Inside the apartment building, as the elevator doors opened, Zhou Suisui took a deep breath.
The hallway was quiet. The motion-sensor lights flickered on at her footsteps, casting a pale glow over the beige wallpaper. She walked to the door and reached into her bag for her keys.
Her fingertips first brushed against the paper bag; the sharp corners of the concealer and medicine boxes dug slightly into her skin. She paused for a moment before pulling out the keys.
Before opening the door, she looked down at her neckline again. Just before entering the building, she had done a quick touch-up with the concealer in a convenience store restroom downstairs.
However, there was still a faint red mark near the base of her ear on the side of her neck that wasn't completely covered. She raised a hand to adjust her hair, letting the ends fall to hide it.
She inserted the key into the lock and turned it.
The door opened.
The main light in the living room was off, with only the floor lamp lit, just like usual. Lin Xiao was sitting in her usual corner of the sofa, the thin off-white cashmere blanket draped over her legs, quietly scrolling through her phone.
Hearing the door open, she looked up. Her gaze landed on Zhou Suisui's face and lingered for a second.
Then, her eyes swept over the off-white knit sweater and cashmere coat she was wearing—neither of which belonged to Zhou Suisui.
Zhou Suisui closed the door and bent down to change her shoes.
You're back? Lin Xiao's voice was soft, sounding no different from usual.
Yeah. Zhou Suisui placed her shoes in the cabinet and straightened up. Yesterday... I stayed out too late, so I just crashed at a friend's place.
She took off her coat and hung it on the rack in the entryway, trying to make her movements look as natural as possible.
Lin Xiao's eyes followed her.
A friend? she asked, her tone sounding casual.
My college roommate, Liu Weiwei, Zhou Suisui said, walking over to the fridge to grab a bottle of water. She lives alone and insisted I stay the night.
She twisted off the cap and took a sip. The water was ice-cold, bringing a trace of clarity as it slid down her throat.
Oh, Lin Xiao replied, lowering her head to look at an art book.
The living room fell silent for a few seconds.
Gripping the water bottle, Zhou Suisui walked over and sat on the other end of the sofa. She didn't look at Lin Xiao; her gaze fell on the fruit platter on the coffee table—sliced melon and strawberries arranged neatly inside.
Have you eaten? she asked.
I have. Lin Xiao turned a page of the art book. Mr. Chen had someone deliver it.
Mr. Chen again.
Zhou Suisui's fingers tightened, causing the plastic water bottle to make a faint crinkling sound.
She raised her eyes and looked at Lin Xiao.
Lin Xiao was sitting in profile to her, her hair falling smoothly over her shoulders, the ends freshly trimmed into layers. She wore an off-white silk loungewear set, the neckline slightly open to reveal a small patch of cool, white skin.
There were no marks on her neck at all.
Perfectly clean.
Zhou Suisui suddenly felt the emotions she had just suppressed surging up in her chest again. She thought of the hickeys Chen Boxu had left on her neck while gripping her waist last night, and the varying shades of marks she had seen in the mirror this morning.
A thin layer of sweat broke out on Zhou Suisui's palm as she gripped the water bottle.
The cool, clean skin of Lin Xiao's neck was like a silent mirror, reflecting her own chaos and filth.
...I'm going to my room first. She heard her own voice speak, sounding a bit dry but relatively steady.
Lin Xiao shifted her gaze from the art book and gave her a very fleeting look.
Mhm. It was that single syllable again, completely devoid of emotion.
---
Zhou Suisui returned to her room and locked the door behind her.
She didn't turn on the light immediately. Instead, she stood in the dark for a moment, letting the city neon lights filtering through the window outline the contours of the room. Then she walked to the bed and took the paper bag out of her purse.
She opened the medicine box and swallowed a pill. Her movements were crisp, without any hesitation.
She tossed the concealer back into the bag, along with the half-used lipstick, and shoved them deep into the drawer of her nightstand.
Then she walked over to the chair, sat down, and unlocked her phone.
Twenty-five thousand left.
Zhou Suisui stared at the balance for three seconds, unconsciously recalling Lin Xiao's sixty-thousand-yuan outfit. No, it was more than sixty thousand; it was probably even more expensive. Then she picked up her phone and opened Liu Weiwei's WeChat.
Suisui: Sister Wei, are you there?
She sent the message and waited.
Liu Weiwei replied quickly: I'm here. What's up?
Suisui: I want to buy an outfit.
Weiwei: Sure, it's about time you did. What kind are you looking for?
Zhou Suisui's fingers hovered over the screen.
She was thinking about how to describe it.
She wanted it.
An outfit that would make Chen Boxu unable to tear his eyes away at first glance, and want to pin her against the wall at the second.
