Chapter 70: The Grand Finale
How long can a dream last? A few months? A year?
Li Nai, still half-asleep, stared blankly at the ceiling.
Drip—Drip—
The phone alarm went off next to my pillow.
I reached for my phone, and my wrist brushed against a cold object. I held it in my palm; it was square, with individual squares. I took it out and squinted at it—it was a dark metal Rubik's Cube.
ah?
The ringtone in my ear grew louder and louder.
I casually placed the Rubik's Cube down. I turned over and turned off the alarm; the screen saver showed 8:20.
"Oh no, I'm late!"
He grabbed the hoodie and pulled it over his head. "Ouch!" A sharp pain shot through his head! He carefully touched it and felt rough gauze.
She paused for a moment, then gradually recalled how she had been hit by a flying stone on her way home a while ago and ended up in the hospital. She had only been discharged yesterday afternoon.
Being late is fine, I still have a few days of sick leave left.
Feeling perfectly justified, I lay back down in bed.
I had just closed my eyes for a second when my phone rang.
I glanced at it.
The caller ID showed a call from a pig skinner.
Oh dear, it's her boss.
Connected.
"Little Li, what time is it? Prepare my coffee and flowers before 9 o'clock." The woman's voice was languid, accompanied by the sound of her fingertips tapping on a watch.
"Mr. Zhu, I've just been discharged from the hospital. Please call me Little Wang." She spoke humbly to the air, with an apologetic smile.
"Xiao Wang is going to the airport to pick up a big client. I've already ordered the flowers and coffee, hurry over to Marissa and Cocolis."
The woman finished speaking domineeringly and hung up the phone decisively.
Li Nai gripped his black-screen phone tightly and let out a suppressed roar towards the ceiling.
"Pork skin!"
Despite the complaints, the work still had to be done.
She grabbed a beige trench coat and put it on, then opened the door to find the dilapidated corridor pitch black.
"Damn it, the light is broken again. Old and cramped."
She jogged along, muttering to herself that she would never rent a building in the middle of a shady area again.
At the end of the corridor ahead stood a person, stiff and motionless with their back to her. Upon hearing her footsteps, the person suddenly twisted their body, like a robot dancing, and moved backward as they did so.
I stopped, and a cold wind rose from the lower part of the corridor, brushing against my calves.
She blinked, her mind filled with blurry but chilling images. She shook her head, inwardly cursing herself for watching too many zombie movies.
She glanced at her phone; time was of the essence. Mustering her courage, she shouted, "Hey! Get out of the way, I need to get through!"
The man seemed to have no ears, and quickened his pace as he retreated.
Li Nai chickened out and turned to run away when the lights came on.
The strange person was standing right under the light, wearing tight ripped jeans, with blond hair, looking like a high school student, wearing headphones, eyes closed, completely absorbed in the music, his body dancing to the rhythm. If that's what you call robot dancing.
Li Nai looked up at the sky, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slapped the blond-haired man as he passed by.
"If you can't dance, just sign up for a street dance class!"
The blond-haired kid turned around, completely bewildered, and watched helplessly as the assailant ran away, shouting, "I'm going to be late!"
The sun was shining brightly today, and many grandparents were taking their grandchildren for a morning stroll. Outside the residential area, the main roads were busy with traffic, and even past eight o'clock, there was still a traffic jam, with impatient horns blaring everywhere.
To reduce her commute time, she rented an old, dilapidated apartment near her company that was slated for demolition. The rent accounted for one-third of her salary, which was still acceptable.
"Excuse me, please make way."
Li Nai squeezed through the long line full of office workers, rushed to the front desk, and pulled out her phone to check the access code. The screen saver displayed a huge 8:47.
"Hey sis, I'm here to pick up coffee number A008!"
She shouted excitedly until her voice cracked.
A cute young female employee at the coffee shop, with a sweet smile, suddenly brought over a dozen bags of coffee.
"Excuse me, please make way."
