《Beautiful Wife from Heaven: Mr. Qi, Let s Get Married》 Chapter 1 Let¡¯s Break Up ¡°Jiaojiao, postpone the wedding. I have an urgent matter to attend to.¡± The wedding was going to be held soon, and Lu Zhuo was about to postpone the wedding after a phone call. Xu Jiaojiao could not believe it. She looked at Lu Zhuo and said, ¡°Brother Lu Zhuo, look outside. The guests are all waiting. Why are you leaving at this time? If there¡¯s anything, can¡¯t we take care of it after the wedding?¡± Lu Zhuo glanced at the wedding banquet hall with a hint of urgency in his dark eyes. ¡°Jiaojiao, please understand. I really have something very important to do now. It doesn¡¯t matter if we hold the wedding today or tomorrow. I¡¯ll leave now.¡± Leave? If he left like this, what would happen to the wedding? What would happen to her? Xu Jiaojiao grabbed the hem of Lu Zhuo¡¯s clothes, her eyes red. ¡°What¡¯s the reason? At least give me a reason.¡± Lu Zhuo looked troubled. After a while, he said softly, ¡°Jiaojiao, something happened to Bai Mengyao.¡± Bai Mengyao¡­ Hearing this name, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face suddenly turned pale, and her grip on Lu Zhuo¡¯s clothes lost its strength. Bai Mengyao was Lu Zhuo¡¯s girlfriend when they were in university. The two of them had a very deep relationship. It was said that in order to be with Bai Mengyao, Lu Zhuo even asked his parents to cancel their engagement with the Xu family, angering them so much that they wound up in the hospital. Later on, for some reason, the two of them suddenly broke up. Bai Mengyao went overseas while Lu Zhuo stayed in Luo City. Xu Jiaojiao thought that Lu Zhuo and Bai Mengyao were over, but she never thought that she would hear Bai Mengyao¡¯s name on their wedding day. Lu Zhuo even wanted to ruin the wedding between Lu and Xu families for her. Lu Zhuo opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he turned around and left. He walked anxiously to the elevator without looking back. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes instantly turned red, but she stubbornly refused to let her tears fall. It turned out that Lu Zhuo had never forgotten about Bai Mengyao, so why did he agree to marry her? Was she the only one looking forward to this wedding¡­? ¡°Brother Lu Zhuo,¡± Xu Jiaojiao suddenly called out when the elevator was about to arrive. Her voice was hoarse as she said, ¡°The wedding is about to begin, so the ceremony won¡¯t take too long. You can wait until the wedding is over before¡­¡± ¡°Xu Jiaojiao! Can¡¯t you be a bit more understanding?!¡± Lu Zhuo interrupted her impatiently. ¡°Bai Mengyao is all alone overseas. Every minute you delay, the possibility of her getting into an accident increases!¡± He stared at Xu Jiaojiao with his pitch-black eyes, as if he was saying, ¡®Is the wedding that important? Is it more important than Bai Mengyao?¡¯ Xu Jiaojiao smiled bitterly. Her throat felt like it was blocked, and she could not say a single word. Ding! The elevator arrived. Just as Lu Zhuo was about to step into the elevator, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s soft and firm voice slowly rang out, ¡°Lu Zhuo, let¡¯s break up.¡± Upon closer inspection, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice was choked with sobs. Although she liked Lu Zhuo, it did not mean that he could trample on her love as he pleased. Love could not override her dignity. ¡°You¡¯re not being rational right now. We can talk about breaking up when I get back.¡± Lu Zhuo did not take Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s words to heart. He knew how much Xu Jiaojiao liked him. She was just angry at him for leaving at the wedding and wanted to make him stay. All he had to do was comfort her after he returned from overseas. When the elevator door closed, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart felt as if it had fallen into despair. The tears in her eyes finally fell without restraint. In Lu Zhuo¡¯s heart, she was no match for his first love, Bai Mengyao. Just then, the door to the lounge next door was pushed open. A woman in a dark red cheongsam walked out and looked at Xu Jiaojiao with a scrutinizing, even disdainful gaze. She asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Lu Zhuo?¡± She was Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother. If the old matriarch of the family had not arranged the engagement between the Lu and Xu families, Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother would never have allowed her son to marry a country bumpkin like Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyelashes fluttered as she said, ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother was stunned. Before she could ask further, Xu Jiaojiao added, ¡°He went to look for Bai Mengyao.¡± Upon hearing Bai Mengyao¡¯s name, Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother¡¯s gaze flickered. It was obvious that she knew about the relationship between Bai Mengyao and Lu Zhuo. She snorted coldly and jabbed her finger at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s nose. ¡°You¡¯re such a failure as a fianc¨¦e. You couldn¡¯t even keep your own man on your wedding day, you trash!¡± ¡°She was never good for anything to begin with.¡± Standing behind Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother was a girl in a pink princess dress. Her name was Lu Huan, and she was Lu Zhuo¡¯s younger sister. She hated Xu Jiaojiao, so she did not hold back when she spoke. ¡°She has no looks, no education, and can¡¯t even compare to Sister Bai Mengyao¡¯s little toe. No wonder my brother doesn¡¯t care for her.¡± Chapter 2 He¡¯s Gone Too Far Xu Jiaojiao was already in low spirits, but after they mocked and ridiculed her, her disappointment slowly dissipated. Her eyes were still red, but her gaze was very cold. ¡°And I don¡¯t care for Lu Zhuo, someone who changes his mind without the slightest sense of responsibility.¡± ¡°What did you say?!¡± Lu Huan exploded. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. Since Lu Zhuo is still attached to his ex-girlfriend, I wish them a long and happy life. As for today¡¯s wedding, cancel it. Our engagement is also over.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice was loud and clear. The Lu Family would not make good in-laws in the first place. For Lu Zhuo¡¯s sake, she had been tolerating his mother and younger sister. Now that their engagement was canceled, she naturally did not have to take their attitude anymore. Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother¡¯s expression instantly darkened. ¡°You¡¯re just a wild child from the countryside. What gives you the right to turn down my son? Our Lu Zhuo was so unlucky he had to get married to you. Perfect, now the engagement has been canceled. It was all your grandmother¡¯s ploy to begin with. If she hadn¡¯t forced my Lu Zhuo to get engaged to you in advance, using her old age as leverage, do you really think someone of your status can marry into our Lu family?¡± Lu Huan chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s right. Your grandmother forced my brother to marry you just because she was about to die. You¡¯re just as shameless as your grandmother¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s expression suddenly turned cold. ¡°If I hear another word of disrespect to my grandmother, I won¡¯t hold back!¡± Lu Huan had grown up in a pampered family. After Xu Jiaojiao scolded her, her temper flared up. ¡°Is that a threat?! You¡¯re just a wild girl, and you¡¯re so fierce. No wonder my brother doesn¡¯t like you¡­¡± As she spoke, she suddenly reached out and shoved Xu Jiaojiao. Because of the ceremony, Xu Jiaojiao was wearing high heels today. Caught off guard by Lu Huan¡¯s push, she lost her balance and fell backward. Xu Jiaojiao panicked and subconsciously wanted to grab onto something. However, not only did Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother and Lu Huan, who were closest to her, not reach out to support her, they even took a step back when they saw her reach out. Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips. Just as she was mentally prepared to fall to the ground, someone supported her waist and steadied her. Xu Zhengyang¡¯s angry voice rang in her ears. ¡°Motherf*cker, how dare you hit my little sister?!¡± When she heard Xu Zhengyang¡¯s voice, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes instantly turned red. The suppressed grievances, sadness, and other emotions surged into her heart. Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother noticed that Xu Zhengyang was dressed impeccably in a white suit, but he cursed the moment he opened his mouth. She said disdainfully, ¡°We didn¡¯t touch her. We only grazed her lightly. She was the one who didn¡¯t stand properly, and now you¡¯re blaming us? Also, is this how you talk to your elders? Didn¡¯t your parents teach you how to respect your elders?¡± Lu Huan also said, ¡°From the looks of it, the Xu family is uneducated indeed. Both the men and women are not intolerable.¡± ¡°What right do you have to talk about our family¡¯s matters?¡± Xu Zhengyang glared, his beautiful eyes filled with anger. ¡°Lu Zhuo should be thanking his lucky stars that my Jiaojiao is willing to marry him! But that idiot actually dared to run away from the altar. Does he really think that our family is that down on our luck? Does he think he can trample over us however he likes?!¡± When Xu Zhengyang found out that Lu Zhuo had left the wedding, he came over to discuss with Xu Jiaojiao what to do next. However, he did not expect to see Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother and sister bullying Xu Jiaojiao! He was so angry that his lungs were about to explode. ¡°Who does Bai Mengyao think she is?! Who do you think you are, Lu Huan?! The two of you together can¡¯t even compare to a strand of our Jiaojiao¡¯s hair! Trash! You¡¯re all trash! You¡¯re rats in the gutter who only know how to play tricks in the dark!¡± Xu Zhengyang was like a firecracker. He kept attacking Lu Huan with all kinds of insults. Lu Huan had never been scolded like this before. Her eyes turned red as she pulled her mother¡¯s arm. ¡°Mom, he¡­ he¡¯s gone too far.¡± After all these years, Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother had not heard such a long string of vulgarities for a long time, thanks to her high status. For a moment, she was stunned. She pointed at Xu Zhengyang for a long time but could not utter a complete sentence. ¡°Stop stammering like a moron!¡± Xu Zhengyang gritted his teeth. ¡°Go back and tell that idiot Lu Zhuo never to show his face in front of me in the future. Otherwise, I¡¯ll beat him up every time I see him!¡± Xu Zhengyang was famous in Luo City for being a playboy and a violent thug. Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother did not doubt his threat at all. Chapter 3 Will You Marry Me? Not daring to confront him head-on, Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother could only mutter under her breath, ¡°Kids from small families like yours are always so uncouth. Our Lu Zhuo is so unlucky to be engaged to a family like yours¡­ But it¡¯s good that the marriage has been canceled. Let¡¯s see who else is blind enough to want to marry Xu Jiaojiao other than our Lu Zhuo!¡± After saying that, Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother glanced at Xu Jiaojiao subtly, snorted coldly, and left with Lu Huan. ¡°You motherf*cker¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang wanted to chase after her. How dare this woman curse his sister! ¡°Brother.¡± Xu Jiaojiao grabbed Xu Zhengyang¡¯s arm and gently shook her head. ¡°Forget it.¡± Her brother¡¯s reputation was not great to begin with. If he were to fight Lu Zhuo¡¯s mother today, she did not know what others would say about him¡­ In the past few years, Xu Zhengyang had fought with others because of her. She did not want Xu Zhengyang to be misunderstood again. Xu Zhengyang turned around to look at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s reddened eyes and cursed in a low voice. He scratched his head in frustration. ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t be sad. It¡¯s that idiot Lu Zhuo who¡¯s not good enough for you. There are many good men in this world. I promise to find you a better one!¡± Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips. When she thought of Lu Zhuo leaving without hesitation, it would be a lie to say that she was not sad. After all, he was someone she genuinely loved. He was her reason to work hard to survive, and he was also her motivation to change for the better. Now, however¡­ Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s just that Grandmother¡­¡± Half a year ago, Grandmother had been diagnosed with late-stage cancer. The doctor said that they should try their best to satisfy the old lady¡¯s wishes. That was why Father and Mother went to the Lu Family to bring forward the wedding date, because Grandmother was the most worried about her. Her only wish was to see her get married and start a family, and live a happy life. If Grandmother found out that Lu Zhuo had left during the wedding and the engagement was annulled, Lu Jiaojiao did not know if she would be able to hold on. Xu Zhengyang also thought of the old lady¡¯s condition, and his face darkened. Suddenly, he seemed to have thought of something and placed his hand on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I have an idea.¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her head and looked at him. Xu Zhengyang solemnly promised, ¡°Wait for me here for a while. I¡¯ll find the best man in the world to marry you!¡± After saying that, he ran straight to the elevator without giving Xu Jiaojiao a chance to speak. He even took out his phone to make a call. ¡°Brother¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao called out a few times, but she could not stop Xu Zhengyang. She did not know what he was going to do, but no matter what Xu Zhengyang wanted to do, today¡¯s wedding was over. She had to inform her parents. Xu Jiaojiao lifted her skirt and turned around. However, the effects of Lu Huan¡¯s push still lingered. Just as she lost her balance and was about to fall, a slender and strong arm suddenly reached out from the side and held her firmly. When Xu Jiaojiao straightened up, she took the opportunity to look at the man who had helped her. The first thing she saw was a handsome face with distinct facial features, exquisite and cold. The man was wearing a three-piece black suit. After making sure that Xu Jiaojiao had stabilized herself, he politely retracted his arm. His gaze did not linger on her for long before he left. Just then, Xu Jiaojiao grabbed his sleeve. ¡°Wait, wait a minute.¡± Qi Shenbai furrowed his brows slightly, and a cold light flashed in his eyes as he turned to look at Xu Jiaojiao. Although she had exquisite makeup on and was wearing a wedding dress, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s appearance was too childlike. When he saw her little round face, the size of his palm, Qi Shenbai felt that she was still underage. Her immaturity was the only impression Qi Shenbai had of Xu Jiaojiao. Perhaps it was because Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s reddened eyes were too pitiful, like a stray cat drenched by the rain, but Qi Shenbai felt a rare sense of compassion and did not brush away her hand that was grabbing his sleeve. ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s lips moved. She did not know why her heart was beating so fast, but her palms that were about to break out in a sweat as he held onto his sleeves. ¡°No worries.¡± Qi Shen¡¯s thin lips parted slightly as he glanced at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s fingers that were tugging at his sleeve. They were as white as jade and as tender as tofu. His Adam¡¯s apple inadvertently bobbed twice before he said, ¡°Let go.¡± However, Xu Jiaojiao did not let go. She knew Qi Shenbai. She did not know if it was because her brain was in a mess or because she had been provoked too much today, but a bold and absurd thought emerged in her mind. ¡°Mr. Qi, will you marry me?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s black pupils suddenly contracted and his eyes widened in surprise. For a moment, he wondered if Xu Jiaojiao had lost her mind and was saying something crazy. Xu Jiaojiao also knew that her words sounded ridiculous. Perhaps Qi Shenbai would think that she was a lunatic, but she had no choice. Chapter 4 You May Now Kiss the Bride If Grandmother found out about the cancellation of the wedding today, her body would definitely not be able to take it. She could lose Lu Zhuo and her love, but she could not disappoint her grandmother, who loved her the most in the world. She could not let her Grandmother die without fulfilling her greatest wish. Xu Jiaojiao looked up at Qi Shenbai and said, ¡°Mr. Qi, you only need to maintain your marriage with me for a year. In return, I can save your sister.¡± Qi Shenbai narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do you know me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao licked her lips and nodded dryly. ¡°My brother is your friend. I¡¯ve seen your photo on his phone.¡± Qi Shenbai was the CEO of the Qi Group and the head of the Qi family. He was mysterious and kept a low profile. He had been all-powerful in the raging world of business for ten years, but no newspaper dared to publish his photo. Therefore, not many people knew Qi Shenbai. Qi Shenbai lowered his gaze. After a long time, his thin lips moved slightly. ¡°Can you really save my sister?¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded again. ¡°I never lie. If I lie to you, you can do whatever you want to my brother.¡± Qi Shenbai was confused. Xu Zhengyang, who was currently looking for the best man in the world for his sister, had a bad feeling. The corridor was quiet, and the lights were dim. Xu Jiaojiao waited for Qi Shenbai to speak, as if she was a defendant at a trial. After a long time, Qi Shenbai¡¯s thin lips parted slightly, and he said softly, ¡°Okay.¡± ¡­ Initially, the relatives of the Lu family had received news that today¡¯s wedding had been canceled. Unexpectedly, before they could leave, they received further news that the wedding had begun. They looked at each other and sat back in their chairs curiously. After a while, the music started playing and the door of the wedding hall opened. Xu Jiaojiao held the man¡¯s arm and slowly walked down the red carpet. The wedding hall was silent. They were not surprised that the groom had changed, but this groom was surprisingly handsome! When Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s parents and Old Madam Xu, who had received the notice, saw this scene, they stood up in shock. Wasn¡¯t the wedding canceled? What was going on now? Who was the man next to Jiaojiao? Xu Jiaojiao could feel the gazes from all directions below the stage, but she kept a straight face and tried her best to control her expression. However, when she saw Qi Shenbai from the corner of her eye, her heart involuntarily skipped a beat. She had no choice. This man was really too handsome. He had a face that made it impossible for her heart to remain calm! Xu Jiaojiao lowered her eyes and decided not to look at Qi Shenbai anymore in order to ensure that she could carry out the wedding smoothly. Because of her grandmother¡¯s health, the wedding process had been simplified significantly. After a simple oath and an exchange of rings, the host held the microphone and announced, ¡°Now, the groom may kiss the bride.¡± Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai were taken aback. They had forgotten to cancel this step when they called the host over to update him. Now that they were here, what should they do? Xu Jiaojiao could not help but look at Qi Shenbai. Her mind was in a mess. Should she kiss him or not? Suddenly, Qi Shenbai took a step forward. He did not lift her veil, but held her face through it. The man¡¯s warm palm pressed against her cheek, and Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face began to burn. Her eyes widened as she watched Qi Shenbai lower his head. A black shadow enveloped her, and their breathing intertwined for a second. Xu Jiaojiao was stunned. At the same time, Xu Zhengyang, who had just returned from a phone call, saw this scene and his face darkened! ¡®F*ck, Qi Shenbai, you dog! How dare you taint my sister!¡¯ After the wedding, at the Xu family home¡­ Old Madam Xu was sitting on the sofa in a dark red cheongsam. Because she was sick, her thin face was sunken, but her eyes were sizing up Qi Shenbai, who was sitting at the side. Xu Jiaojiao sat next to her grandmother and hugged her arm as she said softly, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t marry Lu Zhuo because the person I like is¡­¡± She paused for a moment. Xu Jiaojiao glanced at the calm Qi Shenbai from the corner of her eye. In the end, she went all out and said, ¡°It¡¯s Qi Shenbai.¡± Only by making her grandmother believe that the person she liked was Qi Shenbai would the problem with her wedding finally be over. Old Madam Xu retracted her gaze and looked at Xu Jiaojiao lovingly. She asked doubtfully, ¡°Is he really the person you like? Why haven¡¯t I heard you mention him before? When did you meet him?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for a long time,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said. Afraid that her grandmother would not believe her, she added, ¡°Qi Shenbai and Big Brother are good friends. Big Brother introduced us to each other. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask him.¡± Chapter 5 Can I Move In With You? Old Madam Xu looked at Xu Zhengyang. ¡°Xu Zhengyang, go ahead.¡± Xu Zhengyan, who had been staring at Qi Shenbai, heard Old Madam Xu¡¯s words and quickly looked away. ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Old Madam Xu asked, ¡°Is what Jiaojiao said true?¡± Xu Zhengyang did not answer. He first glanced at Xu Jiaojiao, who was pleading him wordlessly. Xu Zhengyang sighed in his heart, but on the surface, he had to bite the bullet and help cover up the lie. ¡°That¡¯s right, Grandmother. I introduced them to each other. Although Jiaojiao and that idiot Lu Zhuo¡­¡± Realizing that he had used the wrong words, he quickly changed his words. ¡°Although she did have an engagement with Lu Zhuo, times have changed now. Jiaojiao doesn¡¯t like Lu Zhuo. It¡¯d be unfair to make her fulfill the engagement against her will. We¡¯re Jiaojiao¡¯s family, aren¡¯t we? We want nothing more than for her to be happily married.¡± Old Madam Xu did not say if she believed him or not. Instead, she turned to look at Qi Shenbai and said in a serious tone, ¡°Mr. Qi, do you really love our Jiaojiao?¡± Qi Shenbai did not answer immediately. Instead, he glanced at Xu Jiaojiao first. Xu Jiaojiao instantly became nervous. Her heart was in her throat as she looked at him pitifully with her big, dewy eyes. Qi Shenbai retracted his gaze without a trace and nodded calmly. ¡°Yes.¡± After a pause, he added, ¡°I love her very much.¡± After saying that, a faint hint of a smile slowly appeared in his dark eyes as he looked at Xu Jiaojiao dotingly. Xu Jiaojiao first heaved a sigh of relief. When she met Qi Shenbai¡¯s gaze, though, her heart trembled and she subconsciously avoided it. This person¡¯s gaze was too flirtatious, as if he really did love her deeply. Old Madam Xu frowned and thought for a while before sighing. ¡°Alright. Since Jiaojiao doesn¡¯t like Lu Zhuo, the engagement with the Lu family will be annulled. I¡¯ll explain everything to Old Madam Lu later.¡± Old Madam Xu did not know that Lu Zhuo had broken off the engagement first, but her parents did. When they heard this, they quickly said, ¡°We¡¯ll just talk to the Lu family about this. Take good care of yourself and don¡¯t worry.¡± Mrs. Xu looked at her son and daughter-in-law and hesitated for a moment before looking at Qi Shenbai. ¡°Then, Lil Qi, I¡¯ll leave our Jiaojiao to you.¡± Xu Zhengyang listened from the side and his mouth was about to cramp up from laughing. Lil Qi? Hahaha, in the entire Luo City, only his grandmother dared to call Qi Shenbai that! Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes were calm as he replied in a polite yet friendly tone, ¡°Rest assured, Grandmother.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was not the only one who was surprised by his words. Even Xu Zhengyang was stunned. That man was a really good actor! He even changed his way of addressing her so quickly! Old Madam Xu¡¯s health was not good, so she had to force herself to sit through the wedding. Now that everything was taken care of, Mr. and Mrs. Xu sent her back to the hospital. Old Madam Xu could not do without the care of the doctors and nurses. Xu Zhengyang was also called away and asked to drive her to the hospital. Before he left, Xu Zhengyang glanced at Qi Shenbai, silently warning him not to act rashly. All of a sudden, only Qi Shenbai and Xu Jiaojiao were left in the huge villa. It was quiet and awkward. After a few seconds of silence, Xu Jiaojiao spoke first, ¡°Mr. Qi, thank you for today.¡± ¡°No worries.¡± Perhaps because the elders had left, Qi Shenbai returned to his previous cold appearance. Xu Jiaojiao knew that Qi Shenbai had only agreed to her ridiculous request today to save his sister. They had merely made a deal. Even so, Qi Shenbai was still willing to cooperate with her and convince his grandmother. She was grateful. Xu Jiaojiao said, ¡°Mr. Qi, I won¡¯t go back on my word to save your sister, but I have a presumptuous request.¡± When Qi Shenbai heard this, he glanced at Xu Jiaojiao coldly. Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips and said softly, ¡°Can I move in with you?¡± Without waiting for Qi Shenbai to answer, Xu Jiaojiao quickly added, ¡°I know this request is too much, but considering the current situation¡­ I promise I won¡¯t disturb your life.¡± After a pause, she continued, ¡°If you really feel troubled, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll think of another way.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face scrunched up because she could not think of any excuse to separate a newly married couple¡­ Qi Shen glanced at Xu Jiaojiao, taking in her expression. Next thing she knew, they were at Qingshui Villa. Xu Jiaojiao was still in a daze when Qi Shenbai¡¯s assistant, Pei Yan, sent her to the entrance of Qingshui Villa. She did not expect Qi Shenbai to really agree to her request. Pei Yan handed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s luggage to the villa¡¯s housekeeper. Out of goodwill, he reminded her, ¡°Miss Xu, Mr. Qi doesn¡¯t like strangers entering his room. Apart from the bedroom and study room, you can go wherever you want.¡± Chapter 6 Saving a Life Xu Jiaojiao guessed that Qi Shenbai had agreed to her request largely because of her brother, Xu Zhengyang. Hence, she smiled gratefully at Pei Yan¡¯s reminder. ¡°Thank you.¡± Pei Yan glanced at the butler of Qingshui Villa. The butler understood and gestured for her to follow him. ¡°Miss Xu, please follow me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao followed the butler to the second floor. Recalling her deal with Qi Shenbai, she stopped Pei Yan, who was about to leave, and asked, ¡°Um, about¡­ Miss Qi¡­¡± Pei Yan stopped in his tracks. He first glanced at the butler and replied concisely, ¡°Someone will pick you up tomorrow.¡± Xu Jiaojiao understood and stopped talking. The butler brought Xu Jiaojiao to the room with the best lighting on the second floor. ¡°Miss Xu, are you satisfied with this room? If not, we can change it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao stood outside the door and roughly glanced at the layout of the room. She secretly thought that Mr. Qi was really a good person. Not only did he agree to her request, but he also gave her a room with such good lighting. Xu Jiaojiao had just arrived and did not want to disturb Qi Shenbai¡¯s daily schedule, so she asked the butler to send dinner to her room. After dinner, she took out a set of pajamas from her suitcase and went to the bathroom to wash up. Then, she lay on the soft bed. After a long day, she was already very tired. However, whenever she closed her eyes, her mind would buzz and she could not fall asleep. When she thought of Lu Zhuo leaving without hesitation, she could not help but feel sad. However, he did not like her and even abandoned her at the wedding. She felt that he was not worth feeling upset over. In the end, Xu Jiaojiao sat up and cheered herself on. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, you¡¯re the best! Even if you¡¯re sad, you can only be sad for one night. From tomorrow onwards, forget about Lu Zhuo. It wasn¡¯t easy for you to survive, so you have to cherish your hard-earned life now! All the best! You¡¯re the best!¡± ¡­ Xu Jiaojiao almost did not sleep the entire night. She only fell asleep in a daze when the sun was about to rise. However, not long after she fell asleep, there was a knock on the door. It was the butler, reminding her that the driver was coming. Xu Jiaojiao grabbed her phone and glanced at it. It was already 8:30 a.m. She hurriedly responded and got out of bed to wash up. When she went downstairs, the butler stood respectfully by the stairs. ¡°Miss Xu, what would you like for breakfast? I¡¯ll get the kitchen to prepare it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I have something on, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡± The driver drove Xu Jiaojiao to a private hospital in Luo City. The driver sent her all the way to the ward before leaving. Pei Yan was already standing guard at the door. When he saw her, he gestured for her to enter. When Xu Jiaojiao walked into the ward, the first thing she saw was Qi Shenbai¡¯s back. He was sitting on the edge of the bed. He was only wearing a white shirt without a jacket. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his good-looking wrists. He was wiping the face of the girl lying on the bed. After he was done, he handed the towel to the nurse beside him before turning to Xu Jiaojiao. As Qi Shenbai got up, Xu Jiaojiao finally saw the real face of the girl on the bed. She looked like she was 17 or 18 years old, and her features were somewhat similar to Qi Shenbai¡¯s. She was Qi Shenbai¡¯s younger sister, Qi Yunduo. Half a year ago, Qi Yunduo had nearly drowned. Although she was saved in time and her life was out of danger, she had been unconscious ever since. Qi Shenbai had invited countless experts, but there was nothing they could do. Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao. He was very curious to see what this girl could possibly do to save Yunduo. Although Qi Shenbai did not say a word, Xu Jiaojiao could see the look in his eyes. He had already fulfilled his promise and married her. Was it her turn to fulfill her promise and save his sister? Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips and said in a negotiating tone, ¡°Can you guys go out for a while?¡± Qi Shen stared at Xu Jiaojiao for a while before leaving the ward. As soon as he left, the nurse followed suit. The ward fell silent. Xu Jiaojiao looked at Qi Yunduo, who was lying on the bed. Her long hair was jet black, and her facial features were delicate. Although she had been lying on the bed the entire time, her skin was pale and clean, as if she had just fallen asleep. It was obvious that she had been well taken care of. ¡°Miss Qi, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao went over to hold Qi Yunduo¡¯s hand. She knew that Qi Yunduo wouldn¡¯t feel much pain, but she still said apologetically, ¡°It might hurt a little. Bear with it for a while.¡± Outside the ward, Qi Shenbai stood with his back facing the ward. His dark eyes were bottomless, and his jaw was tense. His hands, which were placed on the sides of his legs, involuntarily clenched into fists. His assistant Pei Yan asked worriedly, ¡°President Qi, can Miss Xu really do it?¡± After all, even the doctors could not do anything about Miss Qi¡¯s condition. How could an ordinary university student like Xu Jiaojiao save her? Chapter 7 Her Information Qi Shenbai looked up. ¡°I remember there are surveillance cameras in the ward.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Back then, I was worried that the nurse would not be able to take good care of Miss Yunduo, so I installed a surveillance camera.¡± Pei Yan hurriedly took out his phone, opened the surveillance software, and handed it to Qi Shenbai. Just as Qi Shenbai lowered his head to take a look, he saw Xu Jiaojiao picking up a needle on the screen and stabbing it into Qi Yunduo¡¯s middle finger¡­ Pei Yan¡¯s expression changed drastically when he saw this scene. ¡°Mr. Qi, Miss Xu is¡­¡± As he spoke, he was about to push open the door of the ward, but Qi Shenbai stopped him. Pei Yan turned around and looked anxious. ¡°Mr. Qi, it¡¯s obvious that Miss Xu doesn¡¯t know anything. She will only harm Miss Yunduo¡­¡± Qi Shenbai did not say anything, nor did he let Pei Yan move. Ten minutes later, the door of the ward creaked open. Xu Jiaojiao looked up and saw Qi Shenbai and Pei Yan standing at the door. Pei Yan was looking at her angrily, while Qi Shenbai had no expression on his face. He only glanced at her sharply before looking past her at Qi Yunduo, who was lying on the hospital bed. When Pei Yan saw that Qi Yunduo was still unconscious, he could not help but ask, ¡°Miss Xu, why isn¡¯t Miss Yunduo awake yet?¡± His tone was filled with distrust, as if Xu Jiaojiao was a liar. Xu Jiaojiao did not answer Pei Yan¡¯s question. Instead, she met Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes. Qi Shenbai¡¯s black eyes held the same doubt, but he was more patient than Pei Yan. Xu Jiaojiao said, ¡°Miss Qi will wake up soon.¡± ¡°How soon?¡± Qi Shenbai finally spoke. Xu Jiaojiao pondered for a moment and replied conservatively, ¡°A week at most.¡± If she remembered correctly, Qi Yunduo should wake up in three or four days. However, she was afraid that something unexpected would happen, so she added a little more time to her estimate. After that, Qi Shenbai did not ask any more questions and instructed Pei Yan, ¡°Send Miss Xu back.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Xu Jiaojiao refused. ¡°I have classes at school today, so I¡¯ll just take the subway back.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s car was very expensive. If the black Bentley was parked at the school gate, rumors about her would spread through the school in less than an hour. Qi Shenbai did not insist. Just as Xu Jiaojiao was about to leave, he suddenly said, ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned around with a puzzled look in her eyes. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Qi Shenbai did not answer. Instead, he gestured to Pei Yan, who immediately understood and left first. Without anyone else around, Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao and asked, ¡°How did you know about Yunduo?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyelashes fluttered and she quickly replied, ¡°I heard about her from my brother, of course.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± There was no emotion in Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice. He said calmly, ¡°But I¡¯ve never told Xu Zhengyang about Yunduo.¡± Other than the Qi family, no one else knew that Qi Yunduo was unconscious. Xu Jiaojiao was shocked. ¡°???!¡± ¡­ After Xu Jiaojiao left, Pei Yan walked in and handed Qi Shenbai a stack of documents. ¡°Mr. Qi, all the information about Miss Xu is here.¡± Qi Shenbai flipped through the documents. The first thing he saw was a two-inch photo of Xu Jiaojiao. Her hair was tied into a bun, and her round face was filled with an air of childishness. Pei Yan explained, ¡°Xu Jiaojiao is Xu Zhengyang¡¯s biological sister. Not long after she was born, she was sent to the countryside to recuperate with Old Madam Xu. She was only brought back to Luo City at the age of 15. However, I went to the hospital where Xu Jiaojiao was born and investigated. There was nothing wrong with Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s body when she was born. Moreover, there were no records of her being treated for any major illnesses over the years.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was clearly not sick, but they said that she was sick and sent her to the countryside. No matter how he thought about it, it was strange. Qi Shenbai was not interested in the Xu family¡¯s secret. What he cared about was whether Xu Jiaojiao could wake Qi Yunduo up. Pei Yan was also worried about this. He looked at Qi Yunduo on the hospital bed and said worriedly, ¡°Mr. Qi, if Xu Jiaojiao was deliberately deceiving you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Qi Shenbai finished reading the document in his hand and handed it to Pei Yan as he casually said, ¡°There¡¯s also Xu Zhengyang.¡± He would have the older brother repay the debt his younger sister owed him. He would not do anything to Xu Jiaojiao, but there was no need to show mercy to Xu Zhengyang. Pei Yan blinked. ¡°¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang, who had no idea about this, felt a chill down his spine. Ever since Qi Shenbai exposed her lie in the hospital, Xu Jiaojiao had been on tenterhooks for a few days. Every day, she would kill time in the school library and go back at night. The next day, she would run out before dawn just to avoid meeting Qi Shenbai. It was as if there was a guillotine hanging above her neck, and she did not know when it would fall. She was so scared that she did not have time to think about Lu Zhuo. Chapter 8 Why Didn¡¯t You Turn on the Lights? Fortunately, Qi Shenbai seemed to have disappeared for the past few days. Xu Jiaojiao learned from the butler that Qi Shenbai had gone on a business trip. Furthermore, every time he went on a business trip, he would be gone for a long time. Only then did Xu Jiaojiao feel relieved. At night, when the butler and servants were resting, the lights in the villa were all switched off, and only the wall lamps shone with a dim yellow light. After Xu Jiaojiao finished the homework assigned by her teacher, she was a little hungry, so she quietly went downstairs to the kitchen to look for food. She loved the night the most. The entire villa was quiet, as if she was the only one left in the world. Others would feel lonely, but Xu Jiaojiao felt free. At times like these, she could do whatever she wanted, such as cooking supper for herself. In order not to alarm the others, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s movements were very light. She cooked a simple bowl of noodles and walked towards the dining room with the steaming hot noodles. Suddenly, a black shadow appeared in front of her! In her shock, her fingers loosened and the bowl of noodles was about to fall to the ground. Just in time, the black shadow took a step forward and caught the bottom of the bowl. Xu Jiaojiao held her breath. Under the dim yellow light, she could finally see the black shadow¡¯s face. She stuttered as she greeted, ¡°M-Mr. Qi¡­¡± Qi Shen¡¯s thoughtful gaze fell on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face as he asked in a deep voice, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you turn on the lights?¡± Xu Jiaojiao explained, ¡°I don¡¯t want to disturb everyone¡¯s rest.¡± She knew that if she mentioned it, the butler would definitely arrange for someone to make food for her. However, she was the freeloader here, so she did not want to cause trouble. Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyebrows moved slightly. Just as he was about to speak, the crystal lights in the villa suddenly lit up. Pei Yan was a step slower as he walked in with his luggage. When he saw Qi Shenbai and Xu Jiaojiao standing so close to each other, he was so shocked that his mouth fell open. Mr. Qi was actually standing that close to a woman?! Qi Shenbai usually could not stand it when a woman stepped even a little closer to him. He never interacted with anyone of the opposite sex! Today, though, he was actually standing so close to Xu Jiaojiao that the two of them were almost touching! Qi Shenbai glanced at Pei Yan imperceptibly before carrying the bowl of noodles to the dining room. From the corner of his eye, he noticed that the noodles in the bowl looked delicious. He put down the bowl and said in a low voice, ¡°You can tell the butler if you want to eat supper next time.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble anyone. I¡¯ll make it myself.¡± Xu Jiaojiao followed Qi Shenbai to the table and added, ¡°Thank you.¡± Qi Shenbai stood in front of the dining table without moving as he stared at Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao was confused. The atmosphere was a little strange. Xu Jiaojiao was the first to speak up. ¡°Mr. Qi, it¡¯s already so late. You haven¡¯t eaten yet, right? Do you want to eat something?¡± Pei Yan was about to refuse on Qi Shenbai¡¯s behalf when Qi Shenbai agreed. ¡°Okay.¡± Pei Yan was confused. ¡°???¡± Xu Jiaojiao was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± She had only offered to be polite. Fortunately, Xu Jiaojiao had made a bigger portion of noodles, so she could easily give some to Qi Shenbai. By the time Xu Jiaojiao went to the kitchen to get a bowl, Pei Yan had already left, leaving Qi Shenbai sitting alone at the dining table. After Xu Jiaojiao finished serving the noodles, Qi Shenbai took a bite. He originally thought that Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s noodles looked good, but he did not expect them to taste even better than he had imagined. When Xu Jiaojiao saw Qi Shenbai silently eating his noodles, she held her small bowl of noodles and sat at the seat furthest away from Qi Shenbai. She also lowered her head to eat her noodles. After a while, Qi Shenbai finished eating and put down his chopsticks. His thin lips parted slightly. ¡°Yunduo is awake.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked up, her round eyes filled with joy. ¡°Really? That¡¯s wonderful.¡± As she said this, she heaved a sigh of relief in her heart. It seemed that Qi Shenbai had suddenly returned because Qi Yunduo had woken up. She was also glad that Qi Yunduo had woken up. Otherwise, Xu Jiaojiao suspected that Qi Shenbai would treat her as a liar and send her to the police station. Qi Shenbai¡¯s deep gaze fell on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s ankle. ¡°Is your ankle alright?¡± He remembered that she had sprained her ankle on the day of the wedding. Qi Shenbai was not someone who cared about others. He only asked now purely because Qi Yunduo was awake, and he was in a good mood. Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. ¡°I recovered a long time ago.¡± Qi Shenbai nodded and got up to go upstairs. As soon as he left, the pressure hanging over Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head also disappeared. She let out a long sigh of relief. Just then, Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice sounded behind her, ¡°Xu Jiaojiao.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao stood up in shock, almost knocking over the bowl of noodles. She turned around and looked at Qi Shenbai, who was standing by the stairs. She was so nervous that she did not even dare to breathe loudly. Uh-oh, was Qi Shenbai going to ask her how she knew about Qi Yunduo again? Chapter 9 Jiaojiao Honey Qi Shenbai noticed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s panic and swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue. ¡°The noodles are delicious, thank you.¡± Since Xu Jiaojiao did not want to talk about it, he did not ask anymore. This little girl was too timid. Although he did not know how she found out about Qi Yunduo, the most important thing now was that Yunduo had woken up, so everything else did not really matter. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s anxious heart instantly calmed down. She smiled and replied brightly, ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Mr. Qi.¡± After all, she was using his kitchen, and the noodles and chicken soup were his too! The next day, Xu Jiaojiao went to class for the entire day. As soon as she walked out of the classroom, she was warmly embraced by someone. ¡°Jiaojiao Honey! I missed you so much!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was shocked at first, but when she saw the person hugging her, her shock instantly turned into pleasant surprise. ¡°Luoluo! When did you come back?¡± Some time ago, Su Luo had accompanied her mother overseas to watch a show. Xu Jiaojiao had not expected her to suddenly come back. ¡°When I received the news that you didn¡¯t get married to Lu Zhuo, I rushed back to celebrate your narrow escape from a lifetime of misery!¡± Su Luo excitedly pinched Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s little face. This was the first time Xu Jiaojiao heard Lu Zhuo¡¯s name after they failed to get married. Her initial excitement faded a little, and Su Luo put her arm around her shoulders. ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s not think about that scumbag anymore. There are so many men in this world. If this doesn¡¯t work out, we¡¯ll change to another one. Our Jiaojiao is beautiful and kind-hearted, so you¡¯ll sure to get plenty of admirers.¡± Su Luo had never liked Lu Zhuo from the very beginning, so even though she knew that it was Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s wedding day, she still accompanied her mother overseas to watch the show. She did not want to see Xu Jiaojiao marry that hypocrite Lu Zhuo! Xu Jiaojiao smiled. ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Su Luo shook her head. She knew about Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s feelings for Lu Zhuo, so there was no way her friend would be unaffected. Still, feelings were a fickle thing¡­ Su Luo rolled her eyes and suddenly said, ¡°Jiaojiao, let¡¯s go to the bar and have some fun¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was taken aback and hesitated. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± She had never been to a bar because her brother, Xu Zhengyang, did not allow her to go. He even threatened her that if she went, he would show her just how brilliant he was at painting. ¡°Why not? We¡¯re already adults, okay?!¡± Su Luo was distressed. ¡°You¡¯re a perfectly normal female university student, but you almost got married before you even dated anyone. You don¡¯t usually go to bars or play games. All you ever do is draw every day. Sooner or later, you¡¯ll be reduced to a stick painting!¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t,¡± Xu Jiaojiao retorted. Unfortunately, her retort was ineffective. Su Luo directly pulled her away. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s decided. Let¡¯s go eat first, then we¡¯ll go for a spa, then shop for clothes, and finally go to a bar. I heard that a new bar has opened recently. There are a lot of handsome men inside¡­¡± The sky was dark, and the city was bustling with noise at night. Xu Jiaojiao followed Su Luo into the bar. Because the bar had just opened, there were many customers. Su Luo was a regular at the bar, so she pulled Xu Jiaojiao through the crowd and went to the bar counter to ask the bartender for two cocktails. When Xu Jiaojiao heard this, she hurriedly said, ¡°I want lemonade.¡± Su Luo could not help but roll her eyes. ¡°Please, who comes to a bar to drink lemonade?¡± Xu Jiaojiao began, ¡°If my brother finds out that you brought me to the bar and made me drink¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Su Luo raised her hands in surrender. ¡°Alright, alright, alright. It¡¯s my fault. Have some lemonade.¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled and took a sip of the lemonade from the bartender. Su Luo was still grumbling, ¡°Xu Zhengyang has such a sister complex! He¡¯s too strict with you!¡± The bar was too noisy, so Xu Jiaojiao did not hear what Su Luo said clearly. Just as she was about to ask, Su Luo grabbed her and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go and dance.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s fair and tender face was filled with confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to dance¡­¡± Unfortunately, Su Luo did not care about what she said and pulled her straight onto the dance floor. She swayed her slender waist along with the music and shouted at Xu Jiaojiao, ¡°It¡¯s not difficult. Just keep swaying around. You can twist as much as you want!¡± Xu Jiaojiao stood in the middle of the crowd and watched as the people around her started to dance. Everyone¡¯s dance moves were different, but the same thing was the happy expression on their faces. Perhaps the music in the bar was too intense, or perhaps she was influenced by the people around her¡­ Either way, Xu Jiaojiao slowly let go of herself and started to dance. The smile on her face grew bigger and bigger¡­ The song became more and more exciting, and the atmosphere in the bar became more and more intense. Just then, the door of the bar was suddenly pushed open, and the headlights above her head were turned on. ¡°Police check! A passerby has reported that there are minors here¡­¡± Chapter 10 I¡¯m Really an Adult An hour later, Xu Jiaojiao grabbed her phone. It had run out of no battery and turned off automatically. She was so anxious that her face turned red. ¡°Officer, I¡¯m really an adult now. I¡¯m a student at Luo City University. I just forgot to bring my identity card¡­¡± The police officer glanced at Xu Jiaojiao and could not help but lecture her. ¡°I know that young girls of your age are very curious, but you still have to wait until you¡¯re an adult before coming to a bar. Alright, follow us back to the police station first. Your parents will come and pick you up later.¡± Xu Jiaojiao protested, ¡°But sir, I¡­¡± Unfortunately, the police were too busy checking the identities of the others to listen to her explanation. Su Luo was laughing so hard that her stomach hurt. Xu Jiaojiao glared at her angrily. ¡°You still have the cheek to laugh? What am I supposed to do now?!¡± What was going on?! It was one thing for her to be ambushed by the police the first time she came to the bar, but now she was going to be taken back to the police station as a minor! They were even going to call her family! Su Luo shrugged innocently. ¡°There¡¯s nothing you can do. Just follow the police to the station first and call your parents to pick you up.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted angrily. ¡°I¡¯ll call my brother over, you know!¡± Su Luo chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s why¡­ I¡¯m slipping away now. You can wait here, okay? Bye!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was dumbfounded. Seeing Su Luo run away, she instinctively wanted to chase after her, but she was caught by the police. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Follow me back to the police station later. Don¡¯t even think about escaping.¡± Xu Jiaojiao wanted to cry but she was all out of tears. ¡°Officer, I¡¯m really an adult!¡± Why didn¡¯t he believe her?! ¡°Alright, come back with us.¡± The police officers examined Xu Jiaojiao for a while and finally had her taken in as a minor in a bar. It was time for them to leave. Xu Jiaojiao stood rooted to the ground, not wanting to move. The police officer pushed her. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was speechless. ¡®Someone, save me¡­¡¯ Just as Xu Jiaojiao was about to be taken away by the police, a deep voice suddenly spoke up from the second floor. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Xu Jiaojiao suddenly raised her head. The excitement in her eyes slowly turned into embarrassment when she saw the person who spoke. Qi Shenbai came down from the second floor. His long straight legs were wrapped in his suit pants, and his white shirt was unbuttoned, revealing his sexy Adam¡¯s apple. His calm gaze landed on Xu Jiaojiao, who slowly lowered her head, not daring to look him in the eye. What kind of awkward scene was this?! She was not even this embarrassed on the day Lu Zhuo abandoned her at the wedding! Qi Shenbai acted as if he did not see Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s awkward expression and walked up to the police officer. ¡°Officer, she¡¯s an adult.¡± The police officer looked up at Qi Shenbai. ¡°You know each other? What¡¯s your relationship?¡± Qi Shenbai glanced at Xu Jiaojiao, whose head was almost touching the ground, and said indifferently, ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her head abruptly, her round eyes filled with disbelief. Wife? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to say that she was a friend¡¯s younger sister or something? The police officer looked at Qi Shenbai suspiciously, as if he was looking at a pedophile pervert. Qi Shenbai furrowed his eyebrows and glanced at Pei Yan, who was behind him. Pei Yan asked the police officer to go to the side and explain in detail. It was unclear what Pei Yan had said to the police, but in the end, the police came over and looked at Xu Jiaojiao exasperatedly. ¡°So you really are an adult, huh? You look way too young. Next time you come out to play, remember to bring your ID card. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be easily misunderstood.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt wronged. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault that I have a baby face¡­¡± At this moment, Xu Jiaojiao felt a sharp gaze on her. She instantly fell silent and lowered her head, not daring to speak. Qi Shenbai did not say anything. He strode towards the door with his long legs. After taking two steps, he did not hear any footsteps behind him. He turned his head and said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± His voice was cold and emotionless. Xu Jiaojiao quickly regained her senses and caught up with him. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Qi.¡± Qi Shen rolled his eyes at her and gave a nonchalant harrumph. Xu Jiaojiao, on the other hand, asked curiously, ¡°Mr. Qi, are you also here to play?¡± He looked like a workaholic with his elite appearance. She did not expect him to come to a place like the bar. ¡°I¡¯m here to support a friend.¡± Qi Shenbai stopped in his tracks. There was no expression on his cold face in the night. His thin lips parted slightly. ¡°Thanks to you, he¡¯s going to the police station to cooperate with the investigation.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao was exasperated. She immediately lowered her head and apologized obediently, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Qi Shenbai did not say anything else. A black Bentley was already waiting at the entrance of the bar. When the driver saw them coming out, he quickly got out of the car and opened the door for them. Just as Xu Jiaojiao was about to get into the car, Qi Shenbai suddenly said, ¡°Wait.¡± Chapter 11 Do You Have Desires Too? Xu Jiaojiao stopped and turned to look at Qi Shenbai. He unbuttoned his suit jacket, took it off, and draped it over her. The black suit wrapped around her body. It was warm and smelled faintly of something woody. Xu Jiaojiao blinked. ¡°I¡¯m not cold¡­¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes were dark and cold. His voice carried a hint of command. ¡°Don¡¯t go to bars dressed like this in the future.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Xu Jiaojiao lowered her head and looked at her clothes. When she went shopping with Su Luo in the afternoon, Su Luo had specially chosen a black strapless dress for her. The dress was above her knees and revealed her straight and slender calves. It looked very beautiful. Therefore, she did not understand why she could not go to a bar dressed like this. Qi Shenbai furrowed his brows. He did not know if Xu Jiaojiao really did not understand or if she was acting dumb. However, Xu Jiaojiao simply turned to him with her big bright eyes. She looked innocent and pure, her face filled with confusion. Qi Shenbai¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he slowly lowered his head and leaned close to Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s ear. His voice was low and gentle as he said, ¡°Because your dressing like this will arouse a man¡¯s deepest desires.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice was already pleasant to hear, and now that he deliberately lowered his voice, it made her scalp tingle. Xu Jiaojiao felt as if her heart had been scalded. She turned her head to look at Qi Shenbai¡¯s handsome and flawless side profile, blurting out, ¡°Do you have desires too?¡± Qi Shenbai was speechless. ¡°¡­¡± Late that night, Xu Jiaojiao lay on the soft bed and stared at the ceiling in a daze. From time to time, she would sigh. Her mind kept replaying the scene of her getting into the car at the entrance of the bar. After she asked that question, Qi Shenbai closed his eyes and rested all the way. He did not say another word. He did not even look at her when he got out of the car, going straight upstairs instead. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao sighed again. What kind of person was Qi Shenbai? He must have seen all sorts of women in his time. Why would he have desires for her? He must have said that because he wanted to give her some advice on her brother¡¯s behalf. How could she make a stupid mistake and suggest such a thing to him?! Even after tossing and turning in bed for several hours, Xu Jiaojiao could not fall asleep. She gave up struggling and quietly went downstairs to the kitchen. She had a habit of going to the kitchen if she could not sleep. Cooking allowed her to focus and get rid of all the distracting thoughts. Outside the window, the darkness of the night gradually faded away. Xu Jiaojiao, who was immersed in the kitchen, was completely oblivious and continued to busy herself. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind her. Xu Jiaojiao jumped in fright and turned around to see Qi Shenbai standing at the kitchen door. He was wearing black tracksuit and seemed to have just taken a shower. His hair was still wet and dripping with water. Compared to his usual serious and cold look when in formal attire, he looked more casual and carefree now. Xu Jiaojiao composed herself and greeted him politely, ¡°Hello, Mr. Qi.¡± Qi Shenbai nodded slightly. His gaze landed on the kitchen counter, and he asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t sleep at all the entire night?¡± The small bowl in front of Xu Jiaojiao was filled with crab roe. Beside it was a plate of crab meat that had been picked out. Further down, the trash can was filled with crab carcasses. The amount of work required was not something that could be completed in a short period of time. ¡°Yeah, I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was a bad sleeper, and she often suffered from insomnia. She was already used to it by now. ¡°I¡¯m making crab roe buns. If you¡¯re not in a hurry to go to work, would you like to try some?¡± Afraid that Qi Shenbai would ask too many questions, Xu Jiaojiao decisively changed the topic. Seeing that Xu Jiaojiao did not want to talk about it, Qi Shenbai did not probe further. ¡°I¡¯m going for a morning run.¡± Xu Jiaojiao responded with an ¡®oh¡¯. She felt that this was a tactful rejection, but it was a pity that she had no one else to share her delicious crab roe buns with. ¡°It¡¯ll take a while for you to finish up. I should be back by then,¡± Qi Shenbai added. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s downcast gaze shot back up. When she looked at Qi Shenbai, starlight flickered in her eyes. She nodded with a smile. ¡°Sure, of course.¡± Qi Shenbai glanced at her and went out for her morning run. In an instant, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s body seemed to be filled with energy despite her lack of sleep. Forty minutes later, Qi Shenbai returned from his jog. He first went upstairs to take a shower, changed out of his sportswear, and sat at the dining table in a white shirt. Xu Jiaojiao opened the steamer. Each of the fist-sized crab roe buns was steaming hot, and the fresh fragrance filled the dining room. She also scooped a bowl of millet porridge and placed it in front of Qi Shenbai. ¡°Mr. Qi, this is the millet porridge that I¡¯ve been cooking for three hours. Try it.¡± Chapter 12 Am I That Old? Qi Shenbai took a bite and paused. He looked at Xu Jiaojiao and asked, ¡°Are you very good at cooking?¡± Whether it was the noodles he had tasted previously or the crab roe buns and millet porridge today, they were all delicious. They were not at all inferior to the work of the chef he had hired at a high price. ¡°Back when I used to live in the countryside, there was an old man next door who was a chef. He said that his ancestors used to cook for the emperor! When I had nothing to do, I would lean against his wall and watch him cook,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said. Qi Shenbai raised his eyebrows and did not say anything else. He ate quietly. Just as Qi Shenbai was about to pick up a crab roe bun, Xu Jiaojiao could not help but remind him, ¡°Mr. Qi, there¡¯s a little too much gravy in the crab roe bun, and it might be a little hot. Be careful when you eat it, lest you spill it on your clothes.¡± Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao and suddenly asked, ¡°Am I that old?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao could not follow his train of thought. ¡°Your brother and I are friends. Logically speaking, you should also call me brother.¡± Qi Shenbai said. Qi Shenbai was seven years older than Xu Jiaojiao, but Xu Jiaojiao kept addressing him as Mr. Qi and ¡®sir¡¯, making him sound like he was in his seventies or eighties. Xu Jiaojiao choked. She did not expect that a respectful title would make Qi Shenbai unhappy. She pursed her pink lips and explained seriously, ¡°I¡¯m just expressing my respect for you. After all, you¡­¡± She paused for a moment and did not continue. Qi Shenbai was the head of the Qi family and was in charge of the entire Qi Group. In fact, she could even say he controlled the economic lifeline of Luo City. No one in Luo City would dare to disrespect Qi Shenbai, least of all her! Besides, she was now living under his roof and troubling him every day. Of course, she had to be more careful around him. Qi Shenbai seemed to know what Xu Jiaojiao was trying to say. His thin lips parted slightly as he said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be careful when you live here. Otherwise, if your brother finds out, he might think that I¡¯m bullying you.¡± At the same time, he was also a little puzzled as to why that annoying Xu Zhengyang would have such an obedient little sister. When he mentioned Xu Zhengyang, a smile appeared on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face and she said sweetly, ¡°That won¡¯t happen. I told my brother that you¡¯ve been very good to me, sir. You¡­¡± Qi Shenbai glanced over, and Xu Jiaojiao suddenly fell silent. Then, she reacted and quickly changed her words. ¡°I¡¯ll tell my brother that you¡¯re a really nice guy.¡± Qi Shenbai did not reply. It would be strange if Xu Zhengyang believed him. After breakfast, Qi Shenbai had to go to the office and Xu Jiaojiao had to go to school. When he saw the drawing board on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s back, Qi Shenbai suddenly asked, ¡°How do you usually go to school?¡± There was no subway near the villa, and the nearest bus stop was several kilometers away. ¡°I take the bus first, then the subway,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied naturally, as if it was normal for her to go through so much trouble. ¡°There¡¯s a car in the garage. You can choose one.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s tone was very matter-of-fact, talking about his cars as though they were toys. Unfortunately, Xu Jiaojiao could not make use of his generosity. She awkwardly touched her nose and said, ¡°Thank you, but I don¡¯t know how to drive.¡± Even if she did know how to drive, she would not drive Qi Shenbai¡¯s car. She was already bothering him too much by living in his house. If she helped herself to his car, even she would look down on herself! Qi Shenbai was silent for a moment before he said, ¡°Get in.¡± It was fine if he did not know before, but if he let her continue as usual now that he knew that Xu Jiaojiao had to walk a few kilometers to catch a bus, he was certain that Xu Zhengyang, with his fiery temper, would accuse him of bullying his sister. ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment before she reacted and quickly refused. ¡°No need, no need. It¡¯s very convenient for me to take the bus.¡± Unfortunately, before she could finish speaking, Qi Shenbai had already gotten into the car. Xu Jiaojiao slowly shut her mouth. The driver was still waiting next to her, and she did not want to waste any more time, so she had no choice but to sit in the car. After Qi Shenbai got into the car, he picked up the iPad beside him and looked at his work documents. He did not say a word, not even glancing at Xu Jiaojiao from the corner of his eye. Half an hour later, the car stopped at the entrance of Luo City University. Xu Jiaojiao thanked him and was about to get out of the car when Qi Shenbai asked, ¡°When will school be over?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not know why he was asking this, but she still answered honestly, ¡°Four in the afternoon.¡± Qi Shenbai nodded and did not say anything else. Xu Jiaojiao got out of the car in confusion. When she closed the car door, she politely said, ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Qi.¡± Qi Shenbai did not react and continued to look down at his iPad. Xu Jiaojiao did not react either. She carried her school bag and ran into the school. By four o¡¯clock in the afternoon, the sun was already setting in the west. The moment the bell rang, the students in the classrooms became restless and rushed out one by one. Chapter 13 Don¡¯t Be Mad Xu Jiaojiao was in no hurry to leave. Her drawing was almost done. After a while, all the students around her left, leaving her sitting alone in the classroom to finish up the last bit of drawing. Finally, she slowly packed her things and left the room. When she reached the school gate, her phone rang. It was a message from Su Luo, asking if she had finished class. She said that she was at the milk tea shop next door and asked if Xu Jiaojiao wanted to join her for some hotpot. It was probably her way of apologizing for how she had left Xu Jiaojiao alone last night. Xu Jiaojiao agreed and quickened her pace. Just as she was about to look for Su Luo, she heard a familiar voice not far away. ¡°Jiaojiao.¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned around and saw Lu Zhuo getting out of the car and walking towards her. She could tell that he had specially dressed up. He was wearing a white shirt and gray trousers as he walked over with the sun against his back. He was so handsome that he attracted the attention of many people. ¡°Did you stay in the classroom to draw again?¡± Lu Zhuo¡¯s voice was filled with a sense of familiarity, as though he knew Xu Jiaojiao all too well. His gentle words made it seem as if nothing had happened before. Xu Jiaojiao nodded and asked, ¡°What about it?¡± Her cold attitude took Lu Zhuo by surprise, and he could not help but laugh. ¡°Are you still angry with me?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his hand to stroke Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head. However, before he could touch Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hair, Xu Jiaojiao took a step back and avoided his touch. Lu Zhuo¡¯s arm froze in mid-air, and the smile on his face gradually froze. Xu Jiaojiao acted as if she did not notice Lu Zhuo¡¯s actions and said indifferently, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± After saying that, she turned around and left. Seeing that she really wanted to leave, Lu Zhuo could only suppress the strange emotions in his heart and promptly called out, ¡°Jiaojiao.¡± Xu Jiaojiao stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at him. Actually, she could more or less guess what Lu Zhuo wanted to say, but she did not want to hear it. From the day of the wedding, when he abandoned her for Bai Mengyao, she no longer had any expectations for him. ¡°Jiaojiao, I know that you¡¯re very angry about what happened that day,¡± Lu Zhuo coaxed her patiently. ¡°But you know that Bai Mengyao is my ex-girlfriend. Yes, we had some wonderful times together, but after that¡­¡± After pausing for a moment, he chose not to mention the unforgettable past and said to Xu Jiaojiao, ¡°This time, when Bai Mengyao got into trouble overseas, it was the first time she called me for help. I couldn¡¯t leave her alone.¡± ¡°So?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked indifferently. Her response was beyond his expectations. Lu Zhuo licked his lips in a panic and continued, ¡°I¡¯ve already settled the matter with Bai Mengyao. I promise that she will never appear between us again. Don¡¯t be mad at me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded calmly. ¡°I understand. Is there anything else?¡± Lu Zhuo was stunned for a moment before he lost control of his emotions. There was panic and anger in his voice. ¡°Jiaojiao, do you have to speak to me in such a tone?¡± Xu Jiaojiao blinked her big eyes, not understanding why Lu Zhuo was suddenly angry. ¡°Then what kind of tone do you want me to use to talk to you? Mr. Lu, our engagement has been annulled.¡± In the past, Xu Jiaojiao would always stay by Lu Zhuo¡¯s side and sweetly call him Big Brother Lu Zhuo. She would work hard to learn things that he was interested in, even if she did not care for them. She would play golf and learn how to taste red wine. No matter what he said, she would listen attentively and not do anything to make him unhappy. Even so, Lu Zhuo still easily abandoned her and went to look for Bai Mengyao. The way she called him Mr. Lu and the mention of the annulment made Lu Zhuo¡¯s expression turn ugly. He took a deep breath and suppressed his emotions as he said, ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t be so childish. Do you think that just because you found a random man to join you at the altar on our wedding day, our engagement doesn¡¯t count anymore? Jiaojiao, our engagement was set by the elders of our two families. It¡¯s not something that you can annul just because you want to.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at Lu Zhuo with a puzzled expression. She did not know if she had not said it clearly enough or if he simply did not understand. Lu Zhuo took out a black velvet box from his pocket and opened it. Inside was a sparkling diamond necklace. ¡°Jiaojiao, this is a gift I specially chose for you overseas. Don¡¯t be mad. Don¡¯t you like romantic weddings? Then let¡¯s hold another¡­¡± Seeing that Lu Zhuo was getting more and more ridiculous, Xu Jiaojiao quickly interrupted him. ¡°Mr. Lu, my grandmother has already agreed to annul my engagement with you, so there¡¯s really nothing between us anymore. As for this necklace, you can give it to anyone, but I won¡¯t accept it.¡± Chapter 14 We Don¡¯t Want Any Trash Lu Zhuo¡¯s pupils constricted. He did not expect Old Madam Xu to agree to annul the engagement. Back then, if not for this engagement, he and Bai Mengyao would not have broken up. Now, he wanted to fulfill the engagement, but the Xu family was the one who wanted to annul it! ¡°Xu Jiaojiao!¡± Lu Zhuo grabbed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s arm with enough strength to crush her bones. Xu Jiaojiao felt that her arm was about to break. She frowned and said, ¡°Let go, you¡¯re hurting me¡­¡± However, not only did Lu Zhuo not let go, he tightened his grip instead. His eyes were filled with stubbornness. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, you can be angry and throw a tantrum because I left on our wedding day. I understand I was wrong, and I¡¯m willing to make it up to you, but you can¡¯t break off the engagement. Who else can you marry in this life other than me?!¡± As he finished speaking, he leaned closer to Xu Jiaojiao again. There was a hint of mockery in his dark expression. ¡°After all, you¡¯ve liked me for so many years. Can you bear to break up with me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao stopped struggling and looked at Lu Zhuo in disbelief. She did not expect the man she had liked for a few years to say such hurtful words. Although Lu Zhuo still looked the same as when she liked him, his expression was cold and dark. His words were mean and mocking, without a trace of gentleness. Xu Jiaojiao was disappointed. An indescribable bitterness spread in her heart. She bit her lip and said, ¡°Just¡­ Let go of me first.¡± Lu Zhuo did not let go, stuffing the velvet box into Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hands instead. ¡°If you don¡¯t like this gift, then you can deal with it as you please. I¡¯ll give you a new one next time.¡± Xu Jiaojiao widened her eyes. ¡°Lu Zhuo, what are you trying to do? We¡¯ve already¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Lu Zhuo stopped her. Lu Zhuo lowered his head and looked at her. ¡°What¡¯s the problem? You¡¯re my fianc¨¦e. What¡¯s wrong with me holding your hand?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a large hand suddenly reached out from the side, grabbed Lu Zhuo¡¯s wrist, and twisted it forcefully. The moment Lu Zhuo felt the pain, he loosened his grip on Xu Jiaojiao. He looked at the owner of the hand with anger written all over his face. When Xu Jiaojiao saw Qi Shenbai beside her, she was stunned. Why was he here? Qi Shenbai did not seem to notice the surprise in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes. His long arms naturally wrapped around her shoulders, and when he spoke, his voice was gentler than usual. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was still in a daze. She nodded mechanically. When Lu Zhuo saw this man who had appeared out of nowhere hugging Xu Jiaojiao, he demanded rudely, ¡°Who are you?¡± Qi Shenbai looked up, his dark eyes calm and cold. ¡°I¡¯m Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s husband.¡± This simple sentence was like a sudden clap of thunder to Lu Zhuo. Lu Zhuo immediately denied it, yelling, ¡°Impossible, that¡¯s absolutely impossible!¡± After saying that, his gaze fell on Xu Jiaojiao again. ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t think that you can lie to me just because you found any random man.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was stunned. How was Qi Shenbai ¡°any random man¡±? Xu Jiaojiao stole a glance at Qi Shenbai. Qi Shenbai¡¯s expression was calm, as if it did not particularly bother him. Indeed, Qi Shenbai did not take Lu Zhuo seriously. He took over Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s drawing board and said in a deep voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± After he finished speaking, his arm slid downward and he naturally held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand. Xu Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment before her gaze fell on the large hand that was holding hers. Qi Shenbai was very tall, and his palm was big. The temperature of his palm was also very hot, so hot that her face turned red. All her life, she had never held a man¡¯s hand like this, aside from her brother¡¯s. It was right after school, so many students heard their conversation and looked at Lu Zhuo with disdain. How shameless of him to pester a married woman! Most importantly, the man who suddenly appeared was so handsome that their legs went weak! Lu Zhuo held his aching wrist and watched as Xu Jiaojiao was snatched away by this strange man who came out of nowhere. His face was as dark as the night. Qi Shenbai held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand as they walked to the car. Before getting into the car, he saw the velvet box in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was taken aback. After a moment, she realized that Qi Shenbai was talking about the box in her hand. She did not know what he wanted to do, but she still gave it to him without asking. Qi Shenbai took the box and raised his arm slightly. The high-end gift box accurately avoided the crowd and smashed at Lu Zhuo¡¯s feet. After throwing it away, Qi Shenbai lowered his head and persuaded Xu Jiaojiao, ¡°Good girl. We don¡¯t want any trash at home.¡± Chapter 15 I Want to Eat Your Noodles Xu Jiaojiao blinked. She never intended to accept the gift, but she was so shocked by Qi Shenbai¡¯s appearance that she forgot to return it to Lu Zhuo. Qi Shenbai brought Xu Jiaojiao into the car, and the black Bentley quickly disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight. Lu Zhuo had grown up spoiled, so he had never been humiliated like this before. He was so angry that he almost gritted his teeth to shreds! Under everyone¡¯s complicated gazes, he kicked away the box by his feet, and the diamond necklace inside flew far away. Then, he turned around and got into his sports car. Just then, Su Luo, who was standing outside the crowd, was dumbfounded. She even forgot to swallow the milk tea in her mouth! ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Su Luo spun in circles, spinning. When did Jiaojiao get to know a man like that?! Why didn¡¯t she tell her?! No, Jiaojiao had to make it up to her by treating her to one ¡ª No, two meals of barbeque! ¡­ After Xu Jiaojiao got into the car, Qi Shenbai let go of her hand and placed her drawing board on the footrest. Xu Jiaojiao reached out to hold it up, her curly eyelashes trembling. After hesitating for a while, she could not help but ask, ¡°Mr. Qi, did you specially come to pick me up from school?¡± She remembered that Qi Shenbai had asked her when school would end this morning. Could it be that he had already planned to come and pick her up from school then? Qi Shenbai leaned back in his chair and turned his head to meet Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes. He then retracted his gaze and replied curtly, ¡°It¡¯s on the way.¡± When the driver heard this, he could not help but look at the rearview mirror. Why did he hear from Pei Yan that Mr. Qi had rejected all his other social gatherings tonight¡­? ¡°Oh.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not suspect anything. After all, Qi Shen was very busy during the day, so how would he have the time to pick her up? Moreover, she was only his friend¡¯s younger sister, not his biological sister. There was no need for him to go to this extent. ¡°But no matter what, I have to thank you.¡± Whether it was picking her up from school or helping her get rid of Lu Zhuo, she still owed him a word of thanks. Qi Shenbai replied, ¡°No need.¡± Xu Jiaojiao stopped talking and turned her head to look at the scenery outside the window. Her curly eyelashes drooped, and she looked like a lost kitten who needed comforting. Qi Shenbai was resting with his eyes closed. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and looked at the back of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s round head. After returning to Qingshui Villa, Xu Jiaojiao was about to return to her room when Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice rang out from behind her. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao, who had been daydreaming, came back to her senses and looked at Qi Shenbai in a daze. She was very fair, and her child-like face was smooth. Her big bright eyes were slightly bleary because she was in a daze, and just the sight of her was enough to soften any heart. Qi Shenbai felt something stir in his heart, but it only took a moment for him to regain his usual composure. He handed the jacket he had taken off to the butler, and his gaze swept past Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s reddened eyes as he said lightly, ¡°I want to eat the noodles you make tonight.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was not the only one who was stunned. Even the butler was stunned. His master actually wanted to eat Miss Xu¡¯s noodles? Xu Jiaojiao blinked her eyes. When she regained her senses, she looked at the butler. ¡°Do you still have chicken soup?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the butler hurriedly replied. ¡°Can I go up and put the things down first before coming down to cook the noodles?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked Qi Shenbai. Qi Shenbai nodded. Xu Jiaojiao turned around and went upstairs. As she walked, she felt that it was too slow, so she started jogging. Meanwhile, the butler carefully asked Qi Shenbai, ¡°Is there anything about the new chef that you¡¯re not satisfied with, sir?¡± Qi Shenbai replied, ¡°No.¡± The butler opened his mouth to continue asking why he suddenly wanted Miss Xu to make noodles. Unfortunately, Qi Shenbai did not give him a chance and strode upstairs. Half an hour later, Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai sat neatly in the dining room. In front of them was a bowl of clear soup noodles with a very tender fried egg on top. After the meal, the butler cleaned up the dishes and asked the servants to wash them. Xu Jiaojiao was about to go upstairs after drinking some water, but Qi Shenbai sat on the chair without moving. His dark eyes were still staring at her, so Xu Jiaojiao had no choice but to sit down with him. As she drank the water, she wondered if her cooking had gone awry tonight. Did the noodles she made not satisfy Qi Shenbai? That could not be. She had eaten too. It was quite delicious. Qi Shenbai did not know what Xu Jiaojiao was thinking. After looking at her for a while, he slowly said, ¡°If that person pesters you again in the future, just tell me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s drooping eyes looked up with a whoosh. There was a flash of doubt in her eyes. ¡°You want me to¡­ tell you?¡± Chapter 16 You¡¯re Still Young Qi Shenbai nodded. ¡°Yes, your brother has been busy with the project at hand recently and doesn¡¯t have time to take care of you, so you can look for me if you need anything.¡± After graduation, Xu Zhengyang did not stay in the Xu family¡¯s small company. Instead, he entered the Qi Corporation and could be considered Qi Shenbai¡¯s right-hand man. He was usually very busy with work. Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°Got it. Thank you.¡± After a few seconds of silence, Qi Shenbai said, ¡°You¡¯re still young. You have many choices in the future. Since you missed out on him, it means that you¡¯re not suitable for each other. Don¡¯t be too conflicted about it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes slowly widened. These words¡­ Were they meant to comfort her? When Qi Shenbai saw Xu Jiaojiao staring at him without saying a word, he thought that she did not agree with him. He frowned and asked, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m wrong?¡± Xu Jiaojiao finally reacted and quickly shook her head. ¡°No, no, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ve long gotten over him. It¡¯s just that after hearing his words today, I suddenly realized that I¡¯ve never really understood him. He¡¯s completely different from the person I imagined. Right now, I can¡¯t even imagine what it would be like if I really married him.¡± Qi Shenbai knew that Xu Jiaojiao was young and had grown up in the countryside, so it was inevitable that she was a little naive and did not understand the complexity and darkness of human nature. He said, ¡°The human heart is unpredictable. You¡¯re still young. When you grow up, you¡¯ll realize that these things aren¡¯t a big deal.¡± Xu Jiaojiao could not help but glance at him and muttered, ¡°Why do you keep saying that I¡¯m young? I¡¯m already twenty years old. I¡¯m not young anymore.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Her voice was so soft that Qi Shenbai could not hear her clearly. ¡°I want to thank Lu Zhuo for not marrying me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled widely. ¡°I also want to thank Mr. Qi for being there that day. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been the only one to lose face. Our entire family would have been humiliated.¡± When Qi Shenbai saw the smile on her face again and how energetic she was, the corners of his lips subconsciously curled up. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s good that you can understand.¡± Although this little girl was young, she was much more sensible than his sister, Yunduo. No wonder that dog Xu Zhengyang protected her like a treasure. Xu Jiaojiao did not know if it was because of Qi Shenbai¡¯s counseling, but she did not feel so depressed anymore. It was just as Qi Shenbai had said, the human heart was unpredictable. In the past, she had thought of people too naively. Even if Lu Zhuo treated her well and warmed her heart, it was normal for people to change after so much time. After thinking this through, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s mood became even lighter. As soon as she entered her room, she heard her phone vibrate. The moment she picked up the call, Su Luo¡¯s heart-wrenching scream rang out from the other end. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao!¡± Only then did Xu Jiaojiao remember her promise with Su Luo. She quickly apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Luoluo. Something happened on my end. I didn¡¯t mean to stand you up.¡± However, before she could finish speaking, Su Luo started rambling, ¡°Alright, alright. Forget about that for now. Tell me who that tragically handsome man is first!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment before she instinctively said, ¡°Luoluo, you can¡¯t call someone ¡®tragically handsome¡¯¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the point! That man is the point! That handsome man!¡± Su Luo emphasized. ¡°Luoluo, calm down and hear me out.¡± Xu Jiaojiao hugged a pillow and sat on the sofa. She briefly explained the situation. After Su Luo heard everything, she was silent for a full three minutes before she started to scream again. ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Xu Jiaojiao had no choice but to move the phone away from her ear. When the screams stopped, she put the phone back to her ear and Su Luo¡¯s excited voice rang out, ¡°Waaaah, what kind of a novel plot is that?! They say that truth is stranger than fiction. They¡¯re right!¡± Xu Jiaojiao blinked. ¡°¡­¡± Su Luo was still agitated. ¡°Jiaojiao! You¡¯re the chosen one! Not only did this man help you, but he even saved you today. You have to devote your life to him!¡± Xu Jiaojiao rolled her eyes. ¡°Luoluo, are you kidding me? Do you know who he is?¡± Su Luo said, ¡°He¡¯s handsome! He¡¯s a peerless, handsome man!¡± There was nothing Xu Jiaojiao could do about her best friend who was obsessed with looks. She could only say, ¡°He¡¯s my brother¡¯s good friend and also his superior, the president of the Qi Group, Qi Shenbai.¡± Su Luo fell quiet. ¡°¡­¡± After a moment of silence, Su Luo spoke again, but this time, she was obviously not as confident as before. ¡°Even if¡­ he is the president of the Qi Group, it¡¯s not impossible for you. You¡¯re an amazing girl. You¡¯re the one who should be picky with your suitors, not the other way round¡­¡± Chapter 17 Old Men Can¡¯t Do It Xu Jiaojiao did not have Su Luo¡¯s confidence. She shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m already very grateful that Mr. Qi allowed me to stay in his house and played along with me in front of Grandma. If I get any greedier, I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with myself.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Su Luo did not like Xu Jiaojiao belittling herself like this. In her heart, her friend was the best! After a pause, Su Luo asked, ¡°It¡¯s Qi Shenbai we¡¯re talking about, you know. His looks are head and shoulders above every other man in the world. Are you sure you can hold yourself back after living with him every day? Are you sure you won¡¯t fall for him?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was too lazy to even hold her phone anymore. She turned on the loudspeaker and placed it on the coffee table. Her voice was sweet and firm as she said, ¡°Luoluo, Mr. Qi is seven years older than me. How could I fall in love with a man so much older than me?!¡± After saying that, she could not help but mutter, ¡°I don¡¯t have an Electra complex.¡± ¡°What?¡± Su Luo did not hear the last sentence clearly. Xu Jiaojiao yelled, ¡°I said, don¡¯t even think about reneging on the hotpot you owe me!¡± ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll treat you to two meals!¡± Su Luo agreed haphazardly, then she changed the topic. ¡°But you¡¯re right. Qi Shenbai is quite handsome, but he¡¯s too old. I heard that men¡¯s ability in that area starts to decline after they turn thirty, while women are like hungry tigers at thirty. The two of you really don¡¯t match¡­¡± Girls would often talk about interesting topics when they chatted. Moreover, Su Luo had read novels about domineering CEOs all year round, so she valued men¡¯s abilities in bed even more. After all, the men in novels often made love for seven days and nights. Xu Jiaojiao laughed so hard she had to punch the pillow, but she still reminded her, ¡°Luoluo, let¡¯s not talk about others behind their backs like this. Moreover, even if I¡¯m thirty years old, I won¡¯t be like a hungry wolf in bed.¡± ¡°Oh my, are you really sure?¡± Su Luo teased her. ¡°Luoluo!¡± Xu Jiaojiao pretended to be angry. As her body swayed, her phone accidentally hit the ground. She bent down to pick it up. When she straightened her back, she accidentally saw the door from the corner of her eye and was instantly dumbfounded. Qi Shenbai stood at the door with a fruit platter in his hand. There was no emotion on his handsome face. Then, he strode towards Xu Jiaojiao with his long legs. Xu Jiaojiao gripped her phone tightly as her heart pounded. She secretly prayed that Qi Shenbai had just arrived and had not heard anything! Qi Shenbai placed the plate of fruits on the coffee table and glanced at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s pale face. He said indifferently, ¡°You forgot to close the door. I happened to heading this way, so I brought you the fruits prepared by the butler.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice trembled. Qi Shenbai glanced at the phone in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and then looked at her. His thin lips curved into a faint smile. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Old people do like to do charity, after all.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s world shook around her. He heard it! He heard it! He heard everything! After Qi Shenbai finished speaking, he turned around and walked out of the room. At this moment, Su Luo¡¯s puzzled voice came from Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s phone. ¡°Jiaojiao? Jiaojiao, are you still there? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was still in a daze when Qi Shenbai, who was walking to the door, suddenly stopped and turned around. His pitch-black eyes were like the moonlight, unreadable and unfathomable. ¡°Whether a man is capable or not has nothing to do with his age.¡± He seemed to be saying that the two of them were too ignorant. Xu Jiaojiao fell silent. ¡°¡­¡± This time, Qi Shenbai really did go out. He even considerately closed the door for Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Jiaojiao? Who were you talking to?¡± Su Luo asked again. Xu Jiaojiao came back to her senses. Her lips trembled a few times before she said, ¡°Luoluo, I want to emigrate. I don¡¯t want to stay in the country anymore¡­¡± Su Luo was confused. ¡°Huh? Why do you suddenly want to emigrate? Where do you want to move to?¡± ¡°Anywhere is fine!¡± Xu Jiaojiao went crazy. As long as she did not stay on Earth, it was fine! She was going to die of embarrassment! ¡­ Thanks to Su Luo and Qi Shenbai, Xu Jiaojiao had insomnia again that night. It was not easy for her to fall asleep, but in the end, her dreams were filled with Qi Shenbai! In her dream, the black Bentley was driving steadily on the road. The driver was Pei Yan. Qi Shenbai was sitting in the back seat in a black suit. He lowered his head and looked at the documents with a serious expression. Suddenly, a large truck appeared in the right lane and charged straight at the black Bentley. With a bang, the black car rolled a few times, and even the door was knocked off. Qi Shenbai had put on his seatbelt. Although he was not thrown out of the car by the impact, he was probably seriously injured. Blood flowed from his forehead, and his eyes were closed as he fell unconscious. Chapter 18 Nightmare The big truck did not stop there. It started up again, trying to run over the badly deformed black Bentley. In her dream, Xu Jiaojiao was burning with anxiety as she watched the scene unfold. She kept shouting, ¡°Qi Shenbai! Qi Shenbai, wake up! Wake up!¡± However, Qi Shenbai did not react. Blood covered his face, and even his white shirt was dyed red with blood. The large truck ruthlessly collided with the Bentley again, crashing into the unconscious Qi Shenbai! ¡°Qi Shenbai!¡± Xu Jiaojiao woke up from her dream with a start. She was gasping for breath, and her fair forehead was covered in a cold sweat that drenched her hair. A few seconds later, Xu Jiaojiao came back to her senses and looked at the alarm clock on the bedside table. It was already six in the morning. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and gradually calmed down. It had been a long time since she had such a dream. The last time she had such a dream was after Qi Yunduo fell into the water and lost consciousness. In her dream, she had saved Qi Yunduo in the hospital¡­ So why did she suddenly have such a dream this time? Could it be that someone wanted to harm Qi Shenbai? When Xu Jiaojiao changed her clothes and went downstairs, she was still thinking about the dream. Her mind was elsewhere, and her gaze would occasionally sweep across Qi Shenbai, who was sitting across the dining table. Qi Shenbai was still wearing a white shirt and eating the breakfast the chef made as if nothing had happened yesterday. He did not feel awkward at all. On the other hand, Xu Jiaojiao wished she could bury her face in her bowl. She had specially come down a little later today because she wanted to avoid this awkwardness. Usually, Qi Shenbai would already be at the office at this time. Today, however, he even stayed and had breakfast with her! Qi Shenbai noticed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s fidgeting and frowned as he reminded her, ¡°Eat properly.¡± Xu Jiaojiao came back to her senses. As she ate the crispy fried bread slices, she apologized softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Qi Shenbai looked at her. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have talked about you behind your back with my best friend last night. We even made wild guesses about¡­¡± The more she spoke, the softer Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice became. She wished she could crawl under the dining table. Actually, Qi Shenbai was not angry about what happened last night. He was just a little surprised. He had no idea that young girls nowadays talked about such vulgar things in private¡­ However, when he looked at Xu Jiaojiao, who cowered like a little hamster, he retracted his gaze and pretended to be serious. ¡°So you think a simple apology is enough?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was stunned. She slowly raised her head. ¡°What do you want, then?¡± Qi Shenbai did not say anything as he looked at her quietly with his deep eyes. Xu Jiaojiao blinked and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t I cook tonight? My culinary skills are very good. I can make a ten-course meal if you really want.¡± Thinking about how Qi Shenbai had asked her to cook noodles last night, perhaps he really liked to eat her food? Qi Shenbai thought for a while and agreed reluctantly. When Xu Jiaojiao saw him nod, her nervousness dissipated a little. ¡°Then what do you want to eat? I¡¯ll prepare the ingredients in advance.¡± Qi Shenbai said, ¡°I want a ten-course meal.¡± Xu Jiaojiao blinked. Was he trying to tire her out as his revenge? When Qi Shenbai saw Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s visible deflating, he could not help but smirk. Xu Jiaojiao tried her best to fight for her rights. ¡°That¡¯s way too much food for us to finish¡­¡± She was not making excuses to save energy. She just thought it was a virtue to be thrifty and not waste food! Qi Shenbai did not say anything. Pei Yan came in from outside and greeted them respectfully, ¡°Mr. Qi, Miss Xu, good morning.¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned around and was instantly stunned when she saw Pei Yan¡¯s gray suit. The scene from last night¡¯s dream flashed across her mind, and her face slowly turned pale¡­ In her dream last night, Pei Yan was wearing this suit with a floral tie. Qi Shenbai took the suit from the butler and put it on. When he turned around and saw Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s pale face, he thought that she was frightened by his words, so he said, ¡°You can make whatever you want for dinner. I¡¯m not good with sweet things.¡± What he meant was that as long as it was not sweet, he was fine with it. Xu Jiaojiao came back to her senses and saw that Qi Shenbai was dressed just like in her dream. His eyelashes trembled even more. Was it happening so soon? Was the dream from yesterday about to come true today? Was Qi Shenbai going to¡­die today? Qi Shenbai put on his clothes and saw that Xu Jiaojiao had her head lowered and was not speaking. There was a low pressure above her head, as if she was being bullied. He shook his head helplessly and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get the driver to send you to school in the future.¡± There were many bad people outside now, and Qingshui Villa was located in a remote area. He was worried about her taking the bus and squeezing into the subway alone. Chapter 19 Preventing the Tragedy Xu Jiaojiao raised her head abruptly. Was it because of her that Qi Shenbai didn¡¯t let the driver drive? If the driver had been there, would he be fine? At least he would not die, right¡­? The driver was always behind the wheel, so he was more sensitive to danger than Pei Yan, Mr. Qi¡¯s assistant. His driving skills were also much better, so he might be able to avoid danger. Qi Shenbai noticed that something was wrong with Xu Jiaojiao, but he thought that it was the aftereffects of last night¡¯s incident. He raised his hand and looked at his watch. It was about time. He would help the young lady overcome her troubles when she came back. Qi Shenbai had only taken a few steps when someone grabbed his suit jacket. When he turned around, he saw Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s slender and fair fingers holding onto his black suit jacket, creating a stark visible contrast. Xu Jiaojiao looked a little anxious as her mind raced. What should she do? Qi Shenbai was her brother¡¯s good friend. If anything happened to him, her brother would definitely be sad. Even setting aside his relationship with her brother, Qi Shenbai was still her husband in name. If he died, wouldn¡¯t she become a widow at way too young an age? ¡®Save him! I have to save him!¡¯ Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face scrunched up. Qi Shenbai sized up Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s expression. Although his eyes were filled with doubt, he did not rush her. When Pei Yan saw them like that, he swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue. ¡°I¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao stuttered, as she had not thought of an excuse. ¡°Um¡­ Can I exchange drivers with you?¡± Qi Shenbai said, ¡°Give me a reason.¡± Xu Jiaojiao: ¡°The driver over there looks a little fierce. I¡¯m scared¡­¡± The driver standing outside the door was speechless. He silently retreated out of the door. Qi Shenbai glanced at the driver¡¯s actions and said calmly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he wouldn¡¯t dare be rude to you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was so anxious that she was sweating profusely. However, her small hands were still gripping Qi Shenbai¡¯s clothes tightly. ¡°Then¡­ then I want to take your car. Your car is more comfortable.¡± Perhaps he was softened by Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s big, teary eyes, or perhaps he was in a hurry and wanted to get her out of his hair, so Qi Shenbai did not say anything more. He simply asked Pei Yan to drive another car out of the basement. Before Pei Yan left, he glanced at Xu Jiaojiao. He did not expect this young lady to be so vain. Xu Jiaojiao did not care what Pei Yan thought of her. She only thought that Qi Shenbai should be fine now. ¡°Can you let go now?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s dark eyes fell on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s small hand. Xu Jiaojiao reacted and quickly let go, a faint smile appearing on her face. ¡°Have a safe trip, Mr. Qi.¡± Just then, Pei Yan drove over from the underground garage. The new car was a Cayenne. After Qi Shenbai got into the car, the Cayenne quickly disappeared from his sight. The driver also stood up and asked softly, ¡°Miss Xu, can we set off now?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was speechless. When she met the driver¡¯s gaze, her face flushed red! She had been so focused on finding an excuse just now that she did not expect it to hurt the driver¡¯s pride! After Xu Jiaojiao got into the Bentley, she sighed silently in her heart. It was so stressful! Ever since she moved into Qingshui Villa, she had been embarrassed more and more. The car drove steadily on the road. The driver thought that Xu Jiaojiao was afraid of him, so he consciously put on his mask and did not speak. Luo City University and the Qi Group were in the same direction, so the driver was very familiar with this road. Just as he was about to turn at the next intersection, a large truck suddenly rushed out. Probably because the driver was naturally sensitive to the dangers of the road, the driver did not hesitate to turn the steering wheel to avoid the large truck! Although the driver reacted quickly, the truck was equally fast. The front of the truck slammed into the back of the Bentley. Before Xu Jiaojiao, who was sitting in the back seat, could react, she heard a loud crash! Immediately after, the car window shattered and glass shards flew everywhere. Xu Jiaojiao fell to the side uncontrollably and was pulled back by the seatbelt. Her ears buzzed and the scene in front of her kept spinning, as if the world had turned upside down. When she lost consciousness, Xu Jiaojiao only had one thought left in her mind. She had prevented the tragedy by taking Qi Shenbai¡¯s place! ¡­ At Luo City¡¯s First People¡¯s Hospital¡­ The door of the ward was pushed open. Xu Zhengyang, who was wearing a dark green suit, rushed toward the person on the bed anxiously. ¡°Oh no, my precious baby sister¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao was sitting on the hospital bed, where the nurse was applying medicine for her. When she heard Xu Zhengyang¡¯s voice, she pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°Brother, why are you here?¡± Xu Zhengyang did not answer. Instead, he circled around her worriedly. ¡°Are you alright? Let Big Brother take a look. Where are you hurt?¡± He reached out and touched Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s arm and leg. Fortunately, they were all intact and warm. Chapter 20 Let Me Do It After making sure all her limbs were there, Xu Zhengyang heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Phew, you didn¡¯t lose an arm or a leg. If you had, I would have to take care of you for the rest of your life. Just thinking about it gives me a lot of pressure.¡± The nurse who was changing the dressing was speechless. Was he really her biological brother? Xu Jiaojiao was already used to Xu Zhengyang¡¯s lackadaisical attitude, so she looked up at him with a smile. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Your face is ruined. How are you still laughing?¡± Xu Zhengyang looked at the wound on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s forehead and frowned. ¡°No one will marry you if your face is scarred, understand?¡± Xu Jiaojiao protested, ¡°Don¡¯t say that! The doctor said that the wound isn¡¯t too deep, so it won¡¯t leave a scar.¡± Xu Zhengyang said, ¡°The doctor must have lied to you. A young girl like you is the easiest to fool.¡± The nurse could not stand it anymore. She was about to retort that their doctor was a professional when Qi Shenbai came in and happened to hear Xu Zhengyang¡¯s infuriating words. Qi Shenbai reached out and pulled him to the side, saying to the nurse, ¡°He¡¯s not in his right mind. Don¡¯t worry about him. Continue.¡± The nurse nodded. When Xu Zhengyang heard Qi Shenbai say that his mind was addled, he instantly exploded. ¡°Qi Shenbai! You bastard! I work myself to the bone for you and your company, but you almost got my sister killed!¡± Qi Shenbai was already in a bad mood. When he shot Xu Zhengyang an icy glare, Xu Zhengyang instantly fell silent. Fine, he had to admit he was still quite afraid when his superior glared at him like that. The nurse continued to apply medicine to Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s wound. Although it was not deep, it was still a cut, exposing her skin and flesh. She clenched her fingers in pain, holding her breath. Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s wrinkled face. It felt as if someone was squeezing his heart. ¡°Let me do it.¡± He stepped forward to take the nurse¡¯s cotton swabs and medicine. The nurse hesitated for a moment, but seeing that Qi Shenbai was quite reliable, she gave up her seat. Qi Shenbai took the nurse¡¯s place and gently applied a cotton bud to the wound. Xu Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment as she looked at the handsome face of the man in front of her. She did not know how Qi Shenbai usually took care of himself, but his skin was so delicate that no pores could be seen. He had sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and even lower down, his lips were very red. Half of his Adam¡¯s apple, which was restrained by his shirt, was exposed, with an almost forbidden allure. In particular, there was a faint wooden fragrance on his body that could overpower the unpleasant smell of the medicine. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but think that God must have been very biased when he created Qi Shenbai. Qi Shenbai knew that Xu Jiaojiao was afraid of pain, so after applying the ointment, he even blew on her wound like he was coaxing a child. When the breeze brushed past her wound, Xu Jiaojiao was stunned. All her attention was focused on her forehead. She felt that part of her body was hot and numb, and she could not help but tremble. Qi Shenbai paused and looked down at her. ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips and shook her head slightly. In a low voice, she said, ¡°No.¡± When Qi Shenbai heard this, he continued to apply medicine for her. Xu Jiaojiao lowered her head and did not dare to look at him again. Her fair little hands were clenched tightly, but Qi Shenbai seemed to be completely unaware of how bewitching his face was! He even blew on the medicine while applying it. Xu Jiaojiao was about to break down! How was this applying medicine? This was torture! When Xu Zhengyang saw Qi Shenbai¡¯s slow movements, he finally could not help but say, ¡°Can you hurry up? If you continue to dawdle, the wound will have healed by the time you¡¯re done.¡± Qi Shenbai acted as if he did not hear him. He took his own sweet time applying medicine to Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s wound and then put a bandaid on it. When he put it on, it was a little itchy. Xu Jiaojiao raised her hand to touch it, but before her fingertips could touch the bandaid, Qi Shenbai grabbed her wrist and reminded her in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t touch it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Jiaojiao retracted her hand with a sparkle in her eyes. Xu Zhengyang could not take it anymore. He stepped forward and pushed Qi Shenbai away. ¡°Qi Shenbai, what are you doing? Don¡¯t you hate women? You can¡¯t even bear to be near women, so why are you touching my sister? You even took the initiative to apply medicine for her!¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s clear eyes flashed with surprise. Qi Shenbai did not like women getting close to him? When they first met, he had taken the initiative to help her up, though. Xu Zhengyang looked at Qi Shenbai suspiciously. ¡°You¡¯re not pretending, are you? You don¡¯t actually hate women, do you?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s tone was indifferent. ¡°I was the one who asked the driver to send Xu Jiaojiao to school.¡± In other words, he was the main culprit behind Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s injury, so it was only natural for him to show some concern. Xu Zhengyang snorted and pulled Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand. ¡°Come, follow me home.¡± Xu Jiaojiao immediately shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t go home. My parents and grandma will be worried if they see me. I¡¯ll go back in a few days.¡± Since she had grown up with her grandma, her parents were always very careful and polite around her after she returned from the countryside. Occasionally, they would even look guilty. Xu Jiaojiao did not like seeing them like that. Chapter 21 Come Home with Me During her stay in Qingshui Villa, although there were some embarrassing incidents, Xu Jiaojiao had actually been quite happy. She did not want to go back, and she did not want her parents to see her injured. They would only feel even more guilty and heartbroken. ¡°Won¡¯t they be worried if you don¡¯t go home?¡± Xu Zhengyang reached out and pinched Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s cheek. ¡°Do you know that Mom talks about you at home every day?¡± He did not pinch her that hard, but Xu Jiaojiao had a wound on her forehead. Every little movement would tug at the wound. ¡°Ouch, Brother, that hurts¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang quickly let go. ¡°Be good and come home with me. You¡¯ve only been out for a few days and you¡¯ve already injured your head. If you stay for a few more days, you¡¯ll lose your life.¡± ¡°Big Brother¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao hugged Xu Zhengyang¡¯s arm and acted like a spoiled child. ¡°It¡¯s useless, don¡¯t bother trying to act cute!¡± Xu Zhengyang hardened his heart. ¡°Come home with me. You have to go home!¡± Xu Jiaojiao stopped talking and pursed her pale lips. Her delicate face was filled with hurt as she looked at Xu Zhengyang with teary eyes. Xu Zhengyang had no choice but to agree. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll wait for you to recover before we go home.¡± Xu Jiaojiao immediately smiled and said sweetly, ¡°Thank you, Big Brother¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point in thanking me with words. I¡¯ve been kinda broke lately. I don¡¯t even have enough money to buy clothes¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang pretended to sigh. Before he could say anything, Xu Jiaojiao picked up her phone and transferred 10,000 yuan to him. ¡°Tell me if you need more.¡± Xu Zhengyang immediately beamed with joy. ¡°You¡¯re the best, Sis. Rest well for the next few days, okay? You can go to class after you recover. I¡¯ll send you to school every day!¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded obediently. Qi Shenbai stood at the side and watched as Xu Zhengyang, a man who was already working, asked for pocket money from his younger sister who was still in school. The more he thought about it, the more shameful it felt. Xu Zhengyang turned around and gave Qi Shenbai a look, so Qi Shenbai told Xu Jiaojiao to rest in the ward for a while before following Xu Zhengyang out of the ward. Once in the corridor, Qi Shenbai spoke first. ¡°I always knew you were shameless, but I didn¡¯t think you would stoop so low as to ask your sister for money.¡± He even asked for a little girl¡¯s pocket money! Xu Zhengyang said, ¡°What do you know? We¡¯re siblings!¡± After saying that, he wanted to take out a cigarette. Just as he was about to light it up, he remembered that this was a hospital and a no-smoking zone. Xu Zhengyang leaned against the window and looked at the hot sun outside. He licked his lips. ¡°Old Qi, although you helped my sister at the wedding, that¡¯s a separate matter. I don¡¯t want to interfere in the Qi family¡¯s affairs, and it¡¯s not like I can interfere even if I wanted to. Just keep my sister out of this, or I won¡¯t forgive you.¡± Qi Shenbai placed his hands behind his back and said coldly, ¡°It won¡¯t happen again.¡± Although the results of his investigation had yet to come out, they all knew that this car crash was definitely not an accident. It was not the first time this kind of thing had happened to him. Xu Zhengyang¡¯s expression softened a little. ¡°I can tell that Jiaojiao is quite happy living with you. I won¡¯t thank you, since we¡¯re friends. Besides, I work hard to earn money for you every day anyway.¡± Qi Shenbai pursed his lips and did not say anything. Xu Zhengyang thought of something before he left. He pointed at Qi Shenbai and warned him, ¡°Let me tell you, don¡¯t have any bad thoughts about my sister. You¡¯re more than ten years older than her. You¡¯re almost old enough to be her uncle!¡± The veins on Qi Shenbai¡¯s forehead twitched. ¡°I¡¯m only seven years old than her!¡± How did seven become ¡°more than ten¡±?! Also, why was everyone calling him old lately?! ¡°Give it a rest. Seven rounded up is ten!¡± Xu Zhengyang waved his hand. Then, he suddenly thought of something and stroked his chin. ¡°But it¡¯s fine if you do like my sister. After all, my Jiaojiao is obedient, beautiful, and charming. ¡°If she likes you, you two might just end up together. However, that means you¡¯ll have to call me Big Brother-in-law in the future.¡± The idea of Qi Shenbai calling him that was quite satisfying. Qi Shenbai scoffed. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m like you?¡± Before Xu Zhengyang could ask what she meant by that, he heard Qi Shenbai¡¯s cold voice utter a single word ¡ª ¡°Shameless.¡± In his eyes, Xu Jiaojiao was just a little kid. He was not a pervert, so why would he have those thoughts about a little girl? Xu Zhengyang fell silent. When Qi Shenbai returned to the ward, Xu Jiaojiao was sending a message to her teacher asking for leave. When she heard footsteps, she looked up and saw Qi Shenbai returning to the room alone. She asked, ¡°Where¡¯s my brother?¡± Qi Shenbai said, ¡°He went back to the office.¡± ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied. ¡°Can I be discharged now?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The results of the full-body checkup were out. There were no problems, so she could leave the hospital now. Chapter 22 Little Girl Xu Jiaojiao let out a long sigh and quickly got out of the bed. ¡°I¡¯m glad I don¡¯t need to be hospitalized. I can go home now.¡± Qi Shenbai helped carry her drawing board and asked, ¡°You don¡¯t like hospitals?¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t know why, but I feel uncomfortable every time I come to the hospital.¡± Qi Shenbai did not think too much about it. He only figured that Xu Jiaojiao did not like hospitals because she was basically a child. He took the lead and walked towards the door of the ward. After taking two steps, he realized that Xu Jiaojiao was not following him. He turned around and asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled brightly. ¡°You go first¡­¡± Qi Shenbai furrowed his brows and walked out of the ward without saying anything. Xu Jiaojiao followed behind him from a distance. She thought to herself, ¡®This is about five meters away. That should be enough, right?¡¯ When they got into the car, Xu Jiaojiao did not sit in the back seat. Instead, she opened the passenger door. Qi Shenbai could not help but ask, ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was at a loss. ¡°Are you talking about me?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Sit at the back.¡± Xu Jiaojiao hesitated. ¡°But my brother said¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, Qi Shenbai interrupted him. ¡°Sit over here.¡± His tone was cold and unquestionable. Xu Jiaojiao felt that he was really going to get angry, so she did not dare to stay in the front passenger seat any longer. She quickly got out of the car and went to the back seat, but she did not dare to get too close to him, so she stayed close to the car door. Qi Shenbai said exasperatedly, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you sit over here.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned her head and looked at him curiously. Qi Shenbai explained, ¡°In my eyes, you¡¯re not a woman.¡± ¡°???¡± That was a blatant insult, wasn¡¯t it?! She lowered her head and looked at herself. ¡°How am I not a woman? Sure, my face is just a little on the rounder, sweeter, cuter side, and I guess I¡¯m a little short. I admit I¡¯m not that well-endowed, but I¡¯m only twenty years old! I can still grow¡­¡± Before Xu Jiaojiao could finish her sentence, Qi Shenbai stretched out his hand and covered her mouth. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice came to an abrupt halt. Her big eyes blinked as she looked at him, almost as if they could speak. Qi Shenbai¡¯s fingers were dry and warm as they pressed against her lips, causing her heart to beat wildly. Qi Shen¡¯s thin lips curled up slightly, and he deliberately lowered his voice. ¡°Little girl, you don¡¯t have to deliberately keep a distance from me. I don¡¯t hate you.¡± ¡°Little girl¡±?! Why did he sound a little indulgent when he called her that?! Qi Shenbai loosened his grip, and Xu Jiaojiao carefully moved closer to him. ¡°So you really don¡¯t feel uncomfortable when I¡¯m close to you?¡± Qi Shenbai nodded. Only then did Xu Jiaojiao relax and move closer to him. When she smelled the faint fragrance of wood on his body, she smiled and said, ¡°If you feel uncomfortable, remember to tell me. You don¡¯t have to worry about how I feel¡­¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Qi Shenbai held her hand and looked at her with his dark eyes, as if to say, ¡®Do I look uncomfortable to you?¡¯ Once Xu Jiaojiao understood what he meant, she grinned and turned to look out of the car window. Because the driver reacted in time, he was not injured. However, because he was the one driving at the time, he had to make a report with the police about the accident. The one driving now was Pei Yan. Seeing the interaction between Qi Shenbai and Xu Jiaojiao through the rearview mirror, he frowned in confusion. What kind of magic did Miss Xu have to make Mr. Qi treat her so differently? The car was silent for a while before Qi Shenbai¡¯s deep voice suddenly sounded. ¡°Xu Zhengyang was promoted last month.¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned her head with a blank expression. ¡°I know that.¡± Seeing that Xu Jiaojiao had yet to react, Qi Shenbai made things clearer. ¡°He¡¯s currently receiving an annual salary, bonuses for various projects, and overtime pay.¡± This time, Xu Jiaojiao understood. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s strange for an adult like my brother to ask me for pocket money?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not usually like this.¡± Qi Shenbai knew that Xu Zhengyang looked like a sloppy person, but he was not someone who willingly spent a woman¡¯s money. Qi Shenbai really could not figure out why Xu Zhengyang would ask Xu Jiaojiao for money. ¡°I grew up in the countryside and lived with my grandmother. As a result, I¡¯m not that close with my parents.¡± Xu Jiaojiao played with a lock of her hair, a hint of gloominess in her eyes. ¡°Perhaps they feel that they owe me all these years, so they¡¯re always very polite and careful with me. They¡¯re worried that I¡¯ll feel uncomfortable in any way.¡± However, they did not know their careful demeanor made it even harder for her to integrate into the family. Chapter 23 Do I Look Like an Animal to You? Qi Shenbai was smart enough to understand what Xu Jiaojiao meant. ¡°Xu Zhengyang wants you to feel like you¡¯re needed.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°He always uses money as an excuse and asks me for money in various ways, but he also buys all sorts of things for me.¡± The branded bags, clothes, and pocket money in her wardrobe were all given to her by Xu Zhengyang. Qi Shenbai did not say anything, but there was a deeper look in his eyes as he looked at Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao said, ¡°Although my brother looks unreliable, he¡¯s actually a very good person. He even said that you¡¯re his mentor and his best friend.¡± Qi Shenbai did not believe that Xu Zhengyang would praise him in front of Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°He never badmouthed me in front of you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao paused. She recalled how Xu Zhengyang had called Qi Shenbai an ¡°old dog¡± and ¡°slave driver¡±. She smiled guiltily and shook her head. Qi Shenbai did not expose her lie. After a moment of silence, he asked in a low voice, ¡°You¡¯ve never blamed them?¡± She had been sent away at birth and raised by her aged grandmother. She had never enjoyed the warmth of a family or the love of her parents. The smile on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face froze. She lowered her head and pursed her lips before she said uncertainly, ¡°I think I did, once.¡± Qi Shenbai raised his eyebrows, feeling that this answer was strange. Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips. ¡°I¡¯ve forgotten some things. I don¡¯t remember if I blamed them, but I don¡¯t blame them at all now. They must have their own reasons. After all, which parent wouldn¡¯t want their child?¡± A warm smile bloomed on her cute face. ¡°And I think I¡¯m doing very well now. I¡¯m very happy every day.¡± Qi Shenbai looked at her beaming smile, but his heart felt as if it had been struck by a blunt object. She thought all parents loved their children, but that was not always the case. There were some people who even abandoned their children or hated them to the core. ¡­ The car stopped at the entrance of Qingshui Villa, but Qi Shenbai did not get out of the car. He watched as the butler brought Xu Jiaojiao into the house. When he retracted his gaze, a cold glint flashed across his eyes. He asked Pei Yan, ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going?¡± Pei Yan replied respectfully, ¡°The truck driver¡¯s background is completely clear. There¡¯s nothing unusual in his recent bank transactions. It really looks like an accident.¡± Qi Shenbai pursed his lips. How many ¡°accidents¡± had there been over the past few years? Pei Yan seemed to know what he was thinking. He hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°It might not have been their doing. Perhaps¡­¡± Unfortunately, before he could finish speaking, Qi Shenbai interrupted him. ¡°Tell Cang Xing to protect Jiaojiao.¡± Cang Xing was the driver that Xu Jiaojiao had accused of looking scary. He was a veteran with good driving skills and even better combat skills. Pei Yan hesitated. ¡°Mr. Qi, if you¡¯re worried about getting Miss Xu involved, you can send her back to the Xu family. Cang Xing has been by your side for many years, and he has always protected you¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, Qi Shenbai looked up at him. Pei Yan fell silent and could not help but ask, ¡°Mr. Qi, are you no longer averse to women? Or is Miss Qi the only¡­¡± Qi Shenbai: ¡°Do I look like a monster to you?¡± Pei Yan fell silent. Qi Shenbai felt that only monsters would lust over a girl seven years younger than them! ¡­ Qi Shenbai returned to the company to settle some matters. When he returned to Qingshui Villa, it was already late at night. The car stopped, and he strode into the house. He originally thought that the house would be silent as usual, aside from the butler who was waiting for him. Unexpectedly, when he entered the house, he did not see the butler. Instead, a bright voice reached his eardrums. ¡°Mr. Qi, you¡¯re back.¡± Qi Shenbai was surprised to see Xu Jiaojiao walking out of the kitchen. ¡°You aren¡¯t sleeping yet?¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for you to come back for dinner.¡± ¡°Waiting for me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I promised you this morning that I would make you dinner as an apology. Have you forgotten?¡± After Xu Jiaojiao said that, she thought of something. ¡°It¡¯s already so late. You haven¡¯t eaten, have you? If you have, I¡¯ll cook again tomorrow.¡± She turned around and headed to the kitchen, but Qi Shenbai stopped her. ¡°I haven¡¯t had dinner.¡± Xu Jiao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Really? That¡¯s great. I won¡¯t have to throw away the food I made.¡± Xu Jiaojiao knew that Qi Shenbai did not like sweet things and was focused on training his body, so when she was cooking, she specially made something light. Even so, it still tasted very good. It was a simple three dishes and a soup. There were meat and vegetables, and the entire meal was nutritious. When Qi Shenbai saw that Xu Jiaojiao had only brought out a pair of chopsticks and one bowl, he raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°You¡¯re not eating?¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled embarrassedly. ¡°I was too hungry at night, so I ate in advance.¡± Chapter 24 Cannot Refuse Qi Shenbai raised his head and looked at Xu Jiaojiao. The first thing he saw was the large band-aid on her forehead. He recalled that she had just experienced a car accident that day, having narrowly survived a life-and-death situation. However, she did not seem afraid. She still remembered to cook for him and apologize. Qi Shenbai said, ¡°You¡¯re injured. You can cook for me some other time.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do. I have to keep my word.¡± Xu Jiaojiao reached out to touch the wound on her forehead, but Qi Shenbai gave her a look, so she put down her hand in embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯s just a scratch from the car glass shattering. It¡¯s not that serious.¡± Although she was very afraid when the car accident happened, she was no longer afraid when she woke up in the hospital and found out that she was still alive and healthy, all her limbs intact. Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes flashed with admiration. Although this little girl was young, she was not fragile at all. She even knew how to keep her word. Qi Shenbai relented. ¡°Get another set of bowls and chopsticks. Sit down and eat with me.¡± ¡°But I¡­¡± Qi Shenbai interrupted her. ¡°After Yunduo¡¯s accident, no one has eaten with me for a long time.¡± ¡°???¡± Xu Jiaojiao was confused. Didn¡¯t she just have breakfast with him that morning? Did she not count? However, Xu Jiaojiao did not turn him down. She went to the kitchen and brought back another set of bowls and chopsticks. She had eaten a little too much that night, so she really could not eat that much now. She scooped a bowl of fish soup and slowly drank it. Qi Shenbai¡¯s fingers were long and slender, and the black chopsticks in his hand made his fingers look even better. He ate slowly and gracefully. Xu Jiaojiao felt that it was weird if neither of them spoke, so she found a topic to talk about. ¡°How¡¯s Miss Yunduo?¡± ¡°After she woke up, I arranged for her to go overseas to recuperate. She¡¯s recovering well for the time being.¡± Qi Shenbai put down his chopsticks and was about to scoop some soup when Xu Jiaojiao took the bowl from him. She smiled as she filled it. ¡°That¡¯s good. Yunduo is kind, and good things happen to good people. Her life will only get better from now on.¡± Qi Shenbai took the bowl of soup from her and asked quietly, ¡°How do you know that Yunduo is kind?¡± ¡°¡­¡± She accidentally let it slip! Xu Jiaojiao tried to make up for it. ¡°Mr. Qi, you¡¯re such a good person, so I bet Miss Yunduo is also a nice girl. You¡¯re all good people.¡± She casually made up a story. She did not care if Qi Shenbai believed her or not, as long as she came up with some sort of answer in time. Qi Shenbai saw through Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s lie at a glance, but he did not expose her. He lowered his head and drank the soup. Xu Jiaojiao heaved a sigh of relief. That was too scary. She had to be more careful with her words in the future! ¡­ After Xu Jiaojiao came out of the bathroom wearing a set of pure white pajamas, she reached out and touched the band-aid on her forehead. She had paid special attention to it when she was showering, so it should not be wet. There was a knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Xu Jiaojiao thought it was the butler, so she turned around to look for the hairdryer. Her back was facing the door, and when she bent down, her pajamas moved up, revealing a small part of her fair waist. Qi Shenbai shifted his gaze away without a trace and asked in a low voice, ¡°What are you looking for?¡± When Xu Jiaojiao heard his voice, she immediately stood up straight. ¡°Mr. Qi?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s gaze fell on her wet hair, and the band-aid seemed to be wet as well. He frowned and said, ¡°Sit down, I¡¯ll help you treat your wound.¡± He gestured for Xu Jiaojiao to sit on the sofa next to him, but Xu Jiaojiao did not want to trouble him, so she quickly refused. ¡°No need, I can do it myself.¡± Unfortunately, Qi Shenbai did not seem to hear her. He turned around and walked to the sofa, turning his head to stare at her silently. ¡°¡­¡± Unable to refuse, Xu Jiaojiao could only endure it. She obediently walked to the sofa and sat down. Just as she was about to look up at him, Qi Shenbai happened to bend over with a cotton swab and medicine. In an instant, their eyes met, and they were so close that they could feel each other¡¯s breathing. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but swallow her saliva. She blinked her big, clear eyes, and her heart was beating uncontrollably. Qi Shenbai was the first to react. Without batting an eyelid, he averted his gaze. His gaze fell on the bangs hanging down her forehead. His fingertips pushed aside her damp hair, gently removed the band-aid, and threw it into the trash can. When the band-aid was torn off, it tugged at her skin and caused some pain. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s thick eyelashes trembled slightly, and her fair fingers were tightly clenched together, as if she was trying to hold back a cry. Qi Shenbai thought that she was in pain, so his movements were gentler. Occasionally, he would gently blow air on the wound, as if he was taking care of a child. The gusts of warm air not only warmed the wound, but also Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face. Waves rippled in her heart, and they did not stop for a long time. Xu Jiaojiao secretly raised her eyes and peeked at him. Chapter 25 Have We Met Before? Under the warm orange light, Qi Shenbai¡¯s usually cold facial features appeared gentler. His facial features were deep and his expression was serious. His thin lips under his high nose bridge were slightly pursed, making him look like an immortal who had descended to the mortal world. At this moment, a few blurry and chaotic images suddenly flashed across Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s mind. Her heart tightened as the familiar feeling surged in her heart. She wanted to see the images in her mind clearly, but she could not. Qi Shenbai threw the used cotton swab into the trash can, tore open a new band-aid, and stuck it on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s forehead. When he saw something off about her expression, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did I hurt you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao opened her eyes and looked into his deep eyes. After a while, she gently shook her head. ¡°No, I just felt that this scene was very familiar, as if it had happened before.¡± Qi Shenbai did not reply and tightened the lid of the medicine bottle. Xu Jiaojiao asked curiously, ¡°Have we met before?¡± Qi Shenbai and Xu Zhengyang were good friends. Logically speaking, they should have met before, but she had forgotten a lot of things. Could this include Qi Shenbai? Qi Shenbai, who was holding the medicine bottle, paused and did not answer the question. ¡°Dry your hair and rest early.¡± With that, he stood up and left. Xu Jiaojiao bit her finger. ¡°Have we really never met before? But the feeling just now was really familiar.¡± ¡­ After resting at home for a week, Xu Jiaojiao had to return to school. The wound on her forehead had scabbed over, and she lowered her bangs to cover it up. Xu Zhengyang had breakfast with Qi Shenbai in the morning. Just as she was about to head to school, she saw a red sports car parked in front of the door. Xu Zhengyang was wearing a floral shirt as he sat in the driver¡¯s seat. When he saw Xu Jiaojiao coming out, he took off his glasses elegantly. ¡°Good morning, my dear sister.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was speechless. All of a sudden, she wanted to throw her brother away. How embarrassing! Qi Shenbai did not have any special reaction to Xu Zhengyang¡¯s flashy appearance. Instead, his deep eyes seemed to be enjoying the show. ¡°Big Brother, why are you here?¡± Xu Jiaojiao braced herself and stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯m here to pick you up for school.¡± Xu Zhengyang was about to get out of the car when a gust of wind blew over. His loose floral shirt got caught on the steering wheel. The relatively handsome scene suddenly became rather hilarious. Xu Zhengyang took a long time to untangle his floral shirt. When he looked up, he met Qi Shenbai¡¯s deep gaze, and he instantly exploded. ¡°Qi Shenbai, what kind of expression is that?! Are you mocking me?¡± Qi Shen¡¯s lips slowly curled up. Ignoring Xu Zhengyang, he said to Xu Jiaojiao, ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± With that, he got into the car and left. Xu Zhengyang frowned in displeasure and asked Xu Jiaojiao, ¡°Tell me, Sis, was his expression mocking me just now? How dare he mock me! He has no right to mock me! He¡¯s just jealous that I brought a new car!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not think Qi Shenbai had any reason to be jealous of that. In order to change the topic, Xu Jiaojiao tugged at Xu Zhengyang¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Brother, when did you get this sports car?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? I just bought it.¡± Xu Zhengyang raised his chin proudly. ¡°Where did you get the money from?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. ¡°Brother, you didn¡¯t steal Mom and Dad¡¯s money, did you? If Dad finds out, he¡¯ll break your legs!¡± ¡°What are you saying?!¡± Xu Zhengyang poked Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s forehead. ¡°I¡¯m an aspiring young man with an annual salary of a few million yuan. It¡¯s just a sports car. I can buy now whenever I want!¡± ¡°Oh, then why are you still complaining to me about being poor and asking me for living expenses?¡± Xu Jiaojiao glanced at him. She was willing to bet that Xu Zhengyang must have spent all his savings to buy this car. Xu Zhengyang looked embarrassed. He put his arm around Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s shoulder and changed the topic. ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll send you to school. Don¡¯t be late.¡± Xu Jiaojiao removed his arm and hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll get the driver to drive me. Your car is too flashy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that bad! Hurry up and get in the car!¡± Xu Zhengyang half-forced Xu Jiaojiao into the front passenger seat. ¡°¡­¡± Forty minutes later, the red sports car stopped at the entrance of Luo City University, instantly attracting the attention of many people. Xu Jiaojiao felt that she was about to die of embarrassment. After getting out of the car, she hurriedly ran towards the school. ¡°Bye-bye, Big Brother!¡± ¡°Why are you running? Don¡¯t you want your drawing board anymore?¡± Xu Zhengyang got out of the car with Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s drawing board, foiling her escape attempt. Xu Jiaojiao resigned herself to her fate and turned around. Then, she heard Xu Zhengyang say, ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up after school.¡± ¡°¡­No, thanks.¡± Chapter 26 Birthday Just as Xu Zhengyang was about to lecture Xu Jiaojiao, he heard an exaggerated voice. ¡°Wow, Xu Zhengyang, did you rob a bank?¡± Xu Zhengyang glanced at Su Luo and rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re the one robbing a bank. Shut your mouth if you don¡¯t have anything nice to say.¡± Su Luo snorted, and her gaze fell on Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Jiaojiao, are you alright?¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°I¡¯m fine now.¡± Xu Zhengyang put on his sunglasses and waved at Su Luo. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave my sister to you. Goodbye!¡± ¡°Bye, don¡¯t come back.¡± Su Luo rolled her eyes and turned her head away, too lazy to look at Xu Zhengyang. Xu Zhengyang rubbed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head before getting into the car and leaving. When Su Luo saw him turning the steering wheel with one hand, she could not help but taunt him. ¡°Your brother can¡¯t sit still if he doesn¡¯t show off for a day.¡± Xu Jiaojiao curved her lips. ¡°Then, do you still like him?¡± Su Lu instantly exploded. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao! I told you not to mention that anymore!¡± When she first met Xu Zhengyang, she did not know about his personality. Su Lu was bewitched by his appearance. As a result, the longer she interacted with him, the more disillusioned she became. The fact that she liked Xu Zhengyang had also become part of her dark history. Xu Jiaojiao chuckled. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about it.¡± Su Luo took out a tube of ointment from her bag. ¡°This is scar removal ointment. My relative works in a beauty salon, and I specially asked her for it. Remember to apply it every day.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not stand on ceremony with her and directly put the scar removal ointment into her pocket. As Su Luo followed her into the campus, she asked, ¡°By the way, how do you plan to celebrate your birthday this year?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was confused for a moment. Su Luo sighed and rubbed her head. ¡°I knew you¡¯d forget. The Mid-Autumn Festival is in a few days. Isn¡¯t it your birthday after the Mid-Autumn Festival?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still early.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s birthday was in September, and it was only August. ¡°What do you mean, early? This is your 20th birthday. Is your family going to hold a banquet for you to celebrate?¡± Su Luo asked. In Luo City, a 20th birthday had to be celebrated grandly. It was similar to a coming-of-age ceremony. ¡°Grandma isn¡¯t feeling very well, so I don¡¯t want to make it too troublesome. When the day comes, we can just have a meal together as a family.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was not interested in celebrating her birthday. When she was younger, she was more than happy when her grandmother cooked a few extra dishes for her birthdays. ¡°Alright.¡± Su Luo thought for a moment. ¡°Then I¡¯ll hold a big party for you to liven things up, so you won¡¯t have any regrets on your 20th birthday.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not reply. Compared to her birthday, she remembered something more important. That evening, Xu Jiaojiao was worried that Xu Zhengyang would show off that flashy car again, so she did not stay in the classroom for long. As soon as class ended, she packed her things and left to have hotpot with Su Luo. By the time Xu Zhengyang called, Xu Jiaojiao was already sitting in the hotpot restaurant. As she ate, she said, ¡°Brother, you work hard at the office, so you really don¡¯t pick me up anymore. Mr. Qi has arranged a driver for me.¡± Although Xu Zhengyang had made a wasted trip, he was not angry. He said leisurely, ¡°Sure, then. Qi Shenbai has money anyway. It would be a waste not to spend it.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was almost nine o¡¯clock by the time Xu Jiaojiao and Su Luo finished eating their hotpot. When Cang Xing brought her back to Qingshui Villa, Qi Shenbai was still not back. She could not help but ask the butler about him. The smart butler quickly replied, ¡°Is something the matter, Miss Xu? If it¡¯s urgent, I can call and ask the master.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not want to disturb Qi Shenbai, so she waved her hand and went upstairs. Anyway, there were still a few days before the Mid-Autumn Festival. She would find an opportunity to mention it later. When Qi Shenbai returned to Qingshui Villa, it was almost eleven o¡¯clock. The butler took his coat and told Qi Shenbai about Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s behavior that night. Afraid that Qi Shenbai would not understand, he deliberately explained, ¡°Judging from Miss Xu¡¯s expression, it seems like she has something to say.¡± Qi Shenbai nodded and walked upstairs. He originally wanted to go back to his room to rest, but when he passed by Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s room, he realized that the bottom of her door was still lit. It was already so late, so why wasn¡¯t she sleeping yet? Just as Qi Shenbai was wondering if he should ask tomorrow, his hand knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice came from inside. Qi Shenbai pushed the door open and saw Xu Jiaojiao sitting on the sofa with an iPad and a capacitor pen in her hand. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± Xu Jiaojiao placed the iPad on the coffee table and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not sleepy yet. I just wanted to draw for a while.¡± Chapter 27 Added on WeChat Qi Shenbai glanced at the iPad. There was an unfinished picture on it. It looked like a manga character, but it looked a little familiar. Xu Jiaojiao saw that he was staring at the iPad, so she nervously gripped the pen and did not speak. Qi Shenbai looked at her for a while before retracting his gaze. His gaze fell on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s fair little face. ¡°The butler said that you had something to discuss with me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao returned to her senses and quickly nodded. She looked at him with her clear, bright eyes, seeming a little too embarrassed to speak. Qi Shenbai gave her a hint of a smile as he pulled out the chair beside her and said, ¡°If you have anything to say, just say it.¡± ¡°The Mid-Autumn Festival is in a few days.¡± Xu Jiaojiao licked her lips and pleaded, ¡°We¡¯re going to have a family banquet that day. Can you accompany me back?¡± Her grandmother would definitely be at the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet. If she went back alone, her grandmother might get suspicious. ¡°Sure.¡± Qi Shenbai guessed that this was what she wanted to say, so he agreed without hesitation. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes lit up. She did not expect Qi Shenbai to agree so readily. ¡°Really?¡± Qi Shenbai nodded. ¡°Is your family alright with that?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was a little worried. The Mid-Autumn Festival was a festival for family reunions, so perhaps his family would have a family banquet as well. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Qi Shenbai did not want to say anything more. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyelashes fluttered. She didn¡¯t know if it was because she was too sensitive or something else, but she felt that Qi Shenbai did not want to mention his family. ¡°Thank you.¡± No matter what, Xu Jiaojiao still had to thank Qi Shenbai. ¡°Is the family banquet for lunch or dinner? If it¡¯s lunch, I¡¯ll get Pei Yan to rearrange the schedule,¡± Qi Shenbai asked. ¡°It¡¯s dinner.¡± Xu Jiaojiao blinked. Did Qi Shenbai not have the day off for the Mid-Autumn Festival? Wasn¡¯t being the CEO really that difficult? Qi Shenbai nodded and stood up. ¡°Alright, then you should rest early.¡± ¡°Good night, Mr. Qi.¡± Xu Jiaojiao had a sweet smile on her face. After taking two steps, Qi Shenbai thought of something and turned to look at Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Do you have a WeChat account?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment before she replied, ¡°I do.¡± Although she grew up in the countryside, she was not completely out of touch with society, so of course she had WeChat. Qi Shenbai walked back and extended his palm. ¡°???¡± ¡°Give me your phone.¡± Xu Jiaojiao belatedly handed him her phone and unlocked it. Qi Shenbai opened WeChat, entered his phone number, and added himself as a friend. Then, he returned to the home page and saved his phone number into her phone. ¡°If you need anything in the future, you can send me a WeChat message or call me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao took the phone and nodded. Her smile became even sweeter. ¡°Okay.¡± Qi Shenbai returned to his room. Xu Jiaojiao lowered her head and looked at the number she had just saved on her phone. There were three words written on it: Qi Shenbai. After a while, she received a WeChat notification on her phone saying that Qi Shenbai had accepted her friend request. Xu Jiaojiao clicked on his WeChat profile picture. Other than his name, there was no other information. His WeChat Moments was also blank. It was not that he was hiding his WeChat Moments from her, but that he did not have a single post on his WeChat Moments. His profile picture was also black, pitch-black, and nothing else. Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips and put down her phone in boredom. She picked up her iPad and continued to draw the unfinished drawing. Initially, there was only a picture of a little girl, but now there was a man beside her. He was holding a cotton swab and medicine in his hand. It was the scene from when Qi Shenbai had changed her wound dressing previously. She did not know why she had drawn that scene, but she had subconsciously sketched it nonetheless. Moreover, when she drew it, her heart was very calm and warm. On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival, Xu Jiaojiao had asked the driver, Cang Xing, to send her back to the Xu family home early in the morning before giving Cang Xing a day off. Old Madam Xu had been brought back to the Xu Family home yesterday. When she saw Xu Jiaojiao return, she was overjoyed. She held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Why are you back so early? You could have slept in a little longer.¡± Xu Jiaojiao handed the gift that she had bought in advance to the servant. ¡°I missed you, Grandma. I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I came back.¡± After saying that, she looked around and said, ¡°Where¡¯s my brother? Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s still working today?¡± ¡°Your brother is sleeping,¡± his mother said disdainfully. ¡°If he was half as diligent as you, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Haha, Mom, Big Brother works hard every day. It¡¯s a rare holiday for him, so he can sleep in if he wants.¡± Xu Jiaojiao put in a good word for Xu Zhengyang, and Mrs. Xu gave up on the idea of waking Xu Zhengyang up. As Mrs. Xu walked towards the kitchen, she said, ¡°Your father has some business to attend to in the afternoon, so he won¡¯t be back for lunch. Let¡¯s have lunch first, then we can have dinner together.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied. ¡°Where¡¯s Lil Qi?¡± Mrs. Xu tugged at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand. ¡°Didn¡¯t he come back with you?¡± Chapter 28 I Really Like Him ¡°He has work during the day, so he¡¯ll come over at night,¡± Xu Jiaojiao explained. Old Madam Xu nodded and asked, ¡°Does he treat you well?¡± ¡°He definitely does,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied without hesitation. She was not lying because Qi Shenbai treated her really well. When she was injured, he would help her change her wound dressing and arrange a driver for her. He even agreed to join her for the Mid-Autumn Festival. In the afternoon, Old Madam Xu went to rest after lunch. Mrs. Xu pulled Xu Jiaojiao aside to talk and took out a card. ¡°Jiaojiao, it¡¯s a holiday today, and I don¡¯t know what you like. There¡¯s some money in this card, so you can buy whatever you want.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at the bank card and shook her head. ¡°Mom, I have enough money. You don¡¯t have to give it to me anymore.¡± In the past, her parents would give her red packets or transfer money via WeChat during festivals. However, Xu Jiaojiao did not spend much other than buying drawing materials, so she had saved up a lot of money. Mrs. Xu stuffed the bank card into Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand. ¡°My dear daughter, I know you don¡¯t spend money recklessly, but this is a gift from your parents for this special day. Your father¡¯s company has been doing well this year, so you don¡¯t have to help him save money.¡± Seeing this, Xu Jiaojiao could not refuse anymore. ¡°Okay. Thank you, Mom.¡± ¡°Good girl.¡± Mrs. Xu touched Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s cheek. ¡°You poor thing, you¡¯ve suffered so much lately.¡± Even though her parents knew that Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai were faking their marriage, they had no choice but to let their daughter live with a stranger for Old Madam Xu¡¯s sake. Xu Jiaojiao shook her head with a smile. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s really not that bad at all. Mr. Qi is Big Brother¡¯s good friend, and he treats me very well. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Mrs. Xu nodded, but her eyes were still red. ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t listened to your grandmother back then and arranged for your marriage with the Lin family¡­ If only I hadn¡¯t sent you to the countryside¡­¡± ¡°Mom,¡± Xu Jiaojiao interrupted her. She did not want her mother to feel sad about the past. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now. Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m doing just fine? I¡¯m perfectly healthy and beautiful.¡± ¡°Yes, my daughter is the prettiest.¡± Mrs. Xu was amused by Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s boasting and pinched her cheek. ¡°As long as my daughter is healthy and safe, my heart will be at ease.¡± Xu Jiaojiao chatted with her mother for a while longer before helping her up the stairs for her afternoon nap. After that, she returned to her room and placed the gold card in her backpack. When she saw the old diary inside, her eyelashes fluttered. She took out the diary, walked to the desk, and sat down. She opened the diary and the familiar beautiful handwriting came into view. ¡®If I hadn¡¯t met him, perhaps I would have died without making a fuss. However, I met him and fell in love with him. I started to feel reluctant to die just like that. I wanted to live. I wanted to stand before him openly and tell him: My name is Xu Jiaojiao. Thank you for the umbrella. ¡®I want to live. Only by living will I be able to see him again. Only by living properly and healthily will I have a hope of standing by his side. ¡®I really want to live. I want to have a chance to tell him, I survived because of my love for you. Because of you, I have infinite courage to fight against all the unfairness in life. ¡®I really like him. I really like him¡­¡¯ Xu Jiaojiao closed the diary with a bang and let out a long sigh. So what if she liked Lu Zhuo? He never loved her. Just then, she began to take comfort in the fact that she had lost a portion of her memories and forgotten how much she used to like Lu Zhuo. Because of that, she would not be too heartbroken even if he gave up on her. Xu Jiaojiao took a deep breath and slowly let it out. She placed the diary in the drawer of her desk and locked it. When she turned around, she saw Xu Zhengyang leaning against the door. She did not know when he had come over, but he must have just woken up. His face was still sleepy, and his hair was in a mess. However, his eyes were looking at Xu Jiaojiao playfully. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you think you can forget that bastard Lu Zhuo just by locking the diary?¡± ¡°I already forgot about him.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips, her answer hinting at something. Xu Zhengyang seemed to have thought of something, and a subtle glint flashed across his eyes. He pursed his lips and said, ¡°I¡¯m starving. I¡¯m going down to eat something.¡± ¡°Mr. Qi will be coming over for dinner tonight. Be careful not to let it slip,¡± Xu Jiaojiao reminded worriedly. Xu Zhengyang, who was about to take a step forward, immediately retracted his leg. ¡°What did you say? Qi Shenbai is coming?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s only normal for him to come. You don¡¯t have to overreact like that. I¡¯m very grateful that he¡¯s coming.¡± Chapter 29 It¡¯s a Shame I Won¡¯t Live to See It ¡°He treated your brother like a dog and worked me to the bone to help him earn money! He should be grateful to me.¡± Xu Zhengyang rolled his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not properly married yet, but you¡¯re already siding with an outsider. Don¡¯t tell me you actually like him?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Xu Jiaojiao blurted out, but her protests sounded even more suspicious. Xu Zhengyang did not say anything and looked at her with a faint smile. Xu Jiaojiao felt inexplicably guilty. ¡°No, I really don¡¯t like him that way. My engagement with Lu Zhuo has just been annulled. How could I have the mood to think about anything else?¡± After saying that, she muttered, ¡°What do you take your sister for? A seamless scumbag? Someone who jumps from one love to another?¡± ¡°I was just joking. Why are you taking it so seriously?¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s eyes were probing. ¡°I¡¯m not taking it seriously at all!¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked up and met his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t like Mr. Qi, okay? I don¡¯t like him! Absolutely not!¡± ¡°Fine, if you say you don¡¯t like him, then so be it.¡± Xu Zhengyang raised his hand and said casually, ¡°In any case, Qi Shenbai is a little mean as a boss, but he¡¯s still okay as a friend. The problem is, the Qi family is a dangerous place. Don¡¯t get involved.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°I know.¡± Xu Zhengyang then turned around and went downstairs to look for food in the kitchen. Xu Jiaojiao turned around and found the iPad in her bag. She opened the drawing app and continued to draw the unfinished picture. In a small voice, she seemed to be talking to herself, ¡°If the Qi family is such a dangerous place, you must have had a hard time all these years.¡± At night, Mr. Xu returned from work. Laughter rang through the Xu family villa from time to time. With Xu Zhengyang around, the laughter and chatter never stopped. Mr. Xu was not at home for lunch, so when he saw Xu Jiaojiao, he naturally asked with concern, ¡°Did your mother give you her bank card? Buy whatever you want, there¡¯s no need to hold back.¡± ¡°Got it, Dad,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied with a smile. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t have much to buy. You and Mom don¡¯t have to always give me money.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only right for a girl to have more money on her.¡± Mr. Xu felt that he owed Xu Jiaojiao a lot. He wanted to make it up to her, but he did not know what to do. He could only use the most old-fashioned method and give her money! Xu Zhengyang was unhappy when he heard that. ¡°Dad, Mom, aren¡¯t you being too biased? You even gave Xu Jiaojiao money during the Mid-Autumn Festival. What about me? Where¡¯s my money?¡± ¡°You¡¯re already working, so why are you still asking us for money?¡± Mrs. Xu rolled her eyes at him. ¡°So what if I¡¯m working?¡± Xu Zhengyang raised his chin. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao is married. As the saying goes, a married daughter is like spent water. Instead of spending her husband¡¯s money, she even asked her parents for money! Shame on her!¡± When Xu Jiaojiao heard this, she instantly turned her head and glared at Xu Zhengyang! Others might not know the situation, but how could he not know? What nonsense was he spouting?! ¡°Even if she¡¯s married, she¡¯s still my daughter. I can give my money to whoever I want!¡± Mr. Xu glared at him. ¡°Look at you! You¡¯re always so sloppy. You even drive a sports car and pick fights everywhere!¡± Xu Zhengyang was speechless. It was fine if they did not give him money, but why were they scolding him now? He looked at Old Madam Xu pitifully. ¡°Grandma, you have to help me.¡± Old Madam Xu held her teacup and glanced at Xu Zhengyang. ¡°Your father is right. You¡¯re not young anymore. It¡¯s time for you to settle down¡­¡± When Xu Zhengyang heard this, his scalp went numb. ¡°Alright, I understand. I¡¯m just extra baggage at home. Even my parents don¡¯t love me! Sigh¡­¡± After saying that, he stood up and went upstairs to avoid this thorny topic. Old Madam Xu watched him leave and snorted. ¡°Hmph, he runs away as soon as I broach the topic.¡± Mrs. Xu¡¯s heart ached for her son. She comforted Old Madam Xu, saying, ¡°Mom, forget it. It¡¯s fine for boys to get married later in life these days. Let Xu Zhengyang play for another two years.¡± Old Madam Xu sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a shame I won¡¯t live to see him get married.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the other three went pale. Mr. Xu frowned and called out softly, ¡°Mom¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao hugged Old Madam Xu¡¯s arm and said coquettishly, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s a festival today. Don¡¯t say such inauspicious things.¡± Old Madam Xu met Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s gaze and smiled. ¡°Humans will die someday, no matter how long they live. You don¡¯t have to look like that whenever I mention this. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to die immediately. Besides, I¡¯ve lived long enough.¡± ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted, feeling hurt and pitiful. She understood that in principle, but she could not remain calm at the thought of her closest kin dying. Chapter 30 What Should You Call Me? ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore.¡± Old Madam Xu patted Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head. ¡°As long as my Jiaojiao is happy, I can rest assured.¡± As for that little b*stard Xu Zhengyang, his parents could worry about him. It was getting late. A servant came over and asked, ¡°Dinner is almost ready. May I know when Master Qi will arrive?¡± For a moment, everyone¡¯s gazes fell on Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll call and ask.¡± When Mrs. Xu saw that, she smiled and said, ¡°Look, she¡¯s embarrassed.¡± Old Madam Xu¡¯s complicated gaze fell on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s back. Xu Jiaojiao walked out of the villa and stood under the street lamp, looking at her phone. She did not know how to make the call. Just then, the sound of an engine came from the door. Xu Jiaojiao looked up and saw a car slowly driving over. After a while, it stopped in front of her. After Qi Shenbai got out of the car, he buttoned up his suit and looked at Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late.¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. ¡°No, the timing was just right.¡± Pei Yan got out of the car and took out the things from the trunk. Both of his hands were full. Xu Jiaojiao was surprised. ¡°Why did you bring so many things?¡± As she spoke, she reached out to help Pei Yan carry them, but Qi Shenbai stopped her. He carried two gift boxes and said, ¡°It¡¯s only correct etiquette not to come empty-handed.¡± ¡°Mr. Qi, thank you so much.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt that Qi Shenbai was being very meticulous about this, so she was touched. ¡°How much did the gifts cost? I¡¯ll transfer the amount to you when we get back.¡± Qi Shenbai stopped in his tracks. Xu Jiaojiao was following behind him, so she almost bumped into him. She looked up and asked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why did you suddenly stop walking?¡± Qi Shenbai turned around and met Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s clear and bright eyes. His Adam¡¯s apple moved slightly as he asked, ¡°Are you going to call me Mr. Qi when we go in later?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao didn¡¯t know how to answer this question. In front of her family, calling him Mr. Qi was indeed inappropriate, but¡­ what else could she call him besides Mr. Qi? Qi Shenbai¡¯s tall and straight body stood still on the spot. He was not in a hurry, waiting for Xu Jiaojiao to slowly think about it. On the other hand, Pei Yan could not help but remind her in a low voice, ¡°His name! Just call me by his name.¡± Xu Jiaojiao came back to her senses. Her curly eyelashes fluttered like a butterfly flapping its wings. When she looked up and met Qi Shenbai¡¯s deep eyes, she became even more nervous. ¡°Qi¡­ Qi Shenbai¡­¡± In the night, Qi Shenbai curled his lips imperceptibly and replied, ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± Qi Shenbai, Qi Shenbai. Xu Jiaojiao repeated this name several times in her heart. This name seemed to have a magical power. Just by saying it like this, a warm current would flow through her heart and wrap around it tightly. The two of them walked into the house with Pei Yan following behind. When the Xu family saw Qi Shenbai, they naturally welcomed him warmly. When they saw the gifts Qi Shenbai had brought, they expressed that he was too polite. He even brought so many things home for dinner. Qi Shenbai was usually the center of attention outside and was used to being praised. When he was in a bad mood, he would not even bother responding to them. However, in front of the Xu family today, no matter what they asked, he would answer patiently without any mistakes. Xu Zhengyang sat at the dining table and listened to his parents praise Qi Shenbai non-stop. He sneered inwardly. As expected of a capitalist who swallowed people whole! His acting ability was top-notch! During the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet, there was no lack of alcohol. Fortunately, they were all family, so they only drank a few mouthfuls to liven things up. Xu Zhengyang wanted to force Qi Shenbai to drink, but after his father glared at him, he could only put down his wine glass awkwardly and drink alone. Xu Jiaojiao used the serving chopsticks to pick up some food for Qi Shenbai. At the same time, she whispered, ¡°The fish cooked by our chef is very delicious. Try it.¡± Qi Shenbai lowered his head and saw that Xu Jiaojiao had picked the bones off the fish. The fish meat was fair and tender. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, and he turned his head to meet Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s smiling eyes. He felt warmth flowing through him. His eyebrows relaxed, he picked up the fish meat and put it in his mouth. He allowed the fish meat to melt in his mouth, allowing his cold heart to soften bit by bit. ¡°Isn¡¯t it delicious?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes were filled with anticipation. Qi Shenbai nodded in affirmation. Encouraged, Xu Jiaojiao picked up her chopsticks to give him more food. ¡°Eat more if it¡¯s delicious. You work so hard every day¡­¡± Qi Shenbai did not say anything. He turned his head to look at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face, his eyes burning hot. Old Madam Xu¡¯s body was weak, so she did not eat much. As she scooped up the lotus seed soup, she discreetly observed the interaction between Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai. Chapter 31 Put Them in My Pocket After dinner, Old Madam Xu had to return to the hospital. She did not allow anyone to send her off. Before getting into the car, she called out to Qi Shenbai. Everyone else was sent away, including Xu Jiaojiao. The parents and Xu Zhengyang returned to the house first. Xu Jiaojiao was a little worried, so she waited in the courtyard. Around the Mid-Autumn Festival, the osmanthus flowers were blooming. The evening breeze gently blew, filling the courtyard with their sweet fragrance. Qi Shenbai sat in the back seat with the car window half lowered. When he looked up, he could see Xu Jiaojiao standing in the courtyard. Xu Jiaojiao looked up at the osmanthus flowers. When she saw that the flowers were blooming so nicely, she could not help but pick a few. She thought that they would smell good when she put them in the room later. She could also make them into dried flowers, bookmarks, or pick more to make osmanthus wine. The evening breeze blew, and the osmanthus flowers scattered, falling onto Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s body. Qi Shenbai had gotten out of the car at some point in time and was standing at the door, his black eyes watching this scene without moving. The moonlight fell on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s cute and delicate face, and her bright smile was like a small sun that could melt all the cold, illuminating all the darkness. The surroundings were very quiet, so quiet that Qi Shenbai could clearly hear his own heartbeat. It sounded like the beating of a drum. Xu Jiaojiao belatedly realized that someone was looking at her. As soon as she turned her head, she saw Qi Shenbai standing not far away. She stood up with a smile and walked to him with a hand full of osmanthus flowers. ¡°Qi Shenbai, these flowers smell so good.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s gaze landed on the osmanthus in her palm, but it returned to her dimples a second later. His voice softened as he said, ¡°Yes, it smells very good.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s usually deep eyes were now filled with delight. When Xu Jiaojiao saw the smile on his face, she was stunned. ¡°You¡­ you smiled?¡± Although Qi Shenbai would occasionally smile, it was very faint. This seemed to be the first time she had seen him smile so brightly. It was a real smile. Qi Shenbai did not deny it. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Xu Jiaojiao hurriedly shook her head. ¡°No, no. You look good when you smile.¡± After a pause, she pursed her lips and added in a low voice, ¡°You look really, really good.¡± The smile on Qi Shenbai¡¯s face widened. ¡°Are you staying here tonight, or are you going back with me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao thought for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s go back. I still have class tomorrow, and I didn¡¯t bring my drawing board.¡± ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s go home.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. She did not notice that Qi Shenbai was saying that they were going home, not that they were going back. ¡°What about these osmanthus flowers?¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her arm. ¡°I want to bring them back and turn them into dried flowers.¡± Qi Shenbai thought for a few seconds and opened his suit pocket. ¡°You can put them here.¡± Xu Jiaojiao blinked. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Your suit is very expensive. I¡¯d better go in and get¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Qi Shenbai had already grabbed her wrist and placed her hand above his suit pocket. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Put them in.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked up and met his deep eyes. Her heart trembled for some reason as she slowly placed the osmanthus she was holding into his suit pocket. After that, the two of them looked at each other and smiled. At this moment, in an unlit room on the second floor of the villa, a tall figure stood by the window. When he saw the scene in the courtyard, the corners of his mouth curled into a meaningful smile. ¡­ When they returned to Qingshui Villa, Xu Jiaojiao suddenly remembered and asked, ¡°What did Grandma say to you?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes darkened for a moment, but he quickly returned to normal. Instead of answering Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s question, he said, ¡°Grandmother dotes on you a lot.¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her chin proudly. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve been by Grandma¡¯s side since I was young. Of course, she loves me the most.¡± Qi Shenbai looked at her bright smile and felt his heart soften. ¡°Alright, rest early now.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded and said goodnight before returning to her room. It was only then that she realized that Qi Shenbai had yet to answer her question! However, she decided to forget about it. She assumed that her grandmother was just worried and had reminded him to take care of her. After taking a shower, Xu Jiaojiao lay on the big soft bed and sighed comfortably. After closing her eyes for a few seconds, she suddenly thought of something. She rolled over and got up. She picked up her phone to look up the gifts Qi Shenbai had brought to her house that night. The more she saw, the more her heart ached. The things he had brought were so expensive! They cost half of all her meager savings! However, no matter how much her heart ached, she still had to spend this money. Xu Jiaojiao opened WeChat and directly transferred the money to Qi Shenbai. After sending it, Xu Jiaojiao turned to look at her WeChat Moments. Today was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and many people had posted photos of their reunion dinner on their WeChat Moments. Su Luo had also posted something, so she casually liked her friend¡¯s post. Chapter 32 Repaying the Favor with Food After reading through her Moments, Xu Jiaojiao returned to the main page and realized that Qi Shenbai had not accepted the money nor replied to her messages. Was he asleep? Xu Jiaojiao bit her nails and hesitated for a moment before sending a message. [Are you asleep?] This time, Qi Shenbai replied very quickly. [?] Xu Jiaojiao also replied with a question mark. [You¡¯re awake? Then why didn¡¯t you accept the money?] [???] Xu Jiaojiao stared at the three question marks on the screen and typed quickly with her fair fingers. [You brought a lot of things to my house. I was asking you for a favor, so I can¡¯t let you spend any more money on this.] After sending the message, the notification at the top of the chat box said that he was typing. However, he continued typing for three minutes without a reply. After a long time, Qi Shenbai finally sent, [No need.] Just two words after three minutes! Xu Jiaojiao could not help but imagine Qi Shen¡¯s white fingers typing clumsily, and she laughed at the thought. [You¡¯re typing so slowly. Do you not usually chat with others on WeChat?] Immediately after, she sent another message. [I know this bit of money is nothing to you, but my grandmother told me that I can¡¯t take advantage of others, so please accept it, Mr. Qi. Otherwise, I¡¯ll feel guilty.] She even sent a kitten-like cute emoji. This time, Qi Shenbai replied very quickly, [You can repay the favor with food.] Xu Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment before she reacted. [You want me to cook for you to return the favor?] Qi Shenbai: [Yes.] Xu Jiaojiao: [¡­How many meals do I have to cook to pay them back?!] The things he gave her were so expensive! Qi Shenbai: [One year¡¯s worth.] Xu Jiaojiao recalled that the marriage agreement between her and Qi Shenbai was supposed to last for a year as well. In other words, during the duration of the marriage, she would be cooking for him three meals a day. Xu Jiaojiao: [Deal. Tell me in advance what you want to eat. I¡¯ll cook anything and learn anything I don¡¯t know! Satisfaction guaranteed, creditor!] Cooking was too easy for her. Qi Shenbai did not reply. Xu Jiaojiao thought that he might be going to sleep now, so she tactfully did not send another message. Qi Shenbai put down his phone and wiped his wet hair with a towel. Just then, the phone on the coffee table suddenly vibrated. He looked up and saw Dr. Shen¡¯s name. ¡°Mr. Qi, you haven¡¯t come for a follow-up consultation for almost a month.¡± A woman¡¯s calm voice came from the other end of the phone. Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled. ¡°I won¡¯t go again.¡± The woman on the other end of the line was silent. After a while, she guessed, ¡°It seems that you¡¯ve met someone you like.¡± Qi Shenbai did not deny it. ¡°Thank you for your hard work so far, Dr. Shen. I¡¯ll get someone to transfer the fees to your account tomorrow.¡± Dr. Shen chuckled. ¡°Thank you. I wish you happiness.¡± Qi Shenbai hung up the phone and threw his phone on the coffee table. When he looked up, he saw the suit hanging a distance away. The osmanthus flowers in the suit pocket had been taken away, but the fragrance of osmanthus flowers seemed to linger in the air, as did Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s cute, delicate face. His cold face broke into an irrepressible smile. However, when he recalled Old Madam Xu¡¯s words, the smile on his face faded again. ¡°Lil Qi, I single-handedly raised Jiaojiao. No one knows her better than I do. She¡¯s a good child. Even though she¡¯s experienced some bad things, her heart hasn¡¯t changed inside. Every encounter is a stroke of fate. Since you¡¯re together now, you have to cherish such a fated encounter. Don¡¯t wait until you lose it before regretting it.¡± Old Madam Xu did not say much, but every word belied a deeper meaning, as if she knew something. What did she mean when she said that Xu Jiaojiao had experienced some bad things? Qi Shenbai leaned back and crossed his long legs. His deep eyes were filled with curiosity. Jiaojiao seemed to be hiding many secrets, but it did not matter. He had enough patience and time to slowly uncover them. Ever since Qi Shenbai told her to cook to pay off her debts, Xu Jiaojiao would wake up an hour earlier every day to prepare breakfast. No matter how the butler tried to persuade her, she would not give in. The butler could only turn to Qi Shenbai. After all, Xu Jiaojiao was a guest, so it was not good for her to cook. Moreover¡­ If she prepared every meal every day, what was a chef supposed to do? After Qi Shenbai heard this, he did not have much of a reaction. He only said, ¡°She can do whatever she wants. Just work with her.¡± After saying that, he added, ¡°And call her Madam from now on.¡± The butler¡¯s eyes almost popped out of their sockets! When Xu Jiaojiao heard the butler call her Madam, she was so shocked that she almost knocked over the pot of vegetables! She looked at the butler accusingly, and the butler could only look at her innocently. Chapter 33 All Grown Up in the Blink of an Eye Qi Shenbai explained, ¡°What if Grandmother comes over someday and they call you by the wrong name? Our act will be exposed. That¡¯s why I told them to change their terms of address first. You should get used to it, now.¡± Xu Jiaojiao thought about it. Qi Shenbai¡¯s argument made a lot of sense! To think he was so meticulous about these things! Qi Shenbai was very busy with work and often worked overtime or socialized at night. Xu Jiaojiao only had to guarantee his breakfast. Occasionally, he would send Xu Jiaojiao a message when he came back early at night. Xu Jiaojiao would then ask the butler to prepare the ingredients for whatever she wanted to do. She was only responsible for cooking, and someone else would take care of everything else. Unknowingly, the month of August had passed. Before they knew it, it was Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s birthday. Just after dawn, her phone started ringing. Xu Zhengyang and Su Luo had both sent her red packets and birthday blessings. Xu Jiaojiao accepted them one by one and then replied to thank them. Xu Jiaojiao had no classes during the day, so after making breakfast for Qi Shenbai, she went back to sleep. She slept until ten o¡¯clock, then got up, washed up, changed into a white dress, and returned to the Xu family home. Mrs. Xu had called her a week in advance and asked her to come home for dinner on her birthday. Mr. Xu also canceled his work appointments and stayed at home to celebrate her birthday with her. ¡°Your father and I specially picked this out. Happy birthday, baby.¡± Mrs. Xu gave Xu Jiaojiao a luxury backpack. It looked very nice. ¡°Thank you, Dad, Mom¡± Xu Jiaojiao immediately took a fancy to this bag. It was her favorite style! It even matched her little white dress today! ¡°Your grandmother wasn¡¯t feeling well last night. Your father and I told her not to go back and forth,¡± Mrs. Xu explained. Otherwise, Old Madam Xu would definitely be there today. The smile on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face immediately disappeared. ¡°Is Grandma alright? I¡¯ll go and visit her in the afternoon.¡± ¡°No need, no need.¡± Mrs. Xu quickly refused. ¡°She just caught a cold. It¡¯s not a big deal. She didn¡¯t tell you because she was afraid that you would be worried.¡± ¡°But Grandma is¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao wanted to say something but hesitated. Ever since Grandma fell sick, she had never been allowed to visit her in the hospital. ¡°Today is your 20th birthday, but we couldn¡¯t throw a huge party because of your grandmother¡¯s condition. If you end up celebrating your birthday at the hospital, she will feel terribly guilty.¡± Mr. Xu persuaded, ¡°You know how much your grandmother dotes on you. Today is your birthday. If you¡¯re really worried, why don¡¯t you go to the hospital to visit her tomorrow?¡± When Xu Jiaojiao heard her father¡¯s words, she could only nod obediently. In the afternoon, Xu Zhengyang was busy with work and did not come back. Xu Jiaojiao had lunch with her parents, and Mrs. Xu personally made her a cupcake and longevity noodles. Mrs. Xu knew that Xu Jiaojiao had an appointment with a friend to go out and play, so she did not stop her. Instead, she stuffed a credit card into her hands. ¡°Dad, Mom, you¡¯ve already given me a birthday present. I don¡¯t need this card anymore,¡± Xu Jiaojiao refused. She did not want to take any more of her parents¡¯ money. Mr. Xu pressed the credit card into Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s palm. ¡°The bag is a gift, and so is the credit card. We were already very worried that you wouldn¡¯t be staying at home. Although Mr. Qi is your brother¡¯s friend, we can tell from the way he dresses that he¡¯s no Average Joe. You¡¯re staying at his house now, so there are many things you need to spend money on. Be good and take it.¡± He was afraid that Qi Shenbai was too rich, and Xu Jiaojiao would not feel comfortable staying with him. ¡°Dad¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao wanted to say that she did not need to spend money while she was staying with Qi Shenbai, but Mr. Xu interrupted her just as she opened her mouth. ¡°Be good and take it. Besides, aren¡¯t you going out to play with your friend tonight? You need to spend money on these things.¡± Xu Jiaojiao bit her lip and was still hesitating when Mr. Xu added, ¡°It¡¯s your birthday today, so just have fun. Buy whatever you want to buy and eat whatever you like. Don¡¯t think about saving money. This credit card has a limit of 200,000 yuan. If it¡¯s not enough, you can ask Dad for it.¡± In any case, his daughter had already suffered a lot. She was not going to suffer even more because of money! ¡°¡­¡± She suspected that her father had a misunderstanding about university students these days! It was just her birthday. How could she spend so much money?! Mr. and Mrs. Xu walked Xu Jiaojiao to the car and told her to have fun with her friends. At the same time, they reminded her not to drink too much and to be careful. Xu Jiaojiao nodded in agreement to reassure them. The car disappeared from sight. Mrs. Xu sighed. ¡°In the blink of an eye, Jiaojiao is all grown up.¡± Mr. Xu echoed, ¡°That¡¯s right. She¡¯s really grown up so fast.¡± Mrs. Xu thought of something and her eyes were filled with worry. ¡°Do you think Jiaojiao is normal now? Will she¡­?¡± Mr. Xu said with a straight face, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. Jiaojiao has always been a normal girl. Everything that happened in the past was nothing but a coincidence.¡± Mrs. Xu lowered her eyes and did not speak, but she still felt uneasy. Chapter 34 Happy Birthday Su Luo booked a luxurious private room at the same bar from before and ordered a lot of delicious food and drinks. Because she looked too young, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s identity card was checked at the entrance of the bar before she was let in. The waiter brought her into the private room. Su Luo, who had arrived early, immediately pounced on her and hugged her. She said enthusiastically, ¡°Happy 20th birthday, baby!¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at the decorations in the private room. ¡°It¡¯s just a simple birthday. You made it way too grand.¡± There were a lot of flowers and balloons in the private room. ¡°It has to be grand!¡± Su Luo pulled Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand to the sofa. ¡°Today is your 20th birthday, and it¡¯s a once-in-a-lifetime event. You mustn¡¯t have any regrets.¡± She let go of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and pushed the present on the coffee table toward Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°This is my birthday present for you. Happy birthday, Jiaojiao.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled. ¡°Quickly, open it and see if you like it,¡± Su Lu urged. Xu Jiaojiao could feel Su Lu¡¯s excessive enthusiasm. As she opened the packaging, she said suspiciously, ¡°Did you give me something strange?¡± ¡°How is that possible? This is a gift that I¡¯ve carefully chosen!¡± Su Luo said seriously. Xu Jiaojiao opened the box and her eyes lit up when she saw the paint from a foreign brand. ¡°It¡¯s very difficult to buy paint from this brand! I¡¯ve tried to get someone to buy it for me several times, but I could never get it. You actually managed to buy it!¡± Su Luo said proudly, ¡°Of course! Who do you think I am? Buying paint is a cinch for me!¡± Xu Jiaojiao hugged her neck and said sweetly, ¡°Luoluo, you¡¯re too kind. You must have spent a lot of effort to buy this paint.¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t,¡± Su Luo said casually. ¡°I only took two days to go overseas and searched more than ten shops. The most important thing is that you¡¯re happy! You¡¯re the most important thing!¡± As long as Xu Jiaojiao was happy, her trip was not in vain. ¡°Thank you, Luoluo.¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her head and thanked her sincerely. Although they had not known each other for long, she could feel that Su Luo was sincere towards her. Su Luo was not used to the emotional atmosphere. She giggled and said, ¡°Alright, alright. Don¡¯t seduce me with such a gaze. I can¡¯t marry you no matter how much you look at me like that.¡± ¡°Hmph, who¡¯s seducing you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao snorted. She picked up the paint and saw that there were a few books underneath. The books were completely pink and strangely girly. ¡°What are these?¡± A sly look flashed past Su Luo¡¯s eyes. ¡°I saw these when I was looking for your gift. I actually bought a few books for you to broaden your horizons.¡± ¡°Is this a tutorial for storybook illustrations?¡± Xu Jiaojiao guessed as she flipped open the book. However, when she flipped to the first page, her small face immediately blushed. ¡°Luoluo! Why did you buy this for me?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± Su Luo smiled evilly. ¡°You¡¯re already 20 years old, and you can get legally married. Besides, this is just a slightly explicit comic. It¡¯s far from the real adult world. If you can¡¯t even stand this, what will you do in the future?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it. Take it back and read it for yourself.¡± Xu Jiaojiao stuffed the manga into Su Luo¡¯s arms. Although she had taken sex education classes, she had never seen naughty movies, erotica, or shady comics, so she was still very shy about sex. ¡°I¡¯ve already read them all,¡± Su Luo said. ¡°??!¡± ¡°I bought two sets.¡± Su Luo held up two fingers. ¡°How can I not buy a set for myself when it¡¯s so interesting?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao still wanted to refuse, but Su Luo stuffed the comic book into her bag. ¡°Alright, take it back first. Who knows, you might want to read it one day.¡± After saying that, she changed the topic. ¡°Have you sent the bar¡¯s address to your brother?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯ll be here soon,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t have many friends. You don¡¯t have to book such a big private room. It¡¯s too wasteful.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do!¡± Su Luo put her arm around Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We can have fewer people, but the space can¡¯t be small. Otherwise, that annoying Lu Huan will mock you again if she finds out.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what they say about me.¡± Just as Xu Jiaojiao finished speaking, the door of the private room was pushed open and a gentle voice sounded, ¡°Jiaojiao¡­¡± ¡°What the f*ck?!¡± Su Luo stood up abruptly and leaped in front of Xu Jiaojiao. She said angrily, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Lu Zhuo¡¯s gaze swept past Su Luo and finally landed on Xu Jiaojiao. There was a gentle smile on his lips as he said, ¡°Jiaojiao, today is your birthday. I specially came over to celebrate it with you.¡± He was holding a bag from a famous jewelry brand in his hand. It was obvious that he had prepared a birthday present for Xu Jiaojiao. Chapter 35 Uninvited Guest ¡°Hah.¡± Su Luo sneered. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you so enthusiastic about celebrating Jiaojiao¡¯s birthday before, but you¡¯re taking the initiative this year. Do you have a guilty conscience, or are you up to no good?¡± ¡°Su Luo,¡± Lu Zhuo said, ¡°it¡¯s Jiaojiao¡¯s birthday today. I don¡¯t want to quarrel with you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to quarrel with you either, but I booked this private room. You¡¯re not welcome here. Please leave.¡± Su Luo pointed at the door. Lu Zhuo stood still, his gaze fixed on Xu Jiaojiao, who was blocked from his sight. ¡°If you still refuse to leave, I¡¯ll call security.¡± Su Luo did not have much patience. Xu Jiaojiao tugged at the corner of her shirt. ¡°Luoluo¡­¡± Su Luo lowered her head to look at her and coaxed her in a child-like tone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here. I won¡¯t let him bully you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled. ¡°He can¡¯t bully me. Let me talk to him.¡± Su Luo could not stand to say no to Xu Jiaojiao. Although she was worried, she still moved aside and crossed her arms as she glared at Lu Zhuo. If he dared to do anything, she would blow his head off! When Lu Zhuo saw that Xu Jiaojiao was willing to talk to him, a smile appeared on his face. ¡°Jiaojiao, happy birthday.¡± Xu Jiaojiao opened her mouth and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± However, she did not accept the gift he handed her. Seeing this, Lu Zhuo repeated, ¡°Jiaojiao, this is a gift I specially chose for you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not even look at him. ¡°I¡¯ll accept your blessings, but there¡¯s no need for a gift.¡± Lu Zhuo¡¯s smile froze, but he maintained it and said softly, ¡°Jiaojiao, are you still angry? I was wrong last time. I apologize. Don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± If it was the old Xu Jiaojiao, she would have forgiven Lu Zhuo the moment he opened his mouth. However, the current Xu Jiaojiao did not want that. She was clearly very unhappy and displeased, so she did not want to endure it and say that it was fine. If she blindly gave in and tolerated him, she would only lose herself. ¡°Lu Zhuo, you don¡¯t have to apologize to me anymore. I accepted your apology last time, and our engagement has been annulled. We don¡¯t owe each other anything.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s tone was indifferent. There was no resentment or reluctance, as if she was facing a stranger. Lu Zhuo could no longer maintain the smile on his face. He glanced at Su Luo, who was watching the show, and said in a low voice, ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡¯ve already explained and apologized to you. What else do you want me to do?¡± Xu Jiaojiao frowned. She felt that she could not communicate with Lu Zhuo. Most importantly, Lu Zhuo did not seem to understand what she saying! Or rather, he did not want to understand at all! ¡°Lu Zhuo, I¡¯m already married.¡± Helpless, Xu Jiaojiao could only try to spell things out clearer. ¡°I have a husband now. It¡¯s not appropriate for you to pester me like this.¡± Lu Zhuo sneered. ¡°You¡¯re married? To whom? The pretty boy that you pulled over at the last minute to make up the numbers? Are you really willing to be with that kind of man? Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s filthy?¡± Su Luo, who had been watching from the sidelines, suddenly widened her eyes. What did Lu Zhuo mean? Did he just call Qi Shenbai filthy? What the f*ck?! Was there something wrong with his brain?! ¡°Lu Zhuo!¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice finally wavered. ¡°Please show some respect!¡± ¡°To whom?¡± Lu Zhuo¡¯s eyes were filled with mockery. ¡°That pretty boy? How much did you spend? Or did Su Luo find him for you? Look at all the nonsense she instilled in your brain¡­¡± ¡°Lu Zhuo, you f*cking¡­¡± Su Luo was about to stand up and curse Lu Zhuo out ¡ª when a black shadow suddenly rushed in from outside the private room and gave Lu Zhuo a vicious kick ! Lu Zhuo was caught off guard and fell to the ground pathetically. Before he could react, the person had already grabbed his collar and raised his arm to slap him. Xu Jiaojiao and Su Luo were shocked by this sudden scene. Their eyes widened. Lu Zhuo fell to the ground after being slapped. He turned around and met Xu Zhengyang¡¯s angry eyes. In an instant, his anger surged. ¡°Xu Zhengyang, are you crazy?!¡± Xu Zhengyang sneered. ¡°Lu Zhuo, how do you still have the nerve to appear in front of Jiaojiao?¡± Before he could finish his sentence, he landed another punch on Lu Zhuo¡¯s face. ¡°I f*cking told you not to let me see you again, or else I¡¯ll beat you up!¡± Lu Zhuo was also enraged. He turned around and started fighting with Xu Zhengyang. When Xu Zhengyang took a punch, Xu Jiaojiao came back to her senses and stepped forward worriedly. ¡°Brother¡­¡± ¡°Stand there and don¡¯t move.¡± Xu Zhengyang glanced at Xu Jiaojiao and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He looked utterly unruly. ¡°Today, I¡¯ll kill this scumbag for you!¡± ¡°Brother¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao wanted to step forward, but Su Luo held her back. ¡°Don¡¯t go over, or you might accidentally injure yourself.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was at a loss as she stopped in her tracks. By now, Xu Zhengyang and Lu Zhuo were already locked in an all-out brawl. Chapter 36 Another Trip to the Police Station Xu Zhengyang and Lu Zhuo punched and kicked each other, and the things in the private room were soon smashed to pieces. Su Luo was afraid of being accidentally injured, so she pulled Xu Jiaojiao to the side to hide. When Xu Jiaojiao saw Xu Zhengyang getting beaten up, her heart burned with anxiety. ¡°Brother, be careful¡­¡± Out of the corner of his eye, Lu Zhuo saw Xu Jiaojiao looking at Xu Zhengyang with a face full of worry. She did not even look at him, which made him even angrier, and his punches became harder. The commotion in the private room was very loud, and it did not take long for the bar¡¯s security guards to arrive, as did the police. The four of them were brought to the police station. Because Xu Zhengyang was the one who started the fight, he was severely criticized by the police. Moreover, they had to see if Lu Zhuo would press charges. If he did, Xu Zhengyang might be detained. Lu Huan came with her parents. When she saw Xu Jiaojiao, she said sarcastically, ¡°My brother went to celebrate your birthday out of goodwill, but you guys attacked him. You guys are really uneducated!¡± Lu Zhuo¡¯s parents also looked at Xu Jiaojiao coldly before walking over to look for Lu Zhuo. Su Luo had just finished recording her statement when she heard Lu Huan¡¯s words. She retorted rudely, ¡°If you¡¯re so well-mannered, why are you barking at the police station? Do you think you¡¯re a dog?!¡± Lu Huan¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Su Luo, watch your mouth!¡± Su Luo wanted to retaliate, but Xu Jiaojiao interrupted her. ¡°Luoluo, forget it. There¡¯s no need to waste your breath on such a person.¡± Lu Huan was a brainless idiot. There was no point in arguing with her. Lu Huan obviously did not feel Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s disdain for her. She thought that Xu Jiaojiao was afraid of her and said smugly, ¡°Xu Zhengyang dared to hit my brother! Just watch. We won¡¯t let it go so easily!¡± Upon hearing this, Su Luo instantly panicked. ¡°Jiaojiao, what should we do? If the Lu family wants to pursue the matter, will your brother go to jail? Should we inform your parents?¡± Compared to Lu Huan¡¯s panic, Xu Jiaojiao was much calmer. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my brother won¡¯t go to jail.¡± Su Luo was uneasy. ¡°But what if that scumbag Lu Zhuo presses charges against Xu Zhengyang?¡± Xu Jiaojiao held her hand. ¡°Trust me, Luoluo. If I say my brother won¡¯t go to jail, he won¡¯t go to jail.¡± Lu Zhuo was beaten up quite badly. His originally handsome face was bruised and there were many wounds on his body. His arm was also dislocated. Mrs. Lu¡¯s heart ached when she saw Lu Zhuo being beaten up like this. ¡°Xu Zhengyang is too much. We can¡¯t let this matter go just like that. We have to sue them!¡± Mr. Lu stood at the side and did not say anything, but it was obvious that he agreed with Mrs. Lu. Lu Huan added fuel to the fire. ¡°That Xu Zhengyang was a hooligan to begin with. He was a thug who thought that he could be superior to others just because he entered the Qi Group. Hehe, old dogs can¡¯t change their ways.¡± Lu Zhuo was already in a bad mood after being beaten up. When he heard their words, he became even more frustrated. He stood up and was about to leave when his mother hurriedly caught up with him. ¡°Lu Zhuo, slow down. Mommy will take you to the hospital for a checkup. Don¡¯t worry, Mommy will definitely seek justice for you.¡± Just as she said that, the two of them happened to bump into Xu Zhengyang, who had just come out of the interrogation room. Xu Jiaojiao and Su Luo were standing at the side, and they had obviously heard their conversation. Xu Zhengyang¡¯s unruly eyes swept across Lu Zhuo as he sneered in disdain. Lu Zhuo frowned. Before he could speak, Mrs. Lu started yelling at him, ¡°Xu Zhengyang, what¡¯s with your attitude? You¡¯re still so arrogant after you hit someone!¡± ¡°I hit someone?¡± Xu Zhengyang smirked. ¡°When did I hit someone?¡± Mrs. Lu was stunned. Just as she was about to accuse Xu Zhengyang of shirking his responsibility, she heard Xu Zhengyang casually say, ¡°I only hit a dog, a heartless dog!¡± Mrs. Lu was so angry that her face turned red. ¡°Is that how your parents taught you?! You uneducated cur!¡± ¡°They only taught me to be polite to people, not rabid animals,¡± Xu Zhengyang retaliated with a smile. ¡°You little¡­!¡± Mrs. Lu was so angry that she could not speak. Lu Zhuo¡¯s expression was gloomy as he said, ¡°Xu Zhengyang, stop before you go too far. I only chose not to retaliate because of Jiaojiao. Don¡¯t push your luck.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Xu Zhengyang laughed coldly. ¡°If you can¡¯t win, just say you can¡¯t win. Why are you dragging my sister into this? If you don¡¯t want to admit defeat, then fight me again. I promise I won¡¯t beat you to death!¡± ¡°Xu Zhengyang!¡± When Mrs. Lu heard that Xu Zhengyang still wanted to fight, she quickly stood in front of Lu Zhuo to protect him. ¡°We are cultured and educated people. Just wait for our lawyer¡¯s letter!¡± Although Xu Zhengyang¡¯s face was also injured, he held himself proudly. He somehow looked even more handsome and bad*ss with the injury. Faced with Mrs. Wu¡¯s threat, he only scoffed. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll wait. If you don¡¯t sue me, you really are a dog.¡± Chapter 37 I Didn¡¯t Get into a Fight ¡°Just you wait! I won¡¯t stop even if your mother begs me in tears!¡± Mrs. Lu was furious. Xu Zhengyang was unmoved. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, whoever begs you is a dog. Is your lawyer any good? If not, I¡¯ll introduce you to one¡­¡± Lu Zhuo pulled his mother, who was trembling in anger, behind him and looked at Xu Zhengyang viciously. ¡°Do you have to do this? Do you have to ruin the relationship between our two families?¡± The smile on Xu Zhengyang¡¯s face gradually disappeared. ¡°When you abandoned my sister to go to another woman on the day of the wedding, our families had already broken up.¡± Lu Zhuo said, ¡°I¡¯ve explained everything to Jiaojiao. It¡¯s a misunderstanding. Back then, I¡­¡± Before Lu Zhuo could finish, Xu Zhengyang interrupted him. He said through gritted teeth, ¡°I don¡¯t care about your reasons! No decent human being would abandon the bride on the day of the wedding! You can look down on our family and ignore our reputation, but you can¡¯t just trample over Jiaojiao¡¯s feelings! Have you f*cking thought about how my sister had to face a wedding without the groom? Can you imagine how many people would¡¯ve pointed fingers at her?! How many people would¡¯ve laughed at her!¡± Lu Zhuo was taken aback and did not know how to retort. He looked at Xu Jiaojiao with guilt in his eyes. Xu Jiaojiao tugged Xu Zhengyang¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Brother, forget it. It¡¯s all in the past now.¡± She did not want her brother to be angry about the past. Mrs. Lu did not think that Lu Zhuo was in the wrong. She grabbed Lu Zhuo¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the hospital. There¡¯s no need to talk to them.¡± In the end, Lu Zhuo was forcibly dragged away. He kept turning his head and staring at Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao lowered her head and did not even look at him. Instead, she looked at Xu Zhengyang worriedly. ¡°Brother, are you alright? Are you hurt?¡± Although Xu Zhengyang had beaten Lu Zhuo up one-sidedly, Lu Zhuo had also retaliated. Xu Zhengyang smiled. ¡°No, I¡¯ve been through hundreds of battles. I¡¯m invincible.¡± ¡°¡­Then when Mom and Dad scold you later, don¡¯t ask me for help.¡± Xu Zhengyang choked and rubbed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head furiously. ¡°You¡¯re disloyal! I¡¯m helping you get your revenge, yet you¡¯re abandoning me!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you to hit anyone.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted, feeling both heartache and helplessness. ¡°How old are you? You still get into fights at the drop of a hat. You have to change that habit.¡± ¡°I disagree,¡± Xu Zhengyang answered without hesitation. ¡°Someone bullied my sister, so I have to beat him up!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Although Xu Jiaojiao felt exasperated, she was also very touched. Su Luo gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Xu Zhengyang, you did well! A scumbag like Lu Zhuo deserves a beating!¡± Xu Jiaojiao glanced at her from the corner of her eye. ¡°Now you¡¯re praising him. Who was the one who was worried that my brother would go to jail just now?¡± Su Luo was stunned, and her expression was slightly unnatural. ¡°I wasn¡¯t worried about him! I¡¯m worried about you, okay¡­?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s lips twitched. She did not believe Su Luo at all. Meanwhile, Xu Zhengyang did not take their conversation to heart. He only glanced at his right hand. Because he had beaten Lu Zhuo up too hard, his right hand had also been bruised. ¡°It¡¯s over. My poor, precious hand¡­¡± He was the person in charge of the Qi Group¡¯s technical department and usually relied on his hand to make a living. Now that his hand was injured, his heart naturally ached. ¡°I¡¯ll go buy some medicine for you. Your wound isn¡¯t that serious. You¡¯ll be fine after applying medicine for two days.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was about to go out to buy medicine when a group of people walked in from the entrance of the police station. At the front was Qi Shenbai, who was wearing a custom-made suit. Behind him was Pei Yan and a few unfamiliar faces that Xu Jiaojiao did not recognize. When Qi Shenbai saw Xu Jiaojiao, he walked straight toward her, abandoning the people behind him. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Qi Shenbai stood in front of Xu Jiaojiao, his dark eyes observing her up and down nervously. Xu Jiaojiao shook her head in confusion. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Qi Shenbai did not answer immediately. Instead, he glanced at Xu Zhengyang, who was not far away. ¡°My friend informed me that the young friend I had picked up last time was taken away by the police because of a fight.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Only then did she remember that the bar was owned by Qi Shenbai¡¯s friend. Did he think that she had gotten into a fight and was sent to the police station? She raised her hand and pointed at Xu Zhengyang. ¡°I didn¡¯t get into a fight. It¡¯s my brother¡­¡± At this moment, Xu Zhengyang also sauntered over lazily. ¡°Qi Shenbai, why did you bring so many people here? You even brought the Qi Corporation¡¯s legal team.¡± The man in a blue suit and rimless glasses standing behind Qi Shenbai nodded slightly as a greeting. Chapter 38 Why are You Here? Qi Shenbai¡¯s thin lips parted slightly. ¡°To bail you out.¡± Xu Zhengyang raised his eyebrows and looked at Xu Jiaojiao meaningfully. Then, he looked at the calm Qi Shenbai and said lazily, ¡°Since when did Mr. Qi care so much about his subordinates?¡± Bailing him out? Did Qi Shenbai think that he had not heard their conversation? Qi Shenbai frowned and glanced at Xu Zhengyang without saying anything. Pei Yan explained from the side, ¡°Manager Xu, you¡¯re the manager of the Qi Group¡¯s technology department. If you get into the news because of a fight, it will reflect badly on the group.¡± Xu Zhengyang scoffed. ¡°Oh? Is that so?¡± Xu Jiaojiao vaguely felt that there was something wrong with the atmosphere, but she could not quite understand why. On the other hand, Su Luo quietly moved closer to Xu Jiaojiao and whispered excitedly, ¡°Jiaojiao, your husband is so handsome! He¡¯s really handsome!¡± The corners of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Watch it, he¡¯s not my husband¡­¡± Su Lu acted as if she did not hear her. Her eyes seemed to glow as she looked at Qi Shenbai. ¡°¡­¡± Forget it. In any case, Su Lu would not be able to hear anything she said now. She was infatuated! Qi Shenbai did not like being ogled by a woman like this, but because Su Lu was Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s friend, he suppressed his displeasure and asked, ¡°Have you settled everything?¡± This question was directed at Xu Jiaojiao, who nodded. ¡°I¡¯m off work. Shall we go home together?¡± Because Xu Zhengyang was also there, Qi Shenbai was not sure if Xu Jiaojiao would follow him back to Qingshui Villa. Xu Jiaojiao did not answer immediately. Instead, she glanced at Su Luo and Xu Zhengyang. Su Luo came back to her senses and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, you haven¡¯t eaten your cake or taken your gift. Are you going back with your husband now?¡± Xu Jiaojiao blushed. ¡°I told you he¡¯s not¡­¡± Before he could finish his explanation, Qi Shenbai¡¯s gaze suddenly darkened. ¡°Is today your birthday?¡± Before Xu Jiaojiao could answer, Su Luo quickly said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Today is Jiaojiao¡¯s 20th birthday. I specially reserved a private room for her to celebrate. Unfortunately, it was ruined by that scumbag Lu Zhuo.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s deep eyes shifted away from Xu Jiaojiao as he instructed Pei Yan and the rest, ¡°You guys go back first.¡± Pei Yan and the lawyers turned around and left the police station. Qi Shenbai lowered his head. When he looked at Xu Jiaojiao again, his gaze softened. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s go back to the bar to celebrate your birthday first. After that, we¡¯ll go home together.¡± The few of them returned to the bar. The messy private room had already been cleaned up, and the waiter brought them upstairs. The door of the private room was pushed open, and just as Xu Jiaojiao was about to enter, a bang suddenly sounded in the dark private room, followed by a chorus of ¡°Happy Birthday!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was startled and fell into Qi Shenbai¡¯s arms as she stepped back. Qi Shenbai¡¯s slender fingers rested on her shoulders, and his dark eyes swept across the men and women in the private room. He frowned slightly and comforted her in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Xu Jiaojiao composed herself and looked at Su Luo. ¡°???¡± Su Luo looked embarrassed. She touched the tip of her nose and revealed an innocent smile. ¡°These are all my friends. They¡¯re here to celebrate your birthday.¡± Xu Jiaojiao finally understood why Su Luo had booked such a big private room. It turned out that she had called her friends over. ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at the men and women in front of her. They were all from Luo City¡¯s rich second-generation circle. A few of them looked familiar and knew Xu Zhengyang. However, their gazes were all focused on Qi Shenbai, especially the girls. Their eyes were glued to Qi Shenbai, and their faces were red. Xu Jiaojiao thought of something and stood between Qi Shenbai and the others. She smiled and said, ¡°Thank you, everyone, for coming to celebrate my birthday. Please take a seat.¡± Xu Zhengyang was thirsty, so he went in first to pick up his wine glass and drain it in one gulp while Su Luo greeted her friends. Xu Jiaojiao turned around and looked at Qi Shenbai, her clear eyes filled with worry. ¡°Are you alright? If you¡¯re not feeling well, you can go back first.¡± Qi Shenbai glanced at the chaotic crowd in the private room and his Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. Although he felt a little uncomfortable, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s concern made him feel that it was not unbearable. He said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Xu Jiaojiao heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Alright, then remember to tell me if you¡¯re feeling unwell. Also, I¡¯ll compensate your friend for the things that my brother broke during the fight.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Qi Shenbai raised his hand and reached for the top of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head. Chapter 39 My Wife Xu Jiaojiao thought that he was going to rub her head, so she subconsciously avoided him. In the end, Qi Shenbai only took away the confetti on her hair and said without changing his expression, ¡°Take it as my friend¡¯s birthday gift to you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment before she realized that she had overreacted. Her cheeks were a little hot as she said, ¡°No need, he doesn¡¯t know me.¡± ¡°He¡¯s been busy recently. When he has more time, I¡¯ll introduce him to you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, either!¡± She answered without hesitation. The first time she came to the bar, she had caused the owner to be taken away for questioning by the police. The second time she came, she had broken the things in the private room and attracted the police again. Even if the bar owner did not hold a grudge against her, she would be embarrassed. Qi Shenbai could tell that Xu Jiaojiao was hiding her embarrassment, so he pursed his thin lips. Xu Jiaojiao scratched her ear awkwardly. When she saw Xu Zhengyang drinking one glass after another, she walked over and said, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re injured. You can¡¯t drink.¡± Xu Zhengyang looked nonchalant. ¡°You call this an injury? Oh right, today is your birthday. I haven¡¯t wished you a happy birthday yet.¡± After saying that, he handed a glass of fruit juice to Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Happy birthday to our Jiaojiao. Many happy returns of the day.¡± ¡°Thank you, Big Brother.¡± A smile appeared on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s fair and tender face. She took the wine glass from Xu Zhengyang¡¯s hand and replaced it with fruit juice. ¡°But you¡¯re injured. Don¡¯t drink.¡± Xu Zhengyang had no choice but to sigh. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s your birthday today. You¡¯re the boss.¡± After drinking the juice, he took out a box from his pocket and handed it to Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Here, a birthday present.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you send me a red packet?¡± ¡°You have to give out red packets and presents.¡± Xu Zhengyang rubbed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head. ¡°Whatever other people have, our Jiaojiao has to have it too. In fact, you gotta have twice the amount.¡± ¡°Thank you, Big Brother.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not stand on ceremony with him. She opened the gift box and saw a pair of snowflake-shaped diamond earrings inside. They looked very nice. Qi Shenbai watched from afar as Xu Zhengyang¡¯s palm landed on top of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head. His eyes quietly darkened. Su Luo circled around Xu Zhengyang and Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Xu Zhengyang, you¡¯ve done everything that Jiaojiao¡¯s husband should do. What about her husband?¡± Xu Jiaojiao glared at Su Luo. ¡°Luoluo, don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care what he does.¡± Xu Zhengyan glanced at Qi Shenbai, then took out a diamond earring and helped Xu Jiaojiao put it on. ¡°My sister is so pretty!¡± Xu Jiaojiao touched her ear stud and smiled. ¡°Thank you, Big Brother.¡± The atmosphere between the siblings was clearly harmonious, but most of the people around them were still focused on Qi Shenbai. They had also heard about Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s wedding, but they did not expect the man Xu Jiaojiao had pulled over at the last minute to be so handsome! Moreover, was this man really not a celebrity? He was way too good-looking! Qi Shenbai¡¯s handsome features did not change in the face of everyone¡¯s complicated and inquisitive expressions, allowing them to size him up. At this moment, the phone in his pocket vibrated. Qi Shenbai looked at the caller ID and said to Xu Jiaojiao, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a call.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded and watched as Qi Shenbai walked out of the private room. She secretly pinched Su Luo¡¯s arm and reminded her, ¡°If you continue to spout nonsense, I won¡¯t be friends with you anymore.¡± Su Luo raised her hands in surrender. ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. Little birthday girl, come and take a look at your gifts.¡± Although the people present weren¡¯t familiar with Xu Jiaojiao, since Su Luo and Xu Zhengyang around, they had also brought gifts. The moment Qi Shenbai walked out of the private room, he saw Xu Jiaojiao surrounded by people. Her face was full of smiles, like the sun that would never set. ¡°Hello¡­¡± Qi Shenbai picked up the phone. The man¡¯s magnetic voice came from the other end of the phone. ¡°Qi Shenbai, what¡¯s your relationship with that young lady? As soon as you heard that she was taken away by the police, you rushed over. I heard from Pei Yan that you even interrupted the international conference.¡± Qi Shenbai said, ¡°She¡¯s my wife, the person who will hold my hand for the rest of my life in the future.¡± The person on the other end of the line fell silent. ¡°¡­¡± Qi Shenbai hung up the call and walked towards the private room. Before he could walk over, he saw Xu Jiaojiao coming out of the private room. When Xu Jiaojiao saw him, her eyes lit up. ¡°You¡¯re done with the call?¡± Qi Shenbai nodded as his gaze fell on the box in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°My parents called to drag my brother back home. I¡¯m not familiar with the other people inside, so I want to go back first.¡± It was true that Xu Jiaojiao was not familiar with those people. Besides, they were into drinking and playing bar games. She did not know how to do any of that. Chapter 40 I¡¯ll Teach You ¡°Then let¡¯s go home,¡± Qi Shenbai said and moved to take the boxes from Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hands. Xu Jiaojiao quickly avoided him. ¡°No need, no need. They¡¯re not heavy.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s brows furrowed, but he did not insist. Xu Jiaojiao looked gentle and friendly, but she always kept a safe distance from people she was not familiar with. Xu Jiaojiao followed Qi Shenbai out of the bar. When they passed by the stairs, Xu Jiaojiao did not pay attention and missed a step. She lost control and was about to fall forward. Qi Shenbai quickly grabbed her arm and forcefully pulled her into his arms. His large palm firmly held the back of her head, as if he wanted to press her into his chest. For a moment, the world seemed to have quietened down. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart was pounding, and the faint wooden fragrance of Qi Shenbai¡¯s body spread out from the tip of her nose, enveloping her along with the evening breeze. Qi Shenbai lowered his head and looked at the little head in his arms. His strong arms held her soft little body. She was hidden in his arms, so obedient that it made him want to ravage her. Xu Jiaojiao was the first to react and took a step back. Qi Shenbai naturally let go of her, but the emptiness in his arms made him purse his thin lips. ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s curly eyelashes trembled slightly. The moment she met Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes, she quickly lowered her head. Qi Shenbai did not say anything. His gaze fell on the boxes on the ground. The things inside had fallen out, along with a few books. He strode forward with his slender legs and bent down to pick up the box before picking up the books again. Xu Jiaojiao turned around and saw that Qi Shenbai¡¯s hand was about to touch the erotic comics. She stopped him with a panicked expression. ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­¡± Unfortunately, it was already too late. The wind mischievously blew open a page of the book. When Qi Shen¡¯s fair fingers picked up the comic, he noticed that it was not an ordinary book. There were drawings of men and women entangled together in it, and sound effects to boot. Xu Jiaojiao rushed down and snatched the comic back, hiding it behind her back. Her face was red as she said, ¡°T-This isn¡¯t mine. I¡¯m keeping it for Luoluo.¡± After saying that, she licked her lips and looked at Qi Shenbai pitifully, as if she was asking him if he believed her. Qi Shen¡¯s eyes darkened without batting an eyelid. His gaze lingered on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s rosy lips for a moment before he nodded gently. ¡°Okay.¡± So he believed her? Xu Jiaojiao was in disbelief. ¡°But you¡¯re still young. These things aren¡¯t suitable for you. I¡¯ll keep them for you first,¡± Qi Shenbai said slowly. ¡°Ah?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment before she shook her head. ¡°No need, no need. This isn¡¯t mine¡­¡± Unfortunately, Qi Shenbai¡¯s attitude was firm and there was no room for negotiation. ¡°Either I keep it safe, or I tell your brother.¡± At the thought of Xu Zhengyang¡¯s reaction when he saw the comic, Xu Jiaojiao decisively said, ¡°Then you keep it!¡± Qi Shenbai stretched out his hand in front of Xu Jiaojiao. Feeling embarrassed, Xu Jiaojiao slowly took out the comic. Qi Shenbai picked up the things on the ground and placed them in the box. As for the comics, he held them in his hand. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but mutter, ¡°I¡¯m already 20 years old. It¡¯s not a big deal even if I do read this stuff.¡± Her voice was very soft, but Qi Shen¡¯s ears were pretty good, so he still heard her. He turned to look at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s red face and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to read this stuff.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked up. Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice was magnetic and gentle. ¡°Someone will teach you in the future.¡± He would teach her, all of it. Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai returned to Qingshui Villa. She carried her suitcase back to her room, while Qi Shenbai brought the naughty comics to his bedroom. As soon as Xu Jiaojiao put down her things, Su Luo called her. Naturally, she asked where Xu Jiaojiao had gone. Xu Jiaojiao apologized to her and told her to have fun. When Su Luo found out that Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai had gone back first, not only was she not angry, she was actually quite delighted. She kept telling Xu Jiaojiao to seize the opportunity and strive to win Qi Shenbai over as soon as possible, body and heart! Xu Jiaojiao could not help but laugh. ¡°Luoluo, did you drink too much? You¡¯re spouting nonsense again!¡± Su Luo said, ¡°I can hold my liquor very well! I won¡¯t get drunk even if I drink a thousand glasses!¡± ¡°Yes, yes. You¡¯re the best, Miss Su! Just don¡¯t drive tonight. Let the driver pick you up or call a designated driver.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Su Luo replied and then said seriously, ¡°Jiaojiao, happy birthday. I hope you¡¯ll always be happy.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt a warmth in her heart as she nodded firmly. Just as she hung up, there was a knock on the door. Xu Jiaojiao turned to look at the door. ¡°Please come in.¡± Qi Shenbai pushed open the door with a wooden tray in his hand. Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Happy 20th Birthday Chapter 41: Happy 20th Birthday Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao got up and saw that there was a bowl of plain noodles on the tray. There was even a poached egg on top. Qi Shenbai placed the tray on the coffee table and glanced at the time on the wall. The day was not over yet. ¡°Here, your birthday noodles. Eat up.¡± Xu Jiaojiao walked to the sofa and sat down. She glanced at the noodles and then at him. ¡°Did you ask the chef to cook these noodles?¡± Qi Shenbai did not confirm or deny it. He only said calmly, ¡°Eat it while it¡¯s still hot.¡± ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao picked up her chopsticks and put the noodles into her mouth. The next second, she frowned slightly. Qi Shenbai could tell that something was wrong. ¡°Does it taste bad?¡± Xu Jiaojiao swallowed the noodles in her mouth and shook her head. ¡°No, it just doesn¡¯t taste the same as usual.¡± The chef¡¯s cooking was like their personality mild and light. However, today¡¯s noodles were surprisingly a little salty. An imperceptible awkwardness flashed across Qi Shenbai¡¯s handsome face. He coughed and said lightly, ¡°Don¡¯t eat too much of it, then. You¡¯ll get indigestion if you eat too much at night. Birthday noodles are mostly symbolic, anyway.¡± Before Xu Jiaojiao could say anything, Qi Shenbai continued. ¡°Jiaojiao¡­¡± ¡°Is something the matter?¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned to look at him, her clear eyes full of questions. Qi Shenbai¡¯s gaze turned deeper. With his thin lips, he said in a low and melodious voice, ¡°Happy 20th birthday.¡± With that, the man turned around and strode away. Xu Jiaojiao was still in a daze. She had even forgotten to thank him. Her heart was racing, and her entire face began to turn red. After a long time, she put down her chopsticks and reached out to pinch her own face. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, don¡¯t let your imagination run wild. He¡¯s just your brother¡¯s friend! You¡¯re only staying here for a year!¡± She tossed and turned in bed until two in the morning, but she just could not sleep. When she heard footsteps coming from downstairs, she put on her shoes and walked out of the room in confusion. Just as she reached the stairs, she saw a depressed Xu Zhengyang walk into the living room and lying down on the sofa. ¡°Brother? It¡¯s so late. Should you be at home? Why are you here?¡± She quickly walked downstairs. Xu Zhengyang curled up on the couch and sighed as he looked at the light above his head. ¡°1 don¡¯t wanna talk about it. There¡¯s no place for me in that house anymore.¡± Even if he did not say it, Xu Jiaojiao could figure out the reason why. Their parents must have kicked him out of the house. That night, Xu Zhengyang had beaten up Lu Zhuo at the bar. The Lu Family would definitely not take this lying down, so they must have confronted Xu Zhengyang¡¯s parents and demanded an explanation. The truth was, Mr. and Mrs. Xu were not angry at their son because he had hit Lu Zhuo. They were angry that he could not control his temper and attacked the man in public. If the Lu Family insisted on making him pay, it was not impossible for him to go to jail. Xu Jiaojiao made him a cup of honey water and sat beside him, pinching his arm. ¡°It¡¯s your fault for being so rash!¡± Xu Zhengyang turned his head and rolled his eyes at her. ¡°1 did it for you, you ungrateful brat.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you not to do it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao handed the honey water over and said in her bright voice, ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t have done it in front of so many people. Even if you want to teach him a lesson, you should sneak up on him and throw a sack over his head. Then, once you¡¯ve beaten him to your heart¡¯s content, you can casually throw him into a small alley far away from prying eyes. That way, he won¡¯t be able to find the culprit no matter how hard he tries.¡± Qi Shenbai happened to hear Xu Jiaojiao suppressed voice just as he walked out of his room. He was stunned. He had thought the girl was a harmless little white rabbit, but little did he know that she was a feisty one when cornered. Xu Zhengyang¡¯s eyes instantly lit up, and he praised her. ¡°As expected of my sister. You¡¯re a nasty one, just like me!¡± Qi Shenbai was speechless. Was ¡°nasty¡± a compliment these days? Xu Jiaojiao blinked. ¡®I was just joking. Why are you taking it so seriously?¡¯ ¡°Do you really want to go to jail?¡± said a deep voice suddenly. The siblings subconsciously looked in the direction of the voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Qi. Did we speak too loudly?¡± Xu Jiaojiao stood up and asked apologetically. Qi Shenbai glanced at Xu Zhengyang, who was slumped on the sofa like a spineless layabout. Then he turned to Xu Jiaojiao and said gently, ¡°You should sleep early. Don¡¯t you have school tomorrow?¡± When Xu Jiaojiao heard this, she looked at Xu Zhengyang with a worried expression on her face. Xu Zhengyan waved his hand. ¡°He¡¯s right, hurry up and go to sleep. I¡¯m perfectly fine.¡± It was getting way too late.. Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: You Wont Even Spare Me Some Honey Water Chapter 42: You Won¡¯t Even Spare Me Some Honey Water Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s worries were finally allayed. ¡°Brother, don¡¯t worry. As long as I¡¯m around, I won¡¯t let Lu Zhuo hurt you.¡± ¡°As if he could ever hurt me!¡± Just the mention of Lu Zhuo ticked Xu Zhengyang off, but there were some things he could not say in front of his sister. All he could do was smirk. ¡°Children should not get involved in adult matters. All you have to do is focus on your studies and eat well.¡± Xu Jiaojiao gave him a look of annoyance. She was only a few years younger than him, so how could he call her a child? After Xu Jiaojiao returned to her room and closed the door, Qi Shenbai kicked Xu Zhengyang in the leg. ¡°The lawyer will take care of the Lu Family for you tomorrow. Get out of my house right now.¡± Xu Zhengyang stood up for himself for once. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. 1 can handle it myself.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Qi Shenbai scoffed. ¡°Get Jiaojiao to beg that Lu guy?¡± ¡°Are you an idiot?¡± Xu Zhengyang sat up from the sofa and looked at him as if he was crazy. ¡°I¡¯d rather beat that idiot to death than let Jiaojiao get anywhere near him, understand?¡± Qi Shenbai ignored him. He simply bent down and picked up the cup of honey water that Xu Jiaojiao had made earlier, taking a sip. Xu Zhengyang slumped back onto the sofa and said with narrowed eyes, ¡°My place is a ruckus lately. Let me crash here for a while.¡± If he went home, his parents would scold his ears off. What a pain! ¡°Whatever.¡± Qi Shenbai took the rest of the honey water and headed toward the stairs. Xu Zhengyang suddenly felt thirsty, but when he reached for the cup on the coffee table, there was nothing there. He looked utterly frustrated. ¡°F*ck you, Qi Shenbai, you little thief! You won¡¯t even spare me the honey water my sister made for me!¡± The next day, Xu Jiaojiao overslept. After she woke up in a daze, she hurriedly put on her clothes and ran downstairs. Her expression was filled with regret when she ran into the butler in the living room. ¡°Oh no, I can¡¯t believe 1 overslept! I forgot to make breakfast for Qi Shenbai.¡± The butler smiled and comforted her. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Miss Xu. The master and your brother have already had breakfast and left for the office.¡± Xu Jiaojiao stopped in her tracks. ¡°My brother stayed over last night?¡± The butler nodded. Xu Jiaojiao rubbed her bleary eyes. If she had known, she would have slept in a little longer. She was still sleepy. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to do, miss, please come with me,¡± the butler suddenly said. ¡°Where are we going?¡± Xu Jiaojiao followed the butler upstairs, puzzled. She did not know where they were going. The butler brought her to the bedroom next to hers. After gently pushing the door open, he took a step back and let Xu Jiaojiao enter first. Xu Jiaojiao walked into the room, puzzled, and she was surprised to see a spacious and well-lit studio. The curtains were light blue with a matching white lace veil. There were also a few potted plants on the windowsill to liven up the room, and a few oil paintings hung on the wall. Xu Jiaojiao could tell at a glance that there were the works of some nationally-renowned artists here. These paintings were expensive and rare. On the other side of the room, there was a wall shelf with various painting tools and different brands of paint. There was also a small round table with some fruit juice and a chair beside it. The easel was placed in the middle of the room, accompanied by a white rattan chair and a feather floor lamp. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s clear eyes were filled with excitement and curiosity. ¡°What is¡­?¡± The butler chuckled and replied, ¡°This is the studio that our master instructed us to specially prepare for you.¡± ¡°I can paint in here for now on?¡± Xu Jiaojiao still could not believe it. She had her own personal studio now! She would not have to coop up in her bedroom from now on! The butler was still smiling. ¡°That¡¯s right. Are you satisfied with the decorations? If you don¡¯t like anything, I¡¯ll arrange for someone to redecorate it.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble yourself. This is good enough.¡± Xu Jiaojiao blurted out what was on her mind. Then, she realized something and lowered her head with a shy smile. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll go down to work first. Call me anytime if you need anything,¡± the butler said respectfully. With that, he turned around and left the studio. After the butler left, Xu Jiaojiao was left alone in the studio. She carefully examined her surroundings, as well as all the paints and drawing tools on the shelf. They were all of the highest quality. Did Qi Shenbai get someone to buy these for her? An indescribable emotion surged in her heart. She took out her phone and pulled up her chat with Qi Shenbai. Xu Jiaojiao: [1 really love the studio. Thank you.] After sending this message, Xu Jiaojiao added, [The material must cost a lot, right? I¡¯ll transfer the money to you..] Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Did You Not Miss Me At All? Chapter 43: Did You Not Miss Me At All? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation It was working hours on a weekday, so Xu Jiaojiao did not expect Qi Shenbai to reply to her immediately. However, Qi Shenbai¡¯s response came in an instant. Qi Shenbai: [You don¡¯t have to pay me.] How could Xu Jiaojiao accept such an expensive gift for no reason? She lowered her head and continued typing. Before she could finish her sentence, she received another message. [Consider it a birthday gift.] A birthday gift!!! Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart lit up with fireworks and began to beat wildly. It would rude to insist on paying after that, so Xu Jiaojiao replied, [Thank you for the present, 1 really like it-] On the other end, Qi Shenbai did not reply, but he did not leave the app either. His eyes focused on the tilde at the end of the sentence. He could already imagine her sweet voice articulating that tone, and the corners of his lips subconsciously curled up. The spacious top-floor meeting room was filled with the upper echelons of the Qi Group. Previously, everyone in the company had been calling Qi Shenbai ¡°Steelface¡± behind his back because almost no one had seen him smile in the company, let alone look at his phone during a meeting. Today, however, the world was turning upside down! Mr. Qi was actually looking at his phone and even smiling at it like a lovestruck idiot! Had he actually foind The One?! Xu Zhengyang was sitting on Qi Shenbai¡¯s right, and he took in the unprecedented look of tenderness on Qi Shenbai¡¯s face. Xu Zhengyang could not help but frown. His super accurate sixth sense told him that the scumbag Qi Shenbai was definitely aiming for his treasure!!! That jerk was seducing his sister right before his very eyes. ¡®Hah¡­ Qi Shenbai, you¡¯re a monster!¡¯ Xu Jiaojiao had no classes in the morning, so she asked Cang Xing to take her to the hospital so she could visit her grandmother. Xu Zhiming had managed their family¡¯s company well in recent years, and he had made friends with many dignitaries in the upper-class circle. After Old Madam Xu fell ill, he immediately contacted the most famous team of doctors in Luo City. When he found out that Old Madam Xu¡¯s days were numbered, he respected her wishes and chose not to make her undergo surgery. Instead, he arranged the best VIP ward in the hospital for her. He even searched the entire city for four experienced caregivers to take care of her 24/7. Xu Jiaojiao knocked on the door of the ward, carrying the fruits she had bought on the way. She then poked her head in and said in a light-hearted voice, ¡°Grandma, guess who¡¯s here to see you?¡± Old Madam Xu stood in front of the window in a dark green cheongsam. She had just taken the medicine that the nurse had prepared for her. When she heard the voice, she hurriedly turned around and waved at Xu Jiaojiao affectionately. ¡°Who else could it be? Of course it¡¯s my precious granddaughter. Come in quickly.¡± Xu Jiaojiao walked in and helped her grandmother sit on the sofa. She pouted and whined, ¡°1 missed you so much. Did you not miss me at all?¡± ¡°Nonsense, of course 1 missed you.¡± Mrs. Xu lowered her head and coughed twice. Then, she reached out and stroked Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s smooth long hair. ¡°Who else would 1 miss if not you? It¡¯s just the hospital is a dirty place with lots of patients and bacteria. You shouldn¡¯t come by so often.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll keep coming here as often as 1 want.¡± Xu Jiaojiao held her grandmother¡¯s hand and said sweetly, ¡°You have a familiar scent, Grandma. Just being around you makes me feel at ease.¡± That cheered Old Madam Xu up completely. ¡°You¡¯re such a sweet talker. 1 smell like an old hag, that¡¯s all!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the smell of an old hag! It¡¯s something much nicer than that. You can smell yourself if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°It was your birthday yesterday. Did you have any longevity noodles?¡± Mrs. Xu caressed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s delicate hand, her eyes filled with love. ¡°Of course 1 did!¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her head and smiled innocently. ¡°1 went home for lunch with my parents, then I went out to celebrate with my friends. 1 even received a lot of gifts!¡± Mrs. Xu nodded and asked casually, ¡°Did Lil Qi celebrate your birthday with you?¡± ¡°Yes, he did. He even arranged for someone to decorate a studio for me and gave me a lot of expensive and exotic paints¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao answered excitedly. From the corner of her eye, she saw the teasing glint in Old Madam Qi¡¯s gaze, so she said shyly, ¡°Grandma¡­¡± ¡°As long as the two of you are doing well, I can rest assured.¡± Old Madam Xu gripped her hand tightly. Xu Jiaojiao smiled and said seriously, ¡°Grandma, he¡¯s really good to me. I¡¯m very happy every day now.¡± Although their marriage was fake, Qi Shenbai was really good to her. Old Madam Xu was relieved and nodded in satisfaction. After chatting with the old lady for a while, Xu Jiaojiao stayed at the hospital to have lunch with her grandmother before reluctantly leaving. Just before she left, the old lady stuffed a small bag of walnuts into her bag and told her not to come again. If she missed her, she could contact her via video call.. Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Stop Acting Crazy Chapter 44: Stop Acting Crazy Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation As Xu Jiao jiao walked out of the hospital, she took out her phone to call Cang Xing. However, she was suddenly blocked by a familiar figure. ¡°Jiaojiao.¡± Lu Zhuo stood in front of her with a bouquet of roses. The bruise on his face was rather obvious, and it looked a little scary at first glance. ¡°Is there anything you need?¡± Less than a month had passed, but Xu Jiaojiao no longer felt her heart race when she saw him anymore. She only felt wary and annoyed. If possible, she would rather not see him again in her entire life! ¡°1 heard that Grandma was hospitalized, so I specially came to see her.¡± Lu Zhuo addressed Old Madam Xu as his grandma, which made Xu Jiaojiao uncomfortable. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it. My grandmother is fine. It¡¯s her afternoon nap time now, so don¡¯t disturb her.¡± He said he was here to see Grandma, but he did not even dress the wound on his face. He was clearly here to complain to Old Madam Xu about Xu Zhengyang! Lu Zhuo could tell that her attitude toward him was very different from before, and he had mixed feelings about it. When he remembered their sweet memories together, he said to her patiently, ¡°Jiaojiao, I won¡¯t stoop to Xu Zhengyang¡¯s level over what happened yesterday, and 1 won¡¯t send your brother to jail either. Don¡¯t you worry about that.¡± ¡°Do you mean it?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not believe that he would be so kind as to let Xu Zhengyang off. Lu Zhuo smiled and nodded. He reached out to touch Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s long hair. ¡°He¡¯s your brother, so he¡¯s my brother as well. Once the two of us get married, we¡¯ll be a family.¡± Xu Jiaojiao avoided his outstretched hand and thought, ¡®As if I¡¯d want to be in a family with trash like you! You shameless jerk!¡¯ However, she did not swear out loud. Instead, she said solemnly, ¡°1 hope this is the last time you come to see me, Lu Zhuo. 1¡¯11 say it for the last time ¡ª I¡¯m already married.¡± ¡°Jiaojiao, even if you are angry, it¡¯s been so long since then. Surely you¡¯ve calmed down by now, right? Why did you have to put on an act for me with someone else?¡± Lu Zhuo insisted that she was lying. His eyes fell on her bare fingers. ¡°You say you¡¯re married, but where¡¯s your wedding ring? Where¡¯s the marriage certificate? If you show me any sort of proof, I¡¯ll give up on you!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at her empty hand and did not know how to refute him. Back then, she had only married Qi Shenbai to reassure her grandmother and to save her family¡¯s face in front of the guests. The two of them never went to register their marriage. Strictly speaking, it was true that she and Qi Shenbai were not legally married. ¡°Jiaojiao, can you stop being so stubborn?¡± Lu Zhuo held her shoulders and said gently, ¡°1 promise, okay? I promise 1 won¡¯t go to her ever again. I won¡¯t make you angry anymore¡­¡± The instant he touched her, Xu Jiaojiao felt her skin crawl. She tried to push his hand away, but she was too weak. No matter how she struggled, his hand pressed against her shoulder did not budge at all. Her face turned red with rage. She glared at him and warned, ¡°Can you stop acting crazy in public? Let go of me!¡± ¡°Jiaojiao, I know 1 was wrong¡­¡± Lu Zhuo was halfway through his sentence when he saw a black shadow rush over and grab his shoulder. Before he could figure out who it was, he was already being tossed to the ground. Cang Xing dusted off the non-existent dust on his hands and said to Xu Jiao jiao with concern, ¡°Are you injured, Madam?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was taken aback by the sudden turn of events. She slowly shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go. 1¡¯11 send you to school.¡± Cang Xing did not even bother to look at Lu Zhuo, who was howling from the ground. It was as if Luo Zhuo was merely an eyesore. Xu Jiaojiao glanced at Lu Zhuo without any guilt or sympathy. He deserved that beating. She walked right past Lu Zhuo and lifted her foot to step into the car. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, stop right there!¡± Lu Zhuo struggled to get up from the ground. He blocked Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s way and said viciously, ¡°If you leave this place today, 1¡¯11 send Xu Zhengyang to jail right away. Trust me, I can do that.¡± Just as he wanted, Xu Jiao jiao stopped. When she turned around to look at him, her clear eyes were filled with a coldness he had never seen before. Lu Zhuo saw the change in her eyes and knew that he had messed up. He had said those nasty words in a fate of rage, but he could not take them back. ¡°Honestly, Lu Zhuo, I want to thankyou.¡±Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice was very clear but cold. Lu Zhuo froze. He did not understand why she would suddenly thank him.. Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: My Sister is Not Your Maid Chapter 45: My Sister is Not Your Maid Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Thank you for leaving me at the altar.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s tone was neither fast nor slow, and there was no anger in her voice¡­ But her eyes were cold. ¡°Breaking up with you was the best decision I¡¯ve ever made in my life.¡± She could not even figure out why she had fallen in love with such a person in the past, and why she treated such a despicable and shameless person as the light of her life. She had been all but ready to serve him for the rest of her life. He did not deserve her love at all!!! After Xu Jiao jiao said that, she turned around and got into the car without looking at Lu Zhuo again. ¡°Jiaojiao¡­ Wait¡­¡± Lu Zhuo paled. Ignoring his injured waist, he quickly chased after her. However, Xu Jiaojiao acted as if she did not hear him and asked Cang Xing to start the car. Lu Zhuo¡¯s hand was about to touch the car door when Cang Xing stepped on the accelerator. The car shot away like an arrow. No matter how hard Lu Zhuo tried to stop them, it was useless. Xu Jiaojiao sat in the back seat, her eyes slightly dark. She had been in a good mood today, but Lu Zhuo was like an annoying piece of gum stuck to her shoe. She was not upset because Lu Zhuo threatened to send her brother to prison, but because she had been blind enough to almost marry him! Half an hour later, Cang Xing stopped the car at the school gate and watched as Xu Jiao jiao got out of the car dejectedly. After hesitating for a while, he decided to speak up. ¡°Madam¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Xu Jiaojiao stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at him. ¡°What is it?¡± Cang Xing said respectfully, ¡°Mr. Xu is the master¡¯s best friend. You can ask the master to deal with that man for you. I¡¯m sure he will help you.¡± Cang Xing was tempted to say, ¡®Chin up, and go ask your husband for help!¡¯ Xu Jiaojiao looked at him and smiled. ¡°I understand, thank you.¡± Cang Xing wanted to say something more, but Xu Jiaojiao looked at her watch. There were only a few minutes left before class. ¡°Talk to you later. I¡¯m gonna be late.¡± Cang Xing looked at her petite silhouette as she hurried off, frowning slightly. After thinking it over for a long while, he decided to tell his boss about everything, after all. The Lu family had no right to threaten their one and only missus! That night, Qi Shenbai did not see Xu Jiaojiao when he returned home. He asked the butler casually, ¡°Where¡¯s Xu Jiaojiao?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but the madam has been moody ever since she came back from school today. She¡¯s been in the studio for two hours now.¡± The butler placed the slippers in front of Qi Shenbai and answered truthfully. Qi Shenbai nodded. He strode upstairs and knocked on the door of the studio. ¡°Come in¡ª¡± Qi Shenbai opened the door and saw Xu Jiaojiao sitting in front of the easel. She was holding a brush in her right hand and a color palette in her left. She turned around and smiled at him. ¡°Done with work for today?¡± She did not draw the curtains, so the evening light shone on her face through the window, making her seem even more peaceful and gentle. Qi Shenbai¡¯s heart skipped a beat and then began to beat rapidly like a drum. ¡°Yes,¡± he replied softly. Xu Jiaojiao thought that he was here to ask her for something. Just as she was about to ask, she had a flash of inspiration. ¡°Are you hungry? What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll make it for you!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Qi Shenbai shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was confused now. ¡°Do you need me for something else, then?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing in particular. 1 just came to see you.¡± Qi Shenbai answered. After a while, he continued, ¡°Is there¡­ anything you want me to do?¡± ¡°Me? No, I¡¯m fine.¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. She felt that Qi Shenbai was a little strange today, but she could not exactly explain why. Qi Shenbai did not say anything else. He opened the door and left the studio. What Xu Jiaojiao did not see was the frown on his face after he turned around. Ever since Cang Xing told him about Lu Zhuo threatening Xu Jiaojiao in the afternoon, he had been waiting for her to contact him. In the end, he waited for the entire afternoon, but he did not receive a call from her even after work. He figured that she was too embarrassed to ask him because she was afraid of troubling him, so he specially asked his secretary to postpone his dinner appointment and rushed back. He had even taken the initiative to ask her, so all she had to do was ask¡­ In the end, the girl kept completely quiet about what had happened in the afternoon. It made him feel like he was being a busybody. Qi Shenbai returned to the bedroom, loosened his tie with one hand, and suddenly chuckled. The next morning, Xu Jiaojiao woke up early to make up for oversleeping yesterday. She ran to the kitchen to prepare breakfast for Qi Shenbai and Xu Zhengyang. Xu Zhengyang only came back after midnight last night. After he came back, he fell asleep on the bed in the guest room until eight in the morning. Upon waking up, he headed downstairs, stretching as he went. When he saw the luxurious breakfast on the dining room table and found his precious sister busy in the kitchen with an apron on, he immediately became furious. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, hold it right there!¡± He glared at Qi Shenbai with his beautiful eyes.. ¡°My sister is not your maid!¡± Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Im Going Home to Kill Them Chapter 46: I¡¯m Going Home to Kill Them Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Even though Jiaojiao had lived in the countryside for a few years when she was younger, her parents had doted on her like a princess once she returned. No one in the family could bear to make her work. ¡°Brother, keep your voice down.¡± Xu Jiaojiao glared at him. ¡°1 was just making breakfast. What are you making a fuss about?¡± Xu Zhengyang strode forward and sat opposite her. With a serious expression, he said, ¡°Jiaojiao, tell me the truth. Did Qi Shenbai take advantage of you? If he did, I won¡¯t let him off!¡± Xu Jiaojiao placed an omelet on his plate. ¡°Mr. Qi did no such thing. I just like to cook, that¡¯s all. Back home, you guys would make a fuss before I even reached the kitchen door, so I never got to cook.¡± More than once, the chef had chased her out of the kitchen when she tried to make herself supper in the middle of the night. She did not look like she was forced to do this at all, so Xu Zhengyang just snorted coldly at Qi Shenbai. ¡°Our family must owe you a debt in our previous life or something. 1 work my butt off for you every day, and my sister makes a feast for you every morning!¡± He was totally exaggerating! Xu Jiaojiao could not help but laugh as she lowered her head and continued eating without replying. Qi Shenbai pretended not to hear Xu Zhengyang¡¯s jabs. After all, Xu Zhengyang was speaking the truth, and he had no way to refute it. Xu Zhengyang picked up the omelet and ate it. His eyes instantly lit up, and he stood up from the chair excitedly. ¡°Mrgh¡ª¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her head and asked doubtfully, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Brother?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so delicious! How is this so delicious?!¡± Xu Zhengyang exclaimed. ¡°Jiaojiao, when did you become such a good cook?¡± ¡°It was ages ago, okay? You guys were the ones who wouldn¡¯t let me use the kitchen. Otherwise, you would¡¯ve had plenty of my delicious cooking over the years.¡± Xu Jiaojiao shrugged helplessly. ¡°This taste is really amazing. It¡¯s even better than the breakfast in most five-star hotels!¡± Xu Zhengyang heaped praise on her as he kept stuffing all kinds of food into his mouth. ¡°Then eat more. I made plenty to go around.¡± Xu Jiaojiao saw that his plate was empty, so she served him more food. Qi Shenbai usually ate at a leisurely pace. By the time he had slowly finished eating, Xu Zhengyang had already polished an entire plate of omelets and two bowls of wontons. The small pot that was originally filled with wontons was almost completely empty! ¡°I¡¯m full¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang burped, satisfied. Qi Shenbai looked at the empty dining table.¡±¡­¡± Could he still change his mind and kick Xu Zhengyang out of his house? ¡°Jiaojiao, can you make other dishes too?¡± Xu Zhengyang asked as he wiped his lips. ¡°I know how to make most basic home-cooked dishes. What do you want to eat? I¡¯ll make it for you tonight.¡± ¡°Black pepper beef, squirrel fish, braised pork knuckle, salt-baked chicken, roasted lamb leg, and a Buddha Jumps Over the Wall would be perfect.¡± Qi Shenbai glanced at him coldly. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re ordering dishes at a restaurant?¡± Most importantly, even he had never tasted these dishes. Xu Zhengyang ignored him and looked at his sister expectantly. ¡°Buddha Jumps Over The Wall Soup is too time-consuming,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said after some consideration. ¡°I can make the rest for you tonight.¡± Qi Shenbai thought to himself, ¡¯Aren¡¯t you spoiling him roo much?¡¯ Just as Xu Zhengyang was about to clap and cheer, his phone suddenly rang. It was Mr. Xu, his father. Xu Zhengyang picked up the call, and though the others did not know what Mr. Xu was saying, they could see his expression becaming darker and darker. He gritted his teeth so hard that they were about to shatter. ¡°What happened?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked with concern when she saw Xu Zhengyang¡¯s expression. ¡°The Lu Family went to our place to raise a fuss.¡± Xu Zhengyang stood up and said to Qi Shenbai, ¡°I¡¯m taking the day off today. I¡¯m going home to kill them.¡± As expected, the Lu Family was trying to get justice for Lu Zhuo. As the instigator, Xu Zhengyang had to step in. After saying that, he turned to leave without waiting for Qi Shenbai¡¯s reply. ¡°I want to go too! 1 can¡¯t let you face them alone.¡± Xu Jiaojiao stood up and followed him. Xu Zhengyang stopped in his tracks, hesitating. Just as he was wondering if he should take her home with him, Qi Shenbai said calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you two.¡± The Xu siblings were struck speechless. Qi Shenbai stood up slowly, his expression composed. ¡°Everyone in your family knows that we¡¯re married. What will they think if I don¡¯t go back with you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao thought about it and felt that Qi Shenbai¡¯s words made a lot of sense, so she did not turn him down. Meanwhile, Xu Zhengyang rolled his eyes at him. At least the scumbag knew that he was only her husband in name.. Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: He Deserved It Chapter 47: He Deserved It Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai took the same car. Xu Zhengyang arrived at the Xu Family villa before them, but he was not in a hurry to enter. Instead, he waited for the two of them at the door. When he saw Xu Jiaojiao getting out of Qi Shenbai¡¯s car, he put out the cigarette in his hand and patted her head. ¡°Don¡¯t get angry with them. They¡¯re not worth it. No matter what happens, you have me, okay?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Xu Zhengyang reached out and brushed her bangs. This was what Qi Shenbai saw when he got out of the car. An unreadable look flashed across his eyes as he strode over to Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s side and took her hand. Xu Jiaojiao was taken aback for a moment before she suddenly realized that the two of them were now ¡®husband and wife¡¯. It was normal for them to act intimately in front of their families. Xu Zhengyang looked at their intertwined hands and felt inexplicably unhappy. However, there was nothing he could do about it for now. The three of them walked inside. The atmosphere in the living room was tense. When the maid, Aunt Wang, saw them return, she hurriedly went forward to welcome them. ¡°Young Master Zhengyang, Miss Jiaojiao, Master Shenbai, you¡¯re back.¡± In an instant, everyone subconsciously looked toward the door. Mr. and Mrs. Lu sat on the sofa, looking cross, while Lu Zhuo and Lu Huan stood by the side. When they saw Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai holding hands, all of their expressions darkened. Lu Zhuo gritted his teeth as he stared at the couple. An indescribable anger burned in his heart, as if he had barged in on his cheating wife. His parents looked even angrier. However, before they could say anything, Xu Zhengyang said darkly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you want another beating? And now you¡¯re even here for Round Two!¡± Mrs. Lu was furious from the moment she saw him. ¡°Tian Fanghua, your son is a menace!¡± Tian Fanghua looked up at her son and pursed her lips without saying anything. However, she thought to herself, ¡®Your son betrayed us first. He deserved that beating.¡¯ Mr. Lu was relatively calmer. He said coldly, ¡°Zhiming, we¡¯ve been friends since our parents¡¯ generation, but you and your family have gone a bit too far this time.¡± He then looked at his disappointment of a son. ¡°1 admit, Lu Zhuo made a mistake, but he didn¡¯t do anything to cross the line. No matter how angry you are, Zhengyang shouldn¡¯t have hit him. Since we¡¯ve been family friends for so long, we¡¯ll let him off as long as he apologizes!¡± Xu Zhengyang almost cussed him out in front of his parents, but Xu Jiaojiao was one step ahead of him. Her tone was perfectly even. ¡°Why should my brother apologize? He didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± ¡°Quiet, child. The adults are talking!¡± Mrs. Lu frowned and mocked her. ¡°I had no idea you had such a sharp tongue! Your brother was the one who started a fight, and yet you deny the facts?¡± Tian Fanghua and Xu Zhiming had already tolerated their taunts and insults for more than half an hour. Since the Lu family¡¯s elders had helped them a lot in the past, the two of them endured the Lu family¡¯s sarcasm. Once Zou Lan started taunting their children in front of them, though, the Xu couple finally ran out of patience. ¡°This is my home. My daughter can speak whenever she wants. Besides, if your son didn¡¯t mess up first, my son wouldn¡¯t have hit him for no reason,¡± Tian Fanghua said calmly. She did not care if they mocked her, but she would let them say anything about her children. No matter what her children did, outsiders had no right to lecture them. ¡°What are you saying? What do you mean, my son messed up? Lu Zhuo had something urgent he had to deal with at that time, but he never said that he wouldn¡¯t go through with the marriage later!¡± Zou Lan became more and more agitated as she spoke. In the end, she was practically shouting, ¡°Your daughter is even worse! She dragged a pretty boy out of nowhere and got married in the hotel. You were clearly out to humiliate us in public! We deserve an explanation!¡± ¡°H-How dare you blame us instead!¡± Tian Fanghua was gentle by nature, and she had never gotten into a screaming match with anyone in her life. Naturally, she stood no chance against the aggressive Zou Lan. ¡°Since you brought it up, let¡¯s talk about that day. if your precious son hadn¡¯t left me at the altar, would 1 have to marry someone else?¡± Xu Jiaojiao saw that her mother was too angry to speak, so she immediately took a step forward. Her voice was not loud, but it was powerful and resounding. ¡°My brother hit Lu Zhuo because he abandoned me in front of all the guests and humiliated our entire family. If you want my brother to apologize today, sure. But Lu Zhuo has to publicly apologize to my parents and me first..¡± Chapter 48 - Chapter 48: Youre Shameless! Chapter 48: You¡¯re Shameless! Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°You want him to apologize to you and your family?¡± Zou Lan scoffed, her face full of sarcasm. ¡°Why should we apologize? It¡¯s not like you suffered any losses. You seem to be getting along with your pretty boy, since you¡¯re holding hands and everything.¡± ¡°Well, Lu Zhuo is alive and well too. He¡¯s not missing an arm or a leg. Why should my brother apologize?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked calmly. Zou Lan did not expect her to be so sharp-tongued. It seemed that her previous obedience was just a disguise! ¡°I didn¡¯t abandon you.¡± Lu Zhuo, who had been silent all this while, spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to apologize to you many times now, but you never gave me a chance.¡± He never thought of actually leaving her. He just wanted to see how Mengyao was doing. ¡°Your explanation and apology sure don¡¯t seem sincere. You never actually said ¡®sorry¡¯.¡± It was ironic. Why did Lu Zhuo think that she had to forgive him just because he apologized and gave her gifts? He had left his girlfriend at the altar to go running to his ex! At the end of the day, he never once thought he had done wrong by Xu Jiaojiao. Instead, he thought that the Xu family was being overbearing and unreasonable. Some people were just like that. They acted as though the world owed them everything, and that they should be forgiven unconditionally no matter what mistakes they made. Lu Zhuo was speechless. He did not know what to say to that. Just then, Xu Zhiming, the head of the family, stood up and said, ¡°Everyone, calm down. If you want to assign blame, both children are at fault. 1 think it¡¯s better to let bygones be bygones.¡± His meaning was very clear. ¡®Your son betrayed my daughter first, and my son hit him to avenge my daughter. With that, we¡¯re even. Our Xu family doesn¡¯t owe you anything anymore.¡¯ ¡°Easier said than done! Why should we let it go?!¡± Zou Lan stood up from the sofa and said firmly, ¡°1 insist that Xu Zhengyang must apologize to my son today. Otherwise, we won¡¯t hold back!¡± ¡°Who do you think you are? Raising your voice in our house!¡± Xu Zhengyang approached her and looked down at her condescendingly. ¡°Whatever you wanna do, bring it on. You don¡¯t deserve an apology from me!¡± Lu Feng was enraged by his attitude. ¡°Watch your tone! I have to teach you a lesson, or you¡¯ll never learn! That¡¯s it, no one can stop us now! We will formally press charges against you!¡± The atmosphere became tense. Lu Zhuo frowned and fixed his eyes on Xu Jiaojiao. His throat tightened unconsciously. He never thought of taking this to court. He just wanted to use this commotion to get Xu Jiaojiao back. He was hoping she would give in to him. Qi Shenbai, who had been silent all this while, swallowed a few times and prepared to speak. When she heard Lu Feng¡¯s threat, though, Xu Jiaojiao just laughed instead of getting angry. A hint of mockery flashed across her clear eyes as she said lightly, ¡°Uncle Lu, are you sure you want to take this to court?¡± Lu Feng placed his hands behind his back. His murky eyes had long since been contaminated by the darkness of the world. He could not even be bothered to look at the Xu family. ¡°Are you scared now? You should¡¯ve known better.¡± Xu Jiaojiao chuckled, ¡°No. 37 Beihai Road. Are you familiar with this address?¡± Lu Feng¡¯s pupils trembled violently when he heard this. He looked at Xu Jiaojiao in disbelief, his face ashen. Lu Zhuo and Zou Lan were confused. They looked at Lu Feng, puzzled. ¡°No. 37? What about that place?¡± Lu Feng stammered for a long time, but he could not say anything. Xu Jiaojiao looked at him innocently. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Uncle Lu knows you worked really hard to raise your son and daughter, Aunt Lu, so he spends his time outside with¡­¡± Lu Feng shouted harshly, ¡°Stop spouting nonsense!!¡± The atmosphere suddenly became quite strange. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s parents were in a good mood all of a sudden, excited to see the drama unfold. Xu Zhengyang also figured out what his sister meant, and he scoffed, ¡°Like father, like son!¡± Zou Lan stood rooted to the ground, stunned for a while. When she returned to her senses, she pounced on Lu Feng and screamed, ¡°Lu Feng, you heartless bastard! I slaved away for you for so many years, and this is how you treat me?!¡± She tore at Lu Feng¡¯s clothes, her nails scratching a long bloody line on his arm.. Chapter 49 - Chapter 49: Turning on Each Other Chapter 49: Turning on Each Other Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation As soon as Lu Zhuo and Lu Huan recovered from their shock, they hurriedly went forward to stop their mother, who was completely out of control. ¡°Lu Feng, save your excuses. We¡¯re getting divorced!¡± Zou Lan wept. Lu Feng felt humiliated and angry when his wife tore his clothes in front of so many people. ¡°What is wrong with you? Do you actually believe her lies? Don¡¯t you have any sense of judgment?!¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at Lu Feng pitifully. ¡°But I¡¯m not lying. Don¡¯t you remember the dress you bought at the mall for that pretty lady that day, Uncle? It cost more than 300,000 yuan.¡± Zou Lan was even more furious to hear that. If Lu Zhuo and Lu Huan did not hold her from both sides, she would have launched her at Lu Feng by now. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, that¡¯s enough!¡± Lu Zhuo scolded her coldly. His gaze on Xu Jiaojiao darkened, and a complicated look flashed across his eyes. Xu Jiaojiao blinked innocently and continued, ¡°1 told you about what I saw, didn¡¯t 1? I didn¡¯t know you never told your mother.¡± Zou Lan¡¯s slightly plump body trembled violently. Tearful, she looked at her son in disbelief. ¡°So you knew too? You helped them¡­ You hid the truth from me!¡± ¡°Mom, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense¡­¡± Lu Zhuo frowned, but he sounded guilty. Zou Lan was not stupid. She knew what was going on when she saw him avoiding her gaze. She slapped Lu Zhuo hard. With tears in her eyes, she cried, ¡°I worked so hard to raise you up, but you still lied to me for him¡­¡± Seeing that things were about to get out of hand, Lu Feng snorted coldly and glared at Xu Jiaojiao before turning around and leaving. Lu Zhuo could not stay here any longer, either. He helped his mother walk toward the door and called out to his sister before leaving. ¡°Huanhuan, let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Lu Huan reluctantly followed them, but her eyes were firmly locked onto Qi Shenbai who stood behind Xu Jiaojiao. There was a flash of shyness in her gaze. Xu Jiaojiao frowned. She had already sensed that Lu Huan¡¯s attitude was very strange. She was usually very sharp and mean, but she did not even say a word today. So this was why¡­ Xu Jiaojiao felt disgusted. She deliberately took a step forward, trying to shield Qi Shenbai with her body. ¡®1 won¡¯t let her stare at him! She has no right!¡¯ When her small head suddenly appeared in front of Qi Shenbai, his gaze swept past her soft long hair. There were a few hairs on her head that stubbornly refused to stay down. The corners of his lips curled up, and there was an unmistakable smile in his eyes. He raised his hand and pressed down on the few strands of hair. Xu Jiaojiao felt a sudden weight on her head. She raised her head to look at him, her clear eyes filled with confusion. Was he unhappy? Did he think she had gone too far? Qi Shenbai did not know her imagination was running wild. His clean and long fingers gently stroked her black hair. The warmth of his fingertips touched her scalp with an unnoticeable gentleness. Xu Jiaojiao felt the heat from his touch and quickly lowered her head, trying to hide the panic in her eyes. ¡®Eek! Why are you looking at me so lovingly?!¡¯ Xu Zhengyang could not stand it anymore. He slapped Qi Shenbai¡¯s hand away and pulled the dazed Xu Jiaojiao back to his side. He then rubbed her little head randomly, causing the hair that Qi Shenbai had just smoothed down to stand up again. There, that was better. Xu Jiaojiao tilted her head and looked at him exasperatedly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Xu Zhengyang acted as if nothing had happened. When he looked at Qi Shenbai, he deliberately raised his eyebrows in provocation. Qi Shenbai¡¯s expression did not change. The faint smile on the corner of his mouth was his response. When Xu Zhiming and Tian Fanghua saw that the Lu family had left, they heaved a sigh of relief in unison. ¡°Jiaojiao, how did you know that Lu Feng had a mistress outside?¡± Tian Fanghua asked curiously. ¡°1 bumped into them a few times when we were shopping.¡± Xu Jiaojiao knew her parents would ask, so she had already thought of an excuse. The truth was, she had seen it in her dream. She had even reminded Lu Zhuo tactfully, but Lu Zhuo had never taken her seriously. As an outsider, she did not want to meddle in other people¡¯s business, so she never mentioned it again. If the Lu family had not tried to push their luck this time, she would have kept this matter to herself. Her brother was wrong to hit someone, but she was protective of him anyway. Besides, Lu Zhuo deserved to be beaten up! ¡°It was great to see them turning on each other!¡± Xu Zhengyan looked proud. ¡°As expected of my sister. You¡¯re so smart!¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled. ¡°It was just a coincidence..¡± Chapter 50 - Chapter 50: Trending on Weibo Chapter 50: Trending on Weibo Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Zhiming and Tian Fanghua also thought it was a coincidence, so they did not ask much. However, Qi Shenbai¡¯s dark eyes glanced at her meaningfully. How many secrets did the girl hide? It seemed that even the Xu family did not know. After taking care of the Lu family without much effort, Xu Zhengyang was too embarrassed to ask for the rest of the day off, so he had to return to the company with Qi Shenbai obediently. Cang Xing was tasked with sending Xu Jiaojiao back to school. By the time Xu Jiaojiao rushed to the classroom door, there was still time before class started. Once she entered the classroom, though, she noticed the strange gazes of the students around her. She felt a little confused, but she still walked to the back of the classroom and sat down as everyone watched. Before she could ask the person beside her, Su Luo waved at her from the door and said in a low voice, ¡°Jiaojiao, come here for a bit¡­¡± There were still ten minutes before class, so Xu Jiao jiao got up and walked out of the room. Su Luo grabbed her hand and quickly walked to the end of the corridor. ¡°Luoluo, what¡¯s the hurry?¡± Why was everyone acting strange today, including Luoluo? Su Luo looked around and confirmed that they were alone before asking in a whisper, ¡°Why are you still in school at a time like this?¡± ¡°A time like what? 1 don¡¯t quite understand what you mean.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was dumbfounded. She had no idea what Su Luo was talking about. Su Luo took out her phone and handed it to her. ¡°You still don¡¯t know? You¡¯re trending on Weibo!¡± Xu Jiaojiao frowned and looked at the phone. The photo on the screen was dimly lit, but she could read the title clearly. ¡°Exclusive report! Qi Shenbai meets a beautiful woman late at night. Are they dating?!¡± In the photo, Qi Shenbai was wearing a bespoke suit. His big palm gently held the back of her head as he hugged her tightly in his arms. They looked close and comfortable, like a pair of lovers who had been in love for a long time! The photo was very blurry. Qi Shenbai had his head lowered and his facial features could not be seen clearly. Only half of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face was visible. Outsiders might not be able to tell, but the students who interacted with Xu Jiao jiao every day could recognize the woman in the photo at a glance. The paparazzi only recognized Qi Shenbai because of his car. The students of Luo University usually liked to surf the Internet and browse the school forum, so of course they would see this news report. In just a few hours, it had spread throughout the entire department. When some of the netizens failed to recognize the man in the photo, some enthusiastic commenters introduced Qi Shenbai¡¯s identity in detail. They talked all about Mr. Qi¡¯s status in Luo City, speculating about the young fairy who caught his eye! None of the students at Luo University had revealed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s identity on the Internet yet. Still, the netizens were very curious about the woman who had a late-night tryst with Qi Shenbai. They even zoomed in and took a screenshot of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face. Some people said that she looked too young. Could she be underage? At first, everyone was just gossiping. However, when someone raised the question of whether the girl in the photo was underage, Weibo launched into a frenzy. Everyone began to accuse Qi Shenbai of immorality. Some lawyers even claimed that Qi Shenbai would be committing a crime if the girl in the photo really was underage. Xu Jiaojiao read those malicious speculations. Some of them even accused Qi Shenbai of abducting and sexually abusing a child. Her eyebrows unconsciously furrowed. She was a little angry. Su Luo raised her eyebrows at her meaningfully. ¡°You two are really making progress in your relationship!¡± ¡°Curb your imagination.¡± Xu Jiaojiao returned the phone to her and explained seriously, ¡°That day, I wasn¡¯t watching my steps, and 1 almost fell. That was why he reached out to help me.¡± ¡°So he was just catching you, huh¡­¡± Su Luo dragged her words out, obviously not believing her explanation. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s mind was filled with the baseless accusations against Qi Shenbai on the Internet. She did not care about Su Luo¡¯s teasing. The Weibo post weighed on her mind the entire day. She wanted to contact Qi Shenbai several times but gave up in the end. She was afraid that it would affect his work and make him even more upset. When she returned to the villa at night, Qi Shenbai was not at home. After Xu Jiaojiao returned to her room and turned on her phone, she saw that the post was now in the top 25 trending topics and still rising. She felt more and more anxious, but Qi Shenbai did not return no matter how long she waited. It was late at night now, and Qingshui Villa was enveloped by the hazy moonlight. It was like an ancient castle in a fairy tale, mysterious and gorgeous. Xu Jiaojiao sat in the studio, but she was not in the mood to draw. As soon as she heard the sound of a car stopping downstairs, she put down the paintbrush in her hand and quickly walked out of the studio. She jogged downstairs. As she ran to the stairs, she saw Qi Shenbai walking up. Their eyes met, and for a moment, neither of them said anything. It had only been less than a day since they parted, but Xu Jiaojiao felt as if it had been a century. Her long chest was filled with emotion.. Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Will You Marry Me? Chapter 51: Will You Marry Me? Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asleep yet?¡± Qi Shenbai was the first to break the silence. His voice held a hint of fatigue. Xu Jiaojiao thought of the endless abuse on the Internet, and her eyes began to prick with tears. ¡°I got you in trouble. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Qi Shenbai reached out and tugged at his tie. His thin lips parted slightly. ¡°You saw it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded, feeling bad. ¡°Did I cause you a lot of trouble?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as serious as you think.¡± Qi Shenbai reached out and patted her head. He chuckled for some reason. ¡°Go to bed early. Don¡¯t stay up late.¡± With that, he walked upstairs. Xu Jiaojiao turned around and looked at his back. She felt that even his back looked exhausted today. Was it because of the slander and abuse online? Qi Shenbai walked into the bedroom and was about to close the door when he saw her standing at the door. He smiled helplessly. ¡°I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t have to be so careful.¡± ¡°Have you had dinner? Do you want me to make you some supper?¡± Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips and probed. ¡°I¡¯ve eaten. I¡¯m not hungry yet.¡± ¡°Then do you want to drink juice? I think they bought some nice oranges today¡­¡± The little girl¡¯s face was filled with uneasiness and guilt. She felt that she had dragged him into this mess. ¡°I don¡¯t need juice either.¡± After Qi Shenbai finished speaking, he turned around and walked into the bedroom. He tore off his tie and threw it on the sofa before walking to the bathroom. The tie slipped from the sofa onto the carpet. Xu Jiaojiao walked over and picked it up. Looking at his back, she could not help but say, ¡°Qi Shenbai, is there anything 1 can do for you?¡± Qi Shenbai, who was unbuttoning his shirt, paused. The collar of his shirt had already been unbuttoned, revealing his sexy Adam¡¯s apple and his charming collarbone¡­ His hand paused halfway through unbuttoning his shirt. The collar of his shirt was undone, revealing his sexy Adam¡¯s apple, snow-white skin, and protruding collarbone¡­ Xu Jiaojiao did not notice the complicated emotions that flashed across his eyes when he looked at her. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. It might affect the company¡¯s stock price, but it won¡¯t be that serious. It will be fine after a few days. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°But they¡¯re calling you¡­¡± A perverted pedophile. She swallowed the words that were already on the tip of her tongue. Xu Jiaojiao did not understand. He was clearly a very nice person. Most of the people on the Internet had not even seen him once, but they had already painted him as a pedophile. They were even planning to report the Qi Group for tax fraud. Qi Shenbai stared at her, his eyes darkening.¡± It doesn¡¯t matter what they say.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I step forward and explain?¡± Xu Jiao jiao thought for a moment and decided to tell him the idea she had come up with after thinking the entire night. ¡°I can show them my ID photo to prove that I¡¯m not underage.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t believe you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s shoulders drooped, and her eyes turned slightly red. Endless guilt and regret filled her entire body. She felt even more guilty when she thought about how she was the reason behind the slander. Qi Shenbai looked at her unhappy little face. After a few seconds of silence, he said, ¡°If you want to help me, there is a way¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Xu Jiaojiao interrupted him in a hurry. Her silent eyes lit up instantly. ¡°No matter what it is, I¡¯ll do it!¡± After all, this matter started because of her, so she had to be the one to fix things. Something flashed in Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes, but he still shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s just wait for the storm to pass.¡± Xu Jiaojiao walked up to him and looked up at him, insisting, ¡°No, the more they talk, the more harm it will do to you. Just tell me what the solution is. I want to help you.¡± Qi Shenbai looked at her seriously and straightforwardly. ¡°If we register our marriage and ask the legal department to post the photo of the marriage certificate online, no one will say anything anymore.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do that.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not hesitate at all. Was that really it? She thought it would be much harder than that. Registering their marriage was nothing. Qi Shenbai was slightly stunned, and he gulped unconsciously. He looked at her with a meaningful gaze. Xu Jiaojiao, who had been frowning, finally smiled for the first time tonight. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Just post the marriage certificate online and show everyone. If anyone talks nonsense again, the legal department will sue them until they go bankrupt!¡± Qi Shenbai came back to his senses and hesitated for a long time before asking, ¡°Will you really marry me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was nonchalant. ¡°Of course, as long as I can shut those haters up.¡± Qi Shenbai narrowed his eyes and avoided her clear gaze. For a moment, he did not know whether to be happy or worried. ¡°Tomorrow, we will go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to register our marriage. I¡¯ll ask my brother to bring the household register..¡± Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Tricking the Innocent Little Rabbit Chapter 52: Tricking the Innocent Little Rabbit Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Shenbai glanced at her. ¡°I might not be able to make it tomorrow. I have to go overseas for about a week. I¡¯m back today for a change of clothes.¡± ¡°That long?¡± Xu Jiaojiao frowned. She looked even more worried than he was. ¡°We can¡¯t let the rumors on the Internet continue to fester.¡± If they left things alone and waited for Qi Shenbai to return in a week, his company¡¯s share prices might fall to rock bottom. It would not be so easy to recover their losses then. Qi Shenbai thought it over for a moment. ¡°Do you have a passport?¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded in confusion. She had planned to go to Japan for a trip, but other things got in the way. ¡°Go to your room and pack some clothes. Then give me your ID and passport.¡± ¡°Huh? Why should I pack some clothes?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was baffled. ¡°Let¡¯s go abroad together. We can register our marriage overseas,¡± Qi Shenbai said. ¡°But 1 don¡¯t have a visa.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Leave it to me.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s deep voice was like a cello, elegant and magnetic, inexplicably calming her anxious heart. An hour later, Xu Jiaojiao was boarding a private jet with Qi Shenbai. Aside from Pei Yan and Cang Xing, there were a few other people in suits traveling with them. These guys were probably Qi Shenbai¡¯s subordinates. Xu Jiaojiao sat by the window and took a cup of coffee from the flight attendant. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the man who was having a conference call not far away. She could not help but ask curiously, ¡°Where are we going?¡± The flight attendant smiled politely at her and replied softly, ¡°Ireland.¡± In Dublin, Ireland, Xu Jiaojiao followed Qi Shenbai into the hotel¡¯s premium suite. When choosing a room, Qi Shenbai told her ladies first, so he let her choose a room while he took the room opposite hers. The other colleagues stayed in the suite next door. As everyone walked into the room, the company¡¯s higher-ups were still trying to figure out Mr. Qi¡¯s intentions. They probed, ¡°The company has never had any business dealings in Ireland. Did Mr. Qi bring us here to expand into a new area?¡± These people had received a last-minute notice that they were going on a business trip. They packed their luggage and went straight to the airport in the middle of the night. Those who had wives at home were even accused of going overseas to rendezvous with their mistresses. It almost escalated into a divorce. Pei Yan forced an awkward smile. There is something important to handle on this trip.¡± He was the only one present who knew the inside story. Mr. Qi¡¯s marriage was of utmost importance, of course! The higher-ups of the company could not help but feel nervous. ¡°What¡¯s the general direction? What should we prepare?¡± ¡°Um¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Pei Yan paused for a moment. Under their nervous and excited gazes, he said mysteriously, ¡°Just wait for your instructions. If there¡¯s anything you need to do, Mr. Qi will tell you in advance.¡± ¡°Of course, of course! We¡¯ll definitely do our best!¡± ¡°If Mr. Qi reveals some insider information, keep us in the loop, Mr. Pei!¡± Pei Yan smiled and nodded. He knew the inside story, but he had to keep it a secret. It was really suffocating!!! Early the next morning, Qi Shenbai brought Xu Jiao jiao to the marriage registration office. Pei Yan had already prepared all the necessary information and documents for marriage registration in Ireland and handed them over to the staff. The staff member flipped through the documents, then raised her head and spoke to Qi Shenbai and Xu Jiaojiao in what seemed like complete gibberish to the girl. ¡°???¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not understand a single word, so she could only look at the man beside her. Qi Shenbai leaned in and whispered in her ear, ¡°She said that the marriage duration here is optional. One year, ten years, a hundred years. The longer the duration, the lower the fee. The shorter the duration, the higher the fee. She asked us how long we want to choose.¡± Xu Jiaojiao widened her eyes in disbelief. This was the first time she had heard that one could choose a time limit for their marriage certificate. It felt unbelievable. ¡°Really?¡± Qi Shenbai nodded. ¡°A year¡¯s engagement costs ten thousand dollars, but a hundred years will only cost a few dozen Chinese yuan.¡± ¡°Then of course we¡¯ll go for the second option!¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied without hesitation. ¡°To think that we¡¯d have to spend ten thousand dollars to get married! When we return to China, people will think that we¡¯ve lost our minds.¡± Anyway, once the storm subsided, she and Qi Shenbai could still come over for a divorce next year. They could even think of it as a holiday trip. The corners of Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll go with a hundred years.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded solemnly. Qi Shenbai raised his head and told the staff the marriage duration they had chosen in perfect English. The staff nodded with a smile and immediately went through the procedures for them. Pei Yan, who was standing by the side, watched helplessly as his boss tricked the innocent little rabbit into marrying him for a few dozen yuan. As expected, he really was the Big Bad Wolf.. Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Mr. Qi is in Love Chapter 53: Mr. Qi is in Love Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation After less than ten minutes, Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai received their marriage certificate. Before they left, the staff handed them a piece of paper. Qi Shenbai glanced at the contents on it, carefully folded the paper, and placed it in his suit pocket. Xu Jiaojiao looked at the marriage certificate and grinned like an idiot. ¡°Now, once we post the marriage certificate online, the problem will go away, right?¡± Qi Shenbai looked at the girl in front of him meaningfully and nodded in response. Xu Jiaojiao was genuinely happy. ¡°That¡¯s great. I can finally do my part to help you, if only a little.¡± Qi Shenbai stared at her. ¡°This is more than just a little. You¡¯ve helped me a lot.¡± He was handsome and charming, and a faint smile appeared on his tightly pursed thin lips. Xu Jiaojiao was taken aback for a moment, but she quickly regained her senses and pretended to look away as if nothing had happened. She lowered her head and touched her burning earlobe. ¡®Come on, why are you blushing?! You look like a fool!¡¯ Qi Shenbai had other things to do in the afternoon, so he arranged for Pei Yan to send Xu Jiaojiao back to the hotel. He told her to wait in the hotel obediently and not run around. He would be back soon to take her out for dinner. Xu Jiaojiao was considerate, so she told him not to worry and go do his thing. She would wait for him obediently at the hotel. When Qi Shenbai arrived at a certain haute couture jewelry store, some of the senior executives of the company had already been waiting in the store for a long time. Seeing Qi Shenbai walk in, the executives immediately smiled and went up to him. They said solemnly and respectfully, ¡°Mr. Qi, we¡¯ve all done our research. This is the most famous jewelry shop in Ireland. Many celebrities, both domestic and abroad, ordered their custom wedding rings from this place.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s handsome face was expressionless as he nodded. ¡°Mr. Qi, is our company planning to dabble in the jewelry industry?¡± one of the higher-ups asked carefully. ¡°In my opinion, it might be better to just buy the mine and excavate it ourselves before selling the finished product.¡± Qi Shenbai neither agreed nor disagreed. Under the guidance of the shop manager, he walked into the VIP room and sat on the sofa. He loosened his tie with one hand, and it was impossible to tell what he was feeling right now. The executive who had spoken went pale. Did they say something that made their boss unhappy? The manager arranged for a few trays to be sent in. Wedding rings of different styles and sizes rested on the black velvet cloth. The only thing every item had in common was that none of the diamonds on them were less than ten carats. Qi Shenbai took a look and said calmly, ¡°What kind of design do younger girls usually like?¡± Me, me, MEEE!!! The executive who misspoke just now leaped to offer his opinion. ¡°Mr. Qi, all women, regardless of age, prefer bigger diamonds. My wife keeps saying that the smaller ones don¡¯t count. She won¡¯t settle for anything less than ten carats!¡± The other higher-ups agreed. ¡°Don¡¯t they say that the design pales in comparison to the size? The bigger the better!¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s sword-like eyebrows twitched slightly. His executives were not wrong, but he did not like what they were saying. His feelings could not be measured by simply the size of the diamond. ¡°Bring me another batch.¡± The manager immediately called for a new batch of people to come in. The wide coffee table was filled with diamond rings. They were dazzling under the light. At a glance, Qi Shenbai noticed a ring placed in the corner. Although the diamond was not the largest here, its holder was different. It was shaped like a petal, and in the center of the petal was a pink gem that symbolized love. When the manager saw that his gaze was fixed on the ring, he explained the design concept of the ring to Qi Shenbai. It represented the earnest desire to dote on his lover like a princess for the rest of his life. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one, then.¡± Qi Shen tapped the table lightly with his slender fingers. The executives were stunned, and they secretly exchanged glances. Could someone tell them what was happening now? Why did Mr. Qi buy a diamond ring that symbolized love?! Who was he going to give it to? Could the rumors online be true? Was Mr. Qi in love? The executives subconsciously recalled the face they had briefly seen and were shocked. Mr. Qi was really a pedophile! What else could they do for him? Should they immediately think of a way to block the news for him, or should they contact the public relations department to make PR preparations? If they did that, though¡­ Wouldn¡¯t they be accomplices in his crime? Qi Shenbai returned to the hotel with the diamond ring. He did not know that his executives had already mentally labeled him a pedophile. He slowly pushed open the door and saw the girl sitting on the carpet. She was holding a fountain pen and a sketchbook the size of her palm. She was so focused on drawing that she did not even notice that someone had come into the room.. Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: How Can You Help Me? Chapter 54: How Can You Help Me? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The corners of her lips curled up slightly, and her beautiful black hair fell naturally to her chest. The sunlight outside the window shone on her porcelain-white face, and he could almost see the light fuzz on the side of her face, like a sweet and juicy peach. Qi Shenbai approached her quietly and stood beside her. When he lowered his head, he could see that she had drawn a pair of handsome lovers hugging and kissing. Xu Jiaojiao frowned as she looked at the scene. ¡°It could be a bit more¡­ blushy and heart-pounding.¡± ¡°What does ¡®blushy and heart-pounding¡¯ feel like?¡± The sudden voice startled Xu Jiaojiao. Her petite body subconsciously trembled, and when she looked up, she saw a pair of smiling black eyes. ¡°When did you come back? I didn¡¯t even hear your footsteps!¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked as she clutched her chest. ¡°1 just arrived. I was afraid of disturbing you.¡± Qi Shenbai saw that she was still in a state of shock and reached out to pat the top of her head. ¡°Or did I scare you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head and suddenly realized something. She hurriedly hid the sketchbook behind her back. When she thought about how he had seen the things she had drawn and heard her muttering to herself, she was so embarrassed that her ears turned red. She wanted to migrate to another planet so badly right now. Since she was silent, Qi Shenbai squatted down and looked into her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± His thin lips parted slightly, and his eyes were filled with concern. ¡°Did I scare you?¡± If he had known earlier, he would have made some noise when he entered the door so that she would be mentally prepared. Their eyes met suddenly, and their faces were inches apart. Xu Jiaojiao was inexplicably flustered, especially when he gently asked her what was wrong. She felt her heart race, and she shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Qi Shenbai looked at her and praised her seriously, ¡°You drew very well.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not feel flattered by his compliment at all. She just wanted to roll over and die right now. Her voice was tiny as she explained, ¡°I¡­ I was drawing the cover of a school romance novel. The website wanted a kinda¡­ flirty atmosphere. I wasn¡¯t drawing¡­ you-know-what.¡± The corners of Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to explain. You drew very well, and I didn¡¯t misunderstand anything.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips. She felt as though that was not a compliment, but when she met his sincere eyes¡­ Fine, it seemed like he really did mean it. Qi Shenbai saw that she was frowning, so he gave her the box in his hand. ¡°This is a gift for you.¡± ¡°A gift? For me?¡± Xu Jiao jiao looked at the exquisite little box in his hand, puzzled. ¡°Open it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao opened the box and saw a dazzling diamond ring. Although the diamond was not big, the design was very unique. Her long and thick eyelashes trembled unconsciously, and there was an unconcealable surprise in her eyes. What did he mean by giving her a diamond ring? Was he proposing to her? Qi Shenbai was amused by her expression of disbelief. He smiled and said, ¡°You don¡¯t want it?¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head, the words slipping out of her mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that! But why did you give me such an expensive gift?¡± ¡°We¡¯re legally married now. Although it¡¯s just an act, we still have to act like it.¡± Qi Shenbai took out the ring from the box and slowly put it on her ring finger. ¡°In case Grandma finds out that we¡¯re lying to her.¡± ¡°But¡­ this ring costs a lot of money, right? I¡¯m afraid 1 might lose it.¡± To be honest, Xu Jiaojiao did not really want it. If she really lost such a beautiful diamond ring, she probably would not be able to pay it back even if she kept doing illustrations for ten years. ¡°If you lose it, it¡¯ll be deducted from your brother¡¯s year-end bonus.¡± Xu Jiaojiao thought it over. That was a pretty good idea! Far away in Luo City, Xu Zhengyang, who was hard at work, sneezed inexplicably. He had no idea that a certain inhumane capitalist was already targeting his year-end bonus. The wedding ring on her ring finger was slightly cold to the touch, and the diamond on the ring looked even more dazzling under the refraction of the light. Xu Jiaojiao adjusted the ring to a comfortable position. When she looked up and saw the man¡¯s gentle gaze, a brilliant smile appeared on her fair face. Qi Shenbai¡¯s gaze fell on the sketchbook hidden behind her. He raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°Do you need my help?