Xiyu Company had many photographers, so being short one He Lindi for a few days wouldn’t affect much. Besides, just the week before, He Lindi had completed a highly demanding task and even caught a cold because of it. Taking time off to rest was perfectly reasonable.
But when colleagues from Xiyu who knew her saw He Lindi downstairs, they couldn’t help but be surprised. Some even asked, “Teacher He, it’s the weekend, why are you at the company?”
The answer they received was always the same: “Not here for the company, I’m waiting for someone.”
Waiting for whom? No one knew. They exchanged quick goodbyes and hurried off.
Chi Shuo finished work at six. He Lindi had been waiting in the lobby since 5:30. Ten, then twenty minutes passed, yet He Lindi showed no impatience. She rarely found waiting pleasant, but in these brief moments, the feeling of anticipation was wonderful.
She knew the reason was simply that the person she was waiting for was Chi Shuo.
As soon as it struck six, He Lindi stood up from the lobby sofa, paced back and forth slightly, her eyes constantly fixed on the elevators.
Soon, someone walked towards her, but it was He Xiuqi. His face lit up when he saw He Lindi. Tall and long-legged, He Xiuqi walked quickly, reaching He Lindi in just a few steps.
His affection for He Lindi wasn’t low-key, but not exactly high-profile either. He Lindi had already rejected him long ago, but He Xiuqi seemed to think the “rejection” was just a joke. He was still overjoyed to see her and insisted on coming right up to her.
He Xiuqi’s smile was brilliant, seemingly warmer than the winter sun. He said, “Teacher He, long time no see. Is your cold better?”
He Lindi also smiled, though her heart felt no ripple. “It’s better, thanks for asking.”
They had barely exchanged two sentences when He Lindi caught sight of Chi Shuo and Zeng Guai exiting the elevator. Although they had only parted ways at noon, just three or four hours ago, He Lindi felt like she hadn’t seen Chi Shuo in a very long time.
Precisely because of this, she couldn’t be bothered dealing with He Xiuqi anymore and said directly, “You go eat. I have to go accompany my partner.”
He Lindi was adept at handling such situations. Back in her school days, people would jump out to confess while she was walking. The best way to reject them was—”Sorry, I have a boyfriend.”
Anyone with a bit of decency wouldn’t pester her further after hearing that. And back then, she indeed had a contract fake boyfriend, the kind everyone knew about.
But after graduation, she stopped all that, never finding another fake boyfriend. Since entering society, some people she encountered were even bolder and more unrestrained than those in school. He Lindi sometimes found it quite troublesome.
People like He Xiuqi, who persisted even after being rejected, were not uncommon.
Previously, He Lindi would clearly state her lack of interest. But now things were different; she had a partner.
Hmm… seemed they weren’t actually together yet.
He Xiuqi froze on the spot, watching He Lindi walk away from him, join Chi Shuo and Zeng Guai, and the three women leave together.
Partner…? Where?
Meanwhile, once outside the office building’s main entrance, Zeng Guai didn’t linger, grinning as she said goodbye to the other two.
Chi Shuo hadn’t even reacted before she saw Zeng Guai’s cheerful back receding into the distance.
People bustled around them, but it felt as if the world contained only Chi Shuo and He Lindi. Chi Shuo’s heartbeat pounded loudly in her mind, thump after thump, seemingly telling her that He Lindi was right beside her.
Chi Shuo swallowed, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with He Lindi towards the intersection. After thinking for a few seconds, she still asked, “Did He Xiuqi… want something from you?”
Her tone faltered slightly, but her expression remained normal, as if the matter didn’t concern her. Only Chi Shuo knew she actually cared a lot.
He Xiuqi no longer hid his affection for He Lindi in front of her. Before Chi Shuo started liking He Lindi, it wouldn’t have mattered. But now that her relationship with He Lindi wasn’t the same as before, it was impossible not to care.
“Let me think.” He Lindi feigned contemplation. “I guess so?”
“Really or not really?”
“Teacher Chi.” He Lindi’s lips curved, a hint of teasing in her eyes. “Why are you asking this?”
Chi Shuo: “…”
Chi Shuo quickened her pace. “Going ahead.”
He Lindi’s laughter followed from behind. Chi Shuo’s ears burned. She slowly slowed her pace again, then heard He Lindi explain, “He asked if my cold was better, that’s all.”
He Lindi quickly caught up to her side and added, “I rejected him long ago.” The smile in her eyes deepened. “He probably won’t come looking for me again.”
