Qin Xiangyi’s heart was pounding, thinking she was finally about to be exposed, when she felt Zhou Muning’s hand grasp hers.
Compared to Jing Shuxuan’s hand, Zhou Muning’s was a bit rougher, probably because she often did chores in her environment.
But even so, the touch of her hand was still very pleasant.
Plus, there was a faint fragrance coming from her, making Qin Xiangyi want to take a few more sniffs.
“What’s wrong?” Seeing Zhou Muning stay silent, Qin Xiangyi just spoke up, trying her best to stay calm.
If Zhou Muning started to suspect her identity at this critical moment, then what Qin Xiangyi planned to do tonight would have to wait.
And if she waited, things might go according to the original plot—though they’d both end up in Paradise City, they’d be at different schools and only meet in college.
If that happened, Qin Xiangyi would miss the chance to activate the top-tier Flower Person early.
As much as she didn’t want that, she had to prioritize keeping Zhou Muning’s emotions stable.
“Xiangyi, is something bothering you? You seem really different since you left the sanatorium.” Zhou Muning finally asked, watching Qin Xiangyi’s expression to make sure nothing was off.
To Qin Xiangyi, this was the gentlest kind of questioning she could hope for in this situation.
“Yeah, I’ve got a few things on my mind.
Let’s talk as we walk.” Faced with this gentle suspicion, Qin Xiangyi could easily keep guiding Zhou Muning’s emotions.
Zhou Muning hummed in response, her expression relaxing as she realized she’d been too tense.
She smiled and said, “I’m just too anxious, I guess.
We’ve got the whole night to talk about this.”
Zhou Muning sighed at her own impatience, squeezing Qin Xiangyi’s hand even tighter.
She didn’t let go until they reached her house, and even then, she looked at Qin Xiangyi’s hand a few more times before reluctantly letting go.
That look made Qin Xiangyi wonder if Zhou Muning was starting to get suspicious.
But thinking about it, Zhou Muning probably just thought they were leaving Ocean City for good, so it made sense for Qin Xiangyi to be a little reluctant.
Plus, Qin Xiangyi had saved her life, so it was natural for things to feel a bit complicated… “Xiangyi, come in.” Zhou Muning called her in, then unlocked the door with her key.
As soon as they entered, a delicious smell hit them, and the sound of the kitchen exhaust fan reminded Qin Xiangyi there were other people in the house.
Qin Xiangyi immediately tensed up, glancing around and getting ready to greet the elders at any moment.
Zhou Muning noticed and laughed, patting her on the back.
“Why are you so nervous? I’m not going to eat you.”
Her reaction was just too funny, and Zhou Muning couldn’t help but tease her.
Qin Xiangyi was obviously acting weird, but it was kind of refreshing to see.
“It’s nothing, just thinking about meeting your family.
You wouldn’t even let me buy some fruit earlier—what if your grandma sees me empty-handed?” Qin Xiangyi was even more embarrassed, having a natural resistance to dealing with elders.
If it was someone her own age, it’d be fine, but if an elder suddenly showed up, she always felt out of place.
Most importantly, if there were too many people around, it would seriously affect how the night went.
Basically, Qin Xiangyi wouldn’t be able to shamelessly do anything bad to Zhou Muning.
“Heh, didn’t you always say seeing my grandma made you happy? What, you haven’t seen her in a while and now you’re scared?” Zhou Muning didn’t really suspect anything, thinking Qin Xiangyi’s reaction was just because of her time at Bai Chi Sanatorium, and pulled her into the kitchen.
There, an old lady was sitting on a small stool, watching the pressure cooker.
When she heard them come in, she turned around, looked at Zhou Muning, then smiled and reached out to Qin Xiangyi.
“Xiangyi, you’re here.”
Zhou Muning’s grandma looked very kind and approachable, just her appearance made people feel close to her.
Qin Xiangyi had been worried, but seeing her face, she relaxed and smiled, letting the old lady take her hand.
“Grandma.”
“Good child.” Grandma Zhou smiled and patted the back of Qin Xiangyi’s hand, her eyes shining with a special light.
It was as if beneath her calm exterior, she hid the wisdom of the years, giving off a sense of hidden depth.
But Qin Xiangyi hadn’t really created a character for Grandma Zhou—maybe her mind just filled in the details for this world.
She didn’t think much of it, and following the lines she’d practiced with Zhou Muning, she told Grandma Zhou she’d been traveling recently.
From their conversation, it seemed like every time Qin Xiangyi had free time during summer break, she’d stick to Zhou Muning—doing homework, watching TV—so Grandma Zhou always missed her.
“Come over and play more often, my Ningning gets lonely easily.” Grandma Zhou was the chatty, humorous type.
Compared to a certain old lady called Hua Nu, this was what a real grandma should be like.
Qin Xiangyi forced a smile, but Zhou Muning was already annoyed, dragging out her words: “Grandma, don’t say weird stuff!” As she spoke, Zhou Muning’s face turned red.
Grandma Zhou chuckled, but then started coughing uncontrollably.
“Cough, cough, cough…” Zhou Muning hurried over to check on her, while Qin Xiangyi watched Zhou Muning’s actions, making a mental note of what to do if Grandma Zhou coughed again.
“It’s fine, it’s fine, just an old problem.
You two want the kitchen, right? I’ll go out for a walk.” Grandma Zhou smiled even more gently, not seeming to think her health was an issue.
“Yeah, Grandma, I’ll cook tonight.
But you’re already coughing—why not watch TV with Xiangyi instead of going out, okay?” Zhou Muning tried to persuade her, obvious worry in her eyes.
Qin Xiangyi immediately felt something was off with this plot.
There was no way she’d risk being alone with this sharp old lady and possibly exposing herself.
Thinking quickly, she said, “I’ll help Grandma out first, then come back to help you cook.”
Zhou Muning glared at her, unhappy.
“What, you don’t trust my cooking?” Clearly, Zhou Muning was confident in her skills, but Qin Xiangyi wasn’t so sure about her own character setting.
She obediently helped Grandma Zhou out, then said, “Grandma, I’m going to help Ningning.”
Grandma Zhou looked even more pleased.
“Alright, go help her. I’ll watch some TV.”
