Chapter 110
It's really inconvenient.
The next evening after work, the two of them took Panpan for a walk. When they returned to the entrance of the residential area, they saw a black Bentley parked there, and a young man was standing outside the car. As soon as he saw the two of them, he came over to greet them.
Zhan Xinyue thought he looked familiar, but after hearing him greet Shi Ziqian, he politely called her Miss Zhan. Only then did she realize that she had seen this man before; he was the Shi family's driver, and she vaguely remembered that his surname was Li.
He handed the car keys to Shi Ziqian and said, "I've brought the car over, so I'll head back now." Shi Ziqian took the keys and thanked him. He glanced back at the car, seemingly wanting to say something but ultimately said nothing and quickly left.
Zhan Xinyue was a little puzzled, but seeing that Shi Ziqian didn't react, she didn't ask any further questions.
The two walked to the car together, and Zhan Xinyue asked curiously, "When did you get your driver's license?"
Shi Ziqian said, "When I graduated from high school."
Zhan Xinyue thought for a moment and said, "Speaking of which, I should probably get my driver's license soon."
“It’s okay if you don’t take the test,” Shi Ziqian said. “I can be your driver.”
Zhan Xinyue smiled and said, "That's great, but I think I need to know how to drive it myself."
Shi Ziqian nodded: "Then let's go check out the driving school after school starts."
Just as I was about to open the car door, the back door was pushed open from the inside first.
A girl wearing a baseball cap nimbly jumped down, her pointed oval face tilted up, revealing bright black eyes that gleamed as she stared at Shi Ziqian: "Well, you've got me."
Shi Ziqian wasn't too surprised, and simply asked, "What are you doing here?"
The person who jumped out of the car was Shi Qiyue. She had grown a lot taller, and her baby face had lost its baby fat, turning her into a beautiful young woman.
"I felt something was off when I saw Brother Li touch your car today, and when I followed him, I knew something was up." Shi Qiyue's eyes darted between Shi Ziqian and Zhan Xinyue, seemingly lost in thought. "Hey, sister. What's going on? Are you two secretly living together?"
“No…” Zhan Xinyue explained, “He stayed at my house during the summer vacation, and my parents were there too.”
"You're staying at your house?" Shi Qiyue frowned. "You didn't come home for summer vacation, leaving me to suffer alone at home, and you've secretly come to enjoy yourself. You're doomed, I'm going to tell Dad."
Shi Ziqian glanced at her twice but didn't reply.
“Of course, you can keep it a secret if you want me to.” Shi Qiyue’s brows suddenly relaxed. “Unless… how about I move in too? Dad is going to Europe on a business trip this month, I’ll tell Aunt Chen that I’m staying at a classmate’s house.”
Shi Ziqian immediately said, "No."
"Tch, who asked you?" Shi Qiyue stared at Zhan Xinyue. "Sister, are you welcoming me or not?"
Zhan Xinyue was stared at by Shi Ziqian's dark eyes, which resembled Shi Ziqian's. She looked at Shi Ziqian for his opinion and said, "Actually, Xiaoyue can come and stay if she wants. My parents like lively places. There's a spare room at home that can accommodate her."
Shi Ziqian hesitated and said, "I think it's probably not very convenient."
"It's convenient for you to stay at someone else's house, but inconvenient for me to go there, right?" Shi Qiyue rushed over and hugged Zhan Xinyue. "Sister, it's settled then!"
Shi Qiyue appeared at her doorstep early the next morning.
Although young, she was just as strict with etiquette as Shi Ziqian in some ways. When Zhan Xinyue opened the door, she saw Shi Qiyue directing people to pile large and small bags towards the entrance. Seeing the door open, she giggled, "Sister, I'm here."
Zhan Xinyue was shocked for two seconds, then silently took two steps back, revealing a mountain of unopened gifts piled up against the wall inside the room, trying to silently dissuade her by showing that the room was indeed already full.
Unexpectedly, Shi Qiyue looked up and said, "This was brought by my brother? Luckily, I added a few more items before I left, otherwise I would have lost to him."
Zhan Xinyue said with difficulty, "It's enough that you came in person, why did you bring gifts... and so many?"
"It's never a bad thing to be polite." Shi Qiyue walked past her and saw Pang Yun and Zhan Wei behind her, who also looked surprised. She immediately greeted them very politely, "Uncle and Aunt, I'm sorry to have troubled you!"
Pang Yun greeted her with a smile and led her into the house: "No trouble at all, no trouble at all. You must be Xiao Qian's sister. You're so cute. Come in quickly."
