After Disabled A was Reborn, She Got Scummed Again - Chapter 17

The moment Qin Xiao said those words, Shang Niannian cried out, “Qin-jiejie…” But in the end, she swallowed the rest of her words. What if Qin Xiao changed her mind the next second and refused to let her stay?

Following behind Chu Qiyan wasn’t the worst outcome—if it meant she could still remain close to Qin Xiao.

Chu Qiyan’s polite and docile smile had become increasingly stiff. She hadn’t expected Qin Xiao to actually make that decision.

For a moment, she and the tear-streaked Shang Niannian locked eyes. The awkwardness was thick enough to choke on.

“Qiyan, eat,” Qin Xiao reminded her kindly. If they kept dragging this out, the food would soon go cold.

“…Okay.” Chu Qiyan lowered her head and resumed eating.

Shang Niannian, meanwhile, found herself a seat on the sofa, though she made sure to keep some distance between them.

“Alright, it’s settled then. Qin-jiejie, you’re not allowed to go back on your word!” Shang Niannian said as she dabbed her face with a tissue, fixing her makeup.

The office fell quiet again, filled only with the soft murmur of Qin Xiao giving instructions to her subordinates.

Chu Qiyan glanced up and saw Qin Xiao focused intently on her tablet, handling work with a stern efficiency. Her sleek black hair fell neatly against her fair skin, the contrast painting a portrait of refined elegance. She looked less icy now, her sharpness tempered by a calm, commanding aura.

Only now did Chu Qiyan realize that Qin Xiao wasn’t as cold and heartless as the rumors claimed. She was human too—strong, graceful, and, perhaps, even kind. Maybe it was only because she was now closer that she could see it: Qin Xiao wasn’t distant at all.

In fact, at times, she seemed almost gentle. That thought surprised Chu Qiyan.

She finished eating. The assistant had already tidied the coffee table. A clean floral scent lingered in the air, fresh and pleasant.

When Qin Xiao looked up, she caught Chu Qiyan staring in a daze. Her obsidian eyes were slightly blank with distraction, fixed right on Qin Xiao. There was a soft, silly smile on her lips, giving her fresh, delicate features a pure and innocent glow.

Qin Xiao couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle. “What are you thinking about?”

“…Ah?” Chu Qiyan blinked rapidly, suddenly jolted back to reality. She quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks flushing pink. “N-Nothing… Are you very busy?” she asked, trying to change the subject.

“It’s manageable,” Qin Xiao replied with a raised brow, lowering her eyes back to her tablet.

“…If you’re busy, I should probably go…” Chu Qiyan said awkwardly. She really didn’t know what she was still doing here in Qin Xiao’s office, especially with Shang Niannian sitting nearby and clearly still holding a grudge. Secretaries and assistants came and went, all professional and polite, but still—she felt out of place.

Realistically and emotionally, this wasn’t where she belonged.

“No rush. You can take this chance to get familiar with the environment. You might be interning here soon. If you need anything, ask Secretary Li,” Qin Xiao cut her off without looking up, effectively dismissing her attempt to leave.

On the sofa, Shang Niannian, who had been staring at Qin Xiao with longing, turned her gaze to glare daggers at Chu Qiyan. Her eyes were a warning: Don’t say anything unnecessary. Just sit there quietly. And stay away from my Qin-jiejie.

If Chu Qiyan left, Shang Niannian would have to go too, and she knew that much.

******

In the wide, airy space, watching people come and go, Chu Qiyan slowly began to adjust. Time passed quietly, and boredom crept in. She eventually took out her phone.

It wasn’t until then that she remembered the school forum incident. Maybe it was Qin Xiao who had resolved it for her. That weight, which had been so heavy, was now gone—and only in its absence did she realize how much lighter she felt.

She quickly opened the campus forum, and just as she hoped, the posts were gone. Every negative comment about her had vanished. No one in the group chats was spreading gossip either—everything had been wiped clean.

There was even a pinned announcement at the top of the forum: a formal statement clearing her name, confirming she’d been slandered, and that the person behind the false accusations had been dealt with accordingly.

Chu Qiyan couldn’t help but smile. She looked up and gave Qin Xiao a gentle smile of gratitude, her eyes filled with admiration and respect.

Then she noticed a message from Tian Shi. Her friend was excitedly exploring the company under Senior Zhang Qian’s guidance.

And then came a message from Zhang Qian herself:

[Did you and President Qin get engaged? I heard it was Chu Qian who’s engaged to her?]

Chu Qiyan frowned. Most of the major families knew she was engaged to Qin Xiao, so it made sense that regular people might not—but why were the rumors saying it was Chu Qian?

She opened her chat with Chu Qian, who was—as always—playing the good girl:

[Jiejie, you and Chen Sheng have been friends for years. Please forgive her this time, won’t you? Help her, okay?]

The slight smile on Chu Qiyan’s lips faded, replaced by a cold and mocking glint in her eyes.

“Your sister really is a little white lotus, huh,” came Shang Niannian’s voice from beside her.

