Wen Yang suddenly realized she needed to leave a tip. She quickly grabbed her phone. The singer, while adjusting the mic, casually covered the QR code and said, “This gentleman has already tipped. Cheer up, girl.”
Wen Yang was momentarily stunned. After a pause, she nodded. “You sing beautifully.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
The singer moved to another table and started a new song.
Fu Xingzhou put away his phone, picked up the remaining drink, downed it in one go, placed the glass back on the table, and stood up. He asked Wen Yang, “Want another drink?”
Wen Yang observed his movements. “You’re leaving?”
Fu Xingzhou nodded.
Wen Yang understood. Supporting her slightly tipsy head, she said, “You go ahead. I’ll stay a bit longer.”
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“Gzaktbv. Myjl nyal.”
Eld Zydt tyhl y psqv bwx sq ynjdsozletxldv.
G czynj pvalvnb zkxswpkdl pzsozu rwzzle wr. Ww Dkdtgbsw pvsse clpkel vbl nya, cldv esod, yde lmnbydtle y qlo osaep okvb Kkydt Zwl. Kkydt Zwl dseele, yde vbl zkxswpkdl eashl yoyu. Fbsavzu yqvla, y vymk yaakhle. Ww Dkdtgbsw tsv kd, yde vbl vymk zlqv.
Fkdnl vbl cya oyp cu vbl pvallv, Eld Zydt dsvknle vbyv vbl czynj zkxswpkdl bye csvb xykdzyde yde Tsdt Isdt zknldpl rzyvlp—iwkvl pvakjkdt. Rv pllxle bl oypd’v zukdt ycswv prldekdt xspv sq bkp vkxl kd Tsdt Isdt. Mbld obu byed’v Nk Yyd tsdl okvb bkx? Mbl ldhkasdxldv vblal oyp talyv, yqvla yzz.
Eld Zydt alvaynvle bla tygl, rknjle wr vbl csvvzl, yde nsdvkdwle eakdjkdt.
Gp vbl dktbv ellrldle, Eld Zydt eked’v qllz lprlnkyzzu eawdj. Fbl oyp vbl vurl vs altykd nzyakvu yqvla y prlzz sq ekggkdlpp. Mbl vyczl oyp dlyazu qwzz sq lxrvu csvvzlp. Fbl rknjle wr sdl, pbssj kv, yde qswde kv lxrvu.
Plnkekdt kv oyp vkxl vs blye bsxl, pbl tayccle bla rbsdl yde oldv vs vbl qasdv elpj vs ryu.
Mbl sodla, bkp qynl pbkdu okvb skz qasx takzzkdt qsse, rknjle wr vbl ckzz yde pyke, “Mbyv tldvzlxyd yzalyeu ryke.”
Wen Yang froze for a moment.
Fu Xingzhou paid?
She asked the owner, “He paid for everything?”
“Yep, all of it.”
Wen Yang could only thank him before turning to leave.
The night in Nancheng had transitioned into a sleepless one, accompanied by the fragrance of flowers. Feeling the alcohol sloshing in her stomach, Wen Yang walked toward her apartment complex. Occasionally, she stepped on fallen petals and skipped aside to avoid them. Her skirt swayed gently with her movements.
Not far behind her, the black stretch limousine slowly followed, stopping only after she entered the complex. Jiang Yue texted Fu Xingzhou, confirming Miss Wen had arrived home safely.
Then the car turned around and left.
Wen Yang opened the door to her apartment and found the living room light on, indicating Yu Qing had returned.
Feeling a bit uplifted, she closed the door and walked toward the bedroom. There, she saw Yu Qing sprawled on the bed in her work attire, clearly exhausted. She hadn’t even removed her blazer, and her disheveled state suggested she’d rushed home only to collapse. She hadn’t slept in two days and had planned to rest well today but ended up rushing to the studio instead.
Wen Yang tiptoed closer and noticed Yu Qing’s jacket buttons were still fastened tightly. Feeling a pang of sympathy, she sat by the bed and unbuttoned Yu Qing’s blazer.
Yu Qing’s makeup had smudged, staining her collar.
Wen Yang gently patted Yu Qing’s arm. “Yu Qing, do you want to take a shower before sleeping?”
