Chapter 9: So cute to be caught by your ex-boyfriend

After returning from the hospital at noon, Wen Zhiling went back to the Qiao family home and had hot pot with Qiao Yan. The rushing water washed over the lettuce, tearing off leaf by leaf, just like Wen Zhiling herself, facing the cruel cleansing of fate.

Qiao Yan asked from the living room, "Should I add some goji berries to the hot pot?"

Wen Zhiling: "Mm."

Wen Zhiling was unusually quiet today, and Qiao Yan was worried, so she touched Wen Zhiling's forehead and asked, "Are you alright?"

Wen Zhiling: "I might still have a bit of low blood sugar."

This week was extremely painful for Wen Zhiling.

I'm thirsty, and no matter how much water I drink, it's never enough.

Distracted, I cooked noodles at home twice, only to wake up to find myself standing at a bus stop in my pajamas and slippers.

Stomach pain, the digestive system is torturing the owner to do what they most desire.

The doctor told her that the reason she hadn't reacted before was because the person she was targeting had been given a suppressant. Once the suppressant wore off, she would be in constant pain if she didn't receive blood.

During this time, the doctor sent her medication that could temporarily relieve her symptoms, but also warned her of the deadline for surgery, saying that it wouldn't be available after that. However, if she chose to have the surgery, she would have to say goodbye to everything she had now.

Looking at the Qiao family's furnishings and the warm style, she felt reluctant to leave, as well as her job at the coffee shop. The peaceful life she had finally achieved would soon be gone, and she would never be able to see Aunt Qiao again.

For others, leaving home might be a new beginning, but for her it was incredibly difficult because she was a person who "didn't exist."

The store manager was careless and didn't ask for her ID, which allowed her to sneak in. The bank card and apartment were registered under Aunt Qiao's information, and even the phone card was in Qiao Yan's name.

She wandered for a long time, and finally found a small patch of soil to take root. But the little seedling hadn't been able to explore for long before it was uprooted and thrown into the wasteland to fend for itself.

With the countdown to departure drawing near, a hot pot meal left me with mixed feelings.

Seeing that Wen Zhiling was unhappy, Qiao Yan suggested going for a walk in the park, but the weather was too hot, so they changed their plans halfway and went to the supermarket to buy snacks. Wen Zhiling had almost no memories of going to the supermarket with adults in her childhood, which made her particularly fond of staying in the supermarket. She didn't buy anything, but just enjoying the air conditioning was pleasant.

Qiao Yan was engrossed in comparing two different soy sauces in the condiment section, studying the recipes intently. Wen Zhiling pushed her shopping cart to the fruit section and discovered it was the season for sour round fruits. As their name suggests, they were expensive, small, and sour fruits. Generally, nobody liked them. But they were Wen Zhiling's favorite.

The freezer was chilly, and Wen Zhiling, bracing herself against the cold air, bent down to pick out fruit.

“You come to see him every week, don’t you find it tiring?”

A soft voice rang out, startling Wen Zhiling.

The bright lights of the freezer illuminated the rows of yogurts, making them look beautiful, and also made the skin of the man next to him appear bright. His almond-shaped eyes curved slightly, which was a light and casual greeting.

"you……"

Before Wen Zhiling could give him a result, Zong Linhan took the initiative to speak, "I came out to clear my head."

Wen Zhiling twitched the corner of her mouth, "You live at number 24 and came here to relax. You don't mind that it's far."

He curled his lips into a smile. "I'm waiting for some news. If it's as I guessed, I'll never have a moment of peace or happiness in this life. Of course, I'll have to go far away."

When he said this, his icy gaze was fixed on Wen Zhiling, as if his calm words contained a hidden meaning, shrouded in a dangerous venom. But Wen Zhiling didn't understand; she only thought he was being nominated for a major award for Best Actor.

Qiao Yan pushed the shopping cart over and glanced at the sour round fruit in the freezer. "Hmm? It's in stock now. How about I buy two boxes? --Excuse me, could you spare me a moment?"

