The Cold War
Chi Zhuo's figure disappeared in the direction of the stable, like an invisible blade, cleanly and decisively severing all of Lin Tingyue's attempts to connect.
All the sounds around her seemed to disappear, leaving only the deafening pounding of her own heart.
He saw her.
He clearly saw her.
But they chose to completely ignore it.
There wasn't even the slightest pause, not even a flicker of emotion in his eyes.
The carefully chosen diamond bracelet on her wrist felt icy cold, as if it were not a beautiful piece of jewelry, but a heavy shackle, binding her embarrassment and unrequited love.
"Miss Lin?" A gentle voice sounded from the side.
Lin Tingyue turned her head stiffly. It was Lu Tingyuan. He hadn't left yet, and his face held a complex expression that was hard to detect.
“Mr. Lu…” Lin Tingyue’s voice was so dry that she could barely utter a sound. She tried her best to maintain the last bit of dignity, but her reddened eyes and pale face betrayed her.
Seeing her dejected appearance, Lu Tingyuan sighed inwardly. He glanced in the direction Chi Zhuo had left and lowered his voice, "Miss Lin, Mr. Chi... he hasn't been in a good mood lately."
That was all the hint he could offer. His boss's thoughts were as deep as the sea, and he dared not presume to know them, but Lin Tingyue's current state was indeed somewhat heartbreaking.
Bad mood?
A bitter feeling welled up in Lin Tingyue's heart.
Is it because of her? Is that why you feel annoyed even looking at her?
"Thank you, Mr. Lu," she said softly, her voice trembling slightly. "I...I'll be going now."
She couldn't stay there for another second. Every breath was filled with humiliation and sharp pain.
She didn't even dismount; she simply turned the horse around awkwardly, gave it a gentle nudge, and "Cherry" obediently trotted away, carrying her away from this heartbreaking place.
The wind brushed past my ears, dispelling the tears welling up in my eyes, but it couldn't dispel the suffocating feeling in my heart.
Back in the changing room, she mechanically changed out of her riding outfit. When her fingers touched the cold bracelet, she recoiled as if burned.
She bit her lip hard to keep the sobs from spilling out of her throat.
On her way home, she remained silent, watching the street scenes rushing past the window, feeling that everything was gloomy and hopeless.
Xia Xiaoran called quickly, her voice urgent: "How is it? How is it? Did you see him? Did he speak to you?"
Lin Tingyue sniffed, her voice hoarse: "I saw him."
"And then? Did he apologize? What was his reaction?" Xia Xiaoran asked expectantly.
“He…” Lin Tingyue paused for a moment, then a surge of immense grievance and sadness welled up again, and her voice became choked with sobs.
"He completely ignored me... Ranran, the way he looked at me was like he was looking at air... Does he... really hate me to death?"
Xia Xiaoran was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, then blurted out a curse: "Holy crap! Chi Zhuo is serious? That ruthless?"
“His assistant said he’s been in a bad mood lately… Maybe I really am annoying him…” Lin Tingyue buried her face in her knees, and tears finally streamed down her face.
All the fear and anxiety she had felt before had now transformed into real heartache and regret. She would rather he pressured her, threatened her, or even mocked her as before than completely erase her from his world like this.
This feeling of being completely rejected is so painful.
"Yueyue, don't cry!" Xia Xiaoran panicked when she heard her crying. "Damn it, this jerk! Playing the silent treatment, huh! We don't want him! Three-legged toads are hard to find, but two-legged men are plentiful!"
Even so, Xia Xiaoran could hear the unusual sadness in Lin Tingyue's sobs.
This is not just fear or guilt; it is sadness that comes from having truly taken something to heart.
"Ranran...I think...I really have fallen for him..." Lin Tingyue choked up, finally uttering the words that had been swirling in her heart for so long. In this most heartbreaking moment, she could no longer deceive herself.
All the previous entanglement, anxiety, and racing heartbeats finally found a clear answer under his indifferent glance.
Unfortunately, the answer came too late.
There was a longer silence on the other end of the phone.
"Sigh..." Xia Xiaoran sighed deeply, "I knew it... So what are you going to do now? Just let it go?"
“I don’t know…” Lin Tingyue shook her head blankly, “He simply doesn’t want to see me anymore…”
"No!" Xia Xiaoran suddenly said sharply, "We can't let this go! Even if we die, we have to die knowing why! Yueyue, you have to try one more time! One last time!"
"How can I try? He's completely ignoring me..."
"If he's ignoring you, then find a way to get him to talk to you!" Xia Xiaoran seemed to have made up her mind. "Isn't he in a bad mood? Don't you feel sorry for him? Then do something about it!"
"What concrete actions?"
There are only two ways to win over a man: either through physical attraction or through emotional connection.
Xia Xiaoran started offering terrible advice, "You probably don't have a chance with him through sex, so try to win him over with your heart! Show him you care! Try to win him over!"
