"What's wrong?" She opened her eyes and looked at him, her voice very low. "Nothing, I'm probably just too tired." Her eyes were beautiful, and although the bedroom was dark, his eyes, used to it, could still clearly see those two bright, clear eyes. When she looked at him, she seemed radiant and pure. This was his wife. He had waited so many years so carefully, waiting for her to grow up, and waiting for her to willingly marry him. In the past, no matter how tired he was, just seeing her made him feel content. What was wrong? He felt she was a stranger. Feeling guilty, he reached out and pulled her to his chest, bowing his head and saying sorry.
How was she supposed to answer? Her husband lay beside her. He had just tried to make love to her; they rarely had time together, and this was their first time this month, possibly the last, but he stopped halfway through. She reached out and touched his face. Niu Zhensheng looked old; his brow, already furrowed, now bore deep lines. She sighed silently, not with resentment, but simply with a feeling that no one in this world was truly unbearable.
In episode 42, after saying goodbye to Yiyi, Qian Duoduo sat alone in her car and began to sigh. She had only forced a smile in front of Yiyi; of course, the difference between having feelings and not having feelings was significant. She knew this all too well. It wasn't like she hadn't been in relationships before; she knew the difference. Love was different; it required the right timing, the right place, and the right people—love was incredibly difficult. But what she wanted now wasn't love, but marriage. She had thought marriage wouldn't be difficult. An arranged marriage was possible, an organization could decide, and there were plenty of devoted men and women in the world. Overcoming her own hurdle, as long as she was physically and mentally compatible, she could get married anytime. She hadn't expected it to be so complicated. She thought she had found someone like-minded, but it turned into a repeat of her ex-girlfriend's antics. She wasn't afraid he couldn't forget his past love; she was afraid he wasn't truly hung up on her and was just pretending to be like-minded. Driving and thinking, Qian Duoduo's head ached. There was no solution, and in the end, Qian Duoduo gave up. Forget it; her time was precious, and she couldn't afford to play this guessing game. She had gone through fire and water to support the marriage, but if she were to become someone else's substitute without realizing it, how could she live the rest of her life with her pride? There was nothing she could do about it, no matter how regrettable it was. She made up her mind, took a deep breath, took out her phone and dialed a number. The other end answered quickly, and in the background, there were voices rising and falling, and faint greetings.
"Are you busy?" Knowing her own words weren't very pleasant, Qian Duoduo first assessed the situation and atmosphere. "I had a class for a part-time graduate student today, just finished. It's okay, go ahead and speak." His voice was as always, warm and smiling, making Qian Duoduo even more hesitant to speak. How to begin? What to say? Should she say, "Let's call it quits, because I don't want to be a substitute," or more simply, "I'm fed up, I'd rather not get married." But then her mother's stern face flashed before her eyes, along with her father's sighing opening line, "Duoduo, you need to understand that everything in the world has its time." Yes, its time had come for Qian Duoduo. Not getting married would make her an oddity. She wasn't afraid of being seen as an oddity; there were plenty of single female managers in the company. The problem was her parents.
He hesitated, and the originally very direct sentence lingered on his lips for a long time before finally uttering it with a completely different tone. "I... I've been very busy lately, and I probably won't be able to see you for the next few weeks." He paused for half a second before answering, so briefly that it was almost imperceptible. When he spoke again, his voice was still gentle and his tone was tender. "Is that so? Then take care of yourself and don't overwork yourself. We'll contact you again."
After hanging up the phone, Ye Mingshen stood alone for a while. The campus was crowded. Two female students, both working professionals and around 25 or 26 years old, walked past him. They paused for a moment, then playfully nudged each other before approaching to greet him, "Professor Ye, are you off work? What are your plans for tonight?" The professors teaching working professionals' graduate courses were generally quite handsome, and against this harmonious backdrop, the young and refined Ye Mingshen stood out even more. He was used to the probing and interest of female students, and usually reacted quickly, deftly deflecting such questions like a martial arts master. But today, after hearing his question, he was surprisingly slow to react. It took him a few seconds to look up, give them a second look, and when he answered, there was no usual smile; his reply sounded perfunctory. "Tonight? I have class tonight. Sorry, I'll be going now." After watching him leave, the two girls remained rooted to the spot. One of them finally spoke after a long pause, pouting and looking displeased, "What's with the attitude? Just because you're handsome doesn't mean you're all that."
