Chapter 5 — [A heavy burden but a long road]

The next day, Lou Yao Yao woke up early. Yesterday night she was too excited, she tossed and turned about, but was unable to sleep. Afterwards, she pulled out a photo alb.u.m and looked at for a long time. While she was looking at it, she unknowingly fell asleep.

Even though she didn’t sleep long, the insufficient amount of sleep didn’t lead to exhaustion. Her entire self was refreshed; it seemed like she as an inexhaustible amount of energy.

After was.h.i.+ng her face and rinsing her mouth, Lou Yao Yao leaned forward to look at her university schedule lying on the dressing table.

As a soph.o.m.ore student in university, she still had to attend cla.s.ses. However, she would only attend professional courses that called roll. She basically wouldn’t go to the normal elective cla.s.ses. She spent a long time pouring over her cla.s.s schedule. She compared the schedule with the alarm clock on the headboard. Today was June 20th, a Sunday. There were no cla.s.ses today. There were also no important cla.s.ses tomorrow, she could skip. However, on Tuesday there was a compulsory course by the dean.

After determining she could stay at home these two days, Lou Yao Yao decided what to do these two days in her heart.

She must meet Qing Zhi!

This was what she had planned yesterday evening. In order to give Qing Zhi a pleasant surprise, she especially endured not calling or sending a text message to Qin Zhi.

She didn’t know Qin Zhi’s arrival time, but she could guess it. Father had scolded her because she had quarrelled with Lou Qing Qing and fallen down the stairs. Thus, she quarrelled loudly with father. Afterwards, she had hidden in her home for two days until Qin Zhi returned. When he returned, she grabbed him and complained to him until her mood turned better. At that time, the sky wasn’t yet dark, but Auntie Liu asked them to eat dinner in the evening shortly after.

Therefore, Qing Zhi must have arrived at her house around 5 to 6 o’clock. It took one hour to go from the Southern airport to her house so Qin Zhi’s flight must have landed at 4 o’clock. There was, at most, around 1 hour difference.

She praised herself for her cleverness in her heart. Then, Lou Yao Yao changed out of her pajamas, then went downstairs to eat breakfast.

It wasn’t yet 7 o’clock, but Fang Xi Lei and Lou Yuanzhi were already downstairs reading the newspaper. Hearing the sound of her coming downstairs, Fang Xi Lei glanced up but Lou Yuanzhi didn’t even lift his head. The two aunties were in the kitchen making breakfast. Lou Qing Qing had grabbed a dishcloth and was cleaning the table. Slanting her eyes, Lou Yao Yao walked past her.

Before long, from the kitchen came the sound of Lou Yao Yao acting like spoiled brat. She wanted to eat this. She wanted to eat that. She demanded a lot of many things. The two aunties good-naturedly agreed.

Lou Qing Qing lowered her head and cleaned the table in silence.

The whole family ate breakfast in silence. Fang Xi Lei said a few words to Lou Yao Yao, then went to work with Lou Yuanzhi. What about Lou Yuanzhi? That petty man didn’t even glance at Lou Yao Yao from beginning to end. Lou Yao Yao also didn’t pay attention to him.

Lou Qing Qing rushed to clean up the table and wash the dishes. The two aunties didn’t prevent her from doing so. The two women who were past fifty, what haven’t they experienced , what kinds of people haven’t they met? Old people could see people clearly.

Those who were mothers, even if they lacked the ability to raise their child, who didn’t want the best future for their child? They weren’t like Lou Yao Yao. They could see the deeper things in a matter. Giving birth to a child, who was she putting on a play for? The small tricks that Lou Qing Qing’s mother was up to, could it be that they weren’t able to see through it?

As for Lou Qing Qing doing a little bit of housework, did she really think that she was genuine eldest young lady? Was doing a little housework seem like a grievance as big as the sky? Wasn’t this clearly making them look useless? In the case of a master who was didn’t understand, wasn’t this fastening on them the label of mistreating guests?

However, the master Fang Xi Lei said to let her do what she wanted. No one was compelling her to do the housework. If she was expecting Lou Yuanzhi to speak out for her, wasn’t that being a little too naive?

Auntie Liu and Auntie Lu leisurely cracked open melon seeds while chatting with Lou Yao Yao and watching a drama. The three people nestled in the sofa and talked merrily, the atmosphere was very cozy.

Lou Qing Qing clenched her teeth while was.h.i.+ng the dishes. She listened to the sounds of happiness and laughter outside and so angry that her liver went bad. Those two ungrateful old goods!

Lou Qing Qing stubbornly washed serveral plates for an hour. When she came out, she had cramped hands, and aching waist and a sore back.

Lou Qing Qing’s idea, Lou Yao Yao wasn’t inclined to stop it. She was busy chatting with the two aunties. Speaking of which, she hadn’t seen them for sometime. After Auntie Liu’s son came to take care of her in her old age, Auntie Lu was lonely by herself. Before long her son also picked her up. In fact, according to the two people’s ages, they should already have retired. However, the work in the Fang household was very easy. They just had to buy the groceries and cook three meals every day. A part-timer came to do the other housework. Lou Yao Yao went to school and they also took turns to return to their homes every two days. Their family member weren’t greatly opposed to them working even in their old age. Secondly, they couldn’t bear to give up Lou Yao Yao whom they had watched grow up.

