Love in a Shanghai Summer

1: Leftover Woman（剩女）

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Word of the day: shèngnǚ (剩女)

Literal translation: Leftover woman

Definition: A derogatory term to describe unmarried women in their late twenties.

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Yiwen was going to approach this blind date like she did everything else - with sophistication as her armor and confidence as her weapon.

At least that was what she kept telling herself.

She checked her reflection in her car's rear-view mirror and smiled. It was already eight in the evening. Most people's makeup would have melted by this hour. Hers still looked perfect. She flipped back her long black hair, which was curled at the tips, then applied a fresh coat of her YSL Le Rouge lipstick. The bright red shade highlighted the paleness of her skin.

With one last glance in the mirror, she turned off the engine and stepped out of her silver BMW sports car. She gave the gleaming hood a tap as she walked past. The clicking of her black Louboutin against the basement parking's concrete floor set a rhythm that made her hips sway.

A sudden cramp in her stomach belied her outward bravado. Her steps faltered, and for a moment, she wobbled on the thin stilts keeping her upright. Once she regained her equilibrium, a quick glance around ensured no one witnessed her embarrassment.

It's just a blind date. Nothing you can't handle. Yiwen smoothed out the hair that fell out of place and increased her pace.

Despite these reassurances, the knot in her gut refused to go away. It had been too long since she'd been on a blind date. Ten years to be exact. She was supposed to marry her college sweetheart this year.

That was until she caught him with his face buried between her coworker's boobs.

The image made Yiwen's blood curdle in her veins. She stopped in front of the elevator and vented her anger on the up button. She jammed it ten consecutive times before recovering a semblance of calmness. Yet even when the anger had passed, her anxiety wouldn't ease.

Shan-Shan, if this goes wrong, I'm gonna kill you.

Gao Shan, her best friend, was the reason for her current predicament. It was she who had decided it was time for Yiwen to re-enter the marriage market. You're not getting any younger, Shan had said.

At first, Yiwen opposed the decision. She told her friend she was done with men and relationships. That, of course, was a lie. Despite her failure, she still dreamed of finding love. She still wanted to one day hold her child. Shan, having known her forever, knew that. So, Shan set up the meeting without Yiwen's knowledge and once everything was planned, Shan called her every day at four in the morning to remind her of the schedule. After six days of sleep deprivation, Yiwen caved. What was one date in exchange for her sanity?

The elevator doors finally opened. As usual, there were already a bunch of people inside coming from the lower basement parking. Yiwen squeezed herself into the crowd and reviewed what she knew about the guy. Shan had refused to tell her anything, except that he was tall, handsome, and owned a business. She wouldn't even show Yiwen his picture or give her his name, claiming that Yiwen was extremely judgmental.

Again, Shan knew her too well.

When Yiwen got out of the seventh floor,  two women in identical black dresses greeted her.