Misunderstanding

The atmosphere in the hospital room fell into a strange silence.

Qin Ze was completely baffled. What was the problem? Why did Professor Li look so dumbfounded?

"You said the mathematical model is finished?" Professor Li asked in disbelief.

"It's done. I brought it with me. Would you like to take a look?"

"Wasn't your dad too busy? He's been swamped these past few days."

What did my dad being busy have to do with this?

Qin Ze replied, "Uh, my dad is pretty busy."

"Then the mathematical model..."

"I did it." Qin Ze beamed.

Another chance to show off.

When Professor Li heard that, the hope he had only just managed to kindle instantly shattered. He forced a smile. "That was thoughtful of you, but I've already agreed to pay compensation. Don't worry, though. I'll still pay you the wages you're owed."

Professor Li's wife nudged him with her elbow.

Qin Ze hurriedly said, "Professor Li, I really finished it."

Professor Li turned to the woman. "Su CEO, I'll transfer the money to you right away."

The woman glanced at Qin Ze. "Take it out and let us see."

Unsure of her identity, Qin Ze shot Professor Li a questioning look.

Professor Li had the carefree air of a man who knew it was a blade whether he stuck his head out or pulled it back. "Then let's take a look."

Qin Ze opened his laptop. It had not been shut down and was in sleep mode; the screen lit up a few seconds later. He inserted the USB drive, opened the file, and pushed the laptop over to Professor Li.

Professor Li had not held out much hope. He immediately skipped to the final page and glanced at the final equation. Then his eyes widened, and he stared fixedly at it.

The woman asked, "Is there a problem?"

Professor Li did not answer. His left hand trembled as he worked the mouse, reviewing the mathematical model he had worked on before being hospitalized. He mentally ran through it again and again, his overwhelming excitement gradually settling into calm.

"No problem. A perfect answer." Professor Li burst out laughing.

Lao Qin really was a loyal friend. Their years of friendship as colleagues had not been in vain.

As for Qin Ze claiming, "I did it," anyone who believed that was an idiot.

The woman raised her eyebrows in surprise. "All right. I'll verify it."

She took the laptop, logged into her email, sent the mathematical model file from the USB drive through her email account, then took out her phone and made a call. "Xiao Xu, have someone from the Investment Department test it."

The woman hung up. "Wait ten minutes."

Ten minutes later, the woman's phone rang. After answering it, she nodded. Her cold expression changed into a faint smile. "Professor Li, there's no problem with the mathematical model. Thank you for your help. It's been a pleasure working with you."

What a quick change of face!

Professor Li's wife rolled her eyes, but her face bloomed with joy as she let out a solid sigh of relief.

"The payment will be transferred into your account in five minutes. Please check it." With that, the woman put the documents, contract, and other items into her briefcase and left in her high heels.

"Qin Ze, thank you so much. Thank you." Professor Li's wife spoke gratefully.

Qin Ze waved his hand. Just don't forget to pay me.

He heard the system notification. The mission was complete, and the points had been credited.

With the weight off his chest, Professor Li looked much healthier and smiled broadly. "Qin Ze, when I'm recovered, I'll treat you and Lao Qin to a meal. Oh, right, what's your bank account number? I'll transfer your wages later."

"Just transfer it through Alipay. Use my phone number." Unable to handle the couple's enthusiasm, Qin Ze exchanged a few more words with them before taking his leave.

At ten in the morning, Old Man went over the key exam material with his students. When class ended, he walked out just as the bell rang. His phone rang in his pocket. The caller ID read: Li Chengren.

The moment he answered, Professor Li's grateful thanks came pouring out endlessly. "Lao Qin, it's all thanks to you. I owe you a huge favor. You know my son is getting married at the end of the year, and we still haven't saved enough for the down payment on his wedding home. Then something like this happened. If you hadn't stepped up, ah..."

"You've been so busy, and I still troubled you. I really feel bad about it. Once I'm discharged, I'll treat you to a meal. This favor is too great..."

Old Man had no choice but to interrupt him. "Lao Li, what are you talking about? What favor? What trouble?"

