QTIMP -Chapter 16 Character Persona – Greedy (Part 16)

Si Qiu didn’t know what he was thinking. If she had, she would’ve rolled her eyes at him and snapped back, “I don’t need your approval.”

“It’s getting late. We should head back. Xiaoxue, if you’re free sometime, come over and hang out with me.”

Before Li Qingxue could reply, Xing Huaien spoke up first. “I—I’ll go with Company Commander Feng to see you back. It’s late, and it’s not safe for two girls to walk alone.”

“Alright, that makes me feel more at ease. Sorry to trouble you both,” Li Qingxue said.

She could tell Si Qiu disliked Feng Fan, but Xing Huaien was right—the sky was already dark. They also lived quite far from here, so it would be safer to have them escorted back.

Si Qiu understood what she meant and simply nodded without saying anything. If they chatted any longer, they would miss the last bus.

But when they stepped outside, they realized that the three men had each brought a bicycle. Li Qingxue rode with her second brother, while the two girls naturally had to ride on the other two bikes.

Si Qiu truly found the Feng family irritating, so she immediately sat on the back of Xing Huaien’s bicycle. Feng Fan was just about to say something when Qiao Shengnan hopped onto the back of his bike instead.

“Let’s go quickly. It’s really getting late. If I’m home too late, my dad will start worrying,” she urged.

Hearing the urging—and seeing that Xing Huaien had already started pedaling away—Feng Fan didn’t say anything more and began riding to catch up.

It didn’t take long for him to pull alongside them. Feng Fan deliberately positioned himself on the left, trying to talk to Si Qiu.

“Xiao Qiu, don’t stay out this late in the future. If you’re craving something, just tell your second brother ahead of time and have him buy it for you after work. Like your little friend today—if some reckless kid hadn’t rushed over to help, she might’ve been badly frightened. I’m your real elder brother. How could I possibly harm you?”

If he hadn’t added that last sentence, Si Qiu might have listened. She wasn’t someone who refused advice outright. But that final line triggered her rebellious streak.

Without giving him any face, she shot back, “The ones who’ve left me alone and helpless right now are my real father, my real mother, my real brother, and my real sister. So don’t talk to me about family bonds. If you truly have that awareness, then stay far away from me. At the very least, that would benefit my physical and mental health.”

Feng Fan felt both angry and hurt at her words. But thinking about how the family had indeed wronged their youngest sister, he swallowed all those emotions.

Xing Huaien, however, raised an eyebrow slightly.

Sensing the tension, Qiao Shengnan quickly changed the subject. “Brother Qiu, you said earlier that Li Qingxue was saved by some guy. Who was he?”

“That kid was tall and skinny. I think his name was Qin Bei. Looked well-behaved enough, but he was pretty ruthless when he made a move.”

“Qin Bei? Does he have hair falling over his brows and eyes, and a dimple when he smiles?” As soon as Feng Fan mentioned the name, Si Qiu immediately pictured the somewhat familiar-looking boy.

Xing Huaien instinctively tensed up. “What, you know him?”

Si Qiu didn’t notice and answered casually, “He’s from the neighborhood under my jurisdiction. I’ve handled matters involving his family before.”

“You handled it? What happened in his family?” Qiao Shengnan leaned forward slightly, catching the scent of gossip.

Feng Fan’s body unconsciously tightened as he pedaled harder. Before Si Qiu could even respond, the bicycle suddenly surged forward, putting some distance between them.

Si Qiu froze mid-sentence, then her eyes flared with anger. “He did that on purpose, didn’t he? I told you—there isn’t a single decent person in the Feng family. They just can’t stand to see me doing well.”

Feeling her anger, Xing Huaien glanced at the bike speeding ahead—and pressed harder on his own pedals as well.

Qiao Shengnan, who was sitting on the back seat, finally reacted after a moment. Without holding back, she slapped Feng Fan hard on the back.

“Are you crazy? I was chatting with Qiuqiu! Why are you riding so fast? If you don’t like her, then just stay away from her in the future. There’s no need to stir up trouble like this.”

Feng Fan felt utterly wronged. He hadn’t even had the chance to scold the girl behind him for being so reckless and making him lose his composure. His little sister was no pushover—she was probably cursing him right now!

He hadn’t expected this fierce girl behind him to smack him without mercy and then blame him on top of it.

Before he could argue back, Xing Huai’en had already pedaled up beside him.

“Feng Fan, are you picking a fight?”

Feng Fan endured the burning pain on his back and gritted his teeth. “There was a pothole just now. I thought I’d use a bit more force to get past it. Didn’t expect I’d overdo it.”

“Hmph!” Si Qiu snorted coldly, clearly meaning, Do you think I’d believe that?

Feng Fan couldn’t very well explain himself. When he turned his head and saw Xing Huai’en catching up, he shot him a look, hoping he’d help clarify things.

But Xing Huai’en met his eyes briefly, then turned his head forward again, putting on a perfectly serious “I’m just riding my bike and know nothing” expression.

Feng Fan felt that if it weren’t for all those years of organizational discipline, he would’ve long since thrown in the towel and fallen out with them. As it was, he could only keep his head down and continue riding.

Well, not entirely head down—he still had to maintain speed and distance. After all, the two girls on the back seats were chatting animatedly.

Unlike other girls, though, they weren’t talking about clothes or romance. They were talking about food—either dishes or ingredients—and from cooking methods to plating, then to texture and aroma. Even though he’d eaten his fill earlier, somehow he began to feel hungry again.

But he didn’t dare interrupt anymore. He had a feeling that every time he opened his mouth, something would go wrong.

He did exchange a sentence or two with Xing Huai’en now and then, but with outsiders present, they kept it brief and to the point.

It wasn’t until they had safely delivered the two girls home before dark that the two men finally found a place to calmly arrange their next steps.

By the time Feng Fan returned home, it was already very late. He assumed everyone would be asleep. Unexpectedly, when he turned on the light, the third sibling was sitting at the table that served as both living room and dining area.

“It’s this late. Why aren’t you asleep?”

Feng Yu was still somewhat afraid of her eldest brother. She swallowed nervously before speaking. “Big Brother, did you go out to eat with friends?”

Feng Fan took off his coat and hung it up. At her question, his thoughts instantly began racing. “Mm.”

On the surface, he seemed to be tidying his clothes, but out of the corner of his eye, he was watching his sister’s expression.

Feng Yu clenched her fists. “Was it with your comrades-in-arms?”

Feng Fan spun around sharply, his gaze suddenly fierce. “Why are you asking about that?”

Feng Yu’s face turned pale in an instant. She knew her eldest brother had grown suspicious.

Based on her memories from her previous life, this time when her brother returned, it was to carry out an important mission. That man had come to assist with it. She’d only been asking to find out information about him. It was just today that she remembered—it seemed to be around this time that the Fourth Sister had met that man.

She had tried to beat around the bush to get her eldest brother to take her along, but he had refused. In the afternoon, she had even gone to wait in the alley he would have to pass through on his way back, but she hadn’t run into him.

Now, under her brother’s suspicion, she felt like she was on the verge of breaking down.