Chapter 103

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Chapter 103: It’s Not Her Fault, It’s This World’s Fault

A strange ceiling, unfamiliar quilt, and an unfamiliar bed.  

This looked like a very ordinary rental apartment. It appeared quite empty, with minimal decorations, but the necessary furniture was complete.  

Qin Yunxi lifted the quilt and sat up, realizing that she was only wearing a white camisole.  

Hugging herself, fear began to creep in.  

She had read online about some shady organizations involved in kidney trafficking.  

After being afraid for a while, she noticed that none of her body parts were missing.  

Even her white pantyhose hadn’t been removed.  

However, because of that, her waist felt painfully constricted, with a red mark encircling it.  

Qin Yunxi’s face suddenly flushed red. After all, what could a little loli like Ye Xiao possibly do to her?  

It was already impressive that she managed to bring her back home.  

She took off her pantyhose, rolled it into a ball, and tossed it onto the floor.  

Then she found her clothes.  

After dressing neatly, Qin Yunxi noticed a note on the coffee table in the living room:  

“I’ve gone out~ Big Sister Deadweight sleeps so soundly, like a dead pig. There’s breakfast I prepared for you in the kitchen.”  

She glanced at the time. It was already 10 a.m.  

Qin Yunxi stretched lazily. This was her first time sleeping over at someone else’s “home.”  

She had initially thought she might have trouble sleeping in a strange place, but to her surprise, she slept quite soundly.  

In the kitchen, she found toast, fried eggs, and sausages arranged into a smiley face on the counter.  

Although it had gone cold, it still tasted good.  

After finishing her meal, she left the dirty plate on the counter and started exploring the apartment.  

It was a studio apartment—small but well-equipped. The bedroom doubled as a study, and the living room was neither too large nor too small.  

The apartment wasn’t very big, but its decor was tasteful, and the furniture looked comfortable. However, there was something peculiar: the place lacked any personal touches.  

There were no personal belongings at all. It looked like someone had furnished the apartment and then never moved in.  

Although it wasn’t polite to snoop around, Qin Yunxi couldn’t resist her curiosity.  

After rummaging through the apartment for a while, she grew more confused.  

She found nothing—not even a single clue. When she turned on the TV, it displayed a message from the telecom company reminding the owner to pay the bill.  

After circling the apartment and learning nothing useful, she heard the sound of the door opening.  

The adorable little girl was back.  

In fact, this apartment was a property Ye Xiao had purchased after earning money from My World.  

Originally, she intended to let her sister, Ye Youran, stay here temporarily. But she hadn’t gotten around to bringing it up, and it seemed Ye Youran had already found a suitable place on her own.  

Ye Xiao walked in, holding a bag of snacks. She glanced at Qin Yunxi and asked knowingly, “Big Sister Deadweight hasn’t left yet?”  

Qin Yunxi was already pretending nothing had happened. She sat calmly on the sofa, turned her head, and said, “I have nowhere to go.”  

“Go home,” Ye Xiao replied. “Your parents must be worried sick looking for you right now.”  

“They’ll kill me.”  

“They won’t kill you. Even if they do, it’s not my problem. It’s not like I’m the one who’d get beaten.”  

“Can I stay here for a while?” Qin Yunxi asked, her face turning red.  

Ye Xiao looked at her in surprise. “Huh?”  

“I’ll pay rent,” Qin Yunxi added.  

Ye Xiao scanned her from head to toe and then said seriously, “What would Big Sister Deadweight use to pay rent?”  

A pampered young lady like Qin Yunxi, who had never lifted a finger in her life, would have a hard time finding a suitable job.  

Unless…  

Unless it’s compensated dating!  

A girl like Qin Yunxi, at her level, would likely have a substantial market, even in Sister City, if she offered herself up for compensated dating as a “big sister.” 

Ye Xiao felt a bit tempted herself. Keeping Qin Yunxi here gave her the feeling of a gilded cage hiding a beauty.  

This newly purchased studio apartment, which Ye Youran hadn’t moved into, was originally intended as Ye Xiao’s second base. 

