Chapter 82: The Person Has Passed Away

Eleven’s cooking was delicious, and Shen Qing ate two large bowls of rice.
“Wow! Miss Shen, you sure have an appetite! I only finished one bowl, and you’ve already polished off two!” Eleven gave her a thumbs-up.
Shen Qing: …
How come she’d never noticed before that he talked so much?
Gu Ting glanced at the darkening side of Shen Qing’s face, smiled lightly, and just then, the phone on the table rang.
Shen Qing glanced at it, then quickly turned her gaze away.
Gu Ting picked up the phone and answered.
“Sir, Jiangshan Bei has passed away.” The voice on the other end wasn’t quiet, and Shen Qing heard the name clearly. Her hand, poised to pick up more food, froze in midair.
Gu Ting, holding his phone, walked over to the sofa to talk.
Shen Qing looked sideways at him; the man’s expression was heavy, almost grim.
“Classmate Shen, eat your food.” Eleven called her “Miss Shen” in front of Gu Ting, but “Classmate Shen” behind his back.
“I’m full.” Shen Qing set down her chopsticks, settled into her chair, and started playing on her phone.
Gu Ting finished his call in less than two minutes, and Shen Qing vaguely caught the last thing he said: “Light incense for Elder Jiang.”
“What are you spacing out for? Your snake died.” Gu Ting gave Shen Qing a gentle pat.
“Oh.” Shen Qing responded absentmindedly and resumed her game.
After Gu Ting and Eleven finished their meal, they left. Shen Qing glanced at the closed door, then turned and headed to the bathroom for a shower.
She sat by the window, reading while waiting for her hair to dry in the breeze. After finishing everything, it was only one o’clock—still early.
She cast a glance at the medicine on her bedside table, walked over, took two pills, and finally lay down on the bed.

**
“Qing-jie, so many things happened at school while you were gone.”
“Our physics teacher was replaced; it’s no longer that old man.”
“And the humanities student from the class downstairs who was beaten up? They’ve found the culprit—it’s a student from No. 8 High. Apparently, he’s secretly in love with Yu Min’er.”
As soon as Shen Qing arrived at school, Yao Panpan swarmed around her, chattering nonstop.
“Oh.” Shen Qing had little interest in these matters, glanced coldly at her, and then tilted her head, resting it on Nie Huan’s shoulder.
Yao Panpan’s mouth twitched. Her Qing-jie, usually so tough, had somehow turned soft and pliant!
Nie Huan glanced sideways at Shen Qing; the girl’s face was pale, with faint shadows beneath her eyes.
“Why don’t you go nap in Teacher Gu’s office?” Nie Huan asked softly, knowing there was a lounge chair there—much more comfortable than sleeping at a desk.
Shen Qing curled her lips into a smile. “You might as well tell me to just go home and sleep.”
“Why don’t you?” Nie Huan asked seriously, and Chu Yu up front couldn’t help but laugh.
Honestly, Shen Qing’s grades were so good, whether she attended class hardly mattered.
Shen Qing ignored Nie Huan, reached into her drawer, and rummaged around. “All out of candy?”
“Mm.”
“Buy more next time.”
Nie Huan hesitated a little. “There’s no need.”
She’d heard from Little Fatty and the others that the candies were expensive.
Shen Qing looked up at her, hooked Nie Huan’s chin with her finger. “Money isn’t an issue.”

“Oh, quit working at the supermarket.” Shen Qing moved her body away from Nie Huan.
“Hm?” Nie Huan tilted her head, looking at her with a hint of confusion.
Shen Qing sent a message from her phone, speaking slowly, “There’s a vegetable vendor who needs a bookkeeper.”
**
The door to the top-floor office of Yushi Group’s building swung open, and a middle-aged man entered.
“President Nie, long time no see. Sorry to keep you waiting.” Yu Fei walked in, smiled at the young man on the sofa, and extended his hand.
Nie Junran stood up with gentlemanly grace, buttoned his jacket, and shook Yu Fei’s hand.
“President Yu.” Nie Junran responded warmly and politely.
Yu Fei took the main seat, his face friendly with a genial smile. “I wonder what matter brought you here in person, President Nie?”
“It’s nothing major. The third of next month is my engagement to the Cao family. President Yu, as the magnate of Fan City, you must be personally invited.”
Yu Fei waved his hand. “Ah, I’m getting old. Fan City’s future will be in the hands of you young people.”
Nie Junran smiled. “I heard President Yu has a daughter studying at No. 1 High School in Fan City?”
Yu Fei paused, curious why Nie Junran suddenly brought up Min’er.
“Yes, does President Nie need something?”
“It’s nothing serious, but your daughter managed to infuriate my future father-in-law quite a bit. President Yu, this child needs proper guidance. Otherwise, offending the wrong people could result in a situation far less amiable than mine.”
“President Nie, our Min’er has always been obedient at school, and she hasn’t even been in Fan City these past few days. You must be mistaken.”