Chapter 126: Birds of a Feather

The private room was bathed in garish, kaleidoscopic lights, with the air thick and heavy with the scent of alcohol and nicotine.

Fu Wenzhou rose to his feet with delight. The moment he saw Song Qingyou, all the restlessness and irritability that had plagued him throughout the evening vanished instantly. Being tall and long-legged, it took him only a few strides to reach her.

"Did you come to pick me up?" A look of joy spread across his striking face. "I knew you still cared about me."

Song Qingyou’s gaze lingered on him for only a fleeting moment before shifting past him to the girl sitting on the booth.

Oblivious, Fu Wenzhou draped his jacket over one arm and reached out to take her hand. "The air in here is too thick with smoke and alcohol; you shouldn't be breathing this. Let's go home."

Song Qingyou’s cold eyes half-closed, her snow-white skin appearing to be dusted with a thin layer of frost under the lights. "Smoking, drinking—you've really outdone yourself, Fu Wenzhou."

Fu Wenzhou froze. Seeing the icy detachment in her eyes, a nameless panic surged within him. He hurried to explain, "I didn't have much, just two drinks, and I’d only just lit that cigarette. I... I didn't disobey you, please don't—"

"Enough," Song Qingyou interrupted.

Gu Bai, sensing the situation turning sour, quickly stood up to clarify: "We called this girl over, it has nothing to do with Wenzhou. Don't misunderstand."

Xu Zezhan rubbed his temples. "Why do you have to bring up the very thing that shouldn't be mentioned?" He forced a smile. "Guan Nan and I just thought she looked a bit like you, so we asked the manager to have her come over for fun. We meant nothing by it."

Xu Qingran felt a surge of trepidation. She stood up awkwardly, not knowing how to explain herself. She couldn't help but steal a few more glances at the woman at the door. She was simply too beautiful—a sight more ethereal than anyone she had ever seen. It wasn't just her beauty; it was her entire aura, as cold and distant as her unreal, exquisite features, like snow that had settled on a mountain peak for years.

No wonder that rebellious man was so utterly captivated by her.

Xu Qingran was lost in a daze, and only when she came to her senses did she remember to explain: "Hello, my name is... Xu Qingran. I’m a server here, working a part-time job. I... honestly, I don't think we look alike at all."

The woman before her was far more beautiful than she was. At most, their features might share a slight resemblance, but Xu Qingran lacked that transcendent, ethereal quality. It felt inappropriate to even compare herself. It was strange; normally, she would just clarify the situation without feeling the need to introduce herself. Yet, for some reason, Xu Qingran wanted this woman to remember her name.

As she drifted in thought, the woman spoke, her voice clear and crisp, like a crescent moon in the night sky. But she wasn't speaking to her.

"You thought she looked like me, so you brought her to Fu Wenzhou?" Song Qingyou’s tone was frigid. "You really are all cut from the same cloth."

This was the first time she had ever shamed Fu Wenzhou in front of his friends in public. By all rights, they should have been offended. After all, being compared to "snakes and rats in the same hole" was hardly a compliment. Yet, not a single person spoke up to refute her.

Shen Guanan, feeling responsible as the one who initiated it, said apologetically, "Miss Song, I truly handled this poorly. It really has nothing to do with Wenzhou."

Fu Wenzhou’s heart hammered against his ribs. An inexplicable feeling took hold of him—that if he didn't clear this up now, he might lose Song Qingyou forever. So, he didn't hesitate to shift the blame.

"Youyou, it really has nothing to do with me. I didn't think you looked like her at all," Fu Wenzhou urged desperately. "When you walked in, she was just teaching me how to coax you. We didn't do anything."

Fu Wenzhou felt more wronged than a martyr. He hadn't been the one to call her, yet he was the one suffering the consequences.

"It doesn't matter," Song Qingyou said suddenly.

Fu Wenzhou was left completely stunned. "Wh... what?"

"I said, it doesn't matter," Song Qingyou repeated, her tone flat.

Fu Wenzhou stood rooted to the spot, his brow deeply furrowed. "Youyou, explain yourself. What do you mean it doesn't matter?"

Song Qingyou adjusted her sleeves. "It means it doesn't matter. You stay and enjoy yourself. I’m heading back."

She turned with such finality that it left Fu Wenzhou no chance to speak again. He remained dazed for a long while, only snapping back to reality when her retreating figure was about to vanish from sight, at which point he hurried to chase after her.

Gu Bai’s expression darkened. "If they break up, Fu Wenzhou is going to kill you. You’d better pray for your own sake."

Xu Zezhan mused for a moment. "We went too far with this. Anyone would be bothered to see their partner sitting with someone who looks just like them."

Shen Guanan clicked his tongue. "I never expected Song Qingyou to show up."

Xu Qingran interjected, her eyes filled with confusion. "Because she loves him, that's why she would come to a bar in the middle of the night in such cold weather to find him." Why else would she come?

Gu Bai paused, then said, "What would a kid like you know?"

Xu Qingran bit her lip and lowered her head, falling silent. Seeing this, Gu Bai decided not to make things difficult for the young girl, especially since they were indeed the ones at fault. He told the manager to put all the drinks they ordered on her tab.

The gathering ended on a sour note. Outside, the cold wind howled. Song Qingyou had barely sat in the car before Fu Wenzhou followed her in. Song Qingyou looked out the window at the passing streetlights, saying nothing.

Fu Wenzhou grew increasingly panicked, yet he felt he had done nothing wrong and could not understand why she was so angry. Regardless, he could not bear for her to ignore him.

"The person from before, it really wasn't me..." he began tentatively.

"I’m tired," Song Qingyou said, her eyes heavy with exhaustion. "We’ll talk about it when we get back."

With that, she closed her eyes. The rest of Fu Wenzhou’s words died in his throat, and he had no choice but to swallow them. Watching her weary, pale face, his heart ached with agony. He wished he could go back to the daytime and strangle his past self for arguing with her.

The Fu Group was his, and SY was his. If she didn't want to find him, so be it. Why had he argued with her? She had braved the freezing cold to find him at the bar in the dead of night, even though she despised such places.

Fu Wenzhou’s heart throbbed with pain, and an indescribable sense of panic swept through him. It was a feeling that gripped his chest, and only later would he realize that this emotion was regret.

He fell silent, not daring to disturb her rest. When the car arrived, Fu Wenzhou reached out to carry her, but the moment his palm touched her snow-white skin, a cold voice reached his ears.

"Don't touch me."

Song Qingyou opened her eyes abruptly. Ignoring the stunned Fu Wenzhou, she stepped out of the car and walked straight toward the house.

Song Chang asked tentatively, "Young Master Fu, what happened between you and Miss Song?"

Fu Wenzhou shook his head. "It's nothing."

Song Chang stopped asking. Fu Wenzhou lowered his eyes, staring at his empty hands, his expression desolate. But he didn't dare delay; he pushed the door open and quickly followed after her.