Chapter 31
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
Qin Wanshu paid the bill, and Zuo Qinghuan personally handled the cash register. During the process, the two didn't engage in much conversation. Qin Wanshu took out some bills from her wallet and handed them to Zuo Qinghuan. Just as Zuo Qinghuan was about to prepare the change, Shi Yunyang spoke again.
"How do you find our Qin beauty?" Shi Yunyang pointed at Qin Wanshu, asking Zuo Qinghuan. Shi Yunyang's lively nature didn't seem to have a moment of pause, but it couldn't be denied that this person's heart was quite delicate. She noticed that the woman with a lily-like appearance had been ignoring her and Yan Ruowen since they entered, but occasionally glanced at Qin Wanshu. However, Qin Wanshu and she were already used to being scrutinized by others, so Shi Yunyang didn't detect anything unusual.
"Exceptional," Zuo Qinghuan replied after giving it some serious thought.
"Is there a discount for that beauty?" Shi Yunyang jokingly asked, being someone who dared to make fun of anyone.
Zuo Qinghuan glanced at Shi Yunyang, then turned to Qin Wanshu. Seeing Qin Wanshu smiling at her, it seemed like she was waiting for her answer, yet at the same time, it appeared as if Qin Wanshu was indifferent and merely observing the commotion.
"Sure, I'll treat her for that one." Zuo Qinghuan was quite generous, but her generosity was exclusively for Qin Wanshu. The expenses of the other two women wouldn't see any deduction.
How about my beauty?" Shi Yunyang protested. Excluding Yan Ruowen, that rigid woman, was one thing, but she considered herself a stunning beauty. How could she be excluded from such evaluations?
"Not my type," implying that enjoying a free meal based on looks isn't happening.
"Where am I lacking?" Shi Yunyang raised an eyebrow, growing more intrigued.
Everywhere, Zuo Qinghuan thought so.
Shi Yunyang had grown up believing that while she might not excel in some areas compared to Qin Wanshu, she was always proud of her looks and never considered herself inferior in that aspect. It was obviously Zuo Qinghuan’s lack of knowledge.
"Settle the bill, no need to exempt me," Qin Wanshu calmly interrupted Shi Yunyang, who had become more serious and more interested in Zuo Qinghuan. Qin Wanshu knew that this troublemaker became even more interested in those she couldn't easily conquer, displaying a rather nasty temperament.
Shi Yunyang had more to say, but with Yan Ruowen nearby, fearing potential mockery, she decided not to continue the banter. Money wasn't her concern; it was the disregard for her beauty that left her slightly unsettled. She glanced at Qin Wanshu with a touch of resentment, questioning why Qin Wanshu received attention while she was overlooked. However, her confidence quickly returned. After all, she had been in the same class as Qin Wanshu for many years, and she had far more pursuers than Qin Wanshu. Little did she know, women like Qin Wanshu were beyond the reach of most, and only a few dared to pursue her.
Zuo Qinghuan handed the change to Qin Wanshu, not including the portion for her. Qin Wanshu just glanced at Zuo Qinghuan without making a fuss and left.
After 9 PM, the crowd dwindled, and Zuo Qinghuan planned to have the staff close the place. Counting the money at the cash register gave Zuo Qinghuan a satisfying feeling. Reflecting on it, she thought that if they could maintain the current level of customer flow, they wouldn't incur losses. With this in mind, Zuo Qinghuan felt reassured.
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
After Zuo Qinghuan finished counting the money, she noticed that Li Xin was handling the cleaning alone, as the other two staff members had already left.
"As one of the owners, you don't need to do these tasks. Let them handle it," Zuo Qinghuan suggested, thinking that Li Xin could manage the workload of three people. Despite being busy all day, Li Xin didn't seem tired at all, leaving Zuo Qinghuan wondering if she was abusing herself or just had an abundance of energy.
"Well, since I'm not in a good mood anyway, let them go off duty first," Li Xin continued mopping the floor, not lifting her head.
"If all bosses were like you, employees would be happy," Zuo Qinghuan remarked. She sensed that if Li Xin persisted on this, she might end up looking worn out. Clearly, this woman lacked the touch of romance in her life and appeared quite austere. Zuo Qinghuan thought it would be a good idea to bring in a charming woman to liven up the atmosphere and prevent the shop from having the appearance of a worn-out place.
"You go back first. I'll go back after I'm done." Li Xin said thoughtfully.
"I'll head back then. Just finish one round of cleaning; don't stay too late," Zuo Qinghuan advised with concern. She knew Li Xin tended to repeat household tasks when in a bad mood, and that kind of compulsive behavior was very serious.
When Zuo Qinghuan stepped out of the store, a glaring car light nearly blinded her. She quickly realized it was Qin Wanshu in the car.
As the headlights dimmed, Zuo Qinghuan hurriedly approached Qin Wanshu's car, tapping on the window. Qin Wanshu rolled down the window.
"Why haven't you gone home yet?" Zuo Qinghuan asked.
"I just got back from the office, and happened to pass by. Do you want a ride?" Qin Wanshu asked gently.
Did you really just happen to pass by? Zuo Qinghuan thought to herself, finding it quite a coincidence. In reality, Qin Wanshu did get off work late, but whether it was intentional or subconsciously passing by Zuo Qinghuan's shop, noticing the lights were still on, she paused for a moment. As she was about to leave after the brief pause, Zuo Qinghuan happened to come out, leading to this fortunate encounter.
