Zhao Leyan muttered quietly under her breath.
Zhao Xinnian did not try to explain anything to her. Children had their own thoughts, and he did not want to influence her with his own opinions.
Sitting on her father’s shoulders, Zhao Leyan gradually grew drowsy from the gentle swaying of his steps. Before long, she fell asleep. Her little head tilted to one side and rested against Zhao Xinnian’s shoulder.
Zhao Xinnian hurriedly put down the suitcase and carefully lifted his daughter off his shoulders.
Carrying her in his arms, he walked for another half an hour before finally reaching No. 7 Convenience Store.
He gently placed Zhao Leyan on the bed. She still did not wake up and had even begun softly snoring.
Zhao Xinnian lightly pinched her cheek, then took off her outer clothes and tucked her beneath the blanket.
His daughter was asleep, but Zhao Xinnian himself felt no trace of sleepiness.
There was a balcony on the second floor of the convenience store. He walked outside and opened a pack of cigarettes.
Zhao Xinnian normally did not smoke. He had simply grabbed this pack from the counter downstairs on his way up.
Click.
The flame from the lighter ignited the cigarette.
Zhao Xinnian took a deep drag.
“Cough… Cough, cough, cough…”
He immediately choked on the smoke and began coughing.
[Host, you seem to be in a bad mood!]
In the stillness of the night, the system’s voice suddenly sounded in his mind.
Zhao Xinnian had no secrets from the system, so he replied helplessly, “Isn’t that obvious?”
He had just gotten divorced, and almost immediately afterward, Qin Chaolu had brought another man home to meet her family. Zhao Xinnian had witnessed it with his own eyes. How could he possibly feel nothing?
However, no matter how upset he felt inside, Zhao Xinnian had no right to make a scene. He did not even have the standing to criticize Qin Chaolu.
Their marriage had only ever been an agreement, and Qin Chaolu had paid him 500,000 yuan every year.
More importantly, they were divorced now.
No matter whose perspective one considered it from, Qin Chaolu had done nothing wrong.
Thus, even though Zhao Xinnian felt miserable inside, he refused to show it.
He had originally planned to complete the mission earlier, but after seeing Zhuang Ziwei, he had completely lost the desire to do so.
“System, how about we negotiate?”
[My handsome and charming Host is so polite. Go ahead!]
Zhao Xinnian said inwardly, ‘Give me a different target. I’ve already been married to her for seven years. How am I supposed to date her now?’
[That won’t work, Host! You have to complete the first mission before I can give you a new target!]
“Fine… Wait! A new target? What do you mean? Are you saying that once I complete this mission, I can switch to someone else?”
[You won’t be switching. I’ll be adding another one! I’ve already spotted a beauty rated 9 out of 10… Hehe.]
Zhao Xinnian suddenly felt that the system’s laughter sounded rather sinister.
He said, “If I’m understanding this correctly, you want me to pursue two or even more women at the same time? Wait, aren’t you supposed to be a Dating System? Are you even legitimate?”
[My dashing and heroic Host, you understood perfectly!]
Zhao Xinnian felt as though he had discovered an entirely new world. Unable to hold back his amusement, he laughed and said, “I think calling you the Scumbag System would suit you better.”
[Host, if you keep praising me like that, you’re going to make me shy!]
Zhao Xinnian shook his head and tossed away the cigarette butt. Somehow, his mood had lightened considerably.
Now that the system had explained things this way, he knew what to do.
He decided to find Qin Chaolu tomorrow and complete the mission. After that, there would be no need for any further entanglement between them.
…
Meanwhile, elsewhere.
Not long after Zhao Xinnian left, Qin Chaolu came downstairs, lingering anger still visible on her face.
“Mom, how can that man be such a jerk? He obviously has no money, yet when I offer him some, he refuses to take it!” Qin Chaolu complained.
Qin Fengjiao did not look particularly pleased with her either. She glanced at Zhuang Ziwei beside her and said indifferently, “It’s getting late. You should arrange somewhere for your friend to stay first.”
Qin Chaolu’s expression changed slightly, and she looked toward Zhuang Ziwei.
Zhuang Ziwei smiled and said, “Aunt, it’s fine! My place is still being renovated, so I can just find a hotel later.”
Qin Fengjiao frowned slightly and gave Zhuang Ziwei a long, meaningful look.
“Awei, actually, there are rooms here…”
Qin Chaolu instinctively began to suggest that he could simply stay the night here.
After all, there were plenty of guest rooms in the house.
