Free Web NovelChapter 233: Chapter 233: Just a Drag
"Of course I’m going back," Su Qing said with a nod. "My household registration is still in Lihua Village. Even if I’m not working the fields for work points, I still need to look after my home. If a house is left empty for too long, it’ll fall into disrepair."
"I thought you had a place in Beijing and could stay a while longer," Li Huan sighed.
Su Qing just smiled. ’Baihua Mountain is so big, and I haven’t even finished exploring it. The deepest parts are practically untouched by people. I’m hoping I can go there to significantly level up my superpower.’
Two days later, Captain Zhang sent word to Su Qing. The group of human traffickers from that day had been captured—every last one of them. What’s more, by following the leads, the police had also dismantled an even larger trafficking ring and rescued many more women and children who had been abducted.
Su Qing was thrilled to hear this. She knew Captain Zhang was telling her she didn’t have to worry about retaliation from the traffickers. The case involved so many abducted women and children that the culprits would likely be locked up for a very long time. free𝑤ebnovel.com
With that, Su Qing no longer had to worry about Li Huan’s safety.
However, Su Qing never expected that when she opened her courtyard gate one day, she would find Song Jifei standing at the entrance, beaming, with a bouquet of flowers and a gift in his hands.
Noticing the gauze still taped to Song Jifei’s forehead, Su Qing asked, "You’ve been discharged from the hospital?"
"That’s right. I’m fine now," Song Jifei said, smiling at Su Qing. "I came today to thank you for saving my life. If it wasn’t for you, I would’ve been much more seriously injured."
A wave of fear washed over Song Jifei just thinking about it. He’d had so many cuts on his body. The doctor said he was lucky to have been brought to the hospital in time; otherwise, just from the blood loss alone, he would have been in a world of hurt.
Before Su Qing could say a word, Li Huan ran over. Her eyes went wide when she saw Song Jifei. "You! Song! What are you doing here?"
"Li Huan, what are you doing here?" Song Jifei was just as surprised to see her. Yan Dongjun hadn’t mentioned that Li Huan and Su Qing knew each other.
"This is my best friend’s house. Why shouldn’t I be here?" Li Huan retorted, planting her hands on her hips in anger. "What about you? What are you doing here?"
"I’m here to thank the person who saved my life," Song Jifei said, full of righteous conviction.
Hearing this, Li Huan remembered that Yan Dongjun had mentioned Song Jifei was injured and in the hospital, and that Su Qing had been the one to save him.
Li Huan pouted. "So useless. A grown man needing a woman to save him." free𝑤ebnovel.com
"You!" Song Jifei ground his teeth. ’It’s like Li Huan and I were destined to clash from the moment we were born. No matter what I do, she finds an excuse to tear me down. So I used to tease her a little when we were kids. How can she hold such a grudge?’
"Come on in," Su Qing said, ushering Song Jifei inside after noticing they were drawing attention.
"Su Qing, your courtyard is really nice." Song Jifei was quite taken with it. ’Looks like Su Qing likes these traditional courtyard houses,’ he thought to himself. ’If I really manage to win her over, I’ll have to work hard and earn enough money to buy her more of them.’
"It’s not bad," Su Qing said with a small smile, pouring him a glass of water. "You really don’t have to go to all this trouble. I just happened to be there. It was nothing."
From Su Qing’s perspective, it hadn’t been difficult at all, so she didn’t think much of it.
"No, that won’t do. You genuinely saved my life, and I have to express my gratitude," Song Jifei insisted, placing the bouquet and the gift on the table.
In this day and age, whether it was a blind date, a relationship, or the pursuit of one, most people were pragmatic. They’d go out for a meal, see a movie, or go to a mall to buy gifts. Giving flowers was rare. But Song Jifei thought flowers were romantic and, for some reason, felt they suited Su Qing perfectly. That’s why he had gone out of his way to get a bouquet for her.
"Oh, and to express my sincere gratitude, I’d also like to treat you to a meal. I was wondering when you might be free?" Song Jifei asked with a smile.
"I’m sorry, but I’m leaving Beijing tomorrow," Su Qing replied with a faint smile.
She had pretty much finished everything she needed to do in Beijing, and had already bought her train ticket back to the Northeast for tomorrow.
"What? You’re leaving Beijing tomorrow?" Song Jifei was taken aback. ’I was just imagining it all,’ he thought, his plans crumbling. ’First, I’d treat her to a meal, then naturally ask her to a movie. Once we got to know each other a little better, I’d confess my feelings. But I never expected...’
This completely threw a wrench in his plans.
"Yes." Su Qing, completely oblivious to Song Jifei’s inner turmoil, nodded. "I’ve accepted your thanks, but a meal really isn’t necessary. It wasn’t a big deal. I’m just glad you’re all right. Besides, you’re a good friend of Brother Yan. Even if you had been a stranger, I would have done the same thing."
Hearing Su Qing’s words, Song Jifei felt a pang of disappointment. He knew that to her, he was still practically a stranger. At best, he was just "a friend of Yan Dongjun."
But he couldn’t just let it end like this. He’d finally gotten a chance to connect with the girl he’d fallen for at first sight, and he wasn’t about to give up. Talking with her face-to-face today only confirmed it: his feelings for her weren’t just a fluke. Whenever he spoke with Su Qing, his heart would race, and he’d feel a secret, irrepressible joy.
Even if she still saw him as a stranger, just being able to talk to her made him ecstatic.
"Then when will you be back in Beijing?" Song Jifei asked hurriedly. "When you come back, I’ll treat you to that meal. And don’t be so quick to refuse. You may think it was a small thing, but for me, you genuinely saved my life. I heard from Dongjun that the hole was incredibly deep and steep. He’s a grown man, and even he couldn’t get down there."
"I don’t know yet," Su Qing said. "I’ll come back when I have time."
Since Su Qing didn’t give a specific date for her return, Song Jifei felt another twinge of disappointment. After a moment’s thought, he said, "How about today then? There’s no time like the present. Let me treat you to a meal today. What do you say?"
"Really, there’s no need," Su Qing said with a laugh. "You don’t have to be so formal."
Just as Song Jifei was about to press his case, Li Huan cut in. "Hey, you! Song! Su Qing already said no. Stop trying to force her."
Li Huan definitely didn’t want Song Jifei spending any more time with Su Qing. ’That Song Jifei has been a bully since we were kids,’ she thought, ’and he has a vicious tongue. Su Qing is a great fighter, but she isn’t sharp-tongued. In a war of words, she’d definitely lose to him. I can’t just stand by and watch her get bullied by that guy.’
Song Jifei glared at Li Huan, grinding his teeth. ’This Li Huan... she’s ruining everything!’
