Day One: No Thoughts

Page 1/3

A rain had just passed, and the temperature finally cooled to a pleasant degree. It was night at the Bulgari Hotel.

The 13th-floor banquet hall was awash with elegance and glamour tonight. A refreshing sweet fragrance drifted through the air, while pink and white flowers and balloons decorated the entire space to evoke countless young girls’ dreams. In the corner, a musician played the violin with grace, and waiters in tailcoats slowly wheeled in a swan-shaped cake.

Every detail on site showcased this: a birthday banquet for the youngest daughter of the Gao family in City B, born with a silver spoon in her mouth, whose greatest worry in life was probably how to enjoy it. A celebration befitting a noble heiress of wealth and prestige.

Invited guests continuously followed attendants to offer their congratulations to the birthday girl.

The young Miss Gao, the birthday star, accompanied by her circle of girlfriends, responded politely to each guest with a graceful smile, thanking them for their dignified and courteous wishes. This continued until a figure approaching from the front caught her attention, and her sweet smile seemed to momentarily falter.

The slight pause in her smile was mirrored by her girlfriends.

Standing together, their brows subtly furrowed as their eyes involuntarily scanned the approaching figure from head to toe, embodying a born arrogance typical of their class, silently scrutinizing this person who was walking toward them—

She wore a ladylike pink knee-length dress, clutching a white shell-shaped clutch. Around her neck hung a pearl necklace—a style favored by the elder generation. Her long hair was half-tied back with a hairpin in a gentle, reserved style. Even her shoes were white Mary Janes with sturdy heels, prioritizing comfort and stability.

In fact, the ensemble was harmoniously put together, and each item was evidently authentic. Yet, when worn all at once by one person and appearing at a high-society birthday party attended by the city's elite, it evoked a commonly used but somewhat biting term online: “refined rustic.”

It was an unmistakable look—meticulously styled, every detail carefully honed, yet still glaringly out of place, radiating an unmistakable provincial air from head to toe.

…

Si Nian approached Gao Xinyu, clutching her shell-shaped clutch.

Feigning ignorance of the ambiguous gazes cast upon her, she accepted a glass of white champagne from a waiter. As one of the invited guests, she offered the birthday girl a sweet and sincere smile to congratulate her.

Gao Xinyu was nudged by a girlfriend beside her and snapped back to attention.

She immediately restored her smile, took Si Nian’s hand warmly as if they were intimate friends confiding in each other, and after exchanging pleasantries and agreeing to meet for shopping next time, watched Si Nian disappear into the crowd.

Only then did Gao Xinyu’s forced smile fade.

Her girlfriends, swirling wine in their glasses, also glanced toward the figure whose every detail screamed "refined rustic," and after holding back for a moment, one finally asked, “Xinyu, why on earth did you invite her to your birthday?”

Gao Xinyu withdrew her gaze and pursed her lips. “It was all my parents’ idea.”

“After all, she’s Lu Shuyan’s publicly acknowledged girlfriend. No matter what, they’ve been together for years. What if she really becomes Mrs. Lu? Better to start building connections now.”

“Oh my god, no way.”

“Your parents are overthinking this.”

“Si Nian got lucky to date Lu Shuyan, but do you really think she’ll become the legitimate Mrs. Lu? I stopped wearing such rustic dresses since elementary school.”

“That necklace? Even my mom thinks it’s outdated. Does she think dressing like a socialite will make her one? Mrs. Lu? Not with someone like her.”

“Exactly. Even if she is the public girlfriend, I heard Lu Shuyan hasn’t taken her back to the Lu family once. They clearly don’t plan to take things further. The elders definitely won’t approve of her as a daughter-in-law.”

“She only got lucky meeting Lu Shuyan in college. What’s the big deal?”

The words “Mrs. Lu” seemed to strike a nerve. Gao Xinyu’s girlfriends immediately began chattering, their whispers blending with the violin’s melodious background. All eyes subtly shifted back to that lone figure dressed in pink, embodying that refined rustic air, in a style no true socialite would ever choose.

They recalled the scandal that rocked City B’s elite social circles five years ago—when Lu Shuyan, while studying abroad, was unexpectedly caught by a little-known female classmate, who lucked into his affections.

The young ladies’ carefully maintained expressions slipped once more, losing all control.

In their hearts, they told themselves:

A minor family like hers doesn’t belong here. There’s no way it will last. They’ll break up sooner or later.

…

The birthday party continued until nearly nine o’clock at night.

Friends closer to Miss Gao then proceeded to an all-night birthday celebration, while most other guests took their leave.

Page 2/3

The Rolls-Royce glided beneath a starry sky roof.

Si Nian, of course, was not among those attending the all-night party. Once she left the hotel and settled into the back seat, she tossed aside her clutch.

The driver quietly asked if she wished to return to the Mingjing Residence.

She replied with a simple “Mm,” took out her phone, and intended to relax by browsing social media. Instead, she opened the Moments feed and saw a post from Gao Xinyu, uploaded ten minutes ago—a lavish nine-picture birthday carousel, captioned:

“I don’t need a lot of money; I just want a lot of love.”

Si Nian’s lips, which had been curving upward, stiffened instantly.

Her brief moment of goodwill abruptly ended.

The driver continued to drive smoothly.

The main roads of the city were clear at night. Streetlights passed by in steady succession, and a bright full moon hung high in the sky. Traffic news reminded citizens that tonight was the largest full moon in half a year.

Si Nian held her phone, leaning back against the seat, avoiding the moonlight outside the window.

She disliked attending these socialite parties, detested the feigned politeness expected at such gatherings, and found the exhausting hours spent enduring the identity of “Lu Shuyan’s girlfriend” utterly draining. She had hoped to rest once in the car, but as soon as she closed her eyes, Gao Xinyu’s post—“I don’t need a lot of money; I just want a lot of love”—lingered poisonously in her mind.

