IRLY - Chapter 01

March 2016, G City.

Xu Nian dreamed of the day she first met Gu Rong. She was nineteen, a freshman in college, attending a swimsuit birthday party hosted by her roommate, Shen Wan, at Nanshan Villa. The massive pool was crowded with people, but she only knew Shen Wan, so she sat by the edge, watching.

The party buzzed with energy, stretching from afternoon into the night. After swimming a couple of laps, Xu Nian was about to climb out when someone bumped into her, sending her stumbling into the water. Contrary to what she'd seen on TV, she couldn't just struggle to her feet. An invisible force seemed to pin her down, her mind blank as her hands clawed frantically at the water.

Suddenly, a firm grip tightened around her waist, pulling her upward. Instinctively, she clung to the person, pressing herself tightly against them.

The person was Gu Rong. She led Xu Nian to the pool's edge.

Still shaken, Xu Nian didn't dare let go, instead clinging tighter, pressing closer like a vine clinging desperately to a wall, terrified that releasing her grip would mean certain death. Gradually, as her panic subsided, she first registered the soft, full breasts, then the smooth, firm legs, and finally the strong forearm wrapped around her waist...

At the sensitive and restless age of nineteen, even the smallest gesture could trigger a frenzy of hormones and dopamine, transforming a casual moment into an indelible memory, deeply rooted in the heart, and adding a vivid, dramatic stroke to the canvas of youth.

This stroke, applied with such force, refused to fade even after a year, instead growing more vibrant, restlessly dormant yet yearning to break free from its constraints.

The dreams gradually grew absurd and uncontrollable. On the pristine white, soft bed, warmth and moisture intertwined, like a surging tide that refused to recede. Desire spread relentlessly, consuming reason piece by piece, pulling the two women into an abyss of surrender.

Wildfire danced across their skin, burning from crimson lips to pale necks, then lower, toward forbidden places. The flames grew fiercer, threatening to engulf them entirely... At the height of passion, tongues of red and yellow flame suddenly leaped upward, surging toward their heads. Xu Nian could no longer clearly see Gu Rong's face, only catching a fleeting glimpse of the faint mole on her earlobe.

Then she woke up.

A thin layer of sticky sweat clung to her skin, her palms were clammy, and the bed was stiflingly warm. Feeling sticky and uncomfortable, as if she hadn't fully emerged from the dream, she stared blankly at the yellowed wooden ceiling.

Last night, she had forgotten to close the window before sleeping. A gentle breeze rustled the books on her desk, and two withered magnolia blossoms hung limply over the windowsill. The old-fashioned wall clock struck half past seven, just as the sun was beginning to climb the azure sky.

It was Saturday, so no classes today. After lingering in bed for a while, Xu Nian finally sat up. The details of her dream were already hazy, but the visceral sensation lingered deep in her bones. Perhaps driven by lingering shame, she pressed her lips together, furrowing her brow in self-disgust, while a faint blush crept up her earlobes.

After all, she was only twenty—it was perfectly normal for her to still feel awkward about certain things.

Once she had calmed down, she casually grabbed a light gray tracksuit and headed to the bathroom for a shower. She had slept in nothing but a pure white fitted crop top and matching underwear. A girl in her prime, Xu Nian was fully developed, with a slender waist, long limbs, and a shapely figure. Her full, rounded breasts radiated vitality and youthful energy, with just a hint of burgeoning maturity.

The water was too hot at first, and it took a while to adjust to a comfortable temperature. She tilted her head back, letting the water cascade over her face, then scrubbed at it haphazardly, trying to shake off her lingering fantasies. Hot water streamed down her smooth back, swirling down the drain. After a quick wash, she dried herself, dressed, tidied up, and went downstairs to make breakfast.

She lived alone in this old red-brick house, which felt cavernous and empty. The furniture and decor were distinctly old-fashioned, evoking the 1980s or 90s: a solid wood square table, exposed electrical wiring on the walls, and a single incandescent bulb in each room. The kitchen, adjacent to the living room and facing the courtyard, was surprisingly spacious and clean. A two-meter-high courtyard wall surrounded the property. Two magnolia trees grew near the house, while low winter holly bushes lined the wall's left and right sides. At the courtyard's center stood a towering banyan tree. Near the gate, vibrant crimson bougainvillea flourished, with a few branches creeping over the wall, their dense clusters of flowers bending the brown branches into graceful arches that drooped over the wall's edge.

The house had been left to Xu Nian by her grandmother in her will two years ago.

Xu Nian's parents had divorced over a decade earlier. Her father, agreeing to leave with nothing, had dumped her on her mother, who in turn abandoned her to her own mother. Within a year of the divorce, both parents remarried. Xu Nian rarely saw them and barely knew them. Having grown accustomed to her grandmother's care, she felt neither sadness nor resentment.

Having started a new family, Xu Mu was unable to care much for Xu Nian. She would visit occasionally, call now and then, and send a monthly allowance—three hundred yuan in the early 2000s, later raised to five hundred yuan in the 2010s, and that remained the amount even when Xu Nian was in college.

Grandma understood Xu Mu all too well and worried deeply about Xu Nian. In her final moments, she left all her assets to her granddaughter, leaving nothing for Xu Mu. Knowing she was in the wrong, Xu Mu didn't protest or try to claim any of it, respecting the old woman's wishes. However, she gradually became less attentive to her estranged daughter.

Six months ago, Xu Mu had a talk with Xu Nian.

