Chapter 123: Chapter 123 - 123 Smooth Sailing

Shen Qingtang hesitated for a long time between Ji Zeqiu and going abroad to study.

Every night before falling asleep, she would recall the words Lin Xu said to her.

No one can block the pace of our progress.

She thought about it over and over again, and only when her agent confirmed with her for the last time a few days ago did she finally make up her mind to agree to go abroad.

Remembering that Lin Xu had advised her to think it through, she decided to let Lin Xu know once she’d made up her mind.

Shen Qingtang asked Brother Zhao for Lin Xu’s phone number, wanting to express her gratitude, “If it weren’t for you, I definitely wouldn’t be able to make this decision now, thank you.”

Lin Xu seemed very happy, and even her cheerful tone could be heard, “I’m so glad you could make this decision. Have you decided when you’ll be leaving for abroad?”

“Tomorrow’s flight, my luggage is almost packed.” Shen Qingtang had acquired Lin Xu’s number early on, but she had been worried that calling her out of the blue would be a disturbance, and thus she delayed for several days.

Not until the day before her departure did Shen Qingtang make the call.

“So soon?” Lin Xu was surprised, “What time is your flight tomorrow? Let me come to the airport to see you off.”

Shen Qingtang politely declined her idea of seeing her off and chatted with her for a few more moments.

After hanging up the phone, Shen Qingtang looked at the now empty apartment, as if she could see memories with Ji Zeqiu in every corner.

Though most were just wishful thinking on her part.

Shen Qingtang shook her head, casting all those memories out of her mind.

The next morning.

Shen Qingtang sat in her agent’s small car and arrived at the airport.

“I’ll see you off here. Remember to study hard abroad, and call me if there’s anything,” her agent reminded her when they parted.

“Thank you, Sister Han.”

Shen Qingtang waved goodbye, pulling her suitcase into the airport.

However, when she got to the security checkpoint and saw two familiar figures, her steps froze in place.

“You… why did you come?” Shen Qingtang’s lips parted slightly, and she remained stunned for quite a while.

She took a deep look at Ji Zeqiu, then her gaze fell on Lin Xu with a trace of surprise in her eyes.

Lin Xu smiled without answering and handed her the small bag she was carrying.

“What’s this?” Shen Qingtang took the bag with confusion and found a small gift box inside.

“It’s a gift for you, wishing you a smooth journey abroad,” Lin Xu said.

Inside the small gift box lay a golden necklace, with a tiny sailboat hanging from it, glittering under the sunlight as if sailing across a starry sea.

Shen Qingtang’s eyes lit up, “Thank you for your gift, I really like it, and I will wear it every day.”

“It’s very important to share evenly,” Lin Xu laughed.

Shen Qingtang’s eyes crinkled into a smile, twinkling with joy.

Their interaction wasn’t frequent and, after a brief chat back and forth, the atmosphere fell silent.

Shen Qingtang clenched her hand tighter beside her as her gaze unconsciously settled on Ji Zeqiu again, her lips parting several times as if she was about to speak but then hesitating.

Ji Zeqiu stood with his head bowed in front of her, and even though his hat and mask concealed much of his face, she could still feel the calm detachment in his demeanor.

Shen Qingtang nervously poked her fingertips with her fingernails, making crescent-shaped indentations, as the words in her heart went round and round but couldn’t find their way out.

At that moment.

A hand stealthily nudged Ji Zeqiu.

His body jolted sharply, looking at Lin Xu in puzzlement.

Lin Xu gave him a glare and then looked at Shen Qingtang as if hinting at him to say something more.

Ji Zeqiu struggled for a moment before he dryly spit out a “Have a safe trip.”

“That’s too perfunctory, can’t you say something more!” Lin Xu’s lowered voice carried a tinge of mockery, “You’re being way too straightforward.”

“How am I being straightforward?” Ji Zeqiu defended himself.

He had bought his mother lots of jewelry and handbags, and every time his mother cried watching a movie, he would pass tissues and pat her back to comfort her.

He would always buy her tasty things to eat.

He was simply the most considerate son, even Ji Tingyang couldn’t compare with him!

Shen Qingtang saw them whispering something to each other. She couldn’t hear their voices, but she could see the lively expressions in Ji Zeqiu’s eyes.

The look he gave Lin Xu was filled with urgency and tension, starkly different from the calm he showed when facing her just moments ago.

Suddenly.

For some reason, the knot in Shen Qingtang’s heart unraveled at that moment, and all concerns about love faded away, becoming less important than carving out her own career.

Having come to that realization, the gloominess in her eyes cleared, and they became bright and clear.

“It’s almost time, I need to go board the plane,” Shen Qingtang spoke up.

Lin Xu snapped out of their mother-son debate, a trace of annoyance flickering in her eyes, “It’s all my fault for wasting the time to say goodbye to you. Hurry and go, don’t be late.”

Just before parting, Shen Qingtang suddenly stepped forward and unexpectedly hugged Lin Xu.

“Thank you.” Her voice was soft as the breeze.

Before Lin Xu could react, she was pulling her luggage and hurrying through the security checkpoint.

Lin Xu’s eyes bore intense disapproval as she looked at Ji Zeqiu.

“I knew I shouldn’t have called you here, can’t you say a couple nice words?”

“Who says I can’t.” Ji Zeqiu was indignant, “If you want to hear it, I can say it right now.”

“You didn’t say it just now, what’s the use of saying it now?” Lin Xu said hopelessly, “When you sent off friends in the past, were you also this silent? Don’t tell me if I go abroad, you won’t say a single word either?”

No sooner had she finished speaking than Ji Zeqiu tensely grabbed Lin Xu’s arm, his face anxious.

“You’re going abroad?!”

“Why! When are you going abroad, what for, and with whom, Ji Tingyang?!”

His rapid-fire questions left Lin Xu dizzy.

“Stop, stop, stop, I was just using a metaphor, do you understand metaphor?” Lin Xu cut off his barrage of questions.

Upon hearing this, Ji Zeqiu’s heart, which had been hanging in mid-air, finally settled down as he muttered softly, “As long as you’re not going abroad.”

After a little while, he softly added more.

“I, I’m not saying you can’t go abroad, it’s just too dangerous for you to go alone. If you want to travel abroad, I might as well, reluctantly, accompany you.”

“Is it that much of a hassle? Then I might as well ask Ting Yang to go with me.”

“No way!” Ji Zeqiu abruptly looked up, but upon seeing the teasing in Lin Xu’s eyes, he quickly pretended to be calm again, “He’s a busy CEO with no time to spare; we can’t ask him.”

“You have a point,” Lin Xu chuckled inwardly.

Ji Zeqiu pursed his lips, about to speak, when a low call came from behind.

“Ji Zeqiu?!”

Ji Zeqiu thought his disguise had been blown and his heart suddenly clenched.

However, when he turned and saw the figure of the man, his face turned an ashen grey, his eyes flickering with a cold, harsh light.@@novelbin@@