57: Lulling to Sleep.
The rain kept pouring, each drop fine as thread, carrying a chill that cut through to the bone.
Mu Xiaoxiao had neither her phone nor any money—only a green lotus leaf acting as a hat. How could she withstand such heavy rain? She curled up, shivering uncontrollably. She wanted to find Qin Yi, but had no idea where she'd gone. She considered returning home but knew she couldn't get in.
Is this Heaven's punishment for throwing a tantrum?
She silently begged: As long as Qin Yi returns, opens the door, and lets me into the warmth of our home, I won't hold anything against her.
Meanwhile, Qin Yi had rushed to the hospital, anxiously asking Su Qiuyun if she had seen Mu Xiaoxiao.
Su Qiuyun smiled knowingly. "Didn't she go home with you? Are you two playing hide-and-seek? Why else would you show up here again?"
She had noticed how much Xiaoxiao had brightened since being with Qin Yi. The serious, mature demeanor Xiaoxiao once wore like armor had melted under Qin Yi's care, allowing her youthful energy to shine through.
This was exactly what Su Qiuyun hoped for. She was so excited about Xiaoxiao's transformation that she called Grandma Chu right away. Grandma Chu was delighted, exclaiming, "Bring my future granddaughter-in-law to meet me soon!"
So when Qin Yi asked in a flustered tone, Su Qiuyun thought it was just playful antics between the two.
Qin Yi kept her polite smile for the elder but was inwardly frantic. She sent Liu Wannian to the surveillance room to review footage from the hospital entrance around the time Mu Xiaoxiao left. Just to be sure, she even checked the restroom herself.
Empty.
An hour had passed since Mu Xiaoxiao vanished.
Liu Wannian returned with no findings but did take a phone call. After hanging up, he approached Qin Yi. "YOung Miss, there's nothing on the footage, but—"
Qin Yi cut him off impatiently, her eyes blazing. ["Don't say anything useless right now!"]
Liu Wannian sighed internally.
Thinking hard, Qin Yi snapped, ["Let's go to Zhang Qiao's place."]
Liu hesitated. "But—"
Qin Yi shot him a dark glare, her eyes glinting with barely contained rage.
Liu Wannian: "..."
At Zhang Qiao's house, she was enjoying fried chicken and Korean dramas in her garden, the rain creating a romantic atmosphere. She looked up when she heard a car pull up, and her excitement peaked as Qin Yi stepped out.
"Sister Qin!" Zhang Qiao greeted enthusiastically.
Normally, Qin Yi would at least offer a nod or a small smile in acknowledgment of her adoring fan. But right now, after Mu Xiaoxiao's game of hide-and-seek, Qin Yi's eyes were red with frustration. ["Where is she?"]
Zhang Qiao blinked, confused. "Who?"
Who else could she be looking for?
Zhang Qiao was momentarily stunned by Qin Yi's appearance—those misty black eyes, full of restrained emotion, her slightly parted lips, flushed red like ripe cherries, and the rise and fall of her delicate collarbone as she breathed.
Qin Yi: "..."
You can always count on unreliable friends to be just as unreliable.
After coming up empty at Zhang Qiao's, Qin Yi climbed back into the car, biting her lip as she tried to think.
Where could she be? She left without her phone, without an umbrella—where would she go in this weather?
"Mu—Xiao—Xiao!" Qin Yi growled under her breath.
In the driver's seat, Liu Wannian gave a small cough. "Young Miss, maybe we should check back at home?"
Qin Yi shot him a sharp glance, and he winced, feeling the pressure of her gaze. But at least she didn't scold him this time. He handed her his phone, showing the surveillance feed.
"Look," Liu Wannian said.
Qin Yi's brows furrowed as she tried to calm her nerves. She took the phone and examined the footage. There weren't many people outside due to the rain. And there, right by the garden gate, sat someone with a lotus leaf on their head—sometimes pointing a middle finger to the sky, sometimes covering their face and kicking their legs in frustration.
