Chapter 393 Three Nine Three Two Combined
393:
Qin Cheng suddenly felt like he couldn't move.
His heart was pounding at that moment, like a leaping fish, splashing a string of ripples.
Ye Qingxi let go of his hand and looked at him, "Have you eaten?"
"Not yet," Qin Cheng replied curtly.
"I don't have any either, let's eat together then."
"Okay," Qin Cheng replied.
"What would you like to eat?" Ye Qingxi asked him.
"And you?"
"Me?" Ye Qingxi thought for a moment, "I want to eat barbecue."
Qin Cheng laughed and said, "Then let's eat barbecue."
He put down his suitcase, not in a hurry to pack, and took Ye Qingxi out to a barbecue restaurant.
There weren't many people around at that time, so the two of them booked a private room, ordered some meat, and started chatting.
When the waiter brought the meat to the table, Qin Cheng used tongs to place it on the grill. Ye Qingxi chatted with him while waiting for the meat to cook.
The meat was finally cooked, and Qin Cheng was about to serve it to him when he heard him say, "Wait a minute."
Qin Cheng: ?
Ye Qingxi picked up her phone and started snapping photos of the plate covered in meat.
Qin Cheng: ?
"Eat up," Ye Qingxi said.
As he spoke, he opened his childhood friends' group chat, posted the photos he had just taken, and tagged Pei Liang: "[We're having barbecue tonight.]"
Zhong Yan burst into joyful laughter.
Kang Cong then posted his dinner, which was a hot pot meal.
Ye Qingxi laughed.
Qin Cheng put the meat on his plate and asked, "So happy?"
“Send some delicious food to tempt Pei Liang,” Ye Qingxi said, putting down her phone.
Qin Cheng: ...He just said that he suddenly fell in love with taking photos before meals.
However, when Qin Cheng thought of Pei Liang, he naturally thought of studying abroad.
"Should he tell Ye Qingxi about studying abroad?" Qin Cheng pondered.
However, for some reason, Qin Cheng found it difficult to say it.
Seemingly feeling guilty, he dared not tell the person in front of him.
"Do you miss Pei Liang?" Qin Cheng asked.
"Yes, I do," Ye Qingxi said.
"Would you prefer him not to study abroad?"
"Of course not." Ye Qingxi said without hesitation. "Studying abroad is a good thing. I just don't want to leave home, so I won't go abroad. Otherwise, if I had the chance, I would like to visit those prestigious universities abroad and see if they are really that great."
Ye Qingxi's mindset in this regard is the same as most people's; she has a strong, idealized view of world-renowned universities.
In his past life, when he was four years old and first heard about University A and University B, he wondered whether it would be better for him to go to University A or University B when he grew up. In this life, he is proud and honored to have been admitted to University B, feeling that all his years of studying were worthwhile.
If it weren't for his past life experiences that led him to have an almost obsessive dependence on the family he had finally gained in this life, Ye Qingxi thought he might actually go and visit those famous universities abroad.
Qin Cheng breathed a slight sigh of relief upon hearing this.
When he decided to study abroad for graduate school, he did consider whether Ye Qingxi would be unhappy. However, ever since his father said those things to him when he was in sixth grade and entering junior high school, he wanted to make the most advantageous choice for himself every time he faced a decision, so that he could better protect Ye Qingxi in the future.
However, reason told him that his idea was correct.
Emotionally, he was afraid that his younger brother would be saddened by this.
Fortunately, Ye Qingxi did not object to studying abroad.
In Qin Cheng's view, if Ye Qingxi didn't object to Pei Liang studying abroad, then she probably wouldn't object to him either.
Although he is Ye Qingxi's brother, Pei Liang is his childhood friend.
In his heart, Qin Cheng felt that they were the same in some ways, of roughly the same weight.
It is something he cares about a lot, but it is not the thing he cares about the most.
Therefore, he shouldn't be sad about it.
Qin Cheng put another piece of meat on his plate, wondering when he should tell Ye Qingxi.
It's only the beginning of the semester, and they've only just gotten together. To let him know that they will be parting ways in a year, especially after he just saw Pei Liang off, Qin Cheng subconsciously felt that it might be too cruel. Should he be given some more time?
