The training center had been closed for a long time, but Mo Qingyun was still working overtime in the teacher's office.
Colleague: "Xiao Yun, aren't you leaving yet?"
Mo Qingyun put down her coffee cup and signed with her hands, "Teacher Zhang, you haven't left either. I'm just one last lesson plan away."
Her colleague was already putting on her coat, "My boyfriend is picking me up. Do you want me to wait for you?"
Mo Qingyun quickly waved her hands and shook her head. Seeing that her colleague insisted on leaving first, she could only remind her to finish work early before her colleague left.
Pushing away her office chair and setting down her coffee cup, Mo Qingyun sat on the chair and spun around idly.
Time flew by so quickly. It was already eleven o'clock. She had finally finished writing the outdoor sign language lesson plan for the children and it was time to pack up and head home.
But at this late hour, where could she find a bus? Mo Qingyun decided to walk and look for a taxi along the way.
The street, still wet from the rain, was filled with the rich scent of damp earth. The city's nightscape was reflected on the road, and Mo Qingyun walked slowly towards home, stepping on the city's shadows.
People destined to meet will always find each other in a corner of the city. Even without intention, fate will arrange an encounter for them.
Just as Ou Yunchen's car and Mo Qingyun were about to pass each other, another car cut in front of Ou Yunchen's, forcing him to swerve sharply to the right. Unforeseenly, this splashed water from the road, drenching Mo Qingyun, who was passing by.
Ou Yunchen, who had already driven past, saw the pedestrian splashed with water in his rearview mirror. He reversed back, intending to apologize.
Ou Yunchen lowered the passenger window and called out to the girl, who was looking down at the water stains on her clothes, "Are you alright? I didn't mean to."
The moment Mo Qingyun frowned and looked up, they stared at each other in surprise for a few seconds. Ou Yunchen couldn't help but laugh at Mo Qingyun's disheveled appearance, and Mo Qingyun also chuckled sheepishly.
Getting into the car, Ou Yunchen took a towel from the trunk and handed it to Mo Qingyun. "Wipe yourself first. This is my gym towel, don't worry, it's been washed."
Mo Qingyun took the towel and nodded slightly at Ou Yunchen. She first wiped the water from her neck, then her face. The towel still carried a faint minty scent of Ou Yunchen's body wash.
As Mo Qingyun put down the towel, unsure whether to return it to Ou Yunchen, he reached out and said, "May I have the towel?"
The towel returned to Ou Yunchen's hands. He didn't put it away but turned sideways towards Mo Qingyun.
He gently wiped Mo Qingyun's forehead with the towel. Seeing her damp hair, he draped the towel over Mo Qingyun's head and began to rub her hair with just the right amount of force, even carefully drying the tips of her hair.
"I'm sorry, I dodged the car just now and splashed you," Ou Yunchen apologized as he dried her hair.
This was the first time a man had dried Mo Qingyun's hair. Even though his actions were not intimate, it made the innocent girl blush. She felt a little embarrassed and dared not look up at the man beside her.
Ou Yunchen tossed the towel into Mo Qingyun's lap and cleared his throat, "Wash it clean and return it to me."
Ou Yunchen turned back and started the car again. "Why are you still out so late? The bar is so busy at night, and you're wandering around?"
Mo Qingyun quickly leaned down to take out a pen and a small notebook from her bag. She flipped to a fresh page, about to write that she was working overtime, when Ou Yunchen spoke again, "If you don't feel well, tell Sister Hong. I'll take you back to Athena first. It's dangerous for a girl to be wandering around outside alone at night."
Mo Qingyun quickly waved her hands. Ou Yunchen continued to ask, "What's wrong?"
As Mo Qingyun wrote, Ou Yunchen slowed down gradually, waiting for her reply.
Mo Qingyun wrote, "I've rented a place outside. I don't need to return to Athena these days."
Ou Yunchen's mind was full of questions. He asked, "Why did you move out?"
Mo Qingyun continued to write, "Athena is being renovated and is temporarily closed."
