Lady

Ju Hui arrived home with the fresh scent of her coat mixed with the stench of alcohol. It was 11 p.m. When she opened the door, warm light shone into the room. She looked up and awkwardly met the gaze of Yun Aonan, who was sitting on the sofa with a face mask on.

Ju Hui looked puzzled and squatted down to change her shoes. "Aren't you sleeping at Pei Yao's house tonight?"

"Ah, I've never slept at Pei Yao's house."

Yun Aonan quickly turned around, slapping her cheeks haphazardly with her fingers, and changed the subject, "You're pretty early today, aren't you? You're back before the school curfew."

"Bian Jiaping suddenly said he'd be doing a video room check tonight, I wonder what he's up to." Ju Hui muttered a couple of times, then dragged herself past the unopened package.

On the table was Yun Aonan's iPad, where she was watching a Korean variety show. It featured handsome men and beautiful women dressed as middle-aged men working together in the muddy fields, while the silent room was filled with laughter and noise.

This EP?

Didn't they watch it together in their school dormitory before?

Ju Hui stood still, looking at the iPad and then at Yun Aonan, her expression complicated.

Yun Aonan forced a smile, but suddenly felt a cold sweat break out on her back. Ju Hui knew that she didn't usually go home, but went to sleep with Pei Yao...

“Ao Nan…” Ju Hui walked around the sofa and sat down next to her. “I haven’t even left yet, and you’re already reliving our memories…”

Yun Aonan: "...Wh-what do you mean?"

Ju Hui: "Men are all idiots, right!"

"Ah?...Yes!" Yun Aonan nodded several times.

Suddenly overcome with grief, Ju Hui's lips drooped like a wilted potted plant. He reached out and hugged her, but the face mask was knocked off by her wildly swinging arms. Only then did Yun Aonan smell the alcohol on her.

Since moving here, Ju Hui has always been physically and mentally exhausted. As soon as she gets home, she goes straight to her room. The two of them are more like roommates than before.

"What if I'm really not in the country next year? You'll definitely miss me." Ju Hui said softly, her voice trembling with tears. "Let's forget about those men. Let's make this year alright, okay..."

"You really have a man now!" Yun Aonan patted her thin back. "Alright, alright, stop crying."

She's too thin; how can she possibly carry Ruko's suitcase?

After Ju Hui finished crying and her bloodshot eyes had mostly recovered, Yun Aonan poured her some ice water, put the fallen face mask on her face, and then connected her video call with Bian Jiaping, who had already called several times.

Ju Hui had forgotten most of what happened after that; she had a complete blank. She only remembered that Bian Jiaping could tell at a glance that she was drunk, but luckily Yun Aonan was right next to her, so he didn't yell at her directly.

The next day was the weekend, and Ju Hui was called by Hui Ling, who asked her to bring her computer to the gallery. Hui Ling Hotel had changed a bedding design from the final draft to a carpet pattern, and she had already printed out a sample, but something came up today, so Ju Hui was the only one who was free.

Ju Hui responded with "uh-huh," her mind wandering to another world. On the way to Yun Que, she was both confused and fearless, like a high school student who had taken a day off and was on her way back to school. Bian Jiaping was her homeroom teacher.

Young people recover quickly; the hangover didn't affect Ju Hui at all, and she was in great shape when she attended the meeting.

The meeting ended smoothly. Just as she was leaving, it was afternoon tea time. Ju Hui smiled and declined the team's invitation for another cup of coffee. She wanted to take advantage of Bian Jiaping's absence and make her escape.

But life is often contrary to our wishes.

As Ju Hui reached the elevator, she ran into Bian Jiaping, who was also coming downstairs. His impeccably tailored suit held him tightly around the neck, his head held high, the imposing presence of the homeroom teacher pressing down on him.

Ju Hui immediately felt the effects of her hangover and took a half step back, confirming that this was not a private elevator.

"Ms. Ju, good afternoon." The secretary beside her recognized her and gentlemanly held the elevator door steady, inviting her in.

Ju Hui swallowed hard. "Hello."

After the elevator doors closed, the secretary continued to report to her boss on her phone in the three-person space.

"Because the promotional period coincides with the film festival, several celebrities invited will be staying at Yunque. We've finalized three slogans, with 'Midnight Art Migration' being the initial choice..."

"Cough cough!"

Ju Hui covered her mouth and lowered her head to hide the humor that was just as strange as her name.

Bian Jiaping glanced down at Ju Hui, frowned, and asked his secretary, "What relocation?"

The male secretary stumbled over his words and quickly explained that if that wasn't suitable, there were two other options.

But the remaining one is called "becoming a canvas," and the other is not even as good as the Great Migration of Animals.

Bian Jiaping paused for a moment, then tapped her white shoes with the toe of his leather shoe and asked, "What do you think would be suitable?"