Perhaps it wouldn't be too late to tell him after my application is approved?
Thinking this through, Qin Cheng said nothing.
He kept putting meat on Ye Qingxi's plate, and Ye Qingxi ate happily, unaware that such a big thing was hidden beneath his calm exterior.
After finishing her meal and returning home, Ye Qingxi naturally took a shower and then went back to her bedroom to play on her phone.
Qin Cheng went to the study to look at the files on his computer.
Around midnight, Ye Qingxi came to find him and asked, "How much longer are you going to be here?"
Qin Cheng: ...
Qin Cheng looked at him, and his heart, which had finally calmed down, began to pound again.
He understood perfectly what was hidden in those words.
Ye Qingxi was sleepy, so she came to urge him to go to sleep.
Qin Cheng felt that he shouldn't sleep with him anymore.
Ye Qingxi had already discovered it and knew that she had deliberately not bought a bed so that she could continue to sleep with him.
If he were sensible, he should quickly buy a new bed and then naturally sleep separately from her.
On the one hand, there is a lack of control over one's own desires.
He thought that they were just sleeping together, and he wouldn't do anything; it was just a simple, ordinary sleep.
Besides, even if I sleep, I can only sleep like this for another year at most.
For the next three years, let alone sleeping together, even seeing him again was a luxury.
Once Qin Cheng thought of this, he no longer hesitated.
He stood up, closed his laptop, and said, "That's all."
"Huh?" Ye Qingxi quickly replied, "I'm not rushing you. If you're not finished, just keep working. I was just asking."
"It's alright," Qin Cheng said. "We can do it at the company tomorrow."
"The company?" Ye Qingxi was a little confused. "Aren't you going to school tomorrow?"
"We've already started our internships," Qin Cheng said.
Ye Qingxi: !!
Ye Qingxi thought about it and realized that Qin Cheng was already a senior in college, so it was time for him to do an internship.
However, what if he goes to the company tomorrow?
"So you're still living... here?"
Their university town is not only far from their company, but they are practically in opposite directions.
"Um."
"Then you'll have to get up very early?"
"It's alright," Qin Cheng said. "Just get up normally as before."
The company starts work at nine o'clock, and Ye Qingxi starts school at eight o'clock, so he only needs to get up at seven o'clock.
Ye Qingxi: ...
Ye Qingxi felt it was unnecessary.
He could easily live at home and go to the company with his dad. Wouldn't that be more convenient than living here with him?
Besides, living at home means having a nanny and your parents, isn't that great?
"Is it because you told me before that you're embarrassed to go home?" Ye Qingxi asked.
“It’s alright,” he said. “You’re interning at the company now, so it’s naturally more convenient for you to stay at home. I understand, so you don’t need to stay here just for me.”
This was really too much trouble for Qin Cheng, and Ye Qingxi felt a little sorry for him.
"No," Qin Cheng said calmly. "I still have to go back to school sometimes, so living at home isn't convenient."
"Really?" Ye Qingxi was very skeptical.
Qin Cheng nodded.
He said, "Or is it that you don't want to live with me anymore?"
Ye Qingxi quickly shook her head, "Of course not."
“I’m happy to live with you and not have to worry about anything, but now that you’re going to work, I just feel that this place is too far from your company and it’s inconvenient for you.”
"It's alright," Qin Cheng said. "It's not very inconvenient."
Ye Qingxi: ...
What could Ye Qingxi say? Since her brother said it wasn't very inconvenient, then so be it.
Otherwise, if he refuses again, his brother will really think that he doesn't want to live with him anymore.
In all honesty, he didn't!
He couldn't help but think to himself, "My brother is really clingy."
She's so clingy to him.
Ye Qingxi almost laughed. It was hard to imagine that Qin Cheng, such a mature, steady, and taciturn person, would be so clingy.
It really is quite endearing, a charming contrast.
"Then go take a shower," Ye Qingxi said. "I'll go back to my room and wait for you."
"Okay," Qin Cheng replied.
After taking a shower, he went to Ye Qingxi's room.
Ye Qingxi was lying on the bed with her legs raised and swinging gently as she played on her phone.
