Love Finds Its Time - Chapter 50

As night fell, Jian Yizhi suddenly felt restless, probably because of bringing up Qi Yue when talking to Wen Qinghan earlier. After dinner, she went out alone, without driving, simply strolling along the main road in front of the neighborhood.

Every evening, small late-night food stalls would spring up around the neighborhood, and the air would fill with the aroma of snacks. Jian Yizhi casually picked a stall, ordered a few dishes, and asked for two bottles of beer.

It felt like what she was missing was just someone to talk with. She took out her phone and scrolled through her WeChat contacts.

Yao Rui—already married.

Shi Qingqiu—forget it…

Wen Qinghan—even less possible…

Someone who was available and likely to agree to chat… she frowned as she looked down the list one by one, and finally sent a message to Fu Anran: Want to come out for food? I’m at the neighborhood gate.

Fu Anran replied instantly: I’ll be right there.

Jian Yizhi tugged at the corner of her lips in a smile, finally satisfied, but then added another line: Don’t let your parents know I asked you out—you know what I mean.

Fu Anran didn’t reply again. About ten minutes later, the skewers and beer Jian Yizhi ordered arrived, and so did Fu Anran.

“Senior, what made you want late-night snacks today?”

“Mm… nothing really. I just didn’t want to stay home, and since you’re home too, I thought I’d ask you out for a chat.” Jian Yizhi smiled warmly as she spoke, pushing a few of the dishes in front of her closer to Fu Anran.

Looking at Jian Yizhi smiling, Fu Anran thought—even though she saw her every day at work, and before that even more often—it always felt different at moments like this. It was like admiring someone on screen: you knew she was beautiful, but if one day you could talk face-to-face, become familiar with her, the feeling was completely different.

“So, Senior, what do you want to talk about?” Fu Anran pursed her lips. Thinking of how, this morning, Jian Yizhi had, unusually, asked her about love, she teased. “Could it be… still that question from today? Never letting go and rekindling old love?”

Just as she was drinking her beer, Jian Yizhi choked and coughed, quickly putting down her glass and covering her mouth. Seeing this, Fu Anran immediately stopped smiling, gently patting her back and apologizing softly, “Senior, are you okay? Sorry, I didn’t know…”

Jian Yizhi coughed while laughing. Looking at Fu Anran’s worried, scrunched-up face, she waved her hand. “It’s fine, nothing I can’t mention. That really wasn’t about me.” Her coughing gradually subsided. She picked up a skewer, tapped it against a small plate to gesture for Fu Anran to eat, and continued, “It’s just that at that moment, I suddenly remembered you’d had a boyfriend before, so I wanted to hear how you’d see it if it were you.”

Holding a skewer of meatballs, Fu Anran pinched the bamboo stick between her fingers, her thoughts wandering with the implication of Jian Yizhi’s words. Since she had once had a boyfriend, did that mean… Jian Yizhi herself had never dated, and that’s why she wanted to hear others’ perspectives?

“Anran, what are you dazing out for?”

“Nothing…” Fu Anran ate the meatball, her gaze carrying a hint of shy laughter. “It’s just… you don’t seem like someone who would ask those kinds of questions. You always look like you’ve got everything figured out, like nothing can trouble you.”

“How could I be that magical?” Jian Yizhi chuckled. Using her chopsticks, she pushed some meatballs and vegetables into her plate, and while eating she said, “Speaking of which, that guy who called you last time—he hasn’t bothered you again, right?”

Fu Anran nodded. “Mm, no more.” She paused, then set down her chopsticks, refilled Jian Yizhi’s nearly empty glass, and looked at her as her soft lips slowly moved. “His name is Liang Ziang, someone I met in college—different school. Maybe graduation season is breakup season. He said he wanted to pursue opportunities elsewhere, so we split. When he called recently, it was to say he regretted it and wanted to get back together.” 

Jian Yizhi shook her head. “If someone wants to break up, any excuse can serve as a reason. No matter what it is, the truth is just that they don’t want it anymore.”

Fu Anran laughed. “Every opinion you give sounds so right to me. Whoever ends up with you in the future won’t have anything to worry about.”

Jian Yizhi froze for a moment, then tapped the plate in front of her with her chopsticks. “You sure talk a lot. Eat, and we’ll go back when you’re done.”

As for “whoever ends up with her,” she had never even dared imagine there would be someone by her side. That kind of spark, that kind of mutual understanding, those countless tiny emotions—those should be experienced with the right person. But that person had never appeared. Not even Qi Yue, all those years ago, could count.

Suddenly, Jian Yizhi’s phone buzzed. She glanced at it—it was a message from her mother. After a moment of thought, she spoke again. “Anran, are you free tomorrow night?”

“Sure, another late-night snack?”

Jian Yizhi couldn’t help laughing. “No, dinner. My mom said a friend’s kid wants to discuss something with me, and she arranged a meal. I have a bad feeling about it.”

“So I’m the backup, huh? What’s in it for me?” Fu Anran half-joked.

“Mm… I’ll treat you to lunch tomorrow.”

