Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Given Qin Si's current age, finding legitimate work outside was impossible, leaving him with no choice but to delve into the grey areas of society.

Qin Si had an uncanny familiarity with the streets of Ancheng, his intelligence and ruthless demeanor concealed beneath a reserved façade, causing many who underestimated him, both young and old, to suffer significant losses.

Ming Ge, who operates an underground internet café in Ancheng, was once saved by this ghostly appearing child who helped him escape a street brawl by leading him through an alternate route.

Later, Ming Ge entrusted Qin Si with various small tasks associated with his black-market internet café. Qin Si seemed indifferent to the payment, content with a place to stay occasionally and a simple meal.

However, in recent months, Qin Si's visits had noticeably decreased.

Therefore, Ming Ge was quite pleased to see Qin Si again, having missed him and regarded him highly during his absence.

Many regulars at the internet café recognized the young boy, familiar with Ming Ge's fondness for him.

"Kid, are you willing to help me with something around this time tomorrow night?" A man patted him on the shoulder, "Help me deliver a package, and I'll reward you with this amount, consider it a New Year's gift from your uncle." He gestured a figure to Qin Si.

Sometimes, assigning tasks to younger individuals turns out to be a better option.

The man had a peculiar appearance, rough and fierce, with a face strangely resembling a flatfish.

He couldn't grasp the background of this kid, who exuded an odd yet unignorable aura. He had seen Qin Si doing homework at this internet café before, and had inadvertently noticed that his test papers were all scored perfectly.

But according to Ming, this boy was far from a well-behaved, studious individual. Judging by his attire, he didn't seem to belong to a wealthy family either, implying that a significant sum of money would likely tempt him.

Qin Si had a faint sense of morality, having grown up in an orphanage, where nobody took the time to teach him the distinction between right and wrong.

He was a thorough pragmatist, sparing little room for surplus emotions and only caring about achieving his objectives, disregarding the means used to reach them.

The amount proposed by the man was indeed substantial.

He remembered the cold attic, and her hands shivering as she tucked them into her sleeves the last time. He asked, "What do you want me to do?"

As the flatfish-man prepared to answer, a few customers in the internet café got up, complaining to their friends, "I can't go out tomorrow, it's New Year's Eve, I must go home for dinner with my family."

Qin Si suddenly became silent, shaking his head at the flatfish-man, "I'm not available tomorrow."

Ming laughed heartily, "The kid wants to go home for the New Year, don't bother him, find someone else."

Left with no other options, the flatfish-man reluctantly gave up, letting out a few disappointed chuckles.

New Year's Eve arrived swiftly.

Under the cover of night, Qin Si returned to the mansion. Upon arrival, he instinctively looked towards the second-floor room of the Lu residence, only to find that the usually lit lamp was now off.

Unexpectedly, all three members of the Xu family were gathered on the first floor, watching the Spring Festival Gala together and enjoying a table filled with New Year delicacies, celebrating in a lively and prosperous manner.

As Qin Si entered silently, the Xu couple was laughing uproariously at a comedy sketch. He approached quietly, grabbed Xu Hui's hood, and yanked him backward.

Xu Hui was now scared at the sight of Qin Si and didn't dare to protest. Reluctantly, he put on his coat and followed him outside.

Qin Si was succinct, pointing in the direction of the mansion, "Where is he?"

Xu Hui muttered, "He's gone out."

Qin Si, "Where to?"

Seeing Qin Si's expression, Xu Hui suddenly became smug, "Of course, he went abroad for a vacation. You didn't expect..." that he would take you along, did you?

Qin Si nodded and turned away, not intending to listen to the rest of his words. Seeing that Qin Si's face showed neither shock nor disappointment, Xu Hui felt a tinge of frustrated disappointment.

Without wasting another second downstairs, Qin Si headed straight up.

Upon opening the door, he sensed something amiss. The room was considerably warmer than usual, and he noticed the revamped interior and the sudden addition of many furnishings.

The boy's lips gradually tightened, his gaze falling upon the neatly stacked parcels in the corner of the room—clothes, food, and the note laid on the table.

He quickly picked up the note, which featured the little girl’s rounded handwriting.

...

He could almost visualize her expression as she penned down the note.

He stared at it for a long while before folding it neatly and tucking it deep within a drawer.

As the New Year bells chimed, the boy lay alone in his bed, resting on his folded arms, his large eyes dark and unfathomable, lost in some deep contemplation.

In the middle of the night, he turned in his sleep, inadvertently revealing a white corner of the note from beneath the pillow.

The room was exceptionally warm, he hadn't slept this deeply in a long time.

When he awoke the next day, daylight was already streaming brightly through the windows.

Lu Nian found this year particularly unpleasant, devoid of any joy.

She had no desire to vacation with the Lu Zhihong couple; besides, she had previously promised Qin Si to visit him during the New Year, and now suddenly going abroad felt like a breach of that promise.

