Famous Actresses, Please Keep Your Distance From Me - Chapter 33

Chapter 33

There was no background noise in Duan Rujin’s voice message; her clear, mellow voice rang out distinctly in Cen Zhi’s ear.

There was a hint of exhaustion, but also a light, bright smile.

Cen Zhi pursed her lips tightly. She didn’t understand why Duan Rujin felt the need to “thank” her, and that phrase—”I thought you weren’t going to message me”—stung a little. It felt like a tiny needle pricking at her heart.

For Cen Zhi, no relationship could exist without reciprocity, and it was obvious she hadn’t given Duan Rujin much to work with. That was likely why Duan Rujin had been so sad yesterday afternoon when Cen Zhi hadn’t given a firm answer about the fifth injection.

In this relationship labeled “friendship,” she hadn’t exactly been the proactive one. Was she really so distant that simply sending a text made Duan Rujin—who genuinely wanted to be her friend—feel surprised?

Cen Zhi closed her eyes and rubbed her temples.

After a few more seconds, she typed: “Is it convenient to take a call now?”

“Yes.”

Cen Zhi’s fingertips trembled slightly as she dialed the WeChat voice call. This time, someone picked up immediately. Cen Zhi lightened her breathing, suddenly unsure of what to say. She had lived a somewhat closed-off life these past few years, preferring the quiet solitude of handling animal remains.

But she shouldn’t be that way with Duan Rujin.

“Cen Zhi.” Duan Rujin spoke first, pulling Cen Zhi back from her thoughts.

Cen Zhi blinked and quickly replied, “Are you in the car yet?”

“Not yet, I’m waiting for Xiao Yuan.”

“How long will it be?”

“Um… twenty minutes?” Duan Rujin sounded uncertain. “The event ended a bit earlier than expected. I told her to come at 11:30, but we finished half an hour early.”

An idea jumped into Cen Zhi’s mind. “Where are you?”

Duan Rujin named a shopping mall.

It wasn’t in the city center but between the second and third ring roads—happily, only three or four kilometers from where Cen Zhi lived. She had been to that mall several times over the last three years.

“Tell Xiao Yuan to go home.” Cen Zhi got out of bed.

Duan Rujin didn’t seem to process it at first. “Huh? What?” She asked with a chuckle, “If I let Xiao Yuan go home, how do I get back? Are you coming to pick me up?”

“Yes.”

After Cen Zhi answered, Duan Rujin’s end went silent, as if she’d hit the mute button. By the time Cen Zhi had changed her clothes, Duan Rujin’s voice returned: “I just called Xiao Yuan and told her not to come.”

Cen Zhi’s lips quirked up. “I live very close to that mall, and the roads are empty this late. I’ll be there in a few minutes if I hurry.” She was already leaving her apartment. “Wait for me.”

“Okay.”

Cen Zhi stepped into the elevator, and the call ended.

During the few minutes it took to drive to the mall, her heart was racing—faster than her car.

Just as she’d said on the phone, it took only five minutes to reach the parking area outside the mall. The mall had several entrances, and she realized she’d forgotten to ask which one Duan Rujin was at. She sent a message after stepping out of the car.

It was quite late; most of the shops were closed, though a few 24-hour convenience stores remained open. The lights were patchy, leaving large areas of the mall in shadow. The wide road was empty of cars, and the streetlights watched Cen Zhi quietly through the darkness.

By Any Means: “At Gate 2.”

She needed to walk further to the right.

Cen Zhi gripped her phone and started walking. The closer she got, the more erratic her breathing became. In Liucheng, Duan Rujin had picked her up from work; now, she was picking up Duan Rujin from the mall. They were “getting even,” just as Duan Rujin had said.

At that thought, Cen Zhi’s steps grew firmer.

After rounding a corner, she saw Duan Rujin sitting by Gate 2. She was wearing her hat and sitting on one of the public benches. Duan Rujin was leaning forward on her toes, elbows on her knees, cradling her face in her hands while staring at something in front of her.

Cen Zhi slowed her pace and called out from a distance, “I thought you’d be wearing a mask.”

Duan Rujin straightened up immediately, lifting her head. “There’s no one around right now.” She patted her crossbody bag. “The mask is in here.”

