Chapter Twenty-Eight
Shen Qianzhan couldn’t remember how she had taken the elevator home. When her paused memories restarted, the location had already shifted from the stairwell to the living room sofa.
She sat alone in the living room, the incoming call ringtone beside her hand pressing through the night, singing until dawn.
Her back still felt slightly cold—not the physical sensation of leaning against a wall for too long, but more like a psychological reaction from excessive shock.
Excessive shock?
Shen Qianzhan bit her finger resentfully. Why had she let that bastard spout nonsense without saying a word?
Possessiveness?
Who did he think he was?
Whether in name or by law, she and Ji Qinghe had no relationship whatsoever!
Originally, she had felt guilty about attending the event.
She had just slept with Ji Qinghe, and although both parties had agreed not to continue their past entanglement, turning around to attend a networking-slash-matchmaking event hosted by his cousin was truly thoughtless.
Wasn’t that blatantly trampling on Ji Qinghe’s male pride?
But no matter how guilty she felt, it vanished completely under Ji Qinghe’s insinuating accusations.
Was that how that bastard thought of her in his mind?
She should have kneed him right then and there, bidding farewell to him and his future descendants.
Shen Qianzhan was utterly frustrated. Having failed to refute and shut Ji Qinghe down on the spot, anything she said now was too late.
While berating herself for her poor retorts, she belatedly stocked up on knowledge ammunition that could have left Ji Qinghe fuming and utterly defeated. But having missed the opportunity, she could only stomp her feet in anger.
—
After showering, her mind finally cleared, and rationality returned.
After her unwavering skincare routine, Shen Qianzhan lay down in bed and only then remembered to show mercy to Su Zan, whom she had inadvertently taken her anger out on in the heat of the moment.
Su Zan had followed her car from the cultural center all the way to the elevated highway. After being discovered by Ming Jue, Shen Qianzhan had sent him a WeChat message telling him to go home first.
When Shen Qianzhan arrived home, the door monitor sent a push notification with the surveillance video. At the time, Su Zan had called her to confirm, but she had mercilessly hung up on him five or six times. Later, she simply muted her phone. Only now did she condescendingly send him a sticker.
Su Zan didn’t dare explicitly mention his private dealings with Ji Qinghe, instead trying to exonerate himself in roundabout ways.
Shen Qianzhan didn’t care about any of that. She pondered Su Zan’s words, “Mr. Ji does pay you a bit too much attention,” for a long time, not even realizing when she had fallen asleep.
In the middle of the night, Shen Qianzhan woke up once.
She had fallen asleep abruptly and woke up just as inexplicably.
When she opened her eyes, the sky outside the window was as dark as crow feathers.
She fumbled under her pillow. The phone, untouched for a long time, felt cold to the touch. She lifted her wrist to check the time—3:24 a.m.
Shen Qianzhan withdrew her hand back under the covers.
When she closed her eyes, all she could see was Ji Qinghe cornering her in the stairwell last night, threatening and warning her.
The sensation on her wrist still lingered—firm, powerful, and irresistible. Even the warmth of his fingertips seemed to remain, as if a chain had locked her mind in place.
Many emotions she hadn’t dared to revisit while awake surged forth in the quiet of the night.
Shen Qianzhan wasn’t unaware of Ji Qinghe’s special treatment toward her.
At first, she thought Ji Qinghe simply found her “user-friendly.” Since they had done it once, a second or third time would come naturally with just a little seduction from him. Later, when Ji Qinghe asked if she was willing to be the peony in his backyard, honestly, in that context, any normal person would have interpreted it as him wanting to keep her.
Well, she was quite disdainful of that.Her values and upbringing would never allow her to accept being kept by a man.
She bent her knees, curling herself up, and let out a muffled sigh.
But now it seemed Ji Qinghe still had lingering feelings for her. Whether he wanted to be her casual fling, lover, or sugar daddy, none of it was good news for Shen Qianzhan.
She had no intention of starting a relationship, not even the faintest thought of marriage, let alone with someone like Ji Qinghe.
Her locked phone screen showed dozens of message notifications and text alerts.
Without looking, she knew they were all New Year’s greetings sent at midnight when the year turned.
Time had already leaped across an entire year in the moment the clock’s hands moved forward.
This year, she turned thirty.
At thirty, her career was beginning to take off.
Independent financial ability, independent personal space, independent survival skills.
Independence had stripped her of any interest in relying on others, while maturity had shed her excess kindness and innocence. When she looked to the future, it wasn’t with the foggy haze of confusion and ignorance, but with the unwavering clarity of a desert oasis.
