Early the next morning.
Yu Qing had a wonderful sleep and checked her phone upon waking up.
Only then did she discover that Xie Qing Ci had sent her a friend request shortly after she returned home last night.
Yet she, completely engrossed in gossiping and completing tasks, had entirely missed it!
Not daring to delay for even a second, she quickly accepted the friend request and casually sent a “Good morning” sticker.
As for Xie Qing Ci, he had tossed and turned all night waiting for the girl’s message, silently reciting the “Heart Sutra” countless times, drifting in and out of a restless sleep.
It wasn’t until dawn began to break that he finally succumbed to deep slumber.
Unexpectedly, not long after he fell asleep, the girl accepted his friend request.
[Qingqing Will Leave]: Good morning duck.jpg
Seeing this name, Xie Qing Ci’s eyes flickered slightly. For some reason, this name gave him a sense of déjà vu.
[XQC]: Morning, did you sleep well?
Who would have thought that after sending this message, there was no response from the other side again…
Yu Qing went to wash up and put on makeup after sending her first message.
By the time she finished getting ready and hurried out for her appointment, how could she possibly remember the man waiting for her in her phone?
Zhou Chuan felt that his boss’s aura today was absurdly low.
Even with glasses on, the dark circles under his eyes were unmistakable, and his temper seemed somewhat irritable.
Even the speed at which he twirled his prayer beads had increased significantly!
What did this mean?
It meant the master’s mind was unsettled!
Xie Qing Ci rarely showed his emotions at the company, leading everyone to believe that the head of the Xie family had a gentle disposition.
But today, the boss’s face was especially dark and severe!
Zhou Chuan: My entire life has been like walking on thin ice, feeling thorns at my back, having a fishbone stuck in my throat, sitting on pins and needles…
“Zhou Chuan.”
“Yes, sir, what are your instructions?”
“Go check what she’s doing today.”
?
Him?
Or her?
Who???
He wanted to ask but didn’t dare.
Suddenly!
A stroke of genius!
It must be Miss Yu Qing, the one who repeatedly broke the master’s vows last night!
It had to be her!
“Understood, sir. I’ll go check Miss Yu’s schedule right away.”
Xie Qing Ci responded expressionlessly in a deep voice, “Hmm.”
It! Was! Her! Indeed!
Nothing could stump the universe’s invincible, all-powerful Assistant Zhou!
This high salary was rightfully his to earn!!!
Yu Qing and Bai Jiao Jiao met at a private tea house.
The two discussed countermeasures together in a secluded room.
“Jiao Jiao, I have the allowance Mom and Dad gave me before. I saved most of it. How much more do we need?”
Bai Jiao Jiao was an accomplished young painter in her own right. During her years with Gu Yu Bai, she hadn’t been idle, having sold many paintings.
Thus, she had also accumulated considerable savings, supplemented by the compensatory allowance Yu’s Father and Mother Yu gave her after she returned to the Yu Family.
Combined, the money they had was enough to repay the entire debt.
Bai Jiao Jiao was deeply moved, tears welling in her eyes as she grasped Yu Qing’s hand.
“Qingqing, thank you! I’ll definitely pay you back in the future!”
When she first returned to the Yu Family, Yu Qing had reacted very intensely, even threatening suicide. She had thought this younger sister was a spoiled and arrogant little princess.
She never expected that Yu Qing would be willing to empty her savings to help when she was in need.
“Jiao Jiao, don’t be so formal with me. We’re family. Hurry and contact him. If needed, I’ll go with you to see him.”
Gu Yu Bai was the head of the Gu family, which ranked second only to the Xie family in City A.
Gu Yu Bai himself was entirely different from Xie Qing Ci—he was unfeeling, ruthless in his methods, and prone to unpredictable moods.
One moment he could be chatting and laughing with you, the next he might overturn and destroy a minor family without hesitation.
It was easy to imagine how Bai Jiao Jiao had spent the past two-plus years by his side in constant trepidation.
