Love Finds Its Time - Chapter 46

The latest episode of Inside and Outside the Drama had finished recording, leaving only post-production work. The actors, meanwhile, had to return to City B to attend the wrap-up banquet hosted by the organizers.

The organizer’s cars drove everyone back to their hotels. Since Shi Qingqiu and Wen Qinghan were locals of City B, they were dropped directly at the entrance of the Phoenix City’s villa district.

As everyone had grown rather tired after this period of filming, the wrap-up banquet was scheduled for the next day.

That night, after returning home, Shi Qingqiu had a good long sleep and didn’t wake up until noon the next day.

Her parents subtly asked her when she planned to move in with Wen Qinghan. She honestly admitted that she still had to finish shooting her next project. Though the elders felt it would be quite a wait, since it was work, they didn’t press further.

That evening, Shi Qingqiu put on light makeup and attended the wrap-up banquet. The organizers also invited a few reporters from partner media outlets, allowing them to film the actors’ interactions for a set period of time. Once the agreed-upon time was up, the reporters politely excused themselves.

This was when the real liveliness began. Qin Wang carried a wine bottle, circling the round table and filling everyone’s glass. He raised his voice. “Come on, it’s rare for us to gather like this! Who knows when we’ll see each other again after tonight? We don’t go home until we’re drunk!”

Yu Shushen smiled and said, “I’m older now and can’t drink that heavily. You all shouldn’t drink too much either.”

Lu Sizhou, touching his bottle, nodded in agreement. “Right, no going home until we’re drunk. But Shushen-jie, you can take it easy. The rest of us can’t. Qingqiu, if you can’t make it home later, just stay at the hotel with us for the night.”

Xu Zhi, holding her glass with both hands, smiled demurely. “My tolerance isn’t very good, so I’ll follow Shushen-jie’s lead and take it easy too. But I’ll still try my best to toast properly.”

Shi Qingqiu raised her glass, smiling as well. “I don’t mind. I came here by taxi. I already guessed that A-Wang wouldn’t let us go home sober tonight. No way I’d dare drive.”

“That’s the spirit, cheers!”

Qin Wang raised his glass, and everyone stood to clink glasses. Qin Wang, Shi Qingqiu, and Lu Sizhou drained their drinks, while Yu Shushen and Xu Zhi only drank half.

“Ah, if only we could’ve brought our family tonight—it would be even livelier. I was talking to Lingmeng about an investment last time, but we didn’t finish the discussion,” said Qin Wang as he picked up some food.

Yu Shushen replied, “Lingmeng and I won’t be leaving so soon. I have relatives here, so we’re staying a few more days. You can contact her if you like.”

Qin Wang put down his chopsticks, his face lighting up. “That’s great! And Sizhou and Little Zhi, I told you before there’s a food street here that’s amazing—Qingqiu introduced it to me. How about it? Let’s all go! Tomorrow Little Lan and I can take you.”

“Sounds nice. Let me think…” Lu Sizhou struck a thoughtful pose.

While the group chatted enthusiastically, Yu Shushen turned to glance at Shi Qingqiu beside her. Something occurred to her, and she said, “It’s a pity we couldn’t bring family tonight. I really wanted to chat more with Qinghan.”

Shi Qingqiu was briefly stunned, then laughed. “Shushen-jie, didn’t you already exchange numbers and add each other on WeChat? You can always reach her.”

Indeed, Yu Shushen admired Wen Qinghan. During their rides in the car, she often chatted with her about legal matters. Sometimes Wen Qinghan would share cases she had handled, which Yu Shushen and Du Lingmeng listened to with great interest.

Du Lingmeng even declared that if her company ever faced legal disputes, she would definitely call Wen Qinghan. But since Wen Qinghan’s specialty wasn’t in corporate law, she recommended a male colleague from her firm, Chen Yi. Still, Yu Shushen and her daughter remained very fond of Wen Qinghan. Yu Shushen once described her as: “Eloquent, gentle and courteous, seemingly aloof but not condescending.”

