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nChapter 5 — A heavy burden but a long road

nThe next day, Lou Yao Yao woke up early. Yesterday night she was too excited, she tossed and turned about, but was unable to sleep. Afterwards, she pulled out a photo album and looked at for a long time. While she was looking at it, she unknowingly fell asleep.

nEven though she didn’t sleep long, the insufficient amount of sleep didn’t lead to exhaustion. Her entire self was refreshed; it seemed like she as an inexhaustible amount of energy.

nAfter washing her face and rinsing her mouth, Lou Yao Yao leaned forward to look at her university schedule lying on the dressing table.

nAs a sophomore student in university, she still had to attend classes. However, she would only attend professional courses that called roll. She basically wouldn’t go to the normal elective classes. She spent a long time pouring over her class schedule. She compared the schedule with the alarm clock on the headboard. Today was June 20th, a Sunday. There were no classes today. There were also no important classes tomorrow, she could skip. However, on Tuesday there was a compulsory course by the dean.

nAfter determining she could stay at home these two days, Lou Yao Yao decided what to do these two days in her heart.

nShe must meet Qing Zhi!

nThis was what she had planned yesterday evening. In order to give Qing Zhi a pleasant surprise, she especially endured not calling or sending a text message to Qin Zhi.

nShe didn’t know Qin Zhi’s arrival time, but she could guess it. Father had scolded her because she had quarrelled with Lou Qing Qing and fallen down the stairs. Thus, she quarrelled loudly with father. Afterwards, she had hidden in her home for two days until Qin Zhi returned. When he returned, she grabbed him and complained to him until her mood turned better. At that time, the sky wasn’t yet dark, but Auntie Liu asked them to eat dinner in the evening shortly after.

nTherefore, Qing Zhi must have arrived at her house around 5 to 6 o’clock. It took one hour to go from the Southern airport to her house so Qin Zhi’s flight must have landed at 4 o’clock. There was, at most, around 1 hour difference.

nShe praised herself for her cleverness in her heart. Then, Lou Yao Yao changed out of her pajamas, then went downstairs to eat breakfast.

nIt wasn’t yet 7 o’clock, but Fang Xi Lei and Lou Yuanzhi were already downstairs reading the newspaper. Hearing the sound of her coming downstairs, Fang Xi Lei glanced up but Lou Yuanzhi didn’t even lift his head. The two aunties were in the kitchen making breakfast. Lou Qing Qing had grabbed a dishcloth and was cleaning the table. Slanting her eyes, Lou Yao Yao walked past her.

nBefore long, from the kitchen came the sound of Lou Yao Yao acting like spoiled brat. She wanted to eat this. She wanted to eat that. She demanded a lot of many things. The two aunties good-naturedly agreed.

nLou Qing Qing lowered her head and cleaned the table in silence.

nThe whole family ate breakfast in silence. Fang Xi Lei said a few words to Lou Yao Yao, then went to work with Lou Yuanzhi. What about Lou Yuanzhi? That petty man didn’t even glance at Lou Yao Yao from beginning to end. Lou Yao Yao also didn’t pay attention to him.

nLou Qing Qing rushed to clean up the table and wash the dishes. The two aunties didn’t prevent her from doing so. The two women who were past fifty, what haven’t they experienced , what kinds of people haven’t they met? Old people could see people clearly.

nThose who were mothers, even if they lacked the ability to raise their child, who didn’t want the best future for their child? They weren’t like Lou Yao Yao. They could see the deeper things in a matter. Giving birth to a child, who was she putting on a play for? The small tricks that Lou Qing Qing’s mother was up to, could it be that they weren’t able to see through it?

nAs for Lou Qing Qing doing a little bit of housework, did she really think that she was genuine eldest young lady? Was doing a little housework seem like a grievance as big as the sky? Wasn’t this clearly making them look useless? In the case of a master who was didn’t understand, wasn’t this fastening on them the label of mistreating guests?

nHowever, the master Fang Xi Lei said to let her do what she wanted. No one was compelling her to do the housework. If she was expecting Lou Yuanzhi to speak out for her, wasn’t that being a little too naive?

nAuntie Liu and Auntie Lu leisurely cracked open melon seeds while chatting with Lou Yao Yao and watching a drama. The three people nestled in the sofa and talked merrily, the atmosphere was very cozy.

