Xia Wan was caught off guard.
Her mind quickly made an assessment of Nan Chu — this young woman was not as easy to deal with as she appeared on the surface.
Nan Chu was someone who acted with careful planning. Faced with an unexpected rival, Xia Wan needed time to think. By the time the smoke had dispersed, the young woman’s face became more clearly visible.
Nan Chu did not have an aggressive appearance.
Many female celebrities in the entertainment industry carried an aggressive edge to their looks — especially once they were in full makeup — yet their personalities tended to be various shades of simple and sweet.
Nan Chu was precisely the opposite. Her brows and eyes were understated, her skin delicate, her face slightly round with soft, gentle contours — a kind of quietly refined beauty. Her aggressiveness only emerged when she wanted to put someone in their place.
Like just now —
Even through the thin white haze of smoke, Xia Wan had felt Nan Chu’s gaze.
Like a hunter catching sight of prey — a fleeting flash of cold, gleaming light.
Calm. Cunning. Absolutely certain of victory.
“When did you two meet?” the enchanting one spoke.
“Two years ago.”
Xia Wan didn’t conceal it. There was even a faint trace of quiet pride in her tone.
Even though Nan Chu was beautiful and had a good figure, at the very least, she had won on the dimension of time.
She had come first.
A brief silence fell.
Xia Wan glanced over at Nan Chu’s expression. She was leaning at ease against the glass countertop, slender fingertips holding a cigarette, her brows and eyes composed, the corners of her mouth carrying a faint, barely-there smile.
From outside the door came a loud shout: “Are you two stuck in there?!”
It was Lin Qi.
Nan Chu took one final drag, pinched the cigarette out, pressed it against the edge of the washbasin, and dropped it into the nearby trash bin. She then turned to wash her hands, and spoke to Xia Wan’s reflection in the mirror: “Dr. Xia, I’ve known him since I was sixteen.”
She pulled a paper towel, wiped her hands clean, and walked out.
The person left behind felt as though she had been struck by lightning.
……
The moment Nan Chu stepped out, she saw two people standing by the door.
Lin Luxiao stood against the wall with his arms crossed, one foot hooked lazily, his gaze sliding sideways toward her before quickly withdrawing.
Lin Qi bounded over to her like a little monkey, sniffing left and right around her. “Your nicotine craving acting up again?”
Nan Chu pushed him aside, her tone impatient. “You’re even nosier than Shen Guanzong.”
Lin Qi fell into step beside her, chattering nonstop in her ear. “What I said in Milan last time — you forgot again, didn’t you?! You’re in poor health and you’re still smoking!”
Nan Chu frowned. “……”
“You’re a girl! What could possibly be giving you so many worries?!”
“……”
“Have you been checking Weibo again?”
“No.”
“Let those people say whatever they want. Is it worth getting all worked up by yourself? Hurry up and quit smoking for me already!”
Nan Chu was practically ready to slap a plastic bag over his mouth and seal it shut. “Did Shen Guanzong possess your body or something?!”
Lin Qi, frustrated beyond measure, pinched her on the arm. “If you won’t quit, I won’t let you eat my birthday cake!”
Lin Qi loved cake more than life itself, and few people were invited to eat his cake — Nan Chu was one of them.
But being a boy, he had no sense of restraint with his strength. He pinched her again. “Are you going to quit or not?!”
Nan Chu knocked his hand away, her expression darkening.
Lin Qi knew Nan Chu well enough — when she was in a good mood, you could say practically anything to her; she didn’t lose her temper easily. But if you actually managed to make her angry, the cold-shoulder treatment would activate, and you could forget about getting hold of her for the next two weeks.
The young man was thoroughly intimidated. He muttered under his breath: “Why are you being so fierce.”
Xia Wan followed them out.
Lin Qi and Nan Chu walked ahead, while Lin Luxiao strolled along behind with his hands in his pockets at a leisurely pace. He was tall — taller than either of them — his silhouette upright and straight, his legs long though not thin, his black trousers outlining legs that were lean and well-proportioned, powerful without being bulky.
While Lin Qi was talking with Nan Chu, Lin Luxiao’s expression remained faint, the corners of his lips carrying a slight curve.
Xia Wan hurried to catch up and lowered her voice to call after him: “Lin Luxiao.”
He responded with a languid: “Mm.”
“Did you know Nan Chu before?”
As she spoke, Xia Wan watched him out of the corner of her eye, carefully observing his expression.
Lin Luxiao had been walking with his head slightly down. At those words, the curve at the corner of his mouth faded, gradually stilling — and he gave a quiet, barely audible affirmation.
Xia Wan: “How did you meet?”