The car pulled up outside the convenience store. From inside the vehicle, Xie Lianqing could already see Xu Qingqing standing under the eaves, idly playing with her phone.
He pushed the car door open, took up a black umbrella, and walked towards her.
The car headlights fell on the girl. Xu Qingqing looked up and said in surprise upon seeing him, "It's you!" Zhou Chenyu had said a friend would come to pick her up, but she hadn't expected it to be the kind stranger from earlier.
Xie Lianqing looked down at the girl crouched on the ground and smiled. "It's me."
Once in the car, Xu Qingqing sat in the back seat, listlessly fiddling with her damp hair. She studied Xie Lianqing beside her with curiosity and asked, "Are you the legendary Xie Lianqing?"
Xie Lianqing, who had been reviewing documents, couldn't help but laugh at this. He turned his head to look at Xu Qingqing, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean, 'legendary'?"
He realized that in the few hours since he'd met Xu Qingqing, he had already laughed several times. Although the pampered Miss Xu was a bit spoiled in temperament, she was quite adorable in other ways.
Xu Qingqing said with amazement, "You don't know? You may not be in the country, but there are plenty of stories about you circulating!" Even that scumbag Zhang Shiyi had complained about Xie Lianqing countless times, saying that because Xie Lianqing was too outstanding, he was always held up as a comparison by elders during lectures.
When Zhang Shiyi complained to his girlfriend, of course, he was hoping for gentle, comforting words. Unfortunately for him, Xu Qingqing knew Xie Lianqing was a good friend of her childhood sweetheart, and both men were elites in their social circle.
Xu Qingqing believed that if Xie Lianqing could be friends with her childhood sweetheart, he must have his own merits. So, in response to her boyfriend's complaints, she would always absentmindedly encourage him to work hard and try to catch up to Xie Lianqing someday. This left Zhang Shiyi feeling as if he'd swallowed mud—uncomfortable and stuck.
Looking back now, Xu Qingqing was very glad her intelligence had remained intact even while in a relationship; she had never once echoed Zhang Shiyi's words to belittle Xie Lianqing.
After all, compared to Zhang Shiyi, Xie Lianqing was so much more chivalrous! Back at the airport, when he didn't even know her, he had still offered to help. Compared to Zhang Shiyi, who had abandoned her at the airport, they were practically different species!
Thinking of this, Xu Qingqing said to Xie Lianqing again, "Young Mr. Xie, you're really a good person."
Xie Lianqing's eyes lifted, his gaze amused. "Young Mr. Xie?" This was a playful title Zhou Chenyu used for him; he hadn't expected Xu Qingqing to pick it up too.
Xu Qingqing didn't hesitate to throw her childhood friend under the bus. "Zhou Chenyu told me to call you that. He told me not to get left behind again."
Xu Qingqing and Xie Lianqing had known each other for less than two hours, and after getting in the car, they had mostly sat in silence. Yet, with just a few simple sentences from her, the distance between them had closed considerably, and they could even joke with each other now.
Xu Qingqing had a hotel booked, but her ex-boyfriend had taken the first step, and she had no idea where he was staying that night. So, Xie Lianqing took Xu Qingqing back to his downtown apartment, while he himself went to a hotel.
The next day, Xie Lianqing went to the apartment early in the morning with breakfast to check on Xu Qingqing and ask about her plans.
If she wanted to go home, he would book her a ticket and take her to the airport. If Xu Qingqing still felt like sightseeing, he was also willing to do his duty as a host and accompany her for the next few days.
Of course, not everyone received the treatment of Xie Lianqing's personal accompaniment. For anyone else, he would simply have his driver accompany them. But in Xie Lianqing's view, Xu Qingqing's personality was rather likable, and she was also the childhood friend Zhou Chenyu had specially entrusted to him, so naturally, her treatment was different.
Carrying the breakfast, Xie Lianqing entered the apartment and heard Xu Qingqing in the living room. Wearing pajamas, she was on the phone, seemingly arguing with someone.
He placed the breakfast on the table and went to the bar to pour himself a drink.
Xu Qingqing ran a hand through her hair. "Zhang Shiyi, what exactly are you calling to say? Do I need to remind you that you left me at the airport yesterday?"
She raised her voice. "And you're blaming me?! I clearly suggested an assistant accompany me, but you said you could take care of me. You're an out-and-out scumbag!"
The person on the other end of the line seemed to be explaining something. Xu Qingqing's tone suddenly became calm. "It's fine, it's fine. I understand."
"But I need compensation. I'm currently at..." She hesitated for a moment, then turned to look at Xie Lianqing, her eyes questioning.
Xie Lianqing understood. He raised his glass and silently mouthed the address to her.
Xu Qingqing nodded with satisfaction, then quickly recited the address to the person on the phone. "Why do you care why I'm staying here? It's a friend's place. Anyway, if you want to get back together, come to my door right now with your sincerity and apologize."
Xu Qingqing hung up, clutching her phone, her expression excited as she bounced around the apartment.
Watching her movements, Xie Lianqing turned to set down his glass and asked casually, "Made up?"