Qian Duoduo didn't have clairvoyance, so of course she couldn't see what was happening on the other end of the phone. After ending the call with Ye Mingshen, she unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief, at least she had gained a few weeks to think things through, so her driving was much smoother later on. She focused on the road conditions and pressed the accelerator with plenty of force. When she got home, she went upstairs and rang the doorbell, but no one answered. Remembering that her parents had gone to a wedding banquet that day, she reached into her bag for her keys, but after searching for a while, she couldn't find them. Suddenly, she stomped her foot in frustration. Qian Duoduo had gone to the gym early that morning and changed her bag; she must have left her keys in the other bag. What bad luck—ever since someone appeared in her life, nothing good had happened. Should she go and pray to someone to get rid of the bad luck?
Seeing that it was still early, the wedding banquet today was for the daughter of my mother's old colleague. She was most uncomfortable in those kinds of occasions. Sitting next to her parents, the older generation at the table would immediately ask her, "Is this Duoduo? You've grown so much in the blink of an eye. How old are you this year? Are you married yet?" A few years ago, my mother could still answer their questions with a smile, but in the last two years, hearing such questions would make her glare at her like knives. Eventually, Qian Duoduo learned from them and avoided such occasions if possible.
Turning around and going downstairs, Qian Duoduo got back to her car and took out her phone, wanting to find someone to have dinner with. Her contact list was densely packed, and she scrolled through the names one by one, but couldn't find a single number to call. Holding the phone in silence for a minute, Qian Duoduo suddenly lost her temper and forcefully threw the phone onto the passenger seat. The ringtone rang out along with the dull thud. She glared at it, picked it up again, and frowned as she glanced at the screen.
The screen was bright, displaying a call from the company, from the director's direct line—that name was saved in her phone. She didn't answer immediately; she checked the time in her car first—four o'clock on a weekend afternoon. Why would this man suddenly think of calling her? The phone rang five or six times before dropping, then rang again—the same number. Qian Duoduo gritted her teeth and answered with a single tap.
"Hello?" "Manager Qian, this is KENNY." It was Xu Fei's voice. He gave his English name, but her tone remained formulaic. "Hello, Director, what can I do for you?"
"I'm at the office, reviewing the project proposal your team submitted. I have a few questions for you, which can be answered over the phone. Is now a convenient time?"
His tone was very businesslike, so Qian Duoduo naturally became serious when she answered, "What's the problem?" There was the sound of pages turning on the other end. "Which countries does your proposal cover? The whole of Southeast Asia?" He was referring to her latest project, which had just been completed based on the latest market research in these countries. She and her team had been working on it for several weeks.
"The Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Singapore, but not India."
“Okay, I just checked the latest import product standards released by the Thai government. The H5O33 listed in your raw materials is acceptable in other Southeast Asian countries, but it seems not in Thailand.”
Qian Duoduo gasped. She was supposed to present this plan to the higher-ups on Monday. She had entrusted the data for Thailand to Jenny, and last week she had asked her to check the standard parameters for the past three years. She never expected such a fatal problem to occur.
"When was the latest standard released? Yesterday?" She was also having a headache because some Southeast Asian countries seem to be changing their standards every day.
“Last month, and this ban is mandatory, didn’t you ask your team members to check the latest standards?”
Of course she did! She impulsively wanted to call Jenny immediately to confront her, but Qian Duoduo knew this wouldn't solve anything. Taking a deep breath and forcing herself to calm down, she immediately responded, "I understand, Director. Are you still at the company?" "Yes, what's wrong?" "I'll be right there. The documents are at my company, and the phone number is there. Wait for me for twenty minutes."
There was a moment of silence on the other end, then Xu Fei's voice rang out again, "It's Sunday today, you don't need to work overtime." Was that sarcastic? Weren't you working overtime on my project proposal on Sunday? Qian Duoduo gripped the steering wheel, head bowed in apology. "I'm sorry, the problem was with me, please give me a chance to make amends." Qian Duoduo held the phone in one hand and the steering wheel in the other, pressing the accelerator hard.
After hanging up, she dialed Jenny's number again, but the female voice on the other end of the line repeated monotonously, "The number you dialed is not in service."
After several unsuccessful attempts, I was furious. I threw down the phone, gave up, and sped towards the company. Although she was straightforward and decisive, she was always meticulous at work. The cause of this mistake was clearly Jenny's fault, but as the project leader, she couldn't shirk responsibility. Thinking of a solution along the way, she calmed down by the time she entered the company's underground parking garage. Seeing her somewhat defeated expression while waiting for the elevator, she habitually pinched the inside of her wrist to force herself to focus. It was indeed her fault. She used to carefully check every report before submitting it, but lately she had been preoccupied and had made such a crucial mistake. If Xu Fei was about to erupt in anger or deliver a sarcastic remark, she would be speechless.