In Lou Yao Yao’s memory, the most intimate people were, firstly her maternal grandfather, secondly Qin Zhi, thirdly the two aunties, and her mother Fang Xi Lei was fourth.

Thus, their relations.h.i.+p not so good.

Lou Yao Yao accompanied the two old women watch TV all morning, ate lunch, and then rested a little. At exactly two o’clock, Lou Yao Yao rushed to the airport.

Lou Yao Yao had obtained her driver’s license. However she never drove. This was because she was too lazy. She couldn’t remember the roads and she didn’t like being tired. Also, after that matter, Lou Yao Yao was a little afraid of riding in a car. When she closed her eyes, she thought a steel bar would fly towards her.

But this time, she could she really walk rather than ride a car? Lou Yao Yao encouraged herself and thought of her task for a while. Only then was she able to tremblingly hold out her hand to flag a taxi.

Lou Yao Yao informed the driver of the address then sat stiffly on the seat, not speaking. Probably because of her extremely nervous expression, the taxi driver jokingly said, “Young lady, are you going to the airport to meet your boyfriend?”

Lou Yao Yao s.h.i.+fted a little of her attention to him, and despondently replied, “He isn’t my boyfriend yet.”

The driver looked at the back mirror and wanted to continue on to say something that would make this young lady less nervous. In the end, Lou Yao Yao’s eyes filled with seriousness stopped him from saying what he was going to say, “ Mr. Driver, please pay attention to the road, don’t speak with me.”

Seeing that Lou Yao Yao’s expression and tone were earnest, the driver didn’t speak so that his good intentions didn’t ruin things.

After waiting an hour, Lou Yao Yao’s body was already rigid, lost its consciousness. She got out the car tremblingly with the driver looking strangely at her.

She took her phone out her bag to check the time. It was 3:10. She shouldn’t have come too late. She ordered a cup of hot milk at the airport. After she drank several cups, she finally felt like she was alive again. Her life was over. How should she live in the days after this?

Lou Yao Yao drank the entire cup of milk, depressed. Then she looked for Qin Zhi’s exit. It had been so many years, she didn’t really remember where Qin Zhi went or which plane he took. However, her seat’s position was very good. She could look at the entire situation. She could see every person exiting from the airport.

Lou Yao Yao bought a magazine to look at. From 3:00 till 4:30, she drank many cups of beverage and went to the bathroom several times. Finally, she saw a familiar person in the crowd.

Lou Yao Yao stood up excitedly. Looking at him through the crowd, she was stunned. It was definitely Qin Zhi’s face but she felt it was very unfamiliar. He was not the same as the last time she had seen him nor was he like the person in her memory.

When she last saw him, his face was haggard but his eyes were clear and not desperate. In her memory, he always had a serious, straight face. His handsome face was gloomy. Only when facing her did he have a few happy expressions. But those happy expressions never reached his eyes.

The current him was when his business just started. His entire person was high-spirited, glowing with health and vigor. Lou Yao Yao had forgotten. He was once used be to be bright, even his smiling face made people feel warm.

Lou Yao Yao already hadn’t seen for that kind of smile for a long time. She had even forgotten from when he had started stopped smiling. In the end, what had made him change so much, Lou Yao Yao couldn’t figure it out.

Then Lou Yao Yao saw that woman. The woman whose beauty made people envy her in her memories. He was smiling at her with the expression that he only showed her in her memories. Lou Yao Yao was suddenly unable to hear anything. She stared blankly at the two people standing next to each other speaking and smiling while going out of the airport.

Then a beautiful woman wearing a professional suit waved at them and naturally took the luggage in Qin Zhi’s hand.

Lou Yao Yao watch the three of them sit in a car and leave. She even forgot to stop them.

Lou Yao Yao suddenly felt very confused. She wanted Qin Zhi to love her, but on what basis? If one randomly pulled out one of the women by his side, she would be more outstanding than her. What did she have?

She wasn’t a beauty that would turn heads, nor was she the type of beauty where the more one looked the more beautiful she seemed. The only good thing about her face was a pair of overly big eyes. At first sight, it frightened people. But her sole presentable point was her pampered white skin. This let her face look very exquisite. But it completely didn’t have any s.e.xy beauty. People most often said she was cute.

This face was completely destroyed by her because of her over usage of cosmetics. Her face had made people confused as to whether she was a person or a ghost.

Lou Yao Yao suddenly realized with horror, Qin Zhi saying that he loved her, could it have been to console her? This was very possible.

How could the matter turn into this! Why did her pleasant surprise become a scare!?

Putting aside Lou Yao Yao who was in a daze, the female a.s.sistant asked Qin Zhi if he wanted to return home or go to the company. Qin Zhi chose to go a different destination.

Originally the a.s.sistant and the secretary were still talking and laughing, but when they saw their boss was daydreaming, they tacitly agreed to stop speaking.

The car silently heading toward a villa community and stopped at a three story villa. Auntie Liu and Auntie Lu were in the middle of watching a drama. They heard the doorbell ring and opened the door. When they saw Qin Zhi, instantly their faces broke into a smile.

Qin Zhi saw Lou Qing Qing seriously mopping the living room floor behind the two aunties. He smiled and asked, “Auntie, is Lou Yao Yao at home?”

