Chapter 7
The living room was so quiet you could hear the faint hum of the central air conditioning. Shi Ye sat on the sofa, looking at his father, Shi Zhenghong, across from him. The first thought that popped into his mind was:
"Here it comes, here it comes, the classic plot is here! The grudges and feuds of the parents' generation, the mystery of the protagonist's background, is the next step to tell me that I am not actually their biological child? Or that my mother is a member of some mysterious organization?"
She blinked, trying to appear serious: "Dad, what did you say? Mom didn't die of illness?"
Shi Zhenghong rubbed his hands together; this decisive man in the business world seemed unusually flustered at this moment. He glanced at Qi Jin, who was standing in the distance, and Qi Jin nodded to him, signaling him to continue.
“Your mother…” Shi Zhenghong took a deep breath, “was poisoned to death back then.”
Shi Ye's mind started automatically playing out various melodramatic scenes: "Poisoning? Family feuds? Business competition? Or romantic entanglements? Wait, could my mom be some kind of corporate spy? Or sent by my dad's competitor? No, wait, this wasn't mentioned in the original novel..."
"Dad," she tried to keep her voice steady, "explain yourself clearly, what happened?"
Shi Zhenghong took out an old wallet from his pocket and pulled out a yellowed photograph from a hidden compartment. The photograph showed a young woman with a gentle smile, whose features bore a striking resemblance to Shi Ye.
“Your mother’s name is Su Wan,” Shi Zhenghong said, his voice choked with emotion. “The year we got married, the Shi family was going through a critical period. Several projects I took on offended…some people.”
Shi Ye took the photo, looking at the woman in it who was both strange and familiar. The original owner's memories of her mother were few, mostly vague outlines and a warm aura. She tried to stir her emotions, trying to feel something—sadness? anger? But her heart remained stagnant.
“So your mother became the target,” Shi Zhenghong continued. “They wanted to hurt me and force me to withdraw from the competition. First it was threatening letters, then a failed car accident, and finally… poisoning.”
He clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white: "That kind of poison is very insidious. The initial symptoms are like a common cold, and hospitals can't detect it. By the time your mother really collapses, it's already... too late."
Shi Ye stared at the photo, but his mind was racing: "So this is why the Shi family went bankrupt so easily in the original story? Because they were already enemies? No, that's not right, the original story didn't mention this at all. Is it another timeline change?"
She looked up: "Who are those people? Have they been caught?"
Shi Zhenghong shook his head: "There is no concrete evidence. I only know that it is related to the Qin family."
"The Qin family?" Shi Ye's mind immediately conjured up Qin Hao's face. "Qin Hao's family?"
“It’s not Qin Hao’s branch.” Qi Jin walked over and sat down next to Shi Ye. “It’s a collateral branch of the Qin family, the lineage of Old Master Qin’s younger brother. They lost power ten years ago due to internal strife and have now withdrawn from the inner circle.”
Shi Ye looked at Qi Jin, then at his father: "So you two... knew all along?"
Shi Zhenghong nodded: "When President Qi came to our house to propose three years ago, she already knew all about these things. She promised to protect you, so I..."
"Wait a minute." Shi Ye raised his hand to interrupt, "Three years ago? Proposing marriage? I was only nineteen years old then!"
Qi Jin coughed lightly: "It's just a preliminary intention."
"Intention?!" Shi Ye's eyes widened. "You submitted my 'intention' without my knowledge?!"
“It’s not what you think,” Qi Jin tried to explain. “Back then, it was just our parents getting to know each other; we weren’t officially engaged. I wanted to wait until you were a little older so you could decide for yourself.”
Shi Ye leaned back on the sofa, feeling like her brain wasn't working properly: "So for the past three years, you've been secretly in love with me, investigating my family, and also making an agreement with my dad to protect me?"
Qi Jin nodded: "...Basically correct."
Shi Ye covered his face: "Let me calm down."
Her mind raced: "What kind of plot is this?! A love triangle + a business war + a revenge plot + a protection plot, four plots running simultaneously?! Author, could you please focus a little more when you're writing the outline?! And my dad, just like that, 'entrusted' me to a woman who was only in her early twenties at the time?! Although he has good judgment and Qi Jin is indeed capable, this is just too casual!"
