WRR – Chapter 15

Xu Shi suddenly didn’t know where to look. She quickly lowered her head, but the last image seared into her mind was Yu Lingshan’s impossibly thin waist.

And that image kept replaying in her mind, impossible to shake.

Thank goodness she was still wearing underwear, or Xu Shi might have been even more flustered.

She looked down, picked up her phone, unlocked it, and swiped the screen from left to right, then right to left.

“Come help me with the zipper.”

Xu Shi quickly locked her phone. Not daring to look Yu Lingshan in the eye, she walked over with a wandering gaze, found the zipper on Yu Lingshan’s dress, and grabbed it.

“Why are you so shy?” Yu Lingshan teased her.

Xu Shi: “I’m not.”

Yu Lingshan: “Never seen a girl change clothes before?”

“I have,” Xu Shi said. “My college roommates changed like this in the dorm all the time.”

Yu Lingshan gave a soft “mm.”

With a zip, Xu Shi pulled the zipper all the way up.

Yu Lingshan spoke again, “Didn’t you want to know where you bit me?”

Xu Shi nodded. “Yeah.”

Yu Lingshan: “Just look up and you’ll see.”

Xu Shi raised her head and scanned all the visible areas. There was nothing.

Yu Lingshan smiled. “You believed me just because I said you bit me?”

Xu Shi froze for a moment, then thought about it. “You were lying to me?”

Yu Lingshan enunciated clearly, “Yes.”

Xu Shi: “…”

Xu Shi: “Then why did you have me moved?”

Yu Lingshan: “Because I’m willful.”

Xu Shi was left completely speechless.

Yu Lingshan then asked, “What’s wrong with your neck?”

Xu Shi was about to ask what she meant when she remembered the small red mark on her neck. She tilted her head back and touched it, murmuring, “I don’t know if I scratched it or if it’s an allergic reaction.”

Yu Lingshan said, “I bit you.”

Xu Shi’s voice rose. “You bit me?”

Yu Lingshan laughed. “You believe that, too?”

Xu Shi: “…”

With one joke after another from Yu Lingshan, Xu Shi felt a sense of familiarity.

Heard also always said, “You believe that, too?”

Thinking there was nothing else, Xu Shi was about to go back and sit down when Yu Lingshan called her again.

“The necklace. Help me put it on while you’re at it.”

After speaking, Yu Lingshan gathered her hair and lifted it high.

Xu Shi turned to look at the pile of necklaces on the table and asked, “Which one?”

Yu Lingshan: “You pick.”

Xu Shi glanced down at Yu Lingshan’s dress, then at the necklaces on the table, then back at the dress, before picking out a delicate little necklace with a small pendant from the pile.

“Mmm~” Yu Lingshan smiled at Xu Shi through the mirror. “I like that one, too.”

After Xu Shi had fastened the necklace, Yu Lingshan moved on to her high heels. Perhaps because the dress was a bit tight, it was inconvenient for her to bend over. Xu Shi just stood to the side, watching her twist her body, one hand pressed against the collar of her dress, the other fumbling with the buckle by her ankle.

It looked incredibly difficult. Her hand could only grasp one strap, while the other stubbornly kept slipping away, refusing to be fastened.

After about five seconds, Yu Lingshan let out a low huff, flicked her foot, and kicked the shoe off.

Xu Shi couldn’t hold back a laugh on the spot, letting out a soft “pfft.”

Yu Lingshan looked up at Xu Shi, her face expressionless.

Xu Shi pressed her lips together, swallowing her smile. “Let me.”

Xu Shi picked up the shoe, walked over, and, trying not to touch Yu Lingshan’s foot, helped her put it on and fasten it. Then she took the other shoe out of the box and put that one on for her as well.

“All done.”

Xu Shi looked up, her gaze suddenly meeting Yu Lingshan’s. Yu Lingshan was resting her chin on her elbow, watching Xu Shi with a smile in her eyes. The necklace swayed back and forth on her neck.

Xu Shi quickly stood up.

Yu Lingshan: “Thank you.”

Xu Shi: “You’re welcome.”

Finally, Yu Lingshan touched up her lipstick in front of the mirror, and the two of them left together.

The moment the door opened, Xu Shi saw Tingting leaning against the wall outside. She didn’t know when she had arrived, but it looked like she had been waiting for a long time, anxiously fanning herself with her work pass.

The instant she saw Yu Lingshan, she cried out, “My lady, you’re finally out.”

Xu Shi looked at her watch. “It’s still early.”

Tingting shook her head. “She has an interview.”

Xu Shi paused.

Tingting: “It’s okay that you didn’t know. I only found out this morning myself.”

Xu Shi hummed in acknowledgment. “I’m sorry.”

Yu Lingshan’s hand, which was brushing back her hair, paused. “Why are you apologizing to her?”

Before Xu Shi could speak, she added, “From now on, don’t apologize if it’s not your fault.”

