Pats Little Shrike's Tail - Chapter 81

Chapter 81

The moment Fang Ran saw what Song Qinglan was holding, her mind went completely blank with a loud ‘buzz.’

Because there was no bookshelf in the room, the book was placed on Fang Ran’s usual office desk. She had been too busy lately and hadn’t put the book away. She never expected Song Qinglan to discover it this way.

In the back pocket of the book lay Fang Ran’s youthful love, and the other person in the love letter was standing right in front of her.

With a deep, serious expression.

“You like me?” Song Qinglan looked at Fang Ran, her voice icy as she asked: “This is the book you gave me back then. If I hadn’t seen it today, I wouldn’t have known you’ve liked me since your senior year of high school.”

Fang Ran opened her mouth, but not a single word came out.

The shock and disgust in Song Qinglan’s eyes made her feel cold all over, as if she were standing in the bitter wind. Fang Ran’s thoughts began to slow down, making it difficult to cope with what was happening.

She found out…

In the end, she found out.

Fang Ran held the water cup, trembling slightly. Her hands were scalding red, but she didn’t feel it. She just kept her head down, remaining silent.

“Speak!”

Song Qinglan demanded sharply: “You dare to write a love letter, but why don’t you dare to say it to my face?”

Fang Ran didn’t know what to do. She could only stare at the water cup in her hands and explain haltingly: “I… I really am…” in love with you.

Before she could finish the sentence, Song Qinglan lifted the book in her hand and slammed it down onto the floor beside Fang Ran with a smack.

Song Qinglan looked at her, her eyes filled with revulsion, and coldly said: “You disgust me.”

After saying this, she strode past Fang Ran. Fang Ran could hear Song Qinglan picking up her clothes, followed by the sound of the door slamming shut.

The ‘bang’ of the main door closing shook the momentarily numb Fang Ran back to reality.

She looked back at the door, only then realizing that the hot water cup in her hands was burning her palms.

Fang Ran just stood there, at a loss. She put down the water cup and used her scalding red hands to pick up the book from the floor.

Her vision slowly blurred. When Fang Ran saw the tears falling onto her glasses, she realized, belatedly, that she was crying.

She squatted on the ground, holding the book and silently weeping. The entire room was shrouded in a deep stillness, utterly silent.

Fang Ran knew that everything was over. Both the love that was ten years late, and her relationship with Song Qinglan, had ended.

The hope from that summer, after all this time, finally… came to this conclusion.

After the New Year’s Day holiday, almost everyone was looking forward to the approaching Spring Festival.

Business at the coffee shop had been quite good these days. Shan Ling and her colleagues worked diligently, occasionally discussing what activities or decorations they should prepare for the Spring Festival.

Christmas had been too rushed, and they hadn’t had time to buy many decorations, which Nuonuo was quite unhappy about.

As the only person worried about the coffee shop going bankrupt, Nuonuo took advantage of a slow moment to pull Shen Qingyi aside to discuss the in-store decorations and discount promotions for the Spring Festival.

“A merchant is a merchant. Can you call us merchants if we don’t offer discounts?” Nuonuo told Shen Qingyi in the back kitchen: “We need to control costs, increase sales, and strive to reach a new peak before the final holiday…”

Shan Ling listened to the loud planning of the two in the back kitchen, somewhat resigned as she took an order from the customer in front of her.

“One soy milk latte, large size, no sugar, right?” Shan Ling showed her signature smile to the white-collar customer in front of her: “Please scan the code here, thank you.”

The customer paid and left with the coffee, and Shan Ling was idle again.

Shen Qingyi said helplessly from the back kitchen: “Can’t we just not have a promotion?”

Nuonuo was shocked: “This is your shop!”

Shan Ling could imagine Shen Qingyi’s conflicted expression at the moment, partly agreeing with Nuonuo but partly not wanting to work, finding it quite a headache.

Just then, a woman walked into the coffee shop. She wore a white, ankle-length coat, cropped pants that exposed her ankles, and black high heels.

One should remember that it had snowed heavily a few days ago, and pedestrians outside were bundled up like balls. Yet, there was someone sacrificing warmth for style by wearing so little. Shan Ling felt cold just looking at her.

However, the woman was tall, with large, wine-red waves in her hair, paired with large sunglasses. She looked exactly like a model stepping out of a fashion magazine.

She also looked a bit familiar.

Shan Ling saw the person approach her, take off her sunglasses, and say: “A latte, nothing added.”

It was then that Shan Ling recognized the person in front of her as Song Qinglan.

“Ms. Song?” Shan Ling stood behind the counter, looking at her in surprise: “Why are you dressed like that? Aren’t you cold?”

Song Qinglan glanced at Shan Ling, not immediately answering her question. Instead, she asked: “Is your manager here? I arranged to meet her here today.”

Meeting with Shen Qingyi?

Shan Ling was confused. How did she not know when Song Qinglan and Shen Qingyi started communicating?

And behind her back, no less.

“She’s in the back kitchen. Please wait a moment,” Shan Ling told Song Qinglan: “Please find a seat, and I will bring the coffee over shortly.”

