Chapter 36
Qin Qianrou offered this simple introduction and didn’t elaborate. Wen Yirong seemed to understand and didn’t press for details.
She simply nodded slightly, her gaze not lingering on Shen Yiqiu. Yet, it was this simple introduction that left Shen Yiqiu speechless.
She opened her mouth, wanting to address Wen Yirong, but found herself stuck on the simplest of matters: what to call her.
What would be the appropriate way to address Qin Qianrou’s mother? She already called Qin Qianrou “Auntie,” albeit due to the circumstances, but she had still called her that. However, if she followed that same generational logic and addressed Wen Yirong as an elder, it would likely offend both of them.
She understood this much, but what should she do? Shen Yiqiu was troubled, turning to Qin Qianrou with an anxious look, as if only she could understand her predicament.
Wen Yirong waited for a moment, but Shen Yiqiu remained silent, which surprised her slightly, though her expression remained composed. However, the interaction between this child and her daughter intrigued her: even in this small gap, their eyes seemed to be communicating something she couldn’t quite decipher.
Qin Qianrou, since seeing Wen Yirong, had reverted to her usual aloof and calm demeanor, and Shen Yiqiu immediately felt the temperature around her drop several degrees. But right now, she couldn’t worry about that, she just hoped Qin Qianrou could resolve her current dilemma.
Qin Qianrou’s expression remained unchanged, but seeing Shen Yiqiu’s anxious, helpless, and pitiful look, she couldn’t help but want to laugh.
If this continued, the atmosphere would become completely awkward. Qin Qianrou observed Shen Yiqiu’s flustered and helpless gaze, which had shifted from initially hesitant to practically clinging to her, as if placing all her hope on her.
It was reminiscent of their first meeting at the hospital. This child, having experienced so much hardship, was struggling in the midst of a crisis, and she had become her “Auntie Qin.”
However, Qin Qianrou had never liked the title “Auntie.” It made her feel much older than she was.
“Call her Aunt Wen.”
Qin Qianrou finally spoke, her words as concise as ever, yet, just like before, offering Shen Yiqiu a lifeline.
Shen Yiqiu’s face immediately broke into a smile, and she softly and sweetly greeted, “Hello, Aunt Wen.”
Wen Yirong had waited for a while, only to receive this simple greeting, but she wasn’t offended. She didn’t care how Shen Yiqiu addressed her; it was just a chance encounter, and the form of address was merely a measure of politeness.
However, she was surprised by the interaction between this child and Qianrou. It was truly unusual. In all these years, she hadn’t seen her daughter be so gentle and accommodating towards anyone. Could it be that her sympathy was overflowing?
She knew Shen Yiqiu’s general situation; she had investigated after Qin Qianrou’s series of encounters with danger. And later, when Qianrou had a new houseguest, how could she have been completely unaware?
But she always respected her daughter. If Qin Qianrou didn’t want her to interfere, she would observe from a distance, silently protecting her daughter. As long as she was certain the person staying with Qianrou wasn’t a bad influence, she wasn’t interested in prying into the details.
However, what she witnessed today truly opened her eyes, exceeding all her expectations. She also saw that Shen Yiqiu was indeed a sweet and lovely child, with delicate features, and her tragic experiences made it difficult not to feel sympathy for her.
Even though it was their first meeting, Wen Yirong felt a surge of warmth upon hearing Shen Yiqiu’s polite greeting.
“Hello, Yiqiu.”
Uh… Shen Yiqiu hadn’t expected Qin Qianrou’s mother to be so different from her in terms of personality.
“I just finished having tea with some friends and happened to be passing by, so I came to say hello. Are you two going for lunch?” Wen Yirong’s gaze returned to her daughter. She had to admit, her precious daughter was naturally beautiful and looked stunning in any style.
As a mother, she naturally felt both happy and proud, and having not seen her daughter for a while, she couldn’t help but take a few extra glances.
“We were planning to go back to the hotel after lunch.”
Seeing that Qin Qianrou didn’t seem to have any intention of inviting her to join them, Wen Yirong didn’t tease her further; Qianrou’s attitude was clear.
“Are you free tonight? Let’s have dinner together, or you can bring Yiqiu home.”
“No.” Qin Qianrou’s refusal was firm, but seeing Wen Yirong’s surprised expression, she added, “Shen Yiqiu and I have dinner plans with someone else tonight.”
With that, Wen Yirong understood. She put away her playful expression, nodded at Shen Yiqiu, and then gestured for her daughter to come closer.
Qin Qianrou followed her mother a few steps away, knowing she had something to say.
“Xiao Rou, I know you’re back in Hai City for something important, but you still need to be careful. Hai City has been a bit… turbulent lately.”
