The Cherry Price

With her back injured, Qin Huairen could only wash up briefly.

After blow-drying her hair, she felt numb with exhaustion.

By the time she finished changing clothes, she was sweating.

“Isn’t it just a few bad nights of sleep and a lack of exercise? You can’t be this weak.”

She lectured her own body while heading out to hail a taxi.

Passing through the city center meant unavoidable traffic.

She was forced to watch the love-themed short film playing on the roadside screen again.

Wasn’t Valentine’s Day already over?

Why was it still airing?

If you have ever witnessed a tsunami with your own eyes, you will know how violently I love you. Endless and tireless.

The line appeared once more.

“So to know you love me, I have to watch a tsunami? What if I drown? I’m afraid of water.”

If you love someone, just say it openly.

Keeping it bottled up and suffocating yourself serves you right.

She complained inwardly while texting Xu Jianing.

Luckily she had not thrown away her old phone.

Otherwise she would have been unreachable.

It lagged terribly.

She herself skipped breakfast.

Yet she reminded Xu Jianing to drink honey water.

A sticker reply came through, still buffering.

Before she could answer, a voice call came in.

As soon as it connected, Xu Jianing vented angrily.

“Is Wen Yuzhi insane? Her lawyer contacted me this morning asking me to compensate for the violin.”

Qin Huairen had guessed the violin was expensive.

But she had not imagined even a basic model cost millions.

And Wen Yuzhi’s was custom-made.

“She dropped it herself and I have to pay?”

Xu Jianing ranted.

After she finished, Qin Huairen said honestly, “But you did kick it.”

That kick had been loud.

Xu Jianing pouted, accusing her of taking Wen Yuzhi’s side.

“If she hadn’t suddenly shown up, none of this would have happened.”

Qin Huairen advised her to negotiate properly.

“Negotiate? She won’t even see me. She makes her lawyer talk.”

Xu Jianing gritted her teeth.

“She’d better not let me catch an opportunity.”

Qin Huairen frowned but stayed silent.

Xu Jianing went on, criticizing Wen Yuzhi.

How she climbed from intern to executive president at Huaxin Group in record time.

The implication was ugly.

That she traded her looks and body for power.

“People like her only care about money and authority.”

“She’ll sacrifice anything.”

“You have to be careful. She’s different since you came back.”

“She’d even sacrifice herself. What could she possibly care about?”

“宁宁.”

Qin Huairen interrupted gently.

“Did you see any of this yourself? Or do you have proof?”

“Everyone in the circle knows.”

“She dates men and women.”

“And her exes all praise her.”

Qin Huairen felt sick hearing it.

She said she had arrived at work and hung up.

The sky outside was gray.

Her mood matched it.

Had time really changed everything?

She returned to Jingzhou and found two truths.

Wen Yuzhi had changed.

And Xu Jianing had changed too.

She rubbed her temples.

Too tired to think.

At Jingzhou Museum, even the guard noticed the scratch on her face and fussed over her.

She changed into work clothes and went to the studio.

Recently her team had been restoring Ming dynasty furniture.

The room was quiet.

She silenced her phone and focused.

At noon, her stomach protested.

On the way to lunch, she checked messages.

Xu Jianing was furious.

The compensation demanded was several times the amount.

The reason given was rare materials.

“She’s doing it on purpose.”

Before Qin Huairen could reply, she joined the director for lunch.

There was talk of a national-level restoration project requiring temporary transfers.

Afterward, the director quietly told her to finish the imperial chair she was restoring and wait.

She understood.

She might be transferred.

She was used to hardship.

The director also asked about her scratch.

She insisted she was fine.

“You’re alone in Jingzhou. Build relationships. Don’t always bury yourself in work.”

She nodded sincerely.

By the time she finished restoring the carved corner piece, it was already off work.

She left on time.

Her colleagues were surprised.

“Not working overtime?”

She smiled.

Her back hurt too much.

Outside, she realized she had forgotten to reply to Xu Jianing.

More messages had come.

Xu Jianing hoped she would talk to Wen Yuzhi.

To settle the matter quietly.

Qin Huairen felt stuck.

She had just told Wen Yuzhi to keep her distance.

Now she was supposed to seek her out?

Her pride rebelled.

She replied simply: Don’t panic. I’ll think of something.

Her headache worsened.

She searched for nearby martial arts gyms.

The pain in her back reminded her of last night.

She wanted to learn self-defense.

Impatient by nature, she called a few places while waiting for noodles.

After eating, she visited Zhengyang Martial Arts.

The coach recommended kickboxing.

The gym had a solid reputation.

Twenty-three branches in Jingzhou alone.

What convinced her most was the female coach who received her.

Zhao Man.

Her toned muscles were inspiring.

When Qin Huairen mentioned wanting privacy, Zhao Man agreed to let her train at a private facility.

She signed a yearly membership.

Her savings shrank immediately.

Museum salaries were not glamorous.

Her mortgage loomed like a mountain.

That night, she took the subway instead of a taxi.

By the time she reached the hotel, it was past nine-thirty.

A grocery store nearby blared promotions.

“Cherries at clearance price!”

The word cherries made her think strangely of Wen Yuzhi’s lips.

Her mind replayed the violin drifting through the doorway.

“She can even play violin.”

She laughed at herself.

“She probably plays more than one instrument.”

Unable to resist, she bought cherries.

Plump and red.

Back in her room, she showered, washed the fruit, and settled on the sofa.

Eating cherries and scrolling her phone.

That was when she saw it.

Wen Yuzhi trending on social media.