Chapter 31 Tin Toys

Xie Yan’s thin lips moved slightly — of course, Daidai’s “boyfriend” was him. He gently patted the top of Xue Qingdai’s head and said, “Alright. Your master seems to have disappeared. I’ll take you home.”

“And from now on, don’t bother when others try to introduce you to someone. You’re too young to be thinking about those things.”

Xue Qingdai frowned slightly. What he said sounded odd. In the village, girls her age were already getting engaged and married. She was the only exception. Her family wanted to keep her at home a few more years before letting her marry — otherwise, why else would she have come all the way to the capital to find Xie Yan? She had originally come to break off the engagement.

Suddenly, Xue Yongkang came running from the direction of the police station. He was dressed in a sharp black suit, shiny leather shoes, and his hair slicked back with gel. Beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolled down his fair forehead, and his handsome features were scrunched into a deep frown — his whole look of formality was completely ruined.

“Little Sis, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. I already let your master know.”

“Daidai, all this business nonsense I’ve got going on isn’t as important as you.”

Xie Yan’s hand was suddenly empty — she had run to her brother. He silently retracted it, watching the siblings embrace like they had just survived life and death.

Xue Qingdai was being patted on the back nonstop, like she’d been terrified out of her mind. She discreetly winked at Xie Yan. He gave a subtle nod in return, helping her keep up the act.

“Third Brother, maybe Master exaggerated. Xie Yan helped me just now — look, I’m totally fine,” she explained.

Xue Yongkang wiped his sleeve and gently tapped his sister’s nose, scolding with a loud voice that didn’t hide his concern. “You! This isn’t a place for you to mess around. When you’re home, you can throw tantrums all you want — your family’s got your back.”

He turned to Xie Yan, who’d proven dependable in a pinch. But his tone was still a bit probing: “Sorry about that, Xie Yan. Daidai can be a handful sometimes. She can’t stand seeing people she cares about being bullied — she acts on impulse.”

Xie Yan’s gaze shifted, “What are you talking about, Third Brother? I actually like that side of her. Like you said, she’s really clever.”

Calling jail time “free meals” and actually getting those people to believe it? She’d gotten lucky this time — that family was dumb as rocks. They’d split up to run, yet every single one had run back home and gotten caught.

Xie Yan still worried about Xue Qingdai’s future. But seeing how even her own brother didn’t dare say too much, he kept quiet too. Daidai needed to be handled gently.

Xue Yongkang nodded approvingly. “You really are something, Xie Yan. I have high hopes for you.”

He really did see Daidai through rose-colored glasses — actually believing she was smart. Honestly, Xue Yongkang always figured his sister had stolen his IQ while they were still in the womb. Back in the village, she always acted recklessly and bossed people around, and he was the one who had to clean up after her. But hey, the kid had potential.

“My little sister is definitely smart,” he added again, glancing at her.

“Of course I am. No need to say it twice, hmph!” Xue Qingdai huffed.

Dr. Shen Shi Chun arrived slowly. Seeing her lively little apprentice safe and sound, she finally let out a breath of relief. Soon, the senior apprentices would arrive too — both were trained fighters. Daidai wouldn’t have to protect an old lady on her own anymore.

“Little apprentice, go home with your brother today. Don’t worry — I’ll make sure you get an extra chicken drumstick.”

Xue Qingdai happily got herself a paid day off and was pulled away by her third brother for a shopping spree. The two of them rode their newly purchased Phoenix bicycle straight to the department store.

“Daidai, whatever you want — Third Brother’s treat today!”

Xue Yongkang had wanted to treat Xie Yan to a meal too, but the guy didn’t have time. The last time they had hot pot, Xie Yan had paid lightning-fast. As her older brother, he couldn’t let that slide.

“Third Brother, you look great in that suit today. You really not doing business anymore?”

She remembered his leather jacket look before too. Her brother had always been skilled in business etiquette — could talk, could adapt. Different clients, different outfits. Foreigners respected suits, so he wore one. Locals trusted leather jackets more, so he’d rush off to change accordingly. It felt like there was nothing he couldn’t handle — but then someone betrayed him.

While he helped her pick out shoes, his expression tensed. He leaned closer and whispered into her ear, “Xie Yan had someone tip me off — policy’s tightening again. I was thinking of stepping back for a few days, and then you got into trouble. I can’t even think straight now.”

“Besides, Grandpa’s never wanted me to go into business. He says self-employed people might get labeled capitalist.”

“We’ll see. Anyway, we’ve got enough money to get by.”

Though his expression stayed calm, Xue Yongkang had already dived headfirst into the uncertain and sensitive waters of the emerging market economy. He could feel that someone was watching him. Without Xie Yan’s warning, he probably would’ve lost a lot more than just money.

But he wasn’t one to back down easily. Watching foreigners eat up the market inch by inch still made his blood boil.

Xue Qingdai saw her brother still joking and laughing, even teasing her about buying a tin toy made for little kids. It seemed like nothing serious had happened.

“Good brother. I worry about you too.”

“I’ll behave and study acupuncture with Master these days. If you ever get some free time, I’ll give you more treatments — they’re really good for your health.”

Xue Yongkang had just bought a cute wind-up tin bear toy. The bear had a little camera pose, and when you wound it up, it would walk forward.

“Spare me, alright? I’m just making up for all the toys you didn’t have when you were little.”

“Kids today have so many fun toys. Back when we were kids, we could play with a dragonfly for two or three days straight.”

“As for acupuncture — Xie Yan said you can poke him however you want, he doesn’t mind the pain. Do him instead.”

“As if!” Xue Qingdai huffed. Last time she kindly tried to release some heat from Xie Yan by bloodletting with acupuncture, she almost ended up curing his infertility.

Hugging the rare wind-up bear camera toy, she walked ahead of her brother, beaming. She might not be a kid anymore, and her childhood had mostly been filled with herbs and medicine, not toys — but someone thinking of making up for the childhood she never had? That felt… wonderful.

Though she and her third brother were close in age, he’d always matured faster than her. She trusted his words deeply.

She could maybe believe that Xie Yan would let her torment him as she pleased.

The private shops were few and far between, and the prices were high, often inflated. But the two of them were experienced shoppers.

This time, Xue Qingdai picked things out first, while Xue Yongkang handled the bargaining and payment. As a businessman, he had an uncanny ability to sniff out the seller’s rock-bottom price — bargaining until only a sliver of profit remained.

Xue Qingdai could only look at her brother with admiration. She could maybe bargain twice, tops.

She was just about to pick a tie for him when she spotted Xie Wei at the counter, touching every single tie.

Before she could approach, Xue Yongkang grabbed her by the collar.

“That brat Xie Wei — I beat him into a pig’s head last time. His mouth stinks worse than our black pig at home.”

“Daidai, if you still like him, I seriously question your taste.”

“And judging from what I’ve seen, he and Xie Yan might be related. If we start trouble with Xie Wei, it’ll be hard to explain things to the Xie family.”

“But if you do still like him, I’ll just beat him up again in secret.”

Xue Qingdai: “???”