7:30 p.m.
The skyscrapers along the Shenzhen Bay shoreline lit up with neon, reflected on the ink-dark harbor waters, the prosperity so dazzling it almost seemed unreal.
Shenzhen Bay No. 1, Building T5.
The spacious living room was bathed in soft light.
Liu Qingning stood before the full-length mirror in the Entrance Hall, having checked herself over and over again.
An off-white knit sweater, light gray straight-leg trousers, black square-toed ankle boots, and a long trench coat over them.
To make herself look less childish, she had deliberately changed to a more mature hairstyle, twisting her long hair into a low bun. Her makeup was heavier than usual too, her lip color a gentle yet elegant bean-paste red.
But no matter how she dressed herself up...
Those round, large eyes and the soft baby fat on her cheeks still made her look a few years younger than her actual age.
In her mind, an exquisitely beautiful figure flashed past uncontrollably.
Then she looked at herself in the mirror again.
"..."
Liu Qingning let out a breath and pressed her lips together in frustration.
"Forget it. It's simply no use."
She murmured to herself, turned around, and picked up the phone on the Entrance Hall cabinet.
The date was displayed on the screen: January 10.
There were only three days left until Tang Song's birthday.
And tonight, the person she was going to meet was a woman she had always subconsciously avoided, yet had no choice but to face.
Director Jin.
Jin Meixiao.
Ms. Smile.
In truth, if not for her fear and avoidance back then, she should have taken the initiative to contact and meet the other party the moment she learned of her existence from Su Yu.
But because she had been too afraid, she chose to deceive herself,