3:45 p.m. — Day One of the Expo
A five-second video came in—heavy rain pouring down.
Susu glanced at it and replied,
"Wow, that's intense. Where are you?"
Then she added,
"Did you bring an umbrella?"
"Just left home," Yike replied.
"My legs are going numb from standing," Susu said.
"What shoes are you wearing?" he asked.
"Flats. You heading back to the office?"
"Yeah. Lunch break's over."
"Can't you sit down for a bit?" he added.
"Good thing I didn't wear heels, or I'd be dead."
"No," Yike replied instantly.
"You only wear heels for me."
Susu paused for a second, a small smile forming.
A little possessive. She liked that.
"Hahaha, okay. Just for you."
She checked the time.
"I've got another hour—until five. I'll text you later. Stay safe."
"Mm-hmm. Sit down when you can."
5:30 p.m.
The first day of the expo finally ended.
"I'm done. Going to grab something to eat before heading back," Susu texted.
"I just got off work too," Yike replied.
"Eating at home?"
He sent a voice message—he'd ordered takeout and was heading home to eat.
"Okay, go eat first. I'm still waiting for mine," Susu replied.
"OK."
Around 7 p.m.
A voice message came through.
"I had sauerkraut braised pork bones tonight—holy shit, it was so good."
Susu had just gotten home. She smiled and replied with a voice note:
"I just got back and sat down. Is that a new place or one you've tried before?"
"New."
"Then keep it on your list. Good food isn't easy to find."
She snapped a photo of her dinner—curry chicken rice with mashed potatoes—and sent it.
"That looks good," he said.
"The curry's a bit heavy though. Feeling better today? Still tired?"
"Not really. Fully recovered."
She laughed and sent a thumbs-up sticker.
"Nice. Youth really is on your side."
"Going to the gym later. Told my trainer I don't want too much standing work…
and then he immediately asked me to do jump squats."
She sent an eye-roll emoji.
"Haha, take it easy," Yike said.
"I'll just pretend to die," she replied.
"Babe, I'm gonna rest for a bit. Just got out of the bathroom—so hot. Kinda tired."
"Alright, go rest. I'll text you after my workout."
"1."
She sent a "hang in there" sticker.
He replied with a kiss emoji.
10:42 p.m.
Workout done. Back home.
"I'm back. Exhausted," Susu texted.
"Just finished writing something. Gonna rest a bit and sleep soon. You should rest early too."
She followed with a "good night" and a "miss you" sticker.
"Good night," Yike replied.
Day Two — 7:33 a.m.
Susu checked her phone.
Two messages from 12:19 a.m.:
"Sleeping."
"Exhausted."
Her chest tightened slightly.
She sent a hug sticker.
"I'm always here. My shoulder's yours whenever you need it."
8:47 a.m.
"1," he replied.
Then: "Heading to work."
"I'm already at the expo haha."
11:28 a.m.
Two more videos came in.
Heavy rain again—one from inside a car, rain pounding outside.
"I'm laughing," he said.
"You bring the rain wherever you go," Susu replied.
"I swear, the rain was insane. Walked like ten meters and I was completely soaked."
"That bad? Did you go home to change? Don't catch a cold."
A photo came in—just his leg stretched out on a bed.
"Ate, showered."
She laughed and sent a sticker.
"Did you eat?"
She was about to reply properly—
—but a customer walked in.
12:30 p.m.
"Just had a client," she finally replied.
"I already ate. What about you? You going to nap? Get some rest. I'm watching the booth alone now."
2:08 p.m.
No reply.
She was so tired she sent a sticker: passing out from exhaustion.
2:14 p.m.
"I didn't sleep. Didn't see your messages earlier—just caught up."
She sent a confused sticker.
"No idea why. Why didn't you nap? I'm dying here—coffee didn't help at all."
"Too noisy. The rain's crazy loud."
She sent another hug sticker.
"If you're still home, just close your eyes for a bit. Even resting helps."
"Meeting at 2:30. Just scrolling on my phone now."
"Same. We have a client meeting at 3. I'm sneaking a break sitting down."
"Mm-hmm. Tired today too?"
"Even more than yesterday. Feet hurt, and I'm sleepy."
She snapped a photo—her shoes and striped dress visible.
"Let me massage them next time," he said.
"I'll remember that."
"1. On-site service. The not-so-innocent kind."
She burst out laughing and sent stickers.
"Good. Very good."
"Mm-hmm."
A moment later, she sent a photo her colleague had taken from behind—
her in a sleeveless dress, long wavy hair, focused on the products.
"Damn, you look so good," Yike said.
Then added,
"Next time send me some of your samples. I need to try them—free, of course."
"Hahaha, what do you want? Your company can buy too."
"What do you have? Send pics next time. We're broke—no budget. Only zero-cost shopping."
"No employee benefits at all?"
"Nope."
"Well, they're all pretty healthy products. If you like them, you can share with family or friends."
He sent a Beagle "OK" sticker.
"I'll pick when you send pics. Feels like I've become an emperor."
"LOL."
"Samples are free, right?" he asked.
"They still cost money. But if you try them, you have to give feedback—I'll report it."
He sent a shocked emoji.
"Perfect. I'm great at finding problems."
"Hahaha, deal."
"I'm serious. I'm a pro at nitpicking"
"If it's good, recommend it more."
"1."