“Ah… I…”
Hearing Jiang Cheng’s words, Jiang Lingwei found herself at a loss for what to say.
She only felt as if her heart was on fire, ignited by another warm presence—burning, fierce, and intense.
Suppressing the tremor in her heart, Jiang Lingwei whispered softly:
“Chengzi… I didn’t expect…”
After taking a deep breath and mentally preparing herself, Jiang Lingwei looked up at Jiang Cheng, finally voicing what she hadn’t been able to say because she’d forced herself to stay at home: “Actually, I don’t deserve all this.”
She didn’t understand; from the moment they met, or perhaps even from that vague sense of reunion, this man had been expressing his love for her all along.
But, Jiang Cheng had lost his memories, just like her, hadn’t he?
No matter what happened in the past, was the person he loved truly herself—the one about to make such a selfish decision?
All Jiang Lingwei felt was guilt, and then a touch of anxiety.
It was like being the heir to a nation, enjoying the legacy of the previous ruler, but when faced with those who trusted her, she found herself lacking the ability to accept it all.
“You are worth it.”
Unable to contain his emotions, Jiang Cheng pulled the self-doubting magical girl into his arms and said:
“You’ll always be worth it. Because I like you—if I hadn’t promised not to say that word so easily, you know exactly what I’d say right now.”
“I… Am I the same person as the one you used to like?”
Murmuring dazedly, staring at his face, Jiang Lingwei’s hair spilled loose, and her body felt weak and soft, as if she never wanted to leave the strong, warm embrace of his arms.
“You are.”
Jiang Cheng said gently:
“You’re both the same. The same kindness, cuteness, beauty—the same qualities that make me fall for you. I see it, and I feel it.”
“But…”
“No buts.”
Suddenly showing a firm and domineering side, the silver-haired man cut Jiang Lingwei off:
“Even setting the past aside, remember? I still fell in love with you—the person you are now.”
“I… I…”
Looking at the suddenly changed Jiang Cheng, so different from the last few days, Jiang Lingwei leaned her head against his sturdy arm, even hearing her own heart pounding chaotically.
(What Samoyed… I totally misjudged back then…)
Now, she only felt like a snow rabbit being caught by a white wolf, no matter how she hopped, she couldn’t escape.
And this wolf was one she had brought home herself, even finding herself enchanted by the great wolf’s handsome face and the warm breath he exhaled into the snow. (No, this won’t do.)
The snow rabbit’s instincts told her she couldn’t keep indulging in this warmth—if she did, she’d end up completely devoured by the big wolf!
Struggling to get up, Jiang Lingwei insisted:
“If that’s the case, then I… I owe you too much!”
“Let me see… For example, about what just happened—even though we apologized, I really should give you something in return. What should I do?”
Pretending to think for a few seconds, she mustered her courage, scooted up close to Jiang Cheng’s shoulder, and whispered, her breath fragrant:
“How about~ I give you a massage?”
“Okay.”
Her voice tickled the man’s ears, and Jiang Cheng agreed without a moment’s thought.
“Ah?”
Jiang Lingwei jumped out of his arms in shock, taking a step back, her fingers trembling, “P-Pervert!”
“You suggested it first!” Jiang Cheng spread his hands, feeling wronged.
“That’s true, I did suggest it.”
Admitting it confidently, but Jiang Lingwei didn’t act reasonably at all as she continued,
“But you shouldn’t have agreed.”
“Then what was I supposed to do?”
“Mm,” Jiang Lingwei thought for a moment, “well, uh, you should’ve blushed, hurriedly backed away, and then stammered something like, ‘No, that’s not necessary.’ Then I would push my luck, tease you more, and finally, you’d run away in embarrassment, leaving me to scare you off again next time.”
“That’s how it always happens in the shows anyway.”
Jiang Cheng was silent for a second, then suddenly asked,
“Then, if I did all that, would you give me a massage?”
“Wha—Of course not! Hmph!”
Seeing Jiang Lingwei puff up like a startled cat, huffing before grabbing the magic core from the floor and rushing into the bathroom, Jiang Cheng couldn’t help but laugh.
