The moment Shen Qi opened her eyes, she saw He Yining's stern expression.
Shen Qi blinked. Could it be that she had crawled over to him again in her sleep, making him unhappy?
Instinctively, Shen Qi turned to escape.
But the arm around her waist tightened instantly, pulling her back into his embrace.
Shen Qi looked at He Yining in confusion.
"Suddenly remembered something." He Yining narrowed his phoenix eyes. "That villa the He family gave you—did you ever actually stay there?"
He hadn't forgotten that he knew Shen Qi had been living elsewhere!
And with a man more delicate and handsome than any woman!
Before, he had no right to be jealous, but now he did!
The second young master of the He family was about to start getting jealous!
"No." Shen Qi answered blankly. "It seems like I only slept there for one night? It was cold and lifeless there. I didn't like staying there either."
"It really is lifeless. Don't go there anymore from now on." He Yining nodded.
Shen Qi breathed a sigh of relief.
Great, she wouldn't have to make that trip anymore.
"Move to Jinghua Manor. It's spacious there and full of life." He Yining commanded domineeringly.
What?
Move to Jinghua Manor?
No way, absolutely not!
He Yining's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I heard there's a man by your side, hmm?"
Shen Qi was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"You said I'm the second man you find very handsome, hmm?" He Yining started settling the score.
Shen Qi sat up from the bed and looked down at He Yining. "Hey, we're just acting. Why are you taking it so seriously?"
"Acting?" He Yining raised an eyebrow at Shen Qi.
"Isn't it? We only found out last night that we're each other's other half!" Shen Qi said seriously. "We have to pretend to be a loving couple to explain things to the He family and Grandma."
He Yining neither admitted nor denied it.
But he still wanted to know who the man by Shen Qi's side was!
Though he could have someone investigate everything in minutes, he wanted to hear it from Shen Qi herself!
"Who is he?" He Yining pressed on.
"Who?" Shen Qi looked at him, puzzled.
"The man living with you!" He Yining's handsome face showed a hint of gritted teeth.
Hearing this, Shen Qi looked helpless and amused. "Of course, it's my brother!"
"Blood brother?" This answer surprised He Yining. He had always thought the person Shen Qi mentioned was Zhan Bo, the one she used to talk about endlessly.
"Of course! A full-blood brother from the same parents!" Shen Qi rolled her eyes at He Yining.
He Yining, who had been full of hostility and jealousy, instantly went from finding that man displeasing to very pleasing upon learning he was his brother-in-law!
"So I have a brother-in-law! Hmm, I should have a good talk with him." He Yining was very satisfied.
"No, you can't see him!" Shen Qi refused outright.
"Hmm?" A dangerous tone accompanied a dangerous narrowing of the eyes—the start of He Yining's displeasure.
"My brother can't be alone with strangers for too long, nor can he stay in public places for long." Shen Qi's smile faded, and she said dejectedly, "He developed autism when he was very young. We've seen doctors all these years, but it can only be managed, not cured. Otherwise, how could the Shen family have blackmailed me into marrying in Shen Yinyin's place? All these years, my brother's medical expenses have been paid by the Shen family. I've used my marriage to repay their years of raising me."
"Now that the Shen family is forcing my brother out, I've done all I can for them. The reason I love making money so much now is to save enough to cure my brother and then go somewhere no one can find us to start over." Though Shen Qi's expression was dejected, her eyes shone with determination. "I believe I can do it! I can protect my brother!"
"You..." He Yining sat up too. Seeing the dejection on Shen Qi's face, his heart suddenly ached, and he instinctively reached out to pull her into his shoulder. "Xiao Qi, I'm sorry."
Shen Qi shook her head gently. "It's nothing. I've long been used to it! When I was little, people often pointed at me and called me the one with the weird brother. Kids would envy my brother's beauty and bully him over and over. I'd charge in like a tomboy and fight them. That made my brother even more withdrawn. He wouldn't see strangers, locked himself in his room, and stubbornly drew lines no one could understand. I know he was protecting me. If he didn't go out, no one would bully him, and no one would fight me, so I wouldn't be punished by the Shen family."
"Even though we've grown up and things like that don't happen anymore, my brother's autism never got better. But lately, he's improved a lot. The doctor says he seems willing to reach out to the outside world. And he has a gift no one else has—a photographic memory." Shen Qi sat hugging her knees, her long hair falling softly over them.
