Do you dare to say that you don’t like me at all?
Xiao Wanqing rarely loses composure and sheds tears in front of others, especially not in front of someone like Lin Xian, who is her junior. After her emotions settled, she felt a bit awkward. Fortunately, Lin Xian was adept at taking care of her emotions. They exchanged glances, and Lin Xian promptly shook her right hand, giving her a way out: “Aunt Xiao, I… my hand hurts…”
Xiao Wanqing immediately forgot her embarrassment, turned around, and went to fetch the first aid kit: “You sit down, wait for me a moment.”
She brought the first aid kit and carefully disinfected Lin Xian’s wound with alcohol. She initially wanted to bandage it properly with gauze, but Lin Xian stubbornly refused, saying it wasn’t that serious. In the end, she had to compromise and put three adhesive bandages on her.
The three flesh-colored bandages covered almost half of the back of her hand. The exposed skin had a faint purplish hue, like a well-crafted white porcelain that had been recklessly stained by someone who didn’t appreciate its value, making it quite conspicuous. Xiao Wanqing gently pressed the bandages on, expressing concern: “I wonder if it will leave a scar…”
Lin Xian moved her fingers. Although the back of her hand was tightly covered, her fingers were still quite flexible. She teasingly remarked to Xiao Wanqing, “If it leaves a scar, Aunt Xiao, will you be disgusted?”
Xiao Wanqing chuckled, “Where would I have the chance to be disgusted?” Moreover, this wasn’t a matter of being disgusted or not.
However, Lin Xian persisted and coquettishly said, “I don’t care; I only care if Aunt Xiao is disgusted or not.” She lamented, “Aunt Xiao, your hands are so beautiful. If my hand leaves a scar, it won’t be beautiful anymore. Is it that people with unattractive hands are not qualified to be friends with those with beautiful hands?”
“Nonsense…” Xiao Wanqing laughed and scolded her. Sometimes, she really wanted to pry open Lin Xian’s little brain and see what kind of strange ideas were inside. She gently touched Lin Xian’s head and said softly, “Xian Xian, I don’t mind, I feel guilty.” Her watery eyes looked at Lin Xian, and she earnestly advised her, “No matter what, in the future, don’t be so impulsive. Take good care of your own body.”
Lin Xian lifted her gaze, met Xiao Wanqing’s eyes for a moment, then quickly lowered her head again, silent. If given another chance, and another hundred chances, she might still act impulsively. She even felt that if that person were in front of her, she would rush up and engage in a fierce fight with her. She liked Xiao Wanqing so much, cherishing her in her heart. Why did that person have the privilege, and more importantly, how could she dare not to appreciate it?
Her peripheral vision caught sight of the glass on the nearby coffee table, and she curved her lips, changing the subject with a smile, “Luckily, the glass didn’t shatter.”
Xiao Wanqing sensed that Lin Xian was avoiding her words, and discontentedly flicked Lin Xian’s forehead, bringing the topic back, “Don’t change the subject.” She spoke seriously, “Lin Xian, I didn’t know before that you could be so impulsive and violent. It’s good for young people to have passion, but you can’t be too impulsive. This way, you’ll easily hurt yourself.” After calming down, Xiao Wanqing thought back and felt a bit scared. She always thought Lin Xian had a soft and lively nature, but it turns out she harbored a dormant volcano?
“But I only act impulsively for you…” Lin Xian murmured softly.
Xiao Wanqing couldn’t hear clearly what she was mumbling, so she flicked Lin Xian’s forehead again, scolding her, “Mumbling about something, are you complaining that I, this old aunt, talk too much?”
Lin Xian quickly waved her hands to clarify, “No, I’m not.” She sighed and promised, “I understand, I won’t be so impulsive in the future. After all, I’m an adult now.” With that, she suddenly blinked, sat up straight, and reached out her hand to Xiao Wanqing, saying solemnly, “Let’s get to know each other again. Hello, Xiao Wanqing, I’m Lin Xian, an 18-year-old freshman majoring in finance at Jingnan University. Let’s be friends.”
