Recently, Li Ran had been working a summer job at Chi Mo’s company, earning wages. Chi Mo was young and successful, with inestimable wealth at such a young age. His company and games ranked at the top of domestic value lists.
The Chi family’s prominent status was just the tip of the iceberg. His father, Chi Wei, was the legitimate eldest son of the Chi family, and his mother, Qi Shan, was the beloved youngest daughter of the Qi family—a union of top-tier families.
Chi Mo’s little uncle, Chi Wei, had been the one in power over the entire Chi family for years.
How could Chi Mo, born at the pinnacle of the pyramid, be interested in someone as ordinary as Li Ran? Bai Qingqing, who had a basic sense of status differences, sat on the Chi family sofa feeling like she was on pins and needles.
How could she have been so embarrassing earlier?
She had been too much like a startled bird.
“Little Ran, why didn’t you tell your dad and mom when you moved? Last time you messaged me in the middle of the night, I thought you were in puppy love. You wouldn’t tell me, your dad didn’t know what was going on either, so I reflected on myself—was I paying too little attention to you lately, creating a barrier between us so you wouldn’t share your heart with me?”
“Today I came here thinking you might still be at work and I didn’t want you to take time off, so I came first to wait. I happened to run into your dad too… He may not be good with words, but we talked last time, and I know he cares about you.” Bai Qingqing and Li Ang showing up at the complex at the same time was pure coincidence, not planned.
She couldn’t control her temper in front of outsiders, but she didn’t hesitate to apologize in front of them either. Bai Qingqing said, “Little Ran, Mom was wrong this time. I was impulsive and almost hit you. If that slap had landed on your face, I think I’d hate myself. I should have listened to your explanation first. Even though you have your dad’s mouth and it seems useless, you’re still better than him.”
Li Ang sat nearby, his face turning green.
“I’m really sorry to you too, Little Chi. That slap landed on you—Auntie was truly too impulsive. Thank you for pulling Little Ran away in time.” Bai Qingqing felt that the young man sitting across from her didn’t seem like a 20-year-old. From the moment he and Li Ang appeared, Chi Mo hadn’t said a word. After coming back, he just sat on the sofa—treating them neither as guests nor as Li Ran’s biological parents. His coldness made even someone who had lived half a lifetime like her feel an inexplicable chill from the bottom of her heart. “Little Ran, I’m no good with my hands. Help Mom bandage Little Chi up.”
Cheng Ai Mei waited until she finished speaking before smiling and chiming in. “Oh, it’s fine. I’ll take care of it later. Besides, that little scratch has already scabbed over—no need to worry.”
“Young lady, not many parents these days apologize to their kids—you’re a good mother. When I was young, I was an old-fashioned stickler just like you. Some things, once you think them through, it’s all good.”
While they spoke, Li Ran silently followed Bai Qingqing’s words—he had wanted to do it ages ago. He skillfully found the medicine box, sat next to Chi Mo, and said softly, “Bro, let me disinfect it for you.”
Li Ran was quite worried Chi Mo would just say “it’s fine, no need,” leaving him no chance to make amends.
From Bai Qingqing’s appearance to her outburst, Chi Mo’s expression hadn’t improved.
“Mm.” Chi Mo raised his hand, offering the five-to-six-centimeter gash toward him. “Go ahead.”
He even had the leisure to joke: “Be gentle—I get hurt easily.”
Li Ran glanced at his face and saw he said it expressionlessly, with no hint of joking. His hand shook a bit as he applied the iodine-dipped cotton swab to the wound.
He was really afraid of hurting Chi Mo.
They all ate a meal together. Bai Qingqing apologized again, even more sincerely than the first time. Chi Mo just said it was fine and told Auntie Bai not to take it to heart.
After all, his intentions weren’t pure to begin with.
Knowing that Chi Mo was still tutoring Li Ran, Bai Qingqing felt even more guilty.
She asked, “You’re practically Little Ran’s teacher now. What do you usually teach him?”
Chi Mo said, “Everything.”
