“If one day I get into a conflict with Gao Tingting and end up hurting her, would you blame me?”
Qin Shi frowned, staring at her. “Why would you say that?”
“Just… asking casually, that’s all.”
Qin Shi’s gaze was sharp. “Asking a question like that out of nowhere—you think a casual ‘just asking’ is enough to brush me off?”
Sheng Qing nearly broke into a sweat. He was far too perceptive.
“I was just thinking—what if someday we meet, and I don’t like her, and we get into a conflict? Would you side with her, or with me?”
Sheng Qing’s mind spun quickly. “I came up with the question based on that viral test online.”
“What test?”
“You know, the one where your mother and your wife fall into the water—who would you save? If Gao Tingting and I got into a fight, who would you help?”
Qin Shi pressed his brow in exasperation. Were kids these days really this bored?
“First, I wouldn’t save either, because I have no mother or wife. Second, the two of you would never get into a fight.”
Sheng Qing huffed. “I’m well-behaved in front of you, but I’m not well-behaved with others. I’ll throw a punch the moment I feel like it.”
Qin Shi shot her a sidelong glance. “Under my watch, there’s no way I’d let you get into a fight.”
Sheng Qing: “Then… what if you’re not around?”
Qin Shi suddenly rose, leaning his upper body toward her.
Sheng Qing instinctively pressed her back against the chair.
What was he doing?
Qin Shi bent at the waist, one hand braced above her head.
He was above, she was below—the posture was utterly domineering, like a wall-bang…
No, a chair-bang.
At such close distance, she could almost hear his heartbeat, and even see the taut lines of muscle beneath his shirt…
In Sheng Qing’s breath, there was nothing but his scent.
She was nervous.
“Second Brother, we’re—”
The word “family” hadn’t even left her lips when Qin Shi reached out.
A soft click sounded by her ear—the seatbelt restraining her chest was unbuckled.
Qin Shi lowered his gaze. Sheng Qing, curled up in his arms like a kitten, asked: “We’re what?”
Sheng Qing: “…Nothing.”
Why did you have to get so close just to unbuckle a seatbelt? You made me overthink!
Qin Shi sat back in his seat. “If I weren’t around, even if you two fought to the death, there’d be nothing I could do about it.”
Sheng Qing’s eyes lit up. “So that means, even if I hit her, you’d turn a blind eye?”
This girl really had a streak of mischief in her.
Qin Shi, afraid she might be plotting some trouble, said calmly: “She’s done you no wrong. Why are you so fixated on hitting her?”
She’s done me no wrong.
But she betrayed you.
She had sworn to protect him.
“Look how tense you are—do you like her that much?” Sheng Qing pouted. “I was just asking casually. It’s not like I’m actually going to hit her.”
Qin Shi stared at her for a few seconds, then looked away, tapping his fingers twice on his expensive watch. “You’re going to be late.”
She really was. Sheng Qing pushed open the car door and ran off.
…
Back at school, Sheng Qing began preparing for her “hit Gao Tingting” plan.
Qin Shi was very public about spoiling his woman. He never hesitated to bring Gao Tingting along to all kinds of occasions.
Gao Tingting had gone from being a country girl to someone everyone in Kyoto’s elite circles scrambled to curry favor with.
The shoes she wore now could cost more than her entire year’s salary before.
Sheng Qing couldn’t understand it—Qin Shi treated her so well. How could she betray him?
Was her brain just underdeveloped?
Everything was planned. She just had to wait for school to end.
When the phone rang, it was Xue Yuan calling, saying he would come pick her up and take her to a movie.
This was something the two had agreed on yesterday.
Sheng Qing had completely forgotten about it. She said apologetically, “How about another day? I have something to do tonight, is that okay?”
Though Xue Yuan was a bit disappointed, he still agreed.
After hanging up, Sheng Qing packed her schoolbag, left school, and headed to the most bustling pedestrian street in the Eastern District.
Her years of rebellion hadn’t been for nothing—when she was running with the wrong crowd, she had subdued (beaten into submission) some small-time thugs and become their boss.
One of them was called Xiao Pang, who worked as a bartender in a bar.
Seeing Sheng Qing walk in with her schoolbag, Xiao Pang’s head throbbed: “Sheng Qing, why are you here again?”
Sheng Qing raised her fist: “Say that again.”
Remembering her freakish fighting skills, Xiao Pang flinched and changed his tune, aggrieved: “Sister Qing.”
Sheng Qing smiled and lowered her hand: “That’s a good boy. Put down what you’re doing for a moment, I have something to tell you.”
Xiao Pang didn’t want to listen to her, but Sheng Qing would use her fists to make him listen, so resistance was futile.
“Come with me.”
Following Sheng Qing out the back door, they slipped through an alley and into his rented room.
As soon as the door closed, Sheng Qing said, “I’m going to kidnap someone.”
He knew it—he just knew that when she came looking for him, nothing good would come of it!
Xiao Pang gritted his teeth: “Sister Qing, I’ve already washed my hands of that life. I’ve turned over a new leaf and become an honest man. How about you find someone else to break the law with you?”
“Watch your mouth. I call this ridding the streets of a menace.”
Sheng Qing tossed her schoolbag onto the sofa, pulled out a set of men’s clothes from the wardrobe, and changed into them. After putting on a wig, she looked just like a young boy.
Xiao Pang said worriedly, “Kidnapping means prison time. If the police find out, I’ll lose this job I just got.”
