Bumping into Zhou Congli tonight was rather unexpected. Lin Zhi found herself looking forward to their meeting tomorrow. After a quick wash, she went to bed.
The next day, she slept until noon. After grabbing a meal at the cafeteria, she returned to her dorm and started binge-watching shows. It wasn't until it was almost time to leave that she leisurely began getting ready.
She used a curling iron to give her hair soft waves that cascaded down her back and applied a Korean-style makeup look. Changing into the white dress she had bought yesterday, she paired it with a small black jacket and a pair of low heels. She looked sweet and elegant.
Seeing her dressed up so formally, her two roommates were a bit surprised. "Zhizhi, are you going out?"
Lin Zhi nodded. "I have a meeting." She smiled at them. "I'll bring back milk tea for you guys." Picking up her phone, which was letting out a continuous BUZZ BUZZ, she slung her bag over her shoulder.
Zhang Ran smiled. "Great, be safe on the road." A cup of milk tea wasn't worth much, but wasn't that exactly how friendships were built?
A cold snort came from Li Ke's bed, but none of the other three paid it any mind. Lin Zhi waved goodbye to the other two and headed downstairs.
Zhou Ye had arrogantly parked his car right at the school gate, just like last time. Quite a few people had gathered around the red sports car to take pictures. However, he wasn't in such a good mood this time to politely invite his "Princess" into the car.
Lin Zhi knocked on the window. Zhou Ye opened the door impatiently, not sparing her a single glance the entire time. She had barely taken her seat when he aggressively floored the gas pedal and peeled away.
Lin Zhi frowned. "Slow down." She knew he couldn't be bothered to pretend anymore, but did he want to get them killed by driving this fast?
Zhou Ye glared at her. "Get out if you don't want to ride!" Suddenly noticing her outfit, he paused and furrowed his brows. "Why are you dressed like this?"
Lin Zhi looked at him with a puzzled expression. "Does it look bad?" She checked her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were full and rosy, looking vastly better than her previous gaunt appearance. Paired with her outfit, she gave off the gentle vibe of an elegant older sister. What was wrong with it?
If there was anything that displeased him, it was probably the fact that she no longer looked anything like his goddess. After all, Li Ruoyao pursued a tall, slender, and beautiful aesthetic. The original owner of Lin Zhi's body had dieted down to skin and bones. Combined with somewhat similar facial features, she had looked like a dead ringer at first glance.
Zhou Ye's expression turned ugly. He had only pursued her in the first place because she shared some resemblance with Ruoyao and could serve as a stand-in. Now that the only trait he liked about her was gone, he found Lin Zhi even more repulsive.
However, he didn't voice his complaints. He was taking her to the Zhou family's mansion today. It was actually better that they didn't look alike. If his parents found out, they would never let him hear the end of it, and Ruoyao would likely be furious with him too. Anyway, once his plan succeeded, this woman would outlive her usefulness. Who cared how she looked?
Seeing him fall silent while driving at breakneck speed, Lin Zhi easily guessed what was going through his head. She cursed him as a scumbag in her heart and also stopped talking. They were only a step away from dropping all pretenses entirely; neither wanted to engage with the other.
The car wove through the congested traffic. Half an hour later, they pulled into a villa estate. The small, red-brick western-style house featured vintage floor-to-ceiling windows, a sprawling garden, and a massive swimming pool. In A City, where land was worth its weight in gold, this property alone was a testament to the family's immense wealth and power.
Zhou Ye got out and tossed the car keys to the approaching butler, walking straight into the house without a care for Lin Zhi.
Lin Zhi maintained her smile, greeted the butler, and leisurely walked toward the villa. Before she even got close, she could hear cheerful laughter drifting from inside the house. Zhou Ye was chatting with a young woman. His voice was brimming with joy; anyone could tell just how much he loved her by listening to his tone alone.
"Ah Ye, didn't you say you were bringing your girlfriend back? Where is she?" an older woman's voice asked.
Zhou Ye seemed reluctant to answer. "She's out back."
"Nanny Wang, go take a look," Mrs. Zhou instructed.
"Mom, let's go out and greet her together. It's her first time here, after all," the young woman's voice chimed in.
Mrs. Zhou didn't sound particularly thrilled. "Alright, we'll do as Yaoyao says."
