The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Qin Wuyue took Lin Yu from the office building back to Lan Lan’s home along the shortest route, and it only took a few minutes.
But those few minutes felt like years to Lin Yu.
A wild wind rushed at him, making it impossible to keep his eyes open, let alone speak. The moment he opened his mouth, he almost choked on the wind.
And, most importantly…
Normally, he didn’t get motion sickness, but tonight, this giant vehicle dragging him along was so bumpy that he nearly stumbled as soon as they landed. His legs almost gave out, and it was only thanks to Qin Wuyue catching him that he didn’t fall.
“What’s wrong, Xiaoyu? Are you okay?” She smiled at him, her eyes full of a mischievous satisfaction at having gotten her revenge.
Now you know fear, you little brat. That’s what you get for playing favorites—hmph!
Lin Yu glanced at her, his face sour. Just as he opened his mouth, a wave of nausea hit, and he hurriedly ran under a tree, clutching the trunk as he began to…
Qin Wuyue came up behind him, biting her lips to keep from laughing, gently patting his back. “You actually threw up? Did Aunt Qin’s driving get you too excited?”
“……?”
After vomiting, Lin Yu gasped for breath, a big question mark hanging over his head. He felt like something had just run over his face, but he had no evidence.
“Aunt… Aunt Qin, you… sigh… As long as you’re happy.”
“Hahaha~” Seeing his speechless look, Qin Wuyue couldn’t hold back anymore and burst out laughing. The bad mood in her heart disappeared completely.
“All right, let’s go. In a moment, whatever you see—don’t be surprised.”
“Huh?”
Lin Yu soon found out why she warned him not to be surprised.
Qin Wuyue took out a key and opened the door, kicked off her high heels, and walked inside barefoot. “Come in.”
Lin Yu looked at the place—by all standards, it was downright “simple”—and couldn’t quite believe his eyes.
“What? Surprised that the grand Chief herself lives here?”
Lin Yu subconsciously nodded. The house was normal, but considering Lan Lan’s status, it just seemed out of place.
It was a perfectly ordinary two-bedroom apartment in a residential building, furnished in a regular way. There were no signs of luxury anywhere.
Qin Wuyue plopped herself carelessly onto the sofa and glanced back at Lin Yu, who was still standing there.
“Don’t just stand there like an idiot. Go get me a beer from the fridge. It’s way too hot.”
“Oh, oh…”
Lin Yu took a pair of brand-new slippers from the shoe cabinet and put them on, then walked up to what seemed to be a refrigerator.
It looked like a fridge, felt like a fridge, and even hummed with the familiar “buzz” of refrigeration.
He opened it slowly… and sure enough, it was a fridge.
There were some fruits and vegetables, leftovers packed in takeout boxes, and a few cans of beer in the door’s organizer.
“It really is a fridge…”
Honestly, Lin Yu still couldn’t believe this was Lan Lan’s home. It was just too plain.
Even his own family’s house was more luxurious than this.
“What else did you think it was? A sealed cryo-cabinet filled with physical enhancers? Hurry up, if Aunt Qin doesn’t get an ice-cold beer in ten seconds, who knows what I might do~”
Hearing Lin Yu mutter, Qin Wuyue deliberately turned her head and said that.
Lin Yu wasn’t afraid she’d really do something, but he saw no need to tempt fate.
He sat down on the other end of the sofa, keeping a safe distance from her, and handed her the beer.
Qin Wuyue took it, popped the tab, and gulped down a huge swig, letting out a satisfied sigh afterward.
“Ha~ That’s the spot!”
Lin Yu blinked. He’d never seen this side of Qin Wuyue before.
All along, she’d always seemed like someone who had everything under control—graceful, composed, elegant.
But now, this… bold and carefree look was a bit refreshing.
Holding the beer in one hand, she reached up and removed the hair clip from the back of her head, letting her glossy hair fall carelessly over her chest.
She turned and caught Lin Yu looking at her, and her lips curved up. “What are you staring at?”
“Nothing.” Lin Yu sized up her current appearance. “You just seem really different from how you are at home, Aunt Qin.”
Qin Wuyue raised an eyebrow. “Do I?”
She set the beer down, then leaned back into the sofa, totally relaxed.
“Maybe it’s because I want to keep a perfect mother’s image in front of Yanran.”
Lin Yu didn’t doubt that.
Because a person like her… the more they repress themselves, the wilder they get when they let go—he’d experienced that firsthand.
He wanted to joke along with her, but decided it was safer to say less and do less.
But clearly, Qin Wuyue wasn’t about to let him off so easily.
She sat up, propping herself up with both hands as she slowly leaned in, her shirt’s buttons straining over her full chest, as if they might pop at any moment.
“Xiaoyu.” As she got closer, a fragrant breath—mixed with the scent of beer—drifted from her lips. “Aren’t you curious why I’m not pretending anymore?”
Not curious, don’t want to know, not interested.
Lin Yu really wanted to answer like that, but was afraid she’d snap. He’d just gotten off a “rollercoaster”; who knew what kind of “ride” she’d take him on next if he pushed his luck.
“Wh-why?” He edged back, but there was nowhere left to retreat—he’d fall off the sofa if he moved any further.
Qin Wuyue watched him struggling to keep his composure, and found it quite amusing—and perhaps she liked this helpless, powerless side of him a little too much.
Maybe even she didn’t realize, but her current actions had more than a hint of s.
She lifted her hand and hooked Lin Yu’s chin with a finger, her eyes shimmering. “Because you’ve already seen Aunt Qin at her worst—I’ve got no image to maintain in front of you.”
Their faces were so close that the slightest accident would have them kissing.
“N-not really…”
Lin Yu actually wanted to resist, maybe even reach for the back of her neck to make her behave.
But Qin Wuyue gave him no chance—and nothing unexpected happened either.
Like a master of changing faces, she suddenly pulled back, her expression turning cold as she distanced herself and shot him a sidelong glance.
“By the way, Xiaoyu, do you remember what I said earlier?”
“Huh?” The sudden shift in her attitude left him stunned, momentarily unable to react.
“I said—what’s your relationship with that girl called Ye Ling? Speak! If you don’t, you can forget about sleeping tonight!”
Upon hearing this, Lin Yu’s expression turned colorful.
Oh, Aunt Qin, you might as well come at me directly instead of asking this. I really don’t know how to explain! And even if I told you, would you believe me?
Once again, he sighed to himself—this woman really is unwell. Moody and unpredictable must’ve been invented for her.
While he racked his brains, searching for words, stammering out things like “there’s nothing between me and Ye Ling,” “we’ve only known each other for a day,” “not even friends yet,” and so on—words that made no sense even to himself—
Qin Wuyue, appearing to listen with a cold face, couldn’t even hear what Lin Yu was saying over the thundering of her own heartbeat.
Qin Wuyue, you’re really crazy. Just now you actually… wanted to kiss him. If you were the one to initiate, that would change everything!
Lin Yu would never have guessed, and never had a chance to know, that his Aunt Qin was such an emotional whirlwind inside.
By nearly three in the morning, Qin Wuyue finally let Lin Yu go, letting him sleep in the guest room while she went to Lan Lan’s bedroom.
“Oh right, Xiaoyu, just now Aunt Qin was sleeping in that bed, so don’t go sniffing around and doing anything weird~”
“…Who would do that?!”
“Hahahaha~”
Amidst Qin Wuyue’s unrestrained laughter, Lin Yu collapsed onto the bed and drifted off to sleep.