I just remembered there's something I forgot to say, but it's okay, she'll definitely say it next time she hears a joke.
Thank you, I love you too.
Chapter Seventy-Eight
Qingqing's home and Xu Fei's apartment are not in the same building, but on a higher floor, the top floor. The elevator is brightly lit. Qian Duoduo stands silently in the corner, looking up and only seeing her own expression in the mirror door, her eyes full of contradictions.
Should he go? Or should he turn around and leave now? The blurry image in the photo that resembled her, the hurried glimpse of the Hong Kong hotel lobby, the chaos in front of the subway station, and the same car he saw here last night—all of these things slowly connected after Ye Mingshen turned into the residential area, waiting for the moment he pushed open the door to reveal the answer.
And this is the answer she really wants to know, and does she really need to know?
That was Yiyi's life, Niu Zhensheng's life, and that so-called Qingqing's life. What did it have to do with her?
Even the closest of friends can't make any small decision for someone else. The more she knows about this, the less important it is. What good will it do her to know? What can she do even if she knows?!
Suddenly, she felt incredibly absurd. Qian Duoduo frowned and took a step back.
Suddenly, Ye Mingshen's voice came from beside her, "Duoduo, are you alright?"
He stood behind her, speaking to her, but his eyes were still fixed on the numbers displayed in the elevator.
"Ming Shen, I suddenly feel a little unwell. Could we not go up? I'm really sorry." Having made up her mind, Qian Duoduo said immediately, her finger already on the side button, intending to press it as soon as the elevator arrived.
It was late. The elevator went straight up quickly and smoothly without stopping. Just as Qian Duoduo finished speaking, a crisp "ding" sounded, and the mirrored door in front of her slid open smoothly to both sides. A man and a woman stood at the elevator door talking. At that moment, they both looked over, their gazes meeting and their expressions varying.
"Qingqing, is this Steve?" Ye Mingshen was the first to speak after stepping out of the elevator, his voice filled with surprise.
The woman who was called had her hair tied up and was wearing a formal dress. Although it wasn't cold at night, she still wore a large silk shawl, which made her figure look even more beautiful. She was the girl who had appeared with Niu Zhensheng, whom Qian Duoduo had looked at several times.
This was the first time Qian Duoduo had met this girl who looked three parts like him face to face. The girl was obviously young, with smooth eyes when she smiled and exquisite makeup. Upon closer inspection, she didn't seem to have any particular resemblance to herself and felt very distant.
Of the four, Qingqing reacted the most normally. She smiled at Ye Mingshen and replied quickly, "Mingshen, you know my husband? What a coincidence! This must be Duoduo, right? I've heard Da Li mention you before. Welcome, welcome. This is my husband, Niu Zhensheng."
"Your husband?" With two grown men right in front of her, Qian Duoduo could no longer keep up the act and asked directly, then looked straight at Niu Zhensheng.
Qingqing's hands were still nestled in Niu Zhensheng's arms, and she smiled sweetly.
Qian Duoduo felt a sudden sense of disorientation upon seeing this, as if she were seeing Yiyi from years ago, standing in front of her with the same man in the same posture, smiling and saying to her, "Duoduo, come and get acquainted, this is my husband."
She used to envy it, but she never imagined that the word was so cheap and ridiculous that she couldn't laugh anymore.
Completely unexpectedly, the elevator doors opened to reveal these two people, especially Qian Duoduo, whose piercing eyes seemed to see right through him. Niu Zhensheng, who was over forty and had been in the business world for many years, didn't dare to meet her gaze for a moment. It was purely an instinctive reaction. He then took a step back and pulled his hand behind his back, never expecting that this action would be such a blatant attempt to cover up his mistake.
"Ming Shen, I'm sorry, I'm feeling a little unwell and have to go first." Not wanting to see the couple, Qian Duoduo's voice was cold. The elevator was still on the top floor, and she reached out and pressed the open button before stepping inside.
"Duoduo, wait a minute." Ye Mingshen tried to stop her but failed, and watched helplessly as the elevator doors closed in front of him.
Feeling something stuck in her throat, making it hard to breathe, Qian Duoduo almost instinctively ran out of the building. She heard footsteps behind her and strode towards the parking lot, speaking without turning her head, "Ming Shen, you and I both know Steve and Yi Yi. As for what we just saw, I don't want to say another word. You should know what their relationship is."
"Miss Qian, please wait." The voice behind her was not Ye Mingshen's. Qian Duoduo stopped abruptly and turned around, only to see Niu Zhensheng.
Not wanting to say another word to this man, Qian Duoduo turned back and continued walking forward. Her footsteps quickened as she caught up. She stood in front of the car first and raised her hand to block the car door that the man was about to open.
“Mr. Niu, please have some self-respect.” Qian Duoduo frowned.
"Duoduo, that's a misunderstanding." His voice was slightly hurried.
"A misunderstanding??" Finding it amusing, she sneered, "How old is Miss Qingqing? Surely she doesn't mistake her own husband?"
"I..." He froze for a moment, unable to say anything more.
