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Psst! We're moving!
After Mei Qiu came home, Cheng Yanqing’s status kept dropping.
The bed they bought for it was soft and comfortable, but it refused to sleep there; it preferred Cheng Yanqing’s bed.
Although Cheng Wanyue spent more time playing with Mei Qiu every day, it was more attached to Cheng Yanqing. Cheng Wanyue suspected that Qing Hang gave her this cat to help smooth things over with Cheng Yanqing.
Yan Ci had been busy with work for a consecutive week and only came home for dinner after sealing the contract.
Cheng Wanyue originally wanted to showcase her cooking skills, but she failed right at the start and was kicked out of the kitchen by the two men within five minutes.
Leaning against the door, she watched them wash and cut vegetables skillfully. They were charming when wearing shirts and suits while working seriously, and equally handsome in casual clothes cooking in the kitchen.
Though Qing Hang wouldn’t wear his white coat home, she had seen him in it at the hospital. During the week she stayed at Qing Hang’s place, he almost always cooked.
“Sigh, I wonder who will be so lucky to marry Yan Ci.”
For so many years, Yan Ci remained single.
“Regret not making a move earlier?” Cheng Yanqing joked. “People say those near the water get the moon first. Mom and Dad created so many opportunities for you two, why don’t you like each other?”
If they said a few more words, they would have mentioned that mistaken love letter from back then.
Yan Ci changed the subject, “Should the ribs be braised or made into soup?”
It was hot weather, and Cheng Wanyue didn’t feel like drinking soup. “Braise them, add some spice.”
“Alright,” Yan Ci looked at Cheng Yanqing beside him, “Pass me the plate.”
Cheng Wanyue couldn’t help in the kitchen and felt like she was in the way, so she went to the living room. Mei Qiu was playing with a cardboard box from a delivery. The bouquet of roses brought back from the hotel was placed in a white vase, with two petals already wilting.
Out of boredom, she changed the water and trimmed the stems.
On her birthday night, she took pictures of the flowers, which were ordinary roses, nothing special. She had received countless bouquets.
But this was the first one from Qing Hang.
Putting the vase in a spot farther from the air conditioner, it should survive for another week.
Cheng Wanyue checked the time; it was already 6:30 PM. Thinking Qing Hang had just finished work, she asked if he’d come over for dinner.
She waited a long time, and he only replied with two words: Busy.
Cheng Wanyue asked what he was busy with.
Ten minutes later, he sent a message: Discussing research matters, I’ll pick you up tonight.
Cheng Wanyue had resigned yesterday. The studio that had previously contacted her offered good terms, so she found time to chat with the boss and felt it was pretty good. Cheng Yanqing also supported her.
Research?
... His senior sister?
Yan Ci and Cheng Yanqing joked and laughed while preparing dinner. Before serving the dishes, Cheng Wanyue took some from each plate and packed them in lunch boxes.
Qing Hang wasn’t picky about food or fruits.
There were only a few items in the fridge. Apples would oxidize quickly after peeling and wouldn’t look nice; grapes were troublesome to eat. So she packed a small box of lychees and added some ice on top.
Cheng Yanqing noticed everything, “What’s this about?”
“Hehe,” Cheng Wanyue smiled, “Passing on borrowed flowers.”
“Going to the hospital?” Yan Ci wasn’t staying the night. “I’ll take you there.”
“How long have you been in Beijing, and you’ve already bought a car?”
“It’s a colleague’s car. After dropping you off, I’ll return it.”
Cheng Wanyue left her own car at home, and Yan Ci was just here for a business trip, so he didn’t bring his car.
Cheng Yanqing still had some work to do, so he didn’t go out with them. After thinking for a moment, he sent Qing Hang a message—not mentioning that Cheng Wanyue brought dinner, just saying she went to the hospital. He told Qing Hang to wait for her at the hospital, not letting her busy herself only to be disappointed.
After arranging the emergency patients, Qing Hang finally saw the WeChat message—it was almost eight o’clock.
Li Yu was no longer in the office. Qing Hang originally didn’t have time to see her off; they hadn’t finished discussing the research topic and needed to reschedule.
Qing Hang turned to ask a colleague, “Did anyone come to see me?”
“Your girlfriend came, but just left,” the colleague had seen Cheng Wanyue’s picture in Qing Hang’s phone. “She seemed upset.”
“How long did she wait?”
“Not long, maybe five minutes. She just left; if you hurry downstairs now, you can catch up.”
Qing Hang didn’t even change his clothes and called Cheng Wanyue while waiting for the elevator. The call connected, but she didn’t answer.
After being hung up by the system, he called again.
Although Cheng Wanyue didn’t like waiting, she wasn’t that impatient.
She had been at the hospital for only twenty minutes. Yan Ci’s car was still in the parking lot and hadn’t left yet. From afar, she saw her coming from the inpatient building, thinking she had delivered the dinner and would come down. As she approached, she realized Cheng Wanyue’s expression was not good.
“Why are you angry after delivering food?”
