Chapter 117: Bonus – The Little Shadow
“Boss, want to go to the racetrack today?” Liu Liu asked, munching on a popsicle, his head swiveling like a restless monkey.
Qin Ai, one hand in her pocket, the other scrolling on her phone, replied, “Not today.”
“Then how about skewers? I heard the new Lao Han Barbecue is pretty good.”
Chang Wenyan, who was standing beside them, frowned. “Barbecue isn’t healthy. Qin Ai, come have dinner at my place. I’ll make your favorite dishes.”
“Barbecue is great! A little dirt never hurt anyone!”
“It’s unsanitary, come to my place.”
Qin Ai’s head was pounding. She declined a friend request on her phone and shoved it into her pocket.
“I’m not going anywhere. You guys can go if you want, just leave me alone.” She seemed to be in a bad mood.
Liu Liu winked. “Boss, are you being bothered by those hopeless admirers again?”
Chang Wenyan’s expression changed slightly. “They’re just small fry, nothing to worry about.”
Qin Ai rubbed her temples. Chang Wenyan was her childhood friend, and their families were close, but he was truly annoying.
She already had many admirers, and now she had Chang Wenyan constantly by her side, and Lin Qingqing pestering her on weekends. The more she thought about it, the more irritated she felt.
“Don’t tell me about them, it’s annoying. And don’t follow me, or I’ll beat you up, and begging for mercy won’t help.” She strode off, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Chang Wenyan reluctantly looked away, not following her.
Liu Liu, sucking on a lollipop, was unfazed. He took out his phone and texted his other friends, asking if anyone wanted to go to Lao Han Barbecue with him.
“Hey, Chang Wenyan, want to go? Barbecue?” He turned to Chang Wenyan.
“I’m not in the mood,” Chang Wenyan replied.
Liu Liu loved a good crowd. He wouldn’t let anyone off the hook. He slung his arm around Chang Wenyan’s shoulder and said earnestly, “Come on, barbecue is the perfect way to cheer yourself up. You know you can’t force love. You guys aren’t Boss’s type.”
Chang Wenyan pursed his lips, not saying anything, but in the end, he was dragged off to eat barbecue by Liu Liu.
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Qin Ai didn’t want to run into anyone she knew, so she deliberately walked in a direction she rarely went. She didn’t have a destination in mind, just wandering aimlessly.
She didn’t encounter anyone she knew, but there were many middle school and elementary school students around. She realized she had reached the vicinity of No. 2 Middle School.
Qin Ai was striking, even with her cold expression. The sudden appearance of a beautiful older sister in this neighborhood attracted attention.
However, Qin Ai didn’t enjoy the envious and admiring gazes. She found them annoying.
She chose a less crowded path, the number of stares decreasing. Just as she was feeling relieved, she heard noise.
“Your family is rich, right? Why are you so stingy? Oh, I forgot, you’re stupid, hahaha.”
Another voice, filled with mockery, said, “You should be grateful that we’re even talking to you, you idiot.”
Thump—
The sound of a body hitting the ground, followed by a muffled groan. The person being bullied didn’t say a word.
Qin Ai didn’t care about students from other schools. She couldn’t save every bullied person, she would be exhausted.
She took out her earphones and had just put one in her ear when she heard the insults again.
“Are you so stupid that you don’t even know what money is? You have a pretty face, although you’re a bit young. But some people have a thing for that.”
The other girl hesitated. “This isn’t right. I heard she comes from a wealthy family. What if her parents find out?”
The first girl scoffed. “What are you afraid of? Who would believe a stupid girl like her? And look at her, she probably can’t even speak properly. Let me tell you, girls like her are in high demand—Ah!”
Qin Ai cracked her knuckles, her eyes cold as she looked at the two bullies.
The boy lying on the ground wiped the blood from his lip, anger rising within him. The girl standing beside him quickly helped him up, her eyes filled with fear and wariness.
“Don’t act like humans when you’re nothing but animals. It’s disgusting.” Qin Ai’s disgust was palpable.
