Volume 1 Chapter 45: She’s Actually Worried About Me?
“Today, cough cough... today... keep your afternoon free. I need to see you about something. Dress neatly. I’ll come pick you up later.”
Bai Muxue used a lot of effort to force down the urge to cough. She tried hard to keep up her usual image in front of Shen Jingyi.
Talking on the phone was not impossible...
But seriously discussing disaster beast matters over the phone did not feel like something Bai Muxue, an impatient rich young lady, would do.
It was better to talk face to face.
She soon heard Shen Jingyi lower her voice and reply, “Okay.”
From her tone...
There seemed to be less unwillingness than last time.
After being teased and bullied by Amber all night, Bai Muxue had started to feel a sense of danger.
She was afraid that one day she might fail to keep up her image in front of Shen Jingyi.
She still had several threatening lines prepared...
But Shen Jingyi’s simple “Okay” blocked them all.
Bai Muxue stayed silent with her mouth open for a while, then lowered her voice and continued,
“Teacher Shen had better behave... Don’t forget who helped pay back your mother’s debt.”
“Mm,” Shen Jingyi said softly. “I know.”
She seemed to still be working.
Customer voices could faintly be heard through the phone.
When Bai Muxue first met Shen Jingyi, her tone had been cold and sharp, and she never gave Bai Muxue a kind expression.
But now, she sounded a little...
Soft?
Bai Muxue: “......”
Uh... that must be an illusion, right?
It had to be because the fever was affecting her hearing!
The threatening lines she had prepared could only be given up helplessly.
Her throat suddenly itched, and she started coughing again.
“Cough cough... Anyway, Teacher Shen, stay there obediently and wait for me. I’ll come pick you up this afternoon.”
For some reason, after Bai Muxue finished speaking, Shen Jingyi suddenly became silent.
Even so, her faint breathing could still be heard, showing she had not hung up.
After a long time, Shen Jingyi’s hesitant voice finally came from the phone.
“Um... your voice sounds a little strange. Are you okay?”
Bai Muxue was shocked.
Shen Jingyi was worried about her??
Shen Jingyi was worrying about someone?
Worrying about Bai Muxue?
Seriously?
If there was one person Shen Jingyi hated most in life, Bai Muxue should definitely be at the top of the list!
Ahaha...
Looks like this fever really is serious...
She was even hearing things now.
“No... I must still be half asleep...”
Completely losing the ability to think, Bai Muxue did not answer.
Instead, she blankly hung up the phone and collapsed straight onto the soft bed.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Shen Jingyi stood by the counter and looked at the “Call Ended” screen on her phone.
A strange feeling rose in her heart.
Of course she could hear that Bai Muxue’s voice sounded wrong.
Miss Bai had probably gone out somewhere to play wildly again...
It could not possibly be that someone fought a disaster beast at the amusement park last night and got hurt because of it, right?
The moment that thought appeared in her mind, even Shen Jingyi, who was usually cold and calm, could not stop a smile from appearing on her lips.
But...
Why had she taken the initiative to care about Miss Bai just now?
Even Shen Jingyi herself did not know the answer.
It was only that when she heard the girl’s slightly hoarse voice on the phone, before she could think, those caring words had already come out.
Was it because the weather was too hot, so her mind was not clear either?
With a sigh, Shen Jingyi turned off her phone and focused again on the counter.
Then she noticed that her junior coworker and Sister Li were secretly looking at her from nearby.
Shen Jingyi stopped what she was doing and tilted her head.
“What is it?”
“N-no, nothing!”
The junior coworker was so startled that she immediately stood up straight.
Seeing this, Shen Jingyi did not say anything more. She lowered her head and continued organizing the account book while printing receipts.
But when she raised her head again, the junior coworker was still hiding behind the shelves, pretending to arrange products while secretly peeking this way.
“...What exactly do you want to say?”
The girl helplessly held her forehead.
Hearing that, the junior awkwardly walked out from behind the shelf and gave an embarrassed smile.
“Actually... it’s nothing serious. I just wanted to ask if something important happened recently... You never look at your phone while working before.”
In her memory, other than normal calls and replying to messages, she had barely ever seen Shen Jingyi use her phone.
Popular mobile games or famous online dramas, she had never seen senior Shen play or watch any of them.
But now, seeing her constantly looking at her phone and seeming distracted...
What she really wanted to ask was whether senior Shen was dating someone.
And whether that person was the famous Miss Bai from the rumors.
Of course, she did not dare ask that directly in front of Shen Jingyi.
At most, she could only hint at it like this.
“Mm.”
Shen Jingyi naturally had no idea what the girl was thinking. She only nodded calmly.
The messages sent by Miss Bai were indeed important to her.
If Shen Jingyi replied even a little late, who knew how much trouble she would suffer?
So, even though she hated the idea, Shen Jingyi had still marked Bai Muxue as a priority contact.
Seeing Shen Jingyi nod, the junior gasped, quickly grabbed a bag of chips beside her, and used it to cover her face and shocked expression.
To make the always cold and distant senior Shen care this much...
That legendary rich young miss really had some skill.
No wonder people at school gossiped every day.
Thinking of the expensive dress senior wore yesterday, and the collar-like accessory around her neck...
The girl’s imagination instantly created a very long story full of things that could not be described openly.
“Alright, alright. There are so many customers. Stop being lazy and get back to work!”
Sister Li knocked lightly on the girl’s head, then looked at Shen Jingyi, who stood quietly behind the counter.
She handed a stack of papers to her.
“Xiao Shen, you seem very busy lately... About the part-time jobs you asked me to help find before... do you still want them?”
Sister Li had some connections in this area. She also knew Shen Jingyi’s family situation was not good.
She had a good impression of this polite but proud young girl, so she often helped where she could.
Shen Jingyi lowered her eyes.
“Yes.”
The reason she had stayed by Bai Muxue’s side was to repay the large gambling debts her mother had left behind.
But financially, her life had not improved much.
She was still struggling.
Actually, Shen Jingyi knew clearly...
Just like the branded clothes Bai Muxue had given her, if she only asked, money would not be a problem.
But...
Her pride and self-respect would not allow her to do that.
“Good. I printed all the information. My friend helped me find these jobs, so just look through them carefully...”
Sister Li waved her hand.
“One of them is tomorrow. A primary school is holding a summer activity. They’re taking children to visit and learn at a hospital school in the suburbs. They need some volunteers to help. Travel costs are covered.”
The suburbs...
It did not sound like a big problem, and it would not take too much time.
Shen Jingyi looked through the papers a little, then nodded.
“Thank you, Sister Li.”
“Ah, child, it’s only a small favor...”
Before Sister Li could finish, a clear and energetic voice suddenly sounded from behind them, cutting off their conversation.
“Eh eh eh, there are still crossover cards for Dimensional Shining★Magical Girl Dream left?! I thought they were sold out! I didn’t expect to find them in a place like this!”
“Excuse me~ I’d like to buy all of these, please~”
Along with a faint sweet fragrance, Shen Jingyi unconsciously looked up and gave her usual polite smile.
“Of course. The total for these is—”
But in the next moment, the smile at the corner of Shen Jingyi’s mouth froze.
A trace of disbelief appeared on her pretty face.
Standing before her was a cute girl with twin ponytails tied by ribbons, wearing a black school-style skirt.
She had stacked a large pile of cards on the counter, and her bright eyes shined with a unique sparkle.
She was...
The daughter of the late Mr. Tang Mu, whom Shen Jingyi had met at yesterday’s memorial?
Tang Xingwan...?