TPIL - 54

An endless schedule, dazzling documents, and haphazardly consumed energy and sleep during work breaks—this had been the entirety of Qi Xiaochuan’s life for over a decade.

Logically speaking, if someone called his personal number knowing he was at work, it should have been an urgent matter. However, as soon as the call connected, the young man, who usually spoke without restraint, eagerly greeted him: “The café downstairs from your company seems to accept employee card payments.” Without uttering a single word, Qi Xiaochuan hung up, his gaze never leaving the PC screen for even half a second.

It wasn’t until after lunch break, when the secretary came in with a bowl of soba noodles while holding her phone, that she glanced at it and said, “The group chat is blowing up. Apparently, someone who came for their final interview scratched the side mirror of the finance guy you recruited while riding a motorcycle in the underground garage. Now he’s sitting on the first floor drinking an Americano and refusing to leave.”

“He’s not someone I recruited; a friend asked me to arrange it for him,” Qi Xiaochuan clarified—the first thing he wanted to say. Uncharacteristically, he defended himself, though he was usually indifferent to others’ opinions. Then there was a second matter. He raised his hand and tapped randomly on the stand. “My ID card is in my coat. Take it down and let that brainless fool swipe it.”

Qi Xiaochuan thought this would be enough to send her off, and he even took the extra step of asking someone to look into the HR situation. Upon learning that Zhong Shiyiwei’s overall evaluation was lackluster and his chances of being hired were low, he felt reassured.

Before leaving, the secretary flashed an enigmatic smile, covering her mouth teasingly: “I can’t believe it—I didn’t hear that Mr. Qu Guozhong has become your acquaintance. The last time the media mentioned our company’s history, they said you’re approachable and ‘cute in winter.’ I remember during your interview, you barely showed a good face. If it weren’t for your eloquence, I’d suspect they’d accuse you of workplace bullying next. And yet, here we are, still getting praised. Did you visit some temple to get blessed? Your popularity is on the rise, Boss Qi.”

For the first time all day, Qi Xiaochuan diverted his attention. With a completely expressionless face, he looked up at her and said, “Get out.”

He couldn’t blame himself for not feeling pleased. After causing an uproar during the public class at the handicraft shop, even though they had offered sufficient material compensation to silence the matter, it wasn’t enough to prevent several writers from later using flattering filters. All of this was thanks to Luo Andi. Heaven’s side had made explanations and apologies, regardless of the means used, resulting in Qi Xiaochuan unknowingly becoming the image of someone who “has a sharp tongue but is actually kind-hearted.”

Ever since the beginning, Luo Andi had occasionally started sentences with phrases like, “Actually, Xiaoxiao isn’t… but rather…” and enthusiastically rambled on about her opinions of Qi Xiaochuan. He had denied everything, dismissing it all as her one-sided delusion. Unfortunately, it was obvious that his objections were futile. Not only did she stubbornly stick to her views, but she also gradually introduced those absurd labels to others.

When it was time to leave work, he was planning to grab something quick to eat for dinner. As soon as he got into the car, he saw a helmeted man on a motorcycle speeding past, chasing him onto the road.

Qi Xiaochuan was utterly astonished by this person’s blatant disregard for traffic rules. Zhong Shiyiwei even leaned over to knock on the car window, disregarding the law. Indifferently, Qi Xiaochuan dialed a number, arranging to meet a friend he had met at a Tai Chi tournament later at a Chaozhou hot pot restaurant, before driving off.

His friend, who had once taught philosophy as a required course in university and now, still energetic in old age, occasionally grabbed friends to discuss “I think, therefore I am,” was already waiting at the restaurant. He had ordered the hot pot and a full set of beef dishes in advance. When Qi Xiaochuan walked in and took off his coat, he was greeted with, “Why do you look like the stock market just crashed?”

The two sat down to eat and casually chatted about daily life.

“I started practicing Tai Chi to adjust my sleep schedule, but these past few days, it’s been all over the place again,” the former university professor said while pouring vinegar. “Don’t you ever have trouble sleeping? Do you have any remedies to recommend?”

After a brief moment of silence, Qi Xiaochuan finally responded as if he hadn’t heard anything until just then, offering a concise reply: “Sex (harmony) life?”

“…”

Come to think of it, he too had once been troubled by sleep issues. Probably due to overworking, he had once lived on New York time, and later, he obtained medication to help him fall asleep, albeit reluctantly. But new troubles soon followed. To this day, he believed that the continuous nightmares he experienced back then were a form of curse—one that aligned with Luo Andi’s assertion, upon their long-awaited reunion, that he was unhappy.

Qi Xiaochuan detested happiness and refused to associate with it. He always felt that being happy would violate some unspoken rule, though the object of his betrayal remained unclear. Perhaps it was his childhood self, or perhaps it was Luo Chuishun, Zhou Hanyao Cheng, or even Zhou Hanyao Cheng’s widow, who sacrificed herself to ensure his misfortune. Correspondingly, he disliked being constrained by such intangible rules and frameworks. Just thinking about it gave him a headache—

“Qi Xiaochuan, Qi Xiaochuan.” His friend’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He pointed toward the shop window. “Do you know that person?”

