179 - Cinderella’s Dream: Together Forever

The conversation between Ke Qing and Qiao Shi Rui started with idle chatter before Ke Qing eventually broached the main subject: "Who was that little child Chen Wan was holding? Is she a child adopted by your team?" "Oh, you mean Yang Yang? She isn’t adopted; she's the baby of Chen Wan and Yan Xin," Qiao Shi Rui replied with a smile. Ke Qing was surprised to learn that Chen Wan and Jiang Yan Xin's child was already that big, and she laughed awkwardly, thinking, “I thought she was a child you adopted.” Outwardly, Ke Qing maintained a calm demeanor, but inside, her emotions were in turmoil. Not only did they have a child together, but she also realized her chances of succeeding with her plan were now significantly slimmer. Before long, Chen Wan reemerged from a room, carrying the little one, who had just woken from her nap. In the past few months, her hair had grown longer, and with Qin Ke having tied it with a small strawberry hair tie into a cute little tuft, she looked even more adorable. Zai Zai, with her little tuft bobbing on top of her head, urged Chen Wan to take her to show off to her mom. Jiang Yan Xin was making pancakes and heard the little voice at the door, "Mama, look at my head." Jiang Yan Xin looked in the direction of the voice and saw the tiny tuft on Zai Zai's head. Her gaze softened as she praised, "Our baby is so cute." Hearing her mother's compliment, Zai Zai happily snuggled into Chen Wan. Chen Wan took a walk around, but Zai Zai was soon taken away by Qi Jing and the others. The little one was the true favorite; everyone loved playing with her. Smiling, Chen Wan glanced at the group. When her eyes met Ke Qing's unexpectedly, she quickly darted into the kitchen at a speed fast enough to leave an afterimage. Seeing Chen Wan come in again, Jiang Yan Xin shook her head with a gentle smile. Once Jiang Yan Xin finished making the pancakes, Chen Wan took over to prepare a large beef stew, making a generous portion for the group. Jiang Yan Xin's pancakes, filled with seasoned pork, were already considered luxurious in the post-apocalyptic world. Even Ke Qing was surprised, as during her previous alliance with the leader, they only managed to have rice or some wheat occasionally, and meat was usually from various canned goods, which required a lot of appeasing to the leader to procure. Now, having fresh meat and vegetables made her feel that her risk was worth it, though it seemed that getting closer to Chen Wan was not going to be easy. Remembering what Shi Tou had said that day, she was aware that Chen Wan was the leader, and when she wasn't around, they listened to Wei Si Yu. So, Ke Qing's gaze frequently landed on Wei Si Yu. The sensing abilities of those with powers, especially mental ones like Wei Si Yu’s, were highly acute. She quickly noticed Ke Qing’s gaze and felt a chill down her spine. Something was amiss; Ke Qing had been eyeing her this way more than once. Wasn’t she trying to get close to Chen Wan? Why was she also looking at her? Sensing the brewing trouble, Wei Si Yu quickly served Qi Jing a few pieces of beef, "Eat more, you’ve hardly had any of the dishes." Qi Jing was taken aback, not expecting Wei Si Yu to suddenly serve her. Her ears reddened slightly as she thanked her, "Thank you." "It’s nothing, really. You couldn’t reach, so I thought I’d help." Wei Si Yu smiled at Qi Jing. Ke Qing noted this exchange, feigning that she too couldn’t reach the dish, but everyone was engrossed in their meal. Shi Tou noticed and offered, taking Ke Qing’s bowl, "Ke Qing, I’ll help you." And with that, he filled her bowl with food. Politely, Ke Qing thanked him, though inside she still harbored dissatisfaction. Almost everyone seemed paired up. Was Shi Tou her only option? After the meal, Ke Qing volunteered to wash the dishes, knowing she had to pull her weight. In the apocalypse, no team had space for those who didn’t contribute. Even Jiang Yan Xin had been in the kitchen earlier, and Chen Wan had prepared the final dish. Ke Qing didn’t want to be caught with any handles of laziness, so she and Qiao Shi Rui took on the task of cleaning up. Chen Wan and her group enjoyed a full day at Wei Si Yu's place, only returning after eight in the evening. Taking her chance when Shi Tou went to shower, Ke Qing finally had a moment alone. She poured a glass of warm water and knocked on Wei Si Yu’s door. Already in bed, Wei Si Yu wondered who could be knocking at this hour. She got up, opened the door, and found Ke Qing looking at her with watery eyes. Wei Si Yu had been almost asleep, but the sight jolted her awake. Raising her voice, she asked, "Ke Qing? Why are you here?" "I noticed you had quite a bit of beef at dinner and thought the salt might have made you thirsty, so I brought this over," Ke Qing said softly, her eyes glistening. The more lightly she spoke, the more alarm bells rang in Wei Si Yu’s mind. Hastily, she responded, "There’s no need. I already poured myself a glass of water before coming in. Thank you, but you should drink this one yourself." "I specifically poured this for you," Ke Qing persisted, offering the glass again. Wei Si Yu, however, showed no