Li Ren led Qin Yu and Yanfei to his family's residence, scratching his head.
"Ugh, I really don't want to go back... but I have no choice. Miss Qin, I'm sorry to trouble you with this acting gig. It won't take long, just an hour or two. Just keep my grandmother entertained, and then I'll take over."
An hour or two—two to four hours—was a bit long, but Qin Yu could barely accept it.
It was rather amusing, though.
To express her true self in front of others, she actually had to lie and call it "acting." But this situation was of her own making, so there was no point in complaining.
According to Li Ren, his sister always wore a single ponytail and rarely let her hair down. Qin Yu tied her hair up in a high ponytail accordingly.
Yanfei blinked, finding Qin Yu's new hairstyle surprisingly refreshing. Already warm and energetic, the high ponytail seemed to amplify her vitality.
"The ponytail looks great on you," Yanfei complimented sincerely.
Qin Yu glanced at her fingernails and said nonchalantly, "Hmph, so that's how it is."
So cold! Yanfei thought, surprised. It's like she's suddenly transformed into an unapproachable cat. Did I do something to upset her? Yanfei's eyes widened slightly as she frantically searched her memory for any possible offense.
Li Ren exclaimed in admiration, "Remarkable! Miss Qin has already begun her role-playing. She's truly dedicated."
Qin Yu's expression shifted instantly into a dazzling smile. "Just warming up! But as long as there are no problems, that's all that matters."
Yanfei sighed in relief. Ah, she was just practicing beforehand! That explains why she felt so different.
Good thing I didn't upset her! Yanfei thought. I really don't want Qin Yu to dislike me.
Now I just need to adjust to Qin Yu's "in-character" persona, Yanfei resolved. I'll have to work harder to earn her trust and make her rely on me more.
"Then, I'll begin," Qin Yu said. "If my attitude isn't right..."
Li Ren nodded. "No worries."
Yanfei patted her chest reassuringly. "I understand! I remember Qin Yu's true nature perfectly. A-ah, not that I meant anything by that..."
"Why are you suddenly acting so flustered?" Qin Yu asked, looking puzzled.
"Huh? What's this...? Anyway! Everything's fine!"
Qin Yu narrowed her eyes, then turned away, flicked her ponytail, and said, "Alright, let's get this over with quickly. A couple of hours of acting is exhausting. The sooner we finish, the better."
She's already in character. Her acting is truly remarkable, Yanfei thought admiringly.
Qin Yu, meanwhile, was secretly delighted.
If I think about it differently, anything I say or do can be excused with "I'm just acting," right?
After all, the family's granddaughter and her own true personality were remarkably similar.
Li Ren exclaimed, "They're practically twins!"
See? Just as I thought.
Everything she had suppressed to maintain her public persona—all the things she longed to say but couldn't—now flowed freely. If she went too far, she could simply break character, claim her acting was subpar, and apologize.
Perfect.
They entered the residence and arrived at the old woman's room. Li Ren quietly explained some of his sister's habits, which Qin Yu quickly memorized.
Li Ren took a deep breath and knocked on the door. "Grandma, I—"
"How dare you show your face here! Get out!" the old woman shouted weakly from inside.
Li Ren said awkwardly, "I'll... I'll switch with you."
"Sigh, no choice... I'm back, Grandma," Qin Yu said, knocking on the door.
"Xiao Yu?!"
A flurry of activity erupted inside the room, followed by the door swinging open.
Huh? What's going on? Before Qin Yu could react, an elderly woman with tear-filled eyes had seized her hands.
"Xiao Yu, you're finally back! The old man is gone now, and it's just us left. I've been waiting for you every day... and here you are! You've lost weight, haven't you? Your chest seems flatter than before... You need to eat more!"
"Ha? My chest size is perfectly normal! And weren't you bedridden with illness?" Qin Yu asked in astonishment. How can she act like nothing's wrong?
"Of course I'm better! My granddaughter is home. That's the power of family!"