“Yes, yes,” Shi Zhenghong said cautiously, “Don’t blame President Qi, I was the one who approached her. At that time, the Shi family started having problems again, and I was worried that those people would make a comeback, so I…”
"That's why you want to find someone to back you up." Shi Ye put down his hand, his tone calm. "I understand."
She did understand. It was a business marriage, a mutually beneficial arrangement. She just hadn't expected there to be this other reason behind it.
“So the current wiretapping and threats,” she looked at Qi Jin, “are those people back?”
“It could be,” Qi Jin said. “It could also be a new enemy. Although the Qin family’s collateral branch has lost power, it’s still a force to be reckoned with, and it has been operating in secret all these years.”
Shi Ye thought for a moment: "Then what is their goal? To kill me? Like they did to my mother?"
“It’s more likely a threat.” Qi Jin’s eyes turned cold. “Using threats to restrain me and your father. After all, directly targeting the Qi family or the Shi family would be too difficult.”
Shi Ye nodded; it made sense logically. But something still felt off.
"System," she asked in her mind, "is this part in the original story? The Qin family's collateral branch murdered Shi Ye's mother?"
"It's not mentioned in the original work. However, the additional world-line settings may contain hidden plot elements."
Shi Ye rubbed his temples. Fine, anyway, this world is already pretty much broken, so a few more hidden plot points wouldn't be surprising.
"So what do we do now?" she asked. "Wait for them to make their next move?"
“No,” Qi Jin said. “I will take the initiative. I have already sent people to investigate the recent movements of the Qin family’s collateral branches, and we will have results soon.”
Shi Zhenghong looked at Qi Jin, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "President Qi, this matter shouldn't have involved you..."
“I’m already involved,” Qi Jin interrupted him. “Shi Ye is my fiancée, so her business is my business.”
She spoke naturally, as if stating a perfectly ordinary fact. Shi Ye's heart skipped a beat, but quickly returned to calm.
“Dad,” she turned to her father, “why are you only telling me these things now?”
Shi Zhenghong smiled bitterly: "I want to protect you. You were still young when your mother passed away. You cried for a month and never mentioned her again. I thought... it would be better if you didn't remember."
Shi Ye recalled the original owner's memories. Indeed, after the age of ten, memories of her mother seemed to have been deliberately sealed away, rarely touched. The original owner used her flamboyant and willful nature to cover up the pain of losing her mother, while she, the transmigrator, couldn't even feel that pain.
"I'm fine," she said. "It's all in the past."
She felt cold even saying those words. But there was nothing she could do; she genuinely couldn't feel it.
Shi Zhenghong looked at her, his eyes filled with both heartache and worry. He turned to Qi Jin: "President Qi, I'm entrusting Ye Ye to you. I know this request is selfish, but..."
"I will protect her," Qi Jin said firmly, "with my life."
Shi Ye: "..." It doesn't have to be that serious.
Silence fell over the living room again. Shi Ye stared at the water glass on the coffee table, her mind racing with various thoughts. Her mother's murder, family feuds, potential threats... these things that should have stirred her emotions now felt like watching someone else's story, failing to arouse the slightest ripple.
"Depression is such a convenient excuse," she thought to herself with a self-deprecating laugh. "Emotional numbness, a perfect defense mechanism. It's just that I feel a little bad for the original owner's mother..."
The doorbell rang suddenly. Qi Jin glanced at the monitor screen: "It's Lin Xiaoyu."
Shi Zhenghong stood up: "Then I'll go first, I have things to do at the company. Yeye, call your dad if you need anything."
He walked to the door, then turned back to look at Shi Ye, his eyes conveying a lot, but in the end he only said one sentence: "Take care of yourself."
After his father left, Qi Jin went to open the door. Lin Xiaoyu flew in like a happy little bird, carrying a large paper bag in her arms.
"Sister Shi Ye! I'm here!" Her eyes lit up when she saw Shi Ye. "Wow, you look so good in this outfit! Did your senior buy it for you? She has such good taste!"
Shi Ye looked down at his white T-shirt and jeans: "...These are just ordinary clothes."
