“Xiao Qian, you’re finally back?”
As soon as she returned to the dorm, Hua Qi’an saw Zhao Yingying rushing over with a face full of enthusiasm.
If it were any other day, Zhao Yingying definitely wouldn’t be so eager, but today, she had been entrusted with her own “happiness.”
“Damn, I knew that old man took a day off today, so I left early to wait for Chen Zhiyan…”
Cursing, Zhao Yingying looked at Hua Qi’an with anticipation.
“What did Chen Zhiyan say?”
Zhao Yingying was very confident in what she had written; she was moved after reading it twice herself.
If Chen Zhiyan read it, she would definitely be touched too.
Zhao Yingying had even thoughtfully left her contact information at the end of the letter, in case Chen Zhiyan was moved and wanted to reach out.
Hua Qi’an blinked, recalling how Chen Zhiyan’s hands were empty.
She laughed to herself—most likely, it was already in the trash.
But on the surface, she wore a gentle smile.
“Chen Zhiyan accepted your letter and the flowers.”
“But she didn’t open it in front of me.”
She didn’t lie—Chen Zhiyan did accept her letter and the flowers and indeed didn’t open them in front of her.
Just judging by Zhao Yingying’s expression, she had clearly come up with her own explanation.
“Heh, why would she open my letter in front of you?”
Since the letter had already been delivered, Zhao Yingying didn’t feel the need to continue being so attentive to Hua Qi’an, and let out a cold sneer.
Looks like Chen Zhiyan planned to read her letter after going home.
No wonder Chen Zhiyan hadn’t added her on social media yet.
Thinking this, she shot Hua Qi’an a reproachful look.
“By the way, why did you come back so late?”
“Made me wait all this time.”
Hua Qi’an walked into the dorm, returned to her place, and set down her backpack, not caring at all about Zhao Yingying’s malice.
“I went out to eat.”
At her words, Zhao Yingying raised an eyebrow. “You? Went out to eat?”
She acted as if she’d heard something astonishing.
After all, everyone in the dorm knew how frugal Hua Qi’an was. Even for dorm get-togethers, she always found a way to skip, eating only the five-yuan cafeteria food every day.
And today, she actually went out to eat?
As if she realized something, Zhao Yingying’s expression became one of understanding, and then she put on a smile.
Her earlier malice seemed to vanish, replaced by a nosy look as she familiarly chatted with Hua Qi’an:
“Could it be you went out to eat with your older sister?”
Hua Qi’an lifted her brow, narrowing her eyes at Zhao Yingying.
“Yeah, so what?”
At the same time, she seemed to hear a sound from one of the other dorm beds.
“What sister?”
It was He Yi.
She was in the dorm too.
Right now, she poked her head out from behind the bed curtain, eyes wide as she looked at Hua Qi’an and Zhao Yingying.
Zhao Yingying put on a surprised face, moved away from Hua Qi’an, and stood between her and He Yi.
“Huh? Hasn’t Xiao Qian ever mentioned it to you?”
Zhao Yingying glanced up at the upper bunk.
It seemed Li Xiaozhen wasn’t in the dorm today.
But that didn’t stop Zhao Yingying from gossiping in front of Hua Qi’an and the others.
“Xiao Qian has a super rich older sister.”
“Yesterday, I saw Xiao Qian get out of her sister’s car.”
Seeing He Yi’s look of disbelief, Zhao Yingying glanced at Hua Qi’an with satisfaction.
She wanted to see Hua Qi’an get flustered and angry.
If Hua Qi’an actually lost her composure over this, it would mean she admitted it was true.
But even as Zhao Yingying was spreading such rumors, Hua Qi’an leisurely drank her coconut water.
After finishing, she screwed the cap back on the empty coconut water bottle and tossed it into the trash.
Turning, she smiled at Zhao Yingying.
“That’s right, what about it?”
As if she was talking about something completely ordinary.
Zhao Yingying was immediately stumped.
What kind of reaction was this?
Just admitting she was kept by a rich woman, like it was nothing?
But He Yi, on the other hand, looked completely incredulous.
She climbed out of bed, slipped on her slippers, and walked over to Hua Qi’an.
