From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

After dinner, Leng Shanshan quietly and methodically cleared the table of dishes.

Su Qing went into the second bedroom and packed up all the laptop and toiletries she had left there.

When she came out, she saw me sitting alone on the sofa, lost in thought.

She gently walked to my side and softly asked, "What are you thinking about?"

I snapped out of my reverie, shook my head slightly, and chuckled, "Nothing much, just thinking about the ton of trouble that's coming our way."

Su Qing slightly raised her chin and teased softly, "What, scared?"

"I wouldn't say I'm afraid, I just don't want you to suffer any injustice."

Su Qing grinned instantly, leaned closer, gently touched my arm, and said:

"What's there to feel wronged about? Once I, Su Qing, have made up my mind about someone, I will never let go in this lifetime. I'll face whatever comes my way, there's nothing to be afraid of."

Her decisiveness always easily soothes the unease in my heart.

We picked up our packed belongings, said goodbye to Leng Shanshan, and walked to the entrance.

Leng Shanshan earnestly instructed again: "No matter what happens at home or what situation arises with Fang Heng, tell me anytime you encounter trouble, and I will help you if I can."

"Okay, thank you, Shanshan!" Su Qing waved.

Stepping out of the apartment building, the sky had already completely darkened by evening.

The city's streetlights lit up one after another, their warm yellow light spreading across the streets, creating a vibrant urban atmosphere.

A cool evening breeze caressed my face, carrying the unique warmth and bustle of the city.

As I gazed at the city lights that illuminated the entire city, I felt a slight sense of disorientation.

I feel like I haven't completely emerged from the no-man's-land yet; I can still feel the extreme cold and lack of oxygen.

But I knew I had to bring my mind back as soon as possible.

Because the real-world battle between me and Su Qing has only just begun.

We got into a taxi for the return trip, and just as the car started moving, Su Qing's phone suddenly rang.

She took out her phone, glanced at the screen, and her relaxed expression instantly changed slightly.

She hesitated for several seconds before silently withdrawing her hand, putting down her phone, and not answering the call.

I noticed her unusual behavior and asked softly, "Was it your aunt and uncle calling?"

Su Qing gently shook her head without responding.

But the unnaturalness that flashed in her eyes couldn't escape my notice.

This unexpected phone call instantly added a sense of unknown unease to the previously relaxed atmosphere.

Seeing Su Qing remain silent for a long time, with a hint of unease, I finally couldn't help but ask, "Why aren't you answering the phone?"

The phone had stopped ringing, and the carriage fell silent instantly.

After several seconds, Su Qing lowered her voice slightly and said cautiously, "I'm telling you the truth, but please don't get angry."

Upon hearing this, my heart inexplicably tightened.

Having known Su Qing for so long, I've always seen her as frank and straightforward, never speaking so cautiously.

No matter what it is, she always speaks her mind and doesn't need to worry about what others think.

But today, she was clearly acting very strangely.

Could there be some hidden story behind this phone call that she doesn't want me to know? Or something that might make her think I'll get angry?

I shook my head slightly, trying to keep my tone relaxed, and said, "You're making it all so mysterious, I'm completely confused. What's going on?"

Su Qing sighed softly, as if she had mustered a great deal of courage, before slowly speaking:

"Do you remember that street band we stumbled upon one night when we were in Lhasa, strolling along Barkhor Street?"

I instantly recalled that the atmosphere on the street was lively that night, and Su Qing spontaneously went on stage and sang two songs.

It also received a standing ovation and was extremely popular.

I just didn't expect her to bring this up suddenly. Could the phone call just now be related to that band?

I nodded, then asked, puzzled, "I remember. What's wrong? Is it related to that band?"

"Um."

Su Qing responded softly and continued, "The lead singer of that band later found me through a short video platform and added me on social media. I later found out that he was from Rongcheng next door, which surprised me quite a bit."

She paused briefly, then continued, "He contacted me a while ago, saying there was a charity performance in Jiangzhou to raise money for a child with leukemia, and asked if I would be willing to take some time to sing a couple of songs."

"I happened to be free at the time, and since it was a good deed for charity, I didn't think much about it and just agreed to go."

I listened quietly without interrupting her, and nodded gently to signal her to continue.

Su Qing sighed again, her tone tinged with helplessness, "After that performance, he would often chat with me and contact me, whether there was something to talk about or not."

As a man, I instantly understood what she meant.

The frequent, unprovoked contact was clearly a blatant attempt to pursue Su Qing under the guise of chance encounters and charity.

Before I could speak, Su Qing expressed her predicament.

"But he never directly expressed his feelings. He was always very gentlemanly and polite, so I couldn't find a suitable reason to refuse him directly. Every time he asked me out, I could only make up an excuse to say that I had something to do."

This is also true if the other party has made it clear that they are pursuing Su Qing.

Given Su Qing's personality, she would definitely refuse decisively and without hesitation.

However, the other party maintained a gentlemanly distance, only approaching silently without crossing the line.

But this ambiguous attitude is the most troublesome, making even refusing seem like making a mountain out of a molehill.

I frowned and asked softly, "Did he deliberately harass you?"

"No, not at all." Su Qing immediately shook her head. "He is always very polite when he speaks. Once I say I have something to do and make an excuse, he won't keep pestering me or send me random messages."

I thought for a moment in silence, then said to her, "Okay, you call back later, give me your phone, and I'll talk to him."

Su Qing hesitated for a moment, then nodded gently: "Then I'll call after I get off the bus."

I responded with a nod and said no more, but a sense of vigilance, unique to men, lingered in my heart.

As a fellow man, I know this kind of tactic all too well.

He appears gentle and gentlemanly, but in reality, he is deep-thinking and incredibly patient.

To put it bluntly, he's a wolf in sheep's clothing, gradually trying to break down Su Qing's defenses.

Twenty minutes later, the taxi stopped at the entrance of the small courtyard by the river.

As soon as she got out of the car, Su Qing took out her phone and dialed the number back, then handed the phone to me.

I took the phone and casually turned on speakerphone.

The moment the call connected, a somewhat magnetic male voice came through:

"Su Qing, were you busy just now? I kept calling but no one answered."

The voice was polite and gentle, without a single flaw.

I didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "Hello, Su Qing is taking a shower and it's inconvenient for her to answer the phone. You can tell me what you need her for."

The meaning of my words couldn't be clearer: I wanted to state my identity clearly, draw a clear line, and completely dispel any thoughts the other party might have.

If the other party had any sense of propriety, they would have known to stop after hearing this.