Ha Yue quickly forgot about Zhou Tianlou Zhiyun's mess and started looking for a live-in nanny to take care of Zhao Chunni in the new week.
Despite leaving my contact number at several domestic service centers and actively posting job information on local websites, there are still very few nannies who meet the employment requirements.
The domestic service industry in Suicheng is poorly managed, and there are many unqualified applicants.
Many of the nannies who come to Suicheng to work are older than Zhao Chunni and suffer from chronic diseases such as high blood pressure and high blood sugar. They can only do simple shopping and housework and have no experience in caring for dementia patients. Even if they are hired now, they will probably have difficulty coping with Zhao Chunni's condition in the future.
In addition, Ha Yue was tied up with the shop's business for most of the day, so busy that it wasn't until Saturday, when Xue Jing and Director Zhao finished their meeting in Lincheng, that Ha Yue realized they hadn't returned to Jicheng.
In the morning, Ha Yue asked her neighbor Cao Xiaoyu, who was off work, to watch the shop for a while, and then went to Suicheng Hospital early in the morning to find a professional caregiver.
After receiving several contact numbers recommended by the nurses from the information desk, Ha Yue searched for the phone numbers on the list on WeChat one by one. In order to prevent her mother from being harmed when she was not in a state of consciousness, she first removed all male caregivers, and then added the female caregivers one by one, stating her purpose.
After finishing casting the net, and with no immediate response from the caregivers, Ha Yue picked up her phone and looked up, only to see Xue Jing printing a report at the self-service machine in the lobby not far away.
Suicheng Hospital was very small, with all the facilities cramped. The two were only three tiles apart. Ha Yue saw Xue Jing, and Xue Jing also glanced at her.
Wearing masks, their eyes met. Ha Yue's eyelids twitched; she instinctively felt this meeting was a bit abrupt, but she still walked to his side, swallowed hard, and tried her best to appear gentle and kind. "What are you doing here?"
The temperature in Suicheng has plummeted in the past week.
Today, Ha Yue wore a high-necked fleece jacket and corduroy trousers. Both clothes were baggy and oversized, making her look like a fluffy brown bear.
Her hair was messy, probably from wearing a helmet. Two pink hard candies were still attached to the loosened hair tie of her high ponytail. The hair tie was discolored from the sun and looked like an unsold item from a convenience store.
Xue Jing withdrew his gaze from the pink color, pulled out the medical examination report from under the printer, and naturally replied, "Medical examination."
"Huh?" Ha Yue suddenly tensed up, disregarding social distancing, she tiptoed to peek at the medical report in his hand, her tone worried, "Are you feeling unwell? Why are you suddenly getting a medical check-up in Suicheng? Have you been sick these past few days?"
"Does your throat feel uncomfortable? Or do you have a fever? Have you had a nucleic acid test? I heard from a customer that primary and secondary schools have been closed again recently, apparently because there have been cases of infection among students."
"You've had all three vaccinations, right?"
Although the pandemic has been raging for more than two years, this year's situation looks particularly frightening. Rumors suggest that the number of fever patients admitted to hospitals recently is significantly higher than the entire previous year. There is a lot of unease, with many residents saying that Suicheng will be locked down soon. Many villagers who came to the city to do odd jobs have quit their jobs early and returned to their hometowns.
Ha Yue's good physical condition probably doesn't matter, but Xue Jing, despite being rich and handsome, is seen by her as a weak and sickly scholar.
As Ha Yue spoke, she seemed to reach out to touch Xue Jing's forehead, but quickly withdrew her hand as soon as it emerged from her sleeve. In her panic, her words came out faster and faster, like a jumbled tape, without even a chance to process them in her mind.
Regardless, Ha Yue still possessed the spirit of a good host and did not want Xue Jing to fall ill in her hometown.
"Were you tired that day?"
After Ha Yue finished speaking, her face turned red, and her nails itched a little, so she secretly scratched her pocket twice.
Xue Jing on the other side wasn't much better off. Before he could even reply, he choked on his own words. He coughed twice, cleared his throat, turned his head, and gave her a quick glare, saying, "Thank you for your concern, but it's unnecessary. I haven't even stepped into my coffin yet."
"I'm going to the Safety Supervision Bureau on Monday to apply for the assessment. I need a recent medical examination report."
"Oh. Haha, I see." Ha Yue chuckled dryly a few times, and walked out of the hospital gate with Xue Jing. When they reached the threshold that could only allow one person to pass at a time, Xue Jing walked in front, and after they went out, he took the initiative to let her pass by, lifting the curtain so that she could pass through without any obstruction.
Ha Yue said thank you as usual, and as she turned to the side, she turned back to ask him, "Are you going back next week?"
"I thought you left last week." He had said he would only stay for a week.
Last week, their chat history ended with her informing him that she had arrived home safely and wishing him a safe journey home.
Xue Jing did not reply to her messages, and she did not bother him again.
Their interactions and conversations were like a sudden evening breeze that then stopped, everything was harmonious and full of radiant humanistic care.
