Chapter 43
A dark sedan was parked across the street from the television station, its windows tightly closed, having been there for quite some time. Only after Shen Yiqiu left did the car slowly drive away, unnoticed by either Qin Qianrou or Shen Yiqiu.
The car drove smoothly for a while, merging onto the main road. The driver was unsure of their next destination. Although reluctant to disturb the boss, who had been silent in the back seat, driving aimlessly wasn’t an option.
“Mr. Shao, where to next?”
Shao Qidong opened his eyes and said in a low voice, “Back to the company.”
He had been in a business meeting earlier, and after concluding it successfully, he had suddenly felt the urge to visit Meng Da, mainly to check on Shen Yiqiu. Just as he arrived at the university gate, he saw Shen Yiqiu frantically hailing a taxi by the roadside, and he had followed.
He hadn’t expected to see Shen Yiqiu rushing over just to hug Qin Qianrou; it seemed her relationship with this “Auntie” was indeed quite close. He had waited outside for a while, and finally, Li Wan had appeared as well.
He wasn’t in a good mood. Although he had been some distance away, their positions, their proximity, and their body language had clearly indicated a close relationship between Shen Yiqiu and the two women.
One Qin Qianrou was enough of a headache; now there was another Li Wan. With Shen Yiqiu gaining more support in Meng City, his plans would be even more difficult to execute.
He had thought that persuading Jiang Yuan and utilizing the He Chao couple’s influence would allow him to regain control over Shen Yiqiu. He hadn’t expected a simple trip to Hai City by Qin Qianrou to completely destroy their decades-long efforts.
He Chao’s reckless investigation of Qin Qianrou had been a mistake, but his current predicament was truly miserable, and Shao Qidong couldn’t help but think of himself. Over two decades ago, he had been penniless, burdened by debt and utterly dejected, yet unwilling to be a wage earner his entire life.
Someone had found him, supported him, and within a few short years, he had become a newly wealthy entrepreneur. His wealth had rapidly expanded, his fame and status growing day by day, and he had gradually become a prominent and respected figure in Hai City.
Only Shao Qidong knew that his achievements weren’t entirely his own, so he had to serve those who had cultivated him with utmost dedication. Over time, immersed in an environment of constant praise and admiration, he had become numb, almost believing himself to be a true industry leader, a pillar of the local economy, a figure too big to fail.
He Chao’s downfall was a wake-up call, jolting him back to reality. He no longer just viewed Qin Qianrou with caution, he was starting to fear her.
For so many years, he had carefully and meticulously built his empire, placing Dongsheng Group at the pinnacle of high-tech enterprises in Meng City. Yet, now, fear gnawed at him.
Qin Qianrou… Shao Qidong repeatedly chanted the name in his heart, replaying every detail of her interactions with Shen Yiqiu.
He hadn’t received any explanations from Jiang Yuan, and he couldn’t understand how these two previously unconnected individuals had become so close. The contract he had prepared wouldn’t work on Shen Yiqiu anymore, but he coveted Shen Zhifeng’s research even more than He Chao, and he wanted more of it.
He had probed and discovered that Shen Zhifeng held more secrets than He Chao knew. The He Chao couple were only interested in the patented research, unaware that some of the unfinished projects were even more valuable.
It was perhaps a good thing that He Chao was gone; no one would compete with him for those patents now, and he might even be able to acquire them all. Shao Qidong tried to console himself, a bitter smile touching his lips.
The driver, constantly observing his boss’s reaction, drove as smoothly as possible, afraid of incurring his wrath. He had been with the boss for a long time, and such pointless stakeouts of a young person were rare.
**
Shen Yiqiu wasn’t in as much of a hurry as she had been when she arrived. She checked the time; it was neither too early nor too late, so she changed direction and headed to the supermarket.
Zhang Meng had called her several times, and now she finally had time to return the calls. After confirming that she was alright, Zhang Meng was relieved. Shen Yiqiu ended the call and turned her attention back to the supermarket shelves, a smile involuntarily touching her lips.
Having someone to care about, and being cared about, this feeling gave her a sense of truly being alive, a life filled with warmth.
Recalling her time in Hai City, although busy, being so close to Qin Qianrou had made her even happier than she had been in Meng City. She couldn’t pinpoint the exact reason, but the memories of those days filled her with warmth and tenderness.
**
Li Wan went directly to Lin Shuangzhi’s office. Since this incident was directed at her, it was more appropriate for her to handle it. Qin Qianrou checked on her other colleagues, and after confirming they were all fine, she returned to her own office.
The document on her computer was still open, but she stared blankly at the title, lost in thought.
