Chapter 32
After saying all this, Gu Chao seemed to have finally released the pent-up emotions in his chest. He looked up at the sky, his eyes stinging with tears. Tears streamed down his face and into his ears, but as he cried, he began to laugh.
Qin Qianrou and Shen Yiqiu didn’t stop him, letting him cry his heart out. However, Shen Yiqiu’s reaction was a bit unexpected. Qin Qianrou had thought she would comfort him like she had Zhang Meng, with simple yet poignant words.
Now, it seemed, Shen Yiqiu’s composure revealed a certain maturity.
Li Zihua and Ding Song, having circled the area without finding him, returned to the rooftop, intending to continue the search elsewhere with Qin Qianrou and Shen Yiqiu. To their surprise, as soon as they reached the top of the stairs, they heard their friend’s anguished cries.
Rushing to Gu Chao’s side faster than they ever had on the basketball court, Li Zihua and Ding Song squatted beside him, relieved to see their friend, who had been missing for a day, safe and sound.
However, seeing Gu Chao, usually the calmest and most even-tempered of their dorm, now crying uncontrollably, they felt a pang of sadness.
“Chao, it’s not a big deal, really.” Li Zihua waited for a moment, then reached out and grabbed Gu Chao’s arm.
“Yeah, Chao-ge, if it’s too much to bear, we’ll quit together! Don’t do anything rash because of this. Don’t forget you still have us, and you still have Xiao Meng.” Ding Song chimed in, trying to comfort him, but this only agitated Gu Chao further.
Qin Qianrou sensed something from their words. It seemed they were all aware of the source of Gu Chao’s pressure.
“Stay here with him.” Qin Qianrou softly instructed Shen Yiqiu, then lightly tapped Li Zihua’s arm, gesturing for him to come over.
Li Zihua now felt an inexplicable trust in these two women who had come all this way. It was because of their concern and guidance that they had found Gu Chao so quickly.
“You’re all aware of Gu Chao’s situation?”
Li Zihua rubbed his forehead and said ruefully, “Sometimes, after spending a long time in the lab, he becomes… unusual when he comes back to the dorm. At first, we thought he was just tired, but then it happened more frequently, and after asking him a few times, we realized something was wrong here.”
He pointed to his chest, then sighed heavily.
Qin Qianrou listened attentively with her arms crossed. After a moment, she looked up at Li Zihua and asked, “Are you experiencing the same problems as well?”
“What?”
Li Zihua’s obvious evasion didn’t escape Qin Qianrou’s notice. She had suspected this before. Gu Chao was the first to show his emotions outwardly, but that didn’t mean the others in the dorm weren’t affected.
“I don’t mean to offend anyone, I’m just speculating based on the facts. If you’re all under the same advisor, I’d like to know if his guidance and management style is similar for all of you?”
A pained expression appeared on Li Zihua’s face, as if his earlier composure and calmness were all a carefully constructed facade.
“Gu Chao has reached this point today, and I think you shouldn’t suppress your feelings. Sometimes, talking about it can be helpful.”
Qin Qianrou’s calm and gentle voice was like a soft breeze, gently and appropriately brushing against Li Zihua’s wavering heart, offering him strength.
“Yes, our entire dorm is struggling.” He looked towards Gu Chao and said painfully, “Chao is the worst off!”
“Why?”
“Because he’s the most outstanding, the most capable. The boss is most reluctant to let him go.”
The stronger the desire to possess, the more thorough the destruction must be.
Qin Qianrou’s impression of He Chao worsened further. Recalling their meeting at the hospital, she felt somewhat relieved that she hadn’t let Shen Yiqiu go back to Hai City with them.
“Reporter Qin, could you please not report this?”
Qin Qianrou snapped back to reality and, seeing the anxiety in Li Zihua’s eyes, understood his concerns.
“I said, I’m here in a personal capacity today, so I’m just trying to understand the situation from a personal perspective.”
Hearing this, Li Zihua relaxed a little.
“Actually, this isn’t an isolated incident. Sometimes, when we meet students from other majors at the gym, we all complain and realize our advisors are all pretty much the same.”
Li Zihua’s tone revealed a sense of resigned acceptance and disappointment with the harsh reality.
Qin Qianrou couldn’t help but frown. This was what she hated to see the most. They weren’t the ones in the wrong, so why should they bear the brunt of this twisted and unfair reality?
“Let’s not talk about this now. Go back to the dorm with Gu Chao and let him rest properly.”
