Morning light streamed through the apartment window, pale and soft, brushing across the floor like the touch of an old memory. Mei moved quietly through the rooms, careful not to wake Jun. The boy slept soundly, clutching his stuffed bear, his breath rising and falling in steady rhythm. Beside him, the place where Li Hao had lain was already cold. He had left early again.
Mei lingered for a moment, staring at the faint dent on the pillow where his head had rested. The phone was gone from the bedside table. She could almost hear the soft buzz of the message again, See you tomorrow! Good Night. The words replayed in her head like a whisper she couldn't turn off.
She brushed her hair back, tying it into a neat knot, and forced herself to smile when Jun stirred awake.
"Ma?" he murmured, rubbing his eyes.
"Good morning, sweetheart," she said softly, helping him out of bed. "We're going to have breakfast, then you'll go to daycare today. Grandma will pick you up later, alright?"
Jun nodded, sleepy and trusting, unaware of the unease that weighed on her words. She dressed him, packed his tiny bag, and made him porridge with bits of fruit, pretending all was normal. Yet every movement felt detached, every smile deliberate.
After dropping Jun off at daycare, she drove straight to her mother-in-law's apartment. The older woman met her at the door, hair pinned up neatly, smile faint but kind.
"Ah, Mei. You're going out today?"
"Yes, Mother," Mei said, bowing slightly. "I'm visiting a friend from university. We haven't met in a while."
Her mother-in-law nodded approvingly. "Good. It's nice to see friends once in a while. I'll keep Jun with me after daycare."
"Thank you," Mei said, pressing the words like a prayer. "Please make sure he eats dinner on time."
"Of course. Don't worry."
Mei smiled, thanked her again, and stepped outside. The instant the door closed behind her, the warmth fell away. Every part of her plan so far was rehearsed. It was the same calm tone, the same polite face but underneath it was a strange exhilaration, sharp and cold.
Today, she would know.
She started walking toward the nearby shop that rented small cars. The late morning sun hung high, the streets humming with chatter and distant honks. Halfway there, she stopped in front of a playground. Children were sitting on the grass, plucking petals from a wildflower, chanting in singsong voices.
"He loves me, he loves me not."
Their laughter was light, innocent, echoing through the air. A small girl with pigtails held up the final petal and declared, "He loves me not!"
The other children groaned in protest.
"Let's do it again," said another girl. "Come on, once more."
"But what if it doesn't end with he loves me?" the first girl asked, frowning.
"Well," the second giggled, "maybe it will."
Their words lingered in the air, weaving into Mei's chest. She found herself staring at the petals scattered across the grass, white and pink and small as fingernail clippings. Without realizing it, she bent down, picked up one stray petal that had drifted near her shoes, and whispered to herself, He loves me.
The words were brittle in her mouth. She let the petal fall and straightened up.
By the time she reached the car rental shop, her pulse had steadied. The clerk handed her the keys to a small white sedan. It was a forgettable vehicle exactly what she needed.
She sat inside for a few minutes, engine idle, watching the stream of cars on the road. Then she thought about Li Hao. How easy it was for him to lie, to say there was a meeting, a dinner, an obligation. How easy it had been for her to believe.
But why a jewelry store?
She drove to the nearest shopping mall. The idea had come to her last night while staring at the ceiling. If she followed him in her usual clothes like plain cardigans, soft trousers, flats then he would spot her instantly. She needed to look like someone else.
The mall was already alive when she entered. Music pulsed through the air, mannequins gleamed under bright light, perfume drifted faintly. Mei walked past her usual boutiques and stopped at one store she had never dared enter before. Inside, the racks shimmered with glossy fabrics, cropped tops, and skirts with slits. The kind of clothing that demanded to be seen.
A saleswoman with dyed hair approached, smiling brightly.
"Hi there! Looking for a new look?"
Mei hesitated. "Something… different."
