After Saving My Cannon Fodder Omega - Chapter 18

The door stood wide open; their eyes met.

Chi Wei’s expression was incredibly complex—much like her greeting, which sounded part emotional sigh and part resentful grumble. It was impossible to tell exactly what she meant.

Xuan Nian’s anger hadn’t fully subsided, but unexpectedly colliding with those misty eyes caused her irritation to soften considerably.

However, the setting wasn’t right, and neither was the timing. After a brief standoff, both pairs of eyes instinctively pulled away at the same time, looking elsewhere.

Chi Wei’s reason for charging up to corner her hadn’t initially been a certainty that Xuan Nian would be there; it was more a result of a momentary impulse and a refusal to accept missing her yet again.

—Regardless of the cause, the constant inability to see the person she wanted to see made her angry. Very angry. Extremely angry.

The server, who had failed in her “grand mission to see the guest out,” had regained her senses from the shock and was now hesitating outside the door—conflicted over whether to come in and explain, or simply take the chance to retreat and play dumb. She lingered for a long while, failing to cover the five-meter distance to the office.

Before their meeting, Chi Wei had a stomach full of things to say. Now that they were actually face-to-face, she suddenly didn’t know how to start, but her desire not to be disturbed remained unchanged.

Thus, amidst the eerie silence in the office, Chi Wei glanced uncomfortably at the third person outside, who was slowly inching toward them. She swiftly reached back, closed the door, and turned the lock.

Xuan Nian didn’t see the motion of the lock being turned, but she heard the distinct click of the bolt sliding home. Her eyebrows, which had just relaxed slightly, knitted even tighter.

—First, she inexplicably deletes me on WeChat, then she bursts into my office, and now she’s locked the door. What on earth is this “Little Tiger Tooth” trying to do?

“You…”

Their voices overlapped the moment Chi Wei turned around and walked toward the desk.

Xuan Nian immediately stopped talking. Watching the person standing still in front of her, she scooped up her phone with her right hand and rested it on her lap, while her left hand made a “please” gesture as she squeezed out a habitual smile.

Chi Wei knew Xuan Nian was signaling for her to speak first. But once the impulse was interrupted and her logic reconnected, she could no longer disregard everything to act aggrieved or launch into a cross-examination.

Inside the locked space, one had furrowed brows and a half-smile, while the other was like a suddenly deflated balloon, her aura shrinking rapidly.

In this disjointed confrontation, the air remained eerily quiet for nearly ten seconds.

Then, having gained the right of way to speak, Chi Wei cleared her throat awkwardly. She stole a glance at Xuan Nian’s exquisite makeup, then looked at the back of the monitor next to her and said, “Didn’t we… didn’t we agree to confirm the details for tomorrow night’s reservation after lunch today?”

“…Oh, and you are?” Xuan Nian smiled and nodded out of habit, but as she processed the words “tomorrow night’s reservation,” a loud boom echoed in her mind.

Did Little Tiger Tooth have an appointment with me to discuss tomorrow’s reservation in person?!

She didn’t, right?

I remember the only person who talked to me about a reservation for tomorrow was that “broadcaster voice”… the one surnamed Chi?

…Little Tiger Tooth and Broadcaster Voice are the same person?

Broadcaster Voice is Little Tiger Tooth?!

But I heard Little Tiger Tooth’s voice at the hospital; it was nothing like the one on the phone… How did she make that sound!

Wait! Then who was the person I added from Mrs. Xu’s WeChat?

If that “Moon” wasn’t Little Tiger Tooth, why would her Moments feed have a selfie with Little Tiger Tooth in the center seat? No, no, no, that’s not a reason—I just made an assumption…

The more Xuan Nian thought about it, the more absurd it felt. Her face grew increasingly pale as she dazed out.

Chi Wei, meanwhile, was replaying Xuan Nian’s two-word question (“And you?”) in her head. Realizing belatedly that her own question had been well-posed—logical and not too abrupt—she felt it was a perfect excuse for her intrusion.

