Song Jianing was three years older than Song Zhiqiu. They had been getting along well with each other since childhood. Song Jianing always cared for Song Zhiqiu, especially when they were studying abroad.

They went to Britain to study from senior high to university. Song Zhiqiu got her bachelor’s degree at the University of Cambridge and then went back to China because she didn’t like living abroad and her mother had a condition in those days. Song Jianing got his bachelor’s degree at the Imperial College and then got an MBA at London Business School. When they studied abroad, they had to look after each other. That was why their relationship was special.

As for what had happened two years ago, most members of the Song family were against Song Zhiqiu marrying Qin Sheng. Song Jianing, however, firmly supported her; though he preferred that his cousin would choose someone good enough for her in order to win her a better position in the Song family. Besides, he had heard a lot of stories in which rich ladies married poor men, ending up in tragedy.

But love was out of control. If Song Zhiqiu really liked the man, but was forced to leave him by her family, she would be hurt deeper, and the upset feeling would last forever. After all, for a romantic relationship, mutual love is the only key to happiness. That was why Song Jianing was with Song Zhiqiu.

He had a good impression of Qin Sheng’s behavior, manners, personality, and other things. He thought that Qin Sheng and Song Zhiqiu could have a happy ending.

But he didn’t anticipate the things that happened then. Qin Sheng, to everyone’s surprise, disappeared on the eve of their engagement party even without informing Song Zhiqiu, pushing her into a deep hole of embarrassment in front of the whole Song family. Song Zhiqiu, who used to be arrogant, chose such a poor man as Qin Sheng to marry, which was astonishing enough. And in the end, she was abandoned by that man. Song Jianing had been eager to find Qin Sheng and ask him how he could dare to do all those things to Song Zhiqiu.

Song Jianing knew how Song Zhiqiu struggled to step out of the shadow left by Qin Sheng. He hated Qin Sheng more than anyone else, for this man hurt his cousin, whom he cared about most. Therefore, he led his men to chase after and kill Qin Sheng, but failed.

Now, this man, to his surprise, came back to Tsingtao, and disturbed his sister’s life again. Song Jianing couldn’t bear this. Though he hadn’t met her date by himself, according to Xiaoliu’s words, he was 90 percent sure that it was Qin Sheng. Except for that man, nobody could make his sister skip work. Over the past two years, she didn’t fall in love with anyone.

Now that Qin Sheng was back, Song Jianing would not allow him to leave Tsingtao alive, let alone disturb his cousin’s life again. Besides, Qin Sheng had offended the Song family before.

Song Jianing, accompanied by his two bodyguards, went to the seafood restaurant. On his way, Song Jianing called to ask more capable underlings for back up. He knew that Qin Sheng was quite good at martial arts. He had to find more capable ones, or Qin Sheng would escape like before. Over the past two years, those killers targeting Qin Sheng who were appointed by the Song family had suffered great losses.

In the seafood restaurant, Qin Sheng still knew nothing at all. He didn’t know that Song Jianing already knew that he was in Tsingtao and was on his way here. If he did, he would have escaped at once.

Having stayed together for a few days, the distance between Song Zhiqiu and Qin Sheng caused by their past relationship and time had faded away. Though they were not in love anymore, they still had friendship. The most tragic part of a relationship was to end up with hatred.

Qin Sheng was grateful to Song Zhiqiu. She was not the kind of woman who would hate his guts. If it was someone else, it would have been another story.

They drank a lot of beer and Song Zhiqiu was getting drunk. She stared at Qin Sheng with mixed feelings. She still didn’t understand him. What she did in the past was really stupid. How could she ask a man to get engaged after they knew each other for only two months? She must have scared Qin Sheng.

“Why are you staring at me?” Qin Sheng said with a laugh when he saw Song Zhiqiu’s weird eyes.

She lowered her head and said with a smile, “I’m wondering what kind of woman could handle you. I haven’t asked about those things. Except for your first love in senior high, have you fallen in love with any other women?”

Qin Sheng was shocked and confused. How could he answer this question posed by his ex-girlfriend? If he told her the truth, she might feel jealous and change her mind. But he was unwilling to lie to Song Zhiqiu, who was always kind.

“I’ve already gotten your answer,” Song Zhiqiu said with a bitter smile. She observed Qin Sheng’s reaction and read from his hesitation.

Qin Sheng thought it over then said, “She was very much like you. But I made her suffer a lot. I don’t deserve a nice woman. Anyone with me would suffer a lot.”

“I don’t understand the thoughts of you men. We women only care about love. That’s enough. But you always think about too many things, the things we never care about.” Song Zhiqiu’s tone gave away her resentment.

Qin Sheng said with an embarrassed smile, “Maybe that’s the exact difference between men and women. Life is hard, and love is not the only thing. You don’t care about those things, but we do. We can’t make you suffer for us, so we must choose other ways to go.”

