They watched Zhao Ming drive off.

Qin Zhiwei scratched his head. He didn't get it. "Xu Ye, is this Zhao Ming actually dumber than me?"

"The onlooker sees clearest. Right now love's gone to his head. Don't call him dumb — put you in his position and you'd do worse."

"But this Zhang Ruowei is too good at it, isn't she? Has she been in a lot of relationships before?"

"That I don't know."

Xu Ye shrugged. "But this kind of thing comes down to talent. Some people are dumb in every relationship they ever have. Others can do whatever they like the first time out."

"You're talking about yourself."

Xu Ye smiled and let it go.

Back at the hotel.

Zhang Ruowei called him without being prompted, and he could hear the smile on her. "Boss Xu, how was my performance today?"

Xu Ye laughed in spite of himself. "What, now you want a critique out of me?"

"I'm only worried I got something wrong."

"Not bad. On the whole, I'd give your performance today a 90."

That set her off immediately.

"A 90?" she pressed. "Why not 100? Where did I go wrong?"

"In the car just now — did you say something about the smoking?"

"I did. Why?"

"What did you say."

"Just that I could smell smoke in the car. He played dumb, so I went along with it and said I hate men who smoke. What's wrong with that?"

Xu Ye laughed. "You shouldn't have said you hate men who smoke. You should have said it to him straight — 'Could you quit? Smoking's bad for you.'"

Then he added one more thing. "A man can turn down a woman who lights his cigarette for him. He can't turn down the one who takes it out of his hand because she's worried about him."

The words were barely out of his mouth.

The whole dorm room on the other end erupted, Zhang Ruowei's voice loudest of all, appalled. "Xu Ye, you are too good at this! God! How does someone like you exist? It's terrifying!"