Chapter 4: No One But Her
The small interlude of the phone call didn’t affect Qin Qianrou’s enthusiasm for work. Although she had encountered some obstacles in the project meeting today, she was used to it. Which of her chosen topics hadn’t been a sensitive matter?
Seeing that she was about to dive back into work, Li Wan quickly stopped her, “Hey, don’t tell me you’re planning to work overtime again tonight?”
Qin Qianrou moved the mouse, a faint smile playing on her lips.
“What do you think?”
Li Wan’s beautiful face instantly crumpled. “No way! You promised to go with me tonight. I definitely won’t be able to handle it alone.”
Tonight was Li Wan’s blind date, the prospective partner carefully chosen by her deputy mayor father, a young and promising talent. Although such things happened every now and then, tonight’s was a bit special, which was why Li Wan had specifically requested backup.
“Xiao Wan, it’s been so long, haven’t you let go yet?” Qin Qianrou finally stopped what she was doing and looked at her friend seriously.
Li Wan paused, sighing softly, “I let go a long time ago.”
“If you’ve let go, why are you so afraid to see him?”
“I’m not afraid, I just feel a little awkward. Besides, Dad doesn’t know that we dated in college.”
Years after graduation, to meet an old flame at a blind date… just thinking about it was awkward.
“If you’re sure you have no feelings for him anymore, just make it clear to him tonight. I remember you two had an amicable breakup back then. It shouldn’t be difficult to communicate now.”
Li Wan gave her friend a resentful look, her tone slightly irritated, “He was the one who insisted on going abroad. I couldn’t handle a long-distance relationship, so I broke up with him. I was upset for a while afterward. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t an amicable breakup, but a breakup out of necessity.”
Qin Qianrou leaned back in her chair, unable to offer any help in this situation.
“Actually, you don’t need to overthink it. Just treat it as seeing an old friend. If you really don’t want to reminisce about the past, then treat it as getting to know each other again. Maybe you weren’t suitable before, but you are now, since he’s back in the country.”
Li Wan waved her hands repeatedly, a look of disgust on her face. “No way am I starting over. Stepping in dog poop once is enough.”
Qin Qianrou was amused by her reaction.
Looking at her classmate of the same age, Li Wan suddenly felt envious. “Seriously, I really envy you. Not dating can really slow down aging. Look at you, you work so hard every day, but your skin is still so good.”
Qin Qianrou rolled her eyes inwardly and said, “Miss Li, you’re not bad yourself!”
“We’re both twenty-eight. How can we be the same as we were at twenty? You have no idea how much money and effort I spend just to maintain myself, but you do it so effortlessly.”
Some people are naturally beautiful, destined to be heaven’s favorites, good at everything, leaving others with nothing to criticize. Qin Qianrou was such an example. Li Wan genuinely envied her friend and liked her from the bottom of her heart.
To become best friends with the aloof Qin Qianrou, Li Wan relied not only on comparable capabilities but also on her sincere heart. She didn’t compare or envy, but treated Qin Qianrou as her best friend wholeheartedly.
“You’re talking as if I’m not twenty-eight. You’re already beautiful enough, so don’t transfer your anxieties to me.”
“Qianrou, I’ll take that as a compliment.”
After chatting for a while, Li Wan brought the topic back. “So you must come with me tonight. I have to make it clear to him that he’s not allowed to hang around my dad anymore!”
Qin Qianrou knew that Li Wan rarely got anxious for days over a dinner, understanding that this meal was more than just a simple meeting. From the moment Li Wan mentioned it, Qin Qianrou had decided to accompany her.
When Qin Qianrou left the office on time after work, everyone was stunned.
“Did the sun rise from the west today?”
“Even Iron Man needs some leisure time.”
“I think I heard Sister Wanwan say something about dinner in her office. Could there be something going on tonight?”
The more they talked, the more excited they became. No one was truly indifferent to the station’s two beauties; they just didn’t dare to gossip openly.
Qin Qianrou had an aloof personality, and Li Wan had her family background; who would dare offend such a powerful pair?
**
The atmosphere in the five-star hotel restaurant in Meng City was excellent, but the people at the table weren’t as cheerful.
Zhuo Cheng arrived fifteen minutes early. Seeing Li Wan, whom he hadn’t seen in six years since their breakup, he immediately stood up.
When he saw Qin Qianrou next to Li Wan, the spark that had momentarily flashed in his eyes was extinguished.
“Xiao Wan, long time no see.”
Li Wan was listless, there purely to appease her father, her attitude clearly displayed on her face.
Zhuo Cheng had matured considerably since his school days and was more composed than before. He dismissed Li Wan’s indifferent attitude with a smile and turned to greet Qin Qianrou.
“Qianrou, hello.”
Qin Qianrou exchanged polite greetings, “Zhuo Cheng, long time no see.”
The three of them sat down. Although it was a combination of handsome men and beautiful women, the atmosphere at the table dropped to freezing point.
