Le Yu's original plan had been to avoid getting too involved with Qian Yuya.
However, because of the "Tribulation of Qian Yuliu," Le Yu had no choice but to endure the humiliation and live off Qian Yuya... The chance to increase his Mental Power simply by having dinner together was too good to refuse. Besides, he also wanted to experience what "Transcending Calamity" was really like.
Le Yu's personality was worlds apart from Qian Yuliu's. Combined with the influence of Qian Yuliu's memories, this younger sister he had gained for free only made Le Yu more curious about her: taking the initiative to help cook, asking classmates about her recent situation... These actions were all Le Yu's attempts to grow closer to her.
Le Yu himself had vaguely realized that, because he had only recently arrived in this other world, the loneliness and panic in his heart had never gone away. He desperately needed an outlet. However, Statistics Department Lan Yan and Kui Zhao were eyeing him covetously, his subordinate Chen Fu was an expert at shifting the blame, and his mentor Lin Jinyao had been personally killed by him... He truly had no idea where to turn.
At a time like this, Qian Yuya, who was related to Qian Yuliu by blood, stood a level above everyone else. Although she did not have Le Yu's complete trust, she was the only choice he had.
Only children got to choose. Traitors had no choice.
It was only natural that Le Yu would have favorable feelings toward Qian Yuya.
To some extent, Qian Yuya also reminded him of his younger sister in his previous life. However, unlike the quiet Qian Yuya, his biological sister had a terrible temper and loved causing trouble. She would even deliberately come into his bedroom to fart. The two siblings had practically fought from childhood to adulthood.
Even though their relationship had been poor, when Le Yu was in university and heard that his savage little sister had been dumped by a scumbag, he had once gathered a group of classmates and carried out an intercity intervention. They had not beaten anyone; they had merely disguised themselves as a group of bottoms and rushed over during the scumbag's date to point out the fact that he had abandoned his girlfriend after fooling around with her. From then on, the scumbag became a famous top at the surrounding universities.
That was also why Le Yu could completely understand Qian Yuliu's thoughts.
Whether his sister liked him or hated him, as her elder brother, he had to protect her.
Perhaps it was the influence of Qian Yuliu's memories. Perhaps eating someone else's food had made him develop favorable feelings. In any case, Le Yu was willing to continue carrying out Qian Yuliu's plan and maintain his "villainous brother" persona.
"Why?"
Qian Yuya's tone was complicated. She looked as if she hated him for failing to live up to expectations: "Why did you do something like this?"
Le Yu smiled. "Do you really want to know why? Do you think the reason truly matters?"
"It matters. The you I knew before wasn't like this." Qian Yuya spoke softly. "You used to... Although you didn't like talking, you would silently lend a hand to people in trouble."
Qian Yuliu, Qian Yuliu, how did you manage to get caught doing good deeds by your little sister? Did you deliberately show off in front of her? Did you write a diary of your good deeds and then intentionally let her see it?
Le Yu criticized Qian Yuliu endlessly in his heart, but a smile appeared on his face as he spread his hands. "If I told you that I was enduring humiliation so I could reform Radiance from within, would you respect me? If I told you I was only pursuing fame and wealth, would you look down on me?"
"My clever little sister, let your big brother teach you a little about life: Don't listen to what people say. Watch what they do. There are too many silver-tongued people in this world. What your ears hear may not be the truth. Rather than let the other person control the narrative, why not trust what you've seen with your own eyes?"
Qian Yuya stared blankly at Le Yu and bit her lip tightly. "You've changed."
"I've changed, but I haven't." Le Yu smiled. "Yuya, you just said that you thought I was someone who didn't like talking but enjoyed helping others. Then, do you think my classmates, teachers, and friends all have the same impression of me?"
"Not liking to talk means being able to keep secrets and being mature and steady. Enjoying helping others means being kindhearted and someone people can turn to. It was an excellent mask. From the moment I put on this mask, no one disliked me. Everyone trusted and relied on me, including my classmates, my teachers, and... you."
This time, Le Yu was not lying.
Silence and kindness really had been the mask Qian Yuliu had chosen to wear.
Because of the influence of the Cold-Blooded Physique, Qian Yuliu had possessed virtually no "personality" since childhood. He could display any personality he wanted, and after discovering that this mask brought him the greatest benefits, he had kept wearing it.
However, Qian Yuliu had worn this mask for too long. Even until the moment of his death, he had never taken it off.
