My Ex Who Dumped Me Comes to Hook Me Up Every Day - Chapter 18

Beep—

Beep—

The ringing tone persisted for an agonizingly long time, so long that Jin Zhou almost gave up hope of the call being answered.

But just as she was about to hang up, a woman’s voice came through the receiver.

“Who’s disturbing my sleep at this hour?”

It was an unfamiliar voice, groggy and tinged with annoyance.

It wasn’t Jiang Yuhuai.

Despite having mentally prepared for the possibility that it might be Jiang Yuhuai, Jin Zhou unconsciously let out a sigh of relief upon hearing the woman’s voice.

She asked politely, “Hello, is Jiang Yuhuai nearby?”

The woman slurred, “She’s here, we’re at home! Now, I’m going back to sleep. Don’t call again.”

The same words, but spoken by someone in a position of power, carried a different weight.

Beep—

The call was abruptly disconnected before Jin Zhou could ask any further questions.

We.

Home.

Jin Zhou stared at the darkened phone screen for a long moment.

Suddenly, her worries seemed both excessive and absurd.

Jiang Yuhuai was exceptional; she would never lack new people around her.

Only Jin Zhou.

Even after six years, a mere word or two from Jiang Yuhuai could still stir her emotions, leaving her completely at her mercy.

Jin Zhou took a deep breath, sternly reminding herself:

Jin Zhou, don’t be foolish enough to fall into the same trap twice.

The night passed restlessly.

Jin Zhou was awakened by a call from Su Yun.

“Attorney Jin, wake up!”

Jin Zhou glanced at the time.

8:00 AM

During the long holiday, Su Yun almost never contacted her at this hour.

She sat up, took a sip of warm water to clear her throat, and asked, “What’s wrong? Is the firm swamped?”

“No, no, no! It’s something else entirely!” Su Yun’s voice was brimming with excitement.

Still half-asleep, Jin Zhou’s tone remained flat in comparison. “What is it?”

Su Yun, determined to pique her curiosity, replied mysteriously, “It’s great news! Guess what it is.”

Jin Zhou yawned and said casually, “Did you approve my vacation request to the US this summer?”

Su Yun choked slightly, then laughed awkwardly. “Hey, why bring up such touchy subjects?”

“Actually, the recent incident has attracted the attention of the local media. They’ve scheduled an interview program with us.”

The interviewer was from an official media outlet, a rare opportunity to enhance the law firm’s reputation.

But Jin Zhou showed no reaction.

She stood by the window, gazing outside.

The sky was overcast, and the room felt stiflingly hot. A faint breeze drifted through the window cracks, but it offered little relief.

For C City, this humid, oppressive heat was typical.

Often, a torrential downpour would soon follow, washing away the city’s stifling humidity, bringing refreshing coolness and the earthy scent of rain-soaked soil.

Under normal circumstances, Jin Zhou wouldn’t have minded this weather.

But today was different.

Su Yun’s words hung in the air for a long moment before Jin Zhou finally responded with a listless, “Hmm.”

Jin Zhou’s displeasure was painfully obvious.

Su Yun asked skeptically, “You’re not happy? Did Auntie Lin bother you again?”

“No,” Jin Zhou replied.

It was true.

This was far more serious than that.

While her conflict with Lin Xin was complex, it was still manageable for now.

But Jiang Yuhuai…

Since she was already involved with someone else, what was the point of calling Jin Zhou specifically?

Was it just to tease her?

Truth or dare?

Jin Zhou lowered her gaze, wondering how lowly she was regarded in Jiang Yuhuai’s heart.

Su Yun called Jin Zhou’s name several times, but received no response. Even the air in the office seemed to grow colder.

Shivering, Su Yun asked, “Jin Zhou? Are you still there?”

“When is it?”

Su Yun replied cautiously, “The appointment is scheduled for three o’clock this afternoon.”

Jin Zhou’s tone remained flat.

“Alright. I’ll arrive two hours early.”

When Jin Zhou arrived at the law firm, the lawyers and assistants who should have been busy with cases were gathered in a lively discussion, completely oblivious to her presence.

That’s terrible!

Yeah, yeah!

After all these years, do you think it’ll work out?

Jin Zhou stood at the doorway for a long while, managing to catch only a few indistinct words from the noisy conversation.

It wasn’t until Li Xiaoxi, with her sharp eyes, noticed her arrival.

Li Xiaoxi nudged the people around her with her elbow and whispered, “She’s here, she’s here.”

Most of them immediately turned around and pretended to be busy with work, except for Liu Yi, who wasn’t very quick on the uptake.

Without lowering her voice, Liu Yi asked, her face full of confusion, “What’s here? Why is everyone leaving?”

Jin Zhou replied with a half-smile, “Openly slacking off during work hours, Assistant Liu, aren’t you afraid of getting your bonus docked?”

The veterans knew that Lawyer Jin’s bark was worse than her bite; her threats to dock bonuses almost never materialized.

But Liu Yi, a trainee who had only been with the firm for six months, didn’t know this. Her face paled instantly.

What do you do when the boss catches you slacking off during work hours? Urgent help needed online!

She turned to Li Xiaoxi for help.

Li Xiaoxi, who loved watching drama unfold, gave her a look of mock helplessness.

Forced to put on a smile, Liu Yi turned back to Jin Zhou. “Attorney Jin, how’s your injury healing?”

