The first man to make her heart flutter, even after so much time has passed, looking at him now, she still feels a strange warmth flowing through her heart.
She gently drew back the curtains beside her. It was pitch black outside, with only a few scattered lights flickering in the distance; she guessed it must be late at night. She hadn't slept very comfortably; her neck was a little sore, so she rubbed it with her hand.
She's too scared to sleep now, afraid that something like what happened before will happen again.
She remembered that she was leaning against the curtains before she fell asleep, so how did she end up leaning on Mu Jingyan's shoulder when she woke up? She felt a little confused.
She had intended to just tough it out until dawn, but looking at the pitch-black night and the scattered lights outside, her eyelids began to droop again, her upper eyelids became heavy, and her body involuntarily leaned towards the window, eventually succumbing to gravity and resting against the curtains.
The train was bumpy as it traveled, making people sway a little. Ruolin's head, which was leaning against the curtain, began to tilt towards Mu Jingyan, and then back towards the curtain, swaying gently from side to side, making her look like she was sleeping very soundly.
Seeing that she was sleeping uncomfortably, Mu Jingyan gently placed her head on his shoulder again.
Actually, Mu Jingyan hadn't fallen asleep; he'd been in a semi-conscious state due to the jolting. When he saw Ruolin sleeping so tiredly, he had an impulse to offer her his shoulder, but he hesitated. In the end, seeing how exhausted she truly was, he couldn't bear it, and even felt a little sorry for her. To make her more comfortable, he did as he was told.
The first time Mu Jingyan pulled Ruolin close to him, his heart pounded with nervousness. He struggled to calmly let Ruolin rest on his shoulder. At that moment, he was terrified that Ruolin would wake up; he didn't know how she would misunderstand him. Fortunately, he had been very careful and nothing went wrong.
When Ruolin leaned on his shoulder again, his nervousness lessened considerably.
He noticed when Ruolin slowly moved away from him, but he pretended to be asleep. He could feel the slight movement when Ruolin moved away, and all he could do was close his eyes and let Ruolin's cool arm leave him.
At this moment, Ruolin, leaning on his shoulder, was sleeping peacefully, seemingly soundly, her breathing even. Her fair skin, bathed in the dim light, appeared even more radiant.
Mu Jingyan lowered his eyes slightly, looking at Ruolin on his shoulder, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
When Ruolin woke up again, she was leaning against the curtains. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, looked at the sky gradually brightening outside the window, and asked Mu Jingyan beside her, "Are we almost at our stop?"
"Mm." Mu Jingyan responded softly. He turned to look at Ruolin. Her complexion wasn't too bad, so she probably slept well last night. He chuckled to himself.
Mu Jingyan and Ruolin didn't mention the fact that they slept together overnight, and they acted as if it had never happened. They treated it as just a small incident during their journey.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Report pornographic and reactionary information
Report score manipulation
After returning to D City, Ruolin not only worked hard at her job but also took on one part-time job after another. She managed to scrape together enough money for her mother's surgery, but repaying the debt became a huge task on her shoulders, forcing her to exhaust herself day and night.
One evening, Ruolin had just returned home from the restaurant where she worked when she received a call from Xinyu.
"Ruolin, are you asleep?" Xinyu asked.
"No, I just got home," Ruolin said weakly, then plopped down on the sofa, casually tossing her bag aside.
"Why are you home so late?" Xinyu was unaware of Ruolin's relentless work.
"I just got back from the hotel." Ruolin felt that her hand holding the phone had no strength left; the heavy workload of the day had left her exhausted.
"You're not going back to what you used to be, are you?" Xinyu asked, her voice rising slightly. There was a time when Ruolin's younger sister was about to start school, and the family needed money. In order to earn money as soon as possible, Ruolin would work part-time after class during the day, not to mention on Saturdays and Sundays. Xinyu felt sorry for her at the time.
"It's alright, my neck is a little sore and my back hurts a bit, but everything else is working fine." Ruolin knew what Xinyu was talking about before, so she twisted her neck as she spoke.