At her age, she was no longer suited for relationships that ended without reason. And emotions were never a benevolent endeavor where what you put in equaled what you got back. When she was younger, she could fall, bleed, get up, and keep running. Now, she had learned to avoid dangers that weren’t in her best interest, to steer clear of unnecessary trouble.
Looking at Ji Qinghe was like gazing into an abyss.
For a woman like her, who was already planning for a leisurely retirement, indulging in physical desires was fine, dabbling in risqué fun was fine—but diving headfirst into a serious emotional entanglement… that just wasn’t healthy.
Still, a body once awakened was like a dormant Pandora’s box stirring to life.
Recalling the dark, profound look in Ji Qinghe’s eyes before he left, Shen Qianzhan cursed under her breath and buried herself under the covers to sleep.
—
The next day was a holiday.
Shen Qianzhan slept until noon, waking up to find her phone dead from being overloaded with messages.
After washing up and chewing on whole wheat toast, she went to turn her phone back on.
The moment it powered on, messages flooded in—from collaborating artists to company colleagues, New Year’s wishes poured in by the thousands as if data didn’t matter.
Shen Qianzhan calmly reviewed them, replied with cheerful greetings, and deleted them one by one.
After clearing her entire WeChat list, she finished her brunch and settled into her short but blissful holiday mode.
Shen Qianzhan’s holiday routine was always boring—either binge-watching movies or sleeping.
Perhaps because she had hit a milestone age this year, she suddenly felt a sense of ceremony, as if half her life had passed. After watching a movie in the afternoon, she seriously pulled out a sheet of A4 paper and wrote a summary of the past year and a plan for the new one.
Her year-end summary was rather perfunctory. Shen Qianzhan went through the motions with a work recap, briefly summarizing all her professional endeavors over the year.
Perhaps because opportunities to openly flatter Shen Qianzhan were too rare, once she posted her “Year-End Summary” on her social media, her friends swarmed the comments section, quickly taking over.
—“Sis Qianzhan is so dedicated.”
—“I always thought I worked hard enough, but after seeing Sis Qianzhan’s year-end summary, I’m utterly ashamed.”
—“Sis Qianzhan perfectly embodies the phrase ‘work never stops as long as life goes on.’ If I had even half her work ethic, I’d probably be settled in Beijing by now.”
—“This is what they mean when they say talented people work harder than you. Just look.”
—“Sis Qianzhan is amazing. Bo Xuan is a well-known big shot in the industry—if you get a chance to collaborate, bring me along.”– "Being a producer is tough. It's rare to find someone as down-to-earth as Qianzhan, who can pull together a team and get a project off the ground smoothly every year. I'm learning from you."
But amidst all the flattery, there are always a few bad apples.
Su Zan questioned, "I have reasonable doubts about the accuracy of the group owner's report. Last June, she clearly took several days of annual leave to go to Xi'an."
Qiao Xin retorted, "Sis Qianzhan was still working during her vacation. Haters, don't slander my goddess."
Su Zan replied, "I don't buy the 'working during vacation' part. She clearly did other mischievous things too."
Meng Wangzhou, who had added Su Zan as a friend and could see each other's comments, asked, "Wasn't there a watch exhibition in Xi'an in June? Did Producer Shen miss it?"
Su Zan replied, "No, she didn't. Not only did she not miss it, but she also gained a lot from it."
Unaware of the comments, Shen Qianzhan diligently worked on her New Year's resolutions. They looked more like wishes than actual plans.
For example: smooth project progress, buying a beloved bag every month, a sudden windfall...
Deeply reflecting that these resolutions didn't match her shrewd and capable image, Shen Qianzhan carefully filtered her audience when posting on social media.
Su Zan commented, "Sis Qianzhan, be honest with yourself. What's the difference between your New Year's resolutions and my dream of being a lazy, spendthrift pseudo-rich second generation?"
Shen Qianzhan replied, "The difference is that you're already living your dream, while I'm not."
Su Zan was left speechless and conceded defeat.
—
Early the next morning.
The first day back at work after the holiday.
As soon as Shen Qianzhan arrived at the office, she saw a gift box with the Endless Year logo on her desk.
On top of the box was a neatly placed greeting card—black with gold foil, exuding a mysterious and luxurious high-end feel.
Shen Qianzhan opened the card with a puzzled expression. In the blank space, only four words were written: "Happy New Year."
Suspiciously, she unwrapped the gift box. Inside the exquisite packaging were two treasures, one large and one small—the latest chain bag from Endless Year and a women's wristwatch from the Endless Year December series.
