Chapter 93 Long Workout Time (1/2)

At long last, Ying Qingcang's mood had shown slight improvement. After hearing Ah Nan's report, he felt that Xin Qing had handled the situation very well. At first, he had been planning to put pressure on CK, but had held back because he was worried that Xin Qing would be mad when she found out. In the end, she had handled the situation beautifully.

”Go check out that William,” Ying Qingcang said, frowning. ”If I'm not mistaken, that name is affiliated with the British royal family. But I don't really recall such a man among them. Go look into it.”

Ah Nan nodded and left the room the same time when Young Master Shen was entering. Young Master Shen plopped down on the couch unceremoniously and lay spread-eagled. ”Xiao Qingqing is having her summer vacation now. Let's go see her!” He declared triumphantly.

”Sure. You go,” Ying Qingcang said, nodding his agreement.

Young Master Shen glared at him. ”As if you're not dying to go yourself.”

”As a matter of fact, I really don't feel like going,” Ying Qingcang said, glancing at him. ”I'm busy. So you go!”

”Then I'm not going as well,” Young Master Shen said, his lips downturned.

”No, that won't do. You said just now that you'll be going. So you must go.” Ying Qingcang threatened. ”Otherwise... you'll have to return to England with me.”

Young Master Shen sat bolt upright on the couch. ”That thing last time is coming back to bite you in the ass, isn't it?”

”The old man told me that my grandfather is facing a lot of pressure. Besides, he's been ill. If I don't return, I'm afraid he'll die from anger.” As expected, Molly's family had begun making their move. The reason they were demanding a statement from the Ying family was simply to compel Ying Qingcang to marry Molly.

Young Master Shen laughed gloatingly. ”When I go to France, I'll tell Xin Qing about your upcoming engagement.”

Ying Qingcang did not burst into anger at Young Master Shen's suggestion. Instead, he nodded his agreement. ”Fine. You tell her exactly that.”

The hottest news in CK Academy was that the academy award had been won by a Chinese girl. Xin Qing stood at the exhibition corridor, staring as they placed an imitation of Dream Lily into a glass case. Dream Lily. That was the name she had given her design.

”Congratulations. You'll be remembered in the annals of CK as the first Asian who got a high distinction!” said Dianne, offering her hand congratulatory. Xin Qing had no idea when Dianne had approached her.

Xin Qing smiled and returned her sights to her design. Her eyes were a little unfocused, as if she was drifting away. ”The reason why there hasn't been one before me might have nothing to do with talent or capability. I believe that the Chinese are just as talented as your people.”

Realizing the insinuation behind Xin Qing's words, Dianne went deep in thought. After a while, she said, ”I've never had any prejudice against the Chinese.” She smiled. ”I lost. So I'll treat you to a meal as promised!”

”It's alright. I've got a friend coming to France for a visit. Then, I still have to go to the academy to make arrangements for my summer trip to the mines. My schedule's a little tight.” Xin Qing politely declined. Dianne's attempts at cordiality had made Xin Qing feel unsafe. After everything that had happened with Randa, Xin Qing's sense of self-awareness had heightened considerably. In the words of her ancestors: ”Have no intention to harm, but have every intention to preserve yourself from harm!”

Dianne had probably not been expecting such a blatant refusal from Xin Qing. She was taken aback at first, but she recovered and put on a distant and classy smile. ”It's okay. I can wait until you have time,” she said before she nodded and left.

When Xin Qing found out the mining site she was visiting for her summer trip, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. She rubbed her eyes hard, but yet the words written there still struck her as familiar. It was her own mining site, the same one Ying Qingcang had given her.

”It can't be this coincidental, can it?” Xin Qing felt a bit incredulous. She pondered for a moment before deciding to make a phone call to confirm it. In the end, the teacher confirmed it. That was indeed the place that she had been assigned to. At this point, her emotions were in shambles. As far as she knew, she would have two other students joining her for the trip. Dianne would be one of them. The other one would be a guy. ”It's best if I keep it to myself,” Xin Qing thought. ”Nobody from the mines has seen my face before anyway. I'll just go there as a normal student!”

The academy had set the date of departure at the end of the month, which meant she still had about half a month left before the trip. Xin Qing's original plan was to explore the surrounding cities on her own, but Young Master Shen had called to say that he would be coming for a visit. For the past few days, Xin Qing had been living in a haze. She was afraid that Ying Qingcang would be coming with Young Master Shen. The past few months had kept her busy designing, so she had not really felt anything. But now that her mind was free from any obligations, it was filled to the brim with yearning and longing for that man. She wanted to see him, but yet she did not have the courage to do so. Out of nowhere, the lyric of a song came to her mind. Better to have you in mind than in sight.

Xin Qing had been on tenterhooks until Young Master Shen appeared at her door with a wide grin on his face. Relief came when he pulled her into a hug. Because Ying Qingcang did not come with him. She heaved a sigh of relief and at the same time, she shoved down the feeling of disappointment back into her heart. However, when Young Master Shen said something to her during dinner, she knew she could not run away from reality anymore.

”Xiao Qingqing, see? I'm so much nicer!” Young Master Shen smiled treacherously. ”That b*stard Ying Qingcang doesn't bother to come to visit you.”

Xin Qing lifted her glass of water. ”He's probably busy. Plus, he isn't obliged to come to see me, considering our current relationship.”

”He's not busy. He's back in England to be engaged to some Molly woman.” Young Master Shen threw out the words.

”Crash!” The glass that Xin Qing had been holding fell to the ground. It was as if the broken shards had sliced through her heart. She was bleeding silently, her blood pouring into a place where nobody could see.

”Xiao Qingqing!” Young Master Shen called a waiter immediately. ”Don't move! Otherwise you'll cut yourself.”

Xin Qing sat there quietly, biting her lips. She kept staring intently at the broken glass on the floor.

When the waiter had cleared up the mess, Young Master Shen sighed. ”If it's so unbearable, then why did you leave in the first place?”

”I'm fine,” Xin Qing said, raising her head. Her eyes held calmness and composure. Young Master Shen stared at her for a long time and found that he really could not detect anything from her eyes. He frowned. ”If you're fine, that thing just now wouldn't have happened.”

”I don't know why you left,” Young Master Shen said. ”I just know that you love him very much. Are you really going to watch him marry someone else?”

A tiny smile formed on Xin Qing's lips. ”It never really was about love. The only thing between us is the Ying family's Ancestral Behest. It's all because of the Totem on our backs.”

”You really believe all that superstitious crap? This is nothing but a mockery to the feelings you share with each other,” Young Master Shen said disapprovingly.

”It's over between me and him. It's all in the past now. Aren't things good now? He has a fiancé, and I can fulfill my dreams in peace. If we ever see each other again in the future, we can shake each other’s hand like buddies. That's good enough!” Xin Qing smile. ”Can we not talk about him again in future conversations?”

Young Master Shen glared at her. ”Didn't you say you're fine with everything?”