Chapter 9: Show Her Through Actions
Xia Li sensed something was off; Ji Ling's voice wasn't very clear. She paused at the doorway, standing in the entryway, her fingers almost digging into the edge of the cabinet, supporting herself only with her bare hands.
She didn't look up, but after putting down her bag, she gave a soft "hmm" in response.
Ji Ling sat on the sofa in the center of the living room, glanced at the grandfather clock next to him, the hour hand steadily pointing to the first mark, then turned his gaze to Xia Li, scrutinizing her intently, almost staring through her, his tone low and cold: "It's almost one o'clock in the morning."
The last syllable of her voice carried a faint sigh, and even a hint of grievance.
The mechanical grandfather clock ticked away rhythmically. Xia Li held her breath, not daring to look up at the time, much less look at Ji Ling.
She feared that if she couldn't explain things clearly in one sentence, there would be more misunderstandings, like layers of clouds before a storm, one after another, ready to pour down if she wasn't careful, and the already fragile relationship would collapse.
"I know." After a long silence, she uttered the words in a hoarse voice.
After hearing this, Ji Ling stopped looking at her and lowered his eyes. Under the light, it was difficult to discern the emotions in his eyes.
Xia Li's simple answer, summarized in just three words, offered no explanation or comfort, only indicating that she understood. Ji Ling, feeling downcast, pressed on, "Well, and then?"
A glimmer of hope and expectation lingered in her eyes, but it was swallowed up by the long night of waiting.
Xia Li was puzzled. Perhaps it was because He Er and Xia Qingqing's relationship was just so-so, without much tenderness. Xia Li grew up in such an environment and never really had any feelings about relationships. Being reserved made her prone to getting caught up in her own thoughts, while being straightforward made her want to avoid things.
She approached slowly, clutching the hem of her clothes. The night was so quiet that you could even hear the faint sound of her shoes scraping against the floor. Her heart was bleeding. She explained simply, "I came back late because the filming just finished."
Ji Ling's expression improved slightly after hearing this, but his brows were still furrowed, and the corners of his eyes, which were usually raised, drooped slightly. If you looked closely, you would see that his clear eyes were bloodshot. He slowly stood up from the sofa and did not talk to Xia Li from an upward angle.
In an instant, Xia Li was overwhelmed by the heavy and oppressive atmosphere. She subconsciously trembled and staggered backward, widening the ever-shrinking distance between herself and Ji Ling.
Seeing her retreat, Ji Ling paused in his advance, his eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze lingered on her face.
His affectionate eyes remained deep, leaving Xia Li speechless under his gaze.
“There’s more,” Ji Ling said.
But he wouldn't say what he wanted to hear. Xia Li had been focused on work all day and didn't have the energy to guess, so he could only ask, "What do you want to hear me say?"
It's as if it can be custom-made. If used in other situations, it could be understood as a flirtatious little trick, but in this context, it's easy to be misunderstood, making her seem indifferent and casual.
After she finished speaking, Ji Ling lowered his eyes again. He sighed, and after a long while, he pretended not to care and said calmly, "Why do you pretend not to know me in public?"
"Isn't that what you meant?" Xia Li was much shorter than him. When she stood next to him, her head only reached his shoulder. When her dark, bright eyes looked at him, she had to look up. Her delicate face was filled with doubt as she tilted her head slightly.
As she tilted her head, Ji Ling could clearly see a small, faint, blood-red mark on the back of her left neck, like a hickey, which was particularly striking.
Ji Ling began to regret having such good eyesight, and at the same time, she felt a surge of anger that she couldn't vent.
Xia Li was slender with narrow shoulders, completely enveloped in the broad shadow cast by her body. Her waist was very thin, and even in loose clothing, one could feel her delicate bones beneath the thin fabric.
Ji Ling felt like he was going crazy. He shouldn't be here talking to Xia Li so politely right now; they could be anywhere, doing something else.
Xia Li's figure was no match for his. Perhaps he could easily reach out and wrap his arm around her waist. He should whisper in her ear, nibble on her earlobe, and then turn to her neck, showing her with his actions what he meant.
But he couldn't do that. Xia Li seemed very afraid of him. She would back away whenever he approached. Thinking of this, Ji Ling's eyes lowered again, his brows furrowed with coldness. His thick, slightly curled eyelashes concealed a hint of dark green in his eyes. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing slightly: "I didn't say that."
