4

The words Qin Ruan had intended to say circled in her throat, but just as she was about to speak, they faded away under Wen Yixin's curious gaze.

She pressed her tongue lightly against the roof of her mouth, swallowing back the words she had almost uttered, and instead awkwardly said, "It's nothing."

"Really?" Wen Yixin cast a few doubtful glances at Qin Ruan.

Fearing that Wen Yixin might see through her, Qin Ruan dared not continue looking at her. She merely lowered her head and took another bite of her nectarine, mumbling, "Really."

"Alright." Wen Yixin wasn't entirely convinced but knew that Qin Ruan wouldn't say more.

Since Qin Ruan wasn't willing to speak, Wen Yixin didn't press the issue, letting the topic drop silently.

She looked at Qin Ruan, who was silently gnawing on her nectarine after their conversation ended, and fell into a brief silence.

She wondered if there was a hole in the ground right now, would Qin Ruan want to crawl into it?

The thought amused Wen Yixin, and she couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.

Qin Ruan, drawn by the sound of her laughter, looked up at Wen Yixin, only to be caught in the act.

Embarrassed, she wanted to say something to explain herself but found herself at a loss for words.

Wen Yixin, finding Qin Ruan's behavior amusing, said, "I've noticed something."

Qin Ruan's heart fluttered nervously, "Wh-what is it?"

"There's a saying that beauties look even more beautiful under the light," Wen Yixin began, pausing deliberately. She looked at the nervous Qin Ruan, smiling as she asked, "Do you think I look better at night since you keep stealing glances at me?"

Qin Ruan was stunned.

She stammered, "Y-yes."

Wen Yixin's smile widened.

She looked at Qin Ruan, her eyes full of amusement, "If you think I'm that pretty, you don't have to steal glances. You can look at me directly; it's much more satisfying, don't you think?"

"Besides, I wouldn't mind."

Qin Ruan was left speechless.

She was so taken aback by Wen Yixin's words that it took her a moment to recover. It wasn't until Wen Yixin playfully tapped her forehead with a finger that she snapped back to reality.

She stared at Wen Yixin, still smiling, and hesitantly asked, "You... really don't mind?"

In her experience, if anyone noticed they were being stared at, they would be at least a little bothered. But Wen Yixin... her response was different from what Qin Ruan expected, and the difference lay in...

"If it's you, I don't mind."

Wen Yixin said it slowly, with sincerity. In her eyes, Qin Ruan was just a little sister, and her admiration was purely an appreciation of her appearance, so Wen Yixin didn't feel any discomfort.

While Wen Yixin might not mind, she didn't realize how much her words stirred Qin Ruan's heart.

Qin Ruan didn't know how much effort it took to keep herself from showing any abnormal reaction in front of Wen Yixin.

"I understand."

"Good." Wen Yixin smiled and patted her soft hair. Then she stretched her arms lazily and said, "I'm going to take a shower now. After that, it'll be about time to go to bed."

"You can stay here and watch TV, or head back to your room to rest, whichever you prefer."

Qin Ruan's scalp tingled slightly where Wen Yixin had touched it. The warmth and softness from Wen Yixin's hand lingered, making her feel at ease.

At this point, Qin Ruan had no interest in watching TV. Not only was she uninterested, but her emotions were also unsettled.

She steadied herself and said softly, "You go take your shower; I'll go back to my room to rest."

"Alright." Wen Yixin smiled, playfully ruffling her soft hair again, "Don't stay up too late playing with your phone. Get some good sleep, or you might not wake up in time tomorrow."

Qin Ruan's ears gradually turned pink, and she responded shyly, "I never stay up late, so I'll be up on time."

Wen Yixin looked surprised, "That's so good of you!"

"In that case, I'm not worried."

Qin Ruan nodded slowly. Then, remembering that Wen Yixin had mentioned she would be teaching her sister tomorrow, she couldn't help but ask, "Miss Wen, will you be teaching my sister for a long time?"

If that were the case, she would be able to see Miss Wen frequently!

Wen Yixin thought for a moment and then shook her head, "Probably not."

"Ah?" Qin Ruan was taken aback.

Wen Yixin smiled softly, "You'll understand tomorrow."

"As for the rest, don't worry too much. Go rest now."

Qin Ruan pressed her lips together, "Alright."

The next morning.

Before heading out, Wen Yixin thought about what might happen when they visited the Qin family and decided to retrieve something from her safe to put in her handbag. Once everything was ready, she and Qin Ruan left.