"You never take your health seriously," Xinyu said gently, then added softly, "You don't need to rush to pay me back. We can talk about it when you have the money."
"It's okay, I'm full of energy," Ruolin said with a smile, seemingly unconcerned.
"Your health is the foundation of everything. You're working yourself to the bone like this; you're practically destroying your own body!" Xin Yu was almost exasperated.
"No way," Ruolin retorted softly. She knew perfectly well that she was destroying her body, but she couldn't sleep soundly because she owed money, and she was determined to pay it back as soon as possible.
"No matter how long you work each day, when I see you, don't look listless. You need to be healthy," Xinyu said helplessly.
"When have I ever been unhealthy? I'm perfectly healthy," Ruolin stubbornly insisted. She had fainted not long ago from overwork while caring for her mother, but now she'd truly forgotten the pain.
"Oh, right..." Xinyu said as if she had suddenly remembered something, "Why don't you spare some time this Saturday?"
"Is there something you need?" Ruolin asked.
"Han Haoxuan invited the two of us out to dinner," Xinyu replied.
When Han Haoxuan made this suggestion, Xinyu had some reservations, but Han Haoxuan said that Ruolin's interviews with him and his friend Qin Tianyi were excellent, and they should thank them. His reasoning was so high-sounding that Xinyu felt she would seem petty if she disagreed. Perhaps he didn't have any ulterior motives towards Ruolin; he just wanted to treat her to a meal as a token of his gratitude.
"Let's have dinner together?" Ruolin asked, puzzled.
"Mmm," Xinyu replied softly, paused for a moment, and then said, "He asked me to go out and asked me to bring you along. He said it was to thank you for helping him and his good friend write the interview article."
"He wants me to be a third wheel between you two?" Ruolin shifted into a more comfortable position on the sofa, her tone tinged with amusement, and added, "And a high-brightness incandescent bulb at that."
“I feel the same way. I thought so at first, but not anymore,” Xinyu said with a smile.
"So what do you think?" Ruolin asked.
"Since we're all friends, why can't we meet?" Xinyu said casually. "Besides, it's only natural for him to ask about you. You've met three times, and he has a good impression of you. He can't just forget about you like a stranger, can he? More importantly, you're still my best friend, and he'll never forget you. When he sees me, he'll naturally think of you, right? Besides, he's specifically inviting you to dinner to thank you. You can't refuse his kindness, can you?"
"But..." Ruolin stammered, unsure of what to say. Perhaps she was overthinking it. Han Haoxuan's call to her might just be out of friendship, and why did the person he claimed to cherish have to be her? He was only able to ask her out this time because of Xinyu. Thinking of this, a self-deprecating smile crept onto Ruolin's lips. She said, "You two should go yourselves. I have to work this weekend too."
“He emphasized to me that you absolutely have to go.” Xinyu relayed Han Haoxuan’s words, thought for a moment, and said, “You are all my friends, this really puts me in a difficult position.”
"Xinyu..." Ruolin was about to say something when Xinyu interrupted her, saying, "It's just a meal, you don't need to think about it so much. I haven't thought about it much yet."
"Alright then." Ruolin knew that if she continued to argue, Xinyu would definitely give her a long, nagging lecture, so she might as well just obediently agree now.
Ruolin understood some of what Xinyu had just said. If it's just to see a simple friend, it's best not to keep making excuses.
Before going to sleep, Ruolin held the pendant Han Haoxuan had given her, her expression complex, her brows slightly furrowed. She unconsciously recalled what had happened in the private room last time, and her face flushed. She quickly stood by the window, letting the wind blow freely on her face, trying to clear her head. She knew she couldn't have those thoughts anymore; it was just Han Haoxuan's drunken behavior. She hurriedly put the pendant back in the drawer, slamming the drawer shut, as if shutting out all memories of him.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Report pornographic and reactionary information
Report score manipulation
On Saturday, Ruolin was tutoring a little girl, and during lunchtime she rushed to the place Xinyu had told her about.
