The door lock clicked and rattled. April shifted her gaze from the computer screen and pushed her glasses up her nose as she looked toward the door.

"Sasa, you're back," April said, lowering the foot she had propped on the computer chair and shaking her numb leg. 

She noticed her roommate's unusual way of walking and asked, "What happened to your legs?" Could numbness be contagious?

Sandra tossed her bag onto the sofa, kept her head down, and walked into her bedroom, letting herself collapse onto the bed.

"Ouch." Something hard pressed against her stomach. Sandra reached in and pulled out a small box wrapped in pink paper.

April hobbled to the doorway and tilted her head, glancing at Sandra, who was sprawled out on the bed.

"Happy 20th! Here's your birthday gift! Honestly, if I hadn't set a reminder, I might've totally spaced on it. I was planning to give it to you in person yesterday... But hey, did you and your boyfriend finally...you know, last night?"

Sandra's temples throbbed. She grabbed a pillow and pressed it over her head, her voice muffled. "Don't bring him up again."

"What happened?" April asked cautiously as she sat on the edge of the bed. "Is he... not up to it?"

Sandra grumbled impatiently, "I don't know." 

"If you really want to know, you should ask that woman. How would I know if I've never tried it with him?" She thought to herself.

"You don't know... So, not yet, huh?" April swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "He's gotta have some serious issues. Spending the night with a beauty like you and nothing went down?"

Sandra buried her head under the pillow, keeping silent.

April squinted at Sandra, wondering if she might suffocate herself. She tugged at Sandra's pillow and asked, "So, what did your boyfriend get you for your birthday?"

"I told you not to mention him again! What's wrong with you?" Sandra tossed the pillow aside and shouted at her roommate.

Startled, April instinctively adjusted her glasses. She wanted to ask more but hesitated, intimidated by Sandra's fierce expression and the thought of becoming her punching bag. Raising her hands in surrender, April backed away, closing the bedroom door behind her as she left.

What gift? The most unforgettable birthday gift of her twenty years. A huge birthday surprise. No, scratch that—it was more like a shock.

Sandra had planned to meet her boyfriend for dinner. When her afternoon class got canceled due to her professor's family emergency, she decided to use the extra time to surprise him with an unexpected visit.

Experience and history had shown that such surprises usually ended poorly. But Sandra, ever the optimist, chose to look on the bright side. And so, the cliché played out once again.

The man had given Sandra his apartment key some time ago. They had been dating for over six months, and she had never used it. She wasn't particularly conservative, but the fact that they hadn't taken that step in six months was definitely unusual.

Everything was great with him, but when it came to intimate moments, she felt there should always be some emotional connection. Every time he got close to her, it just felt... off. There had been chances, but she always seemed to "ingeniously" find a way to mess them up.

They say you can't help it when you're in love. Did that mean she didn't love him at all?

Sandra couldn't really blame him. He was in his early twenties, after all, and expecting him to stay ascetic wasn't exactly fair. She had spent a long time mentally preparing for that moment, telling herself it was normal to feel nervous or awkward at first and that it would probably get better after. Unfortunately, he never gave her the chance to get past it.

Not entirely unfortunate, though—she had managed to get past it, but with a stranger. It turned out to be much easier than she had expected.

In that awkward moment, she simply said, "Sorry to disturb," to her boyfriend and the woman, then turned to leave. Looking back, she wondered if her exit had been graceful enough. She recalled that she might have even had a smile on her lips.

"So, you just bailed like that?" April asked incredulously, her eyes wide as her glasses slipped down, nearly falling off.

Sandra shrugged, spreading her hands with a dismissive pout as she casually stirred her bubble tea.

"You just let those two cheaters off so easily?" April exclaimed, pushing up her glasses. She grit her teeth, fingers squeezing the silicone wrist rest. "If it were me, I wouldn't let them off without knocking their teeth out."

Sandra's straw squeaked as she took a sip. "Anyone who takes a jerk seriously is bound to lose. Besides, I haven't actually lost anything."

April looked at Sandra, then down at the wrist rest in her hand, then back at Sandra. Tilting her head, she appeared to seriously consider Sandra's words, then nodded. "That's true."

Sandra secretly took a deep breath, pondering the thought, "Those who see themselves as tragic heroes inevitably meet a tragic end. But what about those who fancy themselves as invincible superwomen—are they truly unbreakable?"

Had she really lost nothing? Maybe only April believed that.

Sandra picked up the cartoon dog hair tie from the gift box. She gathered her long, straight black hair atop her head, twisted it into a bun, and swept her bangs to the side. 

With a smile, she turned to April. "How do I look?"

April clapped her hands like an excited child, nodding eagerly. "I knew it would suit you perfectly when I saw it on the Temu website."

Smiling cheerfully, Sandra waved her hand invitingly. "Come on, let's play Just Dance together."

A huge hair tie🤣🤪

🎬🔀

"Wait, so you actually gave her your number?" Ryo asked, rubbing his jaw where Arden had hit him a little too hard.

Arden just shrugged, trying to play it cool.

"Oh, snap! It's not every day that our Young Master Lam catches feelings for a one-night stand." Ryo teased, leaning in with a smirk. "So, let me guess—she must be really good in bed."

Moya squeezed in between them, keen on defusing the situation. She tapped Ryo's forehead and nudged him away. "Chill out, perv; we've got a lady in the house."

"Who you calling a perv, huh?" Ryo shot back, not too happy.

"My bad, calling you a perv is too nice. You're on a whole other level," Moya quipped, not holding back at all.

