Chapter 25: Qi Li

One reply—and Qi Yu stared at the screen a long time, still unable to find the right words.
Lost in thought, last night’s memories drifted in fragments. She did not remember the talk with Jiang Ya clearly—but thankfully, in memory, she had sounded mostly normal. At least she had not used the wine to bring up what should not be said.
Drink makes trouble. In the end Qi Yu blamed everything on alcohol—the only way to explain behavior she herself did not understand.
Sitting on the bed with her phone, mind still empty. What was done was done; torturing herself helped nothing. Simpler was better.
She replied briefly—said she was feeling much better—thought a moment, added thanks.
Then she got clothes from the wardrobe to shower. Leaving the bedroom, Jiang Ya had not replied yet. She hesitated whether to take the phone.
The thought flashed—Qi Yu paused—then tossed the phone back on the quilt, closed the door, and left.
……
Qi Yu had not planned to tell the family about resigning soon.
At lunch Qi Wenping casually asked about work. Qi Yu could not answer smoothly—and finally could not hold it in, told them early about quitting.
Her serious tone made the table grave at once—surprise, then silence after they heard why.
Qi Yu had expected it. She set down her chopsticks. “I was afraid you’d worry too much, so I meant to wait…”
“Sigh…” Qi Wenping lost her appetite, long exhale. “Resigning isn’t small—you should have said.”
“But is there really no fix? Talk to the boss again? Report up? Nobody handles this kind of thing?”
Qi Wenping pleaded earnestly. She knew jobs were hard to find now—quit and you might not land another.
Seeing her worry, Qi Yu said helplessly, “It’s not that nobody cares. This is how the workplace is—not only our company.”
“Bottom line it’s power. Nobody knows that guy’s background—the director dares not cross him, only told me to endure. After that I really don’t want to waste my worth there.”
Qi Wenping was about to speak when Qi Xuan snapped fiercely beside her. “Why! Background makes him king? His dad the chairman? Do whatever he wants…”
“Sis, write it up and post online—people have eyes. Blow it up—I don’t believe the company would ignore it.”
Qi Xuan righteous—everyone stunned a moment.
“Go eat, don’t butt in—not your business…” Qi Wenping recovered, popped her bubble, turned back to Qi Yu. “You’re really quitting?”
Qi Yu nodded firmly. “Yes. Thought it through. Probably applying in the next few days.”
“Then…” Qi Li, silent until now, spoke—brows knit, voice soft. “After you quit—have you thought what you’ll do?”
Qi Yu met Qi Li’s eyes, paused, chewed slower, honest. “I’ll look online for suitable jobs—but openings are few…”
“I told a friend—worst case we open a small shop together, run it for now.”
“Oh—Tang Xuejun. She’s back here lately, Aunt—you know her.”
“Yes… I know Xuejun…” Qi Wenping nodded, still worried.
Though Qi Yu and Tang Xuejun were adults, in her eyes they were still kids. She feared they would rush into a shop without planning and lose money…
After thinking she still felt it unwise, took Qi Yu’s hand, advised a long while—think everything through before deciding.
While they talked Qi Li suddenly stood and left. When she returned she held something.
Handing it to Qi Yu, Qi Yu froze, blank.
“This is?” On her palm—a bank card.
Before Qi Li answered, Qi Wenping’s eyes widened. “Sis, what are you doing?”
“This… no need… can’t accept…” She knew best—that card was likely half a lifetime’s savings.
Qi Yu read the room; seeing Qi Wenping’s face she tried to push the card back. “No need—I’m grown. Just quitting—I have savings…”
Qi Wenping: “Exactly, Sis. Xiaoyu’s adult. This is yours… you don’t have to…”
Three of them persuading—the card like a hot potato between Qi Yu and Qi Li. Only Qi Xuan left, eating, looking back and forth, not daring to speak.
“Enough.” Qi Li pressed the card into Qi Yu’s hand—unusually stern, brows drawn. “All these years Mom never gave you much. Now I am—take it.”
Qi Wenping about to argue again—Qi Li looked at her. “Don’t speak. I know what I’m doing.”
“There isn’t much in this card—so relax and take it. If you open a shop, business costs money—consider it Mom supporting you.”
“Mom…” Card in hand, something blocked her chest. “Maybe not opening a shop—and with my friend we’d have enough…”
Mid-sentence Qi Li raised a palm; words stuck in her throat.
She looked at Qi Li—maybe the first time she had truly studied this stranger who was her closest kin.
She had not noticed before. Looking now, time had left more marks on Qi Li than she imagined.
“Listen to Mom.” Qi Li looked at her seriously. Gentle brows were no longer as clear as once; fine lines at the eyes obvious. “Keep the card—shop or anything else. Just keep it.”
