23 Accusations
◎“Everything that happened in the Gobi Desert seemed like her illusion.”◎
"Did he come looking for you again?" Song Chiyu had turned off the light and slept for a while when her phone, which was on the bedside table, suddenly lit up.
Fortunately, she wasn't asleep yet. She picked it up and saw it was from Qi Yanzhou.
He instinctively replied, "Who?"
"Your ex-boyfriend"
Upon seeing this sentence appear on his profile picture, Song Chiyu instantly perked up. "No!"
He didn't reply immediately. The dialog box above showed that he was typing, and Song Chiyu waited a long time for his answer, feeling uneasy. "Did your older brother say anything to you?"
He replied quickly this time: "?"
Song Chiyu: "..."
It's over.
I said the wrong thing.
In despair, Song Chiyu slapped her forehead.
It's better not to ask, because asking will only make things seem like you're trying to hide something.
Song Chiyu had no choice but to honestly reply, "He came to congratulate me on marrying into a good family, but your older brother didn't think he was a good person, so he yelled at him and drove him away."
Just to congratulate her on marrying into a good family?
Qi Yanzhou saw through it but didn't say anything. Given Qi Jianguo's carefree personality, anything that could make him uncomfortable was definitely not something simple.
But he didn't say anything: "Well, I just suddenly thought of asking casually. Goodnight, Miss Song."
He was a man who kept everything to himself, and Song Chiyu vaguely sensed that something was wrong, but she didn't think about it too much.
The next morning, as soon as Song Chiyu sat down in the cafeteria, Xie Yunjin sat down next to her. Before she could even speak, Chen Liang and Xiao Zhang also sat down, flanking her and Xie Yunjin on either side. They didn't give Xie Yunjin a chance to speak to her alone at all.
Song Chiyu initially thought it was a coincidence, but the same thing happened for several days in a row. Whenever Xie Yunjin came to find her, the two of them would surround him, and even when Xie Yunjin showed impatience, they would casually ask him when he was leaving.
Song Chiyu wasn't usually this close to the two men, and she didn't believe they would take care of her for no reason. After repeated probing, the two finally revealed the truth. It was the condition the burly men had made when they let them peep; otherwise, they would throw them into the tomb next time. The two men were terrified and told her all the difficulties she had encountered at the work station. The burly men asked them to keep an eye on Xie Yunjin and help her more at work.
"Teacher Song, I can't tell you what happened that night, but please don't tell them about it. Otherwise, given their ruthlessness, who knows what they might do."
"Don't worry, they're just trying to scare you." Based on Song Chiyu's understanding of Qi Yanzhou, although he was a man of his word, he wouldn't go so far as to kill them in this kind of situation.
Shen Liang and Xiao Zhang didn't believe it at all.
"Anyway, Teacher Song, if you encounter any difficulties, just come to us. We will definitely help you solve them."
Song Chiyu wondered what the two of them could possibly solve.
But upon closer reflection, she realized that the two of them had indeed played a crucial role in resolving Xie Yunjin's annoyance, so she deliberately refrained from further judgment on the matter. What she didn't expect was that Qi Yanzhou and his burly friends returned to the work station to see her shortly after they left.
She was carrying what she thought were the daily necessities she needed, as well as some stewed chicken soup.
Shen Liang and Xiao Zhang initially thought they were returning for a visit, and their faces turned pale with fright. They started shouting in front of Song Chiyu. The burly men clearly didn't want Song Chiyu to know about this, so they all pretended not to understand what they were yelling about, only saying that they were entrusted by Qi Jianguo.
Song Chiyu then realized what he meant by "family members live nearby".
Song Chiyu gratefully accepted the gifts they brought, but felt quite guilty and said, "Was I causing you any trouble?"
"No." The burly men naturally didn't say anything. On the contrary, they were afraid of causing her trouble, so they left without even entering the workstation.
**
Xie Yunjin didn't stay long; both Mingzhou and the Academy of Social Sciences urged him to return.
When Song Chiyu learned that he had left, she breathed a sigh of relief from the bottom of her heart. However, he did not seem to have given up. About half a year later, the hospital suddenly called her back and asked her to come back. The person who replaced her was the little girl who had taken over Teacher Zhou's position in the hospital at that time.
When Song Chiyu heard about this from Zheng Qiu, he found it amusing.
He asked, half-jokingly, "Can I not go back?"
Zheng Qiu didn't know why she didn't want to leave, and shook her head, "Is there something you're worried about?"
His question was somewhat of a rhetorical one.
