It is undeniable that Qin Shu was very happy to hear Xie Lanzhi's "sweet words".
But she said, "You only know how to say nice things. Tell me the truth. What are you doing in Yunzhen? Do you have any plans? Are you just passing by to take a look?"
Xie Lanzhi's breathing stagnated, and the hand that was holding Qin Shu's waist was clenched into a fist, shaking from exerting too much force.
In Qin Shu's eyes, is he so inhumane?
Seeing how heartless she was, Xie Lanzhi even doubted whether the conversation in the recording was real.
Qin Shu seemed not to notice Xie Lanzhi's restraint and forbearance. She stood on tiptoe and held up the man's handsome face with oriental characteristics.
"Are you feeling guilty? Did I guess it right?"
Xie Lanzhi asked softly: "Do you want to hear me tell the truth or a lie?"
Qin Shu's eyes flashed with disappointment, which was fleeting. She said coquettishly, "I don't want to hear it. You'll be leaving soon anyway."
Xie Lanzhi clearly caught the disappointment that slipped away quietly in Qin Shu's eyes.
His eyelids trembled, and the string in his mind broke. He said in a hoarse voice: "Ah Shu, I..."
"It's not good to block the door. It's not good to be seen. If you have anything to say, wait until you get home!"
Qin Hairui noticed that the atmosphere was not right. Seeing that the veins on the back of Xie Lanzhi's clenched fist were bulging, he quickly interrupted the two of them.
He was afraid that Xie Lanzhi, who was obviously emotionally unstable at the moment, would attack his sister.
Qin Shu heard the voice behind her and quickly pushed Xie Lanzhi away.
Because she was so happy to see Xie Lanzhi, she forgot about her elder brother's existence.
Seeing that Xie Lanzhi looked unhappy after being pushed away, Qin Shu took the man's sweaty hand.
She asked in surprise, "Hey, why are your palms so sweaty?"
Xie Lanzhi replied halfheartedly, "Maybe I'm wearing too many clothes. The weather in Yunzhen is too hot."
His black eyes, as cold as a deep pool, glanced at Qin Hairui nonchalantly.
The latter was so frightened by the sight that he walked towards the yard, feeling the wall.
Qin Shu didn't notice the subtle movements between the two and pulled Xie Lanzhi home.
"Go into the house and take off your windbreaker. Have you eaten? Do you want me to make you some noodles? By the way, when are you leaving? Is there still enough time?"
Xie Lanzhi said calmly: "I'm not hungry, you don't have to bother, I will stay in Yushan Village for a few days and will not leave for the time being."
Qin Shu stopped walking and looked at Xie Lanzhi in confusion.
"You mean, you want to stay here?"
Xie Lanzhi nodded: "Well, I'll stay with you."
Qin Shu was not happy when she heard this. Instead, she asked solemnly, "Did something happen in Beijing? Or is someone trying to harm you?"
Seeing her nervous look as if facing a great enemy, Xie Lanzhi felt a warm current in his heart.
"None of that. I just missed you and came to see you and the child."
"Are you really okay? You're not hiding anything?"
"real--"
Xie Lanzhi looked at Qin Shu with great sincerity.
It was this eye contact that allowed Qin Shu to clearly see the red bloodshot in the man's eyes and his slightly red eye sockets.
Qin Shu stood on tiptoe and gently stroked the man's eyes, which looked as if he had been crying.
"Did you not sleep well last night? Why are your eyes so red?"
Xie Lanzhi's long eyelashes drooped slightly, and they fluttered like a butterfly on Qin Shu's fingertips.
"After staying up all night for a few days and not getting enough sleep, I seem to have problems with my eyes."
Qin Shu's face was full of heartache, but she joked: "I'll apply some medicine to you later. You can't ruin your eyes, which are so beautiful and affectionate even to dogs."
"..." Xie Lanzhi paused for a moment, feeling as if Qin Shu was scolding him.
Outside the Qin family’s door.
Xie Chennan watched the adults leave eagerly.
Did he pick it up? Or was it given to him as a gift when he topped up his phone bill?
