Chapter Forty-One
The elevator arrived.
Ji Qinghe was the first to step out of the elevator lobby.
There was a sliding glass door at the passageway between the parking lot and the elevator. The moment Ming Jue pushed the door open, the chaotic airflow from the parking lot, mixed with the sound of tires scraping against the ground, rushed in all at once.
He held the glass door open, slightly turning his body to let Ji Qinghe pass first.
At that moment, Ming Jue finally understood what Ji Qinghe had been hinting at earlier.
Shen Qianzhan was dressed in a light beige professional suit, one slender high heel resting on a license plate and the other on a bumper, sitting steadily on the hood of the car. Her posture, reminiscent of someone coming to collect overdue insurance payments, exuded an aura of "here to settle accounts" from head to toe.
Seeing that the two seemed to have something to discuss, Ming Jue didn’t even bother making an excuse and turned back to the elevator lobby to wait on the first floor.
The parking lot was vast and open, with cold air seeping in from all directions.
Ji Qinghe glanced her up and down, his gaze lingering for a few seconds on her exposed ankles. "Aren’t you cold?"
Cold!
Shen Qianzhan instinctively pulled her feet back but forced herself to maintain her composure. "I was waiting for you."
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Ji Qinghe’s lips. "I know." He extended his hand, gesturing for her to come down.
Shen Qianzhan had taken the high ground precisely to offset Ji Qinghe’s height advantage. Now, she simply ignored the hand of friendship he offered, looking down at him from her perch. "There’s something I’d like to confirm with Mr. Ji."
When Ji Qinghe entered and saw Qiao Xin, he knew that his visit to Thousand Lights couldn’t be kept from Shen Qianzhan. Seeing her in the parking lot didn’t surprise him, and he was well aware of what she wanted to confirm.
His gaze fell on her exposed ankles, and he casually withdrew his hand to lightly touch her ankle.
He did this without hesitation, as if only to check if she was cold, barely holding it before letting go. "There’s a saying in medicine that the feet are the second heart." He lowered his gaze slightly, indicating her ankles. "The ankles are a crucial gateway for blood circulation in the feet."
With that, he unceremoniously placed one hand behind her waist and the other under her knees, lifting her off the hood. "You’re the one who’s afraid of the cold, yet you’re also the one insisting on style."
Ji Qinghe unlocked the car door, his tone firm. "Let’s talk inside."
Shen Qianzhan opened her mouth to argue. "When have I ever been afraid of the cold?" Last year, Thousand Lights produced a road suspense film set in the highlands of the northwest and snowy mountain peaks. The crew stayed on the mountain for nearly half a month to capture the scenery. Even Su Zan couldn’t endure it, but she wore the same windproof down jacket for two weeks, bouncing around as if she were on a wilderness adventure rather than enduring hardships.
When Ji Qinghe disagreed with her, he never held back his disdain. "Not afraid of the cold?"
His tone was too forceful, leaving no room for discussion.
Shen Qianzhan had come with the intention of settling accounts, but from the moment he stood before her, her position as the one collecting protection fees had steadily deteriorated until she was the one being collected from.
Suppressing her inner frustration, she lowered her voice. "I just want to confirm one thing. There’s no need for all this trouble."
Ji Qinghe stood in front of her, studying her for a moment before responding, "Xiang Qianqian?"
His straightforwardness left Shen Qianzhan momentarily unsure whether to continue questioning. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, carefully choosing her words. "Did Mr. Ji help her because of Mr. Jiang’s request or because of me?"
Shen Qianzhan was clearly an intelligent person.
She excelled at logical thinking and could immediately dismiss superficial answers.
Ji Qinghe sometimes wondered whether her rationality was a good thing or not. For him, it certainly wasn’t friendly.
He didn’t answer directly. "What answer are you hoping to get from me?"
Ji Qinghe’s expression was stern, his presence pressing her into the space between their breaths. "If you’re not prepared to handle the answer, don’t ask too many questions, hmm?"
The implication of his words was clear—it had something to do with her.
Shen Qianzhan immediately thought of the scandalous press releases that Endless Year’s PR department had suppressed earlier. She bit her lip.
Thousand Lights’ PR department had prepared for battle, but the end of the year passed peacefully without a single ripple.
The New Year had been so uneventful that she had almost forgotten about the incident.
Shen Qianzhan looked up, meeting his gaze for three seconds before conceding. "I owe you." Not wanting to say more, she turned to leave. After a few steps, she remembered something. "Mr. Ji has a vast empire. Surely you’re not planning to keep my family’s thermal container?"
Ji Qinghe’s focus was clearly elsewhere. "Does your mother still want to cook for me?"
Shen Qianzhan’s lips twitched, and this time, she truly left without a backward glance.
