Back at the cafe, He Jichen hadn't left his seat when a short waiter ran over to him with an apologetic look on his face. "Sir, we're terribly sorry, but we're closing now. Today is Chinese new year, so could you please settle your bill right now?"
He Jichen gently nodded without saying a word then pulled out his wallet. Then he handed the waiter two red notes.
"That's a total of one hundred and sixty-eight. Your change..."
The waiter hadn't finished what he was saying when He Jichen flatly said, "It's okay."
Then he bent down to pick up his laptop and headed for the front door.
Just before He Jichen opened the door, Ji Yi and Tang Huahua emerged from the women's restroom one after the other.
"Xiao Yi, I wanna buy a hot chocolate. Do you want one?" asked Tang Huahua.
He Jichen raised his hand and pushed the door. He suddenly paused silently for two seconds before continuing to push the door open and walking out.
Ji Yi shook her head at Tang Huahua. "No thanks."
After she said this, Ji Yi pointed at a seat beside them. "I'm going over there to wait for you."
"Alright." After hearing Tang Huahua's reply, Ji Yi turned around and walked towards the spot she just pointed at. After taking just two steps forward, a familiar silhouette flashed before her eyes.
All of a sudden, Ji Yi's footsteps came to a halt as though her pressure points had been pressed.
She instinctively turned her head and looked out the entrance of the cafe. There was no one there.
Was I just hallucinating?
Ji Yi furrowed her brows and withdrew her gaze from the entrance, but just as she was going to continue walking, the silhouette popped into her mind again.
If it really was just an illusion, why did it feel so real?
"Xiao Yi, do you want to eat yellow peach cake..." asked Tang Huahua to Ji Yi after paying the bill.
Ji Yi ignored Tang Huahua and stood motionlessly on the spot.
"Xiao Yi?" asked Tang Huahua again as she sensed something was wrong.
Ji Yi didn't even glance at Tang Huahua. The next second, she turned around and rushed towards the door.
She pushed the door open and was welcomed with a cold breeze.
Tang Huahua hugged her jacket as she was only wearing a thin hoodie. Moments later, she started to shiver from the cold.
But Ji Yi couldn't even feel it as she rushed over to the street and looked left and right.
There were very few cars and people on the streets of Beijing during Chinese new year.
Aside from her and two or three cars driving by occasionally, there was no one else there.
"Xiao Yi!" Tang Huahua hurriedly chased after her from the cafe.
Just like before in the cafe, Ji Yi didn't reply but turned her head endlessly, scanning the area. Ji Yi didn't sluggishly turn her head and look at Tang Huahua until she put on her thick jacket.
"What's wrong? Did something happen?" asked Tang Huahua.
Ji Yi shook her head. "Maybe I was just seeing things."
"What did you think you saw?" asked Tang Huahua.
Ji Yi didn't say anything but continued walking.
As she passed the entrance of the cafe, the silhouette entered Ji Yi's peripheral vision once again. She suddenly stopped walking, turned around, and looked down the street, but she still didn't see the familiar silhouette...