If there was work that needed to be entrusted for a particularly long period, contracts could be made for several years, but otherwise, contracts were always renewed on a yearly basis. James waved his hand dismissively as if he expected as much.
Against a backdrop of an endless flood of faxes, James, who had no time even to eat, was crunching on a sandwich brought by an employee. Leaving a perfunctory “Good luck,” Yuri stood up from her seat. She wanted to help, but given James’s current situation, there was little she could do—at most, quietly slipping a packet of granular vitamins into his pocket.
Waving to James, who was yelling at her to come back next weekend to sign the contract again, Yuri left the office. Every employee she passed outside the T&R headquarters building looked exhausted.
This is why you shouldn’t have the wrong superior. One must always be careful when making employment contracts... she thought as if it were someone else’s problem, and began walking toward her home, which was a bit far but not unreachable on foot.
It took several days just to clean the house, which had been left untouched for so long that dust had thickly settled. Yuri worked slowly but thoroughly and patiently. Thanks to her, even the cabinets, which had been so dusty they seemed impossible to clean, were now spotless from corner to corner. All that remained was to go back home and take down the curtains she had hung out to dry on the rooftop.
She hoped that her next job would be closer to Berlin, so she could clean a little bit every day. Thinking this, she entered a back alley where cars couldn’t pass. The alley was deserted except for the dazzling sunlight pouring in, which relaxed her mind.
"........"
In the end, it seemed Jeong Tae-ui had fallen into Rick’s hands.
When Yuri heard that Lin Xinlu had snatched Jeong Tae-ui away right in front of Rick, who had destroyed the Sealingge villa, she felt a greater sense of crisis than during the Riyadh bombing incident.
From the moment Lin Xinlu left, saying he was going to retrieve Jeong Tae-ui, Yuri anticipated that peaceful and moderate developments would not unfold. However, she hoped and believed that at least, unlike before, no one would recklessly put their life at risk. She hoped that whether by conversation, wager, or negotiation, things would conclude in a rational and nonviolent manner.
But once Lin Xinlu had effectively intercepted Jeong Tae-ui and taken him away, it was predictable that at least one person would suffer greatly. Though Jeong Tae-ui and the related matters no longer concerned her, Yuri remained alert to that side of things.
If it was fortunate at all—or unfortunate, depending on perspective—it seemed the conclusion was that Jeong Tae-ui had returned to Rick, and Lin Xinlu was left alone without serious injury.
At Johannesburg, where Lin Xinlu had passed through on his way from snatching Jeong Tae-ui from Sealingge before heading to Hong Kong, it turned out Lin Xinlu was the only one who had issued the ticket to Hong Kong.
After hearing that he had returned to Hong Kong safely and uninjured, Yuri cautiously gauged how long Lin Xinlu had been at his family home and contacted Lin Tangwin. When she received the reply that he had “come back a bit worn out,” she finally let out a sigh of relief.
Lin Xinlu wasn’t the type to show a beaten-down appearance in front of others unless he was truly dispirited. So hearing that from Lin Tangwin meant he must have been very depressed when he returned.
She wondered if he had regained some strength by now.
"........."
Yuri fiddled with the cellphone in her pocket. She considered calling Lin Tangwin again, but hesitated—if she called without a proper reason, no matter how gently she inquired, she imagined Lin Tangwin would suspiciously ask, “Why are you suddenly concerned about someone else?”
But... it was okay.
Thinking about what Lin Xinlu’s feelings might have been like on the plane flying alone back to Hong Kong made her chest ache heavily, but she was not overly worried.
The last time she saw Lin Xinlu, there was a faint lingering sense of instability, but overall he seemed calm and had sorted out his thoughts. It was as if he had resolved that if the last attempt failed, he would just close the chapter.
So even if he remained a bit depressed for a while, it would be okay.
“Hmm,” Yuri nodded slightly and quickened her pace, thinking she’d have to find a good reason to call Lin Tangwin later as she fiddled with her phone.