After all, she couldn’t always stay at hotels, and with Shen Yunchu living at her primary residence, it was sometimes inconvenient.  

But just yesterday, she had majorly bailed on the older sisters. If they found out that she had holed up in her little apartment and was keeping a rich young lady here, the consequences… Just thinking about it made Ye Xiao tremble all over.  

Her phone had already been blown up with calls, but she hadn’t dared to answer a single one.  

The wrath of five older sisters wasn’t something her small frame could handle. Hiding for a few days and letting things cool down seemed like the best course of action.  

She looked toward Qin Yunxi, who gazed back at her pitifully.  

Ye Xiao said, “Big Sister Deadweight, you’d better not start crying again. This time, I won’t soften up~”  

This was a lie. Truth be told, Ye Xiao couldn’t bear to see cute girls cry in front of her.  

If Qin Yunxi cried again, she would likely give in and agree on the spot.  

“I’m not crying,” Qin Yunxi replied.  

Ye Xiao headed to the kitchen to organize the fridge, with Qin Yunxi following behind.  

The fridge was nearly empty, containing only the dozen eggs, a pack of sausages, and a loaf of bread Ye Xiao had bought in the morning.  

Casually, Ye Xiao stuffed the bag of snacks she had just bought into the fridge. She had initially planned to lie low here for a few days to avoid trouble, and having a young lady around might even add some amusement.  

But she couldn’t agree to Qin Yunxi’s request outright—otherwise, wouldn’t it seem like she was too eager?  

To be honest, Qin Yunxi was very beautiful. If this were a normal romantic relationship, she would definitely be in Ye Xiao’s strike zone.  

However, so far, Ye Xiao hadn’t felt like Qin Yunxi might be some sort of female protagonist. After all, if it weren’t for her intervention, Qin Yunxi might have frozen to death in the city park last night.  

When it came to those obvious older-sister-type protagonists who screamed “heroine” at first glance, Ye Xiao could at least justify to herself that she was targeting them to defeat the Child of Destiny. That justification minimized her guilt.  

But Qin Yunxi was different. She was a girl who had just escaped the suffocating, overprotective “care” of her parents—a pure and naive soul. Taking advantage of someone like her filled Ye Xiao with guilt.  

Even the finger cots she had impulsively purchased felt too embarrassing to let Qin Yunxi see, though Qin Yunxi likely wouldn’t think much of them anyway.  

“I can help with the housework,” Qin Yunxi said.

Ye Xiao gave Qin Yunxi a once-over. If she could actually share the housework, then pigs could climb trees. Finally, Ye Xiao felt a little irritated and said angrily, “Share your stupid bananas and guavas!”  

“Bananas and guavas? What’s that supposed to mean?”  

“Not important! You don’t need to understand!” Ye Xiao said, rubbing her forehead. “Leave my house by noon. I’m not cooking lunch for you, Big Sister Deadweight.”  

After finishing her sentence, Ye Xiao sneaked a few glances at Qin Yunxi, wondering if she had been too harsh. Deep down, she actually wanted to keep her around.  

“I still don’t know your name,” Qin Yunxi said.  

“Ye Xiao.”  

“I’m Qin Yunxi.”  

Seeing Ye Xiao remain indifferent, Qin Yunxi reluctantly turned to leave, looking back every few steps.  

By the time she exited the building, took the elevator down, and walked out of the residential complex, she glanced behind her a few more times. Not spotting Ye Xiao anywhere, she became visibly dejected.  

Soon, she noticed the 24-hour beef noodle shop from the day before, along with the convenience store next to it.  

It was only because this noodle shop was so close to Ye Xiao’s new apartment that she’d been able to bring Qin Yunxi back. Even so, Ye Xiao had to borrow a vegetable cart from the noodle shop owner to transport her, which had been quite the hassle.  

After hesitating for a moment, Qin Yunxi stepped inside and asked, “Are you hiring here?”  

It wasn’t mealtime yet, so the shop was nearly empty. A server sitting at the counter said, “You’d have to ask the manager.”  

“Is the manager here?”  

