Chapter 09: Heartbeat
Qin Yanci suddenly smiled. “Are you trying to treat me like a child?”
“I’m treating you like a partner,” Ying Sisi corrected.
An unusual feeling surged in Qin Yanci’s heart as he chewed on the snack, mumbling, “Hmm, partner.”
Ying Sisi thought for a moment and pulled out a stamp. “Have you seen this before?”
Qin Yanci’s eyes lit up as he examined it closely. “A stamp from the Republic of China! Where did you get this?”
Ying Sisi was secretly delighted; he seemed to really know his stuff. She feigned nonchalance and said, “I found it. I heard that old stamps can be quite valuable. Is that true?”
“It is. Back when I was studying, I researched and collected stamps. A stamp like this could easily be worth seven or eight yuan,” he replied.
Ying Sisi could hardly contain her joy. Seven or eight yuan for one stamp?
She had counted the stamps in that book yesterday; there were over one hundred and thirty of them.
They dated back to various years, the oldest from the last century.
If one stamp was worth that much, selling the whole book would make her rich!
Suppressing her excitement, she asked, “Seven or eight yuan each? Where can I sell them?”
“In the antique market, but those places are quite hidden now. Ordinary people usually can’t find them. Are you planning to sell? I can ask someone to help you find out,” he said.
Ying Sisi was thrilled and grabbed his hand in excitement. “Aci, you’re truly my lucky star!” If she had to find the place herself, who knows how long it would take?
Qin Yanci lowered his gaze, his attention drawn to her hands.
Compared to his dark skin, hers was pale like scallions, but her skin was rough, unlike the delicate nature of her face.
They were both working hands.
For some reason, his heartbeat quickened, and his throat felt dry. He thought about how she had just fed him a snack, and when her fingers nearly touched his lips, he should have bitten down to taste it.
Or perhaps he could ask her to warm his bed; after all, they were engaged, and she had agreed.
At that moment, the sound of a door opening came from outside.
Then there was a commotion.
Ying Sisi rushed to the door.
A young couple carrying a child came into view. The young man wore a navy blue cotton jacket, while the woman was bundled up in a heavy coat.
A middle-aged woman followed them, her face looking a bit haggard.
They were Qin Yanci’s older brother, sister-in-law, and mother.
Ying Sisi took the initiative to greet them. “Auntie, big brother, sister-in-law, hello.”
“Sisi? Is Yanci home too?” Qin Yanci’s mother asked as she stepped in.
Qin Yanci appeared from the kitchen.
Qin’s mother froze for a moment, then her eyes reddened. She hurried forward. “Yanci, you’re back! You’ve grown so tall!” She raised her hand to touch his face but was dodged.
Her hand froze in mid-air as she murmured, “You’ve lost weight and gotten darker.”
“The sun is strong on the farm, and life is hard. How can I not lose weight or get dark? I can’t compare to you all, living comfortably in Yan Jing, getting fatter and fairer,” Qin Yanci replied sharply.
The family had no retort.
Ying Sisi found it intriguing; it was the first time she heard him say so much in one breath.
Qin Yanci’s sister-in-law, Lu Yuechun, tried to ease the tension. “Yanci, do you want to see your little niece?”
“No interest,” Qin Yanci said as he turned to go back to his room.
“Yanci.” His mother chased after him.
Lu Yuechun’s worried gaze followed Qin Yanci’s retreating figure, before shifting to Ying Sisi. “When did Sisi arrive?”
“Just a little while ago.” Ying Sisi accompanied Lu Yuechun back into the house, leaning in to look at the child. The baby was fair-skinned with long eyelashes. She couldn’t help but praise, “She’s so adorable!”
“When you marry in, you should hurry up and have one too.”
Ying Sisi thought to herself, with the house already taken up by you all, where would we raise the child?
She had no decent place to live when she was young; she still didn’t have one now. What difference would it make for her child?
She didn’t want her child to suffer through life from such an early age.
Feigning a pout, she said, “Sister-in-law, don’t tease me!”
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