"Your uncle had surgery earlier this year, and your younger siblings are about to start junior high. Ah Nian, can you be a little more understanding of your mother?"

Xu Nian could guess what was coming next and remained silent throughout.

"Didn't your grandma leave you fifty thousand yuan?" she stammered, her gaze shifting, avoiding eye contact, perhaps feeling embarrassed and guilty. She trailed off after that sentence. Her judgment of men had always been disastrous—first a deadbeat, then a freeloader. Despite living most of her life, she had never managed to find color or clarity.

Seeing her mother's state and hearing her words, Xu Nian felt a pang of sadness, but only a fleeting one.

"I understand," she replied, her voice far more decisive than her mother's, without a trace of resentment or anger. Her tone was flat, like that of a true stranger.

But the mother and daughter were indeed strangers. While Grandma was alive, they had maintained a tenuous connection, but with her passing, even that fragile bond had been buried in the earth. Blood ties could be as strong or as weak as one made them. When viewed with detachment, letting go became easy; it wasn't such a big deal. Life had to go on. Xu Nian couldn't hold a knife to her mother's throat and force her hand, nor could she waste time on futile gestures. She needed to plan for the future.

Fifty thousand yuan would be more than enough to see her through graduation. But if she wanted to pursue postgraduate studies, it might fall short. After factoring in scholarships and part-time work, she considered renting out a room. However, finding a tenant proved far more challenging than she'd imagined. Her online rental ads generated no interest whatsoever. Located on the outskirts of the Old City, the area suffered from poor transportation and lagged far behind the other three districts in development. Moreover, her rental terms were relatively strict—two thousand yuan per month, a minimum six-month lease, first month's rent and deposit required upfront, and shared living with the landlord. The lack of inquiries was hardly surprising.

The Old City was closest to the suburbs, with rents typically ranging from several hundred to a thousand yuan per month. Single rooms were the norm, with entire houses rarely available for rent.

After making breakfast, Xu Nian ate while checking her phone. Still no inquiries. She hesitated over whether to lower the rent, wavering for a long while before deciding to wait another two days.

A late-spring cold snap had recently hit, causing daytime temperatures to rise quickly while mornings and evenings remained bitterly cold. After finishing her meal, washing the dishes, and cleaning up, Xu Nian put on a fleece-lined jacket, hopped on her bicycle, and headed to the West District for her tutoring job.

The streets of the Old City were dilapidated but well-maintained. With G City vying for the "National Civilized City" title this year, the area had become a focal point. Shops and stalls had been reorganized, and new regulations were being issued one after another.

After navigating the winding, narrow alleys, she cycled along Yanfeng Avenue for ten minutes, then turned left into a cluster of residential buildings. Beyond them lay the bustling, prosperous West District, its towering skyscrapers standing in stark contrast to the Old City behind it.

Her tutoring assignment was located at the end of Chenghu Street, a white-collar residential area. Xu Nian picked up her pace, arriving at the gated community just before 8:50 a.m. After parking her bicycle and greeting the security guard, she entered the complex.

Xu Nian's tutoring session was scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM, lasting two hours with an hourly rate of 50 yuan. As she reached the apartment building and was about to call the parents to come down and open the door, her phone rang first.

The family had gone on a trip and, in their haste to leave G City, had forgotten to notify her. They only realized their mistake after the car had already driven out of G City. The parents apologized profusely and transferred two days' worth of tutoring fees to her, essentially paying her for not teaching. Xu Nian, on the other hand, found herself pleasantly relieved by the unexpected day off.

After hanging up, she strolled leisurely outside, mentally planning what groceries to buy on her way home. Just as she stepped out of the residential complex, her phone suddenly rang.

It was Shen Wan calling.

She answered. Shen Wan spoke first: "What are you up to? Why haven't you replied to my messages? Did you go for your tutoring session?"

Xu Nian cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder as she squatted down to unlock her bike. "Yeah, but they're on vacation this week, so no class."

"Oh, right," Shen Wan said. "Hey, have you rented out your place yet?"

"Not yet," Xu Nian replied. "Maybe I priced it too high. I'll see if I need to lower it a bit in a couple of days."

After a moment of silence, Shen Wan said, "My aunt is back from abroad and plans to rest in China for half a year."

Xu Nian froze, stunned.

"She'll be staying in G City for a while. She's been looking for a place but can't find anything she likes—the suburbs are too far, and the city center is too noisy. Your place has such unique charm, so I recommended it to her. Are you free this afternoon? If so, she'd like to come by and see the place. I'm in B City right now; I've sent you her number on WeChat. Get in touch with her directly."

Xu Nian stood up, phone in hand, wanting to say something but swallowing her words at the last moment.

Shen Wan, sensing her hesitation, deliberately offered an explanation to protect Xu Nian's pride: "She's practically family, you know? My family feels better knowing Auntie is staying at your place. You know how she is—never stays put, never buys a house, always wandering the world. She and my grandpa don't get along, so it's just how things are."

Xu Nian mumbled, unsure how to respond.

"Alright, it's settled then. Head home early and tidy up. I've got things to take care of here. Gotta go now!" Shen Wan hung up abruptly.

Xu Nian stood rooted to the spot for a moment before swiping to open WeChat. She stared at the string of numbers for a long time, copied it, added it as a contact, and sent a friend request. Then she tucked her phone into her pocket, hopped on her bike, and rode away from Chenghu Street.

Shen Wan's aunt was none other than Gu Rong.

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