-----
While brushing my teeth, memories of her surged forth like bubbles.
One year in Country R, Qi Yi'an accompanied Qin Ruoshui to a New Year's Eve party with some friends. On the way home, fireworks lit up the night sky everywhere. People nearby were setting off fireworks, and Qin Ruoshui timidly huddled in Qi Yi'an's arms to avoid the sparks. After returning home, they made love on the sofa with the curtains open, reflecting the colorful fireworks outside the window, listening to the distant "bang" and "slap" sounds, and hearing her say "I love you" over and over again.
There was also the time when Qi Yi'an was 22 years old in H country. At midnight, Qin Ruoshui held her in bed and sang "Happy Birthday" like a broken record, making her laugh so hard she almost died. She scolded Qin Ruoshui for treating her like a baby and even playfully hit her.
Later, Qin Ruoshui suddenly got stuck, like a broken record.
"Hey? What's wrong with you, you little repeater?"
"Ah, the power's out." The tone of her voice suddenly dropped.
"Hahaha, Qin Ruoshui! You're insane! Hahahahahaha!"
Qin Ruoshui hugged her even tighter in the darkness, kissing her several times to stifle her laughter.
"Sweetie, baby's going to sleep..."
It turns out she still remembered the warmth in the darkness.
besides…
Where did these memories come from? Why had she forgotten them so completely just a few days ago? Qi Yi'an looked at herself in the mirror, her face and body feeling somewhat unfamiliar. Recalling the past few years, her memories were as chaotic as a dream; what she had experienced and felt were mostly so vague and uncertain.
…
She dried herself off and didn't put on any clothes.
She silently pushed open the bedroom door. She even held her breath.
-----
The quiet air in the bedroom rose and fell in the darkness. Qi Yi'an felt the outline of the bed. In the dim light, he saw a raised shape on the bed. He lifted the covers and crawled in, close to that person, close to that warmth.
She was asleep with her back to him. Qi Yi'an reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing his skin against hers from behind. He nestled his fingers into her hair, taking a light sniff, and then kissed the back of her neck. Qin Ruoshui seemed to be asleep, making no sound.
Qi Yi'an buried himself in that soft spot, and his consciousness slowly faded.
She didn't know how much time had passed, but she guessed that she had probably fallen asleep. In her half-awake state, Qi Yi'an felt as if a soft, warm hand was placed on her hand.
"Silly boy..."
Author's Note:
Thesis, haha, the bittersweet experience of writing a thesis is the primary driving force for writing online novels.
Chapter 25 She got married.
"It is a great honor to work with you. I hope you will continue to support me in the future."
"Yes, it's a pleasure to work with Mr. Lin."
The other party's boss shook hands with Lin Yan and smiled as he saw her out of the room. Back in his own room, he respectfully asked the upstairs boss, "Boss, what do you think?"
"Lin Yan... has quite the ambition, isn't she afraid of getting herself into trouble?" Li Feiyan stubbed out her cigarette in the darkness. "Very good, go and rest, thank you for your hard work."
-----
"How was it?" Qin Ye asked as he walked up to Lin Yan after she came out.
"It's alright," Lin Yan said, taking a glass of wine. "It's the first time I've dealt with people like them, so I have to be careful in everything I do."
Lin Yan is Qin Ye's childhood friend and Qin Ruoshui's legal partner. Recently, she has gradually taken over the Lin family's business and is quite ambitious in expanding it. In recent years, international relations have been tense, with a growing trend towards stricter international trade controls. With chaos abroad, the government is intentionally raising barriers to import/export and international immigration to maintain domestic stability. Her dealings with Li Feiyan involve some shady overseas business dealings.
"You're really bold. As for me, I'll have to wait and see."
-----
Qi Yi'an was half asleep. A warm hand cradled the back of her head, pulling her into an embrace. So warm, so soft. In her drowsy state, she let a soft touch her forehead, the bridge of her nose, and her lips, carrying a faint, layered fragrance.
She fell asleep again.
She didn't know how much time had passed when a slender, smooth arm wrapped around her waist from behind, then explored along her arm and covered her hand. Her hand was grasped in another's palm, their fingers intertwined. Qi Yi'an couldn't help but lean closer to the warmth behind her, sinking into it. Suddenly, she felt a hot breath on the back of her neck, and a slightly warm, soft spot pressed against her.
