QTIMP -Chapter 36 Character Persona – Greedy (Part 36)

This man was even more calculating than Si Qiu had imagined—very forward-thinking.

“You should keep that money yourself.”

Si Qiu closed the box and pushed it back.

Qin Bei picked it up and placed it into her arms again. “I brought back a batch of dried seafood this time. In a couple of days, I’ll be able to trade it all for cash. That should be enough.”

Afraid she might misunderstand, he hurriedly added, “Of course, if there’s money left over, I’ll keep handing it to you.”

Si Qiu nodded, approving of what he’d done.

“Alright. Even if I don’t necessarily spend your money, the fact that you’re willing to put it with me is an attitude. I’m very satisfied with what you did—it makes me feel secure in our relationship.”

Receiving her affirmation, praise, and approval, Qin Bei could no longer suppress the smile on his face. The dimple on one side sank deeply.

His crew cut had originally made him look a little fierce, but in that instant, he seemed almost boyishly sweet.

Si Qiu didn’t hold herself back—she stepped forward and pinched his cheek.

Qin Bei’s smile grew even brighter. He resolved that in the future he would earn lots and lots of money and hand it all over to Qiuqiu.

Seeing that it was getting late, he hurried to take her to work. Si Qiu hadn’t wanted him to escort her, but the moment she said so, he immediately put on a pitiful expression.

Left with no choice, she let him send her. When they reached the entrance of the neighborhood committee office, the boy even greeted the old gatekeeper and offered him a cigarette. Under the old man’s knowing, ambiguous gaze, he shyly admitted that the two of them were dating.

Only then did Si Qiu understand—he had come to declare his sovereignty.

And gossip traveled fastest of all, especially in their workplace.

Very soon, Xiao Ling from the Public Security Bureau across the street ran over. She leaned across Si Qiu’s desk and whispered, “I heard you’re seeing someone! What does he do? How old is he? Is he good-looking? Oh, I came to work early today, but by the time I went out, your boyfriend had already left. I didn’t even get to see him.”

Si Qiu sighed. “You know him too. He’s Qin Bei, the fourth son of the Qin family in Courtyard No. 7. As for the rest, you can judge for yourself.”

Since they had confirmed their relationship, it was better to make it known. It would also ward off those overzealous admirers.

Like Zhang Ying—Sister Zhang—who had originally wanted to introduce Si Qiu to her younger brother-in-law. After all, he now had a job too, even if it was only temporary.

And didn’t Si Qiu also have a job? Sure, the girl spent money freely and probably didn’t have much savings, but she owned a house. After marriage, they could move out immediately.

Besides, she was on her own with no powerful backing, so there wouldn’t be much need for a bride price.

Who would’ve thought that such good conditions would be snapped up first?

So when she heard the two young women talking, she chimed in, “The Qin family? I remember handling that issue with the Qin family’s eldest daughter-in-law before. That’s not exactly a peaceful household. Xiao Qiu, you’re still young and don’t understand. When choosing a partner, you can’t just look at appearance. With so many family troubles, you’ll have endless headaches after marriage!”

Si Qiu nodded along in agreement. “Isn’t that right? Sister Zhang is absolutely correct. I’ve already told Qin Bei the requirements I have for a partner.

First, he must be of a suitable age and have a proper job. After all, one person earning to support a household and two people earning together are completely different things.

Second, he must have his own house, plus the ‘three rounds and one sound,’ and the ‘thirty-six legs.’ That way, even if his family is troublesome, moving out will reduce more than half the problems.

Third, the bride price must be at least 200 yuan. After marriage, as long as he’s at home, he must take full responsibility for housework. Since we’d both be earning money, there’s no need for that ‘man works outside, woman works inside’ nonsense.”

At her words, everyone else froze. Only Sister Zhang stammered, “The… the Qin boy agreed to all those conditions?”

“Of course. If he hadn’t agreed, I wouldn’t have accepted dating him. Besides, he’s not at a loss either—I’ll be bringing a generous dowry.”

Si Qiu said it as though she were discussing something trivial. Director Li, however, patted her shoulder. “Good. Since you have a partner, handle the relationship well. If anything comes up in the future, come to me. By the way, are you saying that boy has found a job?”

“Yes. He works in the transportation team.”

“Not bad. The young man has a promising future.” With that, Director Li turned and went back to her office.

After that, whenever Qin Bei wasn’t out on a transport run, he delivered her meals three times a day. No one knew where he sourced the ingredients or the chef, but the dishes were different every single day.

It was precisely because of his actions that Si Qiu silently praised her earlier decision to agree to be his girlfriend.

Three days later, Qin Bei even rode over on a brand-new bicycle. Seeing Si Qiu’s expression, he quickly explained, “I gave that batch of goods to a brother of mine. I saw he had a bicycle coupon, so I traded for it.”

The more he spoke, the softer his voice became—not because he was afraid others would hear, but because he felt he hadn’t discussed it with her in advance.

Si Qiu wasn’t as angry as he had imagined. Instead, she asked, “Do you still have money left to repair the house?”

Qin Bei froze. Then he rubbed the ground with his foot. “There’s a little left, but it might not be enough. It’s fine—I’m about to go out on another transport run soon. I’ll bring back more goods to make up for it.”

He felt even more that he had made a mistake.

Seeing him like this, Si Qiu pretended to take out a stack of cash from her bag. “Here’s 200 yuan. Take it and get what needs to be bought. If you come across coupons for a sewing machine, a radio, or a watch, buy those too. If the money isn’t enough, come ask me. If we’re getting married, the ‘three rounds and one sound’ and ‘thirty-six legs’ are the basics. These things all need to be prepared.”

There was a watch in her storage space, but she tried not to use items from there. Things from this world couldn’t be taken to the next one—but items issued from her space could.

The moment Qin Bei heard her words, his smile bloomed again. Qiuqiu hadn’t blamed him. She was even preparing for their future marriage. The thought filled him with motivation.

“Qiuqiu, when I’m not out on runs, I’ll take you to and from work. When I’m away, you can ride the bike yourself. As for the other things you mentioned, I’ll keep an eye out.”