After Bai Youlan and Lin Donghan left the Xu family, it was unclear how they recounted the day's events to Old Master Lin and the others upon their return. In the end, Chairman Lin did not personally visit the Xu family as Lin Donghan had previously suggested he would.
Xu Qingqing later figured it out. Her grandfather was a man with immense pride, having been chairman for most of his life and accustomed to having the final say within the Lin family. After her grandmother had said those words to Lin Donghan, her proud and aloof grandfather would certainly not lower himself to visit the Xu residence.
But this was just as well, as no one in the Xu family welcomed this particular "honored guest."
However, Xu Qingqing's maternal grandmother did call her, speaking hesitantly as if trying to invite Qingqing out for tea to sound out her stance.
After being firmly rejected by Xu Qingqing, Grandmother Lin sighed, her voice suddenly choked with emotion, saying, "I failed your mother." Then she hung up.
After receiving that call, Xu Qingqing's mood sank considerably.
Having gone through recent events, she couldn't be sure whether her grandmother's words were a genuine outpouring of emotion or a deliberate performance for her benefit.
Once, Xu Qingqing and her maternal grandmother had also shared a close and affectionate bond, their relationship only slightly less intimate than the one she had with her paternal grandparents. Over the years, her grandmother had actually been very good to her. She never thought there would come a day when she would doubt her grandmother's sincerity.
Once trust is mixed with interests and then shattered, it becomes very difficult to rebuild.
In this regard, Xu Qingqing was sometimes like a child, naively wishing that the world and the friends and family around her would never change.
However, Xu Qingqing soon had no time to dwell on sadness or confusion. It seemed the Lin family, likely angered by Grandma Xu's remarks, had actually begun openly preparing for Lin Donghan and Bai Youlan's engagement ceremony.
Within their social circle, her uncle and aunt-in-law were constantly posting various updates about the engagement preparations, radiating smug delight and jubilation. Of course, it couldn't be ruled out that this was intentionally done for the Xu family to see.
Xu Qingqing heard from a "frenemy" within their social circle, who revealed, "The wedding gown goes without saying, but even the full set of formal attire is custom-designed and studded with diamonds, costing several million dollars. I heard the 'female lead' demanded roses airlifted from abroad, insisting they must be freshly picked at dawn and even said they'd check if the dew was still on them... tsk tsk."
In their gossip circles, they never used real names, often referring to people as "this one," "that one," "the female lead," or "the supporting actress." This was to avoid any leaks, providing plausible deniability since they were bound to run into each other again.
"Tsk tsk." Xu Qingqing nodded along while enjoying the gossip, listening with great interest and chiming in with her own sighs.
It was only after a while that she realized Bai Youlan's demands were exactly the same as those for her own recent birthday banquet. No wonder it had sounded increasingly familiar.
Even the line about "the flowers must be picked at dawn, and will be rejected if they lack dew" was something Xu Qingqing had casually joked about with the designer when making her own requests.
However, Xu Qingqing wasn't so narcissistic as to assume that Bai Youlan was necessarily copying the standards of her banquet. After all, the playbook of the wealthy is often similar—haute couture and flown-in flowers are standard fare.
That was until she heard the frenemy drop a name, saying mysteriously, "The 'female lead' specifically requested this designer to plan and oversee the venue decoration."
That name belonged to the famous designer who had personally orchestrated the venue for Xu Qingqing's birthday celebration.
Xu Qingqing couldn't help but let out another "tsk tsk." She hadn't realized she held such importance for Bai Youlan that even her engagement ceremony had to emulate and learn from hers.
That's an engagement ceremony! It's almost as significant as a wedding. Bai Youlan could go to such lengths just to compete with her, seemingly not caring about one of the most important days of her own life.
From this incident, Xu Qingqing began to wonder if Bai Youlan even liked Lin Donghan at all.
After sharing the gossip with her little circle, the frenemy sighed, "His family just recently managed to extricate themselves and suffered losses. Now, to marry this 'female lead,' they're spending such a huge sum—they're really going all out."
Someone less informed remarked disdainfully, "I don't see what background this 'female lead' has. Her reputation in the entertainment industry is in tatters. She's only trying to find a fool to marry now that she can't survive there. His family is making such a grand production; those who don't know might think they're marrying a fortune god."
Someone immediately chimed in pointedly, "Isn't that exactly it? Aren't they marrying a god of wealth? I heard the 'female lead' holds the company's secret formula. Now the entire Lin family has to cater to her."
Xu Qingqing mingled among them, listening to one girl's comments for a while, then finding another's perspective seemingly quite reasonable. She was kept very busy all afternoon.
It had been a long time since she attended such gatherings. The subject of these people's gossip was one person today, and it could easily be you tomorrow. Xu Qingqing knew there was a period when these very people discussed her daily, essentially betting on how long it would take for Xie Lianqing to break up with someone as "difficult" as her.
But her harvest today wasn't bad; she had gathered quite a bit of intelligence.
