Because Qi Zhen came over, Qi Yan was not at ease in the end. He hurriedly finished the project in his hand in a week and went home silently.
He didn’t call in advance, and Butler Chen was still taken aback when he entered the door and smiled in surprise: “Why did the young master suddenly come back? Wait a moment, I’ll order the kitchen to add two more dishes.”
“I caught the latest flight and came back to see Anan.” Qi Yan glanced into the house and asked in a low voice, “Qi Zhen is here. How is it? Is Anan okay?”
Butler Chen had a distressed expression: “The young lady is really sensible, with no emotions whatsoever. I don’t think she had shown anything other than happiness every day. Ai, Mr. Qi is too biased. Why didn’t he see his daughter’s pain?
Qi Yan’s eyes darkened, and his face a little cold: “Let’s not mention this, Qi Zhen, you’ve seen her. How is she?”
“I can’t tell from just meeting her,” said Butler Chen deliberately, “She’s quite polite and gentle; it’s peaceful. She doesn’t look like a person who would cause trouble.”
Because of the identity of these two girls, living together should initially be awkward and strange. Still, the first time they met, there was no smell of gunpowder whatsoever, and they were even friendly.
(t/n: the smell of gunpowder: combative tone.)
Qi Yan then didn’t ask anything more.
After dinner, Qi Yan said to Qi Zhen, “Go wait for me in the study first. I have something to tell you.”
Qi Zhen walked into the study and waited for Qi Yan with a calm demeanor. In fact, she wasn’t afraid of Qi Yan’s attitude. This indifference and estrangement were what she had been mentally prepared for.
“Are you used to living here?” Qi Yan came in and didn’t mind her. He directly lit a cigarette. There were no ups and downs in the tone, a businesslike attitude.
“It’s okay. Anan took special care of me, and thank you, brother, for not minding and willing to take me in at home.” Qi Zhen shrank her shoulders slightly and sat obediently in a wide chair, looking more slender.
Qi Yan smiled: “This sound, brother, isn’t necessary. I only have one sister, Anan. Letting you live here isn’t because you’re Qi Hong’s seed. It’s because I can’t compete with him for the time being, and if I don’t promise him, he’ll come and bother Anan.”
Qi Zhen lowered her posture further: “I’m sorry, I didn’t know about this. It’s all my fault.”
“Hmm, it’s good that you know to be sorry,” Qi Yan wasn’t polite and was too lazy to act with her and talk nonsense. Directly walked down the steps, “If you aren’t comfortable living here, I’ll find you a house and give you a sum of money every month. Just move out as soon as possible. With me, you don’t have to worry about eating, clothing, and going to school. If Qi Hong asks, you can handle it well.”
Qi Zhen’s hand under the table was quietly clenched, and her nails were deeply embedded in the palm of her hand. She didn’t expect Qi Yan’s rejection and hostility to be so strong, but she obviously did nothing.
All this was to support Qi Anan, right? So this is how it was. She was saying, how could Qi Anan not mind her existence? It turned out to be waiting for her here.
First, let her relax by being gentle and enthusiastic, and within a few days, Qi Yan was called back to clean her up. The two brothers and sisters joined forces to bully her like this!
Qi Zhen had never suffered any grievances since she was a child. She was the pearl of her mother’s palm, but now, she had become an orphan. She had to go as far as to depend on the hospitality of others. Her eyes were filled with tears when she thought of this: “I know my identity is very embarrassing. It’s normal for big brother and Anan not to like me. In fact, I also know that if I live here like this, it will cause you trouble, but Dad said that I must come over, and I couldn’t resist. But don’t worry, brother, I will do what you say. If Dad asks, I will never have a slip of the tongue.”
(t/n: the pearl of one’s palm: beloved person esp. daughters)
She was lovely and pitiful, but Qi Yan didn’t react to Qi Zhen’s words of loyalty.
He didn’t take her words to heart: “It doesn’t matter to me whether you spill the beans or not. It’s best if you don’t tell the truth to Qi Hong so that everyone can stop; if you do, I have plenty of ways to fix you. You should also know that your good father is busy spending money and drinking. If he wants to play the good father, it would depend on his mood, but he wouldn’t have such a good mood twenty-four hours a day.”
Qi Zhen nodded and seemed to want to justify something, but Qi Yan didn’t bother to listen. He had finished what he needed to say: “That’s it then, I’ll arrange it as soon as possible. Have an early rest.”
Qi Yan left after speaking. He pushed the door out and turned left. He was probably going to Qi Anan’s room. Qi Zhen thought for a while, raised her steps, and followed quietly.
Qi Anan ran to the study door to eavesdrop for a while, but Qi Yan’s study was so soundproof that she couldn’t hear anything. However, she knew that Qi Yan wasn’t evil and should only tell her they should get along well.
When Qi Yan pushed the door in, Qi Anan showed a smiling face and immediately ran up to hug his arm: “Brother, didn’t you say you had a project before, and you wouldn’t be able to come back this month? Did you want to surprise me by finishing it early?”
“What did you say to A Zhen? You didn’t let me listen.”
Qi Yan lowered his eyes to look at Qi Anan and heard her call Qi Zhen “A Zhen.” He slowly reached out and touched her hair: “My baby sister, you don’t need to be so good.”
He smiled and said lightly: “I didn’t say anything. I asked a few questions to understand.”
He didn’t say that he was going to drive Qi Zhen away. His sister was so sensible. After hearing that, she would definitely consider him. Enduring grievances wasn’t reasonable. It was better not to tell her about these disturbing things.
Qi Anan saw that Qi Yan wasn’t in high spirits. She didn’t care about Qi Zhen’s identity but feared that Qi Yan would be uncomfortable. She asked softly, “Brother, have you been busy at work recently? Do you want to live at home for a few more days?”
If he lived here, he probably wouldn’t like to be in contact with Qi Zhen… Before Qi Anan’s troubles were over, Qi Yan shook his head apologetically.
“Not for a while. I’ve temporarily stopped the project. I’ll come back to see you, but I still have to start it quickly.”
How could Qi Yan not want to accompany her? He really couldn’t get away: “I’m sorry, Anan ah. I have to go abroad in a few days, and I may not be able to come back until you start school. It’s still the same. I haven’t been here for long. No matter what you need, tell me. Don’t be afraid to disturb my work and keep it from me, do you understand?”
Qi Yan repeated this time and time again. Qi Anan was used to hearing it and couldn’t help but laugh at him: “I know, look at you worrying so much all day long. Beware of baldness.”
The two siblings were laughing and joking, but Qi Zhen outside the door looked cold. She thought for a while and silently walked back to her room.
Qi Anan and Qi Yan humiliated her by one playing the villain and the other playing the hero. She couldn’t leave the matter at that with these two siblings. She could go and didn’t want to live under the same roof as Qi Anan, but she couldn’t leave like this.
Qi Zhen flipped out her mobile phone and pressed a number she knew by heart.