All That Mattered

Shu Xian walked into her apartment, the soft glow of the lamp on the side table illuminating the room. She kicked off her heels and sighed, feeling the weight of the night on her shoulders.

She had just returned from dinner with Zhong Li, and it hadn't gone as well as she had hoped. She had to reject him, and the thought made her heart heavy.

As she made her way to the kitchen, she saw Pan An sitting at the dining table, eating a simple dish of egg fried rice. "Hi," she said, giving him a small smile.

Pan An looked up from his food and returned the smile. "Hey there. Just taking a break from checking papers." He gestured towards the stack of papers on the table.

Shu Xian went to the counter and poured herself a glass of water. As she took a small sip, Pan An's eyes followed her figure. "So, how was the dinner with Zhong Li?" he asked, curious.