EVERY LIKE, VOTE, AND COMMENT HELPS!

.....

A week before midterms, Li Qian was packing up his bag after another awkward tutoring session. They'd been at a stalemate for some time now, and Li Qian was clueless about why Jiao Jiao had suddenly pulled away from him. His cheerful little flower seemed to be fading, and he grew increasingly desperate to know why.

Jing Mei bustled into the kitchen and laughed with an apology. "I'm so sorry for the mess, Xiao Qian. Mr. Kang has me racing to prepare more pieces for the next show, so the apartment has been filling up with all this stuff."

While Jiao Jiao was cleaning up their fruit plate in the kitchen, she leaned closer to whisper, "It's just that I don't like to leave Jiao Jiao alone after what happened at the club. She's not been sleeping well, so..."

Li Qian interrupted, "You don't have to explain, Auntie. Please accept my apologies again for not watching her closely enough."

As Jiao Jiao drifted back over, Li Qian said, "Why don't we temporarily move our tutoring sessions to my apartment, at least until the art show is done? Then we won't be in your way, and you can get more work finished without us bothering you."

Jiao Jiao's eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to protest, but Jing Mei spoke first. "That's perfect, Xiao Qian. How about it, Jiao Jiao? Just until after Christmas when the show is done?"

With two sets of eyes gazing beseechingly at her, she nodded in resignation.

.....

At the office, three men were mired in frustration.

The assaulter, Li Xiang, was let go after a night at the police station because he continued to insist that he was only helping the server up after she dropped the drinks tray. The server had refused to file a police report, and now she was 'mysteriously' missing.

Slumped deep in the leather chair behind the large oak desk, Li Qian asked, "Tell me again about the CCTV?"

Chen Fan had a report in his hand and placed it before Li Qian. "We checked with the Ling Group, but they said the corridor beyond your private suite had been closed off because they were upgrading the surveillance system."

Li Qian ran a hand through his hair and groaned. "It's like I'm fucking Sun Wukong trying to figure out this mess. So, no one was supposed to be down there, but somehow Jiao Jiao conveniently ended up in the same room where my asshole cousin was trying to assault someone?"

Song Junhui added, "It's pretty remote down there. She'd have only gone that way if someone told her to."

He was seated comfortably on one of the large couches in the seating area. He picked an apple from the bowl on the marble coffee table and said, "Why don't you just ask her?"

Li Qian scoffed and gave him a cold glare. "First of all, that's a wax apple, so don't eat it. Secondly, she's been avoiding me. I still give her tutoring, but she's nervous and doesn't smile at me like she used to."

His voice lowered, and he grumbled, "I barely ever see her dimple, and she never sends me emojis anymore."

Song Junhui put the apple back, then glanced over to see Chen Fan hiding a smile. "What was that?"

"Never mind."

Clearing his throat, Chen Fan said, "She did have quite a scare, boss. Maybe she's just trying to process it all."

Junhui added, "I think you should talk to her. Find out what happened, and maybe we can get clearer answers."

Li Qian texted Jiao Jiao the following day.

(LQ): You remember we're meeting at my apartment this week for tutoring?

(WhisperingBlooms): En.

(LQ): Then, come to the office first. I'll be busy until six and we can go together.

(WhisperingBlooms): Okay.