The blazing midday sun scorched the earth, seeming almost as if the asphalt road were about to be baked, and no cicada or bird was to be heard in the steel jungle. At this moment, there was not even a pedestrian to be seen.
Le Wei stood under the harsh sun, her face deathly pale. With her forehead dripping with sweat and traces of sickly redness on her cheeks, she could barely stand the heat. She felt herself similar to a fish being fully-cooked, even breathing became a hardship.
The familiar 'beep-beep' came from her phone, signifying an ongoing call. But it was as if the person on the other end was asleep, oblivious to the ringing of the phone. Nevertheless, Le Wei could clearly see, a few meters away at the window seat of the Western restaurant, Lu Shi Jun sat refreshingly, charming and charismatic. More importantly, rather unbelievable was the sight of him, who was usually not a man for many words, giving a gentle smile.
Le Wei had been in a relationship with him for two years, married for one. He had always been gentle to her, taking care of her attentively, but she had never seen such a gentle smile before.
Amid the heat, she broke out in a constant sweat. The hot wind blew, making her shirt alternately wet and dry at the back. However, her heart was like it was soaked in icy water, shrunk into a cold knot, her hand trembling as it held the phone, her fingertips were as cold as ice.
"Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavailable—sorry..."
She re-dialed in a daze, but her eyes remained fixed on the man behind the glass. Lu Shi Jun's eyebrows seemed to wrinkle slightly but, he still offered a napkin to the person opposite him in an affectionate manner, and then smiled at her gently.
A dull pain arose in Le Wei's eyes, perhaps it was the sweat that had trickled into them. Suddenly, her tears welled up and she could not even wipe them away. Because she could hear a low inquiry from the earpiece of the phone, gentle as always but carrying a bit of politeness, "Hello, is there anything you need, Le Wei?"
Le Wei held her phone up stiffly, took a step back, and hid behind a thick, leafy tree.
Lu Shi Jun seemed a little apologetic. He affectionately stroked the woman opposite him before he got up to make a call.
"Hello, Wei Wei, why aren't you speaking?" Lu Shi Jun's voice was as soft and harmless as he seemed, warm and pleasant to the ear. But only Le Wei knew that beneath such mask hid a heart that was chillingly indifferent.
Wiping away her tears in a hurry, she took a deep breath before opening her mouth, "Shi Jun, where...where are you?"
His wife's voice seemed off, and Lu Shi Jun, sharp as he was, immediately sensed something unusual. Instinctively, he glanced outside. The empty street bathed in relentless sunshine was too dazzling for the eyes.
At the window, Ya Ru sat quietly. Her profile was poised and enchanting. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders and fell across her chest, though her brows bore traces of worry. At the sound of Tong Le Wei's voice, Lu Shi Jun felt a strange twinge of guilt as if he had been caught having an illicit affair by his wife.
But immediately, he shook off the bizarre thought.