Free Web NovelChapter 270: Chapter 270: I’ll Support You
The night was deep, the moon hanging high behind them.
The young man’s gaze was lowered. His deep voice held a hint of vulnerability and confusion he had never shown to anyone before.
Jiang Qingli’s heart skipped a beat, but she didn’t know how to answer.
He had always been a strong, reassuring presence for her, like an impenetrable wall that sealed off all possible dangers.
From something as small as shielding her from the shards of a broken glass to something as big as protecting her when she was kidnapped...
It made her forget, sometimes, that he was actually only three years older than her.
In fact, Jiang Qingli could feel that Jiang Youchen, just like her, had been trying to mend the relationship between them lately. He had even just told a butler joke that was completely out of character for him.
But it was as if a pane of frosted glass stood between them. They seemed so close, yet they could never see each other clearly.
’How did it get like this? It’s so strange. I don’t have this problem with Mom or my dads...’
Jiang Qingli looked down at the tips of her toes and said softly, "I didn’t mean to single you out. It’s just... a little hard for me to say it..."
She wasn’t lying. It was the truth.
Ever since she had shouted "You’re not my real brother!" at him, Jiang Qingli found she could no longer address him the way she used to.
It was as if something had shattered, and it could never be pieced back together.
She felt guilty. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she didn’t dare to look Jiang Youchen in the eye.
Fortunately, he didn’t press the issue and thoughtfully changed the subject. "The person who came looking for me just now was indeed Xie Guanqi."
Jiang Qingli’s head snapped up.
She instantly guessed their intentions. "The Xie Family... they want you to go back, don’t they?"
Jiang Youchen didn’t deny it. "Yes."
Rumors had been flying around for the past few days. Besides, Jiang Qingli had always known about his complicated history with the Xie Family. And based on Zhou Yanli’s attitude last time... he had also hoped Jiang Youchen would go back.
The edge of the iron railing was bent out of shape from where he had gripped it with force. He pressed the pad of his finger against the sharp, raised part, feeling a stinging pain.
In his line of sight, the girl’s brows were furrowed, and she looked unhappy.
Perhaps thinking of the rumors, she pursed her lips. "Did they really promise you a lot?"
"Material things." He stared intently into her eyes and asked, "What do you think?"
He asked the question, but he knew he wanted her to say no.
’If she says no...’
’...I’ll refuse the Xie Family immediately.’
But Jiang Qingli twisted her fingers together. After a long moment, she said haltingly, "I... I think you should just do what you feel is right."
"I don’t want to influence your decision," Jiang Qingli stressed, looking up into his eyes. "No matter what you decide, I’ll support you."
Jiang Qingli knew perfectly well that if she asked him to stay, Jiang Youchen wouldn’t leave.
He had been unconditionally giving in to her since they were children.
But Jiang Qingli hadn’t forgotten that when he first came to their family, Jiang Youchen had written his name as "Xie Youchen" many times.
A few times, she had gone looking for him in the middle of the night but couldn’t find him. Only after asking many times did he admit he had gone to the area near the Xie Family’s estate.
One day after they had grown up, he took her out. When they passed by the Xie estate, he watched for a while, pointed in a direction, and said that was the room he used to live in. His mother’s study was upstairs, and her bedroom was next to it.
There were people in the Xie Family who were against him, but it was also the place where he grew up, holding too many fond memories and his parents’ belongings.
Besides, what right did she have to control his life?
They weren’t really related at all.
The evening breeze blew.
The climbing roses arranged on both sides of the terrace swayed in the wind, carrying a rich fragrance.
The young man said nothing, remaining silent for a long time.
Just then, a group of young people came out of the back door below. Looking up, they saw Jiang Qingli on the terrace and waved enthusiastically at her. "Sister-in-law! We’re leaving now! Have fun!"
Hearing the address "Sister-in-law," Jiang Qingli’s first reaction was to look at the young man opposite her. Only then did she realize they were Baili Jing’s fans and were calling her "Sister-in-law."
She turned and waved back at the young people. They got even more excited, showering her with praise about how well she and Baili Jing matched and wishing them all the best.
Jiang Youchen’s gaze swept past her to see a figure tiptoeing over in the distance.
Zheng Meng, clutching a wine glass, was looking left and right, clearly searching for Jiang Qingli.