After speaking, she pressed her lips together and asked cautiously, “Um, Chi Shuo, did you hear the other thing I said to He Xiuqi?”
“What?” Chi Shuo shook her head. “No, wasn’t I still far away?”
He Lindi nodded. “True.”
He Lindi relaxed. It seemed better that Chi Shuo hadn’t heard the “accompany my partner” remark. At least at this stage, it was better than if she had heard it.
Chi Shuo turned her head to meet her gaze, her lips moved, and she changed the subject. “Where are we going?”
He Lindi hadn’t asked Uncle Jiu to drive over; she had taken the bus herself. Otherwise, they would have headed to the underground parking lot by now.
“I don’t know.”
“I came just to wait for you.”
Back when she was young, Chi Shuo had often envied those who dated He Lindi. She used to wonder what He Lindi would be like in a relationship. Would she be the same as usual? Or would she act cute, get shy, and say sweet nothings like “I like you” or “I miss you”—words that Chi Shuo felt she couldn’t handle even just imagining.
And now, after so many years, He Lindi was beside her, telling her “to wait for you.”
Chi Shuo suddenly felt that her earlier reply of “Waiting for you” to He Lindi didn’t seem so reserved anymore. Its meaning wasn’t subtle; it felt even more passionate, more heart-stirring.
Chi Shuo had put on her gloves when leaving work. Now, unsure if it was nerves or something else, her palms, initially slightly cool, had become somewhat sweaty. She gently clenched her hands inside the gloves and replied, “Are you in a hurry to go back?”
“It’s not a workday.” He Lindi didn’t answer directly.
A faint curve appeared on Chi Shuo’s lips. “Okay.”
The sky had gradually darkened. The two didn’t get in a car but walked slowly along the road. After passing two intersections, Chi Shuo stopped, turning to look at a lively accessory shop.
He Lindi followed her gaze and asked, “Want to take a look?”
Chi Shuo nodded. “Want to buy a stuffed doll.” She added, “I saw one last time but didn’t buy it then.”
He Lindi didn’t hesitate, reaching out to grab Chi Shuo’s wrist and pulling her into the shop.
The accessory shop was in a prime location, right at the intersection. It was Friday evening rush hour, so there were more passersby. Fortunately, the shop had ample walking space inside, so it wasn’t too crowded.
He Lindi grabbed Chi Shuo’s wrist and didn’t let go, leading her all the way to the stuffed doll section before Chi Shuo felt her wrist was free again.
But this freedom, she didn’t quite want it just yet.
The contact through their clothes made Chi Shuo’s mind wander. She started blaming winter for not passing quickly enough; otherwise, she could feel the warmth of He Lindi’s palm again, which had faded after a few days.
“Which one did you want to buy last time?” The lights here were bright. He Lindi’s eyes were already moist and sparkling, and now they seemed even brighter. She had a smile on her face when asking Chi Shuo, looking just like a child getting their first stuffed doll.
Chi Shuo replied, “It’s gone.” She said, “Sold out.”
He Lindi looked disappointed. “What about other shops? Want to go check?”
Chi Shuo looked into her eyes. “It’s okay. I’ll buy it next time I see it.”
He Lindi sighed and walked outside with her again. “Then why didn’t you buy it then?”
“Maybe my head wasn’t clear.”
In reality, Chi Shuo knew she was just fulfilling an old wish.
During those youthful days of crushing on He Lindi, she once saw He Lindi holding a very cute stuffed doll. Of course, He Lindi was much cuter than the doll. Chi Shuo didn’t know who gave it to her, but that wasn’t important. She desperately wanted the same doll. So, one weekend, she ran around Yun Cheng, visiting many doll shops, but couldn’t find an identical one.
It wasn’t until later that Chi Shuo learned He Lindi’s doll could only be bought abroad.
If they hadn’t happened to walk here, Chi Shuo probably wouldn’t have remembered this. And back then, she had a big yet seemingly small wish—to browse a doll shop with He Lindi.
This was an accessory shop, not purely a doll shop, but that didn’t matter.
He Lindi said “Oh.” “Why don’t you tell me what it looks like? I’ll keep an eye out for you later.”
He Lindi looked heartbroken about it. Chi Shuo’s heart stirred watching her. Against the background noise of passersby chatting and laughing and cars driving by, she said, “It’s not important anymore.”
“What?”
“What’s not important anymore?”
“The doll isn’t important anymore.”
Chi Shuo stopped there, looking steadily at He Lindi. “What’s important is the person who went into the shop with me.” She turned around. “As long as she’s here, it’s fine.”
