Love Finds Its Time - Chapter 26

It was nearly four in the afternoon, and the entrance of Xingye Entertainment was surrounded by dozens of reporters who hadn’t moved an inch all day. According to those who had been waiting since morning, Shi Qingqiu had been urgently summoned back to the company and hadn’t come out since. Anyone could guess that she was inside working on countermeasures for the breaking scandal.

The relationship between Qin Wang and Shi Qingqiu had always been somewhat ambiguous, though fans and moviegoers alike agreed it was little more than speculation. Their interactions leaned more toward friendship. But this time, reporters had caught something that could be twisted into proof of romance. Like starving wolves who had scented meat, they rushed in a frenzy, terrified of being a step too late and losing their prize.

Fans were kept behind security lines outside, while only reporters were allowed to wait on the steps. Many sensed the unusual tension in the air. Not a single reporter was willing to leave early, even though their stomachs were growling with hunger. At that moment, Shi Qingqiu’s appearance would be like water and food to the starving.

The glass doors slowly slid open as they sensed someone approaching. The previously listless reporters instantly surged forward, electrified, while fans outside screamed her name.

In an instant, what should have been an empty company entrance erupted into chaos.

“Shi Qingqiu! Shi Qingqiu! Shi Qingqiu!”

Hundreds of eyes locked onto the beautiful woman protected by bodyguards. Her lips curved with a dazzling smile, her steps graceful and unhurried. Once she stepped outside and stood still, a handful of recording devices managed to push through the defenses to reach her.

“Qingqiu, reports online say you and actor Qin Wang are in a relationship, and that you secretly met him last night until late. What do you have to say about this? Have you two already confirmed your relationship?”

“Qingqiu, did your feelings for Qin Wang develop while filming together? If so, when exactly?”

“Up to now, Qin Wang’s side hasn’t issued any response. Do you have anything you’d like to say? Is this your way of announcing your relationship publicly?”

Voices bombarded her from every direction. All Shi Qingqiu could see were mouths opening and closing—she couldn’t even tell who was speaking.

Her gaze was calm as water. She finally took a step forward, raised a finger to her lips, and parted them slightly. No one could hear her soft “shh,” but everyone understood. The crowd instantly fell silent. The control of the scene shifted easily into her hands.

She walked a few more steps, looked around, and then pulled a female reporter—who had nearly been crushed against the bodyguards just to extend her recorder—into the circle of protection.

“I saw you speaking just now. What was your question?” Shi Qingqiu asked with a smile, straightening the woman’s wrinkled collar as she did.

“Ahhh! Wife!”

“Wife! Wife!”

That small gesture of fixing a collar sent a wave through the fans. A sharp female voice cried out first, and then the entire crowd erupted again.

The reporter froze, unable to recover. She stood just one step away from Shi Qingqiu, close enough to catch the faint fragrance on her and to meet her gentle eyes. The memory of that downward glance when Shi Qingqiu had adjusted her collar left her stunned—it was too beautiful.

For a moment, she forgot why she was there. Being held by Shi Qingqiu, she finally understood why so many people were infatuated with this woman. Meeting those eyes, shimmering like rippling water, very few could hold onto their resolve.

“What’s wrong?” Shi Qingqiu laughed softly when the reporter didn’t respond. “If you’ve forgotten your question, I’ll move on to someone else.”

The reporter quickly shook her head and thrust her recorder forward again. Her tone, however, was no longer aggressive. “Hello, Qingqiu. Reports online say you and actor Qin Wang are in a relationship, and last night you stayed at his hotel until very late. Do you have anything to say about this?”

Shi Qingqiu nodded knowingly. Because of their height difference, she inclined her head slightly, then reached out to gently clasp the reporter’s hand that held the recorder. With a smile lingering on her lips, she said, “I did go see A-Wang last night, and we even had a late-night snack together. It’s true I stayed for quite a while before leaving. I have no excuses to make. It happened.”

The fans further away couldn’t hear, though their voices still rose in waves, chanting her name.

Most reporters wanted to blow things out of proportion. Suddenly, one called out, “So, Qingqiu, are you admitting that you and Qin Wang are in a relationship?”

Shi Qingqiu released the female reporter’s hand and lifted her gaze. That one look sent a shiver through the man who had spoken. Even the woman before her was struck speechless.

