Chapter 3

[October 4, 2017, Overcast

Mid-Autumn Festival. To curry favor with that mother and daughter, that damned man took them abroad on vacation at the end of September. So today, I’m the only one left in this enormous house.

I’m not bored at all. Nor am I angry. Except that I’m practically starving to death. That bastard didn’t even leave a single cent in the house.

(Crossed out, scribbled over)

……

I think I must have been so hungry that I started hallucinating. Otherwise, how could I have seen a soft light come on in the dark kitchen, or seen the signs of someone cooking inside?

Lu Wu.

Why are you here?

I don’t like noodles. They’re bland and tasteless.]

*

Lu Wu froze when her hand was suddenly yanked so forcefully.

She didn’t seem to recognize Cheng Yuan’ai, nor did she recognize her voice, which had cracked when she called out.

That was understandable. Even if Cheng Yuan’ai’s voice hadn’t cracked, Lu Wu probably wouldn’t have recognized it anyway.

Nearly ten years had passed since they parted ways in high school, and they hadn’t once properly sat down and talked. Even when they happened to encounter each other at certain events, their meetings amounted to nothing more than fleeting glances. There was barely time to exchange greetings, much less catch up on old times.

Or perhaps Lu Wu was simply as heartless as she had been when she left without saying goodbye all those years ago. Perhaps she had never taken Cheng Yuan’ai to heart in the first place, so much so that she had never even bothered to stop and watch any of Cheng Yuan’ai’s films or television dramas.

Lu Wu was momentarily stunned. Then, pressing one hand against her neckline, she leaned forward slightly. The scent of Pu’er tea and green tangerine surrounding her grew stronger, so rich that even an ordinary breath filled Cheng Yuan’ai’s nostrils with it.

Cheng Yuan’ai’s hood was still firmly pulled over her head, preventing Lu Wu from seeing her face clearly.

As Lu Wu leaned closer, her wine-red curls spilled down at an angle, the soft strands brushing against the back of Cheng Yuan’ai’s hand.

“Do you… know me?” Lu Wu sounded somewhat surprised, but she quickly seemed to understand and offered a warm, friendly smile.

She released her neckline and raised an index finger to her lips.

“Shh.”

Lowering her voice, Lu Wu asked gently, “Are you… one of my fans?”

Cheng Yuan’ai froze.

She was already regretting having impulsively grabbed Lu Wu’s hand. Now, hearing Lu Wu ask her such a question, her heart sank. She released her grip, straightened her disheveled clothes, and prepared to sit back down.

Unexpectedly, Lu Wu caught hold of her sleeve instead.

“…” Cheng Yuan’ai glanced at Lu Wu from the corner of her eye.

Lu Wu hadn’t changed much.

This wasn’t the first time Cheng Yuan’ai had studied Lu Wu so carefully. She had watched the events Lu Wu attended and every single drama in which Lu Wu had displayed her terrible acting skills.

She knew perfectly well what every slight flutter of Lu Wu’s eyelashes meant on that beautiful face, whether it signaled fear or delight. She knew whether each curve of her lips came from genuine happiness or was merely a perfunctory smile.

For instance, right now, the upward [stolen content]curve of Lu Wu’s lips reached her brows and eyes, turning those shimmering peach-blossom eyes into crescents.

Her smile was genuine.

Lu Wu removed a small, exquisite brooch from her chest and placed it in Cheng Yuan’ai’s hand, which was half concealed by her sleeve.

Once again, Lu Wu raised her index finger to her lips and winked. Her pale pink, peach-colored eyeshadow complemented her sky-blue, ribbon-trimmed skirt, lending her a touch of youthful allure.

“Keep it a secret, okay?”

With those words, Lu Wu quickly withdrew, slamming the car door shut behind her.

Cheng Yuan’ai looked outside through the window.

The weather was gloomy, and the relentless wind whipped Lu Wu’s wine-red curls into disarray. Yet even from behind, her figure remained as graceful and alluring as ever.

