Zhou Shanshan looked as though she’d seen her savior. “Brother Beicheng, you’re finally here…”
After getting to the bottom of what had happened, Gu Beicheng fought the urge to shove her away. “You hit someone?”
Zhou Shanshan sniffled quietly. “It really wasn’t my fault. You know how timid I am. I was riding along just fine when she suddenly came charging at me. I was terrified—I nearly fell off my horse…”
Gu Beicheng did spoil her, but only as long as she behaved sensibly and didn’t cause trouble for him.
And what did she do? The very first time she came out with him, she went and hit one of Qin Shi’s people.
Zhou Shanshan clutched her waist, looking aggrieved. “Second Master Qin even kicked me for no reason. It hurts so much, boo-hoo…”
Ji Ziming: Holy shit, she’s unbelievably stupid! If I had a girlfriend like that, I’d jump into the sea!
What kind of brain came up with the idea of complaining about Qin Shi right in front of Gu Beicheng?
“Shut up!” Gu Beicheng’s expression darkened. “Are you expecting me to get justice for you?”
Zhou Shanshan bit her lip and said, as if it were only natural, “I’m your girlfriend. I was bullied. Shouldn’t you be on my side?”
Gu Beicheng was so angry he laughed. “You think I’d take your side over Qin Shi’s?”
Zhou Shanshan froze. Her face went pale.
Choosing her would mean offending Qin Shi.
And she wasn’t confident enough to believe Gu Beicheng would fall out with the close friend he’d grown up with for her sake.
But she still wasn’t willing to accept it.
At the very least, she was the girlfriend Gu Beicheng had chosen.
What was Sheng Qing, anyway?
Just an outsider living under the Qin family’s roof.
If they let this go, where would that leave her pride?
With that thought, Zhou Shanshan said outright, “I won’t hold it against Second Master Qin for kicking me. If Sheng Qing apologizes to me, we can call it even.”
Gu Beicheng wanted to punch her to death.
You won’t hold it against Qin Shi?
Who do you think you are, deciding whether to hold it against him?
Anyone with half a brain wouldn’t say something like demanding an apology from Sheng Qing.
What had gotten into him when he pursued her?
Gu Beicheng pushed her aside and said directly to Qin Shi, “Second Brother, you decide what to do. I won’t say a word.”
That was his way of making it clear he wanted nothing more to do with Zhou Shanshan.
Zhou Shanshan was stunned. “You’re not going to help me?”
Gu Beicheng sneered. “You’re way out of my league. I can’t handle you.”
Zhou Shanshan couldn’t miss the sarcasm in his voice. Her face flushed red, then turned pale.
Gu Beicheng looked at Sheng Qing. “You’re Qin Shi’s younger sister, so you’re my younger sister too. I was in the wrong today. Let me apologize to you as your older brother.”
Zhou Shanshan stared in disbelief.
He was apologizing to Sheng Qing, too?!
Sheng Qing couldn’t blame him, so she could only put it down to bad luck. “I’m fine.”
“How are you fine?” Qin Shi lifted her chin and examined her face from side to side. “Did she hit you anywhere else?”
With everyone watching, Sheng Qing felt awkward as he held her chin and scrutinized her. “No…”
Qin Shi tugged her by the arm, pulling her in front of him. “Stand still. Don’t move around. Does it hurt or not?”
Sheng Qing was a little helpless. “It really doesn’t hurt.”
“She hit you. You didn’t know to dodge?”
“I’ll know next time.”
“Next time?” Qin Shi seemed to be getting angry. “You’re looking forward to there being a next time?”
Sheng Qing hurried to explain. “I just said it without thinking.”
Qin Shi said coolly, “You’re right. If she doesn’t get taught a lesson this time, some other blind idiot will dare to lay a hand on you next time.”
A cold glint flickered in his eyes. “However she bullied you, hit her back the same way.”
Zhou Shanshan’s face turned deathly pale. She’d thought Sheng Qing was just an outsider in the Qin family.
She hadn’t expected Qin Shi to protect her so fiercely.
Nobody around them dared even breathe too loudly.
Qin Shi had a fearsome reputation. At twenty, he’d already dared to go to the battlefield and shoot people.
They were nothing like him. The most they did was chase girls, show off their wealth, and be aimless rich kids.
When Qin Shi got angry, he meant business.
And when he wanted to teach someone a lesson, he meant that, too.
Sheng Qing was stunned.
She hadn’t expected him to be so angry.
She couldn’t understand it. She was the one who’d been hit, not him—so why was he this furious?
At this point, Qin Shi shouldn’t have had any fondness for her. If anything, he should have disliked her a little.
His fierce protectiveness took her by surprise.
Sheng Qing sighed and tugged at his sleeve. “Second Brother, let it go.”
Qin Shi frowned. “What, afraid I can’t handle it for you?”
“No. Look, I’m fine.”
He was tall; standing beside him, she barely reached his chest.
Whenever she spoke to him, she had to look up. “Nothing happened to me. Why make things so unpleasant?”
After all, Zhou Shanshan was still Gu Beicheng’s girlfriend.
