Chapter 49: He Isn’t

Luo Xiyun staggered back to her room and slammed the door shut with a bang. With her back leaning on the door, she slowly slid down and sat on the ground.

She put her feet together and pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She buried her face between her knees and didn’t pay any attention to her wet hair that fell forward. Water droplets rolled down her strands of hair and landed on the floor, leaving water stains behind.

She sat motionless. She had no idea how much time had passed when she heard the faint sound of music coming from her handbag.

After a minute, the music stopped. A few seconds later, it sounded again.

This pattern repeated itself for at least four or five times before she finally moved. She reached her hand out and retrieved her cell phone from her handbag. She accepted the call and held the phone to her ear.

“Why did you take such a long time to answer the phone? How did it go? Did you manage to verify if the guy was the same as the one in the dream?”

Liu Yumeng’s eager tone was obvious over the phone.

Luo Xiyun was quiet for a moment before replying, “He isn’t.”

“Oh. Well, isn’t that a good thing? Why does it sound like you’re unhappy about it?” Liu Yumeng asked.

“I’m hanging up,” as she said that, Luo Xiyun disconnected the call and turned her phone off. She flung the phone into a corner.

After some time, she repeated the statement to herself, “He isn’t.”

Gradually, a sense of fatigue overcame her. Her eyelids began to feel heavier, and in the blur, she once again saw the Chen Xu who had uttered, “F*ck gentlemanliness!”

It was the Chen Xu who possessed a heart harder than ironstone. He could easily ignore her for a few months simply because of something she had said…

It was the Chen Xu who could never lower his pride, and who was selfishly oversensitive. He was a scumbag who was only mean to her.

It was the irresponsible asshole who had refused to say a kind word to her even when he was at death’s door. He abandoned her, left her all alone, and had the nerve to hypocritically ask her to live well.

“He isn’t you…” her almost inaudible voice whispered in the room.

…

As Luo Xiyun left, Chen Xu stared at her back. For some unknown reason, his heart ached, and the urge to rush up to her suddenly sprang forth.

Was she sad?

He suppressed that urge, but a nagging feeling lingered in his heart. For that brief moment, he had sensed that she was feeling very sad.

He was probably hallucinating.

When she finally disappeared out the door, he felt a sense of despair and loss.

Everyone else around him finally let their hair down, and at Miss Guo’s guidance, started the game officially. Without the boss present, everyone was able to relax, and very soon, laughter and merriment abounded.

To a certain extent, Luo Xiyun’s original goal for the activity had been achieved.

However, Chen Xu remained absentminded and was apart from the crowd.

Everyone could sympathize with him. After all, it was only normal for him to be in low spirits after being reprimanded by Miss Luo in public.

Someone suggested that he go back to rest. He agreed readily and returned to his room ahead of everyone else.

He lay on the bed and, after calming himself down, reflected on his actions thoughtfully and felt that his sense of concern was overshadowing his rationality.

Even though he had spent a lot of time convincing himself that it had all been a dream…

…He found that over the few months that they had spent together in the dream world, the relationship and feelings that he had developed for her couldn’t be forgotten and abandoned at the drop of a hat.

It usually wasn’t a problem because they hardly interacted with each other. However, when they finally came face to face with each other in a scenario like today’s, he finally realized that the defenses he had built around his heart were all useless. He couldn’t help caring about her.

When he finally accepted that fact, he sighed and muttered to himself, “I must have been out of my mind back then. Why on earth did I replicate someone I knew in the real world for the dream?”

They had been lovers joined at the hip in the dream, but strangers upon waking up. Having to see each other every day after that was an unimaginable undertaking!

“No, I can’t remain in this company anymore. I guess I’ll submit my resignation when this month is over.”

He was determined to resolve this mess quickly and cleanly. As long as he didn’t have to see her, everything would fade into a beautiful memory after time passed.

“Stop entertaining foolish thoughts. She’s not the one in the dream.”

He muttered to himself and slowly drifted off to sleep.

…

The next day, Chen Xu woke up punctually. After a good night’s sleep, he had regained his calm. After washing up, he went to the restaurant on the second floor. That was their meeting point today.

Upon reaching the second floor, he bumped into a colleague and found out that Luo Xiyun had fallen ill. Miss Guo had taken her to the hospital during the night and hadn’t returned yet.

This information had been sent to the group chat, but Chen Xu had not seen it yet.

“Is she alright?” Chen Xu panicked and asked without thinking.

The colleague replied, “From what I heard, she had a high fever. After being put on an IV drip, her fever abated. Right now, Miss Guo is taking Miss Luo home. You can read about it in the group chat.”

Chen Xu took out his cell phone and scrolled through the messages in the group chat. He was just in time to read the latest message the Miss Guo had sent. After reading that she had taken Luo Xiyun home, Chen Xu managed to calm down.

“What’s going to happen with today’s activities?” The question had suddenly occurred to Chen Xu.

“Let’s ask.” A colleague picked up his cell phone and texted Miss Guo to ask.

Miss Guo’s reply came speedily, “Free and easy.”

The workplace leadership in the Electronic Sales Department was a little unusual. In theory, Liu Kun was supposed to be the main person-in-charge. However, in reality, Luo Xiyun was responsible for daily management and operation. It could be said that all the decisions in the department were in their hands.

Below them was Miss Guo. She was Miss Luo’s secretary and right-hand woman. Most times, it was up to her to pass the boss’ instructions to everyone else.

And that was all. All the other colleagues were ordinary employees with no distinction in level.

Chen Xu speculated that Liu Kun and Luo Xiyun wanted a flat organizational structure. Their intentions were good, but once Liu Kun and Luo Xiyun were not around, the department became a herd of sheep without a shepherd. No one knew who to listen to.

Right now, Luo Xiyun and Miss Guo had left, and there wasn’t anyone who could act as the spokesperson. Everyone had no choice but to settle their own schedules for the day.

Chen Xu didn’t look up Dai Zixin. After what had transpired the night before, Dai Zixin was keeping her distance from him.

Luo Xiyun must have scared her pretty badly last night.

To be honest, he felt quite relieved. Reality had taught her a lesson, and she was now unlikely to be as thoughtless and cavalier as before.

He didn’t want to remain in the hotel. When he noticed that the weather was good, he strode outdoors and took a walk around.

The surrounding scenery was pleasant. Without realizing it, he walked to the basketball court where the team building activities had taken place yesterday. He looked over and saw the same few hosts in the middle of a basketball game.

When they noticed him, they paused their game.

“I heard the others calling you Chen Xu yesterday,” the leader took the initiative to walk over and greet him. “My name is Zhao Gang.”

Chen Xu gave him a friendly smile, “You haven’t gone back yet?”

“We’re waiting until the afternoon to take the bus back with you guys.” Zhao Gang pointed towards the basketball court, and asked, “Would you like to play a few rounds with us?”

Chen Xu shook his head and replied, “Nah. Given my small body size, I won’t be able to endure being bumped around by you guys.”

“Come on! We’re competing with our skills. We won’t use our body sizes to bully anyone,” Zhao Gang said enthusiastically.

Chen Xu refused to give in. His basketball skills were horrible, and he didn’t want to embarrass himself.

At that moment, the man who had been utterly defeated by Chen Xu yesterday spoke up. “Why don’t we just compete in shooting the ball?”

Chen Xu glanced at him and thought to himself, “Is this guy asking for it?”