Liu Zhaoran wiped her still-damp long hair with a towel. The long-missed feeling of a morning run and breaking a sweat was rather nice, and after exercising, a shower soothed the fatigue from her body wonderfully as well.

She came out of the second-floor gym and headed down the stairs. As soon as she reached the living room, she found that Song Nanyin had also, unusually, gotten up early, sitting on the sofa watching the drama she hadn’t had time to finish last night.

Liu Zhaoran had heard of this drama. It told of a future world in which the protagonist shuttled back and forth between reality and a game, gradually losing themselves. Liu Zhaoran had been recommended it too, but she simply couldn’t spare the time to watch.

“Getting up this early just to watch a drama?” Liu Zhaoran sat on the edge of the sofa, glancing at what Song Nanyin was wearing.

A tank top, a bra, and a pair of short hot pants, showing off her long, fair, slender legs. She sat cross-legged on the sofa, a big bag of shrimp crackers hugged in her arms. No matter how you looked at her, she seemed ready to stay cooped up at home all day.

“What else would I be doing? Yesterday I just happened to stop at the most exciting part. Even my dreams were full of the plot. Black-Hearted Lotus, didn’t you say you’d watch it with me? When, exactly?”

Song Nanyin glanced at Liu Zhaoran, her nose twitching, and, unsurprisingly, caught the scent coming off her. It wasn’t a single scent, but shower gel mixed with a breath that only she could smell.

Song Nanyin had confessed to Liu Zhaoran before that she really could smell a scent on her different from ordinary people, and it was most obvious at the back of her neck.

Since then, that rascal Liu Zhaoran had rarely worn perfume anymore, making the scent on her, which only Song Nanyin could smell, all the stronger.

Song Nanyin complained that Liu Zhaoran was a nuisance, but in her heart she inexplicably loved the feeling of a secret known only to herself and Liu Zhaoran. Ha, who exactly was being dishonest? The shameless one turned out to be me.

“Sorry, I haven’t had much time to keep you company lately. The company has been too busy at the end of the year.” Liu Zhaoran said, full of apology, and finally snuck one of Song Nanyin’s shrimp crackers, crunching it crisply in her mouth.

“What are you talking about? As if I’m so eager to watch a drama with you. I’m just afraid you haven’t even seen such a hit drama, and then you won’t have anything in common to talk about with anyone, and you’ll seem like you don’t fit in.”

Song Nanyin rolled her eyes at Liu Zhaoran, feeling that even her own explanation was a bit of a stretch. The person Liu Zhaoran had the most contact with on ordinary days was her, and otherwise it was her company colleagues and business partners. It really seemed they rarely talked about dramas…

As she was thinking, she saw Liu Zhaoran reaching over for another shrimp cracker and hurriedly hugged the bag close, shifting to the other side.

Heh, you won’t watch the drama with me, but you still want to eat my shrimp crackers?

Dream on.

Even though… these were all bought with Liu Zhaoran’s money…

The hand reaching for the shrimp crackers came up empty. Liu Zhaoran withdrew it and smiled, unconcerned. She leaned against one side of the sofa, took a cigarette from the coffee table, lit it, and smoked right there, lounging on the sofa. In the meantime, Song Nanyin turned back and shot her several dirty looks; she simply pretended not to see.

“Team Leader Song, some friends of mine are putting together a gathering tonight. How about coming with me? It’s Christmas today. Watching a drama alone at home would be a bit too pitiful, don’t you think?”

Liu Zhaoran smoothed her hair with one hand, a cigarette held in the other, lightly flicking the ash.

Song Nanyin didn’t like the smell of smoke, but she loved watching Liu Zhaoran smoke. Of everyone she had seen so far, Liu Zhaoran’s way of smoking was different, and very good to look at.

Most people, when they smoked, habitually lowered their heads, gaze dropping. But Liu Zhaoran always liked to tilt her head back when she smoked, sometimes gazing into the distance, as if recalling something.

Or she would be like she was now, lazily leaning on the sofa, her phoenix eyes half closed, like a fox that had stolen food, secretly plotting some mischief. The hand that flicked the ash tapped nimbly, and the spent ash fell into the ashtray, rolling once.

“A bar? I don’t really like drinking anyway. Besides, I’m not familiar with your friends, am I?” Song Nanyin felt a subtle stir in her heart at Liu Zhaoran’s invitation. Her mouth spoke refusal, but inside she actually hoped the other would push a little harder to invite her, so she could agree with an easy conscience.

