Chapter 58 Never Appear Before Me Again

Chapter 58: Don't Ever Show Your Face to Me Again

The formidable head of the Ling family could take a rejection, but having his pride stomped on over and over by the same woman was another matter.

Qin Shuyi stepped out of the car.

Before the door closed, she heard a low, cold male voice from inside the vehicle,

"Qin Shuyi, don't ever show your face to me again."

Qin Shuyi stopped in her tracks, squared her shoulders one last time under his piercing stare, and walked toward home without looking back.

Behind her, the car's engine roared to life. She knew it was truly over this time.

...

Upstairs.

Qin Yuan came into the room with some warmed milk for Zhou Yunhe, said, teasingly, "Honey, isn't it strange? That fancy car from back home showed up downstairs again today."

Zhou Yunhe glanced at him over her book, "Just a coincidence."

Qin Yuan nodded seriously, "Yeah, probably."

The couple chatted idly as they got ready for bed, deliberately ignoring the sounds of the front door opening and closing outside, and the furtive, mouse-like footsteps of someone.

Good parents sometimes need to play deaf and dumb.

Since their darling didn't want them to worry, they'd just have to trust her.

"But, should we really still have Darling go on that blind date this Saturday?" Qin Yuan hesitated.

Zhou Yunhe placed her book on the nightstand, "If she agreed to it, then she must be okay with it."

Qin Yuan said, "I'm just thinking, maybe the timing isn't quite right now."

Zhou Yunhe shook her head, "Right timing or not, it's all down to fate. The right person will find their way to you, no matter how many times you miss each other. If there's no result, then they're the wrong person."

Truth be told, Qin Shuyi's go-with-the-flow personality largely came from her mother, Zhou Yunhe.

Qin Yuan smiled, "That's true too. After all, not everyone is as lucky as me."

He shook his head smugly.

He had fallen in love with his wife at first sight and pursued her immediately, never giving up despite countless setbacks.

Without that perseverance and thick skin, one couldn't win over a woman from the Zhou family.

Zhou Yunhe shot him a reproachful look.

Qin Yuan felt a surge of affection, and gave his wife a smacking kiss on the cheek, "Our Darling takes after you. I'm afraid there won't be any shortage of smelly boys pining for her."

He chuckled gleefully, "Let them sink or swim on their own merits."

Back in the day, he had been put through the wringer for a long time, whipped into shape.

...

The capital was a city of a certain size.

But two people who had severed ties, once they fell into it, were like stones sinking into the sea, and could truly go their separate ways from then on, never to cross paths again.

Or perhaps, two people who were worlds apart from the start were simply parallel lines that never met.

Qin Shuyi kept to her usual routine of work and home, returning in the evening to enjoy the lovingly prepared meals made by her parents. The family would take walks together, go grocery shopping, and occasionally visit the Jiang family for small gatherings with her aunt's family. Her days were even more carefree than before.

And Ling Jue's life seemed to have returned to how it was before.

The news about the imminent good news for Young Master Ling had been suppressed. Everyone thought it was a misunderstanding, but somehow, it seemed the Ling family was actively looking for a daughter-in-law.

Qi Manjun stared blankly at the stack of photos before her.

What came to mind, however, was the gentle, serene girl she had met at the cemetery that time.

"Have you decided?" she asked her son, whose face showed no warmth.

Ling Jue glanced over the pile of information, "If there's a suitable one, it's not impossible."

Qi Manjun sighed, "I hope you're not acting out of spite. Arranged marriages certainly have their place, but there's a big difference between liking and not liking. Miss Qin... are you really not going to try again?"

"She refused." Ling Jue did not avoid the topic of Qin Shuyi.

His tone was calm, "Perhaps we really aren't suitable."

Qin Shuyi was right; transactional relationships were simpler for him.

He didn't need to use love to add meaning to his life. After all, he had managed fine for twenty-seven years.

Qi Manjun shook her head, "One refusal..."

"Three times," Ling Jue said expressionlessly, "She refused me three times."

Each time, her reasoning was clear, her words piercing his heart one sentence at a time.

Qi Manjun was uncharacteristically speechless.

Three times...

To be honest, given Jue's personality, even the first attempt at reconciliation had surprised her.

A person with such high self-esteem might do more than he says, but repeatedly lowering his head was impossible.

Qin Shuyi's attitude last time was clear: she wouldn't be a partner who had to teach him. Unless Jue broke and remolded himself, the two truly would be difficult to reconcile.

But Qi Manjun still added, "If you really are going to have an arranged marriage, then you must completely let go of past people and matters. If you regret it after marriage, the price will be even greater than it is now."

She didn't want him to end up like his father, entangled with a past love after marriage, betraying another woman.

Ling Jue said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

No emotional attachment, no affection. Two people negotiating to fulfill their respective duties, creating more benefits—that was the essence of marriage in families like theirs.

Qi Manjun sighed inwardly.

"In that case, Tao Wangxi..."

"Not Tao Wangxi." Ling Jue coldly refused.

Even if she had once been the most suitable, she had acted against Qin Shuyi and engaged in many underhanded schemes behind the scenes. Ling Jue would never allow her to become Mrs. Ling.

Qi Manjun recalled the welcome banquet she had heard about back then, giving Ling Jue a complicated look.

He said he didn't care anymore, so why would he still mind Tao Wangxi's past attitude toward Qin Shuyi?

Was this blind date even going to go anywhere?

With these thoughts in mind, she looked at the stack of photos and already felt her interest waning.

…

Saturday.

Qin Shuyi's blind date happened to fall exactly one week before Zhao Jinyu's engagement banquet.

Early in the morning, she was forcibly dragged out of bed by her mother to get dressed up. Even her aunt, Zhou Tinglan, brought Qian Youyou along to offer advice.

Being fussed over by three women, Qin Shuyi felt utterly drained before even stepping out the door.

But there was no denying the results.

Qian Youyou circled her cousin, who was dressed to the nines, practically drooling.

"She's totally going to knock that male doctor dead today."

Zhou Yunhe couldn't help but chuckle, though she was visibly proud as she looked at her daughter.

Zhou Tinglan, meanwhile, snapped photos left and right, eagerly posting them on social media.

When it was time to leave, Qin Yuan drove her there himself.

Qin Shuyi was hit with a wave of nostalgia, feeling as if she were back in the old days when her father used to drop her off at school.

Reflecting on today's grand send-off, she laughed, "If anyone found out, they'd probably tease me for being a daddy's girl and mama's girl."

Qin Yuan also smiled, "What's wrong with that? You've always been your parents' treasure."

The car stopped in front of the café. He gazed affectionately at his graceful daughter, patting her head gently. "I'll drive around for a bit. If you need me to pick you up later, just call me after it's over.

And remember our signal: if you're not satisfied, I'll call you."

After Qin Shuyi nodded, he looked at her earnestly and added, "Shuyi, marriage isn't a task you have to complete. So remember, make the decision that makes you happy."

Qin Shuyi smiled, "Got it, Dad. Bye~"

Qin Yuan waved back.

Warmed by her family's support, Qin Shuyi was still smiling as she pushed open the café door.

The movement jingled the wind chime above, producing a crisp, pleasant sound.

Customers inside looked up at the sound. When their eyes met, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

Qin Shuyi paused at the entrance, recalling the words, "Qin Shuyi, don't appear in front of me again."

She felt caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to step forward or retreat.

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