The incident hadn’t happened long ago, and recalling the details, it still felt frightening. If it weren’t for Shen Yiqiu, how long would it have taken to uncover the truth? If it weren’t for Shen Yiqiu, would she and Li Wan have been harmed as well?
Qin Qianrou’s thoughts drifted to Shen Yiqiu. She had thought she was helping this child, but she had received even more kindness in return.
But if they were to keep score, it would be impossible to determine who owed whom more.
However, she agreed with Li Wan’s earlier words: she seemed to have become somewhat reliant on Shen Yiqiu. With her around, she felt a sense of security.
This sense of safety, born from within, couldn’t be replaced by words. Qin Qianrou’s initial curiosity about Shen Yiqiu’s special intuition had unconsciously transformed into a kind of dependence.
This child was truly… extraordinary.
Li Wan, in Lin Shuangzhi’s office, wasn’t as relaxed as her friend. Her brow had been furrowed since she entered.
“Team Leader, how should we handle this? Should I report it to the police directly, or should the station conduct its own investigation?”
Lin Shuangzhi twirled her pen, repeatedly removing and replacing the cap.
“Are you absolutely certain who did this? And the bracelet, who told you about that?”
“I can’t tell you that. But I can say with 90% certainty that it was that person.”
Seeing Li Wan’s certainty, Lin Shuangzhi’s hesitation lessened.
“You said this was targeting you, but you also drank the milk tea, and you’re perfectly fine. Could it be a mistake?”
Li Wan was irritated. Lately, she couldn’t seem to control her temper around Lin Shuangzhi. She would patiently explain if anyone else asked such a question, but hearing it from Lin Shuangzhi made her furious.
“It’s because I was late! Someone took the flavor I usually drink! The only ones left were the ones I don’t like, what was I supposed to do?”
Her voice rose, her tone sharp, and Lin Shuangzhi was taken aback.
“Don’t be angry, I just wanted to understand the situation.”
“Understand, understand, you never understand enough! Do I have to be vomiting and collapsing on the floor for you to believe me? Or should I wait and see if the next attack is through food poisoning or getting hit by a falling object, to prove I’m not wrong?”
Li Wan’s voice grew louder, her eyes reddening. After this outburst, she paused and mumbled, “I’m not angry.”
Lin Shuangzhi thought to herself, In this state, and she still claims she’s not angry.
But she didn’t dare to argue with Li Wan. She took a tissue from her desk and handed it over, saying softly, “You’re not angry, you’re not angry, just wipe your face.”
Li Wan snatched the tissue, but still insisted, “Wipe what? I’m perfectly fine!”
“You were running around earlier, you must be tired, wipe your sweat.” Lin Shuangzhi wasn’t completely clueless, she wouldn’t be so foolish as to directly contradict her.
Li Wan used the opportunity to wipe her tears under the guise of wiping sweat, quickly regaining her composure.
Lin Shuangzhi sighed. “When you told me who it was, I was very surprised. I didn’t expect it to be like this.”
Li Wan had calmed down considerably. Seeing the regret on Lin Shuangzhi’s face, she suddenly felt annoyed again. “So you’re feeling sorry for her, hoping to find evidence to clear her name, hoping it’s all a misunderstanding?”
Li Wan scoffed. Even if it was a misunderstanding, it didn’t excuse the person’s malicious intent.
“Do you have some kind of misunderstanding about me?” Lin Shuangzhi looked at her helplessly. Li Wan’s lips were already turned down in a pout, her displeasure evident.
“I originally wanted to give you a heads-up, after all, Zhou Hui and I both started under your guidance. But if you insist on taking her side, I won’t give you face.”
“If Zhou Hui really did this, you don’t have to worry about my face, and I don’t consider her saving face for me.”
The curve of Li Wan’s lips softened slightly, but her expression remained tense.
“I’m just worried that accusing Zhou Hui without sufficient evidence might alert her. What if she retaliates against you?”
The concern in Lin Shuangzhi’s words was undeniable, and Li Wan’s anger suddenly dissipated.
“It’s alright, if she did it, there will be traces. Besides, you know how… clever she is, don’t you?”
Lin Shuangzhi smiled and shook her head. “At a time like this, you’re still making fun of her.”
“What? Am I wrong?”
Li Wan and Zhou Hui had joined the television station at the same time, both working as program directors. Lin Shuangzhi had been their direct supervisor, personally guiding them, practically their mentor.
However, the mentor’s two apprentices had vastly different aptitudes. Over time, the gap between Li Wan and Zhou Hui became increasingly apparent. Li Wan was far superior in terms of both work ability and emotional intelligence.
