Running Into Zhao Qian and His Father Again

Could she not be angry just because he’d bitten her? She’d already given her reason for not replying to the messages; what was Qin Qingyan still sulking about?

After taking a deep breath, Yan Yue sat down on the bed and pulled her laptop over to work, but her thoughts were a mess, drifting all over the place. She entered the password wrong three times. In the end, she shut the computer, tossed it aside, lay down, and closed her eyes to rest.

Qin Qingyan heard the angry slam of the bedroom door and held back the impulse to go out and explain. She was upset about many things. There was nothing wrong with Yan Yue contacting Zou Yun first, but she couldn’t help minding it in her heart. When had she become so petty?

Why couldn’t she take a detour and pick her up first?

What hurt most was that only she knew Zou Yun had said it on purpose, deliberately trying to get Yan Yue to go pick her up. So she’d deliberately gone to Guomao Center and, out of spite, made herself miserable.

All of it was known only to her.

Could she say it to Yan Yue? Would Yan Yue think she was really that petty, that lacking in grace? She couldn’t say it.

Besides, she was also upset that she knew so little about the people around Yan Yue. She had always thought that when two people were together, as long as they understood how important they were to each other and their hearts were aligned, everything else could be overcome.

So it turned out that wasn’t true.

She flopped onto the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling, unable to think of a solution.

At dinnertime, Qin Qingyan left the room for the first time since coming back inside. Yan Yue’s bedroom door was shut tight against her, not a hint of sound leaking out.

She sighed, tied on an apron, washed the rice, and started cooking, then washed and chopped the vegetables. The sharp blade struck the cutting board with a dull sound that filled the whole living room. Maybe it even reached that soundproofed door.

One steaming dish after another was carried to the table. Qin Qingyan set out the bowls and chopsticks; after that, it was time to call Yan Yue for dinner. But she hesitated. She took a step forward, then pulled back. Gathering her courage, she walked to Yan Yue’s bedroom door and raised a hand. Her fingers twitched, then withdrew.

She quietly went back to the table and sat down, sighing.

The three dishes were no longer steaming hot as they had been when first served; only faint wisps of white vapor still rose from them. If they weren’t eaten soon, they’d go cold.

She picked up her phone. With all the courage she could muster, thinking that whether she stuck her neck out or shrank back, the result would be the same, she decisively dialed the top number in her contacts without giving herself time to think.

Qin Qingyan was still figuring out what to say when the other side answered at once.

“Dinner’s ready.” Her momentum vanished in an instant; she lifted a hand and fanned herself weakly.

Why couldn’t she just sound a little more confident? She was the one feeling wronged too; she was the one who needed comfort.

“Mm.” The other side hung up.

Qin Qingyan pouted, feeling awful.

Not long after, the bedroom door opened. Yan Yue came out in casual home clothes, her expression faint and unreadable. She glanced at Qin Qingyan, then quickly and naturally looked away and sat down across from her.

Qin Qingyan pretended not to look at her, but her peripheral vision was full of her.

Neither of them spoke. No one took the first step to break the ice; they ate just as calmly and naturally as always. The living room was utterly silent.

The meal was full of hidden thoughts. Before Qin Qingyan had even sorted out her feelings, Yan Yue had already finished eating. She carried her bowl to wash the dishes. Qin Qingyan’s gaze followed her back as it moved away; she opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

The next morning, Qin Qingyan got up to wash up and discovered that Yan Yue had already dressed and was sitting on the sofa watching television. She hurried through her routine, quickly changed clothes, then stopped with one foot still outside the bedroom. She rushed to the full-length mirror to check herself over and over until she was sure nothing was out of place, then finally walked out, closing the door softly behind her.

Yan Yue almost simultaneously switched off the television and stood up toward the entrance. Qin Qingyan followed behind her. The two of them went downstairs together, still not saying a word.

The whole way there was quiet as well, until they reached the film crew and the car slowed. Qin Qingyan unbuckled her seat belt, thinking that no matter what, she had to say at least a few words later; they couldn’t keep going on like this forever, could they?

She turned to look at Yan Yue; Yan Yue happened to be looking at her too. Their eyes met. In that instant, it seemed as if every misunderstanding, every grievance, every trace of hurt no longer mattered. Nothing could compare to the person right in front of her.

Qin Qingyan’s lips parted slightly, just as she was about to say something, when Yan Yue’s phone rang. With a trace of regret, she lowered her gaze and pushed open the car door to get out.

Yan Yue seemed to want to speak but stopped herself, watching Qin Qingyan’s back until it disappeared. The phone was still ringing; glancing down, she saw it was Ye Bai, so she answered and drove to the company.

After the morning shoot ended, Qin Qingyan found an excuse to wander alone along a nearby street to clear her head. Before she knew it, she had walked into a park, lively with crowds, laughter, and chatter.

She strolled aimlessly, setting aside the actor’s habit of observing people and simply trying to relax, preferably without thinking about anything at all.

The weather was lovely and warm; there were many people taking photos.

“The picture’s done, Dad; take a look and see how it is. Your son didn’t study this major for nothing,” a man said proudly.

Another old voice followed immediately after. “Then let me have a careful look... Mm, not a wasted education. You’ve captured my old age with quite a bit of vigor.”

The father and son laughed together.

Qin Qingyan stopped in her tracks. The old man’s voice sounded familiar; she was sure she’d heard it somewhere before. She turned around and searched the crowd for the source, and very soon she spotted him. The smiling old man saw her at the same time.

Just one glance, and he turned back to talking with his son, his eyes full of pride.