Xu Shi: “Oh.”

During her training at Ding Dong Dong, the instructor had repeatedly emphasized that when dealing with a problematic customer, regardless of whether the customer was right or wrong, they were to just open with an apology. That would basically solve half the problem.

Xu Shi hadn’t been good at learning the other things, but this one she had picked up easily. Apologizing was so simple, and it really was effective.

Now Yu Lingshan was telling her not to.

“Got it,” Xu Shi said again.

The three of them walked toward the elevator together. As they walked, Tingting chattered away beside Yu Lingshan. Only then did Xu Shi realize that she had apparently been doing Tingting’s job back in the room.

When they reached the elevator, Tingting finally finished saying what she needed to say to Yu Lingshan. Then she turned to Xu Shi. “I’ll send you the new schedule. You don’t need to be around during Teacher Yu’s interview…”

Yu Lingshan cut Tingting off. “Why not?”

Tingting said, “She has something to do.”

Xu Shi: “Right, I need to go to the association’s office.”

Yu Lingshan hummed in acknowledgment.

Tingting added, “After you’re done there, swing by the main hall and pick up Teacher Yu’s gift.”

Xu Shi: “Okay.”

And so, after they got out of the car at the venue, the two went their separate ways.

On the way to the association, for some reason, the image of Yu Lingshan kicking off her shoe kept popping into Xu Shi’s head. The more she thought about it, the funnier it seemed.

Thinking she still had a ways to go, she took out her phone and opened her chat with Heard.

Yan Wuwu: I’ve spent two days with her, and I think this young lady is actually pretty cute.

Xu Shi still didn’t expect a reply, but just as she pressed the lock button, her phone suddenly lit up.

Heard had replied.

Xu Shi jumped in pleasant surprise and quickly unlocked her phone.

Heard asked: What’s cute about her?

Yan Wuwu: You finally showed up!

Yan Wuwu: Have you been that busy these past two days?

Yan Wuwu: You were gone for so long.

Heard went silent again.

Xu Shi watched her phone as she walked. After waiting a long time with no activity, she thought for a moment and sent another message to Heard.

Yan Wuwu: She often does little things you wouldn’t expect.

Yan Wuwu: It’s quite cute.

Heard still didn’t reply.

But Xu Shi was already satisfied. It was good enough that Heard had appeared at all. It meant she hadn’t forgotten about Xu Shi. For the past two days, Xu Shi had thought Heard didn’t want to talk to her anymore.

After all, they didn’t know each other. Xu Shi was just an ordinary netizen she had been chatting with for less than a week, and a randomly selected passerby for good luck at that. Their transaction was over; Xu Shi was of no more use.

Certain that Heard wouldn’t be sending any more messages, Xu Shi put her phone away.

Before long, she found the association, located Yu Lingshan’s organization, and signed the form for her.

On her way back, in a long corridor, someone suddenly called her name.

“Xiao Shi?”

It was a familiar voice. Xu Shi turned her head, and when she saw who was behind her, her smile instantly vanished.

Xu Shi had little desire to deal with her, so she turned to leave, but the person behind her didn’t seem to want to let her go. The clatter of high heels approached rapidly, and she stepped in front of Xu Shi, blocking her path.

“It really is you, Xiao Shi. I saw you signing over there just now and thought I had the wrong person,” Ying Jie said with a smile.

Xu Shi asked her, “Is there something you need?”

Ying Jie pursed her lips. “Nothing in particular. It’s been a long time.”

Xu Shi: “If there’s nothing, I’m leaving.”

Xu Shi started to walk around her, but Ying Jie took a step and blocked her again.

Then Xu Shi saw her gaze flick to the work pass hanging on her chest.

“Um,” Ying Jie let out a breath and smiled. “Let’s have dinner together after you’re done with work.”

Xu Shi looked into Ying Jie’s eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”

This time, Ying Jie didn’t stop her. Xu Shi walked away quickly. It was only after she had walked for a long time that she remembered she still had to pick up Yu Lingshan’s gift, so she turned back.

By the time she returned, half an hour had passed. When she got back to Yu Lingshan’s lounge, there was no one inside.

Xu Shi put the gift down just as Tingting came in from outside.

“You’re back.”

Xu Shi hummed in acknowledgment and handed the form to Tingting.

Tingting: “You can head to the main hall first. Teacher Yu is busy right now. I’ll bring her over in a bit.”

Xu Shi: “I can wait for her.”

Tingting shook her head. “No need. You go on ahead.” Tingting smiled. “Find a good spot to take pictures of Teacher Yu.”

Only then did Xu Shi agree.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped out, Xu Shi ran into Ying Jie again.

It wasn’t just Ying Jie, but also her father, Ying Shide. Seeing that they hadn’t noticed her, Xu Shi found a wall to hide behind.

She thought they were just passing by, but they stopped near the wall.

The only way for Xu Shi to get to the event hall was along this path. Now she was stuck, feeling like she could neither advance nor retreat.