"It's anything but ordinary!" Lin Xiaoyu leaned closer. "This brand is super expensive! And this style is incredibly hard to find! Did you bring home all the latest styles this season, senior?"
Shi Ye looked at Qi Jin. Qi Jin coughed lightly: "We happen to have the right size."
Lin Xiaoyu gave her an "I understand" look and pulled the picture book out of the paper bag: "Look! I brought it for you! It's super beautiful, isn't it?"
The album is indeed exquisite, with antique binding and thick paper. When I opened it, I found hand-drawn botanical illustrations inside, with detailed annotations and delicate illustrations on each page.
"It's beautiful," she said sincerely. "Thank you."
"You're welcome~" Lin Xiaoyu sat down next to her and leaned closer to ask in a low voice, "Your dad just came? What did he say? He didn't look too good."
Shi Ye glanced at Qi Jin. Qi Jin shook his head slightly.
“We just talked about the engagement party,” Shi Ye said. “He was a little nervous.”
"Oh~" Lin Xiaoyu clearly didn't believe her, but didn't press for details. "By the way, I brought a matcha cake! It's the shop's signature dish! It's super delicious!"
She took another exquisite cake box from the paper bag. Opening it, she found a beautiful matcha cake sprinkled with gold leaf.
Qi Jin walked over: "Xiao Yu, where did you buy the cake?"
"It's that Japanese dessert shop we always go to." Lin Xiaoyu blinked. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing." Qi Jin took out a handheld scanner—similar to the one from last night—and scanned the cake. The scanner didn't react.
Lin Xiaoyu's eyes widened: "Senior, are you...suspecting me of poisoning?!"
“It’s not that I doubt you.” Qi Jin put away the equipment. “It’s that I doubt everyone. Shi Ye is not safe right now. Everything that enters the area must be checked.”
Lin Xiaoyu's expression changed from surprise to worry: "Is it that serious? Who wants to hurt Sister Shi?"
"Not sure yet." Qi Jin cut a piece of cake, took a bite himself, and said, "Hmm, no problem."
Shi Ye watched her action, a thought flashing through his mind. Testing the poison first? What kind of historical drama plot is this?
"Senior, you..." Lin Xiaoyu was also stunned. "Are you testing poison? Wow, how romantic!"
Qi Jin: "...It's just a security check."
"That's so romantic!" Lin Xiaoyu clapped her hands excitedly. "Testing poison for love, risking her life to protect you! Sister Shi, my love for you is absolutely true!"
Shi Ye's lips twitched. Couldn't this kid's thought process be a little more normal?
She took the cake Qi Jin handed her and took a bite. It was indeed delicious, with a rich matcha flavor and just the right amount of sweetness.
"Is it delicious?" Lin Xiaoyu looked at her expectantly.
"Mmm, delicious."
Lin Xiaoyu immediately beamed with joy: "That's great! I'll take you to the restaurant next time; it's even better when it's fresh out of the oven!"
The three of them sat in the living room eating cake. Lin Xiaoyu chattered on about the interesting things that had happened to her recently, Qi Jin occasionally responded with a word or two, and Shi Ye listened most of the time.
The atmosphere was strange—unknown enemies might be lurking outside, while inside they were leisurely eating cake and chatting. Shi Ye felt like an outsider, watching this heartwarming scene without any emotional fluctuation.
"Sister Shi," Lin Xiaoyu suddenly asked, "can I be a bridesmaid at your engagement party with my senior?"
Shi Ye almost choked on the cake: "Bridesmaid?"
"That's right!" Lin Xiaoyu's eyes sparkled. "I've never been a bridesmaid before! And I definitely want to attend your wedding!"
Shi Ye looked at Qi Jin. Qi Jin nodded: "Okay."
"Yay!" Lin Xiaoyu cheered, "Then I'll start preparing now! What color should the bridesmaid dresses be? How about champagne? Or light purple? Oh right, I also need to prepare a speech..."
She had already started planning. Looking at her excited expression, Shi Ye suddenly felt a little envious—being able to be so enthusiastic and happy about something is a skill in itself.
"Xiaoyu," Qi Jin began, "how is your father doing lately?"
"My dad? Same old story, always working overtime." Lin Xiaoyu shrugged. "Yesterday he said he'd arrange a blind date for me, but I refused. I told him I already have someone I like, and he was shocked. He asked who it was, and I said I wouldn't tell him!"
