Chapter 5: She Did It On Purpose

“Here it comes…”

Auntie jogged over to open the door, then turned her head and shouted toward the kitchen, “Xiyan, someone’s here for you!”

“Is it Lin Ci?”

Shen Xiyan wiped his hands and walked out of the kitchen, then suddenly froze mid-sentence.

“Good evening, classmate Shen Xiyan!”

Qin Sheng’s thin lips curled in a smile, and her bright eyes were also smiling. Maybe because she waved too enthusiastically while greeting, her obviously extraordinary chest swayed twice in a startling manner.

“What are you doing here?” Shen Xiyan looked very wary.

Qin Sheng fumbled around in her bag and pulled out an A4-sized paper. “The subject selection form is due tomorrow, and you haven’t filled it out yet. The teacher sent me to check on it.”

Qin Sheng, are we even in the same class? Why are you asking me?

In the previous life, Qin Sheng wasn’t someone who lied like this. No, at least not before she met me.

Could this not be reincarnation, but some damned parallel universe?

Otherwise, how do you explain Qin Sheng’s strange behavior over and over again?

“Classmate Shen Xiyan, can I come in first? It’s so hot outside…”

“Yeah! Why are you blocking her?” Auntie angrily gave Shen Xiyan a light slap, then took out guest slippers and handed them to Qin Sheng.

After Qin Sheng thanked her, Auntie smiled kindly and asked, “Would you like some water?”

“No need to trouble yourself, Auntie. I’m not thirsty.” Qin Sheng gently waved her hand.

Then Auntie turned the blame back on Shen Xiyan. “Subject selection is such a big deal. Why didn’t you discuss it with me? You made this young lady come all the way here.”

Shen Xiyan frowned. “I’m still not sure what I want to choose myself…”

That was the truth. In his previous life, he also delayed until the last moment, torn between future prospects and personal interest.

Everyone said that choosing science would lead to better job opportunities and higher pay. Even part-time tutoring jobs favored science students.

But he just didn’t like science.

In the end, it was Auntie who advised him: follow what you enjoy. High school students shouldn’t bear financial pressure.

If you really have no interest, what’s the point of choosing science? If you can’t study it properly, you might not even get into college…

Then where’s the job going to come from?

Fortunately, his interests didn’t let him down in the end. Both college and career turned out okay.

But reality still wasn’t as smooth as he had imagined—Especially when it came to Qin…

Everyone has the illusion during their first love that they’ll walk the road together forever. Shen Xiyan was no exception.

“Just go wherever you want. What’s the big deal?” Auntie gave him a glare and then turned to Qin Sheng with a warm smile. “Sorry, sorry for troubling you so late.”

“It’s no trouble.” Qin Sheng looked down shyly. “He said long ago that he wanted to bring me to his house for a visit, but we never found the time. Let’s just consider this visit as finally seeing the place.”

Shen Xiyan’s eyes suddenly widened. Even Shen Wen froze.

“So you two have known each other for a long time then?”

Auntie continued to smile warmly, sharply catching on to the key detail in her words.

Not bad, kid!

So he was just pretending earlier in the kitchen. Quietly, he’d already snatched up such a lovely girl.

Would her parents beat him to death?

“Mm, I have a good relationship with Xiyan at school.” Qin Sheng shyly looked down again.

Shen Xiyan almost lost his balance. What’s with calling me “Xiyan” like that again?!

Auntie, don’t get the wrong idea!

But Auntie couldn’t hear the subtext in his heart and just smiled more gently. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

“Qin Sheng.”

“‘Deep feelings and loyalty’—what a beautiful name! And you’re so pretty too…”

“Thank you, Auntie.”

Qin Sheng was clearly happy being praised and even blushed a little. Shen Xiyan was already in despair.

Sometimes words are powerless. Qin Sheng’s occasional innocent blushes were more persuasive than long speeches. Auntie truly bought it.

He really wanted to lay things bare with Qin Sheng…

But with Auntie and Wenwen present, he couldn’t act too weird.

Besides, Qin Sheng was not the kind of person who backed down from a challenge. Once she decided on something, it was very hard to change her mind.

The more you tried to stop her, the more determined she became. He needed to first figure out why she had become like this.

Did the worldline shift?

“Have some water,” Shen Xiyan muttered, handing two cups to the two of them, hoping Qin Sheng would shut up.

“Thank you.” Qin Sheng obediently took the cup and sipped lightly.

Shen Wen licked her dry lips. “Where’s mine?”

Shen Xiyan ignored her.

Auntie gave her cup to Shen Wen and then exchanged glances with her nephew.

[Kid, you’re hiding something!]

[I’m not! Kick her out! Kick her out!]

[Stop fussing. Let me talk to her some more.]

“So Xiyan… are you going for humanities or science?”

Auntie casually picked up the topic again: “Boys usually go for science, right?”

Shen Xiyan glanced at Qin Sheng, thought for a moment, and said, “I want to choose humanities… My grades in politics, history, and geography are pretty good. I’ll submit the form tomorrow at school.”

“So decisive? Then why’d you wait this long and make someone come to your door?”

Auntie, annoyed again, slapped him lightly.

Qin Sheng “sympathetically” stepped in to stop her. “Auntie, it’s okay. There’s no one at my house anyway, so I don’t mind coming late.”

“No one at home?” Auntie picked up on another key detail.

“Yeah, my mom and dad both work. Sometimes I don’t see them for ten days or more. I’m always alone.”

That’s a lie! Shen Xiyan was trembling with anger!

How can someone lie so freely? What about honesty? What about decency?

She hadn’t told a single truth since she walked in the door!

“Then why don’t you stay for dinner? I’ll drive you home afterward.” Seeing Qin Sheng’s hands folded neatly on her lap like a quiet lady, Auntie was in a great mood.

“No need, it’s too much trouble.” Qin Sheng quickly waved her hands and pretended to stand up.

“What trouble? I’m the boss here! Listen to me!”

Qin Sheng “gave in with grace”: “Then I’ll just stay for dinner, but no need to drive me back. The subway’s still running. I’ll take that—it’s not peak hour, so it won’t be crowded.”

“Oh come on, making a trip just for Xiyan is real trouble. I won’t insist on driving, but then let Xiyan take the subway with you. We can’t let a girl go home alone! What if something dangerous happens?”

Qin Sheng “reluctantly” nodded under Auntie’s warm insistence. “Then… I’ll trouble Xiyan?”

“It’s really no trouble! Ask Xiyan if you don’t believe me.”

Auntie turned and looked at Shen Xiyan, locking eyes with him.

She stared. He didn’t flinch, and stared back. She got fiercer and widened her eyes.

He realized he had been set up.

Shen Xiyan gave in. His eyes wandered off and stared at the ceiling.

“You’re so immature! Not as considerate as this girl…” Qin Sheng smiled sheepishly.

But when she lowered her head, Shen Xiyan noticed the corners of her mouth curled into a mysterious smirk.

So wide…

No way “shyness” could explain that. She was definitely doing it on purpose.