"Assistant, what assistant?"
Qin Tiantian was also taken aback, but after glancing at the girl in front of her a few times, she quickly realized.
"Are you Miss Liu Qinnuan?"
"Yes, it's me." Liu Qinnuan took off her mask, and Qin Tiantian was surprised and covered her mouth.
"It's really you! You must be looking for Xu Lin. I won't disturb you any longer."
"No, no, I'm looking for you."
Xu Lin realized that Liu Qinnuan must have seen Qin Tiantian riding a bicycle earlier.
"Um, you both should go inside and talk."
"Oh, right, let's go inside."
Liu Qinnuan told Qin Tiantian this, who then looked at Xu Lin and nodded before returning to the room.
Once Liu Qinnuan entered, she saw Xu Lin's parents and quickly walked over, giving a slight bow.
"Hello, Uncle and Aunt."
"Hello, Miss Liu."
"Just call me Qinnuan. I brought a small gift." She handed over the bag she was holding, and Li Yuan waved her hand politely.
"Just accept it, and have a seat."
They sat down in the living room. While Liu Qinnuan appeared very graceful and courteous, Xu Lin noticed that she occasionally fidgeted by grabbing her arm or thigh. She seemed somewhat nervous, but Qin Tiantian appeared even more uncomfortable, keeping her head down and remaining silent.
"Ahem, Liu Qinnuan, do you have something to discuss with Sister Qin?"
"Are you two very familiar?"
"Oh… She's the daughter of my uncle's family."
"I see. That's perfect. I'm actually looking for an assistant recently. I saw you on the street earlier and thought your qualifications were quite good."
"No, no, I'm not fit to be your assistant. I'm sorry, I have to go now."
Saying this, she immediately stood up, waved her hand, and walked out the door.
Seeing her leave in such a hurry, Liu Qinnuan wondered if she had been too eager and frightened her.
"We'll talk about her later. Let's eat first."
"Alright." Although Liu Qinnuan wasn't very hungry, it wouldn't be polite not to eat something at this time.
"Uncle and Aunt, please sit."
Liu Qinnuan, showing her thoughtfulness, pulled out chairs for Xu Lin's parents, making them a bit taken aback.
"What kind of drink would you like? Is pure fruit juice okay? Other drinks have higher sugar content."
"Sure, orange juice?"
"Okay."
Xu Lin brought out the dishes, and Liu Qinnuan followed to get the bowls and chopsticks, highlighting her diligence.
"She seems quite similar to Ji Yun, doesn't she?" Li Yuan whispered to her husband. She was quite pleased with the girl.
"You find everyone good, but this girl really does have a big-hearted personality."
"Indeed."
Half an hour later, after finishing a simple meal, with exactly six dishes consumed, Xu Lin's portion control was spot-on. By switching the amount for three dishes to six small plates, they could enjoy a variety of flavors.
"Brother Xu, your cooking skills are truly amazing."
"Alright, you've complimented me over a dozen times already."
"Earlier during the meal, Qinnuan, you mentioned you're from nearby Guanming County? Because of work, you don't live at home, right?"
After dinner, Li Yuan started making small talk, or rather, probing for information.
"Mm, most of the time I'm in Jinling, but I still go home for the New Year every year and haven't bought a house elsewhere."
"I see, I didn't expect Xu Lin to know you. We've seen many of your TV dramas; you're really great."
"It's just a bit of talent," Liu Qinnuan said with great modesty, nodding her head.
"Dear, I can't find my blue shirt!" At that moment, Xu Feng called out from the bedroom.
"It's in the closet."
"I've looked everywhere and can't find it!"
"I'll go check. He's always misplacing things."
Li Yuan smiled at Liu Qinnuan, stood up, and her expression shifted to one of irritation as she went to investigate.
"My mother has a bit of a temper."
"No… I actually think Auntie has a great personality, and Uncle too."
"Mm. By the way, was that Qin Tiantian you saw earlier on Xinghuo Road?" Now that no one else was around, Xu Lin began to inquire about the matter.
"Yes, what a coincidence, right?"
"But you really can't use her."
"Why not?"
Xu Lin took two minutes to explain the situation with Qin Tiantian, though he omitted the minor conflict between Chu Qingchan and Qin Tiantian.
"I see…" Liu Qinnuan's expression became more serious.
"I know she's a victim, but even so, hiring her as an assistant would make her vulnerable to unscrupulous reporters, which isn't ideal."
"Indeed… You're right."
"Mm."
"But I still want her to be my assistant; I think it's feasible."
"Um… but will your mother agree?"
"She will. She doesn't know about the gossip. Besides, wasn't her issue suppressed by Miss Chu? So it should be fine."
"Oh?"
"Chu family members usually handle things all at once. If you search for any recent information about Qin Tiantian on your phone, you won't find anything."
"Are you sure? You're responsible for the consequences."
Seeing her insistence, Xu Lin chose not to argue further. Honestly, if not for Qin Tiantian's past, she seemed quite suitable for the role of an assistant.
"Of course. Also, I believe someone who has experienced hardship will respect me more if I treat her well."
"That's true, but don't be impulsive. It's better to discuss and understand each other before making a decision."
"Then help make the introduction."
"Alright, but I won't be involved. You two can talk."
"Good, at least that's half of the issue resolved."
With that, Liu Qinnuan let out a deep breath and stretched.
"By the way, you seem to be quite close to that Sister Qin, right?"
"Huh? What are you talking about? She's Teacher Su's close friend. I'm just familiar with Teacher Su, so you're saying we're close?"
"You might fool others, but you can't deceive me. You definitely have private contact with her."
This statement left Xu Lin stunned; he had been careful all day and hadn't done anything odd.
"So, Miss Liu, you should speak with evidence."
"Remember when we had barbecue, we ordered ten bottles of drinks?"
"Mm."
"You intentionally ordered two bottles that weren't chilled and gave them to Sister Qin."
"Um… Is there a problem with that?"
"See, you've exposed it! You know her menstrual cycle! Isn't that an issue?"
"Sister Qin told us about her menstrual cycle when we were soaking in the hot springs. Teacher Su wouldn't tell you about her cycle, would she?"
Liu Qinnuan raised one hand, mimicking Conan's pose, "The truth is only one!"
"Sister Qin told me. She was chatting with Teacher Su, and I overheard."
"I don't believe it."
"If you don't believe it, that's fine. I just know about her health situation. I can't ignore it; we're friends."
"Forget it!"
Liu Qinnuan pouted, and Xu Lin's phone rang. He quickly answered.
"Senior Bai? Is something wrong?"
"Xu Lin… I… I forgot!"
"Forgot? You forgot about Uncle Bai?!" Xu Lin was taken aback.
"No, no, I forgot to bring back the little cat I rescued!"
"Really? There was such a thing?!"