The afternoon sunlight was warm, a perfect blend of cold wind and bright sun. Walking along the bright and deserted alley, Yuri took a deep breath.
Silence.
It was a strange feeling.
She’d never thought of it before, but this quiet afternoon felt empty. As if she had lost her purpose in life.
Whenever she finished a long task, she’d always fall briefly into a hollow feeling, but that was only for a moment. This was the first time she’d been haunted by such emptiness for so long. And she knew why.
She had tasted, for the first time ever, a living, breathing beauty. Even if it had been brief, almost fleeting, she had definitely felt its warmth with her hands, body, and lips. She had been surrounded by sweet, radiant fragrance.
That delicate, beautiful thing had been close to her, but now, it was gone.
Just seeing it was enough. Truly. She didn’t want more. But...
She wanted to see a little longer.
"......."
Before calling Lin Tangwin, she felt she needed to somehow pull herself together from this dejected and hollow feeling first.
She decided to go to the pool this afternoon. Eat at home, hang the curtains, and then submerge herself in the pool all afternoon. That would surely lift her mood.
Germany was fine, but she didn’t like the sea—the Baltic Sea was too cold. Maybe she’d go down to Switzerland over the weekend and soak in a lake. She thought this as she reached her apartment.
She exchanged brief greetings with an old man sweeping in the hallway on the first floor and then entered the building, stopping at the mailbox. Among the mailboxes with sparse and disorderly mail, the mailbox labeled with Yuri’s apartment number was empty.
"........."
Her hand, which had naturally moved toward the mailbox, faltered. Blinking several times, she tilted her head, put her hand inside and rummaged around, then opened the cover completely. There was nothing.
Strange, she thought, and examined the mailbox thoroughly, but it was indeed empty.
“Looks like you’re expecting some letters soon, huh?”
The old man, who had finished sweeping and come inside, saw Yuri rummaging through the empty mailbox and spoke. He then took two or three letters from his own mailbox.
“No... not really.”
Yuri glanced at the old man’s mail and quietly closed her own mailbox.
She hadn’t been expecting any letters from anywhere. But she had naturally assumed there would be some. From places she didn’t even know about.
Many wanted to contract with Yuri Gaebel. She often received letters asking about contracts. Recently, with her contract with T&R nearing expiration, she’d received one or two contacts nearly every day. And now, having confirmed the contract’s expiration today, in an industry where news traveled frighteningly fast, she expected her mailbox to be stuffed full. So without much thought, she reached to pull out the expected stack of letters.
".........."
Staring at the empty mailbox, she turned away, absentmindedly scratching her head while glancing at neighbors’ mailboxes filled with one or two letters.
She wasn’t disappointed that no job offers had come, since she was likely to renew her contract with T&R unless something unexpected happened. And since she wasn’t desperate for work, it didn’t matter much. But still, when expectations are so completely dashed, it somehow felt disappointing—that’s human nature.
Her mood was already lonely, and now she felt as if even the world had turned its back on her.
Determined to stay submerged longer than usual, Yuri headed to her room on the top floor, the sixth floor. Before reaching the spiral staircase halfway up, her phone rang. Slowing her pace, she pulled it out of her pocket and saw a familiar name on the screen, which slightly eased her mind.
“Annette?”
『Mon sucre, Yuri! Long time no see! How have you been?』
The voice was bright and clear, cheerful enough to lift the listener’s mood.
“Same as always. What’s up?”
『Did you meet with James? Signed off on the contract expiration?』
Jingling the key in her pocket, Yuri looked up at the high staircase still ahead. The wooden stairs of this building, over 80 years old, creaked nostalgically with each step.
『So you must have gotten our contract request by now? Did you open it?』
“What? Contract request? No, I haven’t.”
『Really? Strange. We sent it by express, so it should’ve arrived already. Maybe tomorrow? Anyway, I’ll also send it by email. Take a look at our contract offer.』
It seemed she was calling to gauge Yuri’s hiring intent. Yuri smiled softly.
“Looks like you’re short on staff. Thanks for the offer, but I’ll decline. I plan to renew with T&R.”
