Chapter 21

Chapter 21

After that statement, a period of silence ensued.

In a hushed tone, Lu Nian inquired, "So, do you know of any familiar hotels around here?"

Qin Si responded tersely, "No."

Casually, Lu Nian remarked, "Oh, I thought you frequented them."

After all, Qin Si had left the Lu family several years ago and had been living alone. Furthermore, he often took up various part-time jobs during holidays; in her perception, he had always been someone with a wealth of life experiences.

In the dim night, the young man's facial expression remained unreadable, "..."

He replied coolly, "I don't frequent hotels."

"If you want to stay in one, find it yourself."

Lu Nian, "...", was unsure of what had offended him this time. However, indeed, the Qin Si she was familiar with had returned.

The two continued walking, soon reaching the attic where Qin Si used to reside.

The Xu family of three might have already retired for the night, as the house was engulfed in darkness. To her surprise, Qin Si produced a key and swiftly unlocked the main door.

"I assumed you would have discarded it a long time ago..." Fearing to awaken the slumbering Xu family, Lu Nian followed stealthily behind him, whispering her question.

In the enveloping darkness, the girl stood not far away, her breath gentle like a feather, softly gracing his ear.

The youth felt every ounce of blood within him surge towards the back of his ears. Lips pressed tightly together, he stepped away from Lu Nian, offering no reply to her remark.

Lu Nian, "..."

Let it be, she thought. Known for his economy of words, it sufficed to know that he was nearby. There was no absolute need for him to respond.

Together, they ascended the stairs, finally nearing the loft.

Qin Si opened the door, and it seemed as though a long-sealed slice of time was newly unfurled. The loft that housed him as a young boy, now lay obscured beneath layers of dust. The dim light barely illuminated the spider webs that graced the corners.

With his current stature, entering the doorway necessitated a stoop.

Qin Si didn't invite her in, stating, "Wait here."

Lu Nian gazed at him with eager eyes.

To be honest, she felt a hint of fear standing alone in this dark, dingy place, and tonight, her courage seemed especially diminished, making her cling to human presence more than usual.

Qin Si noticed this. After a moment of silence, he said somewhat stiffly, "I'll be right back."

"One minute?"

Qin Si, "..."

"Five minutes."

"Mm." Lu Nian looked at him with pitiful eyes, "Don't lie to me then, I'll be timing."

The youth remained silent, pushing the door open to enter.

Lu Nian waited outside, a bit bored. In less than five minutes, Qin Si had already emerged.

Lu Nian couldn't discern what he had taken, only surmising that it was something small, now tucked away in his pocket.

However, she had no intentions of inquiring, knowing that even if she did, Qin Si was unlikely to disclose any details.

At this moment, her concerns lay elsewhere - wondering if Qin Si was about to leave now that he had retrieved what he needed.

It was nearing eleven o'clock. The lights in the main building of the estate had been extinguished. Standing under the eaves and gazing distantly, the Lu residence appeared increasingly shadowy and elusive, resembling a beast lurking in the darkness, with the persistent drizzle adding to the ominous atmosphere. Only her room emanated a faint glow.

Like an unblinking eye in the darkness, watching over her tirelessly, day and night.

Lu Nian shuddered involuntarily, gravitating unconsciously towards Qin Si, who noticed the movement.

After a stretch of silence.

He finally asked, "What exactly is bothering you?"

The girl lowered her gaze towards her own toes, murmuring softly, "...Before going to bed, I inadvertently watched an episode of a horror movie. It featured a girl around my age encountering a ghost emerging from the wardrobe in her room, which scared me quite a bit."

There was something noticeably off about her.

Qin Si, "..." He didn't expose the poorly crafted lie, his dark eyes merely observing her calmly.

"So, I'm somewhat afraid to stay alone in my room." Lu Nian uttered softly, "I wish to have someone to accompany me."

Even though she was left with no choice but to lie previously, this part, without a doubt, was spoken from the heart.

"Qin Si, where are you living currently?" Lu Nian inquired, "Is it a spacious place?"

As they stood together under the eave, Lu Nian could nearly feel the warmth radiating from him, a warmth she found herself irresistibly drawn to, especially as the cold caused her to shiver.

She still harbored a glimmer of hope, her words laden with subtle hints.

Qin Si responded with a detached tone, "...Don't even think about it."

