40: Chapter 40 May I come up and sit for a while?

The glass windows of the hot pot restaurant were covered in a layer of white mist, and the red oil in the pot bubbled, causing the mutton rolls to curl as they cooked. Gu Jingshen put down his glass and yawned. "You guys take your time eating; my mom is nagging me to come home."

Zhang Fan raised an eyebrow. "Nagging you already? It's only nine o'clock."

"Can't help it, who told me to be a mama's boy now?" Gu Jingshen winked at Zhou Yurou. "Sister Zhou, I'll leave Fan Zi in your hands. Don't let him drink too much."

Zhou Yurou's face turned slightly red. She didn't respond, only placing a piece of beef tripe into Zhang Fan's bowl.

After Gu Jingshen left, the private room fell quiet, leaving only the sound of the boiling hot pot.

Zhang Fan had drunk a bit too much, and his cheeks were burning. He looked at Zhou Yurou across from him—she had also had a few glasses of red wine, and the corners of her eyes were tinged with a faint red. Her makeup-free face looked exceptionally soft under the warm yellow light, and even the faint bruise at her temple possessed a kind of fragile beauty.

"Sister Zhou, congratulations." He raised his glass. "From now on, you're a free person."

"Yes, congratulations to me." Zhou Yurou clinked her glass against his, the liquid rippling into small waves. "And thank you, Zhang Fan."

If it weren't for him, she might still be trapped in that rotting marriage, worn down by Yang Lei and his family until she completely withered away.

The two didn't say much more, just eating in silence and occasionally clinking glasses. The alcohol was like warm water, slowly overflowing the embankments of their reason.

Zhang Fan watched Zhou Yurou as she lowered her head to drink soup. Her long hair draped over her shoulders, and the curve of her neck was exceptionally clear under the light. His heart suddenly skipped a beat.

He remembered the first time he saw her in the hallway, her eyes filled with exhaustion; he remembered her in the hospital, clutching her phone as she listened to the recording, her knuckles turning white; he remembered her straightening her back in court, the decisiveness in her voice when she said, "I waive my right to custody"... This woman hid a level of resilience he hadn't known.

When it came time to pay the bill, Zhang Fan's steps were unsteady, and he only managed to stand firm with Zhou Yurou's support. "I'll see you home," she said softly, her voice carrying the warmth of the alcohol.

The night wind blew, clearing Zhang Fan's head slightly, but he deliberately leaned more of his weight onto her. As they crossed the street, Zhou Yurou's hand inadvertently brushed against his palm. It felt like an electric current, and he suddenly gripped her hand tightly; she didn't pull away.

The space in the elevator was narrow, and he could smell the scent of shampoo from her hair mixed with a faint hint of wine. Zhang Fan looked down and saw her reddened earlobes. He couldn't help but lean in and whisper in her ear, "Sister Zhou, can I... come up for a bit?"

Zhou Yurou's shoulders trembled slightly. She didn't speak, but when they stopped at the apartment door, she fished out the key he had given her earlier from her bag.

The door opened with a "click," and the motion-sensor light in the entryway turned on, illuminating scattered programming books and half a case of cola. Zhang Fan closed the door behind him. When he turned around, Zhou Yurou happened to look up. Her eyes seemed to hold starlight, making his throat tighten.

He didn't know who approached first; he only remembered that when their lips touched, hers were a bit cool and tasted of the sweetness of red wine. He was like a clumsy apprentice, his hands shaking with nervousness, until Zhou Yurou gently took hold of his wrists and led him toward the bedroom.

The temperature under the covers gradually rose. Zhang Fan's heart beat like a drum, and his mind went blank, leaving only the primal throb of instinct.

It was his first time, and he was nervous and reckless, but Zhou Yurou was very gentle. When her fingertips brushed over the scar on his back, she asked softly, "Does it still hurt?"

That was the injury from being beaten in the garage; it had long since scabbed over, but at her touch, it seemed to tingle with a strange itchiness again.

He didn't speak, only burying his face in the crook of her neck, greedily inhaling her scent as if he had found a treasure lost for many years.

Their young bodies were like engines full of energy, tireless. He panted in her ear, listening to her suppressed soft moans, feeling as if he were floating on clouds yet drowning in the deep sea. It wasn't until the first light of dawn appeared on the horizon that he finally fell into a deep sleep while holding her, his arm still firmly around her waist, fearing that letting go would mean it was all a dream.

When he woke up again, sunlight was already shining on the floor through the gaps in the curtains, casting long bands of light. Zhang Fan moved, and a dull ache came from his lower back, reminding him of last night's madness. His face instantly flushed red. The spot beside him was empty, the covers turned back at a corner and still holding some warmth.

A flash of panic hit him, and as he struggled to sit up, he heard the sound of water from the bathroom. Along with his relief, a sense of inexplicable anticipation arose.

