Chapter 286: Only Enjoyment, No Responsibility
When Xie Youchen heard this, his first reaction was to frown with concern. "What is it? Did someone bully you?"
His protective tone made the corners of Jiang Qingli’s lips curve upward.
Ever since they were little, the one thing she was most certain of was that he would always be the first to show concern for her.
"Don’t worry, no one bullied me." Jiang Qingli’s tone shifted. "I do have something important to discuss with you, but I have exams for the next few days and really don’t have the time. Can we talk in detail next Sunday? Are you free?"
"If you’re looking for me, I’m always free."
Jiang Qingli froze again.
’What in the world happened to Xie Youchen during the three years she was away? Who possessed him? How could he say something like that?’
He used to be silent most of the time.
The times he spoke the most were when he caught her eating ice cream during her period, when he stumbled upon a boy chasing after her to confess his feelings, and when he busted her for staying up all night playing games...
Thinking about it now, it seemed like Xie Youchen knew about and had witnessed more than half of all the trivial, and even embarrassing, moments in her past.
Jiang Qingli touched the tip of her nose, her voice stiff. "Okay, I get it. I’m going to read for a bit then go to sleep."
"Good night," Xie Youchen said again. "Tell me if you need anything at all."
The girl’s voice was laced with a smile. "I know, I know. Good night."
Their breathing slowed, but neither of them moved to hang up the phone.
After about half a minute, Xie Youchen spoke again. "Good night."
This time, Jiang Qingli finally hung up.
After the call ended, Xie Youchen held his terminal, his fingertips unconsciously scrolling up through their chat history.
From just a moment ago, to a few days ago, and then even further back.
There was a three-year gap in the middle of their chat history.
Over a thousand days ago, their chats were still just ordinary, idle conversations.
Xie Youchen’s finger hovered over the screen. A nearly inaudible sigh escaped his throat. When he looked up again, his eyes held a new layer of determination.
’I won’t let something like that happen again.’
Protecting Jiang Qingli was the most important thing in his life.
KNOCK KNOCK.
Someone knocked on the door.
Xie Youchen put away his terminal, tapped the desk to deactivate the shielding system, and said in a low voice, "Enter."
The door opened from the outside. Chen Mi walked into the study and respectfully presented a set of documents.
"The military department just sent over some urgent files that require your signature." Chen Mi had run over, and his breathing was still a little ragged.
"Good work," Xie Youchen said. "Your year-end bonus is doubled."
Year-end bonus doubled!
Those were simply the four most wonderful words in the world!
Suddenly, Chen Mi no longer felt the pain of being summoned by the military department late at night.
Especially since the year-end bonus was usually paid out of Xie Youchen’s personal funds, meaning it would only ever be more, never less.
After signing the documents, Xie Youchen handed them back to Chen Mi, only to notice he was still standing there. He raised an eyebrow slightly. "Is there something else?"
Chen Mi considered his words for a moment before speaking slowly. "A call came in from the Twelve Cities. They hope that you, Marshal, will transfer back to the Upper City District after this year. Marshal Jin predicts that next month’s beast tide will be more ferocious than in previous years and will require your command."
Xie Youchen didn’t answer, asking instead, "What is Xie Zhengliu doing?"
"When I arrived, the light in her study was still on." Chen Mi glanced at the listening device in the corner, saw that it was off, and breathed a sigh of relief. He continued, "She’s probably handling those shady dealings, same as always."
The noble families have been entrenched in the Upper City District for years; it’s impossible for them to be completely clean. There were always some private dealings, and the Xie Family was no exception. These were managed by the Family Head.
After the Moon Festival ended, controls were loosened, so things would naturally get active again.
Xie Youchen grunted in acknowledgment and said flatly, "She will attend the banquet."
"Miss Jiang is attending?" Chen Mi was surprised. "Then..."
"Proceed as planned," Xie Youchen ordered coolly. "Do not let her find out."
Chen Mi paused for a moment, then said, "Yes, sir."
-
「The next day」
Jiang Qingli woke at seven in the morning.
Unable to sleep, she simply got up to read.
Perhaps because of what happened last night, she was in a slightly excited state and found it hard to focus on her book.
After scanning a few pages, Jiang Qingli still couldn’t calm down.
