Chapter Sixteen: Looking Back, the Past Feels Like a Dream

It was much like those early days when she cherished the tender stirrings of first love, lingering day after day beneath the School of Management’s teaching building. She told herself she was there to repay a debt, but in truth, she simply longed to see Lin Shuo again. Though Lin Shuo had given her his phone number and told her to call if she ever felt unwell, she always thought that would be too melodramatic, too contrived. Unexpected encounters, she believed, were far more delightful—though in reality, these “chance meetings” were meticulously orchestrated by her.

She hadn’t been able to learn much about Lin Shuo from Xiao Bao, which only made him seem all the more mysterious—a black hole drawing her in with irresistible force. She resolved to explore, visiting nearly every place Lin Shuo might appear. She firmly believed that perseverance would be rewarded, and sure enough, not long after, she ran into Lin Shuo again at a bustling fast food restaurant.

The little place was crowded with people, and she was quietly eating her dinner, paying no special attention to her surroundings.

“Boss, is there an open seat?” The voice was so familiar. She looked up and, as expected, saw Lin Shuo standing at the door. He spotted her too. She tried to compose herself, lowering her head to poke at her rice in silence. Before the owner could reply, Lin Shuo said, “Perfect timing, my friend’s already here—I’ll just share her table.”

At that moment, Xiaoxiao felt a rush of nerves. Had he arranged to meet someone else? She looked up again, but Lin Shuo was already sitting across from her. The table was small, barely an arm’s width across, and once more, her heart began to race uncontrollably.

“You… you’re having dinner here too?” she stammered.

Lin Shuo nodded. “Is your hand any better?” he asked.

Xiaoxiao stretched out her hand in front of him, waving it left and right with delight. “See? It’s all healed!”

“That’s good,” he said.

A brief, comfortable silence fell between them. No one spoke, but even so, Xiaoxiao felt deeply content.

When their food arrived, Lin Shuo pushed a dish toward the center of the table and, with polite warmth, said, “Try this—it’s their specialty.” He called for another bottle of beer, and the owner, thinking himself clever, brought an extra glass. Lin Shuo glanced at the bottle, smiling faintly, and asked the owner with mock seriousness, “Do you believe I can open this with my bare hands?” The owner, a self-assured veteran, scoffed at the idea. Lin Shuo grinned. “Then you’d better fetch the opener.”

His movements as he opened the bottle were deft and impressive. Pouring a glass, he looked at Xiaoxiao. “Would you mind sharing a drink with me? To celebrate your recovery.”

Xiaoxiao immediately took the glass with both hands, nearly proclaiming herself honored by the invitation. Lin Shuo filled her glass halfway and kindly advised, “Just a little is enough. Don’t drink too much.”

That night, they drank together in high spirits. Xiaoxiao spoke freely, sharing many stories from her childhood. Across the table, Lin Shuo watched her with a gentle smile, a warmth she could still feel to this day.

Passing through the Emerald Rooster Archway again, she no longer felt much sorrow. She walked to the hotel where she’d parked at dusk and drove home at her leisure.

The business with Manager Wang was indefinitely postponed. Officially, it was “to be discussed later,” but in truth, it meant the opportunity was lost. Xiaoxiao only learned of this when she returned to the office the next day. Manager Huang was furious, ranting about how he had humbled himself before Manager Wang the previous night, how he had laid his pride at Wang’s feet to be trampled.

Xiaoxiao listened in silence, a sudden anger welling up inside her. She restrained herself and tried to keep her tone calm. “Manager, I don’t understand why we have to beg others for mercy. I only know that if I work diligently and earnestly, I’ll never go hungry. There’s no need to let ourselves be humiliated.”

“Ni Xiaoxiao, the world no longer allows for such innocence. Don’t mistake ignorance for charm. You have a family to support too. Figure out how to make this right yourself.”

“Make it right? Does that mean I should strip myself bare and lie in his bed? Manager, you pay me for my work, not for anything more!” Xiaoxiao was nearly frantic. “Manager, women are people too—not tools for making money or climbing the ladder. I work here not just for the salary, but also for the respect and recognition I deserve, to have a place in this world and live a life of value.”

Everyone in the office knew that Ni Xiaoxiao was usually docile and accommodating, but today she was exceptionally agitated. Her own words startled her. In her mind flashed Lin Shuo’s cold, mocking smile, sending a chill from head to toe. She was certain it wasn’t her time of the month—it was something deeper, a psychological shift.

Lin Shuo. Lin Shuo. Why was it always Lin Shuo?

Just then, applause sounded from outside the door. Startled, Xiaoxiao turned to look. Lin Shuo was leaning casually against the doorframe, clapping unhurriedly, a faint, enigmatic smile on his lips.

In the Loneliest Hours, Let’s Not Speak of Love, Chapter Sixteen: Looking Back, the Past Is but a Dream—End of Chapter!