Chapter 20 (Choose one of two)
Bringing her thoughts back to reality, and encountering the familiar recipe once again, Xia Li approached, examining the croissants, and asked Ji Ling suspiciously, "Did Aunt Wang make these?"
Ji Ling lowered his eyes, did not respond directly, and simply hummed in response.
Xia Li nodded silently and asked softly, "Have you eaten?"
Ji Ling didn't answer her question, but seeing his reaction, she was able to understand his meaning correctly, so she said again, "Let's go together."
To be honest, they rarely even have the chance to eat at the same table.
Perhaps they had such a plan, but it was always inadvertently hindered by their estrangement. They cared deeply about each other, but their stubborn personalities led to a stalemate. Neither of them was willing to explain further, and they insisted on arguing to see who was right.
A moment later, Ji Ling's throat tightened, and he picked up the water glass next to him, took a sip, and said, "It's too sweet."
Xia Li watched his actions, puzzled. As she pondered, she seemed to see a hint of tension in Ji Ling's eyes.
Is it nervousness? Maybe not, it might be because of the sweetness.
As she spoke, she picked up a croissant and took a bite.
Is it sweet? It tastes pretty good, so she took another bite.
Xia Li had intended to offer a perfunctory reply to Ji Ling, but then suddenly remembered that Ji Ling had mentioned the croissants were made by Aunt Wang, which might affect her. Somewhat absentmindedly, Xia Li praised, "I think it's pretty good."
The signs are beginning to emerge, but the final outcome remains to be seen.
With the fork hovering near her lips, she bit her lip, glancing at Ji Ling's expression out of the corner of her eye.
The man lowered his eyes, his eyelashes obscuring the spring-like feeling within. The corners of his mouth curved slightly, then instantly tightened into a straight line, unable to conceal the fleeting tenderness within.
Is this the expression Ji Ling should have?
Xia Li tilted her head to examine it, and through the subtle changes in her expression, she became even more certain of her guess.
The croissants were indeed made by Ji Ling.
After she answered Ji Ling's question, Ji Ling's previously straight back relaxed a bit. He hadn't noticed her probing gaze and asked in return, "Really?"
Seeing his expression, Xia Li guessed he was in a good mood and nodded with utmost sincerity.
A light rain began to fall outside the window. The water that had accumulated on the eaves was like beads from a broken string, gathering at the tips before suddenly falling and turning into a silent lingering sound.
After finishing her meal, she stumbled upstairs.
The gaze from behind was like an invisible thread, those eyes embedded in the shadows, following her movements, making her forget all about her greed.
She stopped abruptly at the top of the stairs on the second floor, unsure which way to go. On one side was her usual room, and on the other... she remembered Ji Ling's words, which were almost an order for her to rest in the master bedroom from now on.
Xia Li gasped, thought for a moment, held her breath, and this time she didn't go into the guest room, but went into their shared room.
The rain fell intermittently throughout the night, the sound of it pattering on the lawn and the leaves in the yard was very soothing. Xia Li's eyelids grew heavy, and she soon fell asleep to the sound of the rain.
She was suddenly startled to find a very warm body beside her. As the bed sank in, a familiar fragrance lingered around her nose, mixed with the dampness of the rainy season. Her fingertips still retained the warmth from her unintentional touch.
She breathed very shallowly, turned over gently, and could only hear the sound of her pajamas rubbing against the fabric. She couldn't bear to turn her head to look.
Ji Ling was lying next to him, fast asleep. There was some distance between them, almost enough for another person to lie down in between.
Her gaze followed Ji Ling's slightly protruding Adam's apple and then moved upwards.
For a fleeting moment, I felt disoriented and a sense of unfamiliarity washed over me.
The man's gentle sleeping face was bathed in the hazy moonlight.
A person who lets their guard down in their sleep is completely unprepared, and even their aggression is weakened.
