Famous Actresses, Please Keep Your Distance From Me - Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Perhaps because of its remote location, this community health center looked somewhat dilapidated. The sliding doors let out a piercing screech when pushed open, and through the glass, one could see a few people sitting on chairs receiving IV drips.

There weren’t many people, however, and they were of all ages.

After getting out of the car, Duan Rujin pulled out a mask and put it on. This was a staple in her bag; given her current national popularity, someone like Brother Xin was considered an “outlier.”

The facility was quiet. After paying the registration fee, they entered the consulting room.

Sitting in the room was a young female intern doctor. She glanced at the ID card Duan Rujin handed over, showing no particular emotion, only asking with a hint of surprise, “Bitten by a stray cat?”

Duan Rujin sat on the stool and nodded. “Yes.”

She turned her head to look at the standing Cen Zhi, her eyes carrying a faint plea for help.

Cen Zhi pretended not to see it and began inquiring, “Doctor, how many injections does she need?”

“Five,” the doctor replied, pushing up her glasses. “They need to be administered on days 0, 3, 7, 14, and 28. Here is a sheet with instructions; you both can take a look.”

The sheet listed precautions for the rabies vaccine, such as not bathing for 24 hours and reminders to avoid spicy food and seafood during the period.

Duan Rujin went silent after hearing she needed five shots, her left hand clenching into a tight fist.

Cen Zhi cast a downward glance at her; the corners of her mouth twitched upward for a fleeting second before she pressed them flat again.

“Doctor, can this vaccine be administered at a different community hospital?” Cen Zhi asked. She understood the nature of Duan Rujin’s work; she would likely be heading to another city once her few days of rest were over.

The doctor held the mouse. “Yes, but it must be the same manufacturer and batch. Don’t lose the vaccination record; bring it with you when you go to the next location.”

“Alright.”

“Okay, get ready for the injection,” the doctor added. “You also need a tetanus shot while we’re at it.”

Cen Zhi watched as Duan Rujin’s body instantly tensed up. She sat perfectly straight; she already had excellent posture, but now it looked as if a pillar had been shoved down her back.

“Doctor…” Duan Rujin called out softly.

The doctor stood beside her with iodine and cotton swabs. Hearing her voice, she asked, “What’s wrong?”

Duan Rujin’s lips were pressed tight under her mask. Ultimately, she just shook her head. “Nothing.”

“I’m starting then.”

“Okay.”

Duan Rujin tilted her head back to look at Cen Zhi. Because she was wearing a mask and a beret, only her eyes were visible. Her gaze right now looked much like the animals back at the stray rescue station.

Cen Zhi looked away. She truly did not want to get close to Duan Rujin.

The reunion was unexpected, but Duan Rujin had been the one to seek her out today, and the cat bite was just another accident—none of it had anything to do with her.

The doctor had already started applying iodine to Duan Rujin’s rolled-up sleeve.

Failing to get a response from Cen Zhi, Duan Rujin lowered her head, looking as if a pair of invisible rabbit ears had flopped down in dejection.

“…” Cen Zhi’s lips moved slightly. “What do you want me to do?”

Duan Rujin immediately looked back at her. “Just let me hold your waist.” As if to dispel any suspicion, she added, “I’ve been like this since I was little.”

“Will that make you less afraid?”

Duan Rujin’s eyes brightened. “Yes.”

Cen Zhi felt that Duan Rujin was a bit of a contradiction. She had a striking, glamorous face and a clear, cool voice, yet her personality was… a “sweet girl” type?

But people are complex; Cen Zhi understood this. Thinking this, she shifted slightly to the side, raising her hands a bit to make room for Duan Rujin.

The next second, Duan Rujin circled her waist with her uninjected arm.

She even buried her face against Cen Zhi’s stomach.

Cen Zhi was wearing a relatively thin shirt. Whether Duan Rujin intended it or not, her warm breath seeped through the fabric, lightly touching Cen Zhi’s skin.

“Relax,” the doctor reminded.

Duan Rujin closed her eyes, unable to relax in the slightest. The thought of the thin needle terrified her.

Cen Zhi could still feel the boundless tension radiating from her. After a two-second pause, she lowered her raised hands and placed one on Duan Rujin’s back, stroking it gently. “Don’t be afraid.”

This was different from telling her “not to force herself”; the level of intimacy in the current situation was much deeper.

