After Lu Wanqing left, only Qin Xiyao remained sitting there.

Alone and vulnerable, she looked incredibly small and pitiful, especially under the moonlight tonight.

She didn't know if it was because her worries had gotten heavier, or if Lu Wanqing's words had hurt her.

Next to the empty bottle of red wine, there is now a new one.

Luo Chen, who should have left quietly, felt uneasy and returned once again.

He heard the first half of what Qin Xiyao and Lu Wanqing had said before quietly leaving.

After all, this was their private conversation, and it just felt wrong to eavesdrop from behind.

If we get caught, we'll be in deep trouble.

Doesn't the eldest son of the Luo family need to save face?

Luo Chen, who was already halfway there, felt inexplicably irritable. In addition, Qin Xiyao was acting very strangely today, so he couldn't help but turn back to check on her.

Upon closer inspection...

Goodness.

We've already drunk half a bottle of red wine.

He lay unconscious on the recliner.

It's obvious that the aftereffects of the red wine are starting to kick in.

It's late at night, and although it's not winter yet, the temperature will continue to drop as time goes by.

How could Qin Xiyao, an ordinary person, possibly stand it?

"Strange, where is Lu Wanqing?"

I saw Lu Wanqing earlier, and she was clearly planning to stay here for the night, so why is she nowhere to be found?

But now is not the time to think about these things.

Luo Chen walked over, looked Qin Xiyao over, and then gently patted her shoulder.

"Hey, are you alright?"

She shook it gently a few times, and Qin Xiyao only murmured a few words before falling silent.

It seems she really did drink too much.

Unable to think of a solution, Luo Chen sat down helplessly beside Qin Xiyao and draped his suit jacket over her shoulders.

She now looks as serene as a sleeping cat, completely different from how she appeared tonight.

Luo Chen scratched his head. The empty wine bottle on the table and the cat sleeping soundly on the recliner were a somewhat mismatched scene, but at this moment, they were giving him a headache.

Did I just miss something?

Otherwise, why would she drink so much?

"Luo Chen..."

A soft murmur, as if Qin Xiyao, still fast asleep, was calling out her name in a dream.

Luo Chen heard the sound and looked over with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

But she still had a sleeping face, yet as if unconsciously, she called out his name.

"You said...you would marry me...you promised...why did you break your promise..."

These words seemed to have stung her, and her face showed slight pain, but Luo Chen, who was listening, suddenly froze in place.

What, what is going on here?

When did I say such a thing?

Qin Xiyao, have you drunk yourself silly?

No matter how hard I try to think about it, I can't recall any memories that connect these words to my mind.

Even if I don't have an exceptional memory, I should at least have some impression of it.

However, there was none at all.

“I was the one who met you first… but you… got engaged to someone else… What was the point of the marriage certificate we wrote back then… Why should I… keep it until now…”

In her room, in the drawer of the dressing table, compared to the luxurious cosmetics inside, the yellowed card seemed out of place, yet it was exceptionally cherished.

She has always kept it carefully and treasured it dearly.

Imagine that one day, Luo Chen will remember what happened back then and talk to her about it. Not that their feelings will suddenly deepen, but the promise they made will still remain.

And she... is still keeping her promise.

[...]

For the next short period of time, Luo Chen listened quietly.

It is wrong to try to find out what you want to know by taking advantage of someone who is drunk.

The words "marriage certificate" inevitably evoke curiosity.

This is the third time Luo Chen has heard about this.

I first learned about it from my father, Luo Chengfang.

The second time was with Qin Zhengwen.

The third time is now.

If we hadn't been unable to get an answer from the system, the truth of this matter might have already been revealed.

Although what we're doing now is wrong, at least this is the time for him to know the real answer.

It turns out that all of this happened when I was four years old.

The two met for the first time...

"You are Luo Chen?"

"You are Qin Xiyao?"

"Yes, that's me. But... my father often mentions you to me. It seems that apart from being a little good-looking, I don't see anything special about you."

"How can it not be special!"

What's so special about it?

"long……"

"Um?"

At just four years old, the innocent and naive Qin Xiyao had no idea what this meant.

She tilted her head adorably, with a bewildered look in her eyes.

Luo Chen, who had made a careless remark, was instantly embarrassed. He had been in this world for several years, but there were still some things in his genes that he couldn't change.

To say something like that to a four-year-old...

"But I can't see what's so long about you. Did you hide it?"

"..."

Qin Xiyao's unintentional remark struck Luo Chen like a blow, leaving him feeling embarrassed.

But soon, everyone forgot about it.

After all, they are just children and won't hold onto something for too long.

Luo Chen wouldn't want to embarrass himself by bringing up such a dark history again.

Although they are the same age, in the eyes of the elders, he is the older brother and Qin Xiyao is the younger sister.

However, Luo Chen thought so too.

The elders need to connect with each other and need some space.

The younger generation, naturally, shouldn't be disturbed; they should find somewhere to play on their own.

Qin Xiyao is very obedient and well-behaved.

She let Luo Chen pull her along, without asking where they were going.

Luo Chen naturally couldn't take Qin Xiyao to a place that was too far away.

There's a small park not far from my home. It's spacious and has slides and other facilities.

So, he took Qin Xiyao there.

But simple entertainment facilities are naturally not enough.

After that initial curiosity wore off, I lost interest.

"I want to play house."

Qin Xiyao offered her idea, and Luo Chen scratched his head in distress.

Not to mention in his original world, even here, he had never experienced this kind of gameplay.

However, simple pretend play is not enough; we also need some props, such as dolls and toys.

Luo Chen felt a headache coming on.

Why not just build a simple sand dune? Why make it so complicated?

The others didn't know how powerful the little girl was, but Luo Chen was defeated by Qin Xiyao's innocent and pure eyes.

"Then you wait here for me, okay? Don't run around. I'll go get the toys."

"Mmm!"

Qin Xiyao nodded happily, then sat on a small bench to the side, swinging her feet and waiting for Luo Chen to return.

The surrounding area is full of familiar neighbors, and we keep in touch frequently, always greeting each other when we meet.

Luo Chen wasn't unaware of Qin Xiyao's safety when he left.

I politely asked my neighbor to look after the child, and only left after receiving their agreement.

With nothing to do, Qin Xiyao curiously looked around at her surroundings. Despite being in an unfamiliar place, she felt no fear whatsoever.

Perhaps because Qin Zhengwen usually keeps a close eye on her and doesn't let her run around, she's naturally full of curiosity now that she's finally in a new environment.