Chapter 169 Finding a needle in a haystack

Ye Qingning was indeed wearing a purple hoodie and jeans, sitting on the back of the electric scooter, holding a bouquet of baby's breath in her hands, her eyes smiling and her face full of tenderness.

It was the way he knew.

Lin Feiyan's lips curled up slightly.

Great, it's finally here.

He started the car and followed the electric car forward. In his field of vision, Ye Qingning held up the flowers in her hand and looked up at the blue sky and white clouds. Her leisurely and carefree appearance filled Lin Feiyan with longing.

When the time is right, he will be the one to steer the ship, while Ye Qingning will simply sit comfortably behind him, enjoying his protection and a carefree life.

Lin Feiyan followed Ye Qingning all the way to the old town, but lost track of her in the crisscrossing narrow alleys.

As his car returned to the main road, he was about to call Chen Tang when he received a message from him: "Boss, I found out that one of Jian Yan's classmates who transferred to the directing department in his sophomore year owns a guesthouse in the old town of the south of the city, not far from the flower market."

Send me the address.

"Okay, I'll send it to your phone right away."

"Also check the surveillance footage from the flower market half an hour ago; she appeared there."

Chen Tang paused for a moment, then said, "...Yes."

After hanging up the phone, he muttered to himself, "Damn, the boss is amazing! He can even complete a project like finding a needle in a haystack?"

...

After returning to the guesthouse, Ye Qingning first put the flowers in a bucket of water to let them breathe. Two hours later, she sat alone on the first-floor veranda and began arranging flowers.

A gentle breeze carrying the unique elegance of Nanshi and the warm sunshine swept over her. Ye Qingning took two deep breaths and felt a taste of freedom.

Her smile spread from the corners of her lips to the corners of her eyes and eyebrows, making her come alive.

Ye Qingning, engrossed in arranging flowers, was unaware that she had become a sight to behold in the eyes of others.

The guesthouse was located on the street in the ancient city, opposite a five-story hotel. Lin Feiyan was in a room on the third floor, looking down at Ye Qingning.

He could clearly see her smiling from a short distance away.

A sudden pang of sadness welled up in my heart. I realized that she could still laugh so happily even without him.

But she probably didn't know that without her, his smile lost its flavor and became just a stiff, lifeless pose.

After arranging a new bouquet in a vase, Ye Qingning looked at it from all sides for a moment and then suddenly froze.

These flowers are very similar to the one she arranged in the vase at the Lin residence: bellflowers, sunflowers, lilies, string of pearls...

Lin Feiyan's words suddenly flashed into my mind: "Why are all the ones you bought not yet in bloom?"

She remembered her reply was, "The price is right. I bought it wholesale from the flower market."

The man's reply was also straightforward: "If you like it, just go to a flower shop and buy it. Why do you need to buy in bulk? Didn't I give you a card? Why don't you use it?"

Ye Qingning smiled, realizing that she too had once possessed something that belonged to the female lead.

The title "Mrs. Lin," a black card with unlimited credit...

She sighed softly, wondering how Lin Feiyan was doing while she was away.

I hope he's happy no matter what.

Ye Qingning shrugged and continued her work. Flowers always bring joy, and she quickly put her earlier thoughts behind her.

Although she would occasionally think of Lin Feiyan and the Lin residence these past few days, she could quickly convince herself to forget them.

Freedom is hard-won.

She should cherish it all the more.

...

That afternoon, Chen Tang checked into the guesthouse with his luggage, while Lin Feiyan booked a room in the hotel across the street, and Chen Chu stayed at the original hotel to handle official business.

When Chen Tang arrived, Ye Qingning was helping at the front desk, deftly pushing his luggage. When she saw the skateboard hanging on the side of the suitcase, she paused for a moment, then smiled: "You like skateboarding too?"

Chen Tang naturally remembered the skateboarding moves that Shang Yi admired, and replied in a muffled voice, "I like them. Shall we have a competition at the square later?"

"Huh?" Ye Qingning didn't understand: "What?"

"I dare not calculate it." Chen Tang gave her a resentful look: "I'm going back to my room to sleep because I haven't had a good night's sleep for several days in a row because of that awful woman."

Ye Qingning: "...I'll take you up."

She turned to look at Chen Tang and saw the dark circles under his eyes; he looked like he had indeed been staying up late.

As she pushed the luggage into the room, Ye Qingning reminded him before closing the door, "Make sure the doors and windows are closed. There are people dancing in the square tonight, and they make a lot of noise that might wake you up."

Chen Tang pursed his lips, looking awkward: "It's none of your concern."

Ye Qingning shook her head. Teenagers are such a worry!

As she turned to leave, the boy behind her called out again, "Hey, there's a skateboarding competition in the square tomorrow morning! Are you in?"

Ye Qingning glanced at him speechlessly: "Okay."

This child is really crazy.

The next morning, Ye Qingning had just finished watering the flowers and plants when Chen Tang came down with a skateboard.

He was wearing a white hoodie, shorts, and sneakers, looking like a skateboarding teenager.

His clean-shaven stubble gave him a touch of proud youthful spirit.

Ye Qingning greeted him from under the eaves: "Hi, good morning."

Chen Tang gave her an awkward look: "Let's go to the competition."

Ye Qingning: "...I don't think I know your name yet?"

"Tang Tang." Chen Tang frowned. "Why are you asking me about me... I just want to have a skateboarding competition with you!"

Ye Qingning frowned: "Tang Tang, I think you could change your name to 'Awkward.' I don't even know you, why are you so hostile towards me?"

Chen Tang said with a smug look, "No, I just... I just wanted to compete with you. I just wanted to prove that I'm better at skateboarding than you."

"How did you know I could skateboard?" Ye Qingning asked him.

Chen Tang straightened his neck: "Why are you talking so much nonsense? I know Shang Yi. He said you skateboard better than me and even showed me your videos. I just want to prove that I skateboard better than you!"

Alarm bells rang in Ye Qingning's mind, and her pupils contracted almost imperceptibly: "How did you know I was here?"

"Nonsense, there's nothing I don't know." Chen Tang was clearly impatient, stomping the skateboard under his foot. "Are you going or not? If you don't, I'll take that as admitting defeat!"

Ye Qingning raised an eyebrow: "Okay, if I win, you have to agree to my conditions."

"Tch!" Chen Tang scoffed, raising his index finger and waving it. "You can't possibly beat me!"

“Then I’ll take that as a yes,” Ye Qingning said.

"Hmm." Chen Tang nodded. How could she possibly win!

...

Ye Qingning went back to her room, grabbed Shang Yi's skateboard, told Aunt Miao, and then followed Chen Tang out of the guesthouse.

The two glided along the ancient city street in front of the entrance, and arrived at a square in less than ten minutes.

In the early morning, the square was bustling with elderly people exercising and young people jogging, yet it was remarkably quiet.

Smelling the warm, cool fragrance of flowers in the air, Ye Qingning picked up her skateboard and held it in her hand: "You go first, you can try any trick you want."