Villain’s Sick Beauty Sister

The weather is getting hotter day by day, and cicadas are screaming.

Not long after the Zhao family's wedding, Su Qingyou couldn't cover her stomach completely. She finally let go and leaked a history of habitual preterm birth in the family. Now the Zhao family became extremely nervous.

There are many clothes and supplies for the baby already prepared at home, and everyone is waiting for it. Su Qingyou really got ahead of the expected date of birth soon.

On this day, the atmosphere in Zhao’s house was extremely solemn. Only the nanny and the servant were still at home. The rest of the people went to the hospital with them. In the delivery room, the child finally heard the first cry. The doctor confirmed that there was nothing wrong with the child’s mother, everyone. Just breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally succeeded in giving birth, mother and child are safe.

The Zhao family’s generation happened to be the turn of the cultivators. The young master’s name was taken by Zhao Quan himself, and his name was Zhao Xiuyi.

The baby was beautiful, but not in good health. He was born before full term. So after birth, Zhao Xiuyi stayed in the hospital and took care of it in the incubator, but did not go home with them.

Su Qingyou recovered very quickly. She did not breastfeed. The child was handed over to the nurses, nanny, and the elders of the Zhao family to watch. She has become a hero now, and the treatment at home is like Zhao. The top level of home.

Zhao Yayuan was also in the hospital, and looked at the child's wrinkled face, feeling very complicated.

He doesn't have a half-hearted feeling for Su Qingyou, but this child, after all, is also his nephew, with the blood of the Zhao family.

He originally thought that he would hate children very much, but now it seems that he is not as disgusting as he thought.

Zhao Ya originally came back from Haicheng. He has been running around recently, and he has rarely stayed in Ancheng.

During Su Qingyou’s pregnancy, Zhao Tingyuan stayed at home and did nothing, but Zhao Yayuan didn’t go on to further studies after graduating from university. He stayed with the company at home. He started from the grassroots and was down to earth. And tired.

Zhao Ya originally belonged to young masters with temperaments and habits. Walking outside, you can tell at a glance that he is a son of a wealthy background, but he basically does not have the peculiar type of young masters. He is outspoken and quick to do things. He rarely treats people because of the difference in status, so, Many people like this little boy very much.

Zhao Tingyuan belonged to the completely opposite type. He didn't show the young master temperament, but he rarely really blended in and got along with ordinary people.

He was talking about a project during this period, Nanqiao's development of tourism projects.

A few years ago, Zhao Yayuan helped to renovate Nanqiao Station. In recent years, the project has been completely completed. Nanqiao’s transportation has become more developed than before. He has spent many years in Nanqiao and is familiar with the local area and the local residents. To trust him is to understand the situation and have experience in cooperation.

Therefore, this cooperation project is smooth, the contract was signed very early, and the development went smoothly.

Many people are very optimistic about the prospects. After all, Nanqiao has green mountains and green mountains and has special folk customs.

Zhao Yayuan cherishes this place and does boutique tourism instead of large-scale extravagance and destructive development.

"Ya Yuan has made great progress recently." Even Zhao Quan praised him.

Now even the grandson is holding him, he just feels that next, arrange a satisfactory marriage for Zhao Yayuan, and he will have no regrets in his entire life.

"That project, Yayuan did a very good job." Su Qingyou said, "I am also very optimistic."

Zhao Tingyuan was not very comfortable using such words, and immediately fell silent without speaking.

Su Qingyou looked at him, "Don't worry, grandpa still likes Xiuyi after all, and Xiuyi is the first grandson of our generation, so how can the family take it seriously."

Zhao Tingyuan frowned, "In the future, if Yayuan is in charge, he can really let us go? If he finds out what is going on with Lu Nian, we must not hate us, and we have asked Lu Zhihong to expose his friend's identity. thing."

"Moreover, Qin Si is now in charge of Lu's family, and his name is not right." Zhao Tingyuan said, "The Lu family was founded by Lu Zhihong back then. Now that it has grown and grown, it can't be given to outsiders."

"That's what it means." Su Qingyou said gently.

She had just returned from a walk outside. Su Qingyou was a little blessed after giving birth. During this time, she has been strictly controlling her intake. "It's almost there. Uncle Lu is willing to help us, but he has a request, I hope we can. Provide him with a copy of Qiu Li's paternity test, so that he can be sure that he is Lu Zhuo."

