Chapter 35: Liu Qingmei's Jealousy and Hatred Toward Her

The wind gently stirred Ning Huaizhi’s hair. Qin Qiuhong watched her, his eyes filled with a growing sense of infatuation. Some people look at scenery, but Ning Huaizhi was a scene in herself. Qin Qiuhong didn't understand why he enjoyed watching her so much. He had encountered countless beauties in his life, yet felt no ripples of emotion when looking at them; only when he saw Ning Huaizhi did he experience such stirrings. Perhaps, he mused, they were destined in a past life.

At this thought, Qin Qiuhong suddenly chuckled. He was the least likely person to believe in fate or past lives, yet here he was, entertaining such notions.

Ning Huaizhi turned to look at him. "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing," Qin Qiuhong said, standing up and looking down at her. "I feel like playing a game. I wonder if you’d be willing to join me for a round?"

The light was somewhat blinding, and as Ning Huaizhi looked up, she squinted slightly. The halo of light softened Qin Qiuhong’s features, making them indistinct, leaving only his magnetic voice ringing in her ears, seemingly laced with a touch of seduction. By the time she regained her senses, she had already agreed.

She felt a pang of annoyance. Why had she said yes? She had only just refused the young master; if he came out after his game and saw her playing with a guest, it would be difficult to explain. Whether she kept this job or not was of little consequence, but she had to consider Zhou Jiajia.

Seeing that she hadn't stood up, Qin Qiuhong assumed she couldn't, so he reached out a hand. "What's wrong? Can't you get up?"

Ning Huaizhi reached out and placed her hand in his. Qin Qiuhong tightened his grip and pulled her up from the ground with a single, firm motion. His strength was perfectly measured, and even though it was late autumn, his palm remained searingly hot—a stark contrast to her own slightly chilled hand. That warmth seemed to travel through her fingers and straight into her heart. As soon as she was on her feet, she quickly withdrew her hand. If she had known, she wouldn't have reached out; it wasn't as if she were truly unable to stand.

Qin Qiuhong’s hand stiffened for a brief moment, but he quickly returned to his natural composure, ensuring it went unnoticed. He casually tucked his hand into his overcoat pocket and spoke as if on a whim: "Why aren't you wearing more clothes? Don't catch a cold."

Ning Huaizhi smiled. "I'm not cold, just my hands are a bit chilly."

Qin Qiuhong said nothing more. Instead of heading straight to the court, he walked over to the front desk. Ning Huaizhi assumed he was retrieving something and waited where she stood. A moment later, he returned and tossed a hand warmer into her lap. "Take this and warm your hands."

Ning Huaizhi was momentarily stunned, watching as he walked away. After a few paces, Qin Qiuhong noticed she wasn't following and looked back. "What are you waiting for? Why haven't you caught up?"

She had intended to tell Zhou Jiajia, but after a quick scan of the area failed to locate her, Ning Huaizhi had no choice but to follow. Compared to An Xingcai, Qin Qiuhong’s technique was much more skilled. Ning Huaizhi mostly just picked up balls; she didn't need to provide any "assistance" to enhance the guest's experience. Of course, she was still needed occasionally—for instance, to offer a compliment or two when he made a shot.

Ning Huaizhi had a set script for such occasions; she was well-versed in what to say and when. Playing the role of a heartless compliment machine was simple enough.

"Another one in the hole, Mr. Qin. You are truly the most skilled guest I have ever seen play."

Qin Qiuhong rested his left hand against his forehead, looking somewhat helpless. "Do you say that to every guest?"

Ning Huaizhi felt a twinge of guilt. "Of course not. I only say that when I see a truly skilled guest."

"The guilt on your face is nearly impossible to hide."

Ning Huaizhi instinctively reached for the bag at her waist, wanting to pull out a mirror to check. That shouldn't be; she had practiced that expression in front of a mirror. Finally, she gave a soft cough. "It seems Mr. Qin has a sharp eye. Regardless, it is true that you are very skilled."

Ning Huaizhi met his gaze and blinked. Her eyes were large and limpid; when she stared at someone, there was a natural, innocent charm to her. Qin Qiuhong’s gaze flickered before he looked away. "Then I thank you for the compliment, Ms. Ning."

