Chapter 5

“You stayed at a hotel last night?”

“Emmm—” Ruan Xinyi scratched the back of her head, feeling a bit embarrassed, and said softly, “I had dinner with Jiang Yun and the others last night, and it got pretty late, so I booked a room at a hotel.”

Ruan Su responded with a nonchalant “Mm,” adjusted Ruan Xinyi’s collar, and gently tucked her loose hair behind her ear. Her tone softened. “How’s the internship preparation going?”

“I interviewed with a company a few days ago. I should hear back soon,” Ruan Xinyi replied truthfully.

Ruan Su frowned slightly, showing mild disapproval. Her lips parted, but she decided not to comment.

“Mom~” Ruan Xinyi clung to Ruan Su’s arm affectionately, trying to get away with acting cute. “It’s just a two-month internship, and my advisor has also assigned me some tasks for later.”

Ruan Xinyi had been accepted into a graduate program at her alma mater.

Ruan Su only found out about it after Xinyi was admitted.

Because of this, Ruan Su chose not to pursue the topic further. “Let’s go in and eat.”

As they entered, Ruan Su couldn’t help but mutter under her breath, “Why are they all like this? They’d rather work at other companies than help me out a bit.”

Although it was said offhandedly, Ruan Xinyi heard it clearly. Combined with the earlier phone call, her curiosity about “that person” deepened even more.

When the dishes were served, Ruan Su ladled some pork rib soup into a bowl for Ruan Xinyi. She raised an elegant eyebrow, seemingly casually, and asked, “By the way, Xinyi, what position did you interview for? Intern assistant? Or something in sales?”

Nibbling on her chopsticks, Ruan Xinyi felt guilty. “Do you want the truth, Mom?”

“Mm?” Ruan Su’s expression turned subtly intrigued.

“I interviewed for the logistics department…” Ruan Xinyi admitted quietly.

A trace of surprise flashed across Ruan Su’s delicate face, but she quickly masked it. She repeated calmly, “The logistics department?”

A mother knows her daughter best. Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, Ruan Su understood what Ruan Xinyi was scheming.

“Well, the logistics department is entry-level…” Ruan Xinyi tried to explain unconvincingly. “If I work at our own company, people might think it’s nepotism.”

Ruan Su immediately pointed out, “I think it’s because the logistics department is the least demanding.”

“Cough, cough.” Ruan Xinyi mumbled in a low voice, “Not true. I still have to work on the papers my advisor assigned me.”

Ruan Su gave her a look that said, “You know better,” and let her figure it out herself.

---

At dawn, Qi Jingning received a call from Wen Xihan.

Without asking questions, she quickly got ready and drove to the hotel where Wen Xihan was staying.

From a distance, she saw Wen Xihan standing at the hotel entrance. She was dressed in an off-white long dress with a light jacket draped over her shoulders, pulling a suitcase behind her. Even with sunglasses covering most of her face, Xihan’s unusual state was evident to Qi Jingning—a distinct distraction that was impossible to miss.

As she approached, Qi Jingning noticed Wen Xihan’s choice of shoes. Despite preparing herself mentally beforehand, seeing Wen Xihan in flats still left her with an inexplicable mix of emotions.

Taking a deep breath, Qi Jingning unbuckled her seatbelt, leaned over to open the passenger door, and got out to put Wen Xihan’s suitcase in the trunk.

“Xihan…” Qi Jingning looked at the unusually silent Wen Xihan, hesitation in her eyes.

Wen Xihan, holding the passenger door, had an unnatural flush on her lips, with the corners slightly swollen. She glanced back at the hotel before speaking in a raspy voice, “Let’s go. Once we finish the final paperwork, I can hand over the keys.”

Qi Jingning nodded, but her gaze remained fixed on Wen Xihan.

When she noticed Wen Xihan’s subtle stiffness and hesitation as she stepped into the car, her jaw tightened momentarily before smoothly getting into the passenger seat. Qi Jingning’s feelings became even more complicated.

As the car started, Qi Jingning glanced at Wen Xihan several times before cautiously breaking the silence. “Xihan, you… last night…”

Wen Xihan lifted her slender wrist to remove her sunglasses, revealing pronounced dark circles beneath her peach blossom eyes. A faint, self-deprecating smile appeared as she said flatly, as if discussing something irrelevant, “It’s exactly what you’re thinking.”

“You…” Qi Jingning tightened her grip on the steering wheel. After a long pause, she said, “Xihan, that was reckless.”

Leaning back against the seat, Wen Xihan massaged her temples and chuckled lightly. “Jingning, what you said last night makes sense.”

“Once you cross that line, it’s not as hard to accept anymore.”

Qi Jingning’s eyes widened, and she slammed on the brakes.

“SCREECH—” Black skid marks stretched across the asphalt.

The sudden stop sent Qi Jingning lurching forward, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. “Xihan, what I said last night was a joke.”

If she had known Wen Xihan would be so “action-oriented,” she wouldn’t have joked about “finding someone decent and trying it out.”

