Chapter 153 Isll Treat You as My Responsibility (1/2)

They managed to catch Meyer and bring him back on the third day of Chinese New Year, and there was no cordiality in Ying Qingcang's treatment of him at all; they had locked him up for two days straight before they finally went to see him. Meyer's face was pale, and his clothes were filled with wrinkles. ”Is Xin Qing okay?” That was the first thing Meyer said when he saw Ying Qingcang.

Ying Qingcang stared at him coldly, ”Why did you do it?”

”It really wasn't my intention to cause her trouble. I was desperate at the time and I didn't know who those people were. I just wanted to get away from them as quickly as possible. I didn't know that things were that serious,” said Meyer regretfully. ”Look, I'm not trying to defend myself or find excuses for what I did. I know it's my fault. So I'll accept whatever it is that you intend to do to me.”

Ying Qingcang stood up and looked away from Meyer, ”I brought you here because I know that Xin Qing had been feeling very upset over this. She was afraid that you had deliberately set her up. She saw you as a friend. Now, leave. I'll explain everything to her.”

Meyer's hands clenched into tight fists. He had wanted to make a request to see Xin Qing. But now he was too ashamed to see her.

Ying Qingcang waited until the fifth day of Chinese New Year before he told Xin Qing about it. The two days' delay was deliberate and out of his own selfish wish: he did not want to give Xin Qing the chance to see Meyer.

”Oh, so he didn't do it on purpose!” Xin Qing's eyes had brightened instantly when he told her. Ying Qingcang sighed inwardly. ”This woman is obviously still feeling bad about it, and yet she acts like she doesn't care,” he thought. ”Yeah,” said Ying Qingcang. ”Still, I don't want you to have any further contact with him. Regardless of whether he had done it on purpose, it was still him who had planted the CD on you to save his own life. And that, per se, is a selfish behavior.”

Xin Qing bared her teeth in a grin. ”I guess you just have to keep watching over me, then. Otherwise, you won't be able to see me ever again if someone sold me out.”

Xin Qing had spent the rest of Chinese New Year feeling contented: she had a man whom she loved deeply and an obedient daughter. Xin Qing thought that her life could not have been more perfect that it was right now. Chen Ming came to see Xin Qing on the 15th day of Chinese New Year. That was when Xin Qing noticed something wrong with his behavior.

”What's the matter with you?” She asked.

They were having dinner together to celebrate the Lantern Festival, and Chen Ming stared at her across the table while holding on to his bowl. He seemed hesitant, opening his mouth to speak before changing his mind and closing his mouth again. After a while, he finally got out, ”Hey, Xin Qing... Do you know someone called Li Xiaoru?”

”Li Xiaoru?” For a moment, Xin Qing was caught off guard. ”What's up with her?”

Chen Ming told Xin Qing about the two encounters between Li Xiaoru and himself. When he was done, he said, ”I think she might have misunderstood my intentions.”

”In thinking that you have fallen for her, you mean?” Xin Qing chuckled twice. ”So you're saying you feel nothing for her?”

”The idea never even cross my mind.” Chen Ming shot a glare at Xin Qing. ”And yet she's been coming to my company everyday, waiting for me downstairs. She even brought me supper.” Chen Ming felt entirely helpless in situations like this. Right now, he was truly envious of Ying Qingcang's personality; the man could slap a woman without batting an eye. Chen Ming's own personality rendered him incapable of such a feat.

”Well, how're going to know for sure if you don't try?” Xin Qing thought it was quite a good thing. Li Xiaoru seemed like a kind and decent woman, so if would not be bad at all if she were to end up together with Chen Ming!

Chen Ming waved his hand, ”Then why didn't you try loving me before?” Chen Ming cut her off before Xin Qing could respond to that. ”Don't feel like you owe me anything. I know very well what I feel about her.” There was a pause during which Chen Ming noticed Xin Qing's silence and her lowered gaze. He kept talking, ”And don't feel like I'm in such a state because of you. I've long since gotten over you. If I ever meet someone I like, I will pursue her.”

”Oh. Then I guess my worries were unfounded, then,” Xin Qing said sheepishly. Then, she looked back at him awkwardly. ”What do you want me to do?”

Chen Ming sighed. ”I know you're her senior. So I want you to relay a message to her. Ask her to stop wasting time on me. You know as well as I do that I kinda suck at rejecting girls.”

”Sure!” Xin Qing thought for a moment. ”I'll go talk to her.”

That night, when she told Ying Qingcang about her conversation with Chen Ming, Ying Qingcang laughed at her mockingly.

”If you do this, wouldn't it just make others hate you? I'm pretty sure she'll end up thinking that you're interested in Chen Ming.”

Xin Qing glared at him, ”What, you think everyone else is devious like you?”

Ying Qingcang nodded, ”Yep. I certainly am a lot smarter than you.”

”But still, I guess she really will end up getting the wrong idea...”

Ying Qingcang patted her head. ”It's alright. It won't matter even if she gets the wrong idea. She still won't dare to do anything to you.”

Ying Qingcang's comment had suddenly made Xin Qing feel less emboldened. When school reopened and she ran into Li Xiaoru at the school stadium, Li Xiaoru was the one who had greeted her; Xin Qing had planned to slip away and pretend that she never saw the younger woman.

”Senior!” Li Xiaoru smiled and waved at Xin Qing. ”Happy New Year, even though it's a bit late.”

Xin Qing decided to bite the bullet, ”Hehe. Are you free right now?”

”I am!” Li Xiaoru replied with enthusiasm. ”Do you have something you want to talk to me about? If you do, please feel free to do so.”

Xin Qing invited Li Xiaoru to hang out at the dessert store near the school. By the time they were both seated, Li Xiaoru had guessed from the way Xin Qing was behaving that Xin Qing really did have something important to tell her. Li Xiaoru stared at Xin Qing seriously, waiting for her to speak.

”You like Chen Ming, don't you?” Xin Qing decided to speak frankly. Beating around the bush would only lead to more troublesome things.