Chapter 1700 - 691: Best Friends_2

Chapter 1700: Chapter 691: Best Friends_2

After thinking for a moment, he comforted her, "Don’t worry, Senior Sister isn’t the kind of person to hold grudges. Hmm, she will understand you... There’s a chance that when she saw you beside me, she might have already guessed."

Qu Peining might have heard, or perhaps heard nothing at all. Zhou Wang pinched her cheek, and inexplicably felt that she seemed cute at that moment.

So Zhou Wang lowered his head and pecked softly on her slightly swollen, soft lips before standing up.

"Or perhaps, I’ll go out first and talk with Senior Sister. You can come out later."

Seeing that Qu Peining still showed no reaction, Zhou Wang said no more, turned and opened the bathroom door and left.

Finally, Qu Peining’s dull eyes moved. She wanted to speak but stopped herself, ultimately remaining silent. She simply curled up again, gazing unblinkingly at the ceiling, lost in thought.

...

About ten minutes later.

The tightly closed bathroom door finally opened slowly. Restored to her confident attire, with only a slight blush remaining on her cheeks, Qu Peining hesitated and walked out of the bathroom.

She quickly glanced around the private room, finding Zhou Wang was nowhere in sight. On the sofa lazily leaned a woman with delicate features and inexplicable warmth in her demeanor. When Qu Peining walked out, the woman showed some smile.

"Zhou... Where is he?"

Qu Peining awkwardly lowered her head and softly asked.

"He went out first to avoid any embarrassment for you, Peining. Come, have a seat."

"I suppose he knows what’s appropriate."

Qu Peining could only murmur softly.

She had to admit that the man always knew how to play to people’s emotions through details. She didn’t know how long she mentally struggled before coming out. If Zhou Wang were still present, she would likely have turned and fled.

But with only Jiang Mo here... Qu Peining couldn’t bring herself to do that.

Watching Qu Peining inch her way to her side, Jiang Mo’s eyes briefly flickered with complexity.

Actually, Zhou Wang was mistaken.

When Zhou Wang was holding Qu Peining and entered the private room, Jiang Mo had already woken.

Her sleep had always been light, especially after her family’s bankruptcy and her father left her. Jiang Mo often awoke suddenly from nightmares... She was someone who rarely slept soundly through the night.

The few good nights of sleep she remembered involved Zhou Wang holding her.

Jiang Mo knew she shouldn’t "wake" at that moment, so she didn’t show anything out of the ordinary.

... She indulged Zhou Wang unconditionally, just like that time at the Beidou courtyard, simply because Zhou Wang had a whim, Jiang Mo, who was originally very thin-skinned, bravely went upstairs at midnight and borrowed a pair of stockings from Jiang Qingkui.

She still couldn’t forget the look in Jiang Qingkui’s eyes when he saw her then.

The sounds from the bathroom were faint, the isolation wasn’t great, but it wasn’t clear. Jiang Mo speculated what the two were doing with a curious heart.

Zhou Wang had just chatted briefly with her earlier, but Jiang Mo said nothing except she wanted to talk with Qu Peining herself, leading to Zhou Wang stepping out early, waiting for Qu Peining.

"Senior Sister Jiang, I..."

"Peining, let’s go watch the rerun of ’My Neighbor Totoro’ tomorrow, shall we?"

"Huh?"

Qu Peining, who was about to say something first, was stunned by the words.

"Didn’t you say you wanted to see it before? How about we go watch it tomorrow?"

Jiang Mo continued, "Once back to Beidou I probably won’t have time. You should be able to take leave, or I can talk to him..."

"Uh, no need. My... work does have holidays; he’s, he’s quite generous in this aspect but I’ve been saving them unwisely."

Qu Peining quickly waved her hand.

Next, Jiang Mo continued talking mainly to share about her life after leaving Beidou, her own developments.

Senior Sister’s demeanor and tone seemed just like before, making Qu Peining feel dazed, as if... nothing had changed.

Finally, Qu Peining couldn’t hold herself anymore and interrupted Jiang Mo.

"Senior Sister..."

"Hmm?"

Jiang Mo, in the middle of talking about planning to raise two cats, looked up at her.

"You... You really don’t blame me?"

Qu Peining knew she probably shouldn’t bring it up, but that’s her personality. She can choose to fall from grace and abandon everything, but she can’t abandon her belief... Jiang Mo is her only friend; it’s a form of belief.

Jiang Mo smiled but didn’t answer directly, only softly saying:

"Peining, do you know what I saw when you walked out of the bathroom just now?"

"What?"

Qu Peining asked bewilderedly.

Jiang Mo looked at her, her gaze carrying some profound compassion.

"Vibrance."

"Vi... Vibrance?"

Qu Peining temporarily couldn’t understand.

Jiang Mo sighed softly.

"When I first met you at the Cultural Troupe, I knew you were actually a very lonely person... The kind of loneliness identical to mine before. So, Peining, I really like you, I guess it’s like how you like me."

Rarely did Jiang Mo speak so much at once, she paused then continued:

"I’m not someone who excels at influencing or changing others. All I can do is chat with you, though I’m not good at that either..."

"So seeing the change in you, I’m very happy for you."

Qu Peining fell silent.

...

Zhou Wang sat in the booth finishing his second cigarette when the private room door finally opened, and Qu Peining walked out arm-in-arm with Jiang Mo.

Zhou Wang was momentarily bewildered.

Because Senior Sister remained the same, her expression gentle, with an innocence unaffected by dust. But Qu Peining looked somewhat different.

He considered himself quite familiar with Qu Peining.

Unlike ordinary girls from privileged backgrounds, this girl seemed restrained and rational outwardly, adhered strictly to principle, without any vices. Yet her cynical interior harbors a pessimism that disregards everything.

Yes, "disregard."

This word may seem odd, but Zhou Wang personally found it fitting.

She disregards life because fate has never been in her hands. She’s grown accustomed to arrangements... even from Zhou Wang. Though she seemed unwillingly compliant, she stayed, dutifully playing the role of Zhou Wang’s bodyguard.

She disregards family; at least during their limited interaction, Zhou Wang never saw her have any contact with family.

She disregards herself, from that night at Magic City Building No. 9 Club till now. Zhou Wang’s initial feeling might not have been obvious, but now that feeling grew stronger--

She seemed angry at Zhou Wang’s treatment, yet why did she continually flutter to Zhou Wang like a moth to flame?

Ever since leaving the Building 9 Club, she silently followed Zhou Wang.

She’s unwilling to admit she’s chasing destruction, enjoying it even.

As initially defined... Qu Peining is "sick," and not lightly.

But now, for the first time since knowing her, Zhou Wang saw that genuine smile on her face, not dazzling but sincere.

So Zhou Wang was taken aback.

"What... did you two talk about?"

Driven by curiosity, Zhou Wang asked directly.

"Not telling you!"

Before Jiang Mo could say anything, Qu Peining snorted softly, raising her chin somewhat proudly.

Zhou Wang mused, didn’t pursue the matter further, merely stood up and stretched, "It’s about time we head back."

Jiang Mo pressed her lips softly and asked, "Have you decided what to do?"

"Almost I guess."

Zhou Wang shrugged, chuckled, "To be fair, I must give everyone a choice..."