Qin Yi stared at the screen, then slowly turned her head toward Liu Wannian. Every hair on his body stood on end. "I was going to say..." he began... But you wouldn't let me.
While Qin Yi raced back, Mu Xiaoxiao sat soaked to the bone, having spent an hour and a half under the relentless rain. She kept glancing up at the sky and down the road, hoping to catch a glimpse of Qin Yi. But there was no sign of her.
Time ticked by, and with each passing second, Mu Xiaoxiao felt more and more abandoned.
This reminded her of the last time she waited endlessly—when she thought, She's coming, she's coming, but was left waiting until night fell.
Is this what it feels like to love someone?
Is this what they call romance?
It's exhausting. No wonder so many therapists avoid falling in love, she thought bitterly.
She longed to call her friend, Zhang Qiao, and provide her with firsthand material for a tragic love story.
Meanwhile, Qin Yi's emotions swung wildly as she neared the house. At first, she imagined tearing Mu Xiaoxiao's head off, then rolling her wheelchair over her in revenge. But then she remembered the footage again—Xiaoxiao shivering in the rain, looking pitiful.
She sighed deeply, deciding to give Xiaoxiao the cold shoulder for a few days, just to teach her not to be so unreasonable in the future.
["Make sure to save those videos,"] Qin Yi instructed Liu Wannian. When we're old, I'll show them to her and let her see how ridiculous she looked.
Liu Wannian: "...Yes, Young Miss."
When they finally arrived, Qin Yi got out of the car.
Mu Xiaoxiao looked up, her teary eyes filled with grievance the moment they met Qin Yi's. And in that instant, Qin Yi's heart shattered.
All thoughts of scolding vanished. Wheeling forward, Qin Yi reached out and gently ran her hand through Mu Xiaoxiao's wet hair.
Mu Xiaoxiao crumbled, standing up to wrap her arms around Qin Yi. "Where did you go?"
Did you leave to eat hot pot in the rain or something?
Why did you take so long?
Qin Yi softly patted her back, and as she felt Xiaoxiao's cold body pressed against her, all her resentment melted into a quiet sigh. Mu Xiaoxiao, you're really something.
With one person's drama, she created a rainy, tear-soaked romance show.
......
Once inside, Mu Xiaoxiao completely collapsed. She curled up on the sofa under a blanket, sniffling and whining as she pulled tissues from the box. "I can't believe such heartless people exist in this world."
Qin Yi ignored her complaints and instructed Liu Wannian to find some cold medicine.
Given Qin Yi's past experiences, the house was always stocked with various medications, regularly checked and updated by Dr. Xu. Liu Wannian found the cold medicine easily. But as he came out holding the medicine, he paused for a moment.
Ah. Two rookies having a squabble.
In the living room, Mu Xiaoxiao lay across the sofa like a spoiled imperial consort, draped in a blanket. She shot a glance at Qin Yi. "Aren't you supposed to be impressive, Yoiung Miss? How come it took you so long to find me? You even went to the hospital and Zhang Qiao's place?"
Now that she had her phone back, Mu Xiaoxiao felt emboldened.
Qin Yi quietly stared at her. If anyone else behaved so boldly in front of her, they'd be finished by now. Raising her hand slightly, Qin Yi's silent expression seemed to ask: Why the tantrum?
Mu Xiaoxiao, still blowing her nose, now felt weak and defeated from the rain. Her hoarse voice sounded soft and pitiful. "What tantrum? I gave you a special performance, but what did you do? You found someone younger and prettier to give me a taste of my own medicine. Who could be happy about that?"
Qin Yi looked at her calmly. ["She's not as beautiful as you."]
"Huh?" That unexpected sweet remark made Mu Xiaoxiao grin uncontrollably. But then, recalling her miserable time in the pouring rain, she couldn't help but grumble, "Unlike you, I don't have a bunch of admirers around me. All I've got are ordinary people."
Qin Yi responded flatly, "Xue Manlan."
Isn't she th supermodel that Mu Xiaoxiao just treat recently?
