Please Be More Serious - Chapter 20

The next day, to replace the national holidays break, everyone has to work even though it is a Saturday. But everyone’s heart is obviously not there. Never mind the fact that it is a weekend, it is also the one-week national holiday in another few days. Their spirits have gone somewhere else.

 

But Qiu Zheng Qing is not like this. He still wakes up early, still goes over his schedule in his mind on his drive to work, still buys breakfast, still sits in his own office.

 

He really feels like working, it is a good feeling.

 

He quickly gets absorbed in his work and such condition lasts until around 10 am. He hands his secretary a document that he has signed and walks to the pantry for a glass of water. He notices his colleagues are stealing glances at him. He directly asks, “What’s wrong?”

 

 

“Oh, nothing. Director Qiu, you’re getting a glass of water? Go on, go on.”

Without batting an eyelid, he leaves. When he reaches the pantry door, he hears two female voices from inside. One of them is saying, “The stars are indeed bright last night. Didn’t expect Director Qiu to be quite romantic.”

 

Stars, romantic?

 

He feels as if he is struck by lightning.

 

Director Qiu should be referring to him. He is unfortunately the only one in their company with the surname Qiu. But could romantic be referring to him? In his entire life there has never been a single person who has made such a remark about him.

 

He can feel that something is wrong.

 

He no longer cares about his glass of water. He turns around and retreats to his office.

 

He opens his Weibo and gets a shock.

 

The photo that he took and uploaded on Weibo last night is just for fun, there is not even a caption. But there are actually more than 3,000 shares! There are also a lot of comments! He also gained a lot of new followers!

 

Are they insane, or is it him that is insane?

 

He clicks on the post. The one who shared it first was Yin Ting!

 

Good, very good! He knew it, she was the main culprit!

 

Yin Ting that girl shared his photo of the starry night sky and captioned: “The question is here: why are stars so bright and beautiful?” There are a lot of comments that say it is “because of love, stars are so bright (starts singing~)”.

 

Sing, your head!

 

He reads some of Yin Ting’s replies. It is not because of love, not because of loneliness, not because of they are stars, not because of the sky is charged with electricity. He sweat-dropped. The one who says the sky is charged with electricity, how does anyone even come up with such answer?

 

There are also a lot of comments that praise Qiu Zheng Qing for being romantic. There are even those who shared it to their boyfriends asking them to learn from him. There also those who confessed to their crushes in the post. What nonsense, all of these exceed his expectations.

 

He estimates that all of his ‘likes’ and ‘shares’ on this one post is more than all of his Weibo history altogether. He almost thinks that he is some photographer, that the photo he has taken is some amazingly beautiful one. But the fact that he took the photo randomly and without thought while wearing his sleeping pants! Those stars cannot even be seen clearly, alright! Where are the bright and beautiful stars they are talking about!

 

He stares at his Weibo, feeling an itch in his hand. You want romantic, is it. You want your boyfriend to learn from me, is it. You want to confess, is it. With a swift click on his mouse, he presses delete.

 

The starry night sky photo is gone.

 

He feels like the world is quiet again. What a good feeling.

 

Next he shares a work management insight post. This is what I call romantic, friends! He does not mind if those netizens want their boyfriends to learn this or if they want to use this to confess to their crushes, just use it however they want.

 

The comments come immediately.

 

The first one, someone with an unfamiliar ID writes: “Sofa!!!!!”

 

Who is this, s(he) actually learns from Yin Ting to snatch the sofa! He immediately blacklists the person. He does not want his Weibo to be infested with the sofa-snatching gang.

 

The second comment, another unfamiliar ID writes: “You actually deleted it.”

 

Hehe, of course he did, if not they will be noisy to death.

 

He thinks over it for a moment and clicks into Yin Ting’s Weibo. There should be her replies on his photo but now it has been removed by Weibo. It makes her Weibo seems pitifully empty. He taps the table with his fingers lightly and thinks if Yin Ting protests, he will lecture her and tell her that she cannot fool around on his Weibo. She also created misunderstandings about their relationship.

 

But wait. He checks the comments again and realizes that no one asked Yin Ting if she is dating or if the photo is from her boyfriend. The comments only said “because of love”, something that is rejected by her. So this is considered as a clear explanation? Then why are all the people in his company reacting like this?

 

After waiting for a few minutes, Yin Ting still has not updated her Weibo or contacted him. On his Weibo however, there are a few more comments on his work management post. Most of it is complaining why he deleted his photo, there is one that says: “So, it turns out that guys are this cute when they are embarrassed.” There are quite a few people that upvoted the comment. Another commented, “How adorable!”

 

Nonsense, all nonsense.