Song Zhiqiu was upset. Any woman would feel upset when she heard that her ex-boyfriend started a new relationship. She said, “Be nice to her. I hope she won’t be another me. And I wish that she takes good care of you and I wish you a happy life.”

Qin Sheng was not sure what he could say to Song Zhiqiu now.

Although Song Zhiqiu said she would never forgive him, these days, it was obvious that she had forgiven him for what he had done. But he also realized how much Song Zhiqiu loved him, or they wouldn’t have done it that night and she would not waste her treasured time to stay with him.

So Song Zhiqiu must have felt bad when she spoke.

“What about you? Have you seen anyone in these two years?” Out of fear of embarrassment due to the silence, Qin Sheng shifted the focus to her.

Song Zhiqiu stared at Qin Sheng and shook her head. “No. I’ve suffered too much from s relationship. I’ll be more careful because of that. Anyway, ‘somebody’ is very active to end one relationship and start another.”

Qin Sheng wanted to shift the focus, and didn’t expect that it would be thrown back at himself again. And things were getting harder. Qin Sheng found no reply to Song Zhiqiu’s words, so he held up the mug. “Cheers.”

Song Zhiqiu laughed at Qin Sheng’s awkward look and said, “I’m just teasing you.”

It was almost time to leave when they finished that mug. They had eaten and drunk enough. Qin Sheng went to pay the bill, and when he came back, Song Zhiqiu had put on her coat, ready to leave.

They walked out of the restaurant side by side. It was cold outside in the evening. Song Zhiqiu pulled her coat more tightly. Xiaoliu, the driver, was waiting for them. They had both drank beer, so someone had to drive for them.

“I’m not going to see you off tomorrow. I’ve been absent at work for a couple of days. I wish you well in all things. Send me a message when you arrive in Hong Kong,” Song Zhiqiu stopped walking and said. But as she looked at Qin Sheng, her eyes were saying something else silently.

Qin Sheng nodded and said, “OK.”

He couldn’t help asking, “When will we meet next time?”

“Who knows. We don’t have to meet anymore. It’ll be better for us to forget each other,” Song Zhiqiu said something to refuse him, trying hard to hide her emotions.

Qin Sheng understood her and just said with a smile, “Fine. We’d better forget each other. It’s so nice to meet you and be with you. Thank you for staying with me these days. I hope you find your Mr. Right.”

“Thank you,” Song Zhiqiu said with a forced smile and sighed. “Let’s go. We’ll take you to the hotel. This is our final time together.”

“OK.”

After that, they went to the parking lot, where Xiaoliu was waiting for them.

But they didn’t realize that someone was hiding himself in a dark corner near the restaurant door. Song Jianing had observed everything with his fists clenched. He was ready to kill.

Though he had guessed that it was Qin Sheng, he had hoped that he was wrong. He would be happy for Song Zhiqiu if her date was someone else. But he had to accept the reality—it was exactly Qin Sheng.

Song Jianing was in a rage.

“Since you’ve come to Tsingtao, why don’t you meet your old friend here?” Song Jianing said with hostility, walking out of the corner slowly.

There were only the three of them. It was so quiet that Song Jianing’s weird voice was ear-piercing.

Song Zhiqiu’s complexion became pale the moment she heard Song Jianing’s sound. She was too familiar with this. They grew up together and met frequently.

Song Zhiqiu looked toward where the sound came from. Song Jianing walked under the light to reveal his identity. Song Zhiqiu was rattled and said, “Jianing…”

Song Zhiqiu didn’t expect that her cousin Song Jianing would appear. He was obviously coming for Qin Sheng. But how did he know that Qin Sheng was here? Did Xiaoliu tell him?

She had tried hard to hide her meeting with Qin Sheng from the Song family. Once they knew, Qin Sheng would not be able to leave. At this moment, Song Zhiqiu was hopeless. She never expected this accident.

Qin Sheng heard it and realized the implied meaning. He suspected that the Song family had known he was in Tsingtao.

He turned around, looking at the man speaking. It was an “old friend”, Song Jianing.

Qin Sheng sighed, thinking that he couldn’t leave today. Qin Sheng gave up on escaping and said with a bitter smile, “Brother Ning, long time no see.”

“How dare you call me Brother Ning? Qin Sheng, how dare you come to Tsingtao again and disturb my cousin’s life! You really look down upon our Song family. OK. I’ll make you pay for your underestimation.” Song Jianing stared at Qin Sheng with a firing rage.

Qin Sheng tried to explain. “Brother Ning, I…”

But Song Jianing didn’t want to listen to him. He said to his bodyguards, “Go and get him.”

At this very moment, 10 men rushed toward Qin Sheng from all directions, surrounding him.