Returning - Chapter 36
Chapter 36: On a Pretext
The next day, Zhao Yu went to work at the company right on time, but Xue Zi'ang didn't show up all morning. He'd probably had too much to drink the night before and still hadn't woken up.
She kept waiting, waiting for Xue Zi'ang's reaction.
Even if he truly remembered nothing about the previous night, Xue Zhan would likely remind him. And even if Xue Zhan didn't bother with the matter, the mere fact that Zhao Yu had come to pick him up and hadn't brought him back to her apartment alone should have been enough to make him notice something.
If Xue Zi'ang took the initiative to apologize to her, it would mean she held at least a little weight in his heart, and she'd need to continue performing, building on her reactions from the previous night. If Xue Zi'ang didn't mention a word, acting as if nothing had happened, then she could only act as if nothing had happened too, because—she wasn't in a position to argue.
After returning from lunch, seeing Zhao Yu still sitting at her desk in a daze, Xia Nan hesitantly asked, "Sister Zhao Yu, did you… have a fight with President Xue?"
When she'd first arrived at the company that morning, she'd noticed that Zhao Yu's eyes were a little red and swollen, with two dark circles underneath. But Zhao Yu said it was because she'd stayed up late last night watching a very tragic movie. At first, she'd believed it, but then Xue Zi'ang hadn't come to work, and Zhao Yu hadn't even eaten lunch. It was quite obvious there was an issue between the two of them.
Zhao Yu smiled and shook her head, unwilling to speak further, but that expression only made Xia Nan more certain her guess was correct.
When Xue Zi'ang arrived at the company, Zhao Yu was still in a daze at her desk.
The moment their eyes met, she froze for a second, then immediately sat up straight and threw herself into work mode, avoiding his gaze.
Xue Zi'ang paused, hesitated several times, but also said nothing, simply walking straight into his office.
But not long after, he was standing at the doorway again, facing Zhao Yu: "Come in for a moment."
Zhao Yu dawdled her way inside, not intending to close the door, but Xue Zi'ang on the sofa reminded her: "Close the door."
She did as she was told, standing calmly before him: "Do you have any instructions, President Xue?"
Xue Zi'ang's gaze lingered on her face for a long time, finally settling on her eyes, still shot through with red blood vessels: "Didn't sleep well?"
"Stayed up late last night watching a movie, went to sleep late."
After another silence, Xue Zi'ang suddenly said quietly, "I'm sorry."
Zhao Yu looked surprised, staring at him fixedly without making a sound.
Xue Zi'ang rubbed the space between his brows and sighed: "Last night… I drank too much, my mind wasn't clear. I didn't consider your feelings. That was wrong of me."
Zhao Yu still stared at him blankly, biting her lip, saying nothing at all, but her eyes grew redder and redder, until finally a tear slipped directly from the corner of her eye.
Xue Zi'ang hurriedly stood, put his arm around her shoulders, used the pad of his finger to wipe away the tear, and coaxed her softly: "Don't be mad at me anymore, okay?"
Zhao Yu still didn't say a single word, but the more she cried, the more aggrieved she felt, tears streaming down like beads from a broken string. It was a long while before she managed to get herself under control, saying through sobs: "I'm not mad."
Xue Zi'ang wanted to say something more, but Zhao Yu had already pushed his hand away. Murmuring "I'm going to work," she left the office without looking back.
Seeing her come out crying, Xia Nan curiously glanced toward the doorway but didn't dare say much.
When she went in later to deliver some documents, seeing that Xue Zi'ang's expression wasn't too grim, Xia Nan tentatively spoke up: "President Xue, shouldn't you order some food for Sister Zhao Yu? She didn't eat lunch, and maybe she didn't even eat breakfast."
Xue Zi'ang was taken aback, sighed again, and picked up his phone to order takeout.
Before long, the sumptuous afternoon tea he'd ordered was all delivered. Xia Nan willingly played the peacemaker, putting in a good word for Xue Zi'ang: "President Xue must have known you skipped lunch and ordered this especially for you. How thoughtful. And there are so many types—you can eat whatever you like."
