Chapitre 17: Pampering His Little Ancestor
Since they couldn't kiss, sharing the same egg was the next best thing. Jiang Yexun leaned down and took a bite of the tender, white egg. Normally not a fan of overly sweet flavors, he now found his mouth filled with an irresistibly delightful aroma.
"Is it delicious?" Su Xiaoxiao asked with a twinkle in her eye.
Without thinking too much, she took the egg back and had another bite. As he watched the area he had bitten gradually disappear into her mouth, Jiang Yexun felt a restless, turbulent sensation in his body. Even the grass beneath his hands withered at his touch.
After finishing the egg, Su Xiaoxiao began to eat the dough. What used to be considered a delicious meal to him had now, in Jiang Yexun's eyes, turned into inferior food for his future wife.
Su Xiaoxiao ate slowly, savoring every bite, and even finished the soup. She then handed the bowl back to him.
"Thank you, Brother Yexun," she said softly and tenderly.
The word “brother” sent shivers down Jiang Yexun's spine. He couldn't bear the thought of parting from her, and his heart was already too heavy to move.
He lowered his head, placed the dishes and chopsticks back into the basket, and spoke with a somewhat subdued tone, "Don't worry about dinner; I'll bring it to you later. Rest well this afternoon. If anyone at the educated youth dormitory upsets you, don't argue with them. Just remember to tell me, and I'll help you vent your frustrations."
Su Xiaoxiao had to live at the educated youth dormitory for another month or two. She was not very smart, and he was afraid she might be bullied, unaware of the ways of the world.
"I have to take care of my own grudges; otherwise, I'll feel uncomfortable," Su Xiaoxiao said, pouting and sulking.
Jiang Yexun saw her like this and wanted to bite her playfully.
He suppressed the increasingly audacious impulse and said calmly, "I'll call you when it's time for me to take action. I promise to let you have your say as well."
Originally, he had thought of several ways to ruin those two people's lives forever. But since Xiaoxiao wanted to watch, he could only opt for lighter methods.
"Okay, it's a deal then." Su Xiaoxiao extended her pinky finger and wiggled it in front of Jiang Yexun.
"Childish," Jiang Yexun said in a soft voice, feigning a tone of disdain. However, his hand automatically reached out and hooked her petite and cute finger, shaking it together.
"Alright, I'll take you back now. Don't worry about your work points; I'll help you finish the tasks in the afternoon." Jiang Yexun held Su Xiaoxiao's hand and helped her up from the ground. Then he bent down to pick up his coat and the basket.
Before leaving, Su Xiaoxiao leaned in again. Her small hand slipped through his arm, wrapping around it.
Jiang Yexun furrowed his brow, thinking of scolding her for being silly. But Su Xiaoxiao said before he opened his mouth, "I'll just hug you for a little while, and I'll let go when we're out of the woods."
Looking at the young girl's big, sparkling eyes that seemed so pitiful, Jiang Yexun couldn't bring himself to say anything instructive. "Hmm," he responded lightly.
A few minutes’ walk had brought them out of the woods, and Jiang Yexun stopped.
He lowered his head and looked at the young girl who was still hanging onto his arm.
Su Xiaoxiao pouted and reluctantly withdrew her hand, then moved a little further away from him. Her reaction was so genuine, not at all like an act.
Why was she so reluctant to let go of him?
The perplexity in Jiang Yexun's heart made him unconsciously furrow his brows. He couldn't understand why Su Xiaoxiao suddenly became so close to him, especially since they had hardly spoken to each other before. Although he had suspicions, wondering if she had fallen into the water and been bewitched, he ultimately chose to believe in science. However, all his questions lingered on his lips, repeated countless times, but he never dared to ask them. He feared that Su Xiaoxiao might revert to that attitude of looking down on them country bumpkins.
Even though his heart was constantly filled with anxiety and trepidation, he still didn't want Su Xiaoxiao to ignore him like before. But his gaze was just too intense, and he kept staring at the shy Su Xiaoxiao, who hung her head.
She noticed something was amiss and raised her head to look at him, making him panic. He quickly averted his gaze, but it was already too late.
Su Xiaoxiao had caught onto his guesses and questions perfectly.
"Don't think that because I like to get close to you, I’m a bad person. I've been this way since I was little, hugging my parents and my brother at home. I just like being close to people. I'm just too scared after falling into the river, and I can hug nobody but you. If you don't like it, then let's forget about it."
She hung her little head low, her tone filled with grievances.
"Don't talk nonsense!" Jiang Yexun's heart suddenly leaped into his throat, and even his voice became stern.
But Su Xiaoxiao immediately teared up, staring at him with anger. "Are you scolding me? I knew you didn't like me! You only married me out of necessity because you saved me from drowning. If you want to leave, then go ahead; I won't hold you responsible."
Jiang Yexun massaged his temples, now with a headache. She was truly a little troublemaker, making herself at home in his heart and acting so willfully.
"Don't be silly. When did I not like you? If I didn't want to marry you, why would I jump into that river? If someone else drowned, I wouldn't even frown," Jiang Yexun said sternly.
"Earlier, the way you looked at me clearly showed you didn't like me being close to you," Su Xiaoxiao said, turning her head away.
She knew better than anyone how strange her behavior was now. Jiang Yexun was smart, and he would surely notice something was amiss. That's why she had prepared an explanation for herself during lunch at the educated youth dormitory. Even if Jiang Yexun didn't ask, she would have to confess and provide a reason for her unusual behavior. Fortunately, she had always been quite affectionate with her family, although not to the extent she was with Jiang Yexun.
"I like it," Jiang Yexun said, looking at the girl who was still sulking. He had no choice but to continue coaxing her.
"Really?" Su Xiaoxiao turned around, tilted her head, and looked at him with a suspicious expression.
Jiang Yexun had just wanted to reassure her when he felt something slippery wriggling in his hand. He froze, feeling a playful bite from that slippery creature.
"I really like it! And I wanted to marry you a long time ago!" Jiang Yexun declared, gritting his teeth.
Su Xiaoxiao, wearing a charming smile, leaned against his arm. She raised her head, blinked her big, watery eyes, and looked at him with delight. Her long, curled eyelashes were particularly beautiful, with a curl that seemed like a hook, making it impossible for Jiang Yexun to resist.
He felt that when this little educated youth looked at him, she became even more beautiful. It was the kind of beauty that could pierce one's heart and leave them breathless. Jiang Yexun had always considered himself to have great self-control, but in front of Su Xiaoxiao, he was overwhelmed by the desire to hide her away.
His mind was filled with thoughts of keeping her safe, away from prying eyes, but he couldn't express these thoughts out loud.
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone