“Speaking from the Heart”
Under the influence of alcohol, Zhao Yu quickly fell into a deep sleep.
In order to prevent Ji Sui from using her phone to contact her friends, she turned it off when she went to the restroom at the bar, but she remembered to set an alarm before shutting it down.
She was woken up by the alarm at 7:30, felt around for the phone, and turned it on. After submitting an emergency leave application in the system for a half-day absence, she took her time getting up.
Ji Sui didn’t seem to be home, he wasn’t in the living room, nor could she hear any sounds of movement. Zhao Yu didn’t want to rashly open the other door, so she could only go to the bathroom to shower first.
There were brand-new towels, toothbrushes, and cups inside, all looked to be made for men. It appeared as if women really didn’t come over.
Zhao Yu smelled of alcohol all over, wanted to take a bath but knew this was not the place, so she had to endure it.
After washing, she went back to the guest bedroom and removed all the sheets and quilts she used last night. As soon as she brought them out and was about to throw it into the washing machine, she saw Ji Sui already opened the door and returned.
He was wearing sportswear with sweat on his forehead. He must have gone to morning exercise just now.
Looking at each other, they were both a little embarrassed. Finally, Ji Sui spoke first, “You got up so early?”
Zhao Yu smiled and said, “The alarm normally set for work not turned off, and I woke up to it.”
“In a rush to go to work?”
“I have asked for leave, I will go in the afternoon.”
Looking at the bedsheet in her hands, Ji Sui said, “It doesn’t need to be washed, no one usually uses it.”
Zhao Yu was embarrassed. “They all reek of alcohol, let’s wash it.”
After a pause, she spoke again, “I…did I cause you a lot of trouble last night?”
Thinking of the scene of her seductively rubbing against him in his arms last night, Ji Sui looked away unnaturally and coughed dryly, “No, no trouble. I was supposed to send you back, but I don’t know which floor you lived on. Sister Shi Yu was already asleep at that point, so I had to bring you here, I hope you don’t mind.”
The base of his ears turned red again.
Zhao Yu couldn’t help thinking, how did he resolve it in the end last night? Did he wait for the lust to dissipate slowly, or quietly masturbate?
“I should ask you not to mind, I caused you so much trouble.” Zhao Yu pointed to the sheets in her hands, and then to the bathroom, “Well, can I use the washing machine inside?”
“Let me.” Ji Sui took the pile from her, went into the bathroom, and threw it in the washing machine. Then said to Zhao Yu, “Wait a minute, I will make breakfast right away.”
He was all sweaty, and he must want to take a quick shower. As Zhao Yu watched him go into his room to get clothes and walk into the bathroom, she went into the kitchen, put on his apron, and started preparing breakfast.
Ji Sui was indeed very fast, and in a flash, he had finished showering and changed his clothes.
Zhao Yu made a simple scallion noodle dish and fried two eggs. When he came out, the fried eggs had just come out of the pot.
“I’m afraid you will be busy preparing for work, so I just cooked something easy. I don’t know if it will be to your liking.”
Ji Sui walked into the kitchen to help Zhao Yu carry the dishes and smiled. “It smells very good.”
The two sat face to face at the table for breakfast. Although the atmosphere was slightly better than before, neither of them spoke.
When he was about to finish eating, Xue Ziang called and Zhao Yu picked up in front of Ji Sui.
Seeing the leave application in the system, Xue Ziang asked, “Are you sick?”
“No, it’s just a headache, I want to rest for a morning and come in later.”
“Did you not sleep well last night?”
“No, I slept well.”
“Then you are still angry with me? Don’t want to see me?”
Zhao Yu laughed sarcastically. “What right do I have to be angry with you?”
Xue Ziang wanted to say more, but Zhao Yu cut him off first. “I will arrive at the office this afternoon, let’s talk in person.”
When she hung up the phone, she looked sad and could only stare at the table in a daze. Ji Sui hesitated multiple times before he finally said, “If he always bullies you, have you considered…leaving him?”
Zhao Yu looked at him in surprise.
Ji Sui smiled. “Sorry, I’m meddling.”
Zhao Yu shook his head. “You can talk to me about this, I am very grateful.”
Speaking of this, she sighed again, “It’s not that I haven’t thought about it. Actually, even before we got together, I thought about it. Xue Ziang and I are not people from the same world, but unfortunately… who makes me fall for him?
You don’t know how much I had to endure when I first came back to the company’s headquarters. Just because I had no relatives and no backing, everyone thought that I deserved to be poor and desolate. My boss’s daughter even came to the company to hit me, calling me a vixen and accused me of seducing her father.
