"Good morning~" Xu Qingzhu squinted and snuggled into her arms like a cat.
"Is Dr. Zhao awake yet?" Xu Qingzhu asked. "Should we go see her today?"
Liang Shi said, "I'll make her some soup and send it over in a bit. She'll only need to stay a short while."
Xu Qingzhu nodded: "Okay."
While Liang Shi was making soup, Xu Qingzhu was also in the kitchen helping out, but there wasn't much for her to do; she just wandered around the kitchen.
Xu Qingzhu asked her if she couldn't sleep.
Liang Shi nodded.
“The trending topic was removed very quickly yesterday,” Xu Qingzhu said. “After that, no one discussed it anymore.”
“The Zhao family left.” Liang Shi said, “Zhao Xuning’s mother went yesterday, and the Shen family also went. Shen Siyan has impressed me.”
"Oh?" Xu Qingzhu raised an eyebrow.
Liang Shi recalled yesterday's scene and briefly recounted it to her.
“Zhao Ling used to say that Shen Siyan was a sister-complex,” Liang Shi chuckled. “Now I see it.”
“That’s great. I used to think that families like the Shen and Gu families had strict family traditions, like Dr. Zhao’s family.” Xu Qingzhu said, “I didn’t expect it to be so good. They seem quite harmonious.”
Liang Shi nodded: "Now the two of them shouldn't have to torture each other anymore."
“If you torture me any more, I’ll just die on the spot.” Xu Qingzhu shared a comment she saw yesterday: “One netizen said, ‘I just wanted to date you, but you want to go to hell with me.’”
"They'll torment each other until they're old and gray." Liang Shi sighed helplessly. "I hope they can make it work."
“I wish Dr. Zhao wasn’t so dull,” Xu Qingzhu said. “She’s a very straightforward person, but not so straightforward when it comes to relationships.”
After thinking for a moment, Xu Qingzhu concluded, "She is very straightforward with people she doesn't like, but she becomes coy and hesitant with people she likes."
“Yes,” Liang Shi said. “She doesn’t know how to speak properly. When I lived at her house before, there was something that could have been communicated properly, but she would always go around in circles. In fact, she would still help you with the matter, but she just wouldn’t let it go with her words.”
Xu Qingzhu hugged Liang Shi from behind, "That's why I still like you more."
Liang Shi paused, holding the spoon. "I'm not that good either."
"Maybe I'm blind?" Xu Qingzhu asked, her voice rising at the end.
“Not really,” Liang Shi said. “Yesterday, when Zhao Xuning was climbing the three thousand steps, bowing with each step, I was thinking, if we were ever in that situation, would I do the same?”
Xu Qingzhu asked, "Have you figured it out yet?"
Liang Shi shook his head: "No."
It's not true to say you can or can't do something unless you're pushed to that point.
Liang Shi put the spoon on the counter, turned around and hugged Xu Qingzhu: "I've decided that I'll just keep loving you. No matter how you try to get rid of me, I won't leave. I'll tell you everything. Then I won't have to climb the three thousand steps one by one."
Xu Qingzhu: "..."
"You left without telling me before," Xu Qingzhu exposed her secret.
Liang Shi felt as if an arrow had pierced his heart, and immediately explained, "I had no choice at the time."
"Who in this world hasn't had a few times when they had no choice?" Xu Qingzhu thought it through very clearly. "When lovers separate, it's always out of necessity. For the sake of face, for the sake of the other person, sometimes wanting to escape, societal pressure, economic pressure—all lovers face different kinds of unavoidable situations every day. But why are there still people in love?"
Liang Shi: "..."
"I can't argue with you," Liang Shi said helplessly. "I surrender. I was indeed wrong about that matter, and I accept the punishment."
Xu Qingzhu looked up at her and gently bit her neck. "Hmm, you'll have to be punished for a long time."
"But why is that?" Liang Shi asked again. "So many people are forced into this situation, yet they still love each other. Why?"
Xu Qingzhu let out a soft breath, her fingers sliding down to intertwine with hers. "Why are you with me?"
After thinking for a moment, Liang Shi replied, "I'm happy. Seeing you makes my heart feel completely filled."
That feeling of satisfaction is completely different from when you go shopping, eat amazing food, or see beautiful scenery.
My heart feels a mix of soreness and numbness, hot and swollen.
There's always a moment in every 24 hours when you can feel your heart beating beautifully and passionately.
That seems to be the meaning of life.
Even if it's tough and tiring outside, and you encounter things that make you feel bad.
But just thinking about the existence of this person makes me realize that nothing is a big deal.
There will always be motivation to keep going.
Creating bonds brings joy.
Xu Qingzhu nodded: "So, people fall in love to fill their hearts."