Yu Qing didn’t respond. She was too exhausted.
Seeing this, Wen Yang didn’t call her again. She left the bed, went to the bathroom, and brought back a cleansing towel with makeup remover to clean Yu Qing’s face. As the concealer came off, Yu Qing’s dark circles became visible. Wen Yang didn’t know how many layers of concealer Yu Qing had used, but the sight made her heart ache. How could work wear her down like this? Back in high school, Yu Qing’s skin was flawless, soft, and radiant.
People often mistook her for wearing makeup.
Now, Yu Qing’s skin had grown dull. Sometimes, she even skipped yoga classes—not because she didn’t want to go, but because she was too tired and only wanted to collapse when she got home.
Wen Yang carefully removed Yu Qing’s makeup, applied skincare products, and even unbuttoned her blouse. It was then that Yu Qing woke up, looking groggy and confused. Upon seeing Wen Yang, she slowly said, “You’re back.”
Then she sniffed. “You’ve been drinking?”
The smell of alcohol was unmistakable.
Wen Yang nodded softly. Yu Qing tried to sit up, and Wen Yang helped her. Exhausted, Yu Qing leaned against the headboard, her eyes still half-closed. “You didn’t drink too much, did you? Where did you drink? Why didn’t you call me? I’d have joined you.”
Wen Yang chuckled. “In this state, you’d drink with me?”
Yu Qing covered her forehead and muttered, “Damn, I’m so tired. I thought I’d nap for a bit and then call you for dinner. Who knew I’d pass out as soon as I lay down?”
“What time is it?”
Wen Yang glanced at the clock. “About ten.”
“This late already? Damn.”
Wen Yang nodded. “You haven’t had dinner, have you?”
Yu Qing nodded again.
Wen Yang got off the bed. “I’ll make you something. I bought a lot of groceries today.”
Yu Qing’s stomach grumbled loudly. She immediately agreed, “Alright, sounds great.”
Around eleven, Wen Yang brought Yu Qing a steaming bowl of noodles with an egg and ham. After taking a shower, Yu Qing came out in a nightgown, picked up her chopsticks, and started eating. She had only had coffee and two pieces of steamed sponge cake all day. She couldn’t help but exclaim, “What a great life Cheng Yanyu used to have.”
“Bastard.”
She cursed under her breath.
Wen Yang sat down with a small bowl for herself. The rising steam warmed the room. Yu Qing glanced at Wen Yang. “At the divorce today, did he say anything?”
Wen Yang shook her head.
Yu Qing cursed again, souring the aroma of the noodles by a few degrees. At that moment, her phone rang. She picked it up, glanced at the screen, and muttered another curse.
“Li Man also got divorced.”
Wen Yang looked up as Yu Qing held out her phone. Wen Yang saw the headline on the screen: “Shocking! Current CEO of Qingzhou Group, Fu Xingzhou, and his wife, Li Man, have reached a divorce agreement.”
The article went on: “The marriage of Mengbai Jewelry founder Li Man, which bridged a gap in social class, has come to an end.”
Yu Qing clicked her tongue twice. “Serves her right. All that scheming to climb into the elite circle, and now she’s back to square one.”
Putting down her phone, Yu Qing said to Wen Yang, “It’s probably because you reported them that they got divorced. That Fu Xingzhou, who’s supposedly based in Hong Kong most of the time, probably had more than one affair. Still, with his looks, competence, and stellar reputation, it’s hard to imagine someone would cheat on him.”
Wen Yang’s mind flashed to his composed demeanor that evening. It was indeed puzzling why someone like him would be cheated on. As Yu Qing reveled in the drama, she suddenly raised her gaze. “Yang Yang, does this mean Cheng Yanyu might now have a chance with Li Man?”
Wen Yang paused mid-bite of her noodles.
Lowering her lashes slightly, she replied, “Even if they hadn’t divorced, they still would’ve had a chance.”
Yu Qing nearly cursed aloud.
“Damn it. Now he can be with the woman he’s always loved. Then again, maybe Li Man won’t want him. Besides, if it weren’t for him, would Li Man have divorced in the first place? She should hate him—make him suffer.”
