Su Xianyan carried her steadily—from the ward to the elevator, and from the elevator to the garage.
“Am I heavy?” Cheng Simian couldn’t help asking. At her age, she cared most about looks and feared gaining weight.
“With a body like this, how could you be heavy?” Su Xianyan chuckled lightly.
“You need to eat more and put on some weight.”
Resting her chin on his shoulder, Cheng Simian muttered,
“I’m not skinny. Do you know how hard it is to lose weight once you gain it?”
“You’re this young and already thinking about dieting?” Su Xianyan said calmly.
“That’s why you’re not tall.”
“Who says I’m not tall?!” Cheng Simian bristled.
“You’re sixteen this year, right? If you don’t balance your nutrition, this might be your final height,” Su Xianyan added coolly.
Cheng Simian was rendered speechless and muttered,
“Tch… you’re stricter than my dad…”
Su Xianyan reached out to open the car door, a faint smile on his lips.
After driving home, he carried Cheng Simian inside.
He took out the keys and opened the door. The living room lights were bright.
Cheng Simian looked up and saw that besides Cha Yiguan, there was also a woman in the living room. She was dressed provocatively, radiating an overtly seductive, flirtatious aura.
Su Xianyan glanced at the two people in the living room, said nothing, and carried Cheng Simian straight upstairs.
“Hey! What’s wrong with Xiao Mianmian?” Cha Yiguan hurried over to check.
Cheng Simian didn’t answer his question. Looking weak, she raised an eyebrow at him.
“Cha Yiguan, bringing women home now?”
“Uh… actually, she insisted on coming. I didn’t really have the nerve to refuse,” Cha Yiguan said quietly. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Nothing…”
“Yiguan, what’s wrong with this little sister?” The woman stood up from the sofa, her gaze lingering meaningfully on Su Xianyan and Cheng Simian before finally settling on Su Xianyan, her eyes filled with open admiration.
Cheng Simian glanced at her, her expression darkening slightly. She disliked the way this seductive woman was looking at Su Xianyan with such blatant hunger.
“She’s not feeling well. I’m taking her upstairs,” Su Xianyan said.
“Oh—do you need help?” Cha Yiguan asked quickly.
“No need.”
“Her face is so pale, she must be really uncomfortable. Handsome, why don’t I take care of her?” The woman boldly moved closer to Su Xianyan. “You’re all Yiguan’s friends, so you’re my friends too.”
Her perfume was overpowering. Cheng Simian noticed Su Xianyan frown slightly.
The woman reached out and placed a hand on Cheng Simian’s arm.
“I’ll do it, I’ll do it. We’re both girls—I’ll take better care of her.”
“Get lost.”
The woman froze and looked at Cheng Simian in shock.
She looked like a fragile, delicate girl, but the look in her eyes when she said those two words was sharp and intimidating.
Pale-faced, Cheng Simian said irritably,
“Cha Yiguan, could you be a little more selective about the people you associate with?”
In other words—could he at least choose better women?
The seductive woman didn’t quite understand and only looked at Cha Yiguan with a wronged expression. Cha Yiguan cleared his throat.
“Uh, Nini, how about we go out and get something good to eat?”
The woman named Nini was displeased.
“But we already agreed to hang out at your place.”
“Come on, it’ll be more fun outside.”
Cheng Simian rolled her eyes.
Su Xianyan adjusted his hold on her slightly and ignored the two of them, carrying Cheng Simian upstairs.
“Yiguan, this is the roommate you were talking about? He’s really handsome,” Nini said, her eyes still lingering in the direction Su Xianyan had left. She hadn’t been able to look away since the first glance—his presence was simply too striking.
“What, is he more handsome than me?” Cha Yiguan teased, lifting her chin lightly.
“How could that be,” she giggled. “But Yiguan, who was that girl just now? You guys are all grown men living together—why is there a little girl here?”
“That’s not important. Let’s go have some fun.”
“Hey—she’s not your roommate’s young girlfriend, is she?” the woman joked. “Your roommate has quite the taste—so young.”
Cha Yiguan’s smile stiffened.
“What did you say?”
“But playing around with little girls must be pretty interesting,” she continued, unaware that his expression had changed. “Honestly, those two looked kind of sweet together—oddly compatible.”
“Get out.”
“……”
“Get out of my house.”
“Yi—Yiguan?” The woman froze, completely confused by his sudden change.
“I suddenly don’t feel like playing around today. Show yourself out,” Cha Yiguan said coldly.
“You! Cha Yiguan!”
“Out, out—so annoying.”
In the end, the woman left cursing under her breath. Cha Yiguan snorted. What nonsense—speaking without thinking. His Xianyan and Xiao Mianmian being slandered like that? Compatible?
Compatible my ass. Something wrong with her head.
Su Xianyan placed Cheng Simian on the bed and covered her with a blanket.
“Still feeling bad?”
“It’s a bit better now.”
“Alright. Rest first. Call me if you need anything.”
“Mm…”
Su Xianyan stood up and turned to leave. After taking one step, his wrist was suddenly grabbed.
He looked down to see a slender, pale hand reaching out from under the blanket, holding onto him.
He turned his head and looked at her questioningly.
Cheng Simian froze as well. She didn’t even know why she grabbed him—only that, in that moment, she didn’t want him to leave.
