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墨書 Inktalez
She had been under a lot of pressure over the years, and Jiang Shiyu was well aware of it. Yet, he could only appear around her in this manner.
When she first entered the theater, she was overlooked. However, as her abilities visibly improved, many of the older members began to target her. Yun never expected that workplace bullying would one day be directed at her.
The Vice Captain noticed her and intended to cultivate her talents, which offended the Previous Chief's position. As a result, she was isolated by all her colleagues for a long time. During rehearsals, they deliberately made things difficult for her, leading to an injury that kept her off her feet for a week. Her dance shoes were often misplaced in the locker, resulting in a harsh reprimand from the Previous Captain, after which she dared not use the locker again.
There were many such small incidents. She reported them to the Previous Captain, but he favored the older members and insisted that she get along with everyone, fully aware of her situation yet unwilling to intervene. This left her in a constant state of distress. Only Senior He Lin Cheng and the Vice Captain consistently offered her help.
Interestingly, Senior He had only joined the theater two years before her but dared to stand against the boss. He even provided evidence of improper dealings between the Previous Captain and Previous Chief when higher-ups came to investigate, which ultimately helped Yun escape from her predicament.
Yun was always grateful for the assistance from him and the Vice Captain during her struggles. It was thanks to their support that she didn't have to endure such hardship alone.
Jiang Shiyu knew he shouldn't approach her, but Yun had drunk quite a bit—one glass after another—and it was dangerous for her in a foreign land. To his left, someone had already set their sights on her. A few men were staring at her with predatory eyes, their intentions clear.
As they prepared to approach, Jiang Shiyu quickly moved to Yun's side. He gently took the drink from her hand and said in a low voice, "Stop drinking. I'll take you home. Let's go."
Yun remained silent and coldly indifferent; she didn't continue drinking but sat upright without moving, staring down at her phone.
The bartender glanced at Jiang Shiyu and asked, "Do you know each other?" He had seen them enter together but noticed they hadn't interacted much since then.
"Yeah, friends," Jiang Shiyu explained.
Yun immediately cut off that connection with a firm voice: "No." Her Russian was surprisingly standard and pleasant.
Jiang Shiyu tilted his head to look into her clear eyes and smiled; she was quick to distance herself.
"I told you to leave; why aren't you going?" he asked.
"Why should I listen to you?" she replied defiantly.
Yun didn't know how to say "bad person" in Russian, so she used a translator. Speaking in standard, proper Russian, she said to the bartender, "He is a bad person."
The bartender noticed the strange atmosphere between them and chuckled, thinking they were just being awkward with each other. Jiang Shiyu smirked, amused by her boldness to drink alone in a foreign land. "You've really grown some guts," he teased.
Yun ignored him, not responding, and ordered another drink. Jiang Shiyu casually pulled over a high stool and sat down.
The two of them sat from dawn until dusk, while the bartender struck up a conversation with Jiang Shiyu. He was very curious about their relationship, but Jiang Shiyu was clever and skillfully dodged the questions without revealing anything.
The bartender found chatting with Jiang Shiyu delightful and entertaining. Meanwhile, Yun sipped her drink intermittently; her tolerance was surprisingly good. Her eyes remained clear, but her cheeks were flushed.
Her thoughts drifted far away as she replayed the performance from earlier in her mind—the movements, expressions, and emotions flowed through her thoughts. The more she thought about it, the more dissatisfied she became with her performance that day. Unconsciously, she ended up drinking more than intended.
As she poured herself another drink, Jiang Shiyu casually reached over and filled his empty glass with what she had just poured, leaving only a tiny bit for her.
Yun angrily scolded him twice, but Jiang Shiyu remained unfazed, not even sparing her a glance as he continued to chat effortlessly with the bartender. This made Yun feel as if she were punching a pillow—frustrated and powerless.
She shifted her position slightly, but he stubbornly followed her. Yun rolled her eyes and chose not to engage with him any further. The bartender glanced at the row of full glasses with a hint of pity and said, "Buddy, that's too wasteful."
Jiang Shiyu replied, "Please help me bottle it up."
The bartender feigned understanding and joked, "Good thing I'm married; otherwise, I wouldn't be able to handle this."
Yun didn’t quite understand him; her head felt fuzzy as her gaze began to blur. She tilted her head back and sipped slowly.
After one trip to the restroom that relieved her bloated stomach, she washed her hands and ended up throwing up once. After rinsing her mouth out and stepping outside, she found Jiang Shiyu waiting at the door. He wrapped a scarf around her neck and led her away.
Yun stubbornly refused to leave, so Jiang Shiyu forcefully pulled her along while threateningly asking if she wanted him to carry her out. Clenching her fists in anger and gritting her teeth in frustration, Yun shook off his hand and walked away on her own.
The snow had intensified, making it difficult to catch a cab, but fortunately, the hotel wasn't too far away.
Yun walked lightly, while Jiang Shiyu held tightly onto her arm to prevent her from slipping.
Feeling tired, Yun didn't want to walk any further and squatted down on the spot, causing passersby to glance back at her.
Jiang Shiyu squatted beside her and asked gently, "Are you tired?"
Yun nodded, too exhausted to speak.
"Shall I carry you?"
She shook her head, stood up, and continued walking.
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