CHAPTER 88: CHAPTER 84 SOMEONE BACKS YOU UP

Yan An was in a good mood, chatting and laughing with Aunt Mei while cooking in the kitchen.

Seeing that she wasn’t needed in the kitchen for the time being, Qiao Yuxian came out.

She retrieved a medical kit from under the coffee table in the living room and went to the side room.

Peeking her head into the door of the side room, she saw four people sitting quietly inside and asked, "Can I come in?"

Gu Yanjing looked up at her and said, "Yes."

Qiao Yuxian carried the medical kit into the side room.

Su Qi and the other two immediately stood up to offer their seats.

Qiao Yuxian went straight to Gu Yanjing, put down the medical kit, and said to the three, "Sit down, don’t mind me."

The three didn’t sit back down; Su Qi and Meng Yan turned to leave. Only Shang Chen stood still.

Su Qi took two steps out, then returned to drag Shang Chen out by the collar.

Now it was just the two of them, and the living room suddenly felt a little empty.

From the moment he saw the medical kit, Gu Yanjing had scanned Qiao Yuxian from head to toe but didn’t see any injuries.

Qiao Yuxian sat down next to Gu Yanjing and pulled his left hand over.

There were two wounds on the back of his left hand, one large and one small, one deep and one shallow.

They were caused by Gu Zhengyu hitting him with a vase.

He blocked the vase with his hand, shattering it, and the shards cut his hand, causing a significant amount of bleeding.

Gu Yanjing, worrying about scaring Yan An, had quickly treated the wounds on the way to find them and had kept them covered with his suit sleeve since.

The bleeding had stopped, but the wounds were still tender. The deeper one even had a bit of flesh turning out.

Qiao Yuxian examined his hand carefully and asked, "What did you cut yourself with?"

Gu Yanjing didn’t answer.

Qiao Yuxian didn’t need him to. She opened a cotton swab and dabbed it in alcohol, suddenly giggling, "It looks like fate’s turning; now it’s your turn to taste the alcohol."

Like a villain applying torture, she extended the swab towards the wound. Then... she gently touched his wound with it.

"Does it hurt?" she looked up at him and asked.

Gu Yanjing lowered his eyes, watching her. When their eyes met, he noticed her eyelids tremble slightly.

Her expression seemed as if she was the one in pain.

"No, it doesn’t hurt," he replied.

Qiao Yuxian blinked, appearing unconvinced, and continued to clean his wounds.

She gently blew on the wound while disinfecting it.

Gu Yanjing didn’t react to the alcohol on the wound, but the soft stream of air brushing his hand made his fingers curl slightly.

Qiao Yuxian thought he was in pain and lightened her touch, "This wound is quite deep. Will it scar?"

Gu Yanjing looked at her long lashes and remained silent.

Qiao Yuxian switched to a new cotton swab, "Be careful from now on. Scars aren’t pretty."

Gu Yanjing still didn’t speak.

Not hearing a response, Qiao Yuxian looked up at him, nudged his shoe with her foot, and asked, "Did you hear me?"

Gu Yanjing: "......"

Qiao Yuxian’s eyes cooled slightly.

Gu Yanjing said, "Yes."

Satisfied with the response, Qiao Yuxian continued disinfecting the wound.

After she finished and applied medicine, Qiao Yuxian suddenly said, "The necklace wasn’t auctioned, was it? You lied to me."

With her head down, a strand of hair slipped from behind her ear, and Gu Yanjing watched it for a few seconds, clumsily tucking it back behind her ear.

His fingertips brushed her ear.

Qiao Yuxian instinctively flinched, causing Gu Yanjing’s hand to pause.

Qiao Yuxian looked at him, their eyes met for two seconds, and she lightly coughed, explaining awkwardly, "It just... tickled a little."

Finishing her words, she lowered her head further, continuing to apply the medicine.

Gu Yanjing retrieved his hand, observing the tips of her reddened ears, and his eyebrows moved slightly as he said, "I didn’t lie to you."

"Hmm?" Qiao Yuxian sounded confused.

"It was auctioned," Gu Yanjing replied, "My grandpa got it for my grandma."

Qiao Yuxian paused in applying the medicine: "......"

She realized what "auctioned" meant that night.

