Chapter 1329 - 1326: Are There Any Other Feelings?
"Don’t ask me such questions... In your heart, apart from endless... such boring jealousy, is there any other emotion?" Zi Ruoxi asked in a very bland tone. As she saw the other party become speechless, or perhaps he never expected her to ask this way, Zi Ruoxi smiled faintly, yet the smile was filled with bitterness, "Go back! I’m very tired."
... Such boring jealousy?
Is this how she feels about me?
Qiao Junlie muddled through the meaning of her words, pondering how much space he occupied in her heart. The reality was obvious, yet stubbornly hoping for more space, even if unnoticed, letting her hurt him again and again...
And still remaining the same, unchanged...
The car started and neither spoke again, silence restored within the cabin, yet a strange feeling spread inside. Zi Ruoxi kept staring blankly out the window, as if her thoughts were already fixed, indifferent to whether the car was moving or not, while the other’s mind became a tangled mess. Her state was not what he wanted; he wanted to see her happy, to see her smiling face, but was it so difficult for him?
Sorrow swept across the sky, late at night, a fine rain began to fall, as if understanding human pain, pattering down, drop by drop, hitting the window, falling upon the heart...
...
The next day at dawn, Zi Ruoxi got up early, tidied herself briefly in front of the mirror, took her LV bag, and quietly left the university apartment. She actually worked in fashion design, apart from taking classes at the university, she also freelanced as a designer.
Weimannasi Design Company in the USA
Knock knock knock, knock knock knock—
A series of knocks sounded in a small yet elegant office.
"Come in, please." A clear female voice.
Chen Na twiddled the door lock, walking into the room with a hint of curiosity.
"Miss Zi, you were looking for me?" Zhang Hua asked, staring at Zi Ruoxi who was head down, rushing on her design draft.
Upon hearing the question, Zi Ruoxi raised her head, her pure face looked somewhat pale, lacking any color—perhaps due to not having enough rest. She gestured to Zhang Hua to sit down, with a faint smirk on her lips.
"Miss Chen, can you check for me how much of our studio’s design draft fees have not been received... Hmm... Can you also push the clients and make sure they settle the payment within three days?" Zi Ruoxi said slowly, calculating in her heart.
"Miss Zi, with such short notice, I’m afraid it will be very difficult," Zhang Hua said in a low, hesitant voice.
Zi Ruoxi pondered for a while, tapping twice on the desk with the pencil in her hand.
"There’s no choice; it’s an emergency now. Miss Chen, please go ahead! Use every possible means to persuade the clients to pay." Zi Ruoxi gazed into her eyes, speaking slowly.
"Okay, then." Zhang Hua responded, but inside she felt uncertain, wanting to ask but not opening her mouth. Generally, payments are urged at the end of the month, so how come it’s the beginning of the month and she’s rushing to urge payment already? Does this make sense? Since when did she become so short of money? But after all, it’s her boss’s private matter; all she needed to do was carry out her orders and better not know what shouldn’t be asked.
The result was just as Zhang Hua said; the process of urging payment was extremely complex. Although their studio had just started, but under Zi Ruoxi’s name as a designer, they secured quite a few big contracts, signing drafts is easy but when it comes to settling payment, or the current situation, urging early advance payments before the billing cycle—it was simply impossible. Even if there was hope, it was extremely slim.
No matter how cleverly you speak, the client wouldn’t budge, claiming difficulties now, and adhering to industry rules. Besides, excuses like not knowing if this batch of designs can pass, needing time, reviewing market response upon sampling, etc., all resulted in verbal battles that consumed energy, and the outcome was far from expected. Not a single client was willing to pay right away.
This result made Zi Ruoxi’s already colorless face appear even paler.
What to do?
Now, funds aren’t coming in, and the bank account balance is meager, barely able to scrape together Eight hundred thousand dollars, and this money is needed to maintain the studio’s daily operations, hence cannot be moved.
If the money for the surgery isn’t paid, the surgery costing roughly three million, the doctor said it was the best time for Aunt Yun’s eye treatment. If missed, then Aunt Yun’s eyes...
Oh!
Zi Ruoxi scowled, pressing her forehead in frustration, suddenly feeling a wave of pain in her stomach—is it her recurring gastric cold? Zi Ruoxi slowly stood up, forcing herself to remain composed, opened a cabinet beside her seat, found her LV bag, and upon flipping through it, her eyes suddenly lit up seeing a brocade box—that was...
Unable to consider much, Zi Ruoxi took out that brocade box, then grabbed her stomach medicine, poured some water, swallowed two pills. Sitting back down, she looked at the brocade box again.
This was the gift Qiao Junlie gave her that night.
Zi Ruoxi opened the lid, inside quietly lay a brilliantly clear, ice-pure, exquisite jade bracelet. Looking at this flawless piece brewed an idea, Zi Ruoxi thought—it must be worth quite a bit of money?!
Although she wasn’t sure of its exact value, she was certain it was a precious item. So why not just pawn it then?
Thinking this, Zi Ruoxi felt uneasy. After all, it was someone’s thoughtful gift. How could she do this? Even though Qiao Junlie gifted it to her, she never wore it, partly fearing damage due to its value, and partly feeling she wasn’t worthy, given his intentions. Since she couldn’t accept, she did consider returning it when the occasion was appropriate.
Zi Ruoxi really didn’t want to delve into matters of love; forcing her to accept someone’s feelings was something she couldn’t do. Having faced one setback, she truly couldn’t handle another emotional turmoil, hence she didn’t want to lightly give her heart again.
Although Qiao Junlie had expressed his intentions more than once, Zi Ruoxi understood what he meant—yes, if she agreed to him, he would marry her. But, should one eliminate loneliness by marrying someone they have no feelings for? Would the heart not feel lonely then?
She absolutely wouldn’t do that, moreover, her parents wouldn’t agree to such a thing.