Star-Crossed Lovers: The Ex-Convict and the White Rabbit - Chapter 23
Chapter 23 – Future Plans
“Wait a moment.” Lu Qiang yelled, much relaxed now that he’d scolded her. He stood up, “Fine, since you’re here anyway, might as well stay.”
Tan Wei paused in her steps. Hearing that he had softened his tone, she bit on her lower lip. She turned her head and looked in his direction. A ray of sunlight fell on his shoulders, his deep eyebrows and his straight nose. She fell into a trance, recalling six years ago when they first met… She had been a fledgling newcomer and had been assigned to be in charge of the security of the Chao Group with her superior. Lu Qiang had been the head at that time, his temper would fluctuate frequently. When he was happy, he’d tease you with crude words; when he wasn’t, he would have a fall out with you and become hostile.
It had been a few years since then. It seemed he hadn’t changed at all.
Thinking so, her mood stabilized.
After standing at the door for a while, she started walking around, observing her surroundings. Lu Qiang sat back down and folded his arms, mind wandering, not caring about her at all.
Tan Wei asked, “How’s work going?”
Lu Qiang replied lazily, “Getting by.”
“What are your plans moving forward?”
“Nothing.”
Tan Wei stopped, “Then you’re going to be a security guard forever?”
He narrowed his eyes, “You guys arranged it!”
Tan Wei paused, “This is just something to start off with. We’ll monitor you from time to time after your release. If you perform well enough, you’ll be allowed to try out other jobs.”
“Being a criminal isn’t a glorious thing anyway, what company would be willing to hire a criminal?”
Tan Wei solemnly expressed, “No matter what, you know that I’ll always believe in you.”
Lu Qiang snorted.
Tan Wei said, “Don’t give up on yourself…”
“Whatever, don’t start teaching a politics class now.”
She could hear the obvious impatience in his voice, and saw that he wasn’t going to cooperate either. So she hurriedly ended the topic and then looked around the dilapidated sentry box.
The sentry box was less than five square meters. There was a chair placed after the door and a wooden table pushed against the wall. On the opposite side was a bed, narrow and short, he probably had to bend his legs to fit with his height. On top of the head of the bed was a window that faced the gate of the community.
The green curtains were tightly drawn. Her mind wandered, just now when he was sitting against the wall, that window was parallel to him…
She stopped herself from thinking further and collected herself. A few stone stools and tables were crookedly placed behind the sentry box. The tables had chess boards painted on top with red paint that had faded at the edges due to wear and tear. She looked back to the front. He was sitting on the bench in front of the sentry box, looking sideways at something, his expression focused.
Tan Wei tried striking up a conversation, “If I remember correctly, you seem to owe me a meal.”
She didn’t get a reply. Lu Qiang’s head was still turned sideways. The residential complex had a long road with brick buildings each five or six stories high on both sides. Like the sentry box, they were all yellowed with age. Old trees in front of the buildings blotted the sky. Tan Wei didn’t know what he was looking at so she followed his gaze. But there was nothing except a few people in the distance.
Tan Wei prodded, “I’m talking to you.”
Lu Qiang glanced at her, “Pick a time.”
Tan Wei’s eyes curved upwards with a smile. “Alright, then. I’ll call you when I’m free.” Then she asked, “Did Leader Qiu look for you?”
She was talking about Master Qiu of the Chao Group.
Lu Qiang didn’t tell the truth, “No.”
“It’s best that you don’t go if he does. You decided you wouldn’t go down that path anymore, just leave those people in the past and don’t repeat the same mistakes…”
She didn’t know if he heard her words. She followed his gaze, a person in the distance had approached.
Her head was lowered and she was walking very slowly. Her hair was neatly braided and she was wearing a set of light yellow sports skirt and short-sleeved shirt. She looked a little haggard.
Tan Wei turned her gaze back to Lu Qiang, confirming that indeed, he had had his eyes on this woman the entire time.
She unconsciously sized her up. That woman seemed to have finally noticed she was being stared at, raised her eyes and came to a stop. She looked as if she wanted to turn around and walk back.
Lu Qiang got up and called her, “Lu Yin.” As he called her name, he reached for the shirt in his room and walked towards her. By the time he reached her, he had properly put it on.
Lu Yin glanced at his chest and politely said, “You haven’t changed shifts yet?”