People have different pursuits. Some aspire for the improvement of material life and some others are in pursuit of the satisfaction of their spiritual world. However happy the material life is, if the spiritual world cannot keep pace with the material life, people will get lost sooner or later.
That was what Qin Sheng was most concerned about. During the period when he had been in Shanghai and Hangzhou, every time he had taken a bolder approach, he had reminded himself that he should try his best to take it more and more slowly so that he could put his mind at ease gradually and keep going forward in the end.
However, ever since Qin Sheng had reconciled with his family members in Tsingtao and learned about his family background, he had been totally in disorder. The psychological gap in his mind was the same as what happened when a tall building had been built from scratch yet did not have a solid foundation. After that, it took Qin Sheng three months to accept reality. However, up to now, he thought that what he had done did not work much at all.
During this period, Qin Sheng, who was seemingly occupied, had attended classes for advanced studies at Tsinghua University, paid New Year’s calls to the long-time friends and acquaintances of the Qin Family during the New Year holiday, and reunited with his grandmother in Shanghai. Following that, he had gone to Ningbo to get revenge on the Lin Family, and so on.
Even so, Qin Sheng’s mind was not at ease. The kind of feeling had become stronger and stronger recently. Qin Sheng had no idea how he could calm himself down.
Consequently, as Qin Sheng heard what Qing’er had said, he somewhat admired her. Only people who had a fulfilled spiritual world could lead a less exhausting life and live more carefreely and casually.
Qing’er, who found out that Qin Sheng was absent-minded, frowned and asked, “What are you thinking about?”
It was not until Qin Sheng heard what Qing’er had said that he came to his senses and replied, “Nothing at all. I was thinking about whether you know other melodious songs or not. Since it is a blessing for me to drop by here once, I should take advantage of this opportunity to cultivate my taste. I wonder whether I might have the chance to hear you play one more song.”
Qing’er was long used to Qin Sheng’s frivolity and cynicism. Although she had thought of Qin Sheng as a frivolous person, she changed her mind later and found out that he just had a glib tongue, who, at least, had not taken advantage of other people’s perilous state. After that, Qing’er started to treat Qin Sheng as her friend. As for the agreement they had made, she would leave it to the future.
Qing’er’s spiritual world was simple as well as fulfilled. Except for the issue related to Jiang Xianbang, she had nothing else on her mind at all. Whether it was work or other things, they mattered nothing to her at all. Moreover, her work was where her hobby lay. As for falling in love, as usual, Qing’er chose to go with the flow. Never did she overthink it.
Qing’er did not say no to Qin Sheng’s request. It was not until she had been hesitant for a while that she made up her mind and said, “Since I have been idle in recent days, I have composed a new song. Would you like to hear me play it?”
After Qin Sheng heard what Qing’er had said, he was greatly interested in her suggestion because this was the first time that he would hear Qing’er play a song that she had composed. Consequently, he nodded gladly. After that, he poured a cup of tea for himself and sat on the sofa cross-legged, waiting for Qing’er to play her new song as if he were an on-looker.
After Qin Sheng left the old-style villa on Middle Huaihai Road, he and Lao Chang drove to Pudong Airport to pick up Hao Lei, who could not stay in Xi’an any longer and came to see Qin Sheng after giving Qin Sheng a call.
After all, none of the young people could put up with being idle. Since it was the fresh start of the New Year when everybody began to be occupied, Hao Lei felt somewhat panicked. Originally, Qin Sheng had planned to reunite with him after he went back to Beijing. Unfortunately, Hao Lei could not withstand continuing to wait any longer. Moreover, since everybody was in Shanghai now, including Chang Baji and Han Bing, Hao Lei was eager to rush over here.
Qin Sheng did not say anything further, thinking that he should let Hao Lei have fun in Shanghai for a few days and go back to Beijing with him later. Following that, he would assign some tasks to Hao Lei.
Qin Sheng and Chang Baji saw Hao Lei walking out while pulling a suitcase from afar, who looked to be in a good mood. With smiles all over his face, Ha Lei, who looked radiant, walked over directly and hugged both Qin Sheng and Chang Baji enthusiastically. Following that, he said sensationally, “Lao Qin, Lao Chang, we’ve made our way back to Shanghai again.”
Qin Sheng said amusedly, “How about you deliver a speech called Back to Shanghai Again here in the arrival hall?”
Hao Lei smiled awkwardly, “Well, let’s skip that part.”
