Chapter 123: Extra Date, a Personally Hand-Drawn Date...
The conversation room became quiet, and only the breathing of the two people could be heard.
Wu Xuan stared at Xu Qinghu, with scarlet dots in the corners of his eyes.
He knew Xu Qinghu very well and knew that she was not the type to suffer injustice. There was almost no one in the world that she could tolerate, including himself.
But He Shengnian made an exception for her.
He had clearly made his choice when public opinion came. Given Xu Qinghu's character, he would have cut ties with him without hesitation.
But Xu Qinghu hesitated.
She even used her own character of "not being able to swim" to give He Shengnian a way out and narrow the distance between them again.
Why is that?
If it was because of status, he would boast that he was no worse than He Shengnian. If it was because of how much he valued her, he would be more willing to go all out than He Shengnian. He was clearly better than him in every way.
But she chose He Shengnian.
Even though he tried hard to convince himself that she approached He Shengnian for other reasons and not because she liked him, they had never met before participating in the dating variety show.
Such persuasion has no power at all.
The result of his wild thoughts was that he repeatedly confirmed how good Xu Qinghu was to He Shengnian.
"Sometimes I can't even fool myself," Wu Xuan whispered. "I thought that if I didn't have it, no one else would either. Now I realize that people are different."
"You don't give me what I want, not because you think I don't need it, but because you think it's not worth it."
Wu Xuan chuckled, but what he said was: "Xu Qinghu, why do you always make me sad?"
Xu Qinghu's eyes changed slightly, but he did not refute his words.
"Do you like him?" Wu Xuan asked.
Xu Qinghu looked at his face. There was still a trace of hope in his eyes, hoping that she would deny him.
"I don't want to lie to you," Xu Qinghu was silent for a few seconds, then slowly said, "I have a crush on him."
She said calmly, "This time with him has been wonderful for me. I hope we can get to know each other better."
What she meant was that she admitted that she liked He Shengnian.
Wu Xuan stood there in a daze, staring at her quietly, his narrow and beautiful eyes focused to the point of trance.
He could see the seriousness in Xu Qinghu's eyes, as if his affection for He Shengnian had reached a level that no one could shake.
Had she ever looked at herself like this before? Or, had she ever valued herself like this?
Wu Xuan found that his mind was blank and he could not remember anything.
An unprecedented feeling of tearing filled his heart, making him feel pain even more intense than breaking up.
A breakup can be salvaged, but what if she already has a new lover? Can he still bring her back?
"I thought you still loved me," he murmured. "I thought...we could go back to the way we were."
Xu Qinghu's eyelashes trembled, "Wu Xuan, we can't go back."
She looked into his eyes and whispered, "We should all move on. You will meet someone better than me in the future."
"A better person..." Wu Xuan repeated her words, and after a moment he actually laughed softly. After a long while, he said in a voice that he could hear himself: "No, never again..."
He buried his head and let out a soft whimper in his throat, seemingly trying to calm himself down, but in fact he didn't want the camera to capture his red eyes.
He couldn't keep calm in front of Xu Qinghu.
He couldn't calm down at all.
If He Shengnian was in front of him, he didn't know what he would do.
After a long time, the director came forward and knocked on the door to remind everyone that the time was up.
Wu Xuancai raised his head, as if nothing had happened, and said with a smile: "But sister shouldn't mind having another suitor."
Xu Qinghu's pupils shrank slightly, and he only heard him say: "Dating can end, marriage can end, I just have a crush on someone, I'm not a petty person, I can wait."
In just a moment, he suppressed all his negative emotions, retreated to his junior's position, lowered his eyes and looked at her deeply, "Xu Qinghu, I'm not done with you yet, and it will never be over in this life."
After saying that, he turned and walked outside. His slender figure was like thick ink, disappearing into the night outside the window.
Xu Qinghu sat there, looking at the empty seat opposite, with no expression on his face.
[Fuck, what did you mean, Junior? Do you want to be Hulu's backup forever?]
[Although I'm happy that Hulu and Mr. He are reconciled, my junior is also very nice and I don't want him to get hurt.]
[Isn't anyone praising Xu Qinghu? She's so honest, she told her junior exactly what she thought of Mr. He, with absolutely no intention of hiding anything.]
[+1, I thought she would drag it out until the end of the romance show, but she's so brave. It seems she really likes Mr. He.]
[Although, can Hulu really stay with Mr. He until the end? If something similar happens again in the future, will Mr. He really keep his word and stand firmly by Hulu's side? Once bitten by a snake, you'll be afraid of the rope for ten years. I don't think they have a chance.]
[Why worry about so much? As long as they are happy now, that’s all that matters.]
Late at night, the group took a bus back to the cabin.
As soon as they got in the car, Ruan Xiaoyu took Xu Qinghu's hand and asked her what she had talked about with others.
"Secret, I won't tell you."
