Chapter 32

“My boyfriend and I rented a place on Spring Scenery Road. Commuting is super convenient—a seven- or eight-minute walk to the law firm. It saves us tons of time every day for rest. My boyfriend’s job is a bit farther away, but he can bike there in fifteen minutes.

We both like a bit of personal space, so we went for a two-bedroom. Rent’s five thousand a month, deposit one, pay three upfront. We rented straight from the landlord—we checked out some listings through agents too, viewed a bunch of options, and settled on this one. The landlord owns three or four properties in the complex, but they’re all leased out. The location and amenities are top-notch.”

“Nan Par, are you thinking of renting too?” Wenwen asked curiously.

Nan Qi hummed in affirmation.

She had already made up her mind. Since she was moving out, she naturally wanted a place convenient to the law firm—and far from Bo Ranying. That way, she could truly distance herself from her life.

It would be best if they gradually drifted apart.

Out of sight, out of mind.

She tallied up her savings from the past few years of work. After subtracting the money she’d sent home on her own, she had more than enough to buy a property in the pricey real estate market of Linxi. But her long-held dream had always been to build a little home with Bo Ranying—to decorate it together from the ground up, turning it into a warm and happy nest.

Bo Ranying had never shared that dream, so the opportunity never came. Nan Qi had simply gone along with renting places alongside her, never buying.

Now, Nan Qi thought, she had decided to settle in Linxi for the long haul. It was time to consider purchasing a place of her own.

Her top priority was to find a rental first. After that, she could scout properties around town.

“I’d like something spacious. A two-bedroom would be perfect,” Nan Qi said, keeping the details vague with Wenwen.

“Perfect—our landlord’s units are all two-bedrooms. I’ll ask the landlord if he has any vacancies for you, Nan Par!” Wenwen was thrilled at the idea of her boss living in the same complex. She acted with lightning efficiency, firing off a message to the landlord right away.

Moments later, her face fell. Very apologetically, she said, “The landlord says everything’s rented out, and the leases have a long way to go… Not ideal if you’re in a hurry, Nan Par.”

“No worries.”

Nan Qi felt a twinge of disappointment, but she knew these things couldn’t be rushed. It had been a spur-of-the-moment decision anyway.

Wenwen recommended several agent listings from her list that she thought were solid options.

In the lulls between work tasks, Nan Qi scrolled through the agents’ Moments feeds. She saved photos of a few houses that caught her eye and scheduled in-person viewings for right after work that evening.

With ten minutes left until quitting time, Nan Qi had already organized the files and documents she’d need the next day. She straightened her clothes, looking every bit the picture of someone ready to clock out on time.

But before the clock struck the hour, Ye Sheng burst into her office like a whirlwind. Her strides were so bold that they made Nan Qi’s eyelashes flutter in surprise. Nan Qi watched her feet closely, afraid she might slip.

“Senior Sister?” Nan Qi asked, puzzled. “What’s the rush? You could’ve just called.”

“Emergency—no time for details,” Ye Sheng said in rapid-fire bursts.

Nan Qi grew even more confused. “?”

“You had a fight with Little Bo this afternoon?”

“I wouldn’t call it a fight…” Nan Qi had simply resolved to let go of Bo Ranying.

“Then why is she storming into the law firm looking ready for battle?”

No sooner had Ye Sheng spoken than Bo Ranying gently pushed open the door and walked in. She smiled tenderly at the still-dazed Nan Qi. “Little Qi, I’m here to pick you up from work.”

Only then did she notice Ye Sheng standing there with her mouth agape. Surprised, she called out, “Senior Sister Sheng, long time no see.”

It had indeed been a while since their last meeting—back when Ye Sheng had given birth to her second child, and Nan Qi had accompanied her to the hospital to visit.

Ye Sheng nodded reservedly. She glanced at Bo Ranying, then at Nan Qi, before shooting Nan Qi an encouraging look. “Haha, I won’t interrupt you two.” She slipped out and closed the door behind her.

The moment Ye Sheng was gone, Bo Ranying draped herself over Nan Qi like a lazy little cat. She rubbed the top of her head against Nan Qi’s neck, reached out to touch her chin, and whined in a coquettish voice, “Little Qi, after trying on the wedding dress today, I suddenly wanted to see you. I couldn’t wait another second. And I thought… if I came over, you’d be so happy, right?”

