PSMD – Chapter 109

Working on a Saturday was news that made almost every working person cry out for help, but everyone was actually used to this kind of adjusted schedule.

Ever since seeing that the recipient of the bouquet of champagne roses yesterday afternoon was Qu Yan, many questions had popped up in Qiu Yang’s mind. However, none of them could be answered for the time being. She and Shen Ningruo discussed it for a long time but didn’t get an answer, because her previous interactions with Qu Yan had been very normal.

But thinking back on that normalcy now only made Qiu Yang’s heart turn cold. She didn’t know which side of Qu Yan was real.

After clocking in as usual in the morning, Qiu Yang’s heart sank a little with every step she took towards her workstation.

She felt that in her nearly 25 years of life, she hadn’t received much kindness or met many good people, and Qu Yan was one of them. She had always cherished her, but now someone on that list was about to be removed.

However, her steps wouldn’t stop; what needed to be faced still had to be faced. Qiu Yang sat down at her workstation and habitually glanced towards Qu Yan’s office.

Qu Yan had arrived at the office early again. She was still buried in her work, appearing no different from usual on the surface.

Qiu Yang silently withdrew her gaze. Qi Rong handed her a piece of chocolate at this moment: “Yangyang, have some chocolate. Working on a Saturday is too bitter, but even when we’re working, we should be sweet.”

“Thank you.” Qiu Yang’s lips curved into a smile. She found Qi Rong’s way of speaking very amusing.

With three minutes left until work started, Qi Rong took advantage of the time Qiu Yang’s computer was booting up to move her chair over and gossip with Qiu Yang. Her voice was still kept very low: “Yangyang, I saw friends in the group chat saying that Sister Qu is in love. After she received a bouquet of flowers yesterday afternoon, she walked away side-by-side with a man.”

“Really?” Qiu Yang paused for a second while tearing the chocolate wrapper before continuing.

Qi Rong glanced in Qu Yan’s direction: “Yes.”

She sighed as she spoke: “Ah, spring is almost over, why hasn’t my boyfriend shown up yet? If he doesn’t come soon, it’ll be summer.”

“It’ll definitely be soon,” Qiu Yang raised the chocolate in her hand, “After all, Sister Qi, you’re so sweet.”

Qi Rong’s eyes narrowed into slits as she smiled: “Yangyang, I like you too much. If I also liked girls, I would definitely pursue you.”

They didn’t chat for long before it was time for the morning meeting. Qiu Yang put away all her thoughts, picked up her pen and notebook, and joined the line.

Throughout the day, she had no extra communication with Qu Yan except during the meeting. She actually had a lot she wanted to ask, but in the end, she didn’t voice any of it. She even felt that since nothing else had happened yet, questioning Qu Yan could be postponed a bit.

In fact, Qiu Yang knew that she was giving herself time to process.

Shen Ningruo wasn’t working overtime tonight and had nothing else to do, so she came back right after getting off work. As soon as she opened the door, she smelled the aroma of food. Pingzi was squatting in the living room, tilting its head and looking at her curiously.

“Don’t you recognize me anymore?” Shen Ningruo said, then scooped Pingzi up and walked towards the kitchen with it in her arms.

Passing by the dining room, she saw three dishes on the table, all made by Qiu Yang.

Since being with Qiu Yang, Shen Ningruo hadn’t really eaten much of Qiu Yang’s cooking. She hadn’t known much about it before, but now seeing the three dishes that looked, smelled, and tasted good, she realized Qiu Yang’s cooking skills were quite good.

However, considering Qiu Yang’s background, it was actually quite normal, wasn’t it? Shen Ningruo didn’t think Qiu Yang’s uncle’s family would let go of such a good laborer like Qiu Yang.

Children from poor families learn to manage the household early, so what about children living under someone else’s roof?

Most of them would be ordered around.

Pingzi was put down by Shen Ningruo. She knew Qiu Yang didn’t allow Pingzi into the kitchen, so she wouldn’t carry the cat in.

“It smells so good,” Shen Ningruo opened the kitchen door, put away her extra emotions, and sincerely praised.

Qiu Yang had just put on her oven mitts and was about to carry the clay pot. Hearing Shen Ningruo’s words, she smiled: “Really?”

“Of course.” Shen Ningruo walked in a little further and raised her hand to smooth Qiu Yang’s hair.

Qiu Yang had tied her hair into a ponytail for convenience while cooking and was wearing an apron with a cartoon pattern, making her look like a high school student again.

“Why did you decide to make so much tonight?” Shen Ningruo’s voice was low, not questioning, just a little curious.

Qiu Yang looked into Shen Ningruo’s eyes and slightly raised her chin: “If I don’t cook again, I’ll only know how to boil chicken breast in the future.”

“Okay.”

“Let me carry it.”

Shen Ningruo said, wanting to take off Qiu Yang’s oven mitts, but was stopped by Qiu Yang: “Go serve the rice.”

Shen Ningruo’s eyes curved: “Alright.”

Three dishes and one soup were completely enough for two people, and neither of them had big appetites anyway.