The girl who had been bullied cowered in a corner, her body trembling, her hair covering her face, only one beautiful eye visible.
Her eye was clear and bright, filled with tears, but there was more confusion than fear in her gaze.
“Mind your own business! Who are you to her?” The boy had been scared when he was punched, but seeing that his attacker was a girl, he felt emboldened.
What was there to be afraid of from a girl?
Qin Ai snorted, her bad mood worsening. When she was in a bad mood, she wanted to vent her anger, and this piece of trash was the perfect target.
“Who am I? I’m the person who’s going to beat you up so badly that your parents won’t recognize you. Oh, wait, orphans don’t have parents.”
Her words enraged the boy. He lunged at her, his fist aimed at her face.
Qin Ai had trained in martial arts and often got into fights. Even students from the sports school weren’t her match, let alone this brute who only relied on brute force.
“Ah—”
“Stop hitting him! Stop it!” The girl tried to stop Qin Ai, but Qin Ai pushed her away.
From what she had heard, Qin Ai suspected that this boy was experienced and might have hurt other girls before.
After venting her anger, she kicked him away and took out her phone.
“Hello, Uncle, I need a favor.”
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Fifteen minutes later, the police arrived and took the two bullies away. A background check would reveal if they had any prior offenses.
Qin Ai dusted off her sleeves, feeling disgusted that she had to touch them. She was about to leave when she felt a tug on her clothes.
She stopped and turned around, seeing the little girl she had rescued.
She had almost forgotten about her. Qin Ai gently released the girl’s grip. She was usually rough, but she was subconsciously gentle with girls.
“Go home if you remember the way.” Her tone was cold.
However, the girl didn’t seem afraid of her. She looked up at Qin Ai, her eyes fixed on her face.
Her eyes were so clear and innocent, Qin Ai couldn’t tell what she was thinking.
She didn’t like clingy and delicate creatures like this, they were troublesome. But she also couldn’t bring herself to abandon her.
“Hey, what’s your name? Do you remember your parents’ phone number? Tell me, and I’ll have them pick you up.” Qin Ai bent down, patiently talking to the little girl.
The girl tilted her head, as if she didn’t understand.
Qin Ai realized that this girl might truly have some intellectual disabilities, as those bullies had said.
This was even more troublesome. She shouldn’t have interfered.
But even if the situation repeated a hundred times, she probably would still impulsively step in and beat those bullies up.
“Where do you live? I’ll take you home, okay?” Qin Ai sighed.
Thankfully, the girl finally reacted. She pointed in a direction with her slender finger.
She still remembered where she lived. Qin Ai managed to take her home safely. She also learned the girl’s identity. She was the youngest daughter of the Zuo family, named Zuo Bian.
What a strange name, Qin Ai thought to herself.
She told Zuo Bian’s parents about what had happened, advising them to have more people looking after Zuo Bian.
Du Yundong and Zuo Yan were heartbroken when they heard the story. They thanked Qin Ai profusely and even invited her to stay for dinner.
But Qin Ai just wanted to go home, so she declined.
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After that day, Zuo Bian had several bodyguards by her side. Her parents hadn’t hired them before because they were afraid of her being ostracized at school.
But Zuo Bian was special. Even without special attention, she was still bullied.
Zuo Bian herself didn’t seem to care whether she was bullied or not, but she could tell who was kind to her and who wasn’t.
She could sense the malice from her classmates, so she didn’t interact with them much. Although she wasn’t very intelligent, when she set her mind on something, she became surprisingly sharp.
As Qin Ai was leaving school that day, a little girl suddenly bumped into her. She looked down and saw Zuo Bian’s smiling face.
The girl looked about eleven or twelve years old, her face delicate and pretty, her smile sweet and charming.
But cuteness was useless. Qin Ai didn’t want to take care of a child. No, she didn’t want to take care of anyone, child or not.
“Little kids should go home after school. What are you doing here? Do you want me to take you home again? Hmm?” Qin Ai bent down to meet Zuo Bian’s gaze.
