Unable to Fall in Love Syndrome - Chapter 3

Chapter 3 – Tricky Client 03

Before Zuo Yi opened the door, Qiao Shan stood there with her shoulders squared aggressively, looking every bit like she was ready to give him a piece of her mind or her name wasn’t Qiao. But the moment the door swung open and she saw the tall, broad-shouldered man with his stern expression, her bravado wilted instantly.

She immediately put on a sheepish grin. “Mr. Neighbor, were you playing the erhu?”

“Mm.” Zuo Yi’s voice was flat, perhaps softened a touch by a hint of guilt compared to before.

“You play pretty well—ahahaha,” Qiao Shan said, laughing. “But it’s so late—won’t it disturb the neighbors?”

Zuo Yi paused for two seconds before replying, “Sorry, I forgot there was someone next door.” Before she moved in, the apartment next door had been empty, and the elderly couple in the units above and below would head out on a trip around this time every month.

Qiao Shan clearly wasn’t convinced. He’d been bitten by her dog that afternoon, and shortly afterward, she’d brought over dumplings to apologize. He wasn’t a goldfish—how could his memory be that short? Did he think she was that easy to fool?

In truth, Zuo Yi really had forgotten.

After getting home that afternoon and seeing that his butt was uninjured, he’d thrown himself into work. He’d been interrupted once by Qiao Shan, and when he dove back in, he was even more focused, his nerves strung tight.

Later, when he played the erhu to vent his pent-up work stress, he hadn’t fully shaken off that mindset, leading to his forgetting about the new neighbor.

By the time he remembered, she was already at his door, all smiles and politeness.

Zuo Yi’s expression softened slightly. “I’m really sorry.”

Seeing his attitude improve a bit, Qiao Shan seized the opportunity. “So—how’s your butt? Getting bitten by a dog isn’t something to take lightly—you can’t brush it off, really.”

“It didn’t break the skin. I’m fine.”

“Oh… alright then… I didn’t come over for anything big; my dog just wanted me to tell you that your late-night erhu playing is keeping it up. My dog’s got a bit of a temper.” Qiao Shan stared at Zuo Yi’s handsome face, feeling inexplicably nervous.

Back home, she was still reeling in disbelief.

How could someone who looked so perfect on the outside play the erhu like he was slaughtering a cow?

It was like a sexy goddess who seemed flawless in appearance and personality, but whose handwriting was as messy as a kindergartner’s.

Utterly unbearable!

*

Early Saturday morning, Qiao Shan changed into workout clothes and headed downstairs at eight to walk her dog and stake out the spot.

She ran right into Zuo Yi returning from his run, dressed in athletic gear with fine beads of sweat on his forehead. He stopped at the fitness equipment by the community entrance, propping one long leg up to stretch his calf muscles.

Qiao Shan tied her dog to a nearby basketball hoop and sidled over, pretending she’d just finished a run herself. She took a few dramatic breaths, then tried to mimic Zuo Yi by lifting her leg onto the parallel bars for a stretch.

However…

She attempted to hoist her leg up, but it was too short—she barely touched the bar with her toes before they slipped right off.

She glanced at Zuo Yi beside her, her brows furrowing as she pursed her lips, puffed out her cheeks, and tried lifting her leg again.

Still couldn’t reach.

This bar is designed against humanity!!!!

Zuo Yi finished stretching one leg and switched to the other. When he turned his head, he spotted the short girl next to him repeatedly trying to kick her leg up, kick, kick… apparently attempting to hook her heel on the bar like he had.

But thanks to her stubby legs, she kept failing spectacularly, yet stubbornly persisted.

She resembled a short-legged, chubby cat—clumsy in posture yet too proud to admit defeat.

Just as Qiao Shan was laser-focused on reaching the bar, a large hand gently patted her shoulder. A deep, rich voice sounded in her ear, laced with a hint of post-workout breathlessness: “There’s a kids’ bar over there.”

His words hit her sore spot dead-on. Qiao Shan pulled her leg back, feeling like her fur was standing on end. She lifted her chin and glared at him, her mouth twitching as if to say something, but she swallowed it.

She left him with a haughty “Hmph,” whipped her ponytail around, and stormed off toward the kids’ bar.

Qiao Shan finally managed to prop her leg up on the bar—just the one that’s half the height for children.

She folded her upper body down, burying her head against her thigh in deep despair.

That jerk was mocking her! Mocking her short legs? She really wanted to sic her dog on him… TAT.

Zuo Yi finished his leg stretches and strode toward the building. Qiao Shan grabbed her dog’s leash and hurried after him, catching up just before he entered the elevator.

Once again, it was just the two of them and the dog in the elevator.

Dudu seemed to like Zuo Yi a lot, squatting by his feet and craning its neck to stare up at him.

Zuo Yi felt chills from the dog’s gaze, instinctively stepping back until his butt was against the elevator wall. When they reached the 12th floor, he didn’t rush out; instead, he eyed Qiao Shan, signaling her to take the dog first.

“Dudu, come on.” Qiao Shan found it amusing as she led the dog out, sneaking a glance at him.

Only after she’d walked the dog to her door did Zuo Yi slowly emerge from the elevator.

Qiao Shan pretended to fumble for her keys, catching sight of him lingering in the distance out of the corner of her eye, standing stock-still like an immovable mountain.

So the long-legged guy is afraid of dogs.

Once she and the dog were inside, he finally shuffled toward his own door.

Zuo Yi’s fingerprint lock was malfunctioning, so he pulled out his keys, all while warily glancing at the opposite door.

There was a “click” from behind him—Qiao Shan’s door suddenly cracked open again, and the girl poked her head out to look at him. His back stiffened, his hand shook, and he twisted the key the wrong way, deadbolting the door instead.

