This question didn't require much thought; Bai Ningning knew the answer immediately: "About a month ago, maybe close to two months."
Indeed, calculating the time, she had been living at her older sister's house for almost two months now.
And it had been two months of enduring as well.
"Two months," Qin Mom pondered, "That's not long."
As she spoke, she turned her gaze to Qin Yue.
Qin Yue frowned, "What are you looking at me for?"
"Oh, nothing," Qin Mom said meaningfully. "I just wanted to say—Ningning has been living with you for two months. Why haven't you taken proper care of her yet?"
There was a deeper meaning in her words, but Bai Ningning didn't catch on and earnestly replied, "Auntie, my older sister has been very good to me."
During the day, she was well-fed and well-cared for, and at night... she was also well-fed and well-cared for.
"Good to you?" Qin Mom forced a smile, "Not yet good enough."
Saying this, she looked at Qin Xin: "Xin Xin, take Ningning inside to have a look around."
Aunt Zou, who was standing at the back, was suddenly startled, thinking how direct the lady was being; it seemed too hasty, and the young lady would notice.
But upon further thought, it was clear that this was the rhythm of the lady wanting to talk to Qin Yue alone, and she was being overly sensitive.
Qin Yue clearly understood as well, so she had no reaction and silently sipped her tea.
"The second young lady hasn't been back for a long time; she might not remember the way," Aunt Zou said proactively, "I'll take them to familiarize themselves with the rooms."
Since the lady and the eldest young lady were going to talk alone, she naturally needed a reason to leave.
Bai Ningning followed Qin Xin, and Qin Xin followed Aunt Zou, the three of them leaving the hall. Qin Dad picked up a walnut from the table and continued to play with it in his hand.
"Alright, let's talk now."
Qin Yue put down her teacup: "Talk about what?"
"About you and Bai Ningning," Qin Mom said, "Such a big matter, it's been almost two months, and you haven't mentioned it to your parents. Last time I tried to ask you, there was no opportunity."
Qin Yue touched her fingertips, feeling a bit embarrassed: "I've been busy these days, couldn't find the time."
Qin Dad was rolling the walnut in his hand: "But I heard that an important project at the company was completed a month ago, and now it's a short break. Others might be busy, but you shouldn't be too busy."
Qin Mom was no longer so tactful and directly said, "I heard from someone that this past month, you've gone to the company less than ten times, and you might not even go once every three days."
Qin Yue pouted: "Being busy isn't just about work; there are things to be busy with in life too."
She had been very busy this month; either she was in battle or preparing for battle, and of course, most of her time was spent on post-war recovery.
"What exactly is going on between you two?" Qin Dad asked, "You said you had everything sorted out before, which is why you got back together. But your mom said last time that you hadn't sorted it out at all."
Qin Yue raised an eyebrow: "Not sorted out?"
She looked at Qin Mom, her eyes filled with confusion.
"Or rather, not completely sorted out," Qin Mom lowered her voice, "Xin Xin, I've been to your house twice, and I can see very clearly that you... are completely not Bai Ningning's match."
Qin Yue was even more confused: "How am I not a match?"
Qin Dad was left in the dark, wondering if his daughter and her girlfriend were always fighting in their daily lives.
Is dating really that hardcore?
"Not a match? I see it as a one-sided crushing," Qin Mom said worriedly, "Xin Xin, the first time I went to your house, I saw it with my own eyes. You might not know, but I waited from early morning until evening, and you didn't even open your eyes once."
To be honest, at that time, Qin Mom thought she wasn't sitting in her daughter's house but standing outside the ICU of a hospital, anxiously waiting all day without hearing any news from the doctor.
Saying this made even Qin Yue feel a bit embarrassed.
"Who comes out first doesn't count as winning or losing; there's no such standard for judgment," she said somewhat defensively, "And that wasn't the norm; it will get better soon."
Qin Mom was even more worried: "Will it really get better? Physical talent can't be compensated for by effort."
"It will get better," Qin Yue said firmly, "Very soon."
The gap in physical talent indeed cannot be compensated for by effort, but external aids can.
External aids refer to equipment that is externally mounted.
Qin Mom still had some doubts: "Really?"
Qin Dad couldn't hold back anymore: "What are you all talking about? I don't understand."
What exactly did Qin Mom see at her daughter's house last time that made her speak in terms he didn't understand?
"Nothing, just some trivial matters," Qin Yue said lightly, "In any case, there's no need to worry too much about this."
"Alright, then let me ask a different question," Qin Mom asked her, "What do you want to do next?"
Marriage is out of the question, unless they go abroad, but there's no need for that.
Qin Mom was still carefully considering her daughter's future when Qin Yue answered without hesitation: "Just like this."
"Just like this?" Qin Mom was slightly taken aback.
Qin Yue lowered her head and sipped her tea: "Just like this is fine. My current life is good; I'm living comfortably."
Every day at work is just to get off work, and overtime is just to take a vacation. When on vacation, I go back to relax, and when I'm tired, I just sleep. When I wake up, I get up to eat, and when I regain my strength, I continue on.
It's simply a heavenly life.
Qin Mom felt complicated upon hearing this: "Yueyue, while it's comfortable, can your body handle this in the long run?"
Qin Yue tugged at the corner of her mouth: "It's fine, as long as I get enough rest."
"But Mom is really worried about you. By the way, your childhood friend, Xiao Chen, said that your previous illness hasn't completely healed," Qin Mom said, "She will come tomorrow too."
Qin Mom and Qin Yue chatted back and forth, each with their own opinions. Qin Dad, listening nearby, felt completely lost, not even noticing when a walnut fell to the ground.
Seriously, can you two talk about something that makes sense?
......
In the inner room, Aunt Zou was introducing two young girls.
"Second Miss, although you haven't returned for a long time, Madam has always kept your room intact, and it is regularly cleaned by the staff," she said as she pushed open a door. "It's right here—you can use it anytime."
"Qin Xin's room?" Bai Ningning was curious, "Can I take a look?"
No other intention, mainly just curious about a normal girl's room. Now that I'm a girl too, isn't it reasonable to learn a bit?
Qin Xin opened her mouth but found no reason to refuse. It's just a room that hasn't been used for many years; looking at it shouldn't be a problem.
"You can, but," Qin Xin looked at Aunt Zou, "Shouldn't we let Ningning see her own room first?"
Aunt Zou smiled awkwardly and said softly, "Not for now, Miss Ningning's room... Miss Ningning has been sleeping with the eldest young lady these past few days... I mean, in the same room, so later the eldest young lady can take her there."
"…..." The corner of Qin Xin's mouth twitched slightly.
She shouldn't have said that; what does it matter? Can't her sister's girlfriend find a place to sleep?