Chapter 33
Jiang Yuan wanted to continue with more pleasantries, but Shen Yiqiu quickly hung up. He Chao, who had been standing nearby, saw her lost in thought, her chin resting on her phone, and walked over.
“Did Xiao Qiu really come to Hai City with that reporter?”
“Yes, and it seems like they’re not just staying for a day.”
He Chao extinguished his cigarette. Jiang Yuan always disliked him smoking excessively, and if it weren’t for the recent troubles, their home wouldn’t be filled with smoke like this.
“I was at the company all day. When I came back, you told me Shen Yiqiu was here. Who exactly did she go to the university to find?”
Jiang Yuan frowned, thought for a moment while holding her phone, and then sent out a few WeChat messages.
“I only heard about it after returning from a meeting this afternoon. I wanted to ask her directly, but she didn’t seem willing to talk.”
He Chao no longer felt as confident about Shen Yiqiu as he had before. He felt that ever since that reporter Qin appeared, Shen Yiqiu had changed.
“She was so resistant to coming to Hai City last time, but now she’s secretly come back and gone straight to Hai Da. That reporter must have put her up to it.”
Hearing this, Jiang Yuan had similar thoughts. “She’s been digging for dirt in Meng City. Shao Qidong repeatedly warned us not to confront her directly. Now she’s boldly come here herself. Lao He, we need to be more cautious and stay on guard.”
**
The next day, Shen Yiqiu was sleeping soundly when the phone on her bedside table started buzzing incessantly. Most of her head was buried under the covers, curled up in a ball, only her hair visible.
She groggily answered the phone, thinking it was Jiang Yuan calling to “check on her” again. Unexpectedly, it was the person who had cried so pitifully yesterday, even making Shen Yiqiu feel sorry for her over the phone.
“Senior?”
“Shen Yiqiu, did I wake you? I just arrived in Hai City.”
Shen Yiqiu’s eyes snapped open, completely forgetting she was in a hotel. Hearing the news, she bolted upright, the blanket sliding down, revealing her slightly dishevelled bathrobe.
Qin Qianrou had also been exhausted yesterday. Running around in high heels all day had left her feet aching, making it difficult to sleep. But she had been too tired to resist, forcing herself to fall asleep despite the discomfort, only to be woken up by Shen Yiqiu in the next bed.
She opened her eyes, slightly irritated, but didn’t let her annoyance show. Qin Qianrou, like most people, had her own range of emotions and occasional bad temper. But unlike others, she could always quickly control her feelings.
The beds weren’t far apart. Qin Qianrou, lying on her side, saw the figure in a white bathrobe sitting up in the middle of the bed, her back towards her, one hand holding the phone, the other supporting herself on the mattress.
“Ah? You’re in Hai City too?” Surprised, Shen Yiqiu guessed that the senior must be here to see Gu Chao.
Zhang Meng sounded much calmer than yesterday, not bothering to hide the purpose of her trip.
“Since he refuses to see me, I have to come to him. After hearing he was safe yesterday, I asked my advisor for leave. I don’t have many classes these two days, so I thought I’d come and talk to him in person.”
Shen Yiqiu hadn’t known Zhang Meng for long, but almost all their conversations revolved around Gu Chao, so she naturally associated the two.
Recalling Gu Chao’s dejected, heartbroken state yesterday, Shen Yiqiu was afraid Zhang Meng might not be able to handle it. After all, the boyfriend she described had always been perfect.
“So you’re going to Hai City University now?”
“Yes, that’s why I’m asking where you are.” Zhang Meng paused, then let out a soft, almost inaudible laugh. “I wanted to find a familiar face for some moral support.”
Shen Yiqiu chuckled along. “I see. We’ll see each other at Hai Da later then.”
Qin Qianrou was now fully awake. The call hadn’t been long, but it was enough for her to guess the general content. She got up, adjusted her bathrobe, and went to the bathroom to freshen up.
Shen Yiqiu ran her fingers through her slightly messy hair and was about to tell Qin Qianrou about the senior’s call when she saw that she had already gone into the bathroom.
After freshening up, Qin Qianrou emerged from the bathroom. Although they had been living together for a while, close interactions like last night were rare.
And moments like this morning, waking up at the same time, within arm’s reach, were even rarer.
“Go freshen up.” Qin Qianrou gently reminded Shen Yiqiu, who was still sitting on the bed in a daze.
“Oh, okay. That call just now was…”
“We’ll talk about your senior later. Get yourself ready first.”
Shen Yiqiu realized her dishevelled state and, slightly embarrassed, covered her face and hurried to the bathroom.
Qin Qianrou looked at the slightly messy bed, shaking her head helplessly, thinking, She really hasn’t grown up yet, such messy sleeping habits.
They met Zhang Meng at the entrance of Hai City University. She knew where Gu Chao’s dormitory was; she had been there during her vacation. However, she chose to wait for her companions before going in.
Shen Yiqiu had explained the situation on the way, so Qin Qianrou wasn’t surprised to see Zhang Meng. However, there was still a hint of surprise in her eyes: Zhang Meng was much calmer than she had expected.
With them by her side, Zhang Meng’s anxiety subsided. Perhaps because they had helped her find Gu Chao yesterday, she now viewed them as her benefactors.
“Thank you so much for what you did yesterday!” Zhang Meng bowed deeply.
Shen Yiqiu quickly waved her hands and helped her up. “We’re happy to help, no need to be so formal.”