She raised an eyebrow.
A gift from Ji Qinghe?
Just as Shen Qianzhan was about to call Qiao Xin on the intercom, the latter seemed to sense it and knocked on the door first, carrying a gift box.
The two exchanged glances, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes.
But their doubts quickly dissipated when they learned that Su Zan and Su Lanyi had also received gift boxes. Endless Year had sent New Year gifts to all staff related to Thousand Lights' collaborations.
The only difference might have been that Shen Qianzhan's gift... was particularly thoughtful.
Once the door was closed, Su Zan took out the greeting card from his gift box and compared it to Shen Qianzhan's. "Mr. Ji is so cunning. Was my card not worthy of his handwritten blessings? It's printed!"
He continued comparing the watches, his mood sinking. "My sister and I only got one of Endless Year's best-selling watches, while you were given the April Huai Xu from the December series."
"Cunning, so cunning!"
Shen Qianzhan reminded him, "Qiao Xin also got a watch from the December series—the September Mu Qiu women's wristwatch."
She fiddled with her phone, wondering whether to send Ji Qinghe a WeChat message. Out of courtesy, it seemed appropriate to share a photo and thank the generous benefactor.
Su Zan interrupted her, "Qiao Xin got September Mu Qiu because her birthday is in September. But yours is on February 29th... Why did he give you April Huai Xu?"
"The key is either in the 'Xu' of 'Huai Xu' or in April. The alternative name for the fourth lunar month is 'Qinghe'." Su Zan clicked his tongue twice, his face full of envy. "Sis Qianzhan, is Mr. Ji officially pursuing you now?"Shen Qianzhan was in a foul mood. She pointed toward the door, silently yet forcefully showing him the way out: "Get lost."
—
In the end, Shen Qianzhan didn’t thank Ji Qinghe privately. Instead, she followed the crowd by snapping a photo of the Endless Year gift box and posting it on her social media feed, offering a thoroughly official thank-you to the generous and open-handed partner.
A few days later, an invitation arrived for a charity gala jointly hosted by Boxuan and several film companies.
No sooner had Shen Qianzhan posted the invitation than she received a custom-made evening gown delivered by Endless Year the very next day.
Unwilling to believe that Ji Qinghe’s bewildering behavior was just for show, Shen Qianzhan posted her itinerary for the Shiyue Gala the following day.
That old dog Ji Qinghe didn’t seem to care about exposing himself at all—right on schedule, he sent over a set of Endless Year jewelry.
This time, Shen Qianzhan finally couldn’t sit still any longer. She pulled up Ji Qinghe’s WeChat and demanded, "Are you stalking my social media feed?"
Ji Qinghe deftly sidestepped the question: "I’ll only admit to the third word."Thank you to the little angels who irrigated with nutrient solution: Chunyajia 132 bottles; Xiaoxingfu 60 bottles; Almomd666 30 bottles; Today Slimmed Yet 24 bottles; Ying, 21043247, Qingqingzijin, Mo, 42036188 20 bottles; Toulinjingque 15 bottles; Foodie Girl Sixi 13 bottles; Seer.Jiang, Pikajiuu, Zimengxinning, Yousuozhu, Wuwang, 38885561, 38037451, Jixidian, Doraemon's Secret, Tuche, 27668005 10 bottles; Biubiu 9 bottles; Zhujiangxia 8 bottles; Cat Not Going Home 7 bottles; Exo Wangdao, Jianghaixingzhou, Yiyizi 6 bottles; Ly: -), Next Door Brother Lu?, Lizhi Only Loves Guiwei, Snape, Mile, Crazy Rabbit, I Am Your Little Star, Salalala, Mengxiami, Able to Eat Is a Blessing, 20160806, Matcha Film Production Company, Fetslbtdkth, Ahahahahaha 4 bottles; Xiyou, Nohara Shinnosuke. 3 bottles; Dongnuan, He Er Girl, Hanako-kun, Xie Bu Er Ah., Villkan, Youguan 2 bottles; Ace.h, Lianggua, Nd, Feipi, Xixin Bu Guo Q, Harper, Farewell, Q, Come Back to Pick Stars for You, Chu Wuyan, Wanderer's Secret Base, Xiaotouming, Baitao Shenxian, Kim Taehyung's Wife, Nuanyang Qingcheng , Yue Lai Yue Hao, Xiao He Be Happy Ya, Choco, Momo, 35463837, Ruren Yuren, Pass Pass! 1 bottle;
Thank you all very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!
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