A little over ten minutes later, the results of the competition were announced. Shen Zichen's family secured second place.
It was heard that in the final round, a strong team emerged, perfectly replicating Qin Si Ye's strategy. Although they took a few seconds longer, they managed to transport all five balloons.
Hearing this outcome, the three children were still happy. In their hearts, whether they took first place or not was not important.
What mattered was that they witnessed the intimate interaction between Uncle Qin and their Mommy, and their Mommy's place in his heart.
They hoped this event would strengthen the bond between the two of them. It would be wonderful if Mommy could accept Uncle Qin's pursuit.
On the way back, Shen Xi was distracted and reluctant to say much.
It wasn't until the car started moving that Qin Si Ye, concerned, couldn't help but ask softly, "What's wrong? Are you tired?"
"No," Shen Xi replied with a faint smile, forcing a cheerful tone.
"You seem a bit listless. Why don't you try to sleep for a while?" Qin Si Ye suddenly reached out and gently pushed her head back against the seat.
He suddenly felt a pang of regret. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn't have let her participate in the game.
He wondered if that fall might have had any impact on her.
To his surprise, Shen Xi didn't resist. She squinted at him for a moment before closing her eyes.
However, her mind was in turmoil, her thoughts a mess, and she couldn't sleep at all.
The events of the day kept flashing through her mind, and strange emotions churned within her.
She had to admit that the "onslaught" from the man beside her today had completely breached her defenses.
At some point, gratitude had escalated to being touched, and her usual composure had turned into nervousness and concern.
What should she do? Was she about to fall under his gentle offensive?
Shen Xi slowly opened her eyes and found that Qin Si Ye had already fallen asleep against the seat.
She couldn't help but gaze at his handsome face for a while longer. His eyes were closed, his nose bridge was prominent, his sensual thin lips were pressed together lightly, and his breathing was even. Though his face showed some fatigue, it did nothing to diminish his noble and elegant aura.
Shen Xi stared at him blankly for a long time before withdrawing her gaze. She picked up the thin blanket and gently covered his abdomen.
Suddenly, the man's head slowly tilted towards her, resting on her shoulder. His right arm naturally draped over her left arm, like a dependent child.
A clear, refreshing scent from the man immediately enveloped Shen Xi, causing her body to tremble slightly.
Instinctively, she wanted to gently push him away. But as she looked down and saw the conspicuous bandage on his hand, recalling his hard work and efforts throughout the day, her heart softened. She quietly let him lean on her, making no further movement.
Just then, her phone in her bag chimed with a WeChat notification. Shen Xi slowly took it out to check. It was Xie Yi Fei.
"Xi Xi, how was the outing today? Are you back?"
Shen Xi set her voice to silent and lightly typed, "Very good. We're already on our way back."
"I heard Qin Si Ye went with you too. This trip must have been very rewarding, right?" Xie Yi Fei began her usual gossiping.
"How did you know?"
"Because I like you, I love you, so I pay attention to your every move."
Seeing this message, Shen Xi's heart felt a jolt of ice. It felt like she had heard something similar before. She couldn't help but glance at the man beside her.
Was he like that too?
As she fell into thought, Xie Yi Fei asked again, "Qin Si Ye accompanied you as the children's father this time. The feeling of a family of five must have been wonderful, right? Did he take the opportunity to confess his feelings to you?"
"No. There were so many people here, there was no chance to say such things," Shen Xi replied immediately, her heart tightening.
Xie Yi Fei said, "Why does your tone sound like you were expecting it?"
Shen Xi quickly denied it, "Can you stop making wild guesses? I don't have the headspace to consider these things right now. Today was purely an act for the children. Don't overthink it."
After sending the message, Shen Xi glanced down at the still sleeping Qin Si Ye and suddenly felt a pang of guilt.
If Yi Fei were to see this scene, it would be hard not to overthink.
Although her heart was experiencing some fluctuations at the moment, she was still unwilling to open up her heart.
She felt that the relationship between her and Qin Si Ye would only become more tangled.