Married The Crybaby Childhood Crush First, Then Fell in Love - Chapter 29

The tattered handkerchief was illuminated by the bedside lamp.

Its terrible state made it almost unrecognizable to Lin Wanqing; she could only determine it was her class assignment by the embroidery on it.

Yan Qiu concealed the guilt in her eyes and put the clump of cloth into the drawer.

“Are you very bothered?”

Yan Qiu comforted her, holding her in her arms, blocking Lin Wanqing’s line of sight toward the nightstand.

Lin Wanqing was awkward: “…Not really.”

It was just a bit abnormal.

Lin Wanqing worried that Yan Qiu had some special fetish, but she didn’t dare to say it.

A handkerchief inherently carries a certain intimacy, and it’s definitely not suitable to be seen elsewhere, especially not in Yan Qiu’s hands.

As a fashion design student, Lin Wanqing tried to see it from Yan Qiu’s perspective.

But one point didn’t make sense: why had the clean, flat handkerchief turned into that messy ball of threads?

Lin Wanqing endured the strange feeling of being held by Yan Qiu, “Did my sister damage it?”

Yan Qiu said nothing, “It’s late, let’s sleep.”

Lin Wanqing mumbled, suppressing the weirdness in her heart and closing her eyes.

“Maybe a stray cat jumped into the storage room and tore the handkerchief. The cat recognizes my scent; it probably mistook it for me…”

Lin Wanqing whispered, trying to find a suitable reason.

Yan Qiu: “…Mm.”

She pulled Lin Wanqing tighter into her arms, using the action to cover her guilt.

Her little wife was trying to escape her arms, even in her sleep.

The next day, when she woke up, Lin Wanqing was already gone.

The other side of the bed was cold, and the faint, lingering scent of the young woman hung in the air.

A strand of Lin Wanqing’s long hair lay on the silk pillowcase.

Yan Qiu lay on her side, then rolled over onto Lin Wanqing’s side of the bed.

The cold bedding stuck to her skin. She was wearing nothing, and her dark pupils stared at the few notebooks Lin Wanqing had forgotten to take.

“Wanqing, you are so unromantic.”

Yan Qiu picked up the perfume from the nightstand, sprayed it twice, filling the entire room with a familiar, lingering scent.

Yan Qiu’s hand moved under the covers, gently stroking her skin, accompanied by short, hurried breaths.

With a slight tremor and flushed cheeks, Yan Qiu, who was always sharp-edged in public, was rare in her vulnerability.

Lin Wanqing refused to discuss the difficulties she faced in the competition or ask Yan Qiu to invest in her perfume brand.

She was even careful about using the money on her card.

Half an hour quickly passed. Yan Qiu meticulously wiped her fingers clean, throwing the napkin into the wastebasket by the bed.

The sudden burst of passion vanished, replaced by the lazy contentment of a well-fed cat.

She dressed herself, got into her wheelchair, and went downstairs, where the secretary was already waiting in the reception room.

Yu Fei: “As per your arrangement, the platform has been instructed to take down all of Shi Li’s products. Evidence of plagiarism has been sent to Ms. Lin’s email.”

Yan Qiu: “Well done.”

Yu Fei was always efficient. She helped her boss with her briefcase and got into the car.

“Shi Li’s uncle, the dean, has been found to have been taking serious bribes, and a complaint has been filed with higher authorities. Someone will come to investigate these few days.”

Yu Fei slammed the accelerator, “Boss, you have a meeting in half an hour. Alas, it’s strange. Ms. Lin didn’t leave with you today?”

Yan Qiu’s relaxed expression instantly flattened, “She went to school.”

Yu Fei: “Ah, so you’re manning the empty house—oh, no, I mean, you are utterly devoted to the company and give no thought to love.”

Yan Qiu: “.”

Yu Fei drove the car onto the overpass. From here, she could catch a glimpse of Y University’s campus in the distance.

Yu Fei: “Ms. Lin intends to tell the judges about Shi Li’s plagiarism in the competition today. Ms. Lin has a soft, kind, and pure personality. She must be panicked about this matter. You don’t even need to imagine it: she’ll be tearful and pitiful, waiting for your comfort, Boss.”

