Chapter 11
When Shi Ye returned to Qi Jin's apartment, it was already completely dark.
She stood in the doorway, staring at the heavy solid wood door for three seconds, her mind racing with thoughts: "How am I supposed to face Qi Jin after I open the door? Continue to act indifferent? Or should I act normal? Wait, wasn't I supposed to be trying to set her up with Lin Xiaoyu? Then I have to keep acting indifferent! Yes, act indifferent!"
She took a deep breath and opened the door with the key Qi Jin had given her.
The living room was lit by a warm yellow wall lamp. Qi Jin sat on the sofa with a laptop on her lap. Hearing the door open, she looked up, her gaze lingering on Shi Ye's face for a moment.
"You're back." Qi Jin closed his laptop. "Have you eaten?"
"I've eaten," Shi Ye replied briefly, bending down to change his shoes—the movement was deliberately exaggerated to create an aura of "I'm busy, don't mind me."
"Cake?" Qi Jin suddenly said.
Shi Ye paused, "...What?"
"You have matcha powder on your lips." Qi Jin pointed to the corner of his mouth. "Matcha cake?"
Shi Ye subconsciously wiped the corner of her mouth and, sure enough, there was some powder. Damn it, she didn't wipe it clean after eating at the dessert shop in the mall!
"Yes," she admitted, "I was tired from shopping, so I ate a piece of cake."
"Which one is it?" Qi Jin stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "I also like matcha. We can go together next time."
Shi Ye: "..." I'm not sharing food with you, sister! I'm just pretending to be indifferent! Can't you play along a little?!
"It's... the one in the mall." Shi Ye gave a vague answer, then quickly changed the subject, "I'm tired, I'll go upstairs to rest first."
She hurried toward the stairs, but Qi Jin called out to her, "Shi Ye."
Shi Ye stopped in his tracks, without turning around: "Hmm?"
"Today..." Qi Jin's voice came from the kitchen, accompanied by the sound of water boiling, "Thank you."
Shi Ye was taken aback: "Thank me for what?"
"Thank you for going out," Qi Jin said. "And thank you... for accompanying me shopping."
Shi Ye turned around and saw Qi Jin leaning against the kitchen door frame, holding a water glass in her hand. The light shone from behind her, casting a soft glow on her silhouette.
“That was mainly to keep Lin Xiaoyu company,” Shi Ye corrected. “She went to pick out a gift for you.”
“But you’re here too.” Qi Jin looked at her. “It’s good that you’re here.”
Shi Ye's heart started racing again, acting up. She quickly chanted in her mind, "Mission, mission, mission! Matchmaking, matchmaking, matchmaking! I can't let my heart flutter! No, my body can't react!"
“I was just going along the way,” she said curtly. “I’m going up now if there’s nothing else.”
"Wait a minute." Qi Jin walked back to the living room, picked up a folder from the coffee table, and said, "Take a look at this."
Shi Ye took the folder and opened it. Inside were several photos—screenshots from the mall's security cameras. In the photos, a man wearing a hat and mask was seen following her from almost the moment she entered the mall until she left.
“This is…” Shi Ye looked up.
"The bodyguards took these photos." Qi Jin's expression was serious. "The other party is very professional; they know how to avoid surveillance cameras. These were taken by the bodyguards using hidden cameras."
Shi Ye stared at the blurry figure in the photo, a chill running down her spine. So, someone had been secretly watching her all day?
"Are they...those people?" she asked, "from the collateral branches of the Qin family?"
"I'm not sure," Qi Jin shook his head, "but it's definitely not a coincidence. The other party knows your whereabouts perfectly."
Shi Ye closed the folder and suddenly felt a chill. She thought of the bugging devices, the threatening letters, and her mother's situation... It was all like a net, slowly tightening.
"Then..." her voice was a little hoarse, "what should I do?"
“Continue to stay here,” Qi Jin said. “The security system here is state-of-the-art. Unless the military is mobilized, no one can get in. You must have bodyguards when you go out, and you must report your itinerary in advance.”
She paused, then added, "Also... cancel unnecessary outings. Including shopping, eating out, and meeting friends."
Shi Ye's eyes widened: "Then I'm a prisoner?!"
