Zhou Suisui didn't get home from overtime until eight-thirty. The moment she pushed open the door, she froze.
The living room lights were all on, as bright as day. The air was infused with a strange, crisp, cold fragrance—like cedar mixed with the metallic scent of air before a thunderstorm.
Then she saw the man on the sofa.
He wore a black silk shirt with the top two buttons undone, revealing the sharp lines of his collarbones. His sleeves were casually rolled up to his elbows, showing the smooth, powerful lines of his forearms.
His posture was relaxed; one arm rested on the back of the sofa while the other hand held a phone, his fingertips sliding slowly across the screen.
Hearing the door open, he looked up.
Zhou Suisui’s heart gave a violent squeeze.
His eyes were like frozen amber. His gaze was heavy and direct, sweeping slowly across her face without lingering.
His facial structure was sharp, his nose straight as a blade, and his lips were thin and pale. Even though he did nothing but sit there, the atmospheric pressure in the room seemed to plummet, making the air thick and tense.
"You're back?" Lin Xiao’s voice came from the direction of the kitchen.
Zhou Suisui finally snapped out of it and realized Lin Xiao was standing by the island in the open kitchen, holding a glass of water.
Lin Xiao had changed her clothes. She was still in cream-white, but she had swapped her previous outfit for a silk blouse and matching trousers. Her hair had been carefully styled, falling smoothly over her shoulders.
"This is Mr. Chen," Lin Xiao walked over, her voice still soft, but Zhou Suisui caught an unusual trace of tension. "Mr. Chen, this is my roommate, Zhou Suisui."
Chen Boxu’s gaze finally landed officially on Zhou Suisui’s face.
He didn't stand up. He simply gave a slight nod, the corners of his lips curving into a faint arc that didn't quite qualify as a smile.
"Miss Zhou." His voice was low, his pace slow and clear, every word sounding as though it had been weighed. "Sorry for the intrusion."
"It's... it's fine," Zhou Suisui said, instinctively clutching the straps of her backpack. "Hello, Mr. Chen."
Her voice felt dry. She could feel her cheeks heating up—not out of shyness, but because of those eyes.
He was looking at her, yet it didn't feel like he was looking at a person; it felt more like he was evaluating the quality and value of an object.
"Xiao Xiao tells me you've been living together for six months." Chen Boxu set his phone down and leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. This movement brought him closer to her, and the sense of oppression intensified. "Are you settled in?"
Xiao Xiao.
Zhou Suisui’s fingertips dug into her palms. Lin Xiao had never mentioned that he used such an intimate nickname.
"Yes. Lin Xiao is very easy to get along with." She tried to make her voice sound natural.
"That's good." Chen Boxu’s gaze lingered on her face for two seconds before turning to Lin Xiao. "That bottle of wine in the fridge—I had someone send it over. Did you see it?"
Lin Xiao nodded. "I saw it. Should I open it?"
"No rush." Chen Boxu leaned back against the sofa again, yet his gaze remained on Zhou Suisui. "What do you do for work, Miss Zhou?"
"New media operations," Zhou Suisui said. "I just graduated recently."
"Mm." He gave a non-committal hum. His gaze slid from her face to her clothes—a plain white shirt and jeans with a canvas bag over her shoulder, the typical look of a girl who had just entered the workforce.
There was no contempt in that look, but no interest either; it was just a cold, emotionless appraisal. Yet Zhou Suisui felt as if she were standing there stripped bare, all her shabbiness and awkwardness exposed.
"Would you like some tea, Mr. Chen?" Lin Xiao spoke up at the right moment, breaking the frozen atmosphere.
"No need." Chen Boxu finally withdrew his gaze and picked up his phone again. "Go about your business. I have some matters to handle."
The dismissal was natural yet unquestionable.
Feeling as though she had been granted a divine reprieve, Zhou Suisui whispered, "Then I'll head to my room," and hurried toward her bedroom. The moment she closed the door, she heard Chen Boxu’s low voice drifting from outside:
"Your hair needs a trim. I'll have Eva pick you up tomorrow."
Then came Lin Xiao’s soft reply: "Okay."
Zhou Suisui leaned her back against the door and slowly slid down to sit on the floor.
A sliver of light from the living room leaked through the crack under the door. That scent of cedar and metallic cold seemed to seep through the gap as well, lingering around her.
She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face in her arms.
Her heart was still pounding wildly, and her palms were slick with cold sweat.
That man, Chen Boxu. He had appeared for less than ten minutes, yet he was like a predator that had suddenly burst into the territory, marking the entire space as his own with his gaze and aura.
And Lin Xiao, like her, was just a fixture permitted to exist in this territory for the time being.
No, that wasn't right.
Lin Xiao was a fixture he kept.
And she was just an insignificant, redundant roommate.
Zhou Suisui looked up, staring at the heavy darkness outside the window.
The burgundy velvet dress was supposed to arrive tomorrow.
The business gala was next Friday.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
When she opened them again, the trace of panic and unease had faded, replaced by a cold, clear determination.
She wanted to leave this insignificant zone.
