The guests departed from the villa one by one, each pair slipping into their respective vans with a mix of anticipation and lingering fatigue from the morning's obstacle course. Laughter and quiet conversations faded into the distance as the vehicles pulled away.
Su Wanyan, Mo Xingxue, and little Mo Yan remained behind at PD Xu Cui's polite request. They stood outside the villa under the gentle autumn sun, the cool breeze carrying the faint scent of fallen leaves and distant pine.
Su Wanyan shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her scholarly brown knit sweater and cream trousers feeling comfortably warm against the crisp air. She glanced at the empty driveway, curiosity bubbling within her. "What could the PD want from us?" she wondered aloud, turning to Mo Xingxue beside her.
