1l
00:15
The penthouse elevator doors seal shut; chrome reflects the faint flush on her ear.
Shen Yan drapes his jacket over one arm like a discarded weapon.
"Ride home?"
"Not on your route."
She presses B1.
The numbers descend, ticking like a final stopwatch.
B1 parking, cold air and gasoline.
The Maybach is dark, courtesy light only.
Driver gone.
044 flickers blue in the shadows:
[Five-star target Shen Yan – affection: 62/100]
[Hidden hint: decline once +3, accept once +1]
She reaches for the door—footsteps echo.
Qi Si emerges from the dark, trench coat dripping.
"Need a lift?"
"No."
He twirls car keys around one finger.
"Ten minutes, then."
She glances at Shen Yan.
He leans against the roof, gaze skating over Qi Si and returning to her.
"Your choice," he says, polite as a sheathed blade.
She shuts the Maybach door.
Tail-lights flare; the car glides away.
Qi Si steps aside, shielding her from the wind.
"Mine's driver-less. Objections?"
"Plenty."
She walks.
He keeps half a pace behind—shadow protocol.
00:45
University back-street; neon of a 24-hour mart buzzes like a dying fly.
Qi Si buys two cans of hot coffee, offers one.
She doesn't take it.
"Worried about poison?"
"Worried about extra credit."
He laughs, cracks his own can.
Steam blooms white against the night.
044 pings:
[Four-star target Qi Si +5 affection (current 27/100)]
[Warning: campus CCTV 30 m radius]
He turns his back to the lens, voice low:
"Lot 13 in the auction—my listing."
"Reason?"
"Wanted to see your bid."
"You saw me not raise it."
"Exactly. I won."
He unfolds the same slip of paper—creases intact.
"Now it's yours."
She flicks it; the paper lands in the trash.
"Garbage belongs in the bin."
Qi Si watches her, eyes like midnight water.
"New terms, then."
He pulls out his phone—screen frozen on a recording app.
"Answer one question, I delete the file."
"Ask."
"Who is 044?"
She meets his gaze—black with no bottom.
"You misheard."
Her fingertip brushes his wrist; the phone is already upside-down in his palm.
Recording ends, file shredded.
Qi Si exhales a laugh—new toy discovered.
"Deal."
3
01:30
Dorm gate, red access light blinking.
She vaults the iron fence—silent.
Qi Si lights a cigarette behind the wall; the flare briefly sculpts his profile.
"Good night, class rep."
"Good night, Professor."
Smoke drifts away with the rain.
She vanishes up the stairwell.
044 whispers:
[Countdown: 39 h 00 m]
[Qi Si affection 30/100]
[Shen Yan signal lost]
4
02:00
Room dark, Feng Yu grinding teeth in her sleep.
Chen Yanxi slices open a courier box under her desk lamp.
Black velvet, satin lining—diamond stud glints like a live round.
044 scans:
[Item: listening device—activated]
She twists the diamond; the micro-red LED dies.
Earring becomes ordinary ice.
She clips it to her left ear.
In the mirror the tear-mole looks like an unexploded shell.
5
02:30
Campus forum live thread:
"Foreign-lang goddess spotted after midnight—second mystery man at convenience store!"
Photo: Qi Si's side profile, cigarette ember.
Top comment:
"I don't care, I'm boarding this ship."
She scrolls, double-taps the like button.
Screen dims, reflecting the smallest curve at the corner of her mouth.