Chapter 8: “Ordinary” Luxury
Wang Meifeng's farcical "raid" was like a stone dropped into a lake, stirring up ripples before quickly returning to calm. Life seemed to have returned to the track that Zhao Chen had carefully ironed, with its warm wrinkles.
Yu Ling remains busy executing the "Star Ocean Project," experiencing both a sense of accomplishment and pressure. But upon returning to her "home," she's always greeted by perfectly tuned lighting, the soothing scent of cedar, and a busy figure in a whale-shaped apron in the kitchen.
The one-year agreement's presence in Ling's heart faded. Instead, a growing dependence and an inexplicable sense of security took its place. Zhao Chen was like a silent barrier, silently shielding her from the outside world, from the veiled attacks of the workplace to the harassment of her overt relatives.
She began to get used to his presence, his scent, and even began to look forward to seeing him peeking out of the kitchen in his apron when she opened the door after get off work every day, smiling and saying, "Are you back? Wash your hands and have dinner."
The secret doubts in my heart about Zhao Chen's true identity were repeatedly washed away by the gentle daily routine of boiling a frog in warm water, becoming intermittent and no longer as sharp as they were at the beginning.
Only occasionally, when she glanced at the edges of the documents on his desk with complicated English abbreviations, or saw his "friend" send her another expensive bottle of table wine with an incomprehensible label, that little bit of uneasiness would bubble up like bubbles under the water, and then be quickly suppressed by the steaming breath of life before her.
It was sunny on Saturday morning.
Yu Ling, having rarely worked overtime, slept until she woke naturally. She wore comfortable home clothes and fluffy gray slippers, then sauntered blearily to the bathroom. The mirror reflected a face flushed with sleep. She turned on the faucet, scooped up a handful of cool water, and splashed it on her face. Her foggy mind instantly cleared up.
Out of habit, she reached for the shampoo in the corner of the sink. It was a minimalist, frosted white bottle, devoid of any fancy designs. Only tiny, gold-stamped English letters emblazoned on the bottom read: Oribe. Yu Ling's knowledge of skincare brands was limited, and she usually used over-the-counter supermarket brands.
Zhao Chen had put this bottle of shampoo there the day she moved in, saying it was "left by the landlord, so there's no need to waste it." She really enjoyed it; the foam was fine and rich, leaving her hair smooth and fluffy after washing. It had a sophisticated, woody, floral fragrance that lingered for a long time, far superior to the dozens of yuan bottles she'd used before.
She squeezed a pump into her palm, worked a rich lather into her hair, and applied it to her hair. A refreshing aroma permeated the air amidst the mist. She closed her eyes, savoring the comfort of the lather enveloping her hair, her fingers unconsciously caressing the exceptionally textured frosted bottle.
A thought suddenly flashed through my mind: I think I heard that particular vice president of the company mention this brand? It's said to be used by Hollywood stars, and it's incredibly expensive.
She shook her head, dismissing the thought. It was left by the landlord, perhaps they'd been particular about it in the past? She continued humming a tuneless song, rinsing off the foam and picking up the matching conditioner bottle next to it—an equally simple frosted white bottle with the same gold-stamped lettering on the bottom. The conditioner had a silky texture and incredibly moisturizing properties.
After washing her hair, she felt refreshed. Yu Ling picked up her toothbrush and squeezed on toothpaste. The tube was a heavy, matte black metal tube with only a thin silver trim around the end. It also lacked any logo. She remembered Zhao Chen saying it was "an internal trial developed by a friend's company. It worked so well, so I brought it back to try."
The taste of this toothpaste is very special, it is a mixture of fresh mint and a hint of ginger. After brushing your teeth, your mouth will be extremely refreshed and clean, without the astringency or residual sweetness after brushing with ordinary toothpaste.
Yu Ling grinned in the mirror, her bright white teeth in good spirits. She dried her face and habitually opened the cabinet under the sink, looking for her face cream. She was almost out of it, and she remembered tucking it in here last time.
The cabinet door slid open, revealing several neatly stacked rows of bottles and jars. In the most prominent position, a few familiar white frosted bottles—large refills of shampoo and conditioner—were placed. Next to them, a row of skincare products Yu Ling didn't recognize, but whose packaging was equally astonishingly understated and luxurious.
Curiously, she picked up one of the deep blue glass bottles. The bottle had sleek lines and a weighty, intricate, yet subtle, pattern on the cap. The label was minimalist, featuring just a few gilded letters: La Mer. Next to it was a similarly textured white bottle, its label emblazoned with La Prairie. There were also several smaller, quaintly shaped ceramic jars, emblazoned with the cursive script of Sisley or Valmont...
Yu Ling: “!!!”
Although she wasn't a fan of luxury goods, these names were still familiar to her when she saw them in fashion magazines and passed by the intimidating counters in top-tier shopping malls! They were all high-end brands worth a fortune! The price of just one small bottle of serum was enough to cover her food expenses for a month!
Her hand trembled, and she nearly dropped the heavy La Mer bottle! Her heart was pounding! The landlord left it there?! A sample from a friend's company?! Could this excuse be any more convincing?! Whose landlord is this rich?! Whose sample from a friend's company is La Prairie?! This was clearly bringing a top-tier brand home!
She took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and carefully returned the bottle to its place, as if holding a fragile time bomb. Her eyes swept over the other items in the cabinet: uniquely shaped scented candles (she couldn't recognize the brand, but the smell was incredibly luxurious), beautifully packaged mouthwash, and even a few boxes of bath salts printed in French...?!
How can this be a toiletry storage cabinet? This is clearly a small, luxurious dressing table! And a top-of-the-line model!
A sense of absurdity and a strong desire to explore instantly gripped Yu Ling. She closed the closet door and hurried out of the bathroom as if fleeing a crime scene, her heart aching.
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