"There's no way that's possible!"
Qin Yu had expected to simply sit by the bedside and keep the old woman company, but instead, the woman was practically bouncing with energy. Qin Yu had a sinking feeling that the next few hours were going to be far from peaceful.
Li Ren piped up timidly, "Grandma..."
"Tch," the old woman clicked her tongue.
"Eek!"
Qin Yu sighed. "How pathetic."
That... that wasn't her real feelings, was it? She was just acting, right, Miss Qin? Li Ren thought miserably, on the verge of tears.
After the old woman released her hand, Yanfei leaned in to whisper to Qin Yu, "Was that genuine?"
"Of course not," Qin Yu replied with a smile.
"Oh... I thought it might be..."
She even went out of her way to lie! Talk about commitment! She's truly professional! Yanfei marveled inwardly.
Back to the matter at hand, the old woman, who Yanfei had claimed should be bedridden, was now bursting with youthful energy, looked perfectly healthy, and was even offering to prepare lunch.
Fortunately, Qin Yu managed to dissuade her.
It felt a little awkward bringing it up now, but even though they had similar personalities, pretending to be someone else's family member still made Qin Yu feel a twinge of guilt.
But after all the lies they'd already told, what difference would one more make? As long as their deception remained undetected, it might as well be the truth, right?
"Are you really feeling okay?" Yanfei asked, her voice laced with concern.
"Oh, I'm perfectly fine, dear! By the way, Xiao Yu, I didn't realize you and Miss Yanfei were friends."
Qin Yu casually remarked, "We get along quite well, after all."
That must be true! Yanfei felt a flicker of happiness.
"But your fiancée doesn't mind, does she?"
The words struck Qin Yu and Yanfei like a bolt of lightning.
Fiancée?! Yanfei's mind reeled. If they were going to keep up this charade, wouldn't she eventually have to meet this fiancée? And then... How could such a thing even happen?
"Ha? Fiancée?" Qin Yu whipped her head toward Li Ren. What the hell is going on?!
Li Ren sighed. "You're confused again, Grandma. Xiao Yu is a woman. How could she have a fiancée?"
Yanfei and Qin Yu both exhaled in relief.
Good, there isn't one.
"Then what about a fiancé?"
"She doesn't have one either. Xiao Yu has said she doesn't want to get married."
"And you?"
Li Ren stammered, "Still looking..."
"Still looking? At this rate, you'd be better off settling down with Roast Pork!"
The old woman turned to Qin Yu, her tone earnest. "Ah, Xiao Yu... it's best to find a companion in life. You're free-spirited, so I won't tell you to find a man or a woman. But without someone by your side, you'll end up like me—terribly lonely after my old man passed. And you're young; you can't stay here and keep this old woman company forever."
"Don't worry," Qin Yu reassured her. "I'll find someone."
So much for saying whatever comes to mind.
Qin Yu thought: Marrying a man is impossible, and a woman wouldn't work either. As for companionship... that would only increase the risk of exposure.
The answer could only be "No!"
"Has anyone been chosen yet?"
"Not yet. I don't want to talk about marriage right now," Qin Yu replied.
"Alright, alright, let's drop the subject. It's rare for our family to be together like this. Let's go out for a walk and get some fresh air," the old woman said with a warm smile.
"Ha? Grandma, you've just recovered from your illness. You should rest first."
"Haha! You need a walk after recovering! That lazy old man didn't outlive me because he was too lazy. I can't end up like him, or how else will I get to see you all again?"
Qin Yu's gaze wavered for a moment before she quickly looked away.
Li Ren lowered his head. "Grandma... alright, let's go. We'll just take a short walk around the neighborhood and be back soon."
"Wonderful! Let me find my purse... Oh dear, where did I put it? My memory's been getting so bad lately."
Qin Yu watched the old woman climb the stairs, then secretly exhaled. Her decision must be right—Grandma seemed to have regained her energy, after all. Yet she couldn't help but feel...
I'm really a terrible woman.