As soon as Yuri replied, Annette grumbled.
『What? Why only with them? The terms shouldn’t be that different.』
“Just easier to stick with somewhere we already know each other’s styles.”
Besides, the terms at T&R were better than at the intelligence agency—or most other places—but Yuri didn’t say that.
Knowing Yuri’s personality well enough that once she said no, she wouldn’t be easily persuaded, Annette grumbled a bit before sighing.
『Anyway, fine. Forget that, make some time. We haven’t seen each other in ages.』
“You’re free for a while? Let’s have a meal together,” she said. Yuri nodded readily. Meeting an old friend is always welcome.
“Sure. When?”
『How about this evening?』
Suddenly? Laughing, Yuri ascended the stairs to the sixth floor. She considered going straight to the rooftop to take down the curtains, but thinking it was a good sunny day, she decided to go back to her room to hang the bedding.
『Busy today?』
“No, I’m fine.”
Thinking she had no other plans but to go to the pool in the afternoon, she was about to finish her sentence when she suddenly stopped.
Someone was leaning against her door.
He was standing amid scattered scraps of paper on the floor, holding a large bundle of papers under his arm. Seeing Yuri, he lightly raised his hand. Yuri stopped in the middle of the hallway and stared at him, as if seeing a ghost where no one should be. She blankly stared at him for a long while, then snapped out of it when she saw him pull out one paper from the bundle and tear it.
“Sorry, Annette. I don’t think I can today. I’ll call you later.”
She greeted him casually and ended the call, still not taking her eyes off him—she couldn’t believe it.
“...The pay is adjusted upwards per internal standards, treatment equivalent to a head manager, work conditions include four annual... hmm, none of these offers seem great. There’s nowhere that really looks good.”
He read through the sheets of paper—which turned out to be envelopes—and clicked his tongue, crumpling the paper and tossing it on the floor. The pile of paper trash at his feet grew. Pulling out another bundle from under his arm, he read and discarded it, repeating this three times before Yuri moved on.
“Lin Xinlu, what are you doing here?”
Calling his name clearly, he smiled brightly. That unmistakable smile was indeed Lin Xinlu.
“You came earlier than I expected. Did you meet Mr. Miller well? Renew the contract?”
“No, not yet... but why are you here—”
“This apartment must be really old. Even though it’s a hallway, it’s still inside a building, but it’s pretty cold.”
Blowing on his hands, Lin Xinlu relaxed his gaze on Yuri, who silently took out her key and opened the door. The messy papers on the floor seemed to have been made while he was standing there. Yuri guessed that the contents were letters that had been in her mailbox.
Without hesitation, Lin Xinlu boldly entered the room Yuri had opened. When she said, “Come in,” it was already futile—he was inside the room.
He looked around the shabby, cramped room, furnished only with what one person needed, then flopped down on the bed by the window, basking in the sunlight.
“It’s cozy and nice. Being on the top floor, the view is good and the breeze is refreshing...”
Muttering as if pleased, Lin Xinlu’s gaze swept the corners of the room. Suddenly, he stopped talking and laughed. Yuri, puzzled by the papers on the floor he had gathered and brought in, watched him laugh heartily for a moment before he said:
“You know, the character of the room’s owner really shows here. No unnecessary things, but everything needed is present.”
“Is that so?”
Yuri, who had never thought about such things, looked around her familiar room anew, but saw nothing particularly different from others’ rooms.
“I’m curious about Lin Xinlu’s room.”
She wondered what he had that she didn’t, and vice versa.
Raising his eyebrows, Lin Xinlu smiled and asked, “Really?” There was a subtle smile in his tone. When Yuri looked back at him, he grinned innocently as if nothing had happened.
“...? But why? I heard you went back to China.”
“I went home and sulked there for a while.”
Yuri stiffened her lips and widened her eyes slightly. Lin Xinlu, as if he knew she’d make that face, smiled again, but the fact that he had cried troubled her more.
“Why?”