The system prompt in his mind lit up again. He had been too busy last night to even look at it.

[daily intelligence system]

[Level: LV1]

[One piece of basic intelligence can be obtained for free daily. Paid intelligence requires intelligence points (Current balance: 552)]

[Help neighbor Zhou Yurou get a divorce and start a new path of entrepreneurship. Mission complete. Reward: 500 intelligence points.]

[Unlocked intelligence for this volume: Cutting the main artery, former company goes bankrupt.]

"Former company goes bankrupt?" Zhang Fan rubbed his eyes, doubting if he was actually awake.

Blue Whale Games? That giant with a market value of tens of billions that dominated every game chart? How could it possibly go bankrupt?

He had stayed at Blue Whale for two years and knew how solid the company's foundation was. Although he had suffered grievances there—his boss stole his credit, his ex-girlfriend cheated on him, and he was finally fired on a trumped-up charge—it was undeniable that Blue Whale's profitability was top-tier in the industry.

Never mind bankruptcy, there hadn't even been any large-scale layoffs.

As for "cutting the main artery," it sounded even more like a fairy tale.

He was just a low-level programmer; when he left, he didn't even see the HR manager in person. How could he possibly be the "main artery"?

Zhang Fan chuckled; the system probably had a bug. He exited the system interface and was about to check his phone when the bathroom door opened.

Zhou Yurou walked out wrapped in a grey bath towel. Water dripped from the ends of her hair, sliding down her neck and into the towel, outlining her alluring curves. Seeing Zhang Fan awake, a flash of fluster crossed her face before she regained her composure. "You're awake? I'll go make breakfast."

"Don't." Zhang Fan suddenly grabbed her wrist. The towel was very slick, and his fingertips accidentally brushed her warm skin, causing both of them to freeze for a moment.

He swallowed and plucked up his courage to say, "Sister Zhou... about last night..."

"I drank too much last night." Zhou Yurou interrupted him, her eyes darting away. "I'll go get dressed first."

She tried to pull her hand back, but Zhang Fan held on even tighter. He rolled out of bed and stood barefoot in front of her, a head taller than her, his shadow enveloping her. "I didn't drink too much." He looked into her eyes seriously. "Sister Zhou, I like you."

Zhou Yurou's eyes widened suddenly, and her lips moved, but no words came out.

Zhang Fan's heart was thumping wildly as he continued, "I know I'm young and don't have much ability, and I'm not good enough for you... but I'll work hard. I'll be good to you, I really will."

He was like a student waiting for a verdict, his palms sweating from nerves.

Zhou Yurou was silent for a long time, so long that Zhang Fan thought she was going to reject him, before she finally let out a soft sigh. "Zhang Fan, I'm ten years older than you, and I've been married..."

"I don't care!"

"I care." She looked up, her eyes filled with complex emotions. "I just crawled out of a quagmire; I don't want to hold anyone else back."

Zhang Fan wanted to say more, but she reached out and pressed her finger against his lips. Her fingertips carried the fresh scent of shower gel and were soft, making him fall silent instantly.

"Give me some time, okay?" Her voice was very light. "And give yourself some time to think things through clearly."

Zhang Fan looked at the hesitation and fragility in her eyes and finally nodded.

Zhou Yurou let go and turned to go to the bedroom to get dressed, but Zhang Fan suddenly picked her up by the waist. "Ah!" she cried out softly, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.

"It's too late for breakfast." Zhang Fan walked toward the bed with a mischievous grin. "Let's sleep a bit longer."

"Stop it..." Zhou Yurou's words were muffled by his kiss as the bath towel slid loosely to the floor. Sunlight shone through the gaps in the curtains, falling on her smooth back like a layer of gold dust.

The second time was less reckless and more lingering. Zhang Fan learned to be gentle, and listening to her soft breaths in his ear, he felt his heart being filled to the brim. He suddenly felt that things like his former company going bankrupt didn't matter at all.

It wasn't until noon, when their stomachs were growling with hunger, that the two finally crawled out of bed. Zhou Yurou was wearing his oversized T-shirt, the hem reaching her upper thighs. Her hair was messy, yet she had an indescribable allure.

"I'll go downstairs to buy some steamed buns." Zhang Fan put on his jeans and, seeing the redness at the corners of her eyes, couldn't help but kiss her forehead again.

Zhou Yurou swatted his face away and laughed, "Hurry up and get back."

Zhang Fan hummed a song as he went downstairs. The sun was just right, feeling warm on his body. He bought two baskets of steamed buns and picked up a serving of soy milk, planning in his head to go to the studio in the afternoon to further optimize the project details, and then take Zhou Yurou out for her favorite sweet and sour fish in the evening.

As for the system's tip about his former company going bankrupt, he had long since put it out of his mind.

How could a company as large as Blue Whale just collapse like that?