Zhang Meng then looked at Qin Qianrou, her eyes filled with gratitude. “I know Reporter Qin helped a lot yesterday. If there’s anything I can do for you in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
Seeing her sincerity, Qin Qianrou guessed that Li Zihua must have said something to her yesterday.
“We helped you not for any reward, and you don’t need to feel indebted to us. Just live your life well, don’t do anything rash, and don’t let down those who care about you.”
Qin Qianrou’s demeanor remained calm and composed, her tone even, without any hint of preachiness, yet her words resonated deeply.
They met Gu Chao half an hour later. He was dragged out by Li Zihua and Ding Song to a small grove not far from the dormitory building. It was a popular spot for campus couples, a secret haven that had witnessed countless expressions of love and affection.
Gu Chao and Zhang Meng had naturally been there before. However, now, they stood facing each other, speechless.
Shen Yiqiu and Qin Qianrou waited at a distance. Intentionally observing would seem gossipy, but they couldn’t completely relax without keeping an eye on them. Li Zihua had told them that Gu Chao had gone straight to bed after returning last night, still refusing to communicate.
Shen Yiqiu leaned closer to Qin Qianrou, her eyes constantly glancing towards the grove. “What do you think will happen?”
“How would I know?”
“Eh? Aren’t you the experienced Reporter Qin?” Shen Yiqiu was genuinely puzzled. Hadn’t Qin Qianrou seen this kind of situation before?
Qin Qianrou stood there with her arms crossed, not as interested in the gossip as the other three, but still not entirely at ease, so she hadn’t wandered far.
“I’m a reporter, not a screenwriter or director. I can’t predict everything.”
“But in my heart, you’re even more amazing than a screenwriter or director.”
Shen Yiqiu’s words left Qin Qianrou speechless. She parted her lips, then closed them again without saying anything.
The atmosphere in the grove was heavy and oppressive, filled with the bittersweetness of a broken heart and lingering affection. Gu Chao, seeing Zhang Meng, was so surprised his jaw dropped. He was pushed forward by Li Zihua and Ding Song, walking woodenly towards his girlfriend.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?” After waiting for a long time, Zhang Meng finally spoke.
Both their eyes were swollen from crying, but neither of them made fun of the other. Breaking up, for two people still in love, was difficult for both sides.
“I have nothing to say. I’ve already said everything I wanted to say in the messages.” Gu Chao looked away, unable to meet Zhang Meng’s eyes.
The heart that had been trying so hard to hold on was stabbed again. The light in Zhang Meng’s eyes dimmed, but she refused to back down. “I don’t believe what you said in the messages. If you have something to say, tell me to my face.”
Gu Chao looked distressed, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down several times, but he couldn’t utter a single word.
“Gu Chao, look at me.” A flicker of disappointment flashed across Zhang Meng’s eyes.
Used to obeying his girlfriend, he had long lost his own sense of agency and turned to face her like a puppet.
Slap! A loud slap landed on his handsome face.
“Gu Chao, you’ve disappointed me!” Zhang Meng’s voice finally cracked as her emotions surged.
“If this can make you feel better, you can hit me a few more times.”
Gu Chao didn’t show any anger, his eyes filled with heartache and remorse as he looked at Zhang Meng. They had been together for so long, he knew her well, and he knew she had probably decided to give up on him.
“Feel better? More than making me feel better, I want to slap some sense into you!” Without hesitation, Zhang Meng left another burning imprint of her hand on the other side of his face.
“You’re a classic example of someone who becomes stupider the more they study!”
Shen Yiqiu couldn’t hear what Zhang Meng was saying, but she clearly saw her actions. When the first slap landed, she couldn’t help but gasp. When the second slap came, she instinctively covered her own face, almost feeling the pain herself.
She moved closer to Qin Qianrou and exclaimed, “I didn’t expect the senior, who looks so gentle and delicate, to be so violent.”
Qin Qianrou was also a little surprised, but she noticed that Zhang Meng didn’t leave angrily after slapping him. Her gaze deepened, and she vaguely understood Zhang Meng’s intention.
She glanced sideways and saw Shen Yiqiu peeking through her fingers, covering her face, and found it amusing.
“She didn’t hit you, why are you in pain?”
“Those two slaps were so hard, his face must be numb. Just looking at it hurts.”
Qin Qianrou’s faint smile disappeared, as if she had remembered something.
Shen Yiqiu also suddenly recalled that scene. Although she felt Qin Qianrou’s slap had been much lighter than the senior’s, she still didn’t quite understand why girls liked to slap their boyfriends when they were angry.
Boyfriend? Shen Yiqiu’s thoughts wandered, making her feel uncomfortable.
If that was the case, could it be that her cousin was Qin Qianrou’s boyfriend?
She recalled her drunken cousin murmuring Qin Qianrou’s name, his expression filled with tenderness. It was a touching scene.
It wasn’t the first time she had recalled this, but today, it felt particularly unpleasant.
Shen Yiqiu even wanted to immediately stop her train of thought, unwilling to associate Qin Qianrou with her cousin any further.
“What are you thinking about?” Qin Qianrou saw Shen Yiqiu lost in thought, wincing and frowning, her expression constantly changing.
Shen Yiqiu looked up at her, wanting to ask something, but couldn’t utter a single word.
“Nothing, I just think relationships are really tiring and exhausting.”
Qin Qianrou’s gaze drifted. After a moment, she unexpectedly agreed, “I agree.”
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