Song Lin held a cigarette as he examined his cards, his voice deep and resonant as he remarked, "Where did you find her? Still capable of throwing a tantrum."
"Delivery right to your doorstep, and it's free."
Shaking his head, Song Lin retorted, "Only you will pick up any woman regardless of who she is; even a motherly figure won't be spared."
"Hey." He Huai wasn't entirely satisfied with this description. "How am I someone who picks at everything?"
Song Lin exhaled a cloud of smoke, a disdainful sound accompanying it, but he didn't argue further.
"Old Song, what's your point? Don't just say half of it, if you've got the guts, say it all!" He Huai persisted, unrelenting.
Shen Qian lifted an eyelid, his gaze shifting from the poker cards in his hand to He Huai's face. "Ah Lin's point is, that girl isn't impressive."
He Huai nodded in firm agreement. "You've got better judgment, Ah Qian. She dared to label herself as the pure campus belle, who knows how many men she had slept with. Does she think I'm blind?"
Shen Qian didn't engage further, announcing, "A pair of queens," and focused on playing his cards.
Qin Zeyan furrowed his brow slightly, unable to hold back any longer. "Ah Huai, ease up a bit. After all, she's a young woman; don't go too far."
As soon as those words escaped, Qin Zeyan regretted them.
Shen Qian and Song Lin exchanged a glance; the former sighed softly, and the latter shook his head.
Because He Huai was a "motor mouth". Whether he was right or wrong, this master of words never admitted his faults. If one dared to challenge his correctness, he would have to brace himself for an endless onslaught of words that could drive anyone to the brink of madness.
As expected—
"Zeyan, you're actually accusing your brother for a woman?"
It had begun... Qin Zeyan's headache intensified, and wisely, he refrained from speaking further, fearing He Huai would escalate.
But clearly, the "motor mouth" had no intentions of letting it go.
"Why stay silent? What's the matter? Is a woman such a big deal to you? Does being female make her impressive?"
A twitch formed at the corner of Qin Zeyan's mouth.
"True." He Huai mused to himself, "Female mosquitoes suck blood, males don't. Looking at it this way, it's quite impressive indeed."
This time, even Song Lin couldn't help but massage his forehead, sighing internally, oh, another bout of madness.
He Huai remarked, "Zeyan, I haven't wrongly accused that woman. If you don't believe me, I can call her and ask her to come back."
"Don't... I believe you. I misunderstood you. I was wrong, and I sincerely repent."
Muttering, He Huai grumbled, "That's more like it..."
Qin Zeyan wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, and resolved to stay out of other people's business from now on, especially He Huai's business.
"Zeyan, let me tell you, women come in different types too. If you're so indiscriminate, your brother here has to enlighten you. So you won't be deceived in the future, blablabla..."
Once the gates of words were unleashed, there was no stopping them.
Song Lin gathered his poker cards, and placed them face down on the table, ignoring He Huai's ongoing lecture about understanding women—
"Ah Qian, I heard you gained a little sister?"
This statement effectively silenced He Huai.
In less than two seconds, he responded, "Little sister? A romantic interest?"
Finally, the focus shifted.
Qin Zeyan, just learning this piece of news, couldn't help but be surprised. Unlike He Huai, Shen Qian wasn't one to readily accept anyone who came along, regardless of background. The concept of a "romantic interest" was likely out of the question. Unless...
"Half-sibling," Shen Qian calmly interjected.
He Huai froze, "Illegitimate child?"
Song Lin: "Duh."
He Huai was speechless.
After a moment's contemplation, Qin Zeyan asked, "Did your grandfather approve of it?"
Shen Qian nodded.
He Huai chimed in, "Your dad's 'other woman' must be quite bold to have confidently brought the child into the legitimate family."
Qin Zeyan kept signaling to him with his eyes and subtly tilted his chin towards Song Lin.
He Huai cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Uh... I was just talking nonsense. Forget it."
Among the four of them, only Song Lin was a bastard child, and certain things were indeed better left unprobed, so as not to reopen old wounds.
Shen Qian added, "That woman is dead."