Chapter 52 p2
Qin Qianrou was organized and efficient with her work. She didn’t visit the Economic Investigation Brigade frequently, preferring to gather all the information she needed and make a single trip to inquire about everything. Thankfully, she had rescheduled her appointment; otherwise, she would have been busy until evening.
When she left the Economic Investigation Brigade, it was almost 3 pm. Qian Zhifei had been called into an impromptu meeting, and they had only had a brief lunch together, chatting for about half an hour. He had wanted to invite her to dinner, but Qin Qianrou had declined, saying she had other plans.
The sun was already setting, and the chill in the air intensified. Qin Qianrou recalled Shen Yiqiu’s schedule; she vaguely remembered she had four classes this afternoon.
This schedule had left a strong impression because, initially, Shen Yiqiu had complained that having four classes in the afternoon was torture. Sometimes, to avoid dozing off in class, she would eat very little for lunch.
It seemed she remembered every single complaint Shen Yiqiu had ever made…
Passing by a convenience store, Qin Qianrou went in and bought a small rice ball, then drove to Meng Da.
It wasn’t rush hour yet, and the traffic was smooth. Qin Qianrou glanced at the time; classes shouldn’t have ended yet. She parked by the roadside, took out her phone, and contacted her colleagues to delegate the remaining tasks; she wasn’t planning on returning to the station.
After finishing her work arrangements, half an hour had passed, and Qin Qianrou felt a surge of anxiety. She quickly sent Shen Yiqiu a message but didn’t receive a reply. Shen Yiqiu rarely checked her phone during class, but after class, like other young people, her phone was practically glued to her hand.
Qin Qianrou waited patiently in the car, her gaze fixed on the university gate. She spotted Shen Yiqiu in the crowd and was about to get out of the car when she saw someone approach her first.
The person quickly reached Shen Yiqiu, his back blocking Qin Qianrou’s view. His height and build almost perfectly matched the blurry figure she had seen in the darkness last night.
Qin Qianrou was now certain it was a man.
The man was wearing a black motorcycle jacket, a slightly rebellious style, and Qin Qianrou couldn’t help but frown. She couldn’t see his face, but she could see his body language.
He seemed to have been waiting for Shen Yiqiu, immediately approaching her as soon as she emerged. They seemed to be quite familiar, standing very close, and as soon as they met, he put his arm around Shen Yiqiu’s shoulders.
Students passed by them occasionally, their gazes lingering on the man, he seemed to be quite popular.
It made sense; young women were often attracted to older, more mature men. Qin Qianrou had also been a student once, and back then, the most popular figures among her classmates weren’t their male peers, but older students or young teaching assistants.
Qin Qianrou watched, her arms crossed, her brow furrowed, observing them coldly for a while, then decided to approach them. Conjecture was no substitute for firsthand observation. However, just as she stepped forward, the man led Shen Yiqiu away quickly.
Qin Qianrou watched helplessly as Shen Yiqiu disappeared from view, led away by a tall, unfamiliar man, into his car.
After a brief moment of hesitation, Qin Qianrou immediately called Shen Yiqiu. They hadn’t gone far yet, she could still catch up to them.
However, there was no answer, then a message: “The subscriber you have dialed is powered off.”
This had never happened before, and Qin Qianrou was furious, her emotions clearly disturbed. She didn’t even notice someone approaching her.
“Reporter Qin?” Zhang Meng had initially thought she was mistaken, only confirming it was indeed Qin Qianrou after getting closer.
“Zhang Meng, hello.” Qin Qianrou collected herself and regained her composure.
Zhang Meng had a favorable impression of Qin Qianrou, but she also found her intimidating, so she maintained a respectful distance.
“Are you here for Shen Yiqiu?” In Zhang Meng’s mind, Qin Qianrou and Shen Yiqiu were always together.
“I happened to be passing by after work, I thought I’d give her a ride home.”
Zhang Meng nodded understandingly, then said, “I think I saw her earlier, she rushed out as soon as class ended, said someone was waiting for her. Didn’t you see her?”
Qin Qianrou’s hand, inside her coat pocket, tightened, but her expression remained calm.
“Has she met anyone new recently?”
“Anyone new?” Zhang Meng didn’t quite understand what she meant.
Qin Qianrou clarified, “Someone outside her usual circle, or someone from outside the university.”
Zhang Meng’s eyes widened as she remembered.
“Actually, yes, I’ve seen a man coming to the university to see her recently.”
Zhang Meng knew that Shen Yiqiu called Qin Qianrou “Jiejie” and that she was living with her. Although they weren’t related by blood, she felt Reporter Qin should know about this. She didn’t think she was gossiping.
To be honest, she was also worried about this stranger, but she didn’t feel it was her place to interfere.
Thankfully, she had run into Reporter Qin today. Zhang Meng didn’t hide anything, recounting what she had seen, and the rumors she had overheard among her classmates.
Qin Qianrou’s expression turned grim, her mood darkening, but she maintained her composure in front of Zhang Meng.
