Chapter Sixty-Four: Unlucky Lin儿

Of course, in the end, she never managed to go through with it. After all, she still lacked the courage, and with so many people at home, it wouldn’t have looked good!

The day before the new semester started, after having packed their bags well in advance, the group returned unhurriedly to Shu City.

It was just midday, and the streets were filled with an assortment of mingled aromas, the most prominent being the scent of hotpot. Qin Lin’er took a deep breath of the delicious air, feeling the spice tingle in her nose. She’d never enjoyed this fiery flavor back home, and now that she smelled it again, an unexpected sense of nostalgia and craving washed over her.

So, after putting their things away, they headed downstairs in search of a hotpot restaurant. They originally planned to revisit the spot they frequented last semester, but when they arrived… the place was gone.

In just a month, the old hotpot restaurant had been replaced by a dry pot shop. After a moment’s hesitation, they decided they still wanted hotpot.

Fortunately, there were plenty of hotpot places nearby. After sniffing around, they picked one that smelled especially inviting.

Settling into a corner table, the group happily dug into their meal, but soon the restaurant began to fill up with people.

When they’d finished their hotpot and stepped outside, Qin Xuan discovered a message from Sister Qin on his phone, sent at some point during their meal.

He opened it and found a photo of their group eating hotpot.

“Qin Xuan! You’re having hotpot without inviting me!”

Qin Xuan felt a bit awkward. “How about tonight? Do you want to come, Sister Qin?”

“Forget it, I was just kidding,” Liu Qin replied, sitting in her office, her computer still displaying posts from the university forum.

“Take a look at the forum,” Liu Qin said, sending him a link.

Curious, Qin Xuan clicked it open.

“Shocking! Nan Zhiyi and Liu Ruoxi get into a fight over him!”

Only then did Qin Xuan realize that someone had taken photos of them eating hotpot and posted them on the forum. It wouldn’t have been a big deal, since the two girls had only been play-fighting, but they were both rather well-known—hosts of the school gala, widely praised by everyone.

Nan Zhiyi noticed Qin Xuan’s distraction and, seizing the moment, snatched his phone out of his hand.

“Huh?” Nan Zhiyi glanced at the post on his phone, then turned her head to look at Qin Xuan, curiosity in her eyes.

Qin Xuan could only shrug helplessly. Liu Ruoxi and the overstuffed Qin Lin’er also crowded around.

“Wow…” Nan Zhiyi and Liu Ruoxi exchanged a glance, each seeing the disdain in the other’s eyes.

“Did you forget how I pinned you down and beat you up during New Year’s?” Liu Ruoxi flexed her fingers, looking ready for another round.

Nan Zhiyi’s bravado vanished in an instant. “Ruoxi! I was wrong, obviously this is all made up. How would I dare lay a hand on you?”

“Hmph!” Only then did Liu Ruoxi lower her hand. Some people just won’t know their place until they’ve been taught a lesson or two!

At that moment, Qin Lin’er was hopping along, clinging to Qin Xuan’s arm. Though her stomach was uncomfortably full, she insisted it counted as exercise.

Just then, after a recent rain, she suddenly slipped. Qin Xuan caught Lin’er before she could fall, but her ankle twisted anyway.

“Are you alright?” Qin Xuan asked anxiously, steadying her.

“It hurts!” Qin Lin’er tried putting weight on it, only to feel a sharp pain shoot through her ankle.

Qin Xuan quickly helped her to a seat, knelt down, and removed her shoe and sock. Sure enough, her ankle was swollen.

“We should get it checked at the hospital—make sure you haven’t hurt the bone,” Liu Ruoxi said, patting Qin Lin’er’s head comfortingly.

Without hesitation, Qin Xuan carried Lin’er on his back and rushed her to the hospital. The journey nearly made Lin’er sick from all the food she’d eaten!

They didn’t return home until two in the afternoon. Thankfully, it was only a sprain, and after getting some ointment, they headed back.