For her eyes had turned icy cold, draining the warmth from her smile.

“On this matter, I owe everyone an apology.” Shi Qingqiu shifted her gaze outward, past the reporters, to the fans surrounding them. She stepped forward, and the bodyguards adjusted the circle to move with her.

A familiar car rolled slowly into view, its window lowering as it stopped.

Finally, her lips curved, and in a clear voice she declared, “I am already married—just recently. Last night, I went to tell A-Wang this in person. He is a very good friend of mine, so I wanted to explain face-to-face. I hope you can all understand…”

Her final words were drowned out by deafening screams. Fans closest to her shrieked at the top of their lungs, while reporters were left stunned by the shocking revelation. Amid the chaos, bodyguards escorted Shi Qingqiu to the car. She opened the door and slipped inside.

Turning her head, she immediately saw Wen Qinghan’s serene face—utterly unshaken by the noise outside.

While driving, Wen Qinghan wore an earpiece and spoke softly into the phone. After a low “mm,” she added, “We’re heading back now.”

The car, shielded by bodyguards, crawled out of the blockade of fans before gradually picking up speed.

The last thing the reporters saw was Wen Qinghan’s profile as the window closed—cold and sharp as frost.

“Qinghan, were you frightened?” Shi Qingqiu let out a breath with a smile, closing her eyes as she leaned back against the seat.

“Not really. With your current influence, this was actually mild,” Wen Qinghan replied evenly, removing her earpiece.

Shi Qingqiu studied Wen Qinghan’s profile, her thoughts tumbling. At last, she reined in her smile and explained softly, “I’m sorry. This shouldn’t have happened. I’ll be more careful in the future. As for Qin Wang, he’s the friend I mentioned to you before. This time, it’s because his company won’t issue a clarification—but he has a girlfriend.”

Wen Qinghan glanced at her, lips curving faintly. “Mm. I remember.”

Perhaps Shi Qingqiu thought she might have been misunderstood like everyone else. But how could that be? After so many years, Wen Qinghan had never once stopped to look at anyone else. Busy as she was, even when memories resurfaced, she wouldn’t fall so easily for another.

Seeing Wen Qinghan smile, Shi Qingqiu finally released her tension. Not even the ordeal outside had given her such relief—only when she saw that Wen Qinghan hadn’t misunderstood did she truly feel at ease.

“Good, as long as you didn’t misunderstand. I’ll be more careful in the future, always reminding myself I’m not single anymore.” Shi Qingqiu gave a light laugh, her tone betraying no special emotion.

Wen Qinghan’s fingertips tapped gently on the steering wheel. Her voice, calm as ever, dropped a bomb in Shi Qingqiu’s ears. “More than that, I think we should worry about how to face things at home. Your company’s official Weibo announced your marriage five minutes ago. The call I just took was from my mother—she and my father are on their way to your house right now.” Shi Qingqiu stared at Wen Qinghan, who only curved her lips slightly. “We’ll arrive in about half an hour.”

Pulling out her phone, Shi Qingqiu saw it full of missed calls. In the family group chat, Wen Qinghan’s mother had even sent a screenshot of the official announcement from Xingye Entertainment’s account.

How could she have forgotten? Both her parents and Wen Qinghan’s had schemed for years to set the two of them up. Now that things had exploded, besides the media and the fans, the most dangerous to face were those four elders who had been secretly pulling strings for years.

On the drive home, Shi Qingqiu ran through several possible strategies, most centered on calming her parents down.

By the time the car turned into the gates of Phoenix City, she let out a sigh. Forget it—she’d just have to see how things played out.

At some point, the notification pings on Wen Qinghan’s phone had stopped. Clearly, the two sets of parents had already met up and no longer needed to exchange messages.

The moment they stepped inside, the word “Mom, Dad” stuck in Shi Qingqiu’s throat.

On the sofa, Wen Qinghan’s mother, Wen Wanyi, was holding Shi Qingqiu’s mother, Shi Jinghui, by the hand. The two women were animatedly flipping through a photo album, joy lighting up their faces more brightly than when Shi Qingqiu’s movies topped the box office.