Pingzi had already eaten dinner, but it was rare for it to see the two of them eating at the dining table, so it jumped onto a chair and began its daily study of human behavior.

However, listening to them murmur, it didn’t understand a single word, but it could understand their expressions and know their emotions from them. And right now, both of them were happy.

Shen Ningruo praised the meal for a long time until Qiu Yang told her to stop. She then put a piece of food into Qiu Yang’s bowl with her chopsticks: “There’s only one day off this week. Want to go swimming tomorrow?”

“Okay.”

“It’s about time for your next lesson anyway.”

Qiu Yang nodded: “Got it.”

“Coach Shen.”

“Should I ask Yao Yao and Yue Chu if they want to come along tomorrow?” Shen Ningruo hesitated for a moment, then asked.

“Okay.”

Yao Yao’s reply was: “Come along! I want to see who swims better, you or Chuchu.”

Shen Ningruo: “…”

This wasn’t a swimming competition.

However, the time was quickly set for two o’clock on Sunday afternoon. That time was perfect for swimming after having lunch and letting it digest for a while.

Yue Chu had the whole day off today and didn’t need to go to the station. She drove Yao Yao to the parking lot outside the swimming pool. Shen Ningruo and Qiu Yang had already been waiting for them in the lobby for a few minutes.

“Sorry, there was some traffic,” Yue Chu said with a slightly apologetic smile when she saw the two of them.

Yao Yao debunked her from the side: “What traffic? She followed the navigation, but that terrible navigation led her the wrong way, and she wasted a good stretch of road.”

There were a few other people in the lobby who were also there to swim. Some had brought their own equipment and didn’t plan to use the swimming pool’s.

Shen Ningruo shook her head and chuckled upon hearing this: “Yao Yao Ling, I think you’ll have to kneel on a durian when you get back tonight.”

“Shen Zero Ruo, what are you calling me?” Yao Yao exploded as soon as she heard that nickname.

Yue Chu and Qiu Yang exchanged glances and then smiled helplessly.

Twenty minutes later, all four of them had changed into their swimsuits and put on their swim caps and were by the side of the swimming pool.

Yao Yao saying she was a landlubber wasn’t a lie. The reason she and Qiu Yang were afraid of water was exactly the same: they had both fallen into water when they were young, so they had a natural fear of it. However, Yao Yao had accidentally fallen into a river when she was little, while Qiu Yang had been deliberately pushed in by her cousin.

“Damn it,” Yao Yao cursed angrily when she heard Qiu Yang talk about this, “Yangyang, call your cousin right now and tell him to come out for dinner tonight.”

Yao Yao’s former nature as a school bully immediately showed: “I’ll make that son of a bitch experience what it feels like to be thrown into a river.”

Yue Chu’s eyes also deepened on the side. She hadn’t talked about these specific things with Qiu Yang before. Now hearing about it, she also felt very angry, although she didn’t show it as obviously, but the pressure around her instantly dropped.

Qiu Yang shook her head: “I don’t want to see him.” She paused, “Haven’t seen him in several years.”

Shen Ningruo finished her warm-up exercises and said, slightly out of breath: “There’s no need to see him.” She changed the subject, “Yao Yao, have you finished warming up?”

“No.”

“Almost.”

She was the only one who hadn’t finished warming up. Qiu Yang hadn’t been to the swimming pool for a while, so the progress she had made naturally had to be set back a step. A float was tied to her back again.

Shen Ningruo was already standing in the shallow end. She held Qiu Yang’s hand until Qiu Yang walked down the ladder from the side of the pool.

The swimming pool was said to be heated, but the moment her skin touched the water, it still felt cold. Qiu Yang couldn’t help but shiver the moment she stood still in the pool.

Yue Chu was also ready to help Yao Yao get down, while Yao Yao stood by the side of the pool, looking troubled: “I… I’m afraid of the cold.”

“The temperature of the pool water…”

“…or the temperature of the living room.”

Yue Chu calmly offered a choice. The second her words fell, Yao Yao stepped onto the ladder, and her calves were immediately submerged in the pool.

There were two lanes in total. Shen Ningruo had already taken Qiu Yang to one on the opposite side.

After swimming a little, her body felt much warmer. Qiu Yang’s lips, which had turned slightly purple from the cold, gradually returned to normal.

Shen Ningruo continued to teach her how to swim until the float could be removed from her back, until she could swim even without it.

By the time Qiu Yang could swim back and forth from the shallow end to the deep end, her phone, which was on the chair, rang.

Qiu Yang grabbed the ladder and got out of the water. She first covered herself with a towel before bending down to pick up her phone.

It was an unfamiliar number, still from Yuncheng. She didn’t know who was calling. Qiu Yang pursed her lips, but still slid to answer.

“Jie,” it was Qiu Wenyun’s voice, “Give me some money, Jie.”

“The girl I like says I don’t have money and can’t afford a handbag for her. Jie, just for the sake of me being your brother, give me some money, and I’ll bring you back a sister-in-law.”

“Do you have any shame?” Qiu Yang calmly retorted.