“Yao Yao went out after eating lunch,” Liu Auntie happily said, “Qin Zhi, quickly come in and sit down. We haven’t seen for some time. Today you should remain here and eat dinner. Auntie will make you a tableful of good dishes. You can just ask for whatever you want to eat. “

“ How about next time, Auntie Liu. I just came to give Yao Yao something. I still have to go to the company later.” Qin Zhi smiled as he refused. Then he took the things in the trunk of the car and handed to the two housekeeper aunties. There were a lot of things, the two people had to go back and forth several times.

Taking advantage of this labor, Lou Qing Qing put down her mop, wiped away her sweat and walked towards them. She bashfully said,”Qin Zhi gege.”

Qin Zhi politely but distantly nodded at her. He didn’t show much expression, nor did he even glance at her. Lou Qing Qing blincked and used an extremely regretful tone to say, “Qin Zhi gege came back today. Why didn’t you tell Yao Yao ahead of time? If she knew that you coming back today, she wouldn’t have gone out with Chen Hao.” Qin Zhi glanced at her meaningfully, but still didn’t respond. He handed over the last bag of things to Lu Auntie, then said goodbye and left.

Sitting in the car, Qin Zhi closed his eyes and rubbed his dully aching temple. His originally radiant face instantly became depressed and full of exhaustion. How could he not be tired? He hadn’t had a good night’s sleep for two days. The a.s.sistant and the secretary silently glanced at each other and reached a consensus. The a.s.sistant started the car and began heading toward Qin Zhi’s apartment.

After a while, Qin Zhi opened his eyes and looked at the road. He said, “Go to the company.”

“But boss…….”

“Go to the company. Don’t make me repeat it a third time.” Qin Zhi closed his eyes again.

In order not to be fired, the female a.s.sistant very resentfully changed routes. Really, good intentions are not rewarded. In her heart, she thought bitterly, “Who said this position was the best? This d.a.m.n a.s.sistant position, who wants it! This kind of boss with his volatile temper, who wants him!

Second Boss, you helped Big Boss find such attractive secretaries, it’s simply wanting to kill us. Second Boss, every debt has a perpetrator. Don’t fire our pitiful group of female staff.

Chapter 6 — [Let’s meet up]

When Lou Yao Yao struggled free from her delusions and climbed out of the taxi, the sun had already almost set.

Auntie Liu who opened the door was jumped in fright because of her haggard face. She hurriedly pulled Lou Yao Yao inside the doorway and looked her over. Seeing nothing unusual, she relaxed slightly and asked, “ Yao Yao, what happened? Was there someone who bullied you?”

Lou Yao Yao tilted her head to look at her, and saw a familiar person. Her grey and defeated eyes recovered a little bit of spirit. She grabbed Auntie Liu ’s shoulder and jumped and called out, “ AHHHHHHHH!”

All the people in the house were frightened by her mournful yelling. Auntie Lu quickly stopped her work in the kitchen and went out. Lou Qing Qing who was upstairs also came down, interested in Lou Yao Yao’s new situation.

“ How is Yao Yao?” Auntie Lu rubbed her hands and asked Auntie Liu.

Auntie Liu shook her head at a loss. She was a little giddy from Lou Yao Yao’s shaking. Auntie Lu hurriedly went over to pull off Lou Yao Yao and said in a rebuking tone, “ Yao Yao, if you shake her again, your Auntie Liu will fall apart.

Lou Yao Yao was pulled off, and realized that Auntie Liu was old. Auntie couldn’t withstand her shaking Auntie like that. She started shouted “Ahhhhhhh” and running around the living room like crazy. It seemed like only this way was she able to vent the resentment in heart.

The s.h.i.+ny floor that Lou Qing Qing had cleaned this afternoon was ruthlessly ruined by her.

Seeing her so energetic, jumping there, Auntie Lu said h.e.l.lo to her and let Auntie Liu take care of her. She proceeded to go in the kitchen and continue to cook. Lou Yao Yao could still call out and jump. It proved that there was no problem.

Lou Yao Yao was tired of running, she fell onto the sofa and feigned death.

Auntie Liu walked over and stroked her head and her neck. She felt that it was slippery and hit Yao Yao once, “ Quickly go take a bath and change your clothes. How can you lie there? You’ll catch a cold tomorrow.”

“I don’t want to!” Lou Yao Yao refused to listen. She rolled over and turned her back to Auntie Liu.

Auntie Liu also knew that this girl was open to persuasion but not to coercion. Thus she sat at Yao Yao’s side, “ Yao Yao, tell Auntie whatever unhappy matter that is troubling you. Let Auntie give you some advice.”

Girls this age, their greatest worry was nothing else than love.

“Even if I say it, you wouldn’t understand.” Lou Yao Yao agonized over her worry, kicking her legs, “Auntie, I suddenly think this world is full of despair.”

“Pah. What kind of nonsense are the kids in every family saying.” Auntie Liu pinched her humorously, “Yao Yao, I’ll say some fair advice. Chen Hao, that kid, doesn’t suit you. I see that Qin Zhi isn’t bad. When he returned from a business trip far away, the first thing he thought of was you. He has his heart set on you. Other than Qin Zhi, where can you find someone else like that?

“Auntie, did Qin Zhi visit?” Lou Yao Yao who was feigning death, turned her head toward Auntie. Her pair of eyes were red like a rabbits. People who saw her would feel pity.

