Zhou Yi didn't reply to her message right away; instead, he deliberately left her hanging for a while.
He wanted to see if Qiao Xi would send him another text.
After all, he had already created a strong initial impression on her, so there was no need for him to appear overly eager.
Being too proactive would only make him seem desperate. Better to maintain an air of mystery.
Half an hour later, Qiao Xi sent another message: "Are you asleep? I forgot to mention our walk earlier."
Only then did Zhou Yi pick up his phone and reply: "I was so exhausted that I accidentally dozed off. I'm glad you got home safe. Get some rest early, okay? Good night."
Clearly, Qiao Xi was eager to keep chatting with him, but Zhou Yi didn't want her sense of intrigue to fade too quickly.
He believed in maintaining a certain distance—just enough to create a lingering sense of ambiguity and tension.
If they discussed everything at once, where would the fun be?
The key was to keep her guessing, drawing her interest slowly until she became captivated by him.
Though Qiao Xi felt a pang of disappointment, she reassured herself that Zhou Yi must have been truly worn out today, especially since his mood hadn't been great either. He probably needed time to rest.
With a mix of concern and understanding, she replied: "I don't know what happened, but things will get better. Good night, Yi gege."
Lying on her soft bed, Qiao Xi kept staring at her phone, waiting for a response. But as time dragged on, there was still no reply. "Is he asleep...?" she wondered.
Assuming Zhou Yi had drifted off, she decided not to bother him further.
Before bed, she scrolled through her social media feed out of habit and stumbled upon a new post from Zhou Yi that evening: "To meet you is serendipity itself." It was a simple sentence, yet Qiao Xi knew it referred to their encounter.
Smiling, she rolled around under the covers and liked his post.
When the system notified Zhou Yi of the increase in affection, he couldn't help but smile knowingly.
He knew someone like Qiao Xi—a sensitive, somewhat artistic girl—would be moved by such subtle gestures.
Before going to sleep, Zhou Yi checked the list of people who had liked his post. Among them was his ex, Chu Han.
Raising an eyebrow, he thought, What's this about? Does she think now that I've moved on, she can reel me back in? He gave a derisive chuckle. If it were the original host, he'd have rushed to explain himself immediately.
But not him—he simply ignored her.