Sheng Qing sat down in front of the mirror and began applying makeup—making her eyebrows thicker, darkening her skin, giving her facial features a more rugged look.
“Don’t worry, the police won’t find out.”
“What do you mean? Sister Qing, you’re not planning to kill her to silence her, are you?”
Sheng Qing was utterly speechless: “Why would I become a criminal when I could just be a decent person?”
“Then why did you say the police won’t find out…”
“I’m just going to scare and warn her, then let her go quickly. Of course the police won’t find out.”
Xiao Pang breathed a sigh of relief but still grumbled, “Taking leave means I’ll lose pay—a hundred bucks…”
Sheng Qing stood up and headed out: “I’ll give you five hundred.”
Xiao Pang rolled up his sleeves, murderous intent blazing: “Who’s the blind bastard who dares mess with my Sister Qing? I’ll twist his head right off!”
…
Underground parking garage.
Gao Tingting had no idea she was being watched. She was in her car, passionately kissing her lover.
When things were about to get out of hand, she said breathlessly, “It’s getting late. You should go.”
Her lover held her tightly. “Let me stay tonight, okay?”
Gao Tingting’s heart softened, and she almost agreed, but reason won out: “I can’t. This is Qin Shi’s place. If he finds out I brought you home, it’s over, and he won’t give me any more money…”
After a moment of tender affection, her lover left reluctantly.
Gao Tingting calmed herself down and got out of the car.
She hadn’t taken two steps when a faint voice suddenly sounded from behind: “Gao Tingting.”
Gao Tingting froze in place, then turned around.
A dark shadow, in the distance, was staring right at her.
The underground parking garage was dimly lit and cold, making the scene somewhat eerie.
Gao Tingting shivered. “Who are you…”
The other person seemed to let out a laugh. “Want to know who I am? Come closer and take a look.”
The eerie laughter echoed through the silent space, and goosebumps immediately broke out on her back.
Gao Tingting turned to run.
But behind her, someone was standing there too—two hollow black holes for eyes, and a blood-red mouth stretched wide across the cheeks, splitting all the way to the ears.
Gao Tingting screamed, “Ghost!”
Xiao Pang rolled his eyes. Didn’t she have any sense? He was clearly wearing a clown mask.
Xiao Pang lunged at her nimbly, and Gao Tingting hurled her bag at him in terror.
“Stay back! Don’t come any closer!” Gao Tingting flailed her bag wildly. “Help… somebody help!”
She kicked out, and it seemed to hit something hard.
“Damn it!”
Xiao Pang couldn’t help but yell, hopping on one foot. “Are those shoes of yours weapons or what?!”
Gao Tingting’s struggling body froze. Not a ghost? A person?
She lowered her bag shakily, trying to see what was going on…
Suddenly, footsteps approached from behind, and the next second, a sharp pain hit the back of her neck, and her body went limp.
Sheng Qing caught the unconscious Gao Tingting and glared at Xiao Pang. “What were you screaming about? Trying to draw attention to us?”
“No.” Xiao Pang looked deeply wronged. “Qing Jie, her shoes are hidden weapons…”
“Then why didn’t they kill you off? Come on, help me get her into the car.”
**
When Gao Tingting woke up, the back of her head throbbed with a dull ache.
She quickly realized she’d been kidnapped.
Two men stood in front of her.
One fat, one thin. One tall, one short.
The thin one wore a hoodie, the hood covering most of their face, staring at her expressionlessly. “You’re Gao Tingting?”
Gao Tingting’s hands and feet were bound to a chair, and transparent tape was stuck over her mouth.
All she could do was make muffled sounds from her throat.
Sheng Qing stepped forward and ripped off the tape.
Gao Tingting said loudly, “You’ve got the wrong person. I’m not Gao Tingting. My name is Wang Xiaoxiao.”
Sheng Qing laughed. “You’re pretty good at making things up, huh? You even know to throw out a fake name.”
“I’m telling the truth…”
“Do you think I’d kidnap someone without doing my homework first?”
Gao Tingting’s expression stiffened.
Sheng Qing pulled over a chair and sat down across from her, studying Gao Tingting.
The first woman Qin Shi had ever loved—she was very interested.
But the more she looked, the more complicated Sheng Qing’s expression became.
Because this woman, Gao Tingting, was just way, way too… ordinary!
Her looks, her temperament, her height—nothing could be more plain.
She was even a little chubby, with a spare tire around her waist.
She’d imagined that the woman Qin Shi cradled in his hands like a treasure would be some stunning, breathtaking beauty.
But the reality was such a stark contrast.
It made Sheng Qing even more puzzled—why would this woman betray Qin Shi?
Gao Tingting suddenly burst into tears, trembling. “What do you two want? Are you going to rape me?”
Xiao Pang nearly jumped out of his skin. “Whoa, this woman’s imagination is terrifying.”
Sheng Qing snorted. “Not much to look at, but she sure thinks highly of herself.”
Gao Tingting glared at her.
Sheng Qing glared right back. “Are your eyes as big as mine? How dare you glare at me!”
Gao Tingting was furious.
Sheng Qing asked again, “Is Qin Shi your boyfriend?”
Gao Tingting suddenly realized: “You want money, don’t you? Qin Shi is my boyfriend, and he’s really rich. Call him right away—no matter how much you ask for, he’ll pay!”
Sheng Qing said airily, “You’re overthinking it. I don’t want money.”
“Then what do you want?”
“I want you to leave Qin Shi.”