The Epoch of Miyu

Xu Miyu widened her eyes instantly at the soft clink of glasses and the words "Happy birthday."

A secret joy bubbled faintly in her heart. She raised her glass, said "Thank you," and drank it down.

Just as the last drop passed her throat, both her shoulder and Ji Feng's were tapped simultaneously.

It was Xu Miyu's university classmate, who had squeezed between them, placing a hand on each of their shoulders and leaning in to say loudly, "Miyu, don't hide here just drinking with your colleague! You see your colleague every day, but how long has it been since you've seen us?"

His face was flushed, clearly having drunk quite a bit. The alcohol had gone to his head, making him excited and overly familiar, treating Ji Feng like an old friend without any reservation.

Miyu quickly replied, "I'm not hiding! I'm not hiding at all."

As she spoke, she noticed Ji Feng frowning. He was evidently still unaccustomed to, or even disgusted by, strangers touching him. But today, he was surprisingly patient and restraining himself. She and her classmates were ordinary people, interacting in ordinary ways. Ji Feng, with his innate air of nobility, seemed somewhat out of place sitting here.

Afraid that Ji Feng's restraint might reach its breaking point at any second, she quickly stood up, subtly brushing off her old classmate's hands from her and Ji Feng's shoulders.

"Besides, Manager Ji and I... my colleague and I don't see each other every day," Xu Miyu continued to her old classmate.

But the classmate's hand immediately landed on Xu Miyu's shoulder again, pressing her back into her seat. "Sit down to talk. Why stand up? It's tiring." Then his other hand naturally rested on Ji Feng's shoulder again, this time giving it a pat. "You're colleagues but don't see each other often? What, are you and our Miyu on different floors?"

Xue Rui, sitting nearby watching Xu Miyu's university classmate, held his breath nervously. He felt this classmate was repeatedly testing the limits of danger.

Li Qiaoqi was catching up with other old classmates, so Xue Rui focused on staying by Ji Feng's side, ready to act—if Ji Feng couldn't hold back and erupted with a cold, sarcastic remark like "Who gave you permission to touch me?", he would immediately step in to mediate and diffuse the awkward situation of "Why are you touching me? What's wrong with me touching you?"

When Xu Miyu heard her old classmate ask Ji Feng if they were on different floors, for some reason, she suddenly felt like laughing.

Of course they weren't on the same floor. And the difference was as vast as heaven and earth. She stood in the lobby, on the front lines of the grassroots, while he stayed in the penthouse luxury suite as the boss.

If it weren't for this "Night Encounter" place, the vast distance between them—one in heaven, one on earth—would have left little chance for them to sit together drinking, let alone have their shoulders tapped by the same person simultaneously.

She heard Ji Feng answer the classmate's question honestly: "We're indeed not on the same floor right now." But wanting to be on the same floor is simple—just a word from the boss." As he said this, he looked at Xu Miyu.

Xu Miyu always felt his gaze tonight was somewhat different from usual. It seemed to carry a hint of resentment and a touch of stubbornness, as if he were seeking an explanation for being neglected by someone.Xu Miyu also felt that she was acting a bit strange. Tonight, she had become somewhat afraid to meet Ji Feng's eyes.

Upon hearing Ji Feng say it was easy to stay on the same floor, her old classmate immediately showed keen interest. Not only did he stop leaving, but he even pulled over a chair and sat behind Xu Miyu and Ji Feng, though he angled his body more toward Ji Feng.

"Come on, Mi Yu, pass Qiang Ge the wine glass. I want to have a drink with your colleague! Just from hearing that, I can tell your colleague is no ordinary person—he must be quite close with your boss!"

"..." Xu Miyu didn’t know how to respond. Silently, she reached for Qiang Ge’s glass, poured some wine, and handed it to him.

"Pour some for your colleague too!" Qiang Ge urged Xu Miyu.

"...Huh?" Xu Miyu hesitated. She wasn’t quite ready to collude so shamelessly with her classmate to make Ji Feng drink—she was afraid that if she poured him wine, Ji Feng would see it as her scheming with her classmate with ill intentions, trying to seduce him.