"Where shall we get his hair?"

"Tell him to come home." Su Qingyou said, "Don't worry, if Ya Yuan... needs it, he will definitely come to see him."

Zhao Tingyuan looked at his wife, Su Qingyou smiled and pulled his hand.

Not long after getting married, Huang Mao’s wife was also pregnant. Huang Mao has been running around recently. It’s a happy event. He said that he wanted to open another restaurant to subsidize the family. In his words, it’s the business of doing business. After all, it is unstable, and we need to provide a better environment for wives and children, so we need to work harder now.

So Ming Ge also took advantage of his energetic spring breeze to open a new chain for his own bar.

His bar is now making a name in Ancheng, and the income is very good. Each of them hires professional and diligent shop managers. The shopkeepers work too hard. Ming brother, who is the general director, is a bit lonely and empty. Up.

He is also thirty-something older, no father, no mother, no marriage, no children.

Now there are a lot of women who are willing to be with him because of his family property, but Brother Ming has never been married.

From a black Internet cafe back then, and a small bar on the side of the road that might go bankrupt, to this step, he himself also felt emotional, watching the new store decorated lively.

Lu Nian gave him a picture of his own painting called "Bar Girl", which was quite post-modernist. Ming Ge thought about it and it was pretty good. He praised that looking at the mysterious gods is very cultural, and said that he wanted to hang it directly. In the bar where you enter the new store.

Lu Nian doesn't have many graduate courses, so now I have time and come to Mingge Bar to help design when I have time.

She has a superior aesthetics, and she can have some paintings of various styles. Although this new small bar, Ming Ge, is still in its rudimentary form, it hasn't been completed yet, and its temperament is obviously different from the previous ones. In Huang Mao's words, it is poor. Zuo Yao turned into a cool boy.

Brother Ming was very satisfied and offered to give her design fees, but Lu Nian certainly didn't want to, "Brother Ming, let me do this with you. I have already taken a lot of face and money is no longer needed."

Brother Ming disagreed, "The painting is so beautiful, where is the doodle?"

As soon as Qin Si came from the company, he pushed the door and saw that the two of them were discussing the design of the wall. He stood in the dark for a while, and no one paid attention to him.

So he walked in, Ming Ge danced and gestured with Lu Nian, Lu Nian nodded frequently, apparently speaking very speculatively, and no one paid him any attention.

Qin Si, "..."

"Brother Qin is here." On the contrary, Xiao Qu, holding a box of wine, happened to rush out of the next room and saw Qin Si standing in the hall at a glance.

Only then did Lu Nian notice that she had been concentrating on the design plan for Ming Ge.

"It's early today," she said.

Brother Ming, "Yes, why are you here now? You are not, you should treat your company."

Qin Si glanced around, "Your house has been rebuilt? Are you designing here now?"

"Almost, but it's okay. It's ok to make a design in advance. Hey, you can take the money. How do you understand these things? Let Nian Nian sister come." Ming Ge waved his hand, and then continued to smile with Lu. Read chat.

Lu Nian also wanted to finish discussing the design plan with him, so he said to Qin Si, "Wait a minute, I will finish talking about this plan first, and then come to accompany you."

he,"……"

The room was a little messy now, Xiao Qu hurried over to sit with him and found a clean corner.

"Brother Qin, Huang Mao's wife is pregnant." Xiao Qu told him, "He just went to the hospital with his wife for a check-up and said that everything is fine, and the expected delivery is next spring."

"Brother Ming said that we will visit his house together for a few years." Xiao Qu said, "Brother Qin, are you free to go there?"

"I will be free next Friday."

Xiao Qu was very happy. Now Qin Si is getting busier and busy, and rarely has any free time, and they haven't been together for a long time.

Over there, Brother Ming finally finished talking with Lu Nian. When he came over, he happened to hear Xiao Qu talking about the pregnancy of Huang Mao's wife.

Brother Ming looked at the man and woman sitting opposite him, "Then when are you going to be pregnant with one?"

Lu Nian, "..." She just sat down, almost squirting out the juice.

They are still a thousand miles away from getting married, so what are they talking about getting pregnant now?

She didn't want to get pregnant at all, but it hurt and uncomfortable thinking about it, and it would make her waist thick. Her health was originally not good, and she felt that she could not bear the risk of pregnancy.