She walked back toward the sidewalk. It seemed the taxi she had called had finally arrived.

Cheng Yuan’ai watched her answer a phone call, then brave the fierce wind to weave her way toward the road, trying to flag down the driver who couldn’t find her.

Like a lunatic, doing something so dangerous.

“Teacher Cheng, sh-should we go?” the driver in front asked uneasily.

Cheng Yuan’ai remained silent for two seconds, frowned, and was just about to turn away when she saw Lu Wu, standing amid the endless stream of traffic, waving vigorously in her direction.

It was almost as though Lu Wu knew Cheng Yuan’ai was watching.

After waving, she gently brought her hand to her lips, seemingly shielding herself from the dust and unpleasant fumes stirred up by the passing cars.

But the next moment, as though she had calculated that the person sitting in the car would be completely unprepared, she extended her open palm toward Cheng Yuan’ai.

In a flash, she blew her a kiss and winked, then withdrew her hand and slipped into the black car that had stopped beside her.

In the blink of an eye, the black car started moving, carrying Lu Wu away.

“…” Cheng Yuan’ai closed her eyes and leaned back against the rear seat as though all the strength had drained from her body.

The brooch dug painfully into the bones of her palm, yet she only tightened her grip around it.

“Let’s go,” Cheng Yuan’ai said in a muffled voice.

Even after the car started moving again, Cheng Yuan’ai didn’t open her eyes. She gripped the brooch Lu Wu had placed in her palm so tightly that it seemed she intended to snap the sunflower-shaped ornament in two.

Lu Wu had always been like this.

Cheng Yuan’ai thought silently to herself.

Lu Wu had always been able to stir someone’s heart with effortless ease, just as she could effortlessly get along with everyone around her.

She had been like that in high school, too.

Combined with her outstanding grades and striking appearance, Lu Wu had easily won people’s affection back then.

Including that of her younger sister, who had initially hated her.

But Lu Wu had never been a good student.

Nor was she a good person.

Just like a moment ago, she was quicker than anyone to run stolen contentaway, and quicker than anyone to disappear.

“Lu Wu.”

“You’re still the same.”

“You’re nothing but a liar, through and through.”

–

Although Cheng Yuan’ai had guessed that encountering Lu Wu in Mocheng probably meant the other woman also had some work scheduled there, she had never imagined that she would run into her again at the outdoor shoot for Holy Light, a luxury watch brand.

Fortunately, they weren’t shooting the same scene.

However…

Cheng Yuan’ai looked toward where Lu Wu was standing.

Across the vast expanse of gently swaying grass that reached halfway up her calves, Lu Wu stood with one delicate shoulder exposed, enthusiastically chatting about something with her partner.

Against the rippling green grass, every movement of her fair hands and long, slender legs was exceptionally eye-catching.

The wild gusts brought by the gloomy weather only made matters worse, whipping at Lu Wu’s already impossibly short skirt. Its ruffled hem fluttered and swayed in the wind.

Yet Lu Wu seemed completely oblivious.

In fact, halfway through speaking, she spread her arms, leaned backward, and simply dropped onto the grass, lying there in carefree comfort.

The fierce wind swept her bangs into disarray and sent her clothes fluttering.

“Teacher Cheng, these are the clothes you’ll be wearing today. I’ll take you to…”

A staff member approached Cheng Yuan’ai, but before she could finish speaking, she looked up and saw the dark expression on Cheng Yuan’ai’s face.

She immediately panicked.

We haven’t even started filming yet. Why does she already look like that?

Following Cheng Yuan’ai’s gaze, she quickly spotted Lu Wu.

Suddenly, everything made sense.

Sure enough, Cheng Yuan’ai curled her lips into a faint sneer and let out a soft snort. Her brows knitted tightly, the corners of her mouth turned downward, and she turned to leave.

The staff member holding the clothes sighed and hurried after her.

Looks like the rumors about them not getting along are true. The way she was looking at her, you’d think she wanted to swallow her whole. Terrifying. Absolutely terrifying.