Naturally, this explanation sounded incredibly grating to Qian Yuya.
With a sharp slap, she rose from the table and glared straight at Le Yu, her ears red with anger. "So your personality before was all fake? The kindness and courage you showed were only meant to win other people's favor?"
Le Yu smiled. "You've never known the real Qian Yuliu."
But don't worry. No one in this world knows the real Qian Yuliu except me... Le Yu thought this, then suddenly felt a chill.
"I've never known the real Qian Yuliu..."
Qian Yuya murmured under her breath. She suddenly shoved her chair aside and strode away. Le Yu hurriedly grabbed her hand. "Where are you going?"
"I'm going back to my room. I can't eat anymore!" Qian Yuya's voice grew louder and louder, and she spat out the final word viciously.
Who's going to wash those bowls and plates...? Le Yu hurriedly ransacked his mind for some righteous words. "Really? You're going to waste food over something like this? You're punishing yourself for my mistake? The refugees in Skyline District don't even have rice to eat, yet you're going to waste meat pies here?"
There was no refrigerator here. Although the temperature was acceptable and the food probably would not spoil overnight, the belief that meals should be eaten fresh and never wasted was deeply ingrained. This reason also hit Qian Yuya's soft spot perfectly. As a medical officer trainee, she had at least a little saintly compassion. Faced with the argument that "the refugees in Skyline District have nothing to eat while you're wasting food," she actually could not refute him.
After three seconds, Qian Yuya stomped her foot angrily, returned to her seat, and began forcefully shoving food into her mouth. She ate quickly and without the slightest bit of etiquette, all the while glaring fiercely at Le Yu.
Yet Le Yu was secretly rather pleased. My little sister is so cute when she gets angry and eats!
Bah, this thought must be the result of Qian Yuliu's influence. I'm not like this.
"So this is your new mask?"
Qian Yuya chewed and swallowed the food in her mouth with force before suddenly realizing the truth. "You never used to come home before dark, but today you came home early. Li Ying happened to come over to return a book to me, and you happened to open the door and chat with her for quite a while... If you hadn't told her that you were Qian Yuliu, Li Ying might even have developed a favorable impression of you."
Hmm?
Le Yu blinked. He felt that Qian Yuya's train of thought had taken a particularly strange turn.
"You even told me to invite Li Ying over in my free time, so she would understand that you weren't a bad person and you could spend more time together. You also put on a new mask: humorous, witty, talkative, sunny, and slightly stupid... Given Li Ying's personality, she really would like this mask."
The more Qian Yuya spoke, the clearer her reasoning became. She drew in a sharp breath. "Li Ying's father is the head of the Registrar Department... Is this your goal? Using Li Ying to get close to the Registrar Department?!"
Apart from the assessment that he was "slightly stupid," which Le Yu did not quite agree with, he had to give Qian Yuya credit for everything else. Even a well-informed girl like Qian Yuya could easily turn her thoughts toward palace intrigue.
The most important thing was that she had woven her theory together so convincingly and logically that Le Yu even suspected Qian Yuliu might really have had such a plan.
"Think whatever you want." Le Yu was almost unable to hold back his laughter.
"I won't let you succeed!" Qian Yuya slammed her empty bowl and chopsticks onto the table. There was not a single grain of rice left in the bowl. It seemed she felt this made up for the disaster victims in Skyline District.
Le Yu glanced at the system panel. After confirming that the Transcending Calamity progress had increased by one, he stopped Qian Yuya from leaving and rose to his feet. "You're still going to read in the living room, right? I'm going back to my bedroom. I won't come downstairs and bother you."
Time to run, time to run, or I'll have to wash the dishes.
Watching Le Yu's back as he headed toward the second floor, Qian Yuya opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something.
However, after struggling for a moment, she shoved her right hand into her mouth and bit down hard. She took several deep breaths through her nose. Before long, her expression had returned to normal, and the fist clenched in her left hand loosened. The words she had wanted to say no longer seemed worth saying.
She touched the white tooth marks on her right hand, calmly cleared the table, and washed the dishes. Then she sat in the living room and focused intently on her book, immersing herself in the sea of knowledge as if nothing that happened during dinner had affected her.
At 9:30 p.m., Qian Yuya had already gone to bed.
Le Yu left the Qian Family with a pocket watch and a map of Star Engraving Prefecture in his arms.
He was going to meet "Star-Picker."
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