Qin Lin’er lay sprawled on the sofa while Qin Xuan gently massaged medicine into her foot. Feeling the warmth of his hands, Lin’er instinctively tried to pull her foot away, but Qin Xuan held her firmly. A blush crept up her face—whether from embarrassment or pain, it was hard to say.

Fighting the unfamiliar flutter in his heart, Qin Xuan finished applying the medicine.

“All done. Just rest and lie down,” he said, propping her foot up on the sofa and placing a towel beneath it to keep the ointment from staining the fabric.

“Brother, I want to lie down,” Qin Lin’er called to him.

He glanced at the cushion under her head. “Then lie down.”

“I need a pillow.”

He tried tucking the cushion under her head, but Lin’er shook her head, unsatisfied.

Finally, Liu Ruoxi couldn’t take it anymore.

“She wants to lie on your lap!”

“Oh!” Qin Xuan suddenly understood. After a moment’s thought, he let Lin’er rest her head on his lap, which immediately brought a smile to her face.

“And you’re still smiling! Let’s see how long it takes for your foot to heal,” Qin Xuan grumbled, unable to resist teasing her when he saw her grin.

“Aiya, it’s not my fault! The floor was so slippery—how could I have known?” Lin’er huffed, clearly frustrated to be injured right at the start of the semester.

“Alright, alright. She’s already like this, can’t you cut her some slack?” Liu Ruoxi gave Qin Xuan a gentle smack on the arm.

Fortunately, they’d eaten outside earlier, otherwise they’d have been starving. Liu Ruoxi busied herself stripping the bedsheets for the wash and tidying up the place, and by the end of it she was absolutely exhausted.

After the afternoon’s rush, Qin Xuan requested leave from Sister Qin for that evening’s class meeting, deciding to stay home and take care of Lin’er. Liu Ruoxi had to go to school on her own, and Nan Zhiyi didn’t go with her either—there was no way around it.

Once Liu Ruoxi left, Qin Lin’er, curled up next to Qin Xuan watching television, began to fidget.

“Brother…” she whined, pinching his hand. “Massage my shoulders for me. I’m so tired!”

Qin Xuan rolled his eyes. “You’ve been lying around all day. Why are you tired?”

“Emotional exhaustion counts too! Come on, massage my shoulders!” Lin’er argued, completely unreasonable.

“Fine, turn on your side,” Qin Xuan said, resigned, and obliged her request.

...

When Liu Ruoxi finally dragged herself home, still clutching three chicken drumsticks, she saw Lin’er still lying on Qin Xuan’s lap. If she’d known this, she wouldn’t have bothered buying her food!

But in the end, she handed Lin’er the drumsticks, even picking out the largest one for her.

“Thank you, Sister Ruoxi!” Lin’er exclaimed, clutching the drumstick—almost the size of her face—and thanking her sweetly.

“Sigh, no need to thank me,” Liu Ruoxi muttered, realizing that Lin’er was only this well-behaved when she was injured. Usually, she was either provoking her or pestering Qin Xuan—a real troublemaker!

After watching TV for a while, Lin’er lifted her head from Qin Xuan’s lap. “Brother, how am I supposed to take a bath?”

Seeing her act so fragile, Liu Ruoxi gave her a smack on the backside. “Your hand’s not injured! Stop pretending!”

“Ow! Stop, stop…” Lin’er, her foot too sore to dodge, had no choice but to accept her fate.

“Enough,” Qin Xuan said, thinking it over. “You really shouldn’t get your foot wet. Just wipe yourself down for now.”

“Really?” Liu Ruoxi, unsure, took out her phone to look it up, and found it was true.

“Then… I’ll do it myself!” Lin’er said, seeing the mischievous look in Ruoxi’s eyes and trying to slip away.

“Leave it to me!” Ruoxi declared, delighted by the opportunity. She clamped a hand over Lin’er’s protesting mouth, hoisted her up, and marched her into the bathroom.

Soon, Qin Xuan could hear startled yelps coming from the bathroom. Judging by the sounds, it seemed Lin’er was beyond saving.