Chapter 12

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“Hold on tight!”

Under the blinding white headlights, Chi Yin’s tense yet resolutely determined profile was illuminated, as if she had made some sort of decision, determined to prove that her words “Don’t be afraid, I’m here” were more than just simple comfort.

Something soft deep within Qiao Ziman’s heart was profoundly touched. She looked at Chi Yin with a newfound trust and gripped the handle tightly.

The next second, Chi Yin sharply turned the steering wheel.

“Honk~”

The truck loomed closer with crushing force. In a flash of white light, Qiao Ziman tightly closed her eyes.

There was a violent jolt, and the tires screeched as they slid across the wet ground.

After what felt like an eternity, through the overwhelming sound of the rain and the thunderous pounding of her own heart, Qiao Ziman heard Chi Yin’s soft, reassuring voice, “It’s okay now.”

Then, a warmth enveloped her hand, a gentle force holding her tightly. Qiao Ziman’s heartbeat gradually steadied as she slowly opened her eyes, realizing that the car’s front was just inches away from the guardrail, with a hundred-meter drop right below. In that moment, she felt a sense of having narrowly escaped disaster.

“Are you hurt?” Chi Yin asked.

Qiao Ziman shook her head, staring at their hands still clasped together. “No.”

“I’ve got some bad news,” Chi Yin said, gently squeezing her hand. “The car has broken down. We might be delayed a bit.” With that, she opened the door and started to step out.

Qiao Ziman was startled and quickly grabbed her, “Where are you going?”

Chi Yin responded simply, “To fix the car.”

“In this heavy rain? Are you crazy? Call for roadside assistance.”

But before Qiao Ziman could even find the number on her phone, Chi Yin had already dashed out into the pouring rain. “It won’t take long. Wait for me in the car.”

Why is this woman so stubborn?! Qiao Ziman grabbed an umbrella from the back seat and rushed after her.

Chi Yin, who was already hunched over inspecting the car, caught a glimpse of someone rushing out of the car in her peripheral vision. Surprised, she moved to stop her, “Why won’t you listen?”

Great, now she’s stealing my lines, Qiao Ziman thought.

The wind howled as Qiao Ziman struggled to hold the umbrella, glaring at the person who had turned into a drenched mess in just a few seconds. She gritted her teeth and said, “I’ll hold the umbrella for you.”

“Do you think an umbrella is any use in this weather? It’s better if only one of us gets wet,” Chi Yin replied, before forcefully pushing Qiao Ziman back into the car.

Qiao Ziman: “…” She’s really strong.

Through the windshield, Qiao Ziman watched Chi Yin working busily in front of the car. The rain pounded against her, soaking her long hair and reducing her once meticulous appearance to a state of disarray.

A strange and intense emotion suddenly welled up inside Qiao Ziman. She knew Chi Yin’s actions were simply to save time. But why? Why, despite agreeing to keep their distance, despite hearing herself say “I dislike you” out loud, was Chi Yin still being so kind to her?

Qiao Ziman lowered her head in thought, but no matter how much she pondered, she couldn’t figure it out.

Just then, the driver’s side door opened. Chi Yin, soaked and muddy, slid back into the driver’s seat. “It’s fixed! Aren’t I amazing?” she said, her tone filled with pride, almost as if she was seeking praise.

The rain-soaked clothes clung to Chi Yin’s body, becoming semi-transparent and revealing her delicate curves. As Qiao Ziman glanced up, she quickly averted her eyes, feeling a bit uncomfortable. She muttered, “Amazing, you’re just amazing. I really don’t know if there’s anything you can’t do,” she added, standing up to grab a blanket from the back seat and began gently drying Chi Yin’s hair.

Qiao Ziman’s movements were tender and meticulous, carefully wiping from the roots to the tips, over and over again. The person before her kept her eyes lowered, staying perfectly still.

Qiao Ziman suddenly felt that Chi Yin had become unusually obedient, a stark contrast to the forceful person who had just shoved her back into the car.

She’s actually kind of cute when she’s being this well-behaved, Qiao Ziman thought. She tucked Chi Yin’s messy hair behind her ears and, without warning, cupped her hands and gently rubbed Chi Yin’s cheeks.

Chi Yin froze, a warm feeling spreading through her, and the tips of her ears, hidden under her hair, gradually turned red.

With the car repaired, the two continued their journey. The rain began to let up along the way, and by the time they arrived at Qiao Ziman’s old home an hour later, it had stopped completely. As soon as the car came to a stop in the clearing in front of the house, Qiao Ziman darted out, with Chi Yin, still wrapped in the blanket, following close behind.

“Bang, bang, bang!”

