Chapter 67: What Schemes Could a Little Sister Possibly Have?

As the saying goes, fortune’s wheel is ever turning. Lan Jin finally got her wish and heard Qin Chuan call her “good sister.” She then shared a few insignificant hobbies of Lin Wanyu’s. Considering that he might need to rely on her again in the future, Qin Chuan restrained himself from losing his temper on the spot. Amid Lan Jin’s delighted laughter, he left, looking rather disgruntled.

Having finally gained the upper hand over Qin Chuan, Lan Jin felt a great sense of accomplishment. Yet every time she thought of how Qin Chuan seemed to be racking his brains to ease his relationship with Lin Wanyu, a faint pang of jealousy would stir within her, making her both pleased and a little irritable.

“Should I tell Sister Yu about this?”

Out of friendship, Lan Jin felt she ought to tell Lin Wanyu, but some indescribable selfishness compelled her to keep the truth hidden. She was deeply conflicted. After an intense internal struggle that lasted over ten minutes, Lan Jin decided to take a middle path and first probe Lin Wanyu's feelings.

Ever since learning that Lin Wanyu had suddenly fallen ill a few days ago and that Qin Chuan had raced through red lights in the middle of the night to save her, Lan Jin’s emotions had grown complicated. As a friend, she certainly didn’t want anything bad to happen to her best friend. But seeing Qin Chuan so devotedly running around for another woman—especially when that woman was her closest friend—made Lan Jin feel all the more sour.

“Why does it feel like being stabbed in the back by a close comrade in the midst of a hard-fought battle?”

Pushing aside these tangled thoughts, Lan Jin dialed Lin Wanyu’s number.

“What’s wrong, darling?”

Only with Lan Jin did Lin Wanyu ever relax so much. These days, she’d been focused on preparing for her meeting with Long Wuhen, and the pressure on her was immense—especially since she’d heard Qin Chuan was also helping Liu Qingcheng make connections, which only added to her stress.

The Liu family’s strength eclipsed the Lin family’s by a wide margin. If it came to competition, the Lin family’s chances of winning were less than ten percent. If not for her innate stubbornness and refusal to admit defeat, Lin Wanyu would have long since given up in the face of such odds.

“Sister Yu, are you feeling better now?” asked Lan Jin with concern.

“I’ve been fine for ages. I feel like there’s an endless well of energy inside me now.”

Lin Wanyu was speaking from the heart. Ever since her sudden illness had been cured by Qin Chuan, she had never felt better.

“I’m so relieved you’re all right. Who would have thought Qin Chuan’s medical skills were so remarkable?” Lan Jin subtly steered the conversation toward Qin Chuan.

“Her medical skills are impressive? I don’t think so,” Lin Wanyu replied dismissively. Although her parents had made her illness sound dire, she herself felt in better shape than ever—how could she have been seriously ill? Most likely, Qin Chuan was just using the opportunity to boost his reputation as a healer. Lin Wanyu also couldn’t figure out why Qin Chuan had recently been making efforts to mend their relationship.

“Did she really start playing tricks and putting on airs from the very first meeting?” The more Lin Wanyu thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

“Qin Chuan’s medical skills are quite decent! He cured both my grandfather and me! I really don’t think he’s some charlatan with no real ability,” Lan Jin insisted firmly.

“Is that so?” Lin Wanyu’s lips curled slightly as she continued, “Well, let’s set aside his medical skills for the moment and talk about his character. When treating patients, that guy never misses a chance to take advantage.”

Recalling how Qin Chuan had seen her naked, Lin Wanyu’s anger flared. The worst part was how that rogue had pretended to be so high-minded, only to betray himself as a… no, not a fox, but a wolf in sheep’s clothing at the slightest provocation.

“That can’t be! Qin Chuan was perfectly proper when he did acupuncture on me. In fact, I even tested him a few times and he blushed like a ripe monkey’s behind. If there were anything wrong with his character, I’d have been taken advantage of long ago,” Lan Jin retorted, then paused and asked in a low voice, “Sister Yu, is there some sort of misunderstanding between you and Qin Chuan?”