Through this self-persuasion, her vanished confidence gradually returned, replacing the panic that had surfaced moments ago.

With her mental preparation complete, Chi Wei pulled out the soft chair in front of the desk and sat down. She smiled and said, “Boss Xuan is a busy person with a short memory. We met at the hospital not long ago and even spoke via voice message. But with the tavern reopening, I’m sure many people are looking for Boss Xuan. It’s understandable…”

Xuan Nian listened half-heartedly as the person in front of her rambled on without getting to the point. She finally couldn’t help but interject: “You are Director Chi Wei?”

Chi Wei’s rambling hadn’t just been for Xuan Nian’s benefit; it was also a way to convince herself why Xuan Nian seemed to both remember and not know her. Hearing Xuan Nian call out her name accurately, the dark clouds over her head vanished instantly. She nodded vigorously: “It’s me, it’s me.”

However, that admission made Xuan Nian feel even worse.

“So it is Director Chi. I’m truly sorry about the other day at the hospital. I was too tired then, and my emotional management slipped a bit,” Xuan Nian said, awkwardly withdrawing her hand from where it had been resting near the screen. She abandoned her plan to call security for rescue at any moment, but catching a glimpse of the locked door, her right hand moved back to its previous position.

Chi Wei hadn’t intended to bring up past events, but hearing Xuan Nian apologize proactively, her mind uncontrollably replayed that messy encounter and the tense, stilted voice she’d used during their call. Her expression turned awkward: “No, no, no, that was definitely my fault. Please don’t say that.”

“No, really.”

“Haha…”

After an awkward exchange of pleasantries, their eyes met by accident, and they both looked away simultaneously as if they’d been electrocuted.

Chi Wei’s right hand pinched her left. It felt like she had knocked over a spice cabinet in her heart—sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty, pungent, and numbing flavors were all taking turns.

The awkwardness reached a breaking point in the silence. Xuan Nian, having gained plenty of experience in the two years she’d run the tavern, appeared much more composed than Chi Wei.

She used her peripheral vision to notice that Chi Wei remained motionless in her chair—she seemed like a completely different person from the one who had come charging in. While surprised, Xuan Nian grew even more curious.

However, this didn’t stop her from doing what she needed to do. While keeping a wary eye on Chi Wei, Xuan Nian brought her phone back onto the desk. She quietly changed the contact nickname to “Little Tiger Tooth” and cleared the person she had deleted earlier from her list.

Meanwhile, Chi Wei sat as still as a quail, her mind a chaotic mess of embarrassment, like flour being mixed with water and stirred frantically.

—She dumped all her imagined reunion scenarios into the mix, stirring them into a jumble.

For instance, what she had imagined before her rebirth: If I ever get the chance to see Sister Xuan Nian again, I’ll grab her and kiss her senseless, then pour out all the feelings I never got to tell her, over and over again.

Or what she had imagined after her rebirth: The moment I meet her, I’ll put the ring full of my heart’s intent on her finger, lock our fates together, and never be apart again.

…The ideals were beautiful, but the implementation was too difficult. After all, if she actually carried out either of those, someone could call the police and have her hauled away immediately.

Xuan Nian waited a bit longer, but seeing Chi Wei wouldn’t take the initiative to speak, she asked: “Little—er, Director Chi, you said just now you came to discuss tomorrow night’s reservation details, right?”

Chi Wei’s mind was uncontrollably spiraling: What would happen if I stood up right now and walked over… Kiss? No, just a hug. What would the consequences be? Hearing Xuan Nian’s question, she hurriedly shook off her stray thoughts and sat up straight. She said seriously, “Ah, yes. Right. The number of people is confirmed. Fifteen in total.”

Knowing nothing of Chi Wei’s inner turmoil, Xuan Nian answered professionally: “Understood.”

