Chapter Nine: It Was Your Carelessness

In truth, Yuan Zhong no longer cared about Little Stingy, but Lin Hui’s hands moved swiftly, and the system matched quickly as well, so she thought she’d try again next round. As soon as the match ended, she heard Lin Hui complaining about the marksman’s skills, and before she could say more, the opponent had already started another game. Well, so be it, let’s play another.

“This marksman is really hopeless,” Lin Hui grumbled, still not over it. “If he hadn’t retreated earlier, just two or three more hits and the crystal would have exploded.”

Yuan Zhong sighed, “Yes, he’s too afraid of dying. As soon as he saw the enemy revive, he chickened out.”

“I hate rotten marksmen like this the most.”

Yuan Zhong opened her mouth, considering whether to invite Little Stingy for the next round, but swallowed the thought. Ah, he’s rotten too—better not provoke Lin Hui. Her own apprentice, she’d just have to endure.

The next few games went well; the teammates were decent, and with Lin Hui’s impressive skills, the two carried the team, winning ten matches in a row.

Glancing at the time, Yuan Zhong exclaimed, “Wow! Come later tomorrow, all right? If you come too early, I might not be ready.”

Lin Hui wanted to ask, “How late is later?” but Yuan Zhong had already hurried offline.

She set her phone aside and rushed to the kitchen, hunting for ingredients. Yuan Zhong was no chef—she favored semi-prepared foods, the kind you just heat and eat, for convenience.

Once everything was ready, Yuan Zhong breathed a sigh of relief, showered, and slept peacefully.

Yuan Zhong felt a special kind of emotion toward Lin Hui—both sympathy and admiration. In her freshman year, Yuan Zhong, quiet and obedient, was called by the class advisor to help organize some student records. Those students had applied for financial aid, and among those files, she saw Lin Hui’s name.

Lin Hui was beautiful—cool and aloof. She rarely spoke; when the others in the dorm chatted and joked, she seldom joined in. She often left early and returned late on weekends. Everyone was curious about her, but she always wore a look that warned strangers to keep their distance, so Feng Duoduo and Zhang Cheng couldn’t help but gossip behind her back.

Zhang Cheng mused, “Coming and going at such fixed times on weekends—probably working part-time. But what exactly?”

Feng Duoduo said, “Pretty girls have plenty of ways to earn money at night.”

Zhang Cheng wondered, “Could it really be… that kind of thing?”

Yuan Zhong thought Lin Hui didn’t fit that mold and said, “Look at her grades—she’s excellent. Teacher Yan is very fond of her, probably going to recommend her for graduate school.”

Feng Duoduo replied, “What does that have to do with her grades?”

Yuan Zhong laughed, “I mean, career choices are related to personality. Someone like her would probably choose hard work. Maybe she’s at KFC or McDonald’s, working weekends non-stop. Our school is off the beaten path, not easy to get out during the week.”

Feng Duoduo grinned, “You never see anyone as bad.”

Yuan Zhong said, “I think Duoduo is the best.”

Zhang Cheng made an exaggerated gesture, “So cheesy!”

The friendship between Yuan Zhong and Feng Duoduo began during the orientation military training—just the two of them in the class, taking turns feeling unwell and heading to the infirmary to “take care” of each other.

The first time, Feng Duoduo faked a faint and grabbed Yuan Zhong, who was standing next to her. Yuan Zhong’s legs were already numb, so she collapsed with Feng Duoduo, scraping her elbow, and together they went to the infirmary.

After the doctor left, Feng Duoduo was full of apologies. Yuan Zhong, seeing her lively spirit—nothing like the frail girl in the doctor’s presence—took a moment to realize she was skipping training.

“It’s fine, I needed a break anyway,” Yuan Zhong said.

“Yeah, I looked around and could only pull you. That one over there, too heavy to move,” Feng Duoduo said dramatically.

Yuan Zhong thought for a moment and smiled, “Right, if we hadn’t fallen, the commotion wouldn’t have been big enough.”

Feng Duoduo nodded, “Exactly, it has to look real.”

“Your lips went pale just now—you really have a talent for acting,” Yuan Zhong admitted.

Feng Duoduo lowered her voice, “It’s a trick—a color-changing lip balm I applied beforehand.”

Yuan Zhong stared, unsure what to say.

The next day, Feng Duoduo insisted on accompanying Yuan Zhong to the infirmary to change her bandages, taking forever. The third day, Feng Duoduo felt dizzy again and even vomited a little. The fourth day, she claimed to have eaten something bad, her stomach hurt, sweating profusely—the instructor couldn’t tell if it was pain or heat. The fifth day…

Eventually, Yuan Zhong guessed the instructor had given up on both of them.

But with these little episodes, the military training became much less unbearable.

Yuan Zhong never disclosed anyone’s privacy—she never mentioned Lin Hui’s situation.

One Saturday, Yuan Zhong took Feng Duoduo and Zhang Cheng to a local restaurant. It wasn’t in the food street, but an old place frequented by locals, with loyal customers and authentic local flavors.

After eating, they went shopping. Feng Duoduo said she was stuffed and wanted to walk it off. At a street corner, they saw a Starbucks. Zhang Cheng fancied a frappuccino, so the three went in—and there they saw Lin Hui.

Lin Hui was as expressionless as ever. Zhang Cheng, curious, asked, “Why did you choose such a distant place to work?”

Feng Duoduo nudged Zhang Cheng, trying to avoid awkwardness, but it only made things more suggestive.

Yuan Zhong quickly stepped forward, “Let’s order, please.”

Later, when Lin Hui returned to campus, she acted as if nothing had happened.

Zhang Cheng, straightforward as ever, couldn’t hold back, “Part-time work is good. We meant nothing by it.”