Li Nai carried her bags in both hands and squeezed through the long line of office workers.
Across the street is Marissa's Flower Shop.
Ding-dong~
The glass door of the flower shop slid open automatically, and a rich floral fragrance wafted out.
There were very few customers in the shop, except for one woman who bent down to admire the green roses.
She rushed to the cashier.
"Boss lady, I'm here to pick up the flowers I ordered from Huan'an Consulting Management Company."
The florist turned around, bent down, and picked up a large basket of champagne-colored roses from the ground.
She glanced at her two busy hands and asked anxiously, "Could you please get me a bag that I can carry?"
"Wait a minute."
She leaned against the high platform, constantly pursing her lips, her eyes darting back and forth between her phone and the small door where the proprietress had gone. She didn't notice someone approaching her.
"Isn't the landlady here?"
The woman's voice was pleasant to hear.
Li Nai glanced at the woman and was drawn to her beautiful long, straight black hair. The woman also turned to look at her.
Her delicate, innocent face, like a white flower, was framed by a pair of fox-like eyes that curved into a smile, inexplicably alluring.
"She...she went to help me change the packaging."
The woman nodded and lowered her head to smell a green rose in her hand.
Li Nai couldn't help but steal a glance at the woman's profile; she looked vaguely familiar. Had she seen her somewhere before? Lost in thought, the proprietress, carrying a basket full of champagne roses in both hands, walked around the cashier and helped her carry it.
"Thanks!"
She hurriedly thanked him and ran away, the glass sensor door slid open, and she almost bumped into the girl who came in.
"I'm sorry!" She looked down, protecting the coffee bags in her hands, then looked up with an apologetic smile.
Forehead!
The smile froze.
Such a cold look.
The girl appeared to be a college student. Under her baseball cap, long, silver-white hair cascaded over her shoulders, and the shadow cast by the cap's brim revealed a pair of cold, phoenix-shaped eyes. Her bright, dark pupils flickered slightly, as if in restraint.
Oh no! She's a girl with a terrible temper.
Li Nai bit her bright red lips, thinking about how to quickly resolve the unexpected situation, when the girl suddenly stepped aside and passed by her.
A sense of relief washed over her. Ignoring the girl behind her, she rushed out the door. As she turned the corner, she glanced quickly through the flower shop window; the silver-haired girl and the woman with long, straight black hair were talking. Their peripheral vision seemed to be observing her…?
As soon as I stepped into the company gate, it was already 9:12.
She peeked into the conference room and saw quite a few people standing there; judging from the situation, the major client had just arrived.
I wonder if that woman is the main character?
Among the crowd, a stunningly beautiful woman of mixed Chinese and foreign heritage stood out from the crowd. Her long, golden-brown waves shone captivatingly in the sunlight streaming in, and her figure was comparable to that of an international supermodel.
Are foreign white women really that tall?
She deliberately turned her head away, trying to conceal herself as she quickly ran along the path leading to the conference room.
"Oh dear, why are you only arriving now?" A female colleague said, taking over a dozen cups of coffee.
Another colleague behind him unloaded a basket from his back.
"Sister Li, I'm back from picking up a client, and I'll be at the company right at 9 o'clock."
Xiao Wang took out a vase of roses, made eye contact with his female colleague, and his gaze seemed "malicious."
"What's wrong? They haven't officially taken their seats yet."
"Sigh, Mr. Zhu instructed me to arrange the roses before the guests arrived." The female colleague picked up a scissor and trimmed it. "According to my informant, the guests really like these champagne roses."
"so?"
"If the negotiations don't go through, just wait for President Zhu to settle scores with you later," the two said in unison.
Li Nairu was electrocuted. "No! What does this have to do with me?"
One of them brought her a tray of coffee.
She stood cautiously against the wall, peering into the conference room, unable to step out.
"Little Wang, you go ahead. I'm going to the restroom." She handed the coffee to Little Wang and dashed into the office restroom.
