She hadn’t replied to Shen Qing’s question yet.
Lu Yao typed slowly.
AAA Neighborhood Flower Shop: Even if I’ve made a bit of money recently, I can’t let it go to my head.
AAA Neighborhood Flower Shop: I’m sorry, I really can’t afford it.
After hesitating, Lu Yao sent a 200-yuan red packet to Shen Qing with the note “Thank you for the support, Boss,” and then put down her phone with a peaceful mind, preparing to sleep.
“The boss is back!” Li Jing was working today, waiting in the shop for Lu Yao to return.
Seeing her boss, she had endless things to say. “I went to a movie with a friend yesterday, and we even went to play a script kill game. Let me tell you, I actually drew the role of a dog! What can a dog say? Only ‘woof woof woof.’ I had absolutely no sense of participation, and they still charged me!”
Hearing Li Jing’s complaints, the trace of a smile touched Lu Yao’s brow.
Having someone to talk to really made things much livelier.
She sat down to listen to Li Jing share the fun things that had happened with her friend, thinking back to how it used to be with Jiang Yunyun, which made her feel a little down.
Lu Yao didn’t have many friends; Jiang Yunyun was her only one, and naturally her best.
But because of her marriage to Luo Yueming, their contact had faded, and she rarely heard Jiang Yunyun share fun stories with her.
Now, although she was divorced, Jiang Yunyun had been working for a long time, met many more people through work, and had countless friends, so she couldn’t always look after her.
Li Jing was simple-minded and treated Lu Yao as a friend even while at work.
Thinking of this, Lu Yao set aside that bit of disappointment.
Perhaps she could also take the initiative to share this new friend with Jiang Yunyun.
At the end of her story, Li Jing said, “And then I brought my friend here, but it wasn’t open. Luckily my home is nearby, so I took her back to my place for the night.”
Li Jing began to get sentimental. “We used to be together every day, and now we only see each other once or twice a month.”
Lu Yao: “It’s better than seeing each other once or twice a year.”
Li Jing sighed. “Boss, your hometown isn’t here, right? So you must rarely see your parents.”
Lu Yao sighed as well. “You’ll understand once you’re being pressured to get married.”
Li Jing: “…”
Then she’d rather not know.
Li Jing was quiet for a moment, then her eyes lit up again. She asked sheepishly, “So, Boss, do you have any thoughts about remarrying?”
Lu Yao was stunned. “Why are you asking that?”
Li Jing lowered her head in embarrassment. “I just wanted to know what Boss’s requirements for a remarriage partner are.”
“I don’t plan on getting married again.”
“…Okay then.”
After coaxing Li Jing for a few more words, Lu Yao went upstairs to cook lunch, including a portion for Li Jing.
Even if her home was close, coming and going would take time, and a good lunch break would be wasted just on that. So Lu Yao made a portion for Li Jing as well; once Li Jing finished eating, she could go upstairs to rest, and Lu Yao would take over minding the shop.
Once it was time for Li Jing to start her shift, Lu Yao would go up to catch up on sleep.
The two coordinated perfectly.
Lu Yao went upstairs and plugged her phone in to charge before starting to cook, only then realizing that Shen Qing had sent her a string of messages last night.
Starting from the talk about buying a house, to “Are you asleep?” and “Really asleep?”
At the end of the chat history, Shen Qing had sent an invitation, asking if she wanted to go see a movie to relax.
Lu Yao scrolled through the records, her expression puzzled.
Li Jing had just mentioned there was only one new movie out, so was that the one Shen Qing wanted to see?
The content seemed to be about romance; she couldn’t quite remember, she’d been too focused on Li Jing’s talking and hadn’t paid much attention.
But Shen Qing could invite her own friends to a movie, couldn’t she?
Lu Yao was about to find an excuse to reply when Shen Qing, as if sensing something, quickly sent a new message before Lu Yao’s could go out.
Shen Qing: You said you wouldn’t refuse this time.
Lu Yao began to doubt herself when she saw this message.
Did I say that?
Shen Qing: I saw a very interesting person at the banquet yesterday and was planning to tell you about it.
Lu Yao was certain now.
Shen Qing was treating her as a new friend.
She put her phone away and went to the kitchen to cook, not replying to Shen Qing’s message. She needed time to think it over.
Had it been a few days earlier, Lu Yao would have refused without hesitation.
She still preferred being alone; interacting with people consumed a great deal of energy, and she wouldn’t go out unless necessary.
But her mindset had changed after Christmas.
If she didn’t go out, would she just stay home and think about Luo Yueming?
What did she have to think about that person now? Why should she degrade herself?
When she stopped thinking about that person, a large void suddenly appeared in her life, making her feel lonely and silent, wanting someone to talk to, wanting someone by her side.
She needed to go out and see a movie.
She wouldn’t have to talk; the people in the movie would, and she’d have someone she knew with her.
It seemed there was no reason to refuse Shen Qing.
After finishing the cooking, Lu Yao washed her hands and very solemnly replied to Shen Qing with a single word: “Okay.”
As luck would have it, the date was set for December 31st.
Lu Yao had to mind the flower shop every day, but in truth, it was the same no matter which day she took time off.
It was just that Shen Qing’s bar operated at night, and Lu Yao could only find time at night, so things were pushed back repeatedly until today.
The movie theater was crowded, with many couples meeting up today for New Year’s Eve.
Standing among a crowd of couples, Lu Yao felt a sense of strangeness as she watched Shen Qing queuing at the counter to buy popcorn.
