C9 The Two of Them Were Innocent

"Are you Qin Fen?" While Zhao Mengqian and Qin Fen were in the midst of a heated argument, a timid voice reached them from nearby. Strangely enough, both Qin Fen and Zhao Mengqian recognized the voice.

"Yueyue, what are you doing? Who's Qin Fen?" Zhao Mengqian paused, turning to look at Zhao Mengyue, her sister, and couldn't resist asking.

Qin Fen, hearing Zhao Mengqian call the girl by name, was momentarily taken aback. The name sounded so familiar, as if he had encountered it before. He was sure he didn't know her, yet she had just called out his name. But when it came to recalling any memories of her, he drew a blank.

"Qin Fen, don't you remember me?" The girl in front of him looked a bit heartbroken at his bewildered expression, but then she seemed to come to terms with it. After all, it had been about ten years since they'd parted ways. It made sense that Qin Fen might not immediately recognize her.

"Are you little Yueyue?" Qin Fen asked, still uncertain.

Zhao Mengyue nodded eagerly, her face lighting up with surprise. "I can't believe you still remember me after all these years, Qin Fen. How have you been?"

Qin Fen nodded quickly, his face brightening with the joy of reuniting with an old friend. He finally recognized the stunning beauty with the long, snow-white legs before him as Zhao Mengyue, his good friend from the refugee camp days.

Meanwhile, Zhao Mengqian, still bound to Qin Fen, was utterly astonished. Could it be that the con artist who had swindled her was the childhood friend her sister had been searching for all these years? She recalled how her sister had exhausted every possible method to find him, only to come up empty-handed and eventually give up. And now, unexpectedly, she had stumbled upon Qin Fen.

"Qin Fen, have you really been making a living by running a street stall?" Zhao Mengyue asked, looking at Qin Fen with a touch of concern.

"Yeah, the stall has been quite profitable. I've managed to cover my tuition fees with the money I've made from it. It's not a fortune, but it's enough to get by," Qin Fen replied, attempting to extricate himself but realizing he couldn't, resigning himself to remain physically entwined with Zhao Mengqian.

Although Zhao Mengqian hadn't released her grip on Qin Fen, she had, in fact, forgiven him deep down.

Qin Fen had done everything to make ends meet. He also needed to pay for his education, and unlike the sisters who had parental support, he had to shoulder these costs alone.

"Sister, please let Qin go. You were upset before, but he didn't intend to hurt you; he was just trying to make a living. Forgive him, considering how hard he's been working," pleaded Zhao Mengyue, her cheeks flushing at the sight of their entanglement, a twinge of jealousy stirring within her.

She even daydreamed about how wonderful it would be if she were the one by Qin's side at that moment.

The thought made her face grow hotter, her blush deepening.

Zhao Mengqian, feeling a bit awkward to continue clinging to Qin Fen, decided it was time to let go. After all, she knew how to keep tabs on the young man, confident he wouldn't slip away.

"Kid, I'm letting you go now, but be aware of your actions. Don't even think about running off, or you'll shatter the image Yueyue has of you," she warned, a sly smile creeping across her face.

Now, Zhao Mengyue could finally take a proper look at Qin Fen. It had been ten years since they'd last seen each other, and the childhood friends had blossomed into a handsome young man and a beautiful young woman. It was astonishing how time could transform people, leaving one to marvel and sigh.

In the past, they had been each other's lifelines in the refugee camp. Zhao Mengyue had always leaned on Qin Fen for support.

He was always the first to face any danger, protecting her at all costs. When she fell ill, he was the one who tenderly cared for her.

Life's twists and turns are indeed unpredictable. Zhao Mengyue once thought she'd always be following Qin Fen around, but an unexpected event changed everything. She was discovered to possess an extraordinary Blaze attribute talent, a miraculous leap for an ordinary person. Later, the Zhao family elders took notice of her, and she was transformed into the treasured pearl of the Zhao family.

At that time, Qin Fen was still just an ordinary guy. Even after awakening his Time-Space Distortions ability, his talent was unfortunately subpar, ranking as the lowest among his peers. His initial buzz quickly faded, and he became invisible within the Psionic Class.

Zhao Mengyue and Qin Fen exchanged wordless glances, yet their eyes were brimming with a special kind of camaraderie. Zhao Mengqian, who had been intently watching Qin Fen, had had enough.

"Kid, you've got some nerve, acting like nothing's wrong. You caused me a loss, and you're going to pay for it!" Zhao Mengqian demanded, hands on her hips.

Qin Fen and Zhao Mengyue turned to each other, with Mengyue giving Mengqian a pleading look, but to no avail.

Qin Fen chuckled and responded, "My dear, you're absolutely right about compensation. Last time, you bought two bottles of Nine-Taste Decoction. I'll make it right with triple the amount—I'll get you six bottles, just to make sure you're covered."

The bystanders were stunned by his reply, witnessing an almost tangible wave of fury envelop Qin Fen.

"Kid, you won't learn your lesson until it's too late!"

Zhao Mengqian, already on the verge of forgiving Qin Fen thanks to Mengyue, was provoked once more. She had to admit, he was asking for it!

She made her move again, executing a flawless chokehold and swiftly bringing Qin Fen under control. This time, she held him close in an unyielding embrace.

"Uh, cough, you're really strong; I'm having trouble breathing here," Qin Fen gasped, his entire weight borne by Mengqian.

"Damn, what a scoundrel! This guy's just lounging in a beauty's arms? Unbelievable. Where did I go wrong?"

A passerby witnessing the scene was floored.

"Pal, from what I see, you probably lost because you don't have a stall. Look at this guy; his stall's got everything, all set up and ready. And you? You're just a loafer. Do you really think a lady would want to waste her time with you?"

The crowd murmured about life's injustices, and some even contemplated setting up their own stalls.