Xiao Wanqing’s thoughts were still immersed in the sudden revelation of another side of Lin Xian. Upon hearing this, she couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned.
This is the second time Lin Xian has called her name.
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Compared to the first time when the girl was lively and charming, this time, when she uttered those three words, she seemed more serious and steady.
Xiao Wanqing gazed steadily at Lin Xian’s smiling and radiant face before her, realizing that time seemed to pass very slowly and yet very quickly. Slowly, as if it were just yesterday when she first saw Lin Xian over ten years ago, when Lin Xian was not even as tall as her waist, shyly hiding behind Zhou Qin and calling her “auntie”; quickly, as if the little girl had grown up silently, and now, sitting in front of her, she could interact with her as an adult.
Perhaps, the growth of a girl is like this, imperceptible and hindsight. Xiao Wanqing carefully examined Lin Xian again and was surprised to find that in just a few short months, at some unknown time, the girl who still had some baby fat on her jawline had transformed into a slender and delicate young woman. She had gradually shed her youthful innocence, and her eyes, still as clear and clean as when they first met, now carried a bit more maturity and determination.
Xiao Wanqing seemed to see the tender face of the little girl who used to follow Zhou Qin, gradually merging and then gradually separating from the vibrant and young face before her.
She is not only Zhou Qin’s daughter, her junior, her niece…
She is also an independent individual, an adult, a friend with whom she can interact despite the significant age difference.
Xiao Wanqing’s eyebrows softened gradually, and the curve of her lips deepened. She extended her hand, gently clasping Lin Xian’s hand, and with a slight smile, she said, “Hello, I’m Xiao Wanqing. Nice to meet you.”
The grand mansion of the Shi family wasn’t far from Xiao Wanqing’s home, but due to taking a detour to drop off Chen Zhi and Tang Mo, it took some time. As a result, it was close to midnight when Xia Zhijin’s car finally wearily pulled into the entrance of the Shi family estate.
Shi Man’s mother, Shi Jinglan, was not at home, and the house was as quiet as usual.
No, even if she were at home, the house was still quiet.
The grand mansion, which should have been magnificent and dazzling, was now dark and silent. In the night, it seemed eerily spooky with a gloomy atmosphere.
“Isn’t Aunt Xiao’s home better… maybe?” Shi Man stood awkwardly at the doorway, looking at the pitch-dark house, and suddenly muttered.
Xia Zhijin’s eyes dimmed slightly, without responding to her. She silently opened the door, went in to turn on the lights in the hall, and then opened the door wide, going out again to help Shi Man inside.
Shi Man had always been afraid of the dark, and Xia Zhijin knew that well.
She didn’t know if Shi Man was truly drunk.
She leaned weakly against Xia Zhijin, her eyes almost closed. She smelled the faint fragrance on Xia Zhijin’s body and followed her steps, gradually making their way to the bedroom on the second floor.
“In fact, just the two of us is fine…” Suddenly, she nuzzled against Xia Zhijin’s neck, whispered softly, “It’s quite nice.”
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Xia Zhijin remained indifferent, holding Shi Man and showing no reaction.
Once they entered Shi Man’s room and stood by the bed, Xia Zhijin immediately loosened her grip and separated from Shi Man’s body. Shi Man, following the motion, reclined on the soft bed.
Her ink-black hair scattered on the silver-gray sheets, her enchanting face tinged with crimson. Her eyes were languid, like a pool of spring water. The disheveled clothes accentuated the image of a beautiful woman intoxicated, captivating anyone who laid eyes on her.
However, Xia Zhijin only glanced briefly, then turned away, bidding a simple “good night” and hurriedly preparing to leave.
Shi Man’s previously hazy eyes suddenly turned dark, with a storm seemingly brewing in their depths. She abruptly sat up, reached out, and grabbed Xia Zhijin’s wrist, giving it a fierce pull.
