Running Towards You - Chapter 21.3

He walked out and saw Ji Yin peeking her head out from the bathroom. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“I didn’t bring a change of underwear. Do you have any disposable ones?” Ji Yin inquired.

“Let me check.” Lu Jiahe went back to his room for a moment and returned with a pair of underwear. “No more disposables. This one is new, make do with it.”

“Okay.” Ji Yin reached out and took it. “Wow, even your underwear is so sexy. Dr. Lu, are you a bit of a closet flirt?”

Lu Jiahe coughed. “Keep talking, and I’ll make you wear it for a catwalk.”

“Fine by me, I’m not scared.” Ji Yin said boldly, closing the door to put on the underwear.

Lu Jiahe hurried back to his room, genuinely afraid she might come out and strut her stuff.

“Dr. Lu.”

Someone knocked on his door.

Lu Jiahe opened the door with a face mask on and saw her wrapped in a bathrobe. He went inside to fetch a clean set of pajamas. “Wear this.”

“Thank you, Dr. Lu. Which room should I sleep in?” Ji Yin asked again.

“Follow me.” Lu Jiahe walked to the guest room next door, took out a bedding set from the closet, and said, “Here, you can put it on yourself.”

“Alright.”

By the time Lu Jiahe went out to grab an alcohol swab, Ji Yin had almost finished making the bed.

“So fast?”

“I could be even faster, but I’m not as skilled as I used to be,” Ji Yin replied.

“Put this here for wiping your phone later.” Lu Jiahe placed the swab on the nightstand.

“Wipe what phone?” Ji Yin asked, confused.

“Wipe your phone. Are you planning to just bring it to bed and play with it?”

Ji Yin looked bewildered. “Isn’t that okay?”

“No, your phone is handled all day and picks up so many germs.” Lu Jiahe picked up her phone from the nightstand, removed the case, and meticulously wiped it with the disinfectant swab before placing it on the bed.

Ji Yin stared in astonishment. “You go through this whole routine just to play on your phone in bed?”

“Yes, and don’t let me catch you lying in bed playing with your phone without wiping it first,” Lu Jiahe warned.

“Okay.” Ji Yin nodded repeatedly.

“Once you’re done, get some sleep early. I have work tomorrow, so make yourself at home. Here’s the spare key.” Lu Jiahe set down the key and returned to his room.

In the morning, after washing up, Lu Jiahe opened his door and went to the living room. He was taken aback to see Ji Yin in the kitchen before remembering there was someone else in the house.

“Up so early?”

“Dr. Lu, you’re awake? I bought two servings of wontons, they’re still warm. Have some before heading to work.” Ji Yin turned around happily, bringing two spoons from the kitchen to sip the soup.

“Thank you.”

“I should be the one saying thank you. Thank you, Dr. Lu, for taking me in. I slept incredibly well last night, the bed was so soft and smelled lovely,” Ji Yin said.

“As long as you slept well, that’s what matters. I was worried you might not be used to the bed.”

“Not at all. I’ve even slept under a bridge before.”

Lu Jiahe actually detected a hint of pride in her tone and couldn’t help asking, “How did you end up sleeping under a bridge?”

“When I first dropped out of school, I worked at a clothing store and a pool hall in the county town. That’s where I met this older guy. He told me there were more opportunities out there and encouraged me to go out and explore.”

Ji Yin poured chili oil into her soup and continued, “So I asked him what I could do. He said he also had a low education, no background, and no connections, he’d made a bit of money entirely by selling products himself. He exaggerated how amazing the products were and how easy they were to sell, convincing me to join him. I was tempted.”

Hearing this, Lu Jiahe already felt it didn’t sound good. “You got scammed, didn’t you?”

“Exactly! I was desperate for money back then, so I went with him. He said his company was strict and required membership fees and a deposit before they’d trust me with the products. I was too naive and fell for his lies, I gave him all the money I had, and after that, I never saw him again.”

“How did you manage after that?”

“I slept under a bridge at night and looked for work during the day. Luckily, after just two days, I found a job at a restaurant where they provided meals. The owner felt sorry for me and let me stay at her place for a while. I did well there, and she even planned to teach me her cooking skills. Unfortunately, I didn’t work there long before my mom passed away, so I had to go back.”

“How much have you been through?” Lu Jiahe was once again stunned by her experiences, imagining how, at that time, he might have been enjoying a free and fulfilling college life or relaxing with friends.

Ji Yin laughed. “I just took a few more detours than you all, that’s all.”

Lu Jiahe arrived at the hospital and had just seen two patients when the emergency department brought in an elderly person who had fallen and needed urgent surgery.

By the time the surgery was over, it was almost five o’clock. His stomach had passed the point of hunger, and he no longer felt particularly hungry.

He returned to his office, ate two pieces of chocolate, and continued calling patients.

“Jiahe.” A familiar voice sounded at the door.

Lu Jiahe looked up and was momentarily stunned by the woman he hadn’t seen in a long time. After a pause, he asked, “Why are you here? Is something wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I just felt this was the only way to see you.” Cheng Jingwen walked over and sat down in front of him.

Lu Jiahe glanced at the computer system, there were no more patients waiting. He then turned to her and smiled. “Long time no see. When did you return to Shanghai?”

“In a few days.” Cheng Jingwen looked at him and said, “You haven’t changed much.”

“How could that be? It’s been over ten years. Time hasn’t spared me at all,” Lu Jiahe joked.

But she didn’t respond to his humor. Instead, she followed his words, her gaze fixed intently on his face.

Lu Jiahe lowered his eyes and gave a light cough. “You’ve changed quite a bit, though.”

