Chapter Forty-One: It Ended Without a Trace

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Early the next morning, Lin Hui woke to find Yuan Zhong already up.

“Morning, I was just about to wake you,” Yuan Zhong said, freshly washed and ready.

Lin Hui glanced at the time. Seven thirty. “Waking up this early on a Sunday—doesn’t that seem a bit of a waste?”

“Not at all. I ordered breakfast; it should be here soon. Go get washed up,” Yuan Zhong urged, pulling her out of bed. “I put stainless steel spoons in the freezer last night. In a bit, you can use them for your eyes.”

Lin Hui touched her face and felt some swelling. “Did I disturb you last night?”

“Not at all. You fell asleep quickly and were very quiet,” Yuan Zhong replied with a smile.

By the time Lin Hui finished washing up, Yuan Zhong was carefully handing her two spoons. “They’re really cold. Not sure if it'll help, though.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. The swelling will go down on its own,” Lin Hui said indifferently.

“The swelling is pretty bad. Give it a try. If it doesn’t work, there’s always a cold towel.”

Lin Hui had no choice but to sit down, take a spoon in each hand, and press them to her eyes. The chill was sharp at first, but as she acclimated, it felt soothing.

The doorbell rang. Yuan Zhong hopped over to answer it, and Lin Hui heard Zhang Shun’s voice.

“Morning! I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I got pork buns, veggie buns, some fried dough sticks, soybean milk, and a box of rice cakes.”

“That’s a lot—smells great! Come eat with us,” Yuan Zhong called, heading to the kitchen for bowls and chopsticks.

Lin Hui stayed put, still pressing the spoons to her eyes.

“What happened to your eyes?” Zhang Shun asked as the sofa beside her dipped under his weight.

“It’s nothing,” Lin Hui replied dismissively.

“Huihui’s eyes are a bit swollen,” Yuan Zhong explained. “Should be fine now. Come, have breakfast.”

After Yuan Zhong called her several times, Lin Hui had no choice but to remove the spoons.

Zhang Shun looked at her, scrutinizing her face. “They are a bit swollen.”

Yuan Zhong peered over. “Definitely much better than before. It works.”

Lin Hui sat down to eat. Yuan Zhong and Zhang Shun made small talk, trying to draw Lin Hui in, but she simply kept her head down, eating silently.

The two exchanged a glance. Seeing Zhang Shun’s confusion, Yuan Zhong shook his head, signaling there was nothing to be done. Zhang Shun looked at Lin Hui again but said no more.

After breakfast, Lin Hui took the initiative to wash the dishes, with Zhang Shun following her to help tidy up.

Yuan Zhong collapsed onto the sofa, habitually logging into his game and finding a message from “Stingy No More”: “Got plans tonight, let’s meet another time.”

Oh well, Yuan Zhong thought, not taking it to heart, and started watching short videos about a new hero.

Soon, Lin Hui emerged from the kitchen, her expression frosty, and entered her room. She quickly came out carrying her things and said to Yuan Zhong, “I’m leaving.”

“So early?” Yuan Zhong was about to persuade her to stay when Zhang Shun followed suit.

“I’ll walk you out,” Zhang Shun said, drying his hands.

Lin Hui stiffened, avoiding Zhang Shun’s gaze. “Are you leaving now, too?”

“Yeah, I’ll go with you,” Zhang Shun replied.

“Go your own way,” Lin Hui retorted, turning back to the living room.

Zhang Shun could only sigh in resignation.

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Yuan Zhong quickly said, “Why don’t you both stay? Leave after lunch.”

“Sure,” Zhang Shun agreed, taking the opportunity to stay.

Lin Hui returned. “Then I’m leaving.”

These two really were a handful. Yuan Zhong felt helpless but noticed something different. Lin Hui, though cool and distant, was always polite to others. With Zhang Shun, she was outright blunt.

“Lin Hui, I’m just worried about you,” Zhang Shun explained.

“Worried about what? My issues have nothing to do with you.” Lin Hui shot him a quick glance. “Are you sure you’re not leaving?”

Zhang Shun stayed silent.

“If you’re staying, then I’ll go. Please don’t follow me,” Lin Hui said.

Yuan Zhong grabbed her arm. “Are you mad at me? I was the one who asked him to bring breakfast.”

Zhang Shun looked at Yuan Zhong. He’d arranged with Yuan Zhong last night to visit Lin Hui this morning and bring breakfast. Perhaps Lin Hui was angry, and Yuan Zhong was trying to take the blame.

“No, it’s not your fault,” Lin Hui replied.

“Then don’t leave. If someone has to go, let it be him,” Yuan Zhong said.

“Yeah, I’ve delivered the food, so I’ll head out. See you later,” Zhang Shun smiled.

Seeing that he truly meant to leave, Lin Hui stopped.

Yuan Zhong walked Zhang Shun to the elevator and asked quietly, “What’s going on with you two?”

Zhang Shun sighed. “She’s a little upset with me. When we were in her hometown, I didn’t help her.”

Yuan Zhong was puzzled, but Zhang Shun clearly didn’t want to elaborate. What exactly had happened during their visit to Lin Hui’s hometown?

After Zhang Shun left, Yuan Zhong returned to find Lin Hui standing by the window, staring outside.

“The sun’s up. Isn’t it a bit bright?” Yuan Zhong pulled down the blackout curtain.

“A little sun is nice. Lately, I keep feeling cold,” Lin Hui replied.

In the height of summer, cold? Yuan Zhong glanced at her. She had settled on a mat by the window, back hunched.

