Water and Fire~Chapter 79: Is It the Only One?

 

Chapter 79: Is It the Only One?

Chu Qianmiao suppressed the strange emotions in her heart and dipped a piece of cabbage leaf into the hot pot. She asked Huang Ying, "So, how did Tan Shen become interested in me? It seems we haven't had much interaction before."

Huang Ying held her chopsticks and thought for a moment. "I don't think he's ever mentioned this." She turned to ask Qiu Yun, "Did Tan Shen tell us how he became interested in Qian Miao?"

Qiu Yun thought for a moment and shook her head. "I don't think he's done it in detail."

Huang Ying turned back to Chu Qianmiao and said, "Hey, it's easy to explain. You and the three of us live in the same dorm, and he's in the same class. There's always a chance he could find out about you through us. You're such a clever, quirky girl, so beautiful, and so full of flattery that you could make anyone lose their minds. It wouldn't be surprising for any boy to be interested in you."

Chu Qianmiao quickly thanked Huang Ying for the plain and natural compliment. "Senior, if our conversation runs out later, you can repeat your compliments about me. Thank you, thank you."

Huang Ying smiled and patted her, then said, "Actually, Tan Shen has always been quite arrogant in our class. Look at your three seniors. We're all pretty good-looking, but he just hasn't taken a liking to any of them. He has very high standards, and it's rare for him to be so devoted to a girl. It's just that I didn't expect you two to break up right after we graduated, and it was such a hasty split. Honestly, the three of us don't quite understand what the heck you two are doing with your relationship."

Qiu Yun, standing aside, suddenly smiled and said, "Actually, breaking up isn't a bad thing. Tan Shen was born in the wrong era. He's a playboy and a genius at heart, and not everyone can handle or control his personality. It's said that even a graduate student drowned his sorrows in alcohol." She paused, her expression stern. After a moment's reflection, she said to Chu Qianmiao, "Qianmiao, I've been through this. I've seen through men's nature from my failed marriage. You're a pure person, the kind who can't stand a man deceiving you in any way. As for Tan Shen, after four years of college together, I've gotten to know him a bit. When he's sincere, he can move you to tears. While his kind words may sound nice, they're not always true. So, a man like that is best as a best friend; a boyfriend is too insecure."

Huang Ying served her some food. "Eat more vegetables, take care of your baby, worry less, and don't view men's nature so negatively."

Chu Qianmiao's heart skipped a beat at Qiu Yun's words. She looked at Qiu Yun and felt a little sorry for her. She felt sorry for her sharp and wise views on the relationship between men and women.

A sudden dryness in her throat. She wondered if a woman's wisdom about life and men had to be cultivated through repeated hurt.

She also felt a little sorry for herself. She had once lived a carefree life, but now she was filled with emotion. Even if she wasn't calculating others, she was gradually learning to calculate.

She picked up the cabbage leaf that had just been put into the pot. It was covered in chili oil, and no matter how she shook it, it remained red. She seemed to see herself, a clean cabbage leaf at graduation, but after years of tumbling in the spicy oil cauldron of society, it was covered in worldly odors that could never be shaken off.

She had no choice but to put the red cabbage leaf into her mouth. Although it was spicy, at least it still retained the delicious taste of cabbage.

She hoped that even if she continued to boil in the cauldron of society, even if she became tainted with more worldly materialism, she would still be able to maintain some of her original spirit and character.

The next day, Chu Qianmiao was still in Beijing for training. Upon arriving at the office, she received a call from Tan Shen.

Tan Shen said he wanted to invite her to lunch.

Chu Qianmiao, determined to maintain a proper distance from him, sat at her desk in Litong's Beijing investment banking department and told Tan Shen, "But I'm on a business trip working on a project."

There was silence for two seconds, then a laugh echoed from the other end of the line. It was a bit of a sneer, a bit of a wry smile.

"Chu Qianmiao, you're so boring," Tan Shen said. "Qiu Yun and Huang Ying are your roommates, but they're also my classmates, right? If they could contact you, wouldn't they contact me? Why wouldn't they tell me whether you're in Beijing or on a business trip?"

After a pause, Tan Shen said, "I've arranged for them to have lunch together at a Japanese restaurant on Financial Street. You should come too, so we can all have a meal together."

Chu Qianmiao said, "You guys can eat. My two seniors and I already had lunch yesterday."

Tan Shen was silent for another two seconds. When he spoke again, his voice was almost pitiful. "It's just the four of us having a meal together, not just the two of us. Qianmiao, why are you doing this? Besides, it was Huang Ying who asked me to invite you."

Chu Qianmiao's heart softened, and she agreed.

When they arrived at the place at noon, Qiu Yun hadn't shown up; only Huang Ying had. She told Chu Qianmiao, "I told your sister Yun to stay in the apartment and take care of her pregnancy. Stop driving around with Beijing's exhaust fumes all over her mouth."

