"C'mon, get up. You're crushing all the flowers and grass," Qi Yan said with a light chuckle, reaching out to Rin Qin, who lay sprawled on the balcony like a lifeless lump.
"No way. This is so embarrassing," Rin Qin pouted.
"Your panties... I've seen everything under your skirt..."
No normal girl could ignore a wardrobe malfunction like that—unless she was some kind of exhibitionist or professional weirdo.
"Ah!"
Rin Qin snapped out of her daze, jolting upright from the grass. She clamped her hands over her skirt hem, lips pressed tight, and shot Qi Yan a resentful look. "Six years apart, and Brother Qi’s all grown up... and turned perverted."
"Hey, hey! This was your overreaction! You nearly gave me a heart attack—I thought I’d be on tomorrow’s headlines. Seriously, I’m just glad you’re okay."
"Don’t you want to be famous, Brother Qi?" Rin Qin blinked, tilting her head.
"No one wants fame like this. Get inside. You’re scaring people out here."
Still shaken, Qi Yan grabbed Rin Qin’s arm and yanked her through the window. He couldn’t risk any more surprises—his poor heart couldn’t take it.
"Eh..."
Startled by his roughness, Rin Qin flinched like a frightened rabbit but obediently let him help her over the windowsill and back indoors.
"Phew... So... where do I even start?"
Qi Yan had too much to say and ended up tongue-tied.
"So many grass bits. I can’t brush them all off," Rin Qin murmured, patting stray blades stuck to her pleated skirt, frustration clear on her face.
"It’s not just your skirt—your back’s covered too!" Qi Yan pointed out helpfully.
"Mmph... My arms are too short. Brother Qi, clean all this off me," Rin Qin turned her back to him.
"You... still so careless. You’re dressed so nicely—why pull such dumb stunts?"
"Mom did my hair. Mom picked my clothes. Mom even did my makeup."
"You! Fine. I... take that back," Qi Yan sputtered.
After brushing the grass from Rin Qin’s back, Qi Yan spotted purple baby’s breath petals clinging to her skirt. He swatted her butt lightly to dislodge them.
Rin Qin’s body jolted as if electrified. She clapped her hands over her rear and shrieked, "Ah! Brother Qi really is perverted now! You can grope girls without blinking—how many innocent girls have you ruined over the years?"
"Sorry! I didn’t notice. For a second, I thought you were Xiao Ran. Accidentally touching her butt is routine when I take care of her."
"Eh? Eh? Brother Qi and Xiao Ran are still so close? Siblings shouldn’t do certain things after growing up, you know!" Rin Qin wagged a slender finger.
"I know that without your reminders," Qi Yan tapped her forehead lightly. "Guoguo, explain this: why didn’t you recognize me on the street that first time? Why use a fake name? You couldn’t have forgotten me—you took me to Uncle Zheng’s place."
This girl was Aunt Chunxiang’s daughter, childhood friend to both Qi Yan and his sister Qi Ran. Her nickname was Guoguo. She’d thrown a smoke bomb of confusion, leaving Qi Yan’s memories of her hazy. Even Aunt Chunxiang covered for her—when Qi Yan asked, "Do you have a daughter?" she’d sighed, "I wish I had an obedient daughter."
Rin Qin stared at her shoes, fingertips poking each other nervously. "B-because... I was scared. Six years apart... what if Brother Qi turned into a bad guy? I wanted to test you."
"And the results? Did I become a bad guy?" Qi Yan asked wryly.
"Mmm..."
Rin Qin tapped her chin, lost in thought.
Shouldn’t that answer be instant?
"You’re showing early signs of being a bad guy."
"I don’t know if I’m bad, but you’ve definitely turned into a dummy," Qi Yan pulled out the test paper.
"Aaah! Give it back! Now!"
The glaring red "14" stung Rin Qin’s eyes. She let out a cute whimper and lunged for the paper.
Qi Yan held it high—towering over petite Rin Qin, she couldn’t reach it even when jumping.
"Even if you hate math, this score is ridiculous. Do you really despise it that much?"
"I won’t get into college anyway. Might as well half-ass the exams..." Rin Qin mumbled weakly.
"Shouldn’t you be washing cars at Uncle Zheng’s? Why are you back at school? Dropping Xiao Ran off?"
"I’m a teacher at Eastgrain Middle School now. See? My staff ID card," Qi Yan flashed the green card like irrefutable proof.
"Brother Qi’s become my arch-nemesis? I’m heartbroken."
"Isn’t studying a student’s duty? Here’s your test. You know it’s shameful. If you don’t want Vice Principal Zhang yelling at you again, take exams seriously. It’ll save you trouble."
"Mmph..."
Rin Qin clenched her tiny fists, biting her lip, frustration burning in her eyes.
"Don’t pout. I’m serious—"
Plop.
A tear escaped, tracing down Rin Qin’s cheek and splashing onto the floor.
"Dad doesn’t understand me. The teachers don’t either. I thought... I thought Brother Qi and Mom would get me," Rin Qin wailed, heartbroken, and bolted for the door.
"You big dummy, Brother Qi!"
"Guoguo, wait—I meant—"
Qi Yan reached for her arm but grasped empty air. She’d already fled the art room.
Ding-dong!
Qi Yan chased after her, but the dismissal bell rang right on cue. Rin Qin’s figure vanished into the flood of students leaving school.
Qi Yan shook the test paper, scratching his head with a sigh. "Ugh. Still didn’t give her the test back. Won’t listen to advice—is she in her rebellious phase? I’ll meet my sister at the gate first. She can mediate. Girls understand each other better, especially since they were super close before. Xiao Ran’ll be happy to see her. Maybe she’ll even speak up when excited. Anyway, meeting can only help."
