There's no other reason for adult men and women to come together—it all comes down to seduction. Looks, figure, money... these elements are secondary. In the end, it all boils down to whether there's an atmosphere of love. Attraction is the first step, but getting someone depends entirely on tactics. Whether natural or deliberate, what lingers in the mind are sticky romantic thoughts. Only when you're unable to extricate yourself can it be considered success. The highest level becomes the other person's scar, their vermilion mole. Adolescent love is pure, but true love is dirty—it's the dirtiness that makes it unforgettable.
After running like mad for a hundred meters, Hu Xiu felt her heart nearly splitting open. She looked back at Diao Zhiyu, who was carrying his backpack full of study materials, walking as leisurely as if strolling through a garden. Seeing Hu Xiu look back, he calmly said, "Why are you running? I'm not going to eat you."
His composure, as if nothing had happened, made Hu Xiu feel embarrassed instead. Was Zhao Xiaorou's Seducing Men's Manual not working? Or did Diao Zhiyu have cleanliness OCD and dislike physical contact, and she had crossed his bottom line? Thinking this, Hu Xiu grew nervous. People really shouldn't get carried away with success. If this upset him, they might not even remain friends. He must think I'm some perverted player, an older sister who saw his looks in the play and lured him outside, waiting for a dark and windy night to take advantage... Oh my god, I just like him and got a bit impulsive. How do I explain this?!
Diao Zhiyu walked up to her, noticing her eyes darting nervously around the ground, and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pushing her forward. "Spacing out again? Why do you always space out when you're with me?"
"Just now..."
"Hmm?"
"That, I..."
"It was an accidental touch, I know." Diao Zhiyu forced calm, though his ears burned crimson. "You're really too good at acting."
Hu Xiu felt embarrassed by his words, the confession on the tip of her tongue still feeling ill-timed. Diao Zhiyu continued walking beside her, his expression bright yet feigning steadiness, only making small talk with her. A sense of unease swirled in her heart—whenever things reached an ambiguous moment, he would deflect. Only two explanations made sense: he genuinely had no habit of being ambiguous outside of acting and was truly shy; or he didn't like her that much and had someone else in his heart.
At her age, she couldn't possibly not understand this, but just thinking about it made her sad. Please, don't let it be.
Diao Zhiyu waved a hand in front of her face. "What's up? Have you decided which Escape Room to go to?"
"No..."
"Then I'll decide for you. There's an Escape Room I've always wanted to try, but never had anyone to go with. Finally found my chance."
"Is it scary?"
Diao Zhiyu pursed his lips into a smile, his voice low and pleasant. "You'll find out soon enough."
Hu Xiu had seen this expression before—the same mischievous look when she'd stolen a kiss and been caught. She quickened her pace to catch up, her hair dancing in the shadows. The winter night's path home was still long.
Waking up at 7 a.m., Hu Xiu arrived early at the oncology ward her father had shown in photos. The man lying in the hospital bed was Du Fengnian, eighty-six years old, stage four lung cancer, unconscious even during the doctor's rounds. When her father entered carrying a basin of hot water, Hu Xiu almost thought she'd mistaken him, but he skillfully wiped the old man's face and arms, as if caring for his own parent.This was the first time I'd encountered such a situation.
"My piano teacher. Her children are all abroad, so she asked me to take care of her in her final days." Hu Xiu's father wiped his hands after setting down the basin. "Come with me."
Walking to the utility room, her father took an envelope from his pocket—it looked thick enough to contain ten thousand yuan, but his expression suggested nothing good was coming. Sure enough, his lecture was exasperating: "I met Dr. Pei this morning. He doesn't have a girlfriend at all, and he's interested in you. Why keep something like that hidden? Coming early to tutor you—do you think it's just for that? There's no such thing as pure friendship between men and women. Don't take advantage of Dr. Pei. He's too outstanding to be your backup. Forget that actor boy already and recognize who's better for you."
"We're just colleagues."
"You're my daughter—you think I don't know you? You're using him too, just like your mother. Since I'm at the hospital lately, we can look out for each other. Take this money and buy Dr. Pei a shirt. The cuffs and elbows of his are worn out."
