Chapter 25
It was already noon when we got back to the city from the lake.
Qi Jin parked the car downstairs at Shi Ye's house, but didn't let her out immediately. She turned to look at Shi Ye, a rare hesitation in her eyes.
“Time to visit,” she said, “if you need time… I can stay away for now. I won’t put pressure on you.”
Shi Ye was taken aback. Did Qi Jin mean... he was going to disappear temporarily?
"No need," she said instinctively. "You...don't need to disappear."
She regretted it as soon as she said it—wasn't that the same as saying "I want to see you"?!
Sure enough, Qi Jin's eyes lit up for a moment, though he quickly regained his composure: "Okay. Then... can I see you again tomorrow?"
Looking at Qi Jin's cautious manner, Shi Ye felt that pang of sadness well up inside her again. Qi Jin, such a proud man, was always so... humble in front of her.
“Yes,” she said, “but I might… need to go for a follow-up appointment.”
That's the truth. Although her follow-up appointment is next week, she can go earlier. She needs time to process her thoughts and talk to the doctor about everything that happened today.
"Okay." Qi Jin nodded. "I'll take you there."
"Need not……"
"I'll take you there," Qi Jin insisted. "Then I'll wait for you outside; I won't go in."
Looking at her earnest expression, Shi Ye couldn't bring himself to refuse. Qi Jin always managed to find a delicate balance between persistence and respect.
“Okay,” she conceded.
"See you tomorrow," Qi Jin said.
"See you tomorrow."
Shi Ye got out of the car and watched Qi Jin's car drive away before turning to go home. Just as she reached the door, her phone vibrated—it was Lin Xiaoyu.
"Sister Shi! Where are you?! Emergency!"
Shi Ye's heart tightened, and he quickly replied, "It's right at my doorstep. What's wrong?"
"Something's happened at the design exhibition! No, not something's happened, it's great news! Super great news! But I need your help!"
Shi Ye: "..." Can't this child just speak clearly all at once?!
She opened the door and went inside, then called Lin Xiaoyu back: "What exactly happened?"
"Professor Wang saw my exhibition and said he would recommend me to participate in the National College Student Design Competition!" Lin Xiaoyu's voice trembled with excitement. "But I need to submit a complete project proposal and a business plan! I have absolutely no idea how to write a business plan!"
Shi Ye breathed a sigh of relief. So that's what it was about.
"So..." she asked, "Do you need me to help you find information?"
"No, no!" Lin Xiaoyu said, "My senior said she could help! But she has an important meeting this afternoon and doesn't have time. So she asked me to come to you, saying you can help me!"
Shi Ye was stunned. Qi Jin sent Lin Xiaoyu to find her? Qi Jin knew she had no idea what a business plan was!
"But I..."
"Sister Shi, please help me!" Lin Xiaoyu pleaded. "You said you don't actually need to write anything, just help me organize my thoughts and see if there are any major problems with what I've written! Please!"
Hearing Lin Xiaoyu's pitiful voice, Shi Ye's heart softened. And... this was an opportunity. An opportunity for Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu to cooperate.
“Okay,” she said. “Where are you now?”
"I'm at the school library! Sister Shi, are you coming? Or should I come find you?"
“I’ll come find you,” Shi Ye said. “The library is quiet and suitable for working.”
"Great! I'll wait for you!"
After hanging up the phone, Shi Ye changed her clothes and prepared to go out. As she reached the door, she suddenly remembered something, turned back to the study, and took a few books on business planning from the bookshelf—even though she didn't understand them, at least she could pretend to know them.
Just as he was about to leave, his phone vibrated again. This time it was Qi Jin: "Did Xiaoyu contact you?"
Shi Ye replied, "I found her. I'll go to the school to help her."
Qi Jin: "Okay. Let me know if you need anything."
Shi Ye stared at the message and suddenly wanted to ask: Qi Jin, did you really think I could help Lin Xiaoyu by having her come to me, or... were you trying to create an opportunity for us to be alone?
But she didn't ask. Asking would have made her seem presumptuous.
She replied with an "okay," then went out to hail a taxi.
When they arrived at the school library, Lin Xiaoyu had already found a seat. Seeing Shi Ye, she waved excitedly, "Sister Shi Ye! Over here!"
