April 28, 2023
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3975255
this translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
The slightly cool fingertips touched the pulse, and warm blood danced under her skin. Lu Zhiqiao couldn't help but clench tightly, and looked at her with pleading eyes.
This face was completely reflected in her view. In just two days, she became very haggard, her face was a little pale, there were faint bruises under her eyes, looking depressed and dejected.
The waist-length hair was also cut off, leaving only behind the shoulders, scattered and uneven, revealing a somewhat indifferent temperament.
Her heart twitched, and it hurt more and more.
"Qi Yan..."
Qi Yan stared at her for a moment, then turned her eyes indifferently: "I don't want to talk about it." Struggling with her wrist, trying to break free from her grip.
She held on tighter and wouldn't let go.
There is a slight difference in strength between them, she needed two hands to hold her firmly. She was anxious, her strength was neither light nor heavy. Qi Yan felt hurt from being scratched, frowned, and said impatiently: "I've said everything I need to say in the letter, there's nothing to talk about."
"I know it's my own problem." Lu Zhiqiao said softly, "I was too impulsive that day, and I didn't communicate with you calmly in time. I'm sorry. Of course, this is not the root cause. It is something in my heart that I haven't figured out yet. ..."
It turns out that this is the feeling of emotional humility.
From the time she took on the responsibility of raising her daughter, there was only work and her child in her life. The feeling of being humble and careful for the person she likes has disappeared like dust in the long river of time; a matter during high school, and it has been a long time ago, but it has brought her indelible pain. So in the past ten years, she has paralyzed herself and buried herself with her own hands.
She made sure that for the rest of her life, there will only be work and her daughter, and she can see the end at a glance.Therefore, she will not take the initiative to like someone, let alone take the initiative to keep her.
However, she met Qi Yan and fell into this woman's gentle whirlpool, she couldn't help herself.
She doesn't want to lose her.
Qi Yan turned her face to one side, carrying the light behind her back, so she couldn't see her expression clearly.
She was obviously injured and felt exhausted physically and mentally, but when she heard Lu Zhiqiao humbly apologizing and begging for forgiveness, her heart ached again and she felt a little bit reluctant.
When she first met Lu Zhiqiao, she was attracted by the unique temperament of this person. She didn't understand it at the time, but felt that it was fresh and special. Maybe it's because her white suit stood out from the people around, or maybe it's because the other party is sitting quietly in the corner drinking, as if isolated from the hustle and bustle. Her existence was inconspicuous, hidden but cannot be ignored.
At that time, she was only fond of Lu Zhiqiao's body.
Later on, it gradually became apparent that this person was a grass breaking through the cracks in the corner of the wall, a wild flower growing on the cliff, completely opposite to her. She had a thought, and then she couldn't control it.
She will never be able to be cruel to Lu Zhiqiao.
"Can you...give me a chance..." The voice choked up in her ear.
Qi Yan clenched her palms tightly, and there was sourness in her gloomy eyes.
She can't be soft-hearted. This kind of problem is still not resolved. It will be a matter of time before a fight breaks out again. What's the point? It should be done once and for all. If fate is not over, they can come together no matter what. If there is no fate, it is only a matter of time to wipe the pain out and begin a new life.
The future is unpredictable.
"Calm down." Qi Yan turned back and said blankly, "I'm really tired."
Lu Zhiqiao was stunned, as if she had heard a turning point, but seeing the strong fatigue between her brows, she couldn't bear it, and slowly let go of her hands.
Qi Yan turned around and walked towards 902.
"Did you...not come back yesterday?" Lu Zhiqiao asked in a low voice, standing still.
Qi Yan's footsteps paused, and she immediately understood what she wanted to say, without looking back, she took out the key to open the door, and said lightly: "I'm here to get my things."
Lu Zhiqiao turned pale.
"You won't live here anymore?"
The woman didn't answer, went into the house and closed the door.
….
As soon as she entered the door, Qi Yan could smell the familiar perfume in the air, like cold citrus, like thick sandalwood, light and awe-inspiring, lingering in the room for a long time. Her dark eyes were absent for a moment, then she laughed at herself and returned to her gloomy look.
The living room still retains the decoration of the birthday night, meteors are falling from the ceiling, the golden letters are bright and warm, pink and purple balloons are piled on the ground against the wall, and some of them have slowly deflated and become smaller.
Lu Zhiqiao has the key. She must have seen it when she came here last night.