Yuan Zhong thought it over and said, “That store is close to the exit of Metro Line 3. It’s far but convenient, and the line isn’t too crowded—a good location. Huihui, does that place still need people? I’d like to give it a try.”

Lin Hui glanced at Yuan Zhong, nodded indifferently, understanding Yuan Zhong was helping her out.

A week later, Yuan Zhong asked again, looking earnest. Lin Hui looked her over and asked, “Do you really want to work?”

Yuan Zhong nodded, “I like the coffee at Starbucks, and I want to learn how to make it.”

Lin Hui recommended Yuan Zhong to the manager. Soon, Yuan Zhong donned the uniform, excitedly appearing at the shop, following Lin Hui to learn.

“I’m not really a teacher, so I can only teach a little. And at first, it might feel tough,” Lin Hui said.

Yuan Zhong nodded, “I know. Service work is never easy. I’m prepared for it.”

Yuan Zhong chose the same shifts as Lin Hui—not during the week, but all day Saturday and Sunday, from nine in the morning till nine at night. Over ten hours a day. After the initial excitement wore off, she certainly felt tired.

“You don’t need to work so hard just to learn to make coffee,” Lin Hui advised.

Yuan Zhong nodded, “I know, but having someone familiar in the class gives me a sense of security.”

“After a while, you’ll get to know the other colleagues too.”

“It’s not the same,” Yuan Zhong insisted. “Once my body adjusts, it’ll be fine.”

Lin Hui stopped persuading her and let her be.

One day, at closing time, it was Yuan Zhong’s turn to take out the trash—a job she hated. She had to push a huge trash bin to the designated area behind the building.

“Wait for me. Once I’m done here, I’ll go with you,” Lin Hui said.

Yuan Zhong nodded, helping out so they could finish sooner.

Just then, a couple walked in.

“Sorry, we’re closing,” Yuan Zhong said.

“There are still five minutes left. Two coffees won’t take long,” the man replied.

Yuan Zhong was about to say more, but saw Lin Hui already preparing to take the order, so she took over Lin Hui’s closing tasks.

“Sir, would you like to try our new product?” Lin Hui asked out of habit.

“Sure, why not. Sorry for delaying your closing. Two large cups, and two peach frappes,” the man answered.

Perhaps Lin Hui was too beautiful, making the woman feel insecure; she grew unhappy and said, “No way, I don’t want that new product—it tastes awful.”

“Try it. If you don’t like it, just throw it away,” the man said.

“That’s such a waste,” the woman replied.

“Then give it to these two servers—they work hard,” the man said.

“Why! Are you burning money?” the woman grew even more upset.

Lin Hui checked the time and asked, “Could you please decide what you want?”

“Are you deaf? Didn’t I just say?” the woman glared.

Lin Hui frowned slightly, suppressed her emotions, and said, “So, two peach frappes it is.”

The man became unhappy, glared at the woman, and told Lin Hui, “Two new products, I’ll pay for them.”

“What money? Isn’t it all mine anyway?” The woman grew angrier, cursing the man and even Lin Hui.

Seeing the situation escalate, Yuan Zhong hurried to the storage room to call the shift supervisor. No matter what, having a male colleague around might help.

The male colleague came out and said firmly, “Sorry, we’re closing.”

“No! I must buy these two coffees!” the man insisted.

Seeing the argument going nowhere, Lin Hui tapped at the machine and said, “Two new products, two peach frappes. How would you like to pay?”

“I said I don’t want…” the woman protested, but the man already showed the payment code. Amid some pushing and pulling, a beep sounded—the payment went through.

The world was instantly quiet. The woman stormed out, slamming the door.

“Crazy!” the man shook his head, not following her, but sitting nearby, sulking.

Yuan Zhong and the others quickly prepared the four drinks, packed them, and called the man over.

He said nothing, took the coffee, and left.

Yuan Zhong breathed a sigh of relief, saying to Lin Hui, “Finally gone. That was terrifying.”

Lin Hui smiled, “Are you all cleaned up? Let’s take out the trash.”

Lin Hui pushed the trash bin, Yuan Zhong dragged a big black garbage bag, and together they headed to the back of the building. Yuan Zhong still felt a bit scared, glancing around, worried the woman might jump out.

“She won’t,” Lin Hui reassured her. “It’s just about saving face. If she caused a scene now, it’d be even more embarrassing.”

“All that for two cups of coffee? Is it worth it?” Yuan Zhong sighed.

“It takes all kinds to make a world. There are plenty of strange people,” Lin Hui said.

After all the fuss, it was nearly ten o’clock—they’d missed the last bus.

Lin Hui gritted her teeth, “Should we take a taxi?”

Yuan Zhong, still shaken, thought about how getting back to campus would take an hour and a half—she didn’t want to wander around anymore. “It’s too late. Why not stay at my place tonight?”

“Huh? I shouldn’t. I’d disturb your parents,” Lin Hui said.

“It’s fine, my parents aren’t home. Come on, it’s really close. We can ride a shared bike—ten minutes tops,” Yuan Zhong insisted.

So Yuan Zhong took Lin Hui to a nearby apartment complex. She swiped her card at the entrance, and once inside, Yuan Zhong finally relaxed.

Entering the apartment, she turned on the lights. Lin Hui paused, surprised—the place was spacious, but to be precise, almost empty.

“It was just renovated last year. The furniture and appliances aren’t all here yet, but the bedroom’s ready, and the bathroom works fine. Don’t worry, I’ve stayed here a few times before. One night will be no problem,” Yuan Zhong carefully locked the door.

“You really pay attention to safety,” Lin Hui remarked.

“You’re just too carefree.” Yuan Zhong opened the bedroom door. “Let’s share a room. The other one doesn’t have a bed yet.”