He frowned. Just as he was about to step forward and crush the man’s delusions of latching onto someone powerful, a handsome and refined young man intercepted Zheng Meng first. He said a few words with a smile, and the color instantly and visibly drained from Zheng Meng’s face.
’Baili Jing again.’
The girl beside him raised her voice and replied to the people downstairs, "I know, I know! I’ll be happy with your big brother! Go on, get home safe!"
Jiang Youchen closed his eyes. His hand gripping the railing tightened, twisting the iron bar like a pretzel.
Just then, his terminal vibrated a few times.
He glanced down and saw three new messages on his terminal.
Unknown Number: [Don’t just stand there in the night breeze after you’re done talking. Be smart about it. Her friend was just looking for her.]
Unknown Number: [After you escort her out, you can leave. Yuan Shimo is on his way. It’s his turn tonight.]
Unknown Number: [^^]
Jiang Youchen looked up. Across the distance, Baili Jing had dismissed Zheng Meng with just a few words. Before turning to leave, he raised his glass to Jiang Youchen, his demeanor refined and gentle.
Jiang Youchen: "..."
’No wonder Gu Nian curses him for having a ’first wife’ complex.’
’Calling the other Beast Husbands over, showing off by doing me a favor, playing the good guy to both sides... he really doesn’t lose out.’
’Playing mind games over such a trivial matter. How can I be at ease with a fox spirit like that around her?’
Jiang Youchen blocked the number directly.
After the fans left, Jiang Qingli turned and saw his displeased expression. She leaned in closer and asked, "Who are you messaging? Your brows are so furrowed you could trap a fly between them. Was it Xie Guanqi? What did she send you? Is she still here? She didn’t try to trick you, did she?"
After she finished, she remembered what she had just said about not interfering and added, trying to cover her tracks, "Just asking!"
"It wasn’t her." Jiang Youchen put away his terminal, his voice sounding somewhat distant. "Go have fun with your friends. Tonight, I’ll..." His gaze flickered to a corner not far away, and he changed his sentence. "I’ll have Yi Nuo take you home."
Jiang Qingli felt that something was off with him and wanted to say more, but Jiang Youchen gently stroked her hair and asked in a low voice, "Okay?"
"Okay." Jiang Qingli was still worried. She pressed her index finger to the crease between his brows, smoothing it out. "If anything is bothering you, you can tell me. I can help you now!"
Jiang Youchen looked at her deeply. "Ah Li has really grown up."
"It’s about time you realized." Jiang Qingli grinned at him. "I’m heading over then. You should get home early, okay?"
"Okay."
The girl walked away, occasionally glancing back, her steps hesitant but never stopping.
She was always moving forward.
He was the only one left behind.
...
Jiang Qingli walked over to her friends. Ai Li immediately looped an arm through hers, her expression animated. "A super handsome male just asked for my contact info! What would you rate him... I think he’s at least an eight!"
She shoved her screen over, and Jiang Qingli glanced at it. "He looks good."
She chatted distractedly with her friends for a bit, the heavy feeling in her chest growing more pronounced.
She looked back in the direction she had come from, only to catch a glimpse of Jiang Youchen’s back as he walked away in the opposite direction.
He rounded a corner.
In the dim light, Xie Guanqi was leaning against a wall, a pretty boy wrapped in her arms. Hearing the sound, she looked up and met Jiang Youchen’s eyes.
She didn’t look surprised, but she still frowned in displeasure, her tone somewhat irritated. "Let’s go. The Xie Family’s car is downstairs."
"Mother is waiting for you in the study."
The two of them went downstairs, one after the other, and got into the car.
The black sedan drove into the neon-lit night, brushing past a luxurious supercar at the gate.
Xie Guanqi glanced at the rearview mirror.
On the other side, Jiang Youchen rested his chin on one hand, his expression cold and grim.
He opened his terminal and tapped into an interface.
More than a dozen surveillance feeds appeared on the screen, showing the garden and corridors of the house.
Zhou Yanli had Yi Nuo delete his access privileges, but he had countless ways to reconnect to all the observation points in the Empire.
But now, there was no need to continue.
He had to face the reality that she had grown up, and he had to admit that his desire to protect her was now obsolete.
Jiang Youchen’s fingertips tapped lightly.
A few seconds later, the feeds vanished. His account was logged out, and a system notification appeared on the interface—
[Access Privileges Deleted.]
Jiang Youchen closed his eyes, his vision plunging into a blank darkness.
Naturally, he didn’t notice who got out of the supercar behind them.
