Chapter 71 p1
Qin Qianrou glanced at the time, surprised by how late it was. She sat up, extracting herself from Shen Yiqiu’s embrace, maintaining a calm facade, but a slight shyness lingered within her.
“Are you hungry? I’ll order room service.”
Shen Yiqiu didn’t want to do anything, didn’t want to go anywhere, she just wanted to be with Qin Qianrou.
“Whatever you want, Jiejie.”
Qin Qianrou, as if remembering something, glanced at her, then stood up and went to the bathroom without saying a word.
Shen Yiqiu’s gaze followed her until the door closed, then she turned back and habitually reached for her phone, only to realize it was still in her coat pocket. She quickly got up to retrieve it from the closet, realizing one side of her body was numb.
But… she felt so happy.
She would willingly be Jiejie’s pillow forever.
As expected, there were many messages, thankfully, nothing urgent.
Fifteen minutes later, Qin Qianrou emerged from the bathroom, having washed her face, and seeing Shen Yiqiu replying to messages, she didn’t disturb her. She ordered their usual room service, adding a few extra dishes.
She quietly took Shen Yiqiu’s empty glass and replaced it with a fresh, warm one.
“The restaurant is a little busy on weekends, it might take a while.”
Shen Yiqiu looked up at her with a sweet smile. “It’s okay, I’m not hungry.”
She was content, having already received her fill of hugs and kisses today.
Qin Qianrou chuckled, looking at her, “If you’re not hungry, then whose stomach was rumbling just now?”
Shen Yiqiu instinctively touched her stomach, slightly embarrassed. “That was because I was happy.”
Qin Qianrou raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to elaborate.
Her expression seemed to say, Let’s see how you explain a rumbling stomach representing happiness.
Shen Yiqiu, unfazed, explained earnestly, “I just gained a girlfriend, my entire being is overjoyed, it’s a cause for universal celebration.”
Qin Qianrou, unable to correct her misuse of the idiom “普天同庆” (pǔ tiān tóng qìng), which means “the whole world celebrates together,” usually used for major national events or celebrations, was amused and chuckled.
“So easily satisfied?”
Shen Yiqiu put down her phone, walked over, wrapped her arms around Qin Qianrou’s waist, and looked at her.
“Not easily satisfied, I just acquired the best thing in the world.”
Perhaps it was the change in their relationship, but Qin Qianrou found this illogical and nonsensical statement surprisingly endearing. Instead of rolling her eyes, she felt a surge of warmth in her heart.
She gently pinched Shen Yiqiu’s earlobe. “I need to catch up on some work.”
Shen Yiqiu nuzzled her cheek against Qin Qianrou’s before letting go and returning to her messages.
Qin Qianrou’s phone was on her desk. She picked it up and saw numerous messages and missed calls. She quickly dealt with the important ones, leaving the rest for later.
Li Wan’s call came two minutes later. Qin Qianrou guessed what she wanted to know, sighing helplessly, but still answered the phone.
“Qianrou…” The deliberately drawn-out tone revealed Li Wan’s current expression.
“Mm.”
“So, any news to share?”
Qin Qianrou glanced at Shen Yiqiu, who was looking down at her phone.
She leaned against her desk, resting her elbow on it, supporting her chin.
“You’re the one who works at the station, and you’re asking me for news?”
Li Wan’s barely suppressed laughter made Qin Qianrou want to feign ignorance, So inconsiderate!
“Don’t be shy, we’re practically sisters, no need to be embarrassed about getting a girlfriend.”
The term “girlfriend,” when she had used it with Shen Yiqiu earlier, hadn’t felt so… significant.
Now, hearing it from someone else, it gave Qin Qianrou a different feeling. A little surreal, a little unbelievable, a constant reminder of her new status.
“Qianrou, are you unhappy?” Li Wan’s voice dropped slightly. “Don’t be so stingy, I never hide anything from you, I just wanted to share your joy.”
Her voice lacked conviction towards the end, less a complaint, more an explanation.
Qin Qianrou, snapping back to reality, chuckled softly. “Yes, I have a girlfriend, I forgot to tell you, sorry.”
It was Li Wan’s turn to be surprised. She was silent for a few seconds, almost a full minute.
She knew Shen Yiqiu had gone to Hai City to see Qin Qianrou this weekend. Shen Yiqiu had asked her to keep it a secret, wanting to surprise Jiejie, and Li Wan had been pleased, thinking this child was finally making a move.
She had called to ask if they had met, intending to offer some encouragement and support, her earlier words just wishful thinking, a joke.
She hadn’t expected it to actually happen.
“Qianrou, are you serious? You really…?” She paused, then rephrased her question. “You and Shen Yiqiu are together?”
Qin Qianrou felt a slight shyness, recalling the afternoon’s passionate kiss and the sweet intimacy just now, and she no longer denied it.
