Chapter 16 Day Six
It was a Thursday when Ke Shumin came to see her.
There was a casual restaurant next to the company that serves simple lunches at noon.
Wen Bairan came down after receiving the call, her employee badge still on.
As she sat down, she asked directly, "What's up?"
"Look at you, can't I just come grab lunch with you without a reason?" Ke Shumin had already ordered coffee—an iced Americano, Wen Bairan’s favorite—and slid it over to her. "Have a drink first."
Wen Bairan glanced at it but didn’t touch it.
The Dayun research team's visit had moved up the entire project team's schedule. Besides the procurement plan, they had suddenly announced their intention to select sites nationwide over the next three years to establish ten high-end medical service centers, with Shenjiang also under consideration.
This was a major project, and even minor developments could attract widespread attention.
Song Xu hadn’t been in the office much these past few days, keeping tabs on them. With many tasks delegated, Qiao Yi was swamped, and Wen Bairan was no exception.
After working three all-nighters in a row, she was already exhausted. If she drank this coffee now, she wouldn’t be able to close her eyes tonight.
Rubbing her temples with her middle and ring fingers, Wen Bairan said wearily, "I really can’t do lunch. I only have ten minutes for my lunch hour, and I have to go back upstairs to work overtime soon."
Ke Shumin didn’t know about this and thought she was still upset about their last phone call. She took Wen Bairan’s hand pleadingly and said, "Don't stay mad at me. What I said that day was for your own good. It’s not easy to find someone stable to be with these days. You and Zhou Lin, you two..."
She shouldn’t have brought it up. The moment Zhou Lin was mentioned, Wen Bairan cut her off. "If you’re here to mediate, save it."
The past few days had been unusually peaceful. Zhou Lin hadn’t contacted her, and Song Xu had been hard to find at the office. She’d been enjoying the peace and quiet and didn’t want to stir up trouble or dwell on unnecessary thoughts.
Ke Shumin was at a loss for words. "Ran Ran..."
"Alright, alright. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going. It’s so hot out—you came all this way. Let me treat you to this meal, consider it as if we ate together." She transferred two hundred yuan to Ke Shumin on her phone and got up to leave.
"Wen Bairan!" Ke Shumin called out angrily. "What do you mean by this? Have you been with Zhou Lin so long that you’ve learned to kiss up and kick down? I came all the way here just to score a free meal from you? Is this how you look down on people?"
Wen Bairan stopped halfway up, turning back in surprise. She hadn’t expected such a strong reaction. "That’s not what I meant."
She slowly relaxed her posture, sitting up straight to face her, her voice softer. "Xiao Min..."
Having known her for so many years, Ke Shumin sometimes genuinely disliked her self-centeredness. She carried herself with an air of superiority, acting as though she were something special, as if the whole world should bow to her. Zhou Lin alone wasn’t enough—even her friends had to baby and indulge her. But what gave her the right?
"If that’s not what you meant, then what is it? We’ve known each other since university—how many years of friendship is that? And you pay me off? If you’re going to pay me off, at least make it a decent amount. What’s with two hundred yuan? It doesn’t even cover my round-trip cab fare. What, you’ve learned Zhou Lin’s style but not his wallet, so you can only toss two hundred yuan my way to humiliate me, is that it?"
Since she and Zhou Lin had already broken up, Ke Shumin wasn’t afraid of offending anyone. She might as well lay it all out today. "Not to criticize you, but Zhou Lin has spoiled and protected you all these years, and you’ve really started to think you’re something, haven’t you? Yes, you’re an honor student from Shenjiang University, but these days, if you throw a brick on the street, eight out of ten people it hits are graduates of prestigious schools. Zhou Lin and his crowd might not be book-smart, but that doesn’t mean they’re all fools.
"You took advantage of Zhou Lin’s love for you, making constant demands. Did he ever say no? Every time after a fight, didn’t he come back with flowers and good food to make it up to you? So what if he won’t marry you? He’s said he’ll never marry anyone. If he won’t marry you, he won’t marry anyone else. Isn’t that enough for you? How many times has Zhou Lin begged you? He’s such a proud person, yet he humbled himself every time to come find you. And not only did you not appreciate it, you went behind his back and hooked up with someone else.
"You’ve really made me see you in a new light."
Ke Shumin spoke with conviction, not stumbling over a single word. It seemed these thoughts had been brewing in her for quite some time.
Wen Bairan, who had initially felt somewhat guilty, gradually cooled off.
