Hu Mei had been extremely busy during the days when Mu Tian was abroad for his work trip. So, Xi Jin rarely got a chance to sleep over with her at their old apartment.

Hu Mei was managing PR for a famous pop idol, called Zhao Xiao Yue. He was signed on by Rong Media House, which required her to personally tour with the artists’ crew, and promote them through concerts, film and television shows, interviews, red carpet events, etc., for another 6 months. This basically meant that Xi Jin could hardly meet her best friend whenever she came over to their place.

On one such day, she decided to pack most of her belongings that she required at her new city apartment, and boxed them neatly. She sealed them with a duct tape, and placed them nicely in a corner.

When she finally completed her tedious task, the shrill noise of the doorbell was followed by impatient loud thuds on the door.

***thud,thud,thud***

“Xi Jin, you there? Open the door…. It’s me.”

By now, Xi Jin was familiar with the voice behind the door. This man, Rong Fei Lin, was someone whose playful nature she understood pretty well. Putting on an annoyed look, she opened the door, and snapped, “Hey you, why are you here?”

Stunned by the looks of the woman in front of him, Rong Fei Lin couldn’t help but jest, “Hey, hey, hey!! Where’s that dirty little girl? Are you sure you’re Xia Xi Jin?”

Except for that day at the designer store, Rong Fei Lin had only seen the sloppiest versions of Xi Jin whenever he met her. But, at the moment, he couldn’t deny that the woman in front of him, looked exceptional. 

Xi Jin knew that under Mu Tian’s exceptional care, she was no longer a dirty little kitten. She had personally experienced Mu Tian’s OCD for cleanliness. He would often jostle, toss, and scrub her, until she became clean and s.h.i.+ny like an ocean pearl.

Moreover, after suffering through countless lessons on personal grooming, Xi Jin had become adept at keeping a fresh and vibrant image, and gradually developed it into a effortless habit.

Astonished by Xi Jin’s new avatar, Rong Fei Lin felt that this woman was reincarnated.

Xi Jin’s smooth black hair, seductively hung straight over her waist, while her jade- skinned face, looked small and loveable. She wore a low waist, wide-bottom jeans, with a tight, strappy-shouldered T-s.h.i.+rt. She coupled her outfit with a pair of designer sheep-skinned high heels, that made her look tall, gorgeous and vivacious, like a fas.h.i.+on model.

More importantly, Fei Lin felt that, in addition to her usual youthful self, Xi Jin gave off an alluring charm, which only increased her attractiveness tenfold.

What Rong Fei Lin could never guess, however, was the kind of effort that went in to make Xi Jin look this perfect.

Xi Jin was a lazy woman, who had no sense of fas.h.i.+on at all. But, under Mu Tian’s guidance, eminent stylists were chosen to pick the best clothes, shoes, bags, and other fas.h.i.+on items, for Xi Jin’s wardrobe. They would hang sets of matching clothes for her, well in advance, so she did not have to fret over it later.

Finally, noticing the admiring look in Fei Lin’s eyes, Xi Jin felt partially moved, simply because he was handsome guy, and she was someone, who barely left her home for other people to appreciate her looks.

Seeing Xi Jin’s expression soften, Fei Lin cut his thoughts short.

Looking behind her, his eyes fell on the empty-ish living room, and sealed boxes in the corner. Curious about the situation, he asked, “Are you moving out? Need any help?”

Unclear about how to confide about her marriage with his brother-in-law, Mu Tian, to Fei Lin, Xi Jin felt a knot develop in her heart. She knew pretty well, how keen Mu Tian was about knowing matters related to her and Rong Fei Lin. Although, she wasn’t involved intimately with Fei Lin, she unknowingly felt guilty, and wanted to clear any misunderstanding with her husband. But, she wasn’t sure how she’d deal with Fei Lin first.

Doing her best to hide her anxiousness, she bit her fingernails, and hesitantly asked, “Fei Lin, If you aren’t busy, can you join me for dinner?”