CHAPTER 92: CHAPTER 92: HE CALLS HER HUANHUAN

Xu Qinghuan said, "It would harm your reputation too, wouldn’t it?"

Having shed his cold demeanor, Jiang Xingye was like a bumbling youth, his face flushed red. When his hand relaxed, the bicycle nearly fell to the ground. He quickly steadied it, only for the pedal to harshly strike his calf.

Not even a frown crossed his face, "I don’t mind!"

Xu Qinghuan feigned anger, "How can you not mind? Aren’t you afraid of ruining your reputation?"

She was purely teasing him, yet Jiang Xingye was so nervous that cold sweat appeared.

He looked at Xu Qinghuan cautiously, his throat tight and voice hoarse, "My reputation has always been bad. You can ask around the production team, they’ll tell you."

Immediately, he felt he’d said the wrong thing, "No, I didn’t mean for you to ask about me. I meant that over time, you’d find out."

If she deliberately went to inquire about him and it was overheard, it could damage her reputation.

With this thought, he simply turned his head, leaving Xu Qinghuan with a sharp side profile that was both cold and resolute, "You must’ve heard, I once slashed someone. No matter the reason, I was indeed going to hack that person to death!"

The moment the knife was raised and swung down, there was no mercy left in anyone’s heart.

Including his own.

Perhaps afterward, he had regrets, or felt fortunate, or thanked the heavens for their mercy, but the cruelty and decisiveness of that moment were unquestionably real.

Because that person wanted to kill him, and he wanted to live.

Summoning all his courage, he turned to Xu Qinghuan, his gaze absent of familiar ferocity, instead gentle yet detached, affectionate yet indifferent, "Are you afraid?"

Jiang Xingye’s voice trembled, laced with endless coldness, as if it floated from hell, terrifying yet evoking pity even from dogs.

Xu Qinghuan’s hand slowly lifted and rested on his arm, as hard as iron and burning like fire, "Will you ever want to kill me one day?"

Jiang Xingye’s heart was like a desert, numb and unable to feel Xu Qinghuan’s hand against his forearm, only seeing her face absent of fear, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings, obscuring the emotions deep in her eyes.

"How could I! That day will never come!" he said urgently, driven by instinct.

Xu Qinghuan looked up at him earnestly and sincerely, "Then why should I be afraid? Or are you purposely saying this because you don’t want to take me along?"

With that, she released him and turned to leave.

Jiang Xingye’s reflexes were faster than his mind, he grabbed her wrist and pleaded softly, "Huanhuan!"

Those two words had echoed in his chest countless times, he whispered them to himself, each time his lips moved to say them his heart was sweeter than honey.

Yet he never dared to say them aloud, not even in the solitude of midnight on his bed.

It was desecration, it was harm; he couldn’t allow himself to taint her, even by calling her name.

Xu Qinghuan abruptly turned to look at him, his voice potent enough to impregnate ears, making her weak with blissful numbness.

Jiang Xingye sensed her unusual reaction, regretted his offense, quickly released her hand, closed his eyes, and his face drained of color like a convict awaiting execution, just waiting for the blade above to fall.

"What did you call me?" Xu Qinghuan looked at his demeanor, feeling both pity and amusement.

Jiang Xingye opened his eyes to her luminous smile, suddenly moved to the point of tears, "Miss Xu."

He dared not call her anything else, obediently addressing her as such.

Xu Qinghuan chuckled, letting it go, "What do you want to say, hurry up; if you keep delaying, I won’t have any time left."

Jiang Xingye pursed his lips, "Where are you headed? I’ll take you."

Xu Qinghuan asked with a smile, "Not afraid of people seeing?"

Jiang Xingye paused, "When there are many people, you can walk yourself."

In such hot weather, she wasn’t about to walk.

He still felt the softness and warmth of her skin on his hand, instinctively rubbing his fingers. Eventually, reluctantly gripping the handlebars, he got on the bicycle, waiting for Xu Qinghuan to climb on.

Xu Qinghuan tiptoed onto the back seat, holding a food box, and asked, "Have you eaten lunch yet?"

It was past noon now, who knows how long he’d been waiting there.

"I’m not hungry!" Jiang Xingye replied, pedaling the bicycle crookedly, terrified of making Xu Qinghuan fall, he quickly planted his long legs on the ground, taking a deep breath to calm his nervous, excited, chaotic mind.

To him, carrying her was like carrying his entire life and world, heavy yet sweet.

Xu Qinghuan’s body swayed slightly, she grasped his waistcoat, careful not to rip it with just a pull of her hand as his muscles strained the small size of his clothing.

Like last time, when she accidentally tore half his sleeve.

Jiang Xingye felt her small hand on his waist, his whole body stiffened, standing there for a while, making Xu Qinghuan feel a bit embarrassed, considering whether to walk, until he finally pedaled the bicycle again.

The bicycle moved swiftly and smoothly, Jiang Xingye was drenched in sweat.

Xu Qinghuan checked around to make sure there was no one, then with Jiang Xingye’s broad back as cover, she swapped the contents of her food box with the rice box from her space, also taking out a wooden spoon.

The wooden spoon originally belonged to her kitchen space.

The town wasn’t big, they reached the recycling station quickly, Jiang Xingye steadied the bicycle, and Xu Qinghuan hopped off the back seat.

She handed two food boxes to Jiang Xingye, "Here’s lunch and dishes, brought for you. Have it outside and wait for me."

Jiang Xingye was bewildered, Xu Qinghuan glared at him, he hurriedly accepted them, watching Xu Qinghuan walk into the recycling station.

At the entrance sat an old man, lying in a rocking chair, beside him a shabby table holding a box of tobacco. Dressed in ragged clothes, every day he rocked to and fro, lighting a pipe and taking slow puffs, with small eyes gleaming behind the smoke.

Jiang Xingye propped the bicycle, dragging a three-legged broken chair to sit on, opened the food box, revealing a boxful of braised pork, with a rich gravy, bright color, and enticing aroma.

The other box was filled with plain white rice, Jiang Xingye’s hand paused, seeing the old man glancing over, he quickly mixed the rice with some gravy, disguising its original color.

Jiang Xingye sighed in relief, digging into the rice with the wooden spoon and eating heartily.

The old man was outraged, "Go eat somewhere else, who’s this place making hungry!"

Jiang Xingye didn’t even lift his eyelids, "You can’t have this meal. If you want, I’ll bring you a portion another day."

The old man retorted, "Who wants to eat it? I’ve lived a lifetime, haven’t I eaten more than you? Hmph, who’s that girl just now? Your girlfriend?"