//
Xu Qingzhu and Liang Shi brought soup to Zhao Xuning at the hospital. Zhao Xuning woke up but fell asleep again shortly afterward.
The Zhao family members watched from outside.
Xu Qingzhu also went to see Shen Hui.
Shen Fenghe went to the company, leaving Shen Siyan to stay with Shen Hui in the ward.
Xu Qingzhu chatted with Shen Hui for a while, but Shen Hui looked listless and preoccupied.
Later, Shen Siyan came in and handed the two of them fruit. Shen Hui asked him, "Did you find out?"
Shen Siyan hesitated for a moment, then finally said, "No."
Shen Hui frowned slightly. "Where's my eldest sister? We didn't find anything either?"
"No." Shen Siyan wasn't good at lying. When she did, her eyes would dart around, and her voice would sound a little weak: "Anyway, you've decided to get back together with Zhao Xuning, so don't bother investigating."
“We need to know what happened eventually,” Shen Hui said.
She needed to know why Zhao Xuning had come to her side so resolutely and without hesitation.
"Then you can wait for her to wake up and tell you herself." Shen Siyan pinched her ear and hurried away.
Xu Qingzhu sat there watching Shen Siyan and noticed that the way he pinched her ear just now was very similar to Liang Shi's.
I like to pinch my ears when I'm nervous.
She rubbed her two fingers together lightly, then hurriedly withdrew them, looking a little embarrassed.
Xu Qingzhu stared at Shen Siyan's back for a while, only snapping out of her daze when Shen Hui called her.
Shen Hui asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing," Xu Qingzhu shook her head.
She could always vaguely see Liang Shi's shadow in Shen Hui and the others.
That's strange.
But if we take into account their previous speculations, then it's not surprising at all.
However, Shen Hui is still hospitalized, and Shen Fenghe is extremely busy at the company. Shen's parents are probably unaware of these matters yet, so Xu Qingzhu plans to wait until she has discussed it with Liang Shi before making a decision.
Soon, she said goodbye and returned to her company.
In the evening, Liang Shi received a call from Chen Mian.
At that time, Liang Shi had just finished filming. After a major emotional scene, she was still somewhat detached from the role and had not yet fully come out of character.
She was still crying when she received Chen Mian's call. Chen Mian paused slightly and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Ah...it's nothing." Liang Shi's tone was somewhat slow. "What did you want to see me about?"
There was the sound of papers turning over on Chen Mian's end, then silence: "Do you know Qiu Zimin?"
Liang Shi: "..."
"I know him." Liang Shi asked, "What's wrong?"
Chen Mian said, "She offered 50 million to buy one of my collectibles."
"Uh." Liang Shi was slow to react, not knowing what this had to do with her.
Chen Mian continued, "This painting was painted by a woman named Chen Chi. It depicts three women boating on a lake: Chen Chi, Zhu Mingqi, and Qiu Zimin. Their names are written in small print on the painting."
Liang Shi frowned slightly, finally emerging from his previous emotional turmoil, and his mind began to work: "And then? Zhu Mingqi and Qiu Zimin know each other?"
“I think so,” Chen Mian said. “If I remember correctly, Zhu Mingqi also wanted to buy my painting, saying that my painting was about 50% similar to the work of an old friend.”
Liang Shi: "..."
"That must be the sinking pool?" Liang Shi asked.
Chen Mian responded with an "Mm," and said, "I am a disciple of Chen Chi."
"Then what do all this have to do with me?" Liang Shi asked again.
She still hadn't figured it out.
"Or would you like to take a look at this painting?" Chen Mian didn't say it directly, but instead beat around the bush.
Liang Shi didn't understand her intention, but he still agreed, "Then send it to me."
Soon, Chen Mian hung up the phone and sent her a photo.
Liang Shi thought the painting was quite good, and Qiu Zimin looked much better in it than she does now. Zhu Mingqi felt that she looked familiar, probably because she had seen her at the art museum before.
She zoomed in to look at it, and then repeated it verbatim to Chen Mian.
Chen Mian remained silent after listening.
Liang Shi: [What's wrong? Is something not right?]
Chen Mian: [Never mind, I won't make things difficult for you.]
Liang Shi: [...]
After a while, Chen Mian sent her a voice message: "Because you people might look at the surface of things, but we painters look at bone structure. Didn't you notice that Zhu Mingqi's bone structure is 70% like yours? When I first saw it, I thought it was you."
Liang Shi: "?"
Chen Mian posted again: "It's just my guess, it can't be taken seriously. But now that I've released the news about this painting, Zhu Mingqi and Qiu Zimin have both come to me to buy it. Zhu Mingqi offered ten million, and Qiu Zimin offered fifty million."
Liang Shi: "...You're so rich."