I never expected that even such a small detail would fail the review the second time.
The person behind him chuckled softly, their lips slightly parted. Qi Yi'an groaned softly, seemingly waking up, but too lazy to fully open his eyes.
…
When Qi Yi'an woke up again, he looked at the pillowcase; it was empty except for the wrinkles in the fabric. He drew back the curtains; the brightly lit room was completely empty, utterly silent. His heart felt empty as well.
And her?
Was it a dream?
She lay there lazily for a while, then reached for her phone: September 23, 2025, 10:10 AM
Suddenly there was a rustling sound outside the door, and Qi Yi'an pricked up his ears alertly.
Click, the door opened.
Qi Yi'an got up and walked out of the room, not bothering to put on his clothes.
The person standing in the entryway was stunned. Qi Yi'an was also stunned.
Who is this naked woman in front of me?
Who is this fashionable middle-aged woman with a colorful afro in front of me?
Fortunately, the older woman was experienced and knowledgeable. After a half-minute pause, she broke the silence and greeted the young lady with a cheerful smile, "Good morning, young lady!"
Qi Yi'an snapped out of her daze. "Uh, hello." Without saying more, she quickly turned around, closed the door, and hurriedly put on her clothes, her body covered in cold sweat.
Aunt Li glanced at the snow-white buttocks behind her as she turned around, raised an eyebrow, and smugly muttered to herself, "Haha, so Xiao Ruo was hiding such a treasure in this house. Tsk, what haven't I seen? Look at this child, she's shameless even though she's not wearing any clothes, but she was so scared when she saw that it wasn't Xiao Ruo who walked in, hahaha. And although her breasts are a bit small, her buttocks are still pretty good..."
"Uh... um... Auntie?" Qi Yi'an put on his clothes and tried to speak calmly. Whew, stay calm, mature, stay composed, this new persona can't collapse.
"Huh? Hahaha, what's wrong, child?" Aunt Li came to her senses and smiled broadly.
What brings you here?
"Oh, Miss Qin said she might be staying here for a while, so I brought some food and her usual things to prepare, and also to clean up a bit. Are you... Miss Qin's friend?" Qi Yi'an saw her carrying several large bags of things to the kitchen to organize them. "Uh... yes. Do you know where she went?"
As soon as Qi Yi'an asked the question, he realized it was a workday and Qin Ruoshui was most likely at work. "Uh, it's okay, you're busy, I'll call and ask later."
While brushing his teeth, Qi Yi'an waved the toothbrush around aimlessly, noticing the refrigerator being crammed full of various foods in a flurry. The living room and bedrooms were quickly furnished with all sorts of homey items, some probably things Qin Ruoshui used to use… Aunt Li's comings and goings quickly transformed the empty little apartment into a comfortable and cozy space, filled with the aroma of food. Qi Yi'an looked at this fashionable middle-aged woman with her colorful, afro-like hair with a sense of awe, and picked up an egg pancake.
When Aunt Li pushed the door open again, she was holding a leash. She gently tugged at it, and a strong dog hopped in... *plop*
-----
After the incident in Country E, Qin Ruoshui mainly worked in China, occasionally traveling to other countries for business. Under Qin Ye's watchful eye, she couldn't always have such a leisurely life. Just as she returned to her office after a meeting, the phone rang. Seeing "Little Kid" on the screen, she couldn't help but smile. Her secretary, Xiao Zhang, stood quietly to the side, sensing the unease in the air.
"..." There was silence on the other end of the phone after she answered. Qin Ruoshui waited a moment before speaking first, her tone calm and even, "What is it?"
"...Are you off work yet?" "Almost."
"Where?" "Company headquarters."
"I'm downstairs, I'll come pick you up." "Okay."
"Bye."
After hanging up the phone, Qin Ruoshui faced the floor-to-ceiling window and admired the sunset for a while. Outside the window were bustling high-rise buildings and streets under the setting sun.
"Xiao Zhang, you can go home now."