Hearing Qin Cheng's footsteps, he sat up abruptly, his tone light and cheerful: "You're done washing up."
"Um."
"Where's your hair? Did you blow-dry it?" Ye Qingxi asked, reaching out to touch his hair.
Qin Cheng had already dried it.
Ye Qingxi felt a little regretful.
Qin Cheng always helped him blow-dry his hair, so he wanted to reciprocate by helping Qin Cheng blow-dry his hair as well. Unfortunately, Qin Cheng always dried his hair himself.
"I already told you I blew it up for you."
"No need," Qin Cheng said.
Ye Qingxi puffed out her cheeks.
Qin Cheng raised his hand and poked her. Ye Qingxi turned her head, opened her mouth, and made an "ah-woo" sound.
Qin Cheng chuckled, finding him genuinely adorable.
Ye Qingxi laughed too, feeling that she was being very childish.
He lay back down, offering the side where Qin Cheng had been sleeping, and said, "Go to sleep."
"Mm," Qin Cheng replied.
He pulled back the thin blanket and turned off the light.
The room fell silent instantly, with only the sound of the air conditioner's fan blades blowing air.
Ye Qingxi turned her head and asked him, "Is the internship tough?"
"It's alright," Qin Cheng said.
“That’s true. You’ve been with the company since after your college entrance exam, so you’re considered a long-time employee now.” Ye Qingxi couldn’t help but laugh as she thought of this.
A senior college student and a long-time employee—it's kind of funny to think about.
“By the time you graduate and go to work at the company, you will already have four years of work experience,” he said.
Qin Cheng: ...
Qin Cheng remained silent.
He wanted to tell Ye Qingxi again about his desire to study abroad for a master's degree after graduation, but once again felt that now was not the right time to say it.
Ye Qingxi didn't think much of it. After all, Qin Cheng was usually taciturn, and he probably just laughed it off, but she just didn't see it.
He still found it very amusing. How could someone be both a recent graduate and have four years of work experience? That was truly impressive. From this perspective, even if his brother didn't work for their family company, he wouldn't have to worry about finding a job.
Ye Qingxi yawned, feeling a little sleepy.
"Good night," he said to Qin Cheng.
"Good night," Qin Cheng replied.
Ye Qingxi closed her eyes and fell asleep in no time.
However, Qin Cheng did not fall asleep.
He always found the sound of the air conditioner fan blades noisy.
Qin Cheng picked up the remote control and pressed the mute button. Instantly, there was no more noise around him, only Ye Qingxi's breathing as she fell asleep, gently lingering in his ears.
Qin Cheng slowly turned his head to look at Ye Qingxi's blurry profile in the darkness.
More than half a month has passed since that dream.
For the past two weeks, Qin Cheng has almost avoided thinking about that dream.
But ironically, the moment he calms down, that dream resurfaces from some unknown place and takes over his mind.
Remind him that he is not a good older brother at all.
He doesn't even deserve to be called an older brother.
Qin Cheng stared silently at the blurry outline in front of him, his gaze unwavering.
If Ye Qingxi knew that he had such a dream, and that he didn't actually reject it, how would she view him?
No, Qin Cheng thought, Ye Qingxi would never know.
He would never let Ye Qingxi know.
How could he possibly let Ye Qingxi know about such a thing?
Qin Cheng turned around, not daring to look at the familiar face beside him again.
He closed his eyes, but for some reason, he fell into insomnia again.
Qin Cheng was actually conscious when he felt the person behind him hug him.
The summer blankets were thin, and Ye Qingxi had already kicked her own blanket over, moved closer, and hugged him from behind.
His face was pressed against his back, and his arms were around him.
The air conditioner was set a bit low, so Ye Qingxi snuggled close to him as if trying to keep warm.
It was so tight that he could even feel his body temperature and his breath.
Qin Cheng controlled himself, not daring to turn around and hug him.
He closed his eyes, but when he woke up, he found that he had somehow placed his hand on Ye Qingxi's hand and was holding it tightly.
Qin Cheng: ...
Qin Cheng quickly released his grip.
She carefully got up from Ye Qingxi's embrace and went to make him breakfast.
