Xia Wan was caught off guard.

Her mind quickly made an assessment of Nan Chu — this young woman was not as easy to deal with as she appeared on the surface.

Nan Chu was someone who acted with careful planning. Faced with an unexpected rival, Xia Wan needed time to think. By the time the smoke had dispersed, the young woman’s face became more clearly visible.

Nan Chu did not have an aggressive appearance.

Many female celebrities in the entertainment industry carried an aggressive edge to their looks — especially once they were in full makeup — yet their personalities tended to be various shades of simple and sweet.

Nan Chu was precisely the opposite. Her brows and eyes were understated, her skin delicate, her face slightly round with soft, gentle contours — a kind of quietly refined beauty. Her aggressiveness only emerged when she wanted to put someone in their place.

Like just now —

Even through the thin white haze of smoke, Xia Wan had felt Nan Chu’s gaze.

Like a hunter catching sight of prey — a fleeting flash of cold, gleaming light.

Calm. Cunning. Absolutely certain of victory.

“When did you two meet?” the enchanting one spoke.

“Two years ago.”

Xia Wan didn’t conceal it. There was even a faint trace of quiet pride in her tone.

Even though Nan Chu was beautiful and had a good figure, at the very least, she had won on the dimension of time.

She had come first.

A brief silence fell.

Xia Wan glanced over at Nan Chu’s expression. She was leaning at ease against the glass countertop, slender fingertips holding a cigarette, her brows and eyes composed, the corners of her mouth carrying a faint, barely-there smile.

From outside the door came a loud shout: “Are you two stuck in there?!”

It was Lin Qi.

Nan Chu took one final drag, pinched the cigarette out, pressed it against the edge of the washbasin, and dropped it into the nearby trash bin. She then turned to wash her hands, and spoke to Xia Wan’s reflection in the mirror: “Dr. Xia, I’ve known him since I was sixteen.”

She pulled a paper towel, wiped her hands clean, and walked out.

The person left behind felt as though she had been struck by lightning.

……

The moment Nan Chu stepped out, she saw two people standing by the door.

Lin Luxiao stood against the wall with his arms crossed, one foot hooked lazily, his gaze sliding sideways toward her before quickly withdrawing.

Lin Qi bounded over to her like a little monkey, sniffing left and right around her. “Your nicotine craving acting up again?”

Nan Chu pushed him aside, her tone impatient. “You’re even nosier than Shen Guanzong.”

Lin Qi fell into step beside her, chattering nonstop in her ear. “What I said in Milan last time — you forgot again, didn’t you?! You’re in poor health and you’re still smoking!”

Nan Chu frowned. “……”

“You’re a girl! What could possibly be giving you so many worries?!”

“……”

“Have you been checking Weibo again?”

“No.”

“Let those people say whatever they want. Is it worth getting all worked up by yourself? Hurry up and quit smoking for me already!”

Nan Chu was practically ready to slap a plastic bag over his mouth and seal it shut. “Did Shen Guanzong possess your body or something?!”

Lin Qi, frustrated beyond measure, pinched her on the arm. “If you won’t quit, I won’t let you eat my birthday cake!”

Lin Qi loved cake more than life itself, and few people were invited to eat his cake — Nan Chu was one of them.

But being a boy, he had no sense of restraint with his strength. He pinched her again. “Are you going to quit or not?!”

Nan Chu knocked his hand away, her expression darkening.

Lin Qi knew Nan Chu well enough — when she was in a good mood, you could say practically anything to her; she didn’t lose her temper easily. But if you actually managed to make her angry, the cold-shoulder treatment would activate, and you could forget about getting hold of her for the next two weeks.

The young man was thoroughly intimidated. He muttered under his breath: “Why are you being so fierce.”

Xia Wan followed them out.

Lin Qi and Nan Chu walked ahead, while Lin Luxiao strolled along behind with his hands in his pockets at a leisurely pace. He was tall — taller than either of them — his silhouette upright and straight, his legs long though not thin, his black trousers outlining legs that were lean and well-proportioned, powerful without being bulky.

While Lin Qi was talking with Nan Chu, Lin Luxiao’s expression remained faint, the corners of his lips carrying a slight curve.

Xia Wan hurried to catch up and lowered her voice to call after him: “Lin Luxiao.”

He responded with a languid: “Mm.”

“Did you know Nan Chu before?”

As she spoke, Xia Wan watched him out of the corner of her eye, carefully observing his expression.

Lin Luxiao had been walking with his head slightly down. At those words, the curve at the corner of his mouth faded, gradually stilling — and he gave a quiet, barely audible affirmation.

Xia Wan: “How did you meet?”

“An accident.”

Lin Luxiao clearly had no desire to discuss it further.

“Oh.” Xia Wan sighed.

Lin Luxiao glanced at her. “What did she say to you?”

Xia Wan smiled lightly. “The way she said it was so ambiguous, I thought the two of you were…”

She trailed off deliberately at the halfway point, stealing a sidelong glance at him.

Lin Luxiao let out a scornful laugh.

Xia Wan added: “She really is beautiful — it’s just that she smokes. If you’re close to her, you should try talking to her about it. Smoking isn’t good for your health.”

Lin Luxiao: “We’re not that close.”

“Oh.”

The four of them returned to the private room.

Candles were lit, the cake was cut, the rest was smeared on Lin Qi’s face as custom dictated, and once all was said and done, they began gathering their things to head home.

Xia Wan asked Lin Luxiao: “Did you drive here? If not, I can give you a lift?”