"It's not good, maybe one of you, if you forgot to take measures, you got pregnant." Brother Ming smiled, "When the time comes, our place will be lively, a bunch of little rascals running around."

He has almost reached the age when he likes children.

Qin Si, "..." He was abnormally silent, when Brother Ming started talking about this topic, especially when Lu Nian was still serious about discussing it with him.

Lu Nian left midway. He raised his eyelashes and said to Brother Ming, "I won't be pregnant, stop talking."

Brother Ming, "Why won't it? It's not bad if you are pregnant. Anyway, you can get married right away..."

"No accident."

"Why is there no surprise, this young man, who still lives together, is doing firewood." Brother Ming asked, suddenly thinking of something, "Could it be that you can't?"

Qin Si, "?"

His eyes are very nasty.

Brother Ming was blessed to the soul, blurted out, "Grass, then you are still a place, are you?"

Qin Si put the cup in his hand and looked at Brother Ming coldly, "Do you want any more money? Don't you want it, let's make it clear now."

Brother Ming raised his hands hurriedly, "Okay, I won't say."

It's really miserable.

That is why ah.

Brother Ming thought, is Lu Nian unwilling? Looking at her attitude when talking about these things, she is also a pretty and generous girl. She lives together all the time and can't be seen or touched. I don't know if they sleep in a bed at night? If yes, it is too miserable.

He felt a little sympathy for the bastard.

But thinking of his improper appearance before, Brother Ming was relieved again.

Lu Nian and Qin Si haven’t come for a long time, and Brother Ming didn’t ask them to stay at the construction site for too long. A few people returned to the small bar where Brother Ming started. , "Today, the audience is 50% off. My brother-in-law is pregnant. Give him a celebration."

"The boss is so generous." Several regular customers laughed.

"How can it be, this is not a great thing for my brother." Ming Ge said, "I'll just these brothers, from now on..." He glanced at Qin Si and Lu Nian not far away, "If this happens again Good thing, I will give you all free of charge."

Several people outside the table gathered around drinking and playing poker, all booing, "Boss, how many brothers do you have? Are you missing a wife? I will provide them."

Brother Ming, "That's no shortage, don't ruin other people's feelings."

Lu Nian has been a eldest lady for so many years, a good girl, except for the few times because of Qin Si, he usually has no chance to enter or leave the bar.

Now, with him, she relaxed and looked around curiously.

Like a curious baby, I still ask what it is and what it is from time to time.

"We also play poker at night?" Lu Nian was very interested, "Come to play money? I just learned the rules."

She, Qin Si, Ming Ge and Xiao Qu, four of them are enough for fun.

"Will you?" Lu Nian asked Qin Si.

He, "A little bit."

Xiao Qu, "..."

Knowing that he could play, Lu Nian stopped asking him for advice. She knew that he was used to her in such trivial matters, so she asked Ming brother Xiaoqu eagerly, "Come on?"

Xiao Qu stepped back hurriedly, "That...I forget it."

Lu Nian was a little disappointed, "Why? Is it because I just learned it, is the technique too bad?"

"No, I can't fight with this man." Ming Ge snorted to Qin Si, "You play cards with him, the pants are all right, he remembers the cards clearly, and he still beats farts."

Lu Nian, "..."

When Ming Ge first met Qin Si, there were a lot of people who played cards in bars before. Qin Si had a good memory, was a big kid, and was very precocious. Many people looked at his young age and relaxed their vigilance. In fact, his It's harder to deal with than most adults.

"His method of throwing dice is also very tricky." Ming Ge missed the past, "Anyway, he just does everything."

All these street tricks are proficient.

Society is a big dyeing vat. He has been in it since he was a child, and he has seen all kinds of colors.

Lu Nian listened with gusto, with bright apricot eyes, and was very curious, "Brother Ming, let's talk more."

She didn't want to play cards anymore, just wanted to hear the old news. She was very curious about Qin Si's life outside of Lu's house before, how she spent it.

There was no expression on the young man's face, he felt a little embarrassed in his heart, pursing his lips, "...nothing nice."

"It sounds good, I want to know more." Lu Nian leaned on him, "Brother Ming said you can roll the dice, can you show me it? Just once."

She was pitiful and coquettish, and she was very familiar with the road.

