Upon learning that Qi Huan was going to play a game of Go with Grandpa Qi, Jiang Youli didn't head straight back to the Jiang family after dinner. Instead, she stayed nearby, watching with great interest.
Qi Huan's posture while playing was unusually relaxed. He leaned back slightly, resting against the chair, the black stones in his long, slender, and elegant fingers flipping around like dancing sprites.
His gaze was focused and deep, and every move seemed carefully considered, yet carried a carefree ease.
His handsome face, illuminated by the light, appeared even more sharply defined. His straight nose, deep eyes, and slightly upturned lips all made Jiang Youli's heart flutter.
Especially the moment he set down a stone – Jiang Youli felt her own heart tremble along with it, as if each black stone was dropping into the lake of her heart, stirring ripple after ripple.
Just thinking that this ridiculously handsome man belonged to her, and that she'd soon have zero-distance skin contact with him, a surge of indescribable excitement welled up inside Jiang Youli.
This feeling was both sweet and slightly bashful. She couldn't help but bite her lip softly, afraid she'd burst out laughing.
"Lost again." Grandpa Qi looked at the chessboard, then slowly set down his stones. He lifted his head and glanced at the wall clock.
Two games had brought them to nearly ten o'clock.
It was late.
Grandpa Qi then said to his grandson, Qi Huan, "Alright, it's getting late. Qi Huan, take Little Li back home."
Qi Huan nodded and replied, "Okay."
The two left the study.
Jiang Youli personally pushed Qi Huan's wheelchair, slowly descending the stairs and heading toward the entrance.
When they reached the door, Jiang Youli couldn't help but say, "Huanhuan, the way you played chess just now was really handsome. I was completely mesmerized the whole time."
As she said this, her eyes sparkled with admiration and affection.
Qi Huan was taken aback, then smiled slightly. "Really? It's rare that I get to surprise you too. Sometimes I think – with how exceptional you are, Little Li'er, I wonder if I seem too ordinary to you."
Jiang Youli let out a snicker, disagreeing. "You? Ordinary? That's impossible. Honestly, with a face like yours, Huanhuan, even if you were absolutely useless in every other way, you'd never be ordinary."
Qi Huan laughed. "Little Li'er, if this face of mine got ruined, would you stop liking me?"
This kind of question was practically the same as the classic death-trap question: "If I and your mother fell into the water at the same time, who would you save?"
For other women, it might have been a deal-breaker question, but for Jiang Youli, it was a piece of cake.
Without any hesitation, Jiang Youli said, "I think, with your abilities, after everything with Qi Yue, no one but me will ever be able to stab you in the back. So this face of yours won't be ruined. And even if it somehow were, I'd make sure it recovered perfectly again."
She simply couldn't bring herself to say something like "Even if you were disfigured, I would still love you." That would be lying to herself.
Come on – who would truly fall in love with a hideously disfigured face?
At that point, she might still admire and respect Qi Huan's abilities, but she'd no longer have romantic feelings for him.
Romantic love, at its core, is loving the person's appearance first, then going deeper into their soul. Without the appearance, there's no point in talking about some vague, intangible soul.
Qi Huan joked self-deprecatingly, "True enough. From now on, no one can hurt me. And to keep pleasing you, I'll make sure to protect this face of mine well."
"Then let me start enjoying this face of yours now," Jiang Youli said, bending down, turning her head, and planting a kiss on Qi Huan's cheek.
Qi Huan smiled, then said reluctantly, "I really wish that, at times this late, you were going back to our room with me instead of me having to see you off."
Jiang Youli stood up straight and echoed with anticipation, "Soon enough. Once your legs are fully healed, we can start preparing for our wedding."
...
When Jiang Youli returned to the Jiang family, it was already almost eleven. The lights in the East District villa's living room were still on.
A warmth spread through her heart.
It must be Mom and Dad waiting up for her.
Sure enough, before she even reached the door, she heard Pretty Mom's voice.
"Alright, Han, take a look. This design works, right?"
Jiang Youli immediately spotted Pretty Mom sitting on the sofa and handing her tablet to Handsome Dad.
Handsome Dad set down his magazine, looked at the tablet, then nodded approvingly. "Very nice. It still has your signature personal design style."
Pretty Mom's face flushed slightly. "Good, then I hope Youli will like it."
Jiang Youli couldn't help but call out, "Mom, what did you design for me?"
She stepped through the doorway and curiously leaned over toward Pretty Mom.
Zhang Susu quickly grabbed the tablet back and tucked it behind her. "Nothing."
She swiftly changed the subject. "What did Grandpa Qi want with you tonight?"
Jiang Youli didn't press further about the surprise. After all, if a surprise were revealed, it wouldn't be a surprise anymore.
She slumped lazily onto the sofa and answered truthfully, "Qi Feixue brought Jiang Xing to accuse me of poisoning her in front of Grandpa Qi."
Zhang Susu didn't ask whether Jiang Youli had actually poisoned Qi Feixue. Instead, she said in surprise, "Jiang Xing actually testified against you?"
Jiang Youli nodded, confirming with an "mm," her face showing neither anger nor displeasure.
Zhang Susu was a little exasperated. "I don't know what he's thinking."
After a pause, she sighed and said helplessly, "After what happened last time with Jiang Yangxu having the West District steward kidnap you, I was already very disappointed with Jiang Yangxu's family. But Jiang Xing – that child – your father and I watched him grow up. We used to treat him like a half-son."
"When he was little, Jiang Xing would often come over to the East District villa to keep us company and chat. He said he'd never let the two of us be lonely, and that we could treat him as our own son."
Jiang Yehan added, "That's right. Back then, Jiang Xing truly was a kind-hearted kid. But who knows – as he grew older, he started to drift away from us. Then, about three years ago, after he began taking over the company, he stopped coming to the East District villa to talk with us entirely."
Zhang Susu continued, "Still, your father and I didn't think too much of it. We just figured Jiang Xing was too busy. It wasn't until the day we went to pick you up, and Jiang Xing didn't come back, that your father and I began to feel disappointed in him."
Jiang Yehan added, "We originally thought that after last time, when their family found out they'd been deceived by Jiang Yonghe, they would reflect and mend their ways. Your mother and I figured that as long as they truly realized their mistake and stopped doing anything to hurt you, Youli, it would ultimately be a good thing for you. But who would have thought..."
At this point, Jiang Yehan shook his head and sighed. "Jiang Xing doesn't even bother to try to make up for his mistakes. Even now, at this point, he still stabs you in the back once more, Youli. He's truly beyond saving."
Jiang Youli said, "Dad, Mom, you're just too soft-hearted. That's why you still hold out hope for their family. From the very beginning, I've seen them clearly, so I never had any expectations. And without expectations, there's no disappointment."
Jiang Yehan remarked with feeling, "And time has proven that you were right, Youli."
Zhang Susu was unwilling to say anything more on the subject. "Alright, it's getting late. Youli, hurry back to your room and take a shower. Your father and I are going to rest as well."
Jiang Youli nodded. "Okay."
Back in her room, Jiang Youli took a shower, and before going to bed, she instructed Xiao Hei that from now on, without her command, Qi Feixue's poison must not be triggered.
Just as she had told Qi Huan, unless Xiao Hei died, the poison could never truly be cured.
What Jiang Youli had given Qi Feixue was only a temporary suppressant. If Qi Feixue behaved herself from now on, the poison would never flare up again.
But if Qi Feixue or Qi Shaoxiong still refused to stay in line, the poison would strike once more.
