The Unexpected Visit

“Yage, come to the hospital with me!”

“No, no, no.” Qin Yage buried her head under the covers, rolling around on the bed.

“Then come with me to find Xia Yi!”

“Not going, not going, not going.”

“Then I’ll buy some cold medicine, and you have to take it.”

“No, no, no, that stuff is bitter, I’m not eating it.” Qin An looked helplessly at Qin Yage, who refused to come out from under the covers.

“I’ll go buy you some sweet medicine. Stay home and behave, don’t run around. If you feel bad, go find Xia Yi—she’s off today.” Qin An sounded like a nagging old woman, needing to explain everything before he felt reassured.

Qin Yage finally poked her head out. “I know, but you have to buy me something tasty.”

“I’m leaving then.”

After Qin An left, Qin Yage breathed a sigh of relief. She touched her lips and felt her face was still burning hot.

Qin An first went to pick up some Chinese herbal medicine. Qin Yage was terrified of needles—a few seconds for a vaccination could make her cry all day.

Qin An thought he should help Qin Yage nourish her body, but he couldn’t think of any good recipes. He turned his head and saw a bookstore across the crosswalk.

He walked in without thinking. The bookstore was small, even a bit desolate—the cashier was asleep on the counter.

Qin An browsed the shelves and stopped at a book on medicinal cuisine. He took it down and flipped through it, unaware that a girl about his age on the opposite side was doing the same.

When he was about to put the book back, he saw through the gap in the shelf that the girl was mirroring his actions.

She wore a dress embroidered with lotuses and a pink bow in her hair.

“Qin An, long time no see.”

“An Qi, it has been a while.”

Qin An sat right down on the bookstore floor. “What’s up? How did you end up in a place like this?”

To Qin An, An Qi seemed like a sheltered young lady who should have her own library at home.

“I should be asking you that. Someone like you shouldn’t be here.”

An Qi was about to sit down too, but Qin An slipped a book under her before she did. An Qi felt the unspoken care and smiled softly, but who knew what was on her mind?

Qin An asked knowingly, “What kind of person am I?”

An Qi thought for a moment, covered her mouth, and giggled, but said nothing.

“You can’t just laugh and not tell me!”

An Qi’s eyes crinkled. “At first I thought you were a quiet, studious student. Then I thought you were a tough punk. Later I realized you’re playing the fool to catch the tiger. Ha… ha…”

Qin An didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, but he had to admit there was some truth in her analysis.

“You still haven’t answered my question.”

“Well, I came to look at essays. Midterms are tomorrow, you know. You haven’t forgotten our bet, have you?”

“Uh…” Qin An scratched his head. If An Qi hadn’t brought it up, he might have completely forgotten.

“You still haven’t told me! Why weren’t you in class today? You know Teacher Lin Chunlan really scolded you—she said she wished she could send a troublemaker like you home!”

“My sister had a fever last night, so I stayed home to take care of her. Today I came to the bookstore to look for a good cookbook to make her something nutritious.”

“Qin An’s sister? The one who looks like a cute Barbie doll?”

Qin An rubbed his nose. “Something like that, but not that exaggerated!”

Suddenly, An Qi braced her hands on the floor beside Qin An, her face so close their noses almost touched. Her big eyes stared into his, and he could even see his own reflection in her shimmering ones.

“I’m going to your house,” she said.

“I’m going to your house,” she emphasized, giving the impression she wouldn’t back down easily.

Qin An’s reaction was delayed. It wasn’t until An Qi repeated herself that he snapped out of it.

He pointed at himself. “My house?”

An Qi nodded firmly.

“My place is small, messy, dirty, and shabby. Better not go,” Qin An said, turning away.

An Qi grabbed his cheeks, making his expression comical, then turned his face toward her and said word by word, “I’m definitely going.”

“Well…”

Before Qin An could finish, An Qi pouted, her cheeks puffed, and she twisted his face into various shapes.

Qin An raised his hands in surrender. “Fine, I give up, I give up. I’ll take you, okay?”

“That’s better!” An Qi laughed happily, seemingly unaware of how inappropriate her actions were. From this angle, Qin An could faintly see a pink undershirt beneath her still-developing chest.

Qin An quickly stood up, feeling his face heat up in sheer embarrassment from how close she had leaned in.

An Qi walked ahead, hands behind her back, skipping along cheerfully. The knot of her undershirt wasn’t tucked in but tied behind her neck over her collarbone, and the two bouncing bows were undeniably cute.

Qin An couldn’t help asking, “An Qi, why do you want to come to my place?”

“Well, because… aren’t we friends?” An Qi said shyly.

