The Twilight Does Not Stain the Rose - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Sweet Osmanthus (I)

October in Jiang City was a world of autumn gold and crimson maples.

Even the moat encircling the city center was no exception; the water’s surface was a beautiful mosaic, half-covered in fallen maple leaves and half-reflecting the clear blue sky. Over the past decade, several bustling commercial districts had sprouted up in Jiang City, shifting the center of prosperity southward. As a result, the old city center was no longer crowded, becoming peaceful and simple instead.

At 8:00 AM, Zhuang Baiwei stepped out in an off-white athletic set, her shoulder-length hair tied into a neat little bun. She began her routine morning run, briskly meeting the fragrance of red maples and sweet osmanthus.

Toward the end of her route, she passed by her own shop. After feeding the local stray cats, she finished the final stretch of her run. Today was Shuangjiang (Frost’s Descent), and the scent of osmanthus was becoming as rich and heady as fermented wine. By the time she reached the gates of her residential complex, the fragrance had left her feeling slightly dazed.

Fortunately, there were fewer osmanthus trees inside the complex. Zhuang Baiwei took a breath of fresh air and stopped in front of a familiar breakfast stall.

“Weiwei, your pace is getting steadier! Right on time today, too!” It was 9:00 AM, and the breakfast stall was nearing its closing time. The owner, Auntie Wang, was much more relaxed now. “The usual? Two baskets of soup dumplings and a bowl of wonton soup?”

Auntie Wang and her sister had been running this breakfast stall outside the garden complex for nearly twenty years. Zhuang Baiwei had eaten here since she was a child, so they were very close.

Zhuang Baiwei gave a bright smile. “Yes. Thanks to your supervision over the past six months, Auntie Wang~”

She hadn’t originally been an athletic person, but as she got older, it was a fact that her body wasn’t what it used to be. If she didn’t exercise regularly, she feared that even the luxury of being a “lazy salted fish” would be out of reach.

“Ms. Zhuang (her mother) was almost late for her square dancing today and didn’t eat breakfast; she’s waiting for me. Give me some buns too—three red bean paste and three shepherd’s purse.”

“Coming right up!” Auntie Wang packed the buns efficiently. “Weiwei, is your flower shop opening today?”

Zhuang Baiwei took the bag and gently corrected her: “It’s the coffee shop’s trial opening today. The flower shop opens in a week.”

“Oh right, look at my memory,” Auntie Wang laughed. “Got it. I’ll stop by this afternoon to check it out and join the fun!”

“No problem!” Zhuang Baiwei’s smile was radiant. “I’ll be at the shop all afternoon. Just call out for me when you get there—I’ll make something for you myself, on the house~”

Zhuang Baiwei had a warm and elegant look, with fair skin and a tall, graceful frame that wasn’t overly thin. Even now, with a bare face, she was the kind of person who stood out in a crowd. Her voice was mellow, her pronunciation clear, and her tempo gentle and steady, making her very pleasant to listen to.

Auntie Wang loved hearing her speak, but noticing the gazes from people nearby, she quickly waved her hand to urge her to leave. Zhuang Baiwei mentioned the trial opening time once more and headed toward the neighborhood square with the buns in hand.

As she turned, a young girl nearby stole a few glances at her, her expression shifting from shock to confusion. After Zhuang Baiwei brushed past her, she heard the girl’s murmur behind her: “She looks so much like Zhuang Baiwei…?”

Zhuang Baiwei continued forward with composed steps, acting as if she hadn’t heard a thing.

Because she had been an actress—and one who had won the most prestigious Best Actress award in the country—people in the complex often recognized her. However, it had been exactly two years since her retirement announcement in September 2022. Even if she had once been a superstar followed by a whirlwind of fame and controversy, the public tended to forget quickly.

By 9:00 AM, the square dancing was nearing its end. Seeing the red-clad figure of Zhuang Wenlan (her mother) from a distance, Zhuang Baiwei ran up to her. “Ms. Zhuang!”

Zhuang Wenlan turned at the sound. Her calm, dignified smile instantly crumbled. She jogged over, saying, “Quick, quick! I’m starving!” She grabbed a bun and began to eat ravenously, completely disregarding her image.

