Chapter 18: Ulterior Motives
=========================
He Jingsu’s eyes widened in an instant, her gaze following the trajectory of the piece of meat. Then, she saw Bei Queting’s calm side profile.
“…” She lowered her head and quietly ate the food in her bowl. If Beibei wants to eat it, she can have it.
Suddenly, the piece of meat she had been staring at appeared in her bowl. Her eyes widened slightly. She looked up at Bei Queting and saw her looking back with a gentle smile as she placed the meat in her bowl.
He Jingsu looked at the meat in her bowl, then at Bei Queting’s expression, and her lips curved into a sweet smile. Beibei gave me food!
Thinking of reciprocating, she also wanted to give Beibei her favorite food!
Just as her chopsticks reached out, another pair of chopsticks also reached over. He Jingsu shot a glare at them!
Hai Yuesheng was speechless. She resentfully withdrew her chopsticks. What’s wrong! Can’t I eat it!
With no one to compete with, He Jingsu was very satisfied and placed the food in Bei Queting’s bowl.
Bei Queting pressed her lips together and let out a low laugh, slowly eating the food He Jingsu had given her.
Across from them, He Ying watched them, a thoughtful look in her eyes. She looked at He Jingsu, then at Jing Dan, who was focused on eating, oblivious to everything. A smile suddenly appeared on her lips, and her gaze toward Bei Queting held a hint of shared sympathy.
Bei Queting felt a gaze on her, but when she looked up, she didn’t see anything. She was a little puzzled. She didn’t think she was imagining things; someone had definitely been looking at her just now.
But after not finding anything, she didn’t dwell on it. In this house, apart from close family, no one could break in. So even if someone was looking at her, it definitely wasn’t some bad guy hiding in the dark.
After dinner, the four of them helped clean up the dishes and then returned to school. Faced with the four little cubs who had come in a hurry and left in a hurry after eating, He Ying held Jing Dan and laughed on the sofa.
“What are you laughing at?” Jing Dan asked curiously.
He Ying lowered her gaze and looked at Jing Dan’s bewildered expression. “I’m laughing at how much Daidai is like you,” she said with a low laugh.
Jing Dan’s genes were undeniably strong. There were so many things about that little cub that were just like her!
“It’s only natural that she’s like me,” Jing Dan huffed, kissing her on the chin. She was her little cub, after all! A little cub she had incubated for a month!
Seeing her proud look, He Ying lowered her head and kissed her, thinking to herself, Whatever, it’s not me who will have a headache over Daidai in the end.
The four of them returned to school and calmly walked out of the bathroom, heading toward the dormitories. At this time, most of the students had finished dinner and were showering. This time, He Jingsu didn’t follow Bei Queting all the way to her dorm. Instead, she went back to her own dorm with Qiu Si.
“You go shower first,” Qiu Si said.
“Mhm, mhm!” He Jingsu took her change of clothes and went in, thinking that the sooner she finished, the sooner she could go find Bei Queting.
After she went in, Qiu Si sat at her desk and was about to video call her little sister when she realized someone had come to visit.
Qiu Si looked up at the girl with straight bangs and a ponytail, her eyes full of confusion. She didn’t know her.
“Hello, I’m here to see He Jingsu,” the girl said with a smile.
“Oh, she’s in the bathroom. Is there something you need? I can tell her when she comes out,” Qiu Si said, though she was also very confused. She hadn’t heard Daidai mention anyone special.
“I-I…” The girl bit her lip, her face slightly red, as if she were embarrassed.
The more she acted like this, the more confused Qiu Si became.
The girl had originally wanted to say something, but then she thought that the person in front of her was He Jingsu’s little aunt and they lived together, so she should know a lot about He Jingsu, right?
“W-well, I wanted to ask, does Junior He have a crush on any boy?”
After saying this, her face turned completely red.
Qiu Si’s eyes widened, as if she were shocked by her question.
Daidai has a crush on a boy?
“Impossible!” Qiu Si said very seriously. Daidai seemed to despise those boys. She probably couldn’t even name her male classmates.
“She doesn’t?” the girl’s voice was slightly joyful.
“Of course not!” Qiu Si said firmly. Apart from class, Daidai spent most of her time with Bei Queting. How could she possibly have a crush on another boy?
The girl seemed to be completely relieved. She gave Qiu Si a grateful smile. “Thank you. I’ll be going now.”
She had come out of nowhere, asked a strange question, and then left just as strangely. This left Qiu Si completely baffled.
When He Jingsu came out of the shower, she told her about it.
“Straight bangs?” He Jingsu scratched her head, having no impression. She really couldn’t understand why someone would suddenly come and ask if she had a crush on a boy.
She didn’t think much of it, changed her clothes, and ran to find Bei Queting. When she arrived, only Bei Queting was in the dorm; that Xia Mu was not there.
“Have a seat,” Bei Queting said, drying her hair with spiritual energy. Then she took an apple and a fruit knife to wash them.
He Jingsu didn’t sit. She followed behind Bei Queting and, as if trying to make conversation, told her what Qiu Si had just said.
“You said a girl with straight bangs came to ask if you have a crush on any boy?” Bei Queting’s hand, which was washing the apple, paused. Her face turned a little pale, and then she frowned.
“Mhm, mhm, but I was in the shower at the time, so I didn’t see what she looked like,” He Jingsu said truthfully.
Bei Queting took the washed apple and knife back to the dorm. As she peeled it, she said calmly, “I think I know who she is.”
“Huh?” He Jingsu sat obediently beside her and asked softly, “Who is it?”
“A girl who has a crush on Li Ao, I guess.” Bei Queting’s voice was full of coldness. She really couldn’t understand what it was about that Li Ao that made someone have a crush on him.
He Jingsu scratched her head. “She has a crush on someone else, so why did she come to see me?”
And if it was Li Ao, wasn’t her attitude toward him obvious enough?
“When people get stuck in a rut, they always tend to worry about personal gains and losses, I suppose.” Bei Queting handed the peeled apple to He Jingsu. Watching her take small bites, her gaze softened. “When you worry about personal gains and losses, you can’t help but want to seek confirmation.”
After all, Li Ao had clearly expressed that kind of interest in He Jingsu. That person would naturally be worried that if He Jingsu also had a crush on him, the two of them would get together very quickly.
He Jingsu ate the crisp, sweet apple and mumbled, “Then I’ll stay even further away from that Li Ao in the future!”
She absolutely couldn’t give anyone any room for imagination!
“Mhm, good.” Bei Queting looked at her slightly puffed-out cheeks, soft and tender like a sticky rice ball, making one want to poke them.
For those with ulterior motives toward her, staying away was naturally the best option.
***
Author’s Note:
Beibei’s words: It’s best to stay away from those with ulterior motives.
Me: Double standards! What about you!
Beibei stares over expressionlessly.
Me: Hmph! If you keep looking, I’ll make you wait until the end to get your wife!
Beibei looks away.
Me: It’s the end of the month. Drown me in nutrient solution! (donations) *(opens arms)*
