Chapter 6 He Waited at the Lab Door
The next week passed in a blur of exhaustion and focus.
We gathered at five in the morning for field sampling, returned to the lab by eight, ran instruments, processed data, wrote reports… I stayed in the lab all day, then collapsed into bed the second I hit the dorm.
My feet barely touched the ground, but I loved every second of it. The project moved forward smoothly.
Until Friday evening.
Wen Ci and I had just finished organizing the report and were about to head back early when Zhou Chaoqing appeared at the laboratory door.
He held out a paper bag.
“I remember you mentioned wanting to try the little cakes from this place before.”
I froze for a long moment before the memory clicked.
That was two months ago.
Back then I wanted him to watch a new movie with me, try the newly opened cake shop.
But he couldn’t even spare five seconds to reply to a message—how could he give up a whole day for me?
The movie left theaters. I ate the cake alone.
He was probably waiting for me to light up and take the bag.
I stayed rooted in place.
His brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. His voice carried a trace of grievance.
“You haven’t come to find me at all lately.”
“My project schedule has eased up. I’m not that busy anymore. Let’s make up for our fifth Anniversary.”
Before I could respond, Wen Ci popped up with a grin.
“Sorry, but we’re really swamped with the project. Just because you’re free doesn’t mean everyone else is. The world doesn’t revolve around you.”
Zhou Chaoqing’s frown deepened. He stared at Wen Ci for several seconds.
“It’s you? The guy from the high-speed train?”
Remembering what happened on the train, his voice cooled.
“I’m talking to my girlfriend. What does it have to do with you?”
“Girlfriend?”
Wen Ci blinked innocently. “Did you lose your memory? Senior Sister said clearly on the train that you two already broke up.”
I looked at Zhou Chaoqing and gave a cold laugh.
“I told you we broke up. Do you think I was joking?”
He froze.
It seemed to finally sink in that I wasn’t throwing a tantrum—I had made up my mind.
Shock and hurt flickered in his eyes. His lower lip pressed together lightly.
“It was my fault before. Let me court you again, okay?”
“I’ll Pinned you at the top. I’ll chat with you every day. Whatever you want to do, I’ll be there with you…”
I cut him off.
“I’m very busy. No time.”
“We still have to finish soil sampling for thirty plots. Early mornings, late nights, mountains of experimental data waiting for me.”
Wen Ci chuckled beside me.
“Exactly. Senior Sister is so busy her feet don’t touch the ground. Where would she find time to waste with you?”
Zhou Chaoqing’s fingertips curled slightly. Stubbornness edged into his voice.
“Then I’ll wait for you. Until you’re done.”
He paused. “No matter how long it takes.”
“Whatever.”
I turned and walked back into the lab to prepare tomorrow’s tasks ahead of time.
I didn’t take his words seriously.
Someone like Zhou Chaoqing would never have the patience to wait.
Waiting felt awful.
At first there was excitement.
Thinking about topics to talk about, full of anticipation.
Checking the chat window every few minutes, heart jumping at every notification—only to see it wasn’t him.
Waiting and waiting, the excitement faded. Anxiety crept in. I couldn’t help overthinking.
“Why hasn’t he replied yet?”
“What is he doing right now? Does he even know I’m waiting?”
Then came the day when I thought, “Maybe today won’t happen either,” and self-doubt followed.
“Am I too clingy? Am I not important?”
Expectation failed again and again. The tangled exhaustion of waiting was unbearable either way.
I was sure it wouldn’t take long for Zhou Chaoqing to give up.