Chapter 1405: Qin Li Chuan's Sorrow

"What unrequited love?"

Xie Da Qiao looked at Qin Li Chuan in confusion, "No, Qin Li Chuan, you're really not being straightforward; such a big matter and you didn't even tell me?"

Under the speechless gazes of the others, Qin Li Chuan quickly shook his head, "Nothing of the sort, Wang Laoban was just teasing me. Uh... I suddenly remembered there's something I need to handle at the cafeteria; I have to go restock some goods, so I'm leaving now..."

"Hey, we're going to eat in a bit," Xu Lin said teasingly, "it doesn't make a difference right now."

"No, no, I still have to be busy during the evening dinner rush; I can't just let Da Long handle everything alone—he can't manage it by himself. I'm off, I'm off." Like someone fleeing, Qin Li Chuan pushed open the door and ran out.

Watching Qin Li Chuan run away, everyone's gaze shifted to Xie Da Qiao...

"Hey, why are you all looking at me?"

Xu Lin shook her head, "Some people, you never know if they're truly foolish or just pretending to be."

"I think it's likely they're truly foolish," Wang Ying remarked with a sigh.

Lu Qianran chimed in, "I can vouch for it; she's genuinely foolish."

Xiao Qianxi smiled, "Qiaoqiao, you'd better think it over carefully."

"Oh, what is there to think about?" Unable to endure such verbosity, Xu Lin said, "Qin Li Chuan came here specifically for you; isn't that obvious?"

"What?" Xie Da Qiao's eyes widened; she exchanged glances with her sisters for confirmation, then her eyes met Wang Yan's smiling gaze, and she quickly looked away.

She asked in disbelief, "Qin Li Chuan came here for me?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Lu Qianran blinked her large eyes.

"Is it really that obvious?" Xie Da Qiao also blinked innocently.

"It's extremely obvious! So obvious it couldn't be more obvious!" Seeing that Xie Da Qiao hadn't even realized it belatedly, Xu Lin grew anxious and said, "Just think about it: he was studying abroad in Canada perfectly well, yet starting from our freshman year, he flew back and forth several times, right? Last winter especially, he came back and never left; when school started again, he set up a stall selling pancakes right here on our campus and has been doing so until now."

"And that little Taiwanese girl—you saw what she's like; she threw herself at him so directly, and Qin Li Chuan even shared an apartment with her; I dare not even imagine that scene. Yet what happened? Qin Li Chuan simply remained unmoved, staying right here at our school flipping pancakes, hovering around you all day long. Tell me, what do you think he's aiming for?"

"Huh?" Xie Da Qiao's eyes widened; suddenly confronted with this revealed truth, her mind went blank, and she couldn't react immediately.

"Still saying 'huh'? Your heart is truly huge," Wang Ying said, shaking her head.

Wang Yan, sipping tea nearby, smiled and said, "Actually, thinking about it, it's quite normal; after all, they grew up together since childhood and became accustomed to each other's company, so they aren't particularly sensitive. Since she never considered that possibility, naturally she wouldn't feel anything."

"But you lot had to lay it all out explicitly; see, now it's awkward, right? Think about how Xie Da Qiao and Qin Li Chuan will meet and interact from now on."

Everyone stared wide-eyed at Wang Yan; Xu Lin, filled with righteous indignation, exclaimed, "Wait a minute, you were the one who first said Qin Li Chuan had unrequited love; how come now you're turning around and blaming us? Shameless; I despise you!"

Wang Yan looked utterly innocent, "I was just teasing Qin Li Chuan; who knew you'd all go ahead and spell it out directly?"

"You shameless scoundrel; it's your fault, yet you're blaming us," Wang Ying glared.

"Agreed," Lu Qianran raised her hand to express support; but seeing Wang Yan's gaze sweep toward her, she immediately shrank back like a quail, pretending to be very busy...

Xie Da Qiao waved her hand, "Stop talking, stop talking; my mind is extremely chaotic right now; let me calm down."

Saying this, Xie Da Qiao stood up, walked outside, sat down on a chair, basked in the warm afternoon sunlight, while fragments of memories with Qin Li Chuan flashed through her mind...

At the same time, sounds of laughter and chatter drifted out through the crack in the door; it was her good sisters launching an assault on Wang Yan, with Xu Lin as the main force, condemning Wang Yan's malicious behavior of stirring up trouble while enjoying the spectacle.

Inexplicably, Xie Da Qiao recalled what Xu Lin had said last year in their dormitory.

"Why don't you carefully consider it and bring out your 'Little Boat Brother' to compare him with Wang Yan?"

"Anyway, I don't believe you can resist making the comparison; even if you hadn't thought about it before, after what I said today, you should start thinking. People are most afraid of overthinking..."

Xu Lin's devilish voice echoed in her ears; she couldn't help but recall the time when He Xiaozhou rejected her confession, and she sat alone on a bench by Weiming Lake, sorrowfully crying, when Wang Yan appeared beside her with his usual carefree demeanor.

