In the past, Shao Qile would always keep her head down, her hair always facing Shao Qibin, her hands constantly twisting the hem of her clothes with nervousness and shyness, or her face would turn pale, her eyes filled with fear as she looked at her older brother. This was the first time she had so openly revealed the grievances and knots in her heart.
“It was my fault for not thinking things through. Mengxin is cheerful, strong, and kind. I just want you to be happier.” For Shao Qibin, who was struggling with inner conflict, it was extremely rare for him to say such a thing. As soon as he finished speaking, he immediately changed the subject, “The final exams are coming up soon, so study hard.”
Watching Shao Qibin's retreating figure, Shao Qile stroked her chin. The relationship between the siblings, it seemed, wasn't so bad at all. As long as Shao Qibin stood up for her and thought of her needs, that was a good sign.
"Ding, congratulations to the host for moving the other person with emotion. The intimacy value of the task target is currently (6/100). The host is rewarded with one free attribute point."
So, it seems the older brother felt some guilt towards his younger sister? Faced with her questioning, he was understandably emotionally affected.
She added all two free attribute points she had obtained so far to her health. Looking at her current health (17/100), she still felt a sense of impending doom.
Because of his terrible body, which was reduced to nothing but blood, Shao Qile strictly controlled his diet and even his daily routine. He didn't want to lose his life halfway through and have to start all over again, so he listened carefully to the doctor's instructions, taking his medicine when he was supposed to and sleeping when he was supposed to.
However, he didn't stop what he was doing. Shao Qile had long since discovered that the pocket money left by the owner of this body over the years was a considerable sum. He couldn't do anything big with this pocket money, but he could keep an eye on Zhang Mengxin's family, especially focusing on that so-called cousin He Mu.
With the recent investigation report and updates, it seems that a major event in the character outline, which will affect and change Shao Qibin's attitude towards Zhang Mengxin, is about to unfold.
Author's Note:
9. So-called kidnapping
Chapter Eight: The So-Called Kidnapping
Kidnapping is something that seems like a fantasy to ordinary people, but it's a major plot device in novels full of outrageous plot points or masterpieces. The male and female protagonists can use kidnapping to achieve a hero-saves-the-damsel-in-distress scenario, or the damsel-in-distress becomes the hero, rapidly escalating their relationship to a new level. Alternatively, it can directly shatter their previously ambiguous feelings in a life-or-death situation, leading to an unwavering commitment to each other.
In the character outline of "Peach Blossoms Bloom," kidnapping, a frequent occurrence, naturally happens and is used as a catalyst for the romance between Shao Qibin and Zhang Mengxin, the local heroine and his first love.
Naturally, given Shao Qibin's impressive background, in the event of a kidnapping, the first thought would be that it was related to him. It could be a political enemy of the Shao family, or perhaps some short-sighted opportunist. Of course, the second possibility is extremely small. After all, if it were truly about money, there are plenty of wealthy kids who would want to run into Shao Qibin, but they'd better consider whether they have the ability to escape his clutches and the freedom and resources to spend that money.
However, the character outline that Shao Qile remembered clearly stated that the origin of this kidnapping incident was Zhang Mengxin.
It's not that Zhang Mengxin, such a hardworking, resilient girl, did anything wrong; it's just the result of some mischievous, clueless relatives being so arrogant and ignorant. It's funny, really. If people knew that the kidnapping of the eldest son of the prestigious Shao family was caused by a middle school student addicted to the internet, who instigated a group of ignorant, immature teenagers to commit such a heinous act, who knows how many people would laugh their heads off.
Knowing this, Shao Qile, who was thinking of taking advantage of the situation, had someone keep an eye on Zhang Mengxin's cousin, He Mu, to find out what was going on. Shao Qile wasn't afraid of people finding out about this; she had a ready-made reason. She wanted to see just how capable the girl who could charm her brother even more than her own sister was.
Things happened even faster than Shao Qile had anticipated!
When Shao Qile received the news that her brother had come to the school, he didn't come to see his younger sister. Instead, he walked out of the school gate side by side with Zhang Mengxin. She left the school gate directly. At this time, there was only one week left before the final exam. Zhang Mengxin was always a studious person. It was still class time, but she left directly. Wasn't this a big problem?
Shao Qibin was indeed very kind to Zhang Mengxin; he was able to come over with just one phone call.
Zhang Mengxin was so panicked that she instinctively called Shao Qibin. At noon, she received a note informing her that her adoptive parents' son, Zhang Baobei, had been kidnapped and that she needed to prepare money. She initially thought it was a prank, but to her surprise, she received a multimedia message during class that afternoon with a picture of Zhang Baobei bound up like a pretzel. Immediately afterward, she received a ransom call.
"You said the kidnappers asked you to prepare 100,000 yuan?" Shao Qibin frowned slightly. He could naturally afford that amount, but the number made him raise an eyebrow.
"Brother Qibin, I don't want Mom and Dad to worry. Mom isn't in good health, and she'd be terribly worried if she knew something like this happened to my darling. I'll find a way to pay this money back to you, Brother Qibin."
