QTIMP -Chapter 283 Character Persona – Violent (Part 11)

The woman shouted loudly, tapping the cage with a wooden stick. “What do you mean extortion? You’re slandering us. Everything is clearly priced. If you don’t want to buy, why are you asking? If you ask and waste my time, you have to buy it.”

Behind her, a burly, vicious-looking man waved a knife and said, “Little girl, don’t go looking for trouble. Hurry up and pay.”

Si Qiu pulled Jiang Siyue, whose hands were ice-cold from fear, and in a flash snatched the wooden stick from the woman’s hand. She immediately hurled it toward the man’s wrist.

The wooden stick spun twice and struck his wrist. The cleaver fell with a clang. Si Qiu twisted her waist, lightly kicked the falling knife upward, flipping it twice before catching it in her hand.

In the next instant, she turned her body; the cleaver brushed past the woman’s right hair bun and then past the man’s left hair bun.

It stabbed into a water bucket, and water gushed out through the slit, spilling everywhere.

“Yueyue. Why bother arguing with people like this? If they don’t understand human language, then beat them once. If they still don’t understand, beat them again. Eventually, they’ll understand.”

No one had expected that someone who looked so gentle and fragile, with eyes always like a pool of soft spring water, could disarm a man so cleanly and decisively.

Si Qiu tapped the cage with the cleaver. “So? Do you understand now?”

Her voice was as gentle as water, yet it sounded like a demon in the ears of the couple, who had just had their hair sliced by the blade’s cold edge. They almost couldn’t stay on their feet.

After a long moment, they finally found their voices. “W-we understand.”

“I’ve always believed that if you can solve something with action, don’t waste time talking. You’d better listen carefully, or I don’t mind showing you what I can do.”

After that, she hummed a little tune and led Jiang Siyue to the next stall, where they smoothly bought two pigeons at a reasonable price.

The shopkeeper cleaned them neatly for them, and then they went to a traditional medicine shop to buy some red dates, Codonopsis, astragalus, and goji berries. Back at the guesthouse, they spent three mao to borrow a stove and started stewing pigeon soup.

Jiang Siyue was like a little fangirl, busy by the stove while constantly expressing admiration.

Si Qiu’s mood brightened even more. Who could refuse such enthusiastic praise from a sweet girl? Especially when that sweet girl also cooked so well.

Not to mention the pigeon soup—just the two dishes she stir-fried were enough to make Si Qiu eat an extra bowl of rice just from the aroma alone.

Normally she ate two bowls, but this time she even had an extra half bowl. And she still received admiring looks from the other girl for that.

How could she not be in a good mood?

After finishing the meal, she went back to the room and changed into a cheongsam. When she went to deliver the pigeon soup, seeing Ye Shubai’s strikingly beautiful face, Si Qiu even felt that he was somewhat pleasing to the eye.

Especially his inadvertently exposed collarbone, his pale face contrasted with those vividly red lips. His frame looked a bit thin—she wondered if he even had abs.

If Ye Shubai knew what she was thinking, he would probably say: just ask—if you dare ask, I dare to show you.

“This is pigeon soup, steamed buns, and some side dishes. I forgot to ask if you have any dietary restrictions.”

Ye Shubai snapped back to reality and quickly replied.

“I don’t. Whatever you bring, I’ll eat. I’m very easy to take care of, no particular preferences.”

After Si Qiu put on the cheongsam, her entire demeanor gained a certain elegance and charm. It made Ye Shubai’s blood rush straight to his face, and he finally managed to recover from her question.

Si Qiu paused at his form of address, then looked him over again, confirming that this man clearly had ulterior motives toward her.

But… was he a bit weak? Always looking sickly and fragile. Still, if she made him cry, would that be more interesting?

Forget it. There was still something to deal with. She’d think about it after finishing that.

“Alright then, I’ll feed you.”

Two days later, the information provided about Si Qiu had been fully verified. Even the small red mole behind her ear was specifically checked. It was confirmed that she was indeed the same person, with no suspicious points.

In fact, Si Qiu could have already left, but Zhao Xianfeng used the excuse that the communication equipment had malfunctioned due to the weather, so she would need to stay a few more days.

However, he did give her an envelope—inside was 300,000 yuan.

Si Qiu accepted it without any burden at all.

The money was given by Ye Shubai. He had originally prepared 5 million, but was lectured by Zhao Xianfeng.

“She’s a good girl. How could she accept so much money for no reason? You’re practically scaring her away on purpose.”

In the end, they compromised and put in 300,000 yuan instead.

Zhao Xianfeng didn’t dare tell Ye Shubai about Si Qiu’s exact situation. He was afraid she might be the kind of person who clung stubbornly to principles—only recognizing her arranged fiancé.

If he said too much now, it would give Ye Shubai false hope. And if he was disappointed later, who knew what that kid might do.

Sighing, Zhao Xianfeng rubbed his head. Even when he called Old Ye, the man only sighed repeatedly—no trace of a proper father at all.

Si Qiu took the 300,000 yuan and bought a pair of round-toe leather shoes. Wearing them, she went straight to the hospital and deliberately brought them up with Jiang Siyue.

“There was actually another pair of white ones that looked very nice too, but this pair only cost 285,000 yuan.”

Jiang Siyue nodded. “Yeah, they really are expensive. But the white pair would match that moon-white cheongsam you bought earlier.”

“When the weather gets a bit warmer, it’ll look beautiful. It would be a pity not to buy them.”

After the two of them left, Ye Shubai immediately called over the soldier assigned to take care of them.

He handed over money. “Go to the shoe shop opposite the old foreign trading company and buy the white pair of round-toe strap shoes there.”

The soldier took the money and stared at it blankly for a moment. “White… round-toe… strap leather shoes?”

“Yes.”

Confused, the soldier left—but returned not long after.

Seeing his empty hands, Ye Shubai frowned slightly. “Where are the shoes?”

The soldier scratched his head awkwardly. “Uh… I forgot to ask what size they were.”

Jiang Siming, standing nearby, burst out laughing.

“Shubai, you’re too anxious. Serves you right this time, huh?”

But Ye Shubai gave no response. He simply said calmly, “Size 37.”

The soldier quickly came to his senses and hurried off again.

Now it was Jiang Siming’s turn to be stunned. “Wait… how do you know that?”

Ever since meeting Si Qiu, he and Shubai had never been alone with her. When did he ever find out her shoe size?

Ye Shubai smiled faintly. Could he say his eyes were a ruler? Especially when it came to Si Qiu’s feet—he had measured them countless times with his eyes.

The shoes were soon brought back, beautifully packaged. The white soft leather with a black rubber sole made his heart drift into imagination just holding them.

He carefully wiped off any marks on the shoe surface, placed them back into the box, and stored it under the bed. Then, thinking it still wasn’t right, he took it out again, wiped the box clean, and finally placed it beside the pillow on the inner side.