"Haha!" Professor Li laughed heartily. "You're still being so formal with me? It's about the mathematical model. Qin Ze took it over a few days ago, and today I was already prepared to pay for breach of contract. If it weren't for you, my wife would have made a huge scene."

"Mathematical model? I didn't help. Are you mistaken?"

"Come on, stop joking. If you didn't do it, could Qin Ze have completed it independently? I spent more than a month on it from start to finish. Given its specialization and complexity, even ordinary teachers couldn't handle it. I understand—you don't want me to feel like I owe you a favor, right?"

Old Man stopped walking and widened his eyes. "You mean your model has been completed, and Qin Ze did it?"

"What do you mean, 'Qin Ze did it'? Didn't you do it?"

"But I really didn't know about it."

"..."

A moment later, Old Man and Professor Li said in unison, "Qin Ze did it?"

My son couldn't possibly be that impressive.

Qin Baobao came home from work, took out her keys, and opened the front door. A rich fragrance immediately drifted out from the kitchen.

The familiar scent instantly stirred up her appetite. Qin Baobao loved chicken stew with mushrooms most of all, and her Unchanging Heart never wavered—she could never get tired of it.

Without even changing out of her high heels, she pattered into the kitchen. She saw her younger brother busily wielding a spatula over the stove, while chicken stew with mushrooms simmered in a clay pot. She swallowed hard. "Little Ze, Your Majesty is home. Hurry up and serve the good wine and meat."

Without turning around, Qin Ze replied ingratiatingly, "Please wait a moment, Your Majesty the Empress."

Qin Baobao changed out of her high heels, sat cross-legged on the sofa, turned on the LCD TV in the living room, and watched the news while waiting for dinner.

Once Qin Ze had finished cooking, he was about to set the dishes on the dining table. Qin Baobao pointed at the glass coffee table and called out, "Put it here, put it here."

So the siblings sat on the sofa and ate while watching TV. They absolutely could not be so casual at home. According to Old Man's rules, meals could only be eaten at the dining table. Qin Ze had hated dinner as a child because dinner often overlapped with the broadcast time for cartoons. Every meal, he had to summon the courage of a warrior severing his own arm and obediently sit on a stool. Over time, it had instead forged him an exceptionally strong will.

Dinner was fairly simple: Chicken stew with mushrooms as the meat dish, along with two vegetable dishes—dry-fried green beans and cabbage with garlic paste. Qin Baobao barely ate any rice. Her chopsticks flew as she focused entirely on her beloved chicken stew with mushrooms, yelping from the heat while continuously stuffing food into her mouth.

Qin Baobao was watching a rerun of a music variety show. On the stage, shifting lights illuminated mentors dressed in Gothic-style clothing, while contestants sang their hearts out and the audience below waved Glow Sticks like rolling waves. It was one of the hottest variety shows at the moment, apparently called "I Am A Singer."

Qin Baobao's cheeks were stuffed full, and her voice was muffled. "Look, this is the talent show I'll be joining during summer break. Little brother, just wait for your sister to make a name for herself and soar to the top."

Although Qin Ze did not pay much attention to variety shows, the second season of "I Am A Singer" was starting filming during summer break, and the news had been promoting it everywhere these past few days. It was impossible for him not to know.

"The singers on that show all have solid foundations. Can you really do it?" Qin Ze questioned.

"You looking down on your sister?" Qin Baobao glared angrily at him.

Qin Ze reminded her, "You should prepare yourself for when the incident comes to light, and for Dad and Old Mom's fury."

"When the boat reaches the bridge, it'll go straight. We'll deal with it when the time comes." Qin Baobao's eyes rolled around as though she were plotting something.

The moment Qin Ze saw the shifty look in his sister's eyes, his heart skipped a beat. "Don't even think about making me take the blame."

A phone rang. The siblings had identical ringtones, and both reached for their phones at the same time.

"Old Man!" Qin Ze took out his phone and saw the caller ID: Old Man.

Qin Baobao immediately lowered the TV volume and leaned in to listen.

The call connected. "A Ze, have you eaten?"

"We're eating now."

"Is your sister home?"

"She's back. She's watching TV."