Was this movie absolutely necessary? Going to see Boonie Bears would have been fine, too, right?
She furrowed her brow, really wanting to take advantage of Shen Qing not paying attention to go and swap the tickets for Boonie Bears.
Boonie Bears was so good—a family reunion story, perfect for New Year’s Eve.
Why weren’t there many people coming to see Boonie Bears?
Lu Yao couldn’t stand still; the number of people in the theater exceeded her limit of tolerance.
She had never imagined that after graduating from university, she would still need to stand in such a crowded place, and could only stand there blankly, unable to go anywhere.
The last time she had been in a crowded place was for the opening of Shen Qing’s bar.
Both times were because of Shen Qing.
The way Lu Yao was frowning didn’t make it look like she was at the theater to relax; it looked more like she was there to be punished.
So many people; she could hardly catch her breath.
Shen Qing finished buying the popcorn and walked toward Lu Yao in the crowd. The theater was well-heated, and with the crowd, the temperature was rising. Only the cold-sensitive Lu Yao hadn’t taken off her coat, being bundled up quite thickly.
Consequently, she was very conspicuous in the crowd and easily spotted.
Shen Qing was equally conspicuous. She had taken off her coat, wearing a tight-fitting sweater that outlined the curves of her waist.
Her slender waist swayed with her steps, and those who saw her couldn’t help but be captivated, instinctively letting out a “Wow~”
“Aren’t you hot?” Shen Qing held the popcorn with both hands, her voice full of amusement.
“Hot. Stifling.” It wasn’t that Lu Yao’s sensory system was malfunctioning. She was wrapped up tightly outside, and if she wore this much inside the theater, what would happen when she went back out?
But she couldn’t take off her coat. Wearing it thick was better—the thicker it was, the more distance it kept between her and others.
She wasn’t wearing a coat; she was wearing armor.
Shen Qing looked at Lu Yao. “Have you ever gone to see a psychologist?”
Lu Yao remembered Jiang Yunyun’s theory and shook her head. “I just don’t like talking to people. It’s nothing.”
“It’s not that you don’t like talking to people right now,” Shen Qing reminded her. “You’re guarding against the crowd.”
Lu Yao froze.
She heard Shen Qing say, “No matter what, people aren’t usually afraid of standing in a crowd. Look, they’re not bothering you, so why are you still so guarded against them?”
Lu Yao had been intentionally avoiding contact with people.
It was very easy to tell.
When there were few people, it was nothing; it could be explained as a fear of attracting attention and creating unnecessary interaction.
For someone with Lu Yao’s personality, interacting with people was exhausting.
Shen Qing had already been very considerate of Lu Yao by choosing a movie instead of an amusement park. Lu Yao wouldn’t have to talk during the movie and would be much more comfortable, but the current situation was more serious than Shen Qing had thought.
Shen Qing looked at Lu Yao with concern. “When you’re free, shall I go with you to see a psychologist?”
Lu Yao’s eyes were vacant.
It seemed to have gotten even hotter.
Lu Yao’s body felt warmed through. She also began to wonder: why was she afraid of being in a crowd?
She had never been afraid before—not in college, and not in high school.
She had been a bit transparent in crowds, which made her more comfortable; she didn’t fear crowded places because no one noticed her. So why was this happening?
Lu Yao felt her body temperature rising, and the heat made her brain sluggish. She really couldn’t think of a reason.
Unable to find where the problem lay, she just stood there thinking.
Shen Qing sighed. “The movie is about to start. Let’s go in first.”
“Mhm.”
Lu Yao took off her coat and held it in her arms. It took some effort to take it off, but once it was off, she didn’t feel like it was much of a deal.
But just now, she had been very resistant to taking it off.
Shen Qing glanced at her and didn’t speak again, leading her into the screening room to find their seats.
A movie lasted a long time, giving Lu Yao plenty of time to think. It was just a pity that Lu Yao was destined not to be able to focus on this movie about romance.
As the movie began, Lu Yao kept her head down and didn’t look at the screen.
Shen Qing watched intently.
Lu Yao thought back carefully. She wasn’t sure when the change had occurred. After graduating from university, she had still worked for a while. It was only after meeting Luo Yueming again that she had resigned to become a full-time housewife.
During those three years, besides going to the hospital to take care of the elderly, she had been at home.
Her monotonous life had given her no chance to enter crowds. So was it then that the change had occurred?
Because she hadn’t been in contact with crowds for too long, it had created discomfort.
She hadn’t discovered the source of that discomfort and had only focused on her own feelings, choosing to use a transparent shield to protect herself.
So that’s how it was—
Lu Yao understood, but her expression didn’t relax. Until the movie ended, she remained preoccupied. She followed Shen Qing out of the theater in a daze, only coming back to herself when she felt the cold.
Shen Qing sighed. “Time to put your coat on.”
Lu Yao: “…No wonder it felt so cold.”
She put her coat back on.
It was a bit awkward; she had to find a way to divert her attention.
“You still haven’t mentioned the thing from the banquet.” Lu Yao remembered that Shen Qing had intended to share something interesting from the party.
Shen Qing looked at her, not intending to say anything. Lu Yao thought she had forgotten and reminded her: “You said you saw a very interesting person at the banquet.”
Hospital.
Department of Psychological Counseling.
The doctor looked with pity at the woman sitting across from him. The woman was very thin, with dark eyes in which something was churning feverishly, only to quickly sink into a deathly stillness.