I Woke Up And My Girlfriend Was Gone - Chapter 26

Chapter 26

The vast exhibition hall was filled with a subtle, underlying tension.

Zuo Yin sat on the floor, looking up at Mr. Wang, an ominous premonition stirring in her heart.

“Watch where you’re going! Didn’t you see me walking here?” The woman pushed the entire blame for the accident—half of which she had caused herself—onto Zuo Yin.

“I’m sorry.” Zuo Yin didn’t want to make a scene. She stood up and apologized immediately.

“Is ‘sorry’ all you’ve got? You stepped on my shoe and got it dirty! These are limited edition, I just got them today!” the woman snapped, refusing to let it go.

Zuo Yin looked down at the woman’s shoe. There was a tiny gray mark on the upper, roughly the shape of her own heel. It wasn’t very noticeable, but she had indeed stepped on it.

“I’m sorry,” Zuo Yin said again.

The woman’s brow furrowed instantly. “Are you a broken record? Can you only say ‘sorry’?”

Zuo Yin’s expression cooled. Her attitude had softened twice without ending the matter; she realized this wouldn’t be resolved easily. She looked up and met the woman’s eyes. “Then what do you want me to do?”

“You stepped on them, so you should wipe them clean,” Mr. Wang spoke up on the woman’s behalf.

“Is that really necessary?” the woman hesitated slightly.

Mr. Wang shook his head at her and whispered in her ear, “She’s the one who made me look bad yesterday.”

Hearing this, the woman’s expression relaxed. “Wipe them.”

Zuo Yin looked at the two of them acting in collusion, her eyes growing unfriendly.

“Oh? What’s with that look, little girl? If you do something wrong, shouldn’t you admit it? I happen to mind it very much when people disrespect my friends.” Mr. Wang emphasized the word “mind,” mockingly throwing Shen Qingzi’s words from the day before back in Zuo Yin’s face.

Zuo Yin was never a pushover. She had endured it twice out of concern for Shen Qingzi’s reputation, but since they clearly came with ill intent, there was no longer a need to hold back.

“First of all, colliding with this lady isn’t my sole responsibility. She wasn’t looking where she was going either. Furthermore, the flow of traffic here is forward, yet she was clearly walking backward, so her responsibility is greater.”

“Secondly, I have already expressed my apologies for scuffing the lady’s shoe. If you require a cleaning fee, tell me clearly and I can pay it. But likewise, I also mind when people are passive-aggressive and disrespectful.”

“Wow, now you’re trying to frame me?” The woman looked at Zuo Yin in disbelief. “A second ago you were as obedient as a lamb; now that I ask for an apology, you flip your lid and deny everything?”

“I am simply stating the facts,” Zuo Yin replied coldly.

“Facts? You think your version is the truth? I say you deliberately stepped on Minmin!” Mr. Wang intentionally threw mud at her.

“I did not,” Zuo Yin denied.

“You did not? Do you know this is Minmin’s home turf? I think you’re here today specifically to cause trouble for the Chen family. Is this how Shen Qingzi usually teaches you?” Mr. Wang’s words grew increasingly out of line, his eyes full of the filth of someone abusing their power.

As Mr. Wang’s voice rose, the surrounding visitors turned their heads, whispering among themselves. The bright white lights overhead felt like they were pushing the isolated Zuo Yin into the center of everyone’s scrutiny, making it hard to breathe.

“Oh? Is Mr. Wang very familiar with how I usually teach my students?”

Suddenly, a cold voice pierced through the murmurs, and a slender figure stepped to Zuo Yin’s side.

Shen Qingzi stood tall, placing a hand on Zuo Yin’s shoulder in her usual comforting gesture, kneading it gently. In her most tender voice, she asked, “Did you find my painting?”

“There,” Zuo Yin tilted her chin, pointing with her eyes.

Shen Qingzi followed her gaze and nodded. “That’s right. That’s mine.”

“What’s going on here?” The host of the exhibition, Chen Yi, and the elder Mr. Wang Ming walked over from the other side. Seeing Shen Qingzi at the center of a crowd, they were inwardly startled.

Shen Qingzi’s eyes held a faint smile, her voice soft and devoid of apparent anger as she addressed Chen Yi. “I was just about to ask the same thing. What exactly happened that Miss Chen and Mr. Wang felt the need to speak this way about me and my student?”

“Minmin?” The smile on Chen Yi’s face froze. He turned to Chen Min. “What have you done?”

Chen Min, not realizing the gravity of the situation, showed her shoe without any fear. “Dad, she stepped on me. I just asked her for an apology.”

“Is the method of apology for Xiao Yin to wipe your shoes for you?” Shen Qingzi countered.

“I…” Chen Min looked at Mr. Wang. Seeing that things were going south, the coward had shoved his hands in his pockets and was looking around as if it had nothing to do with him.

Chen Min was furious. She pointed her finger at him. “He’s the one who told me to do it!”

Mr. Wang immediately felt the burning, furious gaze of his father, Wang Ming. He scrambled to distance himself. “Minmin, I was just speaking in jest. How could you actually take it seriously and make her do it?”

“You!”

