I Woke Up And My Girlfriend Was Gone - Chapter 24

Chapter 24

A visible stiffness settled on the man’s face. Clinging to his brittle smile, he asked, “Miss Shen, there’s no need to be so heartless, is there? It’s just a meal. What’s the harm? Don’t be so quick to reject me.”

Shen Qingzi remained smiling, yet her words were several degrees colder than a winter gale. “I’m sorry, but my answer is no.”

“…” The smile finally slid off the man’s face. He looked at her with an expression that seemed to say don’t be ungrateful. “Miss Shen, I think for the sake of my father’s reputation, you’d best not behave this way.”

Undeterred by his intimidation, Shen Qingzi reminded him languidly, “If you insist on having your way, Mr. Wang, I suspect the art exhibition this weekend might become quite embarrassing.”

“I don’t imagine the elder Mr. Wang would want to see that happen—after all, it wouldn’t be the first time.”

Her voice was thin and airy, yet she gave the man no face at all, explicitly highlighting his past humiliations.

To Zuo Yin, it felt as though Shen Qingzi had transformed in an instant into someone formidable—someone who inspired a natural awe that forbade any insolence.

Struck in his Achilles’ heel, the man gnashed his teeth. Without another word, he flung his hand out in a huff and stormed away.

“Who was that?” Zuo Yin asked, watching his retreating back.

“Have you heard of the calligrapher, the elder Mr. Wang Ming?” Shen Qingzi asked in return. The coldness she had shown the man was now entirely hidden, replaced once again by her gentle demeanor.

Zuo Yin nodded. “I’ve heard of him.”

“That was his second son,” Shen Qingzi explained.

“Then, offending him…” Zuo Yin trailed off, worried that this would cause unnecessary trouble for Shen Qingzi.

“Don’t be afraid,” Shen Qingzi replied softly, her voice resolute and certain.

“He’s just a useless man with none of his father’s grace. He’s caused many scandals, and after repeated rebukes from his father, he’s behaved a bit better lately. If you run into him again, you don’t need to show him any courtesy.” She paused, then added, “You don’t need to fear people like that. You have me.”

Before the echo of her words faded, the waitress arrived with their steaks.

“Pardon me, here are your Angus steaks.”

The freshly cooked beef was still sizzling. As the cover was lifted, the clear marbling of the meat drizzled in sauce became visible. The scents of garlic and black pepper clashed and merged, drifting into Zuo Yin’s nose in a mouth-watering wave.

She looked at the steak before her, the second half of Shen Qingzi’s interrupted sentence still ringing in her ears: “You have me.”

Zuo Yin watched as Shen Qingzi nodded politely to the waitress.

Just as she was demonstrating now, Shen Qingzi always knew how to provide a perfectly measured sense of security at exactly the right time.

Since this was her first time eating steak, Zuo Yin held her knife and fork as she saw Shen Qingzi do, but her first cut lacked her teacher’s composure.

The resistance of the meat caused her first attempt to veer off course; the long strip of steak was cut into a wobbly, jagged mess.

“Here.”

With a soft sound of intent, a plate was suddenly slid in front of Zuo Yin.

Shen Qingzi had already deftly and exquisitely sliced her own portion into neat pieces and was offering it to her.

Zuo Yin looked at the perfectly cut cubes, then at her own messy plate, and declined softly. “No, thank you. I can do it myself.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to eat what Shen Qingzi had cut for her; it was that her own plate was simply too embarrassing to show.

Fiercely guarding her stubborn and pitiful pride, Zuo Yin said, “Teacher, why don’t you teach me how instead?”

“Alright.” Shen Qingzi nodded.

She didn’t show any displeasure at Zuo Yin’s “unobliging” refusal. Instead, a hint of admiring amusement curled at the corners of her lips.

“Keep this hand steady. Don’t cut vertically; tilt it slightly. It will be much easier that way…”

Zuo Yin listened to the explanation and watched the slowed-down movements, carefully making a new cut.

Following Shen Qingzi’s method, the resistance indeed lessened significantly. The slight tilt of her arm even carried a sense of elegant etiquette.

“A quick learner,” Shen Qingzi praised, watching Zuo Yin’s posture.

Her face was full of warmth, her unspoken approval written clearly in her expression.

Zuo Yin looked up and received a kind of praise she had never known before. The girl felt a bit flustered and stammered, “It’s only because you’re a good teacher.”

Shen Qingzi smiled. “It’s a bit of both.”

From the side of the room, a melodious piano piece began to play, its soothing notes lingering in the large, quiet restaurant.

Zuo Yin stole a glance at Shen Qingzi. The small incandescent lamp illuminated her field of vision, bringing Shen Qingzi’s features into sharp focus.

Her waterfall-like hair was tucked behind her ear, revealing a clean, soft face. Her white teeth bit down lightly, and her cherry-pink lips shimmered with a subtle sheen from the meal. She tasted the small piece of beef slowly, her lowered lashes veiling her brown-black eyes.

Accustomed to a life of constant rushing, Zuo Yin felt that “peace and beauty” was exactly this and nothing more.

“Xiao Yin, let me take you to an art exhibition tomorrow.”

Suddenly, Shen Qingzi looked up.

