Beijing-Hong Kong Rosemary

Chapter 58 I heard that people who have watched the first snow together will stay together forever.

Zhou Chongli was well aware of Zhou Shilin's every move, and with a little speculation, he could figure out what Miss Shen was thinking.

However, he wasn't entirely sure; that last sentence was just a test, proving his guess was correct.

"I must remind you that Qu Yanci hates it most when people approach him with ulterior motives, especially when they are deceived or taken advantage of."

"You have no idea what he's been through in the past."

His voice was neither fast nor slow, yet it was incredibly grating.

Shen Guining clenched her fist tightly.

After a long while, she finally moved her lips.

“This is a matter between Mr. Qu and me.”

"Even if you threaten me, I still don't know Yu Wanqiu's whereabouts. Believe it or not."

Yu Wanqiu only told her that she wanted to leave this place and start a new life, and then she couldn't contact her anymore.

Zhou Chongli left with a dark expression.

Shen Guining stayed in the private room for another ten minutes or so. When she came out of the coffee shop, it was already dark outside.

Streetlights and taillights blend together, and vehicles busily drive through the streets.

Amid the noise, the phone rang.

Shen Guining looked down at the three words "Mr. Qu" on the screen, stared blankly for a moment, and then answered the phone.

He held the phone to his ear, and a clear, magnetic voice came through: "Didn't you say you wanted to eat butterfly cookies from Hong Kong Island last time? Which brand is it?"

Qu Yanci is attending a business event in Hong Kong Island today. His schedule is very tight, and he will return to Beijing tomorrow morning.

Shen Guining was surprised that he remembered such a small matter. His throat tightened slightly. "No need, Mr. Qu. It's too much trouble. I just mentioned it casually last time."

Qu Yanci sat in the car, glancing out the window. "It's not much trouble. You can have whatever you want to eat."

Shen Guining's eyes were stinging from the wind, and after a few seconds, she said, "...that bakehouse in Tsim Sha Tsui."

"it is good."

"Thank you, Mr. Qu."

"What's wrong? Are you unhappy?" he suddenly asked.

Shen Guining gripped her phone tightly, feigning nonchalance as she smiled and said, "No, Mr. Qu, you're busy. I won't bother you anymore."

"Ah."

After hanging up the phone, Shen Guining took a taxi back to her apartment.

I was absent-minded the whole way, and my hands and feet were ice cold.

Back home, Shen Guining took off her coat and wearily curled up on the sofa, lost in thought.

The words Zhou Chongli had said to her kept echoing in her ears.

“When Qu Yanci was in junior high school, he was kidnapped by his best friend. His friend had a purpose in approaching him from the beginning. Because of the grudges of the previous generation, he hated the Qu family to the bone, so he used Qu Yanci to do his dirty work. The scar on his arm was left at that time.”

"You tell me how much he hates people who deceive him."

Ruby rubbed against my feet, tilting her head back, begging for a pat, "Aww..."

Shen Guining snapped out of her daze, bent down to stroke the little one, and murmured, "Ruby, what should I do?"

Her approach to Qu Yanci was malicious; she deceived and exploited her.

It was all a staged performance from the beginning. In the back garden of the charity gala, she wasn't actually scared by the golden retriever at all. She saw Assistant Han first and guessed that the golden retriever was Mr. Qu's dog, so she deliberately fell to the ground and injured herself.

Even at the resort hotel, she wasn't drunk at all; she pretended to be drunk and said those things to deceive him.

Shen Guining, what exactly are you doing?

You cannot assume that Mr. Qu will not be harmed simply because he is in a high position.

You know best what it feels like to be used.

If she takes the initiative to confess to Mr. Qu, will he forgive her?

However, she seemed to lack the courage; she was afraid of seeing Mr. Qu's hateful gaze.

Perhaps ending the relationship before the lies are exposed would be better for everyone.
-
Hong Kong Island.

The top floor of the Central Tower is a gathering place for celebrities, a vibrant and glamorous scene of social gatherings.

Qu Yanci briefly left the banquet to light a cigarette on the terrace.

The city lights are dazzling, and the night is enchanting.

Ye Zeming looked around and strolled over. "Brother Ci, so you're here."

