Chapter 56 p2
Shen Yiqiu’s feelings were complicated upon hearing it was Hai City, but she didn’t think too much about it.
“Hai City is nice, if you’re not too busy, you can visit some places, eat some good food.” Shen Yiqiu did miss the food in Hai City, after all, she had grown up eating it.
Qin Qianrou, however, didn’t look at her, simply saying, “I’ll be there for a while this time.”
“How long?” Shen Yiqiu thought that Jiejie probably wouldn’t be home for dinner for at least half a month.
Actually, even after recovering, Jiejie rarely came home for dinner, but they could still have meals together on weekends.
Qin Qianrou didn’t answer immediately, and the car fell silent, only their breaths audible.
“Three months.”
What? Three months?
Shen Yiqiu blinked, wondering if she had heard correctly.
Qin Qianrou’s next words confirmed it.
She explained, “It’s a national training program for outstanding professionals from local television stations, a rare opportunity for professional development and networking. I couldn’t go the past two years due to work, and I don’t want to miss this opportunity.”
Professional development, networking, these seemed like essential factors for career advancement, but Qin Qianrou had always been indifferent to such things. Her professional abilities were exceptional, and she had never lacked connections.
So, she had declined the previous opportunities, but this time, she wanted to go.
Shen Yiqiu remained silent, disappointed, unsure what to say, she probably needed some time to process this news.
She fidgeted with the seat cover, her fingers tracing patterns unconsciously, still speechless.
“You can move in with Xiao Wan while I’m away, so you’ll have someone to look after you.” Qin Qianrou seemed to have already made arrangements. “If you feel uncomfortable with that, you can also stay with Rong Fei. She lives alone, just like me.”
Not the same! How could Rong Fei’s place be the same as yours?
Shen Yiqiu felt a pang of grievance, wanting to protest, but the words wouldn’t come out. Jiejie’s home was different from anywhere else.
Seeing Shen Yiqiu’s silence, Qin Qianrou’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, but her tone remained calm.
“What? You don’t want to stay with either of them, or do you… have other options?”
Shen Yiqiu shook her head and softly said, “I don’t want to go anywhere, I want to stay at home.”
Home, for Shen Yiqiu now, the apartment she shared with Qin Qianrou, felt more like home than anywhere else.
It was Qin Qianrou’s turn to fall silent. The road back from Meng Da was congested, the traffic slow and stop-and-go. Endless red lights at every intersection would frustrate even the most patient driver.
A sense of unease gradually settled over Qin Qianrou.
They didn’t speak again until they reached the residential complex.
Shen Yiqiu opened the car door, and as she was about to get out, Qin Qianrou sighed softly, “If you want to stay here, then stay.”
Shen Yiqiu paused, turned back, and smiled at her. “Thank you, Jiejie, I’ll go in then.”
Then, she quickly got out of the car, waving at Qin Qianrou as she walked around the front of the car. But Qin Qianrou could clearly see the forced smile on her face.
Only after Shen Yiqiu disappeared into the building did Qin Qianrou turn the car around and head back to the station. Everyone had grown accustomed to her recent work schedule, but no one knew that her productivity actually decreased after returning home.
As soon as she entered the building, Shen Yiqiu’s forced smile vanished, her eyes reddening, as if she had been holding back tears for a long time. Qin Qianrou’s sudden announcement of a three-month business trip, without any prior warning, had caught her off guard.
And Jiejie had even made alternative living arrangements for her, which meant this wasn’t a last-minute assignment. Jiejie must have known about it for a while, but she hadn’t said anything.
Shen Yiqiu felt disheartened, mechanically pressing the elevator button, tossing her bag aside as she collapsed onto the sofa, feeling lost and adrift.
She sat there in a daze, her heart sinking lower and lower, until she almost bit through her lip.
She thought, Jiejie must have sensed my feelings, so she’s avoiding me.
**
Qin Qianrou received Li Wan’s call just as she left the parking garage. Glancing at the time, she knew the purpose of the call.