She wanted to step into the light, into the center of the vision of a man like him.
And then, she would set a price for herself that she truly deserved.
The next morning, Zhou Suisui was woken up by the vibration of her phone.
Sunlight filtered through the gap in the curtains. She groggily grabbed her phone; the screen showed 7:20 AM and a delivery notification.
The burgundy velvet dress was expected to be delivered this afternoon.
She stared at those words for a few seconds, fully awake now.
The living room was quiet. That cold scent of cedar and metal had faded, leaving only a faint, lingering trace, like the mark left by a beast after leaving its den.
Zhou Suisui walked barefoot across the floor and pushed open her bedroom door.
The sofa was empty, the blanket folded neatly in the corner. The coffee table was spotless, without even a water glass left behind.
It was as if no one had ever sat in the spot where Chen Boxu had been last night.
If not for the scent that hadn't quite dissipated, she would have almost thought it was a dream.
"Suisui, you're up?"
Lin Xiao’s voice came from the kitchen. Zhou Suisui turned and saw her standing by the island, holding a cup of black coffee.
She had changed her clothes—not the silk loungewear from last night, but a milk-white knit set. The top was a loose V-neck short-sleeve, and the bottom was a matching knee-length skirt.
The fabric looked soft and fluid, without any redundant decoration, but the lines of the cut were as smooth as if they had been meticulously pressed.
Zhou Suisui’s gaze stayed glued to the outfit. She didn't recognize the brand, but she could tell—it was expensive.
It was the kind of luxury that didn't rely on logos to show off; it was hidden in every inch of the fabric’s texture and every detail of the stitching, silent yet aggressive.
"Yeah." Zhou Suisui walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water. "Mr. Chen... left?"
"He left in the early hours," Lin Xiao said, taking a small sip of coffee, her tone flat. "He has a morning meeting."
The early hours. Zhou Suisui’s mind uncontrollably conjured the image: the man standing up to leave in the dead of night or at dawn, while Lin Xiao might have been asleep, or perhaps just silently saw him to the door.
Then the apartment returned to silence, as if nothing had happened, except for a lingering scent in the air and certain invisible shifts in the atmosphere.
"Are you going out today?" Zhou Suisui asked, leaning against the kitchen island and trying to sound casual.
"Yes." Lin Xiao set down her coffee cup. "Eva is picking me up at ten."
Eva. Zhou Suisui recalled Chen Boxu saying last night, "Have Eva pick you up tomorrow." She was likely his assistant, or perhaps... the person responsible for managing Lin Xiao.
"Getting a haircut?" she asked, her gaze falling on Lin Xiao’s long, straight black hair. The texture was as fine as silk, shimmering with a soft luster in the morning light.
Lin Xiao reached up and brushed the ends of her hair with a light touch. "Yes. Mr. Chen said it's time for a trim."
It's time.
Zhou Suisui tightened her grip on her glass. There it was again—that tone, as flat as if she were commenting on the weather. But behind those words was a man’s scrutiny and arrangement of her from head to toe.
And Lin Xiao accepted it so naturally, as if it were the most logical thing in the world.
"Cutting it short?" Zhou Suisui tried to make her voice sound merely curious.
"Just some layers, maybe a little off the length." Lin Xiao turned her back to her and pulled a transparent container from the refrigerator.
Inside was sliced fruit—honeydew, strawberries, blueberries—vibrantly colored and neatly arranged. It clearly hadn't come from the supermarket downstairs.
Zhou Suisui watched her back. The waistline of that cream-colored knit set was perfectly tailored, making her already slender waist look even more delicate.
Below the hem of her skirt, her legs were straight, her skin a cool porcelain white, her ankles sharply defined.
A thought suddenly surfaced, unbidden yet exceptionally clear.
She needed to know.
She needed to know how much the outfit Lin Xiao was wearing cost. She needed to know the price tag of what Mr. Chen handed out so casually, to see exactly what level it was on.
She needed to know that if she were to step into that world, what the specifications of her entry ticket would need to be.
"That outfit looks great on you," Zhou Suisui said, her voice carrying just the right amount of envy. "Is it new?"
Lin Xiao paused, turning her head slightly. Her light brown eyes met Zhou Suisui's. "Mr. Chen had someone send it over. He said this color suits me."
Mr. Chen, again.
Zhou Suisui felt a sharp little prick in her heart. She forced a smile. "It really does. It makes your skin look even fairer."
Lin Xiao didn't respond. She just lowered her head and used a fork to pick up a piece of honeydew, placing it in her mouth. Even the way she ate was quiet—small bites, almost silent.
Zhou Suisui tapped her fingers twice against the glass. This might be her only chance; once Lin Xiao left, she wouldn't be able to see it.
Furthermore, she had to confirm the brand. Merely looking wasn't enough; she needed more specific information.
"You go ahead and eat. I'm going to change," Zhou Suisui said, setting down her water glass and turning toward her room.
Back in her room, she didn't close the door, leaving only a sliver of a gap. She pricked up her ears, listening to the movements outside.