Wen Yirong’s warning puzzled Qin Qianrou. Her mother never interfered with her work; she only cared about her safety. But her words clearly implied something more…
Wen Yirong smiled knowingly. “You’re usually in Meng City, so I can’t do much. But since you’re back in Hai City, do you think your mother can’t protect you? Don’t be too hasty with the Hai Da matter.”
Qin Qianrou understood. After last night’s call, her mother must have done some investigating.
But unlike other elders in the family, Wen Yirong had always supported her career choice. No one would truly reject their mother’s concern. Qin Qianrou simply wasn’t used to showing vulnerability, not that she was truly cold and unfeeling.
Having given her warning, Wen Yirong knew it was time to leave. She casually glanced at Shen Yiqiu, who was staring intently at them, or rather, at Qin Qianrou’s back.
“What are your plans for this child?”
“I haven’t decided yet.”
Wen Yirong wanted to say more, but seeing the subtle defensiveness in Qin Qianrou’s tone, as if shielding Shen Yiqiu, she simply sighed inwardly.
“Alright, I trust you to handle it appropriately, so I won’t disturb you any further. Call me when you’re free.” As she was about to leave, she remembered something and added, “Avoid the places you usually frequent. If you run into your uncles, don’t blame me for not helping you.”
Qin Qianrou frowned and softly replied, “I know.”
Wen Yirong didn’t walk over to Shen Yiqiu, but simply waved at her from where she stood and smiled. “I’ll be going now. See you next time, Yiqiu.”
Shen Yiqiu quickly waved back, walking towards them as she said, “Take care, Aunt Wen. Goodbye.”
She continued waving until Wen Yirong disappeared into the elevator.
Qin Qianrou stared at her for a moment. Seeing Shen Yiqiu still looking in the direction of the elevator, seemingly oblivious, she reminded her, “She’s gone. Aren’t you hungry?”
Shen Yiqiu quickly said she was hungry and wanted to eat. She followed Qin Qianrou to the restaurant, and even after they were seated and had ordered, Qin Qianrou didn’t ask for her opinion. They were both from Hai City, familiar with the place, and everything flowed naturally and casually, like two old friends having lunch together after a shopping trip.
However, Shen Yiqiu sensed that Qin Qianrou wasn’t happy, seemingly ever since her mother left. But she couldn’t figure out why, guessing it might be related to the whispered conversation between mother and daughter.
The lunch was quiet and quick. Shen Yiqiu kept glancing at Qin Qianrou, who seemed completely oblivious, focused only on her food.
Shen Yiqiu’s own pace slowed down as she ate and observed.
Qin Qianrou put down her chopsticks, took a sip of sparkling water, and wiped her mouth with a napkin. She didn’t look directly at Shen Yiqiu, but simply said softly, “Focus on your food.”
It was as if she had seen everything.
Shortly after returning to the hotel, there was a knock on the door. Curious, Shen Yiqiu opened it to find that Aunt Wen had sent them a large amount of clothes and even shoes. Two full suitcases. Shen Yiqiu stared blankly as she wheeled them into the room.
Qin Qianrou frowned slightly, then looked down at her phone, sighing helplessly, but not refusing.
She took the silver suitcase, and Shen Yiqiu waited for her next instruction, only to see her open it directly, seemingly forgetting the other suitcase beside her.
“What should I do with this one?” Shen Yiqiu lightly tapped the black suitcase by her feet.
Qin Qianrou didn’t turn around, but simply said, “That one is for you, you can do whatever you want with it.”
Ah? Aunt Wen is so thoughtful? She even prepared some for me…
“Thank you.” A thousand thoughts raced through Shen Yiqiu’s mind, finally converging into two simple words.
Qin Qianrou changed out of the clothes they had bought at the mall; those seemed more like an impulsive purchase, something she had bought on a whim. The clothes Wen Yirong had sent were more in line with Qin Qianrou’s usual style. More casual than her usual work attire, they still perfectly complemented her elegant demeanor.
The outfit she had bought today seemed more like an attempt to match Shen Yiqiu.
Although she understood, Shen Yiqiu still couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment. She rarely saw this youthful and vibrant side of Qin Qianrou, and if not for today’s rare opportunity, she might never have seen it.
After all, there was a ten-year age gap between them.
She had completely missed out on Qin Qianrou’s university years.
However, even ten years later, Qin Qianrou’s youthful appearance was still captivating. Shen Yiqiu knew she would never forget the feeling she had when she saw her in that ponytail.
A kind of soul-stirring… awe?
Such a dramatic description. She inwardly mocked her own chuunibyou tendencies. But after the self-deprecating laughter, Shen Yiqiu knew her feelings were genuine.
