Chapter 2
Chapter 2
8:05 p.m.
Maybe waiting for the car was too boring.
The woman opened a lifestyle recommendation app.
The first post on the home page was an “Autumn-Winter Vibe Makeup Tutorial.”
She tapped in and zoomed in on the blogger’s eye makeup details.
After lingering for a dozen seconds or so, she swiped away.
Then she came across a post titled “Safety Guide for Women Living Alone.”
It listed all sorts of tips on preventing break-ins and avoiding being followed.
Without the slightest hesitation, she hit save.
She even typed a comment:
“Saving this. You really have to be careful when you live alone!”
But then she paused and deleted the words.
She replaced them with a thumbs-up sticker instead.
…
I stared at the screen and let out a scornful laugh.
The way she deleted that comment made it seem like she was afraid someone would figure out she lived alone, like she was deliberately hiding that information.
Still, it did remind me of something.
She lived by herself, and she was this guarded.
Clearly, she was no docile, harmless little lamb like she appeared on the outside.
8:09 p.m.
The ride-hailing app popped back onto the screen.
A moment later, the call interface appeared.
The caller ID showed the driver’s virtual number from the ride-hailing platform.
Thirty seconds later, the call ended.
The phone screen abruptly went black.
She had obviously pressed the lock button.
I looked up toward the door again.
A ride-hailing car had just pulled up by the curb.
The woman got in, shut the door, and left.
The car soon merged into the night and vanished at the end of the street.
…
I stared at the blacked-out surveillance feed in front of me.
Something dark churned beneath the surface of my heart.
Because the real show had only just begun.
Once she got home and let down her guard…
The world inside her phone would finally get interesting.
8:10 p.m.
The woman’s phone screen lit up again.
It jumped straight to WeChat.
She sent Ah Zhe a message:
[I’m in the car.]
The screen then switched back to the ride-hailing app.
The woman swiped the screen, refreshing the car’s real-time location.
Then she tapped “Share Trip” and sent the link to Ah Zhe.
Next, the screen switched to a food delivery app.
She opened her “Frequently Ordered” list.
She scrolled through a malatang shop she had ordered from before.
After hesitating for a few seconds, she backed out.
Instead, she searched for “light salad.”
She filtered for restaurants with “free delivery.”
Then she opened the one with the highest sales.
She selected a chicken breast vegetable salad and two cups of unsweetened soy milk.
The address she entered was Room 604, Building 4, Juyuan Community.
In the note field, she typed a line:
[Less dressing. Two sets of utensils. Please leave it at the door, no need to knock. Thank you.]
After paying, she sent a screenshot of the order to Ah Zhe:
[Having something light tonight. Want to come over after work and eat together?]
Ah Zhe quickly replied with a “crying from craving” sticker:
[Ugh, they dumped a report on me at the last minute. I’ll be stuck here until ten. Eat first when the food gets there.]
…
Seeing this, I instinctively glanced at the wall clock.
Then I went over the woman’s address in my mind again.
Room 604, Building 4, Juyuan Community.
A thrill of secret delight ran through me.
Two sets of utensils?
Looks like Ah Zhe really was planning to go over tonight.
Good. Once the two of them got together…
Who knew? Maybe I’d get to “see” something even more exciting.
I licked my lips, and the anticipation in my heart grew even stronger.