That night and into the morning, he felt a bittersweet tug-of-war between sweetness and guilt.
She was both pleased by his approach and guilty that he had come so unguarded.
For the first time in his life, Qin Cheng felt such complex emotions. He didn't know how to deal with them, so he could only treat Ye Qingxi even better, even though he had already been accommodating to her every request before.
Now, however, he attends to every little detail, to the point that Ye Qingxi sometimes feels that her brother treats her like a child who hasn't grown up yet.
However, Qin Cheng always took advantage of the fact that he was two years older than him and always wanted to block everything in front of him, so Ye Qingxi didn't think much of it.
Another month passed, and the lingering heat of summer finally dissipated, and the coolness of autumn arrived unhurriedly.
Mu Zheng reminded Qin Cheng, "Remember to submit your university application."
Qin Cheng certainly remembered, but he always inexplicably stopped at the last step of submitting the application.
This won't do, Qin Cheng thought, he still needs to let Ye Qingxi know.
Regardless of whether Ye Qingxi would support him or not, he should have known before Ye Qingxi applied, not after he applied, or even after everything was settled.
He has the right to know anything about himself, and even more so, the right to participate in anything about himself—regardless of whether he is willing to exercise his rights.
Qin Cheng told Ye Qingxi about it that evening.
The conversation took place in their cabin, and it happened after dinner.
At that time, Ye Qingxi was about to watch a movie when he asked him with a smile, "Do you want to watch it with me? This movie has very good reviews, and the director is also very talented."
Qin Cheng nodded and said, "Okay."
"But there's something I want to tell you."
"What?" Ye Qingxi asked in confusion.
Qin Cheng looked at him, remained silent for two seconds, and then said bluntly, "I plan to go abroad to pursue a master's degree instead of working for the group after graduating from my senior year."
Ye Qingxi was stunned.
This was never in his expectations.
He had always assumed that Qin Cheng would work for the group after graduation, but now Qin Cheng said that he was going to study for a master's degree abroad.
Ye Qingxi felt she should nod, support him, and even congratulate him on being able to go to a prestigious university abroad.
But for some reason, he found himself unable to open his mouth.
"That's good." After a while, Ye Qingxi said, "You already have good grades, so graduate school is a good fit for you."
His acting was unusually unnatural; he said it was fine and had a smile on his face, but the smile didn't reach his eyes.
Qin Cheng did not expect him to react this way.
Of course, he had considered that Ye Qingxi would be surprised, taken aback, or even a little angry when she heard about this, angry that he hadn't told her sooner.
But this is the one thing that shouldn't be happening.
Such hypocrisy, such insincerity.
“Of course, if you don’t like it, I don’t have to go,” he said. “Up until now, I’ve only been thinking about it and haven’t submitted an application.”
Ye Qingxi immediately shook her head, as if she was afraid that he would really change the course of his life because of her.
"I don't."
Qin Cheng felt a pang of pain in his heart when he saw him like this.
He thought Ye Qingxi didn't care.
He thought he would accept his departure as easily as he had accepted Pei Liang.
He didn't expect that, perhaps in Ye Qingxi's heart, he was more important than Pei Liang.
He stood up, walked to Ye Qingxi's side, put his arm around his shoulder, and led him to sit down on the sofa.
"Xiao Xi, listen to me," Qin Cheng said gently. "I want to study for a master's degree abroad because I've already received all the education I could in China and learned everything I could. So, I want to go out and see if other schools can teach me more."
"As you know, wealth doesn't last three generations. The succession of family businesses is inherently difficult. Each generation needs someone to take on this responsibility and be capable of doing so. I don't want the wealth that several generations have worked so hard to accumulate to start declining in our generation, so I must stand at the forefront of the times, see as much as possible, understand as much as possible, and accept as much as possible."
"Only in this way can I support the Mu family in the future."
"However, such opportunities are not only available now, nor can they only be achieved by studying abroad for a master's degree. In the future, I can also explore and learn more after I start working."
“Like my dad, he didn’t go abroad for graduate school, but he did very well, didn’t he?”
