Qin Auntie, Save Me [Rebirth] 103

Chapter 103

Wen Yirong found some other topics to discuss with Qin Qianrou during dinner, the atmosphere generally harmonious, but she could still sense her daughter’s distraction. Wen Yirong occasionally showed a hint of exasperation but didn’t comment.

After dinner, as Qin Qianrou was about to leave, Wen Yirong tried to persuade her to stay, “You’ll be alone anyway, why not stay at Seven Mansions tonight? You can keep me company.”

It wasn’t an unreasonable request; Qin Qianrou rarely visited home due to her busy schedule, and even when she did, they rarely had heart-to-heart conversations.

“I have some things to take care of, perhaps next time.”

Wen Yirong smiled wryly but didn’t stop her. “Next time again? How many ‘next times’ have I heard from you?”

Qin Qianrou had already stood up and was adjusting her clothes. Wen Yirong instructed the housekeeper to see her out, adding, “Don’t blame your father for this, he’s doing this for your own good, after all, you’ve chosen a girl, it’s hard for him to accept.”

Qin Qianrou’s mood had soured ever since learning about her father’s “test,” and Wen Yirong, tactfully, hadn’t brought it up again, her mentioning it now was simply to prevent a conflict between father and daughter.

Qin Qianrou nodded slightly. “I understand.”

The next morning, Wen Yirong woke up early and messaged Qin Qianrou, inviting her for breakfast.

“Mom, I can’t make it, I’m not in Meng City.” Qin Qianrou called her directly, not bothering to hide her whereabouts.

Wen Yirong was slightly surprised, then asked, feigning ignorance, “Leaving so early, a field assignment?”

Qin Qianrou sighed and admitted, “Mom, you should know.”

Wen Yirong chuckled softly. “I suspected as much when you said you were leaving last night, I didn’t expect you to actually…”

She glanced at the time, slightly puzzled, “What are you doing going somewhere else so early in the morning?”

She knew Qin Qianrou was going to Hai City, but at this hour, the first flight wouldn’t have even taken off yet.

“I couldn’t get a ticket for a morning flight, so I’m flying from Jiashi.”

Wen Yirong exclaimed, “What? You went all the way to Jiashi just for an earlier flight?”

She facepalmed, lamenting her daughter’s lovesick actions.

“Xiao Rou, I can’t stop you from going to Hai City, but why rush? Shao Ze is there, if Shen Yiqiu needs anything, she can contact him, why go to so much trouble? It makes me worry.”

Qin Qianrou must be in a taxi, faint sounds of traffic in the background. After a moment of silence, she said, “Mom, I’m already several hours late, for you, it might just be a morning’s difference, but for her, she’s been waiting for a long time.”

She knew Shen Yiqiu, she wouldn’t ask Wen Shao Ze for help, if not for her arrangements, she wouldn’t even have told him she was in Hai City.

Her little one could be incredibly stubborn sometimes.

“Alright, you young people and your love, so reckless and impulsive.” Wen Yirong sighed heavily, then added, “Be careful on your way, and take care of yourself. As for your father, I’ll talk to him.”

“Thank you, Mom.”

“Silly child.”

After hanging up, Wen Yirong called Qin Qianrou’s father.

“Lao Qin, I’ve already told you, we can’t stop Xiao Rou, she’s already on her way to Jiashi, just to get to Hai City a few hours earlier.”

After listening to her husband’s response, Wen Yirong frowned slightly, “You know our daughter, a few words won’t change her mind, I’ve already told you, don’t use your usual methods, but you wouldn’t listen.”

Wen Yirong had met Shen Yiqiu, she had seen their interactions, the subtle details revealing their feelings, but Qin Qianrou’s father didn’t know, all he saw were the photos and the information he had gathered, to him, his precious daughter being with a university student, a girl no less, was simply unacceptable.

“Whether you agree or not, whether you’re angry or not, I’ve already done what I needed to do, but if you try to force the issue, I won’t allow it.” Wen Yirong had her ways of dealing with her husband, after so many years of marriage, their understanding of each other was impeccable.

Her husband’s tone seemed to soften slightly, and a smile touched Wen Yirong’s lips, but she remained calm and composed.

Wen Yirong wasn’t planning on returning to Hai City for now, with her husband there, she wasn’t worried, “Don’t worry, I’m here, I won’t let them do anything drastic, as for the Shen family matter, please investigate it thoroughly as soon as possible, delaying it will only cause more trouble, those people have been scheming for so long, they should be revealing their true intentions soon.”

**

Qin Qianrou had wanted to book a flight to Hai City immediately after leaving Seven Mansions last night, but all flights before 11 am were fully booked, so she had no choice but to fly from Jiashi, thankfully, it was only about an hour’s drive from Meng City, and she had left as soon as the sky lightened.

