"Mom, you're talking about Lin Can…? I haven't contacted him in a long time…" Qiao Meina said as she covered the phone, her long legs pressing hard against Lin Can's abs in warning. "You're so annoying! You always act out when I'm on the phone. Last time it was Qingning, and now it's my mom!"
Lin Can grabbed her delicate foot. "Doesn't that make it more exciting?"
"You're such a perv. Good thing you're just a rich second-gen in Huaxia. If you were a chaebol on the peninsula, your weird little fetishes would ruin every Korean idol actress!"
"Being a chaebol over there really would mean I could do whatever I want, huh?"
Sudden enlightenment!
Ah~
Qiao Meina was shocked. Did I just give him an idea!?
"No no no! Cancan, please, no! Your big sis was just joking. Ptooey, ptooey, you're a good kid. Don't go down the wrong path on the peninsula, okay? Be good."
Meanwhile, the voice on the phone kept calling her.
"Shhh, Cancan, stop messing around. If my mom hears your voice, we're done for."
Qiao Meina hushed him, then focused back on the call.
"Meina, why haven't you contacted Lin Can? Did you two fight?"
"We…" Qiao Meina had just started to explain when she saw Lin Can grabbing her ankle and slowly dragging her toward him. One hand clutching the hem of her skirt to protect her modesty, she said, "Mom, we fought, fell out, completely done. Please don't bring him up anymore."
"How come? Why did you fight?"
"It's not always about 'why.' I'm busy, I'll talk to you later."
Qiao Meina hung up and sat cross-legged on the bed, one hand still guarding her skirt, the other grabbing a pillow and smacking Lin Can repeatedly.
"You're the worst! I can't even take a phone call in peace. If you pull that again next time, I'm ignoring you!"
At that moment—
Ring ring ring.
Lin Can's phone rang.
[Meina's Mom]
"How do you have my mom's number?!"
"Last time at your place, Auntie and I exchanged numbers—phone, WeChat, Momo."
"!!!"
Qiao Meina lunged for the phone, but Lin Can was quicker and snatched it up.
She pressed her hands together in prayer. "Don't answer, don't answer, hang up! I'm begging you!"
He answered.
Pfft—
Qiao Meina was defeated.
Too much! Way too much!
Lin Can got on the bed and leaned back against the headboard. "Hello, Auntie."
"Ah Can, still up this late? What are you playing with?"
"I'm playing with…" Lin Can looked at Qiao Meina.
She pointed at him and warned, "If you dare say you're playing with her daughter, I'll kill you!"
Lin Can smiled. "Auntie, I'm just playing a game. By the way, how come you're up so late?"
"Still waiting for your uncle to come home."
"Oh~ then make sure to lock the door tight, be careful of bad guys."
"Aiyo, such a sweet boy, so considerate~"
People from the Magic City always had a bit of a soft, drawly tone. Even Qiao Meina had a bit of that cutesy sound.
She climbed over, sat next to Lin Can, tucked her hair behind her ear, and leaned in to listen.
"Auntie, was there something you needed?"
"Not really, just that Meina said you two had a fight. Is that true?"
"Meina? She's right here…" Lin Can trailed off.
Qiao Meina immediately knelt beside him and started bowing her head. "I beg you, be a decent human, don't tell her I'm here."
Lin Can covered the phone and patted his abs. "Get up here."
What the—
Qiao Meina raised her fist to hit him.
He was too much.
But she held back, sighing deeply.
She swung her long legs over and straddled his stomach.
"Happy now?"
Lin Can nodded, fully satisfied.
Then he resumed the call. "Auntie, Meina and I didn't fight. We're doing great."
"Then why did she say she hasn't contacted you in so long?"
"Because…" Lin Can trailed off again.
He's about to give me another 'task'…
Qiao Meina was about to cry from being toyed with.
Lin Can patted his chest, signaling her to lie down.
Whoosh~
Qiao Meina exhaled, then obediently rested softly on his strong chest.
"Auntie, don't worry. Your daughter and I won't fight. We'll stay in touch because…" He turned to gaze at Qiao Meina, who was inches away, and said, "...because your daughter is in my heart!"