Song Qinglan didn’t seem to want to be the center of attention. She noticed several people in the coffee shop were already staring at her and taking photos. She put her sunglasses back on, walked in her high heels to a corner seat, and started playing on her phone.

Shan Ling confirmed her location, then lifted the curtain to the back kitchen and told the two people discussing holiday discounts: “Song Qinglan is here.”

Nuonuo instantly perked up: “Why would Song Qinglan come here?”

“I arranged to meet her here,” Shen Qingyi said calmly when she heard the news: “She called me yesterday, so I asked her to meet here.”

Nuonuo looked at her in surprise: “Boss, since when are you so close to Song Qinglan?”

Shen Qingyi glanced at her, sighing helplessly: “Would you believe me if I said this is only the second time we’ve spoken?”

Nuonuo shook her head, indicating she wouldn’t believe it for a second.

Shan Ling seemed to realize something. As Shen Qingyi walked past her, she pulled her aside into a corner and quietly asked: “Is it about that book?”

After all, Shan Ling couldn’t think of any other reason why Song Qinglan would initiate contact with Shen Qingyi besides The Longest Confession.

Shen Qingyi seemed to have known this already. She glanced at Song Qinglan’s location, then looked deeply at Shan Ling and said: “Yes.”

That single word made Shan Ling think of many things. She looked at Shen Qingyi, who seemed hesitant to speak, but Shen Qingyi just smiled softly and stroked her head.

“I’ll go talk to her first,” Shen Qingyi told Shan Ling: “Have Nuonuo make two lattes. You bring them over.”

Shan Ling understood the meaning in Shen Qingyi’s words. She meant she would first go find out why Song Qinglan was here. Then, when Shan Ling brought the coffee over, they could see if the three of them could talk things through properly.

“I understand.” Shan Ling nodded to her and smiled: “Do you want milk in yours?”

Shen Qingyi smiled back: “Just a little.”

After instructing Shan Ling, Shen Qingyi slowly walked towards Song Qinglan. She exchanged a glance with her and then sat down.

Song Qinglan appeared to be texting on WeChat. Her beautiful hands held the latest model of a smartphone, and her long nails clacked rhythmically on the screen.

“Did Ms. Song invite me to meet just so I could watch you play on your phone?” Shen Qingyi rested her hands on the table and asked calmly.

At the sound of her voice, Song Qinglan’s frantic screen tapping paused. She looked up at Shen Qingyi, seemingly thinking about what to say.

On her home turf, Shen Qingyi watched her leisurely and began: “Is there anything you want to ask me?”

Song Qinglan sat up straight and placed her phone face down on the table next to her sunglasses.

“A month ago, you called me saying that you found something in the book I sold you and wanted to deliver it to me personally, even setting up a meeting,” Song Qinglan looked at her with a somber expression: “Why didn’t you want to give it to me when we met?”

Shen Qingyi met her gaze, curling her lips slightly: “Haven’t you already figured that out? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have come looking for me.”

Since receiving Song Qinglan’s call, Shen Qingyi had already guessed what had happened.

The book was safest in Shen Qingyi’s hands, but Fang Ran desperately wanted it. Shen Qingyi had no reason to refuse, and the relationship between Fang Ran and Song Qinglan would likely be broken because of it eventually.

It was just that it happened so quickly.

Song Qinglan seemed to have realized something. Her eyes were full of annoyance and revulsion. She irritably ran a hand through her long hair, catching a glimpse of Shan Ling approaching with two cups of coffee out of the corner of her eye.

“Ms. Song, this is the one you ordered.” Shan Ling put down the coffee, then glanced at Shen Qingyi.

Shen Qingyi gave Shan Ling a subtle look.

Shan Ling understood and turned to leave.

Just then, people in the shop seemed to have recognized Song Qinglan. Several had already started taking pictures with their phones, and some even stood up and looked around, appearing very curious.

Just as Shan Ling was wondering if she should stop these people, two people walked into the coffee shop. They were both young, and as soon as they entered, they asked Shan Ling: “Excuse me, may I ask…”

One girl leaned in and whispered to Shan Ling: “I’m Song Qinglan’s assistant. Has she arrived here?”

Shan Ling’s eyes widened slightly. She looked curiously at the two people in front of her.

So, Song Qinglan came here secretly?

But wasn’t Song Qinglan’s assistant Fang Ran? Although a celebrity surely had more than one assistant, Shan Ling vaguely sensed something was wrong.

She didn’t keep the people waiting. She pointed to the corner and told the two: “Over there.”

The two repeatedly thanked her, then quickly walked over. They leaned down and said something to Song Qinglan. Shan Ling clearly felt that Song Qinglan was unhappy. The two assistants flinched, and then Song Qinglan put on her sunglasses and quickly strode out of the coffee shop.

Shan Ling watched everything from the side. After the three of them left, she turned to Shen Qingyi and quietly walked over.

“Yiyi.”

Shan Ling sat in the seat Song Qinglan had occupied, watching Shen Qingyi leisurely sip her coffee, and asked curiously: “What did Ms. Song talk to you about? What couldn’t I hear?”

Shen Qingyi looked up at her, pursed her lips, and said: “Fang Ran’s book… she saw it.”

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