Chapter 15 Late Night Return
I sat in the coffee shop until it got dark. During that time, my adoptive parents kept calling me while I made excuses, saying there was an urgent matter at work that I had to handle, and that I would talk properly with Jian Xi tomorrow.
Sigh.
I raised my hand to check my watch. It was already ten at night. They were probably asleep by then.
So I sneaked back home quietly. Before I could change my shoes, the living room light suddenly turned on.
I instinctively raised my hand to shield my eyes. Through my fingers, I saw Jian Xi standing a few steps away on the stairs.
He had changed out of his daytime suit into the gray home clothes that Mom had prepared for him.
He looked gentle and soft all over, without any of the cold seriousness from earlier.
I closed my eyes guiltily, pretending I hadn't seen anything, and tried to slip away along the wall.
I had just moved two steps.
A very forlorn sigh came from behind.
"......Was it wrong for me to come back?"
I stopped in my tracks, thinking about how happy my adoptive parents had been these past few days. I turned my head subconsciously to refute.
"Of course not!"
"Jian Xi, why would you think that? Dad and Mom had been looking forward to this day for so long. They......"
My words stopped abruptly.
Jian Xi had his eyelids slightly lowered, his long lashes casting a small shadow under his eyes.
His light-colored eyes were covered with a layer of mist, his eye rims slightly red, his lips tightly pursed.
He looked at me aggrieved yet stubbornly.
"Really......?"
I choked.
Who could understand? Who really could?
The way he spoke so softly like a puppy despite his cold face made my heart race!
He looked like a male fox spirit right now. He continued to accuse me softly.
"But before I came back, you called me Baby every day, said you liked me the most, said you loved me. But now......"
"......Liar."
My heart felt like it had been twisted hard. I hurriedly explained.
"It's not like that! I explained to you, it was because I......"
"I know."
He interrupted me on his own, his voice weak.
"Forget it. I know. After all, I've never been likable since I was young, so it's only right for you to act this way......"
"I thought you really liked me, but you're all the same. No one in this world likes me. Never has......"
"I should just leave. Little cabbage, yellow in the ground......"
He seemed like he would shatter in the next second.
I broke out in a sweat and stepped forward to hold his hand.
"Baby, I really like you. Don't overthink it!"
"I just hadn't figured out how to face you yet. You have to believe me......"
Jian Xi blinked.
He silently turned his palm and interlocked our fingers tightly.
He frowned and asked me.
"......Are you telling the truth?"
I hadn't noticed his little action at all.
I nodded desperately.
"Yes, yes! Of course it's true......"
"Then will you avoid me from now on?"
I said firmly. "No!"
"Will you keep liking me?"
"Yes!"
"Will you keep loving me?"
"Yes!"
"Will you keep being family with me?"
"Yes!"
"Will you let me use my hand?"
"Yes!"
The words fell.
I realized belatedly what he had just said.
My face exploded red.
I was about to take it back.
But Jian Xi pursed his lips and relented at that moment.
"Okay, I believe you."
He paused, his gaze focused and deep, each word clear.
"Because you're Lin Duo, I'm willing to believe you one more time."
I was slightly stunned. My disobedient heartbeat skipped a beat, forgetting what I was about to retract.
"Why is your hair still wet? Don't you know how to blow-dry it? Haha, come on, I'll blow it for you."
"Okay."
Jian Xi let me pull him upstairs.
The moment he turned, I saw him glance at the notebook on the sofa. His lips curved up silently in a smile.