The two walked side-by-side in another direction. Because of Chi Shuo’s words, neither spoke another word.
He Lindi desperately suppressed the urge to smile. Chi Shuo did exactly the same. Fortunately, night had already fallen, slightly concealing the color on their faces.
After walking a bit further, Chi Shuo’s phone rang, finally breaking the silence.
It was Shen Qu calling. With He Lindi still beside her, Chi Shuo said, “Taking a call,” and walked aside, stopping under a tree.
“Hello?” Chi Shuo spoke first.
“I’m on my way to Yuncheng again.” The word “again” was key.
Chi Shuo glanced at the dark sky. “I thought you’d be at the wrap party.”
“Not going.”
“Too lazy to put on an act.”
“Don’t have any feelings for the people in this crew.”
“Dinner tomorrow?”
Chi Shuo didn’t agree immediately. “When are you leaving?”
“The day after tomorrow, maybe.” Shen Qu’s voice carried deep fatigue.
Only then did Chi Shuo agree. “Okay.”
Shen Qu chuckled upon hearing the word. “Why do I feel like you’re guarding against me like an enemy?”
“Not really.” Chi Shuo paused. “It’s just good to keep a distance from you.”
“Why?”
“Just because while I was dating you, I was also with another…”
“Just because?” Chi Shuo sneered, interrupting before she could finish. “I’m a bit busy right now. See you tomorrow.”
After hanging up, Chi Shuo stood there stunned for two seconds. She felt Shen Qu could be really heartless sometimes, cheating on someone without the slightest shame, even bringing it up repeatedly in front of the person involved, acting like she did nothing wrong.
Keeping a distance was necessary.
Chi Shuo clutched her phone and walked back to He Lindi, hearing her say, “I’m hungry.”
As He Lindi spoke, she grabbed Chi Shuo’s wrists with both hands. “Let’s go eat seafood?”
“Okay.”
At 9 PM, He Lindi arrived at Chi Shuo’s place and changed her shoes at the entryway cabinet.
They weren’t disposable hotel slippers anymore, but a pair that looked brand new, clearly just bought.
He Lindi smiled. “Bought for me?”
Chi Shuo hung her bag on the nearby rack. “Who else?” she said. “Xia Zhou is busy dating, Zeng Guai is lazy. You’re the only guest I have.”
He Lindi nodded. “That’s alright then. You’re the only guest I have over there too.”
There were still many snacks left from their Carrefour trip last time, stored in the cabinet under the coffee table. Chi Shuo washed her hands, then returned to the living room and took them out.
He Lindi rubbed her legs and asked, “Watching another horror movie?”
Chi Shuo shook her head. “Maybe not.” She said, “There haven’t been many highly-rated horror movies in recent years.”
“Ai.”
“But I kind of want to watch a movie.”
Chi Shuo paused unwrapping the snacks. “There’s a cinema less than a hundred meters outside the complex.”
“…”
Ten minutes later, the two appeared at the cinema, catching the latest movie screening.
One got the tickets, the other bought drinks. By the time their tickets were checked, both were slightly breathless from rushing to avoid being late.
Less than three minutes before the movie started, the two sat down in their seats.
Chi Shuo let out a breath. “So hot.”
He Lindi nodded along. “A little.”
Chi Shuo unbuttoned her coat and also took off her scarf, placing it on her lap.
In the dim light, He Lindi glanced at the scarf Chi Shuo had put on before leaving, chuckled softly, “Looks a lot like the one you gave me.”
Only after speaking did she realize she happened to be wearing that scarf today. She also took the scarf from her neck and placed it on her lap.
Chi Shuo coughed lightly and explained, “Same style, different color.”
“I thought so.”
“I thought it was some special style.”
Couple style.
Just thinking of those two words made Chi Shuo’s throat itch.
The movie was a last-minute decision because it just premiered today, Friday, and the reviews were decent. This screening had quite a few people.
Chi Shuo bought tickets for the innermost seats, so they wouldn’t have people repeatedly passing in front of them.
Chi Shuo only had one condition for watching movies: she had to be interested. Otherwise, no matter how good the box office or reviews, if she wasn’t interested, she wouldn’t set foot in a cinema.
But this movie became an exception these past few years. Because He Lindi wanted to see it, she couldn’t possibly refuse, right?
When conditions allowed, if the person you liked asked you to watch a movie together, refusing would just be foolish.
Before the movie started, Chi Shuo still asked, “Are you really looking forward to this movie?”
“No.”
