Free Web NovelChapter 254: Chapter 254: Anticipation
Xie Guanqi and Jiang Youchen’s conversation didn’t last long.
Despite Xie Guanqi’s deferential posture, Jiang Youchen’s attitude remained cold, just as it had been the previous times.
Seeing this, Xie Guanqi had no choice but to give up for the time being.
After Xie Guanqi left, Song Zhizhou popped out from the side.
He stared at Xie Guanqi’s departing back, indignant on his friend’s behalf. "The Xie Family is really something else. Back then, they were afraid of retaliation, so they pretended not to know you were with the Jiang Family and declared you missing. Now that they’re on the decline and see you’ve risen through the ranks and are returning to the First District, they’re shamelessly begging you to acknowledge your ancestry and return to the fold."
"No wonder people from the other districts say the nobles of the Upper City District are hypocritical and opportunistic. This is a classic example."
Seeing Jiang Youchen remain silent, Song Zhizhou grew wary. "Wait, you’re not actually thinking of going back, are you?"
Jiang Youchen didn’t answer. He took out a cigarette and held it between his lips.
A crimson glint flashed.
Smoke billowed out. The young man lifted his gaze, his eyes traveling over the sparse crowd to the third floor.
The third room from the right had its door and windows shut tight, blocking all prying eyes.
The lights were off; only darkness could be seen through the narrow gap in the curtains.
But that only made him more anxious and agitated.
Jiang Youchen recalled his earlier conversation with Xie Guanqi.
The nobles were friendly on the surface, but behind closed doors, they employed countless schemes for personal gain. They endlessly tore at and dragged each other down, all while eyeing the Xie Family like hungry tigers, waiting for a chance to rip into their flesh and blood.
Ever since his mother passed away over a decade ago, the Xie Family had been in steady decline.
Last year, the previous Family Head of the Xie Family—his maternal grandmother—passed away. His aunt, Xie Zhengliu, was frail and sickly, with a low Superpower Level. After inheriting the position of Family Head, she was unable to bear the heavy responsibility. And Xie Zhengliu’s only daughter, Xie Guanqi, was merely an average student council president who hit a wall at every turn when trying to start a political career.
The Xie Family’s situation was precarious. They desperately needed someone to take charge and support their massive estate.
Now that Jiang Youchen had distinguished himself with numerous merits, the Xie Family had sought him out, hoping he would return to the fold and support them.
They were even willing to offer him the power of the Family Head.
In the traditional and conservative Upper City District, it was nearly impossible for a male to inherit if there was a female in the younger generation. The Xie Family’s offer was nothing short of earth-shattering.
For any male, these terms would be considered too generous to refuse.
Besides, that was the place that had raised his mother and him, only to then abandon them. He had known since he was a child that he was destined to go back.
But—
Jiang Youchen stared at the dim window, his lips pressed into a tight line.
After a long silence, the ash from his cigarette tumbled down, scalding a mottled red mark onto the back of his hand.
The sea breeze lifted the hair on his forehead, and a chill seeped into his skin, inch by inch.
He closed his eyes, sinking into a thick, inky blackness.
-
But,
if he left the Jiang Family, they would no longer have any relationship at all.
-
Jiang Qingli dreamed she was entangled in vines. It was hot and heavy, and her limbs were bound, making it impossible to escape.
When she opened her eyes, she discovered it was Gu Nian hugging her waist. His face was buried against her, and even his rabbit ears were pressed close, as if he wanted to stick to her and never be separated.
His body temperature ran high, and he was wrapped around her so tightly that even with the air conditioning on, Jiang Qingli felt a little hot.
She checked the time. It was already the early hours of the morning.
Since she wasn’t very sleepy anyway, she stroked the still-slumbering little rabbit’s head, rose quietly, and decided to go out for some sea breeze. She could watch the sunrise and then grab breakfast.
The cruise ship was silent.
When Jiang Qingli had gone to sleep last night, she’d heard a group of people making a racket. They were probably still asleep at this hour.
But when she pushed the door open, she unexpectedly saw a tall, slender figure standing not far away.
It was Jiang Youchen.
’Was he an early riser, or had he been up all night?’
Jiang Qingli took a few steps toward him, but then the image of a crowd of females surrounding him yesterday came to mind, and she suddenly stopped.
