Chapter 73: Second CP - Don't Buy If You Don't Like

Eight years old was the dividing line of Kong Huizhi’s life. Before eight, she had a happy home. After eight, life was like a shattered mirror, and she had to live carefully among the shards. Living under someone else’s roof, she didn’t dare ask for anything. Forced to grow up early, she could only be obedient and sensible, becoming a freeloader who wouldn’t be disliked.

The only time Kong Huizhi ever made a request to the Zhang family was to continue dancing. She still remembered her uncle, Mr. Zhang’s frown, and Madam Zhang’s cold mockery.

“Your mother learned dance and married a man who was nothing. Look at how she ended up. You must not learn from your mother,” Madam Zhang said unhappily. Her sister-in-law had long cut ties with the Zhang family. The Zhang family had no relationship or obligation to her and her daughter. Paying medical bills and taking in Kong Huizhi was already benevolent enough. Any request Kong Huizhi made was unreasonable in the Zhang family’s eyes.

Hearing Madam Zhang speak like that about her father made Kong Huizhi very unhappy. She also hated how they blamed her mother’s misfortune on dancing. But she didn’t dare argue. This was what she had to endure while living under their roof. Besides, she was asking them for something.

“I want to keep dancing,” Kong Huizhi said again, looking firmly at Mr. Zhang, who was already clearly displeased.

“We’ll talk about it later,” Mr. Zhang said. He didn’t refuse outright, but he didn’t agree either. This was adult evasion. Drag it out, and it would quietly disappear. If Kong Huizhi were sensible, she shouldn’t have made this request.

Mr. Zhang still had some sibling affection toward his sister. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken in Kong Huizhi or paid the medical bills. His sister could have married a well-matched man, which would’ve been best for herself and the family, and wouldn’t have ended up like this. He blamed her misfortune on Kong Huizhi’s father, and on dance, which brought them together. He had no feelings for this suddenly appearing niece. He only took her in because she looked like his sister and no one else would. After more than half a year, the child was obedient and sensible, so she wasn’t troublesome. But asking to continue dancing was troublesome and disobedient, and not something he wanted to see.

At that time, Kong Huizhi didn’t know this was just an excuse. She foolishly brought it up two more times later.

The second time, she was brushed off again. The third time, her uncle’s face turned extremely ugly, and he directly told her to shut up and never mention it again.

Only then did Kong Huizhi understand that her uncle didn’t allow her to keep dancing. After she asked three times, he casually signed her up for a musical instrument class instead. But that wasn’t what she wanted.

That day, her uncle had guests, the Qin family of four.

Kong Huizhi thought of a way. She would bring it up in front of outsiders. Maybe her uncle, caring about face, would agree. This was the only way she could think of.

She behaved especially obediently. She could tell her uncle valued these guests a lot. Even her arrogant cousin was flattering the Qin sisters. More accurately, flattering Qin Shilan.

Kong Huizhi’s first impression of the Qin sisters wasn’t deep. She only remembered that eleven-year-old Qin Shilan looked dignified and proper, and six-year-old Qin Shiyue was pretty and cute, just like a little princess from a fairy tale.

Thinking of her plan, Kong Huizhi felt anxious. She knew she might anger her uncle. It was a gamble, but she had no other choice. She pricked up her ears, listening to the adults talk, waiting for a chance to step in.

Finally, she found the best moment. The Qin couple started talking about their younger daughter Qin Shiyue, who had recently begun learning dance.

“Uncle, can I learn dance together with little sister? I really want to learn dance too,” Kong Huizhi said, pretending to be innocent as she joined the adults’ conversation, as if it were a sudden interest.

She looked innocent on the surface, but only heaven knew how nervous and scared she was. She tightly grabbed her skirt. She saw the flash of anger on her uncle and aunt’s faces, but with outsiders present, they couldn’t explode.

“Mom, I want to dance with big sister,” Qin Shiyue said. Maybe because Kong Huizhi had learned dance before, her temperament was a bit different from ordinary girls. Qin Shiyue felt this big sister was special at first sight. She liked her quite a bit. Being able to dance together sounded great.

Qin Shilan was also observing Kong Huizhi. She could see the little girl’s small body was tense, full of nervousness, unease, and fear. Her small hands tightly clenched her skirt, while she pretended to be innocent.

She had heard the Zhang family’s eldest daughter complain about Kong Huizhi’s background before, so it wasn’t hard to guess. Clearly, Mr. Zhang didn’t want his niece to learn dance, and the girl was smart and bold, trying to use outside help to keep dancing.

At that moment, Kong Huizhi left a deep impression on Qin Shilan. Her eyes were firm and full of desire, like a small blade of grass growing in a crack. Her weak body trembled in the wind, yet she struggled to grow toward the sun, fragile but resilient.

“If someone dances with Shiyue, that would be best. Maybe with a new companion, Shiyue can stick with it longer. Anyway, the dance teacher we hired teaches one child or two children all the same. Let this child dance with Shiyue,” Qin Shilan said. What Qin Shilan could guess, Mom Qin could guess too. She felt the child was pitiful, and that her toughness was moving. She wanted to help the little girl.

Mr. Zhang was unhappy inside, but out of respect for the Qin family, he agreed.

