Chapter Twenty-Four

It was the height of summer, and sunlight filtered through the trees, dappling the road and filling the air with scorching heat.

The resume she submitted to Qing Teng Comics Studio last time was quickly approved. When she went to the company to report for duty, she found that the editor she would be working with this time was Tian Yue. She looked at Tian Yue, opened her mouth, and finally just said hello.

Xing Bei had recently taken on several projects, and since she was new to the company, she thought she still needed more experience. So the company gave her a novel that wasn't very popular to practice on.

Tian Yue asked her if she needed to change her pen name. Xing Bei hesitated for a few seconds, but decided to continue using the name Perle.

Whether it's good or bad, this name has been with her for a long time, and she can't bear to part with it.

After discussing their ideas with Tian Yue, they went to the bookstore together and bought the book "Yin Qiu".

To create a good comic book, one must thoroughly understand the book. As her first comic book, she took notes while reading and even wrote character biographies.

She read about five chapters in one afternoon, which made her realize that the book she had picked up was a tragic love story, and it was about a girl who had a crush on a boy.

This reminded her of her crush on Zhou Xuzhe during high school, and she took the book even more seriously.

When Lu Runxu got home from get off work, he looked up and saw Xing Bei lying on the sofa, her slender, white legs swinging up and down, her delicate brows slightly furrowed.

Lu Runxu approached quietly and saw that Xing Bei was so engrossed in her book that she didn't even notice him coming back. He looked over curiously.

"What are you looking at? Why is Mrs. Lu looking so worried?" Lu Runxu asked.

Xing Bei was startled and sat up, patting her chest: "Why do you walk so quietly? You almost scared me to death."

Lu Runxu sat down next to her and picked up a notebook filled with dense writing: "It seems Mrs. Lu has successfully joined the company."

Xing Bei proudly patted her chest: "Of course."

Lu Runxu gently ruffled her hair: "Then I'll cook for you myself today."

A few days later, Xing Bei finished reading the book and cried her eyes out. She really had an urge to change the ending to make unrequited love come true.

She logged onto Weibo and discovered that the author of the book, Lvzhi, had also followed her. Xing Bei followed back and shared her thoughts with Lvzhi.

perle: Hello, Teacher Lvzhi.

perle: Can I draw a happy ending for the main character of "Yin Qiu" on his own?

Green Squeak: Thank you for your kind offer, teacher. This book is based on my own life, and I still hope it ends badly.

Xing Bei became even more excited when she saw that it was the original model.

perle: So, the stories in the novels are all based on real events?

Green Squeak: Mostly.

perle: Wouldn't it be better if there was an outside ending?

Green Squeak: Everything has passed, but the regrets are all the more unforgettable.

Perle: So what's your relationship now?

Xing Bei's curiosity was piqued again.

Green Squeak: We got married.

perle: Huh?

What kind of dramatic plot is this?

Green Squeak: That's another story, I can't tell you that right now.

perle: In the end, the teacher got what he wanted.

When Lu Runxu came home from get off work in the evening, Xing Bei couldn't wait to share the story of the day with him.

Lu Runxu let her straddle him, listening to her enthusiastic storytelling, his thin lips involuntarily curving into a smile.

Xing Bei suddenly asked, "Lu Runxu, you must have had a lot of admirers in high school, right? Did you have a crush on anyone?"

Lu Runxu was taken aback when he heard this, then suddenly laughed: "Yes."

Xing Bei didn't expect him to admit it so readily: "So, do you feel regret now?"

Lu Runxu shook his head: "No, I feel very happy right now."

"Smooth talker." Xing Bei understood what he meant.

Lu Runxu gently put his arm around her waist: "I'll tell you a story."

During his high school years, one of his good friends was targeted by a girl because he was too good-looking. The girl had a boyfriend, and her boyfriend thought that my friend was seducing his girlfriend, so he sent people to ambush my friend.

Xing Bei frowned slightly as she listened: "Lu Runxu, you didn't just make up a story to avoid the topic, did you?"

Lu Runxu smiled and looked at her: "Let me finish speaking slowly."

My friend was just there to participate in the competition. He didn't want to cause trouble and thought he could just talk things out peacefully. But the other side only liked to use force, so my friend had no choice but to play along. But before he could even make a move, a girl interrupted him.

It seemed like that girl had someone protecting her; those people ran away as soon as they saw her.

Xing Bei felt a sense of familiarity as she listened to his story, and she continued to ask, "And then?"

Lu Runxu looked at her and smiled: "Later he found out that he had fallen in love with that girl at first sight, but unfortunately she already had someone she liked."

Xing Bei "..."

This is love at first sight? The criteria for liking someone are way too low.

Lu Runxu continued, "My friend had a crush on that girl for ten years. Then, they met again by chance. The girl didn't remember him. They got together for some reasons and are now very happy."

After hearing this story, Xing Bei had only one thought—she had never met such a cowardly man.

"So he plans to never tell that girl about this for the rest of his life?" Xing Bei asked curiously.

Lu Runxu met her questioning gaze and shook his head helplessly: "Maybe."

Xing Bei disagreed with this idea: "If your friend doesn't tell that girl, how will she know how much her boyfriend likes her?"

“Because he’s afraid that girl will break up with him.” Lu Runxu looked up at her seriously, “and he’s afraid of burdening her.”

Xing Bei was speechless: "What kind of twisted logic is this? You should say it out loud if you like someone. Besides, the fact that the girl liked him without knowing it means your friend is worth it."

