IMH - 33

Cheng Xiaonan’s hand landed on Yu Qian’s shoulder, and his lips accurately found hers, gently pressing and caressing.

A surge of impulse filled him, wanting to deepen the kiss.

Wanting to embrace her tightly.

Wanting to caress her.

Wanting more, much more.

But he suddenly turned his head away. When he paused, Yu Qian placed her hand on the fabric of his coat on his chest, making a very gentle pushing motion: “Are you still in puberty? Still so impulsive?”

“Then what should I do? Seeing you, puberty just won’t pass.”

Cheng Xiaonan smiled, revealing his endearing dimples, “In front of you, the impulse is eternal.”

If Cheng Xiaonan hadn’t been so agitated, he would have noticed the unsteadiness in Yu Qian’s voice beneath her calm expression.

But he simply couldn’t suppress the surge of emotion in his heart.

From the moment he found that old, worn-out lighter at the car wash.

He couldn’t stay calm anymore.

Cheng Xiaonan knew Yu Qian; she was a woman who cared about her image.

Back then, when driving her sports car, even if the soft-top convertible looked bad when down, she would rather get rained on than lower it.

Many models would go to shoots in casual clothes and without makeup, but Yu Qian always looked exquisite when she went out.

She would have well-matched clothes and shoes, fragrant hair, and delicate makeup.

Someone like Yu Qian was always associated with fashion. Unless there was a special reason, she would absolutely not keep such an empty, old, and cheap-looking lighter with her.

There was a possibility, one that Cheng Xiaonan himself found hard to believe—

Yu Qian might truly, to some extent, have feelings for him.

Whether in the past or now.

________________________________________

Even though he had been preparing himself for these seven years, knowing that in one of the years he was still striving, Yu Qian might have met the right person and entered into marriage.

It was also possible that Yu Qian was truly living happily with Peter, and they even had children.

Perhaps all his efforts would lead to nothing.

But at the moment he truly received a response, Cheng Xiaonan was overjoyed.

He stood in the entrance of Yu Qian’s room, looking into the eyes of Yu Qian, who had her arms crossed, and couldn’t help but ask her: “Stanford in Germany? Car accident amnesia?”

Yu Qian’s expression was as usual. She pondered for a moment before speaking: “The car accident was real, but not that severe. I lost some financial assets.”

Cheng Xiaonan frowned slightly: “You’re okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Actually, he wanted to stay and say more, but he felt the kiss just now was already a bit abrupt.

After all, they had been separated for too many years. He licked his lips, suddenly unsure what to say.

Yu Qian hadn’t lost her memory. All these days, she must have understood his actions. He had been very clear in telling her, “I like you.”

But Yu Qian had never responded.

Cheng Xiaonan began to ponder what she might be worried about.

Both fell silent. Cheng Xiaonan glanced at the snow beginning to fall outside the window and tentatively asked, “How about you rest first? We can find some time tomorrow to talk properly?”

Yu Qian held out her hand: “The lighter.”

“Can’t give it to you.”

Cheng Xiaonan weighed the plastic lighter twice in his palm. He smiled and said, “This is my confidence. I won’t give it back to you.”

“What confidence?”

Cheng Xiaonan pointed to his lips: “I was presumptuous with my actions. I’m afraid you’ll hit me. Holding this lighter gives me some psychological comfort, making me feel like you haven’t forgotten me.”

He was a little proud, and casually boasted, “Why are you keeping this thing? It’s out of gas. Is it to miss someone? I’m standing right here, you can look at me all you want.”

Yu Qian seemed about to say something when a “buzzing” sound came from the bedroom. Cheng Xiaonan, afraid of being rebuffed, quickly pointed behind her: “You answer the phone. I won’t be an eyesore here anymore.”

But he had barely walked two steps when his own phone rang.

A company management person spoke to him in an anxious tone: “CEO Cheng, one of our short-term female models destroyed the lounge in Photography Zone A. It’s filled with slander against another female model...”

