I was criticized on a dating reality show, but I retaliated and became an internet sensation.

Fang Zhizi leaned out from the driver's seat, her eyes gleaming with gossip:

"Zizi-jie~ What did Teacher Han whisper to you?"

Shu Zi leaned back in the passenger seat, her eyes closed, her voice muffled: "It's nothing."

Fang Zhizi: "Liar! I clearly saw you smirk when you turned around! Your smile was practically reaching your ears!"

Shu Zi silently put the earphones into her ears and turned the music up to the maximum volume, trying to drown out the outside noise, but the smile that she couldn't suppress still gave her away.

Fang Zhizi glanced at her in the rearview mirror, wisely refrained from asking any further questions, and started the car.

The white van slowly drove out of the parking lot and merged into the main road.

The event was ending in the courtyard.

Jiang Yunyou's agent was struggling to stuff his large suitcase into the trunk.

Jiang Yunyou opened the car door and climbed in, then leaned half his body out of the window and waved vigorously at Su Yanhuan on the steps, his voice loud and clear:

"Hey! See you next week! Don't keep thinking about me and can't sleep!"

Su Yanhuan stood there, expressionless, waving her hand at him dismissively:

"Go on your way, see you next week. Remember to wake up your artistic side, don't draw a square face again next week."

Jiang Yunyou: "..."

He swiftly retreated into the car, and the window rolled up quickly.

Han Jingxue was still standing at the villa entrance when Shen Yihuai came out, carrying his suitcase, and stopped beside her.

Shen Yihuai glanced at her and spoke, his voice not loud: "Waiting for you up ahead?"

Han Jingxue's gaze remained fixed on a distant void. After a few seconds, she gave an almost inaudible "hmm".

Shen Yihuai's lips curved slightly, but he didn't say anything more and dragged his suitcase toward his car.

Yu Shize stood in the shadows of the corner, holding his phone. On the screen was a chat box with an agent who had sent a long voice message, which he did not open.

Fang Yutong walked out of the villa, wearing a floral dress, with her hair styled in big waves, and her makeup was so exquisite that she looked like she was about to walk the red carpet.

Her agent, Zhou Min, followed behind her, carrying two large suitcases, her high heels clicking on the stone pavement.

Yu Shize looked up and glanced at Fang Yutong.

Fang Yutong didn't look at him.

She walked down the steps, passing by him without pausing, her skirt brushing past his feet.

Zhou Min glanced at Yu Shize, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment, before getting into the car with Fang Yutong.

The car door closed.

Yu Shize stood there, watching the car start, reverse, turn, and drive out of the villa gate.

He lowered his head, deleted the unread voice message on the screen, put his phone in his pocket, and dragged his suitcase toward his car.

Gu Yan stood at the entrance of the villa, already dressed in a long, dark gray trench coat. The afterglow of the evening sun fell on his shoulders, creating a soft halo.

Wu Qiwei got out of a low-key black Maybach, jogged over, took the small suitcase from Gu Yan, and put it in the trunk.

Gu Yan did not get into the car immediately. He stood beside the car, his gaze sweeping over the now empty courtyard.

Shuzi's car is no longer there.

He looked away, opened the car door, and leaned in.

Wu Qiwei turned around from the passenger seat and tentatively asked, "Brother Yan, are we going back to the company or the old house?"

Gu Yan leaned back in the comfortable leather seat, closed his eyes to rest, and said in a calm and even voice, "Go back to my place."

"Okay," Wu Qiwei replied, signaling the driver to start the car.

The car smoothly drove out of the villa area and merged into the main road.

The screen of Gu Yan's phone, which was on his lap, lit up briefly.

He opened his eyes and picked it up.

Nuonuo: "Have you gotten on the bus yet?"

Gu Yan typed and replied: "Mm".

Nuonuo: "Oh."

The conversation ended there, and the other party did not send any new messages.

Gu Yan stared at the lone "Oh" for two seconds, then turned off the screen, put the phone back in his pocket, and closed his eyes again.

Wu Qiwei observed his expression in the rearview mirror and wisely remained silent, only turning on the car stereo and turning the volume to almost mute.

On the other side, inside the white van.

After driving for about half an hour, Shu Zi leaned back in her seat, listening to several different songs in her headphones, but she couldn't concentrate on any of them.

My phone vibrated.

She picked it up and took a look.

A certain Mr. Gu, a despicable person: "Have we arrived?"

Shu Zi typed: "No, I'm still on the elevated road, stuck in traffic."

A certain Mr. Gu, a despicable person: "Hmm."

Shu Zi stared at the curt "Mm," pursed her lips, and placed her phone screen-down on her lap.

Less than a minute later, my phone vibrated again.

