Chapter 12: Daisy Bouquet

An autumn wind rattled the windows; the red sun climbed in the east.

Fang Run timed her early rise precisely. After grooming herself and applying her makeup in the mirror, she finally walked to the window to look outside.

In the early morning hours, neon lights flickered and danced. They weren’t as brilliant as at night, yet like the sleepless metropolis itself, they still drew countless young people like moths to a flame, rushing forward one after another.

Usually, Fang Run disliked such clamor, but watching it from afar today, she unexpectedly felt a faint warmth flow through her heart.

Here, there was a light that belonged to her too.

Fang Run couldn’t help but tug at the corner of her lips, lifting them into a faint, shallow smile.

The fresh scent of freesia drifted over, unhurried and gentle, adding a touch of serene tenderness.

Fang Run glanced sideways, then went into the bathroom to change the water for the fresh flowers.

It was still early. After figuring out Pei Luo’s daily routine, Fang Run knew full well that going out now would mean not running into her. It would be better to wait another quarter of an hour for the perfect timing.

Yet she still pulled open the door and stepped out anyway.

The fresh flowers she had arranged yesterday afternoon, nourished overnight by the clean water, had unfurled their petals, displaying a surge of vigorous vitality. Their delicate fragrance wafted towards her.

Fang Run fiddled with the flowers for a moment, then went to the balcony to gaze at the gradually rising sun.

Today was a grand, clear day. Blue sky, white clouds, immaculate and pure. The sunbeams filtering through the clouds tinted them a light gold. Everything was beautiful and brilliant.

She stretched her back lazily, a cheerful smile gracing her features as her mood lifted.

Just then, the doorbell chime rang out. Immediately after, Pei Luo walked in carrying breakfast.

Seeing her standing on the small balcony, Pei Luo couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Sunning yourself?”

Fang Run turned around. Seeing the woman in a tracksuit, still unable to hide the resilience and vibrant vitality in her bearing, Fang Run thought Pei Luo looked even more like an energetic university student than she did.

“Going out for a couple of laps in the morning is more effective than standing here sunning yourself.” Pei Luo had her hair tied up in a high ponytail. She spoke as she walked toward the kitchen. After grabbing plates and chopsticks, she turned back, looking at Fang Run. “Want to join me for a morning run tomorrow?”

This was the third day of their cohabitation, and the first time Pei Luo had issued a formal invitation for a morning run.

Fang Run helped her arrange the soup dumplings onto the plate, pursing her lips with a smile. “I’m afraid I’ll be too slow and drag Sister Pei Luo down.”

Heaven was fair to everyone. Fang Run possessed an outstanding appearance but lacked a robust physique.

Her immune system was slightly weak. From childhood, she was prone to colds and fevers. As she grew older, she wasn’t quite as sickly, but she still couldn’t be considered particularly resilient. Her 800-meter run time was a borderline pass, and she was a perennial bottom-dweller in physical fitness tests.

Moreover, Fang Run disliked waking up early. Managing to drag herself out of bed a little past six every day was already her limit. It was hard to imagine what it would be like to get up even earlier and go out running.

Exhausting and miserable, she would probably faint and collapse halfway.

Imagining that scene, Fang Run leaned even more toward lazing in bed for another half hour, mentally waving pompoms and cheering Pei Luo on.

Pei Luo didn’t mind much. She lowered her eyes to pick up a soup dumpling with her chopsticks, casually saying, “It’s fine, I can wait for you.”

Fang Run, who had already prepared a whole speech to decline, was speechless. “…”

Somehow, the words of refusal seemed impossible to say now.

For some inexplicable reason, the roots of Fang Run’s ears grew hot. She recalled the focused gaze the other woman had directed at her last night, and those words— “By the way, wait for you a bit.”

That damnable gentleness. It drowned Fang Run in a brief moment.

She was used to the other’s polite and distant, courteous treatment. Such a sudden, unprepared-for intimate statement was all the more difficult for her to handle.

Even if, perhaps, that was merely what Pei Luo was thinking at the time, not strictly a line of romantic affection.