Double meaning.
Right now, Qiao Meina literally lay on his chest.
Right now, her heart touched his.
The words were for Wang Min to hear, and also for the girl in his heart, Qiao Meina.
After saying it, Lin Can didn't check her expression. But he felt her hugging him tighter, and heard a soft whisper in his ear: "Cancan~ you're so sweet~"
Then Wang Min said, "As long as you're not fighting. Don't play too many games. Get to bed soon. I'm hanging up."
"Good night, Auntie."
He hung up, set the phone aside, and turned to meet her gaze. Their breath brushed against each other's cheeks.
"Meina-jie, you're really beautiful."
"This is really not okay."
Qiao Meina held down the hand he placed on her thigh.
Tonight had already gotten pretty heated. Hormones, dopamine, adrenaline—everything was surging. She was close to giving in.
"We're all from the same group, the same circle. If something really happens between us, how am I supposed to face Chu Qingning?"
At this point, she just laid it all out, hoping he'd listen to reason.
"If you don't tell, I don't tell, who would know?"
And that earned him a smack.
"Ptooey! What kind of reasoning is that?!"
Yeah, she figured. In moments like this, guys think with something else. Trying to talk logic was like playing a lute to a cow.
"Seriously, no."
Pfft—
"Go to hell!"
She gave him a hard whack.
Lin Can whispered in her flushed ear for a long while.
Qiao Meina was weak to him. She couldn't stand it when he begged.
"I'm warning you, I'll help you this once. But after that, you're sleeping on the couch. Otherwise, I won't help!"
"Okay."
"You're such a pain."
…
The next morning.
The rain had cleared, and a rainbow stretched across the sky.
Lin Can woke up on the sofa.
Words had to mean something. Just because someone keeps compromising doesn't mean you get to keep pushing. Otherwise, Qiao Meina really would be mad.
He stepped outside. At the lotus pond by the bamboo grove, he saw Qiao Meina chatting with Liu Qin.
Liu Qin waved. "Meina, your Cancan is up."
"Thanks, sis! I've learned how to make tofu now. I'll head back first. Bye-bye!"
Qiao Meina skipped back to Lin Can, holding up a bowl of tofu.
"Ta-da~ Cancan, look! Your big sis made tofu. Isn't it pretty?"
"These hands of yours are truly magical."
"..."
How could Qiao Meina not know what he was implying?
"There won't be a next time! I'd rather you burst than help you again!"
She hip-checked him aside and happily carried her tofu back into the courtyard.
"Cancan, let's eat early, okay? I booked the 9 PM high-speed train from Yang'an back to the Magic City."
"You're leaving? Didn't you say you'd stay until I couldn't take it anymore?"
"Nope, I'm leaving today. If I don't, I'll lose it before you do."
She deeply regretted this.
She came to torment Lin Can.
Who knew she'd be the one who got countered?
She barely survived the first night.
If she stayed longer… she didn't even want to imagine.
"Then I'll come with you."
"No no no, don't come. I don't need you with me."
If you come with me to the Magic City, what's the difference from staying here?
"Sigh, then I'll change your flight."
"No need for a flight. I booked the train from Yang'an on purpose—to spend a few more hours with you. Don't worry, it'll only take seven hours to get to the Magic City."
Just for a few more hours with Lin Can, she chose a seven-hour train ride.
"What about your mom?"
"Don't worry, big sis has it handled."
"Alright then. Before you go… could you help Mister Ji one more time?"
"Go to hell!"
"Hahaha~"
…
At noon, Qiao Meina made lunch. She didn't let Lin Can help. He just sat there obediently.
She was happy to cook for him.
As for helping Mister Ji—she didn't regret it. If she didn't like him, she wouldn't have done it.
Lunch was simple, homely food. They didn't talk about anything outrageous. Just sat together, eating, chatting about everyday stuff. Mostly stories Qiao Meina heard from Liu Qin about Lin Can's childhood.
Afternoon sunshine.
On the sofa.