Her interactions with Shen Yiqiu last night had been minimal, even less than during their initial acquaintance, which made Qin Qianrou feel uneasy and unsettled, accustomed to Shen Yiqiu’s presence in bed, the familiar warmth of her embrace now gone, making it difficult for her to sleep.

She had picked up her phone several times, wanting to check on her, then decided it was better to ask in person, Shen Yiqiu would never reveal her true feelings over the phone, always putting on a brave face.

After her flight landed, Qin Qianrou called the housekeeper. She asked the taxi driver to make a detour to pick up the key to Shen Yiqiu’s apartment, then headed straight to Hai Da.

She had been there a few times before, accompanying Shen Yiqiu to handle the patent donation, which was how she had gotten to know the housekeeper. Knowing Shen Yiqiu was concerned about her family home, Qin Qianrou had given the housekeeper her contact information, asking her to call if anything happened.

Qin Qianrou stood outside the apartment, the key in her hand, it was quiet inside, but she knew the person she had been worrying about all day was there.

The door opened, and the apartment was still quiet.

Qin Qianrou walked in a few steps, then stopped.

Shen Yiqiu, like a kitten, was curled up in the armchair in the living room, her back hunched, her arms wrapped around her legs, a blanket, half-slipped off, covering her.

Qin Qianrou frowned, She doesn’t even know how to take care of herself.

She walked over, her footsteps waking Shen Yiqiu.

Sleepy eyes fluttered open, Shen Yiqiu’s dazed expression no different from her usual morning look in their bed.

“Jiejie?” Shen Yiqiu mumbled, thinking she was dreaming.

She smiled slightly, her dreams last night had been filled with a chaotic jumble of people and scenes, too fast for her to discern any details, only towards dawn had her sleep finally settled, her dreams filled with images of Qin Qianrou.

She missed Jiejie, terribly.

Jiejie hadn’t said good night last night, hadn’t sent her a good night kiss.

Qin Qianrou walked closer, stopping right before her.

She squatted down and gently stroked Shen Yiqiu’s slightly messy hair, the familiar soft texture, a comforting presence during their intimate moments.

“Awake now?”

Qin Qianrou’s voice was like a warm ray of sunshine, gently nudging Shen Yiqiu awake.

She blinked a few times, finally realizing it wasn’t a dream.

“Why are you here?”

Qin Qianrou smiled faintly, her hand still gently caressing her hair.

“What, still angry, you don’t want to see me?”

Shen Yiqiu’s cheeks flushed slightly, and she looked away, “I wasn’t angry.”

Qin Qianrou, however, wouldn’t let her avoid her, she gently cupped Shen Yiqiu’s face in her hands, turning her head, making her look at her.

“I came all this way to apologize, and you’re still being difficult.”

A powerful statement, yet with a hint of… grievance.

Shen Yiqiu’s nose tingled, she couldn’t bear Jiejie humbling herself like this,

she reached out and pulled Qin Qianrou closer, settling her onto her lap,

“Jiejie, don’t apologize, it wasn’t your fault, I was being impulsive yesterday, I shouldn’t have been so reckless.”

Qin Qianrou, now sitting sideways on Shen Yiqiu’s lap, wrapped her arms around her neck, their faces touching.

“Yes, you were being reckless, you wouldn’t even listen to my explanation, you just stormed off.”

Although she understood Shen Yiqiu’s anxiety, she had still been hurt by her abrupt departure.

They had promised to never let go of each other’s hands.

Shen Yiqiu held her tighter, inhaling her familiar fragrance,

just one day apart, and she couldn’t bear it.

They held each other close for a long time, reluctant to separate.

Shen Yiqiu looked up and tentatively kissed Qin Qianrou’s lips. Seeing that Jiejie didn’t pull away, she deepened the kiss,

her eagerness evident as she claimed Qin Qianrou’s lips,

both of them lost in the moment, savoring each other’s warmth, their love for each other,

as if reliving those initial days of insatiable desire, the worries, the anxieties, the grievances, all melting away in this passionate kiss.

“Mm, wait…!” Qin Qianrou finally protested, trying to push Shen Yiqiu away.

Shen Yiqiu, reluctantly parting, asked breathlessly, “What’s wrong?”

Qin Qianrou glared at her, “You ask me what’s wrong? Look what you’ve done!”

Shen Yiqiu knew what was going on without looking.

She was usually restrained and gentle, but today, she had been a little too eager, a little too unrestrained.

And so, Qin Qianrou’s lips were now red and swollen.

“Let’s… take a break.”

Shen Yiqiu was always considerate of Qin Qianrou, afraid of tiring her out, so they often took breaks.

Qin Qianrou’s cheeks flushed, she ignored Shen Yiqiu, gently pushing her away as she tried to steal another kiss.

“Don’t think this is over.”

Her words lacked conviction, but her girlfriend still needed to be appeased, and with Jiejie taking the initiative, Shen Yiqiu couldn’t continue playing hard to get.

“I know I was wrong, I won’t run away like that again.”