“N-no, it’s nothing.”
“Get some good sleep.”
“…Okay.”
Su Xianyan left. After a long while, Cheng Simian slowly climbed out of bed, grabbed clean clothes and sanitary pads, and slipped into the bathroom to wash up.
The next day was the weekend, and everyone was home. At noon, Cha Yiguan ordered takeout, and the four of them sat together at the dining table.
“Cheng Simian, why are you so limp? Sleeping until ten on a weekend,” Cheng Qin scolded while gnawing on ribs, looking at his niece as though she were a spoiled, useless young lady.
Cheng Simian lifted her face from her bowl.
“Because it’s the weekend, that’s why I slept until ten.”
“You’re lazy to death. Do some housework when you’re home,” Cheng Qin said. “Alright—today, you’re washing the dishes.”
Cha Yiguan snorted with laughter.
“Cheng Qin, you’re just trying to dodge chores. You know it’s your turn to wash dishes today.”
“What nonsense are you talking? I’m educating my niece. Don’t butt in,” Cheng Qin snapped.
“You’re more like a stepdad than an uncle.”
Cheng Simian nodded in agreement.
“Uncle, you’re even worse than a stepdad.”
“Hey! You’re joining in now? Who took you in? Who—”
“Alright, alright, it was you, it was you, all you,” Cheng Simian said impatiently. “I’ll wash them, okay?”
Cheng Qin snorted.
“That’s more like it.”
“No.”
Su Xianyan suddenly spoke.
“Today, you’re still the one washing the dishes.”
The moment those words fell, the other three all turned to look at him—especially Cheng Qin, who looked completely stunned.
“Huh? Why?”
“Cheng Simian, don’t touch cold water today,” Su Xianyan said calmly.
Cheng Simian froze for a moment, then suddenly remembered her situation. It was a bit inconvenient right now—though really, only a little. Still, the fact that he even thought about it surprised her.
“What’s that about?” Cheng Qin put down his chopsticks. “Why can’t she touch cold water?”
Su Xianyan didn’t answer him. He picked up some food before saying, “If there’s any dishwashing this week, it’s your turn. Don’t break the rules.”
“Exactly,” Cha Yiguan chimed in. “We take turns. Cheng Qin, don’t even think about slacking off.”
Cheng Simian felt sweetness bloom in her chest. Very obediently, she said, “Uncle, let’s not break the rules. I’ll just take next week’s turn washing dishes.”
“Y-you guys… so I’m the only bad guy here, huh?!”
Wasn’t that obvious?
Cheng Simian sneaked a glance at Su Xianyan. There was a faint smile on his face, as if he’d merely done something perfectly ordinary. Yet she felt so happy—his small, quiet kindness toward her always seemed to get infinitely magnified in her heart.
The school was buying sportswear for all first-year high school students, so payment was required. In the past, Cheng Simian wouldn’t have paid any attention to something like this—it was just a small amount of money.
But now, she couldn’t even afford the cost of the sportswear.
During the noon break, Cheng Simian called Cheng Qin and told him that the school needed the payment that afternoon. Busy with work, he said directly, “Come to the company. I’ll give you the money.”
“Where’s the company?”
“Near your school. Just take a taxi—say EV, they’ll know.”
“Oh, okay. I’ll go right away.”
After hanging up, Cheng Simian left the school gate and took a taxi. The company really was close—she arrived in just over ten minutes. After paying the fare, she walked into the lobby.
The company wasn’t very large, but its design was cutting-edge, full of technological flair and modern style.
“Hello, who are you here to see?” the pretty receptionist asked with a professional smile.
“I’m looking for Cheng Qin.”
“President Cheng? Do you have an appointment?”
“No.”
“I’m sorry, without an appointment, that won’t be possible.”
“Help me notify him. He’ll come out.”
The receptionist eyed the girl suspiciously. She looked like a high school student, yet her tone was unusually composed and confident.
Did she really know President Cheng? She’d never seen her before.
“Why are you staring?” Cheng Simian looked at her oddly. “Please hurry up—I’m in a rush.”
The receptionist choked on her words. Just as she was about to pick up the phone to notify the assistant, she saw Su Xianyan walk in through the main entrance. She immediately nodded politely.
“President Su.”
The receptionist saw him give her a faint smile before his gaze settled on the girl at the counter.
“President Su, this young lady says she’s here to see President Cheng,” she explained.
Cheng Simian turned around and saw Su Xianyan as well. Leaning against the counter, a hint of a smile entered her eyes.
“President Su, I’m here to find Cheng Qin.”
Su Xianyan walked up to her and looked down at her. Suddenly, he raised his hand and lightly knocked her on the forehead.
“It’s class time. Why did you run out?”
Cheng Simian pouted. “The school needs money, so I came here to get some.”
Su Xianyan raised an eyebrow. “Why didn’t you call Cheng Qin?”
“I hadn’t gotten the chance yet. This sister stopped me first.”
The receptionist smiled awkwardly. “President Su, I—”
“It’s fine,” Su Xianyan said. “From now on, when she comes, just let her in directly.”
“Yes,” the receptionist replied, looking curiously at Cheng Simian. Who was this girl, to be so familiar with President Su?
“Cheng Simian, come in with me,” Su Xianyan said.
Cheng Simian hurried to follow him. “Okay!”