Chapter 55 He wasn't intentionally avoiding her; he needed to be more proactive. ...

Zhu Liushuang was able to walk normally again five days later.

During this time, Gu Xufeng and his sister truly lived up to their promise, serving her diligently and attentively. Besides punctually picking her up and dropping her off from work, they even provided the perk of delivering breakfast and milk tea. This made Zhu Liushuang feel quite embarrassed.

The most damaging thing was that rumors about her and Gu Xufeng started to circulate. These included things like, "She found a boyfriend who drives a Land Rover," and "Her boyfriend is so considerate, he picks her up and drops her off at work every day. Looks like they're getting married soon!" Even Lü Feng, who hadn't seen her in a long time, subtly inquired whether she really had a boyfriend.

This caused Zhu Liushuang a great deal of trouble. Fortunately, after her foot fully recovered, Gu Xufeng disappeared. Gu Xuting told her that her brother had been dispatched to be stationed on a railway project in a neighboring county.

These days, Zhu Liushuang and He Ming haven't met at all. Apart from a few simple exchanges on WeChat, they haven't had any other casual conversations.

Dr. Xie's cough improved day by day, but the elderly woman's health had indeed deteriorated significantly, so he temporarily suspended his practice. Gu Chunling, through Dr. Xie's recommendation, was referred to another well-known traditional Chinese medicine doctor in Gucheng. However, the doctor's fees there were more than half again as much as Dr. Xie's.

Considering that she would be enrolled in the treatment group in the second half of the year, and that her treatment fees would be waived after enrollment, Gu Chunling gritted her teeth and did not give up the idea of ​​continuing to use traditional Chinese medicine as an adjunct to treatment.

That afternoon, Zhu Liushuang received a notification that someone from Zhonghe would come to continue following up on the application process. This made her unconsciously nervous.

Before the team building event, He Ming had said he would come to the company again, but nothing came of it. She knew he was busy with work and didn't want to bother him, so she just waited patiently, hoping he would remember her.

Upon receiving the news, Zhu Liushuang made a special trip to the coffee shop downstairs to buy two cups of hand-drip coffee. After everything was prepared, she sat in the finance office to check the accounts. However, several times, she entered the wrong decimal point.

Zhu Liushuang simply turned off her computer screen, focusing solely on waiting for someone. This unusual action aroused Zhuang Xiaoqian's suspicion.

"I'm telling you, this afternoon, you were rushing downstairs to buy coffee and you were fidgeting around. Something's not right!"

"Something's not right?" Zhu Liushuang asked, feigning ignorance.

Zhuang Xiaoqian clicked her tongue twice, glanced at her, and said, "It's just that people from Zhonghe are coming later, why are you so nervous? Could it be..."

"I'm not nervous. I ate a bit too much at lunch, so I'm just standing up and stretching!" Zhu Liushuang retorted, looking at the ground.

Zhuang Xiaoqian didn't believe her explanation. She suddenly recalled the subtle, ambiguous atmosphere between Zhu Liushuang and He Ming on the night of the team building event and tentatively asked, "Is it because the handsome He is coming?"

Zhu Liushuang turned her head to the side and took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound normal: "It doesn't matter who comes! If Teacher He comes, he will definitely find fault with me. It would be better if Lin Hui or Jiang Shuting came, so that we can communicate more easily."

She spoke with such conviction, as if she deeply disliked He Ming. But Zhuang Xiaoqian clearly saw a suspicious blush on that fair and delicate face.

"Oh—I see! It seems you have a lot of opinions about Teacher He!" Zhuang Xiaoqian said, deliberately raising her eyebrows.

"Who has a problem with our Teacher He?" A teasing male voice suddenly rang out, and at the same time, someone knocked on the half-open door of the finance office.

Zhu Liushuang opened her mouth, about to respond to Zhuang Xiaoqian's words, but swallowed them back. Her already slightly flushed face turned even redder: "No, no one has any complaints about Teacher He."

Lin Hui walked in knowing the way well, followed by Jiang Shuting.

"Our teacher He is indeed quite serious when he's working. He always has a stern face, which is quite intimidating... It's understandable to have a problem with him. Hehe, Miss Zhu, don't worry, I won't tattle on you!"

Zhu Liushuang forced a smile and gave Lin Hui an awkward one. Turning her head, she saw Zhuang Xiaoqian giving her a cryptic look. After a while, she finally understood Zhuang Xiaoqian's words: "Happy now? Now you can communicate easily!"

I don't know if he was teasing her with those words.

However, Zhu Liushuang had no time to worry about that right now. She carried her notebook and a thick stack of materials, leading Lin Hui and the others to the conference room.

"Please sit down for a while. I just bought some hand-drip coffee. I'll go back and get it," Zhu Liushuang said to Lin Hui and Jiang Shuting after placing the items on the conference table.

"You're too kind!" Lin Hui said with a grin. "I had your coffee last time I worked overtime, and now I have coffee again."

Jiang Shuting also exchanged pleasantries, thanking Zhu Liushuang for her thoughtfulness last time, and ordered herself a hot coffee.

Zhu Liushuang responded to the two with a smile, but anyone who knew her well could see through her forced pretense.

Behind that polite smile lay a gloomy and lifeless heart.

She opened the door and walked out of the conference room, her steps becoming slow and hesitant, and the smile on her face vanished.

Well, people really can't say one thing and mean another! What she said came true... she cursed herself inwardly.

After returning to the conference room with the hand-drip coffee, Zhu Liushuang's face, as if wound up, regained its gentle and radiant glow. She placed the coffee in front of Lin Hui and Jiang Shuting, and then distributed the documents to them.

