They surrounded me right after the breakup.

The night before my return trip, it drizzled in Paris.

Wang Jing and Sandra said goodbye under the warm lights of the hotel lobby.

Sandra was wearing the gray coat she had worn when she arrived.

She retied Wang Jing's untied scarf and slipped a small piece of hotel chocolate into his coat pocket.

Wang Jing patted her hand without saying anything.

Some relationships are just the length of a journey.

The car arrives, the people disperse, nothing is delayed or owed.

Jiang Han was smoking in the smoking area on the second-floor corridor, watching this scene from afar.

When Wang Jing came up, he offered him a cigarette: "Aren't you feeling unwell?"

"What's wrong?" Wang Jing took the food, but didn't order.

"We were just temporary partners anyway. She has a shoot tomorrow, so there's no way she'll come with me."

"Brother Wang is of a higher level."

"I know my own limitations," Wang Jing said with a self-deprecating laugh. "Unlike you, who can bring back stories from anywhere."

Jiang Han didn't reply, he just exhaled a puff of smoke.

The Parisian rain and mist seeped in through the half-open window, carrying a hint of the Seine's dampness.

The curtains in Song Wanning's room were drawn.

She sat in a chair by the window, holding the lipstick Jiang Han had given her.

My trip to Paris felt like a piece of a dream that had been cut off.

Song Wanning secretly hoped that perhaps she could still contribute something after returning.

She even thought that she and Xiao Xiao could be considered half sisters.

Perhaps this will help solidify this sisterhood.

But the dream was too short.

It was so short that she couldn't even say when she started taking it seriously.

The plane landed in Gyeongju at exactly 3 p.m.

Song Wanning followed Jiang Han out of the VIP passage.

She hadn't slept well for the past few days, and her face was pale; only her lips were covered in new lipstick.

Xiao Xiao pushed her suitcase and kept talking next to Jiang Han.

When she came out, she waved to him and called out, "Sister Wanning."

Song Wanning smiled through the crowd, thinking that at least the party wasn't over yet.

Then she saw several women outside the exit.

Qiu Siyao stood at the front, wearing a cream-colored coat and holding a bouquet of flowers.

Lin Yaoyao leaned against the railing, talking to Liu Meng, wearing a black fitted dress with a short down jacket over it.

Xia Yutong was holding her phone, presumably talking to a law firm.

Shen Qingning stood behind everyone, wearing sunglasses, only revealing a section of her chin, yet she looked most like she was waiting for her own man.

As soon as Jiang Han stepped out, the group of women moved.

Qiu Siyao ran over and stuffed the flowers into Jiang Han's hand.

Lin Yaoyao hooked her arm around his neck from the side.

Liu Meng smiled and shook her head, then reached out and took the luggage tag from Jiang Han's hand.

Xia Yutong put away her phone, followed behind him, and straightened his crooked collar.

Shen Qingning stood still, only whispering as he passed by, "You're back."

Jiang Han hummed in agreement and handed the flowers to Lin Yaoyao.

Song Wanning almost stopped in her tracks.

She had seen Jiang Han with women on either side of him in Paris, but those were just playmates, not much different from herself.

The women who appear now are all part of Jianghan's life.

They don't even need to introduce themselves.

With a single glance and a single gesture, Jiang Han was led away.

Song Wanning suddenly felt superfluous; the lingering warmth she had brought back from Paris dissipated as soon as the airport air conditioning blew it away.

"Miss Song," Lin Yaoyao suddenly turned around, "Do you need a ride?"

"Need not."

"Okay, we'll be going now."

Lin Yaoyao smiled, neither distant nor affectionate.

Xiao Xiao turned around and waved to her.

Song Wanning forced a smile, as a response.

After seeing Xiao Xiao turn around, she immediately leaned close to Lin Yaoyao's ear and said, "How was it? My trip to Paris wasn't a waste, was it?"

Lin Yaoyao glared at her: "Don't pretend to be innocent after getting the benefit."