Unsurprisingly, it was Li Wan who had officially stayed on Lin Shuangzhi’s team, while Zhou Hui had been reassigned to another department. It wasn’t a bad department, but it lacked opportunities for advancement.
So, over the years, Li Wan’s career had flourished, and she was now the managing editor, handling many of the tasks Lin Shuangzhi used to handle. Zhou Hui, however, remained obscure in the administrative department, just a senior employee.
Li Wan gave Zhou Hui’s name to the police, and the investigation quickly yielded results. Zhou Hui didn’t deny it, readily admitting that she resented Li Wan for using her father’s connections to advance her career.
She had only wanted Li Wan to experience the consequences of harming others, she hadn’t intended to endanger her life. The lab results confirmed that the substance in the milk tea wasn’t a deadly poison, but Zhou Hui was still taken into custody.
When she left the television station, there was no trace of regret on her face, only a sense of relief, as if she had finally been freed. Li Wan didn’t see her again; she stayed in her office all day.
No one dared to disturb her, and Lin Shuangzhi quietly took over her tasks. Qin Qianrou knocked on her door and, seeing her dejected expression, sighed and entered.
“Why aren’t you eating lunch?” Qin Qianrou placed a lunchbox on Li Wan’s desk.
“I don’t have an appetite.”
“Thinking about Zhou Hui?”
“I’m just wondering, why do we work so hard, day and night, chasing news stories? What’s it all for?”
Li Wan’s mood was low, her body listless, her eyes empty and lost.
“Suddenly so dejected, this isn’t like you.”
In Qin Qianrou’s impression, Li Wan was always full of energy and enthusiasm. She was fiery and straightforward, honest and sincere, always vibrant and charming.
Even after her breakup with Zhuo Cheng, she hadn’t been this despondent.
Sadness was inevitable, but losing one’s will was even more difficult to recover from.
“We just have to do our job well, it doesn’t matter what others say or think.”
Qin Qianrou sat across from Li Wan. This was her answer, the belief that had always driven her forward.
“Can we really be completely indifferent to what others say?” Li Wan looked at her and smiled wryly. “Qianrou, that’s just an excuse we use to protect ourselves.”
“I just didn’t expect Zhou Hui’s actions to affect you so deeply.”
Li Wan had rarely interacted with Zhou Hui after she was transferred to another department. Their work didn’t overlap, and even when they ran into each other at events, they would simply exchange nods.
“I’m just thinking, how many more pairs of hateful eyes are watching us in the shadows? If it weren’t for Shen Yiqiu, would we be clueless, like headless chickens, or constantly living in fear, dodging the next attack?”
Qin Qianrou’s heart skipped a beat when she heard Shen Yiqiu’s name.
She recalled that day, returning home to a fragrant aroma filling the air, finding that child simmering soup in the kitchen.
Seeing her return, Shen Yiqiu had looked slightly embarrassed, refusing to tell her what she was making.
Qin Qianrou had assumed she was simply craving something, and seeing that she was managing fine in the kitchen, hadn’t asked further, returning to her room.
Later, at dinnertime, Shen Yiqiu had knocked on her door, softly calling her to eat.
There was only a single bowl of soup on the table. Walking closer, Qin Qianrou saw it was stewed pig’s feet with soybeans. The excess oil had been skimmed off, the tender pig’s feet clinging to the bones, the soybeans plump and inviting.
“I went to the supermarket on my way back and bought some groceries, I tried making this.”
Qin Qianrou remembered she had told her to go back and take a shower and rest. She hadn’t expected her to go grocery shopping and cook.
Shen Yiqiu scratched her cheek, her voice slightly louder, “This soup is supposed to be good for your skin and complexion.”
With all that collagen, it had to be nourishing.
Qin Qianrou smiled and sat down. She took a sip, and as she was about to speak, she noticed Shen Yiqiu staring at her intently, her eyes wide with anticipation.
She looked even more nervous than a student waiting for exam results. Qin Qianrou’s smile widened, and she praised, “It’s delicious.”
Seeing her genuine smile, Shen Yiqiu smiled as well.
“I’m glad you like it. Have some more, there’s more in the pot.”
With that, she turned and went back to the kitchen, bringing out more dishes.
They weren’t elaborate dishes. Qin Qianrou recognized most of them as pre-prepared meals from the supermarket.
“I’m not a very good cook, and I haven’t had much opportunity to cook before, but I stir-fried the vegetables myself.”
Qin Qianrou was always busy with work, and even when she got off work on time, she didn’t have much motivation to cook alone. Compared to Shen Yiqiu, her cooking skills were probably even worse.
