Extraterrestrial demons invaded; I laid the groundwork eight years in advance.

Just as the streetlights came on, Su Wan's phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID, frowned slightly, hesitated for two seconds, and then answered.

"Feed... um, outside... with Ruoruo... ah? You're coming too?... No need... okay."

She hung up the phone, looked at Zhou Ruoruo, and said with a helpless expression, "Chen Pengfei is here. He said he wants to treat us to dinner."

Zhou Ruoruo rolled her eyes: "Why is he here again? Didn't we just invite him last week?"

"He said he was nearby." Su Wan sighed, then looked at Shen Bai and asked cautiously, "Um... how about we have dinner together tonight?"

"Okay," Shen Bai said.

Su Wan was taken aback for a moment, seemingly not expecting him to agree so readily. A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, then she curved her lips into a smile: "Then let's go."

The three walked to the roadside, and a moment later, a black Porsche Cayenne drove up from a distance and stopped in front of them.

The car door opened, and a young man in his early twenties stepped out. He was over 1.8 meters tall, wearing a blue casual suit, with his hair neatly combed, regular features, and a cheerful smile.

"Su Wan!" He walked over, his gaze first falling on Su Wan, then sweeping over Zhou Ruoruo, and finally stopping on Shen Bai. He paused slightly, "And this is?"

"My friend, Shen Bai," Su Wan introduced. "We just happened to run into each other, so we got together."

Chen Pengfei nodded and extended his hand: "Chen Pengfei. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Shen Bai shook hands with him: "Nice to meet you."

Chen Pengfei's hands were dry and strong, and his handshake was crisp and efficient, clearly showing he was a seasoned socialite. He didn't ask any questions about Shen Bai's background, opened the passenger door for Su Wan to get in, and then got into the driver's seat himself.

Zhou Ruoruo pulled Shen Bai into the back seat, the car started, and drove towards the city center.

Dinner was in a private room at a high-end Japanese restaurant. Tatami mats, a long table, and warm lighting overhead created a soft ambiance throughout the room.

Chen Pengfei took the menu, glanced at it, ordered the most expensive set meal first, and then handed the menu to the three of them: "Take a look and see if you need anything else."

Su Wan and Zhou Ruoruo huddled together and flipped through the menu, adding a few more of their favorite dishes. Shen Bai took the menu and added a serving of teriyaki pork belly and hell ramen.

Chen Pengfei glanced at it, smiled, and said, "You can handle spicy food really well."

"It's alright," Shen Bai replied gently.

  

Once the food and drinks were served, Chen Pengfei opened a bottle of sake and poured a cup for everyone.

"Shen Bai, where do you work?" Chen Pengfei asked casually, raising his wine glass.

"Shuguang Group," Shen Bai said.

Chen Pengfei's eyes lit up slightly: "Shuguang Group? That's a big company. I've collaborated with your biotechnology department once, and their technology is indeed impressive."

Shen Bai nodded but did not reply.

Chen Pengfei didn't press further and turned to chat with Su Wan about work. He spoke tactfully, demonstrating his knowledge without sounding boastful. Zhou Ruoruo occasionally chimed in, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

During the meal, Su Wan took the opportunity of pouring tea to pick up her phone and say to Shen Bai, "Let's add each other on WeChat. We can go out together again sometime."

Shen Bai swallowed the ramen in his mouth and opened the QR code on his phone.

Su Wan scanned the QR code and saved the contact information. She scrolled through Shen Bai's Moments, only to find a gray horizontal line with no content. She paused for a moment, but didn't ask any further questions, and put her phone away. Zhou Ruoruo, who was standing nearby, saw this and secretly gave Su Wan a thumbs up.

After a few rounds of drinks, Chen Pengfei put down his chopsticks, his expression suddenly becoming more serious.

"Let's get down to business," he said in a low voice. "Everyone, please be careful lately and try not to go out."

Su Wan looked up: "What's wrong?"

