EX-IF Timeline-2
A week of calm passed, and by Friday, as soon as the clock in the bottom right corner of her computer hit 5:30 PM, Su Luowei began packing up to leave work.
Opposite her, Zhu Hanhan had been busy adjusting her makeup when she noticed Su Luowei standing up and remarked, "You've been leaving work so early lately."
Su Luowei neatly folded her jacket and placed it into her bag, casually replying, "Oh? Have I?"
"Yes, quite a few times now. Every time I look up, you're already gone," Zhu Hanhan noted. Normally, even after work hours, Su Luowei would stick around for a bit. But recently, she had been unusually punctual, disappearing as soon as her shift ended.
Su Luowei just smiled, not offering an explanation, and slung her bag over her shoulder, ready to leave.
"Hey, wait! I'll come with you." Zhu Hanhan hastily shoved some things into her own bag and powered down her computer, hurrying after her.
As they waited for the elevator to arrive, Zhu Hanhan asked Su Luowei if she wanted to grab dinner and maybe watch a movie afterward.
Without hesitation, Su Luowei declined, "I've got other plans tonight."
Zhu Hanhan raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Have you started dating someone recently?"
She was certain that was the case. Why else would Su Luowei vanish immediately after work every day and barely respond to messages at night?
Su Luowei tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, replying, "No, I haven't."
"Then why…" Zhu Hanhan paused, searching for the right words, "why have you been so distant with me lately?"
Blinking, Su Luowei replied, "Have I? I didn't notice."
"You definitely have! You used to agree whenever I asked you out for dinner or shopping after work."
Thinking back, Su Luowei realized she had turned down Zhu Hanhan's invitations twice this week. But she couldn't exactly explain that she had brought someone home from the cemetery the night the typhoon hit.
Because Zhu Hanhan would certainly think she'd lost her mind.
So she mumbled, "A friend's been staying with me for a while. It wouldn't be right to leave her alone at home."
The elevator dinged as it reached the ground floor. As they stepped out into the lobby, Su Luowei immediately noticed a familiar face.
Sitting on one of the lounge chairs was Meng Shuying, dressed in the black silk shirt and pants Su Luowei had bought for her. Her hair, freshly trimmed, cascaded down her shoulders. From her appearance, she blended seamlessly with the elite office workers coming and going from the building.
She wasn't on her phone, nor did she have a laptop. Instead, she sat there, resting her chin on her hand, lost in thought. Her cold demeanor made it clear that she didn't welcome interaction, subtly distancing herself from everyone around her.
Noticing Su Luowei's arrival from the corner of her eye, her previously relaxed posture immediately straightened, and she stood up, taking a few steps toward her with a faint smile.
"Big sister," she greeted warmly.
Hearing that term made Su Luowei's heart skip a beat.
On the second day after bringing Meng Shuying home, she had asked how she should address her. Without thinking, Su Luowei had casually responded, "You can call me 'big sister.'"
It was an innocent enough term, but when it came from Meng Shuying's lips, it sounded teasing and flirtatious, leaving Su Luowei mildly regretful. But it felt awkward to ask her to change it now.
At that moment, Zhu Hanhan stepped out of the elevator behind them. Without hesitation, she looped her arm through Su Luowei's in a friendly, possessive gesture and asked playfully, "Is it okay to leave me behind at work?"
Meng Shuying's steps faltered, and her cold gaze swept over them, lingering especially on their linked arms, her expression growing even icier.
Suddenly, a pang of guilt hit Su Luowei.
Wait, why should she feel guilty?
Though confused by the sensation, under the weight of Meng Shuying's intense stare, Su Luowei instinctively withdrew her arm from Zhu Hanhan's. She quickly explained, "My friend came to pick me up. I'll head out first."
Zhu Hanhan looked between the two women, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "You're just going to leave me?"
Seriously? Prioritizing a friend over her?
Was this friend really just a "friend"? To Zhu Hanhan, it sure seemed more like a secret girlfriend.
Feeling slightly awkward, Su Luowei flashed an apologetic smile, gripped her bag a little tighter, and hurried over to join Meng Shuying. Once next to her, she asked, "Weren't we supposed to meet at the mall? Why did you come here?"
As they walked side by side, Meng Shuying glanced back at Zhu Hanhan, her cold gaze sending chills down one's spine.
Then, as if nothing had happened, she nonchalantly replied, "I finished work early today, and since I was near your office, I thought I'd come by."
"Why didn't you send me a message?" Su Luowei checked her phone. The pinned chat with Meng Shuying was still at the same place, with the last message being a simple smiley emoji she herself had sent.
A hint of embarrassment flashed across Meng Shuying's face. "I'm not very fond of using phones."
