Chapter 27 "What are your plans for the future?"

"What are your plans for the future?" Zuo Qinghuan asked.

"I don't know. After being Yan Ruowen's mistress for so many years, I feel like I'm about to become useless. What do you think I can do?" Li Xin replied self-deprecatingly.

"How about opening a café? Your desserts are great, and I make good coffee. Plus, with you as the live advertisement, I think it could work…" Zuo Qinghuan, always full of ideas, believed that with Li Xin's skills and beauty, they could attract some business. Being a mistress couldn't last forever, especially since she had recently angered her financial backer and needed to find another path.

"That's not a bad idea, but why should I be the live advertisement? Why not you?" Li Xin protested, refusing to flaunt her looks while Zuo Qinghuan wasn't bad-looking herself.

"Do you have any money?" Zuo Qinghuan asked coolly, certain that Li Xin, being the foolish woman she was, wouldn't take the breakup compensation from Yan Ruowen. Plus, this woman had never saved money; she was obviously broke. Did she think opening a shop wouldn't cost anything? This woman was even less grounded than she was. Hmph, having money is what really matters!

Sure enough, Li Xin's voice trailed off as she looked at Zuo Qinghuan with a sense of grievance, her eyes resembling those of a child looking at a stepmother. Li Xin genuinely regretted throwing the ten million breakup fee so casually at Yan Ruowen's face; otherwise, her back would be straighter than Zuo Qinghuan's at this moment.

"Okay, you can handle the specifics," Li Xin said without objections. She believed Zuo Qinghuan had better ideas and was more business-savvy than she was, especially since she was currently broke.

"Li Xin, I'm really curious about what kind of family you come from," Zuo Qinghuan said, switching to gossiping about Li Xin.

"Why are you asking that all of a sudden?" Li Xin replied, somewhat surprised. The concept of family had become a bit unfamiliar to her.

"You really have no concept of money, so I can't help but be curious about your background." Although Li Xin was almost at the point of not being able to pay her bills, she seemed completely indifferent. Based on Li Xin's lifestyle, Zuo Qinghuan could tell she must have been born into a wealthy family. Even if it wasn't as affluent as someone like Qin Wanshu's family, it had to have been comfortable. Maybe she fell out with her family after coming out, which is why she hadn't returned home.

"My family? It's a family of doctors. My grandfather is a traditional Chinese medicine doctor, my dad is a surgeon, my mom is an obstetrician, my brother is a pediatrician, and my sister is a gastroenterologist. I'm the black sheep of the family, although I was considered the most gifted in medicine among the three kids. Unfortunately, I just don't like holding a scalpel; I prefer wielding a kitchen knife. After graduating from university, I didn't go to a big hospital to be a doctor but ended up as a mistress, and to a woman, no less. It's not surprising that I was kicked out of my house." Li Xin said without a care, as if those were unimportant details. When her family thought she was the unexpected success, she chose to be the black sheep instead. But she truly didn't like surgeries; she didn't want to be a doctor. If she had to choose again, she would still choose to leave her family.

"Can't tell at all; you're a medical student. Truly, you can't judge a person by their appearance…" Zuo Qinghuan said lightly, though she genuinely hadn't expected Li Xin to have studied medicine. But thinking back, Li Xin's precision when chopping vegetables with a kitchen knife did seem reliable.

"Hey, during university, I was a top student at one of the best schools in the country. Do you really think I'm just a pretty face?" Li Xin wanted to punch Zuo Qinghuan, her incredulous expression clearly showing she was underestimating her.

Zuo Qinghuan glanced at Li Xin's chest; it was indeed large, but whether she was smart was another question.

"A top student from a medical school? That sounds like a huge waste of potential. Is this self-sabotage?" Zuo Qinghuan felt envious. If she had a background like Li Xin's, she definitely wouldn't be in her current situation.

"Maybe," Li Xin said, not wanting to continue the topic. Even though they were both mistresses, Zuo Qinghuan wouldn't recognize her choices; she could only remain stubbornly unrepentant.

"Still, I admire your courage to be so clear about what you want and don't want." Most people couldn't do that. Not everyone had the guts to be a black sheep.

Li Xin smiled softly, her smile devoid of the usual charm.

"What about you? I've never heard you mention your family," Li Xin countered, also curious about what kind of environment could raise someone like Zuo Qinghuan.

"There are some people I don't even want to mention," Zuo Qinghuan said indifferently.

Li Xin didn't ask further. It seemed Zuo Qinghuan's family was probably even more complicated than her own.

The meal ended amid mutual gossip.

Although Li Xin's mood had improved a lot, she was still heartbroken. That night, Zuo Qinghuan stayed to accompany Li Xin, but her thoughts couldn't help drifting back to Qin Wanshu, occasionally feeling irritated and guessing whether the couple had slept together.

Li Xin found herself lost in thoughts of Yan Ruowen as well, a dull pain gradually resurfacing. Hadn't countless acts of self-deception and self-hypnosis been enough?

Early on, Qin Wanshu received Zuo Qinghuan's call.

"Are you up yet?" Qin Wanshu heard Zuo Qinghuan's gentle voice as soon as she picked up the phone. Zuo Qinghuan was only twenty-four, while she was about to turn thirty. In comparison, Zuo Qinghuan really did seem young; even her voice carried a sense of youthfulness, Qin Wanshu thought.

"Very early; it's only six-thirty," Zuo Qinghuan said. The timing of the call was just right; she had just woken up and turned on her phone not long ago, but it was still too early.

"Yeah, I think it's early too. I've never gotten up this early or called anyone this early before." Zuo Qinghuan also found it incredible; the first thing she thought of when she opened her eyes was to call Qin Wanshu, not caring whether Han Shibin was beside her.

"Is this your way of saying you miss me?" Qin Wanshu joked, not even realizing that a slight smile was playing on her lips.

"Hmm." Zuo Qinghuan replied lightly, realizing that the restlessness she had felt all night had vanished. The fact that Qin Wanshu could say this meant that Han Shibin wasn't by her side; at this hour, Han Shibin wasn't around, which suggested he hadn't been there all evening. She figured that must have put her in a good mood.

"Aren't you afraid of my husband being around? You really know how to stir things up for me," Qin Wanshu raised an eyebrow and asked. Thankfully, Han Shibin had slept in the study last night; otherwise, receiving a call so early in the morning would have made him suspicious.

"Didn't you say that the innocent have nothing to fear? What are you worried about?" Zuo Qinghuan laughed, her laughter bright and clear.

Hearing Zuo Qinghuan's laughter, Qin Wanshu shook her head with a smile. Innocent people have nothing to fear—yes, she could easily tell Han Shibin who this little fairy was, and in that case, it would be Han Shibin who needed to explain, not her. Yet she had told a little lie for Zuo Qinghuan, and Qin Wanshu felt quite indulgent towards this mischievous little girl.

"Are you coming out to shop with me today?" Zuo Qinghuan asked, although she knew it was a bit reckless, knowingly trying to do something that shouldn't be done—ah, the flaws of human nature!

"Are you this free every day?" Qin Wanshu questioned, as Zuo Qinghuan seemed to think she was as free as she was. After all, she had many things to do.

"It used to be that way, but I probably won't be so free in the future. If you don't have time, that's fine," Zuo Qinghuan said before hanging up. She understood that Qin Wanshu was indirectly refusing, so she wouldn't press the issue. She was serious about opening a café with Li Xin and wasn't just saying it casually; after today, she really wouldn't have much free time, and she didn't know when she could invite Qin Wanshu again.

Qin Wanshu looked at her phone after the call ended and sighed softly. She really didn't have time today.

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