No matter what she did, he always thought she was trying to seduce him.

Hesitantly, she glanced up at Ji Feng.

Ji Feng met her gaze.

Xu Miyu gripped the wine bottle, took a deep breath, and immediately turned to her classmate Qiang Ge. "How about you toast me instead? Let’s you and I drink."

Suddenly, her wrist tightened. Looking down, she realized Ji Feng had taken hold of it.

Her wrist instantly felt as if it were burning, and her heart tightened in panic. She nearly dropped the wine bottle.

Ji Feng guided her wrist over to his glass and then released her.

"Pour," he said, looking at Xu Miyu.

"Huh?" Xu Miyu was still a bit dazed.

"Pour the wine," Ji Feng repeated, tapping the table with his long, slender fingers and fixing his gaze on her eyes.

Snapping back to attention, Xu Miyu quickly poured red wine into his glass. She turned to Qiang Ge and explained, "My colleague can only drink red wine. He gets drunk after just one glass of white liquor."

Ji Feng’s gaze lingered on Xu Miyu as he heard this. She had quietly memorized his habits and preferences.

Qiang Ge generously said, "Then let your colleague drink red! No problem!"

He then raised his glass and went to pat Ji Feng on the shoulder. Watching Qiang Ge’s actions, Xu Miyu felt both amused and apprehensive.

She exchanged a quick glance with Xue Rui over Ji Feng’s shoulder. In that moment, they silently agreed to be ready to intervene if needed, even dividing tasks between themselves:

—If Ji Feng loses his temper later, you hold him back.

—If the boss flares up, you pull your classmate away.

Qiang Ge patted Ji Feng’s shoulder, not rushing to drink but chatting first.

"You’re surnamed Ji, right?"

"Yes."

"You’re around the same age as Mi Yu and the rest of us, right?"

Xue Rui chimed in, "He’s half a year younger than Mi Yu."

Ji Feng shot a sharp glare at Xue Rui, as if being the younger one was a blow to his pride.

Qiang Ge laughed heartily, "Half a year doesn’t count! Round it off, and you’re the same age!"

After laughing, he suddenly shifted into a heartfelt, confiding tone: "Xiao Ji, since you’re our Mi Yu’s colleague and not an outsider, I won’t stand on ceremony with you."

Both Xu Miyu and Xue Rui gasped inwardly.

Xiao Ji...

If they ever called Ji Feng that, it would mean they had a death wish.

Cautiously and nervously, Xu Miyu glanced at Ji Feng. To her surprise, what she saw caught her off guard.It was truly remarkable that Ji Feng actually accepted being called "Little Ji" without showing any sign of slamming the table in anger.

"Little Ji, you have no idea, Xu Miyu was the classic example in our class of a beautiful girl completely unaware of her own charm—gorgeous yet humble, with a pleasant temperament that put people at ease. She never made a fuss and always put others first, truly like an angel, a beautiful angel at that!"

With every sentence, Qiang Ge patted Ji Feng's shoulder, making Xu Miyu and Xue Rui flinch nervously each time. Surprisingly, Ji Feng endured it without losing his temper.

"You have no idea how many boys secretly had a crush on her back then, but she was completely clueless about it," Qiang Ge added, giving Ji Feng's shoulder another pat.

At this, Ji Feng glanced up at Xu Miyu and saw her face filled with astonishment.

It seemed her classmate was right—she really had no idea how many men were drawn to her.

"During our school days, we all adored her. We agreed to compete fairly among ourselves, but while we were busy competing internally, before we knew it, she was swept off her feet by the heartthrob from the prestigious school next door! You have no idea," Qiang Ge emphasized with a heavy pat on Ji Feng's shoulder, sighing deeply with a look of deep regret, "when we heard she'd been taken by an outsider, many of us were secretly heartbroken!"

Qiang Ge shook his head and sighed, vividly portraying the pain of recalling an unbearable past.

