“Shi Tou? Are you Shi Tou!?” Xiao Yao gasped, unable to help but cry out.
Ji Rou, “Kiss of the Affectionate CEO”
Chapter Three
When Gao Ju Qing saw the necklace around her neck, he further confirmed that the girl called “Yao” was the person he was looking for, and his heart was instantly stirring.
Shi Tou. Hearing someone call him that again, his emotions were complex.
There was a kind of heartwarming satisfaction, like finding something back; but also a kind of tearing.
Who was he? Shi Tou? Gao Ju Qing? Or… He Shi Lun – that deliberately erased mark?
Realizing his surging emotions, he turned away. What was happening to him? These overflowing emotions were always something Gao Ju Qing despised, and now he felt he might be overwhelmed at any moment.
“Is it really you? Shi Tou? You’re really back? You’ve changed so much, I really can’t recognize you…” The chattering person circled in front of him, staring.
“Yes, I am Shi Tou. Shi Tou is really back.” Meeting her sparkling eyes, he answered, simultaneously mimicking her forceful nod, then smiled.
The raised corners of his mouth felt particularly light, and a warm memory suddenly awakened.
Long, long ago, they had shared smiles like this.
Unable to distinguish between being touched or melancholic, he suddenly discovered that the sense of achievement he had pursued seemed far less satisfying than the sincere smile before him, a kind of friendly and accepting warmth.
He’s a calm tone: “She knows where I am. If she wants to meet me, she will naturally meet me.”
“I think she might have her own difficulties. But at least you know she’s doing well. I believe you’ll reunite someday, and then you can personally hand her the letter.”
Yue Qing shook his head, his voice rapidly sinking: “I don’t know. If that day really comes, I don’t know what I would hand her. The twelve-year-old Shi Lun has passed, so what’s next? The twenty-seven-year-old Gao Yue Qing? Or something else?”
Xiao Yao stared blankly at his profile, momentarily speechless.
At this moment, she seemed to somewhat understand why he said the letter was meaningless.
Because what was missed was his deeply affectionate childhood.
His voice came again: “Did you find the words I wrote in the letter strange?”
“Mm. I was curious too, but… if you didn’t want to talk about it, of course I wouldn’t ask. I think everyone has things they don’t want others to know.”
Her words earned a nod from Yue Qing. Though this girl was confused, her kindness meant she could naturally be without harm, without deliberately calculating boundaries.
Without harm. An almost luxurious state, without weighing situations or calculating words. In front of her, Yue Qing suddenly felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his heart.
This feeling opened his floodgates. “Before I was twelve, I was always an illegitimate child without a clear father. I tried to ask about my father, but each time would only make my mother cry, so later I decided to stop asking. Because I believed that with just my mother, life could still be happy…”
During his narrative of finding his roots, Xiao Yao noticed a name – Hu Cang Yue Ling.
She clearly remembered the strong hostility he had shown towards this woman in his letter, and her mind conjured an image of a stepmother holding a poisoned apple.
He cannot use “vigilante justice,” such as some “improper corporal punishment”… Heaven have mercy! There are some words on the phone that Xiao Yao absolutely cannot relay, such as Zhima’s series of questions: Did he rape you?
She, who has never been good with words, is undoubtedly facing a major test. “Uh, well… anyway, their meaning is that they think you should be given justice, they have already done it, so now they want you to—” Release him within five minutes? Otherwise, they will rush in?
Xiao Yao, growing more uneasy, hurries to leave. “I think I’ll go out for a moment.”
But, it’s too late!
Tang Zhima has apparently become the commander, leading everyone to storm in.
Xiao Yao feels her vision go black, and when she looks carefully, everyone is carrying “weapons”—from shovels, hoes, iron shovels, wooden sticks… even dry vines, all demonstrating the spirit of using what’s at hand.
Cannot faint, absolutely cannot faint. Although Xiao Yao feels stars dancing before her eyes, she rushes forward, “Don’t get excited—”
”Ah! Everyone, look!” Zhima screams while pulling her.
”Oh my God!” Others follow, crying out.
Xiao Yao hasn’t even figured out the crux of the matter before being spun around by Zhima.
”Look! Her dress is even torn! Despicable!”
”Never thought he would be such a person…”
”This is a human face with a beast’s heart! If we had come in a bit later, who knows what would have happened!”
”Of course! With the dress torn like this, what else would he do?” Zhima looks like she knows exactly what she’s talking about.
Tear the dress, and then what? Tear the top? Tear… damn! Xiao Yao just wants to tear Zhima’s mouth. At least she doesn’t need to “rally” everyone to imagine the scene of her being completely stripped, right?
Xiao Yao speaks impatiently: “Zhima, I told you, it’s not what you imagine, he didn’t do anything to me, and I with him—” Before finishing, she’s pushed aside by Zhima.
”Don’t be afraid, we’re here, we’ll get justice for you! We’ll make sure he takes full responsibility!”
Full responsibility? Not daring to imagine his reaction, Xiao Yao instinctively turns her head—huh? Where is he?
”Where is he? Hiding?” Zhima has a bloodthirsty expression, searching the room.
”He must have fled in fear! Good that he ran! Otherwise, if I catch him, I’ll give him the eighteen styles of dog-beating stick—ah!” A Da, waving a hoe enthusiastically, is almost tripped by a figure emerging from behind the screen.
Gao Liying walked over, holding in his hand—a pair of scissors!?
Stand at attention, at ease, step back. No command needed, everyone moves in unison.
Only Xiao Yao is stunned. She stares at the sharp scissors in his hand and his approaching movement…
Just as Liying reaches into his pocket, a loud shout erupts: “Gun! Quick, lie down!”
Gun? When Liying pulls out a mini sewing kit from his pocket, Xiao Yao’s fragmented consciousness finally recomposes.
But… where are Zhima and the others?
Xiao Yao stares blankly at the “human floor”.
They can get up now, right?
”Here,” Liying hands her the mini sewing kit along with the scissors. “Only found this, but it should come in handy.”
So he went to find sewing supplies? Thinking about everyone’s previous accusations, Xiao Yao feels truly apologetic. “Thank you… I’m sorry you were misunderstood just now.”
Liying waves his hand, with a charming smile. “They’ve already apologized.”
Apologized? Really? Looking at the people on the ground… well, “prostrating” is indeed quite devout. Xiao Yao feels embarrassed but can’t help laughing.
Her laughter finally allows those people to “get up”.
This time, Xiao Yao is smarter, avoiding another outbreak from the group, quickly explaining her past relationship with Liying.
She can’t help stealing a glance at Liying, catching his eye. A smiling eye, gently gazing at her.
Thump, thump-thump! Thump-thump-thump! Xiao Yao’s heart declares malfunction again.
On the way back that day, Zhima’s lecture to the members intensified Xiao Yao’s dizzy feeling—
”I’m telling you, Xiaofen, Tingting, your eyes aren’t just for flirting. Even when flirting, you must be clear about the target. Didn’t you see how Gao Liying looked at Yao? It was so…”
”Ambiguous!” Someone blurts out.
