Accidental Love

Deleting Shi Yan's WeChat was a painful decision that Zheng Shuyi decided to make after crying.

In this matter, Shi Yan did a quick and clean job, and it was her who was being unwilling.

Anyway, she was already hated by Shi Yan. With his personality, they would definitely not be able to come back together again, ever.

And keeping his contact, apart from the hopeless expectation, wouldn't do any good to Zheng Shuyi.

And he wouldn't contact her anymore, so he wouldn't even know or care if she disappeared from his friend's list.

Therefore, after Zheng Shuyi deleted his WeChat, apart from the moment of emptiness in her heart, she felt much more relaxed.

In the next few days, she still had a lot of work to finish. So after completely devoting herself, her efficiency sky-rocketed and became a working frenzy in the eyes of her colleagues.

One morning, Kong Nan couldn't sleep due to the noise of the construction upstairs and arrived at the company half an hour early. Thinking that since the boss wasn't here yet, she wanted to relax for a while.

But surprisingly, she found out that Zheng Shuyi arrived even earlier than her. She was sitting upright in front of her computer working very hard. Kong Nan felt guilty for some reason and slowly placed down the phone in her hand.

When it was time for work to officially start, Kong Nan couldn't hold back anymore and sat on the chair beside Zheng Shuyi.

"What's the matter with you lately? Are you actually treating the company as your home? Do you want me to bring you a bed next time?

Zheng Shuyi was busy writing an email and didn't have the time to chat with her.

"I'm busy, talk to you at noon."

"It's not that I have a problem with you," muttered Kong Nan as she left, "It's just that seeing you working so hard makes me really stressed."

Right now, Zheng Shuyi was preparing the documents to apply for a U.S. visa. Based on her past experience, in addition to some procrastination, it would take about a week to finish.

But this time, it only took her half a day to get everything ready.

The day of the visa interview was Thursday. Although an appointment was already made with the visa officer, there was still a lot of work left to do. So during the afternoon, Zheng Shuyi asked to leave early to go to the embassy.

When she arrived at the embassy, as she had expected, the crowds lined up from the embassy hall to the alley outside. It was enough to give someone a headache just by looking at it.

It happened that it was also very cold today, and Zheng Shuyi forgot her scarf before she came.

The cold spring wind wasn't warmer than that of winter even by the slightest bit. They poured into her neck wave after wave and was even mixed along with a few drizzles of rain. Zheng Shuyi was so cold that she felt like she wasn't wearing clothes at all and sneezed several times.

"Zheng Shuyi?"

After hearing her continuous sneezes, Yu You finally noticed Zheng Shuyi in the crowd.

He walked through the crowd towards her, "Are you here to apply for a visa too?"

As he spoke, he handed over a tissue.

Zheng Shuyi's nose was very itchy, so she naturally took the tissue and covered her mouth as she sneezed again. Then she replied, "Yeah, I'm going for a business trip to America next month."

She looked at Yu You, remembered the arrangement he had said before, and asked, "You are leaving already?"

“No, I'm just applying for a short-stay visa," replied Yu You.

"Huh?" Zheng Shuyi wiped her nose, threw the tissue away, and asked, "Didn't you say that you were going back to the United States to study there?"

"Yes, that was my plan before, but the company gave me some free time, so this time, I'm just going to the United States to participate in some academic forum."

Yu You lowered his head, took off his glasses while speaking, and slowly wiped the rainwater on the lenses with a tissue.

Only then did Zheng Shuyi notice that he had a pair of really beautiful eyes. His double eyelids were very smooth, and after taking off the lenses, the end of his eyes had a natural sultry look.

But by looking at his eyes, Shi Yan appeared in Zheng Shuyi's mind.

His eyes seemed deeper, but no matter how one looked at it, all it contained was coldness.

Another gust of wind blew on her, and the coldness made Shi Yan's image disappear.

She didn't know how she was able to recklessly stick to him before when he had such a pair of eyes.

She waited in line for the whole afternoon, and the visa interview only lasted for ten minutes.

When the two walked out of the embassy, the sky was already getting dark.

Maybe it was because of all the hassle she had to do, Zheng Shuyi felt like her palms were hot and her whole body was sore and weak.

When she and Yu You walked to the parking lot together, the light rain had stopped, but the lingering wetness made the weather even colder.

"Let's go eat," when getting in the car, Yu You said to Zheng Shuyi, "I can take you home after dinner."

Zheng Shuyi nodded, "Okay."

While driving, Yu You answered several work calls in a row. Zheng Shuyi sat in the passenger seat quietly looking at her phone. The two didn't talk much to each other, but the atmosphere seemed to be very normal.