Shi Ye walked over and sat down, and saw that the table was covered with all kinds of materials—design sketches, exhibition photos, media reports, and a bunch of messy notes.
“So,” Shi Ye looked at the pile of things, “what do you need to write?”
“Project proposal and business plan,” Lin Xiaoyu said. “The project proposal is fine; it’s just a summary of the exhibition process and results. But the business plan… I have absolutely no idea how to write it!”
She pulled out a crumpled draft: "This is what I tried to write, but it looks like a primary school student's composition..."
Shi Ye took the draft and looked at it. Indeed... it was very immature. It was full of enthusiasm, but lacked logic and data support.
“First,” Shi Ye said, “you need to define what your project is.”
“My exhibition!” Lin Xiaoyu said.
“No, it’s a commercial project.” Shi Ye flipped through the books he had brought. “You need to transform the exhibition into a sustainable commercial project. For example… a cultural and creative brand? A design studio? Or something else?”
Lin Xiaoyu blinked: "I didn't think that much... I just like design, and I like making old things new."
“That’s your core value,” Shi Ye said. “‘Giving new life to old things.’ You can develop a range of products and services around this concept.”
Lin Xiaoyu's eyes lit up: "That's right! I can offer custom renovation services! I can also develop my own product line!"
“Okay.” Shi Ye nodded. “Then the next step is market analysis. Who are your target customers? What are their needs? What solutions can you provide?”
Lin Xiaoyu fell into thought: "Target customers... people who like unique designs? People who want an eco-friendly lifestyle? Or... people with a nostalgic streak?"
“Anything is fine,” Shi Ye said, “but you need to be specific. For example, age group, income level, spending habits…”
The two discussed this for the entire afternoon. Shi Ye found herself surprisingly able to keep up—although she didn't understand business, she understood logic and analysis. Moreover, she had read many of Qi Jin's documents and had a general idea of what a business plan looked like.
"Sister Shi," Lin Xiaoyu looked at her with admiration, "you're so amazing! How do you know so much?"
Shi Ye: "..." Could she say that she was imitating Qi Jin?
"I...I've looked at some materials," she said vaguely.
"It must have been your senior who taught you!" Lin Xiaoyu said confidently. "Your senior is so amazing, she must have taught you a lot!"
Shi Ye: "..." Okay, this explanation is more reasonable.
Working until evening, the first draft was finally completed. Lin Xiaoyu looked at the rough but at least decent plan and was so moved that she almost cried.
"Sister Shi Ye, I really don't know what I would do without you..." She hugged Shi Ye, "You are truly my savior!"
Shi Ye patted her on the back: "It's all thanks to your own hard work."
"No, no, no, it was all thanks to you and my senior who helped me!" Lin Xiaoyu let go of her and said earnestly, "When I succeed, I will definitely repay you!"
Shi Ye smiled and said, "Let's succeed first."
The two packed their things and prepared to leave. By the time they walked out of the library, it was almost dark.
"Sister Shi, let me treat you to lunch!" Lin Xiaoyu said. "Thank you for helping me all afternoon!"
"No need," Shi Ye said. "I'm a little tired and want to go home early."
"Okay..." Lin Xiaoyu was a little disappointed, but she didn't insist. "Then I'll walk you to the school gate!"
The two walked towards the school gate. On the way, Lin Xiaoyu suddenly asked, "Sister Shi, did you meet with your senior today?"
"Yes, I saw him," Shi Ye said. "I went for a walk by the lake this morning."
"The lakeside? Wow, how romantic!" Lin Xiaoyu's eyes lit up. "And then? What did you talk about?"
Shi Ye hesitated for a moment, then said, "She asked me if I really wanted to get engaged."
Lin Xiaoyu gasped: "Senior, you finally said it?! So what did you say?"
I said... give me some time.
"Then what?"
"Then she said okay, any time is fine."
Lin Xiaoyu stopped and looked at Shi Ye, her eyes filled with complex emotions: "Sister Shi Ye, do you know what this means?"
"What?"
“It means that your senior really loves you, so much so that she can wait indefinitely,” Lin Xiaoyu said. “Not everyone can do that.”
Shi Ye nodded: "I know."
"Then..." Lin Xiaoyu asked cautiously, "Would you say yes?"