“Okay, I understand. I’ll look into it, thank you for your concern.” With that, she left without further delay, getting into her car.
Zhang Meng, watching her drive away, thought that Reporter Qin’s personality seemed to change with the seasons, even colder now in early winter.
**
Yuan Qi took Shen Yiqiu to see five or six apartments in a row, exhausting her, and her stomach was now rumbling. The expected schedule change that afternoon hadn’t happened, she had eaten very little for lunch, and she had been holding on until now.
Yesterday, she had eaten until she was stuffed with her cousin; today, she had to endure hunger. Shen Yiqiu was even more determined not to live with him, otherwise, she wouldn’t survive a month.
“Xiao Qiu, what do you think?”
“What do I think about what?”
“The apartments, of course, which one do you like?” Yuan Qi looked at her expectantly.
Shen Yiqiu thought carefully, then answered honestly, “They’re all pretty much the same, but I think they’re a bit too big for you.”
Yuan Qi waved his hand dismissively, “Don’t worry about the money, you should live comfortably if you move in, it would be awkward in a small place.”
Shen Yiqiu sighed helplessly and emphasized again, “Cousin, I’ve already said I don’t want to move, I’m really happy where I am now!”
With the real estate agent present, Yuan Qi couldn’t say much. Besides, he had never been an authoritative figure in front of Shen Yiqiu, so he couldn’t be stern with her.
“Alright, alright, you can move whenever you’re ready. But I’ll keep these apartments in mind, it’ll be more convenient than finding a new place later.”
This was true. Property prices in Meng City were constantly rising, it was better to buy a bigger place now and save money in the long run. Since it was her cousin’s apartment anyway, Shen Yiqiu didn’t say anything more, only offering a few practical suggestions regarding the layout and functionality.
Yuan Qi had wanted to take her to dinner, but Shen Yiqiu, just as she was about to call Qin Qianrou, realized her phone was dead, and she refused to stay out any longer. Seeing her insistence, Yuan Qi had no choice but to take her home.
“Xiao Qiu, are you afraid of Qianrou?”
“Why would you say that?”
“Look at how frantic you were just now, practically jumping out of your skin. It’s just coming home late, not not coming home at all, what are you afraid of?” Yuan Qi paused, then probed, “Is she very strict with you, has she set a lot of rules?”
Shen Yiqiu quickly shook her head, anxiety rising within her. She hadn’t expected to have all four classes that afternoon and hadn’t had time to charge her phone. Her last bit of battery had probably been drained by her cousin’s two calls. How unlucky.
“Jiejie is very nice, she’s never restrictive. She’s too busy to have time for such things.”
I wish she would be more controlling.
Shen Yiqiu felt a pang of sadness, wondering how Jiejie’s meeting with Qian Zhifei had gone today. She realized her feelings for Qin Qianrou were intensifying, she couldn’t bear the thought of other suitors around her.
She wanted to possess Qin Qianrou more completely, she wanted her to be her Jiejie, only hers. But she also didn’t just want Qin Qianrou as her “Jiejie,” she wanted her as… hers.
The thought startled her, and she broke out in a cold sweat. Since when had she become so bold and greedy?
Yuan Qi, seeing Shen Yiqiu constantly defending Qin Qianrou and her eagerness to return home, could only shake his head, but he didn’t delay her any further.
He still didn’t dare to enter the residential complex. This time, he didn’t even get out of the car before Shen Yiqiu darted out like a rabbit. He had to roll down the window and call out to her, “Xiao Qiu, slow down, be careful! Message me when you get home.”
Shen Yiqiu didn’t turn around, simply waving her hand behind her back to acknowledge him.
Yuan Qi then turned the car around and left. As he drove past, he didn’t notice another car parked on the other side of the complex entrance, with someone inside.
The person’s face was hidden in the shadows, but the beard on his chin was faintly visible.
Qin Qianrou, after returning, hadn’t gone home immediately, but had waited at the entrance. Thankfully, Shen Yiqiu hadn’t come home late, and she hadn’t had to wait long.
However, the man’s interaction with Shen Yiqiu, his voice, his beard, all indicated he was much older than her.
Li Wan’s words echoed in her mind: Young girls are easily deceived by older men!
Qin Qianrou didn’t hesitate any longer, driving into the complex and heading straight home.
Shen Yiqiu rushed home, only to be disappointed to find she was the first one there.
Jiejie wasn’t home, and she suddenly felt a little sad. She hurried to her room to charge her phone, afraid of missing Jiejie’s messages.
The door suddenly opened, and Shen Yiqiu knew Qin Qianrou was back. She smiled and ran out, calling out before even reaching the door, “Jiejie, you’re back?”
Qin Qianrou was usually aloof, but it was usually due to exhaustion. But now, she was clearly furious, her anger intensifying upon seeing Shen Yiqiu.
She looked at the person emerging from the room, at her bright, smiling face, and the anger within her surged, her first words, “Why didn’t you answer your phone?!”
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