He is so... small, a living person, how come no one noticed that he was lost!
When Xie Chennan had a resentful look on his face, Qin Shu walked out from the main hall.
"Xie Chennan, come here!"
This was the first time that Qin Shu called Xie Chennan by his full name in a stern tone.
Xie Chennan realized something was wrong, his face turned pale and he covered his stomach with his hands.
"Mom, my stomach hurts. I need to go to the toilet first!"
As he said that, he ran towards the village entrance.
Qin Shu didn't chase him, but said coldly, "Stop right there! Don't force me to do it."
Xie Chennan stopped suddenly and turned around slowly.
"Mom, I was wrong—"
He stared at Qin Shu with his clear and innocent black eyes.
"Ha!" Qin Shu didn't buy it and sneered: "Come with me!"
The mother and son walked to the kitchen one after another. While Qin Shu was making noodles, Xie Chennan took the initiative to explain how he had tipped off his father.
At the same time.
Xie Lanzhi, who was sitting in the living room, was also asking his brother-in-law about the whole story.
Xie Lanzhi's hands were clenched tightly from beginning to end, and his eyes, which were usually cold and arrogant, seemed to be filled with sand, and were so red that it was frightening.
Qin Hairui looked at Xie Lanzhi with fear, and his voice became smaller and smaller as he was filled with low pressure.
"...Ashu didn't hide it from you on purpose. She even hid it from me and my parents. If it wasn't for Sixth Uncle finally finding clues to Ashu's survival a while ago, we would still be kept in the dark.
In fact, we knew it a few days earlier than you did. Ah Shu...she had been through some things, which caused her temperament to change drastically. She was very defensive inside, and she had to handle everything by herself when something happened. Don't blame Ah Shu, she had no choice..."
Xie Lanzhi raised his eyelids and looked at Qin Hairui calmly. He looked at him for a long time before asking.
"Are you saying that Ah Shu's rebirth has caused her personality to change drastically now?"
Qin Hairui's breathing stagnated, and he asked in shock: "You know? Ah Shu told you?"
Xie Lanzhi moved his lips and smiled slightly self-deprecatingly, with a hint of helplessness and bitterness in his words.
"How could she tell me that it was only because of a dream I had last night that I was sure of her rebirth."
Qin Hairui pondered his words for a while and asked, "You should have suspected Ah Shu before?"
Xie Lanzhi nodded and said, "There are too many unimaginable things about Ah Shu."
The two looked at each other and fell into a long silence.
After Xie Lanzhi's doubts were further answered, he stood up and left the living room.
He said: "I'm going to see Ah Shu——"
In the kitchen.
"Mother?"
"Mom, please don't ignore me!"
"I know I was wrong, I won't dare to do it again next time, mom, please say something."
Qin Shu rubbed the corners of her eyes with the back of her hand, and said in a muffled voice: "I'm fine, go out and play by yourself."
She had already keenly noticed that something was wrong with Xie Lanzhi.
Xie Lanzhi came from afar, his slightly red eyes and the restrained little movements of his body could not be hidden from Qin Shu's eyes and perception.
In fact, it’s better this way, so that she doesn’t have to worry about how to start and tell Xie Lanzhi the truth.
Qin Shu kneaded the dough vigorously with her hands, but the dough became less and less shapeable.
Xie Lanzhi stood at the kitchen door and clearly saw the warm tears that Qin Shu kneaded into the dough.
Even though he couldn't feel the warmth of the tears, Xie Lanzhi's heart was still burning with pain.
Xie Lanzhi tried to hold back, but still couldn't help but speak out.
"Ashu——"
Qin Shu blinked her eyes slightly, and the tears in her eyes were wiped away, revealing a gentle and sweet smile.
"Why are you here? Are you hungry now?"
"We have to wait a while before we can eat the food. Do you want to have two snacks to fill your stomach?"
Xie Lanzhi stepped over the threshold and walked towards Qin Shu with steady steps, gently stroking the area around her eyes with his knuckles.
He asked softly: "Did I make you sad?"
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