Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The road seemed neither long nor short, a path Lu Nian hadn't treaded upon in quite some time.

As dusk settled, she finally saw the grand gates of the Lu family estate, her little face now thoroughly flushed.

Qin Si currently resided in a building owned by Xu Ru Hai, situated a distance away from where Lu Nian lived, not in the same direction.

She mused that returning in her current state would probably incite Zhang Qiu Ping's excessive fuss and concerns, followed by an insistence on various medicines and an evening inspection by Lu Zhi Hong.

The thought of going back now felt suffocating.

At times, Lu Nian imagined the lonely life of the previous Lu Nian, isolated in a room for years without friends, constantly taking unpleasant medicines, receiving injections, and predominantly interacting with doctors. She felt some pity for her, as she resembled not a person, but a canary trapped in a cage.

Seeing Qin Si heading towards the Xu's building, Lu Nian remembered that he likely resided on the second floor.

"Can I come over to play at your place for a while later?" Lu Nian jogged to catch up with him, hesitated, then asked cautiously, "I won't stay for too long."

In reality, Lu Nian was somewhat afraid of loneliness. In her previous life, she had many friends and enjoyed visiting their homes. Now, having been here for a while surrounded mostly by adults or Lu Yang, with no one of her age to converse with, she felt a budding loneliness.

Qin Si abruptly halted in his tracks.

He stopped so suddenly that Lu Nian almost collided with his back. Rubbing her nose, she looked up at him with a puzzled expression.

Qin Si recalled the attic he resided in, its gloomy, cramped space filled with dust and devoid of any decent furnishings. The bedding was torn, and it lacked even a proper chair.

That kind of place.

It mirrored him – dark, filthy, and deprived of sunlight for years.

Yet the girl before him was oblivious to this reality, her eyes clear and translucent, revealing an innocence that touched the soul. She was pristine and refined, reminiscent of a delicate, untouched porcelain doll.

He could tell that her feelings were genuine, yet it only fueled his irritation further.

The boy's ears tinged with red, his angry gaze fixed on her, unable to pinpoint the exact reason for his irritation.

A gust of winter wind swept by, cooling his heated cheeks gradually, as if a bucket of snow water had been poured over him from head to toe, instantly refreshing his mind.

Lu Nian noticed his beautiful black eyes, witnessing real emotions within them for the first time. She heard him ask coldly, "Are we familiar with each other?"

Lu Nian was caught off guard by his sudden shift in attitude, leaving her baffled.

Her head hung low, resembling a wilted flower, she murmured softly, "Oh, maybe... we aren't that familiar, indeed..."

After all, they had only recently met, having barely exchanged a few words between them.

Perhaps today, because Qin Si helped her out of the pit and reluctantly brought her home, carrying her backpack all the way, she developed some unrealistic misconceptions, assuming that their relationship had improved.

In reality, however, nothing had changed.

However, despite having willingly carried her backpack earlier, he now claimed, "I don't know you well," proving how difficult it is to understand boys.

At the very least, she was utterly unable to comprehend what Qin Si was truly thinking.

Seeing the girl standing there, her grief barely concealed, Qin Si pressed his lips together, averted his gaze, and turned to leave.

"Stay away from me in the future," he paused before departing, his back turned to her, making it impossible for Lu Nian to see his expression.

His voice carried over, "I don't want to see you again."

When Qin Si returned to the Xu residence, the three members of the Xu family were having dinner on the first floor.

As Qin Si entered, he remained as silent as always, his silhouette even more somber than usual.

Qin Si's whereabouts were usually unpredictable, and nobody really cared where he went. If he didn't show up at mealtime, the Xu family never bothered to save food for him.

Qin Si didn't like dining with them either. Hence, except for the mandatory meals at home during the winter and summer vacations, he usually ate all his meals at school.

Now, since it wasn't a vacation period, his early return caught the three members of the Xu family off guard.

Xu Ruohai usually didn't pay much attention to Qin Si. However, recalling the sudden change in Lu Nian's attitude towards him, Xu Ruohai greeted him with an unprecedented kindness, "Qin Si, you're back? It's cold outside, isn't it? Auntie saved some food for you. Join us if you haven't eaten yet."

Qin Si replied, "I've eaten."

The Xu couple exchanged glances, not knowing what to say, and could only force a few awkward smiles.

Xu Hui quickly finished his remaining food, threw down his chopsticks, and followed Qin Si upstairs, calling, "Hey, you came back with Nian Nian just now, didn't you?"

Qin Si remained silent, continuing on his path.

Xu Hui caught up, attempting to grab him, "What did you do to Nian Nian?"

Everyone usually referred to Qin Si as a bastard behind his back. He wasn't part of the Lu family, yet he lived with them, parentless and without guidance. Xu Hui believed that he should be treated like mud trampled underfoot, fundamentally different from Lu Nian, as if they were worlds apart.

Lu Nian should naturally disdain to even glance at him, yet now, she had personally sought out the "little bastard" the other night, and today he even saw them returning home together from school.

