Hu Shanshan was silent for a mont and asked, "Where did you get the money?"
Qin Xiaotao replied, "I borrowed it from Yun. I will repay him when I have enough money."
He smiled broadly and said, "Haven’t you always wanted a ho? Let’s go look at houses, choose whichever you like."
However, when Hu Shanshan saw the house she had longed for, her face didn’t show the smile he had hoped for.
"Xiaotao, I don’t think we necessarily need to buy a house," she said.
Hu Shanshan paused and said, "We should wait until we have the ans. There’s no need to force ourselves into things we can’t afford."
"But I want to give you a ho," Qin Xiaotao said earnestly.
"Alright, you should give the money back to President Qin. It’s really unnecessary," Hu Shanshan shook her head and said.
If it was before the New Year, she might have been happy, but now she really felt nothing.
She didn’t know how to talk to Qin Xiaotao about so things.
Seeing her say that, Qin Xiaotao paused, forced a smile, and said, "In that case, let’s wait until you want to look at houses again."
...
In the days that followed, Qin Xiaotao beca noticeably better to Hu Shanshan than before, bringing her breakfast every morning and cooking for her in their rented apartnt.
Even Zhou Yue sensed sothing unusual.
"Sis, what’s going on between you and brother-in-law?" Zhou Yue couldn’t help but ask.
"It’s nothing," Hu Shanshan shook her head. She too felt that Qin Xiaotao seed to have realized sothing.
She was also considering how to co clean, knowing she couldn’t continue juggling between two people.
And that Friday, Zhang Yuancheng asked her out again.
Hu Shanshan left in a taxi, not noticing that Qin Xiaotao silently followed. He received a phone call.
"Brother Xiaotao, are you ready to face it?" Qin Yun’s voice ca through the phone.
"Yes." Qin Xiaotao nodded.
After a week together, he felt Hu Shanshan was growing more distant, seemingly farther and farther away.
He always believed Hu Shanshan was forced, pressured by her parents into contacting other guys, but this possibility seed increasingly unlikely.
He wanted to see for himself.
Finally, the car stopped. Sitting inside, Qin Xiaotao looked out through the window, watching Hu Shanshan and Zhang Yuancheng talking.
It seed Zhang Yuancheng said sothing amusing, causing Hu Shanshan to burst into laughter.
It was a rare smile to see; his personality was gloomy, not one for jokes or making Hu Shanshan laugh with just words.
Watching their close conversation, a wave of anger suddenly surged up, and Qin Xiaotao clenched his fists, but he rembered sothing and held back.
If he rushed out now, regardless of anything, Hu Shanshan’s situation would beco awkward.
He waited for more than an hour, then saw Zhang Yuancheng drive away while Hu Shanshan took a taxi back.
Qin Xiaotao quickly followed.
"Shanshan," Qin Xiaotao called as Hu Shanshan returned to her residence.
"Xiaotao, when did you co?" Seeing Qin Xiaotao, Hu Shanshan asked, puzzled.
Qin Xiaotao paused in silence before finally saying, "Shanshan, I was at Speed Lake Street just now."
At his words, Hu Shanshan’s face changed abruptly, "You followed ?"
The place she t Zhang Yuancheng just now was indeed Speed Lake Street.
Seeing Hu Shanshan’s changing expression, even though Qin Xiaotao knew he had to face it, he suddenly felt a wave of panic.
"Shanshan, I didn’t an to. I was just worried soone might deceive you." He hurriedly explained.
"Enough, you don’t need to say anymore."
Hu Shanshan shook her head, ignoring Qin Xiaotao, and walked straight to the rented apartnt.
"Shanshan, don’t be angry," seeing her upset, Qin Xiaotao panicked more, following behind her, continuously saying sothing.
Outside, seemingly hearing the commotion, the door opened. Zhou Yue ca out holding a bag of snacks, looking at Qin Xiaotao and Hu Shanshan in surprise.
"Sis, brother-in-law, what’s going on?"
Walking into the rented house, Qin Xiaotao also followed Hu Shanshan in.
Seeing Qin Xiaotao persistently following, anxiously explaining, Hu Shanshan paused before saying, "Xiaotao, let’s break up."