"I believe that as long as I don't give up, my brother will recover! Because he's so smart, just withdrawn, not stupid!" Shen Qi's eyes shone with firm resolve as she clenched her fist. "My brother is the only family I have who truly loves and cares about me in this world! For him, I can't give up. I have to see this through!"
He Yining reached out and stroked Shen Qi's head, gathering her soft hair in his hand and bringing it to his nose to inhale lightly.
So the Shen family had treated his little rabbit like this? Hmph, time to deal with them.
The Shen family had done many rotten things, but they got one thing right!
They sent Shen Qi to him.
For that, he'd just make the Shen family lose some money.
"So, He Yining, I can't move to Jinghua Manor. I can't leave my brother alone outside." Shen Qi said seriously. "But I'll play this role well. Whenever you need me, I'll be there without hesitation."
He Yining immediately said, "If you don't want your brother at Jinghua Manor, just hire more people to take care of him. And do you need me to help find a doctor? The He family's resources are always richer than what's outside."
Shen Qi's eyes lit up, and she looked at He Yining expectantly. "Really?"
"Move to Jinghua Manor, and I'll find a doctor for your brother. How about that?" He Yining still wouldn't give up on this idea.
Shen Qi hesitated instantly.
"You should know the difference between top-tier doctors and ordinary ones. The ones I know are at a level you'd never reach in this lifetime. Maybe with a top-tier doctor, your brother could be fully cured in no time?" He Yining continued dangling the bait. "Think it over carefully. Tell me when you've decided."
Shen Qi was indeed tempted!
That devil He Yining was holding out a shiny golden apple, tempting poor Eve and Adam...
No, wait—tempting poor little rabbit Shen Qi!
Curing Shen Lu had become Shen Qi's obsession.
Hearing that the He family's resources were available, Shen Qi's gaze at He Yining turned fervent and eager.
"Only one condition." He Yining smiled and raised a finger, gently tapping Shen Qi's nose. "Move to Jinghua Manor or move to the He family mansion. Your choice. Don't worry, your place is too small for me to be interested. Unless you try to make a move on me, you're safe!"
"I wouldn't!" Shen Qi immediately covered her chest, her face flushing red. "I'm not trying to make a move on you!"
"Oh?" He Yining deliberately drew out his words. "Then who is it that always starts in her own spot before bed but ends up in my arms by morning? Seems like this morning, you crawled out of my arms..."
Shen Qi's ears turned bright red!
She stammered, "I... I didn't mean to!"
"So, I'm the one who should be worried!" He Yining said earnestly to Shen Qi. "Look how much I'm sacrificing for you, and you're still ungrateful?"
Shen Qi thought it over.
It did seem that way...
In terms of looks, He Yining outshone her.
In status, he outshone her too.
In wealth, he left her in the dust.
In everything else... she was hopeless!
Strictly speaking, it really didn't seem like she was the one losing out!
But could he really be that kind?
Shen Qi glanced at He Yining. "Then why do you want me to move in? There has to be a reason."
"Reason? It's simple!" He Yining spread his hands. "I'm this handsome, and I get harassed by countless women every day. Once you move in, I can openly announce that I'm married. That'll ward off all those unwanted advances!"
Shen Qi was stunned. So that was her role?
But was it really just to ward off advances?
Why did she feel a little... unwilling?
"Really, just that?" Shen Qi asked with a hint of reluctance.
"Of course! Otherwise... do you want to actually have a child with me?" He Yining tested her.
"No way!" Shen Qi's face flushed again as she jumped out of bed and hid in the dressing room.
"No, huh..." He Yining's eyes flickered with disappointment as he watched her retreating figure, then he smirked slyly. "It's okay. Soon you'll be telling me you want to..."
At breakfast, the awkwardness from last night between Shen Qi and He Yining was gone. They sat together peacefully.
Old Madam He was astonished!
Her grandson had resisted this marriage to death before yesterday.
If she hadn't forced him to come back, he probably wouldn't have returned at all!
But after just one night, he'd changed his mind?
Looks like they hit it off!
That's how it should be!
How could feelings develop without meeting?
The next moment, Old Madam He nearly spat out her tea.
"Grandma, Xiao Qi and I talked it over. She said she's unhappy living in the villa because it's lifeless, so I've decided to let her move to Jinghua Manor." He Yining said slowly.