IMH - 37

After a heavy snowfall, the basic temperature for this entire winter in Imperial City seemed to be set, making it another harsh winter.

The weather forecast constantly warned of dropping temperatures.

Cheng Xiaonan, however, didn’t feel the weather was particularly bad. He felt it was spring.

When Yu Qian had work, Cheng Xiaonan brought his laptop and worked in the lounge in her shooting area or in the car downstairs;

When Yu Qian had no work, Cheng Xiaonan invited her out for meals, shopping, drinks, or just to chat in the hotel.

In a strong wind, Cheng Xiaonan draped his long down jacket over Yu Qian, shielding her as she slipped into the car, then played weak with her.

He pointed to his cheek and said he was only wearing a shirt earlier and almost froze to death. Couldn’t she give him a kiss or something?

Yu Qian usually turned her head expressionlessly, as if she couldn’t be bothered with him.

But Cheng Xiaonan would also notice that she would silently turn up the air conditioning in the car while it was moving.

“So concerned about me?”

“Hey, are you feeling bad for me?”

“Afraid I’ll get sick?”

“Worried about your probationary boyfriend?”

“Then why not just make me full-time already?”

“Hmm? I’m asking you.”

Amidst Cheng Xiaonan’s endless teasing, Yu Qian usually remained silent.

But occasionally, when he turned his head, he could also see a suppressed smile in her eyes.

Those were very pleasant moments because he knew he was making her happy.

________________________________________

In late December, Yu Qian received a job, and the shooting location was again at Photography Zone A.

Cheng Xiaonan was initially a bit worried, fearing that she would recall the foul language written all over the walls a few days ago when she rested there. But Yu Qian said, “It’s fine.”

In the afternoon, Yu Qian took a break from work and walked out of the studio with heavy makeup and hair. She took the coffee Cheng Xiaonan handed her, drank it, and calmly pushed open the door to the lounge.

Upon seeing the scene inside, she did genuinely pause, moving the coffee cup from her lips, and turning to look at Cheng Xiaonan: “Was it renovated?”

“Not really. Just new wallpaper. The tables and stuff weren’t hard to clean anyway,” Cheng Xiaonan kept a close eye on Yu Qian, in case she had any unpleasant emotions.

“Why are you looking at me?”

Yu Qian nodded towards the smoking room door. “That whole room she wrote in wasn’t as disgusting as the ashtray you custom-ordered.”

At the mention of the ashtray, Cheng Xiaonan laughed: “I rarely see you smoking anymore? Was it really that disgusting?”

“What do you think?”

Actually, after that incident, even Sun Yue was a little reluctant to use this lounge, and other models were also not very willing to come over.

Mainly because the scene there that day was too frightening. The lights were broken, flickering on and off due to poor contact. And red writing was everywhere, with red liquid covering the floor.

It felt cursed, somewhat creepy.

But Yu Qian sat there, unaffected, leisurely drinking her coffee, showing no signs of lingering effects.

Cheng Xiaonan also held a cup of coffee, not sitting in a chair, but leaning on the table beside Yu Qian. He suddenly said, “As a woman, you’re already brave and strong enough.”

“What do you want to say?”

Cheng Xiaonan stood with his back to the afternoon sunlight, looking into Yu Qian’s eyes: “I want to say, I don’t think I just like you.”

“Admiration?”

“Admiration, yes, a lot of it, but more than that, I love you.”

He took the opportunity to confess, but even when they were together before, he always spoke this way, always having his affection on his lips, blurting it out now and then, as if afraid Yu Qian wouldn’t know.

Yu Qian was silent for a few seconds, then raised her coffee cup towards him, clinking it against his.

She replied very officially, “Thank you.”

Cheng Xiaonan was so exasperated he laughed: “Am I your little fanboy? Just a ‘thank you’ and I’m dismissed?”

It was at this moment that Sun Yue pushed the door open and poked her head in: “Qian, it’s almost your turn. Oh, CEO Cheng is here again...”

That word “again” was quite insightful.

After Sun Yue finished speaking, she realized she had spoken carelessly again, covered her mouth, and quickly backed out.

“I’m going to work.”

Yu Qian had only walked a few steps when Cheng Xiaonan suddenly called out to her, raising his index finger and waving it widely a few times, like an enthralled concert-goer.