Everyone noticed Xu Qingqing's cheerful demeanor and was somewhat surprised. They all knew about Xu Qingqing's relationship with the Lin family. The Lin family's current actions were no less than betraying her and then stabbing her in the back. They hadn't expected Xu Qingqing to remain so calm upon hearing the news. If it were them, they'd probably have been so angry they'd stormed home long ago to vent their frustration.
Xu Qingqing was well aware of what these people were thinking. However, when they got angry, they went home to sulk in private. When she got angry, she quietly brewed grand plans in her heart.
She had even hired bodyguards! Each one tall and sturdy. While taking on ten opponents each might be a stretch, protecting her from being thrown out of the wedding venue shouldn't be a problem.
As for the flyers to be handed out at Bai Youlan and Lin Donghan's engagement ceremony, they were being printed steadily. Xu Qingqing and her assistant had discussed and produced several versions, all dedicated to giving the newly engaged couple the most memorable engagement experience, ensuring it would be unforgettable for a lifetime!
Some versions of the flyers featured Bai Youlan's online scandals and netizens' comments about her. Others highlighted the results of Lin Donghan's years of management as a domineering CEO—which was essentially no results at all.
The entertainment company Lin Donghan once mainly operated had already been driven into bankruptcy by the Xu family. Its most profitable artist, Bai Youlan, was semi-retired from the industry. Now, them being together could be considered quite fitting!
Other flyer versions were more straightforward. They plainly listed the relationships between the Lin family, Bai Yaxiu and her daughter, Xu Changshan, and others. The presentation was clear and logically sound, ensuring that even with a quick glance, anyone would understand that the Lin family was forming a new marriage alliance with the very scumbag son-in-law and the woman implicated in the death of their daughter!
Initially, Xu Qingqing only planned to feature Lin Donghan and Bai Youlan on the flyers. But upon further thought, she realized that both Bai Yaxiu and Xu Changshan would definitely be present that day, as it was the grand occasion of their beloved daughter's engagement. Even the Lin family members would likely all be there in full attendance.
So, Xu Qingqing decided there was no time like the present. She might as well use a bit more ink and generously send the whole group into the spotlight together!
There were many versions of the flyer. The one Xu Qingqing was most satisfied with didn't have too much on it, only featuring a disheartened photo of Bai Youlan and Lin Donghan leaving the supervisory authority after being questioned.
The flyer turned the photo into a grayscale black-and-white image, with a large line of text superimposed: "Husband and wife return home together."
Xu Qingqing thought this image and caption were absolutely brilliant, a stroke of genius! She was practically wishing Bai Youlan and Lin Donghan would get engaged that very day, so she could share this joy with the guests present.
Unfortunately, the flyer had limited space, and the layout didn't allow for more creativity, forcing her to choose just one. If she weren't worried people would be too lazy to read it, Xu Qingqing would have loved to print a separate collection dedicated to Bai Youlan and Lin Donghan for promotional purposes.
So now, Xu Qingqing had everything ready, waiting only for the east wind. Her biggest worry was that Lin Donghan might suddenly come to his senses, or that Bai Youlan might fall out with the Lin family, causing the engagement to be called off.
Then she would have no use for all her preparations!
If it weren't so troublesome, Xu Qingqing would have gone to the Matchmaker Temple to pray for a love fortune stick for these two, wishing them a long and lasting future together.
Today, hearing the gossip from her superficial girlfriends about the couple still being happily together, Xu Qingqing finally felt relieved. With the Lin family preparing such a grand event, she shouldn't let them down.
Xu Qingqing happily went home and started working on banners, slogans, and promotional catchphrases.
...
While still pondering how to get an invitation to Lin Donghan's engagement ceremony, Xu Qingqing suddenly realized that before she could even wait for her enemies' engagement party, the holiday had ended.
Many things happened during the break, and Xu Qingqing found herself facing the start of yet another semester!
Although classes were minimal this term, Xu Qingqing and her classmates still needed to return to campus for a period to attend various report meetings, be assigned supervisors for their graduation projects and theses, and also submit their holiday assignments and internship certificates.
The internship report had many sections where the student's supervisor at the company would fill in their performance and comments. Xu Qingqing's internship certificate was, of course, personally written by CEO Xie.
As Xu Qingqing's direct supervisor, having drunk so many cups of coffee personally brewed by Secretary Xu, CEO Xie naturally had to write a glowing review to pass muster.
"Employee Xu Qingqing performed excellently, fully utilizing her abilities within the company..."
Xu Qingqing casually handed the report to her boyfriend and went off to have fun, leaving poor Xie Lianqing to meticulously craft this report. He even instructed Secretary Zhang to bring him the archived files of the company's interns from the past few years for reference.
He couldn't write it too mediocrely, but also not too exaggerated. If the internship teacher or Xu Qingqing's classmates saw it and connected it to the company, they'd probably guess who wrote it in a glance.
Xie Lianqing was so cautious and meticulous, his level of focus and rigor even rivaling that of his own thesis preparation back in the day.
Xu Qingqing was completely unaware of the effort Xie Lianqing put into her internship report. She was preoccupied with something else.
When submitting the report after the semester started, she noticed all her classmates and friends discussing one thing: their salaries.
"I heard you interned at a great place. How much did you make a month?"
"Ah, not much, just around ten thousand or so. The main thing is the benefits are good." The classmate waved a hand and asked another person handing in their report, "What about you, Da Luo? You acted in that crew for so long, what are you planning to do with your first paycheck?"
Da Luo said with a grin, "Buy a Volkswagen, probably."
Everyone immediately started showering him with praise: "Not bad! Da Luo, successful at a young age! We'll all have to rely on you from now on!"
Xu Qingqing, who hadn't received a single cent, frowned: ...Huh? Why do you all have salaries??
But she didn't dare ask or say anything. Xu Qingqing silently held her internship report, standing in line at the back of the crowd, listening to everyone brag and chat, nodding along as if she understood perfectly.
Afraid others might realize she was a wage-less intern, she actively and enthusiastically participated, giving her classmates plenty of face.
That afternoon, after registering at school, Xu Qingqing and Le Jiaojiao went shopping. While resting on the street, Le Jiaojiao suddenly looked at a drink shop across the street and said to Xu Qingqing, "Perfect timing, I just got my salary. Let me buy you a drink."
Xu Qingqing suddenly frowned and sat up straight: "Wait a minute! Why do even you have a salary?!"
Le Jiaojiao was incredulous: "...What do you mean 'even me'? Xu Qingqing, are you looking for a fight?!"
This woman had no conscience! And here Le Jiaojiao was, kindly offering to buy her a drink!
Xu Qingqing was genuinely puzzled. "But you didn't really do anything, right? How can you get a salary for that?"
She knew her rival all too well; the other girl's work ethic probably wasn't any better than her own.
Feeling insulted, Le Jiaojiao put her hands on her hips fiercely. "Who says I didn't do anything?! I made David six cups of coffee a day!"
Although besides making coffee, she didn't have much else to do. But she wasn't stupid; of course she wouldn't tell Xu Qingqing that.
Upon hearing this, Xu Qingqing became even angrier: "That's what I did too. Why don't I have one?"
If it were anyone else, they might have pointed out Xu Qingqing's work attitude at the company, suggesting that not getting fired was a blessing, and how could she be so brazen about demanding a salary.
But the person across from her was Le Jiaojiao, someone with an even worse work attitude than Xu Qingqing herself.
Le Jiaojiao covered her mouth, her eyes sparkling, her tone feigning surprise. "No way, no way! Xu Qingqing, surely not? You worked for so long and didn't get a single paycheck?"
She clasped her hands together, tilted her head, and sighed in a tone that pretended to be sympathetic but was actually mocking. "Xu Qingqing, you're so pitiful."
Xu Qingqing: ...
If she weren't sure she could beat Le Jiaojiao in a fight, she would have rolled up her sleeves right then and there to battle this despicable woman!!
Xu Qingqing was thoroughly angry now. Initially, she thought her classmates' jobs were more valuable, while she basically did no real work at the company all day, just making coffee and wandering around.
So asking for a salary would have made her feel a bit embarrassed. But now, hearing that even Le Jiaojiao, who spent her time eating, drinking, and having fun, got a salary, she immediately felt indignant!
Le Jiaojiao's daily tasks were also just serving tea, fetching water, and reading the newspaper. Why did she get paid, and Xu Qingqing didn't?!
Xu Qingqing decided she would go to CEO Xie to demand her salary! If he refused, she would take up the weapon of the law, turn against her own kin, and sue him at the labor arbitration board!
CEO Xie: ...?
Although Xu Qingqing had been busy with school and exams lately, working sporadically and not going to the office consistently, that didn't hinder her at all from embarking on her quest for back pay!
Xie Corporation, CEO's Office.
Xie Lianqing sat with his hands clasped on the desk, posture upright, listening with a serious expression as his girlfriend delivered a major speech.
Xu Qingqing paced back and forth in the room, saying furiously, "I'm going to sue you!!! You unscrupulous businessman, you black-hearted capitalist exploiting the working class!!"
The black-hearted capitalist Xie Lianqing: ...?
Xu Qingqing complained, "I've been working for so long, why haven't you paid me? Don't you know that people should get paid for their work? Even if she just makes coffee for you every day, she's still doing it very seriously!"
"Give me back my hard-earned money!!"
Xie Lianqing finally understood what his girlfriend was upset about. He then frowned slightly, looked away, and said thoughtfully with surprise, "You didn't get it?"
Xu Qingqing, who was in the middle of her tantrum, was stunned and couldn't accept it. "What do you mean? Did you all forget about me?"
How could they forget about someone as significant as her! Xu Qingqing couldn't accept it!
While busy placating this little ancestor, Xie Lianqing summoned Secretary Zhang and inquired with the finance department. He then learned that this incident was actually his fault.
Back when Xu Qingqing was exceptionally hired, he hadn't instructed anyone to prepare an office for her, and he also forgot to have Secretary Zhang take her to finance to complete her onboarding registration.
Furthermore, their company paid salaries via private bank transfers, and there were confidentiality agreements prohibiting the disclosure of salaries. Since Xu Qingqing didn't work in the secretarial office, she never noticed anything amiss.
