His Addiction - Chapter 22

Throughout the ride, Liang Jinmo didn’t glance at Xu Zhi even once, which only deepened her frustration.

When the car was parked at a lot near the restaurant, everyone got out. Liang Jinmo and Cheng Yu walked ahead together, with Yang Xue trailing closely behind, like the fangirl she was.

Zhou He slowed his pace, falling back to walk beside Xu Zhi. “So,” he asked, “did you watch the video?”

Xu Zhi turned her head toward him, her face heating up as she forced herself to stay calm. “No, I didn’t.”

“You’re blushing,” Zhou He teased with a laugh. “You’re terrible at lying.”

Xu Zhi found him utterly insufferable.

Biting her lip, she asked, “Did you record it?”

“Yup,” Zhou He admitted. “That night, after you spilled alcohol on your clothes, our boss tried to give you his jacket, but you refused no matter what. When he finally dragged you out, I followed along and saw you two tugging at each other in the hallway,” he reminisced. “It was such a rare sight. You know, I’ve known the boss for years, and I’ve never seen him act that way with any girl. So I took out my phone to document the precious moment.”

Xu Zhi was speechless.

It was such a shame Zhou He wasn’t in social media or content creation—he would have thrived.

She glanced ahead at Liang Jinmo’s tall figure and then turned her gaze away. “You didn’t show him the video, did you?”

“I sent it to him the next day,” Zhou He said. “But honestly, it wasn’t much of a big deal. The boss is so stoic that you can’t joke around with him. Plus, he wasn’t drunk at the time, so he remembers everything. You, on the other hand…”

Zhou He’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Whether you blacked out or not, I thought it’d be fun to help you relive your drunken antics.”

“That’s completely unnecessary,” Xu Zhi replied, exasperated.

Zhou He burst out laughing. “How did it feel when you watched it?”

Xu Zhi turned her face away, rubbing her forehead. “Stop talking about it…”

She regretted her decision to act confident and order strong drinks at the bar. She had completely embarrassed herself, leaving Liang Jinmo to clean up her mess.

She had even shamelessly… harassed him.

As a sudden thought struck her, Xu Zhi asked Zhou He, “Can you promise not to tell him I watched the video?”

Zhou He blinked in surprise, but soon, understanding dawned on him. “You want to pretend you don’t remember anything?”

Feeling slightly guilty, Xu Zhi nodded. “Please.”

“It’s not impossible,” Zhou He said after a moment’s thought, “but you’ll have to answer a few questions honestly.”

“What questions?” she asked warily.

“What exactly is your relationship with our boss?”

“We’re neighbors,” she said.

Zhou He didn’t believe her for a second. “Come on, be honest. There’s no way the boss would treat an ordinary neighbor like that. I’ve known him since our time in the U.S., and he’s never been that patient with anyone. You threw up on him, and not only did he not get angry, but he even cleaned up after you.”

Xu Zhi fell silent.

Her relationship with Liang Jinmo wasn’t close—far from it. Once, she had even been among those who bullied him. How could she explain that to Zhou He?

If Zhou He, as Liang Jinmo’s close friend, found out, he might punch her on the spot.

Seeing her reluctance to speak, Zhou He sighed. “Let me tell you something. Back in the U.S., the boss didn’t have an easy time. I know a bit about his family situation. During his master’s program, he worked tirelessly to earn enough credits to graduate early, all while holding down part-time jobs to cover his living expenses. He really… had it tough.”

After a moment of quiet, Xu Zhi finally said, “I know.”

She knew. What she had witnessed was only a tiny fraction of the struggles Liang Jinmo had endured.
As they neared the restaurant, Zhou He slowed his steps even further, glancing at the group ahead. “To be honest, with how the boss looks, he’s never lacked attention from girls. But he’s always been cold toward women. Back in the U.S., some classmates even wondered if he was gay. Personally…”

He chuckled. “I’ve always thought his long-standing singlehood was a bit concerning.”

Xu Zhi couldn’t help but interject. “Aren’t you overthinking it?”

Zhou He laughed heartily. “I’m joking, of course. But as his friend, I do hope he finds someone. He’s different with you—you should think about it.”

Xu Zhi didn’t know how to respond. Liang Jinmo hadn’t said or done anything that implied interest.

Besides, how could he possibly like her? Zhou He didn’t know about their past. If he did, he wouldn’t even entertain the idea.

No one would like someone who had once bullied them. She recalled the look in Liang Jinmo’s eyes back then—a mix of contempt and disgust.

The group ahead had already entered the restaurant. Zhou He, growing impatient, urged, “Say something.”

Xu Zhi stayed quiet for a few seconds before walking briskly forward into the restaurant.

“…” Zhou He stared after her, speechless.

Inside the private room, which was spacious enough for the small group to spread out, Yang Xue sat beside Cheng Yu, and Xu Zhi took the seat next to Yang Xue.

Liang Jinmo, silent as ever, chose the seat next to Cheng Yu.

Zhou He entered, glanced around, and joked, “Cheng Yu really is popular—everyone wants to sit near him. Guess I’ll sit next to Xu Zhi.”

Xu Zhi lowered her head, pretending to focus on the menu, while her mind kept returning to one question: *Was Liang Jinmo still angry? He sat so far away from her.*

After placing their orders, Zhou He turned to Xu Zhi. “Should we invite any of your other friends? After all, it’s your birthday.”

The first name that popped into her mind was Liang Mushi.

Her expression stiffened, and after a brief hesitation, she forced a smile. “No need.”

She hated herself for still thinking about Liang Mushi. He had moved on to Hong Kong with Chen Jing, seemingly carefree, and had dismissed her with a token gift. She couldn’t understand why she still held onto anything.

Her mood darkened, though she hid it well, keeping her smile intact to avoid ruining the atmosphere. She called a server and asked the group if they wanted any drinks.

“Drinking again?” Zhou He teased knowingly.

Blushing, Xu Zhi said, “I’m not drinking. But you can if you want.”

Yang Xue ordered fruit wine and encouraged Xu Zhi, “Drink with me. It’s really low in alcohol.”

After her previous ordeal, Xu Zhi knew her limits and opted for juice instead. “I’ll stick to juice.”

With the food served, the group ate and chatted. Liang Jinmo spoke more than usual, mostly discussing team prospects with Cheng Yu.

Initially, Xu Zhi participated in the conversation, but gradually, she fell silent. She noticed that Liang Jinmo hadn’t looked at her even once.

Thanks to Zhou He and Yang Xue’s lively banter, the meal didn’t feel awkward.

Midway through, a deliveryman knocked on the private room door. “Mr. Zhou, here’s the cake you ordered for Miss Xu. Please sign for it.”

Xu Zhi had completely forgotten about a birthday cake amid the day’s chaos. She didn’t expect Zhou He to remember.

As Zhou He signed for the cake, Yang Xue gave Xu Zhi a sly look, as if uncovering a juicy secret.

Under the table, Xu Zhi poked Yang Xue, silently warning her not to overthink things.

When she looked up again, she unexpectedly met a familiar pair of dark eyes.

Liang Jinmo was staring directly at her.

It was the first time that day he had looked at her.

Xu Zhi felt her heart skip a beat.