Chapter 64
Shen Yiqiu, leaving the mall after their meal, didn’t go far. She found a cozy bookstore nearby, ordered a latte, and settled into a window seat. The bookstore was always bustling on weekends, thankfully, it wasn’t very large, and the customers were generally considerate and quiet. Even when full, it was still much more peaceful than the mall.
Shen Yiqiu enjoyed this sense of tranquility amidst the surrounding noise.
She had been forcing herself to act normal today. Ever since seeing Qin Qianrou this morning, her heart had been in turmoil. She hadn’t dared to speak first, hadn’t dared to look directly at Qin Qianrou, hadn’t dared to be too close to her, like before.
Yesterday’s impulsive kiss had shattered the carefully maintained distance between them, revealing the affection she had kept hidden deep within her heart. Jiejie hadn’t sent her away, hadn’t scolded her, but Shen Yiqiu still blamed herself for being too greedy.
She still yearned for Qin Qianrou’s warmth, couldn’t forget the feeling of their brief intimacy, and hadn’t given up on her feelings. However, she was also afraid, afraid of Qin Qianrou discovering her true intentions, then she might really have to move out.
Would she really have to go live with her cousin, like he had suggested?
Just the thought made Shen Yiqiu shake her head; leaving Jiejie would be unbearable, she couldn’t do that.
So, she had to find a way to stay, to maintain this current situation, so that she might still have a chance in the future.
The book in her hand was one she had found in Jiejie’s bookshelf while tidying up a while ago. She had initially been drawn to the bouquet of roses, happy and surprised that Jiejie had kept them so carefully.
Then, looking closer, she noticed a complete set of books by the same author on Jiejie’s bookshelf. Coincidentally, her mother had also been a fan. But back then, she had been too young to understand such books.
Her mother had never forced her to read anything; she encouraged good reading habits but never imposed a reading list. Shen Yiqiu had grown up in a loving and tolerant environment, which was why her personality was gentle yet firm, not prone to extremes, but also not one to give up easily.
She hadn’t expected Jiejie to like this author as well.
Shen Yiqiu looked down at the book, recalling her mother’s words, that this author’s perspectives and ideas were unique, but their subject matter wasn’t popular, even niche, not widely appreciated by the general public. Only those with sufficient life experience and strong convictions would find these books captivating and unforgettable.
Shen Yiqiu had tried reading them before, but they had indeed been a bit obscure. She had been only fourteen at the time, too young to truly understand.
Her drowsiness gradually faded after the coffee, and having read most of the book, Shen Yiqiu stretched her neck and looked out the window.
A familiar figure that made her heart clench suddenly walked past. Shen Yiqiu’s eyes widened, and she looked again to confirm, it was indeed Shao Qidong.
It had been a while since she had last seen him, but Shen Yiqiu wouldn’t forget this person, or the harm he had caused her. She had been patiently waiting, she had never given up on exposing this hypocrite.
Shen Yiqiu returned the book and quickly left the bookstore, following Shao Qidong.
She had noticed earlier that he wasn’t alone, there were two middle-aged men with him, seemingly older than him, the three of them chatting as they walked.
Shen Yiqiu didn’t dare to get too close, afraid of being seen. Although Shao Qidong no longer had any leverage over her, he hadn’t given up on the Shen family’s research. She had donated those preliminary patents, firstly, to fulfill her father’s wish and benefit society, and secondly, to deter Shao Qidong’s greed.
But Shen Zhifeng had other, more valuable research hidden away. Shen Yiqiu didn’t know the details yet, but she wouldn’t forget how Shao Qidong had repeatedly pressured and threatened her in her past life, demanding information.
Back then, she had also constantly wondered, What exactly did my father leave behind?
Even from a distance, Shen Yiqiu felt a sense of unease upon seeing Shao Qidong. That familiar, faint ache in her chest hadn’t appeared in a long time, and she had almost believed her life was finally returning to normal, that she wouldn’t experience any more bizarre incidents.
Yet, today, it had returned.
The pang of pain was brief, different from before, this time without any accompanying images, just a momentary discomfort. Shen Yiqiu didn’t dare to be careless, she knew Shao Qidong’s capabilities and his ruthlessness, she couldn’t let her guard down.
To her surprise, Shao Qidong and the two men entered the mall she had just left. Shen Yiqiu followed them inside and saw them enter a glass elevator, unsure which floor they were going to.
Following them in the same elevator was out of the question, but the mall was crowded, with countless shops and restaurants, if she lost them, she wouldn’t know where to find them.
Shen Yiqiu calmly considered the possibilities, first eliminating the floors dedicated to women’s fashion and sportswear; Shao Qidong clearly wouldn’t be here to buy clothes, so the men’s fashion floor was also ruled out.
Three middle-aged men going to the movies? The image was too ridiculous, so the top floor was also eliminated.
