Chapter 20: Correcting Typos
"Qin Wanshu, do you hate me?" Zuo Qinghuan asked, feeling that she actually disliked herself quite a bit.
"What do you think?" Qin Wanshu retorted, feeling that Zuo Qinghuan's question was unnecessary. Where had the confidence that made her invite her out yesterday gone?
"So, that means you like me." Since you don't hate me, it must mean you like me, Zuo Qinghuan threw a flirtatious glance at Qin Wanshu. Unfortunately, she didn't have the same alluring looks as Li Xin; her pure appearance lacked the seductive sparkle in her eyes. Aside from a hint of playfulness, she wasn't captivating. Qin Wanshu found Zuo Qinghuan amusing, like a little girl wearing her mother's high heels, creating a sense of incongruity. Deep down, Zuo Qinghuan was still very much a little girl. She hid two very contradictory souls—one mundane, one sincere—intersecting and transforming at times. It must be said that Qin Wanshu was sharp; she saw through Zuo Qinghuan's essence in such a short time.
"You've misunderstood logic; just because you don't hate someone doesn't mean you like them. It could also mean you neither like nor hate them." Qin Wanshu smiled, correcting Zuo Qinghuan's naive conclusion.
"But I think you like me…" Zuo Qinghuan shamelessly said. She enjoyed making bold jokes with Qin Wanshu; repeating a lie a thousand times could make it seem true, and this notion was akin to psychological suggestion—who knows, it might just become true one day. Being liked by someone like Qin Wanshu felt wonderful; it would undoubtedly be the most vain and proud thing, so Zuo Qinghuan didn't mind being a bit more shameless.
Qin Wanshu just smiled and didn't speak. Zuo Qinghuan had her own brand of logic, and debating with her felt a bit too serious for Qin Wanshu; she wouldn't stoop to such immaturity, aside from that accidental kiss a while back.
"If you don't eat soon, it'll get cold," Qin Wanshu reminded her, ready to end the previous topic.
"Qin Wanshu, you're the most special woman I've ever met," Zuo Qinghuan remarked sincerely as she watched Qin Wanshu eat elegantly.
"Everyone is special; you're special too." Qin Wanshu believed that everyone was an independent individual, different from others.
Zuo Qinghuan didn't respond; she knew that people like her were a dime a dozen on the streets, but she felt that aside from Qin Wanshu, there was no one else like her.
"Can I still come to you in the future?" Zuo Qinghuan repeated the question she had asked last time, and she hadn't liked Qin Wanshu's answer then.
Qin Wanshu sighed slightly inwardly; she actually wanted to refuse. She wanted to say that there was no need to come looking for her, but looking into Zuo Qinghuan's clear eyes softened her heart a bit. She realized that she had no resistance to Zuo Qinghuan's innocent side.
"Seemingly perfect Qin Wanshu is just an ordinary person, nothing different." Qin Wanshu thought that Zuo Qinghuan really didn't need to be too curious about her; she was human too, not as perfect as they seemed. Qin Wanshu could be selfish, and she had many flaws; she was just better at hiding them than anyone else.
"Then wouldn't it be okay for me to dig up some of Qin Wanshu's imperfections?" Without a doubt, Qin Wanshu was a strong person inside. Zuo Qinghuan wanted to be someone like her, and because she couldn't be, she longed to get closer to people like that.
"Do as you please." Qin Wanshu neither refused nor agreed.
Zuo Qinghuan noticed that although Qin Wanshu wasn't as firmly rejecting as last time, her attitude didn't come off as enthusiastic either. Qin Wanshu must have a heavy sense of vigilance.
The meal ended quickly, and as Qin Wanshu prepared to leave, Zuo Qinghuan didn't have an excuse to keep her, so she accompanied her to the door. Watching the car drive away, Zuo Qinghuan couldn't quite describe her feelings; she simply turned around and rushed to the kitchen to prepare to wash the dishes. As she turned on the faucet, she became lost in thought, letting the white water flow away.
After Zuo Qinghuan cleaned the kitchen, she called Li Xin, wondering how that silly woman was doing.
Just as Qin Wanshu reached her front door, Qin Teng came rushing out.
"Sis, you didn't come home last night. Where did you go?" Qin Teng had come early in the morning. He didn't expect that his sister, who usually never stayed out, was actually not home; it was quite unprecedented.
Qin Wanshu shook her head. The lock on their front door was essentially useless with her brother around. She ignored Qin Teng's question, took off her shoes, changed into slippers, and walked inside, with Qin Teng following closely.
"You smell like another woman." Qin Teng leaned in close to Qin Wanshu, sniffing like a dog and drawing a conclusion. Since he started mingling with women at sixteen, he could recognize any perfume a woman wore. It was clear that aside from her own perfume, there was also the scent of another woman, one that didn't belong to her social circle. Qin Teng was indeed impressive; he could identify what perfume the women around his sister used and remembered them all. He truly was a Casanova.
"Your nose is as good as a dog's," Qin Wanshu replied, shaking her head. Qin Teng was very smart, but unfortunately, he used his intelligence in the wrong ways, often dabbling in all sorts of dubious matters. No wonder their grandfather was so disappointed in him.
"Does my sister have a new friend?" Qin Teng asked curiously. His sister had never spent the night at the Shi family's place, and the Shi family and the Qin family had a friendship spanning decades. This new friend must hold some significance for his sister, and Qin Teng was curious about this unknown woman.
"When did you ever explain your friendships to me?" Qin Wanshu raised an eyebrow, retorting. Qin Teng's circle of friends was undoubtedly the most complex, filled with all kinds of people.
"Isn't it because I care about my sister?" Qin Teng said with a smile. He knew his sister didn't like him prying into her affairs, but of course, he paid extra attention to someone cherished in their family, even though he knew his sister was no pushover. He and his brother often unconsciously positioned themselves as protectors.
"As long as you don't make Grandpa worry, it's fine. Just don't meddle in my business, or I won't let you off," Qin Wanshu warned Qin Teng.
Qin Teng really was a bit of a troublemaker, doing things without any sense. He even dared to steal his brother-in-law's business. However, all the profits went into an account set up for Qin Wanshu. In Qin Teng's view, Han Shibin was an outsider, so keeping the money in his sister's account was a better choice. Han Shibin was feeling quite frustrated but dared not express his anger towards his brother-in-law. Once, when he acted out, it could be dismissed as a joke, but repeated occurrences wouldn't be taken lightly. Naturally, he wouldn't tell Qin Wanshu about his embarrassment in losing business to his brother-in-law.
Since Han Shibin didn't say anything, Qin Wanshu also chose to remain ignorant. She had privately mentioned Qin Teng a few times, but Qin Teng continued to do as he pleased.
Everyone knew that Qin Wanshu didn't involve herself in the Qin family's business, spending her days among antiques. However, little did they know that Qin Teng was actually taught by Qin Wanshu. In Qin Wanshu's eyes, it would have been better not to teach him at all; he had learned all the skills but preferred not to play by the rules.
Qin Wanshu found her brother's tendency to make a big deal out of things quite annoying. Anyone or anything that displeased her would soon disappear or meet a miserable end. Qin Wanshu didn't want Qin Teng to know about Zuo Qinghuan; if Qin Teng investigated Zuo Qinghuan, it would blow everything out of proportion. Given Qin Teng's temperament, he wouldn't let Han Shibin and Zuo Qinghuan off the hook.
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