LAVW – Chapter 125 The Fake Letter Is Exposed

If it had been someone else who wasn’t that familiar with him, they might’ve been shocked that Shi Qian could understand human speech, or they would have simply thought it was a coincidence—a funny little moment.

But Expert Yuan, holding the kitten, deliberately asked, “Qian Niuhua, how about I trade this kitten for Chen Niu? I like you quite a lot.”

He even looked quite serious as he said it.

“Meow!”

The kitten—usually very well-behaved and freshly cleaned—let out a cry.

Who knew if it was protesting.

Shi Qian found it funny and walked forward to rub against Expert Yuan as well.

The kitten’s eyes widened, and it burrowed into Expert Yuan’s hands, almost squeezing into his sleeve, meowing nonstop—much livelier than before.

Even though anyone could tell it was a joke, Chen Niu still felt uncomfortable.

He bluntly cut the atmosphere: “I don’t agree.”

As he spoke, he reached out to grab Shi Qian by the neck.

Shi Qian: !

This villain is choking me again!

Shi Qian tried to smack him with his tail, swishing it back and forth.

While the man and the cow were fooling around, Expert Yuan hugged the kitten and turned to rummage through the large bookshelf.

He kept personal items on the lowest shelf, and the letters were there, so he crouched down.

“I’ll look for the letter.”

After searching, Expert Yuan shook his head regretfully. “Ah, how come I can’t find it?”

“But as long as it encouraged you, that’s what matters. Life goes on. Things will only get better.”

Chen Niu had been staring at the cow, but hearing that, he withdrew his gaze and nodded. “Right, things will get better and better. It doesn’t matter if the letter turns up or not—I know your heart.”

Many people had gathered today, and Expert Yuan was like the soul of the event. Who knew how many people had been taught, guided, encouraged, or moved by him…

Shi Qian: “Moo moo!”

Chen Niu, can you let go of me first!?

He was too strong, and his horns were big. Handsome, yes—but Shi Qian felt his own destructive power was too great and didn’t dare struggle too wildly. He couldn’t exert himself without worrying he’d hurt someone.

Seeing that Qian Niuhua was getting annoyed, Chen Niu obediently released him. Otherwise, if Qian Niuhua raised a hoof, it would be his leg that suffered.

After chatting for a bit longer, Chen Niu dragged away Qian Niuhua—who looked like he reluctantly wanted to keep playing with the kitten.

Expert Yuan teased him on the way out: “Qian Niuhua, come play with Peanut again next time!”

The newly named kitten poked its head out. “Meow!”

Shi Qian directed a stream of spiritual energy to his vocal cords, adjusted several times, and then opened his mouth:

“Meow–roar!”

Not only the kitten—even the people were stunned.

Chen Niu stared in disbelief. “Qian Niuhua, what did you just say?”

Shi Qian, who had originally wanted to meow to tease the kitten but failed:
……

He turned his head to avoid him. “Moo—moo—”

Don’t ask, don’t ask—

I won’t call out again.

Chen Niu coaxed him for a long time, but this ancestor-level Niuhua refused to cooperate, leaving him helpless. He only found the whole thing amusing and ended up telling the story to many people, which finally earned him a kick from Shi Qian.

On the way home, Shi Qian lay sprawled in the back while Chen Niu sat with him.

The weather was perfect—blue sky, white clouds overhead. The truck drove along a wide road lined with swaying waves of yellow-green rice, leaving everything behind. The feeling it gave was just right.

Shi Qian stared off into a trance. Chen Niu, meanwhile, felt his mind empty out, and then a series of memories flashed by.

From childhood up to now, scene after scene, until it froze on Qian Niuhua’s strange expression and movements when he mentioned the reply letter.

Chen Niu snapped back to himself, sat upright, and asked seriously, “Qian Niuhua, what exactly was going on with that reply letter?”

Shi Qian froze.

Why is he bringing this up again?

He blinked, feigning confusion, and tilted his head toward the opposite direction. “Moo.”