“For now,” Qi Jin’s tone softened. “Once I find out who it is and resolve the issue, you will be free.”
Looking at her serious expression, Shi Ye suddenly understood Qi Jin's worries. This wasn't overprotection; it was a necessary measure.
"Okay." She nodded. "I'll cooperate."
Qi Jin seemed relieved: "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Shi Ye turned and went upstairs. "I'm going up now."
Back in the guest room, Shi Ye closed the door and leaned against it, his inner吐槽 (tu cao, a Chinese internet slang term for complaining or criticizing) persona starting to dance in his head again.
"So what's going on now? I'm being followed, threatened, and protected, and I'm even being asked to matchmake my protector with my friend?" She walked to the bedside and buried her face in the covers. "Could this plot get any more melodramatic?!"
She rolled around on the bed a couple of times, then sat up and took out her phone. She needed to talk to Lin Xiaoyu about whether her fencing class this weekend... could still be attended?
She messaged Lin Xiaoyu: "Xiaoyu, the fencing class this weekend might have to be canceled."
Lin Xiaoyu replied instantly: "Why?! I'm all ready! I bought a tracksuit! I even watched instructional videos!"
Shi Ye: "I have a bit of a... security issue here. Qi Jin said it's best not to go out recently."
Lin Xiaoyu sent a shocked emoji: "Safety issue? Sister Shi, are you alright?!"
"It's nothing, just a precaution." Shi Ye didn't want to scare her. "So you probably won't be able to attend class."
"Then come to my house!" Lin Xiaoyu said immediately. "My house also has a fencing room! And the security is super good! My dad is the police chief!"
Shi Ye was taken aback. That's right, Lin Xiaoyu's house! Security at her house is definitely not a problem, and... isn't this the perfect opportunity to bring Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu together?!
She immediately messaged Qi Jin: "Lin Xiaoyu said I could take fencing lessons at her house. She has a fencing room and good security. What do you think?"
Qi Jin quickly replied: "Sure. Her house is definitely safe. Saturday?"
"Okay, I'll tell her."
Shi Ye switched back to the chat window with Lin Xiaoyu: "Qi Jin said it's okay, Saturday?"
"Yay! Great! Saturday afternoon at 2 pm! I'll have the driver pick you up!"
"No need, we'll go by ourselves."
"Alright then, I'll prepare some tea and snacks for you!"
Shi Ye put down his phone, collapsed onto the bed, and stared at the ceiling. Saturday, Lin Xiaoyu's house, fencing class. The perfect opportunity to set them up.
But why isn't she excited at all?
“System,” she asked, “what’s the current mission progress?”
"Qi Jin's favorability towards Lin Xiaoyu: 47/100, up 2 points from yesterday. Lin Xiaoyu's favorability towards Qi Jin: 46/100, up 1 point from yesterday."
Only this little?! She went shopping and spent time alone with others all day, and she only gained this little?!
"What about Qi Jin's level of affection for me?" Shi Ye asked cautiously.
"Qi Jin's favorability towards the host: 85/100, down 1 point from yesterday."
Shi Ye: "..." So her indifference strategy was useful, but with little effect. And the matchmaking strategy... had even less effect.
"Can this task be completed?" she asked, somewhat desperately.
"The theory is feasible, but a more effective strategy is needed." The system analysis states, "Current problems: 1. Qi Jin is too emotionally invested in the host; 2. Lin Xiaoyu's affection for the host is too high; 3. Most of their interactions occur when the host is present, making it difficult to establish an independent emotional connection."
Shi Ye nodded. So her very existence is a problem. She needs to... reduce her presence?
At 1:30 pm on Saturday, Qi Jin and Shi Ye set off for Lin Xiaoyu's house.
On the bus, Shi Ye watched the street scenes rushing past the window, still thinking of a strategy to bring them together. Today's goal: to create some alone time for Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu, while he tried to remain invisible.
"What are you thinking about?" Qi Jin suddenly asked.
"No," Shi Ye immediately snapped back to reality, "It's just... I'm a little sleepy."
Didn't sleep well last night?
"Hmm," Shi Ye replied casually, "I had a nightmare."
Actually, it's the truth—she dreamt last night that she was trying to bring Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu together, and the two of them held hands and said "thank you" to her. Then she woke up and couldn't sleep all night.
