As evening fell, a dreary rain began.
Shen Jing held an umbrella, walking aimlessly through the streets of Shanghai.
While waiting to cross the road, a hurried passerby bumped her shoulder. Her umbrella clattered to the ground. The person, likely in a rush, mumbled an apology and quickly moved on. The rain pattered onto her head and face.
Coincidentally, a red Ferrari drove over a speed bump, exceptionally conspicuous in the misty rain. Whether her eyes were particularly sharp or the sight was simply too familiar, she clearly recognized the two people inside.
Months had passed, yet Zhou Luchen remained the same high-and-mighty Zhou Luchen. His elbow rested lazily on the car window, the sleeves of his gray shirt rolled up, revealing a section of his strong wrist. His passenger was a glamorous actress.
Who knew what crude remark Zhou Luchen had made to cause the beauty's cheeks to flush a rosy red.
Meanwhile, Shen Jing stood forlornly in the rain, her freshly washed hair already soaked into limp strands.
That inexplicable sense of irritation.
The actress, Lu Siyuan, sat complacently in the passenger seat, admiring her freshly manicured, sparkling nails. "I scalded my hand several times trying to brew that pot of tea just right, and it swelled up. I had to stay home for days, unable to go on set for filming."
A faint, teasing smile played on Zhou Luchen's handsome features, so subtle it was barely perceptible. "I'll compensate you."
Lu Siyuan was momentarily dazed, her face flushing a delicate red. She gently tugged at his sleeve, her fingertips, intentionally or otherwise, brushing against the prominent bones of his strong forearm. Lowering her head, she dared only to ask softly, "At the hotel?"
She cajoled him, attempting to take the initiative. Even knowing how much this devalued her, she was inexplicably fixated on the compensation he mentioned.
Observing her closely, he quirked his lips. "Are you sure?"
Lu Siyuan, ever eager to please, smiled with conviction. "Certain. I want a Kelly Mini in Haze Blue."
"I'll have someone deliver it to your house tonight."
For him, it was probably just the cost of a meal or a single phone call, effortlessly arranged. Yet it was enough to make Lu Siyuan's heart race for quite a while. "Thank you," she said. If he hadn't been driving, she probably would have sealed it with a kiss.
"I heard from Chen Yao that you have a girlfriend now, that Miss Shen… Is she really your girlfriend?"
He paused for a moment, then his brow furrowed slightly. "Does it look like it?"
"Not at all, since you've never admitted it," Lu Siyuan said, her smile confident. Zhou Luchen was a man who played the field; the women by his side changed constantly, none of them ever holding the title of his official girlfriend.
"Then who is your girlfriend?" Lu Siyuan asked softly.
Zhou Luchen was exceptionally callous. "None of your business."
Just then, he pressed harder on the accelerator. Lu Siyuan gripped her seatbelt tighter and didn't dare speak again; this man's temperament was not to be trifled with. If an entanglement went sour, he wouldn't leave you an inch of leeway. Don't try too hard to cling to him; he was inherently shrewd. He was a man who lacked nothing.
However, Lu Siyuan vaguely remembered that girl speaking with a particular sweetness, seemingly innocent, yet her words and actions with Zhou Luchen in the private suite had been quite suggestive. She knew Zhou Luchen wasn't indiscriminate; unless their looks appealed to his taste and their touch happened to be just to his liking.
And just like that, Zhou Luchen saw Shen Jing standing by the roadside, drenched in the rain.
But what difference would seeing her make?
Shen Jing bent down to pick up her umbrella. She searched her bag for a tissue and wiped the mud from the umbrella before crossing the road to a small restaurant for dinner. She wondered if the chef had changed; one bite, and she found the diced beef was overcooked and the flavor was off. Even though she felt an emptiness in her stomach, she ate this meal with extreme distraction. It felt as if something were lodged in her throat, making it difficult to swallow.
Shen Jing paid the bill and left.
Just then, Chen Yao sent her a WeChat message: "Coming to hang out? He's here too."
Shen Jing saw the message but didn't reply immediately. Half an hour later, she responded: "I don't know him well."
Chen Yao didn't reply. Accustomed to being indulged, he truly wasn't the type to ask a second time or pester relentlessly. One would only worry he might suddenly lash out, calling you unappreciative.
That day, Shen Jing was indeed in a wretched state.
When she returned to the house in the old alleyway, her grandmother's memory was muddled again. She had gone to bed early, double-locking the main door from the inside. She hadn't remembered Shen Jing was still in Shanghai, nor had she remembered to leave the door unlatched for her.
All Shen Jing could do was go to a hotel.
As she was checking in, she saw Zhou Luchen emerging from the elevator.
There was no denying it; his aristocratic aura was too potent, too eye-catching. It was impossible not to notice him.
Strangely, that glamorous actress wasn't by his side this time.
Shen Jing had heard some interesting tales: wealthy young scions like him were often quite lonely, always keeping one or two female companions around to provide emotional comfort. He paid the money, and the companions provided amusement. There were even those who made a profession out of it.
Shen Jing pocketed her room card, lowered her head, and hurried past him towards the elevators.
But there was more embarrassment to come.
The elevator didn't wait for her. A couple stepped in, immediately embraced passionately, and pressed the button to close the doors.
Zhou Luchen was close by. The faint, almost imperceptible tap of his leather shoes on the marble floor grated on her nerves, making her scalp tingle. Shen Jing bit her lip, a sudden wave of indignation washing over her. She could only repeatedly press the elevator call button as an outlet, trying to feign composure despite her discomfort.
A member of the guest services staff, exceptionally polite and considerate, said, "Madam, please wait for the next elevator. You mentioned you haven't had dinner yet; we've already prepared it for you. Would you like it sent to your room, or would you prefer to go to the restaurant first?"
"Sent to…"
The sound of footsteps near her ear seemed to stop, and the word on the tip of Shen Jing's tongue caught in her throat. She couldn't help but turn around.
Zhou Luchen was standing by a crystal pillar, looking perfectly composed and unhurried.
"Haven't had dinner?" he asked, his tone lilting upwards.
After all, he seemed to be in high spirits today, taking in her entire awkward predicament with visible amusement.