Faced with the truth, Qin Sheng was momentarily at a loss for how to refute or respond.
Though Song Wan was just a high school student, she possessed an invisible yet powerful aura that weighed heavily on people’s hearts.
If one were to explain it scientifically—her features fit the idealized aesthetic of a domineering beauty, paired with a mature sense of style.
Add to that her position as the student council president, and she had an effortless command over any situation, no matter how large.
“Our mothers are sisters.”
Song Wan’s voice was smooth and languid—not the delicate tone you’d expect from a teenage girl. It was soft, rich, and carried a natural air of pride and allure, enough to stir the heart of anyone who listened.
“Shen Xiyan, right? That kid’s got plenty of issues. I’ll be counting on you to take care of him…”
Song Wan chuckled softly. In that instant, her charm bloomed like a ripple across still water. Shen Xiyan instinctively furrowed his brow and averted his gaze.
To the bystanders, her words sounded sincere, even warm. The tension in Lin Ci and Shen Wen’s hearts eased significantly. Almost without realizing, they nodded slightly.
But Qin Sheng couldn’t hold it in any longer—she shot Song Wan an irritated glare.
“Are you done yet?”
“I’m just concerned about you. It’s fine to have fun, but don’t take it too far…”
Song Wan was smiling, yet Shen Wen felt an unmistakable threat lurking behind those words. She shivered involuntarily.
Was it just her imagination?
Lin Ci bit her lip and subtly shifted her body, inching a little closer to Shen Xiyan.
“When you have time, come over for dinner. My mom misses you…”
Song Wan gave her a light pat on the shoulder before finally turning to leave.
Shen Wen’s mouth hung open in shock. “Qin Sheng-jie… You two are actually sisters?!”
They’d all been in high school for a year already.
She knew both Song Wan and Qin Sheng fairly well, but never once had she heard that they were related!
Qin Sheng frowned. Knowing she couldn’t hide it anymore, she sighed and told the truth.
“My parents divorced when I was little. My mom didn’t want me, so I stayed with my dad. I didn’t really keep in touch with that side of the family.”
“…Oh. Sorry.”
“It’s fine.”
Qin Sheng took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Then she looked at Shen Xiyan and warned, “Just stay away from her, alright? That woman is crazy.”
In their past life, in order to prove that she and Shen Xiyan didn’t actually like each other—that it was all just a moment of impulse—Song Wan had used herself as bait.
If Qin Sheng hadn’t interrupted things halfway through, Shen Xiyan would’ve been drugged and dragged into bed…
Of course, nothing would’ve actually happened between them. Song Wan just needed the “evidence.”
But to Qin Sheng, who saw Shen Xiyan as her untouchable bottom line, that act was utterly unforgivable.
Shen Xiyan stared at her seriously.
“Is that really how you talk about your own sister? I thought she seemed fine. She has a good reputation at school…”
BANG!
Qin Sheng slammed her hand on the table and stood up, rage simmering under her skin.
“I said no, and I meant it!”
The world fell silent in an instant.
Lin Ci and Shen Wen stared at her in stunned disbelief.
Shen Xiyan was looking too—his brows drawn together, face expressionless.
Under the table, Qin Sheng’s hands were tightly clenched. Though no one could see it, she was clearly anxious.
She could feel it—she’d lost control.
Damn it…
She had promised herself to stay calm. Not to leave a bad impression on Xiyan.
And yet, it was only the second day…
The tension froze time.
All the noise around them faded, replaced by a suffocating stillness.
Compared to Lin Ci and Shen Wen’s confused and frightened thoughts, wondering why Qin Sheng had suddenly lost her temper, Shen Xiyan was filled with something else—shock.
Qin Sheng… was actually angry because of Song Wan?
With her personality, that could only mean one thing—she saw Song Wan as a threat.
But in their previous life, they’d barely interacted in the student council.
Even though Song Wan came off as cold and was often sharp with Qin Sheng, she was also a full-on sister complex type.
She had always believed Shen Xiyan’s acceptance of Qin Sheng had ulterior motives, so their relationship had never been particularly close.
It felt like the timeline of this world had completely gone off the rails.
“…We should head back.”
Shen Xiyan stood up, tidied the table, and carried his tray to the return station. Qin Sheng let out a deep breath and hurried after him.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to just now… it’s just, seeing her reminds me of my mom… It won’t happen again.”
Expressionless, Shen Xiyan nodded.
“I get it. We’re heading back to class. You should go too. Art students take a different route from us.”