Shi Ye gazed at the distant streetlights and fell silent. One by one, the streetlights lit up, resembling a string of pearls in the twilight.
“I don’t know,” she finally said, “but I’m… thinking about it.”
"Consideration is progress!" Lin Xiaoyu said. "At least you didn't reject it outright!"
Shi Ye gave a wry smile. What kind of progress is this?
As Shi Ye approached the school gate, about to hail a taxi, a familiar car pulled up in front of him. The window rolled down, revealing Qi Jin.
"Senior?!" Lin Xiaoyu exclaimed in surprise, "What brings you here?"
"I've come to pick up Shi Ye," Qi Jin said, then looked at Shi Ye, "Is work finished?"
Shi Ye nodded: "How did you know I was here?"
"Xiaoyu sent me a message," Qi Jin said. "Get in the car, I'll take you home."
Lin Xiaoyu winked at her from the side, "Senior is so thoughtful~ I won't bother you anymore! See you tomorrow, Sister Shiye!"
She skipped and hopped away. Shi Ye got into the car and fastened his seatbelt.
"Are you tired?" Qi Jin asked.
“A little,” Shi Ye said, “but I’ve finished writing the proposal for Xiaoyu.”
"You've worked hard," Qi Jin said. "Her proposal... must have been difficult to write?"
Shi Ye was taken aback: "You knew it was difficult to write, yet you still had her come to me?"
“Because I felt you could help her,” Qi Jin said. “And… when you helped her, you seemed very focused.”
Shi Ye looked at her: "You saw it?"
"Xiaoyu sent me photos." Qi Jin handed her his phone.
Shi Ye took the phone and saw the photo Lin Xiaoyu had sent—in the library, she was looking down at her documents, her expression serious. Sunlight streamed in through the window, gilding her with a golden glow.
"Well done." Shi Ye returned the phone.
"Yes." Qi Jin nodded. "You are beautiful."
Shi Ye's heart started racing again. Damn it, this body is really...
The car started moving. Shi Ye looked at the night view outside the window and suddenly remembered a question.
“Qi Jin,” she said, “if…if I agree to the engagement, what form would you prefer?”
Qi Jin paused for a moment: "Form doesn't matter. What matters is that you're willing."
“But there has to be some form,” Shi Ye said. “A small gathering? Or…”
"Do whatever you want," Qi Jin said. "Or... we don't have to do it. As long as you're willing, we can just get a marriage certificate."
Shi Ye: "..." So casual?!
“That would be too hasty,” she said.
“No rushing,” Qi Jin said. “For me, the important thing is not the ceremony, it’s you.”
Shi Ye didn't know what to say. Qi Jin was always like this, saying the most important things in the least hurtful way.
"Qi Jin," she whispered, "why...do you love me so much?"
Qi Jin remained silent for a long time. So long that Shi Ye thought she wouldn't answer.
“I don’t know,” she finally said. “It’s as natural as breathing. No reason is needed, it’s just… I love you.”
Shi Ye's tears fell again. This time she couldn't hold them back, nor did she intend to.
Qi Jin parked the car on the side of the road, handed her a tissue, and stayed quietly with her without saying a word.
Shi Ye cried for a long time, releasing all the pressure, conflicts, and inexplicable emotions she had felt that day. After she finished crying, her eyes were swollen like peaches.
"It looks awful..." she muttered.
“It’s not bad,” Qi Jin said. “It looks very real.”
Shi Ye looked at her and suddenly wanted to ask: Qi Jin, if one day I could feel it, would I love you like this too?
But she didn't ask. If she had, Qi Jin's answer would definitely have been "yes." Then she would feel even more guilty.
“Qi Jin,” she said, “come with me to my follow-up appointment tomorrow.”
"Okay." Qi Jin nodded.
“Then…” Shi Ye took a deep breath, “then we… can talk about the engagement.”
Qi Jin's eyes lit up, like stars in the night sky.
“Okay,” she said. “Anytime is fine.”
Shi Ye nodded and looked out the window. The city lights were reflected in her eyes, flickering on and off.
Maybe she can give it a try.
It's not a trial engagement, it's a trial... taking a step forward.
It's a small step, but at least... it's moving forward.
That's enough.
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