¡± ¡°Huh? But how?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was confused. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to draw. How can you help me?¡± ¡°Oh, I can help.¡± The man¡¯s voice was low, and his gaze suddenly locked onto her delicate thin lips. His well-defined fingers gently pinched her chin, and he kept coming closer. Xu Jiaojiao stood rooted to the ground as she looked at the man¡¯s deep eyes, which reflected her shocked expression. She subconsciously gulped as her ears were filled with the sound of a thunderous heartbeat. The two of them were so close that she could no longer tell who the heartbeat belonged to.. Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: The Company is Doomed Chapter 55: The Company is Doomed Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes were burning as he stared at her flushed face without blinking. His gaze moved down bit by bit and finally locked onto her thin lips. They were tender and tempting, crystal clear. Gradually, his breathing became chaotic, and his protruding Adam¡¯s apple kept bobbing, as if he was trying his best to hold himself back. The atmosphere became strange. The two of them looked at each other without saying anything or making the next move. Their eyes met, and something seemed to intertwine in their gazes ¡ª something that could not be undone. Eventually, Qi Shenbai pulled away and looked at her. ¡°Got any inspiration now?¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at him blankly and asked belatedly, ¡°Are you¡­ helping me find inspiration?¡± Qi Shenbai nodded without changing his expression. Xu Jiaojiao lowered her head in embarrassment, blaming herself for thinking too much. ¡°Still no inspiration?¡± Qi Shenbai asked again. ¡°I¡­ I got a hint of something.¡± Xu Jiaojiao answered in a panic, her cheeks burning. ¡°I think I know how to draw it now.¡± Qi Shenbai smiled and placed his warm palm on her hair. He did not rub her head, only saying gently, ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave you to your work.¡± With that, he got up and left. Behind him, Xu Jiaojiao kept stealing glances at his back from the corner of her eye. Only once he was completely gone did she finally heave a sigh of relief. She pinched her face forcefully and said, ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, wake up! He was just helping you get some inspiration!¡± After spending a few minutes to calm herself down, she picked up her pen again and seriously began to amend her draft. Time flew by quickly. By the time Xu Jiaojiao put down her brush again, it was already noon. She stretched lazily and looked at her sketches with an expression of satisfaction, like a mother looking at her own child. The two characters who were originally kissing were now simply looking at each other. Even so, their gazes were suggestive and intimate, just the mood she wanted. ¡°I really am a genius! 1 got it in an instant!¡± After putting away her art tools, she stood up and walked to the door next door. She knocked on it three times, and the person who answered the door was Pei Yan. When he saw that it was her, Pei Yan said respectfully, ¡°Hello, Mrs. Qi.¡± He did not go out of his way to lower his voice. The higher-ups sitting in the living room all heard him, and they were dumbfounded. M-Mrs. Qi?! Mr. Qi really was a pedophile!! The company was doomed now, noooo! ¡°Are you guys still busy?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked quietly, afraid of disturbing the higher-ups in the room. The higher-ups were silent. They were not that busy. All they did was drink tea with their boss the entire morning. ¡°We¡¯re almost done with our work,¡± Pei Yan replied calmly. ¡°Are you hungry, ma¡¯am? 1¡¯11 get the kitchen to prepare lunch for you now.¡± Xu Jiaojiao hurriedly waved her hand. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. I just saw that you¡¯ve been busy in your room all morning, so I wanted to remind you to remember to have lunch. Work is important, but your health comes first.¡± Before Pei Yan could say anything, Qi Shenbai walked out of the room. Pei Yan tactfully retreated to the side and gave his seat to the CEO. ¡°Have you finished amending your drawing?¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled and nodded. ¡°You haven¡¯t had lunch, have you?¡± Qi Shenbai nodded. ¡°No, but I¡¯m done with my work now.¡± The higher-ups who were already full of tea had nothing else to say. ¡°Do you want to have lunch with me? My treat,¡± Xu Jiaojiao suggested. ¡°Take it as a thank you for giving me inspiration.¡± The corners of Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled up slightly. He did not refuse. ¡°Sure, I¡¯m hungry.¡± The two of them turned around and walked towards the elevator. Before Xu Jiaojiao left, she did not forget to turn around and nod slightly at Pei Yan before politely saying goodbye. ¡°Hey¡­ Is Mr. Qi really a pedophile, Mr. Pei?¡± ¡°That young lady looks sixteen or seventeen years old at most. How could President Qi do such a thing?!¡± ¡°Our company is doomed¡­¡± One of the executives shook his head sadly. These senior executives were all elites who had returned from studying overseas and had received higher education. They expressed deep disdain for Qi Shenbai¡¯s immoral behavior! Pei Yan was completely speechless. People kept judging the madam because she looked too young! ¡°Who told you that Mrs. Qi is underage? She¡¯s already twenty years old. According to the laws of our country, twenty years old is a perfectly legal marriageable age! Besides¡­¡± Pei Yan cleared his throat. As everyone stared at him in shock, he said proudly, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Qi have already gotten their marriage certificate this morning. The two of them are now legally husband and wife!¡± Chapter 56 - Chapter 56: Dirty Dream Chapter 56: Dirty Dream Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Meanwhile, in the hotel restaurant, Xu Jiaojiao glanced at the menu that the waiter had just handed her. She then gave the menu to the man opposite her. ¡°I¡¯ll eat anything. See if there are any dishes you like.¡± She could only roughly read the names of the dishes on the menu. There were no pictures, so she was afraid of making a fool of herself. Qi Shenbai did not seem to notice her little scheme. He took the menu and skillfully ordered a few dishes. When he spoke English, his accent was proper, and his magnetic voice was as pleasant as a cello. Xu Jiaojiao sighed inwardly. Not only was he rich, but he was also so handsome! He was amazing in all aspects. God really favored him. After lunch, Qi Shenbai ordered an iced Americano. After drinking half the glass, he said in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to China in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao held the glass of juice in her hand as a hint of surprise flashed across her clear eyes. ¡°So soon? Have you settled your work already?¡± Qi Shenbai nodded slightly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve already signed the contract.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt happy for him from the bottom of her heart. ¡°That¡¯s incredible. You procured the contract so quickly!¡± ¡°Yes, the contract was signed this morning. It will last for life.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao put down her cup and gave him a thumbs-up. ¡°Your team is amazing!¡± ¡°So are you,¡± Qi Shenbai praised her. Xu Jiaojiao thought that he was complimenting her drawing skills and smiled embarrassedly. ¡°I¡¯m nothing. You guys are better. I¡¯ve only seen successful people like you in television dramas before.¡± Qi Shenbai did not say anything else, but when she was not looking, he smiled. Xu Jiaojiao waved for the waiter to pay the bill, but in the end, she could not use her card to pay in this restaurant. She had to pay in the local currency. However, she had only brought her clothes and phone when she went abroad. She did not bring any cash with her, let alone exchange it for foreign currency. Qi Shenbai took out his wallet from his pocket and gave the other party the total amount along with a tip. Xu Jiaojiao looked at him awkwardly. ¡°How much did you spend in total? 1¡¯11 transfer it to you via WeChat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll treat you this time.¡± Before Xu Jiaojiao could refuse, he added, ¡°If you want to treat me, you can cook after we return to China. The chefs here don¡¯t cook as well as you do.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s culinary skills were affirmed, so she nodded her head vigorously. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you to that. I¡¯ll arrange a whole Manchu Han Imperial Feast for you when we get home!¡± On the plane back to China, Qi Shenbai was still sitting with the higher-ups discussing work matters. Xu Jiaojiao asked the flight attendant for a glass of mineral water and took out her phone to watch an instructional video on drawing techniques. In the end, she could not even get to the two-minute mark before her eyes drooped to a close. She even had a dream. In the grayish-white minimalist room, the floor lamp glowed with yellow light. It was quiet and secluded. The man¡¯s muscular upper body was exposed, and his strong arms pinned Xu Jiaojiao beneath him. Sweat rolled down his forehead and dripped into her collarbone. Qi Shenbai¡¯s pitch-black eyes became even deeper, like a bottomless pool of black water that was about to devour her entire body. His thin lips pressed against her ear. He panted softly, his voice hoarse. ¡°Young lady¡­¡± ¡°Jiaojiao¡­¡± She forced herself to wake up from this suggestive dream. The moment she opened her eyes, she met the man¡¯s deep and exquisite eyes. Qi Shenbai held a blanket in his hand and was about to cover her with it when she suddenly woke up. His gaze stiffened slightly. ¡°Did 1 wake you up?¡± The blanket in his hand landed gently on her body, covering her shoulders tightly. Xu Jiaojiao recalled the scene in her dream. He was half-naked, his eyes were bright, and hot sweat fell on her body. Her petite earlobes instantly turned red, and she did not even dare to look him in the eye. Soon, her neck turned red all the way to her ears, and even her fair hands turned slightly red. She nervously pulled the blanket to cover half of her face, afraid that he would notice that something was wrong with her. ¡°No¡­¡± Seeing something amiss about her expression, Qi Shenbai could not help but ask worriedly, ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Why is your face so red?¡± As he spoke, he reached out to touch her and see if she had a fever. Before his large hand could touch her forehead, Xu Jiaojiao suddenly turned her head to avoid his touch. She even wrapped herself tightly in a blanket. A muffled voice came from under the blanket. ¡°I¡¯m just a little sleepy. 1¡¯11 be fine after sleeping for a while..¡± Chapter 57 - Chapter 57: Dont You Have Any Shame?! Chapter 57: Don¡¯t You Have Any Shame?! Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Shenbai¡¯s hand, which was frozen in midair, drooped down. His dark eyes flickered. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he said gently, ¡°Then go to sleep. I¡¯ll wake you up when we get home.¡± The person under the blanket did not reply. There was a hint of confusion in Qi Shenbai¡¯s calm eyes. After staying by her side for a while, he turned around and returned to his original position. He said without any emotion, ¡°Continue.¡± The higher-ups looked at each other. They could clearly feel that Mr. Qi¡¯s mood was not as good as before. It seemed that they had really underestimated the position of his young wife in Mr. Qi¡¯s heart. When Xu Jiaojiao heard the sound of footsteps fading into the distance, she finally lowered the blanket slightly. She first stuck her head out, but when she saw that he was not looking in her direction, she let go of the blanket completely and took a few deep breaths. She frowned in frustration and pursed her lips tightly¡­ ¡®How could 1 have¡­ that kind of dream? And the main character was Qi Shenbai, too¡­ Oh no, 1 must have spent too much time with Luoluo. She sullied my mind and filled it with naughty stuff. And now I¡¯m having dirty dreams about Qi Shenbai!¡¯ There were still two hours before they reached China, but Xu Jiaojiao could no longer fall asleep. She turned on her phone and started tapping on a Buddhist-themed idle game. +1 merit, +1 merit, +1 merit¡­ She had to recover all the good merits she had just lost! She tapped on the screen for a long time, but her heart still could not calm down. Once she stopped, her mind would be filled with the image of his sweat dripping onto her collarbone. It was too much!!! An hour and a half later, the plane landed smoothly at Luo City International Airport. Along the way, Xu Jiao jiao did not dare to say a single word to Qi Shenbai other than the few words she had said from under the blanket. In fact, she was too embarrassed to even look at him, afraid that her gaze would taint him, who was blissfully unaware of the situation. She was even more afraid that he would see through her and realize that she was having a dirty dream about him! Qi Shenbai gave her a complicated look. He wanted to say something but hesitated a few times. In the end, he did not say anything and returned to the office. Cang Xing sent Xu Jiaojiao back to Qingshui Villa. After taking a shower, Xu Jiaojiao took out her phone and went online. She happened to see the clarification from the Qi Group¡¯s legal department. Below it was a photo of Qi Shenbai and Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s marriage certificate. The ID number on the marriage certificate was redacted, revealing only the year of her birth to prove her age. As a result, the rumors about Qi Shenbai¡¯s pedophilia on the Internet were automatically dispelled. Netizens no longer focused on whether Xu Jiaojiao was an adult. Instead, they turned the topic back to Qi Shenbai¡¯s private life. The Qi Group was a well-known public company in the country. It dabbled in all kinds of industries, but there was very little news about Qi Shenbai on the Internet. He never appeared in public, nor did he accept interviews, let alone television program appearances. Therefore, very few people knew what he looked like. Even his age was a mystery. The only photo that was sent out could not even be seen clearly. The netizens were practically using a microscope to study it and finally came to a conclusion as the CEO of the Qi Group, Qi Shenbai was much younger than everyone had imagined. His figure was also very attractive. In particular, his fingers were long and slender, perfect for people who liked that sort of thing. Aww, another domineering CEO just got married at such an early age! Xu Jiaojiao flipped through the comments section for a while and realized that no one was talking about Qi Shenbai¡¯s moral degeneration and pedophilia anymore. The huge rock that had been weighing on her heart finally went away. She put down her phone and returned to the bathroom to dry her hair, so she did not see the comments below. Five More Minutes: [Dayum! This marriage certificate was registered in Ireland. As far as I know, Ireland is the only country in the world that doesn¡¯t allow divorce! Goodness gracious, this domineering CEO is shockingly devoted to true love!!! Invest in him, sisters!] In the CEO¡¯s office on the top floor of the Qi Group¡¯s building, Pei Yan had just finished reporting to Qi Shenbai about the direction of public opinion about him and Xu Jiaojiao on the Internet. Just as he was about to leave, he turned around and saw Xu Zhengyan rushing in. ¡°Mr. Xu¡­ Wait a minute¡­¡± Pei Yan saw that something was wrong with his expression and was about to stop him, but he was shoved away. ¡°¡­¡± That hurts. ¡°Qi Shenbai, don¡¯t you have any shame?!¡± Xu Zhengyang was so angry that he threw the cup in his hand at Qi Shenbai¡¯s desk. Qi Shenbai sat on the leather chair without moving, letting the cup fall on the table. The water splashed on his face, and the cup finally fell to the carpet with a crash, shattering into pieces.. Chapter 58 - Chapter 58: Does It Have Anything to Do with You? Chapter 58: Does It Have Anything to Do with You? Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Mr. Qi¡­¡± Pei Yan looked at the water stains on Qi Shenbai¡¯s face in a daze and could not help but tremble in fear. Mr. Xu was really pushing his luck now. What if he actually hurt his boss?! Qi Shenbai¡¯s cold features were expressionless. He raised his hand and gestured for Pei Yan to leave first. Pei Yan nodded slightly. Before he left, he did not forget to close the door. However, he did not walk too far. He carefully pressed his ear against the door and listened to the movements inside. If a fight really broke out inside, he could rush in and stop it immediately. If Mr. Xu actually broke Mr. Qi, Pei Yan would lose his position as the head secretary! Xu Zhengyang, who was always smiling cheekily, was not smiling at all right now. He gritted his teeth and glared at the man in front of him. If looks could kill, he would have cut Qi Shenbai into pieces by now. Qi Shenbai reached for a tissue paper and wiped the water off his face. ¡°Qi Shenbai, do you really think that 1 won¡¯t fight you?!¡± Xu Zhengyang said fiercely, enunciating every word. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you f*cking tricked my sister into getting a marriage certificate, but you even brought her to Ireland to get it! Are you f*cking crazy?!¡± ¡°I want to be with her.¡± Qi Shenbai looked up at him and said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m confident that I can take good care of Jiaojiao.¡± Xu Zhengyang could not help but mock him, ¡°Who do you think you are? Why does my sister have to marry you just because you want to be with her?!¡± Qi Shenbai looked at him firmly and did not say a word. ¡°Qi Shenbai, don¡¯t tell me that you really like my sister. There are so many other fish in the sea! You¡¯re my friend, not my brother-in-law!¡± Xu Zhengyang became even angrier when Qi Shenbai did not say anything. Qi Shenbai casually threw the wet tissue into the trash can. His lowered eyes were firm and calm. ¡°Xu Zhengyang, I¡¯m not asking for your opinion. Jiaojiao is now my wife. Our union is legally recognized.¡± He had already guessed that Xu Zhengyang would overreact, so he had no choice but to use this shady method to legalize his marriage with Xu Jiaojiao. Other than that, he was confident that Xu Zhengyang knew his character well enough. ¡°F*ckyou,¡± Xu Zhengyang cursed in a low voice. ¡°If murder isn¡¯t illegal, 1 really want to kill you now.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s tone was firm. ¡°If you kill me, Jiaojiao will become a widow. You wouldn¡¯t do that to her.¡± ¡°You cunning old fox!¡± Xu Zhengyang could not help but curse. He was furious but helpless. After all, this jerk was his boss and his brother-in-law! ¡°Qi Shenbai, I¡¯ll only tell you this once. If you dare to touch a single strand of Jiaojiao¡¯s hair, I¡¯ll fight you to the death.¡± Xu Zhengyang warned, ¡°If it comes to that, all bets are off!¡± Qi Shenbai took out another sheet of tissue paper and wiped the water on the table methodically. He said unhurriedly, ¡°I¡¯ll leave everything to her. I won¡¯t force her to do anything she doesn¡¯t like.¡± In other words, unless Xu Jiaojiao was willing, he would not do anything to Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Don¡¯t use your capitalist methods to scheme against my sister!¡± ¡°My feelings for her are true. As for Jiaojiao¡¯s feelings, I won¡¯t use any tricks to influence her.¡± The two of them were officially husband and wife now. As for Jiaojiao¡¯s feelings¡­ He had plenty of time to wait. There was no hurry. After getting a satisfactory answer, Xu Zhengyang let out a shaky breath and gave him one last warning, ¡°You¡¯d better clean up that mess of yours. If you make Jiaojiao sad, you can forget about our friendship.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes darkened, and he did not say a word. Xu Zhengyang turned around and walked to the door to pull it open. Pei Yan, who was eavesdropping at the door, almost lost his balance and fell into his arms. He dodged to the side in disdain. Pei Yan grabbed the door handle in time so that he did not fall flat on his face. He smiled at Xu Zhengyang awkwardly. Xu Zhengyang was in a bad mood and even found him an eyesore. He glared at him angrily and turned back to say to Qi Shenbai, whose eyes were lowered, ¡°That cup cost 200 yuan. Remember to transfer the money to me on WeChat!¡± Damn it, he had specially asked someone to buy the Christmas limited cup from Starbucks last time. Xu Jiaojiao had applied for a week¡¯s leave from school, but she had returned to China a few days earlier than she had expected. After taking a shower, she rested at home for a while before returning to school in the afternoon. Regarding the rumors on the Internet, the school was also in an uproar. Some people were skeptical and immediately surrounded Xu Jiaojiao after class to interrogate her about the truth. Before Xu Jiaojiao could explain, she heard Su Luo¡¯s impatient voice. ¡°So what if it¡¯s real or fake? Does it have anything to do with you?¡± Su Lu was a year older than Xu Jiao jiao and came from a well-to-do family. She was usually unrestrained in school, and no one dared to provoke her. As soon as the crowd saw her, they dispersed.. Chapter 59 - Chapter 59: What are You Still Worried About? Chapter 59: What are You Still Worried About? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Hello, Luoluo¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled sweetly at her. Su Lu walked over to her side and sat down, teasing, ¡°You¡¯re pretty bold, Xu Jiaojiao. You actually went overseas to register your marriage with Qi Shenbai!¡± ¡°You know the truth, don¡¯t you? This is all just a deal.¡± Xu Jiaojiao explained as she packed her backpack. ¡°We¡¯re only registering our marriage to refute the rumors so as not to affect the company¡¯s share price. In a year, the two of us will go for a divorce.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± There was a smile in Su Luo¡¯s voice. ¡°A certain someone might not be willing to divorce a year later!¡± ¡°Why would 1 be reluctant?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked with a slight frown. ¡°I never said it¡¯s you! Why are you in such a hurry to take the blame?¡± A trace of mischief flashed across Su Luo¡¯s eyes. ¡°Look at how nervous you are to defend yourself.¡± Xu Jiaojiao blinked. When she regained her senses, she glared at her friend reproachfully. ¡°Luoluo, you¡¯re making fun of me again!¡± Su Lu did not fall for her feigned anger and simply snatched away the book that Xu Jiaojiao had placed facedown on the tablet. It was too late for Xu Jiaojiao to stop her. The tablet¡¯s screen was not locked. The wallpaper was a comic drawing of a man lowering his head and applying medicine for a girl. Su Luo¡¯s sharp eyes could tell who the couple in the painting was at a glance. ¡°Hmph, try lying to me again.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked guilty in an instant. She grabbed the tablet and hugged it tightly in her arms, huffing, ¡°Luoluo¡­¡± Su Luo poked her round face. ¡°If you like him, so be it. What¡¯s there to hide? It¡¯s normal for you to fancy a man like Qi Shenbai.¡± Xu Jiaojiao lay sprawled on the table, her long and thick eyelashes trembling slightly. She did not seem to be in a good mood. ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Luoluo¡­¡± Su Luo also leaned on the table and coaxed her patiently. ¡°Then tell me, what do 1 not understand?¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned to look at her and sighed softly. ¡°You¡¯re right. 1 do like him. And 1 don¡¯t know when I fell in love with him. By the time 1 found out, 1 was missing him no matter what I was doing. But¡­ I can¡¯t like him.¡± If she had not had that dirty dream on the plane, she would not have realized that her feelings for Qi Shenbai had quietly changed. In the past, when she was dating Lu Zhuo, she had never had such a dream. ¡°Why can¡¯t you like him?¡± Su Luo frowned slightly. She was extremely puzzled. ¡°I just broke up with Lu Zhuo. How could I fall in love with someone else so quickly?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was a little depressed. ¡°I¡¯ve changed. I¡¯ve become too fickle.¡± ¡°Pfft¡ª¡± Su Luo could not help but laugh out loud. ¡°Sis, what year is it now?! Isn¡¯t it normal to fall in love with someone else after breaking up? Why not? Lu Zhuo betrayed you first. After breaking up, do you still have to mourn for him for three years before moving on? Jiaojiao, don¡¯t be so strict with yourself. You¡¯ll tire yourself out.¡± Su Luo thought she needed to add a bit more oomph to her statement, so she continued, ¡°Please, that¡¯s Qi Shenbai we¡¯re talking about. He has the looks and the money. It¡¯s normal for you to like him. If it were anyone else, they would have fallen in love with him long ago.¡± Xu Jiaojiao blinked her big eyes and asked curiously, ¡°Do you like him too?¡± Su Luo rolled her eyes speechlessly. ¡°Firstly, I¡¯ll never fall in love with a man my friend likes. Secondly, Qi Shenbai isn¡¯t my type. He¡¯s like a big block of ice. I feel like I¡¯ll freeze to death if I stand beside him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s very nice. How is he like a big block of ice?¡± Xu Jiaojiao could not help but speak up for him. ¡°Fine, so I can¡¯t even say a word about your husband now. You¡¯re really protective of him, aren¡¯t you?¡± Su Luo pretended to be angry. The word ¡®husband¡¯ made Xu Jiaojiao blush. ¡°The two of us are just faking our marriage. He¡¯s not really my husband.¡± ¡°The marriage certificate is real, so he really is your husband.¡± Xu Jiaojiao found she could not actually refute that. Su Luo poked her in the arm and encouraged her. ¡°Don¡¯t sl*tshame yourself. Either way, the two of you are officially husband and wife now. You have to seize such a good opportunity.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was confused. ¡°How am 1 supposed to do that?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s just an act, then make it real. Take the initiative,¡± Su Luo suggested excitedly. ¡°You never know, right? If you ask me, Qi Shenbai might seem distant on the surface, but he might be secretly passionate inside. Try wooing him. I think it¡¯ll work out.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll think about it first.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt that she should not believe the words of a single pringle like Su Luo so easily. ¡°What are you still worried about?¡± Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: You Did It on Purpose, Didnt You? Chapter 60: You Did It on Purpose, Didn¡¯t You? Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°He¡¯s the CEO of the Qi Group, and the Qi family is one of the richest families. I¡¯m just an ordinary girl. There are plenty of girls like me on the streets. If my brother wasn¡¯t good friends with him, we may never have interacted in this lifetime.¡± Back then, even her engagement with Lu Zhuo had been mocked. They said he was out of her league. Now, the distance between the Qi family and her family was worth a hundred Lu families. The difference between her and Qi Shenbai was like heaven and earth. She liked Qi Shenbai, but would Qi Shenbai like her back? What would he think if he found out about her feelings? Would he think that she was deliberately trying to get close to him so she could climb up the social ladder by using the Qi family? Xu Jiaojiao was extremely frustrated. As far as she remembered, even back when she liked Lu Zhuo in the past, she had not been as overcautious as she was now! Bang! Su Luo suddenly slammed her phone on the table, scaring Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Don¡¯t think so much. I¡¯ll take you out!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was dumbfounded. This change of topic was too sudden. Su Luo lowered her head to look at her and said in all seriousness, ¡°There¡¯s nothing that a good barbecue can¡¯t solve. If there is, then we¡¯ll have two barbecues!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was so amused by her that she grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t I still owe you a meal?¡± Su Luo tugged her arm and walked out of the classroom. ¡°I booked a table at the barbecue restaurant you like. You can eat as much as you want today! Just treat it as a celebration. You don¡¯t have to hold back!¡± ¡°A celebration? For what?¡± Xu Jiaojiao grabbed her bag, her eyes filled with confusion. ¡°To celebrate you getting rid of that scumbag and regaining true love! To celebrate your aesthetic standards finally evolving from that scumbag Lu Zhuo to a domineering CEO! Anyway, all of it is worth celebrating!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was speechless. ¡®You¡¯re just looking for an excuse to go for a barbecue, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ Ever since they returned from Ireland, Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai had hardly met. From the moment Xu Jiaojiao discovered her feelings for Qi Shenbai, she did not know how to face him. Every time he spoke to her in a magnetic voice, she would always think of that dream at an inappropriate time. All else aside, Qi Shenbai was quite a few years older than Xu Jiaojiao. How could he not tell that she had been hiding from him? She kept finding excuses to not make breakfast, leaving early in the morning and returning late at night every day. Oftentimes, he could not even catch a glimpse of her. He did not know what he had done wrong to make her unhappy. In addition, there had been too many things to do in the company these few days, so he could only put this matter aside for the time being. He told himself not to be too anxious, or he would scare the little girl off. At one point, the weather started to turn cold. When Xu Jiaojiao woke up one morning, she felt a stuffy feeling in her nose. She turned her head and saw that the window was not closed. The red maple leaves outside were fluttering in the wind. Time really passed quickly. It was almost winter now. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but sneeze. She quickly put on her shoes and got out of bed to close the window. When she went downstairs to eat, Qi Shenbai had already gone to the office. Xu Jiaojiao sat down and took a tissue to wipe her nose. The butler noticed that she did not look too good. She seemed lethargic and even had a snotty nose. The butler asked with concern, ¡°Madam, are you feeling unwell?¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°I forgot to close the window yesterday. Maybe I caught a cold.¡± ¡°In this season, there¡¯s a huge temperature difference between day and night. It¡¯s easy to catch a cold. You must remember to close the window before you go to bed.¡± The butler was worried. ¡°Why don¡¯t we call the doctor over to take a look at you?¡± Qi Shenbai had his own family doctor, so it was not troublesome to call him over. Xu Jiaojiao waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious. I still have to go to school later. If I feel uncomfortable, I¡¯ll go to the school doctor¡¯s office to take a look.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not listen to a single word of the class that day. She was dizzy and her nose was stuffy. It was not easy for her to persist until the end of class, but the door of the school doctor¡¯s office was still locked. Her classmates said that the school doctor had applied for a week¡¯s leave. Oh, well. She should just go home and drink more hot water. Xu Jiaojiao walked to the door and was about to call Cang Xing when she saw a familiar face walking towards her. Lu Zhuo stood less than a meter away from her. His gaze fell on her haggard face, and he asked with concern, ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°No.¡± Xu Jiaojiao rubbed her nose. ¡°Are you here to look for me?¡± He would not be here because of her brother, right? Lu Zhuo did not believe that she could not see the concern in his eyes, and he did not expect her to be so ungrateful. He did not say anything else and went straight to the point. ¡°My grandmother is sick. Take some time to visit her.¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her eyes and looked at him. She felt that there was something wrong with his brain. ¡°You can just give me a call for that. There¡¯s no need for you to come here personally.¡± Lu Zhuo sneered.. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, you did it on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± Chapter 61 - Chapter 61: Youre Not Feeling Well and Still Disobedient Chapter 61: You¡¯re Not Feeling Well and Still Disobedient Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡®What did 1 do on purpose?¡¯ Xu Jiaojiao was caught off-guard. When she saw the displeasure on his face, she suddenly remembered. ¡°I forgot. I blacklisted you.¡± Because he had repeatedly called Qi Shenbai a pretty boy with no substance, she had blacklisted him. She did not like hearing that. In any case, there was no need for her to contact Lu Zhuo in the future. ¡°You know how nice my grandmother is to you.¡± Lu Zhuo seemed to be suppressing his unhappiness as he spoke. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for what happened between us, my grandmother wouldn¡¯t have fallen sick. Ever since she fell sick, she kept talking about wanting to see you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao lowered her eyes and did not say anything. It was strange. Everyone in the Lu family did not seem to like her. Only Old Mrs. Lu treated her very well, sometimes even better than she treated Lu Zhuo. Whether it was because she had doted on her for so many years or because of the relationship between the two families in the past, Xu Jiaojiao did feel like she should visit the old lady. However, she rubbed her red nose and said in a nasal voice, ¡°I have a cold now. I¡¯ll go see Grandma when I¡¯m better.¡± So she was sick. Lu Zhuo¡¯s expression brightened considerably. He asked with concern, ¡°Shall I go to the hospital with you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. ¡°I can go by myself.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Qi Shenbai?¡± Lu Zhuo looked at her and frowned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you register your marriage? Why isn¡¯t he by your side when you¡¯re sick?¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her eyes and looked at him. She really wanted to rebuke him. ¡®What does it have to do with you? Why are you pretending to care?¡¯ As soon as she pursed her thin lips, she could not help but sneeze. She took out a tissue from her bag and wiped her nose, unintentionally revealing the dazzling diamond ring on her ring finger. Lu Zhuo¡¯s eyes darkened as he mocked, ¡°You¡¯re really putting on a show, huh? You even bought a diamond ring just to make me give up? Xu Jiaojiao, you¡¯re really ruthless sometimes.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not have a good temper either. She was thoroughly enraged by his sarcastic tone and finally snapped back at him, ¡°1 bought a diamond ring just to make you give up? Why don¡¯t you take a look at yourself? What a joke!¡± Lu Zhuo stood rooted to the ground. He had never seen Xu Jiaojiao so hostile toward him. Xu Jiaojiao still felt that it was not enough, so she added fiercely, ¡°Stop staring at your reflection, you narcissist. Ask yourself if you¡¯re really worthy of my attention!¡± Just as Lu Zhuo¡¯s pride was shattering, Xu Jiaojiao saw Cang Xing¡¯s car approaching from afar. Without looking back, she got into the car and told Cang Xing to drive faster. By the time Lu Zhuo regained his senses, the car had already disappeared down the end of the road. He was frustrated, angry, and a little dejected. Why did things have to escalate like this every time they met after the wedding was canceled? How did they end up like this? They could not even have a proper conversation anymore¡­ Cang Xing drove the car quickly while secretly observing the depressed little girl through the rearview mirror. She looked like an injured little puppy. Hesitating, he said, ¡°Madam, did he provoke you again? Do you need me to help you deal with it?¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her head and looked at him, her brows knitted into a frown. ¡°Geez¡­ How are you going to deal with him? This is a society governed by the law. Don¡¯t do anything stupid!¡± She did not want him to get Qi Shenbai and the Qi Group in trouble. ¡°¡­¡± Cang Xing¡¯s lips twitched as he explained, ¡°1 meant to scare him so that he wouldn¡¯t dare to harass you again.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao heaved a sigh of relief and cleared her throat. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. There¡¯s no point in scaring him.¡± She knew Lu Zhuo too well. He had been pampered since he was young and had always been self-centered. He did not care about the opinions of others at all. Even if she were to warn him, he would probably become even worse in the future. The car stopped at the entrance of Qingshui Villa. As soon as Xu Jiao jiao got out of the car and steadied herself, she saw Qi Shenbai returning from the company. The autumn wind blew, and her long black hair fluttered in the wind. ¡°Achoo¡ª¡± She could not help but sneeze. Qi Shenbai stared at her and frowned. He was obviously a little unhappy. ¡°It¡¯s cold out, so why are you wearing so little?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think counts as ¡®so little¡¯¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly felt a weight on her shoulder. The man¡¯s clean aura had already enveloped her entire body. Qi Shenbai took off his suit coat and put it on her, not forgetting to tighten the collar. ¡°No need, we¡¯ll be home soon.¡± Xu Jiaojiao reached out to take off the coat. Qi Shenbai used his arm to press down on her shoulder to stop her from moving.. ¡°You¡¯re not feeling well and you¡¯re still disobedient?¡± Chapter 62 - Chapter 62: Do You Have a Fever? Chapter 62: Do You Have a Fever? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao was stunned. How did he know that she was not feeling well? Did the butler tell him? While she was still in a daze, Qi Shenbai had already grabbed her shoulders and led her into the house. He asked with concern, ¡°Do you have a fever?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­¡± Before Xu Jiaojiao could finish her sentence, the man¡¯s palm was already on her forehead. Her breathing suddenly stopped. The place where his palm touched seemed to be scalding. She was so scared that she did not dare to touch Qi Shenbai. After testing her temperature, he touched his forehead and frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re burning up? Butler, bring the thermometer over.¡± The butler jogged to get the first aid kit. Qi Shenbai brought Xu Jiaojiao back to the living room and sat her down. Seeing that her face was getting redder and redder, he could not help but worry. The butler quickly returned with the medicine box and handed the thermometer to him. Qi Shenbai shook the thermometer twice. When he reached out to hand it to her, he paused. ¡°¡­Put it under your armpit for five minutes.¡± Xu Jiaojiao obediently took the thermometer from his hand. She was wearing an orange-yellow sweater today. The collar was tight, so her hand could not reach in. She could only stuff it under the hem. When the hem of her clothes was lifted, a small part of her delicate and fair skin was revealed. Qi Shenbai accidentally caught a glimpse of her body and quickly averted his gaze. However, his eyes gradually darkened in a place that no one could see. ¡°Don¡¯t cook anything too fancy tonight. Just make it light and refreshing,¡± Qi Shenbai said to the butler. The butler nodded and went to the kitchen to inform the chef. Only Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai were left in the huge living room. Neither of them spoke first. The sun was setting outside the window, and the lights in the room made her face look even paler. The setting sun covered her delicate face, and her palm-sized face looked haggard. Qi Shenbai unconsciously frowned. Why was she getting thinner and thinner? Xu Jiaojiao lowered her eyes. That burning gaze kept falling on her, making her feel a little uncomfortable. Her gaze fell on the clock on the wall, staring at it without blinking. When the time was up, Xu Jiaojiao could not wait to take out the thermometer. Perhaps she was too nervous or something , but she subconsciously raised her hand and the thermometer rolled into her clothes. Xu Jiaojiao fumbled around in a flurry. Suddenly, a large palm grabbed her waist. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s body stiffened when the hot palm pressed against her waist. A hint of panic flashed across her dark pupils. ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s deep voice rang in her ears. His hand went up her waist. Xu Jiaojiao subconsciously straightened her back, her body as stiff as ice. Her thin layer of clothes could not fend off the warmth of his palm. His fingertips moved along the curve of her back. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but bite her lips lightly, and her body trembled slightly. The tingling sensation that rose from her back spread throughout her entire body, and all her hairs rose, making her feel embarrassed. Qi Shenbai¡¯s hand paused and pinched the clothes on her back. ¡°Found it.¡± Before Xu Jiaojiao could react, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll help you take it out.¡± The moment he finished speaking, a touch of coldness landed on her skin. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s ears instantly turned red. In the next second, Qi Shenbai withdrew his hand with the thermometer and glanced at the temperature on it. There was no emotion on his face. Xu Jiaojiao heaved a sigh of relief. The blush on her face coupled with her small actions made her look cute. Qi Shenbai raised his eyebrows. ¡°Are you very nervous?¡± His black eyes were dark, his thin lips were light, and his tone carried a hint of mischief. It was not that he did not feel Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s trembling body, but he was not sure if he was the cause for them. ¡°N-No.¡± Xu Jiaojiao hurriedly shook her head. ¡°Then why are you blushing?¡± ¡°Because of my fever!¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her voice unconsciously. ¡°Aren¡¯t I having a fever? Turning red is normal.¡± Qi Shenbai chuckled and nodded slightly. ¡°You do have a low fever. Take some fever medicine later.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied in a low and muffled voice, secretly relieved. She would never admit that she was shy because she had so gotten close to him! Qi Shenbai glanced at her, got up, and went to the cabinet next to him, where he took out some medicine. There were four pills in total, two anti-inflammatory and two for fever. Xu Jiaojiao frowned subconsciously, and he caught her subtle movements. He poured her some water and asked, ¡°Afraid of taking medicine?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. She took the medicine from the hand and swallowed it without blinking. She gulped down the large glass of water and said, ¡°1 don¡¯t even need to drink water for just these few pills. ¡°In the past, when I took medicine, I could swallow more than ten pills without blinking..¡± Chapter 63 - Chapter 63: What Happened in the Past Chapter 63: What Happened in the Past Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Shenbai¡¯s hand paused, and his black eyes flickered. ¡°I can hear some pride in your words.¡± Xu Jiao jiao laughed awkwardly. ¡°What happened in the past?¡± His grip on the cup tightened unconsciously, and his knuckles turned pale. However, no emotion could be seen on his face. He asked casually, ¡°Why did you take so much medicine?¡± Perhaps it was because she had a fever, but Xu Jiaojiao looked sickly. She replied absent-mindedly, ¡°1 just fell seriously ill.¡± It was an illness that almost cost her her life. If not for Lu Zhuo¡­ Xu Jiaojiao snorted and closed her eyes. Forget it, she did not want to think about him anymore. Seeing her dejected expression and the fatigue on her flushed face, Qi Shenbai took a pillow from the side and placed it under her head. ¡°If you need a doctor, I can contact one for you.¡± Qi Shenbai lowered his eyes and thought for a while before speaking slowly. Xu Jiaojiao did not even open her eyes as she shook her head. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯ve already recovered. Don¡¯t you see that I¡¯m still alive and kicking?¡± Qi Shenbai did not say anything. He only silently took a small blanket from the side and covered her with it. ¡°Sleep for a while. I¡¯ll wake you up for dinner.¡± Xu Jiaojiao tilted her head and made a sound from her nose. After that, she stopped moving. Qi Shenbai sat at the side and looked at her. Her breathing was even, and the redness on her face gradually faded. Her forehead gradually glowed. He prepared some warm water and got up to go upstairs. Xu Jiaojiao slowly opened her eyes and stared at the warm water on the coffee table for a few seconds before closing her eyes again. She did not need a doctor for her illness. She only needed a doctor for her heart. However, the medicine that could help her recover was no longer there. After taking the medicine, Xu Jiaojiao felt groggy and soon fell asleep. She was sleeping soundly when Qi Shenbai woke her up for dinner. She had a low fever and did not have much of an appetite. She only took a few bites of the porridge and side dishes. She was covered in sweat when she fell asleep, and her entire body was sticky and uncomfortable. After Xu Jiaojiao finished her meal, she went upstairs to take a shower. The hot shower washed away the soreness, fatigue, and stickiness in her body. The moment she opened the door, a cool breeze hit her face. Her body was steaming hot, and it was very comfortable mixed with the cool breeze. In an instant, her satisfied sigh resounded in the room. But in the next second, she was interrupted by a faint chuckle. Xu Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment. She looked in the direction of the voice and met a pair of deep and dark eyes. She almost subconsciously shouted, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you knock when you entered my room?¡± ¡°I did. You just didn¡¯t hear me. ¡°If you mind, I¡¯ll go back out and knock again this time.¡± The man raised his eyebrows. His sharp eyes landed on her head and he frowned. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you drying your hair?¡± He sounded displeased. Xu Jiaojiao was in a daze for a moment. He sounded like he was reprimanding her. When did he turn the tables? She glanced at her dripping hair and said softly, ¡°I just came out of the shower and haven¡¯t had the time.¡± Qi Shen glanced at her and did not say anything, but his slightly sunken eyes clearly showed his worry. Xu Jiaojiao had just come out of the shower and her face was rosy. However, in just a short while, the heat on her body had dissipated, and the color on her face had faded. She looked pale and weak. Qi Shenbai walked around her, picked up the water and medicine from the bedside table, and handed them to her. ¡°Take your medicine and drink more hot water.¡± Xu Jiaojiao obediently swallowed the medicine. Qi Shenbai looked around and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the hairdryer?¡± ¡°In the bathroom cabinet,¡± she blurted out. ¡°You should take better care of yourself, if you don¡¯t want your cold to worsen,¡± Qi Shenbai muttered softly. The next second, a figure pounced on him, grabbed his clothes, and pulled him back with 120% strength. Immediately after, he saw Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face turn red as she blocked the bathroom door. ¡°Well¡­ I can dry my hair myself.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked embarrassed. The bra she had just changed out of was still inside! If Qi Shenbai saw it, how awkward would it be? Qi Shenbai raised his eyebrows and his gaze fell on her wet hair. His dark eyes were filled with the words ¡®I don¡¯t believe you¡¯. ¡°Don¡¯t waste time.¡± His thin lips parted slightly as he pinched her arm, wanting to pull her away. Xu Jiaojiao grabbed the wall with both hands, but she could not withstand the disparity in their strength. Qi Shenbai grabbed her collar and threw her aside like she was a little chick. ¡°Are you hiding something inside? What are you afraid of?¡± Qi Shenbai let out a light harrumph and took a step forward. Xu Jiao jiao shut her eyes tightly. ¡®It¡¯s over, all over!¡¯ Qi Shenbai walked to the basin and opened the cabinet. He took out the hairdryer and was about to walk out when he saw a ball of clothes hanging on the opposite shelf. White and lacey. It was a small piece, and the transparent gauze instantly put her fair and delicate body in his mind. Qi Shenbai¡¯s throat moved slightly as he laughed. Suddenly, he understood why Xu Jiao jiao had tried so hard to stop him. Qi Shenbai subconsciously took a few more glances. His cold fingertips pressed against the space between his eyebrows. A moment later, he walked out with the hairdryer.. Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: First Time Drying Someone Elses Hair Chapter 64: First Time Drying Someone Else¡¯s Hair Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s back was facing him, and her head was banging against the wall as she muttered, ¡°It¡¯s over, it¡¯s all over.¡± Her unintentional actions were adorable and silly. Qi Shenbai could not help but smile. Xu Jiaojiao was still immersed in her own thoughts, pondering how she should face him when he came out later. Before she could think clearly, she crashed into a hard, warm chest. It was hard, but it was softer and hotter than a wall. Xu Jiaojiao was stunned. She looked up and met a pair of smiling eyes. ¡°Stop torturing yourself.¡± Qi Shenbai raised his eyebrows and met her wet eyes as if he wanted to suck her in. ¡°Huh?¡± Before Xu Jiao jiao could react, Qi Shenbai placed a finger on her forehead and used his other hand to support the back of her head, moving her away. ¡°Isn¡¯t hitting the wall self-torture? You¡¯re not that smart to begin with. The more you hit the wall, the more brain cells you lose.¡± His teasing tone angered Xu Jiaojiao, who was already on the verge of exploding. She practically jumped up and shouted, ¡°You¡¯re the silly one! I¡¯m the smartest!¡± Qi Shenbai raised his eyebrows. ¡°Is that so? Forgive my poor eyesight, but I really couldn¡¯t see how you¡¯re the smartest. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a smart person run into a wall or thoroughly trust the wrong guy,¡± Qi Shenbai said subtly. Xu Jiaojiao understood the meaning behind his words. ¡°This and that are different. Liking someone has nothing to do with being smart. ¡°In love, everyone is blind. ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard the saying? ¡®Love reduces your IQ?''¡± Qi Shenbai glanced sideways at her and plugged in the hairdryer. ¡°Well, you could be worse.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not irredeemably stupid. At least you knew to curb his losses in time.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked suspicious. For a moment, she could not tell if he was really praising her or being sarcastic. ¡°Come here.¡± Qi Shenbai glanced at the spot in front of them. ¡°I can do it myself.¡± As soon as Xu Jiaojiao finished speaking, he pressed down her shoulder. A warm breeze blew on her scalp, and a trace of warmth rose from her entire body. The corners of Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled up when he saw her satisfied look. ¡°The longer you stay with me, the more your IQwill improve.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao harrumphed. ¡°I¡¯d better do it myself. I¡¯m afraid 1¡¯11 lower your IQ.¡± She pouted and reached out to snatch the hairdryer. Qi Shenbai slapped her butt gently. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face instantly flushed red. Looking up, Qi Shenbai said with a serious expression, ¡°Why are you moving? I told you to sit down and listen. ¡°Your brother asked me to take good care of you. If anything happens to you, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll end his friendship with me.¡± For some reason, Xu Jiaojiao suddenly felt a little disappointed. It turned out that he was treating her so well because of her brother¡­ She looked up at him and said stubbornly, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t take care of me, I won¡¯t tell my brother. Besides, you¡¯re his immediate superior. He won¡¯t do anything to you.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t do anything to me, but if he gets angry and resigns, it will be a huge loss to the company.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s tone was serious. ¡°Besides, the chief technical officer has too many company secrets. He can¡¯t leave.¡± ¡°My brother wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Xu Jiaojiao defended Xu Zhengyang with a serious expression. ¡°Moreover, a large corporation like the Qi Group will definitely have a confidentiality agreement.¡± Qi Shenbai was amused by her serious expression. ¡°You know about that?¡± ¡°Of course, isn¡¯t that how it¡¯s done in television dramas?¡± She had watched many television dramas about domineering CEOs. ¡°Lower your head.¡± Qi Shenbai gently pressed her little head down. His fingertips combed between her fluttering hair, billowing in the hot wind. He did not have much of an expression, but his movements were very meticulous. Xu Jiaojiao secretly glanced at him from the corner of her eye. Under the warm yellow light, his well-defined face was no longer as fierce as before. Instead, it was more mortal and relatable. His facial features were deep, handsome, and strong. It was difficult not to be tempted by such a person. However, not only was Qi Shenbai gorgeous, he also had a status that she could never reach. His family background was unattainable. When she thought of this, Xu Jiao jiao seemed a little depressed and defeated. She muttered, ¡°Qi Shenbai, it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t treat me so well in the future.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Shenbai looked up at her, but his hands did not stop moving. ¡°I mean¡­ It¡¯s too easy for people to misunderstand what you¡¯re doing.¡± Xu Jiaojiao mustered her courage. ¡°If you treat everyone equally well, then you¡¯ll be the sort of ¡®Sea King¡¯ that people talk about online.¡± Qi Shenbai usually did not have time to surf the Internet and did not pay attention to these things. ¡°What is a Sea King?¡± ¡°The Sea King is a guy who treats every girl well. He doesn¡¯t reject any girl¡¯s goodwill towards him.¡± Could Qi Shenbai really be a playboy that way? That did not sound right¡­ Didn¡¯t he have some sort of phobia? ¡°I don¡¯t have time to treat every girl well.¡± Qi Shenbai turned off the hairdryer, rolled up the wire, and placed it on the coffee table. He turned to look at her with a burning, devoted gaze. ¡°Other than my sister, this is the first time I¡¯m drying someone else¡¯s hair..¡± Chapter 65 - Chapter 65: Her Mood Brightened Chapter 65: Her Mood Brightened Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao was slightly stunned. Her eyes were filled with emotions that she could not even detect. She lowered her head and smiled faintly. Suddenly, her mood brightened. Qi Shenbai bent down and reached out to help her tidy her soft hair. Naturally, he noticed that she could not suppress her smile, and he felt happy too. ¡°You¡¯re not angry anymore, are you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s long eyelashes fluttered as she softly said, ¡°I¡¯ve never been angry with you.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not angry, why are you hiding from me?¡± He looked up at her, his gaze burning. Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips, not knowing how to explain herself. Why would she be angry with him? Qi Shenbai had always been very good to her. She was just a little uneasy because she had discovered her feelings for him. It was a strange feeling. She felt both happy and slightly dejected at the thought of him. This was a feeling that she had never felt before when she liked Lu Zhuo. Qi Shenbai did not probe further. He caressed her long hair with his hot palm. ¡°Alright, since you¡¯ve had enough of your tantrums, you¡¯re not allowed to avoid me in the future.¡± His voice was raised at the end, and his tone was doting. As for why she was avoiding him, although Qi Shenbai did not know the reason, there were times when girls were a little emotional and did not want to talk to others. He could understand that. Xu Jiaojiao subconsciously heaved a sigh of relief, her clear eyes filled with happiness. She nodded solemnly, as if she was making a promise. Xu Jiaojiao was young and had a good physique. After sleeping for a night, her body had mostly healed, and her appetite had also recovered. She ate an entire bowl of wontons for breakfast. Qi Shenbai was relieved to see that her face was rosy and her condition had improved. ¡°It¡¯s been getting colder recently. You have to wear more layers when you go out. Don¡¯t just focus on looking good.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t just care about my looks.¡± Xu Jiaojiao rolled up her sleeves and showed him the thick fur inside. ¡°It¡¯s plush. See, it¡¯s very warm.¡± Qi Shenbai glanced at the fluff in her sleeve. It was soft, warm, and fluffy, just like her. ¡°Be good, okay? The next time you get sick, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital and get you the thickest needle.¡± He knew that she did not like that kind of place, so he deliberately threatened her like that. Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips and said nothing. Qi Shenbai finished his soy milk and got up to put on the coat handed over by the butler. He buttoned it slowly and did not forget to ask, ¡°Do you have class in the morning?¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. ¡°No.¡± At this point, she thought of something. ¡°But I¡¯m going to visit the Lu Family.¡± Qi Shenbai stopped straightening his tie and looked up at her. The deepness in his eyes disappeared in an instant. Xu Jiaojiao did not know why, but she felt inexplicably guilty when he looked at her like that. ¡°Lu Zhuo¡¯s grandmother has been sick recently. She¡¯s always been very good to me. I want to visit her.¡± Qi Shenbai nodded slightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s only right. Butler, go to the warehouse to pick some tonics suitable for the elderly. The madam can take them as a gift.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The butler turned around and left. Xu Jiaojiao hurriedly waved her hand. ¡°No need to trouble yourself. I¡¯ll just go to a nearby mall and buy some.¡± ¡°We have everything at home. Why should we spend the extra money?¡± Qi Shenbai straightened his tie. ¡°Everything in the storeroom was given to me by someone else. 1 don¡¯t need them. It¡¯s a waste to leave them there.¡± Xu Jiaojiao blinked. Did that mean that she was helping him solve his problems? The butler came back with three boxes of gifts. Two of them were from the brand he had brought back for the Mid-Autumn Festival. They were terrifyingly expensive. If she gave them away, they would not go to waste and she could save money. It was killing two birds with one stone. At the Lu Family¡¯s main residence¡­ After Xu Jiaojiao got out of the car, Cang Xing also stepped out and took out the gifts from the trunk. ¡°Madam, I¡¯ll help you bring them in. These things are a little heavy. You can¡¯t carry them.¡± Actually, before Mr. Qi left, he had specially instructed that Cang Xing could not be more than five meters away from the madam. He did not want the Lu family to bully her. Ever since Old Mrs. Lu received the call and found out that Xu Jiao jiao was coming, she went out of her way to dress up. She immediately tidied herself up and put on a plain long dress. Her white hair was also tied up, making her face look a little brighter. Not long after, Xu Jiaojiao and Cang Xing walked in. ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re here! Quick, sit over here.¡± Old Mrs. Lu waved her hand affectionately. Xu Jiaojiao smiled and nodded. She asked Cang Xing to pass the gift to the servant next to her and then sat down next to Old Mrs. Lu. Old Mrs. Lu glanced at the gifts and was slightly stunned. She then said to Xu Jiaojiao, ¡°Child, I¡¯m already very happy that you came to see me today. Why are you still spending so much money¡­?¡± ¡°Granny Lu, these are all daily nutritional supplements. They¡¯re not expensive. 1 just hope you don¡¯t mind them.¡± Xu Jiaojiao winked playfully.. Chapter 66 - Chapter 66: You Poor Child Chapter 66: You Poor Child Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Good girl. Your parents are blessed to have such an obedient daughter like you.¡± Old Mrs. Lu pulled Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and gently patted it. ¡°How have you been recently? And your grandmother and the rest?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Grandma and the rest are good too,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied. ¡°That¡¯s good. It¡¯s been too long since we last met. I¡¯ve been thinking about her.¡± The old lady nodded. Her expression was a little sad as she sighed softly. ¡°Our family has let you down, you poor child. You¡¯ve suffered a lot lately.¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. ¡°Granny Lu, that¡¯s all in the past now.¡± Old Mrs. Lu did not say anything else, but she looked very sad as if she was thinking about something. Xu Jiaojiao did not disturb Old Mrs. Lu and quietly waited for her to continue. After a short silence, Old Mrs. Lu looked up and broke the silence. ¡°I heard about the wedding, Jiaojiao¡­¡± Old Mrs. Lu paused. From the corner of her eye, she saw the ring on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s finger, and the worst thought emerged from the bottom of her heart. Although she already had an answer, she still asked in the end. ¡°Are you really married now?¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°Yes¡­ Lu Zhuo and I are over now, Granny Lu.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not want to lie to Old Mrs. Lu. Even if she could lie to the old lady for now, after she left, Old Mrs. Lu might just tell Lu Zhuo he had a chance. If that happened, there would be no end to his pestering again. She might as well tell the truth and end it here. Old Mrs. Lu sighed slightly. She seemed to be both emotional and regretful. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Granny Lu, I¡­¡± ¡°Silly child, there¡¯s no need to apologize.¡± Old Mrs. Lu gently held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand. ¡°The Lu family let you down.¡± ¡°Granny Lu.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at Old Mrs. Lu and said, ¡°Although Lu Zhuo and I didn¡¯t get together, your friendship with my grandmother shouldn¡¯t be affected. All these years, my grandmother¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve been friends with your grandmother for many years. We¡¯re practically friends for life. How can I hold a grudge over this matter? That would make me seem petty,¡± Grandma Lu teased. Xu Jiaojiao smiled and did not say anything else. Perhaps this moment of peace was what the two of them cherished. After chatting for a while, Old Mrs. Lu invited Xu Jiaojiao to have dinner at her home. Xu Jiaojiao refused. Although the relationship between the two families had not changed, she did not like to stay with the Lu family home, nor did she want to bump into the rest of the family. Seeing this, Madam Lu did not insist on keeping Xu Jiaojiao. Instead, she instructed the housekeeper to send Xu Jiao jiao out the door. As soon as she walked out of the door, Xu Jiaojiao saw a black car. The window was half rolled down, revealing a handsome face. He was wearing sunglasses and was facing the sun with his eyes closed. Bathed in the sunlight, the golden sunlight outlined the man¡¯s side profile, making it difficult to see him clearly. As if sensing Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s gaze, the man took off his sunglasses and looked toward Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you for a long time. Get in the car,¡± Qi Shenbai said. Xu Jiaojiao stood in front of the car door and was in no hurry to enter. Instead, she asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°As I was passing by, Gang Xing said that you came to the Lu family, so 1 came over,¡± Qi Shenbai said very naturally. It was as if he was not the one who had abandoned the entire meeting room and made Cang Xing post his location. ¡°Oh.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not think too much about it. ¡°I just chatted with Old Mrs. Lu for a while, and I¡¯m about to go home to rest.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost time for lunch. Shall we go for lunch?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Xu Jiaojiao naturally had no reason to reject Qi Shenbai¡¯s invitation. Just as she opened the car door and was about to get in, Xu Jiaojiao suddenly heard someone calling her name. A familiar voice made Xu Jiao jiao instantly feel that something was wrong. She turned around and sure enough¡ª! A BMW behind them opened its door. Lu Huan got out of the car and slowly walked over. Although she was shouting for Xu Jiaojiao, her gaze was fixed on Qi Shenbai. A trace of displeasure flashed across Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes when he saw that figure. He got out of the car and stood beside Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Xu Jiao jiao frowned slightly. Lu Huan reluctantly turned her gaze to Xu Jiaojiao. There was a hint of impatience in her beautiful eyes. ¡°This is my home. Why do you think I¡¯m here? Moreover, I should be the one asking you this. What are you doing in the Lu family home?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to visit Granny Lu. I heard that she hasn¡¯t been feeling well recently, so 1 brought some supplements,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said lightly. ¡°Oh,¡± Lu Huan replied perfunctorily. Her gaze fell on Qi Shenbai, and she looked shy as she said, ¡°Hello, handsome! My name is Lu Huan, and I¡¯m Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s good friend..¡± Chapter 67 - Chapter 67: Im Xu Jiaojiaos Husband Chapter 67: I¡¯m Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s Husband Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao frowned and looked at Lu Huan with a face full of question marks. ¡®What the hell? When did 1 become your good friend?¡¯ ¡°Mm.¡± Qi Shenbai hummed. He did not look at Lu Huan and did not even bother to greet her. Although Qi Shenbai¡¯s attitude was so cold, Lu Huan had no intention of backing off. Instead, she continued, ¡°You¡¯re Jiaojiao¡¯s friend, right? We met last time at Jiaojiao¡¯s house.¡± Lu Huan observed Qi Shenbai¡¯s expression and thought that such a mysterious man would never fall for Xu Jiaojiao. He was probably playing along with Xu Jiaojiao for some other reason. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice was filled with obvious displeasure. Qi Shenbai looked at the frowning Xu Jiaojiao and his eyes moved slightly. In the next second, Xu Jiao jiao grabbed his well-defined hand as if she was declaring her ownership of him. Her expression was arrogant as she said, ¡°The two of us have already registered our marriage. He¡¯s my husband now. Do you have anything else to say?¡± This time, not only was Lu Huan stunned, even Qi Shenbai was a little taken aback. Looking at his interlocked fingers, the gloominess in his heart was mostly dispelled. Unbeknownst to him, the corners of his mouth actually curled into a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯m just asking. Why are you angry? It¡¯s really baffling¡­¡± Lu Huan was stunned at first, but she quickly retorted. She did not know why the usually cowardly Xu Jiaojiao had become so unyielding today. It was simply¡­ strange. ¡°You said that the two of you are already married, but I¡¯ve never seen you introduce him. Are you not taking him seriously, or are you worried that someone will snatch your husband away? It¡¯s too rude not to even introduce him.¡± The instigation in her words was obvious. She wanted Qi Shenbai to bear a grudge and quarrel with Xu Jiaojiao. Just as Xu Jiaojiao was about to retort, Qi Shenbai said, ¡°I don¡¯t have to be introduced. There¡¯s no need for me to explain my identity to you. All you need to know is that I¡¯m Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s husband.¡± His voice was magnetic and deep, and it sounded so alluring yet bone-chilling. Only when he said the words ¡®Xu Jiaojiao¡¯ did it sound a little gentle. He looked at Lu Huan with a cold gaze. The displeasure in his eyes was obvious. Lu Huan felt a chill run down her spine as he stared at her. She did not know what to do. Qi Shenbai ignored her. He pulled Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and got into the car. When he passed by Lu Huan, he did not even bother to look at her. Lu Huan watched helplessly as the luxury car drove away until it disappeared at the end of the road. When she came back to her senses, she gritted her teeth fiercely. ¡°Who do you think you are? A woman who was dumped by my brother is not worthy of such a good husband!¡± The Lu family¡¯s mansion was magnificent. The old matriarch lay on an embroidered pillow, holding a blue and white teacup in her hand. She took a sip of the fragrant tea and glanced at the young man who was walking slowly downstairs. ¡°After all that¡¯s happened, how are you still not giving up?¡± The old lady spoke up suddenly. When Lu Zhuo heard this, a trace of anger flashed across his eyes. He subconsciously clenched his hand in his pocket into a fist. ¡°Back then, I objected to this marriage with all my might, but you insisted. Now, you¡¯re asking me to let go. Why? What right do you have?¡± Old Mrs. Lu¡¯s face was filled with pity as she sighed softly. ¡°I know you resent me. I was the one who broke you and Bai Mengyao up. Even without Xu Jiaojiao, there¡¯s still an insurmountable gap between you and that girl. It¡¯s impossible for the family to accept her. You still have to recognize the truth.¡± There was a hint of mania on Lu Zhuo¡¯s face. He took two steps forward and said coldly, ¡°Grandma, you must have a way, right? You and Old Mrs. Xu have been best friends for decades. Please help me again and think of another way, okay?¡± Old Mrs. Lu placed the blue and white teacup on the table with a clang. Her expression clearly said, ¡®You deserved this.¡¯ ¡°Grandma.¡± Lu Zhuo was still unwilling to give up. He had never realized that he was so stubborn and insistent. He wanted to speak again, but the old lady waved at him. ¡°Back then, in order to keep my promise, I tried my best to matchmake you and Xu Jiaojiao. Now that the matter has been settled and the engagement has been annulled, it seems the two of you are simply not fated to be together. There¡¯s no need to force it. Perhaps there¡¯s a silver lining. This is also a good thing.¡± Lu Zhuo¡¯s brows were tightly knitted together. He did not quite understand what his grandmother meant. Old Mrs. Qi smirked. ¡°You silly child, why do you think the Xu Family sent Xu Jiaojiao away back then? Was she really sick?¡± ¡°What else would it be?¡± Lu Zhuo sensed that she was about to reveal an old secret, and he felt his heart jump to his throat. He never could understand what the Xu family was trying to do.. Chapter 68 - Chapter 68: Youre Way Too Old Chapter 68: You¡¯re Way Too Old Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Old Mrs. Lu sighed. Her eyes were cloudy as she recalled the past. ¡°The girl from the Xu family is not normal. She didn¡¯t cry or make a fuss after she was born. She could speak from Day One. Everyone says that she¡¯s a monster.¡± As time passed, the girl became more and more beautiful. Coincidentally, Lu Zhuo got tangled up with that Bai woman, so the family tried their best to use the engagement to separate the two of them. If not for all of that, Old Mrs. Lu would have found another reason to completely cancel this engagement in the future and cut ties completely. Lu Zhuo¡¯s eyes were filled with astonishment and shock. His voice trembled slightly as he said, ¡°She could speak as soon as she was born? How is that possible?¡± ¡°There are all kinds of strange things in this world.¡± Grandmother Qi smirked. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t happened to eavesdrop at the scene that day, 1 wouldn¡¯t have known that Cheng Ying had given birth to such a monster.¡± She kept calling Xu Jiaojiao a monster, and her love and concern for Xu Jiaojiao earlier seemed like a joke. Her eyes were filled with ridicule. Lu Zhuo stood rooted to the ground. No matter what, he could not accept his grandmother¡¯s words. He even felt that this was her scheme to make him give up. How could anyone speak as soon as they were born? The old lady¡¯s gaze landed on the gift on the ground. She said coldly again, ¡°That girl has changed. It seems the person she married is from a rich family. Stop thinking about her, and have your parents find you a good girl of equal status. You¡¯ll definitely have a good marriage. There are plenty of fish in the sea.¡± Lu Zhuo lowered his eyes. His hands tightly clenched into fists, hidden in his sleeves, but he did not say anything. After Xu Jiaojiao got into the car, she pulled her hand from Qi Shenbai¡¯s without leaving a trace. She leaned her head against the car window. She was like a quiet doll, staring blankly at the clouds in the sky. Qi Shenbai did not understand why her mood had suddenly become so low. He saw her beautiful brows furrow deeply. He rubbed his throbbing temples with his index finger. Girls¡¯ emotions always changed so quickly. Before he figured out the reason, he did not even know how to comfort her. The atmosphere in the car was awkward and silent. Xu Jiaojiao looked out of the window quietly. When she thought of Lu Huan¡¯s gaze on Qi Shenbai, she felt like a fox demon who wanted to swallow the tasty young monk whole. An indescribable anger rose in her heart, frustration mixed with anger. She could not explain it clearly. She knew that none of this was Qi Shenbai¡¯s fault. He was rich, handsome, and ¡°single¡±. There were definitely many girls who would like him. However, Xu Jiaojiao felt as if a rock was pressing down on her heart when she thought of those beautiful women surrounding him. Lu Huan had an oval face and a pair of big, lively eyes. She was a mischievous beauty. She also had a slender and shockingly good figure. She had grown up in a pampered environment, so she was extremely good at makeup and maintenance. Her gorgeous outfit, the best money could buy, was just icing on the cake for her. No man would reject a woman like her. Xu Jiaojiao was even worried that Qi Shenbai would fall in love with Lu Huan. Xu Jiaojiao was completely immersed in her own thoughts. She subconsciously turned to look at Qi Shenbai, her big sparkling eyes filled with unease and uncertainty. Qi Shenbai could feel a burning yet strange gaze focused constantly on him. ¡°Something the matter?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was like a child who had done something wrong. She subconsciously turned her head and muttered, ¡°Lu Huan is 19 years old this year. She¡¯s a year younger than me.¡± ¡°So?¡± Obviously, Qi Shenbai did not understand what Xu Jiaojiao meant by that. What did that woman¡¯s age have to do with him? Xu Jiaojiao continued, ¡°She¡¯s younger than me, so you definitely can¡¯t have anything to do with her. You¡¯re way too old for her.¡± ¡°Whatever her age, she has nothing to do with me,¡± the man said calmly. Hearing his words, Xu Jiaojiao immediately beamed. The uneasiness and anxiety in her heart instantly disappeared. Looking at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s bright smile, the corners of Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips subconsciously curled up. The Hanging Garden was the most famous restaurant in Luo City. The dishes were unique and the environment was elegant. Many upper-class socialites liked to gather here. If anyone wanted to dine here, they had to make an appointment in advance. Qi Shenbai was one of the top VIPs here. Of course he could reserve seats here at any time, and he would always get the best view by the window.. Chapter 69 - Chapter 69:1 Want to Woo Him Chapter 69:1 Want to Woo Him Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Shenbai mulled over the menu while Xu Jiaojiao looked around to assess the layout of the restaurant. It was currently winter, but flowers were blooming everywhere, and a faint fragrance wafted over. ¡°The food here should be very expensive, right? This restaurant is so famous. I begged my brother for a long time, but he never agreed to bring me here.¡± She did not expect that her first time here would be with Qi Shenbai. Qi Shenbai ordered some dishes with the air of an old hand and handed the menu back to the waiter. ¡°Bring the manager here.¡± The waiter did not dare to be negligent. Soon, a man in a suit walked over with a smile on his face. ¡°Mr. Qi, what can I do for you?¡± ¡°This is my wife.¡± The sudden formal introduction surprised Xu Jiaojiao. She instantly straightened her back like a primary school student whose name had been called. The manager discreetly sized up Xu Jiaojiao. A trace of surprise flashed across his eyes, but his expression quickly returned to normal. ¡°Mrs. Qi, please let me know if you need anything.¡± Although Xu Jiaojiao was already mentally prepared for this form of address, she still felt a little strange when she heard it in front of outsiders. However, she still returned the smile graciously. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you too.¡± The manager did not manage to hide the amazement in his eyes. She really was pretty. Perhaps he stared at her for too long. Qi Shenbai frowned and waved his hand. ¡°That¡¯s all. You may leave now.¡± The manager bowed respectfully. Before he left, he did not forget to give Xu Jiaojiao a friendly smile. Xu Jiaojiao returned the smile out of courtesy. When Qi Shenbai saw their interaction, he felt his eyebrows twitch. He regretted calling the manager over. Xu Jiaojiao only asked curiously after the manager disappeared from her sight, ¡°Why did you specially call the manager over?¡± Was it just to introduce her as Mrs. Qi? There was a hint of gentleness in Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice. ¡°You can come to this restaurant to eat anytime in the future. Put everything on my tab.¡± He probably guessed that she would decline his offer, so he added, ¡°Don¡¯t hold back. I also have some shares in this restaurant. There¡¯s a discount on the food. You can bring your brother here. The money for the food will be deducted from his bonus.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I didn¡¯t know my brother had such a generous bonus!¡± She was overjoyed. ¡°That means I can consider coming here every month to satisfy my cravings!¡± Qi Shenbai looked at her lovingly. He stood up and said, ¡°Have a seat first. I¡¯m going to the washroom.¡± After Qi Shenbai left, Xu Jiaojiao immediately picked up her phone and sent a message to Su Luo. [Luoluo, guess where 1 am now?] Luoluo: [Where else? You can¡¯t be lying on Qi Shenbai¡¯s bed right now, right?] The corner of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s mouth twitched violently as she posted a short video. Luoluo: [WTF!! How could you go to the Hanging Garden behind my back? You¡¯re the worst.] Although Su Luo¡¯s monthly allowance was considerable, even she balked at the prices at the Hanging Garden. Jiaojiao: [He brought me here. He even introduced me to the manager as Mrs. Qi. In the future, 1 can come whenever I want.] Luoluo: [You¡¯re really blinding me with your love here. Be careful or I¡¯ll just ignore you from now on.] Jiaojiao: [Luoluo, 1 want to woo Qi Shenbai. Do you think he will be interested in me?] After she sent the message, Su Luo¡¯s status said ¡°typing¡± for the longest time. Finally, she sent a voice message. Although the Floating Garden was a high-end place, it was still a little noisy. Xu Jiaojiao could only play the voice message out loud. ¡°All, baby, you¡¯re finally normal for once. You have to seize the opportunity to get Qi Shenbai in bed with you!¡± Even though she was on speaker, Su Luo¡¯s howl was just a little too much. When Xu Jiaojiao heard the deafening sound, she subconsciously looked around. Fortunately, Qi Shenbai was not around. If he was, she would have jumped down from the 30th floor and ended everything. Jiaojiao: [I said I want to chase him, not sleep with him.] Luoluo: [What difference does it make? You¡¯re going to end up in his bed anyway.] H H Chatting with her was a series of record-scratch moments. Su Luo said happily, ¡°Then have you thought of how to woo him? Kissing, hugging, and lifting him on your shoulders or something?¡± Jiaojiao: [I don¡¯t know, that¡¯s why 1 asked you for help.] Jiaojiao: [Besides, isn¡¯t the stuff that guys do?] Su Luo: [Come on, guys love the gap moe. As long as you figure out his weakness and hit him with a single blow, you will have him under your thumb in no time.] Jiaojiao: [But as far as 1 know, men prefer cuteness to sexiness..] Chapter 70 - Chapter 70: Could She be Mr. Qi Chapter 70: Could She be Mr. Qi1 s Illegitimate Daughter? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation While her best friend was still typing, Xu Jiaojiao saw Qi Shenbai¡¯s figure and silenced her phone, placing it face-down on the table. The food was indeed delicious, and Xu Jiaojiao ate a lot. If it were not for her image, she would have had another bowl of soup. ¡°Do you have classes this afternoon?¡± After lunch, Qi Shenbai asked as though out of habit. He ordered the famous macaroon for Xu Jiaojiao and a cup of black coffee for himself. Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. ¡°1 don¡¯t have any classes today.¡± ¡°Do you want to come to the office with me?¡± Hearing this suggestion, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes flashed with astonishment. ¡°Why would 1 go to your company?¡± ¡°Your brother just finished an important project. You can visit him while he¡¯s free.¡± Qi Shenbai was like a naughty uncle coaxing a child. ¡°You haven¡¯t entered his office yet, right?¡± When Xu Jiaojiao heard this, she was instantly tempted, but she still had some concerns. ¡°That¡¯s a high-level office. If I go in, it¡¯ll affect your work, won¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Eventually, he convinced her and the two of them got into the luxury car. It was lunch break when they arrived at the company. Most of the staff were out for lunch. Qi Shenbai brought Xu Jiaojiao straight to the top floor of the company. He did not forget to instruct his assistant, ¡°Get someone to deliver a glass of freshly squeezed fruit juice and see if Mr. Xu is around.¡± After a while, the secretary knocked on the door. ¡°Mr. Qi, here¡¯s your juice.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she saw the girl sitting on the sofa. The secretary stood rooted to the ground. How could there be such a cute girl in Mr. Qi¡¯s office? Xu Jiaojiao looked at the young lady in the exquisite business suit, not understanding why she was looking at her in surprise. The woman could only smile harmlessly. Oh my god! How could there be a girl in the world who smiled so sweetly? The secretary felt like she had instantly fallen for her. Xu Jiaojiao was confused by her excited expression. However, Qi Shenbai understood her intentions. He said in a businesslike manner, ¡°What are you standing there for? Just put down the juice and go out.¡± Only then did the secretary realize how out of control she had been. She placed the juice on the coffee table. Before she left, she did not forget to give Xu Jiaojiao a few more glances. The girl¡¯s complexion was wonderful. Her eyelashes were long and thick. Her big eyes and round face were really super cute. After leaving the office, the secretary¡¯s face was filled with confusion. Why was there such a cute girl in the CEO¡¯s office? Could she be Mr. Qi¡¯s illegitimate daughter? Everyone knew that the CEO Luo had just gotten married. How could he immediately have such a beautiful daughter? Pei Yan looked at the heated discussion in the group chat and consciously glanced at the CEO¡¯s office. Everyone was trying to guess the girl¡¯s identity. There was even a fearless person who directly tagged him and asked if he knew the inside story. The corners of Pei Yan¡¯s mouth twitched slightly as he sent a text message. [Do you know how old that girl is?] [I think she¡¯s only 15 or 16 years old.] The female secretary immediately responded. [She¡¯s so lovely, so much so that I want her for myself. She¡¯s the sweetest girl I¡¯ve ever met.] Pei Yan was speechless. [Our CEO is only 29 years old this year. If his illegitimate daughter is 15 years old, do you think he had a child when he was 14 years old? Are you an idiot?] Everyone widened their eyes and looked at each other. Someone continued to ask recklessly, [Then who is it?] The president rarely interacted with women all these years. Why would he suddenly bring a girl to the office? Not everybody could earn the glory of Qi Shenbai¡¯s company. Pei Yan did not expose Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s identity. At the same time, Xu Jiaojiao had no idea that she was already a celebrity in the company. She drank her juice and looked at Qi Shenbai, who was sitting on the boss¡¯s chair. ¡°I have some work to deal with. If you¡¯re bored, you can play with the tablet for a while.¡± The man buried his head in the document and did not forget to reassure her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I brought my own tablet. Do what you have to do. Pretend I don¡¯t exist.¡± Xu Jiaojiao put down her cup and took out her tablet and capacitor pen. She casually opened the drawing app and watched the handsome man in front of her as she recorded his visage in each stroke. The news kept spreading throughout the company¡¯s group chat. They were discussing fervently and even forgot that Qi Shenbai was in the group chat. Qi Shenbai felt a pain in his forehead as he looked at the scrolling messages. He casually picked up his phone and tapped on the screen with his slender fingers. [Anyone who discusses the CEO¡¯s wife will see their seasonal bonuses cut.] His words caused a thousand ripples. The group instantly fell silent. The CEO¡¯s wife? ¡®Who?¡¯ The colleagues who had just participated in the discussion finally realized what was going on. They looked at Pei Yan in unison. This man was the worst. He clearly knew the inside story, but he watched them make a fool of themselves in front of the CEO.. Chapter 71 - Chapter 71: Your Sister is the Lady Boss?! Chapter 71: Your Sister is the Lady Boss?! Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Shenbai no longer cared about the discussions in the group chat. He raised his head and looked at Xu Jiao jiao, who was focused on drawing. The words ¡°you¡¯re way too old for her¡± seemed to be deeply embedded in his heart. A look of displeasure crossed his face. The little girl had previously called him old, too. He was only nine years older than her. How was that ¡°too old¡±? When Xu Zhengyang returned to the company, he did not miss any of the messages in the group. When he met his colleagues in the elevator, the people from the other departments eagerly approached him. ¡°Mr. Xu, I heard that you have a sister. Is your sister an adult yet? Do you want to consider me? I can be your son-in-law.¡± ¡°Get lost. That guy¡¯s not a good match. Mr. Xu, if you choose me, 1 promise to be obedient to you in the future.¡± The few of them chattered non-stop. Xu Zhengyang slapped one of them on the shoulder. His handsome face was filled with displeasure. ¡°Have you been working too little recently? You actually have the time to think about my sister. Be careful or I¡¯ll break your third leg.¡± Ding! The elevator door opened. Xu Zhengyang walked into the CEO¡¯s office without even looking at the people in the elevator. When he saw Xu Jiaojiao, his eyes lit up and he walked over. ¡°Jiaojiao, why do you have time to come and play with me today?¡± Seeing a tall figure rushing towards her, Xu Jiaojiao had the foresight to put the tablet aside. ¡°Silly girl, why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Have you gone dumb from missing me too much?¡± Xu Jiaojiao pushed her brother away forcefully, her face beaming. ¡°Plenty of girls miss you, big brother. I¡¯m not even in the top hundred.¡± Her words were filled with teasing. ¡°How can they compare to you? You¡¯re my biological sister, your brother¡¯s most beloved baby.¡± Looking at Xu Zhengyang and listening to his nonsensical confessions, Qi Shenbai¡¯s brows never relaxed. He stared at the hand on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s shoulder with a burning gaze, wishing he could chop it off in the next second. Xu Jiaojiao seemed to sense that someone was watching her. She raised her head and looked at Qi Shenbai. ¡°My brother is back, so 1 won¡¯t disturb you anymore. See you later.¡± The man replied indifferently, ¡°Very well.¡± Xu Zhengyang grabbed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s wrist, completely disregarding Qi Shenbai, his immediate superior. ¡°You haven¡¯t been to my office yet. Let me show you around today.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± However, a few minutes later, Xu Jiaojiao was completely dumbfounded. How was this an office? It was clearly a messed-up market. There were piles of snacks and dirty laundry. The coffee table and desk were filled with documents. This place was worlds apart from Qi Shenbai¡¯s office. Xu Jiaojiao was speechless. Xu Zhengyang scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°1 was busy with a big project and didn¡¯t have time to clean it up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have a cleaning lady in a big company like yours?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face was full of disdain. ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense. I¡¯m a core employee of the technical department. Outsiders can¡¯t come in here casually.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he received a call from his colleague. He looked at his sister apologetically. ¡°Wait for me first. Find a place to sit. I¡¯ll be back in ten minutes.¡± As she watched her brother leave, Xu Jiaojiao helplessly rolled up her sleeves and resigned herself to her fate, helping him clean up the mess. The colleague who had called Xu Zhengyang away was actually not in a hurry. He just wanted to find out more about Xu Jiaojiao. It was said that Mr. Xu¡¯s sister was a national beauty and was very cute. However, no one expected to see her face in the company. Those tech geeks who had never seen a woman before pounced on her like bees finding honey. Xu Zhengyang¡¯s face was filled with annoyance, and his gaze was fierce. ¡°All of you greasy men are still aiming for my sister? I advise you to get lost. I¡¯ll throw you out if you need a helping hand.¡± H ii At this moment, someone posted a photo of the CEO¡¯s wife in a large group chat. A few colleagues glanced at it, their faces filled with surprise. Their eyes were wide as saucers. ¡°No way?! Mr. Xu, your sister is actually the lady boss?!¡± A trace of doubt flashed across Xu Zhengyang¡¯s face. He forcefully snatched his colleague¡¯s phone. After reading the content, he immediately cursed, ¡°Bastard.¡± As he spoke, he rushed into the elevator to settle the score with Qi Shenbai. Damn it, he knew that this man definitely had ulterior motives for bringing Xu Jiaojiao to the company. Now, everyone knew that Xu Jiaojiao was the wife of the CEO of the Qi Group. If the two of them were to separate in the future, his precious sister would be known as a divorcee.. How could she find a good husband then? Chapter 72 - Chapter 72: Im Here to Pick Up My Wife Chapter 72: I¡¯m Here to Pick Up My Wife Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation It was not until Xu Jiaojiao had tidied up the office that she felt that something was amiss. Where had her brother gone for so long? Just as she was about to go out and look for him, she suddenly received a call from her best friend. ¡°Tell me, how far have you progressed?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was speechless. ¡°I¡¯m not that fast. 1 haven¡¯t started anything yet, okay?¡± After all, she had no experience in pursuing men. ¡°What else do you need? Just find the right time and tell him that you like him. If you ask me, just drag him into bed.¡± Su Luo had always been straightforward. She really could not stand this kind of hesitation. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°What else is there? That¡¯s enough.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was speechless. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too straightforward? What if he doesn¡¯t like me?¡± She needed to keep up the act with Qi Shenbai for her grandmother¡¯s sake. If her confession failed, it would be too awkward for them to get along in the future. Su Luo thought about it carefully before she spoke again. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him out on a date? While you¡¯re hanging out, you can get to know each other and improve your relationship. You can confess when you find the right time.¡± ¡°Where should we go?¡± ¡°How about an escape room?¡± Su Luo was excited. ¡°You must find the most terrifying theme. When the time comes, if you¡¯re afraid, just throw yourself into his arms and let him save the damsel in distress. You two will be able to develop your feelings for each other after a few more hugs.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was speechless. Wasn¡¯t that too unreliable? ¡°Sis, do you have any other good ideas?¡± ¡°Just believe me, sis. This is definitely the best chance.¡± Su Luo even continued, ¡°In for a penny, in for a pound. Just ask him out! 1¡¯11 find a place for you and send you the address later.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head was full of question marks. This was just the beginning. Was there a need to be in such a hurry? While she was chatting with her best friend, the two men in the office were already arguing. To be precise, Xu Zhengyang was going crazy alone. Qi Shenbai was reading the document calmly, not even bothering to look at him. Seeing him like this, Xu Zhengyang became even angrier. ¡°You¡¯re really patient, aren¡¯t you? Do you even know how to speak? I¡¯ve been talking for so long, but you never f*cking reply!¡± It was time he staked his authority as the older brother-in-law. ¡°What do you want me to say? Jiaojiao went to the Lu family home today.¡± ¡°F*ck.¡± Xu Zhengyang was obviously triggered by that. ¡°Why did she go to the Lu family? Is that bastard still pestering her?¡± ¡°I only heard that Old Mrs. Lu isn¡¯t feeling well,¡± Qi Shenbai said lightly. However, Xu Zhengyang sneered. ¡°The Lu family is the best at acting. That hag has always been as strong as an ox. How is she unwell?¡± Qi Shenbai did not say much. A dark look flashed across his black eyes as he said indifferently, ¡°I see that you don¡¯t have much to do recently. Do you want to go down to the project department to help?¡± ¡°Pfft, I think you just can¡¯t bear to see me free. You want to squeeze me dry, you black-hearted capitalist.¡± Qi Shenbai was not angry at being rejected so stiffly. He continued to say calmly, ¡°I heard that Lu Zhuo has been fighting for the new ecological living area project.¡± A smart person would understand immediately. Xu Zhengyang instantly understood what he meant. ¡°I suddenly feel that as colleagues, we have to help each other. Since I have the skills, it¡¯s fine to go there and give some pointers.¡± Initially, the Qi Corporation did not intend to interfere in the new ecological project developed by the government. However, when Xu Zhengyang heard that the Lu family was getting a share of the profits, he naturally did not want them to succeed. Even if the project was not profitable, it could increase their popularity. Therefore, some companies that wanted to build brand popularity would be very interested. The two men met each other¡¯s eyes and smiled. Xu Jiaojiao did not know what they were planning. After waiting for a long time, her brother still had not returned. Just as she was about to look for him, the office door was suddenly pushed open. Xu Zhengyang walked in front of Qi Shenbai, his face full of frustration. He turned around and glared at the CEO. ¡°What are you doing in my office?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to pick up my wife, of course.¡± He did not deliberately lower his voice, and the office door was still open. Everyone widened their eyes in surprise when they heard this conversation. All the employees were dumbfounded. Who would have thought that Mr. Xu¡¯s sister was Mr. Qi¡¯s wife?! Those technical geeks who were still entertaining lofty dreams instantly fell silent. If they dared to have any more improper thoughts, they would probably lose their jobs. Xu Jiaojiao felt a little embarrassed to be addressed as Mrs. Qi like that. She could only helplessly try to change the topic. ¡°Su Luo and 1 are going to an escape room later. Do you want to come with us?¡± Before Qi Shenbai could say anything, Xu Zhengyang instantly laughed. ¡°Look at him. Does he look like someone who knows how to solve an escape room? Mr.. Qi, do you even know what that is?¡± Chapter 73 - Chapter 73: Escape Room Chapter 73: Escape Room Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao glared at him. She had to admit that her brother was really a stumbling block on her way out of singlehood. Qi Shenbai did not even look at him. He turned to look at Xu Jiaojiao gently. ¡°If you want to play, 1¡¯11 go with you.¡± Hearing his words, Xu Jiaojiao heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°That¡¯s good. Luoluo has already booked a place. Let¡¯s go now.¡± Before the two of them could leave the company, they heard a dissatisfied voice behind them. ¡°This is your company. You asked your employees to work for you, and you went to play in an escape room? You¡¯re terrible.¡± ¡°If every business in the company requires me to personally monitor them, then why did 1 hire you in the first place?¡± Qi Shenbai retorted without hesitation. Xu Zhengyang was rendered speechless. He said indignantly, ¡°Then 1 want to go too! The company can survive without the CEO, let alone a mere worker like me!¡± How could he let him stay alone with Jiaojiao in such an ambiguous environment? What if this old man took the opportunity to seduce Jiaojiao? Qi Shenbai smiled helplessly. As expected, his decision was always wise. Transferring him to the project department to cause trouble for Lu Zhuo was the wisest choice. They went to the most well-equipped escape room in Luo City. Xu Jiaojiao followed beside Qi Shenbai. The two of them walked side by side toward Su Luo. The handsome man and beautiful woman were as pretty as a picture together. Xu Zhengyang tagged along as well. When she saw him, Su Luo¡¯s slender and delicate brows furrowed slightly. ¡°Why are you here too?¡± Xu Zhengyang touched his hair. ¡°Why do you ask? Am 1 not welcome?¡± There was a hint of mockery in his tone. ¡°I missed you, so I came.¡± ¡°Hah! I must¡¯ve destroyed the universe in my past life to make you miss me!¡± ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re insulting me because you can¡¯t get me, right?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your sense of shame?¡± The two of them started fighting the moment they met. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but hold her forehead. She spoke up in time to stop them. ¡°Luoluo, why don¡¯t we go in first?¡± Su Lu gritted her teeth and rolled her eyes at Xu Zhengyang. When she turned to look at Xu Jiaojiao, though, instantly put on a gentle expression. ¡°Okay, Jiao jiao, you can go in now.¡± The group finally entered the escape room. The staff confirmed the number of players and the theme, then they read the admission declaration in advance. After the staff made sure that they did not have any sudden illness, he took out a walkie-talkie and handed it to them before bringing them to the room to change their protective gear. ¡°You must wear the bracers and knee guards.¡± Xu Zhengyang saw a group of people entering the secret room without any protection. He was a little puzzled. ¡°Why don¡¯t they bring protective gear?¡± ¡°Their room was simpler. They don¡¯t need any protective gear.¡± Xu Zhengyang felt that something was wrong. ¡°What are we playing?¡± The staff smiled and said, ¡°The room you¡¯re playing is called Red Dress. There will be NPCs chasing after you. It¡¯s the most terrifying secret room in our shop.¡± When Xu Zhengyang heard this, he froze and turned around to glare at Su Luo. Why did she have to sign up for this one?! Now they were gonna get chased around for no reason! Su Luo glared back fearlessly. ¡°Why are you looking at me? Are you afraid?¡± ¡°Afraid? Hah.¡± Xu Zhengyang snorted. ¡°That word doesn¡¯t exist in my dictionary. I¡¯m just worried that Jiaojiao will be scared.¡± The topic instantly shifted to Xu Jiaojiao, and Su Luo¡¯s gaze followed suit. When Xu Jiaojiao heard someone say her name, her attention was pulled away from the walkie-talkie. She blinked blankly and said in a soft voice, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid.¡± When they were ready, the staff explained the background of the script to them before leading them into the escape room. They got into formation. Qi Shenbai stood at the front while Xu Jiaojiao held onto the corner of his shirt behind him. Su Luo looked around and walked behind Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Zhengyang looked at the door. The cold air in the room went straight up his trouser legs, making him shiver. The staff member who stood behind him could easily tell he was afraid. This was very common in these escape rooms. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can go in first. Don¡¯t be afraid. The NPCs won¡¯t come out as soon as you enter.¡± When the three people walking in front heard this, they all turned to look at Xu Zhengyang. ¡°W-Who said I¡¯m afraid?¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s face flushed red as he raised his voice and replied. As he spoke, he took a step forward. ¡°Isn¡¯t it just a horror-themed escape room? I¡¯ve seen everything. This is nothing to me.¡± With that, the staff closed the door with a bang. ¡°Ding, ding¡ª¡± ¡°All! Ghost!¡± As soon as the background music started playing, Xu Zhengyang suddenly screamed and hugged the person beside him. He even jumped a few steps, desperate to hang onto that person. H ii Su Luo was speechless and wanted to pull Xu Zhengyang off her body. ¡°That¡¯s just background music. Aren¡¯t you overreacting? Have you never gone for an escape room before?¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s shout directly drowned out the sound of the background music. He got down from Su Luo¡¯s body and tidied his clothes. ¡°O-Of course 1 have. I just wanted to test your courage. Hmm¡­ You¡¯ve all passed my test.¡± After saying that, he even nodded in approval at himself.. Chapter 74 - Chapter 74: So Stubborn Chapter 74: So Stubborn Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Heh.¡± Su Luo sneered. ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn.¡± Qi Shenbai and Xu Jiaojiao searched their surroundings. Under the dim light, it was difficult for them to see their surroundings clearly. Bzzt¡ª Before they came in, the staff had said that the sound of an electric current meant that an NPC was coming out. When the group heard the sound, their bodies trembled. ¡°Run!¡± Qi Shenbai shouted. He grabbed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and ran toward a lit room. Su Luo followed closely behind, while Xu Zhengyang screamed as he followed them. After the four of them entered the room, Qi Shenbai asked Xu Zhengyang and Su Luo to block the door to prevent the NPC from entering. By now, Xu Zhengyang¡¯s limbs were weak. He was no longer as cool and put-together as before. He leaned against the door heavily. His hair had collapsed from running, and he was terrified that someone would rush in from outside. Qi Shenbai carefully scrutinized a piece of yellow paper beside the candle. Xu Jiao jiao stood at the side and helped him solve the puzzle. ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Qi Shenbai asked softly as he looked at Xu Jiao jiao under the light. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid. 1 think it¡¯s quite interesting.¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head and smiled. Su Luo heard their conversation from the side and screamed inwardly, ¡®1 ship! The two of them are so sweet together!¡¯ Qi Shenbai looked at the surrounding walls. Their next step should be to open the side door of this room and go that way. After some thought, Qi Shenbai stood in front of the password lock and tapped on a few numbers with his slender fingers. The wooden door opened with a beep. ¡°Oh no, you youngsters. Why did you come in?¡± Music sounded in the background, and they suddenly heard the voice of an old hag. Xu Zhengyang slid to the ground and hugged Su Luo¡¯s leg tightly, unwilling to let go. ¡°My house is very small. Only one of you young¡¯uns may come in.¡± The first challenge after opening the door was a solo mission. The room behind the door was so dark that no one could see inside. The room was a mystery. Xu Zhengyang did not even hesitate. He let go of one hand and pointed at Qi Shenbai. ¡°You go!¡± After saying that, he continued to hug Su Luo¡¯s leg tightly. Before Qi Shenbai could speak, Su Luo kicked Xu Zhengyang. ¡°He can¡¯t go.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s beautiful eyes widened. ¡°Are you gonna go?¡± ¡°You should go.¡± Su Luo pulled him up from the ground. ¡°Qi Shenbai and Jiao jiao solved the first password lock. It should be your turn to show off now, right?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about a password lock? If it wasn¡¯t because I was a little tired just now, 1 would have easily opened that lock.¡± Xu Zhengyang bluffed and raised his voice to back his words. ¡°Stop bragging. We¡¯ll never get out if we waited for you to open the lock!¡± Su Luo crossed her arms in front of her chest and said mercilessly, ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? It¡¯s just an NPC!¡± Just as Xu Zhengyang was about to retort, Xu Jiaojiao whispered, ¡°Stop arguing. Why don¡¯t I go?¡± Both of them looked scared in her eyes. ¡°No!¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Su Luo and Xu Zhengyang said in unison. Xu Jiaojiao was slightly surprised. Since when did the two of them have such a tacit understanding? Xu Zhengyang frowned. He acted like a proper big brother for once. ¡°How can a little girl like you go to such a dangerous place? What if you get injured?¡± No matter how unreasonable he was usually, he was still reliable at critical moments. He did not want his sister to go in and be scared stiff. ¡°But¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao was interrupted by Su Lu. ¡°Just go with Mr. Qi and complete the main mission. Leave the side mission to us.¡± As she spoke, she even winked at Xu Jiao jiao and secretly reached out to push her toward Qi Shenbai. Xu Jiaojiao stumbled to the man¡¯s side. Qi Shenbai stretched out his long arm and wrapped her in his embrace. ¡°If you¡¯re a man, you¡¯ll take care of this mission. I¡¯ll do the subsequent side missions, alright?¡± Su Luo was exasperated with Xu Zhengyang. Was he stupid? Could he stop getting in the way of those lovebirds? ¡°What do you mean? Are you trying to provoke me?¡± Xu Zhengyang rolled his eyes at her. ¡°If I¡¯m not a man, then you¡¯re definitely not a woman!¡± ¡°How am I not a woman? I¡¯m not like a certain someone who¡¯s scared out of their wits!¡± A sly glint flashed across Su Luo¡¯s eyes as she said indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t dare to go. I guess I have no choice but to go because a certain coward refuses.¡± ¡°Who are you calling a coward?!¡± Xu Zhengyang blurted angrily on impulse. ¡°Fine, 1¡¯11 go.. It¡¯s no big deal! I¡¯m a real man, and I¡¯ve never been afraid of anything in my life! Just wait for my good news!¡± Chapter 75 - Chapter 75: Any Man You Want Chapter 75: Any Man You Want Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Seeing that her provocation worked, Su Luo immediately smiled. ¡°You¡¯re such a man, Big Brother Zhengyang. Best of luck!!!¡± Then, she stuffed the flashlight she was holding into his hand. ¡°¡­¡± After calming down and thinking about it, Xu Zhengyang felt like he had been tricked. However, he had already made a declaration in front of everyone, so he could not go back on his word even if he wanted to. He seemed to be really afraid, so Xu Jiaojiao tried to help him out again. ¡°Brother, let me go. I¡¯m quite curious about the side mission. You can go with Qi Shenbai.¡± Upon hearing this, Su Luo immediately glared at her. Xu Jiaojiao was taken aback for a moment, but she quickly understood what her friend meant. She did want to be alone with Qi Shenbai, but her brother¡¯s safety was equally important. She would not go so far as to throw her own brother aside for the sake of her feelings. ¡°You stay, I¡¯ll go,¡± Qi Shenbai suddenly said. He would not let the little girl go to such a scary place by herself. Su Luo took a deep breath and resisted the urge to beat Xu Zhengyang up. Were all her plans for nothing? It was all that idiot¡¯s fault! ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Xu Zhengyang glanced at them. ¡°I¡¯ll go, so be it. Stop passing the baton around.¡± After thinking about it, he warned Qi Shenbai, ¡°Take good care of my sister. I¡¯ll make you pay even if she loses a strand of her hair.¡± ¡®If you dare to touch my sister, don¡¯t even think about leaving this escape room in one piece!¡¯ Xu Zhengyang left the second half of the sentence unsaid, but he believed that Qi Shenbai could understand his gaze, from one man to another. After giving his instructions, Xu Zhengyang walked to the door with a strong sense of determination. He took a deep breath, and his face was filled with the words, ¡®Fighting bravely for justice¡¯! ¡°Let¡¯s continue on to the next stage,¡± Su Luo urged. There was still a side mission in the next stage. Once there, she would go and complete the side mission herself, then Qi Shenbai and Xu Jiaojiao would have a chance to be alone together. The room in the second stage was much larger than the previous one, and it was even harder to find clues. Qi Shenbai also helped the girls search. Taking advantage of the fact that he was looking for clues, Su Luo approached Xu Jiaojiao and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m going to complete the side mission later. You two have to work hard!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was confused. ¡°Work hard? How?¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t waste the opportunity that I¡¯ve painstakingly created for you!¡± Su Luo rolled her eyes at her angrily. ¡°The time, place, and people are right. Once there¡¯s a terrifying set-up, you can scream and throw yourself into his arms. Let him protect you!¡± Xu Jiaojiao imagined the scene that Su Luo had described in her mind and felt that it was a little strange. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little too fake? What if Qi Shenbai sees through my act?¡± ¡°Do you not want to date him anymore? Do you want to give Qi Shenbai to someone else?!¡± ¡°Absolutely not!!!¡± ¡°Then follow my instructions.¡± Su Luo patted her shoulder heavily and said solemnly, ¡°As long as you believe me, you can get any man you want.¡± Xu Jiaojiao hesitated for a moment, but still said, ¡°Alright.¡± Su Luo¡¯s face was filled with pride. When the next side mission was triggered, she did not hesitate to step forward and create a space for them to be alone. Before she left, she did not forget to secretly give Xu Jiaojiao a thumbs up to cheer her on. After Su Luo left, the pitch-black room fell into silence. Although there was a flashlight, the weak light could only illuminate a small area in front of them. The two of them had to move together. ¡°What did Su Luo say to you just now?¡± Only the two of them were left in the room. There was only the sound of their breathing, and the atmosphere was a little strange. Qi Shenbai took the initiative to change the topic. ¡°What?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment before she shook her head. ¡°She was just telling me¡­ tips to clear the mission.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was glad that the room was dark enough. Otherwise, Qi Shenbai would definitely be able to see her blushing face. When the two of them were talking just now, Su Luo¡¯s eyes kept drifting toward him. Qi Shenbai¡¯s intuition told him that they were definitely talking about him. However, Qi Shenbai did not continue to press the girl since she did not want to say. He continued to help her find more clues. According to the clues, they had to check the cupboards. There were drawers under the cupboards, so Xu Jiaojiao crouched down to open them. Just then Something suddenly jumped out of the drawer. Xu Jiaojiao subconsciously tilted backward and almost fell to the ground. Suddenly, a pair of large hands supported the back of her head. There seemed to be a warm wall behind her. Xu Jiaojiao looked up and heard the man¡¯s comforting voice above her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a toy.¡± Qi Shenbai shone the flashlight on the toy that had just jumped out so that Xu Jiaojiao could see what it was at a glance. The dim light outlined his well-defined face. It was strong and exquisite, and he was breathtakingly handsome.. Chapter 76 - Chapter 76: A Pretty Decent Love Guru Chapter 76: A Pretty Decent Love Guru Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The air in the empty room was filled with a faint wooden fragrance that made them unconsciously feel at ease. Xu Jiaojiao suddenly felt that Su Luo was actually a pretty decent love guru. Qi Shenbai bent down and grabbed her wrist, pulling her up from the ground. ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just got a shock when 1 jumped out.¡± Before Xu Jiaojiao could finish her sentence, Qi Shenbai crouched down and very naturally brushed the dust off her pants. This escape room usually had good business and received many guests every day. They could not clean up every time, so there was inevitably a lot of dust on the floor. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s pants were stained with dust. Xu Jiaojiao did not see it herself, but he did¡­ His clean and slender fingers landed on the bottom of her pants and brushed past them, but it felt as though he was running them across her heartstrings. The more he played, the more chaotic her heart became. The more chaotic her heart became, the more she indulged in it. ¡°Sorry to disturb you.¡± The staff member¡¯s voice suddenly came from the walkie-talkie in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand. Xu Jiaojiao suddenly remembered that there was an infrared camera here. Even if the lights were not on, the staff could see everything that they had just done. She could not help but blush. She watched as Qi Shenbai stood up and pretended to be calm as he pressed the call button. He asked gently, ¡°Is something the matter?¡± The staff on the other end of the walkie-talkie sounded helpless. ¡°Could you¡­ come to Room One?¡± ¡°What happened? Could it be my brother¡­?¡± Xu Jiaojiao sounded worried. ¡°There¡¯s no big problem at the moment. We just need you to come over and deal with it. It¡¯s best to be quick,¡± the staff explained over the walkie-talkie. The door to the escape room was already open. Although there was a light, it could not do much in the dim environment. It was impossible to see what was inside. Once Xu Jiao jiao came in, the staff member heaved a sigh of relief and hurriedly said, ¡°Perhaps he¡¯s too afraid because of psychological reasons and can¡¯t hear us. Either way, he¡¯s still holding onto our NPC tightly.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was puzzled when she heard the staff member¡¯s explanation. Then, she saw Xu Zhengyang. At this moment, Xu Zhengyang seemed to be clutching at an NPC¡¯s thigh tightly, as though it was his only lifebuoy in the ocean. He simply refused to let go, mumbling, ¡°I¡¯m not afraid¡­ I¡¯m not afraid at all! Let me tell you, your little tricks won¡¯t scare me at all¡­¡± Although he said that he was not afraid, his body was very honest. He did not even dare to open his eyes. It was hard on the young NPC. His face was filled with helplessness, and he seemed to be on the verge of collapse. Moreover¡­ Xu Zhengyang was pulling his pants down, and he was about to tug them right off! Even though the young NPC was pulling up his pants with both hands, he could not stop them from falling. The NPC looked at Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai with tears in his eyes. Xu Jiaojiao turned her head away from him. At this moment, she really wanted to say, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know him.¡± ¡°This player has only been here for a short time. The NPC had just came out, but he was already so frightened¡­¡± The staff covered his face and held back his laughter. ¡°We really can¡¯t move him. I had no choice but to call you here.¡± Xu Jiaojiao stood rooted to the ground, not knowing what to do when she saw Xu Zhengyang hugging the NPC¡¯s thigh and wailing loudly. She felt¡­ too embarrassed. Xu Jiaojiao looked at Qi Shenbai, who was beside her. ¡°Um¡­ why don¡¯t you go and persuade him?¡± In other words¡­ ¡®I¡¯m too ashamed to go.¡¯ ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Qi Shenbai coughed twice and said, ¡°You¡¯re his sister, after all. 1¡¯11 leave this to you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was speechless. The staff, the NPC, and the others were all looking at her for help, especially the NPC. He was about to cry. It seemed that she really had no choice. ¡°Sigh, if I don¡¯t enter hell, who will? Here goes nothing.¡± Xu Jiaojiao convinced herself. She walked over to Xu Zhengyang¡¯s side and squatted down. Just as her palm touched his shoulder¡­ ¡°All!!!¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s pig-like scream resounded through the sky and reverberated in the escape room for a long time. Xu Jiaojiao was caught off guard and jumped in fright. Before she could say anything, she heard Xu Zhengyang chanting to himself. Xu Zhengyang¡¯s body was shaking like a sieve as he muttered under his breath, ¡°Begone, ghosts! Begone, demons!¡± ¡°Brother? Are you alright? I¡¯m Jiaojiao, I¡¯m here to save you.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Zhengyang¡¯s body stopped trembling. He slowly turned his head, and when he saw that it was Xu Jiaojiao, his empty eyes lit up as he hugged her. ¡°It¡¯s so scary¡­ Jiaojiao, do you have any idea how long the last few minutes have felt for me? You almost lost the brother who loves you the most in the world!¡± Chapter 77 - Chapter 77: Which Good Person Strips Peoples Pants? Chapter 77: Which Good Person Strips People¡¯s Pants? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation In the corner, the NPC who had just pulled up his pants looked at Xu Zhengyang pitifully. Scary? Who was the scariest one here?! No good person would strip someone¡¯s pants off! This job was too dangerous. He would not come again even if they offered him a monthly salary of 100,000 yuan¡­ Xu Zhengyang held Xu Jiaojiao tightly like a priceless treasure. The problem was¡­ Xu Jiaojiao was being suffocated. ¡°Brother¡­ Calm down, calm down. If you don¡¯t let go, I¡¯m going to suffocate.¡± ¡°All? Oh!!¡± Xu Zhengyang finally realized that something was wrong. He gently released Xu Jiaojiao and looked at her in embarrassment. ¡°Brother, what¡¯s the problem with you now?¡± ¡®Tm fine.¡± Speaking of this, a ball of anger burned from the bottom of Xu Zhengyang¡¯s heart. ¡°I just encountered a ghost. It almost scared me to death! You don¡¯t know how terrifying it was¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang was about to give Xu Jiao jiao a long speech about his tragic and heroic experience when Xu Jiaojiao interrupted him. ¡°Brother, take a closer look. Are you talking about him?¡± Xu Jiaojiao pointed at the NPC in the corner. Xu Zhengyang blinked. Then, his gaze fell on the NPC in the corner. The latter felt a chill down his spine. His pants were in danger! This was the only thought in the NPC¡¯s mind. However, Xu Zhengyang was much calmer this time. Although he was a little afraid when he first saw the NPC, upon taking a closer look¡­ After the chaotic battle just now, half of the NPC¡¯s wig had been torn off. His mask was missing and all that remained was his strange makeup. Still, there was no mistaking his Adam¡¯s apple. Damn it! The ghost that he had been afraid of for so long¡­ was just a human in disguise. ¡°You little¡­ Why are you pretending to be a ghost in broad daylight?! Are you crazy?!¡± Xu Zhengyang was filled with righteous indignation. His heroic image had completely collapsed because of this escape room. ¡°Listen to yourself!¡± The NPC was dumbfounded. ¡°You¡¯re here for an escape room! Isn¡¯t this my job? You¡¯re making it sound like I shouldn¡¯t have tried to scare you. Will you pay me if my salary gets deducted?!¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang was speechless. It seemed like this really was his fault. He even scolded an NPC for no reason like a Karen! While Xu Zhengyang was still repenting inwardly, Xu Jiao jiao had already apologized on his behalf. Since she was so sincere, the NPC forgave them. ¡°It¡¯s fine, whatever. It¡¯s normal to meet customers who are afraid of ghosts in my line of work. I¡¯ve seen even more exaggerated folks.¡± Just then, Xu Zhengyang walked over. When he saw Xu Zhengyang, the NPC instinctively cowered in fear. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, don¡¯t be afraid¡­ 1 just want to apologize. What happened just now was my fault. I¡¯ll treat you to a meal if you want,¡± Xu Zhengyang explained. After some internal struggle, Xu Zhengyang had already walked out of his haze. He could not let his sister settle this matter for him, he thought. He should settle the matter himself. Seeing that Xu Zhengyang had returned to normal, the NPC¡¯s anxious heart relaxed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I forgive you.¡± Qi Shenbai, who had been silent all this while, walked over. His gaze was fixed on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s arm because Xu Zhengyang was hugging her tightly. Just as Xu Zhengyang was about to say something to Xu Jiao jiao, he suddenly felt his body being lifted into the air. He turned around and saw that the culprit was Qi Shenbai. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Xu Zhengyang looked at Qi Shenbai in confusion. Qi Shenbai said indifferently, ¡°Your legs are probably numb after squatting for so long. Go and play somewhere else.¡± Xu Zhengyang was speechless. It was such a brainless excuse. Anyone could tell that Qi Shenbai thought he was being too clingy! Qi Shenbai put him down and ignored him. He gently pulled up Xu Jiaojiao, who was still squatting on the ground. ¡°How are your legs? Are they numb?¡± ¡°No.¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled, signaling Qi Shenbai to relax. She had already been squatting for a period of time. If she squatted for another minute or two, she would probably really be numb. When Xu Zhengyang saw this, he gritted his teeth. Hmph! Those two had no respect for single people at all! Showing off their love everywhere¡­ ¡°Are we still playing?¡± Xu Zhengyang could not help but ask. ¡°Of course, why not?¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at Xu Zhengyang, who was pretending to be angry, and found it funny. After this incident, the NPCs at the escape room would never work there again. The three of them quickly tidied themselves up and opened the door to the third stage. The third stage was the most difficult. It was cold, and the surroundings were dark. In a way, it was very immersive. Xu Zhengyang¡¯s fear, which he had finally overcome with great difficulty, once again took over. He grabbed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s arm tightly, afraid that he would get lost. If Su Luo was here, he would not act so embarrassingly. He could not afford to ruin the image of a big strong man that he had painstakingly created in front of Su Luo! Right now, though, he showed his true colors.. After all, why would he put on airs in front of his own sister? Chapter 78 - Chapter 78: If You Cant Land That Old Man Chapter 78: If You Can¡¯t Land That Old Man Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Huh? It seems like the puzzle just now hasn¡¯t been solved. Even if Su Luo passes the side quest, she won¡¯t be able to enter the third room,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± Qi Shenbai said. The other two had no objections. Qi Shenbai went back alone to solve the puzzle. Not long after, he opened the door to the third stage. As soon as the door opened, a figure slowly walked out with a sigh. ¡°Oh my god, it¡¯s too scary! Jiaojiao, if you can¡¯t land that old man Qi Shenbai, my sacrifice will be in vain!¡± As the figure approached, he finally saw her face clearly under the light. It was Su Luo. Qi Shenbai and Su Luo looked at each other. Time seemed to have frozen¡­ ¡°Cough cough¡­ Ahem, 1 was scared silly just now! I spouted nonsense.¡± Su Luo laughed awkwardly. Qi Shenbai was unmoved. He just looked at her quietly. It was very awkward. Faced with Qi Shenbai¡¯s sinister gaze, Su Luo began to think that the ghosts just now were not that scary, after all. Xu Jiaojiao, who had just walked over when she heard the voice, was frozen on the spot when she saw this scene. After being silent for about half a minute, Xu Zhengyang walked over in a daze. When he saw Su Luo¡¯s dejected expression, he could not help but laugh. ¡°Hahahaha, Su Luo, what¡¯s wrong with you? Were you scared stiff? Look at you, your face has turned pale from fright! Hahaha¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s laughter stopped abruptly. Xu Jiaojiao retracted her hand. She was the one who had poked Xu Zhengyang¡¯s arm at the right time in an attempt to salvage the situation, which was heading in an increasingly troubling direction. Xu Zhengyang, on the other hand, did not seem to be aware of the conundrum. He continued, ¡°What are you doing, sis? Let me laugh this off for a while¡­ Hahaha, urp~¡± For the first time, Su Luo did not find Xu Zhengyang¡¯s laughter as annoying as before. Qi Shenbai sized up their reactions curiously. Then, his gaze fell on Xu Jiaojiao, and he revealed an inexplicable smile. Xu Jiaojiao did not notice. She did not have the courage to look at Qi Shenbai at all. Compared to before, there was a huge change in the last level. There was no light at all in this room. The only light source was the flashlight they carried. Along the way, Su Luo did not say a word. Xu Zhengyang did not understand why she did not respond, but he did not say anything else. Continuing to chatter when she did not respond would wear down what little remained of her patience and good impression of him. Xu Zhengyang felt a headache coming on as he thought about the puzzles ahead. He found a seemingly safe place to sit down and waited quietly. After experiencing the hugely awkward scene from before, Su Luo did not have the courage to face Qi Shenbai. She followed from afar. As for Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai, the two of them walked side by side. They mutually decided not to speak as they concentrated on looking for clues. ¡°Woooo¡­¡± At this moment, an ear-piercing cry sounded, like the cry of a baby. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Xu Jiaojiao frowned slightly. ¡°Something seems to have fallen down ahead. Perhaps it¡¯s a clue,¡± Qi Shenbai said. Xu Jiaojiao aimed the flashlight following Qi Shenbai¡¯s line of sight. When she saw what it was, her mind seemed to go blank and she stood rooted to the ground. Their voices had also attracted Xu Zhengyang¡¯s attention. When he saw what was clearly illuminated by the flashlight, he could not help but say, ¡°Su Luo, are you stupid? Why did you go with such a terrifying theme?¡± ¡°What is this? Look at you now. Are you afraid?¡± Su Luo pretended to be calm. Although she was afraid of this terrifying thing, how could she admit it in front of Xu Zhengyang?! Xu Zhengyang did not reply. He just looked at her as if he was looking at a fool. Qi Shenbai had not moved at all. He just stood where he was, and his tall figure actually looked a little lonely for a moment. Xu Jiaojiao, who had been standing next to Qi Shenbai all this time, could feel Qi Shenbai stiffen up. His face turned pale, and no one knew what he was thinking, but his expression was a little complicated. This was the first time Xu Jiaojiao felt Qi Shenbai¡¯s vulnerability. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here. It¡¯s fake. It¡¯s just a doll,¡± Xu Jiaojiao held his hand and comforted him softly. Qi Shenbai did not say anything. It took him a long time to come back to his senses. He turned around and saw Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face. Her fair and playful face was filled with worry and heartache. It was like a ray of light in the night, warm and shining. Qi Shenbai felt his heart warm up. ¡°Okay.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice was a little hoarse as he held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand, as if he was holding onto a ray of light in the dark night. ¡°Hey, what are you doing?!¡± a voice said, and before either of them could react, another hand pulled their hands apart. Qi Shenbai looked at the culprit. It was Xu Zhengyang, who had been observing and preparing to attack. ¡°Focus on the game.. No hanky-panky!¡± Chapter 79 - Chapter 79: Are They Scared Stupid? Chapter 79: Are They Scared Stupid? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Before Xu Jiaojiao could react, Xu Zhengyang had already wrapped his arms around her and protected her in his embrace. Qi Shenbai, who had lost Xu Jiaojiao, did not say a word. He just stood there quietly, like a toy that had lost its battery, looking especially lonely. ¡°Brother, stop¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao gestured for Xu Zhengyang to stop talking. Xu Zhengyang looked at Xu Jiaojiao with a serious expression. ¡°When a girl goes out, she should maintain a proper distance from the opposite sex. That is the basic rule!¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not say anything. In her mind, Qi Shenbai was not that kind of person. Then, she looked at Qi Shenbai. She wanted to say something, but when she met his eyes, she realized that all her words were stuck in her throat. She could not say them at all. The look in his eyes took her breath away. They were filled with sorrow and desolation, like beasts in a colosseum that could never escape the cage that trapped them. Why was Qi Shenbai reacting so strongly? Could it be because of the doll just now? It was precisely after he saw the doll that Qi Shenbai became abnormal. With a guess in mind, Xu Jiao jiao turned around and picked up the doll. ¡°Jiaojiao, where are you going?¡± Xu Zhengyang could not pull her back in time. Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao, who was walking towards him, and a trace of confusion flashed across his eyes. He aimed the flashlight at her. Xu Jiaojiao walked over to the doll and picked it up. This was the most popular style in the past two years. The doll had long golden hair and a red dress. However, because it had been stored here for a period of time, the entire doll had become extremely worn out. Its neck had even turned around, and it looked especially terrifying. ¡°Eeep¡­ Jiaojiao, quickly, put that down. That thing is terrifying!¡± Su Luo turned her head away, not daring to look at the scary doll. ¡°How is it scary? It¡¯s just been used for too long. It can be fixed.¡± Xu Jiaojiao gently wiped away the stains on the doll¡¯s surface and then turned the doll¡¯s head back. ¡°See, isn¡¯t it better now?¡± Xu Jiaojiao held the doll in front of her chest and showed it to everyone. Everyone was stunned. Unexpectedly, in their entire team, Xu Jiaojiao was actually the bravest. They were ashamed of themselves! ¡°Yes, it¡¯s indeed very cute.¡± Qi Shenbai smiled as he looked at the proud Xu Jiaojiao. Looking at the two of them, Su Luo leaned over and whispered to Xu Zhengyang, ¡°Are they¡­ scared stupid?¡± ¡°From the looks of it¡­ yes.¡± Thump! Just then, the lights came on one by one, and the escape room slowly lit up. Xu Jiaojiao and the others were a little taken aback. Then, the staff member¡¯s voice came through the loudspeaker. ¡°Congratulations to all the players for clearing the level. You are currently the first batch of players to successfully clear the level! Congratulations! ¡°First, let us tell you about the background story of this escape room. This story is about a husband and wife who have a well-behaved daughter. However, life got in the way. The husband was out working for a long time and neglected his family. The wife gradually became depressed and spent all her time away from home. Eventually, only the daughter was left at home. ¡°One day, the five-year-old girl missed her father. She climbed onto a stool just to give him a call, but she accidentally fell and bumped her head. Tragically, she passed away. ¡°After the daughter died, no one dared to live in the house. Several attempts to sell it failed, and it became abandoned. Only the daughter¡¯s soul remained, attached to her favorite doll when she was alive, waiting for her parents to return one day.¡± ¡°We¡¯re back, we¡¯re finally back!¡± Su Luo heaved a long sigh of relief. At this moment, she felt relaxed after coming out of the gloomy escape room. Just then, the staff came over and returned the items that they had stored. At the same time, they also gave Xu Jiaojiao a copy of the doll. ¡°There¡¯s a reward, but I think we¡¯ll pass¡­¡± Su Luo felt a little creeped out. The staff member scratched his head. He also knew that this reward for clearing the stage was a little strange, but the boss bought it, so he could only do as he was told. This doll was the reward for clearing the level. It was cute in an ugly but adorable way. Xu Jiaojiao actually quite liked it, but when she thought about how this doll would make Qi Shenbai uncomfortable, she could only give up. ¡°Thanks, but¡ª¡± Before she could finish, a slender hand reached out to accept the doll. ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned to look at Qi Shenbai in surprise as he took the doll. There was no change in Qi Shenbai¡¯s expression, as if he was completely unfazed. He handed the doll to Xu Jiao jiao. ¡°If you like it, take it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao bit her lower lip.. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s alright?¡± Chapter 80 - Chapter 80: Shes My Lawful Wife Chapter 80: She¡¯s My Lawful Wife Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± The man¡¯s voice was low and magnetic. Xu Jiaojiao took the doll and held it in her arms, a blissful smile on her face. Xu Zhengyang rubbed the space between his eyebrows and warned, ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you have to keep that thing at his house. If you dare to bring it home, I¡¯ll throw you out with it!¡± He felt that it was torture to look at such a terrifying thing. The atmosphere was getting a little gloomy. Xu Jiao jiao wanted to liven up the room, so she deliberately disagreed with him. ¡°No way! I plan to keep it in my room. It¡¯ll keep Dad and Mom company every day in my place. It can accompany you too.¡± ¡°Xu Jiaojiao.¡± Xu Zhengyang stretched out his hand, wanting to give Xu Jiaojiao a hard knock on the head. However, before his hand could touch the girl¡¯s head, someone blocked him immediately. Xu Zhengyang blinked in confusion. Qi Shenbai pushed his hand away and said coldly, ¡°Jiaojiao doesn¡¯t like pain, so cut that out.¡± Xu Zhengyang snorted coldly. ¡°Are you kidding me? Don¡¯t forget that she¡¯s my sister. Do you think I¡¯d really hit her hard? This is none of your business.¡± Qi Shenbai glared at him and said calmly, ¡°Yes, but she¡¯s my lawful wife.¡± This time, it was Xu Zhengyang who was rendered speechless. Damn it! Although he was very angry, he had no way to refute that!! Xu Jiaojiao was a little stunned.¡±¡­¡± Excitement flashed across Sullo¡¯s eyes. She got a faceful of her favorite ship, and she quickly sent Xu Jiaojiao a text on WeChat. [Baby, I swear to you on my future sex life that Qi Shenbai is down bad for you. If I¡¯m wrong, my boyfriend will have a microd*ck!] Xu Jiaojiao looked at the message on her phone. She glanced at her best friend, who was smiling sneakily at the side, and sent her a question mark. [Let¡¯s not talk about the rest for now. When did you get a boyfriend?] As for the second part of her friend¡¯s statement, Xu Jiao jiao ignored them with a red face. [I meant my future boyfriend.] Xu Jiaojiao was speechless.¡±¡­¡± To apologize to the NPC, Xu Zhengyang ordered milk tea and takeout for all the staff. The girl at the front desk praised Xu Jiaojiao in the work group chat for being smart and brave. She also praised Qi Shenbai for his height and long legs, and she said that she hoped that Xu Zhengyang would visit their business more often in the future. After all, it was rare to see such a generous client like him. The tortured NPC was speechless. These people might be demons! It was already lunchtime when they left the escape room. The group simply ate at a restaurant in the mall. The four of them were all good-looking in their own ways, and they attracted everyone¡¯s attention no matter where they went. Many girls could not take their eyes off Qi Shenbai. There were even some who were bold enough to approach him and ask for his contact information. Qi Shenbai completely ignored them. He did not even spare them a glance. All his attention was focused on the little girl beside him. On the other hand, Xu Zhengyang was the exact opposite. He flirtatiously winked at the girl who snuck looks at him, causing the girl¡¯s face to turn red and her heart to race. Su Luo was full of disdain when she saw his incessant flirting. ¡°Look at him. He¡¯s like a peacock in heat, spreading his tail frantically.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. My brother is so likable.¡± The two girls bickered in private. Su Luo was speechless. ¡°Sister, when did you go blind? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just stating facts.¡± Qi Shenbai raised his eyebrows slightly. He suddenly felt that there was indeed something wrong with Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s aesthetic taste. He had to teach her in the future slowly. In order to avoid unnecessary harassment, they chose to go to a private room. When ordering, Su Luo ordered a lot of delicacies and a bottle of red wine decisively. Xu Zhengyang could not help but frown. ¡°You¡¯re a girl drinking alone outside. Why don¡¯t you have any sense of safety?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not drinking alone. I¡¯m drinking with my bestie.¡± Su Luo raised her chin proudly and glared at Xu Zhengyang. ¡°Besides, we¡¯re all here together. Mr. Qi is already married and he¡¯s a decent person. What¡¯s there to worry about? As for you¡­ Even if you covet my beauty, you can¡¯t beat me.¡± Xu Zhengyang glared at her, then looked at his sister. ¡°Since when did you drink?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was taken aback, but then she heard her best friend whisper softly, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. Use this liquid courage to work yourself up so you can confess to Qi Shenbai! This is the best opportunity.¡± Hearing this, Xu Jiaojiao made up her mind. She raised her chin and said confidently, ¡°Why can¡¯t 1 drink a little? Brother, don¡¯t forget that I¡¯m already an adult.. How about you let me try it?¡± Chapter 81 - Chapter 81: How Much Do You Know? Chapter 81: How Much Do You Know? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Fine, then I guess I¡¯ll let you have one drink. Don¡¯t be greedy!¡± Xu Zhengyang agreed reluctantly. Xu Jiaojiao nodded happily. ¡°Okay! Bottoms up!¡± Qi Shenbai looked at this scene helplessly. Soon, the dishes were served. Xu Zhengyang and Qi Shenbai did not drink, leaving only Su Luo and Xu Jiaojiao drinking. ¡°This wine is sweet and delicious!¡± Xu Jiaojiao took a sip and smiled drunklenly. Soon after, Xu Jiaojiao finished the wine in her glass in one gulp. She was nowhere near satisfied, so Xu Jiaojiao looked at Xu Zhengyang pitifully. ¡°Brother, can I¡­¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Xu Zhengyang could not stand Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s puppy-dog pleas, so he said, ¡°Just one more, and no more than that!¡± ¡°Hehe, alright!¡± Xu Jiaojiao quickly refilled her glass. Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao, who had succeeded in her scheme, and wondered if Xu Zhengyang had any backbone to speak of. Xu Zhengyang seemed to have sensed Qi Shenbai¡¯s thoughts. He gave him a look and said, ¡®Just a little bit is fine!* Qi Shenbai did not say anything. Instead, he rolled his eyes at him. During their conversation, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s cheeks were a little red. The glass in front of her was empty, and she had finished her second glass. ¡°That¡¯s some good wine! I¡¯m satisfied now, burp~¡± Xu Jiaojiao burped. ¡°Jiaojiao, are you a little drunkard? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re already drunk?¡± Xu Zhengyang smiled faintly. Seeing Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s flushed face, Su Luo could not help but laugh. ¡°It looks like she is.¡± Xu Jiaojiao just chuckled and didn¡¯t say anything. However, she could feel that her head was a little dizzy and hot, so she said, ¡°I have to go to the washroom first.¡± Seeing that Xu Jiaojiao stood up and was about to leave, Su Luo stood up and held her hand. ¡°Eh? Jiaojiao, do you want me to go with you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I can go alone.¡± Seeing this, Su Luo did not insist. The three of them watched as Xu Jiaojiao left. Because this was a shopping mall, there were a lot of people, so there was no need to worry too much. However, only a minute had passed before Qi Shenbai started to check his watch. When he saw that Xu Jiaojiao had yet to return, he stood up and went to the washroom to look for her. As she watched Qi Shenbai leave, Su Luo revealed a meaningful smile. ¡°Look, someone¡¯s getting impatient! I knew something was up with him!¡± Su Luo watched as Qi Shenbai¡¯s figure disappeared into the corner. In the next second, she felt a pain over her head. She turned around to see Xu Zhengyang retracting his hand, looking at her with a faint smile. Su Luo rubbed her head and complained, ¡°What was that for?! Why did you hit me for no reason? It hurts, oww¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang sat in his seat and leaned back leisurely. ¡°Think. Why did you deserve that headshot?¡± Su Luo¡¯s expression froze and she felt a little guilty. Of course, she knew what Xu Zhengyang was implying. After that escape room venture and the way she was encouraging Xu Jiaojiao to drink, it was obvious what her intentions were. However, their plan could not be exposed yet. Su Luo frowned for a long time before she finally said, ¡°I didn¡¯t deserve anything! Come on, didn¡¯t everyone have a good time along the way?¡± ¡°Are you still trying to lie to me? You¡¯re doing this to matchmake Qi Shenbai and Jiaojiao, right?¡± Xu Zhengyang said. Su Luo pursed her lips as she recalled Xu Zhengyang¡¯s actions along the way. He kept interrupting Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai. So he already knew! ¡°Fine! So you¡¯ve always known. That¡¯s why you kept interrupting Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai along the way. Don¡¯t think 1 can¡¯t tell! Hurry up and tell me what you¡¯re up to!¡± Xu Zhengyang turned his head away and chose to close his eyes without saying a word. In a way, he was silently admitting to Su Luo¡¯s accusations. Seeing Xu Zhengyang¡¯s unafraid expression, Su Luo became a little anxious and said, ¡°Don¡¯t keep quiet. Why do you keep interfering with Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai? Don¡¯t you want them to be together?¡± Most people would think Qi Shenbai was a successful man. He had countless wealth. Just his looks alone could make countless women go crazy for him. Su Luo thought that Qi Shenbai was already outstanding enough, so why didn¡¯t Xu Zhengyang approve? ¡°Are you trying to say that Qi Shenbai has the money, power, and looks, so no one can refuse him?¡± Xu Zhengyang suddenly said. Just as Su Luo was about to say something, Xu Zhengyang interrupted her and continued, ¡°Then tell me, if you think that Qi Shenbai is so outstanding, how much do you know about his family background?¡± Chapter 82 - Chapter 82: Damn You, Xu Zhengyang Chapter 82: Damn You, Xu Zhengyang Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°I don¡¯t know much, but that¡¯s not important. All that¡¯s required for a loving relationship is a mutual affection for each other. Look at Jiaojiao. She clearly likes Qi Shenbai.¡± Xu Zhengyang did not answer immediately. Su Luo thought that she had rendered him speechless. Just as she was about to speak to ease the atmosphere, Xu Zhengyang broke his silence. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. Liking someone is the minimum requirement. If you like someone without knowing their personality, much less their deeper past, your affection will only be skin-deep. After all, people change their minds all the time,¡± Xu Zhengyang said with a heavy heart. That was exactly what happened to Lu Zhuo and Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s engagement. Xu Jiaojiao pinned her unwavering love on a promise, and what did she get in return? Lu Zhuo did not truly love Xu Jiaojiao at all. That was why the Lu Family did not respect her, and she had to suffer all sorts of grievances. Su Luo looked at Xu Zhengyang hesitantly, as if she remembered that time too. ¡°So you¡¯re just testing him? You¡¯re not against him, and you certainly don¡¯t despise him?¡± Unexpectedly, Xu Zhengyang had no intention of explaining at all. He said casually, ¡°Why don¡¯t you guess?¡± ¡°Tsk. Fine, be that way. Who cares what you really think?¡± Su Luo rolled her eyes at him. When she thought about Qi Shenbai and Xu Jiaojiao, Su Luo¡¯s heart became even more confused. It was all Xu Zhengyang¡¯s fault! ¡°Damn you, Xu Zhengyang. Sooner or later, you¡¯ll fall to a woman¡¯s mercy!¡± Outside the washroom, Qi Shenbai waited quietly. However, more than ten minutes had passed, but Xu Jiaojiao still had not come out. She did not pick up his call either, so he felt a little anxious. Just then, a cleaning lady happened to walk over. ¡°Excuse me, ma¡¯am. My friend hasn¡¯t come out yet. Could you help me see if she¡¯s inside? She¡¯s wearing a white sweater and has long hair,¡± Qi Shenbai said. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go in and take a look now.¡± The cleaning lady placed the broom aside and walked in. Not long after, the cleaning lady¡¯s voice sounded. ¡°Young man, there really is a young lady in here. She¡¯s just as you described. She¡¯s wearing a white sweater, but it looks like she¡¯s asleep! 1 don¡¯t know if she¡¯s the person you¡¯re looking for.¡± Upon hearing this, Qi Shenbai was clearly a little anxious. ¡°Is there anyone else inside? Can 1 come in?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s all clear. Young man, if you want to come in, come in. I¡¯ll keep an eye out for you. No one will come in for the time being,¡± the cleaning lady said. After that, the cleaning lady walked out. ¡°Thank you.¡± Qi Shenbai did not have time to say anything else as he hurriedly walked in. Soon, he found Xu Jiaojiao in an open cubicle. Xu Jiaojiao had fallen into a deep slumber. Her face was as red as an apple as she lay on the top of the toilet. ¡°Jiaojiao?¡± Qi Shenbai softly called out to Xu Jiaojiao, but she did not respond. It seemed like she was already sound asleep. Qi Shenbai frowned slightly and pressed his palm against Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s cheek. ¡°You¡¯re burning up. Let¡¯s go out first.¡± Before Qi Shenbai could retract his hand, Xu Jiaojiao slowly opened her eyes. When she saw Qi Shenbai, Xu Jiaojiao looked at him blankly. Qi Shenbai looked at her helplessly. ¡°Why did you fall asleep?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not answer him. Her black eyes stared at him quietly, as if she was admiring a treasure. Then, Xu Jiaojiao revealed a sweet smile. ¡°Qi¡­ Shen¡­bai.¡± Xu Jiaojiao dragged out the last syllable of her speech, and Qi Shenbai¡¯s heart almost fell into her hands. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here forever. Let¡¯s go first.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted and looked at him pitifully. ¡°My legs are numb¡­¡± Qi Shenbai gave it some thought and then stood up. He stretched out his arms and carried Xu Jiaojiao in his arms. Xu Jiaojiao weighed no more than 90 pounds, and her height was just over 160 centimeters. She looked rather petite in Qi Shenbai¡¯s arms. She pursed her lips tightly and looked at Qi Shen¡¯s side profile. For a moment, she felt a warmth in her heart. Qi Shenbai did not notice Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s inner thoughts and carried her out of the washroom. At the door, the cleaning lady nodded slightly when she saw Qi Shenbai and the young woman come out. ¡°Little girl, don¡¯t sleep alone in such a place from now on. You gotta be careful. If your brother hadn¡¯t come to pick you up today, you could be in real danger!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was stunned. ¡°Thank you for your kind intentions, ma¡¯am, but he¡¯s not my brother. Besides, I¡¯m not that young anymore. I¡¯m already an adult at the age of 20.¡± The cleaning lady was a little surprised and immediately became vigilant. ¡°If he¡¯s not your brother, then he¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m her husband,¡± Qi Shenbai said at the right time. The cleaning lady shifted her gaze to Xu Jiaojiao, who nodded. ¡°Looks like I misunderstood. I¡¯m really sorry..¡± Chapter 83 - Chapter 83: Do You Have a Woman You Like? Chapter 83: Do You Have a Woman You Like? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°It¡¯s alright, ma¡¯am. We still have to thank you for helping us,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll get back to work.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± After the cleaning lady left, Qi Shenbai left with Xu Jiaojiao. Downstairs, in the black Bentley, Qi Shenbai brought Xu Jiaojiao to the back seat. ¡°It¡¯s so hot¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao reached out to open the car window. At this moment, a strong hand grabbed hers. Xu Jiaojiao looked at Qi Shenbai in confusion. ¡°You¡¯ll catch a cold from the wind. Let¡¯s keep the windows closed, okay?¡± Qi Shenbai explained patiently. Then, he instructed Cang Xing to turn down the air conditioner. Xu Jiaojiao pouted and looked at Qi Shenbai pitifully. Her eyes were misty as she said, ¡°Can we just wind the windows down halfway¡­¡± Qi Shenbai sighed slightly and agreed. ¡°Alright, just halfway.¡± The car window was quickly rolled down halfway, and the breeze outside blew into the car. Xu Jiao jiao felt much more awake, and she squinted her eyes in enjoyment. She could not help but exclaim, ¡°It¡¯s so cool out. This feels great!¡± Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s back affectionately. He tucked her hair behind her ear and spoke in a low and magnetic voice, ¡°You¡¯re such a little drunkard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Xu Jiaojiao wanted to retort, but just as she turned around, she met Qi Shenbai¡¯s bright eyes. It was as if they were filled with stars, mysterious and ethereal. Unknowingly, Xu Jiaojiao felt her heart begin to beat faster. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s gentle gaze fell on Xu Jiaojiao as he patiently waited for her to continue. ¡°I, uh¡­ No.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not notice that under Qi Shenbai¡¯s gaze, her cheeks had started to turn red at a speed visible to the naked eye. She looked extremely adorable with a troubled expression on her face. After a few seconds of silence, Xu Jiaojiao could not help but ask, ¡°Qi Shenbai, do you have a woman you like?¡± Qi Shenbai did not expect Xu Jiaojiao to be so direct. He was stunned. He had lived in the Qi family for many years, and later on, he had traveled extensively to earn his current reputation. It was very easy for him to detect a person¡¯s thoughts. He could even predict Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s reactions to anything he might say next. However, when he saw Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s innocent heart and expectant gaze, he felt himself growing flustered. This had never happened before¡­ ¡°Qi Shenbai, answer me¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao spoke again after Qi Shenbai did not answer for a long time. Qi Shenbai¡¯s throat bobbed. He seemed to sigh the word, ¡°No.¡± Hearing this answer, Xu Jiaojiao did not seem to be discouraged. Instead, she revealed a faint smile. ¡°Does that mean I can pursue you now?¡± Qi Shenbai fell into a short silence. He originally thought that Xu Jiaojiao would ask if she could be his girlfriend, but she only asked for permission to pursue him. It was as if she had never thought that he would like her as well. This was rather unexpected. She spoke very carefully, as if she had always been afraid of causing trouble and burdening others. Even her confession was¡­ ¡°Does this mean that you like me?¡± Qi Shenbai looked at her quietly. Perhaps it was because of the alcohol, but Xu Jiaojiao gained courage that she had never had before. She nodded her head lightly. Qi Shenbai did not speak for a long time, but a slight wave had already risen in his heart. However, his many years of calmness and rationality had taken the upper hand. His expression did not change at all, as if he would always be this calm. He was like a hunter who lured his prey into an inescapable trap step by step. Sorry to disappoint you, but I¡¯m a hard man to win over.¡± Qi Shenbai revealed a rare smile. ¡°I see¡­ In that case, I¡¯ll work hard. No matter how stubborn you are, I¡¯ll win your heart!¡± Xu Jiao jiao clenched her fists and cheered herself on. ¡°But how do 1 do that?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was a little vexed. Qi Shenbai thought for a moment and asked, ¡°How did you pursue Lu Zhuo back then?¡± At the mention of Lu Zhuo, a hint of anger appeared on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face. That scumbag, just hearing his name made her feel unlucky! She had almost married this guy back then! ¡°I never pursued him!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said. She was telling the truth. In the past, everyone around her had said that she was fated to marry Lu Zhuo. It was only a matter of time before they got married. Neither of them pursued the other. Hearing Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s answer, Qi Shenbai was taken aback. He raised his slender right hand and pinched Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s chin. Their gazes met. ¡°Is that true?¡± ¡°Of course. I swear, I never¡ª¡± Qi Shenbai put his other hand to her lips, indicating for her to keep quiet. ¡°I believe you. You don¡¯t have to swear on anything..¡± Chapter 89 - Chapter 89: Im Not a Three-Year-Old Kid Anymore Chapter 89: I¡¯m Not a Three-Year-Old Kid Anymore Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve quarreled with him. If I get angry every time, wouldn¡¯t I die of rage?¡± Su Luo smiled faintly and reached out to pat Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s little head. ¡°Right now, the most important thing for you is to chase after Qi Shenbai. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± At the mention of Qi Shenbai, Xu Jiaojiao looked distressed. She still had no idea how to woo Qi Shenbai¡­ ¡°I have a good idea.¡± Su Luo¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I remember that Christmas is coming¡­¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked troubled. ¡°It¡¯s too embarrassing.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about? So long as you do as I say, I guarantee that you¡¯ll be able to win that handsome man!¡± Su Luo¡¯s gaze was firm, and she seemed to really have full confidence. ¡°Really? No, let me think about it,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said after some thought. After a long time, Xu Jiaojiao still had no clue what to do. Coincidentally, the teacher sent the class a message. The notice said that the faculty would take the students out to an ancient town for sketching on the weekend. The duration was tentatively set at three days. Once the day came, the school would rent a minibus to take them there. The old town was not as warm as the city, and it was a little cold at night, so Xu Jiaojiao brought some warm clothes. Just as Xu Jiaojiao was leaving the house with her luggage¡ª ¡°Jiaojiao¡­¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice came from behind. Xu Jiaojiao turned around and saw him walking over slowly. Was he here to send her off? She did not know when Qi Shenbai had changed the way he addressed her to ¡®Jiaojiao¡¯. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Xu Jiao jiao was pleasantly surprised. ¡°I heard from Cang Xing that it¡¯s a little cold in the ancient town. Put this on.¡± After saying that, Qi Shenbai took out a white velvet hat from behind and put it on her head. Xu Jiaojiao was a little stunned. She wanted to look up and see Qi Shenbai¡¯s face clearly, but most of it was covered by the white woolen hat. Qi Shenbai¡¯s movements were very light as he tidied up the hat and then wrapped a scarf around her neck. After he was done, all he could see of Xu Jiaojiao was her pair of lively eyes, curved into crescents. ¡°Be careful out there. Call me if anything happens,¡± Qi Shenbai reminded her carefully. ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. Her rosy face was full of smiles as she looked at Qi Shenbai. ¡°There¡¯s air conditioning in the car. There are many people on board, so it might be a little hot. If it¡¯s hot, remember to put away your hat and scarf,¡± Qi Shenbai continued, seemingly worried. ¡°I know, I¡¯m not a three-year-old kid anymore.¡± Xu Jiaojiao playfully stuck out her tongue. ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll wait for you to come back.¡± ¡°Okay, bye-bye.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded and waved Qi Shenbai goodbye. ¡°Bye-bye.¡± Qi Shenbai nodded. Xu Jiaojiao opened the car door and got in. As if she had thought of something, her figure stopped on the stairs. She turned around to look at Qi Shenbai and then at Cang Xing. ¡°When I come back, I¡¯ll definitely pursue you properly!¡± There was a hint of hope and excitement in her voice. Qi Shenbai smiled slightly. Was she afraid that he would go back on his word? ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Jiaojiao fled into the car. The car window was covered with an anti-phosphorescence film, so he should not be able to look inside. However, Qi Shenbai seemed to see Xu Jiaojiao. He stared into the car and saw Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s shy expression. Cang Xing walked over. Qi Shenbai said, ¡°Take good care of her.¡± Before dark, the car finally stopped outside the ancient town. The town was not that famous, and it was not the peak season, so there were not many tourists. Their teacher, Mr. Sun led the students into a small hotel. The conditions were a little backward, but fortunately, there was no problem with the water and electricity supply. The room was not big, but since they would only be staying for a few days, no one objected. The room arrangements were decided by drawing lots, and Xu Jiaojiao happened to draw a room for one person. ¡°It¡¯s not safe to live alone. Do you want to change to a three-person room and live with your classmates?¡± The teacher was a little worried. ¡°It¡¯s fine, sir. I¡¯m used to living alone. Besides, 1 sleep lightly, so I sleep better alone,¡± Xu Jiaojiao explained. Seeing this, Mr. Sun did not say anything else. He knew that Xu Jiao jiao was a quiet girl, so she was not used to living with others. After that, he gave a few more instructions about safety before leaving. Xu Jiaojiao placed her luggage in the assigned room and went downstairs to get ready for dinner. They had spent almost the entire day in the car, so everyone was feeling a little worn out. After eating, they quickly returned to their rooms to rest. As soon as she returned to her room, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s phone started vibrating. She opened it and saw the words ¡°Great Philanthropist Qi¡± on the screen. Xu Jiaojiao smiled and picked up the phone. ¡°Are you there yet?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m already here. 1 just finished eating, and now I¡¯m back in my room,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied. She sat by the bed. The sky outside the window had already turned completely dark, and her heart felt a little empty. She could not help but want to see him.. Chapter 90 - Chapter 90: Seem Like Youll Have to Get Used to It Soon Chapter 90: Seem Like You¡¯ll Have to Get Used to It Soon Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Are you home?¡± ¡°I¡¯m still working. There have been a lot of things going on in the company recently,¡± Qi Shenbai said. ¡°Have you been very busy recently? No matter how busy you are, don¡¯t forget to eat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go eat in a bit.¡± Qi Shenbai paused and changed the topic. ¡°I heard from Gang Xing that the conditions there are not good. Is the hotel alright?¡± Xu Jiaojiao hesitated for a few seconds before saying, ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not staying in a hotel. Strictly speaking, it¡¯s a small inn. The conditions are average, but it¡¯s just for a few days. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± On the other end of the line, Qi Shenbai was deep in thought. ¡°So you¡¯re staying alone at night?¡± ¡°Yes, there happened to be an empty room. I got it by drawing lots. Fortunately, I got my own room. Otherwise, 1 wouldn¡¯t be used to having an extra person around at night.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was a little happy. On the other end of the phone, Qi Shenbai imagined Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s happy expression and smiled. ¡°It seems like you have to get used to it soon.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was stunned. Before she could regain her senses, Qi Shenbai continued, ¡°If you need another hotel, you can tell me. I¡¯ll get someone to take care of it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s just for three days,¡± Xu Jiaojiao refused. Qi Shenbai was currently busy with work, so she did not want to trouble him. After all, he was not in the town with her. ¡°But 1 don¡¯t want you to stay there,¡± Qi Shenbai said. He did not want Xu Jiaojiao to suffer outside. Xu Jiaojiao was in a daze for a moment, and her ears were a little hot. Why did she feel that their identities had reversed? Qi Shenbai seemed to wooing her. Was she imagining things? ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice spoke again, seemingly with a hint of a smile. Xu Jiaojiao came back to her senses. It turned out that she had been silent for too long. ¡°I missed you,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said out of nowhere, but she did not think it was a bad thing. ¡°Uh¡­ You don¡¯t have to change my hotel. I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Xu Jiaojiao quickly changed the topic. Qi Shenbai¡¯s chuckle came from the other end of the phone. It was very soft, but Xu Jiaojiao caught it. ¡®Is he laughing at me?* Xu Jiaojiao felt her ears turn even redder. ¡°Alright, then make a video call. I¡¯ll see how your living environment is,¡± Qi Shenbai said. Xu Jiaojiao nodded and hung up the phone. Then, she clicked on the app again and started a video call. Qi Shenbai picked up the call very quickly. He was sitting in the office with several stacks of documents in front of him. The phone seemed to be fixed on a shelf, and his face could be seen clearly. He had a slight smile on his face, but it was hard to hide his tiredness. He had definitely been busy with work lately. ¡°Didn¡¯t you turn on the lights?¡± Qi Shenbai frowned slightly. Xu Jiaojiao looked around. The incandescent lamp in the room was old and emitted a weak yellow light. True enough, she could not see her surroundings too clearly. ¡°It¡¯s on, but the lights aren¡¯t very bright. Wait for me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao went to turn on the few lights in the room. In an instant, the room lit up a lot. At least, it was much better than before. ¡°Can you see me clearly now?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked. ¡°That¡¯s good enough.¡± Qi Shenbai nodded. Xu Jiaojiao switched to the rear camera and took out her phone to take a few photos. The environment was not great, but it was not that bad either. Xu Jiaojiao turned the camera around and waved at the screen. ¡°Can you see everything clearly?¡± After taking a good look at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s little face, Qi Shenbai nodded. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°The room is a little small, but fortunately, I¡¯m staying on my own. It doesn¡¯t feel bad. At least there¡¯s no problem with the Internet,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said. Qi Shenbai looked at the bleak and shabby room behind Xu Jiaojiao. There was only a table and chair. The white walls were damp and a lot of the plaster had fallen off. His heart ached a little. Xu Jiaojiao saw that Qi Shenbai had not spoken for a long time and was a little puzzled. ¡°What are you thinking about? You should go eat first. It¡¯s already so late and you haven¡¯t eaten yet. Your body can¡¯t take it.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Qi Shenbai nodded. ¡°But don¡¯t hang up the video call yet.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried about you being alone over there. I¡¯ll only feel more at ease if I watch you all the time.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart warmed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go take a shower first. Remember to eat.¡± Qi Shenbai nodded, and Xu Jiaojiao got up and went to the bathroom. Soon, the sound of running water could be heard. The conditions in the bathroom were not good, so Xu Jiaojiao quickly ended the bath. She wrapped herself in a bathrobe and quickly walked out of the bathroom. She had forgotten to take her pajamas, so she could only make do with her bathrobe. Xu Jiaojiao felt a little hot and looked at the air conditioner. Although the air conditioner was running, it did not have much effect. Xu Jiaojiao did not pay any more attention to this and quickly took out her pajamas from her luggage. She quickly put them on and lay comfortably on the bed. Suddenly, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes widened. She seemed to have forgotten something¡­ ¡°The video is still on!¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s mind went blank. She looked at her phone and saw Qi Shenbai looking at the camera, making eye contact with her. ¡°Ah!¡± Xu Jiaojiao screamed and hung up the video call guiltily.. Chapter 91 - Chapter 91: What Are You So Happy About? Chapter 91: What Are You So Happy About? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Just then, her phone rang again. Qi Shenbai was giving her a voice call. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face flushed red. She was in no mood to pick up the phone right now, so she immediately rejected the call. On the other side, Qi Shenbai did not give up and continued to call. Every time he called, he was rejected. Whenever Xu Jiaojiao thought that Qi Shenbai could see her changing, she wanted to hide in the ground. Qi Shenbai called but received no response, so he sent a message. [Why did you end the call?] [I had to deal with something just now, and when I came back, the call had been ended. I tried calling you again, but you won¡¯t pick up. Did something happen?] Xu Jiaojiao convinced herself to read Qi Shenbai¡¯s messages. Wait, was he saying that he had not seen anything? [Did you leave the room?] [That¡¯s right. I wasn¡¯t looking just now. 1 just came back a few seconds ago to see you lying on the bed.¡± [Oh, I see. I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry, I just took a shower, and I¡¯m getting ready to sleep now.] After sending that message, Xu Jiao jiao lay on the bed in relief. Soon, Qi Shenbai sent her another message. [Goodnight.] [Good night.] On the other end, Qi Shenbai turned off his phone. When he thought of the erotic scene just now, his face felt a little hot. He had not gone out just now at all. While he was eating, he would glance at the screen from time to time. It was just a second, but he had caught a glimpse of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s back. Her slender waist and fair skin were like a gem in his eyes, beautiful and mysterious. She had not noticed him at all. The moment she changed into her pajamas and covered her graceful figure, Qi Shenbai felt an emptiness in his heart, and a hot flame began to burn in his body. He had not touched a woman in years. Tonight, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s figure lit a flame in him, making him feel things he had never felt before. However, when Xu Jiaojiao finally realized that she had not turned off the video, she was scared stiff and immediately ended the video call. Thankfully, she replied to his message in the end. Qi Shenbai did not want to scare her, so he had to lie and say he did not see anything. Qi Shenbai lowered his eyes with a meaningful smile. When he thought of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s vexed expression, he could not help but want to tease her. ¡°Clatter¡ª¡± The office door was pushed open forcefully and Xu Zhengyang walked in. When he saw Qi Shenbai¡¯s smiling face, he pursed his lips and said, ¡°You worked me to the bone, so what are you so happy about?¡± Qi Shenbai glanced at him and his expression became calm again. He said lightly, ¡°Why are you still here?¡± Xu Zhengyang sat down on the chair and rolled his eyes. ¡°You still have the cheek to ask? I¡¯m exhausted working in the project department.¡± As far as he knew, the project department was supposed to be a place for talk, not action. It was only after he joined that he realized it was much worse than he thought. For instance, for the sake of the new ecological project, he had been out socializing for an entire week non-stop. He drank enough to give himself alcohol poisoning! There was no way he could last like this. Qi Shenbai had a deep understanding of the project department, so he looked at Xu Zhengyang and said, ¡°Are you saying that you want to give up on this project?¡± ¡°Give up, my *ss. If I don¡¯t work harder, won¡¯t that dog Lu Zhuo win? I won¡¯t give up on this project no matter what.¡± Xu Zhengyang harrumphed. ¡°Alright, then keep working hard.¡± Qi Shenbai patted Xu Zhengyang¡¯s shoulder to encourage him, but he had no intention of helping him. It was Xu Zhengyang¡¯s fault for trying to get between him and Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao did not sleep well that night. She dreamed that she had a video call with Qi Shenbai only to realize that it was still on when she came out of the shower¡­ As a result, Xu Jiaojiao was a little tired the next morning. Still, their painting trip had just begun, so she definitely could not be late. She washed up first, then went downstairs. Just as she headed downstairs, she saw Mr. Sun looking at his phone. The teacher seemed to be arranging today¡¯s activities. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Sun,¡± Xu Jiaojiao greeted him. Mr. Sun gently nodded. ¡°Good morning.¡± Ever since he joined the school, Mr. Sun had taught many students. He had seen many geniuses, but it was rare to see a prodigy working as hard as Xu Jiaojiao did. That was why Mr. Sun had a soft spot for the girl. ¡°Not everyone is here yet, so you can go and have breakfast first. I passed by a breakfast shop this morning and bought some of their wares. It¡¯s not too bad. The shop is over there.¡± Mr. Sun pointed to the west of the town. ¡°Got it, and thanks! I¡¯ll go over first.¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± There were many breakfast stalls in the west of the town, but none of them sold Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s favorite foods. She bought whatever she could find and returned to the hotel after eating. ¡°Look at you! What time is it now? You¡¯re all so lazy. Can¡¯t you learn from Xu Jiaojiao?¡± Mr. Sun was scolding the other students when Xu Jiaojiao got back. He was a little angry because they were more than ten minutes late.. Chapter 92 - Chapter 92: Youre the Strange One Chapter 92: You¡¯re the Strange One Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation As soon as she entered the hotel, Xu Jiaojiao heard Mr. Sun mention her name. It was a little embarrassing. The other students could not say anything for themselves. After all, they were at fault. Mr. Sun had said his piece, so he changed the subject. ¡°Alright, you guys should go and eat breakfast first. Come back early, you hear?¡± Relieved, everyone left to get breakfast. Half an hour later, all the students gathered again and got ready to head out. Xu Jiaojiao checked her backpack, making sure her paints and canvases were all there before she left the hotel. Mr. Sun led the group to their destination, which was not far away. In less than an hour, they arrived at a bridge. On the bridge, they could see most of the town at a glance. It was the perfect scenery and angle. Everyone began to look for a place to draw. Xu Jiaojiao looked around, then sat down in a quiet place far away from the crowd. She unpacked her canvases and began to draw. It was a little cold in the morning. Fortunately, Qi Shenbai had prepared a scarf and a white woolen hat for her, so she did not feel too cold. Xu Jiaojiao began to paint seriously. It was as if she had entered the zone, completely integrating into her surroundings. Looking at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s serious expression, Mr. Sun felt deeply gratified. Then, he looked at the surrounding students, only to find them humming or chatting with each other. He could not help but pat their shoulders. ¡°Be serious. Look at Jiaojiao over there. Unlike you guys, she¡¯s in the zone.¡± ¡°But we can¡¯t compare to her, sir,¡± a student said. ¡°She¡¯s not normal to begin with¡­¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Mr. Sun was furious, and he even kick the student lightly. ¡°I think he¡¯s only saying that because he pursued Jiaojiao previously, but she ignored him. Now, he¡¯s slandering here!¡± a female classmate said. This girl had always disliked people who badmouthed others. Although Xu Jiaojiao was just a wallflower, no one should hate another for no reason. When faced with someone who badmouthed others maliciously, there would always be people who would stand up for justice. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± The male classmate was exasperated. Faced with everyone¡¯s doubtful gazes, he explained, ¡°My friend used to be Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s classmate. After interacting with her for a period of time, he said that Xu Jiaojiao had been abnormal since she was young. She didn¡¯t like to talk, and she seemed lifeless. When she was younger, her family even locked her up at home and forbade her from going out. No one had ever played with her.¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be right! Maybe her parents were just overprotective. Child kidnappings were rampant ten years ago. Also, it¡¯s not her fault that no one played with her. What if they were ostracizing Xu Jiaojiao?¡± The boy frowned slightly and thought for a moment. ¡°My friend also said that Xu Jiaojiao attempted suicide before, but she didn¡¯t die. Her grades weren¡¯t good, and her parents paid her way into university. Anyway, she¡¯s really strange¡­¡± Mr. Sun did not say a word as he looked at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s lonely back. No one knew what she was thinking. The girl rolled her eyes at her classmate. ¡°Why are you the one who decides whether it¡¯s strange or not? If you ask me, you¡¯re the strange one for spreading gossip like that!¡± ¡°You little¡­¡± The boy was halfway through his sentence when the girl stood up and moved her things far away. She could not be bothered to talk to him anymore. Although Xu Jiaojiao was quite a distance from them, she could still hear their voices faintly with the wind. She did not hear their every word, but she could still get the general gist of it. ¡®She¡¯s strange¡­ She attempted suicide¡­ She¡¯s lifeless.¡¯ Xu Jiaojiao paused, her long and thick eyelashes trembling. She lowered her eyes to hide the loneliness in her gaze. She had put on her hat and scarf before going out, so she put down what she was holding and covered her ears with the hat. Then, she covered her mouth with the scarf, revealing only her nose so she could breathe. Finally, she continued to draw as if nothing had happened. By noon, the temperature was much higher than in the morning. Xu Jiaojiao could no longer wear her hat and scarf, so she took off her coat. Mr. Sun walked to her side and bent down to look at her drawing board. ¡°Your drawing is not bad. You¡¯re the smartest and most hardworking child I¡¯ve ever taught. I believe that you¡¯ll definitely be successful in the future.¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled embarrassedly. ¡°Thank you, sir. I¡¯ll work hard.¡± Mr. Sun straightened up and his gaze landed on the sparkling lake. He said gently, ¡°Actually, in the eyes of the world, geniuses and lunatics are often separated by a thin line. 1 know many artists. When they create the works that they are most satisfied with in their lives, they seem to become a different person. Or rather, they seem to be immersed in their own world and can¡¯t extricate themselves.¡± Xu Jiaojiao tilted her head and looked at her teacher. She did not know why she was telling her this. Did Mr.. Sun think she was strange and eccentric too? Was he trying to comfort her? Chapter 93 - Chapter 93: But It Fell Apart Chapter 93: But It Fell Apart Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Mr. Sun gave her a smile. ¡°But you¡¯re different. Your paintings make people feel warm inside.¡± He then continued, ¡°And recently, I see more sunlight in your paintings.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was slightly taken aback. She subconsciously looked at her own painting and was a little puzzled. She never realized it herself. ¡°You¡¯re getting better, at least a lot better than when you first arrived. Do you have a belief or a faith, something that you want to chase? You have to maintain this feeling.¡± Xu Jiaojiao calmed down and thought for a moment before saying, ¡°1 don¡¯t know either. I did have a faith a long time ago, but it fell apart.¡± She could not think of a reason why her paintings had become sunnier. ¡°You don¡¯t understand yourself.¡± Mr. Sun smiled. ¡°In my opinion, you are now full of faith and inspiration. That¡¯s why your paintings are getting warmer, firmer, and more radiant.¡± Xu Jiaojiao frowned slightly, her dark eyes filled with confusion. Was that really the case? Mr. Sun was amused by her look of confusion. ¡°A bystander can see things more clearly. Perhaps you haven¡¯t noticed the changes in yourself. Don¡¯t worry about it. Just maintain this state and continue drawing.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not quite understand what the teacher meant, but she still nodded obediently. The sun was setting. The other students and Mr. Sun had already returned to their rooms. Meanwhile, Xu Jiaojiao was engrossed in her drawing, and she only answered absent-mindedly when the people around her spoke to her. She did not really hear what they were saying. Suddenly, she felt that her vision was blocked. When she looked up again, she saw that the person beside her was gone. She was alone on the bridge. ¡°Ah-choo¡ª¡± The cold night wind blew. Her hand around the paintbrush was frozen, and she could not help but sneeze. She quickly put on her coat and then went to the river to wash her brushes and drawing board. Finally, she packed her things and rushed to the inn. Along the way, she sneezed non-stop. When she returned to the hotel, she realized that everyone had finished their dinner. The boys were sitting in the hotel lobby playing games, while the girls were gathered in groups of twos and threes to gossip, talk about celebrities, or discuss the best makeup. Xu Jiaojiao returned to her room and boiled hot water for herself. She poured it into a cup and took small sips. She had just warmed up when she heard a knock on the door. Xu Jiaojiao walked to the door and opened it. She found Mr. Sun standing at the door, holding a bowl of steaming soup noodles in one hand and a kettle filled with hot water in the other. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to eat at this hour, so I got the owner of the inn to cook a bowl of noodles for you. Eat up.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded and thanked him. ¡°Sorry to trouble you, sir.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it.¡± Mr. Sun smiled gently. ¡°I¡¯m your teacher. It¡¯s my duty to take care of you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled, not knowing what to say. ¡°Alright, eat it while it¡¯s hot. I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Before Mr. Sun left, he did not forget to turn around and remind Xu Jiaojiao, ¡°Remember to lock the door when you sleep at night.¡± Xu Jiaojiao took small bites of the noodles. Although it did not taste as good as her own cooking, she was already more than happy to be able to eat some hot noodles at this late hour. After finishing her noodles, she went to take a shower, changed into her pajamas, and crawled into her sleeping bag. Her head was dizzy, and she fell asleep not long after. She did not even know that there was a message on her phone. When she opened her eyes the next day, Xu Jiaojiao felt a splitting headache and an inexplicable itch in her throat. She felt uncomfortable everywhere. She put on her coat first, then picked up her phone under her pillow. It was already half-past eight. She did not have time to see who had sent her a WeChat message and quickly got out of bed to wash up. She was in such a hurry that her toes hit the corner of the table. It hurt so much that she could not even stand properly. Fortunately, she made it downstairs before everyone set off. When the male students who were criticized yesterday saw her arriving late, they snorted in unison. Seeing that she did not look good, Mr. Sun did not blame her for being late. Instead, he asked worriedly, ¡°Do you have a fever? Why is your face so red?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s throat was dry and itchy, so she could not speak. She could only wave her hand, indicating that she was fine. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Mr. Sun handed the bun in his hand to her. ¡°This is for you. You have to eat in the morning.¡± Xu Jiaojiao hesitated for a moment before she took it and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± One of the boys said in a strange tone, ¡°Xu Jiaojiao is so lucky. If she¡¯s late, she gets a free breakfast. Unlike us, we still get scolded when we wake up late..¡± Chapter 94 - Chapter 94: Thank You, Sir Chapter 94: Thank You, Sir Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The girl who had stood up for Jiaojiao yesterday rebutted, ¡°Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s drawings are a hundred times better than yours could ever be. You¡¯re a grown man, yet you pick fights with a little girl every day. Don¡¯t you have anything better to do?¡± The two of them bickered as they walked. Xu Jiaojiao followed at the back of the line, neither explaining nor speaking up for herself. Mr. Sun turned around to look at her a few times. He had a lot of things to say, but in the end, he gave up. Xu Jiaojiao was unwell the entire day. There was not a single part of her body that was not in pain. Even her eyes were starting to hurt. She held on until the sun set. Finally, Mr. Sun could not bear to watch anymore and tried to persuade her. ¡°If you aren¡¯t feeling well, go back. Nothing is more important than your health.¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao covered her mouth with her hand and coughed a few times. She shook her head stubbornly. ¡°I¡¯m fine, sir.¡± Mr. Sun frowned and took the paintbrush from her hand. ¡°Stop drawing. Your complexion is even worse than it was this morning.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not say anything. She no longer had the strength to retort. ¡°You must have a fever. I¡¯ll bring you back to town for an IV.¡± Mr. Sun immediately helped her pack her painting tools. Xu Jiaojiao had no choice but to say, ¡°Please just help me buy some cold medicine. I¡¯ll be fine tomorrow after taking the medicine.¡± She did not like needles, and she hate the smell of disinfectant in the clinic. ¡°Alright, then.¡± Mr. Sun instructed the rest of the students to focus on their drawings before leading Xu Jiaojiao back. He first sent Xu Jiaojiao back to her room and urged her to lie down under the covers. Then, he borrowed a thermometer from the inn owner. He was shocked to see that Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s temperature had already reached 38.5 degrees Celsius. Mr. Sun hurriedly went to the town¡¯s pharmacy to buy fever medicine and boiled hot water for Xu Jiaojiao to take the medicine. Xu Jiaojiao was persuaded to drink a full cup of hot water, but she still felt groggy. She whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine after a nap, sir. You don¡¯t have to stay here with me.¡± True, it was not appropriate for a teacher to stay in a student¡¯s room for too long. Mr. Sun stood up. ¡°Then you should rest. If you need anything, feel free to contact me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao had a splitting headache, but she still thanked him politely. Mr. Sun walked to the door and grabbed the doorknob to pull it open, but he could not open it no matter how hard she tried. Xu Jiaojiao curled up in her sleeping bag, her eyes filled with confusion. ¡°There seems to be a problem with the door. I called the innkeeper to open the door.¡± Mr. Sun took out his phone, but the calls would not go through. He wondered out loud, ¡°Why is there no signal? It was full just now.¡± When Xu Jiaojiao heard this, she took out her phone and took a look. Her phone was also out of service, and there was no public landline in the room. In other words, she and Mr. Sun were trapped here in the room. She could not help but frown slightly. Mr. Sun turned around and comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious. When they find out that we¡¯re gone later, they¡¯ll probably come looking for us.¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied calmly, ¡°Alright.¡± However, she knew that if her classmates found Mr. Sun was locked in her room, their reputation would be dragged through the mud forever. Mr. Sun did not wait idly, either. He tried to knock on the door while shouting for help, but no one answered for more than ten minutes. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but cough twice. She said in a low and hoarse voice, ¡°Let¡¯s just rest for a bit, sir.¡± Mr. Sun sighed helplessly and walked over to the chair to sit down. Perhaps he was worried that Xu Jiaojiao would be afraid of him, or that anyone who discovered them later would misunderstand. Either way, Mr. Sun quietly wrapped his jacket around his body tightly. Xu Jiaojiao forced herself to sit up. As she looked at the diligent and responsible Mr. Sun, her heart felt warm. ¡°Teacher, I heard that you¡¯re getting married soon. What does your fiancee do?¡± Mr. Sun was holding the glass of water, and he paused for a moment before nodding. ¡°She¡¯s a dance teacher.¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled. ¡°I have a friend who¡¯s also a dance student.¡± She supposed she would call that person a ¡®friend¡¯ for the time being. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Mr. Sun smiled casually. ¡°Luo City is not that big. Perhaps my fiancee even taught your friend.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. She pressed her hand against her lips and coughed a few times. Mr.Sun frowned slightly. He wanted to get up and go to the bed, but after hesitating for a moment, he dismissed the thought. ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling well, don¡¯t talk. Close your eyes and rest.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded and crawled back under the covers. Her gaze fell on her teacher. ¡°Thank you, sir. ¡°Thank you for everything you said to me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao could not keep her eyes open. Perhaps the cold medicine had taken effect, and she could not fight the drowsiness. In less than five minutes, she was already sound asleep.. Chapter 95 - Chapter 95: What Are You Pretending For? Chapter 95: What Are You Pretending For? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The next morning¡­ Knock, knock, knock! Xu Jiaojiao was woken up by the violent knocking on the door. She had just opened her eyes, but before she could get out of bed, the door was kicked open. A group of people instantly squeezed into the small room, filling up the originally narrow corridor. Everyone looked at Xu Jiaojiao on the bed with indescribable disdain. The sharp sound of high heels came from the door again. A woman in a white coat walked in quickly. Her appearance was exquisite, and her every move exuded nobility. There was another person following behind her. Xu Jiaojiao was a little surprised when she saw who it was. It was Lu Huan. This could not be good¡­ Xu Jiaojiao sat up and covered herself with the blanket. She looked at the two approaching people and asked, ¡°Why are you here¡­?¡± ¡°You have the nerve to ask me why I¡¯m here!¡± The woman stood in front of Xu Jiaojiao expressionlessly, but there was a deep darkness in her eyes. Her heart must have been filled with anger. ¡°Let me ask you, where is Sun Ping?¡± Sun Ping? So they were looking for Mr. Sun. Xu Jiaojiao shook her head and said truthfully, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Mr. Sun¡¯s room is downstairs. If you want to find him, you should go there.¡± The woman¡¯s expression darkened, and her hand trembled as she rubbed the diamond ring on her finger. Even so, she still maintained her noble-like elegance and endured her rage without venting. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, what are you pretending for?¡± Lu Huan stood up and said coldly, ¡°My classmate told me personally that Mr. Sun didn¡¯t come out after sending you back to your room last night. If he¡¯s not here, where is he?¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked. ¡°Because Ms. Qin is my teacher.¡± Lu Huan raised her head proudly with a hint of provocation. She continued, ¡°By the way, you don¡¯t know yet, right? Ms. Qin is also Mr. Sun¡¯s fiancee.¡± So she was Mr. Sun¡¯s fiancee¡­ ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said politely as she looked at Qin Yu. Qin Yu said coldly, ¡°Don¡¯t call me that. Call Sun Ping out now and ask him to explain it to me in person.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at Qin Yu with a puzzled expression. ¡°Mr. Sun went back yesterday. As for where he went, 1 don¡¯t know either. Why didn¡¯t you give him a call to ask?¡± ¡°If I could get through the phone, would 1 need to come over and ask you? Don¡¯t you have a brain? Use it!¡± Lu Huan said mercilessly. Then, she looked around. ¡°Hehe, you said that he left, right? Looks like it¡¯s very easy for you to hide someone here¡­¡± When Xu Jiaojiao heard this, a trace of anger appeared on her face. ¡°Lu Huan, before we have concrete evidence, everything is just your conjecture. Don¡¯t casually force such things on others!¡± ¡°Conjecture? Is it my conjecture or the truth? Do you dare to let us search?¡± Lu Huan sneered. A hint of hesitation appeared in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes, and Qin Yu immediately noticed it. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to feel guilty so quickly. Search the room!¡± Qin Yu said coldly. ¡°Ma¡¯am, 1 understand that you don¡¯t believe me, but you¡¯ve been with Teacher Sun for so long. Don¡¯t you believe him?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was a little helpless. Qin Yu looked down at Xu Jiaojiao with a hint of disdain. ¡°Of course 1 believe him. If I didn¡¯t, I would¡¯ve brought the police with me today. ¡°No, I¡¯m more concerned about you. I¡¯ve seen too many women like you who want to use men to climb up the ranks. For fame and fortune, you have no shame.¡± With just a few sentences, she had completely assassinated Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s character. In the end, it was just her own conjecture. Seeing this, Xu Jiao jiao knew that it was useless to explain, so she did not say anything else. She just turned her head away. ¡°Mr. Sun¡­ isn¡¯t here.¡± Lu Huan said. Qin Yu frowned slightly and turned around. They had searched the closets, the bathroom, and anywhere else someone could hide. There was no one in sight. Lu Huan returned to Qin Yu¡¯s side in confusion. Logically speaking, this should not be the case¡­ What was going on? ¡°Looks like you guys couldn¡¯t find him,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said indifferently. Qin Yu looked at Lu Huan with a questioning gaze. Lu Huan licked her dry lips and thought to herself silently, ¡®Xu Jiaojiao will definitely bite back at me if I can¡¯t find Mr. Sun. If news of this gets out, I won¡¯t get away scot-free either. What should 1 do? Just as she was at a loss, Lu Huan looked around. ¡°Since a student saw Mr. Sun return to the inn with you, something must have happened. Everyone in the class knows that Mr. Sun takes special care of you. No one will believe you if you say there¡¯s nothing else between you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± The boy who had been scolded by Mr. Sun yesterday said, ¡°The teacher even bought her breakfast. We never get such special treatment.¡± Even the girl who had defended Xu Jiaojiao yesterday did not say anything.. Chapter 96 - Chapter 96: Stop Acting High and Mighty Chapter 96: Stop Acting High and Mighty Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation She also knew about this, too. After Mr. Sun sent Xu Jiaojiao back last night, he never reappeared in their line of sight again. Sensing that something was amiss, they even went to Mr. Sun¡¯s room in the morning to take a look. Mr. Sun was not in his room, and his bed did not look slept in. In other words, Mr. Sun did not return to his room at all last night. Now that their teacher¡¯s fiancee was here in person, things could only go from bad to worse. Naturally, the other students did not dare to say anything. ¡°Mr. Sun is a very good guy. As a teacher, isn¡¯t it normal for him to care about his students?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked. ¡°Of course he was in right. You¡¯re the one in the wrong,¡± Lu Huan said. ¡°You¡¯re his student, and Mr. Sun has been very good to you. You shouldn¡¯t have seduced him and ruined his reputation. You¡¯re immoral!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was not afraid at all. She said calmly and clearly, ¡°You keep saying that I was the one who seduced Mr. Sun. Let me ask you, what evidence do you have? We can¡¯t just take you on your words alone. That isn¡¯t much evidence. Instead, it¡¯s slander. There¡¯s a price to pay for slandering others. I can sue you for it.¡± ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, stop acting high and mighty. If it weren¡¯t for you, my brother and Sister Mengyao would already be together. It was you who interfered and pressured him, causing them to break up. ¡°You never expected my brother to dump you, too, so you turned around and seduced Mr. Sun instead. You¡¯re really shameless!¡± Lu Huan said self-righteously. As soon as she finished speaking, everyone looked at Xu Jiaojiao with obvious surprise in their eyes. They did not know that Xu Jiaojiao and Lu Huan had such a relationship. From the looks of it, Xu Jiaojiao was a repeat offender¡­ ¡°Cough cough¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao was obviously a little anxious as she faced everyone¡¯s cold glares. Just as she was about to explain herself, she coughed violently. Her eyes were covered in a layer of mist, but she was not upset. She quickly calmed down. ¡°You said that I was the one who interfered in your brother¡¯s relationship. Then let me ask you, who abandoned me on the day of the wedding and went to look for his ex-girlfriend instead? I was just one of the victims. Your precious brother was the one who went back to his ex and left me at the altar! ¡°Also, you keep saying that I seduced the men. Where¡¯s the evidence?¡± Xu Jiaojiao observed everyone¡¯s reactions. It was embarrassing to say that she had been abandoned at the altar, but she had not done anything wrong, so she did not mind saying it out loud. As for those who mocked and ridiculed Xu Jiaojiao, she would just let them. Since they already had a preconceived notion about her, they would not believe her even if she showed them the evidence. If they did not like her, everything she did would be wrong in their eyes. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao¡­¡± Lu Huan was speechless for a moment, her heart filled with anxiety. She had never thought that Xu Jiao jiao would actually say this out loud and embarrass Lu Zhuo instead. Xu Jiaojiao was dragging his reputation down with her. Compared to Lu Huan¡¯s anxiousness, Xu Jiaojiao was incomparably calm. There was still a chance for her to turn things around. At the moment, there was no evidence to prove that there was anything between her and Sun Ping. Lu Huan, on the other hand, was extremely frustrated. She had come fully prepared. Why were things different from what she had expected? Suddenly, she glanced at the blanket on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s body. There was something a little strange about it. Xu Jiaojiao was clearly alone, but there was a bump under the blanket. There must be something wrong! Lu Huan revealed a cold smile, certain that she had found proof of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s guilt. This time, she would definitely shame Xu Jiaojiao to death! ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, how long are you going to keep pretending?¡± Lu Huan walked towards Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s pretty brows furrowed as she clutched the blanket in her hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to expose your lies and show your true nature to everyone. Don¡¯t you usually like to pretend to be noble and innocent? You definitely seduced Mr. Sun. Today, I¡¯ll show everyone your true colors!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Lu Huan reached out to pull Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s blanket off. ¡°Hey, stop!¡± Xu Jiaojiao gripped the blanket tightly, afraid that it would be pulled off. The more Xu Jiaojiao resisted, the more Lu Huan believed that there must be something shameful hidden underneath. Now that everyone was her, once they saw what was inside, all their suspicions would be completely confirmed! After that, no one would trust Xu Jiaojiao anymore. No one would look up to a woman who lured men into her bed. Furthermore, Qi Shenbai would definitely dump Xu Jiaojiao after this. After all, no one liked promiscuous women. The more Lu Huan thought about it, the more excited and happy she became. Just as she was about to pull Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s blanket away, a voice suddenly spoke behind them. ¡°What are you doing?¡± It was a familiar voice. Everyone looked at the door at the same time and saw Sun Ping standing at the door with a box of medicine in his hand. He looked confused. A group of people were surrounding this small room. Clearly, something big had happened. Also¡­. Why was Qin Yu here too? Chapter 97 - Chapter 97: Why Are You Slandering Us? Chapter 97: Why Are You Slandering Us? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Yu, sweetie? Why are you here?¡± Qin Yu clearly did not understand what was going on. She stood stunned on the spot. Shouldn¡¯t Sun Ping be the one Xu Jiaojiao was hiding right now? Yet, here he was, standing at the door. His clothes were neat and tidy, unlike what everyone had imagined. Lu Huan quickly retracted her hand, her heart trembling. Something was wrong! Logically speaking, shouldn¡¯t he be on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s bed? Then, what was Xu Jiao jiao hiding? Everyone was shocked. It was such a sudden twist. Seeing this, Xu Jiao jiao did not continue to tuck herself in. She lifted the blanket and revealed a sleeping bag. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s lower body was tucked into the sleeping bag, and beside her was the hotel¡¯s spare blanket. Lu Huan and Qin Yu were completely dumbfounded. Why was it a blanket? Why was she hiding it!? Everyone in the room was dumbfounded. Only Xu Jiaojiao remained calm as she leaned against the bedframe, as if everything was within her expectations. ¡°What exactly happened here?¡± Sun Ping walked in. ¡°Mr. Sun¡­¡± One of the students cautiously said, ¡°Your fiancee brought this girl here to look for you. This girl swore¡­ that you and Xu Jiaojiao had that kind of relationship.¡± ¡°What utter nonsense!¡± It was rare for Sun Ping to be this angry. His face darkened as he stared at Lu Huan. ¡°Who are you? 1 don¡¯t know you. Why are you slandering me and my student?¡± Lu Huan was frightened by Sun Ping¡¯s rage. She grabbed the hem of her blouse with both hands frantically, looking at Qin Yu for help. Seeing this, Qin Yu said softly, her eyes filled with worry, ¡°Sun Ping, you went missing last night. I couldn¡¯t get through to you on the phone at all. Do you know how worried I was about you?¡± ¡°My student has a fever, so I went out to buy medicine last night, but the pharmacy at the clinic was closed. I took a taxi to buy medicine elsewhere, but my car broke down on the way and my phone ran out of battery.¡± After Sun Ping finished speaking, his tightly furrowed brows did not relax at all. He asked, ¡°Yu, don¡¯t tell me you also believed their nonsense?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Qin Yu wanted to explain, but everyone had seen what she and Lu Huan did. She could not explain even if she wanted to. ¡°This is ridiculous.¡± Sun Ping was so angry that he laughed. He looked at Qin Yu seriously and said, ¡°I¡¯m a teacher. I only care for Xu Jiaojiao as a teacher. My student is reserved and introverted, so 1 gave her a few more pointers than usual. To think bad-faith actors would interpret that as romantic advances! ¡°Qin Yu, you¡¯re a famous teacher yourself. How could you judge me and my student so maliciously? You really disappoint me.¡± Qin Yu¡¯s eyes were already filled with tears. After hearing Sun Ping¡¯s words, she wept uncontrollably. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I was confused for a moment and came over without thinking carefully¡­¡± Before Qin Yu could finish, Sun Ping said lightly, ¡°I think you were misled. Someone used you to accuse Ms. Xu.¡± Although he did not mention Lu Huan, everyone could tell that he meant her. Lu Huan¡¯s face was pale. She turned to Qin Yu for help again. ¡°Ms. Qin¡­¡± Qin Yu looked at Sun Ping. He had always been gentle, but now he had a very dark expression on his face. He clearly was not going to let this matter slide. Right now, she could not even protect herself, let alone help Lu Huan. However¡­ This gave her an idea. ¡°Huanhuan, don¡¯t you feel sorry at all? I put all my heart and soul into teaching you, but you lied to me! You sowed discord between Mr. Sun and me.¡± Qin Yu¡¯s words made Lu Huan¡¯s body tremble. She never expected Qin Yu to turn the tables and pin all the blame on her. Instantly, she felt deeply hurt, and her eyes unknowingly turned red. Just then, Sun Ping walked up to her solemnly. ¡°Young lady, I don¡¯t know why you wanted to sow discord between Ms. Qin and me, but your actions have caused me and even my student, Xu Jiaojiao, great trouble. 1 will definitely press charges. Every student here will testify for me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, sir. We will testify for you!¡± The girl who spoke earlier echoed. Faced with everyone¡¯s gaze, Lu Huan lowered her head. Her vision was already blurred by tears. Qin Yu could not help but soften her stance. In the end, Lu Huan was still her student. She reprimanded, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to apologize to Mr. Sun and Ms. Xu?¡± Lu Huan stood where she was without saying a word. To her, admitting defeat to Xu Jiaojiao was the greatest humiliation of her life. ¡°Do you think you can avoid the consequences by staying silent?¡± Sun Ping saw through Lu Huan¡¯s thoughts, but he did not give her any leeway. ¡°If you refuse to apologize, I will be forced to use the law to protect my rights and interests..¡± Chapter 98 - Chapter 98: Why Dont You Wear a Wedding Ring? Chapter 98: Why Don¡¯t You Wear a Wedding Ring? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Eventually, Lu Huan¡¯s tightly clenched hands loosened. She bowed to Sun Ping and apologized. At the same time, tears fell uncontrollably from her eyes. Sun Ping¡¯s gloomy expression did not brighten up at all. He did not say anything. Lu Huan turned around and looked at Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face was pale, and she had not said a word. Even when she looked at Lu Huan, there was no expression in her eyes. She must be secretly overjoyed. Lu Huan clenched her fists again and a trace of hatred flashed across her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Sun Ping was not happy with her nonchalant and insincere attitude. Just as he was about to say something, a low voice suddenly spoke from the door. ¡°I don¡¯t sense any sincerity. You should tell that to the judge.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was stunned as she looked at the door. A man in a black coat walked in quickly. His facial features were handsome, and there was a hint of anger on his face. When he saw Xu Jiaojiao, the anger disappeared and a smile appeared on his thin lips. Seeing Qi Shenbai walk over, Xu Jiaojiao finally felt at ease. Since last night, she had not dared to sleep too soundly. She was afraid that someone would take advantage of her momentary negligence and use her carelessness against her. It was only when she saw Qi Shenbai that she could finally relax her tense nerves. At this moment, Qi Shenbai was striding towards her. He walked straight into the morning sunlight, as if he had crossed thousands of barriers to dispel all her worries in the mortal world. All the worries and anxieties Xu Jiaojiao had suppressed earlier suddenly threatened to overwhelm her. She wanted to confide in him and seek his comfort. Qi Shenbai saw the tears in her eyes and thought that she was not feeling well. He quickened his pace and walked up to her. ¡°Are you feeling sick?¡± Qi Shenbai placed his hand on her forehead. The warmth of his palm reassured Xu Jiaojiao as she spoke in a hoarse voice. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± After confirming that she did not have a fever, Qi Shenbai heaved a sigh of relief. He looked at Xu Jiaojiao helplessly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you would call me if something happened? You didn¡¯t even tell me that you were sick.¡± His deep and magnetic voice was very pleasant to the ears. The girls present were itching to hear him say more. At the same time, they were vexed. Why didn¡¯t they have such a handsome and considerate boyfriend? Lu Huan stared at Qi Shenbai¡¯s back, feeling extremely bitter and angry. How could he treat Xu Jiaojiao so gently? What right did Xu Jiaojiao have to deserve such treatment from him? She was just an ignorant country bumpkin pretending to be innocent! ¡°I¡¯m fine, it¡¯s just a small cold¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao said, clearly feeling a little guilty. Qi Shenbai did not say anything. If he continued to lecture her in front of everyone, he would probably annoy her. Sun Ping could not help but ask, ¡°Who are you, again¡­?¡± He had heard from Xu Jiaojiao that she had an older brother, but whether it was in terms of looks or the way they interacted, they did not look like siblings. Unexpectedly, Qi Shenbai did not answer his question. Instead, he took out a diamond ring from his pocket. Under everyone¡¯s shocked gazes, Qi Shenbai took the diamond ring and put it on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s ring finger. ¡°You forgot to wear your wedding ring when you went out. Don¡¯t forget next time, okay?¡± Everyone was stunned. The girls could hear the sound of something shattering. It was their hearts¡­ They thought that they might stand a chance, but it turned out that the hottie was already married. Now, all they could do was envy Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°So they¡¯re already married¡­¡± Sun Ping thought out loud. He could not help but feel shocked. After all, Xu Jiaojiao was still quite young. Qin Yu looked at Xu Jiaojiao in shock. She was already married, and from a single glance, Qin Yu could already tell that her husband was strikingly handsome. Judging from his clothes, he must be from a wealthy family, too, and he was definitely no ordinary man. Xu Jiaojiao did not like to keep a high profile, so she did not usually wear her wedding ring. She would only wear it when she went to the Lu Family or to visit her grandmother. It was just a simple deterrent effect that could save her a lot of trouble. She never once considered wearing it for this art trip, so she could only nod sheepishly when Qi Shenbai confronted her about it. ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t do it again.¡± After that, Qi Shenbai stood up and turned to look at Qin Yu and Sun Ping. Finally, his gaze landed on Qin Yu. ¡°I heard that you were the one who started this entire ruckus. You even accused my wife of seducing your fiance, right?¡± His sharp eyes seemed to see through their thoughts with a hint of disdain. His contempt was directed at Qin Yu as well as Sun Ping. Qin Yu¡¯s tiny ray of hope was dashed when Qi Shenbai called Xu Jiaojiao his wife. She hurriedly explained, ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding. 1 was also deceived¡­¡± ¡°A misunderstanding? I don¡¯t care why you were targeting my wife. I want you to apologize to her, right now!¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s tone was unquestionable.. Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Take You Home Chapter 99: Take You Home Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qin Yu¡¯s face turned pale. As a teacher, how could she apologize to a student in front of so many people? ¡°Ping¡­¡± Qin Yu tugged at Sun Ping¡¯s sleeve. However, Sun Ping did not react. He turned his gaze elsewhere. A mistake was a mistake. He would not protect her this time. Qin Yu¡¯s face was pale. Suddenly, she understood how Lu Huan felt just now¡­ Qi Shenbai looked at Qin Yu, who simply refused to apologize, and finally said with a hint of coldness, ¡°1 heard that you¡¯re also a teacher, Ms. Qin. If you can¡¯t even tell right from wrong or apologize for your mistakes, I think you don¡¯t deserve to be a teacher anymore.¡± The students here might not know what Qi Shenbai was implying, but Qin Yu and Sun Ping knew very well. Qin Yu seemed to lose her strength, taking two steps back. It was Sun Ping who kept her from following. She started her dance studio from scratch. Only she understood the hardships and sadness involved. If she lost her studio now, it would be an utter disaster for her. All her hard work over the past few years would go down the drain¡­ No matter how much pride she had, it meant nothing compared to the weight of her dance studio. Qin Yu was in a dilemma, but Xu Jiaojiao had no intention of defending her. She did not know if Qin Yu had really been deceived by Lu Huan, but Qin Yu had accused her of seducing Sun Ping and insulted her from the moment she entered the door. Xu Jiaojiao knew that Qin Yu was in the wrong, so there was no need to feel sorry for her. Finally, Qin Yu came to a decision. No matter how unwilling she was, she still said to Xu Jiaojiao, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Xu.¡± Xu Jiaojiao frowned slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some leeway because you¡¯re Mr. Sun¡¯s fiancee. Now that we¡¯ve proven our innocence, I hope that you won¡¯t be so easily manipulated in the future. Your actions today not only disparaged me, but they hurt Mr. Sun and yourself as well.¡± Qin Yu bit her lip. ¡°I¡­ 1 understand! 1 won¡¯t do it again!¡± Qin Yu apologized, but Lu Huan still stood rooted to the ground in a daze, looking at Qi Shenbai with tears in her eyes. She had fallen for him from the moment she saw him, but Xu Jiaojiao was the only girl in his eyes. Qi Shenbai could not even be bothered to give her a second look. It did not matter if she apologized or not. To him, there were thousands of ways to punish her, but his priority was to bring his sick young wife home. He picked her up by the waist, sleeping bag included. ¡°I¡¯ll take you home.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded slowly, but she suddenly thought of something. ¡°I haven¡¯t packed my things yet.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, someone else will take care of it.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s deep eyes looked at her affectionately. Not seeing her for a day felt like an eternity to him. Xu Jiaojiao was still worried. ¡°Tell them to be careful. 1 spent a lot of money on those paints.¡± Qi Shenbai grinned. ¡°How much is ¡®a lot of money¡¯? If they break anything, 1¡¯11 buy you ten sets.¡± ¡°But it was a present from Luoluo for my birthday last year.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Fine, Qi Shenbai thought. That was important in a way that had nothing to do with money. Under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes, Qi Shenbai carried Xu Jiaojiao out of the old room and into a luxury car by the roadside. Throughout the entire process, he did not look at Lu Huan again, as if she was just a speck of death. The first person who reacted said, ¡°How strange. 1 feel like I¡¯ve seen that man somewhere before.¡± ¡°Yes, 1 feel the same way! But 1 just can¡¯t remember who it is!¡± ¡°Wait! The last time Xu Jiaojiao confessed to Qi Shenbai at the wedding¡­ could he be¡­¡± The girl did not finish her sentence, but everyone already had an answer. Sun Ping¡¯s expression was serious as he said in a low voice, ¡°Hurry up and go back to your rooms to pack your things. Gather at the door in ten minutes!¡± Although Xu Jiaojiao had left, the remaining people still had to continue sketching. The students filed out, and the noisy room suddenly became quiet and empty. Outside the door, two men in black suits walked in to help Xu Jiaojiao pack her painting tools. Before Sun Ping left, he glanced at Qin Yu indifferently, the emotions in his eyes unreadable. Qin Yu was nervous and followed him hurriedly. Sun Ping returned to his room in a few quick steps, and Qin Yu followed him into his room. He sat on the chair without saying a word. She hesitated and explained, ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. I know I was wrong. I was deceived, too.¡± When Sun Ping heard this, he raised his head and sized her up. His gaze was calm, as if he was looking at a stranger. Qin Yu had a bad feeling. ¡°Sweetie, I know 1 messed up¡­¡± Sun Ping raised his hand to stop her from continuing. With a cold expression, he said, ¡°Qin Yu, our wedding is canceled. I¡¯ll explain to both our parents and say that we¡¯re not a good match..¡± Chapter 100 - Chapter 1oo: Crossing the Bottom Line Chapter 1oo: Crossing the Bottom Line Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qin Yu froze and looked at her boyfriend in disbelief. ¡°W-What did you say?¡± Sun Ping repeated, ¡°The wedding is canceled. Let¡¯s break up.¡± Qin Yu¡¯s heart ached in her chest. She asked angrily and anxiously, ¡°Why? Are you really breaking up with me over something so trivial? We¡¯ve already sent out the invitations! How am I supposed to explain everything to my family and friends?!¡± ¡°So what if we sent out the invitations? Even if we¡¯ve already registered our marriage, the divorce procedures will only take a dozen minutes.¡± Sun Ping¡¯s voice was bone-chilling, and he no longer had his usual gentle expression. ¡°Qin Yu, you almost ruined my career and my student¡¯s life.¡± ¡°We cleared up the misunderstanding, didn¡¯t we?!¡± Qin Yu bit her pale lips tightly and said with tears in her eyes, ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re completely blameless!¡± Sun Ping looked up at her, as if waiting for her to continue. Qin Yu nodded heavily. ¡°Fine, then 1¡¯11 be frank with you. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you often look at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s paintings at home, I wouldn¡¯t have fallen for Lu Huan¡¯s lies so easily! Do you dare say that you have a clear conscience? Can you really say that you don¡¯t have any other feelings for her?! Sun Ping, I know you¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re beyond saving!¡± Sun Ping barked coldly, his eyes dark and stormy. ¡°You may have dirty thoughts, but don¡¯t tar everyone with the same filthy brush! To me, Xu Jiaojiao is just a very talented student!¡± Qin Yu was stunned. As far as she remembered, he had never spoken to her so harshly before. Sun Ping held his tongue again and again, but in the end, he could not hold it in anymore. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you messed around in the past, but this time, you¡¯ve crossed my bottom line! ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the truth. Xu Jiaojiao is my most valued student. 1¡¯11 use everything I¡¯ve learned in my life to teach her and guide her until she becomes a true artist. No matter what anyone says, 1 won¡¯t change my mind! In the past, he could turn a blind eye to whatever Qin Yu did to those female students who got close to him behind his back. Since the two of them were about to get married, he could let her do whatever she wanted. However, he could not let her mess with Xu Jiaojiao. That girl was the most hardworking person he had ever met in his life, and it just so happened that she had a gift for it, too. All she needed was someone who could teach her diligently and point her down the right path. With time, she would definitely become a world-famous painter and create countless amazing works. Of course, Qin Yu knew how seriously Sun Ping took art. She also understood that his words were not just empty threats. Forget his girlfriend, he could even abandon his parents if they interfered with his work and stopped him from pursuing art. She finally realized that she was wrong, and ridiculously so. She felt a lump in her throat and swallowed down the tears. ¡°I know 1 was wrong. 1 promise you that I won¡¯t do it again! Never, okay?! Give me a chance. 1 really don¡¯t want to break up with you.¡± She wanted to go forward and hug Sun Ping, but before she could touch him, Sun Ping pushed her away. His gaze was cold and unmoved. ¡°I¡¯ll give you two days to move out of my house. 1 don¡¯t want to see you again when I get home.¡± With that, he did not even give her a chance to redeem herself. He turned around and left mercilessly, leaving Qin Yu weeping alone. Qi Shenbai carried Xu Jiaojiao to the back seat and helped her take off the sleeping bag. Then, he pulled her directly onto his lap. The heater in the car was turned on high, so there was no need to worry that she would be cold. Xu Jiaojiao leaned against his chest listlessly. She was clearly exhausted, but she did not want to sleep. Taking in the unique woody fragrance from his body, she felt an unprecedented sense of safety. She could even spend the rest of her life like this. Qi Shenbai picked up a pink thermos flask, opened the lid, and took a sip for her. After confirming that the temperature of the water was just right, he handed the cup to her. ¡°Drink some water.¡± Xu Jiaojiao obediently opened her mouth and gulped down a few sips before reacting. ¡°You¡­ used this cup before.¡± Qi Shenbai smiled helplessly. ¡°Have you forgotten that we¡¯ve already kissed?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention that again!¡± Xu Jiaojiao covered his mouth shyly, her face red with embarrassment. ¡°Alright. As long as you drink the water obediently, I won¡¯t mention it again.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was afraid that he would spout nonsense in front of Cang Xing, so she had to obediently drink the water. After drinking it, she reluctantly muttered, ¡°You sure resort to underhanded methods just to make me drink more water.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Qi Shenbai was putting the cup down, and he did not hear what she said clearly. Xu Jiaojiao shook her head and pursed her lips into a smile.. ¡°How did you know 1 was sick?¡± Chapter 101 - Chapter 101: Why Was He Being So Forward? Chapter 101: Why Was He Being So Forward? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Shenbai did not say anything, but Cang Xing could not stand it anymore, so he explained instead. ¡°Mr. Qi was worried about you going on a trip alone, so he asked me to come along.¡± Xu Jiaojiao suddenly realized that Cang Xing was the one who had told him about her situation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did I get in the way of your work?¡± Even if she never meant for this to happen, the fact remained that he had come from so far away for her sake. Qi Shenbai slowly tightened his grip on her slender waist and said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, you didn¡¯t do anything to cause me trouble. I came here on my own accord.¡± No one could make him do anything against his wishes. Although Xu Jiaojiao could already guess the answer, she still wanted to hear it from him. ¡°Why did you come here, then?¡± Qi Shenbai looked at her bright eyes and his throat tightened. The deep affection in his eyes was overflowing. However, Cang Xing was still around, so Qi Shenbai swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue. ¡°If I didn¡¯t come, you wouldn¡¯t be able to get back on your own.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was a little embarrassed, explaining in a whisper, ¡°Actually, even if you didn¡¯t come over, I could have resolved this problem by myself. 1 won¡¯t let anyone trample over me either.¡± Qi Shenbai hooked the tip of her nose with his slender fingers, as if praising an obedient child. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the best. Then why did you cry when you saw me just now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao opened her mouth, but she could not say the words. Even she did not know why. Everything was under control before he arrived. She had not felt upset or afraid at all. The moment he showed up, though, she inexplicably felt the urge to cry. The corners of Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled up. His deep voice was like a gentle cello in her ears. ¡°You can cry as much as you want in front of me. I won¡¯t laugh at you.¡± She was already having a fever, then she was framed and humiliated. It was only right for her to feel upset and overwhelmed. How could he call himself a man if his girl had to hold back her tears when she was sad? ¡°It¡¯s not like I want to cry.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes were originally filled with tears, but after hearing Qi Shenbai¡¯s words, she blinked them back. ¡°Only babies cry so easily.¡± Qi Shenbai chuckled. What kind of childish logic was that? ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡ª¡± Xu Jiaojiao started coughing again, probably because she had said too much. Her throat felt itchy and taut. Qi Shen patted her back gently to help her catch her breath, openly expressing the worry in his eyes. Her lips were pale, and she looked listless. Just looking at her made his heart ache. Xu Jiaojiao held back her cough and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Put me down. I don¡¯t want to spread my cold to you.¡± She tried to get away from him, but Qi Shenbai¡¯s grip on her tightened. His tone brooked no argument. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just sit here.¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± He interrupted her halfway through her sentence. ¡°I said it¡¯s fine, so it is. I¡¯m pretty healthy, and 1 won¡¯t catch a cold that easily. Besides¡ª¡± There was a slight pause. He rubbed his chin against her fuzzy little head. ¡°I want to hold you a little longer.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s ears burned like they had been scalded. They felt a little numb. Help! Wasn¡¯t she supposed to be chasing after him? Why was he being so forward all of a sudden?! Xu Jiaojiao had not slept for almost the entire night last night. The fever made her even more lethargic, and she fell asleep not long after she finally relaxed in Qi Shenbai¡¯s arms. With Qi Shenbai by her side, she could finally have a good rest. No matter what happened, this man would take care of it. When Xu Jiaojiao woke up, she found herself lying on the warm and comfortable bed at home. The faint fragrance of roses lingered on the tip of her nose. Qi Shenbai was sitting on the sofa and looking down at the tablet in his hand. He noticed she was awake the moment she opened her eyes. Putting down the tablet, he strode forward to touch her forehead. ¡°Do you feel better?¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. It was only then that she noticed the needle in the back of her hand. She immediately turned around and realized that it was already dark outside. ¡°It¡¯s already nighttime?¡± ¡°Yes, you slept all day.¡± Qi Shenbai bent down to help her up and placed a pillow behind her. ¡°Are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?¡± Xu Jiaojiao had not noticed it before, but now that he mentioned it, her stomach rumbled. She nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯m starving.¡± Qi Shenbai looked up at the IV bottle and coaxed her patiently. ¡°Just give it another ten minutes. You can eat after the drip is done.¡± She nodded obediently. After hesitating for a moment, she could not help but ask him, ¡°Have you been here all day taking care of me?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Qi Shenbai said nonchalantly.. Chapter 102 - Chapter 102: Dont Keep Me Waiting Too Long Chapter 102: Don¡¯t Keep Me Waiting Too Long Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart felt warm, but her expression remained unchanged. Pretending not to care, she said, ¡°Actually, I¡¯ll just let the butler take care of me. You¡¯re so busy every day, you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Qi Shenbai looked at the joy in her eyes and thought it was quite cute. She was clearly overjoyed, but she still pretended to be unfazed. ¡°How can 1 do that?¡± He deliberately teased her. ¡°I have to take care of you myself so you can recover as soon as possible.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was confused. ¡°But why?¡± ¡°The sooner you recover, the sooner you¡¯ll be able to pursue me,¡± he said with a faint smile. ¡°I¡¯m still waiting for you to keep your promise.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao choked on her own saliva. He was obviously mocking her! ¡°C-Could you stop mentioning that every day?!¡± Qi Shenbai pretended to frown. ¡°Are you going back on your word?¡± ¡°Well, no.¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head repeatedly and explained in a low voice, ¡°I just feel a little embarrassed.¡± There was a smile in his eyes. He held her cold fingertips gently and used his palms to warm her up. ¡°Pm just glad to know you¡¯ll keep your promise. That¡¯s why you have to get better quickly, you hear? Don¡¯t keep me waiting too long.¡± He felt terrible seeing her so sickly, but there was nothing he could do to help. Xu Jiaojiao felt the warmth of his palm. Even her heart felt warm as she gently nodded. After the IV drip was done, Qi Shenbai skillfully removed the needle for her. He did not forget to press the needle mark with his fingers to prevent any blood from overflowing. ¡°You really know everything, huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt much better after sleeping for an entire day and getting that drip. Her voice was even louder than before. Qi Shenbai glanced at her. ¡°Of course.¡± It was just pulling out a needle, but she acted like he had done something amazing. ¡°You¡¯re incredible!¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face was filled with admiration. ¡°I don¡¯t even dare to look at the needle.¡± The heater in the room was on, but Qi Shenbai put a sweater on her shoulders anyway. ¡°It¡¯s fine, because you won¡¯t have to look at one ever again.¡± ¡°What?¡± Before Xu Jiao jiao could digest the meaning behind his words, he continued, ¡°Do you want to eat dinner downstairs or in your room?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs.¡± After lying in bed for an entire day, Xu Jiaojiao felt dizzy and bleary. She needed to move her body. Xu Jiaojiao lifted her blanket and got off the bed, but she suddenly felt herself being lifted into the air. Qi Shenbai held her waist and lifted her up horizontally. He even specially adjusted her posture to make her comfortable. His arms were warm and his footsteps were steady. From her angle, she could see the sweet smile on his face and the deep affection in his eyes. When Xu Jiaojiao spoke, her voice was still a little hoarse. ¡°¡­1 can walk by myself.¡± She really did not have the strength during the day, but she felt much better now. Qi Shenbai looked down at her and said calmly, ¡°Forget it. Your legs are short, so you¡¯d walk too slowly.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was flabbergasted.¡±???¡± What did he mean, her legs were too short?! The butler had already asked the chef to prepare some comforting porridge and side dishes, perfect for someone who had just recovered from their illness. However, he inadvertently caught a glimpse of Qi Shenbai carrying Xu Jiaojiao down the stairs. A hint of mischief flashed across his eyes, and then he quickly averted his gaze. Xu Jiaojiao noticed the butler¡¯s gaze and blushed awkwardly. ¡°Qi Shenbai, hurry up and put me down.¡± She did not realize that her hoarse whisper was like a tantalizing breeze in Qi Shenbai¡¯s ears, making his heart tremble. He turned his head imperceptibly and walked into the dining room with a feigned calmness. Once there, he placed her carefully on a chair. The servants quietly served their dinner and left. Only the two of them were left in the dining room. Other than the sound of their breathing, there was only the occasional sound of their bowls and chopsticks colliding. Once she was done with dinner, Xu Jiaojiao was afraid that he would carry her upstairs again, so she quickly stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯ll head up and take a shower first.¡± The water heater in the hotel did not work very well, so she had not showered for the past two days. All she wanted now was to take a comfortable hot bath. Qi Shenbai nodded. He thought of something and reminded her, ¡°Actually, you shouldn¡¯t take a shower immediately after dinner. Wait a little longer. Don¡¯t wash your hair today either. You haven¡¯t completely recovered from your cold.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded obediently. ¡°Got it.¡± After saying that, she turned around and walked out of the dining room, her steps pattering upstairs. Qi Shenbai looked at her excited little back and a smile unconsciously spread across his face, his lips curving into a smile. The house had felt cold and empty over the past two days while she was away. Right now, even the sound of her light footsteps brightened up the house considerably. From now on, he had to make sure she did not venture out along for too long.. Chapter 103 - Chapter 103: Sweet Dreams Chapter 103: Sweet Dreams Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao scrolled through her phone in her room for half an hour before taking a change of clothes to the bathroom, where she had a refreshing shower. Although she really wanted to wash her hair, she could only give up when she remembered Qi Shenbai¡¯s reminder. Somehow, it did not feel too bad to be nagged like that, especially since the one nagging her was Qi Shenbai. After changing into clean pajamas, Xu Jiaojiao returned to the bedroom. As soon as she climbed into bed, she heard a knock on the door. Qi Shenbai knocked twice before pushing the door open and entering with a cup of warm water and some medicine. ¡°Take your medicine before you go to bed.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was not against taking medicine, so it was not a problem for her to swallow a few pills in one gulp. Qi Shenbai tucked her in and turned off the lights in the room, leaving only the bedside lamp emitting a gentle light. His voice was even warmer than the orange light. ¡°Sleep early. Sweet dreams.¡± Xu Jiaojiao yawned and nodded. ¡°You should rest early too. Good night.¡± Qi Shenbai nodded and got up to sit on the sofa, but he did not leave the room. Seeing that she was looking at him with a puzzled expression, he explained calmly, ¡°You sleep first. 1¡¯11 leave after you fall asleep.¡± If it were anyone else, Xu Jiaojiao would definitely chase them away. How could she sleep with someone staring at her like that? However, the person sitting there was Qi Shenbai, so she did not feel awkward at all. Instead, she felt warm and loved as she nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard her soft and sweet tone. ¡°Is your hand still cold? Shall I warm it for you?¡± Before Xu Jiaojiao could respond, he had already grabbed the hand with the faint needle mark and wrapped it in his large palm. Xu Jiaojiao lowered her eyes, but the corners of her mouth curled up despite herself. Qi Shenbai also smiled softly, his gentle voice reverberating in the quiet room. ¡°Tell me, what happened last night?¡± Although Cang Xing had given him a rough summary of what had happened, he still wanted to hear it from her own mouth. For example, he wanted to know how she realized that her room door had been deliberately tampered with. Also, how did she know that everything was a trap set up by someone else? She had been too calm, as if she had long since known that someone was doing this on purpose. She was clearly playing along to lure the mastermind out of hiding. Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips and said softly, ¡°It was too much of a coincidence for the lock to fail like that, just after my teacher sent me back to my room. Moreover, my phone had no line or internet, so I felt that something was wrong. That¡¯s why 1 asked my teacher to climb out of the window. ¡°I¡¯ve read a lot of mystery novels before. 1 understood all the warning signs.¡± The girl¡¯s voice rose with a hint of pride. Of course, the most important thing was that she had seen everything that happened after that in her dream, including Lu Huan and Qin Yu¡¯s interference. However, she could not say these things out loud. Otherwise, Qi Shenbai would definitely think she was crazy. ¡°Sun Ping did not return to his room and went out to buy medicine for you instead. Was that also your idea?¡± Qi Shenbai asked. Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°I was afraid that there might be other unforeseen factors, so it was better to keep him away from my room for as long as possible. Still, I didn¡¯t expect his car to break down.¡± Qi Shenbai frowned slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t think that was an accident, either.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at him doubtfully. She had not thought of this possibility. Qi Shenbai patiently explained, ¡°If even you sensed something amiss, don¡¯t you think Sun Ping would¡¯ve guessed something too? He¡¯s a lot more experienced than you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao hazarded a guess. ¡°Are you saying that he purposely spent the night outside and waited until morning before returning to the hotel?¡± She was still puzzled, though. ¡°But why did he do that? He could have called his fiancee directly and explained everything.¡± Why did he deliberately not answer his phone, letting the others make a big deal out of everything? ¡°He was probably looking for an opportunity,¡± Qi Shenbai said lightly. ¡°Opportunity? What kind of opportunity?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was even more muddled now. Qi Shenbai did not explain any further. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Rest early.¡± Xu Jiaojiao frowned slightly. Her curiosity was piqued, but he left her hanging. He could be so annoying sometimes! However, she still asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about why Lu Huan did this?¡± ¡°Why should 1 be curious about her?¡± Qi Shenbai was very impatient at the mention of her name, and his tone turned cross. ¡°It¡¯s a fact that she harmed you. I don¡¯t care what her reasons are.¡± Before Xu Jiaojiao could speak, he urged, ¡°Your job now is to close your eyes and sleep. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± Although Xu Jiaojiao had already slept during the day, she still felt sleepy after taking the cold medicine. She nodded and softly responded. It was not a bad thing that he was not curious about Lu Huan. The more she said, the more loopholes would appear in her story. If he asked her something else and she could not answer, her secret would be exposed. ¡°Good night,¡± she said in a daze before she fell sound asleep.. Chapter 104 - Chapter 104: The Crying Child Chapter 104: The Crying Child Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Shenbai pushed her hair away from her face, his deep eyes filled with gentleness. His gaze on her was passionate and devoted, as if he was looking at an unprecedented treasure. As smart as he was, how could he not tell what she was hiding? It was just that she was unwilling to say it out loud, and he would not force her. He respected her, as well as her little secret. He carefully lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it affectionately. Since he was afraid that Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s fever would flare up again at night, Qi Shenbai did not sleep the entire night. From time to time, he would check on her temperature to make sure that it was normal. Xu Jiaojiao slept deeply because of the cold medicine, so she was completely unaware of his actions. It was not until the sky outside was bright that Qi Shenbai returned to his room to rest. The next day, when Xu Jiaojiao opened her eyes again, she felt that her body was not as heavy as before. However, her throat was still a little dry and itchy, and she would occasionally cough a few times. Qi Shenbai asked the family doctor to give her another anti-inflammatory drip. Xu Jiaojiao hid her hand under the blanket and refused any more needles. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m all better now! I¡¯m really not lying¡­ Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Halfway through her sentence, she could not help but cough. ¡°Your bad cough says otherwise.¡± Qi Shenbai frowned, his tone stern. ¡°You little liar.¡± When Xu Jiaojiao saw the doctor take out the IV drip, she immediately panicked and begged pitifully, ¡°Qi Shenbai¡­ Mr. Qi, Master Qi, can I please refuse the drip?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s heart softened when he saw her pitiful look. However, when he heard her cough, he could only reject her heartlessly. ¡°No, you have to get it.¡± Seeing that there was no hope, Xu Jiaojiao hung her head dejectedly. Her outstretched hand trembled¡­ After the doctor disinfected the back of her hand and was about to insert the needle, Xu Jiaojiao screamed and pulled her hand back. The doctor felt a little helpless. ¡°Mrs. Qi, I haven¡¯t even started yet.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Xu Jiaojiao slowly opened her eyes and saw the doctor looking at her exasperatedly with a needle in his hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The moment she turned around, she saw Qi Shenbai¡¯s smiling eyes. She turned her face away shyly. She was acting like a scared little kid! How embarrassing. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Qi Shenbai offered. The doctor knew that Qi Shenbai was trained in this, so he handed the syringe to him directly. The doctor then gave him some medicine for Xu Jiaojiao and told him how to take it before leaving with his things. Xu Jiaojiao secretly opened an eye and watched as Qi Shenbai disinfected the back of her hand. ¡°You even know how to start an IV drip?¡± ¡°Not really, this is the first time I¡¯m doing it for someone else,¡± Qi Shenbai said without raising his head. ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Xu Jiaojiao muttered softly. ¡°If you know how to pull out the needles, you must know how to insert them too.¡± Qi Shenbai looked up at her. ¡°What if it¡¯s really my first time giving someone an IV drip?¡± Xu Jiaojiao shut her eyes tightly and her lips were stretched into a thin line. ¡°Then hurry up. I¡¯ll try not to cry.¡± Qi Shenbai laughed and stopped teasing her. ¡°Close your eyes tightly. There will be a reward after you¡¯re done.¡± As soon as Xu Jiao jiao heard that there was a reward, her attention was distracted. ¡°What¡¯s the reward?¡± ¡°Take a guess.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao closed her eyes and pondered. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ Ow¡­¡± When she opened her eyes in confusion, she realized that the needle had already been inserted while she was thinking. Qi Shenbai was methodically applying tape to the back of her hand to fix the needle in place. He had succeeded on the first try, and it did not hurt at all. The back of her hand was just a little cold. Qi Shenbai was an expert at this. He tied a medicine box to her palm to hold the needle in place, and he even slowed down the speed of the infusion. ¡°I¡¯m not a kid,¡± Xu Jiaojiao complained in a low voice. ¡°Why would I need a medicine box to hold.¡± Qi Shen glanced at her and said, ¡°You were crying and refusing the needle like a kid, weren¡¯t you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao recalled how she behaved just now and felt a little awkward. She decided to change the topic. ¡°Qi Shenbai, have you studied medicine before?¡± ¡°No.¡± Qi Shenbai said, ¡°I had a friend who was in poor health and had been hospitalized. It was very troublesome to call a nurse over every time, so I picked up some skills.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s round eyes were filled with admiration. ¡°Then you might really be a genius. It¡¯s a pity that you didn¡¯t study medicine.¡± Qi Shenbai did not reply. He only gently held the tube of the IV drip with his hand to warm up the medicine. This way, it would not be gentler on her blood vessels. Xu Jiaojiao was moved by his actions. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s my reward?¡± Qi Shenbai sat down beside her. Now, they were only a few centimeters apart. He stared at her with his bottomless eyes, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing silently.. ¡°Are you sure you want the reward now?¡± Chapter 105 - Chapter 105: Do You Like My Reward? Chapter 105: Do You Like My Reward? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°Of course. You¡¯re not going back on your word, are you?¡± Before she could finish speaking, the familiar smell of pine washed over her. Her voice was cut short. The next second, a scalding kiss landed on the corner of her lips. With a restrained passion, he gently pecked the corner of her lips with a scorching heat. The first time they kissed was at their last-minute wedding. There had been a veil between them, so she had not felt anything. The second time was in the car. She was drunk and her head was dizzy. In hindsight, she had forgotten what it felt like. This was the third time. Her mind was clear, so all her attention was on his thin lips. Her mind went blank. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart was beating like a drum. She even forgot to breathe and subconsciously wanted to push him away. Qi Shenbai seemed to have expected this. He locked her wrist on the bed, preventing her hand from moving. He sucked on her lips just once before stopping. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face flushed red as if she had a high fever again, and her eyes were wide open. ¡°You¡­¡± Qi Shenbai retreated slightly and smiled. ¡°Yes, what about me?¡± ¡°H-How could you do such a thing?!¡± Xu Jiaojiao lowered her eyes, not even daring to meet his gaze. ¡°What about it?¡± Qi Shenbai grabbed her chin forcefully and domineeringly, gently lifting her up so that her eyes met his. ¡°Don¡¯t you like my reward?¡± When Xu Jiaojiao looked at him, she felt like she was falling into his bottomless gaze. It was serious and straightforward, making it difficult for her to say the word ¡®no¡¯. She bit her lips lightly. ¡°We¡­ haven¡¯t properly gotten together yet. How can we kiss?¡± Wasn¡¯t it only right to kiss after dating? Qi Shenbai chuckled, his voice filled with joy. ¡°I¡¯m giving you a sneak peek of what it feels like to be my girlfriend.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao blinked her big eyes in wonder. ¡°You can do that?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Qi Shenbai let go of her hand and picked up an orange slice from a plate behind him. He then carefully peeled it before bringing it to her lips. Xu Jiaojiao subconsciously opened her mouth to take a bite. After she finished eating, she could not help but mutter softly, ¡°You¡¯re being¡­ a little too proactive.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I take the initiative?¡± Qi Shenbai looked at her in amusement and fed her another slice of orange. Xu Jiaojiao shook her head repeatedly. ¡°I guess there¡¯s nothing wrong with it.¡± Of course, she knew what his every move meant, so she was naturally very happy. Qi Shenbai looked at her and waited quietly for her to continue. Xu Jiaojiao swallowed the sweet yet sour orange before murmuring, ¡°I haven¡¯t even started wooing you yet, and you¡¯re already going easy on me. Aren¡¯t you a little too easy to win over?¡± If someone else liked him, would he fall for them just as easily? Was he such an easy catch? Qi Shenbai stuffed the last piece of orange into her mouth, annoyed by her unique way of thinking. ¡°That¡¯s why you have to hurry up. You have to keep a close eye on me even after you¡¯ve won me over, or I might just let someone else snatch me away.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do!¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes widened in anger as she said sternly, ¡°You promised to date me first. You have to keep your word!¡± Qi Shenbai shook his head with a smile, his tone filled with exasperation. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, your brain works in mysterious ways.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Xu Jiaojiao giggled. She did not hear the sarcasm in his words and thought that he was praising her. Qi Shenbai did not explain too much. It was not bad for his little girl to have a simple mind. There was nothing bad about her being happy and carefree every day. It took Xu Jiaojiao a week to recover from her cold. Although her fever never came back, she continued feeling listless and her coughing never stopped. She was sickly every day and could not muster any strength. Qi Shenbai cleared his entire schedule and stayed by her side every day to take care of her meticulously. Pei Yan sent over a large pile of documents every day and dropped by four or five times a day. Even Xu Zhengyang called in exasperation. ¡°Are you the boss or am 1 the boss? You¡¯re working me to the bone here! I don¡¯t even have a chance to catch my breath, you slavedriver!¡± In the kitchen, Qi Shenbai was watching a video on his phone and learning how to steam oranges. He wore a pair of wireless earphones as he said, ¡°I have more important things to do. I won¡¯t be going to the company for the time being. Thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°What¡¯s more important than the company?!¡± Xu Zhengyang could not help but say sarcastically, ¡°Is my sister going to run away with another man, or have you discovered another side to your sexuality¡­?¡± ¡°My wife, Jiaojiao has caught a cold recently. I have to stay at home and take care of her,¡± Qi Shenbai interrupted him before his words got even more suggestive. ¡°Jiaojiao¡¯s sick?!¡± Xu Zhengyang cursed inwardly and became even angrier.. ¡°My sister is sick, and you never bothered to tell me?! I¡¯ll fly over right now and kill you!¡± Chapter 106 - Chapter 106: Terrified Of Causing Trouble For Others Chapter 106: Terrified Of Causing Trouble For Others Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°She¡¯s afraid of making you worry too.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s tone was a little helpless and doting. ¡°You¡¯re her brother. Don¡¯t you know that your sister is terrified of causing trouble for others?¡± Xu Zhengyang, who was about to shoot out of the office, sat back down. He knew very well that even if he rushed over, Jiao jiao would definitely say that she was fine and chase him away. She was afraid of becoming a burden to everyone and causing trouble for the people around her, because she was scared that she would be abandoned by her family again. In the end, Jiaojiao¡¯s excessive carefulness was all her parents¡¯ fault, as well as his fault as her older brother. ¡°I¡¯m still a little worried about leaving Jiaojiao in your care.¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s tone was filled with distrust. Qi Shenbai scoffed. ¡°Even if 1 asked you to come over, can you take good care of Jiaojiao?¡± Xu Zhengyang could only chuckle at that. ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to trouble you, Mr. Qi. Take good care of my sister. In return, 1¡¯11 take good care of the company for you. I guarantee that the company won¡¯t close down while you¡¯re gone.¡± Seeing that Qi Shenbai did not respond, Xu Zhengyang¡¯s fierce voice came through the phone again. ¡°I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t you dare take advantage of the situation. If you lay a hand on my sister when she¡¯s sick, 1¡¯11¡­¡± Halfway through his sentence, Qi Shenba ended the call mercilessly. ¡°F*ck!¡± Xu Zhengyang cursed. ¡°Qi Shenbai, you dog¡­¡± Qi Shenbai carried the steaming orange upstairs and knocked on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s door. ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as Qi Shenbai entered, he saw Xu Jiaojiao standing in front of the window, looking out of the courtyard resentfully. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned her head and saw that it was him. She pouted and said, ¡°Tomorrow is Christmas¡­¡± All this time, she had either been lying in bed with a drip or taking medicine in her room, all because of her illness. The rest of her time was spent sleeping, and she had forgotten that it was Christmas Eve. She had nothing to do just now, so she logged into Weibo and saw many fans leaving comments under her latest Weibo post. Only then did she know that tomorrow was Christmas. ¡°Do you like these foreign festivals very much?¡± Qi Shenbai waved at her to come over. Xu Jiaojiao walked over to his side and sat down. ¡°It¡¯s not that 1 like these foreign holidays, it¡¯s just that¡­ the internet says that a snowy Christmas is very suitable for confessions. 1 originally planned to give you a gift tomorrow¡­¡± Her plan had gone down the drain because of her illness. Qi Shenbai handed Xu Jiaojiao a small bowl filled with steamed oranges. He lifted the small lid on the oranges and showed her the red dates and white fungus that he had specially placed inside. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. Once you¡¯re better, you can give me a gift anytime. Or we can go out on a date and watch a movie together.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded and picked up the spoon to eat. The steamed orange was sweet and slightly sour. Once she ate a few slices, she felt much warmer inside. Qi Shenbai still noticed the flash of disappointment in her eyes. Looking at the girl¡¯s dim eyes, he did not say anything and just picked up his phone. After Xu Jiao jiao finished eating, Qi Shenbai cleaned up the dishes and went out. Before he closed the door, he saw Xu Jiaojiao running to the window to look outside. It was such a nice holiday. It would be a pity not to watch a movie with the person she liked, have a fancy meal, walk down the streets, and do romantic things together! Xu Jiaojiao stood in front of the window and sighed. She could only blame her body for not being able to live up to her expectations! Twenty minutes later, there was another knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Xu Jiaojiao stood at the window and spoke without turning her head. However, she did not hear anyone walking in. Confused, she subconsciously turned to look at the door. The gentle knocking continued, but the person who knocked on the door still did not enter. She walked to the door. The moment she opened it, she was stunned. Qi Shenbai, who was usually dressed in a suit and leather shoes, was wearing a Santa suit and a red Christmas hat. He even had a matching white beard. The friendly Santa costume somehow looked handsome on his tall and lean body. Half of his face was covered by the beard, leaving only his fathomless eyes looking at her warmly. ¡°Qi¡­ Qi Shenbai¡­¡± She covered her mouth in shock. She felt her heart begin to beat uncontrollably, as if it was about to jump out of her chest. ¡°Since you¡¯ve been a very good girl this year, Santa Claus is here to give you a present. Congratulations, my girl.¡± After speaking in his deep magnetic voice, Qi Shenbai picked up the gift bag in his hand. Just as he was about to take out a present, Xu Jiaojiao returned to her senses and hugged him tight. The side of her face was pressed against his warm chest. Listening to the steady and strong heartbeat in his chest, she felt like the luckiest kid in the world.. Chapter 107 - Chapter 107:1 Love It Chapter 107:1 Love It Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Shenbai paused and looked down at the girl who was hugging him tightly. He said dotingly, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not answer him. She only shook her head and tightened her grip around his waist. Why was Qi Shenbai so wonderful? She was the one who liked him, but he always stood up for her when she needed him the most, or surprised her when she was in low spirits. Xu Jiaojiao felt a lump in her throat. She could not help but want to cry. Qi Shenbai reached out and stroked her fuzzy little head. His voice was gentle. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see the gift that Santa Claus specially prepared for you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded and reluctantly withdrew from his embrace. She raised her head and looked at him with sparkling eyes. Qi Shenbai took a pink box from the red bag and handed it to her. ¡°Merry Christmas, young lady.¡± Xu Jiaojiao opened the box and saw a box of French-imported chocolates. Her brother¡¯s friends had bought her this brand of chocolates from abroad a few times in the past. She knew they were delicious and expensive. ¡°There¡¯s too little time, so I couldn¡¯t prepare a better gift for you, Jiaojiao.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s thin lips parted slightly as he said guiltily, ¡°Xu Zhengyang told me that you love this brand of chocolates. When you¡¯re better, I¡¯ll bring you to France to eat them there.¡± Xu Jiaojiao lowered her head and smiled faintly. Although she had yet to eat a single chocolate from that box, her heart was already bubbling with sweetness. It was sweet enough to give her diabetes. ¡°Qi Shenbai, 1 love it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes were slightly red. She had initially wanted to woo him and surprise him, but now, he was the one meticulously preparing a gift for her. This imported chocolate was relatively niche in the country and was not easy to find. Especially since it was already so late, she could easily tell how much effort Qi Shenbai had put in. Qi Shenbai stroked her little head. ¡°Do you want to watch a movie with me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes widened and her face was filled with surprise. She even forgot to say yes. ¡°Let¡¯s go, 1¡¯11 take you there.¡± Qi Shenbai removed his hand from her head and calmly took her hand to lead her upstairs. Xu Jiaojiao hugged the chocolate to her chest and allowed him to lead her by the hand. The man¡¯s tall figure was clearly reflected in her clear eyes. This year¡¯s Santa Claus belonged to her alone, Xu Jiaojiao thought happily and greedily. Qi Shenbai brought her to a room on the top floor. Although no one lived there, it was very large. The warm and gentle light outlined the furnishings in the room. There was a curtain the size of a wall. In the corner was a Christmas tree that was taller than a person, covered with small colorful lights and various decorations. The table in front was covered with a red and green checkered tablecloth. It even held a glass of mulled wine and a glass of hot orange juice. Qi Shenbai sat Xu Jiaojiao down on the couch and coaxed her gently, ¡°You should drink mulled wine for Christmas, but you haven¡¯t fully recovered from your cold yet. Have some orange juice instead, and you can choose a movie you like. I¡¯ll watch it with you tonight.¡± Although they could not go out to the mall and watch a movie, the two of them watching a movie and chatting in this small den of their own could be considered a date in its own way. Xu Jiaojiao did not look at the big screen. Instead, she turned her head to look at him with sparkling eyes. ¡°I want to stroke your beard. Is that okay?¡± Qi Shenbai froze. He did not expect her to make such a request. ¡°Can I touch it?¡± Xu Jiaojiao blinked her big eyes, the desire in them almost overflowing. Qi Shenbai could not resist at all and nodded lightly. Xu Jiaojiao immediately reached out and gently stroked his white beard. She knew that the beard was fake and that she would not hurt him, but she still could not bear to use too much strength. This was Qi Shenbai, her beloved. Tonight, he was also her very own personal Santa Claus. Xu Jiaojiao let go after a short while. ¡°Then I¡¯ll choose a movie first.¡± Qi Shenbai nodded. ¡°May I ask if Santa Claus can go for a break now? Can Qi Shenbai take over again?¡± Pei Yan had bought these clothes from a roadside stall at the last minute. The quality was average, and the threads on the clothes made him feel uncomfortable. He really could not stand it anymore. ¡°Of course!¡± Xu Jiaojiao waved her hand and agreed readily. When she saw him get up, she put on a fierce expression. ¡°But you can¡¯t secretly send gifts to other children, okay?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled up into a doting smile. Unfortunately, his expression was covered by his beard, so she could not see it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± His deep and magnetic voice was filled with gentleness. Xu Jiaojiao nodded her head in satisfaction and started choosing her movie seriously. Qi Shenbai quickly returned to his room and unbuttoned his shirt. He took off the cheap costume and changed into linen pajamas. The skin around his neck already felt a little uncomfortable. He looked at the mirror and saw patches of red rashes, just as he expected.. Chapter 108 - Chapter 108: Even If She was the Last Woman on Earth Chapter 108: Even If She was the Last Woman on Earth Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Shenbai frowned and reached out to touch the rash, but that only made it even itchier. Sighing softly, he took off his pajamas and changed into a turtleneck cashmere sweater. The collar of the sweater was just enough to cover the rash on his neck. When he returned to his room with two cups of warm milk, Xu Jiaojiao had already chosen a movie and was sitting obediently on the sofa, waiting for him. She was a little curious to see that he had changed clothes. ¡°Are you very cold?¡± Qi Shenbai let out an indistinct ¡°Mm-hmm¡±. ¡°Then I¡¯ll turn up the temperature!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she reached for the remote control. Just as Qi Shenbai was about to turn her down, he heard her mutter softly, ¡°It is kinda cold.¡± As a result, he swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue. Xu Jiaojiao chose an artsy film that had just been released last month. The lines were very obscure, and the plot was trashy. It was overall just dizzyingly boring. The hot room and his high-collared cashmere sweater made Qi Shenbai extremely uncomfortable, so he was not in the mood to watch the movie. Halfway through the show, Xu Jiaojiao started yawning. She leaned against the couch and muttered softly, ¡°What¡¯s with this movie? I don¡¯t understand it at all.¡± Qi Shenbai turned to look at her under the dim light in the room. She was so sleepy that her eyelids started to flutter. ¡°Do you want to go to bed?¡± Xu Jiaojiao peeled her eyelids open and nodded. ¡°Then go back to your room. We can stop watching the movie.¡± ¡°But 1 want to spend more time with you.¡± This was their first Christmas Eve together, and she did not want it to end so hastily. ¡°It¡¯s fine, sleep. I¡¯ll carry you back to your room after you fall asleep.¡± Qi Shenbai could not bear to separate from her so quickly either. Xu Jiaojiao looked up at him with a smile. ¡°Are you giving me another sneak peek into my girlfriend rights?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°Yes, and you¡¯ve unlocked another special privilege too. Do you want to try it out in advance?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You get to sleep in your boyfriend¡¯s arms.¡± He reached out and patted his shoulder. Xu Jiaojiao covered her face in embarrassment. After giggling foolishly for a long time, she hurriedly replied, ¡°Of course I wanna try!¡± Qi Shenbai stretched out his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. Xu Jiaojiao shyly leaned into his embrace. The faint woody fragrance on his body lingered at the tip of her nose, making her feel at ease. Qi Shenbai glanced at the unconcealed excitement on her face and could not help but smile. Xu Jiaojiao leaned in his arms with her eyes closed. Her soft voice rang in his ears, ¡°I really like you, Qi Shenbai. I¡¯m so happy to have you by my side.¡± The large screen was showing a scene of the male and female protagonists hugging each other and crying bitterly. The intense voices did not drown out her soft and sweet voice. Qi Shenbai¡¯s chest trembled intensely. He felt so happy he was going to die. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed silently. His thin lips parted slightly, and his voice was low. ¡°Me too.¡± ¡®I like you just as much, and I¡¯m very, very happy to be here with you,¡¯ he thought. Xu Jiaojiao had long fallen asleep in his arms. The loud sounds from the movie meant that she had missed his confession once again. Finally, Xu Jiaojiao recovered from her cold. Qi Shenbai stopped staying at home to watch her take her medicine every day, and he let her go back to school too. Xu Jiaojiao heard that someone had dropped out of school. Although no one said exactly who it was, Xu Jiaojiao could roughly guess. If Lu Huan wanted to ¡®catch the adulterers in the act¡¯, she definitely needed someone to help her lock Xu Jiaojiao and Mr. Sun in the room. As for how Mr. Sun found out who the culprit was, Xu Jiaojiao did not know and did not care. In any case, the matter had already been resolved. She and Mr. Sun had not lost anything. Why waste her limited energy on these unrelated people and matters? After experiencing what happened in that small town, the female students were much nicer to Xu Jiaojiao than before. However, they could not help but gossip about her relationship with Qi Shenbai. The situation between her and Qi Shenbai was a little complicated. Xu Jiaojiao did not know how to explain it, and she did not want to lie, so she could only laugh it off. A few boys who had a crush on her gave up completely. She was already taken, and her current partner was way too perfect. They stood no chance. During the holidays, Su Luo asked Xu Jiaojiao out for a shopping trip. As the two of them ate, they caught each other up on recent events. When she found out that Lu Huan had tried to frame Xu Jiaojiao, Su Luo was so angry that she wanted to slap that conniving witch. ¡°The Lu family should buy a mirror! She has no right to lick the dirt of your shoes! Lu Huan¡¯s face is so fake that Qi Shenbai wouldn¡¯t look at her even if she was the last woman on earth!¡± Xu Jiaojiao sighed helplessly. ¡°Now that I think about it, it¡¯s a good thing that Lu Zhuo and I didn¡¯t get married. Otherwise, I would be bickering with his family every day..¡± Chapter 109 - Chapter 109: Probably Not Chapter 109: Probably Not Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Su Luo nodded solemnly and suddenly remembered something. ¡°By the way, does Qi Shenbai also have a younger sister?¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Ills sister was the very reason she managed to marry him. Su Luo¡¯s face was filled with worry. ¡°Girls raised in rich families tend to be spoiled and mean. If Qi Shenbai¡¯s sister is like that too¡­¡± The frail figure appeared in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s mind. She shook her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think she is.¡± Qi Shenbai was not an arrogant and rude person, so his sister would not be like that either. ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡± Su Luo patted her shoulder. ¡°But then again, Qi Shenbai seems high and mighty at first, yet it turns out he¡¯s quite well-mannered. His sister is most likely like him. She probably won¡¯t make things difficult for you! Besides, you¡¯re so cute. I reckon that his sister will fall in love with you the moment she sees you!¡± ¡°Stop flattering me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled dotingly, but Su Luo¡¯s words were also a wake-up call for her. She knew too little about Qi Shenbai. Other than the fact that he had a sister, she knew next to nothing else. He had never mentioned his family in front of her. What about his parents¡­? She had no idea. The two girls became gradually more excited as they chatted. They even forgot about the time. If Cang Xing had not called to remind her, Xu Jiaojiao would not have realized that it was already past ten o¡¯clock. The two of them parted ways and Xu Jiaojiao returned to Qingshui Villa. The butler was already waiting at the door. As soon as he saw her, he welcomed her home. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re back.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded slightly. ¡°Where¡¯s Qi Shenbai? Is he not at home?¡± ¡°Mr. Qi isn¡¯t back yet.¡± The butler handed her slippers and muttered softly, ¡°It¡¯s almost eleven o¡¯clock. If he doesn¡¯t come back soon, he won¡¯t be back in time to eat longevity noodles.¡± Xu Jiaojiao paused and turned around to ask, ¡°Longevity noodles? What Longevity noodles?¡± The butler was slightly stunned. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Today is Mr. Qi¡¯s birthday. Although he doesn¡¯t have the habit of celebrating his birthday, I prepare a bowl of longevity noodles for him every year. It¡¯s a good sign¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao was no longer listening. Her mind kept repeating the words, ¡°Today is Mr. Qi¡¯s birthday¡­¡± It was Qi Shenbai¡¯s birthday today, but she did not even know about it. Moreover, when the two of them left the house that morning, he had not said anything. It was as if he had forgotten what day it was. It was already eleven o¡¯clock at night, and the malls had long closed. It was too late to buy him a gift now. What should she do¡­? Regardless of whether Qi Shenbai cared about his birthday or not, she had to do something! Xu Jiaojiao hesitated for a while before she finally said, ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡°What are your orders?¡± The butler immediately stopped and turned around to ask respectfully. ¡°You guys should go to bed early today.¡± The butler looked troubled. ¡°But Mr. Qi hasn¡¯t eaten his longevity noodles yet¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, 1¡¯11 cook noodles for him. Just go to sleep.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s tone was firm. ¡°No matter what time he comes back, I promise to make him eat a bowl of longevity noodles even in the wee hours of the morning. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Then 1¡¯11 have to trouble you with that, Madam.¡± The butler¡¯s smile was obvious. His master would definitely like the longevity noodles that the Madam cooked herself. Xu Jiaojiao returned to her room and opened the cabinet. She found an exquisite box in the bottom drawer, and the hesitation in her eyes slowly turned to firm resolve. On her birthday, Qi Shenbai had given her a perfect studio. Now that it was his birthday, she should give him a meaningful gift in return. Although this gift was a little embarrassing, he might just like it¡­ After making up her mind, Xu Jiao jiao immediately changed her clothes. She had a lot of things to do later. She would decorate the living room and cook longevity noodles. She had to give Qi Shenbai an unforgettable birthday today! It was late at night, and the pitch-black sky was like a canvas splashed with ink, dotted with twinkling stars. The lamps by the street were warm and gentle, showing the way home no matter how late it was. The black Rolls-Royce was mysterious and low-key in the dark night. It slowly stopped at the entrance of Qingshui Villa. Qi Shenbai pushed open the door and got out of the car. When he saw that the villa was pitch-black and there was no light, he subconsciously frowned. Usually, no matter how late he returned home, the butler would leave the lights on. Why was it pitch-black tonight? Puzzled, Qi Shenbai walked to the porch and entered the password to open the door. He pulled the door open and changed his shoes at the entrance. When he looked up, he saw the lit Christmas tree in the corner. He recognized it. It was the tree that he had set up for Jiaojiao that Christmas.. Chapter 110 - Chapter 11o: Todays Your Birthday Chapter 11o: Today¡¯s Your Birthday Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Suddenly, there was a loud bang in the quiet living room. All the lights were turned on, illuminating the furnishings in the room and the slender figure standing on the stairs. Qi Shenbai looked up and was instantly stunned. Xu Jiaojiao was wearing a slim-fitting short dress. She looked slightly more mature than usual, and her long black hair draped over her shoulders made her look even more elegant. Qi Shenbai had never seen her dressed like this before, and his gaze on her gradually deepened. The villa¡¯s air-conditioning was on all year round, so it was warm now even in the middle of the night. Xu Jiaojiao did not feel cold when her calves and arms were exposed, but under his open and direct gaze, she inexplicably shivered. Her body subconsciously trembled slightly. What should she do? It was so embarrassing! Xu Jiaojiao was about to turn green with regret. Why did she have to listen to the advice of a single pringle like Su Luo?! However, what was done was done. She could only brace herself and continue. When the music started playing according to the cue, she could only grit her teeth, stomp her feet, and slowly speak along with the music. ¡°Happy birthday to you! ¡°On this wonderful day, ¡°Let us dance and play. ¡°To my love and my light, ¡°On this candlelit night, ¡°May all your wishes come true, ¡°Happy birthday to you!¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes gradually lit up, and the surprise in his eyes slowly turned into joy as she sang softly. In the end, he could not help but lower his head and laugh. He was clearly overjoyed. His handsome features were brighter than the Christmas lights, revealing unconcealable delight. Xu Jiaojiao could not bring herself to look at his reaction. All she could do was force herself to finish that shameful song. At most, she would move back home tomorrow to save herself the embarrassment. ¡°Say goodbye to your troubles.¡± ¡°Say hello to your joys, ¡°Happy birthday forever, my darling boy¡­¡± This song had gone viral some time ago because it was the song a certain hotpot chain sang for birthday guests. At that time, Su Luo took interest in it and hummed it in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s ear every day. Su Luo had also bought the clothes for her. She wanted Xu Jiaojiao to change her style so that she would stop dressing like an elementary school student every day. However, Xu Jiaojiao had always been too embarrassed to wear them, so this dress was her trump card. If it were not Qi Shenbai¡¯s birthday today, if she had more time to buy a gift, she would not have sung this song in this little dress even if she was beaten to death. She felt like a college student working part-time at Haidilao on a weekend. On the surface, she acted passionate and polite, but she really wanted to die inside. Qi Shenbai looked up and saw her singing and dancing. Her long black hair swept across her face as if brushing past his heart repeatedly, making his heart flutter. The dance was not difficult, but after singing and dancing for a while, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s fair forehead was still covered in beads of sweat, and she was panting slightly. ¡°Qi Shenbai, happy birthday to you.¡± Her clear eyes seemed to be filled with starlight as she wished him sincerely and purely. Qi Shenbai stood upright and stared at her with a burning gaze. His heart beat uncontrollably, racing faster and faster. It was so fast that it threatened to break through his chest and devour her beauty. He had already forgotten how many years it had been since he last celebrated his birthday, and he never wanted to celebrate it either. Every year at this time, he would even feel very frustrated, wanting nothing more than to erase this day from his memory. However, today¡­ Today, Xu Jiao jiao made him feel like birthdays were not that bad after all. Xu Jiaojiao was still panting slightly, but her eyes were secretly observing him. He man had a smile at the corners of his eyes, which meant that he liked her little surprise, right? She gave him a bright smile. Qi Shenbai¡¯s thin lips curled up as he looked at her with a deep gaze. Neither of them took the initiative to break the silence. The room was so quiet that only their breathing could be heard, and the atmosphere gradually became rose-colored. In the end, Qi Shenbai was the first to take a step forward. He walked towards her firmly step by step, as if he was marching toward his destiny. Xu Jiaojiao looked at the tall figure gradually approaching her and inexplicably became nervous. Even her breathing became ragged. She could not explain why. Qi Shenbai stopped in front of her and was about to say something when he was interrupted by a familiar and annoying voice. ¡°Qi Shenbai, don¡¯t you think I¡¯m such a great friend¡­?¡± Xu Zhengyang had just stepped into the house when he saw Xu Jiaojiao standing on the stairs from the corner of his eye. His voice stopped abruptly. Qi Shenbai frowned. He turned around and saw Xu Zhengyang and Lin Feng, who had followed him in. They were looking at Xu Jiao jiao from head to toe in confusion. The moment Xu Jiaojiao saw Xu Zhengyang, she was completely petrified! ¡®It¡¯s over! It¡¯s all over!¡¯ she screamed inwardly. ¡®It¡¯s one thing for me to embarrass myself in front of Qi Shenbai, but why is Xu Zhengyang here too?!!¡¯ Chapter 111 - Chapter 111: Gouge Out Your Eyes and Feed Them to the Fish Chapter 111: Gouge Out Your Eyes and Feed Them to the Fish Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao wished she could immediately dig a hole and bury her head in the sand. Xu Zhengyang came back to his senses and roared angrily, ¡°Qi Shenbai! What the f*ck are you making my sister wear?!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was so shaken that her entire body trembled. Her small head drooped instantly, and she did not dare to look up at him at all. Qi Shenbai was a little cross. When he turned around, he unbuttoned his jacket, took it off, and draped it over her shoulders. His thin lips parted slightly, and his voice was slightly low. ¡°Go back to your room first.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted and cautiously glanced at Xu Zhengyang, whose eyes were blazing with rage. Qi Shenbai patted her shoulder and comforted her. ¡°Go and change your clothes first. Leave this to me.¡± Although he thought that Xu Jiaojiao looked very beautiful in this dress, he still had that masculine possessiveness. He did not want other men to see Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s beauty. Xu Jiaojiao nodded obediently and quickly turned around to run upstairs. Afraid that the jacket on her shoulders would fall off, she gripped the collar tightly. As she ran, her sleeves swung left and right, making her look even more adorable in Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes. Qi Shenbai only turned around to look at his two annoying friends after watching her disappear up the second floor. Lin Feng finally could not help but laugh. ¡°Mr. Qi, you usually seem so uninterested in women. I didn¡¯t expect your preferences to be so¡­ unique.¡± ¡°Unique?! Yeah, right!¡± Xu Zhengyang turned his head and spat, ¡°That was my sister. Forget what you saw just now, or I¡¯ll gouge out your eyes and feed them to the fish!¡± Lin Feng was stunned for a moment. ¡°Aaack, 1 didn¡¯t see anything just now¡ª¡± Qi Shenbai frowned slightly, looking a little impatient. ¡°What are the two of you doing at my house so late at night?¡± Lin Feng rolled his eyes at him and grumbled, ¡°Don¡¯t you have a conscience? We were afraid that you would be lonely on your special day, so we rushed over to accompany you.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Qi Shenbai refused without hesitation. Who would want to get drunk with two old men? Besides, he was not lonely at all. He had his adorable little girl, after all. Those two old dogs would never understand. Lin Feng put his arm around Xu Zhengyang¡¯s shoulder and chuckled. ¡°If we knew that you had such an adorable little girl with you, we wouldn¡¯t have bothered. Look, we even specially brought you one of my home¡¯s best wines.¡± Xu Zhengyang held the expensive wine in his hand tightly and gritted his teeth with a dark expression. ¡°I just want to smash this bottle of wine on his head.¡± Not only did Lin Feng not persuade him, he even added fuel to the fire. ¡°Come now, why are you meddling in their little game? They are a couple, you know.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Xu Zhengyang elbowed him in the chest. ¡°One more word and I¡¯ll drink all your wine!¡± Lin Feng pretended to rub his chest in pain and turned to walk into the living room. Qi Shenbai¡¯s tone was very calm. ¡°She just wanted to celebrate my birthday. Don¡¯t scare her.¡± ¡°As if!¡± Xu Zhengyang laughed mockingly. ¡°If we didn¡¯t barge in just now, would you really have stopped at accepting her gifts?¡± Men understood other men the best. Xu Zhengyang knew what Qi Shenbai¡¯s true nature was like. Only eunuchs and gay men would be able to hold back in a situation like that! Qi Shenbai did not admit it, but he did not deny it either. He walked to the sofa and sat down, his gaze landing on Lin Feng, changing the topic. ¡°Why did you come with him?¡± Lin Feng leaned lazily on the sofa and asked casually, ¡°Why do you ask? Am I not welcome?¡± ¡°Qin¡­¡± As soon as Qi Shenbai opened his mouth, Lin Feng frowned impatiently. ¡°Don¡¯t mention her. 1 want to see how long she can last on her own. She¡¯s come skulking back to me in the end.¡± Lin Feng did not even attend the opening of his own bar, and it was all because of Qin Yumo. Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips twitched as if he was not surprised. He was not interested in interfering in other people¡¯s relationships. Xu Zhengyang walked to the wine cabinet, making himself completely at home, and took out three wine glasses. He opened the wine that Lin Feng had brought and poured three glasses out, one for each of them. He sat on the sofa and started to chat idly. ¡°Be careful. If Qin Yumo turns around and lands herself an eligible bachelor, you might go crawling back to her.¡± The corners of Lin Fengfei¡¯s mouth twitched slightly as he snorted coldly. ¡°If she can find someone like that, be my guest. No one in Luo City would dare touch my woman.¡± After Xu Zhengyang raised his head and drank half a glass of wine, he kept staring at Qi Shenbai sinisterly, as if he were staring at his mortal enemy. Qi Shenbai played with the wine glass in his hand but had no intention of drinking it. He kept recalling the little girl singing in that sweet dress just now. As he thought about it, the corners of his mouth could not help but curl up.. Chapter 112 - Chapter 112: Would It Kill You Not to Fib? Chapter 112: Would It Kill You Not to Fib? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°I¡¯ll pull your brain out of your nose and make it sashimi.¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s lips curled, but there was no smile in his eyes. Qi Shenbai came back to his senses and glanced at him. He said indifferently, ¡°Would it kill you not to fib?¡± Xu Zhengyang cursed in a low voice, ¡°Qi Shenbai, you bastard!¡± He had met Qi Shenbai at the boxing club. He knew better than anyone how strong Qi Shenbai was. Lin Feng watched as they bickered and found it inexplicably funny. He teased Xu Zhengyang, ¡°Yangyang, that¡¯s enough. Even if you have a good relationship with your sister, she¡¯s still his legally married wife. In the future, she¡¯ll even give you a nephew to play with.¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Xu Zhengyang glared at him fiercely and said to Qi Shenbai, ¡°He¡¯s talking too much today, and it¡¯s really annoying. Beat him up for me, will ya? Just don¡¯t kill him. 1¡¯11 bear all the consequences, and I¡¯ll forget what happened today. How about that?¡± Lin Feng¡¯s smile vanished. Why was he in the crossfire now? Qi Shenbai frowned slightly, as if he was seriously considering it. ¡°Do you mean it?¡± Lin Feng was speechless. Xu Zhengyang smiled. ¡°1 mean every word I say.¡± Qi Shenbai put down his wine glass, unbuttoned his shirt, and took off his tie. He stood up and said to Lin Feng, ¡°Do you want to do it here or outdoors?¡± He could use a workout, or he probably would not be able to sleep well tonight. Lin Feng gulped. ¡°Must 1 choose?¡± Qi Shenbai did not answer. He glanced at him indifferently, as if asking him silently, ¡°What do you think?¡± Lin Feng took a deep breath and resigned himself to his fate. ¡°1¡¯11 make myself clear first ¡ª You can¡¯t touch my face. I don¡¯t want to be on the news tomorrow and be nagged at by my old man.¡± Xu Zhengyang sat leisurely in the living room, enjoying the wine. From time to time, he would hear painful groans coming from outside. His killing intent subsided significantly. As expected, his happiness was built on the pain of others. Xu Jiaojiao went upstairs and changed into ordinary pajamas. After thinking for a long time in her room, she finally resigned herself to fate and went downstairs. It was rare for her brother and Qi Shenbai¡¯s friend to come over. If she kept hiding in the room and did not go down, it would be too rude. Xu Jiaojiao went downstairs. When she reached the living room, she did not see Qi Shenbai and the other man. She only saw Xu Zhengyang, so she slowly walked over and tentatively said, ¡°Brother¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang looked up at her pitiful little face and did not mention what happened just now. He just waved at her and said, ¡°Why are you standing there like a fool? Come and sit with me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Jiaojiao noticed that he was not as angry as before, so she walked over and sat down beside him. Xu Zhengyang turned to look at her. ¡°I heard that you caught a cold. How are you feeling now?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve recovered a long time ago. It was just a small cold, nothing serious,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied with a smile. ¡°You seem to have lost weight. Did that Qi bastard not even feed you?¡± Xu Zhengyang had guessed that she would answer this way, so he did not ask further. He reached out and pinched the tip of her small nose. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Xu Jiaojiao touched her face. ¡°1 thought 1 gained three pounds. When I had a cold, he forced me to eat every day. He would rather me eat eight meals a day if I could. I felt like a balloon being blown up.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look like you gained weight at all. In fact, you¡¯ll look good even if you are a little fatter!¡± Xu Zhengyang took a sip of the strong liquor and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to lose weight, understand? If you don¡¯t eat properly, 1¡¯11 tie you up and lock you up at home. I¡¯ll have Sis Zhang watch you eat every day, and you won¡¯t be allowed to leave the table until you eat half a pound of food. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Xu Jiaojiao knew that he was joking, but she still nodded obediently. ¡°I definitely won¡¯t lose weight without my Imperial Brother¡¯s approval. Are you satisfied now?¡± ¡°More or less,¡± Xu Zhengyang answered reluctantly. Xu Jiaojiao smiled and looked around, but she did not see anyone else. ¡°Where¡¯s that person from just now? Who is he?¡± ¡°You just want to ask me where Qi Shenbai went!¡± Xu Zhengyang immediately saw through her little tricks. Xu Jiaojiao pouted. ¡°Brother!¡± Before she could finish her sentence, footsteps came from the door. Xu Jiaojiao immediately turned around and saw Qi Shenbai walking in wearing a thin black shirt. ¡°Why are you going out so late at night? You¡¯re wearing so little, too. What if you catch a cold?¡± Xu Jiaojiao stood up to welcome him, her face full of worry. ¡°I went out to exercise, so I don¡¯t feel cold,¡± Qi Shenbai replied. Afraid that she would not believe him, he even pressed the surface of his hand against her cheek. The temperature of his fingertips was much hotter than her cheeks. ¡°Ahem¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang glanced at them from the corner of his eye, his eyes filled with warning. Qi Shenbai retracted his hand naturally. Behind him, the other man gritted his teeth. ¡°Xu Zhengyang, you useless dog.. Hurry and help me up!¡± Chapter 113 - Chapter 113: Shes the Only One for Me Chapter 113: She¡¯s the Only One for Me Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao subconsciously turned around to look. The man who walked in had one hand on the doorframe and the other on his waist. His face was filled with pain. Faced with Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s curious and innocent gaze, Lin Feng put down his hand and leaned against the door, revealing a harmless smile. ¡°Xu Loli, could you help me?¡± Xu Loli? Was that his nickname for her? Xu Jiaojiao hesitated, not knowing if she should help him. Suddenly, a large hand stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t bother with him. He¡¯s fine.¡± Lin Feng¡¯s face twitched. Fine? In what world was he fine?!! Xu Zhengyang slowly walked over with a wine glass in his hand and said sarcastically, ¡°Well, well. Young Master Lin can still breathe!¡± Lin Feng coldly glanced at him. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Xu Zhengyang, I¡¯ll get back at you for this sooner or later.¡± ¡°Bring it on.¡± Lin Feng shifted his gaze from Xu Zhengyang to Qi Shenbai and then to Xu Jiaojiao. He fell silent. Fine, he was never going to get his revenge. Xu Jiaojiao looked at the three of them with her big black eyes. These three really got along, huh? Otherwise, they would not have been able to fight so brazenly. Besides, this new guy was quite funny. Qi Shenbai knew that she was curious. His thin lips parted slightly as he explained simply, ¡°This is Lin Feng, a friend of your brother and me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at Lin Feng. ¡°Hello, my name is Xu Jiaojiao. I¡¯m his younger sister.¡± She pointed at Xu Zhengyang. ¡°1 know.¡± A playful smile appeared on Lin Feng¡¯s face as he said meaningfully, ¡°You¡¯re Qi Shenbai¡¯s little wife, right? The one who caused my bar to be reported for hosting underage girls on its opening day.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± The smile on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face instantly froze. So, he was Qi Shenbai¡¯s friend who ran that bar! Oh my god, just when she thought today could not get any more awkward¡­ Xu Jiaojiao said embarrassedly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, 1 didn¡¯t mean to trouble you.¡± Lin Feng waved his hand generously. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. In any case, someone will pay for the losses.¡± After saying that, he even glanced at Qi Shenbai. Xu Jiaojiao was so embarrassed that she did not dare to look at him. She stared at her toes and naturally did not notice Lin Feng¡¯s teasing gaze. She thought that her brother was making it up to him on her behalf. Glancing at the time on her phone, she found an excuse to slip away. ¡°You guys chat first. I¡¯ll go to the kitchen.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s deep gaze followed her back. He did not try to hide the tenderness in his eyes at all. Lin Feng sucked in a breath of cold air. ¡°Ugh, I smell jealousy in the air!¡± Xu Zhengyang laughed at him. ¡°If you¡¯re single, you shouldn¡¯t stay too long. Jealousy is toxic!¡± Lin Feng laughed instead of getting angry. ¡°As if you have a girlfriend.¡± ¡°I can get one whenever I want!¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s smile was very annoying. ¡°Can you? Oh, right¡­ You just angered your lover of more than ten years, and she ran away. Of course, you don¡¯t have anyone anymore.¡± Lin Feng gritted his teeth, swearing inwardly, ¡®I will never forgive you for my entire life!¡¯ Qi Shenbai lowered his eyes, impatience flashing across his eyes. ¡°Are you guys going to stay at my house forever?¡± These two were clearly getting in his way. Lin Feng snorted lightly. ¡°What happened to bros over hoes? What a waste of my goodwill! Goodbye!¡± After taking two steps, though, he thought of something and turned to look at Qi Shenbai. The smile on his face disappeared and was replaced by a serious expression. ¡°Don¡¯t blame yourself for everything. That incident was not your fault. You¡¯ve imprisoned yourself in the past for so long. It¡¯s time for you to move on.