TNSFC – Chapter 103

Que Yining couldn’t help but lean closer to look at the screen, making sure her eyes weren’t deceiving her.

She confirmed it again; it was indeed fanfiction about her and Gu Shanxue, not about the game characters Afra and Hillary.

This made her a little curious, even intrigued.

Writing about her and Gu Shanxue, how would they write it?

She clicked on it and looked at the reading advisory at the beginning, feeling a bit lost.

“ABO setting… What’s this?”

Although Que Yining considered herself well-informed, this was somewhat unfamiliar to her. However, she was adept at using search engines, so she immediately looked up the definition and returned with an understanding.

So it was this kind of world-building. She got it now, and it was actually a bit interesting.

“A hot and passionate rose-flavored omega and a cold and abstinent snow lotus-flavored alpha… Pfft…”

Que Yining stifled a laugh. What did a snow lotus smell like? She couldn’t imagine it, but the portrayal had a certain charm, so she continued reading.

It was pretty much a story of an “old house catching fire”—an incurable love at first sight, deepening into infatuation upon a second meeting. In the story, Gu Shanxue was a great icy beauty, pursued by many but interested in no one, until one day at a banquet she saw the omega known as the “Rose Beauty.” Their pheromones collided, an attraction akin to heavenly thunder striking earthly fire.

“So intense right from the start… perfectly compatible. This author has a future.”

Although it felt strange seeing her own name there, the oddness was tolerable. Just for this setting, Que Yining felt it was worth it.

Though in reality, Miss Gu hadn’t been a case of instant fiery passion upon meeting her; she had been genuinely cold as ice, taking a long time to melt.

If such things like pheromones and marking truly existed in reality, she would definitely tease Gu Shanxue every day. It was fun just thinking about it.

Que Yining exited the fanfic and started browsing other feedback, casually scrolling through Weibo comments as well.

Many were asking her to post photos, including pictures of Gu Shanxue. Que Yining thought for a moment and pulled out two photos from her album’s collection.

@QueYining: The fireworks she set off for me before, just recording it [Rose][Moon]

That was from a place Gu Shanxue had taken her to under the guise of an inspection. They had even shared a kiss under the fireworks. The first picture was of the fireworks, and the second was a selfie of her hugging Gu Shanxue.

As soon as Que Yining posted this on Weibo, the army of CP fans quickly arrived.

@ItsRainingToday: KSWL! Miss Moon’s commercial photos are always so cold, a real-life unattainable beauty. This is the first time I’ve seen her smile! Sob sob sob, as expected, she smiles so happily when she’s with her own treasure!

@KissAfraPassionately: If this isn’t love, I’ll live-stream myself writing a hundred exam papers! I’m good, I’m really good. Peaceful.jpg

@CanEatTenKidsInOneBite: I’m so jealous, I’m so jealous, I’m so jealous! I also want a Jiejie to set off fireworks for me and light lanterns for me, sob sob sob. I also want to play games in Jiejie’s sports car, sob sob sob.

@MoonRoseForLife: Is it because of the night? Why do I feel like the Jiejies’ lips are so red…

The CP fans spread the news and discussed it heatedly. Que Yining paid no more attention, called Zhang Shiyu in, and asked her to book tickets.

Gu Shanxue was currently on a business trip in Ningcheng. Que Yining was planning to go there to inspect a factory and arrange an “accidental” encounter with her.

Zhang Shiyu arranged the itinerary, feeling a little puzzled. This project didn’t require the boss to go personally. However, she quickly figured it out: for the boss to make a trip herself and be so enthusiastic, it must be related to Miss Gu.

The plane landed in Ningcheng at nine in the evening. Que Yining wore a hat, with Zhang Shiyu following behind her, carrying the suitcase.

“Boss, the hotel has been booked. I’ve arranged a meeting with the person in charge here for ten o’clock tomorrow morning. I haven’t booked the return tickets yet.”

Que Yining nodded and got into the car that had come to pick them up, holding her phone and messaging Gu Shanxue.

【Shanxue】: It might take another two days before I can come back. The matters here aren’t resolved yet. Are you home?

The “home” Gu Shanxue referred to was her house. Que Yining didn’t live at the Que family residence; she had her own property but didn’t stay there, openly living at her girlfriend’s place.

【Que Yining】: No, I’m at a social engagement. I might be back a little later.

Que Yining had no intention of letting Gu Shanxue know today that she had come to Ningcheng. She wanted to give Gu Shanxue a surprise. She had just asked Gu Shanxue’s secretary for the address of where they would be tomorrow. See you then.

Gu Shanxue wasn’t suspicious and reminded her to drink less.

Que Yining smiled as she typed. Her phone suddenly vibrated; Zhang Shiyu had sent her an image with text.

