PSMD – Chapter 79

Shen Ningruo received the message right after finishing a meeting. She was still sitting in a chair in the conference room. After seeing the content, she curved her lips. When she looked up again, she had that same unapproachable look.

Ke Yezi saw this scene again, but she was used to it by now and didn’t feel like she had seen a ghost or witnessed a miracle.

Regarding the significant change in their director, she genuinely felt it was quite good. It seemed their director wasn’t just a work machine after all. However, as a subordinate, Shen Ningruo was strict with her, so she wasn’t particularly interested in what Shen Ningruo was like in private. After work, she just wished they wouldn’t interact anymore.

In reality, except for special circumstances, this was mostly achieved. After work, no one from the company knew how she spent her time.

There were about twenty minutes left until work ended. Shen Ningruo put away her smile. Only after returning to her office did she reply to Qiu Yang: 【Then thank you very much.】

The tone was cheerful, at least she thought so. She then put down her phone and started wrapping up her work for the day.

Yao Yao’s call came right on time. As soon as six o’clock arrived, she called. Shen Ningruo looked at the caller ID, walked to the window, furrowed her brows, and answered.

“Ruoruo,” Yao Yao said seriously, “It’s a bit tricky.”

Shen Ningruo looked at the scenery outside the window and pursed her lips slightly: “It’s okay, we’ll talk about it later. I need to focus on other things recently, this shouldn’t shift my priority.”

“Are you going to start dating?” Yao Yao guessed immediately.

The curve of Shen Ningruo’s lips deepened slightly. She hummed in affirmation: “Yes, probably.”

“To deal with this tricky family, I thought about it, and it’s not good to hide it from her. I’ll tell her soon.”

“Alright, you handle it as you see fit.”

After hanging up the phone, Shen Ningruo picked up her suit jacket and bag and left the office.

She couldn’t let Qiu Yang worry and be forced to guess like the past two days. She had to appear before Qiu Yang as soon as she got off work.

Problems arose between them before they even started dating. Shen Ningruo knew she bore full responsibility. If Qiu Yang hadn’t been willing to give her a chance, they might not have even met.

This also made Shen Ningruo deeply realize a fact: never be overconfident. She had been too confident, wanting to give Qiu Yang a surprise, which led to this situation and taught her a very important lesson.

Qiu Yang’s cold was only halfway better, and she was still prone to coughing. Shen Ningruo bought pears and loquats and brought them over. She had no other thoughts, just wanted to take good care of Qiu Yang. Even if she didn’t have much experience in this area, she could learn.

Shen Ningruo had never thought of herself as stupid. Could she really not learn how to take care of someone?

She didn’t believe it.

Loquats and pears both have functions to moisten the lungs and stop coughs. Shen Ningruo was careful when peeling, but she didn’t have much experience peeling fruit before, as she usually bought fruits that were easy to peel. She almost cut her hand, but Qiu Yang quickly snatched the knife away.

Shen Ningruo was silent: “…”

“I…”

“I don’t peel much.”

Qiu Yang peeled the pear herself, glanced at her, her hands very skilled: “I can tell.”

“Then I’ll peel for you.”

“I’m good at this.”

Qiu Yang didn’t stop Shen Ningruo. She knew Shen Ningruo was doing this to… atone?

She didn’t know exactly how to describe this behavior, so she just let Shen Ningruo do as she pleased.

“This season, the loquats are quite sweet. The ones in March were too sour,” Shen Ningruo said, wiping her hands after peeling each one. The fruit peel was a bit sticky.

Qiu Yang listened quietly. She hadn’t seen Shen Ningruo for just one day, but she suddenly felt Shen Ningruo had become a bit more talkative. After listening to Shen Ningruo talk about loquats for a while, Qiu Yang had already cut the pear into pieces.

Qiu Yang picked up a piece with a fork and put it in her mouth. After swallowing, she said to Shen Ningruo: “I have something important to tell you.”

Shen Ningruo immediately became nervous: “What is it?”

“When Miao Yi and I had lunch today, she said she heard my ex outside my door last night saying she was worried about me because I was sick.”

Shen Ningruo was wiping her fingers, seriously and carefully. Hearing this, her movements paused, and she instantly caught the key point: “You don’t have contact with her, she shouldn’t know.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“And the first person who knew I was sick was Qu Yan.”

“When I replied to her message, I mentioned that I was sick. She was very concerned about me. When I saw her at the company today, she even said she’d supervise me drinking water.”

Qiu Yang ate another piece of pear before lowering her eyelashes: “Tao Sixian also came to wait for me downstairs at our company before. She’s met some of my colleagues. Another thing I felt was off today is that over a month ago, the day I was supposed to return from Xicheng, Qu Yan sent me a message saying my ex had gone downstairs to the company to look for her.”