“Okay." Zuo Qinghuan didn't hesitate and promptly walked to the other side of the car, opened the door, and took the passenger seat.
Observing Zuo Qinghuan not fastening her seatbelt again, Qin Wanshu leaned over and secured it for her. Zuo Qinghuan couldn't help but smile. She really liked these subtle and considerate gestures from Qin Wanshu, which always warmed her heart.
"Why are you smiling so happily?" Qin Wanshu asked after seeing Zuo Qinghuan's radiant smile.
"Seeing you make me happy," Zuo Qinghuan said matter-of-factly.
Qin Wanshu glanced at Zuo Qinghuan, not immediately speaking. After a moment, she finally broke the silence, "Thank you for the afternoon tea."
"I can't help it, who told the Qin beauty to be so good-looking?," Zuo Qinghuan said with a smile, using the term "Qin beauty" that she particularly liked.
However, Qin Wanshu found this way of addressing her a bit informal and awkward. Suppressing a smile, she chose to ignore Zuo Qinghuan. At times, Qin Wanshu's personality could be a bit reserved.
"Which direction should I go? Left or right?" Qin Wanshu asked, referring to whether they should head towards the luxurious residence or the small single apartment.
"To the left." Zuo Qinghuan hadn't visited the apartment that Han Shibin had bought for her in a long time. Though the property was in her name, she contemplated whether to sell it. However, at the moment, she didn't dare to sell it to avoid Han Shibin jumping in anger.
Qin Wanshu turned the car to the left. Upon learning that Zuo Qinghuan was heading back to her small single apartment, Qin Wanshu's mood remained good. In fact, her mood had been quite positive throughout the day.
Soon, they arrived at Zuo Qinghuan's place.
"Do you want to come in for a while?" Zuo Qinghuan flashed her most appealing eyes, like how a puppy looks at its owner.
"No, it's late." In fact, Han Shibin had called earlier, expressing his intention to pick her up, but she declined. Considering the time, if she delayed returning home, Han Shibin might practically die of panic.
"Just for a moment." Zuo Qinghuan held onto Qin Wanshu's wrist. After not seeing Qin Wanshu for many days, Zuo Qinghuan couldn't bear to let her go.
"It's better not to..." Qin Wanshu's refusal this time wasn't very firm. Compared to going home to face Han Shibin, whom she increasingly didn't want to see, she preferred spending time with Zuo Qinghuan.
"Come on, just for a moment." Zuo Qinghuan, sensing Qin Wanshu relenting, warmly clasped Wanshu's hand, half dragging, half pulling her into her cave.
"Do you want some red wine?" After changing out of her pajamas, Zuo Qinghuan asked Qin Wanshu who was sitting rigorously on the sofa.
Qin Wanshu shook her head. Due to her constitution, she was sensitive to alcohol and could easily get drunk even with a small amount. It was a natural trait, so she rarely touched alcohol.
"Then I'll pour you a glass of juice." Zuo Qinghuan opened a bottle of red wine she had smuggled from the luxurious residence. Having worked in a bar, she was familiar with drinks, so she mixed a fruit wine for Qin Wanshu.
Qin Wanshu looked at the pink fruit wine, thinking it was indeed juice, and took a sip. She found it quite tasty and continued to drink more.
After a few sips, Zuo Qinghuan noticed something was off. Qin Wanshu's fair complexion had become red. Zuo Qinghuan thought to herself, It's not like Miss Qin can't drink, right?
"Are you a bad drinker?" Zuo Qinghuan asked casually, and who knows how sinister her intentions were when posing this question. Because, in asking, she already felt a thrilling excitement within her.
“Mm, I get drunk easily." Qin Wanshu nodded, feeling a warmth in her face.
Zuo Qinghuan noticed that although Qin Wanshu was trying hard to keep her eyes clear, there was still a hint of haziness. The rosy complexion from the alcohol made Qin Wanshu's face look entirely different from her usual enigmatic self.
In Zuo Qinghuan's mind, a mischievous voice was tempting her to get Qin Wanshu drunk. In reality, she was indeed planning to do just that. She quickly prepared a glass of fruit wine, this time noticeably stronger in alcohol content than before.
"This fruit juice has a great taste too; give it a try." Zuo Qinghuan said with a sly smile, her expression resembling that of a bad guy enticing a good woman.
Qin Wanshu felt that something was amiss with the fruit juice, but she couldn't resist Zuo Qinghuan's enthusiasm. She took a couple more sips, and now her face was even redder, her eyes more bewitching. Zuo Qinghuan was about to transform.
"Your face is really red..." Zuo Qinghuan approached Qin Wanshu, her fingers gently caressing Wanshu's delicate face. Sliding down to Qin Wanshu's chin, she playfully lifted it, adopting a flirtatious posture. With the added effect of alcohol, the atmosphere became increasingly ambiguous.
Although Qin Wanshu was somewhat intoxicated, she still retained some clarity. She felt Zuo Qinghuan's face getting closer, and her own face becoming warmer.
Author’s Note:
My Jinjiang coins are being sold in my sister's Taobao shop. Today, my sister called and said, "You have a reader who's truly pitiable, claiming to stay up late every day waiting for updates, especially a 2000-character one. “ And how it's such a poor child. She asked me to write more words for them
Haha, for this adorable reader, I'm making a dedicated effort to extend this chapter to three thousand characters.
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