The women's public washbasin has a large mirror attached to it, surrounded by a ring of lights that illuminate.
Looking at herself in the mirror, Li Nai realized she was wearing pajamas under her trench coat. Her face flushed with embarrassment.
Thank goodness I didn't deliver the coffee, I almost embarrassed myself to death!
At that moment, someone pushed open the door and entered the bathroom.
She glanced at the person in the mirror, then quickly grabbed the collar of her trench coat to make sure her pajamas weren't showing.
It's that foreign customer! I absolutely cannot lose face in front of foreigners.
She looked down, her fingers frantically buttoning her clothes.
A scent of rose perfume wafted from beside me.
Hmm? Sneaking a glance.
The woman took out her makeup bag and began to carefully check her makeup in the mirror, without even glancing at her.
Li Nai brushed a stray strand of hair aside, lowered her head, and pretended nothing was wrong as she walked towards the exit. As soon as she opened the door, she saw General Manager Zhu looking displeased and questioning Xiao Wang and her female colleague.
Quietly close the door.
She can't go out yet. Pig Skin is furious; if she goes out now, she'll be walking right into a trap.
First came the foreigners, then came Old Zhu.
Or pretend you have a stomachache before going to the toilet.
She was pleased with herself for coming up with such a good idea. She hurried past the foreign client, her hands patting her belly.
"Can you do me a favor?"
Li Nai looked up and blinked. This foreigner can speak Chinese.
Turning her head to look up, the mixed-race woman, holding the necklace in both hands, bowed slightly. "Could you please fasten the necklace for me?"
What a stunningly beautiful mixed-race face! She is definitely the first mixed-race person in the world to combine Eastern charm with Western features so perfectly.
Li Nai nodded blankly and took both ends of the necklace.
The woman turned her back, her soft, golden curls brushing against Li Nai's nose.
She measured with both hands, and the woman, wearing high heels, was much taller than her; she couldn't reach her at all.
While struggling with her thoughts, the woman noticed her embarrassment, placed her hands on her knees, and gracefully half-squatted in front of her.
As the necklace was fastened to the woman's neck, she glanced at the simple, openwork pendant. Judging from the design, it should have been inlaid with gemstones, so why was it hollow?
"Were you just discharged from the hospital?"
The woman looked down at the gauze on her head and reached out to touch it.
Suddenly, she felt a panic in her heart, a panic of fear.
He quickly took a step back to avoid the hand hitting his head.
"Ah, I... I need to go back and rest. Haha, I won't bother you any longer. Goodbye!"
After saying that, she stormed out of the company. Her chest thumped loudly, a clear warning, so much so that she didn't notice her boss, General Manager Zhu, approaching, and ran straight out of the office.
The sunlight was blinding, so she raised her hand to shield her eyes, but her feet kept running across the zebra crossing.
The crowd suddenly started shouting.
As soon as she turned around, a car sped straight toward her without slowing down.
The sunlight overhead suddenly burst forth, and after a burst of light, she found herself sitting on the ground, with a smoking, overturned car a few meters away.
With a blank stare and looking around at the crowd who dared not make a move, a figure with long black hair disappeared into the crowd.
Thump! Thump thump!
Her heart started pounding in her chest for no reason, urging her to leave.
Unable to resist, she clutched her chest and ran around like a headless fly. She ran and ran until she entered an old underground parking garage. The building above was a department store that was over ten years old, and it was said to be scheduled to close and be liquidated next year.
The underground parking garage was nearly empty, damp and moldy, with a strange smell that wouldn't go away no matter how much you fanned it.
Unable to stand the smell, Li Nai went to find the elevator lobby.
The motion sensor lights, which hadn't been maintained for years, were dimly lit. In the darkness, she was abducted by a pair of hands.
"Help! Waaah!"
She struggled desperately, but couldn't escape being thrown into the business class compartment.
My face was pressed against the leather footrests. Still, it's a good car.
"Long time no see, Li Nai."
