The Passerby Female Supporting Character – Chapter 81
by Little PandaExtra IF-Line – Modern Arc
Chi Qianning
The mere thought of going to a stranger’s home made Song Linlin inexplicably nervous, her heart pounding with unease. It was even more awkward than being dragged by her parents to visit relatives she didn’t even know during the New Year.
Yet, the other person had already agreed to help her. If Song Linlin were to back out now, it would seem incredibly ungrateful.
Time moved to noon the next day. Song Linlin was so preoccupied that she had no appetite for lunch. After a few quick bites, she left school. The afternoon was her appointed time with Chi Qianning; she needed to hurry to the other person’s home.
Chi Qianning didn’t live in the dormitory. Song Linlin looked at the address sent by the other party on her phone via WeChat. It was a high-end residential community in the city center, where property prices were said to be exorbitantβa place Song Linlin couldn’t afford even if she sold herself.
She only knew that Wen Yueyue had always been quite wealthy, but she hadn’t expected her older sister to be even more so.
Hailing a cab to her destination, Song Linlin carried her Advanced Mathematics textbook and a scratchpad. The book, rarely opened, looked about nine-tenths new.
Upon arriving at the destination, Song Linlin checked the floor and apartment number on her phone again, confirming for the second time that she hadn’t made a mistake. She took a deep, nervous breath before raising her hand to ring the doorbell.
A few seconds later, the door opened from the inside. Song Linlin immediately stood up very straight, holding her book and scratchpad in both hands, looking very reserved. She spoke politely, “Good afternoon, sorry to bother you.”
Only after she finished speaking did Song Linlin raise her eyes to look at the woman behind the door. When she saw the person’s appearance clearly, Song Linlin was instantly stunned.
The woman had rare, long silver-white hair and red eyes. Her face was so exquisite that one couldn’t find a single flaw. Her aura was like ice and snow on a high mountain, exuding an air of cold indifference. Just looking at her made people feel they couldn’t possibly reach her level.
Song Linlin was frozen in place, feeling that the other person was like an elf from legends, dwelling on snow-capped mountains, not a face that would appear in the mortal realm.
Chi Qianning, however, merely sized Song Linlin up and down with her red eyes, then said faintly:
“En, good afternoon.”
Her expression didn’t change much. She took a few steps back, making space for Song Linlin to enter. “Come in first.”
“O-Okay, thank you.” Song Linlin finally snapped back to her senses and quickly agreed.
Song Linlin cautiously stepped inside. She stood in the entrance hall. Beside her, Chi Qianning was wearing a white set of loungewear, not as stern and formal as Song Linlin had imagined. The coldness about her was considerably diluted at this moment.
“Um, Teacher, do I need to change my shoes?”
Song Linlin looked down. She was wearing canvas shoes, while Chi Qianning opposite her was in house slippers. Song Linlin suddenly didn’t dare to step further in, afraid of dirtying her floor.
“No need.”
Chi Qianning shook her head. The main door was closed again. She turned and walked towards the living room first, saying as she went, “You can just come in directly. Anyway, the floor hasn’t been mopped for two days.”
“The living room might be a bit messy. The previous housekeeper resigned two days ago, and I haven’t had time to find a new one.”
Song Linlin followed her footsteps, glanced around the bright, spacious living room, and quickly said, “It’s okay, Teacher, I don’t mind!”
“Find a place to sit first.”
Chi Qianning walked into the living room and sat on the sofa. Song Linlin followed her all the way, reached out to straighten a cushion on the sofa, and then sat down. She didn’t dare to sit too close, always maintaining a distance from Chi Qianning.
Placing the things she brought on the coffee table, Song Linlin turned to look at Chi Qianning and tentatively asked, “Teacher, shall we start now?”
“A bit later.”
Chi Qianning also turned her head. She took out her phone from her pocket and glanced at it. It was just past one in the afternoon. She shook her head and said, “I didn’t expect you to come so early. I haven’t had lunch yet.”
Song Linlin froze on the spot, “Ah⦔
Only then did she realize that something seemed off. Chi Qianning had asked her to come in the afternoon, but because Song Linlin was nervous, she had rushed over immediately after finishing lunch.
As a result, Chi Qianning hadn’t even eaten lunch yet! This was truly awkwardβ¦
Song Linlin could only lower her head and say embarrassedly, “I’m sorryβ¦ I came too early.”
Chi Qianning shook her head. “Since you’re here, just sit for now. You can look at the advanced math problems first. If there’s anything you don’t understand later, you can ask me directly.”
“O-Okay!” Song Linlin nodded in agreement.
The living room fell silent again. The two sat on the sofa. Song Linlin looked down at the book she had brought, while Chi Qianning, who hadn’t eaten lunch, also sat quietly on the sofa, seemingly waiting for something.
Song Linlin was somewhat curious. If she hadn’t eaten, shouldn’t she go to the kitchen? Why was she just sitting on the sofa with her?
However, Song Linlin didn’t have the courage to ask. Since Chi Qianning hadn’t spoken, she could only obediently lower her head and look at the math problems.
After about ten minutes, the doorbell rang again in the living room, breaking the silence. Song Linlin, who was reading, looked up curiously. Chi Qianning, beside her, had already stood up and was walking towards the door.
Could it be that someone else is also here for tutoring? Song Linlin wondered curiously.