"What nightmare?" Qi Jin asked.
"I forgot." Shi Ye didn't want to say more.
Qi Jin glanced at her but didn't ask any further questions.
The car drove into a quiet villa area. Lin Xiaoyu's house was a three-story building with a private courtyard, and it looked very impressive.
Lin Xiaoyu was already waiting at the door. When she saw their car, she waved excitedly: "Senior! Sister Shi Ye! Over here!"
She was wearing a pink tracksuit today, with her hair in a high ponytail, and looked very energetic.
"Welcome, welcome!" Lin Xiaoyu welcomed them inside. "The fencing room is in the basement, I'll take you there!"
There was indeed a professional fencing room in the basement, fully equipped, even larger than the one in Qi Jin's house.
“My dad used to like fencing,” Lin Xiaoyu explained. “He stopped playing because he was busy with work, but he kept the equipment.”
Qi Jin checked the equipment and nodded: "Very good, all professional-grade."
"Let's begin!" Lin Xiaoyu asked eagerly. "What should I learn first, senior?"
Qi Jin looked at Shi Ye: "Do you want to come along?"
Shi Ye immediately shook his head: "I'll be an audience member today. You teach, I'll watch."
This is part of the plan—reduce their involvement and increase their interaction.
Qi Jin seemed somewhat disappointed, but said nothing. She turned to Lin Xiaoyu: "Let's start with the basic postures."
Shi Ye sat down on a nearby bench, watching Qi Jin teach Lin Xiaoyu. Qi Jin taught very seriously, demonstrating each movement perfectly. Lin Xiaoyu also studied diligently, but... her movements were a little uncoordinated.
"You're wrong." Qi Jin corrected her posture. "Bend your knees a little more and lower your center of gravity."
Lin Xiaoyu did as she was told, but she swayed and almost fell. Qi Jin caught her in time: "Be careful."
"Thank you, senior!" Lin Xiaoyu steadied herself, her face slightly flushed. "Your hand is so steady!"
Shi Ye watched from the side, and the progress bar in his mind seemed to "ding" as he thought about it. Physical contact! Blushing! Good sign!
She took out her phone, pretending to play with it, but actually secretly observing.
For the next half hour, Qi Jin patiently taught, and Lin Xiaoyu diligently learned. The two interacted frequently; Qi Jin helped Lin Xiaoyu adjust her posture and correct her movements, while Lin Xiaoyu kept asking questions.
"Senior, is this the right thing to do?"
"Senior, my arm is sore."
"Senior, was it this difficult when you were learning it?"
Qi Jin answered each question calmly. Shi Ye watched, thinking the scene... was quite harmonious.
If Qi Jin didn't occasionally glance at her.
Every time Qi Jin looked over, Shi Ye would immediately look down at his phone and pretend he hadn't seen him.
Half an hour later, Lin Xiaoyu got tired and suggested taking a break. The three of them returned to the living room on the first floor, where Lin Xiaoyu prepared tea and snacks.
"Senior, have some tea!" Lin Xiaoyu poured tea for Qi Jin. "Sister Shi Ye, you should have some too!"
Shi Ye took the teacup and took a sip. The tea was very fragrant; it was top-quality Longjing tea.
“Xiaoyu,” Qi Jin suddenly asked, “is your father home?”
“He’s not here, he’s away on a business trip,” Lin Xiaoyu said. “My mom went shopping, it’s just us at home.”
Shi Ye's heart skipped a beat. Were there only the three of them at home? Could she find an excuse to leave, leaving them alone?
Just as she was thinking of an excuse, Qi Jin spoke again: "Shi Ye, you don't look well. Are you feeling unwell?"
Shi Ye was taken aback: "No."
"But you haven't said a word." Qi Jin looked at her. "Are you tired?"
Shi Ye: "..." I'm creating opportunities for you to be alone, sister!
"A little," she said casually. "Maybe I didn't sleep well last night."
"Then why don't you go and rest in the guest room?" Lin Xiaoyu said immediately. "My house has a guest room, it's very comfortable!"
Shi Ye's eyes lit up. Perfect!
"Okay." She stood up. "Then I'll take a nap, you guys continue practicing."
