Forbidden to Flirt and Run 3

Chapter 3

Outside the window, the morning light was faint, and the chirping of insects was incessant.

Xu Qingtang was silent for several seconds, feeling an awkwardness that was like ants crawling all over her. She feigned nonchalance and said, “How much?”

Gu Yizhi: “Hm?”

Xu Qingtang said, “The bra.”

Gu Yizhi smiled. She turned to face Xu Qingtang, her high heels making a soft, crisp sound. “I don’t need money.”

Xu Qingtang was surprised. “But I’ve already worn it…”

Underwear was a very personal item. By any normal person’s logic, once someone else had worn it, you wouldn’t use it again, right?

Evidently not a normal person, Gu Yizhi said flatly, “I’ve grown attached to it. I won’t replace it until it gets a hole.”

“…”

“…You’re truly a person of great sentiment and loyalty.”

Gu Yizhi pursed her lips into a smile, her red lips looking lustrous in the light. “You flatter me. So, when do you plan on returning it?”

“Tomorrow night, I guess,” Xu Qingtang thought for a moment. “I should at least wash and dry it, right?”

If she returned it unwashed, never mind whether Gu Yizhi could accept it, Xu Qingtang herself would be too disgusted to sleep.

Gu Yizhi said, “Tomorrow night won’t work.”

Xu Qingtang stared at that charming, bewitching face, speechless for a moment. “Then you say when.”

Fine dust motes danced in the air. Gu Yizhi slowly and methodically brushed her collar. “Tonight,” she said gently.

Xu Qingtang was puzzled. “Why the rush?”

“Mm,” Gu Yizhi looked up, a hint of a smile on her face. “Otherwise, I won’t have anything to change into.”

“…”

Xu Qingtang would have to be a fool to believe that.

But she still agreed. “Fine.”

After Auntie Zhou arrived at the hospital, Xu Qingtang went home. She washed up, changed her clothes, and made a point to wash Gu Yizhi’s bra separately. She then put it in the dryer and, once it was dry, folded it and placed it in a small bag.

***

At two in the afternoon, a taxi stopped in front of the Fenghé Company building. The door opened, and the first thing to emerge was a pair of slender legs. A woman in a light white qipao stepped out gracefully, oversized sunglasses hiding half her face. The gentle breeze lifted the long hair at her waist.

Inside the office, Lin Huaijia looked up from her documents at her friend sitting on the sofa, frowning. “You said she’s here?”

Her friend nodded, took out her phone, scrolled a bit, and then held it in front of her. “Here, someone just took a picture.”

In the photo, the woman was tall and slender, the qipao accentuating her charm, especially with its high-slit design, which made her legs look long and straight.

Lin Huaijia’s frown deepened, and she had a strong urge to sew up the slit on Xu Qingtang’s qipao.

She remembered an argument they had not long ago about Xu Qingtang wearing a qipao. She had been the one to compromise in the end, but did Xu Qingtang really have no regard for her feelings at all? Was wearing something like this a provocation, or was she trying to seduce someone?

Despite her many thoughts, Lin Huaijia’s face remained impassive. “Who took this?” she asked coolly.

Her friend said, “Xiao Yu sent it to me and asked me to talk to you two. By the way, what’s going on with you two? I heard from Xiao Yu that you had a fight?”

Lin Huaijia didn’t want to elaborate. “It’s nothing.”

In reality, she was also quite baffled. Xu Qingtang had a temper, but she had never been one to not answer calls or reply to messages.

Her friend seemed to remember something. “Could it be that she found out you went to see Gu Yizhi last night?”

Lin Huaijia’s fingers paused, but her expression remained calm. “What’s wrong with me seeing Yizhi? Besides, there’s nothing between us. If she’s going to make a scene about this, then she’s just being unreasonable.”

That’s because the other person doesn’t want anything to do with you.

