“You don’t have to report to work from today onward. Our studio will not continue employing you,” Ji Fanyin said as she casually flipped through a document. “Your pay for yesterday’s work is 150 dollars. I’ll transfer you the money.”
Bai Zhou silently stared at Ji Fanyin with an indignant look on his face.
“I don’t just mean your internship here.” Ji Fanyin ignored Bai Zhou’s searing gaze and continued impassively, “Everything between us ends here today.”
“You don’t have the right to one-sidedly end it by yourself. What if I don’t agree to it?” Bai Zhou murmured weakly in protest.
Ji Fanyin unhurriedly asked him a question in response, “Am I right to assume that when you came by yesterday saying that you wish to apologize to me, you have already understood what you have done wrong?”
“… That’s right.”
Seeing how Bai Zhou had closed his eyes, as if he was going to recount his misdeeds, Ji Fanyin quickly raised her hand to stop him, saying, “No. If you truly understand what you have done wrong, you would have known to never appear before me ever again. That is the best way you can express your apology.”
Stabbed by those simple words, Bai Zhou’s eyes narrowed sharply. “But I…”
“But you truly know that you’re wrong and want to make amends? There’s no reason why I have to accept your apology and allow you to make amends.” Ji Fanyin gently swirled her coffee cup and asked with a faint smile, “Did you think everything was over just because you apologized?”
“That’s not what I mean!” Bai Zhou subconsciously raised his voice to refute Ji Fanyin, but he quickly lowered it in frustration. “I thought that with time, you would… hate me less.”
Unaccustomed to saying such meek words, he bit down hard on his lower lips in discomfort.
Ji Fanyin chuckled at that sight.
She personally harbored no hatred for Bai Zhou. In fact, she felt no hate for anyone in this world. For that reason, she couldn’t offer Bai Zhou the ‘forgiveness’ he was looking for.
“You shouldn’t be lamenting now when you were the one who agreed to our transaction back then.” Ji Fanyin took out her phone and casually swiped her screen. “We were originally strangers who detested each other anyway, isn’t that so?”
She tapped into the reservation app, which she hadn’t accessed for quite some time now, and removed all of Bai Zhou’s access rights. “Good bye, Bai Zhou.”
Ji Fanyin’s words sent a chill down Bai Zhou’s spine. He belatedly realized what had just happened and quickly whipped out his phone. He anxiously tapped on the reservation app icon, only to find that he could no longer open that mysterious little app.
That came as a heavy blow to him. He gripped his phone so tightly that the corners of his phone started cutting into his palm. Ironically, the pain he felt was the only outlet for him to let out his emotions, allowing him to keep himself from going crazy in front of Ji Fanyin.
What was laughable about this situation was that Bai Zhou earnestly understood what he had done wrong, but that was precisely the reason why he was unable to find any excuse to refute Ji Fanyin.
… Had it been the past him, he could have ignored all reason and screamed at Ji Fanyin to get his way.
But again, the past him wouldn’t have been in such despair from Ji Fanyin wanting to cut off all contact with him either.
It was a paradox. One wouldn’t have happened without the other.
“… If I repent and change for the better in the future, are you willing to…” He bit the tip of his tongue. “Are you be willing to accept me as a friend?”
Ji Fanyin interlaced her fingers and tilted her head.
“But Bai Zhou, you aren’t looking to be my friend.” She bluntly revealed Bai Zhou’s intentions. “And you are not the type of man I will date.”
“…”
“If you’re asking if I will ever forgive you, I don’t think I will,” Ji Fanyin continued. “You should know that the world does not always bend to your will.”
Bai Zhou was rendered speechless.
… You can never force another person to forgive you.
“You can leave now.” Ji Fanyin paused for a moment before steering back to her previous topic. “How would you like to receive your pay?”
Bai Zhou was stunned.
He scanned the items on Ji Fanyin’s desk and took an ordinary fountain pen from her stationary holder.
“This will be enough,” he spoke in a hoarse voice.
He quickly left the room afterward with his worn-out helmet tucked under his arm.