Chapter 44: Like a Young Wife

Returning to the dining table, Qin Sheng struggled to keep herself from glancing at a certain strange place out of curiosity.

But honestly, there wasn’t anything to be curious about—length, thickness, texture… what didn’t she know already?

So she held her bowl and sipped her porridge in small, delicate gulps.

She really should have devoured Shen Xiyan yesterday. She’d held back for far too long; her overflowing affection had nowhere to go, and it was on the verge of spilling out.

No, it had already spilled out.

When people discuss an event that’s already happened, they love to point fingers and say, “This shouldn’t have been like that,” or “That shouldn’t have been done this way.”

Such people are usually called “armchair strategists,” but the people involved never admit it. Qin Sheng called this: post-event analysis!

Eating has its benefits; not eating has its own advantages.

***

After the meal, Qin Sheng and Aunt cleaned up all the bowls, chopsticks, and dishes together.

Then Aunt sneakily played on her phone. Qin Sheng leaned over for a peek and discovered she was searching for information about stomach cancer.

As everyone knows, illnesses on the internet are always serious.

Qin Sheng had done some silly things as a child too. Back then, she’d had a fever, but couldn’t type and didn’t want to go to her father or stepmother, so she asked the household’s smart AI.

The result was a diagnosis of “complicated myocarditis”—almost at death’s door……………

At the time, Qin Sheng hadn’t thought anything was wrong. She’d even felt somewhat pleased, since she’d never found that home interesting anyway.

But in the end, she didn’t die, because her aunt and Song Wan came by as usual to check on her, found her burning up like a roast pig, and first rushed her to the Hospital.

Then they dragged her father and stepmother over for a thorough scolding.

Qin Sheng lowered her voice: “It’s nothing, Aunt. My dad has connections at the Hospital………………

“Mm.”

“And look, even the internet says there’s no danger, so it really must be fine…”

The reason for those ridiculous answers like “a cold requires amputation below the eyebrows” is that the questions are so vague, and the answers always take things to the extreme.

But now that it’s clearly “early-stage stomach cancer,” everyone’s answer is the same: basically, there’s no danger—just cut it out and you’ll be fine.

Not far away, Shen Xiyan watched the two of them whispering.

Then Wenwen reached out and poked him in the side:

“Brother, you’ve been doing homework all day. Aren’t your wrists tired? Let’s take a break and play a game, okay?”

“…Play what?”

“Poker Cards or Aeroplane Chess! There are exactly four of us………………”

Shen Xiyan looked at her with disdain:

“You’ve still got twelve worksheets and two essays left. Do you really deserve a break?”

“I’ve already done so much~~” Wenwen sprawled lazily over the coffee table, refusing to budge no matter what.

Now that Aunt was here, if she kept working she’d have to think for herself, but she didn’t want to use her brain—she just wanted to copy everything while Aunt wasn’t around.

“Heh heh~~”

No one knows a sister better than her brother.

Shen Xiyan saw right through her little scheme and smacked her on the butt. Wenwen yelped in pain, clutching her backside and baring her teeth as she prepared to go all out against her brother.

Lin Ci quickly wrapped her arms around Wenwen.

“Lin Ci-jie, let go! He always bullies me!” Wenwen deliberately struggled fiercely.

“Alright, alright~~ You know what your brother is like. Don’t stoop to his level.”

When they were young, Shen Xiyan was actually especially gentle with Wenwen.

He was afraid she’d become withdrawn because of “losing both parents,” so within his abilities, he gave her everything he could.

But then, one day, Shen Xiyan changed. He became “unreasonable,” often bullying Wenwen, all the way up to now.

Lin Ci had once secretly asked him about it. Back then, Shen Xiyan said he was copying Aunt—being too gentle only made the other person feel more pressure.

Only by acting carefree could they really laugh things off.

So Lin Ci happily took on the role of peacemaker.

Wenwen glared angrily:

“No way! How old am I and you’re still spanking me? Don’t I have any dignity?! Lin Ci-jie, let go or I’ll bite him to death!”

Him?