Yuan Zhong pulled over a mat as well and sat beside her. “Did Zhang Shun do something wrong?”

“Hmph. He meddles too much,” Lin Hui replied coldly.

“He really does care about you.”

Lin Hui turned to him, enunciating each word: “I can’t stand him. I really can’t stand him.”

Yuan Zhong wanted to ask what had happened but saw that Lin Hui had already turned away, unwilling to say more.

Very well, he thought, and changed the subject. “My fridge is full of food—help me finish some. My mom made it all.”

Lin Hui shook her head. “I’ll be leaving soon. I have things to do.”

Seeing her distant attitude, Yuan Zhong paused. “Did I do something wrong? Is it because I invited Zhang Shun?”

Lin Hui looked up. “No, I’m just in a bad mood. It’s normal for you to invite him. If you want to pursue him, go ahead.”

“If you don’t like him, then I don’t like him either,” Yuan Zhong said, grabbing her arm.

“Oh, please! Whether you like him or not, what’s it got to do with me?” Lin Hui’s tone finally softened.

“Of course it matters. What if I end up with someone you can’t stand, and you stop talking to me?”

“That won’t happen. Just don’t let me see him. If you want to meet, pick a time when I’m not around,” Lin Hui said, making a gesture as if to part ways.

“Well, fate has a way of bringing enemies together,” Yuan Zhong chuckled.

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Lin Hui frowned. “Don’t say that. I don’t want to see him.”

They prepared lunch together, tidied up, and Lin Hui’s mood gradually improved, much to Yuan Zhong’s relief.

After seeing Lin Hui off, Yuan Zhong flopped onto the sofa and didn’t move for a long time.

When Lin Hui spoke of Zhang Shun, her eyes flashed with anger, and she was even less friendly in his presence. Yuan Zhong picked up on a signal: Lin Hui had feelings toward Zhang Shun, and those feelings seemed rooted in something deeper.

People only let their emotions run free in front of family or close friends. Perhaps, in Lin Hui’s subconscious, Zhang Shun already held an important place.

To put it bluntly, Zhang Shun knew things about Lin Hui that she wasn’t even willing to share with Yuan Zhong.

The realization left Yuan Zhong conflicted. He already knew the answer—should he really give up now? The thought brought a sudden wave of sadness.

He remembered what “Stingy No More” had said: if the two of them liked each other, it would be best to step aside early.

Staring out the window, Yuan Zhong sighed deeply, mourning a love that had ended before it began.

Monday brought the usual busyness—trivial, time-consuming tasks. In a way, it was a blessing, keeping his mind off his melancholy.

From the start of the workday to its end, Yuan Zhong worked nonstop, feeling a dull ache in his chest.

Wang Shanshan’s way of assigning tasks was, in itself, a waste of time. If she said everything at once, Yuan Zhong could manage much better. But she insisted on giving one task, waiting until it was half done, then adding another, forcing Yuan Zhong to repeatedly search through the same materials to meet her ever-changing demands.

That was bad enough, but once all the work was assigned, Wang Shanshan would nitpick, criticizing Yuan Zhong for poor organization and lack of planning.

“This girl is hopelessly slow,” she remarked, right in front of several colleagues.

Yuan Zhong gritted her teeth, keeping her head down and working.

Some colleagues joined Wang Shanshan in mocking her, some watched in silence, while others expressed sympathy, saying newcomers needed time to grow.

Yuan Zhong made a mental note—not that she wanted to label anyone as good or bad, but at least now she knew who might help and who would only kick her when she was down.

Wang Shanshan seemed unusually upbeat lately. Yuan Zhong didn’t know why, but seeing her in a good mood, she tried to communicate—asking if Wang Shanshan might explain all the tasks at once in the future.

Speaking up made Yuan Zhong anxious. She’d tried to choose her words carefully, but still worried Wang Shanshan would be displeased.

To her surprise, Wang Shanshan agreed readily.

Yuan Zhong quietly asked Chen Yue if something good had happened to Wang Shanshan recently.

Chen Yue, always in the know, told her that the author Seven Nights had finally agreed to do a promotional event with Wang Shanshan.

“We’ll finally get to meet Seven Nights!” Chen Yue said, face alight with excitement.

“Will he come to the office?” Yuan Zhong was equally pleased.

“Don’t worry, the event schedule will be out soon. Wherever it’s held, we can go,” said Chen Yue, her big eyes sparkling.

“I’m so busy—I might not be able to get away,” Yuan Zhong fretted.

“You have to go! There’ll be tons of odd jobs on site. No way Wang Shanshan’s doing them herself. If it’s too much, I’ll volunteer to help this time,” Chen Yue said knowingly.

“Well, that’s a relief,” Yuan Zhong sighed.

In the days that followed, Yuan Zhong noticed her assignments started to include tasks related to the upcoming event. The work was frantic, but for once, she looked forward to it, and life suddenly felt less overwhelming.

Right before the end of the day, Wang Shanshan sent a massive email detailing all the preparations, on-site coordination, and follow-up tasks for the event.

Staring at the dense email and its string of attachments, Yuan Zhong felt a little dazed.

Wang Shanshan came over to explain, “Didn’t you ask for everything at once? It’s all here. I could have given it bit by bit, but since you asked, I wrote up a few items each day. Took me several days. Take your time.”

With that, she elegantly packed her bag and left for the day, leaving Yuan Zhong dumbfounded. No wonder she’d said nothing before—she’d been waiting for this moment!