Song Chengfeng paid no mind to Qi Jianyi’s sharp glare—it barely registered as intimidating. To him, it was almost endearing, like a kitten trying to look fierce. Besides, how could he take her seriously after hearing such a rare and heartfelt complint?
It was the kind of mont that would keep him awake at night, smiling to himself like an idiot. His usual reserved deanor seed completely forgotten as his joy bubbled to the surface.
How could Qi Jianyi not notice the unrestrained happiness on his face? The subtle curl of his lips, the way his eyes glimred with amusent—it all irritated her to no end. The more he tried to suppress his grin, the more annoyed she beca.
She ntally cursed herself for tossing out the complint so recklessly. Now, she had to deal with him acting as if he had just won a lifeti achievent award.
"Is there anything else you want to say? If not, the door is right there. You can see yourself out," she huffed, clicking her tongue in exasperation as she pointed her chin toward the front door.
But Song Chengfeng wasn’t one to back down so easily. Without missing a beat, he countered, "Auntie already invited to stay for lunch. I can’t just leave now, can I?" His response was smooth and imdiate, as if he had prepared for this exact mont. There was no way he would let an opportunity to spend more ti with her slip away so easily.
Qi Jianyi sighed heavily, rolling her eyes as frustration settled over her. "Why do you act like we haven’t seen each other in forever?" she muttered under her breath, shaking her head at his persistence.
"Suit yourself," she said flatly, deciding it was better to disengage than continue bickering. With that, she stood up, grabbed the package of bird nests from the table, and headed toward the kitchen.
But just when she thought she had escaped his presence, she heard his footsteps trailing behind her. Qi Jianyi’s shoulders tensed slightly. Can’t this man take a hint?
Unbeknownst to her, Song Chengfeng wasn’t entirely oblivious to her desire to put so distance between them. He simply chose to ignore it.
After all, the kitchen was as good a place as any to continue their conversation—or at least to keep her company.
"Uncle, can you heat this up for ? I want to drink it," Qi Jianyi said casually, her tone soft yet commanding, as she placed the package on the kitchen counter.
Without sparing a glance at the extra figure lingering behind her, she pushed the package toward the chef standing on the other side.
Chef Yan, the resident kitchen master, responded with a warm, fatherly smile as he accepted the package.
"Alright, young miss. It’ll be ready in no ti," he assured her with a respectful nod, already moving to fulfill her request.
Qi Jianyi offered him a polite smile in return before turning on her heel to leave the kitchen. She believed in leaving tasks to the professionals—it was a simple principle she lived by.
Trailing behind her, almost like an obedient shadow, was Song Chengfeng. He followed her steps without a word, his presence looming yet quiet.
He followed her like a puppy yet in fact, he was far from it. He was like a big bad wolf hiding its claws in front of its mate.
"Do you want to go to the garden? The flowers are blooming now," Qi Jianyi suggested, her tone light but firm.
Without waiting for his answer, she turned on her heel and led him toward the backyard.
The Qi mansion was grand and sprawling, almost excessively so for Qi Jianyi’s liking. Even after spending almost two months in this world, she found it difficult to feel at ho in such an expansive estate.
The garden, however, was different. It was her sanctuary, a tranquil escape from the suffocating grandeur of the rest of the mansion.
Song Chengfeng followed her silently, his eyes scanning the neat rows of blooming flowers and lush greenery as they walked through the ornate gate that led to the garden.
The vibrant colors and sweet fragrances filled the air, making the space feel alive and serene at the sa ti.
"Did you faint here before?" Song Chengfeng’s voice broke the silence, his tone soft and careful as if treading on delicate ground.
Qi Jianyi nodded as she moved toward the swings tucked in a quiet corner of the garden. The three swings, built long ago for the Qi siblings, swayed gently in the breeze.
Yet, they seed more like relics than active playthings—tokens of a family that had grown too busy, too distant to enjoy them together.