Zuo Bian stared at her with wide eyes, her smile unwavering, as if she didn’t understand what Qin Ai was saying.
Qin Ai sighed. This girl was selectively deaf. If she wanted to follow, then let her follow. Whether she could keep up was her own problem.
She strode off, her long legs carrying her quickly. Liu Liu, who was dragging Chang Wenyan to Haidilao Hot Pot, spotted her.
“Boss! Boss!” He waved at her with a smile.
But Qin Ai, with a little shadow trailing behind her, ignored him.
“Why is there a little girl following you? Hey, she’s quite pretty. As expected of Boss, even little girls are attracted to you.” Liu Liu chuckled.
He nudged Chang Wenyan with his elbow. “Aren’t you jealous? A new rival has appeared.”
Chang Wenyan, who still had a crush on Qin Ai, scoffed. “She’s just a little girl, nothing to worry about.”
He didn’t know that this little girl, whom he deemed insignificant, would become Qin Ai’s wife in the future. And he wouldn’t stand a chance against her, completely outmatched.
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Qin Ai walked fast, and Zuo Bian had to run to keep up. She was panting, her face flushed, but she didn’t give up. She looked pitiful, like an abandoned animal desperately following its owner, begging not to be left behind.
Qin Ai suddenly turned around, and Zuo Bian, caught off guard, bumped into her arms.
“Stop following me, or I’ll sell you.” Qin Ai grabbed Zuo Bian’s collar, pulling her away.
Threatening to sell someone was typical Qin Ai, but she was just talking. She wouldn’t actually sell her.
Zuo Bian blinked and finally spoke her first words that day. “You’re good.” Implying that she believed Qin Ai wouldn’t sell her.
Her voice was soft and gentle, her tone a bit strange, probably because she didn’t talk much.
Qin Ai deliberately put on a fierce expression. “Don’t judge a book by its cover. The more beautiful a woman is, the more venomous she is.”
Zuo Bian ignored her words and reached out, wanting a hug.
Qin Ai was caught off guard and lost her grip. Zuo Bian clung to her like a sticky rice cake.
“Hey, hey, let go, you’re annoying.”
“You smell good.” Zuo Bian even rubbed her face against Qin Ai’s chest.
Qin Ai chuckled in exasperation. “You’re a little pervert.”
Buzz, buzz, buzz—
Her phone vibrated. She took it out of her pocket.
“Hello.”
“Qin Jie, coming to the racetrack today? It’s been a while since we last hung out.”
She realized it had indeed been a while since her last visit to the racetrack. “Okay, I’ll be there soon.”
While Qin Ai was on the phone, Zuo Bian took the opportunity to climb onto her, her entire body hanging on Qin Ai.
Qin Ai wanted to pull her off, but Zuo Bian clung to her tightly, refusing to let go.
She could have used force, but she didn’t dare to be too rough. If she made the little girl cry, she would be the one who had to comfort her.
It was incredibly troublesome, even more annoying than her usual admirers.
“Let go!” Qin Ai pinched Zuo Bian’s cheek.
The little girl’s skin was delicate, and it turned red with the slightest pressure. Tears welled up in her eyes, and Qin Ai quickly released her grip.
“Why are you crying? Did I hurt you?”
Zuo Bian shook her head, then smiled sweetly at Qin Ai.
Qin Ai patiently coaxed her for a while, promising not to abandon her. Only then did Zuo Bian let go.
Qin Ai had thought about running away as soon as Zuo Bian let go, but seeing the girl’s innocent eyes, she gave up and resigned herself to taking her to the racetrack.
This time, she was riding her motorcycle. Zuo Bian wanted to ride with her.
But Zuo Bian was only twelve years old, not even 1.5 meters tall. Her first attempt at getting on the motorcycle failed.
Qin Ai watched her struggle with amusement, not offering any help.
Zuo Bian, clueless as ever, didn’t even think about asking for help.
On her ninth attempt, her foot slipped, and she lost her balance, about to fall.
Qin Ai quickly caught her.