Once inside the elevator lobby, the company’s warm air enveloped her.
Shen Qianzhan straightened her back, chin slightly raised like a proud little peacock, waiting for the elevator to descend.
Only after stepping into the elevator and no longer feeling Ji Qinghe’s gaze did she squat down, rubbing her already reddened ankles.
So damn cold!
When it came to her appearance, Shen Qianzhan was incredibly strict with herself. Whenever she went out and expected to see people, she had to be fully armed from head to toe. Even if she didn’t want to wear makeup, she’d at least apply Armani’s CC cream to brighten her complexion.
As for clothing, forget thermal underwear—she even found wool skirts too bulky in winter. Her wardrobe, aside from two down jackets that were perpetually stored away, was filled with elegant, flowing long coats, not to mention the different attire required for various occasions.
Her strict self-discipline and insistence on perfection were often used by many agents as positive examples in training sessions, making her a model of image management. As a result, whenever Shen Qianzhan shared the stage or ran into certain celebrities, they would often look up to her with admiration.
Enduring the cold? That was just a sacrifice for the sake of style, hardly worth mentioning.
—
Not long after, as Ai Yi had predicted, Thousand Lights and Xiang Qianqian parted ways amicably.
Less than an hour after the company’s statement was released, Jian Xin’s historical political drama eagerly announced Xiang Qianqian’s official character photos.
Shen Qianzhan could understand this move.
Xiang Qianqian’s fans were still sympathizing with the grievances she had endured at Thousand Lights. Although they weren’t grateful for the company’s generous and peaceful termination, they promptly ceased hostilities to show their stance. This was precisely the passionate period when fans were declaring, "I’ll stand by my sister forever, through thick and thin." Jian Xin seized this psychological moment to aggressively boost her own visibility.
Su Zan placed the popularity of the yet-to-air historical political drama "Phoenix Returns to the Court" in front of Shen Qianzhan, grumbling, "Although I’m glad Xiang Qianqian can secure good resources after leaving Thousand Lights, why does it still feel so infuriating?"
"Perfectly normal." Shen Qianzhan squinted as she filed her nails. "Even someone as magnanimous as me finds it irritating, let alone someone like you who hasn’t fully mastered self-control."
Su Zan, with his well-connected older sister Su Lanyi, was quick to pick up on gossip. He leaned in like a fly drawn to a scent. "Your irritation isn’t just because of Jian Xin, is it?"
Shen Qianzhan glanced at him but didn’t take the bait. "What rumors have you heard? Spill it."
"I knew Xiang Qianqian’s peaceful departure from Thousand Lights was all because of Mr. Ji. When I asked my sister, she told me I was just a kid and shouldn’t get involved, refusing to say a word." Su Zan couldn’t keep things to himself, and once he started talking, everything spilled out. "A couple of days ago, my sister had dinner with Mr. Ji and the others. Xiang Qianqian showed up too, and my sister was so put off that she left halfway through the meal."
Shen Qianzhan’s nail file slipped, filing one nail almost flat.
She stared at it for a moment, finding it increasingly unsightly, and simply grabbed a nail clipper to trim the damaged nail clean off.
Only after finishing did Shen Qianzhan’s rationality return.
Looking at the one nail that now ruined the symmetry, she felt like crying.
What was wrong with her? What did it matter to her who Ji Qinghe had dinner with? Why was she getting so worked up?
Even so, that evening, after finishing her manicure and returning home, Shen Qianzhan’s heart trembled with undeniable honesty when she saw Ji Qinghe in the parking lot.
She felt both surprised and an indescribable emotion brewing inside her.
As Shen Qianzhan parked her car and walked toward him, she ran through all the possible reasons for his visit. But every guess shattered into dust the moment she saw Ji Qinghe pull a thermal container from his car.
Her expression faltered, and her tone betrayed her astonishment. "Here to return the thermal container?"
Ji Qinghe withdrew his hand from his trouser pocket, lightly adjusting his glasses. "Surprised?"
A little.
But she certainly couldn’t say that outright. Shen Qianzhan softened her response. "I was just joking that day, and for you to personally return it…" She trailed off, offering an appropriately embarrassed smile. It was a far cry from the person who had accused Ji Qinghe of hoarding a thermal container despite his vast empire.
But the moment Shen Qianzhan took the thermal container, its weight made her suspiciously glance at him. "Is there something inside?"
"Buddha Jumps Over the Wall." Ji Qinghe checked his watch, as if questioning her work hours. "Did you work overtime today?"
Shen Qianzhan felt too embarrassed to admit she’d gone to a nail salon after work, her tone slightly flat. "No, I just got back late."
Ji Qinghe had no reason to interrogate her further. He nodded slightly. "Please convey my thanks to your mother."
