Unable to Fall in Love Syndrome - Chapter 15

Chapter 15 – Time Speaks 05

The season wasn’t too hot, and after nightfall, the air carried a slight dampness.

The leaves of the plane trees overhead rustled in the breeze. Qiao Shan lay flat on her back, staring up at the man, groaning in pain a couple of times before pleading for help. “Zuo Yi, quick, give me a hand and help me up.”

Zuo Yi didn’t budge, his face cold and indifferent as he looked down at her. “Trying to scam me?”

Qiao Shan glared. “Can’t you not talk to me from up there? What if your spit falls into my mouth!”

“…” Zuo Yi paused. “Heh, looks like you don’t want my help after all.”

“No… Zuo Yi, Mr. Zuo, Big Bro Zuo… sweetie! Help me up, okay? It’s a real cramp—I don’t dare move. Be the bigger person and lend a hand. It’s embarrassing for a girl like me to be lying on the roadside like this!” Qiao Shan begged.

Dudu, sprawled on all fours nearby, barked twice at Zuo Yi as well.

“You’re pretty flexible when it suits you.” He glanced at the dog, puzzled. “What’s wrong with the dog?”

“Probably a cramp in the dog meat or overexertion…” Qiao Shan replied.

“Oh.” Zuo Yi squatted down, giving her a once-over before asking, “How do I help?”

Qiao Shan instructed him: “Hold my waist and slowly pull me up. Don’t use too much force—be gentle, or it’ll hurt.”

“Oh.” Following her directions, he reached out and gradually helped her sit up.

Qiao Shan sat up with a sigh of relief, glancing around before looking at Zuo Yi. “There’s a small clinic about four hundred meters around the corner at the end of the street. Take me and Dudu there.”

“Why should I help you?” Zuo Yi asked.

“Come on, we’re neighbors at least. Your big bro is my best buddy, so that makes us like siblings. Don’t be so heartless, okay?”

“Hm, thick-skinned, aren’t you?” Zuo Yi turned his back to her and patted his shoulder. “It’s hard to get a cab around here. Hop on—I’ll carry you.”

“What a good guy! Zuo, my man, you’re a real saint.” She quickly clambered onto his broad back, hooking her arms tightly around his neck.

“Heh.” Zuo Yi let out a cold laugh, suddenly regretting it a bit.

This woman… was she trying to strangle him?

He took a few steps forward with Qiao Shan on his back when a pitiful, mournful howl came from behind.

“Woof woof… awoo… awoo… woo…”

He turned around with Qiao Shan still on his back, looking at the hefty dog that must weigh at least eighty pounds. He asked the person on his back, “What about this dog?”

Qiao Shan asked, “You could pick it up?”

“I don’t have four hands.” He felt the urge to toss the woman off his back.

“Then… how about this? It’s not far anyway. Free up one hand to hold it, and I’ll cling to your neck with my arms so I won’t fall off. Problem solved, right?” Qiao Shan suggested.

Zuo Yi pictured the scene.

Carrying a woman on his back, holding a dog with one hand…

Yeah, high-difficulty maneuver—really tests the arm strength.

“I’ve got a better idea right now.”

“What?”

“Throw you off.”

Qiao Shan panicked. “No, no, no! Sweetie Zuo, don’t be so rough. How about you set me down first and take Dudu to the clinic instead?”

He steadied himself for a few seconds before deciding, “Fine, as you say.”

“As I say? I was just throwing out a suggestion—you’re really going for it? Are you sure you can carry my ninety-two pounds on your back and still hold eighty pounds of Dudu with one hand? Sweetie, don’t be hasty.”

“Believe me, I’ll throw you off?” The man tilted his head slightly, his tone laced with mild anger.

Qiao Shan hugged his neck and muttered, “Shutting up now—please don’t throw me…”

He said, “I’m letting go with one hand. Your legs can dangle without issue, right?”

“Should be fine.”

He hummed low in acknowledgment, then, with the ninety-two-pound girl on his back, bent down to scoop up the eighty-pound fat dog and tuck it under his arm.

The high-intensity move made his arm muscles bulge like solid rock, lines sharp and defined. Male hormones seemed to seep out with his sweat. The awkward pose from the demanding action made his stance look odd.

As he walked, to keep the person on his back from slipping, he twisted his hips a bit to the right.

By the time they reached the clinic, sweat beaded on Zuo Yi’s forehead like peas. He stood at the door, scanning the front desk, and managed to call out, “Doctor.”

The doctor looked at the man in the doorway and froze. He had a woman on his back and was holding a sizable fat dog with one arm. The dog looked worn out from the ordeal, barely mustering the energy to bark.

Dudu was taken away by an approaching nurse, while the remaining nurse and doctor helped unload Qiao Shan from Zuo Yi’s back.