He was silent.

The dice was pinched in the man's slender fingers and turned around. His fingers were slender and his complexion was lined with cold and thin. It was particularly beautiful. Two dice seemed to be held in his hand so casually, "What time do you want to play?"

"Four." Lu Nian exulted, "two plus two."

The dice were thrown out, rolled, and when they fell, they were facing up on both sides. They were really two dices. Lu Nian's eyes widened and he just wanted to applaud him, "That's great, how did you do it?"

"Not every time," he said. "Little trick, nothing to say."

Lu Nian, "..." Okay, maybe because she didn't dabble in it, she didn't understand this aspect.

Brother Ming said, "He is amazing."

"I played in my bar back then, but no one wanted to play with him anymore." Ming Ge lifted his old bottom.

"Eh." Lu Nian sighed, "I don't know, you used to do all this outside..."

"Do everything." The young man cast his long eyelashes, "As long as he can earn money."

"Later, with some capital, I can do many other things."

"Those are all gambling skills. There is nothing to admire." The people who came here on the street, he learned too many things at that time, in order to survive, what did he not do?

Lu Nian felt uncomfortable, "At that time, you didn't want my money."

She thought of many things. Throughout the girlhood, she had been chasing Qin Si's footsteps, trying every means to make him live better, but from the pair of cashmere gloves to the later tuition, he was always so stubbornly alienated. , Is not willing to accept her kindness at all.

"No." Ye Feng straightened, his fingers tightened, and finally he said it, his voice a little dumb, "...to pass."

At that time, Lu Nian insisted on giving him money every month, and he later returned it without any problems, but indeed, during his most difficult days, he accepted her help and used the money. Although the amount was small, and it was immediately made up, the proud teenager at that time only felt shame and no dignity.

Although Lu Nian didn't know these things, he had never done anything to him.

At that time, he didn't dare to face his feelings directly. He could only maintain his poor self-esteem by alienating and indifferent to her.

Lu Nian mumbled, obviously he didn't care, and he didn't admit it, "Where, you didn't want to be good at all, you packaged it back to me, I'm not a loan shark, and I still check it out on time."

Qin Si, "..."

The past has always been his heart knot.

The two walked side by side, Lu Nian took his hand, her fingers were soft, and the moonlight was bright.

He was so cold back then, especially to her.

But now that they can be so close, Lu Nian thought it was a little weird.

And today, she heard Brother Ming talked about some past events, and she knew that he had been so hard at that time.

He was a little embarrassed, and she knew about those things, "I was not so pitiful then."

Brother Ming just likes to exaggerate. At that time, he had a place to live, food, and enough clothes to wear, but it had to be a little harder, but it was a good day to be free.

But it's all over.

The two returned home.

Now they basically sleep in separate beds, and occasionally Lu Nian gets interested and will go over and tease him, making him sleepless all night.

Lu Nian felt that the time had come for going to bed, and it happened naturally. Qin Si felt that she would not agree to marry him, and he would not do such a thing without a solemn promise.

The two people have different ideas, so even though they are sticky, nothing too far has happened.

"By the way, Xiao Qiu will come to eat tomorrow." Lu Nian said.

Qin Si didn't want him to go to Qiuli, only wanted her to stay with him.

So Lu Nian had no choice but to spoil her boyfriend a little bit. It was the same day when she went to find Qiuli. Because of Lu Zhihong’s incident, Lu Nian was always a little worried about Qiuli.

After that day, Lu Zhihong didn't even harass Qiu Li in the past. Lu Nian felt very abnormal and always felt vaguely disturbed in his heart, so he always wanted to see it.

Later, Qiu Li felt that she had to run back and forth very hard, so he said directly, it's better for him to come over.

Qin Si was silent, and of course he did not object to it.

Qiu Li is Lu Nian’s younger brother, a female compatriot, and a twin brother. The two reunited after so many years of separation. Qiu Li likes to stick to his sister. They saw that they had a unique intimacy that outsiders could not get involved.

Because of Lu Zhihong's affairs, he couldn't tell the outside about their relationship. Every time he looked at it, he felt uncomfortable.

After all, insecurity is still at stake.

He always felt that he was nothing to her and Lu Nian could leave him at any time.

The siblings hadn't seen each other for a long time, and Lu Nian was in a good mood. She went to order food early.

