PSMD – Chapter 68

Qiu Yang had been thinking about a question for the past two days—

How could she continue with Shen Ningruo in a new capacity?

Shen Ningruo’s appearance was sudden and intense, her offensive swift, leaving a mark on Qiu Yang’s heart before she knew it. Even though they had only known each other for a month, feelings weren’t something that needed to be measured by time.

Tao Sixian was with her for three years, and she didn’t love her at all, did she?

Shen Ningruo had known her for a month, wasn’t it also normal for her to like her?

However, Qiu Yang wasn’t in a hurry. She knew what she wanted; she wanted to wait until she was fully prepared, until she was completely indifferent to Tao Sixian, before being with Shen Ningruo.

This was her thought process.

If Shen Ningruo’s affection for her was 100%, then if she herself was missing even 1%, it wouldn’t be fair to Shen Ningruo.

Qiu Yang knew Shen Ningruo always demanded fairness and justice, so she naturally had to do the same. Therefore, she needed a little time.

Just a little. She believed she would reach 100%, because Shen Ningruo, like a magnet with increased strength, was attracting her deeper and deeper.

But because of the failure of her previous relationship, Qiu Yang was also somewhat hesitant. She knew she lacked love, which was why she valued others’ care so much. What if, in the end, it turned out to be nothing with Shen Ningruo too?

It wasn’t that she was pessimistic, but it was hard not to think that way. She couldn’t bear another round of deception and concealment. The little time she was giving herself was also time for Shen Ningruo, allowing her to observe Shen Ningruo more closely.

Once she was completely certain, she would naturally rush towards Shen Ningruo without hesitation.

The saying “Once bitten by a snake, one fears a well rope for ten years” was something Qiu Yang had truly felt before, but because of Shen Ningruo’s appearance, she no longer felt it was so terrifying.

After being bitten by a snake, if you’re quick enough, you can still be cured, right?

Shen Ningruo was like medicine to her.

The family portrait was printed the next day. Qiu Yang got off work early, took the subway with the photo, and prepared to go to Qiyao Company first.

Shen Ningruo was working late again tonight. Actually, giving Shen Ningruo the family portrait a bit later wouldn’t matter, it wasn’t like they wouldn’t see each other again. But the moment Qiu Yang saw the photo, she really wanted to deliver it to Shen Ningruo’s hands.

That way, even if she returned to that cold, hotel-like home tonight, perhaps she would feel a little warmth.

People were leaving the office building where Qiyao Company was located one after another. Qiu Yang pursed her lips, entered the elevator, and pressed the floor for Qiyao Company.

Many people were going down, and relatively few were going up. Besides Qiu Yang, there was only a flower delivery person holding a bouquet.

Qiu Yang glanced at it; it was an elegant and fresh bouquet of champagne roses, with a small pink card tucked inside.

It was either for a lover or for someone being pursued.

The delivery person didn’t press any other floors. Qiu Yang’s brow twitched, basically confirming that these flowers were for an employee at Qiyao.

Her lips tightened further as she watched the floor numbers climb until they stopped at the floor where Qiyao Company was located.

Shen Ningruo didn’t know about Qiu Yang’s plan to come to Qiyao; it was quite sudden, and she thought it would be a small surprise. However, she had planned to leave it with the front desk for Shen Ningruo.

But after arriving at Qiyao, she found the front desk was closed. She looked to the left and saw only a few employees working late in the common area.

Qiu Yang rubbed her forehead, just about to turn and leave, when she heard the delivery person behind her talking on the phone with the person receiving the flowers.

“Hello? Is this Director Shen?”

“You have a flower delivery. I’m at the company entrance.”

“Ah? You’re not here? I don’t know who sent them, I can’t open the card.”

“Okay, I’ll leave them at the front desk for you.”

The delivery person pressed the elevator button again. He looked at Qiu Yang, who was standing still, and gave a simple, honest smile: “Miss, are you going down?”

Qiu Yang replied with difficulty: “Yes.”

In less than two minutes, she had left Qiyao.

Qiu Yang was carrying a bag. To hold the family portrait for Shen Ningruo, she had even specially bought an exquisite box, keeping her own in the paper bag.

The elevator going down was very crowded. Qiu Yang stood in the corner, her mind a mess.

There was no one else who could be “Director Shen” at Qiyao Company.

So Shen Ningruo wasn’t working late at the company, and someone was sending Shen Ningruo flowers.

So where did Shen Ningruo go? And would Shen Ningruo accept that bouquet from an unknown sender?

Perhaps she would, since she told the delivery person to leave it at the front desk.

The signal wasn’t very good in the elevator, and it was quite crowded. Everyone looked exhausted.

After getting out of the elevator, Qiu Yang lowered her head and searched for the meaning of champagne roses.

She knew every bouquet had a meaning. Although it was a marketing point, people couldn’t help but believe it.

And the meaning she found for champagne roses was “Loving you is the greatest happiness in my life, missing you is the sweetest pain.”

Qiu Yang’s mind felt numb, staring at this line of text, unsure how to react.

She felt Shen Ningruo owed her an explanation.

But then she thought, she and Shen Ningruo weren’t together. Given their current relationship, what did Shen Ningruo need to explain to her?

She arrived full of joy, and left full of exhaustion.

And was Shen Ningruo really working late the past two days as she said?

Qiu Yang didn’t know what to think anymore.

It was still rush hour. Qiu Yang looked at the map and took a bus back.

She casually placed the bag aside. Pingzi started rubbing against her legs when she returned, and when she sat down, came to rub against her hand, wanting head scratches.

Qiu Yang petted him and held him in her arms.

Her gaze fell on the tissue paper on the coffee table. The tissue paper was very white and clean, but because she had pulled the previous sheet out in a hurry, it was quite wrinkled.

Pingzi was quiet, letting Qiu Yang hold him. He occasionally looked up at Qiu Yang, as if wanting to know what she was thinking.

Qiu Yang wasn’t thinking anything; her mind was blank again, just like this piece of tissue paper.

After sitting for a long time, Qiu Yang finally took out her phone. Her fingertips trembled slightly as she sent a message to Shen Ningruo.

【How late are you busy tonight?】 Her tone was normal, showing no hint of anything amiss.

Shen Ningruo replied a few minutes later: 【Probably until nine.】

Qiu Yang: 【Okay, I’m going to shower and sleep.】

Shen Ningruo: 【Sleep well.】

Qiu Yang: 【Okay.】

After sending the message, Qiu Yang again doubted if she had misheard the delivery person’s address at Qiyao Company’s door. But that “Director Shen” was so clear, so distinct, making it hard for Qiu Yang to deceive herself.

But it seemed very easy for others to deceive her.

Qiu Yang didn’t want to accuse Shen Ningruo yet, but she knew she needed to wait for a reasonable explanation, though she didn’t know how long it would take.

Shen Ningruo was indeed not at the company. The next day, when she met Ke Yezi downstairs, Shen Ningruo saw her looking hesitant.

“What is it?” Shen Ningruo asked.

Ke Yezi hesitated, but still said, “Director Shen, I saw Department Head Qiu come to our company before I left work last night.”

Shen Ningruo’s eyelashes fluttered: “Was she alone?”

“Yes.”

“I had just come out of the company when I saw her enter the elevator, but she didn’t see me.”

“She seemed a bit lost, I don’t know what happened.”

Shen Ningruo’s steps paused: “Was there a flower delivery person with her?”

“Yes.”

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