Jennifer turned her head slightly and caught Donald’s gentle smile, which made her heart race even faster. “I’ll do it myself,” she said.

“Almost done. Don’t move, or it’ll get messy,” Donald said, holding a section of Jennifer’s hair in one hand. He carefully looped the hair tie around it twice, but it felt a bit loose. On the third loop, he hesitated, worried it might be too tight and hurt her.

“I usually tie it three times,” Jennifer remarked casually.

“Alright, three loops it is. Let me know if it’s too tight,” he replied, his voice soft and considerate. Donald finally finished tying her hair and exhaled in relief, a small smile tugging at his lips. “So, how’d I do? Not too shabby, huh?”

“I wouldn’t know, I can’t see it,” Jennifer replied flatly.

“Here, take a look,” Donald said, already holding up a mirror for her. Jennifer rarely looked at herself in the mirror. She glanced at her reflection briefly and gave a faint nod. “Not bad.”

Donald smiled faintly, slipping his hands into the pockets of his white coat. Leaning in slightly, he teased, “Wow, a compliment from you, Dr. Nelson? That’s rare. How about we grab a coffee to celebrate this momentous occasion?”

“Aren’t you going home today?” she asked, her tone still distant.

“I’m on duty tonight, so no,” Donald replied, taking a deep breath. Gathering his courage, he rested his head lightly on Jennifer’s shoulder. “Just one cup, alright? Keep me company, won’t you?”

Jennifer’s heart raced even faster. Flustered, she quickly pushed his head away, trying to mask her emotions. “Don’t do that! I’ve already told you. We need to keep our distance.”

Donald felt a pang of hurt. Cheryl had once joked that men who knew how to act playfully always won girls early. So, he had gathered all his courage to try it just now. No one would have thought that one bold attempt would leave him retreating into his shell.

“Jennifer, honestly, I’m not the kind of guy who takes the initiative. Every time you treat me so coldly, it hurts. I’m upset too, you know,” Donald said.

“I’ve already told you. I don’t like you, and I’ll never be with you. You keep chasing me, so if you’re hurt, that’s on you.” Jennifer’s gaze was icy and resolute.

Donald let out a bitter laugh. “I just want to warm your heart, to treat you well. Maybe Jonathan’s right. Maybe my family owes yours a debt.”

“My family keeps introducing me to other girls, but I just can’t bring myself to care. Even our colleagues know your temperament and tell me to give up. But I can’t. I still like you, no matter what.”

“Oh, so you like me? I’ve already said I don’t like you,” Jennifer replied sharply, her tone unwavering. Yet, the tips of her ears burned, betraying the emotions she tried to suppress.

“Jennifer?” Donald suddenly hugged her tightly from behind. Before Jennifer could react in anger, he released her and sighed, “What am I supposed to do with you? You’re driving me crazy.”

Jennifer’s anger flared. “Get out. I have work to do. Stop wasting my time with nonsense.”

“You’re going to drive me mad one day,” Donald muttered as he turned to leave. Before walking out, he pulled out some chocolates and candies from his pocket and placed them on her desk. “When you’re feeling down, have some…”

“And maybe, just maybe, you’ll think of me for a second.”

He walked out. Jennifer stared at his retreating figure, her heart racing uncontrollably, the sound pounding in her ears. She snapped out of it, realizing she’d been staring at his back for what felt like an eternity. “What is wrong with me?” she thought, shaking her head. Her eyes drifted to the desk, where the brightly wrapped candies seemed to mock her resolve. She picked one up, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth.