Chapter 244: Career and Love

Li Dong avoided delving deeper into the topic of snow and shifted the conversation.

The hotel Qin Yuhan had booked for Li Dong was not far from the east gate of Peking University, so they walked there.

The sky was overcast, possibly due to the impending snow.

As the cold wind blew, Li Dong couldn't help but sigh, thinking about how cold winter in Beijing was. If it weren't for Qin Yuhan being here, he probably wouldn't have come at all.

After spending the afternoon in the hotel, Li Dong felt refreshed when he went out again, while Qin Yuhan's face was flushed red.

As they exited the hotel, Li Dong teasingly remarked, "Your stamina isn't up to par; looks like we'll need to practice more in the future."

"Pervert!" Qin Yuhan retorted with a red face.

Li Dong chuckled and winked, "This is a serious matter; how can you call it perverted?"

Qin Yuhan rolled her eyes at him and ignored his comment.

The sky had turned completely dark, but the streets were still brightly lit.

Not far from the hotel, a little girl of about seven or eight years old ran over with a basket of flowers. Her face was rosy from the cold wind. Seeing Li Dong and Qin Yuhan, the girl earnestly pleaded, "Brother, it's Christmas Eve tonight. Could you buy a few flowers for your sister?"

Li Dong was in a good mood and asked with a smile, "How much are they?"

"Ten yuan each!"

The little girl's face showed anxiety. Ten yuan for a flower was not cheap, and she might not sell many tonight.

Li Dong smiled and said, "I'll buy them all. Go back and get some rest early!"

He then pulled out five or six one-hundred-yuan notes from his wallet, without counting, and handed them to the girl, then took the basket of flowers.

The little girl was momentarily stunned, while Qin Yuhan rolled her eyes.

Looking at the little girl, Qin Yuhan whispered, "Don't show off. These children are all controlled…"

"I know, but it's about making them happy. Why bother with the details?" Li Dong responded.

He chuckled, knowing better than anyone about these situations, as countless similar ones had been exposed online.

But today, he was in a good mood, and a few hundred yuan didn't matter much to him.

He didn't have grand ambitions or the capacity to help every controlled child in society, but if he could make them have a happy Christmas Eve, that was something he could do.

Patting the little girl's head, Li Dong said, "Stop dawdling. I've bought them all. Hurry back now."

The little girl finally came to her senses, not even bothering to count the money, and hurried off to a dark corner.

Li Dong, with good eyesight, noticed a man in a military coat crouching in the shadows, smoking a cigarette, realizing this must be the lookout.

He didn't bother with it; in unfamiliar territory, meddling in such matters would only invite trouble.

Qin Yuhan sighed slightly and said, "What you did doesn't help these children. It only benefits those controlling them and might even make their exploitation worse in the future."

Li Dong smiled and said, "I know, but I'll do what I can. I can't control everything."

Seeing Qin Yuhan hesitate to speak, Li Dong added with a smile, "Alright, it's a small matter. Don't overthink it. When we're more capable in the future, we can save the world."

"You're starting to babble again," Qin Yuhan said helplessly.

Every time they talked about serious matters, Li Dong would always make jokes, which Qin Yuhan was used to.

Li Dong laughed and kept quiet, holding the flower basket in one hand and Qin Yuhan's hand in the other as they walked toward the pedestrian street.

On the way, Li Dong handed the flower basket to Qin Yuhan and said, "We've known each other for so many years, and it seems I've never given you flowers. This time, I'm being romantic and giving them to you."

Qin Yuhan was both amused and annoyed, "Who gives a flower basket like this? And you say you're giving it to me—are you planning to give it to someone else?"

Li Dong feigned innocence, "You're jealous? You're turning into a vinegar jar."

"Who's jealous of you!"

Qin Yuhan snorted but was visibly pleased as she took the flower basket.

It was the first time Li Dong had given her flowers, and it held significant meaning, especially since he was usually so clueless about romance.

---

After returning from the pedestrian street, Li Dong was wearing a silver-gray down jacket.

The jacket was bought by Qin Yuhan, neither too expensive nor too cheap, costing over three thousand yuan.

This money came from Qin Yuhan's scholarship, making Li Dong feel quite happy. His girlfriend certainly knew how to take care of him.

Qin Yuhan, however, looked guilty and said, "I feel so pretentious. I could have bought you something better with your money, but I chose this one."

Li Dong hugged her and laughed, "As long as it fits, that's all that matters. Besides, I never even dared to think of owning a jacket worth over three thousand yuan."

Qin Yuhan's expression softened a bit but she still said, "Li Dong, when I start earning money, I'll buy you international brands."

"Alright, I'll wait for you to support me."

Li Dong responded with a smile, but his face was full of teasing.

Qin Yuhan bit her lip, feeling that his expression was rather infuriating and seemed to look down on her.

---

After staying in Beijing for three days, Li Dong prepared to return to Pingchuan.

Qin Yuhan had an upcoming exam, and the situation in Pingchuan was still intense, so Li Dong didn't stay any longer.

Before leaving, standing outside the airport, Li Dong asked Qin Yuhan, "Are you still planning to continue with the dessert shop?"

Qin Yuhan hesitated for a moment before nodding.

Li Dong continued, "Do you want to expand it or just use it as a way to improve yourself?"

Qin Yuhan wrinkled her nose and said after a while, "If possible, I'd like to expand it and open it as a chain."

Li Dong looked thoughtful and finally asked, "Have you considered what you would do if you succeeded? After graduation, would you stay in Beijing to continue your career, or would you choose to return to Pingchuan?"

Qin Yuhan was taken aback. She had never thought about this question and didn't know how to answer right away.

Seeing Qin Yuhan in a daze, Li Dong gently stroked her cheek and said, "Maybe I'm overthinking. Whatever decision you make, I will support you."

"If you really want to expand, let me know if you need money. Don't be shy; what's mine is yours. Your success means my success too."

Qin Yuhan was silent for a moment, still contemplating Li Dong's words.

After a while, she asked with confusion, "Do I really have to choose one or the other?"

"With the current information technology, I can manage things in Pingchuan remotely. Isn't that possible?"

Li Dong suddenly felt blocked and bitterly smiled as he nodded, "That's true. I guess I was overthinking."

He gently embraced Qin Yuhan and said, "I'm leaving now. Take care of yourself."

"Same to you!"

"I'll keep wearing the clothes you gave me. I'm not planning to take them off this winter."

Qin Yuhan laughed softly, and the sadness of parting gradually faded. She scolded, "No, if you don't change clothes, they'll get dirty."

"Don't worry, as long as you don't mind."

Qin Yuhan smiled and said, "I suddenly noticed you've become quite sweet-talking. Have you started seeing someone in Pingchuan?"

Li Dong was speechless, releasing her and waving his hand, "I'm leaving. If you're worried, come back soon."

As she watched Li Dong gradually walk away, Qin Yuhan murmured, "Everything I want is to be worthy of you. How could I ever leave you?"

When Li Dong had asked her to choose between Pingchuan and Beijing, Qin Yuhan had not responded immediately because she had never thought about this issue.

From the very first day in Beijing, she had been looking forward to returning to Pingchuan to be with Li Dong.

As for the dessert shop and career, they were secondary.

Therefore, Li Dong's question was essentially irrelevant.