TNSFC – Chapter 49

A layer of mist had formed on the cold windowpane.

Gu Shanxue had seen the documents from a few minutes ago. When she heard the phone ring, a sense of joy welled up in her heart.

Her voice carried a hint of softness and delight as she said, “Happy New Year, Ningning.”

This New Year was probably the least festive Gu Shanxue had ever experienced. She was all alone; even her mother was gone.

Gu Chongheng had actually asked her to stay and celebrate New Year with Peng Zhen and Gu Qianqian, but Gu Shanxue merely shot him a cold glance and left.

This New Year could be meaningless, but she didn’t want it to be disgusting.

Fortunately, this phone call prevented her from feeling too lonely.

Ningning, who had been neutered a few days ago, was already lively and energetic, circling around Gu Shanxue’s feet.

Gu Shanxue bent down to pet him and continued talking with Que Yining.

Que Yining twirled the ends of her hair with her fingertips and asked Gu Shanxue, as if seeking praise, “Did you receive the gift I sent you?”

Gu Shanxue: “If you mean that, yes, I received it. You’re very capable.”

This was absolutely sincere praise from Gu Shanxue. The heads of the subsidiary companies she had taken over had all told her, marveling at Que Yining’s ruthlessness.

Gu Shanxue sometimes thought that Que Yining wasn’t like the Que Yining of rumors. It wasn’t just her rumored image; her methods were skilled, as if she had done such things many times before, without any hesitation, decisive in every aspect, hitting right where it hurt. She was not at all like a love-struck girl who had been spoiled rotten.

It was like a strange soul, hardened by the pressures of life, forcibly stuffed into an incongruous body.

This guess was exceptionally absurd, but Gu Shanxue didn’t think it was impossible. However, she had no intention of seeking answers from Que Yining. Regardless, the Que Yining she knew and saw was the current Que Yining.

Having received praise, Que Yining’s eyes curved into crescents. “This is just the beginning. It’s not over yet.”

“By the way, are you at home now?”

Gu Shanxue: “Mm-hmm.”

Que Yining: “Is it very quiet over there? I’m not in Lu Su right now. I’m in a town nearby, at my family’s old residence. It’s very lively outside here.”

Que Yining held the phone further away and walked to the corridor, letting Gu Shanxue hear the sound of firecrackers and fireworks outside.

Actually, the sound should have been louder. But several years ago, the original owner didn’t stay up for the New Year’s vigil and was startled awake by fireworks. She cried for a long time in front of Papa Que and Mama Que. Papa Que immediately had the glass in the original owner’s bedroom at the old residence replaced with highly soundproof glass. That’s why when Que Yining was calling Gu Shanxue, the background noise wasn’t so loud that it made it hard to hear her speak.

Gu Shanxue: “It does sound very lively. The city center is very quiet.”

There was a ban on fireworks in Lu Su City, and Gu Shanxue’s residential complex was even quieter.

In extreme silence, humans feel lonely.

At this moment, the phone, or rather Que Yining on the other end of the line, was like a torch, dispelling the pervasive cold gloom. But Gu Shanxue knew that after the call ended, the shadows would once again fill the room.

Que Yining wanted to say more, but someone downstairs called her name.

Gu Shanxue seemed to have heard it and gently told Que Yining to go attend to her business.

Que Yining had no choice but to hang up on Gu Shanxue and walk down from the corridor.

She didn’t know who had called her. Many people had come to the house for New Year, not just the Que family’s adopted sons and daughters and their families, but also Papa Que’s younger brother and his entire family. Uncles and aunts were sitting together, and three tables were set up for mahjong and poker.

Apart from them, the young and the elderly had already gone to their rooms to rest. There weren’t many people moving about in the living room.

Second Sister Que Chuling had also returned. She came back late; Que Yining hadn’t seen her in Lu Su. It wasn’t until the moment before everyone at the old residence started the New Year’s Eve dinner that she came in from outside.

When she came in, she wasn’t wearing any makeup and looked somewhat tired. After exchanging a glance with Que Yining, she went back to her room.

When she saw her, related memories surfaced in Que Yining’s mind.

This Second Sister, in the original owner’s eyes, was a somewhat annoying and strange person.

The original owner disliked her because when the original owner was first experiencing romantic feelings, Que Chuling often criticized and belittled her, trying to stop her from pursuing Fu Wenjing. The original owner was just a young girl then, deeply caught in an unrequited love, so naturally, she didn’t like this Second Sister who always disparaged her crush. Plus, Que Chuling was an adopted daughter, which made the original owner dislike her even more.

As for why the original owner found Que Chuling strange, it was because when Que Chuling was twenty-eight, she suddenly changed her style. Her previously long hair was cut into a boyish style, she focused solely on work instead of romance, and when her parents asked, she said she wouldn’t marry or have children.

People who defy conventional societal expectations are often considered strange by conventional people.

From Que Yining’s perspective, she felt this Second Sister wasn’t actually annoying, nor was she strange.

When Que Yining went downstairs, she immediately saw Que Chuling at the mahjong table.

She had an unlit cigarette dangling from her lips, frowning as she played her hand.

Her hair was slightly longer than Que Yining remembered. When she sensed Que Yining’s gaze, she turned and glanced at Que Yining.

Que Chuling’s features weren’t outstanding, but she possessed an air of cold indifference and unruliness.

Que Yining had a certain suspicion about her, but that suspicion had nothing to do with her. She looked towards the living room and asked who had called her just now.

“Yining, come here. I just cut some fruit and was about to bring it up for you. I saw you in the corridor, so I called you down.”

The speaker was Que Yining’s eldest sister-in-law, Que Linyang’s wife, Hou Manni.

She was wearing a thickened qipao. Although she had given birth, she was still slender and graceful, appearing to be a gentle and virtuous woman.

