"Why are you all looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?" Xu Qianqian finally shut her mouth, looking a bit embarrassed. Speaking about her cousin that way wasn’t really nice, and even she felt a bit ashamed, but what she said was the truth.
"Are you running a fever? Do you need to go to the hospital for a check-up? Oh no, we have a Divine Doctor right here, no need to go to the hospital." Chu Biyao couldn’t help but chuckle and divert her gaze from Xu Qianqian to Ye Fan, saying, "Ye Fan, take a look and see if our baby here is unwell."
"I think the illness is beyond cure," Ye Fan muttered.
"Indeed, hurry up and prescribe some medicine. If you’re sick, you need to take medicine," Chu Biyao chimed in, joining Ye Fan in teasing Xu Qianqian.
"This illness, I’m afraid, can’t be cured," Ye Fan shook his head.
"You’re the ones who are sick. I’m perfectly fine. You’re just jealous of my intelligence," Xu Qianqian protested.
She had figured it out now; perhaps, she really guessed wrong. Looking at her cousin’s angry face, she was more convinced of her mistake. Carefully looking at Chu Biyao, she said, "Second Cousin, he really is my Cousin’s husband, not your husband."
"That’s right," Chu Biyao haughtily lifted her nose.
"Oh my, was I sleepwalking just now? Did I say something in my sleep? What did I say? I can’t remember," Xu Qianqian’s mind raced as she desperately winked at Second Cousin, clearly begging her to comfort First Cousin.
"I don’t know if you were sleepwalking and talking, but I did hear an annoying voice saying nasty things about my esteemed elder sister. If I were her, I’d be furious," Chu Biyao pretended not to notice Xu Qianqian’s signals and continued indifferently.
Xu Qianqian knew expecting help from Second Cousin was hopeless; she had to rely on herself.
"Cousin, don’t be mad. You know my lousy mouth, right?" Xu Qianqian stood up to massage Mengyao’s shoulders, endlessly apologizing, "Cousin, I didn’t mean it, don’t be angry. Getting upset so early isn’t good for your appetite."
Chu Mengyao kept a stern face, without any change in her expression, only dissatisfaction showing.
She admitted Xu Qianqian made some valid points, but it wasn’t nice to say it out loud.
"Cousin’s husband," Xu Qianqian pleaded, hoping Ye Fan would help mediate.
Ye Fan remained expressionless, ignoring Xu Qianqian’s plea for help. Now Xu Qianqian knew she couldn’t count on Ye Fan or Chu Biyao for help; she’d have to handle it herself.
"For such a small matter, if I can’t handle it, how can I get by in life?" Xu Qianqian thought proudly.
"Cousin, I was just babbling rubbish. Don’t take it to heart," she said pitifully.
"I’m an ice queen; any man who gets close will freeze to death and never find a good man. If a good man likes me, the sun might rise from the west," Chu Mengyao said oddly, thinking it’s time to teach this troublemaker a lesson.
"Cousin, you must have misheard. Look at Cousin’s husband, so spirited and charismatic. You can’t find a better man even with a lantern, right, Cousin’s husband?" Xu Qianqian teased.
"Quite right," Ye Fan chuckled. Considering Xu Qianqian’s frequent calling of him cousin-in-law, he decided to show some kindness. After all, denying it would imply he’s not a good man, which wouldn’t do. He understood Xu Qianqian’s implication very well. Since Chu Mengyao wanted to teach Xu Qianqian a lesson, he let her be.
"Cousin, if I accidentally said something bad about you, it’s only because my parents said it," Xu Qianqian threw her parents under the bus and proceeded to betray Chu Biyao. "And Second Cousin, she said Ye Fan is Cousin’s husband, which made me think too much. You know me, right? With my intelligence and cleverness, guessing wrong is only natural?"
Xu Qianqian had no choice but to be well-behaved; she had favors to ask her two cousins. If her cousin got upset and leaked her near-trouble last night to her parents, she’d be doomed. Even though she hadn’t explained last night’s ordeal to her cousins yet, it would eventually come up. Her parents were looking for her, asking the cousins to cover for her, so she dared not lie recklessly. Besides, if she lied and they interrogated her about her whereabouts last night without seamless answers, she’d be in trouble. Only her cousins could set her mind at ease; if her parents checked with her friends, the truth would easily slip out.
"Alright, sit down already. You’re not a child anymore, and yet you still behave like one. When will you grow up?" Chu Mengyao stopped giving Xu Qianqian a hard time.
"Thank you, Cousin, for your generosity, not holding a grudge against me," Xu Qianqian smiled as she sat down.
Chu Biyao immediately asked, "What exactly happened last night? Did you not come home all night?"
"Oh, about last night, let’s talk about it later. I didn’t dare answer my parents’ calls, and I hung up on them. Let me call them first to put their minds at ease, and then we can discuss other things," Xu Qianqian said while turning on her phone. With a pleading tone, she added, "Cousins, please help me out, don’t let my parents scold me. I’m old enough that if they scold me, I’ll never grow up. If they stop scolding me, I’ll grow up faster."
Xu Qianqian’s logic was rather quirky, yet the two sisters Mengyao and Biyao still decided to cover up for their cousin, so their uncle and aunt wouldn’t worry unnecessarily. They’d ask Xu Qianqian about the rest later.
As soon as Xu Qianqian’s phone was turned on, her mother’s call came in.
Xu’s parents were quite worried. Their daughter had gone out with classmates but didn’t come back all night. They checked with her classmates, but there was no news about her. They were so anxious that they almost filed a missing person report, especially when calls went unanswered or were hung up.
With no other choice, Xu’s parents mobilized many resources to look for her.
Xu Qianqian took a few deep breaths, rehearsed her words, and as soon as the call connected, she said, "Mom, I’m sorry for worrying you. My phone died. I’m at my cousin’s villa, so don’t worry about me. I’m old enough not to get lost on my own. I’m having breakfast with my cousin now. If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now."
Xu Qianqian rattled off quickly, fearing the sound of her parents’ scolding and was eager to hang up.
Just as she heard her mother shouting, "Try hanging up, I dare you. If you hang up on me, I’ll throw you out."
Feeling relieved to hear their daughter’s voice, Xu’s parents were simultaneously still worried at heart.