Yu Fei glanced at her boss in the rear-view mirror, cleared her throat twice, and continued.

“The competition ends at two in the afternoon. By then, Ms. Lin’s fragile body will probably no longer be able to bear the heavy burden of stress. Perhaps she’s crying in some corner. You need to take good care of her, Boss.”

Yan Qiu: “…I know. Now shut up.”

Yan Qiu: “Lin Wanqing is not the type to cry easily in public. She’s very resilient.”

Yu Fei parked the car. She had been rambling, and she hadn’t expected her boss to refute her.

“Sigh, even the most resilient personality will be moved to tears by the Boss’s gentle words.”

Yan Qiu adjusted her glasses on her nose, “A good point.”

It would be good for her Miss Bunny to cry after enduring so much injustice.

In the afternoon, Lin Wanqing emerged from the competition hall. When submitting her entry, she publicly turned on the projector and listed all the plagiarism evidence one by one.

This included the design inspiration, the commercial profit from the online store, the stolen notebook, and the surveillance footage from when the theft occurred.

Collecting all the evidence so quickly was entirely due to the email sent by the Secretary sister.

Shi Li never imagined that Lin Wanqing would find the surveillance footage and the factory’s sample patterns from that time. She was immediately tongue-tied and couldn’t utter a word.

The online store was shut down due to design plagiarism. The red warning sign caused all customers who had bought from the store to request refunds, causing a frantic situation.

Shi Li’s uncle, the dean, looked at Lin Wanqing with almost venomous eyes.

Lin Wanqing met the dean’s gaze, who was sitting high on the judging panel, with composure.

The students around them were whispering and gossiping.

“I’ve hated that idiot dean for a long time. I can’t believe he’d help someone cheat. What kind of integrity is that?”

“I heard he pocketed a lot of project funding. Look how dilapidated our old teaching building is—it’s all because of this scum.”

“Fat and greasy. Last time I saw him go into his office with a pretty junior student. Ugh.”

The dean couldn’t stay in the hall any longer. Just as he was about to leave, he received a phone call.

His already fleshy face immediately turned deathly pale with fright.

The competition ended. Lin Wanqing left the hall through the back door. Outside, it was a rare sunny day.

The winter sun shone brightly. The winter sweet blossoms in the corner of the wall bloomed even more profusely.

Lin Wanqing exhaled a puff of white air. The cut on her finger from the tailoring scissors had stopped bleeding.

Shi Li’s vicious voice came from behind her: “You used your connections to shut down my online store and labeled it as plagiarism before a judgment was even made! How are you any different from me?!”

Lin Wanqing checked her phone. She hadn’t mentioned this to the secretary; she had only reported it to the shopping website once.

It was processed that quickly?

Lan Xiaoxiao reminded her softly, “Wake up. President Yan is one of the shareholders of the JuZi shopping website! Don’t be timid. You have backing.”

Lin Wanqing looked at the indignant Shi Li. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything insulting.

“Get lost.”

Her connections in the fashion and textile industry allowed Lin Wanqing to quickly obtain the design drafts Shi Li submitted to the factory. She was never as harmless as she seemed.

Shi Li cried out hysterically: “If it weren’t for you, how could my boyfriend break up with me? Ever since you had one class with my boyfriend, his mind has been full of you! You bitch!”

Lan Xiaoxiao shot back: “Plenty of people like my Qingqing. Who the hell is your boyfriend?”

In her anger and resentment, Shi Li received a lawyer’s letter. The top legal team from the Huiyan Group was suing her.

Lin Wanqing didn’t like to argue. She walked down the stairs and saw a black Bentley parked by the fountain in the distance.

Lin Wanqing’s eyes lit up. She ran over and threw her arms around Yan Qiu.

Her heart landed safely.

Yan Qiu patted her back and pressed her lips to the corner of Lin Wanqing’s mouth, “The competition is over. Congratulations.”

