Refusal to cooperate with either soft or hard approaches
Upon learning that Chi Zhuo had asked a question, she practically floated home that afternoon.
The gloom of the past few days was dispelled by this sliver of light, and she couldn't help but hum a song, finding even the ordinary street scene outside the window endearing.
Chi Zhuo noticed this, which means he wasn't completely indifferent.
This realization gave her tremendous encouragement. Perhaps Xia Xiaoran's clumsy sincerity really worked.
The next day, she put in even more effort.
She got up early and tried to make a more laborious stomach-nourishing soup, carefully watching the heat and striving for perfection in every step, as if she were not cooking, but creating a sacred work of art.
She accidentally burned her fingertip with steam again, leaving a small red mark. She looked at the mark and smiled foolishly.
It's worth it. If he can sense even a little bit of her apology and...feelings, then it's all worth it.
She arrived at the Zhuoyue Building again, feeling more excited and full of anticipation than ever before.
She even mustered up her courage and gave the receptionist a sincere, slightly shy smile.
"Thank you for your help." She handed over the lunchbox, which seemed heavier and more carefully prepared than usual.
The receptionist maintained her professional smile and accepted it, saying, "Okay."
Everything seemed to be the same as usual.
But just as Lin Tingyue turned around, preparing to leave as before, the receptionist gently called out to her, "Ms. Lin, please wait a moment."
Lin Tingyue's heart skipped a beat, her anticipation instantly reaching its peak.
Is...is there something he wants to tell her? Could it be...?
She turned around nervously, her fingers unconsciously twisting together.
The receptionist's smile remained standard, but there was a hint of barely perceptible embarrassment and apology on her face.
She took out a familiar insulated lunchbox from under the counter; it was the one Lin Tingyue had brought yesterday.
"Ms. Lin, this... is returned to you." The receptionist tried to keep her voice steady. "From now on... you don't need to send anything over anymore."
The color drained from Lin Tingyue's face instantly.
She stared blankly at the cold lunchbox that had been handed back to her, her mind completely blank.
Yesterday...yesterday's lunchbox wasn't eaten, but was returned?
No, the front desk didn't refund her when she came yesterday... Yes, it was only refunded today. This means...
"Why...why?" Her voice was so dry it was almost inaudible.
The receptionist's eyes flickered; she had clearly been instructed not to say more, but simply repeated, "I'm sorry, this is what we've been told. Please don't send any more in the future."
The meaning above.
The meaning of "池濯".
The tiny spark that had just been ignited was extinguished instantly by a bucket of ice water poured over it, leaving not even a wisp of smoke.
Overwhelmed by immense embarrassment and despair, she was instantly engulfed by a cold tide.
She could even feel the faint, imperceptible gazes from those around her, like needles pricking her skin.
It turns out that yesterday's "asking a question" was not the curiosity or soft-heartedness she had expected, but rather an impatient interrogation.
It's the prelude to the warning that you'll finally be bothered.
But she was like a complete fool, overjoyed by it, and devoted even more sincerity and effort to it, only to be slapped hard in the face by reality.
She didn't know how she received the lunchbox. Her fingers were cold, even a little numb.
“…Thank you.” She heard herself say thank you in an unusually calm voice, then turned around and walked step by step toward the door.
Every step felt like walking on broken glass. Every step was so heavy that I could barely lift myself.
The sunlight outside was dazzling, but she felt cold all over.
As soon as he got home, Xia Xiaoran called excitedly, "How did it go, Yueyue? Did he accept it today? Any new developments?"
Lin Tingyue remained silent for a long time, long enough for Xia Xiaoran to realize that something was wrong.
"Yueyue?...Are you alright?"
“Ranran…” Lin Tingyue’s voice was light and airy, with a hollow feeling of exhaustion, “He asked the front desk to… give the lunchbox back to me. He also said… that I don’t need to send it anymore.”
There was a deathly silence on the other end of the phone.
A few seconds later, Xia Xiaoran's curses erupted: "Is Chi Zhuo even human?! How could he be so outrageous?! He's completely unresponsive to reason and persuasion! What does he want?! Does he expect me to kneel down and beg him?!"
Lin Tingyue didn't say anything, she just silently shed tears.
This time, there was no sound when she cried; only tears silently slid down her cheeks, scalding hot.
"Yueyue, forget it! We're not going to put up with this anymore!" Xia Xiaoran was both angry and heartbroken. "This kind of cold-hearted man isn't worth it! Come back, I'll take you out to clear your head, and we'll find someone better!"