The house was yet to be settled. He was still residing at Ming's place, where there were only three rooms - one occupied by him and the others housed Ming and two bartenders, all rough-around-the-edges men.

He didn't have fresh bed linens or quilts, and the room... contained only a single bed.

Currently... it wasn't feasible to take her back there.

Lu Nian hung her head low, "You're really stingy, you know."

She murmured discontentedly, "But I'm not yet of legal age, I can't book a room in a hotel."

After a moment of silence, Qin Si said, "It can be arranged."

"Huh?"

Qin Si averted his gaze, "... A hotel room."

Lu Nian blinked, her initial reaction surprisingly one of internal criticism, a departure from her previous resolution to not venture into unknown territories.

However, she had said it in passing, not expecting Qin Si to respond in such a manner.

His tone didn't hint at jest.

Surprisingly, Lu Nian found herself genuinely tempted, contemplating the idea of following him.

The rain intensified, a streak of lightning slashing through the sky, illuminating the young man's handsome profile beside her, and simultaneously casting light on the towering Lu residence in the darkness across.

Lu Nian's mind buzzed, snapping her back to soberness abruptly.

If she were to consider moving to a hotel, even if money wasn't an issue, even if Qin Si could secure a room for her...

The mere thought of the Lu family now sent shivers down her spine.

At present, she had only managed to sneak out for a brief moment, a short period that might still remain unnoticed. However, if she failed to return all night, the neighbor Zhang Qiuping would certainly notice and promptly report to Lu Zhihong, triggering a household-wide search to bring her back.

Perhaps, it might also bring trouble to Qin Si.

She had no choice, at least for now, she couldn't leave the Lu family.

Lu Nian said, "Thank you."

The warmth from the young man's body gradually diminished, he said, "As you wish."

All of a sudden, Lu Nian felt incredibly guilty. She had asked for his help to this extent and now she was backing out. But Lu Nian simply couldn't explain the real reason why to him.

She felt extraordinarily agitated and anxious inside. With so many words swirling in her mind, she found herself at a loss for how to articulate them.

After a whirlpool of inner conflicts, Lu Nian finally spoke, "Actually, it was the day before yesterday, Zhao Yayuan mentioned something to me..."

She thought, if she truly wanted to unravel the truth behind this matter, starting from the Lu family might pose a significant challenge. Another way would be to approach Zhao Yayuan, but she wasn't sure if he would be willing to disclose anything.

Moreover, Lu Nian wasn't quite prepared to face the truth behind this matter at this point.

She felt quite uneasy now, unsure of what to do, like a small boat lost amidst a storm, feeling isolated without anyone to confide in or accompany her, an utter loneliness engulfed her.

"Zhao Yayuan?"

Lu Nian nodded, "Yuan's younger brother."

Suddenly, it occurred to her that Qin Si might not necessarily know Zhao Yayuan.

These matters, she hadn't fully grasped herself.

If she were to divulge this to Qin Si, it might potentially bring trouble upon him, given his sensitive status.

She was somewhat afraid of Lu Zhihong, even more fearful of what he might do to Qin Si.

The young man fell silent, Lu Nian failed to notice his change in demeanor, her own mind too fraught to speak further.

Time ticked away, minute by minute, neither of them speaking, the only sound was the pitter-patter of raindrops.

After a long while, Qin Si said, "I should leave now."

Wrapped in a large coat, Lu Nian stood in the rain, watching him leave with yearning eyes.

On this early autumn rainy night, her vitality seemed to be waning, making her particularly susceptible to the cold. Even enveloped in thick clothing, she couldn't fend off the cold, nothing could compare to the warmth of another human being.

She felt profoundly lonely.

Suddenly...

She dearly wished for someone to embrace her.

But the only person in sight was Qin Si... she supposed, begrudgingly, she could settle for him.

She thought that if Qin Si could be a tad more gentle and hold her in his arms, it might indeed feel quite comforting.

Yet, the icy reality was... he wasn't even willing to let her touch the hem of his clothing.

However, having stated his intention to leave, he did not depart. Instead, he stood there, maintaining a distance from her that was neither too far nor too close.

Viewed from the side, the youth had a prominent nose bridge, and his eyes, which usually held a hint of cool detachment, seemed even more so in the chilly rain.

Standing so far away, he was unreachable and inscrutable.

Lu Nian clasped her hands together, still looking down at her own toes, "... Yeah, it's late, you should head back soon, be careful on the road."