Bai Qingqing said, “You’ve gone to so much trouble.”
In someone else’s home, even Bai Qingqing’s bold personality became a bit restrained, especially after learning about the huge misunderstanding—she felt even more guilty. Her eating speed compared to usual was like a turtle crawling.
But compared to the others, she still ate like a whirlwind, not sure what she was rushing for. Hot dishes and soup turned ice-cold in her mouth as if hit by a tornado, without a hint of scalding.
Cheng Ai Mei loved watching people eat so heartily—it meant they were good hosts. She kept urging Bai Qingqing to eat more.
By the time they finished, it was evening. Bai Qingqing instructed Li Ran to be sensible and not trouble his grandparents. From now on, if anything happened, he had to tell her right away. If she couldn’t respond in time, he should tell his dad too.
They insisted on going back themselves and wouldn’t let Chi Mo drive them.
Once they reached the street, Li Ran’s former landlady, Auntie Wang, spotted Bai Qingqing and Li Ang. She hurried over. “Qingqing? Is that you? Someone said you went home with Old Lady Cheng across the way, so I’ve been waiting here.”
“It’s been years since we last met—I barely recognized you two. You’ve been doing well lately, right? As long as you’re good… You came to my place this afternoon asking about Little Ran, didn’t you? I know he lives across the way. I saw that young guy from the Chi family go upstairs to help him move his luggage before.”
“But my husband didn’t know. I wasn’t home at the time. You suddenly heard he’d moved and didn’t know the address, so you must’ve been anxious—it’s my fault. My son came back from abroad last month to get married, and I was thrilled but a bit worried.”
Auntie Wang said with a troubled face, “Because we needed the house… I thought you knew… Little Ran didn’t even wait for me to explain—he packed up on his own. He’s too considerate. He said he’d already told you, so I didn’t ask… My husband said you looked upset when you left, like you were really angry. But it has nothing to do with Little Ran—he’s just too sensible… You didn’t blame the kid, did you?”
An afternoon of heartfelt explanations and guilt couldn’t compare to Auntie Wang’s single comment that Li Ran was too sensible. Bai Qingqing felt like a knife stabbed her heart, tears nearly spilling out.
She suddenly thought: If Li Ran weren’t so sensible, would things be better?
Holding back tears, she bid Auntie Wang farewell. Her hatred for Li Ang deepened—even to the point of wanting to kill him.
“You’re just a…!”
Li Ang lowered his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“Get as far away from me as possible!” Bai Qingqing turned and left. “Seeing you makes me sick!”
Li Ang didn’t leave. He followed her at a distance, out of her sight.
He quietly escorted her home.
Because it was dark.
The Chi family living room was bright as day.
Cheng Ai Mei could tell Chi Mo was in a bad mood and didn’t want to poke the bear. She called Ye Ze upstairs to rest.
She suddenly thought to call her son.
Downstairs in the living room, only Li Ran and Chi Mo remained.
His left wrist’s Bodhi beads were gone, and his left hand now bore an extra wound. Even though Bai Qingqing had apologized, Li Ran still felt guilty.
“I’m sorry, Bro.”
“It’s fine.” Chi Mo pulled a cigarette from his pack but didn’t light it. He looked up and saw Li Ran’s posture—legs together, hands on knees—and inexplicably smiled.
Teasing him a bit should be fun.
Chi Mo said half-seriously, “Your mom cursed me out, right?”
Li Ran lowered his head. “I’m sorry.”
Chi Mo said, “I’ve never been cursed out like that in my life. Auntie seemed to curse me to die too—did I hear that right?”
Li Ran’s head went lower. “I’m sorry.”
“A bit unhappy.” Chi Mo said.
Li Ran was on the verge of tears. “…I’m sorry.”
The timing was perfect. Chi Mo really wanted to light the cigarette and take a drag to savor it.
“Mm.” He put the cigarette back in the pack out of sight, out of mind. But there was still this even more disturbing presence in front of him. He taught him, “Say something nice.”
“Coax me.” Chi Mo said leisurely. “You’d better put some effort into it.”