While waiting for the traffic lights, he leaned his elbow against the car window and looked sideways at Zheng Shuyi.

"You're not in a good mood recently?"

"Huh?" Zheng Shuyi looked up from her phone and brushed her hair, "A little bit."

In fact, she and Yu You just got to know each other not too long ago. A few years older than her, he was always relaxed and calm.

More importantly, in such a big city, when one met someone from the same hometown, it was a kind of intimacy that no friend could give.

So in front of this somewhat familiar relationship, Zheng Shuyi was more open to expressing her feelings.

Hearing that, Yu You didn't ask further, "Then I'll pay the bills today, don't argue with me for it, otherwise, you'll be in a worse mood."

Zheng Shuyi found his words very funny and smiled as she nodded, "Okay."

Yu You chose a restaurant with Qingan Specialities.

When he got out of the car, he received another call, and Zheng Shuyi just followed him quietly.

Across the street, Lanchen Department Store open-air parking lot.

The driver opened the door and Qin Shiyue walked down carrying her bag. She casually looked around and suddenly caught a familiar figure.

She suddenly stopped and stretched her neck as she squinted.

It's really Zheng Shuyi!

What day is today?

Qin Shiyue glanced at the giant pink balloon tower at the entrance of the department store.

It's Valentine's Day!

Zheng Shuyi's having dinner with another man?!

——

In the restaurant.

While handing over the menu, the waiter said, "Today's Valentine's Day, our restaurant has a special combo meal for couples, feel free to get out the details on the first page."

Yu You leaned back on his chair, looked at the menu, and said carefreely, "Little girl, who told you that we're a couple?"

When he spoke, his tone was very soft and there was a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. One could almost even feel a slight tickle while his words brushed against their ears.

The waiter lowered her head and whispered, "Sorry about that…"

Yu You took another glance at the menu and handed it to Zheng Shuyi, "What would you like?"

But ever since the waiter spoke of "Valentine's Day", ripples started to appear in Zheng Shuyi's heart again.

She was frequently distracted while looking at the menu.

If Shi Yan didn't come to Qingan on the fourth day of New Year…

Perhaps he would be the one who would be accompanying her at the moment.

Half a minute later, Zheng Shuyi sighed and closed the menu.

"It's fine, you can order whatever."

——

While waiting for the food, Yu You took off his glasses and rubbed his eyebrows as he asked, "Are your parents still urging you to go on blind dates?"

"No," said Zheng Shuyi with a smile, "It's the beginning of a new year, they're pretty busy at the moment. But I guess they'll start soon."

Yu You raised his eyebrows. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly saw Zheng Shuyi turning her head and looking at the entrance.

"Qin Shiyue?"

One second ago, Zheng Shuyi was still in a daze, and Qin Shiyue had already walked up to her.

"You came to eat alone?"

While speaking, Zheng Shuyi subconsciously looked behind her.

There wasn't anyone else.

"Yeah," Qin Shiyue looked down and glanced at Yu You real quick, "You're with your friend?"

Zheng Shuyi nodded.

Qin Shiyue didn't continue asking, but she didn't leave either. She just stood there and looked at Zheng Shuyi.

Zheng Shuyi didn't understand what she meant and blinked.

A few seconds later, Yu You waved his hand to the waiter, "Add a set of chopsticks and bowl."

Zheng Shuyi also recovered and immediately said, "Then let's eat together?"

Qin Shiyue pulled over a chair while saying with a smile, "Sorry for the extra trouble."

After sitting down, she immediately took out her phone and sent a message to Shi Yan.

Qin Shiyue: Uncle, today is Valentine's Day!

Uncle: ?

Qin Shiyue: Some other man has invited Sister Shuyi to dinner already, why haven't you been doing anything?

After sending, Qin Shuyi raised her head and smiled politely to Yu You, and then started to quietly study him.

Not as handsome as my uncle and doesn't look as rich as my uncle.

Lol, he doesn't stand much of a chance.

——

Half an hour later, Qin Shiyue became less and less talkative.

When the soup was served later, Qin Shiyue just lowered her head and stirred the soup with her spoon absent-mindedly.

She took back her thoughts just now.

After half an hour of communicating, she felt that her uncle's position was getting dangerous.

The thoughts in her head floated further and further away, and it wasn't until the vibration of her phone did she suddenly come back to reality.

Uncle: So what?

So what?

What do you mean so what?!

Qin Shiyue was starting to get more and more worried for her uncle.

Her anger and worry made her go look at Yu You subconsciously, and it happened he was looking back at her too.