Lin Wanqing was shy: “Sister Qiuqiu helped me.”

Yan Qiu: “You helped yourself.”

Lin Wanqing caught a glimpse of Yu Fei frantically winking at her.

Lin Wanqing: ?

Yu Fei’s eyes seemed to say: Ms. Lin, cry quickly. Tearful and pitiful, don’t hold back.

Lin Wanqing didn’t understand, but she was greatly shocked and slowly raised a question mark.

Lan Xiaoxiao was somewhat appeased after cursing the person out. Seeing Yan Qiu’s car parked there, she went over to say hello.

“President Yan is here to pick up the little kid from kindergarten again.”

Yan Qiu didn’t have a stern face. She patted the sweet little kid in her arms, “Yes. She was bullied in kindergarten.”

Her eyelids were red, too wronged to even cry.

Lin Wanqing wanted to explain that her eyes were red from the wind, but Yan Qiu took a milk candy from her pocket and put it in her mouth.

“Be good. Eat the candy and stop crying.”

Lin Wanqing didn’t dare to appear as if their marriage was just an agreement in front of her roommate. She could only comply with Yan Qiu’s actions, letting the candy pry open her lips and teeth, feeling Yan Qiu’s finger touch her lip and tongue.

“Mmm—”

She hadn’t cried when she was framed for plagiarism, nor had she cried when presenting evidence under the judges’ critical, harsh scrutiny.

Yet, during Yan Qiu’s simple act of kneading her tongue, tears uncontrollably fell onto the back of her hand.

In an instant, Yu Fei covered Lan Xiaoxiao’s eyes, “See no evil.”

Lan Xiaoxiao whispered: “My cabbage was stolen by a pig. Can’t I even watch?”

Yu Fei pitied her: “Be careful, or you’ll get a stye.”

If you look any longer, the Boss might dig your eyes out.

Lin Wanqing, completely overwhelmed by Yan Qiu, didn’t realize her roommate had been forcefully pulled away. She thought people were still watching, so she had to brave it out and kiss her back.

The young woman’s beautiful face was tear-streaked, like pear blossoms soaked in rain. Her shell-like teeth bit Yan Qiu’s lip.

After the kiss, Lin Wanqing’s legs completely turned to jelly.

She looked around and saw no one.

Yan Qiu supported her slender waist and helped her into the car.

Lin Wanqing lowered her eyes, “I have an exam this afternoon.”

Yan Qiu used her personal handkerchief to wipe Lin Wanqing’s lips clean and put a cup of hot milk in the young woman’s hand.

“The weather is cold. Drink a little to warm yourself up.”

Yan Qiu, being old enough to be her aunt, always acted thoughtfully and knew how to stop at the right moment.

Lin Wanqing took small sips of the milk, wishing she could shrink into a corner. She didn’t dare to look. Yan Qiu didn’t dare to look at her own bitten, red lips.

“I have something to do. I’ll get out of the car first.”

Lin Wanqing immediately left Yan Qiu’s car like a little bunny.

“I need to be alone…”

That was the first time she had actively kissed Yan Qiu in public, sticking out her tongue and biting her lip with her teeth.

Completely contrary to Yan Qiu’s personality, her lips were exceptionally soft, still carrying a hint of milk candy scent. It was so warm, as if her entire soul had melted.

Lin Wanqing fled with shaky legs, hiding in an empty classroom, tears silently streaming down.

Lin Wanqing pressed her fingers to her lips, vaguely feeling the pain of Yan Qiu’s teeth biting her.

She didn’t dislike being kissed by Yan Qiu.

Yu Fei cautiously peered out, “Where is Ms. Lin?”

Yan Qiu: “She ran away.”

Yu Fei sounded slightly resentful: “I just chased the ‘light bulb’ away, and now you’ve bullied Ms. Lin again?”

Yan Qiu said coldly: “When did I bully her?”

Yan Qiu said nothing, then after a long time, “She took advantage of me and then ran off herself. What does she take me for, a delivery guy?”

Her tone was indignant, making her sound pitiful.