Perhaps having seen through Song Nanyin’s little scheme, Liu Zhaoran smiled, stubbed out her cigarette, and then gently blew the lingering smoke from her mouth near Song Nanyin’s ear.

“Team Leader Song, I think it’s nice to go out and have a little fun once in a while. How long has it been since you had a nightlife?” Liu Zhaoran asked casually, but she thought it over in her head and had the answer before Song Nanyin could respond.

There was no helping it. The impression Song Nanyin gave was far too misleading, so much so that Liu Zhaoran would never have thought she was such a homebody at heart.

Thinking about it carefully, it seemed that from the time Song Nanyin moved in until now, her only nightlife was having sex with her. Apart from that, all that was left was eating snacks and watching dramas.

On rest days, Liu Zhaoran would work out, go out in the afternoon to meet certain contacts in her social network as needed, and if someone organized a gathering at night, Liu Zhaoran was inevitably on the invitation list.

This was the makeup of most people’s lives, yet it had nothing to do with Song Nanyin. Her social circle, aside from herself, was just her company colleagues and that best friend of hers abroad whom she could only reach by video call.

On weekends she often slept until noon, spent the whole afternoon lying in bed looking at her phone, or else got up to watch dramas. She did yoga regularly to stay in shape, but she rarely went out, let alone to nightspots for entertainment.

“What nightlife? It’s not like I need a nightlife to live. Fine, since you want me to go so badly, I’ll go take a look.”

Song Nanyin had thought Liu Zhaoran’s so-called gathering would be casually meeting a few people at a bar for a few drinks, finding a relatively quiet spot to have a couple and chat. But when she actually arrived at the venue, Song Nanyin found that the so-called gathering was bigger than she had imagined by just a tiny little bit.

The bar’s name was in Greek, and Song Nanyin couldn’t make heads or tails of it. It also wasn’t in the so-called city center, but rather in a relatively remote place.

Getting out of Liu Zhaoran’s car, Song Nanyin saw quite a few cars parked in the lot not far away. Their prices basically started at two million and went up, with the upper limit almost impossible to estimate.

“The gathering you mentioned isn’t some small affair, is it?”

“Nothing much. Just a bunch of people who want to cut loose using Christmas as an excuse. Today or tomorrow, no different.”

Liu Zhaoran answered casually. Song Nanyin could tell she wasn’t all that keen on this place, but she probably had a reason she had to come. The two walked in side by side. No sooner had they entered the bar than Song Nanyin was choked by the smoky, alcoholic air inside.

They had arrived at neither an early nor a late hour, just when most people had shown up and the place was gradually warming up.

The organizer had rented out the entire bar. People from the same circle gathered in twos and threes at the bar counter, chatting and drinking. There were also those looking to build connections who, with various people making the introductions, held “first meetings” amid the dazzling lights and wine.

If they took a liking to one another, perhaps there would be a second time after tonight. If they didn’t, and no “alignment of interests” could be reached, then they’d part ways on the spot and remain strangers from then on.

“Team Leader Song, when there are more people later, I might not be able to look after you. I believe you’re not a fool, so you wouldn’t do something like casually drinking whatever anyone gives you.”

“That woman over there is the bar owner. She goes by Sister Xia. If you run into trouble and can’t find me, go to her. She’s my friend and will help you.”

“Don’t mistake that man in black standing by the emergency exit over there for a bodyguard. In fact, he’s very keen on ‘picking up corpses.'”

Liu Zhaoran walked beside Song Nanyin, smiling as she introduced the people in the whole bar worth noting. Song Nanyin listened listlessly, yet she was amazed at how extensive Liu Zhaoran’s social circle was. She gave an “mm” in response, and just then, Sister Xia, the first person Liu Zhaoran had named, walked over to them.

“Hey, I thought you’d turned over a new leaf lately. It’s been a long time, hasn’t it? And who’s this?”

“Sister Xia, this is the roommate I’m living with now. You can just call her Xiao Song.”

Liu Zhaoran said with a smile, putting an arm around Song Nanyin’s waist. It was a suggestive gesture. Sister Xia’s interested gaze rested on Song Nanyin for a good while, and then she nodded knowingly.

“OK, Xiao Song, right? You’re A-Liu’s friend, so just call me Sister Xia. It’ll be lively tonight. At the stroke of midnight there’s also a Christmas tree cake. Don’t worry, I’ll save the cleanest piece for you two.”

