Chapter 41

Chi Shen also froze; the blush on his face deepened.
Qiao Zhenzhen's expression said it all; Qin Zhao couldn't pretend not to understand. He put down his phone and rapped her on the head. "What are you thinking? Do I become invisible if I don't speak?"
"...You're dressed like that and buried in the couch, how could I possibly see you!" Qiao Zhenzhen protested. The living-room couch was brown, and Qin Zhao was wearing a brown coat today, so when he sank into the couch he blended right in. She'd been too busy fawning over Chi Shen to notice him; no wonder she couldn't see him…right?
Hearing her excuse, Qin Zhao laughed in exasperation and, grabbing her ear, asked, "The pot calling the kettle black? Before you blame my outfit, can you first explain what you meant by 'wanting a kiss'?"
Seeing Qiao Zhenzhen's ear being tugged, Chi Shen reflexively moved to help, but when he saw she didn't cry out, he realized her uncle was only teasing. He hesitated, steadied her, but didn't reach out.
Qiao Zhenzhen had hoped to brush it off, but he brought it up again. She immediately turned beet-red, twisting his hand to free her ear as she protested, "Uncle, could you be a little more subtle? I have my pride, you know."
"Not subtle enough?" Qin Zhao, with his other free hand, rapped her on the head again. "If your grandfather or your mom had heard that, do you think you'd still exist? You'd be reduced to ashes. Forcing a male classmate, being lewd, Qiao Zhenzhen, you're something else."
"...I didn't force him, he volunteered!" Qiao Zhenzhen retorted immediately.
Chi Shen obediently nodded: "He volunteered."
Qin Zhao snorted: "Voluntary or not, this won't do. How old are you, Qiao Zhenzhen, already demanding kisses?"
"...Uncle, I know I was wrong, please don't bring it up anymore, okay?" Qiao Zhenzhen finally begged. This incident was the most embarrassing thing she'd experienced since her rebirth, and with Qin Zhao bringing it up again and again, she felt mortified.
Qin Zhao finally let go, and Qiao Zhenzhen's first instinct was to flee. She slid back too far and nearly landed in Chi Shen's lap.
"Don't you dare get lewd again!" Qin Zhao glared.
Qiao Zhenzhen: "...This time, really, I didn't."
While the uncle and niece bickered, Chi Shen pinched Qiao Zhenzhen's ear. She couldn't help but flinch, and they both looked at him.
"It's red," Chi Shen frowned.
"Don't worry, it won't kill her," Qin Zhao cast them a sidelong look, his expression a little like Qin Jing's. "But if you two don't give me a clear explanation, I can't promise how it'll turn out."
"We're all family, why so serious?" Qiao Zhenzhen tried to charm them.
Qin Zhao was unmoved.
Charm failed. Qiao Zhenzhen cleared her throat. "We haven't officially been dating yet, so it doesn't count as early romance."
"But you did ask him to kiss you," Qin Zhao wasn't fooled.
Qiao Zhenzhen glared, "So did the kiss happen?"
Qin Zhao hesitated.
"We're in the ambiguous stage now," Qiao Zhenzhen promised. "Don't worry, Uncle, we know our limits. We'll wait until after the college entrance exams to start dating."
Chi Shen nodded beside her.
Qin Zhao looked at her skeptically. "Do you think I'll believe that?"
"Of course you have to believe me! Look at how hard I'm studying, it's so we can go to the same city for college." Qiao Zhenzhen said more earnestly.
Qin Zhao fell silent.
After a long, long moment, he looked seriously at Chi Shen. "I have just one question left, answer me honestly."
"…He'll probably ask if you can promise to treat me well and not hurt me, or something like that, you answer properly," Qiao Zhenzhen whispered softly into Chi Shen's ear.
Chi Shen nodded earnestly.
Qin Zhao couldn't be bothered with someone who was whispering so brazenly,
and only after she sat up straight did he ask Chi Shen, "Are you doing this of your own free will?"
Qiao Zhenzhen: "..." What a ridiculous question.
Chi Shen was silent for a moment, then nodded.
"Don't be afraid. If Qiao Zhenzhen is threatening you, tell your uncle straight away, your uncle will protect you," Qin Zhao said, his tone softening.
Qiao Zhenzhen couldn't help but interrupt, "Why do you make me sound like some kidnapper of innocent girls? And seriously, how bad do you think my character is?"
"Because I just can't understand why a smart top student would like you, a little dummy who can't even break into the top hundred in the year," Qin Zhao said, glancing at her.
Qiao Zhenzhen, displeased: "Because I'm pretty."
"There are plenty of pretty people," Qin Zhao said, folding his arms.
Qiao Zhenzhen froze for a moment, suddenly realizing he had a point.
She clearly had no standout qualities, why was Chi Shen so fixated on her? Could it be only the so-called heroine's halo? If that halo ever faded, would he suddenly realize she wasn't that great?
The more Qiao Zhenzhen thought, the more downcast she became; her face lost its brightness. Qin Zhao had only been joking, but seeing her genuinely hurt, he panicked. Just as he was about to say something to comfort her, he heard Chi Shen say, "She's good in every way."
Qin Zhao seized the lifeline and quickly urged, "Say more, elaborate."
