Chapter 2:

Although she had obtained Shen Qingzhou’s personal contact information, Lin Qiao still felt it was unreliable. She thought it necessary to doubt whether this number even worked. It wasn’t her being overly suspicious—it was simply because she had been mentally and physically drained over the past half year, and she had stopped daring to hope for the best.

To verify its authenticity, as soon as she returned to the hotel, Lin Qiao carefully sent a text message to the number on the business card, but she waited all night and still hadn’t received a reply by the next morning.

Disappointed, Lin Qiao sighed. As expected, this guy really wasn’t dependable. She decided she’d better contact Du Xinling instead.

After washing up and lightly applying some makeup, Lin Qiao grabbed her bag and headed downstairs, planning to visit Du Xinling again. However, as soon as she stepped into the elevator, her phone rang. She hurriedly took it out and saw it was Shen Qingzhou calling.

Lin Qiao was incredibly surprised. She took several deep breaths to calm her excitement before answering the call. She tried to keep her voice from sounding too eager or fawning. But the moment she heard the voice on the other end, her expression instantly twisted.

“Hello, Miss?”

…That was way too polite—starting off with “Miss” just like that.

Lin Qiao hesitated for only a moment before quickly responding, “Are you Xiao Shen?” The voice on the other end sounded very young, likely Shen Qingzhou’s son. Since he was Shen Qingzhou’s son, he must share the surname Shen.

“Yes! Miss, you’re so smart!” The child said happily. “I saw your message to Dad last night, but he wouldn’t reply himself and wouldn’t let me reply either. Right now, he’s outside talking with the doctor, and he left me here to pack. I’m calling you secretly. We’ll be leaving the hospital soon.”

Leaving the hospital soon? That meant his injuries weren’t serious, which was good news. But…

Looking at the time on her phone, Lin Qiao decisively asked, “Which hospital are you at?”

Ten minutes later, Lin Qiao arrived at the hospital where Shen Qingzhou was currently staying. Standing beside a pillar, she eagerly looked inside, hoping to intercept him.

She wasn’t sure whether he had already left. She had already told Shen Qingzhou’s son to stall for more time, so he probably wouldn’t leave that quickly, right?

Even standing on the steps, the blazing sun made her feel unbearably hot. She kept wiping sweat from her forehead, waiting anxiously. Finally, she saw a familiar figure carrying a little boy walk out, and she froze.

What was going on? Why was Du Xinling, rather than Shen Qingzhou himself, carrying Shen’s son?

Lin Qiao stood there, stunned, until Du Xinling approached with the child and she finally snapped out of her daze.

“Miss Lin, what are you doing here?” Du Xinling asked, frowning in confusion.

The child hurriedly said, “Uncle Du, this is the lady who saved me,” pointing at Lin Qiao.

Lin Qiao felt delighted that the child was showing gratitude. Seizing the opportunity, she said, “Yes, I came to check if he was feeling better.”

Du Xinling hesitated, then nodded. “Xiaoning is fine. Actually, you and Shirong really have quite the connection. Although you didn’t meet at the company, you met elsewhere. What a coincidence.”

Lin Qiao looked at him, puzzled. “Shirong? Who’s that?”

Du Xinling smiled, about to explain, when a deep, pleasant voice came slowly from behind her. “That’s me.”

Lin Qiao immediately turned around. A black Audi A8 was parked just below the steps. The driver’s window was rolled down, and Shen Qingzhou’s arm rested casually on the windowsill, smirking slightly as he glanced at them. His long, narrow phoenix eyes were slightly narrowed, adding a subtle, half-smile to his refined face. She had no idea how long he had been listening or how much he had heard.

He opened the car door, stepped out gracefully, fastened the button on his suit jacket, and strode up the steps.

Taking the child from Du Xinling’s arms, he spoke to Lin Qiao without looking directly at her. “We meet again. My surname is Shen, my given name Qingzhou, and my courtesy name is Shirong.”

So that’s how it was…

Lin Qiao nodded slightly, awkwardly gripping the strap of her backpack as she watched the two adults and the child clearly preparing to leave. She hesitated over whether to mention the purpose of her visit.