Ju Hui exclaimed "Ah!" and looked up at the indicator light; they were almost at the first floor. Without thinking much, she blurted out, "For example... 'sleeping in the art museum'?"

"Then this one."

Bian Jiaping gestured to his secretary to write it down.

The other party nodded seriously, typed the five large characters on the keyboard with his thumb, and immediately conveyed them to the 985 graduate student majoring in copywriting, with the note: "Final version by Boss Bian".

Ju Hui smiled bitterly and remained silent.

Even the most boring and useless things will appreciate in value if handled by someone with a silver spoon in their mouth. This principle applies to the art market as well, and it seems to apply equally to the workplace.

The elevator doors opened, revealing bright outdoor light. Ju Hui headed straight for the main entrance. She didn't want to meddle; if the event didn't go well, she wouldn't be blamed.

"return."

Just as she took a step, Bian Jiaping called her from inside the elevator.

The secretary, who was still pressing the close button, quickly held the door open and turned to look at him along with Ju Hui. Bian Jiaping took his hand out of his trouser pocket and glanced at his watch.

"Mr. Bian, the factory is still waiting for us to confirm the bedding design..."

"Come to my office first." Bian Jiaping ignored the man beside him. "I have to pay for your headline."

-

Bian Jiaping's office has a serious style, with a preference for a technological feel and silver-blue. The fragrance used to mask the smell of smoke is a custom-made cedar and sea salt scent. Ju Hui looked around and found that everything around her, even the bright, overcast sky outside the window, was the same as before.

He dislikes new things, or rather, he protects old things.

Ju Hui accepted the drip coffee that Bian Jiaping had personally brewed, thanked him, and took a sip. It was so sour that she stuck out her tongue. Bian Jiaping handed her a glass of water and said noncommittally, "I also find it sour, so I never drink it. I only serve it to guests."

He said Ju Hui was a guest, but the cup he handed her was Ju Hui's personal cup.

She has her own cup and nap blanket here, and a suite at the Cloud Tower Hotel in the CBD is reserved for her.

"You're dating Sheng Qijing, aren't you?" Bian Jiaping glanced at her. "Break up with him, you two aren't a good match."

Ju Hui didn't react much, continuing to drink water in small sips. Her facial features were obscured by the rim of the cup, making it impossible to see her emotions. Bian Jiaping couldn't resist taking a lighter from the drawer.

As the smoke rose, Ju Hui remained silent.

Is this child's old problem resurfacing?

"There are only four months left until the application deadline, right? How far along are you?"

"...Forty percent, about right."

Ju Hui took another sip of water, feeling uneasy.

The progress bar before submitting the PDF only shows 0% and 100%, since accidents can happen at any time when making sculptures.

"So, what's your progress with Sheng Qijing?"

"Cough cough...!"

Ju Hui choked on the last mouthful of water, her face instantly turning bright red. Bian Jiaping showed no concern, his expression indifferent. He glanced at the time and then looked at her again, asking for a number.

Ju Hui smiled at him, immediately sprang up from the sofa, and before he could react, pushed open his office door. "Let's go!"

She shouldn't have gone upstairs; she actually fantasized that Bian Jiaping would give her a contract so the finance department could transfer the money.

Two hands were pulling on Bian Jiaping's suit from behind, but he was no longer flustered. He strolled along as she pushed him forward.

They stopped just before reaching the door.

Bian Jiaping turned around, his sharp eyes seeming to want to dig a hole in Ju Hui's body, "Have you taken any measures?"

Secretary Bian Jiaping glanced at his phone. Exactly twenty minutes later, President Bian and Ju Hui appeared before him without fail. The atmosphere seemed even more awkward than before. It was alright; he would maintain a calm smile.

“You take her back to school, I’ll drive this car to the factory.”

The secretary stepped aside to listen to the president's instructions. Bian Jiaping opened the car door and stopped in place, glancing past him at Ju Hui.

“Tell Mr. Liu to pick her up for class tomorrow morning,” Bian Jiaping said, staring at Ju Hui, also informing her, “to drive the best car.”

Ju Hui pursed her lips and waved goodbye to her homeroom teacher.

The next day, the driver indeed appeared downstairs in the residential area to wait for her and Yun Aonan. The driver drove steadily, and Yun Aonan comfortably took another five minutes of sleep.

Before leaving, the master asked Ju Hui about her schedule for the day and promised that he could appear within three minutes, regardless of whether it was the school gallery or Yun Que.

When the master smiled, he had a pair of honest and reliable cheeks.

The two exchanged contact information, and the driver continued to pick them up and drop them off for almost half a month.

The driver wouldn't bother them in the morning, but when they went home in the evening, Yun Aonan sometimes didn't go with Ju Hui. They would talk more when it was just the two of them in the car.

Her master always asked her what she had been busy with that day and how she had eaten. Ju Hui felt awkward and politely declined, saying, "Master, maybe I shouldn't trouble you to pick me up tonight. It's so late now, Bian Jiaping is just indirectly asking you to work overtime."