The original owner had a good relationship with her eldest brother, so naturally, she also had a good relationship with her eldest sister-in-law. Que Yining smiled and walked over, but her heart was filled with vigilance.

Que Yining received her own plate of fruit. Hou Manni was placing other fruit platters on the other tables with Papa Que’s younger brother’s daughter-in-law.

Que Yining had plans for later and didn’t intend to go back to her room just yet. She sat on the sofa, crossed her legs, and watched the people playing cards.

Papa Que and Mama Que had already gone to rest. Que Linyang was playing poker. Apart from these two, Que Yining, or rather the original owner, wasn’t very familiar with the others.

After placing a fruit platter near Que Linyang, Hou Manni put another one she was holding on Que Chuling’s table.

After putting it down, she didn’t leave. Smiling, she invited them to eat, placed her hand on Que Chuling’s shoulder, and fed her a strawberry with a toothpick. Her actions were natural, and no one noticed anything amiss.

Que Yining narrowed her eyes. Hou Manni hadn’t even fed her own husband, Que Linyang, just now.

She nudged Que Zixi, who was sitting next to her playing on her phone, and asked her a question: “Are Eldest Sister-in-law and Que Chuling very close?”

The original owner always addressed her by her full name like this, so Que Yining naturally wouldn’t suddenly change and call her “Second Sister.”

Que Zixi, eating, mumbled indistinctly, “They’re alright, I guess. Eldest Sister-in-law is nice, isn’t she on good terms with everyone? What, are you unhappy? Are you going to pick a fight with Eldest Sister-in-law later? You’re in your twenties, be more mature.”

Que Yining glanced at her. “You talk too much.”

The original owner wasn’t on good terms with either of her older sisters, and Que Yining had no desire for any sisterly affection either.

After eating half of the fruit platter, Que Yining received a text message. She put her phone away, got up, and headed outside.

Que Zixi saw her move and asked, “Where are you going?”

Que Yining didn’t answer her at all, opened the door of the old residence, and walked outside.

The benefits of her arrogant persona became apparent. She didn’t need to explain her whereabouts to the group of people sitting there. Anyway, she had technically celebrated the New Year, having stayed home past midnight, so there was nothing to criticize.

She already knew how to drive, and since she had her driver’s license in this world, she drove off in one of the family cars, heading towards Lu Su city center.

This was a surprise she had planned earlier and hadn’t told Gu Shanxue about. She stepped on the accelerator, and a smile curved her lips as she imagined the scene that would unfold later.

It took about forty minutes to drive from the town where her old home was located to Lu Su city center. It was early morning, and being New Year’s Eve, there were hardly any cars on the road. The traffic was smooth, and Que Yining drove quickly, staying within the speed limit.

Half an hour later, Que Yining entered the city, but she didn’t go straight to Gu Shanxue’s home. Instead, she drove to an intersection where the person she had arranged to meet was waiting for her.

Que Yining: “Is everything here?”

The person nodded repeatedly, a smile plastered on their face, saying, “It’s all here, all brand new and fresh.”

“Alright, put it in my car. I’ll transfer the money to you.”

“Okay.”

When the person had finished loading everything into Que Yining’s car, they noticed that Que Yining had transferred a thousand more than agreed.

“Miss Que, this… you seem to have given too much.”

“It’s a New Year’s red envelope for you. Thanks for your hard work.”

“Oh, oh, it’s nothing,” the person replied, bowing slightly, a joyful expression on their face. “Then I’ll accept it. Happy New Year to you too. If you have any work next time, please call me. I guarantee I’ll do a good job for you.”

Que Yining nodded, got into the car, and before closing the door, she told the person, “Go on back. Be careful on the road.”

The car door closed, and Que Yining hummed a tune as she set off towards Gu Shanxue’s home.

Carrying an oversized box, she swiped the access card and entered Gu Shanxue’s residential complex.

Although she hadn’t been able to come to Gu Shanxue’s place to take Ningning to be neutered last time, the access card and key card Gu Shanxue had left with her were still there.

Que Yining stood in front of the door and called Gu Shanxue.

But the phone showed it was turned off. Que Yining thought for a moment and then knocked on the door.

After knocking for a few minutes, there was still no answer from inside.

“Could she not be home?”

Que Yining muttered, looking at the key in her hand and Gu Shanxue’s door lock.

She hadn’t asked Gu Shanxue beforehand if she would be home for New Year, afraid Gu Shanxue might sense something, which would greatly diminish the surprise factor.

Should she go in or not?

For Que Yining, this wasn’t even a choice.

She pressed the key card against the sensor lock and opened Gu Shanxue’s door.

If she didn’t go in to confirm whether Gu Shanxue was home, the surprise would be ruined. Even if Gu Shanxue blamed her, she would just have to obediently admit her mistake and hand over the key. Besides, she wasn’t doing anything bad.

Que Yining took off her shoes, placed the box in the living room, and without taking the time to find slippers in the shoe cabinet, she fumbled her way towards the bedroom in the dark.

She had to first confirm if Gu Shanxue was home before deciding what to do next.

In the quiet night, the continuous meowing of a cat was particularly distinct.

Que Yining crouched down and petted Ningning, who had appeared beside her at some point.

“Good boy, sweetie. I’m going to see if your owner is here, okay?”

She whispered in a breathy voice, but before she could go, the bedroom light turned on.

The door was pulled open. Gu Shanxue, eyes wide, looked at Que Yining crouching on the floor petting the cat, thinking she was hallucinating.

“Shanxue! Happy New Year! Surprise!”

Que Yining stood up, took a few quick steps to Gu Shanxue, and threw herself into her arms, hugging her neck.

Fate had made Que Yining scheming and calculating, but in front of the person she liked, she was still like a young girl.

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