View unfavourably

Zoey woke up the next day after nine o’clock. She had fallen asleep on her stomach, monopolizing both pillows with her arms and coiling a leg over Barlen's abdomen, nearly pushing him off the bed. Her sleeping position, usually neat, had become more unruly since being with Barlen.

Initially, Barlen was irritated by her bed-hogging ways, but over time, he indulged her quirks, though her bad habits were hard to break.

Zoey carefully removed her leg from his stomach and shared half of the blanket with him. Barlen was deeply asleep, a rare occurrence unless he was truly exhausted. His biological clock was precise, and he was not one to linger in bed.

Zoey watched him for a few minutes, noticing scratch marks on his shoulders and chest that she had left the night before. Rubbing her neck, she lay back for a moment before getting up to find a nightgown and heading downstairs for water.

After drinking a large glass of warm water, her thirst was quenched. Her stomach growled with hunger from last night's lack of food. Finding only bread in the kitchen, she toasted it and spread some jam on it, sitting at the dining table to eat.

Today was free, so after eating, she planned to catch up on sleep. There were still some bits and pieces left in the dormitory; she intended to go to school tomorrow to pack them up.

The apartment she rented was a backup plan, somewhere to retreat to in case of arguments with Barlen. During her internship, a colleague had mentioned that it's comforting for a woman to have her own place before marriage, especially if she couldn't return to her parents' home.

Thinking about the money in her account, Zoey realized it wouldn’t even cover a down payment for a small apartment inside the Fifth Ring Road. Besides, she still owed Barlen a significant amount of money she had borrowed two years ago, probably equivalent to two years of salary…

The thought of money and housing dampened her appetite. She finished the bread reluctantly.

Checking the time, it was already ten o'clock. It wasn’t the weekend, and she wondered whether Barlen would go to the office. She decided to go upstairs to wake him up.

Just as she opened the bedroom door, the bathroom door opened too. Barlen had already showered, his hair still wet with glistening droplets.

He was buttoning up his shirt.

"Going to the office?" Zoey asked.

"Why not sleep a bit more?" they both said at the same time.

Barlen answered first: “Not going to the office, have lunch plans.”

Zoey nodded. She never asked where he was going or with whom he was eating. He used to tell her, but she wasn't interested in those people, so he stopped mentioning it.

"Aren't you sleeping more?" he asked again.

Zoey replied, “I was hungry, went downstairs for some food.”

She walked over to him, straightening his shirt hem and sneakily caressing his abs. Then, playfully, she began to unbutton his shirt as he buttoned it up.

Barlen watched her silently, continuing his task.

Zoey met his gaze with a mischievous look, her hands never pausing in their actions.

Minutes later, Barlen's shirt remained unbuttoned.

He looked at her, resigned: “Had enough fun?”

“Nope.”

Giving up on the buttons, Barlen clasped Zoey's waist and drew her in, “Then you do the buttons.”

“I’m nearsighted, the buttonholes are too small, I can’t see them.”

“…” Barlen pinched her waist gently and planted a kiss on her lips. “Let’s go to sleep. I’ll have the housekeeper come over and cook late in the morning.”

Zoey, wrapping her arms around his neck, protested playfully, “Can’t move.”

Barlen, half-carrying her, moved forward as Zoey clung to him, stepping backward until they reached the bed, where she promptly collapsed onto it.

She clutched the collar of Barlen's shirt, not letting go.

After kissing her for a while, she finally released him. He stood up to button his shirt, “If you’re not going to school today, sleep in a bit longer.”

“Mhm.” Zoey placed her hands behind her head, tapping her feet against his stomach, playfully hooking her big toe around his navel.

Used to her antics, Barlen wasn’t bothered at all.

Suddenly, the phone on the bedside table vibrated. It was Barlen's. He glanced at it while buttoning up and said to Zoey, “Can you check that for me?”

“What if it’s from one of your little lovers? That wouldn’t be good,” Zoey teased, still picking up his phone to check.

It was a message from Lydia: "Barlen, I’m on my way to the restaurant, will be there around 11:30 am :)"

So, he was having lunch with Lydia.

Lydia was from the same university as Zoey, different classes, same year. They knew each other from their freshman year but weren’t close. Lydia’s uncle, Professor Ouyang of their Journalism School, was also Barlen's teacher. Their relationship was good, and Zoey met Barlen through Professor Ouyang.