Shi Qiyue was pulled into the house. As she passed Shi Ziqian, she raised an eyebrow and glanced at him triumphantly.
Since arriving, Shi Qiyue has been quite cheerful and well-behaved, calling Pang Yunzhanwei and Pang Yunzhanwei "uncle and aunt" sweetly, which has made the house much more lively.
Such a lively time is rare for a family with only one child, and Zhan Xinyue was quite happy. However, she soon realized what Shi Ziqian meant by "inconvenience" that day.
After work that day, while walking the dog, she took Shi Ziqian out for a late-night snack and had some beer. She didn't drink much, but her mood was much higher than usual after drinking. This excitement lasted until she took a shower that evening and heard that the living room had quieted down. She quietly opened the bedroom door, intending to go and chat with Shi Ziqian.
However, upon opening the balcony door, she immediately saw Shi Qiyue comfortably reclining on a deck chair, holding Panpan and playing on her phone, her legs swinging back and forth. Hearing the door open, she looked over and asked, "Sister, why are you out so late?"
Caught off guard, Zhan Xinyue could only cough and mumble, "I'm going to the toilet."
Shi Qiyue raised an eyebrow: "Come to the balcony?"
Zhan Xinyue choked and fell silent.
Just as things were getting awkward, the other door opened again, and Shi Ziqian came out. His gaze met Zhan Xinyue's, and he was about to say something when his eyes fell on Shi Qiyue, and he fell silent.
Shi Qiyue also saw him, stared at him slowly for a moment, then glanced at Zhan Xinyue, lowered her head, and continued playing on her phone.
"You two can do as you please. Just pretend I don't exist," Shi Qiyue said lazily.
The two stared at each other for a moment, then Zhan Xinyue waved to Shi Ziqian with feigned composure, saying, "What a coincidence, you're not asleep either. I'm a little sleepy, I'll go inside first." With that, she retreated back into the house.
Shi Qiyue was living a very comfortable life at home. She was beautiful and had a sweet tongue, which made both Pang Yun and Zhan Wei like her to death.
She didn't want to go to the store with the two of them, so she stayed at home with Pang Yun during the day. Before long, the two of them were like mother and daughter.
Zhan Xinyue had initially felt that she was now busy at the shop all day, just like her father, and had spent much less time with her mother. Now that Shi Qiyue was around, she felt much more at ease.
However, because of her presence, Zhan Xinyue and Shi Ziqian had even less time alone together, leaving them with almost nothing but the daily commute to and from get off work together.
A month passed, and there were still more than two weeks left before school started. One day on his way to work, Shi Ziqian suddenly said, "Xinyue, how about we go back to school a little earlier?"
Zhan Xinyue asked, "What's wrong?"
Shi Ziqian gripped the steering wheel, gazing ahead: "What do you think?"
Zhan Xinyue suppressed a laugh, "I don't know."
Shi Ziqian smiled too. After a moment, he added, "Besides this, the innovation and entrepreneurship project I applied for last semester hasn't been completed yet, so I might have to go back and get busy for a while."
The "Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program for Undergraduates" is a popular program at universities. Many students apply in groups, hoping to win awards that can enrich their resumes and boost their overall assessment scores. However, most students only participate in the program during their junior or senior year, and it's rare to find someone like Shi Ziqian who starts applying in his freshman year.
"Okay." Zhan Xinyue thought for a moment. She had already spent a full month at the shop and learned a lot; it was almost time to go back to school. She casually asked, "Why are you working on projects so early? Are you trying to win an award?"
Shi Ziqian said, "Actually, it's not for the project itself. I want to take this opportunity to find some people."
Zhan Xinyue tilted her head: "Looking for people?"
“Yes.” Shi Ziqian nodded. “I currently have some money. You know, our school has many capable and ambitious young people. I want to find them and invest in them.”
Zhan Xinyue laughed: "How come you have such a good business sense? It puts a lot of pressure on me. I even said I'd take care of you in the future."
Shi Ziqian smiled and said, "There's no way around it. My girlfriend works so hard, I can't hold her back."
Because the two were going back to school, Pang Yun and Zhan Wei decided to cook a hot pot meal at home to send them off.
That day, none of the family members went to the shop. Instead, the whole family worked together to prepare a table full of ingredients in a lively and cheerful manner.
After finishing their meal amidst laughter and conversation, Pang Yun and Zhan Wei rested on the sofa, while Zhan Xinyue went to the balcony to feed Panpan with Shi Ziqian, and Shi Qiyue comfortably lay back on the recliner behind them.
