Please Be More Serious | Chapter 26

On other side, Yin Ting is also feeling very happy, very blessed. She immediately messages Qin Yu Fei: “Please-be-more-serious has lifted his ban on me! I can snatch the sofa now! He is finally making big steps towards open-mindedness!” Qin Yu Fei, who is on the phone with Gu Ying Jie whispering sweet nothings, replies only one word: “Pointless.”

Yin Ting laughs heartily, not taking her words to heart.

Under Qiu Zheng Qing’s post, there is a reply to her comment: “You’re here to snatch the sofa again.”

The ID looks formal and serious, she thinks it is probably one of Qiu Zheng Qing’s colleagues. She replies with a laughing emoji and writes, “Yeah, yeah, please take care of me.”

She can snatch the sofa again! Yin Ting is laughing a little smugly now. Her happiness is as if as she has successfully converted someone into her nonsensical gang. They are indeed allies, he really makes her feel accomplished. Yin Ting searches for a photo of a radish online and then uploads it on her Weibo.

“My beloved ally, thank you.”

On Qiu Zheng Qing’s side, he is still soaking in the warmth of joy. He is still browsing Weibo and sees Yin Ting’s new update. He nearly spits out blood.

Angels are on earth to torment humans. Who is your radish ally!

He thinks he finally understands why Yin Ting could never find a boyfriend all this while. But thankfully he is not like the other guys, he has sufficient patience.

His business trip this time takes an entire six days and by the time he returns, it will already be Wednesday afternoon. He doesn’t immediately go home to rest. Instead he heads to the company. He has been absent for many days and he is sure there are a lot of unfinished work waiting for him. By the time he finishes all his work, it is already after 7 pm.

Dragging his luggage, he finally makes his way back home. He makes himself instant noodles for dinner. While eating, he browses Weibo.  He is too busy today. He has no time at all to browse too long. But he did take the time to take a walk today. He even took a photo of the scenery near the river and posted on Weibo. Yin Ting did not immediately saw his update. By the time she noticed, there was already a comment by another friend. Yin Ting posted a series of sad emojis underneath, writing, “Sofa is gone.”

Qiu Zheng Qing laughs for a long time. But the next day when he looks at it again, the friend who commented also replied Yin Ting: “Oh sorry, the sofa is mine. Let’s follow each other.”

Again. They don’t know each other, why the heck do they have to follow each other?

Yin Ting doesn’t respond to the person. He is very happy with that.

When the manager of the branch company wanted to treat them to dinner, Qiu Zheng Qing remembered Yin Ting emailed him her restaurant recommendations. He immediately stooped in to say he wanted to go this particular restaurant. When they reached, he took a photo of the restaurant and uploaded it to Weibo with the caption: “@tingtingyuli413 Thank you for your recommendation.”

Yin Ting’s response was immediate.

Sofa!!!!!

Then another reply: “You’re welcome.”

Thanks to these two replies, he finally feels that the business trip is no longer so exhausting. Every night before he sleeps, he would go through her Weibo and see if she has any updates. She usually posts about trivial matters – once he felt that these kinds of posts are very pointless but now he actually feels Yin Ting’s updates are very interesting. He hopes that she will post more, he really likes reading them.

But he has never leave a reply in her posts. Because there are too many people who leave comments, he doesn’t know what to write. Whatever he wants to say always come out wrong or unsuitable. It is always very lively on her Weibo, he feels like his comment will be buried anyway.

Today she posted a selfie of her making a funny face while wearing her newly-bought hat and lip gloss. There are a lot of comments in that post, with people complimenting that she looks very natural and very cute. Staring at the photo, Qiu Zheng Qing finishes up his bowl of noodles.

While washing the bowl, he tries to mentally prep himself. He is going to call Yin Ting later. The time is not considered late yet, calling her to ask her out is just right. After making his plan, he would be able to concentrate working the next day.

Even though he was kept busy through the whole business trip, he still seriously considered his plan of courting Yin Ting. The first excuse, he will ask her to accompany him to the welfare centre. Second, he will ask her to accompany him to pick out a good camera. Because her photography stills are rather good, he wants to learn from her. Third, when it is almost end of the year, he will tell her he wants to buy some local specialities for his family and then ask her if she has any recommendations. And then, he can ask her if she has any plans for the Chinese New Year holidays and to bring him along. Since he cannot work, he will feel terrible so he needs some activities to kill time.

And then, thanks to any of the excuses above, he can ask her out to thank her for her help. As for the rest, it depends on he can find any excuses from reading her Weibo.

Look, it is not that difficult is it? It is just like when preparing a proposal for a project: determine the strategies, set the requirements, carefully carry out the plan, increase working progress, strengthen communications, consolidate relationships, make sure both parties’ needs are met and both gain benefits, and then deal!

He feels that it couldn’t possibly be wrong, it really should be like that. He dials Yin Ting’s number and readies himself to use the first excuse in his plan.

“Please-be-more-serious!” Her opening speech is always the same. Her voice sounds a little far away, as if she has put him on loud speaker.