Jin Zhou, her mood indifferent, replied flatly, “About the same.”

Liu Yi’s heart tightened.

Oh no, she thought. Lawyer Jin is always so gentle with interns. Why is her tone so cold today?

She braced herself for a reprimand.

But the next moment, Jin Zhou simply asked calmly, “What were you talking about just now?”

Is she letting it go?

Liu Yi exhaled in relief and immediately answered truthfully, “We were discussing Sister Li’s friend. She was abducted as a child and recently decided to search for her biological parents.”

Jin Zhou turned to Li Xiaoxi and casually asked, “Where is your friend from?”

Li Xiaoxi replied uncertainly, “From the neighboring city. She never mentioned the exact location, so I’m not sure.”

Jin Zhou nodded and walked further into the office.

As she approached the door, Su Yun’s familiar, formulaic voice drifted out:

“Not at all, not at all. Please guide me this time as well.”

“Please guide me as well.”

The other voice belonged to a woman, but it was muffled and indistinct, perhaps due to the distance.

Paying little attention, Jin Zhou knocked on the door.

Knock, knock, knock—

“Come in.”

Jin Zhou pushed open the door and stepped inside. Su Yun greeted her with a bright smile. “You’re here! Perfect timing. This is Dr. Jiang, who will be assisting you with today’s interview. You’ve already met, so I don’t need to introduce you, right?”

In the corner, a young woman in a white coat sat rigidly on the sofa.

Jin Zhou looked up and met her gaze as she turned toward the door.

It was Jiang Yuhuai.

The ever-present Jiang Yuhuai.

In that instant, countless dramatic scenes of enemies meeting flashed through Jin Zhou’s mind, like scenes from a melodramatic soap opera.

Jin Zhou desperately wanted to unleash a torrent of insults on the woman right then and there.

But her professional composure ultimately prevailed.

Forcing a calm smile, she delivered a measured, sarcastic remark: “Dr. Jiang, did you sleep well last night?”

Jiang Yuhuai looked up at her, as if probing for something, but ultimately asked nothing. She simply replied earnestly, “I slept very well.”

Su Yun, oblivious to the undercurrents between them, assumed they were just exchanging pleasantries. She smiled warmly. “You two continue chatting. I’ll step out for a bit.”

The considerate boss left the two soon-to-be collaborators alone to “get acquainted,” while she herself went out for a drive, whistling cheerfully.

No one spoke. The office was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Jiang Yuhuai simply stared at Jin Zhou’s face, as if deep in thought.

Feeling uncomfortable under the intense gaze, Jin Zhou frowned and turned to leave.

Before her hand could grasp the doorknob, Jiang Yuhuai spoke.

“Have you eaten?”

Jin Zhou froze, her gaze darkening as she turned back.

Seemingly oblivious to her mood, Jiang Yuhuai walked over and handed her a delicate bag. “If you haven’t, I got you something to tide you over—cheesecake and yogurt to cut through the richness.”

Normally, Jin Zhou would have already eaten lunch before coming over. But today was different.

She had no appetite and hadn’t eaten anything.

Jin Zhou glanced at Jiang Yuhuai. “Jiang Yuhuai, are you doing this on purpose?”

Jiang Yuhuai paused. “I… I just thought your stomach isn’t great. If you don’t eat…”

Cheesecake was Jin Zhou’s favorite dessert.

Eating cheesecake alone could be cloying, so pairing it with yogurt was ideal.

She had told Jiang Yuhuai this herself.

But that “favorite” might need quotation marks now.

After all, that was six years ago.

Jin Zhou didn’t let Jiang Yuhuai finish. She abruptly brushed her hand away.

“I don’t need it.”

The bag containing the cheesecake slammed against the office door with a thud before landing heavily on the floor.

Even without looking, Jin Zhou knew the cake must be ruined beyond recognition.

Jiang Yuhuai’s skin was highly sensitive; within seconds, a red fingerprint mark appeared on the back of her hand.

Too hard.

Jin Zhou instinctively looked up at her.

But Jiang Yuhuai didn’t seem offended; her gaze remained calm and gentle.

In the reflection, Jin Zhou saw her own face twisted with anger and regret.

Jiang Yuhuai was the composed one; she was the one losing control.

Again.

It was as if they were operating on different planes.

One stood aloof, untouched by the fray.

The other was mired deep within it, unable to escape.

She watches me waver, watches me rage, and when necessary, fans the flames.

Jin Zhou thought with bitter self-mockery.

If she had known Jiang Yuhuai would be her co-guest on today’s interview program, she would have refused Su Yun’s request outright, refusing to even set foot in the law firm.

As if sensing her thoughts, Jiang Yuhuai softly asked, “Jin Zhou, do you… really hate me?”

Jin Zhou nodded without hesitation. “Yes, I hate you. I don’t want to see you. You shouldn’t have come.”

Having worked in this industry for years, Jin Zhou was well-versed in the dynamics of such interview programs.

The hosts rarely specified their preferred guests, instead leaving the selection to their collaborators, allowing them to nominate their own representatives.

It was highly likely that Jiang Yuhuai had volunteered herself for this opportunity.

Jiang Yuhuai opened her mouth, but ultimately said, “I’m sorry…”

Jin Zhou looked up at her. “What are you referring to?”

There were far too many things between them that could be debated as right or wrong. Jin Zhou had no idea which one Jiang Yuhuai was apologizing for.