After leaving Zheng Qiu's office, she gazed at the vast Gobi Desert, her heart filled with mixed emotions. Back in the restoration room, she remained silent for a long time before casually saying, "Master, it seems I have to go."
Old Li wasn't surprised at all. "When are you leaving?"
"This month or so," Song Chiyu replied. In reality, the young girl arrived half a month later than agreed.
By the time Song Chiyu finished handing over her work to her, it was almost the end of the year. The little girl cried all day long, and Song Chiyu could hear her making phone calls next door, complaining to her family and asking them to come up with a solution.
When Song Chiyu was leaving, Old Li was the one who was most reluctant to part with her. He took out his treasured wine and had a small drink with her in the cafeteria.
"I don't have anything to teach you now. I just hope that if you have a smooth journey in the future, you'll remember to give me a hand."
Old Li didn't dare to call himself her master. Seeing others enter, he put away his wine glass and silently left the cafeteria. Song Chiyu knew he didn't like associating with those of them who had formal training, so she chased after him and called out, "Master, please."
Old Li waved his hand with his back turned, without turning around.
**
The news of Song Chiyu's departure spread quickly. The bespectacled boy who had previously asked her for help rushed to her dormitory in a panic, asking, "Sis, why are you leaving all by yourself? What am I going to do?"
Song Chiyu had tried several times to speak up for him and Qi Yanzhou, but she didn't know how to say it.
He patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don't be too superstitious about the Southern Qin and Northern Qi dynasties. They weren't that powerful."
"Then you..."
“My transfer back has nothing to do with him.” Song Chiyu was also worried about this matter. She didn’t know how much trouble awaited her after she went back. She sighed, “But if there is an opportunity later, I will definitely talk to him for you.”
“Okay,” the bespectacled boy said, unsure whether she was making excuses or genuinely having some difficulties, and not daring to push her too far. “I’ll wait for your news. Don’t forget me, sis. Let’s keep in touch when we get back.”
Song Chiyu nodded.
In fact, she hadn't contacted Qi Yanzhou for almost half a year. It was as if the two of them had returned to the time before she came here. Those kisses and those dazed moments were just her illusions.
She didn't have high expectations for Qi Yanzhou, and these things didn't affect her much.
It's hard not to feel a pang of sadness when I suddenly think about it.
She dialed Li Li's number, wanting to tell her that she was being transferred back to Mingzhou. Li Li also had good news to tell her, and before she could speak, she started to keep her in suspense: "Guess where your dad and I are right now?"
Where is it?
“Anxi,” Li Li happily clasped her hands together, “Dad and Mom will come to pick you up later, and then we’ll go back to Xiao Qi’s house together for the New Year.”
"Which Xiao Qi?" Song Chiyu blurted out.
"Who else could it be but Xiao Qi? Yan Zhou—"
Upon hearing the name "Yanzhou," Song Chiyu felt her cerebellum shrink. When did her parents become so familiar with Qi Yanzhou? She had no idea until she asked, and what she found out was shocking.
It turns out that Qi Yanzhou had been visiting them on her behalf all this time.
To avoid troubling Qi Yanzhou to travel between Xizhou and Mingzhou, the two of them moved back to Mingzhou some time ago.
Li Li praised him highly.
"You wouldn't believe it, when he came to Xizhou to see us, your uncles, grandmas, and maternal grandmas all came. Didn't you see how the two old ladies' eyes lit up when they saw him? They kept praising you, saying you're so well-mannered, have a stable job, and are reliable in your words and actions. Your cousin Song Zhi, after seeing him, finally blurted out—'You little brat, you really know how to find a good match!' It made your dad and me laugh so hard—"
Song Chiyu laughed along with her, hearing her imitative tone.
He shook his head helplessly: "Don't come anymore, I'm coming back."
Li Li was overjoyed, "What happened?"
Song Chiyu only said it was a decision made by her work unit, and that she had already packed her bags and was preparing to go to the train station.
“Then come directly to Anxi,” Old Song suddenly interjected. “Your mother and I will wait for you at the train station, and then we’ll go to Xiao Qi’s house together.”
"No..." She still vividly remembered how busy his family was last year, especially with his parents involved. Through her previous experiences here, she already knew that their family was quite powerful, and there might be people like Xie Yunjin's family who were arrogant and looked down on others. She didn't want to argue with Qi Yanzhou over something like that.
"That's settled then. Let me know when you're ready to get on the bus," Old Song said. "We'll stay in touch."
Song Chiyu was unwilling, but she had no choice.
