sister in law

It was the weekend, a rare day off. Qi Shuo stood by the window of his factory dormitory, looking at the bright sunshine outside. After hesitating for a moment, he took out his phone and dialed Tan Huaiyu's number.

He had promised Tan Huaiyu that they could visit Qingran together.

The phone rang for a long time before being answered. Tan Huaiyu's voice came through the receiver, carrying a hint of suppressed anger and seriousness: "How many times have I told you, the contract terms must be checked word for word. How could you make such a basic mistake—"

He paused mid-sentence, seemingly glancing at his phone screen. A few seconds later, his voice softened abruptly: "Qi Shuo?"

Qi Shuo raised an eyebrow—that stern reprimand just now didn't sound like the obedient Tan Huaiyu he usually knew.

"Hmm." Qi Shuo responded, "Still working?"

"No, no." Tan Huaiyu's voice immediately softened, carrying a hint of barely perceptible tension. "It's just... I was reprimanding a few interns. What's wrong?"

"Are you free today?" Qi Shuo asked. "To see Qing Ran."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, followed by Tan Huaiyu's excited voice: "I'm free! Of course I'm free!"

"Okay." Qi Shuo nodded. "Then... see you downstairs at Sister Jin's house in an hour."

"Great!" Tan Huaiyu's voice was full of excitement. "I'll be right there!"

After hanging up the phone, Qi Shuo glanced at his phone, a smile unconsciously creeping onto his lips. Tan Huaiyu's excited expression just now was exactly like his reaction when he was a child and heard that he was being taken to the amusement park.

On the other side, in the law firm's conference room.

Tan Huaiyu hung up the phone, his expression instantly shifting from gentle to serious. He looked up at the interns and assistants standing opposite him, his voice regaining its previous coldness: "That's all for today. Go back and revise the contract again. I want to see a flawless version tomorrow."

"Yes, Attorney Tan." The interns lowered their heads, not daring to breathe.

"Also," Tan Huaiyu stood up and straightened his suit, "I have something to do this afternoon, so all meetings and appointments will be postponed to tomorrow."

"Okay." The assistant nodded. "Do you need me to arrange a car for you?"

"No need." Tan Huaiyu waved his hand. "I'll drive myself."

After saying that, he strode out of the conference room, leaving a room full of people looking at each other in bewilderment.

"Is this... still the Attorney Tan we know?" an intern muttered quietly.

"His voice was so soft when he answered the phone just now..." another intern chimed in.

The assistant cleared his throat: "Alright, hurry up and revise the contract."

When Tan Huaiyu got home, she quickly took a shower and changed into simple clothes—a white T-shirt, light-colored jeans, and a beige knitted cardigan. She looked clean and refreshed, like a college student.

He stood in front of the mirror and carefully checked his appearance—hmm, it shouldn't scare Qingran.

Then, he began preparing gifts. Fruits, tonics, tea... gifts for Sister Jin, for Qin Zhou, for Song Yungui, for Xiao Jue and Lin Ye... a gift for everyone. Finally, he took out his phone and dialed his assistant's number.

"Hello, Attorney Tan?" The assistant's voice came through the receiver.

"Give me some ideas," Tan Huaiyu said. "What would be a good gift for a little girl?"

"A little girl?" The assistant hesitated for a moment. "How old?"

"21 years old." Tan Huaiyu thought for a moment, then added, "It could also be 6 years old."

assistant:"……?"

"It's just that...their mental age is relatively young," Tan Huaiyu explained, "but their actual age is 21."

"Oh..." the assistant exclaimed, suddenly realizing, "Then... could we send a dress? Or a toy? Like a Barbie doll or something?"

"A skirt?" Tan Huaiyu's eyes lit up. "Great idea!"

After hanging up the phone, he immediately drove to the mall, picked out a red and white winter dress, and also bought an exquisite crown headband and a limited-edition Barbie doll. As he checked out, looking at the pile of gifts, a sense of satisfaction welled up inside him.

An hour later, downstairs at Sister Jin's house.

Qi Shuo stood downstairs, watching Tan Huaiyu get out of a taxi carrying large bags and small packages. He paused for a moment, then asked with a hint of helplessness, "Are you... moving?"

Tan Huaiyu blushed and explained softly, "It's a gift for Teacher Jin and Qing Ran..."