She suddenly noticed a stray strand of hair falling across Ji Ling's forehead. She couldn't help but reach out to brush it away, but her fingertips had barely lifted half an inch before she pulled back as if electrocuted. Her heart felt as if it had been stabbed, her chest ached, and the shock lingered.
Her hands opened and closed repeatedly, but in the end she lay down in despair, her eyes vacant, staring blankly at the ceiling.
She didn't notice that the person beside her had woken up from the darkness as she turned around, their unforgettable eyes slowly opening, sparkling with excitement and light.
My heart is heavy with worries, making my chest feel stuffy.
When Xia Li woke up the next day, she found herself curled up in Ji Ling's arms. The unmistakable pressure she felt in the morning was now pressed against him through the thin fabric, clear yet restrained.
Ji Ling remained lying obediently, while she had already crossed the line.
Xia Li opened her mouth, but her throat was dry and sore from just waking up. Even though she firmly believed that she was a very quiet sleeper and would never move around, she was speechless at this moment, as if she had taken the initiative.
She gently pushed away Ji Ling's arms, then subtly moved to the side to create some distance, continuing to lie flat on the bed, closing her eyes, and pretending nothing had happened.
If it weren't for the lingering warmth of his body on her skin, she probably would have fooled herself too.
A moment later, she noticed that the person next to her was making a sound.
Ji Ling also woke up.
She closed her eyes even tighter, her forehead almost wrinkled from the pressure, praying that Ji Ling wouldn't notice.
"You're awake."
Then she heard Ji Ling's hoarse voice, deep and half a tone lower than usual, mixed with a muffled sound from his nose.
Of all the things to say, the simple phrase "You're awake" revealed his true intentions.
Xia Li could no longer pretend. Somewhat embarrassed, she opened her eyes, which were still a little dazed. Her voice was low and soft. Thinking about what had happened that morning, she replied somewhat guiltily, "Um... how did you know?"
Ji Ling responded, "Just guessing."
Xia Li was astonished: "You guessed?"
"I asked casually, I didn't expect you to actually wake up."
"…………"
"Why do you look like this? Have you been trying to be humble?"
Xia Li vaguely retorted, "...No."
Ji Ling stared at her intently for a moment without saying a word before getting up to wash up. Xia Li followed him and stood beside him, her gaze lingering on his muscular physique as she tentatively asked, "By the way, I plan to go back to work."
Ji Ling paused in his toothpaste-squeezing motion, remaining silent for only a moment before resuming his brushing without giving a response.
Xia Li continued, "I think we still need to find something to do. Staying idle like this will make us sick."
Ji Ling glanced at her, as if considering the feasibility of her words, the expression in his eyes unreadable, neither good nor bad.
“Ji Ling…” Xia Li called out.
At this moment, Ji Ling finally spoke, turned off the toothbrush, spat out the last mouthful of foam, and gave a soft "hmm," without giving a clear response.
But Xia Li didn't care about his opinion. She told Ji Ling that it was to prevent misunderstandings from arising between them again.
She was packing and preparing when Ji Ling returned that evening with two small items.
A contract.
A bunch of keys.
The edges of the contract, written in black and white, were slightly curled, and the bright red seal below resembled congealed blood.
Copper-colored keychain
The line swayed gently in the shadow cast by the light.
"Choose one."
Ji Ling tapped the table with his well-defined knuckles.
Xia Li's gaze lingered between the contract and the key, then followed Ji Ling's hand upwards. There was a noble yet composed face, with a gentle appearance and tender eyes, yet it exuded a powerful aura.
She didn't dare to speak.
Ji Ling explained, "The contract is for a shop, and the key is for a house near your original studio."
Xia Li glanced at him; what difference was there between this and no explanation? She awkwardly asked Ji Ling, "Should I choose the key?"
Ji Ling's expression darkened: "Okay, I have a place near your studio. If you want to go back to work, go pick one tomorrow and move there."
Xia Li thought, "Is this really a good thing?"
