Lin Mian immediately forgot about eating and got up to run upstairs. After she panted her way up a flight of stairs, she heard the sound of footsteps below, followed by the click of a lighter - it seemed like someone was lighting a cigarette.
Peeking through a crack in the corridor, Lin Mian got a clear view of the figure below. It was really him. The man seemed not to notice her, leaning casually against the railing, cigarette held between his fingers, casually blowing smoke rings.
Lin Mian couldn't stand it anymore, and she carefully retreated, running up to the next floor.
In the afternoon, a heavy rain began outside. Dark clouds loomed overhead, thunder rumbling through the sky. Even the workers couldn't help but comment on how rare such a stormy weather was in the northern city. It seemed like work would be halted for the day.
However, while the workers called it a day, Lin Mian was singled out by Linda.
"Lin Mian, I've noticed an issue with the structural drawing of the right load-bearing wall. The framework is incorrect. Now, go outside, examine the original building, survey the terrain, and come back to make the necessary changes immediately."
Lin Mian was puzzled. "But you approved this drawing yesterday. We only started working after that. Why the sudden change?"
"It's normal to encounter unexpected issues during construction. It's important to identify and address them promptly. Don't you know this? Are you questioning me?" Linda asked, furrowing her brows.
Lin Mian: "..."
She took a deep breath, not wanting to argue with her, and picked up her umbrella and tools from the corner before heading out.
As she reached the door, Linda was still giving her instructions: "Remember to take photos from all angles outside, don't be lazy."
"..."
Taking photos with a phone in such stormy weather, she couldn't believe she had to do this. Lin Mian didn't want to stay under the same roof as Linda, so she decided to go out and take cover.
The heavy rain poured down, accompanied by howling winds. Lin Mian's umbrella was blown out of shape as soon as she tried to open it, and the large raindrops pelted her body. In just a few seconds, she was completely drenched.
Already soaked, Lin Mian decided to ditch the umbrella and ran into the rain with her tools. The building was extremely complex and spacious, requiring her to survey from different angles, which took up a considerable amount of time.
The rain continued to beat down on her head and body, the water streaming down her face. Lin Mian pulled out a waterproof bag from her pocket to seal her phone, taking advantage of a break in the lightning to raise her phone and take photos.
Upstairs, at a window, Linda held her chest and watched the figure of Lin Mian, who was soaked and vulnerable in the heavy rain, a mocking smile tugging at her lips.
"Want to compete with me for Qin Li, do you even qualify?"
---
Lin Mian, drenched in rain, finally sent the latest data and photos to Linda. The day was no longer young, and she was soaking wet and unable to work any longer. She took an early half-hour off, not even going up to the office before heading home.
On the subway, the air conditioning blew cold air, causing her to shiver involuntarily. By the time she reached Bafang City, it was already dark outside.
Shivering, Lin Mian took a hot shower in the bathroom, dried her hair, put on pajamas, and wrapped herself in a blanket. However, half an hour later, she began feeling colder and colder.
Her head was spinning, and she felt a slight fever coming on. It was highly likely that she had caught a cold from being frozen in the rain.
Wrapped in a blanket, Lin Mian felt her consciousness growing increasingly muddled. She thought drowsily that she just needed to sleep it off. In the past, when she had a fever from a cold, she would wrap herself in a blanket and wait to sweat it out.
"Knock, knock, knock."
After some time, there was a series of knocks at the door. Lin Mian's head was foggy, her mind wandering far away, paying no attention to the sound outside.
"Knock, knock, knock."
The knocking grew louder with a persistence that suggested it wouldn't be easily ignored.
Lin Mian shivered with cold, burying herself tightly under the blanket, paying no attention to the sounds outside. Sishen stood outside the door for a long time, his attractive brows furrowed deeply. This woman was getting bolder, actually not even opening the door.
He clearly saw the wet umbrella hanging at her door and was certain she had returned from work. He took out his phone and dialed her number with one hand. After a few "beeps" from the other end, the call was automatically disconnected.
Sishen's face darkened, his grip tightening on the phone. He stood at the door for a long time before calming himself down and turning to leave. At that moment, a crisp "clang" sounded from inside, as if something had broken. Sishen instinctively froze in his steps. "Lin Mian?" he called out, but there was no response from inside.
Deciding to act, he reached out, his distinct knuckles pressing on the fingerprint lock, and with a "drip", the door opened.