Chapter 67: The Clingy Childhood Sweetheart 11 p1
It was no exaggeration to say that Jiang Qi practically worshipped this handmade scarf.
He folded it over and over, repeatedly folding it into a square, but there was one corner that just wouldn’t line up. Jiang Qi, with his meticulous nature, thought it was his own fault, so he unfolded it again and re-folded it.
Shu He watched from the side for a long time, and seeing that he still couldn’t fold it properly, he puffed out his little face and said with a little embarrassment, “I knitted it crookedly. It can’t be folded.”
“It’s my fault. The baby’s knitting is clearly perfect.”
Jiang Qi tucked the misaligned corner in, and stuffed it into a gap, pretending that the lines were aligned.
Then he solemnly placed the scarf in the safe, on the very top, suitable for daily admiration.
After doing all this, Jiang Qi reservedly made a birthday wish, hoping that the baby would stay here for the night.
Since it was his birthday, Shu He reluctantly did not refuse. It was just that Jiang Qi was too clingy. He had just come out of the bath, and his whole body was pink from the steam. Before he could cool down, he was pulled into the boy’s arms, his chest against his chest like holding a doll, both tight and hot.
He couldn’t break free at all.
His slender white legs were also pressed under the covers, and he barely managed to straighten his back.
Jiang Qi lowered his head, and his high nose was against the pale, clean side of Shu He’s neck. He rubbed it gently, and sniffed like a dog, and then let out a satisfied sound, saying that the baby smelled so good.
It was just that the two of them were too familiar.
Hearing this, Shu He didn’t think Jiang Qi’s words were very ambiguous, but instead, he said with a serious and honest expression that it was the body wash that smelled good.
“It’s the little He baby that smells good.”
Jiang Qi restrained the urge to kiss him with his lips, and looked up at him with somewhat hot eyes, and said stubbornly in a hoarse voice, “It’s your natural scent, not the body wash.”
Shu He was a little embarrassed now.
“Don’t talk like that.”
So strange.
“It’s…” Jiang Qi gently hooked Shu He’s earlobe with his finger, and his eyes flickered as he said, “I can’t talk like this now. I have to wait until next year.”
Shu He didn’t understand.
He wasn’t very concerned either. He was so hot from being held that he couldn’t help but struggle in Jiang Qi’s arms with his hands and feet. Jiang Qi let him go, and then, as he had before, he kissed his face and said, “Baby, go to sleep.”
“Aren’t you going to sleep?”
Shu He got into bed, leaving only his beautiful almond eyes exposed as he looked at him. Jiang Qi said he would sleep in a bit, and then he tucked him in with his hand, and turned to go downstairs.
At one in the morning, the Jiang family’s house was brightly lit.
But the atmosphere was a little oppressive.
On the sofa, Jiang’s father and Jiang Yan were sitting at two ends. Jiang’s father’s expression was heavy, and Jiang Yan’s head was lowered, reserved. When Jiang Qi came down, there was no communication between the two of them.
Only Jiang’s mother was crossing her arms and sneering.
“Jiang Jianzheng, we had a three-part agreement back then not to bring the matter of the illegitimate child to the table. If you don’t care about your face, I do.”
“Do you dare to say that you didn’t have someone bring him in? Besides you, who else would bring him to such an occasion?”
“What’s the point of me bringing him in when I have nothing better to do?” Jiang’s father finally couldn’t help but frown and argue. “I’ve rarely seen this kid these past few years. Don’t you know that?”
“Then tell me how he got here. Did he walk here by himself? Did he know that Jiang Qi was having a birthday and specially came to give a present?”
Jiang’s father: “How would I know? He won’t say when I ask him.”
Jiang Qi glanced at Jiang Yan, who was sitting in the corner of the sofa, with a blank expression. As if sensing something, Jiang Yan looked up and met his gaze.
In the child’s black and white eyes, there was a hatred.
Jiang Qi’s eyes suddenly narrowed.
He walked straight over, and as if he hadn’t expected him to come over, Jiang Yan’s shoulder trembled, and he was at a loss.
“What was that look just now?”
Jiang Qi was not roundabout, and his slightly cold voice was as direct as a sharp-edged boulder, smashing on Jiang Yan’s head.
He lowered his eyes, his figure tall, and his sharp features had a hint of an unapproachable distance and ruthlessness. Even if Jiang Yan hadn’t looked up, he could feel an unignorable sense of pressure.
After all, he was only ten years old. Jiang Yan was so scared by this that his whole person was stunned, and he stuttered, “…I-I didn’t have any look.”
Jiang’s father and mother glanced at Jiang Qi.
They were surprised that he had come down at this time.
“What do you mean?”
Jiang’s mother frowned at his words, and her expression was ugly as she swept her gaze over the trembling Jiang Yan. “Is this dead kid pretending?”
Jiang Yan lowered his head, his heart pounding with fear.
“I’m asking you one last time. Who brought you here?” Jiang’s father looked at him coldly.
“Dad…” Jiang Yan let out a little sob. “A strange uncle brought me here. I don’t know…”
Jiang Qi had not called Jiang’s father “dad” for several years.
