Chapter 21: Qin Yun Shu

Qin Xingwan called for a servant to come up and move some things.

The servant had just reached the doorway when Chu Li roared at them to get out.

"Get out."

The servant was startled and looked toward Qin Xingwan.

Qin Xingwan said calmly, "Go on out."

Chu Li was angry because of her, so it wouldn't be right to implicate others.

However, they needed to have a calm and rational talk.

"Chu Li, we need some space," she said calmly.

By spending some time apart, perhaps they could re-examine this relationship.

Chu Li's eyes were gloomy, "Do you want to move out, or do you want to go see Fang Yiwen?"

Qin Xingwan lowered her eyes to look at the books in the box.

She had read every single one of them carefully.

She had gained a wealth of knowledge from these books, and she could not give up that passion for perfume.

"Both," Qin Xingwan answered honestly.

She had met like-minded people, had a new job, and leaving Chu Li...

These three things did not conflict.

The corners of Chu Li's eyes were slightly red.

After she was discharged from the hospital, their time together had been quite pleasant; he had come home on time almost every day to have dinner with her.

Of course, there were also sweet interactions between husband and wife late at night.

She had been cooperative, accommodating, and even proactive.

He thought they had already reconciled.

All of Chu Li's tenderness turned into rage, and he said coldly, "When you were at the company, you signed a non-compete agreement; you are not allowed to work in the same field for three years after resigning."

Qin Xingwan was stunned, "You're using this to threaten me?"

He was too shameless.

Chu Li said, "I am just telling you the facts, so you don't end up being held liable after signing a contract."

Qin Xingwan didn't want to say anything more; she closed the cardboard box, didn't look at Chu Li again, and turned to leave directly.

Chu Li's heart skipped a beat, his intuition telling him she wasn't going back to the bedroom.

He chased after her and grabbed her wrist, "Where are you going?"

Qin Xingwan shook off his hand and said coldly, "Leaving here, of course."

If she couldn't take those books, then she wouldn't take them for now.

In any case, she didn't want to stay here for even one more second.

The place where he was felt suffocating.

"Qin Xingwan."

Chu Li called her full name, his eyes churning with dark clouds.

Something was being suppressed again and again.

"I'm leaving." He flung her hand away and strode off.

Qin Xingwan watched his car drive away from the window.

Her emotions were incredibly complex, but she still didn't want to stay here.

The servant blocked her path cautiously.

"Sir said if you leave, he will fire us; please don't make things difficult for us."

Qin Xingwan was frustrated, but she did not make things difficult for the servant.

She returned to her room.

The next time she saw Chu Li was when Qin Xingwan and Fang Yiwen attended the farewell banquet for the industry senior, Fang Dashi.

Fang Dashi was eighty years old this year and was using his birthday to announce his formal departure from the perfume industry.

Qin Xingwan had received an invitation long ago.

Chu Li was with Qin Yun Shu, currently conversing with Fang Dashi.

Fang Yiwen saw them too and asked if she wanted to wait a while before going over.

Qin Xingwan shook her head gently; it would be impolite not to greet the host first, and besides, she hadn't done anything to feel guilty about, so there was no need to hide.

She took Fang Yiwen's arm and stepped forward.

Both Chu Li and Qin Yun Shu saw her, and Qin Yun Shu bit her lip, silently removing her hand from Chu Li's arm.

Chu Li, meanwhile, stared with a gloomy expression at the hand Qin Xingwan had resting in the crook of Fang Yiwen's arm.

Qin Xingwan ignored them directly and greeted Fang Dashi with a smile, "Old Fang, hello, I am Qin Xingwan."

Although Fang Dashi was a highly respected senior in the circle, he was exceptionally kind.

"Miss Qin's reputation precedes her; very good."

Qin Xingwan pursed her lips into a smile and politely expressed her humility.

But she was happy inside; receiving a compliment from Fang Dashi was enough to prove her strength.

Qin Yun Shu bit her lip lightly, "Old Fang, my master, Master Katherine, has urgent matters this time and could not come in person, so she specifically asked me to present a gift on her behalf."

Someone immediately brought over a tray, on which sat an exquisite glass box containing a bottle of perfume.