Zoey turned off the screen and tossed the phone aside.

Barlen looked up, “Who was it?”

“Lydia,” Zoey teased him. “You're quite close with her, huh? Just got back and already going out to build rapport.”

Barlen, unfazed, explained, “Lydia started working at a TV station, I introduced her there. Professor Ouyang has already thanked me, but Lydia insisted on treating me personally.”

He had initially refused Lydia’s invitation, but she had booked the restaurant and sent him the address directly. Out of respect for Professor Ouyang, he felt obliged to accept.

Zoey, thoughtful, asked, “Lydia went to the TV station?”

“Yes,” Barlen added, “To the financial channel.”

Following his lead, Zoey inquired, “Is the salary for a financial channel reporter higher than mine?”

Barlen: “…No matter how high the salary, you’re not going there.” The complex interpersonal relationships there weren’t suited for Zoey.

Zoey scoffed, “Since you don’t approve of the job, why did you help Lydia get it?”

Barlen: “She wanted it.”

Zoey retorted, “So do I.”

Barlen glanced at her, “I don’t.”

Zoey rolled her eyes.

After buttoning up and tucking in his shirt, Barlen inadvertently met Zoey's deep gaze, “What are you looking at?”

“Watching you dress up is so sexy, it’s irresistible for women.”

“…” Barlen shot her a look, “Speak properly.”

Zoey glared back at him and pulled the blanket over her, continuing to sleep.

Pausing, Barlen asked Zoey, "What did Lydia just say?"

With a teasing tone, she replied, "She said she misses you and asked you to hurry to the restaurant."

"..."

Barlen pulled down her blanket a bit, covering her, "Why are you so sharp-tongued? Can't you be a bit gentler?"

Zoey looked at him, half-smiling, "This is just how I am. You've known me long enough."

Barlen kissed her resignedly, then got up and went to the walk-in closet. He took out two bags – the latest summer limited editions from a certain brand. 

He had bought bags for Zoey before, but she never used them, saying students should be low-key. Now that she was about to start working, she would surely need branded bags. He had picked one for her and another for Lydia while passing by the store on his business trip.

"Zoey."

"What?" She half-closed her eyes, ready to drift back to sleep.

"I bought these bags in New York. Pick one, and I'll give the other to Lydia."

Zoey didn't open her eyes, "She invites you for a meal, and you give her a bag. Planning on seeing her more often?"

Barlen explained calmly, "Don't have time for regular meetups." He added, "Lydia gave me a ZIPPO lighter. It's just a return gift."

After a moment of silence, she asked, "She gave you a ZIPPO?"

Barlen responded straightforwardly, "Yes."

After arranging Lydia's job, Professor Ouyang and Lydia had invited him for dinner. Lydia presented the ZIPPO as a token of thanks in front of Professor Ouyang. Barlen initially refused, but Professor Ouyang insisted, saying it was just a small gesture.

Zoey's voice was soft yet sarcastic, "ZIPPOs are typically gifts from women to men they fancy. Do you like it? Are you using it comfortably?"

Barlen remained patient, "I never opened it, let the secretary handle it."

He had meant to tell Zoey about it when he returned but forgot amidst his busy schedule. Women often gave him gifts for various reasons, but he never paid much attention to them.

Barlen, seizing the opportunity, asked Zoey, "Would you give me one?" The ZIPPO he used was from Adam.

Zoey scoffed, "Give you one? You can wait for that. I want to throw away the one you have. From today, no more smoking, at most two cigarettes a day."

Yawning again, she asked, "Lydia had an excuse to give you a gift, a thank you. But why suddenly gift her a bag? What's the play here?"

Barlen didn't elaborate, simply stating, "Giving her a bag has its reasons."

Zoey didn't bother to inquire further. Women who liked Barlen or had designs on him were countless, and he never let her worry, always handling things himself.

Her senior had once given her practical advice: don't waste time and energy dealing with other women. Just train your man well.

Barlen urged her again, "Pick one you like." He opened the packaging, holding both bags in front of the bed.

Zoey didn’t even glance at them, "I like both."

Barlen: "…"

He laughed softly, a rare sound from him, "Then I'll keep them both for you." He placed both bags on the bedside table on her side.