The saleswoman's eyes sparkled with interest as if she was the one who is going to buy. "You came to the right place. Let's see what suits you."
She moved with quick, practiced ease, pulling pieces from the racks an oversized black bomber jacket, a short pleated skirt that shimmered faintly, and a fitted white crop top with subtle metallic threads that caught the light. The outfit looked confident, edgy, and utterly unlike Mei's soft pastel wardrobe.
"Try this," the saleswoman said. "You'll look amazing."
Inside the fitting room, Mei slipped into the outfit. The reflection staring back shocked her. The skirt rested high on her thighs, the jacket made her look smaller and sharper at once. The clothes didn't belong to the woman she had been yesterday. They belonged to someone younger, louder, harder to ignore.
When she stepped out, the saleswoman clapped softly. "You look incredible. Like a different person."
Mei studied herself again. She didn't look like Li Hao's quiet wife anymore. She looked like someone who could stand in a crowd and not be recognized. That was exactly what she needed.
She bought the outfit, then walked directly to the salon on the second floor.
A young makeup artist in a bright smock greeted her with enthusiasm. "Oh! I see what you're wearing," she said, circling Mei like a stylist before a show. "Let's do something bold to match. Soft skin, glassy lips, winged eyeliner… maybe a pop of shine on the cheeks?"
Mei nodded, unsure but curious.
She sat in the chair as the woman worked with expert hands. She used concealer, foundation, eyes that seemed to shimmer under the ring light, lips tinted with a gradient shade of red and pink. Her hair was styled into gentle waves, framing her face in a way that made her features delicate yet striking.
When the chair turned toward the mirror, Mei froze.
The woman in the reflection was radiant and unrecognizable. Her eyes seemed bigger, her skin smoother, her expression almost doll-like. She looked younger, fresher. She looked like a stranger she could almost envy.
The makeup artist smiled. "Perfect. You look like a star."
Mei smiled faintly, touching her cheek. "Thank you."
She left the salon, walking through the mall in her new skin. Every mirror she passed reflected a version of her that seemed to glide through the air. People glanced her way. Some men stared longer than they should have. It felt strange, powerful, and unsettling.
She decided to stop at a small restaurant for lunch. The waitress led her to a quiet booth near the window. Mei ordered a bowl of noodles and green tea. As she ate, she thought of Li Hao's face, the warmth that used to be there, the laughter that once made her blush. But now, that memory only made the food taste bland.
After finishing her meal, she moved to the coffee shop across the hall. It was early afternoon; her husband's office would not close until evening. She had time to kill, but not enough to relax.
She ordered a cappuccino and sat near the window, scrolling aimlessly on her phone, pretending to look busy. The tension in her chest refused to fade.
After a while, someone approached.
"Excuse me," a man said, his tone light. "Are you waiting for someone?"
Mei glanced up. He was casually dressed, perhaps mid-thirties, with confident eyes that had noticed her too easily.
"No," she said flatly.
He chuckled. "You don't look like someone who should be sitting alone. I'm Jian, by the way."
She sighed quietly. "I'm not interested."
"Hey, relax. Just thought you might want to talk. You seem tense."
"I said I'm not interested."
He paused, then slipped a small card onto the table. "Fine. If you change your mind, give me a call."
She didn't look at it. He gave her one last curious glance before walking away.
The card stayed there untouched because of her distraction. Mei sipped her coffee, eyes unfocused, her pulse still tight in her neck.
Hours slipped by. The sky beyond the glass darkened into evening. The mall's bright lights reflected off the floor, making the world feel almost unreal.
When the clock struck five, Mei stood up, gathered her bag, and left. The business card which remained on the table was taken by her unconsciously.
She exited the mall and crossed the street to the parking lot. Her heels clicked against the pavement as she approached the white sedan. The energy of the day had drained into a heavy quiet.
She sat in the driver's seat and waited. Her hands trembled slightly on the wheel.