In Liu Weiwei's apartment, the lighting was a warm yellow.
Zhou Suisui stood barefoot in the middle of the living room, still clutching that small handbag. Under the bright lights, her black velvet dress seemed somewhat out of place, like a theatrical costume that didn't belong here.
"Sit," Liu Weiwei said, leaning back on the sofa with a glass of red wine in hand, looking her up and down. "This outfit... well, I guess you've finally figured things out."
Zhou Suisui didn't move.
Her fingertips still held the lingering sensation from the car earlier—the icy touch of Chen Boxu's fingers brushing against her palm, and the heavy weight of his gaze as it fell upon her face.
"Weiwei," she began, her voice a little hoarse, "Can I... take a shower first?"
Liu Weiwei raised an eyebrow. "There are clean towels in the guest bathroom. Pajamas are in the closet, grab them yourself."
Zhou Suisui practically fled into the bathroom.
Only when the hot water washed over her did she finally dare to relax her tightly clenched hands. Her fingertips were slightly white from the exertion, and her nails had dug deep red marks into her palms.
She looked at herself in the mirror.
Her makeup was already ruined; her eyeliner was slightly smudged, and the lipstick on her lips was mottled from her own biting. She rubbed it off forcefully, scrubbing her skin until it turned red.
Then, her gaze fell to her chest.
There was a faint red mark there—pressed into her skin by the edge of a business card.
She reached out to touch it, her fingertips trembling slightly.
Earlier in the car, she had told Chen Boxu, "I'm not usually that kind of person."
So stupid.
What was the point of saying something like that? Would he believe it? Or would he just think she was putting on an act?
Zhou Suisui closed her eyes, letting the hot water wash over her cheeks.
By the time she finished showering, changed into pajamas, and came out, Liu Weiwei had already poured two glasses of hot milk and placed them on the coffee table.
"Sit." Liu Weiwei patted the spot next to her. "Tell me, what exactly happened tonight?"
Zhou Suisui sat down beside her, cradling the warm glass in both hands.
"The cocktail party... was quite normal at first," she said softly. "Senior Wang introduced me to a few people, all his company's clients or partners. Then... people started hitting on me."
"How many?"
"Four or five, I guess," Zhou Suisui said. "There was a President Wang in real estate, and a Mr. Li in finance... They all gave me their business cards."
Liu Weiwei nodded. "And then?"
"And then..." Zhou Suisui paused. "Then, I don't know why, but they left one by one. President Wang was called away, Mr. Li took a phone call, and anyone else who tried to come over later was blocked by various things."
Liu Weiwei took a sip of milk. "Someone cleared the room?"
"I... I don't know," Zhou Suisui said. "But I felt something was off. Later, I saw Chen Boxu, my roommate's sugar daddy. He was standing on the other side of the banquet hall, and it seemed like he was looking at me."
"Chen Boxu?" Liu Weiwei repeated the name, her brows furrowing. "Are you sure?"
"I'm sure," Zhou Suisui nodded. "I saw him once before at the apartment."
Liu Weiwei was silent for a few seconds. "Keep going."
"Later, when the party was almost over, he came over." Zhou Suisui's voice dropped even lower. "He gave me a business card... but he didn't just hand it to me."
She paused for a long time before continuing.
"He put the card... inside my dress. Right here." She pointed to her chest. "He just slipped it right in."
Liu Weiwei's pupils contracted slightly.
"Fuck," she confirmed. "He put it in your cleavage?"
Zhou Suisui nodded, her cheeks starting to burn again.
"And then? What did he say?"
"He said tomorrow night at eight, the address is on it," Zhou Suisui said. "Then he was about to leave. I... I grabbed him."
At this point, her voice was almost inaudible.
"I told him... my price is higher than Lin Xiao's. Lin Xiao is my roommate."
Liu Weiwei didn't say anything.
"I also said... I'm younger than Lin Xiao, prettier than her, and have a better figure. I said I could learn anything..." Zhou Suisui closed her eyes. "I also said... I'm clean."
The last few words were as light as a sigh.
The living room was quiet for a long time.
Liu Weiwei set down her milk glass, pulled a tissue, and wiped her hands. Her movements were very slow and meticulous.
"Alright," she finally spoke. "Zhou Suisui, you've got guts."
Zhou Suisui looked up, her eyes a little red. "Weiwei, I don't know what came over me... At that moment... those words just seemed to pop out of my mouth on their own. I'm not usually that kind of person..."
"Is there any point in saying that now?" Liu Weiwei interrupted her. "The words have been spoken, the card has been accepted, and the man has come knocking. And now you're telling me you're not usually that kind of person?"
Zhou Suisui bit her lip.
"He asked you out for tomorrow?" Liu Weiwei asked.
"Yeah." Zhou Suisui nodded. "Tomorrow night at eight. The address is on the card."
"Do you know who he is?" Liu Weiwei looked at her. "Do you know what level of person Chen Boxu is?"
