Qiao Ying liked tranquility. Those who knew her even a little understood she had an intolerance on par with “betrayal by trusted people” — that is, having her sleep disturbed. Even Ye Si, who was so close to her, didn’t dare disturb her sweet dreams. Clearly even he couldn’t withstand the consequences.
Yet the person outside the door remained oblivious, knocking on the door over and over: “Qiao Ying? Qiao Ying? Are you in there?”
Qiao Lingling knocked on the door as she pressed her ear against it to listen for movement inside.
After a long while with no response from within, she couldn’t help but frown. She wondered if Qiao Ying was deliberately feigning sleep to ignore her, or if she was doing something else inside — she thought about what Qiao Yi had said about Qiao Ying’s programming skills and how much money she made from it. Although she didn’t want to believe or acknowledge it.
If she didn’t want a new cellphone and computer, she wouldn’t have knocked on the door so patiently.
Qiao Lingling agonized over it, before finally, swallowing her disgust, calling out the most reluctant “Sis...” to the obese slob she’d yelled at for years.
Before she even finished speaking, the door suddenly opened. Qiao Lingling didn’t have time to react before a hand clutched her throat.
Coming face-to-face with Qiao Ying’s eyes, cold as frost, Qiao Lingling was badly frightened. But with her throat in a death grip, she couldn’t even scream.
Qiao Ying was merciless. Qiao Lingling’s face visibly reddened rapidly as she struggled to breathe. The breakfast she'd bought as a peace offering fell to the ground. She instinctively tried to pry Qiao Ying’s hand away, slapping Qiao Ying’s shoulder, but it was useless.
“Sis,” Qiao Yi charged out from his room, shocked at the scene. He hurriedly called out to stop Qiao Ying.
Qiao Ying suppressed her surging murderous impulse and flung the now barely-breathing Qiao Lingling to the ground. She glanced at the breakfast on the floor and easily guessed what Qiao Lingling had in mind.
“Don’t want to die? Then get lost.”
Qiao Lingling was scared witless. She gasped for fresh air, tears of fright flowing unchecked. After Qiao Ying went back into her room, Qiao Lingling simply sobbed openly.
Facing death for the first time, Qiao Lingling was blank with shock, weak with fear. She sat on the ground, all dignity gone, bawling in terror.
Just as she was crying her eyes out, there was a sudden “slap” from inside the room — the impatient person had flung a glass against the door in irritation.
Qiao Lingling instantly went silent. She scrambled on all fours back to her room.
Qiao Yi came out with a broom and quietly cleaned up the scattered steamed buns by Qiao Ying’s door. Then he mopped the floor clean.
Just then the door opened.
Qiao Yi looked up to see Qiao Ying standing before him.
A few minutes later, Qiao Yi was sitting at Qiao Ying’s computer, looking at the screen full of quickly scrolling dense data.
He raised his face to look at Qiao Ying.
Qiao Ying: “Didn’t you want to learn hacker skills? I’ll teach you.”
Qiao Yi’s breathing hitched as he stared wide-eyed.
“You, you’re saying you’re...?”
A hacker?
Qiao Yi couldn’t even imagine the legendary formidable people would one day stand before him.
Much less that it was his sister!
Qiao Yi had a fair complexion and refined brows and eyes. His eyes were even clearer than a girl’s, yet not lacking masculinity. Only he lacked a youth’s vigor, but that somber reticence shaped his unique temperament.
Just then, mouth agape and eyes wide in shock staring at Qiao Ying, he was indescribably cute and amusing.
Qiao Ying just liked this sort of good-looking, quiet, obedient type.
Unable to resist, she stroked Qiao Yi’s chin, a frivolous action wholly like a roguish ancient noble teasing a young maiden from a good family.
Qiao Yi clearly hadn't expected it. The innocent youth was startled, then blushed to his ears.
Just then Qiao Ying looked entirely harmless, seemingly still amused. Qiao Yi found it hard to connect her with the vicious woman who'd just tried to strangle Qiao Lingling.
