"Hey, stop! We're not here to hurt you! Don't run!"
Whether Yanfei's shout reached him or not, the man ahead didn't stop. Qin Yu and Yanfei continued to chase after him.
As the distance between them steadily closed, they were about to catch him when the man kicked over a nearby crate. Apples spilled out like a tidal wave, scattering across the road and startling them both.
Whoa!? Qin Yu slammed on the brakes to avoid stepping on the fruit. Yanfei did the same, sighing in frustration. "Oh, why would he do that? Seriously! Let's take a detour and catch up to him."
"No..."
Qin Yu had reached her breaking point, a seething anger boiling within her with nowhere to vent. If she could have pulled the trigger, she would have already drawn her Anesthetic Rifle and tranquilized the man.
No choice. Time for this trick.
Taking a deep breath, Qin Yu focused her energy and shouted, "Please help us stop that man!"
Instantly, over a dozen people of all ages turned to look.
"Little Yu? Did he hurt Little Yu? This old man will teach him a lesson!"
A crowd surged forward, surrounding the fleeing man. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't break through the human barricade and finally slumped in defeat, clutching his head in his hands.
Done.
Qin Yu exhaled in relief, surprised by the effectiveness of her impromptu strategy.
But I'll have to pay them back later...
She would have to play with the children, listen to the elders' stories and play chess with them, and give the housewives some firewood, rice, or oil...
Yanfei stared dumbfounded at the scene, secretly marveling at Qin Yu's vast network of connections. Given enough time, she might be able to command hundreds with a single word. Truly someone worth protecting.
"Alright, let's go," Qin Yu said with a faint smile.
"Yeah, you're really something..." Yanfei murmured.
After all, she had been working hard all along.
Being a universally beloved young girl isn't as easy as it looks! Qin Yu grumbled inwardly, forcing a smile. "Not at all," she said. "It's just because everyone here is so kind."
As she approached, she made a point of thanking each person by name, leaving Yanfei utterly astonished.
She actually remembers all those names! Yanfei thought. Even I can't do that—names aren't like law articles. Sometimes the shorter ones are harder to remember.
And what about people with the same surname? Yanfei was deeply impressed.
"Should we help you report this to the authorities?" someone asked.
Qin Yu quickly shook her head. "No, no need. He didn't do anything to me. It was just a misunderstanding that forced me to stop him. Please don't worry—everything's fine! And thank you all so much for your help."
Hearing that it wasn't a serious matter, the crowd dispersed, leaving the dazed man behind.
He never imagined that one shout from this woman could summon a mob of ordinary citizens to block his path.
What a terrifying woman! he thought.
Yanfei scratched her cheek. "Well then... Mr. Li, would you mind coming to my law office? We need to discuss this properly."
Hmph, not so fast, Qin Yu thought, her expression turning slightly cold. "Not yet. Didn't Mr. Li knock over that apple vendor's stall earlier? Apologize and clean up your mess first!"
Is she angry? Well, even someone as good-natured as Qin Yu must have her limits. It's almost... oddly endearing.
Wait, why am I thinking about this again? Yanfei tapped her forehead, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face.
Li Ren, the man with the surname Li and given name Ren, lowered his head. "I understand."
"Good. I'll help you too. We mean you no harm; we just want to talk to you about your family," Qin Yu said with a gentle smile.
"Oh, oh... I'm deeply grateful."
That should make things easier, Qin Yu thought, clicking her tongue inwardly. What a hassle.
As Qin Yu spoke, her mind replayed the events of the past ten minutes.
Ten minutes earlier, Qin Yu and Yanfei had decided to search the streets for the grandson mentioned in the will.
Drawing on her memory, Qin Yu had quickly sketched a portrait. While not exquisitely detailed, the features were distinct and easily recognizable. After asking around, they had successfully tracked him down.
Yanfei had been puzzled. If Qin Yu could draw, why hadn't she simply made a sketch for me earlier? But she hadn't dwelt on the thought.
"Hello, are you Li Ren, Mr. Li? We need to speak with you..."
Before Yanfei could finish, Li Ren had bolted, giving them no chance for further conversation.
Left with no choice, they had given chase, which led to the scene that had just unfolded.
So much trouble, Qin Yu sighed inwardly.
"Please have some tea," Qin Yu said, placing the teacup on the coffee table.
Li Ren remained hunched over, avoiding her gaze as if he couldn't bring himself to look at her. He mumbled an acknowledgement, picked up the cup, but didn't drink, simply staring blankly into space.
What a pathetic feeling...
At that moment, Yanfei handed over her business card. "Hello, my name is Yanfei, and I'm a legal expert. We're here to discuss your grandfather's will. The documents are here for your review."
"No need," Li Ren said, shaking his head. "I won't be going back."
How can he refuse to return when his family is bedridden?
Qin Yu couldn't help but ask, "Why not?"
"Because I'm drowning in debt out here. How could I possibly face them? Why doesn't anyone appreciate my art?"
Who would appreciate that? Why can't he get a real job?
Qin Yu clearly remembered the saying: "If you lack talent, find some small, honest way to make a living. Above all, never become a penniless writer or artist."
Yanfei stated gravely, "According to Article 1074, Section 2 of Chapter 3 of the Liyue Civil Code, in the event of the parents' death, grandchildren are obligated to provide for their grandparents."
