Chapter 61
Li Wan and Lin Shuangzhi’s Spanish dinner lasted a long time, as if they were truly in Spain. Following local customs, dinner extended until almost 10 pm. When they finally left the restaurant, although not that late, it was past 9 pm, not in line with Meng City’s fast-paced rhythm, but Li Wan was content.
She had had some wine during dinner, not much, just enough to give her cheeks a rosy flush, adding to her charm. She had suggested Lin Shuangzhi have a drink as well, they could always call a designated driver, but Lin Shuangzhi had simply smiled and shaken her head, not stopping her from indulging.
The night air was chilly, and as they left the restaurant, a gust of wind blew before they could even fully button their coats, making those already slightly flushed from the warmth and the wine shiver slightly.
Lin Shuangzhi, at some point, moved closer, her arm brushing against Li Wan’s, almost touching.
“Cold? It’s windy tonight, don’t catch a cold.” Lin Shuangzhi looked at her, subtly shifting her body to shield her from the wind.
Li Wan, emboldened by the slight alcohol, leaned against her, her voice languid. “I didn’t feel it earlier, but now with the wind, I am a little cold.”
Lin Shuangzhi’s hand lifted slightly, and Li Wan, catching a glimpse of it from the corner of her eye, pursed her lips, pretending not to notice, subtly leaning closer to Lin Shuangzhi.
“Let’s get in the car, I’ll drive you home.”
The restaurant had been established years ago, before the city’s infrastructure was as developed, so the parking lot was completely open-air. Surrounded by restaurants, it was almost always full at night, and sometimes, just finding your car could take a while.
Li Wan stood there, not moving. As dinner ended, she had been thinking, what should they do next? They had had a pleasant conversation tonight, starting with work, then gradually shifting to their personal lives, then becoming completely open and unrestrained, talking about everything and anything.
This made Li Wan feel comfortable and at ease, as if the distance between her and the team leader had suddenly shortened. They had even reminisced about when she had first joined the station after graduating, learning the ropes under Lin Shuangzhi’s guidance. She had thought the team leader had long forgotten, but it turned out she still remembered those details.
This made Li Wan’s heart sweet, the bitterness and uncertainty of her unrequited feelings gradually replaced by a sliver of hope, and now she was ready to make her move.
If not for this pleasant evening, Li Wan wouldn’t have realized how happy she could be. It had been a long time since she had felt this mix of excitement, shyness, anticipation, and sweetness, even during her relationship with Zhuo Cheng, she hadn’t experienced such a complex range of emotions.
If this wasn’t love, then what was?
“I don’t want to go home so early.” Li Wan softly voiced her thoughts, and Lin Shuangzhi looked at her intently.
Slightly embarrassed, she still tried to appear nonchalant, her eyes half-closed. “What, are you in a hurry to go back and work overtime?”
Lin Shuangzhi gently stroked her hair, a light touch that sent shivers down Li Wan’s spine.
“I’m worried you’re tipsy and might not feel well if you stay out too late.”
The team leader’s gentle tone, filled with concern and care, made Li Wan pinch herself, thinking she must be dreaming.
Before she could respond, she heard someone calling her name.
“Xiao Wan, is that really you?”
She turned around and saw Zhuo Cheng approaching quickly. He was wearing a strong cologne, which even his business jacket couldn’t mask, and Li Wan felt a wave of nausea.
Seeing her slightly dazed expression, Zhuo Cheng suppressed his initial joy, his voice filled with concern and a hint of displeasure. “Have you been drinking?”
Li Wan in university, although straightforward and bold, hadn’t been fond of alcohol. It was unclear where the rumor had originated, but after Zhuo Cheng’s departure for overseas, it was said that Miss Li had become fond of drinking.
From then on, “drowning her sorrows in alcohol” had become Li Wan’s portrayal.
Zhuo Cheng regretted it, he had harmed her. But Xiao Wan had always refused to relent, unwilling to give him a chance to make amends.
“Just a little, I’m not drunk, don’t worry.” Li Wan straightened up slightly, but she still remained close to Lin Shuangzhi.
