“You’re right, you really are quite…”
The two of them were silent on the way, except for waiting at a traffic light when they first set off. After that, the road was surprisingly clear.
Cheng Yixiu drove the car near the Renmin Road branch office. Looking around, he saw that the open space in front of the branch was already filled with cars. He circled around a bit before finding a convenient parking spot not far away.
Once the car was parked, he unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to Lin Siyi, “You can get out now. The branch is nearby, we’ll walk over.”
“Okay, boss.”
Before long, they arrived at the entrance of the securities branch. A few people from the association were busy with registration matters. Cheng Yixiu took a pen and flamboyantly signed both his and Lin Siyi’s names, then greeted the staff before entering the branch.
Cheng Yixiu strode toward the second floor, making Lin Siyi hurry to keep up. “Boss, slow down—I can’t keep pace!”
He paused and turned back with a smirk. “Blaming me for your short legs?”
“Having long legs isn’t everything,” Lin Siyi shot back. Besides, she wasn’t short for a girl.
The conference room of this securities branch was at the end of the second-floor corridor. Even though Cheng Yixiu slowed down to accommodate Lin Siyi’s pace, it didn’t actually delay them much.
They ran into several industry colleagues along the way. Cheng Yixiu nodded as he passed. People were surprised to see him with an attractive woman—he was famous in the industry not just for stellar performance but for his notorious indifference to women. Lin Siyi, being new, didn’t recognize anyone, so she just stayed close to Cheng Yixiu and kept quiet.
Time quickly reached 8:30. The host for this event was Guo Deren, the executive president of the association.
After his opening speech, he invited Yu Hu, the top fire safety instructor from the city’s designated professional fire training institution, Quan’an Fire Safety Knowledge Promotion Center, to give a lecture.
As the training wrapped up, Instructor Yu said, “We’ve covered fire prevention, early extinguishing, evacuation procedures, and escape techniques.”
“Now, to give you a real sense of what a fire emergency feels like, we’re running a live drill. And it’s not optional—everyone participates.”
Lin Siyi’s stomach dropped. She nudged Cheng Yixiu’s arm. “Boss, what do we do?”
“Problem?” He leaned in to ask.
“I just fell yesterday. I thought this was just an observation, but now it’s real. I’m not sure I can handle it physically.”
“Just stay close to me.”
“Fine, I’m trusting you with my life, boss.”
“No need to be dramatic.”
Lin Siyi: “…” Better safe than sorry though, right?
The drill was simulated according to real scenarios. The original staff of this securities branch continued to serve customers as on a regular workday, while representatives from various institutions like Cheng Yixiu and Lin Siyi played the role of customers.
Once the drill command was given, a fire broke out in the branch. Alarms blared, smoke filled the air, and an emergency announcement was immediately broadcast. The current staff organized firefighting efforts and quickly called the fire department at 119. Customers, led by security personnel, covered their mouths and noses tightly with their hands or sleeves, bent over, and moved through the thick smoke, following the escape route to the outdoor safety area in an orderly manner.
Lin Siyi’s group emerged from the second floor, heading towards the first-floor stairs. The smoke was thick, and visibility on the steps was low.
Lin Siyi stayed glued to Cheng Yixiu’s shadow. It seemed her bad luck was contagious—good things never materialized, but bad ones did.
And Murphy’s Law held true: the more you dreaded something, the more it happened.
Just when Lin Siyi thought she’d eat pavement, someone in front heard the stumble and spun around to catch her.
Then, when Lin Siyi looked up from the person’s embrace, she found her boss with a twisted and pained expression.
Cheng Yixiu gritted his teeth, “You’re right, you really are quite heavy.”
Lin Siyi: “…”
Lin Siyi was grateful she didn’t fall, but she noticed Cheng Yixiu had been acting odd since they exited.
Once the drill ended and the host dismissed everyone, Cheng Yixiu headed straight for the car, gesturing for Lin Siyi to follow.
“Boss, are you okay?” she asked awkwardly.
