CHAPTER 133: CHAPTER 123 WHAT CAN I DO?

Late at night, Qiao Yuxian went out to chase a dog and came back to the Qiao family living room, saying she needed to leave.

Qiao Yu returned from a stroll feeling like the world had changed.

"Why are you suddenly leaving?" Qiao Yu stood in the living room, his tall figure appearing helpless, anxious, and worried.

"There’s something I need to do," Qiao Yuxian said.

"What’s happening so late?" Qiao Yu pursued the question.

Qiao Yuxian glanced at him, tugged at Zhaocai’s leash, and said, "It’s... not a big deal."

"Huh?" Qiao Yu didn’t understand and asked again, "Did you encounter some difficulty?"

"No. Dad, don’t worry."

Qiao Lech watched her.

Qiao Yuxian sensed the gaze and looked over, seeing her inquisitive and knowing expression, gave her a warning look.

Qiao Lech pressed her lips together and tightly shut her mouth.

Qiao Yuxian then gave her a satisfied look.

Chen Hui watched the two exchange little secrets.

She couldn’t see through Qiao Yuxian, but as for Qiao Lech, she had given birth to her.

None of her subtle expressions escaped her eyes.

"Where are you going? I’ll take you," Qiao Yu offered again.

"No need, Dad, someone’s picking me up," Qiao Yuxian said as she packed Zhaocai’s things.

Qiao Yu wanted to say more, but Chen Hui stopped him, also giving him a glare.

His words got stuck in his throat.

Chen Hui helped her pack up and said, "Be careful on the road, come back when you have time. If you want to eat something, let us know in advance and I’ll make it."

"Okay, thank you, Auntie."

Everything was packed.

Qiao Yu and Chen Hui escorted her outside.

As they exited the courtyard, they saw Meng Yan and Shang Chen waiting outside.

The two men at the center of the campus rumors that day.

At the sight of Meng Yan, images of him defending Qiao Yuxian in the Qiao family’s living room, polite yet pointed, flooded Qiao Yu and Chen Hui’s minds.

Though he was amiable and courteous, every word hit its mark.

A smiling tiger is lethal.

Upon seeing them this time, Meng Yan once again showed a gentle smile, with a bit more respect in his voice than last time: "Mr. Qiao, Mrs. Qiao."

Shang Chen kept a cold face, expressionless, and also said, "Mr. Qiao, Mrs. Qiao."

Qiao Yu cleared his throat and said, "Hello."

Chen Hui smiled at them and said, "Come in for a while."

"No, thank you." Meng Yan took the things from Qiao Yuxian’s hands and respectfully said to them, "Our Mr. Gu said it’s too late today; he’ll visit another day."

Hearing the words "Mr. Gu," Qiao Yuxian choked on her own saliva, coughing twice. She said to Qiao Yu and Chen Hui, "Dad, Auntie, you two can go back."

Qiao Yu looked at her in shock and confusion.

Chen Hui was also momentarily stunned, but hearing Qiao Yuxian speak, she immediately replied, "Okay, be careful on the road."

Qiao Yuxian smiled at them, and under Qiao Yu’s watchful gaze, left with Shang Chen and Meng Yan.

They watched them leave.

Qiao Yu stood in the night breeze, dazed for a long time before turning to Chen Hui and asked, "What did that guy just say? Mr. Gu? Did he say Mr. Gu?"

Chen Hui wrapped her shawl tighter and said, "He did say Mr. Gu."

"Mr. Gu? In the Capital City... besides Gu Yanjing from the Gu family, is there anyone else called Mr. Gu?" Qiao Yu held a sliver of hope, yet his pupils trembled.

"I, I haven’t heard of anyone else." Hearing "Gu Yanjing," Chen Hui also felt a tremor in her heart.

Qiao Yu looked at her, then in the direction Qiao Yuxian had left.

The cold autumn wind chilled his bones.

...

On the way, Qiao Yuxian held Zhaocai, not saying much.

Upon arriving at Fenglin Villa, she wiped Zhaocai’s paws and took it upstairs back to her room.

Gu Yanjing watched her ascending the stairs, and after a few seconds, went up as well.

Before Qiao Yuxian could enter her room with Zhaocai, he stopped her, blocking her at her door.

Qiao Yuxian almost bumped into him.

She halted, stepped back, and looked up at him.

Gu Yanjing looked down at her and asked, "Did making you come back make you angry?"

Qiao Yuxian glanced at him again, then lowered her gaze, tugging at the leash in her hands, softly saying, "Am I petty to get angry over every little thing?"

Gu Yanjing didn’t speak.

Seeing his silence, she glared at him and then looked away, "I’m not!"

"Mm. You’re not," Gu Yanjing agreed.

Qiao Yuxian felt satisfied, kept her head down, and continued to tug the leash in her hands.

Zhaocai sat beside her, ever since she wiped its paws at the door, it had been trying to remind her that it still had the leash on.

But it hadn’t found an opportunity.

With a tuft sticking up on its head, it coldly eyed Gu Yanjing’s... leg as it sat beside her.

Now it started worrying if its leash would get torn.

Gu Yanjing kept watching her, paused, and directly asked, "Are you avoiding me?"

Qiao Yuxian kept her head down and remained silent.

Gu Yanjing paused again and asked, "Afraid I’ll do something?"

He asked bluntly, his voice as even as if discussing what they had for dinner.

Qiao Yuxian’s eyes flickered, she glanced at him, then dropped her gaze again, her ears blushing.

Gu Yanjing looked at her reddening ears and said, "What can I do?"

"You can do plenty," Qiao Yuxian instinctively retorted.

"Like what?" Gu Yanjing followed up.

"Like... sleep..." Qiao Yuxian looked up, suddenly meeting his gaze, and clammed up, her face instantly reddening.

Gu Yanjing’s finely shaped brows lifted slightly, his cold face tinged with deeper meaning.

"Like you’re blocking my way now, not letting me into my room!" Qiao Yuxian, face flushed, glared at him and shouted.

Her voice was not quiet, both Shang Chen and Meng Yan downstairs instinctively glanced upwards.

After looking, they both lowered their gaze again.

Gu Yanjing watched her flushed, angry little expression.

It was always her who made the first move, and yet she was always the one too shy to face it.

Like a child who never grew up.

He raised a hand to touch her face and said with a hint of helplessness in his calm voice, "If you don’t let me, what can I do?"

Listening to his words, Qiao Yuxian’s fierce demeanor crumbled a bit, she pursed her lips slightly.

Gu Yanjing stroked her hair once more, then stepped aside and said, "Go to sleep."

"Okay." Qiao Yuxian went into the room with Zhaocai.

She opened the door, let Zhaocai in, then stepped out again, leaning against the door frame, looking at him once more, and focusing on his collar pin, "Just now, Meng Yan said at my house... that you’d visit another day..."

"May I?" Gu Yanjing asked.

Qiao Yuxian looked at him.

Her features were already charming; now, with her fair skin flushed, her eyes bright and innocent, she looked at him with a hint of shyness.

So beautiful it was captivating.

Gu Yanjing looked at her and clenched his fingertips, "Think it over, find a time?"

Qiao Yuxian paused in silence, obediently said, "Okay."