Zhao Xiaorou sent the "Operation Schedule" document, but Hu Xiu didn't reply until noon.
After attending a general meeting until 10:30 and organizing the leader's report, her lunch break didn't start until after 12:30.
Since joining the hospital, not touching her phone during work hours had become an unwritten professional etiquette—
No matter how proper her phone-scrolling appeared, it still looked like entertainment. In a place like the hospital where doctors were busy with consultations, she couldn't afford to appear idle.
Arriving at work by 8:30 every morning dressed formally, she felt like being framed within rigid boundaries.
Today's white blouse and black skirt paired with three-centimeter heels made of stiff fabric initially felt perfectly appropriate. But during her lunch break, upon opening the tips document Zhao Xiaorou sent, the first line read: "Don't wear white blouse with black skirt, especially those without design highlights—you'll look like a college counselor.
Qin Xiaoyi might have various preferences, but he'd never fancy boring female teachers—except in pornographic movies."
Additionally: "Wear clothes that highlight your figure. Search 'pure desire' on Taobao and buy the top five bestsellers. Don't mix and match yourself—copy the model photos.
But not too much: body-hugging would be excessive, no cleavage as it's off-putting. Best to show some leg. Absolute territory is outdated—just reveal the knees. Thin legs and shoulders seen from behind evoke protective instincts in men."
"Be strategically clever: express interest timely but know when to stop. Tease him until he's itching to approach you first. Never give unconditionally—that would make you a 'great mother' figure."
"When playing Live Action Role Playing Games, regardless of which faction you're assigned to, don't show obvious competitive drive. Orbit around him whenever possible. Feign vulnerability during missions—you can skip gameplay. Remember why you paid 500 yuan to participate."
"Take initiative. In crowded situations, someone as popular as Qin Xiaoyi requires preemptive action to show your enthusiasm. Even icebergs melt with global warming."
"If you get close enough to feel body heat, withdraw within ten seconds. Paired with distinctive perfume, he'll remember you constantly—because you're intriguing and carry an elegant scent."
Hu Xiu stared at the densely formatted document, recognizing every character yet failing to comprehend their collective meaning.
Pure desire? Pushing up her glasses, she actually searched the term before hurriedly flipping her screen down. After browsing, she concluded she had nothing to do with those two words.
Zhao Xiaorou, stuck at home with nothing better to do, kept pressing Hu Xiu for responses to discuss further dating strategies.
Scanning her senior's packed schedule, Hu Xiu noted three major hospital conferences next week requiring venue arrangements, plus substantial translation work—
The hospital was establishing sisterhood relations with a Singaporean hospital, and the translation documents were filled with characteristic Chinese diplomatic phrases like "friendship between nations." She'd compiled thick glossaries during graduate studies and could handle these with ease.
Certainly more proficient than dealing with "pure desire."During the days of the stalemate with Wang Guangming, the divorce proceedings moved faster than expected. Wang Guangming quickly apologized online and vanished from public view. Meanwhile, Zhao Xiaorou, who had been pursued by netizens, became an object of sympathy overnight. The PR statement went viral, and she gained popularity, with the topic "Heartache for Zhao Xiaorou" directly trending on social media.
Yet Zhao Xiaorou neither responded nor posted on Weibo, nor updated any content, showing no urgency to capitalize on the attention. She was determined to maintain the image of a heartbroken woman, unwilling to let netizens see her tears—after all, she needed this month to:
Remove the rib cartilage from her scalp to augment the tip of her nose and get slimming injections, resting at home with a swollen face.
A new persona was about to emerge. She wanted to heighten her nose, lose her baby fat, and become a cool, independent single woman.
Of course, she wouldn’t let Li Ai know about this. Zhao Xiaorou hid at home for two weeks, and Li Ai anxiously asked Hu Xiu at REGARD, "Is Zhao Xiaorou okay?"
"She..." Hu Xiu carefully fabricated a reason, "is at home writing a love manual. Probably once she fills a whole notebook, she can publish a book."
"Don’t be fooled by how she usually bosses me around; deep down, she’s very fragile. Even though she initiated the divorce, it’s still a separation from family, not something easy to go through."
"Her mood is alright, don’t worry." Zhao Xiaorou, who stayed home every day with a swollen face yet happily shopped online, had her packages piled up to the ceiling in the elevator lobby.
On Friday evening, Hu Xiu was invited by Zhao Xiaorou to spend the weekend at her place. Her stop at REGARD was purely to reassure the worried Li Ai.
"I’ve recently stocked many new beans, which I think you’d both like. Since she’s not here, we’ll just have to taste them behind her back."
Hu Xiu watched Li Ai’s back as he placed the ground beans into the filter in the coffee-scented room. He poured boiling water from a high level, and after finishing, covered the unfiltered coffee to prevent over-extraction while maintaining a consistent temperature.
Li Ai had mentioned before that the Matsuya-style brew preserves flavor longer, staying fresh for half an hour to an hour.
The new coffee in the pot had one with a slightly sour fruity aroma and another with a rich chocolate scent.