"I'll take you up." Qi Jin also stood up.
"No need!" Shi Ye quickly refused. "You guys continue! I'll go by myself!"
She practically ran upstairs. Lin Xiaoyu's guest room was on the second floor; she randomly picked one, closed the door, and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Mission Progress: Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu's time alone together has increased," the system announced. "It is expected that their affection level will increase."
Shi Ye lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Okay, now she had successfully isolated herself; Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu were alone downstairs. The mission should be making progress, right?
But why...can't she sleep?
She turned over, her mind filled with images of what was happening downstairs: Qi Jin teaching Lin Xiaoyu fencing, Qi Jin helping Lin Xiaoyu, Qi Jin and Lin Xiaoyu drinking tea...
"What are they doing now?" Shi Ye suddenly sat up. "Are they still practicing swordsmanship? Or chatting? What are they talking about? Could they... be talking about me?"
She shook her head, dismissing the thought. What business was it of hers? She was there to play matchmaker, not to gossip.
She lay back down, forcing herself to sleep. But the more she forced herself, the more awake she became.
After an unknown amount of time, there was a knock on the door.
"Sister Shi?" It was Lin Xiaoyu's voice. "Are you awake? Dinner's ready!"
Shi Ye glanced at the time—she had actually fallen asleep? Sleeped for two hours?!
She quickly got up, straightened her clothes, and opened the door.
Lin Xiaoyu stood outside the door, beaming, "Senior sister's cooking! It smells amazing! Come downstairs!"
Qi Jin is cooking? At Lin Xiaoyu's house.
As Shi Ye went downstairs, he indeed smelled the aroma. Inside the restaurant, Qi Jin, wearing an apron, was arranging the food.
"You're awake?" Qi Jin saw her. "Perfect timing, let's eat."
"You..." Shi Ye looked at the three dishes and soup on the table, "Did you make this?"
"Yes." Qi Jin nodded. "I borrowed the kitchen for a bit."
Lin Xiaoyu pulled Shi Ye to sit down: "Senior is amazing! She made so many dishes in just half an hour! I was stunned!"
Shi Ye looked at the dishes—all of them were her favorites: sweet and sour pork ribs, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, Mapo tofu, and tomato and egg soup.
Qi Jin sat down opposite her: "I don't know if it will suit Xiaoyu's taste, but I'll just make it according to your preference."
Lin Xiaoyu immediately said, "Perfect! Absolutely perfect! I like these too!"
Shi Ye lowered her head and ate. The ribs still tasted the same, perfectly balanced between sweet and sour. But she couldn't taste anything.
During the meal, Lin Xiaoyu chattered incessantly, recounting the fun she had learning fencing that afternoon, gossiping about school, and talking about her future plans. Qi Jin listened quietly, occasionally responding.
Shi Ye rarely spoke; she just ate. She felt like an outsider, watching the other two interact.
"Sister Shi," Lin Xiaoyu suddenly asked, "what do you want to do after graduation?"
Shi Ye was taken aback: "I...haven't decided yet."
"Where's the senior?" Lin Xiaoyu asked Qi Jin again.
Qi Jin glanced at Shi Ye: "Managing the company, and... taking care of important people."
Lin Xiaoyu's eyes lit up: "An important person? Is it Sister Shi Ye?"
Qi Jin didn't deny it, but simply put a piece of spare rib on Shi Ye's plate.
Shi Ye stared at the ribs in the bowl, and that slight physical discomfort returned to his heart.
After the meal, Qi Jin cleared the table, and Lin Xiaoyu helped him. Shi Ye wanted to help, but both of them refused.
"Go and rest," Qi Jin said.
"Sister Shi, please sit down!" Lin Xiaoyu said.
Shi Ye had no choice but to sit back down on the sofa. She looked at the two people standing side by side in the kitchen—Qi Jin washing the dishes, Lin Xiaoyu drying them. They worked together so well, like…a couple?
Shi Ye looked away. Wasn't this exactly what she wanted? Why did it look so jarring?
My phone vibrated; it was a system message: "Detected that Qi Jin's affection for Lin Xiaoyu has increased to 49/100, and Lin Xiaoyu's affection for Qi Jin has increased to 48/100. Mission progress: +4%."
4%... That's progress, but it's too slow.
