Chapter 41: The Person in the Basement (1)
After changing rooms, Qi Bufan went out for a trip. Qiao Jiusheng did not see him return for lunch, so she did not mind. She took a walk in the afternoon. When she returned home for dinner at night, she happened to see Qi Bufan squatting in the vegetable garden and fertilizing the vegetables.
Fang Yusheng sat by the side with a cup of tea like a boss.
She did not know what Qi Bufan was reporting, but Fang Yusheng attentively listened.
Qiao Jiusheng stared at the two of them for a long time, but in the end, she did not run over to join in the fun. After having dinner, she watched television for a while, then returned to her room to take a shower.
As soon as she walked out of the bathroom, she saw Fang Yusheng leaning against the dressing table and twirling his ceramic ring with his fingertips.
“Is there something on your mind?” Qiao Jiusheng asked.
Fang Yusheng did not deny it, but he did not answer. He continued to turn the ring.
Qiao Jiusheng ignored him, walked to his side to sit down, and applied skincare products on her face. Just as she put on the moisturizer, she heard Fang Yusheng ask without rhyme or reason, “Fang Mu rests on the 18th of every month?”
Qiao Jiusheng was stunned. She carefully recalled Fang Mu’s schedule in their six-year stay together and realized that Fang Mu indeed rested on the 18th of every month. “That’s right. He does not work on the 18th.”
“So what does he usually do during those days?”
Qiao Jiusheng said, “On the 18th… usually, he accompanies me for lunch. He goes out for a drive with me in the afternoon and attends to private matters at night.”
“Every time?”
“Is this detail important?”
“Yeah.”
Qiao Jiusheng did not dare to say anything else. She thought about it and noticed that the few times she had an impression of Fang Mu, he had indeed left at night. She then confirmed. “It has always been like this.”
“Did he tell you why he leaves at night?”
“Not really.”
Qiao Jiusheng curiously asked him, “Why are you asking about this?”
Fang Yusheng shook his head. “I’m curious.”
Qiao Jiusheng nodded. She wiped the hand cream on her hand again and raised her hand to look at it under the light. The more Qiao Jiusheng looked at it, the more she felt that her hand was beautiful and slender.
Fang Yusheng naturally did not realize how narcissistic his cheap wife was. He thought of something and suddenly said, “I heard that your big brother and grandfather are coming to our house on Thanksgiving.”
Qiao Jiusheng’s smile froze. She slowly looked up at Fang Yusheng and asked, “Why?”
“Our family hasn’t officially invited Second Madam’s family. We plan to have a gathering with the Qiao family on Thanksgiving and talk about our daily lives.” Fang Yusheng lowered his head and said to her, “We have to attend that day too.”
“Really?” Qiao Jiusheng’s long eyelashes drooped and covered her beautiful brown eyes.
She narrowed her eyes and self-deprecatingly said, “I’m Qi Yunsheng now. So what if I meet them? Will I run up to tell Grandpa that I’m Qiao Jiusheng? That the Qiao Jiusheng who married Fang Mu is actually my sister Qiao Jiuyin?
“Ha… Who would believe that? My grandfather wouldn’t, and neither would my big brother.” Qiao Jiusheng stared at the person in the mirror. This face had been with her for almost two months. They had seen each other day and night, but she still found this face unfamiliar.
Wouldn’t it be too ridiculous to tell everyone that she was Qiao Jiusheng with this face?
When Fang Yusheng heard Qiao Jiusheng’s self-deprecating answer, he stopped playing around and placed his hand on her shoulder. He seriously said, “Your grandfather might believe you.” Fang Yusheng had always remembered what Qiao Yunfan had said at Fang Mu’s wedding. The Old Qiao had dementia, but he was smart when it came to important matters.
A kind face flashed across Qiao Jiusheng’s mind, and her heart ached even more.
“Grandpa…” Qiao Jiusheng bitterly smiled. “What’s the use of him believing me? Everyone knows that the Qiao family’s Old Master has Alzheimer’s disease. Everything he says is nonsense.”
How could Fang Yusheng not know this?
“Take it that you’re going to see your family.”
Qiao Jiusheng did not say anything.
