Chapter 42: Standing Up for Her

Lin Xi followed behind her grandfather.

“It really is little Qin.” Even before she saw him, just from her grandfather’s words, she already knew the answer.

Carrying her things, Lin Xi turned and walked into the kitchen. Her grandmother called after her, “Hey, Xixi…”

Her grandfather glanced back to explain for Lin Xi, “She’s just putting away the groceries. She’ll be right out.”

In the kitchen, Lin Xi pretended not to know that Qin Yu was outside and busied herself with the vegetables, hiding away.

Two minutes later, footsteps sounded behind her. She looked over to see Qin Yu walking in, his sleeves rolled up.

Unlike his usual business attire, today he was dressed casually—just like her. He had specially cleared his schedule for this day; he wasn’t rushing over in the middle of work…

So her grandfather had been telling the truth all along.

Thinking of how, for so many years, he had been visiting her grandparents on her behalf, Lin Xi felt something she couldn’t quite put into words.

The last time she returned to the compound to keep her grandfather company, he had told her that Qin Yu often came by to play chess and take him out for walks.

“Third Brother.” When she finally spoke, her tone was muffled, laden with emotions too complex to untangle, leaving even her unsure which feeling prevailed.

Qin Yu answered softly, walked over, and began washing his hands, clearly intending to help her with the vegetables.

To be honest, even she rarely set foot in the kitchen. At most, she could wash some greens; anything beyond that was out of her depth. Qin Yu was probably no better.

“I’ll do it. The cook had to leave suddenly, but she’ll be back in half an hour. Why don’t you go to the living room?”

She was only here to hide and keep herself busy. She wasn’t avoiding Qin Yu, but rather the awkwardness that might arise if her grandparents unwittingly asked about the past between her and Qin Yu.

“It’s fine. Aren’t you bored in here alone?” he said, not looking up from rinsing the vegetables.

Seeing how focused he was, Lin Xi had no choice but to join him, working at the adjacent sink, picking the greens and handing them to him—a perfect little assembly line.

After a long while, Lin Xi asked casually, “How did you have time to come today, Third Brother?”

She pretended not to know he had been coming regularly.

“It’s Grandma’s birthday. How could I not?” His tone was light, giving no mention of the past.

“Oh.” Lin Xi didn’t press further; Qin Yu had known her grandmother’s birthday for a long time.

One year, when she was still at school here, her grandmother’s birthday fell during term. Qin Yu had intended to send her home and head straight back to the capital, but ended up staying that day. Her grandmother had personally invited him to stay for dinner.

Normally, Qin Yu could refuse, but that day he had no good reason. Her uncle was away, so only her grandfather and Lin Xi were there to dine with her grandmother.

That evening, her grandfather opened a bottle of wine, and Qin Yu had to stay the night.

“Are you staying over tonight, Third Brother?”

“Not sure yet.” He paused, then asked, “What about you? Heading back tomorrow?”

“Yeah. I took a day off, so I’ll go back in the morning.”

“Things not going well at work lately?”

“So Fourth Brother tells you everything, huh?” Lin Xi let out a breath.

“He just mentioned it over dinner the other day.” Normally, Qin Yu wouldn’t bother explaining, but this time he offered a word in Cheng Si’s defense, though it hardly mattered.

“It’s nothing unpleasant. I told Fourth Brother it was just normal work communication, a bit of healthy competition. Anyway, I’m not the one who’ll end up on the losing side.”

Qin Yu looked at her, his tone gentle. “I trust you won’t be bullied as long as things don’t turn physical. But you’re still a woman—don’t provoke others just for the satisfaction of winning an argument. Not everyone is rational all the time.”

“I understand.” Lin Xi knew what he meant. “I only argue with them because I know they won’t get physical. I know when to draw the line—I’m not stupid enough to go looking for trouble.”

She understood, of course; her brothers had taught her well when she was young.

“I still remember what my brother used to say.”

“Let’s hear it, then.”

“My brother said, if you can’t guarantee your own safety, it’s okay to swallow your pride and hold your temper. Tell your family when you get home—they’ll stand up for you.”

Before she went abroad, whenever she ran into trouble, she would instinctively turn to the few of them.

For example, when someone pulled off her hearing aid and the others were all away from the capital, she could only call Qin Yu. Thinking back now, that was truly the source of all the ‘trouble’ that followed.

Before that, Qin Yu had only come by once or twice. After that, he started picking her up from school every day, like a mobile surveillance camera or a bodyguard glued to her side.

—

During lunch, Qin Yu had some wine with her grandfather. Out of concern for her grandfather’s health, Lin Xi didn’t let them drink too much. In the afternoon, Lin Xi needed to go to the clinic to pick up medicine for her grandmother.

“I’ll go with you.” The man who’d been resting on the sofa got up at her words. Lin Xi swallowed her refusal.

Her grandfather’s clinic wasn’t far—just a four minute walk.

Lin Xi remembered the route well. She had walked it countless times before, always with Qin Yu. It was also the way to her school.

From school to home was ten minutes on foot. They walked a bit faster, but if he drove and got stuck in traffic, it could take a bit longer. Back then, she never thought the walk was too long. In fact, she wished the road stretched on, so she could spend a few more minutes with him.

Though she saw him every day, each meeting was brief. Occasionally, if she was hungry, he’d take her for a late-night snack before bringing her home. If not, those ten minutes were all they had.

The most precious ten minutes in her otherwise unremarkable youth.

Lin Xi shook her head to clear her thoughts and asked Qin Yu, “You didn’t drink much today, did you? Did you bring a driver? Or should I call one for you tonight?”

She figured he shouldn’t drive.

Baijiu had a strong aftereffect.

Qin Yu replied, “Why would I need a driver to go home?”

Lin Xi was left speechless.

“Let’s see how things go tonight,” he said, telling her not to worry.

She thought he meant he’d call someone to pick him up later, but by evening, after drinking with her grandfather again, Qin Yu was sprawled on the sofa, eyes closed in drunken sleep, clearly uncomfortable.

“Little Qin’s drunk,” her grandmother sighed, turning to scold her grandfather.

No one had been around to drink with her grandfather for a long time, and he’d gotten carried away.

“Let Little Qin stay here tonight. Xixi, help your Third Brother upstairs to rest. It’s not comfortable for him here.”

“All right,” Lin Xi agreed obediently.

On the sofa, Qin Yu didn’t open his eyes, as if he’d already fallen asleep.

But Lin Xi remembered clearly—he used to have a strong tolerance, and even when drunk, he never showed it. It was impossible to tell if he’d had anything to drink.

But now…

She leaned down, getting closer. “Third Brother…”