On this cold night, only by staying close to the team leader could she stay warm, she didn’t want to move away.
Zhuo Cheng reached out to steady her, but before his hand could reach her, he saw Li Wan leaning into another person’s embrace.
“I’ll take care of her.”
Zhuo Cheng looked at the person, who smiled and nodded at him, but he couldn’t detect any warmth in the gesture.
He awkwardly withdrew his hand, still maintaining his gentlemanly demeanor. “You’re Team Leader Lin, right?”
Lin Shuangzhi raised an eyebrow, surprised that Zhuo Cheng knew her.
“I’ve seen you outside the television station. I haven’t had a chance to thank you, I didn’t expect to run into you here tonight.”
Lin Shuangzhi looked at him, amused. “Thank me?”
Zhuo Cheng looked at Li Wan tenderly and slowly said, “Thank you for taking such good care of Xiao Wan since she joined the station. She told me her work experience at the television station has been very rewarding and fulfilling.”
His tone sounded like a farewell speech for someone about to resign and become a full-time housewife. Thankfully, they were all seasoned reporters, accustomed to all sorts of bizarre stories, so they didn’t take it seriously.
But Li Wan was still furious. There was nothing going on between her and Zhuo Cheng, let alone rekindling their past relationship. Even those few dinners she had reluctantly agreed to, just to gather information about Dongsheng, she had maintained a clear distance, never saying anything remotely ambiguous.
Yet he was spouting such nonsense in front of the team leader! What if she misunderstood?
Li Wan’s anger flared, the slight alcohol-induced dizziness vanishing completely. She straightened up, wanting to clarify this ambiguous and misleading situation.
To her surprise, the usually reserved team leader spoke first. “There’s no need to thank me, taking care of Xiao Wan is my responsibility. And I’ve also enjoyed working with her.”
So, it was none of his business.
Zhuo Cheng’s face paled slightly. He had been here for a while, and Li Wan hadn’t even looked at him properly. And now, even Lin Shuangzhi seemed to be dismissing him. He sometimes wondered if there were too many eligible bachelors at the television station, which was why these women weren’t interested in him.
He had to admit, in any other setting, his presence would definitely attract attention. Especially within Dongsheng, many young female employees had a crush on him.
Footsteps approached, and Lin Shuangzhi saw the person walking towards them from behind Zhuo Cheng: Shao Qidong.
“What a coincidence, I didn’t expect to run into two beautiful ladies here.”
Zhuo Cheng introduced him. “This is Mr. Shao, CEO of Dongsheng Group, we were discussing business at Xing Lang Hotel tonight. We were just about to leave when we saw you, so we thought we’d come over and say hello.”
With his boss present, Zhuo Cheng suppressed his lovesick behavior and regained his usual composure. He didn’t want to embarrass himself in front of Shao Qidong, being rejected once was enough.
His pride wouldn’t allow him to reveal his vulnerability, especially not to the person who had paid a hefty price to recruit him from overseas.
“Mr. Shao, it’s been a while.” Their last close encounter had been at the meeting where Shao Qidong had discussed Dongsheng’s advertising plans for the next year.
As the biggest spender on advertising at the station, Shao Qidong had naturally been treated with utmost courtesy by the station directors. Department heads from relevant departments had been present, even Lin Shuangzhi, whose work wasn’t directly related to advertising, had been called in.
The directors had said it was to show their respect for Dongsheng Group. But Lin Shuangzhi knew it was also a subtle message to Shao Qidong, that a large advertising budget could significantly reduce the likelihood of Dongsheng Group appearing in negative news reports.
Lin Shuangzhi had barely spoken at the meeting, but there was no denying Shao Qidong’s influence within the station. He had good relationships with several station directors, and several department heads were also eager to please him. After all, he was a prominent figure in the city, with close ties to Deputy Provincial Governor Xu, clearly someone they couldn’t afford to offend.
Shao Qidong maintained a polite but distant demeanor, purely business-like and perfunctory. Compared to Zhuo Cheng, his thoughts were even more difficult to decipher.
“My car is over there, do you need a ride?” Shao Qidong pointed to his Bentley and his driver waiting in the distance.