Seeing that Gu Chao had calmed down a bit, and noticing Shen Yiqiu signaling to her, Qin Qianrou decided not to continue the conversation with Li Zihua. Their current mindset was still distorted, and further questioning would only lead to more sadness.
**
Zhang Meng, who had been anxiously waiting by the phone, finally felt a sense of relief upon hearing that Gu Chao had been found, but she also felt even more heartbroken.
Shen Yiqiu awkwardly held the phone, unsure whether to let Gu Chao speak to Zhang Meng, and looked to Qin Qianrou for guidance.
Qin Qianrou firmly shook her head. Shen Yiqiu then awkwardly comforted Zhang Meng with a few words before hanging up.
“She was crying so hard, so pitiful.” After hanging up, Shen Yiqiu whispered to Qin Qianrou.
“It’s understandable.”
Shen Yiqiu paused, a little curious. “You… seem very indifferent to this kind of thing?”
Now it was Qin Qianrou’s turn to be taken aback. Indifferent?
“I’ve just seen it too many times.”
Without waiting for Shen Yiqiu to say anything more, Qin Qianrou turned and left.
Gu Chao had been found, and it was getting late. They needed to consider their accommodations for the night.
“It looks like we’ll be spending the night in Hai City.” Shen Yiqiu looked at the familiar streets, even the air carrying the scent of memories.
“Where do you want to stay?”
“Ah? I get to decide?” Shen Yiqiu wondered if it was because she was more familiar with the area.
After a moment of thought, she said, “There are only cheap motels around here. We’ll probably have to take a taxi to the city center, the hotels there are better.”
Shen Yiqiu didn’t mind; as long as the motel was clean and safe, it was fine. But Qin Qianrou should stay in a better place.
Qin Qianrou looked at her helplessly and said, “I’m asking you, do you want to go home, or stay at a hotel?”
Home? A sudden pang of pain shot through Shen Yiqiu’s heart. She had come here in a hurry because of Gu Chao, and with Qin Qianrou by her side, she hadn’t felt particularly sad. But the mention of “home” still made it difficult for her to face.
Qin Qianrou, having already sensed her feelings from her reaction, didn’t say anything more. She hailed a taxi and went straight to a five-star hotel in the city center.
“Let’s stay here tonight.”
Shen Yiqiu was stunned. “Aren’t we going back tomorrow?”
“I want to stay another day. We haven’t finished investigating He Chao’s matter, have we?”
Hearing that Qin Qianrou was also interested in He Chao, a smile finally appeared on Shen Yiqiu’s face. She sat beside Qin Qianrou on the same bed. The mattress was soft and springy, sinking under her weight.
Qin Qianrou sat up a little straighter but didn’t deliberately distance herself from Shen Yiqiu. Although she wasn’t used to such close contact, Shen Yiqiu’s sudden proximity didn’t make her feel uncomfortable.
“Are you saying you’re planning to investigate He Chao?”
The sudden glint in Shen Yiqiu’s eyes gave Qin Qianrou a strange feeling, as if this was something she had been planning for a long time.
“You seem very eager about this.”
Shen Yiqiu’s smile faded, and she said seriously, “If he really did those despicable things to his students, shouldn’t he be investigated?”
Qin Qianrou nodded in agreement.
“Is there anything else?”
“Anything else what?”
Qin Qianrou looked at her, noticing the tension in Shen Yiqiu’s expression as her lips gradually straightened. She then slowly said, “I think you know He Chao better than I do, even better than Gu Chao and the others. So you must know something else about him that others don’t, right?”
This… she did know, but should she say it now? And how should she say it?
Shen Yiqiu became entangled in her thoughts, her fingers unconsciously twisting together.
Qin Qianrou’s phone rang. She got up to answer the call, giving Shen Yiqiu a moment to breathe.
However, after the momentary relief, a sense of inexplicable melancholy settled over Shen Yiqiu, and she stared blankly at Qin Qianrou’s back as she stood by the window, talking on the phone.
“Qianrou, you’re in Hai City, and you’re not coming home?” Wen Yirong’s voice, as always, was elegant and calm.
“I’m here on business.”
“Isn’t the matter resolved? Why would you rather stay at a hotel than come home?”
“Mom, it’s not convenient for me to come home this time.”
Wen Yirong was silent for a moment. Just when Qin Qianrou thought her mother was displeased, she heard a soft chuckle from the phone.
“Is it because you have someone with you this time, so it’s not convenient?”