Sipping it with small cups of tiramisu until nine o’clock, Li Ai brought out a tote bag. "Take this pot of coffee and the cake to Zhao Xiaorou later. She likes lattes and Eisbock, but this coffee is still hot."
Li Ai always showed an unusual level of consideration toward Zhao Xiaorou. He was extremely picky about coffee, especially disliking takeaway black coffee that doesn’t preserve flavor, as it greatly affects the taste. Occasionally, when customers wanted to take it away, he would politely yet semi-forcefully insist they finish it in the shop. The only reason he broke his own rules was that—
Zhao Xiaorou was very lazy, and she would drink Li Ai’s coffee even if she woke up panicked in the middle of the night.
Hu Xiu always felt that Li Ai’s attitude toward Zhao Xiaorou was different from his toward her. Although he referred to both as little sisters, Hu Xiu seemed more like a daughter, while Zhao Xiaorou... it was hard to describe.
Seeing Zhao Xiaorou gulp down the coffee despite it being scalding hot and quickly devour the cake, Hu Xiu was convinced her intuition was correct.
Could it be that Zhao Xiaorou divorced for Li Ai? Unlikely, after all, she had seen Li Ai meeting with his lawyer at the coffee shop to organize materials for his late wife’s lawsuit.That expression of seeking justice for undeserved misfortune clearly bore the texture of love's distinct patterns on skin.
Zhao Xiaorou often praised Li Ai as someone full of flesh-and-blood vitality who valued dignity, making it unlikely she would cross moral boundaries to damage such a relationship.
But Hu Xiu understood clearly that these two people, including herself, weren't the type to engage in relationships fueled by lingering affections. Without being able to commit fully, they wouldn't make reckless moves—intense romanticism didn't suit urban dwellers who needed to navigate social life.
As these thoughts flashed through her mind, Zhao Xiaorou had already finished her coffee. The swelling on her face had subsided considerably, leaving only some yellowish bruises. She carried in the packages from the elevator lobby and began unwrapping them, pulling out dress after dress: "What do you think? I've already bought your clothes for meeting Qin Xiaoyi next time. Haven't you worn enough of those outfits from their costume department? They're barely holding onto their buttons anymore."
When Hu Xiu unfolded the clothes, she nearly fainted—the dress exposed her collarbones above and her calves below! This dress was way too short!
"Didn't you say last time that Qin Xiaoyi likes girls with big chests? I've got a secret weapon."
Zhao Xiaorou rummaged through the pile of packages for a long time before pulling out a medium-sized box and opening it. Hu Xiu thought she had bought some miraculous breast enhancement product: "We're already in our twenties, we don't need these things anymore. Development is complete."
But when it was opened, Hu Xiu stood frozen in place: "Si-silicone bra pads?"
"Do you think Victoria's Secret models' chests are all real? Even A-cups need padding.
What we're creating is visual impact—cleavage, understand? You don't need to show it every time, just pick one occasion to sway in front of him so he remembers.
Then he'll have one more memory point about you—big chest, with cleavage. Understand?"
Hu Xiu shook her head vigorously: "Zhao Xiaorou, you're like a sister to me, but I feel like you're setting me up. He'll just think I'm fake, artificial, using props to create an illusion."
"Your mouth says no, but your mind has already reached the undressing and truth-revealing scene."
Zhao Xiaorou rolled her eyes. Hu Xiu blushed to the tips of her ears, feeling utterly embarrassed at being seen through.
Zhao Xiaorou remained unhurried: "It's fine, I won't force you. There are always other methods anyway, since he already remembers you now.
The next step is figuring out how to get him outside of his acting role. After all, he's an actor when he's performing—he has a character setting, so you can't see his full picture. Conversely, he doesn't know what kind of person you are either. Based on my understanding, he probably thinks you're a brainless, unremarkable fangirl."
Hu Xiu's heart twinged with pain as she recalled the Qin Xiaoyi she had seen on the late-night streets—that hesitant gait and the figure lingering around Lin Qiumei, so similar to her own self who didn't dare approach Qin Xiao on the streets of Rong City.
If what she saw in Snowpiercer was the aloof and proud financial minister Qin Xiaoyi, then the real-life version didn't like Qin Xiao's ending either. He too had someone he liked but couldn't have, didn't like talking after work, yet maintained genuine gentlemanly manners and courtesy toward those who liked him.
"Come on, try the clothes I got you. I've been so bored lately, don't bother transferring me the money. Did you see I gained a million followers?"I never expected this divorce would cause such an internet sensation. I figure my advertising rates will probably increase now, and I won't need to bother with those MCN agencies chasing after me anymore.
Hu Xiu had seen this somewhat vintage green dress online - with its gold-trimmed slit hem and long fringe swaying from the sleeveless cuffs, it made the wind seem to dance around her whenever she turned or ran.
What Hu Xiu found hardest to accept was the chest slit design. It appeared to have a cheongsam collar, but featured a 20-centimeter diagonal opening that would reveal everything if she bent over.
Zhao Xiaorou seemed quite satisfied with this outfit: "Now this is more like it. Those Snowpiercer clothes are worn-out and terribly tacky - Qin Xiaoyi would have a hard time remembering you in them. This dress makes you look sophisticated. Did you read my battle plan?"