Chapter 43 The marketing department was empty. The director's office door and blinds were closed. Qian Duoduo rushed in but didn't look for him immediately. She went to her computer first and retrieved the data to reorganize it. Once everything was ready, she went to knock on the door. There was no response as she expected. The door opened from the inside, and Xu Fei, with one hand still on the doorknob, greeted her from a foot away, "Manager Qian, you're here." His attitude was very good, and he even had a smile on his face. This was completely different from what she had imagined. Qian Duoduo was stunned before she could speak, and when she came to her senses, she was a little out of sorts. "Uh, hello, Director." "You came very quickly." The boss was amiable, and no matter how anxious Qian Duoduo was, she answered anyway, "Yes, it's my day off."
Then she quickly walked to his desk, found a place to put her laptop down, and glanced back at him. "Director, I brought all the materials. Can we start revising now?" "Sure, wait a moment." Xu Fei turned and walked to his desk, finding the plan. Qian Duoduo looked down and saw many pencil marks—words, numbers, lines, diagrams, everything. It was the first time she'd seen such detailed annotations. Qian Duoduo immediately focused her attention, opened her laptop, and prepared to tackle the task. This man was indeed exceptionally capable at work, and possessed a diligence beyond his years; otherwise, he wouldn't have been selected as one in a million management trainees, and then overcome all obstacles to become the youngest legendary director.
Having worked together at the company for over a month, Qian Duoduo had a clear understanding of Xu Fei's character. Therefore, when facing him in work mode, she had already developed a habit of immediate, focused concentration. While revising her work, she sought his feedback. Xu Fei's wording was very pertinent, and Qian Duoduo nodded in agreement, immediately revising on her laptop. Once engrossed in work, she forgot the time. When she looked up again, Qian Duoduo exclaimed, "Seven o'clock?" Xu Fei also looked up at the clock. "Manager Qian, do you have a date?" Suddenly remembering the look he gave her and Ye Mingshen yesterday, Qian Duoduo became sensitive. "Yesterday at Huanyi—" Xu Fei smiled. He had a somewhat baby face, and his eyes crinkled when he smiled, making him even more radiant. "You're on a date, so it's normal not to greet me. By the way, don't call me Director anymore. I've asked everyone to call me Kenny since day one, but you always forget." What did this mean? A gesture of goodwill? A white flag? Surprised by his attitude, Qian Duoduo realized she had become his confidante.
She had initially thought he would take advantage of the situation to retaliate or make things difficult for her, so she arrived full of wariness and unease. However, he was unexpectedly friendly and didn't blame her for her mistake at all. This gesture was like providing a car and charcoal in the snow, and he even helped shovel snow in front of her house. She was so touched that she was speechless. It wasn't that she, with her abundant wealth and petty nature, was tolerant of a suddenly appearing young boss; it was simply that their initial encounter was too explosive. Although she considered herself a modern woman and a mature woman, facing a male boss with whom she had once shared a passionate French kiss while drunk, she couldn't bear to quit, nor could she ignore him completely. Finding a perfect way to get along with him was proving difficult.
However, Qian Duoduo always responded better to gentle persuasion than force. Since he was friendly and had just done her a big favor, it was difficult for her to continue with her previous sour attitude. She softened her tone and replied, "Then please don't call me Manager Qian anymore. It sounds strange." "Then what should I call you?" "Just call me DONA. That's what Sam and the others call me."
He laughed again, "DONA? Sounds like the name of a child's adventure protagonist." With the project plan revised and the job done, Qian Duoduo's mood improved, and she couldn't help but relax. "Then you and my team can call me 'boss,' I don't mind." "OK," he said seriously, "Then have SAM call me that first, and I'll definitely follow suit once it becomes company culture." SAM was the foreign boss here, and his appearance was similar to Santa Claus. Qian Duoduo couldn't help but imagine what it would look like when he uttered the words "boss," and couldn't help but laugh.
"Great, the proposal is excellent. I'll be looking forward to your performance on Monday. I'll be the first to applaud, don't worry." Xu Fei cut to the chase. The printer sped up, and remembering she'd need it for Monday's meeting, Qian Duoduo quickly grabbed the printed proposal and went to the photocopying room to photocopy and bind it. She returned with her hands full of folders. Although it was Sunday, she saw many colleagues coming and going from the company. The overseas department was especially busy, holding video conferences despite the time difference; the large conference room was packed.
