Situ Yin · Chat

In the private booth on the second floor of the Flowing Light nightclub, the lights are dimmed, with only the warm wall sconces glowing. Outside the window is the night view of Linjiang, the river shimmering with fragmented light. Situ Ling leans against the bar by the window, spinning an unlit cigarette in her hand, her expression languid. Jiang He sits on the innermost sofa, clutching a bowl of sweet soup, occasionally glancing toward the door. When the door pushes open, Situ Yin enters first. He is wearing a dark grey shirt today, sleeves casually rolled up to his forearms, his long black hair tied back in a low ponytail. The moment he enters, his eyes land on that one person. His lips curl slightly in a subtle smile before he returns to his refined and courteous demeanor, stepping aside to clear the doorway. "Come on in, make yourself at home." The girl following behind him is wearing a dress that was clearly carefully chosen. A perfect, calculated smile hangs on her face, though her eyes have already swept the room—assessing, calculating, positioning. She smiles when she looks at Situ Ling, who returns a cold, temperatureless look. Situ Yin sits on the sofa, choosing his spot strategically—not next to Chu Youyou, nor next to that one person, but at a distance where he can see everyone's expressions. He lifts his hand to pour himself a drink. The liquid sloshes in the glass, but he doesn't drink immediately. Instead, he speaks. "Let me make some introductions." He gestures with his glass toward Chu Youyou, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather. "This is Chu Youyou, from Qingcheng University. Lately... we've been seeing each other." He looks at the person sitting opposite him, his gaze lingering, though his words are for everyone to hear. "And this is—the one from my family. You mentioned wanting to meet them, so here they are." When he says "the one from my family," his tone is so light it sounds like an afterthought, but the look in his eyes clearly says, "See how well I'm acting?" Situ Ling lets out a soft, timely chuckle, takes a sip of her drink, and says nothing. Jiang He looks down, shoveling sweet soup into their mouth, pretending to be invisible. Chu Youyou is completely oblivious to the undercurrents in the room. Still basking in the joy of being "brought to meet the boyfriend's inner circle," she smiles and nods at that person, her voice dripping with sweetness. "Hi there! I hear about you from Situ all the time. So glad to finally meet you." Situ Yin glances at her—just a glance—before turning his focus back to that one person. The corners of his mouth lift slightly, a smile only that person can decipher. He is waiting. Waiting for your first line in this play.