Ou Yunchen almost slapped his forehead. He had been so busy with his own affairs that he had forgotten Sister Hong had closed Athena. There was no room for Mo Qingyun to stay in Athena, which was under renovation.
Ou Yunchen asked again, "Then where are you living now?"
Mo Qingyun quickly wrote down the address. Ou Yunchen could only get a general idea, but he didn't think there were any decent residential complexes in that area.
The car stopped outside an old building. Mo Qingyun had already written down a thank you message.
Ou Yunchen watched her get out of the car. He wanted to say more to Mo Qingyun, but the thought of her having to work hard to write her replies made him hesitate. However, he didn't know that Mo Qingyun, sitting beside him, also wished she could look at this man a little longer.
Seeing Mo Qingyun about to enter the building, Ou Yunchen finally got out of the car and called out to her, "Mo Qingyun!"
Mo Qingyun turned her head.
Ou Yunchen quickly walked over, trying to appear as natural as possible. "I need to use the restroom."
Mo Qingyun was stunned. Ou Yunchen added, "My stomach feels unwell. Let's go, lead the way."
Mo Qingyun finally came to her senses, walking and fumbling for her keys in her bag.
However, upon entering the building, Mo Qingyun did not head for the elevator but instead turned towards the fire escape.
Seeing her skillfully push open the door and wait for Ou Yunchen to follow, Ou Yunchen quietly followed behind her.
They went down one floor and pushed open a large iron door. As they walked inside, the corridor was filled with drying racks and various杂物 (miscellaneous items). The ground was also wet, as if flooded by rain. An unpleasant smell lingered in the air. On one side of the corridor, there were small iron doors, indicating that it was densely populated.
Mo Qingyun stopped at one of the doors. As she inserted the key into the lock, Ou Yunchen finally understood that Mo Qingyun had rented a basement.
The moment the door opened, a damp room, with mold growing on the walls, came into view. Perhaps due to the heavy rain, or perhaps because of the low elevation, as soon as the door was opened, a pool of water slowly flowed out.
Mo Qingyun quickly used a mop from behind the door to wipe a path for Ou Yunchen, so at least his expensive leather shoes wouldn't be submerged in water. However, Ou Yunchen showed no intention of walking in, having already taken in the entire room at a glance.
Mo Qingyun took a roll of toilet paper from a cabinet beside the bed. As she handed it to Ou Yunchen, she locked the door again and motioned for him to follow her. They then walked towards the end of the corridor.
Before they even reached the restroom, Ou Yunchen could smell a pungent odor. Cigarette butts were scattered everywhere, and piles of garbage, too dark to identify, were stacked by the entrance. Despite the terrible environment, there were still separate male and female toilets.
Mo Qingyun pointed to the men's restroom and took a step back.
Ou Yunchen braced himself and took a step into the men's restroom, only to have a shirtless man suddenly rush out, carrying a basin. It seemed the restroom was not just for toilet use but also for the tenants to wash up.
The man glanced at Ou Yunchen, who looked completely out of place, then turned and glanced at Mo Qingyun standing outside. He whistled suggestively at Mo Qingyun, then nonchalantly slung the towel from the basin over his shoulder and walked away humming a tune.
Ou Yunchen didn't want to go any further. He handed the toilet paper back to Mo Qingyun and said coldly, "No need."
Ou Yunchen stared at Mo Qingyun's face, unable to comprehend why Sister Hong's monthly allowance was enough for her to rent a decent place, yet she chose to live in such hardship. Wouldn't it be better to use the saved money for a better life?
"Why are you living here?"
"Where does all the salary Sister Hong gives you go?"
"Saving it? Or donating it?"
"Don't you ever think about yourself?"
"Are you safe here?"
Ou Yunchen was angry at Mo Qingyun again. He seemed to get angry at this girl for no reason, and this time Mo Qingyun didn't even have the chance to lower her head and write a rebuttal.
She had forgotten her pen and paper, so she couldn't communicate with Ou Yunchen. Although she was anxious, she could only transform her unspoken words into pleading eyes. She gazed into his deep eyes, keeping her explanation within her heart.