CHAPTER 335: 321, TAKE YOU BACK TO MEET MY MOM

"What happened earlier was an accident. I was drunk. Neither of us wanted that to happen, so let’s pretend it never did." Lu Chi stood by the bed and glanced indifferently at her on the floor. His tone was cold, as he continued to dress without a second thought: "You can leave now, Yao’er. I don’t want anyone else knowing about this, apart from you and me. You understand, right? Or do I need to teach you how to handle it?"

Ji Yao’er clenched her hands tightly, her knuckles turning white. She bit her lip and replied, "I understand, brother-in-law. I understand."

After Ji Yao’er left, Lu Chi immediately went to the bathroom to take a shower. The steaming mist enveloped the bathroom as his handsome, anxious face slowly calmed down.

"Kunling, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again."

He truly hadn’t intended to betray Kunling like this—it was just too unbearable.

Ji Yao’er forced her exhausted body to keep moving. Wearing her now-disheveled clothes, she stumbled back to the dormitory.

"Yao’er, where did you go? Why are you only back now?" Jiang Xiaohua, her dorm mate, was startled awake by her return.

In the darkness, Ji Yao’er’s trembling hand turned on the light as she instinctively said, "I went to Zhao Chun’s place. Just go back to sleep. I’m going to take a shower."

Jiang Xiaohua instantly understood, flashing a knowing smile. That’s her boyfriend, after all—it makes sense she came back so late.

Ji Yao’er immersed herself in the water, scrubbing away every trace left by Lu Chi on her body. Never before had she felt such fear and loathing for her brother-in-law. She felt dirty. She felt ashamed, as if she had betrayed Zhao Chun.

She spent the night in a daze, tossing and turning. By the next day, Ji Yao’er couldn’t wait to see Zhao Chun. But sometimes, the more you long for something, the more unattainable it becomes. Zhao Chun had been busy with school for the last few days.

Six days passed this way, and it wasn’t until Sunday that Ji Yao’er finally found him at his "studio"—the place he’d rented earlier for interviews.

He was seated at his desk, writing something. His focused expression made him oblivious to her presence.

Ji Yao’er greedily stared at him for a while—his handsome features, his jet-black hair. Her eyes started to sting with tears. She called out to him, "Zhao Chun!"

"Yao’er." Zhao Chun paused his writing, rubbed his sleepy eyes, and looked toward the door, his gaze showing surprise.

Yao’er.

He had just stood up and barely stretched his stiff joints when Ji Yao’er ran toward him, throwing her arms around his waist and leaning into him.

Zhao Chun froze in shock, overwhelmed by her boldness. Yet the more shocking part was still to come.

A shiver ran down Zhao Chun’s spine, and he quickly grabbed her restless hands.

He stepped back, frowning as he asked, "Yao’er, what are you doing?"

"Zhao Chun, Zhao Chun..." Ji Yao’er closed her eyes and softly pressed against him, murmuring, "I..."

"Don’t do this. I have things to take care of." Zhao Chun responded coolly, gently pushing her away.

He had only been with Ji Yao’er that one time—he never intended to continue anything with her, especially not like this. But now, with her baring her emotions so openly, claiming "I" without explanation, she frightened him—and made him angry. It felt cheap. He couldn’t believe this was the kind of person Ji Yao’er turned out to be.

"Is it so hard for you to leave me alone?" Ji Yao’er’s body turned cold.

She let out a self-mocking laugh, which quickly turned into tears. "Please. Just tell me, am I not good enough? Are you that dissatisfied with me?"

"You’re confusing me," Zhao Chun squinted his eyes, his face puzzled. "If you have something to say, say it properly. And stop crying—if someone sees this, they’ll think I’m bullying you."

"In the end, you just don’t want me. Otherwise, you could just treat me like Tian Sangsang!" Ji Yao’er thought bitterly. What a failure I am. With my brother-in-law, I was merely a stand-in for Guan Kunling—imagine, my brother-in-law carrying a secret love for Guan Kunling behind my sister’s back. And now with the man I love, I have to beg him to see me as Tian Sangsang.

"Yao’er!" Zhao Chun erupted into fury, his eyes red with anger. "What nonsense are you saying? You are you; she is her! I have nothing to do with her! Don’t talk like this!"

"And what about us? We have a connection, don’t we? If you say you have nothing to do with her, that you’ve never had feelings for her, then why won’t you touch me??" She let out a bitter laugh and stepped closer to him, aggressively pressing him: "Or are you just afraid to admit it?"

"Zhao Chun, you’re afraid to admit it, aren’t you?" Ji Yao’er ran her hand across his face. "I can be her for you. I can give you everything she can’t. Think about it—she sleeps in the same bed as Jiang Jinghuai every night. You know what they’re doing together, don’t you? Without me saying anything, you already know. But what about you? Why are you keeping yourself pure for her?"

Zhao Chun looked down at her coldly, casting a sharp glance. "Yao’er, you disappoint me." Especially with these outrageous and disrespectful words.

"I just want you to touch me..." Ji Yao’er looked at him pleadingly.

"Is it that much of a desire for you?" Zhao Chun fixated on her, his dark eyes reflecting an unreadable glimmer in the sunlight spilling through the window.

This was a side of Zhao Chun that Ji Yao’er had never seen before. Her heart sank, knowing there was no hope today.

"Alright."

The word shocked her, causing her to lift her head.

"Then let’s try it. We’ll find a time for you to come home with me, meet my family—and meet my mother." He finished speaking and decisively shoved all the books, documents, and papers off the desk, letting them crash to the floor in a clattering mess.

He lifted Ji Yao’er onto the desk, leaning in deeply to look at her. "Let’s do it, then."

Ji Yao’er burst into tears of joy, throwing her arms around him in excitement. "Zhao Chun! I love you!"

**

The courtyard had been tense these past few days. Those who loved gossip and drama were now rarely stepping outside.

The women seemed timid; the men were grim. The atmosphere was taut, chaotic, and unpredictable.

Sensitive as Tian Sangsang was, she naturally picked up on the undercurrent of abnormality beneath the surface. But these days, she hardly interacted with Jiang Jinghuai. She wouldn’t ask him if there were any changes happening, nor would she inquire about anything important.

In the nighttime study, the window was open, revealing a bright crescent moon hanging in the sky. Winter had arrived, and the chill settled heavily at night.

She was someone who feared the cold. The only reason she dared leave the window open was because of the heater placed inside the room. On top of that, her apricot-colored pajamas were lined with fleece, as were her adorable bunny slippers. Her long, black hair fell across her shoulders, framing her delicate face with a faint warmth.

Jiang Jinghuai, draped in a robe, leaned against the door, looking at her. His heart stirred suddenly, growing warm. He recalled moments from the past when she was with him—the slender appearance of her, how fiery-eyed she could become like a tiger, only to reveal herself to be a paper tiger in bed, soft and vulnerable, melting into him... How could anyone resist such tenderness?

She was so beautiful that she stirred ripples in his heart, compelling him to lose himself in fascination with her.