Chapter 40 Girls Shouldn’t Be So Vain

Chapter 40: A Girl Shouldn’t Be Too Vain

Were it not for her limited time off, Qin Shuyi would have loved to stay in her hometown much longer.

She rolled over in bed, thinking about having to return to the capital in a few days, and reluctantly nuzzled her oversized turtle-shaped body pillow.

Outside, Zhou Yunhe called her to get up for breakfast. She dragged herself out of bed.

When she pushed open her bedroom door, she saw her father standing by the window, having drawn back the curtains, staring down at something.

On the table sat the breakfast Qin Yuan had brought back after his morning exercise. She pried open a cup of soy milk and took a bite of a soup dumpling. Noticing Qin Yuan still standing by the window, she asked curiously, “Dad, what are you looking at?”

Qin Yuan replied, “There’s an unfamiliar car parked in the neighborhood.”

Zhou Yunhe, eating her wontons, said, “Probably someone’s relative. It’s been so long since you were last here—it’s normal not to recognize it.”

Qin Yuan arched an eyebrow.

Is that so? The car had arrived around midnight. Who visits relatives at that hour?

He’d gotten up for a drink of water, and the car had just pulled in then. After parking, no one had gotten out.

Moreover, that car was worth several times more than any apartment in the neighborhood. Since when did a potential multimillionaire move in?

Most importantly—why did he feel like the car was parked at the perfect angle to observe their house?

If it were him, he’d choose that spot too.

“Alright, I think it’s just your professional paranoia kicking in. What trouble could possibly happen here?” Zhou Yunhe teased. “What kind of criminal scouts a location in a luxury car?”

Qin Yuan rubbed his nose, unwillingly casting a few more glances.

Fine. It better be someone with no ill intentions—otherwise, they’d be walking straight into his line of fire.

Qin Shuyi watched her parents bicker, quietly chuckling around her dumpling.

After breakfast, she volunteered to take out the trash.

After tossing it, she inexplicably felt the sensation of being watched. Instinctively, she glanced toward that conspicuously sleek black car.

Pressing her lips together, Qin Shuyi walked over.

The car was empty.

She let out a sigh of relief for no reason—then laughed at herself. How could she have associated it with *him*?

At this hour, he should be sound asleep, wrapped around some beauty.

Before the breakup, she could’ve sworn he wasn’t the type to cheat. But after the breakup? All bets were off.

Thinking about the photos Tao Wangxi had shown her last night, she scoffed inwardly.

It seemed none of them believed she could truly move on—always subtly testing and provoking her.

But one thing Tao Wangxi had said was right: Tao Wangxi liked Ling Jue, and for the title of Mrs. Ling, she could tolerate his womanizing. Qin Shuyi wasn’t like that. Why couldn’t love and loyalty coexist?

When it came to things she cared about, she was fiercely possessive.

As a child, she’d sulk for half a day if her parents hugged another child a little too warmly. If a future husband couldn’t even keep the promise of being “the only one,” she truly couldn’t accept it.

In her understanding, love that comes with hurt isn’t love—at least, not healthy love.

Qin Shuyi shuffled in her slippers, turning to head home.

But the next moment, someone blocked her path.

“Well, well—if it isn’t the Qin family’s little girl! Haven’t seen you in ages!” A woman with a perm looked her up and down.

“My, you’ve grown into such a beauty! So—where are you working now? What’s your salary? Do you have a boyfriend?”

A barrage of questions rained down, leaving Qin Shuyi slightly taken aback.

Seeing her confused expression, the woman slapped her forehead. “I’m Auntie Wang! Used to live in the building next to yours. I gave you candy—remember?”

Qin Shuyi finally remembered.

Their family had lived in this complex for a few years when she was younger. But around Qin Shuyi’s middle school years, she’d heard Auntie Wang’s family struck it rich overnight from a demolition payout. They’d bought a better house and talked about launching a business to make big money. After that, she hadn’t seen them.

And these past few years, she’d spent most of her time in the capital—rushing in and out, paying little attention to neighborhood gossip. Had they moved back?