Shen Ningruo picked up a loquat and held it to Qiu Yang’s mouth: “So did they start contacting each other from then?”

“I don’t know.” Qiu Yang’s delicate brows gradually furrowed. “I just can’t figure it out. If Qu Jie and Tao Sixian are really in contact, what is she doing it for? I’ve always seen her as an older sister. She’s also my mentor and friend. She taught me a lot, I…”

Shen Ningruo patted the back of her hand, pulling her thoughts back: “Then don’t think about that for now. What you need to do is rest well, okay?”

Qiu Yang looked at Shen Ningruo’s moist eyes. After a few seconds, she nodded her head and replied, “Okay.”

Pingzi jumped onto the sofa at this moment, burrowed into Qiu Yang’s arms, and meowed twice, indicating it was hungry.

Shen Ningruo looked at Qiu Yang pitifully: “I’m hungry too.”

“…You can stay hungry.” Qiu Yang seemed to realize that her score with Shen Ningruo wasn’t settled yet. Holding Pingzi, she got up to prepare to cook meat for it.

Shen Ningruo also got up, and she was a step faster, standing in front of Qiu Yang, blocking her way to the kitchen.

“It’s not like we can’t order takeout.” Qiu Yang put on a calm expression, but a smile was already blooming in her heart.

Shen Ningruo pursed her lips: “I…”

“Then I’ll go cook meat for Pingzi.”

“You’re not well yet, I’ll do it.”

Qiu Yang raised an eyebrow: “Alright.”

After speaking, she turned around without hesitation, held Pingzi, and sat back down on the sofa.

Shen Ningruo: “…”

Shen Ningruo sighed inwardly. She wanted to explain to Qiu Yang right now, but suddenly didn’t know how to start appropriately.

How should she say it?

Should she just say that ever since she heard Qiu Yang say those things at the private swimming pool that day, she didn’t want her uncle’s family to have a good ending?

But maybe Qiu Yang hadn’t actually thought about these things?

Because just managing to escape was already very difficult, if she took it upon herself to want to punish Qiu Yang’s uncle’s family, would it have the opposite effect?

Shen Ningruo was just starting to think about this, and she fell into confusion.

After all, she had acted somewhat impulsively. Turning thirty in two years, she was now experiencing an impulse she hadn’t felt in a long time, all because of Qiu Yang.

Actually, things hadn’t really progressed much. The past few days were just investigations, and today she got news from Yao Yao saying the other party was tricky.

After Shen Ningruo entered the kitchen, she couldn’t help but let out a breath to ease her tension.

If she wanted to be with Qiu Yang, then this matter had to be broken down and explained thoroughly, otherwise, it would always be a problem.

Pingzi had a meal of meat every night. Shen Ningruo had seen Qiu Yang feed the cat, so she knew the process.

She put the meat frozen in the fridge into a small pot, set a timer, and walked out of the kitchen.

Qiu Yang took the box containing the family portrait out of the bag and placed it on the coffee table. Seeing her come out, she looked at her: “When are you planning to take this back?”

“Whenever I go back, I’ll take it back then.”

Qiu Yang: “Okay.”

Qiu Yang nodded: “Then you can go back tonight.”

Shen Ningruo was startled, then squatted in front of Qiu Yang, putting on a pitiful look again: “Didn’t you say this afternoon that I was your Ruoruo?”

“Why are you chasing me away?”

Pingzi lifted its head in Qiu Yang’s arms. Shen Ningruo didn’t know if it was her imagination, but she always felt this cat was mocking her, so she quietly glared at Pingzi.

But she was facing Qiu Yang, what couldn’t Qiu Yang see?

“The little cat is innocent, why are you glaring at Pangpang?” Qiu Yang said, then lowered her head and rubbed the tip of her nose against Pingzi’s ear tip.

Shen Ningruo: …

Shen Ningruo couldn’t stand it anymore. Without a word, she picked up Pingzi and put it aside.

Her speed was fast, but actually very gentle, not making the little cat feel uncomfortable at all. Pingzi was just a bit confused.

What’s going on? My mom was about to kiss me just a second ago!!!

It let out a “meow” to express its dissatisfaction, but Shen Ningruo didn’t care about that.

Shen Ningruo sat beside Qiu Yang. She cupped Qiu Yang’s face and said seriously: “You can’t be like this, Xiao Yang.”

“How am I being?” Qiu Yang’s tone was light, she just found it amusing.

Shen Ningruo’s lips moved. Her gaze traveled from Qiu Yang’s eyes all the way to her moist lips.

Before, she was sick, Qiu Yang was healthy.

Now the roles were reversed.

Shen Ningruo didn’t answer the question. She just slowly leaned her head closer, pressed her lips against Qiu Yang’s jawline, and whispered—

“Tonight…”

“I’m at your mercy.”

“Okay?”

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