Our Love, A Public Service - Chapter 51
Chapter 51
Jing Rui's original plan was delayed, so she stayed in Y City for two more hours, not having time to inform Chi Jia that she would be late… When the earthquake struck, communication was already down.
The earthquake was more severe than expected.
Then, there were ten-plus hours of silence.
Trapped in the disaster zone for thirteen hours, aftershocks constantly shaking the ground, Jing Rui and her group were lucky to be unharmed, but the mental strain was undeniable.
It wasn't until 10 AM the next day that they were moved to a safe zone.
"Ms. Jing, we've already informed your family that you're safe. The 3 PM flight back to L City is on schedule. Your ticket is booked."
"Okay, thank you." Jing Rui had a few minor scrapes and bruises, but after a checkup at the hospital, she was fine. The memory of the earthquake still sent shivers down her spine.
Once communication was restored, her phone was flooded with messages. Jing Rui's eyes went to her pinned chat with Chi Jia, over a hundred unread messages.
Judging by the timestamps, Chi Jia hadn't slept all night.
Jing Rui immediately called Chi Jia.
Chi Jia hadn't closed her eyes for almost twenty hours, her eyes red and swollen. Although she was at the office, her mind was elsewhere, too anxious to focus on work, she hadn't even turned on her computer all morning.
Her phone rang again, each ring bringing a fresh wave of disappointment. Just as she was about to give up hope, she saw the caller ID: Vixen.
Chi Jia's hand trembled as she picked up the phone, her heart pounding, and swiped to answer.
She had never felt so nervous.
"I'm fine." Jing Rui's gentle voice was the first thing Chi Jia heard, and she repeated, "I'm fine, don't worry."
It was her.
Hearing the familiar voice she had longed for, Chi Jia's grip tightened on the phone, her knuckles turning white. She was speechless for a moment, tears welling up in her eyes as relief washed over her.
Hearing the silence on the other end, Jing Rui thought the connection was bad again. "Can you hear me?"
Chi Jia took a deep breath, then quickly nodded, her voice slightly trembling. "Yes, I can hear you… I'm so glad you're okay." She stood up and walked out of the office.
All the fear, worry, anxiety, and despair of the past ten-plus hours, and now the relief and joy, were condensed into that single, trembling sentence, "I'm so glad you're okay." But her relief was short-lived, and she immediately asked anxiously, "Where are you now?! Are you hurt…?"
Even though Jing Rui had said she was fine twice, Chi Jia was still worried. How could she not be? A magnitude 7 earthquake, so many casualties, and Jing Rui had been unreachable for over ten hours.
Chi Jia's voice was filled with an unprecedented panic, a hint of a sob in her voice that Jing Rui couldn't miss. Some things didn't need to be said to be understood; Chi Jia cared deeply about her, Jing Rui had seen it in the way she would often stand outside Number Nine, lost in thought.
"I'm not hurt. I'm in G City now, safe and sound. I'll be back this afternoon." Jing Rui patiently explained, trying to reassure Chi Jia. "Don't worry."
"Okay…" Chi Jia finally felt a sense of relief, a heavy weight lifted off her shoulders.
Jing Rui, listening to her, paused for a moment, then chuckled softly. "Don't cry, silly."
She was crying, and Jing Rui had heard it.
Knowing Jing Rui was safe, Chi Jia couldn't help but smile, although her eyes were still red, she still stubbornly retorted, "I'm not crying!"
The office was quiet, and Chi Jia's sudden outburst of emotion drew curious glances from her colleagues. She lowered her head, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
Jing Rui smiled; this familiar stubbornness made her feel at ease. She pictured Chi Jia's expression, her defiant words, and her smile widened.
"I'll be back this afternoon, I'll see you tonight." She paused, then added softly, "…I miss you."
That "I miss you" made Chi Jia's eyes well up again. But she still couldn't help but think, if she was coming back this afternoon, why wait until tonight to see her?!
Chi Jia still couldn't bring herself to say "I miss you too," but she couldn't wait until tonight; she wanted to see Jing Rui now.
She couldn't wait a single second longer.
Before ending the call.
"What time are you coming back…?" Chi Jia asked, her voice filled with an uncharacteristic urgency, her concern for Jing Rui finally overcoming her usual awkwardness. "I'll pick you up."
Jing Rui didn't say "no need"; she never lacked people to pick her up from the airport. Chi Jia saying this simply meant she wanted to see her sooner. Jing Rui understood, because she felt the same way.
Jing Rui told Chi Jia her flight details. "I'll be waiting for you."
"Okay!"
In the face of life and death, everything else seemed trivial. After experiencing such fear and uncertainty, priorities became clear, answers revealed themselves. Chi Jia's previous hesitation and apprehension vanished.
Her heart was filled with only Jing Rui.
Even knowing the path ahead would be difficult, she wouldn't give up. She had fallen for Jing Rui, and she wanted to be with the vixen, properly, no more games, no more pretense.