“…Xiao Qian, if your sister’s so rich, why are you living so frugally?”
“Even if you’re just sisters, it’s not like she wouldn’t help you at all, right?”
She stared at Hua Qi’an, voice trembling noticeably.
Hua Qi’an rested her chin on her hand and squinted at He Yi.
Ever since that Pen Fairy game, He Yi had been acting strange.
“I never said she was my real sister, did I?”
Hua Qi’an looked at He Yi with a puzzled expression.
He Yi seemed frozen by that answer, but before she could recover and ask for more details, Hua Qi’an spoke again.
“It’s not like she hasn’t helped. The clothes I’m wearing right now were bought by her.”
Though, it was added to her debt.
Hua Qi’an tugged at her collar, showing off her shirt.
It was the same top she’d barely worn yesterday before changing out; today she just decided to wear it again.
Seemed pretty expensive too, judging by Zhao Yingying’s reaction, probably a brand name.
Zhao Yingying seemed completely convinced that she and Lin Yanqiu had some illicit relationship.
No matter how much she explained, it would be pointless.
So she might as well just tell the truth and be done with it.
But what Hua Qi’an didn’t expect was, while it was normal for Zhao Yingying to be curious about Lin Yanqiu, what on earth was up with He Yi?
She’d only casually tugged at her collar, but her delicate collarbone was revealed, the bandages around her neck adding a fragile beauty.
He Yi’s gaze lost focus for a moment, her face paling slightly.
She glanced quietly at Hua Qi’an, then went back to her bed and drew the curtain.
“Wow, I never would have guessed Xiao Qian, who always seems the most well-behaved in our dorm, is actually the most scheming.”
Zhao Yingying exclaimed dramatically.
Hua Qi’an didn’t care for the “most well-behaved” label.
“When are you going to introduce us to your sister?”
“She must be just as easy to get along with as you, right?”
Zhao Yingying asked with a smile.
This, at least, was the truth.
She remembered the flashy luxury car she’d seen that day.
Zhao Yingying never wanted to miss a chance to interact with someone rich.
Even if that person was her annoying roommate’s “sister.”
Hua Qi’an put on a slightly troubled expression.
“My sister… she’s kind of fierce.”
“Maybe you’ll get to meet her someday?”
That had to be a joke.
If she introduced this group to Lin Yanqiu, she’d probably get beaten.
A faint pain throbbed in her calf, accompanied by the coolness of the ointment.
Hua Qi’an didn’t think she had any masochistic tendencies.
Zhao Yingying, knowing Hua Qi’an was just flattering her, didn’t say more—just shooting her mouth off, as usual.
As if Hua Qi’an would really introduce her “sponsor.”
She thought she was far more charming than Hua Qi’an—if she got introduced to the sponsor and managed to steal her away, it would be bad for Hua Qi’an.
But as a “roommate,” she was sure one day she’d find a chance to meet Hua Qi’an’s “sister.”
With that in mind, Zhao Yingying went back to her bed and sat down, still waiting for Chen Zhiyan to add her on social media.
The sound of a key at the door—Li Xiaozhen, who hadn’t been in the dorm all afternoon, was back.
“Xiaozhen, where did you go today—”
Zhao Yingying poked her head out to look at the door and was clearly startled by what she saw.
Li Xiaozhen’s face was pale, with dark circles under her eyes—it looked like she hadn’t slept at all last night.
But what drew the most attention were the large strings of prayer beads, protective talismans, jade pendants, and other things she wore around her neck and wrists.
“…I went to the nearby temple.”
Seeing Li Xiaozhen’s awful complexion, and remembering what she said last night, Zhao Yingying, for once, knew not to ask more.
Li Xiaozhen, for her part, didn’t say a word, just walked straight to her bed.
As she passed by Hua Qi’an’s seat, she suddenly stopped.
She turned and stared at Hua Qi’an.
Her eyes were bloodshot.
Hua Qi’an felt a chill from being stared at.
“…What is it?”
Li Xiaozhen just kept staring at Hua Qi’an’s hand.
Her voice was cold.
“If you have time, go visit the temple too.”