Paper Lover At Old Town Bookstore Chapter 24
byDon’t be afraid of the butterfly effect
Leaning against the cold wall, the strength of my fingertips suddenly increased, and the words that were suppressed in my heart finally broke through the shackles – if I was really afraid of the butterfly effect, I would not have entered this world without hesitation!
When I cried over Xu Xingruo’s tragedy before reading the book, and when I was heartbroken by her forbearance and despair, I already didn’t care about the plot trajectory or the butterfly effect.I never came here to be a passer-by who watched indifferently, let alone to wait for others to save her.I want to rewrite her destiny with my own hands, so that she can avoid those predetermined sufferings, and so that she can truly live for herself!
The ridiculous flinch just now was just a temporary blinding of fear.Yang Changwen’s hypocrisy, Xu Xingruo’s innocence, and the bloody tragedies in the novel reminded me over and over again: waiting and watching is the cruelest harm to her.Even if my intervention will cause unknown changes, even if the plot will completely go off track, even if I have to face unforeseen consequences in the end, it is better than watching her go to destruction step by step!
I stood up straight suddenly, letting out all the turbid air in my chest, and the hesitation in my eyes was replaced by determination.There is no point in hiding in the shadows, and it is even more foolish to worry about what others think.
I took a deep breath, strode out of the corner of the stairs, and walked straight in the direction of Xu Xingruo and Yang Changwen – this time, I wanted to pull her out of the quagmire of tragedy with my own hands. No matter whether she would blame me or not, no matter whether Yang Changwen would fight back, no matter what kind of waves the plot would cause, I would never back down.
As soon as I stepped out of the corner, the scene in front of me made my pupils shrink suddenly – Yang Changwen’s foot slipped and he fell straight towards Xu Xingruo. His broad shoulders pressed her tightly under him, and his arms subconsciously supported the ground, forming an airtight circle that completely enveloped her in his shadow.
Xu Xingruo’s exclamation was muffled in her throat, and her hands subconsciously pressed against Yang Changwen’s chest. She wanted to push him away but lacked the strength. Her cheeks turned red, and her eyes were full of panic and confusion.Colleagues around her glanced sideways, some laughed lowly, and some whispered. Those eyes pierced Xu Xingruo like needles, making her even more embarrassed, and her ears were so red that they were almost bleeding.
Yang Changwen could obviously stand up immediately, but he paused for two seconds before getting up in a panic. When he reached out to pull Xu Xingruo, his fingertips brushed her wrist intentionally or unintentionally, with a somewhat ambiguous smile in his mouth: “I’m sorry, Xingruo, didn’t I hurt you?”
This scene was like ignited explosives, instantly shattering my last remaining forbearance.What plot trajectory, what butterfly effect, all turned into blazing anger the moment he saw her being so offended and embarrassed.I almost rushed over and pushed Yang Changwen away. The force was so strong that he staggered back two steps.
“Mr. Song?” The smile on Yang Changwen’s face froze, with a bit of surprise.
I ignored him and leaned over to look at Xu Xingruo, who was still sitting on the ground. My voice was slightly tight with suppressed anger: “How are you? Did you feel any pain from the fall?” When I reached out to help her, my fingertips were trembling slightly – I felt sorry for her embarrassment and hated Yang Changwen’s deliberate actions.
Xu Xingruo looked up at me, his eyes full of shock, and a hint of indescribable emotion. His lips moved, but he didn’t say anything. He just grabbed my hand subconsciously.
The moment I held Xu Xingruo’s wrist, the silence around me and the inquiring eyes of my colleagues were like cold water pouring down on me, and I suddenly woke up – the anger just now went to my head, and I actually made such a rude move in front of everyone.
My fingertips subconsciously loosened, and I lowered my eyes to look at her still flushed cheeks. My Adam’s apple rolled twice, and I was filled with annoyance.Just now, I just wanted to stop Yang Changwen’s offense and protect her, but I forgot about the appropriateness in the workplace. I forgot that such actions would only make her more embarrassed and make the gossip worse.
Yang Changwen stood aside, with an aggrieved and unwilling look on his face, and muttered in a low voice: “Mr. Song, I really didn’t mean it…”
I didn’t look at him, my eyes fell on Xu Xingruo, and my voice was hard: “Sorry, I was too impulsive just now.” She looked at me blankly, the panic in her eyes had not faded away, and there were faint red marks on her wrist where I had grasped her, like a thorn piercing my heart.
Yes, I obviously came to save her, but because of my momentary loss of control, I actually put her in an even more embarrassing situation.
What is the difference between such irrational behavior and those reckless people who act based on their emotions?If she thinks I’m making a fuss out of a molehill, or even thinks I’m targeting her, then won’t all my previous concerns and determination become a joke?
I took a deep breath, forced myself to calm down, stood sideways in front of Xu Xingruo, and looked at Yang Changwen coldly: “Be careful about your words and deeds during working hours. Next time, report it directly to the human resources department.” After saying that, I ignored the glances around me, turned to Xu Xingruo and said softly: “I’ll take you to the tea room to relax.”