eyebrow in feigned surprise, turned to look at Wang Yurou, and put on a deliberately "angry" expression.

With a hint of mockery, she questioned, "Oh? You were lying to me? Wang Yurou, that's not what you just said. You said you had a boyfriend. What, am I so unapproachable that you don't want to know me?"

His gaze was so focused, and the "questioning" tone in his voice carried a hint of aggrieved teasing, instantly breaking down Wang Yurou's defenses.

Already feeling guilty for lying, upon hearing this, she immediately looked up in a panic, waving her hands frantically, and explained in a distraught manner, "No! I didn't mean to not want to get to know you!"

"I...I was just so flustered, I didn't know what to do, so I lied! I really don't have a boyfriend, I didn't mean to lie to you!"

Her voice trembled noticeably, and she spoke quickly and urgently, as if afraid that Cheng Zhe might really misunderstand.

The more she explained, the more flustered she became; the more flustered she became, the less she could explain herself. In the end, even her eyes welled up with tears, and she looked both anxious and aggrieved.

Her hand was still tightly holding Cheng Zhe's hand, and she subconsciously squeezed it harder, as if begging him to believe her.

Looking at the moisture in her eyes and her flustered appearance, Cheng Zhe saw no trace of "anger" left, his eyes filled with unconcealed tenderness and a smile.

He knew he had her weakness under his thumb, and knowing when to stop, he gently squeezed her fingertips and softened his tone: "Alright, I know you're panicking, I believe you."

Upon hearing his words, Wang Yurou's tense body instantly relaxed. She sniffed and quickly lowered her head, not daring to look at him anymore. She felt both ashamed and embarrassed, but she did not loosen her grip on his hand even slightly.

The girls around her couldn't help but chuckle softly at her appearance, making the atmosphere even more harmonious.

Lin Xi looked at the glaring scene before her, listened to the girls' laughter and Cheng Zhe's gentle whispers to Wang Yurou, and could no longer hold back.

She gripped her bag tightly and said curtly, "I'm leaving now."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it instantly broke the lively atmosphere at the table. Everyone was stunned for a moment and turned to look at her.

The girls all understood Lin Xi's thoughts. Looking at her unpleasant expression and glancing at Cheng Zhe and Wang Yurou, who were holding hands tightly and almost touching each other, they all understood.

The atmosphere became a little awkward for a moment. Chen Yu subconsciously glanced at the time and tried to smooth things over: "Oh dear, it's already so late without me realizing it. My parents are urging me to go home, so I should probably head out now."

"Me too, me too! We have to get up early tomorrow, let's go together!"

Li Meng quickly agreed and pulled the girl next to her to her feet; neither of them wanted to stay there as a third wheel.

Not wanting to offend the angry Lin Xi, they simply left together down the steps.

The girls quickly packed their things, greeted Cheng Zhe, winked at Wang Yurou, and then left the tavern with Lin Xi, whose face was still pale.