The arcade and toy stores? Impossible.
Karaoke? Too old-fashioned. If they were discussing business, they would go to a nightclub or a private club, not an hourly rental place with discount promotions.
The only remaining possibility was the floor where they had dined earlier, two floors dedicated to about thirty restaurants.
The scope had narrowed, but it was still difficult to find them. Once inside a restaurant, especially one with private rooms, they would be hidden from view.
Shen Yiqiu felt a little discouraged, having followed them all the way here, only to lose them.
“Shen Yiqiu?” A familiar voice called out from behind her, the accompanying scent drawing closer.
She turned around and saw Li Wan and Lin Shuangzhi approaching her.
“Why are you back?” Li Wan was surprised, then asked tentatively, “Or were you in the mall all along?”
“No, I was just at the bookstore.” She hesitated, unsure whether to mention what she had just seen.
Besides Shao Qidong, she didn’t recognize the other two men, but they looked familiar, as if she had seen them somewhere before. It wasn’t their faces that had left a strong impression, but their distinctive beer bellies and their attire.
One was a rotund, middle-aged man with a penchant for purple, wearing a purple shirt, tie, jacket, and even a purple scarf. The other, regardless of the season, always sported slicked-back hair and a protruding beer belly, a somewhat comical figure.
And the person who had described them so vividly was Li Wan. Shen Yiqiu had seen their photos on Li Wan’s WeChat Moments, they were from the television station.
Shao Qidong enjoyed positive media coverage, but Dongsheng had its own PR department, there was no need for him to be so close to people from the television station, it couldn’t just be because of the news reports.
Shen Yiqiu became suspicious, anything related to Qin Qianrou couldn’t be taken lightly.
“We just finished watching a movie, we’re a little hungry, want to join us for afternoon tea?”
Lin Shuangzhi glanced at the time; the timing was perfect.
“Yes, after afternoon tea, Qianrou’s errands should be done, and you can go home for dinner.” Lin Shuangzhi also chimed in, it seemed the movie had put both her and Li Wan in a good mood.
Shen Yiqiu, however, was still thinking about Shao Qidong and wasn’t in the mood for tea.
“Sister Li Wan, I just saw Shao Qidong, I followed him here.”
“Shao Qidong? Is he still bothering you?” Li Wan recalled the incident at the hospital; Qin Qianrou had mentioned it to her.
“He didn’t see me. There were two other men with him, they looked familiar, like people from your television station.”
Li Wan and Lin Shuangzhi exchanged glances, surprise on their faces.
“Can I see your WeChat Moments again?”
Li Wan had set her privacy settings to “visible for three days,” so those older photos were no longer accessible.
Li Wan handed her phone over, then thought it would take too long.
“Just describe their characteristics, it’s too time-consuming to scroll through my Moments one by one.”
Li Wan thought that for Shen Yiqiu to remember them so clearly, they must have distinctive features, either exceptionally good-looking or exceptionally… not.
So, Shen Yiqiu repeated Li Wan’s earlier descriptions of the two men, and Lin Shuangzhi couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Xiao Wan, if Deputy Director Ding and Director Yu knew you described them like that, they wouldn’t be very happy.”
Li Wan playfully glared at her. “I’m not wrong, can you deny it?”
Li Wan quickly found a photo of the two men, pointed at it, and asked Shen Yiqiu, “Look, is it them?”
Shen Yiqiu confirmed, it was them.
Lin Shuangzhi’s smile disappeared, and Li Wan stopped joking, their expressions turning serious.
Shen Yiqiu, sensing the change in atmosphere, guessed that Shao Qidong’s contact with them wasn’t a simple matter.
“Is there something wrong?”
Before Li Wan could speak, Lin Shuangzhi said, “Dongsheng recently invested a large sum in advertising at the station, claiming it’s to expand their brand influence, so many people at the station now see Dongsheng as their savior.”
Shen Yiqiu, hearing it was a business matter, relaxed slightly.
Lin Shuangzhi continued, “Shao Qidong is probably trying to build relationships with people at the station, so he can suppress any negative news about Dongsheng.”
This was a common practice for large corporations, paying to have negative news removed, a despicable yet effective tactic.
Li Wan looked at Lin Shuangzhi, hesitant to speak.
Lin Shuangzhi gently patted her shoulder and shook her head.
“Xiao Wan and I just remembered we have something to do, we’ll have to postpone our afternoon tea.”
Shen Yiqiu, not having wanted to go in the first place, was relieved.
“Then I’ll be going.”
Lin Shuangzhi stopped her. “Wait a moment.”
Turning to Li Wan, she said, “Xiao Wan, call Qianrou and ask her to drive Yiqiu home.”
Shen Yiqiu was puzzled, why call Jiejie?
They were in the city center, getting home was easy, there were no safety concerns.
