Chapter 12: The Breakup in Progress 3
At a coffee shop, Ning Qingqing and Wu Fei chatted for a while. When it was time for lunch, she checked her phone and saw two missed calls from Shen Zhiqian.
She immediately called him back.
There was no answer. Ning Qingqing then sent him a message explaining that her phone had been accidentally silenced.
Wang Qian asked her to have lunch together. Since Shen Zhiqian hadn’t replied, Ning Qingqing said goodbye to Wu Fei and went to the employee cafeteria with Wang Qian.
Word of the elevator incident had likely spread throughout the company. Many people greeted Ning Qingqing enthusiastically, but some wore subtle expressions.
As soon as she and Wang Qian sat down with their food, they heard a commotion from the small dining hall.
Ning Qingqing turned her head and saw Shen Zhiqian and his father walking side-by-side, followed by Si Luoqing, Kenny, and Shen Zhiqian’s special assistant. They were heading towards the small dining hall.
Almost simultaneously, everyone’s gaze turned towards Ning Qingqing!
Ning Qingqing held her chopsticks, her face almost expressionless, but she felt her grip loosening.
She had always trusted Shen Zhiqian. Even now, Shen Zhiqian having lunch with Si Luoqing and others was likely just work-related.
But understanding it intellectually was different from not minding it emotionally.
She was a girl; she was sensitive, she cared, she got jealous.
Especially now, with so many people looking at her meaningfully, as if saying—
Ning Qingqing, you’ve lost your position.
After all, this lunch wasn’t very formal. Shen Zhiqian could have invited Ning Qingqing, instead of his official girlfriend eating cafeteria food while his rumored ex-girlfriend enjoyed a private meal!
“Qingqing, are you okay?” Wang Qian looked at her worriedly. “Actually, it’s just business for Shen Zong. Some people are just being sour grapes and overinterpreting things.”
Ning Qingqing nodded, forcing a smile. “I’m fine.”
She thought about the call she made to Shen Zhiqian. She understood he was angry.
Why was he angry? Because she apologized in the elevator without giving him face?
But he didn’t know that she was even more wronged. Kenny had shoved her hard, and her waist still hurt.
She ate lunch without appetite. Back in the office, Ning Qingqing went to the restroom.
The moment she closed the stall door, tears welled up.
Her phone remained silent; Shen Zhiqian hadn’t offered a single explanation.
She believed that Shen Zhiqian must have seen her when he passed the main dining hall on his way to the small one.
Ning Qingqing gently touched her lower back. There were no wounds from the impact, but it felt swollen.
She ordered Yunnan Baiyao (a Chinese herbal medicine) online and asked Wang Qian for help when it arrived.
“Xianxi, I accidentally bumped into something. Can you see if it’s bruised?”
Wang Qian lifted Ning Qingqing’s clothes and frowned. “It’s red and purple in the middle, and quite swollen. Goodness, how did this happen?”
Ning Qingqing said, “In the elevator, after Si Luoqing got burned, her agent pushed me, and I hit the elevator handrail.”
“What?!” Wang Qian was shocked. “Does Shen Zong know?”
She opened a spray bottle. “This might sting a little; I’ll be gentle…”
“Mm.” Ning Qingqing replied. “He doesn’t know. I haven’t had a chance to tell him yet.”
Wang Qian sprayed the medicine, making sure Ning Qingqing wasn’t uncomfortable, then whispered, “Qingqing, that Si Luoqing acts like a big star, but I think she’s just trying to climb the ladder! You’ve been with Shen Zong for so long, don’t let others interfere. I think you’re kind, beautiful, and have great temperament. Even though your family background isn’t great, if I were Shen Zong, I’d definitely marry you! But men are different; they face so many temptations, so you have to seize the opportunity…”
Ning Qingqing knew Wang Qian was genuinely worried about her. She straightened her clothes and smiled, “Mm, I know. But I always think that if a relationship is truly fine, it doesn’t need constant guarding. And if there are real problems, even if you try your best, you can’t hold on, then you should accept it.”