Suddenly, his expression shifted, turning somewhat bitter and resentful: "But it's infuriating! Not long ago, Li Qiaoqi told us that the bastard from the neighboring school who stole Miyu away actually cheated on her! That ungrateful scoundrel! When we heard Miyu had divorced him, our hearts just ached. She was the girl we all secretly admired back then—we couldn't bear to see her treated so poorly by that worthless man!"

Qiang Ge spoke with such sincerity that Xu Miyu, listening nearby, felt both stunned and deeply moved.

She had always thought of herself as lonely and unsupported, never realizing that, unbeknownst to her, so many people had cared for her and offered warmth.

"Come, Little Ji!" Qiang Ge patted Ji Feng's shoulder again. Part of Xu Miyu's emotion immediately turned back into apprehension.

"You and Miyu are colleagues, right? In life, whether as spouses, friends, or colleagues, it's all about fate. And today is Miyu's birthday, so you, as her colleague celebrating with her, share a double portion of that fate." After setting the stage with this talk of fate, Qiang Ge suddenly turned earnest, "Little Ji, Miyu is a good woman—capable, kind-hearted, and she endures hardships without complaint. If you can look out for her at work, please do. I, Qiang Ge, thank you on behalf of our whole class! Come, Little Ji, we've talked enough—let's you and I have a drink. I'll finish this glass!"

With that, he raised his glass, tilted his head back, and downed it in one go.

Xu Miyu wanted to tell him to save some, but she didn't have time to say it.

After finishing, Qiang Ge looked at Ji Feng.

Xu Miyu and Xue Rui also turned their eyes to Ji Feng, their hearts filled with anxiety.

When had this proud and aloof man ever willingly accepted a drink urged upon him by someone else? Especially in such a common, straightforward manner.

Xu Miyu quickly racked her brain for the right words—something that would prevent Ji Feng from having to drink while also ensuring Qiang Ge wouldn't feel slighted.But before she could come up with an excuse, Ji Feng glanced at her, raised his glass, and downed the drink in one go.

Xu Miyu’s eyes widened in surprise. Xue Rui, standing nearby, was also stunned.

Brother Qiang looked at Ji Feng’s empty glass with satisfaction and delight. "That’s the spirit! Xiao Ji, Brother Qiang considers you a friend now!"

With that, he patted Ji Feng’s shoulder and finally walked away.

Xu Miyu felt momentarily flustered. She pulled a few tissues from the paper box in the center of the table, intending to wipe Ji Feng’s shoulder. She knew he had a cleanliness obsession and despised being touched by others.

Her hand, clutching the tissues, hovered near his shoulder—reaching out, then pulling back, then reaching out again.

She was too hesitant to actually touch him.

When she glanced up at him, she found him staring intently at her, his eyes clear and bright, as if he hadn’t been drinking at all—more alert than ever.

Yet his words still carried a hint of intoxication. "Stop waving your hand back and forth. It’s making me dizzy."

Xu Miyu finally withdrew her hand.

Just then, another male classmate walked over and plopped down on the chair Brother Qiang had just vacated. Leaning toward Ji Feng, he extended his right hand in greeting. "You’re Xiao Ji, right? Hello, I’m Zhang Shan, but you can call me Zhang San—everyone does."

Xu Miyu eyed Zhang San’s outstretched hand. Confirming that he intended to shake hands with Ji Feng, she decisively extended her own right hand and shook his. "Hello, Brother San."

Zhang San turned and laughed. "Don’t joke around—we already know each other! Don’t interrupt; let me have a proper chat with your colleague."

Just as Xu Miyu was about to speak, she felt her wrist tighten again.

Looking down, she saw that Ji Feng had grabbed her once more.

Holding her wrist, he detached her hand from Zhang San’s grip and tossed it aside, shooting her a glance as if warning her not to act recklessly.

Then he extended his own right hand and shook Zhang San’s. "Hello, Ji Feng."

Xu Miyu watched in astonishment. He had actually shaken hands with her classmate!

Xue Rui, standing nearby, was equally shocked, his eyes nearly popping out.

Today, Ji Feng seemed to have taken the wrong medicine—it was as if he had descended from the heavens, allowing physical contact on such an unprecedented scale.