She knitted her brows, unable to believe these words were coming from Ke Shumin. "Ke Shumin, after all our years of friendship, is this how you see me?"
"How I see you doesn’t matter. What matters is how others see you." Ke Shumin crossed her arms, adopting a preachy tone, though her expression was disdainful, as if looking down on her. "Ran Ran, I’m not trying to criticize you. You’re good-looking, but even if you were a goddess, aren’t all the other women around Zhou Lin just as attractive in their own ways? Aren’t you afraid that in a few days, when you change your mind and look back, you’ll find there’s no place left for you? By then, it’ll be too late."
Her unfamiliar expression and tone made Wen Bairan wonder if this was still the Ke Shumin she had known all these years.
Back in university, because she was not from around here, Ke Shumin didn’t talk much at school and often didn't click with the local girls in the dorm.
Once, when the university’s water supply was cut off, Zhou Lin booked a room outside for Wen Bairan to clean up. She generously invited everyone along. The girls in the dorm were grateful for their help during a difficult time and chipped in money to treat them to a meal that evening. When Ke Shumin went to the cashier to pay, she found the bill had already been settled. She didn’t need to ask who had done it.
Just then, Wen Bairan came out of the restroom. Ke Shimin stuffed the money into her hand and said cheerfully, "Giving it to him is the same as giving it to you."
Wen Bairan hadn’t known about their plan to treat them, and Zhou Lin wasn’t the type to boast about such things. Ke Shumin could have quietly kept the money, and no one would have been the wiser.
From then on, Wen Bairan began to take an interest in her, and the two gradually grew closer. They often attended classes, meals, and library sessions together, and occasionally, Wen Bairan would bring Ke Shumin along to hang out with Zhou Lin and his friends.
Over time, Wen Bairan realized Ke Shumin wasn’t as reserved as she seemed. She just carried some insecurity from coming from a smaller place, coupled with strong self-esteem, which made her hesitant to show curiosity about many things. The boys, on the other hand, were easygoing, without many taboos, and their straightforwardness made Ke Shumin feel relaxed enough to enjoy their company.
However, she found Jiang Shijin and the others too loud and gradually lost interest in group outings. For every three times Zhou Lin invited her, Wen Bairan would only go once. On several occasions when Zhou Lin couldn’t persuade her to come, he asked Ke Shumin to help convince her. When Ke Shumin failed, she would mope around the dorm, lost in thought.
Seeing her longing, Wen Bairan suggested she could go on her own.
At first, Ke Shumin was concerned about saving face. "Isn’t that inappropriate? You’re not going, and I’m not that close with them..."
Wen Bairan didn’t see it that way. Jiang Shijin and the others were easygoing, and they always had a good time together—better than she did, in fact.
After a bit more persuasion, Ke Shumin couldn’t resist. Hesitantly, she agreed and headed out half-reluctantly.
Once that barrier was broken, she started going out more frequently. At first, she would let Wen Bairan know, but after a while, it was others in the dorm who pointed out that Ke Shumin was often absent. Wen Bairan only then realized Ke Shumin had stopped telling her about her outings with Jiang Shijin and the others.
It shouldn’t have been a big deal. Wen Bairan wasn’t fond of crowds, and it was good for Ke Shumin to make more friends. But once, when Zhou Lin suddenly asked about the person she’d spent half an hour on the phone with the previous week, Wen Bairan finally sensed something was wrong.
That weekend, when the dorm was empty, she kindly reminded Ke Shumin that it might be best not to always bring her up when hanging out with Zhou Lin and the others. Over time, they might not take Ke Shumin seriously as her own person.
Her intentions were good, but perhaps her wording was off. Ke Shumin suddenly burst into tears. She cried and said she’d only mentioned Wen Bairan because she’d noticed how much Zhou Lin had been hurting during their recent fights and wanted to understand what she was thinking. If she had upset her, she would stop hanging out with them altogether.
Wen Bairan was thrown off by her tears and assured her she wasn’t upset, urging her to stop crying. But Ke Shumin grabbed her hand and said earnestly, "I really consider you a friend. Zhou Lin has good qualities and treats you well. So many girls are eyeing him. I’m genuinely afraid you’ll break up over a small misunderstanding and regret it later."
Wen Bairan was left speechless, blaming herself for saying too much. It took her a long time to calm Ke Shumin down.
The first thing Ke Shumin said after drying her tears was, "By the way, they’re going to a riverside bar to celebrate New Year’s Eve tonight. Will you come with me?"
