Chapter 68.2
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Seeing her confusion, Qiao Ziman leaned in conspiratorially. “Let me tell you a little secret—when I get mad, it never lasts long. I just need a minute to cool off in a wardrobe or something, and I’m good. No need to worry.”
Chi Yin: “…”
Who said I was worried?
“Anyway,” Qiao Ziman continued, “I thought it through just now. Even though He Cuizhen—well, my mom—didn’t let me explain before she started hitting me, I guess I was at fault. I mean, I really did score a 49 on the test.”
Chi Yin: “…”
It really was a 49. Wow.
Qiao Ziman gave her a little pat on the head. “Okay, I’m off.”
“Oh, right—” she suddenly narrowed her eyes, voice dropping into a mock-serious tone. “The whole ‘I cried after getting hit’ thing? You’re not allowed to tell anyone. Or else…”
She cracked her knuckles. “You get it.”
Then she paused, blinking. “Wait, I almost forgot—you’re the Little Mute. You can’t tell anyone even if you wanted to! Ahhh, what a brain I’ve got.”
She grinned again, completely reassured, then bounced out the door like nothing had happened.
Chi Yin: “…”
The nerve of this girl… threatening people like that.
From that day on, the little troublemaker never came over again.
Chi Yin could still hear the sound of laughter from the apartment next door, echoing faintly through the wall. She silently reached into her drawer, pulled out a pair of earphones, and stuffed them into her ears.
So much for making friends. So much for coming over to play.
Lies. All of it.
Liar.
And to think… she actually believed her.
Chi Yin stood up, walked into the living room, grabbed the big jar of strawberry lollipops on the table, and dumped it straight into the trash can. Only then did she return to her desk and quietly sit back down.
But before long, she quietly returned to the living room.
Chi Yin reached into the trash can and fished out the lollipops, one by one. Then, with a wet wipe, she carefully cleaned each one.
In her heart, she came up with an excuse for the little troublemaker.
Maybe… she didn’t forget about me. It’s possible…
After all, the little troublemaker had a big heart—and a short attention span.
That afternoon, after school, Chi Yin walked home as usual—alone.
As she passed the small garden in the center of the apartment complex, she heard the chatter and laughter of a group of kids. One voice rang out louder than the rest—undeniably Qiao Ziman.
“If I knock this tree over, you’ll all have to recognize me as your boss, got it?”
A chorus of voices replied, “Of course!”
“Hey hey hey, be careful!”
“Maybe don’t do it, Qiao Ziman. Old Wang’s really scary—if he catches us, we’re dead meat!”
“What are you scared of? You’ve got me—your fearless leader!”
Without realizing it, Chi Yin had stopped walking. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she peeked through the shrubs. Just then, the complex’s security guard—an elderly man in uniform—came charging toward the group, shouting, “What are you kids up to?! Stop right there!”
The kids scattered in all directions, screaming and laughing as they fled. Leading the charge was, of course, Qiao Ziman—zipping ahead of everyone else with a smug grin on her face.
She even turned around mid-run to taunt the others, sticking out her tongue. “Can’t catch me—na-na-na-na-na!”
Chi Yin: “…”
Qiao Ziman burst through the garden gate—then froze. Her eyes lit up the moment she spotted Chi Yin. She beamed and waved wildly.
“Little Mute! Little Mute! I’ve been buried in math punishments from my mom these past few days—absolutely losing my mind. Wait, did I use that idiom right? Ugh, whatever—anyway, I totally forgot to come play with you! Heehee!”
Chi Yin: “…”
So she really did forget.
Just then, the security guard shouted again, “You there! Little girl up front—I know whose kid you are! If you don’t stop right now, I’m telling your mother!”
The moment the words “telling your mother” rang out, panic spread across Qiao Ziman’s face like a visible ripple. She bolted toward Chi Yin, yelling as she ran, “Little Mute—help!!”
But just as she was about two meters away, her foot landed on a small rock. She slipped, stumbled, flailed—and dove forward. Landing in a dramatic kneel… right at Chi Yin’s feet.
For a split second, their eyes met.
Then Qiao Ziman let out a loud wail. “Ow!!”
It hurt, it was humiliating. The tears came fast and hard. She cried harder and louder with every passing second, but somehow still managed to throw out a warning between sobs.
“If… if you dare tell anyone about this… I’ll—I’ll…”
Do what, exactly?
Even now, she was trying to be threatening? Chi Yin couldn’t help it anymore. A small laugh slipped out—“pfft.”
At the sound, Qiao Ziman looked up at her. Tears still clinging to her lashes, she froze—then gasped. “Wow!”
Chi Yin: “???”
Qiao Ziman shuffled forward on her knees, grabbed the hem of Chi Yin’s skirt, and looked up with stars in her eyes. “Little Mute, your smile is so pretty! Prettier than any actress on TV!”
Suddenly, a scene from a drama popped into her head—one of those romantic proposal moments. She glanced down at herself, realized the pose she was in, and blurted out:
“I really like you. I hope I get to marry you someday.”
Chi Yin’s eyes widened in shock.
Just then, the other kids came running over. “Qiao Ziman, are you okay?”
“Did Old Man Wang catch you?”
Qiao Ziman wiped her tears, jumped to her feet, and tossed her head back with confidence. “What are you talking about? I’m totally fine. I won! Now hurry up and call me Boss!”
“Oh, right—let me introduce someone.” She pointed to Chi Yin. “This is my girl. From now on, be nice when you see her. And if anyone dares mess with her—” she cracked her knuckles—“you know what’ll happen.”
Chi Yin: “!!!”
She didn’t even hear the rest.
Her legs moved on instinct. She turned and bolted straight home. Once inside, she slammed the door shut, leaned back against it, and tried to catch her breath.
It took her a while to calm down. Then she rushed to her bedroom, opened a drawer, and pulled out the brand-new phone that Chi Qilan had given her. With the instruction manual in one hand, she slowly figured out how to turn it on.
After what felt like forever, the phone finally lit up. She opened the browser and typed, carefully, one word at a time:
[Can a girl marry another girl?]