She didn't intend to clean up the decorations at first, but when she almost softened her heart just now, the alarm bell sounded for her. If she allowed herself to keep these traces, she would turn back in a short time. Lu Zhiqiao is her weakness. She had to be tough on herself and turn her weakness into armor, otherwise the wound in her heart would never heal.
In fact, she was a little disappointed. Hearing the woman's apology, it seemed that she didn't really realize where the root cause lies or she was still in the stage of figuring it out. Because she was impatient and just wanted to comfort her, or maybe because she didn't have enough time to calm down, she wasn't able to think deeply.
She doesn't know what she was looking forward to.
Qi Yan laughed at herself, threw her bag on the sofa, took out a utility knife from the coffee table drawer, walked to the balloons, and squatted down.
Her hand rises and the knife falls.
Every time a balloon was punctured, the sharp blade seemed to also pierce her heart, cutting countless bloodstains. The successive "bang" sounds penetrated into her ears, her movements became more and more slow, her arm became a little stiff, and when she hit the last one, tears fell down.
They were blown by Lu Zhiqiao with her mouth one by one.
She could picture the woman, gasping for breath, pushing hard, pursing her lips, blowing up the balloons hard, then happily linking them together and arranging them. It must have taken a lot of work.
Now she punctured all the balloons easily.
Destroying her heart and this relationship together.
There were torn pieces of latex scattered on the ground, a warm and romantic pink-purple color. Qi Yan wiped away her tears, took a broom and dustpan, swept them all away, and dumped them into the trash can.Then she pulled down the veil in front of the TV, scratched the English letters, brought a ladder, and tore off the curtain on the ceiling.
She filled two large garbage bags.
Qi Yan stood by the sofa, looking at the restored living room, her heart felt as if it had been eaten away by moths, numb and aching.
In the past two days, she lived in another small apartment of her own, which was far from the school and had to get up very early. Originally, she planned to go home to her parents, but with anger and emotions in her heart, her parents could tell at a glance that something happened to her. She didn't want her elders to worry, so she calmed down alone for two days, cleared her mind, and adjusted her mood.
She can go home now.
If her parents asked, she would just say that she wanted to resign.
Ms. Lin would be very happy, and maybe she will hold a banquet to celebrate that she finally figured it out and got out of the "sea of bitterness".
Thinking of her family, the corners of Qi Yan's mouth curled up.
She went into the study and took a suitcase, put the things she wanted to take away in it, then closed the gas valve, water and electricity main switch, put away all the items related to Lu Zhiqiao at home, and sealed them in the storage box in the study.
Photo albums, headphones, and an amber necklace around her neck...
[Like your eyes]
Her hair can be cut, but her eyes cannot be gouged out.
Qi Yan put on her shoes, took one last look at the room, and turned to open the door. After dragging the box out, when she looked up, she saw Lu Zhiqiao still standing there.
She froze for a moment, closed the door with her backhand, passed Lu Zhiqiao with two bags of garbage, walked into the fire escape, and threw them into the big bucket.
"Where are you going?" Lu Zhiqiao asked in a low voice.
Qi Yan lowered her eyes and pressed the elevator without answering.
"Are you...not coming back?"
Still no answer.
At this moment, the door of 901 opened, Lu Wei poked her head out, and called out to her mother. Before she could finish her words, she saw Qi Yan next to her, and her eyes lit up: "Teacher Qi!"
The two turned their heads at the same time.
The little girl hurriedly put on her shoes and ran out, "I've been waiting for you for a long time, teach me how to make cakes?" She said excitedly and hugged Qi Yan's arm, "I've prepared all the ingredients~"
Qi Yan froze, and subconsciously glanced at Lu Zhiqiao, who happened to be looking at her too.
There was a glimmer of hope in her black eyes, Lu Zhiqiao looked at her and then at her daughter, her heart is up in her throat, beating wildly.
She hoped for luck, Qi Yan wouldn't reject the child, right? Besides, it's something that has been promised. It means that Qi Yan will stay and teach her daughter how to make cakes, and she will be able to buy some time, so there is still room to turn things around.
However, in the next second, hope was shattered.
"I've been a little tired recently, I'll teach you another day." Qi Yan slightly curled the corners of her mouth and smiled lightly.
She used to make small movements to her daughter, either rubbing her head or pinching her face, but now she didn't move, just like her faint smile, she couldn't hold it up, and her whole body lost strength.
"Um, okay." Lu Wei was a little lost, looked at her, then at her mother, suddenly realized something, wanted to ask, but didn't dare, and obediently let go of her arm.
The elevator went to the ninth floor and the door opened.