“What were you looking at?”

Cen Zhi sat down beside her, following her gaze, but there was nothing across from them but a quiet, still landscape.

Duan Rujin shook her head. “I wasn’t looking at anything. I was just thinking.”

“Mhm?”

“Thinking about the state of mind of someone waiting for a friend to pick them up, and how I should act that out,” Duan Rujin said. “This activity today was about staying away from phones. I think it affected me; I don’t feel much for my phone right now. While waiting for you, I was just feeling the breeze, looking at the streetlights, watching the leaves rustle… everything seemed to become interesting.”

Cen Zhi smiled. “Then is it time to go back now?”

“Of course.”

They stood up together, the night breeze still circling around them. Even with the 24-hour shops, the area was incredibly quiet. It was partly because this mall was a bit out of the way; if they were in the city center, it would still be bustling. But this was perfect for Duan Rujin.

On the way to the car, Cen Zhi kept her lips pursed because Duan Rujin was on the phone. The call didn’t end even after they got into the car. Cen Zhi turned on the navigation and silently played the role of a dutiful driver.

However, she selfishly drove much slower than she had on the way there. Coincidentally, they kept hitting red lights. By the time Duan Rujin hung up a few minutes later, they had only traveled two kilometers.

Duan Rujin brushed back her hair and let out a sigh. “The concern of elders is truly hard to withstand. My grandmother stayed up late just to call and ask if I’ve hit 120 pounds yet. She says I look too thin.”

“You are very thin.”

“Can’t be helped.” Duan Rujin turned her gaze to Cen Zhi’s face. “And this weight doesn’t stop me from having everything I’m supposed to have.”

“Like what?”

“Your hair?”

Duan Rujin blinked, then nodded and laughed. “Right! I still have plenty of hair.”

Cen Zhi let out a quiet breath of relief. She had been afraid she’d misinterpreted Duan Rujin’s meaning, so she was glad she’d asked. Though, she couldn’t help but overthink it, because Duan Rujin’s figure was indeed very good.

No matter how much she slowed down or how many red lights they hit, they eventually reached the destination. Since she still had to drive back, Cen Zhi didn’t enter the underground garage. She pulled over by the curb outside the complex.

“We’re here, Duan Rujin.”

“Drive carefully on your way back.”

“I’ll message you when I get home.” Cen Zhi was very proactive this time.

Duan Rujin was momentarily stunned, then broke into a wide smile. “Okay.”

She unbuckled her seatbelt and looked at Cen Zhi with sparkling eyes. “Remember to pick me up tomorrow afternoon.”

“I remember,” Cen Zhi nodded.

The night here was also silent, though there were a few more people around the residential area. Duan Rujin took her mask out of her bag. Before opening the door, she said, “Goodnight, Cen Zhi.”

Cen Zhi took a sharp breath and suddenly grabbed her wrist.

Duan Rujin turned her head. “What is it?”

“…Are you going fruit picking?” Cen Zhi’s throat tightened. “The thing Yu Lu asked you about.”

Duan Rujin didn’t pull away; she let Cen Zhi hold her wrist. Hearing the question, she tapped her own forehead. “I haven’t even replied to Lu yet. I totally forgot.”

“Do you want to go?”

In the dim light, Cen Zhi saw Duan Rujin’s bright eyes. The question felt familiar—just two days ago at the health center, Duan Rujin had asked her in the same tone if she was willing to accompany her for her shot.

Duan Rujin clearly remembered it too, because her answer was identical: “That depends on if I’m busy that day.”

Cen Zhi’s grip loosened slightly, but Duan Rujin immediately pressed further: “But do you want me to go?”

The car windows were up; the space was intimate and sealed. Cen Zhi was afraid her heart might actually jump out of her chest. Facing Duan Rujin’s question, she finally withdrew her hand, but as she did, she let a single phrase fall: “I do. How could I not want you, Duan Rujin?”

She was being clever. She had intentionally omitted the word “to go.”

The very next second, as she was mentally reviewing her words, she heard Duan Rujin’s voice again, filled with confusion: “Wait… did you just say you want me?”

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