Vehicles drove in orderly lines along the highway, the two rows of green belts receding into the distance behind them.
As Lu Huan drove back home along the road, the scenes from earlier kept flashing through her mind. She was starting to regret leaving Bai Jin there by herself.
Who knew what she wanted to do, or what she might actually do.
But Bai Jin had a key.
Even if Lu Huan refused, she could still get in whenever she wanted.
At first, Lu Huan had planned to just turn and leave, but after hearing those words from Bai Jin, she changed her mind.
“Only because it’s me, so you won’t sell it?”
Did that mean she wouldn’t sell it because it was her? Was she really that important? Lu Huan’s rebellious streak flared up in the moment, and she shot back that she didn’t care, that it was the same no matter who it was.
Only now, after the fact, did Lu Huan realize what had happened. Bai Jin had said it on purpose, using a bit of reverse psychology to goad her into accepting.
It seemed that as Lu Huan came to understand Bai Jin’s personality more deeply, Bai Jin was doing the same with her.
She was tailoring her reactions to Lu Huan’s habits and temperament to achieve her goals.
But what was the point of these forceful attempts to insert herself back into her life?
Was she betting on Lu Huan’s soft heart?
Betting that she would turn back?
Lu Huan found it ridiculous.
Too many emotions tangled together, impossible to sort out, leaving only an inexplicable irritability in the end.
“Tch.”
With that, Lu Huan swung the car around and plunged back into the fitness center once more.
…
By the next workday, Lu Huan had been swamped at the office all morning. She wrapped up back-to-back meetings and sank into her boss chair, only to dive right into reviewing the reports submitted last week without a moment’s rest.
When she opened the new proposal from the Planning Department, the word “planning” made her think of Bai Jin, which naturally brought yesterday’s events to mind.
So she grabbed her phone first and opened the app to check the outdoor camera at the front gate.
From the footage, it was clear Bai Jin hadn’t left.
She lied to her?
Lu Huan thought silently to herself.
They had clearly agreed she’d only stay one night.
She stared at the phone screen in silence for a long while until a new message popped up—a WeChat notification from the owners’ group, @-ing everyone.
Lu Huan hadn’t paid much attention at first, but when she saw it was about the section she was planning to sell off, she tapped in for a quick look.
It was just a reminder for all owners to stay safe.
Nothing out of the ordinary.
Back on the main WeChat interface, she noticed unread messages from Bai Jin below. They had come twenty minutes earlier, right in the middle of Lu Huan’s meeting.
[Momo isn’t feeling well. Can you come take a look at it?]
Lu Huan hadn’t deleted her contact since returning from Sumen.
Their two companies were business partners, after all. Even if she deleted it now, she’d probably need it again someday. So Lu Huan had kept it, to avoid having to re-add her later.
Ever since seeing her in Sumen and Huanzhou, Lu Huan had been preparing herself for the possibility of facing her for a long time to come.
Go take a look at it?
Did she think Lu Huan had nothing better to do?
After a long, exhausting morning, Lu Huan pretended not to see the message. She turned off the screen, set the phone aside, and got back to work.
Zuo You came in and out a couple of times during the day to hand off tasks. At lunchtime, once the cafeteria rush had died down, Lu Huan grabbed a quick meal there before returning to her desk.
In the afternoon, she met with a client, which set her back a bit. By the time she saw the client off and finished up her tasks, it was already past six in the evening.
Most of the company had cleared out by then, with lights off in many departments.
Autumn in Jinning meant nights fell quickly; by five, dusk was settling in, and now after six, it was pitch black outside.
Lu Huan gathered her things, grabbed her bag, and left the office.
She drove along, passing under streetlights, the red taillights of the cars ahead glowing in pairs through the darkness.
The house was close to the office. Lu Huan turned at a few intersections and soon approached the neighborhood.
The cat isn’t feeling well.
Lu Huan recalled the message from that morning, a flicker of light passing through her eyes.
A moment later, she still pulled the car into the complex.
Just this once.
She took the elevator up with her key, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.
Bai Jin heard the noise at the entrance and came out. Lu Huan didn’t look at her but brushed past straight to Momo, curled up in its cat bed.
“Let me check on the cat.”
She crouched in front of Momo, running her hand along its fur. Momo rolled over at the sight, letting her pet it freely.
What wasn’t feeling well? It was belly-up and looking perfectly content.
Lu Huan fell silent for a moment. Sensing Bai Jin approach from behind, she asked, “What’s wrong with it?”
“It was a bit listless this morning,” Bai Jin said, her eyes downcast. “But it perked up later.”
Lu Huan wasn’t entirely convinced.
But she didn’t press. Instead, she hardened her tone and changed the subject curtly. “Weren’t you supposed to leave after one night?”
Bai Jin was quiet for a beat. “I’m sorry.”
“Until the house paperwork is finalized, I’ll pay the appropriate rent. Is that okay?”
Lu Huan kept her gaze fixed on the cat, not lifting her eyes. “Why?”
Bai Jin explained, “Huanzhou doesn’t need me there full-time; I mostly hold shares. They’re planning to expand a project to Jinning soon, so I might need to stay in Jinning for a while.”
“And… I happened to see the listing for the house.”
Setting aside the price, whether location, floor, or layout, it was an excellent choice.
But was reality really that convenient? She just happened to need a place to stay in Jinning, and Lu Huan just happened to be selling this house.
“Moving in early isn’t exactly fair,” Lu Huan said, thinking of something. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll jack up the price several times over when the time comes?”