 

Do their brains even contain human brain stem or alien ones?

 

He does not understand why he is beginning to feel frustrated. He closes Weibo and when he sees his empty glass, he remembers that he has not gotten water for himself. So he grabs the glass and walks out of his office. On his way, he faintly hears the word “embarrassed”. His face twitches and he can feel a little heat seeping in. He believes it must be his anger.

 

 

He believes his honour as the vice president is still there!

That day, even after the working hour is approaching to an end, Yin Ting still does not show up. There are no new updates on her Weibo either. Instead, he got a call from Shen Jia Qi inviting him to join her on an overseas trip. She said that five, six of them guys and girls are going. All of them are youngsters and also from the in the business industry. They can become friends and can go hiking, fishing and going out onto the sea.

 

He turns down the offer, citing over time at work.

 

“Is that so,” Shen Jia Qi says, “Yong Kai certainly knows how to make the most of their staff. Director Qiu, you should not work too hard.”

 

He does not answer. She continues, “Then if there are other opportunities, we’ll talk again.”

 

After some polite conversation, the phone call ends. He does not hate Shen Jia Qi. Her personality is a lot like Qin Yu Fei, both of them are frank and straightforward. But he does not want to accept her courting. He does not even have the slightest intention of dating her to see if it will work. To him, Shen Jia Qi is just another of his acquaintance in the industry and is strictly in that category only. He remembers how Shen Jia Qi teases Yin Ting for not being able to court any guys. Yin Ting is not only not angry and still remains friends with her? 

 

Then what about him? He deleted the photo and caused her Weibo to look empty, would she be angry at him?

 

When work ends, he opens Yin Ting’s Weibo. There are still no updates. There is a colleague standing at his door, shouting, “Goodbye Director Qiu!”

 

“See you,” he answers, a little bewildered.

 

Another colleague follows. “Director Qiu, we’re leaving. Goodbye.”

 

Within ten minutes, there are actually quite a few colleagues stopping to say goodbye to him. He is still browsing Weibo. There are really no new updates at all, why is everyone being so friendly with him.

 

Friendly. There is only one person who ever used this word to describe him. Fine then, it seems like the speed and distance Yin Ting’s virus is spreading far exceeds his imagination.

 

Today he forgoes his usual OT and leaves before 7 pm. He has his dinner in the neighbourhood’s fast food restaurant and then goes home. He watches news on the TV for some time and then returns to his study to use his laptop.

 

His lifestyle remains unchanged but he actually begins to feel a little bored.

 

Why are the stars in the sky so bright and beautiful? He really wants to know the answer. He stares outside the French window. The stars tonight are also very bright, the night sky is truly beautiful. He pulls over his leather chair and table by the window. With a cup of tea and music turned on, he sits quietly by the window to admire the stars. He cannot remember a single day of his life that he has ever watched the stars like this.

 

Just sitting like this without doing anything, watching the stars, is actually quite comfortable.

  

Why are the stars so bright and beautiful?

 

Qiu Zheng Qing remembers those nonsensical answers on Weibo and cannot help but laugh.

 

Because the sky is charged with electricity.

 

But Yin Ting said it isn’t so. He cannot resist reaching for his phone and opening Weibo. She has been quiet for an entire day. She couldn’t really be angry at him, could she?

 

A new update! Yin Ting updated her Weibo!

 

It is a very beautiful photo of the night sky full of stars. In the pitch black sky, the stars twinkle and shine brightly. Yin Ting’s caption says: “Today is an unexpectedly busy day. I wanted to be lazy and used my friend’s photo to accompany the question, but you guys are too lively and frightened him. Come, come. See my excellent photography skills, look at this starry sky photo. The question is still the same, why are the stars so bright and beautiful? But because I’m embarrassed for bothering my friend, I’ll announce the answer a few days later. Everyone, have a happy holiday, have a lot of fun and enjoy the most of the starry sky.”

 

He is a little stunned, instinct tells him that the friend refers to him.

 

Then he sees that he has a new private message, it is from Yin Ting. She writes, “I’m sorry. It’s just that I saw your photo and shared it to ask the question. Didn’t expect their imagination to be so over-the-top, they’re even making noise at your Weibo. I’m really sorry, I won’t share your photo again, I also won’t bother you again. Please don’t be angry.” Following those words, there are a string of sad, begging emojis.

 

He exhales a sigh of relief. It is good enough that she is not angry at him for deleting the photo. He replies: “I’m not angry.” Yin Ting is online so her reply is immediate: “That’s good! Then we are still allies, aren’t we?” Following those words, the same string of sad, begging emojis.

 

He asks: “What kind of allies?”