Qiao Yan couldn't reach it, so she politely spoke to the man blocking her way. She was also surprised that he was wearing a hat and glasses despite the hot weather, and that he looked good and familiar, as if she had seen him somewhere before.

Zong Linhan casually struck up a conversation with Qiao Yan, "Buy two boxes? These are pretty sour, aren't they?"

Qiao Yan: "I'm not used to it either, but everyone has different tastes. Some kids really like it."

He glanced at Wen Zhiling, their intimacy obvious. Anyone could tell that their relationship was more than just brotherly; they were either like brothers or lovers.

Zong Linhan maintained a polite smile, paying no attention whatsoever to the silent "little kid" present.

Zong Linhan didn't move aside. He picked up two boxes of sour round fruit. Qiao Yan subconsciously thought they were for him and reached out to take them. Before she could say thank you, she saw this seemingly friendly man put the items into the shopping cart.

Qiao Yan was stunned. Then, Zong Linhan, without changing his expression, put all six boxes of sour round fruit into the shopping cart, piling them up high like a small mountain.

The shelves were empty, and Qiao Yan was stunned. Zong Linhan maintained his gentlemanly demeanor and elegantly expressed his regret, "I'm really sorry, I also know a kid who loves to eat this, and he specifically told me that not a single box could be missing."

As he spoke, his gaze lightly swept over Wen Zhiling, childish yet wicked.

Qiao Yan is gentle by nature and has never seen anyone do such a rude thing since she was a child. She is a little confused and angry. Is this some kind of abstraction or a prank in a short video?

Wen Zhiling tugged at his sleeve, "Let's go, I don't really want to eat."

The two pushed the shopping cart away, and Zong Linhan looked down at their lightly touching fingers, his expression displeased.

"I'll make you jealous." The girl muttered under her breath. Zong Linhan subconsciously wanted to curl his lips into a smile, but then he remembered their current relationship, and the smile vanished in an instant.

When they returned from the supermarket, Qiao Yan noticed that Wen Zhiling was in an even worse mood. He wasn't stupid; of course, he could sense the man's blatant hostility.

He was trying to figure out how to get a hint, but Wen Zhiling turned off the TV and said she wanted to take a nap, thus avoiding the conversation.

She was a little flustered. Zong Linhan's appearance in the new district, and even at the same supermarket as her, was clearly aimed at her. The series of coincidences were not a coincidence.

One reason they broke up was that she discovered Zong Linhan's family held high-ranking positions in the Special Investigation Bureau. What kind of situation is this? A wanted criminal, a hot commodity on the bounty list, married into a police family!

She tried to convince herself that his family was only connected to the Bureau of Surveillance, perhaps distant relatives, and not really related to him. However, she simply didn't have the confidence to entrust her entire fate to another person.

For the sake of both of them, and to avoid the tragic fate of being arrested and thrown into a biochemical laboratory, she wrote a breakup letter and ran away overnight.

She took a nap until evening, and when she woke up, Qiao Yan wasn't home. He left a note saying that something had happened in the school lab and he had to go back first, leaving Wen Zhiling to take care of herself that night.

She had little appetite, so she mixed oatmeal with yogurt and ate it while watching TV.

With a snap.

A paper airplane landed by the window, its white fuselage tinged with the beautiful colors of the sunset.

Thud! Another paper airplane landed by the window, sitting steadily side by side. That was a little creepy.

Wen Zhiling put down the remote control and ran to the window. A third paper airplane came flying towards her and hit her forehead precisely. The attack was quite powerful, and it hurt a little.

She grabbed the paper airplane, ready to confront him, but then noticed a single, elegant character written on it: "往" (wang).

She picked up the two paper airplanes that had been there before, each with the words "Up" and "Look" written on it.

Put together, it means "look up".

Wen Zhiling froze. When she looked up, a man wearing a baseball cap was lazily greeting her from the rooftop across the street.

-

The twilight painted the clouds with vibrant colors. Zong Linhan leaned against the railing, hearing hurried footsteps, clattering softly. Three seconds later, the door opened, and Wen Zhiling appeared.