Yan Qiu irritably lit a cigarette, her figure looking melancholy, lonely, and helpless.

In the afternoon, Lin Wanqing finished her exam, and it was time for dinner.

She and her roommate had a quick meal at the cafeteria, not wanting to return to the mansion.

Lan Xiaoxiao: “What’s wrong? Did you not do well on the exam?”

Lin Wanqing covered her burning face, “What if your idol just wants to maintain a purely platonic friendship with you, but you couldn’t help yourself and smooched him on the mouth?”

Lin Wanqing regretted kissing Yan Qiu.

She was full of remorse.

She had desecrated a top beauty.

She knew that Yan Qiu’s hugs and embraces were usually just to practice intimacy and avoid revealing their agreement in front of others.

But her kiss just now had carried a bit of personal impulse.

Lan Xiaoxiao: “Such a good thing happened?”

Lin Wanqing: “Huh?”

Lan Xiaoxiao: “As punishment, I hope my idol plows me all night long. Please don’t be merciful. I can take a lot of plowing.”

Lin Wanqing’s ears were now corrupted.

She shouldn’t have opened her mouth to ask.

Lan Xiaoxiao remembered she had several idols. If all those handsome guys wanted to punish her, she could totally let them come together.

Her head was full of dirty thoughts.

“Going back to the dorm?”

Lin Wanqing was silent for a moment, “No. My fragile, helpless wife is waiting for me to take care of her.”

In Lan Xiaoxiao’s completely unconstructive advice, Lin Wanqing seemed to have learned something, and yet nothing at all.

She returned to the mansion. Yan Qiu was sitting on the sofa, looking at documents.

Yan Qiu looked up at her, “Did the exam go well?”

Lin Wanqing: “I can get a scholarship this year.”

Yan Qiu: “Congratulations.”

Lin Wanqing stood there, like an elementary school student confessing to the headteacher, nervously twisting her hands together.

“Today… I was accidentally impulsive and took advantage of Sister Qiuqiu. As an apology, I can let Sister Qiuqiu…”

Lin Wanqing had originally planned to offer free design of the company’s signature perfume. But suddenly, she remembered what her roommate had said.

I can let Sister Qiuqiu plow me all night long.

Lin Wanqing’s lips moved, her voice so soft that even she couldn’t hear it, “Gently…”

Let alone the matter between two women, Lin Wanqing didn’t even know the details of the matter between men and women.

She had only taken physiology class and understood the general principle.

Yan Qiu: “What?”

Lin Wanqing’s voice was too quiet, and she was looking down, making it impossible to read her lips.

Yan Qiu: “There is a very important event in two months. Help me design an evening gown.”

Yan Qiu pulled Lin Wanqing to sit down and sent the requirements to her document.

Yan Qiu: “According to industry standards and rules, I will give you twenty percent after the sketch is complete, fifty percent after the pattern is made, and the remaining thirty percent after the finished product is delivered.”

Lin Wanqing was stunned. Her finger was still on the top button of her shirt, waiting to give Yan Qiu a profound apology.

Instead, they suddenly started talking about work.

Yan Qiu: “The designers I found online cost 830,000 yuan minimum, and luxury brands will be even more expensive. Considering you need to participate in competitions and manage your perfume brand, I will increase the market price by twenty percent.”

Yan Qiu typed a number on the calculator, “Does that seem fair?”

Lin Wanqing: “I can do it for free.”

Yan Qiu: “No. In your young people’s language, would that be called ‘prostituting for free’? It’s not appropriate or proper.”

Lin Wanqing whispered, You can prostitute me…

Ultimately, Lin Wanqing only accepted half of the money and refused the other half vehemently.

Yan Qiu could only instruct the marketing department to give Lin Wanqing’s Su Po (Simple Soul) good advertising space and bought a splash screen ad on the shopping website.

Yan Qiu: “You’re approaching your senior year; it’s time to look for an internship. Huiyan’s internships are very good. Tomorrow, the secretary will send the detailed job descriptions to your email. Take your time choosing.”

