It was late. He Lindi nestled in Chi Shuo’s arms, her hand resting on Chi Shuo’s flat stomach, summarizing everything that had happened tonight. “Don’t you think we’re kind of like…”
Chi Shuo didn’t wait for her to finish, jumping in with, “Having an affair?”
He Lindi looked up again, her eyes curving in the warm lamplight. “How did you know what I was going to say?” She added, “Even after a month apart, we still have that tacit understanding.”
Chi Shuo’s hand ruffled He Lindi’s hair. “Go to sleep. Aren’t you tired?”
“Not really.” He Lindi’s hand wandered.
Chi Shuo rolled over, reached out, and with a click, the lights went out, plunging the room into darkness.
She pulled the blankets closer, listening to He Lindi’s breathing in the darkness, moving closer.
The heartache of this affair-like romance was very real, only slightly dispelled when they were together.
A hard-won feeling.
Saturday morning, they both woke up late, still a bit dazed. Chi Shuo looked at He Lindi, who was still soundly asleep beside her. If it weren’t for the sensation where their bodies touched, she might have thought it was all a dream.
This was their first time sleeping together since that month apart.
The thought made Chi Shuo’s nose tingle. She held back, moving a bit closer to He Lindi. This movement disturbed He Lindi, who slowly opened her eyes to see Chi Shuo right there.
“Morning,” He Lindi mumbled, still half-asleep. “I dreamt about you again.” She reached out, her eyes still closed, and pulled Chi Shuo into a hug. “But this time, it felt so real.”
Chi Shuo: “…”
Chi Shuo patted her face. “Wake up.”
An hour later, they were eating breakfast in the dining room. It was takeout, because Chi Shuo was too lazy to move.
She was tired last night.
Chi Shuo stirred the porridge in her bowl, recalling yesterday afternoon’s encounter with He Xiuqi. “I should just go work in the entertainment industry. He Xiuqi came up to me yesterday, all smug.” She frowned. “We broke up, and you didn’t get together with him, what’s he so smug about?”
Teacher He was very precise: “We had a fake breakup.”
The corner of Chi Shuo’s mouth lifted. “Right.” She took a sip of porridge. “No, I have to get back at him, or I won’t be able to sleep.”
He Lindi’s eyebrows lifted. “I really want to help you.”
Chi Shuo waved her hand. “Forget it, you’re barely holding on yourself, how can you help me?” She reassured He Lindi. “It’s fine, I can handle it.”
Their meetings during these three months were destined to be rushed. After finishing breakfast, they left one after the other, pretending nothing had happened.
Only, when they parted, there was a deep reluctance, but there was nothing they could do.
Sunday, Chi Shuo met up with Han Yu, or rather, she went to Han Yu’s KTV, a place she hadn’t been to in a long time.
Han Yu expressed her sympathy. “Shuoshuo, I’ll say it even if it hurts you, but meeting once a month is truly too little.” She added, “My girlfriend’s busy, and I’m busy, but we still see each other at least twice a week. That’s how you maintain a relationship.”
Chi Shuo held the microphone, but she wasn’t singing. The screen displayed a paused scene.
“Our situation is special.” Chi Shuo replied. “Otherwise, why would we have to sneak around just to meet?”
She sighed. “It’s so hard. Even though we’re in the same office building, it feels like a long-distance relationship. We can’t even see each other.”
Han Yu tentatively asked, “Have you considered that maybe her grandfather’s just joking with you?”
“…”
“Jokes don’t involve someone kneeling in the snow until they get arthritis.”
Han Yu shut her mouth. “Forget I said that.”
Chi Shuo’s face fell. After last night, she realized things couldn’t continue like this. She might not be able to resist going to see He Lindi.
“Forget it.” Chi Shuo scratched her hair. “Let it be.”
Soon, Monday arrived, and Chi Shuo no longer needed to act. There was no need.
Xia Zhou and Zeng Guai wouldn’t even mention He Lindi in front of her, afraid of triggering memories and making her cry in the office.
After the morning meeting, Chi Shuo was called into the supervisor’s office.
The supervisor expressed concern. “Chi Shuo, you haven’t been as focused at work this past month.”
Before, Chi Shuo, despite occasionally slacking off, was still diligent, insightful, and proactive. But now, she seemed like a puppet, lacking any spark.
Chi Shuo stood there, her head slightly lowered. “Sorry, Supervisor, I…”
The supervisor asked caringly, “Did you go through a breakup?”
Chi Shuo immediately put on a pitiful expression, her voice thick with a nasal tone. “Mm-hmm.”
“Just as I suspected.”
Chi Shuo hummed again and listened to the supervisor’s ten-minute pep talk.
Coming out, she ran into He Xiuqi. Seeing him now only fueled her anger, but she held it in and returned to her workstation.
Fang Xiuxiu tossed her a candy. “Have some sugar for energy.”
Chi Shuo curved her lips. “Thanks.”
Being an office worker was inherently boring and draining. People only found joy in other things.
Before, commuting with He Lindi was a dream. Now, a month had passed without that, and Chi Shuo’s heart ached.
Being alone led to wandering thoughts. Chi Shuo thought of He Lindi confessing, of He Lindi acting cute.
Of all the sides of He Lindi she had only seen since they got together.
At noon, in the break room.
Chi Shuo was playing Landlord with Xia Zhou and Zeng Guai.
He Xiuqi was at another table, playing mobile games with other colleagues.
Another round ended, and Chi Shuo won again. She put down her cards and sighed deeply.
She was about to speak when she saw He Lindi appear at the break room door.
Xia Zhou and Zeng Guai instantly tensed up, turning to look at Chi Shuo, relieved to see her head down, playing on her phone.
That’s good, they both relaxed.
Chi Shuo’s phone vibrated at this moment.
It was a message from He Lindi. 【I want a hug.】
Chi Shuo looked up at He Lindi: “…”
She had completely forgotten her initial plan to maintain a proper distance. She put her phone down and replied to He Lindi, “Okay.”
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