Although Master Qin was greedy and prone to taking small advantages, it had to be said that he was extremely generous when it came to his children.
Qin Jiujiu looked at the middle-aged man before her. He was portly, and she couldn't fathom how such a father could have produced such a pair of children. Their looks genuinely made her suspect if Madam Qin had been unfaithful.
However, Qin Jiujiu's father doted on her immensely. Though the book didn't dwell on it much, the fact that Master Qin had remained a widower for so many years without remarrying was enough for her to understand his love for Madam Qin and his children.
She recalled that in the original story, after Qin Jiujiu's death, Master Qin fell gravely ill and soon passed away. This made Qin Jiujiu unable to tell the middle-aged man before her that she was no longer his daughter. Even though he was an NPC, Qin Jiujiu was determined to fulfill Qin Yunwan's dying wish and do her best to change the Qin family's fate!
"Jiujiu, listen to your father. That Xie Yun is a good prospect, but I've lived longer and can see he's not right for you. You should..."
Qin Jiujiu already knew her father's intention: to persuade her to give up on Xie Yun. In the original story, Qin Jiujiu never got to hear this. But because she had changed the plot and lived, this scene unfolded.
"Father, I do admire Young Master Xie, but your daughter now understands he is not my destined partner. Sister Bai and he are meant to be. So, Father, rest assured, your daughter will no longer bother Young Master Xie."
Master Qin was utterly stunned. He couldn't believe these words were coming from his own daughter. It was true that the original Qin Jiujiu would never have said such things, but this was no longer the original Qin Jiujiu. Then, Qin Jiujiu's next words surprised him even more.
"Father, I know you've been alone all these years because you worried that a new wife would be bad for your daughter and son. But now your daughter has grown up, and it's time for Father to find a companion. So, I will find a matchmaker to find a good concubine for you."
These words brought tears to Master Qin's eyes. And so, the main protagonists returning to the Qin mansion saw this scene: the usually shrewd Master Qin, holding Qin Jiujiu, weeping uncontrollably, and saying with immense relief, "My precious daughter, you have truly grown up. Father can rest easy now..."
Xie Yun, Bai Qianluo: "..."
Xie Jing was not present at the moment; he was busy pursuing a fox demon. If he had seen this, his disdain for Qin Jiujiu would have only intensified.
Qin Jiujiu looked at the male and female leads' awkward, yet slightly amused expressions, and felt helpless. She had never expected such a grown man to be so sentimental. If she had known, she wouldn't have said so many emotional words. But at this moment, regret was useless.
"Father, Elder Brother Xie and Sister Bai are back. Let go of me first."
Master Qin then released her, still with a hint of reluctance. Qin Jiujiu found her father's somewhat childish demeanor unexpectedly endearing. Although she wasn't the real Qin Jiujiu, she genuinely found such a father quite amusing. In reality, her father was a workaholic, typically reserved, and a complete contrast to Master Qin.
Qin Jiujiu actually liked Master Qin a lot, even if he was a bit childish.
Xie Yun and Bai Qianluo were very surprised. They had never seen a father hold his daughter and cry like this. Such a scene was unheard of in their own lives, yet seeing it brought a sense of warmth, despite its seeming absurdity.
Upon seeing the male and female leads, Master Qin wiped his tears immediately, his expression instantly turning serious, appearing exactly as he usually did, making one doubt if the person moments ago was truly Master Qin.
"Is there any news about the fox demon?"
As soon as Qin Jiujiu heard about the fox demon, she remembered she had forgotten to report the recent events to the main protagonists. This way, they could protect her, giving her more time to interact with them and complete her mission.
Qin Jiujiu felt her own life was quite busy. Despite being a cannon fodder character, she wasn't at ease at all. Compared to the protagonists, she was actually more exhausted, both mentally and physically. Not only did she have to worry about others' romantic entanglements, but she also had to fight for her own fragile life. Qin Jiujiu was momentarily speechless.
But now, it was her time to shine.
"Elder Brother Xie, Sister Bai, that fox demon just possessed the maid in Elder Brother's room. She said she wanted to take over my body. Will I end up like Sister-in-law?"
As Qin Jiujiu spoke, she reached for Bai Qianluo's arm. She dared not get close to Xie Yun, for if the female lead became jealous, she'd be doomed. So, Qin Jiujiu sidestepped Xie Yun and leaned against Bai Qianluo, looking like a pitiable waif. She was naturally cute, and this pretense of helplessness evoked a sense of sisterly affection in Bai Qianluo.
Bai Qianluo had also had her suspicions about Qin Jiujiu's motives for approaching her recently. The former Qin Jiujiu would never have acted like this; she would have clung to Xie Yun and sobbed uncontrollably. But now, she had bypassed Xie Yun and attached herself to Bai Qianluo, appearing as though she wanted to cry but was holding back. Despite her suspicions, her interactions with Qin Jiujiu over the past few days had softened her stance. Perhaps she had simply matured.
Even if others were unpleasant, Bai Qianluo always approached them with the greatest goodwill, believing in the inherent goodness of people and aiming to guide them toward virtue. She would not take a life unless absolutely necessary. Qin Jiujiu was right to think so; although Bai Qianluo found Qin Jiujiu utterly different from her past self, she was unwilling to attribute malice to others.
Qin Jiujiu soon felt a hand on her back. The female lead was gently patting her shoulder in comfort. Promptly, Qin Jiujiu decided to press her advantage. "Sister Bai, can I stay with you for these few days?"
Xie Yun had never understood these subtle dynamics between women and was naturally unaware of what was happening. However, he couldn't very well interfere, so he remained silent throughout.
Bai Qianluo found it difficult to refuse. Everything seemed reasonable. Although Qin Jiujiu had not been on good terms with her before, as a mere mortal targeted by a fox demon, she was genuinely in danger. Thus, Bai Qianluo nodded her agreement.
Qin Jiujiu was internally ecstatic, but to maintain her persona, she had to continue acting like a pitiable creature.
Neither of the three noticed the change in Master Qin's expression beside them. If they had, Qin Jiujiu would have certainly praised Master Qin as a master of facial expressions, truly remarkable.
Upon hearing that Qin Jiujiu was targeted by a fox demon, Master Qin had wanted to rush over and check if she was injured, but his daughter's subsequent actions confused him.
He was increasingly unable to fathom his daughter. Previously, she had disliked Bai Qianluo because of Xie Yun, but now she was not using this incident to get close to Xie Yun, but rather to Bai Qianluo. Master Qin felt his daughter had grown up, but he understood her less and less.
However, since his daughter had her own plans and was genuinely in danger, requiring their protection, he expressed his approval.
"Then I shall trouble the two young heroes with my Jiujiu. Thank you, Lady Bai, for your willingness to help. After the fox demon is apprehended, Master Qin will surely reward you handsomely!"
Qin Jiujiu felt her father was incredibly supportive, and she couldn't help but give him a thumbs-up. This was definitely her biological father, a truly great father! She had judged him too hastily before when she doubted if he was her real father due to their looks! It must be that the Qin siblings took after Madam Qin, it had to be!