This was the first time the girl had ever been described this way by Qin Nanfeng. It made her sound… well, practically starved for affection. The endless teasing made Lin Xinyuan feel increasingly ashamed and humiliated; she felt as though her face was hot enough to fry an egg. She felt like her image in the “stinky blondie’s” heart had begun to collapse, the kind of ruin from which there was no return…
How did it come to this…? I’m not that kind of person! I’m really not…
“Stop talking already…”
Lin Xinyuan murmured to herself. For a moment, she was so immersed in her own world of emotions that she couldn’t quite snap out of it. Fortunately, Qin Nanfeng acted like a decent human being for once. Seeing her silent and overwhelmed, he stopped teasing her after a short while, finally giving her some room to breathe.
Even so, she didn’t really feel like talking. She remained silent, biting her lower lip in embarrassment. It was the same every time with this guy! One moment they’d be talking normally, and the next he’d turn it back on her, making her feel deathly awkward…
What an indecent rogue, he’s practically insane!
Lin Xinyuan grumbled inwardly, her face still bright red. But before she could continue her silent cursing to vent her frustration, the “indecent rogue” spoke again. This time, a trace of reminiscence flickered in Qin Nanfeng’s eyes, and his gaze softened. Looking down at the little head in his arms, his expression grew calm, and his pace of speech slowed.
“Because of a person.”
Thump— Who?
A sudden, inexplicable surge of bitterness welled up in Lin Xinyuan’s chest, making her head spin slightly. Her lips felt dry as she asked: “Who…?”
Her tone was clearly off—muffled and heavy, as if she were drowning in jealousy. Qin Nanfeng’s eyes shifted, and a mischievous smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. After a moment, he put on a look of feigned melancholy, his voice taking on the weight of a long story.
“Someone who used to be very important… but they aren’t important anymore…”
Because that “important person” was currently right by his side.
“Oh…”
This answer wasn’t outside of Lin Xinyuan’s expectations, but even so, she still felt a bit uncomfortable. It’s fine… as long as the stinky blondie belongs only to me from now on…
But despite her logic, she still felt disgruntled. She gently bumped her head against his chest to express her dissatisfaction. Her eyes flickered with unease, yet she looked exceptionally determined despite her shyness as she whispered: “In the future… you… you’re only allowed to blow-dry my hair.”
Her voice was timid, yet her words were incredibly overbearing. The contrast made Qin Nanfeng let out a soft chuckle.
Xinyuan really is cute…
At this moment, her jealousy had temporarily overridden her shyness. She pouted. “What are you laughing at? Answer me!”
Qin Nanfeng felt a bit helpless. He reached out and rubbed her fluffy head. “Alright, alright. I’m all yours, Xinyuan…”
But then, his tone shifted. His voice grew husky and suggestive. “By the same token, Xinyuan belongs to me, too. Everything on you… I’ll take it back, bit by bit…”
At first, Lin Xinyuan didn’t quite grasp the hidden meaning behind his words, but after a moment’s thought, she understood perfectly. Her shame finally became uncontrollable, and she hurriedly buried her head again.
Cuddled against him, no matter how much she recoiled in her heart, she refused to lose face verbally: “Hmph… you too… I’ll take everything from you as well! Just you wait…!”
As she spoke, she squeezed his lean waist tightly and rubbed her head against him with renewed vigor. Hearing this, Qin Nanfeng nodded cheerfully. “Sure, I’ll be waiting for you to come and take it.”
“That’s more like it…”
The girl huffed, her tone considerably lighter. Having received a satisfying answer, she felt quite happy. However, the suppressed exhaustion from earlier began to resurface, making her mind grow hazy. Lin Xinyuan’s eyelids grew heavy, threatening to close, but she forced her apricot eyes open, trying not to fall asleep just yet.
“Brother Feng… how come I haven’t seen you call your family…?”
Lin Xinyuan asked. Her voice had softened significantly, sounding sweet and muddled. “They… they must be worried about you…”
Qin Nanfeng froze. He clearly hadn’t expected Lin Xinyuan to pay attention to that. This girl… she really cares…
The corners of his mouth tilted up. He closed his eyes and opened them again, but this time, a trace of complex emotion lingered in his gaze. To be honest, he didn’t want to tell Lin Xinyuan about his family situation.
However… the “novel” was right about one thing. Looking back now, that whole affair was undoubtedly a complete joke. It was the most childish choice made by his younger, immature self…
Looking back, that choice might have been influenced by the owner of those mysterious memories. But he didn’t feel a shred of regret. Not even a little! On the contrary, he felt quite lucky… because it allowed him to meet her sooner.
Thus, Qin Nanfeng felt no resentment, let alone a reason to blame anyone; after all, he didn’t have the right. Over the years, it had merely been his unfounded pride at work. Perhaps it really was time to get in touch.
As his thoughts churned, Qin Nanfeng sighed inwardly. The complexity in his eyes faded, leaving only tenderness for the girl. His tone returned to its usual playful self: “Since Xinyuan cares so much about my family, are you thinking about coming home to meet my parents? Are you that anxious to marry me? I wouldn’t mind…”
Silence followed. After a long while, there was still no reply. Aside from the whistling wind outside the window, there was only the faint, rhythmic breathing of the girl in his arms.
“Xinyuan?”
Qin Nanfeng called out softly. He leaned down and gently pinched her cheek, but only received a soft, sleepy “Mmm” in return. She was clearly asleep.
“This girl, honestly…”
Qin Nanfeng smiled helplessly, stroking her slender back. At this moment, his eyes were full of tenderness, devoid of any desire. He simply watched her sweet, innocent sleeping face.
Suddenly, the sleeping girl seemed to be caught in a nightmare. Her delicate brows furrowed tightly, and she shifted restlessly in his arms, murmuring to herself: “Don’t… don’t… leave me…”
Her sleep-talk carried a hint of a sob, making one’s heart ache for her. Seeing this, Qin Nanfeng’s gaze darkened. He gently patted her back, over and over, trying to give her a sense of security. He whispered softly, as if coaxing a child, “Don’t be afraid, I’m right here…”
“Mmm… you… can only be mine… I won’t let… them… touch you…” “No… stinky blondie… I… I’m hurting…”
The girl’s words were staccato and disjointed, as if she were talking nonsense in a daze. But Qin Nanfeng listened patiently and carefully, not missing a single detail. Until he heard the next sentence, and his heart suddenly began to throb with pain.
“I won’t… be able to hold on… I’ll leave… this world…”
Bang— As the last word fell, that familiar pain swept over him like a sudden illness. New fragments of memory flooded his mind, ruthlessly weaving themselves into his existing ones.
This level of agony would be enough to make a normal person scream in pain. But Qin Nanfeng’s expression remained unchanged, as if he felt nothing at all. He merely clenched his teeth tightly, his eyes twitching slightly.
At the same time, his eyes grew moist, though he stubbornly refused to let a tear fall. Before long, the pain gradually subsided until it vanished, though his heart continued to twitch slightly with a lingering ache.
Qin Nanfeng’s voice was hoarse and filled with exhaustion, yet his tone was exceptionally firm: “No matter which lifetime it is, I am yours.” “I will never leave you…”
As if hearing his answer, the girl’s body gradually settled down, and she stopped moving restlessly. Beside the warm yellow lamp, the man and woman slept in each other’s embrace. On this cold, damp night, they exchanged their warmth. This scene felt as though it could last forever, never to fade away…
holy Lore