…
The scorching heat had baked the pavement under days of relentless heat.
It was lunchtime, and a few people emerged from the office building, all avoiding the sun. Delivery riders in yellow and blue uniforms zipped through the streets on electric scooters, constantly entering and exiting various buildings.
The restaurant was crowded, and newcomers complained about the unbearable heat outside.
But Wen Bairan’s expression was icy.
She opened her phone and navigated to Jiang Shijin’s WeChat moments.
"8 p.m., Yacht Club."
She showed it to Ke Shumin. "You came to me for this, didn’t you?"
Seeing that Jiang Shijin still had Wen Bairan on his social media, Ke Shumin’s expression shifted subtly. "I already knew they had an event today."
She tried to maintain her earlier defiant posture, but her resolve had already crumbled.
Since Zhou Lin had found someone new, he couldn’t stand hearing Wen Bairan’s name, let alone anything related to her. And Ke Shumin was precisely that "anything."
She woke up one day to find herself removed from the old group chat. Jiang Shijin and the others had even blocked her from seeing their social media posts. She had to ask around through several friends to learn about today’s event, which many were attending.
Ke Shumin had once become well-known in her social circle, mostly by basking in the reflected glory of Zhou Lin and his crowd. Recently, she had suddenly faded into the background, and when friends they had in common asked about it, she had no idea how to respond.
She did want to know the exact time and location of today’s event, but she dreaded even more having it pointed out by Wen Bairan.
Perhaps because her long-repressed jealousy had finally boiled over, she was already sick of being treated like an appendage around Wen Bairan—yet now she still had to stoop for her own vanity. She hated her own weakness.
From Ke Shumin’s expression, Wen Bairan knew she had guessed right. She coolly pulled back her hand and deleted Jiang Shijin’s WeChat right in front of her, along with all the others.
“This is the last time. I won’t be able to help you after this,” she said.
Ke Shumin: “What do you mean by that?!”
Wen Bairan let out a soft sigh. Her tone was neither clearly disappointed nor completely indifferent. “You could’ve just asked me directly. I would’ve told you.”
After so many years of friendship, whether genuine or not, she had never wanted to put things too plainly.
Ke Shumin’s sudden confrontation today was simply because Wen Bairan had broken up with Zhou Lin, which almost meant she had severed connections with Jiang Shijin and the others. She could no longer use Wen Bairan to get closer to their circle, and she was resentful about it.
“I told you before—don’t tie your name to mine. It won’t do you any good. You didn’t listen. Now that I’ve cut myself loose from them, you don’t have to bother asking me anything anymore.”
Wen Bairan pulled her chair back and stood up, pausing momentarily.
Ke Shumin didn’t look up, her flushed face radiating embarrassment.
Looking at this person she once considered her best friend, Wen Bairan couldn’t bring herself to strip away her last fig leaf. “What’s done is done. Whether we remain friends from now on is up to you.”
//
Lunch break was peak elevator time.
Wen Bairan queued in the elevator bank for higher floors. When her turn came, two elevators arrived at once. Standing at the back of the crowd, she noticed another elevator coming up from the parking garage. The doors opened, and since it was relatively empty, she turned and stepped inside.
She went straight to the farthest corner of the cab, leaned her head against the wall, and stared blankly at the metal patterning on the floor, preoccupied.
A few more people got on, and the elevator doors closed.
The elevator began ascending slowly.
Her company was on the 42nd floor, taking up the entire floor.
People got off in groups along the way. By the 36th floor, the space around her was completely clear.
Wen Bairan realized she hadn’t pressed her floor.
She quickly moved to the control panel and reached for the button for 42, then paused.
The button for 42 was already illuminated.
Was there another colleague inside?
The elevator was now empty except for the silent figure standing beside her.
She instinctively turned to look. “Song… Mr. Song?”
Song Xu had appeared at some point, also standing in the corner, right next to where she had been.
One hand was in his pants pocket, the other holding his suit jacket. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, revealing well-developed muscles with veins running through them. Leaning against the wall in dress pants and leather shoes, he looked every bit the elite, practically radiating authority.
His hair was swept back in a side-parted style, his face as expressionless as ever.
Song Xu had probably noticed her earlier, but it wasn’t until she called out to him that he cast a leisurely glance her way.
His gaze was unreadable.
Since he had made her leave his room that day, Wen Bairan had rarely seen him at the company. Running into him suddenly, especially in an enclosed space with no one else around, felt inexplicably awkward.
