Atlas Studios

  Atlas Studios

  ‘Ding dong.’


  The doorbell rang again and Xuxu paused. She briefly glanced at the door and then continued to brush her teeth.

  Seconds later, the doorbell rang once more but she still didn’t open it.

  Just like yesterday morning, she ate two eggs and drank a cup of milk. She threw up and her stomach felt better after she had emptied it.

  She wiped the tables and cleaned the floor. Then she settled herself comfortably on the couch and watched a drama.

  There were plenty of orange skins on the coffee table. Her mouth was already full, but she had started peeling another orange.

  ‘Ding dong, ding dong!’


  The doorbell sounded once more. She threw a casual glance at the door, and it fell silent for a few seconds. When it went quiet, she glanced back at the TV screen.

  Her phone, which was on the coffee table, rang. Zhou Shuang was calling.

  She placed the orange on the table and answered the call.

  “Wen Xuxu! Did you fall asleep again? Why aren’t you opening the door?!”


  “Oh!” Xuxu was shocked. So, Zhou Shuang was outside the door right now?

  “Coming,” she hastily answered and stood up.

  Zhou Shuang had put on thick makeup. Her outfit was striking and extravagant as usual.

  She wore a black rich velvet coat and a pair of shiny leggings. Xuxu stared at Zhou Shuang’s lips which seemed to be in a color that was neither red nor purple. It confused Xuxu, and so she burst out. “Are you frozen, or that’s the color of your lipstick?”


  Zhou Shuang rolled her eyes. “Obviously……”


  She paused midway.

  Xuxu raised an eyebrow. Zhou Shuang continued, “Of course I’m freezing.”


  She shrunk her neck and shuddered before entering the house. She spoke as she shivered. “I’m frozen! I thought that it would be a warm day since the sun is out. I didn’t think that it would be so cold outside.”


  Xuxu shut the door after her. She then strolled after Zhou Shuang and noticed the bags that the latter was holding. There were fruits, cakes, and pastries.

  She teased her and said, “Why did you bring so much stuff? Are you here to wish me a Happy New Year?”


  Zhou Shuang casually said, “I didn’t buy these. I saw them outside your house, so I brought them in for you.”


  She raised her eyebrows doubtfully. “You didn’t order these?”


  Xuxu shook her head. “I didn’t.”


  But she was quite certain she knew the person who had ordered these.

  “Oh.” Zhou Shuang frowned and shrugged. “I thought you ordered these and forgot to open the door for the delivery man, so he must have left it outside.”


  She turned around was about to walk to the door. “It must be for your next-door neighbor. I’ll put it back.”


  Xuxu grabbed and stopped her. “Since you’ve already brought them in, you should eat it. If you bump into the person next door, you might be mistaken as a thief.”


  The naïve and simple Zhou Shuang pondered and mulled over her words. “You’re right, serves the person right for not collecting it in time.”


  Xuxu slyly smiled.

  Zhou Shuang put the bags on the coffee table and opened them. The fruits were all freshly imported from overseas.

  She examined the label on a dragon fruit. When she saw the shipping details, she exclaimed, “Your neighbor is a fine connoisseur! Everything is imported, and they’re all freshly plucked—barely two days ago!”


  As she exclaimed, she began peeling the skin of the dragon fruit.