Love Finds Its Time - Chapter 39

The cicadas’ cries around them seemed to vanish all at once, leaving the entire playground silent—so silent that only Shi Qingqiu’s heartbeat remained, clear and fast. Her worried expression finally melted into a smile, and she teased, “How could it be that magical? Even if it really worked like that, shouldn’t you be the one to do it yourself? Didn’t you say before that you were a celestial?”

Wen Qinghan did not withdraw her hand, letting Shi Qingqiu hold it, her gaze calm. “I can’t treat myself. A healer cannot heal herself. How could I cure my own pain?”

Shi Qingqiu muttered inwardly, Truly, one cannot argue with a lawyer. Though she too had studied law, she was no match for Wen Qinghan.

Seeing her speechless, Wen Qinghan’s eyes remained gentle as she lowered her voice. “It works both ways. If you were in pain, then it would be up to me to heal you.”

Shi Qingqiu burst into laughter, unable to stop once it began. She held Wen Qinghan’s right hand with her left and said, “I won’t argue with you. Once we get back, I’ll see if there’s any medicine. If there is, I’ll put some on you so it heals faster.”

“Alright.” Wen Qinghan nodded. Knowing when to stop was something she had to master now—the consequences of being too hasty were more than she could bear.

“You still haven’t told me what you thought of just now.”

“It’s nothing, really. It’s not a bad thing.” Wen Qinghan took a deep breath and pulled their joined hands a little closer to her side before saying slowly, “A long time ago, Inside and Outside the Drama had an episode. It was set in a restaurant. During one of the segments, an actor went into a place he shouldn’t have and ended up discovering gutter oil that the restaurant staff had hidden. Do you remember that episode?”

Shi Qingqiu frowned deeply. “I don’t quite recall, but I’ve heard of that incident.”

Wen Qinghan nodded and continued, “It makes sense you don’t remember clearly. After that incident was exposed, there was a rapid chain of revelations digging out the whole network behind it, and the heat completely drowned out the fact that it was Inside and Outside the Drama, an entertainment show, that uncovered it. Soon after, hardly anyone online mentioned that it had been the program that revealed those scandals.”

Shi Qingqiu suddenly understood and said, “So it’s possible that someone is arranging for these exposures behind the scenes.”

“Yes. I can’t be certain yet, since it’s been so long since something like this happened. But with so many eyes on entertainment programs now, using them as a chance to expose things isn’t a bad idea.”

Shi Qingqiu nodded knowingly. They chatted a little longer, then, seeing that it was getting late, Wen Qinghan suggested they head back to rest.

On the way back to the dormitory, Shi Qingqiu became curious and, with the production team’s permission, went with Wen Qinghan to see Qin Wang.

As soon as they rounded the corner, they saw Qin Wang’s hands sticking out, much like Wen Qinghan and Shi Qingqiu had been these past two days, speaking to Ji Lan next door.

The guard was gone now, probably off to rest.

“Lanlan, how about we find some time to go abroad for a trip? I’ve been working so long without a break, and you haven’t rested in ages either.” Qin Wang’s voice sounded eager, as if he truly wanted to relax.

“If we can find the time, that’d be wonderful. I’m just afraid the boss won’t agree. You’re too popular right now,” Ji Lan said with a laugh.

“A-Wang, Little Lan,” Shi Qingqiu called from a few steps away.

The two froze. Qin Wang was the first to respond. “Qingqiu?” After a pause he shouted, “Wow, you’ve got some nerve coming to see me! You and your wife were the first to get out—I’ve been stewing here, and that kid was impossible to deal with.”

Shi Qingqiu chuckled and pulled Wen Qinghan along until they stopped in front of them. “Haven’t you found a way to win over your guard yet? Is it a boy or a girl?”

“A boy, and pretty mischievous. A-Wang’s nearly at his wit’s end,” Ji Lan said helplessly. Dealing with unruly kids wasn’t her strong suit; she had to rely on Qin Wang.