Sister Xia was very funny, and Song Nanyin really liked the way she talked and her tone, so she simply leaned against the bar counter with Liu Zhaoran and had a few drinks with Sister Xia.

Later on, the place was thoroughly fired up. Aided by alcohol, people could always find countless excuses and reasons for themselves. As if alcohol numbed not only their rationality, but also their very essence and character.

Song Nanyin watched batch after batch of people go over to Liu Zhaoran, gradually forming a small circle with her at its center. There were men and women among them, but clearly more men.

Song Nanyin watched her, enveloped by the crowd. At first she could still see her profile through the gaps between people. Later, Liu Zhaoran was pulled into the center to drink, and Song Nanyin could no longer see her. Of course, she hadn’t deliberately gone looking for her.

Song Nanyin wasn’t much of a drinker to begin with. After all, drinking was a matter of atmosphere, and she had no friends to drink with, nor would she drink alone. Apart from work needs, she rarely drank at all.

The bar’s liquor was decent this time. One sip was enough to tell it was premium stuff. Song Nanyin swirled her glass gently, took a small sip to savor it, and then let out a low laugh.

Call her uncultured if you want, but Song Nanyin still couldn’t understand what was so good about alcohol. Compared to liquor, she would rather have a cup of coffee or milk tea made with her own hands.

At least sweet and bitter were clear and distinct. As for alcohol, it mostly just left a rough, astringent taste in her mouth.

Song Nanyin casually walked a few laps around the bar, politely declining the several men who came up to chat her up. She went back, subconsciously looking for Liu Zhaoran amid the crowd. There she was, sitting in the middle of the crowd, surrounded, beaming as she tilted her head back to drink.

“Tsk, having a good time, aren’t you.” Song Nanyin muttered under her breath, gave up the idea of greeting Liu Zhaoran, and pushed open the door to walk straight out of the bar. The moment she stood outside, the moving air and breeze brushed her face. Having left the murky, stifling atmosphere behind, she felt as if her whole being had lightened considerably.

“I’m heading back first.” Song Nanyin had originally planned to just walk away, but after thinking it over, she sent Liu Zhaoran a message anyway. Carrying her small shoulder bag, she walked slowly to the parking lot. At this hour, quite a few “chauffeurs” were waiting around. Song Nanyin hadn’t driven, and since she’d been drinking, it wasn’t suitable for her to drive herself anyway.

Many of the designated drivers were men. When they saw Song Nanyin, though their gazes were restrained, some color moving in their eyes made her uncomfortable. She circled around a few times and spotted a woman in the farthest corner.

The woman was very tall, a good 180 centimeters or more by the look of her. She wore black leather boots, black trousers, and a woolen overcoat, with a fitted tank top underneath. Her short hair was styled in a wolf cut that reached her neck, and her bangs were casually parted down the middle.

If she had seen such a woman in the past, Song Nanyin would only have thought she was a very handsome woman. But now, having come to understand that kind of relationship between women, Song Nanyin, looking at the woman in front of her, could only think of one word: a… a stone butch?

“Hello, are you a designated driver? I didn’t drive here. Do you have a car available?” Song Nanyin walked up to the woman and asked. The latter was repeating the motion of unlocking her phone, locking it, unlocking it, and locking it again.

“Yes, I do. I can drive a company car to take you back.” The woman spoke, her voice a little hoarse. She rose, a head taller than Song Nanyin. Sure enough, her earlier estimate had been right, and the woman’s height was indeed over 180.

“Ma’am, let’s go.” The woman spoke, then made an inviting gesture, letting Song Nanyin into the car. Seeing that she was still repeatedly unlocking and locking her phone even as she was about to get in, Song Nanyin was a little curious.

“Are you waiting for a message from someone? If you have other things to attend to, I can call another designated driver.”

“No. I just heard that when you’re in a bad mood, unlocking and locking your phone like this cheers you up a little.”

The woman said it casually, and she didn’t look like she wanted to pour her heart out. She put her phone on the car seat, sat up straight, and drove attentively, as if a bad mood wouldn’t affect her work.

Song Nanyin watched her and, somehow, thought of Liu Zhaoran, who had just been surrounded by the crowd in the bar and had completely forgotten about her.

She lowered her head, unlocked her phone, and glanced at her messages. Sure enough, there was still no reply from Liu Zhaoran. With that thought, Song Nanyin locked her phone too.

Without meaning to, she had done something that might only make her mood worse.