As Ye Qingxi listened to his words, for some reason, she suddenly thought of Mu Feng and his deceased grandfather, Ye Min.
He looked up at Qin Cheng and said softly, "Back then, Grandpa repeated a year of high school and got into the top ten in the province. Great-grandfather, not Feng Great-grandfather, but Grandpa's father, was very happy and saw all of Grandpa's hard work over the past year. So he said he could send him abroad to study and asked him if he wanted to stay in China or go abroad."
"Grandpa didn't answer him directly. Instead, he went to see my grandfather and asked him the same question. Do you know what my grandfather said?"
Qin Cheng naturally had no idea.
Mu Feng had not told him about his relationship with Ye Min. Although he had heard some things from his father, it was only a brief version, and he didn't know many things.
“My grandfather said, of course. He said that if we can get in, we should get in the best one, whichever one is better.”
"I still feel the same way now," Ye Qingxi said firmly. "If I can go, then of course I will. Work is work, and study is study. What I learn at work is certainly important, but what I learn at school is sometimes just as important."
"If you want to go abroad, then you should go abroad, build your network, and broaden your horizons and possibilities."
“This family always needs someone to hold it up. I know very well that I am not that person. I may be able to help you, but I am definitely not the one who holds it up, so you should go. Only when you go can the Mu family be better off, and only then can I be better off.”
Qin Cheng shook his head as he listened to him. He said, "Why can't you be? What I can do, you can definitely do too. Like right now, I'm at University A, but aren't you at University B?"
Ye Qingxi laughed and said, "There are no geniuses in this world. I know very well where my talent lies, and it's not in the business field."
"Really? I don't think so," Qin Cheng said. "Xiao Xi, you're only eighteen, so don't jump to conclusions about yourself. There are plenty of people in this world who start their own businesses and create their own commercial empires in their forties or fifties. Besides, you're only eighteen. Your future is full of possibilities."
Ye Qingxi was taken aback by his words.
Qin Cheng continued, "I know you're interested in movies now and might want to make movies in the future, but that's okay. When you come back from your time in the film industry, you'll only be in your thirties, and you can still switch tracks and start a new future."
"I will help you, no matter when, I will help you."
“Just like one day, if you also want to know what schools outside are like, how their teaching differs from what we are learning now, but you don’t want to go abroad, don’t want to leave your father, I will pass on everything I have learned to you.”
"You are the smartest person I have ever met, so you must always believe that as long as you want to, you can succeed in whatever you want to do."
"Of course, if you don't want to, you can go to your favorite place to rest. You've been outstanding and worked very hard all these years, so you can do what you want or rest when you want."
"Whether you do it or not, whatever you do or don't do, I will support you, I will hope that you can achieve your wish, and I will help you achieve your wish."
Ye Qingxi listened quietly, and then hugged him.
His head was buried in his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around him.
Qin Cheng then hugged him back.
At that moment, he seemed to have become Ye Qingxi's most reliable brother again.
He's just his brother.
He hugged his younger brother and said to him, "I originally wanted to wait until the application results came out before telling you, but then I felt that was not appropriate. The matter was already settled, and telling you would just be informing you."
"So I chose to tell you in advance, so that whether you support it or not, you can participate in the decision-making process."
"Xiao Xi, I won't easily change my decision for anyone, but I'm very willing to change my decision for you."
"Life has many possibilities. You don't have to sail to the end on a single route. Sometimes, variables can bring unexpected wonders."
"And the only variable that I can have in my life is you, and it can only be you."
"Only you would make me willing to change my decision."
"So you don't have to feel burdened. If you don't want to, just tell me, and I'll think of new routes. There are many roads to Rome, and there's never just one way in this world."
Ye Qingxi listened, and silently curled the corners of her lips.
He looked up at the person in front of him, at his earnest, gentle brother who always loved and wanted to protect him.
“Then I support you,” he said, a smile playing in his eyes. This time, he wasn’t being insincere. “Of course, there’s more than one path in this world, but the path that you’ve thought through and proposed must be the path you want to take. So, go and take the path you want to take.”
Do what you want to do, walk the path you want to walk, and then become a better, more outstanding, and more dazzling Qin Cheng.
Your era is about to begin.
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