At 5:30 PM, Zhou Suisui put on the new black dress.
The silk fabric clung smoothly to her skin, tracing every inch of her curves. The off-the-shoulder design left her beautiful collarbones and the lines of her neck and shoulders completely exposed. The waist was cinched tightly, and the hem stopped mid-thigh, revealing a pair of long, straight legs.
She stood before the full-length mirror in Liu Weiwei's bedroom, looking at her reflection.
Unfamiliar.
Too unfamiliar.
The girl in the mirror was as exquisite as a magazine model, every strand of hair showing signs of meticulous styling. But those eyes, with their amber pupils, still held her familiar panic and uncertainty.
"Not bad," Liu Weiwei's voice came from behind her.
Zhou Suisui turned around. Liu Weiwei leaned against the doorframe, a cigarette held between her fingers. It wasn't lit, just held there.
"Sister Weiwei," Zhou Suisui looked at her, "thank you."
Liu Weiwei didn't acknowledge the gratitude, only saying, "It's time to go. The location is remote, it'll take over an hour on the road."
Zhou Suisui nodded and bent down to put on the new shoes.
As the thin straps wrapped around her ankles, her fingertips trembled slightly. The buckles were tiny, and it took her two tries to fasten them.
Liu Weiwei watched her clumsy movements without a word.
It wasn't until Zhou Suisui finally put on her shoes and stood up that Liu Weiwei spoke. "Let me remind you one last time. Don't catch feelings, don't get greedy, and protect yourself."
"I know," Zhou Suisui said softly.
"And," Liu Weiwei paused, "don't think too highly of yourself. A man like Chen Boxu has seen more beautiful women than you've had hot meals. This outfit of yours is merely a passing grade in his eyes."
Zhou Suisui's fingers tightened, her nails digging into her palms.
"I know," she repeated.
The two went downstairs and hailed a taxi.
Traffic was heavy, and the car inched forward through the evening rush hour. Zhou Suisui leaned against the car window, watching the passing street scenes.
The sky gradually darkened, and the city lights flickered on one by one.
"Sister Weiwei," she suddenly spoke, "I won't forget you."
Liu Weiwei was looking at her phone. Hearing this, she raised her eyes and gave her a glance.
"It's too early for you to say that." She put her phone down. "Wait until you actually make something of yourself before you tell me that."
Zhou Suisui turned her head and looked at Liu Weiwei. "Um... I don't have the confidence to say that right now."
She paused for a moment and continued,
"But I will try my best. Try to... make him interested in me."
Liu Weiwei looked at her for a few seconds, then averted her gaze to look out the window.
"Suit yourself," she said.
The interior of the car fell silent once more.
Zhou Suisui lowered her head and looked at her hands. Her freshly manicured nails gleamed with a delicate pearlescence in the dim light, looking very pretty. But her palms were sweating, and her fingertips were ice-cold.
As the car drove out of the city center, the traffic gradually thinned out.
The scenery outside the window shifted from towering skyscrapers to sparse villa districts, and then to a more desolate mountain road. The streetlights were spaced far apart, their dim light illuminating only small patches of the road.
Zhou Suisui's heartbeat grew faster and faster.
She thought of Chen Boxu's eyes, of the crisp scent of cedarwood when he leaned in, and the icy touch of his fingertips grazing her skin.
And tonight... what might happen.
A sense of shame surged up like a tide, burning her cheeks hot.
It wasn't that she didn't know what tonight meant. A man like Chen Boxu wouldn't spend time asking her out just to drink tea and chat. And she herself... she had offered herself up, said those things, and was now here wearing this outfit.
Wasn't this what she wanted?
But why, now that the moment had truly arrived, was she so afraid?
---
The car turned at a fork onto an even narrower road. Thick woods lined both sides, and there was almost no light to be seen.
After driving for about another ten minutes, a building appeared ahead.
It wasn't a hotel or a modern villa, but an old, vintage-looking mansion. The exterior walls were covered in ivy, and tall parasol trees grew in the courtyard, their shadows swaying in the night.
The car stopped in front of an iron gate.
The driver got out, walked to the gate, and rang the bell. After a moment, the iron gates slowly opened.
The car drove into the courtyard and parked at the entrance of the front hall.
Zhou Suisui looked at the house through the car window. It was brightly lit, yet terrifyingly quiet. There were no attendants, no other guests, nothing.
"We're here," the driver said.
Liu Weiwei pushed the car door open and stepped out, and Zhou Suisui followed.
The night breeze was cool. It blew against her bare shoulders, sending a faint shiver through her. A subtle scent of osmanthus lingered in the courtyard, mingling with the earthy smell of plants and soil.
"I'll only drop you off here," Liu Weiwei said, her voice calm. "You'll have to walk the rest of the way yourself."
Zhou Suisui looked at her. Her lips parted as she tried to say something, but in the end, no words came out.
"Remember what I told you," Liu Weiwei said, looking at her. "Don't make mistakes."
Zhou Suisui nodded.
Liu Weiwei said nothing more, turning around and getting back into the car. The door closed, and the car slowly turned around, driving out of the courtyard and disappearing into the night.
Zhou Suisui stood alone in the courtyard.
The night wind blew, rustling the leaves. She lifted her head and looked at the brightly lit yet eerily quiet old mansion before her. The mingled feeling of shame and fear in her chest grew stronger.
She clutched her handbag tightly, her fingertips brushing against the pure white business card inside.
Then, she took a deep breath and stepped up the stairs.
Her high heels clicked against the stone steps, the crisp sound exceptionally clear in the quiet night.
She walked up to the front door, hesitated for a moment, and reached out to push it open.
It wasn't locked and opened with a gentle push.
Inside was a spacious foyer covered with a dark red Persian rug, with oil paintings hanging on the walls. The lighting was a warm yellow, but it was still very quiet. There was no one around.
Zhou Suisui walked inside, and the door closed automatically behind her.
"Miss Zhou."
A woman's voice came from the side.
Zhou Suisui turned around and saw a middle-aged woman in a black suit standing there. She looked to be nearing forty, her hair combed meticulously, her face devoid of expression.
"I am Eva, Mr. Chen's assistant," the woman said. "Mr. Chen is waiting for you upstairs. Please follow me."
Zhou Suisui nodded and followed her further inside.
Past the foyer was a spacious living room. Outside the massive floor-to-ceiling windows lay the pitch-black courtyard. Inside, only a few wall sconces were lit, leaving the room dim. The furniture was all dark solid wood, antique in style but very well maintained.
Eva did not stop, walking straight toward the staircase.
The stairs were wooden, covered with a thick carpet. Zhou Suisui followed her upstairs, her high heels making no sound on the rug.
The second floor was very quiet. The hallway was long, flanked by tightly shut doors. Eva stopped in front of the innermost door and raised her hand to knock.
"Mr. Chen, Miss Zhou has arrived."
A deep voice came from inside: "Come in."
Eva pushed the door open and stepped aside. "Please."