“He didn’t stay, but he brought you a lot of things. Auntie put it all in your room.”

Upon hearing her words, Lou Yao Yao immediately leapt up from the sofa. Behind her, Auntie Liu in a good mood called out to her humorously, “Yao Yao, change your shoes!” {People in China usually have a pair of indoor shoes that they wear inside the house}

Lou Yao Yao stopped and hastily tore off her shoes and tossed them on the floor as if she were on fire. She went up the stairs barefoot.

Lou Qing Qing was standing on the stairs. Seeing Lou Yao Yao, who hadn’t even glanced at her from start to finish,rush past her upstairs, she suddenly had a strange feeling. When they brushed past each other, it as if she didn’t exist in Lou Yao Yao’s world. She couldn’t help but look in the direction of the housekeeper auntie who was currently in the process of putting Lou Yao Yao’s shoes back in the shoe cabinet. She was complaining about Lou Yao Yao with her mouth, but her tone was very doting.

It was always like this. It was always like this! Her good, her efforts, they could never see it. But Lou Yao Yao who had never done anything, who was so arrogant and unruly that it would make people loathe her, they looked at her but didn’t see her flaws. They only saw her good points. Finally, Lou Qing Qing loosened her tightly clenched fist. She quietly went in a room to clean. She took hold of a mop to mop the floor.

After completing this, Lou Qing Qing went upstairs to her room. She and Lou Yao Yao both lived on the third floor. When she pa.s.sed by Lou Yao Yao’s room she stopped her steps. Her mood was mixed with all kinds of feelings when she saw this room. Once, she had also lived in this room, that dreamy room that made people unable to extraite themselves. Until, her relations.h.i.+p with Lou Yao Yao was broken and Lou Yao Yao drove her away.

These years, she would often dream about the past. That girl hiding behind her mother looking curiously at her. That girl who smiled widely at her and called her “jiejie”. That girl carried on her back who naively told her, “Jiejie, I like you the most”. They appeared in her dreams despite her wishes. Afterwards, when she woke up, she discovered that she had cried.

No, that their relations.h.i.+p had became like this, it wasn’t her fault. She also wanted to be a good jiejie. It was Lou Yao Yao’s envy that made everything shatter!

Lou Yao Yao had no idea that there was someone outside her door, being the doorkeeper for a long time She was going through the things that Qin Zhi gave her, elated. Then she got out her cell phone. When she had reacted, she had already dialed his number.

Before she could hang up, the other side had already quickly picked up.”h.e.l.lo, Yao Yao.”

“h.e.l.lo” Lou Yao Yao originally thought she wouldn’t know what to say, but after hearing that familiar gentle voice with a smile, her years of habit, already made her instinctively blurt out what she was thinking. “Qin Zhi! Why didn’t you wait for me!”

Lou Yao Yao felt □□ in her heart. Ahhhhh! Obviously she had firmly resolved to change her obstinate image in Qin Zhi’s heart. How did her first words turn into a interrogation!?

This deadly habit!

Regarding Lou Yao Yao creating trouble then blaming the victim, Qin Zhi was already used to it. “Sorry, Yao Yao. I just came back today. The company still has some work left to process so I couldn’t wait for you.”

According to Lou Yao Yao’s beforehand temper, she would definitely teach Qin Zhi a lesson, then seize the chance to force Qin Zhi to sign innumerable unequal pacts. Lou Yao Yao used lot of energy to force down the desire to take advantage of this opportunity to blackmail Qin Zhi. She made her tone as gentle as possible, “Okay, I forgive you. Are at the company right now?”

“En.”

“It is convenient for you to answer the phone right now?” Lou Yao Yao who asked this sentence, didn’t have a consciousness that cared if other people were inconvenienced.

“Yes, today is only handing over the business trip related a.s.signments. There is nothing important. ” These words made the employees in the conference room, waiting for the boss to follow-up, stare with big eyes.

On the other side, Lou Yao Yao was already firing off complaints, “Your company really isn’t humane. You still have to work overtime in the weekend evening.”

Qin Zhi, who had called the employees over to work overtime during the weekend, answered without a hint of guilty conscience,” Yes, it really isn’t humane. Yao Yao, where did you go out today?”

Lou Yao Yao was lying down on the bed and answered while swinging her feet, “I went out on a stroll.” She naturally wouldn’t say that she had gone to meet his plane but lost him because she was in a daze, that kind of stupid matter.

“Oh, so it’s like that”

Qin Zhi’s tone became somewhat pale, but Lou Yao Yao didn’t notice. She thought of tomorrow’s plan, “Qin Zhi, do you have to go work tomorrow?” He definitely had to, after all he even had to work overtime on weekend evening. There was no reason to give a holiday on Monday, the company really was inhumane. He had obviously just returned from a business trip, but the company went so far as to not give him any resting time. It seems that her plan would collapse.

Qin became aware of the antic.i.p.ation in Lou Yao Yao’s tone, With more than dozen employees staring at him, their eyes like knives, Qin Zhi replied, “I don’t have to go work. Since I just returned from a business trip, the company gave me two days of vacation.”

The employees raged inside their hearts: When did our company have the welfare of giving two days of break after going on a business trip?! Why don’t we know about this?!

When Lou Yao Yao heard that he didn’t have to go to work, she immediately became very happy. She pondered over how she should say it. Because she was silent too long, he already asked, “Yao Yao, do you have something planned tomorrow?”

