Chapter 58

Qiao Zhenzhen stayed at her grandfather’s until five in the afternoon. The moment her phone buzzed she was ready to leave. Qin Jing glanced at her and asked, “Where are you off to?”
Qiao Zhenzhen immediately thrust the phone at her like a prize. Qin Jing glanced at it: a table full of mouthwatering dishes. She raised an eyebrow. “Did Chi Shen cook that?”
“Yeah, he made it just for me,” Qiao Zhenzhen said, chin tilted with pride.
Qin Jing snorted lightly. “He’s just been through a huge change in his life and you’ve got him working.” A few of the dishes were clearly the kind that require simmering for two hours or more.
“...I just don’t want him sitting around brooding,” Qiao Zhenzhen said, offering her own reasoning, then took her phone and left.
When Qin Sheng came out he saw her rushing away and immediately frowned. “It’s mealtime, why run off?”
“Chi Shen made her dinner, so she went to find him,” Qin Jing replied.
At that, Qin Sheng’s expression softened. “Oh, she went to find Chi Shen? Then it’s fine.”
Qin Jing looked at him with some curiosity.
Qin Sheng straightened. “What are you staring at?”
“Dad, Chi Shen doesn’t come from a wealthy family either. Why didn’t you object when Zhenzhen started seeing him? When I dated Qiao Jian you were desperate to stop me, you almost wanted to break my legs. Why are you so uncharacteristically generous with Chi Shen?” she asked, puzzled.
Qin Sheng gave a cold laugh. “I opposed you and Qiao Jian not because of his background, but because he was too calculating. People like that, with heavy ulterior motives, what parent wouldn’t object? If I’d been firmer back then, you wouldn’t be middle-aged with nothing now.”
“...I have kids and assets; I’m not completely without anything,” Qin Jing muttered, though her voice lacked conviction.
While Qin Sheng was scolding her, Qiao Zhenzhen had already reached Chi Shen’s home and happily dragged him from the kitchen into the living room.
“Bend down a little so I can see if your face’s healed,” she said, tugging his collar.
Chi Shen obediently leaned in and she stood on tiptoe to inspect. When she saw the scab at the corner of his lips she felt a sudden pang of worry. “The wound’s deeper than I thought. Does it hurt? Be careful at dinner, don’t touch it. Have you taken any antibiotics…”
She chattered on, but Chi Shen, unusually distracted, stared at her face with dark, unmoving eyes. When she realized it, his gaze had already drifted to her lips.
Qiao Zhenzhen’s voice faltered, and even breathing felt a little harder. Chi Shen’s lips moved; after a moment he carefully pressed a kiss to her mouth. “Th-the food’s… the food’s ready…”
“...Mm.” Qiao Zhenzhen swallowed and nodded quietly.
Chi Shen hurried back to the kitchen to serve the meal. Qiao Zhenzhen sat in the living room watching his retreating figure, and after a long while she realized, this kiss hadn’t produced any increase in affection points at all. Not one bit!
“Host, don’t worry. It’s not that he doesn’t like you, doing the same thing over and over gives diminishing returns. You need new stimuli and the affection will rise again,” Xiao Ba noticed her confusion and replied seriously.
“I’m not doubting his feelings,” she said, knowing how important she was to him. “I’m just worried, will kisses stop adding affection from now on?”
“Not necessarily,” Xiao Ba answered.
Qiao Zhenzhen’s spirits perked. “For example?”
“Change the way you kiss. Vary it, and there are always ways to make his heart race.” Xiao Ba, as the system, shamelessly offered suggestions.
Qiao Zhenzhen’s face flushed suspiciously. “We can talk about that later. Anything else?”
“There’s also this: you can leave him alone for a while. As long as his feelings for you don’t change, a kiss later will definitely raise the affection value.” Xiao Ba replied.
“That won't do.” Qiao Zhenzhen vetoed it without a second thought. Chi Shen was sensitive by nature, especially where she was concerned, and she didn't want to take advantage of that sensitivity.
Both ideas were rejected, and Xiao Ba had no choice. Just then Chi Shen came in carrying the rice, and it sensibly shut up.
Qiao Zhenzhen came back to herself. “I'll help you carry it.”
“No, sit.” Chi Shen glanced at her and went back into the kitchen.
Qiao Zhenzhen had to wait and keep eating. She'd noticed long ago that Chi Shen seemed possessive of his kitchen, he didn't like others going in, not even her.
…So it wasn't that she refused to help; Chi Shen simply wouldn't allow it. Qiao Zhenzhen nodded and only started eating after he was seated.
She stayed at Chi Shen's until nine o'clock. When Qin Jing came to pick her up, she was working on the second set of exam papers; seeing her mother, she exploded with joy: “Mom, are you here to take me home? I'll go right now!”
Qin Jing looked at the papers before her and doused the excitement with a bucket of cold water: “Finished?”
“No.” Chi Shen answered.
“Then there's no rush, finish them first.” Qin Jing said, dragging over a small stool to sit down.
Qiao Zhenzhen: “……”
After three silent seconds, she resigned herself and got back to the questions.