In the past, major companies chose people. Now, Lin Wanqing could freely choose her position.

The secretary strongly suspected that if Lin Wanqing didn’t want to work, she could just ask the company to stamp an internship seal on a paper.

Yan Qiu finished discussing business, “When you came in just now, what did you want to say? What ‘cao’?” (Note: ‘cao’ can mean grass, but is a common internet slang for ‘f***’).

Lin Wanqing nervously picked at her fingers: “!”

Yan Qiu: “Do you want to grow flowers and grass in the yard? I’ll ask the housekeeper to clear a space for you.”

“Ah…” At that moment, Lin Wanqing was very thankful that Yan Qiu didn’t understand young people’s internet slang. She vaguely let it pass.

Yan Qiu: “?”

The competition results would take two days. The next day, Lin Wanqing took an exam.

Lan Xiaoxiao left the exam room with her, looking completely exhausted.

Lin Wanqing: “Think about the scholarship.”

Lan Xiaoxiao: “Suddenly, I don’t really want the scholarship anymore.”

Lan Xiaoxiao was angry and helpless, “It was completely different from what the teacher highlighted! Everything except the highlights was on the test.”

Lin Wanqing laughed without sympathy.

She and Lan Xiaoxiao went to the library. Lin Wanqing needed to finalize the sketch for the evening gown and needed to reference a lot of materials.

Her roommate looked at Lin Wanqing, who was busier than a donkey in a production team every day, “Did you and your ‘cabbage’ ‘chaocao’ last night…?” (Note: ‘chaocao’ is a euphemism for sex).

Lin Wanqing’s face instantly flushed red. She put down her book, “Filthy language in the library! You… What kind of behavior is that!”

Lan Xiaoxiao: “Oh… so you didn’t ‘chao’?”

Lin Wanqing looked like she wanted to speak but stopped herself, then wanted to speak again, “Shut up.”

At the company.

Yan Qiu handed the signed contract to her secretary, hesitated for a few seconds, and called her back.

Yu Fei: “Boss?”

The secretary’s office had recently hired a few interns, and she needed to go manage them first.

Yan Qiu: “Do you know what ‘cao’ means?”

The secretary, with a question mark over her head, speculated about her boss’s thoughts, “Who said that word to you?”

Yan Qiu: “Lin Wanqing.”

The secretary guessed boldly: “Ms. Lin might want to swear at you?”

You’ve done plenty of things to warrant a curse.

Yan Qiu: “Considering the context, it shouldn’t be that…”

Yu Fei thought this job was truly stimulating. Besides working like a slave for her boss, she also had to be a counselor.

Yu Fei: “Does she want to discuss gardening with you?”

Yan Qiu pondered for a moment, “It shouldn’t be that either.”

Yu Fei: “An exclamation? ‘Cao,’ it’s born.”

Yan Qiu shook her head, not expecting to get the correct information from the secretary, “Useless. Go get busy.”

Yu Fei quietly walked out of the office. Workplace bullying, confirmed.

Before leaving, Yu Fei quietly looked at her boss. She had one last guess but didn’t say it aloud.

After thinking about it, she closed her mouth.

In the workplace, the more you talk, the more mistakes you make; the less you talk, the fewer mistakes you make.

In the empty office, Yan Qiu recalled Lin Wanqing from yesterday, standing in front of her, looking cautious yet slightly flirtatious. She clearly wanted to say something, but ultimately didn’t.

Yesterday, like a little bunny nibbling on timothy grass, she bit her lip.

Her soft tongue wanted to slip through the crack of her lips.

After a shallow bite, she fled in panic.

Yan Qiu was left standing there like a stalk of timothy grass suddenly abandoned.

The sudden kiss from Miss Bunny was enough for Yan Qiu to relish for more than one night.

Her mood was extremely poor.

Lin Wanqing arrived at the Huiyan Group building with her completed sketches.

The receptionist recognized her, and her face was wreathed in smiles when she saw the boss’s wife, “Please come this way.”

“Hello, Boss’s Wife.”

“Good afternoon, Boss’s Wife. You look beautiful today, too.”