“You’re so useless.” Despite her words, she lifted Zuo Bian onto the motorcycle.
Zuo Bian was delighted to be on the motorcycle. She patted the seat and urged Qin Ai to get on too.
Qin Ai got on and told Zuo Bian to hold on tight, warning her, “Don’t let go, or you’ll be thrown off.”
Zuo Bian nodded obediently, her big, bright eyes reflecting Qin Ai’s profile.
Qin Ai was actually blushing, being stared at by a little girl. She looked away, her tone gruff. “Stop staring, or I’ll beat you up. I’m starting the engine, hold on tight.”
Zuo Bian wrapped her thin arms around Qin Ai’s waist, her face pressed against Qin Ai’s back, her features squished, but still undeniably cute.
Qin Ai thought, I’ll just drive fast and scare her so she won’t follow me anymore. But she was also afraid that Zuo Bian might fall off.
She stopped the motorcycle and took out a rope from a compartment, tying it around their waists.
Now she could drive as fast as she wanted without worrying. She revved the engine, and the motorcycle sped off like an arrow.
The speed created a sense of weightlessness, the tires seeming to leave the ground.
Qin Ai felt every pore in her body open, the exhilarating feeling intoxicating, making her forget about the little girl behind her.
When they arrived at the racetrack, Qin Ai took off her helmet in high spirits. Her friends were waiting for her at the entrance and waved when they saw her.
“Qin Jie, you’re finally here! We’ve been waiting for you.”
Qin Ai smiled, took out the key, and was about to get off the motorcycle when she felt a weight on her back, as if something was pressing against her.
“Dizzy…” Zuo Bian mumbled, her head swaying slightly.
Qin Ai’s smile vanished. She had forgotten about this little troublemaker.
“Get off yourself.” She tried to untie the rope, but she had tied it too tightly.
Her friends, seeing that she had brought a little girl with her, gathered around curiously.
“Qin Jie, where did you find this kid? She’s quite cute, but she’s a bit young. Is she your relative?”
Qin Ai didn’t want to answer, she was getting frustrated with the rope.
“Don’t ask so many questions, help me untie this rope.” She tugged at it, but it wouldn’t budge.
Zuo Bian was still sitting on the motorcycle, her eyes dazed, as if she didn’t even know what was happening.
They worked together and finally managed to untie the rope.
Qin Ai sighed in relief, lifted Zuo Bian off the motorcycle, and said, “Little troublemaker, do you even remember who I am? If you’re sober now, follow me. If you can’t keep up, I’m leaving you here.”
Zuo Bian immediately caught the keywords. She grabbed Qin Ai’s clothes and followed closely behind her.
After walking for a while, Qin Ai suddenly realized that she should have just ignored Zuo Bian and left. But now that the little shadow was following her again, it wouldn’t be easy to shake her off.
She must have owed Zuo Bian something in her past life and was now paying her debts.
She couldn’t take Zuo Bian with her when she was racing, so she coaxed her into sitting and watching. Thankfully, Zuo Bian was obedient. She would listen to any reasonable request and automatically ignore anything she didn’t like.
Although Zuo Bian didn’t understand much, she enjoyed watching the races. When Qin Ai won, she even jumped up and down, clapping her hands.
Qin Ai got off the motorcycle, took off her helmet, and flipped her hair, her smile carefree and confident.
“As expected of Qin Jie, none of us can beat you.”
Qin Ai smiled, seeing Zuo Bian’s joy. She instinctively patted Zuo Bian’s head. Zuo Bian, like a little animal, rubbed her head against Qin Ai’s hand, making Qin Ai freeze.
Zuo Bian wasn’t very talkative, she mostly expressed her emotions through actions. Many people thought she was slow and disliked her.
But Qin Ai found her much more endearing than those who only talked big.
“You’ve been with me for so long today, you should go home now. Your parents must be worried about you.” Qin Ai knew that this little girl responded better to gentle persuasion than harsh words.
One of her friends said in surprise, “Qin Jie, when did you become so gentle? Is this your child bride?”