¡± He glanced past the kitchen. Perhaps that young lady could really bring sunshine to his world and chase away the shadows of his past. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll be happy every day from now on, Old Qi.¡± Qi Shenbai lowered his gaze. The look in his eyes was hidden by his thick eyelashes. He did not say anything. After Lin Feng left, Xu Zhengyang cast him a sidelong glance. ¡°Want to go upstairs for a drink?¡± He swirled the glass in his hand. Qi Shenbai hesitated for a moment. After glancing at the kitchen for a few seconds, he slowly nodded. On the second floor was a small enclosed balcony with a round glass tea table and two gray chairs. The two men sat facing each other, looking up into the cold night. Xu Zhengyang took a sip of the strong wine and licked the cold liquid on his lips. He took a deep breath and, for once, did not smile cheekily. Instead, he had a serious expression on his face. ¡°Qi Shenbai, are you serious about Jiaojiao?¡± Qi Shenbai glanced sideways at him and replied without hesitation, ¡°She¡¯s the only one for me.¡± Those six simple words were as heavy as iron.. Chapter 114 - Chapter 114: She Didnt Do Anything Wrong Chapter 114: She Didn¡¯t Do Anything Wrong Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Zhengyang smiled and asked softly, ¡°Everyone says that I have a sister complex. I¡¯m very nice to her, so nice that people wonder if 1 have ulterior motives. Do you know why?¡± Qi Shenbai did not say anything and quietly waited for Xu Zhengyang to continue. Xu Zhengyang¡¯s feelings for Xu Jiaojiao had indeed surpassed that of an ordinary sibling relationship. He helped and supported her in every aspect of their lives. He loved her more than an ordinary brother would, but Qi Shenbai did not suspect his motives. He saw how well Xu Zhengyang treated Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Zhengyang sighed softly. He lit a cigarette and put it in his mouth. The white smoke spun in the air and disappeared. He looked at the disappearing smoke in the air and slowly said, ¡°Not long after Jiaojiao was born, she was brought to the countryside and handed over to our grandmother to raise. I was the only child at home, so 1 was doted on. My family gave me all their love, and I naturally accepted it. ¡°Even when my father told me later that I had a younger sister, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. ¡°When I was a kid, they brought me to our hometown to meet my sister. She was so small and hid behind the adults. Her small eyes were filled with fear as she looked at me. At that time, I felt bored. Girls are so delicate, you know? I¡¯d rather have a little brother 1 can order around.¡± Xu Zhengyang shook the ashes off his cigarette and laughed at himself. ¡°A few years passed after that, and that girl grew up. She chased after me and called me ¡®Big Brother!¡¯ in her childish voice. I was a boy, so how could I play with a little girl? I couldn¡¯t accept her and chased her away every time. To make things worse, my parents seemed to always feel guilty toward her, and they sided with her in everything. As a result, they scolded me a lot. Gradually, I grew to dislike her. I even¡­ hated her. ¡°She didn¡¯t even do anything. She definitely did nothing wrong. She just wanted her brother to play with her¡­¡± Qi Shenbai did not speak for a long time, and his brows gradually furrowed. ¡°Later on, she grew up. It was about time she returned to the city to study. However, every time I thought about how there would be a shadow following me from now on, how troublesome it would be, and how my parents would scold me¡­ 1 threw a tantrum, refusing to let her come back. In the end, I succeeded in making Jiaojiao stay in that tiny hometown.¡± Qi Shenbai could not help but say, ¡°You really are a bastard.¡± He could almost imagine how sad Xu Jiaojiao would be when she could not return home. She was rejected by her beloved older brother, too, as if the people closest to her were all avoiding her. Surprisingly, Xu Zhengyang did not retort to the insult. He took a sip of wine and continued, ¡°When we couldn¡¯t bring Jiaojiao back, our parents were depressed for a few days. Perhaps they felt guilty, so they decided to bring her to the city to play for a while. It was just a couple of days, but she was ecstatic. She even specially changed into a few new clothes, as if she was celebrating the new year. ¡°Every morning, she would knock on my door punctually just to say good morning to me. But I got angry when she woke me up, so 1 told her to get lost. She didn¡¯t say anything. She just left. During that period of time, Dad and Mom took her out almost every day to buy new clothes, new shoes, and eat delicious food. Can you imagine? Those ordinary things were enough to send her over the moon, that little fool. ¡°In order to avoid her, I invited my friends to go gaming and stayed out ail night. But she found me anyway and called me her brother in front of my mates. 1 couldn¡¯t stand it and yelled at her not to call me her brother. ¡°That time, she didn¡¯t cry. She just stood there for a long time. In the end, she simply apologized and left. After that day, 1 deliberately didn¡¯t go home for a long time, thinking that my parents would be furious with me. But nothing happened when I went home. Except¡­ she¡¯d disappeared. After asking my father, I found out that she had already left.¡± The veins on Qi Shenbai¡¯s hand that was holding the red wine glass bulged. He narrowed his eyes and suppressed his anger. If it were not for the fact that Xu Zhengyang was Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s older brother, he would have already punched him. However, after thinking about it, Qi Shenbai laughed self-deprecatingly. Compared to Xu Zhengyang, he was not much better. After that, Xu Zhengyang did not speak for a long time. His amber eyes were filled with self-blame and sadness. He tried to compose himself several times, but he failed. ¡°What happened after that?¡± Qi Shenbai couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°After that¡­ After that, she really didn¡¯t call me Brother anymore. Even when I took the initiative to look for her, she would avoid me or lower her head and evade my gaze. I never heard her call me her brother again..¡± Chapter 115 - Chapter 115: Severely Depressed Chapter 115: Severely Depressed Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°After a while, our grandmother insisted that Jiaojiao come back home to study. She said that Jiao jiao liked to draw. Perhaps I felt guilty, or perhaps I had already passed my rebellious stage, so 1 didn¡¯t stop her this time. ¡°She returned to the city, but she didn¡¯t want to stay at home. She stayed at school and didn¡¯t come back even during the weekend. Even when Mom and Dad brought her back during the holidays, she hid in her room after dinner and didn¡¯t want to come out again. ¡°She was quiet, as if she could only nod and shake her head like a robot. At that time, 1 only felt that it was strange. I wondered if she did it on purpose. Perhaps she was establishing a new persona for herself so that everyone would accept her better? After all, although she lived in the countryside all these years, it wasn¡¯t like she was starved or anything¡­¡± Qi Shenbai pursed his lips tightly. His heart felt as if it had been cut open by a knife. It hurt so much. At this moment, he wanted to just pull Xu Jiaojiao into his arms and comfort her, breaking her free from her painful past. Xu Zhengyang took a deep breath. His eyes were already wet, and he did not know what to say. He opened his mouth several times, but no sound came out. After more than ten seconds, he finally spoke again, ¡°That night, my father received a call from the dormitory warden at school. She told us that¡­ Jiaojiao had attempted suicide by taking an entire bottle of sleeping pills. When she was found unconscious, the warden immediately called emergency services and sent her to the hospital to get her stomach pumped. ¡°Fortunately, they found her in time and Jiaojiao was saved. However, the hospital gave us a diagnosis. It turned out that Jiaojiao was already severely depressed. She had received those sleeping pills from previous prescriptions, but instead of eating them, she had saved up a whole bottle bit by bit. Then she took them all at once¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s voice trembled as he spoke. Hot tears fell from the corners of his eyes. ¡°After she woke up, she didn¡¯t want to tell us anything. She was numb, like stone. Dad and Mom quickly hired the best psychiatrist for her, but her heart was completely sealed off, and the effect was minimal. She didn¡¯t even want to take antidepressants. Later, the psychiatrist sought me out specifically and said that my words back then had caused her a lot of psychological damage. Moreover, in school¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang did not want to continue speaking. He was not willing to expose his sister¡¯s scars in front of others. ¡°There was nothing we could do. We just watched her eat and sleep every day. She was like a machine. She didn¡¯t even have the most basic emotions as a human. Even if we wanted to help her, we were helpless. She resisted us with her entire being¡­ ¡°Until that rainy night, when she ran back to us crying. She was drenched. She just held our hands tightly and told us that she wanted to live. She didn¡¯t want to die.¡± Qi Shenbai could already roughly guess what happened after that. After Xu Jiaojiao finally regained her will to live, her treatment quickly showed results. With her family¡¯s love and support, she finally recovered from her depression and became the sunny little girl she was now. He had never thought that the little girl with that sweet smile had once swallowed an entire bottle of sleeping pills when she was alone that night. He could not imagine her running home one rainy night, wailing to her family that she wanted to live. So that was what she meant when she casually mentioned her previous ¡°sickness¡±. She had healed the people around her, but no one had been able to heal her during those countless cold nights. Qi Shenbai¡¯s breathing became heavy, and his heart throbbed in pain. Xu Zhengyang heaved a sigh of relief and continued, ¡°After that, she slowly recovered. After 1 found out how badly 1 had hurt her, I blamed myself. I swore that I would never hurt her again. I wanted to be the best brother in the world. No one could hurt her anymore. I wanted to treat her better than anyone in the world, better than any other man. That way, she would never leave me again.¡± Xu Zhengyang muttered. Even though the cigarette butt had burned out and his fingers were scalded, he did not feel anything. At this moment, he was no longer as arrogant as before. He had thrown away all his pride. ¡°Qi Shenbai, now you know that I¡¯m not a good brother. I hurt Jiaojiao irrevocably. Now that I¡¯ve seen how happy Jiaojiao is with you, I¡¯m relieved. 1 only have one request ¡ª Make sure she¡¯s happy forever, okay?¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s voice was extremely low, almost pleading. Qi Shenbai finished the wine in his glass in one go. Then he grabbed Xu Zhengyang¡¯s collar and punched him in the face. His gaze was as dark as ink, and he was furious. For once, he actually swore.. ¡°I don¡¯t need you to f*cking tell me that!¡± Chapter 116 - Chapter 116: No Need to Thank Me Chapter 116: No Need to Thank Me Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Zhengyang leaned back in his seat. His cheek was already red and swollen, and the taste of blood lingered in his mouth. Instead of getting angry at Qi Shenbai¡¯s curses, he smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± This was the first time he had seen Qi Shenbai expressing his negative emotions. Now, the man finally felt like a mortal with flesh and blood. And it was still for his younger sister, Xu Jiaojiao. Qi Shenbai straightened his tie and sat back in his seat indifferently. ¡°No need to thank me.¡± Xu Zhengyang drank another mouthful of baijiu, and the taste of blood in his mouth faded a little. Before he got up and left, he hesitated for a moment before patting Qi Shenbai¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Happy birthday.¡± Xu Jiaojiao had just come out, but she did not see anyone. When she went upstairs, she saw Qi Shenbai sitting on a chair, looking at the night sky with a lonely expression. No one knew what he was thinking. It was rare for her to see Qi Shenbai in such a situation. Puzzled, Xu Jiaojiao quickly walked over and asked softly, ¡°Why are you here alone? Where¡¯s my brother?¡± Qi Shenbai raised his head and looked at her quietly. He was not in a hurry to speak. It was as if he was taking her in carefully. His bright eyes carried a different meaning. Xu Jiaojiao was a little confused. Before she could ask anything, Qi Shenbai stretched out his hand and suddenly pulled her to him. ¡°Eep!¡± Xu Jiaojiao fell onto Qi Shenbai¡¯s lap and felt the warmth of his body. Just as she raised her head, Xu Jiaojiao felt a warm touch on her lips. Qi Shenbai kissed her. Xu Jiaojiao froze on the spot as he held her chin. Then, her feelings welled up inside her. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face was extremely red, but she did not feel uncomfortable. Instead, she was very happy. In the silent night, Xu Jiaojiao leaned against Qi Shenbai¡¯s chest and grabbed his collar. He seemed to have endless magic that attracted her like a magnet. Her entire body became weak as she gently leaned against his chest. Qi Shenbai panted softly. His voice was already a little hoarse as he said, ¡°I¡¯m so glad¡± ¡®I¡¯m so glad you survived. I¡¯m so glad we could meet.¡¯ Qi Shenbai gently hugged Xu Jiaojiao, as if he wanted to press her into his body. Xu Jiaojiao blushed and asked softly, ¡°What happened to you?¡± Judging from his various behaviors, Qi Shenbai seemed to be hiding something. He was different from before. ¡°Nothing happened,¡± Qi Shenbai replied. ¡°I just changed my mind. I don¡¯t want to wait any longer.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was puzzled. She raised her head and looked at him in confusion. Qi Shenbai¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he said in a low voice, ¡°Jiaojiao, you don¡¯t have to chase me anymore.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s expression froze. Just as she was feeling stunned, the man spoke again. ¡°We already got together that night, after you got drunk.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes widened. Perhaps it was due to her excitement, but she stuttered as she spoke, ¡°R-Really? But 1 don¡¯t¡­¡± Qi Shenbai reached out and gently rubbed the back of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? Why don¡¯t 1 help you recall it now?¡± ¡°You asked me, ¡®Qi Shenbai, do you have a woman you like?¡¯ ¡°I said, ¡®I¡¯m a hard man to win over. What if you fail?¡¯ ¡°You said, ¡®You don¡¯t have anyone you like. Besides, you took my first kiss. Can you try to let me pursue you? What if¡­ you fall in love with me too?¡¯ ¡°I asked, ¡®Xu Jiaojiao, do you want my first kiss?¡¯ ¡°You said, ¡®Does this mean¡­ I have permission to pursue you?¡¯ ¡°I said, ¡®You don¡¯t have to pursue me.¡¯ ¡°I like you too.¡± Qi Shenbai recited the lines one by one. With every sentence, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face turned redder and redder until her blush almost reached her neck. Her blurry memories gradually became clearer, and a sense of shame and frustration surged in her heart. She was ashamed of her embarrassing display, and she was vexed that she had forgotten such an important conversation. Xu Jiaojiao slowly raised her head and observed Qi Shenbai¡¯s reaction when he was not paying attention. His expression was calm and composed, and there was a gentle smile in his eyes. Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips tightly and asked, ¡°You little¡­ You said yes, then you still said you¡¯d wait for me to pursue you! You¡¯re totally teasing me¡­ Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be angry here. How could you forget something so important? And now you¡¯re pointing fingers at me instead?¡± Qi Shenbai chuckled. ¡°Uhh¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao paused. She had nothing to say to that, so she quickly changed the topic. ¡°Then tell me, why are you suddenly telling me all that today?¡± ¡°Like 1 said, 1 changed my mind. 1 don¡¯t want to wait any longer.¡± After hearing what Xu Zhengyang had said, he did not want to waste another second. He just wanted to gently pull her into his arms. He did not want to hide it from her anymore.. Chapter 117 - Chapter 117: Be With Me Chapter 117: Be With Me Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation He wanted to be with her forever and ever, to tell her how important she was to him. Xu Jiaojiao was confused. Qi Shenbai did not explain further. He gently tucked Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hair behind her ear. ¡°Be with me, Jiaojiao.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at him. Their burning gazes intertwined in the air, inches away from each other. Just looking at those gentle eyes was enough to make her sink into his love. The moment she fell into this sweet trap, she instantly lost all resistance. She could only whisper one word. ¡°Okay.¡± The corners of Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled up. He bent down to kiss her again. However, Xu Jiaojiao suddenly raised her hand to block his lips. ¡°No.¡± Qi Shenbai frowned slightly. Before he could ask why, Xu Jiaojiao quickly explained, ¡°It¡¯s almost midnight. If you don¡¯t eat the longevity noodles now, it¡¯ll be too late.¡± In order to fit the mood, Xu Jiaojiao deliberately did not turn on the lights. She even took out a candle that she had prepared beforehand and lit it. It was the only source of light in the living room. After that, Xu Jiaojiao took out a bowl of longevity noodles from the kitchen. It was a bowl of clear soup noodles. There was some oil on the surface and a handful of green onions sprinkled on top. These days, everyone thought that it could only be considered a birthday party if they ate cake and blew out candles. However, Qi Shenbai preferred longevity noodles over those cartoonish cream cakes. After all, the noodles warmed his stomach and heart. Most importantly, she was here with him. Xu Jiaojiao sat beside him with her chin resting on her hands. Her eyes were bright as she looked at him quietly. Qi Shenbai looked at her. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied softly, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me looking at my boyfriend? I mean, he¡¯s so good-looking.¡± Qi Shenbai was stunned for a moment before he smiled. ¡°Silly little lover girl.¡± ¡°Just so you know, 1 like you for more than just your looks!¡± ¡°What else do you like me for?¡± Xu Jiaojiao seemed to be stumped by his question. After thinking for a while, she finally shook her head and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I like you, and that¡¯s all there is to it. I like being with you. I like spending every day with you.¡± Her words were straightforward, but Qi Shenbai was very moved. Her affection was so simple and straightforward. She did not need a reason to like someone. She just did. He was so lucky to have such a girl like her. Xu Jiaojiao looked up at the clock on the wall. It was almost time! She quickly sat up straight and said seriously, ¡°Qi Shenbai, happy birthday.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao paused for a moment. She did not bring anything else, so she could not help but explain, ¡°1 only found out too late at night¡­ I didn¡¯t know it was your birthday today, so I didn¡¯t prepare any gifts for you. Don¡¯t worry, 1 won¡¯t forget your birthday next year.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was very serious. Instead of making up for the missed opportunity, it would be better for the two of them to look forward to next year¡¯s birthday together. Qi Shenbai put down his chopsticks and looked at her gently. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. ¡°I¡¯ve already received your gift.¡± Xu Jiaojiao recalled the dance from earlier that night and felt a little embarrassed. ¡°That dance was just to make you happy. It was embarrassing, wasn¡¯t it? Why don¡¯t you forget about it and pretend that it never happened? I¡­¡± ¡°I loved it very much.¡± Qi Shenbai interrupted her before she could finish. ¡°You did very well. You sang very well. 1 love everything about it.¡± Qi Shenbai was not stingy with his praise at all. He gave her his heartfelt approval. Xu Jiaojiao lowered her head at his praise. Feeling a little embarrassed, she pursed her lips and smiled. ¡°Thank you. I hope you¡¯ll always be this happy.¡± ¡°We both will.¡± Qi Shenbai added, ¡°I enjoyed your dance was very good, but don¡¯t do it again.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s lips twitched as she stood rooted to the ground. He did not like it at all, did he? Waah¡­ Qi Shenbai got up, picked up the bowl, and went to the kitchen to wash it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Xu Jiaojiao lying on the sofa with a sad expression. Qi Shenbai smiled gently and leaned over to whisper into her ear, ¡°You were too illegally cute when you danced like that. Your boyfriend can¡¯t hold himself back anymore.¡± As the warm breath blew into her ear, Xu Jiaojiao felt her entire body go numb. She covered her head in embarrassment. The next day, both of them went downstairs at the same time. Xu Jiaojiao was wearing a white sweater and a coffee-colored dress. Qi Shenbai frowned slightly. ¡°Why are you wearing so little? Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Qi Shenbai stared at her dress for the entire morning. In the end, he suggested that Xu Jiaojiao change into a pair of pants. Initially, he did not want to interfere too much with her, but the weather today was really too cold. It was about to drop to zero degrees Celsius. Wouldn¡¯t her legs freeze if she wore a dress? ¡°There¡¯s no need to change it,¡± Xu Jiaojiao muttered softly, ¡°Is it ugly?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it looks good or not. Keeping warm is more important. You shouldn¡¯t catch a cold.¡± Xu Jiaojiao wanted to defend herself, ¡°But I¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯re running out of time. Change into your pants.¡± After he finished speaking, Qi Shenbai did not give Xu Jiaojiao a chance to speak and pushed her upstairs.. Chapter 118 - Chapter 118: First Day as an Official Couple Chapter 118: First Day as an Official Couple Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao had no choice but to obey. Waaah, it was only their first day as an official couple and her boyfriend was already controlling what she wore! After that, Qi Shenbai personally sent Xu Jiaojiao to school. Xu Jiaojiao, on the other hand, had a long face along the way, looking a little unhappy. Qi Shenbai smiled and did not say anything. He just gently pinched her little fingers. Xu Jiaojiao pouted and retracted her hand. She would not even let him play with her fingers. ¡°Are you angry?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t even let me wear a dress today. How else were you going to control me in the future?¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned her head away. ¡°We¡¯ve only just started dating, and I¡ª¡± Xu Jiaojiao stopped talking. Qi Shen placed his large, warm palm on the back of her head and gently turned her head around. Then, he explained patiently, ¡°It¡¯s cold today. You just caught a cold not long ago. You have to keep warm.¡± Xu Jiaojiao lowered her head. Although what Qi Shenbai said made sense, she still pouted. Every girl wanted to go out in beautiful clothes. Besides, today was her first day as Qi Shenbai¡¯s bona fide girlfriend. Seeing that Xu Jiaojiao was still unhappy, Qi Shenbai coaxed her softly, ¡°Just humor me for a few days, okay? When the weather warms up later, I won¡¯t care even if you run around in a onesie.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Xu Jiaojiao glared at him then laughed. She could not stay angry with him at all. ¡°You look so pretty when you smile. Laugh for me more, would you?¡± ¡°If I laugh for no reason, people will think I¡¯ve gone mad.¡± Xu Jiaojiao complained, but she still beamed at him. The car stopped steadily by the roadside of the school. Qi Shenbai did not send her through the school gate. Instead, he sat in the back seat and silently watched her slender back until she disappeared from his sight. ¡°Mr. Qi, shall we head to the office?¡± Pei Yan, who had witnessed his boss¡¯ entire lovey-dovey morning from the driver¡¯s seat, finally came back to his senses. Not too long ago, this man swore he did not like little girls. Tsk, men could never be trusted¡­ Qi Shenbai nodded lightly. Just as the car was about to start, he suddenly said, ¡°Contact the principal of Luo City University. Tell him we want to donate new air conditioners to the school.¡± The school was simple with no frills. They saved wherever they could, so there was no air conditioning in the classrooms to this day. Pei Yan was stunned for a moment before he reacted and hurriedly nodded. ¡°Got it, boss.¡± Xu Jiaojiao had just walked to the classroom door, carrying her painting materials on her back, when she saw the man waiting at the door. The smile on her face instantly faded. Lu Zhuo was wearing a black windbreaker today. His handsome features were gloomy, and he looked very unhappy. His appearance was quite eye-catching. Even though he looked down at the moment, the students passing by could not help but give him a second glance. The first thing he noticed was the change in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s expression. The weather was so cold, but the smile on her face was bright and moving. However, the moment she saw him, her joyful look disappeared and her face tensed up. He could not describe how he felt about that. Did she hate him that much now? ¡°Are you looking for me?¡± Xu Jiao jiao walked up to him and asked in a low voice. ¡°Let¡¯s go out for a cup of coffee. 1 have something to tell you.¡± Lu Zhuo did not want to be stared at by all these passersby. Xu Jiaojiao glanced at her phone. There were still more than 40 minutes before class started. The nearest cafe was at the back gate of the school, so there should be enough time to go back and forth. ¡°I¡¯ll put my things down first.¡± She placed her painting materials on the seat before walking to the back gate with Lu Zhuo. Because it was too early, the cafe had just opened and the waiters were still cleaning up. The two of them were the only customers. Lu Zhuo chose a seat in the corner and ordered a latte. He then asked Xu Jiaojiao, ¡°What would you like to drink? Iced Americano?¡± ¡°No need, I don¡¯t like coffee,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied. Lu Zhuo was taken aback. ¡°Really? But 1 remember¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao cut him off mid-sentence. ¡°That¡¯s because you liked it, so I played along with you. If you paid a bit more attention, you¡¯d have noticed that 1 barely touched my coffee every time.¡± ¡®You just never cared.¡¯ Lu Zhuo¡¯s face turned red then white. True, he had never paid attention to her preferences. ¡°Just give me a glass of lemonade, please.¡± Xu Jiaojiao politely ordered. After the waiter left, she looked at Lu Zhuo. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time. If you have anything to say, just get on with it.¡± Lu Zhuo was not stupid. He could tell that she really wanted nothing to do with him anymore. His heart sank and he could not help but feel dejected. ¡°Huanhuan told me what happened in the historical town.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at him indifferently and quietly waited for him to continue.. Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Do You Think Youre Oh So Amazing? Chapter 119: Do You Think You¡¯re Oh So Amazing? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Um¡­¡± Lu Zhuo struggled to say the words. ¡°Did you ask him to sue Huanhuan?¡± Him? Xu Jiaojiao was slightly taken aback, but she quickly realized that he was referring to Qi Shenbai. Was Qi Shenbai really going to sue Lu Huan? Ever since she came back from that town, she had been sick and staying at home. She had almost forgotten about that matter. She did not expect that the way he dealt with it was to sue Lu Huan in court. Qi Shenbai had done all this for her. She had no reason to push the blame on him, so she nodded. When she did not deny it, Lu Zhuo¡¯s expression instantly turned nasty. ¡°Huanhuan is still so young. If you really sue her in court, have you thought of the consequences for her? How can she find a job in the future? How can she date anyone? The students in school will look down on her. Do you have to be so vicious?!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao admitted that she had a soft side most of the time and did not like to get into conflicts with others. However, she was not so soft that she would take his accusations lying down. He did not seek her out today to apologize and seek forgiveness for his sister, but to accuse her of being too cruel! Xu Jiaojiao admitted that she had been really blind in the past. She did not realize that he was so shameless. ¡°Lu Zhuo, in the past, I just thought that you didn¡¯t like me that much. Now, it seems like you can¡¯t even tell right from wrong.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes darkened and her tone was cold and distant. ¡°You¡¯re accusing me of being vicious and not giving Lu Huan any leeway? What about her? When she framed me, did she think of giving me any mercy? If her plan had really succeeded at that time, my reputation and the teacher¡¯s reputation have been damaged, and I wouldn¡¯t even have had the chance to further my studies. My life would have been completely ruined!¡± Lu Zhuo was left speechless. After hesitating for a while, he defended himself. ¡°But you¡¯re fine now, right? Besides, even if you really were expelled, I wouldn¡¯t abandon you. Even if that man dumps you, you still have me. I can contact the school for you, or you can go overseas to further your studies. I¡¯ll help you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not thanks to your sister that I survived that crisis. 1 was just lucky!¡± The more Xu Jiaojiao listened to his explanation, the angrier she became. Her face was tense, and her voice was cold without the slightest bit of warmth. ¡°Also, what makes you think that he¡¯ll dump me if something happens to me? Do you think everyone in the world is a two-timing jerk like you? Do you think that you¡¯re oh so amazing for swooping in and ¡®saving¡¯ me after your sister set me up? Should I fall at your feet in tears and thank you for your help?¡± ¡°¡­¡± There was nothing Lu Zhuo could say to that. After all, that was exactly what he thought! Xu Jiaojiao was so angry that she laughed instead. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised that Lu Huan would do such a thing. Your entire family is so selfish to the extreme. You¡¯re always thinking about yourself and you feel like the whole world should lay itself down for you.¡± Of course, his grandmother was the only exception. Lu Zhuo¡¯s face was ashen. He could not be bothered to argue anymore, and he moved on to emotional blackmail instead. ¡°Can¡¯t you let Huanhuan off this time on account of all those years we spent together? She¡¯s still a child after all!¡± ¡°Those years are a stain on my life.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at him pitifully as if he were a penniless beggar. ¡°Lu Zhuo, you¡¯re nothing like a real man. You still refuse to admit your mistakes until now, and you don¡¯t even dare to apologize. You¡¯re such a coward.¡± Her words stabbed Lu Zhuo like knives. After a while, he said reluctantly, ¡°You¡¯ve changed. You used to be sensible and obedient. You were never so aggressive¡­ Forget it. As long as I apologize, will you let Huanhuan off? Alright, I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao suddenly understood what it meant to be ashamed of an ex. She was filled with regret and anger. When she remembered how she had once regarded such a man as her god, she felt ridiculous. ¡°Like you said, I¡¯ve changed.¡± She had mixed feelings, but she did not show it on her face. Instead, she said very calmly, ¡°I liked you in the past, so I could give in to you whenever you wanted. But that isn¡¯t who I am now.¡± She even felt disgusted when she saw him! He had completely destroyed those beautiful memories, turning her previous efforts and sincere feelings into a joke! Although Lu Zhuo had already guessed it, it was still difficult for him to accept it until she said it herself. His heart tightened as if it had been grabbed by an invisible hand. A heart-wrenching pain spread throughout his chest. Instead of being angry, he was more disappointed and sad.. Chapter 120 - Chapter 120: Really Can’t Refuse Chapter 120: Really Can¡¯t Refuse Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Her expression was perfectly calm when she said it, as if she was simply talking about what she had eaten in the morning. That was why Lu Zhuo knew in his heart that what Xu Jiaojiao said was true. ¡°Jiaojiao¡­¡± He frowned, wanting to say something. However, Xu Jiaojiao interrupted him. ¡°Lu Huan is already an adult. She has to take responsibility for what she did. If you¡¯ve said everything you want to say, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± She could not and would not be an all-forgiving saintess. Everything that Lu Huan had done was her own choice, and she deserved to pay the price for it. Lu Zhuo would not give up. ¡°Jiaojiao¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao stopped in her tracks and looked down at him, still sitting in the seat opposite hers. The anger on Lu Zhuo¡¯s face disappeared, replaced by a look of loneliness. The corners of his mouth twitched. ¡°The company hasn¡¯t been doing well recently. There was a project that we had worked on for a long time, but your brother won it in the end¡­¡± He paused for a moment and laughed self-deprecatingly. ¡°Now the project is gone, and Huanhuan might have to drop out of school¡­¡± His eyes were filled with fatigue. Xu Jiaojiao had an innocent expression on her face, as if she did not understand what he meant. In fact, she was a little happy. ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll have to call my brother to congratulate him.¡± There should be a commission if he managed to snag the project. She could go for a nice meal on his dime. Lu Zhuo bit his lip.¡±¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not specifically ask Qi Shenbai about what happened to Lu Huan. If he said that he would handle it, then she would leave it to him. Later on, she would cook a table full of sumptuous dishes as thanks. However, Xu Jiaojiao did not expect to receive a phone call that night. It was from her grandmother, and naturally, it was about Lu Huan. Her grandmother sounded helpless over the phone. ¡°Your Granny Lu called me. She said that their family wronged you. She said that Lu Huan lost her mind and did something to hurt you. She wanted to apologize to you on behalf of Lu Huan. Jiaojiao, our families are old friends. She asked me to¡­ 1 really can¡¯t refuse¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao suppressed the discomfort in her heart and obediently agreed, ¡°1 get it, Grandma. 1 won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± ¡°Jiaojiao, it¡¯s been hard on you.¡± The old lady sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not that serious, Grandmother.¡± Xu Jiaojiao knew that her grandmother did not like this either. Instead, she comforted the old lady. ¡°I just wanted to teach Lu Huan a lesson so that she wouldn¡¯t be so cruel in the future. I still care about the friendship between our families.¡± The old lady on the other end of the phone smiled in relief. ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯ve been such an obedient child since you were young.¡± ¡°Grandma, take care of yourself. Don¡¯t think about these things and go to bed early,¡± Xu Jiaojiao coaxed her. The two of them chatted for a while more before hanging up. Tian Fanghua took the phone and put it down. She handed her a hot towel to wipe her hands and could not help but say, ¡°Are we really going to let that girl off just like that? At the very least, we have to make her apologize to our Jiaojiao in person. Jiaojiao has suffered so much outside, but we never protected her. What if her condition relapses¡­?¡± Old Madam Xu raised her head and glanced at her. Tian Fanghua immediately shut her mouth, but she couldn¡¯t help but resent the old lady for her actions. ¡°Our families have been friends for generations. Ever since our family declined a few years ago, the Lu family has helped us a lot. Old Madam Lu called me personally today. She was sincere and apologized countless times. How was I supposed to reject her?¡± ¡°I understand. I just feel sorry for our girl. Why should we let other people bully our poor Jiaojiao¡­?¡± Tian Fanghua thought of the hardships her daughter had suffered before, and her eyes immediately turned red. Now, she had let her child suffer for the adults¡¯ friendship. She felt terrible, as though she had let her daughter down. ¡°You care about her, but so do 1.1 single-handedly raised Jiaojiao, after all.¡± The old lady sighed deeply. Jiaojiao had grown up by her side, so she cared about her more than anyone else. ¡°I¡¯ve promised Old Madam Lu today, and I made the call, just like she asked me to. However, it¡¯s not up to an old woman like me to decide how things will end.¡± Tian Fanghua was stunned. She did not understand what her mother-in-law meant. Old Madam Xu did not explain. ¡°It¡¯s late. You should rest early too.¡± Ever since Xu Jiaojiao hung up the phone, she had been sitting on the sofa in a daze. She did feel uncomfortable at first, but this feeling quickly passed. Now, she was just a little worried.. How should she approach Qi Shenbai about this? Chapter 121 - Chapter 121: Art is Art Chapter 121: Art is Art Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation He had been doing this to help her, but now she wanted him to stop. She felt like an ingrate. She originally wanted to draw, but she was no longer in the mood to continue. She slid down from the sofa to the carpet, hugged her knees, and curled up into a small ball. Her face was tense with distress. This was what Qi Shenbai saw when he returned home. His little girlfriend was unhappy. After changing into his slippers, he strode towards her. ¡°Are you still angry?¡± When Xu Jiaojiao heard his voice and saw that he had returned, her eyes were filled with surprise, followed by hesitation. She said carefully, ¡°I¡¯m not angry with you.¡± Qi Shenbai crouched down beside her, his gaze level with hers. ¡°Then what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Jiaojiao hesitated for a long time. She wanted to say something, but she did not know where to start. When Qi Shenbai saw that she was finding it difficult to speak and did not dare to look up at him, he could roughly guess what was going on. ¡°Is it about Lu Huan?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment before she subconsciously asked, ¡°How did you guess? Can you read my mind?¡± The corners of Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°It¡¯s pretty easy to guess, actually. Did Grandma or Old Madam Lu contact you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Grandma,¡± Xu Jiaojiao admitted obediently. She was so guilty that she did not dare to look him in the eye. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. You just wanted to help me, but Old Madam Lu called Grandma personally. Grandma couldn¡¯t refuse¡­¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s slender fingers scratched the tip of her nose. ¡°So you¡¯ve been depressed over such a small matter?¡± Xu Jiaojiao frowned slightly and said with a serious expression, ¡°This is no small matter. I¡¯m being so ungrateful!¡± ¡°It¡¯s perfectly understandable that Grandma feels troubled. No matter what decision you make, I won¡¯t be angry with you.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s warm palm patted the top of her head. He said every word solemnly. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your energy over such small problems from now on. If there¡¯s anything you need, you can tell me directly. I¡¯ll help you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart felt warm. She looked at him blankly. ¡°Seriously¡­ Why are you so good to me?¡± ¡°We¡¯re a couple, aren¡¯t we? Of course I¡¯d be good to you,¡± Qi Shenbai said calmly. His fingers slid down her fuzzy head to her cheek, and he lifted her chin to make her look at him. His deep voice reverberated slowly. ¡°All you have to do is focus on your art and do all the things that make you happy. Leave all the troublesome things to me, understand?¡± He liked to see her sunny smile. He wanted her to be carefree every second she was by his side. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyelashes trembled slightly, and her heart pounded like a drum. There were countless things she wanted to say, but she did not know where to start. She raised her slender arms and tried to hug his waist. Qi Shenbai looked down and remained still, allowing her to hug him. Xu Jiaojiao wrapped her arms around his waist and smelled his comforting scent. She could not help but mutter, ¡°Qi Shenbai, I¡¯m the happiest girl in the world when I¡¯m with you.¡± Qi Shenbai chuckled and kissed her long hair. ¡°Is that all it takes? Your bar is pretty low. No wonder your b*dtard ex could trick you so easily.¡± He sounded a little jealous at the end there. Xu Jiaojiao looked up at him with her clear eyes. ¡°Are you jealous?¡± Qi Shenbai curled his lips and said calmly, ¡°He¡¯s not worthy of my jealousy.¡± He was just a little unhappy. Xu Jiaojiao laughed. ¡°You¡¯re lying. You¡¯re totally jealous.¡± He did not want to argue with the little girl about such meaningless things. He picked her up by the waist and placed her on his lap, resting his chin on her little head. ¡°Concentrate on your art.¡± Xu Jiaojiao tilted her head slightly and looked up, but she could not see anything. He put his hands under her armpits and handed her the tablet and capacitor pen on the coffee table. ¡°Come on¡­ I can¡¯t draw like this.¡± Even if he was just watching from the side, she would feel embarrassed. What was with this position?! This time, she had accepted a commission online. The fee was very high, and accordingly, the expectations were pretty substantial. This work was much more difficult than the others. For one, the male and female leads had to be very scantily dressed. Only the most important bits were hidden from view. She had completed the line art long ago, and now it was time to color it in. Qi Shenbai did not say anything. Instead, he opened the lock screen for her, scaring Xu Jiaojiao so much that she immediately turned off the tablet and stuffed it into her arms. ¡°You¡¯ve been busy all day. You should go to bed early.¡± The more she did not want him to see it, and the more nervous she behaved, the more curious Qi Shenbai became about it. He could not help but tease her. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re drawing something strange?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Xu Jiaojiao retorted subconsciously, looking guilty. She gritted her teeth and pretended to be calm as she said, ¡°Art is art. Even if an illustration in a novel is a form of art.¡± The smile in Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°I never said that pornographic illustrations aren¡¯t art.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was stunned.. He had talked her into exposing her secret! Chapter 122 - Chapter 122: Good Omen Chapter 122: Good Omen Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Seeing Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s helpless expression, Qi Shenbai gently smiled and rubbed her head. ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t want to show me, then don¡¯t. I¡¯m going to take a shower now. Rest early.¡± Qi Shenbai got up and walked upstairs. After watching Qi Shenbai leave, Xu Jiao jiao picked up her phone and logged into Weibo. Weibo was very popular a few years back, so Xu Jiaojiao had created an account. However, she had not used it much in recent years. She only occasionally posted her paintings on it or left a few personal anecdotes. As time went by, though, she slowly gathered more fans on Weibo. Now, she had more than 150,000 followers. She was now a minor celebrity in the Weibo art world. A few publishing houses even asked to collaborate with her. Many people tried to commission her, but her schedule was just too full. Xu Jiaojiao typed out a paragraph and posted it. Queen Jiaojiao: [What should I do if I have a boyfriend who is smarter and more cunning than me? He keeps tripping me up!] Within a minute, there were nearly a hundred comments in the comments section. One of the fans commented, [Waah!! Jiaojiao, are you dating someone now?! My poor broken heart¡­] Xu Jiaojiao happened to be online, so she typed out a reply. [Yep, 1 am.] ¡°Noooo! Which man kidnapped you, my honey?! I¡¯m crying alone in my toilet now.] Xu Jiaojiao looked at the comments and smiled faintly. Her artstyle on Weibo was usually on the cuter side, so many of her fans liked to call her their wife. Xu Jiaojiao did not know how to reply right now, so she could only pretend that she did not see anything. She scrolled down the comments section. Many fans were congratulating her on her new relationship, and some helpful netizens were even giving her advice. [Jiaojiao, play sweet with him! No man can resist girls who flirt and act cute.] When Xu Jiaojiao read this comment, she fell into deep thought. Would that work with Qi Shenbai? Xu Jiaojiao could not help but imagine that scene. If she acted cute, Qi Shenbai would probably look at her coldly and ask, ¡°Are you possessed? Should I hire an exorcist?¡± [No, no, that won¡¯t work.] Xu Jiaojiao quickly rejected this tactic. She continued scrolling through the comments. Many people were discussing whether her boyfriend was handsome or not. The more she read, the wilder the comments became. Some people even asked her if her boyfriend was good in bed. There were also a few haters who accused her of showing off. A simple relationship status update had gotten way out of hand. It was as if they had never seen any men before. Xu Jiaojiao fell silent. Why were some people so desperate to drag others down? She began to reply to the comments one by one. [My boyfriend is very handsome. He can do it in any pose, and he can do it more than ten times a night. Sigh, it¡¯s a bit of a headache, actually.] After replying, Xu Jiaojiao swiftly went offline. Take that, trolls. By then, Qi Shenbai had come out of the bathroom and was sitting on the sofa as he made a call. On the other end of the phone was Pei Yan. He had just returned home from work and had not even sat down when he received a call from his boss. Needless to say, he would have to work overtime again. ¡°Drop the charges against Lu Huan,¡± Qi Shenbai said. Without waiting for Pei Yan¡¯s reply, Qi Shenbai continued, ¡°Let¡¯s settle this out of court. Make her apologize and pay for psychological damages. Let the lawyer decide the terms.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Pei Yan replied straightforwardly. He was a little surprised. Why would Qi Shenbai suddenly drop the charges? This was clearly not his style. Pei Yan had his doubts, but he did not ask further. How could he interfere with his boss¡¯s decisions? Qi Shenbai hung up. He had also been thinking about Lu Huan¡¯s case. Even if he won the lawsuit, he could not put her in jail for such a small matter. In the end, she would just have to pay some compensation. Therefore, he chose to go with the flow so that Old Madam Xu would not be in a difficult position. Time passed in the blink of an eye. Soon, it was the end of the semester. After Xu Jiaojiao finished her exams, she was officially on her winter break. In order to celebrate, she went for hotpot with Su Luo. After that, Su Luo and her parents went on a trip abroad. Xu Jiaojiao chose to focus on her drawing in Qingshui Villa. She had received several commissions a while ago, so she wanted to use the New Year to catch up. Before she knew it, snowflakes began to fall outside the window. Xu Jiaojiao glanced out of the window and her eyes lit up. She dropped the tablet in her hand and ran downstairs. She then pressed herself against the glass window and watched the snow fall. ¡°It¡¯s actually snowing! The last time it snowed in Luo City was five years ago, right?¡± When the butler saw Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s excited face, he was also happy. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a white winter. That¡¯s a good omen for the next year..¡± Chapter 123 - Chapter 123: Want to Build a Snowman Chapter 123: Want to Build a Snowman Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao nodded and looked out of the window. It was already dark. She turned to the butler and asked, ¡°Is Qi Shenbai not back yet?¡± It was already past nine o¡¯clock. ¡°Work gets busy at the company at the end of the year. He should be back soon, though,¡± the butler replied. ¡°Okay,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said softly. At the thought that Qi Shenbai would be back soon, her heart was filled with anticipation and uncontrollable joy. Half an hour later, the door was pushed open from the outside. Qi Shenbai walked in. There were a few snowflakes on his black coat and hair. When Xu Jiaojiao saw Qi Shenbai return, she happily ran over to welcome him. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± When Qi Shenbai heard Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice, his fatigue from the entire day was swept clean away. ¡°Why are you so excited?¡± ¡°It¡¯s snowing outside, and now you¡¯re back,¡± Xu Jiaojiao chirped. Qi Shenbai¡¯s heart was warmed to the brim, and the corners of his mouth curled up. She was so simple and straightforward that he could not resist at all. Xu Jiaojiao smiled gently and looked at the snow on his head. She stood on her tiptoes and prepared to brush it away. Qi Shenbai lowered his head cooperatively and allowed Xu Jiaojiao to brush the snow off his head. His gaze was as gentle as the warm sun in March. When he looked at her, his eyes were filled with tenderness. After he bent down, Xu Jiaojiao did not have to tiptoe to brush off the snow on his head. Xu Jiaojiao looked out of the window. It was snowing heavily now. ¡°If this goes on for the night, we can build a snowman tomorrow, right?¡± Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao gently and knew what she was thinking. He teased, ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about building a snowman? If the snow continues, the city¡¯s traffic and the sanitation workers will be busy.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted and wanted to retort, but what Qi Shenbai said was the truth. In the end, she could not say anything. Qi Shenbai¡¯s words were as¡­ irrefutable as ever. Seeing Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s little face scrunch up, Qi Shenbai reached out and pinched her face. ¡°Are you mad at me?¡± Not at all.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips and thought about it carefully. Qi Shenbai¡¯s words did make sense. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ve thought about it. Why don¡¯t 1 volunteer tomorrow to sweep the snow and come back tomorrow night to build a snowman?¡± Without waiting for Qi Shenbai¡¯s reply, Xu Jiaojiao jogged upstairs, preparing to sweep the snow tomorrow. Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s back as she left. He suddenly smiled and silently followed behind her. ¡°I have an annual party tomorrow. Do you want to come with?¡± ¡°Nah, I have something important to do tomorrow. I¡¯m very busy.¡± She had to volunteer first, then she would come back in the evening to build a snowman. Her schedule was full for the rest of the day. Qi Shenbai regretted his own words now. ¡°The annual party will be held at night. You have time.¡± ¡°Still, I¡¯m not going.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Was she really angry because of a joke? Xu Jiaojiao looked at Qi Shenbai and began to break down her thought process. ¡°I¡¯m not part of your company, and 1 don¡¯t know the employees there. 1 have no reason to be there.¡± Earlier, when she was with Lu Zhuo, she had accommodated him in every way, but he still took her for granted. Her experience with him taught her not to force herself to do things she did not want. Now, she would never do anything against her conscience just for her relationship. Besides¡­ For some reason, she did not want to hide her real feelings from Qi Shenbai. Qi Shenbai pondered for a moment and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, I didn¡¯t consider that. I just thought you would be interested because there will be a lucky draw this year.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes lit up. A lucky draw! What could the prize be? Qi Shenbai smiled as if he did not see the excitement in her eyes. ¡°If I remember correctly, the first prize is a half-month trip to the Maldives. There are also cash rewards, PCs, phones, and so on.¡± The rewards were so generous! Xu Jiaojiao was completely tempted. The iPad that she had bought all the way back then had too little memory, so it was quite inconvenient. She could get a new one to replace it! If she could win the lucky draw, then¡­ However, she had already turned Qi Shenbai down just now. If she went back on her word now, wouldn¡¯t it seem like she was greedy for free stuff? ¡°Your brother said that you¡¯re pretty lucky. 1 wanted to see if it was true,¡± Qi Shenbai said, giving Xu Jiao jiao a way out. Xu Jiaojiao nodded gently. ¡°Then I can go for a bit. ¡°But I still have to see if there¡¯s enough time. After all, I have to volunteer tomorrow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go with you tomorrow,¡± Qi Shenbai said. Xu Jiaojiao raised her eyes and looked at Qi Shenbai in surprise. ¡°You¡¯re going too?¡± ¡°Of course. My little girlfriend is going, after all.¡± Xu Jiaojiao blushed and quickly turned her head away. He was teasing her again! ¡°Good night.¡± With that, Xu Jiaojiao opened the door and went into her room.. Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Can I Take a Picture with You? Chapter 124: Can I Take a Picture with You? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The next day, the sky was still dark and there was a strong wind blowing. However, the streets outside were abnormally clean. There was not even water, let alone snow. The snowfall last night did not last long. All the snow had already melted before morning. Xu Jiaojiao stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. All the energy in her body was gone, and she was a little listless. She had gotten worked up for nothing last night. Her plan to build a snowman had¡­ failed. In the afternoon, Pei Yan came over with a few people. They even brought her some clothes, shoes, and accessories. Xu Jiaojiao watched as they hung up the clothes. She coughed lightly and looked at the man who was leisurely drinking coffee beside her. ¡°Isn¡¯t this¡­ a little too much?¡± They were bringing her an entire wardrobe, just like she used to see in dramas and novels! Qi Shenbai raised his head and met Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes. He said calmly, ¡°Do you want me to help you pick out a few pieces?¡± ¡°Thank you, but 1 can do it myself.¡± Xu Jiaojiao politely declined his suggestion. The designer smiled and introduced the gowns they had prepared today to her. ¡°The gowns you see are all the works of a famous local designer, Qingce. Her designs are perfect for Asians like us. Mrs. Qi, you¡¯re so beautiful, so no matter which one you choose, you can¡¯t go wrong.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. Lin Qingce was well-known. The independent brand she founded, Autumn Moon, was a favorite of female celebrities. She only knew of Qingce thanks to Luoluo. Luoluo loved that designer¡¯s works and whispered her name into Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s ear every day. The designer had chosen a dark purple, diamond-studded dress for her. The hem of the dress was lighter, so she would not feel tired even if she wore it for a long time. Her long black hair was styled simply, revealing her fair face, and her makeup was very light. The stylist had abandoned the slightly mature eyeliner and only decorated her eyes with a few strokes, making her eyes look even more round and cute. Qi Shenbai put down the magazine in his hand and turned to look at Xu Jiao jiao as she walked down the stairs. His breathing paused for a moment as he stared at her without blinking. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s high heels were only six centimeters tall, but she was still very careful when she came down. She had never worn such thin heels before, so she had to get used to it for a while. The hem of her skirt dragged along the stairs as she slowly walked down, like a fairy that had descended into the mortal world. The stylist was used to observing people¡¯s expressions. When she saw Qi Shenbai¡¯s gaze, she knew that she had made the right choice. ¡°Mrs. Qi¡¯s looks are quite sweet, so there¡¯s no need to deliberately dress her up in a mature and enchanting way. Just a little touching up will make her look beautiful, fresh, and refined.¡± Qi Shenbai did not reply. He nodded his head in satisfaction and asked Xu Jiaojiao, ¡°How is it? Do you like it?¡± His opinion was not important. What was important was whether Xu Jiao jiao liked it or not. Xu Jiaojiao lowered her head and smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s quite pretty. 1 like it very much.¡± Which girl would not want to look beautiful? At Lijing Hotel. Xu Jiaojiao did not want to attract too much attention, so she firmly refused to enter the venue with Qi Shenbai. Qi Shenbai did not insist and instructed Pei Yan to bring her in. However, Pei Yan had a lot of things to do today. This was the annual party. Many employees from the company were coming, and the company did not forbid office relationships. He had to seize the opportunity to find a match at tonight¡¯s gala. After checking everything in at the counter and getting the number tag for the lucky draw, Pei Yan called Tiantian over to accompany Xu Jiaojiao. Tiantian was wearing a light green tube top dress today. When she saw Xu Jiaojiao, she could not take her eyes off her and showered her with praise. ¡°Mrs. Qi, you don¡¯t look like an adult at all. You look like an exquisite doll in a gown. You¡¯re simply too cute!! Can I take a photo with you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was embarrassed by her praise. ¡°Sure, but just call me Jiaojiao from now on.¡± Tiantian immediately took out her phone and stood beside Xu Jiaojiao to take photos with her. She took more than ten photos from various angles. Xu Jiaojiao obediently cooperated with her without the slightest bit of impatience. After taking the photo, Tiantian realized that her job today was to take good care of Mrs. Qi. She immediately asked enthusiastically, ¡°Mrs. Qi, do you want to eat some fruits or cakes? 1¡¯11 go get them for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled embarrassedly. ¡°You should just call me Jiaojiao.¡± Every time she heard the words ¡®Mrs. Qi¡¯, she would feel very shy. Tiantian agreed readily and began to call her Jiaojiao. She then introduced the general flow of the annual party to her. First, there would be the speech from the higher-ups. After that, there would be performances from the staff of the various departments. Finally, it would be time for the lucky draw that everyone was looking forward to the most. After all, the prizes prepared by the company every year were very generous.. Chapter 125 - Chapter 125: Sister-in-law Chapter 125: Sister-in-law Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Despite being one of the top companies in the country, the Qi Group¡¯s annual party was relatively straightforward and down-to-earth. There were not many twists and turns, but the food was delicious and the leaders were very generous. Tiantian put her palms together under her chin and made a wish. ¡°Please, God, bless me with the hundred thousand yuan cash prize this year. 1¡¯11 be vegetarian for a year!¡± Xu Jiaojiao also silently made a wish in her heart. Her wish was very simple. All she wanted was the drawing tablet. She was just here to join in the fun. Tiantian noticed the number tag on her wrist and said in surprise, ¡°Jiaojiao, are you joining the lucky draw too?¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled and nodded. ¡°But don¡¯t worry, I don¡¯t want the cash prize. 1 just want a tablet.¡± ¡°A tablet? Then why didn¡¯t you just ask Mr. Qi¡­?¡± Halfway through her sentence, Tiantian quickly shut up. Still, she could not help but complain inwardly, ¡®Mr. Qi is wildly successful, isn¡¯t it? Why is he so stingy with his wife?¡¯ Of course, Xu Jiaojiao could not say that her marriage with Qi Shenbai was fake, so she smiled and replied, ¡°Winning something at a lucky draw is much more exciting than buying it. Don¡¯t you think?¡± Tiantian agreed on the surface, but she was roaring inside now. ¡®Why is President Qi so stingy?! He has such a cute wife, but he can¡¯t even bear to buy a tablet for her?! If I actually win the cash prize, 1¡¯11 definitely give Mrs. Qi a tablet!!¡¯ After Xu Jiaojiao drank a glass of orange juice, she wanted to go to the bathroom. Tiantian enthusiastically offered to accompany her, but she firmly refused. As soon as Xu Jiaojiao closed the cubicle door, she heard footsteps and low voices outside. ¡°Did you see that little girl in the dark purple gown? 1 think that¡¯s Mrs. Qi!¡± ¡°No wonder¡­ 1 was wondering why Tiantian was following her around. She sure is in a hurry to cozy up to the empress.¡± Xu Jiaojiao, who was in the toilet, was speechless. It turned out that everything in the television dramas was true. The washroom was indeed the easiest place to hear gossip. ¡°That young lady looks like she¡¯s not even an adult yet, right? Mr. Qi¡¯s tastes are surprising. Then again, all men in the world are the same. No matter how old they are, they will always only like 18-year-old young girls!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t everyone say that Mr. Qi doesn¡¯t like women? Why does he suddenly have a wife? He even found a brat who¡¯s probably still wearing a training bra!¡± Xu Jiaojiao could not help but lower her head to look at her chest. Did they have to resort to body-shaming when trash-talking her? If she squeezed hard enough, she was at least a C. ¡°Maybe AAr. Qi really doesn¡¯t like women! The girl could just be an excuse.¡± ¡°Or maybe she¡¯s just that capable¡­ Women like her look clueless, but sometimes they¡¯re the best at seducing men¡­¡± Before that woman could finish her sentence, the door of a cubicle was suddenly pushed open with a bang, scaring the two ladies outside. ¡°Why are you two so gossipy?¡± said a girl¡¯s voice, clear and annoyed. ¡°Since you¡¯re such gossipmongers, 1¡¯11 post your photos in the company¡¯s group chat later. 1 want to show your leaders what their team members are like!¡± ¡°You little¡­ This has nothing to do with you! Stay out of our business!¡± ¡°And the boss¡¯s private life has nothing to do with you!¡± The girl retorted without any hesitation. ¡°I just can¡¯t stand people like you who speak ill of others behind their backs, that¡¯s all!¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± The two women rolled their eyes at her. They stopped touching up their makeup and left the bathroom in a hurry. ¡°You¡¯re all bark and no bite, you tongue-wagging hags!¡± Xu Jiaojiao carefully pushed open the cubicle door. Through the gap, she saw a girl wearing a denim top, white pants, and a pair of black leather shoes. The girl turned around. When their eyes met, they were both stunned. In the next second, the two of them spoke at the same time. ¡°Sister-in-law?¡± ¡°Miss Qi.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at the energetic Qi Yunduo in front of her and almost could not recognize her. The current her was completely different from what she had seen in the hospital. She was youthful, beautiful, and full of energy. ¡°You know who 1 am?¡± ¡°Of course I know.¡± Qi Yunduo smiled slyly. ¡°1 heard that my brother got married, but I didn¡¯t expect his bride to be so young. She¡¯s even younger than me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao walked out of the cubicle and awkwardly touched her nose as she explained, ¡°1 may look young, but I¡¯m actually already 20 years old.¡± ¡°Of course I know that! Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be able to marry my brother!¡± Qi Yunduo felt that the girl in front of her was very interesting. ¡°Then how did you recognize me?¡± Logically speaking, Qi Yunduo should not have seen her before and did not know what she looked like. ¡°I saw it on Tiantian¡¯s Moments!¡± Qi Yunduo waved her phone. ¡°We¡¯re friends on WeChat..¡± Chapter 126 - Chapter 126: Is He Even a Man? Chapter 126: Is He Even a Man? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Does Qi Shenbai know that you¡¯re back?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked. ¡°I just got off the plane an hour and a half ago. I plan to give him a small surprise.¡± Qi Yunduo gave Xu Jiaojiao a playful look. ¡°Sister-in-law, you definitely won¡¯t tell anyone about this, right?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face suddenly turned red because the girl in front of her called her sister-in-law. ¡°Just call me Jiaojiao. I¡¯m about the same age as you.¡± She was 20 years old this year, and Qi Yunduo was two years younger than her. ¡°How can 1 do that? If 1 call you that, Big Brother will definitely break my beautiful slender legs.¡± Qi Yunduo kept calling her ¡°sister-in-law¡± in a voice that was even sweeter than honey. Xu Jiaojiao was embarrassed by her praise. ¡°Little Sister-in-law, you¡¯re too pretty and cute. It¡¯s a pity that I¡¯m not a man. If 1 were a man, hmph, my Big Brother would have another love rival!¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt that her face was burning hot, and it was still heating up. ¡°Sister-in-law, don¡¯t take those two hags¡¯ words to heart. I¡¯ll get Big Brother to fire them later.¡± Qi Yunduo looked demure, but Qi Shenbai had pampered her since she was young. She was also outgoing by nature and never beat around the bush. Xu Jiaojiao disagreed with her plan. ¡°They were just chatting. We shouldn¡¯t fire employees just because they gossip in private.¡± ¡°This was more than just simple gossip. They were slandering other employees.¡± Qi Yunduo snorted. ¡°That kind of talk is harmful. If an employee who always thinks badly of others stays in the company, it will only make the atmosphere at the workplace worse. Besides, shouldn¡¯t my brother give his wife more money? Is he even a man?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was speechless.¡±¡­¡± Was she really his biological sister?? Qi Yunxiao wanted to surprise Qi Shenbai, so she did not return to the banquet hall with Xu Jiaojiao. Instead, she found a place to hide. When Xu Jiaojiao returned to the hall where the banquet was being held, Qi Shenbai was wearing a black suit and stepping on the temporary stage with a microphone in his hand. When he opened his mouth, his voice filled the entire space. Everyone present could hear it. His low and hoarse voice was unbelievably charming. Couple that with his extraordinarily handsome facial features, and there would always be some female employees who could not help but cheer excitedly. When Xu Jiaojiao saw him, she felt a little happy and proud at first. The next second, though, she felt a twinge of jealousy. Sigh, having a boyfriend who was too handsome had its own problems. She had more love rivals than stars in the sky. Tiantian stood next to Xu Jiaojiao. When she noticed that Xu Jiaojiao seemed a little unhappy, she immediately comforted her. ¡°Sure, Mr. Qi is handsome and rich, and almost every girl will fall at his feet¡ª But still, don¡¯t worry. The female colleagues in the company definitely won¡¯t snatch him away from you.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned her head and looked at Tiantian in confusion. ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Tiantian smiled. ¡°Because our CEO has never paid attention to us, of course. He usually doesn¡¯t even bother to look at us!¡± When Xu Jiaojiao thought of Qi Shenbai¡¯s general dislike of women, the feeling of jealousy immediately disappeared without a trace. She even felt a little proud, and the corners of her mouth curled up. At this time, Qi Shenbai¡¯s speech on stage had just ended. Everyone in the audience gave him a warm round of applause. Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes swept across the audience and locked onto Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao did not know why he was looking at her like that, so she smiled. Qi Shenbai¡¯s originally deep eyes lit up at this moment, filled with joy. He handed the microphone to the host and left the stage. ¡°Wooow¡­ President Qi was smiling at you!¡± Tiantian held her thumping heart and felt that her little heart was about to explode. Ahh, this really was her OTP! Xu Jiaojiao immediately stopped smiling and said solemnly, ¡°Today is the annual party. He wasn¡¯t just smiling at me.¡± ¡°Of course he was!¡± Tiantian did not buy that at all. ¡°I¡¯ve worked in this company for several years, but I¡¯ve never seen Mr. Qi smile like that before. He was definitely smiling at you just now! That¡¯s how much he loves you!¡± Xu Jiaojiao bit her lip. Wasn¡¯t that a little too exaggerated? Qi Shenbai was invited to take a seat at the main table in the front row. The host began his usual greetings, and the annual party officially began. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes darted around, but she did not see Xu Zhengyang. She asked Tiantian in confusion, ¡°Why don¡¯t I see my brother anywhere?¡± ¡°Every department has to produce a performance this year. I heard that everyone in their technical department is participating in this show. Your brother is probably preparing for his performance backstage..¡± Chapter 127 - Chapter 127: Dont Have Too Much Hope Chapter 127: Don¡¯t Have Too Much Hope Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°1 wonder what kind of performance it¡¯ll be? I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Tiantian looked at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s expression of anticipation, and she looked troubled. She gave Jiaojiao a friendly reminder. ¡°1 think you should¡­ lower your expectations.¡± Before Xu Jiaojiao could ask why, the lights on the stage went dim. The first performance of the annual gala had already begun. The first performance was from the weebs of the technical department who specialized in technology. The men, some big and some thin, wore traditional Chinese clothes as they went on stage. Then, they began to sway their waists and hips with the music. Their arms swayed up and down, as if they were creating a scene of waves. Xu Zhengyang was dressed in white traditional Chinese clothes and stood at the most eye-catching position. He was wearing a cheap, fake mask as he held a microphone in his hand. Finally, he started singing very half-heartedly. ¡°Come in the wind, go with the waves, ¡°Everyone here we call our mates, ¡°The heavens and hell do not hear us ¡°The world is in complete chaos. ¡°You toast, and I¡¯ll drink. ¡°We laugh in the face of destiny¡­¡± H ii Xu Zhengyang¡¯s song was actually not too bad. It was ear-piercing, but that was still acceptable. The problem was the men in traditional Chinese clothes dancing like zombies behind him. The whole thing was just¡­ indescribable. Qi Shenbai rubbed his temples. His tone was cold as he asked Pei Yan, who was beside him, to note that no one from the technical department would be allowed to appear in the annual performance from now on. Pei Yan nodded profusely. He really could not bear to watch the scarecrows dancing on the stage. They even twerked, urgh! In contrast to the audience, the dancers became more excited as the song went on. They were completely oblivious to the pain and suffering of the audience below the stage. ¡°I don¡¯t live up to my reputation. The tides, they change every day! ¡°I don¡¯t deserve my reputation, drunk on the hundred poems of the gods.¡± After the men finished waving their sleeves, they took out a few roses from goodness-knows-where and winked at the audience below the stage. They even blew a few kisses. ¡°I hope you liked that, guys!¡± Tiantian was fine at first, but when she saw the flowers and kisses, she started to feel uncomfortable too. She hugged herself and sobbed. ¡°I don¡¯t know if the guys liked it, but I sure didn¡¯t¡­¡± During the performance, Xu Jiaojiao lowered her head and almost hid under the table. Her tone was sorrowful as she said, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for the failures of my family. Ah, our hard-earned honor¡­¡± After Xu Zhengyang left the stage, Xu Jiaojiao poked her head out from under the table and said cautiously, ¡°1 don¡¯t think many people in the company know that I¡¯m Xu Zhengyang¡¯s sister, right?¡± Tiantian took a deep breath to calm herself down. She nodded and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Basically, only the secretarial department and the technical department know about your relationship with¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence¡ª ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, why are you here?¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s voice suddenly rang out. When the people around them heard his voice, they looked at Xu Jiaojiao curiously. Xu Jiaojiao wanted to cry. The heavens wanted her dead! Although Xu Zhengyang was no longer wearing his stage costume, Tiantian still felt dizzy when she saw him. She suddenly felt like vomiting, so she quickly stood up. ¡°I¡¯m going to the washroom.¡± As soon as Tiantian left, Xu Zhengyang took her seat. He kept looking at Xu Jiaojiao up and down, his fingers playing with her braids curiously. ¡°Sister, you look great today. It seems that you¡¯ve inherited my beauty. Nice!¡± ¡°I inherited Mom¡¯s, not yours.¡± The corners of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s mouth curled up slightly. After hesitating for a moment, she still followed her heart and said, ¡°Do you really want to sit beside me? Don¡¯t you want to sit somewhere else?¡± To be honest, she did not want to attract everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Tsk.¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s long and narrow eyes swept across the crowd. He ignored the curious gazes and gently tugged at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s braid. ¡°If 1 don¡¯t sit next to you, who are you going to give this seat to? The pervert Qi?¡± After saying that, he even looked in Qi Shenbai¡¯s direction. Coincidentally, Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes happened to be looking in their direction too. Their eyes met, and Xu Zhengyang tugged at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s braid as if he was provoking him. Xu Jiaojiao did not know that Qi Shenbai was looking in her direction at that time. She punched Xu Zhengyang. ¡°Let go of my braid right now! It¡¯s going to fall apart because of you.¡± Xu Zhengyang leaned back casually. ¡°If it does, I¡¯ll just braid it back for you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to braid my hair¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao said gloomily.. Chapter 128 - Chapter 128: Hundred Thousand Cash Prize Chapter 128: Hundred Thousand Cash Prize Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Everyone here already knew that she was Xu Zhengyang¡¯s sister, so she could not be bothered to hide anymore. She might as well not care what others were thinking and just focus on the food. From time to time, Qi Shenbai would turn his head to look at the bickering siblings. His sharp brows were slightly furrowed. After Xu Zhengyang¡¯s childish provocation, the corners of his mouth curled up into a fake smile. He turned back to continue the uninteresting performance on the stage. As he watched the performance, though, Qi Shenbai was thinking about the song and dance that Xu Jiaojiao had performed for his birthday. Only then did his cold facial features begin to thaw. The start of the lucky draw caused the atmosphere of the entire annual party to reach its climax. Everyone had been looking forward to this event for the entire night. If they could win the grand prize, that would be a perfect end to the year. Tiantian¡¯s stomach, which was originally feeling a little uncomfortable, recovered at the speed of light. When she came back, she clasped her fingers and kept muttering, ¡°I want the 100,000 yuan cash prize, the 100,000 yuan crash prize¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao watched Tiantian¡¯s actions and followed suit. ¡°I want an iPad, I want an iPad¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang, who was sitting at the side, saw this scene and sneered. ¡°If you want one, just ask me to buy one for you. Why do you want him to give you one?¡± Xu Jiaojiao glanced at him. ¡°What do you know? Buying it yourself isn¡¯t nearly as exciting as winning one in the lottery!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right,¡± Tiantian chimed in. ¡°Manager Xu, you¡¯re totally unromantic. You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡± Xu Zhengyang could not understand the girls¡¯ excitement and chose to roll his eyes. Qi Shenbai walked onto the stage and began to draw the prizes. In the beginning, there were some small prizes that were not especially generous, like shopping cards and lipsticks. After those small prizes were drawn, it was time for the 100,000 yuan cash prize that everyone yearned for! In the end, Pei Yan was the one who won the 100,000 yuan. He was stunned for a moment before rushing onto the stage. He hugged the thick stack of cash and laughed like an idiot. He looked like he wanted to hug Qi Shenbai tightly and kiss him again. However, after Qi Shenbai glanced at him coldly, Pei Yan¡¯s crazy thoughts instantly disappeared. Still, he was grinning from ear to ear. Next, it was time to draw the iPad. Xu Jiaojiao clasped her hands together and kept swaying back and forth. Her gaze was practically devout as she looked at Qi Shenbai, who was standing on the stage, hoping that he would be lucky enough to help her win. Qi Shenbai glanced at the little girl in the crowd. A smile flashed across his calm eyes. He took out a number from the box and said, ¡°Number 19.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes, which had not held much hope, suddenly sparkled. She looked at the man standing on the stage, and her round eyes were big and bright. She lifted the hem of her dress and quickly walked onto the stage. Tiantian had lost the 100,000 yuan, and now she watched as Xu Jiaojiao stood up from beside her to claim her dream iPad. Depressed, Tiantian downed the champagne in her hand in one gulp. Qi Shenbai handed Xu Jiaojiao a brand-new iPad. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice was soft and sweet as she whispered, ¡°Thank you.¡± Qi Shenbai was silent. However, when he handed the iPad box to Xu Jiaojiao, his fingertips swept across the back of her hand. He did it slowly as if he could not bear to part with her. Xu Jiaojiao noticed this and glared at him. Only then did Qi Shenbai separate his hand from Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s. He watched as Xu Jiaojiao ran down the stairs in her long dress and high heels, his brows slightly furrowed. If it were not for the fact that there were too many people here, he would have walked up to her and told her to walk slowly. Why was she running? What if she fell? Tiantian looked at the blinding sparks of love between her boss and Xu Jiaojiao. Her mouth was dry with envy. ¡°1 lost the hundred thousand yuan, and 1 don¡¯t have true love either. Sob¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang glanced at her. ¡°If you really want that 100,000 yuan so much, why don¡¯t you just get together with Pei Yan? That way, you¡¯ll have 100,000 yuan and love.¡± Tiantian rolled her eyes. ¡°Would 1 sell myself for 100,000 yuan? Besides, Pei Yan is the director of the internal affairs department. He¡¯s basically the emperor¡¯s eunuch! We¡¯d be like a maid-and-eunuch romance.¡± Pei Yan, who had just walked over, fell into a long silence when he heard that. He had wanted to treat her to a meal, but now it seemed he would not have to bother! Xu Jiaojiao jogged back, hugging the iPad that she had been longing for. She was extremely excited. ¡°It¡¯s actually the newest model! 1 feel so lucky!¡± Just as Xu Jiaojiao finished speaking, Qi Shenbai¡¯s deep and calm voice said, ¡°Number 250.¡± As soon as he said this, the entire scene fell silent. Everyone looked at each other, wondering who Number 250 was. Everyone shook their heads when they met each other¡¯s gaze.. Chapter 129 - Chapter 129: Are You 250? Chapter 129: Are You 250? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Shenbai frowned slightly and repeated the number again. Now, everyone was looking for who Number 250 was. Xu Jiaojiao looked at Tiantian. ¡°Are you 250?¡± Tiantian pouted. ¡°Isn¡¯t that slang for an idiot? No way, that¡¯s not me!¡± Xu Jiaojiao then looked at Xu Zhengyang, who was sitting on the other side. ¡°Brother, are you 250?¡± Xu Zhengyang, who was drinking red wine, paused for a moment. Then, he replied in an unconcerned tone, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Anyway, it¡¯s not me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at Xu Zhengyang¡¯s empty wrist. He was not wearing a number tag. ¡°Brother, where¡¯s your number plate? Don¡¯t tell me you lost it.¡± ¡°Who wants to wear that stupid number tag all the time?¡± Xu Zhengyang stopped drinking and casually took out his hand from his pocket for a moment before throwing it on the table. ¡°I didn¡¯t lose it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao and Tiantian curiously came over to take a look at the number plate and were instantly stunned. Xu Zhengyang continued to raise his glass nonchalantly. Xu Jiaojiao tugged at his sleeve. ¡°Brother, you just won the lottery.¡± Only then did Xu Zhengyang react. He looked at the number plate on the table. The bright red number on it said ¡ª 250! ¡°Sh*t!¡± He cursed under his breath. He took the number plate, looking to pick a fight. ¡°You¡¯ve won for a two-week trip to the Maldives!¡± Tiantian sounded dreamy. She did not know if she should be jealous or laugh at his unfortunate number. ¡°Is that so?¡± Fine, then. All of a sudden, Xu Zhengyang¡¯s killing intent completely dissipated and he swaggered onto the stage. Tiantian looked at his back and could not help but give him a thumbs up. ¡°As expected of the company¡¯s wildest man!¡± Xu Jiaojiao had nothing to say to that. There were still some relatively small prizes after that, so Qi Shenbai got someone else to draw the lottery in his place. When Qi Shenbai walked off the stage, he could not help but look at Xu Jiao jiao. Xu Jiaojiao seemed to have sensed his gaze. She suddenly raised her head and met his eyes in mid-air. At this moment, the two of them seemed to be connected telepathically. She smiled and held the iPad in her hand as she said goodbye to Tiantian. Tiantian was still depressed that she did not get the 100,000 yuan. She waved goodbye to her CEO¡¯s wife. Cang Xing had already driven the car to the entrance of the hotel. Xu Jiaojiao wrapped herself tightly in her coat and slowly got into the car. What she did not know was that after she left the banquet hall, there was another lucky draw for the newest iPad. Qi Shenbai quickly walked out of the hotel. He was wearing a black knee-length coat over his black suit. The coat had an excellent texture and was designed to fit his body, making him look even taller and more handsome. As soon as Qi Shenbai got into the car, he saw that Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes were shining. His heart seemed to melt. ¡°Are you that happy about the prize?¡± Xu Jiaojiao quickly nodded her head and her pink lips curled. ¡°Ever since I met you, I¡¯ve been super lucky. Tell me, are you my lucky charm?¡± The corners of Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled up slightly. It was just an iPad. How could she be so happy about it? Xu Jiaojiao suddenly thought of something. ¡°Didn¡¯t you bump into someone just now?¡± ¡°Who?¡± Qi Shenbai was puzzled. When Xu Jiaojiao thought about how Qi Yunduo had asked her to keep her return a secret, she waved her hand and said that it was nothing. She then lowered her head and continued to fiddle with her new tablet. Halfway through the journey, snowflakes suddenly fell outside the window. They were as big as goose feathers. Xu Jiaojiao was playing with her phone, so she did not notice it. It was Qi Shenbai who approached her and reminded her, ¡°It¡¯s snowing outside.¡± Xu Jiaojiao subconsciously turned her head to the side. The tips of their noses touched, and her lips brushed past his. The two of them were stunned. The atmosphere suddenly became a little rose-colored, and their intertwined breathing gradually became heavy. Xu Jiaojiao blinked her big eyes and sneakily tried to retreat, but before she could get too far¡­ Suddenly, a pair of large hands grabbed her wrist, and his warm hands cupped her face. Just like that, his lips pressed against hers, and he kissed her deeply. There was still someone else in the car, so Xu Jiaojiao instinctively pushed him away. The moment her fair and slender hand touched his shoulder, he had already turned his body to the side and locked her firmly in his arms. It was a kiss she could not refuse, hot and intense. Cang Xing, who was driving, felt that the atmosphere was not quite right. His subconscious reaction was to slowly raise the partition in the car. Xu Jiaojiao had lost her mind from his kiss. She threw her sense of shame aside and completely immersed herself in his desires. When the car came to a steady stop, Xu Jiaojiao had already gone limp in his embrace. Her voice was soft and sweet as she said, ¡°Well, this is awkward¡­ Cang Xing saw everything.¡± Qi Shenbai quietly pursed his lips and said in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about.¡± Xu Jiaojiao could only bite her lip.. Chapter 130 - Chapter 130: How Could You be So Ruthless? Chapter 130: How Could You be So Ruthless? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation From the moment Qi Shenbai saw her coming down the stairs, he had wanted to press her into his arms and kiss her fiercely. After enduring for so long, he did not feel satisfied after getting what he wanted. Instead, he greedily wanted more. His gaze landed on her moist and tender lips, and his eyes darkened. Xu Jiaojiao suddenly realized the danger in his eyes and hurriedly reached out to cover his lips. ¡°Absolutely not¡­¡± If this continued, she might not even have the strength to get out of the car. Qi Shenbai smiled and pecked her palm. ¡°I won¡¯t tease you anymore. Let¡¯s get out of the car.¡± He pushed the door open and got out. Then, he walked to the side and reached out to open the door for Xu Jiaojiao. Before the door could open, he felt something cold pressing against his waist. A fierce and threatening voice came from behind his ear. ¡°It¡¯s a robbery! If you don¡¯t want to lose your life, stay still!¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes darkened. Without giving the robber a chance to react, he grabbed their shoulder. Then he turned around and threw her over his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going to die¡­¡± Qi Yunduo lay on the ground in pain. She swung a broomstick that she had picked up from somewhere and wailed repeatedly. Xu Jiaojiao opened the door and was about to get out of the car. When she saw this scene, her eyes widened in shock and she even forgot to step out. It hurt just to watch. Qi Shenbai was too ruthless. She must remember not to scare him from behind in the future. Qi Yunduo finally managed to get up and said angrily, ¡°Brother! How could you be so ruthless?!¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s expression was calm, and his voice was cold without a trace of guilt. ¡°Who asked you to scare people pointlessly like that? You brought this upon yourself.¡± Qi Yun glared at him and did not want to say another word. Qi Shenbai pretended not to notice and asked indifferently, ¡°Why did you come back suddenly?¡± ¡°Just thinking about it makes me angry.¡± Qi Yun Yun patted the snowflakes on her body and complained, ¡°If 1 wasn¡¯t afraid that you would be lonely during the new year, would I have come all the way back to accompany you? On the other hand, you really gave me a big shock!¡± At this point, Qi Yun Yun thought of something and asked tentatively, ¡°Are you bringing Sister-in-law over there for the new year?¡± ¡°No.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s expression darkened. He was clearly unhappy. Qi Yunduo¡¯s gaze dimmed and she asked again, ¡°Then are you planning to go to Sister-in-law¡¯s house for the new year? I want to go too.¡± Qi Shenbai looked up at her and a trace of impatience flashed across his brows. He replied briefly, ¡°I¡¯ll bring you back to the old family home for the new year.¡± ¡°Why¡­?¡± Qi Yun was unhappy. ¡°If I had known you would take me back to those old farts, I wouldn¡¯t have come back no matter what. They are too naggy! They say the same thing every year. I can even memorize it word for word.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s deep eyes were like a lake, calm and without any ripples. He just looked at her indifferently. Qi Yunduo felt guiltier and guiltier under his gaze. In the end, she could not help but say, ¡°Alright, fine! We¡¯ll go back!¡± Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the car window. Although the window was tinted, she could still sense that someone was inside, so she waved at them. When Xu Jiaojiao saw her greeting her, she pushed open the car door and got out. ¡°Miss Qi.¡± ¡°You¡¯re calling me Miss Qi again. How distant.¡± Qi Yunduo pretended to be angry and said, ¡°I¡¯m Qi Shenbai¡¯s younger sister, aren¡¯t 1? That makes me your younger sister-in-law.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was a little embarrassed by that. Her cheeks turned slightly red as she secretly glanced at Qi Shenbai from the corner of her eyes. When he did not protest, she lowered her head and smiled. Qi Shenbai said impatiently, ¡°Cang Xing, send her back to the old residence.¡± ¡°Why?!¡± Qi Yun Yun wailed again. ¡°I¡¯m not going back! I want to live with you and Sister-in-law!¡± After she finished speaking, she smiled at Xu Jiaojiao, trying to use her cuteness to achieve her goal. ¡°Go back to City A or the old residence. You can choose,¡± Qi Shenbai said coldly, not giving her any other choice. At the thought that she might be sent back to City A, Qi Yun Yun immediately stopped crying and smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go with the old residence. 1 choose to go back to the old residence!¡± After saying that, she stuck her tongue out at Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°This old man doesn¡¯t want me to stay at your house, so 1 can only come and play with you next time I¡¯m free.¡± Xu Jiaojiao laughed out loud and nodded in agreement. Qi Yunduo sat in the back seat. Cang Xing put her luggage in the trunk, and the car disappeared into the dark night. Xu Jiaojiao looked up, a little puzzled. ¡°Why must we send her back to the old residence?¡± Qi Shenbai lowered his head to look at the snowflakes on her head. He raised his hand and gently brushed them away. His tone was indifferent as he said, ¡°Qingshui Villa is my private residence.¡± Xu Jiaojiao blinked. ¡°No one from the Qi family can come here.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was slightly taken aback.. ¡°But Xu Zhengyang and I¡­¡± And what about the man called Lin Feng who came over the other day? Chapter 131 - Chapter 131: Is the Qi Family a Scary Place? Chapter 131: Is the Qi Family a Scary Place? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Shenbai patiently explained to her, ¡°Only members of the Qi family can¡¯t enter.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s thin eyelashes fluttered a few times as she pursed her lips. In the end, she did not ask anything. When they walked in, the butler was already waiting at the door to pass them slippers. He even reached out to take their coats. Xu Jiaojiao changed her shoes and said goodbye to Qi Shenbai. ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room to rest. You should sleep early too.¡± Qi Shenbai stared at her back without blinking. Although the gown was very long, it revealed a small part of the back of her neck. Her skin was delicate like cream, making his throat move unconsciously. Although Xu Jiaojiao did not say anything just now, he knew very well that she still wanted to know. She wanted to know about the Qi family and about himself. He just had not thought of a way to be honest with her yet. Xu Jiaojiao took a shower and sat on the sofa. As she wiped her wet hair, she looked at the gown hanging on the hanger. She thought back to the conversation between Qi Shenbai and his sister outside the car window. She could not hear what they said, but she did see the subtle change in Qi Shenbai¡¯s face. His gaze was dark and complicated as if shrouded in an undercurrent of sadness. Was he unhappy about something? Xu Jiaojiao was immersed in her own thoughts and stopped drying her hair. She did not even notice the knock on the door. Qi Shenbai pushed open the door and saw the little girl sitting on the sofa with wet hair. She looked like she had been possessed. ¡°I¡¯m coming in now,¡± he said softly, afraid he¡¯d startle her. Xu Jiaojiao came back to her senses and looked up at him with a smile on her face. ¡°You haven¡¯t slept yet?¡± Qi Shenbai walked in and handed her the hot milk in his hand. ¡°What are you thinking about? You didn¡¯t even hear the knock on the door.¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head and hid the thoughts in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. 1 just spaced out for a bit. Every time she lied, her eyes would wander around, not daring to meet his gaze. Qi Shenbai picked up a towel and sat beside her to help her dry her hair. His thin lips parted slightly. ¡°It¡¯ll be New Year¡¯s Eve in a few days.¡± Xu Jiaojiao took a sip of milk and nodded gently. ¡°You can go back and spend the New Year with your family.¡± Qi Shenbai spoke again. ¡°Take advantage of the New Year to spend more time with Grandma. She must miss you very much. There are many things for me to do back at the old residence, so I won¡¯t accompany you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao heaved a sigh of relief in her heart, but there was also an inexplicable sense of disappointment. ¡°It¡¯s alright, I can handle it myself.¡± They were only in a contractual marriage. Although they were in a relationship now, there was no law that stipulated that lovers had to spend the New Year together. It was normal for them to go home separately. If Grandma asked, she could just come up with a reason. However ¡°Jiaojiao¡­¡± Qi Shenbai put down the towel in his hand. Xu Jiaojiao turned to look at him. Qi Shenbai¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed imperceptibly. There seemed to be something flickering in his black eyes. His thin lips parted slightly. ¡°My parents divorced a long time ago. Not long after, my mother remarried. My father also passed away a few years ago.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was slightly stunned. A complicated emotion flashed across her eyes. She pursed her lips and wanted to say something to comfort him, but she could not say anything. Qi Shenbai seemed to see through her dilemma. ¡°I got over it a long time ago. It¡¯s just that there are a lot of people in the Qi family. Every New Year¡¯s Eve, everyone has to spend the New Year at the old residence. 1 don¡¯t want you to get to know those people so early. You can¡¯t handle them.¡± The Qi family knew about his marriage, but he had always prevented the Qi family members from appearing in front of her. He did not want them to bully or trouble her. At the same time, he wanted to protect her. Xu Jiaojiao imagined the various rules of those big families and frowned. ¡°Is the Qi family¡­ a very scary place?¡± Even if she could hide from them now, would she be able to hide from them forever? Not seeing them for the rest of her life was definitely not a solution. Would they force her to break up with Qi Shenbai? When she thought about how she had just fallen in love and how she might be torn from him in a few days, she felt an indescribable bitterness in her heart. ¡°It¡¯s not that serious.¡± Qi Shenbai paused for a moment and said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s just that they¡¯re too naggy. If you go, they won¡¯t stop bothering you.¡± Once those elderly uncles and aunties saw her, they would definitely urge them to have a child as soon as possible. Xu Jiaojiao heaved a sigh of relief and said gently, ¡°That¡¯s fine, I¡¯m not afraid of them nagging me. If they say something nice, I¡¯ll just smile back. If it¡¯s not nice, 1¡¯11 nod and pretend I didn¡¯t hear it.¡± Qi Shenbai did not expect her to be so resilient. He reached out a finger and gently scratched the tip of her nose. ¡°You¡¯re so cute.. Who would have the heart to say nasty things to you?¡± Chapter 132 - Chapter 132: Ill Keep Your Girlfriend Fed Chapter 132: I¡¯ll Keep Your Girlfriend Fed Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao was not too worried about that. She patted her chest heroically and said, ¡°You don¡¯t know this, but I¡¯ve always had a good relationship with the elders. There are very few elders who don¡¯t like me. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Qi Shenbai stared at her delicate face with his deep eyes. There was a bright and warm smile on his face. Without a second thought, he grabbed her chin and raised it before kissing her. Xu Jiaojiao was stunned at first, but she quickly closed her eyes and quietly cooperated with him. Qi Shenbai seemed to be addicted to her. Once he touched her, he could not stop, nor did he want to. It was just that kissing him was too tiring. Xu Jiaojiao could not keep raising her head to reach his lips. She squeezed out a few words from between her lips in a blur, ¡°My neck¡­ is sore.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips reluctantly left hers. He panted slightly as he stared at her with desire. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes were sparkling, and there was a hint of charm in the corners of her eyes. She complained, ¡°You used too much strength. My lips are numb.¡± Qi Shenbai smiled. ¡°1¡¯11 slowly introduce you to the Qi family in the future. You just have to remember one thing. No matter what happens, don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here for you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao met his burning gaze and felt a warmth in her heart. She nodded obediently. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Rest early. Good night.¡± Qi Shenbai rubbed her head again, stood up, and left the room. If he did not leave now, he probably would not be able to leave tonight. The next day, the entire world was covered in white, as if they had arrived in a fairytale world. Xu Jiaojiao packed her things and went home. Actually, she did not have many things to bring. She had all her clothes at home, so she only brought her drawing tools and tablet. Qi Shenbai personally drove her back. Before he left, he even instructed Cang Xing to fill the trunk of the car with gifts. Once there, he explained his leave to Mr. and Mrs. Xu. Seeing how polite he was, ATr. and Mrs. Xu naturally did not say anything else. Instead, they enthusiastically asked him to stay for lunch. Qi Shenbai still had things to do later, so he politely declined their good intentions and only sent Xu Jiaojiao back to her room. ¡°It¡¯s been too cold recently. Don¡¯t play outside for too long. You have to wear thicker clothes when you go out.¡± He stood at the door of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s room and patiently reminded her. Xu Jiaojiao nodded obediently and gave him a perfunctory smile. ¡°Alright, alright. Don¡¯t worry.¡± In any case, they would be separated in a while. She could do whatever she wanted. There was no way for him to know. Qi Shenbai reached out and poked her face. ¡°If you dare to sneak out in a dress and catch a cold, I¡¯ll call the family doctor to inject you with the thickest needle.¡± When Xu Jiaojiao heard that, she immediately became nervous. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. I¡¯m a good girl. 1 definitely won¡¯t get sick again.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s fingers circled the back of her head. He lowered his head and gently planted a kiss on her forehead. ¡°Talk to me on WeChat. Don¡¯t forget me once you¡¯re having fun.¡± Xu Jiaojiao tilted her head and looked at him. ¡°You too. Send me more WeChat messages.¡± Qi Shenbai pondered for a moment. ¡°That will depend on whether 1 miss you or not.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s little face immediately fell. What was this? He was asking her to chat with him, but he would not do it himself?! Seeing that her unhappiness was written all over her face, Qi Shenbai could not help but smile. ¡°Why do you believe everything I say?¡± Before Xu Jiaojiao could react, Qi Shenbai had already stretched out his long arm and pulled her into his embrace. He lowered his head and kissed her hair. His deep voice sounded in her ear, ¡°I¡¯ll miss you very, very much.¡± Til also send you a lot of WeChat messages and make a lot of calls¡­ Just don¡¯t find me annoying.¡¯ Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s mood instantly brightened. She hugged his waist and said in satisfaction, ¡°I¡¯ll miss you very, very much too.¡± ¡®When 1 miss you, I¡¯ll call you immediately to let you know that I¡¯m thinking about you.¡¯ The two of them hugged each other tightly. Neither of them spoke as they quietly enjoyed the warmth of this moment. Xu Zhengyang leaned against the door and watched the romance drama for a long time. He could not help but cough twice. ¡°That¡¯s enough. I¡¯ve been standing at the door for a while now. Qi Shenbai, do you even take me, your brother-in-law, seriously?¡± When Xu Jiaojiao heard his voice, she immediately broke free from Qi Shenbai¡¯s embrace, her face flushed red with embarrassment. Qi Shenbai¡¯s arms were empty. He frowned unhappily and glanced coldly at his foolish ¡®brother-in-law¡¯. Xu Zhengyang raised his chin. ¡°Wanna fight? This is my home, my territory.¡± Qi Shenbai could not be bothered to bicker with him. He said unquestionably, ¡°Take good care of Jiaojiao. For every pound of weight she loses, I¡¯ll cut your year-end bonus by 100,000 yuan.¡± Just as Xu Zhengyang was about to scold him for being a miser, he suddenly heard another threat, ¡°Or would you rather sacrifice your fifteen-day paid vacation to the Maldives?¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s expression immediately changed. ¡°Mr. Qi, don¡¯t worry. I definitely won¡¯t let your girlfriend lose any weight. 1 promise to keep her well and fed..¡± Chapter 133 - Chapter 133: The Lu Family Came to Apologize Chapter 133: The Lu Family Came to Apologize Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao nearly spat out her drink. Haha, so much for being siblings. Qi Shenbai snorted softly, but he was satisfied. He lowered his head and swept his gentle gaze across her small face before turning around to go downstairs. Xu Jiaojiao stood at the door, her clear eyes staring at his back with reluctance. Xu Zhengyang walked over and poked her head with his fingertips. ¡°Look at how useless you are. You¡¯re a love-struck fool.¡± Xu Jiaojiao slapped his hand away and scoffed, ¡°If I remember correctly, someone almost fell to his knees just now, you spineless lackey!¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± Xu Zhengyang said seriously, ¡°That¡¯s not an ordinary trip. It¡¯s a fifteen-day paid trip. Do you know how long it¡¯s been since I¡¯ve rested under that tyrant? Can you keep a leash on your boyfriend in the future? Even the donkeys in the production team have to rest!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was speechless. Forget it, forget it. She could not expect him to have any backbone. After Xu Jiaojiao returned home, the house became a lot livelier. In the afternoon, Mr. Xu rushed to the hospital to bring Old Madam Qi home. The entire family celebrated the New Year. When Old Madam Xu found out that Qi Shenbai had something on at home and could not spend the New Year here, she did not say much. Anyway, it was fine as long as her granddaughter was back. Early in the morning on New Year¡¯s Eve, the Xu family¡¯s doorbell rang. The nanny, Aunt Xia, went to open the door. Then, she turned around and said, ¡°It¡¯s the Lu family. The entire family is here.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s expression froze from where she was chatting with her grandmother. At the thought of meeting the Lu Family, her mood immediately plummeted to rock bottom. Grandma was the person who knew her best in the family. She nodded slightly at her. ¡°Go back to your room. You can come out after they leave.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded obediently. ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Mrs. Xu watched her disappear down the stairs before nodding for Aunt Xia to open the door to welcome the guests. When Mr. and Mrs. Xu found out that there were guests at home, they hurriedly walked out of the study and kitchen. Lu Zhuo and his father were both carrying gifts in their hands while Lu Huan followed behind Zou Lan reluctantly. ¡°Oh, is Aunt Xu back too?¡± Lu Feng greeted them with a smile. ¡°Hello, Zhiming, Fanghua.¡± Xu Zhiming and Tian Fanghua nodded slightly in response. When Lu Zhuo entered the room, he first scanned his surroundings. When he did not see Xu Jiaojiao, he greeted the Xu family. ¡°Take a seat,¡± Old Madam Xu said. ¡°You don¡¯t have to bring so many gifts next time you come. You¡¯re too polite.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it the new year? 1 brought you some tonics. Think of it as a token of sincerity from us juniors,¡± Lu Feng replied. The smile on his face was a little unnatural. ¡°Other than visiting you today, I¡¯m also here to solemnly apologize to Jiaojiao for Huanhuan¡¯s previous mistakes. It¡¯s our fault for not teaching our children properly. I¡¯m really sorry.¡± After saying that, he looked around and asked, ¡°Is Jiaojiao not at home?¡± Old Madam Xu replied nonchalantly, ¡°You guys came at the wrong time. That child caught a cold and is still resting.¡± In other words, she was not giving them a chance to apologize in person. Lu Feng was stunned, but Zou Lan¡¯s expression changed. She wanted to say something, but Lu Feng stopped her. ¡°The temperature has been dropping drastically recently. These kids like to dress up on thinner clothing, so I¡¯m not surprised. Mrs. Xu smiled and did not reply. Lu Feng turned to look at Lu Huan, who was standing at the side, and said solemnly, ¡°Why are you still standing there? Hurry up and apologize to your Grandma Xu, as well as your Aunt and Uncle.¡± Lu Huan clenched her fists tightly by her sides. She was extremely unwilling to apologize to Xu Jiaojiao. However, before she left, her father had already said that if she did not apologize today, he would not give her a single cent in the future. Biting her lip, she put on the posture she had prepared beforehand and said obediently, ¡°Grandma, Uncle, Auntie, I was wrong. I shouldn¡¯t have framed Jiaojiao. I know I was wrong. 1 promise I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Old Madam Xu narrowed her eyes and sized her up, not in a hurry to speak. Xu Zhiming and Tian Fanghua looked at each other. Seeing that the matriarch did not say anything, they were naturally not going to interruprt. Lu Huan kept bowing. She did not dare to straighten her back as long as the old lady refused to forgive her. She could feel everyone¡¯s gazes on her, mocking her. Sh guessed Xu Jiaojiao was hiding in a corner, watching as she apologized to her humbly. For a moment, she felt aggrieved and humiliated, and tears uncontrollably fell from her eyes. When Zou Lan saw that her daughter was crying, her heart ached so much that she could not sit still anymore. She immediately stood up and pleaded for her, ¡°Huanhuan is still a child. She was just impulsive.. Moreover, she knows her mistake now and promises that she won¡¯t do it again¡­¡± Chapter 134 - Chapter 134: A Token of Our Sincerity Chapter 134: A Token of Our Sincerity Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Before she could finish speaking, Old Madam Xu glanced at her. Her dark eyes shot over like knives, scaring her so much that she immediately shut up. Old Madam Xu snorted softly. ¡°She¡¯s 18 years old. She¡¯s an adult now¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. She¡¯s not young anymore.¡± Lu Feng glared at Zou Lan angrily and hurriedly went forward to put in a good word for her. ¡°Huanhuan was spoiled by her family, that¡¯s why she¡¯s so willful and arrogant! We¡¯ll definitely discipline her well in the future!¡± Then, he gave Lu Zhuo a look. Lu Zhuo took out a check from his pocket and placed his hands on the coffee table. ¡°This is a token of our sincerity. I hope you guys will accept it.¡± Lu Feng¡¯s tone was polite and respectful. This was also something that the old lady had repeatedly instructed him to do before he left. Old Madam Xu did not even glance at the check on the coffee table. She said calmly, ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s the new year. Let¡¯s all celebrate happily.¡± Lu Feng finally felt relieved and quickly pushed his daughter. ¡°Huanhuan, hurry up and thank Grandma Xu.¡± Lu Huan felt so ashamed that she could not show her face. When she looked up, her face was already covered in tears. She did not look at anyone and did not say anything. She turned around and ran out. ¡°Huanhuan¡­¡± Zou Lan was worried about her daughter, so she got up and chased after her. Lu Feng was a little embarrassed and smiled in embarrassment. ¡°Lan has really spoiled this child.¡± Old Madam Xu did not say anything. The smile in her eyes did not even have any warmth. She sighed in her heart. Every member of the Lu family was worse than the others. She was glad that Jiaojiao did not marry Lu Zhuo. Lu Zhuo, who had been standing from the side, suddenly asked, ¡°Grandma, can 1 go and see Jiaojiao?¡± ¡°Jiaojiao isn¡¯t feeling well now,¡± Tian Fanghua rejected him decisively. Previously, she thought that her son-in-law, Lu Zhuo, was still acceptable, but now that there was a point of comparison, she could not help but look down on him. Putting everything else aside, his attitude toward Jiao jiao was far inferior to Qi Shenbai¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m just going up to take a look. I won¡¯t delay her rest.¡± It was not easy for Lu Zhuo to come to the Xu family. Of course, he was unwilling to give up. Tian Fanghua wanted to say something, but Old Madam Xu interrupted, ¡°Go ahead, but don¡¯t chat for too long. Jiaojiao needs to rest now.¡± Lu Zhuo nodded heavily. ¡°Okay. Thank you, Grandma Xu.¡± He turned around and walked upstairs while Lu Feng chatted with them below. Lu Zhuo quickly went upstairs. When he passed by one of the rooms in the corridor, he saw that the door was ajar and the light in the room was still on. Because the heating in the house was turned on very well, the girl was only wearing a thin nightdress as she sat in front of the drawing board with a focused expression. He stopped and looked at her seriously. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hair was tied into a cute bun, and her hair was scattered around her forehead. Her skin was fair, and her eyes were clear and bright. Her fair fingers were holding a palette and a paintbrush, and she was drawing seriously. The room was filled with all kinds of paintings. One of them turned out to be a portrait of him. He could not help but walk into the room. When Xu Jiaojiao heard footsteps, she turned around and saw that it was him. She frowned slightly. ¡°Why did you come up?¡± This art studio was her small world. Usually, even Xu Zhengyang would not barge in without her permission. Lu Zhuo looked at her delicate face with mixed emotions. ¡°Grandma Xu said that you caught a cold, so I wanted to come and see you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned around and continued to draw. She said indifferently, ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to see you guys. I¡¯m not sick.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Lu Feng looked a little dejected. Xu Jiaojiao turned her head to look at him with a frown. The annoyance in her eyes was obvious. Why did you have to come up and make people hate you even though you knew? She seemed to ask. Lu Zhuo avoided her gaze and looked at a painting in the corner. He asked, ¡°Did you draw this yourself?¡± Xu Jiaojiao followed his gaze and nodded. ¡°I never knew you could draw so well. When I was outside the door just now, I could tell at a glance that it was me. Jiaojiao, thank you.¡± Lu Zhuo looked at his handsome self in the painting and thought that she must have loved him deeply when she drew this painting. That was why she could draw him so vividly. Xu Jiaojiao frowned slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? This painting was my birthday present to you last year. At that time, you thought it was too big and took up too much space, so 1 brought it back. Now, you think it looks good?¡± H H Lu Zhuo was stunned. For a moment, he did not know what to say. He could only smile dryly. ¡°I remember now. At that time, the office was too small. There was indeed no place to keep it. However, 1 changed to a large office some time ago. Can you give it to me now?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Xu Jiaojiao agreed without hesitation. ¡°You can take it with you later.¡± ¡®Anyway, even if you don¡¯t take it with you, I¡¯m going to throw it in the trash..¡¯ Chapter 135 - Chapter 135: Do You Want to See Qi Shenbai? Chapter 135: Do You Want to See Qi Shenbai? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Lu Zhuo smiled and walked over to pick up the painting. He glanced at her and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, I really like this gift.¡± ¡°If you like it, then take it with you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not even raise her head. Her tone was extremely cold. Lu Zhuo did not leave with the painting. Instead, he stood beside her and looked at her. Previously, he did not realize that she was so focused and alluring when she was drawing seriously. Her skin was fair and delicate, and her sparkling eyes were fixed on the drawing board. Her focused look added a hint of charm to her. As Lu Zhuo watched, his throat moved unconsciously. Xu Jiaojiao noticed that he had not left yet, so she frowned and said, ¡°Do you still have something to say? If there¡¯s nothing else, can you leave now? Having someone nearby will affect my train of thought.¡± Lu Zhuo came back to his senses and met her clear eyes. He smiled gently and said, ¡°Alright, 1¡¯11 leave first. I¡¯ll visit you another day.¡± With that, he picked up his painting and turned to leave the studio. As he closed the door, he could not help but look back. Xu Jiaojiao used the end of the paintbrush in her hand to scratch the tip of her nose. She felt that he was really strange. During the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, the Xu Family sat together happily. Old Madam Xu could not stay up late due to her old age. Not long after the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, she gave Xu Zhengyang and Xu Jiaojiao their New Year¡¯s money and went back to her room to sleep. Aunt Xia was preparing breakfast for tomorrow morning, and Xu Zhiming was sitting with his wife in front of the television watching a skit. Xu Jiaojiao was watching the Spring Festival Gala with her parents when she suddenly caught a glimpse of Xu Zhengyang, who was about to sneak out of the house. She deliberately shouted, ¡°Brother, where are you going during the New Year?¡± Xu Zhengyang paused in the act of turning the doorknob. He turned around and glared at Xu Jiaojiao with a fake smile. Xu Jiao jiao stuck out her tongue innocently. Tian Fanghua asked worriedly, ¡°That¡¯s right. Why are you going out so late at night?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already made plans to celebrate New Year¡¯s Eve with my friends,¡± Xu Zhengyang replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± ¡°Mom, 1 also want to go out for some fresh air with Big Brother,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said in a sweet voice. ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s so cold outside. Besides, 1 don¡¯t know where your brother is going.¡± Tian Fanghua was worried about leaving her daughter to her unreliable son. Xu Jiaojiao pouted. ¡°Mommy, I¡¯m begging you. Let me go.¡± Tian Fanghua still wanted to say something, but Xu Zhiming interrupted her. ¡°Go, put on more clothes and come back early.¡± Then, he looked at Xu Zhengyang. ¡°Take good care of your sister. If she loses even a strand of hair, you can stay out forever.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely wear a lot of clothes.¡± Xu Jiaojiao quickly got up and went upstairs to change her clothes. When she reached the stairs, she did not forget to remind Xu Zhengyang, ¡°Just wait for me for five minutes. Don¡¯t run away on your own.¡± Xu Zhengyang secretly gritted his teeth. ¡°You¡¯d better hurry up. I won¡¯t wait for you if you¡¯re late.¡± Five minutes later, Xu Jiaojiao came downstairs on time, wearing a red down jacket, a hat, and a scarf. The corner of Xu Zhengyang¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°Do you know what you look like now? You look like a red steamed bun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so cold outside.¡± Xu Jiaojiao glared at him threateningly. ¡°Say that again if you dare. This is the dress Mom bought for me. What if 1 tell her what you just said?¡± Xu Zhengyang quickly grabbed the hood of her down jacket and pulled it out. ¡°Mom, we¡¯ll get going first.¡± It was the new year. He did not want to be scolded today. Tian Fanghua followed them to the entrance worriedly. ¡°Take good care of your sister. Don¡¯t drive if you¡¯re drinking. Don¡¯t come back too late.¡± ¡°Okay, okay. 1 heard you loud and clear.¡± Xu Zhengyang stuffed the red steamed bun into the front passenger seat and replied perfunctorily before getting into the driver¡¯s seat. Tian Fanghua looked at his rash behavior and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m really worried about letting Zhengyang take Jiaojiao out.¡± Xu Zhiming walked over and patted her shoulder. ¡°The children have grown up. As parents, we have to learn to let go.¡± ¡°Sigh, but when 1 think about the past, 1 can¡¯t help but worry¡­¡± After meeting her husband¡¯s eyes, she swallowed the rest of her words. ¡°The past is the past. Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild.¡± Tian Fanghua nodded. Although she said that, it was easier said than done to let go. She was just afraid that Jiaojiao would fall sick again one day¡­ As Xu Zhengyang drove, he glanced sideways at the bun on the passenger seat. ¡°You insisted on following me. Is it because you wanted to see Qi Shenbai?!¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting, Big Brother? 1 just want to accompany you.¡± A trace of guilt flashed across Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes, but it was quickly replaced by flattery. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be disappointed. Qi Shenbai won¡¯t be coming out tonight. Those old men at home are enough for him to deal with for a while.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Xu Jiaojiao lowered her eyes. It would be a lie to say that she was not disappointed. Xu Zhengyang could not bear to see her look like that. He frowned and said, ¡°If you want to see him, call him and ask him to come out. He wouldn¡¯t dare to refuse..¡± Chapter 136 - Chapter 136: Are You My Boyfriend? Chapter 136: Are You My Boyfriend? Translator: End Less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°I¡¯m not thinking about him. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. ¡°I just don¡¯t think there¡¯s any point in watching the Spring Festival Gala at home, so I came out to get some fresh air.¡± ¡°Hehe¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang smirked. Who would believe her? On New Year¡¯s Eve, the bar was not as noisy as usual. Most people had gone home for the New Year, and only a small number of people who were unwilling to go back or had nowhere to go stayed in the bar. Xu Jiaojiao followed Xu Zhengyang into the bar and saw Lin Feng sitting alone on a chair, drinking. When Lin Feng saw them, he put down his wine glass and teased, ¡°Yangyang, why did you bring a steamed bun out? It¡¯s even bright red.¡± Xu Zhengyang glared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t force me to slap you in our happiest place. And don¡¯t call me Yangyang ever again. Xu Jiaojiao took off her hat and down jacket, saying angrily, ¡°I¡¯m not a steamed bun.¡± Lin Feng took a closer look. ¡°So it¡¯s Qi Shenbai¡¯s little wife.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face turned slightly red and she stopped talking. Xu Zhengyang kicked him. ¡°Will you die if you don¡¯t f*cking tease my sister?¡± Lin Feng shook his head repeatedly. ¡°Don¡¯t babble, okay? If Qi Shenbai hears about this, he¡¯ll definitely beat me up.¡± ¡°And you¡¯d deserve it,¡± Xu Zhengyang said lightly. Lin Feng was too lazy to bicker with him. He smiled at Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°See if there¡¯s anything you want to drink. Don¡¯t be shy.¡± Xu Jiaojiao walked to the bar counter and politely asked the bartender for a glass of orange juice. The bartender smiled and said they did not have that, so he made her a cocktail with a low alcohol content. Xu Jiaojiao came back with a blue cocktail and sat down. On the other side, Xu Zhengyang and Lin Feng were already toasting each other and chatting happily. ¡°You¡¯re acting like a lonely, resentful husband.¡± Xu Zhengyang mocked him mercilessly. ¡°So I take it Qin Yumo didn¡¯t come back crying to you?¡± The moment Lin Feng heard this name, he was furious. ¡°She can do whatever she wants! Even if she cries and begs me this time, I won¡¯t bother with her anymore.¡± Xu Zhengyang chuckled, clearly still not believing his words. Lin Feng looked up at him. ¡°Why are you so worried about my love life? Yangyang, don¡¯t tell me you like me?¡± ¡°Screw you.¡± Xu Zhengyang frowned. ¡°If you disgust me again, I¡¯ll pour this glass of wine over your head.¡± Lin Feng smiled maliciously. ¡°I get it, you¡¯re in denial! If you don¡¯t like me, does that mean you like Old Qi? I knew that there was something off about the two of you! You¡¯re stuck together every day. Tsk, tsk, tsk.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at her brother in confusion, subconsciously considering the truth of his words. ¡°Why are you staring at me?¡± Xu Zhengyang frowned. ¡°Even if I swing both ways, don¡¯t you know what Qi Shenbai prefers?¡± ¡°Of course I know he prefers women, but that won¡¯t stop you from having a crush on him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang rolled his eyes. ¡°Even if all the women and men in the world die off, I still won¡¯t like that old dog Qi.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to talk about my boyfriend like that.¡± Xu Jiaojiao frowned, a little displeased. ¡°Boyfriend?¡± Lin Feng subconsciously repeated, ¡°Jiaojiao, haven¡¯t you and Old Qi already registered your marriage?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not know how to answer that, so she simply smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. Xu Zhengyang helped her out. ¡°What does it have to do with you? If you have the time, why don¡¯t you hurry up and chase Qin Yumo back? Don¡¯t just curl up in bed and cry every day.¡± ¡°Get lost. If you mention Qin Yumo again, I¡¯ll post on my WeChat Moments that you have a crush on Old Qi!¡± ¡°I really want to kill you¡­¡± The two of them refused to give in to each other in their argument, but their actions were much more honest. They sat very close to each other and drank one glass after another. The glass in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand also became empty, and she could not help but burp. Lin Feng raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°How¡¯s your sister¡¯s alcohol tolerance?¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s expression was indescribable. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to describe it. The last time she drank a glass of beer, she hugged the tree at my door and called it Mommy.¡± H H Lin Feng paused and said softly, ¡°But the alcohol content of the cocktail she drank was at least 30%.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Xu Zhengyang cursed. Before he could react, he saw Xu Jiaojiao take out her phone and make a call. The call was picked up very quickly. The young lady pouted her tender lips and asked pitifully, ¡°Excuse me, are you my boyfriend?¡± On the other end of the phone, Qi Shenbai was speechless. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± The little girl asked again, ¡°Are you Qi Shenbai? Are you my boyfriend?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice tightened. ¡°Have you been drinking?¡± The next second, he asked again, ¡°Where are you now?¡± ¡°Me? I¡¯m¡­¡± The little girl paused and frowned. She racked her brains but could not figure out where she was.. Chapter 137 - Chapter 137: Do You Have Other Children? Chapter 137: Do You Have Other Children? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Lin Feng could not stand it anymore. He leaned over and took Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s phone as he teased the person on the other end, ¡°Your wife is with me. Hurry up and come over. 1 won¡¯t be responsible if you lose her.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he hung up without giving Qi Shenbai a chance to speak. When he looked up, he met Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s bright black eyes. They were clear and innocent as she looked at him eagerly. Lin Feng returned the phone to her. ¡°Your boyfriend will be here soon. Of course, if you don¡¯t behave, he might not come.¡± Xu Jiaojiao immediately sat down obediently like a child in class, her back straight. Xu Zhengyang rolled his eyes at him. ¡°Why are you teasing her? You know he won¡¯t be able to come out tonight.¡± Lin Feng pursed his lips. ¡°And you say you don¡¯t have a crush on Old Qi? You care about him more than your sister!¡± Xu Zhengyang glared at him. ¡°Do you want to fight?¡± Even if he could not defeat Qi Shenbai, he could easily take Lin Feng on! Lin Feng leaned lazily on the sofa. ¡°You¡¯re so rude and violent, you know that?¡± After a pause, a meaningful smile appeared on his face. ¡°Do you not have confidence in your sister, or in Old Qi?¡± Xu Zhengyang glanced at his sister, who was sitting obediently, and pursed his thin lips. ¡°I think you have a lot of time on your hands.¡± Lin Feng smiled and said, ¡°Of course, I¡¯m bored. Let me have this little bit of fun. Those old men from the Qi family are all so clingy. Isn¡¯t it good to give Old Qi a legitimate excuse to go out?¡± Xu Zhengyang raised his eyebrows slightly but did not say anything. He just drank his wine quietly. When Qi Shenbai arrived at the bar, Xu Zhengyang and Lin Feng were already slightly drunk. Xu Jiaojiao was still sitting upright, her big black eyes pure and innocent. Although he knew that nothing would happen to her at Lin Feng¡¯s bar, he was still worried that they would not be able to take good care of his little girl. Hence, he rushed all the way here. He walked over slowly and looked down at her. Her hair was tied into a bun, and her fair skin was flushed. When she tilted her head to look at him, her expression instantly became pitiful. ¡°I behaved myself. Why are you only here now?¡± Qi Shenbai squatted down and swept away the hair on her face with his fingertips. ¡°Did you drink a lot?¡± Xu Jiaojiao acted as if she did not hear him and questioned him pitifully, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since school ended. Why did you only come to pick me up now? Do you have other children?¡± Her small mouth flattened, her eyes reddened, and tears threatened to fall. ¡°I don¡¯t have any other children.¡± Qi Shenbai explained gently, ¡°I was delayed by something, but I¡¯m here now.¡± Xu Jiaojiao sniffled and held back the tears in her eyes. She opened her arms and said, ¡°Hug me.¡± Just as Qi Shenbai opened his arms to hug her, Xu Jiaojiao suddenly clung onto him like a koala, her slender legs tightly wrapping around his waist. ¡°F*ck!¡± Xu Zhengyang could not help but curse. Lin Feng suppressed his laughter and downed the wine in his cup. Qi Shenbai hugged Xu Jiaojiao, and his breathing became heavier. It was not because she was heavy, but because of her posture¡­ If it were any other man, they would not be able to resist. Xu Jiaojiao was so drunk that she had lost consciousness. She completely disregarded Xu Zhengyang and Lin Feng¡¯s existence as she wrapped her arms around his neck and said coquettishly, ¡°In the future, you have to come and pick me up early. The other kids¡¯ boyfriends come early to pick them up. 1 don¡¯t want to be the last to leave kindergarten.¡± A hint of heartache flashed across Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes, and the faint smile on his lips disappeared. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll definitely be the first to pick you up and take you home in the future.¡± After a pause, he said gently, ¡°I won¡¯t make you cry again.¡± Only then did Xu Jiaojiao obediently lay on his shoulder and stop talking. Qi Shenbai turned his head to look at Xu Zhengyang. His dark eyes were deep and cold. He asked crossly, ¡°You promised me to take good care of her. Is this how you take care of her?¡± Xu Zhengyang pointed at the culprit beside him and said, ¡°She insisted on following me here. I couldn¡¯t stop her. And he was the one who gave the wine to Jiaojiao.¡± Lin Feng burst into expletives inwardly. He hurriedly explained, ¡°She went to the bar and ordered it herself. It was just Blue Hawaii, nothing too much.¡± If he had known that she had become like this after drinking a single glass of wine, he would never have dared to treat her to a drink. Qi Shenbai¡¯s attention was completely focused on the girl in his arms. In any case, the two of them could not escape his wrath. Sooner or later, they would get their punishment. After giving them a sharp look, he carried the girl in his arms and turned to leave. ¡°Wait!¡± Xu Zhengyang hurriedly stopped him. ¡°Where are you taking Jiaojiao?¡± Qi Shenbai turned around and gave him a sidelong glance. ¡°I¡¯m taking her home..¡± Chapter 138 - Chapter 138: The Best Man in the World Chapter 138: The Best Man in the World Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation If he let her stay here with them, it was only a matter of time before they led her astray. ¡°You¡¯ll take her home? Which home?¡± Xu Zhengyang subconsciously raised his voice. ¡°The new year isn¡¯t over yet. If my grandmother doesn¡¯t see Jiaojiao tomorrow morning, she¡¯ll have your head.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was drunk out of her mind right now. How could Xu Zhengyang let the two of them stay alone together? What if they¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not like you,¡± Qi Shenbai said coldly and turned to leave. Xu Zhengyang was indignant. ¡°Like me? What do you mean by that? Didn¡¯t you swear you wouldn¡¯t lay a hand on her back then? Well, look at you now!¡± Lin Feng handed over Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s red down jacket. ¡°Here, wrap your little steamed bun. Don¡¯t let her catch a cold.¡± Qi Shenbai was speechless.¡±¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao heard his words in a daze and said unhappily, ¡°I¡¯m not a steamed bun¡­¡± Qi Shenbai hugged her with one hand and took her jacket with the other, draping it over Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s body. It was New Year¡¯s Eve, so his driver and bodyguard had gone home. After receiving the call, Qi Shenbai had grabbed his car keys and rushed over. Now, he carefully placed Xu Jiaojiao in the car and fastened his seatbelt before getting into the driver¡¯s seat. The heating in the car was on, and Xu Jiaojiao felt hot. She pulled off her down jacket, turned her head, and looked him up and down in a daze. ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize him anymore?¡± Qi Shenbai asked as he started the car. Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips and smiled shyly. ¡°You look like my boyfriend, but my boyfriend is more handsome than you.¡± Qi Shenbai blinked. He swore that he would never let her touch alcohol again. Not even a tiny sip. Xu Jiaojiao continued, ¡°You don¡¯t know my boyfriend, do you? His name is Qi. Shen. Bai.¡± Qi Shenbai chatted with her as he drove. ¡°What do you like about your boyfriend?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need a reason to like him,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied without hesitation. Her soft voice was filled with pride. ¡°But my boyfriend is perfect in every way. He¡¯s handsome and treats me well. He¡¯s the best man in the world.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s originally furrowed brows gradually relaxed. His lips curled up. ¡°Is he really that amazing?¡± ¡°Oh, he is. The best in the world.¡± Xu Jiaojiao put her hand over her heart. ¡°He filled my heart up to the brim.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s breathing became heavy. If he was not driving, he really wanted to stop the car, press her down, and kiss her fiercely. Xu Jiaojiao did not notice the burning desire in the man¡¯s eyes. She just licked her lips and smiled sweetly. ¡°Qi Shenbai, I really like you so much. I can¡¯t even bear to wake up from a dream if you¡¯re in it.¡± Qi Shenbai suddenly stepped on the brakes. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s body fell forward due to inertia, but he reached out his arm to stop her from hitting the dashboard. By the time Xu Jiaojiao settled back in her seat and turned to look at him strangely, Qi Shenbai had already unbuckled her seatbelt. In the next second, he pulled Xu Jiaojiao into his arms so that she sat on his lap. Their faces were pressed against each other, and they were no more than two centimeters apart. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s breath caught in her throat. She blinked and said in a soft voice, ¡°What are you doing¡­ Mm¡­!¡± The next second, he drowned her in his passionate kiss. Slowly, he parted his lips and reached in with his tongue. It was cold outside the window, but it was getting hot and heavy in the car. Their low panting was like a summer heat wave, making them dizzy. In the end, Xu Jiaojiao collapsed into Qi Shenbai¡¯s arms like a limp sack of bones. She was a little out of breath from the kiss, and her head felt empty. It was as if she had been rescued after drowning. She gasped for breath, her slender fingers gripping his shirt so tightly that it wrinkled. In the end, Qi Shenbai even kissed her ear. Xu Jiaojiao trembled slightly. Half of her body was numb as she whined, ¡°You¡¯re bullying me.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips were slightly red as he smiled. ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her head and looked at him, confused. ¡°But you kiss me without warning ever time¡­ Burp-¡± She started to burp uncontrollably again. Qi Shenbai was amused by her silly expression. The anxiety in his heart was gradually wiped away. His fingertips gently caressed her cheek and his thin lips smiled. ¡°Okay. Next time, I¡¯ll definitely warn you before I kiss you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled. ¡°That¡¯s better. Burp-¡± She suddenly realized something and hurriedly covered her mouth. She glanced at him with her big watery eyes under her thick eyelashes before looking down again. Qi Shenbai did not think that she was being a spoilsport. Instead, he thought that she was super cute right now. He stroked her fuzzy little head and put her back in the passenger seat.. Chapter 139 - Chapter 139: Theres Something Up with Them Chapter 139: There¡¯s Something Up with Them Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao had gotten used to sitting on him. When she was suddenly put down, she said unhappily, ¡°I don¡¯t like sitting here.¡± She even moved to unbuckle her seatbelt and crawl towards him. Qi Shenbai pressed her body down and said in a low voice, ¡°No, sit down first.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t 1 hug you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted and whined, ¡°Won¡¯t a boyfriend hug his girlfriend?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s heart softened. However, he had to drive now and could not hold her. If he gave in, they would really waste the entire night in the car. ¡°Stay still for now, okay? I¡¯ll hug you when we get home.¡± He knew that she was drunk and could not be reasoned with, so he could only patiently coax her. ¡°When we get home, you can hug me as long as you want, okay?¡± He subconsciously raised his tone, his voice doting. Xu Jiaojiao thought about it seriously and thought it was a good deal. Finally, she nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get to hug you all night. Burp-¡± Qi Shenbai nodded. ¡°If you say so.¡± Only then did Xu Jiaojiao obediently return to the passenger seat. As she looked at the scenery on the street, she continued to burp. Her eyelids dropped heavily, and it was not long before she fell asleep. The car stopped steadily in front of the Xu Family¡¯s house. Qi Shenbai opened the car door and carefully carried Xu Jiao jiao out. Tian Fanghua, who had yet to fall asleep, heard the sound and came out to open the door. When she saw that it was Qi Shenbai carrying Xu Jiaojiao back, she was stunned for a moment. When she regained her senses, she hurriedly let him in. ¡°Why are you the one who sent Jiaojiao back? Where¡¯s Zhengyang? What happened to Jiaojiao?¡± Qi Shenbai replied unhurriedly, ¡°Jiaojiao drank too much, so I brought her back first.¡± When Tian Fanghua heard this, she instantly understood. As she led him upstairs, she complained, ¡°1 knew that boy was unreliable. He actually dared to take his sister to a bar! When he comes back, I¡¯ll definitely beat him up.¡± She pushed open the door to Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s room. Qi Shenbai strode over to the bed and carefully put Xu Jiao jiao down. Xu Jiaojiao instinctively hugged his neck tightly and muttered, ¡°Qi Shenbai, hug me¡­¡± Qi Shenbai had no choice but to pick her up again, turning around and sitting by her bed. He caressed her back and said gently, ¡°It¡¯s late. Go to sleep.¡± Tian Fanghua stood at the side and watched them, her emotions complicated. She wanted to say something several times, but in the end, she held back the urge. Qi Shenbai nodded slightly at her. ¡°You should go to sleep first, Aunt Xu. I¡¯ll take care of Jiaojiao.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Okay.¡± Tian Fanghua turned around and walked to the door. The moment she opened the door, she suddenly remembered something. No, wait. Wasn¡¯t his marriage with Jiaojiao fake? How could she let him stay in Jiaojiao¡¯s room so late at night? She turned around and was about to say something when she saw him looking down at Jiaojiao, who was sleeping soundly in his arms, with a gentle and tender gaze. She hesitated, swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue, and went out, not forgetting to gently close the door behind her. Xu Zhiming yawned and walked out of the bedroom. ¡°Are Zhenyang and Jiaojiao back?¡± ¡°Keep your voice down.¡± Tian Fanghua raised her finger to her lips and dragged Xu Zhiming back to the room. ¡°What are you doing? You¡¯re acting sneaky.¡± Tian Fanghua whispered, ¡°Do you know who sent Jiaojiao back?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it Zhengyang? The two of them went out together¡­¡± Tian Fanghua interrupted him before he could finish, ¡°It was Qi Shenbai who carried Jiaojiao back.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be surprised about?¡± Xu Zhiming understood. ¡°He¡¯s so close to Zhengyang. Zhengyang must have asked him to send Jiaojiao back.¡± Tian Fanghua said meaningfully, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. Jiaojiao was drunk and kept hugging him, so he hugged Jiao jiao back and patiently coaxed her. I get the feeling that there¡¯s something up with them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much, aren¡¯t you?¡± Xu Zhiming felt that it was impossible and muttered, ¡°Qi Shenbai is the CEO of the Qi Group and Zhengyang¡¯s boss! He¡¯s so young and successful. He can get any woman he likes. Why would he like our Jiaojiao?¡± Tian Fanghua did not like the sound of that. ¡°So what if he¡¯s the CEO? He¡¯s still a human, after all. Besides, our Jiaojiao is so mature and adorable. Don¡¯t make her sound unworthy of him! She¡¯s good enough for anybody!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not saying that Jiaojiao isn¡¯t good enough for him,¡± Xu Zhiming explained patiently. ¡°It¡¯s just that from an objective point of view, our family isn¡¯t on the same level as the Qi family. That man is also Zhengyang¡¯s boss. It¡¯s very likely that he took care of Jiaojiao because of Zhengyang. Let¡¯s not flatter ourselves.¡± ¡°What are you saying?! We are not flattering ourselves!¡± Tian Fanghua could not help but raise her voice. ¡°There are so many women in the world.. Even if he¡¯s faking his marriage, why did he choose our Jiaojiao? Have you ever thought about that? Moreover, even if he is taking care of his subordinate¡¯s sister, there¡¯s no need to hug her tightly like that!¡± Chapter 140 - Chapter 140: His Phone is Off Chapter 140: His Phone is Off Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that it¡¯s all because of our son. How can our son order his boss around? You might as well say that he has a crush on our son, and he¡¯s only treating Jiaojiao so nicely because he loves her brother!¡± The corners of Xu Zhiming¡¯s mouth twitched. He could not say anything to that. Every time Qi Shenbai coaxed Xu Jiao jiao to sleep and tried to tuck her back in bed, she would whine and complain. He could not even move his hand from her back. In the end, he had no choice but to take off his shoes and get into bed with her, leaning against Xu Jiaojiao. Finally, Xu Jiaojiao slept quietly in his arms and did not make any more noise. When Qi Shenbai lowered his eyes, he could see her curly eyelashes, her slightly pursed pink lips, and the part of her chest that was tightly pressed against his. That soft sensation was quite alluring. Taking a deep breath, Qi Shenbai brushed the tip of her nose with his fingertips. His deep voice was filled with doting affection. ¡°Happy New Year, my clingy koala¡­¡± That night, Xu Jiaojiao slept soundly. She did not even dream. However, Qi Shenbai had a very hard time. He could not sleep the entire night, what with the way she kept rubbing against his body. It was a sleepless night for him. The next day, Xu Jiaojiao found herself waking up on her big bed. The blanket on her body was warm and soft. She yawned as she sat up and scratched her head. A few fragmented memories suddenly flashed through her mind, and her deer-like eyes widened. Uh-oh, she accidentally drank too much again last night. This time, though, she had not forgotten what happened last night. For example, she remembered how Qi Shenbai had hugged her and gently coaxed her to sleep¡­ ¡°Alih, how embarrassing¡­¡± She slowly fell back onto the bed and rolled around¡­ At dawn, Xu Jiaojiao changed her clothes after washing up and went downstairs. She bumped into Tian Fanghua, who had just walked out of the kitchen. Tian Fanghua was very concerned. As soon as they met, she patted her daughter¡¯s head. ¡°Are you feeling unwell? I asked Aunt Xia to make you some tea to relieve your hangover. You should feel better after drinking it.¡± ¡°Mom, there¡¯s no need. 1 feel fine.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes darted around the living room as she asked, ¡°Mom, do you know where Qi Shenbai went?¡± ¡°Aunt Xia said that he left early in the morning in a hurry. It looks like he had something urgent to do,¡± Tian Fanghua replied. ¡°I see.¡± Xu Jiaojiao heaved a sigh of relief, but in the next moment, she felt a little disappointed. What was so urgent that he had to leave in such a hurry? Couldn¡¯t he have waited until she woke up to tell her Happy New Year before leaving? Tian Fanghua held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand as they walked toward the living room. ¡°You should drink less from now on. Don¡¯t learn from Xu Zhengyang. No matter what, he¡¯s still a man. No matter how much he drinks, he won¡¯t be at a disadvantage. But you¡¯re a young lady. If you drink too much, bad things might happen to you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded profusely, her expression obedient. ¡°Mom, 1 promise 1 won¡¯t drink any more alcohol in the future. 1 won¡¯t drink a single drop.¡± Every time she drank, she would wind up embarrassing herself. She did not want to embarrass herself a third time. ¡°It¡¯s good that you know.