âWhy are you getting angry at her?â
Qiao Sixiao laughed and walked over, took the cup from Li Liangâs hand, and said to Li Liang, âYou go out first, Iâll call you if I need anything.â
Li Liang nodded nervously, then bumped into the floor lamp when she turned around: when they came in earlier, Qiao Sixiao said the ceiling light was glaring so this was the only light source in the room.
Now it was completely dark.
âSorry...â
Li Liang was even more nervous now. Qiao Sixiao told her to leave first while she went to lift up the lamp herself, fumbling for the power cord in the darkness.
âActually, you donât need to try so hard. Donât feel burdened by those bad online comments. Those businessmen only care about profits. Worldly sophistication is just a trick. As long as there are gains, they will come chasing after the scent... From now on, don't go to such social obligations. Let He Hong do the bowing and scraping herself...â
The power cord was plugged in and light returned to the room.
Qiao Sixiao stood up, satisfied, and continued speaking:
âI know your kind intentions, Qin Wei. Donât let there be a next time. Trust me, we wonât lose out. At worst weâll earn less...â
She looked at Qin Wei, but at this moment Qin Wei was also looking at her expressionlessly, like frost. Seeing Qiao Sixiaoâs slightly flustered appearance, she couldnât help but raise the corners of her mouth. She leaned close to Qiao Sixiaoâs ear and asked:
âWhatâs wrong? Is Miss Qiao teaching me how to conduct myself?â
...
...
Five minutes had passed...
Li Liang paced in the hallway.
Ten minutes passed...
Li Liang squatted at the door, eyes longing.
Half an hour passed...
Li Liang sat in the corner, hugging her knees, curled up in a ball.
Afraid, helpless, and tired too...
The door opened.
Li Liang gave a startled jerk and stood up.
âSis... Huh? Teacher Qiao?â
Li Liang walked to the door. She didnât expect Qiao Sixiao to come out.
âI I Iâll go in and help bring her back to her room...â
Thatâs what she said, but Li Liang was extremely reluctant in her heart. She hadnât seen what Qin Wei was like when drunk, but that expression and tone from earlier...
Li Liang involuntarily shrank her neck at the thought.
If she was normally a harmless, lively puppy, then earlier...
[Beware of dog!]
âNo need, sheâs asleep.â
Qiao Sixiao said while rubbing her wrist.
Only then did Li Liang notice that her wrist was bright red.
She was grabbed?
âAre you okay... my sisâs expression today... was a bit... scary... Has she been like this before?â
Li Liang folded away her curiosity and merely asked perfunctorily out of politeness.
Qiao Sixiao glanced at her.
âHow would I know?â
Iâm more familiar with her back view.
Qiao Sixiao changed the subject. She asked:
âDid you find her room card key?â
âHere...â
Li Liang presented it with both hands.
âI have no plans scheduled for tomorrow morning. Donât come disturb me.â
...
...
âMiss, weâve arrived.â
Returning home late into the night, the Mercedes-Benz E300 stopped at Shen Qingqingâs door.
But Shen Qingqing, sitting in the back seat, was in no hurry to get out of the car.
She slowly took out a makeup mirror from her bag, looking at herself in the mirror while lazily messing up her own hair with one hand.
Next she wiped off her lipstick, then lightly dabbed some BB cream on her lips with her fingertips.
After that, she used eye drops in her eyes. Done!
Looking at her haggard self in the mirror, she simply looked like a girl who had just been bullied: helpless and pitiful!
She adjusted her emotions. Hmm, delicate and pitiful. Even she felt a little heartache looking at herself.
Shen Qingqing looked up and saw the driverâs helpless expression in the rearview mirror. She raised her hand to point at him threateningly:
âNot a peep! Or else Iâll make you go scrub urinals at the hotel!â
âMm.â
The driver nodded. It wasnât the first time she had threatened him. Whenever Miss Shen came back after making trouble, she would put on situational makeup like this.
This time was no exception.
Hearing the driverâs acquiescence, Shen Qingqing was satisfied getting out of the car. She pushed open the door and strode straight up to her room.
Her parents, who were sitting in the living room drinking tea and reading, naturally saw her.
âQingqing.â
Seeing her somewhat disheveled hair and dejected back, Shen's Mother knew her daughter must be in a bad mood.
Maybe she was even bullied!
Shen's Mother walked over. Seeing her haggard and aggrieved little face, she immediately hugged her and asked:
âWhat happened?â
Shen Qingqingâs mouth twisted. Every trembling note was filled with grievance:
âNothing... wah wah...â
Shen's Father put down his teacup and looked over. âJust say it if something happened.â
âI just went to our hotel, umm... the one on Chengnan Road. They happened to be having a cocktail party and Uncle Qian was there too. I drank a little and he started molesting me, wah... I ran away. I didnât dare hit him, heâs your friend! It was too unfair!â
As Shen Qingqing spoke, she started crying. While crying, she said,
âThe more I think about it the angrier I get! Daddy, take him down for me! Kill him! Bankrupt him!â
Seeing her cry until she couldnât breathe, Shen's Mother kept patting her back while placating her:
âOh oh oh, mm hmm mm hmm, okay okay okay!â
âYou go ahead and spoil her!â
With that said, she turned her head and ignored the mother and daughter.
Only after much coaxing and persuasion did Shen's Mother send her back to her room. Going downstairs, she saw Shen's Father hanging up a phone call.
âSheâs still pretending. Such exaggerated acting, tsk tsk!â
Shen's Father glanced at his wife and casually threw the phone on the sofa.
âI actually thought she was really aggrieved at first. Scared me to death.â
Shen's Mother walked over and sat down.
âWhat do you plan to do? If you donât go along with what she wants, sheâll make a fuss again tomorrow. Or... find an excuse to get Old Qian to work on a project overseas? After she cools down we can talk?â
âYou really think someone out there would dare bully her?â
Shen's Father said,
âWhat a coincidence, President He just called too, backing her story. I knew what was going on then.
But my partnership with Old Qian is just about at its end anyway. Heâs gotten too greedy lately, gotten too close with those crooks in South Asia. Using this girlâs outburst as an opportunity to draw a clear boundary isnât a bad idea.â
...
Headache...
All sorts of chaotic dreams all night.
Qin Wei opened her eyes and looked at the ceiling, struggling for a few moments before giving up on getting out of bed.
Whatâs the point of getting up when thereâs no work and itâs a beautiful day?
But...
Iâm hungry!
Five minutes later, Qin Wei struggled to sit up again, zoning out.
âSuch a bad headache...â
With one hand propping up her forehead, she sank into thought:
How much did I drink last night?
How did I get back?
I...
âThis must be a hangover...â
Qin Wei strongly endured the headache to fumble around for her phone, trying to find ways to alleviate a hangover through the search engine.
After searching everywhere she still couldnât find her phone.
In order to look for her phone and get herself a glass of water to drink, Qin Wei had no choice but to crawl out of bed. Walking to the living room, she was confused again:
Her bank card was on the floor. Her stuffed strawberry bear flashlight and other treasures were also scattered all over...
Was she robbed???