Chapter 48
Shao Ze continued chattering, his eyes flickering between brightness and dimness, expressing regret and sadness over past events. He usually appeared confident and high-spirited; only in front of Qin Qianrou would he reveal this dejected and haggard side.
However, Qin Qianrou wasn’t really listening, yet she couldn’t help but be affected by his emotions and words. The sadness in his voice as he recounted past events and poured out his heart made it impossible for her to remain completely indifferent.
“Qianrou, what are you thinking about?”
Shao Ze’s soft sigh brought her wandering thoughts back to the present.
“Listening to you express your regrets.”
Shao Ze’s lips twitched slightly. “Were you really listening?”
“You don’t believe me? Then why did you ask me to come?”
Shao Ze wouldn’t, and couldn’t, confide in anyone else; only to Qin Qianrou could he truly express his feelings.
“Sigh, you’re the only one I can talk to about this. If even you’re unwilling to listen, I’ll be truly heartbroken.”
Qin Qianrou wasn’t fooled by his feigned sadness, but her mood wasn’t exactly pleasant either, and she certainly wasn’t in the mood to comfort him.
“If you asked me here just to have someone to talk to, I’m happy to listen. But if you’re hoping to get information about someone from me, I can’t help you. I’m a reporter, not a private investigator, and I haven’t heard anything all these years, so I’m not deliberately keeping anything from you.”
It was rare for Qin Qianrou to offer such a lengthy explanation. Shao Ze, hearing this, understood that his initial request had indeed been unreasonable.
“I understand, I didn’t have much hope to begin with, it was just a desperate attempt.”
Qin Qianrou sensed something unusual. This matter had been weighing on Shao Ze’s heart for years, and he hadn’t let go, she knew that. However, he had never been so eager, so open, so unreserved in expressing his longing.
“Shao Ze, did something happen?”
Shao Ze chuckled bitterly. “Nothing major, just that my father is starting to arrange blind dates for me.”
He glanced at Qin Qianrou, then lowered his gaze to the cup in his hand. “With women.”
Qin Qianrou was surprised but also understanding. After all, at his age, his parents would naturally be concerned about his marital status. Even Li Wan often complained about this, although her parents were relatively open-minded and wouldn’t force her.
“Your uncle hasn’t given up on ‘fixing’ you?”
Shao Ze shook his head glumly. “He has. He thinks I’m beyond saving.”
“Then why arrange blind dates?” Qin Qianrou paused, seemingly having guessed her uncle’s intentions, her voice dropping slightly, “Does he want you to enter a sham marriage?”
Using a sham marriage to conceal the truth was a common practice, and it did seem like something her uncle would do.
“A contractual marriage wouldn’t be completely unacceptable, but that’s not what my father has in mind.” Shao Ze looked up, finally meeting Qin Qianrou’s eyes. “He wants me to deceive someone into marriage, to have children.”
“How could your uncle have such an idea?!”
That was outrageous! Qin Qianrou was furious. Even if it was her own family, she couldn’t accept such a ridiculous and harmful scheme, it would only make everyone unhappy.
“Don’t worry, I definitely won’t compromise or agree to it. So, after much consideration, I’ve decided to fight for myself, at least I won’t harm someone else.”
Shao Ze’s expression showed a rare determination and courage. She had rarely seen him like this.
“I strongly disagree with your uncle’s actions. Although I don’t know if your feelings are right or wrong, but if there’s anything I can do to help, just let me know.”
Shao Ze smiled; this was Qianrou’s way of offering her support.
“Thank you, Qianrou! With your help, I’ll definitely succeed.”
“Don’t put so much pressure on me, your happiness isn’t in my hands. I’ll make some inquiries when I return to Meng City, but I can’t guarantee how much I’ll be able to find out.”
“You’re already doing me a huge favor just by agreeing to help. And I’ll inevitably have another fight with my father. Having someone on my side is better than fighting this battle alone.”
Qin Qianrou took a sip of tea and said softly, “Then be prepared to be kicked out by your uncle again, you might not be able to be called Wen Shao Ze anymore.”
**
Shen Yiqiu was dozing off when the doorbell, signaling the arrival of her room service, startled her awake. She had no appetite, but she was afraid Qin Qianrou would ask, and she definitely wouldn’t tell her the truth.
Oh well, might as well order something to keep up appearances.
The hotel chef’s skills were quite good. Shen Yiqiu mechanically ate the egg fried rice, her mind in a daze. She was in a state of extreme confusion and turmoil, afraid of her hidden feelings being discovered.
She would take a few bites, then pause to contemplate and struggle, her brow constantly furrowed. Shen Yiqiu unconsciously ate most of the fried rice, and by the time she realized it, she was already stuffed.
She felt uncomfortable, her stomach upset, her heart even more so.
Before this feeling could subside, Qin Qianrou returned, much earlier than Shen Yiqiu had expected. It seemed she had come straight back after dinner, with no other plans, and the meal hadn’t lasted long.
Shen Yiqiu marveled at her own rapidly improving deduction skills, albeit for such a ridiculous reason.
Qin Qianrou, upon entering, saw Shen Yiqiu leaning against the sofa, rubbing her stomach, and the food on the table. Her expression darkened.
“Are you feeling unwell?”
Shen Yiqiu looked nervous and unnatural, instinctively avoiding Qin Qianrou’s gaze. “Ah! No, the fried rice was just too delicious, I accidentally ate too much, I’m so full.”
The other dishes were practically untouched, while the large plate of fried rice had been significantly depleted. Eating such greasy food late at night, and so much of it, Qin Qianrou didn’t know what to say.
