Loving With My Mind

"Cynthia, that's enough!" Bianca He removed the shot glass with liquor from the bar counter.

She signalled go dismiss the bartender.

"Hey! Where are you going?! Give...give me more shots!" Cynthia Mu was slumping onto the counter already, but she was still planning to drink more. She tried to reach out to stop the bartender from leaving, but her arm was already shaking and she barely held herself up on her seat.

Her previous determination was extinguished when she found out that Zhao Mingzhe banned her from entering the company building for LZ Airlines. She never expected him to be so petty as to prevent her from appearing before him.

Cynthia Mu was never approved by the Zhaos so Zhao Mingzhe never took her to their house. She will need some miracle to see him again.

And so the reason for the binge drinking.

"Hey! Didn't you say you will get him back? Then why are you drinking yourself to death?! That woman is no match for you! What, you wanna look like her now? That's your plan?!" Bianca He is the type of person who encourages her friend by being harsh and sweet at the same time.

"He...he doesn't want me anymore..." Cynthia Mu managed to talk between sobs.

Bianca He recalled how she met Zhao Mingzhe again. He seemed to be too protective of his new wife. Perhaps it was not as easy as how she was advising her friend after all. Did Zhao Mingzhe really changed after his breakup with Cynthia Mu?

"Tsk! Alright, alright...c'mon, don't make a fool of yourself in front of all these people." Bianca He dragged her arm and supported her.

With great effort, Bianca He booked a room for her friend. Before leaving, she left pain killers on the bedside table and a bottle of water.

That night, Cynthia Mu dreamt, or recalled in her dream, memories.

...

Cynthia Mu stood before a vending machine, eyeing the different coffee options. She just finished with the wine tasting exercises and she wanted to remove the taste of wine from her mouth.

Suddenly, someone inserted a bill into the machine and pressed the button for the cup of americano.

She looked at the person who did so with a glare. This person was so rude! He obviously knew she was there first.

Zhao Mingzhe stood before the machine, impatiently waiting for the cup of coffee.

Cynthia Mu became even more irritated when he seemed to ignore her existence. However, before she could open her mouth to scold him, the machine sounded to indicate that the drink is ready.

He immediately opened the cover to get the drink and swiftly tried to go away.

"Hey!" she shouted at his retreating back.

He stopped on his tracks. Then he looked back at her. He only looked at her, without saying anything.

Cynthia Mu hurried in her heels so she could come closer and intimidate him. "Aren't you at least gonna say sorry?!"

With his stoic face, he replied, "You were just standing there. I need coffee. I paid with my money. Why do you look like I stole something from you?"

"You...You, you jerk!" she snapped at him.

Zhao Mingzhe did not bother to argue more and turned his back on her. He nonchalantly walked away.

Since she knew she lost the argument and was embarrassed, Cynthia Mu, irritated, went back to purchase her coffee from the vending machine.

The next encounter with him was when there was an emergency landing simulation.

She glared at him whenever she can.

After the exercises, she noticed that he was nowhere in sight. Suddenly, with a fl.u.s.tered face, he came with a steaming cup and offered it to a middle-aged man.

Cynthia Mu frowned. 'This guy...he looks so aloof...yet someone was ordering him around. Was he getting the coffee for someone else last time as well?'

From then on, she started viewing him as a diligent person who was talented and skilled. During their first flight together, she gave him a benevolent smile. For the first time, he really looked at her...in the eye.

When snacks were requested for the c.o.c.kpit, she volunteered to deliver.

For the first time, she saw him smile. He smiled when she handed him his cup of coffee.

After that return flight to City B, he approached her as she was tragging he luggage at the airport.

"Yes?" she asked as he stopped before her.

"Uhm...would you...you care for some coffee?" he scratched the back of his head.

"Sure...but the airport coffee shop is never my favorite." Her smile became sweeter.

They soon started dating. They would even have dinner in her apartment. Though it was nothing fancy, they were happy. Then he would spend the night in her place.

Then one day, she saw him hand over a cup of coffee to the same middle-aged man. The man is a seasoned pilot and rumors say that he is a big shareholder of LZ Airlines.

She accidentally eavesdropped on them.

"Mingzhe, I've heard about your little girlfriend."

"What about her?" Zhao Mingzhe's voice was cold.

"She doesn't suit you."

"You're not me."

"Let her go, or I'll make her."

"Dad!"

Cynthia Mu was shocked.

Not long after, her father landed a job in a provincial branch of the airline.

Then she met Captain Zhao.

"Ms. Mu, I had given your father a suitable job despite his age. I believe it would suffice so he can provide for your family. No need to hold onto my son for the money."

"Sir, with all due respect, Mingzhe and I..."

"I forgot to tell you. I secretly fired you. However, ORW Air will be hiring you. Just go with this...unless you want your family to go back in paying debts throughout your lives. You can consult your own father on this."

With that, Zhao Minrui left her in the café.

With heavy feelings, she broke up with Zhao Mingzhe, saying that she wanted to expand her career by going to another airline.

She thought she would be alright, that it was after all, for her family.

However, she missed him everyday. She fought hard against herself so she would not call him so often.

Every now and then, she would ask him out, but each meeting hurt them more...until he became cold.

.

Cynthia Mu woke up with tears streaming down her cheeks.

She had to choose, and she could only regret not to choose him.