Fang Run’s fingertips curled slightly. Sensing the other’s gaze falling upon her, her eyes immediately flickered, not daring to meet it.

She buried her head, biting into her soup dumpling. After a moment of silence, once she had sorted out her emotions, she nodded in agreement. “Alright, Sister, just don’t abandon me.”

Those fox-like eyes, tilted upwards at the corners, were filled with utmost seriousness.

Pei Luo’s movements paused. Then she smiled easily. “I won’t. I mean what I say.”

After breakfast, the two entered the elevator together.

The black Maserati was still not repaired, so today Pei Luo drove a dark gray Porsche.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Fang Run held back for a moment, but, unable to suppress her curiosity, she asked aloud, “Does Sister Pei Luo have a lot of luxury cars?”

Though TV dramas always exaggeratedly portrayed boss CEOs changing cars like clothes, Pei Luo didn’t seem like the extravagant type, much less the kind of person who loved collecting sports cars.

Yet, besides these two cars, the other woman had just shown her several other sports cars of different brands and similar price ranges.

One could only call it obscenely wealthy.

As if guessing her thoughts, Pei Luo steered the wheel with one hand, merging the car onto the street as she said calmly, “To show a certain style, one must buy a few.”

After all, as the CEO of a company about to go public, not owning a few expensive sports cars would be truly lacking in prestige and might lead to being looked down upon when going out for business negotiations.

Therefore, even though Pei Luo had no mind for these trivial, roundabout things, Sheng Nuoyi had pressed her into buying several.

Once she understood the situation, Fang Run became contemplative.

That lady, Sheng Nuoyi, as expected, had infiltrated Pei Luo’s daily life one step ahead of her.

But it couldn’t be stated so absolutely. Some people have a strong possessiveness even towards friends. Perhaps Sheng Nuoyi was just that kind of person.

After all, so far, she only seemed certain that Pei Luo was single, without knowing whether Sheng Nuoyi was single or not.

“Sister Pei Luo and Elder Sister Nuoyi seem to have such a great relationship,” Fang Run said, smiling brightly. “Elder Sister Nuoyi is so worldly-wise, gentle, and reliable. Who knows how many people must like her.”

For some reason, Pei Luo glanced sideways at her.

Fang Run met her gaze, catching an unreadable scrutiny in the depths of the other’s eyes.

Only after a long while did Pei Luo loosen her collar and say, “She’s always been single. And she’s not as outstanding as you imagine. Don’t blindly worship someone just because they have a bit more life experience.”

Pausing for a few seconds, she added, “You’re still young. You’re better off looking more at classmates your own age. You’ll have more fun playing with people in your own age group.”

At first, Fang Run was somewhat confused. Hearing this, how could she fail to understand Pei Luo’s meaning?

She was left speechless, slightly exasperated.

Did Pei Luo think she had taken a fancy to Sheng Nuoyi?

However, such counsel from the other woman, spoken like an elder, was rather thought-provoking.

Small dimples appeared on Fang Run’s cheeks, as if she were somewhat shy. “Sister Pei Luo, where is your mind wandering? I’m not considering such things.”

“Besides, my standards for choosing a partner are very high. Unless the other person is as excellent as Sister Pei Luo, only then would I consider it.”

It happened to be a red light. Pei Luo met her eyes, her expression calm. “There’s still plenty of time. Don’t be anxious, take your time choosing. Little Run will surely find a good match that suits her perfectly.”

Her expression remained unchanged, but her tone was considerably gentler.

Fang Run pursed her lips, smiling at her again.

The lazy sunlight streamed in, illuminating the girl, her brows and eyes as exquisite as a painting, like a fairy immortal.

At eight o’clock sharp, Pei Luo stepped out of the elevator, nodding a good morning to an employee walking towards her.

She hadn’t been in her office long when Sheng Nuoyi entered, holding a folder. “You drove the Porsche today, huh?”

Pei Luo pushed up her glasses, glanced up at her, then lowered her head to continue reading the project proposal. “Late again. This is a salary deduction. How many times is it this month?”

