Famous Actresses, Please Keep Your Distance From Me - Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Duan Rujin had left on Thursday, and today was Sunday. This meant only three days had passed.

They had only been apart for three days.

Cen Zhi was a bit confused; she remembered that celebrities were usually quite busy. She thought Duan Rujin would be swamped after her week of rest, yet here they were, meeting again.

As if sensing her bewilderment, Duan Rujin stepped inside and said leisurely, “My new drama just wrapped up, and it’ll probably be another six months before I join the next production. So, I’m not that busy during this period.”

“I see,” Cen Zhi said, then asked, “Then how did you ‘pass by’ my shop?”

Duan Rujin pulled out her vaccination record from her bag and gave it a wave. “It’s time for my third shot today, Cen Zhi.” She blinked. “Xiao Lu is busy. You wouldn’t refuse to help me, would you?”

Cen Zhi pursed her lips, staring into the only part of Duan Rujin’s face that was visible: her eyes.

“I have things to do this afternoon.”

“Then I’ll wait until you’re off the clock.”

The sun was beating down outside. Cen Zhi turned around and said, “Come in first.”

She led the woman into the lobby. Duan Rujin was covered up so thoroughly that no one paid her any mind.

Duan Rujin looked curiously at the warm decor. On one wall, there were numerous photos of cats, dogs, and rabbits. She stood before them, and Cen Zhi, standing beside her, said softly, “They’ve all gone to another planet.”

Cen Zhi thought for a moment before asking, “Do you want to see the columbarium?”

The ashes of the kittens from the café were still in the shop. The café owner was still in a state of collapse and didn’t want to collect them yet. Duan Rujin’s repost as a public figure had undoubtedly added fuel to the attention the case was receiving. Even if the culprit wouldn’t be severely punished in the end, she had made more people notice.

Cen Zhi and her team refused entry to any ill-intentioned competitors or media personnel.

But Duan Rujin could go in.

Duan Rujin looked momentarily stunned. “The columbarium?” she asked. “For these animals’ ashes?”

“Yes.”

“But I’m showing you specifically because of those cats.”

The light in Duan Rujin’s eyes dimmed instantly. The thought of that incident made her ache, so she didn’t refuse. “Okay.”

The columbarium was at the very back, the quietest part of the shop. There were currently three owners there visiting their beloved pets. When Cen Zhi brought Duan Rujin in, the three were chatting, sharing funny stories about their pets’ lives, each holding a tissue, crying and talking at the same time.

Seeing Cen Zhi enter, they all greeted her: “Boss Cen.”

“Are we disturbing you?”

“No, not at all.”

Cen Zhi smiled. “Please, carry on.”

Duan Rujin followed behind her and finally stood before the glass cubicles at the back. They were small, pink ceramic urns.

“I’ll get you a chair,” Cen Zhi said. “There are too many people outside. Wait here until I finish work.”

Duan Rujin froze, not expecting that level of consideration. She nodded. “Alright.”

“I have to go clean a dog and perform a farewell ceremony. It should take about an hour.”

“Okay, I understand.”

Looking at her, Cen Zhi still felt a bit uneasy. She changed her mind. “Actually, maybe you should wait in my office?”

Wen Lin had gone to another shop for an exchange and wouldn’t be back this afternoon.

“…Am I being too much of a bother?”

Cen Zhi denied it. “It’s just… a bit of a surprise.”

She hadn’t expected their next meeting to come so soon. Last time, it took five years; this time, it hadn’t even been five days.

A few minutes later, Duan Rujin sat down in Cen Zhi’s office. Since it was Sunday, the shop was crowded everywhere—the lounge, the waiting area—so only her office was truly safe.

But when she stepped out of the office, Cen Zhi let out a long breath. She really didn’t need to help Duan Rujin with the injection again, yet she hadn’t refused. She didn’t understand why she was always like this when it came to Duan Rujin.

After sitting in the lounge for a while, she headed into the preparation room to start her work.

Meanwhile, Duan Rujin sat in the office, spacing out. Since she wasn’t that close to Cen Zhi, she didn’t move things around, only looking at the office decor. The office was small, crammed with two desks, two chairs, and a filing cabinet. Any more people and it would feel cramped, but it had a large window with a beautiful view of a garden nearby.

There wasn’t much on Cen Zhi’s desk: a computer, some books, pens, a cup, and a group photo with the staff.

In the photo, Cen Zhi’s smile was slight. She stood in the far corner, but her striking face was impossible to ignore.

Duan Rujin remembered that Cen Zhi looked exactly like this in the graduation photo, and in the photo from Yu Lu’s birthday. She didn’t even have to guess; Cen Zhi would always be in the corner. She had always been such an understated, low-profile person.

She smiled at the photo, suddenly feeling a bit “despicable.”

She could have gotten the rabies shot anywhere, but she insisted on making Cen Zhi accompany her, regardless of Cen Zhi’s wishes. But she also knew that Cen Zhi wouldn’t refuse because she had “value”—the stray animal rescue needed a voice like hers.

Moreover, it was for charity. She had done plenty of charity work over the years—donating money, supplies, schools, and sponsoring underprivileged children—but this was her first time working with stray animals. It felt meaningful.

Cen Zhi’s timing was accurate. About an hour later, she knocked on the door and turned the lock.

She didn’t expect to find Duan Rujin asleep on her desk.

Perhaps because the light outside was too bright, Duan Rujin had taken off her hat to cover her eyes, but she had removed her mask at some point. The lower half of her face was now fully visible to Cen Zhi.

A delicate jawline, lightly pressed lips, and a cute nose.

She looked like she was sleeping soundly, undisturbed by the knock.

The corner of Cen Zhi’s mouth twitched into a brief smile before flattening. She sat down quietly in Wen Lin’s chair. Not feeling sleepy, she checked the news and entertainment updates on her phone.

She should have searched for Duan Rujin earlier. Duan Rujin had been spotted at the airport today in this exact outfit.

Cen Zhi raised an eyebrow, calculating Duan Rujin’s departure and arrival times. She reached a conclusion: This person had come straight here after landing without even going to her hotel to rest.

It seemed getting the injection was indeed a very urgent matter.

Cen Zhi scrolled to another page, but a second later, the door swung open.

Wen Lin looked at her, puzzled. “Why are you sitting in my chair?”

Cen Zhi practically bolted upright. In two or three steps, she was at her own desk. Duan Rujin had clearly been startled awake, her head lifting slightly. Before Wen Lin could see her face clearly, Cen Zhi reached out and pulled Duan Rujin’s hat back down, covering her small face.

Duan Rujin’s voice came out muffled: “Cen Zhi.”

She asked, “Are you trying to be my eyes?”

Wen Lin raised an eyebrow, her gaze turning suggestive. “Getting adventurous, are we? Bringing people into the office now.”

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