Qin Qianrou snorted softly, her arm, however, still around Shen Yiqiu’s neck,

“And I won’t ignore Jiejie’s explanations, I won’t throw tantrums for no reason.”

Her tone was sincere, as if truly repenting for her mistakes,

and Qin Qianrou’s heart, already softened, her earlier insistence on an apology simply a playful pretense, now, hearing Shen Yiqiu’s heartfelt apology, she couldn’t bear to continue the charade.

“I was also wrong, I shouldn’t have kept this from you for so long, I just… I wasn’t sure when the right time was, I thought I should wait until I had more concrete evidence, to reassure you.”

Qin Qianrou didn’t want Shen Yiqiu to be worried, and she certainly didn’t want her to feel ashamed or insecure because of the accusations against her father, the rumors and gossip had hurt Shen Yiqiu enough, even though she didn’t show it, Qin Qianrou knew she wasn’t indifferent.

“I’ve thought it through last night, I know Jiejie was doing this for my own good.”

Shen Yiqiu nuzzled her nose against Qin Qianrou’s, like a kitten.

“So, do you accept my apology?” Qin Qianrou’s gentle voice was filled with sincerity.

Shen Yiqiu’s heart melted, Jiejie had been so considerate, caring so much about her feelings, how could she possibly stay angry?

“I’m not angry anymore, there’s no need for apologies between us…” Shen Yiqiu leaned closer again, thinking their break had been long enough,

**

After their intimate moment, Qin Qianrou, remembering something, took Shen Yiqiu’s hand while she wasn’t looking, examining it carefully,

and as expected, there was a band-aid on her fingertip.

“You used that trick again?”

Shen Yiqiu had told Qin Qianrou about the flyer incident, how her blood seemed to enhance her precognitive abilities, but Qin Qianrou had told her not to use it so casually.

“I tried everything after coming back yesterday, but I couldn’t sense anything, so I had no other choice.”

Qin Qianrou’s lips tightened, unsure whether to be angry or feel distressed.

“Then why prick several fingers? One would have been enough.”

“I thought… more blood, faster results.”

She had been desperate last night, tears streaming down her face as she tried again and again, but to no avail.

Qin Qianrou, seeing the frustration and disappointment in her eyes, couldn’t bear to scold her any further. She pulled Shen Yiqiu’s head against her chest, her voice gentle and comforting, “It’s alright, we’ll find the truth together.”

She was here now, and she would be there for Shen Yiqiu, she wouldn’t let her fight this battle alone, regardless of the truth, she would face it with her.

Then, Qin Qianrou told Shen Yiqiu about the information and the leads she and Li Wan had gathered, but there were no significant breakthroughs.

“It’s strange, that signature is definitely my father’s, but I don’t understand why he would be involved with these people.” Shen Yiqiu had been shocked seeing that signature, when she was younger, having done poorly on a test, she had tried to forge her father’s signature, Shen Zhifeng’s signature had been unique, and she had practiced for a long time but couldn’t quite replicate it.

Qin Qianrou hesitated slightly, then probed, “If we discover that they were indeed connected, what will you do?”

This was the worst-case scenario, and Qin Qianrou had been delaying telling her precisely because she had been hoping to find evidence to disprove it.

Shen Yiqiu shook her head firmly at first, saying she believed her father wasn’t that kind of person, then, after a moment, her tone softening slightly, “If… the truth is truly disappointing, then I’ll apologize on his behalf.”

Qin Qianrou’s eyes glistened slightly, her Shen Yiqiu hadn’t disappointed her, she had been worried that the Shen Zhifeng matter would affect their relationship, after all, when it came to family, how many people could truly be objective and unbiased?

Shen Yiqiu, at her core, was the same kind of person as her, they both respected facts and accepted the truth.

“But I believe my father wouldn’t disappoint us, he was a good person.” A smile suddenly appeared on Shen Yiqiu’s face, dispelling the earlier gloom.

Qin Qianrou took her hand and smiled, “Yes, I believe that too.”

Shen Yiqiu’s eyes lit up, “Really? I thought you were keeping this from me because you also suspected my father.”

Qin Qianrou feigned annoyance, gently tapping her nose, “Is your girlfriend so untrustworthy?”

Shen Yiqiu grinned, her girlfriend was wonderful, she had never doubted her.

“I didn’t handle this well, this is my first relationship, I’m still learning, I care about this relationship so much, I’ve become overly cautious, afraid of anything that might jeopardize it, so I did… deliberately delay telling you.”

Qin Qianrou felt she had mishandled this situation, she had prepared many explanations on her way here, but seeing Shen Yiqiu, those carefully crafted words had become unnecessary.

“We’re both learning how to love, but I know Jiejie’s heart, and please believe me, my feelings for you are just as true, this relationship… you’re the most important person to me.”

Shen Yiqiu placed Qin Qianrou’s hand on her chest, letting her feel her heartbeat. Her clear eyes, her sincere words, expressing her love.