She arrived relatively early and found a seat by the window. After waiting a while, Han Haoxuan arrived.
Ruolin couldn't remember how long it had been since she last saw him; it felt like ages, even though it hadn't been more than half a month. He was still as charming as ever, with a gentle smile and elegant posture. Aside from his occasional witty remarks, he was undoubtedly a gentleman of noble bearing.
Han Haoxuan seemed very happy to see Ruolin, a handsome smile appearing on his lips, but he said in a slightly awkward tone, "Long time no see."
At this moment, Ruolin was a little nervous, her hands resting awkwardly on her lap, looking embarrassed.
"Is your mother feeling any better now?" Han Haoxuan asked with concern, starting a conversation.
"I've already had the surgery, and it was quite successful. I've been discharged from the hospital. Thank you for your concern." Ruolin's reply was more polite.
"I think I should find some time to visit your aunt," Han Haoxuan said casually.
"What?" Ruolin thought she had misheard and stared blankly at Han Haoxuan.
"Why do you always look so nervous whenever I say something? Is it because you care about me?" Han Haoxuan brought his face close to Ruolin's and said teasingly.
"Who cares about you?" Ruolin rolled her eyes at him, her expression turning serious. "Don't say things like that to me again."
"Did I say anything too harsh?" Han Haoxuan sat up straight, putting on an innocent expression.
Ruolin felt that the person in front of her was truly unfathomable. A hint of a smile lingered in his dark eyes, yet he remained enigmatic, making it impossible for her to discern his true thoughts. She always felt his words were elusive, unsure which were true and which were false.
When Xinyu arrived, they were sitting peacefully, with Han Haoxuan talking and Ruolin occasionally chiming in. Han Haoxuan mostly talked about his experiences and observations abroad, things Ruolin knew nothing about. Even when Han Haoxuan changed the subject, Ruolin didn't know what to say in response, so she mostly remained silent.
"What are you talking about?" Xinyu asked, pulling out a chair and sitting down next to Ruolin.
"Ask her about work," Han Haoxuan said with a smile, then picked up his water glass and took a small sip, looking quite relaxed. Actually, he told Ruolin about his time abroad simply so that she could learn more about him.
“Oh, her? She’s a complete workaholic.” Xinyu smiled and said, then paused for a moment, pointing to the dark circles under Ruolin’s eyes, and said, “Look, she’s got dark circles under her eyes. She really doesn’t pay attention to balancing work and rest.” There was a hint of reproach in her tone, but also a touch of concern.
"It's not as exaggerated as you say," Ruolin said dismissively.
"Looking at you, do you know what you look like?" Han Haoxuan said with a smile, "Like a very listless national treasure."
"..." Ruolin glared at Han Haoxuan, but didn't argue with him.
Next, Xinyu started chatting with Han Haoxuan. The two seemed to have endless things to talk about, but Ruolin knew very little about what they were saying and couldn't get a word in edgewise, so she could only sit quietly to the side.
They chatted non-stop, seemingly engrossed in their conversation, without even considering ordering food. Ruolin watched anxiously, as she had other things to do that afternoon. They didn't seem to pay any attention to her, leaving her out in the cold. Ruolin didn't want to interrupt them, and felt a bit stifled, like an outsider, ignored as if she were invisible.
Ruolin felt a tightness in her chest; she regretted coming, but it was too late for regrets now. What could she do? Xinyu was the kind of person who would forget her friends for the sake of a pretty face.
She gazed somewhat dejectedly at the cars passing by outside the window, one after another, like a flowing landscape. Even so, she couldn't fully immerse herself in the bustling scene outside. Their laughter echoed in her ears, and her mood suddenly plummeted.
"Ruolin, look at you, why do you look so unhappy?" Xinyu turned her head and happened to see Ruolin silent and listless, and thought she had been wronged. Then, she said somewhat indignantly, "Did your brother Mu make you angry?" Xinyu was chatting so happily with her sweetheart, how could she care about Ruolin, let alone understand what Ruolin was thinking at this moment?
