A Real Heiress Quits (GL) - Chapter 4

A shallow smile appeared, only to vanish in an instant.

Yu Xinyue lifted her gaze slightly before lowering it again, her long lashes trembling, obscuring the light in her eyes.

Qin Qing asked, “Something to say?”

Through the mirror, the girl gave a small nod.

Qin Qing picked up a comb and slid it into the thick, glossy black hair. The girl’s hair was of excellent quality—smooth and cool in her hand, like a piece of high-grade silk.

Yu Xinyue pursed her lips; her naturally crimson mouth was as delicate as a flower petal. Her tone was soft as she tilted her head toward the mirror, a slender finger tapping the corner of her lips. “Sister, aren’t you afraid I might be a bad person?”

By the end of the sentence, she couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle. Her large eyes curved, revealing adorable aegyo-sal (eye bags), the corners of her eyes tilting upward with a hint of a rosy flush.

Qin Qing felt a stir in her heart. “You don’t look like a bad person to me. You look like a captivating little fox spirit.”

People who are beautiful and know it are the most dangerous; even a simple smile felt like an act of “assault by beauty.”

Yu Xinyue’s eyes crinkled, her gaze deepening. “Then why did Sister bring a fox spirit home? What are you planning to do?”

The sheep’s clothing hadn’t been on for more than a few minutes before the nature of the big bad wolf started to peek through.

Qin Qing’s thin lips twitched. She pressed down on Yu Xinyue’s slender shoulders and leaned down until they were eye-to-level, staring at the girl in the mirror.

“Little one, have you been watching too many TV dramas? If you want to play Daji, I’m certainly no King Zhou.”

Her voice held a low, lingering resonance, tinged with a trace of amusement.

Yu Xinyue’s heart fluttered at the sound. She laughed and said, “How could King Zhou ever be worthy of Sister? If I were Daji, Sister would be the Nine-Tailed Fox herself.”

Qin Qing stood up straight and patted her shoulder. “Let’s go eat.”

A waiter had already delivered clean clothes. Qin Qing tossed a set to Yu Xinyue and told her to go change.

Qin Qing glanced at the girl now dressed in a black dress while she applied her own lipstick. “It’s a bit long, just make do for now.”

The dress, originally designed to reach the calves, now swayed around the kid’s ankles. She wore it with the elegance of an evening gown.

Yu Xinyue hugged her shoulders; the hotel air conditioning was powerful and felt a bit chilly.

Qin Qing finished applying her lipstick and blotted her lips, a gentle rosewood shade blurring beautifully. “Go pick a wrap to put on.”

Yu Xinyue opened the wardrobe, but her attention was caught by another small item nearby. It was a small “Fortune Cat” pendant hanging inside the cabinet by a red string. The cat was smiling broadly, its paws clutching a tiny character: “Zhu” (烛).

Twenty years ago, these types of bracelets were a trend among students. Legend had it that if you carved your name on an adorable Fortune Cat, you would be blessed with good luck and everything would go your way. Yu Xinyue had bought one once, too, though it had long since been tucked away in a box.

“Haven’t decided yet?”

A cool, clear voice sounded behind her. Yu Xinyue’s body stiffened slightly.

A fair wrist brushed past her eyes—the contrast of the red string against snowy skin was exceptionally striking. It dazzled her eyes so much they felt like they were burning, and she couldn’t help but look down.

Qin Qing sifted through various haute couture pieces before finally picking up a chiffon shawl and draping it over the kid’s gracefully lined shoulders.

“Do you like it?”

Perhaps out of shyness, the girl lowered her gaze and nodded quietly. The chiffon was crystalline and light, looking like a drifting cloud, while her small, delicate collarbones were partially hidden within the white “clouds.”

Qin Qing dazed for half a second.

The girl before her was a masterpiece of God—perfect in both skin and bone structure. Her beauty was so loud: large eyes, thick brows, snowy skin, and red lips. All these intense features gathered on a palm-sized face created a powerful visual impact; she was brilliantly beautiful beyond description. Fortunately, the “baby fat” she still had added a sense of innocence, tempering that peerless allure slightly.