Cheng Xiaonan turned to look at Yu Qian, who was still on the phone, and suddenly had a bad feeling: “Who did she slander?”

“It was Teacher Yu Qian.”

________________________________________

As Yu Qian finished her call, Cheng Xiaonan leaned against her bedroom door, asking her, “Was that Sun Yue? Did she tell you?”

“Mm.”

“I also got a call. I’m going to the company. Want to come with me?”

Yu Qian nodded: “Okay.”

But after speaking, she just looked at Cheng Xiaonan, not moving.

Cheng Xiaonan waited a few seconds, his gaze questioning, “What’s wrong? Aren’t we going to the company?”

Yu Qian raised her hand, back of her hand facing out, and waved: “I need to change.”

________________________________________

Cheng Xiaonan drove Yu Qian back to the company.

The car was parked in the underground garage of Photography Zone A. The two took the elevator to the floor where the lounge was located.

As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, they could already hear Sun Yue arguing with someone.

It was clearly someone who didn’t often argue; not a single word was to the point, but to intimidate the other party, she shouted as loudly as possible.

“Sun Yue.”

Sun Yue, whose face was already red from emotional agitation, heard Yu Qian’s call and suppressed her anger to turn around, just in time to see Cheng Xiaonan and Yu Qian.

Perhaps due to the height difference, Sun Yue first saw Cheng Xiaonan’s tall figure, and then Yu Qian’s face emerged from behind him.

For a moment, all of Sun Yue’s anger subsided, and her nose immediately felt a pang of sadness.

She felt that Yu Qian deserved to have someone like this, standing in front of her.

Standing in front of all the curses born of jealousy.

Standing in front of all malicious rumors.

The lounge had many words written in lipstick. On the walls, on the tables, and even on the chairs. Although the lipstick shades were different, they were all red, making the lounge look like a crime scene.

There were also printed photos of Yu Qian, splashed with some kind of red liquid, her beauty blooming in the photos soaked in what looked like blood.

The other party’s agent was still arguing, saying there must have been a reason.

Sun Yue was so angry she almost rushed over to pull her hair, but Cheng Xiaonan blocked her behind him.

He gestured with his chin towards the smoking room, ignoring the models and their agents, only telling the “Eleven” manager: “Handle it over there. Close the door, don’t bother us.”

Sun Yue stood on tiptoes, trying to cover Yu Qian’s eyes: “Qian, don’t look.”

The bright red words—Cheng Xiaonan stood in front of the two girls, silently reading each line.

It was nothing more than the rumors about Yu Qian from when she was abroad, just with more disgusting language.

Yu Qian, however, showed no particular reaction to the scene. After watching for a while, she calmly said, “Looks like a horror movie set. Well done.”

Sun Yue turned her head and wiped away tears. She had been quite startled when she first saw it, but Yu Qian looked so calm, as if she had already experienced it all before.

She even nodded knowingly when she saw the female model who had done this through the glass, saying that she had dealt with that female model before.

Sun Yue was very angry, subconsciously wanting to ask her boss to seek justice for Yu Qian.

Lately, after spending more time with Cheng Xiaonan in private, Sun Yue had long forgotten what CEO Cheng looked like with a cold face. Suddenly, turning back and seeing Cheng Xiaonan’s expression, she was startled.

His eyes were filled with indifference, and his lips were pursed into a straight line.

But when he turned to speak to Yu Qian, he had his usual smiling eyes.

Cheng Xiaonan led Yu Qian and Sun Yue to a dressing room, saying he would go understand the situation and then they could come over.

After a while, a staff member knocked and entered, saying that CEO Cheng had sent coffee and biscuits.

Yu Qian said nothing throughout, even comforting Sun Yue a few times.

Less than 20 minutes later, another staff member knocked, delivering two dinners, also saying they were ordered by CEO Cheng.

The delivery bag had a note, specifically instructing the vendor to use less salt and keep it bland.

