Beijing-Hong Kong Rosemary

Chapter 28 We're Just Ordinary Friends

Qu Yanci hadn't replied to the two messages after a long time.

Shen Guining felt uneasy and edited two more messages before sending them.

Mr. Qu, are you angry?

I'm so sorry, I know I was wrong, I shouldn't have caused you trouble.

Qu Yanci: [Remember what you did before you tell me all this.]

Shen Guining lay on the bed, conflicted, unsure of Mr. Qu's thoughts. She was afraid that revealing what happened last night would alienate him, and then her plan would completely fall apart.

Forget it, let's wait and see how things go first.

She put down her phone, got up, washed up, and tidied herself up. It was almost noon.

Shen Guining hadn't eaten breakfast and was quite hungry, so she prepared to go downstairs to the restaurant for a meal.

Who knew it would be such a coincidence? Just as I stepped out, the door to the room next door opened too.

Qu Yanci came out from inside.

Shen Guining turned around and awkwardly greeted him, "Mr. Qu."

Last night, certain images flooded my mind, and my ears involuntarily turned red.

It was the first time she had ever directly experienced how strong his arms were, how he could hold her waist firmly with just one hand.

Qu Yanci glanced at her briefly before looking away and walking straight past her.

Shen Guining chased after him, "Mr. Qu, where are you going?"

"Have a meal."

"Can I go with you?"

Qu Yanci did not answer, so Shen Guining took it as a tacit agreement.

Entering the elevator, silence still lingered in the confined space.

Shen Guining tried to break the deadlock, "Mr. Qu, could you please not hold yesterday's matter against me?"

Qu Yanci remained expressionless. "Which matter are you referring to?"

Shen Guining lowered her head and stammered, "I... I broke into your room."

Qu Yanci's gaze fell on the top of her head, his tone ambiguous, "Anything else?"

"besides……"

"Ding—" Before the words were finished, the elevator arrived at the third-floor restaurant.

A man and a woman, who were acquaintances, also came out of the elevator next door.

"What a coincidence, you're here for dinner too?" Su Yuchen smiled and asked, "Together?"

Shen Guining looked at him and Jin Yuhan in surprise, "You two..."

Su Yuchen's hand was still on Jin Yuhan's shoulder. He raised an eyebrow and said, "You two are in the same dance troupe, you should know each other."

Jin Yuhan pushed him away in disgust, "Let go."

Shen Guining couldn't understand their relationship.

The staff thoughtfully arranged a private room for four people.

The interior features a retro and elegant Chinese style with exquisite decorations, lifelike relief paintings on the walls, and a simple and comfortable layout.

After ordering, the waiter first brought two small desserts for the two girls to have something to eat.

Mini caramel pudding, not filling, perfect to eat before a meal.

Shen Guining was already hungry, so she picked up a spoon and scooped out a spoonful, only to find that it contained crushed nuts, so she had to give up.

Su Yucheng and Qu Yanci were talking about work.

Unable to resist her gossipy nature, Jin Yuhan leaned closer to the person next to her and asked in a very low voice, "What is your relationship with Mr. Qu?"

Shen Guining thought for a moment, then said, "Friend."

She also casually asked, "So what is your relationship with Mr. Su?"

Jin Yuhan remained calm and silently replied, "Friends with benefits."

Shen Guining: "..."

There's really no need to be so direct.

Ten minutes later, the waiter knocked on the door and came in to serve the side dishes.

Qu Yanci had the dessert in front of Shen Guining removed, saying, "Make a new one without nuts."

The waiter complied, saying, "Yes, sir."

Shen Guining was slightly taken aback, as if something had stung her heart. She turned her head to look at Mr. Qu, realizing that he had noticed her earlier.

Su Yuchen clicked his tongue and asked meaningfully, "Brother Ci, when did you become so considerate?" It's like the sun rising in the west.

Qu Yanci gave him a look—mind your own business.

Su Yucheng ignored this and turned his attention to Shen Guining, "Miss Shen, you don't like nuts?"

“I’m allergic to nuts,” she explained.

Su Yucheng's smile deepened. "My brother Ci even knows you're allergic."

Can this relationship be considered ordinary?

Qu Yanci warned, "You're very noisy."

Su Yuchen made a gesture, "OK, I won't say anything."

Shen Guining silently picked up the teacup beside her and took a sip.
-
Lunch is over.

In the afternoon, Su Yuchen organized a gathering of friends in the entertainment hall downstairs and asked Shen Guining if she wanted to join in.

Qu Yanci had just gone out to answer a phone call when Shen Guining asked, "Is Mr. Qu going?"

"Miss Shen, your intentions are quite obvious." Su Yucheng curled his lips and asked directly, "You like our Brother Ci?"

Shen Guining subconsciously denied it: "No, we're just ordinary friends."

She's not used to talking about these things in front of outsiders.

"Okay, just friends." Su Yucheng nodded. "Ci-ge is going too, so are you coming?"

"I……"

Just as she was about to speak, Qu Yanci pushed the door open and entered.

Su Yuchen put his arm around Jin Yuhan's shoulder and stood up. "Let's go, let's go play pool."

"Something came up." Qu Yanci had a cigar in his hand, but hadn't smoked it yet.

"You're not going again?"

There is an online meeting.

"Alright then." Su Yucheng asked again, "Is Miss Shen still going?"

Shen Guining politely declined, saying, "I'm a little sleepy and want to go back to my room to sleep for a while. You guys have fun."

Since Mr. Qu wasn't going, there was naturally no need for her to go either, since she didn't know those people.

Su Yuchen didn't press the matter. "Okay, then we'll be going."

They parted ways at the entrance of the private room.

Shen Guining followed Qu Yanci back to the top floor with him.

She wondered if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Mr. Qu's expression was colder than before. Was it something to do with work?

Seeing that the man was about to return to his room, Shen Guining still called out to him, "Mr. Qu."

Qu Yanci paused slightly as he swiped his access card. "Speak."

"I..." The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she suddenly didn't know what to say. Shen Guining shook her head slightly. "It's nothing."

Qu Yanci's gaze was indifferent as he opened the door and went inside.
-
On the last day of her holiday, Shen Guining packed her luggage and prepared to return to the city.

I thought I would see Mr. Qu today, but the driver told me that Mr. Qu left early last night.

Shen Guining felt as if a piece of her heart had been emptied, a huge sense of emptiness enveloping her.

Does Mr. Qu not want to talk to her anymore? Otherwise, why would he leave early without telling her?

During the two-hour drive back, she was sullen and stared at the chat history for a long time, still not daring to bother him.

What should I say? Should I ask him why he didn't wait for me? But he has no obligation to do so.

She and Mr. Qu have no relationship whatsoever.

In the evening, I returned to my apartment.

Shen Guining stood in the entryway, feeling the vast, empty house.

The dappled neon lights outside reflected into the living room through the floor-to-ceiling windows, but they couldn't dispel the desolation.

She pressed the switch on the wall, and it instantly became as bright as day.

However, one of the hallway lights connecting the dining room and living room seems to be broken and is not working.

Shen Guining stared blankly at the ceiling light for a while.

There are so many lights in the house that even if one of them breaks, it won't make any difference.

However, perhaps she could use this opportunity to make a phone call to Mr. Qu.

(End of this chapter)