Shi Ye raised an eyebrow: "You have someone you like?"
"Yes, there is," Lin Xiaoyu smiled mysteriously, "but it's a secret!"
Qi Jin glanced at her but didn't say anything.
After finishing the cake, Lin Xiaoyu stayed for a while longer before receiving a phone call and saying she had to leave.
"My friend invited me to go shopping." She stood up. "Sister Shi, you should get some rest. I'll come see you again tomorrow!"
“You don’t need to come every day,” Shi Ye said. “I’m fine.”
"I want to come, I want to come!" Lin Xiaoyu insisted. "You need my company right now! And I need to keep an eye on your senior, I can't let her bully you!"
Qi Jin: "...When did I bully her?"
"Emotional bullying counts too!" Lin Xiaoyu said confidently. "Sister Shi is so innocent, but you, a cunning old fox, could easily take advantage of her!"
Shi Ye: "..." Who's the old fox? Who's the naive one? And what's with the "taken advantage of and then wiped clean" nonsense?!
After seeing Lin Xiaoyu off, only Shi Ye and Qi Jin remained in the living room. Shi Ye tidied up the cake boxes, while Qi Jin went to make tea.
"Has Lin Xiaoyu always been like this?" Shi Ye asked.
"Hmm," Qi Jin replied from the kitchen. "I've always been like this since I was little—enthusiastic, direct, and unable to keep secrets."
"The person she liked..."
"I don't know." Qi Jin came out carrying a teapot. "She didn't tell me."
Shi Ye took the teacup, the aroma of tea wafting through the air. She watched Qi Jin sit down opposite her and suddenly asked, "Don't you have anything to ask me?"
Qi Jin looked up: "What are you asking?"
"It's about my mother," Shi Ye said. "Aren't you curious about my reaction?"
Qi Jin looked at her calmly: "Say what you want to say, or don't say what you don't want to say. I respect your pace."
Shi Ye lowered her head and drank her tea. The tea was very hot, but she didn't feel it.
“I didn’t react much,” she said honestly. “Maybe it’s because it’s been so long, or maybe it’s because… my feelings for it are just not strong.”
Qi Jin was silent for a moment: "I know about the depression."
Shi Ye's hand trembled, and he almost spilled the tea: "How did you know?"
“Your father told me,” Qi Jin said. “You were diagnosed when you were sixteen, took medication for two years, and then stopped on your own. He said you didn’t want anyone to know.”
Shi Ye's mind raced through the original owner's memories—this part was indeed there. When the original owner was sixteen, due to the trauma of her mother's death and academic pressure, she was diagnosed with moderate depression. But she was strong-willed and didn't want to be seen as weak, so she secretly took medication, and later stopped when she felt better.
"So you are..." Qi Jin carefully chose his words, "...still taking your medication?"
Shi Ye shook his head: "It stopped a long time ago. Besides... I'm not the same person I used to be, so my symptoms might be different."
Qi Jin didn't understand the second half of her sentence and thought she was referring to personality changes: "People change. But if you need help, I can contact the best doctors."
"No need," Shi Ye said. "I'm used to it."
She had indeed grown accustomed to this state of emotional numbness. It was the same in her original world, and it hadn't changed after she transmigrated into the book. Sometimes she felt that this was actually an advantage—she wouldn't get hurt, she wouldn't be sad, and she was always calm.
But I won't be happy, I won't be moved, I won't love.
"Qi Jin," she suddenly asked, "what do you like about me?"
Qi Jin was clearly taken aback by this question and paused for a moment.
“What I mean is,” Shi Ye continued, “the Shi Ye you like is lively, flamboyant, and knows how to fight and argue. But I’m not like that now….”
She looked at Qi Jin: "If I always remain like this, emotionally detached and uninterested in anything, will you still like me?"
Qi Jin put down his teacup and thought about it seriously.
“I like you, not because you are lively or quiet,” she said. “I like you because you are you.”
"That's too general," Shi Ye said. "Be more specific."
Qi Jin smiled: "To be more specific... I like your gentleness when you feed the cat, your sharpness when you retort, your stubbornness when you learn fencing, and I also like your current calmness. These are all aspects of you, and I like them all."