The blackout curtains on the glass wall of the conference room weren't drawn. As Qian Duoduo walked by carrying her folder, she was spotted by the overseas department manager sitting to her left. He smiled at her from afar, a smile that seemed to convey a sense of camaraderie. Qian Duoduo felt a little awkward, like a child who had received a compliment that wasn't rightfully hers, and she didn't know where to begin explaining. After everything was over, Qian Duoduo knocked on the director's office door to say goodbye. "Director, oh, Kenny, I'll be going now." Xu Fei was sitting at his desk, busy with something. Hearing her voice, he looked up and smiled, not trying to stop her. "Okay, take care on your way." His expression was so natural that it felt like a "ding" went through her mind, and she suddenly felt relieved. For a month, Qian Duoduo had been troubled by that drunken kiss, and she finally breathed a sigh of relief. They were all adults; forget it, forget it. He was younger than her and had the face of a national idol. All things considered, she wasn't at a disadvantage. Once her guard was down, her defenses crumbled, and being enveloped in that radiance up close, even Qian Duoduo, who thought she was immune to his personal charm, squinted for a second. Cursing herself for being useless, Qian Duoduo turned to leave, but couldn't take a step. After hesitating for a few seconds, she went back.
Well, Qian Duoduo wasn't exactly a saint, but the man had been so helpful and kind today. Even though they were all in the same boat, and it wouldn't look good for him if she embarrassed herself, one should repay kindness. He'd gone to such lengths; she couldn't be so petty, or she'd seem overly cautious. "Kenny, thank you for today." He put down what he was holding, looked over, and smiled, replying, "No problem." "What are you still busy with?" she asked casually, glancing at her watch. "I wanted to look at the market feedback data for new beverages over the past few years. This is from last year; Marubi and Zhengjiang just finished compiling it yesterday."
Market feedback? She was a little confused. Only when she got closer and saw the report did she understand what he meant, and she couldn't help but sigh. She remembered seeing him repeatedly flipping through similar documents last month. The marketing director's job wasn't easy, especially since he was a newcomer. The projects he was currently working on were enough to give him a headache. Where did this man get his boundless energy, spending so much time so pointlessly? She glanced down at the data, her brow furrowing. She had been involved in this project before, so it was instantly familiar. She had personally compiled the feedback data and submitted it to the statistics department for filing and safekeeping for at least three years. How come he only had raw data, not even a list? How long would it take him to look at it like this? Should she tell him? Her mouth was already open when she suddenly remembered what the former director had said, and a chill ran down her spine. Forget it, this path is difficult for everyone; why should she wade into this mess?
Xu Fei's arrival in China is clearly a vanguard mission to explore the path. Whether he can gain a foothold is closely related to the future stability of his direct superior's power. How could the original forces so easily give up such a lucrative position in the Asian region?
In these turbulent times, every department head has their own plans. It's not the mistake of making a report that's worrisome, but the mistake of choosing the wrong side—an age-old truth. At times like these, it's best for her to remain silent. Having made up her mind, she decided to retreat again. Her body angle had already begun to shift outwards, her toes following. Night had fallen outside the window. He was flipping through documents, the rustling sound filling the air. She was standing, and from this angle, she could only see his thick hair, a beautiful whorl, and his eyebrows, jet black and straight. Still looking? Aren't you leaving? These were the thoughts in her mind. She opened her mouth to say goodbye.
The office was quiet on the weekend, no one was around. He was still looking down, studying intently, his brow slightly furrowed. He held a pencil in his hand. The light was bright, and the shadow of his eyelashes fell under his eyes, twitching slightly. A finger landed on the report, a snow-white A4 sheet, densely packed with numbers. Her nails were simply trimmed, without any decoration, the edges short and rounded, a snow-white line. "Wrong, this data is wrong." She heard her own voice, completely different from what she had expected. Her finger was still on that number, and Qian Duoduo glared at it as if it were a disobedient cat.
He looked up at her and smiled, and because he was still sitting, the shadow of his eyelashes fell under his eye sockets, and his smile moved slightly.
