Love Finds Its Time - Chapter 8

As they were talking, Shi Qingqiu’s phone screen lit up. She glanced at it, and a smile spread across her lips. The text message was from her parents, telling her they had plans that evening and wouldn’t be eating at home.

“My parents are going out to visit friends tonight. Want to come to my place for dinner? We can invite Qinghan too.”

A flicker of something unreadable crossed Yao Rui’s eyes, but it vanished quickly. “Sure, I’ll let my family know.”

In her memory, Wen Qinghan was never warm to people. Even with Shi Qingqiu, her childhood friend, or with Jian Yizhi, with whom she shared mutual admiration, it was the same. She also knew that Shi Qingqiu’s life had always been hectic. Even when work slowed down, daily chores remained, not to mention the memories she might recall.

So Shi Qingqiu neither had the time nor energy for anything related to love. This marriage was likely something Wen Qinghan had suggested first.

Yao Rui tried to imagine the scene when Wen Qinghan proposed marriage. Perhaps her face was as cold as always, perhaps showing a rare softness, maybe even a faint smile. But aside from coldness, Yao Rui couldn’t picture any other expression. That was simply the impression Wen Qinghan left her. She couldn’t be blamed for it.

As their car turned into the Phoenix City villa district and approached Shi Qingqiu’s parents’ home, the slender figure standing at the door immediately drew Yao Rui’s gaze.

Wen Qinghan’s eyes were bright, her features pure and striking. Her long black hair, dark as crow feathers, flowed smoothly down past her waist. A breeze seemed to stir, rippling her hair into graceful waves. The sun was blazing, yet around her there seemed to be a transparent barrier that separated her from it, giving off a chill that spread from the corners of one’s eyes straight into the mind, numbing any sense of the heat.

Beauty at its peak. Coldness at its peak.

It wasn’t that Yao Rui harbored feelings for her. But like many others, she simply couldn’t move her gaze away. Wen Qinghan had captured countless hearts years ago, though she herself was unaware. Few dared to be the first to step forward.

After parking, Shi Qingqiu and Yao Rui walked toward her.

Wen Qinghan looked at Yao Rui and gave a faint smile. “Long time no see.”

Yao Rui’s impression of her was neutral; neither admiration nor dislike. Over the years, because of Shi Qingqiu, they had interacted, but never alone. They were ordinary friends at best.

Facing each other, Yao Rui smiled. “Lawyer Wen, it hasn’t been that long since we last met. And now I stumble upon a big occasion. Luckily Qingqiu has the decency to invite me to dinner, but one meal isn’t enough. I’ll be waiting for the real banquet.”

Wen Qinghan caught the implication in her words but didn’t object. When Shi Qingqiu turned her head curiously, she simply said, “Alright, I understand.”

As Shi Qingqiu took out her keys, she suddenly laughed, glancing at Yao Rui’s triumphant expression. “Alright, Little Rui, don’t tease Qinghan.”

Wen Qinghan wasn’t immune to teasing, but with the way her relationship with Shi Qingqiu stood now, Yao Rui’s jokes only made things more awkward. If it had been true, that would have been another matter. But this?

Still, the fact that Wen Qinghan responded at all surprised Shi Qingqiu. She unlocked the door, then pressed her thumb against the fingerprint scanner. After a pause, she turned to Wen Qinghan and asked, “Qinghan, are your parents home?”

Wen Qinghan shook her head. “No. I heard my dad on the phone earlier. They went out with Uncle Shi and Auntie.” 

She didn’t finish her sentence. Both Zhao Chengxuan and Wen Wanyi had told her that if she wasn’t busy, she should eat with Shi Qingqiu. The Shi family had already asked the housekeeper to prepare dinner.

Shi Qingqiu blinked. “You didn’t go to work today?” As she spoke, she entered the final passcode, and the door slowly opened.

Yao Rui stepped aside, barely suppressing her laughter.

Wen Qinghan pressed her lips together, a trace of amusement flickering in her eyes. Her hesitation was hidden, and as they entered, she reached out to take Shi Qingqiu’s wrist, only letting go after they stepped inside. The faint echo of her heels as she walked toward the living room trailed behind her, pleasant to the ear.

“It’s Saturday.”

Yao Rui burst out laughing, moving forward to hook her arm through Shi Qingqiu’s, whose expression was stiff with embarrassment. “Big star, is your schedule so packed you only look at dates, not days of the week?”