“No need to trouble you, Mr. Shao, we have other plans.”
Lin Shuangzhi’s arm, at some point, had snaked around Li Wan’s, her grip tightening. This sudden embrace extinguished the anger that had been building within Li Wan, and she leaned against her weakly.
Only after the two men, who had inexplicably appeared, had left, did Li Wan finally recover.
“Where are we going now?”
Lin Shuangzhi loosened her grip slightly, but her arm remained around Li Wan.
“If you’re still up for it, let’s go for a drink.”
Lin Shuangzhi taking the initiative to suggest a change of venue should have delighted Li Wan, but she couldn’t help but frown.
She could sense the tension in the team leader’s demeanor after Shao Qidong’s appearance.
Lin Shuangzhi was unhappy.
Li Wan looked at her intently. “Okay, I’ll go with you.”
Whether you’re happy or sad, I’m willing to be there for you.
**
Sitting in the Bentley, Zhuo Cheng was sullen and silent. Shao Qidong, however, was in a good mood, casually tapping his fingers on his leg.
Tonight’s dinner hadn’t been an important social engagement, they had simply dined with a few department heads from the television station. Thankfully, they had left separately; being seen with Lin Shuangzhi and Li Wan wouldn’t have been a good thing.
“Zhuo Cheng, what are your thoughts on tonight’s situation?” Shao Qidong looked out the window, his tone casual.
“The television station?”
“I’m not interested in your personal life.”
Zhuo Cheng felt a pang of awkwardness, the secret he had been trying so hard to hide seemingly transparent to his boss.
He organized his thoughts. “Judging by their hints tonight, a restructuring at the television station is inevitable. The station director is about to retire, and the deputy directors have always been at odds, it’s hard to say who will take over.”
“What, after interacting with Deputy Mayor Li for so long, you haven’t gleaned any information?”
Zhuo Cheng’s awkwardness intensified. He didn’t know what Li Wan had told her family, but recently, his invitations to the Li residence had been few and far between.
And Uncle Li no longer seemed as eager to encourage their relationship, which made him feel even more anxious.
“Deputy Mayor Li always keeps his professional and personal life separate, he probably wouldn’t even reveal anything to Li Wan, let alone me.”
Zhuo Cheng’s words were reasonable, and Shao Qidong didn’t press further. Dealing with these government officials, impatience was a fatal flaw. Many things were learned through subtle observation and intuition; these masters wouldn’t reveal anything directly, it was all up to you to decipher.
“Dongsheng invested such a large sum in advertising, there should be some results, we can’t just throw money down the drain.”
“I’ll follow up on that.”
Shao Qidong then turned around, a playful look on his face.
“It’s time for the overseas branch to take action. After the New Year, we’ll start with a few smaller projects, to test the market.”
Zhuo Cheng nodded, confident about this matter.
But he still had some concerns. “But the television station…”
Shao Qidong chuckled, “After the New Year, with the new management team in place, there will definitely be a departmental restructuring. Who will have the time to focus on Dongsheng then?”
Although he said this, Qin Qianrou wasn’t easily swayed.
“As for the person you’re worried about, I have my own arrangements.”
If a hard approach didn’t work, then a soft approach would.
The He Chao couple’s downfall had made Shao Qidong more cautious, but business had to continue, and those he dealt with wouldn’t tolerate his prolonged inactivity. Faced with such enormous profits, he had to take risks.
“It’s no secret that the Li family is protecting Qin Qianrou in Meng City.”
Zhuo Cheng still felt a hint of apprehension towards this former “Ice Queen.”
“Then just get her out of Meng City. She’s on a training assignment now, and there will be more opportunities for her to be away in the future.”
Shao Qidong’s sinister smile sent chills down Zhuo Cheng’s spine, despite the warm car.
**
The training program finally had a short break. Wen Yirong, as always, was well-informed. As soon as Qin Qianrou submitted her request for leave, her mother’s call followed.
“Xiao Rou, are you staying at home this weekend, or at the villa?”
Qin Qianrou, packing her suitcase, paused. “Mom, I’m planning to return to Meng City.”