She really didn't want him to leave, but as reason returned, she couldn't possibly insist on him staying with her in the rain all night, could she?

Qin Si seemed to nod, yet seemed not to have said anything at all.

She sniffled, standing alone in the night, watching the young man's figure disappear into the darkness, just as when he had arrived.

The Zhao residence.

The residence now stood as the old mansion of the Zhao family, located in the west of An City. Although the location was good, the mansion had grown somewhat outdated due to the long absence of the main household, and the servants had either been dismissed or resigned.

Moreover, most of the Zhao family was not around, leaving the mansion mostly empty, inhabited only by the two brothers, making it appear even more desolate.

However, tonight, the Zhao residence was busier than usual.

After concluding a dinner that was attended only by two diners, Su Qingyou and Zhao Tingyuan settled in the living room for a chat.

"My chef is accustomed to preparing meals according to our family's preferences," Su Qingyou mentioned, "I'm not sure about your taste preferences, so if anything didn't suit your palate, please let me know so we can make adjustments next time."

"It was delicious," Zhao Tingyuan smiled, "I'm not particularly fussy about food. However, Ya Yuan is a bit more particular with her tastes."

But today, Zhao Ya Yuan was not around, having gone to meet up with a friend.

Su Qingyou let out a light laugh, "That's good."

She took a sip of tea, then seemingly asked casually, "I heard you had met someone from the Lu family previously?"

Zhao Tingyuan was taken aback for a moment, before realizing she was referring to the meal they had with Lu Yang and Lu Nian.

Unsure how Su Qingyou had come across this piece of information, he was about to reply when a loud door slam echoed, followed by a youth with headphones hanging around his neck walking over, carrying a fruit platter.

Zhao Tingyuan was surprised, "Ya Yuan, when did you return?"

Zhao Ya Yuan slammed the fruit platter onto the coffee table between them.

"I came back a while ago." His gaze fixed on Su Qingyou was less than friendly as he said, "I brought some fruits for you."

Zhao Tingyuan showed a hint of helplessness, "Stop messing around."

Where would Zhao Yayuan, the likes of a young master, be willing to personally deliver fruit to others?

Su Qingyou pretended not to realize, "Thank you."

"How about this for next week – come over to my place, have a meal and hang out? My parents have been wanting to invite you over for a long time," said Su Qingyou.

"Yayuan should join as well, give our chef's culinary skills a try."

In fact, the Su family and the Zhao family had connections in the past, primarily business relations. Both families' elders were quite friendly privately. However, the Su family experienced a decline, once almost plummeting to the brink of declaring bankruptcy and were forced to seek assistance from various quarters.

The Zhao family stepped in both financially and personally, even offering guarantees, enabling the Su family to secure bank loans and weather that crisis. Consequently, the Su family has always been indebted for this kindness, particularly as they have a daughter who is about the same age as the Zhao family’s son, hence the families have remained warm towards each other.

Zhao Tingyuan readily agreed, "Alright, when exactly..."

Zhao Yayuan declined abruptly, "I'm not going."

Zhao Tingyuan reprimanded him, "Yayuan!"

Zhao Yayuan retorted, "I don't have time, I have remedial classes next week."

"Remedial classes? You managed to anger the last tutor into leaving, where are you going to find a new one now?"

Zhao Yayuan replied, "I'll ask Lu Nian."

To Zhao Tingyuan, it sounded like a fairy tale, "Nian Nian?"

Since when were they that close? Did Lu Nian agree to it?

Su Qingyou still retained her composure. Even though she paused momentarily upon hearing that name, she did not lose her demeanor.

She had heard before that Zhao Yayuan had a peculiar and eccentric temperament, so she wasn't too surprised now, hence she nodded gracefully, "Studying is indeed the priority, it's perfectly fine if Yayuan cannot make it due to lack of time."

Zhao Tingyuan offered her an apologetic smile, "Let me walk you out."

The two walked out shoulder to shoulder. As soon as Zhao Tingyuan returned, he went straight to Zhao Yayuan’s room.

Inside the room, deafening rock music blared, and the young man lay on the bed, engrossed in a comic book.

Zhao Tingyuan turned off the stereo, "Yayuan, she's a girl and older than you; you should speak to her with some respect."

"I don't like her," Zhao Yayuan stated, "She rubs me the wrong way."

Zhao Tingyuan responded, "Have you ever liked anyone??? Whoever manages to gain your liking must be quite something."