Zhang Shiyu: “This is a couples’ travel guide for Ningcheng. I’ve compiled it for you.”

Que Yining glanced at her approvingly, thinking she deserved a raise. She was really getting the hang of things.

They soon arrived at the hotel. Zhang Shiyu had booked a room on the top floor for Que Yining, while she herself was staying on the floor below.

Que Yining went into her room, took a shower first, and then started working on her computer.

She sent a message to Zhang Shiyu, asking her to send a file, but realized that five minutes had passed and Zhang Shiyu hadn’t replied.

She found it a bit strange. Zhang Shiyu had been working by her side for a long time and had always been very efficient. She then called Zhang Shiyu, but the call went unanswered.

Que Yining felt something was off. She called security and asked them to go downstairs with her to check the situation.

A security guard knocked on the door, and it opened quickly.

“Boss?”

Zhang Shiyu looked a bit dazed. Seeing she was alright, Que Yining felt relieved and signaled the security guard that he could leave.

“Why didn’t you answer your phone?”

“I was in the bathroom just now and didn’t see it. Sorry, Boss. I’ll send you the file right away.”

Zhang Shiyu quickly apologized. Que Yining nodded and walked towards the elevator.

A gaze seemed to be fixed on her back. Que Yining turned around but only saw Zhang Shiyu standing there, looking at her and even waving.

Que Yining pressed her temples, thinking she might be too on edge. Que Linyang had been imprisoned for some time now; there shouldn’t be any problems.

She returned to her room. When the digital clock on the table showed exactly ten o’clock, Gu Shanxue made a video call to Que Yining.

Que Yining hesitated for a moment between answering and not answering. She had intended to hang up but accidentally swiped to accept the call.

When the screen displayed the video feed, Que Yining felt a bit helpless, knowing she was about to be exposed.

“Are you home? Hmm… you’re in a hotel?”

Gu Shanxue had caught a glimpse of Que Yining’s background before she could hide it. Even though Que Yining’s face quickly filled the screen, Gu Shanxue had swiftly determined that something was amiss.

“I’m on a business trip too.”

Seeing that Gu Shanxue had found out, Que Yining moved her face a little further from the camera, propped her head on her hand, and looked at her.

Gu Shanxue seemed to have just finished work; her makeup was still on. She was wearing a business suit, her demeanor cool and aloof.

“You’re in Ningcheng?”

Gu Shanxue’s eyes widened in surprise; she almost immediately guessed where Que Yining’s supposed business trip was.

“How did you guess so quickly? I originally wanted to give you a surprise, like suddenly appearing before you and saying, ‘Beautiful lady, I think I’ve fallen in love with you at first sight. Would you care to have lunch with me?’” Que Yining propped her chin on her hand, looking at Gu Shanxue with a smile, and continued, “Who knew you’d see through it so fast.”

“I’m willing to have a late-night snack with you. What do you want to eat? I’ll come find you and bring it along.”

Gu Shanxue immediately closed the laptop beside her and got up from her seat.

“I want barbecue, crayfish, milk tea, and I also want ice cream and cake. But what I want most is you. If you come, nothing else matters.”

Que Yining teased Gu Shanxue, then suddenly remembered the amusing thing she had seen earlier.

“When you come, I’ll tell you something interesting. I’m at the Mingzhu Grand Hotel, top floor, first room. Waiting for you.”

“Okay.”

Gu Shanxue had already opened her own room door and was heading towards her destination.

The video call ended for the time being. Que Yining hummed a song as she prepared to welcome her wife. She had already showered and still smelled fragrant.

Her long hair, uncut for a long time, now reached her waist. She had tied it loosely at the back of her head, and a few strands fell, swaying gently with her movements.

She had come prepared to meet her girlfriend this time. It was supposed to be a surprise, so of course, it couldn’t be as simple as suddenly appearing and inviting her for a meal.

Que Yining was exceptionally good at creating romance and surprises. Unexpected things always left a deep impression. This time, Que Yining had brought the “battle outfit” given to her by Jiang Xiaowan.

Jiang Xiaowan wasn’t unreliable like Qiao Yuchu. She was practically an expert, with a unique talent for creating playful situations. The clothes she had given were indeed very, very interesting.

A little over ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door.

“So fast?”

Que Yining pattered over in her slippers, opening the door with a smile.

Standing at the door was a strange man. The moment Que Yining opened the door and saw him, she instinctively sensed danger.

Almost immediately, without a shred of hesitation, she tried to slam the door shut. But the man was very strong; he wedged the door open a crack, preventing Que Yining from closing it.

Que Yining struggled with all her might to close it, and through the gap, she saw the dark muzzle of a gun.

It was a gun!!!