’She wondered if she was only against the idea of having a sister-in-law because she had been away from the family for so long.’
After all, according to the Empire’s traditions, once a male married, he no longer belonged to his own family, but to his female master.
Even a Prince had to abide by this tradition, let alone anyone else.
’Their family had finally reunited after so much difficulty. Rationally, she knew this was inevitable, but she just hated the thought of him becoming a stranger.’
’Jiang Qingli felt her thoughts were far too selfish, but she didn’t know how to adjust her mindset at the moment. Worse, she was afraid Jiang Youchen would be upset if he found out.’
As if sensing her gaze, Jiang Youchen turned sideways to look back at her. "Why are you just standing there?"
His tone was as calm as ever, and Jiang Qingli felt an inexplicable sense of relief.
’Good. Nothing’s changed for now.’
Jiang Qingli walked up to stand beside him, gazing into the distance.
Gu Nian had helped her change into her nightgown last night. The sea breeze lifted its hem and her hair, blowing away the stuffy heat.
Before sunrise, the world was still immersed in a hazy twilight.
Jiang Qingli kept her eyes fixed ahead, but she could clearly feel the gaze of the person beside her resting on her.
But for some reason, she didn’t bluntly ask what he was looking at, like she would have in the past.
She just had a vague feeling she would get an answer she wouldn’t be comfortable facing.
Jiang Qingli stared at the waves on the sea’s surface and heard herself ask, "Um... are your injuries any better?"
"Much better," Jiang Youchen said.
Jiang Qingli nodded, and the atmosphere lapsed into a slightly stiff silence.
After a moment, Jiang Youchen asked, "Why aren’t you sleeping in? Did you not sleep well?"
’Quite the opposite.’
’Jiang Qingli had slept very well.’
’Aside from his unruliness in bed, Gu Nian tended to her every need with more care than an ancient attendant serving the Emperor.’
’If Jiang Yi or Zhou Yanli had asked, Jiang Qingli would have described it in lavish detail. But for some reason, in front of him, she felt inexplicably guilty.’
Jiang Qingli touched the tip of her nose and said quietly, "I slept quite well..."
The young man’s gaze fell to her shoulder.
On her collarbone and the side of her neck, in places not easily seen, were hidden the many incriminating marks of a wild encounter.
Jiang Youchen slowly exhaled and looked out at the sea.
The wind died down, and they fell silent again.
Lately, they seemed to often fall into this kind of awkward silence, with nothing to say.
Then again, that was normal. In the past, their interactions had always revolved around Jiang Qingli’s chattering. Jiang Youchen, quiet since childhood, had always played the role of listener and responder.
Now that Jiang Qingli wasn’t talking, their conversations had dwindled.
’It’s my fault.’
Jiang Youchen tried to find a topic of conversation. "Are you hungry?"
Jiang Qingli shook her head. "Not right now. I’ll eat after watching the sunrise."
’She slept well, so she usually woke up right on time for work and lazed in bed on weekends. She rarely got a chance to see the sunrise.’
Jiang Youchen nodded and turned to leave.
Jiang Qingli had wanted to discuss breakfast options with him, but seeing him just take off like that, she felt a little annoyed.
’What did I do to upset him now?’
’After not seeing him for a few years, how did his temper get so hard to figure out?’
’Forget it. Whatever.’
She huffed, leaning over the railing to look at the horizon, feeling agitated.
Suddenly, a weight settled on her shoulders. A warm touch, mixed with the scent of agarwood, enveloped her from behind.
Jiang Qingli froze for a moment before realizing that Jiang Youchen had returned to place a thin blanket over her shoulders.
She lifted her eyes and met the young man’s gaze, which he hadn’t yet averted.
In the instant their eyes met, it was as if they were frozen. Neither looked away, each gazing deeply into the other’s eyes.
As if drawn into a vortex, the young man slowly leaned forward, the distance between them closing unconsciously.
Jiang Qingli’s eyelashes fluttered, and her breathing grew shallow.
As if she were anticipating something.
The young man lowered his eyes. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps came from behind them.
As if suddenly jolted awake, they broke eye contact.
Panicked, Jiang Qingli took a step back, but she tripped on the edge of the blanket and stumbled sideways—