¡± Tian Fanghua was not an old-fashioned and pedantic parent. She was never the type to hover over her children. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m going to the washroom now.¡± Xu Jiaojiao found an excuse to leave. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go and see your grandmother too.¡± Tian Fanghua stood up and went upstairs. Xu Jiaojiao stayed in the bathroom downstairs, but she did not go to the toilet. Instead, she took out her phone and sent Qi Shenbai a WeChat message. Jiao jiao: |Are you home now?] She waited for five minutes after sending the message, but there was still no reply. Xu Jiaojiao sat on the toilet bowl and stared intently at the WeChat interface. She was deep in thought. ¡¯Could he be asleep? Or is he busy with work? Should I give him a call now?¡¯ It was as if there were two wolves in her mind. In the end, Xu Jiaojiao could not help but give him a call. ¡°Sorry, the number you have dialed is unavailable. Please try again later¡­¡± The sweet female voice on the other end of the phone was like a blow to her head, stunning Xu Jiaojiao. Why did he turn off his phone? Did his phone run out of battery, or was he mad at her after last night? Xu Jiaojiao lingered in the bathroom for more than half an hour. If Aunt Xia had not knocked on the door, she would have forgotten to leave. Just then, Xu Zhengyang had just returned home. His face was filled with fatigue as he yawned from time to time. Tian Fanghua slapped his head. ¡°You punk! It¡¯s fine if you stay out all night, but you even took your sister drinking.. Are you trying to make me mad?¡± Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: Happy New Year, My Little Girl Chapter 141: Happy New Year, My Little Girl Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Zhengyang was dazed from the slap. After a while, he came back to his senses. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t make her drink anything. Isn¡¯t she perfectly¡­¡± Halfway through his sentence, Tian Fanghua hit him on the head again. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me! I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re fooling around every day, but you can¡¯t drag Jiaojiao into your messes! Is this how an older brother should act?¡± When Xu Zhengyang saw Xu Jiaojiao, he hurriedly looked at her for help. After all, she was the only one who could stop Madam Tian at a time like this. Xu Jiaojiao, on the other hand, sat down on the sofa. Her pretty face was gloomy as she left her brother at their mother and left him in the lurch. In the end, the ¡°battle¡± only ended when Mrs. Xu went downstairs. During breakfast, Xu Zhengyang sat next to Xu Jiaojiao and whispered through gritted teeth, ¡°You¡¯re really something. How could you just watch me get beaten up?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s lips suddenly pursed into a flat line. ¡°Qi Shenbai¡¯s phone is off, and he¡¯s not replying to my messages.¡± Xu Zhengyang was stunned for a moment. He had had a few girlfriends before, so he knew very well how upset a lovestruck girl would get when he did not pick up her calls or reply to her messages. He immediately threw the matter from this morning to the back of his mind. ¡°Come on, he has so many family members, and he¡¯s the head of the family. On New Year¡¯s Eve, he abandoned so many people in his family to look for you. Don¡¯t you think he should give those people an explanation once he gets back?¡± Xu Jiaojiao finally understood. ¡°Oh, I see!¡± ¡°Now you get it.¡± Xu Zhengyang patted Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head. ¡°Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild all the time. Go and have breakfast.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded just as Tian Fanghua walked in on them. ¡°Xu Zhengyang, why are you hitting your sister? Just eat your breakfast!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Zhengyang was befuddled. Since when did he hit her? ¡°Tell me the truth. I¡¯m not actually your biological son, am 1?¡± ¡°You only just realized?¡± Tian Fanghua pretended to be surprised. Xu Zhengyang rolled his eyes. There seemed to be no place for him in this family anymore. Old Madam Xu smiled as she watched the mother and son bicker. Xu Jiaojiao grinned too. The entire family shared a warm, hearty laugh. On New Year¡¯s morning, many people came to visit Old Madam Xu. Xu Jiaojiao did not want to meet her relatives, so she withdrew into the studio to draw. However, after drawing for a few minutes, she would pick up her phone to take a look. There was no reply from WeChat, nor were there any calls on her phone¡­ Worried that she would disturb him, Xu Jiaojiao did not continue to call him. Throughout the entire day, Xu Jiaojiao was in a daze. However, Qi Shenbai did not reply to her messages even until nighttime. Xu Jiaojiao really could not stand this kind of torture. She could not help but send a message to Qi Yunduo, who had added her on WeChat last time. Jiaojiao: [Qi Yunduo, are you with Qi Shenbai now?] As soon as the message was sent, Xu Jiaojiao saw that Qi Yunduo was typing. After about six minutes, she received a reply. Cloudy Qi: [My brother went to visit his mother for the New Year. Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯ll reply to your messages once he¡¯s done with his stuff over there.] He was visiting his mother for the New Year? The more Xu Jiaojiao looked at this sentence, the stranger it felt. Just as she was about to send another message, a call came in. It was from Great Philanthropist Qi. She immediately picked up the call happily, her voice audibly filled with joy. ¡°Are you done now?¡± There was no sound on the other end of the line. Xu Jiaojiao asked in confusion, ¡°Qi Shenbai¡­?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qi Shenbai said, but his voice was a little hoarse for no reason. ¡°You picked up the call so quickly. Have you been waiting for my call?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not deny it. ¡°You left without waiting for me this morning, and you didn¡¯t reply to my messages. Even when I called you, your phone was turned off. Of course I was worried about you.¡± ¡°I had something on, so I left in a hurry.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s deep voice sounded in her ear through the phone¡¯s speakers. ¡°Did you not look under the pillow?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was a little confused. ¡°My pillow?¡± ¡°Look under your pillow.¡± Xu Jiaojiao followed his instructions and turned her pillow upside down, only to find a beautiful red packet. When she picked it up, she realized that the red packet was quite thick. ¡°Did you put it there secretly?¡± ¡°Happy New Year, my little girl.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt as if her ears had gone numb after hearing that sentence. She could not help but smile as she said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to give me a red packet. My grandmother and the others have already given me some New Year¡¯s money..¡± Chapter 142 - Chapter 142: If He Needs Me Chapter 142: If He Needs Me Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Every year, she would receive a lot of red packets, each thicker than the last. ¡°How is that the same? This is my personal gift to you.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s deep voice slowly came from the other end of the phone¡ª ¡°Every kid gets a red packet from every one of their loved ones, right?¡± Xu Jiaojiao covered her mouth in time to prevent herself from laughing out loud. He was so good at this flirting thing. Was this really his first time in a relationship? The two of them fell quiet, enjoying the silence together. Their soft breathing was transmitted through the electromagnetic waves, causing Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s ears to feel numb from time to time. ¡°Jiaojiao, my girl¡­¡± After an unknown period of time, his voice came from the other end of the phone again. His voice was soft. ¡°¡­1 miss you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart suddenly twisted painfully in her chest. The smile on her lips gradually faded. His voice was hoarse and filled with indescribable fatigue. He seemed to be very tired now ¡ª Very, very tired. ¡°Little girls should sleep early. Good night.¡± Xu Jiaojiao gently pursed her lips and whispered, ¡°Good night.¡± The call had already ended. Xu Jiaojiao looked down at the thick red packet in her hand. Her ears kept replaying his tired voice. It was as if a big hole had suddenly been poked in her heart, and the cold wind was whistling through it. It hurt. She suddenly had an inexplicable feeling that Qi Shenbai needed her right now. She had to see him. She had to. Xu Jiaojiao did not hesitate and immediately called Cang Xing. Then, she stood up and threw the red packet and her phone cable into her bag before changing her clothes. It was getting late, and most of the family had already gone to bed. Xu Jiaojiao gently opened the door and tiptoed out, not daring to make a sound. She made it downstairs, but just as she was about to walk toward the door, she suddenly heard a calm voice behind her. ¡°Where are you going in the middle of the night?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was shocked and her body stiffened for a moment. She turned to look at the source of the voice and forced a smile. ¡°Brother¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang held a cup in his hand and said softly, ¡°Are you going to look for that old dog Qi?¡± Xu Jiaojiao had been creeping around with her back hunched all this while. Now her back was sore, so she simply stood up straight and whispered, ¡°He called me just now, and I can tell he¡¯s in a very bad state. He needs me!¡± ¡°Oh? And what can you do to help him?¡± Xu Zhengyang smiled mockingly. ¡°What do you know about the Qi family?¡± ¡°Not much, but 1 know he¡¯s my boyfriend. If he needs me, 1 have to be there for him.¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her head and looked straight into Xu Zhengyang¡¯s eyes. Her gaze was unwavering and resolute. Xu Zhengyang was silent. After a while, he finally squeezed out three words, ¡°Must you go?¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded without hesitation. ¡°I have to go!¡± She softened her tone and begged, ¡°Brother, just let me go. If I don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll definitely regret it in the future.¡± That inexplicable intuition was so strong that it told Xu Jiao jiao that if she did not go tonight, she would definitely regret it. Xu Zhengyang did not say anything. He raised his head and drank the water in one gulp. Then, he placed the cup on the cabinet beside him. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send you to the airport.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt as if a rock had been lifted from her heart. The smile on her face came from the bottom of her heart. ¡°You¡¯re the best!¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Xu Zhengyang snorted coldly. ¡°If you stand by again the next time I¡¯m in danger, I¡¯ll immediately Mom and Dad you snuck off to meet a man in the middle of the night!¡± Xu Jiaojiao hurriedly waved her hand. ¡°I would never! If Mom scolds you again from now on, I¡¯ll definitely jump in and take on the heat for you. Brother, remember to tell Dad and Mom that I went to visit Luoluo.¡± Xu Zhengyang did not say anything after that. He focused on driving her to the airport and sent her all the way to the security checkpoint. ¡°Text me when you land.¡± Xu Jiaojiao hurriedly nodded. ¡°No problem.¡± Just as she was about to turn around and walk toward the security checkpoint, she heard Xu Zhengyang call out to her again. Xu Jiaojiao turned around and looked at Xu Zhengyang. He just stood there without saying anything for a long time, his expression complicated. He wanted to say something but could not find the words. Xu Jiaojiao took a few steps toward Xu Zhengyang with a confused expression on her face. ¡°Brother, if you have something to say, just say it. If you continue to hesitate, I¡¯ll have to change my flight.¡± She had booked the earliest flight to City A, so she did not have much time. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang cleared his throat and said in a low voice, ¡°Be careful over there..¡± Chapter 143 - Chapter 143: Id Sooner Date a Pig Chapter 143: I¡¯d Sooner Date a Pig Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Just as Xu Jiaojiao was about to say, ¡°Is that all?¡±, Xu Zhengyang immediately continued¡ª ¡°If the two of you really can¡¯t take it anymore, then you have to use protection, you hear me?! Any guy who tried to talk you out of using condoms is a scumbag¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face quickly turned red as a tomato. She glared at him angrily. ¡°Brother, what are you saying? I¡¯m not going there just to¡­¡± Offer him her body on a platter. However, these words stuck in her throat. She could not say them. ¡°Alright, just go. I¡¯ll handle Dad and Mom!¡± Xu Zhengyang also felt awkward talking about that stuff with his sister, but he was worried and just had to remind her. Xu Jiaojiao turned around and left. After taking a few steps, she stopped and turned her head to glare at him. His hands were in his pockets, and Xu Zhengyang¡¯s pretty eyes were cheerful. He looked at her angry back and could not help but smile. His little Jiaojiao had already grown up. After watching Xu Jiaojiao pass through the security checkpoint, Xu Zhengyang left the airport. Not long after he drove off, he saw Su Luo by the roadside. There was a large suitcase beside her, and she seemed to be waiting for someone. He stopped nearby and wound down the car window. ¡°Well, well, why is our Miss Su here?¡± Su Luo was also quite surprised to see him. ¡°Xu Zhengyang, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like your family owns this airport. Why can¡¯t I be here??¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s voice was calm, but his tone was dripping with sarcasm. Su Luo¡¯s temples throbbed. She quickly straightened her back and stopped talking to Xu Zhengyang. Xu Zhengyang honked his horn. ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t I give you a lift?¡± ¡°No need!¡± She was rather stubborn and rejected him directly. ¡°Are you sure? But it¡¯s already so late. It¡¯s extremely difficult for you to get a taxi. If you call a ride online, you have to be careful. What if you bump into a psychopath who will take you into a forest and¡­?¡± ¡°Xu Zhengyang, please shut up.¡± Su Luo¡¯s face was tense and her lips were pursed into a straight line. She said angrily, ¡°Can¡¯t you keep quiet for even a second?¡± She was about to call for a ride-hailing service when he made his chilling point. After that, she immediately chickened out. Xu Zhengyang smiled and opened the car door. He got out of the car and walked toward her. ¡°What now?¡± Su Luo said angrily. ¡°I think you¡¯d better accept my offer before you end up on the missing person page tomorrow. Even if I infuriate you.¡± After that, he simply picked up her suitcase and stuffed it into the trunk of his car. ¡°Eh?¡± Before Su Luo could stop him, her luggage was already in his trunk. She had no choice but to sit in the front passenger seat. Xu Zhengyang got into the car again. As he started the engine, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. I just don¡¯t want to see you on the news. Jiaojiao would definitely cry.¡± Su Luo understood the meaning behind Xu Zhengyang¡¯s words and her heart turned cold. She forced a smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯d sooner date a pig than date you.¡± Xu Zhengyang raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°Really? So you like pigs?¡± Su Luo gritted her teeth. How annoying! How could he be so damned annoying?! After Su Luo fell silent, the atmosphere in the car became a little awkward. Xu Zhengyang said indifferently, ¡°Come on, why don¡¯t you say something¡­¡± Before he could finish speaking, Su Luo said fiercely, ¡°Be quiet. If you say another word, I¡¯ll jump out of the car immediately. Then you¡¯ll be on the news tomorrow!¡± Xu Zhengyang blinked and shut up. *** When Xu Jiaojiao got off the plane, it was already four in the morning. City A was still mostly asleep at the time. The surroundings were silent, and there were almost no people walking around the airport. As soon as she walked out of the airport, she saw a car parked by the roadside. Cang Xing stood beside the car and said respectfully, ¡°Madam¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao only had a backpack on her shoulder, and she did not bring any other luggage. She simply got into the car and headed straight to the hotel where Qi Shenbai was staying. Cang Xing sent her to the entrance of the corresponding hotel, gave her a room card, and left. Xu Jiaojiao held the room card in her hand and did not enter immediately. For some reason, she felt inexplicably nervous. She let out a long breath as if making up her mind. Finally, she reached for the door. Beep¡ª The door opened. The light in the room was dim, as if there was a thick layer of smog. It smelled terrible. Xu Jiaojiao waved her hand in front of her face a few times, but the smell of smoke did not fade at all, so she could only give up.. Chapter 144 - Chapter 144: Its My Promise to You Chapter 144: It¡¯s My Promise to You Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation After taking a few more steps, she saw the man leaning against the sofa. His handsome features were hidden in the smog, and his head was lowered. There was still a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers, and smoke lingered on his fingertips. He had completely lost his usual elegance and pride. Instead, he looked dejected and exhausted. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart twisted in her chest. She subconsciously lightened her footsteps and walked up to him. Her voice trembled as she said, ¡°Qi Shenbai¡­¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s body stiffened when he heard her voice. Then, he slowly raised his head. When he met her nervous gaze, a hint of surprise flashed across his eyes. ¡°Jiaojiao?¡± He could not believe it. Was he dreaming? Shouldn¡¯t she be in Luo City right now, having fun with her family? Xu Jiaojiao gave him a sweet smile and replied softly, ¡°No, you¡¯re not seeing things. It¡¯s me, Xu Jiaojiao.¡± Qi Shenbai spoke slowly. His voice was even hoarser than it was on the phone. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s red lips curled up slightly. ¡°I wanted to say Happy New Year to you in person, so I came.¡± After that¡­ She crouched down in front of Qi Shenbai and tilted her head to look at him. There seemed to be stars twinkling in her doe-like eyes as she said in the sweetest voice, ¡°Qi Shenbai, Happy New Year.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s breathing stopped, and his deep eyes gradually darkened with a burning passion. His chest felt like it was overwhelmed by some kind of emotion. Excitement, passion, a wild desire¡­ After extinguishing the cigarette between his fingers, he bent down and held her firmly in his arms. He buried his head in the crook of her neck and took in her warmth, his breath no longer heavy. He was squeezing her so tightly that Xu Jiaojiao felt like she was about to suffocate. However, she did not say anything. Instead, she liked being held tightly in his arms like this. It was as if¡­ she was the only one who could bring him warmth and stability. The thought made Xu Jiaojiao very happy. Still- Xu Jiaojiao could not help but cough at the strong smell of tobacco all over his body. Qi Shenbai subconsciously let go of her and touched her face with his fingertips. It was still cold. ¡°Sorry, is it that bad?¡± Xu Jiaojiao coughed and nodded with tears in her eyes. ¡°You smoked too much.¡± The ashtray on the coffee table was almost full of cigarette butts. Qi Shenbai suppressed the urge to kiss her and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Go back to your room and rest first. I¡¯ll go to you after I take a shower.¡± Xu Jiaojiao obediently returned to her room. Qi Shenbai got up and opened the window to let the smell of smoke in the room dissipate. Then, he went to the bathroom to take a shower, changed into a white bathrobe, and walked into the room. Xu Jiaojiao sat on the chair like a child, holding the red packet he had placed under her pillow. ¡°Do you like it?¡± Qi Shenbai took out a bottle of milk from the fridge, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to her. Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. ¡°I was in a hurry to find you, so I didn¡¯t have time to open it.¡± Qi Shenbai signaled her to open it with his eyes. Xu Jiaojiao opened the red packet. There was a stack of cash, all new notes, and a paper card. There were a few words written on it in elegant handwriting: ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, you will be always healthy and happy.¡± Xu Jiaojiao read through the card a few times and could not help but smile. However, she still asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t your well wishes a little old-fashioned?¡± Qi Shenbai sat on the chair beside her and stared at her with his deep eyes. His thin lips parted slightly. ¡°It¡¯s not a wish. It¡¯s my promise to you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart was filled with sweetness as if she had eaten an entire jar of honey. Her eyes curved into crescents as she changed the topic. ¡°How much money is in here?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you count for yourself?¡± Qi Shenbai knew that she was feeling embarrassed, so he stopped teasing her. ¡°Sure, I love counting money.¡± Xu Jiaojiao took out a stack of banknotes from her red packet and started counting the cash seriously. Qi Shenbai kept looking down at her, his gaze unconsciously attracted to her slightly moving lips. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed a few times, as if he was trying hard to suppress some impulse. ¡°5,100 dollars, 5,200 dollars¡­¡± She suddenly paused and looked up at him. ¡°520, as in ¡®I love you¡¯?¡± Qi Shenbai nodded and said nothing. Xu Jiaojiao stuffed the cash back into the red packet neatly, along with the greeting card. ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t have to do this. 1 don¡¯t really want¡­¡± ¡°But I do.¡± Qi Shenbai suddenly interrupted her. ¡°I¡¯ve never liked anyone else before, and I¡¯m ten years older than you. 1 may not know what kids your age like, so I¡¯ll try whatever I know works.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Xu Jiaojiao blinked her big eyes. ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m the first person you ever liked?¡± Qi Shenbai raised his eyebrows slightly in acknowledgment.. Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Im Really Lucky Chapter 145: I¡¯m Really Lucky Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s smile widened. She hugged his arm and said sweetly, ¡°Qi Shenbai, I¡¯m really lucky to have you.¡± She had never experienced such happiness with Lu Zhuo in the past. Back then, she was always chasing after Lu Zhuo¡¯s back, but Lu Zhuo never turned around to look at her. Qi Shenbai pinched her chin with his fingertips and lifted it up. His dark eyes were filled with burning desire as he said, ¡°Jiaojiao, can I kiss you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s cheeks heated up. Why did he have to ask a question like that?! She thought of what she had said when she was drunk and her heart trembled. She closed her eyes and nodded slowly. The next second, her tender lips were covered by his. Although he had already brushed his teeth, the faint smell of smoke still invaded her mouth. Qi Shenbai was worried that her neck would hurt if she kept looking up. He wrapped his large palm around her slender waist and pulled her into his arms, making her sit on his lap. Xu Jiaojiao had the higher ground, but her hands gripped his bathrobe tightly. Her head was spinning. The next time she opened her eyes, she was already lying on the bed. Qi Shenbai¡¯s bathrobe was messy, and his collar was open, revealing the well-proportioned muscles and neat lines on his chest. Qi Shenbai¡¯s breathing was slightly heavy. His fingertips gently caressed her lips as he asked, ¡°How many times have I taught you? Why haven¡¯t you learned how to kiss yet?¡± Xu Jiaojiao suddenly had a thought that made her shy. ¡°Tell me the truth. Did you like me a long time ago?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± He raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°When you took the comic away, you told me that someone would teach me in the future.¡± Xu Jiaojiao bit her lip, her eyes sparkling. ¡°Did you already¡­ fall in love with me at that time?¡± The more she spoke, the softer her voice became. ¡°No.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice was low and hoarse as he directly denied it. Without waiting for Xu Jiaojiao to ask further, he teased her in a low voice, ¡°It was a little earlier than that.¡± By then, he was already head over heels in love with her. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face suddenly turned slightly red, and her lips were slightly pursed, as if she was trying to hide her shyness. ¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡± Qi Shenbai pulled her fingers to his mouth and kissed them gently. ¡°What do you mean?¡± She looked puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s your turn to tell me when you fell in love with me. Didn¡¯t you say that you don¡¯t like older men?¡± ¡°Why are you still harping on that?¡± Of course, Xu Jiaojiao would not forget that he had overheard her phone call with Su Lu back then. It was one of the most embarrassing moments in her life. She gently poked his chest with her fingertips. ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. Maybe I¡¯ve fallen for you since a long time ago. But I had just broken up with Lu Zhuo at that time, and I didn¡¯t dare to admit my feelings. I felt that it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for me to fall in love with another person so quickly.¡± Qi Shenbai was handsome and took good care of her. It was no wonder she fell for him. The hard part was trying to suppress her feelings for him. Qi Shenbai lowered his head and kissed her heated cheek, saying, ¡°There¡¯s nothing inappropriate about it. You¡¯re just trading in a bad option for a better one.¡± Xu Jiaojiao laughed and and snuggled into his arms again. ¡°That¡¯s right, I traded up. Hehe!¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s muscles tensed up as he sighed softly. ¡°Stop squirming around, would you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked up at him, her clear eyes filled with confusion. Qi Shenbai lowered his head and whispered in her ear, ¡°I¡¯m an adult man, you know. I can¡¯t resist such temptation.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was taken aback at first, but she quickly reacted and her face instantly turned even redder. She buried her head in his arms and hugged him tightly. Qi Shenbai fell silent. Was she doing this on purpose? Xu Jiaojiao was an adult. She had learned plenty of stuff in Biology class, and she had even taken a couple of sex education. She knew what he was talking about. Besides, Luoluo had shown her plenty of naughty comics. She might even know more about these things than Qi Shenbai. Qi Shenbai pushed her away, saying in a low and hoarse voice, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower.¡± Xu Jiaojiao hugged him tightly and refused to let go. She closed her eyes, not daring to look at him. In a very soft voice, she said, ¡°I can do it.¡± Qi Shenbai was stunned. His lustful eyes were like lava, threatening to melt her. His breathing also became slightly sluggish, and he almost could not believe what he had just heard. ¡°Are you¡­ really ready?¡± Xu Jiaojiao slowly nodded, but she did not dare to open her eyes to look at him. At this moment, she threw everything else aside and immersed herself in this atmosphere.. Chapter 146 - Chapter 146:1 Couldnt Leave You Alone Chapter 146:1 Couldn¡¯t Leave You Alone Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation It was natural to be intimate with the person she loved. She was more than happy. Qi Shenbai¡¯s throat tightened. His gaze fell on her flushed face. Finally, he could not help but lean down and kiss her red lips. This kiss was even more passionate and domineering than before. Xu Jiaojiao was both excited and nervous. As far as she knew, the first time was always painful. She could not stand pain, so much so that she would refuse needles even when she was sick. The sound of the wind in her ears grew louder and louder. It was as if she was in a hot stove. However, instead of proceeding to the next step as she expected, he grabbed her little hand. Xu Jiaojiao abruptly opened her eyes. The room was decorated in a minimalistic gray style. The floor lamp glowed orange, and the place was quiet. Qi Shenbai¡¯s slender body and strong arms held Xu Jiaojiao in his arms. Hot sweat dripped from his forehead onto her neck. His black eyes were as hot as lava, as if they wanted to melt her entire body. His lips whispered into her ear like a divine revelation, ¡°Jiaojiao¡­ ¡°My little girl¡­¡± When the scene in her dream slowly overlapped with reality, Xu Jiaojiao was stunned. Instantly, she was flushed and embarrassed. So it was not a dream. Even back then, her dreams had already predicted that she and Qi Shenbai would end up together! Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s delicate heart felt as if it was on fire. She felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction as her fingers dug into his shoulders. Qi Shenbai¡¯s body tensed for a moment, as if he had been in hell for about ten seconds. Then he felt free again, as if he was at the bottom of the sea. This was a feeling that he had never experienced before. However, one time was enough to get him hooked. Outside the window, the sky was beginning to lighten. The two of them were hugging each other in the room. They were obviously exhausted, but they could not fall asleep. Xu Jiaojiao leaned against Qi Shenbai¡¯s arm as she recalled the details of what had just happened. She recalled his expression when he was aroused and was so embarrassed that she did not dare to raise her head. Qi Shenbai lowered his head and kissed her cheek. He asked, ¡°Are you not sleepy?¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head and looked at him with her clear eyes, unable to hide the deep affection in them. Qi Shenbai¡¯s heart skipped a beat. He kissed the corner of her eye again. ¡°Why did you suddenly come here alone?¡± Xu Jiaojiao shook her head and said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure why. When you said that you missed me, I had a faint premonition¡ª 1 knew that 1 definitely couldn¡¯t let you be alone. 1 had to come.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes were filled with affection. ¡°Thank you for coming for me.¡± ¡ªYou arrived the very second before I drowned. Xu Jiaojiao smiled and hooked his collar with her fingertips. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Did your elders get angry when I called you out on New Year¡¯s Eve?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the CEO of the Qi Group and the head of the Qi family. Who would dare to be angry with me?¡± Qi Shenbai curled his lips and laughed happily. That made sense. Xu Jiaojiao felt relieved. ¡°You should get a little sleep.¡± He hugged the little girl in his arms and tucked her in with his other hand. ¡°We¡¯ll go back to Luo City in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Jiaojiao obediently closed her eyes. She did not ask him what happened yesterday, nor did she ask him why he had come to City A. When Xu Jiaojiao opened her eyes again, Qi Shenbai had already changed his clothes. He sat by her bedside and looked at her with an indescribably gentle gaze. ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Qi Shenbai bent down and kissed her on the lips. Xu Jiaojiao blinked and subconsciously covered her mouth. ¡°Wait¡­ 1 haven¡¯t brushed my teeth yet.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t use my tongue.¡± Xu Jiaojiao blinked. Help! Why was he being so straightforward and vulgar?! She pulled the blanket over her head. Qi Shenbai pulled away the blanket and carried her out of it. ¡°You can¡¯t stay in bed anymore. It¡¯s time to wash up and eat.¡± Xu Jiaojiao had come here in a hurry and did not bring anything with her, so she could only wear yesterday¡¯s clothes. Qi Shenbai had arranged for lunch to be delivered to their room. They were all Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s favorite dishes. After dinner, the two of them set off for the airport. Xu Jiaojiao had already gotten into the car. Just as Qi Shenbai was about to get in, Cang Xing suddenly walked over with a troubled expression. ¡°Mr. Qi¡­¡± Qi Shenbai closed the car door and followed Cang Xing¡¯s gaze to see a white-haired old man getting out of a car that had stopped not far away. Although the old man had a head of white hair, he was very energetic. He walked over steadily and called out respectfully, ¡°Mr. Qi¡­¡± As he spoke, he subconsciously looked into the car. Unfortunately, because the windows were tinted, he could not see anything. Qi Shen¡¯s face was even colder than the winter frost. ¡°Tell her that 1 won¡¯t see her.¡± The old man was stunned. ¡°But Mr.. Qi¡­¡± Chapter 147 - Chapter 147: Uncontrollable Chapter 147: Uncontrollable Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Before the old man could finish his sentence, Qi Shenbai added, ¡°I won¡¯t come again in the future.¡± With that, he opened the car door and got inside. Xu Jiaojiao turned her head and saw the old man¡¯s complicated and helpless expression. She then looked at Qi Shenbai, who had just gotten into the car. There was a lingering frown between his brows, and his cold features seemed to be filled with faint sadness. Xu Jiaojiao took the initiative to hold his hand and laced her fingers with his. They held each other tightly. Qi Shenbai turned his head and met her clear eyes. The corners of his mouth curled up into a bright smile. The gloom in his heart suddenly disappeared, and his thin lips slowly curled into a smile. Perhaps he could finally let go. Qi Shenbai sent Xu Jiaojiao back to the Xu family home. Xu Jiaojiao was afraid that her parents would find out that she had gone looking for him, so she refused to let him walk her into the house. However, as soon as the car stopped, they saw Grandma Xu standing at the door. Xu Jiaojiao was speechless.¡±¡­¡± Wait, why was she feeling guilty anyway? Why was she acting like a kid caught on sneaking out on a playdate? Qi Shenbai got out of the car first. With a calm expression, he bowed slightly and called out, ¡°Grandma.¡± Grandma Xu nodded and looked at the car window. She said in amusement and annoyance, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you getting out of the car? Are you waiting for me to open the door for you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao, who was sitting in the car, heard her grandmother¡¯s words and knew that she could not hide anymore. She pushed the door open and got out of the car with a smile on her face. ¡°Grandma.¡± Old Madam Xu glared at her. ¡°Let¡¯s go in first. It¡¯s too cold outside.¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned her head and glanced at Qi Shenbai. Qi Shenbai had already followed the old lady into the house. Tian Fanghua, who was watching television in the living room, saw the three of them walk in from the corner of her eye. She stood up and walked over. She asked curiously, ¡°Jiaojiao, didn¡¯t you go to Luoluo¡¯s house? Wait¡­¡± Her gaze fell on Qi Shenbai and she paused, not knowing what to say. Old Madam Xu thought they were a proper couple, so in her mind, it was only natural for them to be together. However, Tian Fanghua knew that they were faking their marriage. It was only a temporary measure. Just as Qi Shenbai was about to reply, the old lady spoke first. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Zhiming back yet? Give him a call.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tian Fanghua went to get her phone and called her husband to come back. Grandma Qi looked at Xu Jiaojiao again. ¡°You look so disheveled. Go back to your room to change your clothes.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked down at herself. ¡°Grandma, I don¡¯t look that bad¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, she met her grandmother¡¯s gaze. It seemed to be able to see through everything. Xu Jiaojiao immediately lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯ll go change now.¡± Before she went upstairs, she could not help but glance at Qi Shenbai. Sigh, she could barely even protect herself in this situation. There was little she could do to help him. After everyone left, Old Madam Xu looked at Qi Shenbai. ¡°I¡¯m a little tired from sitting so long. Help me back to my room, will you? I want to rest for a while.¡± Qi Shenbai stepped forward and helped the old lady into her room. Grandma Xu was old, so her family had moved her room to the first floor for her convenience. The decor inside had a neo-traditional style, and the air was filled with a faint scent of incense. Qi Shenbai helped the old lady sit down on the bed and bent down to help her take off her shoes. ¡°I¡¯m old, and I smell like my age. I¡¯m surprised that you don¡¯t mind helping me back to my room.¡± She reached out and pressed Qi Shenbai¡¯s shoulder, rejecting his help. Qi Shenbai did not insist. After standing up straight, he replied seriously, ¡°Everyone will grow old one day. There¡¯s no need to hold back around me.¡± The words were not empty pleasantries. Although Old Madam Xu was old, her mind was still very clear. She hated superficial flattery most of all. Old Madam Xu leaned against the head of the bed, a hint of satisfaction appearing in her sharp eyes. ¡°You¡¯re an honest child.¡± Qi Shenbai lowered his eyes and did not reply. ¡°Jiaojiao ran out last night to look for you.¡± Although Xu Zhengyang kept saying that his sister had gone to visit the young lady from the Su family, his words could only fool Xu Zhiming and Tian Fanghua. He could not fool the old lady. ¡°I was in a bad mood yesterday. Jiaojiao was worried about me, so she ran out to see me. I promise there won¡¯t be a next time.¡± Qi Shenbai did not deny it. ¡°I¡¯m not blaming you.¡± Old Madam Xu smiled. ¡°I was also your age once. I understand that true love is always passionate, emboldening, and uncontrollable.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled up slightly into a hint of a smile. ¡°You did well handling the Lu family.¡± Old Madam Xu suddenly changed the topic. ¡°They should never have done that to Jiaojiao.¡± He knew that the old lady had wanted to test him back then, but he did not know if the old lady was satisfied with the final result.. Chapter 148 - Chapter 148: Nothing in This World Is Perfect Chapter 148: Nothing in This World Is Perfect Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°That girl is kind-hearted. Even if she¡¯s a little angry, she won¡¯t take it to heart.¡± Old Madam Xu sighed softly and suddenly changed the topic. ¡°This is also why 1 have to find her husband who can protect her.¡± ¡°I know what you mean.¡± Old Madam Xu nodded, a hint of admiration in her eyes. ¡°Lil Qi, you¡¯re a good child too. You¡¯re kind-hearted, responsible, and have good values. But a man can¡¯t be too indecisive. If the situation is not right, you have to be decisive and end things cleanly, understand?¡± Qi Shenbai was stunned for a moment before nodding slowly. ¡°1 understand.¡± ¡°Nothing in this world is perfect. Many things in a person¡¯s life are predestined. It¡¯s not something that can be changed by just one person¡¯s strength.¡± She reminded him earnestly. This time, Qi Shenbai did not reply. His deep eyes gradually darkened. ¡°Go look for Jiaojiao. She¡¯ll be anxious if she doesn¡¯t see you again.¡± Old Madam Xu waved her hand, indicating for him to leave. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll visit you another day.¡± Qi Shenbai bowed slightly and turned to leave the room. Xu Jiaojiao had already changed into her pink home clothes and was standing at the door. When she saw him come out, she heaved a sigh of relief and asked anxiously, ¡°Grandma didn¡¯t scold you, did she?¡± Qi Shenbai shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s small face was full of smiles. ¡°Grandma loves me the most, so I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± The corners of Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all thanks to you.¡± The new year passed in the blink of an eye. The night before school started, Su Luo called Xu Jiaojiao out and asked her to go to a bar to have fun. It was still the usual place, Lin Feng¡¯s bar. This time, Xu Jiaojiao specially brought her identity card to the bar. Perhaps it was because the young people were all bored at home during the holidays, but as soon as the bar opened, many customers flooded in. As usual, Xu Jiaojiao used her connections to get the best seat in the house. Recalling her previous mistake, she did not dare to drink anymore. Just as she was about to call for a glass of plain water, the waiter brought her a glass of orange juice. ¡°Um, 1 didn¡¯t order this.¡± The waiter smiled. ¡°This is a gift from our boss, Mrs. Qi.¡± The words ¡®Mrs. Qi¡¯ successfully made Xu Jiaojiao blush again. ¡°But I thought you didn¡¯t serve juice here.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t before before.¡± The waiter pointed at the bar counter. ¡°Our boss specially instructed us to buy a fresh juicer.¡± H H Why did she suddenly feel that the juicer had her name written on it? Su Luo teased her from the side. ¡°Oh my, you¡¯ve gotten really famous over the year-end holidays, Mrs. Qi.¡± Xu Jiaojiao blushed. ¡°Luoluo! Don¡¯t make fun of me! This bar is owned by Qi Shenbai¡¯s friend. We came here for a while on New Year¡¯s Eve.¡± ¡°Alright, 1 know that you¡¯ve successfully infiltrated the enemy¡¯s ranks now, you lovestruck little kid.¡± Back when Qi Shenbai had given her a red packet for the new year, Xu Jiaojiao had taken a photo and posted it on her WeChat Moments. Su Luo was the first to see it. Xu Jiaojiao did not reply, but the smile in her eyes was filled with the sweetness of a young girl in love. The two of them chatted for a while, then listened to the bar¡¯s resident singer sing and watched the people on the dance floor dance. Suddenly, two people stood in front of them and said matter-of-factly, ¡°Who said there¡¯s no room? Isn¡¯t this seat for four? We can just share a table.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The waiter looked troubled. Before he could finish speaking, Su Luo stood up first. ¡°Lu Huan, looks like all the new year went to your waist and not to your head. We never agreed to share a table with you! Did you ask for our opinion?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not expect to bump into Lu Huan in a bar. Beside Lu Huan stood a woman with long, curly black hair, exquisite makeup, and simple but exquisite accessories. However, her beautiful eyes were fixed on Xu Jiaojiao. There was not the slightest bit of friendliness in her eyes. Xu Jiaojiao quickly searched her memories. She was sure that she had never met this woman before. Perhaps the woman was on Lu Huan¡¯s side, so she did not like her. Lu Huan blocked the woman from their line of sight and sneered. ¡°You should be honored that I don¡¯t mind sharing a table with the likes of you!¡± After saying that, she took out a stack of cash from her handbag and slapped it on the table. ¡°Then I¡¯m buying this table for the night. How about that?¡± ¡°What a joke.¡± Su Luo sat down again, looking up at Lu Huan with just as much ferocity as before. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re in a furniture store? You can¡¯t just buy the table! All your money can¡¯t buy an ounce of class.¡± ¡°You little¡­!¡± Lu Huan wanted to say something, but the woman beside her grabbed her arm. ¡°Huanhuan, forget it..¡± Chapter 149 - Chapter 149: Cuteness is Useless Chapter 149: Cuteness is Useless Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation So this was Lu Zhuo¡¯s lost love. She was quite beautiful. ¡°Sister Mengyao!¡± Lu Huan called out to her indignantly. Then, she looked at Xu Jiaojiao, who was sitting there in deep thought, and asked, ¡°By the way, you don¡¯t know who this is, do you?¡± ¡°This is Sister Mengyao, my brother¡¯s true love. She¡¯s the one he abandoned you at the altar for.¡± Bai Mengyao. Once upon a time, this name might have stirred Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart, but now, the woman was nothing more than a stranger who had nothing to do with her. She glanced at the woman in front of her curiously, like a spectator at a show. Lu Huan snorted. ¡°You can¡¯t even compare to a strand of Sister Mengyao¡¯s hair!¡± Su Luo was so angry that she wanted to tear Lu Huan¡¯s mouth apart. However, Xu Jiaojiao asked calmly and seriously, ¡°Says who? You?¡± Lu Huan was stunned while Bai Mengyao sized her up with a probing gaze. She wanted to know if Xu Jiaojiao was speaking from the bottom of her heart or if she was being stubborn. Xu Jiaojiao licked the juice on her lips and said unhurriedly, ¡°Our styles are completely different. Her beauty has nothing to do with me.¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Lu Huan sneered and mocked, ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, stop lying through your teeth. If Sister Mengyao¡¯s beauty had nothing to do with you, why would my brother abandon you for her? You lost to her in every single way!¡± ¡°Huanhuan, don¡¯t say that!¡± Bai Mengyao grabbed Lu Huan¡¯s arm. ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore. I¡¯m going to throw up¡ª¡± Su Luo retched. The moment Bai Mengyao spoke, she knew the woman was a two-faced hussy. ¡°You can say whatever you want.¡± In any case, Xu Jiaojiao had nothing to do with Lu Zhuo anymore. No matter how Lu Huan provoked her, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face remained cold and unmoved. Lu Huan was furious, but she suddenly thought of a good way to embarrass Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, since you said that your style is different from Sister Mengyao¡¯s, do you dare to compete with her?¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at her. ¡°What do you want us to compete in?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see who¡¯s more charming. The crowd here knows what they like.¡± Lu Huan looked very proud. ¡°Both of you can put on a dance, and then everyone here will vote to see who¡¯s more popular.¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao refused without hesitation. ¡°Lu Huan, you¡¯re like a bored child who¡¯s looking for trouble.¡± Why would she compete with Bai Mengyao like that? She did not even like Lu Zhuo anymore. Su Luo could not help but take a step forward. ¡°Is there something wrong with your brain?!¡± However, Lu Huan did not give up. She wanted to embarrass Xu Jiaojiao in public. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, you¡¯re afraid, aren¡¯t you? At least you still know your station.¡± ¡°Why should 1 compete with you like that?¡± Xu Jiaojiao sneered. ¡°I¡¯d rather spend my time drawing. I¡¯m wasting my time with you.¡± Besides, she did not care what strangers thought of her charms. As long as Qi Shenbai was infatuated with her, that was more than enough! Seeing that she was unmoved no matter what she said, Lu Huan could not help but provoke her. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, you¡¯re a coward. You¡¯re afraid that you¡¯ll lose to Sister Mengyao. If you win, I¡¯ll crawl and bark like a dog!¡± Xu Jiaojiao curled her lips. ¡°That sounds interesting.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Su Luo stepped forward to stop Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Don¡¯t be rash. She¡¯s provoking you on purpose!¡± It was not that she did not have faith in Jiao jiao, but this Bai Mengyao woman in front of her was pretty impeccable. Moreover, since Lu Huan was the one who brought up the competition, they must have prepared in advance! Jiaojiao would be at a disadvantage! Xu Jiaojiao smiled at her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Didn¡¯t she say that she would bark like a dog if I won? Even if I lost, I won¡¯t lose anything.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Su Luo was still worried. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, nothing will happen.¡± Xu Jiaojiao patted her shoulder and walked towards Bai Mengyao. ¡°Which one of us should go first?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been trained in dancing. This competition is unfair. Forget it.¡± Bai Mengyao shook her head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. This competition is about our own abilities, isn¡¯t it? There¡¯s nothing fair or unfair about it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s gaze was firm, and her expression was calm without the slightest bit of fear or panic. Bai Mengyao could not help but size her up again and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go first.¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded and followed her to the bottom of the stage. Lu Huan went upstairs and chatted with the sound engineer. Then, she turned to Bai Mengyao and said, ¡°Sister Mengyao, you can do it. She¡¯s no match for you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Miss Xu is very cute,¡± said Bai Mengyao with a smile. Lu Huan snorted and said, ¡°Her cuteness is useless in front of your sexiness.¡± Bai Mengyao did not say anything, but her eyes were filled with confidence. She took off her coat, revealing a silver dress with straps. Her body was curvaceous and sexy. Su Lu grabbed her hand nervously. ¡°Jiaojiao, why don¡¯t we forget about it? It¡¯s obvious that she came prepared!¡± After all, the attractiveness of a woman¡¯s figure was also her pride! Xu Jiaojiao was not nervous or afraid at all.. With a smile on her red lips, she asked, ¡°Do you also think that cuteness is useless in front of sexiness?¡± Chapter 150 - Chapter 150: Quite Interesting Chapter 150: Quite Interesting Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Why would 1 think that?!¡± Su Luo denied vehemently and continued worriedly, ¡°But men are animals who think with their lower bodies. Of course they would prefer women with sexier figures!¡± Evidently, sex appeal excited men more than cuteness. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t care either way.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes curved into crescents, and there was a hint of excitement in her soft voice. ¡°I just want to see Lu Huan crawling like a dog.¡± It was her fault for always picking fights! Su Luo shook her head helplessly and sighed. ¡°Love makes people reckless¡­¡± Lin Feng was originally sitting in the office upstairs when the manager came up and reported the situation downstairs to him. The protagonist was Mrs. Qi, so they did not dare to act rashly. Lin Feng, on the other hand, found it quite interesting, so he hurried downstairs. When he saw Xu Jiaojiao standing with another girl, he took out his phone and took a photo before sending it to Qi Shenbai. The bar was a little noisy, so he sent a text message instead of a voice one. ¡°Old Qi, your girl seems to be competing with someone in a dance competition. Don¡¯t say 1 didn¡¯t warn you that the men in the bar tonight are not exactly saints. They love preying on innocent little girls like her the most.¡± After sending the message, he switched his phone to silent mode and asked the waiter for a glass of wine. He focused on watching the show. Bai Mengyao was wearing a sleeveless silver dress and black high heels. She stood on the stage and swayed with the music. Her graceful figure danced like a blooming flower, emitting a brilliant glow. Her every move was especially sexy and alluring. The men at the scene screamed excitedly like hungry wolves. While Bai Mengyao was dancing, she caught a glimpse of Xu Jiaojiao below the stage, and disdain and contempt flashed across her eyes. Xu Jiaojiao did not mind and simply watched her dance. She danced very well. If Xu Jiaojiao were a man, she would definitely be excited, let alone the men below the stage. After the dance ended, Bai Mengyao was drenched in sweat. Her hair clung to her cheeks, adding to her mature womanly charm. She took the tissue Lu Huan handed her and wiped her sweat as she looked at Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡± Lu Huan¡¯s face was filled with smugness. Spring arrived earlier in Luo City than in other cities, but Xu Jiaojiao did not change into a dress as early as the others did, revealing their straight and slender legs. After all, she had a naggy older boyfriend at home. Today, she was wearing a pair of long pants and a thin spring sweater. Her long hair was tied into a bun, and a few strands of black hair fell around her face, making her look fluffy and cute. Lu Huan could not help but ridicule her when she saw her unorthodox outfit. It was simply a fool¡¯s dream to think that she could win against Sister Mengyao. After Xu Jiaojiao went on stage, she walked up to the sound system technician and whispered a few words to him. The technician was obviously stunned. He was not sure what he had heard, so he asked her again for confirmation. Xu Jiaojiao smiled and nodded, then bowed slightly to express her gratitude. The technician gave her a complicated look. He thought that she had already given up, so she was throwing caution to the winds. Xu Jiaojiao walked to the center of the stage. The moment the lights dimmed, cheerful music started playing. Her pink lips were slightly pursed, and her sweet voice was transmitted to every corner of the venue through the microphone. The scene instantly fell silent. Su Luo looked at Xu Jiaojiao, who was on the stage, with her mouth agape, and her eyeballs almost fell to the ground. Lu Huan and Bai Mengyao looked at each other and smiled contemptuously. However, Xu Jiaojiao did not seem to mind. She was immersed in her own performance and danced cutely to the sweet song. Although her dance moves were simple, they were playful and cute. Coupled with her cute face, her every move captured the hearts of the men present. Even the women were struck by her cuteness. The originally speechless guests were gradually infected by her singing and cute dancing. They swayed along with the cheerful rhythm and even began to sing along with Xu Jiaojiao on stage. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m a little smart. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that it bothers you! ¡°Sorry I¡¯m so cute, ¡°You¡¯re very angry, aren¡¯t you? Serves you right¡­¡± When Su Lu saw that the men around her were dancing with Xu Jiaojiao, she could not help but exclaim, ¡°Could this be the charm of a nerdy dance?¡± After that, she could not help but sing along with Xu Jiaojiao too. Lin Feng had seen all kinds of women, but he had never seen a girl as simple and sincere as Xu Jiaojiao. Her sweetness and cuteness were unbearable. No wonder Old Qi, a man who avoided women like the plague, had fallen for her. He took out his phone and took a video of the girl on stage before sending it to Qi Shenbai. ¡°Your little girlfriend is quite interesting..¡± Chapter 151 - Chapter 151: The Weight of a Flower Chapter 151: The Weight of a Flower Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation After Lin Feng sent the message, he gave the bar manager a look. The manager immediately understood what Lin Feng meant. It was a competition! There had to be a result. If there was a result, there had to be a vote. Hence, the manager quickly grabbed a bunch of gardenias from the greenhouse. In Lin Feng¡¯s bar, if someone wanted to give flowers, they would buy these gardenias because they were Lin Feng¡¯s favorite flowers and the only flowers available at the bar. If anyone wanted roses and peonies¡­ They had to go elsewhere. After the manager grabbed the flowers, he gave one to each of the customers in the bar. Xu Jiaojiao and Bai Mengyao stood on the stage, waiting for the customers to vote. The first to go on stage was a young man. He walked up to Bai Mengyao, who smiled and reached out to take the flowers. Unexpectedly, the young man only smiled politely. ¡°Your dance was very sexy, but I prefer this cute little girl.¡± With that, the man took a step forward and arrived in front of Xu Jiaojiao, handing her the gardenia. ¡°Thank you!¡± Xu Jiaojiao received the gardenia politely, her heart filled with joy. The next person was a middle-aged uncle. He did not beat around the bush as he walked up to Xu Jiaojiao and handed her the flower. ¡°You¡¯re cute, but you look so young! Are you even eighteen years old?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an adult now!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said mischievously. Then, she took out her ID card from her pocket and waved it in front of the middle-aged man. The audience below the stage could not help but laugh at her actions. The third person to come up was a young and beautiful girl. She also directly handed the flower to Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao had already received three flowers, but Bai Mengyao had not received a single one. This made Bai Mengyao nervous. The fourth person to come up was a bald uncle. His face was greasy and he gave the flowers to Bai Mengyao. ¡°You danced beautifully. I hope I can see you often in the future.¡± Urgh! The first flower she had received was from someone like that? Bai Mengyao could not help but feel disgusted. She even considered not accepting this flower. However, in front of so many people, she could not reject him outright She could only politely accept the flowers and reluctantly say, ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°Can I get a hug?¡± Not only did the greasy man give her his flower, but he also had other requests. Bai Mengyao was just about to explode on the spot. However, after calming down, she restrained her emotions and smiled. ¡°Sure.¡± After saying that, she gave the greasy man a big hug. The moment she came into contact with his body, she was about to vomit. He reeked! However, she could not blow up at him. For the sake of her image as a perfect angel, she endured her contempt! Then, the rest of the audience below the stage went on stage and voted for their favorite dancer. After a round of voting, their votes were even. ¡°How did this happen?¡± Lu Huan crossed her arms in front of her chest as she glared at Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Why? Are you afraid of barking like a dog? Then why did you try to show off back then?¡± Su Luo looked at Lu Huan with disdain. ¡°You little¡­! Ha! It¡¯s not that easy to win against Sis Mengyao.¡± Lu Huan¡¯s chest heaved with rage. Meanwhile, Xu Jiaojiao and Bai Mengyao had reached a draw. That was when Qi Shenbai arrived. ¡°How is it?¡± Qi Shenbai walked up to Lin Feng and asked. ¡°It¡¯s a draw now. It¡¯s time for you to save her.¡± Lin Feng raised his head and looked in the direction of the stage. Qi Shenbai revealed a faint smile, then picked up a gardenia and walked toward the stage. Xu Jiaojiao watched as he approached her, step by step, and her heart beat wildly. He was here! He must have rushed over from the company. He was still wearing his well-ironed suit, and he cut a dazzling sight. ¡°No, you can¡¯t vote.¡± Lu Huan stopped Qi Shenbai when he walked up to her. ¡°Why not?¡± Su Luo asked directly. ¡°The two of them are too close. It would be unfair if he voted.¡± Lu Huan was adamant, but Su Luo did not take her seriously at all. Instead, she mocked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you go up to vote just now?¡± ¡°You little¡­!¡± Qi Shenbai would not even look at Lu Huan, let alone listen to her. He walked past her and went to the stage, handing his gardenia to Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao looked delicate and cute with the fresh flowers in her arms. For a moment, Qi Shenbai was mesmerized. ¡°Thank you!¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s cheeks were flushed. She felt that the flower Qi Shenbai had given her was even heavier than the ones she received from others.. Chapter 152 - Chapter 152: To Her Hearts Content Chapter 152: To Her Heart¡¯s Content Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet. Let¡¯s see how I¡¯ll deal with you when we get home.¡± Qi Shenbai came back to his senses and berated her. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly, Xu Jiaojiao felt that this flower was not that important anymore. ¡°Ha! You guys lost, right?¡± Su Luo was extremely excited, jumping to her feet below the stage. ¡°Don¡¯t get carried away. We haven¡¯t lost yet!¡± Lu Huan rolled her eyes at Su Luo and said fiercely. ¡°Aer you sure about that? You just don¡¯t want to crawl like a dog, do you?¡± Su Luo jeered back. ¡°The voting isn¡¯t done yet! We haven¡¯t decided on a winner.¡± Lu Huan puffed out her chest. ¡°Who else is there?¡± Su Luo looked around and saw Lu Huan staring at a dark corner. ¡°My brother,¡± Lu Huan said proudly. Lu Zhuo did not know that Xu Jiaojiao and Bai Mengyao would come today, nor did he know that they would compete in a dance competition. In Lu Zhuo¡¯s eyes, Xu Jiaojiao was just a child who did not know anything. However, after watching her dance, he seemed to be infected by her energy. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s dance was like the sun shining into his heart. He even blamed himself for not realizing all of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s merits in the past. Lu Zhuo stood up and walked to the bottom of the stage. Lu Huan immediately stuffed a gardenia flower into her brother¡¯s hands. ¡°Brother, quickly! Give the flower to Sis Mengyao!¡± When Xu Jiaojiao saw Lu Zhuo, her heart sank. She thought that she would not be able to defeat Bai Mengyao today, let alone see Lu Huan bark like a dog. However, it did not matter. A draw was already a good result. When Bai Mengyao saw Lu Zhuo walk onto the stage, the corners of her lips curled into a smile. Then, Lu Zhuo walked up to her. Just as she was about to reach out to take the flower, Lu Zhuo just smiled at her and walked up to Xu Jiaojiao instead. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I notice before that you could dance so beautifully?¡± Lu Zhuo said as he handed the flower to Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Here, this is for you. 1 hope to see you bloom on stage again in the future.¡± Xu Jiaojiao rolled her eyes at him inwardly. There were plenty of things he did not know about her! Still, she took the gardenia from Lu Zhuo¡¯s hand as if she was afraid that he would go back on his word. ¡°Since you¡¯ve given it to me, you can¡¯t take it back,¡± Xu Jiaojiao quickly said. ¡°I won¡¯t. It¡¯s for you and you alone,¡± Lu Zhuo said hastily. Bai Mengyao, who was watching from the side, could not help but tear up at that. She had never expected Lu Zhuo to make such a choice. Bai Mengyao finally could not take it anymore when she saw how affectionate Lu Zhuo was toward Xu Jiaojiao. She jumped off the stage with tears in her eyes and ran outside. ¡°Sis Mengyao!¡± Seeing Bai Mengyao leave, Lu Huan wanted to chase after her, but Su Luo stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t go yet. You lost, so it¡¯s time for your punishment!¡± Su Luo stretched out her arm to block Su Luo¡¯s path. ¡°Get out of my way.¡± ¡°No way!¡± ¡°Brother, look at what you¡¯ve done! You¡¯ve angered Sis Mengyao so much that she ran away, and you even got me in trouble!¡± Lu Huan would never have thought that her brother would vote for Xu Jiaojiao. Right now, she was in a dilemma. She could only pin the blame on him. ¡°Young lady, you have to admit defeat. We all saw you just now. The other girl didn¡¯t want to compete, but you insisted. Now that you¡¯ve lost, shouldn¡¯t you follow through?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Don¡¯t bully her just because she¡¯s young. If you lose, you have to do the punishment.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the punishment again?¡± ¡°She has to bark and crawl like a dog! I heard her clearly just now.¡± When the onlookers saw that Lu Huan was about to go back on his word, they began to lose their composure. ¡°Lu Huan, don¡¯t even think about escaping now.¡± Su Luo was smug. ¡°Miss Lu, we came to the bar to have some fun. The audience wants you to fulfill your word. Of course, if you refuse, I have ways to make you obey.¡± Lin Feng drawled from where he stood not far away. The customers came to the bar for a good time, and they definitely would not accept her shameless refusal. Even if it was just for the customers¡¯ sake, Lin Feng could not let Lu Huan leave just like that. After Lin Feng finished speaking, a few security guards appeared behind him. Lu Huan could hear the hidden meaning in his words. Looking at the security guards behind him, she understood that if she did not go on stage and bark like a dog, those security guards would drag her away. It would be even more embarrassing if they pressed her head down and forced her to bark. ¡°Brother¡­¡± All she could do was beg her brother to help her. Unexpectedly, Lu Zhuo turned his head to the side and stopped looking at her. Previously, when Lu Huan had slandered Xu Jiaojiao and Mr. Sun, Lu Zhuo had already felt that she had gone overboard. This time, he truly did not want to help her anymore. Seeing that her brother was ignoring her, Lu Huan had no choice but to go on stage. She got on all fours and barked like a dog. ¡°Woof, woof, woof¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao quickly stepped out of the spotlight so that Lu Huan could perform to her heart¡¯s content.. Chapter 153 - Chapter 153: A Disdainful Smile Chapter 153: A Disdainful Smile Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao then looked at Qi Shenbai, who was beside her. He did not look too pleased. When Lu Zhuo gave her the flowers just now, she had already noticed that something was wrong with Qi Shenbai¡¯s expression. Xu Jiaojiao could only lower her head, not daring to look into his eyes. Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s timid posture and could not help but sigh softly. Then, he picked her up by the waist and carried her off the stage. ¡°You¡¯re not mad at me anymore?¡± Xu Jiaojiao cautiously probed. Qi Shenbai did not say anything. He put her down and walked forward quickly. Xu Jiaojiao knew that something was wrong and hurriedly chased after him. ¡°Miss Xu, wait a minute.¡± Someone suddenly stopped her. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m from Summit Entertainment. 1 watched your dance just now, and 1 was very impressed. Are you interested in joining the entertainment industry?¡± There were all kinds of people in the entertainment industry, but none of them were as sincere and cute as Xu Jiaojiao. This man had taken a fancy to Xu Jiaojiao as soon as she finished dancing. ¡°You¡¯re from the entertainment industry?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯ll definitely make you famous and make you the top idol. Do you know Xu Ming? He¡¯s from our company,¡± the man continued excitedly, as if he had obtained a treasure. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need your offer.¡± A hand grabbed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and pulled her away from the man, leaving him in their dust. H ii On the stage, Lu Huan was still barking like a dog. Su Luo was overjoyed. ¡°Serves her right. She¡¯s a rotten egg who deserves such a punishment! That arrogant little idiot.¡± Then, Su Luo started looking around for Xu Jiaojiao, but she could not find her anywhere. ¡°She was taken away a long time ago,¡± Lin Feng said to Su Luo. He knew that she had come with Xu Jiaojiao, so she had to be Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s friend. That was why he decided to talk to her. ¡°It¡¯s a pity she couldn¡¯t watch the show, but it doesn¡¯t matter. At least I¡¯m having fun. What a clown!¡± Su Luo raised her head high and did not hold back with her insults. ¡°I¡¯m curious. How did you and Xu Jiaojiao become friends? She¡¯s so gentle and harmless, but you¡¯re pretty ruthless.¡± Lin Feng found the young lady quite the character. ¡°Opposites attract, after all! She¡¯s so weak, so she needs someone as strong as me to protect her!¡± Su Luo looked at Lu Huan on the stage and smiled. ¡°You remind me of someone,¡± Lin Feng said without thinking. ¡°What did you say?¡± Su Luo was watching Lu Huan on the stage and did not hear what he said clearly. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Damn it, why was he thinking of that little punk again?! After leaving the bar, Qi Shenbai brought Xu Jiao jiao to a dark alley and pressed her against the wall. Xu Jiaojiao could not see his face clearly. She could only feel his heavy breathing on her skin. Then, Qi Shenbai kissed her. It was aggressive, more like he was gnawing her than kissing her ¡ª as though he wanted to crush her into pieces and swallow her up. ¡°Ow¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao winced. Hearing Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice, Qi Shenbai suddenly stopped. ¡°Who asked you to dance in front of so many men? Didn¡¯t you promise me you wouldn¡¯t dance in front of others?¡± To make things worse, that Lu Zhuo actually gave her a flower in front of him. ¡°They provoked me first,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said softly. ¡°So what if they provoked you? No one would dare to hurt you at Fifth Avenue.¡± Fifth Avenue was the name of the bar. ¡°That¡¯s because of you and Lin Feng. 1 can¡¯t just rely on your authority like that,¡± Xu Jiaojiao continued to speak softly. ¡°And why not? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re very authoritative yourself right now, you delicate little rabbit,¡± Qi Shenbai huffed. ¡°I¡¯m not that delicate. You were biting me!¡± Xu Jiaojiao whined. ¡°Then should 1 be gentler?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s tone became gentle again. ¡°Yes, please!¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied softly. Qi Shenbai kissed her again, gently this time. ¡°Don¡¯t dance for other men from now on.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was so engrossed in his kisses that she could no longer hear what he was saying. All she could do was nod her head in agreement. She was completely dizzy. Back at Fifth Avenue, Lu Zhuo watched helplessly as Qi Shenbai took Xu Jiaojiao away. After all, they were husband and wife! Right now, he was just an outsider to Xu Jiaojiao. After Lu Huan finished her punishment, she jumped off the stage in tears and ran outside. She did not even care that she had lost her shoes. Lu Zhuo followed behind her, picked up her shoes, and walked out of the bar. ¡°Be more careful in the future. Don¡¯t let just anyone in, lest they dirty our place,¡± Lin Feng said as he looked at Lu Zhuo¡¯s back. Lu Zhuo naturally knew that they were talking about him. He turned to look at Lin Feng, who only gave him a disdainful smile.. Chapter 154 - Chapter 154: The Same University Chapter 154: The Same University Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation It was Lu Zhuo¡¯s fault for coveting his best friend¡¯s wife? Lin Feng was already being relatively polite. The manager hastily agreed. The next day, at school¡­ ¡°Jiaojiao, you didn¡¯t see it yesterday, but Lu Huan barking like a dog was really funny! I took a video, here!¡± Su Luo took out her phone and showed Xu Jiaojiao the video of Lu Huan barking like a dog. ¡°It really is funny. She reaped what she sowed!¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at the phone for a while before returning it to Su Luo. ¡°Jiaojiao, did you know? You¡¯re going to be famous soon.¡± Someone had taken a video of Xu Jiaojiao and Bai Mengyao¡¯s dance-off yesterday and posted it online. It instantly went viral. There were a lot of likes and comments. Most of them said that Bai Mengyao¡¯s dance was not bad, but they liked Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s style more. There were even people who thought that Xu Jiaojiao was a trainee from an entertainment company and urged her to debut! ¡°I¡¯m going to be famous?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was confused. ¡°That¡¯s right! What do you think about entering the entertainment industry? There¡¯s no one like you in showbiz. You¡¯ll definitely become popular.¡± Su Luo could already imagine Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s future. ¡°1 don¡¯t plan to become a celebrity,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said truthfully. Fortunately, the video was not very clear, so they could only see her dancing and not her face. ¡°Sigh! What a pity. 1 know that you like to draw, you artist god!¡± Su Luo could not help but feel a little disappointed. ¡°That¡¯s not it. Yes, I like to draw now, but I also like Qi Shenbai.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was adorable. Could she stop showing off her love? Su Luo¡¯s heart instantly felt empty. ¡°Oh, right, how did you know that you could defeat Bai Mengyao yesterday? Did you prepare in advance?¡± Su Luo asked. ¡°No way. How could 1 have known they would be there? You might not believe me, but 1 had a dream before. I dreamed that I participated in a dance competition and won in the end. 1 even dreamed that Qi Shenbai voted for me¡­ but I didn¡¯t dream that Lu Zhuo voted for me too.¡± She had indeed had such a dream before. Unexpectedly, her dream was reflected in reality. ¡°Then, have you ever dreamed of taking a step further with Qi Shenbai?¡± As Su Luo spoke, she started to tickle Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao instantly blushed. Of course, she knew what Su Luo was talking about, but even if she dreamed of it, she would not tell her. ¡°That tickles! Stop.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was very ticklish, so she quickly begged for mercy. Su Luo knew that Xu Jiaojiao was shy, so she stopped talking about Qi Shenbai. Instead, she changed the topic and said, ¡°1 wonder, why did Lu Zhuo vote for you yesterday?¡± Before Xu Jiaojiao could reply, a classmate¡¯s voice came from the door. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, Mr. Sun wants to see you in his office.¡± ¡°Got it, thank you!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said, then grabbed her drawing board. ¡°I¡¯m going to meet Mr. Sun. Oh right, 1 won¡¯t be having dinner with you tonight. Qi Shenbai will be home for dinner, and 1 want to accompany him.¡± Su Luo was speechless.¡±¡­¡± Knock, knock! ¡°Come in!¡± ¡°Mr. Sun, you were looking for me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao walked into Mr. Sun¡¯s office with her drawing board on her back. ¡°Yes. Come and sit.¡± With that, Xu Jiaojiao went to Mr. Sun¡¯s desk and found a chair to sit on. ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m looking for you?¡± Mr. Sun kept her in suspense. Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. ¡°Have you heard of the Ma Liang Art Cup?¡± Teacher Sun asked Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°I know. It¡¯s the biggest art competition in the country.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was an art student and loved to draw, so she naturally knew about it. ¡°This year¡¯s contest has already begun, and 1 submitted your painting for it. You¡¯ve passed the audition and qualified for the main competition. Prepare well and try to win the whole thing in one go. If you do well, you might even have the chance to further your studies overseas. ¡°This competition is open to everyone, regardless of age or education. Anyone who likes to draw can participate. Here are the rules and basic information. Take them home and read them carefully.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was reading the information on the Ma Liang Art Cup when she suddenly heard someone call out to her, ¡°Sister-in-law!¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned around and saw Qi Yunduo running towards her. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked happily when she saw Qi Yunduo. ¡°I¡¯m also a student here! It¡¯s just that I¡¯m not in the art department, I¡¯m in the computer science department,¡± Qi Yunduo said. She had previously been admitted to the same university as Xu Jiaojiao, but because of an accident, she fell into a coma and could not go to school. Now that she was better, she was back for classes. ¡°I see.¡± Xu Jiaojiao finally understood why Qi Yunduo was here.. Chapter 155 - Chapter 155: A Lifetime Chapter 155: A Lifetime Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Sister-in-law, do you know why I want to learn computing?¡± Qi Yunduo asked Xu Jiaojiao in high spirits. ¡°Why?¡± Xu Jiao jiao only liked to draw and did not know much about computers. She only used a tablet or computer to draw. ¡°I want to be the best hacker in the world. Just like my idol, Jessie J, I want to build my own hacker empire.¡± Qi Yunduo said happily. ¡°Jessie J?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was even more confused to hear that name. ¡°Yeah! Sister-in-law, haven¡¯t you heard? She¡¯s the most powerful hacker in the world. I want to be like her in the future.¡± The more Qi Yunduo said, the more excited she became. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m you¡¯ll succeed.¡± Although Xu Jiaojiao did not quite understand, she admired a girl as ambitious as Qi Yunduo. ¡°Sister-in-law, why are you so nice? When I told my brother about this, he said that I was daydreaming,¡± Qi Yunduo said reproachfully. Xu Jiaojiao smiled and said, ¡°Maybe your brother thinks that girls don¡¯t need to work so hard!¡± When Qi Yunduo heard Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s words, she felt her heart melt. She immediately hugged Xu Jiaojiao and said, ¡°Sister-in-law, you¡¯re my angel. You¡¯re so wonderful and sweet.¡± The students passing by looked at them strangely. ¡°Don¡¯t call me sister-in-law at school. The other students will laugh if they hear you,¡± Xu Jiao jiao said softly. ¡°Alright, alright. 1¡¯11 call you Jiaojiao in school, and I¡¯ll call you sister-in-law in front of my brother.¡± Qi Yunduo finally let go of Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Okay,¡± Xu Jiaojiao agreed with a smile. ¡°Jiaojiao, do you know that you¡¯ve become popular?¡± Qi Yunduo had also seen the short video of Xu Jiaojiao dancing. As she spoke, she took out her phone and showed it to Xu Jiaojiao. However, for some reason, she could not find the video anymore. She could not find any on the homepage either. ¡°Could it be¡­?¡± Qi Yunduo seemed to have thought of something. Xu Jiaojiao shrugged and understood what Qi Yunduo meant. Who else could it be? ¡°My brother is so petty!¡± Qi Yunduo huffed. ¡°That¡¯s not a bad thing. I don¡¯t want to be doxxed.¡± Xu Jiaojiao had no interest in becoming an internet celebrity, so she did not care. ¡°Oh right, I¡¯m going back to Qingshui Villa tonight. I¡¯ll cook for you then. Come over for dinner.¡± ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m afraid 1 can¡¯t!¡± Qi Yunduo looked troubled. Xu Jiaojiao seemed to read Qi Yunduo¡¯s mind. ¡°Your brother said that Qingshui Villa is his own territory, so the Qi family members can¡¯t come over casually. Does that go for you too?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not understand. If Qi Shenbai did not get along with his family, why did he care about Qi Yunduo? Yet, if he did not care about Qi Yunduo, he would not have married her! Wasn¡¯t it all to save Qi Yunduo? ¡°Um¡­ I can¡¯t say for sure. Anyway, I¡¯ll go back to the old mansion! You can come to the old mansion to play with me when you¡¯re free,¡± Qi Yunduo said as she ran into the distance, not forgetting to wave at Xu Jiaojiao. Seeing her like this, Xu Jiaojiao could not ask any more questions. She could only let her go. After school, Xu Jiaojiao went straight back to Qingshui Villa. Qi Shenbai had not returned yet, so she went to the kitchen to cook after putting away her drawing board and paints. An hour later, Qi Shenbai returned from the office. When he saw Xu Jiaojiao cooking in the kitchen, he picked her up from behind and dragged her into the bedroom. After slowly placing her on the bed, he kissed her, making it difficult for Xu Jiaojiao to breathe. ¡°Did you miss me?¡± Qi Shenbai suddenly asked. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao pretended to think. Before Qi Shen could get angry, she hurriedly said, ¡°Yes, I did. Did you miss me?¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t I expressed that enough just now?¡± Qi Shenbai asked. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face flushed like an alluring peach. Qi Shenbai could not help but kiss her again. His kiss was deep and intoxicating. Every time he kissed her, Xu Jiaojiao felt as if she was riding on the clouds. After kissing for a long time, Qi Shenbai finally let Xu Jiaojiao go and the two of them went downstairs to eat. When the servants saw the two of them coming out of the bedroom, they did not dare to look at them. They thought that the two of them had gotten up to some hijinks in the room, so it was best not to look at them right now. During dinner, Qi Shenbai asked with concern, ¡°When I told you I¡¯d be back early today, 1 didn¡¯t mean you had to cook for me. Why are you so diligent?¡± Qi Shenbai was afraid that she would tire herself out. ¡°I owe you plenty of meals already.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted. ¡°And you have plenty of time to make up for them in the future. There¡¯s no hurry..¡± Wasn¡¯t a lifetime enough? Chapter 156 - Chapter 156: Good Sportsmanship Chapter 156: Good Sportsmanship Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation After that, Qi Shenbai put more food on her plate and told her to eat more. In the end, Xu Jiaojiao ate a lot, so she had to drag Qi Shenbai along for a post-dinner walk. It was very dewy at night, and it was still a little cold out. Qi Shenbai draped his coat over her body, enveloping her in warmth. Xu Jiaojiao recalled what happened during the day and asked, ¡°Um, did you get someone to remove the video of me dancing on the Internet?¡± ¡°Yeah, I did.¡± Qi Shenbai was very honest. ¡°The Internet is a scary thing. It can create and destroy a person. I don¡¯t want it to affect you.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled and raised her head to stare at Qi Shenbai. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± Qi Shenbai did not know what Xu Jiao jiao meant, and his hair stood on end from her stare. ¡°You¡¯re so good-looking. Of course, 1 have to keep an eye on you!¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled until her eyes curved. ¡°By the way, 1 have something to tell you. I want to participate in a competition.¡± ¡°What competition?¡± Qi Shenbai asked. ¡°The Ma Liang Art Cup. If I win, I¡¯ll be able to join the Art Association and further my studies abroad.¡± Xu Jiaojiao said with a little pride. After all, she had already passed the audition, so she was off to a good start! ¡°You¡¯re going overseas?¡± Qi Shenbai felt a pang of sadness. ¡°No, I just want to participate in the competition. That way, more people will see my work. 1 might even become a famous painter,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said gently. Qi Shenbai, on the other hand, remained silent. ¡°Do you think I can¡¯t do it?¡± Xu Jiaojiao remembered what Qi Yunduo said. ¡°No,¡± Qi Shenbai said as he caressed her hair. Xu Jiaojiao pouted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell Yunduo that her dreams were wishful thinking?¡± ¡°I was talking about her, not you. On the contrary, I¡¯m sure you can definitely do it.¡± Qi Shenbai pinched her cheek teasingly. ¡°Really? You¡¯re not saying that because I¡¯m your girlfriend, are you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked up at him suspiciously. Qi Shenbai could not help but laugh. ¡°What are you thinking about? I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± Regardless of whether Qi Shenbai was being sincere, Xu Jiaojiao believed him. She then asked another question, ¡°You said that Qingshui Villa is your private place and no one is allowed to come here. Does that go for Yunduo too?¡± ¡°You met Yunduo?¡± Qi Shenbai asked instead of answering. ¡°Yep, we met at school,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied with a smile. Oh, right! Qi Yunduo had also been admitted to that university. Now that she had recovered and returned to school, it was only a matter of time before she ran into Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Do you like Yunduo?¡± Qi Shenbai continued to ask. ¡°I do. She and Luoluo are the same kind of people. They¡¯re especially easy to get along with. Although I¡¯ve only seen her a few times, I can feel that we¡¯ll be especially good friends in the future.¡± As she spoke, Xu Jiaojiao began to look forward to her future relationship with Qi Yunduo. ¡°Since you like her, she can come visit in the future.¡± Qi Shenbai made an exception. Hearing his words, Xu Jiaojiao was overjoyed. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed the side of his face. After that, she tried to run away. In the end, Qi Shenbai pulled her back and pulled her into his arms. He lowered his head and kissed her soft pink lips. His embrace was very warm, and his lips were hot. In an instant, Xu Jiaojiao sank into his embrace. When their lips met, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hair stood on end. Her body was so sensitive¡­ Ugh, she was probably going to have an erotic dream that night. That night, Xu Jiaojiao tossed and turned in bed, thinking about Qi Shenbai¡¯s kiss before falling asleep. Fortunately, she did not have a wet dream. Instead, she dreamed of something else. Today was Sunday, the day of the Ma Liang Art Cup. The venue was in the museum hall. In order to make the competition fair, the drawing board, drawing paper, and even paints were prepared by the organizers, and no one was allowed to bring electronics. Therefore, before entering, Xu Jiaojiao had to put her phone in the locker. Before putting her phone away, Xu Jiaojiao sent Qi Shenbai a WeChat message. [I¡¯m going in for the competition. I have to hand in my phone!] Qi Shenbai: [Rememer your good sportsmanship out there, my bunny rabbit. Good luck!] This was not a sports meet. Why was he talking about sportsmanship? Xu Jiaojiao: [Okay, I will.] Qi Shenbai: [After the competition, I¡¯ll treat you to three-star Michelin meal.] Xu Jiaojiao: [It¡¯s a promise!] Qi Shenbai had wanted to come, but something came up at the company and he could not make it. Xu Jiaojiao: [Okay, I¡¯m handing in my phone now!] Qi Shenbai: [Sure, see you!] After that, Xu Jiaojiao turned off her phone and placed it in her locker. Then, she took the painting tools provided by the organizers and entered the hall to prepare for the competition.. Chapter 157 - Chapter 157: Honestly Chapter 157: Honestly Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation There were two themes for this competition, ¡°Tomorrow¡± and ¡°Goodbye¡±. Xu Jiaojiao had drawn ¡°Goodbye¡±. The contest duration was four hours. After Xu Jiaojiao sat down, she mused for a short time before starting to draw. Bai Mengyao was there as the invigilator, and she immediately caught sight of Xu Jiaojiao sitting in the corner. Why was she here? Bai Mengyao felt a flash of hostility. She then saw a familiar figure standing outside the window. Bai Mengyao hurriedly walked towards that figure. ¡°Lu Zhuo,¡± Bai Mengyao called his name softly. ¡°Mengyao?¡± Lu Zhuo did not expect to meet Bai Mengyao here, asking calmly, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten? I major in art. I was invited to be an invigilator here, and my suggestions will be taken into account during the grading later.¡± Bai Mengyao explained as she looked into Lu Zhuo¡¯s eyes. However, he was looking into the distance. Bai Mengyao followed his gaze and found Xu Jiaojiao. Bai Mengyao¡¯s heart ached. ¡°I heard that this competition is sponsored by your company. Are you here as the representative?¡± Bai Mengyao asked. ¡°You could say that,¡± Lu Zhuo said to Bai Mengyao, but his eyes were fixed in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s direction. Seeing Lu Zhuo like this, Bai Mengyao could not help but feel lonely. Four hours into the competition, Xu Jiaojiao was so focused that she did not notice that there was no one around her. She only came back to her senses when the invigilator called out to her. After handing in her work, Xu Jiaojiao walked out of the room. When she passed by Bai Mengyao, it was as if she was looking at a stranger. However, Lu Zhuo was not as calm when she reached him. ¡°Jiaojiao,¡± Lu Zhuo called out softly with a hint of tenderness in his eyes. ¡°Hi,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied and walked past him without any hesitation. Xu Jiaojiao thought that Lu Zhuo was here for Bai Mengyao, so she was not going to strike up a conversation with him. Lu Zhuo wanted to say something more, but Bai Mengyao stopped him before he could stop Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Lu Zhuo¡­¡± Bai Mengyao called out to him. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Lu Zhuo looked at her resentfully. ¡°I only came because I heard that the Ma Liang Cup was sponsored by your company,¡± Bai Mengyao said faintly. ¡°Also, I¡¯ve heard about you and Xu Jiaojiao. I¡¯m not planning to go back overseas this time. All these years, I¡¯ve¡­¡± Lu Zhuo understood what Bai Mengyao meant. ¡°Mengyao, aren¡¯t you thinking too much? It¡¯s already over between us.¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s over? You ran away from your wedding for me. How could you do that and then say it¡¯s over between us?¡± Bai Mengyao did not understand. Lu Zhuo had clearly abandoned Xu Jiao jiao for her back then, but why was he acting like this now? ¡°Mengyao, 1 didn¡¯t run away from the wedding. You were in danger, so 1 went to you. That¡¯s all. It¡¯s my fault that we broke up. I couldn¡¯t just ignore you,¡± Lu Zhuo explained. If Lu Zhuo had known that his going overseas to look for Bai Mengyao would cost him his marriage to Xu Jiaojiao, he would never have left. However, it was too late now. Xu Jiaojiao had already married someone else, but he still felt that he should not give up. After all, Xu Jiao jiao used to like him so much. ¡°Was it really just your sense of guilt?¡± Bai Mengyao asked disbelievingly. Lu Zhuo did not answer. Instead, he said, ¡°Mengyao, everything has changed. You and I have changed. We can¡¯t go back to how we were.¡± Bai Mengyao shook her head, tears streaming down her face. Her heart felt like it was being stabbed by a knife. ¡°Are you in love with her?¡± Lu Zhuo did not reply, but his eyes said it all. Bai Mengyao¡¯s heart felt like it was being torn apart. How could he love that girl? How could he? If it were not for Xu Jiaojiao, they might even have had children by now. Shouldn¡¯t he hate her? Why did he love her? ¡°Lu Zhuo, she¡¯s already married to someone else. Stop daydreaming.¡± Bai Mengyao pulled Lu Zhuo back fiercely. Lu Zhuo sighed guiltily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have to go.¡± He was in a hurry to find Xu Jiaojiao. Just as Xu Jiaojiao walked out of the hall, she heard someone call out to her, ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, wait a minute.¡± She turned around and saw that it was Lu Zhuo. ¡°What do you want with me?¡± Shouldn¡¯t he be with Bai Mengyao? ¡°You left too quickly. Why didn¡¯t you wait for me?¡± Lu Zhuo looked a little upset. ¡°Why should I wait for you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was puzzled. ¡°I mean, even if we can¡¯t get married, can¡¯t we still be friends?¡± Lu Zhuo was panting. It was obvious that he had run over. ¡°Sure, but¡­ I don¡¯t want to be friends with you,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said honestly.. Chapter 158 - Chapter 158: Regret Her Decision Chapter 158: Regret Her Decision Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Why not?¡± Lu Zhuo was confused. ¡°Because I don¡¯t like your mother. She¡¯s sarcastic and she hates me. And your sister is always making things difficult for me. Then there¡¯s your father, too. 1 hate that he¡¯s a cheating liar. That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want to be friends with you either.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s words were like a child¡¯s brutal honesty, but she was telling the truth. She did not care about Lu Zhuo enough to lie to him. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any feelings left for me at all?¡± Lu Zhuo refused to give up. He didn¡¯t believe that Xu Jiaojiao would marry someone else just because he went to visit Bai Mengyao. Xu Jiaojiao did not answer. Instead, she said, ¡°Actually, you were right to run away from the marriage. We¡¯re really not compatible. I¡¯m sorry. In the past, because of me, you and Miss Bai Mengyao separated. Now, there¡¯s no one else standing between you two. You can finally be together. I wish you all the best.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t running away from our marriage. I just wanted to help her,¡± Lu Zhuo quickly explained. ¡°You can finally have your happy ending with her. What else do you want?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was puzzled. He could openly be with Bai Mengyao now! Why was he still talking nonsense to her? ¡°Jiaojiao, Bai Mengyao and 1 are over. The one I love now is¡­¡± Before Lu Zhuo could finish speaking, a magnetic male voice spoke up from afar. ¡°Jiaojiao.¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned around and saw Qi Shenbai. ¡°Why are you here?¡± It was definitely an unexpected surprise. She hurriedly ran over and hugged his arm. ¡°I came here as soon as my meeting ended. Come on, I¡¯ll take you to eat something delicious.¡± Qi Shenbai looked at her dotingly. ¡°Oh, nice! I¡¯m starving.¡± After drawing for four hours, her stomach was already empty. ¡°Let¡¯s go, get in the car.¡± Qi Shenbai pulled Xu Jiaojiao into his arms and walked out with her, holding her by the shoulders. From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Lu Zhuo, who was standing not far away. His gaze was cold and distant. This was not enough. After they got into the car, Qi Shenbai gave Xu Jiaojiao a passionate kiss. His hot lips pressed against her cherry-like mouth, and the heat lingered between their lips and teeth. ¡°C-Come on, someone¡¯s watching!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said coquettishly. Qi Shenbai did not listen to what she said. Instead, he wound up the car window and continued kissing her for more than ten minutes. ¡°Before we eat, I¡¯ll give you a reward.¡± Qi Shenbai pursed his mouth as if licking the sweetness left on his lips. Lu Zhuo witnessed all of this from a short distance away. Not only was Qi Shenbai kissing her, but she was also responding to him. ¡®Why are you doing this?¡¯ he thought in despair. ¡®Don¡¯t you care about me at all?¡¯ It was clearly a sunny day, but Lu Zhuo felt freezing cold. Pei Yan had already gone to the restaurant in advance and ordered the dishes. When Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai arrived, the dishes were already served and ready for them. As Qi Shenbai gave Xu Jiao jiao some food, he asked, ¡°Why did Lu Zhuo appear in the museum hall?¡± ¡°Oh, his company is the sponsor of this competition,¡± Xu Jiaojiao explained as she ate. ¡°Or maybe it¡¯s because of Bai Mengyao!¡± From Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s point of view, Lu Zhuo had left her at the altar for Bai Mengyao, and now he was probably sponsoring the competition for her too. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Qi Shenbai revealed a mischievous smile. He knew very well what Lu Zhuo was thinking, but his little girl seemed wholly unaware. He did not argue otherwise, allowing Xu Jiaojiao to keep thinking that. The last thing he wanted was for her to regret her decision after finding out about Lu Zhuo¡¯s feelings for her¡­ No, she would never do that, because he would never give her the chance to. Xu Jiaojiao was so focused on eating that she did not notice the change in Qi Shenbai¡¯s expression. A week later, the selection for the Ma Liang Cup was over. On this day, the rankings were announced in the hall of the museum. All the participants could be present. They could also bring their family and friends. Xu Jiaojiao did not tell her parents. Instead, she told Xu Zhengyang. However, he did not come because he had something to do. In the end, it was Su Luo who came along, together with Qi Yunduo. Just before the results were announced, Xu Jiaojiao was very calm. On the other hand, Su Luo and Qi Yunduo were even more excited than she was. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get first place,¡± Qi Yunduo said excitedly. ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Su Luo asked in return, but she was just teasing Qi Yunduo. ¡°Because she¡¯s my sister-in-law, of course. Anyone who can be my sister-in-law must be very capable,¡± Qi Yunduo said proudly. Su Lu smiled at her innocence and continued to tease her. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t your brother come on such an important occasion?¡± ¡°My brother is busy with work. He¡¯ll definitely come after he¡¯s done,¡± Qi Yun hurriedly explained, afraid that Xu Jiaojiao would misunderstand.. Chapter 159 - Chapter 159: Tampered Painting Chapter 159: Tampered Painting Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao did not think much of it. She still felt that Qi Shenbai¡¯s work was much more important than her own matters. She did not want to be a clingy girlfriend. She would rather be kind and understanding. When Qi Yunduo became even more anxious, Su Luo teased her. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Qi Yunduo pouted angrily. ¡°Luoluo, stop teasing her.¡± Xu Jiaojiao understood Su Luo. She knew that Su Luo was teasing Qi Yun, so she hurriedly stopped her. ¡°Alright! 1 won¡¯t say anymore!¡± Su Luo agreed with a smile. At the same time, the judges on the stage began to announce the top three winners of the contest. The third and second place were contestants who had chosen the theme ¡°Tomorrow¡±. The announcement of the champion was saved for last. ¡°It¡¯s coming, it¡¯s coming,¡± Su Luo said excitedly. ¡°Please, heavens, please!¡± Qi Yunduo clasped her hands together and closed her eyes. She was extremely nervous. ¡°The winner of this year¡¯s Ma Liang Cup is Xu Jiaojiao with the theme of ¡®Goodbye¡¯,¡± the chairman of the judging panel announced loudly. ¡°Jiaojiao, it¡¯s really you. It¡¯s really you! You¡¯re first place,¡± Su Luo said excitedly, practically jumping up and down. Qi Yunduo slowly opened her eyes, unable to believe her ears. ¡°Did I really hear that right? Is it really my sister-in-law?¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really her.¡± Su Luo hurriedly replied. She seemed to be even happier than the actual winner. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, please come on stage to receive your award,¡± the chairman of the judging panel continued loudly. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± A loud voice shouted suddenly. Xu Jiaojiao looked over from afar and saw that it was Bai Mengyao speaking into the microphone. ¡°Ms. Bai, do you have any doubts?¡± The chairman looked at Bai Mengyao. ¡°Of course. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s painting is flawed. She doesn¡¯t deserve to be champion,¡± said Bai Mengyao sharply. She glared fiercely at Xu Jiaojiao. The chairman of the jury was confused. ¡°Why would you say that? All the works were selected by the panel of judges. How could there be a mistake?¡± ¡°Of course there¡¯s a mistake. Chairman, 1 heard that you¡¯re close friends with Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s teacher, Mr. Sun. Are you biased towards her?¡± Bai Mengyao looked suspiciously at the chairman of the judging panel. ¡°I admit I¡¯m close to Mr. Sun, but that won¡¯t affect my judgment. Besides, I¡¯m not the only one who scored the partcipants. The entire committee participated. The outcome is not something I can control.¡± The chairman of the jury was not angry. Instead, he spoke calmly. He was too experienced to be taken aback by Bai Mengyao¡¯s actions. ¡°Even so, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s painting is still flawed. She can¡¯t get first place,¡± Bai Mengyao insisted. ¡°Why do you think so?¡± The chairman of the jury disagreed with Bai Mengyao. Bai Mengyao smiled contemptuously. Then, she took out Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s painting and pointed to a spot on it. ¡°Here. She drew this person¡¯s hair wrongly, but in order to cover up this fact, she added other colors to it.¡± Looking at the shortcomings Bai Mengyao pointed out, the chairman of the judging panel looked at Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, do you have anything to say?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Jiaojiao quickly walked to the stage and stood in front of Bai Mengyao. ¡°I didn¡¯t draw anything wrong here. The real scenery has light and shadow changes. If you turn off a few lights, you can see that I didn¡¯t draw anything wrong here,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she walked to the back of the state and turned off a few spotlights. As expected, the place Bai Mengyao pointed at changed. How could this be? ¡®But 1 clearly¡­¡¯ Bai Mengyao could not believe it. Xu Jiaojiao looked at Bai Mengyao¡¯s gradually darkening expression and continued, ¡°Over here, 1 was portraying my grandmother¡¯s hair. Back when 1 was in school, my grandmother would send me off every day. Every time she walked me to the school gates, I would say goodbye to my grandmother. Every single goodbye was etched deep into my heart¡­ until my grandmother¡¯s black hair turned white. ¡°That¡¯s why Grandma¡¯s white hair is even more prominent after the lights are turned down. I also titled this painting Goodbye: Grandma¡¯s White Hair.¡± After Xu Jiaojiao finished speaking, she looked at Bai Mengyao. The latter was pale and a cold sweat had broken out on her forehead. ¡°Can¡¯t you see such a simple brushwork, Ms. Bai? Or¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao continued to stare at Bai Mengyao, making her panic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, 1 saw wrongly.¡± Bai Mengyao had no choice. After all, she could not say that she had tampered with the painting.. Chapter 160 - Chapter 160: Wait A Minute Chapter 160: Wait A Minute Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation If she did not admit that she was mistaken, she would just give herself away. ¡°Who is this woman? Why do I feel like she¡¯s targeting Jiaojiao?¡± Qi Yunduo asked with a frown. Su Luo harrumphed coldly. ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®feel like¡¯ about it. She is targeting Jiaojiao, plain and simple. She¡¯s Jiaojiao¡¯s ex¡¯s unrequited love. The last time we hung out at the bar, she even picked a fight with Jiaojiao.¡± ¡°An unrequited love? She doesn¡¯t look that impressive! Besides, Jiaojiao is already with my brother. Why is she looking for trouble? She¡¯s so annoying!¡± Qi Yunduo muttered. When Su Lu saw that Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s sister-in-law was worried about her, she grinned with relief. Meanwhile, the chairman of the judging panel looked at Bai Mengyao disdainfully. ¡°Ms. Bai, 1 heard you went overseas to further your studies. Are the schools overseas not up to standard? Or is it just you?¡± The rest of the crowd had also burst into whispers. Some were mocking her, others were disdainful, and some were looking down on her¡­ Bai Mengyao¡¯s face turned red then white. In the end, she could not stay on the stage anymore. She returned to her seat with her head hanging low, practically running from the stage. ¡°Next, let¡¯s welcome the CEO of the Qi Group, Mr. Qi Shenbai, to present the award to the winner,¡± the chairman of the jury suddenly said into the microphone. ¡öHuh?¡¯ Xu Jiaojiao gasped. Why was he here? Didn¡¯t he have work? Wasn¡¯t this too much of a surprise? She had been a little disappointed, too! ¡°Haha! 1 knew my brother would definitely come. Look, he¡¯s really here,¡± Qi Yunduo said excitedly. Her chatter was so noisy that Su Luo covered her ears. Su Luo finally understood how Xu Jiaojiao felt every time she called. Still, Qi Shenbai really pulled out all the stops this time! On stage, Qi Shenbai took the trophy from the hostess. Then, he walked over to Xu Jiaojiao and handed her the trophy. ¡°Congratulations, Ms. Xu.¡± Xu Jiaojiao stood rooted to the ground, not sure what to do. Qi Shenbai pretended not to know her, but her heart was about to jump into her throat. ¡°Jiaojiao, take the trophy!¡± Su Luo hurriedly reminded her when she saw Xu Jiaojiao standing there in a daze. Only then did Xu Jiaojiao come back to her senses. She took the trophy and whispered to Qi Shenbai, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°My little girl won the contest. Of course 1 have to be here and witness this important moment,¡± Qi Shenbai said in a low voice. Just like that, the two of them flirted on stage. The chairman of the jury said, ¡°Now, let us have a group picture between Mr. Qi Shenbai and the award-winning contestants.¡± ¡°Huh? Our CEO doesn¡¯t take pic¡­¡± Before Pei Yan could finish speaking, Qi Shenbai placed one hand on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s shoulder and took a group photo with all the winners. The president was always making exceptions for his wife! Fine! Pei Yan just made up his mind to tell everyone not to disseminate the photos later. ¡°True love! That¡¯s true love. Did you know? My brother never takes group photos, but he made an exception for Jiaojiao. I¡¯m so touched¡­¡± Qi Yunduo put her palms together in front of her chest like an excited fangirl. Su Lu was about to explode from the blinding PDAs. ¡°I¡¯m going blind! I need shades.¡± The two single girls looked at each other and smiled. Qi Shenbai left the stage after giving out the award, while Xu Jiao jiao was still being interviewed on stage. Lu Zhuo, who was watching from the window, could not help but grit his teeth. It was actually him! That man was Qi Shenbai, the CEO of the Qi Group and the head of the Qi family. Lu Zhuo had seen Qi Shenbai and Xu Jiaojiao looked at each other on stage. He could not miss Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s unconcealable joy, either. Those scenes were like needles pricking his heart. Why did it have to be him?! He was the CEO of the Qi Group. Lu Zhuo could never compare to him! Lu Zhuo should have been the VIP invited onstage for the award ceremony, but half an hour ago, he suddenly received a notice that the organizing committee had invited someone else. Initially, Lu Zhuo had thought that Xu Jiaojiao would not win the contest, so it did not matter who gave out the awards. However, contrary to his expectations¡­ After the award ceremony, there was a celebratory feast. All the contestants and their families could attend. During this period, Xu Jiaojiao called Mr. Sun to report the good news. Mr. Sun was overjoyed when he heard this. He even reminded Xu Jiaojiao not to rest on her laurels. After hanging up, Xu Jiaojiao handed the trophy to Su Luo and Qi Yunduo while she went to the bathroom. On her way there, she met Bai Mengyao, but she had no intention of talking to her. Not only was Bai Mengyao constantly targeting her her, she had even ganged up with Lu Huan to bully her last time. She was very annoying. Bai Mengyao stopped her. ¡°Wait a minute..¡± Chapter 161 - Chapter 161: Honest and Adorable Chapter 161: Honest and Adorable Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Are you talking to me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at her in confusion. ¡°Is there anyone else here?¡± Bai Mengyao looked at Xu Jiaojiao with a pale face. ¡°What do you want?¡± Xu Jiaojiao frowned. ¡°Let¡¯s talk somewhere else!¡± Bai Mengyao said as she walked out of the bathroom. Xu Jiaojiao followed her to the observation deck of the celebration banquet hotel. Standing at the observation deck, Bai Mengyao looked at Xu Jiaojiao with a melancholic expression. ¡°Did you know? Lu Zhuo and 1 were very much in love when we were in university. He was an influential figure in the university. There were many girls who pursued him, but he didn¡¯t take them to heart, except for me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao frowned slightly. ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem to have anything to do with me.¡± ¡°How could you say that? It was you who appeared between us and became the third party in our relationship. Back then, we were about to get married. We even discussed how many children we would have in the future. If it weren¡¯t for you, we would have gotten married long ago and even become a family of three.¡± Bai Mengyao accused her of being a mistress, but Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes were like clear lake water. There were no ripples of emotions at all. ¡°Ms. Bai, you seem to have made a mistake. I never got between the two of you. Before I came here, 1 didn¡¯t know that Lu Zhuo had a girlfriend. The Lu Family separated the two of you. It had nothing to do with me. Before 1 came here, all 1 knew was that I had a fiance here.¡± ¡°Ha! Stop pretending. You just want all the men to revolve around you. Only then will you feel charming.¡± ¡°I never felt that way.¡± ¡°Yes, you did. You played hard to get so that Lu Zhuo could never forget about you, making it difficult for him to choose between us. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s despicable?¡± ¡°Despicable? I think you¡¯re even more despicable, aren¡¯t you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not want to endure the insults anymore. ¡°Back then, you abandoned Lu Zhuo and went overseas. You even accepted two million bucks from Grandma Lu. Do you deny that?¡± Hearing Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s words, Bai Mengyao¡¯s expression changed again and again. ¡°That damned old lady forced me back then. I¡¯m just a student. I couldn¡¯t compete with her at all.¡± ¡°Ha! Now you¡¯re pretending! You could have just told Lu Zhuo directly or called the police, but you didn¡¯t do anything. You obviously left him for money. You don¡¯t love him that much at all,¡± Xu Jiaojiao enunciated each word clearly and logically. ¡°Well, do you love him that much then? You leaped into someone else¡¯s arms immediately after he ran away from the marriage! What right do you have to criticize me?¡± Bai Mengyao refused to give up. ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t love him that much. That¡¯s why 1 left him.¡± Xu Jiaojiao told the truth honestly. Bai Mengyao could not believe that Xu Jiao jiao could just say it like that. Xu Jiaojiao felt that no one was perfect, and it was not wrong to love someone less. Of course, she could face it calmly. So what if she did not love Lu Zhuo? Why should she hide it? She could just say it out loud! ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, you¡­¡± Bai Mengyao was about to say something when she suddenly saw a figure walking over from afar. Her expression changed. She grabbed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and placed it on her chest before falling over. ¡°Ah!¡± Xu Jiaojiao stared blankly at Bai Mengyao as she collapsed into the pool next to the observation deck. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, I was only asking you to get back together with Lu Zhuo. Why did you push me?¡± Huh? What kind of performance was this? Then, Xu Jiaojiao saw Lu Zhuo walking over. ¡®Is she trying to frame me? Is Lu Zhuo going to yell at me now?¡¯ Xu Jiaojiao met Lu Zhuo¡¯s gaze. His eyes were filled with tenderness. ¡®Come on, scold me! Why aren¡¯t you cussing me out?¡¯ ¡°Jiaojiao, are you alright?¡± Lu Zhuo asked Xu Jiaojiao gently. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± That was not how things were supposed to go. Why was he asking if Xu Jiaojiao was alright? How strange¡­ ¡°Lu Zhuo¡­¡± Bai Mengyao¡¯s entire body was soaked in water, but she could not believe Lu Zhuo¡¯s attitude. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to scold me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked Lu Zhuo curiously. ¡°Why should 1? Silly little girl, your friend is still waiting for you inside. Go back inside!¡± The way Lu Zhuo called her ¡®silly little girl¡¯ gave Xu Jiaojiao goosebumps. She wanted to escape immediately. However, she turned back not long after leaving. Bai Mengyao was crawling out of the pool at the time, and Xu Jiao jiao pushed her back into the water. ¡°There, you said 1 pushed you, right? Now I¡¯ve done just that. You were right.¡± With that, she turned around and ran. Looking at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s back, Lu Zhuo could not help but laugh. He had not realized that she was so honest and adorable before.. Chapter 162 - Chapter 162: Suspicious Chapter 162: Suspicious Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Lu Zhuo¡¯s doting gaze made Bai Mengyao¡¯s heart ache. It was as if he was looking at a treasure. ¡°Lu Zhuo¡­ She pushed me. Why didn¡¯t you do anything?¡± Xu Jiaojiao said resentfuly. Lu Zhuo did not say anything and just frowned as he stared at Bai Mengyao. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Bai Mengyao looked upset. On the way back, Xu Jiaojiao passed by a small private room. Suddenly, someone grabbed her and closed the door, pulling her into the darkness. There were no lights in here. She could only feel someone hugging her and covering her mouth. She could not call out even if she wanted to. ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± A familiar voice said into her ear, and the hand left her mouth. ¡°What are you doing? You scared me to death.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was still in shock. ¡°Why did you go to the bathroom for so long?¡± Qi Shenbai could not help but ask. ¡°I met Bai Mengyao and Lu Zhuo¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao told Qi Shenbai everything that had happened. She did not hide anything. To her, that was how couples should be. There were no secrets between them. When Qi Shenbai heard the whole story, he scratched the tip of her nose. ¡°Did you really push her into the water again?¡± ¡°Yeah! She was framing me for something I didn¡¯t do. Wouldn¡¯t it be better for me to do it anyway before Lu Zhuo scolded me for no reason?¡± Xu Jiao jiao pouted. ¡°Alih, you¡¯re really too cute.¡± Qi Shenbai pulled her into his arms. ¡°Is it because I eat cute things?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked teasingly. ¡°No,¡± Qi Shenbai said. His lips were right by her ear, his warm and moist breath blowing against her skin. ¡°You¡¯re the natural embodiment of cuteness.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao was overjoyed, but she pretended to retort. ¡°No, I¡¯m speaking the truth,¡± Qi Shenbai said, then kissed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s soft lips. Xu Jiaojiao felt a wave of moisture on her lips, and then they became hotter and hotter, followed by a numbing sensation. She fell limply onto Qi Shenbai¡¯s body. She did not have any strength anymore and could only rely on Qi Shenbai¡¯s arms to support her. Qi Shenbai held the back of her head with one hand and her waist with the other. ¡°Your knees went weak just like that? Then what about later¡­?¡± There was a hidden meaning in Qi Shenbai¡¯s words. Although Xu Jiaojiao was young, she could tell what he meant. ¡°What do you mean by later?¡± Xu Jiao jiao pretended not to know. ¡°What do you think 1 mean? 1 don¡¯t want to wait too long.¡± Qi Shenbai really did not know how long he would be able to hold back. Although the little girl was cute, she was also seductive! He was at the age when his body was most active. It was not his fault for wanting more, right? Xu Jiaojiao blushed. ¡°Luoluo and Yun are still waiting for me. 1 have to go back to them.¡± ¡°Alright, go!¡± Qi Shenbai did not stop her. He was afraid that if he said too much, he would scare her off. Moreover, she was still young, so he could not bear to¡­ Xu Jiao jiao had just taken a few steps when she bumped into Su Luo and Qi Yunduo. The two of them were holding hands as if they were good friends who had known each other for a long time. ¡°Jiaojiao, where did you go? The chairman of the judging panel is looking for you!¡± Qi Yunduo hurriedly said when she saw Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Oh, 1 went to the bathroom.¡± Xu Jiaojiao lied, but the blush on her face did not fade. Qi Yunduo asked concernedly, ¡°Jiaojiao, what¡¯s wrong with your face? Why is it so red? Are you sick?¡± Qi Yunduo did not know why, but Su Luo could see that Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s lips were red as well, and that was no lipstick. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she pressed her hand against her cheek. It was indeed quite hot. It was all that man¡¯s fault for always being so domineering. ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t ask anymore, let her get back to the banquet hall! The chairman is still looking for Jiaojiao!¡± In the end, it was Su Luo who tried to smooth things over for Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Alright,¡± Qi Yunduo quickly agreed. As they walked back, Su Luo whispered into Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s ear, ¡°Were you with Qi Shenbai just now?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face turned even redder, but Su Luo did not probe further. She knew her best friend was the shy and blushy type. She could keep her mouth shut. After Xu Jiaojiao entered the banquet hall and met up with the chairman of the panel, Su Luo and Qi Yunduo left tactfully to find something to eat. The president was still puzzled by what had happened at the award ceremony, so he asked, ¡°Did you really draw that brushstroke wrongly on purpose, or did someone else¡­?¡± The chairman also had his doubts. After all, Bai Mengyao had handled all the paintings before submitting them to the jury.. The fact she accused Xu Jiaojiao after that was highly suspicious! Chapter 163 - Chapter 163: You Sleep in Separate Rooms? Chapter 163: You Sleep in Separate Rooms? Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°No, but it¡¯s true that the painting was different from when I last left it. I don¡¯t know why either.¡± Of course, Xu Jiaojiao knew why. Someone had tampered with the painting, and that person was none other than Bai Mengyao. That was why she had left out a few strokes in order to set a trap for Bai Mengyao. Of course, she could not tell the chairman all that. There was no evidence to prove that she had set a trap for Bai Mengyao, so the chairman could only assume that someone else had tampered with her painting. The thing was, she had dreamed about this before¡­ but she could not say that. No one would believe her if she told them about her dream. They would just arrest her as a lunatic. ¡°Sigh! Bai Mengyao studied abroad before and won many awards. We invited her over for some publicity, but we didn¡¯t expect this to happen. I¡¯ve seen her works. They¡¯re superficial with no real substance.¡± Now, the chairman really regretted inviting Bai Mengyao back. Not only did she not bring any benefits, she even affected the overall event negatively. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled. ¡°Oh right, now that you¡¯re the champion, you have the opportunity to study abroad. In terms of art education, the conditions overseas are better than in China. You fave to go!¡± Since Xu Jiaojiao was so talented, the chairman wanted her to become the best artist she could be. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it carefully.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re a diamond in the rough. Don¡¯t miss such a good opportunity,¡± said the chairman, patting her shoulder. ¡°Okay, I got it,¡± Xu Jiaojiao agreed with a smile. ¡°I still have something on, so I have to go now. Keep up the good work.¡± The chairman encouraged her before leaving. After all, there was a huge age gap between them. Other than work, they had nothing in common. Lu Zhuo looked up at Bai Mengyao, who was already drenched. The pity he had for her in the past was no longer there. All he felt now was bone-chilling coldness. ¡°Ha! So I¡¯m only worth two million to you?¡± Lu Zhuo could not help but regret everything. Back then, he had run away from the marriage for her, but he was only worth two million yuan to her. ¡°Lu Zhuo, it¡¯s not what you think!¡± Bai Mengyao wanted to explain. What else could it be? ¡°I ran away from the altar to look for you overseas, and you treat me like a fool?¡± ¡°No.¡± Bai Mengyao wanted to cry but had no tears. ¡°Jiaojiao is right. You are despicable.¡± Lu Zhuo looked at the pale-faced Bai Mengyao and said word by word. Bai Mengyao¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. ¡°Lu Zhuo, it¡¯s not what you think. Let me explain¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to explain.¡± Lu Zhuo¡¯s eyes were extremely cold, and so was his tone. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± When Lu Zhuo turned around, Bai Mengyao reached out to pull him back. However, Lu Zhuo threw her aside and Bai Mengyao fell back into the pool. ¡°You brought this upon yourself,¡± Lu Zhuo said and turned to leave without looking at Bai Mengyao again. After the celebratory feast ended, Su Luo took a taxi back alone. Xu Jiaojiao hugged Qi Yunduo. ¡°Come back to Qingshui Villa with me!¡± ¡°A-Are you sure about that?¡± Qi Yunduo looked troubled. ¡°It¡¯s alright, your big brother agreed to let you visit.¡± Xu Jiaojiao chuckled. ¡°Really? I can go to Qingshui Villa now?¡± Qi Yun Yun could not believe it. She did not know how Xu Jiaojiao did it. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ve already spoken to your brother. He said that you can come,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she hugged Qi Yunduo even tighter. Five minutes later, the three of them got into the car. Qi Yunduo sat in the front seat while Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai sat in the back. Every so often, Qi Yunduo could not help but look back. Qi Shenbai still had the same expression, calm and cold, enough to make her shudder. Xu Jiaojiao, on the other hand, was chatting with someone on her phone, so she did not notice the wistful expression on Qi Yunduo¡¯s face. Qi Yunduo felt that she should not have agreed so quickly, but it was too late to get out of the car now. When they arrived at Qingshui Villa, Qi Yunduo wanted to slip away, but Xu Jiaojiao grabbed her. ¡°You¡¯ll sleep with me tonight.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s expression turned even stormier. As Qi Yunduo was dragged into Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s room, she could not help but ask, ¡°Do you and my brother sleep in separate rooms?¡± ¡°Yeah, well¡­ I get rowdy in my sleep. It¡¯s better for us to sleep separately,¡± Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips. Qi Yunxiao was naive, but she was not a fool. She knew that Xu Jiaojiao wasn¡¯t telling the truth. There was not a single trace of a man¡¯s presence in her room. From the furnishings to the wardrobe, it was all feminine. Even a fool would be able to tell that something was off. However, Qi Yunduo knew that this was a private matter between Xu Jiaojiao and her brother, so it was not appropriate for her to ask too much.. Chapter 164 - Chapter 164: Surreal Chapter 164: Surreal Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao did not think too much about it. She gave Qi Yunduo a set of pajamas that she had never worn before. She also asked the servants to prepare new toiletries. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower, okay?¡± ¡°The bathroom is over there.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pointed to the side, and Qi Yunduo went in with her pajamas and toiletries. After she went inside, Xu Jiaojiao looked for a place to place her trophy. Unexpectedly, a familiar voice suddenly came from the door. ¡°Come over here.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked timidly, subconsciously taking two steps back. The man did not say anything else. He quickly walked up to her and picked her up by the waist. ¡°I still have to talk to Yunduo!¡± Xu Jiaojiao punched his chest with her small fists, but he acted as if he did not hear her and carried her back to his room. ¡°Hey! Put me down right now,¡± Xu Jiaojiao whispered, afraid that others would hear her. ¡°No,¡± Qi Shenbai said as he pushed her against the wall. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s small body was only supported by his legs. She could even feel them trembling. ¡°Why are you like this?¡± Xu Jiao jiao felt ticklish all over. ¡°Aren¡¯t 1 always like this?¡± Qi Shenbai continued to nuzzle her ear. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face turned red as she said softly, ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re so vulgar.¡± ¡°Vulgar? 1 like that,¡± Qi Shenbai said as he reached his hand into her clothes. Xu Jiaojiao could even feel the heat from his hand, and then her body started to heat up as well. He trailed kisses from her neck to her ear. Xu Jiaojiao felt like she could not breathe after being treated like this, like a mermaid who had left the water. She was burning up. ¡°I thought you said you were okay with this?¡± Qi Shenbai whispered into her ear. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face instantly turned red. ¡°That was last time. Last time, it was because I was all worked up, so¡­ that¡¯s why I agreed.¡± The last time she went to City A on impulse, she agreed to his request. ¡°Then don¡¯t forget to tell me the next time you get worked up.¡± Once she did, he would stop holding back. ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re bullying me,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said shyly. When Qi Shenbai saw her like this, he suddenly smiled and pulled his hand away. He then carried Xu Jiaojiao to the sofa and let her sit on his lap. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. 1 told you in advance and stressed you out. Still, you shouldn¡¯t have called Yunduo over because of that.¡± How could she think of him that way? ¡°I wasn¡¯t stressed. I¡¯m just¡­ just a little scared¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao buried her head in Qi Shenbai¡¯s arms. Qi Shenbai ruffled her hair. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. I won¡¯t force you.¡± ¡°Then, can Yunduo stay here?¡± Xu Jiaojiao probed. ¡°Sure, but you have to reserve a separate room for her,¡± Qi Shenbai said. Seeing that he agreed, Xu Jiaojiao smiled lightly, revealing her two cute dimples. Just as she was about to thank him, he continued forcefully, ¡°But you have to sleep with me today.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao wanted to retort. ¡°No buts. Otherwise, I¡¯ll take you right now.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s dark eyes stared at her. ¡°Alright, fine¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao knew that it was useless to argue. In the end, she could only take a shower in his room and wear his shirt. His shirt was big and loose. It felt like there was wind blowing everywhere. Xu Jiaojiao felt so insecure! She quickly hid under the blanket and wrapped herself up tightly. Qi Shenbai came over with a glass of milk and her phone. ¡°Drink some milk and go to sleep.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes were filled with affection. He then placed her phone on the bedside table. Xu Jiao jiao glanced at him and asked, ¡°Did you go to my room to get it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Yunduo ask about me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked softly. ¡°No.¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to know anything, huh? She doesn¡¯t know that I saved her, nor does she know that we¡¯re faking our marriage,¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked wistfully. ¡°Who said that we¡¯re faking our marriage?¡± Qi Shenbai retorted. ¡°Aren¡¯t we?¡± Xu Jiaojiao said shyly. The corners of Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°Our marriage certificate is real, and we¡¯re madly in love. Of course, it¡¯s not a fake marriage. Moreover, we¡¯ll become the most loving couple in the world from now on.¡± Qi Shenbai was very certain about that. Xu Jiaojiao said, ¡°Sigh! This is surreal. Back then, we got together to save Yunduo, didn¡¯t we?¡± So how did they fall in love with each other along the way? Qi Shenbai looked at the milk at the corner of her lips and lowered his head to lick it. Then, he bit her lips hard. ¡°Does this feel real now?¡± ¡°Mm, mm!¡± Xu Jiaojiao hurriedly agreed, afraid that she would be bitten again. ¡°I still have a few work projects to look at. Go to bed early.¡± As he spoke, Qi Shenbai was about to leave when he saw a pair of small hands reaching towards the bedside table.. Chapter 165 - Chapter 165: Heartache Chapter 165: Heartache Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°What are you doing?¡± Qi Shenbai pretended to be angry. ¡°Just for a little while, please?¡± Xu Jiaojiao pleaded as she held up her phone. ¡°Fine.¡± After that, Qi Shenbai turned around and walked out of the room. Xu Jiaojiao started playing with her phone openly. She scrolled through her phone, but she could not find the photo she had taken with Qi Shenbai during the day¡­ Qi Shenbai seemed to be very busy with work and did not come back for a long time. In the end, she fell asleep in a daze, her nose filled with his unique scent. When he returned, it was already past midnight. Xu Jiaojiao was sleeping soundly. Under the white shirt, her slender and fair leg was pressed against the blanket, making his imagination run wild. He carefully lifted a corner of the blanket and lay down. However, the little girl seemed to have sensed her presence and climbed onto him, pressing a leg onto his body. When he caught a hint of her fair skin under her collar, his heart beat faster and his body heated up. He turned around and took a deep breath. Sigh! He had better take a cold shower! However, she was like a charming snake that wrapped around him and burrowed her head into his arms. ¡®Breathe¡­ Take deep breaths¡­¡¯ Qi Shenbai felt that his self-restraint had reached its limit, but he could not bear to leave. He would rather test his self-control than let her sleep with Qi Yunduo. On the next day, Xu Jiao jiao woke up very early. Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes were still closed, so Xu Jiaojiao carefully studied his features. Ahh, how beautiful! He was so beautiful! He was unbelievably beautiful! How could he be so good-looking?! The heavens were biased when they created him. Xu Jiaojiao had tried to draw a portrait of Qi Shenbai, but no matter how hard she tried, the painting was not as elegant and outstanding as he was in reality. She gently outlined his outline with her fingertips, from his forehead to his lips. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but blush when she thought about how deeply he kissed her every time. His lips were thin but always so passionate! Suddenly, someone grabbed her fingertips just as they stopped on his lips. ¡°If you want to kiss me, just do it.¡± When did he wake up? There did not seem to be any sleepiness in his eyes. ¡°Who said I wanted to kiss you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao lowered her eyes, not daring to look into his deep black gaze. She wanted to kiss him just now, but she was afraid of waking him up, so she did not move. ¡°Are you lying again?¡± Qi Shenbai said as he kissed her cherry-like mouth. Since he had not brushed his teeth yet in the morning, he did not go too deep and only tasted her lightly. However, Xu Jiaojiao responded passionately, making Qi Shenbai¡¯s imagination run wild. He pressed his body against hers and looked at her with a fiery gaze. She did not know why he was like this. In the end, Qi Shenbai forced himself to hold back. He stood up and said, ¡°Go back to your room and change!¡± After everything was over, Xu Jiaojiao carefully returned to her room. She grabbed her pajamas and ran to the bathroom to change into them. Looking at Qi Shenbai¡¯s white shirt, she held it in her arms and lowered her head to smell it. This was his unique scent. Xu Jiaojiao had used his shower gel yesterday, and that smelled completely different. This unique was only on his shirt. After smelling it, Xu Jiaojiao could not help but blush. ¡°Jiaojiao, what are you doing?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was interrupted by a sudden voice. She turned around and saw Qi Yunduo looking at her. She hastily hid Qi Shenbai¡¯s white shirt behind her back. ¡®Oh no! She doesn¡¯t think I¡¯m crazy, does she?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t hide it. I saw it all. That¡¯s my brother¡¯s shirt.¡± Qi Yunduo tried not to laugh. ¡°Did you guys¡­?¡± ¡°Nothing happened between us yesterday, really!¡± Xu Jiaojiao hurriedly explained. ¡°Why are you so nervous? You¡¯re husband and wife. Isn¡¯t it natural for you to do that sort of thing?¡± Qi Yunduo asked, confused. Oh, right! What Qi Yunduo said made sense, but Xu Jiaojiao still wanted to explain herself. It was really contradictory! Qi Yunduo was a tactful person. Seeing that Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face was red, she did not ask further. ¡°I don¡¯t care if anything happened between the two of you last night, but I know that you love each other.¡± ¡°You noticed?¡± Xu Jiaojiao thought that she had hidden it very well. Qi Yunduo smiled and said, ¡°Of course. From your behavior at the award ceremony yesterday, 1 can tell that you two love each other deeply. Do you know? There are two things in the world that can¡¯t be hidden. One is a cough, and the other is a look of love.¡± ¡°I guess you¡¯re right¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao had to admit it. ¡°Jiaojiao, you may think that my brother is high and mighty, but he¡¯s quite pitiful. He¡¯s cold on the outside but warm on the inside, so many people don¡¯t dare to approach him. All these years, he¡¯s never found a decent girl. He¡¯s endured a lot. Both in his career and family, he bears a lot of responsibility.¡± Qi Yunduo¡¯s heart ached for her brother.. Chapter 166 - Chapter 166: Everything Chapter 166: Everything Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Yunduo continued, ¡°You gotta treat him well!¡± ¡°I will.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s tone was obedient but also determined. Although she did not know what Qi Shenbai had experienced previously, she would definitely treat him well. She would make him happy. Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Yunduo changed their clothes and went downstairs. Qi Shenbai was already sitting at the dining table drinking milk. Xu Jiaojiao casually sat at the dining table and ate as usual, but Qi Yunduo was a little uneasy. Qi Shenbai had given Xu Jiaojiao almost all of his gentleness and tenderness, so even when he looked at his younger sister, he had a cool expression on his face. ¡°Butler, prepare a room for Yunduo.¡± Qi Shenbai still wore the same indifferent expression. ¡°Brother, can 1 stay here now?¡± Qi Yunduo was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Sure. When you¡¯re free, you can come over and accompany Jiaojiao.¡± Although Qi Shenbai did not like people from the Qi family coming here, Jiaojiao did not have many friends. In addition, he was very busy with work and could not accompany her often. She also liked Yunduo so much, so he made an exception for Jiaojiao. Qi Yunduo knew that it was because of Xu Jiaojiao that she could come here, but she was not too perturbed by it. Instead, she was happy. ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll come over often to play with my sister-in-law!¡± After dinner, Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Yunduo went to school arm-in-arm. Qi Shenbai had originally wanted to send Xu Jiaojiao to school, but it seemed like she did not need his help anymore. The butler watched from the side and could not help but sigh. ¡°Madam Jiaojiao and Miss Yunduo get along so well.¡± When Qi Shenbai heard this, the corners of his mouth twitched. When they arrived at school, Mr. Sun called Xu Jiaojiao to her office. ¡°Are you looking for me, sir?¡± Xu Jiaojiao cheerfully walked into the office and stood in front of Mr. Sun. Mr. Sun waved his hand. ¡°Take a seat first.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Xu Jiaojiao obediently sat down and looked at Mr. Sun with her big, bright eyes. ¡°After the competition, someone took a fancy to your painting and wanted to buy it. The offer was decent, so I came to discuss it with you. I know you were painting your grandma, so this painting must be very important to you. That¡¯s why 1 wanted to ask for your opinion.¡± Mr. Sun was afraid that Xu Jiaojiao was not willing to sell a portrait of her grandmother. ¡°I have no objections. If someone is willing to buy it, 1 can sell it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao agreed readily. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t want to sell it!¡± Mr. Sun was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t 1? 1 draw paintings for others to see. If someone likes my painting, it proves that 1 did well. I¡¯m willing to sell the painting, but 1 don¡¯t know anything about contracts. 1¡¯11 have to trouble you for advice, Mr. Sun.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was very sure what she wanted, unlike some artists who were pretentious. ¡°Alright, leave it to me.¡± Mr. Sun agreed readily. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, 1¡¯11 leave first.¡± ¡°Sure thing!¡± Mr. Sun nodded. After leaving the office, Xu Jiaojiao was in high spirits, so she took out her phone and sent Qi Shenbai a WeChat message. Jiaojiao: [Someone wants to buy my painting. The price is pretty decent. Tell me, what do you want me to buy for you as a gift?] Qi Shenbai: [Congratulations¡­ 1 want you.] Jiaojiao: [Tsk! I¡¯m going to class now.] Qi Shenbai had everything he wanted, so he would not think too much of her gift. Pouting, she turned her phone to silent mode and walked toward the classroom. Qi Shenbai: [You¡¯re the gift I want the most.] After school, Xu Jiaojiao asked Su Luo and Qi Yunduo to go gift shopping with her. Of course, she would buy them gifts too. Su Luo did not want anything, so she just chose a phone pendant. Qi Yun chose a necklace. It was not expensive, but it was exquisite and beautiful. Xu Jiaojiao did not forget to choose one for her grandmother. After she parted ways with Su Luo and Qi Yunduo, she went to the hospital alone. When she arrived at the hospital, her grandma was about to eat. When the old lady saw Jiaojiao, she was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Jiaojiao, why are you here?¡± Grandma jumped out of bed to hug her. ¡°Because I miss you, of course!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she sat down at the table. ¡°Have you eaten? If you haven¡¯t, I¡¯ll get them to bring us a few more dishes.¡± Old Madam Xu was overjoyed to see her most beloved granddaughter. ¡°There¡¯s no need! 1 bought food!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she raised the takeout. ¡°Let¡¯s eat something good today, but don¡¯t tell Dad and Mom,¡± Xu Jiaojiao reminded her grandmother. Before she bought the takeout, she had asked the doctor. It was all food her grandmother could eat. ¡°You smart little brat, come over and give me a hug.¡± Old Madam Xu waved at Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao came to her side and snuggled in her arms. It was a wonderful feeling. She even told her grandmother about the competition and passed the gift to her. Grandma looked at the gift in her hand, and her eyes could not help but become misty. ¡°What are you buying these for? It¡¯s a waste of money. 1 have everything I need here..¡± Chapter 167 - Chapter 167: The Long-Awaited Summer Chapter 167: The Long-Awaited Summer Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao helped Old Madam Xu unwrap the gift. It was a radio. ¡°Grandma, your old radio is broken, right? So 1 bought you a new one. Now you can listen to the radio again.¡± Although technology was advanced now and there were all kinds of electronic products, old people were still used to the old things. Old Madam Xu was no exception. The elderly could not learn how to use smartphones at all. When they had nothing to do, they could only watch television. However, as far as Xu Jiaojiao remembered, her grandmother did not like television that much. Instead, she liked the radio, with which she could listen to audio programs, book reviews, or crosstalk. As she spoke, Xu Jiaojiao began to change the channel for Old Madam Xu and played a romantic audio drama. Old Madam Xu used to love such programs. Seeing that the gift she bought was not that expensive, Old Madam Xu gratefully accepted it and even praised Xu Jiaojiao for being sensible. Xu Jiaojiao pursed her lips and smiled. Her heart was filled with sweetness. She stayed with Old Madam Xu until her grandmother fell asleep before reluctantly leaving. Late that night, Qingshui Villa was filled with bright lights. After Xu Jiaojiao went inside, she saw Qi Shenbai sitting on the sofa. ¡°You¡¯re still awake?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qi Shenbai replied indifferently. ¡°I went to my Grandmother¡¯s place tonight, so 1 didn¡¯t come back to eat,¡± Xu Jiaojiao quickly explained, afraid that Qi Shenbai would misunderstand. ¡°I know.¡± Qi Shenbai nodded. ¡°Yunduo came over during dinner and told me.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good. I¡¯m going upstairs. You should rest early too,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she ran upstairs. She walked into the bedroom and prepared to change out of her clothes. As soon as she opened the cabinet door, she was blocked by the man beside her. ¡°What is it?¡± Xu Jiaojiao had not noticed Qi Shenbai coming in and was taken by surprise. ¡°What¡­ do¡­ you¡­ think?¡± Qi Shenbai enunciated each word clearly. ¡°How would I know?¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at him innocently. ¡°Forget it, then.¡± Qi Shenbai let go of the closet door and turned to walk out of her room. Xu Jiaojiao hid a snicker as she looked at his back. She quickly ran over, and Qi Shenbai felt a weight on his back as she threw her arms around his neck. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you angry?¡± Xu Jiao jiao whispered in his ear. ¡°Who said I was angry?¡± Qi Shenbai denied it. ¡°You¡¯re obviously angry, you hard-headed ox!¡± Xu Jiaojiao pinched his face. Qi Shenbai burst into laughter. ¡°My head isn¡¯t hard, but another part of me is. Do you want to guess?¡± What part of him was¡­ hard? Xu Jiaojiao suddenly understood and buried her head in his back. ¡°You¡¯re so obscene.¡± ¡°Come on, get down.¡± ¡°No, I like it when you carry me. Besides, I won¡¯t let you carry me for free. You¡¯ll be rewarded if you carry me nicely,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said lightly. Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes lit up when he heard this. ¡°What¡¯s the reward?¡± ¡°Here, your gift.¡± Xu Jiaojiao took out a black bow tie from behind her back. The material was silky smooth. ¡°Why did you give me a bow tie?¡± Qi Shenbai took it and held it in his hand. It felt smooth and soft, like a baby¡¯s skin. She must have spent a long time choosing this thing. Thinking of this, Qi Shenbai¡¯s heart felt warm. ¡°From now on, wear it when you attend banquets or important events, understand?¡± Xu Jiao jiao said gently. As for why she chose this gift for him, it was entirely because his neck was beautiful. It was long and straight, like a swan¡¯s neck. He would look amazing with the bow tie that she had carefully chosen. Also, when he wore it on important occasions, he would often think of her. ¡°I love it,¡± Qi Shenbai said as Xu Jiaojiao got off his back. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that I¡¯m your gift? So why were you throwing a tantrum at me just now?¡± Xu Jiaojiao tapped his forehead. She was the only one in the world who dared to be so rude to him. Xu Jiaojiao would not dare to do something like this in the beginning, but after being with him for a long time, she was not so afraid of him anymore. ¡°Both Yunduo and Su Luo got to spend time with you, so why couldn¡¯t 1 have you?¡± He was clearly angry that Xu Jiaojiao did not give him a gift as soon as she got back. He was even jealous of other women. ¡°Then¡­ are you still angry now?¡± Xu Jiao jiao looked up and met his gaze. His eyes were filled with love, and Xu Jiaojiao melted under his gaze. He kissed her lips affectionately and passionately. ¡°I¡¯m still a little angry. Do you want to keep coaxing me?¡± ¡°Dream on.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted coquettishly. Her face had also turned rosy like a red pomegranate, sparkling and smooth. Looking at her adorable face, he could not help but be tempted. The two of them kissed deeply, and the temperature in the room rose. Outside the house, the cicadas were chirping. The long-awaited summer had arrived.. Chapter 168 - Chapter 168: Past and Present Life Chapter 168: Past and Present Life Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The news of Xu Jiao jiao winning the Ma Liang Cup had already been published in the school newspaper, and she instantly became an influential figure in the school. The student union still wanted to interview her and promote the school. However, she was busy studying and did not agree. In fact, it was more because she did not want to be in the limelight. Although she wanted to become an artist, she also wanted to live an ordinary life. However, things did not go as planned. The newspapers reported the news of her winning the championship and even published her photo, attracting many comments. Some people even brought up the matter of her dancing at the bar previously. Everyone praised her for being beautiful and talented. She had such achievements at such a young age. She would definitely be a big deal in the future. After knowing her true age, they praised her even more. Now, whenever Xu Jiaojiao walked around campus, she would attract everyone¡¯s envious gazes and praises. Even so, she still tried to keep calm. She remembered what Qi Shenbai had said before. If the Internet could make a person successful, it could also destroy a person. Therefore, she could not be arrogant. Even when others praised her, she only smiled in response. Meanwhile, she chose to live life as normal. Just like before, she went to school, attended classes, and went home¡­ In the afternoon, she and Su Luo decided to have lunch at the No. 6 cafeteria. Today, they had braised pork ribs, which sold out very quickly. After much difficulty, Su Lu managed to snatch a few pieces while Xu Jiaojiao secured a spot to sit. There were many people coming in and out of the canteen, but there were also many people staring at them. ¡°Why are they all looking at me like that? Am I especially beautiful today?