Now who’s the one pushing their luck, and who’s the one running away?
“Knock knock knock.”
At this moment, Jiang Yao’s cautious voice came from outside the door:
“Dad, Mom? Are you up yet?”
“Y-Yes! Just a minute, we’ll be right there!”
Urged on by his daughter, Jiang Cheng quickly collected himself and responded.
“Okay~”
His daughter’s voice came through the door, and Jiang Cheng hurried to put on his clothes and pants.
(How come Yaoyao’s already here? What time is it now?)
Washing his face would have to wait, since Ha Jiwei was occupying the bathroom. He decided to open the door for his daughter first. As he got up, he glanced at the hotel clock on the nightstand. “Wait, it’s already nine o’clock?!”
At the same time, outside, Jiang Yao was quietly talking to Xiaobai:
“Isn’t this progressing a little too fast?”
“Crunch… What progress?”
Xiaobai munched listlessly on a wafer cookie he’d swiped from the hotel’s breakfast buffet.
It didn’t taste as good as potato chips.
But it was crunchy, so it would do for teething.
For some reason lately, Xiaobai just wanted something to chew on.
“My dad and mom!”
Seeing her teammate so useless, Jiang Yao was frustrated. She slipped her long, stocking-clad foot out of her slippers and gave Xiaobai a gentle kick, making the little dumpling roll across the floor as he chewed his cookie.
“Didn’t we agree you’d help me get them together? What’s going on? Or did you make a move yourself?”
“Nope.”
Kicked to the wall, Xiaobai didn’t get mad. He just leaned against the wall and kept eating… Wait, why are there cookie crumbs on my whiskers? Let this great fairy deal with that first…
Giving up completely on the useless fairy.
Standing at the door, Jiang Yao muttered to herself:
“Still not up after nine…”
Her face reddened, and she couldn’t help but reasonably guess in a certain suggestive direction:
“How long were they busy last night?”
Fortunately, before her mind wandered too far down that path, Jiang Cheng opened the door.
“Ah, Yaoyao, sorry, we woke up late today.”
“It’s fine, Dad.”
Jiang Yao didn’t dare look into the room. With the theoretical knowledge she had, she didn’t even dare sniff around, instead looking off at the door frame as if nothing was amiss:
“Where’s Mom?”
“She’s still washing her face.”
Even Jiang Cheng felt a bit embarrassed in this situation.
Last night had been a big shock for him. Maybe that illusion had squeezed the last bit of pitiful magic from his body.
Or maybe, it was just that getting to hold Xiao Wei in his arms for once made him sleep too well.
He hadn’t dreamed all night, just slept straight till dawn.
—And then got a fierce kick from someone right in his sore spot, making him tumble out of bed to go explore the blue ocean.
As a result, though he usually woke early, today, on the day he planned to take his daughter out on a trip, he’d actually slept in.
Fortunately, his embarrassment didn’t last long, because a moment later, Jiang Lingwei emerged behind him, toothbrush in mouth, face flushed, hair messy, and still in her pajamas.
“Wo… Yaoyao~”
She waved casually, totally unfazed—after all, she’d just finished washing her face and had come out with the toothbrush still in her mouth after hearing her daughter’s voice.
“Morning!”
“G-Good morning, Mom.”
To a teenager growing up in the age of the internet, this scene looked completely different.
Especially with Jiang Lingwei still brushing her teeth.
(Could it be, just now they were… taking care of…?)
Phrases like “absence makes the heart grow fonder” and “like wolves and tigers” flooded her mind, making Jiang Yao tongue-tied. She hurriedly found an excuse,
“Ah, right, I forgot something in my room, just call me when you’re ready to go.”
Without waiting for her parents to respond, Jiang Yao, with soccer skills that would put the national team to shame, dribbled Xiaobai—whose “woof!” yelp echoed down the hall—back into her own room.
Leaving the two adults staring at each other.
“What’s with her?”
Jiang Cheng looked at Jiang Lingwei.
“No idea.”
Jiang Lingwei blinked, her gaze clear as day.
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