Lin Qi, who was on his way to the washroom to wash his face, overheard and said: “Xia Wan, you just go ahead — I’ve called a driver to come pick me up.”

Xia Wan looked toward Nan Chu: “Miss Nan, shall I give you a ride?”

Before Nan Chu could reply, Lin Qi cut in again: “I’ve arranged a driver for her too.”

Xia Wan: “……”

After Xia Wan left.

Lin Qi went to the washroom to wash his face.

Outside, the sky had gradually darkened, and a slim crescent moon hung at the edge of the horizon.

Neon lights glittered beyond the window. On the other side of the hotel was the Lin River of Beixun, a waterway with a hundred years of history. Fishing boats of all sizes drifted across its surface, while the two banks were strung with lanterns in every color of the rainbow, their reflections shimmering on the water in solitary, glittering strands.

Only two people remained in the private room, seated across from each other.

The sudden quiet settled in as they simply stared at one another. As for the atmosphere — how to put it —

It was a little strange.

Lin Luxiao reclined against the back of his chair, legs spread, head lowered, a lighter spinning idly between his fingertips.

Nan Chu cut a slice of cake and asked: “Do you want some? You didn’t eat a single piece just now.”

Lin Luxiao had always disliked sweets. Without even lifting his head, he declined outright: “No.”

Nan Chu nodded, withdrew her hand, and placed the slice in front of herself to eat.

“What’s your birthday?” Nan Chu speared a small piece, held the fork between her teeth, and watched him.

Lin Luxiao said nothing.

“Surely you’re not keeping that confidential too?”

Lin Luxiao put away the lighter, tucked it into his trouser pocket, and raised his head to look at her. “August 9th.”

Nan Chu counted the days. “So that’s next month?”

“Mm.” Lin Luxiao got ahead of himself: “But I don’t celebrate my birthday.”

“And I didn’t say I was going to celebrate it for you.” Nan Chu blinked at him.

“……”

Why did you even open your mouth if you can’t get the last word with her.

With that realization fully internalized, Lin Luxiao decided to stop engaging with her. He let out a light, mocking twist of his lips, then reached for the cigarette box on the table, plucked one out and tucked it between his teeth, fished out his lighter from his pocket, and loosely cupped it in one hand — directing a questioning glance toward Nan Chu, seemingly seeking her permission.

Nan Chu made a “please, go ahead” gesture.

The lighter flicked to life. The tip of the cigarette caught. Lin Luxiao drew in a deep breath, exhaled a plume of smoke, and tossed the lighter onto the table, his gaze drifting toward the window.

Nan Chu rested her chin on her hand and watched him.

The entertainment industry had plenty of fresh-faced, better-looking young men — but none of them were as interesting to look at as he was.

Lin Luxiao’s features were sharply cut, his face well-proportioned and defined. When he smoked, his brows furrowed ever so slightly. Broad shoulders, narrow hips — he didn’t work out, yet he was clearly muscular. Leaning against the back of the chair, spine slightly curved, abdomen bent inward, the fitted T-shirt clung to him, and you could just faintly make out the lines of his abdominal muscles — not obvious, but there.

The view beneath a lifted hem of his shirt would surely be quite worth seeing.

Gray-white smoke drifted like a layer of gauze between them.

An idea came to Nan Chu.

She reached out, grabbed a handful of cream, and shot to her feet — leaning forward across the table, stretching her arm out toward Lin Luxiao’s face to smear it on him.

Lin Luxiao’s reflexes were sharp. The corner of his eye caught something rushing toward him, and his hand closed around it on pure instinct.

A woman’s hand.

Soft. Delicate. Cool. Slender.

His first thought: how small it is — apply the slightest pressure and it might snap.

A man’s palm: broad, warm, and slightly roughened.

A woman’s wrist: delicate, slender, and a little smooth.

Two sets of very different thoughts.

“What are you doing?”

Lin Luxiao’s voice came out a bit husky.

Nan Chu watched his expression and got the distinct sense he was one second away from picking up the entire cake plate and inverting it over her head. “Smearing cake on people is tradition. This is a blessing bestowed by the birthday star.”

“Sure it is.”

Lin Luxiao held her wrist and regarded her with amused contempt.

Nan Chu, emboldened, stretched her hand a little further forward. “Try me?”

The grip on her wrist tightened.

Lin Luxiao pulled her by the wrist, shifting her sideways, his tone flat: “Don’t you have anything better to do?”

Nan Chu was tugged off-balance — bent at the waist, back arched, the neckline of her top falling open slightly. She was very slender, and below the delicate, fine-boned collarbone was the soft, curved outline of a woman’s figure.

Nan Chu’s lingerie of choice was usually on the bolder side — lace, gathered cups, strappy designs…

But of all days, today she had climbed Nine-Blind Mountain and put on a sports bra.

It had completely flattened her chest.

Nan Chu instinctively covered her neckline.

Lin Luxiao raised an eyebrow slightly. His expression of disdain seemed to say —

Is there even anything worth looking at?

Nan Chu was not covering herself out of any fear of being seen. If she’d been wearing a properly structured bra today, she would happily have let him get a good look.

“What is that expression for?” Nan Chu said.

“Nothing.”

He released her wrist and leaned back in his chair, taking another drag of the cigarette.

“Coward.”

“……”

“It’s just looking, what’s the big deal.”

“……”

Lin Luxiao slanted his eyes toward her. “Fine, I looked.”

Nan Chu: “……”

Lin Luxiao exhaled slowly, a low, faint scoff on his breath: “I thought you were still sixteen.”

“……”

What you just said was so righteously self-justified it ought to be framed on a wall.