Wen Yirong was surprised; she hadn’t heard anything about this, she had assumed Qianrou would stay in Hai City.
“What, is there something urgent you need to handle in Meng City?” Although it was just a long weekend, traveling back and forth was still tiring.
Qin Qianrou wouldn’t make such an effort if it wasn’t something important.
“Not exactly urgent, but I do need to go back.”
Wen Yirong was reluctant for her to leave. She had sent soup and supplements several times during the training program, which Qin Qianrou had reluctantly accepted, but it hadn’t eased her longing for her daughter.
“If it’s not urgent, can’t it wait until your next break?”
This was Qin Qianrou’s first break since starting the training program; she should be spending time with her family, after all, her home was in Hai City. Yet she was rushing back to Meng City, making those who didn’t know her think she had another family there.
“Mom, do you have something planned?”
Although Wen Yirong often checked on her daughter’s attitude and intentions, she rarely tried to influence her decisions. Sensing something else in her mother’s tone, Qin Qianrou closed her suitcase and sat down on the bed.
Wen Yirong was silent for a moment, then said softly, “Your grandfather wants you to come home, he said you haven’t been back in a long time, and you should meet some people.”
Her previous two trips back with Shen Yiqiu had been for specific purposes, brief and hurried, and Wen Yirong naturally hadn’t wanted to impose on her, keeping her visits a secret. However, the patent donation had involved many people and attracted wider attention, naturally catching the attention of the elders.
Qin Qianrou, hearing this arrangement, guessed who she was supposed to meet. Her uncle’s words had been clear; the elders felt it was time for their generation to settle down and get married.
Qin Qianrou had always been indifferent to marriage, she simply wasn’t interested, she didn’t want to waste her time on such things.
But now, she felt conflicted. Whenever she thought about relationships, she could no longer maintain her previous indifference. She was gradually becoming more involved, caught in a situation she couldn’t escape, yet desperately wanted to break free from.
“Xiao Rou, don’t worry, I know how you feel, I won’t force you. But we have to appease your grandfather, he’s getting old, it’s best to indulge him whenever possible.”
“I’m open to discussion about other matters, but those meetings grandfather arranged… let’s skip those.” Qin Qianrou truly loathed those pretentious blind dates; the bizarre experiences Li Wan had shared were enough for her to understand the situation.
“There aren’t many, just one or two. You know your grandfather has always favored the Cheng family, he’s been talking about it for years, it wouldn’t be appropriate to avoid them completely.”
“Mom, let’s talk about it when I come back. I really don’t have time this week.”
Wen Yirong knew her daughter didn’t want to discuss this further, having conveyed the message, she considered her duty fulfilled. Deep down, she also hoped her daughter would find someone she could rely on, not necessarily someone wealthy or influential, just someone who would truly cherish and protect Qianrou.
Qianrou’s personality was too cold and aloof, yet also stubborn, once she set her mind on something, she wouldn’t give up until she achieved it. This made her parents both proud and worried, they hoped someone could be there for her, to share her burdens.
Unlike Wen Yirong’s disappointment, Shen Yiqiu was ecstatic. Ever since she learned Jiejie was coming back, she had been unable to sleep, counting down the days.
But she also felt time was slipping away too quickly. After finishing her quizzes, she rushed to the supermarket to buy groceries. However, a few of the ingredients in the online recipes she had found were uncommon, not available in the upscale supermarket in their complex.
Shen Yiqiu chose a morning when she didn’t have class and, after several bus transfers, finally reached the farmer’s market, using photos on her phone to find the ingredients she needed.
She knew Jiejie’s visit was rare, so she wanted to make as many different flavors of wontons as possible, carefully selecting ingredients and preparing five different fillings.
The fridge was packed with small bags of wontons, and Shen Yiqiu beamed, delighted with her accomplishment.
This was completely different from when she was alone at home; having something to look forward to filled her with motivation.
Her long-suppressed yearning gradually surfaced, and Shen Yiqiu couldn’t contain her excitement.
Li Wan drove Qin Qianrou home from the airport, but she didn’t even go upstairs. After parking Qin Qianrou’s car in its usual spot, she simply waved goodbye and left.