Shi Ye's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly regained his composure. Anyone can say nice things.
“What if,” she continued, “I can never love you the way you love me?”
This is a cruel question, but she wants to know the answer.
Qi Jin remained silent for a long time. So long that Shi Ye thought she wouldn't answer.
“That’s alright.” Qi Jin finally said, “It’s my business that I like you, you don’t have to respond. Just let me be by your side, protect you, and take care of you, that’s enough.”
Shi Ye stared at her, trying to find a trace of hypocrisy or reluctance on her face. But Qi Jin's expression was calm, and his eyes were sincere, as if he were saying something perfectly natural.
"Are you stupid?" Shi Ye said. "One-sided giving without expecting anything in return, those kinds of characters in TV dramas always end up dying a terrible death."
Qi Jin laughed: "Then let me be the fool."
Shi Ye was speechless. She lowered her head and drank her tea, her mind a complete mess.
“System,” she thought to herself, “what is this? A sentimental villain? Qi Jin in the original novel wasn’t this love-struck.”
"Data shows that Qi Jin's emotional investment in the host exceeds the normal threshold. Possible reasons: the emotional intensity accumulated from a long-term unrequited love; the attraction caused by the personality changes brought about by the host's transmigration; and the adjustment of the character's behavior patterns due to changes in the world line."
Speak like a human.
"She may truly love you so much that she doesn't need anything in return."
Shi Ye's hand trembled, and the teacup almost fell to the ground. Love? That word was too heavy for her to bear.
“Qi Jin,” she put down her teacup, “I need time. A lot of time. Maybe a year, maybe ten years, maybe a lifetime. I’m not sure what I can give you, or even what I can sense. So, are you still going to wait?”
Qi Jin looked at her, his eyes so tender they seemed to overflow with tears.
"Wait," she said. "Even a lifetime is fine."
Shi Ye suddenly felt a stinging sensation in her eyes. It wasn't that she wanted to cry, but rather a physiological soreness. She blinked, suppressing the sting.
“Then you might be disappointed,” she said. “I might never…”
“It’s alright,” Qi Jin interrupted her. “Just be yourself. Leave the rest to me.”
Shi Ye looked at her and suddenly wanted to ask: Why are you so persistent? Why me? There are so many people in this world, why did you have to target me?
But she didn't ask. Some questions, even Qi Jin himself might not know the answers to.
"I'm tired." She stood up. "I want to sleep for a while."
"Okay." Qi Jin stood up as well. "What would you like for dinner?"
"casual."
"Then I'll make your favorite sweet and sour pork ribs."
Shi Ye nodded and walked towards the guest room. Reaching the top of the stairs, she turned back: "Qi Jin."
"Um?"
"Thank you," she said. "Even though I may not feel it, thank you."
Qi Jin smiled, a smile that was incredibly gentle in the afternoon sunlight.
"You're welcome," she said. "Go do your work."
Shi Ye turned and went upstairs. Back in her guest room, she closed the door and leaned against it.
The voice in my head started complaining again: "Oh no, oh no, I'm really in deep trouble now. They love you so much they don't want anything in return, and I don't even feel a spark. How is this going to go? A tragic love story? An arranged marriage that blossoms into love? Or will I just never be able to love anyone and it ends in a bad ending?"
She walked to the window and looked at the city skyline outside. The sun was shining brightly, the sky was blue, and everything was beautiful.
Except for the frozen ground in her heart, nothing grows there.
“System,” she said softly, “can depression be cured in this world?”
"The medical level in this world is comparable to that in the original world, and antidepressants and psychotherapy methods are available. However, the treatment effects vary from person to person."
Shi Ye nodded. At least there was still hope.
She lay down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Qi Jin's face, his voice, and the words he had spoken flashed through her mind.
"I'd be willing to spend my whole life on it."
These words were like a pebble thrown into the stagnant pool of her heart. They didn't create a ripple, but the pebble sank, forever settling there.
Shi Ye closed his eyes. Perhaps, just perhaps, one day that frozen ground will thaw and something will grow.
Until then, she could only wait.
Qi Jin was willing to wait.
That's enough.
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