âHeâs left to work, and would only be back at night.â
âOh, I see.â Qiao Biluo nodded slowly in understanding, envy lurking just beneath her eyes. âIâve actually assumed that you were a single mother, Xixi. I envy you having a child, but why arenât you married to the boyâs father?â
Ji Weixi came up with a reason at random. âHeâs busy with work and doesnât have the time.â
âThatâs just an excuse!â Qiao Biluo became paler immediately. âIâm telling you, men would give every excuse they could if they donât want to marry you!â
âYou already gave him a child, but he still wouldnât give you the title? There are only two explanations: one, he doesnât love you or your sonâand two, he is just fooling around with you and doesnât care about you at all!â
Qiao Biluo was now offering advice sincerely as if she had experienced it in the past. âXixi, Iâm telling you, donât be with a man like that or youâll end up very hurt!â
Wasnât she supposed to be unaware that the man she was referring to was Li Shaoling? Why was she now âadvisingâ her?
Ji Weixi became cautious. What was Qiao Biluo meaning to do?
Was she really offering advice, or actually trying to separate her from Li Shaoling?
Still, despite her suspicions and inner conflict, Ji Weixi did not really react and simply smiled. âThatâs fine. I just hope that my child could grow up happy and healthy, and thatâs enough.â
Qiao Biluo shook her head and sighed. âA motherâs love is so great.â
Unwilling to talk about that further because she would feel worse inwardly if she did, Ji Weixi stood up. âDo you want something to drink? Coffee or juice?â
âJuice. Coffee is bad for health.â
Ji Weixi headed to the kitchen, took out several fresh oranges and showed it to Qiao Biluo. âIs orange juice alright?â
Qiao Biluo nodded. âSure.â
Ji Weixi cut the fruit and put it into the mixer which churned noisily.
She watched as the oranges were ground down, and blanked out then.
The truth was that she was moved whenever Li Shaoling proposed to her, but she would decide not to when she calmed down.
The largest obstacle in her heart was that he had bedded her four years ago and his lost memory.
If she couldnât fully accept him, she wouldnât marry him.
Meanwhile, Qiao Biluo was carefully scanning every corner of the house as she did her best to find any trace of Li Shaoling.
That was when Ji Weixiâs phone screen brightened.
The caller was Li Shaoling.
She quickly glanced at Ji Weixi at the kitchen, and promptly received the call before the phone could ring.
Li Shaolingâs gentle voice spoke. âMissed me yet?â
Qiao Biluo never heard such tenderness from him. As her rage and jealously surged at once, she clenched the phone with so much strength that she could crush it.
Still, she took a deep breath and sweetly replied. âShaoling, are you looking for Xixi? Sheâs making me juice.â
Silence answered her, and before she could say more, the call was disconnected.
Qiao Biluo returned the phone precisely where it had been while Ji Weixi came out of the kitchen with the cup of juice. She took it and had a sip of the juice. âThis is nice.â
Meanwhile, in his office, Li Shaoling was narrowing his eyes dangerously.
Qiao Biluo was actually seeing Ji Weixi? And in her house!?
That damned woman!
***
At night, Li Shaoling promptly wrapped his arms around Ji Weixi when he returned.
She was almost suffocating, only to have him kiss her urgently and violently.
âHmmm...â Ji Weixi flushed as she pushed him away. âWhatâs wrong?â
âDid Qiao Biluo came here?â
Ji Weixi was surprised. âHow did you know?â
âI called you this afternoon. She answered it.â Li Shaoling answered as he stroked her lips.
Ji Weixi frowned in surprise. âShe didnât tell me! So impolite!â
Li Shaoling gently took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. His voice was soft and careful as he asked cautiously, âWhat did she tell you?â
He was afraid that the damned woman would say something that left Ji Weixi unhappy again.
Still, Ji Weixi shook her head. âNothing, but...â
Pausing, she did not hold back her loathing at all. âShe moved next door, and told me that weâre neighbors now. Li Shaoling... I donât like being next door to her.â
Liking her honesty, Li Shaoling could not help but grin as he lifted her chin. âThen shall we move to our house?â
Ji Weixi had the same idea at first, but had soon abandoned that idea. âSheâll suspect something if we moved quickly. Letâs wait and see what she actually wants, but... Li Shaoling, she acted like she didnât know me, or about me and you...â
âSilly.â Unable to hold back a chuckle, Li Shaoling brushed the tip of his nose with hers as his eyes showed a thousand different tender feelings. âWho could be as naïve as you?â
âHuh?â Ji Weixi blinked before slowly realizing the truth. âAre you saying that she knows everything, and was just pretending?â
âYeah.â
Ji Weixi immediately felt played.
It seems that Qiao Biluo was not good at allâthe scheming type.
Still, her frustrated and annoyed little motions were so adorable that Li Shaoling kissed her again, and his breathing became a little unsteady from the fragrant soapy scents wafting from her body.
He held her, his voice sounding like a low violinic rhythm that was at once rich and devilish charming. âI love you.â
He had said those three words so many times, but Ji Weixi always softened when she heard them.
She knew that he was saying those three words to tell her once again that he loves her, no matter what would happen.
That was when the little one roared unhappily after being neglected for ages.
âDaddy! Mommy!â
Li Shaoling had been in a good mood at first, but his face promptly darkened at the sight of the miniature version of himself.
Ji Weixi crouched. âWhat is it?â
âI donât care anymore, Mommy!â The little one pouted and started crying. âDaddy didnât even care about me after coming back! Are you going to throw me away when you get my sister?â
âNo way! I carried you for ten months. Why would I throw you away?!â
âI donât care!â The little one started to throw a fit, lying down and kicking and crying. âEvery time Mommy and Daddy hug and kiss, Mommy wonât care about me anymore! Thereâs no love in this home anymore! Iâm leaving!â
With that, the little one acted as if he was heading for the door.
However, Li Shaoling caught him by the collar and flung him on the couch, glowering. âCry some more and Iâm flushing you down the toilet!â
Heâs already so old and all he knew was crying. What a ladyboy!
Annoying!
Still, the little one cried even harder, and the house was about to shake while clenching Ji Weixi in the heart, who quickly went up and coaxed him. âI wonât throw you away, baby. Iâll sleep with you tonight, and put my arms around you. Okay?â
The little oneâs tears stopped immediately as he stood up. âWeally?!â