Qin Wang rattled the iron bars and said with a mocking, somewhat aggrieved tone, “Exactly. You two are sweet and affectionate every day, never tired, no need to worry about appearances. But look at me and Lanlan—sigh, it’s a long story…”

By now, Wen Qinghan’s popularity was skyrocketing like a rocket. Far from being rejected by Shi Qingqiu’s fans, she had even gained her own. Luckily, her Weibo hadn’t been exposed, otherwise her follower count would be soaring.

Wen Qinghan glanced at Qin Wang and said calmly, “I really didn’t have much choice then. This segment is both easy and hard. After all, kids aren’t like adults—you can’t deal with them using adult logic. Sometimes while chatting with them, they might just decide to open the door for you.”

She had no real advice to offer Qin Wang; if not for the coincidence of that boy’s family trouble, she might not have gotten out herself.

“Qingqiu’s wife, don’t you have some wise words to offer?” Qin Wang looked pitifully at Wen Qinghan, clutching the bars.

Wen Qinghan only curved her lips in a faint smile and shook her head.

Qin Wang sighed, but then Wen Qinghan said, “Try talking to him without the goal of getting out. Be natural. Maybe the outcome won’t disappoint you.”

The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. If one could treat it with a normal heart, not weighing success or failure too heavily, perhaps there would be unexpected results.

Wen Qinghan glanced sideways at Shi Qingqiu. This kind of calm detachment was something she probably couldn’t manage.

“Tsk…” Qin Wang squinted, giving a thumbs-up. “Truly worthy of being a lawyer. You never take the usual path. Brilliant, simply brilliant.”

Shi Qingqiu turned to look at Wen Qinghan, then back at Qin Wang. “Alright, you and Little Lan should rest early. We’re heading back too. Good luck.”

“Alright, good night,” Ji Lan said with a smile.

“Wow, you two really are living in your own little world…” Qin Wang grumbled.

Qin Wang wailed behind them, while Shi Qingqiu held Wen Qinghan’s hand and retraced their steps. Since they had already won this round, they no longer stayed in the dormitory where they had lived for the past two days. The program crew had arranged another room for them to rest in.

After they returned, Wen Qinghan went to shower first. Shi Qingqiu, still worried about the injury on her hand, went to ask if there was any medicine available. By the time she came back, Wen Qinghan was already lying on the bed, scrolling on her phone. Shi Qingqiu set the medicine aside, intending to shower first before applying it to Wen Qinghan’s hand.

Wen Qinghan was browsing trending posts on Weibo. There were several about her and Shi Qingqiu. None were as explosive as the earlier one, but their popularity was still high. All of them showed photos of the two from the past few days.

As she looked, her lips pressed tightly together, then curved upward slightly. Finally, she even gave a like under one post.

【#Inside and Outside the Drama latest leak# The Greenhouse CP is truly a professional dog food supplier—exchanging tender glances, showing love with skill.】

Greenhouse CP? Wen and Shi? Wen Qinghan smiled softly, like a flower blooming amid polar ice.

(T/N: When combined, the “Wen” and “Shi” characters from both characters’ surnames can be translated as “greenhouse”)

“Qinghan, what’s making you laugh like that?” Shi Qingqiu came out, towel-drying her hair, flicking the damp ends, asking with interest.

It was rare to see Wen Qinghan laugh at something on her phone. After all, her humor threshold was so high that things that made ordinary people laugh were dull to her. No wonder Shi Qingqiu was curious.

“Nothing much, just looking at Weibo.” Wen Qinghan reined in her smile, set the phone by her pillow, and glanced up at Shi Qingqiu drying her hair. Her heart stirred as she asked, “Qingqiu, do you want me to help dry it?”

“Sure, I can’t reach the ends very well.”

Shi Qingqiu went over to sit on the bed. Wen Qinghan straightened, took the towel she handed over, placed the damp, curled ends of her hair at the center of the towel, and rubbed them gently with both hands.

