Chapter 84
Shen Yiqiu had originally intended to accompany Qin Qianrou to Rong Fei’s office, but Jiejie had said the consultation time was uncertain, and she had other matters to discuss with Rong Fei, so she asked Shen Yiqiu to stay home and rest.
After the consultation, Qin Qianrou and Rong Fei had afternoon tea. They didn’t have dinner together, and as they parted ways, Rong Fei teased her, “Having a family really changes you, you used to practically live at the office, and now, after afternoon tea with an old friend, you’re not even staying for dinner.”
Qin Qianrou pursed her lips, knowing they were happy for her, genuinely pleased with her newfound happiness, so she simply accepted the teasing.
“I’m not comfortable leaving her alone at home for dinner.”
“What’s there to be worried about? It’s not like she’s never been home alone. I heard she usually cooks, are you afraid she’ll starve without you?”
They walked side by side to the parking lot, Rong Fei chattering cheerfully, Qin Qianrou’s mood also light, today’s consultation had been a success.
“I’m usually busy, and now that I finally have some time at home, I want to spend more time with her.” Shen Yiqiu had casually mentioned before that having dinner together felt warm and… special.
Their cars were parked next to each other, and Rong Fei, opening her car door, bid her farewell with a smile, “Alright, alright, I know you’re basking in the glow of love, no need to rub it in my face, a lonely single person.”
Qin Qianrou, having said this, felt strangely at ease.
She opened her car door and replied calmly, “I heard your studio is never short of roses, perhaps your standards are too high.”
Rong Fei chuckled, said goodbye, and drove away.
Qin Qianrou had messaged Shen Yiqiu during their afternoon tea, saying she would be home for dinner. However, Shen Yiqiu hadn’t expected her to return so early. It was just past 6 pm when Jiejie arrived.
Qin Qianrou, as usual, took off her coat and changed her shoes upon returning, but after waiting for a moment, there was no sign of Shen Yiqiu. Usually, she would have rushed out by now, given her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, asking if she was tired or hungry.
She changed into her slippers, walked around the living room, but there was no one there. Shen Yiqiu’s door was slightly ajar, she was probably studying. Qin Qianrou had asked her to rest, but she had still chosen to study, which pleased her.
She gently pushed the door open and saw Shen Yiqiu staring intently at her laptop screen, as if pondering a difficult problem, her brow slightly furrowed in concentration, her gaze fixed on the screen, not even noticing Qin Qianrou standing at the doorway.
Qin Qianrou couldn’t help but smile, she had never had a chance to observe Shen Yiqiu studying before, this scene was like watching her in class from outside the classroom, the thought amusing, and Qin Qianrou didn’t disturb her, just quietly watched, her gaze soft and affectionate.
Shen Yiqiu wasn’t usually this focused. She had spent a considerable amount of effort, practically scouring the internet, before finally finding a website with somewhat helpful information on the topic she was researching, so naturally, she was studying it meticulously.
She didn’t dare to miss a single word, afraid of misinterpreting any hidden meanings. After all, it wasn’t exactly a mainstream topic, and even those who shared their experiences wouldn’t be as explicit as a textbook, clearly outlining every step.
Thankfully, there were still people willing to share their experiences, preventing complete novices like Shen Yiqiu from being completely clueless. She had seen discussions on this topic online before, so she had a general understanding, but when it came to practical application, it was a different matter.
That day on the sofa, her mind had been in a daze towards the end, acting purely on instinct. If Jiejie hadn’t stopped her, she wouldn’t have known what to do next, her hands lost and confused, beyond her familiar territory, venturing into uncharted waters.
She had been filled with a restless yearning, yet unable to find the right path, her frustration growing, she had a gentle nature, but when it came to this, she was also stubborn, she didn’t want to ask Jiejie for help.
She wanted to be the one to bring Jiejie pleasure, and the thought of her own clumsy and awkward performance filled Shen Yiqiu with regret.
There were many posts on the forum, all from personal experiences. Some focused on techniques, some on creating the right atmosphere, some on the sequence of… events. Regardless, to Shen Yiqiu, it was like entering a new world, the more she read, the more she realized how much she had to learn.
She didn’t dare to write down these details in her notebook, afraid of being seen, so she repeatedly read through the posts, committing them to memory.
Qin Qianrou leaned against the doorway, she wasn’t sure how much time had passed, she rarely wasted time like this, on meaningless waiting, but now, just watching Shen Yiqiu made her happy.