However, before she could finish, the image of Zhao Xinnian’s resolute back as he left suddenly surfaced in her mind.
‘If he found out that Awei stayed here overnight…’
The instant that thought appeared, Qin Chaolu’s face turned slightly pale.
She did not understand why she cared about Zhao Xinnian’s opinion. Yet it was almost as if she had become obsessed. His figure kept appearing in her mind again and again.
At that moment, Qin Fengjiao heard her daughter’s unfinished words and shook her head, disappointment appearing in her eyes.
Meanwhile, obvious delight flashed across Zhuang Ziwei’s face. Seizing the opportunity, he asked, “Wouldn’t that be a little inconvenient?”
Qin Chaolu fell silent for two seconds before giving him an apologetic smile. “Awei, it would be a little inconvenient. After all, my mom and my younger sister both live here. I’ll book you a room at the Tiannan Grand Hotel.”
The smile on Zhuang Ziwei’s face stiffened slightly.
However, it vanished almost immediately, and his smile remained as gentle as ever. “Sure. Lulu, you can arrange everything. I’ll follow your lead!”
After chatting for a little while longer, Zhuang Ziwei announced that he should leave.
“I’ll see you out,” Qin Chaolu said as she stood and accompanied him to the door.
Just then, the front door suddenly opened.
Qin Wanshuang’s charming figure appeared in the doorway. She was wearing short denim shorts, revealing a pair of long, straight, fair legs that immediately made Zhuang Ziwei stare.
“Huh? Who’s this? He looks really familiar!” Qin Wanshuang said in confusion.
Zhuang Ziwei smiled and said, “You’re Shuangshuang, right? I’m Brother Awei. Have you forgotten me?”
“Brother… Awei…”
Qin Wanshuang visibly shuddered before forcing an awkward smile. “Uh, hello.”
After giving him that perfunctory greeting, she hurriedly changed her shoes and walked inside.
Having received such an unenthusiastic response, Zhuang Ziwei could only leave.
After he was gone, Qin Wanshuang suddenly remembered something and exclaimed, “Hey, Sister! Wasn’t that the boyfriend you brought home when you were in university?”
“He was my university classmate. We never even officially got together, so what boyfriend?” Qin Chaolu replied with a frown.
“Oh.”
Qin Wanshuang did not pay much attention to it. Instead, she glanced around the house and called out, “Brother-in-law! Yanyan!”
When no one responded, she called again, “Yanyan! Where did that little rascal run off to? Where’s Brother-in-law?”
Qin Fengjiao replied flatly, “Stop calling for him. Your brother-in-law isn’t coming back.”
“He’s… not coming back?”
Qin Wanshuang froze for a moment before asking, “What do you mean?”
“Your brother-in-law already divorced your sister. Why would he still come here? Didn’t you hear them talking about it yesterday?” Qin Fengjiao said coldly.
The moment those words fell, the entire house suddenly became silent.
Qin Wanshuang pursed her lips, looking somewhat lost.
Over the past seven years, everyone in this family had long since grown accustomed to Zhao Xinnian’s presence. There was also the mischievous Zhao Leyan, who filled the house with noise and laughter every day.
When they had discussed the divorce yesterday, it had not felt particularly significant.
But today, the difference was painfully obvious.
It felt as though something was missing from the house.
After a moment of silence, Qin Wanshuang said, “I’m going to shower and sleep. I’m exhausted today, and I still have to go out and have fun tomorrow.”
Qin Fengjiao stretched lazily and said, “I’m going to sleep too. I’m meeting my friends to play cards tomorrow.”
Qin Chaolu gritted her teeth. Finally gathering her courage, she said, “Even if we’re divorced, no one kicked him out! He’s Yanyan’s father. It’s not like he can’t stay here!”
Qin Wanshuang and Qin Fengjiao’s eyes lit up at the same time.
“Then go tell him that yourself,” Qin Fengjiao replied without revealing any emotion.
Qin Chaolu’s face instantly flushed bright red.
With her proud personality, how could she possibly bring herself to say something like that to Zhao Xinnian?
Qin Fengjiao shook her head and said, “Forget it. I’ll personally bring him back.”
As long as her daughter had this attitude, everything else would be easy to handle. Qin Fengjiao was confident she could keep that little brat firmly under control.
“I’m coming too!” Qin Wanshuang immediately said, raising her hand.
Qin Chaolu glanced at her and asked, “Weren’t you going out to have fun tomorrow?”