Chapter 126: Life Is Like a Glorious Second Spring
The next day, Chi Qian picked a new spot, bringing her cats and dogs to continue begging.
“Little girl, are these cats and dogs yours to sell?” Someone shoved through the crowd. “I’ll pay you. How about you sell them to me?”
He was a circus owner. Seeing profit in those animals, he wanted to snatch them to make money.
Taking advantage of her young age, he purposely offered a low price.
Chi Qian: “Not selling. Buzz off.”
“You’d better drink the toast I offer instead of the punishment wine!” The circus owner’s face darkened. “Cross me and I’ll see to it you can’t beg on this whole street again!”
“Oh wow, I’m so scared.”
“You—!” He kicked over her bowl and swung a slap at her.
Before he touched her, the stray dogs leapt up, biting his sleeve and yanking back with all their might.
The cats jumped, clawing at his pants, shredding them into prehistoric suspenders.
Onlookers burst into laughter.
The man, mortified, held up his pants with one hand, flailed off the animals with the other, and fled in a panic.
Not long after, his phone rang.
“Boss! Bad news! The animals in our circus revolted. While we weren’t paying attention, they all bolted into the forest!”
“What?!!”
Chi Qian tucked her hands in her sleeves, thinking: what’s with people always courting death on such a nice day?
A while later, a wealthy-looking old lady came up to her.
“Little one, do you raise these cats and dogs?”
Chi Qian shook her head. “No.”
“Then may I adopt them? I love animals, I keep cats, dogs, even a pony at home. We have a dedicated vet.” The old lady handed her a card.
Chi Qian looked up at her. The woman didn’t carry that circus boss’s aura of cruelty.
“They said they’ll think about it,” Chi Qian replied.
The old lady, caught by the brightness in her eyes, paused, then smiled and walked away with her cane.
She got into a luxury car. Inside sat a well-dressed elegant woman and a little girl in a princess dress.
“Mom, what were you doing just now?” the woman asked gently.
“Nothing, just met some endearing little animals,” the old lady said faintly.
The woman smiled. “You still love small animals, just like Fudai here.”
The girl in the princess dress beamed sweetly at her grandmother.
The old lady said: “A-Miao, I just saw a girl who looks a bit like you.”
“Flowers are never the same, but people can resemble each other.” The woman spoke softly, “It’s just a nice coincidence, I suppose.”
In truth, she didn’t take it seriously.
In this world, the only one who resembled her was her precious Fudai.
—
In another car.
The young man leaned against the window, watching from a distance as Chi Qian begged for food.
The bodyguard tried to persuade him: “Young master, if you want to talk to that lady, how can you just stay in the car? Let me accompany you down there.”
The boy typed: She’s already married and has a child. I can’t disturb her.
The bodyguard said: “Young master, you’re wrong! People can divorce after marriage. With your identity, even if normal love doesn’t work, so what if you forcibly take her as your girlfriend?!”
“In novels, the male leads take the heroine’s heart, lungs, and even kidneys, and they still end up happily ever after! No reason why you can’t!”
The boy typed again: She probably wouldn’t want to be friends with a mute like me.
The bodyguard: “……”
So you only want to be friends with her? I was already planning which color sack to use to kidnap her…
The bodyguard comforted him: “Young master, being unable to speak is nothing. You’re so good-looking, your family is wealthy, and you already have your own accomplishments—better than most people.”
The boy fell silent.
His slender, beautiful fingers slowly brushed his throat, Adam’s apple faintly bobbing.
But as always, not a single sound came out.
Could someone like him really dare to dream of being her friend?
The boy gave a self-mocking smile.
Chi Qian had no idea a beautiful youth was quietly heartbroken over her. She happened to glance up at the northern sky.
Hiss.
Something… felt like it was coming.
Not good.
She decided she should go home early today.
Chi Qian bought a pile of canned food for the stray cats and dogs, told them to hide it and eat slowly, then prepared to leave.
The stray cat meowed: “Meow meow! Tonight I’ll go learn new dances outside the dancer’s window—come back tomorrow, okay?”
The stray dog barked: “Woof woof! I’ll bring you tasty bones, don’t forget to come back!”
Chi Qian waved her hand, saying she’d see depending on the situation.
After all, her little uncle couldn’t really just keep ignoring her, right?
Chi Qian didn’t expect… he really could!
It was as if he’d vanished from the world. Two whole days passed with no news.
She started to worry—what if he “delivered” himself straight into prison?
She could barely support herself; she definitely didn’t want to bring him meals in jail.
God bless him.
Passing by the weapons kitchen, Chi Qian suddenly froze.
Wait a second—wasn’t her Fifth Uncle working overseas as a mechanic? How could he also be a “Kill-Ele.me” delivery rider?
And yesterday in the office building, she’d heard people call him boss.
Something didn’t add up.
Chi Qian sent a message to her Third Uncle: Uncle uncle uncle, what’s Little Uncle’s name again? And what’s his place in the family order?
Chi Fengxiao happened to be in the dressing room and laughed to himself when he saw the message.
As expected of Old Six—Baby Qian didn’t even know his name.
Chi Fengxiao: Chi Yanliu, sixth in line.
Chi Qian: ?? Didn’t I only have five uncles?
Chi Fengxiao: Didn’t your Eldest and Second Uncle tell you? Your Little Uncle is adopted. He’s the posthumous son of one of the old man’s friends.
Chi Qian: Grandpa never mentioned it to me!
Chi Fengxiao: Grandpa wishes none of us bothered him. Why would he bring it up?
People say, “Raising a child means worrying for a hundred years.”
But with Chi Lishen, that was impossible.
He’d support you until adulthood, but if you still wanted to freeload after that, absolutely not.
Chi Qian understood: Without you all around, Grandpa’s life is like a second spring!
Chi Fengxiao: …Damn kid, don’t say it out loud!
Chi Fengxiao: Besides, you don’t have many years left to mooch. Make the most of it—eat more while you can. Eat your uncle’s share too!
Chi Qian propped up her chin, sighing.
She wanted to eat more too, Uncle.
But if things went as in the original novel, she might not even live to adulthood. Every bite now was one bite less later.
Speaking of which, why did the name Chi Yanliu sound so familiar?
Chi Qian suddenly shivered—she remembered!
The last tragic villain of the Chi family!
In the original story, during a mission early on, Chi Yanliu lost the use of both legs. From then on, his personality changed drastically—ruthless and cruel.
Later, he became unimaginably powerful, secretly controlling the underground mercenary organization.
He was the last line of defense before the Chi family’s downfall.
Gu Hua’s admirers exploited his weakness—being an orphan—and forced his blade against his own family.
After the Chi family collapsed, Chi Yanliu committed suicide not long after…