Lin Ci sighed helplessly:

“Why bother… When have you ever not been subdued by Xiyan single-handedly?”

Having her little secret exposed, Wenwen’s momentum was instantly cut in half:

“Aiya, Lin Ci-jie, what nonsense are you talking about? With Aunt here, would I be afraid?”

Lin Ci quietly withdrew her hand.

Shen Xiyan cracked his knuckles with a “crack crack” sound.

Aunt couldn’t be bothered with them, choosing to watch from the sidelines.

Seeing this, Wenwen immediately chickened out. She quickly changed the subject and found herself an out:

“If a dog bites me, am I supposed to bite back? Aunt will definitely help me teach her a lesson, right, Aunt?”

Then Aunt gave Shen Xiyan a kick and got up to return to her room to rest.

Nowadays, Shen Xiyan was always happy when Aunt kicked him.

In the end, it was Lin Ci who said, “Xiyan, let’s play together. My hands really are sore.”

Wenwen was even more dissatisfied:

“Why is it that if Lin Ci-jie says it, it’s allowed? But if I say it, it’s not?”

“Because you’re not Lin Ci………………”

Wenwen: “???”

“You all can play, just as long as the teacher doesn’t come looking for me, I don’t care.”

Aunt glanced at Shen Xiyan and said, “Especially you, Xiyan. When I’m not around, keep a close eye on Wenwen. Especially, don’t let her play on her phone late at night.”

Wenwen pouted and shook Aunt’s arm: “Aunt~~ When have I ever? I’m very well-behaved, okay?”

“I’m just reminding you. If I catch you, I’ll have to confiscate your phone.”

“Oh~~”

Wenwen relaxed a lot, pulled out a deck of Poker Cards from under the coffee table, then sidled over and wrapped herself around Shen Xiyan’s arm, habitually leaning her head on his shoulder.

Shen Xiyan breathed in the scent of shampoo wafting from her hair and focused on shuffling the cards.

Qin Sheng quietly ate strawberries, her eyes darting mischievously as she plotted.

After that, Lin Ci said she didn’t know how to play cards, scooted over, and naturally sat next to Shen Xiyan to watch the remaining three play Dou Dizhu.

At first glance, Lin Ci almost looked like Shen Xiyan’s girlfriend, and Qin Sheng secretly gritted her teeth in jealousy.

Winning at cards is thirty percent luck, thirty percent memory, and forty percent logic.

As the landlord, Shen Xiyan was particularly tough to beat. Though he hadn’t played much, his years of managing household expenses had made him very sensitive to numbers.

As more cards were played, he gradually figured out what cards everyone else was holding.

They played three or four rounds in one go, with wins and losses for everyone.

During this time, Lin Ci sat quietly by Shen Xiyan’s side, not talking much or gesturing, just edging closer and closer to watch his cards—almost leaning onto him.

When Shen Xiyan won, she’d cheer.

When he lost, she’d mutter, “What a pity.”

Qin Sheng’s little face darkened like the bottom of a pot.

In the new round, Shen Wen had terrible cards, but Shen Xiyan kept going easy on her, helping her turn the tables.

Then, while shuffling, Qin Sheng eyed the “bomb” card Shen Xiyan was gripping tightly, slapped her long legs on the floor, and complained with a tone full of grievance, “Unfair, unfair! You’re so biased! Playing cards is playing cards—how can you go easy on someone? And why are you only helping Wenwen?!”

“When you were landlord last round, didn’t I help you too?”

“Who asked you to help? What’s the point then?”

“Forget it, isn’t there Aeroplane Chess here too?” Qin Sheng’s eyes spun slyly. “Let’s get Lin Ci to join—stop just watching!”

“We’ll play this, and add some penalties. Whoever loses has to do truth or dare, or perform a talent show………………”

Shen Xiyan felt a chill run down his spine.

He had a bad feeling about this.

With Aunt here, Qin Sheng definitely wouldn’t dare go too far, so truth or dare was actually safer. Was she really aiming for the talent show?

“Forget it, truth or dare is too risky. If it comes down to it, just sing a song or something.”

See, just as expected.