An outfit so expensive it would hurt her to buy, but expensive for a good reason.
An outfit that might get torn after just one wear, but with a design that was seductive to the bone.
She deleted those words and typed again.
Suisui: Just... something a bit special.
Suisui: Something you can't wear out normally, but looks absolutely stunning for special occasions.
Suisui: Sister Wei, do you know what I mean?
This time, Liu Weiwei took a moment to reply.
Weiwei: What's your budget?
Zhou Suisui looked at the twenty-five thousand in cash remaining on her phone; she needed to keep some money on hand.
Suisui: Under ten thousand.
Weiwei: Ten thousand? Are you crazy? That's quite a leap for you.
Suisui: Sister Wei, this outfit... is very important.
Suisui: I want him to not be able to take his eyes off me the next time he sees me.
Suisui: Whatever it costs, it's worth it.
Liu Weiwei's side showed Typing... for a long time.
Weiwei: Alright, you're ruthless.
Weiwei: I know an independent designer who has what you need. But it has to be custom-tailored.
Weiwei: The style... I'll just be blunt, it's exactly what you're thinking of. Slutty, but high-class slutty. The kind that makes a man hard with just one look.
Suisui: Okay.
Weiwei: I'll push her WeChat contact to you. When you add her, tell her I introduced you, and she'll give you an honest price.
Weiwei: But Zhou Suisui, let me remind you of one thing.
Weiwei: No matter how sexy the clothes are, the person wearing them has to pull it off. Otherwise, it's a waste of money.
Zhou Suisui stared at that last sentence, her fingers tightening slightly.
Suisui: I know.
Suisui: Thank you, Sister Wei.
The chat ended.
Liu Weiwei quickly sent over a WeChat contact card. The profile picture was the back of a woman wearing a black slip, and the nickname was C.
Zhou Suisui added her as a friend with the note: Liu Weiwei's friend.
It was approved almost instantly.
C: Hello, Miss Zhou.
Suisui: Hello.
C: Weiwei told me. You want an outfit for... a special occasion?
Suisui: Yes.
C: Are you trying to hook him, or have you already hooked him?
Zhou Suisui looked at this sentence, her face burning slightly.
Suisui: Already.
C: Is it convenient to say what the occasion is? A banquet? A private party? Or... a more intimate setting?
Zhou Suisui's face grew even hotter.
Suisui: A private setting. Just the two of us.
C: Understood.
C: Then I'll recommend a few styles. They are all silk or lace, form-fitting, figure-flattering, and... easy to take off.
C sent over several pictures.
The first was a black lace slip dress. The chest was almost completely sheer, with only the crucial parts covered by thicker lace. The hemline was short, reaching the top of the thighs, and the back was open down to the waist.
The second was a burgundy silk robe paired with a matching slip dress underneath. The robe's sash was tied loosely, revealing the deep V design of the slip dress inside.
The third was white, the simplest in style—just an ordinary slip dress, but the material was as thin as gauze, allowing the contours of the body to be faintly visible under the light.
Every single one was seductive.
Every single one was expensive.
Prices ranged from eight thousand to twelve thousand.
Zhou Suisui stared at the second one, which was burgundy.
It was incredibly alluring.
A very sophisticated kind of provocative.
She typed: The burgundy one, it is twelve thousand, right?
C: Yes. This piece is made of Italian silk organza. It is extremely delicate, so you have to be very careful when wearing it.
Suisui: Is it easy to tear?
There was a pause of a few seconds on C's end.
C: ...Miss Zhou, this fabric is very thin. If you use force, it will indeed tear easily.
Suisui: Good. I will take this one.
Suisui: My height is 168 cm, ......
C: Your measurements are great. The final result for this piece will look absolutely stunning.
C: A 50 percent deposit is required, which is six thousand. Delivery will be in about a week, at which point the balance is due.
Zhou Suisui did not hesitate and directly transferred six thousand.
Payment successful.
C: Received. We will start production now. I will contact you before delivery.
Suisui: Okay.
The chat ended.
Zhou Suisui put down her phone and walked over to the full-length mirror.
The girl in the mirror had taken off her expensive clothes and was wearing a plain T-shirt and jeans. Her hair was a bit messy, and her face was slightly pale.
But her eyes were bright.
Almost frighteningly bright.
Zhou Suisui looked at herself in the mirror, slowly raised her hand, and unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt.
The collar slipped open, revealing her collarbones and the skin just above her chest.
There were marks of varying shades, red and purple, looking like brands.
She did not look away.
Instead, she stared at those marks for a long time.
Then, she buttoned up her shirt, turned around, and walked to the window.