Wang Qian frowned, “Qingqing, you—”
Ning Qingqing hugged her. “I’ve almost finished my work recently. I’ll take a long vacation. You take care of yourself at the company!”
Wang Qian’s suspicion grew stronger. Her tone became serious, “Qingqing, you and Shen Zong… are you guys having problems?”
Ning Qingqing shook her head. “I don’t know yet, but it’s coming.”
Her birthday was in two days. After her birthday, everything would be settled.
Wang Qian was flustered. She was about to ask more questions, but someone else entered the restroom, so they left together.
Late in the afternoon, Ning Qingqing received a message from Shen Zhiqian saying he had a dinner engagement.
She replied that she would take the subway home. He replied, “Okay.”
The next day, Ning Qingqing finished her last contract. Before leaving work, she uploaded a statistical table to her outbox, setting the recipient and scheduling it to send the day after her birthday.
As she was leaving, Ning Qingqing took the elevator downstairs and met Xiaowen, the administrative assistant from the top floor executive office.
Xiaowen was a recent college graduate. Usually cheerful and talkative, she politely called Ning Qingqing “Sister Qingqing” and gossiped quietly:
“Shen Zong seems to have been unhappy all day today. When he asked me to print documents, his expression could kill! It scared me!”
Ning Qingqing nodded. “Mm, did something go wrong with a project?”
Xiaowen shook her head. “I don’t know. He’s been like that since lunch yesterday. But he left at 4, with luggage; he must be on a business trip.”
Ning Qingqing was completely stunned.
The elevator arrived on a floor. Xiaowen needed to pick up Shen Zhiqian’s package from the front desk. She waved to Ning Qingqing. “Sister Qingqing, I’ll go ahead. Ugh, the boss is on a business trip, and I have to work overtime, so pitiful!”
Ning Qingqing nodded. “Mm, good luck.”
She walked out of the building, looking at the bright sky, even though it was 6 pm, feeling a chill.
Her chat with Shen Zhiqian was still on yesterday afternoon’s message, where Shen Zhiqian mentioned his dinner engagement.
They hadn’t contacted each other all day, and Shen Zhiqian hadn’t mentioned his business trip.
They’d had similar cold wars before, but rarely. They had been together for nine years, arguing even during college, but Shen Zhiqian always took the initiative to reconcile.
After starting work, they almost never argued, only occasional disagreements, which were quickly resolved, never lasting more than a day.
Her birthday was tomorrow. Ning Qingqing thought she should know the answer beforehand.
She returned to her apartment building, bought some groceries at the supermarket downstairs, and made herself dinner.
After dinner, Qiao Xiaomian called on video. “Happy early birthday to our beautiful Qingqing!”
Ning Qingqing saw her background was the company and asked, “Xiaomian, are you still working overtime?”
“Yes, a hard-working employee.” Qiao Xiaomian said, her eyes shining. “But after this project, I might get promoted!”
She lowered her voice and made a shushing gesture.
Ning Qingqing gave her a thumbs-up. “Wow, Xiaomian is making progress! Dad Qiao has to celebrate with three glasses of wine.”
Dad Qiao was Qiao Xiaomian’s father, recently diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high blood sugar. He was restricted from smoking and drinking, only allowed occasionally.
Qiao Xiaomian laughed. “I’ll let my mom give him a chance to indulge then!”
Then, she spoke seriously. “Qingqing, will you make your decision after your birthday?”
Ning Qingqing also stopped smiling and nodded. “Mm, I’ll wait until midnight tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Qiao Xiaomian said, “I know you want to be alone tomorrow. Let’s celebrate your birthday together the day after tomorrow after work.”
“Mm.” Ning Qingqing said, “Go get back to work. It’s almost 9 o’clock. Go home early and be careful on the way.”
Qiao Xiaomian nodded rapidly. “Okay, okay, I’m going to work. Happy birthday, beautiful girl! After 25, let’s embrace a new life together!”
