Chapter 68:

Coincidentally, people always fail to find something exactly when they want to find it the most. Only when they give up do they accidentally stumble upon it.

Shen Qingzhou’s trip to Mount Putuo wasn’t entirely focused on work, yet he truly discovered an auspicious feng shui site suitable for Xu Boqin’s use.

The location of this site, near the scenic area, would likely pose some development challenges and certainly come at a high price. Shen Qingzhou didn’t hide these difficulties from Xu Boqin, laying them all out clearly before letting Xu decide whether or not to use it. If Xu chose to proceed, everyone would be happy. If not, Shen wouldn’t bother finding a second site for him—such rare and valuable locations left no room for fussiness.

During this period of working with Xu Boqin, Shen Qingzhou wasn’t by Lin Qiao’s side. They had stayed a few days at Mount Putuo before returning to the city, partly because shopping wasn’t convenient there and also because after meeting Zhao Chunjun there, Lin Qiao had lost interest in sightseeing.

While the motorhome was indeed very comfortable, eventually one longed for a proper house. Lin Qiao stayed in a hotel, while Shen Qingzhou went out for business meetings. Du Xinling, knowing they were coming to the area, seized the opportunity while Shen was in a good mood to arrange meetings with clients in Zhejiang that he had previously lined up, hoping not to miss this chance only to wait indefinitely for the next. After all, no one ever complained about making more money.

Lin Qiao took a nap alone in her hotel room, then woke up and flipped through TV channels, finding nothing worth watching. Picking up a hotel brochure from the bedside table, she lazily glanced through it and noticed a nice rooftop garden with a great view. Since it was already evening, going up for some fresh air and to enjoy the night view seemed like a good idea.

The temperature here was slightly higher than by the coast—at least not as cold at night—but still couldn’t compare to inland areas.

Since becoming pregnant, Lin Qiao hadn’t bought much maternity clothing. Most of the time, she wore Shen Qingzhou’s clothes instead. His clothes were big enough and made of comfortable fabric, and wearing them always gave her a sense of his presence, making her feel secure and peaceful—far better than buying new things.

After dressing, Lin Qiao slipped on Shen Qingzhou’s coat and took the elevator to the top floor. Today marked the third day since they had encountered Zhao Chunjun at the entrance of the Guanyin Temple. She guessed that since Zhao had been unable to contact them for so long, he had probably already returned to Beijing. After all, he had work to do, and this wasn’t a long public holiday, so staying away for too long wasn’t practical.

To her surprise, she met him again on the hotel’s rooftop.

Zhao Chunjun was indeed a rather terrifying figure in Lin Qiao’s mind, and her psychological shadow toward him was understandable. However, even the most frightening person, when repeatedly encountered without causing any real harm, eventually made Lin Qiao feel less fearful and helpless than she had initially.

Remaining relatively calm, she chose a lounge chair to sit on and called a waiter to bring her a glass of juice, pretending not to notice Zhao Chunjun at all as she entertained herself. She casually flipped through some magazines on the rack and happened to notice one featuring Shen Qingzhou on the cover. Naturally, she picked it up and began reading the special interview inside.

It was an interview Shen Qingzhou had given early this year, back when Lin Qiao didn’t even know him. As a world-renowned feng shui master, he was consulted by both wealthy individuals and celebrities. Even some of her favorite actors had sought him out. Shen’s fee structure for her differed from what he charged the rich—his pricing for them was based on square footage, and the price was so high that Lin Qiao could only sigh in awe. The way Shen made money truly made Lin Qiao feel both jealous and envious.

“He really knows so many celebrities. I should have asked him for an autograph earlier,” Lin Qiao murmured absentmindedly while reading the interview.

“It seems Mrs. Shen is in a good mood.”

A familiar voice sounded beside her. Lin Qiao glanced sideways with indifference. Zhao Chunjun sat on a lounge chair beside her, smiling politely in his well-dressed manner.

His tone was extremely gentle, but no matter how he tried to suppress it, Lin Qiao could still sense the sinister aura hidden between his words.

“Would you like some dessert?” Zhao continued when she didn’t respond. “The desserts here are great—you should try some.” With that, he raised his hand to call for dessert.