Zhang San laughed heartily, not letting go of Ji Feng’s hand, and used his other hand to pat the back of Ji Feng’s hand. "Ah, Xiao Ji, no wonder Brother Qiang said you’re a straightforward guy. Not bad, really not bad!"

With each "not bad," he patted Ji Feng’s hand again. Xu Miyu and Xue Rui held their breath in unison.

Xu Miyu felt that Brother Qiang and Zhang Shan’s enthusiasm toward Ji Feng tonight was somewhat strange. Her gaze swept around until it landed on Li Qiaoqi, who was sitting across the table with the male classmates, smiling faintly as she watched them.

Xu Miyu pointed to her phone, then typed: Are Brother Qiang and Zhang Shan being a bit too enthusiastic? Did you send them over to toast and chat?

Soon, Li Qiaoqi’s reply popped up on her screen: Sort of, but not entirely. I just verbally encouraged them—they took the initiative themselves. Don’t worry, we won’t get your boss too drunk. Just stay calm and observe. Brother Qiang and Zhang San might uncover something about your boss~

Xu Miyu looked up at Li Qiaoqi across the table, who winked at her.

Puzzled, Xu Miyu wondered what they could possibly uncover about Ji Feng.His thoughts were pulled back by Zhang San's voice. Zhang San still didn't let go of Ji Feng's hand, continuing to pat it while speaking, smoothly transitioning into heart-to-heart mode.

"Xiao Ji, did Qiang Ge tell you? Back then, we all really liked Miyu. You're so lucky to be working with Miyu now!" He gave Ji Feng's hand a firm pat.

Xu Miyu felt her heart leap with anxiety. She found it strange that Ji Feng had endured it yet again.

"Miyu was the kindest and most virtuous girl in our class. She could do anything, really anything—she even knew several languages. And she was humble, never flaunting her abilities. She had such a good heart too, always willing to help anyone. But sometimes she was just too kind, making all of us overthink things. We'd convince ourselves that her willingness to help, her sincere gaze, and her beautiful smiles meant she had a special impression of us."

Zhang San chuckled sheepishly and patted Ji Feng's hand again.

Ji Feng had been enduring the discomfort of being touched and patted all along. But this pat struck a chord within him. It was as if he, Zhang San, and their male classmates shared a resonance in that moment—a shared delusion that she must have feelings for them.

"It wasn't until later that we realized Miyu's gaze and smile were just part of her innate feminine charm. She wasn't trying to seduce anyone; it was us who developed feelings for her and desperately imagined she felt the same, interpreting every smile and glance as flirtation. Men, nine times out of ten, suffer from this emotional delusion, you know!"

"..." Ji Feng's face fell, not wanting to understand at all. Understanding would mean admitting he had this emotional delusion too.

"Xiao Ji," Zhang San patted Ji Feng's hand again, his tone turning sentimental, "Third Brother has something heartfelt to say. A woman like Miyu—whoever ends up with her is truly blessed. What a pity—when I was single, she was married, and now that she's divorced, I'm married. If I were single now, I'd definitely pursue her!"

Xu Miyu, listening nearby, choked on her breath in shock.

Zhang San finished speaking and gave Ji Feng's hand another heavy pat.

Xu Miyu choked even harder.

Screaming for help in her mind, she feared this pat would ignite the fuse of the bomb inside Ji Feng.

Yet Ji Feng endured even this pat.

Not only was Xu Miyu stunned, but Xue Rui was also repeatedly astonished. He never expected Ji Feng to shatter his ironclad principles so many times, tolerating repeated physical contact from different people in such a short span. He wondered what had brought about such a tremendous change in him.

Enduring this heavy pat on his hand, Ji Feng looked calmly at Zhang San and asked, "What are you trying to say by telling me all this?"

Zhang San immediately burst into laughter, patting Ji Feng's hand and saying, "Ah, you caught me! To be honest, Xiao Ji, we all think a colleague who comes to celebrate Miyu's birthday isn't just an ordinary colleague. So they sent Qiang Ge and me to sound you out, to see if you like our Miyu."

