Chapter 14

At last, I declined their goodwill. I knew my own body well. Although the burning pain went away noticeably after a night's rest, I didn't dare to take it lightly. After returning to the company, I diligently took some painkillers. While our investor doted on his "sweetheart", I doted on this project. Since we're relying on this game to make money, it's crucial for me to take good care of myself. However, the act of taking painkillers didn't bypass David's attentiveness. He apologized, "Nance, it's my fault for letting you work overtime alone." I felt gratified and suggested having an extra meal tonight, but David stopped me. "No, dinner will be here soon." I thought that David had ordered takeout in advance, but I soon saw Douglas enter carrying a large square box. His glasses had a layer of mist, and he seemed to be in a hurry. I looked at him curiously and asked, "Douglas, why are you here?" "Douglas, I didn’t want to say this, but your efficiency is a little lacking. Both Nancy and I were almost starved to death." I looked at David, then at Douglas, and finally focused on the big box in his hands, asking, "Is this dinner?" Douglas smiled and complimented me, "You’re quite smart." He actually brought four dishes and a soup. The food looked good, and there was a layer of steam emanating from it. Douglas explained, "It’s all thanks to the insulation box." "Which restaurant did you order the tomato soup from? It's really rich and fragrant." David took a sip of the tomato soup and praised, "The boss is quite generous." Douglas lifted his glasses and smiled without saying a word. He then picked up a piece of meat and placed it inside my bowl. Seeing this, David rolled his eyes and said in a deliberately hoarse voice, "Douglas, I want some too." Both Douglas and I were amused by his act. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. I looked over curiously and saw that Cindy had returned. Cindy's gaze swept past Douglas's face before landing on the food on the table. She smiled and said, "I see, Mr. Irvin came to bring dinner for Nance." Douglas turned and paused for two seconds. Then, he politely continued, "Ms.Lane, have you eaten? You can join us if you don’t mind." "No, thank you," Cindy declined sweetly, "I will leave soon after picking up my stuff." Since she had spoken, there was nothing else for us to say. But when she entered the office, Douglas' expression stiffened visibly before he threw me a complicated gaze. After dinner, I accompanied Douglas downstairs. It was only then that I realized he took the subway here earlier. "I was worried about traffic jams during the evening rush hour. David has also mentioned that your stomach was uncomfortable, so I thought that the food should be eaten hot." So, he took the subway because he was worried that the food would get cold? It must have been quite inconvenient since he was carrying such a large insulated box. A trace of guilt surfaced in my heart when I looked at him. "Don’t go through such trouble next time." "It’s not a trouble," Douglas said humbly, "It's boring to just teach everyday, so why not cook and apply the skills I've learnt for daily use?" He always seemed to be able to put words in a pleasing way. "By the way," Douglas hesitated, "About Ms. Lane..." Before he could finish his sentence, a sweet voice interrupted him, "Bruce, have you been waiting for a long time?" Both Douglas and I turned to look, only to see Bruce a few steps away. The night was layered with heavy mists after the rain, and Bruce stood right under a dim street lamp. He had probably waited for a long time as tiny water droplets seemed to hang onto the ends of his hair. The person he was waiting for ran toward him happily with small, quick steps. They were truly a perfect match as both of them looked great together. I quickly withdrew my gaze and looked at Douglas while saying, "I'll send you to the subway exit." Douglas didn't refuse. But as soon as I took a step, Bruce's greeting came through. "Ms.Fisher, you finished work early today." The four of us stood together under the streetlight. Bruce glanced at the insulated box in Douglas' hands and asked, "What's this?" Before Douglas could speak, Cindy immediately answered, "It's a thermos, Bruce. Knowing that Nance felt uncomfortable, Mr. Irvin specially prepared a heartfelt dinner for her." Bruce gave Douglas a glance. He then looked at me and said, "Ms. Fisher is not only good at coding but also maintains friendships quite well." His tone was flat, but I sensed a hint of sarcasm in his words. Douglas politely explained, "Nancy has helped me a lot. She hasn't been feeling well these past two days, so I came over to check on her." He seemed to be explaining on my behalf. As soon as he heard this, Bruce sneered, "Last night, it was her period, and today, it's an upset stomach. Ms.Fisher's health is quite adaptable." I couldn't believe what Bruce was saying. What did he mean? Did he think that I was faking it? Cindy seemed to understand his underlying message. She scolded, "Bruce, you don't understand. It truly is much easier for other discomforts to surface during a woman's period. " It seemed as if she was explaining things on my behalf, but it'd be better if she didn't explain at all. "Is that so?" Bruce glanced at me with a vague smile. "Then, Ms. Fisher, you’ll have to take good care of yourself." With just a few words of his, I was put on the spot.. Take good care of yourself? It was ironic coming from Bruce's mouth. Suddenly, I thought of his explanation to Cindy last night. I replied calmly, "Of course. Since Mr. Harold has gone to great lengths to invest so much money in us, it's only right to take good care of myself." Bruce's pupils wavered slightly, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. I didn't want to waste time on this kind of verbal sparring, so I continued, "Mr. Harold, you must be busy. Please excuse us." Afterward, I gave Douglas a look, and he nodded slightly. He followed me as we crossed the street quietly. "Just send me till here," Douglas looked at me with concerned eyes and hesitated to speak. I didn't beat around the bush and proceeded to remind him, "You're busy with work too, so don't do such foolish things again." Douglas hesitated for a moment and looked at me. He asked, "Nancy, can I ask you a sudden question?" I curled my fingers and nodded. "Your relationship with Bruce..." "It’s the relationship an investor and a project manager should have," I replied honestly. Douglas seemed to relax and smiled. "If that's the case, then it's alright." Why wasn't it getting through to him? "Alright, time is ticking. Get back to coding." Douglas pointed at his wristwatch. "Or you might miss the last subway." Douglas really knew how to tease me, but still, I went back to continue coding. By the time I returned to my housing area, it was already late at night. I entered the building while carrying my laptop. Unexpectedly, I bumped into Bruce when I lifted my head. He was still wearing that deep gray windbreaker. Its design featured an over-the-knee length with dropped shoulder sleeves and lapels. It was a simple style but wasn't outdated—exactly like the one I gave him years ago. It was probably just a coincidence. At the same time, the windbreaker's belt hung loosely behind, making it look fashionable and casual. Bruce really looks good in any style. However, I only glanced at him twice before passing by quietly. I needed to rest now after a long day. "Do you have to act like this?" His deep voice came from behind, and I paused for a moment. I reluctantly turned around and said, "Oh, it's Mr. Harold. Sorry, I'm not wearing glasses." Bruce remained silent, but his eyes were fixed on me. It made me somewhat uncomfortable. "I'm off work." I was truly tired of dealing with Bruce. " Let's discuss tomorrow if there's any other issues." I turned to walk away afterward. "It was just a Facebook request. Did you really have to delete me?" His persistent tone was wrapped in sarcasm. I heard Bruce say, "Are you afraid that Douglas might misunderstand?"