At 9:00 a.m., when Wen Yixin and Qin Ruan arrived at the Qin household and met the matriarch, Mrs. Qin, Wen Yixin couldn't help but study her for a moment.

Mrs. Qin had a pair of classic phoenix eyes, the corners of which tilted slightly upward, giving her a naturally alluring look. Unfortunately, her high cheekbones and slightly protruding cheekbones made her face look quite gaunt, giving her an unapproachable air.

Mrs. Qin sat in the main seat of the living room. After glancing briefly at Qin Ruan, she quickly turned away with a look of disdain. She then turned her attention to Wen Yixin, with a faint smile that appeared friendly, but her eyes betrayed a haughty arrogance.

"Miss Wen, have you had breakfast? If not, I can have the maid prepare something for you."

"Thank you, I've already eaten." Wen Yixin smiled back, her fingers subtly moving to the clasp of her handbag, preparing to open it when Mrs. Qin's voice, filled with displeasure, interrupted.

"Qin Ruan, why are you still standing there? Go get Miss Wen a glass of water."

"And once you've done that, go downstairs. Stop being a nuisance."

Although Mrs. Qin's harsh tone wasn't directed at her, it was enough to spark a flicker of displeasure in Wen Yixin.

After spending a day with Qin Ruan, Wen Yixin had come to see her as a very well-behaved little sister, to the point where she could hardly bear to raise her voice when speaking to her.

But the person she didn't want to scold was being treated so poorly. Thinking of the injury on Qin Ruan's face, Wen Yixin's opinion of Mrs. Qin plummeted.

With a calm expression, Wen Yixin spoke slowly, "No need for that."

"Mrs. Qin, the reason I came today is to clarify something with you."

Mrs. Qin quickly shifted her focus to Wen Yixin, "What is it?"

Wen Yixin spoke evenly, "I'm here today to resign as your daughter's dance teacher. As for the deposit you paid me earlier, I'll be compensating you double, or even triple, as a penalty for breaching the contract."

After stating her purpose calmly, Wen Yixin opened her handbag, took out a check and a pen, wrote down an amount, and handed the check to Mrs. Qin.

"You can take a look. The amount I've written should be satisfactory."

Mrs. Qin took the check and, upon seeing the amount, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.

It was a whopping 600,000 yuan.

She had only paid Wen Yixin a deposit of 200,000 yuan.

Mrs. Qin knew that Wen Yixin was highly regarded in the world of classical dance, and getting her as a private instructor was no small feat. It required both good fortune and financial means.

Why? Because besides being a renowned dancer, there were also rumors within the circle that Wen Yixin came from a very influential background, and ordinary people couldn't trace her origins, including the Qin family. The reason the Qin family managed to hire her as a dance instructor for their second daughter was largely due to luck.

After securing Wen Yixin's services, Mrs. Qin had even bragged to her wealthy friends. Who would have thought that Wen Yixin would suddenly drop this bombshell today, catching her completely off guard?

Mrs. Qin's grip on the check tightened as she reluctantly asked, "Miss Wen, are you really sure about this?"

"Of course. It's a decision I made after careful consideration."

Mrs. Qin's expression turned sour, but because of Wen Yixin's unpredictable background, she couldn't afford to react harshly. She had no choice but to suppress her emotions.

But even though she was trying to hold back, her tone betrayed her displeasure, dripping with sarcasm as she said, "Miss Wen, you're being so generous that I can't really refuse. It seems that hiring you as a teacher might have been too much for the Qin family after all."

Wen Yixin smiled lightly, ignoring Mrs. Qin's remark, and simply said, "I'll be opening a dance studio nearby in the future. If your daughter is still interested in classical dance, she's welcome to join."

Mrs. Qin silently scoffed at this. She clearly preferred private lessons over sending her daughter to a dance studio, as it was more prestigious.

After all, Wen Yixin was a renowned dancer.

Mrs. Qin was dismissive of the idea of a dance studio and had no interest in continuing the conversation. She glanced at her watch, pretending to check the time, and said, "Miss Wen, I have plans to meet with some friends, so I can't stay to chat. Please excuse me."

Wen Yixin remained unfazed, "No problem."

"I'll be going now. Goodbye, Mrs. Qin."

"Hmm." Mrs. Qin hummed indifferently, raising her chin slightly.

Wen Yixin didn't take it to heart. She had met many people like Mrs. Qin over the years. If she had to take each one seriously, it would be exhausting. Besides, there was nothing about this type of person that warranted her attention.