He feels a little nervous. “I have returned from my business trip.”

“You’ve worked hard.” Yin Ting must be using her computer. He can hear the sound of her hands flying across the keyboard. He is even more nervous now, he has never been this nervous when discussing about business.

“En, it’s like this. I’ve bought some presents for kids while I’m in J City. Do you have time this weekend? Can you accompany me to the welfare centre? You’re more familiar with the place, it’s easier if I have you there.”

“Aiya.” The sound of keyboard noise stops. “This weekend?”

“Yes.” He waits with bated breath.

“I can’t.”

“…” He is immediately crushed with disappointment.

“One of my dad’s old friends is ill, he wants to go and see him. He’s at L City, so tomorrow my dad and I will go there to visit him. I heard that his condition is not too good, we’ll probably stay there for a few days. I probably won’t be back by the weekend.” Yin Ting’s voice sounds really apologetic. “I’m really sorry, it’s really too bad.”

“Is that so, it’s okay then.” No matter what, he makes himself sound like he doesn’t really care.

“Why don’t you ask Yu Fei to accompany you? She’s also very familiar with the head there,” Yin Ting enthusiastically suggests.

“Let’s see.” He is too embarrassed to outright say no, but he doesn’t want to say yes either. This excuse is very precious, once used it can’t be used again. Of course he would protect it very well. He just has to wait for her to come back and then ask her again.

Who knows that, the next day at work, Qin Yu Fei walks to his office. With a phone to her ear, she asks him, “You want to go to the welfare centre and needs someone to guide you there?”

He is stunned for a moment. Once he regains his sanity, he thinks it must be Yin Ting who asked for Qin Yu Fei’s help. He thickens his face and says, “I’m not going first. I have something to do this weekend, I have to work overtime.”

Qin Yu Fei says into the phone, “He isn’t going anymore, he has something to do. What are you worrying for, just board the plane safely. He’s already an adult, does he need a companion anywhere he goes?” While still reprimanding Yin Ting, without even looking at him, Qin Yu Fei leaves. His face feels a little warm. This pampered princess, why did she burst his bubble! But… if Yin Ting becomes aware of what Qin Yu Fei said, doesn’t this mean his second, third and subsequent excuses are all useless now?

Saturday. Qiu Zheng Qing is still unable to resist, so he goes to the welfare centre on his own. This time he is also bringing two boxes of fruits and a lot of postcards of J City.

He and Little Stone sit on the bench side by side, talking privately. “I went to this city but because I don’t know how to take photos, so I ended up buying ready-made postcards.” There are 8 postcards in one set, they are all photos of J City’s tourist attractions. To be honest, he never went to any of these places, he only bought the postcards.

Because he did not went there personally, he isn’t able to answer some of Little Stone’s questions. But Little Stone doesn’t mind and continues smiling sweetly. Even though there are only postcards, she is already very satisfied with it.

“Uncle, I like you,” Little Stone confesses.

Qiu Zheng Qing’s face reddens. Even though it is just a child’s sincere confession, it is spoken by Little Yin Ting. He actually feels a little embarrassed hearing that. But really, little angel and bigger angel is both the same, they really confess whenever they want. This disease is not really good.

Looking at Little Stone’s innocent and sweet smile, he feels his longing for Yin Ting worsens.

Sunday. Like usual, he goes to the supermarket to buy groceries and some other stuff for his house. While waiting in line at the cashier, he takes out his phone and opens Weibo. He finally sees Yin Ting’s update. She has not updated Weibo for quite a few days, making him feel concerned. But this time’s update is not really anything that makes people happy. She wrote: “An elder I know has left far away. Separations are always painful and sad, therefore, we must all appreciate it whenever we meet.”

His heart shook, and without caring about his busy environment, he calls her phone.

Yin Ting answers. This time, she only says a simple “hello.” She no longer enthusiastically yells his nickname, his heart feels sorrow for her.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“I’m fine. It’s just that my dad is very sad. The elder is my dad’s old friend. He’s younger than him, but actually left earlier.” His question is pretty out-of-nowhere but Yin Ting actually understands what he wants to ask.

The both of them on the phone, separated by a far distance, are silent for a few seconds.

The person behind Qiu Zheng Qing urges him to go forward, it is his turn to pay. He takes a step back and pushes his cart away from the line. “Then you take your time to accompany your dad.” He doesn’t know what to say to comfort her.

“Where are you?” she asks. She heard someone loudly urging him to go forward earlier.

“Supermarket,” he honestly answers.

Yin Ting’s heart suddenly feels really warm. He is the first one who calls her to comfort her. In that kind of noisy place, it must really be quite inconvenient. “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.” Her being this polite makes him feel a little rejected.

“Go ahead and buy your stuff. I’m really okay.”

“Okay.” He actually wants to ask her when she is coming back but he feels embarrassed doing so. But since something like that has happened, asking that question seems a little inappropriate.

“Then I’ll hang up, okay,” she says.