She had wandered over out of boredom and, peeking at Chu Qiyan’s screen, happened to catch the conversation.

Chu Qiyan quickly turned off her phone.

“I already saw it; there’s no point hiding it,” Shang Niannian said coolly. She already knew some of the story anyway—after all, Chu Qiyan was Qin Xiao’s fiancée.

“…Do you need something?” Chu Qiyan asked with a gentle smile, though her eyes remained calm and unreadable.

“Can’t we just chat for no reason?” Shang Niannian replied casually. “Since Qin-jiejie said you’re responsible for me, we’ll be seeing a lot of each other. Might as well get to know one another now…” Her tone carried the usual haughty air of a pampered young lady.

“Sure, sounds good,” Chu Qiyan agreed softly, a pleasant smile on her face. If the other girl was willing to initiate conversation, Chu Qiyan was happy to respond in kind.

“First of all, let’s get this straight—you don’t get to boss me around just because Qin-jiejie said so.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. If you’re open to it, how about we peacefully coexist—as friends?” Chu Qiyan suggested with a bright smile.

“Hmph, you want to be my friend?” Shang Niannian lifted her chin, challenging her. But she didn’t outright say no.

“Mhm!” Chu Qiyan nodded eagerly.

“Do you even know how people are talking about you outside? Many people think Qin-jiejie should be engaged to Chu Qian instead. That perfect little sister of yours. They say you’re just a fake heiress who stole twenty years of her life—and now you’ve even stolen her fiancé.” Shang Niannian suddenly shifted the topic.

“Is that so…” Chu Qiyan murmured, falling into thought. So that’s what the outside world was saying. No wonder the story changed by the time it reached Zhang Qian.

“People really believe that? Wasn’t it made clear at the engagement banquet…?” she frowned.

“There are always clueless idiots out there. Not everyone gets invited to an engagement banquet,” Shang Niannian said with a shrug.

“True,” Chu Qiyan agreed with a nod.

“Tell that white lotus of a sister to give up already. She better not try anything with my Qin-jiejie,” Shang Niannian warned, her eyes narrowing like she might march over to confront Chu Qian then and there.

“Maybe you should tell her yourself…” Chu Qiyan said softly. She really didn’t understand what benefit there was in making her the villain of the story. Wasn’t she part of the Chu family too?

Maybe… she was the only one who thought that.

Her expression dimmed slightly.

“Hmph, useless. You’re engaged to Qin-jiejie—why do you still care what they think?” Shang Niannian said in frustration. “It’s just the Chu family. Why are you so cautious? Just cut ties with them already. I don’t see a single decent person in that family—especially your dear sister.”

“…,” Chu Qiyan opened her mouth but ended up just smiling helplessly.

“How do you even know all this?” she asked, steering the conversation away.

“Some idiot brought it up in front of me. Apparently, one of the daughters from a family close to the Chus said it. And really—who else would say something like that besides Chu Qian? Shang Niannian muttered, shaking her head, “What a manipulative little white lotus.”

“I see.” Chu Qiyan nodded without much emotion. It did seem like something only Chu Qian would say.

The two of them continued chatting casually, bouncing gossip back and forth. Their rapport started to feel surprisingly natural.

The assistant, showing good timing, brought in refreshments—though it was technically Shang Niannian’s assistant who had prepared the afternoon tea.

A spread of exquisite little cakes, along with milk tea, coffee, and juice, filled the table.

“Qin-jiejie, your coffee,” Shang Niannian said, setting a specially ordered latte on the desk. She’d made sure the barista hand-brewed it just the way Qin Xiao liked—smooth and mild.

“Thanks,” Qin Xiao replied without looking up.

After placing the coffee on the desk, Shang Niannian returned to Chu Qiyan’s side and picked up a slice of mousse cake. “Here, have some too.”

“…Okay, thank you,” Chu Qiyan replied. She recognized the desserts immediately—they were from Inn, a high-end patisserie known for its limited-edition treats. Most people could only dream of getting their hands on them.

“You’re Qin-jiejie’s fiancée now. You should at least know her preferences,” Shang Niannian said pointedly. As someone from a lesser-known family, she clearly assumed Chu Qiyan wouldn’t know such things.

“…Okay, go ahead,” Chu Qiyan said with a polite smile. The comment nearly made her choke on her juice.

*****

The afternoon passed like that. Chu Qiyan glanced at the time, wondering if she should find a good moment to leave.

But before she could speak, Shang Niannian broke the silence.

“Let’s have dinner together later, Qin-jiejie. I already booked the restaurant!” she said cheerfully.

It was rare for her to get this kind of chance. Over all these years, aside from banquets, she’d never had the opportunity to dine privately with Qin Xiao.

Even though Qin Xiao had rejected her, she felt somehow closer to her now. At this point, she couldn’t even be bothered to care about Chu Qiyan’s presence—she was too busy imagining dinner with Qin Xiao.

“I… think I’ll just head home,” Chu Qiyan said with a soft smile. Just the thought of that dinner was enough to make her anxious—she didn’t want any part in it.