Zhou Suisui shook her head.
"Let me put it this way," Liu Weiwei leaned forward. "People like Senior Wang are considered small-time bosses. Those presidents and directors you met tonight are middle class at best. Chen Boxu... he's at the very top."
She paused, then added.
"Being at the top means that with a single word, he could make someone like Senior Wang lose his job tomorrow. He could bankrupt the companies of those presidents and directors. Do you understand?"
Zhou Suisui's fingers tightened, the milk glass trembling slightly in her hands.
"Furthermore," Liu Weiwei continued, "he is your roommate's sugar daddy. Everything your roommate eats, wears, and uses right now is provided by him. And now you're going to steal your roommate's sugar daddy?"
"Lin Xiao doesn't care," Zhou Suisui said softly. "I feel like she's not a particularly materialistic person."
"Does it matter if she cares?" Liu Weiwei retorted. "What matters is, why is Chen Boxu looking for you? Why would he bypass what he already has to seek out a novice like you?"
Zhou Suisui couldn't answer.
"Because he wants a change of taste," Liu Weiwei answered for her. "He's bored of your roommate's type and wants to try someone like you... young and fresh. But you need to know that for a man like him, changing tastes is like changing clothes. Once he's tired of wearing one, he switches to another. And when he gets tired of that one, he switches right back."
She looked at Zhou Suisui.
"Have you really thought this through, jumping into this pit?"
Zhou Suisui was silent for a long time.
Then she looked up at Liu Weiwei. "Weiwei, my monthly salary is seven thousand two hundred, and my rent is three thousand six hundred. I spent three thousand two hundred on this dress, and these shoes cost me half a month's food money. Lin Xiao's loungewear starts at sixty thousand a set, and a single jar of her face cream costs more than my salary for three months."
She paused, her voice very light, but very clear.
"I don't want to live like this anymore."
Liu Weiwei didn't say anything.
"Weiwei," Zhou Suisui asked, "What do you think... he will do to me tomorrow night?"
Liu Weiwei looked at her, looked for a long time.
Then she sighed. "What do you think? A man like him taking the time to ask you out, it certainly isn't to drink tea and chat."
"I..." Zhou Suisui's voice trembled slightly. "It's my first time. I'm a little scared."
"If you are scared, turn back now," Liu Weiwei said. "Throw the business card away. Go back to your apartment tomorrow, tell Lin Xiao you are not feeling well, and do not go out for the next few days. A man like Chen Boxu will not waste too much time on you. If you avoid him a few times, he will naturally move on to someone else."
Zhou Suisui did not say anything.
She looked down at her hands, her fingertips white from gripping so tightly.
After a long time, she said softly, "I want to try."
Liu Weiwei gave her a look and did not try to persuade her otherwise.
"Suit yourself," she said. "But there are a few things you must remember."
Zhou Suisui looked up.
"First, do not catch feelings." Liu Weiwei held up a finger. "Men like him do not have a heart. The moment you fall for him, you are done for."
"Second, do not be greedy." She held up another finger. "Take whatever he gives you, but never ask for things on your own initiative, and definitely do not try to play smart."
"Third," Liu Weiwei held up a third finger, "protect yourself. Take all the necessary precautions, and keep whatever evidence you need to keep. Just in case... you need something to defend yourself with later on."
Zhou Suisui nodded. "I will remember."
Liu Weiwei stood up. "The bed in the guest room is made. Go to sleep. As for tomorrow... think it through yourself."
Zhou Suisui also stood up. "Thank you, Weiwei."
She walked to the door of the guest room, stopped, and turned around.
"Weiwei, tell me... am I really cheap?"
Liu Weiwei looked at her for a long time.
Then she said, "In this world, who is really cleaner than anyone else? Go to sleep."
The guest room door gently clicked shut.
Zhou Suisui leaned against the door, listening to the sound of Liu Weiwei tidying up the cups in the living room, along with the faint, distant hustle and bustle of the city.
She walked over to the bed and took that pure white business card out of her handbag.
The edges of the paper still carried the warmth of her body.
Tomorrow night at eight.
She placed the card on the nightstand, turned off the light, and slipped under the covers.
In the darkness, she kept her eyes open, staring at the ceiling.
The red mark on her chest still radiated a faint heat.
Chen Boxu's fingers, the cold fragrance on him, the way he looked at her...
And tomorrow night.
Zhou Suisui rolled over and buried her face in the pillow.
The pillow was very soft, carrying the unfamiliar scent of laundry detergent.
She thought of her own pillow back at the apartment, of Lin Xiao sitting in the living room looking at an art book, of the jar of face cream in the bathroom that she had secretly used up more than half of.
Then she thought of Chen Boxu.
She remembered the crisp scent of cedarwood on him when he leaned in.
She pressed a hand to her chest, where the lingering sensation of the business card pressing against her skin remained.
"Do not regret it," she told herself.
Then, she closed her eyes.
