Free Web NovelChapter 247: Chapter 247: The Truth
Jiang Youchen’s messages were always brief and to the point.
"Ah Li, I’m very sorry about this afternoon."
"I’ve prepared an apology gift for you."
Perhaps because he hadn’t received a reply, he sent another message ten minutes later: "I’ll wait for you in the attic."
The last message had been sent half an hour ago.
Jiang Qingli shot to her feet and rushed to leave.
"Sweetheart."
He caught her by the wrist.
Baili Jing smiled, casually reminding her, "You’re still wearing my clothes."
Jiang Qingli looked down and saw she was still wearing Baili Jing’s T-shirt.
Recently, her Beast Husbands had been taking turns visiting her at the Jiang Family home, and they always brought gifts.
Baili Jing had brought a pair of matching T-shirts today—one white, one pink—for her to try on.
Jiang Qingli thought his was cuter, so she had put it on after her shower. The oversized T-shirt hung down past her hips, revealing her straight, fair legs.
’My hair’s a mess, too. I probably shouldn’t leave the bedroom like this...’
Baili Jing retrieved a loose dress from the walk-in closet. He had her lift her arms, helped her change, and then carefully tidied her hair.
He acted as if they were preparing for a date, not as if she were going to see someone else.
Watching the focused, gentle look in his eyes as he looked down, Jiang Qingli stood on her tiptoes and pecked his cheek.
Baili Jing froze for a moment, then touched the spot she’d just kissed, his narrow eyes curving into a smile.
He raised his hand, and Jiang Qingli, thinking he was about to pull her in for a kiss by the back of her head, quickly stepped back.
But he simply curled his long fingers and gave her cheek a gentle pinch.
"Any more mischief and I won’t let you go," Baili Jing said, stroking her face. "Go on. I’ll be right here waiting for you."
’She was just going to get a gift, but he was acting like it was some kind of grand, tearful send-off.’
Jiang Qingli reached up and rubbed his ears. "Okay, okay. I’ll be back, I promise."
-
The attic door was ajar, a sliver of dreamlike, translucent white light peeking through the gap.
Jiang Qingli pushed open the door and saw the young man sitting in the moonlight.
He sat by the window, one knee propped up, his eyes lowered to the beautifully wrapped gift box in his hands, lost in thought. His cool, handsome profile looked both sharp and hazy in the moonlight.
At the sound, he pushed himself to his feet, a slightly flustered look on his face.
Jiang Qingli glanced around the room.
It had been a long time since she’d been in the attic.
When they were children, she and Jiang Youchen would always hide up here to get into mischief.
To be more accurate, *she* was the one getting into mischief.
For a time, the family had hired a very strict tutor, making Jiang Qingli’s life miserable. She would use the excuse of needing tutoring from Jiang Youchen to hide up here, secretly playing games and reading manga.
Most of the time, Jiang Youchen would leave her to her fun while he did her boring, tedious homework for her.
After all, she was smart enough to get first place in her exams without doing it.
As she got older and life got busier, Jiang Qingli rarely came up here anymore.
’It looks pretty much the same as before. There’s not even any dust on the carpet. The staff must clean it regularly.’
The attic wasn’t particularly spacious, and in a few steps, Jiang Qingli was standing in front of him.
Jiang Youchen’s breathing grew shallow, as if he were afraid of startling her.
"Why aren’t you saying anything?" Jiang Qingli asked, puzzled. "Weren’t you the one who asked me to come?"
’Judging by her tone, she doesn’t seem that angry anymore.’
Jiang Youchen felt his taut nerves secretly relax a bit.
He didn’t really have much experience with apologies. After a moment, he said in a low voice, "I’m sorry. It was my fault."
"Can you forgive me?"
Jiang Qingli propped her chin in her hand, pretending to think it over. Only when she saw the nervous look in his eyes did she say, "I have to see if I like the gift first. Then I’ll decide when to forgive you."
Jiang Youchen snapped out of it and handed her the gift box.
It was too dark to see clearly.
Jiang Qingli reached to turn on a light, but he caught her wrist.
His voice was low, laced with a faint tension. "...Don’t turn on the light."
"Why?" Jiang Qingli asked, confused. "How am I supposed to see your gift if we don’t turn on the lights?" Something felt off. She grabbed his wrist back. "Your hand is burning up! Do you have a fever?"
She suddenly leaned closer, her breath brushing against the side of his face, her eyes fixed on him, blazing in the moonlight.
The tips of his ears, already flushed red, burned even hotter.
Even after a whole afternoon of trying to compose himself, he still didn’t know how to face her.
