Chapter 49 p2
Shen Yiqiu reluctantly let go, her eyes still fixed on Qin Qianrou.
She didn’t ask Qin Qianrou to stay, there was no reason to. But she just wanted to look at her, she had been deliberately avoiding her all evening, and now she couldn’t bear it any longer.
Qin Qianrou looked away, said “Good night,” and quickly turned to leave.
The sound of the door closing, then the sound of the next door opening, and Shen Yiqiu smiled in a daze.
Shao Ze was her brother, not her boyfriend, and Jiejie was still her Jiejie.
This was good.
Shen Yiqiu drifted off to sleep, sleeping soundly throughout the night. She woke up naturally a little after 5 am, realizing she hadn’t even washed up before going to bed, unable to tolerate her own sloppiness.
She got up, showered, and tidied up. Seeing that it was still early, she returned to bed and took out her phone.
She entered Qin Qianrou’s name in the search bar and read through all the related news articles. Shao Ze’s appearance had made her aware of her own hidden feelings, and last night, she had realized she still knew very little about Jiejie.
She wanted to know more about Qin Qianrou, to understand her better, to be closer to her.
Qin Qianrou had barely slept, she had spent the entire night thinking about Shen Yiqiu’s behavior. Her emotional shifts had been too obvious, making her wonder.
Especially the sudden brightness in her eyes when she learned Shao Ze was her cousin’s son, it had both moved and startled Qin Qianrou.
At that moment, Qin Qianrou had instinctively felt that Shen Yiqiu was happy. But was knowing Shao Ze’s identity worth such joy?
And the way she had clung to her clothes, afraid of her leaving, had both touched and worried her. This child was too reliant on her, to the point of being inseparable. If this continued, would Shen Yiqiu always be by her side?
Qin Qianrou didn’t dislike this scenario, but she felt it wasn’t right, it wasn’t good for Shen Yiqiu’s growth. She needed to have her own life, they were just acquaintances, sharing a brief moment in time.
Thinking this, Qin Qianrou felt a pang of sadness, as if reluctant to let go of their current situation too soon. This conflicting mindset made her even more restless.
She tossed and turned, unable to sleep peacefully.
They returned to Meng City that afternoon. Shao Ze personally drove them to the airport. Shen Yiqiu’s attitude towards him had completely changed, and she even joked with him, which surprised both Shao Ze and Qin Qianrou.
Shao Ze shook his head in amazement. “The sun must have risen from the west today, Shen Yiqiu actually responded to my jokes. Tsk, tsk, spending a night at the villa really made a difference, you’re becoming more and more like family.”
Shen Yiqiu’s ears felt slightly warm, and she didn’t know how to respond. Admitting it was definitely out of the question, but she didn’t want to deny it either.
Qin Qianrou came to her rescue. “Focus on driving.”
Although Shao Ze was older than Qin Qianrou, he seemed to listen to her. She had told him to focus on driving, so he didn’t say anything more, and the car returned to its previous silence.
Shen Yiqiu had been in a good mood since morning, but Qin Qianrou seemed listless. After being asked, she simply said she hadn’t slept well last night and didn’t elaborate.
Shen Yiqiu felt distressed for her, but besides offering words of concern, she couldn’t do anything. She thought about adjusting her cooking repertoire when they got back, preparing meals that promoted sleep, so Jiejie could have a good night’s rest after a long day at work.
Thinking this, Shen Yiqiu’s anticipation grew, and she wished she could fly back to Meng City immediately.
The first week back in Meng City, they were both busy. Shen Yiqiu had to catch up on her missed classes, and Qin Qianrou had to deal with the accumulated work. Overtime seemed to have become the norm again.
“Jiejie, are you coming home for dinner tonight?”
Shen Yiqiu called just as Qin Qianrou finished a meeting and was walking back to her office with Li Wan.
“I have to work overtime tonight.”
“Okay, then I’ll stay at school and do my homework.”
After hanging up, Li Wan looked at her, puzzled.
Only after returning to their office did Li Wan ask, “You’ve been in meetings all afternoon, and you’re not tired? Planning to work overtime again?”
“Is there a problem?”
“No problem with working overtime, but I think there’s something wrong with you.”
Qin Qianrou opened her meeting notes, preparing to revise a report.
“What’s wrong with me?”
Li Wan stared at her for a long time, until Qin Qianrou finally looked up, and then she slowly said, “Qianrou, you’ve been working overtime ever since you came back from Hai City.”
Qin Qianrou didn’t react; this was perfectly normal for her.
“Who are you avoiding?”
Qin Qianrou stiffened and immediately denied it. “I’m not avoiding anyone.”
Li Wan’s voice, laced with a smile, came again. “Then why are you afraid to go home, insisting on working overtime until late at night?”
Qin Qianrou’s overtime hours this week had broken records. Even Lin Shuangzhi had remarked that the vacation must have recharged Qin Qianrou, making her even more productive.
Li Wan looked at her with a knowing smile, not urging her, but clearly waiting for an answer. Qin Qianrou tried to ignore her gaze but felt a sense of annoyance at being seen through.
“I was on leave for so long, if I don’t catch up on my work, it’ll affect the team’s progress. I don’t want my personal matters to interfere with my work, is there something wrong with that?”
“Nothing wrong, it was just a guess. Qianrou, you don’t have to be so defensive.”
Li Wan’s words made Qin Qianrou realize she had been a bit too tense.
Was it because she was afraid of being seen through, or was it because this was the excuse she had been telling herself?
Li Wan didn’t push further. She stood up, adjusted her shirt, and said, “Hurry up and finish your work, when you can finally leave on time, I’ll come over for dinner.”
The sudden change of topic startled Qin Qianrou. “What?”
