Finally, our first day at the bakery went well. We completed our working hours for today, and now the time hit 2:00 a.m. late at night. Winters in Shanghai get worse at night. I started shivering a little because of the cold breeze while standing at the doorway of the bakery.
I didn't understand why we had to work seven hours in this bakery. I mean, the bakery is open till 2 a.m. at such a late night. Isn't it quite strange? I asked Yang Lulu, who was packing her bag to leave.
"Actually, the owner of this bakery, I mean Mr. Qin, has a different view about things. He wants his bakery to be open till late night so that it can attend customers till late, and no one in Shanghai is left without the sweetness of the bakery," she said.
"Oh, indeed, it's a unique idea. I mean, he wants his bakery to deliver late at night so anybody can feel free to come here anytime," I said.
"Then this place will be a very good spot for couples, isn't it?" I added.
Yang Lulu stopped for a moment and looked at me.
"Couples?" she repeated. "Is there someone in love here?" she asked.
I hesitated, and my voice changed the moment she asked this question.
"No… it's just… I mean, I'm talking about this in general, as a whole perspective, trying to look at the bigger picture," I said.
"Bigger picture," she repeated. "Nice way of thinking, Zhao Shiza. Keep it up," she said.
Then she packed her things, and we both went outside the bakery, waiting for the cab to arrive. I kept checking my phone.
Then Yang Lulu said, "You can come in my cab. I'll ask the driver to drop you first."
"No, no, Yang Lulu, not needed. See, it will come anytime," I said while showing her my phone screen.
She exhaled sharply and said, "Look, it's showing ten minutes since the moment you booked it. Didn't ten minutes finish already?"
"Yang Lulu, if I go with you in your cab, then we'll have to pay extra to the driver. Right now, every single penny is important to us. We can't waste it like this," I said.
"Okay then, stay at my place," she said casually.
"No… I mean, actually, I don't feel comfortable staying at someone else's place. I mean, it's nothing wrong, it's just… it's just—"
"It's just that you're too shy and introverted," she completed the sentence.
I nodded and smiled.
"So thoughtful of you, Zhao Shiza. So thoughtful. I'm quite impressed," she said.
Her cab arrived in front of us. Before sitting inside, she asked me one last time, "Are you sure, Zhao Shiza? You can manage? I mean, it's so dark at night, and winter becomes very chilling at this time."
I closed the door of her cab and said, "Yes, I can, Yang Lulu. Stop worrying about me. I'm not some kindergarten kiddo. I'm a grown-up woman now. I can manage."
She smiled a little and said, "Okay then. When you reach home, drop me a message. Otherwise, my whole night will go worrying about you."
I nodded and said okay.
Then her cab started and she left. The winter breeze started again and shivered my soul deep inside. I looked at my phone to check how much longer I needed to wait for the cab, but what I saw was unexpected.
My phone screen went blank.
I think it ran out of battery.
"Wow, amazing. Just cherry on the cake," I said to myself.
Then I started walking on the road. I thought I needed to go back to the dorm by walking only. What else could I do? I had no other option left.
Everything looked darker at night, and the cruel winter breeze kept attacking me. I curled up into myself, but it was so chilling that nothing worked.
Suddenly, a car stopped in front of me. I couldn't see anything because the headlights were on. I covered my eyes with my hands and moved away, but I bumped into something strong.
It wasn't a pillar at all. If it were, then why did I suddenly feel like everything was fine, like nothing wrong was going to happen?
Then a voice came — the voice I was most familiar with, the voice that makes my heart skip a beat. Of course, I've listened to this voice on loop for years, making it my favourite song to hear.
"Are you okay? Why are you here so late, you silly girl? You always find new ways to scare me to death," he said.
"No, I was just—" I tried to make up a story, but he interrupted while touching my arms.
"Why are you so cold?"
I laughed a little and said, "It's a winter night, Yuan, not a hot spring summer day. Of course I'll be cold."
"Stop kidding. I know your body temperature is low," he said casually, like he had known this for years.
"One second… how do you know this? I didn't tell you. I remember it clearly," I said.
He exhaled sharply and said, "My assistant told me."
The moment he said assistant, I understood. Wang Ruoxi.
"Is she really my bestie or yours?" I murmured.
"Of course your bestie. That's why she tells your boyfriend about you," he said.
"You're so obsessed with the word boyfriend nowadays, aren't you?" I asked.
"Of course, because I am," he replied.
Then his expression changed into an angry one, and his voice deepened — the voice I had only heard during emotional drama scenes.
"Do you know what would have happened if Wang Ruoxi hadn't messaged me that you were shooting late today?" he said. "I wouldn't have known you were walking alone on the streets at this hour."
"What… what did she tell you?" I asked.
"She didn't tell me anything. She just messaged me when she reached home, saying you were enjoying a late-night shoot together. The moment I read that, I felt something was wrong," his voice shook.
"How is it possible that you were shooting late when the shooting was already over? Why did you message her that? So many questions came into my mind. I immediately drove back to the set. Thank God one crew member was still there. I asked him about you, and he told me you went with Yang Lulu."
He paused, his eyes filling with tears.
"So I started driving all over Shanghai to find you. And I found you… like this."
I placed my hands over his eyes. "No, Yuan, don't cry. You can't cry. Not because of my stupidity. These tears are precious. Don't waste them on me."
He gently removed my hands. "You are the most precious person in my life. How could I ignore that? All my worry is for you. Who gave you permission to treat my girl this harshly at night?" he asked softly.
The cold wind blew again, and I shivered. He immediately took off his coat and wrapped it around my shoulders.
"Look how cold you are. Let's get inside the car, otherwise you'll turn into ice cream," he said.
I chuckled.
Inside the car, he asked, "Tell me. What are you doing here so late? Is something bigger going on?"
I knew this question was coming. I took a deep breath and told him everything about Yang Lulu and today.
"So that's the whole story," I said.
"Then why didn't you tell me earlier?" he asked.
"I didn't want to bother you or make you worry about something that doesn't even involve you," I said.
"How does it not involve me?" he asked emotionally. "Anything my girl is involved in involves me."
My heart melted.
"Look at yourself. What if I hadn't come? You'd be wandering alone at night like this. You really know how to worry me."
"Yuan, relax. I'm a grown woman, not a kindergarten kid," I said.
"Yes, I can see how you're managing," he said. "And what kind of girl leaves you alone like this?"
"No, Yuan. She even asked me to stay at her place. I refused. Don't think badly about her."
"So devoted to your friends," he said.
"Yes, because she's already struggling. I won't let anyone blame her unfairly."
"I'm not accusing her. I just care about you," he said softly.
I smiled. "I'm already here."
He started the car.
"Are you sure I shouldn't help her?" he asked.
"Yes. It would hurt her self-respect. Sometimes we help our friends by standing beside them in their struggle."
"Hm," he said.
"Why hm? Are you still angry?" I asked.
"Of course. You hid this from me."
"You were supposed to be worried," I said gently.
"I almost lost my mind," he replied.
"Aren't you already lost in me?" I asked, making an innocent face.
He smiled. "That won't work on me."
"Yuan, please."
"You really know how to melt me."
"Of course. I'm your silly girl, and silly girls know how to handle cry babies."
"You're teasing me again."
"You give me reasons."
The car stopped in front of a big, lavishly designed house.
But this wasn't my dorm.
"Get out of the car," he said...