Then, he asked with a beaming smile, “Your little fanboy has a question. Want to watch another movie or something tonight?”

Cheng Xiaonan’s smile had always been beautiful and infectious.

“Mm, let’s watch it in your room.”

________________________________________

However, Yu Qian couldn’t finish the movie that night either. Perhaps it was easier to get sleepy in winter; the movie was only halfway through when she fell asleep again.

Cheng Xiaonan still carried her back to the bedroom, then took his room card and went to Yu Qian’s room to sleep.

Perhaps it was due to thinking about it all day, but nearing wake-up time, Cheng Xiaonan had a very realistic dream.

He dreamed that Yu Qian, in the early morning, wearing her light, airy nightgown, pushed open his room door, walked in, sat on the edge of his bed, and asked him: “Here, or on the sofa?”

This dream was a bit strange.

He had just placed his hand on Yu Qian’s shoulder when there was a knock on the room door.

Cheng Xiaonan almost woke up with a start from his sleep. He was wearing pajamas and rubbed his hair a few times.

When he opened the door and saw Han Chu outside, his morning grumpiness nearly peaked.

Han Chu saw him, his gentle smile almost froze, and he instinctively glanced at the room number plate on the door.

Cheng Xiaonan looked less than polite, leaning against the door with a grim face.

“Did Yu Qian... change rooms?”

Han Chu quickly composed himself, becoming refined again, “I’m sorry, I asked the staff. I thought Yu Qian was still in this room...”

For a moment, Cheng Xiaonan suddenly had a mischievous thought.

Just like years ago when he heard Yu Qian say she liked honor students, or when he heard Han Chu’s voice message, he wasn’t going to make it easy for this man who clearly had feelings for Yu Qian.

Cheng Xiaonan unhurriedly adjusted the cuffs of his pajamas, looked back at the empty room, and said, “Yu Qian didn’t change rooms; she’s still asleep. Do you want me to call her?”

Before Han Chu could speak, he added, “But I don’t really recommend you call her now. She was very tired last night. I hope she sleeps a bit longer. If there’s anything, why not wait until she wakes up?”

________________________________________

Yu Qian slept until almost 8 AM. When she opened her eyes, Cheng Xiaonan’s bedroom had heavy blackout curtains drawn. She pressed the remote control and waited for the curtains to slowly open before taking the water glass from the bedside table and drinking half a glass of water.

There were two unread messages from Cheng Xiaonan on her phone.

The first one said a lot.

He said he was woken up by knocking on the door that morning and thought it was her, moved by his gentleness and thoughtfulness, coming to throw herself into his arms, but when he opened the door, it was Han Chu.

And he relayed that Han Chu said he was waiting for her in the lobby downstairs and wanted to talk to her after she woke up.

This message was particularly long. The second message, however, was very simple.

Only one character, expressing Cheng Xiaonan’s mood:

【Tsk.】

Yu Qian smiled and replied to Cheng Xiaonan, saying she was awake.

When they had both gotten ready and gone downstairs, Han Chu was indeed sitting on a waiting chair in the hotel lobby, facing the elevators. Seeing them emerge, Han Chu smiled and stood up, calling Yu Qian: “Qianqian.”

It was still early. There weren’t many people in the hotel lobby. Yu Qian had a photo shoot today that would last until the afternoon, so she didn’t have time for breakfast. Cheng Xiaonan first went to the hotel restaurant to pack two breakfasts, planning to eat at the company.

He carried the breakfasts in a brown paper bag and grandly said, “You two chat. I’ll go get the car.”

Yu Qian glanced at Cheng Xiaonan.

Before leaving, this younger man was clearly not like this.

It was unclear who rummaged through drawers to find two almost identical men’s thick scarves, insisting on wearing matching ones with her.

Now, he was acting quite properly.

Cheng Xiaonan didn’t know how long Yu Qian and Han Chu would chat. The car had only been parked at the hotel for a few minutes when Yu Qian came out.

He was a little surprised: “That fast?”

Remembering Han Chu’s talk about “younger men not being reliable,” Yu Qian frowned, looking unwilling to discuss it further: “There was nothing much to say anyway.”

________________________________________

After dropping Yu Qian off, Cheng Xiaonan realized he had forgotten his phone.

