Jian Yan laughed, her facial muscles twitching slightly, looking embarrassed. "Qin Shu, are you kidding me?"
Qin Shu moved closer to her face, his breath hot on her neck. "Jian Xiaoyan, do you know? I'm actually from Shengzhou. I could barely understand your Xiaoshan dialect. Thank you for your fluent and elegant translation, and for being so considerate of my pride. Actually, I'm quite thick-skinned; your grandmother can't hurt me at all."
Jian Yan: "..."
Qin Shu was as cunning and ruthless as a fox.
Qin Shu tightened his grip on my hand and continued, "Although your grandma didn't think much of me at first, I dealt with the thugs later, and she told you to get along well with me, right? And your brother, he calls me brother-in-law and wants to hang out with me. So, do you think I should agree or not?"
Her brain was still short-circuiting, and it took Jian Yan a long time to process all this information. Qin Shu was confessing his feelings to her; it was unbelievable. She haphazardly tidied her hair. "Qin Shu, you've seen my family of origin. This is the shell I've always carried. That's just who they are; you don't need to take it to heart at all."
“Yes, I didn’t really care about them, but you’ve been on my mind for a long time.” Qin Shu smiled warmly and calmly. “Jian Xiaoyan, isn’t it heavy for you to carry this burden alone? I’ll share it with you.”
Jian Yan stared at her intently, her eyes slightly moist. "Qin Shu, when did it start?"
When did I start having feelings for her?
Qin Shu pondered, but realized he didn't actually have an answer. "I don't know either. Maybe it was when I went to the coffee shop seeking comfort, maybe it was when I pretended to be a family member at a dinner party, or maybe it was when I robbed your free lunch."
This must be the legendary love that arises without warning and deepens with time. He yearned for a stable, down-to-earth life. And Jian Yan happened to have everything he wanted.
Qin Shu spoke softly, his expression melancholy and somber. "From my undergraduate to my master's degree, I've never been in a relationship. Can you guess why?"
"Why?" Jian Yan was surprised by this fact. How could someone as outstanding as him never have been in a relationship?
"I met Lao Huo as soon as I entered university. We were in the same major and the same dormitory. He was the top student in his region, and I was the top student in our province. But even top students have different levels. His brilliance was so dazzling that it overshadowed everyone around him. I watched him receive countless love letters from girls, watched him dominate the top spot in his grade, watched him start his own business and multiply his wealth, and watched him fall head over heels for Xue Qiandai. He became a CEO, and I was his CTO. So you see, it's like destiny. The person I value is also the best friend of the person he loves."
Jian Yan looked at him. At that moment, he was bathed in the moonlight, yet he exuded a cold and lonely aura.
"Jian Xiaoyan," Qin Shu held her waist, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her lips briefly before pulling away. "Jian Xiaoyan, you don't have to reply to me now. Just let me continue pursuing you. I'm actually quite patient."
Jian Yan pushed him away, her breathing unsteady and her face flushed. "Qin Shu, thank you may feel weak. But, I have a boyfriend, you've met him."
Qin Shu smacked his lips, as if savoring the moment, "I thought I made my move early enough, but I never expected... I intercepted his lovingly prepared bento box, but he won your heart first."
A long silence.
"Jane." It was Xue Qiandai's voice; she had found her.
The starlight had dimmed. Qin Shu wiped his eyes. "Jian Xiaoyan, I wish you both well. If you and he are unhappy, remember, I'm here for you."
Xue Qiandai left arm in arm with Jian Yan, afraid that Jian Yan wouldn't be able to handle it. Everyone has their own choices, and she just hoped that her best friend, who chased the light, could be happy.
The two people entered the elevator and went downstairs. The elevator car was quite crowded with tourists, both men and women, and the smart screen was playing advertisements.
Fireball's release teaser poster.
Huo Yunchao personally endorsed the website: "HuoTuan Takeaway, celebrating a vibrant life. Order in advance, average delivery time 42 minutes. 731, launching in 21 cities nationwide."
One female tourist, seeing the handsome face on the screen and hearing the deep, magnetic voice, raised her hand to her mouth. "Wow, so handsome! I don't want to go out to eat, I want to go back and order takeout."
Her friend scoffed, "Hey, it's not even online yet, but the subsidies are huge, I'll bookmark it."
Another female tourist blew a kiss to the screen, her gesture both passionate and fiery, saying, "Mr. Huo, this is my husband. None of you should try anything with him. Just behave yourselves."
The second person to speak: "That's the nation's husband, isn't he? He's got everyone's love. Oh my, I've dedicated my youth to President Huo. I used to play the 'Happy Farm' game he developed, and now I'm going to use his website to eat. President Huo loves you so much!"
Everyone in the elevator car was focused on this blatant declaration of love.
"Ding!" Xue Qiandai's floor arrived. She angrily stepped out of the elevator, bumping into the three infatuated tourists as she exited. The curses of the infatuated tourists were drowned out, and she kicked the trash can next to her.
"Women all over the world are coveting my beautiful Huo! Ahhh, Jane, I'm not happy."
Jian Yan chuckled, "Dai Dai, Huo Meiren is so popular, yet she only cherishes you. You should be happy."
After turning a corner in the corridor, Xue Qiandai pulled out her room card, swiped it, and entered. She casually tossed her bag onto the sofa and jumped on. "Jane," she said, "when I'm back at the top of my life, I'll build a golden cage and hide my beauty, Huo."
Jian Yan sat down next to Xue Qiandai but didn't reply, her eyes fixed on the magazine on the coffee table. It was the latest issue of *The Insider*, featuring Jin Heng on the cover and Yuan Mu as the editor.
That's good, getting news from the senior in this way.
Jian Yan flipped through the magazine pages to read the article, and as she read, her expression became quite interesting.
Xue Qiandai also came over and mentioned in Jin Heng's interview the key strategic layout of Jin's Group next, which is the takeaway business represented by the "Eat Better" website.
This is clearly a contest between him and the beautiful Huo!
With a smile, Xue Qiandai said, "Fireball, 'Eat better,' I'm looking forward to it."
Jian Yan didn't look away. Filled with longing, she walked to the balcony, looked down at the blue waves of West Lake, and dialed Yuan Mu's number.
Five seconds later, the call was answered.
"Senior, are you asleep?"
The background noise over there is a bit loud.
"No," came the reply from a woman.
Jian Yan's heart suddenly jumped, and her lips trembled.
"Give it to me!" The rather impolite voice came from Yuan Mu. "Xiao Yan, wait for me a moment, I'll go find another place."
The other end of the phone finally went silent, and Yuan Mu blurted out a lot of things. "Xiao Yan, did your trip to the south go smoothly? When are you coming back? I miss you."
Jian Yan covered her mouth, trying not to appear too excited, "Senior, who was that person just now...?"
“Don’t overthink it, Xiaoyan,” Yuan Mu explained urgently. “It’s an entrepreneur I want to interview.”
It turns out that magazine interviews happen day or night, in formal or casual settings.
Jian Yan sobbed silently, reminding herself a hundred times to trust him and not to make wild guesses. She only said "I'm hanging up" before hanging up the phone.
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