“If it were me, I wouldn’t feel it’s a burden; on the contrary, I would love him even more.”

Lu Runxu was stunned. He hadn't expected her to say that. A faint warmth grew stronger in his heart, and he leaned over to kiss her cheek.

"Wait a minute." Xing Bei pushed him away, squinting at him. "This isn't your own story, is it?"

Lu Runxu gently flicked her nose with his finger bone: "I don't have a story. The person I had a crush on before is already married."

He's already married, so it seems Lin Qiuwan isn't the object of his secret crush.

Judging from Lu Runxu's current open and honest demeanor, he probably really doesn't care.

After hearing Lu Runxu's story, Xing Bei suddenly had a lot of inspiration. She cupped Lu Runxu's face and kissed him, then quickly ran upstairs to draw line drawings.

Lu Runxu watched her retreating figure, then shook his head with a smile.

After an unknown amount of time, the last rays of the setting sun faded on the horizon, and night fell completely. The lights in the courtyard and the streetlights outside the courtyard turned on at the same time.

Xing Bei finished writing the last line, stretched while looking out at the night, and a crisp telephone ring suddenly broke the silence.

She glanced at the contact name; it was Lin Zhuochi calling. She hadn't heard anything about the two of them for quite some time.

As soon as the call connected, a mournful voice came through:

"Sister-in-law, why did Tangtang break up with me? Why won't she answer my calls?"

Huh? Chi Qingtang wants to break up with him?

What's going on here?

Before she could ask what was going on, Lin Zhuochi's phone was snatched away by someone else.

"Sister-in-law, I'm sorry to bother you, Lin Zhuochi is drunk, you don't need to pay him any attention."

"Wait, you guys..."

The other party hung up the phone immediately after speaking, giving Xing Bei no chance to react.

Xing Bei stared at her phone and muttered to herself, "What's going on this time?"

The more she thought about it, the more something seemed wrong. She took out her phone and called Chi Qingtang, but no one answered.

What are those two up to?

A bad feeling welled up inside Xing Bei, and she grabbed her keys and rushed downstairs.

"Lu Runxu, I'm going out for a bit. You can eat by yourself, don't wait for me."

"Wait, I'll go with..."

Before he could finish speaking, he had already disappeared. Lu Runxu looked at the soup that had just been cooked and sighed helplessly.

Fortunately, Chi Qingtang had left her a key beforehand. Xing Bei pushed open the door and entered; the room was pitch black.

Is he not at home?

She went inside and turned on the light, instantly illuminating the room. She saw Chi Qintang sitting by the French windows, drinking. Xing Bei looked at the floor tiles beside her and saw that several bottles were already empty.

Xing Bei walked over and snatched the bottle from her hand: "What are you doing?"

Chi Qingtang looked at her, her nose tingled, and she threw herself into Xing Bei's arms: "Mingzhu, Lin Zhuochi and I have broken up."

Lin Zhuochi even called her; how could she not know they had broken up?

Seeing her crying so hard, Xing Bei couldn't bear to scold her. She gently patted Chi Qingtang's back and said, "If you can't bear to part with her, then don't break up."

The person in her arms suddenly raised their head: "No, he's getting married. I don't want a man who's not clean. I want to pursue my dreams."

Xing Bei helped her to sit on the sofa: "Okay, go pursue your dreams, and you will meet someone better than him in the future."

Chi Qingtang looked at her silently for a few seconds, then suddenly leaned close to her ear and whispered, "There won't be anyone better than him."

After saying that, Chi Qingtang leaned on her shoulder and fell asleep. Xing Bei looked at her and sighed helplessly.

She's just torturing people.

However, she just said she was going to pursue her dreams, which is a good thing. I wonder if Teacher Bai has found a satisfactory apprentice yet.

She overheard Teacher Bai taking on apprentices by chance and went to great lengths to get a business card from him. She knew this was Chi Qingtang's pride, so she really didn't want Chi Qingtang to miss such a great opportunity.

Xing Bei glanced at the person in her arms, gently carried her back to the room, changed her clothes, went to the bathroom to get water for her to remove her makeup, and only left after she had finished cleaning her up.

At this moment, in the Late Spring Tavern, Lin Zhuochi was lying on the table, crying and drinking, while Lin Qiuwan looked at him with disgust.

"Why don't we just knock him out?" Lin Qiuwan suggested.

Shang Yichen glanced at him indifferently: "You think this is an act?"

Lin Qiuwan: "..."

Shang Yichen looked at him and sighed helplessly. At first, even he thought that Lin Zhuochi was just playing around with the idea, but who knew that he would fall so deeply.

Now he's trying to find Chi Qingtang by crying and making a scene, but she just gave him a breakup and blocking package.

Lin Qiuwan leaned back lazily on the sofa and asked in confusion, "Doesn't the Lin family have two sons? Why did they choose to have Lin Zhuochi marry that frail Miss Chu?"

Shang Yichen chuckled: "Originally, the marriage was going to be arranged for another son, but Lin Zhuochi's father later married a woman he didn't like, so the marriage ended up with Lin Zhuochi."

Lin Qiuwan: "So, Old Man Lin just agrees like that?"

Shang Yichen shook his head helplessly: "His father also hopes that he will settle down and start a family soon."

Lin Qiuwan looked at Lin Zhuochi with a pitiful expression: "This whole family is no good."

Lin Zhuochi lay slumped on the table, his emotions obscured by the dim light. He looked at the wine glass in his hand, seemingly muttering something to himself.