Such overt beauty wasn’t always a good thing. It easily attracted jealousy and invited trouble.

Qin Qing said nothing but silently pulled the shawl forward, covering those collarbones completely.

Violet Hotel Penthouse

Few people were qualified to stay on the executive floor. The dining area was quiet, with only a few tables occupied by people talking in low voices. Various dishes were arranged on clean plates.

Qin Qing asked, “What do you like to eat?”

Yu Xinyue set her gaze on the golden-brown toasted bread. “Just bread is fine.”

Qin Qing nodded simply. “Help yourself. There’s a chef over there; if there’s anything else you want, ask him to make it.”

A man holding a wine glass approached, his tone heavy. “I heard about the Little Miss. My condolences.”

“Thank you.” Qin Qing’s face remained expressionless. Her dark eyes were like a thin layer of ice—unveiled coldness and indifference.

Ji Fu paused for a moment. It seemed the eldest daughter of the Qin family was even harder to get close to than the rumors suggested. He curled his lips into a playful smile and introduced himself. “My name is Ji Fu. I just returned to the country.”

Upon hearing the name, Yu Xinyue suddenly looked up at the two of them.

Ji Fu. The second young master of Xingjue, and also Qin Qing’s future husband.

He looked the part of a gentleman, but he was anything but a good man. After marriage, he would commit adultery, descend into alcoholism, and engage in domestic violence. Their later divorce would be a sensational scandal. Ji Fu would slander Qin Qing in the media, which would force her to step out from behind the scenes and back into the spotlight.

Behind that suave demeanor was a violent and petty scumbag.

Yu Xinyue’s eyes darted around, and she suddenly let out a soft laugh. Twenty years ago, Xingjue wasn’t what it would become later; it was currently at its peak.

Ji Fu’s gaze was confident, treating Qin Qing like a prey he was destined to catch.

“Mhm,” Qin Qing replied. Her tone was blatantly dismissive.

Ji Fu smiled thinly. “I’ve been abroad all these years. I was planning to visit Uncle Qin in a few days.” He waited for a response, but his smile gradually stiffened.

Qin Qing didn’t even bother to look at him properly. She happened to notice the kid looking over curiously, her large eyes dark and moist. Seeing her look over, the kid guiltily lowered her head, her silk-like black hair falling to hide her face, leaving only a glimpse of a small, bright red ear.

Ji Fu followed her gaze. He couldn’t see Yu Xinyue’s face clearly and simply asked, “And that is?”

Qin Qing: “A kid I picked up on the road.”

Ji Fu blinked. “Picked up?”

Qin Qing walked over to the girl and saw her plate was empty. “What? You don’t like anything?”

Yu Xinyue bit her lip. “No.” Her small head remained lowered.

Qin Qing stared at the exposed red tip of the ear. For some reason, she really wanted to reach out and pinch it. “Eat at least a little something.” So you’ll grow tall.

The girl seemed incredibly shy in front of others, losing the “little rascal” energy she had in the room. Hearing this, she only lowered her head further and picked up a spoon to serve some soup. Perhaps due to nerves, her small hand trembled slightly.

Ji Fu smiled and leaned closer. “What is her name?”

The moment he finished speaking, the girl’s hand “trembled” in fright. Fresh, warm borscht poured directly onto the man’s snowy-white suit. Not a drop was spared.

“Can’t you be careful?! Do you not have eyes?!” The man’s face changed instantly as he roared. The few people in the dining area all looked over at the sound.

The girl looked terrified, standing in place helplessly, her shoulders shivering slightly.

Qin Qing’s gaze turned cold as she stepped in front of Yu Xinyue.

“I’m sorry…”

“This is a bespoke handmade suit! Do you have any idea how expensive it is?!”