¡± Su Luo touched her cheek. Seeing how confident she was, Xu Jiaojiao did not want to discourage her. ¡°I think so.¡± Just as they were about to dig in, they suddenly heard someone call out Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s name, ¡°Jiaojiao!¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked up and saw Qi Yunduo running towards them. Everyone looked in the direction of the voice, and even more people were staring at them now. Qi Yunduo could not care less. He said anxiously, ¡°Something big has happened!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you fail to get the braised pork ribs?¡± Su Luo was still joking around and did not notice the seriousness of the matter at all. Then, Qi Yunduo took out her phone and tapped into the school forum, showing her screen to Xu Jiaojiao. After reading a few lines, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand that was holding Qi Yunduo¡¯s phone started to tremble. Seeing something amiss, Su Luo hurriedly searched up the school forum and saw an eye-catching headline: ¡®The Ma Liang Cup Champion Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s Past and Present Life.¡¯ The original poster posted everything about Xu Jiaojiao, from her childhood in the countryside, to when she returned to the city, all the way to when she was bullied in university and did not dare to resist. They even claimed they had photos of Xu Jiaojiao being bullied. If there were more than 5,000 comments, they said they would post the photos. Most of the comments condemned the bullying and the original poster¡¯s retaining of the photos. However, there were always some people who wanted to enjoy the drama, and they left comments asking for the photos. There were also many explicit and unpleasant comments. ¡°Jiaojiao, is it true?¡± Qi Yunduo probed. ¡°Of course not. Don¡¯t the administrators care about such posts? Are they bored out of their skulls?¡± Su Luo said angrily. She insulted the OP and those people who wanted photos in the comments section. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s mind went blank as she read the comments of the original poster and the other troublemakers. Her entire body became tense, like a string that could snap at any moment. She bit her lip so hard that it bled. Qi Yunduo and Su Luo were very worried when they saw her like this. ¡°Jiaojiao, are you alright? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± ¡°Jiaojiao, we won¡¯t believe it. Everything he said is fake, right?¡± ¡°Jiaojiao, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Jiaojiao¡­¡± With a bang, Xu Jiaojiao slammed her phone on the table and got up to leave. ¡°Jiaojiao, where are you going?¡± Qi Yunduo asked with concern. Xu Jiaojiao felt as if her entire heart was being torn apart. An intense pain assaulted her entire body, and it was difficult for her to breathe. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t worry about me. I just need some time alone,¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice was hoarse. She quickly walked out of the canteen and started running. Qi Yunduo was worried and hurriedly chased after her, but Su Luo stopped her. Su Luo had known Xu Jiaojiao for a long time and understood her personality. If she said that she wanted to be alone for a while, she really did not need anyone else. ¡°What should we do? Why don¡¯t we tell my brother? He can handle this,¡± Qi Yunduo said as she took out her phone. ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Su Luo pushed her phone away. She thought that Xu Jiaojiao probably did not want Qi Shenbai to know about this. If they acted rashly, it might upset Xu Jiaojiao even more.. Chapter 169 - Chapter 169: Indignant Chapter 169: Indignant Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Then what should we do? The post is¡­¡± The two of them looked at each other and felt that something was wrong. ¡°I asked the administrator to delete the post, but they ignored me. By the way, aren¡¯t you from the Computer Science Department? Can you delete the post?¡± Su Luo was anxious to help Xu Jiaojiao resolve this matter. ¡°I can, but it¡¯s lunchtime. The computer rooms are all closed. 1 didn¡¯t bring my computer with me today.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the internet cafe!¡± Su Luo then dragged Qi Yunduo outside and brought her to the internet cafe. Qi Yunduo had never been to such a place before. Many university students were smoking and cursing there. Su Luo felt that it was normal, but she still chose a private room to keep the smoke out. After booting up the computer, Qi Yunduo got to work. Su Luo watched from the side but did not understand what she was doing. After much thought, she still sent Xu Zhengyang a WeChat message. After Xu Jiao jiao left, she ran laps around the field until her heart was about to explode. Her world was spinning! She felt nauseated! Xu Jiaojiao leaned against a small tree as she retched. The students who passed by could not help but cast strange gazes at her. Her mind was empty and blank, and her head hurt terribly. She could not go home, nor did she want to go back to Qingshui Villa. She could not cause trouble for her grandmother either. At this moment, she felt alone and had nowhere to hide. In the afternoon, it was time for lunch and rest. Other than students, there were only teachers left on campus. They looked at her with mockery, disdain, contempt, and sympathy¡­ Xu Jiaojiao only wanted to leave this place immediately, so she hailed a taxi. After getting into the car, the driver kept asking her where she was going, but she did not seem to hear him. ¡°Hey, where are you going?¡± In the end, she was still ¡®woken up¡¯ by the driver. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know.¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her head with difficulty. Her dry eyes no longer had the luster of the past. ¡°Did you break up with your boyfriend? Do you want to call your friend over?¡± the driver asked tentatively. ¡°No, I¡¯ll go to¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao tried her best to smile and told him the address. After listening, the driver drove towards the place she mentioned. During lunch, Xu Zhengyang did not go out. Instead, he chose to eat in the company¡¯s canteen. The canteen lady liked that he was good-looking and picked out meat dishes for him when she scooped the food. She even filled his plate to the brim. ¡°Well, that¡¯s unfair! He even got more meat than us, just because he¡¯s handsome.¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s subordinate could not help but complain. ¡°Heh! I bask in your salt.¡± Xu Zhengyang was very smug. ¡°My heart hurts.¡± The subordinate wanted to cry. Xu Zhengyang only wanted to eat quickly. He still had to work hard for the capitalist boss after lunch. Just then, his phone suddenly rang. Xu Zhengyang looked at it and saw that it was Su Luo. ¡°Dayum, you can¡¯t even eat in peace without garnering all this attention! Which beautiful woman wants to monopolize my handsome boss?¡± The subordinate was envious and jealous. ¡°Oh, shut up!¡± Xu Zhengyang rolled his eyes at his subordinate. He then opened WeChat and looked at the message. After reading it, his heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly called Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Sorry, the number you have dialed is unavailable. Please try again later.¡± ¡°She switched her phone off?¡± Xu Zhengyang hurriedly stood up. He stopped eating and walked out of the cafeteria. ¡°Brother Yang, aren¡¯t you eating anymore?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood.¡± Xu Zhengyang walked to the elevator and bumped into the evil capitalist, Qi Shenbai. Sensing that something was wrong with his expression, Qi Shenbai hurriedly asked, ¡°Did something happen?¡± Xu Zhengyang ignored him. Qi Shenbai immediately knew that something was wrong. ¡°Did something happen to Jiaojiao?¡± ¡°If you have time for this nonsense, why don¡¯t you call and ask?¡± Xu Zhengyang said with a cold face. ¡°Why did she turn off her phone? I¡¯m so anxious.¡± Qi Shenbai called Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Sorry, the number you have dialed is unavailable. Please try again later.¡± It was the same result as Xu Zhengyang¡¯s call. Qi Shenbai lowered his voice. ¡°Let¡¯s go to school first and see if Su Luo knows where she went.¡± At the internet cafe, Qi Yunduo was still deleting the posts, but there were so many posts about Xu Jiaojiao that it was like a storm. There was no way to delete them all. As soon as she deleted one, a new one appeared¡­ then another and another. Now, there was even a code name. If she did not look carefully, she would not have known that they were talking about Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°They have so much time on their hands! Why are they so concerned about other people¡¯s private lives? They have nothing better to do,¡± Qi Yunduo said indignantly.. Chapter 170 - Chapter 170: Im Glad I Found You Chapter 170: I¡¯m Glad I Found You Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°I know, right?¡± Su Luo chimed in. She continued to send Xu Jiaojiao WeChat messages, but she did not reply. She called again, but Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s phone was turned off. ¡°Her phone is off.¡± Su Luo was even more worried now. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go out and look for her?¡± There was no way Qi Yunduo could delete all the posts, and they could not keep deleting posts here while Xu Jiao jiao was missing. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take a look around the school first.¡± As Su Luo spoke, Qi Yunduo stood up and walked out. Coincidentally, she bumped into a blue-haired man with a bowl of instant noodles. The scalding soup spilled all over her. ¡°Are you blind?¡± The blue-haired man shouted when he saw that his instant noodles had spilled. ¡°It was an accident! Don¡¯t yell at me like that.¡± Qi Yunduo was also upset. ¡°Don¡¯t talk back to me!¡± The blue-haired man raised his hand to hit her. Qi Yunduo took a step back in fear and closed her eyes tightly. ¡°It¡¯s just a bowl of instant noodles. I¡¯ll compensate you.¡± Suddenly, a crisp and beautiful voice sounded in her ears. She slowly opened his eyes and saw a slender figure. ¡°Forget it, I¡¯ll just consider myself unlucky.¡± The blue-haired man did not pester her anymore and went to the canteen to ask for another bowl. ¡°Are you alright?¡± The crisp voice echoed in Qi Yunduo¡¯s ears again. When she looked closely, she saw a good-looking face as bright as the moon. Her savior was refined, with a perfect figure¡­ ¡°Hello? ¡°Hello!¡± The young man called out to her twice before she came back to her senses. She blushed and said, ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± It was summer, so Qi Yunduo was wearing thin clothes. The spilled broth had drenched her, revealing the color of her bra. She did not know if she should try to hide it¡­ Either way, it was very awkward. The next moment, the young man took off his light blue shirt and draped it over Qi Yunduo¡¯s body. ¡°Go back and change your clothes!¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll return your clothes later.¡± Qi Yunduo¡¯s face was still red. ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± the boy said and turned to leave. He was also wearing a light blue jersey underneath, but it had a huge eight written on the back. Su Luo had just finished answering Xu Zhengyang¡¯s call. When she came out, she saw Qi Yunduo like this and hurriedly asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. Did Jiaojiao pick up the phone?¡± Qi Yunduo gathered her thoughts and asked with concern. ¡°Not yet, but her brother just called me and said that he and Qi Shenbai are on their way to school,¡± Su Luo explained. ¡°My brother is coming too?¡± ¡°Yes. In the meantime, let¡¯s look around the school first.¡± Twenty minutes later, Qi Shenbai and Xu Zhengyang arrived at the school and met up with Su Luo and Qi Yunduo. The two of them had been looking for Xu Jiao jiao for a long time and were extremely anxious now. ¡°You still haven¡¯t found her?¡± Xu Zhengyang asked immediately. Su Luo shook her head, disappointed. ¡°No.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s face turned pale. He had never ¡°lost¡± her like this before. ¡°If you can¡¯t find her, keep looking. Xu Zhengyang, you go deal with the posts on the forum.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± The three of them looked at him at the same time. ¡°I¡¯ll go look at the surveillance cameras.¡± Among the four of them, only Qi Shenbai had the ability to access the school¡¯s surveillance cameras. Hence, the few of them split up and started searching for Xu Jiaojiao. Originally, the sun was shining brightly, but for some reason, the sky seemed to be able to sense Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s emotions, and it started to rain heavily. Lightning flashed, thunder rumbled, and a storm swept across the entire Luo City. Everyone was looking for a place to hide from the rain. Xu Jiaojiao was the only one sitting by the roadside, allowing the storm to rain down on her. She really wanted to let the heavy rain wash away all the unhappiness, but those scenes kept replaying in her mind like a movie. Her head hurt from the weight of her emotions and her heavy past. Why did they do this to her? She had not done anything wrong. Gradually, the number of pedestrians decreased. Instead, the cars that were driving past kept kicking up the puddles, splashing her over and over again. She was like a tender flower that was about to be broken by the raging wind. Just then, a black umbrella covered her entire world. A handsome figure stood in front of her. She slowly raised her head and met his gaze. Rumble rumble¡­ Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. It was as if the world was about to explode, just like Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart at this moment. Qi Shenbai slowly crouched down and gave her the entire umbrella while he was buffeted by the storm. The moment she saw him, her eyes seemed to light up. This light grew brighter and brighter, as if it could illuminate her world. ¡°I¡¯m glad 1 found you.¡± So glad¡­ Chapter 171 - Chapter 171: Let Her Have A Good Rest Chapter 171: Let Her Have A Good Rest Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Hearing his murmurs, Xu Jiaojiao could no longer hold back her tears. It was as if all her grievances had exploded at this moment and she threw herself into his embrace. Qi Shenbai put down the umbrella and hugged her tightly, letting the rain beat on their bodies. Qi Shenbai¡¯s clothes were also wet by now, but Xu Jiaojiao seemed to be able to feel warmth and security from him anyway. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± Qi Shenbai patted her back to comfort her, but her sobs did not stop. The two of them were drenched in the rain and gradually felt their faces turn cold. Qi Shenbai carried Xu Jiaojiao into the car. Looking at his drenched face, Xu Jiaojiao felt a sense of deja vu. At some point, on a rainy night, she was on the same street and saw the same car. At the time, she crouched down in the rain. The person in the car said coldly, ¡°Get her an umbrella .¡± The heating in the car was very warm, but Xu Jiaojiao was already drenched, and her body was still cold. Qi Shenbai carefully rubbed her hands to warm her up. Xu Jiaojiao curled up in his arms like a frightened little bird. ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright now. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here,¡± Qi Shenbai muttered. They returned to Qingshui Villa. Qi Shenbai carried her into the bathroom and placed her body in the bathtub. He even filled the bathtub with hot water and put in shower gel. The bathtub had a jacuzzi function. Under the gentle waves, the shower gel turned into thick bubbles that enveloped Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s body. Then, Qi Shenbai got up and went to Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s room. He took her pajamas and placed them on the clothes rack in the bathroom. ¡°Change into your clothes after taking a shower. You can soak in the bath for a while. I¡¯ll go out.¡± Qi Shenbai turned around, only to be grabbed by a small hand. That small hand seemed to have no color. ¡°You don¡¯t want to be alone?¡± Qi Shenbai muttered. Only then did he realize that Xu Jiaojiao was still wearing her clothes in the bathtub. ¡°Shall I help you undress?¡± Qi Shenbai asked tentatively. Xu Jiaojiao nodded her head gently. She was crying so hard that she seemed to have no strength left to stand, let alone undress herself. With Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s consent, Qi Shenbai fumbled under the bubbles to help her undress¡­ He took her clothes off one by one, throwing them into the dirty laundry basket. Next, he brought a dry towel and wiped her wet hair. His hands were not as smooth and tender as she had imagined. In fact, they even had calluses. However, every time he ran his hands through her hair and down her face, it was like a child¡¯s caress, soothing Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s tense nerves. She was still biting her lips. She had bitten through the skin in a few places and even bled. ¡°Stop that,¡± Qi Shenbai said and kissed her. ¡°If you want to bite something, bite me.¡± His heart ached as he kissed her and warmed her until she slowly loosened her teeth and wrapped her arms around his neck in a passionate response. When Xu Zhengyang and the others received the news, they quickly rushed to Qingshui Villa. Qi Shenbai ordered the cook to make ginger tea for Xu Jiaojiao to warm her up. Although it was summer, she had been drenched in the rain for too long, so he was afraid that she would fall sick. ¡°Where¡¯s Jiaojiao?¡± Xu Zhengyang was worried and asked about Xu Jiaojiao as soon as he came in. ¡°She¡¯s resting in the bedroom.¡± Qi Shenbai met Xu Zhengyang¡¯s worried gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll go up and see her,¡± Xu Zhengyang said as he walked upstairs. ¡°Wait a minute. She doesn¡¯t want anyone to disturb her.¡± Qi Shenbai stopped him halfway up. ¡°Did she say that?¡± Xu Zhengyang asked in a daze. ¡°Mm.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not say anything, but he knew. ¡°Then forget it.¡± Xu Zhengyang turned around and came back. His pants were still dripping with rain. All three of them had gotten drenched after searching for Xu Jiaojiao in the rain. ¡°Hurry up and change your clothes!¡± Qi Shenbai said as he asked the butler to bring them to the guest room. Xu Zhengyang changed into Qi Shenbai¡¯s clothes. Previously, Qi Yunduo had brought some of her clothes over. She and Su Luo¡¯s figures were similar, so Su Luo wore Qi Yunduo¡¯s clothes. After changing, they saw Qi Shenbai carrying an empty cup downstairs. ¡°I gave her some ginger tea and some calming medicine. Let her have a good rest!¡± Qi Shenbai said as he quickly went downstairs and sat down on the couch. Xu Zhengyang was still worried. His eyes were filled with anxiety, but he said nonetheless, ¡°Thank you!¡± ¡°No worries.¡± The butler brought over some ginger tea for Xu Zhengyang and the other two, then tactfully left. Under his knowing gaze, the servants also left. The remaining four people sat on the sofa without saying a word. Xu Zhengyang lay limply on the sofa and kept pressing his temples. Su Luo lowered her head and remained silent.. Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: Dont Want to Talk Chapter 172: Don¡¯t Want to Talk Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation In the end, Qi Yunduo was the one who broke the silence. ¡°Is everything on the Internet true?¡± Xu Zhengyang would not have reacted like that if it was not. Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Zhengyang. He could see that Xu Zhengyang was depressed, guilty, and anxious¡­ Previously, Qi Shenbai had heard from Xu Zhengyang that Xu Jiaojiao had severe depression. If it was just because of Xu Zhengyang, she would not have reacted like this. However, if someone bullied her, it would make more sense. ¡°Why did they bully Jiaojiao? Jiaojiao is such a good person, why did they do that?¡± The anger in Qi Yunduo¡¯s heart burned again. Xu Zhengyang felt guilty and did not say anything. Instead, he closed his eyes as if he wanted to escape from everything. ¡°She once told me that she had received CCTN treatment, so she had forgotten some things.¡± Qi Shenbai frowned slightly. After finding out that Xu Jiaojiao had severe depression, he had asked his doctor what CCTN was. The doctor told him that it was a type of electroshock therapy. When a patient had severe depression that could not be offset by medicine, they had to resort to such therapy. However, the method was not perfect. There would be aftereffects like memory loss, confusion, vomiting, and headaches. Fortunately, Xu Jiao jiao had only lost some of her memories after the treatment. There were no other side effects. Seeing that things were going well, everyone was glad that Xu Jiaojiao was getting better. They did not expect such a thing to happen today. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all true.¡± Xu Zhengyang opened his eyes and replied in a hoarse voice. ¡®Does that mean she¡¯s regained her memory?¡¯ At the thought of this, Qi Shenbai¡¯s heart suddenly tightened. It was so painful that he could not breathe. Qi Yunduo did not know what CCTN was. When she looked it up online, finding the pictures and process, tears spilled from her eyes. ¡°My poor little sister-in-law¡­¡± ¡°What happened to those people back then?¡± Qi Shenbai suppressed his heartache and looked at Xu Zhengyang. Xu Zhengyang scoffed. ¡°Some of them were expelled from school, while others were sent to juvenile detention. However, they were released in a few days.¡± Xu Zhengyang was unconvinced by this kind of punishment. Her sister had almost died because of what they did, but they received such a light punishment. It was really unfair. ¡°What about the photos? Have they all been deleted?¡± Qi Shenbai was still looking at Xu Zhengyang. Xu Zhengyang thought for a moment and said, ¡°At that time, the police said that they had deleted all the photos on those people¡¯s phones, but I¡¯m not sure if there were any backups.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t let the photos leak out. Otherwise, Jiaojiao will¡­¡± Qi Shenbai stopped mid-sentence. He could not bear to continue, but everyone understood what he meant. A hint of guilt flashed across Xu Zhengyang¡¯s eyes. ¡°They deleted the post. I couldn¡¯t find their IP, so I couldn¡¯t find that poster.¡± ¡°I can help.¡± Qi Yun Yun wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. ¡°When 1 deleted the posts previously, I remembered that poster¡¯s IP.¡± ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll leave this matter to the two of you. Deal with the photos and don¡¯t let Old Madam Xu find out about this. She dotes on Jiaojiao so much, so I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t be able to take it. It¡¯s getting late, so you should go back early,¡± Qi Shenbai said as he stood up. He wanted to go to Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s side. Right now, he did not want to leave her side for even a minute. Upon entering the room, he saw Xu Jiaojiao lying quietly on the bed. In the pitch-black night, in the pitch-black room, Qi Shenbai could not seem to find her for a second. He walked to the bed in the dark and seemed to sense her instinctively. He fumbled with her small hand and gently stroked it. It was so cold. Qi Shenbai tried to get on the bed. He put his arm around her neck and pulled her into his arms. Xu Jiaojiao seemed to sense something and burrowed into his warm embrace. Qi Shenbai held her like this, not daring to move. He did not know when she had fallen asleep. When he opened his eyes, she was still sound asleep, but there was a tear in the corner of her eye. He gently wiped it for her, his heart aching to the extreme. He did not want her to get hurt. He wanted to protect her and keep her feeling sunny and happy. When she opened her eyes, she saw the pain deep in his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t want to talk?¡± Qi Shenbai asked quietly. Xu Jiaojiao shook her head gently. ¡°Then shall I get the butler to prepare some food for you?¡± Qi Shenbai stroked her forehead, but she remained silent. ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll take that as agreement. I¡¯ll get the butler to make your favorite food.¡± With that, Qi Shenbai got out of bed and walked out of the room. When he returned, he had a bowl of porridge in his hand.. Chapter 173 - Chapter 173: Dont Force Her Chapter 173: Don¡¯t Force Her Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation However, Xu Jiaojiao did not move. She remained in the same position, lying on the bed. Qi Shenbai walked up to her with the porridge, but she kept her mouth shut and eyes closed. It was obvious that she was rejecting him. Qi Shenbai placed the porridge on the bedside table and stroked her long hair. ¡°Be good and eat something, or your body will collapse. Also, this matter has only been spread in school, but it doesn¡¯t mean that it won¡¯t spread outside. If Grandma finds out, won¡¯t she drag herself here to see you even if she¡¯s sick?¡± Qi Shenbai appealed to her with emotion. Xu Jiaojiao slowly opened her eyes, asking for help with her expressive gaze. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep this matter from Grandma. But you have to eat.¡± As he spoke, he helped Xu Jiaojiao up and took the porridge from the bedside table, feeding her mouthful by mouthful. ¡°Did you know? Xu Zhengyang didn¡¯t sleep the entire night after he found out about you. I asked him to go back, but he refused. Also, Yunduo and Su Luo were very worried about you. They didn¡¯t sleep the entire night.¡± Qi Shenbai hoped to encourage her so that she could pull herself together as soon as possible. Xu Jiaojiao just nodded and ate the porridge. The warm porridge went into her stomach, but it did not feel as good as she had imagined. Instead, her insides were a mess. In an instant, Xu Jiaojiao threw everything up, filling the trash can with the food she had just eaten. Even after she cleared her stomach, she still felt terrible. In the end, she only stopped when she had puked out her stomach juices. ¡°Rinse your mouth.¡± Qi Shenbai patted her back gently and brought her another glass of water. Xu Jiaojiao took a sip and spat it out. Then, she placed her hands on Qi Shenbai¡¯s neck and curled her head into his embrace. She was depending on him. He could feel it. He patted her back gently and comforted her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay. If you can¡¯t eat anymore, don¡¯t eat anymore.¡± Qi Shenbai did not want to force her. If she did not want to talk, then let her stay quiet. If she could not eat, let her not eat. At most, he would get the doctor to give her a nutrient solution. Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°Then do you want to watch TV? Don¡¯t you love those variety shows?¡± Qi Shenbai wanted to distract her from thinking about those unhappy things. Xu Jiaojiao shook her head slightly. ¡°Alright, then we won¡¯t watch. Let¡¯s just lie down, okay?¡± Qi Shenbai was extremely gentle. There was no trace of the pride he had in front of others. Qi Shenbai was the king of the business world. Many people were afraid of him, but he could not even raise his voice in front of Xu Jiaojiao. He cared too much about her and loved her so much that he could not be firm in front of her. He could show her all his tenderness. Throughout the day, Xu Jiaojiao did not eat anything and only drank a little water. At night, she heard Qi Shenbai say sternly from outside, ¡°No matter what happens, you have to save her.¡± ¡°Grandma¡­¡± In a daze, Xu Jiaojiao realized what he was talking about. When Qi Shenbai heard her voice, he quickly returned to the room. ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re awake?¡± ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao frowned. Qi Shenbai sighed softly. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the truth, but you have to keep calm, okay?¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded weakly. ¡°Grandma was so emotional when she heard about the forum that she suddenly fainted. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already sent the best doctors to her. I¡¯m sure everything will be fine.¡± Qi Shenbai tried his best to suppress his worry and slowly explained it to Xu Jiaojiao. When Xu Jiaojiao heard this, she suddenly stood up and ran outside. Qi Shenbai followed closely behind. Suddenly, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s body seemed to lose all strength, and she fell down. Fortunately, Qi Shenbai reacted quickly and caught her with one hand. ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise you¡¯d stay calm?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s hoarse voice was filled with heartache. Tears fell despite her best efforts. ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Her body trembled as she fell into Qi Shenbai¡¯s arms. She was worried. She was afraid. She was afraid of losing her grandmother, of never seeing her again¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve already sent someone over. Your parents will be there. She¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t cry, okay?¡± Qi Shenbai did not dare to scold her now. He gently wiped the tears on her face and pulled her into his arms, comforting her non-stop. Xu Jiaojiao did not want to cry, but she could not help it. The person she cared about the most was her grandmother. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, that¡¯s a good girl. If you don¡¯t cry, I¡¯ll take you to see Grandma.¡± Qi Shenbai kissed her forehead as if to verify his oath. Xu Jiaojiao nodded slightly. ¡°Okay, be good. 1¡¯11 get Yunduo to accompany you.¡± Qi Shenbai said and called Qi Yunduo over. ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to talk, so don¡¯t force her. Just chat with her more and let her listen quietly,¡± Qi Shenbai reminded his sister in a low voice and handed her the clothes he had prepared just now. ¡°Got it.¡± Qi Yunduo walked into the room.. ¡°Jiaojiao, shall I help you change?¡± Chapter 174 - Chapter 174: You Dont Seem That Capable Chapter 174: You Don¡¯t Seem That Capable Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao nodded slightly. Qi Yunduo helped her to change her clothes and even tied her hair into a ponytail. Qi Shenbai went downstairs and saw Xu Zhengyang smoking in front of the computer. ¡°Stop smoking. Jiaojiao will come down in a bit. She wants to visit Grandma,¡± Qi Shenbai said. Xu Zhengyang extinguished his cigarette. He rarely listened to Qi Shenbai like this. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Qi Shenbai was asking about the IP search. ¡°Sigh! 1 found the IP address. It¡¯s an internet cafe, but the computer camera is broken. I¡¯m checking the surveillance camera now.¡± The internet cafe had a lot of users. Each computer would be used by many people in a day. It was not that simple to find out who the original poster was. ¡°I¡¯ll get someone to keep a lid on the school forum, but you have to be careful. There might be news about Jiao jiao outside the forum too.¡± Faced with Qi Shenbai¡¯s reminder, Xu Zhengyang only nodded. When it came to Jiaojiao¡¯s matters, he was even more serious and meticulous than Qi Shenbai. Upstairs, Qi Yunduo looked at the listless Xu Jiaojiao with heartache. ¡°Jiaojiao, you don¡¯t look too good.¡± Xu Jiaojiao casually picked up the mirror on the bedside table and looked at herself. When she saw how haggard she looked, her eyes turned red. She was still the same as before. She had never been saved, and she was still in the abyss. Thinking of this, she could not help but feel sad. ¡°Jiaojiao, what¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t cry!¡± Qi Yunduo panicked when she saw that Xu Jiao jiao was about to cry. How was she going to explain this to her brother? ¡°You look great, you look fine! Don¡¯t cry, or my brother will kill me.¡± Qi Yunduo was extremely anxious. As Xu Jiaojiao listened to her rambling, her tears fell. ¡°Oh my god, sister-in-law, what did I say wrong? You can hit me or scold me, but don¡¯t cry¡­¡± Qi Yunduo was scared out of her wits, afraid that her brother would see her. She had no idea how to explain. Xu Jiaojiao said in a raspy voice, ¡°Yunduo, help me put on makeup!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao repeated hoarsely, ¡°Help me put on some makeup!¡± H 11 What¡¯s wrong with her sister-in-law? Was her mind broken? Brother, 1 swear I did not do it on purpose¡­ In the end, under Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s strong insistence, she helped Xu Jiaojiao put on some light makeup and pink lipstick. She looked much healthier now, and she even looked quite a bit prettier. Looking at herself in the mirror, Xu Jiaojiao felt her heart light up slightly. Then, she glided down the stairs. Looking at her swaying back, Qi Yunduo felt nervous, afraid that she would fall. When Xu Zhengyang saw Xu Jiao jiao coming down the stairs, he immediately stood up nervously. He looked at Xu Jiaojiao helplessly. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s lip also wobbled as she ran over and hugged him. ¡°Brother¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang stood there, not knowing what to do. He tried to delude himself, asking Qi Shenbai. ¡°Could it be that¡­ she hasn¡¯t recovered her memories, after all?¡± Qi Shenbai did not know either, so he shook his head. ¡°Brother, why are they so mean? Why did they bully me? What did 1 do wrong?¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt hurt. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. You¡¯re the best, Jiaojiao. They¡¯re the evil ones. They¡¯re in the wrong.¡± Xu Zhengyang quickly comforted her, but he still did not know where to put his hands. ¡°Okay, then you have to help me deal with them.¡± Xu Jiaojiao loosened her arms and looked at Xu Zhengyang with anticipation. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely help you deal with them. 1 won¡¯t let them off so easily,¡± Xu Zhengyang promised. ¡°But, don¡¯t hit them! Hack their computers or phones and cut them off from the rest of the world!¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted angrily. ¡°Alright, alright. Whatever you say.¡± Xu Zhengyang suddenly felt his heart lighten up a lot. Judging from her words, she must not have regained her memory. This meant that she was fine. ¡°Did you find the person who posted the thread?¡± Xu Jiaojiao continued to ask. At this point, Xu Zhengyang felt a little ashamed and looked at Qi Shenbai. ¡°Why are you looking at him? Tell me quickly,¡± Xu Jiao jiao said righteously. ¡°Not yet, but I¡¯m doing my best to investigate.¡± Xu Zhengyang explained. ¡°Brother, you don¡¯t seem to be that capable. We¡¯ve been investigating for two days, and you still haven¡¯t found anything,¡± Xu Jiaojiao rebuked. Not that capable? Was his little sister insulting him? Then again, he did not have the results, so he could not refute her. Hearing Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s words, Su Luo burst out laughing. ¡°What are you laughing at?¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s eyes flashed as he looked at Su Luo. ¡°No, nothing.¡± Su Luo thought that the only person who could make Xu Zhengyang so helpless was Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Hurry up and go home! Otherwise, your parents will call the police,¡± Xu Zhengyang rebuked angrily. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they might not even notice if I don¡¯t go home for half a year,¡± Su Luo explained forcefully.. Chapter 175 - Chapter 175: The First Oath Chapter 175: The First Oath Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Brother, I want to see Grandma.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was still worried about her grandmother¡¯s condition. Xu Zhengyang quickly comforted her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Dad called just now and said that Grandma¡¯s already awake. She¡¯s fine. She just heard the news on the forum and fainted from anger. She¡¯s alright now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt guilty. ¡°How can it be your fault?! Those bad guys are to blame.¡± Xu Zhengyang continued to comfort her. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Qi Shenbai was worried that Xu Jiaojiao would not be able to handle it alone. ¡°I¡¯ll go too.¡± Xu Zhengyang naturally wanted to go. After all, she was his grandmother too! ¡°What about me?¡± Qi Yunduo suddenly realized that she was useless now. ¡°Stay here and keep an eye on the computer. There are still a few websites that haven¡¯t been checked. I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Xu Zhengyang turned to Qi Yunduo. ¡°Alright, 1 promise to complete the mission.¡± Qi Yunduo stood at attention. ¡°I¡¯m going home now. Jiaojiao, get well soon, okay? If there¡¯s anything, remember to call me. I¡¯ll be on standby all day.¡± Su Luo walked up to Xu Jiaojiao and touched her face. ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao knew that Su Luo had been worried about her for the past two days. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. We¡¯re best friends. 1 said I¡¯d always protect you.¡± Su Luo patted Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s shoulder righteously. Soon, they arrived at the hospital. Old Madam Xu had already woken up, but Xu Zhiming and Tian Fanghua were still frowning. When they saw Xu Jiaojiao enter, they were all pleasantly surprised. ¡°Jiaojiao!¡± Tian Fanghua called out Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s name. ¡°I¡¯m alright. Sorry for making you worry.¡± Again. Xu Jiaojiao felt guilty. ¡°What are you talking about, child? We don¡¯t care as long as you¡¯re fine.¡± Tian Fanghua wrapped her arms around Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s shoulders as her tears fell uncontrollably. ¡°Why are you crying? Our daughter will feel even more guilty if you cry.¡± Xu Zhiming quickly hugged his wife. Tian Fanghua wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re alright.¡± ¡°Jiaojiao, come here.¡± Old Madam Xu looked at Xu Jiaojiao with a benevolent expression and waved her hand. Xu Jiaojiao walked over and reached out to hold Old Madam Xu¡¯s hand. Her hand was so old and frail, as if it could fall apart at any time. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ve made you worry.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at her grandmother guiltily. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just don¡¯t be swayed by the comments online. What they said is all fake. They bullied you because there¡¯s light in your heart. They want to extinguish that light, but that¡¯s exactly why you can¡¯t let them succeed. You have to use your light to illuminate the darkness in their hearts. You have to be strong, my child. Do you understand?¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded repeatedly, afraid that her grandmother would worry about her again. ¡°Lil Qi, you¡¯re here too?¡± Old Madam Xu looked at Qi Shenbai, who was not far away. ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Shenbai walked over and crouched down in front of Old Madam Xu¡¯s bed. ¡°Jiaojiao is a good child, and so are you. The two of you are destined to be together.¡± Old Madam Xu was very satisfied with her grandson-in-law. She placed their hands together. ¡°Remember, no matter what happens, you have to believe in each other and love each other. Don¡¯t forget the oath you made when you first got together.¡± Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai did not know why Old Madam Xu said that, but they nodded in unison. ¡°I¡¯m fine over here. You guys can go back first!¡± Old Madam Xu waved her hand. ¡°No, Grandma, I still want to stay here with you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao refused to leave. ¡°Listen to me. I don¡¯t need so many people here.¡± Old Madam Xu was stubborn. ¡°Mom, I¡¯ll stay here with you.¡± Tian Fanghua wanted to take care of her mother-in-law here. ¡°No need. Listen to me and leave,¡± Old Madam Xu ordered. The group of people could not persuade the old lady, so they could only obey. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯ll come and see you in two days.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was reluctant to leave. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. You youngsters should go do what youngsters do. You don¡¯t have to keep pestering me,¡± Old Madam Xu insisted. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± Xu Zhiming knew that his mother had always been stubborn. She had not changed at all in her old age. She did not want to bother the young ones, so he helped her usher everyone away. When they were outside, Tian Fanghua looked at Xu Jiaojiao with reddened eyes and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, if you have anything to say in the future, just tell Mommy, okay?¡± She was so careful with her words. Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°But how did Grandma find out about this?¡± Qi Shenbai could not help but wonder. Qi Yun and Xu Zhengyang had already worked very hard to delete the posts on the Internet. Normally, the news should not have reached Old Madam Xu¡¯s ears so quickly.. Chapter 176 - Chapter 176: Were Going to Be Grandparents Chapter 176: We¡¯re Going to Be Grandparents Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao and Xu Zhengyang looked at each other. Qi Shenbai¡¯s question was exactly what they were thinking. ¡°I heard from the nurse that Grandma looked at her phone and then fainted as if she had been agitated,¡± Tian Fanghua recalled. ¡°Mom, where¡¯s Grandma¡¯s phone?¡± Xu Jiaojiao thought of something. ¡°It¡¯s with me.¡± Tian Fanghua was afraid that Old Madam would be agitated again, so she confiscated her phone and did not let her look at it. As she spoke, she handed the phone to Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao took her phone and flipped through it. There was nothing abnormal on WeChat or the phone records. There were no calls from strangers. In the end, when she flipped to the text messages, Xu Jiaojiao blinked. ¡°Brother, look.¡± She handed the phone to Xu Zhengyang. It turned out that someone had texted Old Madam Xu and sent her a screenshot of the forum post. Xu Zhengyang¡¯s expression also twisted. The person who sent this screenshot was definitely malicious. Xu Jiaojiao was Old Madam Xu¡¯s precious granddaughter, and she was most afraid of others mentioning what had happened back then. This person deliberately sent the picture to Old Madam Xu to agitate her! ¡°Can you find out who sent it?¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at Xu Zhengyang. Xu Zhengyang clicked on the message. ¡°This is an overseas number. We might have to check it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao knew that Xu Zhengyang would definitely be able to get to the bottom of the matter, so she was not worried. ¡°Brother, I¡¯ll leave this matter to you,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said. ¡°We¡¯re a family. There¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡± Xu Zhengyang did not like it when Xu Jiaojiao spoke to him like that. She was his younger sister! Xu Jiaojiao giggled and did not retort. ¡°Jiaojiao, are you really alright?¡± Tian Fanghua was still worried and asked carefully again. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t think too much,¡± Xu Jiaojiao comforted her. ¡°You really don¡¯t remember anything?¡± Tian Fanghua stroked Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hair. ¡°Mom, I can¡¯t remember anything. I was just a little sad when 1 suddenly saw this news on the forum. I¡¯m feeling better now.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s tone sounded as if nothing had happened, and Tian Fanghua nodded her head in relief. ¡°It¡¯s good that you don¡¯t remember. Those aren¡¯t good memories. It¡¯s better if you forgot them forever.¡± Tian Fanghua stroked Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head again. ¡°Dad, Mom, you don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯m fine now.¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good. By the way, Lil Qi, thank you very much for helping Jiaojiao.¡± Xu Zhiming quickly thanked Qi Shenbai. He knew that if Qi Shenbai hadn¡¯t pressured the school, the school would not have been able to suppress the news so quickly. When Qi Shenbai heard this, he only smiled and shook his head slightly. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. It¡¯s my duty to do anything 1 can for Jiaojiao.¡± Before Xu Zhiming and Tian Fanghua could understand what Qi Shenbai meant, he held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and interlocked their fingers. Xu Jiaojiao wanted to let go, but his hand was gentle and warm. She could not bear to let go of his hand. When Tian Fanghua saw the two of them, she could not help but feel happy. The more she looked at Qi Shenbai, the more she liked him. ¡°When Jiaojiao is with you, I don¡¯t have to worry.¡± However, Xu Zhiming did not seem as happy as Tian Fanghua. Instead, he looked worried. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, you can go back first!¡± However, he did not voice his worries in the end. Hmph, show-off! Xu Zhengyang muttered in his heart. ¡°Then I¡¯ll take Jiaojiao back first,¡± Qi Shenbai said as he held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and turned around. Xu Zhengyang went to follow them to Qingshui Villa. However, before he could take two steps, he was pulled back by the collar. ¡°Come back here!¡± Tian Fanghua pulled Xu Zhengyang back. ¡°Mom, what are you doing? There are so many people watching!¡± Xu Zhengyang also cared about his reputation. ¡°Who cares? Let me ask you, when did the two of them get together?¡± Tian Fanghua looked at Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai, who had already walked far away. ¡°How would 1 know?¡± Xu Zhengyang was helpless. ¡°You don¡¯t know? You¡¯re her older brother! You don¡¯t even know that your younger sister is in a relationship now?¡± Tian Fanghua reprimanded him. ¡°How would I know? I¡¯m not a pervert hiding under their bed.¡± Xu Zhengyang felt wronged. ¡°Huh? It¡¯s already developed to this extent?!¡± When Tian Fanghua heard the words under the bed, she began to let her imagination run wild. However, she only felt surprised, not disapproving. Xu Zhengyang shook his head. Just how desperate was his mother to marry her daughter off? Then, Tian Fanghua grabbed Xu Zhiming¡¯s arm. ¡°Old Xu, we¡¯re going to be grandparents!¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? Jiao jiao is still young. She isn¡¯t in a hurry to have a child.¡± Xu Zhiming quickly corrected Tian Fanghua¡¯s thoughts and told her not to think too much. Xu Zhengyang agreed with his father.. Chapter 177 - Chapter 177: Turning Green Chapter 177: Turning Green Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Dad¡¯s right, Jiaojiao is still young! She shouldn¡¯t have a kid yet!¡± Xu Zhengyang quickly agreed. ¡°You unfilial son. You¡¯re not dating, you¡¯re not getting married, you¡¯re not having any children, and now you¡¯re stopping Jiaojiao from giving us grandchildren?!¡± As she spoke, Tian Fanghua twisted Xu Zhengyang¡¯s ear, causing him to scream in pain. ¡°Why should we have kids? If you want babies so badly, you two should have another!¡± Xu Zhengyang complained. ¡°Oh, I get it now! You¡¯re impotent, aren¡¯t you? Your parts aren¡¯t even working right.¡± Tian Fanghua insulted him right back. H 11 ¡®Was I a free gift or something? My own mother is so mean to me¡­¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that for now. Let¡¯s worry about Jiaojiao first!¡± Xu Zhiming quickly interrupted when he saw that Tian Fanghua was about to lose control. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Xu Zhengyang rubbed his burning ear. ¡°How¡¯s the investigation going?¡± Xu Zhiming asked Xu Zhengyang. ¡°We¡¯re still investigating. Once we find out, we won¡¯t let the culprit off easily,¡± Xu Zhengyang said righteously. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave this matter to you. Find out as soon as possible.¡± Xu Zhiming gave him an ultimatum. ¡°Got it, Dad.¡± ¡°I¡¯m warning you, if you can¡¯t take care of this, you can forget about coming home.¡± Tian Fanghua glared at Xu Zhengyang. ¡°Alright, I got it.¡± Xu Zhengyang sighed softly. He was even more certain that he had been a free gift now. He knew that his parents were very worried about him because of the stupid things he had done in the past, so he had to do it well this time. That was why he had to handle this perfectly and protect his sister well in the future. No one was allowed to bully her. Once he gave his word, Xu Zhiming and Tian Fanghua were finally relieved. Downstairs at the hospital, Qi Shenbai opened the car door for Xu Jiaojiao and carefully placed his hand on her head, afraid that she would knock her head. After he got into the car, Qi Shenbai¡¯s phone suddenly rang. He glanced at Xu Jiaojiao, who was sitting in the car, but he did not close the door. Instead, he walked a short distance away and picked up the call. The person who called was Pei Yan. ¡°Mr. Qi, I¡¯ve already investigated what you asked me to look into. Those who were expelled from school back then were transferred to other cities. The ones who were sent to juvie all went overseas and never returned. They haven¡¯t contacted each other since.¡± ¡°Does that mean that this incident was not their doing?¡± Qi Shenbai was puzzled. ¡°Looks like it,¡± Pei Yan agreed. ¡°Continue investigating. You must find the culprit. Let me know as soon as you have any news.¡± His tone showed just how important this matter was to him. ¡°Understood, boss,¡± Pei Yan agreed. ¡°That¡¯s all for now!¡± Qi Shenbai hung up. In the car, Xu Jiaojiao looked at his back, but she could not hear what he was saying. After Qi Shenbai returned to the car, he asked with concern, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Her answer made Qi Shenbai feel much better. Meanwhile, Xu Zhengyang sat in the front passenger seat, and his phone rang. It was a call from Qi Yunduo. Apparently, she found out that someone had posted something about Xu Jiao jiao on a certain Weibo account and now it was trending across the city. Before too many people saw it, Qi Yunduo hacked into the poster¡¯s account and sent the IP address to Xu Zhengyang¡¯s phone. Xu Zhengyang checked and found out that the location was located at Block 29, Sunshine Garden. However, he could not find the exact unit number. After that, Xu Zhengyang turned around and gave Qi Shenbai a look. ¡°Send Jiaojiao back first.¡± Qi Shenbai received the signal and said to Xu Jiaojiao, ¡°You should go home first.¡± ¡°No, I want to go with you guys.¡± Xu Jiaojiao could guess what they were going to do when Xu Zhengyang picked up the phone just now, so she insisted. ¡°Little kids should stay at home obediently. Why do you want to hang around with adults like us?¡± Xu Zhengyang naturally disagreed. ¡°Come on, let me go! I want to go,¡± Xu Jiaojiao pleaded as she looked at Qi Shenbai. He wanted to reject her, but looking at her pitiful gaze, he just could not. ¡°Oh, alright!¡± Qi Shenbai agreed instantly. ¡°F*ck, do you have any principles to speak of?¡± Xu Zhengyang mocked. ¡®Why don¡¯t you try rejecting her?¡¯ Qi Shenbai did not think he would do any better. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re the best! Can¡¯t you let me tag along?¡± Xu Jiaojiao changed her expression and winked at Xu Zhengyang playfully. ¡°Alright!¡± Xu Zhengyang agreed instantly. See? Qi Shenbai felt that he had regained some face. However, he was still unhappy with the way Xu Jiaojiao called her brother ¡°the best¡±. ¡°Is he really the best?¡± Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao, who had an innocent expression on her face. ¡°Of course! I¡¯m her brother. No one can shake my position,¡± Xu Zhengyang said proudly. Xu Jiaojiao thought to herself, ¡®Uh-oh, I think Qi Shenbai is jealous. He¡¯s turning green in the face!¡¯ Chapter 178 - Chapter 178: Breaking and Entering Chapter 178: Breaking and Entering Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The car stopped at Block 29, Sunshine Garden. ¡°F*ck, there are six units in the block. How are we going to find the culprit? Are we supposed to knock on every door?¡± Xu Zhengyang ranted. Qi Shenbai glanced at him calmly before calling Pei Yan. Five minutes later, the property manager approached Qi Shenbai with the list of home owners. ¡°Mr. Qi, this is the file on all the owners of Block 29. Who are you looking for? We¡¯ll find them for you.¡± The property manager was very respectful to the point of being a bootlicker. After all, this man was the CEO of the Qi Group, Qi Shenbai! If the manager performed well and scored a transfer to the Qi Group, he would be happy for days! ¡°We can find them ourselves. There¡¯s no need for so many people to come with us. One is enough.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s gaze was still calm. When the property manager heard this, he dismissed the others and stayed behind himself. ¡°Oh, right. This residential area is one of ours. Nice, no wonder we could get the information so easily.¡± Xu Zhengyang almost forgot that Sunshine Garden was developed by the Qi Group. Finding this information was a piece of cake for Qi Shenbai. ¡°I¡¯m always at your service, Mr. Qi,¡± the property manager said flatteringly. ¡°But how do we know if the person in the file is still living here? What if they rented the place to someone else?¡± Xu Zhengyang still had doubts. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. Even if it¡¯s a tenant, we¡¯ll have a note here.¡± The property manager was very respectful toward Xu Zhengyang too. He could get used to this treatment! ¡°What if it¡¯s a stranger?¡± Xu Zhengyang looked at Qi Shenbai. Qi Shenbai said firmly, ¡°That can¡¯t be. It must be someone we know. Why would a stranger target Jiaojiao?¡± Xu Zhengyang felt that what he said made sense, so he remained silent. In order to make it easier for Xu Jiaojiao to read the documents, Qi Shenbai lowered his body and leaned against Xu Jiao jiao, holding the documents at her eye level. Xu Jiaojiao read the documents line by line. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Just as Qi Shenbai was about to turn the page, Xu Jiaojiao suddenly called out to him. ¡°Who is it?¡± Qi Shenbai guessed that Xu Jiaojiao had discovered something. ¡°That¡¯s her.¡± Other than Lu Huan and her, Xu Jiaojiao had never made enemies with anyone else. ¡°Room 602, Unit 6,¡± Qi Shenbai said. Then, Xu Zhengyang quickly entered Unit 6. Qi Shenbai, Xu Jiaojiao, and the property manager followed closely behind. Knock knock knock¡­ After a series of hurried knocks on the door, an extremely gentle female voice came from inside the house. ¡°Who is it?¡± Then, the door opened a crack. When he saw that it was Bai Mengyao, Xu Zhengyang kicked the door open. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Bai Mengyao asked as she met Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s sharp gaze. ¡°I¡¯m looking for you, of course,¡± Xu Zhengyang said. Bai Mengyao felt a little guilty. ¡°You can¡¯t force your way in even if you¡¯re looking for me? I haven¡¯t agreed to let you in yet!¡± Bai Mengyao said as she pushed Xu Zhengyang outside. However, she was just a powerless woman. How could she budge him? ¡°So what if I force my way in?¡± Xu Zhengyang glared at her. ¡°If you keep at this, I¡¯ll call the police!¡± Bai Mengyao shouted as she tried to push Xu Zhengyang. ¡°Call the police? Sure, then I¡¯ll call the police too. I have a case that needs to be handled by the police! Let them come!¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s eyes seemed eager to devour Bai Mengyao. Meanwhile, Bai Mengyao felt extremely guilty. ¡°Property manager, aren¡¯t you going to do anything about this?¡± Bai Mengyao shouted at the property manager instead. The property manager looked at Qi Shenbai, who did not look too happy. ¡°Uh, Mr. Qi, I still have something to take care of, so I¡¯ll leave first.¡± He completely ignored Bai Mengyao and ran away as if he did not see her. Who would dare to offend Qi Shenbai? No one in the entire Luo City would even try. Was the property manager crazy? Rather than listening to that woman, he would rather run away. Bai Mengyao¡¯s heart turned cold when she saw the property manager running away. She could not bring herself to meet Xu Zhengyang¡¯s gaze. Qi Shenbai walked in while holding Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand. Cang Xing closed the door behind him. ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯ll really call the police!¡± Bai Mengyao raised her phone. ¡°What are we doing? 1 should ask you that question, Ms. Bai. What did 1 do to make you hate me so much? How could you expose my past and send a message to my grandmother?¡± Xu Jiaojiao enunciated each word clearly, her voice ice cold with resentment. ¡°I-i didn¡¯t do anything!¡± Bai Mengyao replied in a panic. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything?¡± Xu Zhengyang raised the laptop he carried with him. Written on the screen was the IP address that he had found. ¡°I have the evidence right here. 1 don¡¯t think you¡¯ve had time to delete what you¡¯ve done, right?¡± As he spoke, he looked at the red laptop on the table.. Chapter 179 - Chapter 179: A Kind Reminder Chapter 179: A Kind Reminder Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation When Bai Mengyao saw that Xu Zhengyang was going to expose her, she quickly ran to the laptop. However, Xu Zhengyang stopped her before she could get far. He pulled her hair and slammed her against the wall. ¡°Ah! What are you doing?¡± Bai Mengyao screamed in pain. Her entire scalp felt like it was about to be torn off. ¡°You want to destroy the evidence, don¡¯t you?¡± Xu Zhengyang did not let go of her hair and dragged her head against the wall. ¡°Who gave you the guts to do this?¡± He had been a thug since his school days, and he was not going to go easy on her. So what if she was a woman? He would not let anyone bully his sister, not even a girl. He also wanted this wench to know that Xu Jiaojiao had a protective older brother, so that she would not think Xu Jiaojiao was an easy target. ¡°Ow, it hurts!¡± Xu Jiaojiao screamed like mad, but Xu Zhengyang refused to let go- ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, hurry up and get this lunatic to let go of me!¡± Bai Mengyao shouted in a heart-wrenching voice. ¡°Brother¡­ let go,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said calmly. ¡°For Jiaojiao¡¯s sake, 1¡¯11 let you off for the time being.¡± Xu Zhengyang did not want Jiaojiao to see his ruthless side in case he scared her. If it were not for Jiaojiao, he would have carved a bloody lesson straight into Bai Mengyao¡¯s bones. Bai Mengyao collapsed to the ground. Xu Jiaojiao walked towards her step by step and crouched down. Even so, it felt as if she was looking down on Bai Mengyao from above. Bai Mengyao¡¯s body trembled, and she panicked. She had just personally experienced Xu Zhengyang¡¯s ruthlessness and cruelty that was completely incompatible with his appearance. ¡°Tell me, why did you dig up my past? And why did you text my grandmother about it? Don¡¯t you know that she¡¯s seriously ill? If you provoke her like this, she might actually die! That would make you a murderer. Even if the police don¡¯t punish you, my brother and I won¡¯t let you off.¡± Xu Jiaojiao usually acted harmless, but when she suddenly turned cold like this, she struck fear into Bai Mengyao¡¯s heart. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± Bai Mengyao argued. ¡°You¡¯re still denying it? Okay, maybe you didn¡¯t make that post on the school forum. Lu Huan did. However, you were the one who sent the message. When you saw that the post on the school forum had been deleted, you still wanted to repost it on Weibo, didn¡¯t you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was incomparably calm at the moment. Her analysis was perfectly logical. Bai Mengyao did not expect her to be so smart. Lu Huan always said that Xu Jiaojiao was a silly bimbo who did not know anything. From the looks of it, Xu Jiaojiao was not as dumb as Lu Huan had said. In fact, she was smarter than any of them. It was just that her cuteness had overshadowed her wits. Xu Jiaojiao knew that Lu Zhuo would never tell her about his past. That only left one person, and that was Lu Huan. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that your grandmother was seriously ill. Lu Huan told me to send your grandmother a message just to make her worry. We only wanted to teach you a little lesson.¡± A little lesson? These people were selfish and sadistic. Xu Zhengyang gritted his teeth, angry enough to eat them alive. ¡°Brother, can you find any evidence?¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned to look at Xu Zhengyang. Xu Zhengyang nodded and went to the red laptop. The computer was password-protected, but that did not deter Xu Zhengyang. After cracking the password, Xu Zhengyang found what they were looking for. ¡°I found it. There¡¯s a record of her texting Grandma. She used a virtual number. 1 have her Weibo history too.¡± ¡°Jiaojiao, what are you going to do?¡± Qi Shenbai walked up to Xu Jiaojiao and glanced at Bai Mengyao, who was slumped on the ground. Bai Mengyao did not dare to look him in the eye. Out of all these people, she was most afraid of Qi Shenbai. She could not afford to offend him. ¡°Call the police,¡± Xu Jiaojiao stood up and said calmly. ¡°You still want to call the police?¡± Xu Zhengyang was very dissatisfied with the result last time. This time, he wanted to settle things himself. ¡°Call the police. We have to believe in the government,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said word by word. When Xu Zhengyang heard this, he looked at Qi Shenbai, who nodded. Since both of them were in agreement, Xu Zhengyang had nothing to worry about. He nodded and said, ¡°Alright.¡± Bai Mengyao¡¯s heart relaxed a little. Compared to Xu Zhengyang¡¯s violent lunacy and Qi Shenbai¡¯s bone-chilling gaze, she would rather ¡°talk¡± to the police. ¡°Ms. Bai, I don¡¯t think I ever did anything to offend you. If you really hate me because of Lu Zhuo, you don¡¯t have to. He¡¯s just a man. 1¡¯11 give him to you, but the person you should hate is him. He¡¯s the one who abandoned you. ¡°Also, let me give you a kind reminder. The Xu Family and the Lu Family are very close. We will let Lu Huan off for the sake of our family friendship, but we might not be so kind to you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was nearly at the door when she suddenly turned around and gave Bai Mengyao some last words.. Chapter 180 - Chapter 180: Secrets I Cant Tell Chapter 180: Secrets I Can¡¯t Tell Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation After getting into the car, Xu Zhengyang fiddled with his laptop as he looked at the rearview mirror and asked Xu Jiaojiao, ¡°So are you letting Lu Huan off?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that! I would never let that jerk off so easily.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted. ¡°Then why did you say that to Bai Mengyao just now?¡± Xu Zhengyang didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Of course I had to say that! Bai Mengyao loves Lu Zhuo so much, so she¡¯d want to win over his family. What if she tries to take the fall for Lu Huan too?¡± Xu Jiaojiao said in all seriousness. ¡°Heh! So you¡¯re trying to sow discord between them?¡± Xu Zhengyang realized this ditzy sister of his still had some tricks up her sleeve. ¡°Not at all,¡± Xu Jiaojiao denied. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Xu Zhengyang was certain. ¡°Qi Shenbai, 1 want to go to the three-star Michelin restaurant to eat delicious food.¡± Xu Jiaojiao hugged Qi Shenbai¡¯s arm. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go now.¡± Qi Shenbai agreed without hesitation. It was rare to hear Xu Jiaojiao say that she wanted to eat something. Let a three-star Michelin restaurant, he would even go to outer space for her. ¡°I¡¯ll go too.¡± Xu Zhengyang had been working non-stop for two days and now his stomach was growling. ¡°No, you can¡¯t come,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said coquettishly. ¡°Are you really my sister?¡± Xu Zhengyang¡¯s face fell. ¡°Of course not. Didn¡¯t Mom say last time that you were adopted?¡± Xu Jiaojiao said with a straight face. H H ¡°Stop the car here,¡± Qi Shenbai hurriedly said. ¡°See you, brother-in-law.¡± Just like that, Xu Zhengyang was left on the side of the road. As he watched the car drive away, he gradually came to accept things. It was better for him not to go! They would surely act all lovey-dovey in front of him, making him want to dig his eyes out. He would rather take care of things and then treat himself to a nice meal! They went to the same three-star Michelin restaurant and ordered Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s favorite dishes as before. Qi Shenbai put food in her bowl, scooped some soup for her, brought out tissues, and wiped her mouth¡­ He took care of her very carefully. Xu Jiaojiao was extremely hungry, but she still ate slowly and obediently. By the time returned to Qingshui Villa after dinner, Qi Yunduo was already asleep. She had been busy for two days and was extremely worn out. Once she knew that the matter was almost settled, she went to sleep. Qi Shenbai, on the other hand, took several calls, one after another The last call was from Pei Yan. After Pei Yan¡¯s report, Qi Shenbai found out that the police had already arrested Bai Mengyao. Just as Xu Jiaojiao had said, Bai Mengyao did not take all the blame. Instead, she said that Lu Huan was the mastermind behind everything. She had merely sent a message to Old Madam Xu. After the police found out the truth, they issued a warrant to hunt Lu Huan down. When the police went to Lu Huan¡¯s house, they could not find her. Lu Feng and Zou Lan claimed that they did not know where Lu Huan was. However, the police did not give up and continued to investigate. In the end, Qi Shenbai told Pei Yan to investigate what Bai Mengyao had gotten up to overseas. Although the police did not pursue the matter, she had still hurt Xu Jiaojiao. This was a fact, and Qi Shenbai would not let her off so easily. As for Lu Huan, no matter how well she hid, she could not hide forever. She had to come out eventually. After hanging up the phone, Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao. She was sitting on the sofa and playing with her phone as if nothing had happened. ¡°What are you looking at? Why are you so focused?¡± Qi Shenbai sat down beside Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°I¡¯m just surfing the Internet!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said softly. ¡°Is it that interesting?¡± Qi Shenbai said as he peeked at her screen. Was it more interesting than him? Xu Jiaojiao stopped scrolling through her phone and tilted her head to look at Qi Shenbai carefully. ¡°Why do 1 feel like you¡¯re being a little¡­¡± She stopped mid-sentence. ¡°A little what?¡± Qi Shenbai asked. ¡°Hehe! I¡¯m not telling you,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said mischievously. Since she refused to continue, Qi Shenbai did not probe further. Instead, he said, ¡°Tell me, have you remembered everything?¡± ¡°No! I don¡¯t remember anything,¡± Xu Jiaojiao denied. ¡°Liar, you clearly remembered it all.¡± Qi Shenbai could feel that Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s gaze had changed. There was a hint of melancholy hidden in her bright eyes. Although she had deceived Xu Zhengyang, she could not deceive him. ¡°Why are you so hard to deceive? I admit it. I remember everything.¡± Xu Jiaojiao sighed helplessly. ¡°I can sense the tiniest changes in your demeanor, so 1 could tell,¡± Qi Shenbai said calmly. Then, he pulled Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and placed it in front of his chest. She could clearly feel the beating of his heart. It was so strong and loud that her face subconsciously turned red. Helpless, she could only turn her head away. ¡°That means 1 won¡¯t be able to hide anything from you in the future!¡± ¡°Why would you hide anything from me? I want to know everything.¡± Qi Shenbai was still holding Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand. ¡°B-But everyone has their secrets! I also have things I don¡¯t want to tell you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned to look into his deep eyes.. Chapter 181 - Chapter 181: Awakened in the Night Chapter 181: Awakened in the Night Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t want to say, 1 won¡¯t force you to say it.¡± Qi Shenbai gently pinched her chin. ¡°But you have to promise not to lie to me.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t lie to you? Alright, I promise you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was soft and cute right now. She promised that she would not lie to him in the future. As for her lies from before¡­ Well, that was in the past now! ¡°Then you¡¯re not angry with Xu Zhengyang anymore?¡± When Qi Shenbai heard Xu Zhengyang talk about the past that day, he really wanted to beat him up. ¡°I¡¯ve never been angry with my brother. He was still immature back then. He was afraid that I would steal our parents¡¯ love, and he thought that I was troublesome, so he reacted the way he did. I get it. I might not have behaved any better in his shoes!¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked perfectly kind and understanding. ¡°You¡¯re the best.¡± Qi Shenbai felt that Xu Jiaojiao was like an angel. ¡°I¡¯m not that good. It¡¯s just that even if we do fight sometimes, we¡¯re still the closest family!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said gently. Even if they did fight, they were still family¡­ Was that so? Something seemed to flash across Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes. It disappeared so quickly that Xu Jiaojiao did not even notice it. ¡°I¡¯m very happy now. 1 have my parents, my brother, my grandmother, and¡­ I have you!¡± The last part, ¡°1 have you¡±, sounded light and carefree, but the words carried a lot of weight in her heart. ¡°Then why did you hide the truth from them?¡± Qi Shenbai pulled her into his arms. ¡°Grandma is seriously ill, and she doesn¡¯t have much time left. 1 can¡¯t let her worry about me in her final moments¡­ If I continue to dwell on those things, not only will I hurt myself, but I¡¯ll also hurt Grandma. I¡¯ll even hurt everyone who cares about me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was still worried about her grandmother the most. ¡°I understand.¡± Qi Shenbai patted her shoulder. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied softly, but she still remembered her promise to Qi Yunduo. She had promised that she would treat Qi Shenbai well and not make him sad¡­ Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes flashed with an unfathomable look. Qi Shenbai saw it, but he did not pursue the matter. If she did not say it of her own accord, he would not force her to say it. Even later on, he would use the most extreme methods to make her choose. In the end, though, he was the one who was left with an aching heart. A few days later, in the middle of the night, Qingshui Villa was shrouded in moonlight. Xu Jiaojiao was sleeping quietly in the bedroom when she was suddenly awakened by a nightmare. When she woke up, a cold sweat broke out on her forehead. She turned on her phone and saw Xu Zhengyang¡¯s WeChat message from earlier in the day. It said that the police had yet to find Lu Huan. After Lu Huan left the Lu family, she turned off her phone, so no one could locate it. The car she was driving was found parked in the suburbs where there were no surveillance cameras. If she went into hiding like this, it would be very difficult for the police to find her. After all, there were more than ten million people in Luo City. Xu Jiaojiao frowned when she saw the message. She seemed to have thought of something. Then, she put on a floral dress and tied her hair into a ponytail before walking out of the room. At one hour past midnight, the Qingshui Villa was so quiet that she could hear the chirping of cicadas. When she went downstairs, she suddenly bumped into Qi Shenbai, who was standing in front of the living room window. He had not changed his clothes. Instead, he was still wearing the clothes he wore to work. Under the moonlight, he looked like a lonely, unbreakable pine tree. Ever since that incident, he had slept very late every night. To be exact, he did not dare to sleep because every time he closed his eyes, he would think of Xu Jiao jiao trembling in the rain. As if sensing something, he turned his head and saw Xu Jiaojiao walking down the stairs. ¡°Are you going out?¡± Xu Jiaojiao paused for a moment before answering, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Where are you going? 1¡¯11 drive you.¡± His words were forceful and did not allow for rejection. ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Jiaojiao could only agree. Then, he brought her to the car. Cang Xing was driving, and Xu Jiaojiao did not dare to ask why Qi Shenbai was still awake so late at night. She only felt that he seemed to have something on his mind. She had no idea that he was thinking about her. Behind their car was a business car filled with bodyguards inside. The two cars drove quickly on the road, leaving behind the high-rise buildings before entering an old road. The road here was full of potholes and puddles. Cang Xing drove very carefully, but the car was still shaking badly. Qi Shenbai pulled Xu Jiaojiao into his arms. Her body swayed in his arms, bumping into his chest again and again. His chest was so firm that she felt a sense of security that she had never felt before. ¡°Madam, the road inside is too narrow. I¡¯m afraid the car can¡¯t enter.¡± Cang Xing stopped the car. There was a small road up front. ¡°Then let¡¯s stop the car here!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said calmly before getting out of the car with Qi Shenbai. He held her hand as they walked down the narrow path. Cang Xing and the bodyguards kept a reasonable distance from them. Both sides of the road were in a mess. There was trash everywhere, emitting a faint stench.. Chapter 182 - Chapter 182: His Life in Her Hands Chapter 182: His Life in Her Hands Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Where are we?¡± Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiao jiao beside him. ¡°This used to be my home and the former Lu family home. However, they moved away first. Later on, my father started a business and made some money, so we moved away as well,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied softly. Now that these places had been demolished, most of the people had moved away. Only a few families still lived here. They arrived at a dilapidated building. When they reached the sixth floor, Xu Jiaojiao suddenly stopped in her tracks. Cang Xing could tell that something was wrong. He stepped forward and kicked the door open. Then, he patted the dust off his pants. Xu Jiaojiao was stunned when she saw him like this. How could he do that without a second¡¯s hesitation? The bodyguard turned on the lights. It had been a long time since someone had lived in the house. There was a lot of dust and only one table was relatively clean. Qi Shenbai sat down at the table and waved at Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Come and sit.¡± He pointed at his thigh. Xu Jiaojiao was a little embarrassed when she glanced at Cang Xing and the bodyguards. Qi Shenbai saw her hesitating and did not care if she agreed or not. He directly pulled her into his arms and let her sit on his lap. ¡°Search the place!¡± Qi Shenbai ordered the bodyguards. A group of people rushed into the house and searched carefully. Finally, they pulled out the haggard Lu Huan. Lu Huan was thrown to the ground. Her hair was disheveled and her face was dirty. It seemed that she had not washed up for many days. Looking at Xu Jiaojiao, she could not help but feel guilty and nervous. Upon seeing her, Xu Jiaojiao got down from Qi Shenbai¡¯s lap and walked up to her. With a loud slap, she slapped her on the right side of her face. Xu Jiaojiao used a lot of strength and five finger marks appeared on Lu Huan¡¯s face. ¡°You hit me?!¡± Lu Huan glared at Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°That¡¯s right, 1 hit you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was very calm. Then, she stretched out her left hand and slapped the left side of Lu Huan¡¯s face. Now her left and right cheeks had symmetrical handprints. ¡°You little¡­!¡± Lu Huan was about to curse at Xu Jiaojiao, but when she met Qi Shenbai¡¯s gaze, she felt terrified. She swallowed the words on her tongue. ¡°What about me? 1 shouldn¡¯t have hit you, right? But you know why I hit you, don¡¯t you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked. Lu Huan naturally knew why. She wanted to expose Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s past and let everyone know. Most importantly, she wanted Qi Shenbai to know so that he would leave Xu Jiaojiao. Unexpectedly, instead of destroying Xu Jiaojiao, she got the police called on her instead. Helpless, she could only hide here like a bedbug. Even so, Xu Jiaojiao still found her in the end. Lu Huan did not want to admit defeat. Her eyes were filled with infatuation as she looked at Qi Shenbai. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that she¡¯s a freak? She could speak as soon as she was born. She didn¡¯t cry or laugh as a baby. After that, she was bullied, and her bullies took all sorts of photos. Many men might have seen those photos. Don¡¯t you feel disgusted?¡± Xu Jiaojiao wanted to hit her when she heard what she said, but she had used too much strength just now, so she did not have power left. Moreover, her palm was still stinging. It felt good to hit a b*tch like Lu Huan, but her hand would also hurt afterward. ¡°No, because 1 love her.¡± Qi Shenbai stood in front of Lu Huan and said every word clearly, stabbing Lu Huan¡¯s heart with every syllable. However, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart was warm and she felt a little shy. Why did he confess like that in front of so many people? ¡°Why do you love her? She¡¯s nothing! She doesn¡¯t know anything. But you¡¯d rather pour all your love at her than even look at me. Don¡¯t you know that I fell in love with you from the first moment 1 saw you? 1 fell head over heels for you! 1 could do anything for you. Anything at all¡­¡± Lu Huan¡¯s tears fell like raindrops washing her slightly swollen face. ¡°Anything? Will you die for me?¡± Qi Shenbai asked. ¡®Die?¡¯ Lu Huan froze. ¡°If you jump down from here, it will prove that you love me,¡± Qi Shenbai said and pointed at the window. ¡°What about her? Will she die for you?¡± Lu Huan refused to admit defeat and pointed at Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°She doesn¡¯t need to. 1 love her, so I¡¯m willing to die for her.¡± Qi Shenbai enunciated each word firmly. He was willing to die for her? Xu Jiaojiao looked at him. Was he telling the truth? Or was he just saying it to provoke Lu Huan? It did not seem like the latter. He had actually placed his life in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hands. Lu Huan¡¯s heart was broken when she heard this. Tears streamed down her face, but she did not cry at all. When people were in the depths of sorrow, their sobs were always silent.. Chapter 183 - Chapter 183:1 Want to Apologize to You Chapter 183:1 Want to Apologize to You Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Send her to the police station,¡± Qi Shenbai said coldly. He did not want to see her face again, nor did he want to hear her badmouth Xu Jiaojiao. In the end, the bodyguards dragged Lu Huan out like a filthy sewer rat. Finally, only Xu Jiao jiao and Qi Shenbai were left in the room. The lights flickered, and many moths flew towards the brightest spot without any regrets. Xu Jiaojiao slowly walked toward Qi Shenbai and sat on his lap. ¡°Did you say that on purpose?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck. ¡°What do you think?¡± Qi Shenbai asked instead of answering. ¡°I think you did it on purpose. You wanted to piss her off.¡± Xu Jiaojiao rubbed her face against his. His face was so smooth, like a pebble. ¡°That¡¯s right! That was the only way to trample on her heart.¡± Qi Shenbai did not refute her words. In truth, he did not care what Lu Huan thought. He only loved Xu Jiaojiao to death. ¡°You¡¯re so cruel!¡± Xu Jiaojiao rebuked, but she was overjoyed. Regardless of whether Qi Shenbai was telling the truth or not, she was still happy. ¡°Still, I really love you for that.¡± After saying that, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face turned red, and her grip on Qi Shenbai tightened. ¡°I¡¯m glad you love me,¡± Qi Shenbai said as he pried her arms away and kissed her on the lips. ¡°You¡¯re the best,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said sweetly. ¡°Am I the best? Really?¡± Qi Shenbai stared into her eyes. ¡°Yep, you¡¯re the best in the world.¡± Xu Jiaojiao remembered that she had the same about her brother. If she added ¡°in the world¡±, maybe he would not be jealous of her brother anymore. ¡°Then promise me that you won¡¯t say that to anyone else in the future,¡± Qi Shenbai requested. ¡°Not even my big brother?¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted angrily. ¡°No, not even to your dad.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s requirements were strict. H 11 ¡°How did you know that Lu Huan was here?¡± Qi Shenbai asked. ¡°Can I not tell you?¡± Lu Huan actually wanted to say that she had guessed it, but she had promised him that she would not lie to him in the future, so she would rather not tell him than lie. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to say it, then you don¡¯t have to.¡± Qi Shenbai could only give in. He had promised her, after all. ¡°Hehe, you¡¯re the best!¡± Xu Jiaojiao gave him a flying kiss. ¡°Then can I call you Lil Bai in the future?¡± ¡°No!¡± Qi Shenbai firmly objected. ¡°Come on, that¡¯s my nickname for you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao continued to act like a spoiled child as she sat on Qi Shenbai¡¯s lap, swaying her legs. ¡°Oh, alright! You can call me that if you insist.¡± Qi Shenbai really could not say no to her. ¡°Lil Bai, Lil Bai, you¡¯re the best little big idiot in the universe.¡± Xu Jiaojiao continued to sway her body. In the end, Qi Shenbai could not take it anymore. She will be the death of him. ¡°Can you stop shaking?¡± Qi Shenbai felt his entire body heat up. ¡°If you want to sway your body, go somewhere else.¡± ¡°???¡± Could he be¡­? Xu Jiaojiao seemed to have thought of something and her face instantly turned red. After Lu Huan was brought to the police station, she admitted everything after some intense questioning. After that, she would be prosecuted and detained. Qi Shenbai even hired the best lawyer, hoping to detain her for as long as possible. Lu Feng and Zou Lan wanted to plead for Lu Huan and went to visit the Xu family a few times, but Xu Zhiming did not want to see them. In the end, they even tried to go to the hospital to plead with Old Madam Xu, but the guards chased them out before they could see her. Old Madam Lu called Old Madam Xu, but her phone was switched off. In the end, Lu Zhuo had no choice but to seek out Xu Jiaojiao. After resting at home for a few days, Xu Jiaojiao went to school. She was not surprised to bump into Lu Zhuo at school. ¡°You want to talk over there?¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she looked at the tree-lined path in the distance. ¡°Sure!¡± Lu Zhuo agreed and followed Xu Jiaojiao to the shade of the trees. There were willows planted along the road. They were lush and green. The sunlight shone through the leaves, leaving specks of light on the two of them. There was no one else around, so it was easier to talk. ¡°If you¡¯re here to plead for Lu Huan, then don¡¯t bother!¡± Xu Jiaojiao would not let her off this time. If Lu Huan had just targeted her, then she might have let it slide. The problem was Lu Huan even instigated Bai Mengyao to send a message to her grandmother. That was unacceptable. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m here to plead for her?¡± Lu Zhuo asked instead of answering. ¡°Why else would you be here?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not understand. ¡°I want to apologize to you.¡± Lu Zhuo held his hands behind his back, looking calm and mature. After all that had happened, his heart had also changed. He felt that Xu Jiaojiao had changed too in some way, but he could not put his finger on it.. Chapter 184 - Chapter 184: Hes Nuts Chapter 184: He¡¯s Nuts Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Hearing his words, Xu Jiaojiao could not help but raise her head. ¡°Are pigs flying?¡± The corners of Lu Zhuo¡¯s mouth twitched, but he still said slowly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have abandoned you on our wedding day, and 1 shouldn¡¯t have ignored your feelings for me.¡± Was he really apologizing to her? And so sincerely, too. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize for the wedding or for ignoring my feelings. That was my mistake.¡± Xu Jiaojiao saw that he was sincere, so she did not hold a grudge against him anymore. ¡°Your mistake?¡± Lu Zhuo did not know what she was talking about. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. You don¡¯t have to take it to heart. Since we¡¯re done now, I¡¯ll go back to class.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was about to leave when Lu Zhuo stopped her. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± ¡°What is it this time?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was puzzled. ¡°Um¡­¡± Lu Zhuo stuttered, not knowing how to start. ¡°If you have something to say, just say it,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said nonchalantly. ¡°Do you really not have any feelings for me at all?¡± Lu Zhuo looked at her with a burning gaze. Xu Jiaojiao pouted. ¡°Nope, none at all.¡± Lu Zhuo fell into a pit of endless despair¡­ ¡°Stay away from Qi Shenbai. He¡¯s very dangerous.¡± Lu Zhuo enunciated each word clearly. ¡°Dangerous? How so?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was even more confused. ¡°Qi Shenbai is a very cunning man. If he wants to trick you, there¡¯s no way out for you. He¡¯s ruthless! Also, there¡¯s more to the Qi family than meets the eye. The succession war back then was brutal! Qi Shenbai is living the high life now, but even he can¡¯t guarantee how long he will live.¡± Lu Zhuo spoke very seriously, as if he was sincerely reminding Xu Jiaojiao. Xu Jiaojiao also recalled her dreams. In one of the dream, Qi Shenbai was hit by a car on a rainy night¡­ Xu Jiaojiao shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s too late. I¡¯ve already fallen hopelessly in love with him. Even if we die, we will die together.¡± Lu Zhuoru was thunderstruck. He did not expect Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s feelings for Qi Shenbai to be so strong. She had never loved him that much. If she had, they would not be separated now. Lu Zhuo felt as if his heart was being torn apart. Blood kept gushing out, making it difficult for him to breathe. Xu Jiaojiao had learned this trick from Qi Shenbai. That was what he had told Lu Huan that night. Judging by Lu Zhuo¡¯s ugly expression, it seemed to be quite effective. ¡°Thank you for your kind reminder, but I really can¡¯t leave him. Also, don¡¯t come looking for me in the future. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll misunderstand.¡± Xu Jiaojiao lowered her eyes. She was afraid that he would misunderstand¡­ Lu Zhuo¡¯s heart was torn apart again. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, 1¡¯11 go to class now. Goodbye,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she quickly left. Looking at her back, Lu Zhuo clenched his fists. Later on, Xu Jiaojiao almost ran to the entrance of the teaching building. When she realized that she could no longer see Lu Zhuo, she finally heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°He¡¯s nuts.¡± Then, she quickly walked into the teaching building. ¡°Jiaojiao.¡± Suddenly, someone called out to her. When she turned around, she saw it was Qi Yunduo. ¡°Yunduo, you have class in the afternoon too?¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled. ¡°Yeah! But who was the person who was with you just now? Did he confess to you?¡± Qi Yunduo was a little nervous. ¡°No,¡± Xu Jiaojiao denied. ¡°Then who is he? Why did he talk to you for so long?¡± When Qi Yunduo saw another man with Xu Jiaojiao, she felt nervous, afraid that her brother would lose his wife. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ Sigh!¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not know how to explain. ¡°He¡¯s her ex.¡± At this moment, Su Luo walked over with a book in her arms. ¡°Your ex? Why is he looking for you? Is he trying to get back together with you? Please don¡¯t! I saw him just now. He¡¯s not as tall or handsome as my brother, and he definitely isn¡¯t as rich as my brother. Forget about him! Also, you¡¯re already married to my brother. If you cheat on him, you won¡¯t get a single cent.¡± Qi Yunduo rambled on. At the end of the day, she just did not want her brother to lose out. ¡°Hahaha¡­¡± Su Luo burst out laughing. She knew that things were impossible between Xu Jiaojiao and Lu Zhuo, but she did not expect Qi Yunduo to be so worried. ¡°What are you laughing at? This is a serious matter.¡± Qi Yunduo quickly stopped her. Xu Jiaojiao was speechless.¡±¡­¡± She felt helpless. Did she really look so unreliable? Did she look like someone who would get back with her scummy ex? Besides, they were barely even dating to begin with. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! Jiaojiao doesn¡¯t like him anymore, and she definitely won¡¯t divorce your big brother because of him.¡± Su Luo chuckled and explained on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s behalf. ¡°Then why did he talk to you?¡± Qi Yunduo still wanted to know more. ¡°He must have pleaded his stupid sister¡¯s case.¡± Su Luo rolled her eyes.. Chapter 185 - Chapter 185: The Handsome Guy in the Number 8 Jersey Chapter 185: The Handsome Guy in the Number 8 Jersey Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Lin Huan is the worst! And he¡¯s still pleading for her?¡± Qi Yunduo was puzzled. That must mean Lu Zhuo was as evil as Lu Huan. Xu Jiaojiao wanted to explain, but she decided against it after some thought. If Lil Bai found out, he would be jealous again¡­ She might as well let Qi Yunduo misunderstand the whole thing! Lin Huan¡¯s case was handled very quickly. From the police station to the court, her final sentence was handed down in just over ten days. In the end, Lin Huan was sentenced to one and a half years in prison. She had to compensate Xu Jiaojiao for her emotional damages and make a public apology. Lu Feng seemed to have lost all hope in his daughter, and he left her to rot. Even Lu Zhuo did not do anything. Only Zou Lan did not give up. When she could not see Old Madam Xu, she went to the Xu family¡¯s house to throw a tantrum. She even smashed many things. When Zou Lan lost all reason like that, Tian Fanghua stopped being so meek. She called the neighborhood¡¯s security guards to drag Zou Lan away. She even called Xu Jiaojiao and told her not to go home for the next few days to avoid bumping into Zou Lan. Zou Lan saw that she would not get anywhere by going to the Xu Family, so she went to school to settle the score with Xu Jiao jiao. Her words were very unpleasant. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, you shameless hussy! How dare you frame our Huanhuan? Our family was so good to you! If it weren¡¯t for my husband, you never would have moved out of that dingy alley!¡± Zou Lan screamed insults at Xu Jiaojiao. Her classmates couldn¡¯t help but gather around to watch the commotion. Although Xu Jiaojiao was embarrassed to be scolded like this, she still stayed calm. ¡°Madam Zou, there¡¯s no point making a fuss here. Your daughter maliciously slandered me, and the court sentenced her to jail. If you have any objections, you can take it to the court.¡± Take it to the court? Of course she wanted to do that! However, Lu Feng would not give the green light. Even their lawyer said that it was better not to stir up any trouble. Even if there was no appeal, if Lu Huan behaved well inside, her sentence could be reduced. She might be released in less than a year and a half. However, Zou Lan could not bear to part with her for that long. Lu Huan was her daughter! She could not go to jail for even a day, let alone a year and a half. ¡°I know you bribed everyone in the court. You might even have hooked up with that old man long ago and cheated on our Lu Zhuo.¡± Zou Lan was still unwilling to give up, but the moment she called Qi Shenbai an old man, she made another new enemy. A limited-edition branded bag smashed into Zou Lan¡¯s face, stunning her. ¡°Did you just call my brother an old man?! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Qi Yunduo snapped angrily. Zou Lan, who was stunned, took a while to recover. ¡°So you¡¯re that old man¡¯s sister! Hmph, you think you¡¯re all that just because you¡¯re a little rich?¡± ¡°I have to correct you there. My brother is not ¡®a little¡¯ rich. He¡¯s obscenely rich.¡± Qi Yunduo was not going to lose in volume. ¡°Ha! Filthy rich? As rich as the Qu Group, maybe?¡± Zou Lan scoffed as she looked at Qi Yun. Xu Jiaojiao interjected, ¡°Well, he owns the Qi Group.¡± ¡°Have you considered the possibility that my brother is the CEO of the Qi Group Qi. Shen. Bai?¡± Qi Yunduo said the last three words firmly and confidently. The surrounding students erupted into whispers. The rumor that Xu Jiaojiao was dating Qi Shenbai had spread like wildfire in school. Could it be true? The computer science students knew Qi Yunduo, of course, and they were aware of her last name. Could she really be Qi Shenbai¡¯s sister? ¡°If you¡¯re his sister, then I¡¯m his mother!¡± Zou Lan did not believe her at all. Although Qi Yunduo¡¯s status in the Qi family was a little awkward, she was still respected as a member of the family. Everyone treated her politely, so it was her first time seeing such an unreasonable shrew. Xu Jiaojiao could not be bothered with Zou Lan anymore, so she grabbed Qi Yunduo¡¯s hand. ¡°Forget it, don¡¯t lower yourself to her level.¡± Xu Jiaojiao and her friends turned to leave, but Zou Lan would not let them go. She reached out to grab Xu Jiaojiao. However, Qi Yunduo was eager to protect her sister-in-law, so she shoved Zou Lan away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch my sister-in-law.¡± ¡°How despicable! Everyone, you saw it! She hit me first!¡± Zou Lan shouted loudly and then raised her hand to hit Qi Yunduo. Qi Yunduo was loud, but she was also timid. Of course, Xu Jiaojiao knew this. Afraid that she would be at a disadvantage, she quickly pulled Qi Yunduo behind her to protect her. As Zou Lan¡¯s hand was about to land on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s body, the other students who were watching the show could not help but gasp. Xu Jiaojiao closed her eyes, but she did not feel the slap she expected. Zou Lan¡¯s slap had been stopped by another large hand. Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Yunduo opened their eyes to see a handsome young man. It was him again! The handsome guy in the number 8 jersey. The young man flung Zou Lan¡¯s hand aside. ¡°Don¡¯t cause trouble here. This is a school, not a market. If you continue like this, I¡¯ll call security..¡± Chapter 186 - Chapter 186: How Could This Be...? Chapter 186: How Could This Be¡­? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Call security if you want! I¡¯ll let everyone be the judge.¡± Zou Lan did not care about the guards at all. She just wanted to humiliate Xu Jiaojiao in school and make it difficult for her to stay here. Why was Xu Jiao jiao allowed to study here, while her own daughter had to go to jail? Lu Huan even had a criminal record now. Just then, an extremely dissatisfied voice suddenly spoke from afar. ¡°What are you all doing here? You should go back to your dorms after class¡­¡± It was a balding man in his forties. As he approached them, he instantly caught sight of Qi Yunduo, and his mannerisms changed in a heartbeat. Even his tone became very polite. ¡°Miss Qi, you¡¯re here too? Is there any trouble?¡± The principal actually called her Miss Qi! Could she really be Qi Shenbai¡¯s younger sister? ¡°This woman spoke rudely to me and even tried to hit me. She¡¯s ruining the school¡¯s reputation.¡± Qi Yunduo pointed at Zou Lan and said confidently. The principal frowned and looked at Zou Lan. ¡°May I ask which student¡¯s parent you are?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not a parent. Her daughter has already gone to jail for slandering Xu Jiaojiao,¡± Qi Yunduo said righteously. Many students knew about Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s case. They heard that Xu Jiaojiao had already sued that original poster and won the lawsuit, so everything written on the forum was fake. Initially, they did not know why that person was slandering Xu Jiaojiao. Now that they saw Zou Lan, they understood that Lu Huan was just like her mother! The principal turned to look at Xu Jiaojiao, his expression serious. The others might not know Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s identity, but he knew it very well. She was Qi Shenbai¡¯s young wife. Back then, Qi Shenbai had personally visited him at the school and told him to take good care of Xu Jiaojiao. He had even donated air conditioners for the classrooms and the dormitory. Everything was paid for by Qi Shenbai alone. If Qi Shenbai were to find out that Xu Jiaojiao had been wronged in school, wouldn¡¯t he retract his sponsorship for the student grant and high-end research equipment next year? The principal could not help but feel a chill run down his spine. He looked at Zou Lan and scolded angrily, ¡°Madam, this is a school, not your backyard. You can¡¯t do whatever you want. If you don¡¯t leave now, I¡¯ll call security.¡± However, Zou Lan stood rooted to the ground in a daze. ¡°How could this be¡­?¡± She still could not believe that the person Xu Jiaojiao had married was the CEO of the Qi Group and the head of the Qi Family, Qi Shenbai. ¡°Security! Where are the security guards?¡± The principal continued to shout. Before the security guards could come over, Lu Zhuo arrived first. He looked at Zou Lan angrily. ¡°Mom, what are you doing here?¡± Zou Lan did not seem to hear him at all. She just stood there in a daze. The surrounding students looked at Lu Zhuo strangely. Lu Zhuo wanted to find a hole to hide in. ¡°Jiaojiao, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my mother¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°If she comes to cause trouble again, I won¡¯t give anyone face. I¡¯ll just call the police.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at Lu Zhuo angrily. Lu Zhuo hoped to leave this troublesome place as soon as possible. ¡°I¡¯ll come back and apologize to you alone later.¡± After saying that, he dragged Zou Lan away with all his might. Seeing that Zou Lan had finally left, the principal felt relieved. ¡°Miss Qi, Mrs. Qi, are you alright?¡± The words ¡°Mrs. Qi¡± cemented everyone¡¯s guesses. She really was Qi Shenbai¡¯s wife! Mrs. Qi was their classmate¡­ Many people began to feel excited. Qi Yunduo¡¯s gaze shifted away from the boy in the number 8 jersey. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Then, she looked at Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Jiaojiao, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m alright.¡± Xu Jiaojiao took a deep breath. ¡°That¡¯s good, that¡¯s good. I¡¯ll tell the security guards to pay attention and not let them come in and disturb you in the future. Um, about this incident¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao could hear the meaning in the principal¡¯s words. He must be afraid that Qi Shenbai would find out about this. ¡°Principal, thank you for helping us out. We should keep this incident under wraps, or it will affect the school¡¯s reputation.¡± ¡°Oh, of course! Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s my responsibility to protect my students. If there¡¯s anything, look for the security guards.¡± The principal smiled when he heard Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s words. Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°Alright, you¡¯re all dismissed! Hurry up and go back to the dorms! Don¡¯t crowd around here and ruin the school¡¯s atmosphere.¡± The principal then waved at the students, and they dispersed. The boy in the number 8 jersey was about to leave when Qi Yunduo stopped him. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± The boy turned to look at Qi Yunduo. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Thank you for helping me,¡± Qi Yunduo said shyly. ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± the boy said, smiling like the bright sun. Seeing such a smile, Qi Yunduo couldn¡¯t help but blush. ¡°You helped me last time, too. Do you still remember?¡± The boy was puzzled for a moment, then the corners of his mouth curled up slightly. ¡°I remember. You weren¡¯t scalded that time, were you?¡± As he spoke, he picked up the branded bag on the ground and flicked the dust off it before handing it to Qi Yunduo.. Chapter 187 - Chapter 187: Brave Little Qi Yunduo Chapter 187: Brave Little Qi Yunduo Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Thank you. By the way, what¡¯s your name? I washed your shirt, and I can return it to you next time,¡± Qi Yunduo said with a smile. ¡°There¡¯s no need. It¡¯s just a piece of clothing.¡± Seeing that he was about to leave, Qi Yunduo was a little disappointed. Unexpectedly, he turned around again. ¡°My name is Zhao Yunxiao, meaning ¡®soar into the clouds¡¯.¡± ¡°My name is Qi Yunduo. It literally means the clouds in the sky.¡± Qi Yunduo hurriedly replied. ¡°Okay!¡± The boy replied. This time, he left without hesitation. After he was out of sight, Qi Yunduo slowly came back to her senses. ¡°Jiaojiao, he¡¯s so handsome!¡± ¡°Really? He¡¯s not as handsome as Lil Bai or my brother.¡± Xu Zhengyang was handsome in a sunny yet gentle way. Qi Shenbai was handsome in a cold and distant way, keeping others at a respectful distance from him. ¡°Who¡¯s Lil Bai?¡± Qi Yunduo was confused. ¡°Your brother, of course!¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted. ¡°Okay, I admit he¡¯s not as handsome as my brother, but he¡¯s definitely as handsome as your brother.¡± Qi Yunduo was very certain. ¡°I disagree.¡± To Xu Jiaojiao, Qi Shenbai was the most handsome man in the world, and Xu Zhengyang was the second after him. Even a god would have to settle with third. ¡°Also, how could you call my brother Lil Bai? Is he really okay with that?¡± Qi Yunduo was in disbelief. ¡°He is!¡± He was more than okay with it. In fact, he seemed pretty pleased! ¡°No way¡­¡± Brother, what happened to your dignity?! Xu Jiaojiao forbade Qi Yunduo from telling Qi Shenbai about Zou Lan¡¯s tantrum at school. He was already very busy every day, so she did not want him to worry about her anymore. Lu Huan was in jail, and she did not have those photos of Xu Jiaojiao from back then anymore. The police had already deleted all the copies, and there were no backups either. On the other hand, Bai Mengyao was only fined and ordered to publicly apologize to Xu Jiaojiao. However, Qi Shenbai did not let her off. He dug up what she had done overseas. As it turned out, she had never won the award she claimed she did, and she had even plagiarized someone else¡¯s painting. It was because she could not survive overseas anymore that she returned to China as a ¡°beautiful young influencer-artist¡±. She had already accumulated a decent following on Weibo and was on her way to becoming an internet celebrity. Once her past misdeeds were uncovered, her entire persona fell apart. Although Qi Shenbai did not say anything, Xu Jiaojiao knew that Qi Shenbai was the one behind all of this. She was very grateful and invited everyone to Fifth Avenue for a night out as a token of appreciation for all their care and love. Qi Yunduo sat on the sofa and scrolled through her phone. She was searching for news about Zhao Yunxiao. As expected, there were many posts about Zhao Yunxiao on the school forum. Overall, it seemed that Zhao Yunxiao was the school hunk, an investment genius, and the star of the finance department¡­ ¡°I knew I had good taste in men.¡± Reading through the articles, Qi Yunduo could not help but mutter softly. ¡°What did you say?¡± Xu Jiaojiao could not hear her because her voice was too soft. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Qi Yunduo smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Are you in love?¡± Su Luo started gossiping. ¡°No,¡± Qi Yunduo said helplessly, but her heart had already moved for another. Xu Jiaojiao could roughly guess who she liked. From the way she looked at Zhao Yunxiao, she could tell that there was something different about him. ¡°Hey! Do you know who Zhao Yunxiao is?¡± As she spoke, Qi Yunduo moved closer to Su Luo. Su Luo was drinking a cocktail and had just taken a sip. When she heard Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s name, she almost spat it out. ¡°Is that who you like?! I really don¡¯t know if you have good or bad taste.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Qi Yunduo was puzzled. Xu Jiaojiao also wanted to hear more, so she craned her neck. ¡°Zhao Yunxiao is the most handsome boy in our school. Not only is he good-looking, but he¡¯s also good at his studies. He has admirers in every corner of our school.¡± Qi Yunduo had just returned to the school not long ago, and Xu Jiaojiao was busy drawing every day, so they did not know much about him. As someone from the previous batch, Su Luo naturally knew more than them. ¡°Does he have a girlfriend?¡± Qi Yunduo asked anxiously. ¡°Not that I¡¯ve heard of, but¡­¡± Before Su Luo could finish her sentence, Qi Yunduo said happily, ¡°Perfect!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to pursue him, are you?¡± Su Luo looked at her in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s right! I want to chase him!¡± Although Qi Yunduo was a girl, she was very brave when it came to relationships. ¡°Are you serious? You guys aren¡¯t compatible.¡± Su Luo shook her head repeatedly. ¡°Moreover, I heard that he¡¯s quite close to one of our seniors from the previous batch.¡± ¡°Just because they¡¯re close doesn¡¯t mean that they¡¯re a couple,¡± Qi Yun retorted. ¡°Then you guys aren¡¯t suitable either¡­¡± Su Luo was very firm on that. ¡°Why?¡± Qi Yun Yun was puzzled. ¡°Because his family is very poor. When he took the college entrance examination, he was the top scorer in liberal arts and sciences, and the number one in the province. When he joined our school, all he asked was that we waive his tuition fees. His living expenses are completely dependent on part-time jobs and scholarships. I heard that when he was in school, he didn¡¯t go out to play with his classmates once. Moreover, he ate in the canteen every day and didn¡¯t order any takeout.. Do you really think you¡¯re a good match?¡± Chapter 188 - Chapter 188: Arent I the Most Handsome? Chapter 188: Aren¡¯t I the Most Handsome? Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Su Luo had some serious doubts. Zhao Yunxiao was very outstanding, but his family was worlds apart from the Qi family. The Qi family would never let Qi Yunduo marry such a poor person. ¡°What year is this? Who cares about these things anymore?¡± Qi Yunduo frowned. Su Luo did not try to persuade her anymore. Relationships were something they had to experience for themselves. A young girl like Qi Yunduo would not give up until she tried. Xu Jiaojiao did not express her opinion either. It was better not to get involved in other people¡¯s relationships. She would rather sip her lemonade quietly! Qi Shenbai and Xu Zhengyang came over after work. When they saw the three girls sitting in silence, they could not help but find it strange. ¡°What were you talking about?¡± Why did the three of them stop talking? ¡°Nothing much. We were just discussing who¡¯s more handsome!¡± Qi Yunduo spoke first, then looked at Xu Jiaojiao pleadingly. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said reluctantly. ¡°And your conclusion?¡± Qi Shenbai really wanted to know. ¡°Tsk, of course I¡¯m the most handsome. My beauty will leave the rest of you in the dust!¡± Xu Zhengyang was very confident in his looks. ¡°Your narcissism is way beyond us, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Su Luo retorted. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t be a sour grape. Don¡¯t diss me because you can¡¯t get me!¡± Xu Zhengyang exposed her mercilessly. Su Luo pretended to gag. Qi Shenbai sat beside Xu Jiaojiao and whispered into her ear, ¡°Aren¡¯t I the most handsome?¡± ¡°Of course you are, Lil Bai!¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not hesitate at all. ¡°Pfft¡­ What?¡± Xu Zhengyang was shocked. Then, he burst into laughter. ¡°Haha¡­ Hahaha¡­ Hahahaha¡­¡± Qi Yunduo had heard of the nickname before, so she did not think much of it. Su Luo, on the other hand, was unlucky. Just now, Xu Zhengyang had directly sprayed the wine on her face and now she was left wiping her cheek angrily. ¡°Xu Zhengyang, you¡¯re disgusting!¡± Xu Jiaojiao, on the other hand, was puzzled. Was it that funny? Qi Shenbai did not look too bothered. She felt relieved. ¡°Lil Yangyang, watch that you don¡¯t choke on your wine,¡± Qi Shenbai quipped. Little Yang Yang? What the hell was that? However, Xu Zhengyang was still laughing away. ¡°Haha¡­ Hahaha¡­¡± He laughed until his entire body cramped up. ¡°Brother, can you stop laughing already?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was at a loss, but Xu Zhengyang refused to stop. ¡°No, I physically can¡¯t¡­¡± Just then, Lin Feng happened to walk over. When he saw Xu Zhengyang like this, he asked, ¡°Did Old Qi beat you up and break you?¡± His heart was filled with anticipation. ¡°No, Jiaojiao, call him that again¡­¡± Xu Zhengyang said as he continued to laugh. Was it that funny? Xu Jiaojiao did not think so. ¡°Xiao Bai, I want to eat oranges!¡± ¡°Pffft¡­¡± Lin Feng spewed out the wine he had had sipped, spraying it all over Su Luo¡¯s body. She had just moved away from that madman Xu Zhengyang, but now she had taken a second hit from Lin Feng instead! Why was she always the victim here? ¡°What? Hahahaha¡­ Hahahaha¡­¡± Lin Feng burst out laughing too, making Xu Jiaojiao feel very awkward. Xu Jiaojiao looked at Qi Shenbai apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. Ignore them,¡± Qi Shenbai said as he placed the peeled orange into Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s mouth. Qi Shenbai had plenty of ways to deal with the two of them. He could let them laugh for a while. Xu Jiaojiao was still indignant after eating the orange. How was it funny? Then, she drank the liquid in the cup in one gulp. She thought it was lemonade, but it turned out to be a strong wine instead! The alcohol immediately burned everything from her throat to her stomach. She stuck out her tongue and fanned herself with her hand. ¡°Owh, hot!¡± she panted. Qi Shenbai hurriedly handed her the lemonade, and Xu Jiaojiao gulped it down. ¡°Do you want to another orange?¡± Qi Shenbai brought the orange to her mouth. ¡°There¡¯s no need. It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s not burning anymore.¡± Xu Jiaojiao let out a long breath and finally recovered. Then, she looked at Qi Shenbai with dazed eyes. ¡°You¡¯re so handsome! You look just like my boyfriend!¡± Qi Shenbai, Xu Zhengyang, and Lin Feng all turned at once. ¡°Hmm?¡± Su Luo giggled. ¡°Jiaojiao, everyone¡¯s alcohol tolerance gets better the more they practice. Why does yours get worse?¡± ¡°What?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was in a daze. ¡°Look, he¡¯s my boyfriend. Isn¡¯t he handsome?¡± ¡°Yes, yes. He¡¯s the most handsome in the world.¡± Su Luo was helpless. Xu Zhengyang looked at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s intoxicated appearance and could not help but sigh. His sister had not inherited even an ounce of his alcohol tolerance. Also, was there something wrong with her eyes too? Wasn¡¯t he the most handsome? Chapter 189 - Chapter 189:1 Wont Allow It Chapter 189:1 Won¡¯t Allow It Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Afraid that she would say something shocking again, Qi Shenbai picked her up into a bridal carry. ¡°I¡¯ll take her back first.¡± ¡°Goodbye, Lil Bai!¡± Xu Zhengyang teased Qi Shenbai shamelessly. Qi Shenbai looked over with a cold gaze, and Xu Zhengyang instantly shut up. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going back?¡± Qi Shenbai looked at Qi Yunduo. Qi Yunduo was still staring at her phone, reading articles about Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°No, thanks! I¡¯m going back to the old residence today.¡± She had to go back and think about how to chase Zhao Yunxiao. Xu Jiaojiao was not a fussy drink. Instead, she quietly lay on Qi Shenbai¡¯s lap. ¡°Lil Bai, Lil Bai¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao called out softly. ¡°Why do you keep calling me?¡± Qi Shenbai was overjoyed. Xu Jiaojiao held his large hand and placed it on her chest. ¡°My heart is filled with you, filled all the way to the brim. It¡¯s almost overflowing.¡± Xu Jiaojiao thought she would suffocate if she did not call his name a few more times. Qi Shenbai lowered his head and pressed his hear against her chest. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really, I love you that much. I love you so, sooo much¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s soft voice intoxicated Qi Shenbai. He could feel that Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart was filled with love for him, passionate and pure. Xu Jiaojiao wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his chest. The sensation made Qi Shenbai¡¯s desires surge. A certain empty place in his heart was gradually filled. In the past 30 years, he had never felt this way before, and he had always longed for it. Now, only Xu Jiaojiao could give him this feeling. The sensation of his heart being filled with warmth made him feel comfortable and safe. Qi Shenbai could only kiss her non-stop, from her forehead to her nose to her lips, not missing any part of her. Just kissing her felt so good¡­ Both emotionally and physically. If they were not in the car, he might not have been able to control himself. He really wanted to give himself to her, every inch of his body and his heart, but he could not right now. Back at Qingshui Villa, Qi Shenbai carried her out of the car. When the butler saw them, he tactfully left, leaving the two of them alone. Just like that, Qi Shenbai carried Xu Jiaojiao all the way to his room and lay her on top of him. ¡°Lil Bai, let me tell you a secret. Don¡¯t tell anyone else! Burp¡­¡± As usual, Xu Jiaojiao burped when she was drunk. ¡°Go ahead.¡± He had never wanted to pry into Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s secrets, but this time, she was the one who wanted to tell him, so he was all ears. This was his shrewdness as a businessman. He would always maximize his benefits. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, there was a time when I actually wanted to die. But then¡­ I met someone. That day, I was drenched in the rain. He gave me an umbrella. From then on, I fell in love with him and wanted to live for him¡­ Burp.¡± It was another habitual burp. ¡°I know. That person is Lu Zhuo.¡± Qi Shenbai had no choice but to accept it. Before him, there was someone else in her heart. However, that person had let her down and pushed her into the abyss. ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t Lu Zhuo. I got the wrong person. I thought it was Lu Zhuo at first, but I realized later that it wasn¡¯t. Burp, burp,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she kept burping. ¡°Who is it, then?¡± Qi Shenbai could not help but frown. Could it be that there was someone else besides Lu Zhuo? ¡°I don¡¯t know. I only know that it was a rainy night. I was drenched and he gave me an umbrella. I fell in love with him at the time and wanted to thank him, but I can¡¯t remember his face.¡± Although Xu Jiaojiao had regained her memories, there were still many details that she could not remember, so she still could not see that person¡¯s face clearly in her memories. ¡°Do you really like him?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Yeah, I think I liked her very much back then.¡± Normally, Xu Jiaojiao would not have admitted it, but now that she was drunk, her defenses were completely down. She said ¡°back then¡±, but Qi Shenbai¡¯s heart still ached with jealousy. He hated the fact that the person who had spurred her to continue living bravely was not him, but someone else. He hated that person, but he also had to thank them. If it were not for them, he would never have met Xu Jiaojiao. Qi Shenbai pinched Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s chin in jealousy, but he still could not bear to use too much force. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, I won¡¯t allow you to think about any other men. You¡¯re my wife, my woman.¡± Qi Shenbai kissed her pink lips in a near-frenzy. Xu Jiaojiao wanted to burp, but she held it back when he kissed her. It was such a forceful kiss! He was practically sucking her breath away.. Chapter 190 - Chapter 190: Strike Me with Lightning Chapter 190: Strike Me with Lightning Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Qi Shenbai was an extremely rational person, but at this moment, he seemed to have lost control. He pressed Xu Jiaojiao under him and continued to kiss her forcefully. He could silently and easily manipulate anyone like a puppet on his strings. It was a habit of his, engraved deep into his bones and difficult to erase. Now, however, he had lost all of his rationality because of jealousy. He was jealous and afraid of that man. He was afraid that one day, that man would appear in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s life, and Xu Jiaojiao would no longer love him. Therefore, he had to do something. Something that would allow him to control Xu Jiaojiao forever. He could make Xu Jiaojiao pregnant and have a child with her. He could use the child to tie her to him for the rest of her life so that she would never be able to leave him. ¡°Jiaojiao, may I?¡± But even under such circumstances, he did not want to force her. Because he had promised her. Xu Jiaojiao, on the other hand, was in a daze. She did not know what he was talking about and only called out softly, ¡°Lil Bai¡­ Lil Bai¡­ Lil Bai¡­¡± In that instant, Qi Shenbai¡¯s mind seemed to have fallen into an abyss. He drowned in his feelings and desires. He kissed her deeply and did not want to stop for even a moment. Then, he took off her clothes¡­ He had never touched her body so clearly before. It was so smooth, so fair, and her waist was so thin, like a crescent moon. Driven by a strong desire, Qi Shenbai opened the drawer beside the bed and took out one of the many boxes¡­ Just then, his phone suddenly rang. However, he could not care less. Forget it! Still, the phone rang continuously, getting in his way. Eventually, he got up and picked up the call. When Xu Jiaojiao looked at him with her misty eyes, he was standing in front of the window. His voice was filled with anger as he asked, ¡°Is this why you called so late at night? ¡°Ha! I¡¯m the head of the Qi family now. Before you get any funny ideas, remember your place.¡± Then, he hung up angrily. When Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao again, she had already fallen asleep hugging his pillow. Looking at his soft and cute little wife, his anger died down. She had the ability to put his heart at ease no matter how his emotions fluctuated. She did not even have to do anything, as long as she stayed by his side quietly like this. Early the next morning, when Xu Jiaojiao woke up, she realized that she was wearing Qi Shenbai¡¯s T-shirt, but she was not wearing anything underneath. Xu Jiaojiao immediately felt her cheeks heat up. Could it be that last night¡­? Suddenly, many scenes flashed through her mind. Her drinking too much, the kissing, him taking off her clothes¡­ ¡°Oh my god! Did we really go there?¡± Xu Jiaojiao could not believe it. She got off the bed and lifted the blanket to take a closer look. ¡°Strange, why don¡¯t I see anything? Don¡¯t tell me I¡¯m the type who¡­?¡± Xu Jiaojiao muttered softly. At this moment, Qi Shenbai suddenly walked in and saw the puzzled Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice interrupted Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s thoughts and she hurriedly put down the blanket nervously. ¡°N-nothing?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not dare to look into Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes. Even if she denied it, Qi Shenbai saw everything. ¡°Were you really hoping to go all the way with me?¡± ¡°N-No¡­ I just¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao was incoherent. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I couldn¡¯t get it up when I saw your sleeping posture last night,¡± Qi Shenbai said calmly. ¡°Liar! You clearly opened that box,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she pointed at the box of condoms on the bedside table. Qi Shenbai smiled and walked to the bedside table. Then, he took out all the condoms in the box and arranged them one by one. ¡°Here, look. Not a single one is missing.¡± When Xu Jiaojiao saw this, her face turned even redder. ¡°Why did you buy so many? You wouldn¡¯t be able to use them all in your lifetime.¡± ¡°If I use them thirteen times a night, they¡¯ll will be gone in a few months,¡± Qi Shenbai blurted out. ¡°How did you know that?¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted. Thirteen times a night? How did he know about that internet joke? ¡°I learned, of course! I¡¯m ten years older than you. If I want to level the generation gap, I have to keep up with the times. Besides, I¡¯m very good at learning.¡± That was right. There was a ten-year gap between them! Xu Jiaojiao would never be able to close that gap no matter how hard she tried. Since she could not catch up, he would just have to follow her pace instead! He walked slowly to her side and pulled her into his arms. Xu Jiaojiao felt so embarrassed that she did not even dare to look at him. ¡°Thirteen times a night is just a joke. It¡¯s not physically possible.¡± Forget it, since she was already so embarrassed, she might as well just throw all her dignity away! ¡°How many times do you want me to do it?¡± Qi Shenbai put his arm around her shoulders. ¡®Oh god! Someone, please strike me with lightning right now!¡¯ Chapter 191 - Chapter 191: Unable to Decide Chapter 191: Unable to Decide Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°No¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao stubbornly denied it, but she was too afraid to raise her head. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve bought many types. I¡¯ll try each one until you¡¯re satisfied.¡± Qi Shenbai continued to tease her. She could barely breathe anymore. Xu Jiaojiao only hoped that time would pass faster so that she could quickly change this topic. ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt that her face was so red that it was about to explode! There goes her innocent image¡­ Seeing how shy she was, Qi Shenbai did not continue teasing her. Instead, he went to her room and brought her a change of clothes while he went downstairs to eat. Xu Jiaojiao dawdled upstairs for more than half an hour before coming down. When she arrived downstairs, Qi Shenbai was drinking his milk. He had not finished eating yet¡­ Xu Jiaojiao was helpless, but she still met his eyes. ¡°Yunduo didn¡¯t come back last night?¡± She tried her best to change the topic and act normal. ¡°No, she went back to the old residence,¡± Qi Shenbai said. At this moment, Xu Jiaojiao had already sat opposite him. She lowered her head and looked at the porridge in her bowl. Just then, Pei Yan walked in. ¡°Mr. Qi, Mrs. Qi, good morning.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Qi Shenbai replied indifferently. ¡°Mr. Qi, I¡¯m here to pack your luggage.¡± Every time Qi Shenbai went on a business trip, Pei Yan would be the one to pack his luggage. ¡°Go ahead!¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s tone was still indifferent. Pei Yan went upstairs. ¡°Are you going on a business trip?¡± Xu Jiaojiao finally looked up. ¡°Yes, for a week.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s tone was no longer as calm as before. He was always so gentle to Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Is there anything you want?¡± Qi Shenbai wanted to give her a gift. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I want,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said calmly. ¡°Then I¡¯ll see what I can buy.¡± Qi Shenbai was persistent. Although he was very busy with work, he could still find time to buy gifts. Xu Jiaojiao did not know why he insisted on giving her a gift. ¡°I really don¡¯t need anything. I have everything.¡± Qi Shenbai ignored her. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± II II After dinner, Qi Shenbai was about to leave, while she was going to school. They were going in two different directions, so Xu Jiaojiao sent him off. Pei Yan put his luggage in the trunk and got into the passenger seat. The butler left tactfully when he saw this. Qi Shenbai stood in front of the car and looked at Xu Jiaojiao gently. ¡°If I¡¯m not home, don¡¯t go to Fifth Avenue. Also, don¡¯t run around and stay at home.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at him reluctantly. She suddenly felt a little disappointed that she would not be able to see him for a week. Qi Shenbai could not help but pull her into his arms. Then, he said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, ¡°When I come back, let¡¯s try the ultra-thin one, okay?¡± When Xu Jiaojiao heard this, her face turned red again and she gave him a reproachful look. ¡°Good girl!¡± Qi Shenbai said as he turned around and got into the car. He no longer looked at Xu Jiaojiao. He really could not bear to see her like this. One more look and he would take her away. Without Qi Shenbai around, Xu Jiaojiao barely even had the energy to go to class. By the time she finally survived to the end of the day, she just wanted to go home. However, she bumped into Qi Yunduo in the corridor. ¡°Jiaojiao, can you go shopping with me? I want to buy a shirt for Zhao Yunxiao.¡± Qi Yunduo held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s arm. ¡°Didn¡¯t you wash his shirt? Why do you want to buy a new one?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was puzzled. ¡°I just want to buy him something, that¡¯s all,¡± Qi Yunduo said shyly. Xu Jiaojiao had heard from Su Luo that Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s family was very poor. Perhaps Qi Yunduo really wanted to do something for him. At the thought of this, Xu Jiaojiao hesitated for a moment. Since the house would be empty when she returned home, she might as well go shopping with Qi Yunduo. It would also ease her feelings of missing Qi Shenbai. ¡°Alright! I¡¯ll go with you,¡± Xu Jiaojiao agreed. ¡°I knew it, you¡¯re the best!¡± Qi Yunduo was unusually excited and happily walked out of the teaching building with Xu Jiaojiao. Half an hour later, the two of them arrived at the largest shopping mall in Luo City, a luxury brand store. Xu Jiaojiao sat on the sofa while Qi Yunduo was picking out clothes. ¡°Yunduo, haven¡¯t you decided yet?¡± Qi Yunduo had been choosing for a long time. ¡°No, I¡¯m in a dilemma! I don¡¯t know which one he¡¯ll like. Jiaojiao, do you think light blue or light gray is better?¡± Qi Yunduo raised the two shirts, looking left and right. ¡°Light blue!¡± Xu Jiaojiao thought for a moment. ¡°But the one he lent me is light blue. Will he have a lot of light blue?¡± Qi Yunduo was a little hesitant. ¡°Then light gray it is!¡± Xu Jiaojiao quickly replied. ¡°But what if he doesn¡¯t like light gray?¡± Qi Yunduo was still unable to decide.. Chapter 192 - Chapter 192: Reply at Once Chapter 192: Reply at Once Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao was helpless and thought for a moment. ¡°Then why don¡¯t you buy both of them and observe which color he likes before you give him one?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Qi Yunduo felt that Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s words made sense, so she said to the salesperson, ¡°I want both of these. Wrap them up.¡± As she spoke, she handed her bank card to the salesperson. After that, Qi Yunduo sat down next to Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Do you want to buy one too?¡± ¡°Why should I buy one?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not owe anyone a shirt! ¡°Buy one for my brother!¡± Qi Yunduo said as she nudged Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, right? It¡¯s not a holiday¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt that it was not a holiday, and she had not won an award, so it was a little strange for her to give him a gift. ¡°Why not? If you give it to my brother, he¡¯ll be very surprised and happy. Don¡¯t you want to see his surprised expression?¡± Qi Yunduo urged Xu Jiaojiao. Suddenly, Xu Jiaojiao remembered the last time she gave him a bow tie. At that time, he seemed to be very happy. Since he was going to buy her a gift on his business trip, she could just return the favor. ¡°Alright!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said sweetly, looking forward to seeing his happy face. ¡°I understand my brother. He likes dark colors and formal styles. I¡¯ll help you choose,¡± Qi Yunduo said as she stood up to help Xu Jiaojiao choose her clothes. However, Xu Jiaojiao did not like any of the clothes she chose. In the end, her gaze fell on the mannequin¡¯s clothes. It was a black shirt. Looking at that shirt, Xu Jiaojiao felt as if she was looking at Qi Shenbai in it. He looked so noble and distant in it that it made her want to tear off his mask of abstinence and see how he looked when he was infatuated with her. ¡°I want this one.¡± A voice suddenly interrupted Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s thoughts. Then, a woman in a black dress appeared in front of her. She was noble, elegant, and her curly hair was scattered on her shoulders. ¡°We asked for this first. First come, first served!¡± Qi Yunduo quickly interrupted. The first thing she felt when she saw this woman was disgust. The salesperson also looked at the woman in embarrassment. ¡°She¡¯s right, these two ladies asked for it first. I¡¯m really sorry. There¡¯s only one piece left, so I can only give it to the two ladies who came first.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear apologies,¡± the woman said slowly. Then she took out a black card with gold trimmings from her designer bag and waved it in front of the shop assistant. ¡°Can I buy this shirt now?¡± ¡°Yes, of course,¡± the salesperson said politely. ¡°No, we asked for it first. Why should we give it to her?¡± Qi Yunduo was not convinced. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, ladies. This lady is our VIP and has the right to buy first, so I can¡¯t give you this shirt.¡± The salesperson was also very apologetic, but she had no choice since the newcomer was holding a VIP card. ¡°Hmph, what a stupid rule!¡± Qi Yunduo muttered. The salesperson took off the mannequin¡¯s clothes. Meanwhile, the woman looked at Qi Yunduo and Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Little girls, try to be a VIP next time. It¡¯s more convenient to buy things this way.¡± Although it seemed like a kind reminder, she was actually mocking the two of them. As she spoke, she walked towards the cashier. ¡°What¡¯s there to brag about?¡± Qi Yunduo rolled her eyes. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s not argue with her.¡± Xu Jiaojiao tugged at Qi Yunduo¡¯s arm. If she could not buy this shirt, she could buy something else! After all, Qi Shenbai looked good in anything. Qi Yunduo did not argue with her, but she was angry. ¡°I didn¡¯t take my brother¡¯s supplementary card today. If I did, she wouldn¡¯t be able to show off here! Who¡¯s she calling a little girl, anyway?¡± Although Qi Shenbai pampered his younger sister, he was still quite strict when it came to money. Qi Yunduo usually did not dare to use Qi Shenbai¡¯s supplementary card. Moreover, she was buying clothes for Zhao Yunxiao this time, so she definitely was not going to use the card. If her brother found out, she did not know what the consequences would be. ¡°Why are you angry? She called us little girls! Doesn¡¯t that mean that we¡¯re younger than her?¡± Although the woman looked very beautiful, it was obvious that she was older than them. Qi Yunduo pouted angrily. ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯re younger and cuter than her.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Let¡¯s go look at something else!¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not mind at all. ¡°Jiaojiao, you¡¯re the best.¡± Although she was praising Xu Jiaojiao, a trace of melancholy still flashed through Qi Yunduo¡¯s heart. Jiaojiao was so magnanimous and kind, but that meant she was easily bullied. No! She could not let Jiaojiao be bullied. Xu Jiaojiao went to pick out some other clothes while Qi Yunduo quietly made her move. [Big Brother, it¡¯s urgent.. Reply at once!] Chapter 193 - Chapter 193: Reluctant Chapter 193: Reluctant Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation After a minute, there was no reply. Qi Yunduo hurriedly sent another message: [Brother, reply to me quickly. I have something to report to you.] Two minutes passed, but there was still no reply. Qi Yunxiao was anxious. [Brother, someone bullied Sister-in-law.] Qi Sheenbai immediately called her within seconds. ¡°What happened?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice was nervous and urgent. Looks like he was not busy with work, after all! He just did not want to talk to his sister, but he called instantly when she mentioned her sister-in-law. What kind of logic was that? Forget it, she was not going to argue with him. Then, Qi Yunduo recounted what happened just now, but she did not say that she bought a shirt for Zhao Yunxiao. Qi Shenbai did not reply. Instead, he hung up. Only Mrs. Qi could make Qi Shenbai stop the negotiation and answer the phone like that. Pei Yan looked at the foreigner opposite him and his heart almost jumped out of his chest. However, he still could not help but walk to Qi Shenbai¡¯s side and put his ear to the phone. Qi Shenbai whispered in his ear and then looked at the foreigner opposite him. ¡°Anyone who can make Mr. Qi interrupt the negotiation must be very important¡­¡± The foreigner guessed. ¡°It¡¯s about my wife,¡± Qi Shenbai replied calmly. The foreigner was surprised. ¡°Mr. Qi, you¡¯re married?¡± A hint of pride appeared on Qi Shenbai¡¯s face. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You must love your wife very much!¡± The foreigner was sincerely impressed. ¡°Yes.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s calm smile proved the foreigner¡¯s point. It was actually very rude to pick up the phone halfway, but the negotiation went surprisingly smoothly. These foreigners respected men who loved their wives and took responsibility for their families. Just as the arrogant woman was preparing to pay the bill at the cashier and the salesperson had already wrapped up the shirt, the phone at the counter suddenly rang. ¡°Madam, please wait a moment. I have to take this call.¡± The salesperson was very apologetic, but she still picked up the phone. ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± After saying that, she looked at the woman apologetically. ¡°Madam, I¡¯m sorry. This shirt doesn¡¯t belong to you anymore. It belongs to that young lady.¡± After saying that, she looked in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s direction. ¡°How?¡± The woman stared at her in disbelief. ¡°This lady is now the top VIP in our shop. She has the right to buy first and foremost. All the clothes in our shop are prepared for her first.¡± The salesperson did not lower her voice as she spoke. Everyone in the shop turned to look at Xu Jiaojiao. When Xu Jiaojiao heard this, she could not help but gape in shock. ¡°Me? Really?¡± ¡°Yes, Miss.¡± The salesperson handed the shirt to Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°If you need anything, you can call our top VIP line.¡± ¡°A VIP line¡­?¡± Xu Jiaojiao had no idea what she was talking about. Before she could react, Qi Yunduo pulled Xu Jiaojiao away. ¡°Thank you.¡± A long time after walking out of the shop, Xu Jiaojiao slowly regained her senses. ¡°Did you call Lil Bai?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I just couldn¡¯t stand that woman¡¯s arrogant look. She¡¯s rich, but so what? Isn¡¯t my brother richer than her?¡± Qi Yunduo said proudly. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but feel helpless. That seemed like something Qi Yunduo would do. Then, her phone rang. It was a call from Qi Shenbai. Xu Jiaojiao picked it up and cautiously said, ¡°Hello?¡± The man¡¯s deep voice asked, ¡°Are you with Yunduo?¡± ¡°You know I am. Why are you still asking me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s sweet voice always softened his heart. ¡°If Yunduo hadn¡¯t told me that you were being bullied, I wouldn¡¯t have known.¡± Qi Shenbai was not blaming her, but he was worried. ¡°I wasn¡¯t bullied. It¡¯s just a shirt!¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not really care. On the contrary, she did not think much of it. After all, she was someone who had experienced actual harsh bullying. Such a small matter was nothing to her. ¡°That¡¯s not just a shirt. It¡¯s my gift from you,¡± Qi Shenbai emphasized. He did not want to see the shirt Xu Jiaojiao had chosen for him being worn by another man. ¡°Sigh! But there¡¯s no surprise now.¡± Xu Jiaojiao could not help but feel disappointed. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I can surprise you.¡± Qi Shenbai only wanted the gift not to fall into the hands of others. ¡°There¡¯s no need. You just have to come back on time.¡± Xu Jiaojiao could not help but feel happy when she heard him say this. ¡°Why? Did you miss me?¡± Qi Shenbai read between the lines. Xu Jiaojiao did not say so explicitly, but Qi Shenbai interpreted her words as proof that she was missing him endlessly. She did not deny it, either, just murmuring softly in agreement. ¡°You¡¯re my lucky star. Everything went smoothly because of you. I might even get to go back early.¡± Hearing Qi Shenbai¡¯s words, Xu Jiaojiao could not help but wonder, ¡®What does this have to do with me?¡¯ However, before she could ask, she heard Pei Yan urging him on. ¡°Go back to work already!¡± Although she was reluctant, she still had to say goodbye.. Chapter 194 - Chapter 194: About to Faint Chapter 194: About to Faint Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Remember to miss me,¡± Qi Shenbai reminded. ¡°I know!¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted. ¡°If you miss me, you¡¯ll dream of me¡­¡± Qi Shenbai continued sweetly. ¡°Hurry up and get back to work! Stop nagging and come back quickly.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not dare to dream about him. The first time she dreamt about him being hit by a car, the second time was in City A, and she did not know what the third time would be like. However, things often went the opposite way from what she wanted. Xu Jiaojiao hung up the phone and saw that the woman from earlier had also followed her out. She stared at Xu Jiaojiao with her cold eyes for a moment before turning around and leaving. ¡°Are you done with your phone call?¡± Qi Yunduo held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s arm. ¡°Yeah. But why did Lil Bai take such a small matter so seriously?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was puzzled. ¡°What do you mean by such a small matter? This is a very serious matter, alright?¡± Qi Yunduo could not help but widen her eyes. ¡°How is it serious? Isn¡¯t it just a piece of clothing?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not really care. ¡°It¡¯s not just a piece of clothing. That woman used money to pressure us just now! You¡¯re the wife of the Qi Group¡¯s CEO. How can you be intimidated by someone else¡¯s money? If word gets out, wouldn¡¯t my brother lose face?¡± Qi Yunduo hurriedly explained to Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Would he?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not understand the world of the super-rich. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Qi Yunduo was very serious about this. However, Qi Yunduo¡¯s anxious expression was quite amusing to Xu Jiaojiao. It was as if she was talking about the internal drama of the wealthiest families. Qi Yunduo asked around and finally confirmed that Zhao Yunxiao liked light blue, so she gave him the light blue shirt. Zhao Yunxiao definitely did not want it, but he could not withstand Qi Yunxiao¡¯s coaxing and pestering. She could give a hundred reasons for him to accept it. In the end, she even got Zhao Yunxiao to go to an escape room with her. No one knew how she pulled it off. In order to avoid awkwardness, she even called Xu Jiaojiao and Su Luo to join them. Xu Jiaojiao and Su Luo were afraid of getting in the way of Qi Yunduo and Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s relationship, so they went as a separate team. There were two routes in the secret room. Xu Jiaojiao and Su Luo took one route, while Qi Yunxiao and Zhao Yunxiao were on the other. Every time Zhao Yunxiao solved a puzzle, Qi Yunxiao would look at him with admiration like a little fangirl and shower him with praise. Su Lu, on the other hand, was very lonely. ¡°It¡¯s really not easy being single. The last time I accompanied you here, and this time I accompanied her here. I¡¯ve really eaten my fill of PDA.¡± In the enclosed escape room, it was very easy for sparks to fly when a man and a woman were alone together. Su Luo was envious! ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll be the ones accompanying you next time?¡± Xu Jiaojiao wanted to comfort Su Luo. ¡°I hope so!¡± Su Luo drew a cross on her chest. With such a smart person like Zhao Yunxiao around, it did not take them long to come out. Qi Yunduo looked at him with admiration. ¡°Senior Zhao, you¡¯re really smart.¡± Zhao Yunxiao was a little embarrassed after being praised by Qi Yunduo so much. ¡°Not really! You¡¯re very brave too.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Qi Yunduo blushed and blinked at Zhao Yunxiao with stars in her eyes. Su Luo hurriedly tugged at her. ¡°Can¡¯t you be more reserved?¡± She was going to scare him away at this rate. Qi Yunduo tilted her head. She thought she was already being very reserved. Xu Jiaojiao noticed that it was still early, so she asked, ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°I want to play again.¡± Qi Yunduo actually wanted to spend more time with Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°No, no, you guys go ahead and play! I want to go to the toilet.¡± Su Luo really did not want to be the third wheel anymore. Xu Jiaojiao also wanted to create more opportunities for the two of them, so she declined politely. ¡°I¡¯m not going either. I saw an art exhibition over there. I¡¯ll go over and take a look. You two can play!¡± Qi Yunduo looked at Zhao Yunxiao with an extremely expectant gaze. Facing such a gaze, Zhao Yunxiao could not refuse, so he agreed. Qi Yunduo was overjoyed and hung onto his arm. ¡°You really are the best!¡± Zhao Yunxiao, on the other hand, took out his phone and chose the next theme. Seeing that he was about to pay, Qi Yunxiao quickly stopped him. ¡°No need, let me do it.¡± Qi Yunduo did not want Zhao Yunxiao to spend money. After all, he was still working to earn his living expenses. She did not want to burden him because of her momentary greed. However, Zhao Yunxiao was very decisive. ¡°If you refuse to let me pay, I won¡¯t go.¡± Hearing Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s insistence, Qi Yunduo could not refute him. ¡°Then I¡¯ll treat you to a meal later. Jiaojiao and Su Lu are both my friends. I don¡¯t want to take advantage of you!¡± Qi Yunduo gave Zhao Yunxiao a way out. Although Zhao Yunxiao insisted, he was not that stubborn. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll treat you alone next time.