“Hmm…?”
Qiao Jiajin and Chen Junnan both glanced at Qin Dingdong at the same time.
“Why are you looking at me?”
Qin Dingdong waved her hand, dispersing the smoke caused by the shattering of the black bead, her expression unchanged.
“Winter, what did you just say?” Chen Junnan asked tentatively.
“Just now? Oh…” Qin Dingdong smiled naturally. “I was just thinking how interesting this ‘Heavenly Snake Moment’ is. It couldn’t even tell I was lying. Turns out, as long as you answer anything, it works? If I’d known, I wouldn’t have been so nervous.”
“You lied?” Qiao Jiajin also sensed something off. “Hey, beautiful, we both gave you examples, and you chose to lie?”
“Yeah, so what?” Qin Dingdong retorted. “This bastard Chen Junnan said he wasn’t an idiot, and he passed, didn’t he?”
Chen Junnan froze for a moment. “Wait a second… Are you saying I lied just now?”
“What? Aren’t you an idiot?” Qin Dingdong continued. “Let everyone judge.”
“What ‘everyone’? There’s no one else here!” Chen Junnan shot back. “Is that really how you see me?”
The two of them started bickering, but Qiao Jiajin remained frowning.
Ten seconds later, he cut in. “Hey, beautiful… Don’t change the subject. Even Junnan got sidetracked because of you.”
“Change the subject? Me?”
“Why are you causing trouble?” Qiao Jiajin pressed.
At his words, Qin Dingdong’s eyes dimmed briefly before she flashed a smile again. “Ah Jin, what are you talking about? Out of the three of you, I like you the most. Some things are a girl’s privacy—don’t ask so recklessly.”
Chen Junnan finally caught on too. “Winter… I also feel something’s off. You don’t seem like you want to die. The first two people told the truth and survived—why would you risk lying?”
“I…” Qin Dingdong’s eyes darted around as she scrambled for an excuse.
“So what you said wasn’t a lie at all, was it?” Chen Junnan pressed. “What are you really up to? Was sticking to me all this time part of your plan too?”
Qin Dingdong pursed her lips, then pointed a finger at Chen Junnan’s nose. “Don’t you dare spout nonsense, you bastard. Me looking for you is one thing, causing trouble is another. They’re completely unrelated.”
“Fine, fine. Then tell me, what are you doing?” Chen Junnan paused, then added, “Who sent you?”
Qiao Jiajin’s eyes narrowed. “Causing trouble… Beautiful, are you with the ‘Extremists’ too?”
“What? Me?” Qin Dingdong laughed and shook her head. “You’re overthinking it. Your sister here is a professional con artist. I’ve always worked alone—why would I join some organization?”
“Then why cause trouble?” Qiao Jiajin asked.
“Hmm…” Qin Dingdong was clearly caught in her lie, but she remained composed. She just looked at Qiao Jiajin and asked, “Ah Jin, is this really that important? Your sister hasn’t harmed you, has she? After everything we’ve been through, you’ve never been this serious before. Can’t you let it slide this once?”
“No.” Qiao Jiajin nodded firmly. “I could pretend not to care about anything before, but now’s different… I can tell this is a critical moment for the liar. If someone causes trouble now, it might seriously affect him.”
Qin Dingdong nodded slowly. “I see. No wonder you’re suddenly so concerned about me causing trouble.”
“Winter…” Chen Junnan called out, frowning. “We’re at this point—just tell the truth. If no one sent you, why are you causing trouble?”
“Ugh… Honestly? I just drift between all kinds of people and teams, messing up their relationships, killing a few here and there, making everyone’s goals so chaotic no one can escape. That’s all.” Qin Dingdong sighed, looking troubled. “Does that really sound so bad?”
“That doesn’t sound good either!” Qiao Jiajin said, stunned. “That’s basically what the ‘Extremists’ do!”
“I don’t know what the ‘Extremists’ are trying to achieve.” Qin Dingdong smiled. “I just made a deal with someone. He taught me skills, and I work for him. That’s it.”
At the words “taught me skills,” Chen Junnan’s expression darkened instantly.
They’d met Wei Yang before—that notorious fraudster who’d once crazily declared Qin Dingdong was his “most beloved disciple.” Back then, Chen Junnan hadn’t believed it, but now it seemed more and more likely to be true.
“What the hell…” Chen Junnan muttered under his breath. “You really went to learn from him?”
“Huh?” Qin Dingdong gave him a puzzled look. His voice had been too soft to hear, so she changed the subject. “Well, I’ve answered your questions. Anything else?”
Chen Junnan looked up, his face serious. “What’s Wei Yang’s goal? Why is he making you do the same things as the ‘Extremists’?”
“You…” Qin Dingdong hesitated. “How do you know it’s Wei Yang?”
“Winter, when we first met, you called yourself a ‘con artist,’ but you never actually did anything like one.” Chen Junnan said. “But seven years later, when I came back, you were a full-blown fraud. Is that the skill you learned?”
“Ha…” Qin Dingdong let out a bitter laugh. “You bastard… You’ve got some nerve asking. I only went to Wei Yang as a teacher because of you.”
“Because of me…?” Chen Junnan was taken aback.
“Your sister always called herself a con artist, but in the end, I was the one scammed by trash like you.” Qin Dingdong said coldly. “I wanted to escape that hell and stay away from scumbags, so I had to seek out an old master.”
“What kind of logic is that?!” Chen Junnan, unusually angry, retorted. “I’ve always been straightforward—how could I ever scam you?!”
“Then why did you avoid me?”
“Because I told a little white lie.”
Qin Dingdong immediately tried to kick him, but Chen Junnan dodged nimbly.
“Wait, wait—” Chen Junnan backed away, hands raised. “Winter, I really had no choice. But you can’t keep listening to Wei Yang now.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know exactly what Wei Yang’s planning, but it feels like his goals clash with Old Qi’s.” Chen Junnan gathered his thoughts. “Do you trust him or Old Qi?”
Qin Dingdong thought for a moment before answering. “Chen Junnan, I really want to believe in Qi, but there’s one thing I can’t figure out.”
“What?”
“I keep suspecting…” Qin Dingdong tapped her temple. “That my own memories are fake.”
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