Du Xinling seemed to read her thoughts. Glancing at Shen Qingzhou and seeing no intention to stay, he directly crushed her hopes. “Miss Lin, we have other matters to attend to today, so we won’t be able to chat longer. I’ll contact you later to schedule another meeting. Goodbye.”

Before Du Xinling finished speaking, Shen Qingzhou had already placed the child in the back seat. He shut the car door and climbed into the driver’s seat.

He gripped the steering wheel, glancing briefly at Lin Qiao still standing on the steps. The wind blew her long, jet-black hair cascading down to her waist. Her delicate, fair face wore a clearly displeased expression.

After Du Xinling finished speaking, he got into the front passenger seat. Seeing that Shen Qingzhou hadn’t started the car yet, he looked at him in confusion. Shen’s expression was unreadable, leaving Du uncertain of his intentions.

As if making a sudden decision, Lin Qiao took a deep breath. Before Shen Qingzhou could drive off, she walked down the steps and opened the back door of the car, addressing the child inside. “Xiaoning, move to the inside so I can sit by the door.”

She had remembered the boy’s name from when Du Xinling called him earlier. Grateful to Lin Qiao, Xiaoning obediently moved inward, and Lin Qiao confidently got into the car.

“We can go now,” she said, exhaling in relief after settling in.

Du Xinling stared at her in shock, unable to speak for a moment. But Shen Qingzhou, who was driving, slightly lifted the corner of his lips after hearing her words, and actually shifted gears and stepped on the gas.

“Where is Miss Lin headed?”

The way he said “Lin” indicated he already knew who she was. He must have seen her information from Du Xinling. Lin Qiao didn’t think much of it and directly replied, “You decide. Anywhere is fine. Now that we’ve met, let’s discuss the matter of you helping me with the feng shui in Beijing.” She continued before Shen Qingzhou could respond. “You said yesterday you wanted to thank me properly. Don’t bother thinking about how to repay me—I’ve already figured it out. Just come back to Beijing with me.”

Shen Qingzhou smiled silently, continuing to drive without speaking. Lin Qiao, receiving no response for a long time, hesitantly added, “Thank you, Master Shen.”

Still no reply. He simply drove quietly. Lin Qiao watched his expression through the rearview mirror. His refined, handsome face revealed nothing, and the skin visible on his neck was as pale and smooth as jade, shimmering faintly.

A gentle tug on her sleeve drew her attention. She turned to the small hand beside her and met Xiaoning’s face. He smiled at her reassuringly and whispered, “Dad agreed.”

…What a little angel.

The car rode in silence until they arrived at the three-story villa she had visited before. The location was secluded and scenic, with a wide, open yard in front—an ideal traditional Chinese residence, favorable for accumulating wealth.

The first floor’s grand hall was entirely enclosed in glass without any walls, with only finely crafted bamboo curtains hanging for privacy, creating a refined and elegant atmosphere.

Before getting out of the car, Shen Qingzhou finally spoke—but only to Du Xinling. “Arrange a room for Miss Lin on the third floor. She’ll be staying here temporarily. I’ll make time to go to Beijing with her later.”

Du Xinling gave Shen Qingzhou a doubtful glance. Sitting upright in the driver’s seat, Shen revealed nothing in his expression, so Du could only reluctantly get out of the car.

Seeing Du Xinling exit, Lin Qiao, who had heard Shen Qingzhou’s promise, didn’t hesitate and followed him out.

After getting out, Lin Qiao instinctively looked back into the car. Shen Qingzhou held the steering wheel with one hand and rested the other on the seat, watching the car slowly reverse.

Because of this movement, his collar was slightly loosened, and the top button of his shirt looked ready to pop off. One could only imagine the perfect physique hidden beneath that expensive fabric.

…Ugh, what was she thinking? Even if he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, he had a son. Even if he was divorced, she had no intention of becoming a stepmother.

Shen Qingzhou left, not reversing to park but simply to head home with Xiaoning. Lin Qiao was the only one staying at the villa. The entire three-story house was hers alone.