Hearing Jiang Yan call him that, Jiang’s father was a little dazed and stunned for a moment, and then he subconsciously looked at the rebellious son who hadn’t called him that in a long time, only to see Jiang Qi’s back as he went upstairs.
He seemed to be too lazy to get involved in this scene anymore.
Jiang Qi pushed open the room door.
At one in the morning, Shu He was still leaning on his side, playing a game. Hearing the noise, he lifted his head, and quickly turned off his phone and pretended to be asleep.
His head was like a mushroom, and he secretly curled up in the bed.
Before he could finish curling up, he was pulled out.
Shu He looked at him in a daze, and his almond eyes were filled with innocence and guilt. When Jiang Qi saw him, the frustration in his heart lessened a little, and without thinking, he pulled him into his arms, and then he also got into bed, and in a few moves, he pressed him into the soft bed, and clung to him very, very tightly, and called him “baby” in a low voice.
Shu He propped his face with his hand, not letting him get close, and mumbled, “It’s time to sleep.”
“I can’t sleep, baby.”
“You’re not even asleep yet.”
“Let me hold you for a while.” Jiang Qi lowered his head and pressed his leg against Shu He’s, and intertwined them, completely imprisoning him in his arms, and then he touched the back of his neck, and told him about that illegitimate child named Jiang Yan.
“Baby, he glared at me.”
Shu He let out a soft, hot breath, and said in a fine, soft voice, “You glare back.”
“Glaring back is too light.” Jiang Qi pressed his nose against Shu He’s neck, and half-closed his eyes and said, “He doesn’t look like a pushover. He’s only ten now. When he’s a few years older, what do you think he’ll do, baby?”
Shu He said he would hinder his career success.
In the plot, Jiang Yan was also a villain.
Later, not only did he move into the Jiang family’s house, but he also got a small share of the stocks as an illegitimate son.
Shu He was a little worried, and after thinking for a long time, he couldn’t help but lift his eyes seriously, and told Jiang Qi to work hard and not give people a chance. Jiang Qi lowered his head and pressed against him and said vaguely, “I’m only in my third year of high school, baby.”
The third year of high school was indeed still young…
“If you work hard now, you won’t have to work so hard in the future.” Shu He drew a pie for Jiang Qi. “In the future, I’ll go and play everywhere with you.”
Jiang Qi: “Really?”
“Mm,” Shu He said. “And also Little Chen, Ziyang…”
—He knew it!
Hearing these two names, Jiang Qi’s slightly eager heart was instantly doused with cold water. He was a little resentful, and wanted to bite Shu He but was afraid it was not appropriate, so he could only prop himself up with his hands and bend over Shu He, and asked with a pretense of politeness, “Can I bite you, baby?”
Shu He covered his face, his eyes wide. “No.”
Looking at him, Jiang Qi’s breathing grew a little heavier. He lowered his gaze. Because he was covering his face, the little young master’s lips were slightly puffed out, and his philtrum was particularly obvious, and the color was pink, and it looked very kissable.
Above, his almond eyes were full of trust.
In the future, when he confessed, would the baby be so scared that he wouldn’t dare to interact with him, or…
Shu He, taking advantage of his inattention, slipped back into the bed. Jiang Qi came back to his senses, and ruffled his dark, soft hair, and then stood up and went to the bathroom.
After his bath, Jiang Qi came back and with satisfaction, he held the baby in his arms and fell asleep.
—
A while later, out of a sense of precaution, Jiang Qi secretly investigated Jiang Yan.
In these few years, besides giving money to the staff who were raising Jiang Yan, Jiang’s father had indeed not seen this illegitimate son much.
Jiang Yan was also attending a public school in a well-behaved manner, and his expenses were very small. Everything seemed so normal.
The more normal it was, the more suspicious it was.
At least, that kind of environment could not produce that kind of look.
After half a month of investigation, Jiang Yan’s side showed a flaw.
Jiang Yan’s mother, who had been sent abroad, had actually returned to the country, and it seemed that she had been back for a while.
And with a man.
They would go to find Jiang Yan once or twice a week, and every time after they found him, Jiang Yan would circle around the Jiang family’s house, as if he were hoping to run into Jiang’s father.
But Jiang’s father was busy, and he had not succeeded once.
Jiang Qi soon lost the heart to investigate.
It was nothing more than the usual rich family drama. He withdrew the private investigator, not thinking that these people could stir up any trouble.
He might as well focus on being with the baby.
—
Time flew by.
Soon, high school was over.
Given that Shu He had been so drunk after drinking in the third year of middle school, this time, at the high school graduation banquet, Jiang Qi stared at him, and did not let him touch a single drop of alcohol.
Not even fruit wine.
Shu He was a little unhappy, and with a spoiled temper, he said, “You’re so annoying.” When he spoke, his mouth was pursed, and the small dimples on his cheeks were full of displeasure.
Jiang Qi did not budge at all, and said calmly, “Do you want to get drunk and have a headache?”