“You grew up—I always felt I owed you. This can’t make it up, but it’s a little of my heart. Accept it.”
Without waiting for more, Qi Li cleared the table and stood. Her back shrank in Qi Yu’s eyes until she entered the kitchen.
Qi Wenping patted her hand—take it. Qi Yu answered helplessly.
She looked down at the card, gaze complex. Balance unknown—but in her palm it felt heavy. That weight lodged in her chest.
……
After dishes, Qi Wenping was heading to her room when she ran into Qi Yu coming out.
“Xiaoyu?” Surprised, glance into the room. “What is it?”
“Nothing. I need to talk to Mom.”
“Oh… I see…” Qi Wenping studied her, thoughtful, then patted her back. “Go rest. Sleep a while.”
Qi Yu back to her room; Qi Wenping entered.
Qi Li sat on the bed edge, flipping something. An old album—photos from over a decade ago.
The spread she was on—mostly Qi Yu as a small child.
Qi Li looked up, smile not yet gone. “Look—Xiaoyu was so cute. Face still chubby.”
Qi Wenping sat beside her, smiled at the photos too. “Yeah—adorable then. Voice sweet, followed me everywhere asking me to buy toys.”
“She liked dresses—look, every photo. Grew up, said skirts were inconvenient, stopped wearing them.”
Qi Wenping remembered, face happy.
Qi Li smiled too, turned the page, then said quietly, “Pity—I never took photos with her back then…”
Qi Wenping watched Qi Li’s expression—still smiling, yet it hurt somehow. “Photos—we can take more anytime. Family portrait when we have time.”
“Not the same.” Qi Li looked at Qi Wenping; smile faded. “Time that’s gone—I can never get back.”
“Even if I want to be good to her now—I know inside she doesn’t really want to accept.”
“Otherwise she wouldn’t have come specially to return the card.”
“Sis, don’t talk like that.” Qi Wenping worried at once. “You just gave it? You can love her—you have to think of yourself too. Illness, anything—money matters later.”
“I know.” Qi Li soothed her. “I have sense. Not much in that card—just over a hundred thousand.”
“All the years I wasn’t beside her—you were. A hundred thousand isn’t much—I should give it.”
“But now… even if I mean well, she may not want my kindness.” Qi Li melancholy on her own. “This child is like me—things bottled inside. I can tell—there’s always a knot toward me.”
Qi Li stared at light from the window. Qi Wenping silent beside her, head down.
After a while she sighed, looked at Qi Li. “But when you left—you had your reasons.”
“You never told Xiaoyu… find a chance, talk properly? She’s good—she’ll understand…”
“Because she’s good—I can’t say.” Qi Li cut her off, wistful. “She’s good—she sympathizes, understands. If she knew—what would she think?”
“Would she feel she should never have been born?”
Qi Wenping stared, speechless.
Qi Li turned back, slid photos one by one into the album, voice low. “Anyway the child is innocent. I don’t want her blaming herself because of me.”
“In the end—including how she keeps her distance—it’s all my doing.”
“My fault—I’ll bear it.”
“As for those things… best if she never knows, her whole life.”
……
The first days after applying to quit were rough. The director called Qi Yu to his office several times, tried persuasion—but her mind was set, and bringing up Gu Jian left him guilty, unable to argue. After several days the resignation was approved.
The week after quitting she searched companies and posts online—salary too low, role wrong, requirements harsh. That path went poorly; opening a shop felt more certain.
Early February she and Tang Xuejun talked a whole night and committed to the plan. Budget, style—next day they surveyed Nanliu’s busiest strips for a site.
During that time Jiang Ya messaged to ask how she was. Qi Yu answered honestly; they also discussed picking a spot near the school.
Because of that, messages grew a bit more frequent—but only about that, plus occasional life trivia.
After the site was set, their brief shared topic ended. Last chat line stayed at New Year’s—mutual happy new year—then silence.
Until late February the shop started renovation and Qi Yu grew busier. Main investor—more work than Tang Xuejun. Daily at the site watching workers shape the café, only then could she settle.
Those days she raised moving. The shop was near the school; her current complex was far—twenty minutes each way by e-bike, inconvenient.
She told Tang Xuejun; Tang knew an agent near No. 1 High and sent the contact.
Viewing day was two days before school opened. As if student resentment reached heaven—the sky was extra gloomy, clouds thick, wind cold, rain about to fall.
Qi Yu rode against the wind, navigation to the apartment address. Off the bike she looked up at tall towers—familiar buildings—dazed, not hearing the agent beside her.
Too coincidental.
So coincidental she could not believe it—yet had to sigh.
The moment she entered this complex she knew—
Jiang Ya lived here too.