Chapter 76 The fireworks show—at that moment, everything around seemed to fall silent…
As I stepped out of the restaurant, the snow had stopped. The night sky was clear and transparent, like an inky black silk ribbon. Warm lights twinkled in the shop windows lining the streets, and laughter drifted on the night breeze. The whole city was immersed in the romantic atmosphere of Christmas Eve.
The car slowly drove towards the riverbank. The closer they got to the viewing platform, the denser the flow of people and vehicles became. Finally, when they were one intersection away from their destination, they were stopped by a traffic control sign.
Gu Qingyan leaned forward slightly and looked towards the viewing platform, where people were already bustling about. "We can't drive any further. It's still a kilometer away. Shall we walk?" he said, unbuckling his seatbelt.
"Why don't we just wait here?" Lin Yuwei glanced at Gu Qingyan's tired profile, then looked at the bustling crowd outside the window, and said softly, "Anyway, the fireworks are in the sky, we can see them from anywhere."
Gu Qingyan parked the car in a corner by the roadside. The two of them got out and sat on the edge of a low flower bed next to the sidewalk. The stone surface was cold in the winter night, but the atmosphere was inexplicably quiet, separated from the noise of the crowd not far away.
“Gu Qingyan,” Lin Yuwei said, gazing at the laser beams being tested and piercing the night sky across the river, her voice almost melting into the cool night breeze, “Actually, tonight I…” She turned her head, her gaze slightly probing, and looked at him.
Before she could finish speaking, Gu Qingyan seemed to be burned by something invisible. His gaze abruptly slid away from her face and hastily fell on the blurry, flowing neon lights in the distance. He almost subconsciously interrupted her, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible tension: "Are you cold? I'll go get a scarf from the car."
Lin Yuwei gently shook her head, trying to bring up the topic a second time, her tone more determined: "I'm not cold, I just wanted to say, between us..."
"Whoosh—Bang!"
The first huge golden firework burst open without warning, the loud noise swallowing up Lin Yuwei's subsequent words. The dazzling light instantly illuminated their faces and captured the fleeting look of astonishment in her eyes.
Lin Yuwei blinked in surprise. Once was a coincidence, but twice... A subtle sense of unease and confusion welled up in her heart.
Gu Qingyan had pursued her relentlessly for so long, even declaring that he wouldn't give up on her even if she got married. She had long understood his intentions. Now that she was offering him a chance, with his keen perception, he would surely understand. So why was he avoiding her again and again? He hadn't even asked her out tonight.
Where did things go wrong? She pursed her lips, swallowed back the words she was about to say, and silently turned to look at the sky, which was being illuminated by fireworks.
Brilliant fireworks tore through the night sky one after another, their booming sounds never ceasing, weaving a magnificent symphony of light and shadow in the air. Amidst this deafening clamor, the people around her were unusually quiet. After a long while, Lin Yuwei couldn't help but turn around, only to find Gu Qingyan leaning against the bare ginkgo tree behind him, his eyes closed, his breathing even and deep. He had fallen asleep.
The flickering light of fireworks swept across his face like flowing water, clearly illuminating the dark circles under his eyes, the fine wrinkles between his brows that couldn't fully relax even in his sleep, and the deep, unyielding weariness at the corners of his mouth. He looked extremely tired, as if he hadn't had a proper night's sleep in ages.
The lingering unhappiness in Lin Yuwei's heart was instantly washed away by a surge of heartache and vague doubts. She sighed silently, and a thought suddenly pierced her mind: Qichen Technology... could something really have gone wrong?
Gu Qingyan said that the year-end affairs were complicated, but he was always the kind of person who could handle heavy things with ease. He had never been so tired before, even when he was busy. It was a kind of haggardness that came from the bones.
Lin Yuwei immediately dismissed her own doubts. Qichen Technology had a solid foundation and was a recognized leader in the industry. Things had been calm recently, and she hadn't heard any bad news. Perhaps she was just being paranoid. However, that inexplicable unease, like a hidden reef at the bottom of the water, weighed heavily on her heart. Tomorrow, she would have to find out something to put her mind at ease.
Amidst her chaotic thoughts, Lin Yuwei quietly got up, walked to the car by the roadside, gently opened the back door, and took out his thick cashmere coat. The chill of the winter night rushed in, and she couldn't help but hug the coat tighter in her arms. It still had his usual cedar scent on it, clear and calming.
Lin Yuwei returned to his side, gently unfolded her coat, carefully draped it over his shoulders, and then bent down to tuck the hem of the coat tightly around his side, trying to keep out all the cold.
Gu Qingyan only moved unconsciously in her sleep, tilting her head to one side and sinking into a deeper sleep.
Lin Yuwei sat back down beside him, no longer watching the grand and noisy performance in the sky. She simply gazed quietly at his sleeping profile. The Christmas Eve bells came from the direction of the distant church, deep and melodious, intertwining with the booming fireworks nearby, composing a complex and indescribable tenderness in her heart.
****
Gu Qingyan was suddenly awakened from his deep sleep, not knowing where he was for a moment. He turned his head blankly and saw Lin Yuwei sitting quietly beside him. He then looked down and found the coat draped over his shoulders.
In the distance, the headlights of a few passing cars streaked across the night. Two or three pedestrians walked by, chatting and laughing, and when they mentioned the fireworks show that night, he suddenly remembered that he had come to watch the fireworks show with her.
Looking up, the night sky was silent, with only a few cold stars hanging sparsely in the sky; the fireworks had long since faded away.
A wave of regret washed over her. Gu Qingyan rubbed her temples, her voice still hoarse from just waking up: "I actually fell asleep... Has the fireworks show been over for a long time?"