"How can we show him care? What does someone like him need?"
“A man like him lacks nothing but sincerity!” Xia Xiaoran said eloquently. “Although he may not believe in your sincerity now, his actions will be the best proof!”
"for example?"
"For example... does he often not eat properly? Does he have a bad stomach? You could bring him food!" Xia Xiaoran thought it was feasible more and more. "Homemade! Love-filled bento boxes! Delivered every day! To his company's front desk! No name! Let him guess! Let him be curious!"
"Will this... will this work?" Lin Tingyue thought the method was both outdated and awkward. "What if he just throws it away?"
"Keep sending them even after you throw them away! Keep sending them until he gets used to it! The important thing is to show your attitude, that you're trying to make amends!" Xia Xiaoran became more and more excited as she spoke. "This is called perseverance! This is called clumsy sincerity! Maybe it will touch one of his most vulnerable nerves?"
Lin Tingyue was stunned by this bold yet somewhat embarrassing plan.
Sending Chi Zhuo a love-filled bento box? The thought was too beautiful for her to bear.
But... this seems to be the only thing she can think of and the only thing she can do proactively. Unable to say an apology, she'll show it through actions.
It felt like a desperate gamble. A gamble on whether he would have even a sliver of compassion, a gamble on whether he would still care even a little bit.
“Okay…” Lin Tingyue wiped away her tears, her voice still nasal, but with a hint of unwavering determination, “I’ll give it a try.”
In the following days, Lin Tingyue's life focus shifted completely.
She canceled unnecessary dates and went straight to the kitchen after work, frantically working on recipes and cooking videos. She was never a kitchen expert; even the simplest dishes she made were breathtaking.
Burns to the hand and cuts to the fingertips are commonplace occurrences.
But she gritted her teeth and persevered. She carefully selected insulated lunchboxes and prepared a variety of dishes each day that were supposedly good for the stomach: yam and pork rib soup, millet porridge, steamed fish, tender minced meat…
Each time, she would carefully pack the food into a box and then take a taxi to the Zhuoyue Capital Building.
Each time, her heart raced, and she would hurry to the front desk like a thief.
Each time, she would whisper to the well-trained receptionist with her standard smile, "Excuse me, this... please give it to Mr. Chi."
Each time, she dared not leave her name, and would leave the box as soon as she put it down, as if a ghost was chasing her.
The receptionist went from initial surprise to later getting used to it, maintaining a professional smile throughout and never asking any more questions.
On the first day, the lunchbox was returned untouched and placed at the front desk, waiting for her to pick it up the next day. Nothing inside had been touched.
Lin Tingyue looked at the cold lunchbox, her heart sank, but she silently took it back, washed it clean, and continued the next day.
The same thing happened the next day.
On the third day, the lunchbox wasn't returned. She spent the whole day anxiously, wondering if it had been thrown away, or... had he finally eaten it?
On the fourth day, she delivered it as usual. The receptionist accepted it with a smile, but as she turned away, she suddenly whispered, "Mr. Chi seemed to have... asked who delivered it today."
Lin Tingyue's steps suddenly stopped, her heart seemed to skip a beat, and then it started beating wildly again!
He asked?!
He actually asked!
A tremendous, indescribable joy and hope instantly overwhelmed her days of frustration!
Although he only asked one question, and although he still did not accept her apology, this small gesture was like the first ray of light in the darkness for her!
She suppressed her excitement, gave the receptionist a grateful smile, and practically floated away.
He noticed! He saw her clumsy efforts!
However, Lin Tingyue was unaware of this.
After she left, in the top-floor CEO's office, Chi Zhuo looked at the familiar insulated lunchbox that Lu Tingyuan had just brought in, his brows furrowed, his face even more gloomy than a few days ago.
"Still her?" His voice was icy.
"Yes." Lu Tingyuan nodded. "The receptionist said that Miss Lin left after dropping it off."
Chi Zhuo's gaze fell on the lunchbox, his expression complex and unreadable.
There was irritability, a faint fluctuation that even he himself was unwilling to admit, but more than anything, there was a kind of resentment that was being repeatedly disturbed.
He did ask who sent it. But it wasn't out of curiosity or pity.
It's not because of impatience.
This kind of silent, persistent "concern" that appears on time every day is like a constant reminder of the embarrassment and...loss of control he experienced that day.
He loathed this feeling of being out of control.
What's even more disgusting is that she herself actually felt a slight... wavering because of her childish and ridiculous behavior.
He suddenly raised his hand and mercilessly swept the exquisite lunchbox, along with the food that was probably still warm inside, into the trash can next to him!
A muffled "bang" was heard.
Lu Tingyuan's eyelids twitched, and he lowered his head without saying a word.
“Tell the front desk,” Chi Zhuo’s voice was devoid of warmth, carrying an unquestionable resolve, “to throw away anything she sends you from now on.”
"No need to bring it up again."
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