Chapter 13: The Breakup in Progress 4
That night, Ning Qingqing didn’t fall asleep until very late, so she didn’t wake up until 10 am the next day.
She had taken the day off. After breakfast, she sat in front of her dressing table and put on beautiful makeup.
Shen Zhiqian was still out of town last night and wouldn’t be back until the afternoon. Ning Qingqing didn’t want to be anxious waiting, so she went to a book bar in the afternoon.
The book bar was quiet. She found a few good books, ordered some drinks, and sat down to read quietly.
Time slipped by slowly until a girl came to the seat opposite Ning Qingqing and asked, “Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?”
Ning Qingqing looked up and saw a very pretty girl with slightly chubby cheeks, looking only fifteen or sixteen years old.
She shook her head. “No one.”
The girl put down her book, sipping her milk tea while reading.
However, after reading for a while, she couldn’t help but steal glances at Ning Qingqing. Noticing Ning Qingqing was engrossed in her book, she took out her phone and secretly took a picture.
Because she was nervous, her hand trembled, and the picture was blurry. Even so, the girl’s elegant beauty was still visible.
The girl wanted to take another picture, but Ning Qingqing looked up, scaring her into quickly putting away her phone.
Ning Qingqing hadn’t noticed anything initially, but the girl’s reaction made her look at her twice.
Seeing the girl’s big eyes filled with innocence, Ning Qingqing smiled helplessly, “I’m not your homeroom teacher; I won’t tell you off for using your phone.”
The girl’s eyes lit up, she stuck out her tongue, “Sister, you’re so pretty! Can we take a selfie together?”
Ning Qingqing wasn’t a celebrity, so she naturally refused. “Sorry, you might have mistaken me for someone else.”
“Oh.” The girl was a little disappointed, but soon she openly started playing with her phone.
Ning Qingqing continued reading, while the girl opened a chat window and sent a message to someone marked “Handsome Cousin”: “Brother, I saw a really pretty girl today, and I observed her; she loves reading, I think she’s perfect for you!”
In Beishi, Gu Youchen, who was on a business trip, felt his phone vibrate. He picked it up and saw a message from his cousin, Qin Yan Yue, and opened it.
Seeing the content, he subconsciously frowned and typed coldly, “No.”
He had just clicked send when Qin Yan Yue’s second message arrived, a picture. Although it was a frontal shot, the shaky pixels clearly indicated it was a surreptitious shot.
Gu Youchen’s brows furrowed even tighter. He was about to scold Qin Yan Yue when his gaze suddenly stopped.
He quickly opened the photo and saw Ning Qingqing’s face.
His breath caught. He quickly saved the picture and then pressed the “No” he had just sent to retract it.
The next second, Qin Yan Yue asked, “Brother, what did you just retract? I didn’t see it.”
Gu Youchen coldly said, “Nothing. Where are you? It’s not the weekend; why aren’t you in class?”
Wow, when had his cousin ever sent him so many words at once? Qin Yan Yue showed a smug expression and directly sent a screenshot.
Gu Youchen clicked on it and saw their chat window, where his “No” was clearly visible.
Qin Yan Yue sent a series of emoticons; she felt this was the first time she’d seen her cousin flustered.
Gu Youchen rubbed his temples and compromised, “Where are you? Send me your location.”
Qin Yan Yue obediently sent her location, then said, “Brother, I heard from Aunt that you’re not on a business trip in Beishi?”
“Mm, I am in Beishi now.” Gu Youchen said.
In other words, whether he would still be in Beishi in a few hours was another matter.
Qin Yan Yue was sharp. She immediately understood something. “Brother, I watched for a while; this beauty is alone! But she has several books next to her, I guess she’s been here for a while. It’s so late, and she’s still not leaving, maybe she’s waiting for someone.”
After reading the message, Gu Youchen turned to his assistant, “From Shen Corporation, did Shen Zhiqian come this time?”
The assistant immediately made a call and replied, “Mr. Gu, Shen Zhiqian came in person this time, clearly attaching great importance to this project.”
Of course, he would. A project worth over ten billion wouldn’t be a small sum for anyone.
Gu Youchen picked up his phone and texted Qin Yan Yue, “Xiaoyue, keep reading there. If you get hungry, I’ll order your favorite Jinggexuan takeout.”
Qin Yan Yue immediately replied, “Okay, Brother, don’t worry, I will definitely not let you down!”
So, the girl took a few more books from the shelf, looking like she would stay until the end of time.
As time passed, it gradually got dark outside.
Qin Yan Yue received a call; her takeout had arrived.
She got her takeout, deliberately leaving her bag on the seat, and said to Ning Qingqing, “Sister, I’m going to eat something, will you watch my seat for me?”
Then, suddenly realizing Ning Qingqing hadn’t eaten anything, she said, “Or shall we go eat together? I ordered a lot, I definitely can’t finish it.”
Ning Qingqing shook her head, smiling, “Thank you, I’m not hungry. Go ahead, I’ll watch it for you.”
