48 Hours a Day

Chapter 979: Fresh Task

While Zhang Heng was discussing the shellac records with a gold digger, Xu Qian, on the other side, followed her boyfriend, Qiu Ming, to a French restaurant on the fourth level. This was also Xu Qian’s favorite restaurant. Not only were its dishes scrumptious, but it had an elegant ambiance as well. The velvet carpet was matched with the gorgeous Baroque ceiling, the white tablecloths, and silver tableware. Since only a dozen tables were laid in the spacious hall, it meant diners’ privacy was fully guaranteed. They could also enjoy the service of a team of handsome French waiters.

Although the cost of dining here was astronomical, it was still not easy to get a table. One had to book the table a few days in advance to dine here. Qiu Ming’s hadn’t just spontaneously decided to dine in this French restaurant. When they finished the main course and the last dessert was served, the restaurant’s violinists approached their table. After that, Xu Qian seemed to realize something, and she quickly covered her mouth. Qiu Ming suddenly knelt on one knee and took out a small red jewelry box from his pocket.

While playing the violin, Qiu Ming opened the small jewelry box, revealing the diamond ring. He then asked gently, “Miss Xu Qian, will you marry me?”

Xu Qian’s heart was struck by something hard at that moment. Almost every girl would’ve looked forward to such a moment. Qiu Ming was like a knight riding a white horse, wading through the mountains, charging into the battlefield to get to her, and confessing his love for her.

Especially for Xu Qian, she was extremely eager to marry Qiu Ming and move to the fourth level. Everything that happened in front of her was exactly what she dreamt of. And she had a dream like this more than once. In the dream, apart from the blurry characters, the location of the proposal, the violin’s melody, and elegant and luxurious tableware were exactly the same in her dream.

Therefore, when her dream became a reality, Xu Qian almost subconsciously took over the ring from Qiu Ming’s hand, under the influence of euphoria. There was also a happy smile on the latter’s face. When he was smiling halfway, Qiu Ming saw Xu Qian’s expression suddenly changed, from happiness to fear. After that, she dropped the jewelry box from her hand like a hot potato. After that, she took a step back.

“What’s the matter?” Qiu Ming got up and wanted to hold Xu Qian, but she shoved his arm away. She then ran to the restaurant door without looking back while holding her skirt. She was so nervous that she almost knocked over another table. The red wine on the table was knocked to the ground by her. The wine poured out of the bottle contaminated the carpet beside her feet.

Qiu Ming wanted to go after her immediately, but the French waiter in the restaurant stopped him. He then said politely, “Sir, you haven’t pay for the meal yet.”

After Qiu Ming paid the bill, he could no longer find Xu Qian.

...

Half an hour later, Zhang Heng found her in an amusement arcade on the third level according to the coordinates sent to him by Xu Qian.

Upon arriving at the location, he saw several youngsters surrounding Xu Qian. It seemed they were asking for her phone number. Zhang Heng then walked towards her and draped his coat over her shoulders.

“It’s time to go home,” he said.

The youngsters looked at Zhang Heng and caught a glimpse of the Shrouded Sheath on his waist. They disappeared in anguish not too long after. However, Xu Qian did not get up. Instead, she grabbed Zhang Heng’s hand and said in horror, “I can’t go home. He is coming to get me! He is coming to get me!”

“Calm down first,” Zhang Heng said, without rushing to withdraw his hand.

“Who is coming to get you?”

“My boyfriend, Qiu Ming,” Xu Qian gasped while looking around nervously as if worried Qiu Ming would appear beside her at any second.

Zhang Heng raised his eyebrows, “Your boyfriend is back. What happened? Did he do anything to you?”

“He suddenly came back from the earth, and he came to me as soon as the spacecraft landed. He bought me a watch.”

Xu Qian thought of something, and she quickly took off the watch from her hand. She almost threw it on the floor, only to hesitate at the end.

“What happened after that?”

“Then I got in his car, and we went to a French restaurant on the fourth level to eat together. He proposed there, and the scene was exactly the same as my dream.”

“Shouldn’t you be happy then?” Zhang Heng asked.

“No. You don’t understand what I mean. I mean, the scene there was as though my dream had been projected into reality,” Xu Qian held her head. “Everything was perfect, including the violinists. The red wine in the glass, the color of the carpet, and the crystal lamps above my head were exactly the same as my dream! At first, I was very moved. Then, after that, I was terrified. I couldn’t control my body. So, I ran out from the restaurant.”

“So, you suspect that he knows your memory in advance, and he knows about your most desired marriage proposal. He did that to make it almost impossible for you to refuse him, did he?” Zhang Heng asked.

“I can’t think of other explanations,” Xu Qian said. “It’s more than that. After we were separated yesterday, I couldn’t help but think about what you said to me. I told myself over and over again that I couldn’t be a clone. But I just can’t stop thinking about this possibility... I sat here and recalled our relationship, and I discovered that this is not the first time something like this happened. He seemed to have some kind of magic with him. He always knows what I’m thinking in advance, including what I like to eat or what kind of gifts I like. I originally thought it was a tacit understanding between a couple... he proved that he is the person I’ve always been looking for. But now. I don’t know. I’m just scared.”

Xu Qian cried while talking.

Zhang Heng asked for a pack of tissues from the amusement arcade and handed it to Xu Qian. Then, after the latter’s mood calmed down a little, he asked, “Then what are you going to do now?”

“Can I hire you to help me to check whether I am a clone or not? I need an answer. Otherwise, I can’t live like before,” Xu Qian finally made up her mind.

Zhang Heng did not immediately agree.

“How much are you going to pay me?”

“Five hundred thousand credits... I’m used to spending money and I haven’t saved much. This is all my savings,” Xu Qian said. “Oh yes. And there is this watch.”

Xu Qian then put the Patek Philippe that he just received today in Zhang Heng’s hands. “This watch is worth one million credits, but it was given to me by Qiu Ming. So I don’t know if there’s any problem with it.”

“I will find a friend to test it.”

Zhang Heng took the watch and put it in his pocket, and nodded at Xu Qian.

“I accept your request.”