Lin Yuwei turned around at the sound of the voice. The soft light from the streetlights fell on her beautiful face, creating a beautiful filter. A gentle smile appeared on her lips: "Yes, it's been over for a while. The fireworks tonight were wonderful. I didn't have the heart to wake you up because you were sleeping so soundly."
She stood up, gently patting her skirt with her right hand to brush away the chill of the winter night: "Let's go."
On the way back to her apartment, the two remained silent, a peculiar tranquility permeating the car. This silence did not feel awkward; rather, it was like a soft veil, gently enveloping their innermost thoughts. Even after the car came to a smooth stop in front of her apartment building, this tranquility continued into the night.
Lin Yuwei said "Goodbye" softly, pushed open the door and got out of the car. When she reached the steps at the entrance of the apartment, she stopped and turned around suddenly, as if by some strange twist of fate.
Gu Qingyan was still standing there.
He stood against the light, the streetlights behind him casting a hazy glow on his silhouette, making him appear thin and wiry, as if he might melt into the thick, impenetrable night at any moment.
Lin Yuwei couldn't see the expression on his face, but she could clearly sense that a deep, almost tangible sadness was silently spreading from him, permeating the cold air around them.
Her turning around was clearly unexpected for Gu Qingyan. He was stunned for a moment before hastily raising his hand, waving it lightly, and then turning around to leave.
"Tap, tap, tap—"
A sudden burst of hurried footsteps shattered the silence of the night.
Gu Qingyan subconsciously turned around, and his pupils reflected Lin Yuwei's figure running towards him. Her long black hair flowed and fluttered in the night wind like clouds, and the hem of her red dress swayed, shimmering with a warm and vibrant luster under the streetlights, like the first ray of sunshine piercing through the deep, cold night, carrying an irresistible and vigorous warmth that crashed straight into his cold and silent world.
Lin Yuwei remained silent, but stretched out her arms and tightly wrapped them around Gu Qingyan's waist, burying her face deeply in his slightly cool chest.
In that instant, everything around seemed to stand still, and all the unanswered questions melted away in this sudden embrace.
Gu Qingyan lowered his head, closed his eyes, and almost greedily absorbed the warmth emanating from her body, letting that warmth briefly penetrate his almost frozen body, becoming the only real and tangible comfort in this long, cold night.
In the brief moment of silent embrace, Gu Qingyan felt her move slightly in his arms. She tilted her head back, and a soft, feather-like whisper brushed against his chest, reaching his ears clearly: "Gu Qingyan, goodnight."
His hand, hanging by his side, trembled almost imperceptibly. Finally, he slowly raised it, with an almost reverent appreciation, and carefully embraced the warmth in his arms.
****
After thinking about it all night, Lin Yuwei couldn't shake off the unease in her heart. Although she couldn't find any negative news through public channels, Gu Qingyan's extremely tired appearance that night was like a thorn stuck in her heart. She finally pressed the internal phone: "Xiaoyu, could you please come in for a moment?"
"Sister Weiwei, you wanted to see me?" Xiaoyu practically ran in. Ever since Lin Yuwei forgave her for "accidentally" passing on a message last time, her work enthusiasm had noticeably increased. At this moment, her face showed a mixture of nervousness and anticipation.
Lin Yuwei gestured for her to sit down opposite her, her fingertips tapping unconsciously twice on the desk, as if considering how to begin.
"Xiaoyu, I have a personal question for you," she said casually, "Is everything going smoothly at Venustech lately?"
"Isn't that normal?" Xiaoyu blinked, looking a little confused. "Sister Weiwei, why are you suddenly asking this?"
Looking into Xiaoyu's clear eyes, Lin Yuwei knew she hadn't grasped her unspoken meaning, so she asked in a more specific way: "I mean, how's your boyfriend, Engineer Zhang, doing lately? Has he been so busy that he's been working overtime every day and hasn't been able to come home? Or... does he seem preoccupied when he does come home?"
"Ah, now that you mention it..." Xiaoyu looked up, recalling, "He really has been staying at the company this week, saying he has an urgent project to tackle." She murmured to herself, then suddenly realized, her gaze returning to Lin Yuwei's face with a hint of realization: "Sister Weiwei, you're worried that something's wrong with Qichen Technology, right?"
Lin Yuwei did not answer directly, but simply picked up the water glass on the table and took a sip, tacitly acknowledging the guess.
“I understand!” Xiaoyu immediately got the idea and her expression became serious: “I’ll call him during lunch break and ask him about the situation.”
“Hmm,” Lin Yuwei nodded slightly, “Don’t show too much concern. Pay more attention to details and tell me immediately if anything seems unusual.”
"Don't worry, Sister Weiwei!" Xiaoyu nodded vigorously, her face full of determination to make amends: "This time I will definitely find out the truth!"
Just as I started work in the afternoon, the office door was gently pushed open, and Xiaoyu slipped in, carefully closing the door behind her, her face showing the seriousness of someone who had found out the information.
"Sister Weiwei," she said, walking quickly to her desk and lowering her voice, "I spoke with Engineer Zhang on the phone at noon."
Lin Yuwei looked up from the document and gestured for her to continue.
“He said,” Xiaoyu tried hard to recall her boyfriend’s words, “that Qichen is indeed investigating a pretty serious problem recently, and the technical team is working non-stop. He’ll probably be living at the company next week.”
Lin Yuwei listened quietly, her gaze drifting thoughtfully to the window. After a few seconds, she looked back and said calmly, "I understand. Let me know if there are any new developments."
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