Wasn’t it the expert Yuan who wrote you the reply? Go ask him.

Chen Niu stared at him without blinking. “Be honest. I saw you back then. You even snuck off. You thought I wouldn’t notice, didn’t you?”

Some things can’t survive suspicion—once you start thinking about them, more and more cracks appear until the truth becomes certain.

Chen Niu’s gaze grew firm and sharp. Shi Qian was momentarily intimidated and felt a brief pang of guilt.

But then he thought—he hadn’t actually done anything bad—so he just nodded straightforwardly.

“Moo.”

Yeah, I did it. What about it?

“Moo.” Shi Qian nudged him.

If you’ve got something to ask, just ask.

But after getting confirmation, Chen Niu didn’t ask anything else. He only murmured, “It really was you,” then fell deep into thought.

When he received that reply, it was right after his grandmother passed away. Losing the only relative he had… even now, thinking back was still painful, let alone the overwhelming despair and helplessness he felt at the time.

But such a letter—there was no way a cow like Qian Niuhua could have written it.

Qian Niuhua must have asked someone for help.

And that helper… could only be one of his friends from Shengli Village, someone capable of producing a “fake” letter he wouldn’t doubt.

Chen Niu had read that reply many times. Even without the letter in hand, he could recall its phrases and handwriting.

He thought for a long time before lowering his head and asking, “Qian Niuhua… was it… Nanyin who wrote it? Was the letter written by her?!”

Shi Qian looked at him, hesitant to nod.

During university, Chen Niu hardly contacted Lin Nanyin—he only wrote to her once every quarter. But her replies came back fairly quickly.

After graduation and work began, the letters he sent stopped receiving answers. From Xu Guozi he only vaguely heard that Lin Nanyin was extremely busy—too busy to reply.

Shi Qian thought Chen Niu had long forgotten. After all, he hadn’t written a single letter this year.

But judging from Chen Niu’s expression now, that didn’t seem to be the case.

He recalled how, the last time someone introduced a girl to him, Chen Niu refused immediately and wouldn’t even meet her. Something stirred in Shi Qian’s mind.

Well… regardless, let him try.

Even if Lin Nanyin had already married, seeing her would probably only make Chen Niu quietly heartbroken. The old lady raised him well—he would never ruin someone else’s life.

So when Chen Niu asked again, Shi Qian finally nodded.

Chen Niu was shocked and delighted, then annoyed with himself, then sank into thought again.

Shi Qian: …

He waited a long time. Seeing Chen Niu still sitting there dumbly thinking and thinking, Shi Qian shook his head helplessly, yawned, and went to sleep.

When they got home, the first thing Chen Niu did was pull out that letter.

He compared the handwriting carefully, examining the brushstrokes, and grew even more upset.

“How did I not notice earlier…”

Shi Qian looked at him. “Moo.”

Honestly, I think whether you realized earlier or not… it doesn’t change anything.

Back then, Chen Niu chose his own path.

Would one more letter have really made him braver?

For him, it wouldn’t have been bravery—it would’ve been impulse and recklessness.

And he would never treat the girl he liked with impulse and recklessness.

Shi Qian couldn’t understand. Clearly such a rough, thick-skinned man, yet somehow so delicate and sensitive inside.

But maybe that’s just how people are—full of contradictions. Even on the same tree, no two leaves are exactly alike. How much more complex must people be?

Chen Niu felt pierced by Qian Niuhua’s gaze. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

He confessed, “I know, I’m timid. A coward. I’m afraid of this and afraid of that.”

“But there are just too many real-life problems. I’ve suffered through so much myself—I don’t want her to suffer.”

“And besides… back then she probably wouldn’t have liked me anyway.” His voice grew smaller and smaller.

Whether it was unconscious guilt or he half-knew he wasn’t speaking accurately, it was hard to tell.

Shi Qian believed it was more likely the first, so his gaze didn’t change.

He was simply looking—pure, straightforward. But Shi Qian’s eyes were so clear, it felt like one could see themselves reflected inside.