The conversation that day wasn't particularly meaningful, yet she still remembered it very clearly.

Unconsciously, she pulled Qin Li Chuan out from her memories and began comparing him with the laughing Wang Yan inside the room...

She sat in deep thought for quite a while until Wang Yan tapped on the glass from inside the room, calling her back.

"What's wrong?" she asked as she walked back inside.

"Pack up and let's go eat," Wang Yan stretched lazily beside her, "I've been hungry for ages."

"Oh," Xie Da Qiao responded and hurried to gather her belongings.

"So, how's your thinking going?" Xu Lin cheekily leaned in close to ask face-to-face.

"What thinking?"

Xu Lin looked at her strangely, "About Qin Li Chuan, of course? Hey, are you dumb? You sat outside by yourself for so long; what were you pondering?"

"It's too awkward," Xie Da Qiao sighed, "I don't even know how I'm supposed to face him next time; just thinking about it makes me feel extremely twisted. Honestly, he's really something; why does he have to make things so difficult for people?"

"The culprit is right over there," Lu Qianran subtly tilted her head toward Wang Yan.

"It's all your fault! So annoying," Xie Da Qiao said, gazing mournfully at Wang Yan.

"I'm more wronged than Dou E," Wang Yan let out a long sigh, "Actually, nothing serious happened; Qin Li Chuan ran off, and nothing was explicitly stated face-to-face. The main issue is whether you've figured things out in your own mind: do you like Qin Li Chuan or not? If you don't like him, just pretend ignorance when you meet him, and that's that."

"But that would be so improper; he gave up studying abroad and came to our school just to sell pancakes. Whether I like him or not, I must make things clear to him; otherwise, what kind of situation would that become?"

"Then go ahead and tell him," Xu Lin said, patting her shoulder.

"But I haven't figured it out yet! Tell me, how am I supposed to say it to him? I can't bring myself to speak..." Xie Da Qiao said with a tearful expression, jumping up and down in frustration on the spot, "This is so infuriating!"

"Anyway, you can't escape this," Wang Ying glared at a certain someone, "Sooner or later you'll have to make things clear; otherwise, just as you said yourself, what kind of situation would that become? If you show no attitude while Qin Li Chuan keeps foolishly hovering around you, that would be highly inappropriate."

"Sigh..." Xie Da Qiao sighed, "I truly don't know how to say it..."

"Let's go, let's go eat; people are iron, rice is steel, skip one meal and you'll panic from hunger; after eating, you can slowly ponder it over," Wang Yan called out to everyone, then turned and headed outside first.

"Just look at how bad this person is," Xu Lin said with utter disdain, "Qianxi, later you must have a serious talk with him."

"I'd be lucky if he doesn't lecture me; how could I possibly lecture him?" Xiao Qianxi said with an amused shake of her head; putting her arm around Xie Da Qiao's, she added, "Alright, Qiaoqiao, stop thinking about it; no one's asking you to go tell him immediately right this second; let's go eat."

Chatting and laughing, everyone departed, driving away in two cars; inside, Accountant Fang, having finished enjoying the drama, also packed up his belongings, shut down his computer, slung his small bag over his shoulder, went out, and locked the company door...

The main purpose of today's meal was for Xiao Qianxi and the others to confirm the magazine details with Wang Yan; they planned to start with fashion, then expand into entertainment, celebrities, and films, and afterward launch a photography magazine.

There was nothing wrong with that; after all, they currently couldn't attract major celebrities, nor was it necessary to spend that kind of money. However, the entertainment industry naturally carries topic value, so getting involved there was still essential; thus, starting with entertainment was a good choice.

As for the photography magazine being delayed so long, that wasn't a problem; as long as it existed eventually, Wang Yan wasn't in a hurry. In fact, if Xiao Qianxi and the others didn't do it, once he had more time later, Wang Yan would do it himself; he genuinely wanted to create an authoritative magazine and an authoritative award.

This was something he had never achieved in the real world.

On one hand, he didn't have the leisure time to devote to such a small matter; on the other hand, authority doesn't come from money but from recognition, from the accumulation over time, requiring buildup and long-term management.

The cameras from Long Teng Imaging Department were selling like hotcakes; due to production capacity issues, deliveries were delayed by over a month. The imaging competition they held also failed to attract many renowned masters submitting entries, consisting instead of various enthusiasts and some slightly famous professional photographers.

Things were different here, after all; this was only the beginning of the century, with ample time for development, so it could still be built up. Without claiming excessive authority, achieving recognition from professional photographers was certainly attainable.

Later, they could even launch a separate website to sell usage rights for various photos, much like that certain website holding copyrights for all national emblems and flags...

Of course, at the dinner table, talk of Xie Da Qiao and Qin Li Chuan was unavoidable; Xie Da Qiao felt completely numb, unsure of what to say or do, her heart a tangled mess.

But what did this have to do with Wang Yan? He had merely started it; the rest was exposed by Xu Lin and the others, one remark after another.

