Ever since that phone call, Saoirse rarely encountered Julian, except for their occasional meetings in the elevator or hallway.
Julian would greet her every time, but Saoirse never responded as she pretended not to see him and walked past him.
Seeing her hurriedly avoiding him, Julian was filled with despair, and his mood would be down for quite a while. But whenever they met again, he would still greet her with a bright smile.
Life moved on quietly and steadily. Other than having this somewhat annoying neighbor, Saoirse's life was going smoothly. As the summer heat gradually dissipated, her internship was also nearing its end.
One day after work, thinking that autumn was approaching and she needed to buy a few jackets, she decided to go shopping alone. After picking out a few well-fitting items and paying, she planned to take a cab home by detouring through a small alley.
With headphones and a baseball cap on whenever she went out, Saoirse was always lost in her own world. She hadn't noticed the two men following her.
When she ventured deep into the alley, the men with knives blocked her path. She suddenly realized she was being robbed. With no one around and facing the cold gleam of the knives, she didn't dare say a word and obediently handed over her belongings and wallet.
The two tall and burly robbers ran away as soon as they grabbed the items.
Terrified and feeling drained, Saoirse leaned against the wall, gasping for air. Suddenly, a figure ran past her. She thought there might be more trouble and quickly looked up, only to see Julian chasing after the two robbers.
After catching up to them, Julian grabbed one of the robbers by the shoulder and snatched the wallet back. The robber cursed and fought with Julian, while his accomplice, hearing the commotion, turned around to help.
The three men were soon entangled in a scuffle. Thinking about their knives and fearing that things might turn bloody, Saoirse anxiously turned to the alley and shouted for the police.
As expected, the robbers were alarmed by Saoirse's screams. They started to make their escape. However, Julian was still holding onto one of them and refused to let go.
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