Yu Qing’s anger at Cheng Yanyu reached its peak.
Wen Yang, however, was much calmer. Though it felt like a piece of her heart had been carved out, she knew it would heal over time.
Softly, she called out, “Yu Qing.”
“Hmm?”
Wen Yang put down her bowl. “I want to find a job, but I don’t know what I can do right now.”
Yu Qing froze for a moment before understanding. She quickly responded, “That’s easy. We both graduated in interior design. You could go into that field. Or, since you’re pretty good at photography, you could take an advanced course and become a photographer. I have a friend in the magazine industry and could recommend you.”
“What’s so great about my photography? It’s just amateur stuff.”
“Then maybe live streaming? That’s a good option too—you could use your photography skills.”
Wen Yang shook her head and said softly, “I’m really not good at photography.”
“You’re too hard on yourself. Then tell me, what do you want to do the most right now?”
Wen Yang was stumped.
She blinked a few times.
Yu Qing shrugged. “See? You’re still confused. Why not take some more time to rest and think? Why rush into work? Aren’t you scared of ending up like me?”
Wen Yang sighed. “I’m scared. But I feel bad for you. Can’t you take a break?”
“I can. I’ll rest tomorrow or the day after,” Yu Qing promised, pinching Wen Yang’s cheek. “Think it over. If you go into interior design, it might be too exhausting. You’d have to start at the bottom with no experience, which would put you at a disadvantage. But with photography, you already have some skills.”
Wen Yang was quiet for a moment.
“I’ll think about it,” she said.
“Good.”
However, Yu Qing was terrible at keeping her word. Despite claiming she’d rest, the very next morning, she got a call from a client. She scrambled out of bed to make revisions to some designs. Later, the client requested an on-site meeting, so Yu Qing grabbed her laptop and headed out. Wen Yang, seeing how pale Yu Qing looked—worse than the day before—changed her clothes and went with her, worried.
At the construction site, a spacious apartment surrounded by glass walls, Yu Qing held her tablet while discussing details with the client, who seemed picky and dissatisfied, unable to articulate what was missing. Yu Qing patiently worked through it, despite the heat and her professional suit. Wen Yang urged her to take off her blazer and held it for her.
Sweat beaded on Yu Qing’s forehead, and Wen Yang dabbed it away with tissues.
Yu Qing furrowed her brows, prompting Wen Yang to ask with concern, “Are you feeling too hot?”
Yu Qing shook her head, placed the tablet down, and said, “I’ll just head to the restroom.”
The unexpected happened as she walked toward the door. Before she could reach it, she collapsed, stirring up a cloud of dust. Wen Yang screamed and rushed over to help her up, but a nearby worker carrying cement stopped her immediately.
“Don’t lift her! Lay her flat and call an ambulance. She’s having a heart attack.”
Wen Yang’s outstretched hand froze mid-air. Her hand hovered for a few seconds before she snapped out of it and frantically dialed 120, her fingers trembling as she struggled to type.
A few workers and the client gathered around, talking among themselves.
“She’s so young. How could she have a heart attack?”
“Heart attacks are happening to younger people now. Designer Yu must have been staying up late a lot recently.”
“My goodness, that’s terrifying.”
Yu Qing’s forehead was drenched in sweat, her breathing labored, and her face as pale as paper. Wen Yang started crying as she wiped Yu Qing’s sweat. She remembered that Yu Qing’s father had also passed away from a heart attack.
Twenty minutes later.
Yu Qing was taken into the emergency room. Wen Yang stood helpless in the hospital corridor, eventually squatting down, staring at the lit sign above the door. Footsteps echoed in the hallway as the client approached, holding Yu Qing’s tablet and laptop bag. Handing them to Wen Yang, he said, “These belong to Designer Yu.”
Wen Yang took them, noticing that the design file was still open on the tablet. She looked up and said to the client, “I’m sorry. Once she wakes up, I’ll have her contact you.”
The client looked slightly ashamed. “It’s fine. Let’s wait until she’s recovered. You all work so hard.”
Wen Yang tightened her grip on the tablet.
Yu Qing hadn’t always been this overworked—only this year.
The client sighed and left after seeing her expression.
