Editor: Larbre Studio
"I’ll pay you for the scarf, Qinglan, let’s consider it as if I bought it from you," Fang Tong said. She could afford a scarf, but for Qinglan...
Yu Xiaoxuan nodded in agreent, "Yes, Qinglan, you’ve already spent a lot on these local products. We can’t let you keep spending. This scarf must be expensive. Let know the price later, and I’ll give you the money."
Shen Qinglan glanced briefly at Wu Qian, whose face had turned red because of their words.
"No need, I’ve had a scholarship for the past few years and haven’t spent much. I still have so savings. We have only one year left, so consider it a graduation gift in advance from ."
"But the graduation gift doesn’t have to be so expensive," Yu Xiaoxuan muttered, still insisting on giving the money to Shen Qinglan.
Shen Qinglan’s eyes showed helplessness, thinking to herself about Yu Xiaoxuan’s stubbornness.
Fang Tong suddenly realized that their words had been thoughtless, not considering Wu Qian. Wu Qian’s family was in even harder circumstances, and by insisting on giving money, they were making Wu Qian feel awkward.
Fang Tong gave Yu Xiaoxuan a aningful look, and finally, she understood and sheepishly stopped talking.
Fang Tong laughed heartily, "In that case, Qinglan, I’ll accept it without being polite."
Shen Qinglan nodded in good spirits.
Wu Qian, holding the gift box, whispered a thank you to Shen Qinglan, feeling very mixed emotions.
She had always thought she was on equal footing with Shen Qinglan in the dorm because they both ca from similar backgrounds. Even when she saw Shen Qinglan with Fang Tong and Yu Xiaoxuan, she never felt envious.
But now, she suddenly realized that she was the poorest in the dorm. Although she had a scholarship every year to cover her tuition, she had to work for her living expenses.
And Shen Qinglan? In these three years, she’d never seen her take any part-ti jobs. Although her clothing was simple, her daily life suggested she was well off, even saving her scholarship.
Wu Qian deeply realized the gap between herself and the others at this mont. She looked at the exquisite gift box in her hand, her eyes showing a complicated mix of emotions.
"By the way, didn’t you both interview at the Junlan Group? How did it go?" Shen Qinglan asked, clearly trying to change the topic.
"Fang Tong was hired, but I wasn’t," Yu Xiaoxuan said with a crying face. "I can’t see my idol, boo hoo."
It seed she was upset not because she wasn’t hired but because she couldn’t see her idol. Shen Qinglan was amused by Yu Xiaoxuan’s reason.
"Wu Qian, how’s your job search going?" Yu Xiaoxuan asked, recovering in just two seconds.
Wu Qian’s eyes dimd, "I haven’t found one yet, but I’ve submitted a few resus. I should hear back in a few days." She didn’t ntion that she had been rejected by Junlan.
Because Junlan’s interviews spanned several days, she purposely avoided doing them at the sa ti as Fang Tong and Yu Xiaoxuan, so they didn’t know they had applied to the sa company.
"Qinglan, I’m planning to go to Jinning City in a few days. There’s a large film base there, and I’d like to see it. Want to co with ? We might even co across a film crew shooting," Yu Xiaoxuan said excitedly after finishing a piece of osmanthus cake.
"I’m not going. I plan to take a few days to rest and look for an internship," Shen Qinglan replied.
Hearing this, Yu Xiaoxuan didn’t insist.
After finishing her errands, Shen Qinglan went directly ho, not to her apartnt but to her and Fu Hengyi’s ho—Jiangxin Garden.
The house was the sa as when she left, unchanged. It made sense since Fu Hengyi was still with the military and hadn’t returned, so no one was living there.
Shen Qinglan organized her luggage, focusing on the paintings she made again in Hang City. She picked up the sketchbook and placed it in a discreet corner of the bookshelf.
Then Shen Qinglan rolled up her sleeves and started cleaning. She changed and washed the bedclothes.
When she finished all the housework, it was already evening. Rembering the gifts she brought for Old Sir Fu and Old Sir Shen, Shen Qinglan quickly changed clothes and went out.
Shen Qinglan didn’t call ahead about going ho. When she arrived at the Shen Family’s house, they were eating.
"Qinglan is back," said Sister-in-law Song, who opened the door.
"Sister-in-law Song, where’s Grandpa?"
"Old Sir is having dinner."
Shen Qinglan went straight to the dining room, "Grandpa." She saw the others there too, "Mom, Brother," deliberately skipping over Shen Xitong.
Old Sir Shen softened his expression when he saw his granddaughter, "Have you eaten?"
Shen Qinglan nodded, "Yes, I’ve eaten. Grandpa, I brought you Longjing tea from Hang City. I tried it and thought it was nice, so I brought so back for you."
Old Sir Shen received the tea from his granddaughter, clearly delighted.
"Lanlan, Grandpa has a gift, what about ?" Shen Junyu looked at her with a teasing expression.
"It’s at ho. I didn’t bring it today. I’ll send it to your office tomorrow."
Shen Junyu was satisfied.
Shen Qinglan took out two boxes, giving them to Chu Yunrong and Shen Xitong, "Mom, this is for you."
She didn’t address Shen Xitong as her sister. The family was already used to it, and Shen Xitong herself didn’t mind, accepting the gift with a smile, "It’s nice of you to think of bringing gifts for us when you go out, sister."
"Just sothing I picked up," Shen Qinglan said with a slight, dismissive smile.
"Grandpa, I need to stop by the Fu Family, so I’ll be heading out now. I’ll visit you again soon."
Old Sir Shen’s hand paused. His eyes were sowhat complicated when he looked at Shen Qinglan. Indeed, a woman’s affections can’t be retained. Only just married into the Fu Family, she was already neglecting her own family.
Shen Qinglan left briskly, not noticing Shen Xitong’s look of hatred when she ntioned going to the Fu Family.
In recent days, Old Sir Shen kept pushing Chu Yunrong to arrange blind dates for her, which made her disturbed by having to et various unfamiliar n.
Even Chu Yunrong’s enthusiasm for arranging her a solo concert had greatly waned.
Shen Qinglan visited the Fu Family to see Old Sir Fu and stayed to have a al with him before returning to her ho. By the ti she left, it was already ten in the evening. This ti, she didn’t take a taxi but drove a red Ferrari sports car given to her by Shen Junyu on his birthday last year.
Upon returning ho, Shen Qinglan showered and went straight to bed. The room still held Fu Hengyi’s faint scent. She expected another night of sleeplessness but surprisingly fell asleep quickly.
At one in the morning, while sleeping soundly in bed, Shen Qinglan suddenly opened her eyes, a penetrating gaze fixed on the bedroom door.
In the quiet of the night, the careful footsteps outside the door were clearly audible.
The person stopped in front of the bedroom door, and Shen Qinglan quietly sat up. Barefoot, she padded to the door. The carpeted floor cushioned her steps, rendering them almost silent.
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