This matter was none of his business. According to Xie Lianqing's usual style, he wouldn't have asked. Xu Qingqing was Zhou Chenyu's friend, an adult with the right to make her own choices; it was her private decision...
But Xie Lianqing couldn't help feeling a sense of disappointment towards Xu Qingqing.
He had thought that, given her personality, she wouldn't so easily forgive the ex-boyfriend who had abandoned her at the airport.
Moreover, that man didn't seem worth her compromising for. Although Xie Lianqing disliked speaking ill of others behind their backs, the man truly lacked gentlemanly manners.
Do people in love all lose their reason like this? Xie Lianqing's eyes were dark, his expression thoughtful.
Unaware of his thoughts, Xu Qingqing tossed her phone aside and retorted incredulously, "Me, get back together with him? Maybe in the next life!"
Without waiting for Xie Lianqing's response, she said urgently, "I need to go out in a little while; I'm running out of time!"
She didn't even eat, rushing off to wash up and put on makeup. Midway, she ran back out, holding two dresses and asking Xie Lianqing which one she should wear.
Xie Lianqing glanced at the two dresses, raised his glass slightly, tilted his chin, and selected the red one.
Half an hour later, Zhang Shiyi, who had angrily left the airport the day before, appeared at the door of Xie Lianqing's apartment.
He wore a hoodie and jeans, looking somewhat haggard. His appearance was striking, with a genuine air of a rogue.
As soon as he saw Xu Qingqing, he began apologizing and pleading. "I'm sorry, baby. It's my fault. I shouldn't have treated you like that..."
Xu Qingqing walked over, all smiles, then pulled the bouquet of flowers from his arms and, holding it, proceeded to whack him over the head and face with it.
"Drop dead, you scumbag! Leaving me alone at the airport in the middle of the night! You jerk! Jerk!"
"Making me get caught in the rain, knowing my foreign language is poor and still leaving me alone at the airport... Just drop dead!!"
Caught off guard, Zhang Shiyi was beaten back step by step by the flower bouquet. "I was wrong, baby, stop hitting...!"
Xie Lianqing stood not far away, watching this scene unfold. He had probably guessed Xu Qingqing's plan, which was why he had accompanied her here.
Although he had suspected it before, seeing it with his own eyes convinced Xie Lianqing completely that this Miss Xu's desire for revenge was not weak in the slightest.
Xu Qingqing smashed the bouquet for a good while, finally throwing the battered and scattered roses onto Zhang Shiyi. She clapped her hands, smoothed her hair, and said, "Trash! Scum! I would absolutely never get back together with garbage like you."
Having said that, she turned to leave. She hadn't even eaten breakfast today because of this scumbag! Now that she had vented her anger, she could finally go eat happily.
"Damn it!" Zhang Shiyi, who had been dodging and covering his head from the flower assault, still had some scratches on his face. Seeing Xu Qingqing about to leave, he couldn't swallow his anger and instinctively charged forward.
Zhang Shiyi grabbed Xu Qingqing's wrist, his expression furious, and raised his hand. "Xu Qingqing, do you really think I don't dare to teach you a lesson?!"
Xie Lianqing frowned and immediately strode over to intervene.
Unexpectedly, the female protagonist in question showed no fear even after being grabbed. She stared at Zhang Shiyi with an air of confidence and said, "Go ahead. Try it."
Her gaze was firm, her tone resolute. "Zhang Shiyi, if you dare lay a hand on me today, tomorrow you'll be crawling on your knees to apologize at my family's doorstep."
Under her stare, Zhang Shiyi, driven by impulse, slowly regained his composure. Panting, he gradually lowered his raised hand.
Xu Qingqing snorted disdainfully, shook her wrist, and broke free from his grip. She glanced back at him with a look of contempt, then walked alone towards the apartment building.
Just as she was about to disappear from view, Zhang Shiyi suddenly shouted at her retreating figure, "Xu Qingqing, you think you're so great, don't you? Wake up! It's the 21st century, you still think you're a princess? If you weren't the Xu family's young lady and so good-looking, who would ever want to hang out with you?"
Xu Qingqing slowly came to a halt, then turned around. She looked at the resentful man behind her and said in a light, cheerful tone, "I know. So what?"
Her expression was proud as she enunciated each word clearly. "I just love how you all despise me, yet have no choice but to bow and scrape to please me. Look at you now. So pathetic."
Xie Lianqing had just reached the two of them and raised an eyebrow at her words. Seeing Zhang Shiyi open his mouth to say more, Xie Lianqing had already taken Xu Qingqing's hand and was escorting her towards the elevator.
Xu Qingqing walked into the elevator with light steps and went upstairs. Throughout the whole process, under the gaze of the other passengers and Xie Lianqing, her expression remained utterly relaxed.
The elevator arrived at the floor of Xie Lianqing's residence. Once they were alone, the haughty expression on Xu Qingqing's face slowly faded.
Her eyes suddenly dropped, her light footsteps growing slower and slower. A teardrop fell to the ground. Xu Qingqing hung her head, wiping at her tears only for more to fall, and then she burst out crying with a loud wail.
"Bastard! Scumbag! Psycho! Jerk!"