"Look at the things you said during the meal with Nian Nian some time ago."

Zhao Yayuan countered, "That's different."

His feelings of aversion towards Lu Nian were entirely different from those he harbored for Su Qingyou.

Besides, when it came to Lu Nian, it couldn't exactly be described as... aversion.

"Brother, be cautious," Zhao Ya Yuan suddenly became serious, "If this woman intends to marry you in the future and swindle all our wealth, don't even think about it. I won't sit by and allow that."

Even though he was only two years younger, his youthful appearance and perpetual immaturity made Zhao Tingyuan treat him indulgently, dismissing his words as childish babble, "That's impossible, Qingyou is a very nice person. Don't spread rumors outside."

Zhao Ya Yuan grunted before lying back down on the bed to continue reading his comic book.

Zhao Tingyuan knew his younger brother well: though gruff in front of others, he was actually quite affectionate and would act coyly with people he liked. He was just a child who hadn't yet grown up. He affectionately tousled his brother's hair, saying, "Ya Yuan, when we were younger, we didn't accompany you..."

Zhao Ya Yuan swatted his hand away, "Alright, alright, stop talking." The same old narrative had returned.

He ushered Zhao Tingyuan out of the room, shut the door, and settled back onto the bed.

Zhao Ya Yuan's room was the epitome of a typical boy's room, adorned with model airplanes, basketball posters, rock CDs, gaming consoles, and stacks of game discs. However, there was one place that was particularly

unique.

It was a framed photograph hanging on the wall.

In it, a boundless forest stretched out in the background, while a little boy with a pale complexion offered a faint smile to the camera. Despite his sickly appearance, his smile was gentle, an ethereal moonlight seeming to linger between his delicate eyebrows.

It made him think of Lu Nian.

Tossing about restlessly, Zhao Ya Yuan threw aside the comic book in his hand, exclaiming, "Your sister doesn't even remember you anymore!"

As he muttered to himself, a complex emotion flickered in his eyes.

Although he had never met Lu Nian, perhaps because he had heard her name incessantly many years ago, he seemed to be familiar with all the stories from her childhood. Wanting to get closer to her appeared to be a natural progression.

Nonetheless, becoming more acquainted had its merits.

He wanted to ascertain whether Lu Nian had truly forgotten everything, or if she was merely concealing her venomous nature extremely well.

The Ancheng Institute of Technology, not far from the affiliated secondary school, is considered a respectable university. Therefore, spotting students dressed in the secondary school's uniform within the campus was not an unusual sight, given that a significant number enroll here each year.

Inside a café at the Ancheng Institute of Technology, Lu Yang and Lin Junrun sat facing each other.

Lu Yang furrowed his brows, "I asked for your help concerning my sister's studies. Try not to disturb her excessively."

Lin Junrun nodded, "Alright."

Lu Yang inquired, "Has she been in contact with that individual these past few days?"

Lin Junrun recognized Qin Si and remembered him as the young man who encountered Lu Nian on the street that day.

He recounted the incident he witnessed on the street to Lu Yang.

Lu Yang's brows slightly knitted together, "You mean, Nian Nian asked you to leave?"

Lin Junrun nodded.

Lu Yang asked, "What did they go off to do?"

Lin Junrun replied, "I observed them surreptitiously for a bit. They didn't do much, seemed to be constantly arguing. Nian Nian left alone eventually, and she didn't look too pleased."

Lu Yang said, "Since childhood, Nian Nian has loathed him the most. He's always pestering her. Next time you encounter him, tell him that our Lu family does not welcome him and he should keep his distance from Nian Nian."

Lin Junrun nodded fervently.

He was Lu Yang's direct junior in school, and the two families had known each other since they were young. However, the Lu family was more prominent than theirs. Lu Yang was generous and had a prosperous relative. Naturally, he knew about Lu Nian's background. Lu Yang already secured a position within the Lu family business, a fact known to the Lin family, encouraging Lin Junrun to interact with Lu Yang frequently.

This was precisely why Lu Yang entrusted this matter to him with full confidence.

Lu Yang mentioned that since he was now attending university, it was inconvenient for him to keep a constant eye on Nian Nian. He asked for his assistance, promising to owe him a favor.

Lin Junrun was, of course, more than willing.