***

As the time to join the filming crew drew closer, Shi Qingqiu followed her usual habit of visiting the Wen household to see the two elders after finishing a job, and this time was no exception. She carried fruits and health products she had specially gone out to buy that morning, and with her parents’ delighted looks behind her, she walked over to the Wen family home. Every time, Wen Qinghan’s parents welcomed her warmly, and now, since this was the first time she visited after their marriage, they were even more overjoyed.

As soon as the front door opened, Wen Qinghan’s mother, Wen Wanyi, personally came out to greet her. She asked the maid to take the gifts from Shi Qingqiu’s hands, then warmly pulled her inside.

“Qingqiu, you child, you always bring so many bags with you. You didn’t even call Qinghan to come pick you up?”

Shi Qingqiu smiled gently and shook her head. “It’s fine, Auntie. Nothing’s that heavy. I could bring them myself. No need to trouble her.”

After coming back last night, they hadn’t contacted each other again. No WeChat, no phone calls—it was as if they had gone back to the days when they didn’t interact often. She made no move, Wen Qinghan made no move; the two of them were in such tacit understanding that it was as if the recent closeness had never happened at all.

Just as they walked into the living room, Wen Wanyi patted her hand and, feigning displeasure, reminded her. “You’re still calling me ‘Auntie’?”

Shi Qingqiu, so used to the old form of address, flushed slightly at the reminder. To call or not to call—it put her in an awkward spot.

From where he sat in the living room reading the newspaper, Zhao Chengxuan couldn’t bear to watch any longer. He walked over to soothe her. “Qingqiu, don’t mind your Auntie. We’re not in a rush. Changing old habits takes time. Just call us whatever feels right, whenever you feel ready.”

Wen Wanyi, still smiling broadly, stroked the back of Shi Qingqiu’s hand and finally relented at her husband’s words. “That’s true. After so many years, it’s not easy to change all at once. But, Qingqiu, I’m waiting for that one ‘Mom.’ Don’t make me wait too long.”

Shi Qingqiu lowered her head slightly, her voice obedient and well-mannered. “Alright, I’ll remember.”

The three of them sat on the sofa. Old-fashioned as ever, Zhao Chengxuan listened with one ear to his newspaper while his wife chatted with Shi Qingqiu.

But Shi Qingqiu still felt uneasy about not telling them earlier that she was about to enter the film crew. With a hint of apology, she said softly, “Auntie, I’ll be joining the crew in a couple of days. I should have told you earlier. I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“You, really, what can’t you tell us?” Wen Wanyi chuckled, tapping Shi Qingqiu on the forehead. “I heard from Qinghan that once the filming is over, things will get easier. Then we’ll wait. When you both aren’t so busy and have time off, the two families can sit together and discuss. In any case, the wedding must be done beautifully. Neither of you kids should feel wronged.”

Of course, Shi Qingqiu had no objections. She smiled warmly and said, “Thank you, Auntie. Thank you, Uncle. I won’t forget.”

Suddenly, Wen Wanyi thought of something and asked curiously, “By the way, Qingqiu, what kind of drama are you filming this time?”

“A historical drama. According to the script, it’s a story about a general and a princess working together to defend the country.”

Zhao Chengxuan’s newspaper dipped lower; his eyes lifted, his attention no longer on the page.

Wen Wanyi froze for a moment before asking, “Then you’re playing the princess?”

Given Shi Qingqiu’s appearance and temperament, a princess role seemed perfect—she was the very image of a refined young lady, gentle and graceful, features delicate as if painted. The image of a princess practically came alive just by looking at her.

But unexpectedly, Shi Qingqiu shook her head and corrected with a smile. “I’m playing the general.”

“Hm? A general…” Wen Wanyi’s expression turned complicated. She glanced at her husband, then at Shi Qingqiu. “That won’t be easy. Are you ready for it?”

Shi Qingqiu remained composed. “I’m ready, Auntie. Don’t worry.” She thought for a moment about the script, then added with a small laugh, “Actually, that general’s personality is a little bit like Qinghan’s.”

“I feel like I forgot something…” Wen Wanyi froze, immediately cursing herself for being absent-minded. She quickly patted Shi Qingqiu’s hand, then hurried to the kitchen to fetch the prepared fruit platter. Handing it to Shi Qingqiu, she spoke with deliberate implication. “Look at my memory. Qinghan is in her room. Here, this is freshly cut fruit. You can take it to her.”

Shi Qingqiu was caught off guard. As she was nudged to stand up, she asked, “Qinghan’s at home? I thought when she had work, she stayed at her own place?”

“I forgot—she said she’d wait until you went into the crew before heading back there. I’ve delayed things…” Wen Wanyi led Shi Qingqiu toward Wen Qinghan’s room and gave her a meaningful glance, lowering her voice. “You two have a good talk. Your uncle and I won’t go in.”

With that, she slipped away, leaving Shi Qingqiu standing alone in the quiet hallway. Last night’s conversation and her inner turmoil tangled together once again.

She stood there holding the fruit platter for a very, very long time—so long that even she wasn’t sure whether she was hesitating about whether to knock, or simply unwilling to move her feet, all because of the person inside.