“Wait a bit, the manager just stepped out.”  

Qin Yunxi sat down at a table, resting her chin on her hands.  

Bored out of her mind, she started fiddling with her fingers. She didn’t have a phone with her. After all, she had intended to end her life yesterday and hadn’t planned to contact her family again. Now, she had nothing to pass the time.  

The male server behind the counter kept glancing over at her.  

As the noon rush began, the restaurant filled up, leaving no empty tables. Finally, the male server walked over and asked, “Why don’t you order something? Otherwise, it’s not really appropriate to take up a table like this.”  

“I don’t have any money…”  

Qin Yunxi lifted her eyes and looked at him pitifully.  

Her expression must have been too heartbreaking because the server hesitated and said, “How about I treat you?”  

Qin Yunxi shook her head. She could tell this was just a clumsy attempt to flirt.  

The server didn’t say anything else and returned to the counter. A short while later, he came back with a bowl of beef noodles and placed it in front of her.  

“Why are you waiting for the manager? Are you related to them?”  

“I’m looking for a job here.”  

“Looking for part-time work, huh?” The male server smiled at her. “Did you already talk to the manager?”  

“No, I don’t know the manager.”  

“Then who told you to come here?”  

“……”  

Seeing that she had no answer, the male server slid the bowl closer to her and said, “Just eat for now. I’ve already told them it’s on the house!”

In truth, the bowl of noodles had been paid for out of the male server’s own pocket. The counter’s system required every order to be logged, and every transaction was accounted for at the end of the month when the owner and manager went over the books.  

Qin Yunxi was skeptical. Although the noodles smelled delicious, she resisted eating them. She felt that since she had run away from home, it wouldn’t be right to rely on charity. She needed to support herself.  

The male server, seeing her hesitation, had no choice. Since he’d already spent the money, it would be a waste to throw the noodles away. So, he grabbed a pair of chopsticks and began eating them himself.  

As he ate, he said, “The manager usually goes out during the day to play cards. He’ll be gone the whole day and only comes back in the afternoon when the owner arrives.”  

“Oh.” Qin Yunxi felt her heart sink.  

“I have his number. Are you sure you want to work here?”  

Having such a pretty coworker would certainly make his job more interesting. Just her sitting there all morning had already brightened his shift considerably.  

“How much is the pay?” Qin Yunxi asked.  

“4,000 yuan. Night shifts pay a bit more.”  

“Oh.”  

Qin Yunxi had no concept of that amount of money.  

“Where do you live?” she asked after some thought.  

“At home. My family lives nearby, so I stay with my parents,” the male server answered, his face turning red.  

Qin Yunxi didn’t understand why he was blushing. “Can I stay at the shop?”  

“Probably not. We don’t provide room and board. Where’s your home?”  

“I don’t have a home.”  

“How can you not have a home?”  

Qin Yunxi didn’t answer. After a long pause, the male server finally said, “I can ask the manager. There’s a small cot we use for afternoon naps, but it’s near the kitchen and gets really stuffy.”  

He stepped aside to make a call. When he returned, his face was full of regret. “The manager said we’re not hiring right now.”  

“Oh.” Disappointed, Qin Yunxi stood up to leave.  

But hadn’t she seen a printed A4 recruitment poster stuck on the shop’s door just this morning?  

“Wait a minute,” the male server said. “My uncle runs a hardware store. I’ll ask if he’s hiring.”  

“Okay.” Qin Yunxi sat back down.  

The male server made several calls, but each time, the disappointment on his face grew.  

Before she left, he told Qin Yunxi about a nearby internet café that offered cheap overnight stays, saying he sometimes spent the night there himself.  

Qin Yunxi wandered around looking for the café but couldn’t find the one he mentioned. Instead, she stumbled upon another internet café.  

For her, internet cafés were a strange and novel concept. She had only ever heard about them from people online. This one, however, seemed much nicer than the descriptions she had heard.  

The space wasn’t cramped, and although the seats weren’t far apart, the layout was still comfortable enough.  

