One Year After Her Sister-In-Law Was Widowed - Chapter 13

When Xiao Shuangyu returned to the security lounge, Wang Ran had already brewed the flower tea. The fresh floral fragrance wafted through the air, sweet and pleasant.

Without even looking up, Wang Ran called out for Xiao Shuangyu to come and drink. Xiao Shuangyu did indeed lean in, holding her cup and waiting; even on her face, which usually wore a perennially grumpy expression, a look of anticipation was clearly visible.

Wang Ran looked over and couldn’t help but tease her, “Why didn’t you say you liked it? If we had gone over together, we could have asked for more, so that fellow wouldn’t just be stingy with me.”

Xiao Shuangyu, feeling a bit embarrassed, pulled her cup closer and dryly changed the subject. “Sister Ran, when did you buy this new pot?”

Wang Ran smiled, following her lead. “Found it at home; it’s been sitting there unused.”

As she spoke, she took the cup from Xiao Shuangyu’s hand, picked up the pot, and poured her a cup first. “Have a taste. If it’s good, we’ll buy some.”

Xiao Shuangyu nodded and took it, bringing it to her lips for a small sip. It was hot, but the flavor was very fragrant, carrying a hint of a unique bitterness.

She pursed her lips and lowered her head as the steam rose; she couldn’t quite say she liked it that much.

However, when she looked up in response to Wang Ran’s “How is it?”, Wang Ran immediately made the decision—Buy it!

On that thin and pale face, within those clear black-and-white eyes, the anticipation did not fade.

It wasn’t because of the flower tea, but because of the “Okay” Ji Zhuozhou had uttered back in the staff canteen.

Today, she would wait for Ji Zhuozhou to get off work and, together with her, return once more to Ji Zhuozhou’s home.

She was in a very good mood.

She was in a bad mood.

In the pantry, three people were huddled together gossiping.

They were talking about Ji Zhuozhou.

They said that yesterday, Ji Zhuozhou rushed into the rain to pull and push with an Alpha who was confessing in the downpour. They said that Alpha had chased Ji Zhuozhou for three years and had hired someone to kill Ji Zhuozhou’s newlywed wife in a car accident for the sake of love.

Then they said that perhaps Ji Zhuozhou had cheated first, and Xiao Mingyi died on the way to catch her in the act; that it was actually a conspiracy designed by Ji Zhuozhou and the Alpha in the rain, and now she wanted to shake off the trouble only to be confronted at her door.

They even said that a person like Ji Zhuozhou really shouldn’t be approached. What was the use of having talent? Who knew how she achieved things behind the scenes? No decent person could withstand being ruined like that.

The three spoke cryptically, though words like “jinx” and “god of ill luck” were said clearly. They giggled and laughed as if they were telling a hilarious joke.

Xiao Shuangyu hid behind the door, taking in every bit of their discussion. She neither showed herself nor left, lacking even the slightest self-awareness that she was one of the main protagonists.

Truthfully, the version was so wildly off-track that she hadn’t even reacted when she first overheard the muffled snippets.

Now, she felt unhappy.

Rumors were one thing, but rumors claiming Ji Zhuozhou was incompetent, cheated, and then whitewashing Xiao Mingyi as a victim of “catching a cheater” was quite another.

What “catching a cheater”? When Xiao Mingyi had her accident, the “third party” was sitting in the passenger seat—Xiao Mingyi’s third party, nothing to do with Ji Zhuozhou.

On the contrary, Ji Zhuozhou was the one hounded by that person’s family. At the funeral, she had been grabbed by those lunatics who wept and screamed for compensation; she was fragile and helpless.

Inside the pantry, the three people casually moved on from the topic and began complaining about work.

Xiao Shuangyu peeked out quietly, fixing the three of them in her gaze, secretly cursing them to trip and fall when they walked out.

And as for not approaching Ji Zhuozhou—it would be best if you told everyone that and acted accordingly.

She was more than happy to see Ji Zhuozhou with no one but her by her side.

Xiao Shuangyu huffed and left, intentionally passing in front of the pantry and casting a fierce glare inside.

Fall!

The group was somewhat baffled. They looked at each other and, after Xiao Shuangyu left, added her to their gossip, calling her a “gang leader” or “delinquent,” spinning endless stories.

As a new wave of rumors spread rapidly, Xiao Shuangyu got off work.

Her mood became very good again. Ji Zhuozhou had told her she could leave work an hour early today.

They had already agreed at noon that after Xiao Shuangyu finished work, she would go nowhere and simply wait for Ji Zhuozhou to finish.

Now, her wait had been cut in half.

Sitting in a shop across from the sidewalk, Xiao Shuangyu stared longingly out the window, waiting to cross the road and meet Ji Zhuozhou the moment she appeared or sent a message.

A drink landed on the table with a clack. Xiao Shuangyu ignored it, her gaze focused.

After a long while, she remembered something. She quickly turned around and took a photo of the cup. After hesitating for a long time, she cautiously sent it to Ji Zhuozhou, saying the taste was good and asking if she wanted to try it.

After sending it, she hesitated again about whether to withdraw the message. She had never met Ji Zhuozhou in this shop before; what if Ji Zhuozhou didn’t like this place at all?