Qi Yan dragged her suitcase and stepped into the elevator, turned her face sideways, and pressed the basement floor button, with her eyes fixed on the row of buttons without moving.
The elevator doors slowly closed.
The last thing Lu Zhiqiao's eyes saw was Qi Yan's indifferent and tired profile, which became smaller and smaller until it was completely gone...
Seems like a farewell.
When she got home, her parents were not there, and the nanny said that they're on a dinner party and would come back later. Qi Yan asked her to cook some food, ate it hastily, and went upstairs to her room to take a shower.
The bedroom is very large, with a balcony, a dressing room and a bathroom. Outside the door on the left side is a small pantry, with the electric cooker, baking pan, air fryer, coffee machine, juicer, etc. she bought before, as well as a small refrigerator. Turning to the right is a small gym specially arranged by her parents. It has basic equipment and can meet all her living needs without going downstairs.
She lay in the bathtub and took a comfortable bath, changed into her pajamas, made herself a mango milkshake, and sat on the vine swing on the balcony to rest.
The evening wind in early summer is warm and dry, and the surroundings are silent, with occasional vehicles passing by. Although it is a familiar environment, it has nothing to do with those unpleasant things, so it is better than the new environment and it gives her a change of mood.
The sky turned dark, and a full moon climbed up.
Qi Yan finished drinking the milkshake, brushed her teeth, and sat on the bed with the camera in her arms.
The camera still has the magazine pictures taken for the models last time, and there are backups in the computer, so she deletes them one by one. Unknowingly, after deleting them, Lu Zhiqiao's photo suddenly popped up in front of her eyes.
Close to the blue sea and blue sky, the woman was under the shadow of the coconut tree wearing an elegant clean white dress, tilting her head, revealing a slender neck, and straight collarbone. She looked comfortable and tranquil, exuding a gentle and soft atmosphere.
She still remembered that she was watching obsessively from behind.
Looking back, there are many more, the happy time they spent together on the island, and the precious memories they left behind. At that time, she thought that if there was no possibility between them, she would treasure these photos for the rest of her life.
Four months passed in the blink of an eye, and she thought that they could be together, just one last step away.
But--
Qi Yan looked at the photo, her eyes turned a little sore, and felt irritable, so she deleted the photo. However, after only deleting one, she was heart broken. She quickly put down the camera, thought about it, and remembered there was a backup, she picked it up again to continue deleting.
Delete all!
Out of sight, out of mind!
Comfortable.
She deleted to the last one, then, there was a knock on her door, she looked up, and saw Ms. Lin leaning in, she said in a daze, "Mom?"
"Yan Yan, how come you're home?" Ms. Lin was wearing an evening gown, with heavy makeup on her face. She sat beside the bed with a smile. Obviously, she doesn't know which dinner party she just came back from.
After finishing speaking, her eyes fell on the girl's shoulders, and was stunned.
"You had a hair cut?"
Qi Yan put down the camera, touched her hair casually, and raised her arms habitually, but the ends of her hair slipped from her hands—it became shorter, and she couldn't stroke it like before, and it no longer had a flowing and smooth feel.
With her hands in mid-air, she raised her eyebrows at Ms. Lin, pretending to smile naturally: "I wanted to change my hairstyle, it's too long and difficult to wash."
Ms. Lin nodded, with a hint of deep meaning in her shrewd eyes.
She knows the daughter she gave birth to, has liked to have long hair since she was a child. Every time her hair grows almost to her buttocks, she has to take her to cut it, and the girl howls like a pig about to be butchered. It has been like that for more than 20 years, but now she suddenly thought her hair is long and wants to change it, she just doesn't believe it.
Maybe something happened to her, doesn't want to tell her, and is just acting. Ms. Lin's heart is like a mirror.
"By the way, Mom, I have good news for you."
"Oh?"
Qi Yan moved forward, hugged her arm affectionately, and said loudly: "I, announce, I am resigning!"
The air turned quiet.
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
The mother and daughter stared at each other, wide-eyed. After a while, the smile on Ms. Lin's face remained unchanged, but her heart was shattered. She felt that her daughter must have been wronged at school, otherwise she would be fine. She didn't go home for several weekends, and suddenly she ran back to live here and cut her hair?
"Mom, why aren't you saying anything?" Qi Yan stretched out her hand and waved in front of her eyes, "Unhappy? Didn't you always nagged about wanting me to quit before?"
"I'm happy, of course I'm happy." Ms. Lin echoed a few words, her smile was a little stiff, and she wanted to say something, but she didn't know whether she should tear things down or not.
