Chapter 44: Damn It, So Infuriating
It was Uncle.
Uncle was calling her.
Su Keke picked up her phone and was about to run outside when Qin Xing grabbed her arm.
“Where are you going?”
Qin Xing’s eyes flicked toward that antique of a phone, her expression exaggeratedly shocked.
T-this is still a modern person?
Why is she using one of those relic phones from over ten years ago? Impressive—those aren’t even sold on the market anymore, are they?
Her Fourth Uncle had personally told her to look after this girl—so their relationship must be close. Then why was he so stingy that he didn’t even replace her phone?
Stingy Fourth Uncle!
“I’m going downstairs to take the call,” Su Keke said quickly.
“Are you dumb? The balcony—close the door and no one can hear you.”
“I’m afraid I’ll disturb her.” Su Keke glanced at Luo Man.
The girl happened to look up and smiled faintly.
“A dorm isn’t meant for studying anyway. You don’t need to worry about me.”
Su Keke smiled back, sweet as honey.
“I really like you. Can I be friends with you?”
Luo Man froze for a moment, then nodded.
“Of course.”
Qin Xing watched from the side, completely dumbfounded.
B-became friends already?
She’d been living in the same dorm as Luo Man for almost a year and still hadn’t managed to become friends with her. And Su Keke became friends with her the moment she arrived?
Holy shit—so irritating!
The phone had been ringing for several seconds already. Su Keke answered it, called out “Uncle,” and headed straight for the balcony.
Qin Xing, sharp-eared, caught that “Uncle” and rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
“Why didn’t you reply to my message?” The man’s voice on the other end was low and pleasant. When it sounded by her ear, it suddenly grew deep and heavy, gently resonating, inexplicably making the air feel a little hotter.
Su Keke pinched her ear, switched the phone to her other hand, and hurriedly asked, “Uncle sent me a message? I didn’t look at my phone today, so I didn’t know.”
“It was nothing—just checking on you. Girl, are you getting used to things?”
“Not really, Uncle. I don’t understand anything the teacher’s teaching. Today the homeroom teacher even made me do test papers. I clearly recognize every character, but once they’re put together, I can’t understand them at all. Centrifugal rate, hyperbolas, momentum and impulse… and especially English—I really can’t understand a single word…”
Qin Mochen flipped through documents as he listened to the little girl’s nonstop complaints, sensing her small grievances.
He listened quietly, and a scene involuntarily surfaced in his mind: the little girl’s face drooping, her lips pouting.
The man’s originally sharp brows and eyes softened without him noticing. A thin stream of warmth seemed to flow into his cold pupils, slowly bringing warmth even to the pool of icy water within.
He covered the documents on his desk, stood up, and walked to the window. Only after she finished venting did he speak.
“There are less than two months until summer vacation. For these two months, just get familiar with the environment and make some friends. If you can’t understand the textbooks, don’t read them for now.”
The moment Su Keke heard the words make friends, she grew excited.
“Uncle, I made friends today!”
“Oh? That fast?” the man asked. His low, gentle voice seemed to carry a hint of a smile, and the corners of his eyes lifted softly.
“Yes, yes! One is called Qin Xing, the other Luo Man. Qin Xing is really nice—she tells me lots of things I don’t understand. And Luo Man—she’s amazing! I’ve never in my life met someone with Wenqu Star radiance on them. I have to stay close to her and soak up some of that Wenqu Star glow—maybe I’ll get smarter and smarter.”
Qin Mochen gazed at the glaring sunlight outside the window, responding with an occasional “mm” or two to the little girl’s chatter.
Wu Zongbai knocked lightly on the door and reminded him in a low voice, “Fourth Master, you have a lunch meeting with President Bai of Bai Group at noon. It’s almost past lunchtime.”
Qin Mochen gestured to him and continued listening to the call.
Wu Zongbai understood and waited to the side.
“…Oh, right, Uncle—make sure you don’t stay alone, okay? If you notice anything wrong, call me immediately. I’m Uncle’s bodyguard—I have to protect you.”
Su Keke never forgot her duty. Studying was important, but protecting Uncle was even more important.
“Alright. You rest. I’ll come pick you up this evening.”
“Really? Thank you, Uncle! If you’re busy, I can go back by myself. I’ve already memorized the route.”
“Not too busy.” After a brief pause, the man’s thick brows lifted slightly. “If you’ve memorized the route, how are you planning to get back?”
How could bus routes be the same as private car routes?
On the other end, the little girl answered seriously,
“I’ll run back myself.”
Qin Mochen let out a soft laugh—so quiet that Su Keke didn’t hear it.
“Alright. Go rest.”
After hanging up, Qin Mochen finally left the office with Wu Zongbai.
Along the way, Wu Zongbai’s report could still be heard:
“After the lunch meeting with President Bai, at 2:30 you have a video conference with Mr. Allen from the U.S. At 3:30 there’s an internal group meeting, mainly regarding this time’s—”
After the call, Su Keke was in an excellent mood. She’d told Uncle about her new friends, and Uncle seemed happy too.
She hopped over to Luo Man, hugged one of the bed’s support rails, tilted her head slightly, and looked at her. “Luo Man, are we friends now?”
Caught off guard by the question, Luo Man paused.
She looked up and saw the girl who’d asked earlier if they could be friends smiling at her, eyes curved, two little dimples on her cheeks.
“Mm. We’re friends now.”
“Then can I sit next to you?” Su Keke’s smile was sweet.
The moment Luo Man nodded, Su Keke sat down at once, smiling brightly at her. Her sparkling eyes were filled with undisguised fangirl admiration.
Luo Man was momentarily dazzled by that gaze and suddenly felt a bit confused.
“Luo Man, you’re amazing. Qin Xing said you get first place in the whole school every exam.”
Qin Xing, who had just come back from the restroom, heard this and couldn’t help coughing heavily.
“Cough—cough cough! Su Keke, come here. I need to talk to you.”
Su Keke didn’t understand why, told Luo Man “I’ll talk to you later,” and was dragged aside by Qin Xing.
Luo Man watched the two whispering as they walked away, her gaze flickering briefly before she lowered her head and continued reading.
“Keke, Luo Man doesn’t like being disturbed,” Qin Xing said, pouting. “Her world only has studying in it. Don’t go annoying her. I’ve lived with her since sophomore year—almost a year now—and she’s never once spoken to me.”
Su Keke hurriedly said, “But when I talked to her just now, she didn’t seem to dislike me. And she said we’re friends.”
“Hmph. Maybe she finds you annoying inside and just didn’t show it.”
Su Keke looked puzzled. “Don’t you like her?”
“I—I didn’t say I don’t like her! I just don’t want you disturbing Luo Man.” Qin Xing’s eyes darted around before she hurriedly asked, “Uh… who called just now? Your uncle or aunt?”
The topic shift was painfully obvious.
Only the little airhead Su Keke didn’t notice and answered immediately, “No, I don’t have parents. It was my uncle. My uncle is really nice—he’s the one who suggested I go to school.”
Mentioning Qin Mochen, Su Keke smiled like a little sweet bean.
Her master treated her well because she’d grown up with him.
But why was Uncle also so good to her?
Su Keke wondered if Uncle might’ve been her real dad in a past life.
After all, dads are naturally good to their daughters.