"No..." A hint of unease flashed across Ruolin's face as she hurriedly tried to interrupt Xinyu, but Xinyu, who was always outspoken, chimed in with a look of surprise and doubt, "He's not going to ask you for money right now, is he?"
"Xinyu..." Ruolin tugged at Xinyu's sleeve under the table, secretly lamenting that it was all because of her expression!
She didn't want Han Haoxuan to know about these things, and she especially didn't want him to know that she was currently burdened with heavy debts. It wasn't that she cared about saving face, but rather that her pride made her so.
Xinyu saw the anxiety in Ruolin's eyes, as if telling her to stop talking. Xinyu thought for a moment, then smiled as if suddenly realizing something, looked at Han Haoxuan, changed the subject, and said, "How has the company been operating these past few days?"
"It's fine," Han Haoxuan replied politely. He was completely confused by what Xinyu and Ruolin had been saying earlier—what "Brother Mu" and what about asking for money? After a moment, he raised his handsome eyes to look at Xinyu and asked, "Who is this 'Brother Mu' you were talking about? What money did he ask Ruolin for?"
“Brother Mu is the prince charming in her heart, and she wants money…” Xin Yu, who was usually quick-witted, stammered for a long time, trying to come up with an excuse but couldn’t think of one. She knew that Ruo Lin was a woman with strong self-esteem and refused to show weakness in front of others.
"My mother is sick and needs some money, so I borrowed some from him." Ruolin looked steadily at Han Haoxuan, her eyes unusually calm, her delicate face showing not a trace of timidity. She felt much better after saying it.
"Oh..." Han Haoxuan seemed to understand everything and nodded knowingly.
Han Haoxuan lowered his eyes slightly, subconsciously turning the water glass in his hand, a smile playing on his lips, the meaning of which was unclear.
"So how are they progressing?" Han Haoxuan withdrew the smile from his lips and looked at Xinyu seriously.
"Ruolin saw him when she went home this time. I wonder if she confessed to him. She's had a crush on him for so many years. That girl..." Xinyu said quickly.
"Hurry up and order, I have to rush to my tutoring job this afternoon," Ruolin interrupted Xinyu, pushing the menu towards her and nudging her arm. She didn't understand why Xinyu kept talking about her private affairs, and she wondered what Xinyu had said to Han Haoxuan. However, judging from Han Haoxuan's expression, Xinyu probably didn't share too much of her private life with him. Xinyu almost never thought before speaking, just blurting out whatever came to mind; Ruolin really couldn't do anything about it.
"What era are we living in? You're too shy to confess your feelings?" Han Haoxuan said nonchalantly, feigning composure. But a barely perceptible sorrow lingered in his dark eyes. He'd thought she was only rejecting him to help his friend find love, but little did he know she already had someone she liked.
“I’ve tried to persuade her several times, but it’s no use. She says she doesn’t want to be in a relationship right now.” Xinyu flipped through the menu, then looked at Ruolin beside her and sighed.
"..." Ruolin remained silent, glancing sideways at Han Haoxuan opposite her.
Han Haoxuan pretended not to see it, picked up his cup and started drinking water. The worry in his eyes had disappeared without him noticing, and a sly smile appeared on his lips.
When Han Haoxuan first heard Xinyu say that Ruolin's Mu-gege was her Prince Charming, he felt quite uncomfortable. Now, hearing Xinyu say that the truth might not be so, and that she simply didn't want to talk about relationships, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Report pornographic and reactionary information
Report score manipulation
Ruolin finished her meal hastily and planned to leave early. She didn't want to stay there for even a second longer. He'd said he'd treated her to dinner for the interview article, but instead of a thank you, he'd made her a complete third wheel.
At this moment, Han Haoxuan had almost finished eating, so he asked Ruolin where she was going to tutor and if he could give her a ride so she wouldn't have to squeeze onto the crowded bus.
Xinyu has her own car, and she's going to visit a senior figure in the art world this afternoon. It wouldn't be a bad idea for Han Haoxuan to give Ruolin a ride.