Hearing this, Qin Xiaotao was stunned, then quickly said, "Shanshan, it was my fault, I shouldn’t have followed you. Please don’t say sothing you’ll regret, okay?"
Even though he knew this was a possibility when coming clean, hearing Hu Shanshan say it made his heart feel stabbed, unable to accept it.
His eyes turned red, his face full of pleading.
"Break up?"
Beside them, Zhou Yue, who was eating snacks, was completely shocked, her hands frozen.
Watching Qin Xiaotao’s pleading expression, Hu Shanshan felt her heart soften a bit as she thought of how Qin Xiaotao had been over these months. Honestly, even including her parents, no one treated her as well as Qin Xiaotao. He never made her angry and always wanted to give her the best.
He bought her the most expensive phone, while his own phone was only worth two to three thousand yuan.
"Xiaotao, it’s not that I’m saying this out of anger, but I’ve been thinking about this for a while. I know you’re very good to , but being good to doesn’t an I can like you. You know, I’ve never felt much for you."
Hu Shanshan tried to make her tone soft.
Previously, she was a bit hesitant, but now that Qin Xiaotao had found out, she had to make a choice. She truly didn’t feel suited for Qin Xiaotao. He couldn’t help with her dreams, and he couldn’t sense her emotions. There was always sothing missing between them.
"Shanshan, I can change anything you don’t like about ."
Hearing that, Qin Xiaotao panicked even more.
"How will you change?"
Hu Shanshan shook her head and said seriously, "Xiaotao, we’re not in our early twenties anymore. At that age, we were hopeful about love, and it didn’t matter if there was no bread. But now, we’re more concerned with reality. What I want, you can’t give."
Living in Jinling is tough, and Qin Xiaotao has nothing.
His cousin Qin Yun is impressive, having built Celestial Fortune, but they’re just relatives, and Qin Yun’s money has nothing to do with Qin Xiaotao. Even if his salary increases in the future to over ten thousand, twenty thousand, or even an astounding thirty thousand, what could that achieve?
In ten years, could he fully buy a house in Jinling on his own?
"Shanshan, I understand what you’re saying. I will work harder to earn money, give it all to you. I’ve already reserved a house, and only your na will be on it. I will ensure you have a better life. Just please don’t leave ."
Seeing Hu Shanshan’s determined expression, Qin Xiaotao kept speaking, but it didn’t affect her stance in the slightest.
"Thud."
Suddenly, a sound ca from the floor, and Qin Xiaotao knelt before Hu Shanshan. Grabbing her clothes, he kept pleading, "Shanshan, don’t leave , please. I will change for you."
He overestimated his emotional endurance and couldn’t bear the thought of Hu Shanshan leaving.
Seeing such a scene, Hu Shanshan felt a pang in her heart, but she forced herself to appear indifferent and said, "Xiaotao, you’re a good person. You’ll find a girl who suits you in the future."
She forcibly let go of Qin Xiaotao’s hand, took a few clothes and a suitcase, and left without any hesitation.
Qin Xiaotao was left kneeling on the ground, his eyes red as he watched that figure step out of the house and disappear from view. His spirit seed to have drained from him, leaving him like a puppet, utterly dejected.
For Qin Xiaotao, before coming to Jinling, his life was depressing and lacked direction. He was muddle-headed, insecure, sensitive, unsure of the future.
After following Qin Yun to Jinling, he realized how to live his life. There, he t Hu Shanshan, the girl he had liked since university.
It was a new beginning in his life, and in this new Chapter, Hu Shanshan accompanied him, sharing many experiences, and his life gradually shifted from darkness to light.
In his imagination, he would marry Hu Shanshan, have children, and give the best to her and their kids, spending a lifeti together.
That was what he most yearned for and looked forward to.
Now, it’s all over.
During their university days, Hu Shanshan embodied Qin Xiaotao’s youthful dreams. Since arriving in Jinling in August, they reunited, but now in February, half a year has passed, and Hu Shanshan has left again.
His youth has ended, never to return.
(Ah, Brother Xiaotao deserves better. It’s ti to accelerate the developnt of Celestial Fortune. Brother Xiaotao should follow the protagonist to transform and rise!)
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