“It’s much better than mine, I can probably only wash the vegetables.”
Shen Yiqiu couldn’t help but smile at Qin Qianrou’s modesty. It seemed she had a chance to excel in this area.
More importantly, she enjoyed the feeling of cooking and waiting for Qin Qianrou to come home. It made her feel like they had a home.
Li Wan, seeing Qin Qianrou lost in thought, didn’t know what she was thinking about, but judging by her expression, it must be something pleasant. She felt a pang of annoyance; she was miserable, while Qianrou was reminiscing about happy memories.
She waved her hand in front of Qin Qianrou’s face. “Qianrou, who are you thinking about so intently?”
If Li Wan had simply asked who she was thinking about, Qin Qianrou would have honestly told her it was Shen Yiqiu.
But she had added the phrase “so intently,” so Qin Qianrou didn’t want to share.
She collected her thoughts and turned her attention back to Li Wan.
“Seems like you’re feeling better now?”
Being able to tease herself meant she was no longer trapped in her sadness.
“I’m still sad, but there’s nothing I can do, life goes on.” Li Wan had always been resilient; otherwise, she would have broken down countless times over the years.
Qin Qianrou was about to leave; she still had a lot of work to do. She pointed to the lunchbox on Li Wan’s desk. Skipping meals was bad for her stomach.
Shen Yiqiu had said that.
“Remember to eat your lunch.”
“Hey Qianrou, when is the little one free?”
Qin Qianrou turned around and looked at her. “Who?”
“Shen Yiqiu, who else could I be referring to?” Li Wan adjusted the lunchbox in front of her. She wasn’t sure why, but she enjoyed calling Shen Yiqiu “little one.”
“Just call her Shen Yiqiu, calling her ‘little one’ isn’t appropriate.” Qin Qianrou’s tone was still calm, but Li Wan laughed.
“You’re even concerned about this. Qianrou, aren’t you being a bit overprotective of her?”
Qin Qianrou pursed her lips, paused for a moment, then said irritably, “It’s a matter of politeness.”
“Alright, alright, I’ll call her ‘kid’ then, is that okay?” Li Wan suddenly remembered something, her smile widening. “Or, ‘little sister’ would work too.”
Qin Qianrou ignored her, seeing that she had started eating, knowing she was fine now.
**
Autumn deepened, and Shao Qidong hadn’t appeared in Shen Yiqiu’s life again. The harm he had caused remained a painful memory, buried deep within her heart. The investigation into He Chao had concluded, the charges finalized, and they were now waiting for the court date.
These were all good news for Shen Yiqiu. And her special intuition hadn’t appeared in a while, but she didn’t feel disappointed, she was even a little happy. Because she knew that no premonitions meant fewer dangers.
Qin Qianrou was still as busy with work as always, but her overtime hours had decreased. Every time Shen Yiqiu looked at her with hopeful eyes, asking if she was coming home for dinner, Qin Qianrou couldn’t bring herself to stay at the office.
Initially, her colleagues were puzzled, wondering why Reporter Qin, who usually stayed until 9:30 pm, was now leaving at 7 pm. Only after tagging along for dinner a few times did Li Wan discover the reason.
However, it was a good thing that Qianrou wasn’t just an “Iron Woman” anymore. Li Wan even praised Shen Yiqiu’s cooking, encouraging her to continue honing her skills, to lure Qin Qianrou home with delicious meals.
**
That day, the two women, now in long trench coats, entered the elevator together and ran into a colleague from the advertising department. With the end of the year approaching, this was their busiest and most stressful time, scrambling to secure advertising deals, their performance declining year after year.
“Morning, Sister Wan, Sister Qianrou.”
“Xiao Yu, you seem unusually cheerful today, good news?” Li Wan often visited other departments and was quite familiar with them.
“Better than good news.”
“Share it with us, let us celebrate with you.”
The elevator reached the advertising department’s floor. Before leaving, Xiao Yu revealed the reason for his good mood, “We just secured a major sponsorship deal, our annual target is met, our director was practically laughing in his sleep last night.”
“Oh?”
Now, not only Li Wan, but Qin Qianrou was also curious.
In this age of advanced multimedia, there were still people willing to spend a fortune on television advertising. Judging by Xiao Yu’s tone, the investment must be substantial, enough to cover their entire annual target; it was indeed a significant deal.
“Which big boss is so generous, throwing so much money at TV advertising?”
Xiao Yu looked around and chuckled, “Sister Wan, you can’t say that outside our department. Dongsheng Group isn’t foolish, they must have seen a business opportunity.”
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