The vision was pitch black.
Knees pressed tightly against her chest, hands wrapped around them, Lu Weizhu was forced to curl up inside the box.
The box was incredibly small; her joints pressed against the wooden walls, the friction causing sharp pain.
She dared not speak, clutching herself tightly, Lu Weizhu closed her eyes.
Breathing was slightly difficult in the cramped space.
“……”
With some effort, she pushed the lid open just a crack with her fingers.
A faint stream of light and air seeped into the box, easing her discomfort just a little.
“…Ah…why did it have to be like this?”
The embroidered pouch in her arms was crushed into a lump.
Peering through the tiny gap, she saw the wooden floor beneath the desk and felt utterly lost.
She had only wanted to deliver a birthday gift, to curry a little favor with the detestable benefactors.
Why was she always plagued by misfortune?
She stared blankly as time slowly passed by.
Without her Mobile Phone, she couldn’t check the time.
Perhaps Bai Lu hadn’t left long ago, but for Lu Weizhu, it felt unbearably agonizing.
Clearly.
She didn’t know how much time had passed before footsteps echoed outside.
She slid the lid back into place.
Darkness swallowed her vision once more.
Perhaps because this box had been used to store files before, Lu Weizhu could smell the scent of Zhumao Wan.
In the confined space, the smell was even more intense.
Afraid to make a sound, Lu Weizhu quietly listened to the footsteps from downstairs.
“Ah Wan, what are you doing here?”
“Hm? It’s my girlfriend’s birthday. How could I not come?”
The voices of Ning Wan and Bai Lu floated up from below.
Lu Weizhu felt dazed.
“There’s no need to make such a big deal about it anyway. There’s a birthday every year. Why didn’t you tell me earlier, Ah Wan? I could have prepared something in advance.”
Bai Lu’s voice mixed joy and melancholy.
“I wanted to surprise you. You’ve been so busy and tired lately.”
“Sigh…being tired can’t be helped. Those two old geezers went off on vacation, and everything landed on my shoulders.”
Bai Lu sighed deeply.
They climbed the stairs, their footsteps clearly audible.
The steps drew nearer, and soon the study door opened.
“Come to think of it, I haven’t been here for a while.”
Ning Wan sat down in the chair behind the desk, resting her hands behind her head.
“Yeah, after all, you’ve been away for so many years.”
Bai Lu leaned on the edge of the desk, glancing sideways at the white Storage Box beneath it.
The thought that her mistress’s mistress was hiding right before her childhood sweetheart and girlfriend made her uneasy.
In her heart, she felt some resentment toward Lu Weizhu.
Hadn’t she said she wouldn’t disturb her casually?
Why show up here all of a sudden?
Wanting to vent but unable to act in front of Ning Wan, she swallowed her anger and frustration.
“Kind of mean.”
Looking at Ning Wan, Bai Lu’s tone was almost playful.
She thought that if her girlfriend hadn’t gone so far away and stayed away for years, she might never have taken the path of seeking a substitute.
Longing was truly hard to overcome.
“Haha…it was unavoidable. I didn’t want it either. But I was young back then and couldn’t go against my family’s wishes.”
Ning Wan smiled apologetically.
Inside the Storage Box, Lu Weizhu covered her mouth tightly, listening to their conversation.
Naturally, it was very different from what she had witnessed herself.
Ning Wan’s mood was unexpectedly calm, while Bai Lu was much softer than usual.
Well, that made sense.
After all, they were lovers, while she was just a plaything.
“………”
As Lu Weizhu sank into silent sorrow, Ning Wan rested her leg on top of the Storage Box.
The lid pressed down slightly, pinching the joints of Lu Weizhu’s arms.
Her heart jumped to her throat; she bit her lower lip hard.
What should she do?
Was she about to be discovered?
Would she die?
No, please…
Anxious, Lu Weizhu prayed silently in her heart.
“Hm? What’s in this box?”
Noticing something hard inside the box, Ning Wan bent down, looking at the Storage Box with curiosity.
Lu Weizhu’s small heart tightened painfully.
Fear made her feel like she was in an ice cellar; her body trembled slightly.
Hearing Ning Wan’s question, Bai Lu grew nervous as well.
Could they have found out?
If they discovered she was still keeping a mistress, she would definitely be punished severely.
Bai Lu moved closer to Ning Wan and picked up a stack of Biaoge.
“Some books I plan to read and documents to handle. Mostly Zhineng Renmian and things that need my signature and approval. The desk isn’t big enough, so I put them in the box.”
Though panicked inside, Bai Lu maintained a calm face.
Compared to Lu Weizhu, her ability to lie was far stronger.
“Ah? Are you this busy every day?”
Ning Wan picked up a few Contracts Bai Lu had already signed.
She glanced through them briefly before losing interest.
“Not really every day. It’s just the stuff piled up over the last few days. If I don’t take care of it now, how could I have time to spend with my beloved Ah Wan?”
Bai Lu wrapped her arms around Ning Wan’s neck from behind, the chair rocking slightly.
Unseen by them, Lu Weizhu felt the pressure on her arms increase.
What was worse, she began to have difficulty breathing, her head spinning.
Maybe it was the cramped space, or perhaps her mind was playing tricks on her.
Either way, Lu Weizhu’s condition was deteriorating.
The darkness before her eyes seemed to hide an invisible hand, ready to grab her at any moment.
Bai Lu rested her head on Ning Wan’s shoulder, glancing at the Storage Box under the desk.
She wasn’t sure how much longer that ungrateful, damned little thing could hold out.
She needed to get her girlfriend out of the study as soon as possible—whether by sending her away or finding another place to rest.
The important thing was not to leave her in the study.
Bai Lu’s eyes flickered as she pondered a plan.
“Ah Wan, why don’t you go back first? I still have a lot of work to do here.”
Holding Ning Wan close, Bai Lu’s tone was soft—something Lu Weizhu found utterly fake.
This wasn’t how she behaved toward her.
Of course, Lu Weizhu had no face to compare herself to Ning Wan anyway.
Having been curled up for so long, her waist and back ached.
To avoid making noise, Lu Weizhu turned her head and bit the collar beside her.
The tips of her long hair brushed against the bottom of the box, producing faint sounds.
Because Bai Lu was on edge, she heard the noise clearly, her face darkening.
Luckily, Ning Wan was relaxed and didn’t notice anything unusual.
“What? Am I disturbing Xiao Bai’s work? So I’m a burden? Boo hoo…how hurtful.”
Ning Wan’s exaggerated act made Bai Lu feel irritated, but she still played along.
“It’s because I love Ah Wan so much. When you’re here, all I can think about is you, and I can’t get any work done.”
Not romantic, but sincere words of affection.
Ning Wan smiled contentedly.
“Alright, alright, Xiao Bai, I’ll leave first. I’ll come find you again tomorrow. Mm-hmm~”
With a light hum, Ning Wan stood and stepped out of the study lightly.
Though a little regretful at not sharing something intimate with her beloved, hearing those sweet words was still nice.
With that thought, she didn’t stay long in the Zhuangyuan before leaving.