Shen Qingzi didn’t want to watch their petty squabble. She turned to Chen Yi and Wang Ming. “Elder Chen, Elder Wang, you are my seniors. Miss Chen and Mr. Wang are my peers. It is not my place to punish them here, but I do require a reasonable resolution to this matter.”

“It’s not that big a deal. Minmin said she didn’t actually mean to make her wipe the shoes.” Chen Yi had always spoiled his daughter and didn’t want her to suffer any grievance. “Qingzi, let’s just drop it. Right, Old Wang?”

Wang Ming was famous for being stern. With a stiff face and his hands behind his back, he commanded strictly, “Apologize.”

“Dad, I finally got to come out for once…” Mr. Wang’s pride was hurting.

“One week,” Wang Ming reminded him.

“Dad.”

“Two weeks.”

Hearing the staggering number of days he would be grounded, Mr. Wang finally lowered his head. A 1.85-meter tall man in a sharp suit bent his waist toward a girl much smaller than himself.

“I’m sorry, Xiao…”

“Zuo Yin,” Shen Qingzi reminded him.

Mr. Wang gritted his teeth hard. “I’m sorry, Zuo Yin.”

“Alright, alright, it’s settled then.” Chen Yi quickly helped Mr. Wang up, trying to smooth things over. “Since Qingzi is here, let’s go over and admire her painting together. Having this piece at my exhibition is truly giving me a lot of face. Uncle Chen has to thank you.”

“No need for thanks, Teacher Chen.” Shen Qingzi showed no intention of following him. She looked at Chen Min, who had received no punishment at all, then at the smiling Chen Yi. The fire in her heart could not be extinguished. “I will pay for Miss Chen’s scuffed shoes at their original price. Furthermore, my painting will be removed from this exhibition immediately after the hall closes tonight. I will also pay double the rental fee back to you. Please have it ready, Teacher Chen.”

In an instant, the entire exhibition hall fell into a pin-drop silence.

The smile on Chen Yi’s face froze solid. Chen Min and Mr. Wang stood there in shock, and Zuo Yin looked at Shen Qingzi—who had delivered those lines so calmly—with wide eyes.

Everyone was stunned, except for Wang Ming, who wore a small, gratified smile.

“Qingzi, did our exhibition do something wrong?” Chen Yi struggled to find his words. “These facilities are the best we have.”

“I did not feel that,” Shen Qingzi said bluntly.

Before Chen Yi could say another word, Shen Qingzi took Zuo Yin by the wrist. “Teacher Chen, please excuse my early departure.”

With that, Shen Qingzi led Zuo Yin away without looking back.

Chen Yi’s face fell. He turned to Wang Ming in disbelief. “They say this child has a gentle temperament but is actually eccentric—I’ve certainly seen it today! What am I supposed to do with my exhibition now? So many people came specifically for her painting!”

Wang Ming didn’t take Chen Yi’s side. He waved his fan and said, “Chen, you should think about yourself first. If the person you invited at great expense isn’t treated well, they won’t feel at ease leaving their work with you.”

“What?” Chen Yi was utterly confused.

“Excuse me.” Wang Ming said no more. He gave his son a look and departed as well.

…

In the quiet elevator, the teacher and student stood on opposite sides.

Zuo Yin stole a glance at Shen Qingzi’s reflection in the polished walls. She was still as elegant and composed as when they arrived, her back perfectly straight. Her long, black hair veiled half her face, making it impossible for Zuo Yin to judge her mood.

Is she feeling okay? Is she angry?

Zuo Yin wasn’t good at reading people and couldn’t guess Shen Qingzi’s current state. But she knew that withdrawing a painting from an exhibition, regardless of the reason, was a serious incident.

“What are you thinking about?” Shen Qingzi asked softly.

“Is it really okay? Withdrawing your painting… won’t it cause you any…” Zuo Yin asked cautiously. A perfectly good exhibition had been ruined because of her. She was a little afraid that Shen Qingzi might not want her as a student anymore.

“That is their problem to deal with.” Shen Qingzi turned her head to look at Zuo Yin. She had returned to her usual gentle self, without a trace of anger on her face.

Under the champagne-colored lights, Zuo Yin saw Shen Qingzi reach out toward her. Slender fingers tucked back a stray lock of hair that Zuo Yin hadn’t had time to fix during the argument. Like a black butterfly flitting through the strands, she gently tidied the girl’s messy hair.

“I’m sorry I was late,” Shen Qingzi said softly, her voice tinged with guilt.

Zuo Yin felt a sudden surge of tightness in her chest. Having never been someone’s favorite or protected before, she felt a wave of uncharacteristic grievance. It was as if the loneliness and helplessness she had felt earlier suddenly broke through like a flood, making the bridge of her nose sting.

Zuo Yin fought back the emotion and shook her head. As long as you came, it’s never too late.

The two walked side by side to the parking lot. As Zuo Yin silently buckled her seatbelt, Shen Qingzi thought about how Chen Min had bullied her, and her heart felt a renewed sense of injustice.

In the quiet car, Shen Qingzi tapped the steering wheel thoughtfully. “Hmm… since we’re already out, let’s not let the day go to waste. I’ll take you somewhere else to play.”

“Where?” Zuo Yin looked at what they were wearing. No matter where they went, they would probably look out of place.

Shen Qingzi gave a small smile and said mysteriously once more, “You’re definitely going to like it.”