“Qianrou, have you arrived? The team leader and I are about to order takeout, what do you want tonight?”
Many people had been working overtime recently, but the most consistent and dedicated were undoubtedly the three of them. So capable, so beautiful, and so hardworking, it was truly admirable. Having such a leader was enviable.
Many colleagues from other departments had been trying to get closer to their team, hoping Lin Shuangzhi might relent and accept a few transfers.
Unfortunately, Lin Shuangzhi had always maintained high standards, such favors couldn’t be bought.
In her words, it was better for them to work harder and put in more overtime than to bring in a few slackers who would only hinder their progress and make things worse.
Qin Qianrou, still thinking about Shen Yiqiu’s retreating figure, had no appetite. “Anything, you decide.”
Li Wan complained softly, “‘Anything’ every day, if only ‘anything’ was an actual dish. I don’t know how Shen Yiqiu manages to take care of you, dealing with your ‘anything’ every single day.”
Qin Qianrou’s heart ached when she heard Shen Yiqiu’s name.
Her decision to apply for the training program had surprised both Lin Shuangzhi and Li Wan. She had made the decision after careful consideration. The most delighted person was undoubtedly Wen Yirong; not only was her daughter not resisting returning to Hai City, but she was also willing to stay for three months, which would have been impossible before. Even if it was for work, it still meant that Qin Qianrou’s resistance to Hai City had lessened.
It seemed bringing her daughter back permanently was only a matter of time.
Qin Qianrou had also known that Shen Yiqiu would prefer to stay at her apartment, but hearing her say it directly still felt different.
She felt conflicted, wanting her to stay, yet also worried about leaving her unsupervised, she might go out and meet Yuan Qi.
During this time, whenever Qin Qianrou picked her up, she would arrive ten minutes early. She had observed the area and hadn’t seen that man again. Sometimes, she wondered if Shen Yiqiu, having understood her own feelings, had broken up with him.
Broken up with whom, because of whom? The answer was obvious.
Qin Qianrou felt a sense of relief, yet also a new worry; Shen Yiqiu liking her wasn’t necessarily a good thing.
Li Wan was reluctant for her friend to be away for three months, but Qin Qianrou had declined so many opportunities over the years. This time, her initiative showed she genuinely wanted to improve herself, and Li Wan couldn’t object, but the thought of her going to Hai City still worried her.
Qin Qianrou knew that no one around her understood her decision, but she couldn’t explain, she couldn’t say anything.
Matters of the heart were always difficult to articulate, especially a complicated relationship like hers and Shen Yiqiu’s.
However, news of Reporter Qin’s upcoming training program in Hai City still spread. Colleagues gossiped, saying Qin Qianrou had been lying low for too long and was finally making her move up the career ladder. Others said she was dissatisfied with the suppression of the Dongsheng project and was seeking external support to pressure the station.
Even more absurdly, some even claimed Qin Qianrou was being pursued by a super-rich second-generation heir from Hai City and was using this work opportunity as an excuse to go on dates. Perhaps after their relationship stabilized, she would request a transfer or even resign.
The rumors became increasingly outlandish, the jealousy more and more apparent. Li Wan often relayed these ridiculous stories to Qin Qianrou, only to be met with her usual indifference.
“Qianrou, you really don’t care about these rumors? They were somewhat believable at first, but now they’re getting ridiculous.”
As the day of her departure drew near, Qin Qianrou’s heart grew increasingly restless.
Every day, returning home, seeing the late-night snack on the table, and the light on in Shen Yiqiu’s room, she couldn’t bring herself to move. There were times she wanted to talk to Shen Yiqiu, but she didn’t know how to broach the subject.
These past two days, it seemed like Shen Yiqiu was avoiding her.
They would exchange greetings in the morning, talk about everyday topics, then finish breakfast in silence. After school, Shen Yiqiu would still run towards her car, slightly breathless, but she no longer smiled shyly and said, “Jiejie, I missed you today.”
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