Qin Xingyun returned to his room and lay on the bed, feeling restless and uneasy.
He kept imagining that Su Manman’s poisonous insects would crawl into his bed in the middle of the night.
Deciding to eliminate the hidden danger while she wasn’t around, he got up and walked to her door—only to find it locked. Furious, he kicked the door.
“Xingyun, what are you doing?”
Aunt Zhao’s voice suddenly rang out. Qin Xingyun jumped in fright, instinctively clutching his chest as he turned around.
He quickly made up an excuse. “She borrowed a book from me earlier and said she’d return it before bed, but she still hasn’t.”
Aunt Zhao said coldly, “If she were inside, you kicking the door like that would’ve already gotten you beaten. She’s probably in your uncle’s room.”
That shameless girl couldn’t live a single day without a man.
At night she even made people boil water for her, cleaning herself up just to send herself to a man’s bed.
Qin Xingyun muttered, “……I only kicked it because she wasn’t in there. Why is her room locked in her own house? Who is she guarding against? Do you have the key?”
Aunt Zhao replied bitterly, “She locked it—why would she give me the key?”
Qin Xingyun thought to himself: She must be hiding those insects so no one discovers them.
He remembered his uncle didn’t usually lock his door when sleeping.
He decided to wait until they were asleep and steal the key.
Tonight, he would expose those poisonous things to his uncle and grandfather no matter what.
After sending Aunt Zhao away, he returned to the dark living room.
A faint light came from Qin Lin’s bedroom.
Adjusting to the darkness, he quietly moved to the door and listened.
Silent.
Asleep?
But the light was still on.
He slowly pushed the door open.
A soft sound creaked.
Qin Lin’s low voice came from inside: “Xingyun, come in if you have something to say.”
“……It’s not convenient, Uncle. Sister-in-law is inside.”
“It’s fine.”
Qin Xingyun entered cautiously.
Qin Lin was sitting at the desk. Behind him, the bed had two separate blankets, one on each side.
Su Manman’s head was visible from one blanket—long black hair spread across the pillow like silk.
There were actually two quilts.
Sleeping separately?
Qin Xingyun laughed awkwardly. “You two sleeping in separate quilts?”
Qin Lin glanced at Su Manman. “We just separated today. She said sleeping too close makes her sweat and itch.”
Qin Xingyun nodded, then suddenly became suspicious.
He casually chatted a bit more, but his eyes kept drifting toward Su Manman.
Her eyes—whether angry or smiling—were now closed. Long lashes cast soft shadows under the light. Quiet, gentle… unexpectedly delicate.
If she had looked like this from the beginning, he probably wouldn’t have said such harsh things to her.
He might even have treated her better than his uncle.
Of course, that’s only if she didn’t hit people or raise poisonous insects.
Qin Lin frowned. “What exactly do you want? Stop beating around the bush.”
Qin Xingyun straightened. “Grandma should be coming back soon, right?”
Qin Lin ignored him.
While Qin Lin wasn’t paying attention, Qin Xingyun’s gaze flickered. He quietly moved toward Su Manman’s cotton coat and slipped his hand into the pocket.
At that moment, Qin Lin suddenly turned his head.
In a split second, Qin Xingyun grabbed whatever was inside the pocket without looking and stuffed it into his own.
“I’m heading back now, Uncle.”
……
Back in his room, Qin Xingyun pulled out what he had taken—and froze.
It was a menstrual belt.
He knew it immediately; he often helped his mother buy them.
So that’s why they were sleeping separately—she was on her period.
If she noticed it missing tomorrow, she would definitely tell his uncle.
And his uncle would immediately suspect him.
Maybe even think he was trying to steal something from Su Manman.
What now?
After thinking hard, he decided to return it.
When he went back to the bedroom, the light was still on.
His uncle hadn’t moved.
Qin Xingyun thought: There’s a stunning beauty lying right there—soft and fragrant—and my uncle is ignoring her. Is this normal?
Uncle definitely can’t be normal.
But that wasn’t his problem right now.
Before he could act, Qin Lin suddenly spoke without turning around.
“What are you doing again?”
“I… I didn’t do anything,” Qin Xingyun stammered. “Sister-in-law picked up my wallet earlier—did she see the key inside?”
Qin Lin turned around, disappointment in his eyes.
“Before this, I thought she might have kept the wallet. I even planned to reason with her. But after hearing you, I think she did nothing wrong.”
Qin Xingyun quickly explained, “I was just asking!”
“If you’re just asking, why? What would she need your key for? She can’t even open your door. There was so much money in the wallet, and she didn’t take it—why would she take your useless key?”
Qin Lin pressed his temple. “I’m going to rest. Leave.”
“…Oh.”
Qin Xingyun slowly walked out, turning back every few steps.
Just as he reached the door, Qin Lin came out of the room. Qin Xingyun quickly returned to the living room, grabbed a cup of water, and pretended to drink.
Qin Lin glanced at him and went into the bathroom.
Qin Xingyun immediately slipped back into his room and returned the item.
“What exactly are you doing?”
Qin Lin had appeared behind him without warning.
Startled, Qin Xingyun turned around. “N-nothing!”
“Get out.”
“Okay.”
He left immediately.
Qin Lin narrowed his eyes and noticed nothing unusual in the room.
What is this kid up to?
Looking for a key?
Too far.
He grabbed his coat and followed.
From a distance, he saw Qin Xingyun standing at Su Manman’s door, fiddling with the lock. The wooden door creaked slightly.
Qin Lin instantly understood.
He shouted coldly, “Qin Xingyun!”
Qin Xingyun nearly jumped out of his skin. “Uncle—I—I can explain! She’s raising centipedes and scorpions! I was trying to clear them out!”
“Nonsense!” Qin Lin snapped. “What exactly did she do to you that you’re targeting her like this?”
He grabbed a broom from the wall.
Realizing he was about to be hit, Qin Xingyun turned and ran wildly across the courtyard.
“Help! Help!”
Qin Lin threw the broom aside, warning, “If her door is damaged even slightly again, you’re responsible for it!”
Then he left.
Qin Xingyun stood there, stunned.
“Damn it…”
“You’re just blinded by beauty!”
He returned to the door, hesitated before touching the lock… then stopped.
Forget it.
He had done all he could.
If they got bitten by whatever she was raising in the future, that would be their own fate.
Some advice is wasted on the doomed.