Chi Jia looked into the distance, a long sigh escaping her lips, a smile spreading across her face. Having found her answer, she felt a sense of relief and freedom. She didn't know what the future held, but she wanted to cherish the present, cherish the person before her, the person she liked, who also liked her back.
That afternoon, Chi Jia took a leave of absence, not even bothering with the proper procedures, simply telling her supervisor she had an emergency and rushing out of the office.
Everyone in the design department was surprised; Miss Chi, who had never been late or taken a day off since joining the company, always receiving the perfect attendance bonus, was now leaving abruptly.
Outside, the sun was shining brightly, the air warm and pleasant.
Perhaps because of her mood, or perhaps because of the weather, Chi Jia's cheeks were slightly flushed. She hailed a cab and headed towards the airport.
4:12 PM, L City Airport, the flight arrived on time.
But Chi Jia had arrived too early, waiting for over an hour before finally sending Jing Rui a message: "I'm here."
The airport wasn't crowded, and it wasn't difficult for Chi Jia to spot Jing Rui among the arriving passengers. Several people were walking with her. She was wearing a black trench coat, her usual imposing aura replaced by a certain fragility, her usually meticulously styled hair slightly messy.
Seeing Chi Jia, Jing Rui slowed her pace, a smile gradually appearing on her tired face.
As Chi Jia approached, she saw Jing Rui's face clearly, no makeup, her fair skin accentuating her fatigue. Chi Jia didn't realize that her own face was even paler than Jing Rui's.
Seeing each other again felt like a lifetime.
Those ten-plus hours had been agonizing.
Chi Jia rushed towards Jing Rui, ignoring the curious stares around them, and embraced her tightly, not saying a word, just holding her close. She buried her face in Jing Rui's hair, the familiar scent no longer just pleasant, but comforting, reassuring, a source of happiness.
Jing Rui also hugged Chi Jia tightly, closing her eyes, their bodies warming each other.
She wanted someone to be with her, to rely on, not a passionate, fiery relationship, but a quiet, comforting companionship. Holding Chi Jia in her arms, this thought crossed Jing Rui's mind.
A silent embrace, speaking volumes.
"I'm fine." Seeing Chi Jia's worried expression, Jing Rui gently stroked her hair, trying to reassure her.
Being unreachable for over ten hours was "fine"?! Chi Jia clung to Jing Rui like a stubborn child. She had been holding back her tears, but now, in Jing Rui's embrace, she wanted to cry. She nuzzled her face against Jing Rui's neck, still not saying a word, her arms tightening around Jing Rui's waist.
Clingy like glue.
Jing Rui sighed, holding Chi Jia tighter. It seemed Miss Chi wasn't letting go anytime soon. She turned to her colleagues. "You guys go ahead, I'll get home myself."
Seeing the scene, her colleagues, unsure what to do, said goodbye and left.
Chi Jia was completely oblivious to her surroundings, focused only on holding Jing Rui, as if nothing else mattered. It was a way of releasing her pent-up emotions, she had been so worried about this woman, the more she thought about it, the tighter she held on.
Jing Rui let Chi Jia cling to her; she had never felt so comforted by an embrace, and she had finally earned Miss Chi's initiative, although at a rather high price.
After a few minutes, Jing Rui gently cupped Chi Jia's face and smiled. "Haven't had enough yet?"
Chi Jia's eyes were red and swollen as she looked at Jing Rui. After such a terrifying ordeal, how could surnamed Jing still be so calm? Didn't she know Chi Jia had been worried sick, hadn't slept a wink for over ten hours?
Looking at Chi Jia's swollen eyes, Jing Rui's heart ached. "You said you weren't crying, but your eyes are all swollen."
"And you're still smiling!" Chi Jia said, then finally breaking down, tears streaming down her face, her voice choked with sobs. "You scared me to death! I thought you…"
Jing Rui wiped Chi Jia's tears, cupping her face in her hands. "I'm sorry."
"Why are you saying sorry?!" Chi Jia continued, her words sharp despite her concern. She was crying because she was worried about Jing Rui, trapped in the earthquake for over ten hours, she couldn't bear to think about the details.
"Don't cry." Jing Rui's eyes were also slightly red. "I'm fine, aren't I?"
Chi Jia sniffed, looking at Jing Rui's face intently. They were seeing each other at their most vulnerable, yet the affection between them was undeniable.
"You said you weren't hurt." Chi Jia noticed a small scrape on Jing Rui's face as she brushed her hair aside.
"Do you feel bad for me?"
That question again, still asking that question.
Chi Jia looked into Jing Rui's eyes, this time giving her the answer she wanted. "Yes, I do. I was worried sick."
Jing Rui smiled, gently rubbing Chi Jia's face. "Don't say such ominous things."
Chi Jia was still worried. "Let me see, are you hurt anywhere else?"
"No."
Chi Jia didn't believe her. "Really?"
"I'll take off my clothes and let you check properly when we get back, how about that?"
Kkk sabia, protagonista normalmente não morre assim de fácil 🙃
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