Pats Little Shrike's Tail - Chapter 97

Chapter 97

Shen Hongjun, holding the phone, was almost stunned by this one sentence.

Shen Hongjun was well aware of Shen Qingyi’s resentment and distance toward him. For so many years, Shen Qingyi had rarely given him a kind look, let alone such a light “Happy New Year.”

He even wondered if he was hallucinating. It took him a long time to respond: “Okay, you too… Happy New Year.”

After hanging up the phone, Shen Qingyi looked at the call history on her phone and soon received a picture from Shen Hongjun.

The picture showed fireworks filling the sky. In the courtyard, Tao Wanyue and Shen Jiaojiao were setting off sparklers, and a small golden dog stood beside Shen Jiaojiao, wagging its tail frantically. Including the person taking the photo, it was a perfectly harmonious scene.

Shen Qingyi curved her lips and smiled softly, then locked her phone screen and returned to the living room to continue watching the Spring Festival Gala with Shan Ling.

They stayed up until past 2 AM before going to sleep.

The next day, they were awakened by the sound of firecrackers in the neighborhood.

Shan Ling opened her eyes groggily and mumbled: “Setting off firecrackers this early, the property management will be scolding people…”

Shen Qingyi was also awakened. She fumbled for her phone and saw that it was already 12 PM.

“It’s not early,” Shen Qingyi lay in bed, glanced at Shan Ling, and said: “It’s noon. Are you still going to sleep?”

“I’m going to sleep in for a bit,” Shan Ling hugged her little blanket, lazily saying: “New Year’s Day is only complete if you sleep in. Yiyi, you shouldn’t get up either. Let’s go back to sleep.”

Shen Qingyi looked at her with amusement and didn’t object. Instead, she moved closer, reached out, and pulled Shan Ling into her arms.

With a blanket between them, Shan Ling curiously looked at Shen Qingyi’s sleeping face, feeling her heart “thump” wildly. She could even smell Shen Qingyi’s familiar scent.

“What are you doing?” Shan Ling said uncomfortably: “Why are you suddenly hugging me?”

“I just wanted to hug you,” Shen Qingyi closed her eyes, placing her hand on Shan Ling’s waist, and said: “Let’s sleep for another little while, and get up in half an hour.”

Shan Ling nodded, slightly increased the distance between them, and closed her eyes to rest.

She couldn’t sleep now, and the sound of firecrackers outside the window made her even more awake.

Shan Ling lay there with her eyes closed for over twenty minutes, but eventually decided to get up.

She needed to go to the restroom!

She laboriously got out of bed. Shan Ling didn’t forget to take her phone to the restroom, but when she saw the trending news push notification, she was immediately shocked.

“Explosive! Song Qinglan and assistant kissing in the parking lot. Sweet movements and meeting the parents…”

Clicking on the notification, Shan Ling realized the short video was what she had witnessed yesterday afternoon in the parking lot behind the restaurant. The shooting angle must have been from one of the cars not far from Shan Ling’s, and the angle was very clear, capturing how Song Qinglan kissed Fang Ran and how she hugged her from behind.

Shan Ling saw the comments below, with people posting all sorts of nonsense. Some even cried that their favorite celebrity liked someone of the same sex, calling it too terrifying, and some even demanded that Song Qinglan retire from entertainment.

Opening Weibo, Shan Ling saw the entire screen filled with discussions about Song Qinglan and Fang Ran, with the intimate video even trending.

Soon after, Song Qinglan posted an update.

“No need to make a fuss. We are just friends. What’s wrong with girls being close? Fang Ran is only my assistant, and it is impossible for us to be together.”

It is impossible for us to be together.

Fang Ran looked at the post Song Qinglan had published, feeling her mind suddenly go blank, and her heart sank to the bottom.

She had always thought that Song Qinglan was dating her because she liked her.

But now that the video was exposed, Song Qinglan had very neatly distanced herself from their relationship, making Fang Ran feel like an absolute joke.

Fang Ran still remembered in the parking lot when she saw the snow outside and opened the door to get out of the car.

It snowed frequently in this city in winter, and there had been two or three significant snowfalls before New Year’s Eve. But the snow that day made her feel particularly happy.

“A timely snow promises a bumper harvest.”

Fang Ran leaned against the car, raised her hand, and watched the snowflakes slowly land in her palm, melting into cold water.

Song Qinglan also came closer, peering at Fang Ran, her eyes smiling.

“It’s just snow. Why are you so happy?” Song Qinglan grabbed Fang Ran’s hand, tucked it into her own pocket, and leaned beside her, saying: “I remember when filming, the male lead would always hold his girlfriend’s hand and tuck it into his pocket to watch the snow together.”

She asked Fang Ran: “Do you think we look like we’re starring in an idol drama right now?”

Fang Ran was a little uneasy. Although she had often thought about holding hands with Song Qinglan and watching the snowy scenery, when Song Qinglan actually did it, she felt slightly uncomfortable.

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Fang Ran turned her head: “My brother and the others will be here soon. We need to go in ahead of time.”

“Didn’t you already reserve a private room? Why the rush?”

“I’m worried someone might recognize you.”

Fang Ran looked back at her and said: “Why did you insist on coming along? It’s so inconvenient.”

