"Oh, right, I almost forgot."
"Boss Xiao asked me to set you up with someone."
Nuomi was raising her cup to her lips when her hand froze in midair.
Her eyes shifted.
"What did he say to you?"
"Not much. Just that you don't usually get to meet anyone suitable. I didn't think much of it."
Nuomi set her cup back on the table and laughed. It wasn't a bitter laugh or a fake one, just the kind that came after understanding everything.
"Don't do that. Go ahead and set me up."
Wang Xiaoliang froze.
"Are you serious?"
"If he asked you, he must think your and Zijin's social circles are decent. Just treat it as doing him a favor. Then he'll owe you one, too."
Wang Xiaoliang's mind went through several turns.
A moment ago, she had been talking about a secret crush, about being afraid of losing him, about not daring to take the gamble. Now she was asking to be set up with someone. Not just anyone had that kind of mental fortitude.
"Nuomi. You have a secret crush. You're not some desperate doormat. Why put yourself through this? Don't you feel wronged?"
"What's the big deal? What is there to feel wronged about? Aren't most people putting on an act every day?"
"As long as he's happy. Just introduce someone to me. We'll make friends. It's not like we're actually getting married. Why take it so seriously?"
"But that wouldn't be fair to the guy, either."
"Just tell him the situation upfront. I'll treat him to a big meal and bring him a first-meeting gift. He won't lose out."
Wang Xiaoliang opened his mouth, then swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.
He had wanted to say that this wasn't the kind of thing