That would be good too, saving them from the awkwardness of just Song Linlin and Chi Qianning being in such a large house.
Now, Song Linlin’s gaze also turned curiously towards the main door. Chi Qianning had already reached the door. She raised her hand, placed it on the handle, and opened the door.
In Song Linlin’s expectant gaze, she saw a man in a yellow uniform standing outside. His skin was rather dark, clearly from frequent exposure to wind and sun. The man spoke politely:
“Hello, your Meituan Waimai1.”
Song Linlin: β¦
It was a delivery guy.
Chi Qianning, with a calm expression, took the delivery bag. “Okay, thank you.”
Soon, the main door closed again. Chi Qianning didn’t notice Song Linlin’s disappointed expression and walked to the dining area on her own, starting to enjoy her lunch.
Song Linlin was already bewildered because she couldn’t understand the advanced math problems. Now that Chi Qianning had gone to the dining room, with a wall blocking her view of what Song Linlin was doing, Song Linlin simply stopped looking at the book altogether.
Don’t they say takeout is unhealthy? She looked like such a cool and aloof person; ordering takeout felt inconsistent with Chi Qianning’s aura.
Song Linlin felt that such a person should be eating healthy every day, consuming only light-flavored, low-oil, low-salt green foods.
Ah, it seems Chi Qianning’s housekeeper resigned two days ago, so that’s why she ordered takeout. Does this mean she can’t cook?
Song Linlin looked around at the slightly messy environment again and finally couldn’t bear it any longer. She stood up from the sofa, proactively walked to the dining area, and said to Chi Qianning:
“Umβ¦ Teacher Chi, let me help you tidy up the house!”
“Hmm?” Chi Qianning had just opened the takeout box and hadn’t started eating lunch yet. Hearing Song Linlin’s words, she looked at her with confusion.
Song Linlin said embarrassedly, “Wellβ¦ you’re helping me with tutoring, and I can’t really repay you with anything. So, let me help you clean up a bit. It’s something within my ability.”
Chi Qianning quietly looked at the nervous girl opposite her for two seconds. She had initially thought of refusing, but after hearing her out and thinking for a moment, she finally nodded lightly. “Okay, I’ll pay you a salary.”
“No, no need!”
How could Song Linlin dare to take Chi Qianning’s money? She wasn’t here for a housekeeping interview. Besides, Chi Qianning wasn’t even charging her for math tutoring. She was just helping to clean up a bit; how could she possibly accept money for that?
So Song Linlin quickly refused, “No need! I definitely won’t do as good a job as a professional housekeeper. And you’re tutoring me for free, how can I take your money?!”
Chi Qianning didn’t argue much with Song Linlin. Whether to give money or not was her own business; she could just transfer the money to Song Linlin’s card later. Arguing further would be a waste of time. So, she just said vaguely, “Understood.”
Song Linlin took it as agreement and energetically went to tidy up the house. Chi Qianning lived here alone, so only the living room and her own room would be a little messy. Tidying up was quick.
The living room was soon cleaned. Song Linlin wasn’t in a hurry to mop the floor; she planned to clean the house first and then mop. Walking to the master bedroom door, Song Linlin pushed it open with an inexplicable sense of nervousness. The room had a faint fragrance, the same as Chi Qianning’s.
Walking into the master bedroom, Song Linlin first looked around. Various items were messily placed on the dressing table, the wardrobe was open, and the top few clothes were just haphazardly piled inside, while a corner of the bed quilt had slipped and was draped on the floor.
This was somewhat different from what Song Linlin had imagined. She hadn’t thought Chi Qianning would be someone who didn’t like to tidy up in private. She had assumed Chi Qianning’s home would be the type where everything was neatly arranged, and not a speck of dust could be seen on the floor.
Song Linlin had already mopped the master bedroom once and was now mopping the living room. Chi Qianning had also finished her takeout. She was holding a glass of water, watching the busy Song Linlin, and felt an inexplicable sense of awkwardness.
Although Song Linlin had volunteered to do the work, they had agreed she was here for tutoring, yet Song Linlin ended up bustling about. This made even Chi Qianning feel a bit embarrassed.
Chi Qianning put down her water glass and walked over to Song Linlin. “How about I do it myself?”
“No need!” Song Linlin quickly waved her hand in refusal. She had already been doing it for so long, how could she give up halfway? So she said, “You continue sitting. I’ll be done soon.”
“Alright then⦔ Seeing Song Linlin’s determined look, Chi Qianning sat back down on the sofa.
When everything was done, Song Linlin looked at the results of her cleaning with satisfaction. Although it wasn’t her own house, a strange sense of pride welled up.
“Alright, let’s start tutoring.”
Originally, Chi Qianning had only agreed to help because of Wen Yueyue and because she indeed had more free time recently. Now that Song Linlin had worked so hard to clean her house, Chi Qianning’s attitude towards tutoring also became much more serious.
“Of the problems you were looking at just now, which ones don’t you understand?” Chi Qianning turned her head to look at Song Linlin and asked.
Song Linlin looked embarrassed and said in a low voice, “Uhβ¦ most of them.”
Chi Qianning looked at the problems, not expecting Song Linlin’s foundation to be so poor. She sighed and said, “Alright then, let’s start from the very basics.”
0 Comments