"That's what my grandfather said." Chen Pengfei held up his wine glass, his gaze sweeping over the three people's faces. "It seems to be related to monsters. He didn't go into details, just that things haven't been peaceful lately, and we should avoid going out at night, especially to places with few people."

Zhou Ruoruo didn't take it too seriously, picked up a piece of salmon and dipped it in soy sauce: "Is it that serious? I've seen that things have been pretty peaceful in China, and there haven't been any major problems."

"That's because you haven't seen it." Chen Pengfei put down his wine glass, lowering his voice further. "Because it was discovered early and the response was timely, things are indeed relatively peaceful in China. But many places abroad are unable to solve the problem and are almost in complete chaos. Anyway, it's always good to be prepared."

Shen Bai's expression remained unchanged as he picked up his teacup and slowly took a sip. With the rim of the cup against his lips, his gaze fell upon the night outside the window, a few thoughts swirling in his mind.

People like Chen Pengfei, with his family background, already have access to some inside information. The fact that he's even warning those around him about the impending second large-scale intrusion indicates that the news is spreading on a small scale.

He put down his teacup, his expression remaining calm.

Su Wan nodded thoughtfully, without pressing further. She knew Chen Pengfei's family had connections and was well-informed than the average person. She couldn't completely trust what he said, but she couldn't completely disregard it either.

After finishing their meal, the group walked out of the restaurant. A night breeze blew by, carrying the chill of early autumn. Chen Pengfei checked the time: "I'll take you home."

"No need, I'll just take a taxi. Thank you for your hospitality today," Shen Bai said politely.

"You're too kind. Where do you live?" Chen Pengfei asked.

"It's nearby, you can walk back."

Chen Pengfei didn't press the matter and nodded, "Okay, be careful on the road."

Su Wan glanced at Shen Bai, opened her mouth, then closed it again. They already had each other's contact information, so there was no need to say anything more. She smiled and said, "Be careful on the road."

"Yes." Shen Bai nodded. "You too."

Chen Pengfei drove Su Wan and Zhou Ruoruo away. Shen Bai stood by the roadside, watching the taillights of the Porsche disappear into the night, then turned and walked towards Xiaoqingshan.

Nine o'clock in the evening.

Su Wan pushed open the door to her home. The living room light was still on. Her father, Su Zhenguo, was sitting on the sofa with several documents spread out in front of him, while her mother, Zhou Yunqing, leaned against the sofa watching television.

"Why are you so late?" Su Zhenguo looked up and pushed up his glasses.

"I'm going to have dinner with Ruoruo." Su Wan changed her shoes and sat down on the sofa.

Su Zhenguo glanced at her, closed the file, and remained silent for a moment.

Be careful when going out these days.

Su Wan was stunned for a moment, and her heart skipped a beat when she remembered what Chen Pengfei had said at the dinner table.

"What's wrong?"

Su Zhenguo didn't answer directly, but carefully considered his words: "Those monsters and rifts might increase recently, so it's always good to be careful."

Zhou Yunqing also turned her head and glanced at her daughter: "Listen to your father, go out less these days."

Su Wan nodded and didn't ask any further questions.

She lowered her head, and Shen Bai's quiet face appeared in her mind. He wasn't as flamboyant as Chen Pengfei, nor as deliberate as other suitors. He was just... there, like a silent reef.

She recalled Ruoruo asking him about his hobbies; a twenty-four-year-old's life was so simple. Either he was genuinely boring, or he was hiding too much from others.

But after spending a few hours together, Shen Bai's manner of speaking, the details of his meals, and his composure—he didn't seem like a boring person at all. She suddenly wanted to know what this man was hiding.

But today was just a chance encounter, and we might never see each other again. Thinking of this, a vague sense of loss welled up inside her.

The night outside the window is getting darker.

Su Wan stood up, said "I'm going to sleep now," and went into her room.

Su Zhenguo watched his daughter's retreating figure, then looked down at the document in his hand concerning the "Contingency Plan for Extraordinary Events," and sighed.

The world is moving faster and faster.