C12 Of Course I Chose to Forgive Him

"You still don't grasp the full extent of our strengths. I'm slightly less powerful, with a bronze eight stars rating, but Yueyue's psionic power is of the fiery variety, naturally giving her a stronger offensive edge. Plus, she's reached the pinnacle of bronze nine stars. Together, our combined might is off the charts. It would be perfect if it weren't for that Liu character showing up."

Zhao Mengqian's expression chilled as she spoke, causing Qin Fen to shiver involuntarily.

"Don't leave me hanging. What's the deal with this Liu guy?" Qin Fen sensed there was more to the story.

Mengqian was about to respond when Zhao Mengyue cut her off.

"Let's drop it, Big Sister. It's a joyous occasion to be with Qin Fen today, and I'd rather not dwell on these matters," Mengyue said, her face clouded with displeasure.

"Yueyue, maybe you should let Qin Fen help. He's one of us, knows us inside and out, and his Time-Space Distortions could really make a difference. He's sure to help us turn the tide," Mengqian suggested, though she seemed hesitant.

"Enough, Big Sister. This is my issue, and I don't want to drag anyone else into it, especially not Qin Fen," Mengyue insisted, shaking her head, adamant about not involving him.

Seeing the dynamic, Qin Fen decided it was his turn to chime in.

"Okay, Mengqian, let's not push Yueyue on this. You know how headstrong she is. Now, the hot pot's ready. Let's dig in."

With that, Qin Fen grabbed his phone and began to eat, casually broaching the subject of WeChat with Mengqian.

"We had a bit of a mix-up before, but I think we can put that behind us. How about we add each other as friends?" Qin Fen suggested, pulling up the QR code scanner.

He glanced at Mengyue, who wasn't looking his way, and quickly gestured to Mengqian to get a move on.

Mengqian opened her QR code somewhat robotically and added Qin Fen as a friend. But when she checked the note he added, she was taken aback.

"Yueyue doesn't want to talk about it. After dinner, fill me in on what happened. We can discuss how to handle it."

Upon reading this message, Zhao Mengqian immediately realized she had misjudged Qin Fen.

She had thought Qin Fen was interested in her when he requested to add her as a friend. Now it was clear that his concern was for Yueyue.

After connecting with Zhao Mengqian online, Qin Fen also added Zhao Mengyue. With a smile, he inquired, "Yueyue, is your family treating you well? Have you faced any hardships?"

Before Zhao Mengyue could respond, Zhao Mengqian interjected, "Of course, they're treating her well. They're her blood relatives. Even years apart won't diminish their bond."

Zhao Mengyue nodded, seemingly lost in memories of the past decade. "Perhaps my parents, feeling guilty for losing me, have always spoiled me. As for my grandfather, he may seem stern, but he means well. He wants to inspire the younger generation to strive for success."

"Enough about me. What about you, Brother Qin? What have you been through these past ten years? How did you manage to leave the refugee camp, come here, and even start a street stall?"

Zhao Mengyue asked with a smile.

"Look at me; what kind of experiences do you think I've had? After a stroke of luck getting out of the refugee camp, I returned home. Initially, I was just bussing and washing dishes. Then one day, I awakened my Time-Space Distortions. I thought my psionic power would change my fate, but it turns out my talent is pretty lousy. Just trying to harness a bit of energy left me as drained as if I'd lost half my life. Even the senior who first took me under his wing left after just half a month."

"Since then, I've been making ends meet with a street stall. Thankfully, with China's development, even a stall can keep me afloat, and I've managed to pay off my tuition fees for the past few years."

Of course, Qin Fen didn't mention his recent acquisition of a system. It was still a novelty for him, let alone for Zhao Mengyue.

No one truly knows the evil that lurks in the hearts of others. Even with deep understanding, relationships can sour and turn to enmity.

"I never imagined, Brother Qin Fen, that you've been having such a tough time these past few years." Zhao Mengyue's tears fell swiftly. She had suspected that Qin Fen's life might not have been easy, but she had never fathomed the immense pressure he was under.

Even Zhao Mengqian felt no hostility toward Qin Fen at this moment.

Here was a young man shouldering such burdens, not only earning enough to cover his tuition but also striving tirelessly just to survive.

In light of Qin Fen's circumstances, Zhao Mengqian suddenly found her own grievances trivial by comparison.

"It's all for the sake of living, after all—earning money, surviving, without losing dignity," Zhao Mengqian thought to herself. Her anger toward Qin Fen had dissipated, replaced by admiration for his strength in supporting himself.

"Such a strong, hardworking, and handsome guy—what's not to forgive?" Zhao Mengqian mused silently.

Yet, Qin Fen's perspective was quite different. To him, the hustle for survival might seem exhausting, but wasn't it a common struggle for many?

In his view, the labor he endured was insignificant, hardly worth mentioning as fatigue.

After all, he possessed the Time-Space Distortions psionic power, which already put him ahead of ordinary people.

The saying "better than some, not as good as others" encapsulated Qin Fen's mindset.

"To be honest, I don't feel like I'm suffering at all. There are plenty who have it worse than me, and I've never heard them complain. I'm actually quite content with my daily routine of studying, running a stall, and cultivating," Qin Fen said sincerely.

However, the image of Qin Fen breaking rocks on his chest lingered in the sisters' minds. For an ordinary person, such a feat would be unthinkable, a true dance with death.

"Even though Qin Fen resorted to a few sly tricks while running his street stall, it was all pretty harmless," Zhao Mengqian said, giving Qin Fen a playful side-eye.

"In fact, we owe our success in finding Qin Fen this time to the two bottles of Nine-Taste Decoction he sold you before. Without that, you wouldn't have been nearly as driven to track him down."