"Too much." Qi Shuo shook his head. "Sister Jin will say you're wasting money."

"Not at all," Tan Huaiyu quickly shook his head. "It's only right for my first formal visit."

Seeing his serious expression, Qi Shuo didn't say anything more, but simply reached out and took the bags: "Let's go."

The two went upstairs, and Qi Shuo knocked on the door. The door opened quickly, and Qing Ran stood there. Seeing Qi Shuo, her eyes lit up instantly: "Brother!"

She snuggled into Qi Shuo's arms, rubbing against him like a kitten. Qi Shuo's eyes softened as he gently embraced her and ruffled her hair: "Mmm, brother's here."

Qingran snuggled against Qi Shuo for a while before noticing Tan Huaiyu behind him. She tilted her head, blinked her big eyes, and said in a clear, cheerful voice, "Oh? Perverted brother!"

Tan Huaiyu: "..."

Qi Shuo: "..."

Sister Jin, who rushed to the door to greet us: "..."

Xiao Jue, Lin Ye, Qin Zhou, and Song Yungui, who were also on the sofa, were all speechless.

The air froze instantly.

Tan Huaiyu's face flushed red instantly, and he wished he could dig a hole and bury himself. He opened his mouth, wanting to explain something, but didn't know what to say.

Qi Shuo smiled helplessly, stepped aside to block Tan Huaiyu from view, then squatted down and looked earnestly at Qing Ran: "Qing Ran, you can't call him that like that. This is... Brother Huaiyu, you should be polite, okay?"

Qingran tilted her head, thought for a long time, and then obediently said, "Brother Huaiyu."

Tan Huaiyu breathed a sigh of relief and forced a smile: "Qingran is so good." He looked at Sister Jin, his voice a little nervous, "Teacher Jin, these are some fruits and snacks I brought for you."

Sister Jin's feelings towards this child were somewhat complicated. She knew Tan Huaiyu was Tan Zhong's son, and she also knew what he had done to Qi Shuo. But over the years, Qi Shuo seemed to have let go of the past, and Qing Ran was able to live a normal life...

That's good enough.

"Oh dear, you're here already, why did you bring anything?" Sister Jin snapped out of her daze, warmly taking the bag and chiding, "This is too much trouble."

"It's nothing," Tan Huaiyu said obediently, "This is just a small token of my appreciation for my first formal visit."

Looking at his sensible demeanor, Sister Jin felt a surge of approval. This child is quite thoughtful.

But... why does this feel so much like meeting the parents?

Jin shook her head, trying to shake off these random thoughts.

"Come in, come in and sit down," she invited. "Everyone's here, let's eat together."

Tan Huaiyu nodded and followed Qi Shuo into the living room. On the sofa, Xiao Jue, Lin Ye, Qin Zhou, and Song Yungui were all looking at him with different expressions.

"Long time no see," Xiao Jue spoke first, his voice calm. "Attorney Tan."

"Attorney Xiao." Tan Huaiyu nodded politely. "Long time no see."

"Hey, Attorney Tan," Qin Zhou said with a grin, "I heard you're doing quite well in Beijing?"

"It's alright," Tan Huaiyu said modestly.

"Sit down," Qi Shuo said calmly, gesturing to the sofa. "Don't stand."

Tan Huaiyu sat down obediently, placing his hands on his knees like a well-behaved elementary school student. Qing Ran sat next to Qi Shuo, looking at him curiously, then at the bag in his hand.

"Brother Huaiyu," she suddenly spoke, "that...what is it?"

Tan Huaiyu was taken aback for a moment, then realized what he meant and quickly handed over the bag: "This is a gift for you."

Qingran took the bag, opened it, and saw—a red and white winter dress, a crown headband, and a Barbie doll. Her eyes instantly lit up like two little stars: "Wow!"

She picked up the crown headband, carefully put it on her head, then looked at Qi Shuo expectantly and asked, "Brother, does it look good?"

Looking at her like this, Qi Shuo's lips unconsciously curled up: "Beautiful."

Qingran smiled happily, then picked up the winter dress and held it up against herself: "I love it!"

Looking at her like this, Tan Huaiyu felt a surge of satisfaction. He secretly glanced at Qi Shuo and found that Qi Shuo was also looking at him, a faint smile on his lips.