The elevator continued its slow ascent, without making any stops over those six floors.
Ding.
They had arrived.
Wen Bairan stood flush against the wall, holding the door open for him to exit first. “Mr. Song.”
Perhaps due to a deep-seated sense of hierarchy, she always felt beneath him at the company.
Subconsciously respectful.
Song Xu seemed quite satisfied with her attitude and stepped out in front of her. A faint trace of women’s perfume lingered in the air.
Zhong Yu?
A name suddenly popped into her head.
If she remembered correctly, that was the name of the female executive from Dayun.
Qiao Yi said he had been accompanying Dayun people these past few days. Could it be… he was using his charms?
“In thirty minutes. Team one, meeting in the conference room,” the man said in a low voice.
Wen Bairan snapped back to attention. He had already stepped out of the elevator.
“Oh, got it.”
She followed right behind him, swiped her card, and entered the company doors.
Song Xu headed toward his office on the other side.
Wen Bairan returned to her desk.
Qiao Yi wasn’t at her workstation—probably out for lunch.
Wen Bairan edited the meeting notice and sent it to the project group. She then got up and went into the pantry, closed the door, sank onto the sofa, and let out a long sigh.
I'm exhausted.
Lately, it felt like she was hexed.
First, there was Zhou Lin—eight years together, and it came to nothing. Fine, she chose to break up herself.
Then there was Song Xu—one minute tangled up in bed, the next making her leave. Fine, he was always a callous person anyway. She never expected anything from him.
And today, Ke Shumin—years of friendship, only to be met with that meaningful “seeing you differently.”
What about tomorrow? Who would surprise her next?
Truth be told, Wen Bairan had known what kind of person Ke Shumin was for a long time.
Although her intentions were usually obvious, over the years, as people came and went, only she and Zhou Lin had remained. After all, they were friends since university days. Sometimes it was easier to turn a blind eye—it wasn’t that big of a deal.
Wen Bairan just never expected that Ke Shumin would so decisively turn against her today, showing no consideration.
As if she were a tool, discarded as soon as she outlived her usefulness.
Looking back on her twenty-seven years of life, Wen Bairan had it easy—her life, school, and relationships. But now, all the things she had once taken pride in had turned on her in an instant.
She couldn’t pinpoint where it all went wrong. It wasn’t just love; she couldn’t even maintain a friendship properly.
What was the deal?
Was life always this unpredictable, keeping everyone on their toes?
Or was there something wrong with her that she hadn’t yet discovered?
The break room was pretty empty around now. Wen Bairan covered her face; the more she thought, the more she felt like crying. But no tears came—only a weight in her chest.
She couldn’t even put it into words.
She was so tired.
So tired that she wanted to ask for leave right now, go home, and crash and sleep for ages in her small apartment.
Ke Shumin was right about one thing: in the past, Zhou Lin had always protected her. Though she had never taken a single cent from him, he had made sure she never wanted for anything materially. If she ever felt unhappy at work, she could quit just like that—after all, he would have been more than happy for her to be home with him all day instead.
But not anymore.
She had nothing now.
No savings, no money put away. Only debt and a mortgage.
She had no room to be picky.
Suddenly, the lock made a sound.
A click—it was locked.
Startled, Wen Bairan sprang up from the sofa and turned to find Song Xu standing there with a cup in his hand.
Flustered, she instinctively wiped the corners of her eyes and lowered her gaze, afraid he might notice something amiss. "Mr. Song."
She greeted him and tried to leave.
But her legs wouldn’t move.
Not that she couldn’t move them—the door was locked.
Song Xu stood by the door, placing his mug on the island counter. He had said he wouldn’t touch coffee again; the rich aroma of black tea wafted from the teabag in his cup, so strong that Wen Bairan could smell it even from where she stood.
He stepped forward, not too close—keeping a gap of about three steps between them.
He leaned casually against the partition glass and looked at her.
Sizing her up.
His gaze swept slowly from head to toe.
It felt like he was reviewing a report—checking every detail of its content and data, examining whether the format of the signature and seal met standards. Wen Bairan felt as though she had been completely exposed under his inspection.
She felt uneasy.
And yet, weirdly used to this feeling.
Gradually, she relaxed her shoulders.
"Been crying?" he asked.
Wen Bairan said no.
"Then what were you doing just now?"
Wen Bairan said she was tired and just taking a break.
Song Xu crossed his arms, a hint of amusement in his tone. "If I remember correctly, you’ve already rested for three days."
When had she rested for three days?
