"I need to use the restroom."
Xuan Ying suddenly stood up, tugging at Zhao Yan's sleeve as she passed by her.
Zhao Yan understood the hint and stood up as well.
"I'll go with you."
The two women walked to the restroom one after another.
"Go ahead."
Zhao Yan stayed in front of the bathroom mirror, casually touching up her makeup while speaking softly.
"No, I just want to wash my hands."
Xuan Ying shook her head, then went to the sink and gently rinsed her hands under the faucet.
Meanwhile, Zhao Yan continued fixing her makeup.
During this process, neither woman exchanged a word.
"Alright, I'm heading back."
After washing her hands, Xuan Ying turned around and quickly left without waiting for Zhao Yan.
"So you just wanted to switch seats with me?"
Zhao Yan remained standing by the sink, quietly watching Xuan Ying's retreating figure while thinking to herself.
After Xuan Ying left, Zhao Yan leisurely walked away from the mirror, wearing a subtle smile.
When she returned, she found that Xuan Ying had indeed taken her original seat.
"Come sit down, let's eat."
Seeing Zhao Yan return, Xuan Ying hurriedly invited her 'good sister' to sit.
"Mm."
Zhao Yan sat down across from Su Cheng and began eating.
Had the two switched positions?
Feeling Xuan Ying's subtle physical contact beside him, Su Cheng somewhat awkwardly picked up some vegetables with his chopsticks and placed them in his bowl.
"Here's orange juice for you."
Xuan Ying pushed the orange juice towards Su Cheng, then suddenly said, "Or would you prefer milk?"
"Oh, thanks, either is fine."
Su Cheng nodded, then lowered his head to eat, appearing completely focused on his meal.
"Then you should have the milk, I prefer orange juice."
Xuan Ying's cheeks turned slightly pink as she took back the orange juice and placed the milk next to Su Cheng.
Seeing this, Zhao Yan understood the intention,
The milk had been drunk by Xuan Ying, though Su Cheng didn't know.
As for the orange juice?
Su Cheng's "orange."
The meaning couldn't have been more obvious.
Expressing love while indirectly sharing a kiss.
Zhao Yan mentally gave Xuan Ying a thumbs up.
Who would have thought that Xuan Ying, usually quite naive and indecisive, would be so naturally gifted at pursuing men.
Seeing that Su Cheng hadn't touched the milk, Xuan Ying grew anxious and quickly picked up the glass of milk, placing it directly in front of him, asking, "Don't you like milk?"
"I do!"
Su Cheng looked at the milk and picked it up without hesitation.
But his movements were very slow, and during this delay both women watched him - Zhao Yan's gaze was scrutinizing while Xuan Ying's was full of anticipation and nervousness.
Noticing both women staring at him, Su Cheng felt uncomfortable and put the milk back down, frowning as he asked, "Is there something on my face?"
"No..."
"Nothing."
Both women instinctively turned their heads away and answered in unison.
"Oh."
Su Cheng nodded and didn't dwell on it, returning to his meal.
Seeing that he didn't drink the milk, Zhao Yan felt inexplicably relieved.
Xuan Ying felt disappointed and shot a reproachful look at her 'good sister' before glancing at Su Cheng.
In the end, she could only swallow her disappointment and quietly continue eating.
So the three ate in silence, with no one speaking.
Su Cheng never did drink the milk.
The two women ate very elegantly, taking only symbolic bites before dabbing their lips with napkins and finally putting down their chopsticks to take out their phones, while keeping Su Cheng in their peripheral vision.
In truth, both women were starving and hadn't eaten nearly enough.
But to maintain an image of having small appetites, they had to pretend they were satisfied.
Soon after, Su Cheng, with oil on his lips, began looking for a napkin but couldn't find any.
"Here you go."
Zhao Yan extended her hand, holding a pristine white napkin.
"Thank you!"
Su Cheng gave her a smile.
"You're welcome, no need to thank me."
Zhao Yan nodded slightly.
Her speech was measured, neither hurried nor sluggish, just like an elegant and noble princess.
How are you so smooth at this?!
Xuan Ying, holding her own napkin, looked at her 'good sister' in disbelief.
She had secretly taken the napkins earlier.
And she had been focusing all her attention on Su Cheng, waiting for him to finish eating so she could thoughtfully offer a napkin, but now Zhao Yan had beaten her to it.
This made her suddenly realize something.
No...
Yan-jie couldn't be that kind of person!
She had always treated her like a little sister and let her have her way in everything.
Xuan Ying shook her head.
The thought made her want to slap herself - how could she suspect Yan-jie like this?
It must have been a coincidence, it must have been!
Soon the meal ended, and the three left the restaurant, heading toward the screening area.
Upon reaching the viewing area, Su Cheng took out two seat cards and handed them to the women.
"Are they adjacent seats?"
Xuan Ying looked at her number, then at Zhao Yan's number beside her.
2 and 3
Which meant Su Cheng had to be either 1 or 4.
Only one of them could sit next to Su Cheng.
"Yes, they are."
Su Cheng smiled.
"Mm, it's about time."
Zhao Yan nodded, checking her watch while secretly glancing at Xuan Ying's number.
"You two go ahead, I need to use the restroom."
Su Cheng said.
"Let's go!"
Xuan Ying nodded and took the lead walking into the theater, with Zhao Yan following close behind.
So the two sat together, each harboring their own schemes, their gazes briefly meeting before they both looked down.
As time passed and the theater gradually filled up, both women kept their attention on the empty seat beside them.
Soon, a woman suddenly sat down in the empty seat next to Zhao Yan, making her frown slightly and think, "Bad luck."
Seeing this, Xuan Ying's face lit up with joy as she secretly celebrated: "Sure enough, I'm the lucky one."
However, at that moment, a young woman suddenly sat down next to her.
Seeing this, Xuan Ying's smile instantly froze, her beautiful eyes flickering with confusion and bewilderment.
Why?
What did this mean?
How dare someone take Su Cheng's seat?!
But Xuan Ying quickly composed herself, forcing a smile as she prepared to tell the person that the seat was already taken and ask them to move elsewhere.
However, before she could speak, Zhao Yan reached out to stop her.
"Yan-jie?"
Xuan Ying looked at Zhao Yan in confusion, not understanding why she would suddenly stop her and what this meant.
"Look."
Zhao Yan took out her phone and showed the screen to Xuan Ying, displaying her chat history with Su Cheng.
"I have something to do, so I'll wait for you outside."
"!!"
Upon seeing this, Xuan Ying's face turned pale, her eyes filled with shock as she looked between Zhao Yan and the young woman beside her, her heart a jumble of emotions.
At this moment, an unprecedented sense of loss and defeat washed over Xuan Ying.