Rebirth: A Cinderella's Counterattack

Chapter 214: 199 Chapter: A Dinner That’s Hard to Describe (Part 1)

”Brother, you don’t understand, if I pay attention to her now, that’s really hurting her; she needs to realize on her own that what she is doing now is wrong,” Luo Qianqian sighed without offering further explanation.

”All your reasons, it’s just a little boy, right? You even eat together with boys you get along with.” Luo Shufan was obviously referring to the Pei brothers; not only did they eat together, but they even met the parents, why don’t you say that? ”Don’t tell me, I saw your classmates today; the boys are handsome and the girls are beautiful, they all seem like good kids.”

”I don’t have any intentions of developing anything with anyone, and she’s obviously fallen hard. Do you think I would make such a fuss with a good friend I’ve grown up with over a mere classmate?” Luo Qianqian huffed and didn’t bother with her brother, heading back to her room to change clothes—after all, the May weather wasn’t hot enough to wear a dress at night yet.

Luo Shufan muttered to himself as he watched his sister enter her room, ”What’s the big deal with puppy love? It’s just like Zhuzi said, just holding hands, right?” Saying this, his face flushed slightly. ”Good thing it’s not Qianqian, or else I’d be worn out watching her every day.”

Luo Qianqian returned to her room, her face filled with discontent: ”All he knows is to criticize me, but if he knew what that little brat has done, he wouldn’t be so calm.” While dressing, she rolled her eyes, feeling indignant. But on second thought, having been upset with He Wenyu for three months, perhaps it was better to let Lin Jiayou act sooner. But that could reveal her weakness, and Xiao Yu wasn’t stupid. Luo Qianqian sighed; it seemed she had no choice but to keep the stalemate going. Things would get better eventually, Luo Qianqian firmly believed that.

”Qianqian, where did you keep the Red String this morning?” Noticing the red string on his sister’s neck, Luo Shufan suddenly realized she hadn’t been wearing it earlier while dressed in a skirt.

”At home, duh.” Luo Qianqian turned her face away, refusing to tell Luo Shufan that she had hidden it inside her underwear. But seeing the disbelief in her brother’s eyes, she didn’t say anything more.

”If you don’t know how to answer a question later, just don’t answer it. Don’t slip up and say something wrong to Big Brother Lin before we leave,” Luo Shufan still admonished his sister before they left the house.

Luo Qianqian nodded, having already decided to play dumb anyway. At most, they would ask about her and her brother’s grades, but by now the An Family probably wouldn’t dare to do something so provoking, not when the answer was always the same.

”Brother, do you think we should bring two exercise books?” Luo Qianqian said with a mischievous smile. ”Second Aunt always likes to ask about grades, and since both my cousin and I are in junior high, why not get a rise out of her?”

”You’re just asking for trouble; aren’t you afraid of mom beating you?” Luo Shufan quickly closed the door when he heard his sister’s words. It was just because the second aunt went on and on about how being smart couldn’t save girls from marrying and that it was looks that really mattered—she even said Qianqian was just too dark, something his sister had taken to heart for many years.

”Hmph, girls are just petty like that.” Seeing the expression on her brother’s face, Luo Qianqian knew exactly what he was thinking: he must be pondering how she holds grudges and is petty. She immediately retorted.

”You’ve just reminded me, I definitely need to find a broad-minded girl to marry; otherwise, someone like you could drive her away,” Luo Shufan shook his head, smiling as he followed his sister downstairs.

”Don’t even think about it. Let me tell you, even the most broad-minded girl will become petty, anxious, and act capriciously with the person she likes. That’s what love is,” Luo Qianqian turned her head away, thinking to herself: Otherwise, why would there be so many people drowning their sorrows in drink only to end up butchered and abandoned in the wilderness? But if you take your capriciousness too far, it becomes foolishness, and if you don’t court death, you won’t die.

”Don’t scare me,” Luo Shufan shivered as he looked at his sister’s serious face, imagining a girl who would get upset with him over something as trivial as an apple not being sweet; the thought left a bitter taste on his face, and he’d rather stay a bachelor.

”Who’s scaring you? Honestly, with someone like you, who’s quite handsome and could be a bit nicer, you’re pretty good; you have good grades too. If it weren’t for your young age, I bet a lot of people would’ve confessed to you already,” Luo Qianqian took on an elder’s mantle of passing down wisdom: ”Brother, you better not be one of those fickle playboys who falls in love with every girl he sees and toys with their feelings. If you like someone, like them for a lifetime, don’t flirt around and mislead them to a lifetime of regret.”

”You little brat, who has led you to a lifetime of regret? Come on, tell me,” Luo Shufan laughed as he caught hold of his sister, wrapping his arm around her neck tightly, as if to say he wouldn’t let go until she spilled the beans.

”When I was five, I liked someone like Yhan Miyuan, but then I realized he was just a clown; at seven, I liked someone like Xu Tianyi, intelligent and wise...” How could she not have her heart flutter for someone handsome and smart? Luo Qianqian’s heart swooned internally.