“Just slipped my mind. Won’t happen again,” Shi Qingqiu replied with a reluctant smile, following after Wen Qinghan with Yao Rui in tow.

The Shi family’s housekeeper, Auntie He—several years younger than Shi Jinghui—came out of the kitchen as they entered. Wiping her hands with the towel at her waist, she beamed. “Qingqiu’s back with friends? Dinner will be ready in just a bit.”

Shi Qingqiu glanced at the clock. “No rush.” She turned to the others. “Come to my room. I need Qinghan to look over something.”

What she wanted Wen Qinghan to review was her contract with Xingye Entertainment. Since it was a renewal, the company offered better terms than before. But Shi Qingqiu had entered the industry before graduation and hadn’t used her degree since. She always felt lazy about reading contracts, so she left them to Wen Qinghan.

Sitting on the sofa, Wen Qinghan set Shi Qingqiu’s laptop on her lap, frowning slightly as she studied the contract. Yao Rui, not wanting to interrupt, sat beside her and looked too.

After a while, Wen Qinghan closed the laptop and raised her head, only to find Shi Qingqiu had disappeared.

Seeing this, Yao Rui quickly explained, “Qingqiu went to check on the dishes. She’ll be right back. How’s the contract?”

“No issues. The terms are better than before,” Wen Qinghan replied, pulling her gaze back from the door.

Yao Rui nodded. “Of course. It’s a renewal. If they don’t offer perks, how can they keep her?”

Wen Qinghan stood, placing the laptop on the sofa, then stepped forward to glance at Shi Qingqiu’s nightstand. There lay a wooden photo frame, always kept face-down. She remembered the one time she had seen it standing upright, back when they were eighteen.

Yao Rui had witnessed the entire ordeal, watching Shi Qingqiu fall into despair, watching Wen Qinghan’s anxious helplessness. That was why, though surprised at their marriage, she hadn’t opposed it. If anyone was always there behind Shi Qingqiu, it was Wen Qinghan.

Even if, at the end of the day, they were “just friends.”

“Qinghan, you’re not joking, are you? You married Qingqiu seriously. I don’t know what to say about it, but I hope it won’t lead to something bad.” Yao Rui stepped closer behind her, pressing for an answer, one that would determine her own decision.

She saw Wen Qinghan’s hands shift behind her back. Then she turned, her gaze meeting Yao Rui’s, an unreadable emotion flickering in her eyes.

“I’m serious. Maybe I can’t make her fall in love again. But if there’s even a one-in-ten-thousand chance… how would we know without trying?”

She wasn’t asking Yao Rui. Her light, melodic voice was unusually gentle, like a lover’s whisper.

Yao Rui’s frown gave way to stunned silence. She felt as if she had stumbled upon a great secret. What exactly did Wen Qinghan mean? Her words were ambiguous. Not fully clear, yet unmistakable.

But before Yao Rui could think further, Shi Qingqiu came back, lifting her chin slightly to ask, “Well? Any problems with the contract?”

“No. You can sign it.”

Only then did Wen Qinghan look at her directly. After following her a couple of steps, she suddenly asked, “Qingqiu, did the school refund your tuition?”

Shi Qingqiu chuckled, flipping open the laptop only to close it again. She shot back, “What’s wrong with me being lazy? Besides, I’ve got you, don’t I? Why bother when you’re here?”

Yao Rui couldn’t help laughing again. So this was how these two operated? Couldn’t Wen Qinghan at least smile a little at times like this? Why the cold face?

Wen Qinghan didn’t continue joking. Glancing at the computer, she asked casually, “So, do you plan to renew with Xingye?”

The electronic contract had already been sent; it was almost a pointless question. But Shi Qingqiu’s unexpected answer was close to what she had hoped for. “I’m still considering. Maybe I’ll renew, maybe not.”

“Oh?” Wen Qinghan raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to elaborate.

“Qingqiu, are you thinking of switching companies? Does your agent know?” Yao Rui chimed in. Too many heavy revelations had come at once today. She could barely process them.

Shi Qingqiu didn’t answer. Instead, she hooked one arm around Yao Rui’s, the other around Wen Qinghan’s, leading them out. “You’ll find out soon enough. I’m still deciding, so don’t ask for now. Let’s go eat.”

Dragged along toward the dining room, Yao Rui stole a glance at Wen Qinghan’s calm face.

Well, with Wen Qinghan there, no company would dare take advantage of Shi Qingqiu.