Utter defeat
Once a decision is made, it must be carried through to the end.
The next day, she left work on time, but instead of going home, she took a taxi directly to a coffee shop across from Zhuoyue Building and chose a window seat.
From here, you can clearly see the building's imposing entrance and the exit of the underground parking garage.
She ordered an Americano, but didn't drink a drop, instead staring intently out the window.
Time passed second by second.
During rush hour, the building is bustling with people and vehicles coming and going.
Lin Tingyue stared intently, afraid of missing that familiar black Bentley.
However, even as dusk fell and the streetlights came on, she still didn't see Chi Zhuo's car emerge.
The coffee had long since gone cold.
She lowered her eyelashes in disappointment, telling herself it was okay, it was only the first day.
He might be working overtime, or he might have left a long time ago?
She can come earlier tomorrow.
On the third day, she took the afternoon off and waited at the coffee shop early.
From the blazing afternoon sun to the setting sun and then to the falling night.
Still nothing.
For five consecutive days, she appeared at the window seat on time, just like clocking in for work, holding onto a sliver of hope and waiting for her chance to succeed.
The coffee shop staff seemed to recognize her, their initial curiosity turning into acceptance, and occasionally casting a sympathetic glance at her.
Such a young and beautiful girl, waiting here every day without fail, is clearly troubled by love.
Lin Tingyue ignored all the gazes.
Her entire focus was on the building across the street.
The waiting process was long and agonizing.
Every time a black car drove out of the garage exit, her heart would leap into her throat, only to sink again when it wasn't a Bentley.
Repeated hopes and disappointments tested her nerves.
She had considered going directly into the building to find him.
But the front desk hurdle is clearly insurmountable, and doing so would be too aggressive and likely only provoke stronger resentment from him.
All she could do was wait, wait for a seemingly accidental opportunity to face him directly.
This was the least coercive way she could think of, and the way that best demonstrated her sincerity.
Although this approach made her appear incredibly humble.
Xia Xiaoran would call every day, initially offering encouragement, but later expressing concern and advising her to quit.
"Yueyue, let it go. It's been so many days. He must have left through another entrance, or he's not even in the company! Aren't you just torturing yourself?"
Lin Tingyue simply shook her head and whispered into the phone, "Wait a little longer."
She had a strange premonition that she could wait for him.
Or rather, she had to convince herself that she could wait for him, otherwise, this courageous act would collapse in an instant.
Chi Zhuo has been very busy these past few days.
A new merger deal has run into some trouble, and he's been working late almost every day, with frequent meetings and people-to-people exchanges.
He even took a short business trip for a day.
After Lu Tingyuan finished his routine work report, he hesitated for a moment before adding, "President Chi, Miss Lin... has been at the coffee shop across the street these past few afternoons."
Chi Zhuo's hand didn't even pause as he signed the document; the pen tip scratched across the paper, making a soft rustling sound. His tone was indifferent: "Ignore it."
"Yes." Lu Tingyuan said no more and left.
Inside the office, Chi Zhuo raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping across the huge floor-to-ceiling window to the almost negligible coffee shop sign across the street below. His eyes were deep and cold, revealing no emotion whatsoever.
Of course he knew she was there.
From the day after he had the receptionist return the lunchbox, he knew about her new tactics.
Foolish and stubborn.
He didn't believe that this pointless waiting would change anything.
He even deliberately avoided leaving through the main entrance, instead taking a private elevator directly down to B2 from the underground parking garage, where his driver would be waiting for him.
Mr. Zhang, the CEO of Dingsheng Group, is hosting a private cocktail party tonight, Friday.
In the afternoon, Chi Zhuo ended the meeting early.
He needs to go back to his apartment to change his clothes.
Perhaps it was the upcoming social engagement that made him a little irritable, or perhaps it was because he needed a change of pace after days of busyness. When Lu Tingyuan asked him as usual if he wanted to leave through the garage, he inexplicably said, "I'll leave through the front door."
A hint of surprise flashed in Lu Tingyuan's eyes, but he didn't ask any further questions and immediately notified the driver.
A black Bentley slowly drove out of the underground parking garage and circled around to the temporary parking area in front of the building's main entrance. Almost simultaneously, in the coffee shop across the street, Lin Tingyue, who had almost grown accustomed to disappointment, suddenly stood up as if struck by lightning!
That car!
It's his car!
He's out! He finally came out through the main entrance!
