At ten o'clock in the evening, the office buildings in the financial center were still brightly lit.
Zhang Fan parked his car in the underground parking garage, took the elevator, and went straight to the law firm on the eighteenth floor.
"Why are you here so late?" Zhou Yu was surprised to see his friend suddenly visit.
Half an hour ago, Zhang Fan had texted him asking where he was, but he hadn't expected him to come directly.
Zhang Fan looked around Zhou Yu's new office. He had recently been promoted to partner at the law firm and moved into this room symbolizing his new status.
"Tea or coffee?" Zhou Yu asked.
Zhang Fan waved his hand. "Water is fine. It's too late; if I drink anything else, I won't be able to sleep."
Zhou Yu hummed in acknowledgment and turned to pour him some water.
Zhang Fan sat on the sofa, his gaze passing over the ashtray filled with cigarette butts on the desk near the computer. He sighed silently.
As far as he knew, Zhou Yu hadn't had any particularly tough cases recently. The only thing that could make him so irritable was probably that one matter.
Zhou Yu handed the glass of water to Zhang Fan, but he made himself a cup of coffee.
It seemed he wasn't worried about whether he could sleep at night.
Zhang Fan didn't beat around the bush. "I ran into Jian Ran tonight," he said directly.
Zhou Yu's hand holding the cup paused noticeably.
"What are you thinking? Are you just going to let things stay like this?"
A hint of mockery flashed in Zhou Yu's eyes. "She wants to break up. What can I do?"
Zhang Fan frowned. What did he mean, what could he do?
Sometimes he really couldn't understand Zhou Yu. At work, he was so decisive, but in relationships, he was irresolute to the point of being pathetic.
"Did you explain the situation with Su Yan to Jian Ran?"
Zhou Yu was silent for a moment. "She blocked all my contact information."
Zhang Fan couldn't help but rub his forehead. "So?"
If she blocked him, couldn't he call from another phone? Or, if that didn't work, couldn't he go find her and explain in person?
As long as he wanted to, there were plenty of ways.
This excuse was clearly just that—an excuse. Zhang Fan vaguely felt that Zhou Yu seemed to be afraid of something.
But what could he be afraid of?
The relationship between Zhou Yu and Su Yan wasn't what the outside world made it out to be—there were hidden circumstances behind the so-called 'first love' or 'white moonlight.' As long as he explained it clearly to Jian Ran, wouldn't all the problems be solved?
But on this matter, Zhou Yu was uncharacteristically tight-lipped, like a mute, letting the misunderstanding continue.
Zhang Fan was baffled.
Zhou Yu lowered his lashes, a sarcastic smile tugging at his lips.
What was he afraid of? He was afraid she would find out that he could compromise for her.
Afraid of breaking his own principles.
That day after parting ways with Jian Ran, he kept thinking about the expression on her face when she said, 'What if I do care?' His heart ached.
So, in the end, he had introduced Su Yan to another law firm.
Zhou Yu got up and walked to his desk, took out a cigarette pack from the drawer, pulled one out, and lit it. He took a deep drag, holding the cigarette with one hand, and slowly lifted his head to look at Zhang Fan.
"Do you think she really likes me?"
Zhang Fan was stunned, seemingly completely unprepared for such a question from his friend.
Did Jian Ran like him? That was beyond doubt. If she didn't, why would she have chased after him for so many years?
He really didn't understand why Zhou Yu would question this.
Zhou Fu flicked the ash from his cigarette and said in a low voice, "I don't mean that kind of liking that comes and goes at a whim."
Zhang Fan seemed to understand what he meant.
Back when Jian Ran was chasing Zhou Yu, it had been a citywide spectacle, almost like a playful fling.
But as time went on, Zhang Fan came to realize that Jian Ran wasn't a casual person. She was cautious about relationships. She seemed easygoing, but she had a strong sense of boundaries with the opposite sex.
For all these years, at least from Zhang Fan's perspective as an outsider, Jian Ran's feelings for Zhou Yu were genuine.
But Zhang Fan didn't plan to answer the question, because he knew Zhou Yu wasn't looking for an answer from him.
Or rather, he knew he couldn't convince Zhou Yu.
"So what if she does? So what if she doesn't?" Zhang Fan looked at him calmly and asked in return, "Zhou Yu, do you think you can still walk away from this?"
Zhang Fan was well aware that in this relationship, Zhou Yu had long been deeply entangled.
As an outsider, he had first realized this the day before the two officially started dating.
That night, Zhang Fan and Zhou Yu had accidentally overheard a conversation between Jian Ran and a friend.
"It's been so many years. Chasing after Zhou Yu like this is not good. What's your plan?"