Xie Lianqing also received a salary, but he never paid attention to that bank card, let alone remembered to ask Miss Xu about it.
Now that the truth was out, Xie Lianqing, accused by the victim Xu Qingqing, felt quite awkward for a moment.
After Secretary Zhang and the others left, Xu Qingqing crossed her arms, stamped her foot in anger, her face indignant, looking ready to throw a fit at any moment.
Whenever Xie Lianqing saw this ancestor throwing a tantrum, he couldn't help but get a headache. He took a breath and said gently, "It's my fault. I'll make it up to you now, okay?"
He took out his wallet, pulled out a card, and handed it to Xu Qingqing. "Is this enough?"
Xu Qingqing hesitantly took the card, very wary. "How much is in here?"
She said suspiciously, "I remember your company's salaries should be quite high, right? Do I have a bonus..." She had only learned from discussions with classmates around her that some of them had already received bonuses.
And she didn't even deserve a salary, which made her very sad.
Hearing the anticipation in Xu Qingqing's voice, Xie Lianqing hesitated, at a loss for words. High salaries in the company also depended on the position and department. For someone like Xu Qingqing in an administrative role who slacked off, not being fired was already good enough. He didn't know where she got the confidence to even mention the word "bonus."
In that moment of his hesitation, Xu Qingqing already understood his meaning. She threw the card back at him, saying angrily, "I don't want your card, I want my salary!!"
Did Xie Lianqing look down on her? She wasn't asking for money; she wanted what she earned from her obligatory labor.
Recently, everyone on social media was showing off their hard-earned internship salaries. Even Le Jiaojiao had received two thousand yuan and generously treated her rival to a portion of spicy potato sticks.
Xu Qingqing felt that since all the other kids had it, she must have it too. It wasn't like she didn't work; shouldn't she be paid?!
With Miss Xu throwing a fit, Xie Lianqing fumbled to catch the card and had no choice but to think seriously before replying, "For a secretarial internship, the salary is probably only around fifteen thousand. Your performance in the position was quite good, so I'll give you a five thousand bonus."
When he said the last part, Xie Lianqing kept a straight face, truly unable to afford offending this young lady.
He transferred twenty thousand yuan to Xu Qingqing, specifically noting it as "salary and bonus."
Xu Qingqing could be incredibly demanding when she acted up, but she was actually a girl who was easily satisfied. Hearing Xie Lianqing say she even had a so-called bonus, regardless of the actual amount, she was immediately content.
Rounding up, she was basically an outstanding employee!
Xu Qingqing confidently posted a screenshot of Xie Lianqing's transfer on her social media, captioning it—[A month of hard work, finally got this month's salary~]
Le Jiaojiao quickly commented below, questioning—"Why is your salary so high?!"
She only got two thousand a month, and Xu Qingqing's was ten times hers?! She didn't want to work anymore now!
Apart from Le Jiaojiao's resentment, Xu Qingqing's social media feed was basically filled with praise. Even Grandpa and Grandma Xu liked it and seriously commented—"Keep it up! Well deserved encouragement!"
Xu Qingqing happily replied to everyone, saying thank you.
Then, after a while, Zhou Chenyu, who was still abroad avoiding supervision, saw this post and casually replied—"Wait, isn't the account that transferred you money Xie Lianqing's? Is this some couple's game between you two?"
Another mutual friend who knew both her and Xie Lianqing was also enlightened and teased—"Yeah. Is this a salary, or is it your family's CEO Xie giving you pocket money?"
Seeing that she was about to be exposed, Xu Qingqing immediately deleted Zhou Chenyu's and that friend's comments. To be safe, she also blocked both of them.
Xie Lianqing, who saw the whole thing: ...
He had a pretty good idea why Xu Qingqing had stormed in angrily to demand her salary.
It was definitely either because of Le Jiaojiao or someone else's provocation.
Feeling she had kept up with her classmates' pace, Xu Qingqing was very satisfied. As for what everyone thought behind her back, that wasn't her concern, because school had officially started!
Although Xu Qingqing didn't have classes in the new semester, she was still incredibly busy after school started.
Graduation season at school involved a lot of tasks—various certificates, documents, and filing records. Xu Qingqing and her classmates had to be assigned advisors and groups to discuss graduation project topics. She also had to prepare for the CET-4 exam. She had improved a lot during the holiday and had even started studying for the IELTS, so she really needed to pass this CET-4.
Besides schoolwork and chores related to graduation, she also had to extra collect and organize materials, determine the schools and majors she wanted to apply for, to facilitate getting recommendation letters in advance and communicating with professors...
Xu Qingqing started preparing for further studies later than her other classmates. She had only been half-heartedly reviewing for the IELTS before, but now that she was determined to pursue advanced studies, she needed to get serious.
So now, Xu Qingqing was extremely busy every day, running back and forth between school and home.
Finally, one day when Xie Lianqing came to see her, he asked softly, "Will Qingqing still live at the Xu family home after school starts?"
Xu Qingqing was memorizing vocabulary, preparing for the IELTS exam a month away. Hearing the question, she answered casually, "Of course." She didn't want to live on campus anyway.