Lin Qiao immediately stopped him: “No need.” She looked at him coldly and said, “Don’t order. I won’t eat it anyway.”

Zhao Chunjun obediently stopped, asking casually, “What, not willing to accept my kindness?”

Lin Qiao gave a sarcastic snort and said, “No, I’m just afraid you might poison it.”

Zhao narrowed his eyes, looking at her. In such a public place, he couldn’t do anything to her, nor did he intend to use force. That wouldn’t help him achieve his goal. He wasn’t a brute like Fang Zheng, and he certainly didn’t want to end up like him.

“Fine, then no dessert.” Though Zhao said this, he still ordered dessert, leaving Lin Qiao puzzled about his intentions.

Soon, the waiter brought up all the desserts he had ordered. The table was filled with beautifully presented and delicious-looking sweets, showcasing the chef’s excellent skills. The sight and smell alone made Lin Qiao’s stomach churn with hunger.

Zhao Chunjun, seemingly oblivious to Lin Qiao’s displeasure, calmly picked up his utensils and began to enjoy his desserts. He ate slowly, savoring each bite—a gesture of respect for the chef’s work, but to Lin Qiao, it seemed particularly annoying.

Unwilling to waste more time with him, Lin Qiao grabbed her magazine and decided to return to her room. But as she had just stood up, she heard Zhao Chunjun behind her say, “Mrs. Shen, that’s an article about Mr. Shen you’re holding, isn’t it?”

Lin Qiao turned to look at him and said, “What’s it to you? Doctor Zhao, why do you keep popping up in front of me and Qingzhou? Logically speaking, you should be thanking your lucky stars that we don’t come after you. Why do you keep showing up in front of us, reminding us that you haven’t been dealt with yet? If you don’t provoke trouble, trouble won’t find you. Why don’t you understand that?”

Zhao Chunjun’s lips curled into a cold, eerie smile: “Do you really think if I don’t come to you first, your husband won’t come after me?”

Lin Qiao frowned and fiercely defended Shen: “Even if he comes after you, it’s only what you deserve. On the day you did something wrong, you should have known it would eventually be exposed. What goes around comes around. It’s not that there’s no retribution—it’s just not the right time yet.”

Zhao stood up and said, “Then what I’m doing now is making sure that time never comes.”

Lin Qiao sneered: “What, are you planning to start with me?”

He sent her text messages, not directly to Shen Qingzhou, and specifically appeared before her when Shen wasn’t around—his intentions were obvious. This man, who had never acted honorably, had schemes so transparent that even Lin Qiao could guess them.

“I’ve never hidden my intentions,” Zhao Chunjun said, inching closer to Lin Qiao. She instinctively stepped back. He arched his long eyebrows, his black eyes locking onto hers, his voice deep and steady. “I will succeed. You don’t believe me?”

Lin Qiao shook her head without hesitation: “No.”

Zhao Chunjun smiled: “No worries, you’ll believe soon enough. Don’t you want to go back? Then why don’t you go? Unless you want to chat with me a bit longer?”

Lin Qiao gave him a disdainful look, which Zhao found amusing. People usually looked at him with reverence or silent hope, even if they secretly despised him. Lin Qiao was the first person to openly show him such contempt.

“I was planning to go back, but I have something else to do first,” Lin Qiao said calmly.

Zhao Chunjun raised his eyebrows in curiosity: “What is it?”

“You’re curious?” Lin Qiao’s tone turned slightly dangerous.

Zhao blinked, thought for a moment, and nodded.

Lin Qiao casually glanced at her left hand. Her right held the magazine with Shen Qingzhou on the cover, while her left held a glass of warm water. While talking to Zhao, she had silently poured all the water onto the floor between them. After he nodded, she gestured for him to come closer.

Zhao didn’t refuse, obediently stepping forward a couple of paces. They were now very close—her nose almost touched his neck.

He was really tall.

She thought to herself before tilting her head up and flashing him a bright smile, then, under his surprised and puzzled gaze, she pushed him hard.

