Chapter 51: The Lingering Dark Clouds

  Qin Nian woke up and didn't have the heart to look at the time, nor did she know how late it was now.

  But she had already woken up from her dream and looking out of the window at the pitch-black night sky, it must have been around midnight.

  As long as Lixiao wanted to come over, no matter what time it was, the door between them was just a mere formality.

  Qin Nian Ge clutched the quilt tightly, having just woken up from that dream, she really wasn't ready to face Lie Xue yet.

  But Li Xue didn't plan on giving her any more time to digest this, soon, his icy figure was already standing in front of her bed.

  There was still a faint smell of alcohol on his body and a slight dampness after bathing.

  I suppose you just came back from a social engagement before taking a bath.

  Even though he was already slightly drunk, his figure still carried a few points of oppressive aggression.

  Qin Nian Ge involuntarily shrunk back slightly.

  But even such a slight movement still caught Lian Yiwu's attention.

  Bang!

  The dim yellow desk lamp was turned on by him, and his slightly furrowed eyebrows also appeared in Qin Nian Ge's eyes at the same time.

  "Why haven't you slept yet?" Unknowingly, due to the late hour, Li Xing's voice was also lower than usual, but it sounded even more magnetic.

  Qin Nian Ge bit her lip and replied softly: "Just woke up."

  This sentence isn't false.

  She just didn't say out loud what woke her up.

  Li Yan closed his eyes and lay down beside her.

  The soft water bed suddenly tilted over due to his weight, causing Qin Nian Ge to also stick tightly to his side.

  Qin Nian Ge let out a cry of surprise, and was already scooped up into Lei Xue's arms, her cheek filled with the warmth of his breath that still carried a hint of wine.

  "Gege——" She habitually called out.

  His scorching lips grazed her slender neck, his voice seeming to drop even lower: "That's just as well, no need to sleep now."

  Qin Nian Ge was no longer an innocent child who had never experienced anything, so of course she understood what this sentence represented.

  But in that moment when he spoke out, her mind suddenly flashed back to Su Zhiwei's words that had been entwining her for the whole evening.

  "Will you be our bridesmaid?"

  Is it good or not?

  "No!" Qin Nian Ge suddenly shook her head and pushed away Lai Yue's embrace.

  Lai Yue didn't expect her to resist, let alone resist so fiercely, and in a moment of carelessness, she managed to break free.

  Qin Niange, who had always been as obedient as a kitten that hadn't been weaned yet in front of Li Xueyi, suddenly bared her claws, and Li Xueyi's face immediately darkened.

  "What's wrong with you!"

  Qin Nian Ge's lips trembled slightly, and in the dim light of the desk lamp, he stared blankly at Li Xue Ying's eyes, which were filled with a thin layer of anger.

  Yes, in his eyes, she just showed a little disobedience, which was already being hysterical.

  No matter when, Liang Yi wanted her to be just her unconditional cooperation.

  But the man in front of her would one day become another woman's husband and have children with another woman.

  It seems that Qin Nian Ge felt that the emotions hidden in the corner of her heart had been branded with shame.

  She fell in love with someone else's lover.

  Qin Nian Ge opened her mouth again, she really wanted to ask, are you going to marry Zhi Wei Jie?

  But she was too embarrassed and didn't know how to ask.

  Lai Ruoyi's greatest dislike was her having thoughts about his marriage.

  Perhaps it was her eyes that betrayed too much emotion, but the anger in Lian Yi's eyes also gradually dissipated a little.

  He frowned and once again stretched out his hand to hold her in his arms.

  But Qin Nian Ge still subconsciously struggled upwards.

  Her stubbornness finally reignited Lei Ying's anger once again.

  Lǐ Huī Yì gripped her shoulders tightly, his anger unreservedly bursting out: "Damn it! What the hell are you doing?"

  Qin Nian Ge trembled slightly in his rage and spoke softly; "I... I want to sleep by myself."

  This obvious tone of rejection made Lei Xue's face turn dark and gloomy, almost to the point of dripping water.

  Qin Nian Ge couldn't remember clearly how long it had been since he last saw Lai Rui Yi with this expression.

  The icy chill in those eyes could almost freeze a person from head to toe into a thousand-year-old ice sculpture.

  Chilling to the bone.

  If Qin Nian Ge were a bit smarter, he wouldn't have offended his dignity like this, and it would be better if he just listened obediently.

  But she couldn't always make her heart listen.

  Lai Yueying gazed at her with a gloomy expression for a long time, and finally, the corner of his mouth hooked up with a hint of disdain that Qin Niange had almost forgotten: "Sleep by yourself? You... what kind of trick are you playing again?"

  Qin Nian Ge shook her head helplessly, unsure of how to argue back.

  The disdain in Lian Yiwu's eyes was even more apparent: "I had forgotten, the woman lying beside me has always been good at playing tricks. It seems that genetic inheritance is indeed not to be believed. What are you trying to play now? Are you trying to lure me into a trap?"

  "Qin Nian Ge's argument was almost inaudible."

  Or even if she really spoke out, Li Xue would never take her seriously.

  The smile on his lips grew a little wider, but all Qin Nian felt was still only bone-piercing coldness.

