Chapter 9: Off the Rails

Rong Jiqiao froze for a second, her mind briefly short-circuiting.

“N-No... we don’t.”

Duan Yan tilted his head and looked at her. His gaze rested on her face for a moment.

“Didn’t we just buy a box last month?”

Rong Jiqiao’s face burned so hot it felt like it might catch fire.

“I... I...”

She bit her lip.

A sharp pain suddenly came from her ankle, giving her the perfect excuse to change the subject.

“My foot hurts a little. Let’s forget it for today.”

Even when Duan Yan talked about this kind of thing, there was no emotion in his voice.

“I didn’t say we had to do it today.”

Rong Jiqiao was so embarrassed she wanted to dig a hole in the floor with her toes.

Duan Yan added, “I was just asking casually. Am I really that much of a beast in your eyes?”

“...”

For once, Rong Jiqiao actually heard a teasing note in Duan Yan’s words.

She mumbled several times but had no idea how to answer.

Fortunately, Duan Yan was only teasing her. He soon brought over the hair dryer and dried her hair.

After her hair was dry, Duan Yan turned off the light and lay down beside her.

Rong Jiqiao closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, afraid he would notice she still had energy left.

...

The next day, her ankle felt a little better, so Rong Jiqiao went to work as usual.

There were not many patients at the clinic. Zhu Xiaoyue, who worked at the front desk, was holding a thermos and scrolling through her phone. When she saw Rong Jiqiao come in, she raised her face with a smile.

“What happened to your foot?”

Rong Jiqiao changed into her work uniform.

“I twisted it last night.”

Zhu Xiaoyue put down her phone and leaned closer.

“Is it serious? Your boyfriend didn’t take you to the hospital?”

“It’s not serious. I still came to work, didn’t I?”

“Did your boyfriend bring you here?”

“Mm-hm.”

Zhu Xiaoyue continued, “What does your boyfriend do?”

Rong Jiqiao’s movements paused slightly.

“He’s a security guard.”

Zhu Xiaoyue’s smile stiffened for a second, then she gave an “Oh.”

She took a sip of water and sat back down in her chair. She was no longer as enthusiastic as before.

“A security guard. That’s pretty stable.”

After saying that, she lowered her head and went back to her phone, no longer looking at Rong Jiqiao.

Rong Jiqiao could see what the girl meant.

She probably thought that Rong Jiqiao and Duan Yan had no future, so there was no need to get too close. Being ordinary coworkers was enough.

When it was time to get off work in the afternoon, Zhu Xiaoyue came over again.

“Where do you live?”

Rong Jiqiao gave her the address.

“The rent over there isn’t cheap, right?”

“It’s okay.”

Zhu Xiaoyue propped her chin on her hand.

“Can your boyfriend afford it by himself?”

Rong Jiqiao packed her bag.

“We live together.”

Zhu Xiaoyue smiled.

“That’s not bad. Splitting the rent makes the pressure lighter.”

She paused, then changed the subject.

“My boyfriend’s family owns an apartment inside the Second Ring Road.”

Rong Jiqiao looked up at her.

Zhu Xiaoyue continued, “He said we’ll get married in a couple of years. The house and car are already prepared.”

Rong Jiqiao played along perfectly.

“That’s amazing. What does he do?”

“He works in investment. His family has some money too,” Zhu Xiaoyue said modestly.

If this were Rong Jiqiao from her previous life, she probably would not have been able to hold back and would have started competing with Zhu Xiaoyue.

Fortunately, she had no intention of working here for long anyway. There was no need for this kind of verbal battle.

So Rong Jiqiao followed her lead.

“I’m so jealous of you.”

Being praised put Zhu Xiaoyue in a good mood, and her desire to chat returned. She started talking warmly with Rong Jiqiao again.

Rong Jiqiao dealt with her while absentmindedly thinking about her own matters.

When it was time to leave work, Zhu Xiaoyue’s boyfriend drove over in a Mercedes to pick her up.

Whether out of kindness or charity, Zhu Xiaoyue said, “Your leg isn’t convenient. Let us give you a ride.”

A free ride meant she did not have to squeeze onto the subway. Why refuse?

Rong Jiqiao happily agreed and limped out.

Who would have thought that Zhu Xiaoyue’s investment boyfriend would stare at Rong Jiqiao’s face several times without blinking before finally reacting?

He eagerly opened the car door for Rong Jiqiao and said to Zhu Xiaoyue, “Your coworker?”

What the three of them did not know was that Duan Yan had come early to pick up Rong Jiqiao on his little electric scooter.

Across the road, he saw everything.

Duan Yan watched Rong Jiqiao’s back as she was about to get into the car. His Adam’s apple moved, and his lips pressed into a tight line.

He did not go over.

His gaze passed through the evening traffic and landed on the black Mercedes.

The car body reflected the sunset, glaringly bright.

Rong Jiqiao stood beside the car door with her head lowered. The man eagerly held the door open for her, smiling as he said something, and she nodded.

The evening wind blew over, carrying a little dust.

Duan Yan narrowed his eyes, his lashes casting a shadow over his lower lids.

His usually cold face now seemed covered with a thin layer of ice. His brow was pressed low, and there was no expression in his eyes.

He only stared at that car.

Motionless.