 

She replies with a string of teeth-baring smiley faces.

 

He feels a little helpless. Where is the joke in his question? She has indeed established quite a few kinds of allies, he is not even clear which she is referring to. When he asks, she actually laughs.

 

She then sends: “As a form compensation and apology, let me tell you why are stars so bright and beautiful.” He laughs and immediately replies: “Don’t want to know.”

 

Yin Ting: “Think a little, please, you will never be able to guess the answer. Let me tell you.”

 

Qiu Zheng Qing is still laughing. “No need, don’t want to know.”

 

Her answer: “Oh.”

 

He is a little stunned. What does “oh” means?

 

Then her next reply: “Then good night, ally.”

 

Isn’t she in the same gang as Qin Yu Fei?  If she can’t completely adopt her arrogance and tyranny, then learning just half of it is fine. Why didn’t she say, “Even if you don’t want to listen, you must still listen.” And then just tell him the answer.

 

The meaning of “oh” apparently is “okay then”.

 

She has no character at all, how can an angel like this survive in the heavenly realm!

 

Don’t ask then don’t ask, either way she will be posting the answer on Weibo. He will be able to see it, he comforts himself that way. He goes to bed feeling a little depressed.

 

The national holiday arrives in a blink of an eye. All of the people around Qiu Zheng Qing is on vacation. Qin Yu Fei is away, Gu Ying Jie too. The both of them went separately, one saying to do some reflection, another saying to try and win the maiden’s heart again. Either way, they are gone. He does not have the slightest intention to ask after them. They can do whatever they want, they should solve their problems quickly and return to work with professionalism.

 

Mao Hui Zhu also left, she went to America to visit her old friends and colleagues. Before she left, she posted some photos of her at the airport on her Weibo. There was also a photo of the starry sky. He is not sure what she is suggesting because he missed the chance of knowing the answer to why are the stars so bright and beautiful.

 

Yin Ting the angel might not have character but has quite the composure. She actually kept her promise and did not put up the answer on Weibo.

 

Right, there is also Shen Jia Qi who left. Before she left, she called him to wish him happy holidays. He politely replies her and then ends the call.

 

Yin Ting is also on vacation. On her Weibo, she posted some travelling photos. There are probably six, seven of them taking a group photo. In the photo, there is even Shen Jia Qi. Therefore Yin Ting is actually on vacation with Shen Jia Qi and the others.

 

He has the feeling of being betrayed by his ally.

 

Holidays are tirelessly boring for Qiu Zheng Qing. For many days, he only updated his Weibo once and he only shared an article on economic analysis. But there is no one who plays the sofa-snatching game, there is also only two ‘shares’.

 

Holidays are really boring so he tries to find something to do. He calls his old aunt to ask after her, and then he goes to the floral market and buys home a lot of potted plants, and then he goes browsing at the furniture outlet. There is nothing that caught his eye so he is just casually browsing. He spent those few days a little depressingly, so he decides to visit his parents.

 

He visits the cemetery with some fresh flowers. He stands in front of his parents’ tombs, a little spaced out. Someone actually placed flowers and cake on their tombs, there are also a postcard and a deck of cards. Under the cards, there is a note.

 

Did someone put these things at the wrong tomb?

 

He picks up the note and sees that it is actually rules on playing poker.

 

…

 

This style, why is it so familiar.

 

The cemetery keeper happens to walk by and when he sees Qiu Zheng Qing picking up those things, he says, “I saw a girl put those things earlier. I think she probably wants them to play poker underneath and eases some of their boredom.”

 

 

He can feel the warmth in his cheeks. Of all the people he knows, there is only one person who will do something like this. But isn’t she on vacation? Did she come back?

“She just left. She’s a very young girl, very pretty.” While saying this, the keeper begins to fish for gossip. Qiu Zheng Qing thanks him and then manages to chase him away with his serious and no-nonsense expression.

 

She just left? Then why did he not see her when he came?

 

He feels his heartbeat a little irregular and has an inexplicable nervousness. He looks around, there is no sign of Yin Ting anywhere. Looks like she really left.

 

Where is her mother’s tomb? There is a number 8 somewhere, he faintly remembers. He walks over and sees that another cake and fresh flowers on the tomb. The same postcard and deck of cards are also there.

 

He smiles. It really is her.

 

This girl is back from her vacation.

 

He looks around the cemetery. After some thought, he places the fresh flowers he brought on Yin Ting’s mother tomb.

 

“Hello auntie. I am Yin Ting’s friend, my name is Qiu Zheng Qing.” Err, what else should he say. He is not good with words and he is not even close with them. He finally says, “Thank you.”