Shu He puffed out his cheeks and said, “You’re just so annoying. Your excuses are also so annoying.”
What could Jiang Qi do? He could only be told he was annoying by the baby, and at the same time, he had to pour him a drink and take him home.
The summer wind was hot.
The same road, the same people.
The difference was that the last time he had walked this road, Shu He had been carried on Jiang Qi’s back, and this time, the two of them were walking side by side.
Shu He was holding something in his hand.
On his wrist was a hand rope, a graduation present from a girl. In his left hand was a crystal ball, and in his right hand was a letter.
There were also some scattered things that Jiang Qi was holding.
Jiang Qi saw a trash can, and pretended to want to throw them away and said to stuff them all inside. Shu He looked at him with a dazed expression, and then lifted his sharp chin and said, “Then you throw them.”
“…”
“I won’t.” Jiang Qi obediently held the presents and said as usual, “You’ll just curse at me in a bit and give me the cold shoulder for three days.”
“Hmph.” Shu He hummed and went to step on his shadow. His dark, soft hair looked particularly good to touch under the streetlights. He pouted and said, “Who told you to always say these strange things?”
How could you just throw away a present someone had given you?
Jiang Qi indifferently turned his head to look around, and then lowered his head to look at him stepping on his shadow. “Baby, you’ll be an adult in half a year.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m thinking.”
Jiang Qi said, “I’m thinking about a particularly important matter.”
Shu He’s attention was diverted, and he tilted his head to look at him. “What is it?”
“I can only tell you when you’re an adult,” Jiang Qi said. “This matter is particularly important.”
Then what is it?
Shu He looked at Jiang Qi in a daze.
Jiang Qi showed a mysterious expression. Shu He was a little unhappy, so he took a few steps forward and hit him, and told him to be normal.
“…” Jiang Qi lifted his lips and touched his nose, and as if he had remembered something, he lowered his head and took the rope from Shu He’s wrist and stuffed it into the bag with the presents.
Then, he took a red rope from his pocket, lowered his head, and tied it on the boy’s pale, slender wrist, and tied a small bow, which was particularly exquisite.
“A graduation present.”
Shu He’s skin was pale, and the red was particularly conspicuous on it. He lifted his hand and looked at it under the streetlight for a while, and mumbled that it was a little tacky.
“I got it from a temple,” Jiang Qi said with a light “tsk.” “I knelt for an hour and spent thirty-eight thousand to buy it. The abbot said it can keep you safe.”
Shu He’s eyes widened.
Jiang Qi looked at him with restraint. Shu He’s pale little face was tense, and he really wanted to give him face and praise him a couple of times, but he couldn’t. After thinking for a long time, he only managed to say, “Brother, you’re so easy to deceive.”
Jiang Qi: “…”
The very easy to deceive Jiang Qi let out another light “tsk.”
He walked to Shu He’s side, his arms tightly against his, and his tall figure’s shadow almost completely enveloped the boy. Jiang Qi lowered his head, and when Shu He looked at him with confusion, he bent down to him.
The distance was closed.
Shu He’s eyelashes were very long, and at this time, they were blinking in a daze, and his eyes reflected his expression.
Jiang Qi bent down and gave Shu He a very innocent kiss on the cheek.
Then he stood up straight with restraint, his heart beating so fast it was a little numb, and his face did not show it. “Baby, you haven’t kissed me in a long time.”
Shu He blinked a couple of times.
He hesitated and looked away, and after thinking for a moment, he said seriously, “Someone laughed at me.”
Jiang Qi: “…?”
Jiang Qi: “Who again???”
He shook his head, afraid that Jiang Qi would go and fight someone, Shu He did not say it explicitly, and only said, “I thought about it, and it seems a little inappropriate. We’re all grown up. In the future… you shouldn’t kiss me anymore, okay? You have to change this habit.”
Jiang Qi: “…”
Damn it, who dared to laugh at his baby?
“Has no one ever laughed at you?” Shu He was a little frustrated.
Jiang Qi: “Who dares to laugh at me? It’s because your temper is too soft, baby. If you curse at them a couple of times, see if they still talk. It’s just a kiss on the cheek. What’s wrong with that? It’s not like I kissed your mouth.”
He paused for a moment, and then Jiang Qi suddenly closed his mouth.
He wanted to confess in a while.
To make the baby take it seriously, he had to endure this kind of action that a normal friend would not do. A small impatience would ruin a great plan.
Otherwise, the baby would still think he was joking, and would never take it seriously, and even after he had said the words of confession, he would still ask him if he was playing truth or dare.
Shu He was unaware, and said in a small voice, “Anyway, don’t kiss me anymore.”
Jiang Qi didn’t speak, and he lowered his head and walked forward a couple of steps, and then came back, and took Shu He’s hand and walked forward together.
Shu He sighed in a small voice, as if he had a lot of little troubles. Jiang Qi stopped with a straight face, and turned his head and gave him another peck on the face.
He would just kiss him.
He would also kiss him when he confessed.
Shu He puffed out his cheeks and looked at him with condemnation.
—