  "It's possible that my recent attitude has made you think you still have a chance."

  "Qin Niange, let me tell you clearly once again, I only have hatred for you. Never have any extravagant hopes towards me, remember, this is all what you owe me."

  "All I have for you is hatred."

  He said it with ease.

  But it was like the sharpest dagger in the world, deeply inserted into Qin Nian's old wound on his chest.

  Their relationship, which had eased a bit, once again returned to square one.

  Leth Wing no longer sneaked into her bedroom every night, nor did he come back from time to time to eat the meals she cooked with her own hands. Even the two of them didn't see each other for several days like before.

  In Qin Nian's life, apart from studying, there was only studying.

  She didn't know whether she should feel disappointed or relieved.

  Perhaps the current situation is a good thing for her, getting used to such distance early on, so that when she leaves, it won't hurt too much.

  However, Qin Nian Ge didn't notice that from the day Li Xue Yi left her room, she hadn't smiled again.

  "Miss, your phone, it's Assistant Xu calling." Lan Ayi's voice suddenly came from outside the door.

  Qin Nian Ge suddenly woke up at dusk and only then realized that she had been staring blankly at her homework for so long, but she didn't know what she was thinking about just now.

  She bit her lower lip, thinking of Aunt Lan's words just now, and her heart trembled again.

  Is it Director Xu?

  Why did he look for her?

  "Alright, right away." Qin Nian Ge responded with a single word, quickly walking to the door of the study and taking the wireless phone from Lan's hand.

  At the same time, Assistant Xu's low and pleasant voice also came from the other end of the receiver: "Miss? I just called your cell phone, it was turned off."

  Qin Nian Ge was stunned for a moment, took out her mobile phone and took a look, only to find that the phone had run out of battery at some point.

  She usually doesn't play games or watch videos on her phone, it's just a communication tool.

  To be honest, she had no idea how many days it had been since she last charged her phone, and it was only natural that it would run out of battery.

  Anyway... now no one thinks of looking for her either.

  Qin Nian Ge's brow furrowed again, and he replied softly, "Sorry, I forgot to charge it. Is there something you need, Assistant Xu?"

  "Miss, it's still a voluntary thing. If you have time, could I ask you to come over?"

  Qin Nian Ge's classes were all arranged by Xu Yun Chuan himself. He called her to go over now, of course knowing that she didn't have any tutoring sessions at the moment.

  Qin Nian Ge has been out of sorts these past few days and has even forgotten about her college entrance exam.

  Now hearing Xu Yun Chuan mention it, he couldn't help but be stunned again, and then a bitter smile spread across his lips: "Whether I go or not, isn't it all the same?"

  As clever as Xu Yun Chuan is, how could she possibly not know what this sentence means?

  "But with the pressure from our boss being so great, even if he understands, I can only continue to pretend to be foolish: 'Of course, logically speaking, you shouldn't have had to come over yourself, it should be me going there, but today's work is really too busy...'"

  Qin Nian Ge knew he was intentionally changing the subject, but she also didn't have the heart to make things difficult for him.

  She nodded and thought Xu Yun Chuan couldn't see her anyway, so she responded softly: "Okay, I'll go over now."

  Xu Yun Chuan had known Qin Nian Ge for more than two years, and he knew she wouldn't refuse his requests. After hearing the expected answer, he hastily replied: "Let's meet later then."

  "See you later." Qin Nian Ge replied, but didn't hang up the phone. Her slender fingers subconsciously gripped the receiver tightly, her fingertips turning pale from the force.

  Xu Yun Chuan had been an assistant for so long that he was already used to being the last one to hang up the phone.

  He said goodbye but couldn't hear the busy tone on this end, and he was taken aback for a moment before speaking: "The CEO...happens to be out of the office."

  Xu Yun's words had barely fallen when Qin Nian spoke hastily to interrupt him: "I... I'm getting ready to go out, see you later."

  Hanging up the phone in a hurry, Qin Nian Ge only then realized that her face had already turned bright red.

  Is her mind so obvious?

  She also thought that she could deeply bury her thoughts of Li Xiang in the bottom of her heart, but unexpectedly, it was already known by everyone on the street.

  Fortunately, he wasn't there, and she didn't have to meet him this time either, nor was she afraid of being seen through by him.

  But why did a hint of bitter disappointment still seem to emanate from the deepest part of her heart?

  She - really didn't want to see him?

  This was only her second time in this place, but her mood was vastly different from last time.

  That time, she brought a bag of almond cookies made by herself, with a heart full of apprehension.

  But at this moment, she thought of the person sitting in this office building, and her heart felt more, but it was full of bitterness.

  Everyone says that loving someone will bring sweetness and happiness from the bottom of one's heart.

  But why is it that sweetness and happiness are always so short-lived?

  "Three schools, you can choose whichever one you like. My suggestion is St. John's University Fashion Design in the School of Art and Design, which has the best reputation."

  After meeting, Assistant Xu also tactfully didn't mention Li Xueying at all, and after a simple greeting, he went straight to the point.

  Although it was said to be her choice of elective courses, but until she saw the form in his hand.

  Qin Nian Ge had just discovered that what she was about to fill out were actually the recommendation forms for three schools.