Song Qinglan puffed out her cheeks, whining affectionately: “My parents went to Hainan for vacation. I have no one else but you now. Besides, I’m so familiar with your aunt and uncle. What’s wrong with having a New Year’s Eve dinner with you? Moreover, the ‘ugly daughter-in-law’ must meet the parents eventually, right, Ranran?”

Fang Ran felt utterly embarrassed by her teasing, but seeing Song Qinglan’s triumphant smile, she lost her temper.

Forget it. Why bother arguing with her.

Song Qinglan saw Fang Ran looking at the snow again and felt unhappy. She pulled down the mask on her face and complained: “I’m a beautiful woman standing right here, and you’re not looking at me. You insist on looking at the snow. Aren’t you going too far?”

Fang Ran was just about to make a playful comment when she felt Song Qinglan lean in and kiss her on the lips.

Immediately, Fang Ran’s head went buzz.

“You, you…”

Fang Ran was about to scold Song Qinglan and tell her not to kiss her randomly in a public place when she felt her phone vibrating frantically in her pocket. It was a call from Fang Ran’s mother.

She calmed her racing heart, kept a two-step distance from Song Qinglan, and answered the phone.

“Ranran, we’re almost there. Where are you?” Fang Ran’s mother asked happily on the phone.

This was the first time their entire family had visited this city. Although it wasn’t far, there wasn’t much reason to travel here, so this was her parents’ first visit. Naturally, everything was new to them.

“We… we’re already here,” Fang Ran held the phone, blushing: “Mom, Qinglan’s parents went on vacation, and she has no one to spend the New Year with, so I asked her to eat with us. Is that okay?”

“Song Qinglan? Of course, it’s okay. She’s your boss and a big celebrity. We’re happy she can come,” Fang Ran’s mother said with a laugh on the phone: “Tell her to come over.”

Song Qinglan heard her name and fumbled to press against Fang Ran’s back, wrapping her arms around Fang Ran’s waist and swaying improperly.

“Were you just talking about me?” Song Qinglan whispered in Fang Ran’s ear.

Fang Ran felt goosebumps all over her body. She quickly told her mother on the phone: “Wait for me and Qinglan by the entrance. We’re coming out now.”

After hanging up, Song Qinglan still wouldn’t let go, resting her head on Fang Ran’s shoulder like a spoiled child.

“Auntie and Uncle are here?” Song Qinglan said sadly: “I wanted to spend more time with you. It’s been so long since we were intimate.”

“How has it been so long?” Fang Ran was furious: “Didn’t you just leave my place yesterday?”

Song Qinglan still looked wronged: “That sasaeng fan was too much. I feel unsafe in the apartment I’m staying in now, Ranran. I want to stay in your room…”

As she spoke, Song Qinglan started getting handsy.

Fang Ran was so angry she jabbed her with her elbow. Hearing Song Qinglan yelp “Ouch,” she finally distanced herself from her.

“Stop fooling around. You absolutely must be proper when my parents are around,” Fang Ran straightened her clothes, adjusted her glasses, and said: “They are ordinary people. Don’t scare them.”

Song Qinglan rubbed her stomach and said: “I know what I should say. Don’t worry about me. Just don’t poke me like that next time. I’m delicate and weak. You should be more sympathetic.”

The two bickered as they walked toward the restaurant. Afterward, the family ate dinner and celebrated the New Year harmoniously. But when Fang Ran woke up the next day, she felt like her world was collapsing.

Her parents, brother, and sister-in-law were currently staying at a hotel. Fang Ran had dropped Song Qinglan back at her apartment and then returned home herself without staying overnight.

Now, Fang Ran woke up to these push notifications, feeling a loud ringing in her head.

“Just friends”

“Impossible to be together”

Fang Ran was Song Qinglan’s assistant. If Song Qinglan had a scandal with anyone else, she would arrange for Song Qinglan to issue this exact clarification. When the people involved didn’t want to admit to the relationship, these statements were a perfect, all-purpose excuse.

But when those statements were about herself, Fang Ran felt a chill run through her.

The work group chat was “ding-ding-dong-dong” non-stop. Fang Ran didn’t have the courage to open it.

What would her colleagues say about her?

What would the netizens think of her?

The secret Fang Ran had hidden for ten years was now suddenly dug up. She could hardly imagine what the consequences would be.

She sat on the bed, looking distraught, until Song Qinglan’s phone call came in, and then a little life finally returned to Fang Ran’s eyes.

“Are you awake?” Song Qinglan’s voice was clear. She must have been awake for a long time. She told Fang Ran: “If you’re awake, go to the studio and handle this public relations crisis.”

“…Okay.”

Song Qinglan heard the other meaning in Fang Ran’s tone, so she explained: “I posted the update without consulting you, but it was also for your sake. If your parents found out about us, it would be difficult to handle. Besides, I just signed an endorsement deal for the Asia-Pacific region recently. My career is on the rise, and I can’t have problems because of this kind of romantic scandal.”

Fang Ran nodded heavily: “I know.”

Song Qinglan breathed a sigh of relief and told her: “Then get up quickly. I’m going to the studio too. We’ll issue a public statement soon, saying it was just a misunderstanding and that we are only friends.”

Just as Song Qinglan was about to hang up, Fang Ran suddenly asked: “Are we… really just friends?”

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