“I know.” Wen Xihan brushed back her slightly curled hair, her fingers brushing against the faint red marks on her neck before pulling away as if burned.

Frowning slightly, Wen Xihan looked out the window, her voice distant. “Jingning, you need to understand. Love and promises are the most unreliable things.”

Qi Jingning slowed the car, speaking with unprecedented seriousness. “Xihan, let me ask you one last time. Do you really like Fu Fangbai?”

After a few seconds, Wen Xihan gave the same answer as the night before: “It’s just suitable.”

“Jingning, at this age, it’s just about marriage and kids. My sister has never pressured me about these things, but I don’t want her worrying too much about me either.”

“Before returning to China, Fu Fangbai proposed to me.”

Qi Jingning frowned. “Did you say yes?”

To outsiders, Fu Fangbai seemed like the perfect partner—gentle, polite, accomplished, and from a good family. He and Wen Xihan looked like a perfect match.

But as Wen Xihan’s best friend, Qi Jingning could see clearly that Xihan wasn’t happy with him. Their relationship resembled polite acquaintances rather than a romantic couple.

Of course, this distance was maintained by Wen Xihan, while Fu Fangbai could only respect her boundaries.

But could any man be so gentlemanly and patient? Qi Jingning didn’t believe it for a second.

“No.” Wen Xihan rolled down the window, letting the wind tousle her hair. Her tone was calm. “I told him I needed time to think.”

“His mother, however, is eager for us to settle down.”

“Xihan,” Qi Jingning asked softly, “what do you really want?”

Wen Xihan murmured, “Take it one step at a time.”

“Yesterday, Fu Fangbai told me he bought an apartment downtown. He wants me to move in with him.”

Living together had its implications—ones any adult would understand.

Pinching the bridge of her nose, Qi Jingning pressed, “And you…?”

“I refused.” Wen Xihan admitted plainly. “My mother always hoped I could settle down like my sister. A few years ago, I might’ve dreamed of finding someone I truly liked and experiencing all the romantic milestones. But now, with age, there’s no room for dreams or fantasies. Finding someone suitable is already good enough.”

"Love will ultimately lose to what's suitable."

With that, Wen Xihan chuckled softly, her tone tinged with self-mockery. "Although I haven't met anyone I like yet."

Qi Jingning parted her lips, hesitated, and softly said, "Suitable, but in the end, your sister still got divorced..."

She glanced at Wen Xihan and said seriously, "Xihan, there's no need to force yourself. You live for yourself."

"Let's talk about it later." Wen Xihan shook her phone, which had started ringing, trying to change the subject. "Looks like we need to hurry; they're pushing us."

The house transfer process was quick. Soon, the agent handed over the property certificate and keys to Wen Xihan.

It was a three-bedroom, two-living room apartment, with a simple, slightly European-style décor. Although she wasn't entirely satisfied with it, the furniture was complete, and it was ready for move-in with just a suitcase.

After the agent left, Qi Jingning casually sat on the sofa, crossed one leg, and asked freely, "Xihan, has the company told you when you can start?"

Wen Xihan dragged her suitcase into the bedroom, and the sound that came from the living room wasn't very clear. "Next Monday."

"By the way, why don't you go to your sister's company?"

Wen Xihan, holding her phone, stopped at the bedroom door, her tone unreadable. "Jingning, my surname is Wen."

Qi Jingning slapped her pants, stood up, and spoke with a hidden meaning. "Xihan, at times like this, you're clear-minded."

Knowing that she was indirectly talking about Fu Fangbai, Wen Xihan furrowed her brows and changed the subject. "I should call my sister."

Qi Jingning shrugged and gestured as if saying, "Go ahead."

Wen Xihan's phone call lasted nearly ten minutes. During that time, Qi Jingning kept herself busy, not only touring each room but also making a list of items to buy in her memo.

"Look, is anything missing?"

Wen Xihan quickly scanned the list and said seriously, "We're missing a means of transportation."

Qi Jingning: "..."

"That can wait. What's more important now is to get the place organized."

"Mm." Wen Xihan answered absently, her tone so dismissive it almost overflowed.

"Hey, what are you thinking?" Qi Jingning nudged Wen Xihan's arm with her elbow. "You're being so dismissive."

Wen Xihan snapped back to reality, a smile flickering in her peach blossom eyes. "I was thinking about my sister's daughter."

Qi Jingning paused to recall. "You mean that little girl, eight years younger than you, crying her eyes out in diapers, refusing to leave you, right?"

"...No." Wen Xihan corrected her seriously. "She's not a little brat. She's my niece."

Qi Jingning couldn't help but tease, "A niece? Now she should be called a big niece."

Wen Xihan shot her a look, not pleased. "My sister said she's graduating from university this year. Jingning, help me think about what would make a good graduation gift for her."

"A gift?" Qi Jingning thoughtfully stroked her chin. "I haven't seen her in years, and I don't even know what that little brat is like now. Xihan, I think you should wait until you see her before deciding what gift to give, just in case she doesn’t like it and your surprise turns into a shock."

Little did they know, this comment would soon come true.

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