Qin An tugged at Qin Qin, "Qinqin, say less, after all, they are your Big Aunt and Fourth Aunt."
"Big Aunt? Fourth Aunt? Dad, I might treat them as Big Aunt and Fourth Aunt, but I doubt they consider me their niece. You're their second brother, are relatives supposed to act like this? Just for five hundred yuan they need to make a scene every day?"
Qin An hung his head low; he knew his daughter was right. Even though he was disappointed in them, he couldn't allow his daughter to be pointed at and talked about because of them.
"Humph, five hundred yuan? Can you even come up with it?" Lee Shuhua snorted disdainfully as she looked at the father and daughter.
Qin Qin sneered and pulled out three hundred yuan from her pocket, tossing it straight to Lee Shuhua, "It's just five hundred yuan, here, I'm paying you back."
Lee Shuhua couldn't believe that Qin Qin actually had the money to pay her back, "You... where did you get this money from? Don't tell me you stole it! Look at that, Qin Qin has learned to steal money at such a young age, Qin An, you don't even discipline your daughter, what will she become when she grows up."
"Yes, second brother, how can Qinqin have so much money? It couldn't possibly be stolen, could it?!" Zhang Jine added in astonishment, even wearing an expression as if she were enjoying the spectacle.
"Qinqin, where did you..." Qin An, while believing his daughter hadn't stolen anything, was still puzzled about the origin of the money.
Qin Qin patted the back of Qin An's hand, "Dad, don't worry, this money was given to me by someone I helped to save." Forgive her white lie, after all, if she told the truth, no one would believe her, would they?
Qin An finally felt somewhat relieved and nodded, "Dad believes you, but even if you saved someone, you shouldn't take money from them, alright?"
Qin Qin smiled, "I know, Dad!"
"Qin An, you just believe whatever Qin Qin says?! Who would give out money so generously, how could that be possible?!" Zhang Jine glared at the money on the ground with some jealousy, wondering why she wasn't as lucky.
Qin Qin turned her head and glared at Zhang Jine, "Fourth Aunt, only a dirty person would harbor such dirty thoughts!"
"You..."
Zhang Jine was about to explode with anger, but seeing Qin Qin's eyes narrowing, the cold and gloomy look in them choked the words right in her throat. Oddly enough, today Qin Qin's gaze seemed terrifyingly daunting.
Seeing that Zhang Jine had fallen silent, Qin Qin turned to Lee Shuhua and spoke, "Big Aunt, we returned the money to you, so please don't make a scene outside other people's homes again, just as you said, it's ill-mannered."
Lee Shuhua glared furiously at Qin Qin, "You little wretch, how dare you speak to me like that, looking for trouble! Pick up the money for me!"
"Pick it up?! Sorry, this is not my money; I've already repaid you the five hundred yuan, so it's yours now. Moreover, it seems to be Big Aunt who dropped it, if Big Aunt doesn't want her own money, there are plenty of people here willing to pick it up for you."
After Qin Qin spoke with a raised corner of her lips and in a slow, soft voice, the next moment, Lee Shuhua's expression changed abruptly, and she hurriedly squatted down, picking up the five hundred yuan and stuffing it into her bosom, as if afraid someone would take it away.
Witnessing this, Qin Qin lifted a faint smile, yet the smile didn't reach the depth of her eyes.
Qin An had been watching Qin Qin, feeling that his daughter had changed a lot since leaving the hospital. The Qin Qin of the past would have been scared pale by just a word from Lee Shuhua.
Sensing Qin An's gaze, Qin Qin turned to him with a warm smile, bringing a lot of comfort to Qin An's heart, making him stop overthinking.
"Oh, by the way, Big Aunt, I suggest you hurry back home, for uncle is about to arrive, be careful he…"
Qin Qin smiled mysteriously at Lee Shuhua. She had seen in Lee Shuhua's reactions that uncle Qin Shuqing would come over to scold Lee Shuhua for causing a scene, dragging her away without mercy. Lee Shuhua would then fall face-down to the ground, face covered in mud, and even come to blows with him in public. The scene made Qin Qin laugh inside.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Lee Shuhua frowned, but just as she finished speaking, she saw Qin Shuqing running over from a distance, an ugly expression on his face, who pulled Lee Shuhua's hand and started dragging her towards home without explanation. Lee Shuhua, caught unawares, was pulled to the ground, face meeting the dirt, and when she lifted her head, her face was smeared with mud, and it seemed like her nose was even bleeding a little.
"Ah, I'm bleeding, Qin Shuqing, I'm going to fight you!" Lee Shuhua got up and started lashing out at Qin Shuqing.
For many years, Qin Shuqing had always yielded to Lee Shuhua, never once talking back, which only worsened Lee's temper. So much so that she dared to strike him even in public.
Resentful of Lee Shuhua for disrespecting him, Qin Shuqing delivered a slap to her face, turning her head sharply to the side and leaving a handprint on her cheek.
"Qin Shuqing, I've been with you for so many years, and you actually dare to hit me!"
Enraged, Lee Shuhua lashed out toward Qin Shuqing but he caught her hand and pushed her to the ground, "Crazy woman, if you have no shame I still do. Make a scene again, and we'll get a divorce."
Qin Shuqing left, furious, while Lee Shuhua remained on the ground, wailing incessantly.
"Damn you, Qin Shuqing, you actually dare talk of divorce!"
The crowd had already thinned out amidst the couple's quarrel, after all, it was the business of husband and wife, and it wasn't proper to watch the spectacle.
Zhang Jine didn't dare to intervene, opting to slip away quietly instead.
Qin An seemed as though he wanted to step forward and mediate, but Qin Qin held his hand back, "Dad, let's not get involved. What if Big Aunt yells at you again? Let's go home, I'm hungry!"
Hearing that Qin Qin was hungry, Qin An quickly urged her to go home for a meal. Qin Qin smiled and looked back at Lee Shuhua, who was still on the ground, beating it and screaming.
She deserved it!
...
Qin An and Qin Qin sat at the old square wooden table for dinner. Qin Qin watched Qin An deftly pick up food with his left hand and felt a tinge of sadness. She did not remember a mother in her memories, only this disabled father who supported her with his meager strength.
The former Qin Qin failed to understand Qin An, only knowing to constantly complain and disdain, to the point she wouldn't even bring up her parents of her own accord in class because she felt inferior.
But now, she would take her place; she vowed to ensure this kind and honest man would live a good life, to make him proud because of her.
"Dad, have some vegetables!" Qin Qin picked up the only dish on the table, cabbage stir-fried with pork, which was more cabbage than pork in reality.
As Qin An looked at the dish in his bowl, he also served Qin Qin and felt a bitter guilt, seeing that the dish of cabbage stir-fried with pork in her bowl had more cabbage than pork, "Qinqin, I'm sorry, it's all dad's fault for being useless, making you suffer with me."
Qin Qin paused with her chopsticks in hand, looked up at Qin An, who was mired in self-blame, and smiled slightly, "It's not hard, being with you, I am very happy. Dad, I promise I'll make sure we live a good life."
Thank you for giving her warmth, for preventing her from being lost in this strange world.
She promised, it wouldn't be long before the good days would come.
Qin An felt a warmth in his heart and flashed a genuinely kind smile, "Dad believes in you, my daughter is always the best."
Qin Qin nodded.
"Qinqin, your wound is almost healed. Go to school tomorrow."
After dinner, Qin An whispered to Qin Qin.
Qin Qin was startled, school?! She had almost forgotten that this Qin Qin was a high school senior.
"I understand, Dad."