“Seeing her is one thing, but why did you lie to her?” Her friend threw up her hands. “I’m telling you, that’s enough. I think Xu Qingtang is great. Why are you so hung up on a block of stone that won’t budge?”

It was different.

Gu Yizhi was the person who had captivated her entire youth, a light, a dream, an untouchable cloud. Xu Qingtang was just someone who bore a slight resemblance to her. No matter how good she was, she could never take Gu Yizhi’s place.

Seeing Lin Huaijia’s silence, her friend nudged her arm. “Look, she’s already taken the initiative to come find you. She’s given you a way out, just take it. Be good, stop making a fuss.”

Lin Huaijia pressed her lips together. The image of the qipao photo came to mind, and her brow furrowed again. “Forget it,” she said dismissively. “It’s good to let her stew for a bit. Otherwise, she never listens to anything I say, always contradicting me.”

Lin Huaijia hadn’t taken Xu Qingtang’s breakup threat seriously at all.

“But you can’t just replace Yingshi with Xiao Yu.”

Fenghé was a magazine company. Lin Huaijia and another friend were co-founders. In the early days, they couldn’t find good models, so Xu Qingtang had always been the one they photographed. In the past two years, Fenghé had gradually found its footing, and there was no shortage of models. Xu Qingtang only appeared occasionally.

Lin Huaijia raised an eyebrow. “She’s not in this industry anyway, what’s the point of being in the limelight so much? Xiao Yu is young, opportunities are hard to come by. What’s wrong with her stepping aside?”

“You, you,” her friend was completely speechless. “One day, you’ll really drive her away, and then we’ll see what you do.”

Lin Huaijia was absolutely certain. “She won’t.”

Even if they were to part ways, it would be after she had completely grown tired of her, or if Gu Yizhi was willing… In short, it would never be Xu Qingtang who initiated it.

“You’re just banking on the fact that she likes you.”

Yes, Xu Qingtang liked her.

Hearing this, the inexplicable feeling in Lin Huaijia’s heart vanished without a trace.

Meanwhile, the deeply-in-love Xu Qingtang had just come out of the photo studio. The photographer smiled at her and said, “Qingtang, shooting with you is always the easiest.”

Xu Qingtang sat in a chair, tidying her hair, and smiled politely. “It’s because you’re a good photographer.”

Today’s cover shoot had been scheduled a while ago. Even though Xu Qingtang didn’t want to have anything more to do with Lin Huaijia, she wouldn’t be so irresponsible.

“Of course, it has to be a good shoot, since it’s the last time,” a woman’s voice approached from a distance. “Thank you, Qingtang. I couldn’t believe it when Huaijia told me.”

The photographer recognized the person as the company’s new model, Su Mengyu, who was said to be a friend of Lin Huaijia’s. Sensing the tension, he made an excuse and left.

Su Mengyu was talking about the cover model change for the July and August issues. Xu Qingtang had already heard about it from a mutual friend of hers and Lin Huaijia’s when she arrived at Fenghé. The friend had said helplessly, “Qingtang, my words never carry any weight. Don’t take it to heart.”

In reality, Xu Qingtang herself didn’t care.

Helping Lin Huaijia these past few years had taken up a lot of her energy. Now that the burden was lifted, she could better focus on her own career—which was also her greatest passion.

Xu Qingtang applied a light layer of lipstick, her tone indifferent. “Congratulations, then.”

“You’re not angry, are you?” Su Mengyu put on a pitiful expression. “If you’re not sincere, I can go talk to Huaijia. Please don’t fight with Huaijia because of me. If…”

Xu Qingtang put down her lipstick and looked at Su Mengyu with interest.

Ever since she had known Lin Huaijia, she had been aware of this “girl-next-door” who orbited around her. Anyone with eyes could see her affection, yet Lin Huaijia always insisted she was just a “little sister.”

So, even though Su Mengyu was always causing trouble after they got together, Xu Qingtang had never paid her any mind.

It wasn’t that she was magnanimous, but that in their relationship, Su Mengyu was never a worthy opponent.