Mu Xiaoxiao was stumped for a second, then she huffed, raising her voice. "Yeah, that's one. How many do you have? She even calls you 'Sister Qin.'" Pinching her nose, she mimicked in a mocking tone, "'Sister Qin~.'"
Qin Yi remained composed, unfazed by the teasing. She lifted her hand slightly again. ["Do you want to see those two pages Qiuqiu wrote? They're still in the study."]
Mu Xiaoxiao: "..."
"Oh no, my head hurts," Mu Xiaoxiao groaned dramatically, feeling a throbbing pain like needles poking her temples. Her nose was still stuffy.
Liu Wannian, observing that Qin Yi had already outmaneuvered Mu Xiaoxiao in this battle of words, stepped forward and handed Qin Yi the medicine. "Should I call Liu Fang over?"
After Xiao Cui left, a new cook named Liu Fang had joined the household. She was Liu Wannian's cousin—someone he could trust.
Qin Yi waved her hand. These small tasks were things she could handle on her own.
Mu Xiaoxiao didn't want anyone else in the house, either. If others were around, she'd have to restrain herself and couldn't freely throw tantrums at Qin Yi. Muffled by the blanket, she mumbled, "It's fine. I'm here—what's there to be afraid of?"
Liu Wannian: ...
It's precisely because you're here that it's scary. He had never seen the young miss so flustered over anyone before. How could he not be worried?
After Liu Wannian left, Mu Xiaoxiao slumped even further into the sofa, groaning. "I feel awful."
Qin Yi carefully read the instructions on the medicine packet. Her cautiousness came from being burned by Su Lan's antics before, making her extremely attentive with medications. Once satisfied, she brought two sachets of cold medicine and sat down beside Mu Xiaoxiao.
Mu Xiaoxiao eyed her suspiciously. "What are you up to, Young Miss?"
Is she really going to take care of me? She found it hard to believe.
Qin Yi set the medicine down and went to pour a glass of warm water. Then, looking at Mu Xiaoxiao, she ordered coolly, "Open your mouth." Her expression was cold, her tone commanding.
Mu Xiaoxiao, startled, obediently opened her mouth, her heart pounding. Is she really going to feed me medicine? This is amazing. Am I the first person to ever experience this?
While Mu Xiaoxiao was lost in her daydreams, Qin Yi tore open the two sachets and dumped the powder directly into her mouth, followed by a gulp of water. "Swallow."
Mu Xiaoxiao: "..."
It wasn't entirely her fault for being stunned. Qin Yi, after being hurt in the past, had gotten used to taking medicine like this—fast and efficient.
With her mouth full of bitter medicine, Mu Xiaoxiao's face scrunched up like a wrinkled cucumber. "It's awful! I want honey water!"
Qin Yi gave her a glance, then rolled her wheelchair to the kitchen to prepare some.
This feels strange.If anyone else had bossed her around like this, she would've thought they were either bold or reckless.
But with Mu Xiaoxiao, Qin Yi felt a subtle sweetness stirring within her. She could sense Mu Xiaoxiao's affection, and it left her unexpectedly warm inside.
Finally, Qin Yi began to understand. So this is why Xiaoxiao was angry—because of how nice I was to Wei Ran? Because she called me 'Sister Qin'?
While the young miss was lost in thought, Mu Xiaoxiao had already sneaked into the study on the second floor at lightning speed, showing no signs of being sick at all. She looked around, searching—where is that list? She had to destroy that evidence. It didn't matter before if the young miss held onto these things. But now, there was no way she could let her. Absolutely not.
Mu Xiaoxiao searched the drawers sneakily, and after a while, she finally found it in the fourth drawer. Since the young miss hadn't guarded against her, she managed to locate the paper Qiuqiu had written on, along with the sketchbook.
Mu Xiaoxiao's heart pounded, her palms sweaty—it was more effective than any medicine. Just as she tore the notes in the sketchbook, a cold voice came from behind her: "What are you doing?"
Mu Xiaoxiao jumped, spinning around to face Qin Yi.
