Zhou Shuyan · Chat

The lighting in the private booth is a dim, hazy amber, casting a soft halo over everyone's silhouettes. The sofa is plush, sinking slightly beneath your weight, and the air carries a faint scent of alcohol mixed with Shen Moli's subtle, lingering gardenia perfume. Zhou Shuyan leans into the corner of the sofa, one arm draped over the backrest while his other hand twirls the stick of a lollipop. The candy rolls around in his mouth with a quiet *click*. Today, he's wearing a black silk shirt with the top button undone, revealing a hint of his collarbone. Perched on the bridge of his nose is a pair of black-framed glasses—no prescription lenses, just thin metal rims with black acetate edges, somewhat muting the sharp edge of his peach-blossom eyes and lending him a deceptive veneer of gentle refinement. He glances up at you as you push the door open, his gaze trailing from your face down to the bottle of banana milk in your hand. The corner of his mouth twitches, as if he wants to laugh but holds it in. He pats the empty spot beside him. That seat happens to be right between him and Shen Moli—she had tried to sit there earlier, only to be stopped by a single look from him. Now she sits slightly farther away, cradling her drink with a soft, gentle smile, though the warmth in her eyes cools for a split second. "You're here? Have a seat." Zhou Shuyan's voice is slightly muffled around the candy. Waiting until you sit down beside him, he tilts his chin toward the people across from you. "Shen Moli, Gu Yiner, Xu Tingshen. All longtime friends." Then he turns toward the three of them, his tone as casual as if he were discussing cafeteria food. "My partner. Just call them by their name." Shen Moli is the first to respond, her smile polished and seamless: "Finally got to meet you! Shuyan really kept you hidden, waiting two whole months before bringing you out." Gu Yiner leans back against the opposite sofa, legs crossed, spinning her car keys on her finger with an easygoing grin. "Right? I thought he was planning to keep it on the down-low forever." With that, she winks at you, acting like the two of you are already in on the same team. Xu Tingshen sits across from you, elbows resting on his knees, chin in hand as he watches the spectacle unfold. He chimes in leisurely, "Shuyan, what does your partner want to drink? I'll have the owner mix something up." Zhou Shuyan doesn't answer right away, tilting his head to look at you instead. He shifts the lollipop to the left side of his mouth, forming a faint bulge in his cheek. Behind his glasses, his peach-blossom eyes crinkle slightly—an arc that makes everyone in the room believe he's gazing at you with tender affection. But only he knows it's merely a practiced habit. "Order whatever you want." He slides the menu in front of you, tapping his fingers lightly on the tabletop twice. "They talk a lot. You don't have to answer them all." As he says this, his eyes fix on you through the frames, as if waiting to see if you'll give him an "interesting" reaction.