Sheng Nuoyi clicked her tongue. She placed the folder on the desk and was about to speak when she suddenly noticed a bouquet placed to the side.

Among the small daisies was tucked a single white rose, looking fresh, pure, and slightly bashful.

Sheng Nuoyi narrowed her eyes. “Who gave you these flowers?”

A person like Pei Luo, whose mind held only work, could never go out and buy fresh flowers to put in her office.

What’s more, they were small daisies.

Hearing this, Pei Luo looked up at the beautifully packaged bouquet. After their late-night snack last night, she and Fang Run had gone straight back and forgotten to bring the flowers back.

“Little Run gave them to me.” Pei Luo glanced at her, then stretched out a long arm, pulled the bouquet closer, and lowered her head to study it carefully.

Back when Fang Run had first moved into her home, it was Sheng Nuoyi who casually mentioned that giving a bouquet would be a nice touch. Only then had she remembered to visit a flower shop. Normally, she had absolutely no knowledge of this sort of thing.

Luckily, nourished by the floral foam, the fresh flowers hadn’t wilted.

She fussed with it for a moment, placing the flowers in a corner by her hand.

Thinking of something, she added offhandedly, “I also heard Little Run praising you today. What kind of taste and aesthetic do kids these days have? She needs to get that corrected.”

She lifted her gaze, meeting Sheng Nuoyi’s complex expression.

“What, someone who’s been single for nearly thirty years without being taken off the market,” Pei Luo couldn’t resist teasing, “Are you not convinced?”

Sheng Nuoyi folded her arms, staring at her for a few seconds. She seemed about to speak but hesitated, as if wanting to say something.

“Forget it,” Sheng Nuoyi ultimately didn’t say what was on her mind. “You’ll understand later.”

Compared to directly interfering, she was much more interested in seeing the look on that Little Sister Run’s face when she couldn’t get what she wanted and felt sad and dejected.

Besides, the one that Little Sister Run was interested in wasn’t her.

Pei Luo adjusted her glasses frame. “Alright, enough with the mysterious, suspenseful act in my office. I still have to go do field research today. Hurry up and check on the progress.”

Sheng Nuoyi said no more and sashayed away.

Once the door closed, Pei Luo retracted her gaze.

After thinking for a moment, she scooped up the bouquet and took a photo to send to Fang Run.

“Ding.”

Fang Run, a neutral pen between her fingers, saw the screen light up and looked down to unlock it.

Pei Luo:

[Photo]

[Forgot to bring it back last night]

[Lucky it didn’t wilt]

Fang Run couldn’t help but smile.

Kept in the floral foam like this without being taken out, it would be fine for a short while.

She thought it over and replied with a message.

[Sister, you can use a glass bottle with water to keep it. It would look rather nice on your office desk.]

The other party is typing…

Pei Luo:

[Okay]

Even though it was just one word, Fang Run couldn’t help but curve her lips into another smile.

Her big sister Pei Luo was truly somewhat simple and cute in certain aspects.

Exiting the chat window, she saw that Wen Ran had sent two messages ten minutes ago. In a good mood, Fang Run casually tapped on them.

Wen Ran:

[My dear sister]

[You’re basically heaven-chosen for female stardom, aren’t you]

Fang Run:

[?]

[Please speak human]

So strange, she was a bit baffled.

Wen Ran simply sent over a video clip.

Fang Run put it on mute and opened it. At first, she didn’t notice anything, until the videographer zoomed in on the shot. Only then did she realize their point of focus was two figures pressed close together.

The bar lighting wasn’t as colorful as at night, and the clothing was very familiar. Quickly, Fang Run realized it was the scene from yesterday afternoon where she had almost fallen and He Qiuyi had caught her in an embrace.

The videographer had a tricky angle and was not close, making the two figures entangled together seem especially intimate. Even their subsequent appearance of standing opposite each other exchanging polite greetings seemed clinging and ambiguous.

Wen Ran:

[The Weibo trending topic exploded again]

Fang Run didn’t much care whether the topic exploded or not, because a new message popped up.

Pei Luo:

[Does Little Run already have someone she likes?]