The last day of the honeymoon.
Bai Yue leaned against the lounge chair on the terrace, her phone in her hand, the screen lit up.
That string of digits rested quietly in her contacts. There was no name, no notes, just a cold eleven-digit number.
She pressed the call button.
“The user you are calling is powered off.” The mechanical female voice came from the earpiece, exactly the same as yesterday.
Bai Yue stared at the screen, her knuckles turning slightly white.
It had been two full days since that night. Every time she called this number, it was powered off.
She had been played.
This thought kept spinning in her mind, becoming clearer with every turn.
Bai Yue closed her eyes, recalling the scene from that night.
In the darkness, she could not see that person’s face. She could only feel those eyes watching her, filled with amusement, playfulness, and something indescribable, something like schadenfreude.
“This is hardly the style of the Lost legend,” the person had said at the time.
“You are different,” she had replied.
Now that she thought about it, it was truly laughable that those words had come out of her own mouth.
She could not even remember how many people she had said that to. To think that an Omega who mastered the game of love would believe in an Alpha’s sincerity in bed.
Perhaps, she had just wanted to send her away. She had casually given a random string of numbers, a dead line, or even someone else’s number.
After all, that night was already over.
Leaving a number was just a formality, a polite gesture, a graceful way for both sides to exit the situation.
Bai Yue threw her phone onto the lounge chair.
She got up and walked into the room, wanting to take a shower. Just as she reached the door of the walk-in closet, she heard the sound of the bathroom door opening.
Jiang Manru emerged, wrapped in a bath towel, her hair hanging down damply. When she saw Bai Yue, she smiled. “Where would you like to go today?”
Bai Yue paused. “Up to you.”
Jiang Manru tilted her head, thinking. “How about that viral restaurant? I heard it is amazing for taking pictures.”
“Okay.”
Jiang Manru smiled with satisfaction and turned to head into the walk-in closet to change.
Bai Yue watched her back.
Obedient, well-behaved, not clingy, and full of fresh ideas every day—she was an ideal, perfect wife.
She had clearly married a wonderful woman.
So why could she not bring herself to love her?
She glanced at the phone lying on the terrace.
That number, which remained powered off, felt like a thorn stuck in her heart.
Once they left the hotel, Jiang Manru became Bai Yue’s guide.
The car they took twisted and turned until it arrived in front of a pure white building.
“This is it!” Jiang Manru pointed ahead excitedly.
Bai Yue looked up.
The building stood by the seaside, shaped like layers of overlapping seashells, gleaming softly in the sunlight. A long line had already formed at the entrance, a parade of young girls dressed in vibrant dresses, holding phones and selfie sticks, one after another.
“A viral restaurant?” Bai Yue arched an eyebrow.
“Yes!” Jiang Manru’s eyes brightened. “There are over ten thousand posts on Xiaohongshu; everyone says this is a must-visit spot in the Maldives, and the photos are absolutely stunning.”
Bai Yue looked at the long line.
At least thirty people.
“How long do we have to wait?”
“It is fine, I made a reservation.” Jiang Manru shook her phone, feeling a little smug. “I booked it three days ago, for 12:00 PM today.”
Bai Yue looked at her.
Three days ago, they had only just been together.
And that was under her mother’s pressure to consummate the marriage quickly.
Had Jiang Manru already made a restaurant reservation?
“How did you know about this place?”
“I planned the itinerary,” Jiang Manru said as if it were a matter of course. “Of course, a honeymoon needs to be planned well; otherwise, it would be such a waste.”
Bai Yue said nothing.
Planning the itinerary, booking restaurants—ever since they had been together, she had had a new plan every day. This good girl had much more of a mind of her own than she had imagined.
“Let us go.” Jiang Manru pulled her inside. “It is time.”
The interior of the restaurant was even more extravagant than the exterior.
The pure white color scheme, paired with wood-toned tables and chairs, featured fresh flowers on every table. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows lay the azure sea, and sunlight streamed in through white gauze curtains, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow.
But the most extravagant part was the crowd.
Almost every table had girls taking photos. Some stood by the windows striking poses, some leaned on tables with their chins in their hands looking at the mirror, and others held drinks up to catch the light from different angles.
Waiters wove through them, looking unfazed; clearly, they were used to it.
“Here!” Jiang Manru found a window seat and sat down happily.
Bai Yue sat down opposite her.
A thick menu was handed over, entirely in English.
Bai Yue flipped through it; it was nothing more than modified versions of seafood and exquisitely plated desserts.
“This, this, and this.” Jiang Manru pointed to the menu and told the waiter, “For dessert, give us the signature one, the one that looks good in photos.”
The waiter took note and walked away with a smile.
Jiang Manru leaned back, looking at the seascape outside the window, and sighed. “It is so beautiful.”
Sunlight streamed in from the side, gilding half of her face. Her eyelashes cast shadows like small fans beneath her eyelids, and the corners of her mouth curved in a satisfied arc.
At this moment, she truly looked like an ordinary, happy newlywed wife.
“Bai Yue.” Jiang Manru suddenly turned. “Can you take a picture of me?”
“Now?”
“Yes, while the light is good.” She was already standing up, walking toward the window and striking a pose. “Quickly.”
Bai Yue reluctantly took out her phone.
In the viewfinder, Jiang Manru stood sideways, one hand resting on the window frame, looking back at the camera. Sunlight shone in from behind her, framing her silhouette in a halo of gold.
The shutter clicked.
“Let me see.” Jiang Manru ran over and leaned in to look at the photo. “Hmm, it is okay. Take another one.”
