Chapter 105: Easing of Relations
  The boy strode in, shoving aside the men cleaning up the pile of trash. His eyes, etched with rage, threatened to shoot lasers, slaying Fang Qing as she worked.

  "You again! What's wrong with you? Didn't I tell you this is my territory? Who allowed you in again? And with so many people? Don't you understand what I'm saying? You have to use such a despicable method to get close to me?"

  Fang Qing was startled by his gaze, confused as to how she had offended him by simply cleaning up the trash. But before she could explain, Wen Ning dropped the items in her hands, dusted them off, and stepped in front of Fang Qing.

  "Your territory? As far as I know, this is the painting club's activity room. When was the shared space contracted out to someone?"

  Wen Ning spoke calmly, smiling, but Fang Qing knew he was angry. She quickly put down her items, grabbed Wen Ning's arm and shook it, looking at him pleadingly, hoping he wouldn't be angry.

  Seeing his girlfriend's attitude, Wen Ning didn't know what to say. He turned around, shook the dirt off his coat, and lowered his rolled-up sleeves.

  Fang Qing breathed a sigh of relief, then looked across at the boy who was staring back and forth at Wen Ning and formally introduced himself.

  "Hello, classmate. I'm Fang Qing, and I'm a member of the painting club. We met yesterday. I've already got the plaster statue you broke yesterday. These artists are just here to help. Don't get me wrong..."

  Before Fang Qing could finish, the boy suddenly raised his hand, interrupting her. "Stop, I don't want to hear any more nonsense. When are you leaving? I still have some painting to do. I don't like strangers around."

  Fang Qing blushed at the boy's attitude and was about to retort when he walked straight to the window, slammed it shut, and then sat down in a corner without a word, mixing paint.

  Wen Ning frowned. He had no impression of this guy, but the idea of someone with such a strange temper being in the same club as Fang Qing made him uneasy.

  The workers also felt the atmosphere was not good. They quickly cleaned up the garbage, quickly retreated, and left immediately after receiving their wages.

  Fang Qing, standing outside the door, brushed off the dust on his body, glanced at the door that the man had just slammed shut, and puffed out his cheeks.

  "Brother Ning, I regret this. If I had known this guy would be like this, I shouldn't have bought these things. I should have let him use the plaster residue to continue his great creation..."

  Wen Ning was originally a little angry, but seeing her angry look, he suddenly found it a little funny. "It's easy. I'll go in and smash those plaster statues..."

  Fang Qing hurriedly grabbed him, afraid that he would really go in and smash them. "No, no, I'm just saying, after all, I spent so much money. Even if I want to smash them, I have to use them enough first!"

  The two people outside the door were talking back and forth, which made the boy in the room very angry. This woman was shameless and flirted with him, and she even dared to deliberately frame him outside the door!

  Throwing away his paintbrush, he took a few steps over, opened the door, and was about to curse, but found the person had already left. Gritting his teeth, he stared at the end of the hallway for a long moment before slamming the door shut. He paced the room several times, looking at the new plaster statues in the corner, his anger boiling. He

  raised a broken chair and was about to throw it, but paused mid-air.

  Thinking of his meager monthly living expenses, the boy lowered his grip on the chair.

  "Damn it, I'd waste it if I didn't use it."

  Then, recalling the intimacy between Fang Qing and Wen Ning, his face filled with disdain. "Sure enough, women are all fickle, cheap creatures!"

  The broken chair slammed to the ground. The boy walked to the window, watched the two people walk away side by side downstairs, and curled his lips. "Fang Qing, huh? Very good, I'll remember you..."

  Then, he tore up the half-finished work on his canvas, shredding it with a few slashes before letting out a low laugh.

  "We have a long way to go."

  ...

  Fang Qing and the others had a reunion dinner at the restaurant during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

  Because of her previous allergy to peach fuzz, Tang Xiaoyu's attitude toward Fang Qing softened considerably, and she no longer had the same initial enthusiasm for Wen Ning. However, she still felt somewhat distant from the two of them.

  Fang Qing placed a bowl of peeled shrimp in front of Tang Xiaoyu. "Don't always eat vegetables. Today's shrimp are fresh, and I've peeled them for you. Come on, eat!"

  Tang Xiaoyu looked up at Wen Ning, only to see his fingers were clean while Fang Qing was wiping them. Disappointment washed over her. After taking two bites of her food, she felt a bit depressed and got up to go to the bathroom.

  Because it was Mid-Autumn Festival, the restaurant wasn't crowded. Tang Xiaoyu recovered in the bathroom, but just as she was leaving, someone bumped into her.

  The person lowered their head, unable to see their face. They mumbled an apology and hurried away.

  Tang Xiaoyu glanced at the person's retreating figure, perplexed, feeling something strange, and slowly returned to her seat.

  Another dish of soup was served, and Wen Ning served them both a bowl. Fang Qing, feeling somewhat full, rested her chin on her hand, observing the people in the hall. Turning around, she was stunned.

  "Xiaoyu, where is the necklace on your neck?"

  Tang Xiaoyu was startled, raised her hand to touch her neck, and found that the gold necklace on her neck was gone!
  She panicked immediately. This necklace was the only relic left by her mother. She had carried it carefully for many years and was usually very careful. She didn't expect it to be gone!
  She stood up and immediately looked around. Fang Qing sat down to help her look for it when she saw her like this.

  "Maybe it fell into the clothes? Don't worry, look in all suspicious places."

  But she searched everywhere and there was no trace of the necklace. Tang Xiaoyu panicked. The suspicion and regret in her heart became stronger and stronger. She got up and returned to the bathroom. She searched back and forth four or five times but couldn't find it. She was a little flustered.

  Fang Qing held her and comforted her, "Don't worry, I'll look again with you. Think carefully about who you've met along the way. Could someone have picked it up for you?"

  This reminded Tang Xiaoyu, and she suddenly remembered the man in the hat walking with his head down. "It was him! He must have picked it up! I just came out of my bathroom and bumped into him. It had to be him!"

  Seeing this, Wen Ning couldn't eat any more. He and Fang Qing immediately took Tang Xiaoyu to the nearby police station to report the case.

  The young police officer who received them was very careful and took down their account. After hearing Tang Xiaoyu's description of the man's condition, he felt a sense of direction.

  The officer put down his pen and had several people review the notes. After confirming that they were correct, they signed. "Don't worry, we'll resolve this matter as soon as possible. But there are so many thieves these days, most of them working in gangs. Be careful with your money when you go out..."

  The officer gave a few instructions and told the three to wait for further news.

  Fang Qing looked at the dejected Tang Xiaoyu, not knowing how to comfort her. In this day and age without surveillance, lost items are difficult to find. Tang Xiaoyu's necklace was probably doomed.

  But what they didn't expect was that just three days later, when Tang Xiaoyu was about to return to the provincial capital, the necklace was actually found!

  (End of this chapter)