"I'm more curious about what Qiao Qiao said to you," Ruan Xiaoyu glanced at Qiao Wanshu in front of her and whispered, "Did she declare war on you?"
"Don't let your imagination run wild," Xu Qinghu said helplessly, "We were just chatting casually."
Seeing that she was unwilling to speak, Ruan Xiaoyu did not ask any further questions, but only reminded her: "The bank and creditors are pressing hard, and the Qiao family is about to go bankrupt. I'm afraid she will do something wrong, so you should be careful."
Ruan Xiaoyu is a bank employee who keeps an eye on the Qiao family's movements. Bankruptcy is inevitable.
"I know," Xu Qinghu's eyes curved slightly, "She wouldn't do anything irrational."
The next day, Xu Qinghu went out for dinner with He Shengnian after get off work.
He Shengnian chose a light restaurant that suited her taste. After dinner, he suggested taking a boat across the river to see the night view of the city.
Xu Qinghu naturally had no objection.
After buying the tickets, the two came to the third-floor deck. The riverside was decorated with flashing colorful lights and tall buildings. The breeze on the river blew the waves, making the water flow, which seemed particularly pleasant.
"This is the first time I've seen the river from this perspective," Xu Qinghu said with a smile. "It feels amazing."
"If you like it, I'll bring you here next time."
"Okay," Xu Qinghu winked at him, "Mr. He, don't break your promise."
As they were talking, there was a sudden explosion in the sky, and the next moment, brilliant fireworks exploded one after another above their heads.
Xu Qinghu was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help asking, "Is today a festival? Why are there suddenly fireworks?"
Before she finished speaking, she looked at He Shengnian beside her, who was also looking at her, with strong emotions flowing in his deep eyes.
Xu Qinghu immediately realized, "Did you arrange this?"
He Shengnian nodded, his voice low and pleasant, "Hulu, we have had many unpleasant experiences before. Now I want to create more happy memories to cover up those that made you unhappy."
Xu Qinghu was stunned for a moment, then couldn't hide his joy and said, "Then why didn't you tell me in advance?"
"It won't be a surprise if I tell you."
Xu Qinghu stared at the endless fireworks, completely mesmerized. He was clearly impressed by He Shengnian's tricks and said with a touched look on his face, "Then you must have been preparing for a long time."
Seeing that she liked it, He Shengnian raised the corners of his mouth, "As long as you like it, these are nothing."
"Of course I like it," Xu Qinghu said with a gleaming look in his eyes, "Thank you for preparing these for me."
Receiving such positive feedback, He Shengnian's eyes became even gentler. "Didn't you prepare for me too?"
He looked at Xu Qinghu and said, "I was wrong before, but from now on, I won't let you down again."
When he spoke, his eyes were extremely serious, and even if the fireworks exploded in the night sky, they could not conceal the determination and emotion in his eyes.
"I know," Xu Qinghu said with a smile, not avoiding his gaze, "I believe you."
Hearing this, He Shengnian's breathing quickened. He lowered his eyes and reached out to hold her hand. Xu Qinghu did not dodge, but instead held his hands and continued to enjoy the grand fireworks display.
[Oh my god, Mr. He is so romantic! He made Hulu let down his last bit of guard.]
[It seems that He Xu CP is stable.]
[Another day of crying bitterly for my junior. He's still waiting in the garden for Hulu to come back.]
[I'm rooting for He Xu and Xu, these two will definitely be a couple in the end!]
[It's only been a little over a month, but why does it feel like they've known each other for ages, like an old married couple?]
Xu Qinghu and He Shengnian did not return home until the early morning. They thought everyone was asleep, but unexpectedly they saw Wu Xuan in the living room. He was leaning on the sofa with his eyes closed, as if he was asleep.
Xu Qinghu paused, walked to him with his bag, and was about to wake him up and ask him to go back to his room to sleep.
"Let me do it," He Shengnian whispered, "You go upstairs first."
Xu Qinghu turned her back to him, looking at Wu Xuan's slightly pale sleeping face. Her long eyelashes hid all her emotions, and she smiled and said, "Okay."
He Shengnian walked forward and reached out to shake Wu Xuan's shoulder, "Wake up."
Before he could touch Wu Xuan, the latter opened his eyes, his eyes a little hazy, "Are you back?"
He looked at Xu Qinghu and said in a hoarse voice, "Did you have fun today?"
"I'm very happy," Xu Qinghu said, "Mr. He took me to see the fireworks."
"Really?" Wu Xuan looked at the obviously closer relationship between the two, and seemed to be holding back something in his throat. "As long as you are happy."
He stood up from the sofa and walked upstairs, waiting for what seemed like hours, just to see Xu Qinghu.
There was another wave of regret in the live broadcast room, and everyone wanted to rush into the screen to save Wu Xuan.
The next day, Xu Qinghu received a date card at the door, which was a gift she had hand-painted.
