Chapter 53 Mother died that day
After saying what she wanted to say, Zheng Lixuan didn't even ask Shen Li's opinion, whether she agreed or disagreed, and ended the call on her own.
It's as if this phone call wasn't to ask for Shen Li's opinion, but just to inform her.
Qu Xiang immediately pulled the car over to the side of the road. "Is she crazy...?"
Although Shen Li did not answer the call on speakerphone, Qu Xiang had already overheard most of the conversation in the quiet car earlier.
"What was her attitude? Did she come to inform you?" Qu Xiang frowned even more.
Shen Li's expression paused for only a moment before she turned off her phone screen. "They've always been like this."
Whether it's Zheng Lixuan or Shen Wenzhong, even though it seems like Zheng Lixuan made the call, it might actually be Shen Wenzhong's idea.
"They ruined what should have been a nice weekend." Qu Xiang's voice was still full of righteous indignation.
Shen Li didn't seem to care, and said with a faint smile, "It doesn't matter, it's not a big deal anyway."
Before she could finish speaking, Shen Li's expression had already changed, which Qu Xiang noticed.
"What's wrong?" Qu Xiang asked. "What are you thinking about?"
Shen Li raised her hand and gently patted her forehead twice. "I really... I've been living in a daze. How could I... have forgotten?"
Shen Li's voice seemed to be filled with a bright, immense sadness and sorrow.
Qu Xiang was a little worried. "What's wrong? What happened?"
They even took out their phones to check what day it was on the weekend.
But I still couldn't figure it out.
It was Shen Li who spoke up from the side, "It's my birthday."
Qu Xiang frowned. "Isn't your birthday next month?"
Shen Li pointed to the number at the bottom of her phone's calendar, "My lunar birthday."
"Do you think they asked you to go back just to celebrate your lunar birthday?" Qu Xiang couldn't believe it no matter how she thought about it.
Qu Xiang and Shen Li have known each other for many years, and she knows very well what kind of person Shen Li's father is.
“How could that be?” Shen Li’s gaze was indifferent, almost devoid of any warmth. “Shen Wenzhong doesn’t even remember what day I was born, and besides, that day wasn’t anything to celebrate.”
Qu Xiang knew there must be a story behind this, but she didn't dare to ask.
It was Shen Li who took the initiative to start the conversation, "Xiao Xiang, do you know why I never celebrate my lunar birthday, and why He Xun never celebrates my lunar birthday either?"
Qu Xiang, of course, had no idea. She hesitated before guessing an answer, "Uh... because you're from the South?"
Qu Xiang remembers that northerners seem to be more accustomed to observing the lunar calendar.
Shen Li shook her head. "My mother died that day."
Qu Xiang's expression froze completely.
After a long while, he finally murmured, "Lili..."
Qu Xiang felt extremely distressed.
Regardless of whether Shen Li's father and stepmother invited her to come back for dinner on the weekend because they wanted to celebrate her birthday.
Whatever the reason, it's outrageous.
Perhaps Shen Wenzhong not only doesn't remember his daughter's birthday, but also the anniversary of his first wife's death.
Qu Xiang didn't even know how to comfort Shen Li, so she could only hold Shen Li's hand tightly.
"Don't go!" Qu Xiang gritted her teeth, her voice sounding angry. "What's the point of going? I don't believe that if you don't go back, what can your dad do to you?"
Shen Li neither confirmed nor denied this, only replying, "We'll see how things go then."
Shen Li didn't focus her attention or energy on this matter; she had more important things to do.
She didn't even want to go back to the house on Danzhou Road, because she knew Lu Yanchuan might go to stay there. It wasn't that she couldn't change the password, but if he made a scene, she couldn't possibly remain unaffected.
"Staying at my place for the next couple of days is no problem, of course. But what about going to the studio afterwards?" Qu Xiang asked, her brow furrowed. "Will that be alright? Where is the studio?"
“My home stove isn’t hot enough, so I found this place online a while ago. It’s a private studio, so it shouldn’t be open to the public.”
"But after I inquired and explained my situation, the owner of the studio said that I could use it for a period of time for a fee, which could be considered as borrowing it."
Hearing this, Qu Xiang was still not entirely reassured. "Will it be alright? Where will we stay? Won't it be unsafe?"
"We should find a hotel near that studio to stay in first." Shen Li smiled and squeezed Qu Xiang's hand, making Qu Xiang wince.
“I know you’re worried about me, but I should be able to guarantee my own safety,” Shen Li said.
Qu Xiang thought about Shen Li's level and qualifications when he almost made it into the national team selection, and knew that Shen Li was not just bragging when he said that.
But Qu Xiang couldn't help but sigh and ask, "Lili, are you avoiding Lu Yanchuan?"
Shen Li didn't know how to answer Qu Xiang's question; she simply couldn't give a yes or no answer.
However, Lu Yanchuan's recent sudden change in attitude has indeed made Shen Li feel somewhat uneasy and troubled.
It's better to have less contact; it will allow me to think more calmly.
However, as it turns out, Lu Yanchuan is not someone who can be easily evaded.
Shen Li went to Qu Xiang's house. After Qu Xiang dropped her off, she went back to her company to continue her work.
Qu Xiang's residence was not as luxurious as the villa or the house on Danzhou Road. It was an ordinary community with an ordinary apartment layout, but the decoration was very cozy. Shen Li often came here and felt comfortable staying there.
After taking a shower and a short nap, Shen Li got up to prepare dinner and dessert, figuring that Qu Xiang would be home from get off work just in time to eat.
Unexpectedly, the time Qu Xiang returned from get off work was also the time when the man who had gone straight to Lu's company after getting off the plane was also off work.
As soon as Qu Xiang entered the door, she smelled the wonderful aroma of food, and she was so moved that she almost burst into tears.
He rushed into the kitchen and gave Shen Li a hug from behind, almost bursting into tears.
"I told you so! I told you so! In this world, girls are meant to live with girls! This world can't do without girls!"
"Go change your clothes and wash your hands, get ready to eat." Shen Li smiled, her eyes crinkling. "I'll take it out."
Qu Xiang readily complied.
The two sat down at the dining table, and Qu Xiang went to the wine cabinet to get a bottle of red wine, opened it, and was pouring it into the decanter when her phone vibrated.
Qu Xiang only glanced at the screen before her hand froze as she poured the wine into the decanter.
The name saved on the screen for the number is Lu Shi-Zhou Yan.
That gentle-natured assistant.
Logically speaking, there shouldn't be anything wrong with talking to him, but Qu Xiang had a gut feeling that if she answered the phone, the person on the other end might very well not be Zhou Yan.
It's intuition, not a misperception.
You can't ignore a call from Party A.
Shen Li didn't notice whose name was on her screen.
Qu Xiang steeled herself, put down the wine bottle, picked up her phone, walked to the side, and swiped the screen to answer the call. "Hello, this is Qu Xiang."
The male voice on the other end of the phone was deep and stern, "Is Shen Li with you?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