Qiao Ziman pounded on the door with force, muttering, “Why is the door still locked?” Without waiting for an answer, she quickly moved to the side, climbed onto a stone by the wall, and in one swift motion, leaped up to the nearly two-meter-high wall.

Chi Yin was stunned by the maneuver. Before she could say anything to stop her, Qiao Ziman had already flipped over the wall, and the next moment, the door swung open from the inside.

Chi Yin: “…”

The old house had a small courtyard between the gate and the inner rooms, where some everyday vegetables were grown and a few chickens roamed freely. As the two of them walked in, they heard a loud voice from inside the house. It was He Cuizhen, shouting, “Mahjong! I win!”

“Two bucks each, pay up!”

This was followed by the clattering sound of tiles being reshuffled.

Qiao Ziman suddenly froze in place, her entire body tensing up, with her shoulders barely noticeable trembling. It was hard to tell whether it was out of anger or extreme relief upon realizing that He Cuizhen was unharmed.

Chi Yin gently patted her shoulder.

Qiao Ziman snapped back to reality, a fiery anger flashing across her face. She stormed into the house, her presence filling the room with intensity. The four people at the mahjong table, including her grandmother who was watching the game, all looked up in shock.

“He Cuizhen!!!”

He Cuizhen’s hand shook as she grabbed the mahjong tile, and she suddenly stood up, clearly startled by Qiao Ziman’s outburst.

“Why couldn’t I reach you by phone? My cousin said you were sick,” Qiao Ziman asked, trying to keep her voice calm despite the cold anger simmering inside her.

Uh-oh, the phone must have been on silent because of the mahjong game. How should she explain this? He Cuizhen’s eyes darted around as she quickly decided to play along with the situation.

“Yes, I’ve been feeling a bit under the weather lately… coughing and having headaches. I was just starting to feel better,” she said, dramatically collapsing back into her chair and rubbing her temples with exaggerated moans of “Oh, woe is me.”

So, she’s pretending to be sick? Qiao Ziman’s mother was getting more and more outrageous. Did she not realize that this “crying wolf” act almost put her and Chi Yin in danger?

Thinking of Chi Yin, Qiao Ziman turned around to check on her. At the same time, He Cuizhen noticed the silent person standing behind her daughter and asked curiously, “Whose girl is this? Did she fall in the water or something?”

Chi Yin: “…”

Qiao Ziman held back her anger for a moment, then through gritted teeth, she managed to say, “Do you have any idea it’s pouring rain outside?”

As she spoke, she threw her bag onto the kang (a traditional heated brick bed) and then took Chi Yin’s hand.

Chi Yin politely nodded at the stunned He Cuizhen and greeted her with a soft, “Auntie.”

Without offering any explanation, Qiao Ziman shot He Cuizhen a glare and pulled Chi Yin into her own room. Once the door was closed, Qiao Ziman pushed Chi Yin onto the bed. Then, without a word, she started rummaging through her wardrobe. She pulled out a clean towel and handed over a set of her own clothes. “There’s no easy way to take a shower, but you can at least dry yourself off.”

Chi Yin: “…” That sounded a bit strange.

“These clothes are mine, but they’re clean. If you mind, there’s nothing I can do—this is what we have.”

Chi Yin quickly stopped overthinking and hugged the clothes close to her. “I don’t mind.”

“The hairdryer is in the nightstand drawer. Make sure to dry your hair,” Qiao Ziman instructed as she headed out of the room, her back unusually tense. “I need to go deal with something.”

The door closed behind her. Chi Yin, full of concern, walked over to the door and pressed her ear against it. From outside, she heard Qiao Ziman’s muffled voice, “Is it fun to lie to me?”

“Qiao Qiao, let Mom explain,” He Cuizhen replied.

Nosy neighbors chattered incessantly, “Little Qiao, you’re a grown woman now—how can you talk to your mother like that?”

“Have you started seeing anyone lately?”

“What a coincidence! My nephew is home right now. Let me call him over so you two can meet.”

“A young woman like you shouldn’t be running around all the time. Getting married and having kids early is the best future. Look at how upset you’ve made your mother.”

Bang!

The sound of a table being flipped over echoed from outside, followed by the clatter of mahjong tiles hitting the floor. The constant chatter of the neighbors, as well as Chi Yin, who was eavesdropping, came to an abrupt halt, startled by the sudden noise.

Qiao Ziman let out a cold snort, “You always say the same things. Why don’t you come up with something new? Maybe then I’ll take you seriously. And you—shut up. Tell your lame nephew to stay far away from me.”

Chi Yin’s heart skipped a beat. “…”

So fierce.