After work, He Yao went to the mall, bought two sets of clothes, and settled into a hotel.
Time passed quickly amidst the busyness, and it was Saturday in the blink of an eye.
She wore a business suit and waited by the entrance of the chess club. The moment Xu Zheng saw her, he had an opinion again.
"Last time you dressed like a student, and you got into trouble when I said a few words, so now you've gone and become professional. Don't you get tired of wearing the same thing for work and off-duty?"
"Even if you don't find it tiresome, you should consider if others suffer from aesthetic fatigue. Why did you come dressed like this?"
He Yao said, "You're just promising me things without paying me a single cent. You know I've just gone through calamities, where would I get money for new clothes?"
"Besides, the weekend is my personal time. I'm coming to work overtime for free..."
"Alright, alright, you have plenty of excuses," Xu Zheng interrupted her.
"Ultimately, you just want money, don't you? Fine, from now on, playing chess on Saturdays counts as overtime. I'll pay you overtime fees, so go get yourself some nice clothes. You're ruining the company's image."
After they bantered for a while, Zhan Jingrui arrived in a silver Porsche with Mr. Fu.
He had a new look today: an off-white crewneck knitted sweater, paired with light-colored casual pants and white sports shoes.
He looked so good, casual and sunny.
He Yao suddenly felt that Xu Zheng had a point.
For a man to be so sophisticated and fashionable, it felt rather disheartening for his woman to live like a wild boar.
The group entered the chess club. After some polite exchanges, Zhan Jingrui and Mr. Fu started their game.
He Yao watched from the side while Xu Zheng went to fetch tea and water.
It was a match of equals, even more so than last time. A game of chess lasted nearly two hours before concluding.
Zhan Jingrui emerged victorious by a slight margin.
Mr. Fu was not bothered by his loss and laughed heartily.
"I'm getting old. I'm truly no match for you young folks. I concede defeat wholeheartedly."
"I'll give up my seat. Come, let little He play with you. How about we make a bet before we start?"
Xu Zheng's eyes lit up at the mention of a bet. He hurried over, "Great, great, how do we bet, what do we bet on?"
Mr. Fu said, "I bet little He can win this round. The loser buys dinner. Shall we bet?"
Xu Zheng thought to himself: He Yao wouldn't dare to win against President Zhan even if she had a hundred times the courage.
Smiling, he said to Mr. Fu, "Mr. Fu, then I have to go against you on this one. Although He Yao is my person, she's definitely not as good as President Zhan at chess. I'm rooting for President Zhan this round! Alright, the loser treats us to dinner tonight!"
The two parties involved didn't say anything; they had settled the matter.
The chess game began. The two were even more absorbed than before. A single game lasted until dark without a winner.
Xu Zheng had already booked a restaurant. He hadn't eaten lunch, and at this hour, he was starving, his stomach rumbling.
Seeing He Yao's lack of awareness, playing on and on, he wished he could say a few words to her.
However, the two bosses were present.
Finally, Mr. Fu's phone rang. His wife called to ask if he wanted to eat at home tonight, giving Xu Zheng an opportunity to interject.
"Why don't we call it a day? It's getting late, and everyone must be hungry since we didn't have lunch. You two are in a draw, and I'll treat everyone tonight, how about that?"
Zhan Jingrui hadn't expected He Yao to have such skill. Her technique was actually on par with his.
After all, he had studied under Grandpa Tang for several years.
Their styles were similar, and if they continued, it would only end in a draw.
The reason he came today was for something else.
First, to see if she was as exaggerated as Mr. Fu described. Second, purely out of mischievousness, he didn't want her to go on a date with Engineer Tang.
Now that his objectives were met, he could leave.
"You guys go ahead and eat. I won't be joining you. I have a gathering at home tonight, and it's just the right time to get there."
Seeing that he wasn't going, Mr. Fu didn't want to owe Xu Zheng any more favors. He said he also had some matters at home and wouldn't be going today, but next time, definitely next time.
With them saying such pleasantries, Xu Zheng couldn't say much more.
The group exchanged polite goodbyes and walked outside. As they reached the courtyard, He Yao's phone vibrated.
She grabbed it and saw it was from Engineer Tang.
Engineer Tang had been sending her messages frequently over the past few days. He Yao felt a bit embarrassed that she hadn't replied all day while playing chess.
She walked a few steps to the side and answered softly.
"Hello, Engineer Tang. I'm sorry, I was busy today and didn't check my phone. Yes, it's over. Dinner? Sure. You pick the place, and I'll treat you."
Zhan Jingrui keenly caught the name "Engineer Tang."
Seeing that He Yao was about to arrange dinner with him, he thought: Tang is pursuing her too relentlessly. He can seize this opportunity?
If He Yao went, wouldn't his entire day's effort be in vain?
Outside the chess club, Zhan Jingrui asked Xu Zheng to drive Mr. Fu back.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Fu. Xu Zheng will drive you back. I need to pick something up, and it's a detour, which might delay you."
"It's alright. If you both are busy, I can take a taxi myself."
"How can that be? It's my honor to drive you back. Come, Mr. Fu, please get in my car."
Xu Zheng obsequiously ushered Mr. Fu into his car, and the two left first.
Zhan Jingrui stood by the car, waiting for He Yao to finish her call, looking at her with a playful gaze.
He Yao hung up and found him looking at her, his eyes filled with a hint of teasing. She couldn't help but examine herself from head to toe.
"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"
"I didn't expect Miss He to be such a skilled chess player. What else about you don't I know?"
This sudden, out-of-the-blue remark left He Yao speechless.
"My dinner engagement was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances, and I don't know what to eat alone. If I remember correctly, you owe me a meal. You're treating me tonight."
He Yao was utterly confused.
What did he mean by being alone? And when did she owe him a meal?
"What about your girlfriend? You're not accompanying her on a weekend, and you're not eating with her tonight. Won't she be angry? Besides, when did I owe you a meal?"
It was admirable that she still remembered Chu Xi.
Zhan Jingrui didn't answer her questions.
"Should I call you forgetful, or ungrateful? It was raining that night. If I hadn't given you a ride and taken you in, giving you a bowl of noodles, would you have been so comfortable?"
He Yao was speechless.
"Get in the car. I don't like owing people favors. It's better to settle it early."
He Yao was about to explode with anger.
Last time she said she would treat Engineer Tang to dinner, but Xu Zheng dragged her to play chess with them, leaving the other man waiting.
Now, just as she had agreed to treat someone to dinner, Zhan Jingrui had intervened.
She wondered what Engineer Tang would think of her.
Would he think she was stingy, making excuses for a meal?
However, there was nothing she could do.
She did owe Zhan Jingrui a favor.
He Yao could only send a message to Engineer Tang on WeChat, explaining the situation in a concise manner.
After obtaining Engineer Tang's understanding, she locked her phone. "What do you want to eat?"
Zhan Jingrui glanced at her locking her phone screen and asked instead of answering.
"Who are you messaging? Your boyfriend? Do you need to explain to him about eating with me?"