No Girlfriend (No Answer)

The morning sunlight slipped gently through the sheer, pale-gray curtains of the penthouse, bathing the sleek interior in a muted golden glow. Wei Chen lay motionless on the king-sized bed, his dark lashes casting shadows against his skin. The sudden ring of his phone shattered the silence.

Without hesitation, he reached for it.

"Don't forget dinner at my place tonight," Shen Shen's familiar voice flowed through the speaker.

"I remember. I'll be there on time," he answered. Then the line went dead.

***

By evening, the city lights had begun to blink to life, but in the old district, where time seemed to move at a slower pace, Shen Shen's two-story home stood quietly regal. The house, with its classical decor and manicured garden, radiated understated luxury.

Wei Chen's sleek black car came to a stop just outside the gate. He stepped out in a crisp white polo shirt adorned with subtle patterns, less rigid than his usual suits, but still polished. It was a rare glimpse of a softer Wei Chen, one not often seen outside boardrooms.

Before he even reached the door, it opened.

"You're earlier than I thought," Shen Shen greeted him with a smile, her outfit simple yet elegant, an ivory blouse with delicate detailing paired with light linen trousers. She looked effortlessly graceful.

Wei Chen nodded slightly in acknowledgment, before he stepped inside.

In the warmly lit living room, Shen Shen's family was already gathered. Her father, dignified with kind eyes; her gentle mother; and a new face, Xiao Yao, the younger sister who had just returned from France.

"This is Xiao Yao, just got back." Shen Shen introduced.

Xiao Yao leaned forward, smiling with unfiltered honesty.

"Wei Chen, you're not at all how I imagined. I thought you'd look... intimidating."

Her words were direct but laced with playfulness. Shen Shen chuckled quietly. Wei Chen only offered a polite smile.

"I'm honored to be here," he said as he turned to Shen Shen's mother with sincerity.

Her father gave a soft chuckle.

"Still working hard, I see. Come, let's eat before the food gets cold."

They moved into the dining room where an exquisite spread of Chinese dishes waited on a polished table. The aroma was rich and nostalgic.

As the meal began, Xiao Yao's voice rang out again.

"This is my first time meeting Wei Chen. I thought you were just an old friend from Sister Shen Shen's college days."

Shen Shen's tone was light, but precise.

"We've been close since studying in England."

Xiao Yao gave a teasing grin.

" Wei Chen, you looks so cool. Honestly, I expected a guy with glasses and a serious face who lectures about economics at the dinner table."

Wei Chen gave a low chuckle, not refuting the image. Shen Shen glanced at him briefly, before she turned back to her sister.

For the most part, the atmosphere was warm, sprinkled with the sounds of laughter and clinking chopsticks. But every so often, Wei Chen could feel Shen Shen's father watching him—not unkindly, but with the measured scrutiny of a man who knew what power looked like, and was trying to decide if he approved.

Just as the conversation began to settle, Xiao Yao dropped a small bomb, her voice light but purposeful.

"Wei Chen, you're so charming... Do you already have a girlfriend?"

The table went silent for a second too long.

Shen Shen's hand tightened slightly around her teacup. She forced a smile as she glanced at Xiao Yao, then at Wei Chen.

Wei Chen remained unfazed.

"No" he answered simply, then lowered his gaze to scoop up rice.

Xiao Yao leaned in, feigning surprise.

"Wow, really? I always thought someone like you would be taken. Then again, you do seem like the workaholic type."

It was a casual tease, but Shen Shen's chest tightened. Something in her felt... unsettled. Perhaps it was the way Xiao Yao kept looking at him, or the way Wei Chen seemed unreadable as always.

After dinner, they all walked out to see him off. Xiao Yao practically bounced beside him, chatting easily. Shen Shen followed behind, quiet and composed.

When Wei Chen's car disappeared down the street, Shen Shen's mother spoke with a soft tone.

"He seems like a good man. If you're thinking about something more... I wouldn't be against it."

Shen Shen stopped walking and said,

"We're just friends," Her voice was steady

***

That night, as the house settled into quiet, a light knock came at her bedroom door. Xiao Yao slipped in without waiting, flopping onto Shen Shen's bed.

"Wei Chen is seriously attractive," Xiao Yao said casually, like commenting on the weather.

Shen Shen paused mid-motion, Slowly, she turned to look at her sister.

Xiao Yao's smile was bright. Innocent. Or maybe not entirely.

After Xiao Yao left the room, the door clicked shut behind her .The silence that followed wasn't just quiet, it was heavy. Like a delicate veil settling over everything,.

Shen Shen slowly lowered herself onto the bed, her slender form folding into the mattress as though it was the only place left she could fall apart unnoticed. She leaned back against the pillows, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, as if the answers she needed might be written in the shadows above her.

Tonight was supposed to be simple. Familiar. Warm. But something about it felt off. Unsettling in a way that crept beneath her skin.

Xiao Yao's words had sounded innocent, casual, even. But Shen Shen had known her sister long enough to hear the edges beneath the sweetness.

Then there was Wei Chen. That unreadable gaze of his, calm, quiet. 

And her father, the way he watched Wei Chen all dinner long. Not just with interest, but with expectation. 

It felt like everyone at that table had been speaking in code. Words that said one thing but meant something else entirely.

She turned slowly, curling toward the pillow, trying to bury herself beneath the weight of her thoughts.

But the more she tried to forget, the more his face surfaced in her mind. That expressionless calm. That silence she couldn't read.

Wei Chen had said so little tonight. And yet, somehow, it felt like he'd said everything. She didn't know what it was that had shifted. But she knew, deep down, that something had.

And the scariest part? She wasn't sure if she could handle it at all.