CH 12.2

The elevator also happened to arrive on the ground floor. Xiao Wen still had to go to the front desk to get Shen Zhiqian’s package, so he waved at Ning Qingqing: “Sister Qingqing, I’ll get to work now. Oh no, I need to work overtime now that the boss left for a business trip, poor me!”

Ning Qingqing nodded: “Well, good luck.”

She walked out of the company building and looked outside at the sky which was still bright even though it was 6 o’clock, feeling a little cold.

The chat history between her and Shen Zhiqian had not changed since yesterday afternoon, it ended after Shen Zhiqian said that he had a business dinner.

They didn’t contact each other at all today, and Shen Zhiqian didn’t tell her that he was going on a business trip.

There have been such cold wars like this one before, but very rarely. In fact, during their nine years together, they mostly quarreled when they were still students, but it was always Shen Zhiqian who took the initiative to coax her.

Once they started working, they almost never quarreled. There were only occasional upsets, but they were all resolved quickly, and never lasted more than a day.

Her birthday is tomorrow, Ning Qingqing thought, she’ll probably know the answer sooner now.

She got back to her neighborhood, bought some groceries from the supermarket downstairs, and made herself dinner.

After dinner, Qiao Xiaomian made a video call: “I wish our Big Beauty Qingqing a happy early birthday!”

Seeing that her background was her company, Ning Qingqing asked, “Xiao Mianmian, are you still working overtime?”

“Yeah, I’m a suffering salary worker.” Qiao Xiaomian said, then her eyes brightened: “But after this project is over, I may get promoted!”

She lowered her voice and made a shushing motion.

Ning Qingqing gave her a thumbs up: “Wow, Xiao Mianmian is promising! Now Old Qiao needs to drink three glasses of wine to celebrate.”

Old Qiao is Qiao Xiaomian’s father. A while ago, he was diagnosed with “the top three”1. Almost all his tobacco and alcohol intake was controlled; he was not allowed to consume any of it. He was only allowed to touch some of that stuff on special occasions.

Qiao Xiaomian smiled: “When the time comes, I will ask my mother to let him enjoy himself to his heart’s content for a while!”

After that, her tone became serious: “Qingqing, after this birthday, will you decide?”

Ning Qingqing also put away her smile and nodded: “Yeah, I’ll wait until 12 o’clock tomorrow night.”

“Okay.” Qiao Xiaomian said: “I know that you want to be alone tomorrow, so we will make up your birthday together after I get off work the day after tomorrow.”

“En.” Ning Qingqing said: “Hurry up and work, it’s past nine o’clock. The sooner you finish the sooner you can go home. Stay safe on your way back home.”

Qiao Xiaomian nodded: “Okay, okay, I’m going to work now. Happy birthday, beautiful girl! After you turn 25, let’s welcome a new life together!”

Ning Qingqing ended the video call and looked at the night sky outside the window.

Yes, after 25, welcome to a new life.

No matter whether she ends up marrying or breaking up with Shen Zhiqian, for her, it will be a completely new phase.

Before going to bed that night, she read the jokes posted by Gu Youchen like usual before turning off the lights.

These days, she has unknowingly formed a habit. It seems that after reading those jokes, she would have happy dreams when she slept.

She thought she would not be able to fall asleep that night, so she did not expect to fall asleep so quickly.

While falling asleep, the phone placed by the bed vibrated continuously.

Ning Qingqing opened her eyes in a daze, and under the strong light emitting from her phone, she took a few seconds before she could see that it was Shen Zhiqian calling.

She swiped to answer: “Hello.”

Shen Zhiqian seemed like he drank a lot, and his voice was hoarser than usual: “Qingqing, happy birthday.”

Ning Qingqing checked, it was exactly past 12 midnight. It was her birthday today.

Immediately, her heartbeat couldn’t help but speed up, and her drowsiness quickly dissipated.

When Shen Zhiqian took her to the hospital that day, they agreed that he would provide an answer on her birthday.

“Thank you Zhiqian.” Her tone became light: “Are you going to—”

However, it was very noisy over there, and the voices of men urging each other to drink came through the receiver. Compared with the silence surrounding Ning Qingqing, it was like two separate worlds.

Shen Zhiqian laughed softly: “I drank too much, I miss our family’s Qingqing, Baby.”

Someone seemed to hoot on the other side.

Shen Zhiqian continued: “I miss you when I don’t drink, I miss you all the time…Baby, I was wrong that day, I shouldn’t have gotten so moody, can you please forgive me?”

Ning Qingqing squeezed the phone and asked, “Is that all you want to tell me?”

Shen Zhiqian continued to coax her: “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have gone on a business trip without telling you because of jealousy. That Wu Fei, he liked you since high school, and I caught him peeping at you several times. I asked you to wait for me that day, but you were drinking coffee with him, that’s why I got mad.”

Ning Qingqing was taken aback for a moment; she completely did not expect this to be the reason. And Wu Fei likes her? She had no idea.

The person on Shen Zhiqian’s side laughed even harder. Shen Zhiqian also got a little embarrassed: “Qingqing, so please forgive your boyfriend, alright?”

Ning Qingqing could only respond: “Okay.”

Shen Zhiqian laughed softly again: “I have prepared a birthday present for you, and I will give it to you tomorrow.”

Ning Qingqing’s breathing restricted slightly: “So the answer for that day, will you give it to me tomorrow?”

There was a fuss over at Shen Zhiqian’s end, and because he drank too much, he didn’t pay attention to Ning Qingqing’s words, so he just kept continuing: “Alright, anything you want, I’ll give it all to you tomorrow.”

Ning Qingqing’s heart trembled, and the palms holding the phone were damp with sweat.

The corners of her lips couldn’t stop raising, her eyes glittering: “Okay.”

“Quickly go to sleep, Baby. Have your beauty sleep, nice and pretty.” Shen Zhiqian said in a low tone, “Good night, I love you.”

After hanging up the phone, Ning Qingqing squeezed the phone and happily rolled around in bed.

If she didn’t misunderstand, then Shen Zhiqian gave her an answer in advance just now.

It’s just that since he is going to give her a gift tomorrow, he will confirm in person, which is more formal and ceremonial.

She was very happy and her heart was full of anticipation.

During their nine years together, she didn’t like Shen Zhiqian very much at first, but after being together for a while, her feelings toward continued to him grow stronger.

She would feel moved by him rubbing her hair, her heart would pound like a drum because of his hug, and she would be in high spirits for a long time because of his care.

Although this year, because the people around her asked ‘when will you get married’, she realized for the first time that there might be some problems with their relationship.

But she liked him, this was true.

She spoke about it with certainty and had already prepared everything, but her heart was clearly telling her that she didn’t want to break up.

She hoped that she and Shen Zhiqian could have a family, a future, and many more days and nights together.

The author has something to say:

The sentence from the summary is for Shen Zhiqian——

“It was also at this moment that he finally realized what he had lost.”

Break up this week and flash marriage next week, Shen Zhiqian will be completely dumbfounded when he finds out~~ 

Translator’s ramblings:

The next arc is will be the flash marriage part; in two more chapters!