My Sister Is Acting Strange - Chapter 26 - Qin Shijie

Xia Xinya returned to the teaching building, heading straight for the sophomore science classroom.

Li Tong was still there, lounging on a desk with his feet on a chair, chatting and laughing with a few friends nearby.

Xinya walked over and kicked the chair Li Tong was resting his foot on, sending it rolling away.

Li Tong jumped in surprise, ready to lash out, but seeing it was Xinya, he held back, furrowing his brow slightly as he forced a smile, “Oh, it’s Xia-Jie. What’s up? Who’s upset you?”

Xinya’s face was cold as she looked at Li Tong, her voice icy, “Was it you who messed with Tang Huaijin?”

Li Tong perked up immediately, his face lighting up with excitement, “Xia-Jie, you heard about it? How did I do? That Tang guy must have been humiliated, right? I heard someone even took back a love letter they gave him, haha.” He smacked his lips regretfully, “Too bad I got there late and missed the show. His face must have been priceless.”

Xinya looked at Li Tong’s smug expression with disgust, feeling a surge of anger. She shouted, “I asked if it was you!”

Li Tong was taken aback, stammering, “It was me…”

Without another word, Xinya kicked Li Tong in the stomach, and before he could steady himself, she slapped him across the face.

Li Tong was stunned, having expected praise for his actions, not a beating.

Humiliated in front of his friends, Li Tong couldn’t hold back his anger any longer. He covered his cheek, shouting, “Xia Xinya! What are you doing?!”

Xinya sneered, “Did I give you permission to do that? Didn’t I tell you not to act recklessly?”

Li Tong gritted his teeth, suppressing his anger, “What do you want me to do then?”

“Simple. Apologize to him tomorrow. If he doesn’t forgive you, don’t bother coming to school anymore.” Xinya rubbed her hand, not even wanting to look at Li Tong, her hand aching from the force she used.

“That’s impossible. He’s a nobody, no money, no background. If it weren’t for you stopping me, I’d have dealt with him already. Apologize to him? How will I keep my reputation?” Li Tong refused outright, his anger clouding his judgment.

“Hmm?” Xinya glanced at Li Tong’s face, considering whether to hit him again, but decided against it, not wanting to hurt her hand further.

She scoffed, looking at Li Tong, “Even if your dad, Li Hu, were here, he wouldn’t dare refuse me. Want me to find his number?”

Li Tong’s face changed, remembering the terrifying background of this seemingly spoiled girl and his father’s advice to stay on good terms with her. He said fearfully, “No, no need, Xia-Jie. I’ll apologize tomorrow.”

Satisfied, Xinya nodded, instructing, “Meet me at the club building after school tomorrow.” With that, she left the classroom.

At the door, she turned back to Li Tong, warning, “Don’t be late, or I’ll skin you.”

Li Tong quickly nodded, hiding the resentment in his eyes.

After Xinya left, Li Tong raised his head, filled with hatred. Though his followers still showed respect, he sensed their disdain. He dismissed them and, after some hesitation, dialed a number.

Though Xinya’s family was influential, not everyone at Rose Elite High feared her.

At least Qin Shijie, who had a grudge against Xinya, wasn’t afraid.

In Jizhou City’s real estate scene, there’s a saying: “Xia four, Qin five, the rest share one.”

The Xia Family’s real estate business had risen rapidly over the past decade, representing the new wave, while the Qin Family was an established real estate giant.

As competitors, the two families often clashed.

Li Tong’s family was part of the small fraction left over, hoping to benefit from either family’s success.

Li Hu preferred to work with the Xia Family, known for treating partners well, unlike the stingy Qin Family.

If Li Hu found out Li Tong had fallen out with Xinya, he’d be furious. So Li Tong aimed to align with Qin Shijie.

…

“Hello, Qin-Ge¹, it’s Li Tong.” After a wait, the call connected, and Li Tong greeted respectfully.

“What do you want?” Qin Shijie’s impatient voice came through.

Li Tong quickly explained the situation.

After a pause, Qin Shijie laughed, “So what do you want?”

“Qin-Ge, I want to follow you, serve you loyally.” Li Tong nervously pledged his allegiance.

“Haha, you’re a smart one. Tell me, what’s your plan?” Qin Shijie chuckled.

“I plan to bring people over tomorrow and teach that kid a lesson.” With Qin Shijie’s approval, Li Tong felt reassured, his voice tinged with anticipation.

“Oh? What’s his background?” Qin Shijie swirled the clear liquid in his glass, his eyes playful.

“He’s got no background, just a poor student.”

“Simple. I’ll give you a number, someone I know named Abiao. He’s efficient, let him find you some people.”

“Thank you, Qin-Ge!” Li Tong had worried about his unreliable followers, but now he was overjoyed.

“Yeah, your dad is Li Hu, right? I’ll keep an eye on his dealings with Qin Real Estate, don’t worry.”

Li Tong was initially speechless with joy, but his cunning soon surfaced. After a pause, he asked, “What do you want me to do, Qin-Ge?”

“Hahaha, you’re clever.” Qin Shijie laughed heartily, “It’s nothing major, just teach Xia Xinya a lesson.”

“This…” Li Tong hesitated, not wanting to completely antagonize Xinya despite aligning with Qin Shijie.

“Li Tong, let me give you some advice. You know Xia Xinya’s petty, vengeful nature. By siding with me, you’ve already made an enemy of her.” Qin Shijie’s voice turned cold, “And if you can’t handle this small task, you’re useless to me.”

Having already angered Xinya, Li Tong couldn’t afford to upset Qin Shijie too. He quickly assured, “I can do it, Qin-Ge, leave it to me.”

After hanging up, Li Tong dialed the number Qin Shijie provided. Abiao was accommodating, calling Li Tong “Young Master Li,” making him feel the intoxicating taste of power for the first time.

…

In a hotel room, Qin Shijie sipped his drink, smirking as he toyed with his phone.

“Fool…”

The phone screen still displayed the recently ended call log.

Footnote:

1. -Ge(-哥):Ge, in Chinese, using “xx哥” to address someone is quite common, especially in Mainland China and other Chinese-speaking communities. This way of addressing typically carries a sense of affection and friendliness, indicating respect and amiability towards the person.