[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-bound-to-the-sign-in-system-i-took-off":3,"chapter-bound-to-the-sign-in-system-i-took-off-bound-to-the-sign-in-system-i-took-off-chapter-34":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Bound to the Sign-In System, I Took Off",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2336088,4567,"Chapter 34: Cousin and Cousin","bound-to-the-sign-in-system-i-took-off-chapter-34",34,"\u003Cp>Fixing the car isn’t urgent; Qin Yun wandered around nearby for a while and called his uncle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Yun’s uncle, Hu Jun, was barely over forty, short in stature but muscular, a man with a keen sense for life’s pleasures. As a child, it was often his uncle who took him running through the mountains. His uncle even ran an online store specializing in buying and selling wild orchids dug from the hills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it brought in little money, his uncle enjoyed it deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Due to age differences, among his mother’s relatives, only his uncle was close to his own age. He was twenty-eight; his uncle, forty-one. When he was born, his uncle had just entered junior high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were more like brothers than uncle and nephew.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hey, Xiao Yun, I saw your WeChat Moments—you’re in Hangzhou now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Jun’s hearty laugh came through the phone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Yun chuckled too: “Uncle, you’ve got signal on the ship?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Where doesn’t have signal these days? When are you coming back? I just got ashore yesterday—I can only rest half a month before heading back out.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Haha, I just got home, that’s why I’m calling you. Mom wants you all over for dinner tonight.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re back?” Hu Jun’s voice brimmed with surprise, then he immediately replied, “Good, we’ll come after Hu Di gets out of school.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, yeah, okay, I’ll wait for you at home. Wait—hold on, isn’t today Sunday? Why is Hu Di still in school?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s in ninth grade now—tight schedule.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way.” Hu Jun suddenly remembered something, “Your aunt’s husband isn’t hauling cargo anymore—he’s driving for ride-hailing now. Should I invite him too? We can have a drink together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sure, I’ll call him right away.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After ending the call with Hu Jun, Qin Yun went upstairs to ask his mother. Hu Fen said: “Good, more people means more fun. You can ask your aunt to come early—otherwise, with so many people, I won’t be able to handle it alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he called his aunt, chatted for a few minutes, and confirmed the dinner plans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Less than an hour later, his aunt Hu Dan arrived on a small donkey. Naturally, they exchanged pleasantries; perhaps she’d already heard from his mother about his divorce, so she didn’t bring it up directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, your uncle’s husband is driving for ride-hailing now—he’ll come by himself tonight, but we don’t know when exactly. Around five-thirty, go pick up Jiajia at Nanhai. She’s in school today too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No problem.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Fen leaned in and said: “You might as well pick up Hu Di too—he’s at Nanhai Middle School’s junior section. Saves your uncle the trip.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the kitchen, Hu Fen and Hu Dan began whispering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second sister, does Xiao Yun seem okay? Has he mentioned the divorce?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Fen shook her head: “It’s better this way. I never liked Song Ya—but since Xiao Yun loved her, I didn’t say much. Now they’re apart, neither holds the other back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s true.” Hu Dan nodded, recalling Song Ya’s haughty demeanor—her gaze always condescending, as if looking down on country folk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But it’s clear he wasn’t happy before. Now he’s much more spirited.” Hu Fen smiled. Of course, a mother wanted her son to thrive, healthy and full of energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the past, whenever Qin Yun came home, he carried a heavy burden, an inescapable weariness. Now, his son was full of vigor, looked like a college student.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exactly.” Hu Dan laughed happily, “He should just stay in Zhoushan.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let him decide. He’s a young man—he should travel, explore. Besides, I’m still working; he wouldn’t want to stay put forever.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sisters chattered endlessly, while Qin Yun left home to visit a nearby market and bought some tools for fixing the car.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, it was around five o’clock. Qin Yun told them he was leaving and drove out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From their home to Nanhai Experimental School, though it seemed seven or eight kilometers, it was just one straight road—less than fifteen minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He found a parking spot, got out, and looked toward the school gate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The school was impressive—wide gates, spacious grounds, rivaling some universities. But he hadn’t attended here during middle or high school—he’d gone to the old town district.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many parents were already waiting outside the gate, gathered in small groups.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d already messaged Hu Di and Jiajia, so he wasn’t in a hurry—just stood quietly outside waiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a short while, Hu Di came out first. The boy, unseen for a long time, had shot up to over 1.75 meters. Though still shorter than many peers, he’d already beaten the genetic odds compared to his uncle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bro.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Qin Yun, Hu Di ran over, looking slightly shy—but his first words made Qin Yun glare at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bro, I heard you got divorced? Is it true?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t pry, you’re in ninth grade—how’s your grades?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the mention of grades, Hu Di grew confident: “Top of the class, no doubt.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Impressive.” Qin Yun didn’t hold back praise. “Better than I was. Aim for a 985 university next.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No way—I’m aiming for Peking University.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whoa, but Peking University is a 985 too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they joked, a soft voice came, tinged with surprise: “Bro.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Yun and Hu Di turned to see three girls walking toward them—the middle one was Shen Jia, the other two her classmates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow, Jiajia, this is your brother? So hot! Introduce me!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get lost. Jiajia, from now on I’ll obey you blindly—tell your brother how great I am, and when I’m your sister-in-law, I’ll give you allowance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get out!” Shen Jia, furious at how far they’d gone, snapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get in the car.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Yun nodded to the two girls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Bro, give us a ride? Otherwise we’d have to take the bus.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, we live close—just drive five or six kilometers along Haitian Avenue.