Volume 4: Hidden Struggles, Chapter 227: A Mutual Smile

When the cheeks of those two genius brothers puffed up again, Chu Tianyu and Qin Nianran finally resumed their conversation. However, due to their interruptions, their talk naturally shifted to them for a while. Chu Tianyu joked that their sect was unfortunate to have such gluttons—how could their senior brother Liu Xiangshi, who was so carefree and elegant, have such students? It was truly a stain on his teaching career!

Qin Nianran was also extremely interested in Chu Tianyu’s sect. Only during their conversation did she learn that he had been guided by three renowned masters since childhood. Her so-called special abilities, her “climax technique,” and her sense of pride seemed insignificant in his eyes. At the same time, she marveled at Chu Tianyu’s miraculous experiences.

Chu Tianyu hadn’t expected the conversation to turn out so relaxed. Ever since he met Qin Nianran, things had always been in a strange atmosphere—awkward and oppressive, as if something was blocking the way, preventing smooth communication. But today was different. Whether it was because Qin Nianran’s attitude suddenly changed or because of the “love agreement” trick Chu Tianyu used, their relationship improved naturally and smoothly!

Regardless of the reason, at least Chu Tianyu now felt a sense of ease and happiness, as if a long-cherished wish had finally come true. His heart was filled with joy and sweetness…

As their conversation continued pleasantly, the topic naturally returned to focus. As if suddenly remembering something, Chu Tianyu said, “By the way, Nianran, you came to see me saying you had something to talk about. What is it? Surely it’s not just to watch these two brothers ‘order pigs at the restaurant,’ right? Hehe…”

Facing Chu Tianyu’s humorous remarks, Qin Nianran couldn’t help but smile and replied casually, “Of course, I came to talk about your aunt and your third master!”

Upon hearing this, Chu Tianyu’s eyes sparkled. After pondering for a moment, he said, “Let’s not talk about that for now. How about we first discuss how you’re doing?”

At these words, with her intelligence, Qin Nianran instantly understood Chu Tianyu’s meaning. Her expression turned cold as she stared straight at him and said in a questioning tone, “May I interpret this as you implying that my relaxed demeanor and unusual arrogance and coldness today were all meant to impress you, to appease you so that you’d help arrange a match between my aunt and your third master?” Her growing cold tone and series of questions suddenly made the atmosphere tense. Yet Chu Tianyu showed no surprise or urgency at this sudden shift. On the contrary, he appeared confident, his eyes sincere as he smiled at Qin Nianran, slowly raising one finger and waving it in front of her before saying softly, “Nianran, I can assure you that what you made me feel just now was by no means driven by some ulterior motive. I’ve always believed that emotions and feelings are a form of communication between two people, something equal. I can sense your sincerity, and I’m sure at that moment, you must have felt mine as well…” Smart as she was, Qin Nianran realized that, after all these twists and turns, she had actually fallen into Chu Tianyu’s confession—one that used his own tactics against him, with talk of mutual communication and equal feelings, leaving her speechless. If she denied it, it would be like slapping herself in the face, admitting the very questions she had just asked Chu Tianyu, with the undeniable answer being that she had hidden motives! If she agreed, it would mean falling for Chu Tianyu’s foolish scheme, essentially acknowledging their feelings… Thinking of this, Qin Nianran’s expression became complex, her heart a mix of emotions she couldn’t describe. The once silly boy from the past and the charming and wise man before her, who had quietly opened her heart, seemed to blend together suddenly, leaving an indelible mark deep in her soul…

In fact, Qin Nianran had always been clear about her feelings and very rational. From her unwilling engagement to a fool to the delicate moments sitting in a restaurant now, she had gone through quite a journey. While Chu Tianyu’s charm, Ouyang Ziyi’s excitement, their perfect cooperation in dealing with Tianxing Group, as well as the life-and-death experiences during the flood and the shared hardships in the Valley of Republic all left marks in Qin Nianran’s heart, she knew these were merely stages of gradual change, a buildup of love. What truly transformed her, made her open her heart, and let her emotions free was the moment last night when her great-aunt faced Chu Tianyu’s master—something that made her fully realize a truth: when facing the unknown, one must first ask oneself what is most needed and what can be ignored before making a decision. But once a choice is made, one should let go of all other constraints and pursue what one wants, needs, or even is essential… So, after what happened with her great-aunt, Qin Nianran asked herself: Did she love Chu Tianyu? Could she accept everything about him? Even sharing this love with someone else?