He drove back to the hotel alone to retrieve his phone and, to his dismay, Han Chu was still sitting in the hotel lobby, though his expression seemed different from the morning, looking somewhat dejected.

Cheng Xiaonan’s car key ring was hooked on his index finger, spinning all the way as he slowly swayed over to Han Chu: “Why are you still here?”

Perhaps because he had been excellent since childhood, no matter how gentle Han Chu appeared, he was fundamentally a proud and arrogant person.

Seeing it was Cheng Xiaonan, Han Chu’s expression soured. His voice was soft, but his tone was firm: “Is this hotel yours?”

Cheng Xiaonan paused: “I’m sorry, but it actually is mine.”

Han Chu then looked up, meeting Cheng Xiaonan’s gaze directly: “I heard Qianqian say you’re her new boyfriend?”

Han Chu’s tone was utterly provocative, but Cheng Xiaonan’s focus was on Yu Qian personally admitting to her rival that he was her boyfriend.

So he smiled quite brightly: “Uh-huh, why?”

Unsure what Yu Qian had told Han Chu, his mood seemed very poor. His eyes were downcast, and after a long silence, he said, “Do you know about her and that fashion designer?”

“I do.”

Han Chu’s eyes showed surprise: “You know? And you’re still with her? Are you two just having fun, or are you really in a relationship?”

Cheng Xiaonan almost laughed in exasperation: “Your name is Han Chu, right?”

The other party nodded.

“Listen, there will be many people in this world who love Yu Qian, because she deserves a lot of love, even more. But among the people in this world who love her most, I will definitely be one, but you will not.”

Cheng Xiaonan’s tone cooled as he faced Han Chu. “No matter what experiences she’s had with anyone, I only want her to be happy. Compared to all the rumors, I just need her to be happy. Mr. Scholar, you can’t just like her beautiful appearance and then feel her soul isn’t good enough for you. In reality, no matter what achievements you have, you’re not good enough for her.”

The more Cheng Xiaonan spoke, the angrier he got.

This world was hypocritical, dark, materialistic, and favored those in power while stepping on others.

Too many people dreamt idly, gossiping and slandering others online, unwilling to put effort into working hard, yet when they saw someone more excellent than themselves, they were simply sour grapes.

It was this world that wasn’t good enough for Yu Qian!

The man in front of him, refined and gentle-looking.

Yu Qian’s saved contact name for him used to be “Han Chu (Scholar),” filled with how much admiration and envy, Cheng Xiaonan didn’t know.

He only knew that Han Chu must have disappointed and hurt Yu Qian.

She must have, when she admired Han Chu, heard him echo others’ misunderstandings of her.

She must have, when she was unhappy, heard Han Chu’s self-righteous questions.

No matter who Yu Qian’s admirer was, Cheng Xiaonan had never underestimated the other party, even holding respect for their admiration of Yu Qian.

But at this moment, facing Han Chu, Cheng Xiaonan had no patience left.

When Han Chu stopped him and said, “You don’t understand Qianqian. We grew up together. She definitely doesn’t like you. The last time we met, she only said you were her boss. If she liked you, she would have introduced you. Maybe she just said you were her boyfriend to annoy me...”

Heh.

He sure thought highly of himself.

“Excuse me, coming through.”

Cheng Xiaonan used the leather glove in his hand to push away Han Chu’s hand, thinking this person must have some kind of mental issue.

He didn’t speak to Han Chu again. He went upstairs to get his phone and came back down; Han Chu was still sitting there.

Cheng Xiaonan ignored him, returned to his car, and tossed his gloves and phone onto the passenger seat. Han Chu’s words, “You don’t understand Qianqian,” inexplicably popped into his head.

Bullshit. I’ve loved her for 8 years.

I don’t understand, but you do?

If you understand, why don’t you know how to love her?

Idiot.

Because of this pique, Cheng Xiaonan didn’t return to the office area but went straight to Yu Qian’s workplace.

When he arrived, Sun Yue was standing in the corridor, cautiously taking a call.

The phone she was holding was Yu Qian’s, so when Cheng Xiaonan approached, he gestured with his eyes, asking Sun Yue what was going on.

Sun Yue said into the phone, “Please wait a moment, Teacher Peter.”