Xiao Xiao smiled and then turned back to wink at Song Wanning.

Her eyes were completely different from when she was in Paris; it was as if she were a different person.

Song Wanning stood at the entrance of the terminal and watched Jiang Han being escorted into a black minivan by women.

Originally, she thought that everyone should always have a sliver of their gaze reserved for themselves.

Now I realize it was just an alternative in a foreign land.

Song Wanning looked down and opened her bag; the lipstick was still lying there perfectly still.

She didn't touch it again, fastened the bag, and hailed a taxi back to her apartment.

Yandere is a disease; it's a morbid culture that arises from a context where women are strong and men are weak.

Try giving Brother Jiang a disease like that in the country.

You could be sent to a mental hospital in a heartbeat.

On the way back, Jiang Han was surrounded by her sisters, but she didn't find it noisy.

He gave a brief account of what happened in Paris to everyone.

Wang Jing's part is mentioned only briefly.

He focused on his meeting with Ferron, where the Frenchman wanted to hold a preview screening of "Ne Zha" before discussing a wider release.

If this goes through, Xingyue will finally have a foothold overseas.

His European trip, which was supposed to be a quest for pleasure, turned into a grueling business trip.

What should have been a serious matter settled in half a day vividly illustrates the difficulty of the negotiations.

Lin Yaoyao suddenly asked, "What happened to Song Wanning?"

She paused for a moment, then said, "I didn't mean anything by it. I heard she followed you all the way."

"Sort of, we met in Paris," Jiang Han said without hiding anything.

"She's been acting strange lately, overthinking things."

Xiao Xiao interjected, "She loved hearing me call her 'sister' in Paris, but now that she's back, I'm not going to fawn over her."

"You certainly know how to change your expression," Jiang Han said.

"Then I'll learn from you." Xiao Xiao raised her face.

The car was filled with laughter.

Jiang Han turned his head to look out the window, and the streetlights of Jingzhou swept past the car window.

He saw the look in Song Wanning's eyes as she stood at the terminal entrance.

But he didn't turn around.

He couldn't answer the question about that look in his eyes and his possessiveness.

The women around Jiang Han were never kept by demanding anything from him.

Back at the Beverly Manor, the house was well-heated.

As soon as the car came to a stop, Xiao Xiao jumped out and pushed open the courtyard gate.

Jiang Han entered the house carrying a small suitcase, and the living room was filled with a rich aroma.

"Go wash your hands as soon as you get back." Liu Meng had already tied on her apron.

Dinner is served.

Liu Meng made a pot of fish maw and chicken soup, and also stir-fried several dishes that Jiang Han likes to eat.

Lin Yaoyao opened a bottle of wine and poured a little for everyone.

Xiao Xiao chattered on about her interesting experiences in Paris, focusing on how she molded Song Wanning into the shape she wanted.

Qiu Siyao covered her face upon hearing this. How could Miss Song possibly outmaneuver Xiao Xiao!

She actually used it to wait for the Japanese to get their hands on her.

Lin Yaoyao put down her chopsticks. "Where's my bag?"

Jiang Han didn't even look up: "I'll give it to you after I finish eating."

The other women took turns announcing the names of the gifts they had chosen.

"My scarf."

"My stockings."

The meal felt like home.

Jiang Han leaned back in his chair, looking at the smiling faces all over the table.

I knew Paris was a city for companions.

Ultimately, what stays with you in the long run is your own little family.

There are dishes, wine, and people waiting for him here.

Song Wanning's so-called entanglement won't go this far.

After dinner, Jiang Han went upstairs to take a shower.

When he came out, Lin Yaoyao was sitting on the edge of his bed unpacking gifts.

Just then, her cell phone rang; it was her mother calling.

"Mom, what's wrong? It's so late, and I'm busy."

Jiang Linxiujuan's voice came through the microphone.

"Yaoyao, what's wrong with Xiao Xiao?"

"Her father, Xiao Yuanshan, came to see me."