Cheng Jingwen’s attire exuded sophistication and a cosmopolitan flair impeccable makeup, an expensive handbag, a scarf adorned with a prominent logo, and even her earrings were a classic design from a luxury brand. The girl who once frequently wore faded school uniforms had finally achieved the life she had always dreamed of.

“Have you been in Shanghai since graduation?” Lu Jiahe asked.

“Yes, I work at a multinational company and am now a department manager,” Cheng Jingwen replied.

“Congratulations, your future looks bright.”

Cheng Jingwen paused before asking, “Are you in a relationship?”

“Last time at Wangfan Bar… were you there too?” Lu Jiahe inquired.

“Yes, I saw you being very intimate with a girl.”

Lu Jiahe smiled helplessly. “No matter who I talk to for more than a few words, you always assume I’m being intimate with them.”

“Is that why you rejected me back then?” Cheng Jingwen finally voiced the question.

After her confession was rejected, she had stubbornly deleted Lu Jiahe without even asking for a reason. Yet, even after all these years, she still couldn’t let it go.

She and Lu Jiahe had been so close, sharing everything. Whether in terms of academic performance or appearance, no one else could have been a better match. They had even secretly come out to each other, a secret only they shared. She had always believed Lu Jiahe liked her too.

Lu Jiahe pressed down on the pen in her hand and, seeing the urgency in Cheng Jingwen’s eyes, nodded. “Yes, your possessiveness felt like a burden to me back then.”

Cheng Jingwen’s shoulders slumped slightly. “Back then? And what about now?”

“You.” Lu Jiahe suddenly worried she might say something she shouldn’t and changed the subject. “There’s a class reunion in a couple of days. Are you going?”

“No,” Cheng Jingwen replied, smoothing her hair. She then asked, “Is the girl you were with at the bar your girlfriend?”

“She’s a friend.”

Cheng Jingwen’s frown eased, and a smile finally appeared on her face. “Jiahe, even after all these years, seeing you still makes my heart flutter.”

“Jingwen, don’t.”

“We were too young back then, and all I knew was to foolishly say I liked you. This time, I’ll pursue you properly.”

“Don’t do this. We can be great friends, but we’re not suited for.”

“Zaozao.”

Lu Jiahe froze.

“I’m not the same person I used to be. You haven’t had the chance to get to know the current me.” Cheng Jingwen stood up and smiled at her. “You’ll come to know me again. I look forward to our next meeting.”

With that, she left the consultation room without looking back. As the elevator doors opened, she saw a vaguely familiar figure inside, the woman who had played games with Lu Jiahe at the bar and even kissed her.

Ji Yin tucked her phone away and stepped out of the elevator, only to find the woman at the door scrutinizing her from head to toe. When their eyes met, the woman even shot her a faint, unmistakable glare!

How absurd.

Ji Yin widened her eyes and glared back fiercely.

“Dr. Lu!” Ji Yin hurried into the consultation room and saw Lu Jiahe rubbing her temples. “What’s wrong?” she asked anxiously.

“Nothing,” Lu Jiahe replied, looking up. “What brings you here?”

“I was handling some business nearby, so I came to pick you up and go home together,” Ji Yin said.

Go home together?

Lu Jiahe was momentarily stunned, then chuckled. “You sure adapt quickly.”

“Of course! Let me tell you, I just ran into a lunatic,” Ji Yin immediately started complaining.

“What happened?”

“Someone glared at me for no reason!” Ji Yin said indignantly.

“Maybe you saw it wrong. No one glares at others for no reason, perhaps they were looking at someone else,” Lu Jiahe said with an amused smile as he stood up and began packing his things.

“Impossible! She was definitely looking at me, as if I were her sworn enemy, but I don’t even know her.”

Lu Jiahe paused. “You’re not talking about a woman, are you?”

“How did you know?”

“Just a guess.” Lu Jiahe immediately patted her shoulder sympathetically. “You’ve had a rough time.”

What an undeserved misfortune.

Ji Yin glanced down at the hand on her shoulder, her heart softening. With a pitiful tone, she said, “Dr. Lu, you’re so kind. I didn’t feel wronged before, but now that you said it, I do.”

Lu Jiahe: “Give you an inch, and you take a mile. A little comfort, and you start pretending, huh?”

Ji Yin: “Mm-hmm”

Lu Jiahe shook his head and laughed. “Let’s go, let’s head home.”

The two got into the car, and as Lu Jiahe drove toward the gate, his eyelids suddenly twitched, Cheng Jingwen was actually waiting right at the entrance.

“Oh my god, that’s her! She’s the one who glared at me earlier!” Ji Yin pointed at Cheng Jingwen. “What’s she still doing here? Does she want to cause trouble for me?”

The car slowly approached the gate. Lu Jiahe turned his head and glanced at Cheng Jingwen, only to find her gaze fixed on the passenger seat, her expression displeased.

Lu Jiahe sighed inwardly.

What’s changed? Isn’t it just the same as before?

“What are you looking at?! Trying to start something?!” A sharp shout came from beside him as Ji Yin leaned almost entirely toward his side.

Cheng Jingwen’s face darkened, and she blurted out, “Jiahe, is this your friend?”

Ji Yin had just raised her hand, about to make an unfriendly international gesture, but upon hearing this, she immediately retracted her bent middle finger and slowly raised a reluctant thumbs-up instead.

“Dr. Lu, is this your friend?” Ji Yin asked timidly.

Cheng Jingwen: “??”

Lu Jiahe: “…”

Truly adaptable,able to advance or retreat as needed.