Jin Shunqi understood immediately, but instead of asking her what she thought of Xie Shi'an, he gently pulled her into his arms.
Qiao Yuchu leaned on his shoulder: "I said a lot of really hurtful things to her..."
"Why don't you go and apologize to her?"
Qiao Yuchu thought for a while, then bit her lip and shook her head.
“I know her. From childhood to adulthood, she has always been very stubborn about the things she likes and never gives up easily. But I can’t promise her anything like this. If I go to her now, it will make her feel that there is still a sliver of room for maneuver. I can’t give her any promises. I just hope that she can get over it soon. It’s better to have a short pain than a long one.”
"So you two won't see each other again?"
Qiao Yuchu hesitated for a moment, but still spoke.
"I'll say goodbye to her when I'm leaving, once I've got my visa and passport sorted out, and I'll also return the money to her."
***
Jian Changnian was busy at home for two days, installing a telephone. When she sat down to eat, she was still somewhat absent-minded, and her grandmother saw through her thoughts at a glance.
"Chang Nian, if you have someone you care about, go home early after you finish eating."
Jian Changnian paused, her chopsticks still, and lowered her eyes.
"Grandma, I..."
Grandma put another piece of braised pork in her bowl.
"I could tell you were down the first day you came back. Did you have a fight with Shi'an? Otherwise, why didn't you invite her back to play with you since you finally have a holiday?"
Jian Changnian poked at the rice in her bowl intermittently.
"It wasn't exactly an argument..."
She didn't know how to explain to her grandmother that Xie Shi'an was a lesbian, as it was somewhat beyond her comprehension.
"Well... I've encountered some embarrassing things, and I... I don't know how to get along with her for the time being."
"Didn't you say that Shi'an is your best friend? When a friend is in trouble, you should lend her a hand."
Her grandmother's words were like a ray of light that awakened her.
She did return home with a somewhat escapist mindset. Firstly, she was shocked by Xie Shi'an's feelings for Qiao Yu Chu. Secondly, she didn't know why, but seeing Xie Shi'an heartbroken for Sister Yu Chu made her own heart feel like it was soaking in a pickle jar, aching and unbearable.
If you can't figure it out, then stop thinking about it.
Perhaps the essence of human beings is that of a tortoise.
So she ran back home, trying to temporarily replace the sadness and bitterness of being with Xie Shi'an with the love and warmth her grandmother gave her. But Xie Shi'an is such a proud person, and he was rejected so badly. He must be very sad now. I wonder if he has eaten, slept well, and is still injured.
Upon thinking of this, Jian Changnian almost immediately jumped up.
"Grandma, you're right. I should help her. I'll go now and come back to see you another day."
Grandma got up shakily, called her back, went into the kitchen, ladled out a bowl of braised pork, put it in a lunchbox, wrapped it tightly in a plastic bag, and stuffed it into her schoolbag.
"Hey, wait a minute, take this braised pork back for Shi'an to try too. Whatever it is, let's eat first."
Chapter 91 Retirement
Xie Shi'an was playing games in her bedroom when there was a sudden knock on the door. Thinking it was her takeout, she got up and walked out in a daze. As soon as she opened the door a crack, a man's arm squeezed in and shoved a bag of apples into her hand.
“Shi’an, Shi’an, it’s Daddy. Daddy’s back. I came here especially to see you…”
Before he could finish speaking, Xie Shi'an slammed the door shut. The man's arm was still stuck in the crack in the door when he screamed and jumped away.
Without saying a word, Xie Shi'an closed the door again.
The man clutched his arm, wincing in pain. He had finally recovered, but he was still determined to knock on the door again.
He had just placed his hand on the door when it opened again. His face lit up with joy, but before he could even speak, Xie Shi'an threw out the things he had bought, along with the plastic bags, which rained down on him.
"Take your things and get out!"
"Hey, Shi'an, Shi'an!"
The man lunged forward, about to say something, when the door slammed shut again. He picked up the apples scattered on the floor, muttering to himself.
"Like a dog biting Lü Dongbin, not recognizing a kind heart. Bah! What a piece of trash, just like your mother!"
After being turned away by Xie Shi'an, he had no choice but to go back first. As he went downstairs, he received a phone call demanding payment.
"You're back in Jiangcheng, kid? When are you going to pay me back? How about we find a place to have a chat in person?"
"No, not at all. I'm still out doing business. It's just 200,000. I'll definitely pay you back by the end of this month. Is that alright?"
"Don't try any tricks on me, kid. Let me tell you, you can run away on the first day of the month, but you can't run away on the fifteenth. It's just 200,000, and you've been dragging it out for months! You should know the casino's rules if you can't pay it back by the end of the month."
As the man walked, he kept bowing and looking around, as if afraid of being seen, before hurriedly leaving the residential area.