Cheng Wanyue kept her face cold, “I shouldn’t have come.”
“Is Qing Hang not in the hospital?”
“I don’t care whether he is or not.”
She was empty-handed, so Yan Ci asked, “Where’s the dinner?”
“She gave it to someone else to eat.”
Someone walked over, the sound of high heels crisp. Before Yan Ci looked up, Cheng Wanyue turned around and blocked the person.
Li Yu stopped, calmly meeting Cheng Wanyue’s gaze. They had seen each other in Qing Hang’s office earlier but didn’t greet each other.
“May I help you?”
“Yes, it will only take a few minutes,” Cheng Wanyue remained calm. “Yan Ci, wait for me in the car.”
By saying this, she meant she didn’t want a third person present. Yan Ci returned to the car and closed the door without looking back.
Li Yu was holding many documents, and her car was parked far away. “Please speak directly; I’m in a hurry to get back to the lab.”
Since Cheng Wanyue had spoken, she certainly wasn’t in the mood to beat around the bush. “No other meaning, I just wanted to ask if the jade pendant hanging with the red string belongs to you?”
When she entered the office, Li Yu was sitting on Qing Hang’s desk using the computer. One hand was taking something out of her bag, and the red string got tangled with the pen cap, pulling out the jade pendant.
Cheng Wanyue’s memory wasn’t great, but she recognized her things no matter how much time had passed.
Her grandmother had given it to her.
The Cheng family had only one daughter, and there was only one jade pendant. Her grandmother had given it only to her, saying it was for protection.
On Cheng Guo’an’s birthday that year, Qing Hang got drunk and cried after being teased by her. In a half-drunk, half-awake state, he muttered many things in his sleep, making her seem like a bad woman.
That day, she gave the jade pendant to Qing Hang.
It wasn’t the jade pendant itself that was special, but the red string she had woven herself, different from those sold outside.
Li Yu said, “It’s not mine; I found it in the changing room of the lab.”
Found it.
Not given by someone.
Cheng Wanyue’s expression improved slightly, “Then do you know whose it is?”
“It should belong to Qing Hang. That night, only he and I were in the lab.”
“If you knew it was his, why didn’t you return it to him?”
“Firstly, I came to find Qing Hang because of our research topic. During our discussion, he was called to the ward several times. Before I left, he was still busy. This jade pendant looks valuable, and since he carries it with him, it must be important to him. It’s not appropriate to leave it casually in the office or give it to others. What if it gets lost or broken? Who would be responsible? Secondly, what identity are you questioning me with?”
“What identity? If you want to know, go ask him. No matter who I am to him, I have the right to ask because this jade pendant was given by me.”
Li Yu then scrutinized the person in front of her, “Are you… Cheng Wanyue?”
“I don’t remember us meeting before,” Cheng Wanyue felt her phone vibrating in her bag but ignored it.
Li Yu switched hands holding the documents, “We haven’t met, but I know you.”
Qing Hang had a fountain pen he used for many years, from university until now. Engraved on the pen were the words ‘Cheng Wanyue,’ which weren’t noticeable unless closely inspected.
Once, Li Yu urgently needed to record data and picked up the pen from Qing Hang’s desk. While writing, her thumb felt the grooves and noticed the engraving. Normally, engravings aren’t placed in that position. She casually asked, and Qing Hang didn’t explain, just put the pen away and handed her another one.
She thought it was a brand she didn’t know and couldn’t find online. By chance, she read a comment saying it was bought for a boyfriend, with the boyfriend’s name engraved on the pen cap, and realized it should be someone’s name.
Cheng Wanyue suddenly smiled, “Do you like Qing Hang?”
Li Yu admitted frankly, “Yes, I like him.”
Cheng Wanyue wasn’t surprised. “He is quite likable now. Thank you for recognizing his worth, but unfortunately, you’re too late. He met me first; we’ve known each other for many years.”
Li Yu said, “Knowing each other early doesn’t mean your time together has been long. I’ve known Qing Hang for six years, and what I like isn’t just the current him.”
She noticed Cheng Wanyue’s bright smile stiffened slightly and paused for a few seconds, but she didn’t omit any of her words.
“I know his family background isn’t good, and he had a tough past. A small county town buried his brilliance, and he was looked down on and underestimated. That’s why those people narrow-mindedly think everything he has now is due to luck. Someone like Qing Hang is destined for success because nothing is solely due to luck. Those people missed out on Qing Hang between the ages of 18 and 26 and will never know how brilliant he was in university.”
Cheng Wanyue wasn’t someone with convoluted thoughts, but she understood the underlying meaning of Li Yu’s words.
The ‘those people’ Li Yu referred to included her.
She had known Qing Hang for a long time, but they had only truly been together for three years, far less than Li Yu’s six years.
Those eight years they had missed could never be made up.
Her phone kept vibrating, and Cheng Wanyue saw Qing Hang running out of the hospital building, wearing his white coat, similar to the lab coat Li Yu had draped over her arm.
Before Qing Hang could look this way, Cheng Wanyue turned around and got into the car.
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