He had known about Qin Si for a while now since he had quite a reputation in their grade. Exceptionally good at academics, handsome, and possessing a mysteriously cool demeanor, he was the type many young girls fancied these days.

However, learning his true identity from Lu Yang, Lin Junrun naturally held him in contempt.

In the second week, he went to find Qin Si in his class.

When the familiar young man appeared, it seemed as though he didn't regard Lin Junrun at all.

Gathering his courage, he initiated, "You're Qin Si, aren't you?"

The youth lowered his gaze to glance at him, "Do you need something?"

Lin Junrun stuttered, "...I am Lin Junrun, the one who had dinner with Nian Nian last time. We met on the street."

Nian Nian.

The youth let out a cold, derisive chuckle.

He towered over Lin Junrun, his indifferent black eyes exerting an oppressive force as they looked down at him.

"We had a pleasant dinner last time," Lin Junrun said, seemingly trying to substantiate something with this statement, "Nian Nian even promised to draw something for me."

Qin Si responded with an even tone, "Do you really not know why she agreed to dine with you?"

Lin Junrun's face turned pale instantly, retorting, "What's it to you?"

He couldn't fathom how Qin Si got wind of this, especially since Lu Yang had assured him that there would be no leaks.

Lin Junrun became somewhat incoherent, "Don't you dare seek Nian Nian out to stir trouble."

"I'm telling you, Nian Nian detests you," Lin Junrun asserted, "Stop pestering her, her family doesn't want you anywhere near her."

The young man's lips curled slowly at one corner, displaying a mocking smile.

He knew himself well, aware that he was nowhere near worthy of her affections.

He didn't care about Lu Nian's opinion of him.

However, it seemed that the person before him lacked even a shred of self-awareness.

That day, when he saw Lin Junrun trying to grasp Lu Nian's hand, he realized that his self-restraint was not as strong as he had imagined.

The young man lowered his eyelids, asking nonchalantly, "Did Lu Yang send you?"

Lin Junrun felt a surge of panic, "What does this have to do with Lu Yang?"

The young man spoke indifferently, "Stop seeking out Lu Nian."

The young man's slender, phoenix eyes were like a frozen lake, usually manifesting as mere cold indifference. But at this moment, the ferocity and ruthlessness hidden in his gaze left Lin Junrun sweating profusely in fear.

"Go tell Lu Yang that he will eventually have to repay what he owes me."

Recently, Lu Nian had been preoccupied with numerous concerns. Recalling her commitment to create a painting for Lin Junrun, she visited the art club's studio, where she had been spending her time after school these past few days.

The basic sketch was ready. As Lu Nian stood before the easel, preparing to mix the paints and apply the colors distractedly, a female student approached and whispered, "Nian Nian, someone is here to see you."

The visitor took Lu Nian by surprise, causing her hand to slip and squeeze paint onto herself.

After all, it was rare for this person to take the initiative to seek her out.

Since that rainy night, their relationship seemed to have mended slightly. Although his mood seemed to have dampened afterwards, it was arguably better compared to their previous heated argument and parting on bad terms.

Qin Si appeared unusually irritated, uncertain of how to initiate the conversation. He silently watched her paint for a while before asking, "Are you working on an assignment?"

Lu Nian remarked, "It's not an assignment, it's a commission for someone."

"Who?"

"Lin Junrun, the guy from last time," Lu Nian explained, her voice tinged with excitement. "He mentioned that he enjoyed my paintings, so I decided to create one for him. Look, I spent three days just crafting the base layer, and this section here…"

Qin Si seldom showed interest in her hobbies, which filled Lu Nian with a subtle joy. Fueled by an inexplicable desire to impress, she enthusiastically delineated every aspect of her masterpiece that filled her with pride.

The young man listened with a stoic expression, curtly saying, "Stop painting, he doesn't want it anymore."

Without another word, he turned to leave.

Lu Nian was left bewildered, "???"

"Wait, explain yourself. Why doesn't he want it anymore?"

Qin Si's expression soured, "Is it necessary to give it to him?"

Lu Nian said, "But we had an agreement."

Moreover, she had painted so much already, it would be such a waste if she doesn't give it away.

The studio was fairly populated. With her striking beauty, many had already secretly crowned her as the class belle, naturally attracting much attention.

Now, seeing an unfamiliar handsome guy approaching her, everyone's ears and eyes were at the ready, eager to catch every detail.

The relationship between the two seemed extremely subtle.