Yet since they all blamed Wang Yan for his loose tongue, then let it be his loose tongue; after all, he was a man who took responsibility.

However, this difficult problem ultimately landed before Xie Da Qiao; she had to make a decision...

The next day, in the cafeteria.

"Don't you two have no classes this afternoon? Why aren't you struggling at the company, and instead ran over here?"

Having passed the lunch rush and currently tidying up alongside Da Long, Qin Li Chuan saw Xie Da Qiao approaching and greeted her with a broad smile.

"Um... I have something to discuss with you; let's go over there to talk," Xie Da Qiao said hesitantly.

"So mysterious, what's wrong?"

Qin Li Chuan followed Xie Da Qiao to a table in the corner and sat down; seeing her stuttering and hesitating, he frowned. "Come on, just speak up, Da Qiao Da Qiao, what exactly is wrong?"

Xie Da Qiao bit her lip, fidgeted with her hands, and dug her toes into the floor. Although she had mentally prepared herself before coming, at this moment, she still could not decisively speak the words she wanted to say.

She raised her head to look at Qin Li Chuan, but the concern in his eyes stung her painfully.

She couldn't help but lower her head again, finally speaking: "Xu Lin and the others said you like me..."

Qin Li Chuan's eyes suddenly narrowed, and his hand on the table slipped beneath it; then he smiled and said, "Did Wang Laoban say the day before yesterday that I'm pining for you unrequitedly, and then Xu Lin, Wang Ying, and the rest joined in the fun?"

"Mm." Xie Da Qiao still dared not lift her head, playing with her hands on the table.

"Hey, how could that be possible? Think about it, we grew up together since childhood; we're simply too familiar with each other. I couldn't bring myself to do it."

Xie Da Qiao suddenly lifted her head: "Really?"

Seeing Xie Da Qiao's relaxed expression and hearing her relaxed tone, Qin Li Chuan nodded vigorously: "Of course it's true; how could it be fake?"

"Then I'm relieved." Xie Da Qiao let out a long breath, patting her chest. "You have no idea how conflicted I've been these past two days. Think about how awkward it would be if you actually liked me."

"Exactly, we're just childhood friends, iron buddies."

"That's not right." Xie Da Qiao frowned again.

"How is it not right?"

"They said you flew back and forth between domestic and international locations several times because of me, that you've always been hanging around me, and that you gave up attending university abroad to sell pancakes at our school just to accompany me." Xie Da Qiao stared at Qin Li Chuan. "You're not actually..."

"Don't be so narcissistic, okay?" Disgust was written all over Qin Li Chuan's face. "Those two times I returned home last year were for real business. As for why I didn't leave afterward? It was precisely because I made those two trips back; I felt home was simply better. Think about it, over there I was a stranger in a strange land. Previously, at least I had my sister with me, but then she secretly ran off to marry Yi Hui. How boring would that be for me? Plus, my English isn't even fluent.

Foreigners are exclusionary, and I can't even speak clearly; what could I possibly accomplish? Even if I stayed over there, I'd just be marking time until death; what future would I have? Moreover, expenses over there are high; food and drink are expensive. Where is it as good as here at home? In both places, I'm just marking time until death, but at home I can spend a bit less.

You know about opening this pancake shop, right? Didn't we encounter Da Long together? Later, I followed him out to set up a stall, getting chased everywhere we went; surely it's better to have a fixed base and open a proper store. Where else offers better business than a school? You are here, Xiao Zhou is here, and through you, I even met Wang Laoban Da. He has some connection with my sister, and he offered to help me, so naturally, I would stay here to work.

I'm not stupid; who wouldn't want to do business inside a school? Don't you agree?"

"Indeed, I didn't expect you to have thought so comprehensively; I overlooked this before. Qin Li Chuan, you've truly made me look at you with new eyes."

"That's just because we're too familiar; you can't spot my virtues." Qin Li Chuan shook his head. "So, don't listen to their nonsense in the future. Who has the mind to gossip when so busy? How out of my mind would I have to be to want to spend my life with you? I've been bullied by you from childhood until now; if we really got together, would I have any good days left in this life?"

"Get lost! It's me who has no good days with you."

Xie Da Qiao glared at Qin Li Chuan, stood up, and said, "Alright, this was the only reason I came to find you today. It kept me from sleeping well these past two days; it's only good once things are spoken plainly. Today, I can finally sleep peacefully."

"Understandable; if I knew you liked me, I wouldn't be able to sleep either."

"Get lost, you. Keep busy then; I'm leaving."

"Take care on your way."

Xie Da Qiao waved her hand without looking back and vanished from Qin Li Chuan's sight in the blink of an eye.

Qin Li Chuan covered his face with both hands; if Xie Da Qiao didn't leave soon, his sorrow would overflow uncontrollably...

Daily thanks to the good brothers who generously donate, cast monthly tickets, recommend tickets, and silently read the book for their strong support!

(End of Chapter)