Yu Xinyue kept her head down. No one could see the unstoppable smile on her face. Her voice sounded frightened and pitiful, laced with a sob. “I didn’t mean it, I’m sorry… I’ll pay you back.”

“Pay? Even if I sold you, you couldn’t…”

Ji Fu’s voice was cut off as if someone had strangled him. He had met Qin Qing’s suddenly frigid eyes.

Dammit, Ji Fu thought.

Qin Qing had witnessed this sudden change of face and actually smiled. “How much for the piece? Shall I pay you back, Mr. Ji?”

Ji Fu couldn’t tell what she was thinking and tried to maintain his poise. “It’s not about the money. Since the Eldest Miss has spoken, I certainly won’t pursue it.”

Qin Qing sneered and led the girl away. Ji Fu stood there awkwardly, frustratedly slapping his own forehead.

What does that girl have to do with the Eldest Miss? Didn’t she just find her on the road? I haven’t heard of any of the Qin family’s associates having a child that age.

The dining area was full of socialites. Seeing Ji Fu blow up at a child over a minor accident, the whispers began.

“Who is that? They’re allowed on the penthouse floor?”

“The second son of Xingjue Group. Heard he just got back from abroad.”

“Really can’t judge a book by its cover.”

“How can he compare to his older brother?”

The whispers crawled into Ji Fu’s ears. Utterly embarrassed, he sat back down stiffly. Just as he put down his glass, the couple at the next table stood up and moved to a different table entirely. Ji Fu’s face turned grim as he left the room in a huff.

The girl’s face was red with “fright,” her large eyes brimming with tears as she kept her small head down in silence.

Qin Qing softened her voice. “Where did that boldness from earlier go?”

The girl pouted her small mouth and said gloomily, “He was so mean.”

Qin Qing wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Don’t mind him. What do you want to eat?”

The girl shook her head, her voice thin and soft. “I don’t want to eat anymore.”

“I’ll go get something for you. Sit here and be good.”

Yu Xinyue suddenly reached out her small hand and gripped Qin Qing’s. “Sister.”

Qin Qing looked down. “Yes?”

The girl lifted her small head, looking like a “pear blossom bathed in rain,” sniffed, and said softly, “My name is Yu Xinyue.”

Qin Qing froze for a moment.

Yu Xinyue turned her tears into a smile. “I only told Sister.”

The coldness in Qin Qing’s eyes faded as she stroked the girl’s soft, black hair. “A good name.”

“Xuanhuang, your sister is really something.”

Ji Fu stood with one hand in his pocket in front of a giant glass window, overlooking the city neon. The lazy voice of a young man came through the phone. “What now?”

Ji Fu laughed out of anger. “That sister of yours… she really doesn’t give a damn. She made me look like a fool in front of everyone.”

“I told you not to mess with her lately. She isn’t even giving me any face,” Qin Xuanhuang said, rubbing his brow. “Where are you now?”

“The Violet.”

“Don’t be so impatient. You’ll be my brother-in-law sooner or later, so what’s the rush?”

Ji Fu finally smiled as he walked toward his room. “I’m just checking out what my future wife is like ahead of time.” He paused, licking his lips. “Your sister… she’s like a wild horse. I want to domesticate her. Huh?”

His room door was wide open, light spilling out. Ji Fu was surprised to see a staff member organizing his things; the suitcase on the floor was already packed full.

He shouted angrily, “Who gave you permission to touch my things? What’s your name? I’m telling you, you’re fired!”

The young waiter remained calm and polite. “It was the Eldest Miss’s orders. She asked me to help you pack your things and see you out.”

Ji Fu roared, “I’m a customer! I can’t stay here?!”

“If you wish to stay, please go downstairs to process your check-in. The penthouse floor is only open to members.”

Ji Fu gripped the door handle so hard the veins on his hand bulged. He looked at the waiter and said through gritted teeth, “Am I not a member?”

The waiter bowed his head and delivered the final blow: “The Eldest Miss said that you are not anymore. Nor will you be in the future. Forever.”