My Little Pink Crocodile - Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Have You Two Moved In Together?

Before Qi Yan could take Jiang Yu to get something to eat, she was called back to the pet hospital. With no other choice, she had to bring Jiang Yu back to the hospital to wait.

Grace had been called over by Qi Yan. Hearing that Qi Yan had “picked up” a person, Grace assumed her friend was being scammed and immediately drove over.

The moment she entered the main door, Fang Fang, the receptionist who knew her well, greeted her with a smile. “Our boss is busy right now. Please head to the lounge first…”

Grace scanned the room but didn’t see the person Qi Yan had mentioned. She interrupted Fang Fang, frowning. “Your boss said she picked someone up and wanted me to look after them.”

Since Qi Yan was busy, that was indeed what she had told Grace. However, Grace’s priority was to quickly get rid of this mysterious stranger. Qi Yan might be soft-hearted, but she certainly wasn’t!

Fang Fang blinked, then remembered that Qi Yan had indeed mentioned someone would be coming to look after Jiang Yu. “Ah, that person. She’s in the lounge right now…”

Before she could finish, Grace marched toward the lounge aggressively. Fang Fang watched her, wondering if Grace was there to babysit or commit a murder. Seeing Grace about to throw the door open, she hurried to catch up. “Miss Grace, don’t scare her!”

Hearing this, Grace grew even more curious about what kind of spell this person had cast on everyone. She huffed, “I’d like to see exactly what kind of—”

“What a cute little sister!”

Sitting in a chair was Jiang Yu, clutching an iced milk tea Qi Yan had bought for her. She was swinging her legs happily. She had changed into a different dress, but she still looked like an exquisite doll.

Hearing Grace’s voice, Jiang Yu looked up, her grey eyes still shimmering with a lingering smile. The big, goofy Golden Retriever beside her only made her look more petite.

Grace’s fake ferocity vanished instantly. She immediately switched to a beaming smile, rushed over, and hugged the dazed girl. Before Jiang Yu could react, Grace pinched her cheek.

Jiang Yu choked slightly on the scent of Grace’s perfume. Snapping back to her senses, she pushed Grace away with disgust and shouted:

“You bad woman! Let go of me!”

Grace naturally didn’t listen. She pinched Jiang Yu’s cheek again, marveling at the soft texture. “Little sister, I’m not a bad person. I’ll show you what a real bad person looks like later.”

As she spoke, she pushed away the nudging Golden Retriever and turned to Fang Fang. “Where’s the person Qi Yan picked up?”

Fang Fang pointed at Jiang Yu, who was currently being held in Grace’s arms and looking fuming. She said awkwardly, “That’s her.”

Grace looked at Jiang Yu, whose cheeks were being squished into a pout, and decided the girl was as adorable as a porcelain doll—even if her mouth was a bit “dirty” with insults.

“Dead pervert!” Jiang Yu snapped.

Grace looked a bit offended. “I am a beautiful older sister, you know. Children shouldn’t use such bad words.”

Jiang Yu glared at her and repeated it. “You bad woman, you are a dead pervert!”

First the head, now the face—in Jiang Yu’s world, these were things only a mate could do. To anyone else, it was harassment. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Without waiting for Grace to speak again, Jiang Yu shoved her away.

The first time, she hadn’t used much force, but Grace could tell Jiang Yu was strong. This time, however, she truly felt it. This sweet-looking, tiny girl had enough strength to send her flying several meters back.

Grace was wearing needle-thin high heels and lost her balance, crashing to the floor. she sat there stunned for a long moment until the searing pain of a sprained ankle hit her. She let out a pained cry.

“Ow, ow! My ankle! I twisted it!”

Fang Fang panicked and rushed over to help Grace up, but the sprain was so painful it took a massive effort just to get her into a chair. Jiang Yu watched Grace wailing in pain, hiding behind the Golden Retriever so only her eyes were visible. She whispered, “Serves her right. That’s what she gets for pinching my face.”

Qi Yan finished her work just in time to see Fang Fang running toward her, looking anxious. She calmly peeled off her gloves and asked, “What happened?”

Knowing Grace was a wealthy heiress, Fang Fang was worried about the injury. She pulled Qi Yan toward the lounge, explaining as they went, “Miss Grace fell and sprained her ankle.”

“Fell?” Qi Yan frowned. As she approached, she heard the cries from inside.

The moment she opened the door, a figure lunged into her arms. Qi Yan had to catch her by the waist to steady her. Then came Jiang Yu’s aggrieved voice:

“Qi Yan, she bullied me!”

Hearing the accusation, the suffering Grace gritted her teeth against the pain. “Little sister, can we be reasonable? I’m the one with the sprained ankle! Ow… it hurts…”

Qi Yan looked at her, handed Fang Fang her car keys, and asked, “What’s the story?”

Jiang Yu buried her face in Qi Yan’s chest, staying silent out of guilt. She was terrified that if Qi Yan found out she had caused trouble, she wouldn’t want her anymore.

Supported by Fang Fang, Grace hobbled toward the exit, surprisingly not outing the culprit. “Ugh, it’s just these heels are too high, plus I’ve had a bit of bad luck today. Ow, ow, ow… quickly, take me to the hospital.”

Jiang Yu was surprised Grace hadn’t told on her. She looked at Grace in wonder. Facing Grace, who was now sweating from the pain, Jiang Yu felt even more guilty, but her impression of Grace shifted from “dead pervert” to someone slightly better.

Once in the car, Fang Fang chimed in. “The hospital is a bit far. For a sprain like this, I know a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner nearby. Miss Grace seems to be in a lot of pain; maybe we should go there first?”

