Nothing happened
In the early morning of midsummer, the sun, with its scorching heat, penetrated the dense leaves of the camphor trees, casting mottled light and shadows in front of Wen Lingyi's villa surrounded by greenery.
The air was thick, the cicadas were chirping noisily, and an invisible heat wave enveloped everything.
Zhou Jianxing pressed his back against the slightly cool stone wall covered with ivy. His heart was beating wildly in his chest, almost drowning out the annoying chirping of cicadas.
He tightly grasped the thirty yuan bill in his hand. The banknote was soaked with sweat from his palm and the edges were curled up softly.
She breathed deeply, trying to clear her mind of the lingering, burning fragments of last night's dream.
The coolness of silk sliding across the skin, the lazy tone of sighs, and... those red lips that are still plump and attractive in the dim light.
She shook her head hard, but her cheeks burned even more.
There is only one goal today: to stuff the extra money into the brass mailbox at the door of Wen Lingyi's house without anyone noticing, and then disappear immediately.
Zhou Jianxing held his breath and carefully stuck his head out like a vigilant cat.
The carved door was closed and there was no one at the entrance.
Opportunity! She bent her waist and quickly rushed from the corner to the mailbox.
The brass mailbox was terribly hot under the scorching sun, and the letter slot was like a silent mouth waiting to swallow secrets.
·
Zhou Jianxing's fingers were sweaty and trembling from nervousness and the heat. She rolled up the wet stack of bills tightly, aimed it at the letter slot, and stuffed it in with force.
“Click.”
The heavy carved door was opened from the inside without any warning.
Zhou Jianxing's blood instantly froze.
She remained in that funny position of bending over to stuff the money in, pinned to the spot.
A cold and rich fragrance invaded her more domineeringly than the air in midsummer.
It was the omnipresent scent of perfume in her dream that penetrated her nostrils so realistically, instantly igniting all the shameful memories of last night, making her scalp explode and almost suffocate.
She turned her head stiffly and extremely slowly.
Wen Lingyi was standing just inside the door.
She was obviously going out, and she was wearing a moon-white silk sleeveless shirt. The fabric was light and drapey, with a soft luster.
She wore a pair of high-waisted wide-leg pants in the same color. The texture was crisp and smooth, and the legs looked slender and straight when she walked.
A thin off-white leather belt decorated with pearls was tied around her waist, which perfectly tightened her waistline to create a slender waistline.
Her makeup is still exquisite, with a clear peach-colored luminous lip gloss, which looks plump and moist in the morning light.
Her long, black curly hair was loosely tied behind her head, with a few strands of hair hanging lazily on the side of her neck.
She was carrying a simple, smooth-lined wicker handbag, a small rose gold watch and a thin pearl bracelet on her slender wrist, and a pair of nude-colored thin-strap high-heeled sandals on her feet, which made her ankles look delicate and white.
The whole person is refreshing, elegant and intellectual, like a lily with dew on a summer morning.
She looked at Zhou Jianxing, who was standing stiffly in front of the mailbox, holding money in his hand, sweating profusely, and wearing a dark blue work suit. A hint of surprise first flashed across her beautiful eyes, and then was replaced by a trace of elusive amusement, and a very faint arc appeared at the corner of her lips.
"Master Zhou?" Wen Lingyi's voice broke the early morning heat. It was lazy and hoarse, like someone just waking up, but also extremely clear, like ice water dripping on a hot stone, causing Zhou Jianxing to shudder.
"So early? At my doorstep...what do you want to talk to me about?" Her eyes fell on Zhou Jianxing's sweaty hands, which were tightly holding the banknotes.
Zhou Jianxing's face suddenly turned as red as a boiled shrimp.
Sweat flowed down her forehead, making her feel itchy, but she didn't dare wipe it off.
Her tongue seemed to be tied, she stumbled and spoke incoherently: "I...I...Mrs. Wen...I'm...I'm sorry...the money...that money..."
The more anxious she became, the more confused she became. The embarrassment made her wish she could just disappear.
The only thought in my mind was: It's over! I've been caught! I'm so embarrassed!
Wen Lingyi waited patiently. Seeing Zhou Jianxing's embarrassed look, with sweat dripping down his temples, the smile in her eyes deepened, but it was no longer as provocative as yesterday. Instead, it seemed very gentle, even a little tolerant?
It's like watching a child who accidentally gets into trouble.
"Money?" Wen Lingyi took two steps forward, her high heels making crisp "click, click" sounds on the hot bluestone slabs, and stopped one step away from Zhou Jianxing.
The cool fragrance mixed with the heat of the sun created a dizzying scent.
Wen Lingyi tilted her head slightly and asked doubtfully, "Is there something wrong with yesterday's maintenance fee?"
The distance was so close that Zhou Jianxing could clearly see the delicate skin below her collarbone and the strand of hair on the side of her neck that was slightly wet with sweat.
The plump red in last night's dream and the moist peach-colored lips in reality overlapped, with a huge impact.
Zhou Jianxing suddenly lowered his head, staring at his old sneakers stained with motor oil. His voice was soft and trembling, "No... no... it's you... you gave me too much!"
With her eyes almost closed, she thrust forward the roll of sweat-soaked bills in her hand: "The due amount is fifty... you... you gave me eighty... it's thirty more... I... I'll return it to you..."
After she finished speaking, she felt the sweat on her back had soaked through her thin work shirt and was sticky to her skin.