Bo Ranying’s eyes sparkled like they held a thousand stars, gazing at Nan Qi with eager anticipation.

She remembered last year, on Nan Qi’s birthday, when Nan Qi had made a wish for her to pick her up from the law firm after work.

Bo Ranying had been surprised by how simple the request was. The very next day, she’d put on a new dress and light makeup, arriving right at quitting time. She’d sent Nan Qi a text, and Nan Qi had rushed to the entrance, her face lit up with immense joy and excitement. She’d eagerly asked if Bo Ranying wanted to come in for a tour.

Of course, Bo Ranying had wanted to keep that happiness going. She’d said yes.

Nan Qi had pulled her along by the hand through the public office area, explaining the layout of each section and its functions. She’d introduced Bo Ranying to every colleague as her best friend.

That time, it had been at Nan Qi’s request. This time, it was Bo Ranying taking the initiative. The meaning was different—Nan Qi’s reaction had to be even happier than before.

“I…” Nan Qi gazed down at the woman half-draped in her arms, her expression complicated. She hesitated, words catching in her throat.

She was surprised by Bo Ranying’s sudden arrival, but it didn’t bring her joy. Nor did she want to give the pat answer Bo Ranying was fishing for.

To Bo Ranying, that expression seemed a little strange. But she didn’t dwell on it. Nan Qi had always been emotionally reserved around others—expressive only in her presence. She was probably just shocked and thrilled by the surprise visit, but holding back her office professionalism, still processing it.

Bo Ranying pinched the soft flesh of Nan Qi’s chin, savoring the smooth texture of her skin. She paid it no mind.

Today, after trying on three wedding dresses and posting the photos to her Moments, Bo Ranying had lingered in Teacher Xu’s shop. She’d chatted idly while scrolling through Moments and replying to comments from friends and family.

Amid the flood of notifications, two alerts suddenly jolted her fully awake.

They were from Nan Qi—a like and a comment.

Nan Qi had sent only one perfunctory WeChat message all day.

Stumbling upon these suddenly, Bo Ranying clicked without thinking. She was terrified that if she hesitated even a second, Nan Qi might regret it and delete them before she could see.

She couldn’t miss this.

To her, it felt like Nan Qi finally cracking—unable to hold back any longer after regulating her emotions for so long. Too shy to chat directly on WeChat, she’d taken the roundabout route through Moments.

Bo Ranying’s heart fluttered like a little rabbit tucked inside her chest. Brimming with anticipation, she tapped into Nan Qi’s comment.

The words made her anxious heart settle firmly.

Nan Qi’s comment aligned perfectly with her own thoughts. It praised the wedding dress she loved most as the prettiest—and said it looked best on her. She was lavished with compliments fit for the most stunning beauty in the world…

Bo Ranying couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Nan Qi’s earnestness was clear in her words. She must have put real thought into Bo Ranying’s tastes to write something that matched so perfectly.

By comparison, Qiao Xiuyu’s attitude on the same matter seemed utterly pathetic.

Bo Ranying frowned to herself, that strange suspicion in her heart deepening further.

Xu Hui noticed her suddenly zoning out and chuckling to herself. This time, quite certain, she teased, “Chatting with Xiuyu?”

“No, just looking at Moments comments. I updated with wedding dress photos.” Bo Ranying replied as she hurried to her feet, bidding Xu Hui farewell. A surge of impulse swept through her. “Teacher Xu, I can’t keep you company anymore. I’ve got to go see a very important friend right now.”

“Go on,” Xu Hui said. Her eyes brimmed with wisdom and warmth. Seeing someone you long for—best not to leave regrets.

When Bo Ranying arrived from the other side of the city, it was right in the heart of rush hour, with both offices letting out and schools dismissing. The roads were clogged with streams of cars and pedestrians.

“Little Qi, I took the subway—three line changes. The cars were so packed~ Every one was standing room only. I couldn’t even get a seat. I got shoved from the handrail to the middle of the car, no support, just swaying with every start and stop. Nearly fell a few times. Look—my hair’s all messed up.” Bo Ranying shook her head and leaned in closer to show Nan Qi her hairstyle.