However, a moment later, Ji Ling said, "We are now a legally married couple, so it is only right that I move in as well."
Xia Li's expression froze: "Can I take back my choice?"
Ji Ling didn't answer directly, but continued to explain: "I also bought a shop in the central beach area with the highest foot traffic. Didn't you want to find something to do? Choose a contract, and when you set up your studio, I'll provide the funding. If we lose money, it's on me; if we make money, it's yours."
She listened quietly, pondering, when Ji Ling's voice came again: "Which one do you choose? Answer now."
Faced with this difficult choice, Xia Li's expression froze. She vaguely felt that Ji Ling's simple question, "Which one do you choose?" seemed to be a subtle contest.
As for what they were competing against, she dared not think too much about it.
She glanced up at Ji Ling's expression, which was calm to the point of being indifferent, making it difficult to discern anything from it.
Faced with a choice between the contract and the keys, she pointed to the contract and said, "Choose this one?"
It was a question, and she hesitated, not entirely sure.
After she finished speaking, she kept a close eye on Ji Ling's emotions.
At this moment, Ji Ling leaned back slightly, his face relaxed, looking extremely at ease.
That was probably the answer he was satisfied with.
Actually, this was the answer she wanted to choose; she needed affirmation to have confidence.
I signed a contract, bought a shop, and set up a studio.
Everything was planned out.
She wondered how Ji Ling could always guess her thoughts, giving her the illusion that they were soulmates, both in the past and now.
Or perhaps their conversations were too monotonous, with nothing to talk about except for a few necessary questions.
Another possibility is that she is rather monotonous and boring.
Wang Shu often said that she was a detached person. She thought about it and realized that she really was like that. She was always calm and composed, without much emotional fluctuation. She would not resist, and even if she did, she would never show it.
Setting up a studio was simply a way for her to give it a try, and it wouldn't be a bad deal for her.
If she chose to live near the company with Ji Ling, anything could happen, and she wouldn't know how to explain herself if a colleague saw them. She hated dealing with interpersonal relationships.
A moment later, she looked up at Ji Ling.
Ji Ling raised his eyebrows slightly, causing the corners of his eyes to turn upwards, and the corners of his mouth to curve upwards.
She heard Ji Ling ask, "Are you sure?"
Ji Ling's question left her at a loss for words.
She pursed her lips, the chandelier reflecting in her eyes, making her dark, bright eyes shine even brighter. After thinking for a while, she asked, "Have you changed your mind?"
Ji Ling immediately retorted, her voice filled with dissatisfaction: "Where did you see that I changed my mind?"
Xia Li: "Isn't that right?"
Is that possible?
Xia Li shook her head slightly.
Ji Ling asked again, "No regrets?"
She nodded, her tone solemn and clear in the quiet room, "I'm sure, I won't regret it."
Before he could finish speaking, Ji Ling's clear voice came through, ethereal in tone: "Let me take you somewhere next week, we'll go together."
Xia Li opened her mouth as if to speak, but had nothing to say and could only respond.
She was very curious about where Ji Ling would take her and what that place would be related to.
Lying in bed, unable to sleep because of a trivial remark from Ji Ling, she quietly got up, went to the balcony outside the window, casually leaned against the hammock, and gazed at the night view of the backyard in a daze.
The long rainy season is finally over, and the air is now hot and humid.
Downstairs is a landscaped area, and in the pond directly below are two koi imported from an island nation. The one with a white base and deep red markings is called "Changchang," and the one with a black base and red and white markings is called "Jiujiu."
It has a very auspicious meaning: long-lasting and prosperous.
Xia Li's thoughts drifted, and she couldn't help but think of her and Ji Ling.
They were like two fish swimming in the same water, occasionally their fins brushing against each other, creating a thrilling ripple. Layer upon layer, undercurrents surged deep in their eyes, and no one knew how long this silent struggle would continue.
As Xia Li pondered these thoughts, she drifted off to sleep in the hammock.
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