Chapter 74
Chapter 74
Qin Song’s heart went cold. “What happened?”
Qin Bao said, “Don’t ask! Just come over! Come right now!”
With that, Qin Bao hung up with a snap.
Qin Song gripped his phone and stared blankly at He Qian.
He Qian asked, “What is it?”
Qin Song said, “Qin Bao said something happened to my parents…”
He Qian asked, “What happened? What does that mean?”
Qin Song climbed out of bed and started getting dressed as he said, “I don’t know. He didn’t say anything, just told me to go over.”
He Qian asked, “Do you want me to come with you?”
Qin Song said, “No, you stay home. I’ll go by myself.”
He buckled his belt, went to the bathroom, then grabbed his phone and car keys and headed downstairs.
He Qian sat dazedly on the bed.
Ten minutes later, He Qian rubbed her eyes, got out of bed, and shuffled in her slippers to the living room to get some water.
Her phone rang. She walked back to the bedroom and answered it.
The person on the other end said, “Cousin, is this a good time?”
He Qian said, “Mm… yeah. Qin Song went back to his hometown. He said something happened with his parents.”
The person on the other end asked, “Then can I come over?”
He Qian said, “Come on. It should be fine if you stay for the morning.”
She put down her phone, washed up quickly, then went to the kitchen to make some breakfast.
Not long after breakfast was ready, someone rang the doorbell.
He Qian went over and opened the door. Li Shihao stood there with a beaming smile.
“Good morning, Cousin.”
He Qian nodded. “Come in, Xiaoyu.”
Li Shihao came in and kneaded He Qian’s shoulders. “Sis, I’m starving.”
He Qian laughed. “You really do have a dog’s nose. I bet you only wanted to come over because you smelled that I just made breakfast!”
Li Shihao said, “Seriously? I’m actually lucky enough to get a bite to eat?”
He Qian said, “Mm-hmm. I fried eggs and bacon, and I baked those shrimp sausages you like.”
Li Shihao licked his lips. “Quick, quick, quick. I’ll wash my hands first, then I’m going to feast!”
He Qian stroked his head and kissed him lightly on the mouth.
As Li Shihao washed his hands, he asked, “So how are things with you two now?”
He Qian took the food out of the oven. “Same as what I told you on WeChat. We got the divorce certificate, and we went to the housing authority to transfer the property. In another dozen or so business days, the whole thing will be completely finished.”
Li Shihao asked, “Then how much longer does he have to live with you? I can barely wait anymore!”
He Qian said, “Today is the last day. After today, he’ll move out.”
Li Shihao wrapped his arms around He Qian’s waist. “I’ve finally waited for this day. I’ve missed you so much I could die.”
So, was this man named Li Shihao, or was he “Xiaoyu”?
What was going on here?
Come on, let’s rewind time to over ten years ago.
More than ten years ago, He Qian’s second uncle divorced his wife. Half a year later, he remarried a woman introduced to him by a friend.
The woman brought a son with her. His name was Lin Yuchuan.
After the new family was formed, Lin Yuchuan took He Qian’s second uncle’s surname and changed his surname to He.
He Yuchuan was one year younger than He Qian. By family seniority, he had to call He Qian his older cousin.
That year, He Qian was a sophomore in high school, and He Yuchuan was a freshman.
He Qian didn’t have many friends at school. She liked doing things on her own. But because a cousin her own age had suddenly appeared in the family, she gradually had someone by her side.
On the way to school, whenever He Yuchuan saw He Qian, he would chase after her and tug on her backpack, or tap her left shoulder before secretly circling around to her right.
He Qian couldn’t even be bothered to smile at him. She would only say expressionlessly, “He Yuchuan, you really are so boring.”
The calmer He Qian was, the more He Yuchuan loved teasing her.
Even if he only made He Qian laugh two times out of ten, He Yuchuan felt a great sense of accomplishment.
When they ate in the cafeteria, He Yuchuan could always carry his tray through the packed crowd and find He Qian with perfect accuracy, then sit down beside her and eat with her.
At times like this, He Qian would glance at him and say coolly, “Go eat at another table. The school doesn’t let boys and girls sit together at meals.”
He Yuchuan said, “The school controls everything under heaven, but does it also control people taking a dump and farting in their own homes? I can’t even eat with my cousin?”
He Qian frowned. “What dumping and farting… You’re disgusting. I’m eating. Are you trying to make sure I can’t?”
He Yuchuan would throw his head back and burst out laughing.
After He Yuchuan pestered He Qian for a few weeks, the girls in He Qian’s class gradually became curious.
Her deskmate asked her, “Hey, are you dating someone lately?”
He Qian said, “What are you talking about? The school is so strict. How would I dare?”
Her deskmate said, “Then who’s that handsome guy who eats with you in the cafeteria every day and leaves school with you after class? He’s not your boyfriend?”
He Qian looked up and glanced around, only to find several classmates watching her gossip-hungrily, waiting for her answer.
He Qian cleared her throat. “His name is He Yuchuan. He’s my cousin.”
Her deskmate let out a disappointed “oh” and sat back down.
Later, the two of them became more and more familiar with each other. He Qian got used to having a little follower around and stopped constantly giving He Yuchuan the cold shoulder.
The two of them developed an unspoken routine of going to school together, leaving school together, attending tutoring classes together, and even going shopping and watching movies together on weekends.
Before He Yuchuan appeared, He Qian had always been alone. Sometimes, when she wanted to have hot pot or barbecue, she didn’t even have anyone to go with her.
Ever since He Yuchuan became part of her life, everything grew lively. Whatever she wanted to eat, she could go with him, and He Qian was in an excellent mood.
He Qian was never worried about being seen by a teacher or the grade director.
By then, everyone knew she and He Yuchuan were cousins. Their matching surname was the best proof of all.