"Okay!" Secretary Zhang replied immediately. President Qin had been so affectionate before and after answering the phone, so why was he so cold and distant on the other end… Something's up. "By the way, President Qin… that report…"
"Oh, keep it up next week. Have a great weekend!"
"Oh! Thank you, Mr. Qin! Have a great weekend!" Xiao Zhang cheered as he went out. If only Mr. Qin could be in such a good mood every day.
-----
After going downstairs, Qin Ruoshui chuckled as she saw the little beetle in front of her. Pupu had already impatiently rushed to Qin Ruoshui, jumping and begging for a hug. She smiled and ruffled its head, but Qin Ruoshui had no time to play with it and looked up to speak. "Why did you bring Aunt Li's grocery shopping cart? Where is Aunt Li?"
Qi Yi'an shrugged. "After Aunt Li finished her work, she said she had the weekend off, so she went to a bar to DJ..." He never expected that the old lady with the colorful afro was actually a DJ. The Qin family really has a lot of talented people.
Qin Ruoshui raised an eyebrow. "Not bad. She was obsessed with motorcycle racing a while ago. It seems she has a new hobby recently."
Qi Yi'an: ...
"Then you'll be my driver today~ Let's go, I'll treat you to a big meal."
-----
"How long are you staying this time?" Qin Ruoshui looked at the woman sitting opposite her. Her features had matured, and she now possessed a more spirited air than before, with a touch more gentleness than her former liveliness. She still had long, flowing black hair, wore a black dress, and her red lips contrasted sharply with her snow-white skin. Her eyes were deep and unapproachable. It seemed as if the innocent, naive girl from before was nowhere to be found.
"It depends on my mood and the boss's mood."
"Oh? What kind of work are you doing now?"
Facing the probing gaze, Qi Yi'an looked back frankly, "It's similar to before, in an international organization. It involves some international trade."
"Is he still the kind who travels all over the world?"
"right."
Qin Ruoshui smiled faintly and looked out the window. She was still the same as always, lacking any sense of direction.
"There are more and more illegal transactions in international trade these days, so be careful not to get involved."
Qi Yi'an quietly gazed at the woman opposite her, still possessing that captivating beauty. She was remarkably well-preserved; the years seemed to have brought little change. Her eyes sparkled, her red lips alluring, though sometimes faint fine lines were visible around them. Qi Yi'an took a deep breath, suppressing the alcohol-induced pounding in her heart. Those fine lines drove her to a frenzy of longing. The slight signs of age on Qin Ruoshui's face, yet a beauty that stirred her soul. She seemed to have changed her hairstyle; the previous large waves had been replaced with slightly wavy…
"Why get married?" Qi Yi'an didn't know what her position was in suddenly asking this question, but she had restrained herself for too long since she heard the news two years ago.
It wasn't that she cared about becoming the other woman, or the object of Qin Ruoshui's extramarital affair. It was simply jealousy; her possessiveness was making her extremely uncomfortable. This "wandering" woman, who refused to settle down with her, was actually willing to marry someone else.
Their relationship remained ambiguous, fluctuating between closeness and uncertainty. If that winter in Beijing saw them avoid discussing the future, then later they would hurt each other after getting too close, and then act foolishly again after distancing themselves. Two people who crave freedom seem ill-suited for love and commitment; after all, expecting them to promise to only have sex with another human for the rest of their lives is too demanding.
It wasn't that they hadn't tried to take a step forward together in their relationship, but the result was always arguments, seemingly irreconcilable. It wasn't that they hadn't broken up decisively, but ultimately they were entangled again, unable to let go. So they both compromised. Qi Yi'an wanted to travel the world, and Qin Ruoshui let her be. Qin Ruoshui craved new excitement, and Qi Yi'an couldn't stop her.
She had known for a long time that Qi Yi'an didn't care about her, but she was still furious. She didn't want to come back; she wanted to travel the world and meet all kinds of women, as if that was her way of getting revenge. She hated her.
Yet, even with this apparent indifference, Qin Ruoshui remained cold and never tried to hold him back. A single, casual action from her was enough to shatter all of Qi Yi'an's pride.
She got married.
Author's Note:
Thinking about it, it seems like it's been five years since I've seriously read any Chinese literature, let alone written any. To think I'd write a novel like this is really asking too much of myself.