Too lazy to pay any more attention, Qian Duoduo tried to pull the door open again, but his hand was firmly holding it at the top. She tried once but couldn't pull it open. Feeling nauseous, she simply slammed the door shut and turned to look directly at him.
"Duoduo, let me explain. I'm already working on resolving this troublesome matter. As for Yiyi..."
The cheating husband asked his wife's best friend to cover up the truth, claiming he was busy dealing with the mess.
What a mess! When it's out of the light, they call it a blessing to have multiple wives, but once it's out in the light, it becomes a mess. It's ridiculous. Qian Duoduo finally laughed out loud this time. "Mr. Niu, don't worry, I won't interfere in other people's family affairs. You don't need to explain to me. If you want to explain, please go home."
Upon hearing this, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief and released his grip on the car door. Despite the cool evening breeze, he was covered in sweat and only then had time to wipe it away.
"Thank you, Duoduo, I know you wouldn't."
The streetlights in the neighborhood cast a dim yellow light, and his forehead was covered in sweat, glistening with oil. Suddenly feeling nauseous, Qian Duoduo didn't want to stay any longer. He simply said goodbye, got into his car, and slammed on the gas pedal.
Niu Zhensheng didn't move, standing there watching her leave. She couldn't help but look in the rearview mirror, where he looked incredibly old, his shoulders slumped.
This man is only over forty, how come he suddenly looks so old! I can't figure it out, and I'm too lazy to think about it anymore. Qian Duoduo forced herself to focus on what was in front of her.
The car lights were already on, and as she glanced over, two figures suddenly appeared in front of the car, about to collide with it.
Terrified, she slammed on the brakes, her heart pounding so hard it nearly jumped out of her throat.
——————
Chapter Seventy-Nine
Terrified, she slammed on the brakes, her heart pounding so hard it nearly jumped out of her throat.
Calming herself down, she looked ahead again. There was indeed a man and a woman standing in front of the car, dressed professionally. Startled by the sound of brakes, the man moved quickly and pulled his female companion behind him. At that moment, their eyes were fixed on her. The car headlights were bright, illuminating the faces of the two people clearly. She blinked in disbelief, and when she opened her eyes again, she saw those two familiar faces—Xu Fei and Yamada Keiko.
It was past nine o'clock, and there were hardly any people walking around in the community. The driveway was wide open, facing the landscape fountain at the main gate. Water droplets splashed down, and a faint mist spread. Xu Fei was tall and slender, and Hui Zi's black hair was shiny. The scene was pleasant in the interplay of car lights and water, but she felt that everything in front of her was changing color and she couldn't tell whether it was real or an illusion.
Why him and her?
Shouldn't he be in Shenzhen? Why is he showing up with her in front of his apartment building at this time?
Unable to understand, and unwilling to think about it, she felt as if something had collapsed out of nowhere, pressing down on her and making her body stiff. Qian Duoduo's toes were still on the brake, but her body had lost its direction, and she didn't know how to react next.
Someone was knocking on the car window, at first very lightly, then more forcefully, and calling her name urgently, "Duoduo, Duoduo, are you alright?"
She was still bewildered. She turned her head and looked for a few seconds before she realized what was happening. Her fingers groped for the car door, and Ye Mingshen was standing outside. He looked worried and, before she could fully open the door, he lowered his head to examine her to see if she was unharmed.
But the other person was faster. He reached out and pulled Qian Duoduo out, grabbed her shoulders, looked her up and down, breathed a sigh of relief, and then uttered a sentence: "Duoduo, what are you doing?"
The embrace was familiar, but she suddenly felt a resistance, unwilling to get closer. She struggled to back away, and then another hand reached out. Ye Mingshen held her with one hand and grabbed Xu Fei's wrist with the other, saying, "Sir, you..."
"Let go, we know each other." Recognizing the man's appearance, Xu Fei frowned, his hands on Qian Duoduo's shoulders remaining still.
The scene was awkward. Qian Duoduo couldn't back away and was dizzy from being shaken around. Finally, she couldn't help but yell at the man in front of her, "Kenny, let go of me while I'm talking!"
Keiko also came over, "Dona, it's you? Kenny, we..."
Xu Fei frowned, speaking without turning his head, only replying, "Huizi, please get in the car and wait a moment, thank you." Then he continued to press Qian Duoduo, "Duoduo? I have a question for you."
After hearing this answer, Huizi was stunned. She was born into wealth and had never been treated so rudely. However, after glancing at the three people in front of her, she took a step back and chose to remain silent. Then she turned around and walked out.
The company driver was waiting at the entrance. He looked surprised to see her come out alone. "Miss Huizi? Where's President Xu? Weren't we supposed to pick him up and go to the airport together?"
"He has something to do, we'll wait for him." She answered after getting into the car, then thought for a moment, reached out and rolled down the window, letting out a long sigh.
After listening to Xu Fei's words, Ye Mingshen's gaze shifted to Qian Duoduo. The night was windy, and water from the fountain splashed everywhere, some hitting her face in the cool breeze. The chill brought her back to her senses. She took a deep breath before speaking, "Mingshen, may I speak with Kenny alone for a moment? Thank you."