Xu Qinghu was a little surprised to see her name written on it. She thought You Zhi would not use this card again, but she didn't expect him to use it when the show was about to end.
After get off work, Xu Qinghu saw him at the subway entrance.
You Zhi looked particularly youthful in a white T-shirt and jeans, carrying a black schoolbag.
Seeing Xu Qinghu, he immediately waved his hand, with a clear smile in his eyes, "I'm here."
Xu Qinghu was wearing a lavender dress and her hair was tied up in a beautiful bun. She walked slowly to his side and asked with a smile: "Where are we going on a date?"
"Let's go to the flower, bird, and fish market first," You Zhi looked at her gently, "and get a new pot for the gourd vine."
This was something they had agreed to do before, but for various reasons they had not taken action.
Now that the gourd vine is growing vigorously, it is time to change the pot.
"If this is the case, there's no need for a date card," Xu Qinghu said, "You can just ask me out directly."
"I'd also like to have dinner with you," You Zhi said, "that way it would be more formal."
He looked at the date card in Xu Qinghu's hand and said, "Although I want to keep it as a souvenir, I also want it to play its due role."
Both of them knew at this point that there would be no outcome for them.
But You Zhi still hopes that when Xu Qinghu thinks of this program a long time from now, he will also think of him.
"Let's go," Xu Qinghu said without wasting any time. "The flower, bird, and fish market should be open yet."
"I checked the time," You Zhi said, "We still have two hours to go shopping."
After taking the subway to his destination, Xu Qinghu saw two flower shops as soon as he arrived at the door. The glass windows were filled with colorful roses, emitting a light and pleasant fragrance.
Further in, there's a long street selling green plants, with a variety of plants vibrantly spreading their branches and leaves. It's the season when gardenias and jasmine are in full bloom, and the fragrance of flowers fills the air.
You Zhi seemed to have checked the place out in advance and brought Xu Qinghu to a shop that specializes in selling various planting tools.
There are flower pots at the door, including clay pots, ceramic pots, and green mountain pots, of various sizes.
When the shop owner saw them, he came over warmly and excitedly introduced the advantages and disadvantages of each flower pot.
"If you want to grow gourds, you can choose clay pots or wooden boxes," the shop owner said with a smile. "Not only are they beautiful, but they also prevent water from accumulating, which is good for the gourds' growth."
You Zhi looked at Xu Qinghu beside him. Considering that the gourd vine would eventually grow very lush, Xu Qinghu said, "Let's use a wooden box. The clay pot is fragile and difficult to carry when we leave the hut."
"I think so too," You Zhi said. "The wooden box has more space, which is more suitable for the development of the root system."
The two bought a suitable wooden box and some fertilizer, and found a errand driver to help deliver it to the cabin.
"Let's go," You Zhi turned around and said, "I'll take you to eat hot pot."
Xu Qinghu's eyes curved slightly, "Really?"
"Well," You Zhi specifically reminded: "Don't worry, it's a lighter coconut chicken hotpot."
"What are you thinking about?" Xu Qinghu laughed. "Even if it's not coconut chicken hotpot, I'll still eat it. It's okay to indulge once in a while."
Looking at her smiling eyes, You Zhi also smiled.
It was dinner time and the hotpot restaurant was a little noisy, but both of them were very satisfied after tasting the tender and delicious coconut chicken.
Xu Qinghu originally thought that You Zhi would ask her some questions during the date, but he seemed to just bring her to dinner and enjoy spending time with her.
Looking at his handsome and gentle face, Xu Qinghu felt a rare sense of peace in his heart.
After dinner, no one mentioned going home, but instead walked slowly along the street in front of the hot pot restaurant.
On summer nights, the moon is bright and clear, and you can hear the singing of insects as you pass through the park.
The two found a chair to sit down, with bright street lights, lush camphor trees and the eternal and hot summer night above their heads.
The shadows of the trees obscured Xu Qinghu's figure. She slowly leaned back in her chair. Perhaps because she did not feel any psychological pressure when facing You Zhi, her fair and delicate face showed a sense of relaxation.
"Don't you have anything to say?" She looked at You Zhi's profile with a faint smile in her eyes.
You Zhi opened his mouth, a trace of struggle flashed across his eyes, then he lowered his head and whispered, "I, I just wanted to take you out for a meal. I didn't mean to cause you any trouble."
"I know," Xu Qinghu said, "Thank you, Xiao You. I feel very relaxed today."
You Zhi's eyes lit up, and he said shyly, "That's good."
He looked at Xu Qinghu tenderly, "I'm very happy to be out on a date with you."
Xu Qinghu looked at him with a smile and said teasingly: "It seems that my date card was not given away in vain."
A faint warmth welled up in You Zhi's heart when he heard this. "Then, can I still contact you in the future?" he asked nervously.
"Of course." Xu Qinghu said, "Don't you have my contact information?"
You Zhi pursed his lips and laughed again.
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