Night Talk

The streets of Flame City at night were ablaze with lights, and the endless flow of traffic painted a picture of a metropolis far more vibrant than any other city in the world.

"Hmm~"

Liu Qingyue dragged her suitcase along the bustling sidewalk, humming a cheerful tune through her headphones. Though she appeared carefree, her eyes remained keenly aware of her surroundings.

"Hey, junior, why not stop in for a drink? You must be tired from walking."

Suddenly, Liu Qingyue paused in front of a late-night café, removed her headphones, and shook out her hair before turning around—just in time to face Li Guanqi, who had been trailing her for two blocks.

She had originally left the Ji Family and headed straight for Su Cheng’s apartment, only to find Li Guanqi already waiting outside. But this time, instead of entering, she turned and walked away. Li Guanqi followed, and so the two of them maintained a deliberate, unspoken distance, strolling like ordinary strangers.

"Senior, long time no see."

Li Guanqi emerged from the shadows, dressed head to toe in black, her face as expressionless as ever, her tone flat and calm.

"The lattes here are good, and you even get a free refill."

Liu Qingyue smiled, waving her hand playfully to suggest they go inside and talk. Without waiting for a response, she strode in first.

Li Guanqi nodded and followed.

They sat across from each other by the window, each sipping a latte as they chatted.

"His usual haunts are pretty limited—he’d never come to this area on his own. So we can speak freely."

Liu Qingyue explained her earlier detour before taking a satisfied sip of coffee. "Just like I remember!"

"It seems you already know why I’m here."

Li Guanqi lifted her gaze, her piercing eyes locking onto Liu Qingyue’s as if searching for something hidden beneath.

"Of course. This whole mess has been unpleasant for me too."

Liu Qingyue shrugged, her expression turning helpless. "I didn’t do anything, and yet here I am—feeling awful!"

Her words carried an unspoken accusation: I’m just a victim here. You’re the one to blame.

Li Guanqi lowered her head, stirring her coffee in silence. After a pause, she spoke again. "I understand how you feel. But right now, the most important thing is that I need you to promise me something."

"What’s that?" Liu Qingyue leaned back in her chair, a faint smirk curling at her lips.

"I just hope that, in this situation, none of you make any rash or unwise decisions."

Li Guanqi set down her spoon, her tone turning serious as she locked eyes with Liu Qingyue. "Combining those two factors would be like mixing chemicals that trigger a dangerous reaction."

"Are you scared?"

Liu Qingyue narrowed her eyes, as if trying to pry secrets from Li Guanqi’s expression.

Li Guanqi didn’t deny it. "Yes. Very."

She had believed that her bond with Su Cheng was unshakable—built on a solid foundation, irreplaceable by anything. But now, she realized it was more like a sandcastle on the shore, wiped away by a single wave without a trace.

Like a phone reset to factory settings, completely erased.

Of course she was scared.

"Is that so?"

Liu Qingyue mused, running a hand through her short hair. "But you should know—this has nothing to do with me. I’m just caught in the crossfire."

"I know."

Li Guanqi sighed, meeting Liu Qingyue’s gaze without flinching. "We’ve worked together before. If we join forces again, we can resolve this smoothly."

"Sadly, I get the logic."

Liu Qingyue shook her head, feigning helplessness before taking another sip of coffee. "But I’m sorry—the young mistress is still furious. There’s no reasoning with her right now, so I can’t help."

She paused, then added, "Of course, if Gu Ruoxue were to swallow her pride and apologize, I’m sure the young mistress would back down. After all, this mess is mostly your fault."

"Senior Gu..."

At the mention of Gu Ruoxue, guilt flashed in Li Guanqi’s eyes. She bore the brunt of the blame for this disaster.

All because she hadn’t kept an eye on Su Cheng that afternoon.

She remembered clearly—after their trip to the amusement park, Gu Ruoxue had warned her in the car to watch over Su Cheng. But she’d mismanaged her time, and now things had spiraled out of control.

"Seems like you two aren’t getting along."

Liu Qingyue cut straight to the heart of their conflict, not giving Li Guanqi a chance to respond before continuing.

