The Tragic Heroine Fell in Love with Me - Chapter 68

Zheng Qi remained noncommittal.

Zhang Yibin’s voice faded into the distance.

“Where is AhQi sending that person?” Xiao San asked.

Zheng Qi gently tapped Xiao San’s forehead. “Don’t think about anything illegal. I’m just throwing him out of this mall.” Along with freezing all his assets, making it impossible for him to gain a foothold here ever again.

Xiao San snorted. “Don’t I know you? You’re so soft-hearted. It’s not like you’re some domineering CEO who’d say, ‘It’s getting cold, let the Wang family go bankrupt,’ is it?”

Xiao San chuckled. She was beginning to understand why Xiao Mama enjoyed those domineering CEO novels. Though the plots were far-fetched and often nonsensical, they were undeniably satisfying.

“You,” Zheng Qi said.

Xiao San tilted her head. “What about me?”

“How can you be this adorable?”

Xiao San nodded confidently and puffed out her chest. “Of course! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

“Beholder?”

Xiao San’s face instantly flushed red.

If time travel were possible, she would have gone back a minute earlier to cover her own mouth.

The relationship between her and Zheng Qi was almost clear, but Xiao San hadn’t officially confirmed it yet at least, she hadn’t said “I love you.”

Xiao San always felt that such words should be reserved for a more solemn moment.

Xiao San hurriedly picked up the menu to order food, and Zheng Qi didn’t press her.

Zheng Qi had enough patience and confidence to believe that Xiao San would choose only her.

She had always been a patient person since childhood.

“Zheng Qi, you unwanted wild child! A bastard born from an affair between your aunt and her brother-in-law!”

Zheng Qi gritted her teeth, picked up a brick, and charged toward the person hurling insults at her. Even though she had just been beaten up by a group of boys, Zheng Qi showed no intention of backing down.

She was already beaten up anyway. Taking a brick to them would just mean getting beaten up again.

As a child, she didn’t understand the saying, “A scholar would rather die than be humiliated,” but at that moment, she truly understood: she could be beaten to death by these boys, but she would never acknowledge the words coming out of their mouths.

She knew they said these things because her parents had abandoned her, and she was raised by her aunt.

Even though her aunt was just a girl barely ten years older than her, for these village children, the more hurtful and outrageous the rumors they occasionally overheard, the more they loved shouting them out loud.

They enjoyed watching their targets try to argue back, unable to refute the accusations, their faces reddening as they stammered explanations, only to be reduced to tears after a few more taunts.

The more distressed she became, the happier they were.

So Zheng Qi refused to cry. At worst, she’d be beaten to death.

In the end, both sides ended up injured. The boys’ parents would then gather and head to the Zheng family to demand an explanation from Old Lady Zheng.

Since Xie Xinyu was away at school during the day, no one would come to Zheng Qi’s rescue.

At such times, Old Lady Zheng would grab a broom and beat Zheng Qi relentlessly, continuing until Zheng Qi’s defiant cries of “I’m not sorry! I’m not wrong! They deserved it!” faded into hoarse, choked sobs. Only then would the crowd leave, satisfied.

Old Lady Zheng would then toss Zheng Qi aside and happily go out for a stroll.

Zheng Qi could only wait for her aunt to return.

Zheng Qi spent much of her childhood like this, until one day, a foreigner arrived in the village.

At that time, she didn’t understand the distinctions between nobility and commoners, or where such differences truly lay.

All she knew was that this person was exceptionally beautiful so beautiful that they stood out from everyone else in the village.

Zheng Qi liked her.

Zheng Qi’s aunt, Xie Xinyu, also liked him.

So Zheng Qi often followed her aunt to be around that person. He was truly remarkable.

After her aunt started seeing him, Zheng Qi often learned various combat techniques from him. She quickly transformed from an ordinary child who only knew how to fight into someone who could effortlessly take on several troublemaking boys.

The more skilled she became, the more low-key she grew.

She learned to conceal her abilities and play the fool. Later, she realized she had unintentionally taken on the appearance of a very delicate person without even trying to pretend, she gave off that impression to those around her.

Kind, fragile.

These words had become synonymous with her.

But she felt she should be described as patient. Because she was patient, she could pretend. Even when she was truly beaten or scolded, she could endure it.

She had always believed that if she pretended well enough, no one would notice her.

She could act as if she knew nothing, just as her aunt had advised, and live as an ordinary person.

But when she was forcibly sent away, she finally understood that pretending was useless.

“Ah Qi, what are you thinking about?” Xiao San waved her hand in front of Zheng Qi’s face. “It seems like you haven’t heard a word I said.”

Zheng Qi snapped back to reality. “What were you saying, San’er?”

“I said we should head back,” Xiao San muttered. “I’ve been talking to you for a while, but you’ve been lost in thought. I have no idea what’s on your mind.”

Zheng Qi replied, “I just suddenly remembered my childhood.”

“Your childhood?”

“Yes, I used to run all over the mountains and fields back then.”

