Chapter 8: Foolish and Malicious

Qin Mian’s gaze shifted toward Li Luo. Han Qiuyu thought he was looking at her instead, and in that instant her heart thumped wildly. She lowered her head shyly, biting her lip as if embarrassed.

Li Luo caught her expression and sneered inwardly. Now you’re acting all wronged? She couldn’t resist letting out a laugh.
“Playing the victim, are we? Late at night, knowing I wasn’t home, you just happened to run straight into a man’s room?”

The unspoken meaning: your intentions are impure.

Still, it also proved that Li Luo had misunderstood Qin Mian before. Otherwise, why would he repeatedly question Han Qiuyu in front of everyone, clearly siding with her?

This man isn’t bad at all. He sees things clearly!

Han Qiuyu’s mother frowned. “What a petty girl you are! We’ve lived in this courtyard with Xiao Qin for four years. He’s practically watched Qiuyu grow up, and she’s always treated him like an older brother. She felt wronged by you and came to complain—what’s so shameful about that? Yet you twist it like she’s doing something indecent!”

Instead of admitting Han Qiuyu’s faults, she scolded Li Luo for being narrow-minded, for always assuming the worst.

Li Luo shot back, “So being a so-called big brother gives her the right to waltz into his room at night? What if he wasn’t dressed? What if someone walked in and misunderstood? She’s an adult—didn’t she think of the consequences? I don’t get it. And you said she’s been wronged by me? Then who’s been saying I stink all the time? Who soaked the clothes I hung under the eaves? And who keeps messing with my stove’s vent?” Li Luo put her hands on her hips and advanced on Han Qiuyu step by step.

Han Qiuyu faltered. “W-What are you implying? It… it wasn’t me!”

“You know very well what I mean!”

Han’s mother tried to defend her daughter. “Well, you did smell a bit off a few days ago. What’s wrong with saying the truth?”

Li Luo’s lips curled. “So you’re not deaf after all. Faced with all my questions, you chose to answer only one? Playing dumb on purpose, aren’t you?”

Han’s mother: “…”

“Enough, let’s go home. We still have work tomorrow. Don’t make a scene and embarrass us.” Han’s father was fed up, leaving first.

Han’s mother and Han Qiuyu, having gained nothing, followed right after.

The neighbors began dispersing as well. Aunt Liu, trying to play peacemaker, said, “Qiuyu’s just a little childish. You’re older than her, don’t stoop to her level.”

“I’ve heard of elders bullying the young, but not of people using their youth as an excuse to bully others! And besides, I’m not older than her—I was born in 1962. I only look older because I’m fat. Once I slim down, I’ll look younger than her. Then what? Do I get to bully people for being younger too?” Li Luo was furious.

Aunt Liu paused. “…So you’re only eighteen? Calm down, we’re all neighbors. We see each other every day—things will get awkward if you keep fighting.”

“Alright, Aunt Liu, no need to persuade me. I’m going to sleep now. If anyone has something to say, let’s talk tomorrow.” Li Luo sent her off, closed the door, and switched off the light.

Qin Mian said, “You argue so well—why didn’t you defend yourself when Han Qiuyu picked on you earlier?”

Li Luo stayed quiet. Am I supposed to tell him I thought the two of you were having an affair, so I let her off? She shifted her expression and said instead, “The truth is, I did have a terrible odor before. Every time I sweated, black stuff came out—it stank like rot. Felt like some kind of toxin that made my skin dark.”

“Never heard of such a thing. As long as you’re not sick, it’s fine,” Qin Mian replied.

Li Luo rolled her eyes inwardly. Wow, thanks for nothing. And you call yourself a coroner? No wonder you got assigned to this backwater after graduation—must be lousy at your job.

She washed up, hung her clothes to dry, and went to bed.

At five in the morning, she rose on time to exercise. Since there was a man in the house, she didn’t run far—just two laps around nearby streets. On the way back, she bought breakfast.

Qin Mian looked at her, then at the food: one pork bun, one vegetable bun, a fried dough stick, and a bowl of pumpkin porridge.

It was the first time anyone had bought him breakfast.

Maybe marriage isn’t so bad after all. He could eat without cooking for himself. His wife might be fat, but she was diligent, thrifty, and clearly knew how to live. His mood lifted.
“You’re not eating? Won’t you get hungry?”

“I’ll boil some eggs later. Sure, being hungry is uncomfortable, but being called fat is worse than death,” Li Luo said bluntly. Being fat wasn’t just unhealthy—she couldn’t even find decent clothes. If she wanted to wear a pretty dress that actually fit, she had to lose weight.

After Qin Mian left, Li Luo cleaned up, cooked two small greens with a pinch of salt, then worked out at home.

When she got too tired to jump, she leaned against the bedframe, catching her breath. Then she sat at the desk, absentmindedly pulled open the drawer, and found the book where she hid her money.

Inside was twenty yuan more.

Did he give this as living expenses?

Quite generous—dropping twenty yuan just like that, and quietly too.

Given local prices, two people didn’t even need ten yuan a month to eat. The rest was basically her private savings. Later, if small business became legal, she could use it as startup capital.

She tucked the money away carefully, ready to resume exercising.

But outside the window, Han Qiuyu’s figure appeared.

The girl looked around furtively, then glanced toward the window like a thief. Just as she did, her eyes met Li Luo’s. Startled, she stepped back before knocking on the door.

“What is it? Come to apologize?” Li Luo asked bluntly as she opened it.

Han Qiuyu said, “You once said if someone gave you five hundred yuan, you’d divorce Brother Qin. Does that still count?”

Li Luo snorted. “I only said that casually. You actually believed me?”

Back then, she’d misunderstood Qin Mian and Han Qiuyu, so she’d thought about taking money and leaving. But now she realized she’d be better off living with him.

At least he fulfilled his role as a husband.

He gave her money.

Handsome and responsible—why would she leave him?

Only a fool would!

“You—you did it on purpose!” Han Qiuyu gritted her teeth.

“Even if I agreed, could you afford it?”

Han Qiuyu froze. Five hundred yuan was an impossible sum. She didn’t even have a job. Still, her eyes flickered with calculation. “I’ll gather the money. But I want us to sign a contract. You have to promise that once you get the money, you’ll leave.”

Li Luo stared at her. A contract? Does she think I’m an idiot?

If Qin Mian saw it, wouldn’t he explode? Would the Qin family let her off? Not a chance.

This girl isn’t just dumb—she’s malicious.

“Go cool off somewhere else.” Li Luo shut the door in her face.

Han Qiuyu stomped her foot outside. “Liar! You’ll regret this!”

Li Luo ignored her, focusing on her workout chants.

By evening, she timed things so dinner was ready as Qin Mian came home.

She said, “Dinner’s on the table. Just leave the dishes—I’ll clean them later.” Then she got ready for her nightly run.

“Where do you run at night? I’ll go with you,” Qin Mian said.

Li Luo considered, then nodded. “Alright.” She stepped under the eaves and started doing warm-up exercises, her plump body moving with determination.

Aunt Liu teased, “Trying to slim down so you can give Xiao Qin a baby, eh?”

Li Luo: “…” Lose weight just to have kids? She forced a smile and played along. “That’s right. My father-in-law is getting on in years, eager for a grandchild. He even had my fortune read—says I can give the Qin family ten fat grandsons.”

Qin Mian: “…”