Qin Yu blinked, sensing a shift in Yanfei's aura. No wonder she's a legal expert. Pretty impressive... But how can she remember so many regulations? What an incredible mind!
Li Ren seemed overwhelmed by Yanfei's imposing presence. His body trembled as he stammered, "But... I have no money..."
"But you're still able to work, aren't you?" Yanfei decided to appeal to both his emotions and reason, softening her tone. "Your grandmother is ill, and with your sister missing, you're her only family now."
Li Ren lowered his head deeply. "You're right. But even if I went back, my grandmother wouldn't be happy to see me... unless..."
He stood up and looked earnestly at Qin Yu. "Unless you could pretend to be my sister and come back with me, just once!" he blurted out.
"Huh?"
Qin Yu wondered if she'd misheard. Play his sister?
Yanfei exclaimed in surprise, "Act? Do they look that similar?"
"Very similar! It's just their personalities are complete opposites."
"Completely opposite..." Qin Yu couldn't help but ask, "Opposite? How so?"
Li Renqing cleared his throat.
"First, my sister has a very peculiar temper. One moment she's pleasant, the next she's foul-tempered."
Hmm.
"And she's terribly awkward."
Hmm...
"She always expresses her doubts with a rather intimidating 'Huh?'"
Huh? Uh, no, isn't that perfectly normal? Qin Yu nodded inwardly.
"And she's always looking down on me."
Well, that's hardly surprising.
"Whenever I say that, she retorts, 'Well, duh! Who would look up to you?'"
Hiss... Qin Yu suddenly felt uneasy. This description bore an uncanny resemblance to her own personality.
Could it be...? Qin Yu decided to test the waters.
"Um, Mr. Li, could you say a few things to me? I'll try to act like her, and you can tell me if it feels like your sister."
"Qin Yu?" Yanfei was puzzled by Qin Yu's behavior.
Li Ren listened thoughtfully, then nodded.
"Then I'll say it... ahem, come back with me. My family doesn't like me, but it's different for you. My grandparents adore you."
Qin Yu dropped the act.
She took a shallow breath, crossed her arms, and scoffed, "Ha? No way. You're just too scared to go back yourself."
Li Ren blinked, then exclaimed in astonishment, "Amazing! It's uncanny! You're exactly like her! I never imagined Miss Qin's acting skills were so remarkable. I'm truly impressed."
Resuming her performance, Qin Yu seamlessly switched back to her character and flashed a modest smile. "Oh, I was just going with the flow."
"Miss Qin is incredibly talented!"
No kidding. How could I not be talented when I'm playing myself?
Li Ren clicked his tongue in amazement. "It's astonishing how my sister and Miss Qin look so similar, yet their personalities are worlds apart. The world truly is a mysterious place."
Qin Yu asked with genuine concern, "Mr. Li, do you dislike your sister's personality?"
"Who wouldn't? Sigh. If only Miss Qin could switch places with her... if only you were my sister."
Qin Yu forced a strained laugh. "Ahaha..."
It was only natural, wasn't it? The real me versus the persona I was playing—which was better was obvious.
What am I even expecting? Qin Yu thought silently. I'm such an idiot.
She wanted to ask Yanfei for her opinion, but decided against it. I don't want to hear it. What difference would it make? I'd still be the same, forced to keep up this charade of warmth and gentleness.
"Miss Yanfei, what do you think? If you were in my place, wouldn't you agree that Miss Qin's true personality is better?"
Yanfei hadn't expected such a question and was momentarily flustered.
Qin Yu glanced at her, slightly intrigued, then quickly lost interest. There's no need to care. I can't afford to care.
Qin Yu changed the subject. "Speaking of which, Mr. Li, your grandparents prefer your younger sister, right? If I were to impersonate her, do you think your grandmother would see through it?"
"Her vision has been deteriorating since last year. It shouldn't be a problem. So, does that mean Miss Qin agrees?"
Qin Yu replied seriously, "I have one condition—you must find a proper job afterward and take care of yourself and your grandmother. If you agree to that, I'll impersonate your sister."
Li Ren hesitated before finally nodding.
"Alright, I promise."
"Then it's settled. Yanfei's work here is done!" Qin Yu said with a smile.
Yanfei finally snapped out of her daze.
So Qin Yu agreed because of me? She's been looking out for me all along. Touched, Yanfei's heart skipped a beat before she shook her head.
"Please let me come too," Yanfei said with a smile. "Qin Yu is both my charge and my friend. I need to be there for her."
"Ah, of course. We'll introduce you as Miss Qin's friend."
"Sounds good. Don't worry, acting isn't my forte, but in our line of work, you learn what to say and what to keep to yourself. I've got this," Yanfei assured confidently, patting her chest.
Yanfei wants to come along? Hmm... No problem.
No one will ever know that my performance earlier was completely unscripted.
No one can see through me anymore.
Qin Yu thought this was perfect... Hmm, perfect. She never intended for anyone to see through her in the first place.
But the points better be worth it! After all, that's what I've been working toward all this time.
Yanfei's gaze remained fixed on Qin Yu's face. She couldn't shake the feeling that Qin Yu's smile was strained, almost forced. Was it just her imagination?
Thinking back, Mr. Li had asked her earlier which personality she preferred.
But Yanfei didn't really know what Mr. Li's sister was like.
So, if she were to answer honestly, she would naturally say Qin Yu's personality was preferable. However, the conversation had already moved on, so there was no need to bring it up again.