“Get lost!” Qin Ai rolled her eyes at him, then turned back to Zuo Bian, her expression softening.
At that moment, Qin Ai didn’t know that Zuo Bian would actually become her wife in the future.
Zuo Bian understood Qin Ai’s words. She didn’t want her parents to worry, so she nodded.
Qin Ai took her home. For the next two weeks, every day after school, a little girl would be waiting for her at the school gate, without fail.
Her friends teased her, saying that she had captured the little girl’s heart. Qin Ai retorted, “What are you talking about? I’m not a beast, I wouldn’t do anything to a little kid.”
Only Liu Liu, sharp as ever, noticed the implication in her words. “Boss, are you saying that if she was older, you would make a move?”
Qin Ai, “embarrassed and angry,” threw thirty-eight erasers at Liu Liu’s head, giving him a bump.
Just as Qin Ai was getting used to having this little shadow by her side, Zuo Bian suddenly disappeared.
The reason was that after having bodyguards, Zuo Bian became even more isolated at school. Her parents didn’t want her to be hurt anymore, so they stopped sending her to school. Without the opportunity to go out, she naturally stopped coming to find Qin Ai.
However, Qin Ai didn’t know this. She was upset for a while, thinking that Zuo Bian had probably gotten tired of her. Then she gradually forgot about it.
Not long after Qin Ai turned eighteen, her father and grandfather died, and she had to shoulder the responsibility of running the Qin family business. This incident buried the memory of the little girl even deeper.
Until one day, many years later, the little girl, now a young woman, reappeared in her life.
She was still persistent, innocent, and clingy, only following and relying on Qin Ai.
When they first met again, Qin Ai had asked, “Why are you following me?”
Zuo Bian: “I-I… I’m new to this mall, I don’t know anyone, and you’re the only one I can rely on.”
An adult wouldn’t be unfamiliar with a mall. If they were lost, they could ask a staff member for directions. Her words sounded strange coming from an adult.
Qin Ai suddenly remembered the balloon in Zuo Bian’s hand, a memory surfacing. “You…”
“Hmm?” Zuo Bian tilted her head.
A familiar gesture. The young woman before her seemed to overlap with the innocent little girl from her past.
“You look familiar. What’s your name?” Qin Ai asked.
“Zuo Bian, my name is Zuo Bian!” Years had passed, but the girl’s smile was still bright, her innocence undimmed by time.
Her speech was much clearer now, but she still seemed a bit naive. Qin Ai frowned. “Do you remember your parents’ phone number?”
Zuo Bian shook her head. “Phone number? I don’t know.”
A moment later, her stomach growled. Zuo Bian blushed and covered her stomach. “I’m hungry.”
“Fine, I’ll take you to eat first.”
If she left her alone, Zuo Bian would probably get lost.
After taking her to her car, Qin Ai discovered that Zuo Bian was still clueless, but at least she had a phone now, that was progress.
She taught her how to answer a phone call, and Zuo Bian’s responses were hilarious:
—Qin Ai is taking a shower.
—I’m the one who’s going to sleep in her bed later.
—Don’t misunderstand, we’re just good sisters who eat and sleep together.
Qin Ai didn’t know where Zuo Bian had learned such strange phrases, but they were effective.
555, seeing that Zuo Bian had finally managed to connect with Qin Ai, sighed in relief. Their encounter was a major step forward. Karma was a cycle.
Qin Ai owed Zuo Bian her life, and she was here to repay her debt.
555 flipped through the “Destined Love” booklet. The mission number was 520.
Destined Couple: Zuo Bian and Qin Ai
Causal Relationship: Zuo Bian saved Qin Ai’s life, and Qin Ai would repay her kindness in her next life, breaking Zuo Bian’s curse of eternal solitude.
Without Qin Ai, Zuo Bian would be destined to die alone, no matter how many times she reincarnated. But good deeds were always rewarded. Zuo Bian had saved the child with her own life, planting a seed of kindness and reaping the fruit of Qin Ai’s love.
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