Xu Miyu choked so hard she nearly suffocated. Tonight, she finally learned that one could choke to death on air without even drinking water.After hearing Zhang San's bold and unrestrained words, Ji Feng asked impassively, "So, did you manage to figure it out?"

Zhang San shook his head. "You're too deep, I couldn't get a read on you. The guy before me, Brother Qiang, said he couldn't figure you out either."

Ji Feng raised an eyebrow.

Zhang San suddenly asked again, "Mind if I ask, brother, are you married?"

Xu Miyu interjected from the side, "Third Brother, don't ask unnecessary questions."

Zhang San waved her off, telling her not to interrupt. "This is a conversation between us men. Go on, don't cause trouble."

"..." Xu Miyu thought to herself, no wonder her classmates had even managed to handle the cold and domineering President Ji. She really couldn't get a word in.

Zhang San turned back to Ji Feng, waiting for his answer.

"No," Ji Feng replied succinctly.

"Ah, I see. So you're definitely in the late-marriage category, huh?" Zhang San paused, then changed the subject. "So, what exactly do you do at your workplace? Is there a big income gap between you and Miyu?"

Xu Miyu immediately intervened, "Third Brother, stop asking! You've had too much to drink. Any more questions and you'll just be talking nonsense."

Zhang San retorted, "It's when you're drunk that you speak the truth. Don't cause trouble, be good." He shooed Xu Miyu away as if she were a child, leaving her utterly speechless.

Ji Feng, however, did not avoid the question and told Zhang San, "I work in management. As for the income gap between her and me," he glanced at Xu Miyu and said, "it's probably quite significant."

"Ah, I see. So you're a genuine golden bachelor. If it ever came to marriage, you might not even consider our Miyu, who's been divorced once, right? Maybe we were overthinking it. Ah, how presumptuous of me! Let's drop this topic. Anyway, since you're here, you're a friend. Come on, Little Ji, let's have a drink together!"

He filled his own glass with baijiu and poured red wine for Ji Feng. Clinking glasses, he downed his drink in one go.

Xu Miyu and Xue Rui watched in astonishment as Ji Feng, without refusing, also tilted his head back and finished the red wine in his glass.

Their threshold for shock had been raised higher and higher by Ji Feng's repeated unusual behavior that night. They were so stunned they could barely even feel surprised anymore.

After that, the male and female classmates kept coming over to propose toasts. If Ji Feng showed even a hint of hesitation, they would say, "Today is Miyu's birthday, her special day. Don't spoil the mood."

And so, Ji Feng truly did not spoil the mood, drinking every glass offered to him.

Xu Miyu occasionally tried to shield him from the drinks, but in the process, she ended up drinking just as much as he did.

By the end, everyone was flushed, heads buzzing, emotions running high, and they all treated each other like family, with no sense of formality.

As midnight approached, Li Qiaoqi suggested that, as the day was about to end, they should all gather to wish Xu Miyu a happy birthday one more time.

So everyone gathered in a circle, raised their glasses high, and shouted in unison, "Happy birthday!"

Xu Miyu smiled radiantly, her eyes glistening with warmth and moisture.

Thirty-one years old. Though they say one should be established by thirty, she had truly learned to be independent only at thirty-one. She had a feeling that today would be a clear watershed in her life. From this day forward, her future would enter a new chapter.

She drank the blessed glass of wine, feeling deeply happy and joyful, and full of hope and determination for the future.After clinking glasses, the clock struck midnight. It was a new day.

Li Qiaoqi walked over and nudged Xu Miyu's shoulder, winking at her as she said: "Your boss is really tight-lipped. We all thought we could get some information out of him while drinking."

Xu Miyu felt dizzy and somewhat confused: "What information were you trying to get?"

Li Qiaoqi looked at her, sighed, and shook her head: "Your boss is stubborn, and you're oblivious—what are the two of you going to do?"

Xu Miyu, still dazed, wanted to ask more, but Li Qiaoqi had already been called away by another female classmate.

It was getting late, and several classmates with children at home had to leave. Li Qiaoqi arranged rides for each of them. The remaining ones, not yet ready to call it a night, gathered in small groups to continue drinking and chatting.