She was wearing slippers, her hair casually draped over her shoulders. In the past, when he suddenly came to find her and called her from downstairs at her house, she would rush over in the same way, with a happy and relaxed smile on her face.

Three years seem like a long time, yet also like just a not-so-pleasant afternoon nap.

Zong Linhan couldn't tell if he felt a sense of relief or a sudden surge of anxiety. She was within his sight, yet she felt unreal and unreal, like the railing behind him, as if she might disappear at any moment, causing him to fall from the height of a building or be jolted awake from a dream.

Wen Zhiling asked warily, "What are you doing?"

Zong Linhan pointed to a pile of boxed sour round fruits placed by the doorway, saying, "Return them to their rightful owner."

Wen Zhiling's mood improved considerably, but she still had a stern expression on her face. "How long are you going to stay?"

Zong Linhan's eyes crinkled into a smile. "Did I disturb you and your boyfriend?"

Wen Zhiling didn't say anything.

Zong Linhan sensed something amiss in the silence, and his fake smile crumbled. He lazily placed his hand on the railing, suppressing his destructive urge to smash everything.

Zong Linhan: "Come closer. Do you want everyone around us to hear you talking from so far away?"

Wen Zhiling hesitated for a moment, confirming that the inhibitor was still working. Although Zong Linhan did smell quite nice, it wasn't enough to make her lose control like before.

She walked over slowly, her gaze drawn to him. The scent of citrus tempted her, his soft skin numbed her reason, his fair skin was so delicate it seemed like it could be broken with a touch, and a light bite would... Wen Zhiling stopped a meter away from him, refusing to go any further.

Zong Linhan silently observed Wen Zhiling's unusual expression. "Do you intend to explain why you left without saying goodbye three years ago?"

Wen Zhiling looked at his dark eyes, high nose, and soft lips, her gaze lingering on the beautiful lines that ran from his jawline to his neck and shoulders. Her thoughts drifted a little. "I can explain it."

"Alright." Zong Linhan lowered his eyes. "I'll listen to your explanation."

Wen Zhiling nodded: "Okay, let me think about how to explain it."

Zong Linhan waited patiently for a while, and seeing that the girl was completely distracted, he asked, "Hmm?"

Wen Zhiling snapped back to reality and quickly tried to cover it up, "Ah, because... wait a minute... I seem to have forgotten... how I wrote my breakup letter?"

Zong Linhan's face darkened, and Wen Zhiling panicked, "No, what I meant was... oh, it hurts! Be gentle!"

A red mark appeared on his slender wrist, a testament to Zong Linhan's restraint. He hadn't expected that the person who had casually written a letter and left three years ago would now be so calm and collected, turning the page and pretending nothing had happened.

He released his grip, a playful smile on his face. "Honey, you'd better remember quickly."

Wen Zhiling rubbed her aching hand and frowned as she looked at him.

Zong Linhan chuckled, "You don't have much time left to make up excuses."

Time? What time?

Zong Linhan left the rooftop, the wind rushing from one end to the other, making the door thump loudly. The warmth of the setting sun was also carried away with it. Wen Zhiling gripped the railing, somewhat bewildered, as the last rays of sunset were swallowed by gray clouds.

-

A sudden downpour struck at eight in the morning, soaking Wen Zhiling to the bone. She opened the door early this morning, her hands drenched in sweat. The space, closed all night, was stuffy and dry, with the machines humming as they ran.

The lights in the four areas lit up one by one. Wen Zhiling made the order, attached the receipt and labels, and listened to the notification from the food delivery platform. She hated rainy days, wet clothes and soaked shoes, and having to get up half an hour early to start her day, but as the days drew to a close, she was reluctant to say goodbye to these things she disliked.

After the delivery guy picked up the order, the store was quiet for a while. When the courier who was delivering the goods came in, he was startled by her.

Her long, jet-black hair was tied behind her neck, a strand of bangs clung to her cheek, her face was pale, her lips were light-colored, and she exuded a sinister aura in the gloomy rainy weather.

The deliveryman took two steps back, exclaiming, "Oh my god!"

Wen Zhiling made a ghostly hand gesture and said in a low voice, "Give me your life!"