She was about to leave when Qin Ruan called out to her.

"Miss Wen, wait, I..." Before she could say the words "see you off," Mrs. Qin interrupted her.

"Can't you behave yourself!" Mrs. Qin snapped impatiently.

"Is this any of your business? Why do you keep butting in? Aren't you embarrassed enough?"

Qin Ruan froze in her tracks, her expression faltering slightly. She looked at Mrs. Qin, her lips parting as if to say something, but the moment Mrs. Qin caught sight of her eyes, a deep-seated loathing flickered in her gaze.

She didn't give Qin Ruan a chance to speak and waved her hand dismissively, "Get out of here. Don't linger in front of me."

Qin Ruan clenched her fists, then relaxed them, struggling internally as she stood motionless.

Mrs. Qin, seeing her standing there like a statue, grew even more disgusted. She got up and walked over to Qin Ruan, looking down at her with disdain as she said harshly, "Didn't I tell you not to look at me with those eyes? Yet you never listen."

"After all this time, do you still not understand, or do you just not care about what I say?"

Qin Ruan's lashes lowered slightly, "I..."

The moment she started speaking, Mrs. Qin's brows furrowed, and just as she raised her hand to strike, it was suddenly stopped by a delicate hand.

Mrs. Qin followed the hand to its owner, and upon realizing it was Wen Yixin, her expression soured further, "What? Miss Wen, are you planning to interfere in the Qin family's affairs now?"

Wen Yixin gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, her tone warm but firm, "Indeed, I am."

"Qin Ruan is someone I care about, and I won't stand by and let anyone bully her in front of me. So, Mrs. Qin, I kindly ask you to stop."

Mrs. Qin nearly laughed in anger at Wen Yixin's audacity, "What right do you have to meddle in the Qin family's business? Are you here to cause trouble?"

Wen Yixin smiled slightly, "Causing trouble isn't out of the question."

"Besides, even a tiger doesn't eat its own cubs, but you..." Wen Yixin didn't finish her sentence, but the sharpness in her gaze spoke volumes.

It made Mrs. Qin extremely uncomfortable.

Mrs. Qin seethed, "Miss Wen, you're acting so boldly in my house as if I wouldn't dare do anything to you."

The saying goes that even a powerful dragon cannot crush a local snake. She didn't believe that just because Wen Yixin was a famous dancer with a strong background, she could challenge the Qin family in K City.

Wen Yixin remained indifferent, shaking off Mrs. Qin's hand, "You're welcome to try. I'll be waiting."

With that, Wen Yixin paid no mind to the changing colors of Mrs. Qin's face. She turned and took Qin Ruan's hand, leading her out of the house.

Mrs. Qin watched them leave, nearly grinding her teeth to dust.

She should have ended Qin Ruan's life earlier rather than keeping her around to cause trouble.

After leaving the Qin residence, Qin Ruan turned to the person beside her and spoke quietly, "Miss Wen..."

Wen Yixin looked at her, releasing her wrist as she asked gently, "Are you alright?"

Qin Ruan shook her head, "I'm fine."

It had been painful, but not because of Mrs. Qin's scolding. The pain came from the fact that her miserable situation had been exposed in front of Wen Yixin.

But all the pain vanished the moment she saw Wen Yixin stand up for her. Her heart pounded in her chest.

It was the first time anyone had spoken up for her, even confronting Mrs. Qin on her behalf.

But amidst the joy, she couldn't help but recall Mrs. Qin's earlier words to Wen Yixin.

Qin Ruan bit her lip in guilt, "I'm sorry, Miss Wen, for causing you trouble."

Wen Yixin chuckled softly, "I'm not your teacher anymore, so you don't have to call me that."

"And don't worry, you won't cause me any trouble."

"Really?" Qin Ruan asked anxiously.

"Really."

Hearing this, Qin Ruan finally relaxed. Then, remembering the first part of Wen Yixin's statement, she couldn't help but feel a spark of joy. She recalled the words she hadn't been able to say the night before, and, with a bit of hesitation, she asked softly, "Then... can I call you Sister Wen?"

Wen Yixin laughed, "Of course."

After all, she was older than Qin Ruan, so there was nothing wrong with it.

Hearing Wen Yixin's answer, Qin Ruan felt as if waves of joy were crashing within her, and a small fish was leaping and spinning among them, creating ripples of happiness.

"Sister Wen." Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the person beside her.