As for Pink-Hair, before Falling in Love, He Insisted That He Wasn't the Possessive Type - Chapter 8

Shang Qingye was at the hospital with his grandmother, waiting for the results of her scans. He sat on a long bench outside the CT scan room, listening to her nag him.

“Can you go and get your ears checked now? Do not worry about me. Go get an examination and see if we can fix your hearing. We will pay whatever it costs. Do not worry, Grandma has money.”

Shang Qingye held his grandmother’s arm. Looking at her and seeing how much she wanted his ears treated, he told a small lie.

“Grandma, if I get my ears checked today, I probably will not be done until eleven o’clock. It would take a very long time. It is already late, and I have a commission tomorrow that requires a full day of shooting. Would you really have me stay up that late tonight?”

His grandmother glared at him, her lips trembling as if she wanted to say more, but she ultimately stopped trying to persuade him.

After a moment of silence, she suddenly spoke up again.

“Then go the day after tomorrow.”

Faced with this stubborn old lady, Shang Qingye felt helpless. He feigned agreement to ease her mind.

“Fine. As long as I do not have a commission the day after tomorrow, I will come back for an ear exam.”

Only then was his grandmother satisfied. Just in time, the doctor called her name. Shang Qingye went to collect the results, scanning the paper as he walked. He relaxed only after seeing there were no major issues.

“Grandma, you cannot do heavy labor, do you understand? From now on, you do not need to do so many chores. Wait for me to come home to handle things like carrying water.”

He supported her as they walked out of the hospital.

“When people get old, they need to stay active. Otherwise, it is easy to get dementia. If I get dementia, who will take care of our Xiao Ye?”

She did not agree with his view; instead, she said with a smile that one should stay active.

Shang Qingye looked down at the small woman who was a head shorter than him. His throat felt tight, and he sighed inwardly before speaking.

“I will take care of you.”

His grandmother laughed. “No need. When I die, just cremate me. Do not bother with a funeral; it is a waste of money.”

Shang Qingye stopped abruptly. The lights outside the hospital were dim, hiding his expression in the shadows. His voice was heavy when he spoke.

“What is this talk about dying? If you mention death again, I will die right now.”

Sensing the tone of the child beside her, she quickly backtracked.

“How could I die so early? I have to live a few more years to see our Xiao Ye get married and have children.”

Early the next morning, Shang Qingye put on his jacket and headed out.

He had lied to his grandmother about having a commission yesterday, but he did have something important to do today.

He stepped out of a taxi, looked up at the skyscraper in front of him, and walked inside.

On the ninth floor, a sign of modest size read: “Bellflower Photo Studio.”

Shang Qingye walked in. The receptionist greeted him as if she knew him well.

“Ye-ge.”

He replied with a smirk and headed further inside.

“You are here?”

Hua Jiegeng was sitting by a coffee table with a calculator, paper, and a pen, appearing to be balancing accounts.

“Sister Hua.”

Shang Qingye found a sofa and sat down, his posture relaxed. “Sister Hua, you are as beautiful as ever.”

She took a moment to look up at him. “That mouth of yours cannot be trusted.”

In truth, Shang Qingye was not wrong. Hua Jiegeng looked to be only in her twenties. With her heart-shaped face, double eyelids, large eyes, high nose bridge, and thin lips, she was a classic beauty.

“Have you made up your mind? You are really giving up your freelance status here?”

Sister Hua finally finished her work and sat on the sofa across from him.

Shang Qingye picked up a fake flower from the table and toyed with it. He nodded casually. “I have made up my mind.”

“Is the person who recruited you reliable? Do you want to think it over again?”

Sister Hua asked for confirmation as she took a sip of the tea her assistant had just delivered.

Shang Qingye raised his eyes and nodded again. “If they are not reliable, then I will just end up helping them count their money.”

He spread his hands, acting as if he did not have a care in the world.

Hua Jiegeng looked at him and knew his mind was set. She nodded. “Fine. With your skills, you will not suffer no matter where you go. If things do not work out there, you can always come back and keep your name on our roster.”

She stood up. “Follow me.”

He followed her into an inner room to complete the necessary paperwork.

Before leaving, he placed the fake flower back into her hand. “Thank you for looking after me these past two years, Sister Hua. If you are ever short-handed, you can come find me. I am happy to help you.”

His words were charming, and they brought a smile to her face. She gave him a light, playful shove.

“You brat, your mind is far too quick for your own good.”

“I heard you recruited that photographer as a permanent staff member?”

Xu Yue sat in the office, holding a cup of tea as he looked at Yu Qingdu.

Yu Qingdu was currently busy making revisions to a draft at his desk, though he kept an ear open for Xu Yue. He gave a quiet “Mhm.”

“I mainly recruited him to be a model. However, you were right; his photography style is completely different from Qin Zhiyan’s.”

Xu Yue was not as dim-witted as Jiang Zhiyan. He glanced at Yu Qingdu, who was still sketching away.

“Jiang Zhiyan said he is your little boyfriend?”

Yu Qingdu did not even look up; he did not hesitate for a second. “You actually believe the words of an idiot?”

“Do you have no such intentions?”

Xu Yue asked teasingly, knowing him well.

“Mm.”

It was unclear if Yu Qingdu was struggling with the drawing or actually considering the question. He looked up briefly, a smile playing on his lips.

“Not for now.”

“It seems his looks suit your picky appetite.”

Xu Yue smiled, though his voice remained gentle as he added, “Be careful. If you start developing real feelings, remember to tell me.”

With that, he stood up and left the office.

Yu Qingdu mulled over Xu Yue’s words, tapping a finger against his lips before letting out a laugh. After a moment, he refocused his gaze on the design draft on his desk.

“As for the source of inspiration.”

His finger stopped at a specific point on the draft, his eyes sparkling with a strange light.

“I really did find a treasure. He has so many uses.”

He picked up his phone and sent a voice message to the contact labeled “Puppy.” His voice held a hint of a smile.

“Come see me tomorrow.”

The message was sent instantly. “Puppy” was likely busy, as there was no immediate reply.

Yu Qingdu looked back at the design. His eyes were full of admiration. The sketch depicted a body chain that covered the entire torso; it was captivating, dangerous, and incredibly sensual.

He looked out of the floor-to-ceiling window, tapping his finger against his lip again.

“I am looking forward to seeing you wear this. After all, I designed it specifically for you.”

Meanwhile, Shang Qingye was helping his grandmother wash vegetables when he suddenly sneezed twice. He muttered to himself, “Who is talking about me?”