Cinderella Innocent and Boss Charming - Chapter 150
Chapter 150 Not Just Friends
Deep into the night, the autumn winds blew and the fallen leaves danced in the air. Shao Boqing put his hands in his coat pockets, as if he was taking a walk leisurely in a courtyard. He didn’t know how he got here. Did he really not know? Well, he sighed and deceived himself. Of course he knew! It was because he missed someone!
Seeing Gu Nianbin come back with his girl, he was quite inspired. Although in his opinion, Gu Nianbin and Du Xiaoxian were separated by countless obstacles and uncertainties, at least they were in love with each other. No matter how difficult it was, the two of them could get through it together; even if they were in pain, they would still be happy! But what about him? He had been shameless enough to pester her again and again, but Nina didn’t give him a chance. If it was another woman, with his temper, he would have long given up and forgotten about her. But this time, he liked the woman. Because he liked her, he automatically delivered himself to her door! In the face of love, self-esteem and everything else seemed to be thrown away.
The corridor was very dark. The tiny voice-controlled light emitted a dim yellow light. With the faint light, Shao Boqing walked up step by step. The lights on the high floors were all broken. The further he walked, the darker it became. It was as if he was about to walk into the boundless darkness. But Shao Boqing felt as if he was walking on the red carpet covered with flowers. With excitement and hope, he slowly stopped at Nina’s door.
But this time, Nina did not have the slightest intention of letting him in. She stood in the door and said indifferently, “Boss Shao, why are you here again? Your car just happened to be out of gas again?”
“I, can I talk inside?” Shao Boqing’s voice was filled with uncertainty.
“No,” Nina refused him decisively. “If there’s anything you want to say, just say it here. It’s inconvenient that you keep showing up in my house.”
Shao Boqing smiled, “Since you’re unmarried, and I’m unmarried, what’s inconvenient about that?”
Nina shook her head, “Tsk. You see, this is the difference between you and me. I don’t think it’s proper, but you don’t think it’s a problem. We look at things from different angles. Have you heard the old saying that ‘birds of different feather don’t flock together’?”
Shao Boqing laughed even harder. He put his arm on the doorframe and scared Nina to take a step back. “Good, Nina, now you’re talking ancient Chinese with me! Are you bullying me for I’m an illiterate?”
“Come on, you’re an illiterate?” Nina snorted, “Is it fun to pretend in front of me?”
At this moment, the opposite door opened. A middle-aged woman stretched out her head to look at them and then closed the door again. That single glance made Nina feel embarrassed and she quickly said, “Just go back. The neighbors have misunderstood us.”
“I have something to tell you,” Shao Boqing put away his joking face and said seriously.
“What is it?”
“Let’s talk inside,” Shao Boqing turned around and looked at the door opposite him. “What if the woman comes out and sees I’m still standing here? Is that good?”
Nina glanced at him suspiciously, “Is there really something you need to tell me?”
“Yes!”
Nina was still a little hesitant. She had made up her mind to separate herself from Shao Boqing. She had moved her house and quit her job, but now the relationship between her and Shao Boqing became so ambiguous, this was not what she wanted. Nina felt that she was standing on the edge of the cliff, and taking a step forward would be an endless abyss, she would have her body smashed to pieces! No, she couldn’t take the step, absolutely not!
She was too soft for the first few times, making him think that he could have an opportunity. That was why he kept pestering her. She couldn’t let things continue like this. Nina heaved a sigh of relief and said coldly, “Let’s talk here. After that, hurry up and leave. I’m going to sleep.”
Seeing Nina’s determined look, Shao Boqing knew that there was no hope of staying here tonight. He sighed helplessly and said, “Du Xiaoxian is back.”
Nina raised the corners of her mouth and sneered, “Boss Shao, I’m not Du Xiaoxian’s mother. Why do you have to report everything to me? I can’t even take care of myself, how can I have the time to worry about other people’s affairs!”
Shao Boqing had found a casual excuse to come over. Hearing her words, he was speechless. After a while, he said, “Nina, Du Xiaoxian and Gu Nianbin, they can be together in such a difficult situation. Why can’t we?”
Nina laughed even more fiercely, “Boss Shao, wake up. They are in love with each other. But we, are not! Don’t you know that ‘while the dropping flowers pine for love the heartless brook babbles on unrequited love’?”
What a good poem! Shao Boqing finally nodded his head and forced a smile. He pointed at her and said, “You must major in Chinese, see, you’re talking ancient Chinese again!” Without waiting for Nina to reply, he turned around and walked downstairs.
He had walked up in darkness and now walked down in darkness, too. He came full of excitement and hope, but he left lonely and frustrated. Shao Boqing did not remember how long it had been since he was confident and happy. The glorious days were as distant as another world. He walked downstairs and called Shen Li, “Come out for a drink.”
Half an hour later, they met at the Coco Bar where they usually went. When Shen Li saw him, he smiled, “Boqing, where did you get this grief on your face? You look like what the poem says that ‘whom did you stay up for and stand alone in the wind till midnight’?”
Shao Boqing was stunned for a moment and said, “Why are you talking nonsense too? Who did you learn it from?”
“What do you mean by ‘too’?” Shen Li asked him, “Who else?”
