translated_Chapter 67

67: Insomnia (Apology for Interruption)

Qiu Ci turned a blind eye to Qin Yishan’s behavior.

He wanted to strike a blow against Qiu Shi, especially before she returned to China.

She deserved it; a fickle and prejudiced person shouldn’t have a good life.

Qiu Shi returned to China, which meant she and Tsukimi Rin were truly separated.

Unfortunately, the company didn’t particularly need her either.

Qiu Shi was essentially idle; she no longer paid attention to these matters and didn’t even bother with Qiu Ci.

Qiu Ci returned to China in early winter, busy with various work-related issues. Due to contract problems some time ago, many had been rejected, and for a time, Qiu Ci was overwhelmed.

Qin Yishan invited him to a private auction. He had been quite helpful during this period, and as long as it didn’t expose his personal identity, he could attend.

These types of auctions could be attended by an assistant, but Qin Yishan mainly considered Qiu Ci’s recent low spirits and wanted to take him out for some fresh air. The last time Qiu Ci was in this state was after a car accident several years ago.

Thinking of that car accident, Qin Yishan nervously took a sip of tea to calm himself.

The auction was about to begin, and Qiu Ci was dozing off to the side.

Qin Yishan glanced at someone sitting diagonally in front who looked familiar and nudged Qiu Ci.

Qiu Ci squinted.

“Look over there.” Qin Yishan whispered in his ear, pointing in that direction.

Qiu Shi was chatting and laughing with a young man next to her.

Qin Yishan was puzzled: “Is that your sister? Isn’t she newly heartbroken?”

Qiu Ci’s expression was serious. Who could be next to her but Jing Yueming, with whom he had been corresponding for a year?

His throat was dry, as if scorched by fire.

“It’s my sister.” Qiu Ci wanted to laugh. Qin Yishan’s hat was so thick it was perfect for winter.

Calculating the time, Jing Yueming should have just finished his college entrance exam, and they were out having fun.

He hadn’t paid attention to them during this time, assuming Qiu Shi would remain depressed, but clearly, this woman was still greedy.

Qin Yishan thought Qiu Ci simply didn’t want to see Qiu Shi. Who knew the host had also invited her? Had he known they would run into each other, he would never have brought Qiu Ci. Now, they’d walked into a trap.

Most of the auction items were works of art, which Qiu Ci was very interested in.

Qin Yishan contacted the assistant who came with him and collected three items.

After the auction, there would be a dinner, but Qiu Ci clearly didn’t want to attend. Qin Yishan sent the items to Qiu Ci.

An ancient painting, a bronze vessel, and a repaired jade object.

The staff introduced the items.

Qiu Ci couldn’t wait to play with them but was stopped when he touched the jade object.

“Sir, please avoid directly touching this jade object.”

Qiu Ci frowned in confusion: “Is there something special about it?”

“Mainly the area repaired uses thallium, which is toxic. It’s best to keep it in a special display case.”

Qiu Ci chuckled: “I was being superstitious. I thought this shape was for some kind of ritual.”

The staff wore a high-EQ smile.

With the items secured, Qin Yishan saw him home.

Qiu Ci had a rare bout of insomnia. The place he lived now wasn’t the same apartment complex he shared with Qiu Shi.

A few years ago, Qin Yishan, for his sake of settling in China long-term, bought this villa as a gift.

The house was too big, too empty.

Snowflakes were falling softly.

Even though the indoor temperature was twenty-six degrees, Qiu Ci felt a little cold.

Unable to sleep at night, his head ached even more during the day. Qiu Ci took a sick day for tomorrow.

He couldn’t sleep at home, so he drove to an apartment complex.

He often sent letters to this address when writing letters, so he naturally knew it.

High-end apartments didn’t come cheap. Where did Jing Yueming get the money?

Qiu Ci parked the car in front of the post office, a spot that also had a clear view of the main entrance of the complex.

In that year, Jing Yueming had walked this road at least thirty times.

It was still four in the morning; it was exceptionally quiet outside. The streetlights swayed, and with the heater on in the car, Qiu Ci curled up in his coat to sleep.

At seven in the morning, the road was just beginning to brighten, with only a few elderly people passing by, carrying shopping baskets.

The loud voices of several old men greeting each other in authentic Beijing dialect woke Qiu Ci, who had been dozing in the car.

In his drowsiness, Qiu Ci was thinking irrationally again, wondering if he could have a big fight with Qiu Shi, preferably in front of Jing Yueming.

He could reveal her ten-year relationship with Tsukimi Rin and her engagement with Qin Yishan.

Would Jing Yueming also be as angry and depressed as Tsukimi Rin?

His throat still hurt. The air conditioning in the car was too dry. He had a bottle of mineral water beside him. He unscrewed it and took a sip, but the water, warmed by the heater, did nothing to relieve the stinging in his throat.

Great, now it really was a sick day.

Snow fell on the car window and was melted by the heat, sticking to the glass in a wet mess.

Qiu Ci turned on the windshield wipers, and the view became clear again.

After waiting dazedly for two hours, his nose began to feel stuffy. Qiu Ci decided to buy medicine or see a doctor. He couldn’t keep playing along with Qiu Shi.

Just as the engine started, two familiar figures appeared in sight again.

Did Qiu Shi live at Jing Yueming’s house? Or did Jing Yueming live in Qiu Shi’s house?

The two of them got into a taxi together.

Jing Yueming should already be on winter vacation.

Qiu Ci followed involuntarily, watching them get out of the car and go to the mall together.

Before he could react, his phone had already taken a picture with a “click.”

Qiu Ci laughed at himself. What was he doing? Catching them in the act?

At least Qiu Shi was in a legitimate relationship, while what was he doing?

Scheming against his own sister, seizing the inheritance, bullying his sister’s lover, pretending to be his sister to write letters to her lover.

It shouldn’t be like this. He’d gone to such lengths, but he still hadn’t gotten what he wanted.

Or rather, what did he want?

Qiu Ci was starting to lose sight of it.

At 16, he wanted to be a painter. At 20, he was Teacher Xiao Qiu. Before 25, he was designing clothes.

At 26, he wanted to get to know Jing Yueming.

But at sixteen, he had a car accident. At twenty, he went to study finance. At twenty-five, he couldn’t continue designing clothes after arguing with his sister.

Until now, he and Jing Yueming were still strangers.

A simple investigation was all it took to find the places his sister frequented: her own home, Jing Yueming’s home, and a studio in an apartment building.

Qiu Ci waited for his sister at the studio.

At six in the evening, the person he was waiting for appeared at the end of the hallway.

Qiu Shi was a little surprised to see the person at the door. Qiu Ci was wearing a mask, his eyes were tired, and his hair was unkempt, as if he had just woken up.

“What are you doing here?” Qiu Shi asked, puzzled, but then quickly understood. There was no way Qiu Ci could avoid seeing her forever.

They were each other’s only family.

Qiu Shi opened the door: “You’ve been waiting for a while, haven’t you?”

The studio was well-heated, filled with the smell of turpentine and oil paints.

It was a familiar scent to Qiu Ci. This square room belonged to Qiu Shi.

“Actually, painting is quite interesting. If I had gone to paint back then, I don’t think I would have been bad at it either.” Qiu Shi’s tone was light, and she intentionally wanted to restore her relationship with Qiu Ci.

Qiu Ci walked around. There were a few paintings that were distinctly different from the style on the easel, somewhat similar to Qiu Ci’s realistic paintings.