Chi Wei nodded. Seeing Xuan Nian smile, the fluttering, unsettled feeling she’d had suddenly felt grounded.

—Being able to see her smile at me is already very, very good.

Sensing the friendliness in Chi Wei’s gaze, Xuan Nian thought she had indeed overthought things earlier. The curve of her lips deepened: “Are there any other requirements?”

“Can I make one?” Chi Wei looked at those lips, which in her memory were always painted as red as a crisp apple. Without thinking, she blurted out, “Your lipstick color is really pretty. I want to try—”

Fortunately, her brain caught up mid-sentence. The second half of the thought—which sounded like harassment just thinking about it—was forcibly swallowed back down.

Xuan Nian had instinctively wanted to say “Of course” (after all, the customer is king), but hearing the second half, her brow twitched uncontrollably.

She didn’t quite understand why “Little Tiger Tooth,” who looked like she never used lipstick, would have such an idea. But she wasn’t the only one to ask about her lipstick shade. After a brief hesitation, Xuan Nian smiled and pulled open the drawer beside her: “Since Director Chi likes it, I happen to have a brand-new one here. It’s a gift for you.”

As she spoke, a slender paper box was pushed onto the desk in front of Chi Wei.

Chi Wei: “…” I didn’t actually want her lipstick, but she couldn’t explain her true purpose.

Perhaps having practiced earlier, this time when their eyes met, Chi Wei appeared much more composed. She picked up the lipstick and thanked her with a smile: “Thank you, Boss Xuan. I was just asking casually. You’re so generous; I can’t take this for nothing. I… I’ll give you a little return gift.”

Xuan Nian: “?”

So it was just a casual remark?

The moment Chi Wei looked down, a sharp glint flashed in her eyes. Her right hand took the lipstick and tucked it into the inner pocket of her coat. As she put it in, her fingers hooked the small transparent poly bag and pulled it out.

Xuan Nian: “…”

That massive diamond ring couldn’t possibly be the “little gift” she mentioned, could it?

Even wrapped in the poly bag, the four-carat pink diamond couldn’t hide its brilliance.

Chi Wei placed it on the desk as a matter of course and pushed it toward Xuan Nian with her index finger: “A return gift.”

Xuan Nian: “…”

A lipstick in exchange for a diamond ring? Is this Little Tiger Tooth out of her mind!

Xuan Nian waved her hands repeatedly: “No, no, no. I can’t accept this. It’s too valuable.” And too absurd.

Chi Wei insisted: “It’s the thought that counts. Please, you must accept it!”

Xuan Nian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “The thought? No, no, I absolutely cannot take this.”

“Alright then.” Chi Wei gave a feigned, helpless smile. At the same time, she used her index and middle fingers to pinch the poly bag and took the ring back. “Since you insist on not accepting it, let me take you out to dinner tonight?”

Xuan Nian had been startled by the diamond ring. Seeing her take it back, her heart settled back into place. “Let me treat you. I’m sorry about earlier. Dinner tonight is on me—consider it my apology to you.”

“Deal.” Chi Wei nodded briskly. “Then after dinner, I’ll take you to a movie.”

Xuan Nian was blank: “Huh?”

How did we suddenly get to movies? How did the topic shift like that?

Chi Wei pointed at the spot where the lipstick had been and explained: “Return gift.”

Xuan Nian: “…”

Seeing Xuan Nian’s surprise, Chi Wei thought for a moment and said, “You don’t like movies? Then I should just give you the ring after all.”

Xuan Nian hurriedly stopped her from pushing the ring over again. “Movie, movie! I quite like movies. Thank you, thank you. There’s really no need to be so polite.”

“Oh, but there is.” Chi Wei said with a straight face. “Then it’s settled. I’ll pick you up tonight. We’ll have dinner first, then go to a movie. This time, you can’t tell me you have an ‘urgent matter’ and can’t come.”