As she stared at the unfamiliar face in the mirror, she suddenly said, “We should go to Switzerland the day after tomorrow.” It was time to see Suzanne.
“Okay!” Fang Yusheng replied, “I’ll go with you.”
***
On this trip to Switzerland, Qiao Jiusheng and Fang Yusheng still sat in economy class.
The first time she sat in economy class, Qiao Jiusheng had been curious. The second time, she was quite calm.
After reaching Zurich, she reached Suzanne’s house according to the old route. Qiao Jiusheng went to the second floor and sat there quietly, letting Suzanne wipe her face.
Suzanne carefully took off the mask on Qiao Jiusheng’s face and stared at her for a moment. She then said, “It’s white.”
Qiao Jiusheng opened her eyes and shifted her gaze from Suzanne to the mirror beside her.
Her face had become pale. After all, she had not seen sunlight for two months.
When Fang Yusheng heard this, he thought: It seems my wife is indeed very dark.
Just like the last time, Suzanne put the mask back on Qiao Jiusheng. “Don’t come looking for me here the next time you change your mask,” she said to Fang Yusheng.
Fang Yusheng asked, “You’re leaving?”
Suzanne explained, “I’m going to go find Yin Bing, who’s in China. I won’t have to trouble you to come to Switzerland for nothing.”
Qiao Jiusheng did not know who Yin Bing was, but she guessed that she was these two people’s mutual friend.
“Oh!”
Suzanne suddenly turned sideways and looked at Qiao Jiusheng. She said to her, “There’s not only roasted sausages downstairs but also coffee. Miss Qiao, you can try it.”
Stunned, Qiao Jiusheng understood that Suzanne was trying to send her away.
She subconsciously looked at Fang Yusheng. Fang Yusheng seemed to realize that Qiao Jiusheng was looking at him, so he nodded at her and said, “It’s hard to drink Suzanne’s precious coffee.”
“Then I want to try it.”
Qiao Jiusheng floated downstairs. After confirming that she had gone far, Suzanne got up and walked to the coffee machine. She brewed a cup of coffee for Fang Yusheng.
As she waited for the coffee to get ready, she asked Fang Yusheng, “An, I heard from Yin Yubing that your eyes might still be curable.” Suzanne kept her gaze on Fang Yusheng all this time. She did not miss any of his reactions, so naturally, she saw his slightly trembling fingers.
Fang Yusheng’s throat rolled. After a moment, he softly said, “The possibility is slim.”
“At least there is a possibility.”
Fang Yusheng did not reply.
Suzanne poured the coffee into a cup and brought it to Fang Yusheng.
Fang Yusheng took the coffee and felt that it was a little hot, so he was not in a hurry to drink it.
Suzanne did not like sugar in her coffee. She lowered her head and took a sip, then asked again, “An, are you planning to live like this forever?”
Fang Yusheng asked, “What’s wrong with that?”
“Your life is so long. Do you plan to waste it on the Fang family? Do you really not plan to return to our side?” Suzanne’s fingers lightly landed on Fang Yusheng’s eyes.
Fang Yusheng suddenly opened his eyes. Suzanne stared into his beautiful emerald eyes and slowly continued, “It’s such a waste for a privileged person like you to remain trapped in that small house of the Fang family for the rest of your life. Someone like Fang Mu is not qualified to be your opponent.
“Yan Nuo, Yin Bing, all of us are waiting for you to come back.”
Fang Yusheng rolled his beautiful eyes. He finally could not hold back the smile on his face.
Touching his eyes, he said to Suzanne, “From the day I couldn’t see a single painting, the former Fang Yusheng was already dead.” Who would want to look into the darkness if they could see the light?
Fang Yusheng removed Suzanne’s finger from his eye and took a big sip of coffee before standing up.
“I should get back. Suzanne, see you in China.”
Qiao Jiusheng was sitting alone at the small table, drinking coffee. When she heard footsteps, she turned her head. Fang Yusheng walked downstairs alone with a calm smile on his face. There was nothing wrong with him. Qiao Jiusheng observed him for a long time, but she could not tell what he was thinking.
This man’s thoughts are so hard to guess.