Chapter 44 The following week remained incredibly busy. Qian Duoduo rushed to work every morning and returned home late at night. Her mother didn't even have time to catch her daughter up on her personal life. Knowing her mother's habits and thoughts, and fearing her mother's pressing questions, Qian Duoduo spent half of the week genuinely busy, and the other half deliberately so. Therefore, for several nights, she became the only one left behind in the marketing department after everyone else had left. The marketing department was the source and core of all projects, and all departments had to collaborate and integrate with it. Every day, the huge office area was bustling with people, incredibly busy. The busier the place, the greater the contrast when it quieted down. When working alone, the bright overhead light shone on an empty desk; the emptiness felt stark. All the computer screens that had been flickering during the day were now dark, and everything on the desk seemed more jarring than usual; even the slightest movement seemed to echo. This wasn't unprecedented; she was actually quite used to it. But even working this hard, she couldn't have reached this position. Sometimes, when she worked late, she'd have sudden, whimsical thoughts, wondering if the world had already experienced a biohazard, and there were no living people left outside, while she remained in her corner, busy with work that was no longer of any use, completely unaware that she was the only surviving member of humanity. Thinking about this would make her unable to stop laughing. Sometimes, even seeing the building security guards outside, she couldn't suppress her laughter. This self-satisfaction might have made her, in their rumors, the first person at UVL to play the role of someone working themselves to the bone. Unfortunately, even this secret joy was gone now. No matter how late it was, there were always others working alongside her in the office. Qian Duoduo glanced at Marumi, who was sitting diagonally to the side, engrossed in typing, and sighed inwardly. With her left and right hands there, their boss was naturally there too. The director had a heavy workload lately, so her left and right hands took turns accompanying him overtime, making quite a spectacle. Qian Duoduo, on the other hand, was in a worse situation; not a single assistant remained, they had all scattered like birds. The computer beeped briefly, and Qian Duoduo snapped out of her reverie and opened her email. The email was addressed to her supervisor, presumably a reply to her comments on the report she had just sent. Work, work, she read intently. The email was simple, just a few words, with few comments, and ended with a greeting: "DONA, I just checked the street view outside the window, everything is normal. Sorry, the biohazard you were hoping for still hasn't happened." It even included a standard time stamp starting with the Gregorian calendar, making Qian Duoduo's eyebrows twitch. Over time, and after he had helped her so much that day, and since she wasn't unreasonable, she gradually stopped being so wary of him. And he, even more so, was becoming less and less like her boss in private. However, even the best relationships have their limits. Qian Duoduo was now regretting that she had unknowingly talked to him too much these past two days. Some people just take advantage of their youth and act crazy from time to time. She glared at the director's office. The blinds of the large window were all open, and every time she turned her head, she could see Xu Fei's handsome profile, constantly busy behind his spacious desk, seemingly tireless. At this moment, as if sensing her gaze, he looked over from afar and even winked at her expression. How could someone always be so energetic? He had been working for more than ten hours, yet he still looked refreshed when he smiled. Besides, he was a director and still worked so hard; did he leave any room for others to survive? Jealous, Qian Duoduo abruptly turned away from him. Marumi, smiling, handed over an exquisite food box. "Manager Qian, there's still some sushi left. Would you like some more?" Qian Duoduo opened her mouth to say not to call him manager, but then remembered that it was always pointless, so she automatically shut her mouth, took the box, nodded very politely, and popped a piece into her mouth. It's alright. We'll get used to it after a while. It's good that they're around. At least the benefits for working overtime every day are good, and the food is nice.
After finishing her meal, Qian Duoduo returned the food container to Marumi, who stood up and took it with both hands. The phone on the table rang, and Marumi apologized again, saying she couldn't answer it. When she answered, she spoke in Japanese, constantly saying "hello," her voice exceptionally gentle. Qian Duoduo didn't dare to speak too loudly while typing on the keyboard. After hanging up, Marumi stood up and went to talk to Xu Fei, apparently requesting to finish work early. She came out and said goodbye again, exchanging polite pleasantries. By the time Marumi disappeared, Qian Duoduo's smile had frozen.
I glanced at my watch; it was almost time. I planned to hurry up and finish making those changes before going home. Just as I opened the file, a voice suddenly came from above, "I forgot to mention, this part also needs to be changed."
Knowing who it was, it was probably because the director suddenly remembered that there was something he hadn't mentioned in the email. So he walked over to her, rested one hand on the corner of her desk, and spoke while pointing at the screen with the other finger.
"Is it necessary? There has never been a precedent for this before." Qian Duoduo said truthfully. This was not the first time she had given a report like this, and she was always very good at it. But this time was different. Xu Fei's requirements were higher than ever before, and she was also amazed.
“This Asia conference is very important. I also have a proposal about scaling up the market for new beverages, which I will present at another conference after this summary. DONA, you need to grab everyone's attention first.”
"A new kind of drink? You really want it?" Lately, they'd been working overtime together frequently, and he hadn't kept many things from her, sometimes even being completely open about them. Considering the circumstances surrounding his visit, she already had a vague idea of what this proposal entailed. But it was just a guess; honestly, she didn't dare believe it. Plus, the situation was delicate, so she'd been keeping her mouth shut in front of everyone lately. She was surprised that he'd brought it up first, and the question slipped out.