And Lu Nian hadn't even spoken to him before.

The child was yet to learn how to mask his emotions effectively; filled with jealousy and anger, Xu Hui's face turned beet red, "You are not even worthy of tying her shoelaces."

He strained his mind to find the harshest words possible, finally spitting out with disdain, "Let me tell you, even entertaining the thought of getting close to Nian Nian is like a toad lusting after swan meat."

Qin Si gazed at him indifferently, his expression unchanging.

"Are you done?" he asked calmly.

Although Qin Si was slightly younger, he was taller than Xu Hui. Before Xu Hui could respond, he found himself being forcibly pressed against the corridor wall, unable to move. For the first time, he realized the sheer strength that Qin Si possessed.

The slightly cool fingers gripped his throat firmly, those calm black eyes stared unwaveringly at him. Up close, Xu Hui realized just how terrifying his gaze was.

The young outsider naturally possessed a cold and cruel demeanor, from his delicate yet youthful brows and eyes to the contours of his jawline, every aspect exuded a chilling ruthlessness.

Even when he grows up, he would never become a gentle and refined gentleman; instead, he'd morph into an even more frightening demon. Fear began to creep into Xu Hui's mind.

His voice seemed to be stifled at his throat, breathing became increasingly difficult. He wanted to call for help, but a sliver of remaining pride prevented him from making a sound.

"Whose room are you currently residing in?" he asked Xu Hui, his voice subdued.

Xu Hui's teeth clattered slightly, "You... you... my dad said that room is now mine, it's not yours anymore."

The corners of Qin Si's lips twitched upwards slightly, yet his dark eyes bore no hint of amusement, "Good that you remember."

He released his grip.

Xu Hui's body went limp, almost collapsing onto the floor, watching his departing figure with fear.

Upon returning to the attic, the chattering noise was finally gone, restoring much-needed tranquility.

Qin Si pondered.

Getting close to her?

He scoffed, that naive little girl?

He would never harbor such thoughts towards anyone in his lifetime.

The precociously mature boy held immense pride and sensitivity, sealing away his inner world firmly, distrusting everyone, and never revealing his emotions to anyone.

That night, the light in the attic remained on until late.

After finishing his book, he surveyed the attic that he had grown accustomed to living in. Due to his early years spent in an orphanage, Qin Si was extraordinarily undemanding when it came to living conditions and daily necessities. He never minded; survival was sufficient.

However, now, as he looked around the loft, he found it somewhat displeasing for the first time.

The boy rose, rearranging the scant furnishings that adorned the room. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to arrange. The wooden floor was bitterly cold in the winter, the bed was unyielding, and the whole room was enveloped in a dim, lightless grey.

There was no chair in the room. Qin Si observed the floor silently for a moment before pulling a mattress from the bed. In reality, his mattress was made from two thin quilts piled together. He extracted the thicker layer, folded it neatly, and spread it on the floor.

It was... just about the right length to seat two people side by side.

After a fixed gaze, the boy finally came back to his senses, realizing what he was doing, and his face changed abruptly.

In a fit of annoyance, he flung the quilt aside. The pitiful thin blanket was tossed into the corner of the room, innocently crumpled into a heap.

He lay back on the bed, yet he didn't retrieve the discarded quilt, settling to lie atop the remaining thin one.

The bed felt unusually cold. The slender boy lay there, his back aching from the hard surface, but he seemed indifferent, simply turning off the lights and lying back down.

The window wasn't tightly shut. In his final glance outside, he saw that room on the second floor situated at the heart of the estate. Through the beige curtains of the illuminated room, he glimpsed a beacon of warmth.

It appeared like a sudden flicker of warm, swaying starlight in the long winter night.

A warm yellow glow emanated from the gaps in the curtains, bright yet gentle. He stared for a few seconds before quickly averting his gaze. Moments later, he pulled his curtains shut with pursed lips.

This winter seemed exceptionally prolonged, but even the longest winters have an end.

He never went home with Lu Nian again, and his visits to the Lu family estate became increasingly rare. Few knew where he had ventured off to.

Despite his personal desires, the boy grew somewhat taller. In the winter nights, he still dressed lightly, walking impassively through the snow towards the brightly lit Lu family estate in the distance.

Winter break arrived suddenly. The children were freed from school, and as the year drew to a close, the Lu family began early preparations for the New Year celebrations, decking the halls with festivity.

He calmly considered that his interaction with her should have reached its end; she wouldn't seek him out anymore.

After all, she had spoken such harsh words.

Author's note: Our poor and adorable little hedgehog, Si Si, is indeed precocious with extremely high defenses. In the end, only Nian Nian could get close to him, but not within a few days.

However, this marks a turning point in their relationship, and their childhood ahead will be sweet~

And when they grow up! He will be an early-maturing, sensitive, proud yet insecure young man, albeit only in front of Nian Nian. Despite his mature facade, he is actually very naïve and shy in front of her, easily stirred by her casual gestures for a long time. Oh, thinking about it makes me roll on the ground with excitement.