“I heard the Boss’s Wife is still a student. Winter break is coming soon. I’m so envious.”

Lin Wanqing’s face was crimson from being called ‘Boss’s Wife’ by every employee. She forced herself to maintain the demeanor of the Boss’s Wife in public.

She reached the correct floor, and the elevator doors opened.

“Clatter—”

The sound of papers hitting the floor was piercingly loud, even through the slightly ajar door.

“Redo the proposal. If you can’t do the work, resign. The company doesn’t keep idlers.”

Yan Qiu threw all the documents on the table onto the floor. In front of her were a few employees and interns, looking more pitiful than quails.

Yu Fei saw a shadow flash by the door and quietly walked out.

“Ms. Lin?”

Yan Qiu had a food-chain-based intimidation over Lin Wanqing. Hearing the voice, Lin Wanqing was no less frightened than the interns.

“Secretary sister.”

Yu Fei put a finger to her lips, making a shushing gesture. The two walked into the hallway.

Lin Wanqing crumpled the briefcase in her hand, “Is President Yan angry?”

Yu Fei complained bitterly, “The Boss is in a bad mood today. The people below are making blunder after blunder. It’s truly infuriating.”

Lin Wanqing lowered her eyes, “I came at the wrong time.”

She didn’t dare to face an displeased Yan Qiu. She was scary enough when she wasn’t smiling, let alone when she was angry.

Lin Wanqing was so scared her whole body tensed up, like a rabbit whose ears drooped down.

Yu Fei lowered her voice, “You can’t think that way. The Boss is only angry because she hasn’t seen Ms. Lin. Absence makes the heart grow frantic. I’ve seen it clearly.”

Lin Wanqing thought she was lying, but she had no proof.

The Boss was in a bad mood, and the employees suffered. Yu Fei closed her eyes, hardened her heart, and the lie just spilled out.

“Ms. Lin has always worried about others finding out the truth of the contractual marriage. If you go into the office now and coax the Boss, no one will ever question it again.”

Yu Fei winked frantically at Lin Wanqing.

Lin Wanqing’s heart slightly stirred.

She failed to consider that the company staff had been so immersed in their love story that no one ever questioned it.

Lin Wanqing lowered her eyes and said, “President Yan and I have no emotional basis; we’re no different from strangers. If I go in now, she’ll just find me annoying.”

Yu Fei thought, How could that be? Before she could continue to persuade, a voice came from the office.

“Yu Fei, come in.”

Yu Fei shivered. With lightning speed, she shoved Lin Wanqing into Yan Qiu’s office first.

Yan Qiu was irritably watching her subordinate pick up the folders on the floor, trembling as they reported the project progress and promised it wouldn’t happen again.

In addition to the documents, there was shattered glass on the floor.

The air in the office was thick with high pressure.

Yan Qiu heard the commotion at the door, her eyes still containing a hint of coldness.

Lin Wanqing fearfully picked up the glass shards and put them into the trash can.

“Sister Qiuqiu?”

Yan Qiu’s expression changed, like ice melting into a gentle smile, “You’re here.”

Her tone was so tender that the employee trembled even more violently.

The Boss is definitely sick, QAQ.

Yu Fei waved her hand, signaling the ‘light bulbs’ to quickly leave. She closed the door.

Yan Qiu quickly came out from behind the desk and held her hand, “Don’t pick up the glass. Be careful not to cut your hand.”

Lin Wanqing’s eyes were teary, “Sister Qiuqiu is angry. I came at the wrong time today.”

Yan Qiu had no anger left, “No… I’m not unhappy. Today was just an exception.”

Yan Qiu’s pure black eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses gazed at her, her voice carrying a subtle urgency.

“I scared my Sweetheart just now. It’s my fault.”

Lin Wanqing shook her head, saying she wasn’t scared. She put the design draft on the table, “It’s my honor to design a dress specifically for my sister. Please allow me to take your body measurements.”

Lin Wanqing took out the measuring tape, “Take off your coat. It would be best if you… took all your clothes off.”