It’s dirty.
Old Master Li, wearing an expressionless face, considered everything from the soul to the heart as filthy. He didn’t bother lifting his eyes and sneered, “How can a man endure such things?”
Even the lobby manager, who had entered with him, found it challenging to assess the situation in these few short minutes. Typically, he would deliberate more upon receiving a distress text from a friend. However, with no response to the door knock and upon hearing that Qin Jin was the occupant, he decided to open the door.
Upon entering, he observed the guest room’s neatly arranged mattress, the woman’s clothes still intact, and the man’s shirt at most a little wrinkled. In the end, where was the ‘dirt’?
Li Xiangfu asserted with a stern expression, “Exploiting such situations has nothing to do with gender.”
It was merely related to human nature.
His tone further irked Grandpa Li.
Every aspect of the scene indicated that nothing had occurred. It was evident that Qin Jin had set up the situation, and his son had been foolish enough to become a pawn.
At this point, the woman regained her senses. The sweat on her forehead smudged her makeup, and, hearing their conversation about dirt and taking advantage, she couldn’t restrain herself. Disregarding her appearance, she lashed out, “In such a short period, you think something could develop?”
Being a bit of a rebel, the woman wouldn’t hesitate to speak her mind. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have taken the risk to play the fairy jump. Her words reflected her bold nature.
Qin Jin, not looking at her, calmly explained, “She touched my hand… I’m particular about hygiene.”
“I can understand,” the lobby manager interjected, trying to defuse the tension.
Seeing the old man Li’s patience completely worn out, unable to tolerate others fooling his foolish son in front of him, he began, “You…”
Li Xiangfu grabbed Qin Jin’s shoulders and spoke first, “You go take a bath; I’ll guard the door.”
Qin Jin was slightly taken aback.
Li Xiangfu continued, “I guess you just want to wash your body with cold water and rub the touched areas.”
“…”
Seeing Qin Jin hesitating, Li Xiangfu’s eyes darkened. “Is that not what you’re thinking?”
Qin Jin’s eyes moved from the lobby manager to the furious woman and finally rested on Old Man Li.
“I’ll show you all the witnesses and suspects. Don’t worry; go wash up. I guarantee none of them will leave.”
“…”
The lobby manager tried to speak, “There’s something else happening downstairs…”
“I said no one is allowed to leave.” The tone suddenly became stern, and Li Xiangfu, with a lingering gloom, interrupted. His gaze returned to Qin Jin, and his tone softened, “Quickly, go.”
Their eyes locked, and from the depths of the other’s pupils, Qin Jin saw a darkness akin to the bottom of the sea. Finally, he stood up and slowly made his way toward the bathroom. After the door closed, he leaned back, lowered his head slightly, and rubbed his fingertips against the cold tiles, shaking his head with a helpless smile.
Qin Jin couldn’t quite see that Li Xiangfu was intentionally playing this out.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Responding to a text message and rushing over is one thing, but cleaning up your own setup is another. It’s true that no matter how long it’s been, the filling of the sesame seed dumplings will always be there.
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……
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Qin Jin’s reputation in China is practically non-existent.
Now, a VIP is being sent in to take a shower while they wait outside the door, creating an odd scene.
The sound of the water persists, lingering in the ears.
With the guest in the shower, the lobby manager instinctively closed the still-open door of the guest room. This act felt even more peculiar, causing him to awkwardly take a step back, adjusting the psychological distance.
At this moment, the only thought occupying the lobby manager’s mind is that, upon returning, he must explain to the staff that, in the future, irrespective of the gender of those who are intoxicated, they must double-check the actual relationship between the parties involved.
The female protagonist, who had been berating others, was no longer in the mood. This was an experience she had never encountered before, so peculiar that she couldn’t shout or speak. She could only stand motionless in the same place.
Eventually, she gritted her teeth and turned around to twist the doorknob.
Li Xiangfu questioned in a cold tone, “Where are you going?”
The woman ‘bah’: “I’m going to turn myself in!”
She’d rather spend two days in custody than stand here waiting for someone to take a bath. The issue is that there’s no way to rectify things tonight, so it’s better to take a proactive approach, and the punishment can be appropriately mitigated.
The lobby manager hastily said, “I’ll escort you out.”
He also sought a reason to leave.
This time, Li Xiangfu did not stop him.
Only Grandpa Li and Li Xiangfu remained. Grandpa Li, as if seeing his son for the first time, gave him a complex look and said with a headache, “Are you sure Qin Jin will really bathe in there?”
Qin Jin wouldn’t indulge in nonsense to such an extent, at most opening the shower against the wall to consume time.
“I’m not sure,” Li Xiangfu responded calmly. “Do you want me to go in and make sure?”
He gestured to knock on the door.
“…”
This time, even Old Man Li couldn’t muster up any scolding. Suppressing the stinging pain from his nerve endings, he sighed heavily after a long while.
The cellphone ringtone suddenly pierced the air, temporarily drowning out the sound of water inside.
“Dad,” the caller was Li Huaichen, “How’s it going over there? Do you need me to come over and handle it?”