A friend nearby opened a thermos and poured some water to cool. “Do you have to be in such a rush? Watch out, you’ll choke.”

Zhuang Baiwei stood at 173cm, her tall and upright posture making her quite eye-catching. Before her mother could finish a single bun, someone tapped Zhuang Baiwei on the shoulder.

“Baiwei, you’re here!”

That familiar, enthusiastic tone—

Zhuang Baiwei’s heart sank. It was the neighborhood committee director, a woman who was always eager to set her up on blind dates. She turned and took two steps back, smiling. “Hello, Auntie.”

“Oh, hello, hello.” Director Li grabbed her arm, looking her up and down. “I haven’t seen you in a month and you’ve become even prettier. It’s like you’re aging in reverse! You don’t look thirty-two at all—as expected of a big star!”

Zhuang Baiwei had heard this exact opening line a month ago. She knew exactly what was coming: another matchmaking attempt.

“Just right, I’ve met a young man recently. Very handsome, only about five years older than—”

But before Director Li could finish, Zhuang Wenlan quickly swallowed her bun with some water and reached out to interrupt her. “Don’t bother. I’ve already arranged a blind date for her, and it’s this very afternoon! She’s only twenty-eight, a returnee from abroad! A jewelry designer! She graduated from GIA, the most authoritative gemological institute, completely on her own dime!”

“That’s the GIA from the grading certificates you get when you buy diamonds. She’s incredibly talented~”

Zhuang Wenlan’s outburst completely blocked Director Li. The latter was startled, her face stiffening as she looked over.

Taking the cue, Zhuang Baiwei added a touch of bashfulness to her smile, looking dazzlingly bright in the sunlight. “Yes, Auntie. My mom introduced her. I like her very much.”

Seeing this, Director Li lost her momentum, gave a couple of dry laughs, and walked away.

Once the mother and daughter returned home and were changing shoes in the entryway, Zhuang Wenlan emphasized again: “This afternoon, you are not allowed to stand her up!”

Zhuang Baiwei felt helpless. “You’ve already booked the meeting at Today is Good (her shop). Where could I possibly run to?”

Today is Good was the business she had been preparing for over six months. Today was the coffee shop’s trial opening; as the person in charge, she had to be there to oversee things.

Zhuang Wenlan added, “The girl is younger than you and quite introverted. You must make sure not to be too casual and scare her away.”

“Yes, Ms. Zhuang. I guarantee the mission will be accomplished.”

At 1:30 PM, Zhuang Baiwei changed into a casual white shirt and wide-leg trousers, paired with a short light-blue denim jacket. Grabbing her phone and keys, she headed out with a bare face. Her soft white sneakers crunched on the fallen leaves.

The four storefronts of Today is Good sat along the moat. Located at the edge of the commercial area, it was somewhat secluded but very quiet.

After resting all morning, smelling the faint scent of osmanthus again made her take a deep breath before pulling open the door to “Today is Good Coffee.”

Ding-ling—

The wind chimes rang. The three people inside looked up and smiled. “Weiwei.” “Weiwei-jie!”

“How is it?” Zhuang Baiwei walked up and leaned against the counter. “Are you ready?”

“Don’t worry~ What’s there to be nervous about for a trial opening?” The woman behind the bar had her long hair tied at the nape of her neck, with blue highlights peeking through the ends. She looked very cool. This was Jiang Feifei, Zhuang Baiwei’s friend from outside the industry. Their friendship had lasted over a decade since high school. Feifei had an outgoing and restless personality that had finally found peace in coffee.

Compared to her calmness, the other two seemed much more nervous. The shorter girl at the register was Zhou Xiaofeng, a fan from Zhuang’s debut days who had become a friend over ten years; the taller one outside the bar was her younger sister, Zhou Xiaotong.

Zhuang Baiwei smiled and comforted them warmly: “Don’t be afraid. If the barista is steady, you’ll all be steady.”

“Exactly,” Jiang Feifei laughed. “In a moment, you’ll even get to see the gossip surrounding your Weiwei-jie. What’s there to fear?”