Qin Qianrou was so beautiful it left her speechless, a beauty she would never forget.
**
After unpacking and organizing, they didn’t say much, taking advantage of the time to nap. They had been preoccupied with Gu Chao’s matter these past two days, and now they could finally relax and rest properly.
To avoid rush hour traffic, Qin Qianrou and Shen Yiqiu left early, arriving at the restaurant before Jiang Yuan and He Chao.
Shen Yiqiu knew the private room number and led Qin Qianrou inside.
She poured tea for Qin Qianrou, then poured herself a cup, taking small sips. She had been pondering a question all this while, something she wanted to discuss with Qin Qianrou and decide on early.
However, she hadn’t found the right opportunity to bring it up, so she had procrastinated until now.
As the appointed time drew near, Jiang Yuan called to say they were stuck in heavy traffic and would be a little late. She told them to order first if they were hungry and not to wait for them.
Shen Yiqiu wasn’t hungry, but she still asked Qin Qianrou, in case she was.
Qin Qianrou shook her head. “I’m not hungry, I can wait.”
Shen Yiqiu simply responded with an “Oh” and continued sipping her tea silently.
Qin Qianrou sighed and said, “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about it now?”
“Talk about what?”
“You’ve been thinking about it ever since we left the hotel, haven’t you?”
Shen Yiqiu put down her teacup with a complicated expression. She didn’t know if she had been too obvious, so easily seen through by Qin Qianrou.
However, she wasn’t upset about being seen through. It saved her the trouble of bringing it up herself.
“I’ve been thinking about what kind of relationship would be most appropriate between us.”
Qin Qianrou had some inkling of what she was thinking, but she hadn’t expected Shen Yiqiu to bring this up.
She froze, a flicker of confusion in her eyes.
Seeing that Qin Qianrou seemed willing to listen, Shen Yiqiu continued softly, “I called you Auntie Qin at the hospital because I wanted others to know I had an elder I could rely on. In my heart, you’re not like Aunt Jiang at all.”
Shen Yiqiu paused, and seeing no displeasure from Qin Qianrou, continued, “When I met Aunt Wen today, I was very nervous and awkward. I didn’t even know how to address her. It was the same with the senior and her friends. I didn’t know how to introduce you properly, so I just called you Reporter Qin.”
As she spoke, Shen Yiqiu’s tone revealed a sense of helplessness and confusion.
Qin Qianrou listened attentively without interrupting or commenting.
Finally, Shen Yiqiu looked up, meeting her eyes, and asked sincerely and earnestly, “So, what kind of relationship would be most appropriate for us in the future?”
Afraid of being misunderstood, Shen Yiqiu quickly added, “I’m worried they might ask about it again later, and I can’t always avoid the question.”
Qin Qianrou understood Shen Yiqiu’s concerns; she had been pondering this herself.
In Shen Yiqiu’s words, she could be Auntie Qin, she could be Reporter Qin, but these were mostly due to the circumstances. What exactly was their relationship?
“If you’re asking for my opinion, I think… we can be friends.”
Friends? Shen Yiqiu silently pondered the meaning of this word.
She was an adult now, and although Qin Qianrou was ten years older, that didn’t necessarily mean they had to be from different generations.
“Okay, friends then.”
The knot in her heart finally unraveled, all thanks to Qin Qianrou’s simple words. Shen Yiqiu felt a sense of relief, feeling that Qin Qianrou was truly capable of anything.
Thinking about the questions He Chao and Jiang Yuan might ask later, Shen Yiqiu wanted to discuss it with Qin Qianrou beforehand.
She opened her mouth, then hesitated. “Qin…”
Qin Qianrou lowered her eyes slightly, gently rotating her teacup, her fingers lightly tracing the rim.
Her hair was half-up, so the slight curve of her lips couldn’t be hidden.
She seemed to be waiting, waiting for Shen Yiqiu to change her form of address.
“Sister Qin.”
Shen Yiqiu hesitated for a moment, still feeling it was inappropriate to call her Qianrou directly. The images of Li Wan and Rong Fei flashed through her mind, and she realized that only they could call Qianrou by her name so casually. She still felt a certain distance between herself and them.
However, she couldn’t bring herself to call her Auntie Qin anymore. “Sister Qin” could also be a term used between friends. Thinking this, she wanted to gauge Qin Qianrou’s reaction.
Qin Qianrou was startled by this unexpected form of address.
She had thought she would most likely hear “Qianrou” or “Sister Qianrou.” These were the common ways she was addressed at the television station, and she had long grown accustomed to them.
But it seemed no one had ever called her “Sister Qin” in such a soft and gentle voice before.
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