Chapter Five: A Hint of Affection

"Why?" Xiaoxiao could hardly believe her ears. Just moments ago, he had praised some of her viewpoints.

The young man replied solemnly, "Your fatal flaw is your lack of punctuality. If you can't even manage your own time, who will compensate when it comes to the client's time? All they will tell you is: 'Overdue. You bear the consequences.'"

When Xiaoxiao walked out, her face was green with frustration. She had never met anyone so nitpicky. It wasn't as if she didn't have a reasonable explanation—she was just a few minutes late, yet he made it sound like the end of the world. In the local Kunming dialect, he was the most troublesome "scoundrel" she had ever encountered—impossible to deal with. She couldn't understand why she was so upset with someone so irrelevant. The job fair was only a simulation; there was no need to take it seriously. Yet somehow, she had already gotten into character and taken it to heart.

"Xiaoxiao, how did it go on your end?" her classmate Xiaobao asked slyly. "I heard your interviewer is the toughest one at the whole job fair."

"Don't get me started—what's his background?" Xiaoxiao knew Xiaobao's reputation as a source of gossip was well-earned. That man surely had a file with Xiaobao. As expected, Xiaobao showed off his intel: "Rumor has it he's from the School of Business Administration, named Lin Shuo, same year as us. He’s well-connected in both the Student Union and the Youth League, which is why he was made an interviewer out of turn."

At the mention of the "School of Business Administration," Xiaoxiao felt an inexplicable emotion. The students from that faculty were the most pampered in the entire university, always the first to use the best facilities, surrounded by everyone’s admiration. They were the school’s pride, especially at alumni gatherings—senior students from that school always arrived in luxury cars. That was the power of their brand.

Was studying business management really that impressive? Xiaoxiao was full of displeasure; it was clear he was just throwing his weight around. Yet after the job fair ended, she, still brimming with resentment, received a call from an unknown number. A pleasant male voice asked where she was. Without thinking, she told him her location, and the caller told her to wait—he would be there soon. When Xiaoxiao saw the person approaching, her jaw nearly hit the ground. It was none other than Lin Shuo—the very same man she had just cursed a thousand times over.

"How did you get my number?"

"It was on your résumé," Lin Shuo answered simply, getting straight to the point. "Sorry about catching your hand today. Let me take you to the hospital to have it checked."

"That's not necessary." Xiaoxiao shook her head, but Lin Shuo’s gaze lingered on her hand. Only then did she realize her fingertips were streaked with bruises, and the pain finally registered, forcing a sharp intake of breath. Lin Shuo strode ahead without looking back, his tone brooking no refusal: "I don't want to owe anyone."

Registration, examination, picking up medicine—the whole process passed in silence. It wasn’t until the nurse was applying ointment that Xiaoxiao couldn’t help but cry out. They say the fingers are connected to the heart—she’d always thought it was an exaggeration, especially when watching the old TV series where a character nearly died after her fingers were crushed. Now she knew it was truly agonizing. Lin Shuo stood beside her, frowning, his jaw clenched tightly. At last, even he could not bear it; he softly said to the nurse, "Let me do it." He took the medicine from the nurse, and began to apply it gently to Xiaoxiao’s wounds. At first, his touch was tentative, but as he grew familiar with the injuries, his pressure was miraculously just right. When he asked if it hurt, Xiaoxiao found herself at a loss for words.

Xiaoxiao often wondered, when did she first fall for Lin Shuo? Perhaps at the time, Lin Shuo was simply acting out of uneasy conscience, but she was utterly softened by his gentle, caring question. When he softly asked, "Does it hurt?" she was already hopelessly entangled.

Lonely Hours, No Talk of Love 5_Chapter Five: A Little Moved—End of Update!