Qiao Ying didn't tease him further, turning her attention to lecturing on hacker skills for beginners: “Simply put, hacker skills involve discovering flaws and vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks, as well as techniques to exploit these weaknesses to carry out attacks. Flaws include software vulnerabilities...”
Qiao Yi had talent in this area, grasping things very quickly. Qiao Ying only had to explain once for him to understand. He picked it up fast.
Clever people were always pleasing, and even more so to the genius Qiao Ying. Her mood, soured earlier by Qiao Lingling, was now completely cleared.
Seeing that Qiao Yi could learn and was truly interested, Qiao Ying stood up straight. “Let’s go, I’ll take you to buy a computer.”
Qiao Yi: “Ah?”
At the electronics mall they bought a computer. Qiao Ying also went to the bank to open a bank card account and transferred money over.
Soon it was noon. Qiao Yi once more followed Qiao Ying to the Grand Cloud Hotel.
The second time here, Qiao Yi was much calmer outwardly, but his heart still struggled to remain steady.
After eating lunch, the two took a taxi back.
Wanting to increase her activity to lose weight faster, Qiao Ying got out far from their home.
Qiao Ying told the mobility-impaired Qiao Yi to take the taxi back, but Qiao Yi simply said, “I’ll go with you.” Then got out to accompany her walking.
At that time, outside the old residential area, a luxury car was parked—a low-key yet extravagant Maybach that drew many admiring looks.
Even more eye-catching was its license plate [Jing A0000].
Inside the comfortable car, a man in a suit sat with crossed legs in the back seat, gazing out the window patiently waiting.
Soon, Qiao Ying’s figure entered his line of sight.
“Young Master, it’s her,” the driver/assistant notified the man as soon as he saw Qiao Ying.
When Qin Yuchen had transferred money to Qiao Ying, he’d conveniently looked up his lifesaver’s basic information. The bank card Qiao Ying had used then was a school-issued one, so Qin Yuchen easily found it without expending manpower.
Before Qin Hanyue left for Yuncheng on his behalf, Qin Yuchen had already sent Qiao Ying’s information to him.
Qin Hanyue had navigated the commerical sphere for years and seen all kinds of people, so in his eyes Qiao Ying was utterly ordinary, as ordinary as could be.
He didn’t know why Yuchen was so concerned about her.
Just as he was pondering this, Qiao Ying, who had been about to walk far away, suddenly looked back directly at the car, accurately meeting his gaze.
Finally, Qin Hanyue’s refined brows and eyes gained some expression.
Quite vigilant—she’s clever.
The assistant couldn’t help looking approvingly at Qiao Ying: “This young lady is very perceptive, no wonder... “
With Qin Yuchen covered in bullet wounds and blood loss, if it had been someone else who came across him, not to mention a young lady, even a grown man would have been too afraid to get involved.
No wonder the young master would be so thoughtful towards his lifesaver.
An electric bike sped by in front of Qiao Ying and Qiao Yi. Qiao Yi hurriedly shielded Qiao Ying, whose attention was elsewhere.
“Sis, what’s wrong?” Qiao Yi looked in the direction Qiao Ying had—he only saw a car, nothing else unusual.
No, for such a luxury car to appear here was already unusual in itself: “That car...”
The one-way car windows meant Qiao Ying couldn’t see the people inside.
In fact, from the moment the car had entered her line of sight, Qiao Ying had noticed it. She just didn't sense malice from the people inside, so she didn't pay it much attention—until the blatant stare fixed upon her.
“Is there some issue with that car?” Qiao Yi asked.
“It’s nothing, let’s go.” Qiao Ying withdrew her gaze.
To reassure Qin Yuchen, Qin Hanyue took out his phone and snapped a picture of Qiao Ying.
Seeing the youth walking beside Qiao Ying in the photo, Qin Hanyue thought: “Is this...her boyfriend?”