In this matter, her opinion hadn't been sought at all. Lu Nian realized that in this household, her will was hardly respected.

Feeling emotionally downcast, her physical health took a toll as well. Being summer in the southern hemisphere, Lu Nian caught a rain and developed a fever. Coupled with the unfamiliar environment, her severe cold never completely healed, later escalating to a high fever.

Lu Zhihong dared not let Lu Nian fly back immediately, fearing the long journey would be too strenuous for her in her weakened state. Thus, they had to temporarily stay at the holiday destination.

After the New Year, when her condition stabilized slightly and numerous company affairs demanded attention, Lu Zhihong could only manage them through video conferences and calls, keeping him busy around the clock.

He Tian was extremely unhappy. Lu Zhihong rarely had time for her, and this rare trip had now been thoroughly spoiled by Lu Nian.

In her feverish delirium, Lu Nian faintly heard the doctor conversing with Lu Zhihong in Chinese.

“...Your daughter has a very weak constitution, with low resistance and immunity,” the doctor advised, “Therefore, meticulous care is imperative. In future, no minor ailment should be overlooked to prevent any escalation into a severe illness... Given her current condition, hospitalization is recommended. She can return to your country once fully recovered.”

Only after this illness did Lu Nian realize her own fragility. It wasn't until the early spring of the following year that she finally saw the gates of the Lu family estate again.

School was about to start; it was already early spring.

Barely adjusting to the time difference since her return home, Lu Nian struggled to get out of bed, eager to find Qin Si.

To apologize to him.

Wrapped in a thick coat, she looked noticeably slimmer. Her small face, now more pointed, was bundled within a scarf.

Fortunately, it didn't take her long to find him this time; she spotted him by the iris flowers in no time.

Qin Si had grown taller. He was already taller than most boys his age. Although his frame remained slender, he was beginning to exhibit the characteristics of a young adolescent, with his features becoming more defined and his eyes seemingly having grown a bit, lending his face clearer lines.

There he stood before the blossoms, silently gazing at Lu Nian.

Lu Nian felt that something about him had changed, yet she couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was.

"I'm really sorry," she muttered, unable to find the right words to begin with, she could only bow her head in apology.

Although it wasn't a formal agreement, she had nevertheless broken her promise.

Having just returned to the country, Lu Nian wasn't quite acclimatized to the current chilly weather in Ancheng. The cold air caught in her throat, triggering a bout of coughing.

Her face turned bright red from the coughing, and Lu Nian hastily retreated a few steps, distancing herself from him. She whispered an explanation, "I haven't fully recovered, I'm afraid I might infect you."

Qin Si remained silent.

Qin Si had known about Lu Nian's frail health for a long time, but he had never seen her looking so worn and pale in person.

The Xu family trio had mentioned that she fell ill abroad, hence the delayed return. The Lu family's young miss being frail wasn't news to them, so they hadn't discussed it in detail, leaving him without a comprehensive understanding of her condition.

He lowered his gaze, maintaining his silence. He moved a bit closer, his dark eyes examining her as if intending to scrutinize every detail of her.

He had pondered numerous times about how he should act and what he should say when he saw her again. His two pet peeves were deceit and pity. By rights, he should be angry, and detest her even more.

However, having mulled over it extensively, upon actually seeing her, he found he didn't want to say anything at all.

Lu Nian recalled Qin Si's habitual avoidance of her, how he seemed to wish he could stand a mile away from her. Now, despite her being ill, he had approached her slightly closer. She couldn't fathom what was going through his mind.

"It's contagious..." she couldn't help but warn.

The boy seemed lost in thought, only coming back to his senses upon hearing her words. He turned his face away, his voice bearing a tinge of harshness, "...I am not as frail as you."

Lu Nian, "...Oh." Hearing this icy remark, Lu Nian mentally rolled her eyes, yet a part of her felt relieved. It seemed he hadn't changed much, still the cold and sharp-tongued Qin Si.

"I've known for a long time that you dislike me," Lu Nian mumbled, "You disdain me whether I'm sick or not. You're really mean to me."

Qin Si, "Hmm."

Lu Nian, "???"

Unable to hide her thoughts, her little facial expression didn't escape him. The boy's lips curved slightly, a smile disappearing as quickly as it appeared before she could notice it.

Observing the girl's almost translucent face bathed in sunlight, up close, he contemplated.

Let it infect him.

Even better.

That way, he would have paid a price for being close to her.

In that moment, the boy didn't ponder too deeply, just spontaneously harboring a vague and nascent thought.

Henceforth, this kind of pathological and distorted thought, akin to a form of martyrdom, permeated much of his adolescent years, especially after he despairingly realized the nature of his own feelings.

Author's Note: The timeline is advancing, Si Si is soon to attend middle school, and the young boy is on the cusp of coming of age.