Qin Qiuhong had said he was here to play, and he meant exactly that. After one round, he prepared to leave. Ning Huaizhi followed closely behind him. He was tall, and his strides were long; Ning Huaizhi, being a head shorter, struggled to keep pace. Eventually, Qin Qiuhong slowed his gait so they could walk together. To onlookers, they were an eye-catching pair of a handsome man and a beautiful woman.

However, this scene was nothing but an eyesore to Liu Qingmei, who had just returned. She looked at Ning Huaizhi with a mix of shock and suspicion, wondering to herself, *How could these two be together?*

When An Xingcai saw them, he walked up immediately. "Brother Qin, you went to play?"

"Yes," Qin Qiuhong nodded.

"Brother Qin, how could you take Zhizhi to play? She was in a car accident recently, and her injuries haven't healed yet." An Xingcai turned his gaze to Ning Huaizhi, full of worry. "Zhizhi, why didn't you refuse Brother Qin? Are you uncomfortable? Should we go to the hospital?"

Qin Qiuhong also looked at Ning Huaizhi, pondering. *How come I didn't know she had lingering injuries? Weren't they already healed?*

Ning Huaizhi coughed lightly. "I'm not uncomfortable. I'm perfectly fine."

Her response was vague, and Qin Qiuhong understood her intention instantly, a hint of amusement appearing in his eyes. *So, it was an excuse.* It seemed she had used this pretext to turn down An Xingcai, which explained why she had hesitated before leaving with him earlier.

Qin Qiuhong didn't want to make things difficult for her, so he took the blame upon himself. "It was I who wanted to play and took her along. She is just a junior employee; naturally, she couldn't refuse me."

An Xingcai puffed up with indignation. "If someone makes an unreasonable request, you should refuse! Zhizhi, don't be afraid of him. If Brother Qin bullies you, just come and tell me. Brother Qin, really, how could you bully my employee?"

Qin Qiuhong’s eyes were full of laughter as he replied in a tone one might use with a child: "I understand. I won't bully your employee again next time."

His voice was languid and resonant. As it reached Ning Huaizhi’s ears, she couldn't help but curve her lips into a smile. Regardless of anything else, Qin Qiuhong’s voice was truly pleasant. And, of course, with him taking all the blame so she wouldn't have to say anything, he seemed quite dashing.

Liu Qingmei, watching from the side, was absolutely furious. *What does Ning Huaizhi have? Who is President Qin? Why would he treat her this way? She must have used some unusual means to seduce him. Yes, that must be it.* Liu Qingmei tried hard to convince herself. She stepped forward and pulled An Xingcai’s arm, her smile stiff. "Young Master, let’s go take a rest. President Qin has been playing for a while; he must be tired."

An Xingcai finally realized and quickly said, "Brother Qin, Zhizhi, let’s go, let's take a break."

The two nodded and followed behind An Xingcai. Liu Qingmei was perfectly ignored—especially when, before leaving, Ning Huaizhi cast a meaningful look in her direction. *What was that look? Was she laughing at me? Definitely! Damn Ning Huaizhi, I will never let her go!*

If Ning Huaizhi knew what was going through her mind, she would have felt very wronged. After all, she had only glanced at Liu Qingmei casually; she hadn't been targeting her. Moreover, it was An Xingcai who had ignored her, wasn't it? Why didn't she resent him instead? It was simply because she only liked to bully those she deemed weak, but unfortunately for her, Ning Huaizhi was not someone she could push around.

Ning Huaizhi only accompanied them for a short while before finding an excuse to leave. When she returned and didn't see Zhou Jiajia, she was surprised. Just as she was about to go look for her, she saw Zhou Jiajia coming back, looking radiant and excited, as if she had encountered something wonderful.

"What’s with you?" Ning Huaizhi asked, puzzled.

"I just went to accompany a new guest for a game. It was my first time working! Even though there was someone there to guide me, I was still nervous, but the guest had a great personality, and everything went smoothly." Zhou Jiajia walked into the room, and with only the two of them there, she spun around in excitement.

"Congratulations," Ning Huaizhi said, genuinely happy for her. "Though, you could also join me next time." She hadn't mentioned it before because she assumed a guest could only have one attendant, but if two were allowed, why not have Zhou Jiajia with her? That way, she could be at ease and not worry about Zhou Jiajia being bullied.

Zhou Jiajia blinked. "Really? Would it be appropriate for me to join you?"