“I don’t know about misunderstandings, but what I do know is that you’ve been speaking up for Qin Chuan for ages now. Especially when I questioned his character, you seemed a little upset!” Lin Wanyu teased, “What’s going on with you? Out with it already!”

Lan Jin stiffened at this. She realized something was off—she had meant to test Lin Wanyu, but somehow she had been outmaneuvered and put on the defensive instead.

“Ah… hello? Sister Yu, my signal’s suddenly bad. I’ll call you back after I get through this tunnel!” Lan Jin quickly made up an excuse and hung up.

Long after, her heart was still pounding. She replayed the conversation in her mind and suddenly realized she had instinctively started defending Qin Chuan, unable to stand anyone speaking ill of him.

“Could it be that I already… like him?”

“No, no, no…”

Staring at her reflection, cheeks as red as ripe apples, Lan Jin rubbed them hard, but the wild emotions inside her refused to subside.

“I only see him as an older brother.”

“How could a sister possibly have improper thoughts about her brother?”

“At the end of the day, I’m no different from Qin Youyou.”

“Yes, that’s right. Exactly.”

After much internal persuasion, Lan Jin finally managed to convince herself.

It’s perfectly natural for a sister to defend her brother.

There’s nothing to be embarrassed about.

“I wonder what Sister Yu really thinks?”

“Ugh, how annoying!”

Lan Jin furiously kneaded her pillow.

On the other side, Lin Wanyu also felt a complex tangle of emotions after hanging up. She knew just how high her friend’s standards were. So many wealthy young men and elites from all walks of life had failed to win Lan Jin’s favor, yet now she was so eager to defend Qin Chuan?

“It’s really quite baffling.”

Lin Wanyu simply couldn’t figure it out.

Qin Chuan’s looks were nothing extraordinary, and his height was merely average.

As for his personality—arrogant and conceited. His behavior, if described charitably, was free-spirited and unconventional; if not, then dissolute and frivolous, always making suggestive comments and thinking of nothing but mischief…

There were so many flaws, she couldn’t count them all.

Aside from his medical skills, what other redeeming qualities did he have?

Suddenly, the phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, Lin Wanyu frowned and sighed.

“Have my parents been brainwashed by Qin Chuan? They’re even starting to drop hints about matching us up.”

Though she found it exasperating, Lin Wanyu quickly answered.

Li Yulan’s voice came through the receiver: “Wanyu, Qin Chuan is coming tonight to follow up on your treatment. Your father and I have decided to cook for him ourselves as a thank you. You come home early, all right?”

“I know, Mom!” Lin Wanyu replied absentmindedly, then suddenly thought of something and added, “By the way, Mom, I might bring a friend home.”

“What friend? Male or female? Wanyu, listen to me, Xiaochuan hardly ever visits. Don’t you go making trouble,” Li Yulan cautioned.

Lin Wanyu laughed, “Mom, you know this friend too. He just returned from abroad a few days ago. If he hadn’t been busy with technical exchanges, he would have come to visit you and Dad already.”

“I know him? Who is it?” Li Yulan couldn’t think of anyone that fit the description.

Lin Wanyu replied mysteriously, “You’ll see when you meet him. I’m not making trouble, really. Anyway, I have to finish compiling project documents and signing papers, so I’ll talk to you later, Mom!”

Before Li Yulan could respond, Lin Wanyu hung up.

“Not making trouble?” Lin Wanyu curled her lips and added under her breath, “As if.”

With that thought, she scrolled through her contacts until she found the name Fu Tingxiu. Yet as her finger hovered over the number, she hesitated.

If it hadn’t been for Fu Tingxiu’s insistence on going abroad for further studies that summer five years ago, perhaps…

Lin Wanyu quickly smoothed out her tangled thoughts, but as she dialed the number, a blush blossomed on her exquisite face.