Iris at Dusk

Feeling a bit self-conscious about the previous night's events, Lin Li rose early the next day; while Zhou Han was out for his morning exercise, she packed up, drove to the office, and got straight to work. She went through her usual routine: booting up her computer, scanning her inbox for urgent messages, and reviewing Zhou Han’s schedule for the day. She also made a dozen copies of the documents Zhou Han had given her the night before, ready to distribute them when the department heads arrived for their meeting. Once the preparations were complete, Lin Li grabbed her mug and headed to the break room to pour herself some tea. Back at her desk, she habitually opened the local city forum to check the latest news and updates from Jiangcheng. A particular thread on the forum was trending wildly, boasting tens of thousands of views and replies. Even more sensational than the engagement numbers, however, was the thread's title: "Jiangcheng Deputy Mayor Sex Scandal." Curiou...

Lin Li walked up to him, looking puzzled, and asked, "What were you doing with my phone?" Zhou Han handed the phone back to her and said frankly, "I answered a call while you were away." "Who was it?" Lin Li reached out to take it and unlocked the screen to check the call log, only to hear Zhou Han say, "Cheng Xiang." Her hand, poised over the phone, froze instantly; she stood there blankly for a long moment, unable to react. Zhou Han took in her expression and said coolly, "If you were thinking of calling back..." "I have no intention of calling back." Lin Li cut him off immediately. "Why would I? I said I was going to forget that person!" Zhou Han smiled at her and said, "I just wanted to tell you that if you *did* want to call back—well, I'm sorry, but I deleted the call record." Lin Li was stunned for a moment. "If you deleted the record, why did you even tell me he called?" Zhou Han shrug...

On the drive back, Lin Li turned to look at Zhou Han for a long moment before finally saying, "I never realized you were such a good actor." Zhou Han glanced at her, then turned his eyes back to the road ahead. With a faint, half-smile playing on his lips, he said, "I’m a businessman; I value efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Getting it right the first time is always better than having to make endless revisions later." Lin Li nodded, adding with a touch of sarcasm, "True enough—one-and-done, right?" Zhou Han didn't turn his head; he kept his focus on the road. The atmosphere inside the car shifted abruptly, becoming heavy and stifling. Lin Li felt inexplicably out of sorts—agitated and uneasy. She knew her foul mood stemmed not just from her parents' departure, but also from the encounter with Cheng Xiang’s mother at the airport. After a long silence, Zhou Han spoke first, a hint of a smile in his voice: "It seems your judgment is truly terri...

Lin Li was somewhat surprised to run into Cheng Xiang’s mother here, but out of courtesy, she stood up and gave a slight nod. Mother Cheng walked over and stopped in front of her. She glanced briefly at Lin Li’s parents—who were seated nearby—before fixing her gaze back on Lin Li’s face. Without betraying much emotion, she asked, "So, you’re getting ready to leave Jiangcheng with your parents?" Lin Li looked at her; having no desire to answer the question, she simply asked in a cold tone, "Is there something you need?" In truth, Lin Li knew that Cheng Xiang’s mother had never liked her. It was only because Cheng Xiang had insisted on being with her that his parents had reluctantly agreed to the relationship.  Consequently, even though she and Cheng Xiang had been together for ten years, he rarely took her to his family home; he usually went back alone for the holidays. Although the Cheng family eventually stopped opposing the relationship, she had never truly won th...

Lin Li turned around, rubbing her head, to see Zhou Han standing in the bathroom doorway; he had already washed up and changed into fresh clothes, his hair combed meticulously. It was only then that Lin Li remembered how her mother had forced her to switch rooms the night before; not wanting to let "someone" take advantage of the situation, she had ended up sleeping on a makeshift bed on the floor. Rubbing the back of her head, Lin Li climbed up from the floor with a grimace. Once on her feet, she realized her whole body ached terribly—as if she were falling apart—and she felt uncomfortable no matter how she stood. Zhou Han stood leaning against the bathroom doorframe with his arms crossed, watching her with a look that hovered between a smile and a smirk. "I told you yesterday I didn't mind you sleeping in the bed," he said—his tone clearly suggesting he was amused by her predicament. Lin Li glared at him and retorted irritably, "Then why didn't you sh...

Lin Li stared at him blankly, unable to react for a long moment; it felt as though time itself had suddenly frozen, coming to a complete standstill. The two of them locked eyes, neither speaking nor making the first move. If only time *could* truly freeze or stop—but, of course, it couldn't. The hot breath against her ear was palpable; they were pressed so close together that the slightest movement from either of them would be instantly felt by the other. After an indeterminate amount of time, Lin Li finally snapped out of the shock caused by Zhou Han’s words. Perhaps realizing just how awkward their position was—and how "dangerous" her situation had become—she dared not make another rash move. Instead, she offered a nervous, awkward laugh and said to Zhou Han, "You... you're joking, right?" Zhou Han leaned closer, his voice low and husky as he asked, "Do I look like I'm joking right now?" The sensation of that searing heat pressing firmly agai...