NOVPUB
Chapter 161: Chapter 161 Pretending to Go Along
In the kitchen, Qin Nanyi stood with her arms crossed, silently waiting. Three plates of Golden Silk Taro Rolls had been arranged but were now somewhat cool and needed to be briefly reheated to be delicious.
The microwave’s countdown returned to zero, emitting a ding.
Qin Nanyi took out the plate of taro rolls, put in another plate and pressed the buttons again.
Heating a plate of taro rolls took thirty seconds, giving her a minute and a half... or even longer.
"Ayi," she finally said, "...I heard about that rumor."
Han Yi raised an eyebrow, looking at her.
"The rumor about you and your sister..." Qin Nanyi mustered the courage to look at him, "Not many people know about it yet. I can help you quell the rumors."
"It’s not necessary," Han Yi’s voice was clear and cold, with a faint sense of detachment.
"But with something like this, it’s better to clear it up," Qin Nanyi forced a smile, "If everyone believes it’s true, it will affect you badly..."
Ding! ——
Han Yi opened the microwave, took out the taro rolls, put in the third plate, and closed the door.
"There’s nothing to clear up," Han Yi said flatly, "those things are true."
Qin Nanyi’s eyes widened in shock, her lips trembling slightly, "Ayi?! ...No, you can’t do this!"
Annoyance appeared on Han Yi’s face.
"You are siblings! ...Ayi, you are siblings! Even if you’re not blood-related, but, but you both share the Han surname..."
Han Yi scoffed coldly, "So what if we are blood-related?"
"Ayi?!" Qin Nanyi clutched her chest in disbelief, looking at him, "Don’t you understand? All these years... don’t you know that I actually..."
"What you think is none of my concern," Han Yi frowned slightly, saying impatiently.
"Ayi..."
Han Yi had already picked up the heated taro rolls and turned to leave, not willing to waste words with Qin Nanyi any longer.
Qin Nanyi stood there dazed, tears gushing forth like a spring, not snapping back to reality until the third plate of taro rolls in the microwave was ready as well.
She wiped the tears off her face, fixed her hair and clothes, then took several deep breaths on the spot, picking up the last plate of Golden Silk Taro Rolls.
Her heart was filled with wails and despair, and on her lips was a cold smile, like a venomous snake ready to spew venom at any moment.
——It doesn’t matter, you’ve just strayed. One day, you will come back to me, realize my worth, understand that I am the one most suited for you... As for Han Jiaojiao, she will find a better place.
When Han Yi returned to the private room, he saw that Qin Wenhao’s seat had changed. Qin Wenhao was sitting next to Han Jiaojiao, hand resting on the back of her chair, chatting with her about the fish that could be caught in the Huaihe.
Han Jiaojiao was captivated by the conversation, exclaiming from time to time, "You can catch fish that big? That’s amazing."
"All trivial matters, I’ll take you to Nanhu Province when you’re free; our place is full of lakes, and there’s a type of fish..."
Han Jiaojiao looked up and saw Han Yi, her face lighting up with a smile, "Brother, Wenhao brother was telling me about fishing. He’s really good at it."
"Is that so." Han Yi’s expression was cold and indifferent as he glanced at Qin Wenhao, whose hand on the back of the chair dropped with a slap ——
Qin Wenhao’s expression changed, ready to burst into anger, but in an instant, his angry expression twisted into a strange smile. He looked at Han Yi with interest and said, "You do keep a tight watch, indeed..."
As he spoke, he leisurely returned to his original position.
Duan Shuhua glanced at Qin Wenhao, then at Han Yi, coughed twice, and said warmly, "Ayi, will you have time later?"
Han Yi looked towards Duan Shuhua.
"The Research Institute has already made several prototypes of ammunition based on the Crystal Core as the fundamental energy source, but the practical effect is somewhat off. I was hoping you could take a look," Duan Shuhua smiled, "When it comes to firearms, there’s probably no one more authoritative than you in the whole base. What do you say, could you help Auntie Duan with this? If you can lend a hand, I can give you a ten percent share of the first batch produced by the factory."
Han Yi, who used to run an arms company and dealt with firearms year-round, knew better than anyone else which weapons were effective and when to use what kind. Plus, Han Yi was always very interested in weaponry. Duan Shuhua’s request for him to check seemed reasonable, but Han Jiaojiao couldn’t help but sneer inside.
Such cunning calculations.
Using such a perfect excuse to send someone away just so Qin Wenhao could have an easier time asking her out. To do such a thing without leaving a trace, Han Jiaojiao really wanted to praise her for her impeccable skill. Hmph... But this is for the best, it saves her a lot of trouble. Besides, she didn’t want her brother to know...
Indeed, Han Yi didn’t become suspicious. He nodded and said, "After I take Jiaojiao home, I’ll go to the Research Institute to find you."
"Good, I’ll wait for you at the Research Institute. After you and Jiaojiao get home, rest well first. I feel bad making you run around in this heat, but this matter really does need your personal attention. I’ll send someone to pick you up in the evening," Duan Shuhua said, her gaze turning to Han Jiaojiao with the affection of a caring elder, "There are many rules at the Research Institute, and I’m afraid you’d feel restrained. So I won’t invite you, and I ask only your brother to go. Don’t hold it against Auntie Duan in your heart."
Han Jiaojiao played along with her act, her bright eyes blinking as she said crisply, "Auntie Duan and brother have serious matters to attend to, how could I go and make a mess? I’ll stay at home like a good girl."
An afternoon banquet where everyone had their own thoughts.
After Han Yi took Han Jiaojiao home, as evening approached, the Research Institute indeed sent a car to pick him up.
Qin Wenhao’s car arrived just a quarter of an hour after the Research Institute’s car did.
Qin Wenhao, wearing a shirt with a wide-open collar, leaned against the car door, his gaze unabashedly sweeping over Han Jiaojiao, from her blushing cheeks down to her fine, white ankles.
"Let’s go, your brother isn’t home now."
Han Jiaojiao cocked her head, her lips curling into a slight smile, "If you show up at my doorstep so brazenly, when my brother comes back and doesn’t find me, he’ll definitely know it was you who took me out to have fun."
"So what if he knows? What can he do to me?" Qin Wenhao chuckled scornfully, his expression unconcerned.
Han Jiaojiao blinked and said, "Why don’t you go ahead then, and I’ll sneak out to meet you in a bit."
Qin Wenhao appeared slightly displeased at her words, raising an eyebrow at her, "You’re not going to stand me up, are you?"
Han Jiaojiao swayed lightly, hands behind her back, her lake-blue skirt swirling around her strikingly white legs. She replied with a beaming smile, "I’ll give you a surprise."
Qin Wenhao laughed with the corner of his lips curled, "Alright, I’ll wait for you."
Han Jiaojiao leaned forward slightly, her voice soft, "There won’t be many people, right?"
Qin Wenhao was first taken aback, then his smile deepened more meaningfully as he replied slowly, "With fishing, too many people can scare the fish away... the fewer, the better, of course."
Han Jiaojiao stood up straight, nodded at him with a smile in her eyes, "See you in a bit."
She watched as Qin Wenhao’s car drove away until it was out of sight, and only then did she unclench her tightly held fist, her palm sweaty.
When she returned to the courtyard, she found Lu Changyuan leaning against the doorway of the main hall, watching her.
"The man just now, was he Qin Wenhao?"
Han Jiaojiao nodded.
Lu Changyuan’s gaze held a probing look as he asked, "How do you know him?"
A trace of mockery surfaced on Han Jiaojiao’s face, "Of course... it was Auntie Duan who introduced us." With that, she walked upstairs.