He asked what to do with dinner and whether to go out to eat.

"It's okay, Xiao Qiu said he will come over and make it." Lu Nian smiled, "He is good at cooking."

He pursed his lips, nodded to indicate that he knew, and went back to work in the study.

Qiu Li arrived on time, after all, he was in someone else's house, and he mainly came to see Lu Nian. He was a gentle and formal character, and he was very polite and polite to Qin Si.

"I heard that the young grandson of the Zhao family has been born recently?" Lu Nian asked curiously.

When chatting with Qiuli, he sometimes mentioned the Zhao family, and Lu Nian naturally remembered this gossip.

"Yes, there is a little time." Qiu Li nodded, hesitated, and glanced at Qin Si. Seeing that he didn't seem to have any reaction, he said, "Ya Yuan is very upset recently."

"The tourism cooperation development project between Zhao's family and Nanqiao was originally carried out by Yayuan. Recently, after Su Qingyou gave birth to a child, Zhao Tingyuan said that he would come back again and wanted to take over the project instead of Yayuan."

Lu Nian bit his chopsticks, "Why? Yayuan has done half of it, but he is still in Nanqiao. Does Zhao Tingyuan understand Nanqiao?"

"Because Masahara is not in good health recently..."

Lu Nian was taken aback, "What happened to him?"

Qiu Li said, "Some time ago, acute appendicitis was just a minor operation, but his physical foundation was not good, so he has been in the hospital for a long time."

"I don't even know." Lu Nian didn't know what to say, a little guilty.

"Ya Yuan is recuperating at home now."

"Xiao Qiu, otherwise, you can ask Ya Yuan to go to your place." Lu Nian said, "It is too unsafe for him to stay at home now."

She thought of Zhao Yayuan's final ending again, and her heart became more and more uncomfortable.

"I'm done. I will visit Zhao's house on Friday." Qiu Li said, "If he wants, I will ask him to come and live."

He looked at Qin Si.

Qiu Li remembered that he had said before and told him to be optimistic about Zhao Yayuan.

Qiu Li finds it very tricky. There are so many businesses to deal with and so many personnel affairs that need to be intrigued. He grew up in Nanqiao when he was a child, and he was used to the transparent and windy days. Now he only feels very tired.

I don't know how he coped with it, Qiu Li raised his eyes and looked at the man opposite.

Qin Si's expression was very light, he didn't talk a lot at first, and when the Lu family brothers and sisters had a conversation, they were even more silent.

Qin Si said he wanted him to take over the Lu clan... He really didn't have enough abilities right now.

After eating, Qiu Li asked sincerely, "Mr. Qin, can I stay here and talk for a few days? I want to ask you some questions recently."

Lu Nian busy answered him instead, "Xiao Qiu, you can stay for a few more days."

Qiu Li is not a very cheeky person. He looked at Qin Si's expression and hurriedly added, "It will not take more than four days at most. I will leave after I ask questions. Besides, I will help with the housework."

After all, she is the younger brother that she cares about very much.

"Whatever you want." He replied, his expression pale.

Qin Si actually had a strong sense of territory, so he didn't like the feeling of having so many people at home, but he had no choice but to let Qiu Li stay here for the time being.

He stayed, really wanting to find him to learn about Lu's things.

Usually quiet and diligent, it will not cause any trouble to their lives, and the time is clearly stated, just a few days.

but……

He came out of the study silently, and saw that in the living room, the floor lamp was on, and Lu Nian was rushing for the manuscript.

Qiu Li was talking to Lu Nian, and the two sat on the sofa together.

Qiu Li was looking at the information. He didn't know what he said. His eyes were sparkling, and Lu Nian habitually encouraged him. The two talked and laughed, and looked affectionate.

They can talk about a lot of topics, and they are born with a relationship and a tacit understanding.

But for a moment, he became like an outsider.

He has been watching the Zhao family's affairs, just waiting for the time to come.

However, he didn't want to raise Qiuli into a useless person. Only through tempering would he grow up. He would not go beyond what he needed to do on his own.

In this matter, what he needs to pay attention to is to make sure that Lu Nian will not be sad.

The man closed the study door and stood silently inside.

When there were only two of them before, the atmosphere at home was very casual, at least when at home, except for her cartoons, she could still give him some attention. She liked to tease him and hook him to do things between lovers.