Li Wan stepped aside, spoke briefly on the phone, then returned.
“Qianrou said she’s finished her errands and is on her way.”
Shen Yiqiu felt conflicted, happy that Jiejie was coming to pick her up, yet also feeling it was troubling her unnecessarily. She wanted to be the one taking care of Jiejie.
“Shen Yiqiu, don’t worry too much about the Shao Qidong matter, just enjoy your weekend.” Li Wan pulled her closer. “Remember to cherish your time with Qianrou, don’t waste it!”
Qin Qianrou arrived quickly, but she didn’t enter the mall.
“Shen Yiqiu, I’m parked across the street from the subway entrance, come over.”
After Shen Yiqiu left, the relaxed expression on Li Wan’s face vanished.
“Team Leader, should we wait here?”
Lin Shuangzhi shook her head. “We don’t even know where they went, waiting here is a waste of time. There have been rumors at the station lately, it seems Dongsheng wants to get involved as well.”
Li Wan thought that tonight’s date seemed to be ending early. Given the team leader’s workaholic nature, would she suggest working overtime together?
“I want to go for a drink, are you interested?”
???
Why was the team leader suggesting drinks again? Li Wan finally realized that Lin Shuangzhi’s mood always seemed to sour whenever Shao Qidong was involved.
“It’s not even dark yet, and you want to drink? Besides, how will we drive after drinking?”
“Aren’t you here?”
Li Wan sighed, she truly had no resistance to the team leader’s gentle requests, whatever she said, she would agree to.
**
Shen Yiqiu brought a wave of cool air into the car as she got in, slightly dispelling the warmth inside.
“Jiejie, have you been waiting long?”
“No, I just arrived.” Qin Qianrou only glanced at Shen Yiqiu as she opened the car door, then looked straight ahead as she fastened her seatbelt.
Shen Yiqiu settled in, waiting for her to start the car, but Qin Qianrou didn’t move.
“Walk slowly in the future, be careful.”
Shen Yiqiu was puzzled, what did Jiejie mean by that?
Qin Qianrou’s ears felt slightly warm, and she tried to clarify, “Don’t run just because you’re afraid of making me wait. There are so many cars, it’s better to be careful.”
Oh, so Jiejie was concerned about her safety.
“Okay, I’ll be careful.”
Qin Qianrou finally started the car. As dusk settled, Shen Yiqiu looked out the window, her hand supporting her chin. Jiejie’s attitude seemed different from lunchtime, but she couldn’t pinpoint the change.
She wanted to talk to Qin Qianrou, but she was afraid of annoying her, so she remained silent.
Qin Qianrou suddenly turned on the car stereo. She usually preferred listening to the radio, but the car was unusually quiet today.
Qin Qianrou liked classic Cantopop and Mandopop songs. Shen Yiqiu had secretly looked at her playlist before, they were all songs she was familiar with, but not very knowledgeable about.
She had searched for those songs online and listened to them. Unlike the current popular songs, the ones Qin Qianrou liked were mostly slow love songs, some even quite melancholic.
“Jiejie, you seem to really like this singer.”
“Yes, I practically grew up listening to her songs during my student years.”
“I’ve seen her variety show, where she’s a mentor, teaching students to sing. I like her too.” Shen Yiqiu, searching for common ground, brought up the singer.
Qin Qianrou hadn’t had time to watch the variety show, she preferred the singer’s earlier works, when she just focused on singing.
“She hasn’t released any new songs in years, I was also surprised to hear she was on a variety show, but thankfully, the reviews have been good.”
They chatted, the atmosphere easing, the earlier awkwardness and deliberate distance seemingly forgotten.
The music continued playing, the lyrics still melancholic, to Shen Yiqiu’s ears.
“I believe you’re just afraid of hurting me, not deceiving me, how could someone who truly loved be willing to let go…?”
As she listened, Shen Yiqiu couldn’t help but wonder, If my dream ends, what will be left?
Qin Qianrou drove into the residential complex, but she didn’t go straight home, instead heading towards the supermarket.
“I suddenly want sweet and sour spare ribs, let’s buy some.”
Shen Yiqiu’s melancholy dissipated, and she followed Qin Qianrou out of the car. She had already stocked the fridge with ingredients, but since Jiejie had made a request, she naturally wanted to fulfill it.
Reaching the meat section, Qin Qianrou carefully scanned the display, then sighed, a little discouraged, “I’m not good at choosing these.”
Shen Yiqiu volunteered and quickly selected a suitable rack of ribs.
After asking the butcher to prepare it, they headed home with their purchase.
“It’s getting a bit late, but we should still be able to make it in time.” Shen Yiqiu calculated the time, the bag of ribs in her hand.
Back at home, Shen Yiqiu quickly changed her clothes and went straight to the kitchen.
Soon, the familiar, comforting sounds of cooking filled the apartment. It was the soundtrack of someone preparing a delicious meal for her, always enough to make her heart flutter.
