Batter My Heart,Mr Xi (Book 2)

Chapter XVI

Yang Zhilan hesitated for a moment before pushing open the glass doors of the office building. The familiar scent of coffee washed over her as she stepped inside, her heart racing with a mixture of determination and apprehension.

For the past few days,she was recovering in the hospital, she had been pondering. The earthquake in Meng happened. The goddess had been right.

When she did some research, she learnt they're hadn't been an earthquake in Meng in over five and a half decades so this one came as a surprise.

This meant, sooner or later, the betrayal of her coworker ,who ever it was will definitely be inevitable.

This meant , she was in a book and this wasn't her real life. Chu, her mother, Little Xiaobei in the village, her coworkers, her bosses, every single one of them were just characters in a book.

Her real family was waiting for her in the real world and to get there, she had to unalive herself to get there.

She had to first complete her task. The unaliving part she would think about it later.

As she rounded the corner into her department, a cacophony of excited voices erupted.

"Zhilan! You're back!"

"We've missed you so much!"

" She's here!"

Before she could fully process what was happening, Yang Zhilan found herself engulfed in a sea of embraces.

Colleagues swarmed around her, their faces etched with genuine relief and joy. The warmth of their welcome caught her off guard.

Wu Shanshan, who had been oddly distant before the accident, rushed forward with tears glistening in her eyes.

She wrapped her arms tightly around Zhilan, her voice choked with emotion. "If you had died, I... I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself."

Zhilan patted Shanshan's back awkwardly, unsure how to respond to this unexpected display of emotion. "It's okay, Shanshan. I'm fine now."

Sister Xin, always the exuberant one, gestured dramatically at the crowd and the pile of colorful gift bags on a nearby desk. "Just look at all this! We couldn't bear the thought of losing our office belle. It just wouldn't be the same without you, Zhilan!"

A surprised laugh bubbled up from Zhilan's chest. As she looked around at the familiar faces, all beaming at her with genuine affection, she couldn't help but think, 'If this isn't my real world, then I don't know what is.' The thought sent a pang through her heart, reminding her of the task that lay ahead and the home she longed to return to.

Pushing the conflicting emotions aside, Zhilan nodded and returned the hugs, her smile warm but tinged with a sadness no one else could understand.

"Thank you all so much," she said, her voice steady ,"I'm grateful for your visits to the hospital. I'll work hard to catch up with everything I've missed."

"Oh, don't you worry about that," Xin chimed in, waving her hand dismissively. "We've kept everything running smoothly. Just focus on getting back to your old self."

As the crowd began to disperse, murmuring words of encouragement and welcome, the door to the executive office opened. Supervisor Xi, stepped out. He met Zhilan's gaze, offering her a nod and a smile that spoke volumes.

"Welcome back, Yang Zhilan," he said, his deep voice carrying across the now-quieter office. "We're all grateful you're okay. Take your time easing back into work. Your health comes first."

Zhilan bowed slightly, feeling a lump form in her throat. "Thank you, Supervisor Xi. I appreciate your understanding."

After Xi Jun left her alone, Yang Zhilan's fingers trembled slightly as she arranged the gifts from her coworkers on one side of her desk. The colorful array of packages seemed to mock her inner turmoil. She smoothed her skirt when she looked up to see Mr. Qin approaching.