The delivery guy smiled, tossed the package over, and said, "Okay, here you go."

Wen Zhiling took the paper bag and saw a black stamp in the upper left corner, a symbol of a vine wrapped around it. It really was a death sentence.

This was the hospital's last act of kindness in providing her with inhibitors, forcing her to consume them, then issuing her an ultimatum to join the organization and leave Jingnan. The package also contained a stack of papers: a moving guide, a travel guide to the top ten hottest cities, ten must-see attractions, top ten livable cities, a food map…

Wen Zhiling: It really is a complete industry chain.

Wen Zhiling cherishes every minute in the shop more than usual. She is willing to wear the bunny ear themed outfit. She tidies up the bar, turning the clean cups upside down on the shelf, and finds a sense of security in the aroma of roasted beans.

Little Meng, carrying a tray, ran over shyly, then excitedly jumped up and down twice, exclaiming, "So handsome!"

Green: "Who is it? Where is it? It's not the 'back view killer,' is it? You tricked me into going to see a killer last time, and when you turned around, you scared me to death."

Xiao Meng: "Actually, I didn't see it clearly either! But he has such a handsome aura!"

Lulu printed out the takeout order and looked at Wen Zhiling, "Am I outdated? These days, the standard for handsome doesn't even include looks?"

Wen Zhiling smiled and wiped the bar clean.

Little Meng huffed, "He really has a cool demeanor!"

Green: "Little sister, you're still too young. These days, if you put on a mask and pull down your hat, you're a total style killer on the street. If you take off your hat and glasses, you're just an ordinary passerby. People won't even have time to run away."

Xiao Meng: "My aesthetic sense is never wrong! Go look, go look, go look! He really is very handsome, he looks like... like that person!"

Wen Zhiling poured the coffee into the cup, put the lid on, and went to get the packaging bag. She curiously peeked inside and asked, "Who does it look like?"

Xiao Meng remembered, "Zong Linhan!"

Wen Zhiling's fragile heart couldn't take the shock.

Fortunately, fate occasionally smiles upon someone, like Zong Linhan, but not Zong Linhan.

But she still felt incredibly awkward all afternoon, and only breathed a sigh of relief and came back to life when she handed over her shift. Speaking of which, the last time her ex-boyfriend saw her in the bunny ear outfit, she was so nervous that she forgot to feel ashamed. Could it be considered a blessing in disguise?

Xiao Meng lent her coat to Wen Zhiling because her clothes, which had been soaked by the rain during the day, were still wet. She and Lü Lü excitedly discussed just how much the guest from the afternoon looked like her.

Wen Zhiling felt uneasy upon hearing the name Zong Linhan. She hurriedly put on her coat and left, only to be blocked at the back door with the rabbit-ear antenna still hanging on her head.

She bent down to go through the back door, instinctively straightening the rabbit ears.

There were hardly any people coming and going through the back door. The twilight lengthened the shadows, and with the rabbit ears making them appear even taller, the shadows looked like adorable little monsters.

Wen Zhiling watched for a while, then took out her phone and adjusted the angle to take a picture.

Another shadow approached silently. As soon as Wen Zhiling turned around, her rabbit ears were grabbed. Her head followed the direction the rabbit ears were pulled, and she was close to the other person's chest. The familiar fresh scent of citrus wafted over, accompanied by a flirtatious voice, "I wanted to say it last time, you're so cute."

A slender hand touched the rabbit's ears, bending them and swaying them as if greeting someone.

His arm brushed against her long hair, then he tightened his grip and pulled her closer, subtly drawing her into his arms.

The glow of the setting sun bathed them both in the same beautiful colors.

Wen Zhiling was surprised: "Why are you here again? You weren't this free before."

Zong Linhan smiled brightly, "I reminded you last time that there's not much time left."

Wen Zhiling was glad she had taken the suppressant. She raised her leg to kick Zong Linhan and then run away, but he turned slightly to the side and hugged her from behind, tucking a strand of long hair behind her face. He teased her affectionately yet mischievously, "Why are you running, little bunny?"

A note from the author:

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