Lou Yao Yao took a deep breath. She resolved to use her frankest tone to say her thoughts, “Qin Zhi, let’s go on a date tomorrow!”

Qin Zhi who had been prepared for all kinds of sudden occurrences, but hadn’t expected this, was shocked. He was silent for too long, to the extent that Lou Yao Yao asked, “Qin Zhi, are you listening?”

Her tone was little annoyed and unhappy. Qin Zhi restrained his mood and got up from his chair and walked in front of the window, “I’m listening.”

“Qin Zhi, let’s go on a date tomorrow!”

On the other side, Lou Yao Yao used a very cautious tone to repeat that sentence. Qin Zhi held the phone with one hand and opened the window with the other. He looked down at the very dream-like city covered with bright lights. He said somewhat jokingly, “Okay, I certainly have no objections. I’m just afraid that you’ll stand me up.”

“How could I!” Lou Yao leapt up from the bed and shouted in excitement,” Whoever I stand up, it definitely won’t be you!”

Regarding this issue, Qin Zhi didn’t take her seriously. Rather, he s.h.i.+fted the topic, “Then what time do you want me to meet you.”

Lou Yao Yao thought a while and said, “In the morning. It’s agreed. You have to come!”

“En,” Qin Zhi ignored his best friend and partner’s ridiculing look and said, “Then, I’ll first hang up. I’m still busy with something here.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow.”

“See you tomorrow.”

When he determined that the other side had hung up, Qin Zhi closed his phone. This was Lou Yao Yao’s demand. He couldn’t ever hang up before her, because hanging up was her special authority.

Ruan Si Nan folded his hands over his chest and leaned on the conference table. He mockingly said, “Some people, despite knowing there is a pit in front of them, proceed with hesitation to jump in. Do you think these kinds of people are stupid?”

Qin Zhi didn’t pay attention to him. Returning to the seat in the middle, he said, “Today’s meeting ends here. I hope that at Tuesday morning I can see a concrete proposal that can be implemented. All right, end the meeting.”

After finis.h.i.+ng speaking, Qin Zhi didn’t change expressions at the looks of resentment on his employees’ faces and went out of the conference room.

Everyone looked at the vice-president. Ruan Si Nan shrugged, “Tut tut, what are looking at me so resentfully for? It wasn’t me that made you work overtime. What? You don’t want to go? That’s all right. We’ll keep on working. If we don’t fight until dawn, no one can leave.”

Hearing that, the group of employees completely scattered like birds in flight.

Ruan Si Nan stopped a young a.s.sistant who wanted to flee and grabbed her shoulder. He teasingly said, “Young a.s.sistant, seeing you worked hard today, second boss will treat you to a meal.

The young a.s.sistant endured the humiliation and suppressed the urge to slap him. For this generous salary, she would endure. In the final a.n.a.lysis, she was only a recent graduate. Being a a.s.sistant to the general manager, this was the only place with such a good job. Although she was doing two jobs, not only did she have to work hard for big boss, she had to endure second boss’s s.e.xual hara.s.sment.

Ruan Si Nan patted secretary Zhou Yun Rui’s shoulder. She had been left waiting for Qin Zhi in the conference room. “Junior, you can get off work now. You don’t have to come to work tomorrow, either. Your boss saw that you worked so hard, so he gave you a day of break. You need to try harder. If you can’t grasp such a great opportunity, it seems that I can only recruit someone else.“

However, Zhuo Yun Rui had already ordered food. Why did boss who originally seemed like he was going to work until late at night, after a while, vanish?

Listening to Ruan Si Nan teasing words, Zhuo Yun Rui pretended not to understand.

She overtook one of the employees inside conference and asked for a long time. Then she finally understood that, originally, boss had a date tomorrow, so even this meeting was abandoned.

It was that woman again!

Zhuo Yun Rui clearly understood her own goal. Seeing the recruitment notice for female employees, she knew her opportunity came. Relying on her relations.h.i.+p with the vice-president as former schoolmates, she triumphed over all the other job applicants. After winning this position, it was different from her expectations, the boss wasn’t a lecher. He even ignorant of the scheme. It was all the vice-president’s plot.

But so what? Her goal absolutely wouldn’t change. Besides, she still had the vice-president as a powerful backer. Even though she was fully aware that the vice-president was making use of her, in order to achieve her goal, she could ignore everything else.

It was just that it was very difficult to surmount “Lou Yao Yao” this mountain in front of her.

The big mountain Lou Yao Yao didn’t know there was someone who wanted to surmount her. After calling Qin Zhi, she was immersed in excitement. In fact, it seemed that though she had never had a appointment with someone before. What should she do?

As for the afternoon’s mishap, she quickly forgot about it. She, Lou Yao Yao, wasn’t woman that would never give up. The word “give up” didn’t exist in her dictionary. If something she wanted wasn’t hers, then she would s.n.a.t.c.h it.

Was the number of things that she had s.n.a.t.c.hed over these years small? Which thing had she not been able to get? Even Chen Hao, that dregs male, in the end, hadn’t she s.n.a.t.c.hed him? In this world, there wasn’t anything that she couldn’t s.n.a.t.c.h!