While their closeness could be inferred from their casual conversation, the content and tone were not friendly at all, distancing them from being relatives or a couple.

Qin Si seemed to be in a rather poor mood.

It appeared he had no interest in being linked to her in any way in such a public space. Striding away with cold words, he suggested, "If you want to gift it, just find someone on the street to give it to. You aren't picky about the recipient anyway."

Could you even consider that human language?

Rage surged from Lu Nian's heart, sparking courage within her, "Wait a minute."

Not caring about the paint on her hands, she chased after him with the speed she usually reserved for physical education classes. Thankfully, her physical fitness had improved, allowing her to catch up at the corner.

Lu Nian reached out to block his path.

She suddenly realized that Qin Si had grown much taller than her, a vast difference from the frail and bruised little boy from their past.

Without a word or an attempt to flee, just as Lu Nian thought he might be reflecting on his actions, she heard him say, "Someone is coming."

Lu Nian was left speechless... Did she really appear that unfit to be seen?

Had he hooked up with someone outside and couldn't let others see?

Moving to a secluded corner of the corridor, Lu Nian voiced her anger, "Are you feeling guilty and avoiding being seen?"

The two were standing quite close. For some reason, Qin Si didn't quickly push her away as usual. Suddenly, she caught a whiff of a familiar scent.

It was very faint.

A familiar, refreshing fragrance mingled with a faint hint of soapberry, a scent characteristic of young men.

As if she was on the verge of grasping something.

Like a little puppy, Lu Nian leaned closer to him, intent on discerning the scent more clearly.

The young man froze instantly.

He felt his entire being faltering, hastily grabbing her wrist to create a distance between them, "...Is this how you behave with a guy?"

Unyielding, Lu Nian widened her eyes, looking at the hand gripping her wrist, "Do you also treat girls this way?"

Qin Si quickly released her, "...Not including you."

Implying that she doesn't qualify as a girl, huh?

Ruffian.

Lu Nian was fuming.

Her little paws were smeared with paint, and all she wanted now was to smear it all over Qin Si's face, “Oh, considering your escapades outside with all those pretty older ladies, it's no wonder you don't think much of me.”

So she isn't up to her standards, is that it?

Qin Si, "?"

Being considerably shorter than him, Lu Nian, for reasons he couldn't comprehend, found him a bit slow to react; she managed to daub paint on his right cheek. It was an unexpected strike, but a successful one nonetheless.

Seeing his handsome face marred brought her joy. She clapped her hands in satisfaction, "Explain yourself, why don't you want my gift?"

The young man seemed reluctant to revisit the topic, averting his gaze, "It wasn't Lin Junrun who helped you that day."

He said, "You should stop looking for him."

"Why?"

Lu Nian was skeptical. This information was relayed to her by Lu Yang, who, despite his questionable character, had not lied to her up until now.

Furthermore, if it wasn't Lin Junrun, then who was it, and how did Qin Si know?

He couldn't articulate a reason.

...I just like him.

The young girl's voice was clear and resounding, carrying a hint of petty frustration as she blurted out those words, echoing in his ears.

The speaker might not have meant it, and it could very well be a statement made out of spite, but it made him immensely embarrassed on the spot.

Yet, that single phrase was enough to keep him restless for countless nights, even leading to unspeakable, shame-inducing dreams he would rather not recall.

He absolutely couldn't let Lu Nian find out it was him... otherwise, it would be too troublesome.

Once exposed, he feared he wouldn't be able to conceal his vulnerable thoughts from her any longer.

But now, he was left with no choice.

He was faced with only two paths: either admit that it was him and not Lin Junrun, or...

Gritting his teeth, he confessed, "I don't want you to meet him."

The young man's ears had turned completely red, being pushed to the brink, he spoke with immense difficulty.

When had the usually proud and aloof Qin Si ever spoken like this?

The young girl's bright eyes widened suddenly, "What? Can you say that again?"

Author's note:

After marriage

A great joy is constantly teasing little Si Si.

Nian Nian: Say it if you dare.

Si Si Zai: ... (Unable to utter a word)

Nian Nian: Waves hand (Then, goodbye)

Is there anything more satisfying than forcing a thin-skinned tsundere, who has been verbally resisting you for years, to admit their feelings personally?

Poor Si Si Zai is really pitiable; initially, the road to pursuing his wife was difficult, and even after winning her over... (it presents another kind of challenge).