Chapter 45 – Li Jiangluo 2.2

I was somewhat afraid to see Uncle and Auntie, always feeling guilty deep down.

Even now, I still felt that Bolin’s death had something to do with me, and now I was together with Baichuan again—could they really accept it?

After work, I was directly stuffed into the car by Brother Baichuan, my objections were futile, I had to go home with him.

“But I…”

“No buts.” He leaned over to fasten my seatbelt, stealing a kiss at the same time, “My mom specifically told me to bring you back tonight, you can’t escape.”

He looked at me with a smile, repeating, “You can’t escape.”

I squeezed his hand, returning his smile, “I won’t run.”

Ever since moving out, I hadn’t been back, it wasn’t actually that long ago, but due to living together for a long time before, that place had truly become my real home.

This feeling was very subtle, as if it was both my in-laws’ home and my parents’ home—it was too strange.

I was embarrassed by my own thoughts, staring out the window.

The way home was familiar to me, I knew every traffic light we would pass.

As we approached home, I said to Brother Baichuan, “Don’t let Auntie notice later.”

He gave me a serious look, nodding.

I suddenly felt that this might be a little unfair to him, feeling guilty, I could only hold his hand as an apology.

“My mom is very shrewd,” Brother Baichuan parked by the side of the road, turning to look at me, “How long do you think we can hide this from her?”

I was speechless, lowering my head.

He moved closer to me, pulling me into his arms, gently stroking my back, “What are you afraid of? I’m not scared.”

I was just afraid, perhaps my conscience wouldn’t allow it, fearing that Uncle and Auntie, who had been so good to me, would be disappointed by this matter, I didn’t want to make them unhappy.

Brother Baichuan kissed the tip of my ear, making me feel ticklish.

“I’ll try to keep it hidden as much as possible. I’ll wait until you’re ready to tell them, don’t worry.”

His tone seemed to carry fatigue, I didn’t want to see him like this either.

Is life always like this, the people you least want to hurt are those you are powerless against?

We embraced in the car, each probably harboring our own thoughts.

Suddenly, someone knocked on the car window, giving me a fright.

My first reaction was that it was bad, the person outside might be Auntie.

However, it wasn’t Auntie, but a traffic officer.

Brother Baichuan and I exchanged a glance, unable to hold back our laughter.

Rolling down the window, the traffic officer politely saluted then said, “Sir, you can’t park here.”

And thus, right in front of our house, Brother Baichuan received a ticket.

Because of this incident, I laughed all the way to the doorstep.

My originally anxious heart gradually settled down, so to speak, I should thank that traffic officer and this ticket.

Ringing the doorbell, Auntie quickly came to open the door.

Zai Zai darted out and hugged my leg, I greeted Auntie, bending down to pick him up.

This little guy had grown fatter, I could hardly support him when holding him.

“You naughty child! You moved out and didn’t even miss Auntie!”

Following behind Brother Baichuan, I entered the house, Auntie raised her hand and pinched my cheek.

Zai Zai broke free from my embrace, running to find Uncle, while I was pulled by Auntie to sit on the sofa and chat.

“Been busy lately?” Auntie held my hand, she was still the same as before, her smile always reminded me of my mother.

“It’s okay.” I glanced at Brother Baichuan, “Brother Baichuan has been busier.”

“If he’s busy, you’re busy too!” Auntie glared at Brother Baichuan, “Don’t tire our Jiangluo out!”

Brother Baichuan wore an innocent expression, which made me want to laugh.

He went to change clothes, Auntie saw him leave, then quietly asked me, “Is Baichuan in love?”

I suddenly tensed up, not daring to meet her eyes.

“Is it someone from your company?” She kept pressing.

“I… I’m not sure.” Before coming, Brother Baichuan didn’t discuss with me how to answer such questions, I panicked instantly.

“Huh?” Auntie looked at me doubtfully, possibly seeing my awkward expression, she gave up asking.

However, during dinner, she brought up the topic again.

“Should Baichuan bring his little boyfriend next time?” Auntie smiled at Brother Baichuan, “Why be so mysterious?”

I buried my head in eating, silent.

Auntie wanted me to stay over at home that night, I declined under the pretext of not having bedding.

Brother Baichuan sent me home, sitting in the passenger seat, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

“It feels like we’re underground operatives.” I joked, “So thrilling.”

“This gentleman, there’s nothing thrilling about it at all!” Brother Baichuan fastened my seatbelt as usual, also kissing me as usual.

“When you went to change clothes, Auntie asked me if your boyfriend was from our company.”

“Mm, I guess she already knows about eighty percent of it.” Brother Baichuan drove, slowly exiting the residential area.

I was made very uneasy by his words, frowning and asking, “Why?”

