“Stop.” The girl didn’t know how far she had walked before she finally stopped in the alley.
The tears that had been stubbornly welling up in her eyes could no longer be contained.
Qin Nanfeng gently embraced her as they slid down the corners of her eyes.
She cried silently, and soon her face was covered with tears, but then Qin Nanfeng pulled her into his arms.
Neither of them spoke. Lin Xinyuan just silently buried her head in that broad, warm chest, trying to calm herself.
‘I’m not worthy…’ She wasn’t crying because of Lin Chongshan—he wasn’t worth that.
It was just that she hated her own weakness, hated that she still had to say so much to that person… She should have ignored him.
But at least from now on, she and Lin Chongshan would be complete strangers.
With that thought, she closed her eyes and tightened her small hand gripping the young man’s clothes.
This scene was soon broken—
“Sis! Where are you?”
Hearing Lin Xinyu’s call, Lin Xinyuan hastily got up from Qin Nanfeng’s arms.
She wanted to wipe her still-wet eyes, but her arm was quickly caught by him.
She looked up in confusion and saw Qin Nanfeng’s gentle gaze as he shook his head. “Don’t use your hands. They’re dirty.”
Saying this, he took out a pack of tissues from his pocket—a habit he had developed since being with Lin Xinyuan.
He pulled one out and began to wipe the girl’s face.
Soon, Lin Xinyu walked into the alley where they were, wanting to see if they were there.
He happened to witness this scene and couldn’t help but close his mouth.
Seeing this warm moment, Lin Xinyu actually hesitated to interrupt…
Fortunately, Lin Xinyuan soon noticed her cousin.
Her fair face blushed, and as if caught cheating, she subconsciously wanted to turn away, but after a moment’s thought, she didn’t move.
While Qin Nanfeng wiped her messy face, she avoided eye contact and asked shyly, “…How… how did you come?” Her voice was soft and muffled from crying.
“That guy came to cause you trouble, so I had to come check on you,” Lin Xinyu said indignantly, blaming Lin Chongshan. “Don’t be afraid. Grandfather will teach him a lesson. He won’t dare to bother you again!”
Hearing his misunderstanding, Lin Xinyuan opened her mouth but didn’t refute it.
“Mm.” She nodded in agreement, but then showed an apologetic expression. “Sorry, cousin, for troubling you…”
“Ah, it’s fine. As long as you’re okay.”
The girl smiled lightly, her heart warming. “Brother, why don’t you go back first? Let Grandfather and the others not worry… I want to go for a walk.”
Hearing this, Lin Xinyu remembered that Lin Chongshan was still at their house, so it really wasn’t suitable for his sister to go back.
So he suggested, “How about I take you two to the old market? There are many stalls there. You can stroll around?”
“No, brother, you should go back. Don’t worry about us…” The girl gently shook her head, rejecting the idea.
“I’ll take good care of her, don’t worry, Brother Yu,” Qin Nanfeng said, giving him a reassuring look.
Seeing his sister’s stubborn expression and then looking at the young man, Lin Xinyu sighed inwardly and finally nodded. “Alright, then have a good walk.”
“Thanks, brother!”
Seeing his sister’s sweet smile, Lin Xinyu’s heart felt a pang of jealousy, but he managed to straighten his expression.
The little jealousy in his heart dissipated considerably. The girl’s beautiful face lit up with an even brighter smile.
Lin Xinyu also saw a different side of his sister for the first time.
At that moment, the worry and gloom in his heart faded away, along with the jealousy toward the young man.
He finally gave a grunt of acknowledgment and walked away, turning back every few steps until he saw the two holding hands ready to leave, then he headed home to reassure the family that the girl was safe.
“Feeling better?” On the other side, after parting with Lin Xinyu, Qin Nanfeng couldn’t help reaching out to pinch the girl’s still slightly sticky cheek, asking with a chuckle.
“Mm…” The girl was annoyed at being touched again, but she didn’t resist—she was used to it. She muttered, “I wasn’t sad…”
Seeing his little girlfriend still being stubborn, Qin Nanfeng didn’t argue, his eyes full of amusement.
When the girl could gather the courage to face her shadows, he knew that his Xinyuan had grown.
Though still a child, she was no longer so timid.
The young man was satisfied inwardly, so he didn’t dwell on the topic and instead changed the subject.
“Oh, by the way… is Xiaoyuan full? How about we go to the place your brother mentioned and buy something to eat?”
As Qin Nanfeng spoke, he boldly reached out to touch Lin Xinyuan’s lower belly.
Even though there was a coat in between, Lin Xinyuan felt this gesture was very strange. It gave her a feeling of being pregnant, with that yellow-haired brat expecting something.
Thinking of this, Lin Xinyuan’s already flushed face turned even redder.
Embarrassed, the unpleasantness from earlier was instantly pushed aside by the image of Qin Nanfeng occupying her heart.
Seeing Qin Nanfeng looking at her gently, she quickly lowered her head guiltily and stammered, “A little bit…”
After checking her hunger, she pouted sheepishly.
“Alright, then I’ll take Xiaoyuan to eat something delicious. I’ll feed you until you become a little piggy, so that future children won’t go hungry. And only I will be the one looking at Xiaoyuan.”
Hearing this, Lin Xinyuan immediately became unhappy.
She glared at him angrily, her soft and cute voice laced with a threat: “You’re the pig! Say that again, and I won’t go!”
“Oh, is that so? Then I give in, okay?” Qin Nanfeng blinked.
“That’s more like it.” Lin Xinyuan lifted her delicate face and huffed, but inside she felt a bittersweet sweetness.
‘Idiot… No matter what… I only want to be seen by you alone…’
Qin Nanfeng had a smile on his lips. With a glint in his eyes, he quickly leaned down while the girl was distracted and stole a kiss from her tempting, “arrogant” little mouth.
“Wow… Xiaoyuan is so sweet.”
“You—” Feeling the brief, warm touch on her lips, Lin Xinyuan was stunned, then felt shy and reluctant.
Her pink lips moved, but she didn’t scold him. Instead, she pretended to ignore him, puffing out her cheeks.
But as Qin Nanfeng pulled her along, inappropriate images popped into her mind… even a bizarre scene of her taking care of a future child…
‘So… in the future, will my child with Feng be a girl or a boy… Does Feng Ge prefer girls or boys… And with my weak body, can I even give birth… I heard it’s very painful. I’m afraid of pain. Maybe I should forget it and think about it when I’m in my thirties… But I’ve also heard that the older you get, the harder it is, and recovery is best when you’re young… And if Auntie and them start pressing…’
At this moment, the girl was tangled in these thoughts, glancing at Qin Nanfeng as she walked, her expressions alternating between joy and sorrow, biting her pink lip, her pretty face very expressive.
Qin Nanfeng seemed to be looking ahead, but his peripheral vision was on the lively girl.
A triumphant smile flickered in his eyes.
‘Just as I expected, she’s my Xiaoyuan… Mm… like this… one step closer to my plan. Trapped… don’t try to escape… Xiaoyuan.’