Hu Xiu handed the envelope back. "I have my own salary. Keep the money. I'll remember about Dr. Pei's shirt."
When she reached Pei Zhen's office, he was in his white coat with no sleeves visible. He sat with the coat open, legs apart, exhaustion in his eyes. "Did you read the surgical resident manual I gave you last time?"
"I did."
"Don't take it too seriously—just get a general idea of the Reconstructive Surgery system. I was too strict with you before; I shouldn't hold you to medical student standards. But having a medical-related degree is still beneficial in Reconstructive Surgery. If you get regularized, the director might suggest you pursue a medical PhD. It's hard to graduate, but just being enrolled is enough. The hospital always finds ways to get you through."
"Is that your opinion...?"
"That's how promotions work here. To stay long-term smoothly, you have to follow these rules. Annoying, right? If it were up to me, I'd advise you to work hard daily and master solid subject knowledge."
"Mm. It's a bit boring—I'm actually quite interesting myself. Such a stifling environment feels suffocating. Like this," Hu Xiu showed Pei Zhen's notes. "This note-taking method with diagrams and collages helps me remember clearly. All formulas and symbols are a bit overwhelming..."
Pei Zhen stood and sat beside Hu Xiu. She instinctively shifted right. A clipped reference in the notes, yellowed with age, fell out. Both bent to pick it up, and when their hands touched, Hu Xiu pulled away. The sudden change surprised Pei Zhen, who pretended nothing happened and pointed out all the errors in her paper, his stern tone making her blush and pale alternately. After the tutoring ended, Pei Zhen stood and removed his white coat, revealing a hole at the elbow he hadn't noticed. He said awkwardly, "You seem to be keeping your distance from me."
"No..."
"I did run into your father this morning, but I won't take his words to heart. I hope you don't either. Don't pay too much attention to parental demands or let them drive you away from me. Well... I'm off work now."
"Off work?""I'm off today, here to help you with your studies." Pei Zhen seemed to have noticed the hole in his clothes: "I really feel like one of those academically successful but otherwise failing seniors at school."
This comment left Hu Xiu somewhat frustrated. Fortunately, she had been entrusted by Li Ai to deliver a cake to Zhao Xiaorou after work—ostensibly just delivering a cake, but actually to tentatively invite Zhao Xiaorou to meet at REGARD. Though Li Ai didn't explicitly say it, Hu Xiu understood. Zhao Xiaorou had moved to a new place for filming videos, a 200-square-meter apartment in the same complex with a monthly rent of thirty thousand yuan—so expensive that when Hu Xiu heard, she thought Zhao Xiaorou had checked into an ICU. Upon entering, the entire room had gleaming white walls and blindingly bright lights. Zhao Xiaorou was in the middle of filming a makeup tutorial, wearing a lavender purple sweater on her upper half, radiant and glowing, while her lower half was clad in pajama pants. She didn’t turn off the camera when she opened the door, simply sat back down and continued recording: "This mascara doesn’t give you sunbeam lashes—it gives you spider legs. Trust me, sisters, don’t buy this underworld garbage. And don’t go so heavy on the eyeshadow, same with eyeliner. The best state is when men can’t tell you’re wearing makeup but still think you’re beautiful…"
After turning off the camera, Zhao Xiaorou grumbled irritably: "Damn it, a few days ago I bought a beauty device. Didn’t expect the slimming effect to be so good—the flesh on my cheeks vanished, forcing me to get hyaluronic acid injections there. The sound of the needle piercing the fascia was downright creepy. The beauty device cost forty-eight hundred, the hyaluronic acid twenty-two thousand—more loss than gain."
"You’re already plenty beautiful." Her face had indeed thinned out considerably compared to before, her features so fragile they seemed on the verge of shattering. Zhao Xiaorou had slimmed down a whole size, her black curly hair somewhat reminiscent of... Akina Nakamori.
"What do you know? With so many Internet celebrities out there, you have to strive for perfection on camera."