How serious must it be, for her daughter to cut off her long hair, which has been her lifeline since she was a child? When she thought of the place in the school that she and Dad Qi couldn't protect, and the current situation of the teachers, she couldn't help but think badly.
She is heart broken.
And very anxious.
Qi Yan sensed something was wrong with her mother, so she suppressed her smile, and asked: "Mom, do you have something to say?"
"Speak..." Ms. Lin hesitated to speak.
"Huh? Come on, what's the matter?"
"Did something happen at school?"
"Nothing."
Still acting!
She gave birth to an Oscar queen!
Ms. Lin was in a hurry, and instead grabbed her hand, the fine lines between her brows huddled together: "Don't hold back because you are afraid of your parents worrying. No matter what happens, the family should figure out a way together, and don't carry it alone. Be good." She said, stroking the back of her head like coaxing a child.
Qi Yan: "..."
Speaking of this, Qi Yan knew that she couldn't hide it. After all, she is her own mother who knows her too well.
She thought for a while, sighed, and half-truthfully said: "I just feel aggrieved. I have accumulated a lot of grievances in the past few years, and I feel tied up. I argued with the students' parents again two days ago. I am so annoyed and don't want to do it anymore."
Ms. Lin let out a long breath and calmed down, "I was scared to death, I thought something was wrong.
"It's annoying to argue, okay? I don't think I have to worry about food, drink and livelihood, so there's no need to put up with the annoyance." Qi Yan pouted as she spoke, wanting to act spoiled just like when she was a child.
Ms. Lin smiled and the wrinkles at the end of her eyes folded. She hugged her cheerfully and coaxed her softly, "Okay, okay, Mom told you a long time ago that we have our own circle, which is as big and wide as you want to develop. The world is big, and although we have money, we cannot cover the sky with our hands, especially in this land, we must learn to keep a low profile and play our own game."
Qi Yan hummed and nestled comfortably in her arms.
"When will you quit?"
"By the end of school term."
"That's fine, then the three of us will go out and play. It's been a long time since we went out together." Ms. Lin was delighted.
"Okay."
Qi Yan responded briskly, resting her head on her mother's shoulder, the fake smile in her eyes gradually disappeared.
When she is most aggrieved and sad, only her family could understand her, just like Ms. Lin, who could see through her thoughts at a glance. However, Lu Zhiqiao, whom she once regarded as her family, always ranked her second, which broke her heart...
....
Working on Monday and meetings all morning.
The news of the chairman's death gradually spread in the company. Everyone was discussing in private why the chairman passed away when there was just a change in high-level personnel, afraid that there is some chilling connection in it.
Most of Gu Shuning's rich inheritance was given to Wen Zilong, a small part was given to Shu Minxi, and a small part was donated. In the new week, Wen Zilong participated in the high-level meeting as the chairman of the board. Although he is middle-aged, he is still in good shape. In addition, he has gentle and refined skin. Whenever he appears in the company, the gossip group will explode.
All morning, Lu Zhiqiao was desperately trying to digest the fact that her friend had become a ****boss.
During the lunch break, Wen Zilong called her and said that he would treat her to dinner and tell a story on the way. She was in a bad mood and didn't want to go, but when she heard that it was "related to his sister", she thought about it and went anyway.
In just two or three days, Wen Zilong's whole body was haggard and his eyes were a little lost. But even so, the temperament of a mature man can fascinate many girls.
He is meticulous and thoughtful, taking care of her every meal. If Lu Zhiqiao didn't know that this man treated all women the same, he would have to think too much.
"About my sister—" He took a sip of his wine, looking a little depressed.
Lu Zhiqiao held her breath…
He was silent for a long time, his eyes became more and more red, he suddenly lowered his head, and sighed: "Why don't I let Sister Minxi tell you, I don't know how to say it… Today I mainly want to apologize to you, I didn't explain it clearly to you before, I'm sorry."
Lu Zhiqiao stared at him for a moment, then asked softly, "Did your sister…pass away early?"
"Mm."
"She and Chairman Gu were not together?"
"No."
A person who can't forget until death, but they can't be together. Yin and Yang are separated for fifteen years, which is a tragedy in the world.
Thinking of this, Lu Zhiqiao suddenly thought of Qi Yan, and her throat felt a little choked
She put down her chopsticks, picked up her phone and tapped, and there was a picture of Qi Yan on the screen. She opened WeChat and habitually poked the profile picture of the orange cat, only to find that the dynamic Moments had turned into a straight line...