Wearing leather shoes, he nearly slipped on the wet, smooth tiles, almost falling over. He wobbled several times and bumped into a few people before barely managing to steady himself.

Lin Qiao wasn’t worried about any physical retaliation from him. First, as despicable as he was, he was still a man and wouldn’t dare touch a pregnant woman in front of so many people. Second, after much reflection and understanding, she realized Zhao Chunjun didn’t intend to use the kind of violent methods Fang Zheng had used, which gave her the confidence to act boldly.

After completing this act of retaliation, Lin Qiao handed her glass to a passing waiter and casually said to Zhao, who had just regained his balance, “Excuse me. Compared to you forcibly injecting me with sedatives, this is nothing. You still owe me, so I’ll settle the score next time. I’m leaving now.” With that, she turned and left the rooftop, quickly disappearing around the corner.

Zhao Chunjun’s expression was complex—partly disdainful, partly nonchalant. His lips curled into a dangerous smile as he tidied his slightly disheveled clothes from the incident. Suddenly, he burst into laughter, the sound filled with inexplicable amusement.

When Shen Qingzhou finally returned to the hotel, Lin Qiao had already carefully taken a shower and gone to bed.

The hotel they stayed at naturally came with a hefty price tag, and the interior was comfortably luxurious without fault. Lin Qiao turned over in the soft bedding, saw the door open, and watched Shen Qingzhou’s tall figure in a black suit walk in from the doorway. Her heart leapt with joy.

She opened her arms and called out excitedly, “Honey, come here quickly!”

Shen Qingzhou had been out for most of the day, constantly worrying about Lin Qiao while working, fearing she might get bored or run into trouble. Seeing her lying safely in bed when he returned brought him great relief.

Placing his bag on the table by the door, Shen Qingzhou sat on the edge of the bed and leaned down to gently ask, “What’s wrong?”

Lin Qiao took his cold hand and pulled it under the covers to warm it, speaking in a slightly coquettish tone: “I met Zhao Chunjun again today. I think you really need to do a proper reading for me. I must be having bad luck with people lately.”

In the past, when she said things like this, Shen Qingzhou would always tease her, never actually doing a reading.

But this time was different. Shen Qingzhou only paused briefly before nodding. He agreed.

Lin Qiao looked at him in surprise: “You agreed?”

Shen Qingzhou said, “To know your past causes, look at your present experiences. To know your future results, look at your present actions. I’m not unwilling to help you read your destiny; it’s just that appearance reflects the mind, and destiny is shaped by oneself. Your fate is what you’ve created yourself. Knowing it wouldn’t change much.”

Lin Qiao hesitated and asked, “If it’s bad, can’t it be changed?”

Shen Qingzhou smiled at this. His smile was gentle and reserved, like a mild-mannered teacher: “It depends on what’s bad. Changing destiny against heaven’s will isn’t unheard of, but the cost is great. Improving your fortune, however, isn’t difficult. You don’t need to worry—I already did a reading for you long before we got married. You don’t have serious issues.”

Lin Qiao’s eyes widened: “You already did a reading for me?”

“Yes,” Shen Qingzhou admitted frankly. “As soon as I realized I had feelings for you, I matched our birth dates and times.”

Lin Qiao frowned: “Were our birth dates compatible?”

“No one could be more compatible than us.”

“What if they weren’t?” Lin Qiao pressed. “If they weren’t compatible, would you have stopped seeing me?”

Shen Qingzhou looked slightly helpless: “That scenario doesn’t exist. Don’t overthink it. Let’s go back to the original topic.” He got up and walked to the table, returning with something in his hand. When he placed it on the bed, Lin Qiao saw it was paper and a pen.

“What are you doing?” Lin Qiao asked, puzzled.

Shen Qingzhou said, “Let’s write a character. You wanted to know why you’ve been so unlucky lately, right?”

Lin Qiao laughed: “You look like a fortune teller from a TV show.”

Shen Qingzhou pretended to have a beard, stroking it mysteriously and solemnly said, “Dear guest, are you here for love fortune or financial fortune?”

Lin Qiao burst into laughter, reaching out to slap his face playfully: “Fortune? You’re the fortune!”