Her phone rang several times in quick succession.
She hurriedly silenced it, unlocked the screen, and checked it.
One message was a notification from the kindergarten group.
"Dear parents, due to an officially organized anti-explosive drill, the kindergarten will be temporarily closed for three days."
Three days of closure—if Shen Qingyan had seen news like this before, she would have been frantic with worry.
But now, there was no longer the slightest bit of concern or anxiety in her heart.
There was another message, this one from Xu Nan.
Xu Nan: "Is Yaoyao asleep yet?"
Shen Qingyan: "She is."
Xu Nan: "I'm almost there. I brought wine."
Xu Nan: "Storm's Cry.jpg"
Shen Qingyan: "What happened?"
Xu Nan: "I'll explain once I get there..."
Shen Qingyan: "Okay."
After locking her phone, Shen Qingyan glanced at Tang Yao, who was still sound asleep without the slightest sign of waking. She got up, left the bedroom, and left the door slightly ajar.
Not long after.
Xu Nan arrived.
Sitting on the sofa, Shen Qingyan poured Xu Nan a small amount of red wine, then poured herself a glass as well. They clinked glasses and each took a sip. "What is it this time? Did something go wrong with the magazine again?"
"Not exactly."
Xu Nan shook her head. "Things are already this bad. There's really no way for them to get any worse."
"Then why are you..." Shen Qingyan asked, confused.
"I regret missing an opportunity that could have turned the magazine around—maybe even made it famous internationally."
"For the past few days, I've been waking up in the middle of the night regretting it!" Xu Nan said bitterly.
"You missed an opportunity to make the magazine internationally famous?" Shen Qingyan asked in confusion. "What happened?"
"A few days ago, Li Tong insisted on dragging me to Sheng Tang for the buffet. Then I met a man. He was wearing a casual suit custom-made by Fog City Royal Wardrobe. He had a great figure, a handsome face, and outstanding bearing... If I could shoot a magazine spread with him, our magazine would definitely make a splash and come back to life. With proper management, becoming internationally famous would be entirely possible..."
Xu Nan began recounting what had happened at the buffet restaurant that day. "But when I went up to him, he immediately told me he wasn't interested in being hit on..."
"That would've been fine, but I explained my intentions and he still wasn't interested at all. I gave him my business card, thinking there was still a chance to convince him. But after he left, I realized that I was the one who gave him my card. If he didn't contact me, I had no way to reach him..."
"And just like that, I let the chance to turn things around slip right through my fingers. Qingyan, what am I supposed to do now? Help me think of something..."
Shen Qingyan raised her delicate brows slightly. "Could you first explain what Royal Wardrobe is?"
"Royal Wardrobe is Fog City Royal Wardrobe. The people who can have clothes tailored there are either members of royal families from various countries or the most elite celebrities and powerful figures," Xu Nan said.
Shen Qingyan's eyelid twitched, but she still analyzed the matter rationally. "Then I don't think I can help you much."
"Someone who can afford clothes like that—even if you found his contact information, it would still be difficult to change his mind and get him to agree to shoot for you."
"After all, people like that could probably blow over ten magazines like yours with a single breath."
After hearing that.
Xu Nan stopped regretting it.
She collapsed onto the sofa in despair...
Seeing her like that, Shen Qingyan shook her head.
There was nothing she could do about something like this either.
Xu Nan picked up her glass and drained the wine in one gulp. Then she poured herself another half glass and said, "Forget about me. How are things on your end?"
"On my end..."
Shen Qingyan forced a smile. "Just like you, things aren't going too well."
"Not too well either? Didn't you say last time that the problem had been completely resolved?" Xu Nan asked doubtfully.
Shen Qingyan told Xu Nan about Shen Group's current situation.
Xu Nan slapped the glass table. "Damn, those old bastards are shameless! When it was time to come up with a solution, none of them could be found. Now that there's a turning point, they've all jumped out. They have absolutely no shame!"
"So, Qingyan, what are you planning to do now?"
Shen Qingyan shook her head slightly.
"You have it even worse than I do."
Xu Nan sighed, grabbed her glass, and clinked it against Shen Qingyan's.
"What about Tang Chen?"
Xu Nan asked again, "Have you made things clear to him? Told him not to show up in front of Yaoyao anymore?"
Shen Qingyan shook her head. "No."
Xu Nan's brows immediately furrowed. "No? Why not?"
Shen Qingyan said, "Yaoyao is very happy when she's with him. I thought about it, and I feel that Yaoyao needs this father in her childhood."
Xu Nan grew anxious. "Qingyan, what are you thinking?"
"Have you forgotten how you lived through these past five years?"
"You finally managed to endure it all. If he takes Yaoyao away and disappears again, how will you go on living?"
Shen Qingyan took a small sip of red wine. "I don't think he's that kind of person..."
"How do you know whether he is or not?"
"You can tell."
Shen Qingyan said, "From the way I've interacted with him these past few days, I can tell that he sincerely treats Yaoyao well. And he also has a strong sense of responsibility..."
"These past few days? Interacted?"
Xu Nan stared at Shen Qingyan in surprise.
Shen Qingyan nodded and told her about everything that had happened over the past few days...
"He kicked open the door and pulled you out of the meeting room?"
Xu Nan could practically picture it. "That sounds kind of cool... Pah! Cool my ass! Qingyan, don't let down your guard so quickly. You still need to be careful..."
Hmm?
As she spoke.
Xu Nan's voice suddenly came to an abrupt stop.
She suddenly realized that everything Shen Qingyan had said had been defending and praising Tang Chen. A possibility immediately occurred to her.
She fixed her eyes on Shen Qingyan's. "Qingyan, you couldn't possibly... have feelings for him, could you?"
"I need to use the restroom."
After remaining silent for a long time, Shen Qingyan stood and walked toward the bathroom.
Xu Nan stared at her retreating figure in a daze. It was not until the bathroom door clicked shut that she finally came back to her senses.
"Hey!"
She shook her head helplessly.
She could not bring herself to feel even the slightest fondness for Tang Chen.
Over the years, she had seen how much Shen Qingyan had suffered. Even when Shen Qingyan gave birth, Xu Nan had been the only one by her side...
But Xu Nan also knew.
If Shen Qingyan truly set her mind on something, no one could change it.
"What a miserable life..."
"I just hope she won't get hurt again!"
She let out a sigh.
At that moment.
Ding!
Her phone chimed.
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