April 28, 2023
Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3975255
this translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
The slightly cool fingertips touched the pulse, and warm blood danced under her skin. Lu Zhiqiao couldn't help but clench tightly, and looked at her with pleading eyes.
This face was completely reflected in her view. In just two days, she became very haggard, her face was a little pale, there were faint bruises under her eyes, looking depressed and dejected.
The waist-length hair was also cut off, leaving only behind the shoulders, scattered and uneven, revealing a somewhat indifferent temperament.
Her heart twitched, and it hurt more and more.
"Qi Yan..."
Qi Yan stared at her for a moment, then turned her eyes indifferently: "I don't want to talk about it." Struggling with her wrist, trying to break free from her grip.
She held on tighter and wouldn't let go.
There is a slight difference in strength between them, she needed two hands to hold her firmly. She was anxious, her strength was neither light nor heavy. Qi Yan felt hurt from being scratched, frowned, and said impatiently: "I've said everything I need to say in the letter, there's nothing to talk about."
"I know it's my own problem." Lu Zhiqiao said softly, "I was too impulsive that day, and I didn't communicate with you calmly in time. I'm sorry. Of course, this is not the root cause. It is something in my heart that I haven't figured out yet. ..."
It turns out that this is the feeling of emotional humility.
From the time she took on the responsibility of raising her daughter, there was only work and her child in her life. The feeling of being humble and careful for the person she likes has disappeared like dust in the long river of time; a matter during high school, and it has been a long time ago, but it has brought her indelible pain. So in the past ten years, she has paralyzed herself and buried herself with her own hands.
She made sure that for the rest of her life, there will only be work and her daughter, and she can see the end at a glance.Therefore, she will not take the initiative to like someone, let alone take the initiative to keep her.
However, she met Qi Yan and fell into this woman's gentle whirlpool, she couldn't help herself.
She doesn't want to lose her.
Qi Yan turned her face to one side, carrying the light behind her back, so she couldn't see her expression clearly.
She was obviously injured and felt exhausted physically and mentally, but when she heard Lu Zhiqiao humbly apologizing and begging for forgiveness, her heart ached again and she felt a little bit reluctant.
When she first met Lu Zhiqiao, she was attracted by the unique temperament of this person. She didn't understand it at the time, but felt that it was fresh and special. Maybe it's because her white suit stood out from the people around, or maybe it's because the other party is sitting quietly in the corner drinking, as if isolated from the hustle and bustle. Her existence was inconspicuous, hidden but cannot be ignored.
At that time, she was only fond of Lu Zhiqiao's body.
Later on, it gradually became apparent that this person was a grass breaking through the cracks in the corner of the wall, a wild flower growing on the cliff, completely opposite to her. She had a thought, and then she couldn't control it.
She will never be able to be cruel to Lu Zhiqiao.
"Can you...give me a chance..." The voice choked up in her ear.
Qi Yan clenched her palms tightly, and there was sourness in her gloomy eyes.
She can't be soft-hearted. This kind of problem is still not resolved. It will be a matter of time before a fight breaks out again. What's the point? It should be done once and for all. If fate is not over, they can come together no matter what. If there is no fate, it is only a matter of time to wipe the pain out and begin a new life.
The future is unpredictable.
"Calm down." Qi Yan turned back and said blankly, "I'm really tired."
Lu Zhiqiao was stunned, as if she had heard a turning point, but seeing the strong fatigue between her brows, she couldn't bear it, and slowly let go of her hands.
Qi Yan turned around and walked towards 902.
"Did you...not come back yesterday?" Lu Zhiqiao asked in a low voice, standing still.
Qi Yan's footsteps paused, and she immediately understood what she wanted to say, without looking back, she took out the key to open the door, and said lightly: "I'm here to get my things."
Lu Zhiqiao turned pale.
"You won't live here anymore?"
The woman didn't answer, went into the house and closed the door.
….
As soon as she entered the door, Qi Yan could smell the familiar perfume in the air, like cold citrus, like thick sandalwood, light and awe-inspiring, lingering in the room for a long time. Her dark eyes were absent for a moment, then she laughed at herself and returned to her gloomy look.
The living room still retains the decoration of the birthday night, meteors are falling from the ceiling, the golden letters are bright and warm, pink and purple balloons are piled on the ground against the wall, and some of them have slowly deflated and become smaller.
Lu Zhiqiao has the key. She must have seen it when she came here last night.