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Yun pointed toward home: “Same way?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah!” Both girls’ eyes lit up instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, get in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Yun strode toward the car; the group quickly followed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, when the Land Rover Defender’s headlights turned on, the kids gasped in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whoa, bro, you got rich! This car looks so badass. What model is it? I’ve never seen one on the road.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After everyone got in, Qin Yun smiled: “Land Rover Defender. Off-road vehicle. Buckle your seatbelts.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three girls in the back chattered nonstop, while Jiajia occasionally let out helpless screams—only drawing louder giggles from the other two.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When they reached their destination and stopped, the two girls got out and waved at Qin Yun: “Brother Qin, bye!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that title, Qin Yun couldn’t help but laugh and sigh. Brother Qin? Lover brother?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiajia just looked utterly exasperated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Yun turned to Jiajia: “Are all girls like this now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before she could answer, Hu Di said: “It’s worse than that—this starts in middle school. Hmph, no modesty at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He waved his phone: “Bro, what’s the engine displacement of this car? There are so many Defender models.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“5.0L V8, short-wheelbase version.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, Hu Di gasped: “Holy shit, one point three million? So expensive!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiajia also looked over in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knew their cousin’s financial situation—even if they rarely kept in touch, adults sometimes talked about him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’d heard his marriage wasn’t happy, and they’d met that sister-in-law—she wasn’t likable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The original price was that much, but I got this one at a steal.” Qin Yun didn’t hide it. With a few kilometers left, he cheerfully recounted how he’d snagged the deal, leaving both of them stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Computer engineering—and you learn car repair too?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiajia gave naive Hu Di a look, then turned to Qin Yun, her eyes filled with admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Few people had the guts to spend over 200,000 on a steal. Qin Yun dared to do it—he clearly trusted his own skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they spoke, the car stopped and reversed into the garage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upstairs, Uncle Hu Jun and Aunt Sheng Fangfang were already there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After greetings and small talk, Qin Yun and Hu Jun went downstairs to chat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Going back to Beijing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qin Yun shook his head: “Not for now. Everything there is over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmm. What then? Any plans?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m going into self-media—traveling all over, filming interesting things along the way.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You young people have brains.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, you’re only a few years older than me—less than a decade. You hated life on the ship anyway—why not join me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh… life forces you.” Hu Jun sighed, shaking his head. “I don’t know how to run a business, no diploma. These days, stable income means either delivering food, driving for ride-hailing, or being a crewman. Compared to all, crewing pays better.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aunt has money—what are you worried about?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A woman having money has nothing to do with a man.” Hu Jun spoke firmly. “Look at you—your ex-wife had money, didn’t she?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do you have money now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So you see—money a woman has is hers. A man must earn his own.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You make perfect sense. I can’t argue.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The uncle and nephew chatted and laughed, eventually bringing up Huni Island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I plan to go to Huni Island next week, when Mom’s off. Want to come?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sure. I haven’t seen your grandparents in a while.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After settling the plan, a phone call came, calling them to dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two returned home to find a lavish dinner spread on the table, reds and greens vibrant, utterly delicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Fen was an excellent cook; in past family gatherings, she always handled the cooking, her few dishes both colorful and flavorful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dinner’s ready.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come on, Xiao Yun, have a drink—to celebrate your return to single life.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You haven’t even drunk yet and you’re talking nonsense,” Aunt Sheng Fangfang scolded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Auntie, it’s fine—I’ve long made peace with it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, he raised his glass and clinked it with Hu Jun’s, draining it in one gulp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Qin Yun wasn’t pretending, Sheng Fangfang relaxed: “It’s fine—I’ll find you a good one next time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then I’ll be waiting for your good news, Auntie.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Family dinners always turned from big topics to little ones—so inevitably, the conversation drifted to Hu Di and Shen Jia’s grades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sheng Fangfang sighed: “I can’t control him anymore. His teacher calls me every week. Just seeing his homeroom teacher’s number on my phone makes my heart race—I was never this nervous even when I first started dating your uncle.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mom, you’re exaggerating,” Hu Di protested. “Aren’t I still top of the class?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The girls are complaining about you—how can you still brag?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hu Di immediately lowered his head, saying nothing more—but Qin Yun wouldn’t let him off so easily. He shouted loudly: “What’s this? You’re dating someone? That’s great! Hu Di, you’ve got guts! Way better than your big brother—I was still playing in the mud at your age.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Jia laughed uncontrollably beside him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But soon, she stopped laughing—the spotlight turned on her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Nanhai’s gotten worse every year. Jiajia’s grades look okay, but getting into a 985 school? Doubtful. She still hasn’t decided on a university. Xiao Yun, keep an eye on her over the next year.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t worry, Auntie—Jiajia’s fine,” Qin Yun patted his chest. “With Jiajia’s level, getting into a good university is a breeze, isn’t it, Jiajia?”\u003C\u002Fp>",1864,"2026-06-20T21:37:28.858Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a77881c8277caccc16be016bf6e52b70a1109735463a47986f697e5cbd7cf82d","bound-to-the-sign-in-system-i-took-off-chapter-35","bound-to-the-sign-in-system-i-took-off-chapter-33",329,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fbound-to-the-sign-in-system-i-took-off-cover.jpg"]