After being caught peeking at him, Qin Shiyue panicked a little, grabbed her spoon, and started to feed her mouth with soup.

Yu You, who was talking to Zheng Shuyi, suddenly reached out his hand and grabbed Qin Shiyue's wrist.

"One second."

Qin Shiyue looked up suddenly and only saw the side of Yu You's face.

After stopping the conversation with Zheng Shuyi, he turned to look at Qin Shiyue, "Careful, it's hot."

In the bow, there was a thin layer of oil, underneath that was some boiling hot chicken soup.

She started to get nervous for some reason.

Qin Shiyue lowered her head, blinked, and started to stir the soup even more absent-mindedly.

She thought, uncle, you're done for. He's more caring and considerate than you.

And he's more gentle too.

——

When Zheng Shuyi returned home, it wasn’t even eight o'clock yet.

The street lights have already been lit up, and the vendors started to appear too. Although the weather was cold, it was still pretty lively.

But today, for some reason, she felt tired and didn't want to do anything. She took her clothes that were trying on the balcony off and then lied on her bed, falling asleep without even covering herself in the quilt.

About an hour later, she woke up in a daze. She felt weaker than before and that she was even sweating.

As she struggled to get up, there was also a sense of nausea. She squatted beside the trash can to vomit, but nothing came out after a few tries.

After sitting on the ground for a while, she suddenly realized that she might be sick.

She dug out the infrared thermometer and pointed at herself.

Sure enough, it was a fever.

——

It started to drizzle in the cold night again.

Shi Yan's car had been parked downstairs for nearly two hours already.

He didn't know why he came.

The moment he saw Qin Shiyue's message, he was laughing in anger.

Then, he put on his jacket and drove across half of Jiang City.

But when he got to Zheng Shuyi's apartment, he suddenly calmed down.

After the impulse slowly went away, a deeper depression was revealed.

He wanted to leave immediately, but then noticed Zheng Shuyi's figure on the balcony.

Shi Yan's fingers on the steering wheel suddenly tightened and his foot didn't get to step on the gas.

After an hour or so, the lights from her room finally went out.

The monodrama tonight seemed like it was about to end.

But Shi Yan still didn't leave.

He sat for another few minutes before starting the car.

However, as soon as he left the side parking lot, he saw Zheng Shuyi walking alone with her head down under the dim street lights.

What is she doing out here so late at night?

Shi Yan grabbed the steering wheel tightly and stared closely at Zheng Shuyi.

She walked to the side of the road, looked at her feet for a while, took out her phone to check it for another while as if she was waiting for someone.

These few minutes of waiting, for Shi Yan, seemed like a torment.

Finally, he lowered the car window and called her name. There was a slight sign of anger in his voice.

"Zheng Shuyi."

——

When she heard his voice, Zheng Shuyi thought that she was having hallucinations.

She looked around. Cars were rushing by, but Shi Yan's figure wasn't there.

Then she patted her head and continued to wait for the taxi.

A few seconds later, Shi Yan's voice sounded again.

This time Zheng Shuyi was certain.

It was Shi Yan and the voice came from behind her.

Zheng Shuyi turned around mechanically. Under the shade of a tree, she saw Shi Yan's car.

Then, she moved her gaze slowly and nervously to confirm the person in the car.

She was afraid that it was all just a hallucination, but she was also afraid that it was really him.

When she finally saw his face, she felt like this was just a dream.

It had only been days since they last met, but it seemed like it had been several years.

Their looks went through the dim lights and met each other.

Shi Yan tilted his head and said silently, "Where are you going."

"Hospital." Zheng Shuyi replied quietly, and then added, "I'm sick."

As if she started to subconsciously act like a child, there was a little grievance in her voice that she didn't even realize.

In the darkness, Zheng Shuyi couldn't see Shi Yan's expression and could only see his tilted head and him waiting quietly.

After a long time, Shi Yan looked at her solemnly, "Get in the car."

——

Silence along the whole way.

Zheng Shuyi sat in the passenger seat peacefully, not looking at her phone nor at Shi Yan.

If it was her before, she would have asked him why he was in her neighborhood and if it was because he missed her.

But right now, she found that she seemed to be in no position to ask such a question.

If he didn't come with a purpose, could it just be a coincidence?

Thinking of this, Zheng Shuyi kept her mouth shut and didn't say a single word. Her nose felt sour and she could feel tears slowly being formed. A wave of tinnitus also appeared in her ears.

But no matter how sad she felt, it was she who got herself into such a situation.

——

Shi Yan took her to the nearest Second General Hospital.

After getting out of the car, a gust of cold wind hit her face.

Zheng Shuyi shivered from the cold and felt much more awake now.