“Sister, will you take me out to play?” The adults kept chatting, and Qin Shiyue felt bored. She took Kong Huizhi’s hand and asked her to play in the yard. Holding Kong Huizhi’s hand, Qin Shiyue felt it was cold, but being young, she didn’t think much of it.

Seeing her uncle agree, Kong Huizhi felt happy but uneasy. She knew after they left, she might face blame. Still, she obediently took Qin Shiyue to play in the yard.

While playing with Qin Shiyue, Kong Huizhi instinctively tried to please her. She knew whether she could keep dancing might depend on Qin Shiyue.

With Kong Huizhi deliberately pleasing her, silly Qin Shiyue couldn’t dislike this new sister. When it was time to go home, she even wanted to take Kong Huizhi back with her.

When Kong Huizhi took Qin Shiyue out, Qin Shilan unconsciously followed.

While playing, Kong Huizhi felt someone watching her and instinctively looked for the source.

This was when Kong Huizhi truly formed a deep impression of Qin Shilan. Qin Shilan looked at her with a half-smile. Those sharp phoenix eyes were too deep and piercing, as if she could see through Kong Huizhi’s deliberate pleasing of Qin Shiyue, and see through her completely.

A feeling of wariness and discomfort rose. Kong Huizhi lowered her head and avoided Qin Shilan’s gaze. For more than twenty years after, she hated being looked at like this by Qin Shilan, and hated seeing her.

Kong Huizhi was so obsessed with dance because the happiest times of her life were spent in her parents’ dance. Only when she danced again did she feel like she returned to a carefree time. In a way, she was continuing her parents’ artistic life, as if they were still with her, never leaving.

The professional dance teacher hired by the Qin family at great cost was overkill for Qin Shiyue. Qin Shiyue was afraid of pain and tiredness. She practiced five minutes and rested ten. After one lesson, her progress was turtle-slow. Even taking the high pay, the teacher felt guilty.

Luckily, with another student, the teacher felt less guilty and more pleased. Kong Huizhi had a solid foundation, talent, endured hardship, and loved dance. She gave the teacher a strong sense of achievement.a

What Kong Huizhi fought so hard to gain, Baby Qin'er wasted without care. Afraid of pain and tiredness, Baby Qin’er learned dance only for a short time, then quit. Later, because she liked Kong Huizhi, she learned on and off for a while again.

Kong Huizhi had clear goals. From childhood to adulthood, she won many major dance competition awards. She already had a place in the dance world and was a well-known dancer. She was still young and could go even further.

She also grew up alongside Qin Shiyue, watching her learn this and that, never sticking to anything, never mastering anything, always half-baked. Qin Shiyue grew up protected by her parents and spoiled by her sister. Kong Huizhi envied that state. Having lost protection early, she subconsciously liked stronger people, and also wanted to be cherished like Qin Shiyue.

When Kong Huizhi danced, she shone. That was the light of strength and confidence in her familiar field. Qin Shiyue once liked the Kong Huizhi on stage. Becoming a star was partly influenced by her. She foolishly hoped she could shine too, shine like Kong Huizhi.

….

After Qin Shiyue left the room, Qin Shilan opened her phone. She had cameras installed at home, at the gate, living room, dining room, and dance room. She wanted to know Kong Huizhi’s condition. Luckily, she wasn’t so perverted as to install one in the bedroom. She wanted to, but restrained herself.

In their agreement, Kong Huizhi had to be home by eight every night. For every night she didn’t stay over, the contract would be extended by two days. If she couldn’t comply, she had to inform Qin Shilan in advance, like asking a boss for leave, and needed Qin Shilan’s approval.

Qin Shilan felt lucky. When she opened her phone, she saw Kong Huizhi come back at 7:30, half an hour earlier than expected. She thought she wouldn’t return until close to eight.

After coming back, Kong Huizhi threw her bag onto the sofa, then dropped herself onto it, spreading out freely, though not very elegant. Having danced for years, she usually paid attention to her posture. This state meant she truly thought no one was home.

Qin Shilan rarely saw her this relaxed and couldn’t help smiling. At the same time, she felt a bit gloomy. When she was around, Kong Huizhi was always tense. Did she make her that uncomfortable?

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=5821232
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com

Qin Shilan watched Kong Huizhi take vegetables and fruit from the fridge and simply mix a salad for dinner. Qin Shilan thought if she were home, she could cook something warm. Eating cold salad in winter wasn’t good for the stomach.

Then Kong Huizhi disappeared from the camera, probably going to the bedroom.

Not seeing her movements anymore, Qin Shilan felt some regret and went to shower. When she came out, she saw Kong Huizhi, changed into dance clothes, entered the dance room and started dancing. She knew someone who loved dance wouldn’t waste a dance room made just for her.

Qin Shilan liked watching Kong Huizhi dance. Confident and powerful, soft, light, and agile, as if seeking freedom from restraint, like a seabird soaring through wind and waves. Hardship was temporary, and she would reach the other shore.

Watching Kong Huizhi dance, Qin Shilan felt anxious for no reason. She was afraid she couldn’t hold onto this flying bird, even though at this moment, the bird lived in a nest she built and was her wife in name.

Author's Note:

Baby Qin'er liked women she could look up to. Kong Huizhi liked strong women. Both lean toward being more submissive.

In my heart, Qingyi and President Qin are both a bit stronger.

In bed, that’s really hard to say.

At night, should I update another chapter?