“Just a feeling.” He ruffled my hair, “No big deal, knowing is knowing.”

People like Uncle and Auntie, if they knew about this matter, even if they were disappointed and sad, they wouldn’t show it, they’d still call me back for meals as usual, treat me the same as before, and even if one day this matter was laid out in front of everyone, they wouldn’t blame me even a tiny bit.

But their silence didn’t mean they didn’t care.

“Don’t overthink it.” Brother Baichuan said to me, “Right now, the most important thing is for you to recover well before Yi Li gets discharged from the hospital.”

Just as I was about to ask him why he said that, I instantly understood his meaning.

He said, “I love you very much.”

Lying alone in bed at night, I couldn’t sleep, repeatedly looking at the messages Brother Baichuan sent me.

He was a very sincere person, sparing no effort to express his love and longing to me.

He said that he had always dared not let me know about his feelings for me, afraid that I would hate him.

Our thoughts coincidentally aligned, but fortunately, because of my momentary impulse, we didn’t miss each other.

In the past, I was shy about talking about love, but perhaps now influenced by Brother Baichuan, every time he said he loved me, I immediately replied, “Me too.”

Love should be like this, it must be said, expressed, otherwise how would the other party know?

Saying goodnight, I still couldn’t fall asleep.

It was almost midnight, with no sign of drowsiness at all.

Wanting to find someone to talk to, at this time Yi Li seemed to be the most suitable choice.

“You’re not sleeping late at night, fantasizing about spring?”

Today, because I went home, I didn’t visit Yi Li, hearing his voice, it was obvious he hadn’t slept yet.

“Aren’t you the same, not sleeping?”

He laughed coldly, saying, “I dare not sleep! There’s a lunatic insisting on staying overnight, I’m afraid I’ll be molested if I fall asleep!”

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a muffled voice from the other side, presumably someone complaining about something.

“Who’s staying overnight tonight?”

“An Sinen! Who else could it be?” Yi Li wailed, “Jiang, I wasn’t happy that you didn’t come today.”

Listening to his voice, I laughed, he wouldn’t miss me, he was just saying it to sound good.

“I want to chat with you.” I teased him on purpose, “For free.”

“Sure, wait a moment.” After Yi Li said this sentence, I heard him urging An Sinen to leave.

Then came a string of complaints, then Yi Li said, “Alright, the irrelevant people have already left, go ahead and say it.”

I felt somewhat apologetic towards An Sinen, but since it had already come to this, I couldn’t hang up and make the other party return.

“It’s actually about me and Brother Baichuan.” I said, “We’re together, but I don’t dare let Uncle and Auntie know.”

“Why?” Yi Li asked in confusion, “Afraid they won’t agree?”

“It’s not so much fear of that, they’ve been good to me, they probably wouldn’t be strongly opposed, but I’m worried…”

“Jiangluo, do you know what your biggest flaw is?” Yi Li laughed, “Now that you’re together, what’s the point of worrying so much?”

I was silent, he was right, no matter how much I worried, they would eventually have to know.

“Jiangluo,” Yi Li said solemnly, “If you love him, give him a title, the people in your company already call you Boss Lady, what else are you worried about!”

“…How do you know about this?” I really couldn’t accept that title, it was too…that…

He burst out laughing on the phone, “Hahahaha you didn’t say it, but Xing Baichuan told me! You didn’t know, that guy actually loves to show off!”

I imagined the scene where Brother Baichuan proudly told Yi Li about it, rubbing my temples helplessly.

“So, don’t be afraid of this and that, be braver, more decisive, isn’t it precisely because of this that you two are able to be together?”

I felt that many times, the reason I was timid was simply because I lacked affirmation from the people around me.

After chatting with Yi Li, I suddenly seemed to see things clearly.

It was something that had to be faced after all, the future was right in front of me, I couldn’t miss love again because of anything.

Just as I came out of the bedroom in the morning, I got a shock.

“Brother, how did you…”

I took a deep breath, indeed quite frightened.

“I stole the spare key to your house.” He was tying an apron around his waist, I walked over and rolled up his sleeves for him.

“I want to eat fried eggs.” I said.

He kissed my forehead, “Okay, I’ll fry some eggs for you.”

I smiled and looked up at him, “But we don’t have any eggs at home.”

He paused, then picked me up directly, turning around and tossing me onto the sofa.

I pretended to struggle for a bit, then gave up, being subdued by him.

He pressed me down, pinching my nose, “Li Jiangluo, you’ve gotten pretty bold, you’ve learned to tease me.”

I lifted my legs, circling his waist, smiling and saying, “Xing Baichuan, being teased by me, are you happy?”

He looked at me with a smile, then suddenly lay down on top of me, rubbing against my neck, “Happy.”