"This is the first time I've ever had hot pot at home," Shi Qiyue said, rocking back in her recliner and swaying her head contentedly. "It feels so cozy."
Seeing her like this, Zhan Xinyue couldn't help but smile and say, "Welcome to come again during winter break. Let's continue eating."
Shi Qiyue immediately nodded vigorously: "Okay, okay."
Pang Yun and Zhan Wei were chatting in the living room when Pang Yun's voice came through: "We still need to move to a bigger house in the future. Look, we're just barely able to fit in now. What will happen after Xin Yue gets married..."
As soon as Zhan Xinyue realized what the two were talking about, she quickly pulled the sliding door shut, blocking out the sound.
But it was no use; the two people on the balcony heard it all.
Shi Qiyue laughed so hard she fell back on the recliner. After she finished laughing, she suddenly said, "Sister Xinyue, when are you and my brother getting married? I'll move in with you after you get married. And I'll move in with my brother after he gets married."
Zhan Xinyue was embarrassed. Marriage? They weren't even sophomores in college yet; how was she supposed to answer that question...?
Shi Qiyue didn't insist on getting an answer and quickly changed the subject, saying, "Sister, I have something good to show you. I found an old photo album at home the other day, and I found a picture of my brother wearing open-crotch pants when he was little. Do you want to see it?"
Childhood photos? Zhan Xinyue certainly wanted to see them, but the last few words were impossible to ignore: wearing open-crotch pants... She quickly glanced at Shi Ziqian.
Shi Ziqian looked a little confused, but after two seconds he regained his composure and said calmly, "I've never worn that."
"Tch, we'll know whether you've worn it or not just by looking." Shi Qiyue held up her phone. "Sister, come and see, I took a picture."
Zhan Xinyue hesitated, then glanced at Shi Ziqian. Seeing that he didn't seem to object, she slowly leaned her head over.
The photo shows a baby, about a few months old, wrapped up tightly in swaddling clothes, with nothing showing except for his little face.
Zhan Xinyue paused for a moment: "...Open-crotch pants?"
Shi Qiyue laughed heartily, "Just kidding."
Shi Qiyue's personality can be quite whimsical at times, but fortunately Zhan Xinyue has almost gotten used to it. She glanced at the photo a few more times; the baby in the photo had a pair of dark eyes, long eyelashes, a pointed chin, and very fair skin.
So this is what Shi Ziqian looked like as a child. Zhan Xinyue couldn't help but exclaim: So beautiful, completely different from the image of a baby she remembered before he fully developed.
"How about it, sister? He's pretty, isn't he?" Shi Qiyue said. "Look at my brother, he's never been ugly since he was born. So I guess even if he becomes poor in the future, he probably won't become ugly. So you see, if you marry him, you definitely won't lose out."
Zhan Xinyue didn't know how to respond, so she looked to Shi Ziqian for help, hoping he could help her out of the predicament.
Shi Ziqian received her gaze, thought for a moment, and said, "I probably won't become poor."
...
Two seconds later, Zhan Xinyue realized what he meant, silently opened her bedroom door and shrank inside, while Shi Qiyue behind her was laughing incessantly again.
Before leaving, Pang Yun called Shi Ziqian away alone. Zhan Xinyue originally wanted to follow, but Pang Yun stopped her with a look.
She had no choice but to return to the living room alone, where she saw Zhan Wei sitting leisurely on the sofa. She went over to ask, "Dad, do you know what Mom wants to say to him?"
Zhan Wei said slowly and deliberately, "I don't know."
Zhan Xinyue had no choice but to turn her head away, sit there for a while, and then cautiously asked, "Dad, what do you think of... Shi Ziqian?"
"So you're already trying to find out what we're thinking?" Zhan Wei snorted, but relaxed a moment later. "Xiao Qian is indeed a good kid. He's humble and steady, which is rare for a young man his age."
Zhan Xinyue asked curiously, "You can even tell from his composure?"
"Actually, a person's driving style can reflect their personality. Young people are usually impetuous and like to drive fast, but I have observed for a long time that Xiaoqian drives very steadily and is not impatient at all."
Zhan Xinyue nodded in approval. Shi Ziqian was indeed a very steady driver, and his emotions were very stable, but...
She looked at Zhan Wei: "Dad! How do you know what kind of driver he is? Did you follow us?"
“Of course I had to follow along.” Zhan Wei chuckled. “In the eyes of your mother and me, you two are just kids under 20. How could we feel at ease with you two driving alone? Of course I had to be there to protect you. But it was only for the first few days. After that, I felt more at ease and stopped following along.”
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