Chapter 41
Qin Qianrou hadn’t slept so soundly on a plane in a long time, so much so that she remained in a daze for a while even after being gently woken up by the person beside her. Her consciousness gradually returned, but her eyes remained closed. Qin Qianrou found the current position quite comfortable and didn’t want to move.
The person beside her waited for a moment, seeing her reluctance to wake up, but didn’t rush her, patiently waiting. After a while, Qin Qianrou heard a soft chuckle, then a low whisper, “Jiejie, wake up, we’re almost there.”
Jiejie… Qin Qianrou slowly opened her eyes, finally seeing who was whispering in her ear.
She was still leaning on Shen Yiqiu’s shoulder. Looking down at herself, their faces were very close.
“How long did I sleep for?” Qin Qianrou struggled to sit up, the blanket sliding off her.
Shen Yiqiu caught the blanket and helped her sit upright. “Not long, but you look very tired.”
Qin Qianrou watched, puzzled by Shen Yiqiu’s actions, as she carefully unfolded the blanket, folded it neatly, and placed it on her own lap.
“Get some more rest when we get back.”
Shen Yiqiu subtly moved her stiff shoulders, careful not to make any exaggerated movements in front of Qin Qianrou. Suddenly, Zhang Meng’s voice came from nearby, “Reporter Qin, you leaned on Shen Yiqiu the entire way, I didn’t expect her slender shoulders could actually be a decent pillow.”
Is that so…
Qin Qianrou turned to look at Shen Yiqiu, who simply smiled faintly, not thinking it was a big deal.
The flight attendant came to check the cabin, reminding everyone to straighten their seats and open their window shades, preparing for landing. Qin Qianrou’s drowsiness finally dissipated completely, her body, which had been tense before boarding, seemingly rejuvenated during the flight.
She wasn’t feeling very sleepy anymore, and she felt quite comfortable.
After disembarking, Qin Qianrou received a call from Li Wan, saying that she and Rong Fei had arrived. She glanced at Zhang Meng and asked if she wanted a ride back to school.
“No need to trouble you, my classmate is picking me up.”
Zhang Meng’s mental state had improved considerably. Although she hadn’t spoken much on the plane, Qin Qianrou could tell from her eyes that she was doing better.
Since she had a ride, Qin Qianrou didn’t insist. Only after getting into Li Wan’s car did she truly feel they were back in Meng City.
Rong Fei was in the passenger seat, while Shen Yiqiu and Qin Qianrou sat in the back, a seat separating them, not as close as they had been on the plane.
“You guys were amazing this time, accomplishing great things in Hai City. Even the station director mentioned it at the senior management meeting.”
“How did you know what the station director said?”
Uh…
Li Wan had intended to tease Qin Qianrou, but her direct question caught her off guard. No fun. Oh well, let’s change targets.
So, she shifted her teasing from Qin Qianrou to Shen Yiqiu.
“Shen Yiqiu, I heard your special intuition has leveled up. Did you sense danger, which is why Qianrou took you to Hai City? What about everything that happened afterwards? Uncovering He Chao’s dirty laundry, was that also thanks to your intuition?”
Li Wan was genuinely curious, but Qin Qianrou hadn’t explained the details on the phone; they had been focused on the situation itself at the time. Now that it was resolved, she naturally wanted to know more about the specifics.
“No.”
Shen Yiqiu’s simple answer left Li Wan speechless, and everyone in the car sensed her change in mood. Fortunately, they were almost there, so the silence wasn’t too awkward.
They had packed light for their departure, but now they each had an extra suitcase. Wen Yirong had insisted they take the clothes back. Qin Qianrou was afraid that further refusal would prompt her mother to come to the airport to see them off, which would be even more troublesome.
This trip hadn’t been long, but Qin Qianrou felt something was different now that she was back, although she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.
“Have a seat, Rong Fei and I will tidy up a bit, dinner will be ready soon.” Li Wan, as usual, played the role of the host, and Shen Yiqiu and Qin Qianrou exchanged smiles, settling down comfortably to wait for dinner.
At the dinner table, the atmosphere gradually livened up, and Qin Qianrou no longer avoided talking about He Chao. After all, it wasn’t a secret anymore; related reports had already started appearing online.
“Qianrou, if you hadn’t asked me to investigate those companies, I would never have imagined a professor would secretly establish so many shell companies.”
“I didn’t expect it either.”
