Rapid Collapse (GL) - Chapter 35

Han Ning was utterly embarrassed and furiously shouted at her phone, “I didn’t! You misheard!”

On the other end of the call, Shen Xi laughed and held the phone a little farther away, but Han Ning could still hear her laughter clearly. Frustrated, she threatened, “If you keep laughing, I won’t go!”

The threat worked. Shen Xi quickly stopped laughing and comforted her, “Alright, alright, I won’t laugh… Hurry up and get up, see you later.” Then, she hung up.

Han Ning sat cross-legged on the bed, frowning and scolding herself. After five minutes of reflection, she got up, did her makeup, got dressed, and left home with her bag and keys.

Just as she stepped out of the apartment building, she saw Shen Xi waiting nearby.

Hearing footsteps, Shen Xi turned around and looked at her with a silent smile. Before Han Ning could say anything, Shen Xi took a step forward and reached out to adjust her collar.

Looking at Shen Xi’s face up close, Han Ning’s breath hitched slightly. She turned her head away, feeling uneasy, and took a small step back, muttering, “That’s enough…”

After saying that, she stepped forward to walk ahead. Shen Xi, as if reading her mind, quickly caught up and, just like always, affectionately linked arms with her. “I’ve made a reservation at a restaurant nearby. Let’s walk instead of driving.”

Han Ning responded with a soft “Mm,” lowering her gaze to look at their linked arms. She couldn’t help but recall the past—she used to be the one who took the initiative to hold onto Shen Xi. But now, the roles seemed reversed…

The restaurant wasn’t far, just about a fifteen-minute walk. However, the autumn wind was chilly, fallen leaves covered the ground, and the evening temperature was quite low. She glanced at Shen Xi’s hand, as if she could feel it gradually getting colder.

Looking at Shen Xi’s side profile, she frowned slightly, pulled her warm hand from her pocket, and complained, “It’s below ten degrees at night, and you’re dressed so lightly.

Aren’t you cold?”

Without waiting for an answer, she grabbed Shen Xi’s hand and stuffed it into her pocket, covering the back of her hand with her palm to warm her up.

Shen Xi glanced down at her own coat, looking a bit confused. “I’m not dressed lightly… My hands are just cold.”

Han Ning stopped walking, narrowed her eyes slightly, and after a few seconds, said in an indifferent tone, “Then take your hand out.”

Though her voice was calm and composed, Shen Xi could hear the underlying threat—like she was saying, “Go ahead, try taking it out.”

Shen Xi shook her head. “No…” Then, she grasped Han Ning’s hand, intertwining their fingers inside the pocket. “Ning Ning’s hands are so warm.”

Han Ning ordered, “Put your other hand in your own pocket. Stop playing with your phone.”

Obediently, Shen Xi followed the command, looking up at Han Ning with bright, innocent eyes, playing the role of a well-behaved child.

Han Ning resisted the urge to roll her eyes and worked hard to keep her expression cool.

She simply nodded, satisfied, and the two continued walking.

At the end of the road, a left turn led them directly to the restaurant. They entered, and a waiter brought over a menu for them to order.

Shen Xi handed the menu to Han Ning. “I’m not very hungry. Order whatever you want.”

Han Ning picked a few dishes, naturally including some of Shen Xi’s favorite spicy ones.

When the waiter repeated the order for confirmation, Shen Xi smiled knowingly at Han Ning.

After the waiter left, Shen Xi propped her chin on her hand and watched as Han Ning wiped the table with a napkin. “Everything you ordered is exactly what I wanted to eat.”

Han Ning glanced at her, then balled up the napkin and placed it aside. She stubbornly denied, “I ordered for myself. People’s tastes change over time…”

Shen Xi detected something deeper in her words. Her gaze darkened slightly, and an unexpected sense of unease crept into her heart. She looked at Han Ning and asked, “So, you’re planning to change your preferences?”

Han Ning smiled lightly. “How would I know what suits me unless I try? Just like how I love glutinous rice dumplings—why should I limit myself to just those? I’d probably like other sticky foods too.”

Shen Xi lowered her head in silence, feeling a twinge of disappointment.

So… I’m no longer Han Ning’s glutinous rice dumpling…

After a brief silence, the dishes were served. The strong, spicy aroma filled the air, making Han Ning cough a few times. She picked up a piece of shredded meat and put it in her mouth. Within seconds, the heat spread across her tongue, making her face turn slightly red.

Shen Xi silently opened a can of soda and placed it in front of her. With arms crossed, she watched Han Ning gulp down the drink, then picked up a glutinous rice dumpling and placed it in her dish. “It’s good to try new things, but sometimes, after going through many twists and turns, you’ll realize that what truly suits you has always been that sweet, soft glutinous rice dumpling—something no other sticky food can replace.”

After saying that, she gave Han Ning a deep look.

Han Ning set down her drink, stared at Shen Xi, then picked up the dumpling and took a big, vengeful bite. The familiar sweet flavor spread across her tongue.

She quickly realized how childish she had just acted and squinted her eyes with a smile.

Shen Xi laughed as well.

The restaurant buzzed with laughter and chatter, but their table remained quiet. Even in silence, they understood each other perfectly.

Half an hour later, Han Ning leaned on her hand, looking tired. “At the wrap-up party for Nan Yan’s drama, that guy seemed to know you…”

Shen Xi nodded, wiping her mouth with a napkin before setting her chopsticks down. “Yeah, we know each other. And as you probably noticed, we despise each other.”

“Despise?” Han Ning raised an eyebrow in surprise.

She had only noticed Shen Xi’s disdain for the guy, but from his eyes, she saw more frustration—like a man who failed to win over a beauty.

“Yeah…” Shen Xi sighed, looking out the window, and began talking about the past.

After graduating college, Shen Xi had wanted to write full-time. But back then, her work wasn’t as popular, and with a mother who was a burden, a full-time writing career was too risky. So, like every other graduate, she started job hunting.

She majored in an uncommon field, and good jobs were scarce. After days of browsing job postings, she decided to step out of her comfort zone and applied for a sales job at a company. She got hired.

Sales paid well, and more importantly, it gave her the chance to observe different kinds of people—great material for writing.

Her manager, Ms. Wu, liked her a lot and took her to business meetings so she could gain experience.

“To this day, I’m grateful to Ms. Wu. I was a total newbie in sales, but I never felt out of place because of her protection.”

She continued, “Ms. Wu never made me drink, but business deals are sealed over alcohol.

It’s unavoidable…”

One day, when Ms. Wu stepped out for a bit, a man named Li Yan—yes, the same man from the wrap-up party—started forcing her to drink and making crude jokes to her female colleague.

“The bastard!” Han Ning clenched her jaw.

Shen Xi chuckled. “Yeah, that’s exactly what I thought at the time.”

Fueled by humiliation and alcohol, she grabbed a bottle of wine, uncorked it, and poured it all over Li Yan.

At that moment, Ms. Wu walked in.

Shen Xi knew she couldn’t stay at the company after that. She quit and started writing full-time.

Hearing all this, Han Ning pieced things together. “So, that’s what happened during the year you disappeared?”

Shen Xi nodded. “Yeah. Being a woman in the workplace is tough…”

She stared blankly ahead. “That whole year, I felt like I was…”

Han Ning, drinking water, suddenly choked. “Don’t… say it!”

They finished their meal and walked home together, each lost in thought.