When she learned this, Du Xinling was about to leave, and Lin Qiao looked at him hopefully. “Um, Mr. Du, how are you getting back?”

“My car is parked in the garage at the back. What’s wrong?”

Lin Qiao awkwardly scratched the back of her head. “Mr. Du, could you give me a ride? It’s hard to hail a taxi here, and my luggage is still at the hotel.”

Du Xinling smiled kindly. “Of course. I’ll take you to the hotel. Wait for me by the entrance while I go get my car.”

Grateful, Lin Qiao agreed and followed him downstairs, obediently waiting by the door. Although she had the taxi company’s number, she hadn’t called ahead, so the driver might not be nearby. If he had to come from far away, it would take time and cost more. Since she had help available, she saw no reason to be polite about accepting it.

Although she had obtained Shen Qingzhou’s personal contact information, Lin Qiao still felt it was unreliable. She couldn’t help but doubt whether the number would actually work—and she couldn’t be blamed for her skepticism. Over the past six months, she had been worn down to the point of exhaustion, and she no longer dared to hope for the best.

To verify whether the number was real, Lin Qiao carefully sent a text to the number on the business card as soon as she returned to her hotel. But she waited all the way until the next morning without receiving any reply from him.

Feeling disheartened, Lin Qiao thought, *This guy really is unreliable. I should just contact Du Xinling instead.*

After freshening up and applying light makeup, Lin Qiao grabbed her bag and headed downstairs, planning to visit Du Xinling again. But just as she stepped into the elevator, her phone rang. She hurriedly pulled it out and was astonished to see that the caller was none other than Shen Qingzhou.

Lin Qiao was both shocked and flattered. She took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart before answering the call. She tried her best to sound calm and composed, not too eager or ingratiating. But the moment she heard the voice on the other end, her expression twisted in confusion.

“Hello, sister?”

*…Way too polite, calling me “sister” right off the bat.*

After a brief pause, Lin Qiao replied, “Are you Shen’s little friend?” The voice sounded young, likely belonging to Shen Qingzhou’s son. And if he was Shen Qingzhou’s son, he must also have the surname Shen.

“It’s me! You’re so smart, sister!” the child exclaimed happily. “I saw the text you sent Dad last night, but he didn’t reply and wouldn’t let me reply either. He’s out talking to the doctor now and told me to pack our things. I’m calling you secretly. We’re about to be discharged soon.”

*About to be discharged? It seems his injuries aren’t too serious. That’s good, but…*

Glancing at her phone to check the time, Lin Qiao decisively asked, “Which hospital are you at?”

Ten minutes later, Lin Qiao arrived at the entrance of the hospital where Shen Qingzhou was staying. She stood by a pillar, anxiously peering inside, hoping to intercept him.

*I wonder if he’s already left. I told Shen Qingzhou’s son to stall for time, so it shouldn’t be too soon, right?*

Under the scorching sun, even standing on the steps, Lin Qiao felt unbearably hot. She kept wiping the sweat from her forehead as she waited impatiently. Finally, she spotted a familiar figure walking out carrying a little boy—and she froze in disbelief.

*What’s going on? Why is Du Xinling carrying Shen Qingzhou’s son instead of Shen Qingzhou himself?*

Lin Qiao stood there dumbfounded until Du Xinling approached her with the child. Only then did she snap out of her daze.

“Miss Lin, what are you doing here?” Du Xinling asked, furrowing his brow in confusion.

The little boy quickly chimed in, “Uncle Du, this is the sister who saved me,” pointing at Lin Qiao.

Grateful for the child’s sense of gratitude, Lin Qiao seized the opportunity and said, “Yes, I came to see how he’s doing.”

Du Xinling nodded hesitantly. “Xiao Ning is fine. But as for you… you and Shiheng really seem destined to meet. You didn’t run into each other at the company, but you managed to meet elsewhere. How rare.”

Lin Qiao looked at him blankly. “Shiheng? Who’s that?”

Just as Du Xinling was about to explain, a deep, pleasant voice came from behind her, speaking unhurriedly, “That would be me.”