"No, Mr. Bian has only arranged for me to pick you up and take you home."

The night was chilly, and the driver's words chilled me to the bone.

“This is all my work. You only travel twice a day, in the morning and evening, so you're not busy.”

“…That’s not good either, your salary must have decreased.” Ju Hui thought for a moment, Bian Jiaping was a big businessman, not a great philanthropist.

"It is indeed less." The driver smiled and sighed self-deprecatingly, "But it's okay, it's only 150 yuan a trip. My child was just born, so this period will pass."

Ju Hui responded with an "oh".

Pretending to be busy, she looked down at her phone and scrolled through her WeChat list. The recent messages could be scrolled to the bottom, and from the first to the fifth, apart from the Study Abroad Guide WeChat official account and campus card recharge, there was only one other person, Xu Siran.

After she left that night, Sheng Qijing sent her a message asking where she was, but Ju Hui didn't reply.

He didn't say anything else, and the two of them became parallel lines again.

Just then, Xu Siran sent another message:

【How are you? 】

It's been a long time since the reports about the Bagua Wall and the student aid fund came out, and Xu Siran's greeting wasn't because of them, but because poor Ju Hui has gotten into trouble again.

Her family situation and high-resolution photos of her viewing the exhibition were made public by her counselor.

Good news: Ju Hui looks beautiful in that photo, but Sheng Qijing was cropped out.

Bad news: Her advisor protected her scholarship spot.

She was like a computer infected with a rogue virus, constantly leaking her privacy. Ju Hui tried to report the problem to higher authorities, but the leaks continued unabated, like a torrential downpour.

This torrential rain turned her already dry life into a bitter, aching mess. Even today, everyone's eyes hold apologetic looks; she's numb.

As a child, Ju Hui saw her parents as her weakness, and her teacher taught her that it was best to keep quiet when she was bullied. Behind the child's naivety lay a power struggle between parents. When no one stood up for her, the teacher became a paper-thin referee, and Ju Hui was the weakling in the mud, forced to hold back her tears under the intimidation of the other parent.

Whenever Ju Hui met new classmates in the first grade, she would cleverly hide her family situation and keep quiet. Not many classmates bullied her, and her life wasn't too hard; it was actually quite alright.

As a content and self-sufficient wealthy person, Ju Hui replied to him: "Really, I'm fine."

Now she chooses to find self-compatibility by enjoying the gaze of others.

Even after the news broke, she would hold a book close to her chest, shoulders relaxed, head held high, her steps firm and confident, like an ugly duckling that had successfully transformed into a swan.

And so she withstood most scrutiny.

Xu Siran replied instantly: 【Then I'm not in a good position. You absolutely have to come with me to the art exhibition this weekend. You wasted the last concert.】

Xu Siran: [Little Rabbit Rolling Around.gif]

Ju Hui's eyes twitched slightly. Xu Siran had posted a message on his WeChat Moments today to force her to agree to go to the exhibition. It was a selfie of himself crying on his way to the concert. His face was still handsome, but there were actually tears in his eyes. The caption also included Ju Hui's name, accusing her of not replying after reading his message and standing him up.

Ju Hui immediately replied upon discovering the post, begging him to delete it right away, but was threatened into posting an apology on her WeChat Moments as well. Ju Hui gritted her teeth and sent the apology. Xu Siran was satisfied, deleted the post, and told Ju Hui that the selfie was actually only visible to her.

A cunning rabbit.

Ju Hui had a headache, but was thankful that no friends liked or commented during that minute.

Ju Hui had previously explicitly refused him, saying she wasn't considering dating for the time being, but Xu Siran persisted in pursuing her.

Yun Aonan categorized Xu Siran as the "dog-skin plaster" type, the most terrifying kind. She advised Ju Hui to move out of the workshop as soon as possible, otherwise, this kind of person would skin her alive even after a breakup.

Ju Hui shivered, coldly rejected him again, and logged out of WeChat, ignoring any other messages he sent.

"Miss Ju, we've arrived."

"OK, thanks."

The community security guards are now extremely familiar with the driver's license plate number; they only need to use consecutive "Beijing C" numbers and nod to register it.

Ju Hui was dropped off at the main building of the residential complex. The driver got out of the car and watched her walk to the brightly lit elevator. The beep sounded, and the elevator was about to go up. Ju Hui looked back at the lobby and nodded to the driver.

The master's cheeks also twitched in a smile.

Ju Hui stepped into the elevator, and the figure disappeared.

The sound of wheels broke through the silence of the night.

Ju Hui held onto the elevator door and looked at Sheng Qijing, who was hidden in the fire escape. He took half a step forward and then retreated, the warm yellow light shining on him from the side.

His whole body exuded a lingering resentment, as if soaked in sunlight.

He pouted and said, "You're not coming out because you want to invite me to your house?"