Annoyance, frustration, and a tightness in her chest welled up. She rolled her eyes inwardly and cursed repeatedly, wishing she could grab the precious hair of “dear” Gao Xinyu and shout: If you don’t need a lot of money, then just give the money to me! I don’t need much love; I only want lots of money.

She then sat upright again, restlessly tapping aimlessly at her phone until her gaze finally landed on the corner of the screen—an online diary app she updated diligently every day, called “Days Matter.”

Opening the app, a single countdown item appeared—

“Waiting for Lu Shuyan’s breakup settlement: Day N.”

Si Nian stared quietly at this entry, recalling the excitement when she first created this online diary.

At that time, Lu Shuyan had just officially confirmed their relationship. Rumors in their circle were that the Lu family heir changed girlfriends abroad like changing clothes. Though promiscuous, every ex-girlfriend had received a substantial breakup settlement. The previous girlfriend, who dated him less than three months, reportedly received an eight-figure check upon breaking up.

Eight figures—an amount some might spend in a day, but for most, an unimaginable fortune.

She, too, had become the ultimate lucky one able to cling to the heir for months before cashing out and leaving.

Back then, Si Nian dreamed with a smile, dutifully acting as the obedient and gentle girlfriend, harboring hopeful anticipation for the breakup settlement, certain it would end soon.

But she watched the counter increase—from one day to ten, from ten to a hundred, and finally growing larger and larger, until now—

1712.

The diary read: Today is your 1712th day waiting for Lu Shuyan’s breakup settlement.

Si Nian remained motionless, facing this enormous, nearly despair-inducing number.

If the first day felt like winning the lottery, the 180th day was the calm certainty of a prize ticket, the 365th day a self-reassuring calm after growing impatient, the 730th day a stubborn determination in darkness to endure—then the 1712th day...

On the smooth night road, the Rolls-Royce’s driver suddenly heard two sharp thumps from the back seat.

He immediately glanced through the rearview mirror and saw his employer’s girlfriend sitting awkwardly, her chest heaving with irritation. A stray lock of hair clung to her pale cheek, which she impatiently tucked behind her ear.

Si Nian’s knuckles throbbed painfully from hitting the seat.

Noticing the driver’s gaze, she adjusted her posture and sat properly as if nothing had happened—just a fleeting illusion.

Their eyes briefly met in the rearview mirror; meeting Si Nian’s steady look, the driver quickly withdrew his eyes and resumed driving.

Si Nian knew what he was probably thinking.

He was likely wondering why she had become so irritable lately, when she was always so docile and attentive around Lu Shuyan, yet alone in the car, she behaved in baffling, strange ways.

As if her mental state were deteriorating.

But indeed, her mental state was far from normal.

Page 3/3

Si Nian slumped weakly into the seat, feeling that if the breakup settlement was her wage, then since she had schemed to get close to Lu Shuyan for money and succeeded, being his girlfriend was like a job.

She had thought it would be a short gig, quickly over so she could collect her pay and leave. Instead, she found herself inexplicably trapped, the contract endlessly extended, the days stretching indefinitely.

No clocking out.

Never clocking out.

Ordinary people at least get a weekend off, but as Lu Shuyan’s girlfriend, she had been on this job for a full 1712 days straight.

Long enough to raise a child who could now run errands.

Yet she had not seen a single cent of her breakup settlement.

Si Nian tilted her head back and let out a bitter laugh of despair.

The Rolls-Royce finally pulled into the underground garage of Mingjing Residence.

The driver hurried over to open the door. Si Nian dragged her heavy legs out, waved off the driver for the night, then walked step by step into the elevator, pressing the button for the 19th floor.

The elevator silently and swiftly began its ascent.

Si Nian looked into the elevator mirror at herself in work mode.

A rustic dress that looked like it could crumble to dust, a pearl necklace treasured by grandmothers, a vintage ladylike hairstyle—every detail made her appear like a country bumpkin desperately trying to infiltrate high society and become an elegant socialite, but ultimately failing due to limited taste and poise.

She was the subject of endless gossip among Gao Xinyu’s group of girlfriends.

Si Nian recalled how tonight Gao Xinyu and her friends had been superficially warm but deeply contemptuous.

She wasn’t angry. After all, her role was to be the obedient, lowborn girlfriend of Lu Shuyan—exactly the effect her identity was meant to produce.

But after staring at herself in the mirror, she slowly took out her phone from her clutch and, facing Gao Xinyu’s post—“I don’t need a lot of money; I just want a lot of love”—she closed her eyes and gave it a begrudging ‘like.’

Returning to the WeChat chat screen, she noticed a few new messages.

Fifteen minutes ago, a message from Lu Shuyan’s assistant, Zhao Chao.

Lu Shuyan had recently been on a business trip.

Zhao Chao had politely informed her fifteen minutes ago via WeChat that Lu Shuyan’s trip had been cut short; he was returning to the country tonight, likely landing at 1 a.m. and then heading to Mingjing Residence. This was an advance notice.

The elevator dinged, arriving at her floor.

Yet Si Nian lingered inside, not stepping out.

Lu Shuyan, returning early, tonight, Mingjing Residence.

Si Nian stood still in the elevator, staring intently at the message from Zhao Chao, slowly absorbing the critical information, as if unwilling to believe it.

She reread the message over and over until finally accepting it as an unalterable fact.

Then, with a rumble like thunder, a bolt of lightning seemed to strike overhead. Her already fragile mental state could no longer hold.

Si Nian steadied herself against the elevator wall, eyes lifting to the cold, empty surroundings.

She realized tonight, not only could she not clock out—

She might have to take on her duties in full.