“Do you want to go back?” Xiao San had previously wanted to visit Zheng Qi’s hometown to understand her better but hadn’t had the chance. If Zheng Qi wanted to return, Xiao San immediately brightened up. “If you go back, I’d love to come along.”

Zheng Qi shook her head. “There’s no one left at home. My old friends have all gone their separate ways. Even if we met, we probably wouldn’t recognize each other.”

“What were your childhood friends like?”

Zheng Qi squinted thoughtfully. “They were all very kind people who taught me many life lessons.”

“Haha, Ah Qi must have been such a little grown-up back then. Who describes their childhood friends as ‘teaching them life lessons’? It sounds a bit strange, like something you’d write in an autobiography.”

Zheng Qi smiled. “San’er’s analogy is quite fitting.”

“Have you never contacted them again?” Xiao San asked softly, hoping Zheng Qi had more connections in her life rather than just work.

“I haven’t reached out, but I’ve heard by chance that they’re doing well. I’m quite happy for them.”

“I’m sure you must have helped them in some way.”

“Oh? How did you know?” Zheng Qi looked at Xiao San, her gaze as deep as a bottomless well.

“Ah Qi is so wonderful, she definitely wouldn’t forget her childhood friends. Even though I was a little sad when you left without saying goodbye, you never forgot about me. I feel like Ahqi must have secretly helped them.”

Zheng Qi nodded, tilting her head thoughtfully. “Actually, I didn’t help much just pulled a few strings.” She smiled in relief. “After all, I’m someone who values loyalty.”

“Mhm, Ah Qi is the best.” Xiao San held Zheng Qi’s hand.

Some say that cold hands mean a cold heart.

So, with Zheng Qi’s hands so warm, she must surely have a warm heart.

Xiao San just hoped Zheng Qi would think of herself a little more and not always be so kind.

But then again, what could be done? Zheng Qi was the female lead wasn’t it only natural for her to be kind-hearted?

The two of them spent the whole day out and about, and by the time they returned home, it was already dark.

As soon as Xiao San and Zheng Qi turned on the light, they saw Mond Hegle sitting motionless on the sofa like a stone statue.

Noticing Xiao San and Zheng Qi had returned, he slowly turned his head.

“Mond, are you okay? You look a bit!”

“You’re finally back. Waaah!”

Mond Hegle suddenly burst into loud, dramatic sobs, as if his parents had died, practically throwing himself to the floor and clutching at Zheng Qi and Xiao San’s ankles.

“Are you alright?” Xiao San quickly pulled Zheng Qi back. “Didn’t you say you found your friend and were moving out soon? What’s going on?”

Tears welled in Mond Hegle’s eyes as he spoke. “I was planning to move out, but…”

Xiao San had a bad feeling.

“But my parents want me to go on a blind date, get married, and have kids.”

“Isn’t that a bit rushed?” Xiao San remarked briefly before adding, “Even so, what does that have to do with me? If you’re getting married, just go ahead. Blind dates and marriages happen fast go on, I support you!”

Xiao San waved dismissively, showing no sympathy as she urged Mond Hegle to leave.

Honestly, having Mond around really disrupted her time with Zheng Qi.

The more Xiao San looked at Mond Hegle, the more he annoyed her.

Mond Hegle said, “It’s a matchmaking event for our family’s heir, and there are many competitors, Shen Lin is one of them.”

As he spoke, he kept glancing at Zheng Qi.

Clearly, these words were meant for her.

“Shen Lin?” Xiao San glanced at Zheng Qi, relieved to see no trace of nostalgia on her face, then continued, “Why is he going? Didn’t he swear he’d be with Ah Qi? What a scumbag.”

Even though she would never give up Ah Qi and would never give Shen Lin a chance, she still felt the need to curse the two-timing jerk a few times to feel better.

“Mhm,” Mond Hegle said, “Come to think of it, the heir is actually my cousin.”

“Cousin?” Xiao San gasped. “You nobles can marry someone related by blood?”

That’s just absurd. Marrying someone with blood ties wouldn’t their children have a high chance of being… sick?

Xiao San’s gaze toward Mond Hegle grew increasingly disdainful.

“I…” Mond Helger was about to continue when he caught sight of Zheng Qi’s expression and immediately fell silent.

He looked down at the ground with an embarrassed expression, like a child caught doing something wrong.

Zheng Qi gently nudged Xiao San. “San’er, go take a bath and rest. You’ve had a long day.”

“Alright, you should rest early too.” Xiao San walked toward her room, but at the doorway, she turned back and made a funny face at Mond Helger, pointing at him in a playful manner.

Mond Helger wanted to call out and ask Xiao San to stay but didn’t dare.

“You’d better not play too many tricks. I have little patience for you,” Zheng Qi said, looking at Mond Helger.

Mond Helger replied, “San trusts you a lot. You should tell her the truth.”

“She doesn’t need to know these things.”

“This is deception!”

“If it’s a deception that lasts a lifetime, then it isn’t deception anymore,” Zheng Qi said solemnly.

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