Xie Lianqing was very patient and said slowly, "But graduation season often involves a lot of school errands. Won't you get tired from commuting between school and the Xu family home recently?"
Xu Qingqing was busy with various things every day. Although she could go home to stay when there was nothing at school, she probably still wouldn't be very satisfied.
Given Xu Qingqing's personality, she should be quite irritated by such a hectic, busy life.
Sure enough, upon hearing Xie Lianqing's question, she answered without hesitation, "Of course I get tired!" She looked at Xie Lianqing as if he were a fool.
Sometimes the school would suddenly notify them to return for a meeting. After staying for an hour or two, she would have to take an hour-long car ride back home.
Xie Lianqing acted as if he hadn't noticed her gaze, continuing patiently and softly, "The Xu family home is quite far from the university. I have an apartment not far from A University. How about you stay there during your free time, Qingqing?"
Xu Qingqing had recently been considering buying a place near campus. However, the thought of having to go through renovations and the hassle, only to graduate soon, gave her pause. If she could just get through these busy few months, she likely wouldn't need it afterward.
The apartment Xie Lianqing was offering perfectly met her needs, solving her urgent problem.
So, faced with her boyfriend's suggestion, Xu Qingqing readily agreed, "Sure." She knew Xie Lianqing had a place off-campus but had never visited.
She immediately stood up, asking Xie Lianqing for the keys, her voice full of anticipation, "When can we go see it? Which bedroom will be mine? Can I use one room as a walk-in closet?"
Xie Lianqing's eyes curved with a smile, his pen twirling slightly, "Of course you can."
That very afternoon, Xie Lianqing took his girlfriend to see the apartment. Xu Qingqing hadn't had particularly high expectations, but to her surprise, the decor and layout were unexpectedly to her taste. The master bedroom was connected to a guest room, with a walk-in closet right behind the door. The wardrobe even contained the latest season's clothes from one of her favorite brands.
Xu Qingqing ran around the apartment, inspecting every corner, and immediately declared it hers. She wanted to move in that very night!
The only drawback was that the apartment's wardrobe wasn't just stocked with clothes prepared for her; it also held the male owner's garments. The bathroom was set up for a couple too, complete with a razor and other men's toiletries.
After looking around, Xu Qingqing walked over and asked Xie Lianqing, "Are you going to move your things out?"
Now that the apartment was for her use, Xie Lianqing wouldn't need his things here anymore. To avoid waste, of course, he should take them all away.
Xie Lianqing leaned against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, watching her. At her question, he simply smiled without answering.
Xu Qingqing looked at him, puzzled, not understanding his meaning.
After a moment, as if a thought had struck her, her eyes widened. "You don't plan on living here too in the future, do you?"
Xie Lianqing had gone through all this trouble precisely for this. He raised an eyebrow. "Is that not allowed?" This was his way of proposing they live together.
Xu Qingqing felt conflicted. Although she'd had many relationships, they were mostly like child's play. They rarely spent time alone together in one room, let alone considered cohabitation.
But she had stayed at Xie Lianqing's place for a few days before, and they got along comfortably, surprisingly without any friction.
So, living with Xie Lianqing wasn't out of the question. However, apart from living with family elders, she had never experienced anything like this and felt a bit uneasy about it...
After all, not long ago, she had been thinking about breaking up with Xie Lianqing.
But now that Bai Youlan was almost engaged to Lin Donghan, it seemed she didn't need to break up with Xie Lianqing after all.
Truth be told, although Xu Qingqing often blustered about breaking up, Xie Lianqing was, overall, the most satisfying boyfriend she'd ever had.
Xie Lianqing came from a good family, was gentle, and most importantly, exceptionally good-looking—the most handsome among all her boyfriends. Of course, the others weren't bad-looking either (otherwise, Xu Qingqing wouldn't have looked twice), but they paled in comparison to Xie Lianqing.
As Xu Qingqing wrestled with her thoughts, Xie Lianqing lowered his head, cupped her small face, and asked softly, "What do you think, Qingqing?"
For some reason, Xie Lianqing knew Xu Qingqing seemed resistant to marriage. But if they were to have a future together, this issue needed to be overcome. Since they were already set to get engaged, this was a matter that would need addressing sooner or later. So, starting their cohabitation early wasn't a bad idea.
Xu Qingqing was still hesitant. "But it feels so fast."
Xie Lianqing smiled. "Qingqing thinks it's too fast? But we've been together for almost a year."
His tone was gentle, careful not to pressure her or make her feel forced. He said softly, "Qingqing, we've been together a long time. Perhaps it's time to move to the next stage."
Xu Qingqing had a moment of realization. It seemed that was true.
Her expression turned somewhat dazed as she murmured, "Have we really been together that long?"
Time had passed so quickly. Xu Qingqing was even a little surprised; part of her still felt like she and Xie Lianqing had just started dating.
Xu Qingqing had been in many relationships before, but the longest never exceeded three months, and the shortest ended the same day she was dumped.