She placed the clothes inside the changing room and stepped back outside.

Originally, she was supposed to wait by the door until Cheng Yuan’ai finished changing, then escort her to the filming location. However, someone suddenly came over and asked her to fetch several more outfits.

She looked at the changing room in front of her and touched the intern badge hanging against her chest. Unable to refuse, she reluctantly agreed.

The clothes were all on the second floor. If she ran quickly enough, she should still be able to make it back in time.

With that thought, she stopped hesitating and hurried upstairs.

Cheng Yuan’ai was completely unaware of what was happening outside.

The brand had provided her with a simple, off-white dress with a beige tint.

The theme of this campaign was Sacred and Immaculate.

The solid-colored dress, with its minimal embellishments, was elegantly fitted and incorporated certain elements of a nun’s habit. The long sleeves narrowed at the cuffs, but the decorative pattern extending beyond them was not the usual ruffled design. Instead, it ended in sharp, slanted edges resembling leaves.

Cheng Yuan’ai looked at her own lifeless, pitch-black eyes in the mirror.

The pure-colored dress seemed particularly incongruous on her.

Yet the instant she lowered her gaze, her long black hair fell forward, its shadows concealing those sharp, deathly still eyes. In doing so, it perfectly brought out an aura of untouchable sanctity.

Her satin-like black hair spilled around the fitted dress, curling about her waist.

She was restrained, somber, and unapproachable, like the very embodiment of a saintess standing far above ordinary mortals.

Cheng Yuan’ai raised her eyes and looked at herself once more. Then she removed the diamond-shaped stud earrings from her earlobes, casually placed them on the table, and turned the changing room’s doorknob to leave.

But just as her slender, well-defined fingers settled on the cold metal handle, the door was forcibly pushed open from outside.

The scent of Pu’er tea [stolen content]and green tangerine instantly slipped through the widening gap, flooding into the warm room.

The next moment, a cool body collided with Cheng Yuan’ai’s.

“Huh?”

Lu Wu, who had burst inside in a panic, evidently hadn’t expected anyone to be occupying the changing room.

She stopped abruptly and raised her head. Before she could even voice an apology, she froze where she stood.

Cheng Yuan’ai frowned and glared at her displeasedly.

There was undisguised loathing in her pitch-black eyes.

She lightly brushed the spot where Lu Wu had just bumped into her, then stepped aside to let her pass.

Lu Wu pursed her lips, avoided Cheng Yuan’ai’s gaze, and lowered her head. Clutching her chest, she walked farther into the room.

Without saying a word, Cheng Yuan’ai stepped out of the changing room.

She reached back to close the door, but when she caught ​bailiantales.com​sight of Lu Wu’s slightly hunched back, a remark suddenly escaped her lips.

“After all this time, you still can’t control your pheromones?”

Lu Wu’s back stiffened.

Despite ordinarily being so eloquent, she couldn’t manage a single word before Cheng Yuan’ai shut the door.

Lu Wu seemed to have come here in quite a hurry, so much so that she had been unusually flustered.

Cheng Yuan’ai rarely saw her like this.

After all, in the past, this hypocritical older sister of hers had been particularly skilled at pretending not to know anything.

Even when Cheng Yuan’ai could no longer stand it and finally reminded her about her uncontrollable pheromones spreading everywhere, Lu Wu never showed the slightest sign of panic.

Instead, she would look at Cheng Yuan’ai with perfect composure.

“Pheromones? What’s wrong with them?”

“…” Cheng Yuan’ai had never been particularly good at responding to such questions.

She could only avert her gaze, refusing to look at the smiling Lu Wu any longer.

“Tell me. What’s wrong with my pheromones?”

“If you don’t tell me, how am I supposed to know?”

“Yuan’ai…”

“Come on, tell me. If you don’t say anything, I can’t possibly guess.”

A gentle, teasing smile shimmered in the young girl’s eyes.

She sat atop a classroom desk, her knee-length skirt brushing against its edge and swaying slightly, along with that pair of slender, fair legs.