The small house fell quiet again, the only sound the scratching of pens on paper. Qin Jing had come many times but this was her first time inside; she couldn't help but look around, and the more she looked, the more pleased she became.
Chi Shen may have seemed moody, but he surprisingly knew how to run a home, every corner was neat and orderly, the sort of place a child raised to be independent would keep. Qin Jing thought of his upbringing and felt a pang of regret.
Qiao Zhenzhen seemed stuck on the last two big problems, frowning and dithering for a long time without solving them. Bored of waiting, Qin Jing rose and wandered around; seeing the unwashed dishes in the kitchen, she paused, rolled up her sleeves.
When Qiao Zhenzhen heard the commotion from the kitchen she called out loudly: “Mom, don't mess with Chi Shen's things!”
“I'm not doing anything anyway, I'll wash the dishes for you.” Qin Jing replied.
“Auntie, I'll wash them.” Chi Shen stood up. After eating he had started watching Qiao Zhenzhen do her problems and hadn't had time to clear the table.
Qin Jing blocked him at the door: “It's fine, I'll do it.”
Seeing that, Chi Shen had no choice but to return to Qiao Zhenzhen's side.
Qiao Zhenzhen lowered her voice apologetically: “Sorry, my mom didn't know you didn't like people in your kitchen. Don't be mad.”
Chi Shen paused. “I don't dislike it.”
“Don't lie, every time I go in you chase me out…” Qiao Zhenzhen began, then suddenly understood with a start.
Chi Shen looked at her seriously. “Last time, you touched the clay pot that was on the stove.”
“…How was I supposed to know a pot that showed no sign of heat would be so hot?” Qiao's confidence faltered.
A small curve formed at the corner of Chi Shen's mouth as he comfortingly stroked her head.
[Affection +10, total now 366]
“It went up!” Xiao Ba cheered.
Qiao Zhenzhen's mouth twitched; she still couldn't see what he found endearing.
She bent her head and finished the last two problems. Qin Jing finished the dishes, and Chi Shen walked the two of them to the car.
After she started the engine, Qin Jing suddenly remembered something important. “Oh right, Shen Shen, did Zhenzhen tell you we're coming home for dinner tomorrow?”
Chi Shen paused and turned to look at Qiao Zhenzhen in the back seat.
…She had actually forgotten to mention it. Qiao Zhenzhen forced a laugh. “Tomorrow afternoon, after school we won't stay for evening study, we'll go straight to grandpa's house.”
“Okay.” Chi Shen agreed.
Qin Jing smiled. “Alright, it's not too late to tell him now. She's unreliable, just don't forget, okay?” With that she left with Qiao.
A day flew by and soon it was the next afternoon after school.
On the way home, Qiao kept badgering Qin Jing about the preparations. Qin Jing had been annoyed nearly all day and finally just sent her a few photos of the house, then ignored her after that.
Qiao Zhenzhen sneakily opened the photos and, once she was sure everything was in order, let out a relieved breath.
Then she turned and met Chi Shen's dark eyes.
“…You'll see when we get home,” she said mysteriously.
Chi Shen nodded silently, pretending not to have noticed her odd behavior all day.
They were soon home. Before they went in Qiao Zhenzhen suddenly stopped him. “Close your eyes, no peeking.”
Chi Shen hesitated, then obediently closed his eyes.
“Don't look, promise.” Qiao Zhenzhen said, taking his hand and carefully leading him forward. Once they stepped into the living room she counted on her fingers; when she hit three, two small pops sounded.
Qiao joyfully told Chi Shen to open his eyes.
Chi Shen opened his eyes to see colorful confetti drifting down. The living room was decorated with balloons and flowers; the TV wall spelled out the words "Happy Birthday," and the profusion of blooms gave the whole room an inexplicable sense of warmth.
Chi Shen watched everything silently. The three across from him smiled without speaking. Qin Jing was quick to tears; thinking that he'd never had a proper birthday in his life, she couldn't help wiping her eyes.
Then he asked, “Whose birthday is it?” His voice was hoarse and candid, not like he was joking.
Qiao Zhenzhen: “……”
Qin Jing: “……”
Qin Zhao: “……”
In the dead silence Qiao Zhenzhen managed to speak: “It's not your birthday?”
Chi Shen looked at her silently; the answer was obvious.
“Then why did you skip the competition and act like today was so important to you?” Facing the death stares from Qin Jing and her brother, Qiao Zhenzhen decisively turned it back on him.
Chi Shen paused. “I didn't want to participate.” That was all.
Qiao Zhenzhen: “……”
The touching moment turned awkward in an instant. In the hush the front door lock clicked; Qin Jing came to, cleared her throat and said, “Grandpa just went to pick up Mr. Chi, it's probably them.”
No sooner had the words fallen than the front door eased open, and Chi Shen, as if sensing something, turned to look.
When the two elders came into view together, time seemed to slow. The instant Chi Cheng and Chi Shen met each other's eyes they were unexpectedly moved to tears; a warm current ran through Chi Shen, yet a flicker of confusion crossed his gaze, he didn't seem to realize that, though it wasn't his birthday, today marked the day he was truly reborn.