「A few nights before the party.」
Xu Si tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Perhaps it was the photograph, now back at her bedside, that was too jarring; whenever she closed her eyes, her thoughts were dragged back to the catastrophic rainstorm from four years ago.
Jet lag coupled with insomnia.
It wasn't until three o'clock on Saturday afternoon that she finally woke, feeling listless. After washing up, Xu Si sat before the vanity mirror. She applied a light, clean makeup, using concealer to cover the faint shadows beneath her eyes and dabbing on a few highlights. She brushed her lashes until each one was distinct, further accentuating her already dimensional and captivating features.
When choosing a lipstick, her gaze fell upon the ones gifted to her by the young man. Habitually, she picked one up and brought it to her lips, then suddenly froze.
Four years had passed; the lipstick must have expired by now.