”And now?” Luo Shufan asked softly on the side.

Luo Qianqian shuddered violently: ”Of course, someone like my brother, with good grades, good at basketball, and even knows Taekwondo, and writes beautifully too.” Her earnest response left Luo Shufan quite pleased.

”Remember the standards you mentioned that day,” Luo Shufan said haughtily as he pulled his sister into a taxi.

Qianqian had a face full of awkward lines, thinking that if there really were such a person, she would definitely hold on tight without needing her brother Luo Shufan to say a word.

After getting out of the car, Luo Shufan pulled his sister to one side and said seriously, ”Remember, don’t say anything inappropriate. If you don’t know how to answer, just pretend you didn’t hear.”

”May I ask how many?” At Wanhai Tower, a waiter approached Luo Shufan and Luo Qianqian.

”We have a reservation under Lin Xu and An Zilan,” Luo Shufan was momentarily startled, then quickly responded.

”Right this way, please.” The female waiter led the way, and Luo Qianqian whispered to Luo Shufan behind her, ”Why are we coming here? What about Big Brother Bai’s...”

”It’s fine; Uncle Lin arranged it. We have nothing to worry about; just relax and enjoy the meal,” Luo Shufan knew that his sister was concerned about there being so many people, and then if Bai Yixian found out and gave them a discount, it would lead to a loss.

Luo Qianqian obediently nodded her head and walked into the private room. The An parents were sitting at the far end, with An Aiguo on the left side was his son-in-law Lin Xu, and on his right was his wife, Zhang Aihua. To the left of Lin Xu sat An Zilan, next to her was An Zihua, and beside An Zihua was Li Sheng, holding Li Menglin in his lap. There were two empty seats next to them. On Zhang Aihua’s right was An Zixue, next to her was her husband, Zhou Bin, with Zhou Bin on his right was their son, Zhou Hongnan, and next to him was Lin Jiayou, with two empty seats beside him.

”Sister!” Li Menglin’s face lit up with a smile when she saw Luo Qianqian and stretched out her foot as if she wanted to get down, but Li Sheng held her tightly, so she reached out her hands instead, ”Sister, hug.”

”Hehe.” Luo Qianqian smiled happily as she tugged at the corner of her mouth, ”Come here, sister will give you a hug.” Seeing the sisters’ playful interaction, Li Sheng had no choice but to loosen his hold, and Li Menglin toddled over to Luo Qianqian, who was slightly jostled by the little human cannonball but quickly regained her composure.

”Let’s see what delicious things you want to order.” If Luo Shufan and Luo Qianqian were the pride of the An Family, racking up award after award, the elder Ans showed boundless indulgence towards them, which was even more than what their own mother, An Zilan, offered.

”We’re not picky eaters.” Luo Qianqian teased her sister as she sat next to her aunt’s husband, while Luo Shufan also sat down and exchanged a few meaningful glances with Lin Jiayou.

Seeing that the hot dishes had not yet been served and there were only a few cold dishes and snacks on the table, she knew they were waiting for them. Besides, lunch hadn’t been that long ago; there was no need to eat so early, so they simply sat together and chatted.

Feeling her aunt’s gaze, Luo Qianqian mentally rolled her eyes, although her expression remained cheerfully smiling. If she wasn’t wrong, this was the precursor to being asked something, right?

”Qianqian, I heard you finished your exams. How did you do?” An Zixue asked softly, ”Our Hongnan ranked seventeenth in his class this time, out of over three hundred in the grade. Middle school isn’t as simple as elementary school, you know.”

Luo Qianqian shook her head helplessly. Since when did ranking seventeenth in elementary school become something to brag about? She gave Li Menglin a piece of candy before slowly responding, ”Auntie, you are right.”

Her mother was getting married, and she didn’t want to offend anyone, especially Zhou Hongnan. Where did he get that An family look? He clearly resembled Zhou Bin a lot; dark-skinned with a face full of acne, it was hard to see any sign of intelligence.

Amidst the laughter and toasting, An Aiguo and Zhou Bin heard this and laughed loudly, ”Since when have Qianqian and Shufan not been number one? That would be the real news.”

”Not true, when Xu Tianyi was around, they weren’t,” Luo Qianqian muttered under her breath, audible only to Li Menglin who was playing with the Patchwork Bear on her sister’s purse.

An Zixue was put in an awkward spot, and rolling her eyes, she suddenly asked, ”Your mom’s married now, she doesn’t care about you much, do you still like her?” Hearing this, An Zilan and An Zihua were stunned; who asks that sort of question? Isn’t that like telling Boss that since there’s a Laoer, they don’t like him as much?

”Auntie, you’re married and left home, grandmother doesn’t look after you anymore, do you still love grandmother?” Luo Qianqian replied with a light laugh.

Zhang Aihua, initially ready to be angry, also showed a hint of a smile after hearing Luo Qianqian’s retort.