Today, Ruan Jiujiu was still the same gloomy Ruan Jiujiu.
Clearly, yesterday morning when she was sitting in the car, she had no intention of paying attention to Cheng Jun, but now the tables had turned. They were both sitting in the back seat, and Cheng Jun deliberately sat on the other side, keeping a distance from Ruan Jiujiu.
The two remained silent, and the driver seemed somewhat awkward as well. He decided to lower the partition, leaving the couple to resolve their issues on their own.
Cheng Jun hung his head low, hands in his pockets. His disheveled short hair looked soft and fluffy, suggesting that he probably hadn’t slept well. It was a bit messy, and the tips of his hair formed peculiar little arcs, which somehow made him appear cute.
His eyelids drooped, and it was unclear whether he was looking at his own legs or simply staring out of the window lost in thought. From Ruan Jiujiu’s angle, she could see his long and thick eyelashes, and after a long while, they blinked slowly and sluggishly.
…If it weren’t for that blink, she might have mistaken the man beside her for a life-sized puppet.
Ruan Jiujiu felt even more frustrated.
There’s an old saying, isn’t there? “There’s no overnight grudge between a husband and wife.” Why was he still holding onto it? When Ruan Jiujiu noticed the dark circles under his eyes and his disheveled appearance, she felt a wave of guilt.
He must have been really frightened. She shouldn’t have joked about such things.
Ruan Jiujiu still remembered when she was in junior high school, there was a girl in her class who was good at studying but extremely afraid of insects. At that time, the boys in the class were in the midst of a phase where they tormented everyone, and they would take every opportunity to tease others. When they somehow learned that this girl was afraid of insects, a few of them gathered a bunch of bugs overnight and stuffed them all into her school bag.
When she reached for her books after her physical education class, she found not only dead insects but also some live ones crawling on her face and neck. There was a horrifying scream in the classroom.
Later, Ruan Jiujiu watched helplessly as the girl cried and ran out of the classroom, ultimately dropping out of school and disappearing.
After that incident, the boys in the class never dared to lift a finger against anyone again.
At that time, Ruan Jiujiu, like other girls, was also somewhat afraid of bugs, the dark, and ghosts. To avoid ending up like that girl, she made an effort to confront these fearful things. Gradually, she became numb to them, and eventually, she found pleasure in experiencing thrilling and adventurous activities.
Now, as she looked at Cheng Jun’s despondent state, Ruan Jiujiu suddenly realized that she wasn’t much different from those boys who enjoyed teasing others.
“Um…”
Ruan Jiujiu cautiously shifted in her seat toward Cheng Jun, but he leaned against the window as if he was afraid she would get too close.
Ruan Jiujiu persevered, “About last night…”
“No need to bring it up,” Cheng Jun interrupted her in a dejected tone.
It must be really serious!
What if he’s left with psychological trauma?
Ruan Jiujiu felt remorse and tried to continue communicating with Cheng Jun, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have made you watch a horror movie. It was a bad experience for you. But don’t worry, next time I watch such a movie, I won’t invite you!”
I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have made you watch a horror movie.
Next time, I definitely won’t invite you.
I shouldn’t have…
Next time, I definitely…
Cheng Jun’s ears were filled with Ruan Jiujiu’s heartfelt assurances. If Ruan Jiujiu could understand Cheng Jun’s current state of mind, she would realize that her words were like a second blow to him.
Cheng Jun remembered something from a book, one of the signs when a woman no longer loves you: when a woman no longer relies on you emotionally and learns to take care of everything herself, she no longer needs you.
She no longer… needs… you.
Cheng Jun felt utterly defeated.
Facing Ruan Jiujiu’s earnest gaze, Cheng Jun raised the hood of his sweatshirt, pulled the drawstrings tight with one hand, and silently covered most of his face with the cap.
At this moment, Cheng Jun’s emotional state could be summed up in one word—
Despair.
Ruan Jiujiu: “…”
Did she say something wrong again?!
The two maintained their silent and eerie atmosphere until they reached the company.
When Jiao Fan returned from his business trip, he coincidentally crossed paths with Cheng Jun heading towards the office. Jiao Fan greeted him cheerfully but didn’t receive so much as a glance from his boss. Cheng Jun kept his hands in his pockets, lowered his head, and walked past Jiao Fan without a word. His demeanor and expression made it seem like an extra from “The Walking Dead” had wandered onto the wrong set.
Jiao Fan was stunned: What happened to the boss?
Realizing that something was amiss, Jiao Fan quickly messaged Tu Nan, asking, “Did something significant happen while I was away?”
Tu Nan replied promptly, “Of course! I’m about to fall in love!”
Jiao Fan: “…”
Tu Nan: “Why are you not saying anything?”
Jiao Fan: “Get a grip.”
Tu Nan felt unjustifiably attacked by that random remark. He sat in his office, pondering for a while, and suddenly realized – Jiao Fan’s love life was still uncertain, and he was in a state of unrequited love. It was normal for him to get upset upon returning and witnessing displays of affection.
With this understanding, Tu Nan no longer felt aggrieved.
At that moment, a light knock on the door announced the arrival of the secretary. She was dressed similarly to her usual attire, but in Tu Nan’s discerning eye, he noticed that she had applied lipstick and eye makeup.
She’s really interested in me! She’s even using makeup to get my attention. Well, well.
Tu Nan was about to compliment her when he heard the secretary’s chilly statement, “Boss, I won’t be working overtime tonight. I’m taking a leave.”