Zhao Yu gave a hollow chuckle: "Oh, isn't it just. So thoughtful."
Hearing her sarcastic tone, Xia Nan couldn't help but glance toward the office door, and sure enough, Xue Zi'ang had already come out.
Glancing at the orange juice on the table, Xue Zi'ang casually picked it up and handed it to Xia Nan: "You drink it. She's allergic to orange juice."
Xia Nan was surprised: "People can be allergic to orange juice?"
"She's allergic to citrus fruits in general." As he said this, Xue Zi'ang's gaze never left Zhao Yu. "The orange juice wasn't something I ordered, probably a complimentary item from the shop."
"So?" Zhao Yu pressed her advantage, looking at him unhappily. "Should I be grateful that President Xue is so thoughtful, even remembering details like this?"
Being rebuffed like this actually made Xue Zi'ang laugh. He looked at her, somewhat helpless: "No matter how angry you are, don't take it out on your own body. Eat something first."
Zhao Yu didn't move, so Xue Zi'ang had to take the food out himself, giving one portion to Xia Nan, then opening another and placing it in front of Zhao Yu: "Do me a favor, eat a couple of bites."
Seeing she was willing to eat, Xue Zi'ang breathed a sigh of relief: "Just eat this to tide you over for now. After my meeting, I'll take you out for a lavish meal, to properly make it up to you, alright?"
Zhao Yu looked up at him seriously: "Tonight, you go back to your place. I want some time alone to clear my head."
Xue Zi'ang was silent for two seconds, then nodded: "Okay."
After work, however, Zhao Yu went to a bar alone. Half-drunk, she dialed Shi Yu's number and slurred drunkenly: "Come out, drink with me."
"Where are you? Are you drunk?"
"Sister Shi Yu, come out and drink with me. Aside from you, I don't even know who else to call." Her voice even carried a tearful tone. "Drinking alone is no fun, come keep me company."
"You went to a bar by yourself? Why are you drinking so much late at night? Don't you know it's dangerous for a woman to get drunk alone?"
What answered Shi Yu was the cacophony of music and Zhao Yu's messy, drunken rambling.
"Zhao Yu, where are you? Send me your location, I'll have Ji Sui come pick you up."
The "drunk" Zhao Yu, of course, couldn't even manage to share her location, but she still, in a daze, described the bar's name and general area. Half an hour later, Ji Sui showed up, as expected.
She'd previously seen the post on Shi Yu's Moments—Ji Sui had been having dinner with Qu Sixiao tonight. When she made the call, Ji Sui must still have been with Shi Yu. Late at night, Qu Sixiao couldn't be separated from Shi Yu, so it naturally had to be Ji Sui who came to find her.
"Sister Shi Yu needs to look after Xiao Xiao. She didn't feel comfortable leaving you out alone, so she asked me to take you home."
"Not going home. I want to drink, you drink with me."
Seeing her pale face and red eyes, Ji Sui asked, "Last night, did you have a fight with your boyfriend?"
Zhao Yu looked up and gave him a goofy smile: "How do you know?"
"I saw your car. The guy sitting in it must have been your boyfriend, right? At the time, I saw you lying there unmoving, like you were crying."
Zhao Yu continued smiling: "How on earth did you manage to see that? It's true what people say, when you're at your worst, you always run into someone you know."
Ji Sui smiled: "Come on, I'll take you home."
"I'm not going back. You drink with me." Zhao Yu pushed a glass toward him, pointing at him imperiously. "You can't leave either until you're drunk."
Ji Sui was helpless. After hesitating a moment, he filled his own glass and downed nearly half of it in one go: "Wine can't drown sorrow. What's the point of getting this drunk?"
"How do you know wine can't drown sorrow? You've tried it?"
Ji Sui smiled bitterly: "I've tried. It doesn't work."
Hehe
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