Before long, the sound of their conversation drifted over.

“Here’s the pass I got for you.”

“Thanks, Dad.”

“Try to make me proud for once. Don’t make me pull strings to get you into these events every time.”

“I know.”

“Dad, I saw Xu Shi just now.”

“Her? What’s she doing here?”

“I don’t know, but judging by her clothes and the work pass she’s wearing, she must just be a staff member.”

“Never mind. I’ll go ask around.”

As they spoke, they walked away. Only when their voices had completely faded did Xu Shi realize she had been holding her breath.

She slowly exhaled, a sudden feeling of powerlessness washing over her.

Just then, her phone made a sound—the Ding Dong Dong notification chime. Xu Shi quickly took it out, but when she opened it, she saw it was just a mass-sent notification.

She exited the app, disappointed, and realized her mood had soured.

So, after a moment’s thought, she took out her phone again and opened her chat with Heard.

Yan Wuwu: Miss, I ran into someone I really hate.

Yan Wuwu: I’m in a bit of a bad mood.

Yan Wuwu: Sigh…

Xu Shi put her phone away after sending the messages, but after just a few steps, it rang again.

This time it was a ringtone. It was a call from Yu Lingshan.

Xu Shi quickly answered, saying immediately, “Teacher Yu.”

Yu Lingshan asked, “Where are you?”

Xu Shi said, “On my way to the main auditorium.”

Yu Lingshan: “Be specific.”

Xu Shi: “After leaving your room, you go through a small hall, then turn right. There’s a long corridor. I’m at the first corner of the corridor.”

Yu Lingshan hummed in acknowledgment and asked, “Alone?”

Xu Shi: “Yes.”

Then Yu Lingshan hung up. Before Xu Shi had time to wonder why, someone called her from behind.

“Xiao Zhi.”

Xu Shi turned and saw Yu Lingshan suddenly appear at the other end of the corridor.

Xu Shi’s heart instantly skipped a beat. It was as if she had just complained to the heavens about how lonely she was, and they had immediately bestowed an angel upon her, dropping it right by her side to embrace her.

At that moment, she felt inexplicably moved and deeply grateful to see Yu Lingshan.

However, she quickly composed her useless feelings, trotted over, and asked, “What’s wrong? Is something the matter?”

Yu Lingshan asked, “What are you doing here?”

Xu Shi explained, “I was originally going to take you over, but Tingting told me you were…”

Yu Lingshan interrupted her. “Do you want to eat ice cream?”

Xu Shi paused. “What?”

Yu Lingshan repeated, “Ice cream.”

Yu Lingshan’s voice was light and gentle, as if the heavens had truly sent her down to comfort Xu Shi.

Xu Shi slowly broke into a smile. “Now?”

Yu Lingshan nodded. “Now.”

That self-indulgent feeling of being moved, which she had just suppressed, was now stirred up again by Yu Lingshan.

It had been a long time, and very few people had mentioned ice cream to her in ages. She had almost forgotten herself.

“Eat ice cream when you’re sad” was a motto she used to live by. She used to love ice cream, and eating it was guaranteed to make her feel better.

Although Yu Lingshan wanting ice cream had nothing to do with her, Xu Shi was already satisfied deep down.

However, she was too embarrassed to seem overly happy, so she discreetly squeezed her own hand and said to Yu Lingshan, “I’ll go buy it. What kind do you want?”

Yu Lingshan: “Let’s go together.”

Xu Shi shook her head, her eyes curving into crescents. “No, no, I’ll go by myself.”

Yu Lingshan smiled as well. “Just buy whatever you like to eat.”

Xu Shi nodded eagerly. “Okay, okay. Wait for me in the lounge. I’ll be right back, really quick.”

With that, Xu Shi trotted off. It was almost three o’clock. Her steps were light as she rushed from the shadow-covered area toward the sun-drenched ground.

The flavor Xu Shi liked was exceptionally ordinary and cheap; basically any convenience store that sold ice cream would have it. Because of this, she had always been grateful that her happiness was inexpensive and easy to obtain.

It was still easy to obtain now.

So, Ying Jie, you don’t mean a thing.

Xu Shi bought three containers in total. When she returned, Tingting was there as expected.

She and Yu Lingshan were talking, so Xu Shi walked over quietly.

Just as she set the things down, Yu Lingshan suddenly interrupted Tingting. “That’s enough talk. I’m going to eat ice cream.”

Tingting was taken aback. “Huh?”

Yu Lingshan said to Tingting, “You have some too. Xiao Zhi bought it.”

Tingting swallowed and silently put her tablet away. “Okay, Teacher Yu.”

Yu Lingshan asked Xu Shi, “You like this kind?”

Xu Shi nodded. “Mhm.”

A moment later.

Yu Lingshan asked, “Is it good?”

Xu Shi put a large spoonful in her mouth and nodded twice. “Delicious.”

Tingting: “…”