Rong Fei and Shen Yiqiu mostly ate in silence, but Rong Fei occasionally glanced at Shen Yiqiu. Qin Qianrou had been concerned about Shen Yiqiu’s emotional state, and so was she. Taking Shen Yiqiu to Hai City had been risky, but they hadn’t had a better option at the time, and Rong Fei had chosen to offer optimistic reassurance.
Now that they were back, she had to assess Shen Yiqiu’s condition.
“Shen Yiqiu, do you have some time later?”
Shen Yiqiu looked up, realizing Rong Fei was talking to her.
“Yes. Is something the matter?”
Rong Fei’s question also caught the attention of the other two, who had been chatting quietly. She smiled faintly and explained, “Nothing in particular, I just wanted to chat with you privately, is that alright?”
Qin Qianrou guessed the reason; Rong Fei hadn’t mentioned it to her beforehand. Although she also wanted Rong Fei to assess Shen Yiqiu, discussing it today seemed a bit rushed.
Shen Yiqiu didn’t object, agreeing after a brief moment of consideration.
“But not too long, because Jiejie is very tired and needs to rest early.”
Jiejie? Rong Fei and Li Wan looked at her, puzzled.
Shen Yiqiu pursed her lips, her voice dropping slightly, “Just… Jiejie.”
Uncharacteristically, Qin Qianrou didn’t offer any explanations. But Li Wan and Rong Fei were quick-witted; how could they not understand?
Rong Fei suppressed a smile and nodded. “Alright, it won’t take long.”
Li Wan’s eyes clearly showed she wanted to pry, but Qin Qianrou stopped her with a look.
After dinner, the four of them paired off, Shen Yiqiu following Rong Fei into a room. In the living room, Li Wan moved closer to Qin Qianrou.
“Qianrou, tell me, when did you become ‘Jiejie’?”
Qin Qianrou, unusually, wasn’t looking at work documents but was reading news on her phone. She rolled her eyes at Li Wan’s excessive curiosity.
“Don’t give me the silent treatment. Aren’t we best friends?”
“Does us being best friends have anything to do with your question?”
“Of course it does! Think about it, we’re best friends, if Shen Yiqiu calls you ‘Jiejie,’ then shouldn’t I be her ‘Jiejie’ too?”
“At your age, being her ‘Jiejie’ isn’t inappropriate, why are you so excited?”
Seeing Qin Qianrou deliberately changing the subject, Li Wan bit her lip, then snatched her phone, forcing her to look at her.
“That’s not the same. I remember she used to call you ‘Auntie,’ how did a trip to Hai City change her form of address?”
In truth, Li Wan didn’t care whether it was “Auntie” or “Jiejie.” In her eyes, Shen Yiqiu was just a kid.
But she wanted to know what had happened between them during their trip to Hai City, besides the He Chao matter. What had made the usually aloof Qin Qianrou willing to let Shen Yiqiu call her “Jiejie?” This wasn’t the casual way younger colleagues at the TV station addressed her.
Seeing her friend’s insistence, Qin Qianrou felt she should explain. She didn’t care what others thought, but Li Wan was her best friend, and she would inevitably interact with Shen Yiqiu in the future. It wouldn’t be good to keep it a secret.
“Before, she had no one to rely on, so she had to depend on me to get out of those difficult situations. To make me seem more reliable and influential, she temporarily called me ‘Auntie.’ Now that she’s an adult, and her situation is improving, do you think it’s appropriate for her to continue calling me ‘Auntie’?”
Only after saying this did Qin Qianrou realize she still cared about the title “Auntie.” Otherwise, she wouldn’t have sounded so indignant, even though she had tried to control her emotions.
Li Wan chuckled. After so many years of friendship, how could she not sense Qin Qianrou’s dislike for the term?
“Actually, ‘Jiejie’ sounds quite nice. Let Shen Yiqiu call me ‘Jiejie’ later and let me hear it. Her soft, sweet voice is so cute.”
Qin Qianrou frowned almost imperceptibly, wanting to object, but finding no reason, a sense of annoyance washing over her.
In the room, Rong Fei and Shen Yiqiu sat facing each other, a comfortable distance between them.
“How did you feel about your trip to Hai City?”
“It was good.”
Rong Fei smiled gently, quietly waiting for Shen Yiqiu to continue.
“Nothing special, really. I just haven’t been back in a long time, it felt unfamiliar at first, but I quickly adapted.”
Shen Yiqiu couldn’t quite grasp what Rong Fei wanted to hear, so she just recounted her experiences randomly.