Hu Xiu certainly remembered how ruthless Zhao Xiaorou could be. The Zhao Xiaorou of the past was kind, lively, and unconventional, well-liked by many on forums, though no one had ever seen her photo. When they first met in Beijing, Zhao Xiaorou had monolids and a flat nasal bridge, her entire nose seeming to sink into her face. She would avoid Hu Xiu’s gaze when they made eye contact, hiding a very understandable insecurity—at least, Hu Xiu could read it clearly. During their first trip to South Korea together, Zhao Xiaorou had just gotten double eyelid surgery and had become noticeably more alluring. Even her expression in selfies while eating Chuncheon dakgalbi hotpot in Myeongdong had changed. That was when Hu Xiu first realized that plastic surgery didn’t just alter one’s appearance—it could subtly shift one’s personality into something entirely new.
The next day, she accompanied Zhao Xiaorou on a long walk to find a clinic for hyaluronic acid injections. Zhao Xiaorou was exhilarated the entire way, as if she were about to be completely reborn. If memory served, that day was August 15th—Liberation Day in Seoul, with all shops closed. On the 16th, they were supposed to attend a concert. Her dream of looking beautiful to see Lee Donghae was easily shattered as she stood in front of the closed sign, reading it over and over before turning away dejected. Early the next morning, while Hu Xiu was still asleep, Zhao Xiaorou went out. When she returned, she indeed had a defined nasal bridge, her eyes seeming closer together as if pinched by hand, delicate and refined—almost like IU. According to her, she had followed a Korean translator through every accessible ATM on the streets of Myeongdong, going through great trouble to withdraw 540,000 won. The doctor, pitying her for making the trip specifically, gave her a complimentary Botox injection on each side of her nose.That evening, Zhao Xiaorou was dressed exquisitely. Standing in the crowd, she didn’t scream or shout but carried herself with the dignity of a beautiful female fan—reserved, gentle, refusing to let her obsession fall into cliché. Light boards and falling paper streamers sent the fans into cheers, while Zhao Xiaorou was bathed in the closing stage lights. The radiance on her face no longer came from the star on stage but from within herself. Hu Xiu didn’t understand it at the time, but looking back now, that humble, awestruck fan’s heart had transformed into a blazing desire to stand as an equal, radiant and dazzling. Becoming beautiful—everything seemed possible.
That seemed to mark the beginning of Zhao Xiaorou’s obsession with plastic surgery.
In the past, Zhao Xiaorou liked to add features to her face. She admired Min Hyo-rin’s nose and Song Hye-kyo’s chin. Her double eyelids were the "parallel" style, making her facial features—and even her head—appear larger from a distance. Yet, she was undeniably stunning and radiant. Even with traces of surgery, one couldn’t deny her beauty. Her personality grew increasingly outgoing, and after marrying Wang Guangming, her confidence peaked. Post-marriage, Wang Guangming often teased her with a smile, pointing out that her double eyelid scars were too obvious. Gradually, she became quieter and discussed "travel" plans with Hu Xiu: buying plane tickets, preparing passports—only for Hu Xiu to go alone. Zhao Xiaorou stayed in Shanghai to reshape her eyelids and nose, and even adjusted her jawline—orthognathic surgery. A determined woman would stop at nothing. She lied to Wang Guangming about enjoying lavish meals on an island, while in reality, she was in a hospital with a nasogastric tube. For the following month at a hotel, Hu Xiu vacationed alone on the island, sending photos to Zhao Xiaorou, who then fabricated travel stories. Whether Wang Guangming saw through it or not, Hu Xiu didn’t know. But after that, Zhao Xiaorou discovered the thrill of secretly enhancing her beauty, embarking on all subsequent touch-ups alone—a kind of ultimate solitude.
Now, Zhao Xiaorou is the most natural-looking "naturally beautiful face" online. She has become refined, as if she had grown up perfectly according to her childhood photos. Few know about the detours she took, and Zhao Xiaorou no longer brings them up. In truth, she was never ugly; she had a superior cranial structure and prominent brow bones. In Hu Xiu’s view, all the subsequent surgeries were driven by the pressure Wang Guangming imposed on her. Countless nights, Zhao Xiaorou—trapped by the roles of "Internet celebrity" and "persona"—would wander the streets alone to buy beer, unable to escape Wang Guangming’s unnoticed sarcasm. She would collapse drunk on the roadside, only to be picked up by Hu Xiu and taken home. Pain became her form of release. Given Zhao Xiaorou’s habit of discarding useless old friends, Hu Xiu should have been eliminated long ago. The only reason she remained by her side was likely that Hu Xiu still had value.