After what felt like ages, the light above the emergency room turned off. Wen Yang stood up quickly, her legs numb. A doctor wearing a mask pulled it down and asked, “What’s your relationship to her?”
“We’re friends. Doctor, how is she?”
The doctor headed toward his office and replied, “She’s stable now. Luckily, she’s still young. But she has congenital coronary artery stenosis, which needs to be closely monitored. You should inform her family.”
Wen Yang glanced at the emergency room door behind her, then followed the doctor. Stopping in her tracks, she said, “She only has her mother left. Her father passed away from a heart attack when she was very young.”
The doctor opened the office door and nodded. “Then it runs in the family.”
Wen Yang nodded and asked, “Doctor, where is she now? What does this mean for her future?”
The doctor went inside, washed his hands, and returned to his desk. “She’ll need to stay for observation for a while. With her condition, she must take good care of herself—proper rest, medication, and regular check-ups are essential.”
He sat down and started writing prescriptions.
Wen Yang stood at the desk, holding Yu Qing’s laptop bag. While filling out the paperwork, the doctor said, “You young people really need to take care of yourselves. Work will never end. She told me earlier that she hasn’t slept properly for several nights. That’s not sustainable.”
Wen Yang pressed her lips together and nodded.
After a while, the doctor asked her to handle the payment. Since Yu Qing had social insurance, the costs were deducted directly. Running back and forth, Wen Yang finally returned to find that Yu Qing had been moved to a room in the inpatient ward. She hurried over. Yu Qing had tubes attached to her, and she was sleeping. Wen Yang sighed in relief, set her things down, and sat by her bed.
The ward was filled with coronary heart disease patients.
Most were elderly, though there was a man in his thirties and a young man across the room with dyed yellow hair who looked about the same age as Wen Yang and Yu Qing, in his twenties.
Wen Yang sat quietly for a while before Yu Qing woke up. Her mouth was dry, and she opened it slightly, her voice faint. “Yang Yang…”
Wen Yang’s eyes reddened instantly. She responded softly, “I’m here. Are you thirsty?”
Yu Qing nodded.
Wen Yang got up, wet a cotton swab, and dabbed it on Yu Qing’s lips. Then she asked, “Should we tell Auntie?”
Yu Qing shook her head. “Don’t tell her.”
Wen Yang nodded and comforted her. “The doctor said it’s nothing serious, but you need to rest. I really don’t think you need to push yourself so hard…”
Yu Qing’s eyes grew moist.
By noon, Yu Qing’s condition had improved significantly. The angiography was minimally invasive, but she still needed to stay for observation. She drank some porridge, and Wen Yang joined her. Just as they finished tidying up, Xu Xu arrived.
Xu Xu had been classmates with Cheng Yanyu in high school. Although they attended different universities, they had stayed in touch and shared mutual friends. Wen Yang also knew Xu Xu.
However, since she and Cheng Yanyu were now divorced, Xu Xu was merely a friend of her ex-husband.
Wen Yang nodded politely at Xu Xu.
Xu Xu removed his sunglasses and greeted her before turning to Yu Qing. Hands on his hips, his brows furrowed deeply as he scolded, “Why are you pushing yourself like this? With our relationship, did you think I wouldn’t wait? I only chose your studio because of you. Do you think I’d trust Liu Yu’s skills? There’s no way I’d let her handle my house. She’s not qualified.”
Yu Qing pressed her lips together. “It wasn’t because of your project. Besides, my connection to you was through Cheng Yanyu. Now that he and Wen Yang are divorced, what connection do I have to you?”
“You… Don’t make me curse at you.” Xu Xu huffed a laugh, pointing at her. “Just focus on getting better. You’re the only one I trust to handle my house.”
Yu Qing nodded. “Then I’ll trouble you to wait a few more days. I’ll get back to work once I’m out.”
“Take care of your health first,” Xu Xu said, rolling his eyes before picking up his sunglasses.
He came empty-handed and left the same way. At the door, he glanced back at Wen Yang and called, “Wen Yang.”
Sansukini: Mr. Fu is such a gentleman wherein he even had to make sure that Wen Yang got home safely even when he didn’t have to.
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