She decided to just get up and go to the house’s training room. In any case, Ye Linyuan would be coming over at nine to guide her shooting practice, so there was no harm in practicing a little beforehand.
At this hour, the servants hadn’t started their work yet, and the manor was silent.
As Jiang Qingli walked through her quiet, familiar home, her gaze lingered on her surroundings, and memories of the past surfaced in her mind.
Last night, Jiang Qingli had told Yi Nuo she would probably get up at eight-thirty, so she assumed the kitchen would be empty and planned to make herself something to eat.
But when she walked into the kitchen, she saw a tall, slender figure standing before the stove, stirring the base of a seafood congee with a ladle to keep it from sticking. The aroma of food filled the room.
The white-fox youth had his back to her. His snow-white hair shimmered in the sunlight as he hummed a gentle, unknown tune, a soft smile on his lips.
It was a heartwarming scene that filled one with a cozy feeling just by looking at it.
Jiang Qingli drew closer, her gaze dropping to see an apron tied around his waist. The apron strings outlined the youth’s lean, firm waistline.
Her hands started to itch with mischief, and she couldn’t resist reaching out to give his waist a squeeze.
The youth’s body stiffened. He flinched slightly before turning to take hold of her hand, whispering, "Don’t be naughty."
Though that’s what he said, there was no hint of condemnation in his tone. Instead, his fingertips gently caressed her palm in a teasing, push-and-pull manner.
Jiang Qingli’s lips curled into a smile. She reached out and hugged him from behind, nuzzling his shoulder.
"So domestic," she said with a laugh. "I must be the female master who enjoys life the most in the entire world, right?"
"Then please, my female master, continue to enjoy it forever," Baili Jing said in a warm voice.
Looking at his side profile, Jiang Qingli hooked a finger under his chin.
Baili Jing cooperatively turned and lowered his head.
Just as their lips were about to touch, Jiang Qingli’s terminal suddenly vibrated.
She took out her terminal, intending to give it a casual glance, but saw it was a message from Xie Youchen.
The message was concise: [Good morning. I’m starting work now.]
’He’s started reporting in again.’
Jiang Qingli raised an eyebrow and replied to his message, the corners of her mouth turning up unconsciously.
After sending her reply, she looked up and met Baili Jing’s gaze.
Jiang Qingli’s heart skipped a beat.
’If there was anyone in the world who understood her best, aside from her mother, it was Baili Jing.’
’But... putting their own relationship aside, Baili Jing and Xie Youchen had also been friends for many years. What was she supposed to say?’
Jiang Qingli felt her morals and her reason warring with each other, and a sense of guilt began to creep in.
She pressed her lips together. Just as she was about to speak, a long, warm fingertip was placed on her lips.
Baili Jing looked into her eyes and said, word by word, "You don’t have to say it. I know everything."
Jiang Qingli’s heart suddenly stopped.
But there was no condemnation in Baili Jing’s eyes.
He spoke earnestly, "I’ve told you before, baby, as long as you’re happy, and as long as you don’t hurt yourself, I will support you in anything you do."
Jiang Qingli’s fingers tightened. "Do you know what I was going to say? The one I like is—"
"It’s okay, baby," Baili Jing said. "You’re not the only female in the world who has developed feelings for several males at the same time."
Baili Jing cupped her face and kissed her lips, his voice as gentle as ever.
"I know everything. You don’t need to feel guilty, and you certainly don’t need to worry. I will take care of things in the ’backyard’ for you, so these men don’t disturb your studies or your work."
"But that would be so exhausting for you..."
Although Jiang Qingli often teased him about his "air of a head consort," she knew how tiring his work was, and she couldn’t bear to see him overwork himself.
The youth’s snow-white fox tail wrapped around her as his fingers gently stroked the side of her face. His eyes curved into crescents. "With me, all you have to do is enjoy yourself. You don’t have to take any responsibility."
He didn’t care how many people she loved, or how many males had captured her heart.
As long as he could have a place by her side, a place that was just a little more special than the other males, he would be satisfied.
’From the way Baili Jing was acting, it seemed he had guessed long ago.’
’But he hadn’t tried to stop her. He was even willing to go this far for her.’
Jiang Qingli’s heart felt like it was melting. She squeezed his hand tightly.
Just as she was about to speak, a cold, sinister voice came from the doorway:
"How much longer are you going to gaze deeply into each other’s eyes?"