translated_Chapter 13

13: Shooting Yourself in the Foot

13: Shooting Yourself in the Foot

Even though it’s clearly formal wear, Qiu Ci wears it with an alluring sexual tension.

Jing Yueming is full of righteousness, like a young cadre.

Qiu Ci comforts him, “A bit green, but just right.”

Su Yuyang yawns, “Try shirts and bow ties in other colors.”

Finally, Jing Yueming changes into a glossy black shirt with a metal tie clip.

Su Yuyang also spruces himself up, and the three of them go to the banquet hall together.

Showing the invitation, Jing Yueming, a commoner, disguises himself and arrives at the high society ballroom.

Jing Yueming doesn’t recognize anyone.

However, many men and women come to greet Qiu Ci, and Qiu Ci deals with them one by one.

The host of the banquet is a young master who has returned from studying abroad.

The purpose of this banquet is for his father to find him a suitable fiancée.

Jing Yueming takes a bite of a snack, bored, and analyzes the architectural style of the decorations here.

A man in a tuxedo walks up to Qiu Ci, who clearly takes him more seriously.

It seems this is Qin Yishan, mentioned on the invitation.

“Hi, Alan, long time no see.” Qin Yishan walks over with a glass of red wine to greet Qiu Ci.

Qiu Ci responds, “Long time no see. In China, it’s more appropriate to call me Qiu Ci. After all, I haven’t used the name Alan for a long time.”

“Okay, Qiu Ci, that’s more intimate. How have you been lately?” The two seem to be familiar.

“The equity issues, difficult to handle.” Qiu Ci’s eyes show some melancholy.

Qin Yishan also shakes his head helplessly, “If Ai La, oh no, Qiu Shi were still here, it would be much better.”

“Yes, if elder sister were here, these troubles would have been solved long ago.”

Qin Yishan’s gaze lands on Jing Yueming next to Qiu Ci, “And who is this?”

Qiu Ci introduces him, “My younger brother, quite handsome, right?”

Qin Yishan gives them a meaningful look, “Very young.”

Whenever someone asks about their relationship, Qiu Ci always answers like this, without further explanation.

In everyone’s eyes, it’s tacitly understood.

Qiu Ci doesn’t have any other relatives. Besides, he’s only been back in the country for a short time. This younger brother, isn’t he his lover?

Jing Yueming whispers, “Qiu Ci, will there really be no problems?”

Qiu Ci gives him a reassuring look, “It’s nothing, don’t you want others to misunderstand?”

“I really want to, wouldn’t that mean no one would be thinking about you?” Jing Yueming is ecstatic inside.

He boldly chats intimately with Qiu Ci in public.

His gaze is drawn to a corner of his vision, the only person he recognizes in the entire banquet hall.

Tsukimi Rin.

She’s here too.

Tsukimi Rin also walks over, “Qiu Ci, I’ve finally met you.”

The woman is wearing a navy blue dress, simple and elegant, and black high heels, making her height, which was originally a little over 1.6 meters, now almost equal to Qiu Ci’s.

Qiu Ci is only surprised for a moment, “What a coincidence, I also wanted to settle the score with you for harassing Little Jing.”

“I just want to see the relics left by Qiu Shi, I’m begging you, Qiu Ci.” Tsukimi Rin stares intently at Qiu Ci, her eyes firm.

“There’s nothing that concerns you, Tsukimi Rin. Do you want me to repeat the reason you broke up back then? You have no relationship, no relationship at all.” Qiu Ci rarely shows such anger.

“You have to give me a chance, I just want to know what Qiu Shi left behind.”

Qiu Ci chuckles, “Miss Tsukimi, the dead cannot be revived. My condolences.”

“I don’t believe she’s dead. In Conan Doyle’s books, Sherlock could fake his death. Unless you…”

“Do you want me to dig up the urn for you to see?” Qiu Ci’s eyes are icy cold, “Miss Tsukimi, two years ago, you insisted on getting married and settling down in Japan. Qiu Shi couldn’t dissuade you no matter how hard she tried. Why was she depressed? How many calls and texts did she give you these past two years? Do you remember the last call she made to you? That was when she slit her wrists. I found her three hours later, and she was already cold. If you had answered that call, would the ending be different now?”

This past is something Jing Yueming never knew. Ai La kept her past, future, and present very well hidden from him, and he stares blankly at Qiu Ci.

Several people nearby are attracted by the commotion and look over.

Tsukimi Rin shakes her head in disbelief, “I don’t believe what you’re saying, Qiu Ci. I don’t believe she would get depression. I want to investigate myself.”

“Then go ahead, great detective. Just like back then, under the guidance of false and insufficient evidence, you imagined that she didn’t love you, causing her so much pain.” Qiu Ci smiles dangerously.

Tsukimi Rin still wants to explain, “That was a misunderstanding, Qiu Ci. I thought your sister’s greatest love was always power and money.”

“You understand correctly. She knew what she wanted, but she also had desires, and she wanted something even more.” Qiu Ci looks at the people around, “Miss Tsukimi, were you invited? If not, security is coming.”

Tsukimi Rin leaves in a panic.

Qin Yishan rushes over to ask, “What’s wrong? Qiu Ci, were you arguing with someone?”

Qiu Ci shakes his head, “It’s nothing, it’s my sister’s ex-girlfriend.”

“Tsukimi Rin? Ai La mentioned her to me. She actually came back to the country.”

Qiu Ci changes the subject, “Let’s not talk about this, Mr. Qin. Did you find your sweetheart tonight?”

Qin Yishan’s eyes are disappointed, “I still prefer your sister.”

“That’s a pity. If elder sister hadn’t passed away, you would have gotten married this winter.”

Jing Yueming is even more shocked.

Qiu Ci explains to him, “Mr. Qin was once my sister’s fiancé.”

Jing Yueming should be offering a polite smile, but he can’t smile at all.

“That’s really, too bad.” Jing Yueming says with a lack of emotion.

Fortunately, Qin Yishan has heard this phrase too many times, especially considering Qiu Ci’s face, he doesn’t pursue Jing Yueming’s attitude.

On the way home, Jing Yueming absentmindedly watches Qiu Ci driving, “Qiu Ci, Ai La really hid a lot of things from me before. What kind of person was she?”

“Do you want to know? I can tell you what she hid from you.”

“I want to hear.”

Qiu Shi was a tall girl among Asians, around 1.75 meters.

Before the age of seventeen, Qiu Ci had never lived apart from his sister. They were adopted by their father at birth.

At that time, the old man just wanted two Asian children.

Like raising two beautiful cats and dogs.

In a few years, the old man’s four biological children died one after another, leaving only Qiu Ci and Qiu Shi.

Sensing that someone was targeting him, he decisively sent the last two children to China, after all, it was safer there, and these two children also had Asian faces.

Qiu Ci studied art in a small city, living a comfortable and stable life.

At the age of sixteen or seventeen, a car accident permanently damaged Qiu Ci’s right hand nerves.

He recuperated for three years.

When the car accident happened, the adoptive father felt unprecedented fear and urgently sent the last child, Qiu Shi, to Japan to study finance.

The two separated like this.

Qiu Shi arrived alone in a foreign country she had never been to before.