Her voice, even she hadn’t realized, was filled with tenderness. “Yes, we’re together.”
Li Wan was her longtime friend, such good news should naturally be shared with her. Qin Qianrou hadn’t intended to keep it a secret, but she hadn’t exactly made a grand announcement either.
Li Wan, however, was ecstatic, even more so than Qin Qianrou. “Oh my god, this surprise will take me three days to process!”
After a moment, Li Wan calmed down slightly. “This is wonderful.”
Such a thing, to others, might be troublesome, but for Qin Qianrou, it was a good thing.
Li Wan was truly happy for her.
“Thank you.” Qin Qianrou, lacking experience, could only think of these two words in response to her friend’s congratulations.
But her sincerity was evident.
“What about you? How have you been lately?”
Li Wan sighed softly, “Compared to your rocket speed, I’m lagging far behind. The station’s restructuring officially began last week. She’s incredibly busy, even busier than before.”
The “she” she referred to was, of course, Lin Shuangzhi.
“Restructuring is a big deal, it can’t be helped.”
Although Qin Qianrou wasn’t at the station, she was still aware of the major personnel and departmental changes. It was said that higher management had been wanting to restructure the television station for a while, and they were using the current station director’s retirement as an opportunity for a complete overhaul.
After all, having someone about to retire handle the unpleasant task of restructuring was the best option.
“Of course I understand, but I still feel bad for her. You have no idea, sometimes when I go to her office to get her signature, the smell of stale instant noodles is overwhelming, it’s awful.”
Li Wan’s voice was filled with heartache.
Perhaps it was because she had fallen for her that she couldn’t bear to see her suffer even slightly.
“Why don’t you work overtime with her, order takeout together?”
Li Wan sighed helplessly. “I do, most of the time, but she works too much, almost every day. No matter how much I want to be with her, I also have to spend time with my parents.”
Saying this, Li Wan finally realized the teasing tone in Qin Qianrou’s voice.
“Oh, Qianrou, you’re making fun of me!”
So, having a girlfriend makes you feel superior now? Allows you to tease me?
Li Wan thought indignantly, then realized the answer was yes.
Having a girlfriend did make you feel superior, it was indeed something to be proud of.
Okay, she had lost the first round.
“I’m genuinely worried about her health, she’s a woman, why push herself so hard, harder than even those old men?”
Li Wan considered herself and Qin Qianrou to be hardworking, but compared to Lin Shuangzhi, they were amateurs. Lin Shuangzhi wasn’t just hardworking, she was practically working herself to death.
“The team leader is just trying her best to protect our team, after all, with such a major restructuring, no one can completely avoid being affected.”
Although Lin Shuangzhi hadn’t mentioned it, both Li Wan and Qin Qianrou knew there were many people at the station who weren’t fond of their team. There was admiration, there was respect, and naturally, there was also jealousy, suspicion, and even resentment.
Their team always tackled the most challenging stories, which was good for ratings, but it also meant facing greater resistance and affecting more people’s interests than other programs.
It was understandable that some people wanted to use this restructuring as an opportunity to get rid of them.
“Shouldering such immense pressure alone, it’s heartbreaking. I’ve hinted several times that I can help share the burden, but she won’t say a word, it’s infuriating.”
What frustrated her even more was that, just when she thought they had made some progress, Lin Shuangzhi, since last week, had reverted to her workaholic ways. Forget about after-work drinks, even suggesting she have some milk tea during overtime seemed to annoy her.
Li Wan even wondered if the person who had initiated their date last week had truly been Lin Shuangzhi, or some alternate personality.
Qin Qianrou, hearing a movement behind her, turned around and saw Shen Yiqiu had put down her phone and was looking at her, a glass of water in her hand.
Seeing Qin Qianrou turn around, she smiled.
A bright, heart-fluttering smile.
“Qianrou, were you even listening to me?”
Li Wan was filled with unexpressed frustrations, having to force a smile and deal with her parents when she got home. Although Zhuo Cheng hadn’t appeared at her home recently, that didn’t mean her parents had stopped their matchmaking efforts.
They still subtly inquired, every few days, if she had met anyone suitable.
Li Wan was so annoyed she almost blurted out that the person she liked was her superior, Lin Shuangzhi, but rationality told her that if she did, it wouldn’t just be her who would suffer the consequences.
She couldn’t implicate the team leader, Lin Shuangzhi didn’t even know about her feelings.
Qin Qianrou sighed helplessly, “Xiao Wan, it’s your own choice, isn’t it?”
Li Wan’s anger instantly deflated.
After a few seconds, she conceded weakly, “You’re right, it’s my own choice, I’ll endure it, no matter what.”
“Alright, I won’t disturb your lovey-dovey weekend reunion.” Li Wan, having expressed her concern for her friend and vented her frustrations, felt much better.
Just as she was about to hang up, she suddenly remembered something. “Do you have… protection in your room?”
“Protection? For what?”
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