The process of waiting for a reply was long and nervous. Xiao Shuangyu felt her palms sweating slightly. She picked up the cup and took two large gulps.

The coldness swept past her heart and landed in her stomach. It was enough for cooling down, but as a way to relieve tension, it was completely ineffective.

Xiao Shuangyu gripped the cup tightly. The condensed water droplets dampened her palm, feeling a bit icy.

She looked at her phone and then out the window, wondering if Ji Zhuozhou was too busy to look, or if she had seen it and didn’t know how to respond.

Turning back to press down on the message, Xiao Shuangyu intended to withdraw it after all, but at that moment, out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of an elegant figure in the distance.

Xiao Shuangyu turned her head sharply. She immediately forgot about withdrawing the message, grabbed the things beside her, and ran outside.

Ji Zhuozhou was off work.

It was a red light.

Xiao Shuangyu waited anxiously, her eyes already fixed on Ji Zhuozhou from afar.

Ji Zhuozhou stood still at the base of the Huarui building, looking down at her phone, then quickly looked up to scan the surroundings. She spotted Xiao Shuangyu across the road at once and waved at her.

Xiao Shuangyu’s heart thudded. Seeing Ji Zhuozhou walking toward her, she was debating whether to raise her hand in return when the light turned green.

She hurried across the crosswalk and ran quickly to Ji Zhuozhou’s side.

Meeting those slightly curved, deep green eyes, she nervously averted her gaze and spoke dryly, “So fast.”

Yes, it is very fast.

Even though she had said an hour early, only about half an hour had passed since Xiao Shuangyu finished work.

Ji Zhuozhou nodded, leading her toward the parking lot. “I finished my tasks and came down. That… aren’t you going to let me try it?”

Ji Zhuozhou’s gaze fell upon her hand, her tone natural.

Xiao Shuangyu suddenly realized that Ji Zhuozhou had just been looking at her message. Looking at the drink in her hand, she couldn’t help but freeze.

It was her cup. In her excitement, she had brought it out with her.

Most importantly, she had already drunk half of it, and the straw in it was the one she had used.

Xiao Shuangyu looked back at the shop across the street, then back at the half-cup in her hand. She looked up at Ji Zhuozhou and, after a moment of awkwardness, said, “I’ve drunk from this. I’ll go buy a new one.”

She made a move to turn around, ready to act on her word.

A hand pinched the corner of her clothes, stopping her from escaping. “No need. I’ll just have a taste; otherwise, it’ll be a waste.”

Xiao Shuangyu instinctively said, “It won’t be a waste.”

Ji Zhuozhou looked at her and let out a soft, “Hmm?”

Xiao Shuangyu’s mouth was faster than her brain. “I’ll drink the rest.”

With a puchi sound, Ji Zhuozhou laughed softly in front of her. She didn’t speak but simply took the half-cup of drink from Xiao Shuangyu’s hand and brought it to her lips.

The moist red lips still held that distinct smile. Maintaining that beautiful curve, she used that one and only straw to take a sip.

Then, Ji Zhuozhou placed the cup back into Xiao Shuangyu’s hand, which was frozen in place. Her smile remained undiminished. “It is indeed delicious. Very sweet.”

Xiao Shuangyu stared blankly at Ji Zhuozhou’s smile, losing herself for a moment. Belatedly coming to her senses, the tips of her ears flushed red instantly.

She seemed to have said something stupid.

The sense of embarrassment amplified infinitely at this moment. Xiao Shuangyu stiffly curled the corners of her mouth, as if echoing Ji Zhuozhou’s smile.

Her smile was like herself; no matter what the mood, the curled corners of her mouth always appeared gloomy and unattractive.

But before her, Ji Zhuozhou’s soft voice sounded again, “Lian-Lian, your smile looks so good. It’s my first time seeing it.”

Xiao Shuangyu’s already stiff smile froze completely, and a layer of light pink quickly coated her pale face.

It wasn’t the first time she had seen Ji Zhuozhou smile like this.

Not the faint smile at the corners of the eyes and lips, but the sudden, mirthful, hearty… moving laugh.

She had said stupid things more than once, but she loved Ji Zhuozhou who was amused by her stupid words.

She loved it every single time.

Xiao Shuangyu raised her gaze, her heart thumping, the words in her throat nearly escaping.

Ji Zhuozhou beat her to it. “Smile more in the future. Be a bit happier.”

Xiao Shuangyu blinked, quietly swapping “You are beautiful” for “You too,” and spoke softly.

Ji Zhuozhou seemed slightly taken aback. She turned to continue walking down. The two of them had already reached the front of the parking lot. The cool air blowing against them was soothing and comfortable.

Ji Zhuozhou said, “Okay.”

Ji Zhuozhou also said, “Then I must cook two extra dishes tonight.”

Xiao Shuangyu lagged half a step behind, staring intently at Ji Zhuozhou’s profile, nodding as she retracted her stiff smile.

But.

As she followed Ji Zhuozhou to find the car, her gaze couldn’t help but fall on that straw. Carefully, she brought the straw closer to herself.

Ji Zhuozhou hadn’t minded using the straw she had used at all.

This was the straw Ji Zhuozhou had used.

Wanting to kiss.