NOVPUBLiu Changqing was taken aback when he recognized the person in the car. He walked over and pulled out a cigarette, offering one.
“You and your daughter back from traveling?”
Feng Qian accepted the cigarette, but his expression turned awkward at the question.
“Don’t even mention it. I took Shuyan to a tourist spot, and when we came out, all our stuff was gone!”
“Wait, you got robbed?” 𝘯𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝘣.𝑐𝑜𝑚
“Yeah.” Feng Qian nodded and continued, “We planned a month-long trip, but everything got stolen. We barely had enough cash left for gas money to get home. And since it’s finals season, we decided to come back early. On the way, Shuyan kept talking about your daughter, so here we are.”
“Haha, how is Shuyan doing now?”
As soon as Liu Changqing finished asking, Feng Qian’s cheerful demeanor dimmed slightly. Leaning against the car window, he took a deep drag on the cigarette and exhaled slowly.
“She’s doing better.”
“You scared me there. The way you looked, I thought it had gotten worse!”
The two exchanged glances and broke into laughter.
Standing beside Liu Changqing, An Yuanyao silently observed the interaction, her presence quiet but noticeable. Her refined aura caught Feng Qian’s attention.
“Look at me, forgetting my manners. Is this your wife?” Feng Qian asked, his tone lighthearted.
For a moment, An Yuanyao froze, her face suddenly flushing with embarrassment as she prepared to respond.
Liu Changqing glanced back at her and answered calmly, “No, just a friend.”
“Ah, I see…” Feng Qian accepted the answer without any further thought. He opened the car door and stepped out.
“Since we bumped into each other, how about grabbing a meal together?”
“Maybe next time. I’ve got some things to take care of today.”
“That’s a shame.”
They fell into a moment of silence, smoking their cigarettes.
Liu Changqing suddenly remembered something. “How’s your company doing?”
“It’s fine, running smoothly…” Feng Qian’s expression flickered briefly, a hint of unease passing over his face.
Liu Changqing noticed but didn’t press further.
“I don’t think I ever asked—what line of work are you in?”
“Didn’t I tell you? Game development.”
“Game development?” Liu Changqing’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “What kind of games?”
“Nothing high-end. Mostly the pixel-style games that are popular now.”
“Is it for those handheld consoles where you plug in a cartridge to play?”
“Exactly. You didn’t know? They’re really popular with kids these days.”
“I don’t follow that stuff much…” Liu Changqing trailed off, recalling how Xiazhi had mentioned handheld consoles during a recent conversation with her brother.
Maybe I should get her one?
“Are they expensive?”
“Not cheap. Manufacturing costs are only a few dozen yuan per console, but they sell for several hundred.”
“That’s quite a profit margin.”
“Sort of. My company only develops the games, though. We don’t sell the consoles.”
“I see… seems like a lucrative business.”
Liu Changqing took another drag on his cigarette.
Beside him, An Yuanyao maintained her polite smile, her gaze unreadable as she quietly studied him. Standing in front of her, Liu Changqing didn’t notice, but Feng Qian, facing them both, saw everything clearly.
There’s something going on between these two, he thought.
Just then, the school’s announcement system blared, signaling the end of exams. The parents waiting outside surged toward the gates, creating a loud and chaotic scene.
“Quick, let’s squeeze through!” Liu Changqing said, already moving.
“Wait for me!” Feng Qian followed closely behind.
Caught off guard, An Yuanyao hesitated, watching as the two men dashed toward the gate. It took her a moment to react.
“Wait… wait for me!” she called out, lifting the hem of her dress and scurrying after them.
The sight of eager parents jostling to see their children was unfamiliar to her, and she struggled to keep up. When she finally reached the crowd, she felt like a leaf caught in a storm, swaying uncontrollably.
“Don’t… don’t push!” she cried, her voice drowned out by the commotion.
Liu Changqing, now near the front, caught a faint sound and turned his head. He spotted An Yuanyao being pushed and squeezed by the crowd.
He hesitated, glancing at the school building where children were starting to emerge. Then, gritting his teeth, he made up his mind.
“Make way, make way!” he shouted, using his size to carve a path back through the crowd.
“Hey, who’s stepping on me?!”
“Who pulled my hair?!”
“Watch it, no shoving!”
Ignoring the complaints, Liu Changqing pushed forward until he reached An Yuanyao. He grabbed her wrist just as she reflexively tried to pull away. Looking up, she saw his flushed face.
Meanwhile, a disgruntled mother nearby glared at him. “What’s with you? Why are you squeezing back in?!”
“Shut up!” Liu Changqing barked.
The woman instantly fell silent.
“Are you stupid? What are you doing in there?” he scolded An Yuanyao.
“What if someone pulls your dress off in this crowd?”
“I… I’m wearing a one-piece dress…”
“It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing! You obviously don’t belong in a place like this!”
With a sharp tug, he pulled her out of the crowd.
Once they were clear, An Yuanyao exhaled deeply, patting her chest. “That was terrifying.”
“You!” Liu Changqing glared at her in exasperation. “I honestly don’t know how you’ve survived all these years. You act like a child!”
“I…”
He pointed back at the crowd. “Do you really think someone as small as you can push through that? Use your brain!”
“I…”
His scolding left her red-faced and speechless. She had never been reprimanded like this before.
Meanwhile, children began pouring out of the gates, parents joyfully greeting them with questions like, “How did you do?” and “What do you want to eat?”
As the crowd dispersed, Liu Changqing realized something. Looking down, he saw that he was still holding her hand.