Most importantly, when thinking that Qin Zhi was someone else’s, she felt as though the world was filled with despair. Because, Qin Zhi made her feel as though she was not without merit. She hadn’t been knocked down by despair, at least there was still someone willing to love her.

No one knew, in that black nightmare, how much despair she had been in.

Returning back 7 years, it seemed that though nothing in the past could harm her. Actually, her self-confidence, her uncaringness, her new life, everything was because that person had supported her.

It was okay even if she was loathed, she must live by Qin Zhi’s side even if she was being totally shameless. She would never waver. n.o.body better think that they could rob him from her hand! All the women with impure intentions would completely be driven out. Even if Qin Zhi didn’t have any feelings towards her, if he couldn’t choose anyone else, he would only be able to see her.

If it was anyone else, she probably wouldn’t do anything like this. However, towards Qin Zhi, she had an inexplicable confidence in her heart. Also, it seemed that she had the precedent of driving away all other females by Qin Zhi’s side. She even suspected, if Qin Zhi hadn’t deceived her and he really did love her at that time, would it be because he basically had no other choice than loving her?

Haaa, if this theory was true, then didn’t Qin Zhi have a m.a.s.o.c.h.i.s.tic tendency?

In any case, no matter what…… the date was first!

Her feelings towards Qin Zhi were based on “can’t lose it”. Whether or not there was actually love, she hadn’t determined yet. But if there was no love, then she could develop feelings. After all, she had been prepared to rely on the other party for a lifetime.

Besides, if she changed too much and scared Qin Zhi away, that wouldn’t be good. They both needed to adapt. Slowly, bit by bit, she would change. One day, Qin Zhi would discover her regard for him.

Before sleeping, Lou Yao Yao send Qin Zhi a SMS saying good night. After receiving a reply, Lou Yao Yao climbed into bed, satisfied.

Seeing the light in the room go out with only a little bit of dim light left, the green light from his cell phone screen obscured his face. He stared blankly at the window for a while. Qin Zhi then closed his phone and silently started his car.

Chapter 7 — [Two Razor Knives]

The next day, when Qin Zhi arrived, Lou Yao Yao was still sleeping. Auntie Liu pulled her up from the bed. She saw Qin Zhi eating breakfast with her parents and ignored Lou Qing Qing.

Unconsciously, Lou Yao Yao slowed down and stepped lightly. Suddenly, she thought that this moment was very quiet. It was so quiet that she could hear her heart beating faster and faster. Her vision was the same as if had been handled by a movie effects designer. Her parent’s faces were blurred like the background. Lou Qing Qing’s face was blurred with mosaics. Only Qin Zhi’s face was in high definition.

A 25 year old man had just stepped onto the phase of maturity. Men before 25 years still had the vestiges of naivety left. At that age, they are energetic but often get carried away. Their own feelings were the most important. Men over thirty were too sophisticated. Although they had experienced a great deal of hards.h.i.+ps, perhaps they already understood how to treasure a woman. But they didn’t have much youthful fervour left. Their feelings had mainly stabilized. But being just this age was good. There was still some pa.s.sion and fervour remaining from youthful days. They could begin to understand how to treasure a woman. No matter if it was love or marriage, both were their first priority.

If before 25 years old was the growth period of men, then from 25 till 30 was the time where men’s character was set. Therefore, that’s what people were.

In short, men at this time were like a slowly ripening fruit. They were at their most attractive time. Their each and every move carried an attraction that was difficult to put in words.

Qin Zhi had put on a blue s.h.i.+rt today. His s.h.i.+rt sleeves were rolled up his arms. Only two b.u.t.tons on his collar were b.u.t.toned, revealing part of his collarbone. To Lou Yao Yao’s eyes, every movement of Qin Zhi’s head, every time he raised his hand, was full of allure. Perhaps it was because the two of them knew each other too well, those changes that had acc.u.mulated over time had been overlooked. In her memory, Qin Zhi seemed to have skipped over the growing period. Suddenly, he had grown up. In the last moment he was still the “little gege” who lead a group of buddies to hit people until they were badly bruised. In the next moment, he had already turned into a cold and gloomy business elite.

Lou Yao Yao suddenly felt a sense of loss because she had missed all it. Her eyes felt astringent. She wanted to cry a little.

“Yao Yao,” He raised his head to see her standing on the staircase. He was slightly surprised, then grinned at her.

Lou Yao Yao blinked at him, then blinked away her tears. Their familiarity with each other had already penetrated to their bone marrow. Actually, there was no uneasiness. There were also complaints ingrained in their bones, “Qin Zhi. Why did you come so early?”

Fang Xi Lei heard her words, and frowned, “Yao Yao, how can you be so impolite? She also looked at Qin Zhi somewhat apologetically.

Qin Zhi’s expression had no change. He even smiled toward Fang Xi Lei, showing that he didn’t mind.

Lou Yao Yao was taught bewilderedly. She felt wronged and glanced towards her mother. Then she said to Qin Zhi, “You only just arrived yesterday. Why didn’t you rest a little bit more? How could you come so early? It definitely isn’t good for your health. It’s my fault. If I had realized this earlier, then we could have met in the afternoon.”

The people who were already expecting for Lou Yao Yao to complain to Qin Zhi that he came too early and harmed her to not be able to sleep in were all a bit stunned. It was very unusual. In the past when meeting Qin Zhi, when had she not woken up very late? Even when she finally climbed out of bed, she still complained about Qin Zhi.