Only then did Qin Qingyan remember her disguise: a brown baseball cap and sunglasses. She hadn’t worn a mask today; partly because the weather was too hot, and partly because even so, few fans would recognize her. It was normal that Zhao Baishu hadn’t recognized her. As for the young man standing beside him, a head taller than him, that should be Zhao Qian.

She hadn’t recognized his voice just now; even listening more carefully, she still couldn’t quite make it out.

Thinking of how Zhao Qian had always given her trouble back in Qingyi Village, she had no intention of going over to greet them. After all, there would never be any more connection between them. She looked at the father and son; after so many years, Zhao Baishu seemed to have grown younger in spirit, radiant and full of energy, and even his clothes were as neat and meticulous as they’d been in Qingyi Village.

Zhao Qian seemed to have changed a great deal. Just now, a little girl had accidentally bumped into him; he hadn’t gotten angry, only laughing as he teased her for a while. His smile suited the warm weather today.

The moment he stood up, he spotted the woman standing not far away, motionless and staring in their direction. Her bearing stood out; she was very noticeable in the crowd. Frowning in confusion, he wondered if she was one of his classmates.

“Oh? Kid, another admirer? You’ve got more peach blossoms than I did back in the day,” Zhao Baishu said with no small amount of pride.

Zhao Qian was still trying to remember when the woman slightly lifted her head, took off her sunglasses, and met his stunned gaze.

Qin Qingyan walked over and greeted him with a smile. “Uncle Zhao, long time no see.” Then she looked at Zhao Qian and gave him a light smile.

Zhao Qian was still frozen, unable to believe he’d run into Qin Qingyan here. The instant she removed her sunglasses and he looked into her eyes, countless feelings surged up in him; his heartbeat quickened without his even noticing, and however hot the day was, it couldn’t compare to the heat in his own body.

“Yan girl, this really is fate. After you left Qingyi Village, I thought I’d never see you again. To think we’d run into each other by chance today. So many years have passed, and you’ve grown more and more beautiful. Even I almost didn’t recognize you.” Zhao Baishu said.

“Uncle Zhao, you look even younger than you did a few years ago,” Qin Qingyan said sincerely.

Zhao Baishu laughed heartily. “How can anyone grow younger with age? It’s just that after I set down all that burden, my mind became much more open. A person still has to live with a broader heart.”

He glanced at his son with a smile. After all, he was the one who’d raised him; as a father, he understood Zhao Qian’s thoughts more or less. Finding an excuse, Zhao Baishu left to give the two of them a chance to talk alone.

Of course, Qin Qingyan had never liked Zhao Qian before. Now that she was a big star and had seen all kinds of outstanding people, there was even less chance she’d take a liking to his son. Zhao Baishu understood that clearly.

But Zhao Qian didn’t understand; or maybe he did understand, yet still couldn’t let go. Over the years, there had been no shortage of excellent girls pursuing him, and he had rejected every one of them. Others might not know, but as his father, Zhao Baishu saw it all very clearly.

Let them talk properly; maybe then he’d be able to let go.

“You studied photography?” Qin Qingyan asked, glancing at his camera.

Zhao Qian lifted the old companion in his hand a little awkwardly. “Yeah. I’ve always liked taking pictures, and I plan to work in this field in the future.”

“That’s nice,” Qin Qingyan said with a smile. “There are quite a few companies hiring in Nanjing City, and the pay is pretty good too. You can develop your career here if you want.”

Zhao Qian looked into her beautiful eyes and panicked, quickly averting his gaze. “Yeah. After graduation, I plan to stay here and work. The conditions here are all pretty good. But I’m planning to earn some money first, then set up my own studio later. That way, I might have more freedom.”

“True. Only by photographing what you love can you get closer to what you’re passionate about,” Qin Qingyan agreed.

Zhao Qian really was very different from before.

He happened to notice the pendant around Qin Qingyan’s neck; on it were two English letters. Some thought rose in his mind, and forcing a smile, he asked casually, “That pendant is really nice. Is it... a gift from your friend?”

Qin Qingyan reached up and touched the pendant. “YY” Yan Yue. Even though they’d had a little spat, the moment she thought of her, she couldn’t stop feeling happy and sweet inside.

“It was given to me by my lover,” she said with a gentle smile.

Zhao Qian made his smile look as unforced as he could, trying to seem relaxed, but it felt as if a lump of cotton had been stuffed into his chest; even breathing became difficult.

He had known all along that she would have someone she liked, but when he truly faced this moment, he could no longer say anything at all, not even manage the most basic courtesy without trying hard.

When Qin Qingyan said goodbye to him, Zhao Qian blurted out, “Can I hug you?” Those were the words he had buried again and again in his heart. Perhaps from now on, if he ever saw her again, it would only be on television.

He didn’t want to make things difficult for Qin Qingyan, so he tried to sound casual. “Actually...”

“Okay,” Qin Qingyan said with a smile.

The excitement Zhao Qian had imagined was quickly swallowed by an overwhelming sense of guilt and regret. How had he ever thought that bullying her would win her attention, and that he could become the special one in Qin Qingyan’s heart?

A faint, clean fragrance drew near him; it was a very light embrace, proper and restrained.

Watching her slender back recede into the distance, the knot that had been pressing in his chest for so long gradually loosened. He let out a long breath. Life was just that dramatic, and that helpless.

How laughable; it was only because he’d once been misunderstood as a child, and Qin Qingyan had said one fair sentence for him in front of everyone, that he had remembered her all these years.