Qin Sheng replied amusedly, “All right. Let’s go back downtown first.”
It was not until they were on the way back to Lujiazui that Hao Lei was told that Qin Sheng had gone to Ningbo to get revenge on the Lin Family. He was so angry that he almost cursed at Qin Sheng in rage, asking why Qin Sheng had not taken him there. He was dying to see how the members of the Lin Family, who had been superior and mighty, had lowered their heads in front of Qin Sheng. Qin Sheng replied frankly, “I indeed did not ever think of taking you there at that moment.”
Hao Lei said helplessly, “Lao Qin, is that the right way to treat your friend?”
Qin Sheng said half-playfully, “It seems that in your opinion, we should go to Ningbo again, right?”
Hao Lei let out a long sigh as he said, “Forget it. I admit that I hung out with the wrong people. If you dare to act like that in the future, we should break up with each other.”
Knowing what Hao Lei had said was a joke, Qin Sheng did not say anything at all. Based on their friendship over the past years, they would not confront each other because of such a petty issue. As he looked back on life over the past years, he found that Hao Lei was the only one that accompanied him to the end.
All of a sudden, Qin Sheng asked without warning, “Su Qin went back to Xi’an, right?”
After Hao Lei heard Qin Sheng’s words, he was stunned. Following that, he smiled awkwardly as he said, “You knew it all, right?”
Qin Sheng sighed emotionally as he said, “I visited YOUNG Bar and was told that she had transferred the bar to someone else. According to the manager there, she had resigned and gone back to her hometown.”
Hao Lei replied gently, “Yes. I found out before the New Year holiday. However, she asked me not to tell you about this. It did not occur to me that you would know it in the end.”
Qin Sheng did not know what he should say. It was good for Su Qin to put the relationship between them behind her. However, deep inside his heart, he felt somewhat disappointed. After all, they had been with each other for many years.
Hao Lei said sincerely, “Lao Qin, I feel it’s a pity that you did not end up being together. Back in high school, you were a couple of lovers, whom everybody admired. Such a pity that you broke up with each other in the end. However, since we all grow up, when it comes to some things, we need to take a clear look at them. Although I know you are somewhat reluctant to let Su Qin go, it is unfair to her since you have Lin Su by your side now. Since Su Qin put this relationship history behind completely, you should wish her a happy future.” When it came to the relationship between Qin Sheng and Su Qin, Hao Lei knew it better than anyone else. The further Su Qin and Qin Sheng walked, the farther away they were from each other. They were no longer in the same boat.
Qin Sheng replied quietly, “I know. I wish her a happy life in the future. If there is an afterlife, I will make it up to her for the regret thus caused this life.”
When it comes to relationships, the first love is the most difficult one for everybody to let go of, whether it is for the kind of people who are nostalgic like Qin Sheng or the kind of rich playboys who are womanizers like Xia Ding. Although they might not keep in mind how many women they had encountered in their lives, they certainly would keep in mind their first love. That was because the first love was the most beautiful and unsophisticated relationship ever, which was not sullied by anything materialistic at all. However, there was a question as to how many first-love couples were still together in the end. It turned out they had no choice but to break up with each other and put each other behind peacefully. Few first-love couples could remain standing by each other’s side in both life and death.
During this period, the clearest perception Qin Sheng had gotten was that he owed Su Qin. The old Qin Sheng had been too selfish as well as pretentious, who had only cared about his thoughts and ambitions without considering Su Qin’s feelings. If the current Qin Sheng were what he used to be, he believed that he certainly would not miss Su Qin.
After they went back to Pudong, Qin Sheng took Hao Lei to the hotel closest to Shimao Riviera Garden, where Chang Baji was living currently. Consequently, Hao Lei stayed there as well. After all, Qin Sheng would go to Beijing a few days later.
By the time they were done with these chores, it was dusk. Lin Su gave Qin Sheng a call, saying that she needed to work overtime and would not come back home for dinner, making Qin Sheng not know whether he should laugh or cry. He thought, “Sister is so inhumane. On Lin Su’s first day to work today, she was asked to work overtime. After all, she is one on the Qin Family’s side.” However, it turned out that Qin Ran had not asked Lin Su to work overtime. It was Lin Su who had taken the initiative to stay at the office. After all, the other members of her team were all working overtime. If Lin Su had left early by herself on her first day to work, she would have made a somewhat bad impression. Moreover, she knew how difficult it was to get the work done this time.
