Qin Zhen let out a long sigh. “That girl Sheng Qing came back after breaking up with Lu Yun’an. She hasn’t eaten for two days, and she had a fever last night.”
“Xiaoxue was right. I may have been acting for her own good, but that doesn’t mean she wants to accept it. Lu Yun’an is the man she likes. Forcibly breaking them up will only make her miserable.”
Qin Shi was so angry he laughed. “He deliberately got close to her while two-timing her, and you want him to get back together with Sheng Qing? Did I hear that right?”
Besides, Sheng Qing had pushed Lu Yun’an into the water herself. It didn’t necessarily mean she wanted to get back together with him.
Qin Zhen lowered his head and took a drag from his cigarette. “If the Qin family guarantees that the Lu family will prosper, he won’t dare betray Sheng Qing again.”
Anger flickered in Qin Shi’s eyes. “Lu Yun’an is a spineless coward. He doesn’t deserve the Qin family’s support.”
“Just think of it as doing it for Sheng Qing…”
“Is it really for Sheng Qing, or are you giving in because you can’t stand seeing Xiaoxue upset?”
Qin Zhen slammed a hand on the table. “Cut the nonsense. Do as I say.”
“I can’t.”
“You—you!” Qin Zhen glared at him. “Are you trying to make me angry too?!”
Qin Shi drawled, “Elder Brother, you really are getting old. If the mountain road is blocked, why not take the waterway?”
Qin Zhen frowned. “What do you mean?”
“The girl’s young and inexperienced. Some piece of trash deceived her. Instead of pulling her out of the garbage, you want her to keep company with it. How is that doing her any good? You’re just trying to ruin her life.”
Qin Zhen was taken aback. “Then tell me, what else can we do?”
“There are plenty of ways. That lousy idea of yours definitely won’t work.”
Qin Zhen said, “…Just tell me already. Enough with all the nonsense!”
“There are so many sons of powerful families and scholarly households in the Imperial Capital. Pick any one of them—how could he not be a hundred times better than Lu Yun’an?”
Qin Zhen grew interested. “Go on.”
“The fastest way to forget a scumbag is to meet an excellent man.”
Qin Shi leaned back in his chair, crossing his long legs and resting one arm on the sofa. He had the languid ease of a young master from a distinguished family. “How could a girl from the Qin family have trouble finding someone to pursue her?”
**
Sheng Qing opened her eyes. Her whole body felt weak, and her skin was sticky and deeply uncomfortable.
“Older Sister?” she called out weakly.
Xiaoxue had been resting with her head beside the bed. At the sound of her voice, she hurriedly sat up. “Qingqing, you’re awake?”
“What happened to me?”
“You had a fever last night. How are you feeling?” Xiaoxue helped her sit up. “Are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?”
Sheng Qing nodded. “Sure. But I want to take a bath first.”
Hearing her little sister say she wanted to eat, Xiaoxue was delighted. “Then Older Sister will make you something herself.”
The bathtub was full of water. Sheng Qing soaked in its warmth and sighed with relief.
Halfway through her bath, she thought the steam was making her dizzy.
Then she realized what was going on. She hadn’t eaten for a day or two—her blood sugar must have crashed.
Her arms and legs felt weak as she struggled to stand up in the tub.
Her slender legs trembled as she stepped out.
Everything suddenly went dark.
With a splash, she fell.
In the bedroom, Qin Shi pushed open the door and walked in.
The bed was empty.
Suddenly, a cry came from the bathroom.
Qin Shi frowned and strode over, knocking on the door. “Sheng Qing?”
There was no response.
He knocked hard. “Sheng Qing, answer me!”
“…” Sheng Qing wanted to answer, but she was dazed from the fall.
All she could manage was a faint, plaintive whimper.
It sounded like she was crying, like she was calling for help.
Qin Shi’s expression changed slightly. He pressed down the handle, opened the bathroom door, and went in.
Steaming mist, mixed with the clean scent of body wash, billowed toward him.
Through the swirling haze, Sheng Qing lay naked on the slick tile floor.
The graceful curves of the young woman’s body were entirely exposed.
A flush colored her pale skin, with glistening droplets clinging to it like beads of water on a ripe peach.
Qin Shi’s body stiffened as he strode inside.
His pupils contracted, and his prominent Adam’s apple bobbed.
It was as if an electric current had struck him. The girl’s white body seared itself into his mind, burrowing into his nerves.
He abruptly shut his eyes and took several deep breaths before opening them again.
He grabbed a towel from beside him and draped it over her, hiding her alluring curves.
He crouched in front of her. His voice was so hoarse it was startling. “Can you move?”
Sheng Qing tried to move and made a miserable face. “I don’t think so.”
“Where does it hurt?”
“My butt.”
Qin Shi: “…”
“Second Brother, don’t worry about me. Let me recover for a bit, and I’ll be able to stand up.” She knew her own body.
“You really are something. You managed to fall over just taking a bath.” Qin Shi took off his suit jacket and tossed it aside. “Hold on to the towel. I’ll carry you out.”