Cheng Yixiu pulled out his keys, looking slightly embarrassed. “Hospital. I think I tweaked something catching you.”
Lin Siyi panicked. “Your knee? A classmate once twisted her ACL exactly like that at a sports event. I’m so sorry—this is my fault. If I’d been more careful on those stairs, you wouldn’t be hurt.”
“No,” Cheng Yixiu said tersely.
“Then where?”
“My back, probably.”
“That’s worse! You’re out here making money, and now you’re hurt because of me. Boss, promise the doctor will examine you thoroughly. Don’t worry—I’ll cover all the medical costs.” Lin Siyi was practically vibrating with guilt, desperate to prove her sincerity.
Cheng Yixiu: “…”
It seemed like a while before Cheng Yixiu, as if catching his breath, spoke with difficulty, “Lin Siyi.”
“Yes?”
“Remember two things: my back, like my investment skills, isn’t up for debate.”
Lin Siyi’s face went red.
Wait, that’s not— His mind went straight to the gutter.
It was the same hospital as yesterday. Cheng Yixiu checked in at the triage desk, and the doctor who came out was the same one who’d examined Lin Siyi’s back.
The doctor blinked in surprise, then smiled. “You two again? What a coincidence.”
Cheng Yixiu felt awkward.
Lin Siyi, still overly nervous, quickly explained to the doctor, “Doctor, please check him. He just twisted his lower back.” Then she pushed Cheng Yixiu to sit on the stool by the desk.
“You two really are something. Yesterday it was you, today it’s him. Didn’t I tell you to rest and avoid strenuous activities? And you still say you’re not a couple?”
Lin Siyi was speechless, feeling like her toes wanted to start working again.
Before Lin Siyi could figure out what to say, Cheng Yixiu stepped in. “Doctor, we had a fire drill today. She stumbled on the stairs, and I caught her. That’s probably why my lower back feels tweaked. Could you write a referral for an MRI?”
The doctor adjusted her glasses. “Lower back pain can range from minor to serious—could be a muscle strain or a disc issue. An MRI will show the extent of any tissue damage.”
“You should go pay the fee first. There might be quite a few patients for the examination during the day, and you might not get a slot today. After paying, go register, and they’ll tell you roughly what time you can have the examination. If you finish today, you can come find me before I get off at five in the afternoon. I’ll be in the clinic all day.”
History repeating itself in one day—it felt surreal.
Lin Siyi wasn’t sure what Cheng Yixiu was thinking, but she found the coincidence eerie. Living across from each other made it feel less like coincidence and more like cosmic bad luck.
As a top-university grad, Lin Siyi didn’t usually believe in feng shui or fate, and her boss didn’t strike her as the type either. But from their first meeting until now, the pattern was undeniable.
Was this the old saying about “no conflict, no connection”?
Lin Siyi almost laughed at her own superstition.
To cover up her lapse, Lin Siyi quickly reined in her wild imagination. Her boss got injured saving her, so it wouldn’t be right to show a strange smile in front of him.
Lin Siyi noticed that Cheng Yixiu seemed unfamiliar with having an MRI, so she kindly reminded him, “Boss, you can’t bring metal items into the examination, like your watch or belt, which are right at the waist area. It could cause the machine to malfunction during the process.”
They were lucky; the registration desk told them there were about five people ahead of Cheng Yixiu.
“Then you keep them for me. Oh, and also my wallet, phone, car keys, and house keys.”
“You sure have a lot of stuff.” Lin Siyi took off her backpack, “Put them all in my bag. Boss, please count how many items there are, so we can do a handover when you come out.”
Don’t blame Lin Siyi for being cautious. She had noticed the Patek Philippe mechanical watch on Cheng Yixiu’s wrist that morning. The price of that watch could buy a house for an average salaried worker. If it got lost, she wouldn’t know how many years she’d have to work for this capitalist to pay it off.
Cheng Yixiu chuckled lightly, holding his lower back, “You’re quite meticulous.”