Qin Qianrou went to the kitchen under the guise of getting some water. Shen Yiqiu smiled and told her to be patient, she would be quick. Returning to the living room, Qin Qianrou sipped her water, recalling Rong Fei’s words.
That so-called most effective method of confirmation was naturally unsuitable, but after the joke, Rong Fei had offered some advice. She suggested Qin Qianrou confront her true feelings, try spending more time with Shen Yiqiu, and see if her heart was willing to accept these feelings.
If her heart was willing, then any further resistance would be futile, only causing pain for both of them, a lose-lose situation.
After a few deep breaths, Qin Qianrou put down her glass and walked to the kitchen.
Shen Yiqiu heard her footsteps and knew who it was without turning around.
“Jiejie, if you’re hungry, have some crackers.”
Qin Qianrou’s footsteps drew closer, stopping right behind her.
Shen Yiqiu’s movements gradually slowed, her body stiffening slightly. But she didn’t dare to turn around, she barely dared to speak.
Just as the atmosphere in the kitchen was about to become awkwardly silent, Qin Qianrou spoke. “I’ll help you.”
Shen Yiqiu was surprised. Jiejie wasn’t someone who just sat and waited to be served; she had tried before. However, some people simply lacked culinary talent, and Qin Qianrou was a classic example.
Reporter Qin, so capable and confident at the television station, was a complete novice in the kitchen. After so many years of living alone, she was still only proficient at cooking noodles and instant meals.
“You’ll get splashed by the hot oil if you stand here.” Shen Yiqiu couldn’t bear the thought of Jiejie getting hurt.
Qin Qianrou didn’t budge, but her hand, resting on the counter, trembled slightly.
She forced herself to remain calm, insisting, “I was the one who requested the sweet and sour spare ribs, how can I let you do all the work? I want to help, otherwise, it won’t taste as delicious.”
Qin Qianrou, perhaps for the first time, felt she was making an unreasonable request, her voice lacking conviction towards the end.
Her weakened tone was even more alluring.
Shen Yiqiu’s heart raced, and after a few deep breaths to calm herself down, she finally turned around to look at Qin Qianrou.
Qin Qianrou was standing very close, their faces almost touching.
“Then… you can help me from the side. Stand behind me when I’m frying the ribs, okay?”
Qin Qianrou’s heart was touched, even with such a small matter as cooking, Shen Yiqiu’s first thought was to protect her.
Her gaze softened, although still not quite used to such close proximity, Qin Qianrou didn’t deliberately distance herself like before.
Following her heart felt surprisingly… pleasant.
She smiled faintly, her tone, however, still as usual. “As you command, Chef Shen.”
Jiejie is actually joking with me? Shen Yiqiu was startled, then overjoyed.
This meant, at least, that Jiejie didn’t dislike her company, she could still cook for her.
This was good, truly good.
When it came time to fry the ribs, Shen Yiqiu, as promised, pulled Qin Qianrou behind her, completely shielding her from the splattering oil. As the oil heated up and the ribs were added to the wok, the sizzling sound filled the kitchen.
Qin Qianrou felt herself changing, easily melting in this not-so-romantic yet undeniably warm atmosphere. The walls around her heart, carefully constructed over the years, were crumbling under Shen Yiqiu’s constant care and tenderness, the cracks spreading until, at this moment, they were almost completely shattered.
Qin Qianrou pursed her lips and, for the first time, reached out a slightly trembling hand, gently placing it on Shen Yiqiu’s waist.
Her first thought was, Such a slender waist. Then, This child has lost weight.
Shen Yiqiu’s attention was divided between the ribs in the wok and ensuring Qin Qianrou wasn’t being splashed by the hot oil, her mind racing. By the time she realized it, Qin Qianrou’s hand had moved from her waist to her shoulder.
“So, the ribs have to be fried like this to be delicious.”
Shen Yiqiu thought she had imagined it, a slight itch on her waist, but now, with Jiejie’s voice by her ear, her heart also felt… itchy.
“I learned it online.”
“I often see recipes online too, but I always fail when I try them.”
Hearing the rare hint of childishness in Qin Qianrou’s voice, Shen Yiqiu smiled reassuringly, “It’s alright, you shouldn’t be wasting your time and energy on these things, I can do it.”
Qin Qianrou looked at her intently, and Shen Yiqiu realized the slight ambiguity in her words.
Afraid of making Jiejie uncomfortable, afraid of seeing the helplessness and rejection in her eyes, Shen Yiqiu stared at the wok, not daring to turn around, the smile on her lips freezing.
After a moment, Qin Qianrou sighed softly and nudged her. “They should be almost done, take them out.”
A flurry of activity, thankfully, she hadn’t overcooked them, otherwise, there would be no spare ribs for Jiejie.
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