“Leave? Where are you going?” Tu Nan was taken aback.
“I have a blind date.”
His smile froze on his face, “What?!”
Tu Nan and Jiao Fan both coincidentally ended up in Cheng Jun’s office. One was trying to figure out what had happened to their boss, and the other was seeking sympathy for his grievances.
Tu Nan: “It looks like I might be facing another heartbreak.”
Jiao Fan: “Didn’t you just say you were about to start a relationship???”
Tu Nan sighed, “She called me immature and boring.”
“She actually said you were immature…”
Cheng Jun, who had been oblivious to the situation, suddenly looked up upon hearing their conversation. It was as if hundreds of arrows had pierced his heart in an instant.
Now, he was truly depressed.
Everyone had their own troubles, and Ruan Jiujiu, sitting in the office, was somewhat absent-minded.
Drawing sketches over and over, they became increasingly peculiar until, without realizing it, a draft image appeared on the computer screen. It depicted Cheng Jun huddled in a corner, his head shrouded in gloom, wearing a displeased expression.
Ruan Jiujiu was even more conflicted.
She had never been in a romantic relationship, so how could she console Cheng Jun?
In the true sense of the word, she didn’t know Cheng Jun inside out. Therefore, in this critical moment, she couldn’t fathom why Cheng Jun was upset. The only solution she could think of was to try to cheer him up with food.
She had stayed up late watching a movie the previous night, and she hadn’t prepared lunch in the morning, so she would have to go to the cafeteria later. Usually, Cheng Jun ate at a specific corner of the cafeteria. He didn’t like crowded places and detested being stared at by others, even though he appeared nonchalant on the surface.
Ruan Jiujiu checked the time every so often, and each glance made the wait seem unbearably long.
Finally, under her watchful gaze, it was almost time for lunch.
Ruan Jiujiu hesitated for a moment before sending a message to Cheng Jun.
Ruan Jiujiu: Are you going to the cafeteria? Let’s go together.
A few minutes passed, and to her surprise, Cheng Jun didn’t reply. This made Ruan Jiujiu even more anxious. Could it be that their marital harmony was on the verge of being shattered by a Thai movie? This was just too ridiculous!
Ruan Jiujiu decisively stood up, took her phone, and went in search of Cheng Jun.
On the way, she ran into Jiao Fan, whom she hadn’t seen in a while, and greeted him warmly.
Jiao Fan greeted her affectionately at first, addressing her as “sister-in-law,” but then he nervously leaned in and whispered, “Sister-in-law, what’s going on between you and the boss? Did you guys have a fight?”
“It’s not exactly a fight. I may have made him angry. By the way, what’s he been doing all morning?”
Jiao Fan must have witnessed something to ask such a question.
Jiao Fan cleared his throat and said, “The boss hasn’t said a word all morning. He’s completely ignoring everyone! He’s just sitting by the floor-to-ceiling window, not moving at all, like a silent monolith. I’ve never seen the boss so despondent before.”
Ruan Jiujiu: “…”
This is getting worse and worse.
Ruan Jiujiu asked, “Where is he now? Is he still in his office?”
“Yeah, it looks like he might not have lunch today.” Jiao Fan found it quite strange that Cheng Jun wasn’t having lunch.
“Listen, Sister-in-law, don’t be mad at the boss. He’s just that kind of person, never in a hurry, and sometimes he might not be sensitive enough to pick up on other people’s feelings. I get mad at him sometimes too, but when I think about my paycheck, hehe, I just accept it.”
Ruan Jiujiu couldn’t help but laugh and sigh.
The current situation clearly indicated that Cheng Jun was upset with her.
“Okay, don’t worry. I’ll take care of Cheng Jun’s side, so you don’t need to worry.”
“Alright, alright, then I’ll rest assured. Sister-in-law, you’re amazing!”
After parting ways with Jiao Fan, Ruan Jiujiu went to the small corner of the cafeteria and asked the chef to pack two meals to go.
The food was still hot, and Ruan Jiujiu’s stomach growled, reminding her that it was time to eat. She rubbed her belly, walked quickly, and arrived at Cheng Jun’s office door. She lightly knocked on it but didn’t hear any response from Cheng Jun.
Ruan Jiujiu pushed the door open.
“…”
The spacious office had only Cheng Jun sitting in a chair. He was staring blankly at the computer on his desk, as if the spirit of Despair had possessed him again. He remained motionless, and Ruan Jiujiu couldn’t help but find the scene both amusing and strangely desolate, making it difficult for her to laugh.
Holding the packed meal, Ruan Jiujiu placed it on Cheng Jun’s desk and said, “It’s time for lunch. If you don’t eat now, your stomach will growl.”
Cheng Jun remained immersed in his gloomy thoughts, unable to free himself. His despondency seemed to have no end.
Ruan Jiujiu couldn’t bear it any longer and called out to Cheng Jun, “Snap out of it. If you still feel upset, how about taking the day off from work today?”
Under Ruan Jiujiu’s persuasion, Cheng Jun finally raised his head and looked at her, albeit slowly.
The two locked eyes.
In his despondent tone, Cheng Jun asked, “Is this a farewell meal?”
Ruan Jiujiu: “???”
What kind of peculiar thought process is this?
—
The author has something to say:
Ruan Jiujiu: Why are we suddenly parting ways???
Cheng Jun: Little cabbage, the field is turning yellow, I’m only two or three years old, and I’ve lost my mother.
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