But this was all Cen Zhi could do. Fortunately, it seemed to have some effect; she could feel the force gripping her gradually loosening.

It wasn’t until Duan Rujin finished both injections that she whispered a “Thank you.”

The doctor tossed the supplies into the disinfection box. “You’re welcome. Go sit outside and wait for half an hour to see if there’s a reaction.”

“…Alright.”

The two shots had been given in Duan Rujin’s left and right arms respectively. When she stood up, Cen Zhi noticed a thin layer of sweat on her forehead and a weary look in her eyes.

She really was terrified.

They went to the hall and found a seat in a corner. Yu Lu pushed the door open and walked in, seeing the two of them sitting there. “Why didn’t you wake me up?” she asked as she approached.

“You looked too tired.” Cen Zhi stood up. “I’m going to get some water. Do you want some?”

Yu Lu shook her head, taking over her seat. “I’m good. I drank some in the car; the thirst is actually what woke me up.”

Cen Zhi then looked into Duan Rujin’s eyes. “And you?”

“I only drink mineral water.”

“We only have mineral water.” Dropping those words, Cen Zhi turned and left the hall.

Only after leaving the same space as Duan Rujin did Cen Zhi feel her breathing ease up.

The van usually had water stocked, but just as she grabbed two bottles, she received a call from Feng Xingxing.

Cen Zhi freed a hand to answer. “What’s up?”

“Sister Cen, roughly when will you be back?”

Cen Zhi walked toward the health center entrance. “Probably another hour.”

“Kong Kong’s owners came by today. They brought a silk banner to the shop to thank us for helping Kong Kong leave so with such dignity, but they want you to be the one to accept it.”

Cen Zhi hadn’t expected this. Before she could say anything, Feng Xingxing explained the situation to the owners, then reported back: “Sister Cen, they said they can wait for you. They’re just spending time with Kong Kong in the shop for now.”

“…Alright.”

The call ended. Just as she reached the door, the thought of facing Duan Rujin again gave her a bit of a headache, but Feng Xingxing’s news was undeniably heartwarming. She couldn’t suppress the slight curve of her lips.

When she walked back in, she was still smiling, which Yu Lu noticed immediately. “You’re this happy just from getting water?”

“Mhm, I took a call.” Worried that Duan Rujin might have trouble using her strength, Cen Zhi twisted the cap open before handing the bottle to her.

Duan Rujin took the water, her eyes shimmering with curiosity. She added, “One shouldn’t compare pain, but happiness should be shared, Miss Cen.”

“…” Cen Zhi was a bit unsure of Duan Rujin’s temperament.

How could she be so proactive? Didn’t this conflict with the persona of someone meeting for only the second time?

Yu Lu laughed, keeping her volume low. “She’s right, A-Zhi.”

Cen Zhi took two sips of water before saying leisurely, “It’s just that I have to go back to the shop to accept a banner after we’re done here.” She curled her lips again. “The owners of the dog we sent off yesterday are very satisfied with our shop’s service.”

Yu Lu cocked an eyebrow. “Next time a cockroach dies in my house, I’ll trouble you to send it off.”

Duan Rujin had also taken a drink and put her mask back on. Hearing this, her elegant brows furrowed slightly. “Yu Lu, your sense of humor is quite morbid.”

“Hah!”

“Why are you calling me by my full name like A-Zhi! Duan Rujin!”

“We’ve known each other for months, and now you’re using my full name!”

Cen Zhi didn’t care to listen to their bickering. She sat down on the other side of Yu Lu, placed her water bottle aside, and pulled out her phone to check WeChat.

In the “Shining Star” group chat, Feng Xingxing had already posted a photo of the banner. On the red fabric, it read: “Shining Star Funerals, a resounding name; our family dog left in peace and fame.”

Cen Zhi’s smile widened.

She saw Wen Lin reply in the group: “We can extend the urn storage for Kong Kong for another week free of charge, if they don’t take it today.”

Cen Zhi: “+1”

Just as she sent the message, Duan Rujin, sitting on the other side of Yu Lu, spoke again: “Cen Zhi.”

“Hm?” Cen Zhi looked at her, her smile not yet faded, still frozen on her face.

“I forgot to say.”

Duan Rujin’s eyes crinkled. “Thank you for letting me hold you in the consulting room just now. And thank you for sharing the happy news. It made me happy to hear it too.”

Yu Lu looked dazed. “Wait, what on earth…?”

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