She turned to Shi Yan in a car and said, "Thank you, I… I'll be going now."

Shi Yan just looked at her and didn't speak.

Zheng Shuyi pursed the corner of her mouth. After a moment of silence, she turned around and walked towards the hospital.

Although it was nighttime already, there were still many people in the hospital.

After a short consultation, Zheng Shuyi took the note from the doctor and went to get her blood checked.

As soon as she got out of the door of the diagnosis room, she raised her head and saw Shi Yan leaning against the wall in the corridor. His back was slightly bent and his face was covered from his shadow. His body seemed to be thinner than before.

She didn't expect Shi Yan to follow her into the hospital.

Shi Yan raised his head and looked towards her as if he sensed her coming.

"What did the doctor say?"

Her hand holding the diagnosis sheet tightened and then she whispered, "I have a cold, I need to get my blood checked now."

Since it was nighttime, there was only one phlebotomist on duty sitting at the window to draw blood.

A little girl was crying in front of Zheng Shuyi, and the nurse was doing preparations expressionlessly.

Seeing the light in the nurse's eyes when staring at the needle and hearing the cry from the child, Zheng Shuyi's heart tightened.

When she was about to stick the needle in, the middle-aged nurse finally spoke, "Little child, don't be afraid. I'll be very gentle and it won't hurt at all."

Zheng Shuyi swallowed hard.

Miss Nurse, what you said better be true.

The needle pierced the little girl's fingertips. She just whimpered a little and didn't cry loudly as Zheng Shuyi had imagined.

But when it was her turn, she looked at the rubber band tied to her arm by the nurse and she clenched her fists. She could feel her muscles turning stiff.

She was really sensitive to pain, just like how she cried after just a little scratch that day.

Whenever she became ill when she was a child, her parents would always tell the doctor not to give her a shot if possible. Otherwise, they'd see a scene where even two grown adults couldn't hold down the one little girl.

Zheng Shuyi swallowed hard.

"Miss Nurse, I can get it on my fingertips too?"

The nurse's hands stopped for a second. She looked at Zheng Shuyi and said softly, "What do you think?"

Zheng Shuyi: "…"

The nurse used a cotton swab to get some povidone-iodine, but couldn't find Zheng Shuyi's blood vessels. She kept patting her skin and telling her to clench her fists.

Zheng Shuy had her other hand clenched into a fist too. Sitting there, she felt every nerve growing tense. She sat there with her mouth half-opened and looked nervously at the needle in the nurse's syringe.

When the cold sensation of the needle just touched her skin, her view suddenly turned black.

A hand came from behind her and covered her eyes.

Time seemed to have stopped at this moment, and the air was flowing stagnantly too.

A fragrance belonging to Shi Yan's sleeves swept into Zheng Shuyi's brain. The warmth from his hand also quickly spread throughout her whole body.

Like an anesthetic, it made all the pain disappear.

The process of drawing blood only took a few seconds.

When the nurse pulled out the needle, Shi Yan also removed his palm.

But the warmth from his hand was still on Zheng Shuyi's face.

After a few seconds, Zheng Shuyi slowly opened her eyes, and the nurse was throwing the needle away while getting a band-aid.

The moment she got up, the nurse glanced at her, "You're a grown-up already, you don't have to cry just from a shot."

Hearing this, Shi Yan suddenly raised his eyes.

He watched Zheng Shuyi slowly turn around in front of him, and when she looked up towards him, her eyes were indeed red.

Shi Yan's fingers hanging on the side of his pants trembled slightly.

He hoped that Zheng Shuyi didn't cry because of the shot.

But what else could it be?

The two walked to the corridor to wait for the blood test results.

In the quiet corridor, their footsteps echoed clearly. The place was empty and cold.

Zheng Shuyi had her head lowered again. In the past few minutes of silence, her mood had changed several times.

Finally, when the broadcast called out Zheng Shuyi's name for her to get her results, Shi Yan spoke.

"Why did you cry just now?"

Zheng Shuyi: "…"

He didn't speak loudly, but every word hit Zheng Shuyi's ear clearly.

It took her a lot of time to find her words and she replied chokingly.

"I didn't cry…" Her voice was as quiet as a mosquito, "I just…"

All she was thinking was that if nothing happened on the fourth day of New Year, then she would be spending her first Valentine's Day with Shi Yan right now.

But the words that appeared in her throat disappeared again. She felt like she couldn't say them to him right now, and could only reword it a little.

"I didn't expect myself to be at the hospital at this time today."

"Yeah," Shi Yan raised his eyes and said lightly, "Otherwise, you should be on my bed right now."