Is it worth it?
Lin Tingyue also asked herself this question.
She recalled his vicious threats, his cold indifference, and his resolute rejection at this moment. Indeed, it wasn't worth it.
She should have listened to Ranran, turned around and left, preserving the last shred of dignity.
But……
A faint voice struggled within her: what if he were to disappear from her world forever, what if she could never see him again…
The sharp pain returned, more intense than the embarrassment and humiliation.
"Ranran," she sniffed, her voice heavy with sobs, yet strangely clear-headed, "I feel like... I can't do it."
"What can't be done?"
"If I can't do it, then so be it." Lin Tingyue looked out the window, her eyes gradually focusing. Although her eyes were still brimming with tears, a stubborn light shone through them. "If I give up now, it's really over. He will never believe me again, and he will never look at me again."
"What else do you want? He's already like this!"
Xia Xiaoran was practically going crazy.
“I don’t know…” Lin Tingyue murmured, “but I always feel… that he isn’t completely indifferent.”
"How could he not be indifferent?! He practically has 'get lost' etched on his forehead!"
"If he's really completely fed up, he can have the front desk return it on the first day, or just throw it away."
Lin Tingyue analyzed slowly, as if desperately grasping at the last straw, "He waited for several days. He even asked, though perhaps impatiently..."
But this shows that he did notice it, and that the matter wasn't entirely unnoticed by him.
Perhaps this is just her self-comfort, an overinterpretation born of her unwillingness to accept defeat.
But she just had this feeling. Chi Zhuo's coldness and decisiveness were like a thick layer of ice, but beneath that ice, there might not be a lifeless, solid mass of ice.
She needs a fire hot enough to melt it.
Or, she needs to find another way, a way that he can't easily refuse or throw away.
"Ranran, I want to try one more time." Lin Tingyue wiped away her tears, her tone filled with a do-or-die determination. "Just one last time."
"My dear lady, what else do you want to try?" Xia Xiaoran was almost in tears. "The route of delivering food is completely blocked!"
"I'm not bringing the food anymore." Lin Tingyue's gaze drifted to the bustling streets outside the window, her eyes gradually clearing. "I'm going to see him."
"See him?! How could he possibly see you?!"
“If he won’t see me, I’ll wait for him.” Lin Tingyue’s voice was soft, but it carried an undeniable determination. “I’ll wait downstairs at his company, I’ll wait anywhere he might appear. Until he’s willing to give me five minutes.”
"Are you crazy?! Lin Tingyue! You've brought this upon yourself!" Xia Xiaoran exclaimed.
"I have no dignity left to lose."
Lin Tingyue gave a bitter smile. "From the moment I fell for him, I had already lost. Now, I just want to lose more clearly, or... gamble on a slim chance of winning."
She staked all her heart and courage on this gamble.
Either you're utterly heartbroken, or... you find a way out of a desperate situation.
Meanwhile, in the top-floor president's office of Zhuoyue.
Chi Zhuo stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the bustling city below.
The sun shone brightly outside the window, but it couldn't penetrate his deep eyes at all.
Standing behind him, Lu Tingyuan finished his report, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "President Chi, the front desk has done as you instructed. Miss Lin... took her lunchbox back today."
Chi Zhuo didn't turn around, but simply gave a very faint "hmm," revealing no emotion whatsoever.
“Furthermore,” Lu Tingyuan carefully chose his words, “we received information that Mr. Zhang of Dingsheng Group is hosting a private cocktail party at ‘Yunding’ tomorrow night, and your invitation has already been sent. What do you think…”
Chi Zhuo has never been interested in these kinds of business social engagements, and Lu Tingyuan usually handles them on his behalf.
A brief silence fell over the office.
Just when Lu Tingyuan thought he would receive the usual "I won't go," Chi Zhuo suddenly spoke, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.
"Reply to the other party that I will be there on time."
A hint of surprise flashed in Lu Tingyuan's eyes, but he immediately replied, "Yes, I'll arrange it right away."
He turned to leave.
“Tingyuan,” Chi Zhuo suddenly called out to him.
"Is there anything else you need, Mr. Chi?"
Chi Zhuo continued to look out the window, his fingers unconsciously tracing the cold glass. After a long while, he said calmly, "Keep an eye on Dingsheng's movements. In particular, who they've been in contact with recently."
Lu Tingyuan understood immediately: "Understood."
The office door closed gently, restoring absolute silence.
Chi Zhuo's gaze lingered on a spot in the bustling traffic below for a moment before shifting away.
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