Her answer was just one word: Love!

This one word was enough to explain all questions and clarify everything!

That’s why there was today’s conversation, today’s relaxed and carefree mood, and her completely open heart… As Qin Nianran was lost in thought, Chu Tianyu, seeing her expression, felt relieved, knowing their “love agreement” had finally been signed! So he boldly stretched out his hands and tightly grasped her delicate hands. Amidst the warmth and softness, the two looked at each other, smiled knowingly, conveying everything without words.

After a long while, they finally came back to reality from their mutual affection. Qin Nianran wasn’t the kind of person who would be shy. Since her decision was made, there was no need for further hesitation or embarrassment. She simply smiled at Chu Tianyu and said, “Are you satisfied now?”

Chu Tianyu, filled with happiness, rubbed his hands together and chuckled, “Average, average. The key is that heaven sees me as a good person and appreciates my beautiful heart…” Before he could finish boasting, Qin Nianran snorted, “Stop being so self-praiseful, you big scoundrel! I won’t pursue you for pretending to be stupid and deceiving me. Now you’re talking about a beautiful heart!”

“Innocent, Nianran! Haven’t you noticed that my most beautiful trait is my heart after being with me for so long?” Chu Tianyu pretended to be surprised and exclaimed.

Qin Nianran rolled her eyes and said, “Who has been dating you for so long? Just a few unpleasant encounters, and you still dare to bring it up? As for your so-called ‘most beautiful soul,’ there doesn’t seem to be any scientific proof for that yet! As Ouyang Ziyi once told me, never mention something without evidence or proof—it’s just self-defeating!”
“When did Ziyi say such a thing to you?” Chu Tianyu couldn’t help but ask.
“It was when you ordered her to deliberately annoy me. The worst part is that the two of you even showed up at my dormitory and moved in…” Qin Nianran said angrily, recalling the situation.
At this point, Chu Tianyu didn’t want to get entangled in these old issues. Whether it was Ouyang Ziyi’s actions or their joint scheme, it was better to avoid discussing these increasingly complicated matters.
So Chu Tianyu quickly tried to change the subject with a cheeky tactic. He said, “Hehe, Nianran, although I’m definitely innocent in these matters, I don’t want to argue anymore. Can’t I just admit it? By the way! What if my master and your aunt actually ended up together? With your aunt’s seniority, wouldn’t I become your uncle? Hehe, little Nianran, call me uncle…”
Qin Nianran didn’t press further on Chu Tianyu’s attempt to avoid the issue, nor was she affected by his final joke. Instead, she smiled brightly and asked, “Why not calculate it based on your master’s seniority? Then wouldn’t I become your senior sister?”
“Ugh, you can eat whatever you want, but don’t say nonsense. Even if we go by my master’s seniority, you’d at most be my junior sister. After all, considering age and when you started learning, it’s definitely not your turn!” Chu Tianyu said.
“Oh, is that so? Well then. I’ll consider myself your junior sister. Are you sure, Chief Chu?” Qin Nianran asked with a smile.
“Of course. You’re definitely my junior sister. Although you’re born in the same year as me, you were born later!” Chu Tianyu affirmed.
After hearing this, Qin Nianran’s face lit up immediately. “Great! Since our Chief Chu personally acknowledges my status as your junior sister, it indirectly means my aunt becoming your wife is also accepted! Hehe, if anything goes wrong with my aunt and your master in the future, it’ll be up to you as the chief to handle it for me 100%. After all, a real man keeps his word, especially one with such a beautiful soul!! Hehe…”