She didn't intend to clean up the decorations at first, but when she almost softened her heart just now, the alarm bell sounded for her. If she allowed herself to keep these traces, she would turn back in a short time. Lu Zhiqiao is her weakness. She had to be tough on herself and turn her weakness into armor, otherwise the wound in her heart would never heal.
In fact, she was a little disappointed. Hearing the woman's apology, it seemed that she didn't really realize where the root cause lies or she was still in the stage of figuring it out. Because she was impatient and just wanted to comfort her, or maybe because she didn't have enough time to calm down, she wasn't able to think deeply.
She doesn't know what she was looking forward to.
Qi Yan laughed at herself, threw her bag on the sofa, took out a utility knife from the coffee table drawer, walked to the balloons, and squatted down.
Her hand rises and the knife falls.
Every time a balloon was punctured, the sharp blade seemed to also pierce her heart, cutting countless bloodstains. The successive "bang" sounds penetrated into her ears, her movements became more and more slow, her arm became a little stiff, and when she hit the last one, tears fell down.
They were blown by Lu Zhiqiao with her mouth one by one.
She could picture the woman, gasping for breath, pushing hard, pursing her lips, blowing up the balloons hard, then happily linking them together and arranging them. It must have taken a lot of work.
Now she punctured all the balloons easily.
Destroying her heart and this relationship together.
There were torn pieces of latex scattered on the ground, a warm and romantic pink-purple color. Qi Yan wiped away her tears, took a broom and dustpan, swept them all away, and dumped them into the trash can.Then she pulled down the veil in front of the TV, scratched the English letters, brought a ladder, and tore off the curtain on the ceiling.
She filled two large garbage bags.
Qi Yan stood by the sofa, looking at the restored living room, her heart felt as if it had been eaten away by moths, numb and aching.
In the past two days, she lived in another small apartment of her own, which was far from the school and had to get up very early. Originally, she planned to go home to her parents, but with anger and emotions in her heart, her parents could tell at a glance that something happened to her. She didn't want her elders to worry, so she calmed down alone for two days, cleared her mind, and adjusted her mood.
She can go home now.
If her parents asked, she would just say that she wanted to resign.
Ms. Lin would be very happy, and maybe she will hold a banquet to celebrate that she finally figured it out and got out of the "sea of bitterness".
Thinking of her family, the corners of Qi Yan's mouth curled up.
She went into the study and took a suitcase, put the things she wanted to take away in it, then closed the gas valve, water and electricity main switch, put away all the items related to Lu Zhiqiao at home, and sealed them in the storage box in the study.
Photo albums, headphones, and an amber necklace around her neck...
[Like your eyes]
Her hair can be cut, but her eyes cannot be gouged out.
Qi Yan put on her shoes, took one last look at the room, and turned to open the door. After dragging the box out, when she looked up, she saw Lu Zhiqiao still standing there.
She froze for a moment, closed the door with her backhand, passed Lu Zhiqiao with two bags of garbage, walked into the fire escape, and threw them into the big bucket.
"Where are you going?" Lu Zhiqiao asked in a low voice.
Qi Yan lowered her eyes and pressed the elevator without answering.
"Are you...not coming back?"
Still no answer.
At this moment, the door of 901 opened, Lu Wei poked her head out, and called out to her mother. Before she could finish her words, she saw Qi Yan next to her, and her eyes lit up: "Teacher Qi!"
The two turned their heads at the same time.
The little girl hurriedly put on her shoes and ran out, "I've been waiting for you for a long time, teach me how to make cakes?" She said excitedly and hugged Qi Yan's arm, "I've prepared all the ingredients~"
Qi Yan froze, and subconsciously glanced at Lu Zhiqiao, who happened to be looking at her too.
There was a glimmer of hope in her black eyes, Lu Zhiqiao looked at her and then at her daughter, her heart is up in her throat, beating wildly.
She hoped for luck, Qi Yan wouldn't reject the child, right? Besides, it's something that has been promised. It means that Qi Yan will stay and teach her daughter how to make cakes, and she will be able to buy some time, so there is still room to turn things around.
However, in the next second, hope was shattered.
"I've been a little tired recently, I'll teach you another day." Qi Yan slightly curled the corners of her mouth and smiled lightly.
She used to make small movements to her daughter, either rubbing her head or pinching her face, but now she didn't move, just like her faint smile, she couldn't hold it up, and her whole body lost strength.
"Um, okay." Lu Wei was a little lost, looked at her, then at her mother, suddenly realized something, wanted to ask, but didn't dare, and obediently let go of her arm.
The elevator went to the ninth floor and the door opened.