"Why are you watching TV while eating... Have you forgotten all the rules I taught you?" the old man said unhappily.

Qin Baobao smacked Qin Ze.

"Is your injury better?"

"Mm, much better."

"Oh, I want to ask you something."

"Dad, go ahead."

"It's like this. Lao Li called me today and thanked me for helping him with some mathematical model. I told him I didn't know anything about it. I know a little about his model—it's highly specialized and very complicated—so I was wondering how you managed it."

Qin Baobao blinked, not quite understanding but feeling impressed anyway.

Qin Ze leaned back slightly to avoid his sister, his tone calm. "I just managed it. I studied it for a long time before I fully understood it. It was pretty difficult..."

"Stop trying to fool me. Don't I know what you're capable of?"

Qin Ze got angry. "Dad, I did it myself. Believe it or not."

"What kind of attitude is that? You're getting more and more unruly."

When Old Man got angry, Qin Ze immediately lost half his nerve. "Dad, I really did do it. If not me, then who? Qin Baobao? Do you think that's realistic?"

"...That's true," Old Man muttered.

Qin Baobao tapped Qin Ze on the head with her chopsticks and glared at him furiously.

After Qin Ze explained for ages, Old Man reluctantly believed him and sighed. "You brat, you've been getting more and more capable lately. A late bloomer, huh."

Thank you for the compliment, but calling me a late bloomer is a bit much. I'm still young.

The father and son ended the call.

Qin Ze slapped his forehead. "Sis, let me show you something." He turned and went into his room, then came back out holding a stack of Red Grandfather bills. "This is the money I earned from doing the mathematical model."

Qin Baobao's eyes lit up. She stuck out her little tongue to lick her fingers, then counted the money with a rustle. Nine thousand yuan exactly. It was equal to her former monthly salary.

Qin Baobao stuffed the thick stack of cash into her jeans pocket and said with a smile, "A Ze has finally become a real man who can support the family. Your sister will give you a verbal commendation, and this money will be confiscated for public use as our household expenses."

Qin Ze agreed. Professor Li had actually paid him ten thousand yuan, but keeping a private stash was a man's natural instinct, so he had secretly kept one thousand.

After dinner, Qin Baobao leaned against the sofa and comfortably rubbed her little belly. With an "ah," she said, "I forgot to wash yesterday's clothes."

Even as she said that, she showed no intention of getting up. She simply looked at Qin Ze with a sweet smile.

Qin Baobao was quite sly. She knew her younger brother was "feeling guilty," so she took the opportunity to dump all the work on him. Whenever she could slack off, she did.

Qin Ze indeed gave in. Helplessly, he said, "I'll wash them for you."

It was just a matter of tossing them into the washing machine anyway.

"Separate the underwear from the clothes and pants, okay?" Qin Baobao did not forget to remind him.

"Got it."

Qin Ze went into the bathroom, tossed his sister's OL Suit into the washing machine, then took out the pink underwear. At that moment, the system's emotionless voice sounded in his mind. "Host, the seven-day period has expired. The system will automatically extract energy."

The next instant, Qin Ze's vision went black, his legs gave out, and he collapsed to the floor with a thud. He could not recover for a long while.

Hearing the commotion in the living room, Qin Baobao ran in to see what had happened. When she saw Qin Ze lying on the floor, her face went pale with fright, thinking perhaps his old injury had flared up again.

"What happened? Did your wound split open again? Did the fall hurt?" Qin Baobao struggled for a long time but could not help him up.

"My... my legs are weak..." Qin Ze said weakly.

It felt like he had jerked off ten times in a row and been utterly drained, so weak that he could not even stand.

"How are your legs weak? Your injury is on your stomach..." She suddenly stopped speaking, her gaze fixed on the hint of pink pinned beneath Qin Ze. It was her underwear.

Weak legs...

Qin Baobao's expression changed. She swiftly snatched back her underwear and scolded him with a red face, "Don't get any dirty ideas about your sister's things."

She chopped Qin Ze on the head with her hand and stormed away angrily.

Qin Ze stared in dumbfounded disbelief.

Wait a minute, Sis, let me explain.