Chapter 66.1

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Chi Qilan and Jiang Shu had used the excuse of their house burning down to move in—and they had stayed for over a month. There was absolutely no sign of them planning to leave.

Qiao Ziman didn’t mind at all. In fact, she actually liked the lively atmosphere. It felt warm, like home.

More importantly, during this time, the relationship between Chi Yin and her mother had healed remarkably fast. The awkwardness and unease that had been there right after their reconciliation had completely disappeared.

For that, Qiao Ziman was genuinely happy for her.

But still…

Something felt off.

For instance—every night after nine, which was supposed to be their time for intimacy, Chi Yin would always slip into the room next door to see Chi Qilan. Sometimes, she’d be gone for an hour. Other times, two. And one time, she even stayed the entire night.

Qiao Ziman had waited so long she started yawning non-stop, completely losing any mood she had. And when Chi Yin finally returned, she’d just sit at her desk, acting all secretive. She’d pull out a notebook and bury herself in writing, constantly wary of Qiao Ziman’s gaze.

After she was done, she even went as far as buying a lock just to keep that notebook secured in a drawer.

This wasn’t right. Not at all.

Finally, one day, Qiao Ziman couldn’t take it anymore. She pinned Chi Yin down beneath her and demanded, “Why have you been sneaking off to Auntie’s room every night?”

Chi Yin half-closed her eyes, tilting her head slightly as she nuzzled into the soft warmth beside her.

Qiao Ziman held her down, her expression serious. “I’m asking you a question.”

Chi Yin slowly opened her eyes and replied at a leisurely pace, “Talking about work.”

Talking about work? Not buying it. Qiao Ziman narrowed her eyes, carefully studying Chi Yin’s expression, searching for any hint of deception. But Chi Yin remained perfectly composed.

Strange. Doesn’t Yin Yin hate dealing with the family business?

Qiao Ziman’s suspicions didn’t ease. She pressed further. “Then why is Jiang Shu involved?”

Chi Yin answered so smoothly it was as if she had rehearsed it in advance. “She might as well start learning early. The company will belong to her in the future anyway.”

“Oh, really?” Qiao Ziman lowered her gaze in thought, then asked again, “Then what’s with that notebook? And why did you lock it up? Are you deliberately keeping something from me?”

“No, it’s just business secrets.”

Chi Yin’s explanation was flawless. But Qiao Ziman’s gut told her something was still off.

“You swear you’re not hiding anything from me?”

Chi Yin held up three fingers and solemnly swore, “I’m not.”

Qiao Ziman climbed off her, still skeptical. But after a moment, a different, more terrifying thought struck her. 

“…Are you getting tired of me?”

She frowned, staring Chi Yin down. “Has your desire for me decreased? We’ve only been together for six months—don’t tell me we’ve already hit a dead bedroom phase?”

A soft rustling sounded beside her, soon followed by footsteps.

Qiao Ziman: “???”

Following the noise, she looked over to see Chi Yin crouched in front of the safe, her head bent as she sifted through the small trinkets inside. Before long, Chi Yin returned to her side cradling a stack of boxes, her eyes deep and intense.

Qiao Ziman kept her gaze fixed on the little gadgets and, with a knowing lilt in her voice, asked, “What are you doing?” 

Her tone carried a hint of excitement. Chi Yin looked down at her with an air of superiority, her eyes laden with unspoken meaning. In the next moment, she lowered herself eagerly and pressed her lips to Qiao Ziman’s. Clothes slipped away as their bodies met in warm, soft contact.

That night echoed like the ebb and flow of tides—waves of sound rising and falling, cascading in an endless rhythm.

From that day on, even though Chi Yin’s visits to Chi Qilan’s room became noticeably shorter, Qiao Ziman’s suspicions remained. She even began to notice that her mother was acting strangely. For instance, He Cuizhen and Chi Qilan still clashed like fire and water, yet there were moments when they managed to reach an uncanny consensus.

That very day, Qiao Ziman had to handle an urgent manuscript. After dinner, she instructed He Cuizhen and the others not to disturb her unless it was absolutely necessary. They readily agreed, and then she went upstairs and locked herself in the study.

But not even a few minutes had passed when the sound of an argument between He Cuizhen and Chi Qilan drifted up from downstairs.

He Cuizhen was hollering, “Chinese style is best—like the old saying, eight sedan chairs and so on.”

Chi Qilan fired back, “Of course, Western style is better. If you love Chinese so much, why don’t you organize one yourself? Isn’t that right, Yin Yin?”

“Hey, you cocky Lan, can’t you speak properly?” came another voice.

“What, did I say something wrong?” Chi Qilan retorted.

Irritated by the noise, Qiao Ziman felt the veins on her forehead throb as she slammed her pen down and stormed downstairs.

“Mom, why are you fighting again?” she demanded.

At the moment her voice rang out, everyone downstairs fell silent.

Chi Yin sat quietly on the sofa, with Grandma and Jiang Shu taking their places beside her, all staring at the TV screen without even blinking. He Cuizhen even draped her arm over Chi Qilan in an exaggerated manner, offering insincere praise. “You’ve been looking pretty well lately, huh?”

Chi Qilan touched her face. “Really?” Although she clearly meant to add “you too,” the words simply wouldn’t come out.

Qiao Ziman’s expression remained unreadable. “Mom, your acting has really slipped,” she observed.

He Cuizhen cupped her hand to her ear. “What? I didn’t catch that.”

After a moment of silence, Qiao Ziman pressed on, “Mom, what exactly were you two arguing about just now? What do you mean by Chinese style and Western style?”

Chi Qilan was the first to answer. “It’s nothing. We were just discussing the plot of a TV drama and accidentally ended up disagreeing.”

He Cuizhen abruptly pulled her hand away, her face showing clear displeasure. “Hey, was that ‘mom’ call meant for you? You’re so shameless!”

Chi Qilan let out a smug little hum. “I answered just to piss you off.”