Qiao Meina lay across Lin Can's lap, watching anime. Occasionally, she opened her mouth, and he fed her chips.
Mid-episode, she fell asleep, chip still in her mouth.
Lin Can put down the bag, gently picked her up, placed her in bed, closed the door, and stepped outside to pack her laundry into her suitcase.
That's what life is.
The teasing and flirting belonged to their private moments.
More than that, it was caring, doing things for one another.
At 3 PM, Qiao Meina woke up.
Rubbing her eyes, barefoot, she went to the sofa, sat on Lin Can's lap, wrapped her arms around his neck, and leaned on his shoulder. "I just had a dream."
"What dream?"
"You abandoned all four of us sisters."
"No way."
"I know, right? Such a ridiculous dream."
She chuckled.
"Mmm… there's still time. Take me around your hometown. Let's have dinner together, then you can take me to the train station, okay?"
"Of course."
"I'll go change."
She got up and ran back to the room to change.
Lin Can went to the yard, hooked up the hose, and washed off the fallen leaves and fluff from the Bentley.
When you're rich, a Bentley's just a car. No need to treat it like a treasure—just transport.
A moment later…
"Cancan, help me carry my luggage. I'm going to say goodbye to sis."
Qiao Meina wore a pink A-line skirt. She lifted her left leg and traced the edge of her black over-knee stockings with her thumb, then stepped into heels and walked out the gate to say goodbye to Liu Qin.
"Leaving after just one day? Why not stay longer?"
"No, school's starting soon. I need to prepare."
"Oh, come back whenever."
"Mm, I will. You guys should visit the Magic City too."
"Sure, sure."
"Tell Chao-ge I said bye when he gets back."
"Got it. Take care. Ah Can, drive safe!"
"Will do."
Lin Can drove off with Qiao Meina, leaving Sunshine Village.
"This place is really nice. I'm definitely coming back."
"Anytime. Let's go."
The Bentley rolled into the city. At a red light, they stopped.
"Aiya… why are there so many red lights?"
Lin Can sighed and casually rested his hand on her thigh in the passenger seat, giving it a little squeeze.
Qiao Meina played on her phone, ignoring him.
They'd been around each other too long. His grabby hands were impossible to fix.
…
Pedestrian Street—a blend of food and entertainment.
The sapphire blue Bentley Continental GT turned toward the street, instantly drawing curious stares from passersby. Seeing the young man driving, everyone was full of envy.
Then out of the passenger seat stepped a tall, stunning woman, radiating a chilly, untouchable aura—except toward the Bentley owner.
Even more envy.
Rich second-gen. Luxury car. Gorgeous girl. A different league entirely.
"Can't park on the street. Wait here for me."
"OK."
Qiao Meina watched the Bentley pull away to find a spot, then turned and walked into a nearby "Shuyi Burnt Grass Jelly" milk tea shop.
She bought two drinks and looked around for seats.
Most of the shop was full, except for a small round table by the glass wall. A girl sat alone, and there were two empty seats left—just enough for her and Lin Can.
Qiao Meina walked over.
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"
"No, go ahead."
"Thanks."
She smiled and sat down gracefully, placing her purse on the adjacent seat to save it for Lin Can. Her black-stockinged legs crossed elegantly as she sipped her milk tea and spoke into her phone:
"I'm at the milk tea shop near the entrance. Park and come find me, okay? Hehe~ Aiya~ So cheesy. I know you like your big sis, mua~ Hurry up~"
The girl across the table glanced up at this stylish beauty chatting sweetly with her boyfriend, then quickly looked away when the call ended.
Qiao Meina also glanced at her—wearing a JK uniform with a ponytail, looking very pure, like the classic girl-next-door.
Her gaze dropped—developed figure, almost bursting out of her top. Looked like the buttons were hanging on for dear life.
Further down—
Qiao Meina wore black over-knees. The girl had white ones.
One symbolized justice, the other light!
Ding ding ding…
The JK girl's WeChat lit up.
Zhou Xiaoxiao: [Yang Wuluo, how's it going with your rich second-gen boyfriend Lin Can? (covering mouth and giggling)]