He had been standing behind her, but now looked down at her. "What?" Confused, she realized she had asked such a question and immediately fell silent, regretting her words. "Oh, right, and here too." As if the previous conversation had never happened, he pointed to the screen. Xu Fei was tall, and he naturally leaned down as he spoke. Although he also worked all day, his scent was miraculously still very fresh, reminiscent of a lush, verdant tree, bathed in sunlight, its fragrance faintly emanating from it. He was standing slightly behind and to her side; they weren't standing close together. It was a natural movement, but she suddenly felt flustered. She shifted her body, trying to create some distance, but when she turned her head, she saw his profile so close to hers. His short, neat hair, probably just trimmed, revealed his ears, a clean and refreshing patch of white right in front of her.
"DONA?" Realizing she wasn't listening, he stopped talking, raised an eyebrow, and looked down at her, his chin almost touching her forehead, his warm breath brushing against hers.
There was a card swiping sound at the gate, followed by the sound of the automatic door opening. Someone walked in, saw the two of them, and said "Hey."
"Kenny, DONA, are you still working overtime?" It was Ren Zhiqiang. A look of surprise flashed across his face before he walked straight to his desk. "I forgot a document. It's almost eight o'clock. Have you guys eaten yet?"
Ren Zhiqiang, a seasoned veteran, spoke those two sentences flawlessly, as if what he had just witnessed was the most normal scene in the world.
The truth is, there was nothing wrong with it at all. Qian Duoduo cursed herself inwardly for her abnormal reaction just now.
After Ren Zhiqiang left in Chapter 45, Xu Fei also returned to his office. The two of them worked for a while longer. After scolding herself inwardly, Qian Duoduo calmed herself down and focused on her work. Suddenly, a surge of energy came from her, and she worked much faster. After a final check, she pressed the send button, stood up, stretched her neck, and then turned to look at the director's office. He had already received the email and looked up at her. Deciding to call it a day, Qian Duoduo mouthed goodbye to him. While waiting for the elevator, she heard footsteps behind her. Turning around, she saw her director emerge and stand beside her, waiting for the elevator together. "You've worked hard. Are you hungry?" "No, I haven't digested the sushi from before." Working overtime with her director had its advantages; she had enjoyed a lot of Japanese food these past two days. "Besides, my mom will definitely force me to eat another meal when I get home. I won't be able to avoid it even if I want to." "That's great, someone's waiting for you to eat at home." "Yeah, my appetite is getting bigger and bigger. What about you?" "Me? I'm alone." She looked up at the indicator light on the elevator. He was looking down as he answered her question. Right in front of her was her shoulder. His hair was smooth and soft, falling onto the shoulders and sleeves of his black blazer, subtly shimmering.
"Where is the rest of the family?" It was too late, and only one elevator was running. It was stuck on some floor and hadn't moved for a long time.
"My parents? I haven't seen them in a long time. They're biologists, and they're probably in South America now. I heard they've discovered some kind of endangered rare plant and are having such a good time that they don't want to leave."
"You don't keep in touch at all?" This is the first time I've heard of a family like this.
“There’s no phone service in the rainforest. Seeing them once a year was considered a lot back then,” he chuckled. “But now there are so many large tenement houses. Technology has really advanced; I can hear them talking about me at least once a month.” “How long have you been living alone?” This family situation was so unusual; she couldn’t help but be curious. “I started living alone in middle school. I’m used to boarding school from a young age. There are many classmates, so it doesn’t bother me much.” She could get used to that? Thinking of her parents, whom she saw every day, she realized that no two leaves are the same. The elevator doors finally opened, and she stepped inside, habitually standing on the right and pointing to the second basement level. He did the same, leaning forward at the same time, their shoulders brushing. She suddenly smelled that inexplicable woody scent again, her nose greedily, as if by animal instinct, wanting to get closer and take a deep breath. Animals are more aware of danger, so she took a step back, letting her hair cover her suddenly burning ears. Neither of them spoke; it was too quiet. To mask the strange feeling, Qian Duoduo forced herself to continue, "Don't you get tired of being alone all the time?" He looked down at her. There was no wind in the elevator, and her long hair fell quietly over her shoulders. The pale light shone down from above. Qian Duoduo rarely wore makeup, and after working all day, her face showed only a hint of fatigue, without the weariness and exhaustion that many girls experience. As she spoke, her eyes were fixed on the elevator door. Her forehead had a beautiful curve, delicate and serene. Her small ears were hidden in her hair, with a faint hint of red.
