Beijing-Hong Kong Rosemary

Chapter 23 Mr. Qu, please don't hold it against me.

The next day, when Shen Guining woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, and her gaze gradually cleared, revealing a look of confusion on her face.

She remembered falling asleep in the living room after taking her medicine. How did she get back to her room?

I even had a dream last night that Mr. Qu came.

It's not real at all. Why would Mr. Qu come over so late?

Shen Guining scratched her messy hair, got up, and went to the bathroom to take a shower and wash up.

The small rash from her allergy hasn't completely subsided, but it's not as itchy as it was yesterday. Luckily, it's not on her face, otherwise she wouldn't be able to leave the house.

After taking a shower, she went to the living room to find her phone and saw a WeChat voice message her best friend had sent her early that morning.

"Happy birthday, Ningbao!"

"Sorry, I meant to clock in at midnight, but I accidentally fell asleep..."

Shen Guining smiled and replied to her via voice message: "It's okay, thank you."

Zhu Sixuan happened to be looking at her phone and immediately asked, "Am I still the first person to wish you a happy birthday today?"

Shen Guining didn't think too much about it. [Yes, definitely.]

She received Zhu Sixuan's gift a couple of days earlier; it was a classic slender waist collarbone necklace, which Shen Guining liked very much.

She only realized she had two missed calls when she logged out of WeChat, both from Mr. Qu.

Did Mr. Qu look for her around 11 p.m. last night?
Shen Guining sent him a WeChat message, puzzled: "Mr. Qu, what did you want to talk to me about yesterday?"

After waiting a few minutes, my phone vibrated.

Qu Yanci: [Don't you remember?]

Shen Guining was a little confused. What should she remember?
Could it be... that dream was real?

So it's true that she held onto Mr. Qu's hand and wouldn't let go?
The thought of that scene made Shen Guining's face flush red, and she quickly apologized to him: "I'm sorry, I had an allergic reaction yesterday and my mind wasn't clear. Mr. Qu, please don't hold it against me."

Not receiving a reply, Shen Guining stared at her phone, when suddenly that deep, pleasant voice echoed in her ears.

No one will bully you.

Happy birthday, Shen Guining.

Did Mr. Qu say that? Or was it just her imagination?
-
In the afternoon, as soon as Shen Guining arrived backstage at the theater, Lou Jingshu pulled her aside for questioning.

She lowered her voice and asked, "Gui Ning, did you move out of the apartment because He Jie brought her boyfriend back?"

Shen Guining was immediately taken aback. "How did you know?"

She hadn't told anyone except Zhu Sixuan.

Lou Jingshu blinked. "It's all over the group, and everyone's talking about it in private now."

Shen Guining asked in confusion, "Who spread this message?"

"I don't know, gossip is just something that spreads from one person to ten, from ten to a hundred." Lou Jingshu opened the gossip group on her phone and handed it to her. "Look, the discussion is quite heated."

Shen Guining glanced through it.

[Shocking news! Rumor has it that He Jie brought a man back to her dorm late at night!]

Is this for real? They're playing such a fancy game?!

One night I did hear screams coming from upstairs.

No wonder Shen Guining suddenly moved out; now I understand.

[They really only care about their own pleasure and don't care about other people's lives.]

[Calculate the area of ​​psychological trauma for the beautiful Ms. Shen.]

Thank goodness I don't have a roommate like that!!!

"At first I was a little skeptical, but I didn't expect it to be true." Lou Jingshu sighed softly, "He Jie is probably too ashamed to face anyone, so she took the day off and didn't come."

Shen Guining didn't care what others were saying, but she didn't want to take the blame. She pulled out her phone and sent He Jie a message: "I didn't spread your story."

He Jie quickly replied: 【Who else could it be but you? I thought you were genuinely kind enough to cover for me, but it turns out you're two-faced! Are you satisfied now?】

Shen Guining: [I told you it wasn't me. That apartment building is basically full of people from the theater troupe. You brought such a big person back to the dormitory, and more than once. Do you think everyone is deaf and blind?] I've explained it. Believe it or not.
-
Tanli Mansion.

Xia Xi spent two hours downstairs unpacking her birthday presents, eagerly trying on the dress Shen Guining had given her.

The pink and purple gradient short dress looks ethereal and light, and Xia Xi especially loves it.

Qu Yanci came downstairs and immediately ran over to show off her dance dress, "Uncle, isn't my new dress pretty?"

"Ah."

Xia Xi was already used to his indifferent tone and said to herself, "Sister Ning bought it for me. She has good taste."

Qu Yanci walked to the sofa and sat down. "I should have taught you the principle of reciprocity."

"Well, what happened?"

"It's her birthday today, shouldn't you give her a gift in return?"

Xia Xi exclaimed in surprise, "Ah! Today is Ning-jie's birthday? She didn't tell me, and I don't know what she likes. What should I do?"

She looked to her uncle for help.

Qu Yanci paused slightly, then said in a flat tone, "Flowers."

Xia Xi nodded. "Oh, right, girls all like flowers."

Remembering something, she asked curiously, "Uncle, how did you know it's Sister Ning's birthday today?"

Qu Yanci didn't answer, "Go pick out the flowers quickly."

Xia Xi gave up, "Alright."
-
When Shen Guining finished her dance practice and was about to go home, she received a large bouquet of flowers.

A passing colleague exclaimed enviously, "Wow, such beautiful roses! Whose handiwork is this?"

Shen Guining didn't know either. She took out the card that came with the flower, found the signature, and saw that the handwriting was crooked and messy, clearly written by an elementary school student.

Happy birthday, sister! May you always be happy and beautiful. —Xia Xi

Shen Guining smiled and said, "She is my student."

Wow, such a young age and they already know how to give flowers.

"Look, look, even this little kid is more sensible than my boyfriend!"

"You can argue with that! Last time for our anniversary, my boyfriend bought me a box of incredibly tacky preserved flowers, which really made me furious!"

Once the conversation started, several colleagues began to complain about their boyfriends.

Shen Guining said goodbye to them and left first, carrying the flowers.

After arriving home, she called Xia Xi.

A clear, childlike voice came through the receiver: "Happy birthday, sister! Did you receive my flowers?"

"I received it." Shen Guining asked with a smile, "But how did you know it's my birthday today?"

Xia Xi confessed, "My uncle said so."

Shen Guining was stunned for a moment.

So, the "Happy Birthday" greeting at dawn was said by Mr. Qu, right?

The first person to wish her a happy birthday today was actually Mr. Qu.

"Xixi, thank you for the flowers, and please thank your uncle for me too." She put her phone on the table with the speakerphone on, and took out the roses to put them into the newly bought vase.

"You're welcome." Xia Xi asked, "By the way, sister, do you have a holiday for National Day?"

Shen Guining carefully manipulated the branches and leaves. "There are three days at the end, what's wrong?"

"My uncle said that the resort in the western suburbs will have a trial opening during the National Day holiday. Do you want to come with us?" Xia Xi added with a grin, "It's free."

Is your uncle going too?

"Yes, he made an appointment to discuss something over there."

Shen Guining immediately agreed: "Great, that's perfect, I haven't made any plans for my vacation yet."

(End of this chapter)