A certain Mr. Gu, a despicable person, asked: "What do you want to eat tonight?"

Shu Zi stared at the words and thought for a moment. The refrigerator seemed to be empty. Sister Wen and Zhi Zi must not have come to replenish her "ammunition" these past few days.

Her finger hovered over the screen, hesitated for a few seconds, and then, with a touch of self-righteous willfulness, typed a line:

"I don't know, you make it for me."

After sending it, she stared at the sentence and silently added in her mind: You're dead if you don't come! You'll bear the consequences!

The chat box immediately displayed "The other party is typing..." at the top, flashed twice, and then a short reply popped up:

"it is good."

Shu Zi looked at the crisp "Okay" and her lips curled up involuntarily. Satisfied, she put her phone back in her pocket.

Fang Zhizi had been listening intently to the sounds from the back seat, and upon seeing this, she immediately glanced in the rearview mirror, her gossip-loving spirit reignited:

"Sister Zizi, who are you chatting with so happily? You're all smiles again!"

In a good mood, Shu Zi casually replied, "Gu Yan."

Fang Zhizi was stunned for a moment, then her face clearly said, "You're kidding me again: Sister Zizi! You're lying to me again!"

Shu Zi was baffled: "What do you mean 'again'? When have I ever lied to you?"

Fang Zhizi accused:

"Just last time! Before the dating reality show lineup came out, I asked you if Yeonjin would be on it, and you said categorically, 'Impossible! He wouldn't participate in a show like that!' And what happened?!"

Shu Zi: "..."

She paused for two seconds, then forced herself to save face: "...That was an accident; plans can't keep up with changes."

Fang Zhizi snorted through her nose, "Oh—"

It's obvious they don't believe it.

Shu Zi turned her head to look out the window: "Believe it or not."

On another road, inside a black Maybach.

The car moved smoothly through the evening rush hour traffic.

Gu Yan leaned back in his chair, holding his phone in his hand, the screen showing his chat with Shu Zi.

Wu Qiwei turned around again from the passenger seat to confirm the itinerary: "Brother Yan, we're going straight back to your apartment, right?"

Gu Yan looked up from his phone screen: "Let's not go back first, let's go to her house."

Wu Qiwei paused for half a second, then quickly realized who she was referring to, nodded immediately, and turned to the driver, saying:

"Uncle Wang, change the navigation. Let's go to Miss Shu's neighborhood first."

The driver responded, turned on the turn signal, and skillfully drove into the right lane, preparing to make a U-turn at the intersection ahead.

Gu Yan turned off his phone screen and turned his gaze to the street scene rushing past the car window.

On the other side, the white van eventually turned into a wide road with neatly trimmed green belts on both sides. Next to the turnstile at the intersection stood a dark-colored water feature wall with the name of the building complex embedded on it in a subtle yet sophisticated font.

The neighborhood was quiet. The security guard came out of his booth, saw the license plate, nodded, and let the car pass.

This is the place that Sister Wen found for her. It's close to the company, has good security, and most importantly, nobody knows her.

Fang Zhizi parked the car steadily in her designated parking space in the underground garage.

Shu Zi pushed open the car door and got out, stretching out with a big yawn, her joints making a few crisp "crack" sounds.

"Ah—it's still most comfortable to be in my own doghouse," she sighed.

Fang Zhizi pulled the 24-inch suitcase out of the trunk, and Shu Zi took it, waving to her:

"Alright, you can go back now. You've worked hard these past few days, get some rest, and be ready to be called upon at any time."

Fang Zhizi nodded, adding, "Sister Zizi, call me anytime if you need anything! I'm available 24/7!"

"Okay."

Shu Zi dragged her suitcase toward the elevator lobby. The automatic door slid open silently, and a cool breeze mixed with a faint fragrance wafted out.

Fang Zhizi stood there, watching Shu Zi swipe her card and enter the elevator, before turning around, getting into her car, and leaving.

"bite--"

The elevator has reached the floor.

Shu Zi pushed open her front door, casually tossed her suitcase into the entryway, kicked off her shoes, and walked barefoot onto the cold floor. She walked into the living room and, like a deflated balloon, slumped into the soft sofa with a "plop."

I don't want to move, not even a single finger.

She lay sprawled on the sofa for almost ten minutes before slowly pulling out her phone and sending a message to a certain "delivery chef":

"Where are we? I'm starving."

A certain Mr. Gu, a despicable person: "Forty minutes."

A little creature: "It took so long?? Did you crawl over here?!"

A certain Mr. Gu, a despicable person: "Traffic jam."

The other party sent a screenshot of real-time traffic conditions; the map was mostly dark red.

Shu Zi looked at the red color that symbolized "no progress," pursed her lips, and replied with an emoji:

"Starving.gif"