"What?" Ning Huaizhi was confused. "What’s appropriate or not about it?"

"You and President Qin have such a good relationship," Zhou Jiajia leaned in, hands clasped, eyes full of wonder. "He was even concerned about your injury. You two must have known each other before, right? I only remember that he looked very handsome—more handsome than any of the guys at our school. In that suit, he was truly charming."

Ning Huaizhi was caught between laughter and tears. "What are you talking about? Didn't I tell you I was hit by a car? He was the one driving."

"Ah, he hit you with his car? Well, never mind then, he's not handsome at all." Zhou Jiajia lowered her hands, looking serious.

Ning Huaizhi rubbed her forehead. She didn't want Zhou Jiajia to misunderstand, so she explained the situation clearly. "That's how it was. I was the one who ran out and caused the collision; it had nothing to do with him."

Zhou Jiajia nodded. "Oh, I see."

The next second, she leaned her head on Ning Huaizhi’s shoulder, staring at her face. "But you're defending him so eagerly—do you really not like him even a little bit?"

Ning Huaizhi pushed her away with an expressionless face, almost laughing in frustration. "I've only seen him three times in total. How could I like him? Can you be reasonable?"

Zhou Jiajia stood straight and cleared her throat. "I suppose that's true."

Ning Huaizhi emphasized, "It is true. And let me tell you, don't go spreading rumors."

"I wouldn't do that. I just think it's not easy to meet a man that handsome. If you could date him, you'd be a winner in life."

"Not at all."

"Not at all what? You don't think he's handsome, or you don't think dating him makes you a winner in life?"

"Oh, Jiajia, you are so annoying."

"Hahahaha!"

As the two laughed and chatted inside, Liu Qingmei stood outside listening. The dorm’s soundproofing was poor, and Liu Qingmei had pressed her ear against the door, hearing every word clearly. Her expression twisted, and eventually, she snuck away quietly.

The next day, Ning Huaizhi didn't see Liu Qingmei at all and had no idea where she had gone. She was happy for the peace. When work ended in the afternoon, Ning Huaizhi and Zhou Jiajia packed their things, ready to head back to school. Just as they reached the entrance of the sports complex, a car pulled up in front of them.

The passenger window rolled down, revealing Qin Qiuhong’s face. "Get in. I'll drive you back to school."

Ning Huaizhi’s first reaction was surprise, followed by a refusal. "No, thank you. That would be too much trouble."

"What trouble? I’m doing this voluntarily. Get in."

Ning Huaizhi remained hesitant. Qin Qiuhong sighed. "I don't particularly want to see a repeat of what happened last week. I genuinely want to take you back, so don't hesitate."

Hearing this, Ning Huaizhi felt reassured. "Thank you."

She and Zhou Jiajia got into the back seat. To be honest, she was still a bit anxious about traveling with just Zhou Jiajia. Who knew if He Mingyuan would act out again? Although she had made preparations this time, their effectiveness was uncertain; having someone drive them back was the safest option.

Just then, it occurred to her: "Jing City University and the Qin Corporation building aren't in the same direction. Wouldn't this be a huge inconvenience for you?"

"Who said I was going back to the Qin Corporation?"

"Oh?"

"It's already so late. If I had to go back to the office to work, wouldn't that be exhausting?"

Ning Huaizhi thought about it and realized he was right. She smiled lightly, "I suppose I misunderstood." *Why am I worrying so much? Qin Qiuhong is the CEO of the Qin Corporation; he has his own plans. If I have time to worry about President Qin, I should spend it worrying about myself.*

The car played piano music, the melodious sound calming her mind. After a long day of work, Ning Huaizhi was already tired, and she soon fell asleep with her eyes closed. When they arrived at the school gate, Zhou Jiajia shook her awake. "Huaizhi, wake up. We're back."

Ning Huaizhi woke up in a daze, meeting Qin Qiuhong’s eyes, which held a trace of a smile. "It seems my driving is quite steady; you slept quite well."

Ning Huaizhi stepped out, feeling a bit embarrassed, and thanked him sincerely. "Thank you for the ride."

"You're welcome. Get some rest early, don't overwork yourself."

The car window rolled up, and the black car soon sped away from the school gate. Ning Huaizhi and Zhou Jiajia then headed toward the dormitory.