Chapter 118: I’ll Only Ask You Once (4)

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With a warning that obvious, Ji Niansheng would have been a fool not to understand.

“Yes, Auntie. I’m here to see a friend, so I won’t come in.”

“Oh, is that so? Then perhaps next time.”

“All right, let’s go,” Leng Xinmeng said impatiently. If she hadn’t been worried that her mother might actually invite Ji Niansheng inside, she wouldn’t have bothered with him at all.

“Xinxin…” Mrs. Leng still wanted to say a few words to her daughter, but Leng Xinmeng had already dragged Ji Niansheng away.

“See you next time, Auntie,” Ji Niansheng called back as she pulled him along.

“Why are you trying to win over my mother?” Leng Xinmeng demanded once they were far enough away.

“When did I do that?” Ji Niansheng looked utterly innocent. “That’s just basic courtesy. You’re rude enough on your own, but why do you have to make everyone else—”

“Say that again!”

“All right, all right. I won’t.”

“I can’t be bothered with you.”

Leng Xinmeng walked off as soon as she finished speaking, and Ji Niansheng naturally followed.

“Where are you going? I’m not familiar with this place. You can’t just abandon me.”

“Who cares about you?” Leng Xinmeng said without slowing down.

“You really don’t care what happens to me?”

“Keep walking. There’s a bus stop ahead. Take a bus home by yourself, and stop following me.”

“I never said I was going back.” Having come all this way and finally gotten the chance to see her, Ji Niansheng had no intention of leaving so soon.

Leng Xinmeng stopped and turned to glare at him. “Aren’t you annoying? What exactly do you want?”

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“I’m hungry. Buy me dinner,” Ji Niansheng said without the slightest hesitation.

“…”

Leng Xinmeng studied him for quite a while before finally saying, “I’m going to find Qiao Xi. If she’s willing to treat you, then you can eat.”

“Qiao Xi?” Ji Niansheng was slightly surprised. “You’re going to her house now?”

“Obviously.” Leng Xinmeng tossed the words over her shoulder and walked straight on.

Ji Niansheng naturally followed, secretly delighted. When he went back, he could brag to Yu Fan: See? Your boyfriend still hasn’t been to Qiao Xi’s house as early as I have.

———

When they reached the entrance, Qiao Xi got out of the car and turned to Gu Heng.

“You should go home.”

Gu Heng said nothing. He only looked at her.

“See you tomorrow,” she added.

“Mm,” Gu Heng replied.

“Go home,” Qiao Xi said again when he still showed no sign of leaving.

Gu Heng stared at her for several seconds, then suddenly reached out and pulled her into his arms.

“I’ll wait for you,” he whispered beside her ear.

Then he released her, mounted his bicycle, and rode away.

Only after his figure had disappeared from sight did Qiao Xi turn and enter the house.

The living-room light was on, and so was the television.

Zhou Huaiwei sat on the sofa, cracking sunflower seeds as she watched TV.

Qiao Xi walked over. “Auntie, I’m home.”

“Then go to bed early.” Zhou Huaiwei’s eyes never left the television.

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“Has my father come back?”

“Not yet.”

“Oh. Then I’m going to my room.”

After saying that, Qiao Xi went upstairs.

She showered and lay down.

She had taken a nap that afternoon, and now she wasn’t sleepy at all.

Holding her phone, she stared at the number she had saved a few days earlier. The contact name read: Vice President.

She had never called it before.

After hesitating for a moment, she finally dialed.

It took quite a while before he answered.

“Hello.”

It was the first time she had heard his voice over the phone. His tone was several degrees deeper than usual.

“It’s me,” she said.

“…”

“I’m Qiao Xi,” she added.

“I know.” His voice paused faintly before he asked, “Is something wrong?”

“I’m only going to ask you once,” she said. She did not want to keep dragging things out. Perhaps Yu Fan had been right after all—she really was too passive, whether where Gu Heng or Ouya was concerned.

This time, she wanted to take the initiative.

Because after tonight, she would decide whether to stay or go back.