As for the so-called candy… When she was little, Auntie Wang’s son, Dazhuang, had been a nasty brat who claimed Qin Yuan and Zhou Yunhe would never return from their overseas aid work. Qin Shuyi had beaten him until he cried.

Later, Auntie Wang—embarrassed upon learning the truth—had shoved some wedding candy into her hands—the very candy she’d snatched from a newlywed couple in the complex.

Before Qin Shuyi could even speak, the motor-mouthed Auntie Wang launched into chatter again.

Remembering how Qin Shuyi had been eyeing the car earlier, a disapproving look crossed her face.

“Shuyi, dear, I have to say—girls shouldn’t be so vain just because they’re pretty. Those rich families have high standards. My son told me this car costs tens of millions. You’ve never seen one like it, right? Better not touch it—you might break something. And whoever can afford a car like this is probably quite old.”

She studied Qin Shuyi’s naturally beautiful, striking face—unadorned by makeup—with mixed feelings.

“I heard your family bought you an apartment in the capital? That’s perfect! Our Dazhuang works in the capital too. He’s around your age. This year he landed a job at Ling Group. You know which Ling Group I mean, right?”

The Ling Group’s industrial chain was vast and diversified—not only researching cutting-edge technologies and biotech at the international forefront, but also rooted deeply in manufacturing. Ling Group products were visible in nearly every facet of ordinary people’s daily lives. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say a person’s entire life was practically orchestrated by them.

Auntie Wang swelled with pride as she spoke of her son’s job.

It was the dream workplace everyone aspired to. Who wouldn’t envy her when she mentioned it?

“You two played so well together as kids. You should catch up sometime—you can help each other out in the capital. Oh, right—Dazhuang’s on vacation at home these few days too. He mentioned organizing a class reunion. I told him to bring you along.”

Qin Shuyi couldn’t be bothered to dissect how much truth there was in that “played so well together.” She maintained a polite smile with effort. “No, thank you. I have to return to work soon—I probably won’t have time.”

Auntie Wang looked displeased. “How much could your job possibly pay? Let Dazhuang put in a good word for you—maybe he can even get you a job at his company. This event is funded by our Dazhuang; we need to make a good impression.”

Qin Shuyi regarded her with a faint, mocking smile. “What does Wang Dazhuang’s ‘impression’ have to do with an outsider like me?”

Auntie Wang felt a pang of guilt, as if her intentions had been exposed. “Oh, come on! I was just thinking—since there’s history between you, you could use this chance to spend some time together.”

A girl like Qin Shuyi would make him look so good if taken out.

Her son liked pretty girls—said those who weren’t good-looking weren’t worthy of his current status.

She’d introduced several girls to Dazhuang before—each bright-eyed, curvaceous, lovely—yet he’d turned up his nose at all of them. Who knew what kind of fairy he was waiting for?

Seeing Qin Shuyi today immediately reminded her of that graduation group photo her son treasured.

Surely he couldn’t be dissatisfied with someone who looked like *this*, right?

"No, my dad says I can't marry a man who cries and calls for his mom. We're not a good match."

Before the visibly upset Wang Ayi could continue, Qin Shuyi clutched her stomach, cutting her off. "Oh, I really need to use the bathroom. Gotta run now, Auntie Wang. Bye!"

She made a swift escape, nearly losing her slippers in the process.

Fuming from the rejection, Wang Ayi seethed, patting her chest. "Who does she think she is, some fairy? My Da Zhuang doesn't even want her. Let's see if she ends up marrying the Jade Emperor himself!"

Spotting the luxury car nearby, her resentment flared again. "Hmph! She's probably dazzled by other people's wealth. Does she think she'll ever ride in a car like this?!"

"Whether she can ride in it or not, I don't know. But I do know she could wreck this car for fun if she wanted to."

The sudden, deep, and icy male voice startled the grumbling Wang Ayi.

She turned to see a tall, imposing figure with a noble air, and a pair of chillingly cold eyes that seemed to look down upon her as if she were an insignificant insect.

----------------------------------------