Chapter 5 - Like a Pufferfish
I reached up and closed my fingers around his wrist. “You want to kill me, right? Let me help.”
His shaking worsened. His pupils shrank. He yanked free, stumbled back, and the knife clattered to the ground.
I stepped forward.
He stepped back—eyelashes fluttering, chest heaving, feet unsteady.
I grabbed his collar, pinned him to the wall, and brushed my fingers across his cheek. “You want to protect your sister? How about you come home with me instead? Then she’ll be safe.”
His eyes went huge. “You’re… serious?”
Before I could answer, Lin Yan’s voice cut through. “Lin Qi! What the hell are you doing!”
She ran up, pulled him away, and gave me an apologetic smile. “Mr. Huo, I’m so sorry. My brother lost his temper. If he offended you, I apologize on his behalf. Please don’t take it to heart.”
“It’s fine.” I smoothed my collar. “He’s just protecting his sister. I get it.”
In the book, Lin Qi was barely a footnote. I never expected the real version to be this entertaining.
He reminded me of who I used to be.
Lin Yan exhaled in relief and tugged his arm. “I’ll treat Mr. Huo to dinner tonight. You can apologize properly.”
Lin Qi whipped around. “Lin Yan!”
She glared. “Quiet.”
I shook my head. “No need. I’m okay. He’s young—hot-blooded. He didn’t actually do anything.”
She clearly worried I’d retaliate later and kept insisting.
To put her mind at ease, I agreed.
At the restaurant, Lin Qi sat across from me, hostility blazing, stabbing his steak like it owed him money.
Lin Yan kicked him under the table and hissed, “Lin Qi. Apologize.”
He gave a cold laugh. “Why should I? Lin Yan, you have no idea what he—”
He cut himself off and glared harder.
I sliced my steak calmly, lips twitching upward.
Lin Yan looked mortified. “Mr. Huo, please don’t mind him. He’s just—”
“It’s okay.” I smiled. “Your brother’s kind of cute.”
Lin Qi’s eyes widened, murder in them.
I added lazily, “Like a pufferfish.”
Lin Yan blinked, glanced at Lin Qi’s puffed-up cheeks, and let out a startled laugh.
Lin Qi’s face went dark. “Sister!”
She pressed her lips together and focused on her plate.
Lin Qi fumed silently, then attacked his food like he wanted to bite through the porcelain.
Watching him, my mood lifted for no reason.
He really was like a puffed-up pufferfish.
I thought dinner would settle everything.
But that night, the second I stepped inside my house, the doorbell rang.
I opened it. Lin Qi stood there.
My first thought: here to cause more trouble?
I sighed. “We cleared everything at dinner. Why are you here?”
He pressed his lips together, fingers twisting the hem of his shirt.
I’d been working nonstop to catch up on Huo Chichen’s job—skipped lunch, stomach killing me from hunger.
He stayed mute.
I moved aside. “Come in. Say whatever it is when you’re ready.”
He walked in stiffly and sat ramrod straight on the sofa.