“You don’t have to be nervous, I’m not trying to pry. I just want to understand how you felt being in Hai City.”
Rong Fei’s voice was always gentle and reassuring, putting people at ease. Shen Yiqiu smiled and scratched her cheek, trying to recall her feelings more specifically.
“Before arriving in Hai City, I felt both nervous and resistant, but knowing we were there to help Gu Chao, I temporarily put those feelings aside. After arriving at Hai Da, meeting so many people, and being constantly busy, I didn’t have time to think about those things. Later, with all my attention focused on He Chao, I didn’t feel uncomfortable being in Hai City at all.”
This was her honest feeling, and Rong Fei smiled, satisfied with her answer.
“If you were to go back to Hai City now, how would you feel?”
“Go back again?”
Shen Yiqiu instinctively thought, With Qin Qianrou? If it was with her, it wouldn’t be a problem. However, she didn’t want Qin Qianrou to be too tired, so perhaps it was best not to go back for now.
Rong Fei seemed to sense her thoughts and added, “What if you went back to Hai City alone?”
Alone? She didn’t really want to. What would she do there all by herself?
Shen Yiqiu honestly shook her head. “It wouldn’t be fun to go back alone.”
Rong Fei’s smile widened, but she didn’t ask any more questions.
She glanced at her watch and stood up with a smile. “Let’s end our chat here for today. I’ve only taken up twenty minutes of your time, I won’t disturb your Jiejie’s rest any longer.”
Shen Yiqiu followed her out. As the door opened, Rong Fei’s last words drifted into the living room.
Shen Yiqiu couldn’t tell if the people in the living room had heard, but she did hear Li Wan chuckle.
Rong Fei emerged from the room, and Li Wan also stood up, grabbing her bag, preparing to leave. Although it wasn’t very late, those who had just returned home needed time to unpack and settle down.
Shen Yiqiu saw Li Wan walking towards her with a smile, the strong, familiar scent of her perfume wafting over, and she couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose.
“Kid, don’t you dare sneeze in front of me.”
“Oh.” Shen Yiqiu quickly rubbed her nose.
“Remember to call Rong Fei and me ‘Jiejie’ from now on, that’s what good children do.” Li Wan teased as she changed her shoes.
Shen Yiqiu twitched the corner of her mouth and looked at Qin Qianrou helplessly.
Seeing that Qin Qianrou didn’t react, she mumbled, “Okay.”
Rong Fei opened the door and went to wait for the elevator. Li Wan, before leaving, turned back and reminded Qin Qianrou, “Qianrou, think about what I told you earlier.”
Qin Qianrou’s expression remained calm. She walked over to the door, nodded, and watched them leave.
After closing the door, she saw Shen Yiqiu still standing there, staring at her blankly.
“Go unpack and get some rest.”
Qin Qianrou’s mood seemed to have dampened considerably since dinner, and Shen Yiqiu didn’t know what was wrong. She wanted to ask, but she felt she shouldn’t disturb her rest.
But Qin Qianrou’s demeanor made her want to offer comfort and support.
Lying in bed, Shen Yiqiu felt tired but couldn’t sleep. Rong Fei had asked her how she felt being in Hai City.
She had answered honestly, but she realized she hadn’t truly figured it out herself.
She should have been resistant to going back, even though it had been because of Gu Chao and He Chao. She had kept telling herself that, but only as they were leaving did she realize she felt a sense of nostalgia for those days in Hai City.
Perhaps it was because the He Chao matter had progressed much more smoothly than expected, bringing him down so quickly, lifting a heavy weight from her heart.
She felt closer to Qin Qianrou, feeling that she had been so fortunate to meet her. Only Qin Qianrou had the ability to bring down someone who had troubled her for so long, so swiftly.
During Qin Qianrou’s absence from Meng City, Dongsheng Group had indeed kept a low profile. The station had pressured them, forbidding a public investigation, so Li Wan had used her own resources to investigate quietly.
The team leader seemed to be aware of this, but she hadn’t intervened, only offering a few subtle reminders to be careful and not get caught.
Li Wan felt that the more secretive they were, the bigger the problem with Dongsheng must be. As soon as Qin Qianrou returned, she couldn’t wait to share all the information she had gathered. She wanted her friend to rest and recover, but in their line of work, time was of the essence. If they rested, the news would slip away.
Because they understood each other, they understood each other’s mindset. Li Wan, feeling distressed for Qin Qianrou, still gave her all the materials immediately.