Shao Qibin wasn't after money. Seeing Zhang Mengxin's urgency, he sensed something was off but didn't say much. He and Zhang Mengxin left the school gate, but just as they approached the parking lot near the school, he was suddenly struck on the head with a club. Before his consciousness faded, he heard a familiar exclamation and instinctively frowned, realizing something was wrong!
"elder brother!"
When Shao Qile arrived, she saw that Shao Qibin had already been knocked unconscious with a blunt object. Even having witnessed it firsthand, she still couldn't quite understand it. Logically, Shao Qibin had chosen a political career afterward, but his father was a general, and he'd been thrown into military camps and put through a lot of hardship. How could he have been so easily and carelessly struck like that? Her shout, however, caused Zhang Mengxin, who was also caught off guard and about to be struck, to turn around, avoiding a fatal blow, only staggering a few steps.
Shao Qile called to his men, planning a "beauty saves the hero" scenario. Seeing his recently surrendered underlings fighting off the thugs, he was itching to throw a punch himself. Just then, a clueless guy came over, thinking he should pick on the weakest link, and threw a sneaky punch. However, he overlooked his own physical weakness. Although the punch hurt the guy, it didn't incapacitate him.
In response, the opponent threw a punch. Shao Qile dodged the blow to a vital spot, but was still struck in the abdomen. This single blow, accompanied by a sharp pain in his heart, rendered Shao Qile unable to move. His vision went black, he staggered, and fell into darkness.
Damn it, she overestimated the condition of her body!
I wonder if the school security guards will be able to get here in time!
When Shao Qile woke up again, she didn't rush to open her eyes. The scene before she lost consciousness still kept her alert. She breathed a slight sigh of relief when she realized her limbs weren't bound and she smelled the familiar disinfectant from the hospital. It seemed the school security guards had arrived early, or perhaps the group of thugs she had brought had been dealt with by her classmates, and nothing serious had happened. However, even after waking up, she didn't rush to open her eyes. Instead, she continued to keep her breathing calm and relaxed, listening to the conversation between her parents, Xia Meiyue and Shao Guanjie.
“Before, Qibin took a liking to Zhang Mengxin and treated her like a younger sister. I knew about Qibin’s inner conflict, and even though I knew how much Lele cared for and valued her brother Qibin, I didn’t say much. But look at this time, the Zhang family has gone too far. Relying on Qibin’s connections, they have a house, a car, a good job, and good benefits, and they’ve even started to scheme against him, dragging Lele into it. Old man, no matter what, I can’t swallow this insult.”
"I will arrange for Zhang's parents to be transferred to work at Y University. Zhang Mengxin is the Zhang family's adopted daughter. Wherever her parents are, she will naturally be there." This time, Shao Guanjie was also furious. The story of Su Dongpo and the snake, hmm, she really is an ungrateful wretch.
If something really happens to Shao Qile!
Fortunately, the security guards arrived in time. If Shao Qile hadn't brought people over, would Shao Qibin have really been kidnapped by a group of teenagers?
Hearing this, Shao Qile understood the Shao couple's attitude. Being able to remove Zhang Mengxin from Shao Qibin's world and sever their childhood sweetheart bond was a good thing. However, the system hadn't given any notification yet; they would have to wait until everything was settled.
Shao Qile had only read the so-called outline and character design; he had no idea about the actual kidnapping incident, its resolution, or the Shao family's attitude towards it.
It's best to be cautious in everything.
Thinking of this, Shao Qile slowly opened his eyes, looking as if he had just woken up.
"Lele, you're awake! You scared your mother half to death! Luckily you're alright." Ms. Xia Meiyue was truly terrified this time!
Seeing her daughter lying in the hospital with a pale face, although her daughter often went in and out of the hospital due to health and heart problems, this situation was different because her daughter had to go to the hospital recently because of other people.
Author's Note: Well, Lele won by a narrow margin. Her mindset still needs further adjustment. *fist pump*
10 Master Stories
Chapter Nine: The Master of Plot
The door had just been pushed open, and the slightest footsteps made Shao Qile instantly wake up from her half-asleep state!
The newcomer deliberately softened their footsteps, stopping a few steps from the bed. Shao Qile keenly noticed the other person's gaze lingering on her, a gaze that seemed to stay for a long time, yet also only for a moment. The newcomer said nothing more, only letting out a soft sigh before turning and leaving with firm steps.
The moment the door closed, Shao Qile opened her eyes and saw Shao Qibin's straight back in the dark night, like a pine tree in the mountains. As the crack in the door narrowed, she slowly closed her eyes again, but she was already 80% sure of what was going on in her heart.
Since Shao Qibin didn't come to her to plead for Zhang Mengxin, it seems that the matter of Zhang Mengxin's family going south to Y Province has already been settled.
A huge weight was lifted from her heart. This time, she had cut off Zhang Mengxin's chance for a breakthrough in her relationship with Shao Qibin, and she could be considered to have completed most of the first hurdle—the challenge against the local female lead. However, when she checked the game's progress bar, she discovered that the local female lead challenge section still showed that 60% of the progress bar was not yet complete.