章)In North City, autumn had arrived.
Outside, the rain poured down, the sound of raindrops striking the glass was particularly jarring, and the temperature was gradually dropping, leaving the streets nearly deserted.
Inside the GFS mall, however, a grand beauty event was underway.
The atmosphere was lively, with dazzling lights and a stylish design that illuminated the showcased products without being overwhelming.
Soft music flowed through the air, pleasant and unobtrusive.
The venue was crowded, filled with influencers and artists mingling and chatting.
Lily had caught a cold and felt a headache coming on. Once the current segment concluded, she sought refuge in a quiet corner.
She had barely settled in for ten minutes when her friend, Autumn, approached with two glasses of red wine.
"What are you doing hiding over here?" she asked, handing one glass to Lily.
Lily accepted it and set it aside. "I have a headache."
Autumn looked at her with concern. "You still havent recovered from your cold?"
"Yeah," Lily replied, her voice slightly nasal. She had been sick for several days now.
"Should we leave then?" Autumn suggested. "The event has moved to the back; we can go."
Lily shook her head and took a sip of wine. "You forgot? I have an interview later."
Autumn paused, realizing she had indeed forgotten.
Lily was a rising star in the beauty influencer scene, gaining popularity over the past couple of years. Although her fame was limited to a niche audience, she still had a significant following.
In less than two years, she had amassed millions of followers on platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
More importantly, her fans were incredibly active; anything she recommended would sell out immediately.
Because of this, many brands sought her collaboration.
Todays event was hosted by a brand she frequently worked with. Not only was Lily attending, but she was also one of the promotional faces for the event. Afterward, she had an interview lined up to provide a more substantial endorsement for the brand, which also served as a treat for her fans, including some personal questions.
Autumn sighed. "Should I get you a glass of water?"
Lily shook her head. "No, I just need to rest for a bit."
Her long, curled eyelashes fluttered slightly. Despite her makeup, her face appeared paler than usual, giving her a delicate, fragile look.
Autumn wasnt exaggerating.
Lily was naturally beautiful, with fair skin, an oval face, and large, round eyes that made her seem both innocent and alluring.
Having danced since childhood, her posture was more graceful than most, and in her off-the-shoulder dress, her long swan neck and delicate collarbones were particularly eye-catching.
With every movement, she exuded a hint of classical charm, captivating everyone around her.
Autumn stared at her for a while, feeling a bit mesmerized.
Despite having known her for over a decade, Lily never failed to amaze her.
Snapping back to reality, Autumn said, "Alright, just let me know if you need anything."
Just as Lily was about to respond, her phone on the table vibrated continuously.
She raised an eyebrow; only a few people would message her like this.
One of them was right beside her.
Autumn chuckled. "Is it your cousin, Leo?"
Leo was Lilys younger cousin, a high school junior who was always attached to her. Whenever he had a question, he would reach out to Lily instead of their parents.
Though they were cousins, their bond was closer to that of siblings.
Lily didnt reply, unlocking her phone.
"Its him," she confirmed.
Autumn grinned and sat across from her. "What did he say? Its Friday; he must be back home now."
Lily opened the message and frowned.
Leo: "Sis, did you ask? Is the police academy better or the military academy?"
Leo: "Which police school is better? Have you looked into it?"
Leo: "Sis, where are you? Ill come pick you up; Im staying at your place tonight."
...
Autumn noticed Lilys expression and raised an eyebrow. "What did he say?"
Lily showed her the messages.
After reading, Autumn couldnt help but laugh. "Leos thinking about this? I didnt see that coming. Is he aiming to be a soldier or a cop?"
Lily tilted her head, pondering for a moment before answering, "I guess he wants to serve the people."
Autumn burst into laughter.
Lily joined in, feeling her mood lift a little despite her cold.
She said, "He’s been watching a lot of news lately, filled with youthful zeal, wanting to seek justice for the victims and catch the criminals."
Autumn paused, unsure whether to commend Leo for his courage or criticize him for being impulsive.
After a moment, she said softly, "But honestly, the news lately has been pretty brutal."
Lily nodded.
Recently, whether on TV or social media, there had been many distressing headlines.
Murder cases, violent crimes, and various incidents of accidental killings had been reported, each one more shocking than the last, making it hard to fathom.
As they chatted, Lily felt a headache coming on. "Where am I supposed to find out if the police academy or military academy is better?"
Autumn grinned suddenly, her eyes lighting up. "Ask in the high school group chat!"
She said, "If I remember correctly, a few of our classmates went to police or military academies after graduation. You could ask around, but I cant recall who exactly."
Lily paused, vaguely recalling someone...
A boy in a sports uniform, slightly taller than his peers, exuding a sense of confidence that straddled the line between youth and adulthood.
He had a sweaty face as he ran off the court, casually grabbing a clean towel to wipe his face. Upon spotting Lily, he grinned and drawled, "Hey, little sister, back to bring me water again?"
The way he emphasized "again" was both teasing and flirtatious, full of mischief.
The surrounding crowd cheered and whistled.
Lily felt embarrassed and wanted to leave, but she still handed him the water. He glanced at it, his voice smooth as spring water, lazily saying, "Thanks, but I don’t need it."
"…"
"Lily?"
The sound of her name snapped Lily back to reality. She bit her lip, instinctively reaching for the wine glass to take a sip, trying to calm her nerves. "Oh, right, I forgot."
Autumn raised an eyebrow. "…"
Picking up her phone, Lily paused and looked at Autumn.
Understanding her cue, Autumn said, "Ill ask."
Lily was generally reserved around strangers; aside from Autumn and her other close friend, Mia, she wasnt very familiar with most of her classmates.
Perhaps it was because so many boys had liked her in high school, causing jealousy among the girls, leading everyone to avoid talking to her.
Autumn opened the class group chat and posed the question, quickly sending a red envelope as an incentive.
Instantly, most of the group members responded.
Among the many replies, Lily accidentally spotted her name...
It was a response from their classs cultural committee member, Anna: "Why are you asking this? Autumn, arent you close with Lily? Just ask her! Didnt Ryan, the senior she had a crush on, go into criminal investigation after graduation? I heard hes been making quite a name for himself at the precinct, and he’s currently handling a murder case."
Annas comment seemed insufficient, so she added a little jab at Lily.
"Oh, by the way, does Lily have a boyfriend now? She wouldn’t still be hung up on Ryan, would she?"
Lily: …
Seriously?!
Lilys face flushed with anger at those two comments. She grabbed her phone, ready to fire back, but Autumn snatched it away.
"Calm down, calm down."
Autumn looked at her. "Arent you afraid of getting added by more boys if you send that message? If you do, theyll swarm you with friend requests."
This was a valid concern.
Autumn added Lily to the group, and soon enough, several boys from class sent her friend requests.
Lily declined them all, being labeled as cold and unfriendly.
Autumn and Mia had to explain in the group that Lily was not active on WeChat and rarely logged in, effectively putting an end to their attempts.
If the message went out today, it would definitely expose her.
Seeing Lilys sour expression, Autumn quickly said,