“Yes.”

“Isn’t it normal to visit a friend’s house? Besides, your sister is sick—it’s no problem to visit her, right? Hmm, I should prepare some gifts! Luckily, I’ve already got them! I’m so smart!”

“But…”

“Aren’t you welcoming me?” An Qi suddenly spun around, her face puffing like a frog.

“This is my first time visiting a friend’s house!” A look of longing appeared on An Qi’s face, and Qin An could even see stars in her eyes.

“Your place is so small.”

Hearing this, Qin An was speechless. To him, who had slept anywhere and everywhere, having a home was enough.

Qin An opened the door for An Qi and bent slightly in a butler’s gesture. “Please.”

The room was fairly clean but poorly lit, giving a gloomy feeling. An Qi felt a stark contrast—her home was always in “daylight mode,” with the lights never turned off. As a child, she couldn’t sleep like that, and when she suggested it to her father, he said, “This way you’ll feel safe.” She never quite understood, but she got used to being always in the light.

“Brother…” Qin Yage, hearing the door open, ran down the stairs barefoot.

Her initial joy vanished when she saw the person she least wanted to see standing beside her brother. If it were that Sister Wang vixen next door, maybe, but her brother’s deskmate? That was too much. During class, you’re already so close to him, taking up a third of his time. Now you dare invade my territory to steal my share? How arrogant.

Qin Yage crashed into Qin An’s arms, burying her head in his chest.

Qin An stroked her hair and pretended to scold, “The floor is so cold. Why didn’t you put on shoes? What if you catch another cold?”

He worriedly touched her forehead and sighed in relief only when he found it normal.

“No! I missed you.” Qin Yage’s voice was syrupy, and Qin An felt goosebumps all over.

“You two get along well! Quite different from what you usually say.”

Behind Qin An’s back, their eyes clashed fiercely.

“An Qi, have a seat. I’ll get you some tea. I have green tea and black tea.”

“Black tea, please.”

An Qi sat upright on the sofa, hands on her knees, very elegant and dignified.

Qin Yage imitated her, trying to look like a proper lady.

“Sister Yage, I heard you were sick yesterday. Are you still feeling unwell?”

“Thank you for your concern, Sister An Qi. I’m much better now. I can go to school tomorrow!”

“That’s great! I came in a hurry and didn’t bring a gift. But I found this hair clip while traveling abroad—I’m sure you’ll like it.”

An Qi pulled a pink hair clip from her peach-colored waist bag. The clip looked very familiar because Qin Yage was wearing an identical one in her hair.

Hmph, why not take it? But why is it exactly the same as the one my brother gave me? Something’s fishy!

“Thank you, Sister An Qi.” Qin Yage accepted it happily, calling “Sister An Qi” repeatedly, making An Qi laugh.

When Qin An brought out the black tea, he saw them chatting animatedly. He found it hard to believe—just a moment ago the atmosphere seemed tense. In the time it took to boil water, they had become friends. Girls are strange, especially Qin Yage. He’d expected her to be rolling on the sofa in a tantrum, but instead she was quite ladylike.

The three sat together and chatted about many things. An Qi talked about her travels abroad. When she asked Qin An what he did during May Day, he omitted the thrilling spring outing and the haunted house horror, only mentioning the rides at the amusement park.

“That amusement park belongs to my family! If you ever want to go, just come to me.” An Qi’s statement was surprising. Qin An had guessed, but hearing her admit it was still a shock. Qin Yage’s heart leaped, though she kept a calm exterior.

“Brother, it’s getting late. Time to cook.” Qin Yage stood up and made a show of heading to the kitchen.

“It’s already this late? Qin An, I have to go, or my dad will keep calling.”

“Okay, I’ll see you out.”

“Qin An, don’t forget our bet!” An Qi turned back as she descended the steps, emphasizing again.

“I know. See you at school tomorrow.”

“Bye!”

Qin An only saw An Qi to the door, as that was enough. Her bodyguards were waiting for her around the corner.

Suddenly, Qin An felt a piercing gaze. He turned and caught a glimpse of a yellow skirt, unaware that a girl walking her dog was patting her chest in shock. Qin An, skipping class to have a rendezvous with your deskmate at home—so impure!

“Woof woof woof—”

“Hey, Dahuang, don’t bark!”

So it was just a dog. Qin An dismissed it and went back inside.

But when he entered, he saw Qin Yage standing by the shoe rack, holding a computer keyboard in one hand and a washboard in the other, with a chilling smile. “Brother, keyboard or washboard—which do you choose?”

“Um, can I choose the remote?”