nLou Qing Qing clenched her teeth while washing the dishes. She listened to the sounds of happiness and laughter outside and so angry that her liver went bad. Those two ungrateful old goods!

nLou Qing Qing stubbornly washed serveral plates for an hour. When she came out, she had cramped hands, and aching waist and a sore back.

nLou Qing Qing’s idea, Lou Yao Yao wasn’t inclined to stop it. She was busy chatting with the two aunties. Speaking of which, she hadn’t seen them for sometime. After Auntie Liu’s son came to take care of her in her old age, Auntie Lu was lonely by herself. Before long her son also picked her up. In fact, according to the two people’s ages, they should already have retired. However, the work in the Fang household was very easy. They just had to buy the groceries and cook three meals every day. A part-timer came to do the other housework. Lou Yao Yao went to school and they also took turns to return to their homes every two days. Their family member weren’t greatly opposed to them working even in their old age. Secondly, they couldn’t bear to give up Lou Yao Yao whom they had watched grow up.

nIn Lou Yao Yao’s memory, the most intimate people were, firstly her maternal grandfather, secondly Qin Zhi, thirdly the two aunties, and her mother Fang Xi Lei was fourth.

nThus, their relationship not so good.

nLou Yao Yao accompanied the two old women watch TV all morning, ate lunch, and then rested a little. At exactly two o’clock, Lou Yao Yao rushed to the airport.

nLou Yao Yao had obtained her driver’s license. However she never drove. This was because she was too lazy. She couldn’t remember the roads and she didn’t like being tired. Also, after that matter, Lou Yao Yao was a little afraid of riding in a car. When she closed her eyes, she thought a steel bar would fly towards her.

nBut this time, she could she really walk rather than ride a car? Lou Yao Yao encouraged herself and thought of her task for a while. Only then was she able to tremblingly hold out her hand to flag a taxi.

nLou Yao Yao informed the driver of the address then sat stiffly on the seat, not speaking. Probably because of her extremely nervous expression, the taxi driver jokingly said, “Young lady, are you going to the airport to meet your boyfriend?”

nLou Yao Yao shifted a little of her attention to him, and despondently replied, “He isn’t my boyfriend yet.”

nThe driver looked at the back mirror and wanted to continue on to say something that would make this young lady less nervous. In the end, Lou Yao Yao’s eyes filled with seriousness stopped him from saying what he was going to say, “ Mr. Driver, please pay attention to the road, don’t speak with me.”

nSeeing that Lou Yao Yao’s expression and tone were earnest, the driver didn’t speak so that his good intentions didn’t ruin things.

nAfter waiting an hour, Lou Yao Yao’s body was already rigid, lost its consciousness. She got out the car tremblingly with the driver looking strangely at her.

nShe took her phone out her bag to check the time. It was 3:10. She shouldn’t have come too late. She ordered a cup of hot milk at the airport. After she drank several cups, she finally felt like she was alive again. Her life was over. How should she live in the days after this?

nLou Yao Yao drank the entire cup of milk, depressed. Then she looked for Qin Zhi’s exit. It had been so many years, she didn’t really remember where Qin Zhi went or which plane he took. However, her seat’s position was very good. She could look at the entire situation. She could see every person exiting from the airport.

nLou Yao Yao bought a magazine to look at. From 3:00 till 4:30, she drank many cups of beverage and went to the bathroom several times. Finally, she saw a familiar person in the crowd.

nLou Yao Yao stood up excitedly. Looking at him through the crowd, she was stunned. It was definitely Qin Zhi’s face but she felt it was very unfamiliar. He was not the same as the last time she had seen him nor was he like the person in her memory.

nWhen she last saw him, his face was haggard but his eyes were clear and not desperate. In her memory, he always had a serious, straight face. His handsome face was gloomy. Only when facing her did he have a few happy expressions. But those happy expressions never reached his eyes.

nThe current him was when his business just started. His entire person was high-spirited, glowing with health and vigor. Lou Yao Yao had forgotten. He was once used be to be bright, even his smiling face made people feel warm.

nLou Yao Yao already hadn’t seen for that kind of smile for a long time. She had even forgotten from when he had started stopped smiling. In the end, what had made him change so much, Lou Yao Yao couldn’t figure it out.

