The next morning.
A little after six.
Lu Xiu was woken by her alarm.
Still groggy, she sat up and glanced out the window. The sky had not fully brightened yet, and a faint gray-blue haze still hung along the horizon.
Soft sounds came from the living room—the faint clink of a cup against the table, and the faucet being turned on and off.
Lu Xiu rubbed her eyes and climbed out of bed.
The floor was cool, and stepping onto it barefoot instantly woke her up quite a bit.
She shivered and began feeling around for her shoes. Once she had slipped them on, she opened the door and headed into the living room.
She discovered that Jian Li had already washed up.
As if she sensed it, Jian Li turned to look at Lu Xiu the instant the door opened. "You're awake? Still sleepy?"
"Not really."
Lu Xiu shook her head.
Just then, the bathroom door opened, and Shen Nian walked out.
She had clearly just splashed cold water on her face to wake herself up. A few glistening droplets still clung to her fair cheeks, hanging from her smooth jawline without quite falling.
Shen Nian casually grabbed a tissue and wiped her face, then summoned her system panel to check the time. She said to Lu Xiu, "There's almost an hour until matchmaking starts. Do you want something to eat? I'll make it."
"Anything is fine."
Lu Xiu answered casually.
Then she looked down at her slightly thin and rumpled pajamas, stifling a small yawn. "I'll go change first."
With that, she turned and went back into her room, casually closing the bedroom door behind her.
She also glanced at the countdown.
00:41:47.
Half an hour later.
The atmosphere in the apartment was fairly relaxed. There was