A woman's gentle voice came from above.
She propped herself up and looked up. On the black leather seat sat a woman in a white pantsuit, her legs together. She had delicate features and dark amber eyes behind gold-rimmed glasses.
"Who are you! Why are you kidnapping me!"
The unfamiliar woman smiled slightly, her red mole at the corner of her mouth adding to her allure.
As the two stared at each other, Li Nai's cell phone suddenly rang in his pocket.
She dared not move until the bell finished ringing.
A few seconds later, the phone rang again.
"Can I take this call?" Li Nai asked hesitantly.
Surprisingly, the other party smiled and agreed, "Okay."
The strange behavior made Li Nai even more nervous.
She pulled out her phone, and sure enough, it was Zhu the Skinflint. On a second thought, she realized she could perhaps use a code to subtly signal Mr. Zhu to call the police.
The call was connected.
A barrage of reprimands came crashing down on him.
"What exactly did you say to my client?"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Stop 'ah'ing! What are you 'ahing' for? You've driven all my clients away! Li Nai, wait till I get my hands on you! Get back here right now! Beep—"
Li Nai decisively hung up the call, but regretted it immediately afterward because the strange woman had taken her phone.
The woman fiddled with her phone, glancing at her disdainfully: "Hand over the dark matter."
"What dark matter?" Seeing the woman's expression change, he quickly shook his head. "I really don't know."
The woman stared at her, a smile playing on her lips. "I'll let you know."
He took her phone and tapped on the back of the car, probably to call his accomplice to drive.
However, the car did not move.
The strange woman's amber eyes darkened; she immediately sensed something was wrong.
The next second, a silver knife sliced through the car body.
In a flash, most of the train car was blown away.
Outside the car, a woman with long, straight black hair smiled, her fox-like eyes narrowing, her right hand transforming into a long, gleaming silver knife.
"My God! It's a science fiction movie!" Li Nai was dumbfounded.
"I'm taking the person with me." The woman with long, straight black hair reached out her other human hand, grabbed her trench coat, and got up to leave the carriage.
She glanced back and saw the strange woman inside the car calm and collected, still holding her phone in her hand—the phone rang again, the strange woman stared at them, smiled and tossed it aside, the car wall clanged, and the ringing ended.
Li Nai shuddered.
The woman with long, straight black hair who was pulling her along suddenly stopped.
She looked up and saw a group of men and women dressed as bodyguards in black suits blocking her way.
They stepped aside, and two women, one tall and one short with unusual hair color, stepped out.
Li Nai was surprised to see the tall, blonde woman. "Isn't this one of our company's major clients?"
He glanced at the white-haired girl beside him out of the corner of his eye, then glared at her. It was the girl he had almost bumped into at the flower shop.
"A fence-sitter."
The woman with long, straight black hair next to him muttered something under her breath.
She observed the other person's gaze lingering on the silver-haired girl, sensing something amiss. A betrayal by an ally?
"Hand them over to me." The mixed-race woman exuded an aura of authority.
The woman with long, straight black hair chuckled, her tone sarcastic, "Give it to you? Why don't you ask her herself—" The woman pushed her shoulder forward, "Whether she's willing to come with you."
All eyes turned to him, and Li Nai blinked nervously.
"Would you mind adding me as an option?"
Behind me, a woman's voice was gentle and soothing.
A quick glance revealed a woman in a luxury business car.
Well, now there's another pair of malicious eyes staring at her.
"Gentlemen, what do you want from me? I don't know any of you."
Li Nai was furious and took the opportunity to move away from the woman with long, straight black hair. That silver knife was really dangerous.
They took a step closer, their gazes, though varied, were fixed on her with intense intensity, waiting for her to make a choice.
Li Nai hugged her arms and trembled. "What, what are you going to do to me?"
—To win you over.
Huh? Who's speaking?
His gaze searched suspiciously, but he couldn't see the white light shining through the gauze on his head.
—The End. Thank you for reading!
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