Grandpa Li glanced to his side and saw Li Xiangfu, swiping his cellphone. He realized that everything was intentional—a’return’ to the other party, who had been restricted in personal freedom these days.
Experience comes with age, and the old man Li wasn’t easily led by others. He shrugged nonchalantly and said, “It’s quite tricky; all of you come over here.”
Li Xiangfu abruptly raised his head, looking over in disbelief.
After the old man sent the location, he promptly hung up the phone, at ease, closing his eyes to rest his soul.
“……”
This standoff between father and son quickly came to an end.
To orchestrate this scenario, Qin Jin deliberately chose to dine at a hotel close to the Li family so that Li Xiangfu could arrive on time. Even the road conditions were meticulously selected to ensure the least congestion.
However, this also made it convenient for Li Huichen and others to catch up.
As the old man Li opened the door, his earlier comfortable demeanor slightly changed. “Why did you bring Aunty Zhang along?”
Li Huichen explained, “Anqing said he was busy, so he asked Auntie Zhang to join him.”
“Li, An, Qing.”
These three words nearly came out of Grandpa Li’s mouth through clenched teeth.
Observing the empty room, Li Huaichen turned to Grandpa Li, asking, “Where’s the tricky part?”
The sound of water in the bathroom ceased, the bathroom door swung open, and Qin Jin, in the midst of towel-drying his hair, paused when he looked up.
Before him stood a line of people, spanning various ages and genders.
Qin Jin narrowed his eyes, “This is…”
Li Xiangfu interjected, “My whole family.”
…Called over, Auntie Zhang happened to be busy in their own home, thinking there may be something urgent, rushed out, still wearing an apron. Then saw a young man suddenly out of the bathroom, startled.
Patting his chest, he asked, “Xiangfu ah, this, what is the situation now?”
Li Xiangfu didn’t know what to say and pursed his lips, “My friend was touched.”
Li Shasha, who stood at the end of the room, yawned, “And then we’re all gathered here?”
Li Shasha hadn’t entered the door since just now and had been leaning against the wall outside playing with the Rubik’s Cube. At the sound of the child’s voice, Grandpa Li glared at Li Huichen, “He’s only a little boy, what are you doing bringing him out?”
Li Huaichen explained, “Anqing let me bring him, saying that if I encountered a bad situation, I could use the child to sell the tragedy.”
At this point, Grandpa Li finally realized that Li Xiangfu was not a typical example of failure in family education, but Li Anqing was.
“Asshole,” he couldn’t help but scold.
In the chaotic state, Qin Jin has been looking at Li Xiangfu since the beginning. Realizing that he was being watched, the latter slightly tilted his head, “Everything… today seems like we are all wrong, and it seems like no one is wrong.”
After finishing his words, he sneered, as if he was mocking fate.
Precise forty-five degree angle, familiar non-mainstream tone, for a moment Qin Jin seems to be pulled back to the summer when Li Xiangfu was still chanting sutras.
For some reason, he asked, “What do you think caused this result?”
“Nothing,” Li Xiangfu said without thinking, “It’s just a matter of fate.”
“Fate…,” Qin Jin’s gaze fluctuated rarely. After closing his eyes for a long time, he said, “You might be right.”
The atmosphere between the two sides suddenly became strange, as if the lotus root had just been broken, sticky, and annoying.
The room fell silent.
In the audible silence, Li Shasha, who had been gazing at the two, suddenly pulled down Li Xichun’s sleeve and humbly asked for advice, “Are they so sad that they went to the same place?”
Li Xichun barely pulled the corner of her mouth and said, “Maybe.”
Li Shasha couldn’t help but frown. “I’m also going to that place.”
His theoretical knowledge has always been better than the host; there is no reason why he can’t grasp the point where Li Xiangfu touched the scene.
Taking a light breath, Li Xichun backed up slightly toward the doorway to facilitate a fuller view of the guest room.
The younger brother and Qin Jin sympathized with each other, and Li Shasha, who tried to squeeze into their world, called them to guard Mr. Li taking a shower… Looking around at the people in the room, in her mind, Shi Chen, who killed his wife and abandoned his son, and Gao Xun, a macho man, appeared one after another..
“What’s wrong?” Li Huichen was the only one who noticed the change in her demeanor.
Li Xichun asked instead of answering, “Do you know what Little Brother is sad about?”
Glancing at the almost static screen in front of him, Li Huichen said in a faint voice, “Playing a trick to get rid of the embarrassment.”
“Where is Qin Jin?”
“Recalling the past,” said Li Huichen, his face slightly solemn: “This past is afraid to be related to Xiangfu.”
“Very good, plus a big brother who has the ability to read pictures and write words…,” Li Xichun shook his head, “It is true that in my life, I cannot meet a normal man.”
The author has something to say:
Qin Jin: this is…
The first thing I want to say is that I’m not going to be able to do anything about it.
Li Xichun: I apply for withdrawal.
Qin Jin: I’m in.
Li Xichun: ….
This is a confusing chapter. QJ arranges to bring ML to hotel room and this also brings his family. QJ then disappears towards the end. Feels like there are paragraphs of transition missing.
I think there’s some information missing, people appeared and disappeared out of thin air
I’ll look into it soon^^