While distributing materials, she casually mentioned, "I've been seeing Mr. Gu's posts on WeChat Moments these past few days, and he's been wailing every day. He's either complaining about how bad the food at the construction site is or how he's getting so tanned... It's quite funny."

Jiang Shuting chuckled: "Originally, Lin Hui was supposed to be assigned to be stationed there for that project. But somehow, it was changed to Teacher Gu. However... Teacher He also went there these past two days, probably because he encountered some troublesome matter."

He's away on a business trip; no wonder he didn't come today.

He wasn't intentionally avoiding her.

Her slightly slumped shoulders regained their vitality, and Zhu Liushuang's eyes brightened again: "It seems that Teacher He is quite busy. He told me last time that he would come over in person to discuss the specific details of the application."

Lin Hui and Jiang Shuting exchanged a glance, worried that Zhu Liushuang might doubt their professional competence, so they quickly explained, "Actually, the application process is quite simple, just a bit tedious, and there are many things to pay attention to. But don't worry, Professor He specifically explained the details to us before he left and even made some annotations..."

"Yes, thank you for your help." Zhu Liushuang said with a grin.

That night, after finishing her online class, Zhu Liushuang stared blankly at He Ming's WeChat profile picture for a while.

Their last WeChat conversation was four days ago.

I hope Dr. Xie recovers soon. And you take care of yourself too, senior. Goodnight!

She said goodnight to him, but he didn't reply with a single word.

It would be a lie to say she doesn't care. People say, "It's easy for a woman to pursue a man." I wonder if he can sense that she feels something special for him.

Which girl would fawn over someone she doesn't like, or force conversation?

After hesitating and agonizing for a long time, Zhu Liushuang once again convinced herself to take the initiative.

So she began to report her work for the day to He Ming.

[Senior, Lin Hui and Shuting came to the company this afternoon. We've almost finished discussing the application form and supporting materials, and I've revised the parts you noted down. I heard you specifically instructed Lin Hui and Shuting about the application process before you left for your business trip; thank you so much!]

She messaged him at 10 p.m. and received a reply at midnight.

You're welcome. After you've made the changes, just wait for the application to be submitted.

After finishing her long phone call with Tian Xingyu, Zhu Liushuang lay on the bed staring blankly at the ceiling.

She couldn't wait to open her phone the moment it vibrated.

It was still the same businesslike tone.

Zhu Liushuang's face fell, but she didn't forget to continue replying.

[My senior is still up so late. He must be working so hard...]

While typing, she deleted the line she had entered. Then, she forwarded the article from the official WeChat account of Gucheng No.1 Middle School's centennial celebration to He Ming.

I ran into Senior Ye last time, and we happened to be talking about the school's centennial celebration at the end of the month. I heard it's a big event, with commemorative photo albums and souvenirs to be given away. Will you be going?

A long time passed, so long that Zhu Liushuang was almost asleep when she finally received his reply.

Not necessarily. I might go if I get back from my business trip.

Zhu Liushuang typed with her eyes half-closed.

【Yes, it's late, senior should get some rest.】

【The same to you. 】

Ten minutes after she sent the message, He Ming replied.

Zhu Liushuang didn't have time to look before she fell into a deep sleep, clutching her phone.

————

In late August, Gucheng was hit by another typhoon. Unfortunately, the weather did not cool down as a result of the typhoon.

The lingering summer heat has arrived, and the continuous sunny days have left the flowers and plants along the streets wilting. Despite the unbearable heat, it couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of the students at No. 1 Middle School to return to school.

The series of activities celebrating the centennial of Gucheng No.1 Middle School lasted for a whole week, with the second and third days being open days to welcome alumni back to visit the school.

Zhu Liushuang and Tian Xingyu agreed to return to their alma mater on the third day of the school anniversary celebration. Ye Xingzhi, as the host, was almost excessively enthusiastic.

He messaged Zhu Liushuang early in the morning, asking her what time she would arrive at school and whether she needed him to pick them up at the school gate.

Zhu Liushuang sat in the passenger seat of Tian Xingyu's car, laughing as she read Ye Xingzhi's WeChat messages to her friend.

What she got in return was Tian Xingyu's complaint: "Does he think we're three-year-olds? I studied at No. 1 High School for three years, and I know all those winding, hidden paths by heart. Why do we need him to pick us up at the school gate!"

"You blockhead!" Zhu Liushuang shook her head helplessly and said calmly, "Perhaps... the real intention is not what it seems?"

This time, Tian Xingyu understood her unspoken meaning and quickly denied it: "Impossible, absolutely impossible! I'm not one to turn back..."

“Oh—” Zhu Liushuang raised the last syllable.

Tian Xingyu changed the subject, asking, "What about Senior He? Is he coming today?"

When He Ming was mentioned, Zhu Liushuang's wide grin suddenly drooped.

"I don't know..." she muttered.

"What do you mean you don't know? Didn't you ask him last night?" Tian Xingyu said, exasperated. "Didn't I tell you to ask him?"

“I asked—” Zhu Liushuang puffed out her cheeks, a little deflated, “He’s back from his business trip, but it seems there’s a pipeline relocation project to handle, he’s very busy. He might not be back…”

"Why is it all work all the time!" Tian Xingyu couldn't help but grumble. "I thought you guys had made some big progress after that team building event last time! But you're still stuck in the same place. Why don't you just change jobs and go work for them? You're preparing for the CPA exam anyway."

That makes a lot of sense, Zhu Liushuang couldn't help but think to herself.

She quickly rejected her friend's suggestion: "No way—I won't have an office romance, it's too risky! Even if I do switch jobs to a firm in the future, I won't go through with it."

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Author's Note: I'm never being greedy again [shrug]. I have no idea how sensitive my stomach is [clown].

This chapter is a transitional one; the part about getting the marriage certificate should be written soon!