I stepped into the elevator. Then I realized I forgot the Induction Cooker.
I didn’t care about that now. My mind was a mess. I couldn’t make sense of anything. How could I care about a stupid cooker?
I walked back to my bedroom and sat on the edge of the bed. I was still in shock.
After a while, I grabbed my phone and called Maya.
“Maya, you’re a love expert, right? I have a question.”
“What is it?” Maya asked, chewing on an apple.
“If, I mean just if, one day your idol, Liam Brooks, asked you to be his girlfriend, what would you do?”
Liam Brooks was Maya’s idol. She was obsessed with him. She always said she wanted to have his babies.
“I’d faint on the spot!” Maya said.
“I’m being serious!” I said gloomily.
“I’m answering you seriously!”
“Fine. Forget I said anything.”
“Isn’t that bullshit? Liam Brooks would never propose to me!” Maya rolled her eyes. Then she gasped. “Wait. Did Liam Brooks propose to you?”
“…” I was speechless. “Do you think that’s possible?”
“No way!” Maya laughed. “Unless you’ve lost your mind and that’s why you’re asking me such a weird question.”
“I was just curious!” I forced a smile.
Maya didn’t suspect anything. I decided not to tell her.
“You’re so boring.”
“Yeah, I’m boring. I’m going to take a shower.”
“Go, go, go. Let’s go shopping this weekend!”
“Sure, if I don’t have to work overtime.”
“You’re a newbie. Why would you work overtime?”
“The admin department sometimes needs to work on weekends.”
“You act like you’re the CEO. The company can’t survive without you.”
“Only once in a while,” I said with a laugh.
Like when the toilet ran out of paper and the cleaning lady had to get some from the admin department.
After hanging up, I went into the bathroom to shower.
When I came out, my phone was ringing. I hurried over and answered.
“Hello?”
“Aria, you forgot your Induction Cooker.” Evan’s voice was calm on the other end.
“I’ll pick it up another day,” I said awkwardly.
“No need. I’m still downstairs.”
“What?” I rushed to the window and pulled back the curtain. I looked down. His car was still there.
“Vice President, wait for me. I’ll be right down!”
I hung up and was about to leave the bedroom. Then I realized I was still in my pajamas.
I grabbed a coat and threw it on. I fixed my hair, trying to look normal. Then I left the bedroom and went downstairs.
I didn’t expect him to still be here after all this time. Or maybe he went home, realized I forgot the cooker, and came back.
When I got downstairs, Evan was already out of the car.
Seeing him, I felt the urge to turn around and run. But I didn’t. I just walked toward him with my head down.
“Vice President, thank you,” I said politely.
“No trouble at all.” He smiled at me, then turned to get the Induction Cooker.
“Thank you, Vice President.” I took the cooker. I felt a little guilty, so I asked, “Would you like to come upstairs for some tea?”
As soon as I said it, I regretted it. Why did I say that?
He didn’t answer right away. I thought he would refuse. I felt relieved.
Then he said, “Sure.”
I froze.
But I had already said it. I couldn’t take it back now.
So I forced a smile and said, “This way, please.”
Evan followed me upstairs.
Honestly, he didn’t really want tea. It was late. He just needed to use the bathroom.
“Sorry, Vice President. The room is a bit messy,” I said awkwardly, quickly picking up some snack wrappers from the sofa.
“Where’s the bathroom?” he asked calmly.
“Bathroom? Oh, this way.” I pointed toward the hallway.
He walked in that direction.
I quickly used the time to clean up the living room. Wen Ting had eaten so many snacks last night. There were bags everywhere. Chips were scattered on the sofa.
I just cleaned up enough to make a place to sit.
When Evan came out of the bathroom, I said with a red face, “Vice President, please sit down. I’ll make some tea.”
“It’s late. I don’t want to disturb you. I’ll visit another time,” he said.
“Oh. Okay.” I nodded slowly.
I figured he wasn’t used to my small apartment. Especially when it was this messy.
I wanted to explain that it wasn’t usually this bad. But I couldn’t blame my roommate. So I just kept quiet.
“I’ll see you out, Vice President,” I said.
We walked to the door of the apartment.
He turned around and said, “This place is nice. It’s late. Get some rest. You have work tomorrow.”
“It’s okay. I’ll walk you downstairs.”
“No need. It’s dark. I’ll see myself out.” He smiled.
I laughed and said, “Okay. I’ll see you here. Drive safe.”
As soon as I said it, I realized how it sounded. Too familiar. Too intimate.
I quickly added, “I mean… be careful.”
He laughed.
“Aria, are you nervous around me?”
I laughed awkwardly. I didn’t nod. I didn’t shake my head.
“Take your time. We have a long way to go.”
I nodded.
Then I realized I shouldn’t have nodded. What was I agreeing to?
But it was too late to shake my head.
I stood there, frozen.
“Go inside,” he said again.
I nodded again and said softly, “Vice President, text me when you get home.”
“Okay,” he said.
I turned and went inside. He walked downstairs.
I stood behind the door. My heart was pounding. After a while, it finally calmed down.
Then I locked the door and ran into my bedroom. I looked down through the window. He was still there. He waved at me.
I felt embarrassed. I quickly pulled my head back. After a moment, I looked again. His car was gone.
I let out a sigh of relief. But I also felt a little lonely.
I turned and walked out of the bedroom.