"Since you can't find a breakthrough with President Ji, maybe consider a different approach."

Li Guanqi pointed at herself and said slowly, "For example, working with me. I want information from you, and I need you to keep an eye on Su Cheng at home."

"Fine, but you can't go back to Su Cheng's place."

Liu Qingyue thought for a moment before nodding in agreement.

If she refused, the other party might suddenly show up, causing chaos and forcing her to hide. After all, Su Cheng had no idea about their meeting.

"Agreed."

Li Guanqi didn’t refuse, but as soon as she finished speaking, she added, "But if he invites me, that’s a different story. Of course, he’ll definitely give you a heads-up first."

"You’re quite confident, aren’t you?"

Liu Qingyue rolled her eyes but nodded again.

"Then I’ll take my leave now."

Li Guanqi stood up, gave a polite nod, and pushed open the café door before stepping out.

She could keep an eye on Su Cheng at school, but the problem was—she couldn’t possibly go to his house every day and stay overnight, could she?

As for Su Cheng and Liu Qingyue being alone together under the same roof…

Would sparks fly?

That didn’t worry her.

Because she trusted Su Cheng.

So, having Liu Qingyue keep Su Cheng from getting any "rewards" was absolutely necessary.

"Looks like I can settle into being a housewife now~"

Watching Li Guanqi’s figure grow distant until she disappeared completely, Liu Qingyue couldn’t help but mutter to herself.

Then, she cupped her coffee mug with both hands, exhaled a short, bored sigh, and took another sip.

"Put the next table’s bill on mine too."

Just then, a conversation caught her attention from the neighboring table. She turned her head and saw a bespectacled man negotiating with the waiter.

When he noticed her looking, he immediately met her gaze, flashing a refined, gentlemanly smile and nodding.

The waiter soon approached her and said, "Miss, the gentleman at the next table would like to cover your bill."

This cliché, forced attempt at flirting instantly ruined her good mood. Still, she maintained an elegant smile.

The man in the suit, however, was so dazzled by her smile that he froze, only snapping out of it when the waiter started speaking to her. His excitement skyrocketed.

He must have thought she’d give him her contact details.

But unfortunately, he was wrong.

"Everyone, I’ll cover the bills for all the ladies in the café who haven’t paid yet. As for the gentlemen, I’m sure that generous gentleman over there will take care of them. Oh, and please pack these desserts for me."

Handing her credit card to the waiter, who wore a look of pure schadenfreude, Liu Qingyue watched as he headed to the counter. Meanwhile, all the other customers turned their eyes to her and the suited man, stunned by the grand gesture of covering everyone’s bills.

"No way…"

"It’s true. I just asked the waiter—the lady already paid for everything."

One woman about to settle her bill suddenly spoke up.

With that, the entire café erupted.

"Thank you!"

"Thanks, bro!"

"You’re a legend, man!"

The men’s voices of gratitude toward the suited man were endless.

Soon, the waiter returned with a few exquisitely packaged desserts. Liu Qingyue took them and walked out of the café without so much as a second glance at the man.

Meanwhile, the suited man could only force a tearful smile as one male customer after another handed him their bills, thanking him profusely.

Some even got handsy, eagerly leaving their phone numbers with him.

"Mmm~"

Humming a tune, Liu Qingyue’s mood quickly brightened again—though she was now carrying two things: a large bag of desserts and a receipt.

Once outside, she casually tucked the receipt under the windshield wiper of a parked car before continuing on her way.

About ten minutes later…

"That woman… she’s ruthless."

The suited man sat in his car, face dark with fury. Not only had he failed to get her number, but he’d also been swindled. Staring at the bill totaling thousands, his entire body trembled with rage.

Clearly, it was a fortune to him.

"Damn it!"

After cursing for a while, he was about to drive off when he suddenly noticed something resembling a parking ticket under his windshield wiper.

Instantly, his mood plummeted. Confusion, anger, frustration—all surged at once, twisting his face into something grotesque.

He got a parking ticket in the time it took to drink a coffee?!

In the middle of the night?!