At that time, I broke down. He was the one who showed up in time to help me and gave me warmth. Ever since I was young, only a few people have really treated me well and the two people who care about me have already left the world. I feel very lucky to have met him, and am even more reluctant to let go. “
“I understand.” Ji Sui smiled, “I used to be the same.”
“Used to be?” Zhao Yu looked at him curiously, “How about now?”
“Now, I’m trying to help myself.”
“Help yourself?” Zhao Yu smiled thoughtfully, “I hope I also have the determination and courage to help myself.”
After breakfast, Ji Sui offered to send her home but naturally, Zhao Yu was too embarrassed to bother him again and went back to her apartment by herself. There, she took a shower and cleaned up before going to the company.
As soon as she sat down, Xue Ziang sent her a message. [Come to my office]
After Zhao Yu entered, he closed the door, walked to Xue Ziang’s desk, and looked at him calmly.
Xue Ziang got up and touched her forehead. “You don’t have a fever, does your head still hurt?”
Zhao Yu shook her head.
Seeing that she was not in a good mood, Xue Ziang slowly took her into his arms and whispered, “Don’t be angry anymore, okay?”
This man rarely spoke to people in this tone but could even put down his pride1 and apologize to her, coaxing her like this, he must already be at his limit.
Zhao Yu knew to quit while she was ahead, and mumbled, “Then you need to promise me, you will never do that to me again. You can tell me if you are in a bad mood, I will try to help you and make you happy, but don’t be like the day before yesterday, it makes me feel that to you, I am just a tool to vent your frustrations.”
“En, I promise.”
Zhao Yu stretched out her arms to hug him then slapped him on the shoulder coquettishly. “Do you know how scary you looked at that time? When we do it, no matter how rough you are, I can feel that you care about me. That day, it felt as if you didn’t recognize me, you really scared me.”
“I know it’s my fault. You can blame me for drinking too much and out of control.” He stroked her head, “I won’t do it anymore, I promise.”
Zhao Yu finally embraced him contented, nestled in his arms, enjoying this rare moment of warmth and tranquility.
1 This was originally 面子 which is like face or image but I don’t know how to emphasize the importance of this in Chinese culture so I just translated it as pride.
“Speaking from the Heart”
Under the influence of alcohol, Zhao Yu quickly fell into a deep sleep.
In order to prevent Ji Sui from using her phone to contact her friends, she turned it off when she went to the restroom at the bar, but she remembered to set an alarm before shutting it down.
She was woken up by the alarm at 7:30, felt around for the phone, and turned it on. After submitting an emergency leave application in the system for a half-day absence, she took her time getting up.
Ji Sui didn’t seem to be home, he wasn’t in the living room, nor could she hear any sounds of movement. Zhao Yu didn’t want to rashly open the other door, so she could only go to the bathroom to shower first.
There were brand-new towels, toothbrushes, and cups inside, all looked to be made for men. It appeared as if women really didn’t come over.
Zhao Yu smelled of alcohol all over, wanted to take a bath but knew this was not the place, so she had to endure it.
After washing, she went back to the guest bedroom and removed all the sheets and quilts she used last night. As soon as she brought them out and was about to throw it into the washing machine, she saw Ji Sui already opened the door and returned.
He was wearing sportswear with sweat on his forehead. He must have gone to morning exercise just now.
Looking at each other, they were both a little embarrassed. Finally, Ji Sui spoke first, “You got up so early?”
Zhao Yu smiled and said, “The alarm normally set for work not turned off, and I woke up to it.”
“In a rush to go to work?”
“I have asked for leave, I will go in the afternoon.”
Looking at the bedsheet in her hands, Ji Sui said, “It doesn’t need to be washed, no one usually uses it.”
Zhao Yu was embarrassed. “They all reek of alcohol, let’s wash it.”
After a pause, she spoke again, “I…did I cause you a lot of trouble last night?”
Thinking of the scene of her seductively rubbing against him in his arms last night, Ji Sui looked away unnaturally and coughed dryly, “No, no trouble. I was supposed to send you back, but I don’t know which floor you lived on. Sister Shi Yu was already asleep at that point, so I had to bring you here, I hope you don’t mind.”
The base of his ears turned red again.
Zhao Yu couldn’t help thinking, how did he resolve it in the end last night? Did he wait for the lust to dissipate slowly, or quietly masturbate?
“I should ask you not to mind, I caused you so much trouble.” Zhao Yu pointed to the sheets in her hands, and then to the bathroom, “Well, can I use the washing machine inside?”