Lin Qiao spun around. A black Audi A8 was parked at the bottom of the steps, its driver’s side window rolled down. Shen Qingzhou rested his arm on the window frame, a slight smile playing on his lips as he watched them. His narrow phoenix eyes were slightly narrowed, lending his refined face an ambiguous, almost teasing expression. It was impossible to tell how long he had been listening or how much he had heard.

Shen Qingzhou opened the car door and stepped out gracefully, buttoning his suit jacket as he strode up the steps.

He took the child from Du Xinling’s arms and, without looking at Lin Qiao, said, “We meet again. My surname is Shen, given name Qingzhou, courtesy name Shiheng.”

*So that’s it…*

Lin Qiao nodded slightly, awkwardly gripping the strap of her backpack. Watching the two adults and the child who were clearly about to leave, she hesitated over whether to state the purpose of her visit.

Du Xinling seemed to read her thoughts. He glanced at Shen Qingzhou and, seeing no intention to engage, directly dashed her hopes: “Miss Lin, we have matters to attend to today and won’t be able to chat further. I’ll inform you later to schedule a meeting. Goodbye.”

Without waiting for Du Xinling to finish, Shen Qingzhou carried the child to the back seat, settled him in, and then took his place in the driver’s seat.

His hands on the steering wheel, he glanced at Lin Qiao, who was still standing on the steps. The wind tousled her long, ink-black hair that cascaded down to her waist. Her lips were red, her teeth white, but her expression was far from pleased.

Du Xinling got into the passenger seat and, noticing that Shen Qingzhou hadn’t started the car, looked at him questioningly. Shen Qingzhou’s expression was unreadable, leaving Du Xinling uncertain.

As if finally making up her mind, Lin Qiao took a deep breath and, before Shen Qingzhou could drive off, walked down the steps and opened the back door. She said to the little boy inside, “Xiao Ning, scoot over. Let me sit on the outside.”

She had memorized the boy’s name when Du Xinling mentioned it earlier. Grateful to her, Xiao Ning obediently moved inward, and Lin Qiao confidently climbed into the car.

“Let’s go,” she said, relieved once she was seated.

Du Xinling stared at her, speechless. Meanwhile, Shen Qingzhou, who was driving, curved his lips slightly into a smile and actually shifted gears, pressed the accelerator, and started the car.

“Where to, Miss Lin?”

The use of “Lin” indicated that Shen Qingzhou also knew who she was. Du Xinling must have shown him her information. Without overthinking it, Lin Qiao replied directly, “You decide. Anywhere is fine. Since we’ve met, let’s discuss the feng shui consultation for my family in Beijing.” Before Shen Qingzhou could respond, she added, “Weren’t you the one who said you’d thank me properly? Don’t trouble yourself thinking about how—I’ve already thought it through for you. Just come with me to Beijing.”

Shen Qingzhou smiled imperceptibly but remained silent, focusing on driving. Lin Qiao, receiving no response for a while, grew uneasy and added, “Thank you, Master Shen.”

Shen Qingzhou still didn’t speak. He drove quietly, and when she glanced at his reflection in the rearview mirror, his noble and handsome face revealed nothing. The skin of his neck, exposed and fair as jade, seemed to glimmer with scattered starlight.

A small hand tugged gently at her sleeve. Lin Qiao turned to see Xiao Ning smiling reassuringly at her. “Dad agreed,” he whispered.

*…What a little angel.*

They drove in silence to a three-story villa Lin Qiao had visited before. Nestled in a quiet, scenic location, the house featured a spacious front courtyard—an ideal yang宅 (positive-energy home) believed to attract wealth.

The first-floor hall of the villa was enclosed entirely by transparent glass, without solid walls, only elegantly crafted bamboo curtains hanging for privacy—a tastefully designed space.

Before getting out of the car, Shen Qingzhou finally spoke, though his words were directed at Du Xinling: “Arrange a room for Miss Lin on the third floor. She’ll stay here for now. I’ll free up some time to go to Beijing with her.”

Du Xinling eyed Shen Qingzhou skeptically. Shen Qingzhou sat upright in the driver’s seat, his expression unreadable. After a moment of scrutiny, Du Xinling could only step out of the car in resignation.