Chi Shen paused, looking at the suddenly pitiable Qiao: "Good-looking, great personality, kind, radiant, very..."
"Alright, that's enough." Qin Zhao had no patience for young lovers talking; he grabbed his phone and rushed toward the kitchen, but halfway there he turned back. "I'll keep your secret for now, but on one condition: behave. Young love is fine, but it's limited to holding hands, understood?"
"Understood." Yeah, right. Qiao Zhenzhen kept a serious face.
Seeing she was at least pretending to listen, Qin Zhao finally turned and left.
Only the two of them remained in the living room. Blushing, Qiao Zhenzhen looked at Chi Shen: "Am I really that special to you?"
"Yes." Chi Shen nodded.
"Even when I ignored you before, were you still like that?" she pressed.
Chi Shen continued to nod.
"…Then you're a little strange. I was so mean to you before and you still thought I was good," Qiao Zhenzhen clicked her tongue.
Chi Shen paused, then quietly said, "Good."
Even during the times she hated himself most, when she saw someone giving him trouble she'd frown and tell them to stop; when others tore up his textbooks, she'd sternly buy him a whole new set.
She avoided him, but that never diminished her kindness. She stayed basically friendly to everyone, yet few returned the favor; instead, some people, driven by baseless rumors, maliciously speculated about her every move.
But he knew she was the best.
Chi Shen's gaze was as intent as ever, making Qiao Zhenzhen inexplicably shy. She cleared her throat and ruffled his hair, about to say something to ease the awkwardness, when Qin Jing's voice sounded from the doorway: "Qiao Zhenzhen, you're getting more and more out of control! Skipping class with Chi Shen is one thing, but you even bully him!"
"…How did I bully him?!" Qiao Zhenzhen protested, looking wronged.
Qin Jing sneered, "Don't think I didn't see, you just hit him on the head!"
"Who, who, who, who hit whose head?" Qin Sheng also rushed out of the kitchen. Seeing Qiao Zhenzhen, he glared, "Who told you to bully Chi Shen!"
Qiao Zhenzhen: "..." Maybe she should reflect on why her family saw her so poorly?
Qiao Zhenzhen had already given up on her family relationships; luckily Chi Shen stepped in and explained, and she was able to eat her little wontons in peace.
Once the family was seated, Qin Jing raised her juice: "Congratulations to Chi Shen for coming in first, and to Qiao Zhenzhen for improving her ranking."
The others lifted their glasses too. Qiao Zhenzhen and Chi Shen exchanged a look and, grinning, finished a cup between them.
"Slow down," Qin Jing chided, giving her a look.
Qiao Zhenzhen giggled and stole two small wontons from her bowl, immediately drawing Qin Sheng's teasing: "There are more in the pot; you won't starve!"
"Food tastes better when it's in someone else's bowl," Qiao Zhenzhen snorted.
Chi Shen hesitated, then quietly scooped a few from his bowl to give her. Qiao Zhenzhen was busy bantering with her grandpa and didn't notice the extra wontons in her bowl, but Qin Zhao had seen it all and gave a soft hum.
The sour stench of young love really does ruin one's appetite. Qin Zhao shot Chi Shen a sideways glance; a faint flush colored Chi Shen's cheeks.
The family ate together noisily and warmly, the atmosphere growing ever more lively. In stark contrast was Zhao Lianqiao's home.
Since running home that morning, Zhao Lianqiao had locked herself in her room and refused to come out no matter how Zhao Ying called. It wasn't until evening that she couldn't hold it in and rushed out: "Mom, I've gotten into trouble."
"What happened?" Zhao Ying asked quickly.
Zhao Lianqiao, eyes reddened, told her everything. Zhao Ying immediately hurled the apple in her hand; Zhao Lianqiao hurriedly dodged and bit her lip, saying nothing.
"You little brat, trying to hurt Qiao Zhenzhen would be bad enough, but dragging your Uncle Qiao into this too? Are you deliberately trying to make it so I can never marry into the Qiao family?!" Zhao Ying scolded, beating her chest, showing none of the nervous helplessness she'd displayed earlier when asking for advice.
Zhao Lianqiao wiped her eyes. "Don't rush to scold me. Right now the most important thing is to get Qin Jing to change her mind, I can't have a criminal record at such a young age."
Ever since she slipped into the book, she'd resolved to be the protagonist of this world, to be someone everyone liked. If she ended up with a record, her life would be ruined.
Since Zhao Lianqiao arrived in this world, Zhao Ying had always accepted her help; now that she was in trouble, she expected Zhao Ying to help. But Zhao Ying only gave a cold laugh: "What, you expect me to go beg her? I won't do it. You'd better find a way to placate your Uncle Qiao. If he takes offense at me because of you and that causes your brother to be born without status, I'll make you pay."
“The thing in your belly is more important than me?” Even without any mother-daughter affection, Zhao Lianqiao couldn’t help feeling irritated when she heard that.
Zhao Ying shot her a glance, took a fresh apple and bit into it. “You’re just like that daughter from the Qiao family, worthless. Of course the one in my belly matters more. That’s my treasure; the rest of my life and all my prosperity depend on him. What can you give me? You’re nothing but a burden.”
Zhao Lianqiao felt her heart drop; a surge of anger rose up toward Zhao Ying.