Finally, Shen Yiqiu noticed someone standing at her door.
Unlike usual, she didn’t smile at Qin Qianrou immediately, but instead, her expression turned tense, her brow, furrowed in concentration, smoothing out, then her face contorting slightly, like a student caught cheating on a test.
Qin Qianrou chuckled, looking at her, arms crossed. “What’s wrong?”
Shen Yiqiu quickly clicked her mouse, her voice slightly stammering, “No… nothing.”
The atmosphere turned slightly awkward, and Shen Yiqiu glanced at her screen again, making sure all the windows were closed, then, composing herself, she smiled and asked, “Why are you home so early?”
Qin Qianrou feigned ignorance and asked, “Early? I’m right on time for dinner.”
Indeed, Qin Qianrou wasn’t early, it was Shen Yiqiu who had thought she would be later.
That was why she had been so relaxed, studying online, she hadn’t expected Jiejie to catch her.
Thinking this, Shen Yiqiu’s heart tightened, unsure if Jiejie had seen what she was looking at, then she thought, Jiejie, standing at that angle, couldn’t see her screen.
She breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, walked over, and gently wrapped her arms around Qin Qianrou’s waist, leading her to the living room.
“Are you hungry, Jiejie? I’ll start preparing dinner.”
“I’m not very hungry, just something simple will be fine.”
Shen Yiqiu nodded and went to the kitchen.
Qin Qianrou followed her, continuing the conversation from the kitchen doorway.
“What were you looking at just now?”
Shen Yiqiu’s movements as she tied her apron paused slightly, and she said, a little stiffly, “Just… studying.”
“Something difficult?”
Shen Yiqiu admitted, “A little difficult, I’m not very familiar with the material.”
Qin Qianrou understood, new knowledge was always like that.
“It’s alright, it’ll become easier after a few more reviews, and with practice, you’ll remember everything. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself, you were frowning earlier.”
Shen Yiqiu couldn’t help but apply Jiejie’s words to what she had been studying, Read it a few more times, then practice a few more times…
Ahem, her face started to burn, and she quickly turned around and turned on the stove, afraid of being seen through by Jiejie.
To hide her embarrassment and nervousness, Shen Yiqiu casually changed the subject, “How did it go with Rong Fei today?”
“It went well, no major problems, don’t worry.”
“Did she offer any advice, or anything you should pay attention to?” Shen Yiqiu thought that if there was anything, she could help supervise.
Qin Qianrou, however, thought of the websites Rong Fei had given her, still tucked away safely in her bag.
She said casually, “Nothing special, she just told me to rest more and not to dwell on that day’s incident.”
She couldn’t let Shen Yiqiu see those websites, it would corrupt the child.
More importantly, Qin Qianrou was too embarrassed to let Shen Yiqiu know she had been researching such things, it didn’t seem appropriate for someone in her position as the older sister.
She would look at them after Shen Yiqiu went to school, Qin Qianrou thought, excusing herself to put her bag in a safe place.
**
Zhuo Cheng, having learned about Li Wan and Lin Shuangzhi, had someone investigate Lin Shuangzhi’s background. Strangely, information about her before she came to Meng City was vague, they only knew she was from Yong City, but the details were unclear.
He was impatient, and after several failed attempts to contact Li Wan, he decided to approach Lin Shuangzhi instead. He wouldn’t let anyone take Li Wan away from him, especially not another woman.
Zhuo Cheng learned about Lin Shuangzhi’s recent activities, which Shao Qidong had already known, but it was a personal matter, so he hadn’t reported it.
Lin Shuangzhi had been frequently visiting the provincial government, meticulously preparing the requested materials, but she still hadn’t received a clear response.
Her mood wasn’t exactly positive, but she remained optimistic, after all, until the final decision was made, there was still hope.
As she left the government building that day, a luxury car suddenly stopped before her, a familiar car, she had seen it before,
Picking Li Wan up outside the television station, Lin Shuangzhi’s memory was excellent.
Zhuo Cheng got out of the car and walked towards her.
Unlike their previous encounters, although he was still smiling, Lin Shuangzhi sensed a subtle pressure, a hidden hostility.
“Team Leader Lin, hello.”
“Hello, Mr. Zhuo, I didn’t expect to run into you here.”
Zhuo Cheng shrugged, a very American gesture. “I specifically came to see you, I wanted to have a chat.”
Lin Shuangzhi looked at him, puzzled. “A chat? I don’t think we have anything to discuss.”