She tried hard to recall, attempting to remember her time with those past partners. Had time flown by just as swiftly and unnoticed back then?
When she first agreed to date Xie Lianqing, she hadn't even imagined they could last this long. She thought this relationship would be like all her others—she'd grow bored and they'd part ways before long.
While Xu Qingqing frowned in thought, Xie Lianqing watched her and said leisurely, "Qingqing, do you feel insecure? I actually agree with that perspective. My initial plan was to propose first..."
Before he could finish, Xu Qingqing immediately surrendered. "Wait, wait, wait! Maybe living together is better!!"
She absolutely did not want to get married so early.
Even if Bai Youlan no longer seemed to be the female lead and posed little threat to her life now, Xu Qingqing wouldn't easily agree to marriage. She was a 21st-century female university student; what kind of madness would drive her to jump into marriage so soon?
However naive Xu Qingqing might be, she didn't see marriage as a game. Life after marriage certainly wouldn't be the same as now, where she only had to worry about whether games were fun, novels were good, or if she'd pass her exams...
Xu Qingqing's outright rejection of the proposal didn't anger Xie Lianqing. He wasn't in a hurry anyway; this was just a strategic retreat to test the waters with Xu Qingqing.
However, from her reaction just now, he sensed she wasn't as resistant to the idea of marriage as before. At least she was starting to consider it, rather than acting like he was trying to murder her whenever marriage was mentioned, desperately avoiding the topic.
This was good news. Xie Lianqing found it amusing inwardly. To Xu Qingqing, he said unhurriedly, "Would living with me be so bad? Your life wouldn't change. Don't you want to give it a try?"
Following his words, Xu Qingqing thought back and realized that when she lived with Xie Lianqing before, her life really didn't seem to change much. Besides having someone to chat with, he could play games with her, and once the semester started, he might even help with her homework...
Don't think there's no homework just because classes are over; during internships, the university still requires reports and papers.
So, after some internal debate, Xu Qingqing found that cohabitation didn't seem so bad after all.
Thinking this, she asked curiously, testing the waters, "If we live together, will we... do that?"
Xu Qingqing knew some people played around quite freely, but she had been well-protected by her family and friends. During her high school years, she had never been exposed to such things, and her university relationships were brief and uninteresting, never progressing to that stage.
Although Xu Qingqing had no personal experience, her fair-weather friends occasionally discussed topics related to sex. So, she had always been quite curious.
Moreover, she was going abroad after graduation and wouldn't see Xie Lianging for a long time. She had already promised him about the engagement, so she couldn't break up and date other boyfriends while overseas.
Thus, Xu Qingqing felt a little tempted, thinking it might be best to try things with Xie Lianging before leaving the country!
Her tone was a bit hesitant and conflicted, but her eyes sparkled, hiding a glimmer of anticipation for mischief.
It was unbearably cute.
Xie Lianging stared at her and couldn't help but laugh.
Xu Qingqing, who had been quite expectant, wrinkled her nose upon being laughed at, feeling both wronged and angry: "What are you laughing at? I'm being very serious, you know."
She felt looked down upon.
Xie Lianging laughed while coaxing her: "Sorry, I couldn't help it. It's just because Qingqing is too adorable."
Xu Qingqing puffed out her cheeks and let out a sigh, still huffing and clearly dissatisfied.
Xie Lianging tilted his head slightly, kissed her soft earlobe, and said leisurely, "As for your earlier question, what do you think the answer is?"
Caught off guard, Xu Qingqing tightly covered her ears with both hands, shrinking her neck and shooting Xie Lianging a glare: "How would I know?"
With that, she ran off. Xie Lianging watched her retreating figure, lowered his head, curled his lips, and smiled silently.
However, after a while, Xu Qingqing suddenly came back. Standing in front of Xie Lianging, she said very seriously, "Oh, I just remembered. Before moving in together, you need to give me a health check-up report. If it's satisfactory, then we can proceed to the next step."
Of course, if it's not satisfactory, then it's goodbye and breakup.
Xie Lianging: ......?
With his girlfriend's safety awareness being so strong, he wasn't sure whether to be happy or worried.
He sighed, proving his innocence: "You're the only girlfriend I've ever had."
Xu Qingqing's attitude was firm: "How do I know if you had girlfriends when you were abroad?"
She was no naive little girl; her aunt had given her proper education on these matters. Besides, she'd seen how some people who appeared upright and handsome on the outside led particularly debauched private lives.
Xie Lianging agreed with her perspective and readily agreed: "Alright, I'll bring the report to you tomorrow."
Xu Qingqing was fair-minded and said earnestly, "Don't worry, I'll give you my health report too!"
Xie Lianging was both amused and exasperated, patting her head. He was now realizing that Xu Qingqing could be incredibly demanding and spoiled at times, like a pampered princess, yet in other aspects, she was exceptionally frank and direct.
But he thought Xu Qingqing's approach was just fine. It was better for both parties to communicate clearly in advance than to harbor suspicions privately or leave hidden problems that might lead to regret later on.
...