I almost wanted to help her brush that strand of hair away, and my fingers twitched slightly involuntarily, but I restrained myself. "Luckily, I have a secret."
"A secret?" If there's a secret to always looking radiant, she'd love to hear it.
"I was running." The elevator had reached the garage. He held the door open and winked at her, his expression adorable. Running? What kind of secret was that? Qian Duoduo wanted to refute it, but then she suddenly remembered their first meeting on the subway. He was dressed athletically, his limbs outstretched, and he had chased after her bag amidst everyone's attention. She couldn't help but ask, "That day on the subway—" "Remember?" He stood in front of the car and answered, turning back with a smile, "I had just finished running and got off at the subway station. I didn't expect to run into you." His smile was bright, and sunlight suddenly flashed across the underground garage. Her heart skipped a beat again. Qian Duoduo pretended to be calm when she said goodbye, but after getting into the car, she pounded the armrest. Lust, lust, male beauty is a curse! She's ruined her national righteousness. What was she going to do? The exit of the underground parking garage was narrow. Their cars slowly drove out one after the other. Qian Duoduo drove a small hatchback with a rounded and compact rear. When they parted ways at the intersection, she lightly flashed her brake lights twice to say goodbye. He sat in the car, lost in thought, feeling a warmth as he bid farewell to her with a simple, flashing light. He hadn't expected to talk about his parents with her, and so naturally. "Aren't you tired of being alone all the time?" It was a good question, but he was a man, not very sensitive, and rarely associated loneliness with exhaustion. He'd been in boarding school as a child, and after starting work, he was always busy, but even when things got tough, he could always find a group of friends to alleviate his loneliness. For a while, his apartment felt like a chaotic party venue; occasionally, when the party ended and the room was empty, he'd feel a lump in his chest, but the next morning he'd be back to normal, full of energy again.
He remembered when he was very young, his father took him to the jungle, where they saw a small animal drinking alone by a stream. Its parents stood far away, gazing at it for a long time before disappearing without a trace, leaving the animal standing there, head raised, whimpering softly as it faced its independent beginnings. This was the law of nature, something he had understood since childhood. So later, when he was entrusted with unlimited trust and left to live alone in the country from middle school onwards, he didn't mind at all, even feeling it was an affirmation of his abilities, which gave rise to a sense of pride. He had grown accustomed to being alone, and didn't even particularly cherish his parents' company. But recently, he had gradually become accustomed to the presence of another person in his life, accustomed to seeing her busy profile, accustomed to working overtime together until the stars and moon rose, and accustomed to such simple and warm farewells. He was lost in thought while driving, so he wasn't going fast. It started to rain, a fine, silky rain of early spring. The apartment wasn't far from the company; the building was right in front of him after turning the corner. He hadn't even turned on the wipers. The road was quiet, and there were no cars in front or behind. A girl was walking alone on the side of the road, without an umbrella, taking long strides. He felt something was off and glanced at her quickly. Strangely, perhaps because he kept thinking about someone, he actually felt that the girl on the street looked a lot like Qian Duoduo.
Chapter Forty-Six
With a helpless smile, he arrived at the entrance of the residential area. He turned around and steered, when suddenly a dazzling light flashed and a car sped out of the residential area, its front end narrowly missing him. No matter how skilled he was at driving, he was still taken aback.
The car swerved sharply, the brakes screeching loudly, and the front of the car jerked towards the inner corner of the road. Startled by the screech of brakes and the sudden accident, the girl recoiled in shock. The roadside was slippery, and she lost her balance, nearly falling to the ground against the car.
Everything happened in an instant. The headlights of the car that passed by were dazzlingly bright, while her falling motion seemed to be in slow motion, her eyes filled with terror and blankness.
His sudden braking sent his adrenaline soaring, his heart pounding at least two hundred beats per minute. Ignoring the car that had already sped away, he jumped out and went to help her.
She had struggled to get up from the ground, and when she looked up at him, her face was deathly pale, without a trace of color.
"Are you hurt? I can take you to the hospital if you need to."
She refused his help, steadied herself against the car body, and then turned to look in the direction the car had disappeared. Her fingers trembled, she seemed terrified, and remained silent for a long time.
"Miss?" Upon closer inspection, the girl's features did indeed resemble Qian Duoduo's somewhat, but her skin was oily and her forehead was full, making her look at most in her early twenties, a significant age difference between the two.
The security guards in the residential complex had already run out; they all recognized him and came over to protect the resident first. "Mr. Xu, that car belonged to a visitor. Did it scratch your car? The security cameras recorded everything. If there's a problem, we—"
“My car is fine.” He raised his hand to stop them from continuing, then turned to her and asked, “Miss? Do you need to go to the hospital?”
