Chương 22: Last Time
Lina shoved all thoughts of Bo Qiang to the back of her mind. She had more pressing things to focus on—like the upcoming competition. Her daily schedule was packed with studying and club activities, leaving little room for personal distractions. During the day, she immersed herself in her university coursework, and in the evenings, she hung out with her math club friends, discussing strategies and preparing for the big event. The competition was all she could think about. Well, almost all.
At night, when the house was quiet and she finally laid down to sleep, her thoughts would drift back to Bo Qiang. That was the only time she allowed herself to think about what had happened between them. The memory of their kiss was still fresh in her mind, but she quickly pushed it aside, telling herself it wasn't important. She didn't reject Bo Qiang—she hadn't hated the kiss—but it seemed impossible that she could actually like him. After all, her low self-esteem when it came to relationships always held her back, convincing her that someone like him couldn't possibly be interested in someone like her.
What Lina didn't know was that Bo Qiang was having his own struggles. Every time he came home and found the house empty, the absence of her presence gnawed at him. It left him feeling restless and unsettled, so much so that he would rather spend his nights at the office, burying himself in work. The discomfort he felt without her was new and confusing, but he couldn't quite figure out what it meant.
Meanwhile, back at the family home, all the events between Lina and Bo Qiang had made their way to Wei Jian's ears—everything except the kiss. If he had known about that, he probably would have already arranged a wedding by now. But even without that piece of information, he had heard enough from Fei Fei, the family cook, to spark a plan in his mind. After hanging up the phone, a mischievous grin spread across his face as he turned to his wife, Lian Mei, who was reading peacefully in the corner.
"It's time," he said, breaking the silence.
Lian Mei glanced up from her book, raising an eyebrow. "Time for what?"
Wei Jian leaned against the doorframe, excitement bubbling beneath his calm exterior as he explained. "Bo Qiang's been missing Lina. I can tell. He's just too stubborn to admit it. So, I'm going to give him a little nudge to realize how much she means to him. I bought an apartment for Lina near her university. I'll tell her it's for convenience, so she doesn't have to commute as much, but really, I just want to shake things up. Let's see how Bo Qiang reacts to that."
He chuckled at the idea, already imagining his son's surprise.
Lian Mei sighed and closed her book. "This is the last time you meddle in their lives, Wei Jian. They're adults now. Let them figure things out on their own."
He shrugged, pretending to agree, though a playful smile lingered on his face. "Alright, alright. But just this once, let me have some fun."
The next day, Wei Jian called Lina to tell her about the apartment he had arranged for her. When she first heard the news, Lina was stunned. She hadn't expected such a gesture, and her initial reaction was to decline. Moving into a new place felt like a big step, and she wasn't sure she wanted to make that decision so suddenly. But then she remembered how distant Bo Qiang had been lately, especially the way he hadn't even bothered to have breakfast with her before she left. That small detail still stung a little, and the idea of moving into her own space seemed more appealing by the second. Perhaps a little distance between them would be a good thing.
"Thank you, Uncle Wei," she finally said, deciding to accept his offer.
Wei Jian could hardly contain his excitement. He hung up the phone with a gleeful expression, already imagining how Bo Qiang would react once he realized Lina had moved out. "Let's see what that boy does now," he thought to himself, eager to watch his plan unfold.
On the other side, Bo Qiang was pacing in his office, trying to focus on work but finding it impossible. His mind kept drifting back to Lina, wondering when she would come home. He had been expecting her return any day now, and the anticipation was making him anxious. He didn't understand why, but the house felt different without her in it. It had only been a few days, yet he couldn't shake the sense of unease that settled in every time he came home to an empty space. He tried to distract himself by diving into more work, but it wasn't working.
Little did he know, his father was orchestrating events behind the scenes, pushing him closer to a realization he hadn't yet come to terms with.
The day Lina moved into her new apartment, Bo Qiang noticed her absence immediately. When he came home and saw that she hadn't returned, the unsettling feeling grew stronger. He tried to brush it off as nothing, but each passing hour made him more restless. By the time evening rolled around, he found himself wandering through the house, checking the rooms as if hoping she would magically appear. But of course, she wasn't there.
Back at her new place, Lina settled in, feeling a mixture of relief and uncertainty. The apartment was lovely, and it was closer to her university, just like Uncle Wei had promised. But a part of her couldn't help but feel that something had changed, though she couldn't quite pinpoint what it was.
And as for Bo Qiang, his world was about to shift in ways he hadn't anticipated, all thanks to the subtle yet deliberate meddling of his father, who had always known more than he let on.
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