Shi Ye put down his phone and looked out the window. It was already dark, and the ground lights in the courtyard were on, outlining the flowers and plants.
“Sister Shi,” Lin Xiaoyu walked over and sat down next to her, “you don’t seem very happy today?”
"No," Shi Ye denied, "I'm just a little tired."
"Is it because of security concerns?" Lin Xiaoyu lowered her voice. "My dad said that matter... is a bit complicated. He's investigating it too."
Shi Ye turned to look at her: "Does your dad know?"
"Yes." Lin Xiaoyu nodded. "My senior told my dad. My dad takes it very seriously and has already sent people to investigate the recent activities of the Qin family's collateral branches."
Shi Ye felt a warmth in his heart. It turned out that Qi Jin was not only investigating on his own, but also using Lin Xiaoyu's father's connections.
"Thank you," she said.
"No need to thank me, thank you, senior." Lin Xiaoyu looked at Qi Jin in the kitchen. "Senior really cares about you. When you were practicing swordsmanship today, she kept looking upstairs, worried that you weren't sleeping well."
Shi Ye's heart skipped a beat.
"She even asked me what I like to eat and what I dislike, because she was worried that I wouldn't like what I made," Lin Xiaoyu continued. "Actually, I already knew all of that, but my senior still asked very detailed questions."
Shi Ye watched Qi Jin's retreating figure. Qi Jin had already finished washing the dishes and was drying her hands. Under the light, the lines of her profile were soft.
“Xiaoyu,” Shi Ye suddenly asked, “what… do you think of Qi Jin?”
Lin Xiaoyu was taken aback: "Senior? That's great! She's handsome and capable, and gentle to people—although she looks cold on the outside."
"Then..." Shi Ye carefully chose his words, "Do you like her?"
Lin Xiaoyu blinked: "I love it! My senior is so good to me, like a real older sister!"
Older sister… Shi Ye sighed inwardly. So Lin Xiaoyu's feelings for Qi Jin were sisterly, not romantic.
This task is even more difficult.
Qi Jin walked over and sat down on the other side of Shi Ye: "What are you talking about?"
“Let’s talk about how great the senior is!” Lin Xiaoyu blurted out, “When Sister Shi asked me if I liked the senior, I said I did!”
Qi Jin glanced at Shi Ye, his eyes filled with complex emotions: "Is that so?"
"Mmm!" Lin Xiaoyu nodded. "Senior is the best!"
Shi Ye avoided Qi Jin's gaze and looked out the window. In the courtyard, a cat quietly walked by and disappeared behind the bushes.
"It's getting late." Qi Jin stood up. "We should go back."
"Oh? So early?" Lin Xiaoyu was a little disappointed. "Let's sit a little longer!"
"I have things to do tomorrow," Qi Jin said. "I'll come again next time."
Lin Xiaoyu saw them to the door, reluctant to part: "Senior, you must come next time! I haven't learned it yet!"
"Okay." Qi Jin nodded. "Let's continue next time."
On the way back, Shi Ye looked out the window, and the little吐槽 (tu cao, meaning to criticize or complain) voice in his head was dancing again.
"So all that matchmaking today was for nothing? Lin Xiaoyu treats Qi Jin like an older sister? Qi Jin's mind is only on me? Is there any hope of completing this mission?!"
Qi Jin was driving when he suddenly spoke up: "Shi Ye."
"Um?"
“You seemed to be avoiding me all day today…” Qi Jin paused.
Shi Ye's heart tightened: "No."
"Yes." Qi Jin was certain. "From this morning onwards, you rarely looked at me or spoke to me. In the afternoon at Xiaoyu's house, you deliberately went to sleep, leaving us alone."
Shi Ye: "..." This person is too perceptive!
"I didn't mean to..."
“You do,” Qi Jin interrupted her. “Why?”
Shi Ye opened his mouth, but couldn't speak. Why? Because of the system task? Because I have to match you and Lin Xiaoyu up? Because I don't want to owe you too much?
"I..." she finally said, "I just feel that you and Lin Xiaoyu get along quite well. She likes you, and you... don't dislike her either."
Qi Jin remained silent for a long time. The car drove past an intersection, the light turned red, she stopped the car, and turned to look at Shi Ye.
