Chapter 111 - Why Is It Hard To Make Money? (1)
Half an hour later, Lu Qingfeng's secretary arrived bringing the change of clothes they needed. Lu Qingfeng and Su Xiaofei changed out of their uniforms into casual clothes just in time before Qiao Yuhan arrived to pick them up.
"Feifei, you don't need to send me to work. I can just commute from here." Xi Qian said as they walked towards the front gates of the school ground, expecting to see Qiao Yuhan's car.
"Commute from here? Xi Qian, I might not be familiar with the rates of the cabs in Qiying City, but I'm pretty sure it would cost you a lot if you take one from here." Su Xiaofei eyed her friend. "Say, you aren't planning to walk from here, are you?"
Xi Qian avoided her gaze and looked away, feeling guilty that Su Xiaofei was able to read her clearly.
"B-but it's not that far…" She tried to reason out.
"It's not that far? I doubt that. If you walk from here, I assume you would reach your destination in 45 minutes. Unless you run, you would still be ten minutes late for your shift." Lu Qingfeng said nonchalantly, surprising Xi Qian.
Hey, now. What's wrong with this little tyrant? Why did Xi Qian feel that Lu Qingfeng was being more and more agreeable and civil with her these days? She couldn't help but narrow her eyes on him suspiciously. Something was wrong with this little tyrant, that was for sure. Xi Qian thought.
She wasn't sure what Lu Qingfeng was up to, but there was no doubt that Su Xiaofei was one of the reasons for this sudden change of his treatment towards her.
When they reached the school gates, Qiao Yuhan was already there waiting for them, while Su Xiaofei's bodyguards were patiently waiting for their miss's orders.
"Qian, just take the ride. My bodyguards will drop you off at the usual spot. You don't need to tire yourself by walking to your workplace. You will be tired even before you start your shift and might make mistakes at work." Su Xiaofei tried to convince her best friend.
Qiao Yuhan lowered the tinted window of the backseat of his car.
"Hello, Fei Jie! Qian Jie!" He stuck his head out of the window and beamed a wide smile at them. It was obvious that he was excited to play with them again.
"Hello, Little guy. Did you wait for long?" Su Xiaofei bent forward and gently pinched his chubby cheek.
"Nope. Just arrived." He replied, before eyeing Xi Qian who was still in her school uniform. "Qian Jie, you aren't coming with us?" He blinked as he asked.
Xi Qian smiled and gave him a helpless smile. If she could, she would love to join them today. Alas, she wasn't born as privileged as them, as she needed to work in order to put food on her table and save some money for her education.
"Sorry, Xiao Han. Qian Jie wouldn't be able to come with you today, but I hope you enjoy your time with your Fei Jie and Brother Lu." Xi Qian said before ruffling his thick hair.
Qiao Yuhan felt a little sad when he heard that, because he wouldn't be able to see Xi Qian after they return to Shenjing this weekend.
"Okay. Be careful on your way then, Qian Jie. Xiao Han will also give you a call once we return to Shenjing!" He promised her.
Xi Qian giggled at that and offered her pinky finger at him. "You promise?"
It made her happy that the boy was willing to be her friend despite their difference in status.
"En!" The young boy exclaimed, hooking his tiny little pinky finger with hers and shook it as a promise.
When Xi Qian left, Su Xiaofei and Lu Qingfeng joined Qiao Yuhan in the backseat of his car. The little boy sat between them but his attention was focused on Su Xiaofei. Lu Qingfeng noticed that the boy's fat cat was nowhere in sight.
"Fei Jie, why does Qian Jie need to work? Isn't she too young to work?" Qiao Yuhan asked his new favorite person in the world. Well, he also likes his Qian Jie and Brother Lu, but he liked this Feifei Jie the most!
She was really pretty in his eyes, more beautiful than those actresses he'd seen on television. So how can he not like her when she also treated him with kindness and had been very patient with him?
"It's because your Qian Jie doesn't have parents to support and take care of her like us." Su Xiaofei tried to choose her words carefully. She didn't want Qiao Yuhan to look down on Xi Qian at all.
"But brother Lu also doesn't have parents, right?" The young boy retorted.
"I'm different. I have a generous grandfather who looks after me, but not Xi Qian." Lu Qingfeng corrected the young boy.
"Oh…" Qiao Yuhan didn't know whether to pity his Qian Jie or not. He hadn't thought that she was leading such a lonely life, living without her parents.
As a young boy at the age of eight, Qiao Yuhan couldn't understand why Xi Qian's parents weren't taking care of her, like his parents were of him. He had this notion that parents loved their child unconditionally and was oblivious that there were people out there who were willing to burn bridges with their kin, especially when money and greed was a motivation.
"Then, will Qian Jie be fine on her own?" He asked Su Xiaofei.
Su Xiaofei smiled at him and patted his head gently. She didn't want to admit, but she's going to miss this little guy once they leave.
"Your Qian Jie isn't alone, Xiao Han. Qian Jie has me and your Brother Lu." She answered him.
Qiao Yuhan's eyes glimmered in understanding.
"She also has me now!" He exclaimed, not wanting to be left out by them.
"Oh? Your Qian Jie would be happy to hear that.. You are such a nice kid, Xiao Han."