After exchanging health reports with Xie Lianging, Xu Qingqing took the lead and moved into the apartment. She was truly tired of running between school, work, and home every day. Now, she just wanted to rest quietly. Even if Xie Lianging wanted to do something, so be it.
Xie Lianging, afraid that moving in too early might make Xu Qingqing uneasy, deliberately waited a few days for her to adjust to the new place before bringing his luggage and moving in.
Although there were other rooms in the apartment, Xie Lianging straightforwardly placed some of his belongings in the master bedroom where Xu Qingqing was staying.
Xu Qingqing stood at the doorway, puffing out her cheeks and watching him with her arms crossed. She felt a mix of conflict and nervousness, along with a sense of discomfort from having her personal living space invaded.
The first day of cohabitation.
That night was the first time Xu Qingqing and Xie Lianging shared a bed. Although they had cuddled on the sofa or bed before, the feeling was completely different now.
After washing up and getting into bed, Xu Qingqing looked at Xie Lianging, who was sitting on the other side reading a book, and still felt a bit unsettled.
She thought she might have trouble falling asleep, but as soon as her head hit the pillow and she closed her eyes, she was fast asleep within seconds.
Xie Lianging held a book but couldn't concentrate much on it; the page remained unchanged for a long time. With the girl he loved lying beside him, even someone as composed as him found his mind wandering today.
After a while, he put down the book and asked softly, "Qingqing?"
Receiving no response after a long wait, he glanced over and discovered that Xu Qingqing had already fallen soundly and carelessly asleep.
Xu Qingqing was so calm and nonchalant, as if the extra person in the room wasn't her boyfriend but just an ordinary roommate, and she had merely lent him half the bed.
Thinking of this, Xie Lianging sighed helplessly but couldn't help smiling.
He placed the book aside, carefully drew Xu Qingqing into his embrace, stroked her hair, closed his eyes, and peacefully went to sleep as well.
...
After waking up in the morning, Xie Lianging changed clothes quietly. He knelt by the pillow, watching Xu Qingqing curled up under the covers, and asked softly, "Qingqing, I'm going for a run. What would you like for breakfast?"
The person under the covers was still dreaming, not wanting to wake up at all. Hearing the noise outside, she silently burrowed deeper into the quilt, groggily curling into a ball.
Seeing her reaction, Xie Lianging couldn't help but chuckle softly. He didn't persist in asking about breakfast anymore and instead left the room very quietly.
Xie Lianging went for a run every morning. Before today, he had wondered if he should invite Xu Qingqing to exercise together, but seeing her like this, it seemed unlikely to happen in the future.
When Xie Lianging returned from his morning run, Xu Qingqing still hadn't gotten up. The housekeeper had already come, prepared breakfast, and left.
It wasn't that Xie Lianging was opposed to cooking; he simply couldn't do it. He had tried cooking for himself while abroad, but each attempt ended with the smoke alarm going off, the fire department arriving, and him paying compensation.
Later, Xie Lianging became slightly more proficient at cooking. While he no longer summoned the fire trucks, the taste was still far from good. He often spent one or two hours cooking and cleaning up, only to throw away the inedible results, change clothes, and go out to a restaurant to eat.
Over time, Xie Lianging decided to spare both himself and the ingredients.
Moreover, he thought about it: if on the very first day of living together, he personally made a "love-filled meal" for his girlfriend, and she woke up to see something that looked unappealing, tasted terrible, and smelled suspiciously like poison, she'd probably get so angry she'd break up with him on the spot.
Imagining that scene, Xie Lianging quickly abandoned the idea. Not everyone is perfect in every way, and Xie Lianging accepted his shortcomings.
He also didn't have a live-in chef, only arranging for one to come by at mealtimes each day. The apartment near the school wasn't very large. Xie Lianging wanted to quickly integrate into his cohabitation life with Xu Qingqing and enjoy their time alone together, so he didn't plan on having too many unrelated people around the house.
Xie Lianqing finished showering and came out of the bathroom, ready to call his girlfriend up for breakfast first. Judging from the time Xu Qingqing had previously stayed over at his place, he strongly suspected that if he didn't wake her, she could sleep until noon.
Then what she'd be eating wouldn't be breakfast but lunch, and maintaining such a habit long-term is very unhealthy.
Since he was the one who proposed living together, he should take responsibility for Xu Qingqing's health. So, braving the risk of triggering her morning grumpiness, Xie Lianqing courageously went to wake her up.
He called for Xu Qingqing to get up and eat, saying gently, "Time to get up, Qingqing. Breakfast is ready."
Xu Qingqing buried herself under the covers, unable to even open her eyes. "Don't call me. I'm not eating."
Xie Lianqing glanced at his watch and tried to scare her. "You'll be late for class."
Xu Qingqing wasn't fooled at all. "I don't have class today."
Xie Lianqing tried again. "If you don't get up now, you'll be late for work."
Lately, besides school and the Xu family home, Xu Qingqing occasionally had to go to the company for work. Of course, this was a phase all students at this stage went through—lots of schoolwork, yet unable to quit the job, so they were constantly busy running back and forth.
Some people, like Xu Qingqing, who planned to pursue further studies, also had extra studying and interview exams. It could be said this was the busiest period for a university student.