Master Katherine was an internationally renowned Perfumer, and the perfume she sent was no ordinary item.

Everyone looked at Qin Yun Shu with envy and approval.

Being able to become a disciple of Master Katherine is enough to prove that Qin Yun Shu has extremely high talent in perfumery.

Qin Yun Shu curled the corners of her lips slightly, her tone gentle and respectful: "This is Teacher's latest work, please appraise it, Elder Fang."

The breathing of the surrounding crowd hitched, and they stared obsessively at that bottle of perfume; being able to smell Master Katherine's new product was an honor.

Fang Dashi nodded: "Open it."

Qin Yun Shu personally opened the glass box, carefully took out the perfume bottle, and opened the lid.

A nose-tingling fragrance gradually spread through the air, making people feel as if they were in a luxurious and magnificent palace.

"This is a concentrated perfume essence, the scent is a bit strong," Qin Yun Shu explained, putting the lid back on and placing it away again.

She awaited Fang Dashi's critique, "Elder Fang, what do you think?"

Elder Fang laughed heartily and said: "Not bad."

Qin Yun Shu was very happy and was about to speak when Fang Dashi had already looked at Qin Xingwan: "The scent on Miss Qin, it seems to be peony?"

Qin Xingwan nodded: "It is indeed peony."

She didn't usually wear much perfume, but since today's occasion was grand, she had used some.

Peony has always been a symbol of grace and luxury, and its fragrance is equally rich and fragrant.

Compared to Master Katherine's perfume, the fragrance on Qin Xingwan was more elegant.

"It is truly not bad; if Miss Qin doesn't mind, could you gift me a bottle?"

He personally asked for it.

Qin Xingwan was flattered, "If Elder Fang likes it, I will send it over as soon as possible."

"Come over here and sit," Fang Dashi said.

Qin Xingwan went to the rest area nearby.

In just a few short sentences, everyone could see that Elder Fang valued Qin Xingwan highly, while he was not very enthusiastic about Qin Yun Shu, who studied under Master Katherine.

Regarding Master Katherine's perfume, apart from the two words "not bad," he had not mentioned another thing.

Qin Yun Shu's eyes turned red; she felt humiliated.

She had come here specially today, bringing her teacher's gift and accompanied by Chu Li, thinking she could win Elder Fang's favor.

Yet as soon as Qin Xingwan arrived, she easily gained Elder Fang's favor.

The gift she had prepared with such care could not compare to the little bit of perfume Qin Xingwan had used casually.

Why?

A faint resentment rose in Qin Yun Shu's heart, and she couldn't help but say what was on her mind: "Why did Sister have to come at this time?"

Seeing her here, why couldn't Sister have come later.

Chu Li heard Qin Yun Shu's complaint, and he furrowed his handsome brows, "Yun Shu, she is also a Perfumer; when she comes to Elder Fang's banquet is her own freedom."

Qin Yun Shu shrank her shoulders, her eyes covered in a layer of mist, "I didn't mean anything else, I just... I just..."

She was somewhat choked with sobs.

"Perhaps I really am not as good as Sister," Qin Yun Shu looked at Qin Xingwan, who was chatting happily with Fang Dashi not far away, her expression full of envy.

Beneath the envy, there was also hidden unwillingness and a sliver of jealousy.

"Although you are both Perfumers, you each have your own strengths," Chu Li comforted her.

Qin Yun Shu gave a bitter smile; she was not happy.

Because when Chu Li was comforting her, his gaze was resting on Qin Xingwan.

She saw appreciation and admiration in his eyes.

Chu Li's mood was very complex; he knew that Qin Xingwan had talent in perfumery, otherwise there wouldn't be the Twenty-Four Solar Terms Perfume.

It was just that he had always felt she was not as good as Qin Yun Shu; after all, Qin Yun Shu studied under the international chief Perfumer Katherine, while all of Qin Xingwan's perfumery knowledge was something she had figured out herself from books.

But today, Qin Xingwan opened his eyes to a new world.

His wife had gained the favor of the highly respected Fang Dashi, and while talking with Fang Dashi, she was poised and graceful.

This was his wife...

Chu Li felt genuinely proud.