Married The Crybaby Childhood Crush First, Then Fell in Love - Chapter 8

At the school gate, Yan Qiu tightly embraced Lin Wanqing.

Lin Wanqing felt countless eyes on her from behind. “Tian Tian [Sweetie], good girl, don’t be nervous.”

Lin Wanqing was shy, her eyes moist. “Is this okay now?”

Yan Qiu watched the car slowly drive away, wondering if anyone inside the car was taking photos.

Yan Qiu curled her lips into an arc, gently stroking her nape and back, “Don’t be nervous, you are my fiancée, you need to attend many occasions with me.”

Yan Qiu gently placed Lin Wanqing down, persuasively, and used her finger to wipe away the tears that spilled from the corner of her eye.

“Tian Tian, don’t be afraid. You don’t actually dislike me, do you? You’re just not used to intimate contact with people.”

Lin Wanqing was drawn into her line of thinking and nodded.

She was adorable, turning pink all over.

Yan Qiu pulled out a bank card from the inner pocket of her coat and placed it in the pocket of Lin Wanqing’s overcoat.

Lin Wanqing resisted and took a step back. “No, Sister Qiuqiu, I don’t want to take your money.”

“I can earn money myself, I’m not short of money.”

The little rabbit’s serious gaze made Yan Qiu smile.

“I know Tian Tian has grown up and is not short of money, but if I don’t give you this card, what will others think? They will question the authenticity of our marriage, which will affect the group’s external image and the company’s stock price, and also damage your reputation.”

Yan Qiu persuasively drew the card out of Lin Wanqing’s hand and gently placed it in her pocket.

“Good girl, take the card.”

Her gentleness made people subconsciously obey.

Yan Qiu: “I’ll pick you up on the day we register for the marriage license.”

Lin Wanqing’s face was burning. “Okay.”

Yan Qiu smiled faintly and closed the car door.

…

Three days passed. Yan Qiu kept refreshing the bank card’s transaction history.

Yan Qiu: “Yu Fei, my bank transaction history is delayed.”

Yu Fei: “Haven’t the advertising fees been transferred yet? I’ll check immediately.”

Yan Qiu lightly tapped the screen with her finger. “It’s my supplementary card; the balance hasn’t been touched by a single penny.”

Yu Fei was startled: “The card was stolen? How dare a thief be so bold nowadays! I’ll report it to the police right away and get that thief locked up for seventy or eighty years.”

“…” Yan Qiu: “I gave the supplementary card to Lin Wanqing. Her most recent purchase was a seven-yuan pearl milk tea, but she didn’t use my card.”

Yan Qiu clicked on Lin Wanqing’s Moments [social media feed], her mood visibly souring.

Yu Fei: “Is there a possibility that Miss Lin forgot?”

Yan Qiu: “She doesn’t trust me, that’s why she won’t use my money.”

She tapped her cane on the desk, creating an unpleasant dong, dong, dong sound.

Yu Fei: “The expense for milk tea is too small. Maybe she used it when buying something big?”

Yan Qiu looked at her doubtfully.

Yu Fei: “I saw Mrs. Wang next door buying designer bags worth hundreds of thousands or even millions, and she always swipes Mr. Wang’s card.”

Yan Qiu seemed to be deep in thought.

Yu Fei’s brain was steaming. “Miss Lin is a fashion design major; she needs to appreciate a large number of luxury designs, so large expenses will be inevitable.”

Yan Qiu was temporarily convinced, and the downward curve of her mouth subtly flattened.

Yu Fei breathed a sigh of relief after soothing her boss.

…

Lan Xiaoxiao leaned down from the top bunk. “The luxury ready-to-wear appreciation assignment the teacher gave us, should we go check out that newly renovated mall in the city center?”

Lin Wanqing: “That area… the consumption is very high.”

She chose to go to the library.

Lan Xiaoxiao: “We’re just looking, not buying. Surely the sales associate won’t kick us out?”

Lan Xiaoxiao was eager to try: “Our teacher always likes Diao Pai’s [a homophone for Dior, literally ‘Carving Brand’] designs. Since it’s a weekday and there aren’t many people, we can look to our heart’s content.”

Lin Wanqing: “…Alright.”

Saying Dior quickly became Diao Pai, which was simple and down-to-earth, and also cleaned clothes well.

Two poor students took the subway and rode bicycles, standing in front of the expensive display window. One held a phone taking pictures, and the other quickly drew design sketches.

Those who frequented luxury stores on weekdays were usually wealthy women with someone carrying their bags.

The two were out of place in the entire mall.

Lan Xiaoxiao: “I heard the afternoon tea inside this brand is quite delicious. I want to…”

Lin Wanqing: “No, you don’t.”

Lan Xiaoxiao: “I just glimpsed a long-sleeved, off-the-shoulder dress inside; it’s a silhouette the teacher focused on in class.”

Lin Wanqing: “Shall we go in and have a look?”

She clutched the card Yan Qiu had given her.