But Xu Qingqing was a bit luckier. Her boss was her boyfriend, so she naturally played hooky from work often.
Xie Lianqing, being rather cunning himself, hadn't reminded her that she could resign now.
Hearing Xie Lianqing's words, Xu Qingqing poked her head out from under the covers in displeasure. She opened her bleary eyes, thought for a moment, and suddenly raised her hand. "I request a day off!"
Xie Lianqing: "...?"
Having found a solution, Xu Qingqing said confidently, "CEO Xie, I'm not going to work today, okay? Don't call me."
Then, satisfied, she flopped back down to sleep.
CEO Xie: "...?"
After a struggle, Xu Qingqing finally woke up under the persistent urging of CEO Xie.
She sat up in bed, ruffling her messy hair, frowning and looking very upset. "You're so annoying. If I'd known you were this naggy, I would never have agreed."
She followed Xie Lianqing to breakfast in a huff. After finishing, Miss Xu angrily placed her fork on the plate, crossed her arms, and glared at Xie Lianqing, puffing out her cheeks.
Her hair was uncombed, held back only by a cartoon hair clip. Dressed in cute pajamas, she was the picture of someone puffing up with indignation.
Xie Lianqing thought she looked utterly adorable, like a little pufferfish.
He asked softly, "Finished? If you're done, you can go back to bed."
Xu Qingqing was wide awake now. Ignoring him, she kept glaring, seemingly intent on glaring at him until the end of time to make him realize his mistake.
Xie Lianqing barely managed not to laugh out loud. Calmly, he stood up, cleared their plates to the kitchen, and placed them one by one into the dishwasher.
Xu Qingqing had been glaring at him on purpose, but she never expected Xie Lianqing would dare ignore her!!
It's true what they say, men are scoundrels. Once they get what they want, they don't cherish it anymore. Even though Xie Lianqing hadn't "gotten" her yet, he already wasn't cherishing her!
She was clearly angry, and he wasn't even coming to coax her!!
The drama queen Xu Qingqing immediately stood up furiously and chased after Xie Lianqing to the kitchen. Standing beside him, she maintained her arms-crossed pose, glaring at him with puffed-up cheeks.
The corners of Xie Lianqing's lips quirked up slightly. After finishing with the plates without batting an eye, he turned and went to the bedroom to change into his suit and adjust his tie.
Seeing him leave while ignoring her, Xu Qingqing stared at his retreating back in astonishment, her mouth agape and eyes wide.
Then, stubbornly, she followed behind him, glaring angrily at Xie Lianqing the whole time, just waiting for him to ask why she was mad.
Still a bit groggy from just waking up, Xu Qingqing nonetheless held firm to the drama queen's belief of never yielding!
And so, like a little tail, Xu Qingqing followed Xie Lianqing around all morning.
Xie Lianqing had originally wanted to play along with her a bit longer, but he was currently living near the university with Xu Qingqing, which added an extra half hour to his daily commute.
Finally, dressed in his suit, Xie Lianqing walked to the door. Adjusting his cufflinks, he turned back, hugged Xu Qingqing, and said calmly and gently, "I'm off to work. Be good at home, Qingqing." And then he left.
Xu Qingqing stood there dumbfounded, watching Xie Lianqing leave.
She was going to throw a fit!!
As if guessing her thoughts, Xie Lianqing suddenly stopped and slowly took two steps back. He turned, lowered his head, kissed his girlfriend's forehead, and said, holding back a laugh, "Goodbye, little pufferfish."
A full minute after Xie Lianqing left, Xu Qingqing still hadn't figured out who the pufferfish was.
At A University, Le Jiaojiao looked at her and stated with certainty, "It really does look like you."
Xu Qingqing got angry and puffed out her cheeks. Le Jiaojiao exclaimed delightedly, "Even more like it now!"
Xu Qingqing: ...
When evening came, Xu Qingqing went to settle the score with Xie Lianqing with great ferocity.
As Xie Lianqing returned home from work, Xu Qingqing was waiting by the door. She said very seriously, "Why did you call me a pufferfish? I don't like that nickname. It's so childish, it doesn't suit me at all."
Xu Qingqing felt this nickname seriously undermined her identity as a drama-queen young lady. But then again, Xu Qingqing didn't even like the nickname "little schoolyard bully" her fans gave her, let alone being called a puffy-cheeked pufferfish.
Xie Lianqing, who had just entered, laughed and said, "Okay, it's too childish and doesn't suit your temperament."
He casually placed his documents on the table and lazily walked further inside. "Let me take my little pufferfish to do something adults should do."
Xu Qingqing stared wide-eyed in confusion, and then Xie Lianqing poked her cheek. He chuckled, a low sound, then casually headed to the bathroom.
Xu Qingqing, who had been in the middle of complaining: ...Huh? Huh huh huh??
She suddenly lost interest in fretting over the "pufferfish" nickname; her mind was filled with what he had just said. Something adults should do... what could that be?
Xu Qingqing waited outside the bathroom, her imagination running wild, and finally Xie Lianqing came out.
