Shen Yue felt a bit surprised. The person before her was somewhat unfamiliar, and after a while, she remembered he was a new colleague.
Due to his utter lack of presence, it took her a long time to recall his name.
His name was Luo Kai, a relatively reserved and shy person who normally didn't dare to make eye contact with her. His face would turn red as soon as their gazes met.
Therefore, she never expected that the person who came to see her would be Luo Kai, especially given how solitary his personality seemed.
Luo Kai had always been someone with little presence, and he appeared somewhat withdrawn, not the type to actively seek people out.
"Hello!" This person was quite sincere, greeting her the moment the door opened. His eyes scanned the ceiling and the floor, but he dared not look into Shen Yue's eyes.
"Hello," Shen Yue replied politely.
Seemingly sensing Shen Yue's confusion, Luo Kai uncomfortably shifted his gaze, pinching his fingertips in an attempt to slow his racing heart.
"The, the manager called you, but you didn't answer, so he sent me to check in case something happened."
As soon as he finished speaking, his face began to flush intensely. He felt immense self-anger, hating himself for being so clumsy and unable to speak smoothly; it was utterly embarrassing.
In contrast, Shen Yue didn't show any mockery. Instead, she smiled even more brightly and generously invited Luo Kai inside.
"I'm fine, just a little cold. Don't just stand outside, come in for a cup of water."
Luo Kai grew even more nervous, stammering his assent before stepping inside.
Shen Yue bent down to get him a pair of slippers. To be honest, Luo Kai was the first person to ever visit her apartment.
While Shen Yue went to the kitchen to get water and wash some fruit, Luo Kai finally dared to look around the living room openly.
Although the decoration was simple, it exuded warmth everywhere. He sat on the sofa, leaning against a bolster. He could almost catch a faint, delicate fragrance.
The mere thought that this place he was sitting in was where Shen Yue often lay, or that she might have even held that very bolster, caused the temperature of his face to remain high.
Casting a guilty glance towards the kitchen, Luo Kai let out a breath of warm air. Blushing, he pulled the bolster into his arms and slowly tightened his grip. The faint, delicate scent acted like a hook, desperately drawing into his nostrils.
His head slowly lowered until his entire face was buried in the bolster. The man’s body trembled intensely, as if overwhelmed by uncontrollable excitement. The gasps from his throat sounded like he was struggling for breath.
Shen Yue emerged with a plate of fresh fruit and a drink, only to see the man on the sofa hugging a bolster, sitting in an exceptionally well-behaved manner, his fair and clean face flushed a deep red.
Placing the fruit and drink on the coffee table, Shen Yue observed his face, which was unusually red. "Are you not feeling well? Your face looks so red."
Clutching the bolster tighter, Luo Kai's gaze shifted evasively. Even the slight curve of his lips betrayed a sense of shyness. "No, it's fine. I'm just, just a little hot."
The moment he finished speaking, he wished he could bite off his tongue. Why couldn't he shake off this habit of stammering whenever he got nervous? Shen Yue must find him detestable.
The mere thought of this possibility made Luo Kai unable to suppress his panic. He summoned his courage and looked up at Shen Yue.
At that moment, Shen Yue was peeling an orange. The faint scent of orange peel was pleasant. Perhaps sensing his rather intense gaze, she lifted her exquisite and beautiful face. Her dark eyes held shallow, water-like ripples of color, and when her gaze met Luo Kai's, it carried a softness akin to that between friends.
Even so, it made his heart skip a beat.
He stared at Shen Yue's hands as she peeled the orange. A little pale yellow orange juice had gotten onto her fingertips. He couldn't help but mumble softly.
"So white..."
Shen Yue ate a segment of the orange, not hearing the man's quiet murmur. Her voice reminded one of the morning breeze, as if carrying a faint scent of oranges. "What is it?"
Luo Kai lowered his head again. He was like a self-conscious and sensitive man, but only he knew that the reason for lowering his head was his fear that his gaze might startle the person before him.
Luo Kai didn't stay there for long. He left shortly after.
The oranges in the fruit bowl had been eaten. Shen Yue picked up an apple and took a bite.
Chewing the pulp in her mouth, Shen Yue leisurely finished the entire apple.
She took out a tissue and meticulously wiped the juice from her palms. It felt a bit sticky. After finishing the apple, she would need to wash them.
Due to her health, Shen Yue requested leave from the manager and comfortably rested at home for the entire day, ordering takeout for both meals.
In the evening, she almost forgot to take her medicine, thankfully reminded by the system.
***
The coffee shop was as crowded as ever, especially on Saturdays and Sundays when they were swamped.
While delivering coffee, she was bumped by a hurried man in a suit. Shen Yue, wearing high heels, lost her balance. In her panic, she instinctively reached out to steady herself on a nearby chair, and the coffee cup she was holding slipped and fell to the floor.
With a "crash," the sound was particularly jarring in the not-so-noisy coffee shop.
Before she could react, a man grabbed her hand, his expression filled with worry and anxiety. "Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"
Shen Yue wasn't startled by the sound of the shattered coffee cup; rather, she was taken aback by the man who had suddenly rushed over. She casually withdrew her hand.
"I'm fine."
Luo Kai retracted his fingers, as if savoring something.
Afterward, he started to crouch down to clear the broken shards but was stopped by Luo Kai, who seemed to have reverted to his usual introverted and shy demeanor.
"I'll clean it up. You go get another cup."
The back of her hand still retained the man's burning warmth. Shen Yue said thank you and went to the back kitchen to get another cup.
After work, as Shen Yue went to the changing room, she saw Luo Kai. The male and female changing rooms were separate. Her sharp eyes noticed a bit of blood on Luo Kai's sleeve.
He must have accidentally cut himself while cleaning up the broken pieces.
Since the man had been injured while helping her, Shen Yue reminded him.
"Luo Kai, your hand seems to be injured. You should go to the clinic after work."
Luo Kai was 1.9 meters tall. Even in ordinary clothes, his good physique was evident.
Yet, his face was fair and clean, and his personality was timid and unappealing. It took him ages to answer a simple question, and most of the time, he was like air, with no one willing to pay him any attention.
Even though he was kind and often helped move heavy equipment or ingredients for others in the shop, no one liked him. Worse still, some people deliberately dumped all sorts of chores that shouldn't have been Luo Kai's responsibility onto him, mocking him freely.
Facing the malice of others, Luo Kai simply endured it silently, offering no resistance.