The restaurant buzzed with soft chatter and clinking glasses, its air scented with perfume and roasted spices.
Qin Yuxi sat at the long marble table with her friends, smiling faintly as they gossiped about fashion shows and upcoming launches. She stirred her drink absentmindedly, her mind half elsewhere.
Then—
"…you heard? Zhou Shunhao from ZH Group—someone saw him having dinner with a woman last night."
The words drifted from the next table, low but clear.
"Not his wife?"
"Obviously not. They said she looked young—like a model."
"Oh my god… men like that never change, do they?"
The laughter that followed was light, cruel
Qin Yuxi froze. Her fingers tightened around her glass until the ice clinked sharply. The smile on her lips faltered.
Her friends were still chatting, oblivious. Someone nudged her shoulder, teasing, "Yuxi, you're zoning out again."
She blinked and forced a soft laugh. "Sorry, just a little tired. I'll be right back."
Slipping away from the table, she headed toward the restroom corridor, her heels clicking too fast against the polished floor. Inside, she gripped the edge of the sink, taking a breath before pulling out her phone.
Her thumb hesitated over his name. Then she pressed call.
The dial tone stretched on—one ring, two, five—until finally his voice came through, clipped and low.
"Yuxi?" His voice sounded rushed, strained.
"Shunhao," she said softly, "are you busy?"
"I'm in a meeting," he replied quickly, a murmur of voices audible in the background. "A big client just arrived. Can we talk later?"
"Oh—yes, of course." She forced a light chuckle. "I just wanted to hear your voice."
There was a pause on the other end. "I'll call you when I'm done, alright?"
"Okay," she said. "Don't work too hard."
The call ended with a faint click.
Yuxi exhaled slowly, leaning against the sink. What was she doing?
He was working. He always worked late. She was being paranoid because of a few gossips.
Shaking her head, she fixed her lipstick, adjusted her blouse, and stepped out of the restroom—only to bump into someone at the turn.
"Oh—sorry!" she blurted, steadying herself.
The woman she'd collided with smiled briefly, her tone smooth and casual. "It's fine."
Yuxi's gaze flickered over her. A deep crimson silk dress, diamonds glittering at her throat, every strand of hair in place. She looked familiar, but Yuxi couldn't quite place where she'd seen her before.
Then the woman's phone rang.
"Excuse me," she murmured, answering it with an easy, almost intimate tone.
"Shun-ge," she said sweetly, her voice dipping into laughter. "You're calling already? I told you, I'm still at the restaurant…"
Yuxi froze mid-step.
The woman turned slightly away, her tone playful. "You don't have to come pick me up. You're in a meeting, aren't you? Oh—how can you say that?" She giggled softly, lowering her voice. "Fine, fine… I'll wait for you. But don't make me wait too long."
Her laughter trailed off as she walked down the hall, heels clicking softly against the tile.
Yuxi stood rooted in place. Her fingers clenched around her phone. For a moment, her world felt muted—the soft background music, the chatter of diners, the perfume lingering in the air—all fading under the echo of that name.
Shun-ge.
Her lips pressed into a thin line. Then, slowly, she smoothed her hair, lifted her chin, and walked back toward her friends.
Maybe it wasn't him. Maybe it was a coincidence.
But deep down, a small, bitter part of her whispered otherwise.