Qi Yan dragged her suitcase and stepped into the elevator, turned her face sideways, and pressed the basement floor button, with her eyes fixed on the row of buttons without moving.
The elevator doors slowly closed.
The last thing Lu Zhiqiao's eyes saw was Qi Yan's indifferent and tired profile, which became smaller and smaller until it was completely gone...
Seems like a farewell.
When she got home, her parents were not there, and the nanny said that they're on a dinner party and would come back later. Qi Yan asked her to cook some food, ate it hastily, and went upstairs to her room to take a shower.
The bedroom is very large, with a balcony, a dressing room and a bathroom. Outside the door on the left side is a small pantry, with the electric cooker, baking pan, air fryer, coffee machine, juicer, etc. she bought before, as well as a small refrigerator. Turning to the right is a small gym specially arranged by her parents. It has basic equipment and can meet all her living needs without going downstairs.
She lay in the bathtub and took a comfortable bath, changed into her pajamas, made herself a mango milkshake, and sat on the vine swing on the balcony to rest.
The evening wind in early summer is warm and dry, and the surroundings are silent, with occasional vehicles passing by. Although it is a familiar environment, it has nothing to do with those unpleasant things, so it is better than the new environment and it gives her a change of mood.
The sky turned dark, and a full moon climbed up.
Qi Yan finished drinking the milkshake, brushed her teeth, and sat on the bed with the camera in her arms.
The camera still has the magazine pictures taken for the models last time, and there are backups in the computer, so she deletes them one by one. Unknowingly, after deleting them, Lu Zhiqiao's photo suddenly popped up in front of her eyes.
Close to the blue sea and blue sky, the woman was under the shadow of the coconut tree wearing an elegant clean white dress, tilting her head, revealing a slender neck, and straight collarbone. She looked comfortable and tranquil, exuding a gentle and soft atmosphere.
She still remembered that she was watching obsessively from behind.
Looking back, there are many more, the happy time they spent together on the island, and the precious memories they left behind. At that time, she thought that if there was no possibility between them, she would treasure these photos for the rest of her life.
Four months passed in the blink of an eye, and she thought that they could be together, just one last step away.
But--
Qi Yan looked at the photo, her eyes turned a little sore, and felt irritable, so she deleted the photo. However, after only deleting one, she was heart broken. She quickly put down the camera, thought about it, and remembered there was a backup, she picked it up again to continue deleting.
Delete all!
Out of sight, out of mind!
Comfortable.
She deleted to the last one, then, there was a knock on her door, she looked up, and saw Ms. Lin leaning in, she said in a daze, "Mom?"
"Yan Yan, how come you're home?" Ms. Lin was wearing an evening gown, with heavy makeup on her face. She sat beside the bed with a smile. Obviously, she doesn't know which dinner party she just came back from.
After finishing speaking, her eyes fell on the girl's shoulders, and was stunned.
"You had a hair cut?"
Qi Yan put down the camera, touched her hair casually, and raised her arms habitually, but the ends of her hair slipped from her hands—it became shorter, and she couldn't stroke it like before, and it no longer had a flowing and smooth feel.
With her hands in mid-air, she raised her eyebrows at Ms. Lin, pretending to smile naturally: "I wanted to change my hairstyle, it's too long and difficult to wash."
Ms. Lin nodded, with a hint of deep meaning in her shrewd eyes.
She knows the daughter she gave birth to, has liked to have long hair since she was a child. Every time her hair grows almost to her buttocks, she has to take her to cut it, and the girl howls like a pig about to be butchered. It has been like that for more than 20 years, but now she suddenly thought her hair is long and wants to change it, she just doesn't believe it.
Maybe something happened to her, doesn't want to tell her, and is just acting. Ms. Lin's heart is like a mirror.
"By the way, Mom, I have good news for you."
"Oh?"
Qi Yan moved forward, hugged her arm affectionately, and said loudly: "I, announce, I am resigning!"
The air turned quiet.
One second, two seconds, three seconds...
The mother and daughter stared at each other, wide-eyed. After a while, the smile on Ms. Lin's face remained unchanged, but her heart was shattered. She felt that her daughter must have been wronged at school, otherwise she would be fine. She didn't go home for several weekends, and suddenly she ran back to live here and cut her hair?
"Mom, why aren't you saying anything?" Qi Yan stretched out her hand and waved in front of her eyes, "Unhappy? Didn't you always nagged about wanting me to quit before?"
"I'm happy, of course I'm happy." Ms. Lin echoed a few words, her smile was a little stiff, and she wanted to say something, but she didn't know whether she should tear things down or not.
