"Twenty-five. You look about my age, how much older can you be? Besides, age-gap relationships are so popular now. I wouldn't mind even if you were a bit older. Why overthink it?"
"I have to overthink it. Sister is already married. I'd love to give it a shot with you, but my husband is unwilling."
Wen Ruxu sent a shocked emoji.
"You're married at such a young age? It's my fault for showing up too late. But can't a married person have dinner with other men? Your husband shouldn't be that stingy."
"We're just having a simple dinner, can't we just be like siblings?"
Xu Lei was persuaded by his few words. She changed into a different outfit, reapplied some makeup, and went out to meet him again.
All evening, Wen Ruxu charmed Xu Lei with his smooth talk, making her laugh so much that crow's feet appeared around her eyes.
When she returned home, Wen Ruxu was still constantly messaging her.
In the past, when her husband was away, she always felt empty and lonely during the long nights, filled with complaints.
Today was the first time she felt the convenience of her husband being away.
The two seemed to have endless topics to discuss. It was past midnight when Wen Ruxu finally said, "Shouldn't you be going to bed?" and she reluctantly put down her phone.
Her husband hadn't returned all night, and Xu Lei, for once, didn't message him to inquire.
The first thing she did upon waking the next morning was to grab her phone to check if Wen Ruxu had messaged her again.
He hadn't.
A faint sense of disappointment welled up in her heart.
But seeing that it was still early, and he was so young, he probably wouldn't be awake yet. Xu Lei went to wash her face and brush her teeth.
When she returned and was applying makeup, she picked up her phone again.
Wen Ruxu had sent a message.
Although it was just a simple "Good morning," her heart instantly leaped with joy.
The saying "dead wood meets spring" likely described her current state.
Lying in bed, Wen Ruxu's few words sent Xu Lei's mood soaring to the heavens.
When she arrived at the company, everyone was surprised to see Xu Lei beaming and exceptionally gentle.
"Director Xu, what's with the great mood today? Any good news to announce?"
"She's been married for so many years and hasn't had children with her husband, claiming to be DINK. But who really knows? Could she be pregnant?"
Xu Lei didn't have the inclination to pay attention to everyone's gossipy glances because Wen Ruxu was going to give her a gift.
It was a bracelet she had admired for a long time, mentioned during their chat yesterday, worth tens of thousands.
Wen Ruxu said they would have lunch together today, and he would give it to her in person.
Although she said it wasn't too expensive, for a young and handsome man to proactively give her such a valuable gift, the sentiment alone was enough to be touched.
All morning, Xu Lei went to the restroom several times to touch up her makeup.
She even unconsciously fantasized about future meetings, and the more she looked in the mirror, the less confident she felt.
She wondered if her face was starting to sag, if she needed to get some fillers.
Was her figure starting to go out of shape? Did she need to take yoga classes seriously?
In short, Wen Ruxu had injected an ineffable, mysterious force into her monotonous and lonely private life, successfully stirring her heart.
At noon, when someone asked her out for lunch, Xu Lei politely declined, saying she had something to attend to.
She specifically chose a restaurant a bit further from the company to meet Wen Ruxu.
The gift Wen Ruxu gave her was fake.
Of course, the box and the tag were real.
As it was pushed in front of Xu Lei, the emotion and excitement on her face were completely unconcealed.
Furthermore, her demeanor during lunch today was completely different from yesterday's.
The subtle thoughts and mannerisms of a woman who had just fallen in love were fully displayed.
Wen Ruxu observed this clearly, preparing to press his advantage and win her over completely. He asked her out for dinner again.
Xu Lei seemed a little embarrassed, saying that meeting so frequently might be a bit much.
Wen Ruxu said, "You said it's impossible with me, and I don't want to ruin your family. Right now, I just see you as an older sister. Can't an older sister and younger brother have dinner together?"
"I'll be going abroad in a while, and opportunities to meet will be rare. Please don't refuse me. It's rare to find someone I click with so well."
Xu Lei's eyes showed undisguised disappointment. "You're going abroad?"
"Yes, my father's business in the overseas branch needs someone to manage it. I have to go there for a while. There's nothing much keeping me here in China, so I've decided to accept his offer."
Xu Lei's heart, which had just begun to fall in love, had some ice cubes added to it.
However, she was indeed a married woman and constantly reminded herself of her status, so she couldn't show her feelings too obviously.
"Your father is right, young people should focus on their careers. Go and do a good job."
"Will you still be willing to keep in touch with me in the future? Can I confide in you when I'm unhappy?"
"Of course. I'm happy to be your confidante, a good friend with whom you can talk about anything."
"Then have dinner with me tonight. There's something I haven't told you, sister. Actually, you look very much like a deceased relative of mine. The moment I saw you, I felt a sense of familiarity."
As he spoke, Wen Ruxu reached out and covered her hand.
"Sister, seeing you smile at me is like she's come back to life. I really love seeing you smile, and I really want to hug you."
Outside the restaurant, in the car, Jiang Jingyu was frantically taking pictures of this scene.
Ultimately, Xu Lei couldn't resist his sweet words and agreed to the dinner engagement that evening.
Perhaps it was the hints in their conversation at lunch and the hand-holding that foreshadowed something, but Xu Lei dressed much more revealingly to meet him tonight than she had yesterday.
It was clear she had put in a lot of effort to dress up.
A black, deep-V slip dress, long crystal earrings, and bright red nails.
While she might have thought she looked mature and alluring, in Wen Ruxu's eyes, she was utterly vulgar, like a cucumber painted green.
Her longing for him was written all over her face, making him feel quite nauseous.
However, he was still a competent actor.
He showered Xu Lei with compliments, then moved closer, his hands subtly exploring her back and shoulders.
By the end, as Xu Lei giggled charmingly, she was already leaning into his embrace.
The ambiguous atmosphere between them escalated rapidly. As they parted at the restaurant entrance, Wen Ruxu looked deeply into her eyes and took off his jacket to drape it over her.
Xu Lei even felt as though he was about to kiss her.
That feeling, like a first love reborn, was truly intoxicating.
However, it was all for the sake of a good photo; Wen Ruxu wouldn't do anything more.
He very gentlemanly drove her home. After they said goodbye, they continued their sweet talk on their phones.
After coaxing Xu Lei to sleep, at half-past midnight, Wen Ruxu called Jiang Jingyu.
"Alright, alright, that's enough. Send the photos to her husband. I'm disgusted."
"If this continues, she'll throw herself at me without me doing anything. I'm scared. Let's stop here. Prepare to reel her in."
Jiang Jingyu also felt it was time. He arranged for a same-city express delivery late that night, sending the compiled photos to her husband.
He also included a hotel room number and the time.