She chose the swing farthest from the garden path and sat down, the chains creaking faintly as she settled into the seat.
"Yes, I fainted here once," she admitted quietly, her fingers brushing against the cool tal chains.
Song Chengfeng hesitated for a mont before sitting on the swing next to hers. The seat felt cramped beneath his tall fra, and he shifted awkwardly as he tried to make himself comfortable.
It had been so long since he had sat on a swing that Song Chengfeng couldn’t even recall the last ti he’d done so. Perhaps he never had.
As a child, he had always considered swings and similar playthings far too childish for soone like him, despite the irony that he had been nothing more than a young, mischievous boy himself at the ti.
"I used to play on a swing every day when I was young..."
Qi Jianyi’s voice softened as she tilted her head back to gaze at the sky, her expression lost in thought as if reliving a distant but cherished mory.
Song Chengfeng turned his head to look at her, his eyes filled with quiet curiosity. He was always eager to hear her talk about herself—her past, her family, her life before this one.
Every word she shared felt like a precious glimpse into the world she ca from.
Sensing his gaze, Qi Jianyi shifted her focus back to him and smiled gently. There was a tenderness in her expression, a kind of warmth that softened the usual coolness in her deanor.
"My family lived in an apartnt, nothing like this big mansion," she began, her tone light but tinged with nostalgia.
"The apartnt had a little playground where I used to spend most of my ti with my friends. Sotis, I’d take my sister along too. We’d play so much that my dad would have to co down and literally pull us by the ears to get us back ho."
She chuckled softly, the sound carrying an almost musical quality as her mories grew clearer, more vivid. Her laughter seed to fill the garden, blending with the light rustling of the breeze and the faint fragrance of blooming flowers.
For a mont, it was as though she’d traveled back to a simpler ti.
"You have a sister?" Song Chengfeng repeated softly, his tone laced with curiosity.
It was the first ti she had ntioned this part of her life, and he couldn’t help but feel intrigued.
Qi Jianyi nodded, her lips curving into a small, wistful smile.
"She’s six years younger than , and even younger than the twins," she replied, her voice gentle as she spoke of her sibling.
"When I was little, I used to hate the thought of having a sister," she admitted, her eyes flickering with the glow of old mories.
"She always followed everywhere once she learned how to walk. I couldn’t have a mont to myself." She let out a faint chuckle, though her expression soon softened.
"But as ti went on, she beca one of the reasons I worked so hard. I wanted to be soone she could rely on."
Song Chengfeng noticed the slight lancholy in her gaze, the way she tried to mask it with a faint smile.
Without hesitation, he reached out and gently held her hand, his thumb brushing lightly over her skin in a soothing gesture.
"You must have been her inspiration," he whispered, his voice tender, hoping to comfort her in whatever unspoken sorrow lingered in her heart.
Qi Jianyi let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head slightly. "Hardly. She was so annoying and only knew how to act cute," she replied, though there was no malice in her tone—only fondness. "It’s ironic how much I miss that now..." Her voice trailed off as her smile lingered, bittersweet.
"You will see her again. Don’t be too sad, Jianyi," Song Chengfeng said with quiet conviction.
Though his words were simple, the unwavering firmness in his tone carried enough weight to stir sothing deep within her heart.
Qi Jianyi turned her gaze to him, her eyes softening as his reassurance washed over her.
"I will," she replied, her voice steady yet tinged with a vulnerability she rarely showed.
After a mont of silence, she added in a barely audible murmur, "Thank you, Chengfeng." Her words carried a hint of sadness, but they also brimd with sincerity.
She was genuinely grateful for his unwavering support. Qi Jianyi had never asked for him to help her find a way ho. All she needed was soone to stand by her side, soone who believed in her no matter what.
And Song Chengfeng, even with his own reluctance to let her go, had done exactly that. He had given her his unwavering support without question, even though it might one day lead to the very thing he feared most—her leaving his life forever.
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