Although Gu Beicheng had said he wouldn’t get involved, if Qin Shi really taught Zhou Shanshan a lesson, Gu Beicheng would surely feel uncomfortable about it.
She didn’t want her business to cause a rift between the two friends.
Sheng Qing rose slightly onto her toes, closing the distance between them, and whispered in his ear:
“Gu Beicheng is your good friend. He showed you enough respect by not taking Zhou Shanshan’s side. Don’t make him lose face in front of all these people because of me.”
Qin Shi felt a warm breath brush his eardrum, and it was as if a feather had stroked the very tip of his heart.
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he lowered his eyes to look at the girl, who was almost in his arms.
Honestly, if she’d seized this chance to make a scene and used the Qin family’s connections to punish Zhou Shanshan, Qin Shi would have stood up for her out of pity.
But his opinion of her would have taken a serious hit.
After that, he probably wouldn’t have wanted to get too close to her.
But she hadn’t done that.
She’d put herself in his shoes and urged him to let the matter go.
That stirred a different feeling in Qin Shi.
It was as though she’d become one of the Qin family, thinking and acting with the family’s interests in mind.
Qin Shi’s eyes grew darker. “Are you sure you don’t want to teach her a lesson and get some of your anger out?”
Sheng Qing thought it over seriously, then shook her head. “Let’s just forget it. I don’t want to bite back and end up with a mouthful of fur.”
A flash of surprise crossed Qin Shi’s eyes, and then he let out a low laugh.
Zhou Shanshan’s expression was a sight to behold. How could she not hear that Sheng Qing was calling her a dog?
But how could she dare snap back?
With Qin Shi backing Sheng Qing, who would dare lay a hand on her now?
Qin Shi reached over and ruffled the top of her head. “Since you say you don’t want to press it, we’ll let it go.”
Sheng Qing breathed a sigh of relief.
Good thing he hadn’t made a huge scene.
“Do you want to keep playing?”
Sheng Qing shook her head. “No. I’m tired. I want to go back.”
“Then let’s go.”
With Qin Shi, the event’s host, leaving, the onlookers gradually dispersed as well.
Something occurred to Sheng Qing. “Second Brother, go ahead. I’ll be right there.”
Qin Shi was just about to ask what she was doing when she took off without looking back.
She was running toward that kid, Xue Yuan.
“…” A sudden knot tightened in Qin Shi’s chest.
He ground his back teeth together. That little brat—honestly, she’d lost all loyalty the moment a man was involved.
Who had just stood up for her?
She couldn’t even be bothered to thank him, and now she was rushing off to find someone else right under his nose.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.
**
Sheng Qing found Xue Yuan because she wanted to return his riding crop.
This riding club wasn’t open to the public, and all the riding gear was specially made. Xue Yuan’s name was engraved on the crop in her hand.
Xue Yuan hadn’t expected her to come find him, and couldn’t help feeling delighted. “You could’ve just given it to one of the staff.”
“I borrowed it from you, so it seemed better to return it to you myself.” Sheng Qing smiled and handed him the crop. “I should get going. Goodbye.”
Xue Yuan looked a little disappointed. “All right. Maybe we’ll see each other again.”
Sheng Qing turned and walked away. After two steps, she stopped.
She looked back at him. “That’s it? Is there nothing you want to say to me?”
Xue Yuan blinked. “Huh?”
What a blockhead.
Still, maybe being a little slow wasn’t so bad. In her previous life, Lu Yun’an had schemed against her; this time, finding someone simple-minded might be a good thing.
She took out her phone and held it up. “Want to add me on WeChat?”
When Xue Yuan caught on, delight flashed in his eyes. “Really?”
“You like me, don’t you? How are you supposed to pursue me if we don’t add each other on WeChat?”
Xue Yuan’s face turned bright red. He was nervous and flustered, but also a little excited.
Had he really made it that obvious?
Come to think of it, there had been so many people at the riding club, but he hadn’t talked to anyone else. He’d only gone over to teach her how to ride.
His feelings were plain as day.
If she was the one asking to add him on WeChat, did that mean… she liked him too?
On the way back, Xue Yuan couldn’t help opening Sheng Qing’s Moments. She rarely posted anything, and the few posts she had were just casual photos of food.
After thinking it over, Xue Yuan sent Sheng Qing a message: “I know a great private restaurant. Would you like me to take you there sometime?”
Sheng Qing was sitting in the passenger seat. Qin Shi was driving with one hand on the steering wheel.
The car was quiet. As soon as the message notification sounded, Sheng Qing took out her phone.
After reading Xue Yuan’s message, she typed back: “Sure.”
Then she sent another message: “How did you know I like food?”
Xue Yuan replied: “I looked through your Moments. I wanted to see what you usually like.”
Sheng Qing couldn’t help smiling. She thought, He really is an honest guy.
Qin Shi stole a glance at her. “What are you smiling about?”
As she replied to Xue Yuan, she answered Qin Shi, too. “I’m chatting with Xue Yuan. He knows a great private restaurant and wants to take me there.”