Shen Qianshu left the individual exhibition area, but did not leave the jewelry exhibition. She visited all the areas, perusing the different designs, taking down information and noting down the works that she felt had unique appeal.
When Yuan Hui called, Shen Qianshu was seated in a cafe, sorting through the plethora of notes and information she had compiled throughout the day. It was already evening.
It had already been a year since she had started dating Yuan Hui, and recently, he had found every opportunity to propose to her on many occasions. Shen Qianshu was not prepared to become a bride and wife, and had not accepted his proposals. However, he was growing more persistent, promising her the future, their future together. Shen Qianshu took the call as she continued to sort through the information.
"Qianshu, let's have dinner together tomorrow, okay?" she could hear the smile in Yuan Hui's voice. "I managed to get hold of two tickets to a jewelry exhibition. I want to take you to visit the exhibition tomorrow."
"I've already spent the whole day visiting one today." Shen Qianshu replied, "Besides, you have always been uninterested in these things."
"You like it, so I will like it too."
Shen Qianshu's heart softened. If she was being honest with herself, Yuan Hui treated her well and did not mind that she had a son. This was also the main reason why she agreed to date him in the first place, but she felt quite repulsed whenever he kept wanting to discuss their marriage.
"Qianshu, about getting married, have you considered further since we last talked about it?" Yuan Hui brought up the topic again, seemingly more anxious this time.
Shen Qianshu said, "Yuan Hui, we've discussed this. I'm only 25 and I'm in no hurry to get married. Besides, work has been so busy and I'm really not considering marriage right now."
Yuan Hui replied in the understanding and thoughtful way he always did, "No matter how busy you are, you also need to have a family. Tong Hua also needs to have a complete family. I will care for him like my own son."
Yuan Hui's words touched Shen Qianshu's soft spot which was also her greatest weakness. Her eyes were distant as she fiddled with her pen, recalling Tong Hua's fight with a group of other children. One of the kids in the production crew had mocked him for not having a father, even purposely provoking him during filming. Tong Hua had started quarreling with him and it had escalated rapidly into a full out fistfight. The incident had caused a huge uproar and topped search engines for half a month. Some keyboard warriors and nosy onlookers had attacked Tong Hua, claiming that he was lacking love due to being raised in a single parent family and that he was mentally unstable and had flaws in his character. During that period, Shen Qianshu had felt powerless and could not hold back the raging inferno that chewed at her from the inside. She only wished she could catch all of those cowardly instigators, who only hid in the shadows like the spineless people they were, and stomp all over them like they were cockroaches.
It left a deep scar in her heart.
In order to let Tong Hua have a father and a complete family, she had been searching for a suitable man all these years. Unfortunately, Cupid had not been kind and she was unlucky in love.
"Qianshu?" Yuan Hui asked carefully.
"I will think about it," Qianshu promised him. No matter what, he treated Tong Hua really well and if it was for Tong Hua, she was willing to compromise and start a new life.
No matter how reluctant she was.
Yuan Hui ended the call and threw his phone to one side. He flipped himself over and pressed his body onto the naked woman beneath him. He kissed her luscious red lips, face beaming with a sense of accomplishment. It was all going as he had planned and he couldn't hide the smirk that crossed his face, while his arms pulled the woman closer to his heated body. Underneath him, the woman laughed brightly and their bodies were soon tangled up with each other, engrossed in an intimate dance within the sheets.
"Shen Qianshu finally agreed to your proposal?" Gu Xiaoli asked coyly, her fingers caressing his face with light fingers dancing over his most sensitive areas. Oh, she knew how to target a man's weak spot the best.
"Tong Hua is Shen Qianshu's soft spot. Just by targeting Tong Hua and showing her how much I care about him, she will easily be hooked."
"After you guys get married, her money will naturally become yours."
"She doesn't have much money. Tong Hua is the real deal, he is the gold mine we have to take care of."
"Do you like Shen Qianshu or me better…"
"Babe, how can a frigid woman like her be better than you? I can't believe you guys are even friends, she doesn't even have half of your sensuality…" his fingers raked against her warm body, lips pressing against the nape of her neck in response.
His words triggered her feistiness and soon after, their bodies were entangled again in a fit of passion, bed hammering rhythmically against the headboard with a cacophony of moans in accompaniment. The door was suddenly kicked open with a sharp crack, and a group of large, burly men barged in, crowding forcefully into the room.
Gu Xiaoli screamed, her face pale and her fingers digging into his back in fear.
…
The sky had already darkened with the moon was high in the sky when Shen Qianshu finally finished organising the information she had gathered. It was already after 9 in the evening. She ordered a quick and simple meal when a video call request came in from Lin Xiaojuan. She was her best friend and also Tong Hua's manager.