Qiao Shan could tell he was tense and held back a laugh as she asked, “By the way, Mr. Neighbor, I haven’t asked your last name yet. What should I call you?”

Zuo Yi flicked a glance at the little head peeking from the opposite door. Seeing no dog, he relaxed a fraction and said, “Last name…” Before he could finish, a white dog’s head suddenly popped out, its eyes fixed straight on him.

His hand trembled on the keys, and his face visibly paled. But he quickly masked his nerves and said calmly, “Zuo.”

Qiao Shan pushed the dog’s head back inside and continued with a bright smile, “Hello, Mr. Zuo. My name is Qiao Shan—you can call me Shanshan.”

Zuo Yi nodded slightly. “Hello, Miss Zuo.” As he spoke, he finally managed to turn the key and unlock the door, slipping inside quickly.

“Mr. Zuo! My last name is Cheng, not Zuo!” Qiao Shan couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time.

Zuo Yi cleared his throat lightly, tugging at the corner of his mouth in an attempt to smile and ease the awkwardness. But he realized he couldn’t quite manage it, so he just said, “Have a pleasant weekend.”

*

No matter what, heading out that morning had paid off. At least she’d struck up a conversation with Zuo Yi, and he’d been willing to share his name. Okay, fine, it wasn’t exactly a brag-worthy achievement—she’d been here for days and had only asked his last name today.

With it being Saturday and Zuo Yi at home, she figured she couldn’t just sit around anymore; she had to take the initiative!

So she rummaged through the freezer for two bags of frozen dumplings, boiled up two full plates, gave half of one to Dudu, and planned to take the other plate over to Zuo Yi.

By sharing food while apologizing, she hoped he wouldn’t suspect her ulterior motives.

Qiao Shan tucked her mini-camera into her pocket, ready for action.

Zuo Yi had just finished making breakfast and was about to sit down when the doorbell rang.

People rarely rang his bell. He peeked through the peephole—sure enough, it was the new girl from next door. He hesitated behind the door for a moment before opening it.

Qiao Shan held the plate of dumplings high overhead, as she had the previous night, grinning. “Mr. Zuo, these are dumplings I made—I cooked too many and can’t finish them alone, so I’m bringing some over for you. And about my dog biting you, you have to accept the apology. This plate of dumplings, you see…”

Zuo Yi reached for the plate, but Qiao Shan held on tight. He sounded a bit helpless: “Didn’t you say the dumplings are for me?”

Qiao Shan blinked, nodding repeatedly. “Yes, yes, they’re for you! So you’re accepting the dumplings and my dog’s apology?”

Zuo Yi said, “Mm.”

The moment that “mm” left his throat, the girl—who only came up to his shoulder—darted inside, brushing past the entryway without a second thought and heading straight to the dining room to set the dumplings on the table.

Zuo Yi had never seen anyone barge in uninvited like this; he was momentarily speechless.

He followed her in, giving her a cold stare.

Qiao Shan knew full well he was annoyed right now, but this was the only legitimate way to get into his place.

She wanted to figure out Zuo Yi’s sexual orientation and what kind of women he liked. That meant investigating his daily life. A man’s preferences and habits could be gleaned from his home decor and the books he read.

For example, some men seemed straight-laced but kept erotic books or videos at home.

Or some gay men were tidier than the average straight man and liked things women typically enjoyed. Anyway, to really understand Zuo Yi, she had to see inside his home.

On her first visit, she didn’t have an excuse or chance to check his bedroom or study, so she could only scope out the living room and dining room.

The decor was all black and white; the unit was twice the size of hers but sparsely furnished. The bookshelves, table, and coffee table were all simple, minimalist designs.

It looked open and airy at a glance, but also stark and cold, lacking a cozy, homey feel. It didn’t seem like a living space; the vibe was more like a long-term office.

Qiao Shan noticed Zuo Yi’s displeased expression and had no intention of sticking around. She kept her cheerful tone: “Don’t worry, Mr. Zuo, my slippers aren’t tracking in any dirt.” She pointed at the dumplings on the table. “Well… enjoy them slowly. I’ll head back now.”

As the saying goes, the first time is awkward, the second is familiar—with this precedent, the next time would be much easier.

On the dining room accent wall, there were a few wooden display shelves with some photos.

As Qiao Shan casually turned to leave, her eyes caught a familiar face in a flash. In a seven-inch gold-rimmed frame was a photo of a little girl in a white dress, with twin ponytails, smiling brightly under the sun.

She froze instinctively, as if struck by lightning, her arms tingling with numbness. Pointing at the frame, she forced a stiff grin and asked:

“Mr. Zuo, is the girl in this frame your sister?”

Zuo Yi glanced at her. “No.”

“Girlfriend? Childhood crush?”

“No.”

“Then who?”

Zuo Yi’s tone turned noticeably irritable, his earlier politeness vanishing completely. “An enemy, alright?”

His tone startled Qiao Shan, causing her to jump even though it wasn’t loud. She shivered all over.

Time to bolt!

Back home, Qiao Shan was still shaken as she recalled his words. An enemy?

Holy crap… she was his enemy!!

So that guy was the snot-nosed kid from back then?

Qiao Shan was stunned.

The snot-nosed kid had undergone a glamorous transformation and even kept her childhood photo—was he… planning revenge? She remembered bullying him relentlessly as a kid. Could he really be back for payback over childhood grudges?

As a Taurus woman who loved to overthink, she was already spinning a melodramatic plot in her head about a domineering CEO exacting revenge on a little matchmaker.

Then her mind conjured up his face with a sinister, evil grin: “I, Zuo Yi, have a hundred ways to get back at you…”

Too… too terrifying.

She had to hurry and sort out his lifelong happiness, helping him get out of singlehood, so she could escape his orbit ASAP!