"I know, I know, don't worry. I've got this business opportunity, so I won't talk to you anymore. See you later."
Shortly after he left, the deliveryman also went upstairs and knocked on the door for a long time, but no one answered.
Xie Shi'an thought the person had returned despite not giving up, so he simply drew the curtains, put on his headphones, turned the game volume up to the maximum, and started clattering the keyboard.
The delivery driver had no choice but to leave the food container at her doorstep.
The first thing Jian Changnian did upon returning to Jiangcheng City was to go find her. Just as she was about to knock on the door, she saw a lunchbox placed at the door. Touching the packaging, she realized it had been there for a long time and was completely cold.
She knocked on the door with some concern.
"Shi'an, have you eaten? How are you feeling? Have you gone to the hospital to change your dressings these past few days? I brought you some braised pork that your grandma made."
The room was dimly lit.
There were some empty wine bottles and instant noodle boxes scattered around Xie Shi'an. Her computer was still on, but she had fallen asleep on the table.
Seeing that no one answered for a long time, Jian Changnian was about to turn around and leave, but she bit her lip and came back, placing the lunchbox at the door.
“Shi’an, Grandma said that no matter what happens, fill your stomach first. I’ve already asked Coach Yan for leave, so you can rest easy. I… I’ll wait for you to come back.”
***
For couples deeply in love, the holiday ended quickly. Kim Nam-ji went home with Yoon Ga-yi for a few days and received a warm welcome from her parents, who cooked them different dishes every day. Before leaving, they packed a lot of local specialties into her suitcase.
Yin Jiayi was both amused and exasperated.
"Mom, we can't possibly carry this much stuff on a plane."
"Oh, can't you just check it in? If you can't carry it, why don't you help Nan Zhi carry it? It's not easy for him to come all this way. Nan Zhi, come to your aunt and uncle's house again next time you have a holiday, and Auntie will cook you something delicious again."
Kim Nam-ji smiled sweetly, and was both sensible and polite.
"Thank you so much for your hospitality, Uncle and Aunt. I've had a wonderful time these past few days, and thank you for your hard work. I'll look forward to your next vacation..."
She glanced at Yin Jiayi, her smile slightly shy.
"Please invite you and... Jiayi to go to South Korea for fun."
Yin Jiayi put her arm around her shoulder and laughed.
"Well then, Dad, Mom, we'll be going now, or we'll miss our flight."
Mr. Yin chased after them.
"Hey, how about I drive you guys?"
Yin Jiayi waved to him from afar.
"No need, I'll drive myself. I just need to return the car at the airport anyway."
As soon as he finished speaking, he pulled her along and quickened his pace, whispering in her ear, "Hurry up, or my mom will come out and stuff things into your mouth again. They always do that when I go home, nagging me."
Kim Nam-ji couldn't help but laugh.
"Isn't that great? Look how loving your parents are. They dote on you and extend that love to your friends too. My dad would never drive me around like that."
Yin Jiayi took the luggage from her hand, put it in the trunk, and then turned around to open the passenger door for her.
"That's true, but now you have me to love you, and besides—"
"And what?"
Yin Jiayi opened the car door and got in. Before she could even fasten her seatbelt, she leaned over and kissed her.
I want to spend some more time alone with you.
Kim Nam-ji also knew that once they returned to Beijing, the two of them would no longer be able to stick together like this all the time.
She was also a little reluctant to part with her, so she rushed into her arms, hugged her waist, and whispered something to her.
"I wish we could live together forever."
Yin Jiayi smiled and patted her head.
"Okay, I'll come to see you at school this weekend, okay?"
Jin Nanzhi still didn't let go, holding her and whimpering a few times to express his dissatisfaction. Yin Jiayi chuckled, lifted her chin, and kissed her.
"If you stick to me all the time, I won't be able to train."
Kim Nam-ji looked up, accepting her enthusiasm.
"Peking University has a badminton hall, and you can teach me too."
The girl's eyes sparkled, and she was radiant and captivating.
Yin Jiayi couldn't help but deepen the kiss.
"Okay, I can do it... and there's a lot more."
She made a pointed remark, and the atmosphere gradually heated up.
Jin Nanzhi pressed down on her restless hand, breathing heavily, and said, "Yin Jiayi, if we don't leave now, we'll really miss our flight!"
Yin Jiayi chuckled, their foreheads touching, and when they separated, a thin, ambiguous strand of saliva appeared at the corner of their lips.
Her gaze was intense as she leaned closer again.
"It's okay, you can change your ticket. Let me give you one last kiss before you leave."
***
"The compensation of 2.5 million is the greatest sincerity we can offer. If you are still not satisfied, you are welcome to file a lawsuit. However, we don't know when the court will issue a judgment and the judgment will be enforced. In addition, we also have videos of your previous disturbances. Do you think the judge will support your unreasonable demands in court?"