As expected, Qin Qianrou returned to work punctually the next day.
The He Chao matter was already causing a stir online, many of his former victims coming forward with accusations. Ironically, amidst this online frenzy, Reporter Qin’s involvement remained hidden.
Lin Shuangzhi called her to the office, praising her achievements in Hai City.
“As expected of the station’s star reporter, such a masterful move.”
“Team Leader, are you praising me or mocking me?”
“I’m praising you, of course. But now, I have to criticize you.”
Lin Shuangzhi’s attitude shifted, her smile disappearing. Qin Qianrou wasn’t intimidated; she was prepared to be reprimanded.
“You were too reckless this time. What if the evidence wasn’t sufficient, or what if He Chao retaliated against you?”
Lin Shuangzhi’s tone grew sterner, revealing not only her dissatisfaction with her subordinate’s impulsive actions but also her obvious concern.
“The situation was urgent. If I had waited any longer, I was afraid it would be too late. As it turns out, it was just in time.”
Lin Shuangzhi naturally understood this, which was why she was both reprimanding and concerned. Under the circumstances, Qin Qianrou’s actions, though unauthorized, were justifiable.
“You did the right thing with the graduate student, and I fully support that. But regarding He Chao, shouldn’t you have consulted the station beforehand?”
“Discovering He Chao’s wrongdoings was purely accidental, and at the time, I didn’t know what I would find. Besides, I never investigated him as a reporter, so it didn’t involve the station.”
Lin Shuangzhi’s gaze deepened, realizing Qin Qianrou had clearly considered all this beforehand.
“I’m just reminding you to be more cautious next time you encounter such a situation. You can go back to work now, that’s all.”
Qin Qianrou was surprised. Shouldn’t she mention the station directors’ attitude? Was that all?
Seeing her surprise, Lin Shuangzhi teased, “What, are you nervous now? I’ll handle the directors, you just focus on your work.”
Qin Qianrou quickly left. As she opened the door, she heard the team leader’s voice behind her, “Qianrou, be sure to take care of yourself, safety first.”
**
Shen Yiqiu suddenly took leave and disappeared for a while. During this time, her classmates messaged her, but she didn’t respond, further straining her already tenuous relationships.
However, she didn’t care, she didn’t want to waste her limited energy on maintaining superficial relationships with her classmates.
Zhang Meng specifically asked her out for lunch, saying she wanted to thank her. She had already thanked her several times, but Shen Yiqiu couldn’t refuse her.
“Senior, you don’t have to be so polite, you’re making me feel embarrassed.”
Zhang Meng took her to a nearby restaurant and ordered a few signature dishes.
“You’re the ones being polite, refusing to accept our formal gratitude.”
She and Gu Chao had wanted to treat Qin Qianrou and Shen Yiqiu to a proper thank-you dinner, but they had declined.
“Jiejie said it was just a small effort, you don’t have to worry about it.”
How could this be considered a small effort? Zhang Meng didn’t argue with Shen Yiqiu. During their brief interaction in Hai City, she had gained a general understanding of Reporter Qin’s personality.
But just because she didn’t take credit didn’t mean they could simply accept her help without expressing their gratitude.
“Anyway, if you need anything in the future, just let us know, and we’ll do our best to help.”
Shen Yiqiu couldn’t argue with Zhang Meng’s persistence, so she accepted on behalf of Qin Qianrou.
She lifted her glass to take a sip, but a sudden, familiar pain shot through her chest.
Her expression froze, she didn’t dare to move, maintaining her posture, quietly waiting for the premonition to appear.
But the image was strange, repeating over and over.
A pair of hands adding something to a drink, like making milk tea.
But it wasn’t a milk tea packet; it was a ready-made bottled drink. So what were they adding?
The pain in her chest persisted, and Shen Yiqiu felt a surge of anxiety, desperately wanting to see more, to confirm what it was.
At least let her know who was in danger!
Her heart raced, but her expression remained calm. Zhang Meng simply thought Shen Yiqiu looked a little pale and was drinking her water very slowly.
But after a while, it became more apparent that something was wrong. Shen Yiqiu’s face had turned white.
“Shen Yiqiu, are you alright?”
Shen Yiqiu abruptly placed her glass on the table, splashing water everywhere, soaking her hand, but she didn’t seem to notice.
She frantically took out her phone, unlocked it, searched for a number, all in one swift motion, her hand still trembling with anxiety.
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