“You…” Xia Li stared at his lowered eyes. Ji Ling’s sudden words left her unsure of what to say. She was not sure what he meant. “Never mind, it’s all in the past.”
Saying more won't change anything.
Her gaze went over Ji Ling's shoulder and into the distance, landing on the dining table at the back of the living room, where several porcelain plates were laid out.
Has Ji Ling not eaten yet? Is he waiting for her? Xia Li frowned, but the thought only existed in her mind for a second before she crossed it off.
impossible.
Although they were legally married, their relationship was practically over. Apart from their friendship, which had broken down eight years ago, they had no feelings for each other.
Xia Li wasn't sure what Ji Ling was thinking. She swallowed hard, looked up somewhat guiltily, blinked slightly, frowned slightly, pointed to the dining table behind her, and asked uncertainly, "What's behind that?"
Ji Ling kept his eyes calm and didn't turn around. As if he knew what she was asking, he said indifferently, "Croissant."
As soon as she finished speaking, Xia Li opened her lips slightly and fell silent.
This small movement caught Ji Ling's eye again; her lips...
The color is so pale that it always makes me want to use some unconventional methods to make my lips more rosy.
Ji Ling turned his head shyly, his heart pounding like a drum. He took a deep breath to calm himself down, and when his desire subsided and his voice was no longer hoarse and he could speak normally, he coughed lightly and said casually, "I asked Aunt Wang to make it for you, but you haven't come back yet."
He is very bad at lying.
Xia Li turned her gaze back to his face. Even though he was backlit, she could clearly see a small patch of flour on his right cheek that hadn't been wiped clean. It was so small that it was hard to notice.
But she happened to see it.
She rubbed her eyes, thinking maybe she was seeing things, and said with some regret, "I've already eaten tonight, maybe next time."
The tone of rejection was exactly the same as when I first came here.
Ji Ling fixed his gaze on her, feeling slightly displeased, and pressed his lips tightly together.
Xia Li didn't notice that something was wrong with him. She had already walked past him and headed towards the stairs. "I'm going to rest first. You should rest early too."
She walked and talked, leaving behind a slender figure. When Ji Ling did not respond, she turned her head slightly. Just as she was about to ask, she found his gaze fixed on her neck.
Xia Li was unaware that something was wrong. She unconsciously reached behind her back and touched herself, her slender, fair fingers covering a small patch of blush.
Aside from a slight itch, there was nothing unusual. She couldn't help but wonder why one or two people were staring at her neck, which made her feel really uncomfortable.
Thinking it over, he ignored Ji Ling, turned around and went upstairs to the second floor, entered the guest room he had stayed in before, and locked the door with a click.
This kind of relationship is the best, where neither party disturbs the other.
Even she herself didn't realize that she actually longed for tenderness, but she didn't dare to think too much or ask for too much, because she was afraid that once she got involved, she wouldn't be able to extricate herself.
She didn't see Ji Ling's waiting, nor did she fully appreciate his thoughts.
Ji Ling felt as if the warmth of her words still lingered in his chest. Her simple words, "Get some rest," made him panic again, but at the same time, he felt empty inside. He wanted more, but love is like trying to grasp sand with bare hands; the tighter you hold it, the faster it slips away.
The moonlight of the night seeped through the thin veil of the window and quietly entered the room. Xia Li, who had been busy all day, slept soundly.
With a click, accompanied by the sound of a lock being opened, the door creaked open, and the light from the outside corridor mingled with the moonlight, blurring the lines between them, gently caressing Xia Li's body.
Ji Ling stood at the door, holding his breath, and when he rolled over the floor, there was almost no sound.
This is not an upright or honorable act, nor does he consider himself a particularly virtuous person.
Eight years ago, Xia Li ended their relationship with a single sentence, and he was unwilling to accept it.
The moment he reunited with her, his initial thought was to keep her by his side by any means necessary. So he sought out Xia Qingqing, and afterwards, he and Xia Li had two marriage certificates as a form of connection.
But now, he feels like he craves more. He can't help but care about her. Whenever he sees her, his mind goes blank for a moment, he loses his mind, and he can't think of anything.
A note from the author:
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