At that moment, Tan Huaiyu felt that all his tension and anxiety had been worth it.

Qingran, clutching her new dress, crown, and Barbie doll, huffed and puffed as she ran back to her room to change.

The living room fell silent for a moment, with only the sound of a variety show playing on the television. Tan Huaiyu sat on the sofa with her hands on her knees, like a well-behaved schoolchild, occasionally stealing glances at Qi Shuo.

Qi Shuo leaned back on the sofa, remote control in hand, changing channels expressionlessly, seemingly unconcerned about the awkward scene that had just occurred. But upon closer inspection, one could see that the tips of his ears were slightly red.

"Ahem." Xiao Jue coughed lightly, breaking the silence. "Attorney Tan, I heard you have a big case next month?"

"Hmm." Tan Huaiyu nodded, his voice regaining its usual composure. "The fifteenth of next month."

"Congratulations." Xiao Jue smiled. "We'll have opportunities to collaborate in the future."

"Thank you, Attorney Xiao," Tan Huaiyu replied politely.

"Hey, hey, hey," Qin Zhou interrupted, "Can you two stop being so formal? It's like a business meeting."

"Exactly." Lin Ye agreed, putting his arm around Xiao Jue's waist, and said, "Relax, don't be so tense."

Tan Huaiyu smiled but didn't say anything. He secretly glanced at Qi Shuo and found that Qi Shuo was still changing channels expressionlessly, seemingly uninterested in their conversation.

Just then, Qingran's door opened. She walked out, wearing her red and white winter dress and a crown headband, looking like a little princess. The hem of her dress swayed gently with her steps, and the crown sparkled under the light.

"Is it pretty?" Qingran spun around, looking at everyone expectantly.

"Beautiful!" Qin Zhou was the first to respond, "Our Qingran is the prettiest!"

"Yes, it looks great." Song Yungui nodded as well.

"Like a little princess," Xiao Jue said with a smile.

Lin Ye gave a thumbs up: "Beautiful!"

Qingran smiled happily, then looked at Qi Shuo and Tan Huaiyu: "Brother, Brother Huaiyu, is it good?"

"She looks good." Qi Shuo put down the remote control, his voice gentle. "Qing Ran looks good in anything."

Tan Huaiyu nodded, "Yes, it's really good."

Qingran looked around contentedly, then sat down next to Tan Huaiyu.

She blinked her big eyes and stared intently at Tan Huaiyu, making him feel a little embarrassed.

"Qingran, why are you staring at me?" Tan Huaiyu leaned back slightly and asked softly.

"You look beautiful!" Qingran said crisply.

Tan Huaiyu was taken aback, then laughed: "Really? Besides me, who else does Qingran think is pretty?"

Qingran tilted her head and thought for a moment, then started counting on her fingers: "Auntie is handsome... Brother Yun Gui is handsome... Brother Xiao Jue is handsome... Brother Xiao Ye is handsome... Brother Qin Zhou..."

When she got to Qin Zhou's name, she suddenly stopped. Looking at Qin Zhou's expectant eyes, she guiltily looked away and remained silent.

Qin Zhou: "...?"

"Hey!" Qin Zhou exploded, "Qing Ran! What do you mean? How am I not pretty?"

Qingran snuggled closer to Tan Huaiyu and muttered softly, "You...you always make me cry..."

"When did I ever make you cry?" Qin Zhou's eyes widened. "I even took you out for cakes last time! You little ingrate!"

"That's because you got my rabbit dirty!" Qingran puffed out her cheeks.

"That was an accident!" Qin Zhou argued. "Besides, didn't I buy you a new one?"

"I want the original one!" Qingran said stubbornly.

"You—" Qin Zhou was furious. If Song Yungui hadn't stopped him, he would have argued with Qing Ran, that little kid.

Qingran nestled in Tan Huaiyu's arms, stuck out her tongue at Qin Zhou, and turned her head away haughtily.

Tan Huaiyu was both amused and exasperated, and gently patted her back: "Alright, alright, stop arguing."

Qingran nodded obediently, then looked at Tan Huaiyu and said earnestly, "Brother Huaiyu is the most handsome!"

Tan Huaiyu laughed: "And what about your brother?"

Qingran looked at Qi Shuo, her eyes sparkling: "Brother, you're the most handsome! The most handsome man in the whole world!"