She finally turned her face to them, and one of the security guards spoke up again, "Miss Ma? How did you get back today? Where's your car?"
She didn't answer, but just nodded at Xu Fei and gave a slight smile to indicate that she was alright. "You can go now. I was just startled, I'm not hurt."
"Wait a minute." He stopped her while making a phone call, seeing that she was about to go inside again.
Someone called out, and the security guards who had gathered around dispersed one by one. He called the driver, asked a few simple questions, and then hung up. He then took out the insurance company's vehicle card from the nearby vehicle registration document holder.
Another auntie hurried over, probably having been notified by the security guard. When she called her, her voice was a little urgent, "Ms. Ma, why are you only coming back now? Your husband has called several times."
As expected, she was a resident here. Before she left, Xu Fei gave her an insurance company's phone number and copied down the car's insurance number next to it. "Miss, if there are any problems, call them. The security cameras here have evidence, and the insurance company will send someone to handle it."
She had already walked up to the woman, and when she turned back to take the card, she hurriedly said "Xie Xie" and urged the woman in front of her to hurry up.
Stop attacking them. Xu Fei then turned around. Behind him stood the security guard who had spoken earlier, looking strangely in the direction the girl had disappeared.
"What happened?" Although it was dangerous, the whole thing had been dealt with, and he asked casually before getting into the car.
“Mr. Xu, you’re too kind-hearted. It’s not your fault. This woman only moved here recently. She’s being kept by someone. The man who’s keeping her is quite old and rarely comes. Who knows what he’s up to? A woman like that deserves to be hit and killed.” He said with a sneer, looking utterly disdainful.
Really? So that's how it is. She's so young, and looks a bit like Qian Duoduo. It's such a pity that she looks a bit like her.
It's not some peaceful world; these kinds of things happen in the city every day. Not wanting to listen to his gossip, Xu Fei smiled and got into the car.
When the elevator doors opened, the room was empty, the walls sparkling clean. Inside, there was only him and his reflection in the mirror. He had been incredibly busy all day, and then that unexpected incident happened at the end. Feeling a bit tired, he wiped his face with his hand.
If men are already struggling with such intense daily routines, how much more exhausted must women be? No wonder so many men and women are willing to rely on another person and reap the benefits without lifting a finger.
Then he thought of Qian Duoduo again, and of her tired look in the elevator earlier. She was pretty without makeup. He asked her if she was tired of being alone. She frowned slightly as she spoke.
He stepped out of the elevator, opened the door to his apartment, took a shower, changed his clothes, and then turned on his computer to revise his proposal. An email notification popped up; it was an encrypted email from France. The content wasn't long, but it took him a long time to read it. After reading it, he didn't reply immediately but stood up and reached for his phone.
I stood by the window, looking at the lights of thousands of homes in the distance, and dialed a number. The other end answered a little slowly, and the background was a very ordinary TV series, with people crying and laughing, and it was lively and bustling.
He only said "hello" once, and Qian Duoduo's voice suddenly became muffled, clearly indicating that he hurriedly covered the phone and then turned back to speak, "Mom, turn the TV down, I'm on the phone."
"What is it, Kenny?" He seemed to have moved to a quieter place when he spoke again, but his words were still somewhat muffled. "Are you eating?"
She was eating an apple, and after taking a big bite, she couldn't spit it out. She sighed inwardly, covered the microphone, and tried to swallow before speaking, "Okay, go ahead."
He imagined a pine tree on the other side, struggling to swallow a mouthful of food, and saw his reflection in the window, his furrowed brows relaxing slightly.
After asking a few questions, she listened intently, then there was the sound of a computer starting up. "Okay, I'll tell you the data now."
The computer booted up quickly, but the continued silence felt strange. As Qian Duoduo entered her password, she casually asked through the microphone, "Have you eaten?"
He forgot, but Marumi's sushi is very filling, and after reading that letter, he felt even less hungry. "Not yet, I'll eat later."
"You should eat it, but be careful not to get stomach problems, or you'll be in big trouble like me." She answered while searching, then exclaimed, "Ah, I found it."
He walked back to the table, picked up his notebook, and wrote down the data she reported. The pencil scratched against the paper with a soft rustling sound. "Okay, thank you. I'm sorry it's so late."
"Work? Of course. See you tomorrow," she replied quickly. "Duoduo." Knowing she was about to hang up, he stopped her. "Huh?" Hearing him call her that for the first time, Qian Duoduo reacted a little slowly. "With such a heavy workload, don't you feel tired?"