And yet, he couldn’t let her notice anything was amiss.
But his worries were unfounded. Jiang Qingli wasn’t thinking along those lines at all.
’Fine, no lights then.’
She sat down on the carpet and began unwrapping the gift box by the light of the moon.
She was still lecturing him as she worked. "You need to be careful. An infected wound can cause a fever, and an untreated fever can be very serious."
"I just healed you. Don’t go ruining your body, or I’ll have to do it all over again."
Feeling that they had made up, her tone unconsciously took on a playful imperiousness. "Did you hear me?"
"Yes, I heard you," Jiang Youchen replied.
Like a well-behaved student.
Jiang Qingli was satisfied and continued to unwrap the gift.
She opened the box to find a pair of Ruby earrings.
Their perfect, pigeon’s-blood-red color glittered in the moonlight.
"Dangling earrings can be heavy. These are more suited for everyday wear," Jiang Youchen explained.
His thoughtful excuse concealed his true motives.
Jiang Qingli accepted the gift, looking up at him with a smile. "You’re not mad at me anymore, are you?"
Jiang Youchen’s voice was as light as a sigh. "When was I ever mad at you?"
’He had only ever been angry with himself.’
-
As the two of them left the attic, one after the other, they saw Xie Qizhen and Zhou Yanli walking their way.
"What were you two up to, hiding away like that?" Xie Qizhen waggled the paper bag in his hand. "Xiao Li, want some bubble tea?"
"Yes!"
The group went downstairs together.
Xie Qizhen took out a bubble tea, poked a straw into it, and handed it to his daughter.
Jiang Qingli took a huge slurp of pearls, her cheeks puffing out as she chewed. CHEW. CHEW. CHEW.
Zhou Yanli and Jiang Youchen didn’t drink bubble tea. Xie Qizhen opened one for himself, took a mighty slurp, and chewed away. CHEW. CHEW. CHEW.
The father and daughter pair’s actions were surprisingly in sync.
Zhou Yanli patted his daughter’s head and asked gently, "I heard you were attacked today?"
"Yeah, it was terrifying," Jiang Qingli said, recounting the day’s events. "Those guys were all A Level or higher. They must have been professionals. My brother got hurt, too."
"Where were you hurt, Youchen?" Zhou Yanli asked, glancing at the young man beside him in surprise. "It’s already healed? Did you see a doctor?"
"I’m the one who helped!" Jiang Qingli said, raising her eyebrows proudly. "He’s good as new."
Xie Qizhen looked even prouder than she did, giving her a big thumbs-up. "That’s our Xiao Li for you!"
Zhou Yanli’s expression, however, shifted slightly, his brow furrowing. "Xiao Li did it?"
Jiang Youchen avoided his sharp gaze and mumbled an affirmative.
After Jiang Qingli went back to her room, the smile on Zhou Yanli’s face disappeared. He looked at Jiang Youchen. "Let’s talk. Do you have a moment?"
Sipping his bubble tea, Xie Qizhen asked in confusion, "Talk about what? Do you two have some kind of business overlap?"
"Why don’t you just focus on your bubble tea."
Zhou Yanli gave a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and walked into the study.
The door slammed shut with a BANG.
Jiang Qingli bounded back to her bedroom and threw herself into the arms of Baili Jing, who was waiting for her.
Baili Jing caught her securely, his fox tail appearing to brush against her cheek.
Seeing her smile, he couldn’t help but smile back. "All made up?"
"Uh-huh!" Jiang Qingli said, holding up her bubble tea. "Want a taste?"
Baili Jing’s gaze fell on her glistening lips. "I’d rather taste something sweeter."
With that, he leaned in and kissed her.
...
After their tender interlude, Jiang Qingli snuggled into his arms, hugging his fox tail as she slept soundly.
He turned off the light and buried his face in the crook of her neck. He closed his eyes, his long lashes brushing against her skin. The ticklish sensation made Jiang Qingli twitch in her sleep.
Baili Jing lay in silence for a moment before suddenly speaking. "Sweetheart."
Jiang Qingli, half-asleep, hummed unconsciously in response.
"I really, truly hate Jiang Youchen."
Baili Jing finally spoke the words he had kept hidden in his heart for so long.
The girl, fast asleep, was completely oblivious.
The night was quiet and gentle.
Gazing at the person in his arms, Baili Jing’s expression gradually softened.
"But if that’s what my sweetheart wants..." he murmured, leaning down. The rest of his words were lost in a gentle kiss on her lips. "...then I’m okay with anything."
"As long as you’re happy."
And he meant that, too.