nThen Lou Yao Yao saw that woman. The woman whose beauty made people envy her in her memories. He was smiling at her with the expression that he only showed her in her memories. Lou Yao Yao was suddenly unable to hear anything. She stared blankly at the two people standing next to each other speaking and smiling while going out of the airport.

nThen a beautiful woman wearing a professional suit waved at them and naturally took the luggage in Qin Zhi’s hand.

nLou Yao Yao watch the three of them sit in a car and leave. She even forgot to stop them.

nLou Yao Yao suddenly felt very confused. She wanted Qin Zhi to love her, but on what basis? If one randomly pulled out one of the women by his side, she would be more outstanding than her. What did she have?

nShe wasn’t a beauty that would turn heads, nor was she the type of beauty where the more one looked the more beautiful she seemed. The only good thing about her face was a pair of overly big eyes. At first sight, it frightened people. But her sole presentable point was her pampered white skin. This let her face look very exquisite. But it completely didn’t have any sexy beauty. People most often said she was cute.

nThis face was completely destroyed by her because of her over usage of cosmetics. Her face had made people confused as to whether she was a person or a ghost.

nLou Yao Yao suddenly realized with horror, Qin Zhi saying that he loved her, could it have been to console her? This was very possible.

nHow could the matter turn into this! Why did her pleasant surprise become a scare!?

nPutting aside Lou Yao Yao who was in a daze, the female assistant asked Qin Zhi if he wanted to return home or go to the company. Qin Zhi chose to go a different destination.

nOriginally the assistant and the secretary were still talking and laughing, but when they saw their boss was daydreaming, they tacitly agreed to stop speaking.

nThe car silently heading toward a villa community and stopped at a three story villa. Auntie Liu and Auntie Lu were in the middle of watching a drama. They heard the doorbell ring and opened the door. When they saw Qin Zhi, instantly their faces broke into a smile.

nQin Zhi saw Lou Qing Qing seriously mopping the living room floor behind the two aunties. He smiled and asked, “Auntie, is Lou Yao Yao at home?”

n“Yao Yao went out after eating lunch,” Liu Auntie happily said, “Qin Zhi, quickly come in and sit down. We haven’t seen for some time. Today you should remain here and eat dinner. Auntie will make you a tableful of good dishes. You can just ask for whatever you want to eat. “

n“ How about next time, Auntie Liu. I just came to give Yao Yao something. I still have to go to the company later.” Qin Zhi smiled as he refused. Then he took the things in the trunk of the car and handed to the two housekeeper aunties. There were a lot of things, the two people had to go back and forth several times.

nTaking advantage of this labor, Lou Qing Qing put down her mop, wiped away her sweat and walked towards them. She bashfully said,”Qin Zhi gege.”

nQin Zhi politely but distantly nodded at her. He didn’t show much expression, nor did he even glance at her. Lou Qing Qing blinked and used an extremely regretful tone to say, “Qin Zhi gege came back today. Why didn’t you tell Yao Yao ahead of time? If she knew that you coming back today, she wouldn’t have gone out with Chen Hao.” Qin Zhi glanced at her meaningfully, but still didn’t respond. He handed over the last bag of things to Lu Auntie, then said goodbye and left.

nSitting in the car, Qin Zhi closed his eyes and rubbed his dully aching temple. His originally radiant face instantly became depressed and full of exhaustion. How could he not be tired? He hadn’t had a good night’s sleep for two days. The assistant and the secretary silently glanced at each other and reached a consensus. The assistant started the car and began heading toward Qin Zhi’s apartment.

nAfter a while, Qin Zhi opened his eyes and looked at the road. He said, “Go to the company.”

n“But boss…….”

n“Go to the company. Don’t make me repeat it a third time.” Qin Zhi closed his eyes again.

nIn order not to be fired, the female assistant very resentfully changed routes. Really, good intentions are not rewarded. In her heart, she thought bitterly, “Who said this position was the best? This damn assistant position, who wants it! This kind of boss with his volatile temper, who wants him!

nSecond Boss, you helped Big Boss find such attractive secretaries, it’s simply wanting to kill us. Second Boss, every debt has a perpetrator. Don’t fire our pitiful group of female staff.

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