Oh my god, she nearly lost her soul from fright.
Qin Yi observed her guilty expression, then glanced at the paper and sketchbook in her hands. Instantly, she understood what was going on.
Mu Xiaoxiao: "..."
The twists and turns of life are often so unpredictable. Clearly, she had the upper hand; clearly, she was the one tormented by the rain; clearly, she thought she could now enslave Qin Yi... But why had it turned out this way?
The fate of a thief is always tragic.
......
Outside, the rain continued to patter down. Mu Xiaoxiao wore the emerald green chiffon gown that Qin Yi had chosen for her. One hand held a handkerchief, her hair styled up, humming a tune.
"Ha ah ha ah ha ha
Ha ah ha ah ha
Beautiful West Lake in March,
Spring rain like wine, willows like smoke..."
......
Qin Yi lounged with her legs crossed, munching on sunflower seeds, her expression serene and carefree. A perfectly rainy day began and ended so romantically. It turned out that being together, even with bickering, was a form of happiness.
This feeling was strange and fresh.
As Mu Xiaoxiao lay in bed, she couldn't help but smile. Qin Yi, worried about her, reached out to pat her head.
Mu Xiaoxiao felt as if she were filled with honey. "I'm fine, don't worry."
Qin Yi nodded, "If you don't have a fever tomorrow, you won't need an injection."
Mu Xiaoxiao: ...
What the hell.
Why is she so cruel? Does she really have to crush my sweet mood?
No matter what, Mu Xiaoxiao was still very happy today. She felt she had accomplished something significant by resolving her future worries. "Young Miss, we agreed to tear up that list, and I already sang for you as compensation. Let's not bring this up again."
Qin Yi, who was always willing to take responsibility, nodded.
When people feel unwell, they often feel weak.
Mu Xiaoxiao looked at Qin Yi, her heart racing. "Young Miss, can you tell me a story?"
In the past, her mother and grandmother often told stories when they went to bed. But since Mu got older and was healthy, she rarely had stories told to her. Unlike Qiuqiu, whose childhood memories were filled with the sweet scents of her mother and grandmother along with the sounds of stories.
Qin Yi stared at Mu Xiaoxiao, noting the desire in her eyes. "I... won't."
Hearing the hint of uncertainty in Qin Yi's voice, Mu Xiaoxiao knew she had a chance. She quickly licked her lips and rubbed her hands together. "Please, anything will do! Counting sheep, even!" She simply didn't want Qin Yi to leave, she wanted to spend a little more time with her.
Counting sheep?
After a moment of silence, as the evening light enveloped her, Qin Yi looked almost ethereal, like carved jade. She saw Mu Xiaoxiao's eager eyes and gently parted her lips. "Alright."
She gestured. ["I won't tell a story."]
Mu Xiaoxiao shook her head. "No problem, anything works."
Oh my! Is she really going to listen to the young miss count sheep? Her hand instinctively reached for her phone under the covers, and she pressed the recording button. She wanted to record Qin Yi's voice as she counted sheep, so she could listen to it repeatedly and maybe tease her a little later!
Qin Yi's long eyelashes fluttered as she fixed her deep black eyes on Mu Xiaoxiao. After some contemplation, she slowly said, "I can... recite names for you."
Mu Xiaoxiao: ...???
What?
Qin Yi cleared her throat and began.
"First on the first page, Wang Yu."
"Second, Xiao Lun."
"Third, Liu Tianchun."
...
"First on the second page, Song Ke."
"Second on the second page, Li Long."
...
Qin Yi was reciting the list of suitors that Mu Xiaoxiao had worked so hard to steal and tear up. Hearing the names made the anticipation on Mu Xiaoxiao's face fade away, dimming the light in her eyes and intensifying her headache.
In the end, Qin Yi looked into Mu Xiaoxiao's eyes and casually asked, "Going to sleep?"
Mu Xiaoxiao instinctively pulled the blanket over her head, wrapping herself tightly from head to toe in a self-imposed cocoon.
The Young Miss is just too cunning and loves to bully people.