Now that the funds were secured, she didn’t want to delay even a minute longer.
She directly dialed Gu Yu Bai’s number, explained the situation, and arranged to meet him.
Gu Yu Bai readily agreed and set the time and location for their afternoon meeting.
After hanging up, Bai Jiao Jiao felt she was finally about to break free from the past and embrace a new life.
“Bai Jiao Jiao?”
“Yes, the biological daughter the Yu family just found. Miss Yu Qing was hospitalized earlier because of this matter.”
Xie Qing Ci was puzzled. Based on the information he had, the young lady didn’t seem to like this older sister much.
Why had she suddenly invited her to a teahouse today?
And stayed inside for so long?
Feeling uneasy, he instructed, “Send someone to keep an eye on her and ensure her safety at all times. Report immediately if anything happens.”
“Yes, sir.”
After Zhou Chuan left, Xie Qing Ci removed the Buddhist prayer beads from his wrist, rolling them slowly between his fingers.
The way the young lady had acted yesterday clearly showed she had feelings for him, so why was she acting distant today?
Xie Qing Ci felt irritated and couldn’t resist lighting a cigarette.
He rarely smoked—the last time he’d smoked heavily was when he first took control of the Xie family.
Preferences, like weaknesses, were not to be easily revealed.
Jinyun Pavilion.
Bai Jiao Jiao brought Yu Qing to the private room Gu Yu Bai had reserved.
Gu Yu Bai had already arrived. When he saw Yu Qing, his gaze paused, and he smiled with a hint of amusement.
As soon as they sat down, servers began entering to serve the dishes.
“I wasn’t aware Miss Yu would be joining us. I only ordered dishes Jiao Jiao usually enjoys—my apologies.”
Gu Yu Bai, accustomed to being the favored son of heaven, spoke words of apology, but his attitude showed not an ounce of remorse.
“You’re too kind, Mr. Gu. Anything is fine with me.”
They weren’t there for the meal, after all—the important matter took precedence.
Bai Jiao Jiao slid the bank card across the table toward the man.
“Mr. Gu, the debt you repaid for the Bai family three years ago, including principal and interest, is all here.”
Gu Yu Bai’s previously amused expression instantly turned sharp.
His voice deepened. “What do you mean by this?”
Bai Jiao Jiao took a deep breath and said slowly, “We’re even now. Let’s end things here.”
Gu Yu Bai let out a cold laugh, his eyes fixed intently on Bai Jiao Jiao as if trying to see through her.
The atmosphere in the room grew tense.
The two parties were locked in a silent standoff, and Yu Qing, sitting to the side, found it inappropriate to interject.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
The visitor politely knocked three times before pushing the door open and entering.
“My apologies for the interruption.”
The voice was cool and familiar.
Yu Qing started, lifting her head to see who had arrived.
It was Xie Qing Ci.
Yu Qing: …
Bai Jiao Jiao had never met Xie Qing Ci and didn’t dare to speak.
Gu Yu Bai, shedding his earlier aggressive demeanor, smiled and said, “What a rare guest, Mr. Xie.”
The form of address was somewhat distant, but his tone was as familiar as an old friend’s.
In all of City A, only a handful of people dared to speak to Xie Qing Ci in such a manner.
And his childhood friend—Gu Yu Bai—was one of them.
Xie Qing Ci ignored his old friend’s teasing and said in a deep voice, “I’ll take her with me first. You should focus on resolving your own issues.”
Without waiting for Gu Yu Bai’s reaction, he strode directly to the young girl who had been staring blankly since he entered.
His distinctively jointed hand gently grasped her slender arm, exerting slight force to lift her from the seat. Then he captured the girl’s pale, delicate wrist and unceremoniously led her away.
“Qingqing—”
Bai Jiao Jiao attempted to rise and intervene.
“That is Xie Qing Ci, head of the Xie family. He’s well acquainted with your parents, and with your younger sister as well.”