"Then it’s even more precious. It carries your grandpa’s love for your grandma, your grandma’s love for aunt, and aunt’s love for you," Qiao Yuxian said, her mouth running ahead of her thoughts, "And it’s meant for your wife."

"Aren’t you?" Gu Yanjing frowned and asked.

The tone was a bit harsh.

He often discovered that Qiao Yuxian seemed to forget about their marriage.

Qiao Yuxian was taken aback for a moment, then responded, looking at Gu Yanjing, "I am. Of course, I am. It’s for me."

Gu Yanjing watched her.

"It’s just... too precious for me to feel at ease," Qiao Yuxian mumbled softly.

"Is it less unsettling than forcing marriage?" Gu Yanjing asked calmly.

Upon hearing this, Qiao Yuxian’s little eyebrows nearly stood up. She glared fiercely at Gu Yanjing.

Gu Yanjing stroked her face and said, "Take it with peace of mind."

Touched on the face, which calmed her tiny temper, Qiao Yuxian lowered her gaze and murmured, "If you put it that way, I really can’t feel uneasy. The dignified Mr. Gu is officially entered into my little red book; I’d feel at ease accepting anything."

Seeing her small sense of triumph, a bit of amusement flickered in Gu Yanjing’s eyes.

Then he heard her ask, "Who is Miss Lu?"

The amusement vanished instantly, and his eyes stiffened.

Qiao Yuxian bandaged his wound, tying a neat bow.

She put away the medical kit, stared straight into Gu Yanjing’s eyes, and asked again, "Who is Miss Lu?"

Gu Yanjing met her gaze but did not answer.

Qiao Yuxian pouted and said, "Is it Lu Mengyi, right?"

Gu Yanjing’s pupils subtly contracted.

Qiao Yuxian smiled, openly saying, "Mr. Gu... I can’t just marry someone without knowing anything. Haven’t you checked on me?"

Gu Yanjing looked at the smart little fox in front of him.

"The eldest miss of the Lu family," Qiao Yuxian shifted the topic to Lu Mengyi, "family background, appearance, figure, temperament, education, capability... she’s almost perfect."

She leaned closer to Gu Yanjing, curious, "Didn’t Mr. Gu ever get moved by her?"

Gu Yanjing’s expression darkened inch by inch.

No matter how intimidating he was, Qiao Yuxian didn’t seem fazed, continuing to ask, "I haven’t met Miss Lu, only heard she’s exceptional. Could you tell me what she’s like?"

Gu Yanjing stayed silent, his expression colder still.

Qiao Yuxian: "......"

She retreated a bit, meekly saying, "I’m suddenly not so curious. After all, didn’t everyone have a childhood sweetheart or two? Right?"

"Qiao Yuxian," Gu Yanjing seriously called her name.

Qiao Yuxian’s heart skipped a beat; she glared at him and gave him a "wait and see" look, then shouted towards the kitchen, "Aunt! Gu Yanjing’s being mean to me!"

Soon from the direction of the kitchen came Yan An’s gentle voice, "Gu Yanjing, be gentle, don’t scare Yu Xian. If you scare her, you’ll sleep outside tonight."

Gu Yanjing: "......"

"Did you hear?" Yan An asked again.

"Understood," Gu Yanjing answered Yan An while looking at Qiao Yuxian.

Qiao Yuxian raised her eyebrows high, showing off her complacency in full range.

Gu Yanjing squinted his eyes at her.

"Are you mad?" Qiao Yuxian continued to taunt, "Even if you’re mad, there’s nothing you can do, someone has my back."

Gu Yanjing rubbed his fingers, reaching out to grab her arm.

Qiao Yuxian immediately stood up, trying to dodge... but didn’t succeed.

She stood up, but he grabbed her arm.

She struggled a little and couldn’t break free, then shouted again towards the kitchen, "Aunt!"

Gu Yanjing released his grip.

Qiao Yuxian immediately stepped back two steps, keeping a distance, and provocatively said to Gu Yanjing, "Aunt! Do we have any plum wine at home? Let’s have some to drink!"

The word "plum" was emphasized deliberately.

Gu Yanjing watched her nonchalantly.

Qiao Yuxian stuck her tongue out at him and turned away, calling out as she headed to the kitchen, "Aunt, let’s buy some plums to eat someday."

Gu Yanjing watched her cheerful figure disappear and glanced at the bow on his hand, sighing with a mix of helplessness and affection.