Qin Zhi still managed to replied quickly, “No problem, I already slept on the plane yesterday. Moreover, I haven’t seen uncle and auntie in a long time. Only if I come early, can I catch uncle and auntie before they go to work and chat a while.”

Lou Yao Yao saw that his complexion looked very good without any signs of exhaustion. She took it to be true and didn’t pursue this line of questioning. She thought she was a little hungry so she went to the kitchen to pester the aunties to make breakfast.

After she left, Lou Qing Qing who had been continuously lowering her head to silently eat breakfast asked Qin Zhi, “Qin Zhi gege, you want to go out today.”

Since Lou Qing Qing’s father was on the scene, Qin Zhi politely replied, “En.”

“But, isn’t Yao Yao already going to out today………”

When Lou Yao Yao came out, she saw Lou Qing Qing speaking with Qin Zhi. Her heart was full of anger. She deliberately pulled out a chair, making a ear-piercing nose. She sat down and blocked Lou Qing Qing’s line of sight so that Lou Qing Qing could only see the back of her head, “Auntie is baking egg tarts. Do want to eat a little more?”

“Okay.” Qin Zhi naturally didn’t refuse, although he was already full. But he showed absolutely no interest in what Lou Qing Qing was going to say afterwards.

Lou Qing Qing grinded her teeth, and lowered her head to eat breakfast. She who was always a good student, unexpectedly hadn’t gone to cla.s.s today. Also what she was wearing wasn’t as plain as before. She had changed into a exquisite white skirt and her hair was also down, softly hanging on her shoulder.

Fang Xi Lei’s att.i.tude toward Qin Zhi wasn’t too intimate. There was more of a mother’s examination and observation. She asked a few questions about his parent’s recent situation and was concerned about his recently started company’ situation. She didn’t say much, then she went off to work.

Lou Yuanzhi’s att.i.tude toward Qin Zhi was somewhat cold. Actually, he was cold towards everyone except Lou Qing Qing. In this person’s bones, there was an inexplicable feeling of superiority. It was ridiculous and pitiful.

After eating breakfast, Lou Yao Yao dragged Qin Zhi to the garage. Seeing the bicycle in the corner, Qin Zhi had a few doubts.

Lou Yao Yao excitedly asked him, “How is it? Can this bike be ridden?”

When Lou Yao Yao went upstair late yesterday night she thought she seemed to have a big adverse reaction to riding cars. Tomorrow, she had a appointment, if she rode a car then she would be half dead. That would be too disappointing. So late at night, she stole off to the garage to find this bicycle.

To be carried by one’s beloved person, at any age, would be a romantic and fortunate thing. However, after Qin Zhi had graduated from university, she had never been carried again. These years, she had ridden in many luxury cars, but the most fondly remembered time was the time when she sat in the backseat of a bicycle, feeling the breeze. It was a free and relaxing feeling.

Besides, to just arrive at one’s destination, it would affect the mood of the date.

“I’ll look,” Qin Zhi crouched down and looked at the bicycle. The body of the bicycle had already been cleaned and tires had also been pumped by Lou Yao Yao. He tried the pedal and pinched the wheel tires. He found the bicycle pump and pumped the tires once more, then said to Lou Yao Yao, “Try sitting on it.”

Lou Yao Yao obediently sat in the back. Qin Zhi sat on the front seat. He pedaled twice. The tires’ elasticity was very good; it didn’t leak any air. However, it had been put away for many years, how long the bicycle would last was impossible to tell.

“How is it? How is it?” Lou Yao Yao hugged his waist and excitedly asked from behind.

Qin Zhi got down from the bicycle and looked at Lou Yao Yao, “It can still be used.”

“Then let’s use this bicycle to go out today, okay?”

Lou Yao Yao’s eyes were very big. When she intentionally opened her eyes wide at someone, sometimes it was frightening. However, this time, you could clearly see yourself in her eyes. It gave one the illusion that she was very dedicated towards you.

She looked at Qin Zhi like this. For a moment, he was absent minded, only when Lou Yao Yao asked again did he recover. He smiled and nodded.

“Let’s go out quickly. In a while, it will be very hot.”

Qin Zhi naturally had no objections. He went out to park his car in Lou Yao Yao’s garage. Lou Yao Yao pushed the bicycle out of the garage and waited outside for him. Lou Yao Yao leaned on the bicycle and looked in the direction of the garage to wait for Qin Zhi. She unexpectedly heard someone call out to her, “Yao Yao.” That voice made people feel it was a spring breeze.

Before, she had been aware of the the breeze from a car driving past and the sound of the car braking. She hadn’t cared. In this community, which family didn’t have a car. She hadn’t thought that the car’s owner would be familiar with her. She looked back strangely. She saw the person who she didn’t want to see the most in this life, Chen Hao. Chen Hao saw her look back. His look was gentle with a little bit guilt, ”I’ve made you wait for a long time, Yao Yao. I’m sorry. It’s because I promised to pick up Lin Fei first so I was late.”

Lou Yao Yao basically had no idea what he was talking about. Her previous good spirits was completely gone. She looked at him coldy and replied, “What are you here for?”

“Lou Yao Yao, wasn’t it you who asked him to pick you up? Who are you pretending for?”