Lin Zhi heard footsteps approaching the door. Soon after, a tall young woman appeared, supporting a middle-aged woman by the arm. Zhou Ye followed behind them with a look of utter impatience.
Mrs. Zhou was of an intermediate build. She wore a jade bracelet on her fair wrist, exuding the aura of someone accustomed to a life of pampered luxury.
The young woman indeed shared a resemblance with the original owner of Lin Zhi's body, but she was taller and thinner. The simple dress she wore clearly cost a fortune. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips as her gaze lightly fell upon Lin Zhi, sizing her up with unapologetic scrutiny.
Mrs. Zhou's face revealed no discernible emotion. "Miss Lin, is it?"
Lin Zhi curved her lips into a smile. "Hello, Auntie. I'm Zhou Ye's girlfriend. This is my first time visiting, so I brought a small gift. I hope you like it." She handed over an exquisite little box.
A servant took the box. Mrs. Zhou said mildly, "Come in. Zhou Ye never mentioned he was dating anyone, so we haven't prepared anything."
Li Ruoyao also smiled. "That's right, Miss Lin. We had no idea Ah Ye was dating. We were quite surprised. How did you two end up together? This guy can be really difficult to deal with." Her eyes gleamed with curiosity.
Lin Zhi looked somewhat bashful. "To be honest, I'm not entirely sure either. Ah Ye said it was love at first sight for him. After he pursued me for a month, I saw how sincere he was and agreed." She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, playing the part of a shy girl perfectly.
The corners of Li Ruoyao's mouth twitched downward. 'Ah Ye' was her exclusive nickname for him. Since when did a gold digger have the right to call him that? Moreover, the phrase 'love at first sight' rubbed her the wrong way. She cast a cool glance at Zhou Ye. Panic immediately seized him, and he hurriedly shot her a look, signaling that it was all just an act. He then shot Lin Zhi a fierce glare, warning her not to spout nonsense.
Lin Zhi feigned a puzzled expression. "Ah Ye, what's wrong? Did I say something incorrect?" She had no intention of making things comfortable for the two of them today. Besides, Li Ruoyao had already thrown thinly veiled barbs her way, subtly suggesting to Mrs. Zhou that Lin Zhi was a scheming woman clinging to Zhou Ye. Why should she hold back?
Mrs. Zhou immediately turned to Zhou Ye. With everyone's eyes on him, Zhou Ye could only admit through gritted teeth, "It's true that I pursued her."
Lin Zhi shyly chimed in from the side, "When Ah Ye mentioned bringing me to meet you and Uncle a few days ago, I was so nervous that I hadn't been sleeping well. I even woke up at the crack of dawn today to get ready." She offered Mrs. Zhou a sweet smile.
Mrs. Zhou's impression of her marginally improved. At the very least, this girl wasn't the type of shameless woman desperately clinging to her son. Even so, she didn't care much. At most, she wouldn't actively prevent them from dating. When it came time for marriage, she would ensure her son married someone from an equivalent social background. Right now, the two were clearly in their honeymoon phase, and she wasn't foolish enough to force them apart. She would just bide her time until her son grew tired of the girl.
The nanny brought over fruits and drinks. After exchanging a few pleasantries with Lin Zhi, Mrs. Zhou turned her attention back to Li Ruoyao. After all, this was her true prospective daughter-in-law. The two women chatted about seasonal designer brands, fashion magazines, and amusing childhood anecdotes involving Zhou Ye, Zhou Congli, and Li Ruoyao. Since the two families lived close to each other, the three of them had essentially grown up together. However, because Zhou Congli had always been busy with his studies, it was Zhou Ye and Li Ruoyao who truly spent the most time together.
Lin Zhi could feel Li Ruoyao casting subtle, dismissive glances her way. It made sense. Both of the Zhou brothers belonged to her, and the Zhou family formally acknowledged her status. Naturally, she didn't view a mere stand-in like Lin Zhi as a threat.
At that moment, the sound of an approaching car drifted from outside. Mr. Zhou, who had gone fishing with some old friends, and Zhou Congli, who remained busy with work even on his days off, had finally returned.
Mrs. Zhou smiled and stood up to welcome them, with Li Ruoyao following closely behind.
Trailing at the back, Lin Zhi noticed Zhou Ye reach out and briefly grab Li Ruoyao's hand. He was met with a harsh glare from Li Ruoyao, prompting him to let go reluctantly, his expression souring even further.