The bustling airport lounge was teeming with people, all clutching boarding passes, searching for their respective boarding gates.
Some gathered in groups, talking and laughing; some young girls clung to their boyfriends, doting on them; some children played at their parents' feet; some were chatting on their phones, and some were working or doing something on their laptops.
Among these diverse individuals, a solitary figure sat in a corner, lost in thought. Alone and desolate, she looked helplessly forlorn as she stared blankly at the vast airport, at the airplanes taking off and landing, her thoughts seemingly miles away.
Just then, an announcement echoed through the terminal, "Dear passengers, please note that your flight to Beijing, CA1658, is now boarding. Please proceed to Gate 18."
"Ladies and gentlemen, please note that your flight to Beijing, CA1658, is now boarding. Please board your plane from Gate No. 18, thank you!"
Everyone began to line up for boarding. Su Xiaowan snapped out of her reverie, slowly got up, and silently followed the crowd onto the plane.
Seated quietly, she gazed at the view outside. The sky was dark and foreboding, as if a downpour was brewing.
It mirrored Su Xiaowan's current state of mind, her heart heavy, to the point of suffocation. She kept wondering, 'Am I sad? Huh, I should be sad,' she laughed mockingly at herself.
Am I hurt? Yes, the pain was heart-wrenching, it drained her of all strength, making the sadness almost insignificant had comparison.
Yet, there were no tears, nor could she shed any, she merely stared blankly outside.
The images of the pair intertwined on her bed, the surprised terror on their faces when they saw her at the doorway, continually lingered in her mind.
Due to work requirements, Su Xiaowan was sent to Beijing for a work trip and had stayed late the previous night preparing the necessary documents.
There was a lot to deal with at the company. After handling her pending work, she had to check the content of her report carefully again. Her flight was booked for the next morning, time was tight.
Perhaps due to staying up late, she woke up later than planned the next day. In a rush to get ready and pack up, she dashed out of the house.
Upon reaching the airport, she realized she had left her USB drive behind. All her data was stored there.
Accepting the unfortunate turn of events, she had to head back home to grab the drive, changing her flight in the process, Su Xiaowan hurriedly rushed home.
Upon opening the door, she noticed an additional pair of red high heels as she was changing shoes, and was certain those did not belong to her.
Su Xiaowan rarely wore high heels, let alone such an ostentatious color, her style was usually more understated.
As she was contemplating this anomaly, she heard a seductive voice call out, "Akai...!"
The man's voice teased back, "Mischievous sprite, you've bewitched my soul!"
A woman's voice cooed, "'Oh, Akai, you're teasing me! Your bed, the one you share with Xiao Wan, is really comfortable. But, I wonder how Xiao Wan would react if she knew about us. Haha! Sometimes, I envy her for getting to be with you every day."
The man, "Mischievous sprite..."
"Humph! She's nothing compared to you. She's so busy every day she doesn't have time for me, let alone in bed. She's just a wooden stick and nothing like the energetic dynamite you are, hmm?"
The woman, "Hmm~ Xiao Wan is pretty, has a good figure and a good job, she's perfect in every way. Are you hiding something from me, hmm? Hey, when can we come out in the open?"
A calculating glint flit across the woman's eyes, though it vanished in an instant.
The man murmured, "Darling, behave! My precious little darling, why would I lie to you? Su Xiaowan is just a boring old bottle, nothing like a real woman."
"But it won't be long now, she's off to Beijing, isn't she? These couple of days, I'll just transfer the house to my name. Once the formalities are done, we can show her the door."
"Humph, I've had enough of her all these years. She's boring as a block of wood, doesn't dress up, sports that nerdy pair of glasses. She's dull and lacks vitality. If not for her earning some money to splurge, why would I stoop so low to make nice with her till today? Yunyun is so much better than her, isn't she?"
As pale as a sheet, Su Xiaowan took a step toward the bedroom, her entire being empty of soul. She walked numbly to the bedroom door, where she was greeted by the sight of two naked bodies on her bed.
The bag in her hand fell to the floor with a loud "thud". The two people on the bed turned their heads, their eyes widened with shock as their mouths hung open at the sight of Su Xiaowan at the door.