If it was work-related, Dongsheng’s business should be handled by the advertising department, it had nothing to do with the Special Projects Team.
“It’s a personal matter, regarding Xiao Wan.”
Lin Shuangzhi’s heart clenched at his use of Li Wan’s nickname.
“Xiao Wan’s matters? Then there’s even less reason for us to talk.”
Lin Shuangzhi turned to leave, and Zhuo Cheng followed, not stopping her forcefully, he looked around, lowered his voice, and said, “I know about your… special relationship with Xiao Wan, are you sure you’re not interested in talking to me?”
Lin Shuangzhi’s usual calm demeanor vanished, replaced by suspicion. Zhuo Cheng’s tone wasn’t questioning, but stating a fact.
She and Li Wan had always been discreet in public, never displaying any overt affection. The only exception had been that night at the bar, when she had impulsively kissed Li Wan, then embraced her as they returned home,
slightly drunk, she had let her feelings take over, holding Li Wan close, kissing her repeatedly, savoring the feeling of truly possessing her, at that moment, her heart had been full, finally able to express the emotions she had suppressed for so long.
Could it be that night… had he seen them?
As Lin Shuangzhi hesitated, Zhuo Cheng continued, “I not only saw it, I also have… a recording, Team Leader Lin, are you interested in watching it with me?”
With that, Zhuo Cheng took out his phone, found a photo, and showed it to Lin Shuangzhi.
It was a photo of them kissing outside the bar that night, slightly blurry, but still recognizable.
Lin Shuangzhi’s anger flared. Staring at Zhuo Cheng, she demanded, “What do you want?”
“Come with me, and you’ll find out.”
After a moment of consideration, Lin Shuangzhi got into Zhuo Cheng’s car and was taken to a quiet, upscale restaurant.
Zhuo Cheng had reserved a table in a secluded corner, the view from the floor-to-ceiling windows beautiful and undisturbed.
“It seems you’ve come prepared.” Lin Shuangzhi ignored Zhuo Cheng’s attempt to pull out a chair for her and sat down at the next table.
“Team Leader Lin seems quite upset, with your temper, don’t you and Xiao Wan fight every day?”
Zhuo Cheng quickly dismissed the waiter, leaving just the two of them in the private room.
Lin Shuangzhi knew Zhuo Cheng was pursuing Li Wan, but Li Wan didn’t seem interested. She had heard her complaining about him, he was someone her father favored, a frequent guest at their arranged dinners, but judging by Li Wan’s tone and her expressions, Lin Shuangzhi hadn’t considered him a serious threat.
“As far as I know, Mr. Zhuo, you’re not close enough to Xiao Wan to use her nickname.”
Zhuo Cheng looked at her meaningfully. “Oh? Hasn’t Xiao Wan told you about our relationship?”
Zhuo Cheng was no longer the insecure university student he once was, having honed his skills on Wall Street, this situation was child’s play to him.
“Xiao Wan is very busy; she probably doesn’t have time to discuss insignificant people and matters.”
Lin Shuangzhi sensed something in Zhuo Cheng’s tone, she knew she was about to hear something she didn’t know before, something potentially shocking, but it concerned Li Wan, so she had to remain calm and composed, after all, that photo in Zhuo Cheng’s hand was a problem.
“I returned to the country for Xiao Wan, I won’t hide that.”
Lin Shuangzhi looked at him impassively, not commenting.
Zhuo Cheng chuckled, a hint of self-deprecation in his voice. “I didn’t expect, after all my efforts, that she would fall into the arms of another woman, I was shocked at first, then, after calming down, I felt… sad, and regretful.”
Lin Shuangzhi raised an eyebrow and said coldly, “Regret not pursuing her more aggressively?”
“Regret letting her go so easily, hurting her so deeply, I’ve made inquiries after returning, she hasn’t been in a single relationship since graduating, and now, entangled with you like this, it must be because I hurt her too deeply, she’s no longer willing to accept men.”
Lin Shuangzhi frowned; how could she not understand the implication of his words? She hadn’t expected this, that Zhuo Cheng and Li Wan had actually been in a relationship.
“The past is the past, and what you saw was just your own interpretation, do you really think Xiao Wan is so fragile and easily swayed?”
Zhuo Cheng was momentarily speechless, Li Wan wasn’t a fragile person, indeed.
“But Team Leader Lin, can you be certain that Xiao Wan’s feelings for you are genuine?”
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