At first, Shi Qingqiu’s thoughts wandered, her gaze drifting idly. But soon she heard a low voice by her ear. “Qingqiu, when we go back, your filming will take a few months, right?”

“Mm. And that director is quite strict, I probably won’t be able to leave the filming base,” Shi Qingqiu said thoughtfully.

Wen Qinghan’s hands paused, then she let out a deep “mm.”

Reminded by her, Shi Qingqiu thought further. She tilted her head slightly toward her and said, “When the time comes, I’ll have to trouble you to visit my parents more often. After I get through this stretch, I’ll finally be able to relax.”

Wen Qinghan stopped her hands and lifted her eyes to look at Shi Qingqiu’s slightly turned face. Her breath was close to Shi Qingqiu’s ear, close enough to see clearly the faint pink of her ear rim, her long hair tucked neatly behind it.

In this position, Wen Qinghan only needed to lean in a little more, and she could wrap an arm around Shi Qingqiu’s waist. But instead she only smiled as softly as before and continued to towel her hair. “At this point, what’s the difference between you and me? Your parents are my parents.”

Shi Qingqiu froze, then remembered, and chuckled lightly. “I forgot for a moment. Not again.” Saying this, her eyes fell on the bottle of medicine. She quickly patted Wen Qinghan’s leg. “That’s enough. I’ll get the medicine and treat your hand.”

Before Wen Qinghan could respond, Shi Qingqiu slipped on her slippers and went to fetch it, her hair sliding out of the towel in Wen Qinghan’s hands.

Luckily she hadn’t been holding tightly. Wen Qinghan’s lips curved faintly.

“Good thing the crew prepared a medical kit. Otherwise, I’d have no idea where to find medicine. Didn’t see a pharmacy nearby when we came.”

Shi Qingqiu dipped a cotton swab into the liquid, murmuring as she gently dabbed the bruise on Wen Qinghan’s right hand. Her hand rested naturally in Shi Qingqiu’s grip, her cold fingers gradually warming under her hold.

“Honestly, it’s fine without medicine. In a few days, it’ll fade anyway,” Wen Qinghan said softly, her eyes tender as she watched Shi Qingqiu focus intently on treating her. Her hair carried the fragrance of shampoo, mixing with the warmth of her hand. Wen Qinghan’s gaze grew warmer still.

“All done. The smell’s not very pleasant though—when you sleep later, don’t rub against it. Qinghan, you—” Shi Qingqiu capped the bottle as she spoke, then looked up.

Her face was as luminous as the autumn moon, her skin like fine, glowing jade, her lips slightly parted, irresistibly inviting. This image reflected in Wen Qinghan’s eyes was an irresistible temptation, stirring the feelings buried deep within her heart.

And all Shi Qingqiu could see were Wen Qinghan’s eyes, bright and starry. She suddenly couldn’t speak.

Their shallow breaths mingled. Shi Qingqiu once again heard her own heartbeat. No cicadas outside, no sound of breathing—only her heart pounding. In an instant, a sudden, inexplicable panic struck her chest, like an alarm shattering her daze.

The next second, she scrambled back in a fluster, as if the person before her were a beast, a death god capable of severing her lifeline. She bowed her head, gasping, as though even that retreat had drained all her strength.

Wen Qinghan fell silent. Her already bruised, swollen right hand was clenched painfully at her side. She stared blankly at Shi Qingqiu, then finally forced out a shallow smile. She reached to grasp her wrist. “Qingqiu, what’s wrong? It’s late—let’s go to sleep.”

She felt Shi Qingqiu’s hand tremble slightly before she finally looked up at her.

Their gazes met. Wen Qinghan remained calm and unruffled, and Shi Qingqiu snapped back to herself. She quietly set the medicine by the bed, her smile faint and forced. “Mm, let’s sleep. Good night.”

She lay down first, turning her back to Wen Qinghan, refusing to glance at her again, trying to drive away all her panic.

Wen Qinghan pulled the blanket over both of them, facing Shi Qingqiu’s turned back without a sound, her eyes gradually reddening.