Under that gaze, Chen Niu gradually stopped feeling embarrassed.

Holding the letter, he said, “Qian Niuhua, I’m asking you seriously. Brother Wang said there will be a commendation conference in Beijing. I’ll tell him later that I’m going, and I’ll take you with me to have fun.”

“But getting you a ticket is troublesome, so… can you help me with something?”

Shi Qian knew he had an idea brewing and asked, “Moo?”

What do you want me to do?

Chen Niu continued, “If we meet her… help me smooth things over, okay?”

Shi Qian shook his head and wrote to him—Cows don’t do that.

He wasn’t refusing to help—Shi Qian really didn’t know how. He had zero experience with romance.

Besides, even if he managed to coax Lin Nanyin into being happy, that credit would belong to him. A “wingman” could only influence a relationship so much.

After spending so long together, One Person and One Cow didn’t even need Shi Qian to speak. Chen Niu already knew this wasn’t something Shi Qian could honestly say—he simply didn’t understand dating.

But for a “child” like him, how could he possibly understand! And Chen Niu didn’t need that kind of help anyway.

Chen Niu said, “You don’t need to know anything. Just lend a little help when the time comes!”

“Whether it works or not, I’ll make you a little golden cow later. I’ll make it exactly according to your appearance. How about that?”

After the reform and opening up, the decisive Xu Guozi had rushed out to do business. Chen Niu had money and invested quite a lot at the time. Now that everything was counted, Chen Niu was definitely one of the first wealthy people.

He had money and wasn’t stingy. Just last year Shi Qian had received a little golden cow. But Shi Qian disliked that it wasn’t good-looking enough, insisting it wasn’t as handsome as he was.

With a small golden cow dangling in front of him, Shi Qian was shamefully tempted.

Thinking about a golden cow modeled after himself, and trusting Chen Niu’s high credibility, he hesitantly stated his conditions: “Moo moo.”

If you get heartbroken later, don’t blame me.

Chen Niu rubbed his head. “Little Ancestor, if she’s still single and I actually have a chance, then help me out, okay?”

Hearing that, Shi Qian knew their mind-reading link failed this time.

He lifted his hoof and directly wrote—“How to help?”

Once again, Chen Niu felt certain—calling him “Little Ancestor” worked every time.

“If she doesn’t want to see me, you coax her first. You’re very likable, so it won’t be hard. Just act like you normally do.”

“If she has a boyfriend or a family already, you can say you miss her. That way she won’t feel awkward, and no one else will overthink it.”

Lin Nanyin often mentioned Shi Qian in her letters. Back in their senior year, she even mailed Shi Qian a scarf.

Shi Qian nodded.

Thought-out thoroughly. No problem.

Being a shield—this he could do.

“Then it’s settled. I’ll call Brother Wang.”

After securing Shi Qian’s agreement, Chen Niu immediately turned around and called Wang Anlei, saying he wanted to attend the commendation ceremony.

On the other end, Wang Anlei was puzzled. “Weren’t you saying you weren’t going? Too far, too much trouble—why the sudden change?”

“Qian Niuhua wants to go too,” Chen Niu provided a reasonable excuse.

“You only ever think about that cow. People will start mistaking you for a full-time cattle keeper. And those who don’t know better will think you’re following Wang Si’an’s career path. You should just move to the prairie at this point.”

Chen Niu said, “Qian Niuhua is right beside me.”

“Uh… You should’ve said so earlier! I’ll see if I can get tickets for you two, but you’re paying the extra cost.”

Then he raised his voice. “Qian Niuhua, Uncle Wang was teasing Chen Niu just now. I’m going to Beijing too, so I’ll take you to see the great wall when we get there!”

Chen Niu: “Thanks, Brother Wang. I’m hanging up.”

“Damn you, brat—”

Wang Anlei’s voice cut off midway.

Shi Qian looked up to see Chen Niu laughing.

But once they got onto the train headed for Beijing, Chen Niu could no longer smile. He was so nervous it was like he’d forgotten to bring his brain along.