Now... these are all gone.

Lu Nian later realized and realized that Qin Si was wrong in the past few days.

When Qiu Li asked him about things, he would answer them, and his tone of voice was almost normal.

When she talked to him, it was the same, with a cold tone and few words.

Although he usually has this character, he used to be like this, anyway, there is not much to say, but Lu Nian feels something is wrong.

At noon that day, Qiuli went back to the room for a nap. Lu Nian just finished drawing the manuscript and felt a little tired in her eyes. She rubbed her eyes and thought, it was time to talk to him.

Quietly in the living room, I saw the study door hidden.

The young man is in the study, with a clear back, writing a document,

Lu Nian tiptoed over, trying to scare him. As a result, he found her very early and turned around, looking at her with dark eyes, "What?"

Actually, he would take the initiative to come to him.

Lu Nian lay on the back of his chair and looked up at him, "Unhappy?"

The young man's eyebrows were slightly curled, his face was pale, "No."

Lu Nian, "..."

Is it impossible to talk about this?

"You go back." He turned around, his voice was a little cold, "Qiu Li should wake up too."

Lu Nian, "?"

"Isn't Xiao Qiu a five-year-old kid, do I need someone to take care of him when he wakes up?" She simply laughed angrily, "He has his business, and doesn't need me to be with him all the time.

The young man's thin lips took hold, and said lightly, "You are all happy, what's wrong."

Lu Nian, "..."

She sipped the conversation carefully.

Lu Nian asked, "...Are you jealous?"

Do you think she has spent too much time with Xiao Qiu these past few days, and is so cold and unhappy with him? She really didn't see it at all, and he knew the inside story, so Zhao Yayuan didn't care. Qiu Li was her own brother, so Lu Nian really didn't think in this direction before.

"Why should I be jealous?" the young man said coldly.

Lu Nian, "..."

"You are different from him." Lu Nian said, "You are a boyfriend, and Xiao Qiu is my relative."

He said faintly, "Boyfriends can break up, but relatives can't."

"It's good that you and him will be relatives for your whole life and never separate."

Lu Nian was stunned for a moment before he heard the cynicism in these words, "Do you want to break up?"

Of course he didn't want to break up.

The young man's face was pale, his lips were pursed, and he said nothing.

He got up, turned off the computer, turned around and wanted to leave, wanting to end the topic.

Not honest again...

Lu Nian was simply convinced by his temper. There was no way. The way to comfort him was, "Come back."

The man stopped, but he was still very cold and not as usual.

Lu Nian recalled carefully, the past few days are indeed different from before.

When the two of them were alone at home, the atmosphere was sticky. She liked to tease him. When things were all right, there were a lot of intimacy behaviors. Although Qin Si didn't say anything, he responded honestly. He liked her being close to him like this.

But now, he seems to be deliberately drawing a line with you, silently indicating that I don't need to be more intimate with you.

"How can it be the same." Lu Nian said.

Lu Nian refused to let him leave, closed the door, and pushed him against the door. She stood on tiptoe and sighed softly, "Will I do this to him?"

She pecked on his lips, her arm wrapped around the back of his neck, and she fiddled with the tips of his hair, her soft fingers slumped in his neck, gently stroking behind his ears, listening When he gasped in a low voice, she knew roughly where his sensitive belt was. When she was together, she liked playing around his black hair so much.

Sure enough, a lot of honesty.

He lowered his eyes, the tails of his eyes were red, and his lips looked particularly beautiful and squiggly.

She wanted to kiss him a little, Lu Nian thought so, and was ready to do so.

She just reflected on it and felt that she did not do the right thing, and sincerely apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't do a good job these days."

She kissed and kissed, and whispered, "I like you, not the same as Xiaoqiu."

He felt stiff.

Then... She was a little breathless by the enthusiastic response.

...

Maybe these days, it is really holding back for a long time.

Qiu Li was here for a few days, Qin Si was extremely difficult to do, arrogant and indifferent, did not come to touch her, had to ask her to take the initiative, if she did not take the initiative, he would forcibly hold back.

However, as long as it is treated a little, it will be fine.

Looking at her involuntary hand, Lu Nian thought tightly around her slender waist.

"I'm really jealous." She curled her eyes and smiled, deliberately using a self-talking voice that he could hear.