Qin Qianrou had perfunctorily invited her up, but Li Wan had declined with a chuckle.
“Qianrou, you’ve finally returned, I won’t disturb you at a time like this.”
Then, she meaningfully scrutinized Qin Qianrou from head to toe, before adding, as she left, “Your makeup looks nice today.”
Qin Qianrou, usually calm and composed, blushed slightly. Thankfully, Li Wan had left; otherwise, she didn’t know how long she would be teased for.
Opening the door, the slippers by the entrance were neatly arranged, just as always, waiting for her return.
Shen Yiqiu practically ran out, then stopped a few steps away.
Her gaze was fixed on Qin Qianrou, unable to look away.
“Jiejie, you’re back.”
Qin Qianrou wanted to avoid that direct and intense gaze, but she couldn’t. Shen Yiqiu seemed to have lost some weight during her absence.
She looked down and pushed her suitcase against the wall. “Mm, I had some time off, came back to take care of a few things.”
Shen Yiqiu hadn’t expected Qin Qianrou to come back specifically for her, whatever the reason, as long as Jiejie was back, it was good. She was easily content, so she was happy now.
Her happiness was infectious, dispelling Qin Qianrou’s travel fatigue and the strange awkwardness she had been feeling. Shen Yiqiu, as usual, took her hand and led her to the sofa.
She looked Qin Qianrou over carefully, then said, her voice filled with concern, “The training must have been tiring, you’ve lost so much weight.”
It was Shen Yiqiu who had actually lost weight, but she only noticed the subtle changes in Qin Qianrou. Staying at a hotel wasn’t exactly comfortable, but with the supplements Wen Yirong constantly sent over, Qin Qianrou had only lost a couple of pounds.
“You’re the one who’s thin as a rail, and you’re saying I’ve lost weight?” Qin Qianrou stood up and walked towards the kitchen.
Shen Yiqiu quickly followed. “Jiejie, let me make you a bowl of wontons.”
It wasn’t dinnertime yet, and Qin Qianrou had eaten on the plane, so she wasn’t particularly hungry.
But being back home, she suddenly had a craving for them.
“The kind Xiao Wan had last time?”
Qin Qianrou walked over to Shen Yiqiu and watched as she took small bags of wontons out of the freezer. She had been a little surprised earlier, seeing so many wontons in the fridge.
Shen Yiqiu turned and smiled at her. “No, the filling is different this time.”
Qin Qianrou’s lips curved slightly, and she asked, “What’s different?”
“It’s a new recipe I learned online, I had to go to the farmer’s market to find the ingredients.” Then, as if remembering something, she chuckled and said, “And I won’t put so many scallions in yours.”
Qin Qianrou didn’t like scallions, even as a seasoning, she preferred less.
So, Shen Yiqiu used sesame oil instead, fragrant and thoughtful.
Qin Qianrou sat at the dining table, and they each had a bowl of wontons, not saying much, but both feeling content.
Qin Qianrou focused on her food, while Shen Yiqiu kept stealing glances at her, which Qin Qianrou noticed, but she didn’t say anything at first. Until, halfway through her bowl, that child was still staring.
“Shen Yiqiu, what are you looking at?”
Perhaps even she hadn’t realized it, but her tone was slightly different from her usual calm indifference, a subtle hint of playfulness that warmed Shen Yiqiu’s heart.
“I wanted to ask, how does it taste?”
“Delicious, of course, otherwise, why would I have eaten so much?”
This was true; Qin Qianrou was indeed enjoying her meal.
Shen Yiqiu smiled, as if she had more to say.
Qin Qianrou, feeling slightly flustered under her intense gaze, couldn’t avoid it and simply endured it, her heart racing.
“Jiejie, you look beautiful today.”
Shen Yiqiu’s soft whisper, she had been captivated from the moment she saw her. But the initial joy of their reunion had clouded her mind, and only now did she realize the source of the heart-fluttering impact the moment she opened the door.
Jiejie, you’re so beautiful today, so beautiful I want to keep looking at you forever.
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