Villain: Without morals, you can't be manipulated! - Chapter 40

Chapter 40 A Hug to Mend the Rift?

At six in the morning, Qi Xueyao was already up. She wore a chic tweed suit skirt, sheer black stockings, and a pair of slippers as she stood in front of the mirror brushing her teeth. Even her fair, delicate toes were visible.

To be honest, Qi Lin felt a little sorry for her. Ever since she moved into his house, he had never seen her wear a different set of work clothes. It was probably because her financial situation wasn’t great, and she couldn’t afford more outfits.

She was always extra careful not to stain her clothes. If there was a smudge, she would scrub it out by hand and then steam it smooth and dry with an iron.

In 2002, having a steam iron was still considered a luxury. The only reason Qi Xueyao could show up to work in clean clothes every day was thanks to Qi Lin’s household.

“Ah!”

After brushing her teeth, Qi Xueyao raised her head to rinse and suddenly noticed a figure standing behind her in the mirror. Her face turned pale in shock, and she let out a startled scream.

When she turned and saw that it was Qi Lin, she quickly moved to the side and glared at him.

“Qi Lin, what are you up to now?”

Qi Lin shrugged.

“Nothing. Just woke up to brush my teeth. Then I accidentally saw some pears and took a few extra glances.”

“Pears?”

The elegant and aloof Qi Xueyao looked puzzled, not understanding what he was talking about.

“Today’s Saturday, isn’t it? You don’t have school. Why are you up so early?”

Not wanting to waste time deciphering his nonsense, Qi Xueyao instead questioned why he was awake so early when he didn’t have class.

Qi Lin’s dark eyes locked onto hers as he spoke with a rare sincerity.

“Xueyao, last night before I fell asleep, I realized I was way too harsh on you yesterday. Even though you don’t like me, you’re still my cousin and childhood playmate. Saying you were an ‘outsider’ was out of line, and I feel bad about it. So, I’ve decided to make it up to you today.”

“Make it up to me? Apologize?”

Qi Xueyao stared at him in shock.

Did the sun rise from the west today?

What was wrong with this guy? He was actually apologizing to her?

“That’s right. That’s also why I woke up early today. I want to drive you to work. You always take the bus—it’s crowded, uncomfortable, and smells terrible. Why not let me drive you in our Mercedes instead?”

Qi Lin’s tone was sincere, almost heartfelt.

“No, no, absolutely not!”

Hearing his so-called “compensation” was to drive her to work, Qi Xueyao instantly panicked, waving her hands in refusal. Just a few days ago, she had secretly quit her job as a teacher and started a business with her university friend.

She didn’t want anyone to know about it.

If Qi Lin drove her to work and found out she had already resigned, he would definitely snitch to her parents. And knowing him, he’d make a huge deal out of it.

“Don’t be so polite! Didn’t you say I was like a little brother to you? What’s wrong with a brother driving his sister to work?”

“Or… could it be that you’re still mad at me and haven’t forgiven me yet?”

Qi Lin took a few steps closer and casually draped an arm around her shoulders, trying to guide her towards the car parked outside. At this moment, Qi Xueyao wasn’t even bothered by his touch.

Her face flushed red as she dug her slippered feet into the floor, resisting his pull.

“Qi Lin, seriously, you don’t need to drive me. Listen, I’ve already forgiven you. I’m not mad at all! You finally have a day off—why don’t you just relax at home?”

In her desperation, she even went against her own feelings. Just moments ago, she had still been fuming about how cruelly he had treated her. But now, to prevent him from discovering her secret, she was lying and pretending to let it go.

“You’ve really forgiven me?”

Qi Lin eyed her suspiciously.

But inside, he was laughing. Her panic confirmed that what she wrote in her diary was true—she really had quit her job and didn’t want anyone to know.

“I swear! I’m your big sister—how could a sister hold a grudge against her little brother?”

Qi Xueyao raised her hand, making a solemn oath.

“Alright then. But if you’ve truly forgiven me, give me a hug. That’ll prove you mean it. And if you do, I promise I won’t drive you to work.”

Qi Lin proposed his test with a smug look.

“This…”

Qi Xueyao’s cheeks flushed as she clenched her teeth, wishing she could just kick this jerk across the room. She knew he wasn’t genuinely apologizing. He just wanted to take advantage of her.

But there was a bigger problem—if she refused, he would insist on taking her to work. Then he’d find out she had resigned. Letting out a deep sigh, she placed her cup and toothbrush aside. Then, with a reluctant expression, she gave Qi Lin a quick, light hug.

She was aiming for a swift and clean break—no chance for him to get handsy. To her surprise, Qi Lin didn’t try anything. He simply stood still, without making any improper moves.

“Hah~”

As soon as the hug ended, Qi Lin yawned.

“Alright then, since Xueyao doesn’t want me to drive her, I’ll head back upstairs and catch some more sleep.”

With that, he turned and walked away. Watching him leave, Qi Xueyao’s expression darkened.

“What a spoiled rich brat. Always acting on a whim. Look at him—he doesn’t look like someone who really wanted to send me to work at all.”

She wasn’t sure if he had just been messing with her or genuinely wanted to take advantage of her. But now that he was gone, she could finally relax.

Not wanting to linger, she quickly put on her heels, grabbed her bag, and rushed out the door. What she didn’t know, however, was that a black Mercedes was quietly trailing behind the bus she had boarded. Inside, a pair of dark, amused eyes were watching her every move.