How serious must it be, for her daughter to cut off her long hair, which has been her lifeline since she was a child? When she thought of the place in the school that she and Dad Qi couldn't protect, and the current situation of the teachers, she couldn't help but think badly.
She is heart broken.
And very anxious.
Qi Yan sensed something was wrong with her mother, so she suppressed her smile, and asked: "Mom, do you have something to say?"
"Speak..." Ms. Lin hesitated to speak.
"Huh? Come on, what's the matter?"
"Did something happen at school?"
"Nothing."
Still acting!
She gave birth to an Oscar queen!
Ms. Lin was in a hurry, and instead grabbed her hand, the fine lines between her brows huddled together: "Don't hold back because you are afraid of your parents worrying. No matter what happens, the family should figure out a way together, and don't carry it alone. Be good." She said, stroking the back of her head like coaxing a child.
Qi Yan: "..."
Speaking of this, Qi Yan knew that she couldn't hide it. After all, she is her own mother who knows her too well.
She thought for a while, sighed, and half-truthfully said: "I just feel aggrieved. I have accumulated a lot of grievances in the past few years, and I feel tied up. I argued with the students' parents again two days ago. I am so annoyed and don't want to do it anymore."
Ms. Lin let out a long breath and calmed down, "I was scared to death, I thought something was wrong.
"It's annoying to argue, okay? I don't think I have to worry about food, drink and livelihood, so there's no need to put up with the annoyance." Qi Yan pouted as she spoke, wanting to act spoiled just like when she was a child.
Ms. Lin smiled and the wrinkles at the end of her eyes folded. She hugged her cheerfully and coaxed her softly, "Okay, okay, Mom told you a long time ago that we have our own circle, which is as big and wide as you want to develop. The world is big, and although we have money, we cannot cover the sky with our hands, especially in this land, we must learn to keep a low profile and play our own game."
Qi Yan hummed and nestled comfortably in her arms.
"When will you quit?"
"By the end of school term."
"That's fine, then the three of us will go out and play. It's been a long time since we went out together." Ms. Lin was delighted.
"Okay."
Qi Yan responded briskly, resting her head on her mother's shoulder, the fake smile in her eyes gradually disappeared.
When she is most aggrieved and sad, only her family could understand her, just like Ms. Lin, who could see through her thoughts at a glance. However, Lu Zhiqiao, whom she once regarded as her family, always ranked her second, which broke her heart...
....
Working on Monday and meetings all morning.
The news of the chairman's death gradually spread in the company. Everyone was discussing in private why the chairman passed away when there was just a change in high-level personnel, afraid that there is some chilling connection in it.
Most of Gu Shuning's rich inheritance was given to Wen Zilong, a small part was given to Shu Minxi, and a small part was donated. In the new week, Wen Zilong participated in the high-level meeting as the chairman of the board. Although he is middle-aged, he is still in good shape. In addition, he has gentle and refined skin. Whenever he appears in the company, the gossip group will explode.
All morning, Lu Zhiqiao was desperately trying to digest the fact that her friend had become a ****boss.
During the lunch break, Wen Zilong called her and said that he would treat her to dinner and tell a story on the way. She was in a bad mood and didn't want to go, but when she heard that it was "related to his sister", she thought about it and went anyway.
In just two or three days, Wen Zilong's whole body was haggard and his eyes were a little lost. But even so, the temperament of a mature man can fascinate many girls.
He is meticulous and thoughtful, taking care of her every meal. If Lu Zhiqiao didn't know that this man treated all women the same, he would have to think too much.
"About my sister—" He took a sip of his wine, looking a little depressed.
Lu Zhiqiao held her breath…
He was silent for a long time, his eyes became more and more red, he suddenly lowered his head, and sighed: "Why don't I let Sister Minxi tell you, I don't know how to say it… Today I mainly want to apologize to you, I didn't explain it clearly to you before, I'm sorry."
Lu Zhiqiao stared at him for a moment, then asked softly, "Did your sister…pass away early?"
"Mm."
"She and Chairman Gu were not together?"
"No."
A person who can't forget until death, but they can't be together. Yin and Yang are separated for fifteen years, which is a tragedy in the world.
Thinking of this, Lu Zhiqiao suddenly thought of Qi Yan, and her throat felt a little choked
She put down her chopsticks, picked up her phone and tapped, and there was a picture of Qi Yan on the screen. She opened WeChat and habitually poked the profile picture of the orange cat, only to find that the dynamic Moments had turned into a straight line...
