An Unexpected Phone

After getting dressed and washing up, it was time for breakfast. Qin Haiyue couldn’t cook, and Ye Xingmian didn’t want to cook for her. The villa had no chef or maid, so they had to go out to eat.

Shouldering her backpack, Ye Xingmian followed Qin Haiyue to the front gate. The door locked automatically behind them. Outside waited the same car from the night before, with the same middle-aged driver in sunglasses and earbuds.

She got in silently. Perhaps it was her imagination, but she felt the driver glance at her for an extra moment.

“Miss, I bought you breakfast. Eat it while it’s hot.”

The driver handed over a bag of buns, still steaming with a meaty aroma.

Qin Haiyue glanced at the girl, indicating she should take it. The girl hesitated.

“For me…?”

“Who else?” Qin Haiyue’s tone was sharp, but the girl felt a tiny flicker of happiness. She hadn’t eaten meat buns in ages.

After taking the bag, the driver passed over two cups of milk tea. She looked to Qin Haiyue for permission, then placed the items on the small folding table in the front seat.

They shared the buns, each with their own milk tea. The driver sat up front, smiling, apparently in no hurry.

“Don’t rush, you two. There’s still time. Finish here, then we’ll go.”

Qin Haiyue didn’t care about his words. Being late meant nothing to her—no one could punish her anyway. The girl felt the driver was really speaking to her.

Meeting someone kind was rare. Ye Xingmian felt a little happy. She thanked him timidly and continued stuffing her small mouth.

She didn’t eat much. Years of insufficient food had shrunk her stomach. Four or five buns remained. Even Qin Haiyue, who ate more, left leftovers.

“Can’t finish. Want some?” Qin Haiyue asked the driver coldly.

He turned and smiled. “Miss, I already ate on the way. I’ll pass.”

“Then throw them away.”

Qin Haiyue handed over the bag with disgust. But the girl suddenly gasped.

“Huh?!”

“What’s wrong?” Qin Haiyue frowned, turning to see the girl’s anxious face and wide pink eyes.

“Why… why throw them away?”

“What else? Feed the dogs?”

“Uh… sorry…” The girl had wanted to say, ‘If you don’t want them, give them to me.’ But after Qin Haiyue’s words, she hung her head, eyes dim.

Her chest felt tight and painful.

Qin Haiyue watched her for a while, then concluded: poverty had made her sick.

“Tsk.” Irritated, she tossed the buns to the driver, watched him step out, then turned back to the girl.

“Do you have a phone?”

“Huh? No… no…”

“That’s troublesome.” Qin Haiyue muttered. In her experience, giving money to a poor kid like this would earn goodwill. She didn’t care about goodwill, but the girl’s shabby look was embarrassing. After all, even if having her as a lover was just for show—a mere toy—the title was out there, so she had to care a little.

She fumbled in her pocket and found some cash. Not much—two hundred yuan. Frowning, she handed it to the girl.

“Here. Being my lover has perks. Consider this your allowance.”

“Ah? But…” Seeing the money, the girl was stunned. It was a fortune to her—hard to accept, especially from Qin Haiyue.

“Hey—I said take it!” Her tone grew threatening. The girl trembled and finally took the money hesitantly.

Giving money yet so reluctant—there was something off-puttingly meek about her hesitation. Biting her lip, the girl felt a strange ache and carefully pocketed the cash.

Just then, the driver returned. He opened the door and settled into his seat.

“Go to the phone store,” Qin Haiyue said.

“Huh? Not to school first?”

“No. I need to buy her a phone.”

“What?! A phone?”

The girl’s constant surprise grated on Qin Haiyue. She rubbed her forehead. “Can you stop yelling? Do it again and get out!”

“Oh… okay… okay…”

Buying me a phone? It felt like a dream…

Strange. Why was Qin Haiyue being so nice? Giving money and buying a phone—she almost thought Qin Haiyue had changed, completely different from the past two days.

But a nagging unease remained. Facing Liu Yinuo’s kindness made her feel guilt and a desire to repay. Facing Qin Haiyue’s kindness made her feel fear…

As the saying goes, a weasel paying respects to a chicken has no good intentions.

Though her guess wasn’t wrong, she remained silent and was taken to the phone store without resistance.

“We’re here. Are you getting out?”

“Ah? I’ll stay…” Looking at the store’s exquisite interior, she felt out of place. She lowered her head and shrank back in the car.

“Fine.” As expected. Qin Haiyue didn’t say more. About ten minutes later, she picked out a phone and got a SIM card, then returned.

Everything happened so fast. Even when Qin Haiyue handed her the new phone, she didn’t react at first.

“Here.”

The phone box was offered to her.

“Ah… thank… thank you…” So fast, an unreal feeling. She carefully took the heavy phone, making sure not to drop it. Pressing the power button, the screen lit up. It all felt illusory. A phone had been her dream—now she could call her mother, follow her classmates’ conversations, maybe no longer be lonely, overcome her inferiority, and make friends.

She stole a glance at Qin Haiyue. The other girl’s expression remained cold. But holding the phone, the girl’s lips unconsciously curved into a sweet smile.

In that moment, she was truly happy.