She hurriedly raised her hand, wiping the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand in an urgent, embarrassed motion, as if desperate to hide this moment of vulnerability. Then, lifting her chin slightly, she forced a strained smile and said to Zhao Shuzhuo, "Comrade, thank you for your concern, but... I'm fine."
Yet, the tearful tremor in her voice and her quivering lips clearly told a different story. Zhao Shuzhuo was full of suspicion. He wanted to ask what was wrong to see if he could help—after all, a young woman crying so bitterly early in the morning couldn't be a minor matter. But before he could find the right words, the woman turned abruptly like a startled deer and hurried away. Her figure vanished around the corner of the staircase, leaving only the echo of frantic footsteps in the hollow stairwell.
Zhao Shuzhuo stared in the direction she had gone for a moment, then sighed helplessly to himself. It was clear she didn't want anyone to know her troubles, and prying might only make her more uncomfortable. He decided to let it go. He turned, bent down to pick up the lunchbox on the step, brushed off the non-existent dust from the lid, and, after confirming nothing had spilled, walked steadily toward Secretary Dong's room.
Chapter 572