Chu Tianyu didn’t expect Qin Nianran to be waiting for him here, and she even used his own words against him, leaving him with nothing to say. He couldn’t help but think to himself, “Master, for the sake of my words carrying weight and my pure heart, please endure a little—this good deed must succeed!” Though he thought this, Chu Tianyu didn’t say it aloud. Instead, he quickly came up with an idea: “Hehe, Nianran, you said one extra word in your last sentence. If you remove the ‘big’ from ‘a true man,’ it would be more accurate and perfect!”
“Go to hell…” Qin Nianran snapped.
“Hehe…” Chu Tianyu smiled triumphantly!
But soon, both of them stopped joking around and fell into silence, looking at each other and communicating through glances, sharing a sense of connection…
Unfortunately, this peaceful moment didn’t last long. In this atmosphere of quiet understanding, suddenly, a voice interrupted it, ruining the mood: “Hey, waiter! One more bowl of braised pork, one bowl of pig’s trotters, and then it’s time for the main dishes—some steamed buns and rice!” Tiancai mumbled with his mouth full.
“I’m sorry, sir, we don’t serve food by bowl here!”
“You guys are so stupid. Can’t you prepare it in a dozen or twenty bowls and serve it all at once? If it keeps coming in small portions like this, how long will it take before we can actually eat?” Dibao said with an air of condescension.
After hearing this, Chu Tianyu and Qin Nianran both rolled their eyes, and the beautiful atmosphere vanished along with the mention of braised pork and pig’s trotters…
…
Chu Tianyu really had no idea what to do with these two. He had to put aside his pleasant mood and gently asked Tiancai and Dibao, “Are you full?”
“Almost,” Tiancai mumbled.
“No, but we’re pretty full,” Dibao said quickly, noticing Chu Tianyu’s stern expression.
Upon hearing this, Chu Tianyu’s tone suddenly changed, and his expression darkened. “Since you’re pretty full, let’s stop for now and first confess honestly about your problems at Shaolin!”
Seeing Chu Tianyu’s serious face and realizing that his promise of more food had been fulfilled, Tiancai and Dibao began to worry about whether they could continue enjoying such treats or would have to go back to street performances. Naturally, they stopped eating and lowered their heads, waiting for their fate to be decided.
“Tiancai, you go first!” Chu Tianyu said.

With Tiancai’s hesitant explanations and Dibao’s occasional additions, Chu Tianyu finally understood what had happened. Actually, it was quite simple. Given the personalities of Tiancai and Dibao, they couldn’t come up with anything too complicated. During their time at Shaolin, lacking the nutrients needed for growth, they spent their days trying to find food—like sparrows in the sky or pheasants on the ground. From their accounts, Chu Tianyu felt that almost all the birds, beasts, plants, and flowers within a hundred miles of Shaolin Temple had been damaged by these two! When the animals disappeared, they turned their attention to underground, digging up fields and rabbit holes. Eventually, they accidentally knocked over several pagodas that housed sacred relics on the back mountain of Shaolin Temple. Realizing they had caused a huge disaster, they fled immediately without returning to Shaolin. After leaving, they learned from Chu Tianyu that he was in Beijing, so they made their way there, experiencing all kinds of hardships along the way. When Chu Tianyu asked how they ended up performing here at Qingda, they revealed it was all thanks to Xue Feifei. Her arrival at Qingda had made headlines in the media, and somehow they heard about it. Remembering their journey together in Motuo, they figured that their young junior sister wouldn’t let such a beautiful girl go, so by finding Xue Feifei, they might also find her. In the end, Dibao couldn’t resist boasting proudly, “Junior sister, my guess was right, right? We really found you this way, haha!” Hearing this, Chu Tianyu felt chilled, while Qin Nianran looked at him with disdain.