Chapter Fourteen: Qio’s Gentle Strength

On the second day, for once waking up early, Liu Ruoxi was reluctant to let go of Qin Xuan’s arm. When Qin Xuan felt something unusual on his chest and opened his eyes, he found Liu Ruoxi’s hand wandering across him. It tickled him, and Qin Xuan squinted, curious to see what she intended. Perhaps afraid he’d wake, Liu Ruoxi paused her hand, and seeing he didn’t react, slowly moved it downward...

“Mm!” Qin Xuan sensed trouble and hurriedly grabbed Liu Ruoxi’s mischievous hand. Caught in the act, Liu Ruoxi was startled, looking up to meet Qin Xuan’s odd gaze.

“I-I-I... was just curious!” Liu Ruoxi’s face flushed crimson as she tried to defend herself.

“Do you think I’ll believe that?” Qin Xuan teased.

“You have to believe me!” Liu Ruoxi decided to play the hopeless card.

Qin Xuan nearly burst out laughing.

Seeing neither soft nor hard tactics worked, Liu Ruoxi chose her own method, mustering strength and punching Qin Xuan in the stomach! Fortunately, Qin Xuan’s abs endured the blow.

“Ruoxi! Since when did you start resorting to violence when you couldn’t win an argument?” Qin Xuan grabbed her hand and held it above her head, then rolled over to sit on her stomach. It must be said, it was quite soft!

In the early morning, their clothes were disheveled, revealing pale skin. Liu Ruoxi struggled for a bit, but seeing it was futile, gave up and let Qin Xuan have his way. Qin Xuan pinched Liu Ruoxi’s smooth chin, amused by her resigned expression.

Just as Qin Xuan was about to make a move, the atmosphere was shattered—

“Brother! Get up!” The chief of the atmosphere destruction squad, Qin Lin’er, pushed open the door and entered, her face shocked at their awkward position.

“Liu Ruoxi! What are you up to now?”

Liu Ruoxi was speechless, struggling twice to indicate, “Didn’t you see your brother bullying me?”

“Huh?” Qin Lin’er wanted to laugh. “Then you deserve it.”

Her eyes flickered with mischief: “Brother, hold her tight!”

With that, she jumped onto the bed and started pinching Liu Ruoxi’s cheeks.

“That’s for hitting me!” Qin Lin’er, emboldened by Qin Xuan’s help, was utterly arrogant, ignoring the murderous look in Liu Ruoxi’s eyes.

Qin Xuan could already foresee his miserable fate tonight—or perhaps it wouldn’t even wait until evening...

After a long while, Qin Lin’er finally ran out, leaving Liu Ruoxi rubbing her backside and looking at Qin Xuan with grievance.

“Hmph! You help her but not me?” Liu Ruoxi complained.

Qin Xuan was embarrassed, “She’s my little sister, I have to give way to her, right?”

“Nonsense, she’s not—” Liu Ruoxi remembered Qin Xuan didn’t know yet, so she stopped herself in time.

“What?” Qin Xuan was confused by her half-finished sentence.

“Nothing, nothing, I misspoke.”

...

It wasn’t until the afternoon that the three finally went out, Qin Lin’er and Liu Ruoxi planning to shop at the mall, so Qin Xuan, naturally, became the merciless pack mule.

An hour later, Qin Xuan watched the two girls walking arm in arm ahead of him, doubting his life choices.

“How is it that you both can barely climb a few steps on a mountain, but you never get tired shopping?” Qin Xuan stared at the autumn clothing store they’d passed three times already...

All ten of Qin Xuan’s fingers were hung with shopping bags, yet the two cuties in front didn’t even think to help!

“So, Qin Xuan, are you out of steam?” Liu Ruoxi deliberately asked, glancing back at him still breathing. Hmph, serves you right for teaming up with Lin’er against me!

Such is the grudges of women.

“I think I'm still fine...” Hearing her, how could a man admit defeat?

“Alright, then carry one more,” Liu Ruoxi said gleefully, hanging another bag around Qin Xuan’s neck.

“Seriously?” Qin Xuan felt the world’s cruelty.

By the time the two finished shopping, it was nearly four o’clock. Along the way, they spent half an hour at the milk tea shop, each took twenty minutes in the restroom, and most bizarrely, Qin Lin’er fought with a child over the Pleasant Goat ride at the supermarket entrance! Qin Xuan was mortified under the stares of the surrounding children, while Qin Lin’er enjoyed herself thoroughly.

“So, are we still watching a movie?” Qin Xuan asked wearily.

“Yes!” Qin Lin’er and Liu Ruoxi, for once, agreed. After all, girls had more energy than boys.

Qin Xuan let out a long sigh, missing his bed.

“Let’s go, let’s go,” the two finally agreed to help Qin Xuan with some of the bags, switching the clothes to be carried by themselves.

Though passersby looked at Qin Xuan with envy, only he knew how painful the experience was.

Once home and free of the things hung around his neck, Qin Xuan felt alive again. He thought they’d go out again, but the two took their clothes to their rooms to try on, leaving him almost asleep on the sofa before they emerged.

They picked the hottest romance film at the moment. Qin Xuan, watching the melodramatic love triangle, was full of questions: How is this popular?

Liu Ruoxi and Qin Lin’er, each hugging a drink, were soon weeping, but Qin Xuan just couldn’t understand the appeal.

“Qin Xuan!” Qin Lin’er, taking a tissue from him, asked, “If you were the main character, who would you choose?”

Qin Xuan looked at the clichéd choice in the movie.

“I’d want both!” Truly, he never disappoints.

“No, you must choose one!” Liu Ruoxi joined in, her tear-filled eyes fixed on him.

“Hmm...” Qin Xuan pondered—not on whom to choose, but... he hadn’t paid close attention to the film! Maybe pick the prettier one? He looked at the equally beautiful female leads on the screen and decided, perhaps a temple would suit him better.

“Can I choose to become a monk?” Qin Xuan tried.

“Hmph, go away, you scoundrel!” Liu Ruoxi turned away, ignoring him, while Qin Lin’er rolled her eyes and continued watching.

Qin Xuan, seeing their reactions, began to wonder which circuit in his brain was faulty.

When the three came out after the movie, it was already dark. They hadn’t eaten, but Qin Lin’er and Liu Ruoxi had lost their appetites, leaving Qin Xuan planning to cook some noodles at home.

A few hours ago, the two were best friends, but now they acted like strangers. Qin Xuan couldn’t help but feel wistful.

“Ruoxi!” Qin Lin’er moved closer to Liu Ruoxi, “I won’t let you take my brother!”

Liu Ruoxi glanced at her disdainfully, “Don’t worry, I will.”

“And don’t forget, Qin Xuan sees you as a little sister! You don’t stand a chance.”

“Heh, but I’m not!” Qin Lin’er retorted, “Guess whether he’d choose me or you?”

Liu Ruoxi knew well that Qin Xuan had always favored Qin Lin’er since childhood, but on this matter, she would never yield! After all, she was Aunt Wang’s appointed daughter-in-law!

Qin Lin’er clenched her tiny fists, determined to clarify her identity to her brother soon. She absolutely couldn’t let Ruoxi become sister-in-law.

Thinking of Liu Ruoxi as sister-in-law in the future, and her wanton oppression, Qin Lin’er shuddered.

“No way!” She thought, cold sweat breaking out.

Behind them, Qin Xuan suddenly sensed murderous intent! It felt just like being targeted as prey by a tiger in the wild.