She carried her luggage out the door. Shen Liang and Xiao Zhang drove her to the train station, and just like when they picked them up, they stood at the entrance to watch her leave.
Song Chiyu changed her train ticket at the last minute.
We still have to wait at the station for an hour.
Midway through, she received a text message from an unknown number: "Where are you spending Chinese New Year this year?"
Song Chiyu knew without asking that it was Xie Yunjin, and immediately blocked the number.
Soon, the train pulled into the station.
She put her luggage in the locker and had just lain down on the upper berth of the sleeper car when she received a WeChat message from Qi Yanzhou: "Have you boarded the train yet?"
Song Chiyu never imagined that he had done so much behind the scenes.
He got up and made a phone call.
He answered quickly, "Hello, Ms. Song."
Return it to Miss Song.
They had clearly tricked her parents into coming to Anxi for the Chinese New Year.
Song Chiyu sat cross-legged on the bed, pursing her lips in dissatisfaction: "Teacher Qi, why didn't you tell me about your visit to my parents?"
"Is it bothering you?" Qi Yanzhou asked.
"No, that's not it..." She just felt that she should at least know, otherwise she would feel like she was the only one being kept in the dark.
“I just feel that I have an obligation to take care of and support your parents while you are not here.”
That makes sense.
“If I told you, you probably wouldn’t agree,” Qi Yanzhou added.
Song Chiyu: "..."
indeed.
She didn't want to trouble him with her own affairs.
She then stopped arguing with him.
Feeling rather guilty, she said, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," he said, not holding it against her at all. "Where are we?"
"We're on the train."
"Hmm, soft sleeper or hard seat?"
"Soft sleeper."
"Okay," he replied casually, "I've already picked up your parents. Take your time coming over, no rush. Let me know when you're almost there, and I'll come pick you up."
Song Chiyu hesitated and then shut her mouth.
The following evening, the green train that Song Chiyu was on slowly pulled into Anxi Station. As soon as she got off the train, she heard someone calling her. She looked up and saw Li Li, Lao Song, and Qi Yanzhou standing in the hall waiting for her.
Qi Yanzhou maintained a serene and composed demeanor, his black down jacket revealing a tightly buttoned shirt collar, his expression indifferent, yet his gaze fixed on her was profound.
Before he could speak, Lao Song and Li Li had already taken her luggage and surrounded her. Li Li's eyes reddened involuntarily when she saw her, "You've lost weight."
Song Chiyu ignored him and helplessly hugged Li Li, saying, "No."
Li Li still cried, and Song Chiyu quickly wiped away her tears. She was so busy comforting Li Li that she didn't even get a chance to say a few words to Qi Yanzhou.
While waiting at the traffic light, her gaze briefly met Qi Yanzhou's, but she quickly looked away.
She was avoiding him.
Qi Yanzhou saw through it but didn't say anything, continuing to drive with his eyes fixed straight ahead.
**
Qi Yanzhou lived in a bustling area of Anxi.
Upon entering, one finds a brightly lit, antique-style street lined with vendors selling antiques and beautifully decorated antique shops. Song Chiyu glanced around and noticed that, setting aside the porcelain in the shops, even the items sold at the stalls were not cheap, and most of them were genuine.
"You like it?" Qi Yanzhou suddenly walked up to her and asked.
"No." Song Chiyu suddenly came to her senses, "Just looking around."
Are you still angry with me?
"No!" she denied immediately. "I'm just a little upset."
"What's wrong?"
"Master Qi—" Before Song Chiyu could answer, people from the surrounding shops came out to greet him. Qi Yanzhou nodded slightly and continued to look at her.
How could Song Chiyu possibly argue with him in front of so many people?
"I'll tell you later."
He licked his lips and didn't ask any further questions.
He reminded Lao Song and Li Li, who were still walking forward, "Dad, Mom, we've arrived."
Song Chiyu turned around in disbelief.
He still calls her Miss Song, but here they're calling her Mom and Dad? How come she's the only outsider in this family?
"What's wrong?" Qi Yanzhou asked, puzzled. "Miss Song."
"It's nothing!" Song Chiyu turned her head away and ignored him.
"Come this way." Qi Yanzhou didn't know what she was angry about, so he called Lao Song and Li Li to walk into the yard.
This is a courtyard house with four courtyards and three entrances. Inside the main gate is a screen wall embedded in the gable wall. Li Li had never seen such a standard courtyard house before and almost tripped over the steps at the entrance.