“I miss Shen Yiqiu’s cooking, it’s been a while, I’m craving it.”
Qin Qianrou felt a pang of displeasure, but she couldn’t find a reason to refuse. There was no reason to prevent Li Wan from coming over, but why did it suddenly feel uncomfortable?
“She hasn’t been cooking for long, it’s rare for her cooking to be so memorable. I’ll let her know, I’ll ask her to make extra dishes for you when you come over.”
Li Wan didn’t seem to mind, her tone casual and familiar. “No need to trouble her, I’ll just message her directly.”
With that, Li Wan left.
Qin Qianrou’s thoughts wandered. Do they message each other often?
**
Late autumn had passed, and the nights were getting colder. Qin Qianrou, leaving the television station after working overtime, tightened her wool coat.
Her car was being serviced, and she had been working late these past few days, so she took a taxi home. But today, just as she left the building, she saw a figure in the distance, seemingly looking in her direction.
She looked over, and the person quickly walked away, leaving Qin Qianrou with only a fleeting glimpse of their back.
She didn’t think much of it; the taxi she had called arrived. When she got home, the living room light was on, and there was food on the dining table. Since returning from Hai City, she hadn’t had dinner at home in a long time.
After a while, Shen Yiqiu had stopped asking, but she still prepared dinner for her every day. If she didn’t return by dinnertime, it would be saved as a late-night snack. Every day, no matter how late, there was always food waiting for her when she got home.
Shen Yiqiu’s studies seemed to have intensified recently. If Qin Qianrou wasn’t coming home for dinner, she wouldn’t rush to the supermarket, spending more time at school instead.
Sometimes, when Qin Qianrou returned late, she would see the light on in Shen Yiqiu’s room; she must still be studying. Qin Qianrou would soften her movements, trying not to disturb her. Later, when she was ready for bed, she would see the light still on in Shen Yiqiu’s room.
Why has she suddenly become so studious?
Qin Qianrou was puzzled, but they rarely saw each other lately, only during those brief mornings, not enough time to ask.
**
Shen Yiqiu was indeed studying diligently. Since returning from Hai City, she had gradually noticed a change in Qin Qianrou. Jiejie was deliberately distancing herself, creating space between them, which made her sad.
She wondered if she had been too obvious, if Jiejie had noticed her feelings. So, she had become cautious, suppressing her emotions. But Qin Qianrou, besides working late, didn’t seem to have changed otherwise. Every morning, she would still ask about Shen Yiqiu’s plans for the day, or how she was doing. Li Wan had visited twice, and the atmosphere had been normal.
Shen Yiqiu wondered if she was being too sensitive, if Jiejie was simply too busy lately. Thinking this, she felt a pang of heartache, imagining Qin Qianrou working long hours, eating takeout late at night, and she became even more determined to cook delicious and nourishing meals for her.
Even if it was just a late-night snack, she would always try to vary the dishes, hoping to provide Jiejie with a proper meal after a tiring day.
Besides this, she didn’t dare to show any affection. She thought that being able to maintain this distance, to continue living like this, was already enough.
When Jiejie wasn’t so busy anymore, perhaps they could go back to how things were before.
With He Chao gone, and Shao Qidong temporarily out of the picture, Shen Yiqiu felt she couldn’t miss this opportunity, cherishing the chance to focus on her studies. Compared to her past life, where she had simply drifted through university, she now wanted a better future, so she couldn’t waste her time.
Jiejie was so outstanding, she couldn’t be too far behind, otherwise, how could she stay by Jiejie’s side? Unconsciously, Shen Yiqiu had started viewing Qin Qianrou as a role model, a guiding light.
She admired her outstanding and exceptional Jiejie and wanted to become just as remarkable.
One day, her advisor informed her that someone had come to the university looking for her, claiming to be her relative. Shen Yiqiu then remembered her cousin, Yuan Qi.
They were both surprised when they met in the advisor’s office.
“My goodness, Xiao Qiu, you’ve grown up so much!”
Shen Yiqiu stood awkwardly by the door, then said, “Cousin, you have a beard now.”
Seeing that they did indeed know each other, and hearing Shen Yiqiu address him as her cousin, the advisor was reassured that they were indeed related and allowed them to meet privately, but they weren’t allowed to leave campus.
As Shen Yiqiu led her cousin across campus, it happened to be lunchtime, and many students were milling about. Seeing Shen Yiqiu with a man who, although not very old, was clearly not a student, they couldn’t help but stare.
Shen Yiqiu, however, had no time to pay attention to them; she was still processing her cousin’s sudden appearance.
“Xiao Qiu, I was on a sea expedition, away from land, completely cut off from the outside world. I only heard about the He Chao incident recently, and then I found out about what happened to your family.”
Her usually carefree and adventurous cousin was now filled with regret and remorse, blaming himself for not being there for her when she needed him most.
“I’m fine now, Cousin, don’t blame yourself. Accidents happen, no one could have predicted it. And I’m grateful that you came to see me as soon as you returned.”
Yuan Qi looked at Shen Yiqiu. She had grown taller, her features more mature, more beautiful. But she was still as kind and sweet as before, always so understanding.
“Don’t worry, I won’t be traveling anymore, you’ll always be able to find me.”
“You’re not going on your world tour anymore?”
“Not for now, I’ll settle down in Meng City. Come live with me, I’ll take care of you.”
Shen Yiqiu stared at the bearded man before her, as if seeing him for the first time.
Even her cousin had changed, suddenly wanting to settle down.
But she didn’t want to live with him.
“I’m an adult now, I can take care of myself. And I’m currently living with Jiejie, it’s… nice.” Her voice trailed off, a hint of shyness in her tone.
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