Grace was in so much pain her voice was trembling. “Go! Just go! Anywhere is fine as long as my foot gets fixed…”

Qi Yan let Fang Fang give directions. The two of them sat in the front, leaving the moaning Grace and a very restless Jiang Yu in the back. Jiang Yu tugged on the hem of Grace’s skirt and whispered, “I didn’t mean it.”

“I know, I know. Just let me get my foot treated first.”

Jiang Yu lowered her head again, but her eyes kept peeking at Qi Yan in the front. Hearing the movement in the back, Qi Yan assumed Jiang Yu was frightened by Grace’s pained expression. She took a moment to comfort her. “She’ll be fine in a bit.”

Jiang Yu nodded “obediently” and went back to staring at Qi Yan openly, leaving the injured Grace to her own devices.

The place Fang Fang mentioned was indeed close—only a ten-minute drive. They parked in front of a small apothecary. There wasn’t much foot traffic; most people preferred hospitals for illnesses, so there were only a few customers.

Fang Fang helped Grace out. Grace carried her high heels in her hand, still whimpering. Jiang Yu followed behind Qi Yan. Driven by guilt, she volunteered to rush ahead. Facing the white-bearded old man who was calmly taking someone’s pulse, she cried out anxiously:

“Someone come quick! She’s dying!”

Grace: “…”

Qi Yan rubbed her temples, pulled Jiang Yu back, and then explained Grace’s condition. “Hello, she has a sprained ankle.”

The old man had been startled by Jiang Yu’s shout. Combined with Grace’s moaning, he thought a critically ill patient had arrived and hurried out. When he saw it was just a sprain, he looked at the culprit of the shouting. He was about to scold her, but upon seeing Jiang Yu’s innocent eyes, his words softened into a mild lecture.

“It’s just a sprain. No need to shout so loud.”

His words caused Grace, who was about to cry out in pain again, to fall silent. Jiang Yu nodded frantically and pointed at Grace. “She was screaming so painfully! You have to fix her foot quickly.”

As it turned out, the experience of half a lifetime made his medical skills top-notch. He observed Grace’s ankle for a few seconds. In the blink of an eye, before Grace could even react, there was a sharp click. He stood up easily. “All done.”

“Huh?” Grace’s brain hadn’t processed it yet. When she moved her ankle, she realized the pain was gone. “Thank you! How much do I owe you?”

Qi Yan pulled out her phone to pay, but the old man waved them off casually. He tucked his hands behind his back and walked leisurely toward the back of the shop. “No charge. A little thing like this isn’t worth charging for. It was just a quick fix.”

“So cool! Is he an immortal?” Jiang Yu whispered to Qi Yan.

Qi Yan patted Jiang Yu’s head, about to answer, but the old man walked back out, stroking his white goatee with an air of profound mystery. “You have good eyes. Look over there.”

He pointed proudly to a wall covered in red silk banners sent by grateful patients. Most read things like “The Living Hua Tuo” or “Miraculous Touch.” However, hanging right in the middle were two large characters on a red background: “NIU BI” (Badass). It was likely a gift from a younger person in a patient’s family.

Jiang Yu, having never seen such things, was fascinated. She looked on with genuine admiration. “That is so amazing! He fixed her foot in an instant.”

The old man grew even more smug, looking at Jiang Yu like she was his own granddaughter. He smiled kindly. “You’re welcome to look around. My medical skills have been passed down for generations.”

Qi Yan pulled Jiang Yu back before she could run inside and nodded politely. “No, thank you. We need to head back.”

“Yes, we’re going home!” Jiang Yu beamed, hugging Qi Yan’s arm and leaning into her. Qi Yan didn’t push her away. Jiang Yu hadn’t seen Qi Yan’s home yet, and she was full of anticipation.

Grace, now fully recovered, watched the two of them. Her eyes narrowed as she observed their interaction. “Qi Yan, I’m coming to your place too.”

Qi Yan looked at her, puzzled. “Don’t you need to go back?”

Grace shrugged nonchalantly, then gave Jiang Yu a mischievous grin. Seeing Qi Yan frown, she quickly explained, “Didn’t you say that Tao Yan guy went back to tattle? Your family is definitely planning how to drag you back. If I’m there, they might show some restraint.”

Her logic was sound, so Qi Yan didn’t argue. Grace took the opportunity to pull Jiang Yu aside and whispered, “Qi Yan only has one guest room. If I go, you’ll have to share a room with her.”

Jiang Yu’s eyes lit up instantly, but she replied very seriously, “We are partners. We are supposed to sleep in the same bed.”

Facing such a cute face saying such blunt things, Grace felt a slight pang of guilt, as if she were corrupting a child. Hearing Jiang Yu’s words, Grace stole an incredulous glance at Qi Yan.

Holy crap. They’re already at that stage?

Grace had noticed something was off, but she never expected the usually rational and detached Qi Yan to move so fast. Grace nodded and continued, “Exactly. That’s why I have to stay over.”

Jiang Yu immediately ran back to grab Qi Yan’s hand. She looked up and said, “Quick, let her stay at our house!”

Qi Yan didn’t correct Jiang Yu’s use of “our house.” She simply opened the car door. “I’ll go back and make you something to eat.”

As a “newly recovered patient,” Grace sat comfortably in the back. Qi Yan drove, as Fang Fang had already taken a taxi home. Grace, thinking about what Jiang Yu had said, raised an eyebrow. She felt like she had missed a lot in the last few days. Since Jiang Yu was sitting in the back with her, she leaned in and whispered in a voice only they could hear:

“Have you two moved in together already? That was fast!”

Just a few days ago, she hadn’t seen anyone around Qi Yan, and Qi Yan was even being set up on blind dates by her family.