She covered the phone: “CEO Cheng, it’s Teacher Peter’s call. Qian asked me to answer it for her.”

Peter didn’t have anything particularly important to say, just that he was coming back to China again and wanted Yu Qian to pick him up.

Cheng Xiaonan suddenly remembered something that he might indeed not know much about.

He took the phone and asked Peter about Yu Qian’s car accident abroad.

He didn’t mean anything else, just that he was a bit worried if Yu Qian was injured in the accident.

After all, when the car accident was mentioned back then, Peter cried so miserably after drinking.

Peter might have heard the words “car accident,” he was silent for a moment, and his voice sounded like he was stomping his feet in anger: “I cried because my wife died in a car accident! What kind of car accident was Yu Qian’s? She just rode a bicycle into a roadside planter, crushed a rose I planted there, and when I asked her for compensation, she just bought me a pizza, stingy girl!”

“I was in a car accident a few years ago.”

“The car accident was real, but not that severe. I lost some financial assets.”

Cheng Xiaonan recalled Yu Qian’s statement about her car accident, and only one thought was in his mind:

This jiejie is truly natural when it comes to tricking people!

Yu Qian worked until evening. Afterward, Cheng Xiaonan drove her back to the hotel. Cheng Xiaonan remained somewhat silent on the way.

However, this silence seemed to be holding back something he wanted to say.

Sure enough, when Yu Qian opened her room door, Cheng Xiaonan followed her in.

He leaned against the entryway and suddenly asked, “Jiejie, hitting a planter with a bicycle, did it hurt?”

It seemed Peter had told Cheng Xiaonan about the “car accident.”

Yu Qian’s expression was as usual: “Perhaps that rose hurt more.”

As a result, Cheng Xiaonan softly said, “How do I feel like my heart hurts more from being deceived? Is there anything else you’ve tricked me about? Can you tell me in advance?”

Yu Qian thought for a moment and suddenly recalled an old event.

That was seven years ago, when Cheng Xiaonan asked her what kind of man she liked, and she casually said, “a scholar.”

“You said you liked scholars.”

Cheng Xiaonan smiled, revealing his dimples, and pulled a chair to sit in front of Yu Qian: “Then why don’t we just be open and honest tonight?”

Yu Qian asked him what he wanted to talk about. Cheng Xiaonan said he would only talk if she agreed to answer truthfully.

She nodded, agreeing.

“Did you really never feel anything for me back then? You left so decisively, and even deleted my contact information?”

Yu Qian had used WeChat for so many years, and apart from Cheng Xiaonan, she had never deleted or blocked anyone.

Even Britney, who slandered her abroad back then, she never actively deleted.

But why, when it came to Cheng Xiaonan, did she delete him so decisively?

She had clearly agreed to be open and honest with Cheng Xiaonan.

But the moment he asked, Yu Qian still instinctively lowered her eyes, choosing the tone that best hid her emotions, calmly saying, “I did feel something, but the loss of work was more expensive than the feeling, so I chose to work abroad. Is there a problem?”

Cheng Xiaonan smiled, got up, and walked away.

Yu Qian stared at the tightly closed door, her fingernails digging into her palms.

She could no longer be honest with the person she liked.

She was a peculiar and awkward woman.

Her phone vibrated; it was a call from Cheng Xiaonan. The moment she answered, she still bristled: “Was what I said not clear enough? Do you have anything else you want to ask?”

“Yu Qian, why don’t you admit that you ran away then? You saw your mother’s signature on my exam paper. Even with a one in ten thousand chance, you weren’t willing to gamble. You were afraid, afraid that it was all just a joke of mine. You were afraid you would get hurt, so you ran.”

Yu Qian listened, silent.

Cheng Xiaonan suddenly laughed on the phone: “Such little ambition, yet you always want me to call you ‘jiejie’?”

Someone had pushed aside years of dust, exposing her most secret thoughts to the sunlight.

In that instant, Yu Qian felt annoyance, embarrassment, and shock.

But there was also a sudden feeling of relief.

She asked: “Cheng Xiaonan, where are you?”

“Outside your door.”

Yu Qian dropped her phone, pulled open the room door, and before her surge of temper could erupt, Cheng Xiaonan’s kiss silenced her.

In a pause between kisses, he asked, “Can I be made full-time now?”