Zhan Jingrui left. He Yao pulled the curtain aside slightly and watched his retreating back from the window.
She couldn't bear to look away until he was far, far in the distance and completely out of sight.
The heartache was the same as seven years ago; she had hurt Zhan Jingrui again.
He Yao knew she could hurt him once, but not a second time.
After this, Zhan Jingrui would likely never speak to her again.
Whether it was due to excessive grief, the cumulative effect of overwork in the preceding period, or the early signs of an infection, He Yao developed a high fever two hours after Xu Zheng messaged her about the successful bid.
When one is alone and healthy, they can come and go as they please, unburdened and free. Everything is fine.
But it's different when one is sick.
He Yao, lying in bed feeling miserable, thought that even buying a house was pointless. She couldn't even summon the strength to get up and drink a glass of water. People like her were destined to be alone for life.
Even with a house, she might die in it without anyone ever knowing.
He Yao had underestimated her charm; some people still remembered her.
Upon hearing that Yuanzheng Electric had won the bid and that He Yao seemed to be in trouble today, Tang Gong called her as soon as he got off work.
He Yao's phone was in the living room, and she was in bed, delirious with fever. She missed several calls without hearing them.
Later, Tang Gong found his way to her home.
Light spilled from the crack under the door, but no one answered his knocks. Tang Gong suspected she might be having a breakdown.
He had heard that the police had looked for her today. He didn't believe He Yao would do anything illegal, but he worried that as a young woman, her emotional resilience might be weak, and she might be distressed and contemplating something drastic at home.
After knocking on the door for a while, he threatened He Yao through the door.
"Are you alone at home and feeling down? Open the door quickly. Talk to me about whatever is bothering you; nothing is insurmountable. If you don't open the door, I'll find someone to break it down!"
Someone was shouting outside the door, and the door was being pounded with a resounding clang. He Yao was finally woken up.
Feeling dizzy and unsteady, she opened the door. Tang Gong was both surprised and relieved to see her well.
"You scared me to death! I thought you were having a breakdown and something had happened."
"What's going on? I heard the police came to the company to look for you today. Was there some misunderstanding? I believe you are innocent. Talk to me; don't keep it all inside."
He Yao was very grateful that he had come to see her.
Xu Zheng, that heartless man, was so engrossed in the joy of winning the bid that he hadn't even bothered to ask why the police were looking for her.
"It's nothing, thank you for your concern. I just have a cold and don't feel like moving."
He Yao said, "I've been meaning to treat you to a meal, but I've put it off until now. Once I'm feeling better tomorrow, I must treat you."
"You have a cold?" Tang Gong finally noticed her flushed cheeks and reached out to feel her forehead.
"It's really hot. You should go back to bed and rest. Don't wander around. I'll go buy you some medicine."
He Yao wanted to say it wasn't necessary, but before she could finish, he dashed out.
She could only sit on the sofa and wait.
Tang Gong returned quickly, carrying a bag of medicine. He asked He Yao to stay put, then went to boil water, poured her a cup, and handed her the medicine.
"Take it, then get some sleep. You'll be fine tomorrow."
"You've been working overtime and staying up late recently; your body is probably exhausted. Now that the project is secured, why don't you take a few days off? Your boss is quite reasonable; I think he'll agree."
When one is sick, emotions are particularly fragile. Coupled with her situation with Zhan Jingrui, He Yao felt truly heartbroken.
Touched by Tang Gong's concern, her eyes welled up.
"Don't be so good to me. I don't know how to repay you."
Tang Gong squatted in front of her, looking at her messy hair and feverish red cheeks, and smiled gently.
"I don't expect you to repay me. I'm good to you without expecting anything in return. Are you still carrying a psychological burden?"
He Yao didn't want him to look at her that way and turned her face away.
"If you don't want anything from me, then what do you want?"
Tang Gong: "Can't I simply want to be friends with you?"
Sometimes, beauty can be a significant burden for a woman.
Because of her beauty, He Yao had been harassed since childhood, countless times until now.
Whenever a man tried to establish an intimate relationship with her, her first reaction was suspicion and rejection.
Tang Gong was no exception.
She could accept him as a friend within normal boundaries, but if he had other intentions, her alarm bells would immediately ring.
"You're already this old; what's the point of pretending? If you really want to pursue me, just say it directly. But it's impossible between us, so don't waste your time."
Tang Gong's face turned red from her words.
Indeed, he was interested in He Yao, but before he could even make a move, he encountered this attitude from her.
"I know I'm not good enough for you..."
"It's not because of that," He Yao closed her eyes wearily.
"I know you might not believe me, but it's true. I don't like men, I don't want a boyfriend, and I will never get married in my life."
Tang Gong looked surprised and quickly understood the implication of her words.
"You mean, you..."
"Yes. We can only be friends, nothing more. Thank you for your feelings, but I can't reciprocate."
Seeing He Yao's honesty and realizing there was no pressure to become a couple, Tang Gong felt relieved.
"Alright. If that's the case, then I won't say anything more. It's a real shame, but I'm willing to be friends with you. The kind where we can talk about anything, like buddies. Are you willing?"
He Yao was willing.
Intellectuals were different; their minds were relatively healthy and their character was quite high.
Having such a friend was also a good thing.
After drinking her medicine, He Yao was no longer sleepy. Hearing that she hadn't eaten, Tang Gong ordered takeout.
The two of them sat on the sofa and chatted like buddies for a long time.
The next day, He Yao called Xu Zheng to ask for leave.
Upon hearing that she was sick and also learning about the police's visit, Xu Zheng became somewhat apprehensive. He told her to rest at home for a couple more days and that she could return when the project officially started.
He Yao took advantage of the situation and enjoyed three days of lazy rest at home.
Three days later, she was supposed to go back to work, but it coincided with the weekend, granting her another two days off.
After sleeping for three consecutive days, she felt almost worn out from all the rest. She decided to go out for a walk during the weekend.
Before she could decide where to go, Tang Gong arrived at her home again.
"Can you do me a favor?"
"A colleague is getting married on Saturday, and the invitation says to bring a female companion. Everyone else is bringing their girlfriend, classmate, someone they're interested in, or their wife. I'll be the only one single, and they'll likely tease me about it. Can you go with me to deflect it?"
Tang Gong now saw her as a pure buddy and told her everything honestly, without reservation. He Yao was touched and felt it was her duty to help.
"Sure."