Lan Lan raised an eyebrow. This wasn't an invitation to dinner, but a declaration of war, wasn't it?
"Mr. Feng, what do you think?" Lan Lan didn't agree and turned to ask Feng Feng.
Feng Feng stated directly, "I mind."
Her refusal was blunt, and Shen Su's expression froze once again.
Qin Si Ruan couldn't understand their relationship. Sensing Shen Su's displeasure, she tugged his arm, "Let's not disturb you for now. Shen Su, let's go back, the food will get cold."
In the end, Shen Su was taken away by Qin Si Ruan. Lan Lan drank her juice and said with a smile, "His ex-girlfriend is quite pretty."
Feng Feng replied, "Yes, she's pitiable."
The two didn't chat much about Qin Si Ruan. Their conversation soon turned to the spoils of their shopping spree that day. They enjoyed their meal, and when it was time to pay, Shen Su and Qin Si Ruan had already disappeared. Feng Feng hadn't even noticed when they left.
In the evening, Feng Feng returned to her apartment, hung the clothes and bags she had bought in the cloakroom, and then went to take a shower.
As soon as she came out of the shower, she saw Shen Su sitting on the sofa in the living room.
Feng Feng was startled, "What are you doing here?"
Shen Su didn't speak, his naked gaze sweeping over her. Having just showered, she was only wearing a silk camisole, which easily ignited his desire.
Shen Su got up and stepped forward, encircling her waist. He lowered his head to whisper in her ear, "You tell me, why am I here?"
That was true, Feng Feng thought she had asked a redundant question. Shen Su sought her out for nothing else but intimacy. However, the scent of women's perfume on him was a bit pungent. Feng Feng recognized the scent; she had smelled it on Qin Si Ruan earlier that day.
She had no intention of investigating how Shen Su had acquired the scent. "You should go take a shower first."
"I can't wait," Shen Su, for the first time, didn't listen to her. He gripped her waist, brought her to the sofa, and began.
The silk nightgown Feng Feng was wearing was soon kicked to her ankles. Her still-damp hair fanned out on the sofa, and the dripping water wet the fabric beneath her.
Shen Su's actions tonight carried a certain personal emotion. As Feng Feng wondered, Shen Su suddenly bit her shoulder.
Feng Feng cried out in pain, "Let go, it hurts."
"You know pain," Shen Su panted, his fingers digging into her shoulder with force. "I thought you didn't know how to write that word."
Shen Su was usually gentle and considerate, but when he became truly forceful, Feng Feng was no match for him.
He wouldn't stop, and the result was that they moved from the living room to the bedroom.
Afterward, exhausted, Feng Feng fell asleep without even showering.
While she slept without a care, Shen Su, after showering, became even more awake. He looked at the sleeping woman beside him, recalling her indifferent attitude, and felt increasingly vexed.
By his past preferences, Feng Feng, a woman who never clung after leaving his bed, was exactly the type he liked and needed most. But now, because of her "indifference," he had become endlessly restless.
Perhaps everyone was susceptible to their inherent nature; the more challenging a person was, the more one desired to conquer them.
On the third day of Lan Lan's business trip to London, it was Friday in Nanjiang. Early in the morning, Feng Feng received a WeChat message from Lan Lan, sent in the early hours.
Lan Lan: [I saw Wen Zhouyuan tonight. We're having dinner together tomorrow afternoon. He asked a lot about you.]
Feng Feng stared at the message for a long time, her attention fixed on the last sentence.
He asked a lot about her... What did he ask?
After so long without contact, how she was living should be irrelevant to him.
Feng Feng didn't engage in a deep conversation with Lan Lan about it and devoted herself to her work for the day.
She stayed late for over an hour, and unusually, left the company at eight o'clock. On her way, Shen Su called to say he might not be coming over tonight because he had a social engagement.
Feng Feng replied, "Okay, I understand."
Given their relationship, she had no expectations of Shen Su. She even felt that his reporting his schedule was somewhat presumptuous.
Feng Feng returned home and, unusually, made herself a simple dinner. After eating and showering, she took out her yoga mat to do some stretching.
After just a few poses, Lan Lan's call came through.
Feng Feng didn't think much of it and answered, asking, "What is it?"
"It's me." The voice on the other end was both familiar and strange.
Lan Lan's expression froze for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure. "Mm."
Her reply to him was a single, calm, and restrained word.
"Are you still busy?" he asked, posing an inconsequential question, as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn't refused her, and as if they hadn't been apart for so many years.
"No." Feng Feng's heart had calmed considerably, but she still couldn't bring herself to make small talk as if nothing had happened. "Did you need something?"
"I just wanted to ask how you've been lately," he asked. "Could I have your contact information?"
"Oh, you can get it from Lan Lan," Feng Feng replied indifferently. "Is there anything else?"
"No," he said.
Feng Feng replied, "Okay, then that's all."
Her action of hanging up the phone was decisive, but her accelerated heartbeat betrayed her.
Feng Feng sat on the yoga mat, staring at her phone screen. Within minutes, a friend request popped up on WeChat.
She opened it, accepted it, and then saw Wen Zhouyuan's WeChat avatar and profile. It was the same as before.
After accepting the friend request, he sent a message: [It's me.]
He didn't even say his name, as if he was certain she would remember his details.
Feng Feng didn't know how to reply, so she chose silence. Then, Wen Zhouyuan sent another message, [I've asked Lan Lan to bring your birthday gift back.]
If he hadn't mentioned it, Feng Feng would have forgotten. Her birthday was indeed approaching, about half a month away.
However, she didn't quite understand what Wen Zhouyuan's intentions were.
Feng Feng typed: [Thank you, but it's not necessary.]
Wen Zhouyuan replied: [Do we need to be so distant now?]
Feng Feng let out a self-mocking laugh upon seeing this reply. Otherwise, what? He was married with a child; shouldn't she maintain a distance from him?
Wen Zhouyuan seemed to guess what she was thinking and quickly followed up with another message: [I'm in the process of getting a divorce.]
*Clink.*
Feng Feng's phone dropped onto the yoga mat. Her head buzzed, and an expression of disbelief appeared on her usually calm face.
Wen Zhouyuan was getting a divorce?
She clearly remembered that two years ago, someone in their alumni group had posted photos of their family of three. Someone on a business trip to Britain had met him and praised how good his marriage was and how well-matched he and his wife were.
How could he suddenly be getting a divorce now?
Feng Feng was surprised and curious, wanting to know the reason, but she didn't ask him. She also felt she had no standing to ask.
Feng Feng didn't reply to Wen Zhouyuan's message for a long time. Wen Zhouyuan sent another one: [It's late, get some rest. Let's meet up when there's a chance.]
Feng Feng still didn't reply. She stared at the words "let's meet up when there's a chance" and fell into thought.
Wen Zhouyuan was getting a divorce. She couldn't quite describe her feelings.
Was she happy? It didn't seem like it at all.