He remained silent. Then, more people rushed out of the building, looking around in a flustered manner, their shawls falling to the ground. Upon seeing them, they hesitated and stopped a short distance away.
It was Qingqing. Niu Zhensheng had long since disappeared. She looked at Ye Mingshen and Qian Duoduo with a bewildered expression. Ye Mingshen nodded to Qian Duoduo, then walked over there, patted Qingqing and whispered something, then led her back, and soon they entered the building again.
As the surroundings quieted down, Qian Duoduo realized that the day had been extremely chaotic, and lowered her eyes.
"Duoduo, why did you suddenly come here?" he asked.
"Can you come? Why are you still here? When did Shanghai change its name to Shenzhen?" She asked instead of answering.
"Flight rescheduling, please don't change the subject, okay?"
"Does Huizi need to personally notify you of flight rescheduling? Don't change the subject."
"Duoduo, what are you thinking about?"
"what's on your mind!"
Chapter Eighty
The night was quiet. The sound of brakes had attracted the attention of the community security guards, who looked even more puzzled when they saw them.
Her mind was in turmoil, but reason told her there was no need to entertain the public here. Qian Duoduo stepped back again, pinching her right wrist with her left hand to force herself to calm down.
Knowing that she was losing control of her emotions, Xu Fei was trying to calm herself down.
He suddenly had an urgent meeting to attend in the afternoon, so he asked his secretary to reschedule his flight. He was busy until evening before he could go home to get his luggage.
Once everything was ready, I opened the door and saw Huizi standing in front of me, smiling and saying that the driver was already waiting outside.
Unexpectedly, she suddenly appeared at the door of her apartment. Although her reason was perfectly legitimate, it always caused misunderstandings, especially for Duoduo.
As he was going downstairs, he mentally considered how to discuss his relationship with Huizi. Before he could even open his mouth, a car sped up from the side and screeched to a halt right in front of them, making a piercing noise. It was a close call.
His first reaction was to go up and question them, but he didn't expect to see Qian Duoduo in the driver's seat.
Just as he was thinking about her, she suddenly appeared in this way. And there was something even more unexpected: someone rushed to the car before him, looking anxious and speaking intimately to him.
He recognized the man; they'd bumped into each other at the movie theater, and he'd seen her off at the airport. He and Qian Duoduo always seemed very close, but that was all before he and she got together. Duoduo never mentioned it, and he never asked. He never expected to see them together again in front of his house. His body reacted faster than his thoughts; instinctively, he wanted to grab her and demand an explanation.
Someone hesitated for a moment, then walked over and whispered, "Mr. Xu, the plane..."
It was driver Lao Meng. He had been waiting outside for a long time, and since the timing was really bad, he finally came in and timidly reminded him.
Qian Duoduo's mind was in turmoil, and her wrists were stinging from being pinched by her nails. They had only been together for a few months and had never argued before. This was the first time they had been speechless. After calming down a bit, she saw the driver coming over and understood the situation, but the scene was already frozen, and she didn't know how to get out of it. She finally managed to squeeze out, "Catching your flight is important, you should go first."
The driver was still waiting nearby. Time was of the essence, and there was no way to delay any longer. After a few seconds of silence, Xu Fei nodded and walked out.
He just left like that? Without even saying goodbye? Qian Duoduo stood there stunned, her head throbbing, feeling terrible. She wanted to call out to him, but she stubbornly refused to make a sound.
The driver had already started to walk away, but his steps were heavy. He took two steps and then turned back. The fountain was sparkling, and she was slumped in the light, her silhouette small and pitiful.
He was initially uncomfortable, but suddenly his heart softened. He didn't want to leave her like this, and he felt that his previous behavior was really childish. So he turned around and went back.
"What?" The footsteps stopped in front of him, but Qian Duoduo's eyes were looking to the side. Sigh, so short, yet such a big temper.
"Fine, if the mountain won't come to me, I'll come to the mountain." Xu Fei stretched out his arms and hugged her before speaking, "Okay, I'm sorry."
Unexpectedly, he said that. Qian Duoduo's tense nerves suddenly went blank, and her nose stung with tears. Finally, she lowered her head, rested her head on his shoulder, and whispered, "It's okay, I'll explain to you later."
"Okay." There was no time to say more. He hugged her tightly again. "Go home early and drive carefully."
She felt that he sounded a lot like her father when he said that. She buried her cheek in his shoulder and said in a muffled voice, "Don't do that, Master Meng will see."
Even now, she still can't forget about her sex scandal. Xu Fei couldn't help but chuckle softly, "I know, I'll call you when I get there. Don't you dare not answer, or I'll come right back."
"It's already past midnight, am I supposed to sleep or not?" Miraculously, his chaotic mood suddenly vanished with his laughter, and Qian Duoduo, who had been troubled all night, couldn't help but laugh.
"Sleep? You still owe me an explanation. How dare you sleep?" He knew it was too late, but he just held her and didn't want to let go. He suddenly turned into a child again, wanting to hold onto his most precious thing for 24 hours straight.