Following the direction he pointed, Qi Xiaochuan immediately saw Zhong Shiyiwei looking displeased, leaning outside and pointing at him menacingly like a killer. Beside him, his phone vibrated. Qi Xiaochuan pulled it out and saw the message. Zhong Shiyiwei wrote: “Good grief, shouldn’t you invite a friend when you’re eating?”

The young man outside the shop window had already gone to find an entrance.

“Who said he's my friend...” Qi Xiaochuan muttered under his breath.

A low chuckle came from beside him. The former university philosophy lecturer offered his opinion: “So you've become someone liked by many, huh?”

A colleague with a driver’s license had rented a convenient women’s car and driven to the station to pick up Luo Andi. It had been a while since Luo Andi had gone shopping. In fact, she wasn’t someone with particularly high material desires. Her initial interest in handicrafts was closely related to this. Compared to branded clothing, items she knitted or made herself were more special.

“Andi-ge, you actually have a boyfriend now, right?” As soon as the passenger door closed, her colleague abruptly asked, looking completely at ease, as if it were just a casual curiosity-driven question.

Luo Andi maintained her smile, calmly gazing at the other person for a moment. Finally, she casually deepened her smile and lightly replied, “Why do you suddenly ask that? Yes, I do.”

Xiao Ruo stared ahead, gripping the steering wheel, not responding but continuing to press on with her questions: “What kind of person is he? Is he rich? What about his family background? Is he nice?”

Luo Andi slightly furrowed her brow, trying to politely decline with a smile: “For you, this shouldn’t be such an important matter, right?”

“How could it not be important?” Her colleague suddenly became serious, raising her tone and even glancing over without restraint. “You always act like this, Andi-ge. This is something that concerns your own life—you must think carefully about it.”

She couldn’t help but laugh: “Of course, I’ll consider it myself.”

After parking, they entered the mall.

Luo Andi didn’t have much to buy. She only hesitated when she saw shampoo, picking it up to read the label. An overly enthusiastic store clerk approached immediately, starting to recommend popular products and even offering trial samples provided by the manufacturer. She gently squeezed some into her palm—it was a scent that made one smile involuntarily.

Looking up from the fragrance, she smiled and said, “...I feel like my boyfriend would like this.”

Together with Xiao Ruo, Luo Andi left the mall, immersed in a pleasant mood. Even when faced with her colleague’s complaints about life, she still responded meticulously. When her colleague went to retrieve the car, Luo Andi slowed her pace to wait. A plain business van was parked by the roadside, and for some reason, its headlights were on, even in broad daylight.

After about ten minutes, Luo Andi still hadn’t seen her colleague return. She glanced around, took a few steps forward, and dialed the phone number.

The line kept ringing with a busy signal.

This area was originally very quiet.

When the sound of a car engine started, Luo Andi slowly turned her head and simultaneously stepped back to make way.

The gray business van’s headlights were set to their brightest setting.

She reflexively squinted her eyes, but her body had already moved out of the vehicle’s path. However, as her vision cleared after stepping away from the vehicle’s trajectory, she heard the screeching sound of tires skidding against the ground as the steering wheel was sharply turned.

The front of the car was speeding directly toward her.

Her limbs froze, and her mind stopped functioning. This wasn’t the closest she had come to death, but it was nearly as close as that time before. Words like “escape,” “survive,” and “live on” were dismantled in an instant. She knew what to do, but her body couldn’t react in time.

Her waist was suddenly grabbed, and a figure pulled her aside, causing her to roll forcefully. Just before hitting the wall, the person who had pulled her cushioned her fall with his body, producing a bone-chilling thud. The business van, which had intended to harm, didn’t even apply the brakes and sped away.

“Are you alright?” After narrowly escaping death, Luo Andi hurriedly bent down and reached out to steady his shoulder.

The person who saved her clutched his shoulder. Though he had avoided the attack, the earlier tumble must have injured him significantly. However, when the man revealed his face, it wasn’t a stranger—it was Su Yining. Breathing heavily, enduring the pain, he anxiously asked her, “How are you? Miss Luo, are you hurt?”

The ambulance arrived relatively quickly. Before that, Luo Andi adjusted Su Yining’s position to ensure his injuries wouldn’t worsen.

“Mr. Su, why were you here?” Still uneasy, she managed to muster the last of her energy to ask him, “And why—”

“I invested in a store nearby and happened to come by today to check... I never expected—” Su Yining struggled to respond.

They both boarded the ambulance together.

Her thoughts swayed like a ship caught in a stormy sea, unable to calm down. It wasn’t until much later that she realized her hand was being held. Su Yining gripped her tightly, as if she were a lifeline; releasing her would mean falling into an endless abyss. She remained silent, simply feeling the numbness gradually spreading through her fingertips due to blood loss.

He spoke just as they were about to enter the building.

Su Yining panted heavily, each word coming out with great difficulty. The man pressed firmly against his shoulder, as if showcasing his wings like an angel: “Miss Luo.”

Luo Andi silently gazed at him.

An overwhelming sense of unease filled her. It was as if rainwater had gathered in her eyes, deeply hidden beneath the layers of her smile. Their gazes met, and in that instant, she understood his intentions. No words were needed; she already knew. Luo Andi was all too familiar with the processes of giving and taking.

“Miss Luo,” Su Yining’s heartfelt plea was like shattered glass, “Help me.”