Shaking her head with a smile, Yu Shushen said, “I wouldn’t look for her just to talk about lawsuits—it’s just all so interesting.” She paused, then asked, “By the way, Qingqiu, why didn’t you have Qinghan drive you here tonight?”

Shi Qingqiu thought for a moment, blinked, and her smile softened compared to earlier. “We just got back, so I wanted her to rest more. She still has work tomorrow, so I didn’t tell her the details.”

“That’s true.” Yu Shushen sighed with a smile. After all, Wen Qinghan wasn’t from their circle.

They ate and drank until nearly ten at night before dispersing. Thanks to the women’s persuasion, Qin Wang didn’t insist on drinking until drunk. Laughing and chatting, the group left the hotel box.

“Hey, Qingqiu, when are you and Old Wen holding your wedding banquet? Make sure you tell this big brother here in advance—I’ll clear my schedule no matter what to attend your wedding!” Qin Wang rambled on as they walked. Though not drunk, his temperament made him seem like he was spilling out everything as if he were.

Shi Qingqiu only smiled and tossed back. “Not anytime soon. At least after I finish filming. In just a few days, I’ll be heading to the set again to start prep work.”

“Oh my, poor Old Wen—newly married and left alone in an empty room. Shi Qingqiu, you heartless thing…”

The group exited the hotel lobby, their laughter suddenly cut short.

At the steps stood a woman. Her long black hair flowed down her back, her posture straight as bamboo, and a faint chill surrounded her, making people hesitant to approach.

“Qinghan? What are you doing here?”

Unconsciously, Shi Qingqiu stepped forward. That back was far too familiar. Perhaps many shared a similar silhouette with Wen Qinghan, but the feeling she gave was something no one else could mimic.

Wen Qinghan turned around. In the light, her features lost the daytime coldness. She smiled faintly at the group, then looked at Shi Qingqiu and said, “I came to pick you up.”

Yu Shushen’s eyes showed sudden realization. Earlier, while idly chatting with Wen Qinghan on WeChat, she had casually mentioned the hotel name and approximate end time.

Shi Qingqiu didn’t even have time to wonder how Wen Qinghan knew it was this hotel, or how she knew when they would be leaving, before the people behind her chuckled meaningfully and urged her on.

“Qingqiu, hurry home, don’t let our Lawyer Wen’s good intentions go to waste…”

“Exactly, go home quickly and nurture your relationship.”

Yu Shushen also smiled and said, “Go on back now, and be careful on the way.”

Wen Qinghan extended her hand and said, “Let’s go home.”

“Well then, we’ll be off. See you next time.” Shi Qingqiu could only smile as she said her goodbyes. She knew this wasn’t the right time to ask Wen Qinghan how she had shown up.

After parting with the others, Shi Qingqiu took Wen Qinghan’s hand, and the two of them went together to the parking lot for the car.

Just after they started driving, Wen Qinghan explained on her own. “It was Shushen-jie. She mentioned the hotel name while we were chatting on WeChat earlier, and also gave me a rough idea of the end time.”

Shi Qingqiu turned to look at her, almost laughing. “So that’s it. I thought you used some supernatural power to detect where I was.”

“If only I really had that.” Wen Qinghan gave a faint, careless smile.

The two of them chatted leisurely as the car drove toward Phoenix City.

Wen Qinghan parked directly in the Wen family garage, then walked with Shi Qingqiu back home. It only took about ten minutes, but at this moment it felt far too short.

The streetlights stretched their shadows long. Breaking the silence, Shi Qingqiu asked, “Qinghan, are you going to work tomorrow?”

Wen Qinghan shook her head. “The day after, most likely. Oh, and I’ve already told my parents—the wedding arrangements are for us to decide. We’ll wait until you’re not so busy.”