Qu Yanci flicked off the ash from his cigarette. "Did you need something?"

"Can't we catch up after so long?" Ye Zeming stood next to him, holding a wine glass.

If it's meaningless, Qu Yanci will not accept it.

Ye Zeming leaned against the railing, "Brother Ci, I heard from Su Yuchen that you have a girl around you? Is it true?" Gossip was his real purpose.

Qu Yanci glanced at him indifferently, "You've switched careers to become a paparazzi?"

"..."

"I'm just curious, what kind of girl can catch your eye?"

After all, he has such high standards.

Ye Zeming tilted his head back and took a sip of wine, then asked, "Are you keeping her as a pet, or are you serious about dating her?"

Qu Yanci paused in his smoking, his brow furrowing slightly.

All along, he seemed to have forgotten something very important: the relationship had never been clearly defined.

He had no experience in dating or relationships and didn't know what the normal dating process was like; he simply accepted that Shen Guining was his.

But what she would think? He had no idea.

The young woman is only twenty-one years old, and perhaps she is sensitive. As an older man, he should take care of her feelings and give her a sense of security.

After waiting for a while without Qu Yanci saying anything, Ye Zeming asked again, "Why aren't you saying anything?"

"I don't have that much free time to play around." With that, Qu Yanci turned and went inside.

Ye Zeming raised an eyebrow.

That means they're serious.

Qu Yanci left early and got back to his car. He answered a phone call; the New York branch had an important document that urgently needed his review and signature.

Tomorrow's itinerary has been changed to flying to the United States.

Han Yi asked, "Mr. Qu, do you need me to accompany you?"

"No need. Go back to Beijing and take the things back with you," Qu Yanci instructed in a low voice.

What was that? Han Yi took a few seconds to realize that it was a pair of butterfly cookies that he had specially brought for Miss Shen.
-
That day, Shen Guining was not in the right state of mind and made several mistakes during rehearsal.

She rarely experiences this.

Lou Jingshu asked, "What's wrong, Gui Ning? You seem a little distracted."

A hint of weariness appeared between Shen Guining's brows. "I probably didn't sleep well last night."

I'm so preoccupied with thoughts that I can't sleep for half the night, and my sleep quality is very poor.

Lou Jingshu suggested, "Then go to the rest room and rest for a while before continuing to practice."

"it is good."

Shen Guining went to the tea room and made herself a cup of coffee, adding only a small amount of milk and sugar. She needed to perk herself up and get herself in the right state of mind.

After the afternoon rehearsal ended, it started raining outside.

As soon as I stepped indoors, the damp, cold air hit me, seeping into my collar.

Shen Guining shivered and instinctively pulled her coat tighter around herself.

If she didn't need an umbrella, she would have just put her hands in her pockets.

Several colleagues nearby rubbed their hands together and breathed on them to warm them up.

"It's so cold, and I still have to walk to the subway station. I hate rainy days the most."

"I saw in the weather forecast that it will snow in a few days."

"The first snow of the year is finally coming! I want to watch it with my boyfriend!"

"Wow, how romantic! I've heard that people who watch the first snow together will stay together forever."

"I hope so!"

Shen Guining did not believe such a fantastical claim.

The rain gradually intensified and poured down from above.

Just as she was about to open her umbrella, her phone suddenly rang.

The person on the other end of the phone was Assistant Han, who told her to wait at the theater for a while, and that the driver would come to take her back to her apartment.

About fifteen minutes later, the van parked directly in the underground parking garage.

Shen Guining went down the elevator.

After she got on the bus, the box of butterfly cookies she had brought back from Hong Kong Island was handed to her.

The packaging is still familiar. She used to eat this dim sum often on Hong Kong Island. It's authentic Hong Kong-style dessert, which you can't find in Beijing.

She opened it and tasted a piece. It was still crispy and sweet, but after swallowing, she felt a strange sourness in her throat.

That evening, after much deliberation, Shen Guining sent a WeChat message to a colleague asking: "Xiaoxiao, you mentioned last time that your friend has a house to rent out. Is she still renting it out?"

P.S.: Just in case you've forgotten, Ye Zeming is the owner of that golden retriever from before; he appeared earlier~