“Let me.” Ji Sui took the pile from her, went into the bathroom, and threw it in the washing machine. Then said to Zhao Yu, “Wait a minute, I will make breakfast right away.”
He was all sweaty, and he must want to take a quick shower. As Zhao Yu watched him go into his room to get clothes and walk into the bathroom, she went into the kitchen, put on his apron, and started preparing breakfast.
Ji Sui was indeed very fast, and in a flash, he had finished showering and changed his clothes.
Zhao Yu made a simple scallion noodle dish and fried two eggs. When he came out, the fried eggs had just come out of the pot.
“I’m afraid you will be busy preparing for work, so I just cooked something easy. I don’t know if it will be to your liking.”
Ji Sui walked into the kitchen to help Zhao Yu carry the dishes and smiled. “It smells very good.”
The two sat face to face at the table for breakfast. Although the atmosphere was slightly better than before, neither of them spoke.
When he was about to finish eating, Xue Ziang called and Zhao Yu picked up in front of Ji Sui.
Seeing the leave application in the system, Xue Ziang asked, “Are you sick?”
“No, it’s just a headache, I want to rest for a morning and come in later.”
“Did you not sleep well last night?”
“No, I slept well.”
“Then you are still angry with me? Don’t want to see me?”
Zhao Yu laughed sarcastically. “What right do I have to be angry with you?”
Xue Ziang wanted to say more, but Zhao Yu cut him off first. “I will arrive at the office this afternoon, let’s talk in person.”
When she hung up the phone, she looked sad and could only stare at the table in a daze. Ji Sui hesitated multiple times before he finally said, “If he always bullies you, have you considered…leaving him?”
Zhao Yu looked at him in surprise.
Ji Sui smiled. “Sorry, I’m meddling.”
Zhao Yu shook his head. “You can talk to me about this, I am very grateful.”
Speaking of this, she sighed again, “It’s not that I haven’t thought about it. Actually, even before we got together, I thought about it. Xue Ziang and I are not people from the same world, but unfortunately… who makes me fall for him?
You don’t know how much I had to endure when I first came back to the company’s headquarters. Just because I had no relatives and no backing, everyone thought that I deserved to be poor and desolate. My boss’s daughter even came to the company to hit me, calling me a vixen and accused me of seducing her father.
At that time, I broke down. He was the one who showed up in time to help me and gave me warmth. Ever since I was young, only a few people have really treated me well and the two people who care about me have already left the world. I feel very lucky to have met him, and am even more reluctant to let go. “
“I understand.” Ji Sui smiled, “I used to be the same.”
“Used to be?” Zhao Yu looked at him curiously, “How about now?”
“Now, I’m trying to help myself.”
“Help yourself?” Zhao Yu smiled thoughtfully, “I hope I also have the determination and courage to help myself.”
After breakfast, Ji Sui offered to send her home but naturally, Zhao Yu was too embarrassed to bother him again and went back to her apartment by herself. There, she took a shower and cleaned up before going to the company.
As soon as she sat down, Xue Ziang sent her a message. [Come to my office]
After Zhao Yu entered, he closed the door, walked to Xue Ziang’s desk, and looked at him calmly.
Xue Ziang got up and touched her forehead. “You don’t have a fever, does your head still hurt?”
Zhao Yu shook her head.
Seeing that she was not in a good mood, Xue Ziang slowly took her into his arms and whispered, “Don’t be angry anymore, okay?”
This man rarely spoke to people in this tone but could even put down his pride1 and apologize to her, coaxing her like this, he must already be at his limit.
Zhao Yu knew to quit while she was ahead, and mumbled, “Then you need to promise me, you will never do that to me again. You can tell me if you are in a bad mood, I will try to help you and make you happy, but don’t be like the day before yesterday, it makes me feel that to you, I am just a tool to vent your frustrations.”
“En, I promise.”
Zhao Yu stretched out her arms to hug him then slapped him on the shoulder coquettishly. “Do you know how scary you looked at that time? When we do it, no matter how rough you are, I can feel that you care about me. That day, it felt as if you didn’t recognize me, you really scared me.”
“I know it’s my fault. You can blame me for drinking too much and out of control.” He stroked her head, “I won’t do it anymore, I promise.”
Zhao Yu finally embraced him contented, nestled in his arms, enjoying this rare moment of warmth and tranquility.
1 This was originally 面子 which is like face or image but I don’t know how to emphasize the importance of this in Chinese culture so I just translated it as pride.