Shi Qingqiu glanced at her and curved her lips into a smile. “Mm, I told my parents the same.”

As they walked, the Shi family’s gate soon came into view. Streetlights lined the way, one every few steps, and without noticing, their pace had slowed until they stopped just a few meters short of the gate.

Wen Qinghan turned to face Shi Qingqiu first. Tonight, Shi Qingqiu’s hair was loose, her natural beauty radiant, her face like an autumn moon—an image that had long been etched in Wen Qinghan’s heart, indescribably beautiful.

She gazed into Shi Qingqiu’s eyes for a long time, then softly said, “Qingqiu, I’ll call you tomorrow, all right?”

Shi Qingqiu pressed her lips together with a smile, suddenly feeling reluctant and a little shy. “Do you really need to ask about something like that? When have I ever said no to your calls?”

Wen Qinghan’s eyes didn’t blink; her lips pressed tightly together. Finally, she gave a small laugh and reached out to take Shi Qingqiu’s hand. “Then I’ll head back. Rest early.”

“Mm.” Shi Qingqiu gave a slight squeeze to her hand before letting go.

Wen Qinghan drew back the tenderness in her expression, slowly turned around, and left.

Watching her retreating figure, Shi Qingqiu felt an unprecedented wave of emptiness seize her heart. She pitied Wen Qinghan, yet at the same time an inappropriate thought flickered within her. Reason told her not to look any longer, but that one thought easily shattered her resolve.

Something inside her loosened all at once. She suddenly ran forward, chasing after Wen Qinghan, who had only walked a few steps away. Her voice was urgent, like she had lost something vital. “Qinghan!”

Wen Qinghan stopped and turned back. Meeting Shi Qingqiu’s anxious eyes, she froze, then as if realizing something, reached out to steady Shi Qingqiu’s arms. In a low, gentle voice, she asked, “What is it? What do you want to tell me? I’m listening.”

“Qinghan… we…” Shi Qingqiu bit her lip. The thought was lodged in her throat, yet she couldn’t say it aloud—especially under Wen Qinghan’s tender gaze. It stuck there like a bone, impossible to swallow or spit out.

Looking at this person bound to her for thirty years, her mind suddenly drifted back to someone from long ago.

With Qi Yue, they had met and fallen in love. They shared countless interests, and even topics Shi Qingqiu hadn’t originally liked gradually became tolerable because Qi Yue had liked them. They had been so compatible, so fond of one another, yet they still couldn’t escape the fate of separation. She didn’t even know why they broke up, or why she was sentenced to death in that lifetime.

And now, what about the person standing before her?

Shi Qingqiu’s heart ached for Wen Qinghan—who, without ever experiencing love’s sweetness, had entrusted her entire future to her. She wanted to try: to give Wen Qinghan an embrace not born of obligation, even a kiss given solely by choice.

But when the moment came, fear seized her.

As if summoning all her courage, Wen Qinghan cupped Shi Qingqiu’s face in her hands, her voice trembling with cautious devotion. “Qingqiu, whatever it is you want to say, tell me. No matter what, I want to hear it.”

“No… nothing… nothing at all…” Shi Qingqiu’s eyes reddened. She shook her head, pulling free of Wen Qinghan’s grasp. Forcing a smile, she stepped back little by little, no longer daring to meet her eyes. “I don’t have anything to say. I just want to go rest. Good night…”

Turning away, she walked back. Wen Qinghan stood rooted in place, mustering the last of her strength to call after her, “Do you really have nothing you want to say to me?”

Shi Qingqiu’s steps faltered, but she didn’t turn back.

Not until she entered the gate and closed it behind her did Wen Qinghan finally move.

She watched as Shi Qingqiu walked farther and farther away, vanishing from sight. Her eyes were bloodshot, rimmed with red, her chest aching as though a chunk of flesh had been torn away. The warm summer breeze cut sharper than winter’s chill, scraping her heart raw with pain.