intention of taking it, understanding that accepting it would signify some form of acquiescence to Ke Qing. So she gently pushed the glass back towards Ke Qing. As they went back and forth, the water spilled onto Wei Si Yu. Apologizing profusely, Ke Qing tried to help wipe Wei Si Yu’s clothes, but Wei Si Yu quickly stopped her, "No, no, I can do it myself, really." While the two of them were at it in the doorway, Shi Tou emerged, fresh from the shower. Seeing them tussling, his brows furrowed involuntarily, "What are you two doing?" Hearing his voice behind her, Ke Qing thought, “This isn’t good.” She hadn’t yet secured a stable position within the team, and she couldn’t afford to lose Shi Tou, her primary protector, before securing Wei Si Yu. Hastily, she explained, "The food seemed a bit salty tonight, so I thought I’d bring everyone a glass of water. When I gave one to Wei Si Yu, the water accidentally spilled." Looking at Wei Si Yu, Ke Qing continued her apology, "I’m really sorry. How about I help wash your clothes? It’s my fault for not handling the glass properly." Wei Si Yu didn’t dare let her do that, quickly refusing, "No, no, it's alright. Besides, it’s just plain water. I’ll air it out myself. Thank you for the thought." "I could bring you another glass," Ke Qing offered, about to fetch some more. "No need, really. See? I have a cup by my bedside," Wei Si Yu showed her, trying to dissuade her, "Why don’t you two chat a bit? I'm genuinely exhausted and need to sleep. Goodnight." With that, she swiftly shut the door, now understanding how Chen Wan felt the day before. Shi Tou's brow furrowed slightly as he looked at Ke Qing. Though inexperienced in relationships, he still sensed something off. He was the one who had rescued Ke Qing, and she had shown reliance on him. Why had things taken such a turn recently? Seeing his frown, Ke Qing thought quickly, but she was an actress, not one for social media fame. She had skill. In moments, her eyes welled with tears, "I really did prepare a glass for everyone. Look, I even filled them." Shi Tou turned and indeed saw several glasses of warm water on the table. His doubts evaporated as he turned back to see her crying; he hurried to comfort her awkwardly. "Don't cry. I believe you. You’re a good person. It's my fault for asking too many questions. I understand you’re just trying to fit in with the team. Please don’t be mad." Shi Tou clumsily wiped her tears. The more she cried, the more distressed she became until finally, she buried her face in Shi Tou's chest, "You’re all I have. If you don’t want me, then I might as well not exist in this world." "Sorry, I shouldn’t have frowned at you. I’ll do whatever you say. Please, don’t cry, alright?" Shi Tou continued to coax. "Mm." With a sniffle, Ke Qing responded, her voice still laden with tears, "In that case, you can’t sleep in the living room tonight. Will you stay with me instead?" "Is that alright?" Shi Tou hesitated, tempted, as he had quite a liking for Ke Qing. "Why? Are you upset with me?" Ke Qing feigned anger, her eyes red as she stared at him. "No, of course not. Alright, I’ll stay with you," Shi Tou said, his face flushing. Ke Qing instructed Shi Tou to bring his blanket and pillow back into the bedroom, and as she watched, she curled her lips in a cold smile. Male alphas were so easily ensnared, swayed by the smallest allure. Controlling Shi Tou was a breeze for her. Compared to Shi Tou, she actually found herself respecting the likes of Chen Wan and Wei Si Yu, who possessed enough integrity not to conceal any hidden agendas. But it didn’t matter to her; she simply needed someone she could use to ensure a better life at the base. The next morning, as Wei Si Yu got up to prepare breakfast, she noticed that Shi Tou, who usually slept on the living room sofa, was nowhere to be seen, and his bedding was also gone. As she puzzled over it, Shi Tou and Ke Qing emerged sweetly together. Wei Si Yu stood agape, shocked at how quickly those two had progressed. Shi Tou smiled at Wei Si Yu as he pulled Ke Qing into his embrace and announced, "Si Yu, Ke Qing and I are together now. From now on, we're truly one of our own." "Ah," Wei Si Yu responded, somewhat dryly offering her congratulations, "Congratulations, congratulations." "Hehe, I finally have a girlfriend now," Shi Tou beamed with joy, eager to announce to everyone that he and Ke Qing were an item. When Jin Can and Huang Li Li learned about it, their expressions mirrored Wei Si Yu's. Later in the afternoon, Wei Si Yu went over to Chen Wan’s place to discuss the matter. "What do you think we should do?" Wei Si Yu expressed her own suspicion about Ke Qing, especially after the incident with the water the previous night, which further solidified her doubts. "For now, we have to take it one step at a time," Chen Wan replied. "She’s with Shi Tou now and hasn’t done anything overtly wrong. If we raise any concerns, Shi Tou might side with her. We should just keep an eye on her to prevent getting caught in any of her schemes." "That seems to be our only option," Wei Si Yu sighed. "I guess male alphas are just susceptible to temptation; a simple gesture and they're hooked."