Seeing Du Xinling exit and having heard Shen Qingzhou’s assurance, Lin Qiao didn’t linger either and followed him out.

After getting out, she unconsciously glanced back at the car. Shen Qingzhou had one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting on the seat as he slowly reversed.

With that movement, the unbuttoned collar of his shirt loosened slightly, the fabric strained, hinting at the well-built physique beneath the expensive material.

*…Ugh, what am I thinking? Even though he isn’t wearing a wedding ring, he has a son. Even if he’s divorced, I have no intention of being someone’s stepmother.*

Shen Qingzhou drove off. He wasn’t parking; he was taking Xiao Ning home. Lin Qiao would be staying in the villa alone, with all three floors to herself.

When Du Xinling was about to leave after sharing this news, Lin Qiao looked at him pleadingly and asked, “Um, how are you leaving, Mr. Du?”

“My car is parked in the garage at the back. Why do you ask?”

Lin Qiao scratched the back of her head awkwardly. “Mr. Du, could you give me a ride? It’s hard to get a taxi around here, and my luggage is still at the hotel.”

Du Xinling smiled warmly. “Of course. I’ll drive you to the hotel. Wait here at the entrance; I’ll bring the car around.”

Gratefully, Lin Qiao agreed and followed him downstairs, waiting obediently by the entrance for his return. Although she had the number of a taxi service, she hadn’t called ahead this time. The taxi driver might not be nearby, and if he had to come from farther away, it would take time and cost more. Since someone was available to help, she saw no reason to decline.

Du Xinling drove Lin Qiao back to the hotel and kindly offered to help with her luggage and drive her back, but Lin Qiao declined. She already felt bad for troubling him once; accepting more help would make her feel even more indebted.

Seeing her insistence, Du Xinling didn’t press further. After saying goodbye, he left.

On his way back, Du Xinling couldn’t stop wondering: given Shen Qingzhou’s temperament, no matter how grateful he was, he wouldn’t usually agree so readily to help. *Could there be some hidden reason I’m unaware of?*

Recalling Lin Qiao standing on the hospital steps—a young woman in the prime of her youth, wearing cotton shorts and a chiffon top, her long black hair straight and glossy, her features flawless—Du Xinling paused thoughtfully.

*Could it be… he’s finally taken an interest?*

Lin Qiao, too, hadn’t expected Shen Qingzhou to be so accommodating. After retrieving her luggage from the hotel, she headed to their villa. Given Shen Qingzhou’s personality, she had expected to wait days for any news and had already prepared for a delayed return to Beijing. But just two days later, she received a call from Du Xinling.

He informed her that flight tickets to Beijing had been booked and assured her not to worry. He also invited her over for a farewell dinner, adding that he was already waiting downstairs.

As she packed her things to leave, Lin Qiao couldn’t help but wonder, *Why does everything feel a little too smooth? Have I been tormented by them for so long that I’ve turned into a masochist?*

Seeing her determination, Du Xinling didn’t insist further and took his leave.

On the way back, Du Xinling couldn’t help but ponder. Based on Shen Qingzhou’s personality, even if he were grateful, he wouldn’t have agreed so easily to help unless there was some hidden reason he hadn’t revealed.

Recalling Lin Qiao standing on the steps earlier, she was in the bloom of youth, wearing a cotton short and a chiffon top, her long, straight black hair cascading down her back, her features flawless.

Du Xinling paused slightly, murmuring unconsciously, “Could it be… he’s finally noticed her?”

Lin Qiao, too, hadn’t expected Shen Qingzhou to be so agreeable. After returning to the hotel to collect her luggage, she went to the villa. She had originally thought, given Shen Qingzhou’s personality, it might take days to hear from him, and she had already prepared herself for a delayed return. But two days later, she received a call from Du Xinling.

Du Xinling told her that the plane tickets to Beijing had already been booked and that she needn’t worry. He also invited her over for a meal, calling it a farewell dinner, and said the car was already waiting downstairs.

While packing and getting ready to leave, Lin Qiao couldn’t help feeling puzzled. Why did everything seem too smooth? Had she been mistreated for so long that she had become a masochist?