Xu Miyu propped up her dizzy head and sat quietly by the table, trying to regain her composure.

Ji Feng didn’t go anywhere else. He sat right beside her, watching her intently.

Tonight was the most he had ever drunk in his life—far more than the last time at Night Encounter.

He was so dizzy that people were starting to blur in his vision. Yet when he looked at Xu Miyu, she remained perfectly clear.

As if she had been imprinted in his eyes.

He recalled how more than one of her classmates had come up to him earlier, saying she possessed a natural feminine charm and charisma that could stir hearts and even provoke delusions of affection—where one would mistakenly believe she was the one who liked them, when in reality, it was their own feelings for her.

Ji Feng’s heart gave a sudden jolt.

Was he, too, a victim of this delusion of affection?

He had always assumed she was deliberately or unintentionally seducing him, but in fact, she wasn’t. It turned out he had misunderstood her all along.

That made it seem as though he cared too much—so much that he was being presumptuous.

This realization, fueled by the alcohol, stirred a wave of resentment in him. How could she be so innocent? She had already reeled him in before he realized she wasn’t actually trying to seduce him. So how had he gotten hooked?

Was it not that she had caught his attention, but that he had paid too much attention to her?

Why did it have to come down to such a conclusion?

He couldn’t accept it. Beneath his calm exterior, a silent but turbulent wave of irritation and displeasure began to brew.

With these intense yet unspoken emotions, he quietly watched her.

He watched as she rested with her head propped up, eyes closed. He watched her eyelashes flutter slightly and her soft breaths. He watched the way the light seemed to outline her fair skin with a soft glow.

He watched as she was suddenly startled by her phone’s vibration.

He watched as she picked it up and a message popped up on the screen.

The alcohol fueled his boldness, and he actually leaned in to read the message.

The sender’s number was a string of digits, indicating she hadn’t saved it.

The message read: Miyu, it’s Yu Cheng. I know you’ve blocked my number, so I got a new one just to reach you. Although it’s past midnight, I still wanted to wish you a happy birthday! I’ve always spent this day with you in the past. I wonder if anyone is with you this year? Are you lonely? I tried all day to forget your birthday, to resist sending you a message. But in the end, I couldn’t hold back. Miyu, what should I do? I miss you so much!

Xu Miyu skimmed the message and immediately turned off her phone. She didn’t want to dwell on it or reply.

Placing the phone face down on the table, she turned her head unintentionally and met Ji Feng’s gaze—he was still leaning in, having invaded her privacy without retreating in time.

Xu Miyu froze for a moment, then stammered in flustered annoyance, "What are you—what are you doing snooping on someone else’s private messages?"Ji Feng was also inexplicably irritable and displeased. He retorted sharply, "Are you afraid of your messages being seen, or are you afraid of being caught still carrying a torch for your ex-husband?"

Xu Miyu widened her eyes, astonished by his attack. "You're really—really unreasonable!"

Alcohol temporarily dissolved the status gap between them, allowing them to bicker and argue like ordinary people.

"Is it me being unreasonable, or is it you feeling guilty because I hit a nerve?"

Xu Miyu's mind felt dull. She was furious, but too intoxicated to find the words to continue the argument.

Frustrated, she panted heavily, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

She knew she was genuinely angry.

Xue Rui noticed the tense atmosphere between them and quickly came over with a bottle of wine to drink and smooth things over.

Both Xu Miyu and Ji Feng drank stubbornly out of spite.

As they drank, they gradually forgot their anger. As they drank, they eventually stopped being mad at each other. As they drank, Xu Miyu began to giggle dizzily.

She magnanimously waved her glass at Ji Feng and said, "Forget it, I'm not angry anymore. After all, you came to celebrate my birthday, and besides, I'm half a year older than you. I'll let you off—I won't stoop to your level!"

She was already a bit drunk—so drunk that she completely unleashed another side of her personality: a Xu Miyu who could be cheeky and, despite being over thirty, still had a touch of endearing naivety.

Ji Feng watched her. The wine sliding into his stomach seemed to turn into a child's hand, annoyingly tickling his insides, making him feel restless, feverish, and dry-throated.