She ran back and changed her pose.
“Change the angle, move a bit more to that side.”
“The light is a bit dark, adjust it.”
Bai Yue held up her phone, fulfilling the requests without complaint.
A few girls at a nearby table cast envious glances. An Omega in a floral dress whispered to her companion, “Look at her wife, how patient.”
Her companion took a glance and said sourly, “They are on their honeymoon, of course she is patient.”
Bai Yue pretended not to hear.
“Okay, okay, one last one.” Jiang Manru was finally satisfied and ran back to sit down. “The photos are great. Thank you, Bai Yue!”
She returned the phone to Bai Yue and began scrolling through the pictures, the corners of her mouth curled upward the whole time.
The dishes began to arrive one by one.
The plating was indeed exquisite.
Lobster salad served on a shell-shaped plate, curry crab with a golden sauce, and the dessert was a blue mousse called Ocean Heart, sprinkled with edible gold powder.
“So pretty!” Every time a dish was served, Jiang Manru would exclaim in surprise and take out her own phone to take pictures.
After taking photos, she would even ask Bai Yue to take a photo of her with the food.
Bai Yue obliged every time.
Halfway through the meal, Jiang Manru suddenly asked, “Why are you not eating?”
Bai Yue looked down at her own plate; she had barely touched it.
“I am not hungry,” she said.
A hint of confusion appeared in Jiang Manru’s eyes. “Do you not like seafood?” she asked. “You did not eat much during breakfast the other day either.”
She was referring to that nourishing breakfast.
Oysters, sea cucumber, and abalone.
“No,” Bai Yue said. “I ate too much in the morning.”
Jiang Manru blinked, as if thinking, “What did you eat in the morning?”
Bai Yue changed the subject. “Where did you find this place?”
“Xiaohongshu.” Jiang Manru became interested, put down her fork, and pulled out her phone to scroll. “Look, this post has over five thousand likes, saying this is the most beautiful restaurant in the Maldives. And this one, saying the dessert is a must-order and perfect for photos.”
She handed over her phone; on the screen were post after post, all featuring photos of this restaurant.
Bai Yue swiped through them casually.
Suddenly, she stopped.
In one of the photos, there was a blurry figure in the background—a window seat, a profile, chestnut-colored long hair.
It looked very similar.
But it was not her.
The person in the photo was wearing a white dress, while the person that night was wearing something else.
She could not remember.
That night had been too dark; she had not seen anything clearly.
“What is wrong?” Jiang Manru leaned in.
“Nothing.” Bai Yue returned the phone. “I saw someone who looked a bit like someone I know.”
Jiang Manru took the phone and looked at the photo. She said nothing and just put the phone away.
“Bai Yue.” Jiang Manru called to her. “Do you have something on your mind?” She looked at Bai Yue with concern. “You have been distracted for the past few days.”
Bai Yue was silent for a second.
“No,” she said. “I probably just did not sleep well.”
Jiang Manru nodded and did not pursue the matter further. She lowered her head and continued eating, her eyelashes drooping to cover her eyes.
Quiet, gentle, harmless.
Bai Yue averted her gaze and looked at the sea outside the window.
That thorn was still in her heart.
Jiang Manru had run around energetically all day; when they got back to the hotel at night, she fell asleep as soon as she showered.
“I am so tired today.” She curled up under the covers, revealing only half her face. “You should get some sleep early, too.”
Bai Yue nodded and lay down beside her.
The lights went out.
The room was plunged into darkness.
Bai Yue lay with her eyes open, staring at the ceiling.
The breathing of the person beside her gradually became steady; she was asleep.
She waited another hour to be sure that Jiang Manru was in a deep sleep and would not wake up. Only then did she gently push back the covers and get out of bed.
She walked barefoot on the carpet, picked up her phone silently, and walked to the door. She placed her hand on the doorknob.
She stopped.
What would happen if she went?
The number was unreachable, and the person likely would not be waiting there for her to visit. Even if she went, she would only be facing a closed door.
Fifteen minutes later.
Bai Yue stood before room 520.
She knocked.
No one answered.
She knocked again.
Still, no one answered.
She pressed her ear against the door; there was only deathly silence. No sound, no movement, no one.
Bai Yue stood there for a few seconds, then turned and headed toward the elevator.
The receptionist was still that same young clerk.
Seeing Bai Yue walking over, she stood up straight immediately. “Ma’am, is there anything you need?”
“The guest in 520,” Bai Yue said. “I would like to find her.”
The clerk looked down to check her computer.
“520.” She looked up. “That guest has already checked out.”
Bai Yue’s heart sank.
“When did she leave?”
“The day before yesterday,” the clerk said.
“Can you tell me her information?” Bai Yue asked. “Name, contact information, anything at all.”
The clerk showed a troubled expression. “Ma’am, the hotel has a policy; we cannot disclose client privacy.”
“I am her friend,” Bai Yue said. “It is urgent.”
“I am sorry.” The clerk shook her head. “That really is not possible.”
She offered a polite, standard service-industry smile.
Bai Yue knew that asking further would be useless.
She was about to leave when she suddenly thought of something and asked again, “Can you let me see the security footage?”
The clerk was stunned.
“This also requires the guest’s consent.”
“She is not here.”
“Then it is not possible.” The clerk lowered her head. “I am truly sorry.”
Bai Yue gripped her phone tightly. That string of digits still lay in her contacts—no notes, no name, no face.
Only a number that remained powered off, and a room that had been vacated yesterday.
She sighed and turned away, leaving without looking back.