The weather in Quancheng had turned colder after autumn arrived, with plane tree leaves scattered along the asphalt roads. As dusk fell, the glow of the sunset enveloped the city.
The fading light through the window crept along the edge of the desk as the woman typed rapidly on her keyboard, pausing occasionally when stuck, frowning as she rearranged the words she had written.
Her phone screen lit up, and she glanced at it, a voice message from a friend.
Lee: “Hey, famous writer, you’ve been cooped up for so long. Wanna come out and hang?”
The background noise was filled with honking cars. Knowing Bei Jiali, she would never waste a weekend staying idle, she was definitely out having fun.
As childhood friends, Yin Yunzhu knew her too well. Bei Jiali had never been one to focus on serious matters, always the first to jump at any opportunity for food, drinks, or entertainment.
In contrast, Yin Yunzhu had always followed her parents’ expectations obediently. The most rebellious thing she had ever done was quit her nine-to-five corporate job to become a freelancer.
When she didn’t reply immediately, Bei Jiali called directly.
Yin Yunzhu answered, listening to Bei Jiali’s rapid chatter: “Haven’t seen you in ages! Still working on that crappy draft? Hurry up and join us, I’ve got a group together, and you’re the only one missing.”
The urgency in her tone matched her impulsive personality. After hearing this, Yin Yunzhu refocused on her computer, correcting typos in the latest chapter while responding.
“It’s not a crappy draft. The publisher’s been pushing for this one.”
She was a meticulous person, even weighing her words carefully in casual conversations, which made many around her think she lacked spontaneity. Perhaps because their personalities balanced each other out, Bei Jiali never minded.
“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just hurry up, latecomers have to drink penalties!” The reply was vague, as if Bei Jiali had already entered the venue, the background noise fading slightly.
After hanging up, Yin Yunzhu stared blankly at the call duration, saved her latest update to the drafts folder, and checked the location Bei Jiali had sent.
It was a newly opened bar nearby.
Having never touched alcohol in her life, she wasn’t sure about her tolerance and couldn’t help worrying. But upon reflection, she realized she hadn’t left the house in a long time. If she didn’t go out soon, she might completely lose touch with society.
After some hesitation, she sighed and shut down her computer.
Would she make a fool of herself if she got drunk? If it came to that, Bei Jiali would surely stop her.
With this worry in mind, Yin Yunzhu adjusted the loose strands of hair at her forehead, tucking them under a beige beret. It had been so long since she’d gone out that she barely registered the outside temperature anymore.
Afraid of catching a chill, she layered on a matching cashmere coat, bundling herself up until she resembled a docile alpaca from a distance.
As night approached, streams of cars flowed into the fading sunset. Even on a weekend, some areas were still congested with rush-hour traffic.
Quancity wasn’t a top-tier metropolis, but its coastal advantage and proximity to developed regions had fostered the growth of several nationally renowned companies.
Stepping off the subway, Yin Yunzhu stood on the platform, pulling up her phone’s navigation. Nearby, two young girls passed by, seemingly fresh from a movie at the mall, chattering excitedly with ticket stubs in hand.
“The special effects were so realistic, and the acting was amazing!”
“Of course it was that’s Jiang Menghe, the critically acclaimed actress!”
“The styling really suited her. Can’t wait for the sequel…”
As they walked away, Yin Yunzhu’s gaze drifted toward Exit F, where a life-sized poster stood prominently. A woman occupied the center of the frame, her profile turned toward the camera.