Consequently, Qin Sheng asked both Xia Ding and Han Bing out, who were both Hao Lei’s acquaintances. Since Hao Lei had just come back to Shanghai today, Qin Sheng intended to give him a welcome dinner.
It was Xia Ding who had arranged for the restaurant for the welcome dinner party. As a prince in Pudong, he was quite familiar with everything in Pudong. However, although Qin Sheng, Hao Lei, and Chang Baji had arrived there, neither Xia Ding nor Han Bing showed up. Those arriving early could understand that, unlike them, who had nothing to do, Xia Ding and Han Bing had to attend to the issues of the company.
Hao Lei, who had nothing to do, said, “Lao Qin, I wonder whether you are afraid that you will be caught by Yan Chaozong while showing off in Shanghai.”
Qin Sheng replied disapprovingly, “If I was, I wouldn’t choose to stay in Shanghai.”
Hao Lei asked curiously, “Then when do you plan to deal with Yan Chaozong as well as the group of members in Hangzhou? As I look back on what happened in Hangzhou, I am angry about how they turned their backs on their old associates.”
Qin Sheng replied, “No rush. Let’s discuss the details after we are done with other things.” Since he had planned everything well, all he needed to do was get things done step by step. However, following that, he asked, “Where is the guy, Tang She?
As Qin Sheng mentioned Tang She, Hao Lei had something to say. It turned out that Tang She was certainly loyal to Qin Sheng. However, he had never told Qin Sheng about what Tang She had done. It was not until Qin Sheng took the initiative to inquire about Tang She’s news that he said, “Lao Qin, you did not make a wrong judgment about him previously.”
Qin Sheng asked confusedly, “What do you mean?”
Hao Lei said slowly, “After we were separated at that time, Tang She took me back to his hometown, where I stayed for some time. It was not until recent days that I had gone back to Xi’an. Tang She had been in his hometown all the time, who certainly dared not to go to Hangzhou. Instead, he planned to go to other places and found a random job after the New Year holiday. However, it did not occur to him that Third Master Wu would find him before the New Year holiday and torture him mercilessly. Even so, Tang She did not tell Third Master Wu anything about us from beginning to end, including the information that I had gone back to Xi’an. Fortunately, somebody found him later. It was not until the policemen arrived that he was saved. Unfortunately, one of his arms was broken and he suffered some physical pain. In recent days, he has been recovering from the injuries in the mountains where his relative’s home is.”
As Qin Sheng heard Hao Lei out, the look on his face was somewhat ghastly. In the latter period in Hangzhou, Tang She had helped him frequently, who had taken a gigantic risk to do so. Consequently, Qin Sheng could not let Tang She down.
He ordered in a deep voice, “Brother Lei, it so happens that I don’t have anything to do in Shanghai in the next two days and I will go to Beijing a few days later. You take someone to Xi’an and bring Tang She here so that he can continue to recover from his injuries in Shanghai. I will see who dares to provoke him then.”
Qin Sheng just got one more reason to get revenge on Third Master Wu in the future, whom he would ask to pay the debt back with interest. However, he still needed to take Yang Deng into consideration, who was his only inhibition, putting him in a dilemma somewhat.
Hao Lei consented to what Qin Sheng had said in a hurry and replied, “OK. Then I will go there tomorrow so that I can start early and come back early.”
As they chatted with each other, Xia Ding arrived soon. After he caught sight of Hao Lei, he cursed at him smilingly as he said, “Hao Lei, you are still alive. You haven’t even called me in such a long time. I thought you were f**king dead.”
Since Hao Lei and Xia Ding had hung out together previously, they were familiar with each other. He retorted, “As the saying goes, a filthy mouth can’t utter decent language. Can’t you f**king say something nice to me?”
Xia Ding shrugged and said, “Do you think I am the kind of person who says nice words? My nice words are all reserved for the beauties. I am not interested in you at all, some rough old guy.”
Hao Lei did not bother with Xia Ding anymore. After all, when it came to the talking game, he was not as good as Xia Ding.
At that moment, Han Bing, who was long in coming, arrived finally. Hao Lei had not seen Han Bing for quite some time. Consequently, as he saw Han Bing walking in, the look in his eyes was different instantly.
It happened that Qin Sheng saw how Hao Lei was staring at Han Bing and understood what the look in Hao Lei’s eyes meant. It seemed that Qin Sheng had figured something out.