“Jinghui, look at how obedient Qingqiu was as a child—always smiling, so polite. Not like our Qinghan, who couldn’t be forced to say a word even with ten beatings. Thank goodness for Qingqiu, or she’d have suffocated in her own silence.” Wen Wanyi’s smile was so wide that even her crow’s feet seemed to be laughing. She pointed to a picture of little Shi Qingqiu, looking up with cake smeared on her lips, grinning brightly.

“Oh, Qinghan is a wonderful child,” Shi Jinghui replied, patting Wen Wanyi’s hand comfortingly. “Qingqiu never did well in school—at the end of every term, it was Qinghan who helped her review notes so she could pass. Without her, there would’ve been no good grades at all. Qinghan’s not only smart but has such a good temperament. She and Qingqiu are perfectly suited.”

“You haven’t seen how Qinghan can go three days without saying a single word. That child can be so exasperating…”

“Well, our Qingqiu can be the same way…”

From the doorway, the two young women looked at each other. Shi Qingqiu’s lips twitched uncontrollably, before she shifted her gaze toward the fathers.

“Old Zhao, what do you think of this house layout? I think it’ll do well for the kids’ new home,” said Tang Honglang, glasses perched on his nose as he flipped through a brochure and handed it to Zhao Chengxuan.

“No, too small.” Zhao Chengxuan rejected it immediately after one glance. He reached for another brochure, opened it to a page he had folded, and said, “This villa has a great location and view. They’ll be living there for decades—how could they settle for something that small? I’ve looked at several; later we’ll let the kids’ mothers make the choice.”

“Have we decided on the car yet? A BMW? I’ve noticed Qinghan drives one often.”

“Let’s ask Qingqiu, see what she likes.”

Shi Qingqiu: …

Wen Qinghan: [expressionless].

“Dad, Mom. Uncle, Auntie.” Shi Qingqiu forced a smile, cutting into the heated discussion.

“Dad, Mom. Uncle, Aunt, I’ve brought Qingqiu home,” Wen Qinghan added, her tone noticeably softer than it had been outside.

The fathers stood up; the mothers each grabbed a daughter and pulled them to the sofa. Wen Wanyi clasped Shi Qingqiu’s hands warmly, her voice filled with affection. “Qingqiu, look at you two. How could you not tell us about something this important? We’ve been worrying every single day about you.”

“Yes, Qinghan too. How could you keep this from us? If we hadn’t seen the news online, how much longer would you have hidden it?” Shi Jinghui lightly tapped Wen Qinghan’s hand in mock reproach.

Wen Qinghan lowered her eyes, her indifference replaced by a soft, apologetic tone. “Auntie is right.”

“Exactly! Look at the two of you…” Tang Honglang muttered, both delighted and exasperated, rolling up the brochure and tapping it several times against the coffee table.

Zhao Chengxuan didn’t speak but nodded in firm agreement.

Wen Wanyi said, “The most urgent matter now is the wedding. You can’t just register and not hold a ceremony. Chengxuan, tonight let’s discuss how to arrange it as soon as possible.”

“Uncle, Auntie, there’s something I need to say.” Shi Qingqiu was forced to interject, and the living room fell silent.

Wen Qinghan turned her gaze toward her, eyes filled with questions, with emotions that were hard to read.

Looking around, Shi Qingqiu steadied herself and said, “It was wrong of us to hide things from you, our parents and elders. But I hope you can let the two of us decide how to handle our future. I’m about to start filming a reality show, which you already know. Qinghan will be joining me on that show, so we don’t have the time to manage personal matters right now. We’re asking you to give us a little more time.”

Her words were sincere. And since both Tang Honglang and Shi Jinghui already knew about the show, they glanced at Zhao Chengxuan and Wen Wanyi, nodding helplessly to confirm her explanation.

Among the four parents, Zhao Chengxuan was the most level-headed. After a moment’s thought, he nodded. “Alright, but once your work settles down, this matter must be arranged properly.”

“Thank you, Uncle, Auntie. Thank you, Mom and Dad.” Shi Qingqiu smiled gracefully at Wen Wanyi, who, moved with affection, reached out and patted her head.

She then looked past Wen Wanyi toward Wen Qinghan. That woman’s face remained calm, as though all the discussions had nothing to do with her.

But Shi Qingqiu knew deeply that, from this moment on, both of them had completely cut off any path of retreat.

They had never given each other a formal promise, because there had never been a need for one. What they shared was something stronger: an unspoken bond, a vow of trust, a promise to walk through life side by side.