Now, she found it even more amusing.

What’s the use of playing the green tea in front of me? You should go perform for Gu Yizhi. Maybe you’ll have a chance of moving up then?

[Are you done?]

Speak of the devil.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, a message from Gu Yizhi popped up.

Xu Qingtang typed slowly: [In a bit.]

On the other end, after listening to her assistant’s report, Lin Huaijia looked at the time in the upper right corner of her computer screen and felt a strange sense of unease. She subconsciously glanced outside her office.

Why hasn’t Xu Qingtang come to find me yet?

They had fought over big and small things many times before, but as long as Xu Qingtang showed up, she would always come to her.

Does taking a few photos take this long?

Lin Huaijia pressed her fingers to her temples. She opened her phone. A voice message from Su Mengyu popped up on WeChat, her voice tinged with grievance. “Huaijia, I think Qingtang is angry with me. Why don’t we switch back to Qingtang? I don’t mind. Don’t let this hurt your relationship.”

Hearing this, a fire ignited in Lin Huaijia’s chest. She first comforted Su Mengyu, saying, “Xiao Yu, don’t overthink it. This has nothing to do with you. She’s just being petty. Alright, you go get busy now.”

After hanging up, she sent a voice message to Xu Qingtang: “Xu Qingtang, do you have to be so narrow-minded? Xiao Yu is more suitable for this position, and it was my idea. Why are you taking your anger out on her?”

Whoosh, the message was sent.

But the next second, a large red exclamation mark appeared on the screen.

Lin Huaijia could hardly believe her eyes. Xu Qingtang never did things like deleting her as a friend. Why was she acting so abnormally this time?

Could it be… she’s jealous of Su Mengyu?

As Lin Huaijia frowned, her friend who had just left suddenly sent a photo: [Isn’t that Gu Yizhi’s car? You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re letting her come over at a time like this? Aren’t you afraid you really won’t be able to coax Xu Qingtang back?]

Lin Huaijia looked at the photo, first stunned, then ecstatic.

In truth, she wasn’t very familiar with Gu Yizhi; they were merely nodding acquaintances. Gu Yizhi was actually coming to see her?

Lin Huaijia walked from her office to the company entrance.

She deliberately fixed her hair and applied her lipstick meticulously, searching for Gu Yizhi’s car. Just as she spotted her target, the crisp sound of high heels echoed in her ears.

Lin Huaijia turned her head to see Xu Qingtang walking out of the company entrance at a slow pace. Her long hair, usually worn down, was now tied up, with wisps of loose strands framing her oval face, making it look even softer. The evening sun cast a glow from the bridge of her high nose, creating a serene and beautiful picture.

Could it be that she heard I was downstairs and came to find me specifically?

Lin Huaijia glanced at Gu Yizhi’s car, feeling a mix of panic and dilemma. Her friend’s question echoed in her mind—Could it be that she found out you went to see Gu Yizhi last night?

She had, with selfish intentions, arranged for the two of them to meet before, wanting to test Gu Yizhi’s reaction. But today, for some reason, she didn’t want them to meet.

She looked at Gu Yizhi’s car, then at Xu Qingtang. After a few seconds of deliberation, she decided to talk to Xu Qingtang first, appease her, and then go find Gu Yizhi.

With this in mind, Lin Huaijia looked at Xu Qingtang. Her gaze shifted downwards, catching sight of the gently swaying hem of her qipao, and her brows knitted tightly together. The admiring glances from those around them made her even more uncomfortable.

If Xu Qingtang wants my forgiveness, then she can never wear a qipao outside again, Lin Huaijia thought.

Lin Huaijia’s mind was racing, but Xu Qingtang didn’t spare her a single glance. She walked past her and headed straight for…

Lin Huaijia’s eyes widened.

Xu Qingtang actually got into Gu Yizhi’s car???

***

Author’s Note:

Xu Qingtang: Not only that, I also got into her bed.