Chapter 65: From The Beginning
"Huh?"
Wang Gege looked up at Xie Rong once again before hurriedly shaking her head. "I’m all right..."
A smile quickly appeared on her lips, but it was so forced that even she could tell how unnatural it looked.
Xie Rong remained silent. He didn’t believe her.
The favorability had just decreased by ten points. Although he had no idea what had caused it, he was certain something had happened.
Almost instinctively, he raised his hand and gently placed the back of it against her forehead.
"Did Furen suddenly feel unwell? Or are you too exhausted after everything that happened today?" His brows gradually knitted together as he carefully observed her expression. After a brief pause, he asked once more, "Or, Furen... did I say something wrong?"
Wang Gege subconsciously took half a step back as his hand touched her forehead. She blinked twice before letting out a small, helpless laugh.
"I really am fine..." she insisted softly, gently pulling his hand away. "Husband doesn’t need to worry so much."
Xie Rong remained unconvinced.
He quietly observed the expression on her face. Although she was smiling, it no longer resembled the smile from a few moments ago. Something had clearly changed after his answer, yet no matter how he replayed their conversation in his mind, he could not figure out where he had gone wrong.
After a brief silence, he spoke once again.
"If Furen is unwilling to tell me now, I will not force you." His voice remained as calm as ever, yet there was an unmistakable trace of concern hidden beneath it. "However... If I have truly said something that made Furen unhappy, I hope Furen will tell me someday."
Wang Gege’s heart inexplicably tightened. She slowly lowered her head, unable to meet his face for a moment.
"It is... really nothing." She forced a faint smile before gently withdrawing her hand from his. Then, afraid that he might continue asking, she slowly turned around. "Let’s go back to our courtyard, Husband..."
Without waiting for his response, she took a few steps forward.
Xie Rong remained where he was.
His brows stayed tightly knitted as he quietly watched her retreating figure. In a long while, he found himself completely unable to understand another person’s thoughts.
Just moments ago, everything had seemed perfectly fine. So why... Has her favorability suddenly decreased?
Xie Rong remained standing where he was, his gaze quietly following Wang Gege’s retreating figure until she had walked several steps ahead of him.
’Gemi.’
Xie Rong suddenly called for the system, his curiosity got to him.
Silence.
’Why did her favorability decrease?’
A brief moment later, the familiar mechanical voice finally echoed inside his mind.
[INSUFFICIENT DATA.]
Xie Rong’s brows furrowed even deeper.
’Can you determine the reason?’
[UNABLE TO ANALYZE.]
The answer was as concise as ever. Xie Rong fell silent once more.
His gaze never left Wang Gege’s back as countless possibilities quietly crossed his mind. He replayed every word they had exchanged since leaving the main courtyard, yet no matter how many times he thought about it, he could not find the answer.
"Troublesome."
It was the first time he realized understanding a person’s heart was far more difficult than dealing with assassins.
He slowly lifted his head toward the night sky before letting out a quiet sigh.
’Am I... truly that bad at understanding women?’
A brief silence followed.
[POSITIVE.]
[GEMI BELIEVES THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS.]
[HOST CAN BE CONSIDERED SOCIALLY INEPT WHEN INTERACTING WITH THE TARGET.]
Xie Rong’s expression stiffened almost imperceptibly. He slowly closed his eyes before replying inwardly, ’Did I ask for your opinion?’
[UNDERSTOOD.]
[MISUNDERSTANDING ACKNOWLEDGED.]
Xie Rong slowly opened his eyes once more. His gaze instinctively landed on Wang Gege, who had already walked several steps ahead of him.
She was walking slowly, as if she wanted him to catch up.
Xie Rong pressed his lips together before abandoning the thoughts in his mind altogether.
If he could not understand, then he would simply ask.
Without another moment of hesitation, he lengthened his strides and quickly caught up to Wang Gege.
"Husband?" Wang Gege turned around in surprise after hearing the approaching footsteps.
Before she could react, Xie Rong had already stopped beside her. His brows remained slightly knitted as though the question had troubled him greatly. "I still do not understand."
Wang Gege blinked in confusion.
"Understand what?"
Xie Rong looked at her with complete seriousness.
"What exactly did I say wrong?"
Wang Gege almost forgot how to breathe the moment the question reached her ears.
"Ah..." She unconsciously swallowed before forcing an awkward laugh. "I-I told Husband earlier..." She waved her hands lightly. "There was really nothing wrong at all..."
"But Furen’s expression changed." His answer came without the slightest hesitation, as though he was merely stating a fact.
Wang Gege instinctively cupped both of her cheeks. "Did it?"
She blinked several times before forcing another feeble smile, "Does Husband always... talk this much and become this curious?"
Xie Rong looked at her quietly for several moments before speaking once again.
"Just now..." His voice remained as calm as ever, yet there was an unusual seriousness behind it. "I was merely telling Furen what was in my heart."
Wang Gege’s smile gradually stiffened.
Xie Rong continued, seemingly unaware of the turmoil his words had caused. "However... Furen has yet to give me an answer."
Wang Gege stared at him blankly. "Answer?"
Xie Rong gave a slight nod. "Whether Furen believes me or not is your choice." He paused briefly before continuing, "But I would still like to know Furen’s thoughts."
His expression remained composed, yet his gaze never once left her face.
"If Furen is unable to answer me today..." A faint smile slowly appeared on his lips, "then I shall wait."
She looked at him in silence for a long while, as though carefully searching for the right words. Several thoughts flashed through her mind before she finally lowered her gaze again.
"Then, husband..." Her voice became noticeably softer than before. "Can I ask one last question?"
Xie Rong gave a slight nod without the slightest hesitation.
Carefully organizing the thoughts in her heart she gulped then looked straight at the man beside her, "Husband..." She paused just a second, "Have you... liked me from the very beginning?"