Ning Qingqing hung up the video call and looked out at the night sky.
Yes, a new life after 25.
Whether marrying Shen Zhiqian or breaking up, it was a brand-new stage for her.
Before going to bed, she read the jokes sent by Gu Youchen and then turned off the lights.
She had unconsciously formed a habit these days; it seemed that reading those jokes allowed her to have happy dreams.
That night, she thought she wouldn’t be able to sleep, but she fell asleep quickly.
While she was sleeping, her phone on the bedside table vibrated repeatedly.
Ning Qingqing groggily opened her eyes. In the strong light, she took a few seconds to see that it was a call from Shen Zhiqian.
She answered. “Hello.”
Shen Zhiqian seemed to have drunk a lot of alcohol. His voice was much huskier than usual. “Qingqing, happy birthday.”
Ning Qingqing looked at the time; it was exactly 12 midnight, her birthday.
Immediately, her heart beat faster; her sleepiness disappeared completely.
When Shen Zhiqian took her to the hospital that day, they had agreed that he would give her an answer on her birthday.
“Thank you, Zhiqian.” Her tone became lighter. “Are you going to—”
There was a lot of noise on the other end, the sounds of men toasting each other coming through the phone, a stark contrast to Ning Qingqing’s quietness, like two different worlds.
Shen Zhiqian chuckled lowly. “I’ve had too much to drink, I miss our Qingqing, my sweetheart.”
Someone seemed to be cheering him on.
Shen Zhiqian continued, “Even when I’m not drunk, I miss you, I miss you all the time… Sweetheart, I was wrong that day, I shouldn’t have been so emotional. Will you forgive me?”
Ning Qingqing held her phone, asking, “Is that all you want to say?”
Shen Zhiqian continued to coax her. “It’s all my fault, I shouldn’t have been so jealous that I went on a business trip without telling you. That Wu Fei, he liked you in high school, I caught him staring at you several times. That day, I asked you to wait for me, but you went to have coffee with him, so I got angry.”
Ning Qingqing was stunned, completely unexpected. And Wu Fei liked her? She had no idea.
The people on Shen Zhiqian’s end laughed even louder, and Shen Zhiqian felt a little embarrassed. “Qingqing, so will you forgive your boyfriend?”
Ning Qingqing could only reply, “Okay.”
Shen Zhiqian chuckled again. “I’ve prepared a birthday gift for you, I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”
Ning Qingqing’s breath tightened slightly. “So, can I get that answer tomorrow?”
There was a commotion on Shen Zhiqian’s side, and because he was drunk, he didn’t pay attention to Ning Qingqing’s words, only replying, “Mm, okay, anything you want, I’ll give it to you tomorrow.”
Ning Qingqing’s heart fluttered, her palm was sweaty.
The corners of her lips couldn’t help but rise, her eyes filled with starlight. “Okay.”
“Sweetheart, go to sleep, get a good night’s sleep, look pretty.” Shen Zhiqian’s voice was low and tender. “Goodnight, I love you.”
After hanging up, Ning Qingqing held her phone and happily rolled around in bed.
If she understood correctly, Shen Zhiqian had given her an early answer?
He would give her the definite answer in person tomorrow, more formally and ceremoniously, after giving her the gift.
She was happy, her heart full of anticipation.
After nine years together, she hadn’t liked Shen Zhiqian initially, but their feelings had grown over time.
She would be moved by him rubbing her hair, her heart would race from his hugs, and she would be thrilled by his care.
This year, someone’s comment, “When are you getting married?”, made her realize for the first time that there seemed to be a problem in their relationship.
But she loved him, truly.
She had spoken decisively, and she had prepared everything, but her heart told her she didn’t want to break up.
She hoped she could have a home and a future with Shen Zhiqian, many mornings and nights together.
Author’s Note:
This sentence from the blurb is for Shen Zhiqian—
“Only at this moment did he realize what he had lost.”
Breakup this week, flash marriage next week, wait until Shen Zhiqian finds out, he’ll be completely dumbfounded~~
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