To be precise, she wasn't quite proficient with them yet. After buying the phone the previous night, they had been together all day, and she hadn't had time to figure it out.
"Was work smooth today? Did you enjoy the shoot?" Su Luowei asked.
Meng Shuying thought for a moment. "It went alright. They've already transferred today's payment, so I'll send it to you later."
"Already paid? That's fast." Intrigued, Su Luowei leaned over to see her phone, noticing a pending transfer. She clicked on it, explaining casually, "You just need to click this orange button to accept the payment."
To say that Su Luowei was surprised that Meng Shuying had found a job so quickly would be an understatement.
The day after she agreed to let her stay, the storm had cleared, and they had gone out shopping for some essentials.
As someone used to living alone, everything in her apartment was in single quantities.
At the supermarket, they were suddenly approached by a young woman wearing round glasses. She introduced herself as an assistant from a modeling agency and said she thought they both had great looks, asking if they were interested in modeling work.
Su Luowei had been scouted similarly many times in the past. In her younger days, she had even worked as a part-time model. But the industry was complicated, with clients who often thought they could treat the girls however they wanted.
So she hadn't pursued modeling after college, instead choosing a stable job.
She hadn't paid much attention to the girl's offer, but Meng Shuying had shown interest.
By Wednesday, she had gone to the address left by the assistant for a screen test and had secured a shoot the same day.
As they walked out of the mall after some light shopping and dinner, the rain suddenly began to fall. At first, it was just a few drops landing on Su Luowei's bare arms, sending a chill through her. She instinctively paused, looking up as the raindrops multiplied.
Within seconds, the sky opened up, unleashing a torrential downpour.
What the hell? The typhoon had already passed—how could it still be raining this hard?
Without a second thought, Meng Shuying grabbed her hand, took the shopping bags from her, and started running.
The rain came down hard, soaking them both. With no nearby shops to take shelter in, they ducked into a narrow alley.
The alley was too tight for the two of them to walk side by side, but the rooftops provided some protection from the rain.
Not caring about the surroundings, Meng Shuying pulled her deeper into the alley.
The air was damp, filled with the scent of wet earth. Underfoot, the pavement was dark, while overhead, gray rooftops and tangled wires crisscrossed. Patches of moss clung to the corners of the walls. Out of breath, Su Luowei leaned against the wall for support.
Meng Shuying quickly pulled her back. "Don't lean on that—it's dirty."
Caught off guard, Su Luowei stumbled, falling into her arms.
Their breaths mingled. The sound of their racing hearts echoed in their ears, though it was impossible to tell whose heartbeat was whose.
The rain blurred the world around them, casting a layer of mist over their hair, noses, and collarbones, giving everything an intimate, tender glow. The chaotic sounds of the downpour faded, replaced by the loud rhythm of their heartbeats. Nestled in her embrace, Su Luowei suddenly caught the scent of the body wash they both used.
It was the same lily-of-the-valley fragrance she had been using for years, a scent she had always liked. But she had never realized just how... sensual it could be.
Her cheeks grew warm as she lowered her gaze, holding her breath. She tried to step back, but Meng Shuying tightened her hold on her waist, pulling her closer.
The heat from their skin, separated only by thin summer fabrics, radiated between them. Su Luowei let out a soft gasp, quickly biting her lip.
"Careful not to dirty your clothes," Meng Shuying murmured, her voice low as her arm stayed firmly around her waist.
Tilting her head, Su Luowei noticed a strand of wet hair clinging to the side of Meng Shuying's neck, trailing down into her shirt, hinting at the skin beneath.
It suddenly struck her that Meng Shuying might not be as young as she appeared.
Otherwise, how could she exude such perfectly timed allure?
Her fingers twitched, an urge rising to brush that strand of hair aside.
And as if driven by some unseen force, she did just that.
Her fingertips, still cool from the rain, lightly touched the nape of Meng Shuying's neck, sending a shiver through her. The brief contact made her body tense momentarily.
The air around them stilled. Even their breathing seemed to quiet.
Outside, the rain continued to fall, as Su Luowei's little finger hooked onto the strand of hair, gently tugging it away from her collar. Throughout the whole interaction, Meng Shuying remained silent, simply watching her intently. It was only once her hand had retreated that Meng Shuying leaned in closer.
"Sister, just now, I thought… you were going to kiss me."
Su Luowei's throat went dry. How had just one day of work turned Meng Shuying into such a tease?
She pressed her lips together before slowly responding, "No, I wasn't."
But the other woman leaned in even closer, her breath tickling Su Luowei's ear.
"Then, can I kiss you?" she asked softly.
And she tilted her head, ready to follow through on her words.