"Shi Ye," she said softly, "do you... want me to be with Lin Xiaoyu?"
Shi Ye's heart stopped for a second. How did she know?!
“I…” She didn’t know what to say.
The light turned green. Qi Jin turned around and continued driving. Silence fell over the car, broken only by the faint sound of the engine.
Shi Ye looked at Qi Jin's profile. Qi Jin's expression was calm, but Shi Ye could see that her knuckles were slightly white as she gripped the steering wheel.
“If,” Qi Jin suddenly said, “this is what you want, I can give it a try.”
Shi Ye's eyes widened: "What?"
“I can try to get along with Lin Xiaoyu,” Qi Jin said calmly, “if that’s what you think is better.”
Shi Ye's mind went blank. What was Qi Jin saying? She was willing to try liking someone else for her sake?
"I'm not..." Shi Ye wanted to explain, but didn't know what to explain.
"No need to explain," Qi Jin interrupted her. "I understand."
"What do you know?!" Shi Ye screamed inwardly.
The car drove into the apartment's underground parking garage. After parking, Qi Jin didn't get out immediately, but sat in the driver's seat, looking ahead.
“Shi Ye,” she said softly, “if you really want me to be with someone else, you can just tell me directly. There’s no need to hide or try to match us up.”
She turned to look at Shi Ye, something breaking in her eyes: "I will...respect your choice."
After saying that, she unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car.
Shi Ye sat in the passenger seat, her mind buzzing. So Qi Jin thought she was subtly rejecting her by trying to set her up?
"System," she asked herself, "what do we do now?"
"Current situation: Qi Jin misunderstood the host's intentions, which may cause a significant drop in favorability. Recommendation: Clarify the misunderstanding."
"How do you clarify this? Say that I brought you together for the sake of world peace?"
"It is not advisable to reveal the existence of the system. You can express your true feelings—the host does not wish for Qi Jin to be with someone else."
Shi Ye looked down at her hands. Real feelings? Did she even have real feelings?
She pushed open the car door and got out. Qi Jin was already in the elevator, waiting for her.
Shi Ye walked in and stood next to Qi Jin. The elevator slowly ascended, and the mirror reflected their figures—Qi Jin stood straight, while Shi Ye had his head down.
“Qi Jin,” Shi Ye suddenly spoke up, “that’s not what I meant.”
Qi Jin didn't speak.
“I don’t want you and Xiaoyu to be together,” Shi Ye continued. “I just… think you two get along very well. And Xiaoyu likes you, and you’re good to her. I think… it’s great.”
She spoke incoherently, but her meaning was clear.
Qi Jin turned to look at her: "Then why are you avoiding me?"
"I..." Shi Ye was speechless. He couldn't very well say, "Because the system task requires me to match you two up," could he?
"I don't know," she finally said. "Maybe it's just... not knowing how to face you."
This is the truth. She didn't know how to face Qi Jin's deep affection, how to respond, or how to handle everything.
The elevator arrived. The doors opened, Qi Jin stepped out, and Shi Ye followed behind.
At the door of the guest room, Qi Jin stopped and said, "Shi Ye."
"Um?"
"You don't need to know how to face me." Qi Jin looked at her. "Just be yourself. Leave the rest to me."
She reached out and gently touched Shi Ye's cheek—a very light touch, like a feather brushing against him.
"Goodnight," she said, then turned and went into her room.
Shi Ye stood at the door, touching his cheek where Qi Jin's fingertips had touched him. It seemed as if the warmth of Qi Jin's fingertips still lingered there.
"System," she asked softly, "what's your current favorability rating?"
"Qi Jin's favorability towards the host: 84/100, down 1 point from before. Qi Jin's favorability towards Lin Xiaoyu: 48/100, unchanged."
So the misunderstanding was cleared up, but the favorability rating still dropped. And the mission progress... barely moved.
Shi Ye opened the door, went inside, and closed the door.
She leaned against the door, looking into the dark room.
Is this task really possible to complete?
But does she really want to accomplish it?
These two questions lingered in her mind, but she couldn't find the answers.
She could only be sure of one thing—Qi Jin's fingertips were warm.
The warmth made her frozen ground seem... to have cracked open.
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