Lan Xiaoxiao nodded repeatedly. The two walked into the store. The sales associate was very professional, immediately serving them tea and asking what they needed.

Lan Xiaoxiao pointed to the dress on the rack. “I’d like to try this one on.”

The sales associate immediately invited her into the fitting room.

Lan Xiaoxiao rarely came to such expensive places and felt uneasy all over, constantly looking to Lin Wanqing for help. Lin Wanqing smiled faintly. “Go ahead.”

She saw a strange, affectionate look in Lin Wanqing’s eyes.

“Miss?”

Lin Wanqing stood next to the off-the-shoulder dress. She was much calmer than Lan Xiaoxiao. “Please wrap up the golden enamel earrings over there. I don’t need anything else.”

Lin Wanqing took a card from her pocket and handed it to the sales associate. “I have something to do, don’t disturb me.”

Unfamiliar people who saw Lin Wanqing only found her cold and unapproachable. Her indifferent eyes looked at the off-the-shoulder gown discussed in class. She took out her phone to take detailed photos, then pulled out a sketchbook from her canvas bag and quickly sketched the pattern design.

The sales associate had never seen this before. Was this customer here to study instead of shop?

Lin Wanqing didn’t care about the scrutinizing gazes and focused on the task at hand.

Lan Xiaoxiao came out of the fitting room wearing the gown and stood next to Lin Wanqing.

Lin Wanqing pointed to the dress with her pencil and said, “The model has a tall figure. The large off-the-shoulder design will elongate the overall proportion while making the chest look fuller. The small V-neck design, while formal, adds a touch of sexiness. We can slightly reference it for our homework.”

Lan Xiaoxiao nodded in an academic manner. “The sales associate didn’t adjust the neckline correctly. The neckline of an off-the-shoulder style shouldn’t be higher than the collarbone; it affects the overall visual effect.”

Lin Wanqing looked at her in surprise.

Lan Xiaoxiao: “I was listening carefully in class too (QAQ).”

The sales associate handed the wrapped earrings to Lin Wanqing. “Would you like to try on this dress?”

Lin Wanqing pondered for a moment, and Lan Xiaoxiao egged her on: “Try it, try it, it doesn’t cost anything to try.”

Sales associate: “I’ll prepare a private room for you.”

Lan Xiaoxiao, emboldened: “Is there free afternoon tea?”

Sales associate: “…Yes, there is.”

The waist of the off-the-shoulder gown was cinched with a wide belt, making her waist look even more slender. The lower half was black silk fabric with large areas of long, striped embroidery flowers on both sides, making it luxurious yet not overwhelming.

Lin Wanqing tried on several dresses like this, writing notes while trying them on. An entire afternoon quickly passed.

Before leaving, the sales associate smiled and walked her out the door.

Lin Wanqing was stunned for a moment, thinking the attitude of these sales associates was too good.

The sales associate smiled sweetly: “Our store regularly customizes private traveling outfits and daily accessories for President Yan every month. She is our highest-tier guest, and we will satisfy any request you have.”

Lin Wanqing tightened her grip on the earrings she was going to give Yan Qiu, and a hint of an inexplicable warmth flowed through her heart.

…

The entire day passed. Yu Fei: “Boss, Miss Lin went to the Dior flagship store in the city center today.”

Yan Qiu: “The supplementary card’s deduction record is indeed delayed.”

Yu Fei: “But Miss Lin didn’t use your card.”

Yan Qiu: “.”

Yu Fei: “Miss Lin bought a pair of golden enamel earrings, with a total value of…”

Yan Qiu clenched the corner of a document with her finger: “Then whose card did she swipe?”

Yu Fei: “It was Miss Lin’s own card.”

The price of those earrings was very expensive for a student; many working people would even boast about owning them.

As far as she knew, the Lin family hadn’t given Lin Wanqing living expenses for a long time, so she relied on outside part-time jobs to sustain herself.

Yu Fei saw the boss’s face visibly darken, so she continued to sweet-talk: “There are few girls like Miss Lin who are self-reliant and unwilling to be a delicate climbing vine, Boss. You should be happy for Miss Lin; she will surely be a virtuous wife.”

Yan Qiu said coldly, “I wish she would be a climbing vine.”

Yu Fei: Boss, you’re so perverse.

Yan Qiu looked through the store’s surveillance footage. “Send all the dresses Lin Wanqing tried on to her. She should need them for class.”

…

That evening, Lin Wanqing was called down to the dormitory building.

Yu Fei smilingly placed a dozen large bags on the ground.

Lin Wanqing: “Did you just receive a new shipment?”

Yu Fei’s smile faltered. “Our President Yan is here to shower you with money… ah, no, to send you study materials.”

“President Yan also said that if Miss Lin doesn’t obediently spend her money, she will be severely punished.”

Lin Wanqing shrunk back. Was “severely punished” what she thought it meant?

If such a beautiful woman punished her, wouldn’t she be the one benefiting?