Que Yining’s heart leaped into her throat. The sound of a bullet being chambered was infinitely amplified. Que Yining immediately gave up on closing the door and ran inside.

This was a top-floor luxury suite; besides the outer room, there was an inner room. Que Yining turned sideways and ran into it, zigzagging to avoid running in a straight line. She threw whatever obstacles she could reach towards the man, slammed the inner room door shut with all her speed, and called security.

Her heart was beating so fast it almost hurt. Que Yining moved the nightstand to barricade the door. After calling the police, she called Gu Shanxue.

“Shanxue, don’t come up so quickly! There’s a man with a gun outside my room trying to kill me. I’ve already called security and the police.”

Que Yining was gasping for breath. The sound of the door being kicked violently made her hand tremble.

She tried hard to calm herself, but her voice still betrayed a hint of fear.

“Don’t be afraid! I’m already downstairs. Use something to block the door, whatever you can find. Don’t let him in!”

Gu Shanxue quickly entered the lobby, anxiously pressing the elevator button.

The elevator’s floor indicator was steadily descending, currently at the 12th floor. Gu Shanxue couldn’t wait any longer. She ran to the stairwell, kicked off her high heels, and frantically ran upwards.

“Wait for me.”

Her voice was low, hoarse, and dry, like an extremely suppressed plea squeezed from her chest.

The cabinet pressed against the door was already being jolted by the impacts. The thuds, growing louder each time, made Que Yining’s palms slick with cold sweat. There was nothing else in the room she could move to further barricade the door. She used her own body to brace it, hoping security would arrive quickly.

She was certain she didn’t know the man outside. Although he hadn’t said a word, she was sure he intended to kill her.

On the other end of the line, Gu Shanxue also heard the commotion, her heart burning with anxiety.

She ran to the fourth floor and happened to meet an elevator coming down from a higher floor. She immediately got in, watching the numbers ascend.

“I’m almost there!”

“If the security guards aren’t up there when you arrive, don’t come in!”

Que Yining’s body was jolted inwards by the force from outside the door, and she let out a muffled groan.

Que Yining felt a fear she had never experienced before. She wasn’t afraid of death, but of loss.

“Don’t worry about me. He won’t be able to get in for a while. Security should be here soon, and the police too. I’m not afraid.”

Que Yining’s palm was cold and clammy. She gripped her phone tightly, pushing against the door with all her strength.

“I’m afraid.”

Gu Shanxue had completely lost her composure, like an ant on a hot pan, anxiously watching the numbers jump, wishing she could be in front of Que Yining right now.

Her heart pounded rapidly, as if it would escape her chest and burst. Blood seemed to surge before her eyes. In this extreme anxiety and tension, Gu Shanxue could almost feel the blood, hot and sticky.

Her voice was incredibly hoarse, making Que Yining’s nose tingle.

Feeling the force of the man kicking the door, a fire ignited in her heart.

Damn you, still kicking? Is there no end to this?

The people who wanted to harm her were already in hell. Did this nameless person really think he deserved to take her life?

“I’ve already called the police. You should know you can’t escape. Are you trying to take me down with you?”

“Who sent you? Que Linyang? Are you his backup plan?”

The force of the impacts from outside lessened slightly, then intensified again. The lock had been broken, and a crack wide enough for a hand to slip through had appeared.

Que Yining was almost at her limit. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and her heart rate was accelerating.

“I’m here.”

The moment Gu Shanxue’s words fell, the elevator dinged and the doors opened.

Security had arrived. Dozens of guards stood at the entrance of the outer room, holding electric batons, looking at the man inside. None of them dared to enter.

“Don’t go over there! He has a gun! Let’s just wait for the police!”

A security guard grabbed Gu Shanxue’s arm. Gu Shanxue glanced at him, and he subconsciously let go.

Gu Shanxue walked into the outer room. The gunman stopped kicking the inner door and pointed his gun at Gu Shanxue’s face.

“Back off. Before the police arrive, I don’t want to kill anyone unrelated. If you come any closer, you can accompany the person inside to her grave.”

“Okay, I’ll back off.”

Gu Shanxue slowly retreated two steps, until she was at a safe distance.

The man knew time was running out. He kicked the door with great force, almost breaking it open.

A look of joy crossed his face. Just as he was preparing to gather strength for the next kick, Gu Shanxue seized the moment he turned his back. Without a second thought, she grabbed the coffee pot from the table and rushed towards him. In the instant the man pulled the trigger, she struck his wrist. The bullet went wide, and he dropped his weapon due to the intense pain.

Seeing this, the security guards behind them rushed forward and subdued the man with their electric batons.

Gu Shanxue placed the coffee pot aside, trying to steady her breathing. With trembling fingers, she knocked on the inner door.

“Ningning, I’m here.”