Wen Lingyi looked at the wrinkled, wet roll of banknotes handed to her, then looked at the young girl in front of her who was sweating profusely, her cheeks flushed, and almost burying her head in the ground. She let out a soft "ah" and suddenly realized.
But he didn't take it, instead he laughed softly.
"So that's why." Wen Lingyi said casually, "That's too much, Master Zhou."
Zhou Jianxing raised his head in confusion and met Wen Lingyi's eyes with a faint smile.
Those eyes were clear, bright, and open, with only a gentle calmness.
"That's a tip." Wen Lingyi said it naturally, as if it was her due. "You did a good job, quickly and carefully, and helped me solve a big problem. This is what you deserve." She even nodded slightly, her tone sincere, "Thank you."
tip?
A thirty-dollar tip?
Zhou Jianxing was stunned.
"No... No!" Zhou Jianxing refused instinctively, his voice rising with excitement. "Mrs. Wen, this is really not possible! I have to charge what I'm supposed to, and I can't take the extra money!"
She stubbornly handed the money forward again, sweat dripping down her chin: "Please take it back!"
Wen Lingyi looked at her flushed cheeks and sweaty forehead, the persistence in her eyes was so pure that it seemed a little silly.
"Master Zhou," her tone was still gentle, but the lazy hoarseness faded a little, "I said, that's what you deserve."
Zhou Jianxing didn't say anything, just held the money motionlessly.
She looked at the other person's stubborn eyes and knew that insisting further would only make the girl more embarrassed and might even really annoy her.
The gallery was more important, and she had no time to play with the little animal that was steaming in the heat and about to faint.
Wen Lingyi sighed softly, with a hint of helpless smile in her sigh.
"Okay." She finally held out her hand.
The hand was white and slender, with neatly trimmed nails and painted with light pink nail polish that was almost transparent in the sunlight.
His fingertips touched Zhou Jianxing's rough palm.
A weak electric current instantly shot up from the place where the two people touched, and rushed straight to Zhou Jianxing's brain along his arm.
She pulled her hand back suddenly as if she was burned by a hot piece of iron, and the roll of money almost slipped out of her hand and fell on the hot ground.
Wen Lingyi didn't seem to notice her violent reaction, or even if she did, she didn't care.
She took the roll of wet bills steadily and gracefully, without even looking down, and casually put it into her exquisite wicker handbag.
"Are you relieved now?" Wen Lingyi looked at her, the smile on the corner of her lips gentle and... serious.
Yes, seriously.
There was no subtle teasing like yesterday.
At this moment, she looks like a gentle, polite, intellectual and elegant employer who truly cares about her workers.
"I'm glad you're relieved." She raised her wrist and glanced at the small rose gold watch. Her brows furrowed slightly, then relaxed again, regaining her composure. "Sorry, Master Zhou, I have important work today and am pressed for time. Can we talk another day?"
The tone was polite and distant, with a clear implication of ending the conversation.
Zhou Jianxing was still immersed in the electric touch and intense feeling of shame, his head was buzzing.
She nodded subconsciously and spoke quickly: "Ah...Okay! Mrs. Wen, you go on with your work! I'm sorry to bother you! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" The series of apologies seemed to block her chaotic heartbeat.
"It's okay." Wen Lingyi nodded slightly to her.
She turned sideways and walked past Zhou Jianxing. The sound of her high heels hitting the hot stone slabs was crisp and regular, without any lingering feeling.
Zhou Jianxing stood stiffly, sweat running down the groove of his spine.
She watched Wen Lingyi walk towards a pearl white sedan with sleek and elegant lines parked in the shade of the courtyard.
Wen Lingyi bent down and sat down. The lines of her back were smooth and graceful under the silk shirt, and her slender white ankles were revealed under her wide-leg pants.
The car window slowly rose, blocking out the face that looked particularly delicate and distant in the sunlight, with a perfect sociable smile.
The car started silently, drove away smoothly, and disappeared at the end of the tree-lined avenue steaming with heat waves.
·
It was not until he could no longer see the car that Zhou Jianxing seemed to have lost all his strength. He leaned against the slightly hot stone wall, gasping for breath.
Sweat streamed down her forehead and neck like a stream. Her shirt was soaked and stuck to her body, hot and sticky.
Mrs. Wen looked so gentle, so polite, so intellectual and elegant... so normal just now.
Like a real, impeccable, decent and aloof rich lady.
No ambiguous glances, no teasing words.
What about yesterday?
Who was that woman who was wearing a cool suspender nightgown and leaning lazily against the door yesterday, and who easily disturbed her heart with her eyes and words, causing her to flee in panic?
Who is the protagonist who appears in her absurd and obscene dreams?
Zhou Jianxing wiped the sweat off his face vigorously, his mind was confused by the high temperature.
The gentle, serious, and distant smile that Wen Lingyi wore before she left covered up all the details that made her palpitate yesterday.
The huge contrast made her strongly doubt her own perception, and even felt that she was a little...dirty.
She stood up straight and took a last look at the tightly closed, imposing carved door and the brass mailbox lying silent in the sunlight. Her heart felt empty, as if a piece of it had been dug out.
The money has been returned, and I should feel relieved, but why do I feel even more depressed and confused?
She shook her head, shook off a few drops of sweat, and forced herself not to think about it anymore.
She turned around, dragging her feet softened by the sun, and left this quiet place that was incompatible with her, which was filled with a cold fragrance but was wrapped in heat waves.
The cicadas were still chirping noisily, as if mocking her self-conceit and her miserable state.
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