Hu Xiu smiled as she looked at the pile of luxury brand catalogs in front of her—all in English, which Zhao Xiaorou barely understood. This was a friendship earned through capability, one befitting adult women.
"Want a drink?"
"You shouldn’t always drink alone at home."
"Compared to my wild friends, I’m doing pretty well. I don’t go to clubs or binge drink out. I only drink with you at home or at REGARD. I’m a model citizen."
At this, she paused, and so did Hu Xiu. Zhao Xiaorou said wistfully, yet gratefully, "After all these years, I’m glad I still have you by my side. We’ve been supporting each other for ten years, right?"
"Yeah, we met in ’08." It seemed it wasn’t entirely about capability after all."How time flies. It's been two years since we met Li Ai, hasn't it? We were hiding from the rain like drowned rats, and REGARD on Yuyuan Road was the only place still open because he was giving guitar lessons. I felt like I'd been struck by lightning—I didn't even want him to know I was married."
"Yeah, I understand."
"I know you do. That's why I wasn't surprised at all when you developed feelings for Qin Xiaoyi. There's always someone who makes you realize there's an emotion called 'regretting not having met sooner.' You genuinely wish you were born later, or weren't married, even wanting to cross moral boundaries to have them, by any means necessary. After all, having all the right conditions—timing, location, and personal chemistry—in love is pure luck. Most people, whether out of fear or taking advantage, aren't that patient waiting for true love."
"Since when did you become so philosophical?" Zhao Xiaorou gave a bleak smile. "I just don't get it... why Li Ai doesn't fancy me."
The room gradually grew quiet. Zhao Xiaorou looked at the messages on her phone and laughed. She handed the screen to Hu Xiu—she'd been messaging a young guy on Douyin, where strangers can only send three messages: "Cutie, can I have your WeChat?" "Read but no reply, how rude." "Send me your WeChat. Sis is this pretty, don't be ungrateful."
Sure enough, the boy replied with a string of pinyin and numbers—his WeChat ID. A triumphant smile hung on Zhao Xiaorou's face as she kept tapping on the keypad. "See? More often than not, it's this kind of settling for second best. Now I even write some single people's love stories on my public account—just this kind of flirting with some fabrication mixed in. They get more readers than ads. People are always interested in gossip."
"Then... aren't you planning to see Li Ai? He's looking much better than before his surgery. He used to seem like he was waiting to die every day, but now he greets everyone he meets. His guitar classes are back to normal too."
"Is Xu Meng still coming?"
"...Probably not. Xu Meng has a husband and kids. There's no future with Li Ai."
"What about me? I wasn't even liked by Li Ai. You know, now I genuinely envy your ambiguous relationship with Diao Zhiyu. Mutual liking is so hard."
"Don't even mention it. I tried that 'taking a lick' move you mentioned... but the other person didn't seem to react much."
"Then you were looking at the wrong place. If you want to see a reaction, you should look between the legs." Zhao Xiaorou glanced at Hu Xiu's expression and snorted with laughter. "You've really only learned the surface level. When adult men and women get together, there's nothing else to it—it's all about seduction. Looks, figure, money... these elements are secondary. In the end, it all comes down to whether there's an atmosphere of love. Attraction is the first step, but getting them depends entirely on technique—whether natural or deliberate. What stays in your mind are those sticky romantic thoughts, and success is when you can't extricate yourself. The highest level becomes the other person's scar, their vermilion mole. Adolescent love is pure, but real love is dirty. It's the dirtiness that makes it unforgettable." Zhao Xiaorou started smoking Marlboros again, the smell particularly strong. "It's just that I can spout all these grand theories about love, but none of them work with Li Ai. Seduction methods can only be used once. If you don't use them at the beginning, it's too late later."There was nothing more to say. Hu Xiu clinked her glass with Zhao Xiaorou's. "Meeting this handsome guy from Douyin wouldn't hurt. Diao Zhiyu is taking me to an Escape Room next week—we could make it a double date."
PS: Late again... Will try to update earlier even on weekends. Remember to drop by the comments section after reading, folks! Happy weekend!
OpenNovel