Hearing He Lindi’s answer, Chi Shuo paused, opened her mouth wanting to ask more, but He Lindi seemed to guess her thoughts and spoke first, “What’s important isn’t the movie, but the person watching it with you.”
…
He Lindi was using the same tactic to respond to what she had said after leaving the accessory shop earlier.
Just changed the content, the core meaning remained the same, but hearing it still made Chi Shuo’s cheeks flush.
Moreover, when He Lindi said this, her nasal tone was gone, replaced by her clear yet deliberately lowered youthful voice. After speaking, as if it wasn’t enough, she asked Chi Shuo again, “What do you think?”
Although she was screaming “Ahhh!” ten thousand times internally, Chi Shuo’s expression remained calm, only the upward curve of her lips betraying her: “Mm.”
Chi Shuo wasn’t interested in this movie, so she was inevitably absentminded while watching. Her thoughts naturally drifted towards He Lindi. He Lindi watched very attentively, her emotions changing with the plot development. When it finished, she even seemed somewhat unsatisfied, wanting more.
As the movie reached its end, the ending song played, and the cinema lights came on.
Chi Shuo prepared to reach for her scarf, intending to put it on, but before she could lift her hand, another hand covered the back of hers.
He Lindi tilted her head to look at her. “Wait, there’s a post-credits scene.”
Chi Shuo said “Oh,” thinking He Lindi would withdraw her hand, but He Lindi didn’t move again. Her palm felt like it was coated in superglue, stuck to the back of Chi Shuo’s hand.
The area of skin being touched gradually grew warmer. Chi Shuo didn’t move her hand again, even sitting up straighter, watching the post-credits scene with He Lindi.
Finally, two minutes later, the post-credits scene ended, and the superglue on He Lindi’s palm also ran out.
Chi Shuo let out a breath, but she didn’t put on her scarf again, just held it in her hand, following He Lindi out with the crowd.
A few minutes later, after exiting the elevator, the two were back on the street.
The wind found the gap in Chi Shuo’s collar again and drilled inside, instantly cooling her slightly overheated body and waking her up. This was precisely why she hadn’t put the scarf back on.
Not only that, Chi Shuo hadn’t put her gloves back on either. The back of her hand, where He Lindi had touched it, seemed to still retain a faint warmth.
“That male lead was terrible.”
“Made me so mad.”
“If his studio emails me later to book a photo shoot, I’m rejecting it, not taking this job.”
He Lindi’s movie review seemed a bit different from others’, but also not that different, just perhaps a bit willful.
But she also had the capital to be willful.
Chi Shuo nodded in agreement. “First time I’ve seen someone cry so terribly in a scene.”
“There were rumors before that the female lead was Shen Qu. Good thing Shen Qu didn’t act in it. Otherwise, having such a partner would be pitiful in scenes together.”
“Yeah.”
“I’m starting to suspect the people saying this movie is good are paid shills. Where are the main characters who just chat while walking home together without even holding hands?”
“Yeah.”
Hearing Chi Shuo’s reply, He Lindi stopped walking.
The streetlight was somewhat bright, clearly illuminating He Lindi’s expression. Chi Shuo saw the upward curve of her lips and didn’t immediately react. “What? Am I wrong?”
He Lindi stared at her, narrowed her eyes slightly, and asked, “Chi Shuo, did you fall asleep during this movie?”
“No.”
“Very awake.”
So awake that she was constantly paying attention to He Lindi’s every move.
“Really?” He Lindi’s smile didn’t fade. “Think carefully, the question I just asked?”
Less than two seconds later, she saw Chi Shuo avert her gaze, looking up at the night sky instead.
Just now, He Lindi had been crazily hinting why she hadn’t held her hand yet, and she had just replied “Yeah.”
Yeah what? Must be an idiot. The movie didn’t even have that plot point.
Chi Shuo replied, “I really was very awake while watching the movie.”
“Tsk.” The two started walking towards the complex again. He Lindi seemed unconvinced.
Chi Shuo licked her lips and added, “Just that my attention wasn’t on the movie.”
“Then where was it?”
Chi Shuo stopped walking again. She called the name of the person standing before her: “He Lindi.” She added, “You’re asking knowingly, aren’t you?”
He Lindi curved her lips, denying it. “Not really.” She sighed. “So annoying. Just a few days ago, someone was begging me to let them hold my hand, how come now…”
She didn’t finish her sentence because she had already frozen—Chi Shuo had pulled her into a hug.
“I said, wait until you get better.”
“When you get better, I’ll hug you.”
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