“But won’t you comfort me?”
Hearing his sudden question, Yuri paused.
It meant he had been rejected once again. After enduring bodily and emotional pain, he had ultimately come to this.
“You worked hard... You did well.”
Yuri muttered, feeling somewhat down. But Lin Xinlu, as soon as she muttered, burst out laughing.
“You’re really the same as always. Just one slip and that sounds sarcastic, but it doesn’t.”
Watching Lin Xinlu laugh openly, Yuri awkwardly—yet still casually—scratched her temple. After laughing for a long time, he suddenly took a deep breath and stopped. Looking quietly at Yuri, he suddenly said:
“Maybe I’m more sensitive than I thought.”
“...?”
“When I went home for a full checkup, they said my stomach was on the verge of having a hole. And my father, after finding out about the situation late, was so furious he nearly collapsed. So I stayed quietly at home for a few days. I wasn’t feeling well either.” Find the original chapter at novelping dot com.
Though he said it lightly and tilted his head, he must have felt very bad. Yuri recalled Lin Tangwin saying he had “come back dispirited and wouldn’t leave his room.” He was a mess inside, showing his negative feelings plainly to others.
“Honestly, that guy bombs other countries, so I had the thought hundreds of times a day of throwing a bomb on his house. Even now, having come this far, I sometimes think about just doing it.”
Lin Xinlu muttered, eyes half-open, then glanced at Yuri and laughed, “Just kidding, just kidding.” But it didn’t seem like a joke at all. Yuri quietly said, “At least I’ll give you the address.” Lin Xinlu’s eyes widened, then he scoffed and laughed. “But if I actually went there, I think you’d follow me and stop me.” Yuri didn’t answer.
“Well... I just lay in my room all day and lost all my energy. Life’s no fun. I try to joke around, but everyone around me’s an idiot who can’t even understand what I say... So, after sitting alone in my room with useless thoughts, I realized you, Gaebel, probably weren’t that bored.”
Lin Xinlu looked up at a small skylight set in the slanted ceiling, then lowered his gaze and looked at Yuri thoughtfully, as if revisiting his judgment. His muttering sounded like talking to himself.
“I wonder if my head’s all healed. If I didn’t drown. If my sarcastic, non-sarcastic attitude remains. And sometimes when I think of Sealingge, I get overwhelmed with resentment and choke up.”
A calm smile appeared on Lin Xinlu’s lips but briefly twisted as if the resentment he tried to bury had crept up again after mentioning it.
“After all this grumbling, my father finally said something. Asked how I’d manage if I couldn’t control my own feelings.”
Yuri thought that his father, who usually just comforted him no matter what, had rarely ever spoken harshly like that. Lin Xinlu muttered, grasping all the papers scattered on the bed and throwing them into the trash bin at his feet. Most were unopened letters, and he seemed unconcerned that their addressee was right in front of him.
“So, about that──."
Rummaging through his ample pockets, Lin Xinlu pulled out a folded sheet and handed it to Yuri. She silently took the paper, looking back and forth between it and him. Lin Xinlu cheerfully continued speaking.
“Won’t you sign a contract with me?”
Before Yuri could fully unfold the paper, he spoke in a childish tone. Seeing Yuri’s silent gaze, Lin Xinlu smiled like a pretty cat.
“When I’m with you, it’s quite cheerful and fun, but sometimes you say blunt things that make me snap. When memories of Sealingge come up, I get choked up. I think it’ll be good to practice patience and cultivate my mind.”
“…You plan to cultivate enlightenment by looking at me? The person whose stomach was about to have a hole?”
Just imagining that every time he looked at her, stress piled up so much that he got a gastric perforation was not pleasant. Yuri glanced over the contract’s contents—which had been handed over so casually but was actually fairly thorough.
“Well, that’s about half the reason. The other half is, now that I’m getting my act together and learning to manage the household, I need someone skillful to manage my personal affairs. And you, Gaebel, happen to be free from other commitments, highly capable, and already know me somewhat.”