"You mean the one where I get Qin Xiaoyi's real name within a week, successfully confess within a month, and move into his place within three months?"
Hu Xiu recited Zhao Xiaorou's timeline: "Might as well just send me straight to the crematorium."
"Have some efficiency, will you? Love strikes suddenly - if you don't make an effort, someone else will snatch him away. Did you read those tips?"
"The pure desire style and calculated moves?" Hu Xiu finished dressing and bent over to check herself in the mirror, then immediately straightened up: "Spare me. Even if I could pull it off, it wouldn't be me. Those tactics are fine - save them for someone who needs them more."
"I'm about to be single. If you don't confess within a month, Qin Xiaoyi is mine."
Hu Xiu couldn't contain her curiosity: "Why did Wang Guangming agree to divorce so easily? I mean, he could have exposed some of your scandals and counterattacked... Sorry, I'm being too cynical."
"I told you I have a secret weapon. But I'll only tell you this at home - don't spread it around."
"When we went to the suburbs before, our whole group had nothing to do in the villa during winter. Someone brought out weed and started smoking. Wang Guangming was so skilled with his movements - clearly an old hand."
"I went out to find a hotel when I saw, didn't want to get involved. But I took photos and videos before closing the door."
"Wang Guangming isn't stupid enough to let me use those photos to destroy him. After all, he can still make money playing the repentant divorced man."
It took Hu Xiu a while to understand what she meant. Zhao Xiaorou cut off her surprise: "Alright, wear this dress on the weekend and get me Qin Xiaoyi's real name, you hear me?"
"Nobody can find his Weibo or real name online - what era is this? It's downright bizarre."
Her shoes, often worn during subway runs, had cracked soles. Passing by a mall, Hu Xiu picked out a pair of boots for herself. Gritting her teeth, she skipped the conventional black and bought shiny brown ones instead.
In her father's eyes, buying flashy colors meant following in her frivolous mother's footsteps. Waiting on the platform for the train's steam whistle, she looked down at her shoes and felt she was quietly changing. Letting this ambition to be seen show a bit more clearly wasn't necessarily bad - after all, not every place had platforms where she could hide.
Just as she finished this thought, Qin Xiaoyi walked out the door. Hu Xiu started cursing inwardly - damn it, why did Qin Xiaoyi change his costume!
Qin Xiaoyi wore an even more sharply tailored suit that made him look more dashing than ever. With his jet-black hair, pale skin, and gold-rimmed glasses, his features appeared even more strikingly beautiful.Hu Xiu turned sideways to look and accidentally stepped on a loose brick, kicking the platform sign with a clang. Qin Xiaoyi laughed: "What's wrong? Are you that nervous to see me?"
But that wasn't the end of it. After finishing the first act, he needed to return to the room to wait for the players.
Meanwhile, Hu Xiu eagerly followed close behind. Having rarely been assigned to Qin's team, she figured she'd have plenty of time to watch him during this session.
Before Room 301's door could open, Hu Xiu had already followed him to the doorway. Qin Xiaoyi turned around, lowering his head until their faces were less than ten centimeters apart: "Following so closely? Do you want to see me that badly?"
The breath that brushed against her face still carried the familiar mint scent—he really seemed to enjoy teasing her.
And after they became more familiar, Qin Xiaoyi began giving her subtle, almost imperceptible special treatment.
Like sending other team members away before quietly slipping Hu Xiu an extra three thousand, asking her to help deliver a gift to Lin Qiumei.
But after leaving, Hu Xiu deliberately went to a department store to buy a necklace before returning to Room 301. Gathering all her courage, she stood before him: "Put it on me..."
Qin Xiaoyi was momentarily taken aback: "Turn around..."
His fingers fumbled with the tiny clasp. Qin Xiaoyi seemed to be nearsighted, leaning close and adjusting it for a long time.
Though his fingers never touched any part of her neck, Hu Xiu felt goosebumps rising all over—even places that shouldn't be sensitive became sensitive.
When she had been holding the necklace earlier, that uniquely designed neckline that revealed a gap—from Qin Xiaoyi's perspective, he definitely could have seen something faintly visible... If only she had worn her chest pads!
The necklace hung heavily against her chest as the person behind her let out a relieved sigh: "You've learned to be naughty now."
Hu Xiu hadn't rehearsed a response to this line. Without turning her head, she opened the door and dashed away.
Through the crack in the door, Qin Xiaoyi emerged from Room 301 watching her. The last glimpse she caught showed him smiling with mischievous intent.
The fringe on the necklace swayed back and forth against her arm, stirring up goosebumps all over her body. That mischievous look in Qin Xiaoyi's gold-rimmed glasses couldn't be driven from her mind—
Sexy, and different from how she had previously perceived him. Ever since she'd seen him pursuing Lin Qiumei, Hu Xiu felt that the mischievous smile in Qin Xiaoyi's eyes indicated he had become enlightened.
He wasn't just some monotonous, boring handsome guy—he was like amber concealing secrets within. His charm wasn't hard to understand; it was written all over his face.
The kind of charm that boys could possess too.
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