It's all in the past. There's no need for Ha Yue to resort to such extreme measures as blocking and deleting to sever any possibility between them.
Everything is understood without words.
"I won't be back next week; there's been a last-minute change at work."
So that's how it is. I didn't expect Xue Jing to be so busy these days. Besides the published works she saw, he's also doing a lot of things that the public doesn't see.
Ha Yue nodded, having no intention of prying into the other party's work, and said no more.
The two walked down the stairs side by side, maintaining a safe distance between them at all times, unlike boyfriend and girlfriend, more like colleagues who were not very familiar with each other.
Under the parking shed, the small electric scooter that Xiaoyu had lent to Hayue was still shivering in the cold wind. Out of courtesy, before parting again, Hayue asked, "How are you getting home? Taking a taxi? This scooter is too small, or I could give you a ride..."
She deliberately dragged out her words, hoping Xue Jing would understand her difficulties, but Xue Jing didn't back down. He stood at a safe distance and looked at her sincerely with his handsome eyes, saying, "Okay, thank you for your help. I'm going back to the hotel; I have an appointment this afternoon."
Today is a day off, and there are quite a few people riding electric bikes on the street. Coming out of the hospital, the Hayue merges into the main road, and groups of electric bikes are like silver fish rolling in the sea, chasing each other and surging through the traffic lights.
But after several intersections, only Ha Yue was left behind in the last group.
The pink electric scooter was in full gear on the asphalt road, but it still wasn't going very fast.
Because it was carrying two tall, healthy people, it was so absurd it looked like crazy adults trying to ride a children's bicycle.
Before getting on the bus, Ha Yue gave the only helmet to Xue Jing behind her, while she herself grimaced in the cold wind in front of her.
The car slowed down even more as it went over a speed bump, and then suddenly lurched violently. Xue Jing's voice came from behind, close to her neck, and drilled into her ear. While he might not have been very considerate, he had at least politely asked her beforehand, "Ha Yue, the car is a bit shaky, and the seat is too small. Can I hold onto your shoulder?"
"It's okay if you can't."
Ha Yue scoffed under her breath, thinking to herself, "You old man know the seat is small, but since it was my suggestion, I couldn't really let him fall to his death, so I could only say okay."
But just as Xue Jing's right hand touched her shoulder, a large pothole appeared on the asphalt road. Ha Yue made a sharp turn, catching Xue Jing off guard. His fingers gripped her clothes, almost pulling out all the hair on her shoulder.
A primary school student standing up and riding a bicycle quickly overtook them, turning back to make faces at the two idiots and laughing loudly as he passed them.
Ha Yue immediately shouted ahead, "Hey! What are you laughing at! Come over here if you dare!"
The gear shift was almost broken, but she still couldn't catch up with the fast-moving troublemaker. Turning back, Ha Yue yelled at the culprit, "Alright, alright, just hold my waist, why are you tearing my clothes? I just bought them this year! If you tear them, I'll have to pay to fix them. Annoying."
"Okay. Alright then."
Xue Jing, who was suddenly scolded for no reason, sat in the back seat and was both amused and exasperated. He accepted the scolding without arguing back, and reached out to wrap his arm around her waist from behind.
The loose coat was squeezed into a thin sheet by her arms, her fingers interlocked, like a belt around her waist.
Xue Jing was wearing a new perfume today. It smelled very clean, with lemon as the top note, mixed with some sweet and soft jasmine and cedar. To match the youthful image, he was also wearing new clothes, with the overall tone being milky white and sky blue.
Today, the beauty pageant contestants' elaborate attire is effective.
Ha Yue hadn't been in such close contact with a man while she was clear-headed for a long time. She had even forgotten that her waistline was full of sensitive nerves, and that her sense of smell was also very fond of Xue Jing's rich fragrance. Her broken heart in her chest had been beating wildly and uncontrollably ever since he came close to her.
But the more her heart pounded, the more agitated she became. An itch coursed through her nerve endings, running from her fingertips to the soles of her feet. Her cheeks burned, and her hair seemed to be steaming.
Are you crazy? Who would wear so much perfume for a medical checkup? Did he beat the perfume seller to death?
Why are you hugging her so tightly? Didn't I already teach her how to make amends that day? You're such a petty man, aren't you satisfied yet? Do you want to crush her?
Ha Yue grew increasingly angry as she rode, her stray hairs standing on end in the wind, like a raging dragon in an animated film, finally unleashing her fury by breathing fire.
With his chest pressed against her back, Xue Jing could hear all of Ha Yue's mutterings. Her mouth was like a machine gun, constantly cursing him under her mask, mainly because she thought he was too tall and caused her a lot of wind resistance while driving.
He said he shouldn't actually take the car; she was just being polite.
At the end of each argument, she always added, "Xue Jing, you're really annoying, you know that?"
Xue Jing lowered his eyelashes, his gaze fixed on Ha Yue's profile, which was magnified infinitely.
On the way to the meeting that day, with Xue Jing's deliberate elaboration, Jinzi recounted many of Ha Yue's heroic deeds from his childhood.