Arden stayed quiet, letting Ryo and Moya hash it out while he got lost in his own thoughts.

It seemed contradictory to say a novice was amazing in bed, but he couldn't deny she made an impression on him.

Ryo kept claiming he saw her first, but that wasn't the case. When she stepped into The Roxy, even with the dim, flickering lights, he noticed her immediately.

She wasn't an especially striking woman—not unattractive, but far from breathtaking. On a college campus, she'd blend right in. But in a place like The Roxy, bursting with color and extravagance, she was like a moving black-and-white portrait—impossible to ignore.

Her long black hair, smooth as silk, was complemented by neat bangs framing her oval face. Her slightly sad, round eyes and the faint dimple on her left cheek whenever she pressed her lips together? Total heart-stealer.

She wore no makeup, just a plain, almost too simple, white dress that clung to her slender, delicately shaped figure. She was understated, almost unremarkable, yet for some reason, Arden found her oddly captivating.

After drinking too much strong liquor, sometimes a sip of pure water was needed. Something clean and refreshing was good for the body and soul.

But he didn't make a move. He had seen plenty of women trying to stand out by acting pure in settings like this. Scheming pretenders and delicate white lotuses—he had no interest in either.

She was clearly unfamiliar with the place, glancing around before choosing a relatively quiet corner to sit down.

Ryo shot Arden a look before getting up and heading over to strike up a conversation.

"Hey, gorgeous. I'm guessing you're Chinese too?"

The girl didn't respond.

But Ryo wasn't the type to get discouraged. "First time here? A beauty like you, if you'd been here before, there's no way I would've forgotten."

From the look on the girl's face, Arden could already tell—Ryo was about to crash and burn.

Ryo's game was always too pushy and over-the-top, especially with Asian girls like this one, who seemed more reserved and easily intimidated.

It didn't take long for Arden to notice that the girl had something on her mind. No matter what Ryo said to her, she remained indifferent, her reactions minimal. She didn't even touch the drink Ryo bought her.

Yet, at the same time, she never outright rejected Ryo'srepeated advances. This gave the young man a false sense of hope, making him believe that his target was still within reach.

Arden knew she was struggling with herself. It was truly strange—young women always seemed to wrestle with their own thoughts. Didn't they realize that internal battles only made it easier for external threats to slip through?

At times like this, you couldn't position yourself as her enemy. You had to step into the same trench and stand by her side. Women needed tenderness. All he needed to offer was genuine, wholehearted care.

So, when Ryo stepped away briefly to play his little push-and-pull game, Arden walked over.

"It will all pass." He slid into the seat Ryo had just vacated, eyes fixed on the bartender flipping cocktail shakers, throwing out the words without context.

"What?" The girl's attention was successfully drawn to him.

When her gaze met his, her pupils flickered ever so slightly. Arden was confident in his looks, but he didn't flaunt it. Instead, he reined in his presence, his usual air of arrogance replaced with an unusual sense of restraint.

He took a deep breath, exuding restlessness and impatience that didn't quite fit the setting. "It's stuffy here. Want to step outside for some fresh air?"

Just a simple ask—some fresh air. When people got something weighing on them, all the noise and chaos inside won't help. Plus, the man in front of her had an easygoing vibe and a friendly smile that made him feel like a safe bet.

Arden didn't take her anywhere else—he really just brought her outside for some fresh air.

A bench by the roadside, peaceful yet with a wide view, gave them a chill spot to watch cars and people go by. Arden sat at a comfortable distance from her—not too far to feel aloof but not too close to make it awkward. It was just right, allowing him to catch a whiff of her natural fragrance. He hoped she could also detect the faint scent of his cologne.

He asked her, "Do you want something to drink?"

Her gaze lingered on the bustling traffic, and she replied coolly, "Sure. Whatever."

He grinned and added, "How about I grab half a dozen beers from the hotel across the street?"

He smiled, adding, "Please don't think I'm being stingy, but they're definitely cheaper than what they sell at The Roxy."

She smiled slightly and said, "Alright."

Arden took a slightly daring path across the street. He knew she'd probably keep an eye on him, even if she hadn't planned on sticking around.

Beer usually has an alcohol content of about 3–4%, so most girls aren't worried about a can or two. However, Arden snagged a strong German brew that wasn't commonly available on the market. Its bubbly, light malt aroma was deceivingly potent. 

As expected, just half a can brought a charming blush to her cheeks. After two, her eyes were so dazed they could hardly focus.

"Tired?" Arden asked softly.

She nodded, her long hair falling in strands to cover her flushed cheeks.

"Let me drive you home," he offered.

She didn't refuse.

Like a gentleman, he helped her into his SVJ. She pouted as she watched curiously like a child while the wing-like doors slowly closed. No awe, though, which was surprising. It seemed she probably didn't even know which company made the SVJ.

The girl was too drunk to tell him clearly where she lived. He couldn't just bring her to his place or leave her to sleep on the street, so taking her to a hotel seemed like the most logical choice.

Arden hid a sly smile beneath the flashing neon lights of the night. 

Ever the gentleman, of course.

A gentle reminder from the author: DON'T DRINK and DRIVE!!!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

With live music 365 days a year, The Roxy is Vancouver's premier live music venue in the heart of downtown Vancouver. The party never stops inside the Roxy, with bands of all shapes and sizes taking the stage seven nights a week. From country, to hard rock, hip hop and brit pop, you'll find every musical genre imaginable at the club.

If you like my story, please add it to your book list and remember to vote! Your support is my motivation!