Only then did Sheng Qing realize just how awkward her situation was.
She wasn’t wearing anything, just a towel draped over her.
Well… Second Brother was a gentleman. Surely he’d looked away as soon as he came in, right?
An arm tightened around her waist, and she was lifted into the air. Sheng Qing, lost in her thoughts, landed against the man’s broad, solid chest.
His cool white shirt pressed against her burning skin.
Half of Sheng Qing’s face was buried against him.
The clean scent of a grown man filled her nostrils.
Sheng Qing held the towel with one hand and wrapped the other around Qin Shi’s lower back.
Afraid she might fall, she gripped his shirt tightly.
“Second Brother, can you handle this?” Sheng Qing asked nervously. “Don’t drop me.”
Can he handle it?
Qin Shi raised an eyebrow and pretended to loosen his arm. “Why don’t you find out?”
“Don’t! I was joking.” Frightened, Sheng Qing clutched his shirt even tighter.
It felt as though she’d grabbed the muscles at his waist.
Qin Shi seemed to shudder. His voice turned even hoarser. “Let go.”
Sheng Qing jumped and immediately released him.
Then she said apologetically, “Sorry, Second Brother. Did I hurt you?”
Qin Shi’s Adam’s apple bobbed.
When they reached the bed, he simply tossed her onto the soft mattress, then yanked the covers over her from head to toe.
Sheng Qing’s vision went dark.
After finally wriggling out from under the covers, she had a nightgown thrown at her. “Put it on.”
Sheng Qing pulled the nightgown off her face and stole a quick glance at him.
Why did his expression seem off?
“What are you looking at? Get dressed.”
“Oh~”
Her slender arms picked up the nightgown.
The blanket covering her chest slipped down a little, revealing a stretch of smooth skin.
Qin Shi’s gaze darkened. “You’re exposed.”
“Ah!” Sheng Qing followed his gaze, immediately yanked the blanket back up, and glared at him, hissing, “Then why are you looking?”
Qin Shi gave a derisive laugh. “You’re a little kid. What’s there to look at?”
His throat had inexplicably gone dry. He went to the window, took out a cigarette, and lit it.
Sheng Qing looked down at herself and shook her head. “What little kid has a figure like mine?”
But Qin Shi was ten years older than her. In his eyes, wasn’t she just a little kid?
He liked the gentle, virtuous, well-educated type.
His sister-in-law in her previous life had been just that sort.
Qin Shi’s low, hoarse voice suddenly sounded. “Second Brother said you were refusing to eat?”
Refusing to eat?
Who was spreading rumors?
Sheng Qing pulled her head out of the nightgown. “That’s not true. I just didn’t have an appetite, so I didn’t want to eat.”
“And that’s not refusing to eat?”
“…”
Fine. She couldn’t explain it.
Her stomach growled.
Embarrassed, Sheng Qing covered it with a hand. “I guess I really am a little hungry.”
Qin Shi stubbed out his cigarette and opened the window to air out the room. “What do you want to eat?”
“Older Sister went to make something for me. I’ll eat whatever she makes.”
“Wait here.” Qin Shi turned and left.
“Hey!” Sheng Qing called after him. Why had he suddenly left?
**
As soon as Qin Shi stepped outside, he saw Xiaoxue in the hallway, carrying a tray.
“Is that for Sheng Qing?” he asked from the doorway.
Xiaoxue was a little afraid of him. Compared with the rugged Qin Zhen, this refined, young man with a smile in his eyes frightened her even more.
She kept her gaze lowered and murmured, “Mm.”
Qin Shi held out his hand. “I’ll take it to her. You don’t need to worry about her. Go back and rest.”
Xiaoxue was still thinking of going in to see her younger sister. “But Qingqing…”
“I’m here with her. What could happen?” Qin Shi took the tray from her, his tone slightly cool.
Xiaoxue’s face paled, and her eyes turned red. She looked as if she were about to cry.
Qin Shi frowned.
Why did his brother like this kind of timid little rabbit?
She started crying at the slightest thing. Wasn’t it annoying?
…
Just as Sheng Qing was about to go out, the door opened again.
Qin Shi came in carrying the tray.
Sheng Qing’s eyes lit up. “Is that for me?”
Qin Shi nodded. “Come eat.”
Sheng Qing immediately sat down at the table and obediently picked up her chopsticks. “Second Brother, you’re so nice.”
“I give you a little food and that makes me nice? You have pretty low standards.”
“You’ve done much more for me than that…” Thinking of what had happened in her previous life, Sheng Qing felt a sting in her nose. “Anyway, you’ve always been so good to me.”
Qin Shi lowered his eyes and studied her. Her face was still a little pale, and there was a hint of worry between her brows.
Was she still thinking about Lu Yun’an?
Then why had she pushed him into the water?
After two days without food, Sheng Qing was genuinely hungry and ate quickly.
Qin Shi’s voice suddenly broke the silence. “Why did you push Lu Yun’an into the water?”
A mouthful of rice caught in Sheng Qing’s throat. It wouldn’t go down or come up, and she nearly choked to death.