According to Jinzi's subjective description, Ha Yue was extremely domineering from a young age, and was the king of the kids in their neighborhood who was feared by everyone until the third grade of elementary school.
Ha Yue was involved in every petty theft committed by the children of Suicheng.
In spring, during breaks, she would use a mineral water bottle to catch caterpillars, climb them up trees to feed the birds, scaring her classmates to tears. In summer, she would catch tadpoles in a dirty ditch, take them home, and raise dozens of toads that would jump around the yard.
In autumn, she skipped school and took the children to burn dry grass and roast sweet potatoes in the wild, almost causing a fire. In winter, she dismantled the firecrackers that her family was going to use for the New Year and had a contest with the boys to see who dared to hold them in their hands to set them off.
According to Jinzi, Ha Yue's childhood image was practically that of Sun Wukong, who wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace.
They fear neither heaven nor earth, and are even more savage than boys.
However, one day, the mischievous monkey was suddenly imprisoned under the Five Elements Mountain and forced to wear the golden headband, becoming very knowledgeable, reasonable, and gentle.
As for the reason, Jinzi was vague and seemed to be keeping it a secret.
Xue Jing speculated that Ha Yue had experienced significant life changes at that time, perhaps her parents divorced, perhaps a relative passed away, or perhaps her young mind was suddenly subjected to external pressure and harm.
He dared not think about what kind of pain Ha Yue had experienced in the years he had not been involved in. At the same time, Xue Jing very much hoped that his analysis was wrong and that Ha Yue had simply grown up and changed a lot.
That way, I can feel a little better about how harshly I treated her that day.
Right now, Ha Yue's profile has never looked so vivid, from her furrowed brows and stubborn nose to her constantly complaining mouth under her mask.
Fortunately, the mischievous and rebellious wild child inside Ha Yue was still there. Xue Jing unintentionally opened the time capsule that belonged to Ha Yue.
She is like this because she is meant to be like this.
He doesn't understand her simply because he hasn't received a completely equal message.
After a week of calming down, Xue Jing's emotions were boiling even more intensely. Once he stopped suppressing his feelings, he probably started to lose his mind. He intuitively felt that Ha Yue's scolding at this moment was very clever and cute.
If his love for Ha Yue during his school days was merely a part of her molted snake skin, then now he has been given the opportunity to explore her entire life.
He can revisit the clouds she once saw and walk the paths she once walked in this city where she once lived.
This is simply the ultimate honor of reuniting with your first love.
The electric scooter was parked by the roadside. Xue Jing easily lifted his long legs and stepped over the back seat. He took off the pink helmet from his head and handed it to Ha Yue without loosening his grip.
When Ha Yue tugged at it and realized he wouldn't let go, she looked up and glared at him fiercely without any attempt to hide it. Only then did he shrug, apologize, and release his helmet. Xue Jing glanced down at the watch on his right wrist and asked her very casually, "Want to come up?"
"I still have about an hour and a half until the appointed time."
Not hearing a response from Ha Yue, his tone softened further.
"Don't worry about me, I wasn't very tired last time. I would have said so if I was tired. They're all familiar faces."
How could anyone utter such foul language in broad daylight on the street?
Even if they were in a relationship, Xue Jing wouldn't have become so addicted. He rarely made aggressive demands and always waited quietly for her to ask. He never offered to feed her tea. No matter what step they took, if Ha Yue said no, he would stop, showing great gentlemanly manners.
Ha Yue stared in surprise, her mouth agape beneath her mask. Her eyes darted around as she looked him up, down, left, and right for a long time before finally giving him a pitiful look, as if her ex-boyfriend had been possessed by a lecherous man.
Sure enough, money corrupts men, and middle-aged men become scoundrels. Her former ideal man, who hadn't even reached middle age, had already turned into such a wicked and unrestrained glutton, utterly despicable.
Fortunately, she was cautious and carried safety measures with her; she didn't want to contract an infectious disease due to an impulsive act as she approached thirty.
Great writers really need to take care of their health. Creating art already takes a toll on their bodies; they shouldn't push themselves to the point of sudden death. It's just that her apology that day wasn't malicious. If she had gone into the hotel with the intention of extortion, and then taken some private photos of Xue Jing sleeping, his career would be over.
These days, quite a few celebrities have had their public personas crumble.
Out of good intentions, Ha Yue originally wanted to offer Xue Jing some advice on matters of male-female morality.
One should not have the intention to harm others, but one should not be without the intention to guard against others.
Finally, thinking that how he was living his life was none of her business, she shut her mouth, put on her helmet, and calmly said before shooting her ex-boyfriend through the eyes, "I think it's better not to. It's broad daylight, and it's indecent. It's a small place, and there are too many people around. Please understand."
"good."
Xue Jing fully respected her opinion and accepted rejections quickly, as if the question he had just raised was as simple as whether she wanted to eat gum with him. He nodded to her in the bright sunshine, his face still amiable, but there was a hint of joy in his eyes that she didn't notice.
"See you later."
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