Zhuo Cheng kept trying to find topics to converse with Li Wan, but Li Wan clearly maintained a distant attitude. After a few attempts, Zhuo Cheng stopped trying to make conversation.
The three of them ate their steaks in silence. Zhuo Cheng drank almost all the red wine on the table, while the two women didn’t touch a drop.
Qin Qianrou was thinking about Dongsheng Group when she heard someone call her.
“Reporter Qin, is that really you?”
The owner of the voice was clearly delighted, even a little excited. Qin Qianrou looked up and saw a familiar but not very well-known face.
“Captain Qian?”
“You still remember me? Haha, I was worried you wouldn’t and was about to introduce myself.”
Qian Zhifei was the deputy captain of the Economic Investigation Brigade. Last year, Qin Qianrou’s program needed a special guest, and he was the interviewee.
He had a good impression of the reporter at that time, but unfortunately, after their brief collaboration, there were no more opportunities to interact.
“I’m having dinner with a friend and came over to say hello when I saw you. I won’t disturb you. Let’s connect when we have time.” Qian Zhifei observed the situation at the table. He knew Li Wan, but the other man looked unfamiliar.
He had actually come over impulsively because he had run into Qin Qianrou. On the other hand, seeing Qin Qianrou having dinner with a man made him nervous and worried. Fortunately, the atmosphere didn’t seem very intimate, so he probably didn’t pose much of a threat.
Qin Qianrou nodded and responded softly, “Let’s connect next time.”
Qian Zhifei’s appearance didn’t affect the blind date, as the female protagonist was completely disengaged.
Qin Qianrou wasn’t a talkative person, especially in such emotionally charged situations. She wouldn’t take the initiative to get involved, becoming purely a prop accompanying her friend.
Meanwhile, the situation at the hospital wasn’t so peaceful.
After the young nurse finished the call and relayed Qin Qianrou’s reply to Shen Yiqiu, the girl became silent. She didn’t respond to anyone, similar to her previous comatose state.
“Shen Yiqiu, what are you doing?” The nurse was a little annoyed. It was just not being able to see Qin Qianrou, was it necessary to shut down like this?
“Give me the phone. I want to call her.”
The person who had been silent from day to night suddenly spoke, and her first words were about Qin Qianrou.
Actually, she had wanted to say this in the morning when she first heard the news, but Shao Qidong’s hired caregiver was still present. She couldn’t discern the caregiver’s background, so she chose to say nothing.
After her evening wash-up, during the nurses’ rounds, the caregiver could temporarily leave, finally giving Shen Yiqiu an hour of free time.
“You’re still not giving up?”
“Hurry and give it to me!” Shen Yiqiu was anxious, glancing at the door from time to time.
If the caregiver returned, she wouldn’t have the chance to make the call.
The young nurse didn’t understand her intentions but still tried to soothe her, “Don’t get so worked up. Don’t forget you’re still a patient. I only have her office number, and she’s probably off work by now.”
Shen Yiqiu paused, knowing this was true.
But she couldn’t give up this rare, perhaps only, opportunity. Because, according to her past life, Shao Qidong would bring the debt contract tomorrow morning.
Shen Yiqiu clenched her fists, insisting on calling Qin Qianrou.
Unable to refuse her, the nurse went out to get her phone, handing it to her and helping her find the number she had dialed earlier.
“You can only call twice. If she doesn’t answer, just forget it.”
“Deal.”
The first time, after a long ringing tone, there was a busy signal. Shen Yiqiu bit her lip.
She waited a while, then dialed again. This time, someone finally answered.
After she explained her purpose, the person told her that Qin Qianrou had already left work.
Shen Yiqiu refused to hang up, even pleading, “I have something very important to discuss with her. Could you give me her personal number?”
“I can’t do that. After work is her personal time, and even work matters shouldn’t disturb her. Besides, I can’t give her number to strangers.”
“I’m not a stranger. I’m…” Shen Yiqiu couldn’t think of how to convince the person that she knew Qin Qianrou.
However, her so-called acquaintance wasn’t close enough to warrant getting a personal number.
Just as the other person was about to hang up, Shen Yiqiu blurted out, “Then could you call her and tell her that I have information about Dongsheng Group that I want to share with her? If she’s interested, ask her to come to City Central Hospital, Room 3217.”
The person on the other end was stunned for a moment, then agreed.
Shen Yiqiu held the phone and waited for a while, but there was no return call. Normally, if Qin Qianrou received the message, she should have reacted by now, but there was no call back.
The nurse carefully took back her phone, and Shen Yiqiu returned to her silent state. But the nurse could clearly sense her previous urgency.
Perhaps, it really was something important.
“Are… are you okay?”
Shen Yiqiu wearily nodded in response.
The nurse hesitated, then said, “Do you really have to see Reporter Qin?”
“Yes, it has to be her.”
Shen Yiqiu’s heart grew heavier with anxiety. Through her observations during this time, she knew the nurses and doctors were good people. But they only treated her as a patient.
The only person who could save her was Qin Qianrou.
But, Qin Qianrou, will you really come?
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