Facing three pairs of expectant, teasing eyes, Zhuang Baiwei felt helpless and walked toward a window seat. “Get to work!” Halfway there, she turned back. “A Sweet Osmanthus Latte, please~”

“Certainly, Ms. Zhuang,” Jiang Feifei replied smoothly. “Coming right up!”

As the fragrance of osmanthus settled on the wooden table, the chimes at the door rang again.

Zhuang Baiwei looked toward the sound and saw a tall figure dressed in black. Before she could look closer, she heard Jiang Feifei whisper a soft “Wow.”

“What a beauty with such a ‘story’ in her look.”

Feifei quickly retreated to avoid disturbing the blind date. Zhuang Baiwei stood up to face the person approaching her.

The woman had straight black hair falling over her shoulders. Beneath a smooth, full forehead were a pair of slender eyebrows and phoenix eyes—but the outer corners of her eyes drooped slightly, making her look cold, detached, and even a bit melancholic. This was the “story” Jiang Feifei had mentioned.

Coupled with an all-black outfit—black shirt, black trousers, and a long black coat—her skin looked deathly pale, making her aura of mystery even more intense.

Zhuang Baiwei was suddenly dazed. It felt as if, through those eyes, she saw an old acquaintance she hadn’t seen in a long time—and didn’t want to remember.

“Hello, Ms. Zhuang.”

The voice was soft with a hint of huskiness. Zhuang Baiwei snapped back to reality, remembering the woman’s beautiful name: Jiang Muchen.

She broke into a smile. “Hello, Ms. Jiang.”

The two sat down. Zhuang Baiwei pointed to the Sweet Osmanthus Latte in front of her. A layer of golden osmanthus blossoms covered the top, looking beautiful in the porcelain white cup. She asked softly, “Would you like a Sweet Osmanthus Latte as well, Ms. Jiang?”

Jiang Muchen froze slightly, her eyes wavering as if she were in a difficult position. But she quickly nodded. “Okay, thank you.”

Remembering her mother’s words about her being introverted and shy, Zhuang Baiwei sensed that she didn’t actually want to drink that. She smiled, stood up, and said, “Then please wait a moment for me, Ms. Jiang.”

Jiang Muchen nodded and replied softly, “Okay.”

Zhuang Baiwei walked quickly behind the bar, meeting Jiang Feifei’s gossiping gaze. “Why did you run back here?”

She smiled and whispered, “The girl is too shy. I want to let her get familiar with things a bit.” As she spoke, she gently nudged Feifei aside and stood before the espresso machine.

Feifei understood and laughed. “So, the latte art master is starting business?”

Zhuang Baiwei had once played a barista in a movie and had specially learned latte art techniques. She had rarely used them since filming, only re-familiarizing herself this month while preparing the shop.

Not bothering to banter with Feifei, Zhuang Baiwei focused on her movements and returned to the table with a tray. She placed the coffee in front of Jiang Muchen. The woman’s gaze instinctively followed her movements, and her dazed eyes focused when she saw the White Rose latte art. Her eyes widened in genuine surprise.

Because of this, the melancholy surrounding Jiang Muchen faded slightly, making her look much more vivid.

Zhuang Baiwei said softly, “A bit of unpolished latte art as a gift for our first meeting.”

It was clear that because of this white rose, Jiang Muchen’s tension eased. A faint smile appeared on her lips. “Thank you.”

She couldn’t help but look up at Zhuang Baiwei, then quickly lowered her gaze again. The tips of her ears turned slightly pink. Her hand tightened around the porcelain cup as she gathered her courage: “Ms. Zhuang… is very gentle.”

Her voice was very light. With her nervous, downcast eyes, she looked cold yet fragile, like white glass under moonlight.

Zhuang Baiwei remembered that that person had been the same way—blushing out of gratitude, afraid to look her in the eye, fragile and pitiable.

She leaned back slightly, her hands clenching together under the table. Ignoring the unpleasant memories that were bubbling up, she said, “Thank you.”

She was about to change the subject when the wind chimes rang again as several guests entered the shop. Zhuang Baiwei’s gaze instinctively drifted toward them. Just as she was about to look away, she suddenly heard the angry voice of the lead man: “This is your trial opening? How can you have so few items?”

“With only this many products, you dare to open a shop?”

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