When Qin Yu saw Su Qinghe and Qin Wang walk in, he was a little surprised.
“How did you come here?”
Li Meilan frowned at Su Qinghe.
“Who are you?”
Even though she already had a guess in her mind, she still didn’t want to admit it.
Su Qinghe didn’t speak. She just smiled faintly and looked at Qin Yu.
Who she was—didn’t that depend on what Qin Yu said?
“Qinghe,” Qin Yu said calmly, “this is Comrade Li Meilan from our factory’s propaganda department.”
“Comrade Li Meilan, this is my wife, Su Qinghe.”
His voice was already pleasant, and when he spoke in such a serious, official tone, it sounded even better.
Su Qinghe was quite satisfied with this introduction.
However, Li Meilan’s way of addressing Qin Yu still made her slightly unhappy.
“Old Qin,” she said, “I heard this comrade just now calling you ‘Brother Qin’? Sounds like you two are quite close.”
Li Meilan lifted her chin even higher, her eyes full of pride.
She had known Factory Director Qin for several years!
They worked together, saw each other every day, and spoke often—of course they were close!
Where did this Su Qinghe even come from?
Could it be that Qin Yu’s family forced him into this marriage?
Definitely an arranged marriage!
Otherwise, why would he suddenly get married without telling anyone—and without even a wedding?
A product of an arranged marriage had no right to show off in front of her.
Just as she was about to speak, Qin Yu shook his head.
“Qinghe, I only have a work relationship with Comrade Li Meilan. Nothing else at all, and we’re not even close.”
“As for the way she addresses me, I honestly hadn’t paid attention before. But I will be more careful in the future.”
“Comrade Li Meilan, from now on please call me Factory Director Qin. I’m already married, so it doesn’t matter for me, but you are a young woman. If people misunderstand, it will affect your reputation.”
Hearing this, all the color drained from Li Meilan’s face.
“Qin… Factory Director Qin.”
She still wasn’t willing to leave just like that.
“When did you get married? Why didn’t you tell everyone in the factory? And you didn’t even hold a wedding?”
“We registered yesterday,” Qin Yu replied straightforwardly. “The factory is busy, so we don’t plan to hold a wedding for now. But everyone will still get wedding sweets.”
He had already registered!
Li Meilan almost couldn’t stand properly and had to hold onto the desk.
“Then… Comrade Su, where do you work? You must be a very outstanding talent, right? Otherwise, you wouldn’t match Factory Director Qin.”
Su Qinghe smiled.
“I just graduated from high school and haven’t started working yet. If I have any strengths, it’s probably youth—I’m only eighteen.”
Eighteen?!
When Li Meilan first saw her, she had guessed she was young—but she never expected she was this young!
Qin Yu was thirty this year!
And Su Qinghe was only eighteen!
A full twelve-year age gap!
Li Meilan had always thought she was young—only twenty-four.
But she was still six years older than Su Qinghe!
Looking at that fair, delicate face of hers, soft enough to pinch water out of, she suddenly realized—
If she were Qin Yu, she would also choose to marry someone like her.
Her heart completely shattered.
“I won’t disturb you anymore. I’ll go now—”
“Wait!”
Su Qinghe stopped her and pointed at the aluminum lunchbox on the desk.
“Comrade Li Meilan, don’t forget your dumplings.”
Li Meilan bit her lip and grabbed the lunchbox, striding out quickly.
Watching her leave, Su Qinghe shook her head.
Sigh.
Another person heartbroken in love.
Seeing that she was still staring at Li Meilan’s back, Qin Yu thought she had misunderstood and quickly explained.
“There really is nothing between us—”
“I know.”
Su Qinghe cut him off.
Li Meilan clearly had feelings for Qin Yu, but Qin Yu had none for her.
Otherwise, he would have already married her.
Curious, she asked, “Then why didn’t you marry her?”
“……”
Qin Yu was speechless.
He had just said he had nothing to do with her!
At that moment, Qin Wang raised his hand.
“Because of me! She didn’t want to be my stepmother and didn’t want to raise me.”
Qin Yu shot him a glare.
Why was this kid always butting in?
Was this even the time for him to speak?
Wait—
Shouldn’t he be in school?
“Why aren’t you in class?” Qin Yu asked sternly.
Qin Wang immediately panicked, worried that Su Qinghe would mention what happened in the morning.
Su Qinghe only glanced at him calmly.
“Nothing serious. I just happened to pass by the school this morning and saw them weeding and watering plants, so I asked for leave for him.”
Qin Wang secretly sighed in relief but still didn’t dare to look up.
Qin Yu frowned slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end swallowed it back.
Nowadays, many schools didn’t properly teach lessons anyway.
In primary school, doing farm work like weeding was still manageable.
But in middle school…
Some things couldn’t be said, so he simply changed the subject.
“What are you holding?”
“These?” Su Qinghe smiled and placed them on the desk.
“I bought them for you—hawthorn sticks, walnut pastries, sponge cake, sunflower seeds, and candy!”
Qin Yu laughed helplessly.
“I don’t eat these. Take them back and share with Qin Wang.”
“You don’t eat them? Then what do you eat? You haven’t had lunch yet, right? Then let’s go to the cafeteria together!”
“People are iron, rice is steel—skip a meal and you’ll feel weak. How can you work without eating?”
“So you have to eat!”
Normally, if someone kept talking nonsense around him while he was working, Qin Yu would already be annoyed.
But now, listening to her chatter while looking at her bright, smiling face, he didn’t feel irritated at all—instead, he smiled and agreed.
“Alright, I’ll bring my lunchbox. Have you two eaten?”
“We’ve eaten!” Su Qinghe replied cheerfully. “We’ll just accompany you.”
After Qin Yu took his lunchbox, the three of them went downstairs together.
As soon as they reached the ground floor, Qin Yu noticed a brand-new women’s bicycle.
Su Qinghe ran over and stood beside it.
“Look! I just bought this bicycle. Pretty, right?”
“Very pretty,” Qin Yu smiled.
“It suits you very well.”
She lifted her left hand, showing off the watch on her wrist.
“And this watch—I just bought it too!”
“Also very nice,” he praised.
“If you want to buy anything else, just go ahead. If you run out of coupons, tell me.”
Su Qinghe instantly broke into a radiant smile.
So handsome, so generous to his wife—she was completely in love with this arrangement.