His back suddenly lightened, and he leaned against the wall behind him in relief, drawing in a deep breath. After running six kilometers earlier, he’d just completed another high-difficulty, high-intensity “workout”—he was clearly exhausted.

Qiao Shan briefly explained the situation. After checking her, the female doctor said, “It’s just a cramp—nothing serious. Rest for the night, and you’ll be fine.” She paused, then joked, “Your boyfriend’s in great shape. Must be pretty satisfying, huh?”

Qiao Shan’s first thought went straight there… She facepalmed. Her mind really needed a heavy-duty cleanser!

“Ahem, Doctor, you’ve got it wrong. He’s not my boyfriend.”

The female doctor rubbed in some ointment while winking teasingly. “Girl, you could think about taking it further. That hunk’s got a nice nose and height—he’s probably great in that department, and he’s easy on the eyes too. Opportunities like this don’t come often, little lady.”

Doctor, you’re so dirty!

Dudu lay sprawled on its back on the exam table outside, legs splayed out, eyes half-closed as it luxuriated in the nurse’s massage.

Zuo Yi watched from the side, finding it amusing.

The more he looked at the dog, the cuter it seemed. He couldn’t resist poking its soft belly with a finger.

Dudu lazily cracked an eye open, giving him a sidelong glance.

Zuo Yi couldn’t help but chuckle. “You little mutt, are you looking down on me?”

Dudu couldn’t be bothered to bark back, closing its eyes to continue enjoying the nurse’s massage…

The nurse had already been won over by the chubby, adorable Dudu, wishing she could take it home to pamper.

Leaving the clinic, Qiao Shan could already hobble along.

Zuo Yi held the dog for her and lent her an arm. Qiao Shan was overflowing with gratitude. “Thanks so much for tonight.”

He stared straight ahead without glancing at her. “Just put your heart into matchmaking for my big bro.”

Qiao Shan inwardly scoffed. So this guy wasn’t being kind out of the goodness of his heart—he had an agenda, expecting something in return. The good impression she’d just formed vanished instantly.

*

Over the next few days, Zuo Yi went about his routine, commuting to and from work. He kept running into Qiao Shan—on the street, at the supermarket.

Sometimes she’d suddenly appear from the other side of a shelf; other times, they’d cross paths during his evening run. He refused to believe in “fate,” so he decided to change his schedule.

It was quiet for just one day before Zuo Yi bumped into Qiao Shan again at the salted fish stall in the vegetable market.

He picked out a salted fish and asked the vendor to pack it. Qiao Shan leaned over for a look, then turned to him. “How’s the best way to cook this salted fish?”

“Braise it in soy sauce.”

Zuo Yi looked at her, on the verge of losing it…

Could it really be like what Ying Shengnan said—that Qiao Shan was his destined one?

What nonsense…

He shook his head and headed home.

While chopping vegetables, his mind was full of Qiao Shan pressing against him while drunk.

Like her? Not necessarily.

At the thought, his chest seemed to skip a beat, like a palpitation—a mix of ache and itch, not exactly uncomfortable, but not pleasant either.

Labor Day was just a few days away.

As per usual, his company would give seven days off. In past years, he’d organize a trip with the employees, but this year, he suddenly didn’t want to go with them. He planned to backpack solo to Tangxi Ancient Town.

He was decisive in his actions—once decided, he immediately booked a flight.

Meanwhile, next door.

Qiao Shan was sprawled on her bed, chatting with Xiao Jia. Xiao Jia asked her, “Shanshan, want to join us in Tangxi Ancient Town for Labor Day? I’ve already booked the flights and the inn.”

Tangxi Ancient Town backed onto the Ling River, situated in the Bashu Small Basin. With over two thousand five hundred years of history, it was a key military stronghold of the ancient Bashu Kingdom. Qiao Shan had always wanted to go, but either lacked the time or the company.

She’d almost forgotten until he mentioned it—Xiao Jia had planned the Labor Day trip to Tangxi Ancient Town.

From her investigations, Zuo Yi took his employees on group trips every Labor Day, meaning she’d have the holiday to herself. She replied happily, “Sure! What do I need to bring?”

Xiao Jia replied, “Yourself, toiletries, and changes of clothes.”

“Wenwen’s coming too?”

“Yeah, the kid gets ten days off—can’t leave her home alone.”

Qiao Shan pretended to be mad. “So your generous invitation is just so I can help watch Wenwen? Sneaky boy! ╭(╯^╰)╮”

…

After getting the inn details from Xiao Jia, she immediately forwarded them to Lin Zhen. She nagged her endlessly to make sure she mentioned the Tangxi Ancient Town inn.

That way, Xiao Jia wouldn’t think she was following on purpose—instead, it’d create a sense of serendipitous fate.

At that point, Xiao Jia will definitely think it’s heaven-sent destiny. If a guy and I had that much fate, I’d decide in a heartbeat that he’s my destined dark horse prince! Qiao Shan declared to herself.