Shao Boqing ignored him and raised his hand. The bartender pushed the wine over. He picked up the glass and clinked it against Shen Li’s. He took a sip of the wine and sighed, “Shen Li, we’re both not young. Do you think we should settle down and live a peaceful life?”
Shen Li leaned back, keeping some distance away, and narrowed his eyes to look at him, “How did you get stimulated again? Or was it because you saw too much of Gu Nianbin and Du Xiaoxian display affection that you couldn’t stand it anymore?”
Shao Boqing smiled and said seriously, “I’m serious. Do I make women feel insecure? When I want to settle down, no woman will marry me?”
“No,” Shen Li said, “no matter how insecure they might feel, they will still marry you. After all, marrying into a rich family is like something that every woman wants! Who doesn’t want that?”
“Then why didn’t she want that?” Shao Boqing held his chin and shook the wine in his glass.
“Who is she?” Shen Li became vigilant and asked, “Which one? Boqing, what’s the situation? Talk to me!”
Shao Boqing shook his head and said with disappointment, “You can’t help me if I tell you. Forget it.”
Shen Li put his glass on the bar counter and said, “What’s going on? You and Jiang Kaiwei are the same, and you don’t even tell me anything.”
Shao Boqing asked, “What happened to Jiang Kaiwei?”
Shen Li glanced at the bartender. The bartender immediately retreated to the back. Shen Li leaned over and whispered into Shao Boqing’s ear mysteriously, “Let me tell you a secret. Jiang Kaiwei likes Gu Nianbin.”
Huh? Shao Boqing almost choked on some wine and widened his eyes. “Is that possible? Is there something wrong with Jiang Kaiwei’s sexual orientation?”
Shen Li rubbed his chin. “Actually, I don’t think that’s possible, either, but there has always been something strange between him and Gu Nianbin. I’ve been thinking about it. Other than this possibility, there’s nothing else I can think of.”
Shao Boqing still didn’t believe it and shook his head, “You really imagine wildly. If Gu Nianbin finds out, he will beat you up!”
Shen Li snorted, “When we had dinner today, he had already beaten me up.”
“Really? Did he really beat you up?” Shao Boqing glanced at Shen Li and said, “That’s what you deserve! You could have avoided it, but you made things public.”
Shen Li sighed, “Well, after traveling outside in business for several years, I got tricked by a young greenhand. This time, I lose.”
Shao Boqing patted Shen Li’s shoulder and said, “Old Shen, Xia Manyin is not a greenhand. She has been planning this matter for several years. She has been planning it carefully, so do you think she will let anyone see her through easily? Let alone you, I was mistaken, too.”
Shen Li was silent for a moment before suddenly laughing, “Gu Nianbin is really a sweet pastry. Xia Manyin likes him, Du Xiaoxian likes him, and Jiang Kaiwei likes him too. Who else likes him?”
“Alright, that’s enough of about that Jiang Kaiwei likes him. If word gets out, it’ll be a joke.”
“Alright, I won’t say anything.” Shen Li took a sip of wine and looked at him. “Tell me what happened to you.”
“Hey!” Shao Boqing squinted at him, “When did Young Master Shen become so gossipy? Don’t ask about anything!”
“Whatever you like.” Shen Li angrily pushed the glass over, “Have another glass.”
The two of them drank wine and talked casually. Shen Li was a little bored and said, “It’s not too late yet. Let’s change to a lively place, what do you say?”
“You can go if you want to,” Shao Boqing said. “Anyway, I’m not going. It’s boring.”
Shen Li was puzzled, “Your engagement has been cancelled and your fiancée is gone. What’s the point of staying alone? When you were engaged, you changed your style, but since you’re single again now, do you still want to discipline yourself? Is it necessary?”
“You don’t understand,” Shao Boqing slowly drank his wine and looked at the singer on the stage with some melancholy. It was actually the song “Not Just Friends” again.
The women around you are always beautiful
The love you chase is always a game
In your eyes
I’m a friend you can drink and have fun with
You’re never stingy in urging me to share your happiness
You always squander money when you’re happy
You are always silent in the moment of disappointment
In your eyes
I’m a friend you can rely on and talk secrets to
You never forget to remind me to share your loneliness
You never know I want to be more than a friend
I also want to be a little tender and indulgent
You never know I want to be more than a friend
I also have a little selfish possession
…
Shao Boqing listened carefully. Everything about Nina in the past appeared in his mind. Her charming smile, her charming eyes, the way she walked, her expression when she was thinking, her brown eye shadow, her pink lips, and her impudent laughter… They were so clear and vivid in his mind.
For Nina, the women around him were always beautiful. The love he chased was always a game. To him, she was his friend who he could drink and have fun with. She knew all his worries and all his girlfriends. Whenever he was dejected or lonely, she was the one who accompanied him… She once said that she hated him, but after thinking about it carefully, how could she hate him after they walked together slowly over these years? Impossible!
Shao Boqing suddenly jumped up and rushed out of the door. Shen Li yelled a few times from behind and chased after Shao Boqing to the door, but only to see Shao Boqing’s car flying away. He was stunned at the door for a moment, and then said to himself while walking back, “What happened to all these people?”