Nan Qi endured waves of that intoxicating scent wafting from the woman’s body into her nose. It was like an aphrodisiac—a poison that bewitched the heart and soul. Unobtrusively, she leaned back, putting some distance between them.

Bo Ranying noticed the retreat but assumed Nan Qi was just leaning back for a better look at her hair.

Bo Ranying’s updo had been styled back when she tried on the wedding dress. She’d thought it looked nice, so she hadn’t bothered to take it down afterward. Delicate little clips held it in place, with a sweet ribbon woven through the center of the bun. But now it bore no trace of its original neat elegance.

The once impeccable style was a mess of scattered side locks. During her subway ride, the clips had been jostled loose by the sardine-packed crowd, leaving the updo loose and crooked. A few long strands had escaped the braids, hanging in disarray over her forehead and cheeks. It made her look utterly pitiful, like she’d endured some terrible injustice.

Bo Ranying shook her head, flicking the hair away from her eyes. This let her get a clear view of Nan Qi’s expression while showing off, from every angle, just how much she’d suffered on the trip here. She hoped it would stir some concern—and heartache—in her companion.

Raising her voice just a touch, she tilted her head back with bubbly energy. “But the moment I think about how all this hardship was just to see Little Qi, it doesn’t seem so bad. Getting crammed in there, breathing that thin, stale air—none of it matters.”

“Having Little Qi right here with me is the best luck ever. Thanks so much for offering to drive me to work every day. I won’t have to squeeze onto the morning rush-hour subway anymore. Whew, I’ve heard it’s even scarier than the evening peak.”

Bo Ranying stepped toward Nan Qi with obvious affection, then buried her face against the woman’s chest, savoring the steady thump of her heartbeat. “How about hotpot tonight? To chase away the chill. We’ll get a mandarin duck pot—something gentle on that sore throat of yours from the cold. No spicy side.”

With effortless ease, Bo Ranying mapped out their after-work plans and asked for Nan Qi’s input on dinner.

But the moment her head touched Nan Qi’s chest, a firm hand pushed her away.

The familiar rejection hit just like it had that morning, leaving Bo Ranying with a surge of helpless discomfort.

What? Little Qi wouldn’t even let her touch her now?

She’d been mad all day—surely that had blown over by now.

Her brows furrowed tight as she steeled herself for an honest talk. But then she felt Nan Qi’s hand settle gently over her ruined updo.

“Want me to fix your hair?”

Bo Ranying blinked in surprise, then beamed, letting her do as she pleased. “Sure!”

Nan Qi glanced discreetly at her watch, checked the time, and moved with swift efficiency.

She removed every last clip from the bun, then fished a comb out of Bo Ranying’s shoulder bag like it was second nature. She smoothed out the dark locks and tied them into a simple ponytail. Once she was sure no stray hairs remained, she stepped back. “There. All done.”

Bo Ranying basked in the thoughtful care, running her fingers over the ponytail as she tried to circle back to their plans.

But Nan Qi spoke first.

“I can’t do hotpot with you.”

“Why not?” Bo Ranying blurted out.

“I’m planning to move. I have an appointment with the realtor to check out some places today.” Nan Qi stated it matter-of-factly.

Move.

The word landed like a hammer blow, stunning Bo Ranying into speechlessness.

She whispered in disbelief, turning to search Nan Qi’s face for any hint of a joke.

Nothing. Just calm indifference—no playfulness, no teasing.

Her voice cracked with urgency. “But we’re fine living together. Why move all of a sudden?”

Just that morning, they’d argued about the commute. Nan Qi still cared about her, still put her first. How could everything flip in a single day?

“It’s not right for us to keep living together,” Nan Qi replied coolly. “And like you said, I’ve taken your advice. Moving out will let me sleep in a bit longer in the mornings.”

Her tone made it clear: the decision was final. No room for discussion.

Nan Qi checked her watch again. Time was running short; she couldn’t dawdle.

“I need to head out. Go eat hotpot on your own if you want.”

She tried to step past Bo Ranying.

On instinct, Bo Ranying blocked her path with unyielding resolve. A choking sense of regret washed over her—like she’d hoisted a rock only to drop it on her own foot.