¡± Next time? There was still a next time¡­! Qi Yunduo felt like she was about to faint.. Chapter 195 - Chapter 195: Unyielding Chapter 195: Unyielding Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Soon, Qi Yunduo and Zhao Yunxiao went back inside. Su Luo did not want to look at the paintings, so she refused to go with Xu Jiaojiao. Instead, she found a place to play her games. Xu Jiaojiao, on the other hand, went to the art exhibition alone. Looking at the romantic paintings inside, Xu Jiaojiao was fascinated, especially when she saw something she liked. She stayed there for a long time. When she saw someone coming over, she took the initiative to back away. However, she bumped into a wall and even stepped on something. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Xu Jiaojiao hurriedly apologized. She turned around and saw a pretty young man. ¡°It¡¯s alright, just think of me as getting under your feet. But you¡¯re really engrossed! Is this painting that good?¡± The youth could not help but be puzzled. She stepped on him, but he said she got under her feet? That was her first time hearing something like that. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I wasn¡¯t paying attention.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was still apologizing for what had just happened. ¡°I told you it was all right.¡± The young man was defiant. ¡°You haven¡¯t answered me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very nice,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied. ¡°Why don¡¯t I feel it? I just think that it¡¯s a little bloody and violent. It¡¯s even disgusting.¡± The youth was quite carefree. ¡°Although it looks bloody and violent, I can feel the softness in the artist¡¯s heart.¡± Xu Jiaojiao naturally understood painting and could see the meaning behind it. The young man pondered for a moment and seemed to have sensed something. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Xu Jiaojiao.¡± Her gentle voice disappeared in a flash. ¡°Xiaoxiao?¡± It sounded strange. ¡°Not Xiaoxiao, it¡¯s Jiaojiao. With a J,¡± Xu Jiaojiao emphasized. Jiaojiao and Xiaoxiao were so different! ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m calling you Xiaoxiao from now on.¡± The young man was still cocky. Wasn¡¯t this person a little too casual with her? ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°My name is Huo Siming. You can call me Brother Ming or Master Ming. Kid, which high school are you from? Don¡¯t you have class today?¡± Huo Siming interrupted her. ¡°I¡¯m not a child, and I¡¯m not going to high school. I¡¯m a university student.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was not used to hearing him call her a kid. Besides, he did not look much older than her. ¡°You¡¯re a university student? You don¡¯t look like an adult! You¡¯re not lying to me, are you?¡± Huo Siming sized her up and felt that she was lying. ¡°I¡¯m a university student, and I have an older brother.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted angrily, refusing to admit defeat. She clearly had an older brother, so how could he call himself her older brother? ¡°Tsk, you¡¯re quite stubborn,¡± Huo Siming commented without thinking. Xu Jiaojiao ignored him. Coincidentally, the person beside her had left, so she turned around to look at the painting. ¡°Do you like this painting?¡± Huo Siming could not help but be curious when he saw how focused she was. When Xu Jiaojiao saw that he was asking her a question, she felt that it would be impolite if she did not answer. Hence, she said lightly, ¡°I like it! This painting has a very unique meaning and style. I like it very much.¡± ¡°Are you an artist?¡± Huo Siming guessed that someone with such a unique vision might be a professional. ¡°Yes, I studied art.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was a little proud. She had always been proud of her profession. ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll give it to you,¡± Huo Siming said without hesitation. ¡°Why are you giving it to me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was not someone who would casually accept gifts. ¡°There¡¯s no reason. I just want to.¡± Huo Siming crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking like he was in charge of everything. ¡°Are you the boss here?¡± Xu Jiaojiao analyzed the possibility. Otherwise, how could he give it away so easily? ¡°Well¡­ You could say so!¡± Huo Siming said indifferently. ¡°I don¡¯t want it.¡± Even if Xu Jiaojiao knew that he was the boss, she would never accept it. He did not owe her anything, so why should she accept his things? ¡°Why don¡¯t you want it?¡± He was offering it to her for free. She was so unyielding. ¡°I don¡¯t take things I don¡¯t deserve.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was resolute and serious. ¡°I see! Well, how about this? You¡¯re an artist, aren¡¯t you? Draw a painting for me and I¡¯ll give this one to you. Isn¡¯t that fair?¡± Huo Siming suggested. He also wanted to know what kind of painting this young lady could draw. ¡°Can you do that?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes flashed with surprise. ¡°Yes.¡± Huo Siming did not care at all. ¡°Many people hate this painting. If you don¡¯t want it, I¡¯ll throw it away.¡± When Xu Jiaojiao heard that he was going to throw it away, she immediately felt bad for it. ¡°No, I want it.¡± ¡°Alright, then draw something as soon as possible.¡± Huo Siming did not want to wait too long. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you tomorrow.¡± Xu Jiaojiao thought that if she stayed up late to draw, she should be able to make it in time. Otherwise, it would be a pity if this painting was thrown away. ¡°That fast?¡± Huo Siming was surprised. ¡°Yeah,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied calmly. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll wait for you here tomorrow afternoon. Remember to come at the same time.¡± Huo Siming looked at Xu Jiaojiao with less sharpness and more kindness in his eyes. ¡°Xu Xiaoxiao.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Xu Xiaoxiao, it¡¯s Xu Jiaojiao,¡± Xu Jiaojiao emphasized. ¡°Okay, Xu Xiaoxiao.¡± Chapter 196 - Chapter 196:1 Cried When I Thought About It Chapter 196:1 Cried When I Thought About It Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation After dinner, Qi Yunduo suggested going to KTV. She still could not bear to part with Zhao Yunxiao and wanted to spend more time with him. However, Xu Jiaojiao had to go back and draw, so she rejected the invitation. Zhao Yunxiao did not want to go either. He said that he had to go back and write his thesis. He was already in his fourth year and was about to graduate, so it was only natural for him to work on his thesis. Qi Yunduo was an understanding girl. When she heard that Zhao Yunxiao wanted to write his thesis, she let him go. Su Luo drove them home, dropping Zhao Yunxiao off along the way. When she reached the main road and waited for the red light, she suddenly heard someone honking. Thinking that she had crossed the line, she looked through the rearview mirror and realized that she had not. She turned to look to the side and saw Xu Zhengyang driving. He smirked at her and glanced at Zhao Yunxiao, who was sitting in the passenger seat. Zhao Yunxiao felt that something was wrong. ¡°Do you know him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Su Luo replied quickly. Then, the green light lit up, and Xu Zhengyang rushed past, scaring Su Luo. Sheesh, what a childish scumbag! After returning home, Xu Jiaojiao began to draw. Qi Yunduo had wanted to discuss with her what to do next regarding Zhao Yunxiao¡­ However, when she saw how seriously Xu Jiaojiao was painting, Qi Yunduo was sensible enough not to disturb her and went online to ask for help instead. Xu Jiaojiao continued to draw until the next morning. She was so tired that her shoulders were sore. ¡®I¡¯ll sleep for a while before I continue!¡¯ Xu Jiaojiao thought to herself, ¡®There¡¯s not much left anyway. I should be able to make it in the afternoon if I take a nap.¡¯ Hence, she went to the bathroom to take a shower, changed into her pajamas, and fell asleep on the bed. Sunlight shone into the ward and sparkled on the ground. There was a woman in her thirties lying in the ward with an IV drip in her wrist. A little boy was lying beside the bed, his eyes sleepy. The woman stroked the little boy¡¯s soft hair gently. The little boy seemed to have sensed something and opened his eyes. ¡°Mom, are you not feeling well?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± The woman¡¯s gentle voice was like a breeze in spring. ¡°Will Daddy come to see you today?¡± There was anticipation in the little boy¡¯s eyes. ¡°Probably!¡± the woman said gently. Just then, the door of the ward was pushed open. Qi Shenbai walked in with a bouquet of flowers in his hands. The little boy was originally a little down, but when he saw Qi Shenbai, he suddenly became excited and ran to his side to hug him. ¡°Daddy!¡± Xu Jiaojiao woke up from her dream and realized that her pillow was wet. Yes, she was crying. She was sobbing as if her world was collapsing. She lay on the bed and curled up, hoping that perhaps her heart would not hurt so much. No, it did not seem to work. Tears kept flowing down, and her heart ached so much that it was difficult to breathe. Her head hurt so much that it felt like it was about to split. The woman in the dream was gentle, kind, and elegant. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but feel sad. It turned out that Lil Bai already had a wife and a child. Then why did he still seduce her? Why did he lie to her? Xu Jiaojiao felt wronged. She felt even more miserable than when Lu Zhuo ran away from the altar, when her brother despised her, and when she was being bullied. She had never felt so upset in her life¡­ After crying for a long time, Xu Jiaojiao felt that her body had dried up. She could no longer shed a single tear. She suddenly sat up. ¡°I have to verify it with my own eyes. If it¡¯s true, he has to apologize to me.¡± Even if they were going to break up, she had to get to the bottom of everything. She had to see them with her own eyes, see how good that woman was, and see how Qi Shenbai would face her. ¡°Madam, do you want to come out for a meal?¡±At this moment, there was a knock on the door. It was the butler. He knew that Xu Jiaojiao had been painting all night last night and must be tired. She might even be sleeping now. However, before Mr. Qi left, he had told them to make sure she ate, so the butler knocked on her door anyway. Xu Jiaojiao acted as if she did not hear him. She got off the bed and stood on the ground. Her head buzzed, but she did not care. After she steadied herself, she went to the wardrobe to look for some clothes. The butler stood at the door. Seeing that she did not respond, he went downstairs. Xu Jiaojiao changed her clothes and asked Cang Xing to prepare the car. She also called Pei Yan to ask for an address, but told him not to tell Qi Shenbai. In the car, Xu Jiaojiao kept crying, and the scene in her dream kept flashing in front of her. Xu Jiaojiao was angry at herself. Why was she so weak-willed? Why was she crying so much? She hated herself for not being strong enough, but she could not help it. Cang Xing looked at Xu Jiaojiao from the rearview mirror and was a little worried. ¡°Madam, maybe I¡¯d better go with you.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Xu Jiaojiao tried her best to control her emotions, but her voice was nasal. ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted Pei Yan. He¡¯ll pick me up when I get there.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Cang Xing agreed, thinking that it might be because the Madam missed Mr. Qi too much. Maybe that¡¯s why she was crying.. Chapter 197 - Chapter 197:1 Hate You, I Hate You Chapter 197:1 Hate You, I Hate You Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao did not to have that kind of dream again, so she did not sleep on the plane. Her eyes were red as she looked at the clouds outside the window. When the air stewardess saw her, she felt that something was amiss. She quickly came over and asked, ¡°Miss, do you need anything?¡± ¡°No,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied in a dry voice. ¡°Here, take this!¡± Perhaps the air stewardess also felt that such a cute girl with red eyes was a little pitiful, so she covered Xu Jiaojiao with a blanket. ¡°Thank you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s voice was still hoarse. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. If you need anything, just press the bell.¡± The air stewardess pointed at the bell above Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head. ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was weak and powerless. Then, the air stewardess left. At this moment, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart was filled with sadness, nervousness, and anxiety. For a moment, she even wanted the plane to return to Luo City so she would not see what was going on with Qi Shenbai. However, there was no way the plane would turn back on her whim like that. It landed without incident. The moment she saw Pei Yan, Xu Jiaojiao clenched her fists. Pei Yan looked at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s expression and was stunned. Why did it seem like Madam was not here to visit President Qi? It was more like she was¡­ Gearing up for a fight! Pei Yan shook his head. How was that possible? The two of them were so loving¡­ ¡°Madam, where¡¯s your luggage?¡± Pei Yan looked at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s empty hands. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring anything!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said concisely before getting into the car. The driver was one of the bodyguards. Pei Yan sat in the passenger seat and looked at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s haggard face from the rear-view mirror. ¡°Madam, I¡¯ll send you to the hotel first. Mr. Qi still has something to deal with and will only be here after a while.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going straight to him,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said resolutely. Pei Yan still wanted to persuade her, but before he could speak, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s words stopped him. ¡°Just listen to me.¡± There was even a hint of stubbornness in her voice. Pei Yan knew that he had to respect Mrs. Qi, or Mr. Qi might be unhappy, so he agreed. ¡°Okay.¡± Then, he gave the bodyguard a look. When Xu Jiaojiao stood at the door of the ward, her composure finally fell apart. On the way here, she reminded herself to stay calm and not cry or make a fuss. She should not act like a poor abandoned wife. Even if they broke up, she had to be dignified. However, she could not control herself. She saw that the woman was even gentler and quieter than in her dream. When she saw Qi Shenbai carrying that cute child and feeding him oranges, she regretted everything. Why did she have to come? Why did she have to see it with her own eyes? She had clearly dreamed it, right? Why did she have to torture herself like this and see it with her own eyes? Tears streamed down her face like a windshield wiper. Pei Yan saw that she was crying and suddenly panicked. He looked at the scene outside the window and immediately understood what was going on. He hurriedly wanted to call Qi Shenbai. However, before he could make the call, Qi Shenbai raised his head and looked at the door. He seemed to have sensed something and suddenly became nervous. Xu Jiaojiao avoided his gaze and hid at the side. For some reason, she was so timid and weak-willed that she did not dare to look him in the eye. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± the woman asked cautiously. ¡°I have something on. I¡¯ll go out for a while.¡± Qi Shenbai quickly put down the orange in his hand and walked out. When he went out, he only saw Pei Yan standing alone at the door. ¡°The madam went to the elevator.¡± Qi Shenbai hurriedly walked towards the elevator. Feeling that he was not fast enough, he started running. Xu Jiaojiao ran out of the elevator, out of the hospital, and onto the grass outside. She found a tree to support her and started gagging. She had run too fast just now. Coupled with the fact that she had been crying previously, her body could not take it anymore. ¡°Jiaojiao¡­¡± Qi Shenbai finally found her. However, she did not want to talk to him. She heard his voice but did not turn around. ¡°Jiaojiao¡­¡± Qi Shenbai called out anxiously. He wanted to reach out and pat her back. Perhaps he could make her feel better. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me,¡± Xu Jiaojiao screamed. Qi Shenbai was stunned. He did not expect such an explosive force to exist in such a small body. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me! I hate you, you big liar! You¡¯re terrible. You¡¯re the worst person in the world.¡± Qi Shenbai suddenly went from being the best in the entire universe to the worst in the world. It was as if he sank into an endless abyss. He immediately turned pale, but she could not see it. ¡°Jiaojiao, you don¡¯t look well. I¡¯ll take you to the doctor.¡± Even though he was a little upset, he was still concerned about her health. ¡°I don¡¯t need your concern, you big liar. You lied to me! You¡¯re the worst person in the world¡­ I hate you, I hate you! I won¡¯t ever forgive you¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao had not eaten or drunk anything. Her body was very weak, and her words were intermittent. She could not stop gagging and retching.. Chapter 198 - Chapter 198: Domestic Violence Chapter 198: Domestic Violence Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Xu, Jiao, Jiao!¡± Hearing her say that she hated him, that he was the worst, and that she would never forgive him, Qi Shenbai¡¯s heart twisted in his chest. ¡°Take that back.¡± ¡°No, I refuse! It¡¯s the truth. You¡¯re a liar, a bully! I want to go home. I want my brother.¡± Xu Jiaojiao could no longer control her emotions. She only wanted to vent all her anger, regardless of how much the man in front of her used to love her. Qi Shenbai pulled her over and looked at her with fire in his eyes. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao!¡± Xu Jiaojiao still wanted to say something, but her voice would not come out. Her body felt light as she collapsed to the side. Qi Shenbai hurriedly caught her. All his anger and frustration dissipated in an instant and turned into worry. An hour later, they were in the emergency room. Xu Jiaojiao slowly opened her eyes, but the light was blinding, so she had no choice but to close them. Then, she slowly opened them again. ¡°You¡¯re finally awake.¡± Qi Shenbai, who had been worried the entire time, finally felt relieved. Xu Youyou met his eyes and could not help but feel hurt. Her eyes turned red and she turned away from him. ¡°The doctor said that you¡¯re malnourished and didn¡¯t get enough sleep. Why do you treat yourself like this the moment I¡¯m gone?¡± Qi Shenbai was not blaming her, but he was just so worried. Xu Jiaojiao still refused to look at him or reply. The corners of her mouth twitched as she tried her best not to cry. She did not want to cry over such a person. Qi Shenbai saw that her shoulders were shaking, and his expression turned depressed. ¡°Do you have some sort of misunderstanding about me?¡± How was there a misunderstanding? She had dreamed it, and she had seen it with her own eyes. There was no denying it anymore¡­ Qi Shenbai walked to her side. ¡°The doctor said that you¡¯re too weak. You have to eat something. I¡¯ll explain to you after you eat, okay?¡± ¡®I don¡¯t want to listen to you. You¡¯re the worst!¡¯ Xu Jiaojiao turned around and faced the other side. She ignored him and covered her head with the blanket. ¡°Did someone tell you something? Don¡¯t believe anything they say. They have to be lying.¡± Qi Shenbai saw that she was ignoring him, so he could only persuade her. Xu Jiaojiao thought to herself, ¡®But no one told me. I saw it with my own eyes¡­¡¯ Thinking of that scene, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart still ached terribly. Seeing that his persuasion was fruitless, Qi Shenbai could only use force. He picked her up, blanket and all. Then, he peeled away the blanket to reveal her small head with messy hair. Her face was red from holding in her emotions, and there were even tears on her face. Despite everything, she still cried¡­ Right now, she looked utterly pitiful. Qi Shenbai found her behavior infuriating, but he also found it a little funny. The corners of his mouth curled up. Seeing him laugh at her, Xu Jiaojiao felt even more upset. They were right, all men were pigs, and he was no exception. He was even worse than Lu Zhuo. Qi Shenbai smoothed her messy hair and wiped the tears on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore. If you continue crying, you¡¯ll lose your brain cells.¡± ¡°I already have! That¡¯s why I fell for your lies. I¡¯m the biggest fool in the world.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt upset and angry¡­ ¡°How did I lie to you?¡± Qi Shenbai was helpless. Was he still not admitting it? ¡°I saw it with my own eyes,¡± Xu Jiao jiao said stubbornly. ¡°What did you see?¡± Qi Shenbai continued to ask patiently. ¡°I saw that you have a child and a wife. If you already have everything, why did you still seduce me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao hated Qi Shenbai for that. It made her feel that everything in the past was fake, and she felt that she had never had anything. Qi Shenbai could only shake his head and smile helplessly. ¡°Why are you still smiling?¡± How could he smile at a time like this? ¡°You lied to me. Do you still have a conscience?¡± Xu Jiaojiao accused him as she tugged at his collar. ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, you¡¯re really stupid.¡± She should have known. Capitalists like him did not have a conscience. Why was he so terrible? Suddenly, Xu Jiaojiao stopped crying and became even angrier. He had lied to her and did not feel guilty at all. He even called her stupid. He was the worst, the absolute worst! ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, you said that I have a wife and children, but don¡¯t you know that marrying twice is a crime?¡± Qi Shenbai was calm and collected, not panicking at all. When Xu Jiaojiao heard this, she calmed down. Yes, they were not just dating. They were legally married. ¡°That means you¡¯re a liar and a criminal!¡± Qi Shenbai pinched her little face and said, ¡°Let me tell you, I will only ever have one wife in my life, and that is you, Xu Jiaojiao.¡± Xu Jiaojiao grimaced in pain. ¡°You hit me! That¡¯s domestic violence.¡± Qi Shenbai blinked. Was that considered domestic violence? ¡°I¡¯m telling my brother!¡± Xu Jiaojiao enunciated each word clearly. ¡°What do you think Xu Zhengyang can do to me?¡± Even if Qi Shenbai held an arm behind his back, Xu Zhengyang might not be his match. Xu Jiaojiao suddenly felt as if the sky had turned dark. Why did she grab him back then? The heartless capitalist was still so overbearing.. Chapter 199 - Chapter 199: So He Isn’t Your Son? Chapter 199: So He Isn¡¯t Your Son? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation The problem was that her brother was still his subordinate. They were at his mercy. ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m not going to be your mistress, and I¡¯m not going to share my husband with anyone else. I want a divorce.¡± There were plenty of fish in the sea. She did not have to insist on this one. If anything, she could look for the person who pulled her out of her despair back then. Perhaps he was still single. ¡°We are not getting divorced!¡± Qi Shenbai was firm and domineering. ¡°There can only be two situations for you and me. One is that you¡¯re my wife, and the other is that you¡¯re my widow.¡± Qi Shenbai would not let her off so easily. She would be his for the rest of her life, until the day he died. Xu Jiaojiao felt suffocated and even despaired¡­ ¡°Xu Jiaojiao, am I that useless? My feelings for you are so deep, and you can¡¯t even feel it?¡± Qi Shenbai whispered into her ear, and she could feel his warm breath. ¡°I love you. I love you so very much. My life is yours.¡± Qi Shenbai continued to whisper into her ear. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but be surprised. Her face also turned red, but she still insisted, ¡°Don¡¯t say such nice nothings. I won¡¯t fall for it¡­¡± She would not be fooled. He was a scumbag. ¡°It¡¯s not nothing. It¡¯s all true. I worry about you every day. I miss you. I want to be with you 24/7. Even I can¡¯t stand how little backbone I have in front of you.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s fair fingers brushed across her cheek. Qi Shenbai knew that he had never been like this before. He also knew that he was done for. He had fallen irreversibly in love with Xu Jiaojiao. In front of outsiders, he was the high and mighty CEO, but in front of Xu Jiaojiao, he was humble and pitiful. He had never cared so much about anyone before. He was only on good terms with Xu Zhengyang because Xu Zhengyang was capable. If Qi Shenbai did not him, his enemies would. As for Lin Feng, it was because of his family background. The two families had business dealings and were of similar age. Naturally, they could get along well. For Qi Yunduo, he cared because her existence held value to him. However, Xu Jiaojiao was different. She was an indispensable part of his life. In the past, he had never thought of getting married. It was as if women and children were optional to him, but Xu Jiaojiao was an exception. She was a woman he would rather tie up than lose. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart warmed up as if it had been touched by the sun. However, she reminded herself that she could not believe him. She could not let herself fall for him again just because of his sweet words. ¡°Shut up.¡± Xu Jiaojiao said stubbornly, but she did not dare to look into his eyes. ¡°No, I want to tell you that you¡¯ve misunderstood. The boy you saw is called Zhou Xiaojie. His mother¡¯s name is Leng Bing.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s expression was dark. ¡°Zhou?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°So he isn¡¯t your son?¡± ¡°No,¡± Qi Shenbai replied patiently. ¡°I¡¯m still a virgin! I¡¯m waiting for you to take my virginity from me!¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt her ears heat up, and her heart was filled with joy. ¡°What are you saying? Don¡¯t you know shame?¡± ¡°Do you trust me now?¡± Qi Shenbai touched her hot ears. ¡°Yes, I believe you,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said softly. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can take you to see them.¡± Qi Shenbai did not have any scruples at all. He had nothing to hide. ¡°There¡¯s no need. You¡¯ve already said that you¡¯re a virgin, so why shouldn¡¯t I believe you?¡± He had already told her his secret. She had no reason not to believe him after that. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but giggle in delight. ¡°Is it that funny?¡± Qi Shenbai asked. ¡°No.¡± Xu Jiaojiao still laughed. ¡°You¡¯re obviously laughing at me!¡± Qi Shenbai pouted. ¡°I¡¯m not, I swear,¡± Xu Jiaojiao emphasized. ¡°Attagirl!¡± Qi Shenbai scratched the tip of her nose. ¡°Then why did he call you Daddy?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not know why this was happening. Qi Shenbai thought for a moment and deliberately kept her in suspense. ¡°You have to eat first. I¡¯ll tell you after dinner.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to stay in the hospital¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao hated hospitals because the CCTN treatment had left a shadow in her heart. ¡°Then shall we go back to the hotel?¡± Qi Shenbai was extremely gentle. ¡°Okay!¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded in agreement. Then, Qi Shenbai instructed Pei Yan to inform Leng Bing that he would take Xu Jiaojiao back to the hotel first. Qi Shenbai ordered food on the way back. When he returned to the hotel, the food was already delivered. Xu Jiaojiao did not eat at the dining table. Instead, she sat on the carpet and ate at the coffee table while watching foreign movies on television. Looking at Xu Jiaojiao eating, Qi Shenbai could not help but be intoxicated. Her table manners were so beautiful and adorable. He had never felt so gentle and satisfied in his heart. He wanted to reach out and hug her, but instead, he placed his hand on her head and caressed it dotingly.. Chapter 200 - Chapter 200: Misunderstanding Resolved Chapter 200: Misunderstanding Resolved Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°What?¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked up at him. ¡°You¡¯re too cute,¡± Qi Shenbai could not help but praise her. ¡°They said cute means ugly but adorable!¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s clear eyes looked into his deep eyes. ¡°Who said that? Cuteness is the pinnacle of praise. Beauty will pass, but cuteness won¡¯t.¡± Qi Shenbai emphasized. Xu Jiaojiao was in a good mood after being showered in praise. She nibbled on another piece of lamb chop. Looking at the faint bags under Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes, Qi Shenbai knew that she had not slept well. After dinner, he ordered room service to clear everything away and told her to go to sleep. Xu Jiaojiao went to the bathroom to take a shower and put on the shirt he had prepared for her. Her bra from yesterday was already dirty and she could not wear it anymore, so she went braless. Although her chest was covered by the shirt, she still felt insecure. She jogged across the room and hid under the blanket, covering her face and revealing only her big watery eyes. Qi Shenbai always stayed in a presidential suite. When Xu Jiaojiao was showering, he went to another room to shower. When he returned, he was already dressed in his pajamas and standing in front of Xu Jiaojiao. When Xu Jiaojiao saw him, she asked nervously, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sleep in another room?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to hear about Zhou Xiaojie?¡± Qi Shenbai deliberately aroused her curiosity. Speaking of this, Xu Jiaojiao became energetic and no longer felt sleepy. She directly patted the big bed and motioned for Qi Shenbai to come over. Qi Shenbai obediently walked over to the bed and sat down. Xu Jiaojiao very understandingly covered him with a blanket. ¡°Go on!¡± ¡°Sigh¡­¡± Qi Shenbai sighed softly, not knowing where to start. After a long time, Xu Jiaojiao could not help but poke his chest with her small hand. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Qi Shenbai grabbed her delicate hand and placed it on his chest to stop her from moving. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as desire rose in his heart. ¡°Hmm¡­ Zhou Xiaojie¡¯s father is Zhou Jie. He died in a car accident before the boy was born. However, the Zhou family never agreed to Zhou Jie¡¯s relationship with Leng Bing, and they refuse to acknowledge Zhou Xiaojie either. ¡°I grew up with Zhou Jie. We even went overseas together. After he passed away, I couldn¡¯t leave his child alone. At that time, Leng Bing wasn¡¯t doing good, so I lent her a hand. Later, when the child was born, she made me his godfather to express their gratitude.¡± Someone like Qi Shenbai definitely did not need Leng Bing¡¯s gratitude. However, she was very persistent, so he relented. When the child first learned to speak, he asked Zhou Xiaojie to call him Godfather, but he kept insisting on calling him Daddy. Leng Bing had corrected him many times, but to no avail. Qi Shenbai did not argue with the child and let him do as he pleased. He thought that the boy would naturally change his mind once he got older. However, he did not expect it to cause today¡¯s misunderstanding. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lil Bai.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt a little guilty. ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± Qi Shenbai was still holding her soft little hand. ¡°You¡¯re so kind, but I misunderstood you. I really shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Xu Jiaojiao knew that she had made a mistake today, but she did not know why she could not keep calm at all. Kind? She actually described him like that? If these words came out of someone else¡¯s mouth, he would definitely think they were being sarcastic or insincere. However, for some reason, when Xu Jiaojiao said it, he felt very encouraged. If she liked to think of him as a kind person, he would be a kind person from now on. ¡°Either way, the misunderstanding is resolved now!¡± Qi Shenbai did not want Xu Jiaojiao to blame herself. ¡°But I was so impulsive and even scolded you¡­ I wasn¡¯t that kind of person to begin with¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao was frustrated. ¡°You were impulsive because you love me! If you didn¡¯t care about me, you wouldn¡¯t be so upset. I don¡¯t blame you.¡± Qi Shenbai could barely even bear to see her frown! Why would he ever blame her? ¡°Actually, you¡¯ve already handled it very well. After you found out about this, you didn¡¯t choose to call me and break up with me over the phone. Instead, you came to find me face-to-face. That¡¯s rare enough. ¡°I wasn¡¯t as mature as you at your age! I definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to handle things as well as you did.¡± If Qi Shenbai was still in his twenties when he met Xu Jiaojiao as she was now, he might have fallen for her. However, he would definitely have used his rationality to suppress his feelings and not marry her. However, Qi Shenbai had been lonely and cold for far too long by now. Once he met the sunny and adorable Xu Jiaojiao, his love was like a flood, pouring out unstoppably. Did she hear wrongly? Lil Bai seemed to be praising her. But why? She was a fussy, crying mess right now. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but blush. She felt that Qi Shenbai did not need to praise her like this. ¡°Lil Bai, you¡¯re so nice. You even praised me instead of blaming me..¡± Chapter 201 - Chapter 201: I’ve Already Troubled Him Enough Chapter 201: I¡¯ve Already Troubled Him Enough Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°I¡­ I just like you too much!¡± Xu Jiaojiao could not hold back her overflowing fondness for him right now. ¡°You just like me?¡± Qi Shenbai still felt unsatisfied. ¡°No, I¡­ love you!¡± Xu Jiaojiao finally understood how much she loved Qi Shenbai. If it were not for today¡¯s incident, she would not have understood. She used to think she loved the man who had helped her walk out of her depression. Now, however, her feelings for Qi Shenbai were much deeper than her feelings for that man. At the thought of this, Xu Jiaojiao could not help but remind herself that she could not think of that person anymore. That would make her a huge scumbag, and she could never let Lil Bai know about her thoughts. Otherwise, he would definitely be jealous and angry. ¡°But¡­ How did you know about Zhou Xiaojie?¡± Qi Shenbai could not understand. Did someone tell her? Who? What was their intention? ¡°I¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao fell silent. She could not explain. Even if she did, Qi Shenbai would not believe her. He might even laugh at her for randomly finding excuses. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me?¡± Qi Shenbai knew that there was a lot she could not tell him. ¡°Yeah!¡± Xu Jiaojiao nodded. ¡°It¡¯s your choice. If you don¡¯t want to tell me, then don¡¯t.¡± He always indulged her like this. ¡°You¡¯re not angry?¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked into his eyes in confusion. ¡°I¡¯m not angry. Besides, I messed up. If I had told you earlier, there wouldn¡¯t have been such a misunderstanding today.¡± Qi Shenbai was tolerant and magnanimous. ¡°Also, I have to thank you.¡± ¡°Thank me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was in disbelief. ¡°Yes, you taught me that apologizing is actually very easy.¡± He had never apologized to anyone except Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°You don¡¯t need to apologize.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt that Qi Shenbai had not done anything wrong. ¡°I do, because I don¡¯t want you to be sad.¡± Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao with a burning gaze. ¡°Also, after what happened today, I finally know how much you love me.¡± ¡®You love me as much as I love you.¡¯ ¡°Am I that impressive?¡± Xu Jiaojiao had never thought that she would one day teach Qi Shenbai anything. ¡°You¡¯re amazing. Your sincerity is very rare.¡± In today¡¯s society, honest apologies were getting rarer. However, Xu Jiaojiao actually apologized immediately after learning that she had misunderstood her, which was a rare thing indeed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing special.¡± Xu Jiaojiao twisted her body. ¡°Stop wriggling like that¡­¡± Qi Shenbai felt his entire body heat up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not know that she had riled him up again, so she took a step back. ¡°You¡­¡± Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao with a burning gaze. It was only then that Xu Jiaojiao realized what she had just done. ¡°I¡¯m talking about serious things right now! Why are you like this?¡± Her face was already extremely red. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault for wriggling like that¡­¡± Qi Shenbai wanted to say more, but he was afraid that he would scare the little girl off. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault!¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned her face away, not daring to look at him again. ¡°Alright, go to sleep!¡± Although he wanted her, he did not want to force her. Moreover, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes were frighteningly red. He had to let her sleep and rest as soon as possible. ¡°But¡­ can you sleep?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked softly. ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes flashed with a glint and a desire that was difficult to hide. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to lose your virginity?¡± Xu Jiaojiao probed carefully. The two of them loved each other, and they were cuddling with such sweet whispers. The mood was intoxicating to her. She gently lay on Qi Shenbai¡¯s chest and listened to his beating heart. ¡°Forget it!¡± Although Qi Shenbai also wanted to do it, it seemed that he should not do it today. ¡°Why not?¡± Xu Jiaojiao knew that he wanted it. ¡°Your eyebags are terrible! You should just rest tonight.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s heart ached for her. In any case, since she loved him so much, it was only a matter of time. ¡°I can hold on for a while,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she yawned. ¡°For a while? Do you look down on me that much?¡± Qi Shenbai said as he turned around and placed her on the bed with a look of defiance. II II Fine, she would just go to sleep! Xu Jiaojiao turned around and fell asleep in less than ten seconds. ¡°You said you could hold on for a while, but you fell asleep so quickly!¡± Qi Shenbai smirked, but his arm instinctively went through her neck and pulled her into his arms. As he looked at the sleeping child, his heart was filled with love. Pei Yan arrived at the hospital with the supplements he had bought. When he saw that Zhou Xiaojie was sleeping, he lowered his voice and said, ¡°Miss Leng, Mr. Qi still has something to take care of. He will return to Luo City directly after that.¡± Leng Bing paused for a moment. ¡°I¡¯ve already troubled him enough. Help me thank Mr. Qi..¡± Chapter 202 - Chapter 202: Guilty of Being Single Chapter 202: Guilty of Being Single Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Miss Leng, there¡¯s no need to be so polite. Even if it¡¯s for Mr. Zhou Jie¡¯s sake, Mr. Qi should still take care of you and your son.¡± Pei Yan¡¯s words implied something. He had been by Qi Shenbai¡¯s side for many years, so he naturally understood Qi Shenbai¡¯s thoughts. When Leng Bing heard this, a trace of loneliness flashed across her eyes. She understood. ¡°Miss Leng, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± After Pei Yan said what he needed to say, he naturally wanted to leave. ¡°Take care!¡± Leng Bing said gently. Pei Yan nodded and left the ward. The light in the ward was dim, and when it shone on Zhou Xiaojie¡¯s face, it made him look pale and gentle. Leng Bing stroked his soft hair. ¡°Good night, Xiaojie.¡± At dawn, Xu Jiaojiao woke up. She slept soundly that night and did not have a single dream. She turned around and stared the man lying beside her with a burning gaze. How could he be so good-looking? Xu Jiaojiao could not help but kiss the man she loved on the lips. In the end, the man opened his eyes and pressed her under him, not letting the kiss go. ¡°You were pretending to be asleep!¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted angrily. ¡°No, I was woken up by your kiss,¡± Qi Shenbai denied, then kissed her deeply again. His kiss was passionate and rhythmic, driving her crazy. The two of them were smitten with each other, as if neither of them was willing to let the other go. In the end, he was the first let go. ¡°Can I eat you now, my little bunny?¡± ¡°Who are you calling a bunny?¡± Xu Jiaojiao refused to admit it, but she did cry like a bunny yesterday. ¡°You, of course!¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s tone was as gentle as a stream in the forest. ¡°No way,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said coquettishly. ¡°The point is the eating part, not the bunny.¡± Only then did Qi Shenbai reveal his true beastly ambitions. Xu Jiaojiao knew what he was talking about, and her cheeks turned red. She lowered her head, not daring to look into his eyes. Seeing that she was silent, Qi Shenbai pinched her chin and kissed her even harder. ¡°Don¡¯t cry!¡± If she cried, he really did not know what to do. After all, this was their first time. Neither of them had any experience. ¡°I¡¯m not going to cry!¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt like she was being looked down upon. ¡°I¡¯m not a crybaby puppy.¡± With that, Qi Shenbai threw all caution to the winds. Half an hour later¡­ Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes were red as a rabbit from crying too much. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being a crybaby puppy right now?¡± Qi Shenbai was helpless. ¡°Woof woof¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao acted shamelessly. ¡°¡­¡± Qi Shenbai really could not do anything to her. Looking at her red eyes, he actually felt that she was a little cute and charming. Qi Shenbai could not hold it in anymore¡­ Later, they were at the Michelin-starred restaurant. It was not yet time to eat, so there were very few people in the restaurant. Xu Jiaojiao ate silently as if she was not talking to Qi Shenbai at all. Regardless, Qi Shenbai took very good care of her. Even though she was giving him the cold shoulder, he still served her food, poured her water, and wiped her mouth¡­ He was extremely meticulous. Right now, Qi Shenbai was very happy. He felt that his entire body was emitting an aura of bliss¡­ She was the only one in his eyes. His gaze did not stray for even a second. Just then, Pei Yan walked over. ¡°Mr. Qi, the tickets have been booked. The flight is at two in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Qi Shenbai said indifferently. He did not look at his assistant and stared at the little girl eating. She was so cute even when she was eating. He could not help but stare at her. ¡°It¡¯s time to leave?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve taken care of everything.¡± If Leng Bing had not been hospitalized yesterday, he might have gotten up and gone back yesterday. ¡°I¡¯m asking him!¡± Xu Jiaojiao looked at Pei Yan. ¡°Why two o¡¯clock?¡± There were still a few hours until two in the afternoon. Pei Yan was stunned. He did not expect the CEO to be rebuked. Could it be that he had not coaxed Young Madam well last night? Qi Shenbai did not get angry after being rebuked. Instead, he looked at Xu Jiaojiao with even more patience. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, you can choose your own gift.¡± Qi Shenbai thought that the thing she chose herself should be her favorite! There were times when Mr. Qi was not too confident in himself, either! ¡°I don¡¯t want to!¡± Xu Jiaojiao still seemed to be angry. Qi Shenbai smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. I promise to be gentler next time.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s angry with you?¡± Xu Jiaojiao finally smiled. Pei Yan bit his lip.¡±¡­¡± It seemed like he was worried for nothing. Those two were fine! ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re not angry.¡± Qi Shenbai smiled and gently kissed her face. ¡°Why are you like this? There¡¯s someone else watching.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was a little shy in front of Pei Yan. ¡°Who¡¯s there? I don¡¯t see anyone.¡± Qi Shenbai pretended not to know. Pei Yan¡¯s eye twitched. Was he not human? ¡®Fine! I¡¯m guilty of being single!¡¯ Chapter 203 - Chapter 203: Youre Going the Wrong Way Chapter 203: You¡¯re Going the Wrong Way Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Lil Bai, I like you the way you usually are.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt that Qi Shenbai had been affected by her brother. Of all people, he had to imitate his brother¡¯s attitude. ¡°Don¡¯t imitate my brother. I don¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not imitating your brother!¡± Qi Shenbai scoffed. He never liked Xu Zhengyang¡¯s attitude and personality, so he lightly flicked Xu Jiaojiao on the forehead. Xu Jiaojiao pretended to wince in pain. Qi Shenbai held his hands up to protest his innocence. He barely used any strength at all! Under Qi Shenbai¡¯s strong insistence, Xu Jiaojiao eventually followed him to the department store to choose a gift. They walked in front, while the bodyguards followed them from a short distance away, keeping their distance. Xu Jiaojiao did not lack clothes and did not care much about jewelry. She only stopped when she reached an art gallery. There was a very warm painting of a young man and a young woman leaning against each other. The sunlight shone on them, making them look gentle and serene. ¡°You like it?¡± Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s dazed expression. ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± Xu Jiaojiao agreed softly. ¡°This painting isn¡¯t perfect, but it¡¯s very artistic. I think I can sense the artist¡¯s heart. His heart must be gentle and peaceful.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s buy it!¡± Without thinking, Qi Shenbai gave Pei Yan a look. Pei Yan naturally knew what Qi Shenbai meant, so he went to contact the owner of the gallery¡­ ¡°Will it be very expensive?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was a little hesitant. Since they have such a gorgeous art gallery in such a big mall, the paintings must be expensive, right? ¡°It¡¯s not that expensive!¡± Qi Shenbai said firmly. ¡°How much is it?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked cautiously, afraid of hearing that terrifying figure. ¡°Not much, just 200,000 yuan,¡± Qi Shenbai said, knowing that this was within Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s acceptable range. 200,000 yuan? The painting worth two million yuan was said to be 200,000 yuan. Pei Yan was very worried about the future of the Qi Group! ¡°Oh!¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled. ¡°Then I think the shop owner sold it for too little. This painting looks like it¡¯s worth more than 200,000 yuan!¡± ¡°Not everyone is as discerning as you.¡± Qi Shenbai was not stingy with his praises. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve picked up a treasure.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was even happier now. Qi Shenbai leaned over her shoulder, feeling satisfied and happy. Spending two million bucks on her smile was worth it! After getting off the plane, Cang Xing waited for the two of them. Seeing them walk out hand in hand, Cang Xing was relieved. As expected, the Madam missed Mr. Qi so much that she cried. He had to remind Mr. Qi next time that he could not go on a business trip for more than three days. If he did, the Madam would cry. The two of them got into the car together. They were still holding hands. It was so sweet that Cang Xing, who was single, was envious. ¡°Oh no!¡± Xu Jiaojiao suddenly said as she slapped her forehead. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s heart ached as he held her other hand. He would not allow her to hit herself like this. ¡°I told someone that I wanted to give them a painting, but I forgot all about it.¡± At this moment, Xu Jiaojiao remembered her promise with Huo Siming. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Just call them,¡± Qi Shenbai said as he reached for his phone. ¡°I don¡¯t have their contact information¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao was helpless. Qi Shenbai cocked his eyebrow. How did that happen? ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll go with you to explain to that person.¡± Qi Shenbai thought that it was because of him that this happened, so he should go with her. ¡°There¡¯s no need. I¡¯ll go by myself!¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt that since she had broken her promise, it would be better for her to explain herself. Then, she looked at Qi Shenbai strangely and thought, ¡®It¡¯s all your fault!¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s my fault, it¡¯s my fault.¡± Qi Shenbai apologized repeatedly. He had to go along with his little bunny. After his first taste of her, he knew how sweet she was. Of course, he had to coax her. Otherwise, what if she did not let him take her again next time? ¡°It¡¯s not your fault¡­¡± When Xu Jiaojiao saw that Qi Shenbai was really apologizing, she was not angry with him anymore. In the end, it was all because of her stupid dream that led to this outcome. She could not blame him. Moreover, he was apologizing so sincerely. She should not take his affection so lightly. Better safe than sorry! ¡°Then let¡¯s go home first. You can go meet up with them after we settle down.¡± Xu Jiaojiao had no objections to Qi Shenbai¡¯s suggestion. Back at Qingshui Villa¡­ When Xu Jiaojiao returned, she greeted the butler before returning to her room to take a shower. At the same time, she changed her clothes and prepared to draw. Just as she reached the door of the room, Qi Shenbai pulled her back. ¡°You¡¯re going the wrong way.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not! My room is here.¡± Xu Jiaojiao pointed at her room. Qi Shenbai looked at her meaningfully until she remembered something.. ¡°Don¡¯t do that! The butler and the others will know¡­¡± Chapter 204 - Chapter 204: Am I Not Working Hard Enough? Chapter 204: Am I Not Working Hard Enough? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°So what if they know? We¡¯re legally married.¡± It was perfectly normal for them to stay in the same room. Besides, they were no longer just a couple on paper anymore. They were lovers who were connected in body and soul. Xu Jiaojiao knew that Qi Shenbai was right to think this way. However, she was still a little embarrassed and her cheeks were red. ¡°But I have a lot of things in that room¡­¡± ¡°Then move them over!¡± How could Qi Shenbai let her off? ¡°I don¡¯t want others to touch my things.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was still trying to find an excuse for herself, even though she had already agreed in her heart. ¡°I can touch your things, right?¡± Qi Shenbai would rather go through the trouble of ¡®moving¡¯ than let the little girl go back to her room. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if it¡¯s just a needle, I won¡¯t miss any one of your things. I¡¯ll move them all over.¡± Xu Jiaojiao blushed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go take a shower first.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going in the wrong direction again.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s large hand grabbed her small hand and pulled her over. Unable to dissuade her, Xu Jiaojiao could only run into Qi Shenbai¡¯s room. As Qi Shenbai looked at her back, his heart was filled with happiness. Qi Shenbai packed everything up very quickly. By the time Xu Jiaojiao came out of the bathroom, he was almost done. Her clothes were neatly hung in the closet. Her pillow, tablet, brushes¡­ even all her rubber bands were neatly kept away. When she emerged, he was placing her underwear in the drawers one by one. When Xu Jiaojiao came out, she happened to see it and asked shyly, ¡°Why are you moving my underwear too?¡± She looked at Qi Shenbai reproachfully and subconsciously felt shy. Qi Shenbai leaned towards her and pressed his body against hers. ¡°I¡¯ve even removed your underwear before. What¡¯s wrong with tidying them up?¡± She was wearing his black shirt, revealing her straight, white legs. Her eyes sparkled, and her cheeks were flushed. It was a deadly temptation for a man who had just experienced a taste of physical love. Qi Shenbai¡¯s breathing quickened. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he kissed her lips. ¡°You¡¯re not wearing any now?¡± When Xu Jiaojiao heard this, her face became even hotter. ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a no. Uh-oh, I won¡¯t be able to take it off tonight,¡± Qi Shenbai teased. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s body was soft, emitting the fragrance of shower gel. This was the same fragrance as his body. She had just used his shower gel. Just like him, she was intoxicated by this romantic charm. Lil Bai was getting worse and worse. Qi Shenbai did not worry about that. He rubbed his lips against her ear and pulled her into his arms. He carried her to the bed, opened the drawer, and began to claim what he was owed for the past three months. Early the next morning, Xu Jiaojiao felt her back ache. Although he did not do it thirteen times a night, she felt even more tired than if he had. Xu Jiaojiao, who had just tasted the forbidden fruit for the first time, felt that this was really physical work. Thinking about it, it was possible that Lil Bai did it on purpose to tire her out. When she went downstairs, she saw Qi Shenbai sitting at the dining table, answering a call. When he saw her, he waved at her, indicating for her to sit on his lap. Xu Jiaojiao would not do that. All the servants in the house were there. How shameless could she be? She tried to sit down on the chair next to him, but Qi Shenbai was not going to let her off easily. Before her butt could even touch the chair, Qi Shenbai carried her over and sat her on his lap. The butler and servants could not help but laugh when they saw this. Then, they put down the food and left tactfully. ¡°Put me down.¡± Xu Jiaojiao just mouthed the words. Qi Shenbai shook his head as he took the call. Xu Jiaojiao had no choice but to sneak a peek at the door. Seeing that there was no one there, she gently kissed Qi Shenbai on the lips. However, Qi Shenbai still refused to let her go. He continued to hug her tightly, preventing her from moving. However, a trace of a smile flashed across his eyes. Xu Jiaojiao was no fool, so she naturally knew what he meant. Hence, she gave him a very serious kiss on his thin lips. Only then did Qi Shenbai let go of her waist. When Xu Jiaojiao saw that he had let go, she hurriedly sat to the side and gave him a reproachful look. ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± Qi Shenbai mouthed. Naturally, Xu Jiaojiao had to eat. He did not need to remind her. However, she had always eaten very little. By the time Qi Shenbai finished the call, she had also finished eating. ¡°Is that all?¡± Qi Shenbai frowned. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt a little full. ¡°No, it¡¯s not!¡± Qi Shenbai was domineering. He picked up a small steamed dumpling and placed it in her bowl. ¡°I¡¯m full!¡± Xu Jiaojiao protested. ¡°Is it because I didn¡¯t work you hard enough last night?¡± Qi Shenbai was still frowning. He looked like he was blaming her, but in fact, he was doting on her. Xu Jiaojiao blushed and lowered her head, obediently eating the soup dumplings. ¡®Oh my god! Please let me go! Even my toes are tired now!¡¯ Qi Shenbai, on the other hand, kept staring at her until she finished eating. Once he was satisfied, he finally left for work.. Chapter 205 - Chapter 205: Was She Stupid? Chapter 205: Was She Stupid? Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Coincidentally, Xu Jiaojiao did not have class today, so she finished her painting at home. At noon, she finally took the painting to the art gallery, but unfortunately, she could not find Huo Siming anywhere. After asking the staff, she found out that Huo Siming had waited from the afternoon until late at night yesterday. Before he left, he told the staff to throw the painting away. ¡°Where did you throw it?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face was filled with anxiety. ¡°I threw it into the trash can in the back alley,¡± the staff informed her. Xu Jiaojiao took a deep breath and hurriedly turned around to go to the back alley. This was a place specially used to store trash cans. There were about a dozen of them. In the summer, this place was even more smelly. However, Xu Jiaojiao did not care and started rummaging through the nearest trash can. After flipping through the trash a few times, a lot of flies swarmed around her. The smell was really unpleasant. Xu Jiaojiao wanted to vomit a few times, but she did not want to give up like this, so she straightened her body and continued to search. There was no classification of the trash here. Everything was mixed together, from junk to food scraps. The leftover takeout was especially disgusting. It was summer, and the sun was scorching hot. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s back was drenched in sweat, and her clothes were soon drenched, sticking to her body. It was very uncomfortable. She searched eight or nine cans in a row with her weak arms, but she could not find it at all. Exhausted, she did not care about the mess and sat on the ground. ¡°You gave up so quickly? It seems that you don¡¯t like it much.¡± A cold voice suddenly came from beside her. Even in this hot summer, she could not help but shiver. Xu Jiaojiao looked up and met Huo Siming¡¯s eyes. There seemed to be no emotion in his eyes, and his facial features were exceptionally cold. ¡°Huo Siming!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was extremely excited to see him. Her attitude did not improve his. ¡°Who are you? Do we know each other?¡± Xu Jiaojiao knew that he was angry. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s my fault. I missed our appointment because I had something particularly important to do yesterday.¡± Then, she bowed deeply to him. However, he did not seem to buy it. ¡°If apologizing solves everything, why do we need the police?¡± ¡°Regardless, I still have to apologize to you. It¡¯s my fault, so I have to admit it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not care if he accepted it or not. In any case, she was in the wrong, so she apologized first. ¡°Still, I just broke my promise. I don¡¯t think it has anything to do with the police, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the painting has already been thrown into the trash can. Even if you find it, it¡¯s useless now.¡± Huo Siming¡¯s eyes were still cold. ¡°How do you know if it¡¯s useless? Do you know which trash can it¡¯s in?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked tentatively. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Huo Siming replied firmly and coldly. ¡°If you don¡¯t know, then forget it. I¡¯ll find it myself.¡± Xu Jiaojiao encouraged herself. She had already searched eight or nine trash cans. There weren¡¯t many left. If she persevered, she might be able to find it soon. She rolled up his sleeves and prepared to start. Huo Siming watched as she rummaged through the trash can without any regard for her own safety. A glint flashed across his eyes before his gaze landed on the painting tube in the corner. His heart seemed to be bewitched by something. He walked to the painting tube and opened it¡­ A familiar face entered his sight. The man in the painting had a vivid look in his eyes. His facial features were handsome, perfectly accentuated by the colors and the lighting¡­ ¡°Did you draw me?¡± Huo Siming asked. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied as she rummaged through the smelly trash can. Her clothes were already dirty, and her hair was tied up in a bun. Beads of sweat had already drenched her hair. ¡°You¡¯ve only seen me once and you can draw me already?¡± Huo Siming was in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s right! I often draw people, so I¡¯m especially sensitive to facial features. I can remember faces very quickly,¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied. ¡°Besides, you look a little like someone I know.¡± Huo Siming did not say anything. Instead, he looked at the painting for a long time. ¡°Stop!¡± he finally said. ¡°No, I have to find it. I really like that painting. Even if it¡¯s damaged, I have to repair it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was persistent as she wiped the sweat from her temples. ¡°I told you to stop.¡± Huo Siming grabbed her wrist. ¡°I already said no.¡± Xu Jiaojiao wanted to continue, but Huo Siming grabbed her and stopped her from moving. ¡°I didn¡¯t throw the painting away,¡± Huo Siming said as he shook off her hand with a look of disdain. ¡°You didn¡¯t throw it away?¡± Xu Jiaojiao smiled excitedly. ¡°I didn¡¯t throw it away. I¡¯ll give it to you,¡± Huo Siming said. ¡°That¡¯s great! Thank you!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was overjoyed. ¡°You¡¯re still thanking me?¡± Huo Siming could not understand. He had lied to her and said that he had thrown the painting away, causing her to search through all these dirty trash cans.. Despite that, she still thanked him? Was she stupid?! Chapter 206 - Chapter 206: Dumb and Cute Chapter 206: Dumb and Cute Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°That¡¯s right! I want to thank you! You didn¡¯t throw the painting away and even gave it to me. Of course, I have to thank you.¡± Xu Jiaojiao knew that the painting was not lost, so she felt relaxed now. ¡°You¡¯re not angry?¡± Huo Siming looked puzzled. ¡°I¡¯m not angry! Why should I be angry? Is it because I went through the trash can? I was the one who wanted to go through it. It¡¯s not like you forced me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao had never been the kind of girl who fussed over these things. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m impressed.¡± Huo Siming meant it. There was a smile in the corners of his eyes. ¡°So, where¡¯s your painting?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked as she took a step closer to him. ¡°No, don¡¯t come near me.¡± Huo Siming looked as if he had seen a ghost. ¡°Why? Are you still angry?¡± Xu Jiaojiao moved closer. ¡°I told you not to come near me. You reek!¡± Huo Siming hurriedly covered his mouth and nose. ¡°Do I? Why don¡¯t I smell it?¡± Xu Jiaojiao continued to walk forward. This time, Huo Siming really could not take it anymore and ran away. Xu Jiaojiao chased him all the way to the back door of the mall before stopping. Then, she shouted, ¡°Huo Siming, are you not angry anymore?¡± Huo Siming stopped in his tracks. ¡°I won¡¯t stoop to a girl¡¯s level.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ve forgiven me?¡± Xu Jiaojiao shouted happily. ¡°Stop talking. I¡¯ll take you to a shower first, then change your clothes.¡± Huo Siming really could not stand Xu Jiaojiao like this. Half an hour later, Xu Jiaojiao came out of the bathroom. She was dressed in traditional Chinese clothes and looked like a classical beauty. Her hair was wet and dripped onto her traditional Chinese clothes, but her eyes were exceptionally clear. When the lady from the escape room saw her like this, she quickly said, ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful! Come work for me! I¡¯ll give you double the salary. Is that okay, Boss?¡± Then, she looked at Huo Siming. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t have time to work. I have to paint.¡± Xu Jiaojiao refused. Even if she had time, Lil Bai probably would not agree! ¡°Then you can come here to play when you¡¯re free.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was too embarrassed to refuse the young lady¡¯s invitation, so she nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± The young lady was also a rather tactful person. After that, she went out to give the two of them some space to interact. ¡°Where¡¯s the painting?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked bluntly when she saw the young lady leave. She had become like this because of the painting. She had to get the painting. Huo Siming could not help but shake his head. He really had no way to deal with someone as persistent as her. He went to the cabinet and took out a box. The box was filled with paintings. Huo Siming walked over to Xu Jiaojiao with the paintings in his hands. ¡°Do you like it that much?¡± Everyone else thought that it was bloody and terrifying, but she was the only one who liked it¡­ ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯m good at drawing people, so I¡¯m very unfamiliar with this kind of painting. I want to learn from it.¡± Xu Jiaojiao had been observing other people¡¯s words recently. Mr. Sun said that her paintings were a little monotonous and lacked depth, so she wanted to learn more from other people¡¯s paintings. ¡°Do you really want to learn?¡± Huo Siming asked tentatively. ¡°Yes, I really, really, really want to learn.¡± Xu Jiaojiao emphasized that she was talking about something very important. ¡°If you want to learn so much, I can teach you.¡± Huo Siming put on a detached air. Xu Jiaojiao was smart and instantly reacted. ¡°Did you draw this?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Huo Siming was still as arrogant as ever. In truth, he was secretly delighted that his painting had been praised. ¡°You¡¯re amazing. You know how to draw, and you even opened an escape room! You seem to know everything.¡± Xu Jiaojiao hurriedly flattered Huo Siming. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll teach you,¡± Huo Siming promised. ¡°But¡­ I still have class in the afternoon.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt like she had missed something. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll pick you up after class.¡± Huo Siming did not care. Since he had decided to teach her, he wanted to hurry up before he lost his patience. Then, he asked Xu Jiaojiao for her WeChat contact. He was a little overbearing, making the unilateral decision regardless of whether Xu Jiaojiao agreed or not. The sun was setting, and twilight was creeping over the city. Lights were coming on in the city, shading it in warm colors. Xu Jiaojiao stood in a messy place. There were motorcycles and a lot of people, but she did not find it annoying. Instead, she was a little curious. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not understand why Huo Siming would come to such a place. She was holding the drink that Huo Siming had given her. It was cold and could cool her down. ¡°To ride, of course!¡± Huo Siming placed his hand on the railing. ¡°Are you an underground racer?¡± Although Xu Jiaojiao had never been here before, she had heard of it. ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Huo Siming shrugged. ¡°But this is illegal.¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Pfft!¡± The person beside him could not help but laugh. ¡°Master Ming, when did you change your tastes? She¡¯s so dumb and cute..¡± Chapter 207 - Chapter 207: Youre Married? Chapter 207: You¡¯re Married? Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Xu Jiaojiao was a little unhappy when she heard others talking about her like this, but she did not show it. She stayed polite, but she did not like these people. Huo Siming was displeased too. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± The man was not bothered by that. He giggled for a while, then left with his beer. They were in an open clearing, but the grass had been removed and a long asphalt road had been built over it. There were no lights here, and the only light was from the headlights of the motorcycles. The headlights were flashing, some of the guys were drinking beer, and someone was even barking. Xu Jiaojiao did not hate places like this, but she did not like it either. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Thank you for bringing me here,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she turned around to leave. ¡°Why are you leaving? Don¡¯t you like it?¡± Huo Siming asked. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t like it, it¡¯s just that it¡¯s not suitable for me. I only like to draw.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt that instead of staying here, it was better for her to go home and draw. To her, a place like this was not helpful at all. ¡°How is it not suitable? You¡¯ve never tried it before. I¡¯ll show you how it feels. I guarantee you¡¯ll like it,¡± Huo Siming said as he held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s wrist. ¡°I won¡¯t like it. Let go of me,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she twisted Hu Siming¡¯s fingers. Huo Siming lowered his head and saw the ring on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s ring finger. ¡°You¡¯re married?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not hid it at all. Upon hearing this, Huo Siming¡¯s expression changed drastically. It was so cold that it felt like it was about to freeze. He tightened his grip on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand as if he wanted to crush her. ¡°Ouch, that hurts!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was in pain from his grip. Only then did Huo Siming react and let go of her hand. ¡°This kind of place is quite exciting, but I don¡¯t think painting requires excitement. You should avoid these places from now on.¡± Xu Jiaojiao knew that adrenaline was like taking drugs. Once you became addicted, it was very dangerous. ¡°I can do whatever I want. It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Huo Siming was worked up. Xu Jiaojiao did not know why he suddenly acted like this, but she felt that his emotions were not very stable. ¡°Alright then, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. Have fun! Goodbye.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was about to leave. Upon hearing Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s words, Huo Siming¡¯s expression turned even uglier. However, Xu Jiaojiao did not care. Instead, she turned around and walked to the side of the road. At the same time, she called Cang Xing and asked him to pick her up. Huo Siming looked at her back view and felt frustrated, as if everything was annoying to him right now. Wasn¡¯t she in college? Why was she married? Had she been sold? When the man from before saw what had happened, he returned with his beer in hand. ¡°Is she being difficult? Do you need my help?¡± In this circle, it was very easy for them to get a girl. They had their ways. When Huo Siming heard this, his gaze was like a knife as he glanced at the man. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her, or I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°Alright, alright!¡± The man quickly apologized. ¡°Get lost!¡± Huo Siming glared at him. The man scrambled away. Huo Siming was still hung up on the girl. He looked at Xu Jiaojiao by the roadside and finally decided to go over. He quickly walked over to her o and said, ¡°There¡¯s no car here. I¡¯ll drive you back.¡± ¡°No need, someone will come and pick me up later,¡± Xu Jiaojiao refused. Upon hearing this, Huo Siming was furious. He had already put down his pride and taken the initiative to send her home, but she still did not appreciate his kindness? Fine! He would wash his hands of her completely from now on! After hearing this, he stormed away. Looking at his back, Xu Jiaojiao could not help but feel that this person was temperamental. In comparison, she still felt that Lil Bai was better. Twenty minutes later, Cang Xing drove over and stopped in front of Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Madam, why are you here?¡± Cang Xing could not believe that Xu Jiaojiao would come to such a place. ¡°A friend brought me here,¡± Xu Jiaojiao explained. Then, she lifted her dress and got into the car. Cang Xing stared at Xu Jiaojiao from the rear-view mirror. He wanted to say something, but in the end, he did not. They arrived back at Qingshui Villa. Xu Jiaojiao had just entered the house when she saw Qi Shenbai coming downstairs. The two of them met face to face. When Qi Shenbai saw Xu Jiaojiao dressed up, a trace of gloominess flashed across his eyes. ¡°Lil Bai!¡± Xu Jiaojiao jogged over to him, her ponytail swinging back and forth. She looked extremely adorable, and there was a hint of classical beauty in her cuteness. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s calm tone revealed a hint of gloominess. ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied obediently. ¡°Why are you back so early today? Aren¡¯t you busy with work?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not busy,¡± Qi Shenbai said and took the painting tube from her hand. The two of them held hands and walked upstairs. Pei Yan was about to come out of the study when he heard their footsteps and stopped. He thought to himself, ¡®Yeah, you¡¯re not busy. Because you shoved all the work onto me..¡¯ Chapter 208 - Chapter 208: Eat More to Nourish Your Mind Chapter 208: Eat More to Nourish Your Mind Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Do you want to eat?¡± Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s slightly exposed chest with a gloomy expression. ¡°No, thanks!¡± She had just finished a large drink and her stomach was already full. ¡°Okay!¡± Qi Shenbai replied indifferently and dragged her back to their room. As soon as they were inside, Qi Shenbai threw the painting tube on the floor and pressed Xu Jiaojiao against the wall. ¡°What?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was shocked, and Qi Shenbai immediately kissed her. ¡°Where did you get these clothes from?¡± Although the clothes were nice and could show off Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s perfect figure, he could not stand the thought of other men seeing her and even fantasizing about her. ¡°Someone lent me these clothes. My clothes got dirty,¡± Xu Jiaojiao explained. ¡°Don¡¯t return it. I¡¯ll buy it from them,¡± Qi Shenbai said and kissed her deeply again. ¡°You will?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was confused. ¡°Yes, because I want to tear it off.¡± Qi Shenbai moved his lips to her ear, and his heavy breathing accompanied his words. ¡°Why will you tear it off? This dress looks pretty good.¡± It was not that Xu Jiaojiao could not bear to part with it, but she did not know why Qi Shenbai was doing this. ¡°Because you provoked me.¡± As he spoke, Qi Shenbai kissed her lips again, this time even more fiercely. Xu Jiaojiao wanted to move her body, but he had already stopped her. ¡°Don¡¯t be like this. It¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Qi Shenbai stared at her. ¡°Doing it too frequently is not good for the kidneys.¡± They were doing it way too many times. If this continued, not only would Qi Shenbai not be able to take it, but she would burn out too. ¡°Ha! If I don¡¯t work hard, you can¡¯t brag about me online anymore,¡± Qi Shenbai said, twisting her logic. It seemed that he could not get over her little joke. ¡°Why are you always spying on me? I won¡¯t allow you to spy on me.¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt that she did not have any privacy anymore. Lil Bai was too evil. He always secretly checked her Weibo account. Most importantly, she still did not know what account he used or what his username was. ¡°I want to keep an eye on you,¡± Qi Shenbai said domineeringly. ¡°You¡¯re so mean!¡± Xu Jiaojiao huffed. Qi Shenbai ignored him and stroked her clothes with his slender fingers. ¡°Such a beautiful dress needs to be torn apart to show its value.¡± It was the height of summer now, and the weather was extremely hot. Xu Jiaojiao was about to go on holiday, but before that, she had to prepare for her exams. Therefore, no matter who asked her out, she would not go out. Even Qi Shenbai could only see her during dinner. After dinner, she went straight into the studio to start drawing. She only returned to her room late at night. During this period, Qi Shenbai had hinted to her many times, but she was very tired and did not seem to be interested. Qi Shenbai could not bear to see her like this, so he could only suppress his desires. However, he was not having a good time either. He had just lost his virginity, and now he had to abstain from sex and become a monk. This feeling really sucked! The day before the exam, Qi Shenbai and Xu Jiaojiao were having breakfast. Pei Yan came back from outside and saw the two of them eating breakfast. He greeted them, ¡°Hello, Mr. Qi and Mrs. Qi.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was eating, and her mouth was full. All she said was, ¡°Mm.¡± Pei Yan had a complicated expression on his face. Qi Shenbai saw it and said, ¡°If you have something to say, just say it!¡± There was nothing he could not let Xu Jiaojiao know. ¡°It¡¯s Miss Leng. She brought Young Master Zhou back to the country,¡± Pei Yan said softly. Qi Shenbai could not help but frown. ¡°Okay, got it.¡± He glanced at Xu Jiaojiao, who was eating next to him. She did not seem to be affected at all. ¡°Their plane will land in two hours,¡± Pei Yan said. ¡°Send someone to pick them up! Then settle them down,¡± Qi Shenbai continued. There was no need for Qi Shenbai to say anything about this. Pei Yan naturally knew what to do. With that, Pei Yan left Qingshui Villa. He knew Qi Shenbai¡¯s personality. It was not good for him to stay here any longer to avoid being implicated. ¡°Leng Bing brought Zhou Xiaojie back. He might settle down in Luo City,¡± Qi Shenbai explained to Xu Jiaojiao after Pei Yan left. ¡°Mm!¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s mouth was full, so she could only reluctantly agree. Ever since Xu Jiaojiao arrived, breakfast had become Chinese cuisine. Because she was used to eating like this, Qi Shenbai instructed the chef to make all kinds of dishes every day so that Xu Jiaojiao could eat properly. Now, it seemed that it was indeed effective. This little girl was eating voraciously. It was as if nothing else was more important than breakfast. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried at all?¡± Qi Shenbai finally could not help but ask. ¡°What should I be worried about?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked as she swallowed a mouthful of fried dumplings. What a blockhead! She was the kind that could anger him to death. Xu Jiaojiao seemed to have suddenly realized something. ¡°Are you going to spend time with them? You can go on your own. I won¡¯t be able to accompany you for the next few days. You can do your own thing.¡± What a carefree little girl! Qi Shenbai did not explain. Instead, he picked up another crab roe bun and placed it in her bowl. ¡°Eat more to nourish your mind..¡± Chapter 209 - Chapter 209: For the Person She Likes Chapter 209: For the Person She Likes Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Eating crab roe dumplings can nourish my mind? Are you being superstitious?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not believe him and quickly retorted. Fine, she was right. He was being superstitious, but this young lady was too innocent. He wondered if she would be at a disadvantage when she entered society in the future. Just as Qi Shenbai was worried, Qi Yunduo walked in from the door. ¡°Hello, Big Brother. Hello, Sister-in-law.¡± Xu Jiaojiao had just finished her small crab roe bun. ¡°Good morning, Yunduo.¡± Qi Shenbai specifically instructed the chef to make the buns smaller so that it would be easier for Xu Jiaojiao to eat them. Currently, Xu Jiaojiao was only thinking about exams. Exams were the only thing on her mind. After eating, she prepared to go upstairs to get her things and go to school. When Qi Yunduo saw Xu Jiaojiao go upstairs, she quietly walked to Qi Shenbai¡¯s side. However, Qi Shenbai¡¯s face was gloomy and he did not even look at her. ¡°Big brother¡­¡± Qi Yunduo said carefully. ¡°What is it? Just spit it out!¡± Qi Shenbai did not want to waste time with her. All he could think of was Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s nonchalant attitude. ¡°Can¡¯t I come to you for no reason?¡± Qi Yunduo asked. Hearing this, Qi Shenbai raised his head and looked at her¡­ Time passed bit by bit. He had no intention of looking away. Being stared at like this, Qi Yunxiao finally could not take it anymore. ¡°It¡¯s like this, Big Brother. I have a friend who passed our company¡¯s interview and the results of the second round are not bad. If he comes to the company, can you¡­¡± ¡°No!¡± Qi Shenbai answered without thinking. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen him yet, how do you know he can¡¯t do it?¡± Qi Yunduo felt that her brother was so heartless! She had not even finished speaking, and he already said no¡­ He did not give her any face at all! She was still a member of the Qi family, after all! ¡°There¡¯s no need for me to meet him. You two aren¡¯t compatible.¡± Qi Shenbai did not want to waste his breath on her and went straight to the point. Hearing Qi Shenbai¡¯s words, Qi Yunduo finally understood. ¡°Big Brother, you sent someone to keep an eye on me?¡± She would never have thought that her big brother had already known about the secret that she had been keeping. Qi Shenbai coldly smashed the half-empty glass of milk on the dining table. Bang! The sound made Qi Yunduo¡¯s heart tremble. But for the sake of the person she liked, she had to give it her all. ¡°Brother, he¡¯s very outstanding and smart. If you give him a chance, he¡¯ll definitely do a good job.¡± Qi Yunduo still wanted to fight for the person she liked. Although she had yet to enter society, she knew that it was difficult for someone who had just graduated to enter a big company. It was even harder for them to stand out. He might be suppressed by the managers and never be able to stand out. ¡°There are many smart people in our company. We don¡¯t lack another, especially smart alecks like him.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s words implied something, but Qi Yunduo did not understand at all. ¡°Brother¡­¡± Qi Yunduo wanted to say something, but he was stopped by Qi Shenbai¡¯s cold gaze. ¡°If you want to date, I can find you a boyfriend. What type do you want?¡± Qi Shenbai said calmly. With her status as Qi Shenbai¡¯s sister, she could find any upper-class boyfriend she wanted. Qi Yunduo said, ¡°I only want Zhao Yunxiao.¡± This was the first time Qi Yunduo had disobeyed him for the sake of the person she liked. ¡°Brother, is it because his family is poor that you¡¯re like this¡­? But what era are we in now? Who cares about the circumstances of his birth? Sister-in-law¡¯s family isn¡¯t as rich as ours, either¡­¡± Qi Yunduo spoke logically, but Qi Shenbai ignored her. He was still worried about Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s attitude just now! Why didn¡¯t his little girl care about him? There were already women rushing over to meet him, but she did not care. He did not know if she had low EQor she was just too innocent. Qi Shenbai took his coat from the butler and buttoned them up. ¡°You¡¯d better not be with that Zhao guy, unless you break away from this family.¡± To put it bluntly, unless she severed all ties with the Qi family, he would never allow her to be with Zhao Yunxiao. ¡°Brother, you¡¯re too much! Nowadays, what we advocate is freedom of love. You¡¯re acting like a feudal lord!¡± Qi Yunduo felt upset. She just wanted a relationship. Why did it have to be so complicated? Did he want her to get an arranged marriage? Qi Shenbai ignored her and went out directly. Every one of them made him worry that morning. Xu Jiaojiao carried her things downstairs and saw that Qi Shenbai was no longer around. Only Qi Yunduo was left standing there sulking with tears in her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did you quarrel with your brother?¡± Xu Jiaojiao hurried forward to comfort her. She patted Qi Yunduo¡¯s back to comfort her. ¡°Sister-in-law, please help me! If you don¡¯t help me, there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡± Qi Yunduo hugged Xu Jiaojiao.. Chapter 210 - Chapter 210: Considerate Chapter 210: Considerate Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: End less Fantasy Translation On the way to school, Qi Yunduo told Xu Jiaojiao what had happened with Qi Shenbai. Xu Jiaojiao finally understood that Qi Yunduo was trying to get Zhao Yunxiao into the company through the back door. ¡°This isn¡¯t good! We¡¯re still students and haven¡¯t entered society yet. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on with Lil Bai¡¯s company. Will something happen if we let him put Zhao Yunxiao in an important position?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was relatively calm. She knew that it was not easy to run a big company, and she did not want to cause trouble for Qi Shenbai. ¡°Sister-in-law, why aren¡¯t you speaking up for me? You know that Zhao Yunxiao is very outstanding and can endure hardships. If Big Brother trusts him, he will definitely work harder and not disappoint Big Brother.¡± Qi Yunduo insisted, hoping that Xu Jiaojiao could help her. ¡°Since he¡¯s so outstanding, why would he ask you for help?¡± Xu Jiaojiao retorted. She was also a little disdainful of such things. ¡°He doesn¡¯t even know that I was the one who asked Big Brother. I¡¯m just afraid that he will suffer. In a big company, it¡¯s easy for his superiors to suppress him. I¡¯m afraid that he won¡¯t be able to make a name for himself.¡± After Qi Yunduo explained, Xu Jiaojiao finally understood that Qi Yunduo had begged Qi Shenbai behind Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s back. Of course, Qi Yunduo did not only want to help Zhao Yunxiao. She had her own motives as well. If Zhao Yunxiao struggled at work, he would not be in the mood to date, and she would have no chance at all! ¡°But he doesn¡¯t even know that you¡¯ve done all this for him! What if he gets together with someone else in the future?¡± Xu Jiaojiao felt that the current Qi Yunduo was very irrational. She said this for her sake. ¡°No, we¡¯re destined to be together. When I graduate, I¡¯ll go to work in the company too. After that, we¡¯ll be together every day.¡± Qi Yunduo was still fantasizing about her future with Zhao Yunxiao. She had already decided on him in her heart, and she must have him. Xu Jiaojiao could not bear to give her a hard time when she saw how persistent she was. In the end, she reluctantly agreed. ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell Xiao Bai to give it a try. But I can¡¯t guarantee that it will work.¡± ¡°It will definitely work! As long as you ask, my brother will definitely agree.¡± Qi Yunduo naturally knew the importance of Xu Jiaojiao in her big brother¡¯s heart. As long as it was something that Xu Jiaojiao wanted, her big brother would do it for her even if he had to travel through mountains and rivers. Such a small matter was nothing. Xu Jiaojiao was speechless. ¡®She trusts me way too much! Am I really that capable?¡¯ Due to the exam tomorrow, there were no classes in the afternoon. Xu Jiaojiao returned home very early. Thinking of Qi Yunduo¡¯s instructions, Xu Jiaojiao went home and went into the kitchen to cook a large feast for Qi Shenbai to eat. However, when the meal was ready, Qi Shenbai still had not returned. ¡°Madam, why don¡¯t you eat first?¡± Seeing that Qi Shenbai had not returned yet, the butler was afraid that Xu Jiaojiao would be hungry, so he advised her to go ahead. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll wait for Lil Bai.¡± As Xu Jiaojiao spoke, she took out her tablet and began to browse through other people¡¯s paintings. Qi Shenbai still had not come back even when her neck was sore from scrolling too much. She looked at the clock hanging on the wall and thought, ¡®It¡¯s 8:57pm, almost 9pm. Why isn¡¯t he back yet?¡¯ ¡°Madam, perhaps the master has something to do. Why don¡¯t you eat first? He should be back soon.¡± The butler urged her again. Xu Jiaojiao had already lost her appetite after going hungry for so long. ¡°I¡¯d better wait for him to come back!¡± As she said that, she heard the sound of a car parking outside. It was Lil Bai! Lil Bai was back! Xu Jiaojiao reacted quickly and rushed out of the villa. When she saw Qi Shenbai getting out of the car, she ran over and hugged him. ¡°Lil Bai, you¡¯re finally back. I¡¯ve been waiting for you for so long!¡± The gloominess that he had felt in the morning after she ignored him completely disappeared. He immediately put on a happy face. ¡°You waited for me?¡± ¡°Not only did Madam wait for you for a long time, but she also prepared a table full of food for you!¡± The butler followed behind Xu Jiaojiao and explained to Qi Shenbai. ¡°You even prepared food for me?¡± Qi Shenbai was even happier when he heard that. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you had an exam? Why do you have the time?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already done my revision. It¡¯s a good time to relax,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she followed Qi Shenbai into the villa. She did not directly mention Zhao Yunxiao because she had not thought of how to say it. However, Qi Shenbai was so smart that he saw through her little plan in an instant. The two of them sat at the dining table. The servants brought the hot dishes over for the two of them to taste. In order to show her seriousness, Xu Jiaojiao explained to Qi Shenbai how she made each dish, showing how much effort she put in to cook for him.. Chapter 211 - Chapter 211: Youre Married? Congratulations Chapter 211: You¡¯re Married? Congratulations Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation Even though Qi Shenbai knew why she was doing this, there was still a smile in his eyes and he did not expose her. After dinner, Xu Jiaojiao eagerly filled Qi Shenbai¡¯s bathtub. Qi Shenbai leaned against the bathroom wall and watched as Xu Jiaojiao tested the temperature of the water for him. She bent her waist and stuck out her small butt. Her waist was very thin and her butt was very round. Qi Shenbai¡¯s face became tinged with desire. ¡®It¡¯s time to try a new position,¡¯ Qi Shenbai thought. Then, he walked behind Xu Jiaojiao and hugged her waist. Xu Jiaojiao turned her head and Qi Shenbai kissed her sweet lips. ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m running you a bath!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was overwhelmed by his sudden kiss. ¡°Shall we take a bath together?¡± Qi Shenbai asked playfully. Take a bath together? Like¡­ soaking skin to skin. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but blush. ¡°Let¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t want it?¡± Qi Shenbai asked, causing Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s face to turn even redder. ¡°I¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao wanted to say that it was not a bad idea to bathe together, but she felt embarrassed. She felt like she had been tricked by Qi Shenbai. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be so nice to me for nothing!¡± Qi Shenbai exposed her, as if it was as easy as poking through a piece of paper. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but feel guilty. ¡°You saw through everything? Were you enjoying watching me act nice all night?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve been thinking about what position we should try tonight.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s eyes were filled with a smile. To him, there was nothing more important than their loving relationship. Xu Jiaojiao pouted. ¡°You¡¯re so mean¡­¡± Then, Qi Shenbai¡¯s lips pressed against her skin, from her ear to the corner of her mouth¡­ The rose-colored atmosphere was suddenly interrupted by the ringing of a phone. Qi Shenbai picked up his pants from the ground and took out the phone¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll go right away,¡± Qi Shenbai said as he started to put on his pants. His upper body was still bare. In Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s opinion, his muscular figure was very tempting, but she was too embarrassed to look at him. After taking a peek, she shyly turned her head away. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to ask what¡¯s wrong?¡± Qi Shenbai felt that Xu Jiaojiao did not care or doubt his call at all. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Jiaojiao turned her head and took the opportunity to glance at his upper body. ¡°Leng Bing was hospitalized,¡± Qi Shenbai said as an inexplicable emotion flashed across his eyes. ¡°Then hurry up and go!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was not jealous. Instead, she was anxious. ¡°You don¡¯t suspect anything?¡± Qi Shenbai pinched her little face. ¡°What¡¯s there to suspect?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not know what Qi Shenbai was talking about. ¡°Come with me.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s tone was strong and forceful. ¡°I don¡¯t think I should¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not even know Leng Bing. She had only seen her once from outside the room. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with it!¡± Qi Shenbai did not care what Xu Jiaojiao thought. He grabbed her hand and was about to walk out together. ¡°I¡¯m a married man. It¡¯s not good for me to meet another woman alone. If I¡¯m photographed, the company¡¯s image will be ruined.¡± After the last dream, Xu Jiaojiao trusted Qi Shenbai even more, so she did not suspect anything. Since Qi Shenbai said so, she believed him. If she could stop the media from writing nonsense, she was willing to play along. Just now, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s clothes had gotten wet, so she changed into a new dress. The white dress was embroidered with peach blossoms. As she walked, the peach blossoms seemed to dance on the dress. The two of them went to Luo City Hospital hand in hand. In the emergency room of the hospital, Zhou Xiaojie was lying on Leng Bing¡¯s leg. ¡°Mom, does it still hurt?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± Leng Bing gently stroked Zhou Xiaojie¡¯s soft hair. However, her face looked pale and bloodless. Her body was so light that a gust of wind could blow her away. As she watched, Qi Shenbai walked in from the door. There was a smile on her lips, but when she saw Qi Shenbai holding a girl¡¯s hand, the smile in her eyes disappeared¡­ Qi Shenbai saw that Leng Bing¡¯s pant legs were rolled up, and her ankle was also swollen from the medicine. ¡°Are you alright?¡± His tone was faint, without any additional emotion. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was just hit by a car. I¡¯ve already applied some medicine.¡± Leng Bing¡¯s voice was extremely gentle, but she still could not help but look at Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Shenbai, is this your girlfriend?¡± Qi Shenbai smiled. ¡°This is my wife, Xu Jiaojiao. Jiaojiao, this is my good friend¡¯s girlfriend, Leng Bing.¡± Qi Shenbai was always so gentle when he spoke to Xu Jiaojiao, and his eyes were always filled with endless love. ¡°Shenbai, you¡¯re married? Congratulations¡­¡± Leng Bing looked a little lonely, but her voice was still gentle, as if the word ¡°gentle¡± was made to describe her. However, Qi Shenbai did not seem to be moved at all. He did not say anything. Instead, Xu Jiaojiao was the one who said, ¡°Thank you..¡± Chapter 212 - Chapter 212: We are Not a Family Chapter 212: We are Not a Family Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation When Zhou Xiaojie saw Qi Shenbai, he hurriedly got up from Leng Bing¡¯s lap and rushed over, shouting, ¡°Daddy!¡± He was not running toward Qi Shenbai, but toward Xu Jiaojiao. For some reason, the little boy felt uncomfortable when he saw Qi Shenbai holding another woman¡¯s hand. ¡°Xiaojie!¡± Leng Bing called out worriedly. However, how could Qi Shenbai let him crash into Xu Jiaojiao? He directly grabbed the boy by the collar and pulled him up. In an instant, Zhou Xiaojie was in the air, his legs kicking wildly. ¡°Daddy, put me down! Put me down!¡± Zhou Xiaojie begged for mercy. ¡°Be careful next time. Don¡¯t charge around everyone.¡± Qi Shenbai did not treat him as gently as he treated Xu Jiaojiao. He then put him down. ¡°Children have to follow the rules, understand? Have you forgotten what I taught you before?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s words were a little harsh, scaring Zhou Xiaojie into stepping back. ¡°Stand up straight!¡± Qi Shenbai continued. When Zhou Xiaojie heard this, he immediately straightened up. He was not exactly an obedient child, but there was nothing he could do when faced with Qi Shenbai. He was terrified. Leng Bing felt helpless. Looking at her son¡¯s cowardly expression, she could only explain, ¡°It¡¯s nothing major. It¡¯s just that Xiao Jie was worried and had to call you over. He said that he missed you.¡± ¡°Daddy, I miss you! I really miss you,¡± Zhou Xiaojie said coquettishly. Qi Shenbai was extremely gentle when Xu Jiaojiao talked to him like that, but he was not so indulgent of Zhou Xiaojie. ¡°Boys shouldn¡¯t be so clingy.¡± Wasn¡¯t that discrimination¡­? Zhou Xiaojie was speechless. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s still early, so you should urry up and go home!¡± Leng Bing urged. Although she was reluctant, there was nothing else she could say. What else could she do? ¡°But¡­ You¡¯re injured!¡± Xu Jiaojiao was kind-hearted. She felt bad for the orphan and widow. After they got into a car accident, wouldn¡¯t it be a little inappropriate for them to go back so soon? ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll just stay in the hospital. The problem is Xiaojie¡­¡± Leng Bing seemed to be troubled. At this moment, Xu Jiao jiao caught on and tugged at Qi Shenbai¡¯s sleeve. Qi Shenbai understood what she meant, so he said, ¡°Leave Xiaojie to us! You can stay in the hospital in peace.¡± When Qi Shenbai said this, Leng Bing¡¯s heart relaxed a lot, and a hint of joy appeared in her eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too troublesome?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no trouble, no trouble at all. Xiaojie looks very obedient, so he should be easy to take care of,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said with a smile. She was completely innocent and naive, without even the slightest concern at all. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Qi.¡± Leng Bing called her Mrs. Qi, but she called Qi Shenbai by his first name. The difference in her attitude was evident. ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said graciously. In her opinion, Leng Bing and Zhou Xiaojie were just a pitiful mother and son. She was overflowing with sympathy! No matter what their motive was, she only cared about being kind. ¡°Xiaojie, be obedient when you¡¯re with Daddy,¡± Leng Bing instructed. Zhou Xiaojie nodded. ¡°Daddy, I¡¯ll be good. I promise.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go then!¡± Qi Shenbai said as he held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand. ¡°I want Daddy to carry me.¡± Zhou Xiaojie walked to Qi Shenbai¡¯s side and stretched out his arms, raising them high. ¡°Walk on your own.¡± Qi Shenbai thought to himself, ¡®Doesn¡¯t this kid have long legs?¡¯ He was not as kind to the boy as he was to Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°I¡¯m so sleepy. I can¡¯t walk anymore.¡± Zhou Xiaojie rubbed his eyes. In the end, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart softened. ¡°Can I carry you?¡± As she spoke, she was about to squat down. Qi Shenbai instantly let go of Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand and picked Zhou Xiaojie up. ¡°He¡¯s too fat. You can¡¯t carry him.¡± How could he bear to let Xu Jiaojiao suffer? If someone had to suffer, he would be the one to suffer! He was so worried about Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s overflowing kindness! What if someone took advantage of her? ¡°Who said I¡¯m fat? I¡¯m not fat at all.¡± Zhou Xiaojie objected. He especially did not like others calling him fat. Not even his father could say that. His little face was bulging with anger. Xu Jiaojiao found his pouting face cute and poked his round little cheeks. Zhou Xiaojie did not seem to want her to touch him, so he turned around and buried his head in Qi Shenbai¡¯s shoulder. Qi Shenbai held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand again and walked out. Looking at the backs of the three of them, something seemed to flash in Leng Bing¡¯s eyes. After getting into the car, Zhou Xiaojie still hoped that Qi Shenbai would hold him. Qi Shenbai refused. ¡°A boy shouldn¡¯t be carried all the time.¡± Was he being sexist again? ¡°It¡¯s no big deal!¡± Zhou Xiaojie was shameless. Qi Shenbai did not indulge him and placed him between himself and Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°You¡¯re so mean, Daddy. You don¡¯t love Mommy and me anymore because you got a new wife.¡± Zhou Xiaojie was very depressed. ¡°How many times have I told you? I¡¯m not your father, and your mother is not my wife. We are not a family,¡± Qi Shenbai quickly corrected him.. Chapter 213 - Chapter 213: Private Space Chapter 213: Private Space Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°How can we not be a family? We clearly are.¡± Zhou Xiaojie started crying, big fat tears flowing down his face. Qi Shenbai wanted to say something, but Xu Jiaojiao stopped him. ¡°He¡¯s still young. He won¡¯t understand even if you tell him all that.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Qi Shenbai snorted coldly. He understood too much! ¡°Don¡¯t cry anymore. You won¡¯t look good if you keep crying.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not have much experience with children, so she could only coax him and wipe his tears. Seeing that Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart had softened, Zhou Xiaojie immediately threw himself into her embrace. Xu Jiaojiao was afraid that he would hurt himself, so she hurriedly hugged him. However, he was still crying. What was worse was that his snot and tears were all over Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s body. However, Xu Jiaojiao did not care and just let him be. Seeing that Xu Jiaojiao did not object, he ruthlessly wiped his snot and tears on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s dress. The car stopped at the entrance of Qingshui Villa. Zhou Xiaojie was already asleep in Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s arms. When they got out of the car, Qi Shenbai carried him down. Qi Shenbai was not particularly gentle. Zhou Xiaojie groaned a few times but did not wake up. ¡°Be gentle with him! Don¡¯t wake him up.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not want his snot and tears to get on her clothes again. ¡°I¡¯m already being gentle.¡± Qi Shenbai was a little angry when he thought about how Zhou Xiaojie had wiped his snot and tears on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s dress. ¡°If we have children in the future, I can¡¯t let you take care of them.¡± She would only spoil them rotten. ¡°Who said I was going to give birth to your children?¡± Xu Jiaojiao pouted, but she felt sweet inside. ¡°I never said I wanted to have children with you,¡± Qi Shenbai teased her on purpose. ¡°Or do you really want to have a child with me that badly?¡± ¡°No!¡± Xu Jiaojiao retorted, her face blushing. ¡°You can have a child with whoever you want. Either way, I won¡¯t do it. I still have an exam tomorrow, so I¡¯ll take a shower first.¡± After entering the villa, Xu Jiaojiao ran upstairs. She took a change of pajamas and went into the bathroom. Lying in the bathtub and thinking about how her beautiful dress had been stained with snot and tears, Xu Jiaojiao was actually a little resistant to the idea of having kids. ¡°Why should I have kids? I¡¯m still a child myself!¡± Xu Jiaojiao mumbled. Qi Shenbai handed Zhou Xiaojie over to the butler. The butler would arrange everything for him before he went upstairs. After a while, Xu Jiaojiao walked out of the bathroom. She was wearing loose pajamas, and her hair was wet. Water dripped onto her pajamas, and her eyes were hazy. Her fair face was slightly red from the heat. Her exquisite facial features seemed to have become clearer. Qi Shenbai could not hide the desire on his face as he slowly approached Xu Jiaojiao and kissed her gently on the lips. Xu Jiaojiao knew what he meant. After being intimate with him for the past few days, she also knew what to do next. ¡°I still have an exam tomorrow, so I have to go to bed early today,¡± Xu Jiaojiao refused. ¡°Just let me hug you.¡± Qi Shenbai hugged Xu Jiaojiao tightly. Xu Jiaojiao did not move and let him hug her. ¡°You seem to be busy all the time. You don¡¯t spend much time with me.¡± Qi Shenbai, who was more than 1.8 meters tall, rested his head on Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s neck. He seemed very upset. At this moment, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart softened and she hugged his waist. ¡°I¡¯ll have a break after my exams. By then, I¡¯ll have a lot of time to spend with you. You might even find me annoying!¡± ¡°No, I like it when you cling to me.¡± Why would Qi Shenbai be annoyed? He could not ask for more. She always seemed to be so busy. She was still a student, but she did not seem to have that much time. She kept drawing for others, drawing for herself, looking at paintings¡­ Her life seemed to revolve around paintings. When she was not admiring paintings, she would watch television dramas and cartoons that he had never seen before. In his opinion, cartoons were meant for children, but Xu Jiaojiao always emphasized, ¡°Animation and cartoons are two different things.¡± In his eyes, though, it was no different. In the morning, Xu Jiaojiao left first because of her exams. Then, Qi Shenbai also went to the office. Zhou Xiaojie was left alone with the butler and servants. Qi Shenbai did not tell the butler who he was, but the butler knew that as long as Qi Shenbai brought him back, the boy should be considered their master. They had to treat him well. Zhou Xiaojie did not feel uncomfortable when he arrived at Qingshui Villa. Instead, he treated it as if it was his own home. After breakfast, he walked around as if he was scouting the place. After looking around outside, he began to tour the inside of the villa. When he reached the door of a room, he was about to push the door open and enter when he was stopped by the butler. ¡°You can¡¯t enter this room.¡± This was Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s studio, and outsiders were never allowed in. Even the cleaning was done by Xu Jiaojiao herself. It could be said that this was Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s private space. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Zhou Xiaojie agreed and retracted his hand. After the butler left, he stretched his hand out again, turned the doorknob, and sneaked in. Chapter 214 - Chapter 214: The Art Studio Was Destroyed Chapter 214: The Art Studio Was Destroyed Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation After Xu Jiaojiao finished her exams, it was still early. It was not even four in the afternoon and the sun was still scorching hot. When she got out of the car, it was as if she was being roasted by a fire. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re back¡­¡± The butler looked flustered. ¡°Yeah, I had an exam today, so I came back early,¡± Xu Jiaojiao explained as she walked forward. ¡°Madam¡­¡± The butler called out to her, still as panicky as before. Xu Jiaojiao could tell that something was wrong with his expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Madam, go to the studio and take a look first!¡± When the butler said this, his heart was trembling. Xu Jiaojiao did not know what had happened, but judging from the butler¡¯s expression, it did not seem like anything good, so she ran towards the studio. As soon as she arrived at the entrance of the studio, she saw Zhou Xiaojie inside. His entire body was covered in paint. Her art studio looked like a garbage dump. The paintings were a mess, and there was a lot of paint on the ground. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± Zhou Xiaojie smiled embarrassedly. ¡®I did do it on purpose!¡¯ For a moment, Xu Jiaojiao felt like fainting. Her studio¡­ the studio that she had meticulously taken care of, and all her precious work¡­ She really wanted to beat the brat up, but she could not bear to. He was just a child. Moreover, he said that he did not do it on purpose and even apologized to her. The mother and son were already pitiful, so she could not blame him. Xu Jiaojiao took a tissue and pulled out a few pieces of paper. She then began to wipe Zhou Xiaojie¡¯s face and hands. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Do you want to learn how to draw?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked. ¡°Mm-hmm¡­ I saw that your drawing was beautiful. I want to learn too.¡± Zhou Xiaojie did not expect Xu Jiaojiao to be so calm, so he could only answer like this. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you in the future,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said gently. ¡°Go take a shower later. Otherwise, it won¡¯t be easy to wash the paint off.¡± Then, she held his hand and took him out of the studio before handing him over to the butler. ¡°Give him a shower and then change his clothes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not angry?¡± Zhou Xiaojie looked at Xu Jiaojiao doubtfully. ¡°I¡¯m not angry!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she thought to herself, ¡®As if!¡¯ The problem was he was not her biological son. If he was, she would definitely teach him a lesson he would never forget. Xu Jiaojiao looked at the messy art studio. She felt a headache coming on, but fortunately, there were not any important artworks here. The ruined paintings were just her usual practice. If he had destroyed any of her important paintings, she would definitely go crazy. Afterward, Xu Jiaojiao began to tidy up the studio bit by bit. She could not stand the mess here. Qi Shenbai had also returned early today. When he saw Xu Jiaojiao tidying up the studio, he asked, ¡°Did Zhou Xiaojie do it?¡± ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Xu Jiaojiao continued to bend over and tidy up. Qi Shenbai did not care about that and strode over, pulling Xu Jiaojiao back. ¡°Stop tidying up.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not know what Qi Shenbai meant. ¡°You can¡¯t spoil a child like this. Children should be punished for their mistakes.¡± As he spoke, Qi Shenbai pulled Xu Jiaojiao away and happened to see Zhou Xiaojie, who had just finished showering and changing his clothes. ¡°Did you mess up the studio?¡± Qi Shenbai was very serious. He was usually very dignified, but when he was serious, he was even more terrifying than usual. Zhou Xiaojie was a little afraid. ¡°I¡­ I didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± ¡°Apologize to Auntie Xu.¡± Qi Shenbai was still serious. ¡°And clean up the studio.¡± When Zhou Xiaojie heard this, he was about to cry. Tears welled up in his eyes. Xu Jiaojiao saw that he was pitiful and wanted to comfort him, but she was stopped by Qi Shenbai. Qi Shenbai seemed to know what she wanted to say. However, he did not want to hear her pleas right now. He only wanted to seek justice for Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°You can cry if you want, but after crying, you still have to clean up the studio and apologize to Auntie Xu.¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s attitude was unquestionable and resolute. Tears immediately rolled down Zhou Xiaojie¡¯s face. He felt wronged, but Qi Shenbai ignored him and brought Xu Jiaojiao upstairs. Xu Jiaojiao took his suit jacket and hung it up. Then, she helped him remove his tie. It was the first time she had done so, so she was a little rusty. However, Qi Shenbai had plenty of patience for her. He let her slowly fiddle with it. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too strict?¡± Xu Jiaojiao could not bear to see a child cry. ¡°Not at all. He¡¯s still young, so he can still be taught. If we spoil him and he makes a habit of such destruction, what if he grows up to be a jerk in the future?¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s explanation was flawless, and Xu Jiaojiao could not refute it. Besides, he was not her child, so it would not be good to say too much. ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry after what he did to your studio?¡± Qi Shenbai was most afraid that Xu Jiaojiao would be sad. His heart ached for her. ¡°Yeah¡­ It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not angry. I¡¯m still a little angry, but since he¡¯s your godson, I¡¯ll just forget about it,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said honestly. She had promised not to lie to him.. Chapter 215 - Chapter 215:1 Want to Have a Daughter with You Chapter 215:1 Want to Have a Daughter with You Translator: End less Fantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation After that, Xu Jiaojiao hung up his tie. ¡°You were probably very naughty too when you were young!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qi Shenbai did not respond to that. Instead, he had a new idea. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a daughter? Girls are usually nicer. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be as adorable as you.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You¡¯re making fun of me again,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said shyly. ¡°I¡¯m talking about us having a daughter!¡± Qi Shenbai continued. He really wanted to have a daughter who was as adorable as Xu Jiaojiao. If it was in the past, he would definitely disdain the idea of having children. However, ever since he met Xu Jiaojiao, his thoughts had been constantly changing. Getting married and having children was now a very blissful idea for him, so he no longer resisted. ¡°But I¡¯m still in school.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not dare to imagine herself going to class pregnant. If that ever happened, she would surely be the talk of the school. ¡°There¡¯s no rush. You¡¯re still young. I was talking about someday far in the future.¡± Qi Shenbai did not want Xu Jiaojiao to become a mother too early either. ¡°Oh, sure!¡± Xu Jiaojiao agreed. Qi Shenbai was overjoyed. ¡°Does that mean you want to have children with me?¡± ¡°Wait, you were trying to trick me!¡± Xu Jiaojiao came to her senses and met his deep eyes. Qi Shenbai could not help but suck on her lips, and Xu Jiaojiao responded enthusiastically. After taking a shower, Qi Shenbai changed into a set of home clothes and held Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand as they walked out of the room. Ever since the two of them verified their feelings for each other, no matter where they went, they would hold hands. Even at home, it was the same. They were completely attached to each other. When they reached the entrance of the studio, they saw Zhou Xiaojie seriously cleaning up the mess he had created. The butler watched from the side, but he did not interfere. He seemed to be giving instructions. ¡°How pitiful!¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart softened as she looked at Qi Shenbai with her doey eyes. ¡°You have to be strict when educating a child. Otherwise, he will do it again next time.¡± Qi Shenbai stared at Zhou Xiaojie as he worked. Although Zhou Xiaojie had his head lowered, he seemed to sense Qi Shenbai¡¯s stern gaze. Qi Shenbai was good friends with Zhou Jie. Now that Zhou Jie was gone, he had the obligation to raise Zhou Xiaojie well. He could not let him learn bad things. ¡°Oh, I see!¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied softly. Seeing that she still felt bad for the boy, Qi Shenbai said, ¡°If you don¡¯t teach him a lesson, he might do something even worse next time. He might even tear your paintings apart.¡± That thought steeled Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s heart in an instant. Yes, she should properly educate the boy! Qi Shenbai said that Zhou Xiaojie could not eat until the studio was tidied up, so he went downstairs with Xu Jiaojiao. After the two of them finished eating, Zhou Xiaojie was still tidying up. Everything else had been cleaned up, but the paint on the ground was very difficult to clean. Zhou Xiaojie could not wipe it off even after wiping for a long time. His small hands were red now. Xu Jiaojiao could not help but find it funny when she saw his little butt sticking out in a serious manner. With a thud, Zhou Xiaojie sat on the ground. ¡°I can¡¯t wipe it anymore. My hand hurts.¡± Then, when he saw Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s bright smile, he could not help but pout. ¡°Do you know what you did wrong now?¡± Qi Shenbai was still as strict as ever. His face was expressionless, and he looked quite terrifying. ¡°I do.¡± Zhou Xiaojie stood up from the ground. His posture was especially straight, as if he was undergoing military training. ¡°Then, do you know what to do next?¡± Qi Shenbai reminded. He had not forgotten that he had to get the child to apologize to Xu Jiaojiao. Actually, the boy had already apologized before, but that insincere apology was not what Qi Shenbai needed. He needed to let the child know from the bottom of his heart that he was wrong. Zhou Xiaojie looked up at Xu Jiaojiao and said weakly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Louder!¡± Qi Shenbai¡¯s voice also became louder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Auntie Xu,¡± he said loudly this time. He was practically shouting. ¡°It¡¯s alright, as long as you know what you did wrong.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was not going to hold a grudge. ¡°Look at how hard it is to wipe the paint from the ground. Besides, these were all bought with money. Isn¡¯t it a waste?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Zhou Xiaojie nodded gently. ¡°Alright, then, go eat!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said as she asked the butler to bring him to the dining table. However, Zhou Xiaojie seemed to have thought of something and quickly pounced on Qi Shenbai¡¯s legs. ¡°Daddy, take me to visit Mommy tomorrow!¡± ¡°The butler will take you there.¡± Although Qi Shenbai felt that he had an obligation to take care of the mother and son, he still wanted to maintain a certain distance. Firstly, he did not want Xu Jiaojiao to misunderstand, and secondly, he did not want Leng Bing to misunderstand. ¡°Daddy, please take me there yourself! I beg you!¡± Zhou Xiaojie wheedled with Qi Shenbai, shaking his leg vigorously. Qi Shenbai frowned and did not reply. ¡°Go with him!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said, but Qi Shenbai still did not agree. ¡°Come on, just go!¡± Xu Jiaojiao actually started to act cute with Qi Shenbai. He could resist Zhou Xiaojie¡¯s pleas, but not Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s. Helpless, he could only agree.. Chapter 216 - Chapter 216: Give Zhao Yunxiao a Chance Chapter 216: Give Zhao Yunxiao a Chance Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Daddy, Daddy, you¡¯re the best!¡± Zhou Xiaojie jumped up and down excitedly. ¡°Hurry up and go eat!¡± Xu Jiaojiao saw that Zhou Xiaojie was happy and that Qi Shenbai had punished him, so she let him eat. After Zhou Xiaojie left, Qi Shenbai could not help but shake his head. ¡°You¡¯re really too nice.¡± Zhou Xiaojie had dirtied her studio, but she was not angry. She even asked him to accompany another woman. ¡°He¡¯s still young, and he lost his dad. He likes you, so he¡¯s attached to you. If you can help him fulfill his wish, you should try your best!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said softly as she held Qi Shenbai¡¯s arm. Qi Shenbai thought for a moment. ¡°Is it because you think he resembles you when you were young?¡± How did he know? Could he hear her thoughts? ¡°A little! I¡¯ve lived with my grandmother since I was young. When I was young, I never felt fatherly or motherly love. I really yearned for that kind of love! ¡°When I was a kid, my neighbors thought that I was a monster. They even said that I was my father¡¯s illegitimate daughter. That¡¯s why my family let me live in the countryside. Fortunately, I had my grandmother. Zhou Xiaojie also has you and his mother.¡± Recalling her childhood, Xu Jiaojiao still felt a little sad. ¡°But we¡¯re not related by blood. In the end, I can¡¯t replace his father.¡± Of course, he did not want to, either. ¡°I know. He¡¯s still young and needs a father, so he¡¯s pushing all his expectations on you. It¡¯ll be fine when he¡¯s older,¡± Xu Jiaojiao explained to Qi Shenbai. Qi Shenbai could only agree. Xu Jiaojiao usually looked soft and cute, like a sweet and naive girl, but there were times when she was smart. Sometimes, when she talked about morals and principles, no one could refute her. ¡°Prepare well for the exam. I¡¯m waiting for you to cling to me like glue!¡± Qi Shenbai pinched her chin. ¡°Alright, alright!¡± He only ever thought about those things every day¡­ The next day, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s exams went smoothly. When she returned home, she only saw Qi Shenbai and not Zhou Xiaojie. According to Qi Shenbai, Leng Bing¡¯s leg had recovered a little, so she took Zhou Xiaojie home. Then, it was the third day of the exam. That also went smoothly. The moment Xu Jiaojiao walked out of the classroom after the exam, she immediately felt relaxed. Just like that, a semester passed. Time passed really quickly! She had only taken a few steps when she heard someone call her, ¡°Jiaojiao!¡± She turned around and saw Qi Yunduo. ¡°Yunduo, are you done with your exams too?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked. ¡°Yeah! How did you do?¡± Qi Yunduo asked. ¡°I did alright!¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied humbly. ¡°Then¡­ Did you help me ask about my brother Zhao Yunxiao?¡± Qi Yunxiao had jogged over because of this matter. She had been thinking about it for a few days. Only then did Xu Jiaojiao react. ¡°Oh my god, I totally forgot. I¡¯ve been too busy these past few days.¡± As she spoke, she patted her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t forget on purpose. I really wanted to help you, but unfortunately, I really had something on these few days.¡± Xu Jiaojiao hurriedly apologized. She did not forget on purpose. It was just that Zhou Xiaojie had been naughty at home and messed up her studio. Coupled with Leng Bing¡¯s illness and the fact that she still had to prepare for the exam, Zhao Yunxiao¡¯s matter had been thrown to the back of her mind. ¡°Is it because of Leng Bing?¡± Qi Yunduo already knew that she had returned and guessed that she had gotten in the way. ¡°You know her too?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was puzzled. ¡°That¡¯s right! Zhou Jie is my brother¡¯s good friend. After he passed away, my brother has been helping him take care of his orphan and widow. However, Leng Bing is too much. She used to pester Zhou Jie, and now she¡¯s pestering my brother.¡± From Qi Yunduo¡¯s attitude, she did not seem to like Leng Bing. ¡°Even if my brother was there on the day Zhou Jie died, still¡­¡± Qi Yunduo seemed to know that she had said too much, so she stopped talking. ¡°You¡¯re saying that Lil Bai was there when Zhou Jie died?¡± Xu Jiaojiao asked suspiciously, feeling that there was a secret she did not know. ¡°Yes¡­ but you mustn¡¯t mention it in front of my big brother! If he finds out that I was the one who mentioned it, he definitely won¡¯t let me off.¡± Qi Yunduo hurriedly pleaded, afraid that Qi Shenbai would find out that she was talking nonsense to Xu Jiaojiap behind his back. ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t tell him,¡± Xu Jiaojiao agreed with certainty. When Qi Yunduo heard this, the worry on her face turned into a smile. She held onto Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Jiaojiao, don¡¯t forget to tell my brother about Zhao Yunxiao!¡± Zhao Yunxiao had already graduated, but he did not receive any offers from the company. Every time she had a meal with Zhao Yunxiao, he would pretend to be happy even though he was in a bad mood. Qi Yunduo¡¯s heart ached when she saw him like that, so she had to come over and beg Xu Jiaojiao. She wanted Xu Jiaojiao to beg her brother to give Zhao Yunxiao a chance.. Chapter 217 - Chapter 217:1 Finished My Exams Chapter 217:1 Finished My Exams Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Then I¡¯ll go look for Lil Bai now. You can come with me,¡± Xu Jiaojiao suggested. Since they had a mission to complete, they should get it done sooner than later. Qi Yunduo shook her head repeatedly. She still remembered the last time she told her big brother about Zhao Yunxiao. His expression had been scary. ¡°Jiaojiao, I won¡¯t go. You two should enjoy your alone good time together.¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not insist. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go by myself!¡± ¡°Coincidentally, I¡¯m going to have dinner with Zhao Yunxiao!¡± During this period of time, Miss Qi had been eating street snacks like spicy hotpot, egg pancakes, and braised chicken rice. She had eaten all the cheap foods near the school. It was not that she did not want to eat fancy food, but she did not want to put Zhao Yunxiao in a tough spot. His family was poor, so she did not want to burden him. When Xu Jiaojiao arrived at the Qi Group, she headed to the front desk. When the receptionist saw that it was Xu Jiaojiao, she quickly greeted her politely, ¡°Hello, Mrs. Qi.¡± Even the receptionist knew her now? ¡°Hello!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said politely. ¡°Mr. Qi is in his office today. Mrs. Qi, follow me.¡± As she spoke, the receptionist brought her to the exclusive elevator that Qi Shenbai usually took and even pressed the button for her floor. Xu Jiaojiao smiled and expressed her gratitude. She thought, ¡®You don¡¯t have to be so polite to me, do you? I¡¯m really not used to it!¡¯ Once Xu Jiaojiao had gone upstairs, the receptionist hurriedly took out her phone and sent an explosive message in the company group chat. [Oh no, oh no, oh no! The CEO¡¯s wife is here to catch them in the act!] The group chat instantly boiled over and started discussing. Xu Jiaojiao did not know that they were talking about her. Instead, she happily went upstairs to meet Lil Bai. Xu Zhengyang stepped out to use the bathroom in between work. When he saw his subordinates slacking off, he was so angry that he kicked a chair over. ¡°What¡¯s this?! I¡¯m so busy that I barely have time to use the washroom, but you guys are slacking off!¡± ¡°Wait, boss, didn¡¯t you see the group chat? The CEO¡¯s wife is here to catch him with his mistress!¡± the subordinate quickly explained. ¡°Catch him with his mistress?¡± Xu Zhengyang could not compute it at first. ¡°That¡¯s right! This morning, a woman brought the child over to meet Mr. Qi. Everyone¡¯s saying that the child is Mr. Qi¡¯s illegitimate son. Now that Mrs. Qi is here, isn¡¯t she here to catch them red-handed?¡± The subordinate continued to explain and even glanced at ger phone from time to time to catch up on the latest developments. ¡°That motherf*cker!¡± Xu Zhengyang cursed, then quickly headed for the elevator. The elevator door opened and Xu Jiaojiao stepped out. Pei Yan¡¯s sharp eyes immediately caught sight of her. ¡°Madam, why are you here?¡± ¡°I just finished my exams, so I came over to have dinner with Lil Bai,¡± Xu Jiaojiao said. He wanted her to cling to him, right? Well, here she was! However, Xu Jiaojiao noticed that the office door was closed, so she asked, ¡°Is he busy?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Mr. Qi just finished a meeting and is meeting some guests inside,¡± Pei Yan explained. Meeting some guests? ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait for him at the door! I don¡¯t want to disturb him.¡± Xu Jiaojiao was a sensible girl. She knew that her husband was busy with business, so it was best not to disturb him. Otherwise, if the business deal failed, he would still be upset even if he did not blame her! With that thought in mind, she would rather wait outside. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not business. You can just go in.¡± Pei Yan did not dare to make Xu Jiaojiao wait outside. If Mr. Qi found out, he might even get fired. Pei Yan walked to the door of the CEO¡¯s office and knocked on it. Before he could get a response, he opened the door. The first thing Xu Jiaojiao saw was Qi Shenbai. The next thing was Zhou Xiaojie at his feet, trying his best to climb onto his body. Leng Bing sat on the sofa. She was wearing a light purple dress, looking as gentle and quiet as ever. When Qi Shenbai saw Xu Jiaojiao, he seemed to be invigorated. He immediately stood up and quickly walked towards her, pulling her into the office. ¡°Have you finished your exams?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied sweetly. Qi Shenbai was ecstatic. Good days were finally upon him! His little girl was finally going on vacation. When Leng Bing saw Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s figure, a trace of sadness flashed across her eyes. ¡°Hello there, Mrs. Qi!¡± ¡°Hello, Miss Leng!¡± Xu Jiaojiao said with a nod. So the guest was Leng Bing! No wonder Pei Yan said it was not about work. However, she sensed that Leng Bing was a little unhappy. Was she unhappy because she was here? No way, right? Weren¡¯t they all good friends? Although Xu Jiaojiao had never mentioned it, she already regarded Leng Bing as a friend because she was Qi Shenbai¡¯s close friend¡­ Chapter 218 - Chapter 218: Meal Delivery Chapter 218: Meal Delivery Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation ¡°Are you feeling hot?¡± Qi Shenbai ignored the two of them as they greeted each other. Instead, he wiped the sweat off Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s temples. ¡°A little¡­¡± It was the peak of summer, and it was indeed hot outside. Xu Jiaojiao had taken the bus over, instead of asking Cang Xing to pick her up. ¡°Would you like a drink?¡± Qi Shenbai asked with concern. ¡°Sure!¡± Xu Jiaojiao could not say no to the Qi Group¡¯s beverages. Their company¡¯s beverages were specially made, so they tasted like nothing else outside. Qi Shenbai gave Pei Yan a look. Pei Yan understood and went out to get Xu Jiaojiao a drink. Qi Shenbai held her hand and walked over to the desk with her. As they walked over, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s attention was suddenly attracted by an exquisite food box on the desk. Leng Bing followed her gaze. ¡°Oh, Shenbai went to the hospital to visit me and even took care of Xiaojie a few days ago. I¡¯m sorry I troubled him, and cooking was all I could do to thank him!¡± ¡°Oh, I see!¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied. The lunch box was so exquisite! ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were coming. If I¡¯d known, I would have made more.¡± Leng Bing spoke as if she was the mistress of the house. However, Xu Jiaojiao did not pay any heed to her tone. Instead, she said, ¡°Since you have lunch already, I¡¯ll just go and eat with my brother.¡± She had just taken a step forward when a large hand grabbed her back. How could she leave just like that? ¡°What?¡± Xu Jiaojiao did not understand. Since he already had lunch, what was wrong with her having lunch with her brother instead? Xu Jiaojiao looked at him with a puzzled expression, while he looked at her resentfully. Xu Jiaojiao felt like she was about to break out in a cold sweat. Lil Bai did not look too happy! Why not? She just could not figure it out. Qi Shenbai really wanted to pry open her little head and see what was inside. Looking at the two of them snuggling on the sofa, there was a hint of loneliness in Leng Bing¡¯s eyes. Just then, a familiar voice suddenly came from the door. ¡°Whoa, what a crowd!¡± It was Xu Zhengyang. Xu Jiaojiao looked at her big brother, who was as bright and handsome as the sun. He had his arms crossed in front of his chest, hiding his work badge. ¡°Brother, are you off from work now?¡± Xu Jiaojiao called out in a small voice. ¡°Yeah! Why should I let the capitalist rob me of my lunch break?¡± Xu Zhengyang said as he sat down on the sofa. When he saw the lunch box on the table, he suddenly perked up. ¡°Is that food? Nice, I¡¯m hungry.¡± With that, he opened the lunch box and gulped down the food inside. ¡°Um, wait¡­¡± Leng Bing wanted to stop him, but it was too late. Young Master Xu was already scarfing down the food happily. Leng Bing¡¯s face turned red, perhaps out of anger. However, she still managed to calm herself down and did not flare up at Xu Zhengyang. Instead, it was Zhou Xiaojie who saw it and tried to stop him. ¡°What are you doing? My mother made this for my father. Why are you eating it?¡± ¡°Your father?¡± Xu Zhengyang raised his eyebrows. ¡°His godfather!¡± Xu Jiaojiao explained, ¡°He¡¯s still too young to tell the difference.¡± ¡°Then just call him Godfather, not Father! Your dad is long dead and gone. Heck, maybe he¡¯s even reincarnated into your future best mate,¡± Xu Zhengyang said as he ate. ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°Brother¡­¡± Leng Bing and Xu Jiaojiao spoke at the same time. Xu Jiaojiao always felt that Zhou Xiaojie was still a child. It was best not to say such harsh things to him, lest it left a scar on his heart. Although Zhou Xiaojie was young, he could understand Xu Zhengyang¡¯s words. He pounced on him angrily. ¡°He¡¯s my father, my father!¡± He even punched Xu Zhengyang. ¡°Xiaojie!¡± Leng Bing pulled her son back, but she still sided with him. ¡°Mr. Xu, Xiaojie is still a child. You¡¯ll hurt him by talking like that.¡± Xu Zhengyang straightened out his shirt after Zhou Xiaojie messed it up. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t talk to children like that, but children are raised by their adults, aren¡¯t they? He can¡¯t even tell the difference between his godfather and father. Is it because of the adult in his life?¡± After saying that, he threw the lunch box on the table and flopped onto the sofa, looking at Leng Bing with a sharp gaze. Leng Bing did not dare to look into his eyes. It was as if he could see right through her. Xu Zhengyang had experienced his fair share of the world, and he was one of the top dogs in upper society too. He had seen all kinds of women. Her thoughts could not escape his eyes. His sister was stupid, but he was not. Was she really just here to deliver a meal? No, she was probably using this opportunity to get close to Qi Shenbai. Fortunately, Xu Jiaojiao dropped by today, and he followed her.. Chapter 219 - Chapter 219: Worth It Chapter 219: Worth It Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: End less Fantasy Translation ¡°Back then, Zhou Jie broke off all ties with his family in order to be with you, and now you¡¯re making his son call someone else his father? Aren¡¯t you afraid that he¡¯ll haunt you at night?¡± Xu Zhengyang looked into Leng Bing¡¯s eyes, his gaze still sharp. ¡°You¡¯re bullying my mother, you meanie!¡± Zhou Xiaojie cried, then continued to sob, ¡°I know I have two fathers. They¡¯re both my fathers!¡± ¡°Dream on!¡± Xu Zhengyang glared at him. ¡°In the future, this man will have his own children with the woman he loves. When that happens, he won¡¯t love you anymore, you moron!¡± Leng Bing could not take it anymore. She met Xu Zhengyang¡¯s cold eyes. ¡°Mr. Xu, aren¡¯t you going too far? You can¡¯t talk to a child like that!¡± ¡°And you can¡¯t bring a married man a lunch box like that.¡± Xu Zhengyang did not care. He was never going to give her face! His morals meant nothing compared to his sister¡¯s lifelong happiness. Leng Bing sighed softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know that a thank-you lunch box would attract such resentment. Mrs. Qi, if you¡¯re angry with me, I apologize.¡± Xu Zhengyang could not help but sneer when he heard this. He would never believe her nonsense. Xu Jiaojiao, on the other hand, was very calm. ¡°I¡¯m not angry. Besides, didn¡¯t my brother eat the lunch box in the end?¡± When the other three heard this, they stood rooted to the ground. They had to admire Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s way of thinking. Leng Bing did not know if she was really that dense or if she was faking it, but she did not seem angry at all. Qi Shenbai could not help but secretly laugh to himself. Then, he squeezed Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s hand. Xu Jiaojiao did not understand. She looked at Qi Shenbai with a puzzled expression, as though asking, ¡®Why are you pinching me?¡¯ Leng Bing felt humiliated by Xu Zhengyang¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± She dragged Zhou Xiaojie out of the CEO¡¯s office. Just then, Qi Shenbai¡¯s assistant came in to deliver fruit juice to Xu Jiaojiao. ¡°Mrs. Qi, here¡¯s fruit juice.¡± ¡°I told you not to call me Mrs. Qi.¡± Xu Jiaojiao had a good relationship with the assistant, and she was not used to her calling her that. ¡°But President Qi won¡¯t have that, right?¡± The assistant looked at Qi Shenbai. Qi Shenbai smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go eat!¡± Pei Yan, who was standing at the door, was filled with regret. He was originally afraid to go in and deliver the juice, but in the end¡­ There was no reason for him to worry today! After Leng Bing left, Xu Zhengyang started to reprimand Qi Shenbai, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to clean up your mess? What¡¯s going on now?¡± ¡°She insisted on coming back herself. I didn¡¯t know either,¡± Qi Shenbai explained. ¡°And you! She¡¯s about to steal your husband, yet you¡¯re acting like a fool.¡± Xu Zhengyang looked at Xu Jiaojiao instead. ¡°I believe in Lil Bai. He won¡¯t be snatched away by anyone.¡± Xu Jiaojiao had said that she would trust him, so she believed him 100%. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re the only one in my heart.¡± Qi Shenbai looked at Xu Jiaojiao affectionately. More PDA? Without a word of warning, too. He came to clean up their mess, but now they were just showing off to him? How dare they. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Xu Zhengyang did not want to stay her any longer. ¡°Brother, come eat with us!¡± Xu Jiaojiao had not eaten with her brother in a long time. She missed him so much! ¡°No, I¡¯m full. Burp!¡± As Xu Zheng spoke, he licked his lips. Xu Jiaojiao really did not know how he did it. He ate someone else¡¯s food and even scolded them. Only her own brother could do such a thing! Since Xu Zhengyang was not joining them, Xu Jiaojiao and Qi Shenbai had all their time to themselves. They went Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s favorite Michelin restaurant. During dinner, Xu Jiaojiao pleaded on behalf of Zhao Yunxiao, but she just asked Qi Shenbai to let Zhao Yunxiao be with Qi Yunduo. Qi Shenbai did not agree or refuse. ¡°That boy was pursuing one of his seniors for three years. Now, he suddenly turned around and started flirting with Yunduo instead. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange?¡± It was not that Qi Shenbai did not allow the two of them to be together, but Zhao Yunxiao seemed very suspicious to him. ¡°Are you saying that he¡¯s using Yunduo?¡± Xu Jiaojiao blurted, ¡°But he doesn¡¯t seem like that kind of person! Last time, he helped me in school. At that time, he didn¡¯t know my identity.¡± Qi Shenbai thought for a moment and said, ¡°Then let him join the company! However, he still has to rely on himself to climb the corporate ladder.¡± ¡°You agreed?¡± Xu Jiaojiao was pleasantly surprised. ¡°Yes!¡± Qi Shenbai said as he pinched the tip of her nose, causing it to turn red. The boy was just lucky to have helped his little wife back then! This was to repay him for that. Still, he should forget about being with Qi Yunduo. ¡°Thank you, Lil Bai!¡± Xu Jiaojiao raised her glass of juice and toasted Qi Shenbai. Looking at Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s smiling face, Qi Shenbai felt that everything was worth it.. Chapter 220 - Chapter 220: Princess of the World Chapter 220: Princess of the World Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation During the first week of the holidays, Xu Jiaojiao spent her days in utter depravity. The two of them had done it countless times over the week, until they were almost out of protection. Every time she fell asleep after being tired, she would wake up in clean clothes the next day. Her body was also refreshed. It seemed that Qi Shenbai had already tidied her up at night. Xu Jiaojiao originally wanted to buy Qi Shenbai some supplements, but it seemed like there was no need for that now. His body was extremely strong as it was. Qi Shenbai also instructed the butler not to disturb Xu Jiaojiao. She could eat whenever she wanted. They just had to heat up the food when she asked for it. Today, when Xu Jiaojiao finally woke up and went downstairs, she saw that the butler had already prepared food. ¡°Madam, do you want to eat something?¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Xu Jiaojiao replied. Then, she felt dizzy and fell to the ground. ¡°Madam, Madam!¡± The butler flew into a panic and hurriedly called for an ambulance. When she woke up again, Xu Jiaojiao was in the hospital. Qi Shenbai was staring at her with a faint smile. ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± Xu Jiaojiao still felt a little weak. ¡°Why can¡¯t I stare at you like this? You¡¯re carrying my baby.¡± Qi Shenbai still had a faint smile on his face. The baby had really come a little too suddenly. He was not prepared at all. Logically speaking, he should have a child of his own at his age. However, Xu Jiaojiao was still young. Still, she was already expecting, so they could not possibly abort the baby, right? ¡°A baby?¡± Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s head buzzed. It felt impossible. ¡°Didn¡¯t we use protection?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t the first time.¡± Qi Shenbai felt a little guilty. He did not have any experience the first time, so he forgot about protection and went in raw. To think they would hit a hole-in-one! After just the first time, they already struck gold. ¡°Then wouldn¡¯t I have to¡­¡± She was so embarrassed just thinking about going to school with a big belly! She had to be the first in the school¡¯s history! Qi Shenbai seemed to know what she was thinking. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll inform the school. It¡¯s fine if you want to drop out or continue. The school won¡¯t object, let alone expel you.¡± With Qi Shenbai around, these things were trivial. How could the principal dare to offend him? They would love nothing more than for Xu Jiaojiao to continue her studies all the way to the doctorate level at their school. That way, they would never have to worry about their school¡¯s annual fees again. As long as Xu Jiaojiao was around, Qi Shenbai would generously invest in their school. ¡°But it¡¯s so embarrassing to go to school with a big belly!¡± Xu Jiaojiao could not help but lower her eyes. Although she did not want to do that, it was impossible for her not to accept the baby. It was her and Qi Shenbai¡¯s child, the crystallization of their love. ¡°If you feel embarrassed, you can drop out of school,¡± Qi Shenbai said. ¡°No, I still have to go to school. I can¡¯t take a break from school. I¡¯ll take a break when I¡¯m about to give birth!¡± Xu Jiaojiao loved drawing the most. She definitely would not have an easy time staying at home all day. Even if she really did take a break from school, she would still draw at home. Without the guidance of a teacher, she might as well go to school, even if she had to do so pregnant! In any case, some people in the school knew her identity. Since she was married, it was natural for her to have children. Nine months later, Xu Jiaojiao was finally about to give birth. Qi Shenbai was waiting nervously outside the delivery room. Xu Zhengyang was not faring any better. Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s parents and grandmother were also there. Although her grandmother was weak, she came in a wheelchair when she found out that her granddaughter was about to give birth. Xu Jiaojiao finally understood how painful it was to give birth to a child! She swore that she would never give birth again after giving birth to this child. Just as Qi Shenbai had hoped, Xu Jiaojiao gave birth to a daughter who was as adorable as Xu Jiaojiao. However, he only held the baby for a moment before handing the child over to his mother-in-law. He waited anxiously outside the delivery room until Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s pale little face appeared in front of him. Only then did he feel relieved. The doctor pushed Xu Jiaojiao into the ward, and Qi Shenbai followed her. Just like that, he became a father, Xu Jiaojiao became a mother, Xu Zhengyang became an uncle, Xu Jiaojiao¡¯s parents became grandparents, and her grandmother became a great-grandmother. During the full moon celebration, the entire family took a photo together. Su Luo and Qi Yunduo came to celebrate. The banquet was very grand. Almost all the influential people in Luo City received the news and came to congratulate them. ¡°Jiaojiao, our daughter will definitely be the princess of the world in the future.¡± Qi Shenbai looked at the baby¡¯s little face and caressed it. ¡°The princess of the world?¡± It seemed he was destined to become his daughter¡¯s slave from now on! The end!