Bai Jin replied, “That’s fine. Whatever you set is what I’ll pay.”
Momo rolled away, batting its paws as it hopped to the side. Lu Huan stood up too, shooting her a sidelong glance before heading to the kitchen.
“I don’t need the money anyway.”
Who cared about squeezing a few extra times the rent out of her.
That was as good as agreement, and Bai Jin stood by the glass door of the kitchen, watching her back.
“Thank you.”
Lu Huan turned on the faucet and washed her hands. “Don’t overthink it. I’m only letting you stay temporarily for this mangy cat’s sake.”
“I know.”
After responding, Bai Jin added in a soft murmur, “I also know that Sis hates me right now.”
The last part was so quiet it was hard to catch unless you were listening closely, but Lu Huan heard it anyway.
Hate her?
She probably did.
Her hand stilled under the water, her expression darkening slightly.
But Lu Huan had done terrible things to Bai Jin before too—she deserved to be hated in return.
She finished washing her hands, shook them dry, and turned to leave, only for Bai Jin to step in front of her, blocking the way. She looked up slightly.
“It’s late. Stay for dinner.”
“No.” Lu Huan sidestepped her. “I’ve already eaten.”
With nothing seeming amiss, Lu Huan glanced at the color outside the window, ready to go.
But after just two steps, the lights in the room blinked out all at once, plunging everything into sudden darkness.
At the same moment, a thud came from behind her.
Bai Jin must have bumped into something in the surprise. Lu Huan instinctively started to turn and check, but she caught herself, staying put instead and pulling out her phone.
She lit up the screen, then the flashlight, catching Bai Jin out of the corner of her eye by a chair. She was bent slightly at the waist—probably clipped her shin in the panic.
Lu Huan retracted her gaze, first checking the neighborhood group for any outage alerts. None. Then she went to inspect the apartment’s breaker box.
Finding no issues there, she returned, called property management, handled the matter briskly, and hung up.
“I’ve notified property management. Someone should be here soon to fix it. I’m heading out.”
Bai Jin spoke up. “Can you… stay and keep me company?”
“Keep you company?” Lu Huan halted, letting out a cold scoff. “We’re all adults here.”
A power outage—what was there to keep company for?
“I’ve already called them. It won’t be long before they send someone. No ghosts are going to snatch you away in the meantime.”
Lu Huan thought she’d made herself clear enough, but Bai Jin tugged at her sleeve from behind, her voice turning soft and pleading.
“Sis, I’m a little scared.”
The softened tone cut through the dark, still air.
Since she was already here, what was a bit longer? Fixing the power shouldn’t take much time.
For whatever reason, Lu Huan didn’t insist on leaving.
Fine.
“I’ll stay until property management comes and gets the wiring fixed.”
With that, she retreated and sank back onto the sofa.
Seeing her willing to stay, a curve appeared at the corner of Bai Jin’s lips.
…
Lu Huan had lived here for so long and rarely encountered outages like this. The occasional maintenance ones always came with advance notice and didn’t last long.
With the power still out, something must have gone wrong with the wiring somewhere.
Her eyes had adjusted to the dark, enough to make out vague shapes.
The curtains were open, and tonight’s moonlight spilled into the room, making things just visible enough.
Staring at her phone in the pitch black hurt her eyes, so Lu Huan turned it off and set it aside for now.
Bai Jin sat in a chair while Lu Huan lounged on the living room sofa. Neither spoke, letting the silence settle heavily.
She had shrugged off her black trench coat, leaving it nearby. The cuffs of her inner shirt were buttoned tight, and as usual, the top two buttons of the collar were undone. She leaned back against the sofa cushions at an angle.
This sofa was undeniably comfortable, just the right firmness. Lu Huan was used to it and felt drowsiness creep in soon after settling back.
She’d been run ragged all day without a break, hadn’t even eaten dinner properly, and wasn’t in the best shape.
The quiet around her only amplified her fatigue.
Her eyelids grew heavy, and without realizing it, they drifted shut.
She vaguely registered the sound of the front door opening but brushed it off in her half-asleep haze.
She wasn’t sure how much time passed in that foggy state before the soft patter of bare feet on the tile floor reached her ears.
The footsteps were light, drawing closer.
Bai Jin approached her. One leg bent, her knee pressing into the sofa as one hand reached out to caress Lu Huan’s cheek.
Lu Huan stirred awake at the soft “Sis,” her eyes fluttering open in a daze to the sight of a gentle silhouette.
Warmth drew near as well.
“Bai Jin…”
Under the faint moonlight, Lu Huan finally made out the figure before her. Her pupils contracted sharply, and she instinctively seized Bai Jin’s wrist, halting her movements.
The fabric was so thin that the snow-white, delicate skin beneath it was clearly visible. The outer dress clung scandalously short, its hem barely reaching the tops of her thighs, while the upper portion was vaguely exposed, held together only by a few straining lace straps.
There was pitifully little cloth covering her body overall. Places that should have been covered—and those that certainly shouldn’t—were all laid utterly bare.
It was blatantly obvious: this was erotic lingerie.
The fresh, clean fragrance of her skin filtered through the clinging, gossamer-thin material.
Lu Huan’s heart skipped a beat. She snapped awake in an instant, gritted her teeth, and swiftly snatched the trench coat draped nearby. She threw it over Bai Jin, yanking the collars tight to conceal that dangerously alluring body.
“What are you doing?”