________________________________________

Cheng Xiaonan stood in the smoking room next to the lounge, listening to the female model who had damaged the lounge and her assistant talk to the department manager in charge of resolving the matter.

“I’ve known Yu Qian for a long time. Destroying the lounge was wrong of me, but she used tactics to snatch my job, and I think I should...”

The manager interrupted her: “What job are you referring to that was snatched?”

“The cover shoot. The next issue’s cover shoot was supposed to be mine, but the photography team suddenly changed models. She must have manipulated things.”

“She was like this when she was abroad, acting shamelessly because she was a famous fashion designer’s mistress.”

“I had a ‘Fire and Sulfur’ themed shoot that was snatched away by her like that. The funniest thing is, she had a broken arm but still insisted on keeping that position.”

“You don’t know what kind of person she is, but I do. This job might have been obtained through some unscrupulous means...”

Cheng Xiaonan, who was playing with the plastic lighter, suddenly looked up, his gaze cold: “You were the one who pushed Yu Qian down the stairs three years ago, weren’t you?”

The female model seemed startled, instinctively standing up: “What are you talking about! I didn’t push her; she fell herself!”

Cheng Xiaonan knew the full story of that incident.

Three years ago, Yu Qian received an invitation from a very famous photographer to shoot a series of photos for a top international magazine.

The photo theme was very unique, “Fire and Sulfur,” from the Bible story, used by foreigners to imply hell or God’s wrath.

This set of photos was war-themed and was Yu Qian’s most famous set of photos during her seven years abroad.

Even some famous photographers, who didn’t know Yu Qian’s name, would praise the short-haired female model in the “Fire and Sulfur” photos as beautiful.

In that set of photos, her arm was in a cast.

It was a week before the shoot that Yu Qian fractured her right arm.

Old Cheng heard about this and told Cheng Xiaonan. Later, he also told Cheng Xiaonan that her arm injury was likely not an accident, but intentional.

But Yu Qian didn’t stop her photography work. The day after her fracture, foreign media captured her leaving with exquisite makeup, her cast-protected arm supported by a silk scarf worth over ten thousand, tied around her neck.

She was beautiful.

After hearing about this, Cheng Xiaonan stayed up all night for a whole week, dedicated to perfecting “Eleven.”

The “Eleven” manager responsible for investigating this matter discussed with Cheng Xiaonan about reporting it to the police. They had already taken photos and had surveillance footage as evidence.

Cheng Xiaonan nodded, agreeing to this solution.

The manager was about to send Cheng Xiaonan off when he heard him say that after the outcome of this matter, it should be posted on the company’s official website homepage. “Eleven” would no longer collaborate with such a model.

________________________________________

With the matter resolved, Yu Qian and Cheng Xiaonan returned to the hotel.

In the elevator, Cheng Xiaonan suddenly asked: “Was your arm fracture because of that female model?”

Perhaps not expecting Cheng Xiaonan to know such details, Yu Qian paused for a moment: “Yes.”

Cheng Xiaonan said nothing more. Only when the elevator reached their floor and they walked side-by-side down the hallway did he suddenly speak in a low voice: “Jiejie.”

This address was so familiar to Yu Qian that she instinctively turned her head to look at Cheng Xiaonan.

She heard him say: “You use all your energy to be strong, as if you have no energy left to love others?”

“I don’t. If you know that, then back off.”

This was the first time they had discussed this so directly, and Yu Qian just felt her mood was not cheerful.

The difficulty of dealing with certain discovered personal worries, and the former colleague who had tripped her up.

She couldn’t say which matter was more unpleasant. Her emotions had nowhere to vent, and she didn’t want to talk about love on such an unpleasant night.

But after those words left her mouth, she did regret them a little.

She had spoken too harshly.

It seemed that when facing Cheng Xiaonan, she was always like this:

Unable to be completely calm.

And unable to completely control her temper.

But Cheng Xiaonan nudged Yu Qian with his arm, as if they were back to the days of seven years ago.

He smiled easily: “You don’t have the energy, but I do. I’ll love you, okay?”