She said, subconsciously glancing at the time. It was already 6:30 pm, and Shen Zhiqian hadn’t arrived.
Qin Yan Yue watched Ning Qingqing’s movements, her heart a little anxious—
Could it be that the pretty sister was really waiting for someone?
At that moment, Ning Qingqing’s phone rang.
Seeing that it was a call from Shen Zhiqian’s driver, she answered.
Driver Xiao Wang said, “Ms. Ning, Mr. Shen asked me to bring you something. Are you at home?”
The book bar wasn’t far from Ning Qingqing’s home; she could walk back. Hearing Xiao Wang’s tone, she had a bad feeling. “He hasn’t returned from his business trip yet?”
Xiao Wang was puzzled. “Yes, I heard from Special Assistant Wu that Mr. Shen’s original flight was booked for tomorrow, but things are urgent. Special Assistant Wu asked me to send the car for maintenance because Mr. Shen might not be back for a day or two.”
When Ning Qingqing heard this, she felt a buzzing in her ears.
After a long time, she heard her own hoarse voice, “I’m at ‘Time Book Bar’, one block east of my apartment complex.”
“Okay, I’ll be there in about 20 minutes.” Xiao Wang said.
Ning Qingqing hung up, leaning back in her chair, feeling a chill.
She tried to tell herself that maybe this was a surprise from Shen Zhiqian, he might be back tonight, giving her a clear answer.
No matter what, she would wait for him until 12 o’clock tonight.
Soon, Xiao Wang arrived. Ning Qingqing answered the phone and went out, glancing around, only seeing Xiao Wang.
Her heart sank. When Xiao Wang said, “Mr. Shen said he’s been busy with meetings out of town these days, and asked me to hand the item to you personally,” she completely drowned in the bottomless abyss!
“Okay, thank you.” Her voice was dry, and she used all her strength to suppress any vulnerability.
But Xiao Wang still sensed something was wrong. “Ms. Ning, are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?”
Ning Qingqing shook her head. “I’m fine, thank you today, you can go back to work.”
Xiao Wang nodded. “Okay, then I’ll go.”
Ning Qingqing held a beautifully packaged small box, feeling like her soul had been extracted as she returned to the book bar.
Even as she opened the box, she was still thinking, what if it’s a wedding ring?
However, when she opened the box, it was a car key.
A Porsche logo, the dream of many, but not what she wanted.
Shen Zhiqian had broken his promise on her 25th birthday, perhaps as compensation, he gave her a million-dollar car.
Ning Qingqing laughed self-deprecatingly, tears suddenly pouring down.
On the other hand, Qin Yan Yue, although eating, kept an eye on Ning Qingqing.
Her eyesight was excellent; even from a distance, she saw Ning Qingqing crying.
Quickly putting down her chopsticks, Qin Yan Yue hurriedly sent a message: “Brother, what should we do? Sister just answered a call, someone delivered something, and she started crying after seeing it.”
Then she continued, “Should I go comfort her? Brother, what should I do?”
Before she could click send, Gu Youchen’s call came in.
“Xiaoyue, did you see the person who delivered the item? What was it?”
Qin Yan Yue said, “It was a young man, they were at the door for a short time, I didn’t see clearly, but he’s definitely not her boyfriend. He gave her a beautifully packaged small box, but I don’t know what’s inside.”
Gu Youchen thought for a moment, “Okay, I’m buying a ticket back now.”
Qin Yan Yue smelled something, “Brother, did you know her beforehand?”
Gu Youchen was not someone who would fall in love at first sight and be so impulsive based on just a photo.
She had sent the photo to Gu Youchen purely to tease her cousin.
Gu Youchen was 26 and had never had a girlfriend. During the New Year, elders had worried, and even her aunt had quietly told her mother that she was worried her son liked men.
Because around Gu Youchen, there were either work clients or his few close friends, all men.
Just as Qin Yan Yue was curious, Gu Youchen spoke, “I knew her when you were in kindergarten.”
“Ah?” Qin Yan Yue was shocked, then overjoyed, “So my brother isn’t gay! Brother, go for it! I’ll keep an eye on my sister-in-law!”
Her address changed with that call.
She was afraid of disturbing Ning Qingqing, and waited until Ning Qingqing had calmed down a little before cautiously returning to her seat, “Thank you, sister, I’m done!”
Then, looking at Ning Qingqing’s slightly red eyes, she asked, “Sister, did something unpleasant happen?”
Ning Qingqing couldn’t even manage a smile, just shaking her head. “Nothing.”
Then, she started packing her things.
Qin Yan Yue saw her leaving and became anxious.
Waiting for Ning Qingqing to leave, she paid and left like a thief, secretly following her.
Luckily, Ning Qingqing walked slowly, and her mind was clearly elsewhere, so she didn’t notice that she was being followed by a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl.
She walked slowly along the road, already in the abyss, yet still waiting for that last glimmer of hope.
Shen Zhiqian had promised her that day that he would give her an answer today.
There were still four hours until midnight, and she was still waiting.