Lou Yao Yao looked at the woman sitting in the pa.s.senger seat of the car, bewildered. She saw that Lou Yao Yao was looking at her and coldly turned away. It was evident that she loathed Lou Yao Yao.

“Lin Fei, how can speak like to Yao Yao.” Chen Hao’s smiling face receded. The feeling of protection was obvious.

This sentence seemed to enrage Lin Fei. She opened the car door and slammed it shut forcefully. She said angrily, “Chen Hao, Make it clear, who is actually your girlfriend!!!” This woman was very beautiful, a morbid beauty. Her personality was very rude and unreasonable.

Chen Hao looked helplessly at Lin Fei and then looked at Lou Yao Yao. He seemed very awkward, “Lin Fei, I’ve said many times that Yao Yao is only my junior.”

“Junior! Do you dare say she doesn’t have any intention towards you!!!”

Lou Yao Yao leaned on the bicycle and looked coldly at the two people. This kind of childish scene already didn’t make her feel anything. This play, they were still working hard to perform, but she already had retreated behind the scenes secretly.

It was well-known that Chen Hao had a childhood sweetheart. Although Chen Hao “didn’t like” her, this girl’s health wasn’t good. She was always attempting suicide. Thus, Chen Hao “had to” comply to be her boyfriend.

Everyone could very clearly see his helplessness. So, even though he rejected Lou Yao Yao, Lou Yao Yao always thought his feelings towards her were different from his feelings toward other people. He never rejected her being near him. His expression when looking at her was different than when looking at others. Even when she quarrelled with Lin Fei, he always protected her.

Now looking at all of this, it looked like a joke.

Actually, he was the same towards every single girl, so gentle that it would let people become addicted. Actually, he, Chen Hao, was proud of himself watching a group of women fight for him. The “feeling helpless” him was definitely was contented with himself. The reason that Lou Qing Qing and she had been treated specially, was probably because they were a pair of sisters. Perhaps, this let Chen Hao feel a morbid state of achievement.

Chen Hao, this person, using the hypothesis from several years later had w.a.n.gzi Bing. From when he was small, he fantasized that he was a prince. After he grew up, he really though he was a prince.

This sickness must be treated. It was pity that Lin Fei’s life was so short. Otherwise, this woman, who frequently cut her wrists and swallowed sleeping pills, could be with Chen Hao who fantasized that all women liked him, this mentally ill person, forever. It was also a pretty good ending. Thinking about all the kinds of things that happened in the past, Lou Yao Yao’s heart was like there was a raging beast inside. A black shadow shrouded her. There was a strong desire to erupt.

Suddenly there was a person who gently held her hand. He gently but with strength, pried opened up her hands. Her fingernails had been digging into her flesh. His palm was very warm. It seemed to disperse all the coldness in her heart.

“Let’s go,” Even thought it was a statement, it contained several points of inquiry and uncertainty.

Lou Yao Yao looked up at him. He was also looking down at her. Facing him, Lou Yao Yao showed a smiling face and nodded, “En, Let’s go out.”

They ignored the other people and got on the bicycle, pa.s.sing by Chen Hao and Lin Fei.

Lou Qing Qing who had been standing, waiting in the doorway, finally showed some movement. She pursued them calling in a loud voice, “ Yao Yao, aren’t you going to Chen Hao’s birthday party?”

Lou Yao Yao was taken aback. She finally remembered that today was Chen Hao’s birthday. No wonder Chen Hao would lead Lin Fei to make her feel stifled early in the morning. This wasn’t her fault. Although, she knew Chen Hao’s birthday was coming, they liked to celebrate the lunar birthday. The date changed every single year. Who would be able to remember the date “seven years ago.” But…….If she had forgotten, then she had forgotten, it was already no longer important.

Lou Yao Yao didn’t pay attention to Lou Qing Qing. She firmly embraced Qin Zhi’s waist and leaned her face on his back. She felt his steady heartbeat. She closed her eyes. At this moment, she felt very relieved. For the rest of her life, she was content to be with this person.

Lou Qing Qing, when you no longer make me envy crazily, when Chen Hao no longer brings me suffering, without these two sharp blades, you, what can you still use to harm me?

Lou Qing Qing, when the two beautiful sisters has been short of one, the power is also cut in half. Without me, such a “vicious” woman, to set off your, the pure woman’s good-heartedness, Chen Hao, would he still have liking for you? Let’s wait and see.

A bicycle naturally wasn’t as fast as a car. Even though, Chen Hao and the other two wasted some time, they still quickly overtook Lou Yao Yao and Qin Zhi.

Near the road, Lou Yao Yao poked Qin Zhi’s back. Qin Zhi helplessly said something to her. One of his hands held onto the bicycle, the other hand moved her hand away. Since her hand was taken away, she used her other hand to keep on poking him. They were having fun. Finally Qin Zhi had to use his hand to skillfully trap both of Lou Yao Yao’s hands in front of him. Lou Yao Yao scratched his palm and tickled his belly. That pink woman’s bike steered by Qin Zhi went forwards, crookedly. People who saw it would want to laugh.

The moment in which they brushed past each other was enough to let the three people in the car hear Lou Yao Yao laugh. The laugh contained a little girl’s unique taste; it was willful and open.

From beginning to end, the two people didn’t even glance at them. It was like they had agreed on it beforehand. Chen Hao continuously looked at the reflector, until it wasn’t possible to see those two people’s form again.