This teasing tone didn’t sound displeased at all; it was clearly playful. Qin Qianrou immediately pictured her mother’s knowing expression.
Seeing that Qin Qianrou didn’t respond, Wen Yirong’s laughter subsided. She didn’t dare to tease her daughter too much, but she had been surprised and curious when she heard Qianrou was back in Hai City.
Then, hearing she had gone straight to Hai City University after landing, she assumed it was for work and didn’t want to disturb her. However, after patiently waiting until evening without a call from her daughter, she realized Qianrou hadn’t intended to tell her family at all.
This wasn’t very endearing, and Wen Yirong, feeling slightly annoyed, had made the call.
“Alright, alright, if it’s not convenient, then it’s not convenient. It’s not like it’s your significant other anyway, so it’s fine if you don’t bring them home.” Wen Yirong gave herself an out, then continued with a hint of seriousness, “But Qianrou, Hai City is still your home. Whether you’re busy with work or not, you should at least let us know when you’re back.”
Qin Qianrou admitted that she hadn’t wanted to alert her family this time, and she had indeed been avoiding them.
She hadn’t expected her mother to be so well-informed, but thankfully, she hadn’t pressed her, as always.
After a moment, Wen Yirong finally received her daughter’s response and chuckled happily.
“Alright, then rest early. Don’t overwork yourself, remember to balance work and rest, and take care of your health.” She thought for a moment, then added, “If you run into any trouble, let me know.”
“I know, thanks, Mom.”
Shen Yiqiu didn’t know who Qin Qianrou was talking to, but judging from her back, she guessed it wasn’t a work call. Because while talking on the phone, Qin Qianrou’s entire demeanor had softened. Even from a distance, Shen Yiqiu could sense the change.
Just as she waited for Qin Qianrou to turn around, Shen Yiqiu’s own phone rang.
As she took the phone out of her pocket, she said with a smile, “We’re both so busy, even this late at night, the calls keep coming.”
But when she saw the caller ID, her smile disappeared.
Qin Qianrou frowned as she continued walking closer, seeing Shen Yiqiu reluctantly answer the call. “Aunt Jiang.”
Her? Qin Qianrou slowed down, trying to minimize any noise, and sat even closer than before.
“Xiao Qiu, I heard you went to Hai City University today, is that true?”
“Yes, I went to find someone.”
“You child, why didn’t you tell us you were back? If you wanted to find someone at Hai City University, you didn’t have to come all the way here yourself, you could have just told me.”
Shen Yiqiu’s dislike became increasingly apparent. Fortunately, the other person couldn’t see it over the phone, but Qin Qianrou could see it clearly.
The room was quiet, and Shen Yiqiu deliberately held the phone away from her ear, so Jiang Yuan’s voice naturally reached Qin Qianrou as well.
“Where are you now? Back in Meng City, or still in Hai City?”
“I’m still in Hai City.”
“Then I’ll come pick you up. Come stay at my place tonight.” Jiang Yuan’s tone was matter-of-fact, but to Shen Yiqiu, it sounded incredibly fake and repulsive.
Qin Qianrou didn’t need to see Shen Yiqiu’s expression; she already knew the answer, which was why she had booked a hotel room without mentioning Jiang Yuan.
“There’s no need to trouble yourself, I have a place to stay. And I’m with someone else, it wouldn’t be convenient to go to your home.”
Jiang Yuan paused, then asked, “Who are you with? Is it Reporter Qin?”
Shen Yiqiu and Qin Qianrou exchanged glances.
“Yes, I’m with her.”
Shen Yiqiu thought Jiang Yuan would give up, but after a brief silence, she persisted.
“Since you and your Aunt Qin are here together, I’ll treat you to dinner tomorrow. It wouldn’t do to come all this way without seeing each other.”
It seemed she couldn’t avoid it.
Shen Yiqiu pursed her lips, considering, unwilling to agree immediately.
Qin Qianrou lightly patted the back of her hand, silently mouthing, “He Chao.”
Shen Yiqiu understood, her eyes gleaming.
“Aunt Jiang, can Uncle He join us for dinner tomorrow? I only had dinner with you last time, and it’s been a while since I’ve seen him.”
A long-lost familiarity and closeness. Although Jiang Yuan still felt something was slightly off, compared to Shen Yiqiu’s previous attitude, this was a significant improvement.
She readily agreed, “No problem, your Uncle He misses you very much too.”
Having achieved her goal, Shen Yiqiu didn’t want to prolong the conversation.
“Alright, see you tomorrow then.”
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