Caught off guard, Xia Zhijin reflexively turned back to look at Shi Man. Pulled by her strength, she stumbled forward, unable to maintain her balance.
As Xia Zhijin’s familiar and cool face grew larger before her eyes, Shi Man, carried by the momentum, also fell backward. Xia Zhijin’s head forcefully collided with Shi Man’s chest, causing her to emit a muffled groan of pain.
Hearing Shi Man’s muffled groan, Xia Zhijin felt a sudden panic. Nervously, she tried to get up to check on her, but Shi Man had tightly wrapped her arms around Xia Zhijin’s waist, fingers interlocked, preventing her from moving at all.
Xia Zhijin placed her hands on the bedding beside Shi Man’s cheeks, struggling to lift her body. Her gaze fell on the pillow next to Shi Man’s face. Although her mind was in chaos, she maintained a composed exterior, softly requesting Shi Man, “Let me go. You’re drunk. I’ll make you some honey water to sober up.”
Shi Man, fixing her gaze on Xia Zhijin’s perfectly curved jawline, tightened her grip around Xia Zhijin’s waist even more. She chuckled softly, “Whether I’m drunk or not, don’t you know?” Her thumb gently traced the straight line that disappeared into Xia Zhijin’s waist, and her tone became more tender and ambiguous, “Zhijin, don’t you want to know who the girl I like is?”
Xia Zhijin’s whole body stiffened, feeling her face burning up. Her hands on the bedding clenched into fists. She averted her gaze, wanting to look at Shi Man but inadvertently glancing at a photo frame on Shi Man’s bedside table. Inside were photos of Shi Man, herself, and Shi Jinglan together.
It was like a bucket of ice-cold water poured over her. Xia Zhijin instantly sobered up. The confusion in her mind gradually subsided, replaced by a rising chill.
“I don’t want to know,” she thought, her voice probably as cold as ice. In truth, she was afraid to see Shi Man upset.
Shi Man, undeterred, still wore a brimming smile and wouldn’t allow her to escape. Gently, she said, “But I want to tell you.” She raised her body, getting close to Xia Zhijin’s cold face. Pressing against her ear, she confessed softly yet ruthlessly, “Xia Zhijin, I like you. You’ve known for a long time, haven’t you?” Her hands left Xia Zhijin’s waist, moving up to the bony back that felt somewhat uncomfortable even to touch. She turned her face, and a kiss was about to land on Xia Zhijin’s cold and clear face.
The next moment, a forceful impact came, the kiss missed its mark. Xia Zhijin forcefully pushed Shi Man away, causing her to tumble back onto the bed.
The tall and expressionless beauty stood upright, looking at her as if she were a stranger. “You’re drunk. I’ll pretend I didn’t hear these drunken words.”
Shi Man stared quietly at her, her vision gradually blurring. She stubbornly held onto Xia Zhijin’s wrist with one hand, and with the other, she raised it to cover her eyes. Above the blanket, moisture gradually seeped through.
She finally asked her, “I know what you’re thinking. Xia Zhijin, don’t consider my mom, don’t consider any debts or favors. Just consider yourself. Can you honestly say you don’t like me at all?”
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Xia Zhijin stared deeply at Shi Man, who was crying with her face covered. She seemed engulfed by sadness. Her eyes flickered with reluctance, sorrow, even despair. She clenched her back teeth so hard they seemed to shatter. Finally, resolutely and coldly, she used her hands to slowly pry open Shi Man’s grip on her, pulled away, turned around, and left without looking back…
“Go to sleep. It doesn’t matter.”
Shi Man’s empty hands hung in the air beside the bed, tears surging even more…
Fool…
This fool…
Shi Jinglan was not a true benefactor, so why does she have someone as grateful as you?
LP: Our main couple is winning but our wingman Shi Man is not (｡╯︵╰｡)