She wanted to express her concern, to remind her to be mindful of her portions in the future, but the words caught in her throat. She was also entangled in a strange, chaotic mood tonight, unable to find direction or escape, disturbing her peace of mind.
“I’ll go take a shower, you can rest for a bit.”
Then, after tidying up briefly, Qin Qianrou quietly went into the bathroom.
Shen Yiqiu remained on the sofa, her gaze following Qin Qianrou only when she wasn’t looking. But Qin Qianrou was unusually quiet tonight, as if unwilling to interact.
She actually just went to take a shower, just told me to rest, nothing else. Shen Yiqiu’s heart sank. She had waited all evening, only to hear this.
She felt even worse, rubbing her stomach vigorously, but it didn’t help.
She really wanted to ask, Who did you have dinner with today, was it Shao Ze? Why did you finish so quickly, did Shao Ze drive you back? No other plans tonight, because you didn’t want to, or did you make other plans with him?
Shen Yiqiu felt she was turning into a “problem child,” so many questions, and more importantly, what did any of this have to do with her?
If she annoyed Qin Qianrou with her questions, a simple “It’s none of your business” would shut her down completely.
Thinking this, Shen Yiqiu was somewhat grateful for Qin Qianrou’s silence. Otherwise, she might not be able to resist asking, and things might spiral out of control…
This wasn’t the outcome she wanted. She patted her cheeks, reminding herself to stay calm. She had already decided she couldn’t be so reckless and impulsive anymore, she had to maintain a proper distance from Jiejie. She couldn’t scare Qin Qianrou or make her uncomfortable.
As for herself? Shen Yiqiu smiled bitterly, she didn’t know what was wrong with her, but she just wanted to bury these strange feelings deep within her heart.
Qin Qianrou stayed in the bathroom for an unusually long time. When she came out, Shen Yiqiu had already dozed off on the sofa.
Qin Qianrou’s movements slowed, and she quietly walked over to Shen Yiqiu. She had put down the towel she was using to dry her hair, intending to find a blanket for her, but she stopped as she turned around.
As if recalling something, Qin Qianrou turned back and picked up the towel again. She stared at Shen Yiqiu for a moment, and seeing no signs of her waking up, gently nudged her.
“Mm?” Shen Yiqiu finally woke up, annoyed by this rude awakening.
“If you’re tired, go take a shower.”
“Okay.”
Shen Yiqiu was still groggy, but Qin Qianrou quickly moved away, returning to her own bed to continue drying her hair. And she had her back towards Shen Yiqiu, facing the curtained window.
Shen Yiqiu, her senses heightened, noticed every detail of Qin Qianrou’s actions. Jiejie was acting strangely tonight, as if avoiding her.
Whether it was her own guilt or Qin Qianrou’s deliberate actions, Shen Yiqiu felt a sudden distance between them.
When Shen Yiqiu emerged from the bathroom, she was surprised to see that Qin Qianrou was already asleep.
She went to bed so early tonight… Although this was her first thought, Shen Yiqiu immediately softened her movements, her first instinct to turn off the main light. Then, she quietly retreated to the bathroom to finish her nighttime routine.
Lying in bed, Qin Qianrou couldn’t sleep. She wasn’t particularly tired today, and it was too early for her usual sleep schedule.
**
The night passed uneventfully. When they woke up the next day, the previous night’s awkwardness had dissipated, as if everything was back to normal.
Wen Yirong had set the dinner for that evening, and hearing that Shen Yiqiu was joining them, she chuckled happily over the phone.
Qin Qianrou had to remind her mother not to tease Shen Yiqiu.
Wen Yirong simply responded with an “Oh,” clearly wanting to know more.
“Why can’t I tease her? Such a lovely child, it’s been a while since I’ve interacted with someone so young.”
“You’ll cause misunderstandings.”
“Qianrou, my teasing her won’t cause any misunderstandings. You being so protective of her is more likely to cause misunderstandings, don’t you think?”
Wen Yirong’s half-joking remark made Qin Qianrou reflect: Was she being too protective of Shen Yiqiu? Her mother wasn’t the only one who had said this; perhaps she hadn’t realized it before.
It seemed she should loosen her grip a bit. Shen Yiqiu’s condition was improving day by day, and Rong Fei had also confirmed her recovery was progressing well. Excessive protection wasn’t necessary.
Shen Yiqiu, of course, didn’t know about Qin Qianrou’s thoughts. She had her own struggles, trying to control her occasionally overflowing emotions, which threatened to spill over naturally.
This feeling was especially strong when she was with Qin Qianrou.
I can’t be like this! If Jiejie senses it, she’ll be uncomfortable. Shen Yiqiu mentally scolded herself, Step back, a little further.
Both harboring secret thoughts, unaware of each other’s intentions, they tacitly distanced themselves.
Wen Yirong had arranged the dinner at a small villa on the outskirts of Hai City, a quiet and secluded place not far from the city center. However, since everyone was usually busy, the villa was mostly unoccupied.
A private chef had been hired to prepare the meal. When Qin Qianrou and Shen Yiqiu arrived, Wen Yirong was busy making arrangements. Shao Ze was already waiting in the living room; their uncle hadn’t arrived yet.
Shen Yiqiu hadn’t expected the dinner to be held here. She had assumed it would be at a restaurant, a private room at most. It seemed she had underestimated the Qin family, and she suddenly felt a little nervous.
It wasn’t because of the luxurious setting, but because it felt like a private space, and her presence as an outsider seemed somewhat intrusive. However, seeing Shao Ze’s familiarity with the place, and how casually he was reading a magazine in the living room, she knew this wasn’t his first time here.
He had probably been here many times.
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