Qi Shuo was taken aback, then suddenly smiled. His smile was faint, but genuine, as gentle as melting snow.

Seeing her brother smile made Qingran even happier, and she added, "He and Huaiyu are a perfect match!"

Qi Shuo's smile froze.

Tan Huaiyu was also stunned.

The living room fell silent instantly, save for the laughter from the variety show on TV. Xiao Jue, Lin Ye, Qin Zhou, and Song Yungui stared wide-eyed at each other in bewilderment.

Um...we think we've found out something really serious.

Xiao Jue coughed twice, trying to defuse the situation: "Qingran thinks both of her brothers are handsome, right?"

Qingran nodded, then snuggled into Qi Shuo's arms, her voice muffled, "Brother, I want Huaiyu to be my... um... sister-in-law! Just like Xiaojue and... Xiaoye!"

Tan Huaiyu's mind went blank for a moment, then went completely blank. He froze on the spot, like a statue.

Qi Shuo froze, his hand hanging in mid-air, unsure where to put it. His ears were so red they were almost bleeding, his eyes darting around, and he dared not look at anyone.

Xiao Jue: "..."

There's no way to salvage it.

Lin Ye suppressed a laugh, put his arm around Xiao Jue's waist, and gestured for him not to try to salvage the situation.

Because it's beyond saving.

The atmosphere in the living room was extremely awkward. Qingran, however, seemed oblivious, still snuggling against Qi Shuo, murmuring, "Brother, please..."

"Qingran." Qi Shuo took a deep breath, his voice a little hoarse, "Don't talk nonsense."

"I'm not making this up." Qingran looked up at him earnestly. "Brother Huaiyu is good to you, and I like Brother Huaiyu too. You're too lonely by yourself; you need someone to keep you company."

Qi Shuo: "..."

He didn't know how to respond. Qingran's mind was only that of a six or seven-year-old; she didn't understand what these words meant, she was simply expressing her thoughts. But it was precisely this simplicity that made it impossible for him to refute her.

Tan Huaiyu sat to the side, head bowed, his fingers gripping the hem of his clothes tightly. His heart was pounding, as if it would leap out of his chest. Qing Ran's words were like a pebble thrown into the calm lake of his heart, creating ripples in its wake.

He stole a glance at Qi Shuo and found that Qi Shuo was also looking at him. Their eyes met in mid-air and then quickly looked away.

"Alright, alright." Sister Jin finally came out of the kitchen, breaking the awkward silence. "Dinner's ready, come and eat."

"Yes, yes, let's eat!" Qin Zhou quickly chimed in, pulling Song Yungui to her feet. "I'm starving!"

"I'm hungry too," Lin Ye said with a smile, pulling Xiao Jue towards the restaurant.

Qingran climbed out of Qi Shuo's arms and took Tan Huaiyu's hand: "Brother Huaiyu, let's go eat!"

Tan Huaiyu nodded stiffly and followed Qing Ran towards the restaurant. As he passed Qi Shuo, he lowered his head, not daring to look Qi Shuo in the eye.

Qi Shuo stood there, watching Tan Huaiyu's retreating figure, a mix of emotions surging within him once more. He took a deep breath and followed.

Inside the restaurant, everyone sat around the table, and the atmosphere finally eased a bit. Qing Ran sat between Qi Shuo and Tan Huaiyu, happily eating her meal and occasionally serving them food.

"Brother, eat this." She picked up a piece of pork rib for Qi Shuo.

"Brother Huaiyu, eat this." She picked up another piece of fish for Tan Huaiyu.

Looking at the fish in his bowl, Tan Huaiyu felt a warm feeling well up inside him. He looked up at Qing Ran and said softly, "Thank you, Qing Ran."

Qingran gave him a sweet smile, then looked at Qi Shuo and blinked, as if to say—See, how wonderful Brother Huaiyu is.

Qi Shuo: "..."

He lowered his head to eat, pretending not to see Qingran's gaze.

The atmosphere at the dinner table gradually became lively. Qin Zhou and Song Yungui were bickering, Xiao Jue and Lin Ye were talking in hushed tones, and Sister Jin would occasionally chime in. Only Qi Shuo and Tan Huaiyu ate their meal quietly, neither of them saying a word.

But their hearts were not at peace.