Overwhelmed with surprise and tension, Lin Tingyue's heart pounded wildly, almost bursting out of her chest.
She grabbed her bag in a flurry, not even bothering to tidy her hair and clothes, and rushed out of the coffee shop like a startled fawn.
She ran very fast, crossed the road, and rushed towards the black Bentley that was about to start.
The driver was about to step on the gas pedal when he suddenly saw a figure rushing towards him. Startled, he quickly stepped on the brakes.
The back window was tinted dark, obscuring the view inside. But Lin Tingyue knew he was inside.
She ran to the back window of the car, panting, and without regard for etiquette, she raised her hand and knocked on the window urgently.
"Chi Zhuo! Chi Zhuo! Open the window, I just want to say a few words! Just a few words!"
Her voice, panting from running and tinged with barely perceptible sobs, was full of pleading.
The car was completely silent.
It was as if there was no one inside.
The driver looked through the rearview mirror at the expressionless man in the back seat.
Chi Zhuo didn't even turn his head to look out the window. He simply stared coldly ahead, his thin lips parting slightly as he uttered two words: "Drive."
The driver hesitated for a moment; the girl outside the window looked so pitiful and desperate.
"Mr. Chi, this..."
"Drive." Chi Zhuo's voice grew even colder, carrying an unquestionable command.
The driver dared not hesitate any longer and had no choice but to bite the bullet and slowly press the accelerator.
The car started moving.
"Chi Zhuo! Chi Zhuo!"
Lin Tingyue watched the car slowly move forward, and her heart suddenly panicked.
She finally waited so long for him!
She couldn't let him go like that!
In her panic, she instinctively started running after the car, pounding on the window with one hand.
"Just five minutes! No, three minutes! Even one minute is fine! Let me finish!"
She cried out, her voice sounding so weak and helpless on the noisy street.
People on the roadside started to look at them.
Inside the car, Chi Zhuo's brows were tightly furrowed, and his jawline was taut.
The figure running alongside the car outside the window was like a blinding light, constantly interfering with his vision.
Her stubbornness and recklessness exceeded his expectations, and intensified the inexplicable irritation in his heart.
He finally lost his patience.
Just when Lin Tingyue was almost unable to keep up with the car's speed and was about to despair, the black car window finally slowly rolled down halfway.
He didn't fully descend, only revealing his cold profile and emotionless eyes.
He didn't even look at her.
"Lin Tingyue".
His voice came through the half-open car window, icy cold as if it had been tempered with ice, instantly freezing Lin Tingyue in place, "What exactly do you want?"
The car stopped.
Lin Tingyue gasped for breath, her chest heaving violently. Looking at that half-face, cold and hard, all the words she had prepared stuck in her throat, leaving only the most straightforward sentence.
"I...I want to apologize..."
"Apologize?" Chi Zhuo finally turned his head slightly, his gaze like a cold blade, sweeping over her disheveled face with undisguised sarcasm. "Using this persistent and nagging method? Miss Lin, your way of apologizing is always so unconventional and troublesome."
His words were like a slap in the face. Lin Tingyue's face turned deathly pale instantly.
"I...I wasn't pestering you...I just wanted to see you..."
She tried to explain, her voice trembling.
"See me?" Chi Zhuo interrupted her, his annoyance almost overflowing. "And then? Repeat your empty, meaningless confessions? Or continue with your childish tricks that you think will move others?"
He paused, each word clear and cruel: "I don't need your apology. I find your concern even more superfluous. I'll give you one last bit of face, out of consideration for our two families' continued cooperation. Now, disappear from my sight immediately."
"Don't show up near my company again, and don't do anything pointless."
“Otherwise,” he slowly turned his head away, no longer looking at her, leaving only a final, chilling warning, “I wouldn’t mind letting the Lin family understand what real trouble is.”
The car window rolled up mercilessly, completely shutting out his face from everything outside.
The black Bentley didn't stop at all, smoothly merging into the traffic and quickly disappearing at the end of the street.
Lin Tingyue was left alone, standing stiffly in place, as if all her strength and soul had been drained away.
The wind blowing through the street carried the chill of late spring, but it was nowhere near as cold as his words.
The gazes from those around him were varied, some curious, some sympathetic, and some mocking.
She was like a clown stripped naked and thrown into the middle of the street; all her courage, expectations, and last shred of dignity were crushed to pieces by his cold words.
It turns out that not all efforts are rewarded.
Not all sincerity can be seen.
She lost.
They suffered a crushing defeat.
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