Still smiling but with a serious face, Lin Xinlu pointed to the terms on the paper and teasingly asked, “The employment conditions are as written there. Are they not enough?” Yuri shook her head and murmured, “No, they’re exceptional.”
The conditions alone were a wonderful offer—if she didn’t jump at it immediately, she’d be foolish later. The work conditions, treatment, and pay were all excellent. Yet Yuri hesitated because she knew Lin Xinlu well—he had an unstable and capricious side that made him a poor choice as an employer. Lin Xinlu surely knew this too, so he had been watching Yuri’s eyes without a smile since earlier, waiting to see what answer she’d give.
“And... I’m still full of resentment. It’s hard to fall asleep every night without medication. Maybe if I could talk to someone and vent, I might feel better. But there’s no one I can talk to. No one at all.”
His lips twisted briefly as he muttered about the knot tightening inside him.
That was Lin Xinlu for you.
Unless someone had witnessed his pride being utterly shattered and torn apart by chance—like Yuri had—there was no way he would ever openly reveal his broken, trampled pride and ask for help. Even if he writhed in pain at night as if being scratched by knives, he would silently endure it alone. By day, he wore a face showing no damage at all.
“Won’t you help me?”
Looking at Yuri with a helpless, almost pleading expression, Lin Xinlu’s face was likely a false one made to coax her acceptance. She wasn’t foolish enough to be deceived by such a performance. Lin Xinlu surely knew this.
But what he said was not a lie.
He stood alone among people, wearing a calm face to hide his unhealed wounds.
“If I refuse.”
Yuri stared silently at the paper, then spoke. Lin Xinlu’s expression briefly darkened, but he quickly masked it.
“Are you going to interfere with my job search every time?”
Looking away from the paper, Yuri glanced at the overflowing trash bin, then back at Lin Xinlu. He looked embarrassed as he glanced at the bin—but he wouldn’t think that way even a little—and shrugged.
“If someone offers you better conditions, I’ll step aside without protest.”
His pretty smile seemed confident that no such place existed, but also subtly implied that otherwise, he might cause trouble. Yuri looked back at the paper. Surely, there was no better offer than this. Although it wasn’t just about the conditions. Her fingers clenched the paper slightly.
Still uncertain, Yuri felt that no matter how much more she thought about it, the conclusion would be the same.
So she spoke.
“Give me some time.”
Meeting Yuri’s eyes as she said this, Lin Xinlu looked a little disappointed but nodded as if he had considered that answer.
“Alright. But I don’t want to wait long, so decide by tomorrow afternoon──.”
“I’ve forgotten a lot of Chinese, so I’ll need to study again for a month or two to use it as well as before. Also, if I’m going so far away, there’s a lot to prepare here. So I’d like to start two months from now. If that’s okay.”
Yuri finished, quietly waiting for Lin Xinlu’s response as he looked at her strangely.
Finally, Lin Xinlu slowly smiled.
“I can wait that long.”
His generous smile, spoken with a warmth she had seen many times but still found unfamiliar, lit his eyes, mouth, eyebrows, cheeks, and forehead with genuine joy.
Ah, yes. This was what she wanted to see. This feeling alone was satisfying.
Noticing Yuri’s vacant gaze, Lin Xinlu must have realized it—how could he not? Watching his smile fade slowly, Yuri at last asked.
“May I watch?”
It was a question she had asked before.
Lin Xinlu, staring seriously yet calmly at Yuri, suddenly let out a bitter laugh. The laugh, somewhat incredulous, almost sounded like a snort.
He looked at her askance for a while before bursting into laughter again.
“Sure. Watch as much as you want during the contract period. Anytime, all you want.”
This time, Lin Xinlu granted permission without any conditions, and Yuri nodded. Quietly, she murmured, “Thank you.” Lin Xinlu grinned, spinning with amusement, then suddenly asked:
“So, do you think any place will offer better conditions than me?”
At that arrogant, confident question, Yuri shook her head honestly without much thought.
Soon, cheerful laughter burst out inside the room.