It wasn’t a weekend, so the café was fairly empty. Qin Yunxi casually chose an open seat and sat down.  

The table was clean, freshly wiped, and the cushioned chair was incredibly comfortable.  

Curling up in the small chair, she felt an unexpected sense of security. This place seemed like a good temporary refuge.  

However, this peace didn’t last long.  

Before long, a man sat down next to her, skillfully booting up a computer, putting on headphones, and quickly starting a game. 

The graphics were crude and unrefined, featuring small characters fighting minions and pushing towers. Occasionally, he mumbled to himself, and at other times, he roared in frustration.  

Soon, his screen turned black and white, signaling defeat. The man angrily lit a cigarette, and Qin Yunxi instinctively shifted away from him.  

Despite the clear “No Smoking” sign above the fire safety equipment she’d seen earlier, the man paid no heed and puffed away without concern.  

Qin Yunxi covered her nose, waving her hand to disperse the smoke drifting her way, before standing up and moving to another empty seat farther from him.  

While observing her surroundings, she noticed a particular role in the internet café called “network administrator.”  

Most of the time, these administrators sat at the front desk with their legs crossed, seemingly without much to do.  

After some deliberation, Qin Yunxi concluded that the job didn’t seem to require much skill. She walked up to a young woman leaning lazily at the front desk and started a conversation, asking if they were hiring network administrators.  

The young woman, dressed in casual clothes, lazily put down her phone and raised her head, looking at Qin Yunxi with curiosity.  

“Are you sure you want to be a network administrator? Isn’t that outfit you’re wearing from xxx brand? If a rich young lady like you wants to experience life, you’d be better off trying something else. If worst comes to worst, with your looks, you could easily find a man to take care of you. Earning money would be a breeze.”  

The woman at the front desk spoke with a strong sense of resentment, her words tinged with a hint of disdain.  

She had seen this particular Lolita outfit online before—it cost nearly 30,000 yuan. As a network administrator, even working for a year without spending a dime, she wouldn’t be able to afford it.  

To her, Qin Yunxi didn’t seem serious about applying for the job but was instead mocking her.  

“Huh?” Qin Yunxi tilted her head in confusion.  

At that moment, a man who had just entered the café to register his ID for a computer glanced at Qin Yunxi. A sleazy smile spread across his face as he said, “I’ve got a great suggestion for you. With looks like yours, you’d earn way more working at a nightclub.”  

“Oh…” Qin Yunxi didn’t know what a nightclub was, but she caught the implication—it seemed like a place where she could earn a lot of money.  

“Wait a second! You can’t go with him!” the female administrator stood up and snapped at the man.  

Everyone knew what kind of place a nightclub was. No decent girl would ever work there.  

Despite her resentment toward the wealthy, the administrator still had a conscience.  

“What’s it got to do with you?” the man retorted sharply, glaring at her. The administrator instantly fell silent.  

Right, what business was it of hers?  

If the girl chose to work at a nightclub and earn dirty money, that was her decision. It was just a pity—such a pure, innocent flower about to be sullied by society.  

It wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t Qin Yunxi’s fault either. The real problem was this world. 

The female administrator sighed and stopped trying to intervene.  

Qin Yunxi, unaware of the man’s menacing demeanor earlier, was entirely focused on finding a way to make money.  

If she could hold on for just a month and save up some money, she could pay rent to Ye Xiao. Maybe then, Ye Xiao would let her stay.  

And so, Qin Yunxi followed the man.  

“Do you provide food and lodging? What’s the monthly salary?” she asked as she trailed behind him.  

The man couldn’t contain his laughter, his face practically scrunched up, his expression resembling a bloomed, withered chrysanthemum. “We’ll talk about that when we get there!”  

To him, the woman behind him was a rare find—a gem he’d stumbled upon by sheer luck. He’d only gone out for some time at the internet café, and here he was, hitting the jackpot.  

Just as he flagged down a taxi by the side of the road, a figure suddenly blocked their way.  

Qin Yunxi looked up and saw Ye Xiao standing there, her face flushed, panting heavily, as though she’d sprinted the whole way.