She lifted her eyes and met the deep, unreadable look in his gaze.
Her heart hammered in her chest.
She clenched her thighs without thinking.
From that night until today—exactly three days had passed.
Her face began to burn.
The mug was under the water dispenser; the boiling water splashed as it filled the cup.
Song Xu picked it up leisurely, blew on it, and walked over to her like he had all the time in the world.
The Ceylon tea had a distinctive flavor, almost floral.
The dark red tea sloshed gently in the mug.
"Since resting isn’t doing you any good, you might as well not rest at all." Song Xu’s toe tapped the tip of her shoe, steam curling up continuously from the cup.
Wen Bairan couldn’t see his expression clearly, nor did she want to.
She fixed her gaze on his open collar. His skin was smooth, softer than most women’s, and so pale that she could just make out the faint purple veins under the surface. Yet his bone structure was unmistakably male.
He blew on the tea, the mug hiding his face from view.
The warm air brushed against her skin, damp.
Wen Bairan’s heart raced, her eyelashes fluttered on their own.
Song Xu acted like he didn’t notice. He sipped his tea with the elegance of someone savoring wine.
As if unsatisfied with the strength or taste, he tsked softly.
"Not a fan of this."
"It’s too sweet."
The gray mug was extended toward her. The tea inside was getting darker; the teabag sank to the bottom, still steeping, making it stronger.
Thick like blood.
He asked, "Want some?"
They were too close; no matter how softly Song Xu spoke, his innate authority was so overwhelming that even the overhead light seemed to dim.
Wen Bairan didn’t understand what he was up to. The one who had driven her away that night was him, and now the one messing with her was also him. Besides, what was his attitude now? Pulling rank as President Song to force her to drink something he had already sipped from?
Why should I?
Her eyelids snapped up.
She seethed.
"What are you trying to do, President Song? There are cameras outside. You’ve been following me in for so long—aren’t you afraid everyone at work will talk?" With those words, she sounded like her usual self again.
The dispirited little wildcat, slouched on the couch, suddenly shook off her lethargy, her eyes turning fierce as she unsheathed her claws and took a swipe at him.
Fortunately, Song Xu was ready.
He took half a step back, along with his cup, and the light above fell exactly where he had been standing.
He looked at her and let out a sudden laugh, his usually stoic expression came to life a little.
Wen Bairan frowned. "What are you laughing at?"
"Probably no one has ever told you—your defiance is quite striking." He paused, pondering his wording. "Hmm, there’s a kind of fierce beauty to it."
Wen Bairan was taken aback. "..."
She hadn’t expected him to suddenly compliment her and was caught off guard.
Song Xu chuckled louder.
Wen Bairan had no words. "What are you laughing at now?"
This man always liked to beat around the bush, making others guess his meaning—even in bed, constantly changing positions, as if he wanted to try every position.
Coupled with his knowing smirk, it was hard not to suspect he was mocking her on purpose.
She couldn’t deal with him. "Laugh all you want. I’m leaving."
She stepped around him—thank God she found her feet again.
He moved to cut her off. "Wait."
Wen Bairan: "What else, President Song?"
Gently raising the cup, Song Xu tilted his head, gesturing for her to hear him out. "Only joking. You feel better now?"
Wen Bairan froze.
Had he been... deliberately teasing her just now?
Because she was in a bad mood?
...
Is this any way to tease someone!
She gave him a look. "All thanks to you, President Song. I’m great!"
She deliberately emphasized her words.
Song Xu didn’t mind her holding a grudge and moved on to business: "There’s a client dinner tonight. You’re coming with me."
Wen Bairan: "Where’s Qiao Yi?"
"Her boyfriend was in a car accident. She asked for leave. Didn’t you check the group chat?"
...
What a convenient "car accident."
Wen Bairan could tell with her eyes closed that this ridiculous excuse was probably fake.
She had intended to refuse, but on second thought, she changed her mind.
Song Xu held the teacup with his arm crossed in front of his chest when a soft, boneless hand rested on it.
The woman leaned slightly forward, her chest brushing faintly against his arm, her eyelashes lifting gently, her eyes shimmering with an alluring glow.
"Does President Song want to cancel my leave?"
Song Xu’s gaze sharpened, as if he hadn’t expected her to be so bold in the office. His sidelong glance was deep and dark.
Wen Bairan smiled charmingly, pressed down on his shoulder, rose on her tiptoes, and brought her lips close to his ear, her breath as fragrant as orchids. "That depends on your performance."