Song Chiyu reacted quickly and caught her.
Qi Yanzhou also turned around.
Old Song scratched his head somewhat awkwardly: "Son-in-law, your family was a wealthy family in your ancestors' time?"
"It's alright," Qi Yanzhou replied, continuing to lead them inside.
Passing through the hanging flower gate between the outer and inner courtyards, one arrives directly at the main courtyard. The main hall of the main courtyard is filled with people. Upon seeing them enter, Qi Qingfang is the first to stand up and greet them, and the others follow suit.
Qi Qingfang shook hands with Lao Song and Li Li, saying, "When I went to Mingzhou last time, I said I wanted to have dinner with you all, but Yanzhou insisted that it wasn't necessary, so we're only meeting now. Come on, come on, come inside and sit down."
Old Song had never received such treatment before and was quite flattered: "Please sit down too."
"Tell the kitchen to serve the dishes," Qi Jianguo said to one of the younger members of the family, following behind.
Song Chiyu noticed that there was a serious-looking old lady following behind Qi Qingfang.
The old lady had her hair up in a bun, secured with a jade hairpin. When she saw Song Chiyu, she merely glanced at her and looked away, showing no intention of greeting her.
Seeing that she was staring at the old lady, Qi Jianguo said in a low voice, "That's Dad's second wife, and also my and Yanzhou's aunt. Yanzhou's relationship with her is... rather ordinary."
The term "remarrying" is usually used when a man remarries after his wife has died.
Song Chiyu turned around in surprise.
Judging from his tone of addressing each individual separately, the relationships within their family are anything but simple.
"She can be rude sometimes, so don't take it to heart."
This is to give her a heads-up.
Song Chiyu nodded. "I know."
"Wow—" Before she could finish speaking, a head suddenly popped out between her and Qi Jianguo. Song Chiyu was quite startled. When she turned around, Qi Zhannan was following behind her with a grin.
Song Chiyu hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
Qi Jianguo scolded, "You're not allowed to be so rude to your aunt."
"Tch," Qi Zhannan said with a disdainful look. As soon as Qi Jianguo left, he put his hand on Song Chiyu's shoulder and leaned closer to her, saying, "You're such a good aunt. Thanks to you, my leg is still not healed."
"Serves you right—" Song Chiyu slapped his hand. "Do you even know what 'aunt' means? Take your hand away."
"Why should I? You hurt me like this, what's wrong with helping me up?" Qi Zhannan said with great dissatisfaction, "If I hadn't run away back then, would you have married my second uncle? You don't even thank me, you repay kindness with enmity."
"You think you're right to run away?" Song Chiyu stomped on his foot in annoyance.
"Ouch—" He was in a lot of pain and pulled Song Chiyu down to the ground together. Qi Yanzhou heard the noise and turned around to see the two of them wrestling on the ground.
Qi Jianguo quickly stopped him, saying, "Qi Zhannan—"
"She started it with her foot—" Qi Zhannan explained irritably, "Song Chiyu, let go of me! You pulled my hair!"
"You—" Song Chiyu was also angry: "I'm your aunt, how dare you put your arm around my shoulder like that?"
The two people each held their own opinion, neither willing to give in.
Qi Yanzhou stepped forward and helped her up from the ground, staring coldly at Qi Zhannan: "Let go."
Qi Zhannan reluctantly let go of her hand.
Qi Yanzhou bent down and patted the dust off her down jacket. Song Chiyu stared at him, suddenly feeling that even this coward Qi Zhannan was more familiar with her than he was with her, and that everything that happened in the Gobi Desert seemed like her imagination.
An incompetent husband.
Song Chiyu cursed inwardly.
The next second, she heard her "incompetent husband" say coldly to Qi Zhannan, "If you dare to put your arm around her shoulder like that again, I'll break your arm too."
Song Chiyu: "..."
Qi Zhannan snorted coldly and limped towards the main room.
"Are you alright?" Qi Yanzhou looked up at her.
Song Chiyu quickly looked away from him and said, "It's nothing."
"Did you hurt yourself?"
"No." Song Chiyu felt uncomfortable under his gaze.
"What are you thinking about?" Qi Yanzhou asked, his eyelids slightly lowered as he moved closer to her face.
Song Chiyu's face flushed slightly, and she muttered angrily, "I just feel that you don't miss me at all, even though we haven't seen each other for so long."
[Author's Note]
I originally intended to post this along with "The Not-Incompetent Husband"~
I can't finish writing yet~ More in the next chapter~ Goodnight everyone~ [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]
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