With that, he led Lin Ci and Shen Wen away.
The crowd around them buzzed with murmurs and speculation.
You could already imagine the new rumors: after “Qin Sheng and Shen Xiyan are dating,” now came “Qin Sheng and Shen Xiyan had a fight.”
Once they were a bit farther away, Lin Ci muttered, “That was the first time I’ve seen Qin Sheng get angry…”
“You’ve only known her for a day. Of course it’s your first time.”
“Huh? But it’s my first time too!”
“…Still, I didn’t think she’d get mad at you.”
Over the past two days, Qin Sheng had acted like the ultimate simp around Shen Xiyan—so much so that even Lin Ci, a fellow girl, was getting annoyed on his behalf.
Shen Wen pouted in indignation. Shen Xiyan tapped her on the head and squeezed his bicep playfully.
“What are you mad for? Isn’t that what big brothers are for?”
“A divorced family… that’s understandable. I’d be angry too if someone said bad things about my parents.”
“You?”
Shen Wen gave him a skeptical look. Shen Xiyan burst out laughing and gave her a rough head rub, turning her hair into a mess.
She retaliated with a flurry of punches and kicks.
“With strength like that, you think you can stand up for me?”
“Oh right, ge!”
Shen Wen suddenly remembered something. She pulled out a brand new school ID card from her pocket.
“When Qin Sheng-jie left just now, she gave me two cards. This one’s yours.”
“What about the other?”
“She said it’s hers, but since she doesn’t live on campus, she won’t use it. And the money can’t be withdrawn, so she told me to use it instead of letting it go to waste…”
Shen Xiyan’s face turned serious.
“Give me the card.”
Shen Wen obediently handed it over. Shen Xiyan walked to the school store and bought a bottle of water.
The balance on the card: thirty thousand yuan.
The shopkeeper’s eyes widened.
In all her years running this place, she’d never seen anything like that.
Was this a mining tycoon’s daughter or what?
Just eating at the cafeteria, and she needed that much?
Shen Wen’s jaw dropped. “Why is there so much money?!”
“There are about 200 school days a year. Over two years, that’s 400 days. Divide it out, that’s around 80 yuan per day. The two of us could live pretty well on that—and still have money left over.”
Lin Ci frowned deeply.
“Didn’t she say she didn’t have a school card?”
“They give you one when you register. Of course she has one. She just said that so she could share mine at mealtimes.”
“…If I agreed, great. If I didn’t, she’d just play dead and run to you or Wenwen. Might as well save the trouble and use mine.”
“That’s way too much money. We have to give it back.”
Suddenly, the card in Shen Wen’s hand felt as heavy as a brick.
If it were a hundred or two, fine—Qin Sheng didn’t use it much, and they were kind of friends. No big deal.
But thirty thousand?!
Sure, everyone knew Qin Sheng came from money. But this was over the top.
If her aunt found out, she’d be dead.
“Just keep it. Don’t use it.”
“Why not return it?”
“Because I already know exactly what Qin Sheng would say. If you give it back, she’ll say gifts can’t be returned, then throw it on the ground.”
“And since she doesn’t care about money, she really will leave it there. Then what? Pick it up and look shameless? Don’t pick it up and waste it?”
“You know her that well?”
Shen Xiyan shrugged.
“She’s nuts. Haven’t you noticed?”
Normal people leave some wiggle room in what they do.
Qin Sheng doesn’t.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been so reckless when they were dating—always throwing out threats.
Because she knew he’d never walk away.
“In short, don’t get too close to Qin Sheng. Or you’ll end up counting money for the person who sold you.”
“???”
The three of them walked out of the cafeteria, each lost in their own thoughts.
But just as they passed the grove, a crowd blocked their path.
The boy leading the group looked young, but his eyes carried arrogant defiance.
“You’re Shen Xiyan, right?”
“I’m Qin Ge. Qin Sheng’s brother. Let’s talk.”
“…Ge.”
“…Xiyan.”
Shen Xiyan shook his head, whispered something into Lin Ci’s ear, and gently nudged the two girls back.
“It’s fine. You go ahead. There are too many people here—they won’t dare try anything.”
“Will you be okay?” Lin Ci asked worriedly.
“Just do what I said.”
“Are you done talking yet?” Qin Ge didn’t seem in a hurry.
But maybe it was just his imagination—because for some reason, he saw something like hostility in Shen Xiyan’s eyes.
Wasn’t that supposed to be fear?