When they got home, Shen Xiyan reached for his keys to unlock the door. But with both hands full of shopping bags, it was more of a struggle than he expected.
Just as he was about to set the bags down, Qin Sheng reached over from a step behind and took the heavier one from him. Her lips pouted in mock annoyance.
“Still trying to act tough? I told you to split the load with me, but nooo—you had to carry everything yourself! Now you can’t even get your keys out.”
Shen Xiyan shot her a look. “You think I don’t know what you’re up to?”
Qin Sheng blinked innocently. “What am I up to?”
He gave a cold laugh. The moment he asked her to help carry something, the next moment she’d be trying to hold his hand.
“Give me the bag.”
“The bag?” Qin Sheng looked down, then slowly grinned in a strange, smug little way.
Before Shen Xiyan could react, she elbowed past him and squeezed into the house ahead, calling out breathlessly with cheerful enthusiasm, “Auntie! Sorry to bother you again today~~”
“You’re back?” Her aunt stood up quickly. When she saw the bag in Qin Sheng’s hand, she half-scolded,
“You didn’t have to carry anything! Doesn’t he still have one good hand?”
Shen Xiyan always insisted he wasn’t into her—but his aunt suspected he was just insecure.
And the more she watched them, the more she felt they looked like a perfect match.
Just look at them: coming home from grocery shopping like some newlywed couple after work!
Girls like Qin Sheng were rare these days—who cared if they were a little young?
In Aunt Jiangxi’s eyes, boys or girls, young people usually dated for simple reasons.
Maybe it was genuine liking, maybe just curiosity.
If there’s a chance to make it happen, take it—before the other kid’s parents show up!
“Xiyan must be exhausted doing everything himself…”
“You shouldn’t be carrying it either! Give it to me!”
She rushed to take the bag from Qin Sheng’s hands and was startled by how heavy it was—her eyes filled with concern.
Then she spotted Shen Xiyan coming in behind them, holding a much lighter bag of vegetables. Her expression darkened instantly.
“Shen Xiyan! What the hell? You let Qin Sheng carry the heavy stuff and kept the light bag for yourself?!”
“…”
People make impulsive decisions when they’re not in the right headspace.
Right now, Shen Xiyan was deeply regretting his life choices. His arms were still sore, yet he was the one getting yelled at?
And Qin Sheng—how could she be so shameless?
Acting all smug like she did him a favor?
If it were any other girl pulling this, he’d probably find it annoying. But when it was Qin Sheng, it just… felt normal.
Not because he liked her or anything—just that this kind of chaos was very her.
She’d been like this for the past ten years.
People are always more forgiving to those they’ve mentally labeled as “low-maintenance.”
“It’s not his fault—I wanted to carry it,” Qin Sheng said quickly.
“He twisted his wrist earlier in a fight.”
“???” Shen Xiyan froze.
The moment Auntie heard that, her face turned grave.
“Wenwen told me what happened. I’m sorry you got caught up in all this.”
“It’s fine,” Qin Sheng said. “The guy picked the fight. Getting beat up was his own fault. I don’t even get along with him. As long as Xiyan’s okay, that’s all I care about.”
There it was—Qin Sheng’s “bottom line”: As long as Xiyan’s okay.
“You two barely know each other, and you’re already in this kind of mess. I feel bad for you.”
“Oh, no need!” Qin Sheng said brightly.
“It’s my first time too, after all. I was nervous at first—not sure if I’d made the right choice—but the more time I spent with Xiyan, the more I realized that even though he seems rough around the edges, he’s actually really gentle. He really looks out for me. I don’t regret a thing.”
Aunt Jiangxi stared at her, stunned.
Individually, those words didn’t mean much. But strung together like that?
They practically came with romantic music and soft lighting.
Total mosaic-worthy levels of public affection.
“Shen Xiyan!”
He stayed calm, but subtly edged away from Auntie.
“You actually believed her nonsense?”
Qin Sheng looked hurt.
“I was telling the truth!”
“???”
Under Shen Xiyan’s withering glare, Qin Sheng instinctively ducked behind Auntie, eyes big and shining like a cartoon kitten.
Which only made Auntie adore her more.
Where could you find a girl this cute?
“She was telling the truth,” Auntie muttered, though she also noted: Qin Sheng had conveniently trimmed some parts out… and twisted the rest just enough to cause misunderstanding.
It took some serious effort for Shen Xiyan to explain the full story to his aunt—without sparing Qin Sheng’s pride. He flat-out exposed her for deliberately “crafting misunderstandings.”
Qin Sheng acted very “ashamed.”
A deep blush crept up from her milky-white neck all the way to her ears. She kept her head down, fidgeting with her fingers like she didn’t know what to do.
Aunt Jiangxi saw it all… and decided it didn’t matter. She stubbornly chose to believe Shen Xiyan was in the wrong.
“Qin Sheng, that was a lot to carry, huh?”
“It wasn’t bad. Xiyan kept me company and we chatted, so I didn’t notice.” Qin Sheng smiled faintly, calm and composed.
But to Auntie?
That look screamed: I’m so happy I could die.
“You two go sit down. I’ll finish dinner—can’t let a guest do the work when she’s staying over.”
“It’s already cooked!”
“Then I’ll help with the dishes. Xiyan bought tons of good stuff today—I’m gonna go ‘steal a bite’ in the kitchen!” Qin Sheng beamed, heading off to find a cup and pour water for Auntie like she lived there.
Auntie blinked. Something felt… off.
“Just give us a few minutes, Auntie. We’ll be quick!”
Aunt Jiangxi suddenly understood.
Oh no. I’ve been replaced… I mean—I’m the guest now!
But Qin Sheng didn’t “notice” anything odd. This was just how she was—naturally good at playing the perfect future wife.
Once she dragged Shen Xiyan into the kitchen, he hissed through gritted teeth, “You’re putting on an act again!”
He glanced back at the aunt, who was clearly already charmed beyond saving.
Qin Sheng’s big eyes curved into crescent moons.
“But it worked, didn’t it? I mean, look at me—pretty, polite, from a good family. What’s not to like?”
She could fake it for everyone else. But Shen Xiyan?
He hated lies.
So she wanted him to accept the real her—little by little.
Even that kiss in the beginning had been to lower his expectations.
She might not be the perfect domestic goddess. But if he could accept this version of her… Qin Sheng was confident she’d become his biggest addiction—emotionally and physically.
“Can you be serious for once?”
“Of course I can!” she said sweetly.
“I love you.”
“OUT!”
Still smiling, she tilted her head.
“Okay okay, I’ll go. Your aunt and I still have a lot to talk about~”
Shen Xiyan let out a breath.
Honestly, at this point, he’d rather she spend time with Auntie than stay here grinding down his willpower.
“But Xiyan,” she added, pausing at the door, “you can say you don’t like me a thousand times. Words might fool the brain…”
Smack!
She placed a hand over his chest.
“…but they can never fool the heart.”
Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
His heart pounded wildly.
Seeing the reaction she wanted, Qin Sheng followed his gaze and seemed to realize what he was thinking.
She puffed out her chest, leaned in with a sultry grin, and whispered: “Wanna feel mine too? My heart beats faster when I lie. You could use it to tell when I’m fibbing. Plus—great texture, excellent flavor. Want a taste?”
“…???”
“Hmm?”
“GET OUT!”
“Okay okay~”
Qin Sheng giggled, utterly pleased with herself, and sauntered away.