“Okay.”

“See you.” She hangs up. In an instant, he feels dejected. He queues up again and unable to help himself, he once again opens Weibo. Under her update, there are comments asking her what happened, some doesn’t even ask and comforts her straightaway. Unable to resist, he leaves a comment: “You don’t actually have to meet to appreciate, as long as that person is in your heart.” He thinks that his comment will definitely be buried under the other comments.

He’s a little unhappy.

When he returns home and checks Weibo again, indeed Yin Ting didn’t reply his comment.

Again, he’s unhappy.

But he notices that she didn’t reply to any other comments either. Then it’s considered fair.

While Qiu Zheng Qing is still comforting himself, Yin Ting is on the phone with Qin Yu Fei. After she finished talking about her father’s friend, she says, “Did you know? Please-be-more-serious is a particularly warm person. He left a comment in my Weibo, he really made me touched.”

Yin Ting recites what he commented to Qin Yu Fei. Qin Yu Fei ridicules, “Which ghost possessed him? He is grim-faced, mythical-creature workaholic.”

Yin Ting laughs heartily. “Humans have a lot of sides to them. He is actually a really good person. It seems like he has not gotten together with that classmate of his.”

“Even if he has gotten together with her, he will not tell you. He has no need to report to you.”

“Oh. That’s right, too.” Yin Ting continues, “I’m just thinking, if he is still unable to find a girlfriend, I want to help him find one. But seems like there’s no one suitable for him around me.”

“You’re really idle.” Qin Yu Fei disapproves of her plan. If you ask her, Qiu Zheng Qing is a particularly opinionated man, with a firm determination. He has no need for anyone’s concern at all. Furthermore, if anyone tries to interfere into his matters, he would definitely be annoyed by it.

“I’ll just ask him later. If he needs, I will help him look around.” Yin Ting is not at all concerned by her friend’s criticism. She continues, “Actually, you’re the one who should help him more. He’s your company’s money-shaking tree [source of money]!”

“Right, money-shaking tree is used to shake the tree, not shake feelings.” Qin Yu Fei continues to mock her plan. “Furthermore, dating with that grim-faced, mythical-creature workaholic? I can’t imagine what kind of woman who would date him at all.”

Yin Ting almost busts a gut laughing. She also can’t imagine it. And she has also witnessed how the date between Qiu Zheng Qing and Mao Hui Zhu went. If that’s called a date, then it’s really unconventional. They actually seriously discussed about the economy. God, that’s really not called a date.

It’s really terrible. She actually feels pity for Please-be-more-serious.

Qiu Zheng Jing doesn’t feel that he is pitiful, but he feels frustrated. Because a week has passed but there is still no news from Yin Ting. She doesn’t update her Weibo, she also doesn’t message him. He is too embarrassed to call her again, because something like that has happened, all of his excuses are inappropriate to be used. If there is no excuse, calling her would be very odd. He is unable to thicken his skin to ask Qin Yu Fei how Yin Ting is doing recently.

Therefore, he feels frustrated everyday.

November 15. Saturday. Qiu Zheng Qing is spacing out at his house. He doesn’t feel like working, also doesn’t feel like going out. He suddenly remembers that he has once set the date of November 15 as the deadline. If he is unable to encounter Yin Ting by that date, he will give her up.

Luckily! Luckily the next day he has seen her phone in his car. If not, just look at this situation now, he really is unable to meet even by this date. Don’t say coincidental encounter, he’s not even able to ask her out properly.

Luckily, luckily.

But, when will they meet again? Can it be sooner? He feels like he’s no longer able to wait.

He spends the weekend in that depressing state. He is so busy on Monday that work keeps all other thoughts at bay. He is also similarly busy on Tuesday with an endless stream of documents to go through, emails to reply to and meetings that go on and on.

During a meeting in the afternoon, he notices a colleague’s gossipy expression looking outside the glass wall. With a jolt of excitement, he turns around to look as well, only to see a female colleague walking past. Therefore he shoots the colleague a dirty look and coldly reminds everyone, “Please concentrate while you’re in a meeting.” Everyone immediately lowers their head to read their documents. The meeting ends with everyone feeling anxious through the entire ordeal.

Qiu Zheng Qing returns to his office with a stack of documents in arm and a steel-cold face. When he has just barely arrived at his door, he sees a familiar figure walking out of Qin Yu Fei’s office.

He is stunned for a moment.

Surprise!!!!!

Yin Ting saw him. She is about to wave her hand and shout her greetings, but remembering that she is at their company, she sticks her tongue out at him. Then she calmly walks over to him.

Very cute!

His heart blossoms into flowers, he has no idea what kind of smiling expression he has on right now.

A few of colleagues who are walking in the same direction immediately lowers their heads, pretending not to have seen them. They immediately return to their own desks and secretly watch from there.

Yin Ting is finally in front of him. “Great Director Qiu,” she greets him with a smile.

He tries to calm his nerves and rearranges his expression. “Long time no see.”

He really missed her!