His politeness felt unfamiliar to Shen Qianzhan. She tentatively asked, "Have you eaten? Would you like to come up and have something?"
Ji Qinghe hesitated for a moment.
His hesitation was perfectly timed, like the string of a marionette, leaving Shen Qianzhan’s heart suspended in mid-air, neither letting her relax nor feel at ease.
Just as her patience was about to run out and she was on the verge of retracting the offer, he calmly declined. "I’d better not disturb you today."
Shen Qianzhan let out a soft sigh of relief, unsure whether the weight in her chest had lifted or remained. She nodded, waiting for him to take his leave.
After a brief pause, Ji Qinghe casually mentioned, "I heard from Doctor Fei that the surgery is scheduled for tomorrow."
"Yes." The thermal container was heavy to hold with one hand, so Shen Qianzhan used her other hand to support it. "My mother wants to be there, so I’ll take her over tomorrow."
"Heart surgery is delicate and can take a long time." Ji Qinghe’s tone was casual, almost offhand. "The recovery period is lengthy, and she’ll need careful nurturing after being discharged."
Shen Qianzhan had little knowledge in this area and simply nodded. "Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Ji." With that one sentence, she pushed the recently warmed atmosphere back to a distance.
Ji Qinghe frowned almost imperceptibly. "You don’t need to call me Mr. Ji in private."
Here it comes.
The classic romance trope of changing titles to bridge the distance!
Shen Qianzhan’s heart raced, but her expression remained calm. "Alright, as you wish."
On the surface, this seemed like agreement and compromise, but it was actually like a thorny stem—anyone who touched it would get pricked.
Yet the thorns were soft, only causing pain without drawing blood.
Ji Qinghe raised an eyebrow slightly but didn’t press the issue. "As you like."
He checked his watch again. "I have something to attend to later. Shall I go now?"
The latter part of his sentence carried a slight upward inflection, as if asking for her opinion.
"Alright."
Shen Qianzhan glanced at the ground near his feet. The snow on the wheels had melted into water, pooling into a damp puddle.
She wondered how long Ji Qinghe had been waiting for her.
A wave of sympathy washed over her, and before her mind could catch up, she stepped forward and tapped on the car window. "Ji Qinghe."
The driver’s side window rolled down. Ji Qinghe rested his arm on the window frame, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I was just wondering when you’d call out to me."
Author’s Note: Life is so hard.
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or nourished me with nutrient solutions between 2020-03-14 21:52:34 and 2020-03-15 19:20:04~
Special thanks to the little angel who sent a rocket launcher: Password Is Your Birthday 1;
Thanks to the little angel who sent a grenade: Wen Wen Wen Wen 1;
Thanks to the little angels who sent landmines: Yue Banban 3; Cha Shao, Siytse 2; Little Ancestor, Miao Miao Miao Miao Miao Zai Jiang, 27123643, 42381919, One Grapefruit, Mu Hanhan’s Little Shadow Mio, Yang Orange, Huo Lu Nu Nu, Star Collector, Amciyo., 42919880, Wei Yi hhh, Sleepy Fang Won’t Let Me Cultivate, Ah Mi Army??, Zhang Zhang Zhang Zhang Ping, Zui Ai Bei Qing’s Jing Bai, Rain~Mo, 41787310, Ha Ge Is a Little Fatty, Qiao Yi Qiao Qiao Qiao Ah Qiao, Happy Mom, Miao Yin Lovely, -Jiu Wan, Josie, Want to Meet You~ 1;
Thanks to the little angels who nourished me with nutrient solutions: Han Han Han Han 7788 66 bottles; No Sugar 61 bottles; Ha Ge Is a Little Fatty 20 bottles; Aislinn, Little Ancestor, Wanzi, Yu Sheng, Dan Dan Lan Ting, Qing Cheng Ai 10 bottles; Green Mountain Blocks Me, Ly:-) 9 bottles; Choco, M_Douer, Zhang Zhang Zhang Zhang Ping, Journey’s Beauty, Jin Taiheng’s Wife 5 bottles; Villkan 4 bottles; Mu You 3 bottles; Man Man, Zi Meng Xin Ning, Elaine, Empty City., (??Scallion Egg Fish Soup, Karen 2 bottles; I crave Jin Luyun Li Donghai, Chu Wuyan, Wen Zhuo, Nian Bei, Shi Xiao Ni, Math Pass, Yue Yue, Ting Ting, Bo Bo, Sha La La, Likes New Not Tired of Q, Fairy Ah, Du Yan, Password Is Your Birthday, Dong Nuan, Grandma Qian, Oh, Luo Tianming, Salty Fish Doesn’t Want to Turn Over 1 bottle;
Thank you all so much for your support. I will continue to work hard!
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