Chu Qianmiao thought, okay? One less person, three people would also prevent her and Tan Shen from being alone. She couldn't afford to give them any more opportunities to escalate their relationship.

But halfway through the meal, Huang Ying suddenly said she had something to do and left. At that moment, Chu Qianmiao felt like a prostitute tricked by a brothel owner and sold to a wealthy man for dinner.

Looking back now, she realized that when talking about Tan Shen, Qiu Yun was always objective, while Huang Ying was always full of praise. And Huang Ying had been the main driving force behind the dorm social back then.

So, Huang Ying actually had a good relationship with Tan Shen, and it was likely that Tan Shen had used Huang Ying as a cover, asking her for help in advance to come and leave early.

After Huang Ying left due to an "urgent matter," Chu Qianmiao and Tan Shen were the only ones left in the private room.

Having figured out what had happened with this meal, Chu Qianmiao put down her chopsticks, shook her head, and smiled at Tan Shen. "You're always like this. You'll do anything to get something done, even if it means lying. You didn't even invite Sister Yun to lunch today; you only invited Senior Huang Ying, right?"

Tan Shen didn't deny it. "Sometimes, a little, harmless lie can help us accomplish a lot."

Chu Qianmiao looked at him.

He wasn't wearing a suit jacket, just a white shirt. His hair was styled and pulled back, revealing his full forehead.

He looked like a bright, young talent in his prime.

"But when little, harmless lies accumulate, they can become destructive, hurting others as well as yourself," she said, looking at Tan Shen.

Tan Shen picked up the juice pitcher and apologetically poured juice into her glass.

"I'm sorry. I apologize. It won't happen again." After a pause, he explained with a hint of grievance, "But if I hadn't done this, I wouldn't be seeing you today."

Chu Qianmiao sighed silently.

Men's harmless little lies are so hard to guard against.

Tan Shen suddenly said, "Huang Ying said she told you everything about what happened back then."

Chu Qianmiao looked up at him and realized he was referring to his initial attraction to her and the motivation behind the dorm reunion.

Chu Qianmiao was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Yes, you told me." She smiled and said, "I thought you were just casually attracted to me and then casually let go, but I didn't expect you were truly sincere. Thank you."

Tan Shen's eyes lit up. "Then tell me, how did you feel after you found out about this?"

Chu Qianmiao looked at him and said, "I'm very touched."

Tan Shen immediately pressed, "Besides being touched, is there anything else you feel? Not even a little bit of a heartbeat?"

Chu Qianmiao lowered her eyes to look at her plate. Her thoughts raced beneath her eyelids. After making up her mind, she looked up and said to Tan Shen, "Shen, I'm sorry, I'm just touched." She saw his expression change, from anticipation to disappointment, then anger.

She insisted on finishing her words, "I've tried hard to like you again, to be moved again, but I'm truly sorry."

Tan Shen looked at her, suppressing his disappointment and anger, and asked, "Can I ask you a question?"

Chu Qianmiao nodded.

Tan Shen's eyes burned, but his voice was stern. "When you were my girlfriend in school, were you serious?"

Chu Qianmiao met his gaze frankly and replied, "When you pursued me at first, I thought you were wonderful and was moved by you. At that time, I was just trying it out. But later, I was truly devoted and serious with you."

Tan Shen immediately pressed, "If that's the case, then why did you break up with me?"

"But you were the one who initiated the breakup," Chu Qianmiao replied calmly.

At the beginning of this relationship, she was a bit confused. She'd only ever had one unrequited love attempt, never a true love affair. She didn't quite understand how love should really work. Her senior classmates told her that holding hands, hugging, kissing, and finally having s*x—that's when the process naturally unfolded—became a relationship. She was stunned.

Later, the relationship blossomed, and she quickly moved on from her unrequited love for Ren Yan and devoted herself to Tan Shen. But by then, Tan Shen's personality was becoming increasingly unbearable. He was talkative, willful, and shrewd, often walking away when he was upset. She was growing increasingly tired of him. Just before he left for abroad, they had a heated argument and parted ways.

Technically, he broke up readily, and she didn't try to persuade him to stay. Neither of them was heartbroken at the time, but years later, Tan Shen came back and told her that he was deeply in love with her. He had several girlfriends abroad, and he compared his deep feelings for her to his.

"I regret breaking up with you," Tan Shen panted, controlling his emotions as he spoke in a hoarse voice. "Qian Miao, you know how much I loved you back then. Can't you really give me another chance? Why can't we try to be together again? Why?"

Chu Qian Miao lowered her eyes to her plate, silent for a moment.

Tan Shen's voice rose, almost shouting, "Why don't you answer my question?"

Chu Qian Miao sighed. "Well, Shen, since we're talking about this, let me ask you a question too." She raised her eyes again, looked at Tan Shen, and asked, "When I was your girlfriend, was I your only girlfriend?"