Zuo Yin reacted instantly, dropping her head quickly before looking up again to pretend she was just starting the conversation. “Sure. Where is it?”

“At 158 Taihe West Road,” Shen Qingzi said. “It’s hosted by Mr. Chen Yulin. One of my paintings will be on display as well, so I can take you through the VIP entrance.”

Zuo Yin’s eyes lit up instantly. “Your painting, Teacher!”

Shen Qingzi found the reaction adorable and teased with a smile, “So excited?”

Realizing she had overreacted, Zuo Yin reined in her emotions and replied, “Well, your work is rarely exhibited these days.”

“In that case,” Shen Qingzi asked, “which of mine is your favorite?”

“The Girl in the Greenhouse,” Zuo Yin answered without a second thought.

Shen Qingzi rarely saw Zuo Yin show such clear emotion, so she extended an invitation: “Since you like it so much, I’ll take you to my father’s house one day so you can see The Girl in the Greenhouse with your own eyes.”

Zuo Yin was instantly overjoyed, the delight in her eyes leaping out like uncontrollable stars.

How crushed she had been in her senior year of high school upon hearing the painting would never be exhibited was exactly how thrilled she was now.

“Then you must let me sleep in tomorrow. we’ll go to the exhibition in the afternoon,” Shen Qingzi said, propping her chin on her hand lazily.

Zuo Yin nodded in agreement.

In late autumn, the sky was pitch black before 7:00 PM. The city lights were a neon blur, and the dark car window reflected the young girl’s face.

But through the glass, the girl was watching Shen Qingzi.

Shen Qingzi was focused on the road ahead, her long hair tucked casually behind her ear to reveal her slender neck. She wore a white dress, blending perfectly with the surrounding prosperity.

“Is the night view pretty?” Shen Qingzi asked, without turning her head.

Watching Shen Qingzi’s reflection against the flashing lights outside, Zuo Yin replied, “It’s beautiful.”

“Look at it often. If you see something you like, you can take a picture. Looking back at them is a great source of inspiration,” Shen Qingzi said.

“Mhm.” Zuo Yin nodded, but she didn’t reach for her phone. Instead, she leaned back against the seat.

Her phone had completely died during the movie earlier.

Shen Qingzi gave her a thoughtful look and cautioned, “Don’t actually fall asleep. It’s cold in the car. Wait until we get home.”

The mention of “home” always brought a bit more warmth to Zuo Yin’s heart.

Clumsily and with a touch of selfishness, she placed herself and Shen Qingzi together in her mind before that word.

It didn’t need a complex composition, shifting colors, or high-level technique. Her and Shen Qingzi standing together—even if drawn with kindergarten crayons—was beautiful.

Though it was black outside, the house was bright when they returned.

Zuo Yin changed her shoes skillfully. Walking into the living room, she saw several shopping bags on the coffee table, identical to the ones she was already carrying.

“They’re all yours. Take them to your room and hang them up. Pick your favorite outfit to wear to the exhibition tomorrow,” Shen Qingzi said, appearing at her side.

Looking at the bags that required both hands to carry, Zuo Yin blinked rapidly. “This is too much money spent.”

“It’s nothing,” Shen Qingzi smiled. “You’ll understand later.”

As she spoke, the phone in Shen Qingzi’s pocket vibrated.

She glanced at the message and told Zuo Yin, “I have some things to handle. Take your clothes back, take a shower, and get to bed early.”

“Okay.” Zuo Yin nodded, watching Shen Qingzi’s straight back as she walked in soft slippers toward the second-floor study.

Zuo Yin had never been to the second floor. That was Shen Qingzi’s private domain, housing her study and bedroom.

Click.

Zuo Yin used her foot to gently hook the door shut, her hands too full of shopping bags to use them.

The guest room was comparable to Zuo Lan’s master bedroom, complete with a walk-in closet and an en-suite bathroom. Because it shared a side with the master bath, one could enjoy the river view through the window whether bathing or relaxing before sleep.

Zuo Yin had never thought of hanging clothes as manual labor, but as she hung the new outfits piece by piece and lined up the shoes, she finally understood why Zuo Lan always collapsed on the bed after tidying her closet.

Resting her hands on her hips, Zuo Yin looked out from the closet. Through the open glass door and past the bedroom decor, the massive window displayed a magnificent, illuminated night view of the river.

She couldn’t tell where the river ended and the land began; the world seemed submerged in an ocean of night, with all the lights floating like jellyfish.

“Beautiful” wasn’t enough to describe it.

“If you see something you like, you can take a picture.”

Shen Qingzi’s words echoed in her ears. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her broken phone.

One more try. What if it works?

She held down the power button. Suddenly, the black screen flickered to life.

Thinking hope had arrived, she watched it go black again a second later.

The spiderweb cracks on the screen were stark under the ceiling light, serving as a sign that the junk phone was officially dead.

Zuo Yin sighed. Cruel reality pulled her back from her beautiful little mountain of gold.

She was only a guest here. In this room, nothing—except for this broken phone—truly belonged to her.

She tossed the phone onto the nightstand and stood by the bed to strip off her restrictive clothes.

At that moment, without warning, there was a knock on the door.

“Xiao Yin.”

Calling her name, Shen Qingzi pushed the door open.

The girl’s beautiful, naked body was caught unprepared in her sight.