Do Not Approach

57

Where could she be? She left without her phone, without an umbrella—where would she go in this weather?

"Mu—Xiao—Xiao!" Qin Yi growled under her breath.

In the driver's seat, Liu Wannian gave a small cough. "Young Miss, maybe we should check back at home?"

Qin Yi shot him a sharp glance, and he winced, feeling the pressure of her gaze. But at least she didn't scold him this time. He handed her his phone, showing the surveillance feed.

"Look," Liu Wannian said.

Qin Yi's brows furrowed as she tried to calm her nerves. She took the phone and examined the footage. There weren't many people outside due to the rain. And there, right by the garden gate, sat someone with a lotus leaf on their head—sometimes pointing a middle finger to the sky, sometimes covering their face and kicking their legs in frustration.

Qin Yi stared at the screen, then slowly turned her head toward Liu Wannian. Every hair on his body stood on end. "I was going to say..." he began... But you wouldn't let me.

While Qin Yi raced back, Mu Xiaoxiao sat soaked to the bone, having spent an hour and a half under the relentless rain. She kept glancing up at the sky and down the road, hoping to catch a glimpse of Qin Yi. But there was no sign of her.

Time ticked by, and with each passing second, Mu Xiaoxiao felt more and more abandoned.

This reminded her of the last time she waited endlessly—when she thought, She's coming, she's coming, but was left waiting until night fell.

Is this what it feels like to love someone?

Is this what they call romance?

It's exhausting. No wonder so many therapists avoid falling in love, she thought bitterly.

She longed to call her friend, Zhang Qiao, and provide her with firsthand material for a tragic love story.

Meanwhile, Qin Yi's emotions swung wildly as she neared the house. At first, she imagined tearing Mu Xiaoxiao's head off, then rolling her wheelchair over her in revenge. But then she remembered the footage again—Xiaoxiao shivering in the rain, looking pitiful.

She sighed deeply, deciding to give Xiaoxiao the cold shoulder for a few days, just to teach her not to be so unreasonable in the future.

["Make sure to save those videos,"] Qin Yi instructed Liu Wannian. When we're old, I'll show them to her and let her see how ridiculous she looked.

Liu Wannian: "...Yes, Young Miss."

When they finally arrived, Qin Yi got out of the car.

Mu Xiaoxiao looked up, her teary eyes filled with grievance the moment they met Qin Yi's. And in that instant, Qin Yi's heart shattered.

All thoughts of scolding vanished. Wheeling forward, Qin Yi reached out and gently ran her hand through Mu Xiaoxiao's wet hair.

Mu Xiaoxiao crumbled, standing up to wrap her arms around Qin Yi. "Where did you go?" 

Did you leave to eat hot pot in the rain or something?

Why did you take so long?

Qin Yi softly patted her back, and as she felt Xiaoxiao's cold body pressed against her, all her resentment melted into a quiet sigh. Mu Xiaoxiao, you're really something.

With one person's drama, she created a rainy, tear-soaked romance show.

......

Once inside, Mu Xiaoxiao completely collapsed. She curled up on the sofa under a blanket, sniffling and whining as she pulled tissues from the box. "I can't believe such heartless people exist in this world."